prose n Lib. 11. nat hist c. 38. Plinie saith of the Wolues called Ceruarij that they are vnsatiable they can neuer be sufficed or haue enough m Lib. 1. de quadrup Conradus Gesner saith of the Wolfe called Circus that hee is semper famelicus alwaies hungrie And Aristotle declaring the opinion of all men concerning the Woolfe hath this report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot lib. 8. de histor animal c. 5. They say of Wolues that for hunger some times they will eate the very earth yea the Woolfe beares rauenousnesse in the very forehead of his etymologie for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly vsed for a Woolfe either comes of the Greeke Theame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies dilanio to teare in peeces or of the Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth absorbeo to swallow downe both importing greedinesse And hereticall seducers are like vnto Wolues in this respect being commonly such as hunger after worldly gaine according to that in Rom. 16. 18. they that are such serue not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies And such also as thirst after the bloud of soules compassing Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Mat. 23. 15. Which may serue to teach vs First that the desire of winning of soules is not alwayes the marke of a true Minister a false Prophet may hunger and thirst to winne soules to his owne faction but a sincere desire to gaine soules to Christ and to his truth this is a badge of a true Shepheard Secondly this may serue to forewarne Gods children to looke to themselues the more carefully and to commit themselues the more feruently by prayer daily to Gods speciall protection considering their destruction is so greeded after by many rauenous seducers Thirdly it must teach vs that still remaine in the truth vnstrangled by the rauenous Welues of the time to blesse God for it and to say of our spirituall deliuerance as the Church saith of her corporall in Psalme 124. if it had not beene the Lord who was on our side now may Israel say if it had not beene the Lord who was on our side when men rose vp against vs then they had swallowed vs vp quicke but blessed be the Lord who hath not giuen vs as a prey to their teeth Thus much for the intent of the Text or of the Text in generall The Extent followeth The occasion of all which followeth THis which followeth was added because an order of submission or recantation was enioyned by the most reuerend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his grace and other his Maiesties Commissioners Ecclesiasticall vnto one Iohn Hetherington late of the Citie of Westminster and now of Putney in the Countie of Surrie to be performed by him the same day this Sermon was preached at Pauls Crosse being the eleanenth day of February Anno 1627. when it was ordered that the said Hetherington vpon Sonday the 11. day of February should before the beginning of the Sermon at Pauls Crosse come within the wall there iust before the Pulpit and there stand before the Preacher bare-faced and bare-headed in some eminent place where hee might be best seene and heard of the Congregation assembled during the whole time of the Sermon hauing a paper on his breast expressing his offence in these words for scandalizing the whole Church of England in saying it is no true Church of Christ and publishing other erronious opinions proceeding from that ill ground for the which cause he was enioyned this acknowledgement Whereas I Iohn Hetherington stand by the depositions of sundry witnesses iudicially conuicted before the Kings Maiesties Commissioners appointed for Causes Ecclesiasticall for that since the 20. of December 1623. I haue maintained and published that the Church of England as it is now by the Law established is no true Church of Christ and that it teacheth false Doctrine that the Sabbath day or Sunday which we commonly call the Lords day since the Apostles time was of no force and that euery day is a Sabbath as much as that which we call the Sabbath day the Lords day or Sunday that the Bookes of Esdras are and ought to be esteemed part of the Canonicall Scripture as also to haue vsed reproachfull words to and of the Ministers of the Church of England and of their calling And further whereas it standeth proued against me that being by trade a Boxmaker about fiue or six yeeres since I gaue ouer my said trade and frequented priuate Conuenticles by the Lawes of this Realme prohibited taking vpon me within the time articulated to be the chiefe Speaker and to instruct others not being of mine owne familie in points of Doctrine and matters of faith giuing expositions contrary to the receiued opinions of this our Church of England and in defence of such Conuenticles haue said or writ that Caesar may command a place in publike so as he forbid none in priuate As also that i haue bin of opinion with the Familists touching the perfect puritie of the foule with some other erronious opinions mentioned in the proofes For the which I haue bin imprisoned by the order of his Maiesties Commissioners Ecclesiasticall and haue beene enioyned to make this my publike Recantation or submission here this day I doe therefore before you all here present from my heart renounce abiure and disclaime all the said opinions as erronious and schismaticall and doe promise from henceforth not to entermeddle in the keeping or frequenting of any priuate Conuenticles or exercises of Religion by the Lawes of this Realme prohibited but to conforme my selfe in all things to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England as a member of that Church without disturbing the peace and vnitie thereof and doe blesse and praise God that as a member of the said Church I may freely ioyne with the Parochiall Congregations where I shall reside in the hearing of Diuine Seruice said Gods word Preached and in the participation of the holy and blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper rightly and duly administred and in all other religious duties For the due performance whereof I doe here giue my faithfull promise and that I may so doe I desire you all here present to ioyne with me in saying the Lords prayer Our Father which art in heauen c. The Seuerall kinds of Mysticall Wolues breeding in ENGLAND * ⎠* YOu haue heard in the generall handling of the Text Segnius irritant animes demissa per aurem quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus of disguised and palliated Wolues but because as a c Horat de art Poet. Poet saith truely things heard with the eare oftentimes leaue lesse impression behinde them then things seene with the eye Therefore I will now endeuour in the more particular Application of that which hath beene spoken to shew you or to present before your eyes such a very Woolfe as our Sauiour speakes of in my
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Greeke Poets hath it So it may bee said concerning Hetherington without fiction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he begets new Proselytes which quickly turne traducers of the Church if not worse then so Secondly he comes in sheepes cloathing for First hee comes with quotations of Scripture to maintaine pernicious errors witnesse his bookes Secondly he comes with flattering words pretending to tender mens soules and the like witnesse many which haue beene assaulted by him or by his followers Thirdly he comes with lincy-woolsie bookes such as sauour of some seeming deuotion but conteining dangerous errors closely couched Fourthly he comes in the whole outside of a Christian there is nothing a true Christian hath indeed but these fellowes to serue their owne turne can haue it in shew they can sigh and weepe humble themselues and make shew of some ciuill vertues c. but all this is ioyned with pernitious errors of iudgement and schisme Fifthly he hath his sheepes cloathing also wherewith to deceiue authority viz. his false recriminations his feined submissions his hypocriticall equiuocations his shamelesse denyals with many such if any shall desire to be further satisfied concerning Hetherington and his factious company let him but enquire amongst honest Religious Citizens and hee shall not onely finde this little which I say true of them but much more And thus I haue endeuoured to shew you this Woolfe in his owne skinne I pray God discouer him further for the safety of his Church and thus also I haue done with the first thing propounded namely the Discouerie Wherein howsoeuer I may seeme to vse sharpnesse in Zeale for the Church yet I am sure I haue mingled no malice for I neuer had any particular quarrell against him in all my life as he well knoweth hauing dispatched the Discouerie it remaineth now according to our Method propounded that we come to matter of Confutation and heerein I doe not meane to insist vpon the refutation of euery dotage which he is knowne to hold for so I might bee infinite I will not stand to proue against him that the Church of England is a true Church for this were to hold a candle to see the Sunne by which is seene sufficiently by its owne light a chaste Spouse remaineth an honest woman though neuer so many varlots reproach her as an harlot euen so the Church of England my deare Mother shall remaine I hope for the future and is for the present a true Church when all peeuish Schismatickes Brownists Anabaptists Familists and such like haue said or rayled what they can against her neither wil I insist vpon his dotage concerning the perfect purity of the soule that in 1 Ioh. 1. 8. If we say we haue not sinne we deceiue our selues is sufficient to confound whatsoeuer hee or his Proselytes are able to produce to the contrary But that which we will stand vpon shall be 1. The Sabbath 2. The Bookes of Esdras The Sabbath day or that which we call the Lords day is no more a Sabbath in Hetheringtons opinion then any other day as was proued by the oathes of honest men against him wherein like vnto Faux he would blow vp all Religion at one blast by the Gun-powder of Familisticall Doctrine and open a window to all Atheisme and prophannesse for take away the Sabbath and farrewell all Religion neither let this equiuocator say that he doth not vtterly denie the morality of the Sabbath but onely that hee holds it is not to be so strictly kept as it was amongst the Iewes c. for it is perfectly knowne to many in the City which I hope may easily be produced if need should require that neither Hetherington nor his followers make any conscience of working in their ordinary trades vpon that day or of buying and selling and the like yea the truth is as appeares by some that haue beene intimate with them and by some other that haue beene conuerted from them that where their pernicious doctrine doth preuaile it brings men or women to a plaine contempt of the Sabbath to worke vpon that day to despight others yea to c Tearming them superstitious persons nickname others which make conscience to keepe it as was also deposed against them to come therefore to that which this dangerous Sectary maketh a controuersie viz. to proue the Morality of the Sabbath The Morality of the Sabbath proued against the Sect of the Familists against Hetherington and other Antisabbatareans THe true Morality of the Sabbath consisting not in a mysticall resting from sinne as the Familists pretend but in celebrating of an appointed day in seuen in the worship and seruice of God may bee demonstrated and proued by the arguments following First from the time when it was first instituted and celebrated and that was in the time of mans innocency before any Mosaicall Ceremonie was in vse Gen. 2. 3. indeed in the state of innocency God had giuen vnto Adam the Law concerning the Tree of knowledge of good and euill yet that tree was no Mosaicall Ceremonie but a Sacrament Secondly from the manner of writing of the fourth Commandement at the first for it was not written in paper or parchment or vpon leaues of trees but in Tables of stone as the rest of the tenne Commadements were Deuteronomie 10. 1. to signifie the perpetuity thereof Thirdly from Gods owne placing of it for the Law of the Sabbath to wit the fourth Commandement is not placed amongst the Ceremoniall or Iudiciall Lawes as though it had beene Ceremoniall or had concerned onely the Nation of the Iewes or them especially but amongst the Morall Lawes yea it is made one of the ten so that if it were abrogated there would remaine but nine Commandements and so the Law of God were vnperfect which were blasphemie to affirme neither let Familists thinke to euade by saying the moralitie of the fourth Commandement still remaineth in resting from sinne euery day for the moralitie of that Commandement consisteth not in that but in celebrating one day of seauen in Gods seruice as we noted before and as may appeare by the very words of the Commandement pressing onely the obseruation of a seauenth day Fourthly from the reasons wherewith the fourth Commandement is inforced which are all of them morall and doe as strongly binde the Gentiles as the Iewes for if the Iewes were bound in conscience to celebrate the seauenth day in Gods seruice to his glory because the Lord had giuen them six dayes for their owne lawfull occasions are not we Gentiles by the same reason bound vnto whom God in like manner hath granted six dayes for our owne labours requiring but the seauenth for his publike worship Secondly if the Iewes were bound to celebrate the seauenth day because it was the Lords due or because it was the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are not the Gentiles bound in like manner to giue God his right Thirdly shall the example of God
in resting vpon the seauenth day from all his workes of Creation binde the Iewes and not vs Gentiles are not wee bound to be imitators of God as deare children as well as they or any other Ephes 5. 1. Fourthly shall it be an argument to perswade the Iewes to keepe the Sabbath because God hath blessed and sanctified it that is hath ordained it to be a day of blessing to the conscionable obseruers of it and hath set it apart from common labour to holy vse and shall it not be an argument to perswade vs haue not we as much neede of Gods blessing as the Iewes haue not wee cause to feare to deuoure that which is sanctified as well as the Iewes Thus we see all the reasons in the fourth Commandement are morall which doe plainly demonstrate the Commandement it selfe to be morall Now if any shall obiect that in Deut. 5. 15. where God presseth the obseruation of the Sabbath with a reason seeming to be peculiar to the Hebrewes namely because he had brought them out of Aegypt I answer that doth no more infringe the moralitie of the fourth Commandement then the generall Praeface praefixed before the ten Commandements I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of seruants doth infringe the moralitie of the rest of the morall Law Secondly there was something also signified in this reason I brought thee out of the land of Aegypt to wit the great benefit of redemption which bindes the Gentiles as well as the Iewes in way of thankfulnesse to celebrate the Sabbath day to Gods glory Reasons prouing against Hetherington and other Familists that the Lords day ought to be kept for the Christian Sabbath THat the Lords day ought to be celebrated for the Christians Sabbath and that by vertue of the moralitie of the fourth Commandement it is apparent by diuers Arguments First because the morall Law is not abrogated by the Gospell but established Rom 3. 31. which proues that tenet of Hetherington to be false to wit that the Lords day since the Apostles time was of no force Secondly because it is written in the very hearts of men that they ought to celebrate that day as appeares by the secret checkes that they finde in their consciences when they doe prophane it and by the sweet comforts which they feele when they keepe it in an holy manner Thirdly this blessed day hath bin obserued by all Christian Churches it was kept at Hierusalem Act. 2. 1. it was kept at Troas Act. 20. 7. it was kept in Patmos Reuel 1. 10. it was kept in the regions of Galatia 1 Cor 16. 1. 2. Fourthly the ancient Fathers haue pressed the obseruation of the Lords day vpon the Church in their seuerall ages c Epist ad magnesiâ—s Ignatius saith let euery one which loueth Christ celebrate the Lords day e Ser. 251. de tempor Saint Augustine doth greatly presse the strict obseruation of the Lords day that men should vpon that day be separated from worldly businesses and that they should attend vpon Gods publike worship that they should not sit idling at home when others goe to Church that they should not giue themselues to hunting vpon that day or to loud laughters c. c In 1. cap. Isaiae Saint Basil saith when as almost all dayes prescribed by the Law are abolished yet there remaineth one great day of the Lord which shall neuer be abolished but shall remaine to the end of the world e Lib. 7. de diuin offic Rupertus saith the Lord hath made this day to be the solemnitie of Solemnities because the noblenesse of this solemnitie excelleth all other solemnities g Lib. 4. aduers Marcion Tertullian saith that Christ hath made the Sabbath more holy by his benefaction it being holy from the beginning by his fathers benediction i Hom. 7. in 15. c. exod Saint Origen doth in like manner not onely equalize but also farre preferre the Christians Lords day before the Iewes Sabbath n Enchir. Luther blesseth God for setting apart a peculiar day for the vse of his ordinances yea o Lib. 2. instit c. 8. Sect. 32. Caluin himselfe saith vnlesse a certaine time were set apart for the worship of God all would runne to ruine and confusion speedily and ineuitably Here I am as the learned know in a large field I might be very copious in quotations both out of the ancient Fathers and moderne writers but I must be briefe for diuers reasons Fiftly the r Homilie of the place and time of prayer Church of England hath these words in one of the Homilies God hath giuen expresse charge to all men that vpon the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday they cease from all weekely and work-day labour to the intent that like as God himselfe wrought six dayes and rested the seauenth and blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour euen so Gods obedient people should vse the Sunday holily and rest from their common and daily businesse and also giue themselues wholly to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice So that God doth not onely command the obseruation of this holy day but also by his owne example doth stirre and prouoke to diligent keeping of the same The which I haue noted first because the Hetheringtonians hold as it is well knowne that the Christians Sabbath is grounded vpon no precept in all Gods word whereas the Homily saith that God hath commanded the obseruation of this holy day Secondly because some not well affected would cry downe all stricktnesse in obseruing this day as Iewish wherein they doe not symphonize with their mother for what obseruation of the Sabbath can be more holily strict then that which is prescribed in the Homily to wit that we should cease from all weekely labour and giue our selues wholly to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice We are prone by corruption of nature to take libertie of our selues Si non satis insaâ—iat instiges eum apud Terent. we neede not be taught it non opus est calcaribus sed frano Sixtly God hath shewed fearfull iudgements vpon prophaners of the Lords day as you may read in the Practice of Pietie a certaine husbandman grinding Corne vpon the Lords day had all his meale burned to ashes another carrying Corne vpon the same day had his Barne and all his Corne the next night burned A couetous Flaxwoman at Kingstat in France in the yeere 1559. vsing with her maidens to worke in her trade vpon the Lords day her flax in an extraordinary manner tooke fire the same day burnt her house and so scorched her selfe and two of her children that they all of them dyed the next day Stratford vpon Auon was twise almost consumed with fire in one yeere and the like iudgement was shewed vpon Teuerton in Deuonshire both which townes were knowne to suffer
much prophanation of the Sabbath In the yeere 1582. Ian. 13. being the Lords day the scaffolds in Parisgarden fell vnder the people at a Bearebaiting so that eight were sodainly slaine and many others hurt and maimed Also a certain Nobleman vsually prophaning the Sabbath by hunting had a childe by his Lady which had an head like a dogs head with eares and iawes answerable making also a noise when it cried like an Hound In like manner a woman as I am informed preparing a paire of stockings for the market vpon the Lords day with a pan of coales at Parshore in the Countie of Worcester her house was burnt and two and twenty more vpon the same day It is certaine there were so many houses burnt and that vpon the Lords day for that appeares by the Briefe which was gathered at the Churches And that the fire came by this meanes some that then dwelt in the towne said vnto mee that they would be deposed of the truth of it All which may be faire warnings to forewarne not onely prophaners of the Sabbath but also all such as by their pernicious doctrine teach men to prophane it Seauenthly there is infinite necessitie of a Lords day or Sabbath First for the rest of poore Seruants and Cattell which otherwise might sinke vnder the burden of vncessant labour Secondly for the sanctification of euery one of vs how worldly minded should the best of vs grow if we had not the Sabbath to take of our hearts from the world Thirdly for the instruction of the ignorant what instruction haue many thousands in this Kingdome and elsewhere but onely that which they receiue vpon the Sabbath day Fourthly for Gods worship and publike seruice when is God publikely worshipped in the Countrey ordinarily but vpon the Sabbath Obiections against the Sabbath answered HAuing thus proued the Moralitie of the Sabbath come we now to answer the Obiections which the Familists and their adherents bring to infringe the same First 1. Obiection you keepe not say they the same day which the Iewes kept and therefore you grant by your owne practise that the Law of the Sabbath is not Morall I answer they might as truely say our practise in receiuing the Lords Supper in the morning doth proue that that blessed Sacrament is abolished because wee obserue not the same circumstance of time We keepe not indeede the Iewish Saturday as the Thraskites but we celebrate the Lords day the Sabbath being not abolished but altered from the Saturday to the Sonday and that by order from Christ himselfe who immediately before his ascension instructed his Apostles in things belonging to the Kingdome of God Acts 1. 3. and the Sabbath I hope is one speciall thing belonging to Gods kingdome yea our Sauiour taught vs by his owne example to celebrate this day appearing to his Disciples after his resurrection especially vpon it Iohn 20. 19. 26. Moreouer the example of the Apostles themselues which celebrated this day Iohn 20. 19. 26. should be a forcible motiue vnto vs to doe the like for wee are bound to follow them as they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. and the occasion of the alteration of the Sabbath was extraordinary namely the resurrection of our Lord which fel out not vpon the Iewish Saturday but vpon our Sonday Mat. 28. 1. an occasion which may very well deserue the honor of the day before that of Gods resting frō the works of creation although both the occasiōs are very renowned Secondly 2. Obiection whereas they obiect that in Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16. and Ezek 20. 12. where the Sabbath is tearmed a signe I answer euery caeremonie is a signe but euery signe is not a caeremonie The Sacraments are signes Rom. 4. 11. and yet not fading caeremonies Thirdly whereas they obiect that in Col. 2. 16. Let no man iudge you in respect of Sabbaths 3. Obiect and that in Gal. 4. 10 11. Ye obserue dayes and times and moneths and yeares I am in feare of you I answer by Sabbaths in those places are meant certaine caeremoniall dayes amongst the Iews viz. their feast of Tabernacles their new Moones and the like for these are tearmed Sabbaths Leuit. 23. 24. and the Apostle doth sufficiently expresse himselfe to intend such dayes and not the morall Sabbath naming new Moones and other caeremoniall times The like may be answered vnto that in Rom. 14. 5. one man esteemeth one day aboue another another man esteemeth euery day alike c. It is not meant that the Church made no difference in those times between the Lords day and any other day as the Familists would peruert it but that they which were better informed then others made no difference betweene the ancient Caeremoniall dayes which were now abolished and other common dayes Fourthly 4. Obiect whereas they alleadge that in Mat. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. and Mar. 2. 23. as though our Sauiour had defended the breach of the Sabbath so by consequence had abrogated it I answer it is the scope of our Sauiour in those places to defend the lawfulnesse of works of mercy and works of necessitie and not in any sort to plead for the abrogation of the Sabbath much lesse of the Lords day Fiftly 5. Obiect whereas they obiect that in Iohn 5. 8. where our Sauiour commands a manifest seruile worke to be done vpon the Sabbath namely the carrying of a Bed I answer the carrying of the Bed in that place is not commanded as a seruile worke but to confirme the truth of a Miracle tending greatly to Gods glory euen as our Sauiour commanded to giue meat to the Damosell whom he raised from death Luk. 8. 55. not so much for necessity as for the confirmatiō of the truth of the Miracle wrought vpon her Sixtly 6. Obiect whereas they obiect that in Heb. 4. 3. 9. we that haue beleeued doe enter into rest whereby it might seeme that the Sabbath of Christians or their rest is meerely mysticall I answer that place of Scripture doth not treat of the morall Sabbath as though that were mysticall but of our eternal rest in heauen whereinto we enter at our death by faith in Christ Iesus Seauenthly 7. Obiect whereas they obiect that in Luke 24. 13. 23. 33. where Cleophas and the other Disciple went to Emmaus which was sixtie surlongs from Hierusalem that is about seauen miles a mile consisting of eight furlongs and returned againe the same day which was vpon that day which we call the Lords day and therefore that they made no such scruple of working or trauelling vpon the Lords day as we doe I answer it was not knowne to all the Disciples this being the very day of Christ his resurrection that they ought to celebrate the first day of the weeke and therefore it was no maruell if they trauelled vpon that day The good women which made scruple to annoint the body of Christ vpon the Sabbath made no
scruple to come to doe it vpon the first day of the weeke because as yet they were ignorant that they ought to celebrate that day Eightly 8. Obiect whereas they obiect that the day which wee obserue is tearmed the first day of the weeke Luke 24. 1. and therefore that it is a weeke day not a Sabbath day I answer this is a meere cauill For it is tearmed the first day of the weeke not simply but in respect of the Iewish Saturday in which regard also it is called the eight day in diuers places But when the Spirit in Scripture speaketh positiuely and simply of it hee tearmes it the Lords day Reuel 1. 10. which is indeede the most proper name of it although wee vse a latitude of words in expressing one and the same thing by diuers names Ninthly 9. Obiect whereas they obiect that they keepe euery day a Sabbath and therefore that they are vniustly taxed for Sabbath-breakers yea that they come to the Church vpon the Lords day as well as others and heare Sermons and receiue the Sacraments c. that they hold the moralitie of the fourth Commandement and the like I answer if to trade to labour in their particular callings and to esteeme euery day alike be to keepe euery day a Sabbath then they keepe euery day a Sabbath but what is this but vnder colour of keeping euery day to keepe no day at all as it ought to bee kept Secondly we denie not but they may come to the Church as well as others vpon the Lords day and heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament but in the meane time how doe they demeane themselues when they haue heard is it not famously knowne how they meet together to censure the Ministers to contradict the Doctrine c. doe not hundreds in the Citie know this to be true and was it not deposed against them againe though they may receiue the Sacrament to keepe them from trouble yet what reuerent opinion haue they of the Sacraments especially of Baptisme affirming that it neither conferres not confirmes grace to the heart of any as appeares in Iesops booke at page 61. Thirdly they do meerely equiuocate when they say they hold the morality of the fourth Commandement for the morality of that Commandement is that one day of seauen should bee set apart for Gods worship and kept for conscience sake in obedience to Gods Commandement but this they are notoriously knowne to denie that any such day should bee now celebrated in conscience of Gods Lawe and therefore they doe denie the morality of the fourth Commandement in the right sense thereof Tenthly 10. Obiect whereas they obiect out of Master Tyndals Workes or some other bound vp with his that the Ancient Fathers haue beene of their opinion concerning the Sabbath I answer that is as true as the vaine boast of Popish Champions which pretend that all the Fathers are on their sides Indeed the Fathers and Doctors of the Church must be read carefully and warily in this point concerning the Sabbath or else men may easily mistake their meaning and abuse their iudgement They speake of diuers kindes of Sabbaths First of a Sabbath of the c August liv de spirit lit letter whereby is meant the Iewish or Traskite Sabbath Secondly of a e August lib. 13. confession mysticall Sabbath which is a resting vpon God Thirdly of a * Hier. in 56. Isaia edit plāt 1578. Dedicata Sab. bata an other Edition hath it but I conceiue DELICATA is the truer reading quasi Sabbata summa iucunditatis dulcedinis delicate Sabbath when a Christian is made one spirit with Christ as one of the antients speakes Fourthly of a spirituall Sabbath when we depart from inquity and become practisers of sanctification as h Cyrill Alexand. lib. 7 de adorat in spirit verit another of the antients speakes if that worke by the cunning of some be not wrongfully ascribed vnto him Fifthly of an n Hier. in 58. Isaiae eternall Sabbath in heauen which is an eternall rest in that most blisfull place Sixthly of a o Tertul. lib. aduers Iudaeos mortall Sabbath which is a day set apart by God himselfe in the fourth Commandement for his owne seruice Seuenthly of an r Bern. Ser. 11. in Cantic idle Sabbath when men will rest from the workes of their particular callings vpon the Sabbath day but will not imploy themselues in Gods Seruice now these Ignoramus-ses when they heare that the Fathers speake of a mysticall Sabbath presently they conceiue as though the morrall Sabbath were meerely mysticall and when they heare that the Farhers speake of an ildle Sabbath they presently censure the morall Sabbath to be in the iudgement of the ancients an idle day and thus they peruert the iudgement of antiquity many times I speake not this to iustifie all the Fathers in euery particular sentence of theirs concerning the Sabbath quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus as a Lib. de arte Poet. Horace saith of Homer Et Bernhardus non vidit omnia as it is in the Prouerbe the Fathers haue had their Naeuos or failings in their writings as a c Abrahamus Sculictus in medulla learned man hath affirmed and so in like manner some of our moderne Writers haue giuen more power to the Church to dispose of the Sabbath and to alter it againe concerning the day so shee obserue one day in seauen then I hope any Church vnder the Sunne dare to arrogate vnto her selfe vpon their affirmations not being sufficiently aware how their meanings might bee abused and peruerted by Familists and other Antisabbatareans but what I speake I speake it for the iust reproofe of Familists and such like which are glad if they can catch any thing if it be but in sound onely from the Writings of Famous men to patronize at the least in shew their owne hereticall and schismaticall opinions like vnto spiders sucking poyson from those writings from the which a more iudicious Reader would deriue sound edification and instruction Thus for Confutation concerning the Sabbath Hetheringtons opinion confuted concerning the Bookes of Esdras THe second thing which we propounded concerning matter of Confutation is touching the Bookes of Esdras the which bookes Hetherington holdeth as hath beene proued against him by witnesses to bee canonicall Scripture and that they ought so to be esteemed wherein may appeare the pride and insolency of this man who being altogether vnlearned vt potè qui nullam linguam nouit praeter suam maternam yet will take vpon him in opposition to the whole Church both reformed and vnreformed to canonize new Scripture in which particular he sheweth himselfe to be worse then the very Papists the c Bellar. lib. 1. de verbo dei Papists though they haue receiued some other Apochryphall Bookes into the Canon yet they haue reiected or at the least not receiued the Bookes of Esdras but let him and
first Discouery of Iohn Hetherington which is by the oathes is honest Witnesses This man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being metamorphosed or changed from a man to a Woolfe as c Lib. 8. de repub Plato speakes of a Tyrant was discouered to the forenamed Honourable Court and testified against vpon the oathes not of Knights of the Post but of many honest conscionable men against whose persons or sayings Hetherington himselfe the party defendant did propound no manner of exceptions notwithstanding hee had sufficient time allowed him by the Court nor euer so much as offered to except against them in any Legall course by the testimonies of these vntainted Witnesses which were not a few and whereof two were Ministers of good note it appeared and was proued First that the said Hetherington hauing beene by trade a Boxe-maker cast off his trade and betooke himselfe to be an interpreter of the Scripture to many persons not of his owne Family keeping priuate Conuenticles by the Lawes of this Realme prohibited in the which Conuenticles hee tooke vpon him to bee the chiefe speaker and instructor in points of doctrine and matters of Faith giuing many interpretations contrary to the receiued Tenets taught and held in the Church of England Secondly that he hath maintained and published that the Church of England is no true Church of Christ that it teacheth false doctrine hauing vsed also many reproachfull speeches to and of the Reuerend Ministers of our Church whereby hee hath withdrawne many from the Church of England to his owne Faction Thirdly that he is a man disaffected to the gouernement and discipline of the Church of England now by law established and agreeth in opinion with the Sect of the Familists and other Sectaries holding with the Familists the perfect purity of the soule Fourthly that since the twentieth of December 1623. hee hath maintained and published that the Sabbath since the Apostles time was of no force and that euery day is a Sabbath as much as that which we call the Lords day or Sonday Fifthly that he holdeth and maintaineth that the books of Esdras are part of the Canonicall Scripture and that they ought so to be esteemed For the which his erroneous opinions and Schismaticall carriage tending to the disturbance of the peace of the Church and to the seducing of many sillie soules the Court adiudged him to be a dangerous Sectary and one that was well worthy to bee restrained and punished and amongst the rest of the punishments laid vpon him this was one that hee should publikely recant his errors at Pauls Crosse wherein the sentence of that Honourable Court is like to the censure of the Church vpon Schismatickes in the daies of Athanasius in the which time as appeares by c Epist Athanas ad Antioch one of his Epistles if any did fall or reuolt from the Church to Arianisme and afterwards repenting himselfe of his reuolt desired to be reconciled to the Church againe amongst the rest of his punishments enioyned him by the Church for his Apostacle this was one that hee should publikely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renounce or make a Recantation of his Arian heresie For this worthy Sentence all Gods seruants in this City haue great cause to glorifie God yea I hope also his Maiesty will take speciall notice of it for the encouragement of his worthy Commissioners in wel-doing The second Discouerie of Iohn Hetherington which is by his Bookes Come we now to the second Discouerie Hetheringtons Bookes put amongst the Discoueries because they are vnworthy of confutation which is by his Bookes The said Hetherington and his Factious company haue certaine Bookes wherewith they doe vsually seduce and withdraw men and women from the Church of England and these seducing Bookes are of two sorts either such as were made by Hetherington himselfe for it is true which Horace saith scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim Hodiè quidam omnium bonarū literarum prorsus rudes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pauculis sophismatibus vt malè deguflata Aristoletis philosophia freti pedibus ac manibus illotis irruant in theolagia professionem Erasmus de vita Hieronymi ignorant idiots in our daies will bee writing Bookes as well as the Learned or such as were made by his predecessor T. L. who was as it seemes the ringleader of this factious company before Hetherington for let vs take notice of this for certainety that when any Sectmaster dies or leaueth a place either amongst Anabaptists or Familists another ordinarily succeeds him in the ministration to vphold the faction The first Booke written by Hetherington himselfe is that against one Smith an Anabaptist wherein vnder a colour of writing against Anabaptists he broacheth but very cunningly his owne familisticall errors In this Booke against Smith printed in the yeere 1610. he cunningly coucheth many dangerous errors to name but some of them for breuity sake At page 1. he acknowledgeth no other Church but that which consists of liuing stones meaning by his Church of liuing stones his owne factious Company as all Schismatickes vnderstand none but themselues whensoeuer they speake of the true Church of Christ Secondly vnto this fansied Church he appropriateth the power of the keyes page 2. 65. falsly interpreting that in Mat. 18. 17. tell the Church that is saith he at page 74. tell it to those little ones borne of God whereas it is meant that we should tell the Gouernours of the Church which are in place and authority wether they bee regenerate or vnregenerate Thirdly at page 7. 8. he arrogateth to his Church the knowledge of infallibility in iudging concerning the members of the same Fourthly at page 81. 82. hee saith that Caesar may command a place in publike so he doe forbid none in priuate wherein hee speaketh cunningly for the liberty of Conuenticles as I thinke any which know him will easily discerne Fifthly at page 86. he saith the Pope hath his power from God and that he must be obeyed wherein hee discouereth his notorious Hypocrisie as being ready if occasion were offered to submit outwardly to Antichrist himselfe Sixthly at page 88. 89. c For mine owne part I will not be peremptory in the interpreting of his meaning but let wise men reade the words and giue sentēce hee seemes cunningly to teach his Proselytes not to scruple at outward circumcision if occasion be offered nor at sitting in the Idols Temple hee would say possibly if hee durst at going to the Masse abusing that in 2 Kings 5. 19. where the Prophet bids Naaman the Syrian goe in peace as though hee had bid him goe in peace to the house of Rimmon whereby it may appeare what this man and his Proselytes would doe if Circumcision were vrged vpon them by the Turke or going to the Masse by the Pope and indeed some of his Proselytes haue beene obserued to say that if hee were at Rome hee would ioyne with them there assoone as with
his Proselytes know tutissimum esse that it is the safest course as Saint e Lib. 2. de doct Christian c. 8. Augustine saith to receiue onely for Canonicall Scripture such bookes as all Catholike Churches receiue And indeede it concernes authority to take this to heart for if it were at euery priuate mans choice what bookes he would receiue to bee Canonicall what would become of the true Christian Faith or what swarmes of errors and corruption of faith would not immediately inuade the Church as wee see in Popery whilst they haue receiued pretended Apostolicall Traditions intruded into the Canon diuers Apocryphall bookes and entertained the n Bellar. lib. 3. de eccles c. 14. sentences of the Pope and the Court of Rome as inertant truth and haue o Trident concil 1. decret Sess 4. equalized traditions to the Canonicall Scripture what is become of the Orthodoxe faith amongst them It is either farre to seeke or else miserably corrupted And the Reasons to proue the bookes of Esdras not to be Canonicall Scripture against this Sectary are these following First because they were written at the first not in Hebrew as the bookes of the Old Testament were but in Latine and c In prolog Galeat ad Paulinum Saint Hierome is very confident in this that whatsoeuer Books of the old Testament were not written in Hebrew c Vide etiam praesat in lib. regum Tom. 3. they are not canonicall Secondly because the Church in former times hath not receiued them for canonicall receiuing onely the 22 books of the Old Testament as they were antiently diuided and what these 22 bookes were may bee gathered out of c Lib. 3. eccles hist cap. 10. Eusebius and g Lib. 1. contra Appion gramat Iosephus but especially out of Hierom who doth more cleerely reiect the Apocryphall bookes in the forenamed place then some other of the Fathers doe I will not insist vpon further testimonies out of n Lib. de mensur pâ—nd Epiphanius out of o In Synopsi Athanasius out of p Catech. 4. Cyrill Bishop of Hierusalem out of q Lib 4 Orthod fid c. 18. Damascene and others because I hasten to a conclusion I know we are not any further bound to agree to former Churches in iudgement then so farre as they agreed to the truth especially in matters of Faith but yet to depart from the ancient Churches in that wherein they are sound and Orthodoxe is horrible presumption and be wrayeth very much pride Thirdly a learned man of our Church saith of all other Apocryphall bookes the bookes of Esdras are worthy of the least credit being stuffed full of vaine fables r Dr Willet in his Synopsis fitter to feede curious eares then tending to edification Fourthly those bookes are not to bee esteemed Canonicall in the which there be errors but in the bookes of Esdras there be errors Ergo. That there be errors in the third Books of Esdras I referre the learned to the annotacions of Iunius vpon it and that there be errors in the fourth Booke I might easily proue by instance For first in the fourth Chapter the Author saith that soules are kept in the wombe of the earth In the sixth Chapter there is a tayle of two great fishes Henoch and Leuiathan which no waters could hold In the fourteenth Chapter hee reporteth that the Bookes of Scripture being lost in the Captiuity were restored by him and how hee had drunke of a cup of water as fier in colour giuen by an Angell and so spake 40 daies together and ceased not in the which space fiue Scribes wrote from his mouth 204 Bookes these and such like tales that Booke is full of as our Learned Country man speaketh whom I quoated before I doe not denie but in these bookes of Esdras there may be many truths especially the three last Chapters of the third booke which are almost a meere transcript out of the canonicall Esra and Nehemiah but yet I must say of them as Saint c Lib. 15. de ciuit c. 23. Augustine saith of them and of all the rest of the Apocrypha in his autem Apocryphis etsi inuenitur aliqua veritas tameÌ„ propter multa falsa nulla est canonica authoritas in these Apocryphall bookes although there be found some truth yet in respect of many false things found in them they haue no canonicall authority And thus I haue done with the second thing propounded namely the Consutation An exhortation to Christian people remaining sound in the Faith HAuing dispatched the two former branches concerning Discouery and Confutation come wee now to the third which concernes matter of Exhortation and to beginne with Exhortation to the Christian brethren which still by the mercy of God remaine sound in the Faith Good people you haue heard in all the foregoing discourse of false teachers and also how many such at these dayes remaine amongst vs seducing many in their priuate conuenticles giue me leaue in the next place by way of introduction to shew you the reasons wherefore the Lord suffereth such in his Church and then to propound some preseruatiues against seduction which may serue for matter of Exhortation For the first of these The Lord suffereth Seducers in his Church with long patience and doth not presently roote them out for diuers reasons First that the goodnesse of truth might the more appeare who could know the benefit of light vnlesse sometimes we were sensible of the darkenesse of the night as c Quis sciret bonam esse lucem nisi noctis tenebras sentiremus hom 9. in c. 16. 17. numer Saint Origen saith euen so who canne know the benefit of health but by the smart of sicknesse or the benefit of liberty but by restraint or imprisonment Secondly that the word might bee the more deepely sought into The mystery of the Trinity had neuer beene so exactly handled by many of the Fathers in c De Triait whole Tractates had not diuers damnable Heretickes sprung vp to oppose the same wherein the Lord shewed his singular wisedome as hee did also in the first Creation bringing light out of darknesse truth out of error good out of euill contraries out of contraries Thirdly to trie the Gouernors of the Church whether like vnto the Church of Pergamus Magistratus indicat virum they will tolerate such as hold the doctrine of Balaam Reu. 2. 12. or with the Church of Thyatyra suffer the woman Iesabel that calleth her selfe a prophetesse to teach and to seduce Gods seruants Reu. 2. 20. Fourthly he doth it for the punishment of such as haue itching eares and vnconstant mindes which are neuer satisfied with any true teachers especiall in publique but haue a lusting after the onyons and garlike of priuate errors preferring any thing done in a priuate Conuenticle though it be neuer so vnwholesome before that which is done in the publike Congregation Nolunt doctores probos