because they pretend in show one thing to the Prince people and State and yet performe another thing in deed They pretend and seem to stand by the Princes lawes by the authority of their calling had from the Prelates for otherwise they could not stand Ministers in any of those assēblies and yet they practise the contrary if they stand not by this but by vertue of some other calling and authority as sometymes they affirme But let vs suppose that which is not namely that they had some other calling which were lawfull yet also receiving or reteyning this vnlawful calling of the Prelates this were but to halt between two opinions and to set their thresholds by Gods thresholds and their posts by Gods posts even their inventions by Gods ordinances Of which kind of worship the Scripture witnesseth that it is nothing els but to set a wall between God and them and to defile his holy name with their abominations Ezech. 43.8 with 1 King 18.21 Finally whatsoever they pretend of another calling ‡ Mr Hild. to Mrs N. Mr Iacobs comparison of mariage His Reasons for necess of reform p. 50. Offer of Conf. pag. 39. by their Churches or peoples chusing accepting willing subiecting to their Ministery c. yet it is evident that in very deed they preach the word minister the Sacraments and execute all duties of their Ministery by vertue of their calling taken from the Prelates As may appeare by these reasons following 1. Because they cannot stand publick Ministers of the Church-assemblies of Engl. vnlesse they receive of the Prelates the Deaconry Preisthood aforesaid And at their ordination they have this authority given them of the Prelates when the Bishop delivereth to every one of them the Bible in his hand saying * Book of ordering priests fol. 14. Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in the congregation where thou shalt be so appointed 2. Because that also by the law of their Church they are †Canons of Anno 1603. Can. 8. excommunicated ipso facto if they affirme that they who are made Bishops Priests or Deacons after their fourme of making and consecrating them are not lawfully made nor to be accounted by themselves or others to be truely Bishops Priests or Deacons vntill they have some other calling to those Offices 3. Because the people even the best most religious among them as now they stand in the confusion and bondage of those ecclesiasticall assemblies officers canons proceedings have not the liberty of the Churches of Christ nor power in that estate to choose and submit vnto the true and lawful Ministery appointed by Christ Of which point see further in the Treatise of the Ministery of the Church of Engl. p. 119.120.121 4. And lastly because without against the peoples consent by whose approbation and subjection to their Ministery they would seem to stand they are by the Prelates alone silenced deprived and degraded from exercising any Ministery in those assemblies Whereby even themselves professe to the world that they have their Ministery from the Prelates that they exercise it by vertue of their calling received from them that they still remayne in bondage vnder their Antichristian authority Not to shew further in particulars how their estate is such whatsoever they think or pretend otherwise as both themselves their Ministery and people stand all of them subiect to the Prelates and to their Antichristian Courts suspensions excōmunications absolutions and all other their proceedings officers canons and constitutions ecclesiasticall In the Scriptures wee read that the Apostles being true Ministers of Christ would not at the commaundement and threatning of the lawfull Magistrates and Rulers leave of to preach in the Name of Iesus Act. 4.5.6.7 8. c. And why should not these preachers if they were in a true Ministerie much more refuse to leave it at the appointment of the Prelates who are vnlawfull vsurpers of the jurisdiction which they challenge and exercise in the Church Yea if so be their offices and authority were lawfull yet when they forbid that which God hath commanded all the Scripture teacheth in such cases not to yeeld obedience vnto them any more then the Apostles did to the Rulers of Israel in the matter afore said If it be said that the Apostles had an immediate calling of Christ and therefore refused to obey the Rulers We answer that they had in deed an immediate calling of the Lord but they made not this the ground of their refusall neyther might so have done if the Magistrate cōmaundement sayd vpon them had ben lawfull Here therfore two things are to be observed First that in all lawfull things the Apostles aswell as any other Christians were bound to obey the Magistrates in the Lord. And so they both did themselves and taught others to do saying Let every soule be subiect to the higher powers Every soule aswell the Apostles and Prophets as any other whosoeuer Rom. 13.1 1 Pet. 2 13-17 Secondly the Apostles being at that tyme so injoyned and threatned by the Governours of Israel layd this for the foundation and ground of their answer and refusall that they ought to obey God rather then men Act. 4.19 and Act. 5.29 Which is a duty as necessarily required of all Ministers and Christians as it was of the Apostles namely to obey God and not Man when Man forbiddeth that which God commaundeth or commaundeth that which God forbiddeth An example in deed there is of Uriah the Priest who at the commaundement of the King of Iudah made an altar after the fashion of that of Damascus and sacrificed thereon 2 King 16.10.11 But therein he sinned greatly notwithstanding that he offered vpon that altar to the Lord such burnt-offerings meat-offerings peace-offerings and at such tymes of the morning and evening sacrifice as God himself had appointed And if in that tyme of the Law he ought not to have done this though the King of Iudah commanded it but should rather have lost his life for refusing it much lesse may the Church-Ministery now vnder the Gospell at the appointment of any Princes Christian or other beframed or exercised after any new maner devised by Man and least of all after Antichrists that Man of sinne Yea though in that Ministery many doctrines of the Gospel be taught and such Sacraments administred as Christ hath ordeyned For the other was but contrary to an ordinance given by Moses whereas this is contrary to an ordinance given by Iesus Christ who being the sonne is worthy of more honour then Moses the servant Heb. 3.3 And here agayne concerning such as plead that they teach the truth and many excellent points of doctrine It is to be observed that yet none may therefore heare their Ministery vnder colour of learning the truth and receiving comfort from them neyther may for this cause cōtinue in subjection to their Ministery and ordinances because that
with their walking it is more then tyme needfull that they did it that they did it soundly from the word of God For as yet what do they els but with one mouth both blesse and curse and with the one hand build vp that which with the other they destroy and so make themselves trespassers Gal. 2.18 The seventh Argument taken out of Mr Bradsh book aforesaid vidz vide licet out of the tenth Argument of that Treatise IT is a sinne against Christ the sole Head of the Church to have spirituall communion with those Ministers which in the administration of Divine things do eyther by word or deed solemnely professe yeeld a spirituall Homage to an vsurped spirituall authority in the Church But the Ministers of the Church-assemblies of England do even in the administration of Divine things by solemne deed professe and yeeld a spirituall Homage to the spirituall authority of Lord Archbishops and Bishops which is vsurped Ergo It is a sinne against Christ the sole head of the Church to have spirituall communion with the Ministers of the Church assemblies of England The Proposition may not be gainesaid For all spirituall power vsurped over the Churches of God is an Antichristian authority and to communicate with those Ministers which professe spirituall homage therevnto is to communicate with such as professe spiritual homage vnto Antichrist which must needs be a sin against Christ the sole head of the Church The Assumption hath two parts 1. That the Ministers of the Church of England do even in the administration of Divine things by solemne deed professe and yeeld a spirituall Homage to the spirituall authoritie of Archbishops and Lord Bishops Which is most evident because they preach the word and administer the Sacraments by vertue of their calling received from the Archbishops and Bishops who give them authority herevnto at their ordination saying to every one of them * Book of ordering Priests fol. 14. Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to Minister the holy Sacraments in the Congregation where thou shalt be so appointed Which things themselves cannot deny to be meer Ecclesiasticall Religious and spirituall Actions injoyned among them to be done by offices callings received from the Prelates Ecclesiasticall and spirituall authority So as the doing of them by vertue thereof must needs be a solemne declaration of spirituall homage yeelded to the same authority 2. The second part of the Assumption is That the authority of their Lord Archbishops and Bishops is an vsurped authority The confirmation whereof Mr Bradsh setteth downe in these words following This is sufficiently proved of late by Mr Iacob in his 1. Assertion by many reasons Onely because the weight of the Argument leaneth vpon it I will vse one Reason Those Officers Rulers in the Church that make claime to be of Divine institution chalenge to themselves Apostolicall authority and iurisdiction as the onely Successours of the Apostles to sit onely in Moses chaire To have sole power of the Keyes To cut from the visible Church and receive againe To have power of creating displacing all other ecclesiasticall officers To be the Vniversall Pastors of whole Dukedomes and Kingdomes vnder whom all other Pastors are as Curates c. And yet for all this are such as stand and are supported onely by humane Traditions Ceremonies such as a civill Magistrate may without sinne put out of the Church and such as the true Churches of God may renounce and yet continue the true Church as Antichristian Vsurpers spirituall Tyrants I say all such Officers and Rulers exercise an vsurped authoritie in the Church But our Archbishops Bishops are such Rulers and Officers as are aforesaid Ergo They execute an Vsurped power over the Church The Proposition may easily be iustified For if inferiour officers vidz vide licet Pastors of particular Congregations have had may have firme continuance in the Church without these humane devises and inventions If the Magistrate cannot without sinn put them out of the Church And if those can be no true Churches that renounce to have particular Pastours and Ministers over them it must much more hold in such Church-officers and Rulers as these are if their authority be lawfull good For whilest the Apostles lived they needed not any humane Traditions and devises to support their authority The Magistrates that sought to put them downe sinned with a high hand And that was no Church that renounced and disclaimed their Office Authoritie and Iurisdiction The Assumption is as easily justified For 1. they make claime Title to all those Prerogatives before rehearsed in the first part of the Proposition and vnto more then that as shal be proved if it be denied 2. It is an Embleme of their owne NO CEREMONIE NO BISHOP Ergo No humane Tradition and Invention no Bishop Ergo The office of a Bishop is supported by them eyther onely or specially 3. Their Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction is derived from the King els it is a flat deniall of his Supremacie Also themselves graunt in their last Tables of Discipline That the King hath power to increase or diminish the Circuit of a Bishoprick That he may make two or more Bishopricks of one one Bishoprick to be two or more Yea what should hinder but that he may divide the Bishoprick of London into 800. For where God hath not defined the number of Parishes that a Bishop is to reign over it must needs be a thing indifferent In which by their owne Doctrines the King hath authority without sinne to dispose If therefore the King may as well notwithstanding any thing in the Law of God give the Keyes of the Church to everie particular Pastour of a Congregation over his owne Congregation as to a Bishop over a Diocesse which taketh away the very Essence of an English Bishop He may without sinne take away the very Office of the Bishop which consists in having jurisdiction over many Congregations c. 4. There is no true sober Christians but will say that the Churches of Scotland Fraunce the low Countries and other places that renounce such Archbishops and Bishops as ours are as Antichristian vsurping Prelates are true Churches of God Which they could not be if the authoritie and prerogatives they claime to themselves were of Christ and not vsurped For if it were the ordinance of Christ Iesus that in every Kingdome that receiveth the Gospel there should be one Archbishop over the whole Kingdome One Bishop over many hundred Pastors in a Kingdome and all they invested with that authority and jurisdiction Apostolicall which they claime iure Divino to be due vnto them and to reside in them by the ordinance of Christ certainely that Church that should renounce and disclaime such an authority ordeyned in the Church cannot be a true Church but a Synagogue of Sathan For they that should renounce and deny such must needs therein renounce and deny
occasion and to look that they be performed by all such as they are specially layd vpon for the better service of the Lord and his church therein 2. Whether on the contrary the apostasie of Antichrist be not such touching the Ministery and government of the Church as therein they which be in the lesser offices have power and authority among them to exceed the dutyes of the office which Christ hath appointed to performe the dutyes apperteyning to the higher offices by meanes whereof both Antichrist hath risen vp to so great a height and so many orders and degrees of superior and inferior Ministers have bene received and still are reteyned in that degenerate estate and apostasie of the man of sinne as is come to passe And touching the first because the offices set by Christ in his Church be of two sorts some extraordinary and for a tyme and speciall vse some ordinary and prrpetual whether it be true in both or in the first and in them alone As for example That the Apostles who were in the greatest office ordeyned by Christ vnder the Gospel †Mat. 28.18.19.20 Ephe. 4.11.12 1 Cor. 12.28 had besides the peculiar office of Apostleship the power also and authority of the other Offices of ‖ Act. 20.29.30 Rō 11.25.26 2 Thes 2 3-8 1 Tim. 4.1.2.3 ◠Pet. 2. 3. chap. 1 Ioh. 2.18 Iude ver 17.18 Prophets * Act. 8.14.25 14.7 15.35.36 41. 16.40 Rom. 1.11.12.15 Evangelists ‡ Ioh. 21.16 Act. 1.40.42 20.2 1 Cor. 9.7 Pastors †Act. 5 42. 1 Tim. 2.7 2 Tim. 1.11 Teachers ‖ 1 Pet. 5.1 Act. 6.2.6 15.6.22 1 Tim. 4.14 with 2 Tim 1.6 Elders * Act. 4.34.35 6.2.3 4. 11.29.30 1 Cor. 16.3.4 Gal. 2.10 Deacons both to performe them vpon just occasion themselves to see thē performed by others as is aforesayd For which consider the Scriptures here quoted in the Margent And likewise that the Prophets besides their owne special office had in them the power authority of the other inferiour offices of Evangelists Pastors Teachers c. Act. 15.32.40.41 and 17.15 and 18.5.2 Cor. 1.19 Ephe. 3.5.6 4.11.12 And in like sort that the Evangelists besides their owne peculiar function had in them the power and authority of the other smaller offices of Pastors Teachers Elders c. Act. 8.35.38 with 21.8 1 Cor. 16.10 2 Cor. 1.19 8.6.16.17.23 1 Thes 3.2 with the Epist. to Tim. Tit. And it being so in the ordinary offices likewise that the Pastors therefore besides their own peculiar function have in them the power and authority of the other ordinary offices of the Teachers Elders and Deacons for performance and oversight as is aforesaid Act. 20.28 Ephe 4.11.12 1 Tim. 3 1-15 and 5.17.22 with 6.13.14 Heb. 13.7.17 1 Pet. 5.1 2.3.4 Luk. 12.42 Rev. 1.20 with 2.1.8.12.18 3.1.7.14 Likewise that the Teachers have in them besides their owne speciall office the power and authority of the ruling Elders and Deacons Act. 20.28 1 Cor. 3.8.9.10 12.8.12.28 Ephe 4.11.12 1 Tim. 3.1 15. and 5.17 with 2 Tim. 2.2 Tit. 1 5-9 Heb. 13.7.17 And in like maner that the Elders besides their owne speciall functiō have in thē the power authority of the Deacons office for the doing and overseing thereof as before is spoken Act. 11.29.30 and 20.17 28. 1 Thes 5.12.13.14 1 Tim. 3 1-15 and 5 17-22 with 6.13.14 Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3.4 Finally that the Deacons as also the rest aforesayd have besides their owne peculiar office right and power to enjoy whatsoever interest the other members have in the Church for any dutyes or actions to be performed therein according to their place and condition And further that when they shall have ministred well in the Deacons office they may be called afore other of the brethren into the higher offices of the Elders being endued with giftes therevnto Act. 6.3 Rom. 12 4-8 1 Cor. 12 12-28 1 Tim. 3 8-13 But now on the contrary when such as were in the inferiour offices conteyned not themselves within compasse of their callings but took vpon themselves or had layd vpon them by others power and authority of the superiour functions then sprung vp the apostasie of Antichrist in the churches ministery and government As namely when the Pastors and Bishops of particular congregations came to have authority oversight over many Churches and over the Ministers and people therein in a kind of resemblance of the extraordinary offices already ceased Contrarie to Rev. 1.11.12.13.20 with 2.1.8.12 18. and 3.1.7.14 Act. 20.28 Ephe. 4.11.12.13 Phil. 1.1 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3.4 And that the ruling Elders or Presbyters now called Priests did the Ministeriall dutyes of the Pastors and Teachers in the particular Congregations Contrary to Rom. 12.7.8 1 Cor. 12.28 1 Tim. 5.17 And that the Deacons also baptized and were Ministers of the word which the Apostles did purposely oppose to the dutyes of that office at the institution thereof Act. 6.2.3.4 So as of these things it may be sayd as Christ did in another case From the beginning it was not so Mat. 19.8 And herevpon in tyme many sorts and degrees of inferior servile Ministers and superior Lordly Prelates grew vp encreased in that defection of the Man of sinne till Antichrist at the length was exalted in his throne From which now agayne the Lord hath begunne to bring him downe discovering and consuming that mystery of iniquity by the light and power of his Gospell and will not cease till the same be fully abolished cast into the bottomles pit from whence it first arose 2 Thes 2.3.4.7.8.9 10.11.12 and 1 Ioh. 2.18.19 with Rev. 6.12.13.14 and 8. and 9. and 13. and 14. and 16. and 17. and 18. and 19. chap. And hitherto of the Proposition of the last Syllogisme The Assumption thereof namely that the Prelates of the Church of Engl. have the offices and government of such Bishops as are over Diocesan and Provinciall Churches and exercise ecclesiasticall iurisdiction over all the Ministers and people therein is evident by their Church-constitution Lawes and practise And themselves neyther will nor can deny it 3. The other Assumption aforesaid viz that the Prelates of the Church of Engl. have such offices and government as be speciall parts of Antichrists apostasie is proved thirdly by this that the offices and government of the Prelates of the Church of Engl. do not in their nature and proper vse perteyne to any society body and estate eyther civill or ecclesiasticall but onely to the body and kingdome of Antichrist Of which as also of other reasons proving the point in hand more shal be spoken hereafter in the severall Arguments following concerning this matter And thus much concerning the Proposition of this Argument The Assumption of the Argument namely that the present Ministery of the Church-assemblies of England is the Ministerie of Deacons and Priests ordeyned by the Prelates therevnto is vndeniably confirmed
the book of Common prayer and of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons conteyneth in it nothing contrarie to the word of God and that it may lawfully so be vsed that he himself will vse the forme in the sayd Book prescribed in publick prayer and administration of the Sacraments none other Also That he alloweth the book of Articles of Religion agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergie in the convocation holden at London in the ye are 1562. and that he acknowledgeth all every the Articles therein conteyned to be agreeable to the word of God In which Articles although there be many truths yet there are also errors not afew to which they must subscribe that they are agreeable to the word of God and that they do thus subscribe willingly and ex animo Lastly for their Bishops Archbishops 1. there is with other things aforesaid at their consecration also to be read an Epistle Gospell and Credo 2. After which ended the elected Bishop must be presented by two Bishops vnto the Archbishop of that Province or to some other Bishop appointed by his Cōmission the Bishops that present him saying Most reverend Father in God we present vnto you this godly and wel learned man to be consecrated Bishop 3. Then the Archbishop demaunds the Kings mandate for the consecration And after a lawfull oth concerning the Kings supremacy they must take an vnlawfull oath of obedience to the Archbishop which is thus In the name of God Amen I N. chosen Bishop of the Church and Sie of N. do professe and promise all due reverence and obedience to the Archbishop and to the Metropoliticall Church of N. and to their successours so help me God through Iesus Christ. Which oath at the consecration of an Archbishop is omitted 4. Afterward vpon the Archbishops demaund he answereth a number of questions 1 Of his perswasion that he is truly called to this ministration according to the will of our Lord Iesus Christ and the order of the Realme 2 Of the sufficiency of the Scriptures and his determination with them to instruct the people cōmitted to his charge 3 Of his study faithfully to exercise himself in the sayd Scriptures 4 Of his readynes with all faithfull diligence to banish and drive a way all erroneous and strange doctrine contrary to Gods word 5 Of his care to deny all vngodlynes and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this world 6. Of his purpose to maynteyne set forward quietnes peace and love among all men and to correct and punish such as be vnquiet disobedient and criminous within his dioces according to such authority as he hath by Gods word and the ordinance of the Realme 7 Of his carefulnes to shew himself gentle and mercifull for Christs sake to poore people and strangers To all which they answer affirmatively and walk for the most part negatively as their estate practise sheweth vnto all men that will open their eyes to see it 5. Then must be sung or sayd Come holy Ghost c. whose direction given in the Scriptures for the offices ordinances appointed by Christ they reject and follow the Papists and their owne devises so making the commandement of God of no effect through their traditions 6. For the consecration it self the Archbishop and Bishops present must lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying Take the holy Ghost and remember that thou stirr vp the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of hands for God hath not given vs the spirit of feare but of power and love and sobernes Where note agayne their vayn presumption impiety in taking vpon them to give the holy Ghost having no power frō the Lord therevnto Yet I suppose this consecrated Bishop takes asmuch as the Archbishop gives the Archbishop gives asmuch as the Bishop takes which of what quantity and quality it is let their estate and works be witnesses 7. Then the Archbishop delivereth him the Bible saying Give heed vnto reading exhortation and doctrine Think vpon the things conteyned in this book Be diligent in teaching and doing them c. Be to the flock of Christ a Shepheard not a wolf feed them devour them not c. Wherein their practise is as contrary as their office is degenerate from the ordinance of Christ And thus is their fourme of consecrating Bishops and Archbishops Wherein I omit to note in particular their great abuse and profanation of the Name and word of God in the Scriptures and prayers then vsed from the beginning to the end of that their consecration Neyther will I stand to speak of their administration and government nor of their other degrees functions of Deanes Prebendaries Chauncellors Archdeacons Commissaries Officials and the rest of that sort among them seing there are so many vnanswerable treatises already published of this Argument concerning the Antichristianity and vnlawfulnes of their Offices callings works and maintenance Yet before I end this poynt I wil here set downe two of their owne late Canons and some of the sayings and testimonyes both of the Martyrs of old and of the seekers of Reformation in this latter age that so their opposition against the truth and amongst themselves may by this meanes yet further appeare Their Canons are these 1. * Canons of Anno. 1603 Gen. 7. Whosoever shall affirme that the government of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that bear office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto and so continue vntill he repent and publikly revoke such his wicked errors 2. And ‡ Ibid. Can. 8. Whosoever shall affirme or teach That the fourme and maner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests or Deacons conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God or that they who are made Bishops Priests or Deacons in that forme are not lawfully made nor ought to be accounted eyther by themselves or by others to be truly eyther Bishops Priests or Deacons vntill they have some other calling to those divine Offices let him be excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored vntil he repent and publikly revoke such his wicked errors These are their Canons among many other the like by which all may see how earnestly they set themselves to hold vp the falling apostasie of the man of sinne as other before tyme have laboured to heale the deadly wound of the beast 2 Thes 2 3-12 with Reve. 13.11.12 c. The testimonies of the Martyrs to the contrary which here I will mention are these being of such also as were of our owne countrey Iohn Claydon burnt in Smithfeild at London in the yeare 1415. held †Act. Monum Edit◠5. pag. 588. that Archbishops and Bishops speaking indifferently are the seats of the beast