mens â—nventions This is a true position that no miâ—isters may stand in any Church of Christ that â—re not Ministers of Christ and haue their calling and sending froÌ„ him mediately or immediately And as the Apostle sayth No man taâ—â— this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 But those B ps have no such calling or sending so haue no lavvful right to administer in the church of Christ or to be reteyned therein Againe Christs Church may be pâ—rfect intyre vvithout the forenamed Biâ—hops or others of their brood so may civil societies also and heathen idolatrie likevvise onely the Antichristian Synaâ—â— of Rome and all others in her fashion cannot be perfect and intire but defective and lame without them Therefore I vvish that all such offices vvere sent thither againe or to the bottomeless pit from vvhence they came out of the smoke vvith that heap of Locusts Rev. 9.2.3 where the note upon the English Bible approveth this that I say for there it sheweth in direct words that those Locusts are false tâ—â—chers heretikes and worldly subtile Prelates 〈◊〉 Monkes Friers Cardinals Patriarkes Archbishopâ— Bishops Doctors Bachelers and Masters which foâ—â—sake Christ to mainteyne false doctrine And thoâ—â— Lord God of hosts strong and mighty brinâ— it to passe that they may haue no more authoâ—ritie over thy people then they ought to yeelâ— themselves unto Desiderius You haue very fitly compareâ— them vnto wolves for they devoure and makâ— havock of the flock so as the poore sheepe oâ— Christ can hardly be suffered to feed in anâ— good pasture And much is the mischief they doe in the land In which respect I desire with my hart that England were quitt of them foâ— a full freedome from all their tyrannicall jurisdiction which as it is to some very hurtful so is it unto me detestable and most hatefull For lambs should not be lions nor sheepe should not be wolves Miles And I would we were quit of them not onely as they are harmfull and havock-making creatures but as they are false functions and ministeries that God never instituted For that was the ground wherupoÌ„ Iosiah that godly King put downe the Chemarims or Priests of Baal 2 King 23.5 And histories doe make mention of Flamings Archflamings that were in our owne Land before ever any Arch Bishop was there And although they are not so hurtfull as are these Bishops save â—â—ly that they led the people on in Pagan 〈◊〉 yet being false functions downe went â—â—ey likewise as did the Chemarims other â—â—e functions of old And the same doome for these now who cannot chuse will they 〈◊〉 they but must taste of the same cup vvhen â—â—e time is come that justice shall take place aâ—â—inst the false functions of this later age aâ—â—inst all the inventions of men and false orâ—â—nances in and about the worship of God â—â—d performance therof For these are special 〈◊〉 But to say that false functions may be â—â—ployed in true services of God when the â—ersons possessing them doe cease the doing charme then if the Divil himself should cease â—â— forbeare to doe harme that ground would â—ead men to a love and liking of him or leanâ—â—g to him Wheras all men notwithstanding were bound to hold him at the swords pointe â—s the great enemie of mankinde whom neâ—er any man ought eyther to trust or to give over the combate against him till they haue expulsed him And even so for his Ministers Lay this well to heart Desiderius look well to your reasoning for I perceive we shall have a conference profitable to be printed so as I adde unto it some other worthy things that I haue to shew unto you And if I can conveniently get it done among these strangers tâ— printed shall it be Desiderius I assent unto it And to procâ—â—â— on in our discourse I tell you that Bishops 〈◊〉 spoken of in the holy scriptures which yâ—â—â— self doe professe to be the ground of all thiâ—â— in religion Doth not Paul the Apostle boâ—â— to Timothee and Titus speake of Bishops aâ—â— shewes what they ought to be saluteth 〈◊〉 Bishops Deacons at Philippi in his Episâ—â—â— to that Church So that it seemes that 〈◊〉 their office but the abuse in their office ougâ—â—â— to be withstood and abolished And why thâ—â— doe you condemne the office it selfe Miles I condemne not neither finâ— fault with the name of a Bishop nor yet wiâ—â— the office of a Bishop in th'Apostles sense anâ— intendement For his meanings is of such Bâ—â—shops as ought to be over a particular church or congregation not over many congregatâ—â—ons And as the word Bishop is derived froâ— the Greek word which signifieth Overseer so 〈◊〉 Pastors Teachers and Governours over partâ—â—cular congregations are such Bishops Wheroâ— there may be many in one Church to feed 〈◊〉 in the faith and to governe it in holy order 〈◊〉 in the feare of God according to his wordâ— not as Lordes over their faith but in all humâ—â—litie and meeknes as ensamples to the flock 〈◊〉 Pet. 5. But that one Bishop should be over many churches even over a 〈…〉 Province or Diocese and exercise dominâ—â—â—â— over them as their Lord spiritual and that with all rigour and tyranny this is a changing of the holy ordinance of God to make their owne craftines to prosper as it is in 25.â—oncerning â—oncerning Antiochus Epiphanes And by their grounds there may aswell be a Bishop over all Christendome And so came that unâ—oly father the Pope to be mounted up into â—is chaire of preheminence wherein he poiâ—oned all Christendome with his abominaâ—â—ons Such dominion hath Christ forbidden to his Ministers Mat. 20.25 c. Luke 22.25 â—6 But he alone is our Archbishop and Lord spiritual who walketh in the middest of the 7. golden candlesticks or churches The others may we not acknowledge so to be nor allowe them so to doe by any power froÌ„ him But these are rather of and haue their power from the spirite that ruleth in the aire and in the children of disobedience And are not sent of God except in his wrath for a scourge unto peoples and nations of the earth The ecclesiastical titles which they claim unto themselves are peculiar privileges to our Lord Iesus onely and are to be given him to the glory of his name but his glorie therein wil he not give to any other Furthermore when such names and titles are given unto men they are the names of blasphemie Revel 13.1 So thâ—â— it is the Arch and Lord Bishops that I disclaiâ— and testify against which have jurisdiction oâ—ver a Dioces as a Diocesan Bishop or ovâ—â— half a kingdome as a provincial Bishop or oâ—ver a whole kingdome as primate Foâ— by like ground there may be a Bishop oveâ— all Bishops and kingdomes in Christendome Which yet were detestable before God to such men also as are inlightned by his spirit The man of sinne and
and streight causie may be shewed unto all men leading into the Church of God and holy practise of the gospel of Christ. They object and publish That to abolish this present Ministerie worship traditions government of their Church would be an intollerable innovation and most dangerous alteration to the subvertion of the State both in regard that these Bishops are Peares of the same and their power Courts and ordinances have been a long time established and confirmed by sundry Parliaments and so all that speak against them and their proceedings are enemies unto and speake against the peaceable estate of this Land To these politick objections and carnal reasons we answer with the Apostle That the wisdome of the flesh is death but the wisedome of the spirite life and peace for that the wisdom of the flesh is an enemie against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neyther indeed can be They therefore that thus stuÌ„ble at the word of God shal be broken and they upon whom it thus falleth shal be ground to poulder They that call all men unto the Law of God to the TestameÌ„t of Christ doe not innovate but they that depart in any jote and swerve from the same they innovate The word of God is the Archtype and ground work of all States degrees actions both ecclesiasticall and civil whereunto they must be framed whereby they shall be judged no other thing staÌ„ding before the face of that great Iudge then his owne revealed will in his word whatsoever then is agreeable unto the word of God is agreeable unto the State and whatsoever is contrary unto the word of God is contrary unto the State If then the estate of these Prelates Clergymen ministery and their proceedings can not be approved by but shal be fouÌ„d repugnant unto the Testament of Christ then are they pernicious contrary to the State drawing into the heavie wrath of God unto utter subversion and destruction Then are they for the safety of the State to be abolished and they whosoever they be enemies to God to their Prince unto the whole State that perswade the contrary upon any earthly respect or worldly policy upon any pretext of expediencie profite peace c. Alas there is no peace to the wicked and disobedient That Nation and that Kingdome that wil not obey unto the Gospel of our L. Iesus Christ shall perish and those Nations shal be utterly destroyed as the Lord hath not vainely threatned in his word And as to the persons of these Lordly Prelates and Pieres to Nobles or rather some of them without Pieres aboue all the Nobles in the Land wee abash not to affirme them to be no members of this state eyther civile or ecclesiasticall as in regard of their offices functions and dignities c. Civile they cannot be because they pretend to be Archbishops Bishops c. These are no civil honours nor offices neither may be executed by any civile persons Truely ecclesiasticall they are not because we finde no mention in Christs testament of any such Arch or Lord Bishops save our Saviour Christ himself only who is the chiefe Bishop Lord of the house He hath often and earnestly forbidden all other Bishops yea himselfe whilest he was here in the flesh refused such civile dignities titles offices and jurisdictions which these men or rather monsters are not ashamed notwithstaÌ„ding Christs express inhibition to receive and carry colouring their pride under the Princes commandement as though eyther the Prince might give or they receive that which Christ forbiddeth them Or as though their holy father the Pope might not so justifie all his blasphemous titles and fastuous pompe by Princes and Councels Thus commingle and confouÌ„d they these distinct ordinances callings of God the â—â—il and ecelesiasticall offices functions in their own persons and blasphemously usurpe the very peculiar names offices and honours proper to CHRIST alone wherby it is apparant by all these concurring notes that they are the very Antichrist that Beast that confound all the orders and ordinances both of Church coÌ„mune wealth and are the very bane poison ruine of both Church and commune wealth as if wee should search out bring to light the havock misrule they keep both in Church and commune wealth wee could make evident to all men But to our purpose They and al their traine are strangers in this coÌ„mune wealth This Kingdom stoode and florished before any Lord Bishops were and shall much more wheÌ„ they are gone What misse hath this State or commune wealth of their elder bretheren the Lord Abbats and the Munks Friers and those vermine yet were they rooted to seeming as deepely in this State both in the Church and commune wealth as they their Cleargie and Ministry now are carried as great a semblance of holines religion antiquitie vtility as these doo might as well have bene reserved and reformed as any of these They are all Brethren of a birth they sprang all of one head and togither with their head to one end they shall for the Lord hath spoken it As to the Lawes wherewith they would fortifie themselves and bind others so long as they are but the Lawes of men and not the Lawes of God yea contrarie to the lawes of God they are but as the new cordes of the Phiâ—listimes not able to strengthen their mast they shall neyther avayle them nor yet binde our Soveraigne Queen and this whole State The Kings of this Land togither with the assent of the Nobles and Commons haue alwayes taken absolute power to correct or abrogate any Lawes that are found contrary to the word of God There is no cause they should now fear the false Prophets threats whilst they haue the warrant of God his word for what they doe For God shall bless them in the deed Further they suggest That this Reformation would extinguish all learning take away the studie of all liberal Artes and so would draw the people and whole Land into ignorance atheisme barbaritie dissolutenes and in the end change the government from a Monarchie to Democratie or Anarchie These calumniations tending to the hie coÌ„tumelie reproch of that Ministerie order and government which Christ hath prescribed in his testament yea even of the Gospel sacred person of Christ himself deserve rather censure theÌ„ answer The untruth therof is evideÌ„t in that such effects were never found to follow the sincere practise of the Gospel to which whoso consenteth not is puft up and knoweth nothing how wise or learned soever he seem in his own eyes where the Gospel is purely taught and faithfully obeyed there sayth the Prophet shall the earth overflow with knowledge as the sea with waters And as to the Church of God it is sayd the piller and sure keeper of truth the nourserie of all good
the Common-wealth and neede so require they may serve for support to the state for royaltie of the Court for maintenaÌ„ce of lawfull warres against the enforcings of forreign foes or rebellions of domesticall enemies and a number the like services wherin such livings might be lawfully imployed with comfort and safe conscience all which may seem to be implyed in the former writers word et cetera to be their meaning likewise And wee may read in the Acts and Monuments in the hystories of Iohn Wicleff WilliaÌ„ Swinderby Sr. Iohn Oldcastle Lord Cobham Iohn Claydon and other the Martyrs of Christ who held professed these orders of Archbishops Lordbishops Archdeacons c. to be the Disciples of Antichrist yea very Antichrist theÌ„selves That the possessions and Lordships of the Clergie are the venime of Iudas shed into the Church c. Act. Monum edit 4. p. 150. a 468. b. 562. b. 363. a 6 9. b. Desiderius Why whither will you now run Miles Into the trueth I trust with all faithfull witnesses of the same no further theÌ„ I am taught by the word and spirite of God Desiderius But you haue not alwayes been of this minde that such livings ought not of right to apperteyne to the ministerie of the Gospell Neverthelesse if you haue seene a further light by the opposers of Prelatisme abroade then you had at home it would be good to make your friends and countrey partakers therof Miles Very gladly shall I doe that But first you are to observe this for your selfe that the holy Martyrs and witnesses of Christ were of this minde long before me as I haue shewed and could shewe yet further if need require And for that I haue not alwayes been of this minde it is sufficient that I came vnto it when God gaue me meanes to see that it was the minde of his High Majestie wherunto all men ought to conforme our selves The Apostle Paul was not alwayes of the minde that Iesus oâ— Nazaret was the Christ But some while he persecuted such as professed him til he saw otherwise And then he became a preacher of the same trueth both abroade and in bands unto the death And eveâ— so Lord Iesus just and righteous give me constancy in witnessing this part of thy truth against the Prelates their offices entrance administrations manner of maintenance and large jurisdictions all which are unlawfull and contrary to the scriptures As for your desire or hope of help from abroade I could wish you rather to turne your eyes another way and look nearer home For I am perswaded that there are not greater meanes of helpe to be found in the world for this service then God hath raised up in and unto our owne land of the true borne subjects and naturall children thereof And that both of the forwarder sort of Ministers and learned men in our Church of England as also and more specially of the people called Brownists who by their diligence in the scriptures and advantage of their cause are most strongly furnished against the Prelates against their Antichristian jurisdictions and Lordly livings c. At whose handes if helpe were sought espetially of the learned among them great helpe might be had Desiderius And may not the like helpes be had from the Anabaptists also for they are likewise very opposite to the Bishops Miles They are so And to give them their due many of them are very honest men with all but yet they disadvantage themselves sundry wayes First by their hereticall opinions 2. Because they haue approve and allow of generall Bishops for baptising c. in all their assemblies at least in so many of them as hold one societie and are of one coÌ„munion And so what they condemne and cast downe in others they after a sort doe justifie and hold up in theÌ„selves by their owne practise But the practise professioÌ„ of the other mistermed ones accordeth in one and strengtheneth one another Desiderius I am glad you conceipt the wayes of the Anabaptists no better For I had you in some jealousie concerning them But it is sorow enough that you preferre the Brownists before our forward Ministers Miles I haue good reason in this case so to doe For as they hold it unlawfull for our Ministers of EnglaÌ„d to haue those idolarrous livings aforesaid so they hold it unlawfull for their owne and all other ministeries to haue them but would that they were returned againe to the Common-wealth from whence they were taken But our forward Ministers that with the Prelates downe and their livings to be taken from them would gladly haue them for their owne use as you likewise pleaded for them And I feare they hold it no better then sacrilege if they be otherwise imployed Whereof your owne selfe also made question a litle before But to speak the trueth without respect of persons and to flatter with none these things in thern are meere trifling if not also hypocrisie arising of covetousnes For if they be lawfull for themselves they are lawfull for the superior Ministers also by vvhom these inferior ones were made If they say nay For their inferior Ministerie is a true Ministerie but the Lordly Ministerie is not so therfore these livings belong unto them and not to their Lords Herein they deceive themselves but let them not deceive you nor others For seing the inferiour Ministerie is derived from and made by the superiour eyther then the superiour ministerie must be true or these of their making cannot be true But the other being false that maketh these must needs bee false that are made by them For every creature bringeth forth according to his owne kinde whether it be man or byrds or beasts whether cleane or uncleane And if the roote be holy so are the branches But if the roote be corrupt and impure the branches must needs be so likewise Adam and Eve corrupted brought forth a man in their owne likenes that is one corrupted like themselves But I can shewe you divers wayes whereby you may discerne that the Brownists aâ— you call them are the best Champions to fight this battel and are most likely to win the field Desiderius I cannot tell I am sure they are counted a sâ—ct and are every where evil spoken of Miles But the question is whether it is for evil doing or for weldoing If for well doing they are â—o beare it paciently as partakers of the crosse and suffrings of Christ whose faithfull servants and witnesses of old even in the Apostles dayes were counted a sect likewise even the sect of the Nazarites and were every where evill spoken of in like sorte But did it therefore follow that they were according to the report esteem that was amongst men concerning them Or should men therefore haue rejected them or any good thing among them Let it be farre from you so to think and further off in that sort to speake eyther of those former or yet of these later
through want of supply in such outward helpes some doe sterve others doe steale through which many are hanged God is dishonoured the gospel disgraced the face of good people ashamed and true christian hearts are wounded And are not these the very engins of evill Desiderius Enough Miles the pointe is plaine And I see by these that you might make a whole volume of that argument onely Miles Micklebound But what think you then were it not better that our Clergie would cary theÌ„selves concerning these livings as honest Abraham the father of the faithfull did about the spoiles of Sodome which he recovered from the five Kings who had immediatly before taken them for a spoile from Sodom Of the which Abraham would not take for himself so much as a threed or a shooe latchet lest the King of Sodome should say I haue made that all false and antichristian Ministeries yet reâ—â—yned in the land ought by the Princes authoritie to be rooted out The second That by like authoritie their antichristian idolatrous livings ought to be coÌ„verted to charitable civil uses are not to be given or appropriated to Gods true Ministerie for the maintenance therof neither ought it to receive the same For it stands not with the honour of God that Beth-el Gods house should be garnished and supported with the things belonging to or taken from Beth-aven the house of idols As if the Almightie wanted other meanes for support of his owne house and must needes be beholden to the house of idols to help him and his This sin is in nature somwhat differing from the sin of the Babylonians in stealing away the vessels out of the Lords house to busie in the belching banquets of Belshazzar but it differeth not in substance froÌ„ it Desiderius You call the writing the first part c. which implieth a second likewise But is there so Miles I never saw it but I hope ere my return I shal see Amsterdam and Leyden where I shal make diligent inquiry among the people there But doutful it is that after the Bishops heard of the first part of an intendement of a second that they hastned the authours death to stop the current that began to run so strongly against them Wherfore I exhort you to use this well read it advisedly and the Lord direct thy spirit to the right understanding good use making of all things And so fare ye well till to morow and the day after THE FIRST PART OF THE PLATFORME PENNED BY THAT WORTHY SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST and blessed witnes of his most holy Ordinances to the losse of life Mr. HENRY BARROVVE 1. THat the offices of Archbishops Lord Bishops Archdeacons c. with all their Courts and under officers ought by the commandement of God to be suppressed by the Princes authoritie and the persons usurping the same hereafter to be compelled to walke in some lawfull calling eyther in the Church or commune wealth as God shall make them fit and call them thereunto 2. That this whole ministery and offices of Deane Sub-deane Prebends c. Parson Vicar Curates Stypendarie Lectorers as the â—aile of the Dragon ought by the Prince to be suppressed and abolished And the persons usurping the same to be compelled froÌ„ henceforth to walk orderly in some lawfull calling or office in Church or coÌ„mon wealth as God maketh them fit calleth them laâ—â—fully thereunto using the gifts that God haâ— given them aright to the glorie of the giveâ— the good of the Church 3. That the Landes and lordly revenues â— these Archbishops Lord Bishops Deane c. togither with the gleabes temporalitie c. ought to be resumed by the Prince anâ— wholly converted to civil uses 4. That the Prince may give unto her suâ—â—jects the owners of them their severall tithâ—â— aswel open as privie or reserve so much 〈◊〉 way of tribute therof as shall seeme good uâ— to her Majestie 5. That the true Ministerie ought not tâ— be mainteyned by such gleabes tithes set stâ—â—pends or by the rated wages of the profanâ— but by the free contribution and dutifull bâ—â—nevolence of the faithful especially of thâ— Congregation unto which they administer 6. That the Prince ought to proclaime â— publish the gospel of Christ with the truâ—â— preaching and sincere practise thereof in aâ—â— things that God shal give knowledge of Anâ— to forbid exterminate all other religionâ— worship ministeries within her dominionâ— SEeing that holy and mighty God of heaven and earth will onely be worshiped served â—n his Church according to his own prescript will in his word and not by any devises of men how holy or expedient soever they may seem to themselves and by that Ministerie onely which his sonne the Lord of the house hath instituted in his last will and testament and not by any other or strange Ministerie Seeing â—o great blessings promises both â—f this life and of the life to come are made to those people churchâ—s that thus worship and serve the Lord according to his owne holy wil as we most plentifully comâ—ortably read in the scriptures and on the contrary such dreadfull plagues fearfull judgments denounâ—ed against executed upon those Nations and people that make a â—hew otherwise to worship serve God according to their owne devises or policies Seing God alwayes speaketh by his owne Ministerie 〈◊〉 his owne people and never by aâ— false Sinistery but alwayes sendeâ— the one in his espetial mercie 〈◊〉 prepare and make fit unto his heâ—â— veny kingdome the other in hâ—â— wrath and displeasure to seduce 〈◊〉 prepare al degrees unto judgemenâ— it behooveth every soule in what 〈◊〉 state soever to look diligently unâ—â— to be well assured of their way wherein they walk and are led Bâ— petially above all it is the offiâ—â— and dutie of Princes and Rulers 〈◊〉 whom the word and sword of Goâ— is therefore committed most carâ—â—fully to advance establish in the dominions the true worship Mâ—â—nisterie of God and to suppresse 〈◊〉 roote out all contrary as they teâ—â—der their owne salvation at that daâ— of all accompts and the salvation 〈◊〉 all that people under their charge Private members howsoever theâ— ought to refraine and to keep theâ—â— soules and bodies undefiled from â— false worship which is imposed suffering rather in all patient and christian manner whatsoever may be inflicted upon them for the same as they that feare more to offend God then men yet ought they not to stretch forth their hand by force to the reformatioÌ„ of any publick enormities which are by the Magistrates authoritie set up For that were to transgresse the limits of their owne place and calling to usurpe and intrude into the Princes royall throne and dignitie Which heynous presumption escapeth not due vengeance either in this life or in the world to come But now howsoever no private subject ought to intermedle with the
cannot be approved by the word of God Shall then this famous Land Right honorable lie still in the knowne dreggs of Popery under Gods wrath for the same Shall a few pompous Prelats for their own private lucre pride and idlenes with hold the practise of Christs testament and misleade the whole land to judgement Shall her Majesties most loyall subjects be persecuted and miserably made away in Prisons for not bowing downe to these confessed abominations Shall her Majestic and her most Honourable Councell be thus guiltie of innocent bloud through the Bishops evill dealings God forbid Especially the the Lord alluring her Majesty the Councell both with spiritual promises heapes of earthly treasures with much peace and happinesse to the whole Land without injurie too or just complaint of any her subjects so highly shall they be contented So that if this be not now received being thus by Gods providence put into your hands it will be received in the age to come whatsoever come of our miserable bodies it will be looked upon It is Gods word whâ—â—â— hath now discovered it which goeth not out in vaine nor returneth fruitlesse but surely effecteth the will of God We haue then further in our discourse right Honourable taken briefly away some of these silver smithes deceitfull objections being ready upon the dispence of our lives through the assistance of Gods spirit to make all appeare mist chaffe and dounge that they can allege for theÌ„selves in this their estate The other parts of our Treatise how this should be effected what the true Ministery of Christ is how it should be erected and brought in wee haue purposely reserved till we know your Honours pleasure for the discussing of these which must be agreed upon before we can proceed to the other and then upon your honours acceptation though we are more willing and haue more need to heare learn then to instruct and speake we shall to the utmost of our power make your Honour partaker of that truth God giveth us to see Even of these things also which ought to be abolished we haue yet refrained to mentioÌ„ some which necessarily follow upon the rest and will bring yet more present benefit unto her Majestie of earthly wealth an unutterable Summe Not meaning of the Universities for they may be imployed to the maintenance of Teachers and Students in the knowledg of toÌ„gueâ— and other honest christian lawful Arts the Monkish orders and prophane learning with all unlawfull Arts abolished and suppressed If any thing shall be objected against the points we haue written we beseech your 〈…〉 may bâ— set downe and discussed eyther by publick conference under notarie oâ— in private before your Honour with whom your honour shal think meet or in writing yea if your Honour shal be willing to heare any of the pointes discussed by the scriptures your Lordship may procure any of the learned whom yet your Honour may best trust in such busines call us to triall in your owne audience without making any acquainted with the end of the Question lest they deal partially and so seek to trouble and not to edify as their custome is In the meane time by reason of our long close imprisonment we having had no exercise to our bodies ayre or other things needfull even for the preserving of life this three yeares in effect our bodies weake and memories impaired and greatly broken as also in no small perill to be indirectly hastened to our grave by our adversaries in this prison as they haue heretofore endeavored Most humby beseech your Honour we may be placed at some honest mans house where your Honour please to appoint or where we can provide putting in sufficient bonde for our appearance when and where we shall be called to any lawfull triall Thus beseeching Almighty God by his owne holy spirite to direct your Lordship in these weighty affaires yea to drawe forth your honourable yeres in health safety and prosperity to your own endlesse comfort and good of the whole Land craving pardon for our boldnes and giving most humble thanks for your honourable compassion alreadie shewed we in all due revereÌ„ce take our leave until we further understand your Honours will From the Fleete this 13. of this 9. Moneth Your Honours most humbly in the Lord to commaund Iohn Greentwood Henry Barrowe Desiderius GOod morrow Monsiour Miâ—â—â— â— am glad of your returne and thaâ— not onely because I love your person company but also that I may haue a little further discoursâ— with you who have been so profitable unto me bâ— writings and conference Here I give you again the Platforme wishing that it the rest were printed togither but especially if it hath a second part Buâ— how is it that towards the end of this there are cerâ—tain words wanting Miles Those wordes were spoiled by ill accidenâ— in my custodie but the reader may gather the sense or help himself as he may For I am now where â— cannot haue another coppie to perfect it but our hope must be that London Arnsterdam or Lâ—yden will supply all such defects Desiderius But what say you for the second partâ— Miles I know not where to haue it neyther doe I think that ever it was finished For the adversary-Prelats thought better to finish the authors lives Desid Oh miserable murtherers God give theÌ„ repentance and raise up others that remaine with abilitie power will and readiness to pâ—â—form that thing which their fellowes and friends christianly intended Miles It were in deed a work worthy the undertaking and I doubt not of the sufficiencie of sundry men for the well performing of it if they set themselves unto it Desid To whom was this work presented Miles As I haue heard To the Right Honourable S. William Cicill Knight Barron of Burleigh Lord High Treasurer of England c. Desiderius They in their writing haue praised his wisdome but had he preserved their lives from the violence and cruelty of the Prelats that would have praised his vertue Miles What shall we say there hath seldome any truth come to light but it hath cost som bloud that should teach men to love it the better Such use let all people learne to make of it Desid What is that Iohn Greenwood whose name also is subscribed in the end of this first part Miles He was a coepartener with Mr Barrow in his testimony imprisonment and death it self A learned man he was as appeareth by an answer of his to Mr G. Gyfford touching read prayer He had formerly been a Minister according to the order of the Church of England but degraded himself by repentance as he saith of himself in his Examination And afterwards he was Teacher in a particular church separated froÌ„ the publike assemblies of the land A Gentleman of a good house tolde me that Queen Elizabeth asked the learned Doct. Raynolds what he thought of those two men And he answered her Majestie that it could
mysterie of iniquitâ— spruÌ„g up by degrees til it came to that height and our Englih Prelates doe helpe to hold 〈◊〉 up still But God that condemneth it wil bring it downe But I hope that some others betteâ— furnished with bookes abilitie leisure theâ—â— I either am or can possibly be in this pilgrimage from my native country will by this occasion both conferre the prophesies in the holy scriptures and gather togeither a Catalogue of writers as a cloude of witnesses for further manifestatioÌ„ of the truth against these remnants of the Antichristian race although very much is done that way already For touching the Ministerie of Arch and Lordbishops aforementioned with other ministeries under them That their offices were never appointed by Christ but is a new ministerie devised by man both in their office entrance administration and maintenance and ought not therefore to be continued the scriptures haue shewed such light as haue filled our land full of proofe 〈◊〉 severall workes aswel of the people called Browâ—ists as of the forwarder sort of Ministers And it is certaine that all such offices are of evill note of very bad esteem in all well reformed Churches in the world Also the holy Martyrs and writers old and new haue condemned them Mr Chadderton of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge hath truely taught and confidently affirmed in his Sermon on Rom. 12. That the Church speaking of the Church of England abhorreth and loatheth the things which are abounding in her as namely Ach Bishops Lord Bishops Deanes Arch Deacons Chancellors Commissaries Officials and all such as are rather meÌ„bers and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure virgine and spouse of the immaculate lambe Therfore saith hee shee will have these if they will needs bee of her body to shewe that they be created of God and united unto her by Christ her head If they will needs be of the heavenly Ierusalem let them shew that they came downe from heaven and who gave them from thence For the Apostles never knew them Sion hath not heard of them Ierusalem which is above will not acknowledge them The watchmen no doubt being a sleepe they haue crept into the citie of the Lord. But now they are espied now the church complaineth of them both because they haue no title nor interest in it as publike meÌ„bers As also because of the length of their unlawfull swords they keepe out the lawfull members of the body Wee therefore which are the Lords remembrau â—ers must never sâ—ffer him to rest till he hath expelled out of Iâ—rusalem wherin they haue no right to exercise 〈◊〉 unlawful authoritie Thus farre goeth hee â—eâ—e verbatim And it were endlesse to set downe whâ—â— others haue writteÌ„ in this kinde agreing therewith Wiclâ—ffs Tenth Article Mr Fox who wrote thâ—â— Actes Monuments of the Church maketh to bâ— this That there be 12. Disciples of Antichrist Popes Cardinals Patriarks Archbishops Bishops Archâ—â— deacons Officials Deanes Monkes Chanons Fryers Pardoners And Mr Bales descendeth to the lower degrees of popish ministers even to Sir Iohn the parish priest which togither with the former he calleth the names of blasphemie written upon the head of the beast Mr Barnes in the 6. Art for which he was condemned said I will never beleeve nor can ever beleeve that one man may by the lawe of God be Bishop of 2. or 3. Cities yea of a whole Countrie for that is contrary to the doctrine of Paul who writing vnto Titus commandeth that he should ordeyne a Bishop in every town Hooper on the 8. CoÌ„mandement sheweth that one man may nor haue two livings then he addeth But this is clawe me and I will clawe this If the Bishop permit not their Priestes to haue two Benefices â—â— might likewise happen the Priests would say that the Bishop should be Bishop but of one citie and indeed so it should be and till Magistrates bring them to that pointe it shall be as possible to heare a Bishop wade godly and simply through the scripture in all case of religion as to drive a Camel through the eye of a needle c. The foresayd Christians called Brownists whom I finde very sound in these things have in their Apologie pag. 50. prooved by 8. good Reasons That the Hierarchy Ministerie of Popes Archbishops Lordbishops Suffragans Deanes Archdeacons are Antichristian And then by 12. sufficient Reasons moe doe proove that the Hierarchy and Ministerie aforesayd may not be set over the Church of Christ nor reteyned therein For which I refer you to the said Apology which you may procure amongst the people of that profession at London or else where It were tedious to tell the names of all the writers against the foresayd Hierarchy and Ministerie of Archbishops and the rest of that rable but endlesse to set downe all that is written concerning them and their princelynes I will here onely insert a few moe testimonies of the ministers themselves who being of one church with the chiefe ministers their own masters may better be credited against them then mere opposites which are not of them but separated from them And first for Henoch Clapham who in ans to the Bishops Arguments sayth in the 2. section of the 2. part of his Survey of the Church Their cock sure Argument as they take it is this Christ promised to be with his Apostles vnto the end of the world at the giving of the commission Mat. 28. 19.20 And Timothee is charged to keepe the commandement pure vnto the coming of Christ But none of those persons should live unto the end Therefore he spake to some other in their persons who must be as were the Apostles and Eâ—angelists Lords over Pastors Churches And who should these be but such Lord Bishops as themselves who haue and occupy jurisdiction power over all the Churches and ministers of England If this be true that our Bishops be Apostles for if the successors should have had an other name the scripture would haue registred it If I say they be Apostles then England hath not dignified them truely in saying The Lord Bishop of such a place who rather should haue sayd My Lord Apostle of London My Lord Apostle of Lincolne Even as it was sayd Peter the Apostle of the circumcision and Paul the Apostle of the gentiles Then likewise England should for that great blessing haue been more bound to praise God she having more Lord Apostles of her owne then was in the whole world unto Christ who sent forth so fewe as twelve Paul with Barnabas They being for the most part men of occupations but these being men of state and stately Lords But before we admit them for Apostles let us compare them with Christs The first were elected and ordeyned to their office eyther by Christ the head or togither by some particular Church But these eyther by A Prince or by the Cannons of that sea confirmed by an Archbishop Secondly they
were appointed to office to the end they might feede feede feed the Lords sheepe But our English ones are appointed to their roomes in their old age to the end they may nowe togither with the Levites of 50. yeres of age rest their bones and feed their owne bellies Thirdly the first were tyed to no one sea but were sent to teach all nations These keepe themselves within a stinted compasse teaching fewe or none once in a long time Fourthly the Apostles of Christ could not discharge their work but by comming through many wants These of our land may discharge their work by leaning on their elbowes in the middst of their Lordly platters Fiftly the first were appointed to gather churches and establish all holy order As for these not one of them ever gathered a church but haue kept many in disorder Sixtly the first had attending on them for the furtherance of their Apostolical work blessed Euangelists and preaching Disciples These latter haue first a company of ruffling Chaplaines that can handle cardes and dice well secondly a company of swash-rutting serviters that can teach all the parish to sweare and weare all foolish fashioned apparel Seventhly the first were plain simple harted Ministers These are Lords in name Lords in living Lords in pompe Lords checkmate with the nobleest Peere of our Realme Eightly the first were brought before lordly riâ—lers for preaching Christ and his kingdome these convent preachers before them say if we silence them not by bonds imprisonment gallowes theâ— will cause the civil Magistrate take away our Episcopal kingdom Ninthly the first established wise godly Elders in every coÌ„gregatioÌ„ These establish dumb dogs greedy hogges in their parishes confused assemblies Tenthly the Apostle Paul upbraided the Church of Corinthe for not exercising the power of our Lord Iesus committed unto her in delivering up the incestuous to Satan These Bishops are not so foolish but haue got all the power into their own haÌ„ds sending that latin burbolte our of their unholy court Eleventhly the first sought no kingdome here because they lookt elswhere to sit on a throne with Iesus But these so seek kingdome establish their houses here as if they were of minde with the governor of the feast in Cana of Galilee that sweet wine is best at the first Twelvethly the Apostles of Christ were the chosen penmen of the holy Ghost and therefore their writings are of sufficient credite in themselves and canonicall As for our English-ones God never chose them for such purpose and therefore their writings which are almost none and their sermons which are almost as fewe are to be suspected and to come under examination Lastly to give 13. to the dozen the Apostle Paul did think they were set forth the last Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 These men come more then XV. hundred yeres after that they were Apostles Likewi 〈…〉 these opposites can meet togither in one subject black can be white and Ataxia can be Eutaxia Disorder good order I shall never beleeve that Lord Bishops are eyther Apostles or Euangelists or yet so good as Pastors This comparison he wrote when heretofore by his separation he was called a Brownist and nowe it may serve as a glasse for his Lords spiritual to behold themselves in But how he estemeth of them now or how he maketh the matter with them having iâ— priesthood froÌ„ and under them I cannot tell It is doubtful he hath learned to dye a blacke into whiâ—e and to make Ataxia to be Eutaxia disorder good order But let his conscience see to it lest he be condemned therof For if his own hart condemâ—e him God is greater then the conscience The next testimonies are from such as never sepâ—rated Mr Fenner hath published in Defence of godly moâ—sters against Bridges slanders pag. 111 that of S. Pâ—ul were now in England no greater man then he was made by Christ he might not be equall with these Bishops For they are spiritual Lords he was never so they might send for him by a Pursevant lay him in the Counter or command him to the Fleet so could not Paul doe the least Minister of the Gospell And againe in the same book p. 123. speaking of their offices he saith Our kinde of Bishops the Commissaries the Archdeacons and such like we account them no naturall members of the body of Christs Church because they are of humane addition not borne with her nor growne up with her from the cradle Mr. Cartwright in his first reply pag. 8. 88 striking at the chief and strength of their ministerie to were at the Arch Bishops and Archdeacons under whom the other Bishops ministers doe execute their offices proveth that these functions are not in the word of God but of the earth new devised ministeries and such as can doe no good Yea that the Arch Bishops office is the weck of the popish Hierarchy come out of the bottomles pit of hell Mr Travers in Defence of Ecless discipl p. 88 â— 91 against D. Bridges proveth by divers good sufficient reasons that their Bishops are neyther Pastors nor Teachers Vpon which one in a certaine place inferreth And what ordinary Ministery of the Gospell then doe they execute As for extraordinarie the Prelates were not knowen when they were in the world besides that they are as unlike them as darknes is to light And upon my memorie I dare say that in the Demostration the authour speaking of this lofty ministery sayth that they are plants which our heavenly Father hath not planted and must be plucked up by the rootes And how Mr Chaderton hath painted them out I haue shewed before Finally all the seekers of Reformation haue in the Admonition to the Parl. 2. treatise sect 14.18.20 professed that the Names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are togither with their government drawen out of the Popes shop Antichristian Divilish and contrary to the scriptures That the Parsons Vicars Parish priests Stypendaries c. bâ— birds of the same fither And in a word as hath been noted before that they haue an Antichristian Hierarchy and popish ordering of Ministers strange from the word of God and the use of all well reformed Churches in the world Thus may we learne of our own worthies at home if we will not learne of others abroad who haue been forced to separate from church ministery for such fowle grosse most horrible unsufferable corruptions as are both in the one and other And wel I remeÌ„ber that Mr Beza contra Saraviam mentioning but 3. or 4. of the corruptions there saith if it be so that then it is not a corruption in Christianity but a manifâ—st defection from Christ. Desiderius Trouble not your self further in this matter at this time for you haue spokeÌ„ therof both largely and plainely opening as it were a window through the which I see a great light and as my name by interpretation is Desire so doe I most earnestly