c. was given in Mercy or Anger I leave to every Sober and Impartial Man to judge and whether he was taken away in Wrath I am not so positive as to determine Sure I am after his Death things were furiously carried on till they were overturned first and then restored through God's Mercy The two Brothers were Papists the one secretly the other openly yet both were prayed for as Defenders of the Faith and as our most Religious Kings who had undertaken to destroy our Religion and openly lived in Notorious Sins They who in the Church pronounced such Lyes have no cause to be satisfied with themselves for so doing The Consideration of this engages me to speak of something which is proper enough for my present purpose Almost in every Age it hath been a Trick of State for the Civil Power to strengthen their Designs with putting on the Cloak of Religion the Generality of the People have a kind of Veneration for those who have the managing of Holy Things This Roman Emperors knew very well which made them add to their Dignity the Titles not only of Consuls and Tribunes but also of Pontifex Maximus High Priest which Popes constantly take with the addition of Optimus most Good one of his Names of Blasphemy Simeon and Levi are sometimes Brethren in Iniquity * Gen. 49.5 Instruments of Cruelty the Spiritual and Temporal Swords joyned together cut very deep Popes who pretend to both think themselves for it the more considerable and thereby heretofore especially before the Reformation proved the more dangerous At first they were not in the same but in two different hands for not to speak of Constantine's Donation which now is out of doors and was long ago known for a Sham it began in the days of Phocas and Bonifacius III. Phocas had made away his Master the Emperor Mauricius whilst he laboured under a Fit of the Gout and this to make him self Emperor The other was Bishop of Rome earnestly desirous to be universal Bishop which his Predecessor Gregory the Great had so much declaimed against Phocas sent to him If you will but own me to be lawful Emperor I will make you to be owned universal Bishop within the Empire Thus they agreed to the Prejudice of those on both sides concerned against them At first the People had Right of choosing their Ministers and Church-Officers Acts 6.2 3. and the manner was with * Acts 14.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lifting up of their hands as an Approbation of him or those that were named Long time after when Hierarchy was formed Deans and Chapters eleced their Bishops as to this day 't is continued amongst Papists in most parts of Germany but in France after the Concordat or Agreement between Francis I. and Pope Leo X. they deprived of that Right the Clergy of that Kingdom the King taking upon him the Nomination and the Pope reserving for himself the Confirmation by his Bulls That here that was the manner appears by the remaining shadows of it called Congè d'Elire for he must be elected who is named by the King The same Mockery for 't is no better if true as generally said is used on the part of the elected Bishop who being asked Visne Episcopari though he hath been sueing for it and made what Interest he could to get it comes with a Lye in his Mouth Nolo Thus Corruption being crept into the Church and amongst the Officers thereof we must not wonder to see so many ill Effects and Consequences of it And I desire no Exceptions be taken against what I am about to say for no Man more than I hath greater Honour for true and worthy Ministers of the Sanctuary though none more grieved than I am at the Abuse therein committed it is to my purpose and I am going to make Application of it Our late Courts in order to carry on these ends of enlarging the Royal Authority and Prerogative went about to get on their side as many especially leading Men of the * I call them so according to Custom for else 't is an Usurpation began amongst Papists for the word Clergy or Heritage belongs to all God's People 1 Pet. 5.3 Clergy as they could the most ambitious and greedy of Preferment were the fittest for their purpose Preach saith the Court to them Monarchy to be Jure Divino not the Gospel but the Extent of Royal Prerogative Preach Non-resistance Passive Obedience the Sinfulness of not obeying or opposing any thing commanded by Supream Powers These Doctrines began to ring out of the Pulpits and Obedience to Man more than to God was pressed a Conformity to the Canons of the Church more than to the Word of God because they had the Stamp of Royal Authority What doth the Court do for this One hath a good Benefice another a Place in the University One is made a Prebend Archdeacon Dean and Bishop they that were greedy of such Places seeing this to be the way to Preferment fell into the same Road and followed the steps of those that went before so that for the Generality to be for Absolute Monarchy was in a Subject a better Qualification than Learning Virtue and Piety To such Ministers as these I say in the words of the Prophet Malachi And now O ye Priests this Commandment is for you Mal. 2.5 2. If ye will not hear and if ye will not lay it to heart to give Glory unto my Name saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a Curse upon you and I will curse your Blessings Yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart And so the Prophet goes on till Verse the ninth which contains these words Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the People according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partial in the Law The Court never to want such Men went further They would have Episcopacy to be Jure Divino though Bishops be the King's Creatures they promised to maintain the Church as by Law established with all Annexes and Dependences Ruin to all Dissenters but Papists which was pretty well put in Execution No Moderation in the Minds of some no opening the Mouth against Ignorant and Scandalous Ministers not an hairs breadth of any Ceremony to be dispensed with though to the overthrowing of all Rules of Christian Prudence and Charity Hence it is that some of Corrupt Principles and Practices were in Church advanced to the highest Preferments because Men-pleasers though otherwise unworthy of it and so they were Ministers of the Court more than of Christ they were thought to be sufficiently qualified if able but to promote that Interest and to be true Sons of the Church though never so much Sons of Belial and Prodigal Sons But in this too much like Papists we are pleased with specious names more than with things and are so doting upon Accidents and Formalities that we neglect the Substance
now they are upon the Stage of another side would be as forward as most to renew and prosecute former Courses So far doth Interest sway with some Men when over-rul'd by it they know better than what they do or would do What else is this Rom. 1.18 than to speak in St. Paul's words To hold the Truth of God in Vnrighteousness All such persecuting Men I may compare to some who being upon a Journy instead of mending and going on their way fall out with beat and abuse their Fellow-travellers in words and deeds And though I love not to renew the Memory of these sad Divisions and Miscarriages yet they cannot so soon be out of mind We meet from Brethren with the like Usage as the Children of Israel did from Pharoah Exod. 5.17 Ye are idle ye are idle therefore ye say let us go and do Sacrifice to the Lord Ye talk of Reformation go and Conform not to the Gospel but to the Canon and Ceremonies of the Church as by Law established How have they who spoke for it been traduced as Innovators Disturbers of and Enemies to Church and State Such was the Lot of the first Reformers from Popery there hath been and there still are those who hate the very name of Reformation it hath commonly been the Custom of the Enemies of God's People to pick out a ground of Quarrel and to engage the Superior Powers against them the occasion is either Religion or State or both 1 Kings 18.17 The Prophet Elijah is by Ahab called he that troubleth Israel and his Enemy Chap. 21.20 Hath thou found me O mine Enemy that is to Kings In the case of Daniel Dan. 6.5 7. We shall find no occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God said the Princes of Media And then caused the King to make this Decree mentioned in the place Psal 94.20 Thus sometimes Mischief is framed by a Law Wicked Men and Persecutors do prosecute their Designs under Notions different from the Truth Thus the Jews not only called our Blessed Saviour a Friend to Sinners a Samaritan who had a Devil but also accused him before Pilate Luke 23.2 of having by them been found a Fellow perverting the Nation forbidding to give Tribute to Cesar and calling himself a King And he was Crucified not as the Son of God but as an Enemy to Cesar and as a Malefactor John 17.20 Acts 23.1 St. Paul was persecuted not as a Man who had lived in all good Conscience before God until the day he was brought before the Council Phil. 3.6 Acts 21.28 and not as touching the Righteousness which is in the Law blameless but as one who taught all men every where against the people against the Law and the Temple and as a pestilent Fellow a mover of Sedition amongst all the Jews throughout the World Acts 24.5 6 14. one who had prophaned the Temple An odious Charge indeed but false as that of Heresie which he clears himself from Such false Aspersions and evil Practises should be left for the Father of Lyes the Slanderer and for his Children But let those who profess themselves Christians study to be such indeed and put on Bowels of Charity laying aside all Malice Anger Divisions which so much discredit our Holy Religion and give our Adversaries very great Advantage In God's Name and for the sake of the Lord Jesus let all former Animosities and Miscarriages be forgotten and forgiven and let Men put to themselves this question Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now or ought to be ashamed and let all and every one in their Station joyn Hearts and Hands to carry on a thorough Reformation where it is wanting and therein let the Word of God be our Rule nothing of Humane Invention Willfulness Passion Prejudice or Self-ends in the carrying it on To lay such a Stress upon their As by Law established is no great Commendation for a Church and the Religion it doth profess 't is not good to stand too much upon it the Stamp of any Humane Law makes it never the better Christian Religion was not a jot the worse for not being by Law established in the Apostles time nor afterwards in the time of Persecution under the Roman Emperors neither was the Heathenish Religion or rather Idolatry the better for being then by Law established Neither is the Protestant Religion the worse in those Popish Countries where it is not setled by Law nor the Popish the better for being so setled This Argument used here against Dissenters is the same as was by Papists at the beginning of Reformation and by Jews against Primitive Christians 'T is not any Humane Authority that can make any Religion either better or worse and Dissenters may not be called Upstarts or Innovators for from the very beginning of Reformation we found those who wished for a thorough Reformation in Worship as well as Doctrine according to the Purity of the Gospel whence they were called Puritans and declared against retaining of those Ceremonies which ever since were the occasion of Dispute and Division I hope here we do not set up for a Catholick Infallible Church and that the words Church as by Law established are not an equivalent to it such a Doctrine is proper for a Church of Rome but not any Reformed Church We know this was the Exception against St. Paul Acts 18.13 This Fellow perswadeth Men to worship God contrary to the Law Yet the Apostle was in the right and they in the wrong as well as those others who called him and Silas Disturbers of the publick Peace Acts 17.6 Those who have turned the World upside down come hither also Our Reformation at first was good but in this World nothing so good but it may admit of some additional degree of Goodness and Perfection commonly the best things do not come all at once but by degrees As to our Reformation we may say as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.32 33. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord Howbeit the high places were not taken away for the People had not yet prepared their Hearts unto the God of their Fathers Still something was wanting which was supplied by Hezekiah for then the high places were thrown down 2 Chron. 31.1 The like Brand was by the Spirit of God put upon Jehoshaphat's Father's Reign King Asa who did many good things and his Heart was perfect all his days 2 Chron. 15.16 17. but the high places were not taken away We ought at last to throw them down we are seriously and earnestly exhorted to remove that Idol of Jealousie set up in the House of God I mean particularly bringing a Dead Man into the Church upon the Thirtieth of January Jude 9. We know Michael the Arch-angel contended with the Devil about the body of Moses which he would
have set up to be worshipped to have been an occasion of Idolatry before the People which Men especially the Ignorant are naturally inclined to We must Spiritualize things of Religion and of Worship let that saying of St. Paul be seriously considered and thought upon 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the Flesh yea though we have known Christ after the Flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more that is in that manner after the Flesh Many of the Ceremonies imposed upon the Jews were as we may say a Punishment inflicted upon them for it was only after the Commission of the Sin of the Golden Calf that God laid upon them that heavy and troublesom Yoke To employ all their time thus it seemeth not to have been at first God's Intention to lay upon them such a number of Ceremonies and the Disputes that in the Apostles time did arise about them were all about Jewish Ceremonies which had been of Divine Institution but those we contend against have no such thing to plead for they are all Humane Inventions abominably abused by Papists and some Heathenish Customs we still retain amongst us which were better left off than continued As for us in General we ought to purge that old Leven of unnecessary Ceremonies a Relick of Popery which some of our ancient Reformers wished had been laid aside as appears by Letters to Bullinger still to be seen at Zurick from Bishop Jewell and others But the Queen was upon Suggestion so bent upon retaining some to draw Papists to our Churches that it could not be effected so that it was but a mix'd Reformation part Evangelical in Doctrine and in part Politick in Worship and Discipline And that same Policy which was intended to bring Papists to us hath been very near drawing us back to Popery So little pleased is God that in Matters of Religion and of his Service we should bring Rules and Measures of our Humane Wisdom or rather Foolishness Yet several amongst us the more the pity are gone back so far towards Popery that they hate not only the thing but the very name of Reformation as I said before and no thorough-paced Papist can speak worse of Luther Zwinglius Calvin Martyr Bucer Beza and others than they do though they were Eminent Instruments in the Hand of God whose Labours he blessed to bring us out of the Ignorance Error Darkness Idolatry and Superstition of Rome Nay we shall have those Protestants or so called and not few who openly declare they had rather joyn with Popery than with any other Reformed Church besides ours as by Law established But certainly they who talk on at that rate do not know what Popery is and what other Reformed Churches are or else all Religions are indifferent to them Some of our Clergy have been heard to express themselves to be of that mind but 't is no wonder they are so well inclined towards Rome for being acted by an ambitious and domineering Spirit that Religion suits better with it it tying People to an implicit Faith and blind Obedience gives them a still and absolute Power over the Souls and Consciences of Men. But let them not be mistaken who not being content with a Ministerial are aspiring to a Magisterial Power God made the whole Man and the whole Man he will have Have a care not to usurp upon God's Right And to apply this to the Subject in hand as there is a two-fold Worship of God so there is a double Idolatry and Superstition committed against it the one inward when we forge in our Heads strange and corrupt Notions of God such as we would have him to be The outward is not only when we transfer the outward Worship upon the Creature but also when we defile it with our Lyes and Inventions both are evil both are to be avoided and extirpated out of any place they are crept into God complains Their fear towards me is taught by the Precepts of Men. And in vain do they worship me Isa 29.13 Matt. 15.9 teaching for Doctrines the Commandments fo Men. We say we have given the Church of Rome a Bill of Divorce and have broken all Communication with her since our Laws make it Treason to be reconciled to her We ought then to leave off any thing that can lead us back that way we know Idolatry and Superstition we charge them with and this they are guilty of in their exorbitant Honours they give to Creatures especially Dead Men who are their Saints and Martyrs at least they make them so And we with making Saints and Martyrs and appointing them Days and Service to be read do not we go to them At least just upon their Borders Let us not deceive our selves 't is not enough to cut off the Blossoms Fruits and Boughs unless we also cut off the Roots for they will bud and grow again and the sooner done the better If our Reformation had been altogether according to the Rules of the Gospel and nothing of Humane Policy mix'd with it it had gone farther and lasted longer we would not have seen new Imposthumes of the old Stock breaking out no Dignity or brightness of any Creature ought upon such an occasion to dazle our Eyes Herein no Kings no Fathers no Councils no Bishops must have the Pre-eminence that is the Prerogative of Holy Scriptures The Word of God is the infallible Rule to go by and good Kings as Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah raised of God to reform ever began their Reigns with Reformation of Abuses in Religion This was to answer the end wherefore God had set them upon the Throne and 't is to be hoped Their present Majesties will remember in due time by a Reformation to promote the Honour and Service of the Great God Psal 75.7 by whom Kings Reign Who pulleth down one and setteth up another Many a good Soul hath for these several Years been wishing for it for the Glory of God the Good of his Church Happiness of the Nation and only according to the Rule of his Holy Word Now to effect it all that Man can say is in vain except God be pleased to influence upon the Minds and Hearts of Men in Power to do it Now as he did upon the good Kings but newly mentioned we hope our new worthy Prelates will lay it to Heart and in their Station promote it Let this longed for Reformation be about Doctrine where it needs in Worship and Practice let it begin at the House of God let us have good Examples out of it Let his Priests be cloathed with Righteousness Psal 132.9 let the Governours and all the People follow and reform in Life and Conversation 2 Tim. 2.19 and Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity After this there will be good ground to hope for a good Success in War and we shall be a Nation in whom God will delight when we are purged of