more conscientious sort who in regard of those many promises by Christ made no his Church had been at first won to be of their fellowship and communion as the only means to their salvation it was taken as a punishment of the highest import And however that the then Church for want of Judiciary power as aforesaid could not punish otherwise yet since it became all that were named by the name of Christ to depart from iniquity and to have their conversation such as becomed Saints and to walk worthy that vocation wherewith they were called in which respect we shall find the name of Disciples Believers Saints Church and Christians indifferently used to signifie those that made profession of Christs name It therefore became them who were to be as lights on a hill and to see that others light did so shine before men that they seeing their good works might glorifie that God in whose obedience they did it to be very sensible and tender of permitting any thing scandalous in the eye of the world to be acted or countenanced by any of their profession In reference to which gracious promises of Salvation Illumination Assistance and the like made by Christ to his Church and of that degree of sanctity wherewith those of this profession stood eminent above the rest of the world or of that City or place where they lived it is no wonder if we find that this notion of Church was still used even after the time that the publick Authority of the Country came also to be of the same belief especially considering that it was more then three hundred years after Christs birth before any Emperor at all was of that profession from which they quickly again fell and that during the said time and a good while after the more considerable and perhaps the major part of the Empire it self besides what was done in other Countries more heathenish continued still Infidels Towards whose conversion and for the greater honor of their Master and his doctrine as they desired to become worthy Disciples by the example of their holy lives so dâ—d they withall still keep up as far as might be a communion with one another therein as well as a separation from others that were not of the same belief But yet we shall never find in Scripture or Author of antiquity that was not prejudiced by particular adherence to some party that these notions of Church or Saints were used to separate Christians from Christians so as to accompt others especially their fellow-subjects that publickly professed faith and obedience to Christ to be yet none of his Church until such time as the whole Church through the goodness of God being rid of the fear of much harm from such as for Christs sake were their common enemy some separate parts thereof began in a strange requital to seek out enemies amongst themselves Ambition pride interest and passion causing men to forget those prime precepts of humility meekness patience brotherly love and the like wherewith Christianity stood at first adorned and whereby they as out of a common principle of love to Christ and his honor as well as to one another according to the true intent of Religion were piously and unanimously guided and now to prosecute that course which should at once hazard the honor and good of both Christ and his whole Church through their strife to advance some particular Sect above the rest and themselves in it As if Christs Disciples and followers must not now be called such in regard of their faith in him as formerly was used but out of belief in and for following them rather in things circumstantial or by themselves called fundamental the more to countenance that breach of Charity which must thence ensue hereby shewing that we have not as the true elect of God and beloved put on bowels of mercies kindnesses humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering so as to forbear one another and forgive one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave us But have neglected to put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness and to let the peace of God rule in our hearts to the which we are also called into one body even this body and communion of a Church Col. 3. 12 c. It being indeed impossible for any but such elect as these to escape those deceits and snares which each particular Sect as in Christs name will be ready to lay before us saying Lo here is Christ and lo there is Christ on purpose to affright us from confidence in that Name whereby alone under heaven we can be saved as if salvation were not to be found in being a Member of the Catholick Church or any part of it as Christian but in that secret Chamber or that desert Assembly which is now separately named and owned by themselves 6. This is that great misery under which Christendom hath of late been so much troubled as well through that ambitious humor of universal rule and dominion whereby those of the Roman party out of opinion of Eminencie Succession or the like would advance their Head to be Head of the whole Church even where his jurisdiction reacheth not As of others also who in any particular Church are ready to make a separation of themselves as though in regard of any extraordinary degree of sincerity of worship or sanctity of life by them professed above others the antient notion of Church could now again be appropriate to them without notice of their Brethren of the same Religion and those in Authority and perhaps more in number also in like manner as formerly the notion of Church was understood in opposition to those that were meer Heathens 7. The truth is that Christian societies may well be distinguished from Professors of other Religions by this peculiar appellation their Religion being indeed the Religion even as their God is apparently the God For where they in discovery of their meer humane extraction or wors are in their precepts wholly regardful of their own outward glory pomp and estimation and that according to humane fancie and opinion when we are by voice from heaven taught that strict conjunction which is between Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth and good will towards men Their Deities stand manifestly on their Sacrifices professing greatest love to such as are most zealous in them or such like kind of adoration Ours pronounce Charity the end of the Law and prefer Mercy before Sacrifice and to encourage men thereto our Saviour personateth the hungry blind naked imprisoned and promiseth even the reward of Heaven to such as should most express their love and duty to him that way 8. And thereupon again as true it is that particular Churches cannot seclude one another from being members of that Catholick body while they acknowledged the same Common head much less can such as live within the authority or are members of any Christian Church or society
Pharisees by whom divine things indeed were lesse because other things were more divinely esteemed of then reason would The Superstition that riseth voluntary and by degrees which are hardly discerned mingleth it self with the Rites even of every divine service done to the onely true God must be considered of as a creeping and incroaching evill an evill the beginnings whereof are commonly harmlesse So that it proveth onely then to be an evill when some farther accident doth grow unto it or it self come unto further growth for in the Church of God sometimes it cometh to passe as in over-battle grounds the fertile disposition whereof is good yet because it exceedeth due proportion it bringeth forth abundantly through too much ranknesse things lesse profitable whereby that which principally it should yeeld being either prevented in place or defrauded of nourishment faileth This if so large a discourse were necessary might be exemplified by heaps of Rites and Customes now superstitious in the greatest part of the Christian world which in their first originall beginnings when the strength of vertuous devout or charitable affection bloomed them no man could justly have condemned them as evill whereby it is still plain that things good and profitable in their first institution and setled upon good advice and great authority may by a succeeding age and Church be found prejudiciall and that then that Church hath power to take away and abolish that which the other did institute 27. And again much to the same purpose and in answer to such as think things once well and solemnly established cannot be altered he saith l. 4. fol. 165. True it is that neither Councels nor Customes be they never so ancient and so general can let the Church from taking away that thing which is hurtful to be retained Where things have been instituted which being convenient and good at the first do afterward in processe of time wax otherwise we make no doubt but they may be altered yea though Councels or Customes General have received them And therefore it is but a needless kind of opposition which they make who thus dispute If in those things which are not expressed in the Scripture that is to be observed of the Church which is the custome of the people of God and decree of our Forefathers then how can these things at any time be varied which heretofore have been once ordained in such sort Whereto we say that things so ordained are to be kept howbeit not necessarily any longer then till there grow any urgent cause to ordain the contrary For there is not any positive Law of men whether it be general or particular received by former expresse consent as in Councels or by secret approbation as in Customs it cometh to passe but the same may be taken away if occasion serve Even as we all know that many things kept generally heretofore are now in like sort generally unkept and abolished every where By which we may further finde that as it is the duty of the Members of any Church to conform to such Rights and Orders as the Authority thereof shall institute and set up so also can no plea of former establishment whether by Councels or Customes warrant their opposition or inconformity if the Church under which they live shall think fit to abrogate them when they find urgent cause to the contrary No he accounts it but a needless kinde of opposition to urge in these disputes the custome of the people of God or the decree of our Fore-fathers as if for the necessary continuance of Peace and Order there were not the same degree of respect due to a succeeding Church by her present children as was given to the former Church and such as were our Forefathers therein Can we fancie that the establishment we doe now approve might be made in place of what the Church preceding it had made before and yet think the Church under which we live cannot do the like in disanulling some things made by the Church preceding us 28. But now if all this while it should be allowed that this power should be in the Church yet what and if some mens greater affection and interest cast towards other persons then those that had the present managing of Religious affairs might make them conjecture that rather they then these ought in these things to be obeyed and what and if they might withall doubt that him they called the Civill Magistrate should have power to order affairs of the Church as head thereof we will therefore set down what he farther inferreth fol. 567. The Lord God of Israel hath given the kingdom over Israel to David for ever even to him and his sons by a Covenant of Salt And Job 56. 8. bringing in that place of Cant. 8. 11. Solomon had a Vineyard in Baalhamon he gave the Vineyard unto keepers every one bringing for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver c. He saith it is true this is meant of the Mystical Head set over the body which is not seen but as Christ hath reserved the mystical administration of the Church invisible to himself so hath he committed the mystical government of Congregations visible to the Sons of David by the same Covenant whose Sons they are in governing of the flock of Christ whomsoever the Holy Ghost hath set over them to go before them and lead them in their several pastures one in this Congregation another in that As it is written Take heed to your selves and to all the flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood And presently after to shew who he means by those Overseers he saith The Pope hath fawned upon the Kings and Princes of the earth and by spiritual couzenage hath made them sell their lawful Authorities and Jurisdictions for titles of Catholicus Christianissimus Defensor fidei and such like And again fol. 569. complaining of the unnatural usage of some towards their Mother that were natural children of this Church under a misguided conceit that Obedience was not due to the then Queen Elizabeth but to another he saith That by this means the bowels of the child may be made the mothers grave and that it hath caused no small number of our brethen to forsake their native Country and with all disloyalty to cast off the yoke of their allegiance to our dread Soveraign whom God in mercy hath set over them for whose safeguard if they carried not the hearts of Tygers in the bosomes of men they would think the dearest blood in their bodies well spent and presently after he reckons up the faults charged by the Popish party upon them and for which they stood excommunicated as if they had been no Church nor part thereof Viz. That the Queen had quite abolished prayers within her Realm that we not only have no assemblies unto the Lord for Prayers but to hold a Common School for sin and flattery
they have also condemned whatsoever is by me done in conformity to any present Establishment in the outward profession of Religion as not deeming what was before setled in that kind by the former Higher Power can be legally abrogated by this In answer to all which I shall desire it may be considered that I undertake not to write as a Servant but as a Subject and of the duty of subjection and obedience as indefinitely put and abstracted from all personal regard It was not the scope of my intention to compare person with person or to shew which of them I was most obliged unto or would for my own part have chosen either for my Prince or Master but to set forth that duty which became me and all men else as considered in the common relation of Subjects which being impartially done I doubt not but it will to others as it hath done to my self appear that in order to the manifestation of Gods glory all the means for mans preservation ought to be endeavoured that mans preservation peace and charity having a necessary dependance on submission to the authority of some one that shall be in all causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil next under Christ supreme Head and Governor it could not but follow that he only was to be obeyed in things of this nature And that the means to Peace Vnity and Charity may at no time be wanting I have determined obedience to be given to him that shall be from time to time possessed of this high place of Supremacie and power And these things I have made the Arguments of the three Chapters of this Treatise The first to shew the true rise and scope of Religion the next to shew what the nâ—tion of Church doth import and of the power of him that shall be Head thereof and lastly to shew that no imputation of defect of Title can take off our duty of subjection All which being cleered I presume that those censures which passed on me and others for hearing or receiving where Common-Prâ—yer or other Ceremonies were not used or for hearing of such as I might suspect at least were not ordained as heretofore and the like would be found to be grounded more on prejudice then reason In the first larger Book of Government and Obedience having as I said an especial aim to the satisfaction of such as were neither convinced in the right of Kingly government nor of that fulness of power that belonged thereunto I made use of no authority in proof of what I said save that of Scripture and Reason both because these were not only the best and true authorities as also for that generally with them all humane authority was not regarded But now being put to question what are the true Principles of the Cavalier or Royalist to the end it may be known whether I in my conformity or others in their recusancie have best followed them it must be expected I should quote some of the most Reverenced and Orthodox Authorities in our Church that have treated of things of this nature And if in any thing in this Treatise I shall be conceived short of the proof intended recourse may be had to the former Volume where most of the same questions are more largely handled unto which this was intended as a supplement in some part only And for fear any should mistake or conclude me disrespectful to the Service-book or former Ceremonies because I am now perswading to conformity in alteration I shall in this case also desire them to consider that I am not now taking upon me the part of a Judg or Law-maker and comparing those Forms and Rights with any other of like kind so as to estimate which were best and most convenient to be received as to separate worth in themselves but writing now as a Son or Member of a Church in things determined by her authority already the case will be found much different As I am not so partial to my self as not to conceive my own insufficiencie may be a cause why in many particulars my Proofs and Reasons are no more satisfactory and convincing So on the other side again being to write in defence of Authority and to perswade to Obedience I must expect that both my self and work shall be vulgarly entertained with a Censure suitable to what Mr Hooke armed himself against when he wrote against the Nonconformists of his time viz. He that goeth about to perswade a multitude that they are not so well governed as they ought to be shall never want attentive and favorable hearers because they know the manifold defects whereunto every kind of Regiment is subject but the secret lets and difficulties which in publâ—que proceedings are innumerable and inevitable they have not ordinarily the judgment to consider And because such as openly reprove supposed disorders of State are taken for principal friends to the common benefit of all and for men that carry singular freedom of mind under this fair and plausible colour whatsoever they utter passeth for good and current That which wanteth in the weight of their speech is supplied by the aptness of mens minds to accept and believe it Whereas on the other side if we maintain things that are established we have not only to strive with a number of heavy prejudices deeply rooted in the hearts of men who think that herein we serve the time and speak in favor of the present State because thereby we either hold or seek preferment but also to bear with such exceptâ—ons as minds so averted beforehand usually take against that which they are loth should be poured into them The grounds of prejudice and aversion are I must confess naturally strong and pressing especially when they come to that height as mine did to be thereby deprived of all But when we shall have laid that passion aside which might arise from the thoughts of our former condition and consulted with Reason of what in conscience and prudence is fittest to be resolved on in the condition we now stand I doubt not but those Motives that have prevailed with me will prevail with others also that the remainder of our life may be led with more comfort Vpon which hope I have thus exposed my self to publick view as mindful of that admonition of our Saviour to S. Peter And thou being converted strengthen thy brethren Which God Almighty grant CHAP. I. Of Religion in its true ground and foundation THings that have life are essentially distinguished from those that want by particular sensation of their own perfections and enjoyments And as they are again specifically distinguished and differenced from one another by degree of perfection and beatitude so also by degree of vigor and relish in fruition For as it is an abatement to happiness to have sense of loss or pain intermixed so is it also an increase thereunto to be perceptible thereof in the highest degree of satisfaction and assurance In which regard
and of Soepter in the singular number we may well understand the King before mentioned And however the Pâ—ophetick designation of Monarchical government to succeed as under the notion of Kings as the adopted Father of each Country took not place until Moses but that those that were the natural Fathers of the Tribes and had right of Government by primogeniture continuâ—â— as Princes and Rulers yet their as he was the first that was so stiled being King in Jesâ—uâ—â—â—â— even as the succeeding Judges may be so well called for that in the inter-regnum it is said there was no King in Israâ—l so shall we â—ind Moses again as expresly foretelling that they should have a King as that they should possess the Land For the words to each Promise run absolute Dent. 17. 14. When tâ—â—u art come into the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shâ—lt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a King over me like all the Nations that are round about me c. It is not said If thou shalt say no such conditional but an express duty or prophecie For the conjunction and here used and shalt possess it and dwell therein and shalt say makes all of them equally certain as certain in the blessing of Kingship as in that of the promised Land it self Of all which I have formerly at large discoursed and have briefly here premised to unprejudice such as are averse to Monarchy or the acknowledgment of the power of Kings in the Church and shall now treat of the Church it self and of its proper cognisance and power in which we shall have farther occasion to assert this Kingly superintendencie CHAP. II. Of the Church Catholick and of the power and jurisdiction of each particular Church and Head thereof THe word Ecclesia or ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we English Church doth originally import a Company called forth or men met together upon some special occasion But the Scripture treating of Religious matters applies that notion to Meetings made to that end And therefore that Assembly which Demetrius and his Craftsmen made is called by that name But then farther because to be called forth must presuppose some person or persons having power so to do and also to propound and regulate what shall be disputed of or determined in these Assemblies in that respect again we after find that those things which in the former unruly meeting could not be composed are by the Town-Clark promised to be determined in a more lawful Church or assembly to be called according to Authority All Religions agreeing in this truth that without observation of Government and Order both Church and State will quickly run into confusion After Christianity had a while been professed this name by way of excellence was appropriate to them and those of their communion Insomuch as in the beginning thereof and while the Land of Jewry did contain the whole number of Believers or that the Christians there or elswhere had not cast themselves into any proper or distinct forms of regiment all such as stood as well separated from the world as associated amongst themselves by their joint profession of the same faith stood only distinct from the rest of the world by the word Church or Church of Christ Catholickly applied without distinction thereof into parts in respect of any local application But when afterwards they came to be dispersed into several Cities so distant from one another in place and so different in jurisdictions as to require some form of Ecclesiastical discipline to be setled amongst themselves for their more orderly service in their Religion it came then to pass that as those that had begotten them in the faith and been their spiritual fathers and instructors had chief authority herein so were those their Churches and followers distinguished by topical additions as the Church or Saints at Rome at Corinth at Ephesus or the like By the use of the word at such a place and not saying the Church of Rome of Corinth of Ephesus or the like as now we do the Church of Rome England Geneva c we are to conceive that as the first Believers were in respect of this separation from the rest of the world in faith and some religious exercises called by the name of a Church so these in those several Cities wherein they lived were called Saints or Church at such a City and not of as betokening that they were aswel but a part of that City as to civil regiment as also a part of the whole Catholick Church now subordinate to some separate Authority in the exercise of their Religion But then we are to conceive that although this separation of theirs from others of the same City both in their meetings and holy exercises were done in order to their Religion yet was it not the quality of any Religion as such a Religion but difference in rites and form of Worship and in meeting thereabouts from that other Religion which was publikely authorised in that place which made it preserve this name of Church as taken in its proper sense And therefore as before said we shall usually find that the Addition of the Church of God or of Christ is put to distinguish as well as to dignifie it above other religious Congregations that were not such And upon this reason it is that we never read in the Scripture that the the word Church is applied to the Jews although they were a Nation separate from all the rest of the world both in their Religion it self and in the Ceremonies thereof even for that it was all one and the same with that which the publick Authority of that place did appoint and allow Whereas when Christianity first began amongst them the first Professors thereof being but subordinately divided were set down as a Church or Congregation of men in that respect separate saying The Church or Church of Christ which is at Jerusalem Which being considered we need not wonder why S. Paul should proceed to no higher punishment then that of Excommunication against a Blasphemer or an incestuous person or the like who by the very heinousness and nature of their sins might be presumed not greatly desirous of their Communion even for that it was at that time all the punishment he or other Heads of Churches could inflict wanting as before noted all coercive jurisdiction Upon which ground again we find not that the Jews did ever exercise this kind of punishment while they continued masters of their own soveraignty but comprising all offences under the same Law they punished transgressions of all sorts as breaches thereof when yet afterward in the time of our Saviour that the supreme power was in the hand of the Romans we find them both threatening and actually thrusting men out of their Synagogues But however such notorious sinners as those might in the infancie of Christianity set lightly of any Church-censure in that kind yet with the
claim any jurisdiction apart or make separation therefrom upon allegation of any extraordinary sanctity or neerer degree of imploiment in Religious affairs for this were to overthrow the main scope of the Church before set down And therefore since humane preservation and Peace is the end of Religious as well as Civil associations it will therefore follow that as each State hath its rule entire and absolute for the better preservation of concord and order so must each Christian State or Church much more have the like in as much as those precepts and directions leading thereunto are much more apparently within their Commission their duty and charge being to perfect and consummate that by a religious tie unto which natural perfection could not reach 9. And hereby it comes to pass that what was vertue or vice in a bare Philosophical accompt is now called righteousness or sin And so these Politick societies which upon the former light of natural reason took upon them the guidance of humane actions and were called Kingdoms and Commonwealths when they come to acknowledg subjection to this higher direction and rule are usually called Churches also And thereupon those that were formerly called Schismaticks in respect of separation or stubbornness to Ecclesiastick authority are now to be esteemed seditious and Rebels also if they do in any such thing disobey or oppose him that hath both these authorities conjoined For very hard it would seem if the same terms of separation should still be kept up against Christian Princes and Rulers as was formerly and they allowed no more honor and power being Christians then while they were Pagans But we will now proceed to shew what hath been the sense of the Church of England herein according to the doctrine of those that were eminent in it 10. As those of the Roman party had no doubt a design of stretching the Papal jurisdiction even in temporals by their engrossment of all spiritual power as Catholick head so hath it been always censured by ours as an unjust usurpation Therefore we shall find that the late Archbishop in his Answer to the Jesuite all along to disprove that claim of Universal head of the whole Church and sect 25. num 12. sheweth That after the conversion of the Emperors the Bishops of Rome themselves were still elected or confirmed by them without any title of Universal head until that John Patriarch of Constantinople having been countenanced in that title by Mauritius the Emperor who came afterward to be deposed and murthered by Phocas Phocas conferred on Boniface the third that very honor which two of his Predecessors had declaimed against as monstrous and blasphemous if not Antichristian And as he thus defends the power and jurisdiction of particular Churches and the chief Magistrate in them against the Pope so doth he defend the power and supremacie of this Magistrate over all that live within the same jurisdiction And therefore sect 26. num 9. doth set it down for a great and undoubted Rule given by Optatus That wheresoever there is a Church there the Church is in the Commonwealth not the Commonwealth in the Church and so also the Church was in the Roman Empire The truth is that at first and while some smaller parcels of the Roman Empire only were Christians then these being only of the Church might it be said to be in the Commonwealth first as being but a part and next but a subordinate part of the whole Empire or those that had jurisdictions therein But after that the Government it self became Christian then was there no question to be rightly made which was in which that is whether the Church in the Commonwealth or that in the Church For that both were one and both to be conceived included under that name of highest honor the name of Church importing as well our relation to God as to one another Whereupon also since for some Ages the authority of the Roman Empire did extend it self in a manner over all Nations that were Christian it might well come to pass that amongst the Writers of those times the Roman and Catholick Church might be taken as equivalent and alike which to use now is an absurd contradiction as implying a particular-universal for none other it is to call any man a Roman Catholick At the time the Emperor of Rome had the soveraignty or government of any Christian State then and there had the Pope or chief Bishop of Rome the like soveraignty in ordering of the affairs of that Church if the said Emperor so thought fit and to depart from that obedience or communion was then as I conceive not Schism alone but Sedition also But in case any that are neither within the Popes own territory nor jurisdiction but in the proper jurisdiction of some other Prince who yields only a voluntary conformity in doctrine and discipline to that Sea as Spain and France and other free Princes now do then are they that make alteration against the liking of that Prince or Power under whom they live not Schismaticks against the Pope of Rome but against him and if he approve of their doctrine they are neither Schismaticks nor Seditious As was the case of our Henry the Eight and those his Subjects of the Church of England which followed him and for ought I know was the case of Luther also in respect of his subjection to the Duke of Saxony 11 For it is to be considered that where the Jurisdiction doth divide and become independent there doth the notion of Church divide also as was to be seen in the Church of the Jews after they fell into two distinct Governments to wit that of Judah and that of Israel In which case although they had still but one divine Law and prescript form of Worship to live by yet the Government of each Kingdom being unsubordinate they were each of them reckoned as a Church apart and the good or ill Government of each of them attributed to none but the peculiar King thereof even as proceeding from his proper observance or breach of the Law And although the Primitive Churches in Saint Johns time had not yet any absolute Jurisdiction yet since what they had was independent we shall find that those Reproofs and Admonitions which were in the Apocalyps given to the seven Churches are directed to their several Angels or Heads apart without any hint or notice of subordination to any other Catholick Head or Curate save of CHRIST himself 12. I must confess that as the earnest desire and aim I have always had towards the silencing of disputes and civil commotions in Kingdoms hath made me the more earnest and studious in pressing the power and authority of each Prince so for common-peace sake again amongst Kings themselves and for taking off those irregularities and oppressions which each of them by this power might inflict on their Subjects I have many times entertained the thoughts of admittance of some such power like that claimed
marks And so the Act goes on prescribing still greater punishments for the second and third offences by way of mulct to the Queen and her Successors 34. But now what if her Successors come to enact against the use of it and be themselves Compellers and Threateners may we not then conclude that they may lawfully interrupt or at least the other be excused for being interrupted where before in a Subject it was unlawful to interrupt or let any Parson in the doing what was by the then Law established So that by this very Act as I conceive such as have a reverend esteem and willingness to use it are not only freed foro interno but by the Clause following enacting That no person shall be at any time hereafter impeached or molested of or for any of the offences above-mentioned hereafter to be committed or done contrary to this Act unless he or they so offending be thereof indicted at the next General Sessions to be holden before any such Justices of Oyer and Determiner or Justices of Assise next after any offence committed or done contrary to the tenor of this Act we may conlude he is freed foro externo also and may for ought I can find rest free from all danger while obedient to the Queens Successory she dying without an Heir 35. And if by reason of any Oath or Obligation received at Ordination or taking degrees some should think themselves farther bound They are also to consider that as neither any derived power can go beyond that which impowers it so are they also to presume that their intentions are alike even to maintain Peace and Order by Uniformity to what is enjoyned and not to raise disturbance by opposition And surely if Oaths Vows or the like were to be held of force in such a case I see not how any Jesuite or Priest could in reason no nor in Conscience be perswaded to recede in any thing from their obedience and conformity to the Papall Sea and Ceremony when as their Promises are not only more strict but confirmed by Laws more ancient and general and which are still in the same force 36. It is also farther to be considered that when after in the Preface to our Bibles it is set down That where heretofore there hath been great diversity in saying and singing in Churches within this Realm some following Salisbury use some Hereford use some the use of Bangor some of York and some of Lincoln now from henceforth all the whole Realm shall have but one use And when in the directions following that Preface it is set down That all Priests and Deacons should be bound daily to say the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly except they be let by preaching studying of Divinity or some other urgent cause We are still to conceive that both Uniformity was aimed at and that the duty of Preaching was in the first place held necessary 37. And if we go to experience in their practise of this precept of reading of the Service Book then we shall find it apprehended as an injunction that did onely bind them ad semper velle but not ad semper agere as Mr. Hooker elsewhere speaks of Gods affirmative Precepts as Pray continually and the like and that thereupon few could give account of their daily use of it even when the hindrance of preaching studying or the like could not well be alledged as before noted And therefore if in a time when it was commanded the use of it might be forborn rather then preaching be omitted what may we think of them that in a time it is taken away will yet rather omit preaching then it to the great discouragement and scandall of many a man in his Christian obedience and Communion and to the great detriment of the nation in generall who in a time of scarcity are much wanting of that instruction which might be had from men of their abilities In which respect as I am my self a true lover of many of them for their learning and gifts in that kinde so hath the sence of mine own losse as well as that of others now made me thus large in this particular 38. But besides this and the want of satisfaction how they can in this condition uphold the Church of England in her former sentence against non conformity if upon the same score they shall slight her authority themselves They are next to consider what answer for their present Recusancy they can bring which on the other side shall not withall justifie the Recusants themselves in their separation from our Communion also For plain it is as I said before that as the drift of all the arguments brought formerly by the Papists against our Churches authority was in respect of usurpation in our Princes and want of succession lawfull ordination and the like in our Priests so was the sum of all their Doctrine that wrote in defence of what was done by us brought to this issue That these things were not essentiall to Salvation or to the being of a Church That each Christian Church having as heretofore set down a power within it self for ordering its own affairs had as well power to abbreviate or abrogate what was in former times or by other Churches instituted before as to institute that which was new so that the casting out from our Service Book and leaving out of our publike Forms of Worship all such Prayers Ceremonies and Observations as in the opinion of those that then had power in the Church had on the one side little or no footing in Scripture and which had on the other side greatest Superstition cast towards them was then held lawfull as by that Declaration annexed to our Bibles concerning Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained may appear And if it was then held agreeable and the Church thought a fit Judge wherein Superstition was most to be feared and what was the best way of Reformation how can we now change our Principle unlesse we joyn with the adversary to dâ—â—â—de the fact as done by the Civil power and Magistrate and with them neither own England for a Church nor him for head thereof Let us hear a little what Father Not the Jesuite in his Book called Charity maintained doth to this purpose alledge in his answer to Doctor Potter after some dispute Chap. 6. about the truth of our Ministery for want of Succession visibly derived from the Pope and Church of Rome he saith at last Sect. 20. But grant their first Bishops had such Authority from the Church of Rome after the decease of those men who gave authority to their pretended Successors The Primate of England but from whom had he such authority And after his decease who shall confer authority upon his Successors The temporall Magistrate King Henry neither a Catholique nor a Protestant King Edward a child Queen Elizabeth a woman an Infant of one houres age is true King in case of his Predecessors decease
But shall your Church lye fallow till that Infant King or green head of the Church come to years of discretion Do your Bishops your â—ierarchy your succession your Sacraments your being or not being Hereticks for want of Succession depend on this new found Supremacy-doctrine brought in by such a man meerly upon base occasions and for shamefull ends Impugned by Calvin and his followers derided by the Christian world and even by chief Protestants as Doctor Andrews Wâ—tton c not held any necessary point of Faith And from whom I pray you had Bishops their authority when there were no Christian Kings Must the Greek Patriarchs receive spiritual jurisdiction from the Greek Turk Did the Pope by the baptism of Princes lose the spiritual power he formerly had of conferring spiritual jurisdiction upon Bishops Hath the Temporal Magistrate authority to preach to assoil from sins to inflict Excommunications and other censures Why hath he not power to excommunicate as well as to dispense in irregularity as our late Soveraign Lord King James either dispensed with the late Archbishop of Canterbury or else gave Commission to some Bishops to do it And since they were subject to the Primate and not he to them it is cleer that they had no power to dispense with him but that power must proceed from the Prince as superior to them all and Head in the Protestants Church in England If we have no such authority how can he give to others what himself hath not Your Ordination or Conseâ—ration of Bishops and Priests imprinting no character can only consist in giving a power authority jurisdiction or as I said before Episcopal or Priestly functions If then the temporal Magistrate confers this power c. he can nay he cannot chuse but ordain and consecrate Bishops and Priests as often as he confers authority or jurisdiction and your Bishops as soon as they are designed and confirmed by the King must ipso facto be ordained and consecrated by him without intervention of Bishops or matter and form of Ordination Which absurdities you will be more unwilling to grant then well able to avoid if you be true to your own doctrines The Pope from whom originally you must beg your succession of Bishops never received nor will nor can acknowledg to receive any spiritual jurisdiction from any temporal Prince And therefore if jurisdiction must be derived from Princes he hath none at all and yet either you must acknowledg that he hath spiritual jurisdiction or that your selves can receive none from him And afterwards again sect 22. he saith But besides this defect in the personal succession of Protestant Bishops there is another of great moment which is that they want the right form of ordaining Bishops and Priests because the manner which they use is so much different from the Roman Church at least according to the common opinion of Divines that it cannot be sufficient for the essence of Ordination as I could demonstrate if this were the proper place of such a Treatise and will not fail to do if D. Potter give me occasion In the mean time the Reader may be pleased to read the Author cited here in the margent and then compare our form of Ordination with that of Protestants and to remember that if the form which they use either in consecrating Bishops or in ordaining Priests be at least doubtful they can never have undoubted Priests nor Bishops For Priests cannot be ordained but by true Bishops nor can any be true Bishop unless he be at first Priest I say their Ordination is at least doubtful because that sufficeth for my present purpose For Bishops and Priests whose Ordination is notoriously known to be but doubtful are not to be esteemed Bishops or Priests and no man without sacrilege can receive Sacraments from them all which they administer unlawfully And if we except Baptism with manifest danger of invalidity and with obligation to be at least conditionally repeated so Protestants must remain doubtful of Remission of sins of their Ecclesiastical Hierarchy and may not pretend to be a true Church which cannot subsist without undoubted true Bishops and Priests nor without due administration of Sacraments which according to Protestants is an essential note of the true Church And it is a world to observe the proceeding of English Protestants in this point of their Ordination For first An. 3 Ed. 6. cap. 2. when he was a Child about twelve years of age it was enacted That such a form of making and consecrating of Bishops and Priests as by six Prelates and six other to be appointed by the King should be devised Mark well this word devised and set forth under the Great Seal should be used and none other But after this Act was repealed 1 Mar. Sess 2. Insomuch as that when afterwards An. 6 7 Regin Eliz. Bishop Bonner being indicted upon a Certificate made by Doctor Horn a Protestant Bishop of Winchester for his refusal of the Oath of Supremacie and excepting against the Indictment because Dr. Horn was no Bishop they were all at a stand till An. 8 Eliz. cap. 1. the Act of Ed. 6. was renewed and confirmed with a particular Proviso That no man should be impreached or molested by means of any Certificate by any Bishop or Archbishop made before this last Act whereby it is cleer that they made some doubt of their own Ordination and that there is nothing but uncertainty in the whole business of their Ordination which forsooth must depend on six Prelates the Great Seal Acts of Parliament being contrary one to another and the like So that you see all along the authority and interposition of the Magistrate is scoffed at and by them made ineffectual in the ordering of the affairs of the Church nay the Church must be no Church if not wholly and independently governed by the Clergy and a Clergy too that do particularly derive their Ordination and power from a forein Head and according to Rights and Ceremonies then abolished If none but true Priests can administer the Sacraments nor none but true Bishops make true Priests nor none but the Pope make true Bishops but that the authority of the Magistrate doth interpose why then no true Sacraments nor no true Church by their doctrine And to that purpose he doth put a mark upon the word devised as deriding the Civil power therein 38. If we shall add to this what was before him observed by Father Parsons concerning the institution of the Service-book and objected against the validity and use of it as well as the power to abolish their Mass and other Ceremonies it will make us wary in condemning less Alterations now made by a greater Power while yet we shall commend conformity to a less Power in a matter of greater alteration For he alleadgeth in his Book of the Three Conversions of England par 2. chap. 12. sect 25. That the Reformation and Service-book were made by the then Protector to Edward the
and thereupon render the abolition of it both just and reasonable Now as the abolition of the Masse Book was formerly in respect of like superstition cast towards it For the late Archbishop sect 35. num 7. punct 5. affirmeth that himself had heard some Jesuites confess that in the Lyturgie of the Church of England there is no positive Error And being pressed why then they refused to come to our Churches and serve God with us In like manner as now Conformists may be asked now when no positive error can be objected neither They answered saith he they could not do it because though our Liturgy had nothing ill yet it wanted a great deal of that which was good and was in their Service So that if this answer were not valuable to excuse Refusants then I see not how the like can excuse any now 41. All which well weighed I know no effectuall answer to be made to such as have been Recusants or Non-conformists if we fall from that principle of acknowledgement of that Supremacy which the Church then gave the chief Magistrate amongst us accounting him in all causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil supream Head and Governour If upon any pretence we forsake this hold we not only lose the direct way to unity and peace but do let in error on every side to over master and confound us And although this power were formerly given to the chief Magistrate while they had the stile of King or Queen yet if we shall impartially consider the intention of that Act whereby this power was exercised by the King we shall finde that it like all Laws having a regard to the perpetuall conservation of Peace Order and Unity did not limit it to persons so stiled onely but that it might be kept for ever did for ever unite it to the Imperial Crown of this Realm that is to the Monarch thereof although no King nor more crowned nor anointed then some of the Roman Emperors were and accordingly we shall find Mr. Hooker to understand and apply it for reckoning up the Subject whereof his eight Books are to treat He saith The eight is of the power of Ecclesiastical dominion or Supream Authority which with us the highest Governour or Prince hath as well in respect of domestical jurisdictions as of that other forrainly claimed by the Bishop of Rome In which expressions of Highest Governour or Prince Prince signifying the same with Highest Governour or Governour in chief we may presume he meant it due to the King as Monarch and not to the Monarch as King And a great pitty it is that we had not the Book it self to have been further satisfied herein and in the power belonging to him But for want thereof we will adde the judgement of such others as have been generally held most famous in their generations 42. Bishop Andrews in his Sermon upon that Text of Touch not mine annointed proves at large that all persons in Supream Power are to be esteemed Gods annointed although material Unction and other Ceremonies be wanting as primarily he saith It was meant of such as were Patriarchs For saith he fol 798. in the first World the Patriarchs were principal persons and as I may safely say Princes in their generations and for such holden and reputed by those with whom they lived I may safely say it for of Abraham it is in expresse terms said by the Hethites Audi Domine Princeps Dei es inter nos Thou art a Prince of God that is a mighty Prince here among us As indeed a Prince he shewed himself when he gave battel and overthrow to four Kings at once Of Isaac no less may be said who grew so mighty as the King of Palestine was glad to intreat him to remove further off and not dwell so neer him and then to go after him in person and sue to him there might be a league of amity between them And the like of Jacob who by his sword and bow conquered from the Amorite the mightiest of all the Nations in Canaan that Country which by will he gave to Joseph for possession It was neer to Sichar well known you have mention of it Joh. 4. 5 Great men they were certainly greater then most conceive But be their greatness what it will this is sure they were all the Rulers the people of God then had and besides them Rulers had they none And that is it we seek Pater was in them and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too Fatherhood and Government And these two made them Patriarchs unctos ante unctionem saith S. Augustine anointed before there was any material anointing at all And as he said it to be properly due to such and none but such as were Rulers of the people of God so because Christian Magistracie in the latter ages was mostly executed by and under the notion of Kings so doth he afterwards prove how they were to succeed in this right Which done he proceeds to censure that usurpation of power foreignly claimed by Pope and Cardinals who under pretence of this title would enter common with Christian Kings proving that thirty three times in Scripture the terms of Gods anointed are used and no where to be applied to any but Patriarchs Christ himself or of Kings all shewing farther that others Priests Prophets or the like although they were anointed and might be so called yet were never stiled the Lords aâ—ointed it may be uncti but not Christi And then setting forth the Kings more proper claim to this title as being chief Christian head he after asks Who be they If we go by the book Princes why then touch not Princes that is such as are in principal power or Rulers in chief And thereupon he after adds to take their supposition off that thought this Authority depended on the Ceremony of Unction or the like fol. 800. This claim by the Ceremony is clean marred by this Text For when these words here were spoken there was no such Ceremony instituted it was non ens no such thing in rerum natura that name not up til Moses Now these here in the Text were in their graves long before Moses was born no meos then no claim by the Ceremony And after it came up no Priest went out of Juâ—â— to Persia to carry the Ceremony to Cyrus yet of him saith Isaiah Haec dicit Dominus Cyro Christo meo Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus mine anointed And yet never came there any oil upon his head So that even after it was taken up yet the Ceremony and the claim by it would not hold The truth is the Ceremony doth not any thing onely declareth what is done The party was before as much as he is after it Onely by it is declared to be that he was before and the which he should have been still though he had never so been declared The truth may and doth subsist as with the Ceremony so without it It
be my refuge till this tyranny be overpast Yet for all this Tyranny ne perdas saith David yet for all this he fell not into the sin of all sins which they stand so much on usâ—rping power in things spirituall Yes and that would they have found too Why did he call himself Head of the Church Indeed no Samuel did that for him He it was that said When thou wert little in thine own eyes the Lord made thee Head of the Tribes of Israel of which the Tribe of Levi was one for that Samuel must answer But Saul went further a great deal yea further then Oza For he took upon him to sacrifice in person himself to offer burnt offerings upon the very Altar the Highest part of all the Priests Office that is usurped further then ever did any And all this David knew yet it kept him not from saying ne perdas They never have done with persecuting and shedding Priests blood was Sauls singer in that too In that he passed He put the High Priest himself and fourscore and four more all in one day to the sword and all upon the single accusation of Doeg Innocent in the fact and all Loyall to him and all but for a douzen of bread given to David This could not but grieve David exceedingly it was for his sake yet he saith ne perdas though for all that And one case more I give in for advantage It is well known he was a Demoniack one actually possessed with an evill Spirit which is a case beyond all other cases yet destroy him not Abisai though So that if Abisai in stead of Inimicum tuum had said God hath shut up this Tyrant this Vsurper this Persecutor this possessed party this what you will David would have said no other then he did ne perdas still I would fain know which of all their destructive cases is here wanting They be all here all in Saul all in him at the time of this motion yet all alter not the case David saith still as he said If then all be in Saul all incident all eminent in him nay if his case be beyond all said it must be that David here saith Though he be any of these though he be all these destroy him not or destroy him and be destroyed destroy him and be the child of perdition I would be loth to deceive you There may seem yet to want one thing Here was no High Priest to excommunicate him or give warrant to do it yes that there was too for Abiathar scaped that great Massacre of Priests by Saul and now he was lawfull High Priest Now he fled to David thence and brought the Ephod with him so as by good hap the High Priest was with David now in the Camp and the Ephod too There wanted no just cause you see to proceed against Saul There wanted no lawfull Authority the High Priest we have There wanted no good will in Abiathar ye may be sure his father and brethren having been murthered by Saul so here was all or might have been for a word speaking all would not serve David is still where he was saith still ne perdas knew no such power in the High Priests censure was not willing to abuse it cannot see Quis any person to do it nor any cause for which it is to be done That Abisai may not do it nor Abiathar give warrant to it his charge is honest ne perdas His reason good Christus Domini His sentence just nor erit insons His challenge unanswerable quis mittet manum 46. By giving Subjects leave to rise and resist in such a case would also be the ready way to bring the Church and State into such a condition as to have no King in Israel and so bring in â—dolatry and Anarchy which in his Sermon upon that Text he impuâ—es to that want and therefore fol. 126. saith Our first thanks then shall be this first the ground of all the rest for a King This very thing that there is one and that this deâ—ect Non erat Rex hath not taken hold on us The shout of a King is a joyful shout was a true saying out of the mouth of a false Prophet Balaam but forced thereto by God That a joyfull shout and this a wofull cry Hos 10 3. Nonne ideo nobis nullâ—â— Rex quia non timemus Dominum Are we noâ— therefore without a King because we fear not God And our fear to God was not such but he might justly have brought us to the miseâ—able plight The more cause have we to thank him that we have one And when I say one I mean first any one for be he Nebuchadonosor yet must we pray for him Or be it Jeroboam him though God gave in his wrath yet he took away in his fury the worse wrath of the twain Oâ— be he who he will to have one is a matter of thanksgiving for bâ—â—â—er any then an Anarchy Better any one a King then every one a King and every one is more then a King if he do what he lists It calleth to mind the cry of the Beasts in the Fable when they were in consultation to submit themselves to the Lion as to their King For when it was alleadged it was like enough he would do they knew not well what what he listed which they had cause to fear they all cryed Praestat unum timere quà m multos Betâ—er one Lion do so then all the Bears and Wolves and wild Beasts of the Forrest as before they did First then for this that there is any King c. 47. And therefore in sum in what he speaks against Uâ—urpation he must be also understood as all others in that kind that is striving to cast what odium he can upon it that ambitious persons might be more discouraged from such undertakings and not as meaning that Subjects have right to rise or resist upon any pretence of civil or legal right him whom Divine Providence hath at any time brought in for to be Head of the Church And this especially if they find in this man all that can be expected in him that beginneth a Royal race that is both Election and Conquest like as in David He is not like Nimrod a stranger by birth and relation found to force himself in by his own greatneâ—s and power but being of the same Nation and Religion is at first freely chosen and followed and that by a more nâ—merous and eminent party then that which David first headed During which time he was also undeniably signal in those victories he obtained over such as were their enemies by which he might come to claim right and dominion over them even as by election he might claim it over he other of his own party and so have just dominion over all For it is a gross mistake to think that either Election or Conquest the two ways to transfer right in this kind can be otherwise or more truly