no other saluation and no other Christ then of that Christ and that saluation whereof hee that administreth hath warraunt from the Lord to assure them off This warrant because meere readers haue not it followeth that in communicating with them men either profanelie consider not what they doe or make choyce of a false Christ and a deceiuable saluation Because they will haue no other Christ and no other saluation then that Christ and that saluation the seales whereof ignorant ministers haue commission from the Lord to deliuer which indeede is no Christ and no saluation 13 Lastly 13 where as by Baptisme I am iovned vnto the societie of Christians I declare thereby that if there bee no saluation to be hadde among them I will not be saued but am content to be a cast-away for euer Nowe alacke if he that administreth hath no warrant to receiue me into this company what comfort can I haue by that action Though the Lord in mercie make it an authenticall Sacrament I could be assured of no such thing My good brethren consider therefore what you doe in permitting your children to bee baptized by your dumbe ministers consider what you do in receiuing the Lords Supper at their handes Would you haue your children ingraffed into your selues assured of no other Christ then these your simple readers can laie open If you would aduenture no more to deal with them Of a truth my brethren your sinne hath bene alreadie vnmeasurably great Repent repent and that betimes Fall downe before the Lorde desire him to forgiue you And sinne no more in this execrable profanation of Gods holie misteries Labour to haue true Pastors placed ouer you and rest not vntill you haue broght this to passe In the mean time carrie your children a 1000. miles to a true minister of God to bee baptized rather then offer them vnto your hierlings Yea if you cannot when you haue done al you can get baptisme without the breach of Gods institution as God be thanked you may vnder her Maiestie leaue them vnbaptized An intollerable speach will some say in this age Impudent and vngodly age wherein to affirme that it is not lawfull to breake the lawe of the eternall is thought intollerable 1 Is it not prooued a 1 sinne to communicate with our wicked blind Pastours and hath this age 2 any dispensation to sinne Hhuzzah 2 should not haue offended for not vpholding the ark a Sam. 67.8 nb 4.15 although the same hadde beene broken in shiuers where as the verie touching of it contrarie to the commaundement of God euen to staye it from falling cost him his life And shall wee escape if wee breake Gods holy institution in the Baptisme of our children assuredlie no. To 3 omitte a sinne is no sinne and therefore to omitte baptisme if it cannot be gotten without sinne is lawfull It 4 is not the omission but the carelesse and negligent seeking offend not this way in anie case or the wilfull or vtter contempt of Baptisme that displeaseth the Lord. The Israelites 5 should haue sinned in offering a Deut. 12.5.4.1 king 8.29 sarifice out of Ierusalem and therefore all the time of their captiuitie in Babylon they would be with-but that comfort of their faith rather then offēd So ought we rather to want the sacraments then sinne by inioyning of them Your Honour is cited in this place my Lord before Gods tribunall seat and charged in the name of the etereall and almightie God as you shall answere at the dreadfull daie of iudgement that you suffer not his holie misteries any more to bee profaned where your authority may withstand the same A word of your mouth might restraine the flood of this pollution The Lorde giue you a feeling and an vnderstanding heart Remember the godlie rulers and noble men that haue beene before you Moses Iehoshuah Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Hezekiah Ioshiah Hebedmelech Nehemiah with the rest who nowe rest with the Lord. b Exo. 32.31.32 Fall downe before your God with Moses and say O this people haue sinned a great sinne in liuing all this while without the word preached in suffering their children to be baptized of ignorant ministers therefore now wilt thou pardon their sinne c Nomb. 14.17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord appeare as thou hast said Iehouah is slow to anger c. Be mercifull I beseech thee vnto this people c. and the Lorde I trust will answere your honour as he did Moses I haue pardoned them according vnto thy request Blessed yea ten thousand times blessed were your people if you made such a prayer for them and receiued such an answere Well the condicion of my deere countrie being thus fearefull before the Lorde and damnable in the sight of the world what is nowe to bee doone that it may bee bettered Verily this procure you the woorde preached for your selues and obay the same or els woe woorth you woe woorth you I say Magistrates Gentlemen Ministers and people for otherwise you reiect Iesus Christ and wil not haue him to raigne ouer you I haue set downe the onelie ordinarie waye to saluation the Lorde for the maintenaunce of the estate of any of you will not finde another though he may Therefore enter into this or be damned For shall the highest make newe decrees because the sonne of the clay dust and ashes base and contemptible man wyll not tread the olde and auncient pathes No. You must not onelie haue the worde but obey it in euerie point and shewe by your good workes that indeed it hath bene sowen among you Therefore if you meane to bee like the common professours of these daies who couenaunt before hande with the Lord that their pride and estate must bee maintained whatsoeuer he requireth who are more busie to woonder at other mens infirmities then to beate downe their owne sinnes who will not diminish one ior of their horrible couetousnesse and oppressing of their tenaunts loose one gry of their whoorish pompe and more than curtisanlike brauerie though the truth should in the meane time bee gored through with slaunders presume not once to open your mouthes for the woord preached vnlesse you woulde aggrauate your owne damnation For assure your selues heoreof that the popish Idolaters the atheists and swinish epicures of these daies who haue bidden battell vnto all religion and honestie shal feel of the fierce wrath of god in the life to com but as for the mocke-Gods I meane the common Protestants of this age who thinke they doe a meritorious worke because they intertaine the word in their families yea do not expell the same out of the places where they haue ought to doe woe bee vnto them a Math. 11.21 for they shall be like Corazin they shall bee like Bethsaida they shall bee like Capernaum The worde preached you see you must haue liue according vnto it you must serue the Lorde as hee willeth in euerie
in the meane time see how well the Lorde is serued vnder their gouernement See you vnto this my Lord or els the cursse of God wil light vpon you for your carelesnesse in this point Hath the Lord called you to be lorde president of Wales vnder her Maiestie to the ende you shoulde fit still when you see your people runne vnto hell and the Lord so notably dishonoured vnder your gouernement The estate of Wales not being amended by your meanes the poore people shall die in their sins and be damned but their bloud will the Lord require at your hands If you say it lieth not in you to build vp our breaches or that you are otherwise emploied and so can not intend this worke that which a seelie olde woman replied vpon Philip king of Macedonie shall be your answeare Shee cryed for iustice at the kings hande and that her cause might be heard the king answered that hee was not at leisure No quoth she then be not my king So my Lord with reuerence be it spoken vnto your Honour if it lie not in you to bring Wales vnto the knowledge of God or if your leisure will not serue thereto then bee not the Lorde president thereof That it essentially belongeth vnto your calling to see all within Wales taught by the woorde preached is prooued by reason that you are gouernor ouer all For you ought to acknowledge your selfe ruler ouer none that doe not subiect themselues at least outwardly vnto true religion because that all whosoeuer are vnder anye mannes iurisdiction ought to keepe a Exod. 20.10 and 12.48 49 Numb 9.19 the Sabboth so that if anie Turke papist or other pagan idolatour remaine in any our cities or townes he ought to be compelled to conforme himselfe to the outward seruice of the true God or expelled This is shewed by the practise of a Neh. 13.15.21.40 Nehemias Now it is a cleere case that no people can keepe the Sabboth (40) 40 hauing not among them the exercises required by the Lorde to be practized on the Sabboth And what exercises of the Sabboth can there bee there where the worde preached is wanting Gouernors my Lorde must gouerne vnder God They haue no allowance to be rulers wher the Lord is not serued where he hath no acknowledgement of superioritie there man hath no commission from him to beare rule Satan hath a kingdome my Lord where Christ ruleth not And dare you be Satans lieuetenant Consider psalm 2. 101.7.8 doe you make no conscience to be regent where the scepter of christs word beareth no sway especially not labouring by all meanes possible that it may haue the authoritie It hath pleased God to sende the word into your honours familie If you would declare vnto the world which thing you ought to be careful of that the power of the worde hath touched your verye soule with a conscience to serue your God you can neuer doe this as long as you haue no care that the Lorde bee glorified in as many as he hath committed vnto your gouerment You are here diligently to take heede then least you deceiue your heart in perswading it of the Lords fauour towards you if he hath not made it carefull to build vp the ruines of Ierusalem Hereby also all the magistrates vnder the sunne may vnderstande that howsoeuer they mainteine the truth of religion yet they haue flatly denied the power of godlines vnles they seriously endeuor to draw their subiects out of the snares of blindnes and ignorance They are further to know that the Lord requireth the very same thing at their handes as a demonstration of their loue towards him which he did of b Ioh. 21.15.16 Peter Howbeit in another manner Saying magistrates loue you me Then see that all the people committed to your charge be fed with knowledge Magistrates loue you me then traine vp your people in my feare Magistrates loue you me then take heed that I be rightly honored of your people The trueth of the things here set downe concerning the magistrates duetie being as stable as the heauens themselues it shal be your H. part to answere the Lord no otherwise then by the execution of those thinges which he hath so necessarily and fatally layde vppon your shoulders Wey them good my Lord and let not another yere of your Presidentshipp passe ouer your head before Wales of a daughter of wrath bee made an heire of mercie and fauor which the Lord graunt I am now to come vnto our Byshops and the rest that supplie the place of ministers in Wales who in asmuch as they are the verye ground-worke of this our miserable confusion must not thinke much to haue the words of the holy Prophets in times past spoken against their predecessors the wicked prists and Leuites applied vnto them But in this place being fallen into this a 2. Tim. 3.1.2 iangling and pratling age of the worlde wherein faith and the power of religion is thought by the most part to consist onely in the detestation of Byshops and withstanders of reformation I confesse from my heart that I haue bin hardly drawne to deale with this wicked generation Not because I would haue these cormorants vntouched but lest I should seeme to feede the humors of busi-bodies b 1. Tim. 14. 6.20 2. Tim. 16.23 who increasing themselues still vnto more vngodlines thinke nothing so well spoken or written as that which is satyricall and bitingly done against L. Bysh and the rest of that stamp As I would not nowrishe this frantike conceit in any so far beit I shoulde allowe with my silence the butchers and stranglers of the soules of my deare countrimen Who if they be not driuen by this warning to looke better to their charges I will hereafter so decypher their corrupt dealing that the very ayre it selfe shal be poysoned with the contagion of their filthinesse They who are not guiltie or not touched in the speache following Wales is said to be in a tollerable condition for it hath had many preachers of a long time The more shame then for them that it hath had no more teaching This I dare affirm and stand to that if a view of all the registeries in Wales be taken the name of that shire that towne or of that parishe cannot bee found where for the space of six yeres together with in these 29. yeeres a godly learned minister hath executed the dutie of a faithful teacher and approued his ministery in any meane sort And what then should you tell me of Abbey lubbers who will take no paines though they be able If I vtter an vntruth let me bee reprooued and suffer as a slanderer if a trueth why shall I not be allowed I know very wel that to speake any thing at all in these dayes against the Clergie men is to speake in Bethel with poore a Amos 7.12.13 Amos to prophesie in the kings court and so to
An exhortation vnto the gouernours and people of hir Maiesties countrie of Wales to labour earnestly to haue the preaching of the Gospell planted among them There is in the ende something that was not in the former impression PSAL. 137.5 6. If I shall forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hande forget her selfe if I do not remember thee let my toong cleaue vnto the roofe of my mouth yea if I prefer not Ierusalem vnto my cheefe ioye 2. COR. 1.13 For wee write no other thing vnto you than that you reade or that you acknowledge and I trust you shal acknowledge vnto the ende 1 COR. 5.13 14. For whether we be out of our wit we are it vnto God or whether wee be in our right mind wee are it vnto you For that loue of Christ doth constraine vs. 1588. TO THE RIGHT HONORAble the Earle of Pembroke Lorde President of VVales c. The rest of the gouernours there and to all the gentlemen Ministers and people my my brethren the inhabitants of Wales in this life the true knowledge of a sauing God the true feeling of sin the full assurance of their saluation in Iesus Christ wroght by the woord Preached with outward prosperitie if the Lorde thinke it good to them and in the life to come euerlasting blessednesse in the kingdome of heauen I wish from my soule HOw many and dangerous right Honourable and beloued in the Lord are the waies whereby Sathan in this perilous prophane age wherin we liue carrieth hedlong into hell the most part euen of those amongst whome publicke Idolatrie and the false worshippe of the true or false God hath beene abollished it cannot bee hidden or obscure vnto any that vouchsaueth but with a carelesse eie to consider the desolate barrennes of GOD his Church euen there where it might haue bene most fruitfull And of all the delusions whereby the Lord in his a 1. The. 2.11 iust iudgement hath giuen him power to be forcible in the hearts of men none hath bene found more powerful and auaileable then the perswasion that the eternall God requireth no more at the handes of reasonable men the creatures framed according to his own Image b Collos 3.10 Gen. 1.26 5.1 1. Cor. 117. Then to exempt thēselues out of the number of the out ragious and shameles Idolaters or at the most to haue some outwarde forme of his worship whereby they might bee discerned from heathen and prophane Atheists and so hope eternallie to bee saued though they should neuer come where the ordinary meanes of saluation the word preached doth grow a. Cor. 1.21 Rom. 10.14 Iames. 1.21 Ephe. 1.13 Now I would to God that among the rest of the nations vnder heauen this latter perswasion had not taken fearefull hold vpon you my brethren the people of VVales For how haue you liued now full 29. yeares in al which time vnder her Maiesties prosperous raigne you haue not embrued your hands with professed Idolatry haue you not for the most part in respect of the publicke seruice of God contented your selues with lesse then publike reading and in the meane time do you not thinke that the Lorde in regard of the knowledge of his wil the outward practise thereof the obseruations of his Sabboths the right vse of hys Sacraments the full assuraunce of your owne saluation requireth no more at your hands And which is most wofull though you now liue in this palpable and grosse darkenes yet verie few or none among you consider this your case to be the verie condition of those who shall neuer see Iesus Christ in his kingdome to their comforte but the meere estate of such as shall receiue their inheritaunce in hell sier with the deuill and his Aungels euen most intollerable and bitter tormentes for euer and euer From which reprobate and accursed estate of wofull damnation neither man nor angel can shew how the whole country of VVales or anye part thereof may bee deliuered vnlesse it shall please God to worke in the heartes of all men there liuing acording vnto their seuerall callings and especiallie in yours right Honorable and the rest in publicke authoritie or supplying the place of ecclesiasticall gouernours a conscience to haue the woorde of reconciliation planted among you and your people VVhich if you the magistrates gentlemen shall neglect to bring to passe you the Bishops and Ministers not regarde to perfourme you priuate men as a thing not belonging vnto you shall contemne then be you assured whatsoeuer you persuade your selues to the contrary that on the fearful dismal day of iudgement both the one and the other of you shal be iudged vnto euerlasting woe and destruction for the offence which conteineth in it these two sinnes First the wilfull contempt of that holie ordinance by which alone the Lorde hath appointed to conuey saluation vnto men the refusall of eternal blessednes and consequentlie the desperate renouncing of Iesus Christ and his precious merrits Secondly the odious reiecting of those markes whereby in the sight of Gods children and the world you might be knowne to bee of the number of the Lords chosen not one wherof beside your great contempt contempt I say for you may haue the word preached if you woulde earnestlie seeke the same for ought you knowe you leaue vndone if you refuse to vndergoe any paines troubles or charges to haue the blessed Gospell of the almightie God proclamed among you And first in regard of God his ordinance knowe this and know it to practise that if you hence forward as hitherto you haue doone presume to liue wythout the preaching of the worde you do by wilfull and wicked rebellion transgresse that decree whereby the Lorde of his infinite and vnspeakable wisedome hath ordained to bring menne vnto his kingdome The contrarie whereof if any dare affirme then the holy ghost demaundeth what the Lorde Iesus the glorious wisedome of God the Father meant when (1) 1 he a Ephes 4.8.1 12.13 ordained pastors and teachers to continue in his church for the gathering togither of the saints the worke of the ministerie the edification of the body of Christ euen 2 vntill wee all meete togither 2 in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfit man vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ Woulde any of you blotte himselfe out of the catalogue of those that are saints Woulde anie of you dismember himselfe from our head Christ Iesus I hope not then as sure as God liueth you can not be priuiledged from continuing vnder those whom the Lorde hath appointed for that worke vntil such time as you be growen vnto that mesure of faith knowledge wherevnto nothing may be added 3 Can you be made saints 3 Can you bee made members of Christ which you must needes be a 1. Cor. 11. ◠1. Cor 10. 2. Ephes 1.1 4.7 1. Cor. 5.16 Act. 20.23 Reue.
can read well and distinctlie is not able to perfourme 20 e 1. Tim 5.22 ephes 4.7.12 20 and such a thing as proceedeth not from and gift of nature in vs a Rom. 12.3.77 ephe 3.8 1. cor 3.21.3.10 he 6.4 reading a naturall gift 21 though it be a labour to be ouer anie people in the Lord b 1. Cor. 3.9 thes 5.12 tim 5.17 a labour 2 so woonderfull as the Apostle in the admiration thereof crieth out who is sit for these things 21 c 2. Cor. 2.16 Reading a worke of small labour and lesse wonder yet you my deare countri-men wil rather aduenture the bloud of your selues 22 cruell and frozen securitie than giue eare vnto that great saluation whiche firste was preached by the Lord himselfe d Heb. 2.3 ephe 2.17 and can be made or dinarily knowen vnto no nation vnder heauen but by 23 preaching e Rom. 10.14 How can the way of saluation 24 be made known vnto you by those that are not able to compare spirituall things with spirituall 23 24 f 1. Cor. 2.13 O Lord hast thou euer giuen them 25 anie allowance to bee thy Ministers 25 whose lippes neuer preserued knowledge g Mal. 2.7 and dare wee gaine-say thee to thy face in admitting them 26 furious madnes 26 to thinke that our readers according to the Cannon of the word haue the message of saluation in their hands whereas they haue no more fitnes to declare the same in regard of sufficiencie than a verie Painim Turke or Iewe which denieth and defieth Christ Iesus may well inough haue if hee can read English or welch A thing to bee astonied at euen among the worshippers of heathen gods that the religion of christians and the woorship of the God that made heauen earth should not haue in it so much as one misterie 27 whose secrecie euen in regarde of knowledge 27 might disable one that neuer heard of true religion to be a publike Minister thereof O earth couer this our sinne O heauen conceale it least in the wrath and anger of God hell requite it What wordes shall I vse to make this sincke deeplye into your Honours heart and into the hearts of others whome it concerneth namelie that the great God the mightie and fearefull Lord hath a great and a blouddie reckoning wyth England and Wales and the gouernours of them 28 because the of-scouring of all contempt 28 and derision are permitted to represent his place and person among vs. As sure as the Lord liueth thys sinne shall neuer bee vn punished vnlesse betimes you repent betimes redres this sacrilege by placing those ouer vs who may truly say of themselues Nowe then are wee ambassadours for Christe as though God did beseech you through vs wee pray you in Christ his stead that you be reconciled vnto God a 2. Cor. 5.20 He ought not 29 to be a minister that hath not this commission 29 yea and dooth not faithfully excecute the same whatsoeuer vngodly men babble tot he contrarye The reason whiche out of their darke and diuelish vnderstanding they haue framed for the confirmation of their errour which is that the Apostles indeede were commaunded to preach the gospell but our ministers are to do no more then read that which they preached shall be vouchsafed a large confutation when my former reasons wherof I haue inserted aboue of score to prooue that our readers bee no ministers are answered In the mean time I vse these arguments against this leprous error 30 First 30 the basest publique readers ought to haue more in them then b Eph. 4.6 deut 6.7 Psal 78 5â— parentes bothe vnder the lawe and the Gospell who though simple and vnlearned yet hadde the burthen of teaching others laid vppon them not by reading for it may be they could not do it and a sauage Caniball that coulde reade might well inough instruct others in that which coulde bee made knowen by reading And wil our curats reiect it 31 Secondly 31 reading is not that wholesome doctrine whereof the Apostle speaketh a 2. Tim. 4.3 which euery minister is bound to deliuer vnto the hearers prooued bicause there was neuer anye professing religion in any age who could not well abide the word red so that there were nothing gathered out of the same contrarie to their iudgements or affections wheras the apostle saith it should come to passe that men would not abide the wholsome doctrine spoken of in that place I disdaine to refell the obiection that the apostle should meane either the olde heretiques who denied some part of the word or the antichristian Papists who forbad the word to be read vnto the people in a vulgar toong Thirdly 32 all men in what age soeuer they liue haue as much need of teaching 32 as they who liued in the apostles time bicause all are borne citizens of the kingdome of darknes cannot be brought into the kingdome of Christ by any other instrument than the b Colos 1.13.23 worde preached And the roote of 33 corruption euen in the regenerate 33 bringeth foorth buds like it selfe which must bee cut off by the worde preached I doe not denie nay I know it is warranted that the worde shoulde be read in the congregations of Gods children c Acts 13.15.17 Nehem. 8.2 but that hee should be taken as a publike minister that hath no other gift that I detest that I abhorre because I knowe the Lorde accounteth it for no better than swines bloud the cutting off of a dogges head the blessing of an idoll or the killing of a man in his sight d Isay 66.3 Lastly the worde read is the 34 same vnto all 34 whereas the foode of eternall life must bee made milke vnto the weake and tender and strong meate vnto them which are capable thereof But woe is mee be the worde read as grosse as it may be my country men lamentable and wofull delusion thinke it inough for them to swallow that which containeth in it the food of the soule though in their stomacks it should turne into starke iron A few psalmes (35) 35 a few praiers with one chapter of the newe Testament in Welch for the olde neuer spake Welch in our daies though to my comfort I vnderstande it is all readie to be printed most pitifully euill read of the reader and not vnderstoode of one among tenne of the hearers is that meanes belike whereby the Lorde hath decreed to make cleare vnto all men in Wales what the fellowship is of the mysterie a Ephes 3.9 which from the beginning of the world hath bin had in God These be the onlie visions that our prophets haue tolde vs of for the most part Oh that the Prophet Ieremie or some man indued with his spirit were now liuing to raise vp that complaint of vs and our countrie which he tooke against
Ierusalem and the people of his dais b Iam. 2.13 14.36 What thing shall take to witnesse for thee What shall I compare to thee (36) 36 O'daughter Ierusalem What shall I liken to thee that I may comfort thee O virgine daughter Sion For thy breach is greate like the sea who can heale thee Thy prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee they haue not discouered thine iniquitie to turne awaie thy captiuitie but haue loked out for thee burdensome prophecies and causes of banishment Doubtlesse I know not howe our state might better be disciphered For the wordes of the Lorde are founde true in vs if euer in anie people the leaders of my people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are deceiued and questionlesse it may be trulie saide of vs c Ierem. 5 3â— my people delight therein And forasmuch as men liuing without the worde preached thinke themselues in a tollerable estate before the Lord I woulde know (37) 37 whether they may hope for eternall life which professe not the true religion in that sorte alone as the Lord would haue the same professed the answere will be they cannot Againe I would knowe whether there be anie more true religions that is waies to serue God aright and so to come by saluation than one it will be answered no. And concerning saluation it is manifest that there neither is nor hath bene any more waies since the beginning of the worlde but Christ alone as it is set downe in expresse wordes a Iohn 15.6 I am the waie the truth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me Neither is there saluation in anie other for among menne there is giuen no name vnder Heauen whereby wee must be saued but ouelie the name of b Actes 4.12 Christ Iesus as Peter testifieth I demaund also whether this way both for the substance and manner of Gods seruice be not set downe in the worde of God alone and not elsewhere to be founde It will not be denied I trowe I am sure it cannot For if either the substance or maner of God serurce swarue from the Lordes will reuealed in his worde who knoweth whether it be allowable in his sight or no And therfore who wil aduenture to offer it vnto him These things being thus set downe I affirme that this one onely true religion (38) 38 was neuer publikelie professed this one onelie way to saluation neuer ordinarilie attained vnto since the beginning of the world vnto this day but by the word preached And it will neuer bee otherwise while the worlde standeth Enquire now of the daies of heauen that are past which were before you since the day that Adam fell from his integritie demand from the one end of the heauen vnto the other and all with one consent will answere that from Adam vnto Noach from Noach to Moses from Moses vnto Iesus Christ from his blessed appearing in the flesh vnto this present houre no face of a true church apparant without preaching no ordinarie saluation wythout preaching and this decree shall neuer bee a Gen. 3.15 iud 14. gene 4.26 5.22 hebr 11.5 6. 2. pet 2.5 heb 11 12. 1. pet 3.19 20. genes 9.27 compared with 11.10 14.18 hebr 7.1.8 gala 3.8.6.9 rom 4.3 hebrews 11. the whole chapiter gene 45.6 12.12 17.9 18 19. hebr 12.17 geness 48 49 the two whole cha 50.24 25. exo 3.7 actes 7.20 hebr 11.23 iob 33.23.24 deute 33.9.10 mala 2.5.7 nehem 8.4.8 hezra 7.2.5 hebr 4.2 psa 95 7 8. and 78.5 6. acts 15.21 and 3 22. deute 18.15 heb 1.1.2 Iud. 1.5.1 1. cor 1.21 ephes 4.11 rom 10.14 chaunged I doe not denie but that the Lorde may if hee will saue those who neuer heard or shall heare Sermon in all their liues But wretches as we are what is that to vs Wee haue no warrant to hope for anye such saluation Nay if anie will presume that they may come into heauen not submit themselues vnto the voice of the Preacher I dare tell them were they the greatest potentates vnder Heauen that they shall neuer be saued I woulde to GOD then my brethren that as manie of you as liue this day whereas there is no preaching coulde consider in what an hopelesse condition you liue I know you feele not your own misery if you did you would not continue in it to gain a thousand worlds Although it woulde be the ioie of my soule to see you in the way to heauen where in now you are not yet it wil not be the losse of a button vnto me though you shoulde all of you go to hell and therfore whatsoeuer I write it is doone in good will towardes you of loue and compassion towardes your miserie Deceiue not your selues then ye are not in the estate of saluation hauing neuer enioyed the worde O you are in hell labour to come out in the shadow of death seeke for the sunne of righteousnesse to shine vpon you I will pawne my soule that you are heires of perdition and shall surely go to hell for aught any man knoweth vnlesse you bee otherwise taught than hitherto you haue bene Verely the diuell himselfe may as well hope to be saued as you can who neuer saw the beautie of their feete that bring saluation God will not be mocked at your hands Are you not reasonable men Haue you not soules to be saued Woulde you not bee shrowded from euerlasting woe vnder the wings of Iesus Christ Why then striue you not for the word preached If the Lord shoulde summon you at this houre before his iudgement seate haue you anie thing to shewe why hee may not proceede against you with the sentence of iustice (39) 39 in pursuing you with his eternall cursse for the breach of his lawe What will you answeare for your selues when indeede you shall be arraigned before God and his angelles for contemning the woorde preached I speake now vnto the gentlemen people of Wales will you pleade that the fault was not in you because you haue beene deceiued by those whom the Lorde in his iust indgement hath raised vp to obscure the light of his gospel in this our age I meane the racke-maisters and tormenters of Gods blessed worde who laying the same vppon the racke haue constrained it to confesse what it neuer meant as either that reading is preaching which is senslesse or that men may be saued without preaching which is diuellish This will not serue the turne Wil you protest that you woulde gladly haue hadde preaching It is not so For you neuer as yet opened your mouthes for the same And nowe being stirred therevnto it shall appeare what little reckoning you make thereof by your carelesse enterprises that way One thing more I will say that for anie meanes you haue to be saued in the most congregations in Wales you shall be firebrands of hell Let the magistrates
be busie in matters of state Miserable daies Into what times are we fallen That theeues and murtherers of soules the very paternes and patrons of all couetousnes proud and more then popelike tyrants the very defacers of Gods trueth vnlearned dolts blind guides vnseasonable and vnsauory salt drunkardes adulterers foxes and wolues mire and puddle to be briefe the very swinestie of all vncleannes and the very ignomie and reproche of the sacred ministery cannot be spoken against but this will be straightwayes made a matter against the state And therfore although all the miserie all the ignoraunce all the prophanenesse in lyfe and conuersation hath beene for the most part by meanes of our Bishops and our other blinde guides yet may not a man affirme so much with any safety least he be said to be a mutinous and factious fellowe and one that troubleth the state For mine owne part the prophet Malachi shall deale with you and let the reader consider whether his wordes ought not in a fearful sort to strike and astonishe you A sonne a Mal. 1.6 saith the Prophet honoureth his father and a seruaunt his maister if then I bee a father b Read Mala. 1. 2. chap. where is mine honour if a maister where is my feare saith Iehouah of hostes vnto you O ye Bishops of VVales that despise his name If you say wherein haue we dispised him it wil be answered that you offer the blind the lame and the maimed vnto the holie ministery and say it is no euill and so dispise the Lords name bicause you say the Lords ministery is not to be regarded For seeing you your selues knowe and all VVales knoweth that you haue admitted vnto this sacred function rogues and vacabounds gadding about the countrey vnder the names of schollers spend-thrifts and seruing men that made the ministerie their last refuge seeing you permit such to bee in the ministerye as are knowen adulterers knowen drunkardes theeues roisters most abhominable swearers euen the men of whome Iob speaketh c Iob. 30.1.8 who are more vile then the earth doe you not say that the Lords seruice is not to be regarded if you any longer either tollerate others or continue your selues to bee theeuishe non-residents and so sterue the soules of poore innocents do you regard the Lords honour and the saluation of his people Is the law of truth sound in your mouthes Do ye conuert any from iniquitie It should be so indeed a Mala. 1.7 For your lips should preserue knowledge and the ignorant should seeke the law at your mouthes for you ought to bee the messengers of Iehouah b Mala. 2.9 of hosts But may this testimony bee giuen of you I feare me no Nay rather bicause all the world seeeth that iudgement vppon you which the prophet denounced against the prelats of his daies namely that you are vile and contemptible in the sight of the people for what is more contemptible among the best and basest of our people then to be a Priest yea a priestly Lord-Bishop I can iudge no otherwise of you but that you haue not kepte the waies of Iehouah gone out of the way caused many to fall by the law c Deut. 33.10 mala 2.6 and corrupted the couenant of Leuy And will you still continue in these transgressions God forbidde Be awakened nowe at the length considering where vnto you are called Vndergo that calling no longer which you are not able to discharge I speake vnto you all euen vnto you that will be accounted Lord-Bishops though it bee to the Lordes d Luke 22 25. 1. pet 5.3 mar 10.43.43 ier 5.31 dishonour Let the cursse of damned soules cleaue no longer vnto you For it perceth deeply You are one day to giue a reckoning for your mercilesse dealing with pore soules Let not the wicked Papists haue anye more cause to vpbraid the ignorāce of our people as they haue done in that pamphlet which they threwe abroad the last year to seduce our simple people The confutation wherof if legendarie fables wherewyth that skroul is fraught the translation of some part of R.P. his resolution of Didachus Stella Dionysius Carthus deserueth a confutation I shall publish when the Lord shall giue oportunitie If their brutish slaunders will not mooue you let the wordes of Paule stirre you forward whereby from heauen in most Patheticall and earnest sort he speaketh vnto euerie one of you seuerally in the person of Timothie a 2. Tim. 4.1.2 (41) 41 I adiure or charge thee therefore sayth he before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ preach the woord be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Obey this charge or doubtles most irksom shal be your dānation Is it not a shame that Ieremie may crye b Iere. 27.1 that our lande is defiled by such as you are yea in my house haue I found their wickednes saith Iehouah Are not we the inhabitaunts of Wales as odious in the sight of our God as the inhabitants of Gommorrah seeing he c Iere. 8.14 seeth filthines in you our prophets and euerie of you from the greatest to the lowest is giuen to couetousnesse and dealeth falselye d Iere. 23.14 And what with your loitring idlenesse insufficiencie and euil life e Iud. 11. you strengthen the hands of the wicked that none can returne from his wickednes Wo be vnto you all for you haue followed the waye of Caine and are cast away by the deceit of Baalams wages Woe bee vnto you that account it pleasure to liue delitiously for a season vppon the price of soules you shal receue the wages of vnrighteousnes f 2. Pet 2.13 weping and gnashing of teeth in the pit of hell g 1. Pet. 2.15 What comfort is it for you to forsake the right way for a little worldly promotion seeing the blacknes of euerlasting destruction is reserued for you What maye hir Maiestie and the H. I. L. of hir counsell thinke you to be but the curssed shepheards that scatter their flockes seeing you haue not turned your people from their euill waies h Ierem. 23.22 Ieremy prooueth you to be such Therefore wo be to the shepheards of Wales saith Iehouah which feede themselues should not the shepheards feed their flocks you eat the far and cloath you with the wooll a Ezech. 34.23 but you feede not the flocke The sentence pronounced by the Lord against you b Ezech. 34.10 shal be execured with out doubt in the time thereof if you continue still in your vngodlye course Take this from mee also that vnlesse you forsake your idlenes those personages and those chaires of pestilence wherein you sit I mean your Bishops seas will spue you out And the Lorde I hope will make them so abhominable and reprochfull that all men fearing God will be afraid hereafter to enter into those seas of Dauids Asaph Bangor and Landaff
by reason of the character of sure destruction that hee will imprint on as manie as shall supplie your places And I trust in the Lord Iesus to see his church florish in wales when the memorie of Lord-Bishops are buried in hell whence they came Beare witnesse hereof you adges to come And giue you ouer your places or doutlesse the plague and cursse of God will eat you vppe You are vsurpers you tyrannize ouer the Lords people I haue other things to do then to be a contentious man one with whome the whole world should be at debate and I am guiltie vnto my selfe of sins which giue me iust cause to look vpon the ground I haue also a life whereof there is no cause I thanke God I should bee weary notwithstanding this I offer to loose the life of my body before man and the life of my soule before the Lord if I do not prooue that both you our non-residents and you our Lord Bishops of VVales in that you be non-residents and Lord-Bishops cannot be warranted by gods word yea or vtterly condemned by the same and that all magistrates who tollerate such as you are to be vnder their gouernment are guiltie of a fearefull sinne before the Lord. And that the Pope of Rome hath as good warrant yea the verie same warrant for his papall dignitie although I know three differences betweene you and him first hee is a professed Idolater secondlie claimeth authority ouer all pastors thirdly is subiect to no ciuill magistrat that you haue for the maintenance of your papall hierarchy ouer al the Pastors in your dioces which indeed is palpable Anarchie in Gods church If I proue not these things let me be burnt aliue cal me to mine answere when you wil thus I leaue you As for you our dumbe ministers I know you for the most part to be seelie men poore soules that made the ministery a meanes to liue in the world What should I say vnto you who maye say of your selues as did the foolishe Prophetes Though wee weare a surplice black garments to deceiue a Zach. 13.5 (42) 42 yet are we but plaine husbandmen c. Surelie the people may aske counsell as well of their thresh-houlds or desire their staffes to teach them knowledge as come vnto you for anie instruction You are no ministers as I haue and againe wil prooue you do most villanously prophane the sacraments and call for the wrath and vengeance of God to be powred vpon you (43) 43 Giue ouer your places or surely I do not see how it is possible you should be saued Better were it to liue poorelye heere for a time then to be damned for euer It is reason your outward estate should bee considered The Lorde will prouide for you your wiues and chidren if of conscience you leaue the ministery and the magistrate is bound not to see you want You liue nowe vppon stealth sacriledge and the spoile of soules The Lord open your eies my brethren the people of VVales to see these your plagues and to auoid them It is vnpossible you should be saued as long as you content your selues with these men their ministerie alone And the Lord open your Honors eies to reforme these confusions What the estate of my countrie is before the Lorde I haue hitherto shewed nowe in the face of the world how it standeth let vs consider That the most congregations in VVales haue wanted preaching these nine and twenty yeres I take it graunted Their case being thus I tremble to cal to mind what censure the holie ghost giueth of all them amongest whome the Gospell of saluation hath not bin preached These two places of scripture Ephes 1.13 2.11.17 conferred togither shew that they are without Christ aliants frō the common-welth of Israel haue no hope and are without God in the world for these be the verie wordes of the apostle who haue not heard of the word preached VVere the Prophet Ionas then now liuing among vs wold he not crie out O you people of Wales you are al reprobats and cast-aways O you people of Wales you are aliaunts from the communion of the true Churche O you people of Wales you are not so much as encluded within the couenāt of promise you are without al hope of heauenly blis O ye people of Wales whatsoeuer you pretend of the knowledge of the true God you are in very deede starke atheists without god as many of you as since the time you came out of the den of idolatrie and Poperie were not made pertakers of the power of God to saluation which is the gospell Of a truth my brethren there is no other true censure to bee giuen of you (44) 44 For it is impossible to make a true face of a Church appear among that nation which hath professed false religion as you haue done vnder poperie without the preaching of the woorde which you haue not enioyed In this place I am sorie I am sorie from my heart that the miserable estate of my poore countrey affoordeth the aduersarie such a demonstration to proue that we want the outwarde face of a church in the most assemblies in Wales as I know to be vnanswerable The marks of a true church a Mat. 28.18.19 out of our sauiour Christs owne wordes are gathered to be three the woord preached the right administration of the Sacramentes and the outwarde forme of gouernement Now if an Idolatrous dog of Rome should affirme that the most congregations in Wales since the time they were Romish sinagogues haue bin marked with neither of these three former markes and therefore must bee written in the blacke bill of insufficiencie to be churches of God hee were able to prooue both the one and the other and we with confusion of face should bee driuen with Hezekias seruants to answer this Rabshaketh not a word For b 2. King 18.36 alas what might be our answere c 1. Pet. 1.21 Begotten again out of the wombe of popery by the word preached most of our assemblies haue not beene As for Discipline our Prophets are not ashamed publikelie to professe that they will not bee reformed by it If we would flie vnto the testimonies that wee might haue from the Sacraments the Lord himselfe will denie it to be possible for them to haue bene rightlie vsed among vs. Which I wil proue by many reasons that my countrey-men may be driuen to seek the remedie if anye thing can driue them of such a pitifull condition as wherein they nowe are being without the woord without the true vse of the Sacraments without Christes holy gouernement by the knowlege of that righteous one who is said a Esay 53.11 thereby to iustifie many Let no man doe me the iniurie to report that I denie anye members of Christ to be in Wales I protest I haue no such meaning and would die vpon the perswasion that the lorde hath his chosen
in my deare countrie and I trust the number of them will be dailie increased To come to the point I affirme that the lords holy Sacraments in the most churches within Wales are subiect vnto most horrible profanation as well on the behalfe of the reader who administreth thē as the people who communicate So that a reading minister (45) 45 cannot deliuer the Lords holie seales vnto the people without great sacriledge nor the people receue at the hands of such without dreadfull sins And that not onely because the outward elements is administred without the woorde euen vnto a people who neuer hadde Christ Iesus laid open vnto them in all their liues but also in as much as they are deliuered by these persons vnto whom the Lord neuer warranted by his word the vndertaking of that function Now that the Lord alowes none of our bare readers to administer the Sacraments I haue before shewed by the manifold reasons alleadged to prooue them no ministers and againe do manifest by these following Desiring my godlie learned reuerend brethren who are contrarie as they shal be found to thinke of the conclusion I deale not in this argument of anie singularitie but because I knowe that vnlesse these emptye caskes be suncke vnder water Christes kingdome is neuer likely to swimme That my reasons may be the better vnderstood we are to marke first that all men being alike vnequally capable of the ministerie by nature none are to vndergo this calling saue onely they whome the Lorde in his worde hath pronounced to be capable hereof Againe wee are to knowe that wee ought to account none to be a minister whome the Lorde accounteth not to bee suche for must Gods ordinaunce or mans pleasure take place in that choice So that although all the Churches vnder Heauen shoulde make him a minister whom the Lord denieth to be capable of that function it is nothing I assume then that no bare reader is capable of the ministerie before GOD. Confirmed a 1. Tim. 3.2 1. Cor. 4 7. Eph. 3.7 Hebr. 5.1.4 1. Pet. 4.10 Ierem. 14.14 and 29 9. because the Lord hath not qualified him with gifts fitte for that function and therefore he neither is minister nor ought to be acknowledged of Gods people as a minister Out of this conclusion I reason whosoeuer receyue the sacraments at their hands whom they ought not to acknowledge ministers they sinne Dumb ministers I doo not tie my selfe vnto exact formes in my syllogismes ought not to be acknowledged ministers therefore it is a sinne to communicate with them which no man shoulde committe to saue his soule much lesse to receiue the seales of saluation Yea but we must acknowledge them ministers for their outward callings sake This obiection is nothing else but a deniall of the conclusion Notwithstāding thus ouerthrow it they of (2) 2 whose ministerie there is a nullitie before God although they haue an outward calling ought not to be accounted ministers and therefore not to be communicated with For may we allow of that wherof the Lord disliketh Where is our warrant The Church can not make good a meaner thing than this as for example The Church maketh an incestuous contract the parties are married I demaund whether the marriage be allowable or they incestuous persons still All men I knowe will crie for a diuorcement Now there is as vngodly a match made betweene a reader and an holie congregation must it stand because the church alloweth of it Or may the congregation vse him in the sacraments or other dueties essential vnto a minister Out vpon it no for the contract was incestuous and therefore not effectuall The assumptiō is that of an insufficient mans ministerie there is a nullitie before God though he haue an inwarde calling because it was neuer any thing as yet in his sight To this purpose we are to call to minde that in a minister there is required first an outward calling contained in the sufficiencie of gifts a 1. Tim. 3.1 and the willingnesse to practise them secondly an outwarde which the church according vnto the ordinaunce of God is to giue onelie where the Lorde will haue it bestowed and not else-where This outward calling being once giuen can be taken away by none but by the Lord who gaue it For the calling is not from man but from the Lord by the hands of man as by an instrument Where also wee learne twoo things first that he is not a minister according vnto Gods ordinance which wanteth either of these callings Now (3) 3 I aske the question whether the sacrament may be receiued at his hands who wanteth but that which man can giue vnto him to wit his outward calling In no wise And may we then receiue at his hands who is destitute of the inward graces which neither man nor aungell can giue Vnreasonable secondlie wee learne that of those menne who haue an outwarde callinge there bee two sortes whose ministerye is annihilated before God though all the world should go about to make it good The first is of those who hauing an inward and an outward calling are notwithstanding repelled from this function And they are either such as from whom the Lord in his secret prouidence hath taken away their fitnesse to teach a 2. Tim. 2.2 1 Tim. 4.2 Ezech. 4.4.10 12 or those who by some notorious sinne haue frustrated their calling whome the church vppon their repentaunce ought to receiue as brethren but neuer as ministers The second sort of those whose outward caling is no better than abhominable incense in the lords nostrels is of them who neuer had anie abilitie for the ministerie as infants dumbe men by nature dumbe men in regarde of their insufficiencie to vtter the Lordes message The outward calling of these yea by all the presbyteries in the worlde is but a seale prest vppon water which will receiue no impression Howe much lesse authenticall is a corrupt calling to be accounted The reason for the defence of the outward calling of idoll-ministers which is drawen from the example of the prophets b Isay 66.10 11. Zach. 11.17 who did not dissuade the people of their time from the dumb dogs against whom they crie out is so seelie that it deserueth no answere For wee reade c 2. Chro. 29.6 7 Isay 1.1 that the people liuing in Isaiah his owne time either vnder Hhuzzia Iotham or Achas who was the greatest aduersarie that euer the dumb Leuites had neither burnt incense nor offered burnt offerings vnto the God of Israell misse not to reade the place d 2. Chro. 29.6 7 Where didde Isaiah reprooue this No where that wee can reade Now what an horrible thing were it for a prince to expell the publike seruice of God out of his dominion or neglect the same and defend this practise as approoued by the word because the Prophets did not reprooue the like sinne committed in their dayes and yet this reason
the outward calling be ioyned vnto it I know that the very outward calling of a minister is not the ordinance of the church but the inuiolable prescript ordinance of God in the deliuery wherof the church is but an instrument I can proue our readers to be neither the ordinance of God nor of the church in that sence whereby the ordinance of the church is takeÌ„ for the outward calling acording to the word To the assumption But our readers to make the most of them are no more then the ordinance of the church Therfore there is no essence or life of our readers set downe in the worde either as good or bad ministers The assumption euerye man will graunt the proposition is most firme Because that euerie minister a 1 Cor. 12.4.11.28 4.7 9.16.17 2 Cor 4.6 Math 21.25 11.11 Rom. 12.6 Ephe 4.11 Collosir 25. good or b Phil 1.15.16 1. Cor 3.3.15 Mat 7.22 1. Cor. 9.27 bad is the ordinance of God in such sort as to whome-soeuer the Lorde hath not committed c 1. Cor. 4.4 Iohns ministerie was from God therfore much more euery ministery more euery ministery in the king done vnder the gospell Math. 21.26 11.11 the dispensation of his will well he may haue the outward calling of a minister he is in deede no more then the ordinaunce of the Church and so wanteth the verie life of a minister For it is not the approbation of the Church by the outward calling that can giue life vnto that minysterie which is not heard off in the worde Because the outwarde calling giueth not the life or beeing vnto a minister but the birth So that to make a minister therebe two things required First a being or life which the Lord onely can giue Secondlye a birth which the Church as an instrument of the ordinance of God is to bestow vpon him by his outward calling These two things are so essentially to be required in a minister that whosoeuer wanteth either of them he cannot possibly be a minister For where is that man that consisteth onelye of a soule or onelye of a bodye where is that man that neuer had life Or what was is his name that neuer was borne whervpon it ensueth that neither he which wanteth either of these two partes muste not presume to intermeddle with those actions which are by the ordinance of God necessarilie tied as the sacramentes are vnto him that hath both the life and the birth of a minister nor I aduenture to goe vnto him for those things which he hath no commission to deliuer Be a man therefore neuer so godly neuer so learned endued with neuer so liuelye faculties of the ministerie yet he is no minister in deed vnlesse he haue the ordinaunce of his God vpon him by his outward calling The preaching of the word being a gift and not depending vpon the very ordination is not so tied to the person of a minister but that he which hath not the outwarde calling may offer the trial of his gifts vnto the church in the publik place his spirite hauing before bene subiect vnto the prophets a 1. Cor. 14. that is such as haue iudgement to discerne of his gifts On the other side beit that a man haue the outward calling of the church yet in deede he is no minister vnlesse the Lord hath giuen him the life of a minister by committing the woorde of reconciliation vnto his hands By this I haue set down two maine questions which trouble many that fear God in these daies are decided First because the outward calling is essentially required in a minister it is therefore thought of some to be that which gyueth the life vnto a minister As though a childe hath not life in the wombe before it be born or that his birth be any thing to giue him life I graunt indeed that a woman cannot glorie of the fruit of her body vntill it come to the byrth for the bignes of the woombe may proceede of some Tympany Secondlye in asmuch as the manner of the essentiall birth of a minister is prescribed in the worde which prescript cannot without sinne be altered by any either in taking vpon them the ministery or in imposing the same vpon others some are seelilie carried away to thinke them to be no ministers which haue not their birth in euerye point according vnto this prescription The reason is no better then if I should denie him to be a true and a liuing childe whome I cannot denie to haue the life the birth of a child because hee issued out at his birth by the waye hee should not Tranq in viâ—â— Iâ—â—i Caes if C. Iulins had beene taken out at hys mothers side shoulde it therefore bee needlesse to warne him to take heede of the Ides of March absurd The second reason against these vntimely births I thus frame Whatsoeuer ministerie and minister was then vnknowen in the Church when all those callings flowrished therein which were in any age or time appointed by the Lord to be in the ministerie that ministerie and minister hath not so much as the essence of a ministerye or minister good or bad Euerie one knoweth this who knoweth Paule to haue sette downe that the Lord a Ephes 4.12 ordained not a transitorie ministerie but suche as was to continue vntill his second comming And more then extream follie were it to thinke him to set downe a being for that minister whom he neuer ment to ordain But our readers their ministery were theÌ„ vnknown in the Church wheÌ„ al these callings flowrished therin which the Lord in any age or time ordained for the ministerie I meane in the b Rom. 12.3.7 1. cor 12 28. ephes 4.12.13 Apostles time Therfore our readers and their ministerie haue not so much as the essence of a ministerie or ministers good or bad Our of these two reasons arise two proper differences between the magistracy the ministerie First there may be a lawfull magistracie and magystrate according to the woord whose name and office was neuer heard of before in the worlde much lesse read in the word so can there not be a ministerie or minister Tit. Liui. lib. 3. Cicero in 2. Cat L. Quintius Cincinatus is made Dictator L. Tarquinius maister of the horse L. Opimius the counsel must see that the coÌ„mon-wealth be not endaungered by any faction the same place both before after sustained many among the Romans In our time the care of the publike peace in all the Germaine empire was committed to Lazarus a Schiuendi Iohn Funccinus All these were new kindes of magistracies at their first institution yet lawfull The second difference is that the life and office of a minister is prescibed in the word contained in his gifts and seuered from his outwarde calling But the life of the magistracie is neither prescribed in the worde for so there coulde bee no magistrates out
of the Church nor any in the Church but such as are prescribed in the worde which were verie impious to thinke or contained in the gifts of the magrstracie not yet seperated from his outwarde calling For the verie outward calling is it that giueth life vnto the magistracie though the person sustayning it want gifts to discharge the same The reason heereof is euident because the magistracie being an humane constitution a 1. Pet. 2.13 as the holy ghost saith is appropriated vnto his possession vpon whomsoeuer man bestoweth the same if hee bee capable to possesse though vnfit to execute what is allotted vnto him So cannot the ministerie bee vnlesse hee vpon whome the Church imposeth it be made fitte by the Lorde for the execution thereof They who thinke the essence of a magistrate any more to consist in the gifts of courage vnderstanding wisdome fearing God dealing trulie b Exod 18.21 deut 1.13 hating couetousnes the onely properties mentioned by Iethro whence this life of a magistrate is falsely gathered then the being of a minister is contained in his a 1. Cor. 4.7 faithfulnes verie inconsiderately gaine-say the Apostle Peter in the place before quoted because hereby they make the magistracie not to bee an humaine ordinaunce but an ecclesiasticall constitution prescribed in the word The obiection therefore that a minister shold be no more denied to be a minister bicause he wanteth gifts then a magistrate denied to bee a magystrate for the same defect prooueth not woorth the answering Because the Lorde hath tied a mans inherytance no otherwaies vnto him then hee hath the magistracie vnto that person or persons who haue aucthoritie to make a magistrate So that the very magistracie may bee deriued from him by the outwarde calling as well as the substantiall interest of this inheritance by the best conuaiaunce in law No such thing beeing tied vnto the Church in making a minister Because none can say they are in the possession of a ministerie who haue not the same from the Lord. And what ministerie haue our readers from him Any outward thing in the possession of man of which nature all men knowe the magistracie to be may bee conuaied really and indeed ought not alwaies I graunt vnto him vppon whomsoeuer man the possessour thereof will confer the same and there it ought to be inuiolablie inherent as long as man whose right it is to bestow it or take it away wil haue it so Hath a man lesse interest in his money because either for want of witte hee knoweth not how to vse or by his leudnes dooth abuse it Candanles a foole is no lesse a magistrate a far worse I deny not among the Lydians Herod lib. 1. Plato de reip dial 2. then Egesilaus among the Lacedemonians a wise and a politike gouernor The same is to be said of Ioab Benaiah of Licinius a persecutour and Constantine a christan emperor Tib. Ghracchus abuseth his magistracy the senate and people sin because they depriue him not but as long as they tollerat him therin the magistracie is his owne and therefore not lawfull for any priuate man by disobedience to rob him thereof And why so Because the swoorde in his hand is still the Lords sword the sedition tyrannie in him is his owne To come to the ministerie the Church maketh that wretch a minister vnto whom it will be said I a Math. 7.22.23 know thee not thou worker of iniquitie But did the Lorde by enduing him with graces meete for the ministerie say vnto him go prophesie in my name hee did Then there is a ministerie committed vnto him which is neither his nor the churches but the Lordes the same dare not I denie vntill the Lorde take it awaye for the foulnes of his handes Another commeth with the same calling of the church he sayth b I am a plain heardman a Zachary 13.5 neither prophet nor the sonne of a prophet Now Lord if it be thy will bee mercifull vnto them conuert them and disburden thy church of them but I haue my letters of orders from the Lord bishop and am in possession of the liuing I knowe no ministerie he hath And therefore I denie him to be any more a minister for his outward calling sake there Herdonius a traiterous and slauish seruant is a magistrate though by treacherie he with a company of other rogish vagabonds like him selfe hath now gotten possession of the Capitol That the spech may not seeme straunge vnto any let men way but the prerogatiue which the Lord reserueth vnto him selfe in making ministers in hys Church with the priuilege which hir Maiestie hath in ordaining magistrates within hir dominions The whole assembly of Parliament for some causes mouing them ordaine a Lord high Constable of England as France hath hir Maiestie sheweth hir publik disliking therof And that shee will hauen such officer within hir Realme is he a magistrate hee is none neither wil I acknowledge him for any as long as it shal be against hir wil pleasure to haue any such within hir dominions For what magistrate is he in this land which she saith to be none as long as the royall prerogatiue is in hir hand In like maner what minister is he in the Church of God whome the Lord denieth to be any The case is too to manifest The distinctiō that readers are ministers of iudgment that is sent of the Lorde in iudgement to punish the sinnes in this age but not ministers of the mercie and grace of God is as if they were sayd to be ministers of an ordinance neuer ordayned now farre be it we shoulde make a ministery of an ordinance neuer reuealed of an ordinaunce that is but temporary And in very deed I cannot but thinke it a very strange matter that these men who make a conscience of that which they teach being also wise and godly learned are not ashamed to be reported the forgers and setters abroach of such shifting and siely stuffe The other obiection concerning the ministery vnder Moses is as faultie For to square the ministerie of the new couenant according vnto the Leuitical priesthood is to require the Consulship of Rome to be framed after the Maioraltie of London besides manye other foule inconsequentes it hath in it I haue alreadie shewed the weaknes herof and if it deserued a further aunsweare I woulde vouchsafe it the same The reasons expressed in the booke are now to be set downe Such of them as are noted with this marke The thinges which they pretend to seeke I imbrace their seperation I detest * are some of the reasons whereby I am necessarily induced vtterly to condemne that course of those I hope fearing God who haue made a separation from those ministers in this lande their congregations who truely preache the worde And although there bee in our godly assemblies manye corruptions and more wants tollerated whiche euery Christian heart must needs abhorre
yet I protest that I would as to my comfort I doe ioyne my selfe in the publike hearing of the worde receiuing of the sacraments praying fasting giuing of almes and other holy exercises which these congregations as the assemblies of Gods people amongst whō publike saluation is to be had and with these ministers as the messengers of Iesus Christ whose commission from him to make known vnto me the way of saluation I dare not deny for my soule because there is some want in the seale I mean the outward calling My reasons are these Where I am obscure the booke may giue light The conclusion for breuities sake I haue omitted in the most The Prosyllogisme or second proof of any doutfull action where it is omitted is afterwarde concluded in the syllogisme which serueth for a proofe of all my reasons where any of them might be thought to be weake Euery one that hath the * life of a minister good or bad or that is a minister in deede is ordained of God for the gathering a Rom. 12.3 1. Cor. 4.11.28 Ephes 4.12 together of the saintes For ther is no other minister spoken of in the word No bare reader is ordained of God for this end Therefore no bare reader is a minister in deede or hath the life of a minister good or bad The faithfull prechers in the Church of England haue and do shewe by the good euidence of their teachinge whereby soules are gathered vnto the church and fed therein that they were ordained of God for this ende Therefore the seperation from them and their assemblies is an vngodly wicked and scismatical rent from the visible body of the churche An vngodly wicked and scismaticall rent I call it vpon good deliberation aduice Because that seperation from the companye where publike saluation is had and professed which is made in such sort as if the sayde company had not the means of saluation sounding in it or worshipped God after a false maner is wicked and scismaticall Such is the rent of these men For as they themselues do anouch they are seperated from vs because in all our meetings the corruptions are so great that we serue the true God after a false maner hold not the foundation and so haue no meanes to be saued among vs. For the men thēselues I hope the Lorde will recall them and I am perswaded the most of them haue fallen into this snare of meare and simple ignorance And woe woe woe vnlesse they repent will be vnto them that in smiting and keeping backe the carefull and harmlesse sheapheardes haue beene the cause of this lamentable dispersion straying of the poore sheep For the course whiche they take in seekinge good things it is to be auoyded as a course very likely to shake them from eternall life that continue in it I know what I say For where is there now any more meanes left for them to be saued without their repentaunce we hauing the onely ordinarie meanes of saluation among vs as before is prooued wheras they seperate themselues from vs as from those who serue the true God after a false maner and plainly shew that they would haue no saluation rather then that whereof wee are by the mercies of God pertakers through the ministery of the worde in our assemblies They cannot deny I desire thē to grant no more then the reasons folowing the former proue in this point but that saluation is to be had by the ministery of our preachers And they also know that there is but one ordinary way to be saued which being accounted but in one assembly to be the way of seruing God after a false manner the passage of saluation is shut vp euery where vnto them that are thus seduced for any thing that I know to be reuealed Shall I because the churche-gouernement is not as yet established a Tit. 1.5 in Creta or is iniuriously kept out and some great corruptions tollerated in steade thereof therefore affirme that those congregations of the Cretians where the word of god is taught by men of fit gifts are assemblies where the true god is worshipped after a false manner and yet notwithstanding thinke I may be saued by the worde preached at Philippi continuing still in the same error Whereas they that deliuer the worde at Creta are men endued with as rare gifts from the Lorde for the worke of the ministery as vpright in life and haue called as many to saluation as they had done who are at Philippi I doubt hereof Naye if I seperate my selfe from the assemblies in Creta to go to Philippi it shall not be because I deny them to be meetings of Gods people among whome he ruleth by the scepter of the worde or because I account them prophane synagogs but because I see them too slacke in growing to that perfection whereunto they desire to bee brought so that my departing shall not be a separation but a going forwarde And while I addresse my selfe to goe forwarde I will be sure not to cut of my selfe from the publike meetinges where the worde preached is inioyned A strong maner of reformation for men to cutte them-selues off from the true Churche to the ende they may haue a perfect outward gouernment The practize of these silly men might seeme to be more tollerable if they had ioyned themselues with any Churche vnder heauen Nay I would see what church dareth receiue them as long as they holde these congregations for Idolatrous synagogs where that ordinance of God is by which men are brought out of the kingdome of darknes vnto the kingdome of Christ Euery one of the syllogismes noted with this marke * inferre the former conclusion against their practize I wishe their conuersion from my heart and will be readie to performe any christian duetie as a brother towards them that the Lord hath enabled me Euery minister (2) 2 indeed * of that ordinaunce a Ephes 4.13 which is to continue in the church for the worke of the ministerie to the worlds end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Noe bare reader is a minister of this ordinance For this ordinance is the woord preached Ergo no bare reader is a minister indeed (3) 3 Euery minister is able * to make the elect to be members of b Ephes 4.13 Christ No bare reader is such an instrument Ergo (4) 4 Euerie minister * is a meanes by the worde of the grace of God to giue the elect an inheritaunce among them that are c Act. 20.32 sanctified None of our readers is such a meanes ergo (5) 5 Euerie minister indeede is able to feed the * elect with the food of knowledge and d Iere. 3.15 vnderstanding None of our bare readers are able to do this ergo (6) 6 Euerie * minister at the least in regard of gifts is according vnto the Lords owne e Ierem. 3.15 heart that is his ordinance reuciled concerning his
* choice None of our readers is such ergo (7) 7 Euery minister is * an instrument to make knowen by the word preached the purpose a Colos 1.20.23 28. of God concerning mans reconciliatioÌ„ No reder is such ergo (8) 8 Euery minister is able to lay open * the mysteries of saluation No reader is c Looke this reason in the book ergo (9) 9 Euery minister is an * instrument of our new b 1. Pet. 1.21 birth No bare reader is c ergo (10) 10 Euerie minister is able by the preaching of the Gospell to manifest those hidden secreats whiche the Prophets them-selues could not artaine vnto 1 Pet 1.10.12 without great search and enquirie No bare reader can doo this by preaching ergo (11) 11 Euery minister is * able by his publike ministery to bring the elect vnto the knowledge of the truth and so to saluation c 1. Tim. 2.4 No bare reader can doe this ergo (12) 12 Whosoeuer are fit in regard of their sufficiencie to bee their minysters alone that would haue no God d 2. Chron. 15.3 are no ministers indeede All bare readers not beeing able to lay open the will of the true God are onely fit to bee their ministers that would haue no God ergo they are no ministers indeede (13) 13 They are no ministers whosoeuer are able to performe the whole worke of their ministerie without studie and giuing heed vnto learning as the c 1. Tim. 3.14.14 apostle commandeth But all our readers if they can read can performe the whole work of their calling as long as they liue without any further studye ergo they are no ministers indeed 14 14 Euery minister * is able to expound that which f Act. 8.13.14 cannot be vnderstoode without an interpretour viz that which is to be learned out of the word concerning the Lorde mans saluation Our bare readers cannot do this ergo 15 15 Euerie minister * is a minister of that waye whereby the Lord bestoweth vpon men the spirite of wisedome and reuelation through his knowledge g Eze. 2.17 Our bare readers are not such ergo 16 16 Euery * minister is able to make the word of God powerfull either vnto to death or vnto life in a Heb. 4 12.2 2. chro 2 1â— some of the hearers Our readers are not able to doe this ergo 17 Euerye minister is * able to deuide the word of God aright 12 vnto the seuerall vse of the hearers b 2. Tim 1.10 coâ—os 1.5.7 Our readers are not able to do this ergo 18 18 Euery minister is able to tech those that can read c 1. Tim 5.22 3.10 as wel as himself No bare reader can do this ergo 19 19 Euery minister can doe some thing in regarde of teaching his flocke which euery christian who can read well distinctly is not able to performe Our readers can not do this ergo 20 20 whosoeuer by naturall gifts alone are able to performe whatsoeuer belongethto their d Rom 7.7 12.3 epheâ— 3.8 1. coa 3.10 4.7 heb 5.4 ephes 4.7 calling they are no ministers bicause there is some thing to speak the least in the ministry of euery minister whiche cannot postiblie bee performed by natural gifts alone Our readers are able by the onely gifts of nature to perfourme whatsoeuer belong vnto their calling ergo our readers are no ministers indeed 21 21 Euery minister * hath gifts to labour in Gods husbandrie and Gods building 22 1. Cor. 3.8 1. Thes 5.2 our readers haue not ergo 22 Euerye * minister hath necessarily annexed vnto his calling workes of that admiration that it maye bee truly sayd of them who is fit for these things 2. Cor. 2.16 our readers are not ergo 23 23. Euerye minister is able to make the Lord so knowen to the elect that they dare call vpon him in saith and full perswasion to be hard Rom. 10.14 8.15 our readers cannot do this ergo 24. Euerie minister is able to coÌ„pare spirituall things with spirituall things 24 and to speake the worde e 1. Cor. 2 13. 1. thes 4.11 of GOD as the word of God our readers are not able to doe this ergo 25 25 Whosoeuer preserueth * not knowledge in his lips that is wanteth the thing the wâ—â—â—whereof in a priuate man not beeing censurable by the church viz. not being a sin in it selfe giueth the Lord the church iust cause both to keep them from the mynisterie and to expell them out of the ministery in whome this want is found though they bee euerye way els qualified for the ministery according vnto the a 1. Tim. 3.2.7 â—ir 1.6.7 1. cor 4.2.1 thes 2.2.11 proprieties required in the word hee is no minister Our readers haue this wante in them because their lips doe not preserue knowledge ergo they are no ministers indeed Thus my reason is in the booke page 8. drawen out of Mala. 2.7 is to bee concluded For although a man want all other proprieties of a minister yet being fit to teach he hath some allowaunce from the Lorde to bee a minister whereas the want heere of kepeth back the Lordes whole consent from the admission of him into the ministerie in whom it is The reason whereof is that all other proprieties in a minister sauing this are such as according to the ordinance of God ought to be in euery christian as to be modest harberous no striker c. as well as in the minister though not in the same measute this by the Lords institution is to be in the minister onely of necessitie howbeit other christians also may be and are capable thereof 26 26 Whosoeuer vndergoeth that ministery Looke the book page 8. and no other whereof a Turk Painime or Iewe who will not learne true religion may be capable he in deede is no minister Our readers vndergoe no other ministerie 27 c. ergo 27 They whose ministery make the whole religion of christians not to haue in it so much as one mystery the secrecie whereof euen in regard of knowledge might disable one that neuer heard of true religion to be a publike minister thereof are no ministers in deede The ministerye of all bare readers is such ergo 28 28 They are no ministers who for their ministery alone call for the wrath of God vpon the gouern ours and the land where they are tollerated our readers though otherwise the holiest men vnder heauen call c ergo 29 All ministers * maye truely say of themselues 19 2. Cor. 5.20 now then are we ambassadours from Christe as though God did beseeche you through vs we pray you in Christs steade that you be reconciled vnto God Our readers cannot truely say c ergo 30 Euery one that is a minister in deed hath more
in Englande in these peaceable dayes of her highnes I haue wholye dedicated my selfe to seeke the flowrishing estate thereof By labouring to beautifie the same both in the plucking vp of those filthie Italian weeds wherewith now it is miserablie deformed and planting therein whatsoeuer may bee to the cōlines of gods orchard For my pore country because it hath pleased the Lord of life that therein I first saw the light of the son and haue beene by my parents there liuing brought vp in both the vniuersities of this land I haue vowed my selfe dutifully to benefite the same whether by my life or by my death I do not greatly weye And wherein shall I stand my deare countrimen in any stead if not by speakinge in their cause that are not able to make knowne their owne wantes If not in blessing the deafe eares in remouing the stumblingblock from before the eyes of the blind if not in labouring to bring them to heauen who of their owne natures should liue eternally in a worse place to their own wo. The aforenamed callings and corruptions standing as enemies in the way to hinder my brethren from eternall life I professe my selfe to seeke their ouerthrowe and confusion And by the Lordes assistance as longe as I liue I will neuer leaue them vnles they leaue the massakring of the soules of my brethren In respect of your HH seinge I receiued the former blessings throgh your hands by meanes of the outward peace whereof her right excellent Maiestie hath made the whole kingdome partaker from the Lord I canot of conscience but in most submiss reuerend and humble sort put you in minde of the estate wherein you stand before the Lord at this day I affirme therefore and I would to God I coulde tell howe more dutifully to expresse in wordes that whiche in heart I haue most dutifully conceiued that all of you are in a feareful manner both in this life and in that to come subiect to the intollerable masle of Gods wrath the execution whereof shall vndoubtedly come vpon you and your houses vnles you preuent the fiercenes of his indignation And that for these 2. causes First inasmuch as the whole countrie of Wales for the most part all this time of the Gospell in England hath bene without the publike seruice of God in the publike meetings of your people in such sort as most parrishes within Wales haue wanted the means of saluation all this time of your gouernement The trueth of this assertion is manifested in this little booke because they haue wanted a Ia. 2.21 1. pet 1.25 Iob. 33.23 1. cor 1.21 rom 10.14 eph 1.13 2.17 act 20.32 prou 8.34.35 isai 53.11 preaching and I haue elswher to my power laboured to make it known vnto her Maiestie the parliament Consider my Lordes what care you haue had of the soules of men and howe in the day of account these things will be answered Consider how lamentable a case it is that in the flowrishingst gouernment for outwarde peace that is againe vnder the coape of heauen where publicke idolatrie hath bene bannished not one familie or one tribe but a whole nation should perish and be destroyed for want of knowledge And see whether I haue not sufficient cause to deale with you in the behalfe of my countrimen My crie my crie is not the crie of guiltles and innocent a blood b Deut. 21.8 which were verie wofull but of lost and damned soules which is most lamentable giue eare vnto it my LL. lest the blood of soules be laid to your charge required at your hands If I be thoght to report an vntruth in regard of the estate of the Church in my countrie let me bee brought face to face for the triall hereof with those vnto whom the care I should say the spoile of the Church there is committed and being conuinced to haue vttered an vntrueth let me haue no fauor but die the death before your Honours and my blood bee vppon mine owne head for impeaching the credit of the princes of my people vndutifullie by publike writing whose estimation I know it to be vnlawfull for mee euen in thought once to violate I do here therefore before your HH offer to proue that the most congregations in Wales want the verie essential outward marks of a true church and so the meanes of saluation and the comfort of faith by the right administration of the sacraments I also offer to proue that you shal be reckoned with without your speedie repentaunce because that in this point you haue plowed but iniquitie and sowed wickednesse and so as Iob saith you shall reape the same Belieue them not that tell you all is well Iob. 4.8 vnder your gouernment in Wales and that they are a sort of clamorous and vndiscreet men that affirme the contrarie Beleeue them not that tell you that it belongeth not vnto your dutie to be careful of the estate of the Church that the Lord requireth no more at your hands but to maintain outward peace As though men committed to your gouernement were but droues of bruit beastes onely to be foddered and kept from externall inuasions and inrodes giue care rather vnto the woordes of the prophet who with a loude voice crieth vnto you why will you die you your families Ierem. 27.23.14 and your people by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence and why wil you be damned as the Lord hath spoken against I may allude without iniurie to the word all those gouernours that will not a Ezra 7.17.23 psal 2.10 101 2. chro 29.10 30.9 34.27 exod 20.10 gen 18.19.2 chron 15.12.13 17.7 see their people prouided of the meanes of saluation Therfore heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that tell you you shall neither see sworde or famine though you be still as careles of your people as you hytherto haue bene looke the punishement both of the flatteringe prophets and of those that are deceiued by their flatterie Ierem. 14.16 Heare them not I say but obey the Lorde in the execution of that dutie which he efflagitateth at your handes by calling of your people vnto the knowledge of his sonne that you may liue for why should this land bee made desolate for this your carelesnes Ier. 27.17 They prophesie vanity a lie vnto your HH that saie peace peace vnto you while in this point you despise the Lorde and walke still in this secure course or else a Iere. 23.16.17 Ieremie is deceiued if they be prophets And if the word of the lord be in their mouthes b Ierem. 27.18 let them intreat the Lorde her Maiestie and your HH and stirre you vp to see that the miserie of helplesse Wales may be considered off You are in a miserable taking my LL that either you haue none about you to tell you of these things or that men dare not tel you of thē you are more
miserable if being warned of your estate you be hardened still in this securitie But this is not all Secondly therefore the Lords wrath hangeth ouer your heads for tollerating in Wales the dumb ministery the vsurped and Antichristian seates of Lorde Byshops and other Romish offices there remaining and so tollerated as by your consente and authoritie they are in force If Moses by a positiue law should haue allowed the offring of strange fire by Nadab and Abihu tollerated the ministerie of c Leui 20.18 23 blemished and deformed Leuites enacted that one not being of the line of Aaron might presse before the Altar d Nom. 16.10 18.7 to offer the breade of his God if Dauid had made it lawfull for Huzza to lay his hand vpon the Arke if Iosiah or any of the godly rulers had giuen leaue vnto the cursed shepherds in their daies to place others in their steed e Ezek. 44.8 to take the ouersight of the Sanctuarie briefly had established any thing contrary to the commandement in the Churche-gouernment prescribed by Moses had they not bin in danger of Gods wrath questionles they had And shal your HH be dispenced with being guilty of tollerating and establishing greater thinges amongst your people in Wales in stead of the gouernement prescribed by Iesus Christ assure your selues no. I do therefore in this point for the discharge of my conscience and dutie towards the Lord his church my Countrey and your Hh. taking my life in my hand testifie vnto you before the eternall GOD and his church that our vnlearned ministerie is no ministerie in deede that the calling of our L. Bb. Archdeacons Commissaries somoners and al other the excrements of the Romishe vomit as non-residents c remaining in Wales are intolerable before the Lorde and that it is not likely that euer your Hh. tollerating these things any longer shall escape the reuenging hand of God The truth hereof I make knowne briefly bicause I would not be tedious vnto your Hh. by the reasons following and offer to prooue these things more at large vppon the perill of my life and by the grace of God will against our 4. L. Bb. all their Chapleins retainers fauourers and welwillers whether in either of the two vniuersities in this lande or in anye place els in earth or in hell for in heauen I knowe they haue no fautors These things I offer to prooue against D. Bridges who lately in a booke of 7. shillings price hath vnder-taken their defence wherein besides the wrong done vnto the Church of God he hath offered her Maiestie and your Hh. most vndutifull iniurye by going about for the defence of his bellye and the bellies of the rest of his coate to ouerthrowe her Maiesties title of soueraigne preheminence and to alienate the heartes of the loyallest subiectes in the land from their most louing and carefull Prince gouernours As though her Maiestie and your Hh. ment to turne the edge of the sword against them who indeed deserue not to be smitten with the scabard And I will prooue that he hath crammed into this gorge as plaine poperie for the defence of our prelates as euer Belarmin Turrian Harding Saunders or any other the fierbrands and ensign-bearers of Romishe treason against her Maiesties crowne haue brought for the title of the popes supremacy Although he hath bene and I doubt not shal be sufficiently answered by those whose bookes hee is not worthie to beare yet in asmuch as hee in this booke hath shewed him selfe to bee an Ammonitish Tobiah against the building of Ierusalem in Wales by desending alasse reliquias Danaum the very breaches and ruines of the Babylonish ouerthrow which by the iust iudgement of God vnder poperie we haue sustained to be the perfectest building that Syon can be brought vnto and so by this slaunder withstandeth the saluation which I doubt not her Maiestie and your Hh. wishe vnto my Countrey I haue so framed my reasons folowing as they ouerthrowe the verye foundation and whole frame of that wicked booke And on the condicion that his cause maye fals If I besides that which others wil do ouerthrow him his cause I offer before your Hh. to lie in irons eat the bread of affliction vntill in a twise 7. pennie booke I disprooue by the worde make an vtter spoyle ruine ouerthrow of whatsoeuer he hath brought for the defence of that whiche in the gouernement is oppugned according to the woorde by the learned in this Lande I speake not more confidentlye then I should do for I know the cause to be a most confident and sure cause and therefore not timorouslye to be dealt in but in the feare of God with all boldnes to be stood too and aduouched Nowe that our dumbe ministers non-residents L. Bb. Arch-deacons c are nothing els but an increase a Nom. 22.14 of sinfull men risen vppe in stead of their fathers the Idolatrous monks and fryers stil to augment the fierce wrath of God against this land and you our gouernours and that this booke of D. Bridges and whatsoeuer els hath bene written for their defence are nothing els but edicts traitors against God and slaunderers to your sacred gouernement to defend the sale and exchange of church goods and the verye distruction of soules to speake all in a word that both these cortuptions and their defences are condemded by the Lords reuealed will as things directly against his will and the lawes of his maiestie expressed in his written word and therfore not to be tollerated by your Hh. vnlesse you thinke you may tollerate sinne by law nor yet once to bee spoken for or countenannced vnlesse you woulde plead for b Iudg. 6.31 Baall I prooue by these reasons That forme of Church-gouernment which maketh Iesus Christ to bee inferiour vnto Moses is an vngodly gouernement flat contrary to the c Heb. 3.6 nom 12 7. worde and therefore in no case to bee tollerated and the booke or bookes defending the same are vngodlye wicked and lying bookes But our Church-gouernment in Wales by L. Bb. Arch-deacons dumbeministers and other ecclesiastical officers there as for non-residents let this one reason for all serue against them they in asmuch as in them lyeth bereaue the people ouer whome they thrust themselues of the onely ordinarye meanes to saluation which is the d Rom. 10.14 1. cor 1.21 1. pet 1.21 word preached is such a gouernment as maketh the Lord of life Iesus Christ inferior vnto Moses and this book of Doctor Bridges doth the same therfore this gouernement in a gouernement not to be tollerated by law in any state vnlesse men would feele gods heauie iudgements for the same and therefore also a gouernement most pernitious and daungerous vnto the ciuill magistrate where it is established and this booke or bookes defending the same are vngodly wicked and lying books traiterous against the Maiestie of Iesus Christ crying for the importable vengeaunce of
God vppon such Magistrates as tollerate them The proposition is not to be doubted off The assumption is thus prouided That gouernement and that booke whiche holdeth Iesus Christ God and man to haue prescribed no external form of gouernment in his church but such as at the pleasure of the magistrate when time and place requireth may without sinne be altered preferreth Moses before the Lord Iesus This is manifest out of the expresse word out of the text Heb. 3.2.6 Because that the Lorde Iesus beeing the sonne in this place is compared with Moses a faithful seruaunt is preferred before Moses in regarde of the externall gouernement which Moses had so faithfully prescribed as it was not to bee altered or chaunged at the pleasure of any magistrate vntill the messiah should cause the oblations to ceas a Dan. 9 27. For whatking was there euer in Iudah that without the breach of Gods lawe could euer alter the externall forme of the iewish Church in the Leuitical priesthood officers And that the comparison between the sonne and the seruant Christ and Moses is concerning the externall and not concerning the spyrituall gouernment of the inner man as D. bridges sayth it is plaine bieause that Moses had nothing to doe with the gouerning of the inner man therefore it were no prerogatiue for the Lorde to be preferred in faithfulnes before Moses b page 55. lin 30. in that thinge wherein Moses neuer dealt Nowe I assume that our fourme of Church-gouernement in Wales and this wicked booke holdeth Iesus Christ to haue ordained such an externall forme of gouernment in his Church at his departure from earth to heauen as at the pleasure of the magistrate may be altered without the brech of Gods institution which thing D. Bridges affirmeth page 55. and all our prelates will graunt that the magistrate may alter the forme of gouernement now established and therefore this gouernement and this booke preferreth Moses before Iesus Christ And I cannot see how far this differeth from blasphemie Now if Christ shuld be saide to haue ordained no externall regiment then Moses is far before him and so the thirst of superioritie in our prelates and their accomplishes is turned into extreme drunkennes of impietie by this assertion I beseech the Lord in mercie to open your Hh. eies that you may see how he and his people haue bene dealt with by retaining such lawes in force as iustle and ouerthrow the royall prerogatiue of his sonne And the Lord make you to see whether those men that defend the interest of the sonne of God in this point against the tyrannicall vsurpation of prelats and haue brought for his title vnaunswerable euidence out of the sacred records of Gods owne writings offending either in matter or circumstance in no one thing but that they haue not dealt more earnestly with your Hh. and more ronndly with the aduersaries in the right of their master haue deserued to be imprisoned thrust out of their liuings reuiled railed vppon and slaundered by vngodly and wicked prelates vnto your Hh. as seditious and discontented men with the ciuill gouernment dangerous subiects and enemies to her Maiesties crowne And surely the cause being made knowen vnto you as it is howsoeuer the Lord may beare with your ouersight heretofore in the ignorance of the waight thereof yet if you do not now abrogate and abolish such a Church gouernement wel may you hope for the fauour and entertainment of Moses that is the curse of the law but the fauour and louing countenance of Iesus Christ I doe not see how you shall euer inioy My second reason That forme of church-gouerment and booke or bookes whiche maketh the ecclesiasticall regiment to bee an humane constitution that is such a constitution as is inclusiuely acording to the word any more then the ciuill gouernment which a 1. Pet. 2.13 2. Pet. 2.10 also must be inclusiuely according to the word and so may at the magistrates pleasure be changed as the ciuill gouernment may that gouerment and that booke or bookes besides that they prefer Moses before Iesus Christ as before is a wicked gouernment and they wicked sophisticall and vngodly bookes But our gouernement in Churche causes and b page 55. this booke with all other books of this greist make the ecclesiasticall gouernment to bee nothing else but an humaine constitution whiche may bee altered at the magistrates pleasure Therefore our Church-gouernement in Wales and this booke or bookes are vngodly and wicked The proposition is prooued by these reasons First because they make no difference betweene that which belongeth to the true worship of God as ecclesiastical gouernement doth that which appertaineth vnto ciuill pollicie 2. Peter 1.3 Contrary to the Apostle who affirmeth in expres words that we haue receiued by the knowledge of God whatsoeuer belongeth vnto true religion for so the word Eusebeia translated godlines signifieth in that place wheras there was neuer yet any place of scripture found wherin we are said to haue by the knowledge of God whatsoeuer belongeth to anthropinen kteisin the ciuill magistrat called mans ordinance by the same apostle a Peter 3. â—3 Wherin those thinges which are inuented by them that neuer knew God may be inclusiuelie according to the worde Secondly Ecclesiasticall gouernement being granted to be an humaine constitution maketh the Pope to haue sufficient b warraunt out of the worde not of his idolatrous and false religion And D. Bridges auoucheth this for good doctrin as I will shew but of his superioritie ouer ciuil magistrates and al the Pastors in the Churche For why should not hee the ciuill magistrate granting him this superioritie as they vnder his iurisdiction do be allowed by the word to be aboue the Emperour and all other magistrates and ministers whosoeuer if the ecclesiasticall gouernement be an humane ordinance For I am assured that the Emperor and all other princes in Europe may chuse a magistrate superiour vnto them all if they will And why may not he be a Byshop or an Arch-bishop if the Church-gouerment be an humane ordinance or if it be lawful for either of them to be a Lord and be are ciuill office Thirdly if Church-gouernment bee an humane constitution then it may be lawful for a Church-gouernour to preach administer the sacraments ouersee excommunicate c. and to be a king For the Apostle maketh it lawfull for any supplying the place of an humane constitution lawfully to bee a king and I would they durst denie it And where then learned they that diuinitie that it is more against the word for a Bishop to be Basileus a king Hyperichon a suriour Hegamon a captaine or gouernour b 1. Pet. â— 13 Luk. 22.25 beeing titles sanctified by the holy ghost for ciuill offices then Curios a Lord Hyperpheron a prelat of the garter Euergetes a lords grace The former the latter being by our Sauiour himself forbidden vnto Bishops or
ministers The second vz. Hyperpheron neuer read in the worde that I can remēber If they say that the abuse of lordlines and gracelesse grace is forbidden by Christe they haue bene answered they are answered and let them replie if they can that the Lorde neuer allowed abuse or tyrannie in ciuill gouernours wheras he doth not forbid them to rule as Lordes and to be called grace and therefore speaketh of the sanctified vse of gouernement and titles which sanctified vse lawfull in the ciuill magistrates hee denieth to be lawfull in his ministers Because therefore first to make that which belongeth to the outward worship of God to haue no more ground out of the worde then that which appertaineth vnto the ciuill magistracie Secondly to allow of the Popes superioritie and to affirme that a minister may also be a king are wicked and absurd assertions directly against the word as we see Therfore it is wicked in like manner to make the Ecclesiasticall gouerment to be an humane constitution And not vnlikly also by litle litle as experience in poperie techeth vs to paue the way for the vndermining of the ciuill gouernment For why may not a forged donation of Constantin or Ludouicus Pius in time ioyn the crown of England to the sea of Dauid or Bangor especially which from Ioseph of Aremathea can be prooued to haue a little better continuaunce of personall succession then Rome can from Peter aswell as it ioyned the kingdome of Scicilia the Dukedome of Naples the islands Corsica Sardinia c. vnto the Popes miter The thirde reason is thus ftamed and I will be briefe That forme of Church-gouernment that booke or bookes which teacheth that there is somthing to be obserued besides that which was concluded in the cōmission giuen by our sauiour christ vnto his Apostles Matth. 28.19.20 wherein they were enioyned to teach vs to obserue whatsoeuer hee had commaunded them is a gouernement execrable and accurssed and so are the bookes by the spirite of God in plaine wordes Gal. 1.9 And beeing such farre be it that either the gouernement or the bookes shoulde be maintained by law such a cursse being pronounced against the retaining of execrable things as we find Deut. 7.15 But our fourme of Church-gouernment in Wales and this booke with manye others published by auctoritie teach the same For where is it included much lesse prescribed in the woorde that our sauiour Christ abollished an outwarde gouernement of the Church in the Leuiticall pollity being in no sort an humaine ordinance but altogither prescribed by the Lorde him selfe to the ende that vnder the Gospell there should be no gouernment but an humaine ordinaunce that might bee chaunged at the pleasure of man Or where is it reuealed that the apostles gaue the ciuil magistrat when any should be in the Church the commission to aboll she the presbyterie established by them as our aduersaries confesse as the b word saith by god himselfe a 1 Cor. 13.5.12 Ephes 4.4 rom 12.6 1 pet 4.10 Mat. 21.25 12.11 and therefore not to bee abrogated vntill his pleasure in that point be known because there was no christian magistrate Therefore this gouernment and this booke or bookes are execrable and accurssed Lastly that fourme of gouernement and that booke or bookes which affirme the kingdoome of Christ in the ourward gouernment to be a kingdom that cānot be shaken that is altered or remoued as the ceremoniall gouernement was affirme that which is contrarie to the expresse written worde of God Heb. 12.28 and therefore not to be tollerated in anye christian estate But our Church gouernement in Wales by L. bb Arch-deacons dumbe ministers commissaries c in their making of minysters censures excommunications c is such and such is this vnlearned heape and sophisticall booke or bookes Therefore both the gouernement and the booke or bookes affirme things contrary to the word so are not to be tolerated vnlesse we would haue the Lorde bring speedye shame and confusion vpon vs Pro. 26.2.7 for maintaining sinne by law The proposition is most apparant Because that by the words kingdome that cannot be shaken must needes be ment perticularlye whatsoeuer signification else they haue as more generall the outward gouernement receiued vnder the Gospell since the abolishing of the ceremoniall law which being compared in regard of continuance and remoouing or doing away which Moses his gouernement is said to be a kingdom that cannot be shaken that is such as the Lord neuer meaneth to alter again vnto the worlds end as to haue another placed in the stead of it by him selfe much lesse by man whereas that vnder Moses a Hag. 2.7 is affirmed by Haggay and here by the apostle to bee a kingdome or gouernment that can bee shaken or altered And this is the proper meaning of the place For by the worde kingdome that cannot bee shaken must needs be ment either the assurance of saluation which we haue vnder the gospel or our enioying and possessing of eternall life or els the outward gouernement not onely in the preaching of the worde and administration of the Sacraments but in the very church offices the manner of their choice and their subiects wherein they are occupied But as concerning the assurance of saluation in this life and the possession of eternall life in heuē which the fathers vnder the law had it was no more to be shaken then ours the meanes therevnto by the word preached they had aswell as wee and so in these respects they had a kingdome that could no more be shaken then ours It remaineth therefore that theirs was to be shaken in regard of theyr outward gouernement and therfore ours vnmoueable in this respect which were senselesse to be affirmed if Christ in his kingdome wherevnto wee are heere subiects had instituted no externall gouernement Can that bee vnmoouable which is not at al more senselesse it were to thinke this kingdome to be vnmutable in regard of the sacraments and not of the persons and offices who were to deale with those misteries To come againe to your Honors you are not to learne that to defend by lawe or countenaunce by aucthority the breach of Gods ordinance is the defence of sin the defence of the sin is hatred of God who rewardeth thē to their face that hate him deu 7.10 therfore also you are not to be taught what horrible sinnes you committee in countenauncing and maintayning such execrable impieties They ar no trifles as you see And I assure you that Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab men a Nom. 26 9. famous in the congregation had more colour of right to claime vnto them selues either the ciuill gouernement from Moses or the priesthoode from Aaron because they were the sonnes of Reuben the first born vnto whose lot b Genes 49.4 had he not defiled his fathers bed by all likelyhoode either the scepter or the priesthood shold haue fallen then these
this superioritie ouer her Maiestie as being within the bodie of the churche or no they leaue it to the consideration of others the instance woulde bee as much as their life were worth And what shold they endanger their liues by vttering that in particular which in generall belike may be affirmed with safetie The generall assertion that a priest may haue a lawfull superior authoritie ouer the vniuersall body of the church being true and voide of treason why shall not the particular instance that the pope may be this priest which may haue this superiour authoritie ouer hir Maiestie as being included within the vniuersall bodie of the church be so to if one priest may haue this authoritie what shall hinder whie the pope may not be this priest though hee be not his idolatrie he may leaue his pride he may leaue his triple crowne he may leaue his name of pope he may leaue and whie then may not he somtimes though not alwayes be capable of this lawfull superiour authoritie Many of the Popes themselues neuer sat at Rome but either at Lions Arminia or Avinion looke Platina Baâ—e Pantal. c. as well as some other priest yea but this priest must not haue his scare at Rome TheÌ„ he will remooue his chaire vnto Rauenna or Canterburie and so there shal be no difference between him and this priest wherof D. Bridges speaketh And by this good diuinitie Sixtus the fifth now pope of Rome being no idolater void of pride abandoning his triple crowne and name of pope remoouing also his seate vnto LAMBETH might bee that one priest among the residue that might haue a lawfull superionr authoritie ouer the vniuersall bodie of the church as D. Bridges without blushing hath affirmed Let him nowe go and barke at the godly ministers in this land as he doth slaunderously in the preface of his prophane booke The intentes of vndermining the cinill gouernment are found in the vndutifull casket of his own bosome whereof their clothes are not once priuie What shoulde I at this time lay open any more of his vndutifull positions his booke I will at all times prooue to bee nothing els but a popish quilt let him challenge me of mine offer when he wil. This matter concerning her Maiesties supremacie being too too haynous of it selfe I meane not to agrauate and make more odious Your Hh. may see how pestilent and pernicious this wicked gouernment of our prelats is euen vnto hir Maiesties supreame and superiour authority which neuer any sincerelie seeking for reformation at any time eyther denied or diminished the same being rightly vnderstood according to the meaning of the statute And whatsoeuer hee hath saide of the godly learned ministers you see that it is he his fathers house with the gouernment thereof that go about to tread vnder foot the Lords annointed And this is the good diuinity that this Balaam for his lucres sake is not ashamed to teache and your Hh. dread not to tollerate As though we hadde to little to answere before the Lorde for the Antichristian dominion of the pope in this lande hee must needs make a priest in the land which may fetch the plague from other nations to bee powred vppon vs. Rather then the madnes of suche a prophet should be vnrebuked the very dumbe asse speaking with a mans voice would gain-say the fury of such a philistian tongue I cannot thinke my Lordes but that the Lorde hath some memorable plagues reserued for you and vs vnder your gouernment if notwithstanding all these things you stil countenance such 〈◊〉 in Israell as beeing the very ornaments of the Lords tabernacle I haue set downe out of the infallible trueth of Gods eternall word the reasons whereby the holie ghost cutteth the throare of all the corruptions in our church and hath giuen a deaths wounde vnto the vitall parts of this popish ware-house of Doctor bridges And let me see who will dare to replie vpon them As for D. bridges him selfe his vnfauery and vnlearned stile his popishe reasons long since bannished out of the schooles of all sound deuines hys tranflation of other mens writings throughout hys whole booke his vngodly and abhominable a Page 655. praier that the preaching of the word may neuer bee had generally throughout the land his scripture b Page 287. being the subscription of the second epistle to c Page 562.349.560 Timothie his alleadging of writers as cleare against himselfe as blacke is to white as of Augustine Caluin Aretius c his d Page 44â— imperfect periodes without sence or sauour his a Page a 272. Bishop Iames Arch-bishops b Page 259.69 266 Tim. and Titus his translations of c Page 450. vos autem nolite vocari rabbi into will not you bee called rabbi with thousand other monumens of his prophane imprety sottish ignorance and want of learning euidently conuince that he was neuer as yet in Platonis Politia where any good learning grewe but hath wallowed him selfe all his life in Romuli fece whence learning hath ben long since bannished godlines neuer shone And therfore he of al others can disproue nothing vnlesse the question before hand be granted of his side Yet let him know that I wil either be answered or haue the cause granted at his hands For to omit that in 160. sheets of paper he hath don nothing but ouer thrown him selfe vtterly shamed his whoorishe cause by shewing the nakednes thereof translated other mens writings taught the reader howe to vnderstand the learned discoarse and added marginall notes so that if other men had neuer written he would haue said nothing this shal be found vndoubtedly true throughout the whole booke that he hath made a couenant before hand not to dispute vnlesse you graunt conclusion all and rather flatlie to be non plus then prooue any thing But our 4. bishops and their fautors are or would be accounted learned I desire no more against them al but to be iudicially heard according to the word if I bee disprooued in any one thing I haue written I will not desire to liue Hence it must needs followe your Hh. hauing regard vnto the state of your soules and bodies before the Lord and your good name amongst posterities that if these things set downe bee true if not bring vpon me deserued shame punishment you will either redresse the miserable estate of distressed Wales by erecting there a godly ministery and abbolishing of al Cananitish reliques or for the maintenance of a few vnconscionable and godlesse men aduenture to vndergo the fiery and flaming execution of the burning decree of Gods anger My LI. be not deceiued the Lord of heauen is angrie wyth you and his whole a Iosh 7.9.21 ezech 38.22 hoast for the Babilonish garments of these Achans Retaine them no longer if you woulde not fall before the enemie When the Lorde shall plead with you your wiues children families and
the whole land with pestilence or with blood as he is likely to do for these wadges of execrable gold it is not the pontificall Lordships of byshops at whose commaundement the lordes sword will b Ierem. 47.6 returne againe into his sheath when your gasping soules shall cry for mercy at the Lords hands it is not the proud popelike Lordships of bishops their vsurped iurisdictions their prophane excommunications their railing slaunders against Gods truth and his seruants their blasphemous breathing of the holye ghost vppon their Idol priests that will driue the Lord to giue you and coÌ„fort Let me therfore though my person bee base conteÌ„ptible entreat your Hh. that the iudgements of God against sin both in this life and in the other of eternal woe and miserie may appeare so terrible in your eies of that vndoubted consequence as you will no longer retaine vnder your gouernment these thynges whose continuance doe giue the Lord iust cause in this life to pronounce this sentence by the mouth of c Iere. 22.29.30 Ieremiah against euery one of you and execute the same O earth earth earth heare the wordes of Iehouah write these men destitude of children men that shall not prosper in their daies yea there shall not be a man of their seed that shall prosper and sit at the counsell table or beare rule in England anye more And in the life to come to saye moreouer these a Luke 29.27 mine enemies that would not suffer mee to beare rule ouer them and their people bring hither and stay before my face yea binde them hand and foot and throw them to vtter darknes where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And let me crauing vppon my knees with all submission and earnestnesse and more earnest if it were possible obtaine that my countrey-men by your meanes may haue the word preached euen the meanes wherby they may liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Graunt them this my Lords though I die for it Oh I would thinke it an happie death which shoulde make mee the first messenger to carie such ioyful newes vnto the blessed b Luke 16. Saincts and aungels in heauen as that Wales were conuerted from sinne And this the Lord knoeth is the only scope of my writing and not the discrediting and galling of our lord-bishops Let not their places withstand the saluation of my brethren and the true seruice of God among them and if euer I either write or speak more against them any further then their sears are like to bee the ruine of her Maiestie and your Hh. let it cost mee my life Heare me in this sute good my Lords the rewarde whereof your soules shall find otherwise I am likelye to become a wearisome and an importunate sutor vnto you The couÌ„tenance of that creature is as yet vnseene that shal enforce me by the lords assistance to take a deniall at your hands The cause is so iust that if it were as sometimes it was by the c Act. 17.19 Apostle himselfe decided in the Athenians Areopago a court for heathen iustice of famous and celebrated memorie I doubt not but it should be heard And shall it not haue iustice at the christian counsell table of England Iustice my Ll. I say for I seeke nothing els but that the statutes of the God of iudgement iustice may be made knowen in my deare countrie where now they are vnheard off Then the which I knowe not what can be more iust neither can I see what iustice in trueth canne bee ministred by them that neglecte this cause Verelye for mine owne part GOD ayding me I will neuer leaue the suit vntill I either obtain it at your hands or bring the Lord in vengeance blood to plead with you for repelling his own cause Here I know it will be answered that counsellors can do nothing in the matter her Maiestie hath referted all vnto the prelates in church causes They haue dealt with her they cannot they may not be heard Be it that her maiestie hath bin mooued by you for the redresse of the church you shuld do it again againe and neuer leaue vntill you be heard Great matters are neuer brought to passe without great mightie endeuours Our sinnes haue otherwise deserued then that the Lord should at the first incline mercie vnto vs in the sight of her highnes would any of you alter any part of the gouernment of his familie being perswaded by leude flatterers that all were well vnlesse the abuse were shewed you earnestly delt with for a reformation And can you blame that our soueraigne is hardly drawen to reforme the Church whose estate euen in her hearing is said daily out of the pulpit to bee most flowrishing whereas the deformitie thereof is not made knowne vnto her I knowe it is no small perswasion that should draw a Monarch to alter and establishe new lawes vnles the vnanswerable necessitie thereof were made knowne vnto hir or him Hir Maiestie knoweth not I speake as I am perswaded the exacting necessitie that lieth vpon her shouldrrs of reâ—â—â—ning the Church e She knoweth not the estate of her vntaught and damned subiects to bee as it is Wherefore serue Counsellers if her eies must be euerie where to see euerie thing And what do your Hh. see if you see not our case and lament it In this point I grant her eies should be her owne chusers but if of ouersight the waightiest matters bee omitted should not you my Ll. put her in minde hereof and in submission intreat her yea and neuer leaue entreating vntill she yeeld to turne away the wrath of God from her selfe and her kingdome by abolishing vngodly ordinances and restoring beutie vnto SioÌ„ Which of you is he that hath that doth or wil performe this duetie to our Soueraigne which of you will make knowne vnto her this which I haue written I knowe I shal be traducted and torne againe in pieces with slaunders as a seditious firebrand of newe attemptes to stir vp her people to innouation at the least let me be made knowne vnto her by this name that some way I may come to the triall of my cause in hand and my warrantable proceedings therein I am neither papist Annabaptist libertine familian one that dareth seperate himself from the godly assemblies in this lande where the worde preached soundeth nor yet one that holdeth any thing either in substance or circumstance contrary to the wholsome doctrine expressed or included in Gods reuealed word of the old and new testament therefore let me haue the benefite of a Christian if not of a christian subiect not to be condemned before my cause be hearde whiche is not mine owne but the cause of God his Churches my countries and your Hh. I haue forged the most notable slaunders that euer were coyned or else the estate of my country is most miserable and yours no lesse lamentable
he cannot in iustice punishe you though your people bee not taught Bicause you haue seene al those wel bestowed whom he quallified for that calling so do now expect a blessing from him vpon your labours that you might send more The subterfudge will be but the couert of a net to aske as coÌ„monly our prelats do how there shoulde be possiblie founde as many learned men as Wales requireth seeing they who are founde are not placed there And doe you deale well with the lord that be cause al canot be brought at once to serue him as hee willeth therefore they that may shall not The same is to bee saide of the ministers liuings Remoue the dumb ministers nonfideÌ„ts the L. bb if you will not do this you go beside the word of God so there is no direction for you and there will be mo liuings void able to maintain godly ministers then shal be I feare me good men found to supplie the places And verely I maruaile what men persuade theÌ„selues the Lord to be wheras they thinke hee can be satisfied with suche sielie shifts is it not a strange matter to finde Church liuings in Wales for L. bb nonresideÌ„ts idoles to sin against God and starue soules withal and deny any to be there for godly ministers do honor God and work the saluation of his people The children must starue for want of breade because the dogs before their eies must be fed therewith Good reason yea but the remouing of those men would be likelie to set the land on fire Marke how sutile the deuil is in the maintenance of his kingdome When godly ministers are deprined because they will not link theÌ„selues with wicked B. b to betraie the kingdonm of Christ and ouerthrow the lawes of this land there is no inconuenience sered But if satans messengers be once shoued at behold the land wil not be able to beare this losse I grant in deede my Ll. that men which make no conscience for gaine sake to break the law of the eternal and massaker soules as these do are dangerous subiectes and not to be trusted any further then they are fed The stay therefore must be either in regarde of these men or the common people These men are of 2. sorts some few haue gifts for the ministery those would be imploied that way and compelled to bee faithfull The most of them are vnsauerie salt notwithstanding far be it that they and their families should be turned vnto the wide world to seeke their liuings and therefore some part of that which now they possesse with sacriledge bestowed vpon them being out of the ministerie they might enioy with a good conscience And a small thing this way allotted vnto them woulde be blessed wheras whatsoeuer now they possesse is execrable For the people the stay for them is eyther in regard of the publike meetings on the Sabboth or the sacraments mariage and burial For the keeping of the Sabboth The word requireth they should if possibly they can resorte where preaching is vntill good ministers bee placed in euery parrish If the places be too farre as commonly our parrishes be very large and it is not likely in short time to plant preachers so neere together as the people may euery Sabboth resort to them they must be enioyned to meete togither in their parishe churches some discreet man from among themselues appointed to read the word and vse som forme of praiers as shal be thought meetest by the aduise of the godly learned Concerning the sacraments the word requireth they should resort vnto a preaching minister for them There is adulterie amongst the â—â—fidels therefore a minister is not essentially required in Matrimonle Ruth 4.10.11 not attempt to keepe their children vnbaptized any longer then they must of necessitie Marriage is most conueniently to be done by the minister But it is no proper essentiall worke of the a minister and therfore may be solemnised by others at the magistrats appointment Concerning buriall it is a worke of christian charitie and being the last dutie that we are to performe towards the departed we ought to accompanie them decently and orderly with all comlinesse vnto the graue The word mentioneth or includeth no forme of prayers vsed at burials therefore they ar superfluous nether is the minister as in an actioÌ„ belonginge to his office to haue any more to doe herein then any other of the brethren Thus haue I set downe vnto your Hh. the onelye course in regard of substance that the word waranteth to bee taken in such a deformed estate as ours is And now my Ll. let my counsell bee acceptable vnto you a Dan. 4.24 breake off your sinnes by rooting out these plants which the Lord neuer planted in hys vineyard and your iniquities by adoring the same as much as in you lyeth so there may be an healing of your former ouer-sight If not the lords face will be against you yours and the whole land for euill and not for good O my Ll. is it not a miserable case that meÌ„ shold so liue vnder your gouerment in this life as they canot possibly but liue in hel in the life to come O my Ll. heaen cannot be obtained when we are gone Oh my Ll. now is the time for the gospell to flowrish in Wales or neuer Oh my Ll. if her Maiestie and your Hh. whome from my very heart I wish the Lord to blesse should be gone the way of all the world for mine owne part the very staffe of my hope to see any good doone amongest my brethren should be broken Blame me not therefore if I deale earnestly in a cause of so great a moment and so vnlikely to be obtained of our wofull posterities whome my suit in a most nere sort concerneth Oh whye should they haue cause to saye the Lorde bee iudge betweene vs and the gouernours whiche were vnder Queene Elizabeth in the daies of our fathers for they might haue opened our eies and healed our wounds which now alasse are desperat and past recouerie It is now ful 29. yeares and vpward since Babilon hath bin ouerthrown in Wales rather by the voice of hir Maiesties good lawes whome good Lord forget not for this woorke then by the sound of anye trumpet from the mouthes of the sons of Aaron among vs. But alasse what shall we and our posteritie be the better for this if Syon bee not built And what comfort can Zerubabell or nehemiah haue to bring a people out of Babilon if they meane but to reaedifie Sbilo seeing it is the beautie of Syon wherin the Lord delighteth Wee haue cause indeede to thanke God that this wicked eitie hath bene by hir Maiestie in some sort broken downer but we are neuer the better seeing the walls of Sion lie euen with the ground Nowe for the space 28. yeares no man greatly labored to hir maiesty the Parliament your Hh. or to the people themselues either by
speaking or writing in the behalfe of either of these vnreconcilable eities Men belike thinking no more to bee required at their hands then the razng of Babell the deuil as yet contenting himself with Bethel The last yeare as I am almost pesuaded the verye same day or by all likly-hood the very same week vpon a suddain the enterprises of the building of both in 2. seueral books issuing from two of the remotest corners in our lande South-wales and North-wales was taken in hand The one of the bookes pleading the cause of Sion cōming forch priuiledged by publike authority alowāce was directed vnto hir maiesty the Parliament requiring at their hands by vertue of the lords own mandatory letters the performance of this work shewing by euidence of gretest antiquity this to bee required of duety at their handes as a part of the homage due vnto his highnes whose feudaries and vassalles all the princes states vnder heauen must acknowledge themselues to be a portion of that inheritance beeing theirs by liniall discent from their predecessors the godly kings and rulers who time out of mind alwaies laied their shulders vnto this burthen The other written in Welch printed in an obscure caue in Northwales published by an author vnknown Y druch Christ anogaw more vn learned for I thinke hee had neuer read any thing but the common published resolution of R. P. a book containing many substantiall errors frier Rush and other shamefull fables stood to by none hauinge no reasons to shew why his Babilon should be reaedified it contained it selfe within the handes of a few simple priuate men and neuer durst vnto thys hour be made known vnto your Hh. Both the books in this thing had the same successe in that both togither they fel into the hands of the prelats who as they pretend are enemies vnto both places but vndoubtedly vnto Syon especially as it appeared by their harde dealing with the pation of that cause whereas the fautors of the other were either not at all dealt with or very curteously entertained of thē The reason of their enmitie vnto both but their hatred vnto Syon is that neuer I feare me meaning to go thither This is spoken in regard of the Church-gouermen and constrained by law to be enemies vnto the other they haue of the golde of Caldea the drosse of Ierusalem compacted thē a citie wherwith they meane to content themselues vntill they returne vnto Babel againe or the Lord be merciful vnto them vnto a worse place Haue they not therfore good cause to be the more beholding vnto the one for the golde then to the other for the drosse Well my Ll. bee you assured hereof that they who stirred vp both these instruments both at one time wil neuer suffer them to cease vntil in Wales either a church of Christ or a synagogue of satan be built Out of question the concurring of both causes sheweth that the Lorde hath some secreat worke in the matter Satans instruments for their parts were neuer busier since hir Maiesties raigne then they are at this hower and shall be stil they trecherously against the lawes of God and this land seek to bring the people again vnto AEgypt I acording vnto both dutifully endeuour neuer to let them rest vntill it please God by hir Maiestie and your Hh. to bring them within the lande of promise no though they were vppon mounte Nebo whence with their eies they might view the same They haue dealt deale secretly with poore soules in darke corners dare not make known their fabulous cause I haue dealt all this while in the face of the sun and now before your Hh. I want not a good cause and by the grace of God it shall not want a defender or hide the face as long as I liue Whether you countenaunce it or no I know it shal one day preuaile when this wil be the Lord knoweth best but the matter is whether you wil imbrace christ in the building of his church or sathan in continuing the breaches thereof Therfore my Ll. entertaine THIS CAVSE and you giue satan the foile reiect this and you streng then him And trie if you denye it the hearing whether the very papists in this land will not be thereby encouraged to supplicate vnto your Hh. that you woulde grant them the liberty of their seared consciences to commit publike idolatrie Al that hitherto I haue spoken I haue spoken either in the cause of christ which is a good cause or in the cause of sathā If I seek the building of his synagog wil you let me liue if of the church of christ wil you denie me your helpe which yet againe and againe in the name of the eternall God I require for the pretious death passions sake of Iesus christ I earnestly desire at your hands My Ll. as you wold haue the Lorde to entertaine your soules in the life to come as you would haue him shew you any mercie as you loue her Maiestie hir life as you would haue the continuance of her raigne ouer vs which the lord vndoubtedly thretneth to shorten because he would bring ruine vpon you vs all for the contempt of his trueth as you woulde not haue your names razed from vnder heauen as you would not haue the Lord to bring vpon vs the Spanish Italian Romish or Guisian forces as you woulde not haue those who shall liue to see the desolation and desperate sorrowe which the Lorde is to bring vpon this lande not abide to see you and your children ryde or go in the streets as you would not haue the most contemptible to stretche forth his hande vpon the dearest things you possesse offer violence before your eies vnto the fruit of your bodies so entertain this cause graunt this suite and haue a care of the Lords true seruice in Wales etherwise I feare me the vengeance of God will neuer leaue you your posterities as long as there is a man of your houses vnder heauen And notwithstanding the case of the Earle of Pembroke is neuer the better if he stil presume to beare rule within these gates where the Lords Sabboths are not sanctified Ezekiel in deede is not now liuing to put you in minde of the necessitie of redressing of thinges amisse by laying open the corruptions of all estates vnder your gouernement as he doeth cap. 22 of his prophesie His words I will set downe that your Hh. may waye our estate with the time wherin the prophet liued and see whether the Lord will spare you and vs if we still prouoke him to smite There is a conspiracie of her prophets in the middest thereof Ezek. 22.25.26.27.28.29 faith the prophet like a roaring lyon rauening the pray they haue deuoured foules they haue taken the riches and precious things they haue made hir manie widowes in the midst therof hir priests haue broken my law and haue defiled