wel ecclesiastical as civil in such sort as nothing is to be established among her subiects either in ecclesiasticall or civil causes publikl or privately but what belongeth vnto her power to correct order enact according vnto the written word of God and the rules of common equide and iustice So that it doth no whit infringe her royal power and authoritie to deny that she hath any warrant any power any sword granted her of God to establish either false Religion false Antichristian ordinances or yet any other vnwarrantable or vniust constitutiō Yet if of oversight she hath imposed any such thing vpon her subiects and inflicted a penaltie vpon them for not obeying that wherto they cannot yeeld any submissiō without the breach of Gods lawe I hold it to be the duty of private men to suller patiently the stroke of her sword and in no wise to withstand the power thereof either by open force or secret practises but only to betake themselves and their cause vnto the Lord God earnestly desiring him to passe by her oversight and to encline her heart and hand to embrace and mainteyue his truth and to suppresse all falshood violence and oppression Now if her Maiestie and this high Court require of vs that we resort vnto the publick assemblies of the land and so to enter as hath ben shewed into the tents of the Antichristian band continue therein I answer againe that this is against the written word of God and therfore that her Maiestie hath no power no authoritie from the Lord to require this at our hands We are punished for it we answer againe that the sword is given for our wealth and not for our hurt that it ought not to be drawen against vs for well doing yet we paciently and quietly bear the stroke we dare not resist we dare not rebel against the Powers Nay we intreat our God day and night for the prosperity of her Maiesties crowne desiring him in mercy to passe by this blemish of her government and not to lay it to her charge earnestly craving that her eyes and the eyes of your Honours may be opened to see our innocency and the truth wherein we stand admonishing both Her and you that although we for our parts knowe our selves bound even in nature to pacifie the hard dealing of our Prince and country towards vs by suffring and bearing of their iniuries as we would do our parents that yet the Lord God who iudgeth without respect of persōs is an avenger of al such things In respect wherof we dare notbut endeavour to the uttermost of our power to pull her and you from this consuming fire of his judgements that hang over your heads even for the maintenance of this Antichristian merchandise within this Land much more for pursuing vs that will not trafique and intermedle with the said wares Hitherto I have shewed the Parish-assemblies of the Land to be of a most feareful conspiracie against Iesus Christ and therefore to be dissolved by your Honours and avoided in the meane time by all the Servants of Christ But I would this preheminence that these forreigne Romish Captaines have over them were the only thing which maketh them vnclean vnto the Saints of God Their case in the next place then is now to be considered for the vnderstading wherof I am to set down these groūds following 1. That as the Lord hath appointed his word and trueth to be taught his Sacraments to be administred and the holy Order appointed by himself to be kept in his house and body so he hath ordeyned a Power and authoritie that is certaine offices by vertue whereof these things are to be done 2. Next that Christ Iesus being the head of his Church hath ill fulnes of power preheminence authority dwelling in himself in such sort as his body and spouse is to submit her self unto no power in religion save onely vnto that power which is derived from him that is her head So that as the Church is to receive no doctrines no sacraments no order but what the Lord hath anpointed to be in his house so also hee hath forbidden his said Church to receive be subiect vnto any power authority save onely unto the power which is derived frō the head therof For it is no lesse derogatory vnto the Majesty of Christ Iesus for the Church to submit her self vnto the power of another head though conveighing the truth with it then to receive the false doctrines and false sacraments of some other Religion or God 3. Thirdly that Satan in bringing the mysterie of iniquity to light and in advancing the sonne of perdition into his chaire of pestilence did not onely appoint false Sacraments false worship but also a false head and a false power that is false Offices by vertue wherof both those things were to be done as also the Lords true institutions and ordinances were to be violated in the Antichristian Synagogue 4. That those who preach the truth administer the sacraments of baptisme and the Lords supper and none other by vertue of any of the false offices invented and reteyned in the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist derive their power wherby they doe these things from Antichrist and not from Christ Iesus And therfore that such working by vertue of a false power is not to be received of the church of Christ Now to come to the Parish-assemblies of this land admit that ARCH BISHOPS LORD BISHOPS c. bare no such rule authority over them as now they do and that there were none but Preachers in them yet we demaund of these Preachers by what authoritie they preach baptize c that is we demand what office they have so to do whether this office of theirs be an office derived frō Chirst Iesus or a power left here by Antichrist I say that whatsoever they do they doe the same by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling none other That is they do it either as they are Deacons Preists or as having a priviledged immunitie licence and dispensation counterveyling a Deaconry or a Preisthood I adde this priviledged License because some one among ten thousand it may be being neither Preist nor Deacon by vertue of a License from his Ordinarie doth serve a cure Yet if there be any such they are not capable of any charge and what they do they do it by this power of the beast And here because I deale in a matter of fact I call but day light and common sense to decide this whole controversie which is conteyned in these two points 1. Whether at the expelling of the Pope out of this Land by her Maiesties saves the Popish offices of Preists and Deacons were expelled also out of the Parish-assemblies or reteyned 2. Whether at the same tyme or sithence any of the true offices of the Church of Christ were instituted and ordeyned in the Parish-assemblies of the Land The case is cleere that
the Popish offices of Preists and Deacons were reteyned and that the offices of Christs kingdome were not restored And it is by vertue of the Popish offices of the Preisthood and Deaconrie that the whole worship of God is performed or rather polluted and prophaned in all the Assemblies of this Land for the proofe whereof I call not onelie her Majestie her lawes and this high Court of Parliament to witnes but also the cheifest mainteiners of the parish-Assemblies namely the forwardest Preachers of the Land who in times past confessed whatsoever they do now that the offices of Christ were not planted and therefore laboured to her Majestie and the Parlement to have them established in the parish assemblies In regard of her Majesties lawes the case is cleere that the State then being led by the sight of our fathers in king Edwards daies accounted the popish Church to be the Church of Christ though corrupt popish offices of Bishops Preistes and Deacons to be the offices of the Church of Christ and therfore retained them for so we find it set downe in the booke of ordering Bishops and Preistes made in King Edwardes time and established by her Majestes Lawes as the ground rule whence and according to the which all the Ministeriall offices of the parish meetings yea of the whole Land must be squared The book saith That it is evident to all men diligentlie reading the holie Scripture and the auncient authors In the Preface that from the Apostles time there have bene these orders of Ministers in the Church of Christ Bishops Preistes Deacons And therfore saith the booke to the intent that these orders should be stil continued reverentlie used esteemedin the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at that present Bishop Preist or Deacon should execute any of them except he be tried examined admitted according to this booke Again no man in this Land can take a spirituall living either Parsonage Vicarage Curatship but by vertue of this Preisthood Deaconrie or a Popish licence equivalent unto this Preisthood so that if a Preacher be beneficed the same day that he denieth his licence his Preisthood his Deaconrie is he also deprived ipso facto if it please his Ordinarie and another may presentlie conveigh himselfe into his living if it were worth millions of gold Nay whosoever he be that wil cast of these Popish orders he is but a meere lay or private man and so not capable of anie office in anie of the assemblies of this land for so her Majesties lawes to wit the foresaid book doth conclude that these offices were evermore had in that reverend estimation that no man by his owne private authoritie might presume to execute any of them and consequentlie that all men should be called to the order of the Preisthood Deaconrie Prelacie according as this book doth allow He that is made a Minister in som reformed Church beyond the Seas is not capable of the Cure of a parish assemblie in this land except he shall receive a Deaconrie a Preisthood after the order of our land and yet he that receiveth orders in Rome is correspondent and answerable unto the pattern of our Deaconrie and Preisthood and so capable to buy sel that is to execute any publike function They are knowen cases that he who received his Preisthood or Deaconry in King Henrie the 8 his dayes is a Preist a Deacon under King Edward Queene Marie Queene Elisabeth by vertue of the same orders and he preacheth if he can preach being licensed therunto in King Henrie King Edward Queen Marie Queen Elisabeth their daies by vertue of the same Preisthood for the office is the same as both the booke and everie man for the most part doth account it He that hath received but primam tonsuram in King Henrie the VIII or Queen Maries daies being the first stepp of this abhominable order may by lawe performe those things under her Majestie which no lay man as they call him must presume to take in hand This case being cleer apparant if it be now demaunded why wee will not heare the truth taught by the preachers of the land why we wil not receive the Sacramentes at their hands we answere that this we refuse to do because we must not submit or consciences our soules and bodies being the temples of the holy Ghost to be wrought upō to be sat in unto any power in religion save only unto the power which is derived from our head Iesus Christ We answer that our head and Maister having all power dwelling in him hath this peculiar interest in vs being his members that he onely must sit in our Consciences by his ordinances This interest of his he will not communicate with any creature and therefore wee dare not though we should suffer a thousand deathes to transferre the same unto anie save unto himselfe alone and to joine with the popish assemblies of the Land If the preachers do seeke I ESVS CHRIST and his honour by their preaching they wil begin first with a lawful calling and office they wil derive their power from him by vertue of the offices that he ordeined in his word When they shall do this walk according to the doctrine which is according unto godlines wee will be the most willing to joine with them the most glad to hear them and to cōmunicate with them everie way to reverence them as the Ministers of Iesus Christ In the meane time let them not wonder that we hold this for undoubted truth namely That whosoever he be that sitteth in the temple of God that is worketh upon the consciences of men by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling he is an Antichristian Minister whatsoever truth he bringeth with him The trueth which such Ministers do teach is but the bait whereby Satan in his mysticall delusion powerfull subtilties hideth the false power by meanes whereof hee in his ordinances ruleth over those that otherwise would yeeld him no subjection none obedience When he cannot utter his ordinances by falsehood he is glad to make them awaie by meanes of the truth And he ruleth in the consciences of men not onely by false doctrine but also by his false power and ordinances His kingdome of darknes consisteth not onelie in the lies and false doctrine and worship which he hath coined but also in the false and Antichristian ordinances which he hath invented for the ruling of his Idolatrous denne And therefore the children and Saintes of God avoyd both the one and the other We owe him none obedience in either of them and farre be it even farre be it I say that we should sinne so treacherouslie against our Lord Maister and so greivouslie against our owne soules to be subject unto Satan in either of them seing by the most precious bloud of Christ Iesus and by the power of his crosse and resurrection we have bene
to flee her presence and not to haue a word to speak that they dare stand unto while she is in place These and such like are the causes why the truth of God is so meanly attended upon and utterly cast off among men in our dayes for what reason is there as men usually conclude that those who in the estimation of the most are learned godly religious c. should have their practises reproved and themselves condemned as violaters of the Lords morall commandements seing they are especially deemed to urge the observatioÌ„ of them As an answer to all these frivolous cavils of fesh and blood I oppose once for all THE WORD OF GOD and the truth therof wherby I doubt not but to stop the mouth of proud flesh and to presse the same with the mace of Gods iudgements for evermore except they imbrace and obey the truth And therfore I do here in the presence of God his Angels charge theÌ„ whosoever they be into whose haÌ„ds this present treatise shal come that they presume not to suffer the former cavils to haue passage out of their lippes as being reasoÌ„s of any force why the truth of God should be beaten back smothered and kept in because men do account the same to be mean odious offensive sterne proud c. For why should not all the world lay their hand upon their mouthes when the GOD OF HEAVEN speaketh and labour to frame themselves and their affections meet to receive his truth and to be obedient to the same Shall proud men reiect it because it derogateth from their ruinous credite Shal they seek to keep it under because they will not come under the line and direction of the same Shall that be accounted odious which is most amiable most bewtifull to be desired above fine gold Job 28.19 yea of more valew then the Topaz of Aethiopia or the most pure wedge of the gold of Ophir and that onely because vaine men hate to be reformed by it Shall that be accounted proud offensive and haughty wherat none possiblie can stumble but proud scribes and pharisees or ignorant and worldly minded Disciples who wil not stick to say to the Lord himself that his sayings are hard and who can hear them Nay let vaine men labour to haue the eare of the learned that they may break in pieces their turning away to their shame confusion of face their hard intreaty of the truth and those that professe the same by revilings slanders imprisonments c. to their everlasting perdition without the Lords great mercy in turning them unto him which I earnestly wish them And as the whole truth oppugned in these dayes is in the eyes men of the nature and qualitie before mentioned so is this in particular for the clearing wherof I am to deal at this present The point is That it is unlawfull for any of what estate sex degree condition soever they be to communicate in any action of religion as in hearing trueth taught in receiving the Sacraments praying c. Within any of the publik meetings of the Land as now they stand by Law And therfore that this present Parliament c. The reasons of the first degree alleadged to prove the contrary wil be these namely that the assertion is traiterous seditious schismatical that it is Brownisme that it is odious offensive c. that it coÌ„demneth the doings of the children of God the practises of the most notable servaÌ„ts of Christ accuseth them all this while to have erred gone astray that it crosseth the iudgemeÌ„t of reformed Churches who are better perswaded of the asseÌ„blies of the land that excellent and famous men sawe not this that they were of an other mind c. But what is all this to the truth is it any new thing to see the truth arraigned indighted condemned and executed for treason and sedition though never convinced of the same We consider not whether kingdomes states be so out of order as that the truth cannot come to light but it wil be accouÌ„ted traiterous among them The onely thing that we especially respect is whether it be truth or not the which being found hold it we must defend it we must whatsoever account mans corruption maketh therof And therfore here is no more said against it but what in all ages hath bene falsly vttered against the truth Falsey I say because no truth can be traiterous unto the state of any Prince or Potentate And as vnto this in particular it shal be found to cary vndoubted stability with it for the vpholding of her MAIESTIES crowne authority priviledges preheminences within all her Realmes and Dominions and to be accompanied with the allowance of her Royall Lawes if it might haue the particular benefit of them Touching the crime of Brownisme Schisme c. It is an vnconscionable slaunder for truth holdeth of no creature it is derived onely from that head in whom all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hidden that is from IESVS CHRIST yet this I know to be the vsuall badge of the truth to be called after the names of men to be accounted schismatical that thereby the harts of the simple may be alienated from the same And Satan in this latter age hath bene a mervelous cunning RhetoriciaÌ„ this way there hath bene no truth brought to light but he haâ—h taken paines to paint it out for Zwinglianisme Luther anisme Calvinisme Brownisme c. Odious and offensive it hath bene already graunted to be onely in their eyes who refuse to be guided by the line and rule of the Maister builder wheras otherwise it is precious vnto them that labour to square themselves and their actions according to the paterne of the holy sanctuary and temple And to pretend against the truth that it condemneth the doings of men is nothing els but a manifest testimony that truth is truth who must bear rule and bring all into order yea let all men in the world be liars and let the Lord in this truth of his ordinances be iustified and prevaile 2 Sam. 11.17 12.9.11 David is a godlie man he is the sweet singer of Israel a man according to Gods own hart wel esteemed of wel reputed may he therfore do what he wil may he continue in sinne and must not the light reproove him Peter is the notable embassadour of Iesus Christ Gal. 2.11.14 a great instrument and furtherer of the truth but may he therefore clayme libertie not to be withstood to his face in his hypocrisie If this could be once graunted that the credit of men might cover their open breach of Gods lawe and their continuance therin it were but vaine to bring the truth to light Nay let the credit of the captaynes of the congregation be hanged against the sunne rather then their place estimation and the good opinion which men haue received of them should defend the whoring of the people with the daughters of Moab