reverend Cobler or inspired Button maker did the same give me leave to remember you here of the late schisme of your congregation at Rotterd 〈◊〉 they upon debate were divided in two bodies each of them was the supreame Church of God upon earth and each of them gave commission to an honest Weaver to excommunicate the other this cannot but please you well though your discipline cannot because there is neither reason nor order in it I thinke it strange that you who deny all outward calling except that from the people should think the Curates None of the Ministers of Christ in that they derive their ministery from the Antichristian Hierarchy if no orders be necessary sure a mistake of orders cannot be much prejudiciall Hence let the world judge how both these malâ—cious factions spend their fury upon the Church of England the papists object that shee hath for feited her ordination you that she hath one but the papists they tell us we are noe Church because we want a Priesthoood you because we have one They will here of none but a Monarchicall subjection you doe establish a democracy in the Church or an anarchy rather they complain of perjury because we refuse to maintain their orders as if who amongst them had sworne canonicall obedience to a heriticall Bishop were obliged to be a heretike you of the want of purity because we doe not renounce all continuation and orders of the Church In spight of you both she shall still maintaine a visible succession in the miâ—istery from the very Apostles times may not the Church of Rome though in her old age more faulty give baptisme and may not this warrant the derivation of our orders from her first and better times but I crave you mercy Sir this argument doâ—h not concerne you who not after the Church of Rome only but also in the Church of England doe rebaptize You frame here an objection to your self concerning the antiquity of Arch-Bishops Dioâ—esan Bishops this you adde to distinguish them from these of the late edition for parishes and how doe you answer it First you tell us they were not knowne by the primitive Fathers but this is as grosse as to say the primitive fathers did not know themselves whom we undoubtedly know by a morall beliefe to have beene Bishops as we doe that the Saxons did here succeed the Britaines scarce a leafe in the Councels Fathers and Church histories that doth not speake this for us Secondly you tell us that government was corrupt even from the well-head but since I have proved to you that this was Christ the Apostles you will venture upon I hope you will mend your expression and retire Thirdly you will have this government aâ— limbe of papacy and I dare boldly-say it there is nothing more destructive of it for to maintaine that every Bishop is de jure divinâ— as you in the same place grant that the present bishops of England do is 〈◊〉 only to deny all dependence from Rome but to give her her deaths wound by lopping of the prerogative whereby she subsists for by vertue of this 〈…〉 come to her dispensations from her exemptions of 〈◊〉 and religious houses the maine pillers which if the bishops of Europe by man-seeming there office to be de jure divino would challeng as an usurpation her borrowed fathers might perhaps returne home to the first own 〈◊〉 You say the Pope and the Bishops of England hold their authority by the 〈…〉 â—amely from Christ so I hope duth the meanest 〈◊〉 sweeper amongst you his calling to preach to expound scriâ—pture to give the Sacraments and yet will be oftended if you think him or his argument popish though the Pope of Rome doe the very same here like your selfe that is a very compound of absurdity and boldnesse you mention Doctor Hall and his learned paines out upon thee for a fool and a babler The workes of that reverend pâ—infull and judicious bishop shall be entertained by the posterity with appâ—obation and thankfulnesse when the better times shal â—isse thee and thy associatâ— out of the Church the quintessence of you al do come short to the meanest croatchet of his learning judgement integrity eloquence nor shall these your calumnies be ought els to him but stigâ—ata Laudis cicatrices to testifie his conscience and resolution who had the courage to set his face against you the Amalakites when others turned the backe For 〈◊〉 his very citation refutes you you say he failes in that he cannot prove Romes succession from Peter and yet you have said his assertion is that he proved Saint Gregoryes succession from Peter But I forgive you you knew not before now 〈…〉 it that Gregoriâ— was bishop of Rome Now what if I should teach you that we in the Church of England perhaps have neither Christianity nor sacred orders from Rome sâ—re the first we had not for by the observation of Easter according to the tradition of the Easterne Church To let the tale of Simon Zelotes and Ioseph of Aramatheâ— passe it is most probable this Kingdome had the blessing of the Gospell from the Disciples of Iohn if after the Saxon devastation we were restored by Rome in some parts of the Iland the Northerns at the same time were converted to the faith by bishop Aydanus from Scotland as Beda mentions Lib. 3. Cap. 3. But this discourse is not for you who in the preceeding page hath prophainly called the Ministry it selfe a peâ—ce of Popery whether from Rome or not is all one to you such is your superlative hatred against all order Give me leave here to slip out of the way and meet with a friend of yours the Author of The petition for Bishops examined this man tells us our Arch-Bishops and Bishops were substituted to the places of the Arâ—hflamins Flamins of the heathens this is a now conceit that bishops are not from the new but old Rome not Antichristian but heathenish Here for all the grace you bragg of you may learne of nature that not the least shew of religion except this mad one of yours can subsist without 〈◊〉 cement this harmony the subordination in its office-betrers But will he have the Bishops heathenish 〈…〉 joy the roomes designed for the residence of the Flamins and are we not all Papists yea Pagans because such did once inhabit this kingdome Now I smel out the reason why you perswade so vehemently the pulling downe of Churches it is because of some inherent wickednesse in the place He saies further that the first foure or five hundred years there was Bishops in Scotland but that as he cites Ioannes Maior communi MonachoruÌ„ regebantur Concilio but their histories are there for it that Amphibalus was Bishop in the Isle of Man An. 237. and for some 100 of yeares after the Monkes were not so much as reckoned among the clergy much lesse had they dominion over them In the close of
downe steepe hills that is to your owne swinge But you could soon reply to me that not to abstaine for every offence though in a case commanded by lawfull authoritie were soul-murder and against the sixth Commandement and that the authority so commanding were Antichristian which how it may agree with a Legislative power in King or in Parliament and how comply with the Presbyteriall or Parochiall government more then with that of Bishops I professe I do not understand all superioritie all imposition all publique order and common decency is a popish and antichristian usurpation of Christs scepter Your third endeavour is against the discipline of the Church in exercising the power of Excommunication this you prove to be another branch of Popery because it is from the Church of Rome you may with the same pains argue Christ and his Apostles to have been popish who are the undoubted authors of that power but you doe well to deny all censures having already denyed all Lawes Superiors and Judges least you might happen be punished for this contumacie You tell us of the Homilies and what doe you think are meant by the third mark the true discipline there it must be either this of ours or that of yours yours are not at all that we have heard of nor needs there discipline where there is neither Law nor injunction if this of ours the homilies stand up and witnesse against you but your aime is to prove the Church of England by the book of Homilies to be no Church at all I pray you how were they Homilies but by the Church this is to prove by a Church that we have no Church at all a Logick indeed that beseems your conventicles where repugnantia in adiecto is attended by willfull malice and grosse ignorance Now this cleer deniall of a Church how agreeth it with your advise of reformation motus supponit non facit subiectum nor can we reforme that Church which as yet is not gathered together I know by your breath you are an actuall Separatist who have some years agoe condemned the whole body of this Church to hell and perdition though now to insinuate your self the better you appear as your master before you sometime as an Angel of light You adde the not due Administration of the Sacraments Did you never think that rightly done till in Germany the holy Supper with all reverence to that sacred mystery be it spoken was given by one of your number after some long winded orations from the back of an oyster board to his fellow sitting Communicanter in brown bread and small beare It was say you the pride and delicacie of the Antichrist that first used a wheat loaf and wine nor will you have us in this though in other things to the very communicating in an upper room as you doe and after supper follow the example of Christ he you tell us horrâ—sco referâ—us was content with the ordinary and native elements of the Countrey and so must we be too But the Church of England doth no lesse hate the absurd Popish Transubstantiation then your foolish sacramentary bare representing signes both sacrificall and Sacramentary let them goe packing for her and so that other Sacrament of Baptisme though you have vainly nibbled about the signe of the crosse no lesse hatefull and Idolatmus to you then ridiculous and shamefull to the Pagans of old yet when it comes to the push of an argument you deserve nothing but Virgils description of his evanishing apparitions Ingenti trepidare metu parstollere vocem Exiguam incoeptus clamor frustratur hiantes In spight of you and all wrangling opposites the Church of England as the purity so shall ever retein her decency as beseemeth so high actions in dispensing these sacred mysteries The restraint and edicts you complain of were much indeed against your Catholike gift of preaching but now I hope you have repayed that losse when not a Sow-gelder among you who makes not hold with a tub for his pulpit Dii fi qua est Coelo pietas quae talia curet persolvant grates dignas The fourth plea is against the root of all bitternesse the very heart and lungs of the Antichrist the government of Bishops each casuall mishap in them must be an errour so will your Rabbies have to be who deeming themselves lesse in imployment then in merit doe heartily raile against that which they heartily desire the Rochet This you say is not of divine therefore it must be of diabolicall institution can you giue a reason of this consequence yes I will helpe your to it and from your owne grounds all Lawes impositions superiorities ordinancâ—s from men are in your opinion and this is no weak one usurped tyrannicall â—ntichristianty and against the prerogative of Christ who is the sole 〈◊〉 to the commonwealth of Israel in his spirituall Kingdome these are your wise religious thoughts but what say you to your parishes these were not instituted by Christ here perhaps you will slip me and adhere to family yea personall discipline and withall bring your warrant for it that Paul did send greeting to the Church at the house of Priscilla and Aquila neither can I reach you here I know not what customes you use in your rebaptization what say you of meeting together in private houses and expounding a peece of Scripture for this you will alledge Apostolicall practice and the same necessity because of the persecution and the same otherwise the Argument were nought infallibly too what say you of the giving of the holy Supper to women this sure you dare not deny least the Diaconists punish you if I should remember you here of the baptizing of infants the distinction of Apocryphical canonicall Scripture the Apostles creed you would presently stifle me with the noyse of tradition the first and last of those you have taken an order with and for the other you desire no more testimony from or of scripture then your owne that is of your own spirit you are so naked in your outward worship as the wrestlers of old it is impossible to lay hold upon you and so grumbling against all church custome and laws for what is not commanded in scripture is to you contramandat and shall so be to us too if you grant a generall power and rest not only upon particulars that I can finde nothing materiall of publike order and decencie to lay to your charge I must therefore goe about to prove the government of Bishops to be of Divine institution or nothing and here I will take the surest way that is to shew the Divine institution of Episcopacy from Christ himselfe not from the precept and practices of the Apostles else you would sâ—ip out of my fingers and tell me that if not by the blessed Apostles themselves as one of yours said yet in their time this mistery of iniquity of Antichristianisme did begin to worke My assertion is therefore and with better ground then your
deniall of all authority that the apostolicall office it self in its proper reciprocal acts was nothing els but the Episcopall I see you startle chang your complexion as it is now a dayes exercised in the church of England whether the ordination of that function was Ioh. 21. 15. or 20. 22. or as others more probable by these words as my Father sent me so send I you in the same place and at the same time were Bishops ordained These are the Apostles successors in asse et ex solido in all things that ever was assentative to their office as to call the Disciples and elders of the Church not theirs who come with swordâ— and pistols to maintaine the truth together Act. 12. 2. 20. 17. v. or divine Prosbytors Act. 14. 25. to give direction for Church censures 1 Corinth 5. 5. to make lawes and canons Ecclesiasticall 1 Cor. 11. 2. to require observation of the same 1 Cor. 16. 1. Now the gifts of immediate calling universall commission infallibility longâ—â—â— and miracles were 〈◊〉 in the Apostles nor officiall but personally only extraordinary and for the imployments of the time neither indeed can that be called apostolicall which is not proper to and convertible with the Apostles but all these extraordinary inducements were in others besides them and in the Eâ—angelists in Philip the Deacon or in the Disciples though not all of them in every one of these 〈…〉 essentiall to that office in constituendo but the Acts of Ordination and Iurisdiction these the Apostles as Apostles once had and these by the same right of Institution transmitted by the succession of many ages to the present Bishops 〈◊〉 you angry at this stant Lumina flamma and it may be it may doe your good if you shall happen to empty your stomack of some loathsome humors at the view of this position nor have you a possible way for all your windings to get about it unlesse you either maintaine that the office of the Apostles in its very 〈◊〉 was extraordinary and then no office 〈◊〉 an inducement a gift and nothing usefull for our times which your Schismes as many of them as you are of men will not suffer us to beleeve or that each of you and not the Bishops onely are the 〈◊〉 of the Apostles and then would we gladly see you give Imposition of hands as they did and pronounce the sentence of Excommunication without the consent or assistance of your lay-brethren and inspired-parishoners but you divide the coat seemlesse before betwixt you You have better right I thinke to the extraordinary gifts as that of immediate calling when you dispise the Orders of the Church tel us the Imposition of hands was the ceremony of a miracle if you can presume upon your abilities and obtaine the hummings of a factious congregation you have your calling and are sent by God that of universall commission when the reformation of all Kingdomâ—s is alike to you 〈◊〉 parishes must confine the single gifts of others but a whole nationall Church not your double qualifications that of infalâ—ibility when you obtrude your sense of Scripture the Fathers are but dull tapers to your bright stars they more of kinn to the Antichrist than you if you thinke you have found a text for it they good men must be Heretikes no more disprite you cannot erre that of miracles was never more believed by the popish ridiculous Legends than by you Iohannes de Vordg fained something that deserved the name of a wonder but your Rabbies to the laughter of the hearers content themselves with each common accident this they will have to fall out by the strength of their prayers either for the confusion of the reprobate as they call them or the furtherance of the good cause nor are they satisfied to give which every Christian must and should the determination of all successes to Almightie God but they in a presumptuous holines will be upon his sacred counsels prey into his secrets and boldly designe a particular end for his divine providence in every thing Only the gift of tongues I cannot tell how to fix upon you and withall not polute you with which God knowes you are not guilty of the language 〈…〉 You see now I have not troubled 〈◊〉 conscience with Timothy and Titus and theâ—e shall be still Bishops to me while you prove the circular and monethly changes I have derived the originall of Episcopacy from the Apostles Office not their authority Doubt not therefore if Bishops be 〈…〉 unlesse you doubt if the Apostles were so or because of your love of parity you thinke them of that same order with the seaventy Disciples deny if you dare that the institution of our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ were divine and I give you the bucklers as to neg antibus principia Thus have I flourished with you it were a shame to bestow a blow in earnest upon such a poor smatterer as your selfe I have ever thought it the best refutation of you and of your cause to lay your foolish impertinences open to the eye of the world then I am assured onlie these who love to have their braines suspected would give you the least approbation You finde in the administration of the Episcopacy office the perfect image of the papall beast from horne to hoose but stay and take it home to yourselfe who aâ—e the only beasts I know amongst men if irrationality and passion can argue want of Iudgement and turbulency in affections your plurality of marriages the old licence oâ— the Germane Anabaptists your love Feasts your night meâ—tings can abundantly witnesse this your absurd simpliciâ—y and ignorance in this and other your libels give testimony of that it is not altogether a mistake of religion but aliquod naturae vitium a hypocondriacie a fault in your braine that causeth your ravings hence I incline to thinke this humor of yours may be epedemicall because of some 〈◊〉 this to be as physio logists transformed as the life quoad actâ— secundum a man in a beast But I have mistaken you all this time you mâ—ane the papal beast the Antichristianisme I pray you if his definition can fit you who sit in the house of God and opposethâ—l Magistrates that are called Gods only in this you differ that Gods house is mistaken for your owne nor shall we want an individuality it is no lesse in the unity of your covenants and oaths of secrecie than in the successive race of the Bishops of Rome You are pleased to call the ministers a dumbe preisthood a mockery what disgrace is this to the Church to these that have baptisme from her or doe expect salvation in her You have indeed named them bald-pateâ— with those ungracious children but take your seat for it in the first Psalme and there stay for your punishment Doctors with us and Priests doe pronounce the sentence of excommunication and with no more indecency we thinke than if some