Thirdly these haue each of them bookes and Chartors to declare their minds to their Subjects The Civill State Thirdly all Kings governours haue Bookes statutes and Records wherein are recorded their Lawes Articles Acts of Parliament likewise to Citties and townes Corporated they give Chartors whereby they haue power and preuilidge from their King head in his name and power to instate themselves into divers previledges for their mutuall good The true Ecclesiasticall State Even soe in the next place Ghrist Jesus hath given his lawes vnto Iacob his statutes to Israell his statute Books are the Holie Scripture of the Old and New Testament he is faithfull in all his house as was Moses Heb. 3.2.6 the acts of his last Parliament which hee called for the establishing of his Kingdome when hee was 40. daies with his Disciples giving them lawes through the Holy Ghost even till hee was taken vp into Heaven in their sight as wee may see in Acts. 1. chapt Those bookes called the Acts of the Apostles withall the Epistles and the Revelation in these the Cities and Charters of the new Jerusalem is to be found with the previledges thereunto belonging The False Ecclesiasticall State This smoaky pollitique State of the Crowned Locusts or Roman Clergie Rev. 9.3.7 hath distinct bookes from the other two states that are of God for this State or power hath Bookes of Cannons Counsels bookes of Articles bookes of Ordination of Priests and Deacons with the booke of Homilies and the Booke of Common-prayer and the power and state of this Beast doth more narrowly looke that all be agreeable to these bookes then the other two states doth as is manifest by that strict eye that is had ouer all in every parish not onelie in forraigne Lands but eveu in this our Kingdome of England for they of this Kingdome of Darkenesse are wiser more diligent in their generatioÌ„ theÌ„ the children of light Fourthly by vertue of these Charters these three states make Citties and Corporations according to their proper distinct state power pollitique The Civill State Jn the next place the loyall Subjects of this Regiment vnder their King Head by vertue of these Charters become famous Citties other inferior corporatioÌ„s agreeable to the tenour of their severall Charters that they received from their Head wheÌ„ they received their Charters then by that means they received the State power to become a Citty or Corperation vnder that Head when they haue vnited or incorporated themselvs into a Bodie they are a Citty constituted and this state power they are entered into is their forme and being and nothing else doth distinguish them from their former state and condition but that power and state that is their state wherein they live moue and haue their being pollitiquely The true Ecclesiasticall State In like manner the Subjects of this heavenlie regiment or Kingdome of Christ by power from him their Head doe become visible Churches and bodies incorporated together in his name power Mat. 18. therefore the Church hee left behind him of 120. were of one accord Acts 1. and to them were vnited or joyned 3000. in the next chapt so the saints at Antioch became a body or Church whose constitution or incorporation wee may see to bee a joyning themselves to the Lord Acts. 11.2.23 soe all the Churches of the Saints became bodies pollitique and therefore Gods visible Churches are called Citties or the City of God Psal 46.4 Psal 48.1.2.8 Psal 87.2.3 Therefore the Saints are called Cittizens Ephes 2.19 Inhabitants of the Living God Heb. 12.22 This holy Cittie is troden under foote 42. Moneths Re. 11.2 the time of the Raigne of the Beast Re. 13.5 whose Raigne is just so long this Holy Citty is the new Jerusalem that comes downe from heaven in great glory Rev. 21. the forme or beeing of his divine Citty or spirituall Bodie is the state and power pollitique instituted by Christ and given to his Saints Jude 3. v. Psal 133. and thus under Christ as their King they live moue and haue their being pollitiquelie The False Ecclesiasticall State So the power of Satan the Devil by hath the wisdome of the second Beast or false Prophet not only made to himselfe a great Citty whose power killed Christ Rev. 11.8 Thereby pointing vs to the Roman power that still kills his Saints for this Citty is soe powâ—efull that she Raigns over the Kings of the earth maks them to drinke of the cup of her fornications till they be so drunke thereby that they become her servants Rev. 17.2.18 18.2 And by this false Ecclesiasticall power state there are made lesse Citties called the Citties of the nations oâ— nation Churches are of the same nature Re. 16.9 as Daughters to the whore Mother of fornication of the earth this false great Catholique Church is distributed into nations provinces and into every diocesse and parrish as liuely and apparent as the Civill state is in every parrish and in every House therein soe that they live moue and haue their beeing as Royallie from this Beastlike power as the Saints doe by Christ or subjects under their King this is plaine by the daily troubles the poore saints suffer in every parrish if they worship not as this power commands Fiftly These haue each of them proper and distinct officers belonging to each pollitique State The Civill State In the first place these Cities by vertue of their Chartors injoy their owne officers Mayors Shirrifes Aldermen and other inferiour Officers as their Lord and King hath allotted them and also inferiour corporations according as is granted to them in their Chartor and they that obey these doe well and please God in keeping the first Commandement The true Ecclesiasticall State Likewise the Citty of God by vertue of their chartor haue right to enjoy their owne Bishops ouerseeres or Elders Acts 14.23 and chap 20. Titus 1.5,7 Which are not many yet Wisdome that hath built her house hath found them to be sufficient which are these Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Widdowes Rom. 12.7.8 Ephe. 4.11.12 Phi. 1.1 1 Tim. and they that obey these and these onely serve Christ and obey God in keeping the 2. and 3. Commandements these only being the officers which God by his Holy Apostles hath set up instituted and placed in his Church to the end of the world therefore in Hearing and obeying these we heare obey Christ that sent them Luke 10.16 Math. 10.40 The false Ecclesiasticall State In like manner hath this whorish City or Citties the False Prophet or Body of false prophets attending upon their forged divises humane administrations which are almost innumirable to reckon froÌ„ the Pope to the parish clark or Paritor whosoever obyes these or any of these breaks the three first CoÌ„mandements for in hearing obeying these they hear obey the Dragon Beast whore that sent them and gaue them their authority and Office that
in the Body or Assembly of the Saints as the former scriptures largely declare Secondly that they were not forced nor compelled to submitt to theis power but as the loue of God shed abroade in their hearts the Doctrine of the Apostles by the power of the spirit caused them freely and willingly to submit themselves unto it Acts 2.41 for Christ and his Apostles never used any means to bring his saints into his Kâ—ngdome The False Ecclesiasticall State Soe in Like manner the Dragon that Old Serpent Rev. 12. â— gave to his son of perdition the Beast his power throne great authority Rev. 13.2 And this man of sinne hath conveyed to all his Cergie his power by vertue wherof they are all rulers men of authority in all nations where he hath established them as is declared Rev. 9 Chapter 10 First Verse s wher it is said hey haue Crownes upon their heads like gold that is counterfit power and authoritie by vertue of this power pollitique are made one intire body pollitique under one head King soe called vers 11. and are distinct from the Layety living in by the practise of this power with reference to that Head though they bee never soe farre disperced or remote from him this beeing observed the disproportion will appeare in these two particulers First the subject place where this power doth recide it beeing in the body of the Clergy the Layety being excluded though never so high or great in place as Iudges Iustices Lords Knights c they refusing it as a matter not belonging to them but to the Clergy Secondly this power compells all in all nations will they nill they to come under this Government and to obey his power and authority Rev. 13,8.16 where it is said he made all great and small rich and poore free and bond to submit to him else they should not buy nor sell nor live ver 17. and ch 11 7. The true Ecclesiasticall State A Third disproportion shall appâ—aâ—e in this Every Kingdome or pollitique state whether Civill or Ecclesiasticall hath their severall bookes and Charters wherein is contayned the Platforme of there severall governments soe every Church is knowne by its owne articles Cannons and Constitutions so that they that will know what Church Ministery and worship Christ and his Apostles hath planted in the new Testâ—ment after the Câ—remoniall was abolished they must read the Acts of the Apostles with the Epistles Acts 16.4 1. Cor. 14.37 Revel 22 18.19 Yea the whole new Testemenâ— and there they shall finde Jesus Christ our Lord and King his Bookes of Cannons Articles and Ordination to guide and direct the Churches of the saints in his Kingdâ—me vnto the end of the world The False Ecclesiasticall State Also in the False State they that would know what goverment Church Ministery and worship the man of sinne hath established he must viewe his Platforme contayned in his Booke of Cannons Articles and Ordintion â—f the Priests Deacons his Bookes of homilies and Common Prayers for in them is contayned those institutions Lawes and ordinances that he hath established but how contrary to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testement they that are Spirituall in part doe know and how obedience to them is inforced and divine Lawes omitted and laid aside the poore saints doe finde and fâ—…e to there smart The true Ecclesiasticall State A Fourth Disproportion This State makes not Nationall nor Provinciall pollitique Bodies but only particuler Congregations or assemblies of Saints as in Judea one Nation yet divers Churches Gal. 1.22 Soe Galalia one nation yet many Churches ver 3. likewise Asia hath seaven seuerall Churches ver 1.11 and where there was but one the Holi ghost speakes in the singuler number as the Church at Rome another at Corinth another at Collossia another at Thessaloniea and the like Secondly the Congregations of our Lord Christ come freely and willingly as so many living stones 1 Pet. 2.4.5 volluntarily â—…iting themselues together whereby they become A Spirituall house and a Royall Priesthood ver 9. and are hereby capable of performing the publique worship of the New Testament wherein they are to offer as Living sacrifices their Soules and Bodies Rom. 12.1 and by faith to haue Communion with their Mediator Heb. 12.24 as he hath promised to all such assemblies gathered in his name and power Rev. 21.3 Math. 18 19.20 which is the forme and beeing of this their visible and pollitique vnion communion Ephe. 2.20.21.22 Coll. 2.19 Thirdly the visible Churches of Christ are independent Bodies there is Equallity or apparity amongst them that is they are all alike in Iurisdiction authority they are all Golden Candlestickes Rev. 1.20 they are every one of them a Ierusalem compact together within it selfe Psal 122.3 compared with Heb. 12.22 hauing each of them whole Christ for their mediatour that is Priest Prophet and King and thereby enjoy all his power and all his promises and all his Lawes and ordinances with all his liberties and previledges Fourthly and Lastly in the vse of their liberty which they enjoy from and vnder Christ their Head and dwels in the whole body in the vse whereof they are inabled to exclude sinne and sinners and ought that offends God or them 1. Cor. 5.13 2 Thes 3.14 Acts 3 and to establish among them such Officers Ordinances and Admistrations as their Lord King hath given them for their comfort and profit by this power they can examine and try False teachers Rev. 2.2 they can reproue and admonish proud ones and exhort the negligent Coll 4.17 thus their power and liberty from Christ their head becomes a great benefit and a great good to the whole body in these and divers others perticulers of great weight The False Ecclesiasticall State But this False State brings ten Kingdomes into one pollitique body Rev. 17.12.13.15 hath set heads over nations to bring them into pollitique bodies Ecclesiasticall as for example England is one pollitique body Ecclesiasticall as well as Civil vnder one Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Pope of Lambeth and by the sinewes and bonds of his Ecclesiasticall power the whole hand as one body is knitt and bound to that Ecclesiasticall Head by vertue of that Romish authority that hee successively doth exercise and hath received from Austin the Monke who consecrated authorized sent into this Land to establish this power according to Pope Gregorius his will wisdome and power Farther this False State hath left noe liberty nor power to any person good or bad Rev. 13.7.8 but compels and forces all in the name and power of Antichrists successours will they nill they haue they faith or no conscience or no conscience this beast will be served and obeyed of all states degrees and conditions of all people in the world ver 15.16.17 soe that there is noe Ecclesiasticall body of his making whether it be the great Catholique Babylon Reuel 16.19 or Nationall or Provinciall or
Perrochiall bodies but this Beast first made or framed them and still by the force of the same authority doth compell them to assemble and worship in his name and power which power is the tome and being of their visible pollitique vnion and Communion Againe the visible Churches which are in the Kingdome of the Beast are neither independent nor free bodies therefore the great Citty is called by the Holy ghost Sodome Egypt for her filthynes bondage Rev. 11.8 so that there hath not in Europe one parrish beene found free from spirituall Egyptian bondage inflicted upon them by some taske Master of the Clergy as the Person and Church-Wardens who force and drive by spirituall tyranny ouer the consciences of men to their falsely so called spirituall Courts to whom they are in bondage and vpon whom they do essencially depend so are not independent neither haue they any power or liberty to procure truth or abandon Errour in their publicke worship And Lastly these poore Captiuated slavish assemblies haue noe liberty or power of Christ among them but a great power ouer them that keepes them in a spirituall bondage and there assemblies consists of sinners of all sorts for they haue noe power of reproving or excluding sinne or sinners they must take such officers as the Bishops sends them be they never soe bad and they haue noe power to exclude or refuse them and if they proue good they haue no power to keepe them neyther canne they keepe themselves there except they submit to and practise such ordinances Lawes administrations as are the inventions of men and will worship aâ—… so breake the second commandement so that they haue no power to do them selves any spirituall good or to exclude from themselves any spirituall evill or hurt but being injoyned by there spirituall taske-masters to assemble to Church they goe and when they present them to their Courts they runne being commanded to do this or that in there publick worship they doe it though it bee contrary to God and there own consciences In these and divers other particulers this power that is ouer them is to their exceding great hurt damage The true Ecclesiasticall State The Fift Disproportionly s in their Officers or ministers which we are to observe thus First in there number Christ Iesus our Lord and King hath instituted and ordayned onely fiue which are specified Rom. 12.7.8 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 5. for though our Lord hath ordained in his Church for the Foundation thereof himselfe being the Cheife corner stone Apostles Prophets and Evangelists yet not successivelie continued but these Five onelie are to continue to the End of the world Secondly these Officers and Ministers of Iesus Christ haue not onely there authority from the particuler congregation but do originally and naturally arise out of the same Acts 1.23,26 and 6.3 14.23 Note that in the new Translation the word Election is left out of the 23. verse For before there be any Officers in the Church the e is instituted by the Holy Ghost divine â—ffices functions or odministrations as voyd and empty roomes Psa 122.5 Rev. 4.4 cha 20.4 for the saints which dwell in that Citty of God to supply with fit able persons to performe those severall administrations which God hath ordayned and commanded them and for the authorising of their Officers they haue Christ walking a mongst them as in one of his golden Candlesticks holding them in the right hand of his Kingly authority Rev. 1.16 by these divine deputies he rules them as a King teacheth them as a Prophet and feedes them as a Priest with his most sacred body and bloud The false Ecclesiasticall State But the officers of this false state are the whole body of the Clergy almost innumerable if we should reckon their severall orders â—distinction of degres as Pope Cardinals Patriarchs Primates Meâ—trapolitans Arch-bishops Lord-bishops Deanes Chancellars Vicar-Generals Praebends Arch-deacons Subdeacons Doctors of the Civill Law Doctors of Divinity Proctors Registers Cannons Petty-Cannons Chanters Preists Iesuits Parish-Preists Parsons Vicars Curats Deacons Vestremen Church Wardens Swornemen Sidemen Paâ—ish-Clarkes Sextons Pursâ—uants Summinours Apparitors with amultitude more which would tire a man to reckon them al up their being well nie sixscore in all of this rabble and as Iesus Christ his Apostles never knew them nor approvedly spoke of them but rather gave warning to the Saints that they should take heede of such for such were to come 2 Pet. 2.1 Mat. 24.24 and the Saints haue wofull experience that they are come for they haue been plagued with them this thousand yeares more Yet the time approcheth and is neere when they shall bee consumed with the Breath of his mouth and brightnesse of his comming 2 Thess 2.8 that rides vpon the white Horse Rev. 19.11,12,15 for their Kingdome is momentary and his is Everlasting Likewise these offices rise not out of the particuler assemblies neither haue the assemblies any offices or functions properly in them nor any power or authority to produce or raise officers out of them selves for the Clergy are a perticuler body distinct from the Layety hauing their consecrations Offices and authority from and amongst themselves and soe sent by their Ecclesiasticall Heads and bring their Office and authority with them as matters not belonging to the assemblyes and so by vertue of that Ecclesiasticall power rule ouer them as Lords and teacheth them as that power allowes and commands them vsurpedly administreth spirituall foode vnto them and soe by Imitation beguileth the simple and affronts the Administration of the mediatourship of Christ Iesus The true Ecclesiasticall State A Sixt Disproportion is the difference betweene there Lawes and Administrations as euery Citty and Corporation haue there Lawes amongst themselues by vertue of their Charters from their King Even soe hath every visiâ—le Church from Christ there King by vertue of their Charter which is the New Testament in possession amongst themselves all Lawes ordinances as Christ by his Apostles Mat. 28.20 hath committed to them Charging them vnder acurse to keep from adding or diminishing to or from these divine Lawes Act. 1.2.2 1 Cor. 11.3 2 Thes 2.15 Rev. 22.18.19 Secondly as the difference is great in the number of there Officers the true being few the False being innumerable so of necesity must the difference be in the lawes and administrations agreeable to the number of Officers which particulers I must omitt as a matter to large for this place yet note this by the way that one of the first laws in Christs Church is the ordinance of Prophecie 1 Cor. 14.1 to the end of the chap. that is that it is not only the liberty but the duty of every man in the Church that is able to teach preach to the edifying of the body so to do provided he keep the propoâ—tion of fayth that is the boundes of his owne knowledge Rom. 12.6 The False Ecclesiasticall State But