the first Covenant had many Fasts and Feasts and holy dayes as the Sabbath and feasts of the new Moon and Passeover and Feasts of unleavened bread Penticost the Feast of Tabernacles and Feast of Dedication which are largely shewn in the Books of Moses all which things as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews were but shadows of things to come and not the things themselves which only continued till the time of reformation and till the better hope which brought in the better Covenant which stood upon better promises Now in the Primitive Churches they came to see the end of these things and were brought to him that was the substance in whom all Figures and Shadows do end Câ—l 2. 16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink or in respect of a holy â—ay which are a shadow of things to come but the Body 〈◊〉 Christ Now afterwards when they minded the form more than the power they run out into those things with many additions some borrowed from the heathen and some by their own invention and then press them as Apostolick Ordinances upon Christians which things stand in force with many until this day too too much among them that are called reformed Victor Bishop of Rome about the year 196. decreed that Easter should be kept and Celebrated on the Sunday from the 14th day of the first Monâ—h that is March to the 22d of the same Now the â—ews kept it sooner and so it is without ground from the Iews practice and meerly an invention of their own which led people back into dayes and about what time they judged any thing to be done which Christ or the Apostles did they invented a day and a time to keep for it as to reverence Sunday in advent and Nativity Circumcision and Epiphany Purification of Mary called Candlemas Lent Palm-Sunday Monday and Thursday on which Christ washed his Disciples feet as it hath been imagined good fryday Easter Penâ—â—â—â—st was kept by the Iews and this they would hold out for an Apostolick example to Christians and for all the former dayes they were invented with many more which have been brought in since And so they were decreed and â—aâ—ified at a Councel at Lions in France that such dayes as either the holy Saints departed this life or did any notable deed a day should be kept holy as they said in that Council for the increase of their Religion there was also other dayes instituted the feast of Saint Steven and Innocents by Pope Bâ—nifaâ—e the fourth and likewise John Baptist and that which they call Lady day Lawrance Michael and Martin and generally of All Saints and these were his institutions which are practised by the Church of Rome and oractised among the Proâ—estants to this day Likewise that which is called Corpus Christi day this was made a holy day and dedicated by Urbane the fourth Sylvester assigned the day of advincula Sancti Petri commonly called Lammas in memorial of Peters pains and persecution Felix the first to magnifie the glorious commendation of Maâ—tyas made a Statute that a yearly oblation should be had in memorial of them And Gregory would that Masse should be said over their Tombes or graves Now Priests read the original of your service over the graves of the dead and see if this be Apostolical The fast of Wednesday and Friday was appointed the one day Christ was Crucified and on wednesday Judas purposed in his mind to beâ—â—ay him Gregory was he that ordained that neither flesh nor any thing that had affinity with it as Cheese Milk Butter Eggs should not be eaten on such dayes as were fasts and here came in this Doctrine of Devils Soulmass day this was begun by Odilo that was Provost or Provincial of Cluniassentis Order upon the occasion he heard about Etna the burning Mountain of Sicily oftentimes great lamentations and cryings and weepings was heard which he supposed to be the wâ—epings of evil spirits that bewailed because the souls of dead men were taken from them by the peâ—itions and Sacrifices of well disposed Christians therefore he appointed his Covent to make a general oblation for all Souls the next day after the feast of all Saints and this great institution was ordained about the year 1002. and so all whose eyes God hath opened will see all this heap of Invention hathbeen practiced since the Beast rose out of the Sea and the Whore hath sat upon the waters which is since the Apostles dayes CHAP. IX Concerning Priests Vestures and Bells which are Practised among Christians as Apostolick Institutions THe Iews high Priests had Vestments and the rest of the Priests who offered Sacrifices and Oblations at the Temple and Tabernacle Lev. 8. 6 7 8 9 c. 13. And Aaron the Priest had a coat girded with a girdle and cloathed him with a robe and put a linen Ephod upon him and put a Brest-plate upon him and a Mitre upon his head And Aarons Sons had coats with Girdles and Bonnets as was commanded by the Lord and Chap. 16. 4. and he put on a linen coat and linen Breeches with a Coat and Mitre and girded it with a linen girdle and these were the holy garments and these Garments were to be put off in the holy place and divers other Garments and Vestments which were worn by the Priest about the Temple-worship and Sacrifice which were Shadows of better things and of more holy Garments but this was in the first Covenant that made nothing perfect which was faulte and was to continue untill the time of Reformation But Christ being come and offered up all shadows had an end and they Preached up the everlasting offering and him who offered up himself once for all Now Christ sent out his Disciples without great provision as to attire for they were to take neither staff nor scrip nor shoes nor mony nor brass in their purses and yet they were to go among them that were like wolves renting and tearing devouring and destroying and there was no great likelihood of obtaining any earthly thing from such while in that nature but the Apostles lived by faith Mat 10. 9. 10. and Luke 10. 3 4. and they were not to take two coats and the Apostle in his travels was often in necessities in hunger and cold and nakedness and did not go in costly array nor in disguised habits but in his old age wore sometimes a Cloak among the Churches which he sent for to Troas an ordinary Garment 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10. chap 6. 4. 10 the 11 verse 2 Tim. 4. 13. and John the Baptist who was a great Prophet had a Coat made of hair and a leathern-girdle about his loyns Mat. 3 4. and the Primitive Christians wandered up and down in Sheeps skins and Goats skins being destitute of whom the World was not worthy Heb. 11. 37 38. But after the Apostles decease deceitful workers and evil Beasts and they that abode
Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God from whence it hath been inferred by many that baptism of infants was absolutely necessary to salvation Christ spoke of that which did regenerate and make a new and clense the heart and of the clean water which the Prophet Ezekiel spoke of which he would pour upon his people visible water cleanses not the inside neither doth regenerate but the water which Christ giveth to every one that thirsteth to drink is the water of life and this washeth the inside and cleans the heart and this is the washing of regeneration which whosoever comes not to know connot enter into the kingdom of God because that which is defiled is shut out but they that do not look after the substance hath made an idol of the figure but the Chuch of Rome themselves which were the first inventers and setters up of this humane institution have said that this must be recieved by tradition and not from the Scriptures because it could not be proved as a commandment witness Claudius Espontius a Popish Bishop at a counsel at Pysoy in France 1500. and yet this Doctrine hath been held out to the Nations for Catholick and Apostolick which the Primitive Churches made no mention of neither the Apostles taught any such Doctrine but was preached up by such who went out of the light and from the power into the Nations which became as waters for the first ordainer of baptism of Infants and that they should have a Godfather and Godmother was Ignatius Bishop of Rome long after the Apostles daves when Rome was got up into pride and claimed authority over all Christian Churches to impose upon them what ever they listed for Doctrine and such dark things as these have been brought forth whereof mention might be made of many things and what unsavory words as Godfathers and Godmothers is used not only amongst them but also amongst the Protestants to this day who is Gods father or who is Gods mother is this Apostolick Doctrine as though God was begotten by generation indeed is it not Blasphemy to affirm such things and also to hold up such things all which demonstrates these things to be in the Apostacy And therefore you who profess your selves that you are come out of the Apostacy and are reformed Churches for shame leave off practising and pleading for the upholding such things which the Scriptures do not own or else the practice of the Saints in former ages will judge you And it hath been reckoned as absolute necessary to salvation and therefore Victor Bishop of Rome did institute that the children might be christened by a Lay-man or Lay-women in time of necessity because infants were often in danger as Polydore makes mention Lib. 4. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parish Churches LIkewise the Sign of the Cross and the Chrism are invented things which are in the Apostacy and therefore you who profess your selves reformed for shame leave off these things and come out of them and deny them Secondly Parishes and Parish Churches which were ordained and builded in the Apostacy and dedicated unto Saints which stand to this day both in the Church of Rome and in the reformed Churches so called and Church-yards which they call holy and consecrated ground to bury their dead in this is an invented thing and superstitious and yet it stands as an Apostolick order both among Papists and Protestants in the Primitive times in the dayes of the Apostles The Scriptures make mention of the Jews Temple at Jerusalem and of the Gentiles Idols Temples in which they worshipped the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who published the word of reconciliation and Christ the substance of all figures they gathered them that did believe of the Iews from the Temple and Temple-worship and the Gentiles from their Temples and Idols to worship God in the spirit and they met together in houses we read of no Parish Churches dedicated to Saints nor consecrated ground for they knew the earth was the Lords and the fulness thereof and was clean and good and blessed to them that believed and there was no dividing into Parishes then nor no compelling then Corinth was not divided into a Parish Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia and Smyrna and the rest were not all made into Parishes neither were them that believed not compelled or forced to come to the Christians meeting at Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia or any other place that we read of in the Scriptures and the Apostles were not confined nor their spirits were not so strait as to stay over one hundred or fifty families twenty years and call that their Parish between such an hedge and such a ditch and such a water and such a way as Parishes are now divided into though I say they had houses to meet in and preached the Word and brake bread from house to house and sometime by the sea-side they congregated and sometimes on an hill and at certain places they met together to worship God they went not back to the Jews Temple nor Gentiles Idols Temples neither forced any of their maintenance as to minister unto them by which all may see that these invented Churches and Church-yards for holy ground and Parishes are not Apostolical nor was no Catholick nor universal thing then in the Primitive times neither was there any command given to the Christians to do any such thing neither reprehension for not doing such things The first Church or Temple that we read of was consecrated by Pius Bishop of Rome in honour of the Virgin Prudentia and afterwards Calistus made a Temple to the Virgin Mary a place beyond Tibris and instituted a Church-yard in Apius his street and called it after his own name And Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome other places Churches and Church-yards to Curates and made Parishes and Diocesses to Bishops and commanded that every man should be contented with his prescript bonds and there was the beginning of Parishes Churches and Church-yards consecrated ground and in process of time when all Nations had drunk of the cup of fornication the Nations began to imitate their mother and to build and consecrate Temples and Churches and Church-yards to this Saint and the other Saint as is too too manifest through Christendom to this day And here 's the rise of holy Parish Churches which of late have been preached up for the house of God and the house of prayer which bears the name yet by which the Pope baptized them Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Mary Saint Hellen Saint Katherine Saint Gregory Saint Maudlen Saint Alban Saint Anthony Saint George Saint Margaret Saint Dunstoâ— Saint Clement Saint Christopher Saint Giles Saint Martine and painting and garnishing these houses with Images and pictures and hanging of flowers and boughes and garlands this came from the old heathen who sacrificed to Saturn and Pluto and this hanging up candles
Tit. 7. parag 17. And whether this be not ridiculous and foolish to give for their armes the book with seven seales is not that a gross abuse of what is laid down in the Revelation as if the liberal Arts two whereof are Grammer and Fidling are typified by these seals which none were worthy to open but the Lamb And as for their habits and black gowns and black Coats these have been borrowed from Rome or else from the Chimerians a sort of people of old among the Jews who were Idolaters Hosea 10. 〈◊〉 Some of the Kings of Israel who drew people into Idolatry and countenanced Idolatrous Priests 2 Kings 23. Who were attired in black These were prophesied against by Hosea 10. chap 5. They were supprest by Josiah and Zephany chap. 14. saith he stretch forth his hand upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and cut off the remnant of Baal and the name of the Chimerims or black-coats with the Priests Jerome bids Nepotian being to enter upon the Clergy to avoid black attire In Tertullians time every one that did turn Christian or was made a Presbyter did renounce his gown which was the Romane vestment and afterwards the Clergy relinquisht dark coloured cloaks for Coats and the Clergy and Laity in fine were both alike habited And a Bishop was condemned of the Council of Gaâ—grae for introducing the fashon of long sad coloured Cloaks that was condemned by the Assembly unbeseeming the Priesthood all this is clear out of Tertullians writings de pallio with the notes of Salmasius thereon And all these things had but a bad Original and were never commanded by God And seeing they are made such Idols of ought no longer to be imitated but to be quite abolished But some may object though the original were popish and Antichristian yet since they are employed to better uses viz for distinction order and decency they may lawfully enough be retained To this is answered might not the Jews have given the same reason to their reformers that the Golden Calfs and their Groves might not be consumed and turned into ashes because they might be better employed to good uses afterwards or might not the Brazen Serpent have continued as well as the pots of Maâ—na Yet when it was become an Idâ—l away it must go but the sum of all is all these habits attir's have been used for superstitious ends and pride and pomp and vain glory So they that retain them they do no more then the Levite that stole away Michals Gods from Mount Ephraim and set them up at Dan where Idolatry became a more publick worship So all this innovated superstitious trumpery is no way advantagious to the Church of Christ neither conduceth to any true order neither hath any congruity with the primitive times is to be denied by all that comes out of Babylon and out of the Apostacy into the primitive Order and the true Churches practice and the Saints example As for Parish Churches which I mentioned before some say it was the Decree of the Lattern Council in the year 1180. But Cambden saith that Dyonysius did onely distribute into Diocesses and others judge into Parishes and as concerning Church-yards to bury the dead its Original is Superstitious and all the ringing and singing and the reading before and over the dead is Iddlatrous and Superstitions Gaudentius saith that of old times and so saith the Scriptures they did bury their dead in their own ground which custome was taken away by Pope Innoteat the third he prohibited that any should cause themselves to be buried in unconsecrated ground forsaking the Sepulchers of their Fathers Hospinian saith that at last it became so superstitious in being buried in order near the Church that they judged it material even to their salvation De Orig. Temple lib. 3. chap. 1. The Waldenses said the uses of Church-yards is superstitious and invented only for Lucre sake and it is no matter in what ground any one is buried see Usher de Sucâ—es Eccles. Christ. chap 6. And how much there is of this superstition in England now and what excessive rates are paid for breaking up ground all is sensible of that it is only one of the Popish nets which is holden up to get money by And so I shall conclude these things and say with John Come out of of Babylon and be not partaker of her sins least you be partakers of her Plaâ—â—es for the hour of her judgment is come and the time wherein her filthiness and loathsomeness shall be made manifest to the Nations and her skirts shall be uncovered and her abominable practises discovered of which in part I have declared unto all in this discourse that all may see the abominations and depart out of the snares that leads to death and these practises which tends to destruction THE END Claudius Espontius ordainâ—d aâ—a counsel at Pysoy in France that Infants baptism should be received by tradition because it could not be proved as a command from the Scriptures Ignatius Bishop of Rome was the first ordainer of Infants baptism and that they should have Godfathers and Godmothers c. Victor Bishop of Rome instituted that children might be christned by Lay-men and Lay-women in case of necessity Pius Bishop of Rome built the first Temple after the Apostacy in bonour to Prudentia Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome and other places into Parishes and Dioceses for Bishops Abraham and his Wife buried in Hebron in a piece of ground he bought Justinian the Emperour ordained that men should swear by the Gospel or Book called the Gospel and lay their hands thereon and kiss it saying So help me God Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all Churches should be Christned and should be anointed with oyl Clement Bishop ordained Confirmation of Children and said none was a perfect Christian if he wanted this and thus Children should be smoâ—e on the cheek signed with this Cross. * At Lions in France they apointed holy dayes to increase their Religion Boniface the fourth ordained Stephen Innocents Lawrence Michael Martin John Baptists and All Saints to be kept holy Corpus Christi day ordained by Urbanus the fourth Sylvester Bishop ordained Lammas day in memorial of Peters painâ— Gregory ordained that Mass or short prayer should be said over the Tombs of the dead Gregory appointed wednesday and friday should be fasted Soulmass day was ordained by Odilo Sextus Commanded that no Lay-people should touch the Priests Garments Sabinianus ordained that people should come together to hear Service by ringing Bells John 22. Bishop ordained bells to be tol'd three times a day Singing of Mattens at set times Hierom appointed Pelagius the second commanded Priests to say them dayly â—elesphorus appointed that Lent should be kept before Easter and fasted Concerning Mass and Letany many Authors patched it up at sundry times Acts and Monuments vol. 2. Fol. 55. Euseb. lib. 6. chap. pag. 98. In his book de succes cap. 6. Acts and Monuments vol. 1. fol. 527. Fol. 653. Exodus 20. 7. Acts and Monuments vol. 2. fol. 701. De succes cap. 6. Acts 11. 29. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Eusebius lib. 4. chap. 22. Cyprian Epist. 27. 34. 36. Hom. 11. in actn Hom. 16. in Evan. and dist 5. de consecr Acts and Mon. p. 435. Acts and Mon. p. 536 537. Prosper de vita contempt lib. 2. chap. 14. Cyril de adorat in spir ver lib. 4. ad finem Origen homil 15 in Levit.
Secondly whether hath your Gospel been universally and publickly preached these sixteen hundred years or nay And is it the very same that was preached in the first hundred or two hundred years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the whores cup of fornication And then Nâ—tions were Waters Seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds and Tongues which are the waters upon which your Church is Scituated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred years after Christ was manifested in the flesh Much might be said to demonstrate the Truth which is in hand that there hath been an apostacy the beginners whereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterward grew into a body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writers which have given a narrative of the first five hundred years declared that there was a great loss within 300. years but in five hundred years or less the very power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the form And though your Church pleads Antiquity for a Thousand years for these things a fore mentioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyne issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cains and Chores way for an example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Counsel that rose out of the waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great body of darkness some of the practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter ages So that the worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christs and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless number of vain Traditions Avemaries Creeds and Pater nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be collected that there hath been a great Diviation and apostacy from the Doctrine and practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches doctrine and practices in the first hundred years after Christ and if these things be found invented and without footing or ground then let them that are informed depart from them CHAP. III. But now to descend a little further nearer unto our own age to speak somthing to them which I believe look upon themselves to be Catholick and Apostolick in Doctrine and practice according to the Primitive time and order and that they are totally come out of the Apostacy THis I have to say to you which is my judgement and belief and that upon good ground that you are in many things in the Apostacy as hereafter I shall demonstrate and to tell you nakedly and plainly we look upon the reformation which was made in denying the Church of Rome to be but very weak and poor and feeble and imperfect comparatively with the Doctrine and practice and order in the Primitive times in so much that we judge upon good grounds that it cannot be parrelled with the Church in the Primitive times which I have spoke of before in that you have denyed the Pope to be the head of the Church and so are called Protestants So am I knowing that Christ is the head of the Church and ought to rule by his Spiritual Scepter and his eternal power in the hearts and consciences of people and in and over the true Church which is his body whereof he is the head and let all take heed who doth intrude and take upon them that which belongeth to the King of Kings and King of Saints as to matter of head-ship Regulation or Goverment for all power is committed unto him in Heaven and Earth and the Father hath given it to him and will not have any other have that Glory But whosoever seeks it must be condemned and his glory he will not give to another For the Lamb is worthy of glory and strength And though the Church of Rome be generally acknowledged to be in the Apostacy by them that are separated from them and that upon good grounds yet I say the Separation is in some little or smal part more in name then in nature more in form then in power more in some circumstantial things then in the very ground it self and very many of these Doctrines Practices Discipline and order as they call it I find to be upholden practiced and contended for which are found in the former I have mentioned First of all to instance that which is generally holden out by the reformed Protestants is that the writings of Mathew Mark Luke and John and the several Epistles is the Gospel which the Primitive Disciples and Ministers preached and published and which People did receive and by believing the found thereof were accounted Christians and believers We would have all to know the Gospel was preached to Abraham before Mathew or Mark or any of the Apostles writ a word Moreover we would have all to know that Christ had preached glad tidings to the captives and some of the Disciples had preached the word of the Kingdom before Matthew or Mark or Luke or John had wrote a word my reasons are divers Matthew Mark Luke and John must needs hear and see that done which they testified of before they writ and if Matthew Mark Luke and John be the Gospel the writings of them I intend then the Disciples could not preach it before it was given forth and if the Epistles be a part of the Gospel this the Disciples could not preach before it was written for Paul succeeded and was converted after divers of the Apostles had preached the Gospel so then doubtless the Disciples and Apostles had something to say and declare and pâ—blish before any of the new Testament was written and it is manifested that they were not sent out to preach the Law nor the ordinances of the first Covenant after Christ were offered up the end of the first So then there was something and is something which was preached by them and is to be published now to all that are made Ministers by the holy Ghost and that is in few words the power of God which was before the new Testament so
these thing to be feeble and poor and beggerly things and hath no agreement or congruity with the primitive times And should people be limitted or stinted to such a certain form of words called service or prayer and divine worship Was that ever reckoned divine worship that was not from the Divine Spirit But it may be you will say the words are good or some of them I am not speaking about words but the Spirit from which every service ought to be performed to the Lord God and the primitive Christians prayed in the spirit and with understanding and sung with the spirit and with understandnig 1 Cor. 14. 15. And there was some that knew not what to pray for as they ought but the Spirit helped their infirmities Rom. 8. 26 But you konw what to pray for and how much must be said on such a day or such a time and if there be a Homily or a Sermon Lettany must be missed Now I say if it be Divine worship or any thing wherein God is honoured and the people bettered nothing of it ought to be wanting But these things the Primitive times doth not countenance but when the power was lost and the life gone from and the Spirit erred from these things have come into the latter dayes which have been very perillous times as to them who have kept the Apostolick faith and the order of the primitive Church Many more things we could instance which are practiced as for discipline and order and some for necessity which hath no affinity or union at all with the Primitive Churches but rather are things which are too near of Kin unto her that sits as a Queen upon the waters whose flesh must be burnt with fire who hath drunk the blood of the Saints and how many of the Lords servants have suffered in and about these things not only in the Church of Rome but also by them which have been called reformed many have known and are living witnesses thereof And all these Temples Bells Hour-glasses Pulpits Cushons Altars Tables and Founts which are things that pertain to them that locks they are come out of the Apostacy but the Spiritual minded sees over them and beyond them and before these things And also sees through the Spirit of Prophesie and time when they shall be no more adored worshipped and honoured But God shall be feared in the hearts of the Sons of men and glory shall be given to him and he shall be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth as he was in the Primitive times when the Beast and the false Prophet and them that wrought Miracles before him and all they that have cryed who is able to make war with the Beast and have cryed worship him All must be taken alive Remember that alive in their strength and cast into the Lake and the Mother of Harlors shall be made desolate her Cup of Fornication thrown under foot The Kings of the Earth shall deny it and to give their strength any longer to the Beast and then shall that be fulfilled Rejoce ye Prophets and holy men of God and ye that have suffered for the hour of his Judgement is come and as she hath served the Saints so shall she be served and rewarded double and the day hastens and the times and seasons we see and know as God hath made them manifest The man-child is descended again who hath right to rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break the ungodly in pieces as at potters vessel and stamp the residue of his enemies under his feet And the Church is coming out of the wildernesse again who leans upon the breast of her beloved who is clothing her again with beauty in stead of ashes and putting upon her again the beautiful garments of glory and excellency even his own righteousness and they that see it their hearts shall be made glad and their souls rejoyce in God and their flesh rest in hope for the time is come when she must appear again which hath been retired and hid in a place which God hath prepared for her while the false Church sate as a Queen and the Apostates as Princes and their merchandize sold at dear rates But their joy shall be turned into mourning and alas alas shall be the cry of them that have been in Glory with her for their frankincense odours and sweet perfumes and scarlet and purple and gold and silver and wood and Tin and Iron and Brass none will buy any more none of the Lambs followers nor none of the true Churches children who worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh neither in any outward appearance but in the hidden life of God but in the immortal life which he hath brought to light through his blessed Gospel which he hath caused to be published again the joyful sound whereof many captives have heard and are glad and a numberless number shall hear the joyful sound thereof and shall enquire after the brightness of the rising of the Son Therefore all Apostates Hills and Mountains make room make way the Lord is risen in power and in Glory which shall dazzel the eyes of all the Earthly and shall extinguish and put out the very brightness and the glory of all invented worships in the Apostatized ages and shall bring them that believe in the everlasting Gospel to stability to the rock of ages to the valley of Achor to Mount Sion to the blessing of the everlasting hills And blessed are they that hear and believe and wait to be made partakers of that which the Lord is about to do in the Earth as he hath shewn and foreshewn to his servants the Prophets CHAP. IIII. Now a few words to shew unto all how they may come out of the Apostacy to be members of the true Church which is in God the Lambs wife SO far as God did appear in any age or generation or manifest himself unto the Sons of men in any shadows figures representations or outward appearances the evil Spirit and Serpents seed and evil doer alwayes took up the form of the thing when it came into reputation as largely might be demonstrated and instanced through all ages and Generations till the closure of the Apostles Writings something whereof hath been briefly hinted at before so in this I shall be very brief The Jews held up the Types and Figures of the first Covenant and the ordinances thereof and opposed Christ the Light the everlasting Covenant and also the publishers thereof Moreover when the name of Christ came to be spread abrood then false Apostles and deceitful workers who were enemies to the Cross and to the power of God they preached Christ out of contention and envy and for filthy lucre and by wicked practices made the name of Christians odious among the Heathen as it is this day and caused the worthy name by which the Saints were saved to be blasphemed by their ungodly practices Rom. 2. 24. When the
and their Candlemas dayes this came of the Gentiles and Pagans who honoured their false God Saturu and their Altar which they have builded in this Temple and their tables upon which they offer and set their sacrifice these Boniface the third commanded that they should be covered with linen clothes and here was the beginning of these kinds of orders so that as I said before most of theâ—e things in and about the worship which hath been since the reign of Antichrist and since the Whore hath sate as a Queen they have been either borrowed from the Jews or else from Pagans and Heathens and the mother of Harlots hath put these things off for Apostolick institutions these many hundreds of years and divers other things which are in and about the Parish Churches your many crosses in and about them of wood and stone your baptized bels and consecrated pulpits and sonts and hour-glasses and soft cushions to preach on all these the Scriptures makes no mention of not in the Christian Churches the first two hundred years after Christ. Now Protestants who have denied the Church of Rome and their practices which was contrary to the Primitive and the Scriptures look about you and see how you are sticking yet in Babylon and buying yet the merchandize thereof and as for your holy ground called your Church-yards which you only judge fit to bury the dead in and would compell all to come thither because there are many Officers in and about this Temple who are greedy of rewards so that they would not miss any thing that might be commodious unto them and so would compell all to come there for their gain But Abraham was the first we read of that made any place of burial in Hebron which he bought so Ephron an Hittite for thirty shekels of silver and there was he and his wife buried and this was no Parishyard neither did he leave any Priest or Clerk that we read of to receive wages and fees and for ringing a bell and reading and singing over the dead and so for shame you who profess the Scriptures and the Apostolick order and institutious of Christ come out from among all this trumpery and wait that you may come again into the order of the Gospel and the primitive order which hath been talked of these many years and yet not known CHAP. VII Concerning swearing by the Gospel and kissing a book and that which is commonly confirmation or Bishoping Children things invented contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and are in the Aopstacy IN the first Covenant the Jews were commanded to swear by the Lord and oaths were observed by the Jews that were in the first Covenant which was faulty Heb. 8. 7. which Ordinance did nor make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience and so there came to be an end of that Covenant and the better was brought in which stood upon better promises and then the Priest-hood Law first Covenant and the ordinances thereof which was only to continue till the time of Reformation H. b. 9. 10 by Christ the everlasting Covenant came to be made manifest the everlasting offering who perfected them that are sanctified who is the oath of God the end of oaths and of all strife and contention his Doctrine was Sweaâ— not at all Mat. 5. 32 24 35 36 3â— neither by the head nor 〈◊〉 nor Books nor Gospel nor any other thing but that yea should be yea and nay nay in all things and James an Apostle of Christ Jesus who knew the New Covenant which was everlasting which saw over the ordinances of the first Covenant of the Jews saith Above all things my brethren sweare not at all neither by heaven neither by the earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and vour nay nay lest you fall into condemnnation James 5. 1 2. and this was Apostolical and Catholick Doctrine in the Primitive Churches But afterwards the faith being lost which once was delivered to the Saints and the power lost they began to set up oathes again imitating the Iews and bringing the commands of the Iews who were under the first Covenant as their Ground But this was in the Apostacy And Justinian the Emperour appointed first that men should swear by the Gospel or book called the Gospel and lay their hands thereon and kiss it saying So help me God and here Christendom may see who are in the Apostacy and who were the first instituters of this Swearing and the manner thereof which the teachers of these latter ages do ignorantly press for an ordinance of God In the primitive times they that had the word of reconciliation who had received the holv Ghost and gift of prophesie and were made able Ministers of the Spirit who had discerning and saw by the Spirit who was fitted for the work of the Ministry and fit to be Elders and helpers in the Church they laid hands on them in Gods power and they received the holy Ghost but now since the Apostacy came in this kind of Imagination of laying on of hands one Hypocrite upon another who are out of the power who have not received the holy Ghost neither they upon whom their hands are said but afterwards it came to be a custom and a holy rite to be performed upon Children Sylvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all that were Christned Churches and Chalices should be anointed with oyl And Fabianus commanded that it should be renewed every Munday and Thursday Clement the first ordained that Children that were Christned should be anointed with Chrisme and he also instituted the Sacrament as it is called of Confirmation or as it is now called Bishoping and did suppose that no man was a perfect Christian if this Rite and Ceremony was omitted and for this cause it hath been judged and lookt upon as Catholick Doctrin both by the Church of Rome and the Protestants that the holy Ghost is more plentifully given them by the hands of the Bishop and on this wiâ—e in the first Institution thereof it was only administred by the Bishop First he asked the name of the child making the sign of the Cross in his forehead saying I sign thee with the token of the Cross and confirm thee with the Chrisme of Salvation in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. and smote the cheek of the Child softly but if of greater age which was to be confirmed the Bishop gave a sharper stroak that he might remember this great mystery and here you may see how these things came in and the traditions and inventions and precepts of men have been and are taught for Doctrine and Apostolick institutions many of which are upholden in the reformed Churches so called unto this day and so people are kept in blindness in a multitude of traditions and heathenish customes and their minds led out from seeking after the living God CHAP. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and holy dayes THe Jews in
hardly stir from thence till they die except some greater advance offer it self also Commissaries Procters Parotters and these are subservient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batchelors of Divinity Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchelors of Art Graduates under-graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsons Vicars Priests Curates and Church wardens all which titles and names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning office work or Doctrine and notwithstanding all these orders and sorts who are fitted by humane learning or natural study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the word of righteousnesse neither hath the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to the weary nor to turn the sinner from his sins and thus the form of things titles and names are holden up but who seeks after the power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Literal Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the ministration of the Spirit few is acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if they be not Persecuted So in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dayes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and practice divers of which I have touched upon to the intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the mist of ignorance and come to worship God in spirit and truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevails not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their life neither walk after their example so take but a few more Institutions which is called Apostolick to this day among them called Christian Churches Clatus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this tittle that is greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be Blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sextus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained Holy Water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in Christians houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the Communion should be laid upon an Altar and that Lay people should not touch the Holy vessels nor the Holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the ninth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147 after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that Crism should be Ministred as Baptism and that Children should have God-fathers and God mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on the Sunday Urbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained Church-yards to be hallowed and forbad marriage of Priests Pontianus the eighteenth Bishop ordained that Psalms and Mattens should be sung in Church night and day to drive away evil spirits Sextus the twenty fourth Bishop in the year 222. after Christ ordained that Priests should wear Holy Garments as Coops and divers other things in imitation of Aaron and then came up surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Foelix the twenty sixth Bishop of Rome ordained division of Parish Churchres and Diocesses to Bishops Leo the Emperor gave Commandment that all Images and Pictures of Saints should be taken out of the Churches for the avoiding of Idolatry but the Bishop of Rome withstood the Emperor the Emperor for his confirmation of taking of Images away called a Councel of Bishops about three hundred and thirty and they ordained and decreed that all Images should be taken away and burned in the 740. But in the year 769. Gregory the third called a Council together at Rome near a thousand Bishops and condemned Leo the Emperor and three hundred Bishops for taking Images out of the Churches and yet the former Counsel and this all of one Faith and Church which they use to say could not erre and the latter decreed they should be adored and Worshiped with all reverence Boniface the eighth he gave licence to the mendicant Friars to hear the private Confession of sins that people should confess to them Pope Alexander gave commandment that the Sacrament should be made of the Sweet Bread and commanded that water should be mingled with wine Innocentius the third ordained that People should confess their sins to a Priest once a year in the year at the least And these kinds of Decrees stand for Apostolical to this day among the Apostates and the reformed Churches so called do own many things that are too near a kin to them and preffeth them for Ordinances and holy Institutions yea in many Countries the self same things are both owned and practised in many particulars which I have mentioned before in other parts of this Book and are looked upon as divine service and holy Worship which the Ministers of Christ who have the word of reconciliation to publish are ashamed of knowing them to be such things as never was practised nor holden out by Christ or his Apostles but are brought in since darkness hath over-spread the Earth and the Power of God hath been lost And at the first Institution thereof though there might be some shew of a good intention in the formers of them but now they are become absolute Idols and however at the first some of the things mentioned might seem to some to be indifferent yet now being prest of necessity as the Ordinances of God they are become Idols and ought to be thrown away and departed from by all that professeth the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the worship of God in the Spirit For the Lord God hath drawn away his presence out of all formal and visible appearance since Antichrist and the false Church hath got them on for a Garment and to cover themselves withall to the deceiving of the Nations And now in this the day of his power hath appeared in a more mysterious and secret and hidden way and in a more spiritual appearance Into this deceit cannot enter nor transform and therefore all Babylons Merchants are angry and Antichrists followers are full of Wrath and the Dragon cast out floods after the heir and her that brings him forth and makes War with her Seed but the Lord is putting on her Beautiful Garments and Marrying her to himself and she shall reign and her Seed who are born of the Spirit when she that sat as a Queen upon the
Waters shall have an end and the Dragon shall be laid hold on and Chained up and the Beast and false Prophet be cast into the Lake for ever Blessed are they who keeps in the Faith and patience till these things be fulfilled their hearts shall rejoyce and their tongue praise the Lord and magnifie him whose throne is established in the Heavens and his Kingdom is over all And although there was a defection from the Faith and practice of the Apostles in the first two hundred years after Christ yet doubtless there were many who lived and died in the Faith and suffered as Martyrs in the time of the great Persecutions by the heathen Emperors and many who could not nor did not sacrifice to their Idols suffered death and under-went cruel torments by the Heathen who were in the Dragons power for the Testimony of a good Conscience for confession of Christ Jesus and although divers of the Bishops of Rome and other places did bring in things which they instituted as matter of worship so people was darkned by them yet in the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors many of them suffered Death and thousands of the Christians besides but deceit crept in by degrees and invented things were brought in by the Leaders of the People but these things that were invented were prest to be observed in their Diocesses and Parishes which they had made and sat down in but there was little compelling yet till the Dragon gave his power to the Beast and it was 650 years before ever the Bishops of Rome did climb up unto their heigth as to claim the title of the Universal Bishop or head of the Church or challenged Supremacy over all Christian Churches yet before this time abundance of Darkness was entred in and the power was much lost and divers innovations were brought in for Ordinances divers of the Jews Ceremonies and divers of their institutions which belonged to the first Priest-hood and these were prest upon the Churches by several leaders or Bishops as Apostolick Ordinances which had no concurrence with the Primitive Church in the firist hundred years after Christ as hereafter may be shewn in diverse things wherein they were Apostatized from the life and Power of God and from the practice of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture and of the Churches planted in the Apostles dayes CHAP. VIII Something concerning the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors of Rome FOR the first three hundred years after Christ who was born in the reign of Augustus Cesar then Emperor of Rome and was rejected and crucified by the Jews in the seventeenth year of the Raign of Tiberius Cesar then Emperor of Rome who Raigned eight years after Christ was crucified when Pilate gave sentences against and delivered to the Jews the said Pilate was banished by the Emperor and afterwards he killed himself in which time Stephen the Martyr was stoned to death by the Jews and the same day Stephen was stoned Dorothees saith Nicanor one of the Deacons suffered with two thousand Christians more in his Raign about this time Paul was converred The next Emperor that succeeded Tiberius Cesar was Cesar Caligula who commanded his Image to be set up in the Temple at Jerusalem to be worshiped as God Herod who Mocked Christ with his souldiers and set him at nought was banished and died miserably he likewise put forth Caiaphas the High Priest and afterwards in the fourth year of his Raign Caligula was slain Claudius Nero succeeded him and Raigned thirteen years a grievous Tyrant and an hater of all good by him was James the Son of Zebedee Martryed and Symon and Pemenius the second of the seven Deacons Martyred and Thomas who Preached to the Medes and Persians was slain with a dart in his Raign about this time Simon Zelotes who Preached in Africa was crucified Andrew and Matthew the one crucified and the other slain with a spear Matthias and Philip the one was crucified and the other stoned to death About the 62. year after Christ James the Son of Alpheus called the Brother of Christ was stoned to death with many more and Mark slain at Alexandria Domitius Nero began his Raign about the sixty seventh year after Christ he Raigned fourteen years Emperour of Rome under him was the first of the ten Romane persecutions he caused the Christians of all ages sects and sorts to suffer he commanded Rome to be set on fire in tewlve places and to avoid the infamy thereof he accused the Christians with it and caused them to be persecuted and put to death and in the latter end of his raign Paul was put to death for the Testimony of the Faith of Christ. In the year sixty nine this Nero was afterwards proclaimed by the Senate of Rome an enemy to all Mankinde and condemned to be drawn through the City and to be whipt to death for fear of which he fled and afterwards slew himself and the Church had rest for a season from persecution after him In the ninety sixth year began Domitian the Emperor to raign who began the second persecution who was a blasphemer against God and an Idolater In his dayes was Simon Bishop of Jerusalem crucified and John the Evangelist Banished into the Isle of Patmos but after the death of Domitian he was released by Pertinax this Domitian the Emperor fearing the coming of Christ again commanded that all that could be found of the stock of David in Jury should be slain and many false accusations was brought against the Christians and the Inquisition was this Swear the truth whether thou art indeed a Christian and if they confessed they were condemned and put to death for that alone Clement succeeded Anaclatus the Bishop of Rome and after him Everistus who was Martyred under Trajanus in the 102. year after Christ. In the Raign of Trajanus the Emperor began the third persecution of the Christians Simon who was said to be Christs Kinsman was Bishop of Jerusalem and Ignatius Bishop of Antioch who suffered Martrydom in the raign of Trajanus in the year 111. with many other of the Christians who were destroyed in this Persecution the Church of Rome was not so highly exalted as afterwards she usurped Authority neither were the Officers thereof nor Bishops so corrupt as afterwards they came to be both in Doctrine and Practice Marcus Antonius Verus began the fourth Persecution in the year 162. in whose time a great number who professed Christ suffered cruel deaths in Asia and in France and other parts amongst whom was Policarpus the Bishop of Smyrna this Persecution continued thirteen years The Church had some rest under the raign of Lucius Antonius Comodus and then the Christians began to wrangle and jangle about the celebration of Easter and about observation of times and Feasts and run into things outward and contended about them and so weakned themselves and hurt one another Alexander Bishop of Rome succeeded Everistus and Telesphorus succeeded him likewise
dayes and Meats and Drinks some Running this way and some that way and forging things upon the Apostles and Churches in Asia saying that John the Disciple gave them an order to observe Easter the fourteenth day of the Month And Rome and the Western parts alledge Peter and Paul for their Author how they left them this tradition both alike true for this came up more by custom then any injunction from the Apostles or tradition either for they condemned such things in their life time and called them beggarly rudiments such as inhabit at Rome they began to make fasts and fasted three weeks before Easter excepting the Saturday and the Sunday Illyricum Greece and Alexandria began their fasting dayes six weeks before Easter and that they call fourty dayes fasting or Lent others begin to fast seven weeks before Easter Yet in all the while they use abstinency but onely fifteen dayes and hath intermission amongst those dayes and yet calls these fourty dayes fasting or Lent so that they disagreed in the time disagreed in the months disagreed in the dayes and times and in the abstinence and contended about these things or for life and death and excommunicating one another and judging one another Hereticks and at last when they got power killed one another and stirred up the Emperours one against another and this in the 350 or 400 years after Christ. And all this fasting was but from some meat as though some had been clean and some unclean some abstained onely from flesh and fed onely upon fish and abstain from all other Creatures others upon fish and fowls of the Air affirming their Original is of the water and so no flesh and others some fasted till nine of the Clock and then eat of divers sorts as they pleased and here was their fast and their Lent about which all this contention and stir all which practices are condemned in the Apostles writings and such ignorance and hypocrisie for the Kingdom of God stands not in meats and drinks and yet the Protestants and them that calls themselves reformed will needs presse these things as holy Institutions when as it is manifest when the Christians in former dayes began to judge one another about these things and strive and bite one another and devoure one another and they lost the power and then Mystery Babylon began to rise these things became her Merchandize and these practices became to be called Christianity which Christ and the Apostles would have been ashamed of And about the Sacrament great contention arose as about the time and the manner some did receive the bread and wine every Sabbath day yet Alexandria and Rome do not use it Yet the Egyptians joyning to Alexandria and the Inhabitants of Thebes they had another order they did receive it when they had banquetted and filled themselves with delicates and then received their Communion and so they judged one another in these things In Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia they baptize only on the Easter holy dayes Likewise in Hellas Jerusalem and Thessalia their service they said with Candle-light likewise in Caesaria Cappadocia and at Cyprus the Priests and Bishops expound the Scripture on the Saturdayes and Sundayes by Candle-light as Socrates saith Lib. 5. In this time it is said the Customes and observations were so many that none was able to find two which did retain one Order of the service At Caesaria in Cappadocia they receive not into communion such as sin after Baptism and even so the Macedonians in Hellespont did the same The Phrygians allow not of two Marriages The Original Authors of so great diversity of services rights and customes were Bishops which governed their Churches at several times and such as do like of such practices have commended them to posterity for Laws and such vain and frivolous Contentions did arise in this age whereby it is manifest the Apostacy from the life and power of God was great and Gods wisdome and the Unity of the Spirit was wanting and Philosophy and customary practise was their chief Foundation And one Bishop exiled another and complained to the Emperors and banished one another and so the sheep was made havock of and starved and scattered and the name of Christ and Christian came to be evil spoken of by the many fractions and contentions that were amongst them But to return to the Bishops of Rome after the raign of Constantine in which persecution ceased many Superstitious Injunctions and Idolatrous practices were set up in the first five hundred years which I shall not much trouble the Reader with further then what is already said But divers other things were brought in afterwards more gross then the former Gregory called the Great the Bishop of Rome of whom it is said of all that went before him he was the basest or worst and of all that came after him he was the best It is he that brought in this Title among the Roman Bishops to be called the servant of Gods servants but by his practise he proved a Lord over Gods servants consciences and over their faith he made an Act that Priests should not marry a wife and he ordained a book called the Service or Letany which goes under the name of Gregories Mass-book to be recived in all Churches After the death of him Fabianus was Bishop who continued scarce 2. years he was the last of the Roman Bishops who had not the Title of universal Bishop or Head of the Church he was the last of sixty five Bishops before the first Pope he died in the year six hundred and five Palagius the first was the 69 Bishop of Rome in the year 355. he ordained that Hereticks and Shismaticks should be punished with temporal death there was 65 Bishops before Boniface the third who was the first Pope and since there hath been 179 Popes Boniface the third who succeeded Fabianus was the first Pope he reigned but one year and did more hurt in that year then Gregory could do in many before he obtained of the Emperour Phocas that he and his Successors after him in the See of Rome above all other Churches should have the preheminence and that the Bishop of Rome should be the head of all the Churches of Christ in Christendom alleadging this frivolous and reasonless reason that Saint Peter had left to Saint Peter his successors in Rome the Keyes of binding and loosing for before this Constantinople Asia and other Churches their Bishops had some stroak and divers times many of the Bishops of Rome were reprehended by the rest but now obtaining this Decree of Phocas he began to take head over all other Churches and this Phocas to aspire to the Empire of Rome he murthered his own Master and Mauritius the Emperour and his Children so Phocas somewhat fearing and willing to have Boniface his favour gratifies him and condescends to all his petitions and grants him to be universal head Bishop over all Christian Churches and there was
the first rise of the Pope But Phocas for his murther was justly rewarded for Heraclius the Emperour cut off his hands and feet and cast him into the Sea but Rome would not so soon loose her supremacy once given as the giver lost his life and ever since that time the Popes have holden defended and maintained the same by all force pollicy and cruelty that possible can be this was in the year 606. And so the Bishop now became Pope his rise was not because of his holiness or righteousness or doctrine or holy practices suitable unto Peter whom he saith he succeeded for his Doctrine and practice Peter had condemned the same things before Boniface was but his rise was by a Heathen Emperor who had Command over a great party at that time and so by the force of his edict he claims authority Vitilianus the eleventh Pope in the year 657 he confirmed that practice which was set up before by some other of the Bishops of Rome that organs should be set up in Churches Paschal in the year 817 was the first that appointed Cardinals to be in number 70. Adrian the third the 47 Pope in the year 884 ordained that the Emperour of Rome from thenceforth should have no more to do with the election or confirmation of the Pope but that it should be left wholly to the Romane Clergy So now that which first gave the Pope power to wit the Emperour he now throws off the yoak and if the Emperour please not him hath stirred up the people to mannage war against him and against divers Princes as may be seen in the histories of latter ages Sergius the third was the first who ordained bearing of Candles in the feast of the purification of Mary thence called Candlemas day Calistine the second in the year 1143 was the first inventer of cursing or anathamizing any who received not his Ordinances with Bell Book and Candle Innocent the third 1198 was the first that brought in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation and imposed auricular confession upon the people Clement the fifth 1350 was the first that sold indulgencies and pardons Sixtus the fourth 1471 brought in the beads to be numbred when they prayed authorized the Ladies psalter Leo the tenth in the year 1553 set Indulgencies and pardons on sale in Germany and France which things caused Luther in Germany and Zunglius amongst the Switzers to write against the Popes Ministers and afterwards questioned many points of the Popish Doctrine upon which the Pope burned Luthers writings and condemned him for an Heretick and Luther burned the Popes Canon Law at Wittenburg and declared the Pope to be a persecutor and a very Antichrist The Inquisition began first in Spain which was set up by the Papists there to terrifie the Moors who had inhabited Spain for 760 years and so long Spain was governed by the Emperour of the Moors in Africa until the year 1492. And after this time the inquisttion began against the Moors which was not so cruel at first as afterwards it began to be against the Protestants and is now accounted the greatest violence and torture and the greatest Tyranny and severest kind of persecution upon the Earth insomuch that many papists abhor the very name and mention of it and to the death withstand the bringing in of this slavery amongst them the extremity and rigor of this inquisition untill the year 1609. in Philip the third King of Spains time notwithstanding though the Moors did make a shew of the Papists Religion because of the Inquisition yet eleven hundred thousand of them was forced to quit the Country it was so dreadful And all these kind of Ordinances and Institutions before mentioned compare them with the Scriptures and the cruelty and severity which hath been exercised towards them who could not receive them none who have their eyes open in any measure but must needs conclude that all this is in the Apostacy and so all who prosess reformation flee from these things and from this Spirit and from this Church who forces and kills all them that oppose who are under his power and why should any plead for the holding up of those practices as good and warrantable when as so many has been killed about them and so many has been led from the life and power of godliness while they received and practised these humane inventions vain and customary traditions for the Doctrine of Christ and for Apostolick Ordinances and must it not needs be concluded them who would tye people up and bind men to observe such and such things as is mentioned before in this book and persecute for not observing that they are they who draws back to perdition and keeps people from laying hold upon eternal life Many more vain practises and Doctrines which have been brought in since the Apostles dayes might be mentioned but in that which is said already the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy both in life doctrine and practise from the Apostles time downward untill now that which is called the Catholick Church in Rome is in it And likewise diverse of them who are separated from her sticks too much in these things because of the custom Tradition and Antiquity of them In part I have shewn their Antiquiry and their rise and also shewn that which is more antient then they from which they have swarved to the intent that all may come out of Babylon and drink no more of the cup nor buy no more of the Merchandize nor wear no more the harlots cognizance nor the false Churches at tire but that all may come to see before this heap of dark confusion and beyond the vain observations which hath been introduced which maketh no man through the observation thereof more acceptable unto God but rather twofold more like children of the wicked one who abode not in the truth CHAP. XIIII Something further of the Decrees and Ordinances of the Church of Rome which are holden out for Apostolical Ordinances POpe Paul about the year 757 condemned the Councel at Constantinople for condemning worshipping of Images he wrote a book of the worshipping and vitility of Images calling them the Laymens Kalendar Pope Adrian about the year 770 cloathed the image of Saint Peter with silver and covered the Altar of Saint Paul with a pall of gold and condemned them for Hereticks who kept Peter and Pauls Doctrine which declared against idols Pope Nicholas about the year 858 enlarged the Popes Decrees equaling them to the writings of the Apostles he decreed that service should be said in Latine And although by the Emperours the Pope was first elected yet now having got head did climb up so high in power and pride and arrogancy endeavoured that no Emperour should be crowned without his leave in Germany And Pope Clement the fifth excommunicated Andronicus Peleologus Emperour of Constantinople as a Heretick because he would not suffer the Greek Church to appeal to
Rome And when any Kings or Princes had displeased him he hath excommunicated them and given away their Kingdomes to some other teaching their people to rebell and also instigating other Princes to make war against them and to kill one another for trifles and if any displeased him he caused many Kings to do penance and to pay great summes of money to get an absolution from excommunication and the Rule and power of the Empire which gave him first his being to be universal Bishop and to be called Pope he hath raised war often against and if he like not the Election of the Emperour he hath deposed them and one he brought into such subjection that he caused him to hold his stirrop a thing that the Emperour was not accustomed with he happened to hold it on the wrong side for which he received a sharp reproof by his holiness Likewise some difference being between Pope Innocent the fourth in the year 1250 and the Emperour Frederick the second the Pope would not be reconciled though the King of France strongly interceded and offered full satisfaction for all pretended wrongs would go out of his Empire if the Pope could not endure him there never to return into Europe again so as that his son with the popes approbation might but succeed him in the Empire which the Pope would not do And how England and diverse Nations hath been troubled with his oppression is well known and what exactions and great sums of mony there hath been enhaused and squeezed out of the Dominions where he had power the Nations well remembers to maintain the pride of his Court at Rome which abounded with all manner of vitiousness in so much that it was grown to that height that Vincentius Clemence the popes Legate said it was now too late and past reforming But to take the Legates own words as follows against his Master the pope and his Court W. H. in his book called a description of England in the 136 page saith thus that this Vincentius Clement in the year 1452 being Legate for the pope was here in England about the popes business and hearing that the Clergy had given the King two tenths for the repaying of his losses which he had sustained in France and for the recovering of Bouâ—deox this Legate Vincentiâ—s coming into the Convocation house he earnestly required the Clergy to be no less favourable to their Spiritual Father the Pope and their Mother the See of Rome then they had been to his vassal and inferiour meaning the King and in his speech in the Convocation he shewed them how that his holiness the pope was much disturbed and in daily danger of his life by cut-throats varlors and harlots which did much abound as he said in Rome but the Clergy in the Convocation slighted his speech and said how should we contribute towards the suppression of such whenas he and such as you continually uphold them I grant saith the Legate that there wanteth just reformation of many things in the City of Rome which would have been made sooner but now it is too late and past reforming nevertheless I beseech you send the Legate to write unto his holiness the Pope to request him that he would abandon and leave that Babyâ—on which is but a sink of mischief and of all ungodlinesse and keep his Court elsewhere in some place of better fame and this is the Legates testimony of the seat of the Mother Church of Rome Besides many of her own Members in England in the year 1245 do manifest what exaction has been upon this Nation as may be seen in a supplication written in the names of the Nobles and Commons of England to Pope Innocent the fourth shewing how many Subsidies and taxes had been levied and sent out of the Râ—alm and how they had been liberally paid they complaining also how he sent Italians and forraigners to possess their Churches and Benefices in England who had no regard of peoples souls and so were no good Shepherds as they said and how the Italians received threescore thousand Marks by the year besides other vails and excises they do reap more rents then the King himself and so when he could not have his subsidies and raise all the sums which he exacted from year to year Pope Innocent perswades the French King to make warre with the King of England for his not condiscending to the pope in all things although he was then one of his sons and of his Church but enough of this it were large to enumerate the actions and cruelties the oppressions which hath been done in that which is called Christendom since the Emperour gave unto the Pope his power and how much idolatry supersttion herâ—sie and Doctrines of Devils hath been spread over the Nations these many hundreds of years and how many have been put to cruel death for not obeying and conforming to the said Doctrines and practices Injunctions and Ordinances and how many he this falle Church hath stirred up to kill one another and destroy one another about these things which hath been put upon people under the name of Divine Authority and holy subjection and Apostolical Institutions by what as iâ— written all may see that these things are in the Apostacy and in the fall in the cuâ—se and in the night of darknesse wherein all this wickedness hath been wrought by the false Church which the Lord God will reward double and dry up her waters under which she sits and make her seat desolate and throw down her pride who hath drunk the blood of the Martyrs and shed the bloud of the Saints and devoured the Lambs of Christ and made merchandize of souls and therefore all who are in part departed from her stay not in the Suburbs but come out of her-City and the Adjacent places thereof that ye be not partakers of the Judgement which is to come upon her But Oh abundance of darkness remains yet in the Nations and even in the Protestant Churches who hold up things yet which was invented by her insomuch that one belonging to the Church of Rome Dionysius Petavius 〈◊〉 Cardinall layes claim to the Ceremonies which were practiced in England in the Bishops time For saith he in his book called the History of the World the Religion of England and Doctrine is Calvinisâ—â— the Doctrine of Geneva but the Ceremonies are of Rome as they were practiced in England in the year 1640. In the time of Leo the fourth Edelwâ—lphus King of England went to Rome for performance of a vow that he had made and was courteously received and accepted by the Pope Leo For which cause he ordained atribute to be paid yearly to the Pope to wit a penny sterling for every house in England that kindled a Fire New Protestants look to your Easter reckonings you have denied the Popes supremacy and yet Vicars and Parsons receives his tribute of every house that kindles a Fire and this stands yet as a good and
their Brethren there was made of necessity also a change of the Law and a disanulling of the Commandment going before Christ Jesus when he had finished his Office upon earth by fulfiling all righteousnes he offered up himself through the eternal spirit sacrifice unto God without spot The Apostles and Ministers who were made partakers of the divine nature and of the word of reconciliation did not look back to the former Ordinances of the first Priesthood but testified an end was put to them witnessed again the Temple wherein the Priests Ministred Paul and likewise Stephen was stoned to death against circumcision saying It was not that of the Flesh and against all the outward ordinances of that Covenant called them carnal preached up Christ Jesus his doctrine the new and living way wch was not manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing they preached freely the ever lasting Gospel and did not desire or require setled maintenance but were Ministred unto only by them who had believed their report were turned to Christ Jesus and were made partakers of spiritual things though they often denied that which was given unto them Here was no Tythes spoken on either to the Jews or Gentiles who believed At Jerusalem and there abouts such was the love and unity of heart among the Saints in the Apostles time that all things were in common none wanted So likewise the Church gathered by Mark at Alexandria in Egypt followed the same practice and the Church at Jerusalem and Philo Judeus saith in many other provinces the Christians lived together in societies In the Church of Antioch Galatie and Corinth the Saints possessed every man his own Estate where the Apostle ordained that a weekly offering should be made of the Saints that every one might offer freely of that which God had blessed him with which was put into the hands of the Deacons of the Churches whereby the poor was relieved and other necessary services were supplied In the next age monthly offrings were made not exacted but freely given as appears plainly by Tertullian in Apologet. chap. 29. where he upbraids the Gentiles with the piety and charity of the Christians he saith Whatsoever we have in the Treasury of our Churches it is not raised by taxation as though we put men to ransom their Religion But every man once a month or when he pleaseth himself gives what he thinks good for no man is compelled but left free to his own descretion and it is not bestowed in vanity but in relieving the poor and for maintenance of poor Children Deffitute of Parents and aged people and such as are cast into Prisons for professing the Christian faith And this way of contribution continued till the great persecution under Maximinian and Dioclesian about the year 304 as Eusebius witnesseth and so doth Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others Also about this time some Land was given to the Church by them that believed and the revenue thereof was distributed as other free gifts were by the Deacons and Elders to the poor for the fore mentioned uses but the Bishops or Ministers medled not with them Origen saith It is not lawful for any Minister to possesse Lands given to the Church to his own use Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250 also testifieth the same sheweth how the Church maintaineth many poor and that her own diet was sparing plain and her expences full of frugality Prosper saith also that a Minister able to live of himself ought not to desire any thing to be given unto him and he that receiveth it doth it not without great sin The Council at Antioch Anno 340 finding that much fault had been among the Deacons to whom it properly belonged to distribute the offerings or free gifts where there was need which they detained for their own covetous ends the Council did ordain that the Bishop might distribute the Goods but required that they took no part thereof to themselves nor to the use of the Priests using the Apostles words having food and rayment be therewith content Chrysostome notes who lived about the year 400 that Christian converts joyned in societies and lived in Common after the example of the former Saints at Jerusalem by whose writings it doth appear that three was not the least mention made of Tythes in that age The Church at this time living altogether by free offerings of Lands Monies and Goods the people were much pressed to bountifull Contributions for holy uses as may be seen in the writings of Hirome and Chrysostome who brought the liberality of the Jews in their payment of Tythes for an example beneath which they would not have Christians determine their charity Chrysostome saith I speak not these things as commanding or forbidding they should give more Yet as thinking it fit they should not give less then the tenth part And Hierome also doth admonish them to bounty and charity towards the poor not binding at all to offer this or that part leaving them to their own Liberty yet pressing them not to be shorter then the Jews in their tenths Ambrose who was Bishop of Milane about the year 400 preached up tenths to be offred up for holy uses as the phrase was then But his Authority he produceth wholly from Moses writings Likewise Augustin Bishop of Hippo joyns and agrees with Ambrose in this thing but from the Law given to Israel take their whole Doctrine and threatned them with great penalties and heavy Judgments from God that did not give their tenths But yet take notice to what end they required them that the poor might not want and saith God hath reserved them for their use So by this time love did grow cold in many and the power of God was much wanting which would have kept the hearts of people open in love and mercy to their members And therefore they were much prest on and threatned by the Bishops to give their tenths Not that the Bishops had any better ground but only the Jewish Law for their foundation and so in process of time this Doctrine came to be received many following the opinion of the antient Fathers yet hitherto it was not laid down as a positive Doctrine to pay them as the Jews did but onely brought the Jews for an example that Christians should not pay less Leo called the great about the year 440 who reigned twenty years he was very earnest in stiring up mens devotion to offer to the Church but speaks not a word of any quantity Severin also 470 stirred up the Christians in Panona to give the tenth to the poor Likewise Gregory not only admonished the payment of Tythes from Moses Law but also the observing of Lent which he reckoned as the tenth of time in the year And this he would have given unto God saying we are Commanded in the Law to give the tenth of all things unto God And thus Ignorance