be the better for it or else they would not do it nay they think it to be no Church till it be done for till then there is in it no preaching at least no administring of Sacraments yet both they administer in private Houses Other things there are as churching of Women after the Jewish Way of Purification as we keep a Day about it for the blessed Virgin which God never required at our Hands nor she ever desired but all is our Fancy after the Pattern of Popery there are also the private Communion private Baptism Burial of the Dead at Sea there was also a Form about healing or touching for the King 's Evil a Popish Foppery too but now quite out all which we omit speaking to having things enough besides to discourse upon so we must proceed to a second general Head namely the Discipline of the Church Of Church-Government THUS having spoken of Ceremonies we must now say something of the Government of the Church which is much after that of Rome Triplicat art whitak cap. 9. Hierarch Anachrys lib. 2. pag. 45. in the manner of Hierarcy by Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deans and Chapters then Chancellours Commissaries Officials c. These have been the Steps for Popes to ascend upon that Throne of Iniquity which they now sit upon these are of Man's Invention whether or not the Design was good I shall not dispute but certainly it hath proved fatal Staplet and Scalting Two of the great Champions of Rome both highly commend and in it do much approve of our Constitution and Practice Those Offices in the Church which are of God's Institution we have them named in Scripture Eph. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.28 God gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers The Apostles were universal Preachers of the Gospel immediately called by Christ who wrought Miracles and were infallible in Doctrine The Prophets did interpret and expound Scriptures by a Divine Light having the Gift of Tongues and of things to come The Evangelists were the Writers of the History of the Gospel inspired of God or else Preachers of the Gospel called by the Apostles and attended on them in their Journeys Pastors also called Bishops that is Overseers were Ministers settled in certain Churches to teach and govern them The Doctors or Teachers were Successors of Prophets whose Office it was to explain Scriptures and vindicate them from the Errours of Hereticks The Apostles instituted Elders or Presbyters for that 's the true Signification of the Word who also are called Bishops though not always some being only to rule the Church others also to preach Men chosen by the Church endued with Gifts and Authority above others who with the Pastors took care of the publick Doctrine administred Ecclesiastical Discipline and in the Churches Name were taken up with the Vocation of Ministers Acts 6. There were also Deacons to take care of the poor to visit the sick to maintain Hospitality and sometimes to preach the Word These are all the Offices in the Church we have in the Word of God for all are reduced under these Heads No Lord Pastour and Ministerial Pastour no Bishop of Bishop or Arch-bishop that is Prince Bishop no Deacon of Deacon or Archdeacon This is contrary to the Rule of Christ so expresly forbidding his Disciples to affect any thing of Dominion or Superiority of one over another and indeed those Offices named in that to the Ephesians are sufficient for the Church as 't is said in the 12th Verse for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ All besides this is of a Humane Superstructure Rectors Curates Vicars c. are Names Things and Limbs of the Roman Church most of the hyerarchical Officers are not for these good Ends. Now Bishops which answer to Watchmen Pastors Ezech. 23.27 and Elders in God's Word are but for one and the same Office We see it clearly out of that place of Scripture where 't is written how St. Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to come to him to Miletus in the Charge he giveth them he saith Act. 20.17 82. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God In this Text we have the three Names given to the same Persons those he sent for and speaks to are called Elders God made them Overseers v. 17. for that 's the Sgnification of the Word in the Original and what in other places of Scripture is translated Bishops is here rendered by the Word Overseers though in the Greek the Word be the very same and amongst the Translators was debated whether or not in this Place it should be Englished by the Word Bishop but upon Consideration that it might prejudice the Difference they make between Bishop and Pastor or Elder they made use of the Word Overseer which could not be taken notice of by those that understand no Greek this by the by then these Elders of the Church of Ephesus the Holy Ghost had made Bishops them he charged to seed the Church and do the Office of Pastors so that in the 28th Verse Pastors and Bishops are but one and the same and here by the way I shall make this general Observation how in the Exposition of a Text three things are chiefly to be taken notice of first The true Signification of the Word in the Original secondly The Scope of the Author in the Place Thirdly The Analogy of Faith and Relation to other Places of Scripture The first I have spoken of the second here is a Charge of St. Paul for those Elders to perform their Duty of overseeing and feeding their Flock 1 Pet. 5.1 2. which St. Peter asserts also to be the Duty of Elders whereof he owns himself to be one The third is the Analogy of this Place with others as that which Paul writes to Titus For this cause I lest thee in Greet that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 6 7. If any be blameless c. for a Bishop must be blameless In the 5 Verse he calls Elders and in the 7. Bishops the same Persons This is the divine Bishop of a divine Institution for as to the Diocesian Bishop 't is but an Humane and Prudential Institution and there is no such thing known in Scripture as it appears out of that Place to the Philippians St. Paul directs the Epistle to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi Chap. 1.1 with the Bishops and Deacons out of which Place after Jerome we may say that Philippi is one Town in Macedonia and as now Bishops are reckoned there is but one not many of one Town or City but here are Bishops of the plural Number of Philippi therefore the Pastors and Elders of the Place are meaned which also
without naming of Wheat Rye c. or French Spanish or Rhenish Wines c. but Kneeling at the Sacrament Bowing towards the Altar Cross and Surplice are not so in general appointed Moses and the Lord Jesus were compared in Faithfulness in all God's House Heb. 3.2 their Faithfulness equal because they both did that which was Commanded them of God however if it were God's revealed Will that more immediate means of Worship had been instituted in the Christian Church more then Christ hath instituted who was appointed to ordain the means of Worship under the New Testament as Moses was under the Old and Moses gave all such Rules of Worship under the Old Testament which God would have it followeth that the Faithfulness of Christ was not so extended to all the necessities of the Church as Moses's was which is meer Blasphemy Wherefore we must agree that the Lord Jesus appointed all necessary things for the being and well-being of his Church so there is nothing left for Men to add unto it and let those who pretend to an Authority to make Additions have a care what they do for this is to bring strange fire into the House of God and let them remember the Crime and Punishment of Nadab and Abihu Now God will suffer unpunished Inventions of Men in his Worship no more then he would allow them of strange Fire and the reason of this terrible Judgment given in the Text is which he commanded them not Levit. 10.1 So that in this case what is not commanded is forbidden and to do any thing without a Precept is an heinous sin Thus we need no other reason against all these Ceremonies Additions and Humane Inventions then this God hath not commanded them The words of one of our Doctors upon the place are observable Bishop Babington We may hence learn and settle in our hearts with what severity the Lord challengeth and defendeth his Authority in laying down the manner and way of his Worship not leaving it to any Creature to meddle with but according to Prescription and Appointment from him content he is that Men shall make Laws for Humane Matters c. But for his Divine Worship he only will prescribe it himself and what he appointed that must be done and that only or else Nadab and Abihu their Punishment must be expected that is God's Wrath in such a manner as he shall please These Words are full when God threatned Judah for building the high places of Tophet he saith Jer. 7.31 which I commanded them not He makes a high Aggravation to the Sin because in matter of Worship nothing is to be done without his express Commandment so that which is without and besides the Word is against it Of this Nature are their double and significant Rites which no meer Order and Decency doth necessarily require but only the meer Will of Men but we mean it not of every particular Rite belonging to Order and Decency which are besides the particular Determination of Scripture Concerning the Altar to be made unto the Lord Exod. 20.24 25. he prescribed the matter of Earth or of Stone and the manner too not to have the Stone hewen Deut. 27.5 6. 1 Jos 8.31 or to have Steps to go up to it What may some say if we may not conveniently make it with Earth or Stone we will make it of something else as Bricks it will still be an Altar to offer Sacrifices only to the Lord and shall be wholly dedicated to his Service Thus man's corrupt Reason is apt to speak and is pleased with its Notion but to know how heinously God takes it let us hear God himself Isa 65.3 a People that provoketh me to Anger continually to my Face That burneth Incense upon Altars of Brick There is an End when Men will pretend to be wiser than God It is strange but true how the Foolishness of man would be wiser than the Wisdom of God as if we would take upon us to outwit him God thinks such and such ways are best but men know of better some had as good as to say we like not what God prescribed we our selves know better than so even in those things that belong to his Worship Did the most notorious Idolaters ever proceed to a higher Degree of Presumption than this is They that go so far would go farther if they could they who take upon them to make Additions or Alterations in his Service would prescribe the whole too and may be at last order his actings and perhaps meddle with his own Nature for indeed by the same reason they meddle with one they might do so with the other yet when God speaks the whole Earth should be silent and hold their peace Yet some will not but as it were would be prescribing and make in his house new Laws contrary to or at least different from those he hath enacted To shew how pragmatical and peremptory our Nature is in such things let the Case of Naaman the Syrian 2 Kings 5. a great Man with his Master honorable and a mighty Man in Valour be observed he comes to the Prophet Elisha to be cured of his Leprosie one would think that coming so far to a Doctor he should take the Doctor 's Advice who bids him go to and wash in Jordan seven times but thereupon that great man is very angry and goes away what saith he I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the Name of the Lord his God and strike his Hand over the Place and recover the Leper All this very plausible to Human Sense and Reason for a man who looks upon Abana and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Israel and may be he had never been cured if God had not put it into the Hearts of his Servants to speak to him If the Prophet had bid thee to do some great thing wouldest thou not have done it He despised the Plainness and Simplicity of the Remedy yet it proved a true one So though the plain Worship free from Ceremonies instituted of God be the right one yet some look for things of a great Pomp and Shew but they are worse than Naaman was for he upon the Voice of his Servants obeyed the Word of the Prophet but these will not hearken to the Word of God let him speak never so plainly by the Mouth of his Servants they will take no Warnings but rather follow their own ways It were well if that People who have so great a mind to be meddling with a legislative and institutive Power in the Church would consider this there is no such thing no such Ceremony either done or instituted by Christ therefore let us not think our selves wiser than he or his Apostles De Sacram. Commonpeople saith Dr. Whitaker are not to be taught with Ceremonies God hath given the Scriptures that out of them they might receive necessary Instruction
all the Papists keep for her when alas I defie them all together to prove any of those Days to be the Day which they keep it for so then they are kept at a Venture What shall we say of the Names of Rogations Ember Week and so many more to be found in our Prayer-book which are the Quintessence of Popish Superstitious Holy Days What I say is not in Relation to the civil Part of those Names but as to the Spiritual as they are brought into the Church But they will say we keep not all such Dayes there is only a certain Number mentioned after the Kalender but I ask wherefore then do you set them down yet there are Mornings and Evenings first and second Lessons for the very Day which I make no doubt are read where Service is every Day In the same Kalender we find the fasts as well as Feasts and those Fasts are always upon the Eves of certain Holy Days which are many only I find St. Mark and St. Luke have none whilest All Saints have wherein a Partiality appeareth we have Good Friday Holy Thursday no better nor holier than another whole Lent c. But this matter of Feasts and Fasts I have spoken of before Upon the first of May is the Feast by Papists dedicated to Philip and James but we are so fond of the Latin Tongue that because Jacobus is the Latin for James in the Payer-book 't is called Jacob and not James I know no other Reason why it should be so only because it hath a greater Affinity to the Latin the Latin Church we still retain a Kindness for After the Kalender are certain Notes belonging to it whereof one is that the 13th Chapter of Daniel is to be read until such Words The Book of Daniel hath but 12. Chapters in all and must the History of Susanna against which as an Apocrypha are lawful Exceptions be fathered upon that holy Prophet and be inserted into his Book as a Chapter of it In the Morning and Evening Prayers when the general Confession is read by the Minister it were well for the People within themselves or with a very low Voice to follow him but so loud as usually it is is not pertinent but makes a Noise and Confusion for the same Reason the Answers that follow the Lord's Prayer which indeed have very little Relation if any at all with what goeth before or what followeth In Prayer the Minister is the Mouth of the People to God and the People with their Hearts are to joyn with the Minister in his Prayer as with Reverence and Attention they ought to hear when he is God's Mouth to them that is when he preacheth I might take notice of what is said there of singing the Lesson in plain Tune to sing the Collect Epistle and Gospel which are very improper things So of their Benedicite Magnificat Nunc dimittis which I suppose might admit of English Names of which I shall speak hereafter as for the Answers at the latter End they contain good Expressions but ill applied without a Connexion between themselves all after the Romish way which 't is to be wished we had not so much of as we have we could well enough be without it as without those Portions of Apocryphas when we are wanting something for Instruction Comfort and Edification which the Word of God may supply us with 'T is not enough to sing our Prayers but our Creed and Confession of Faith must also be sung as ordered in the Evening Prayer upon some certain great Days therein named We grant that 't is well to have those several things in Verses to use them however herein Men ought not to allow themselves oto much Liberty for the Word of God ought always to be handled with a great Respect and Reverence the Tone of our Voice ought to be adapted to the Matter and the Occasion according to that Rule of St. James Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted Let him pray is any merry Let him sing Psalms Prayer and Singing are different Duties to be used upon several Occasions as are Affliction and Mirth Before I proceed farther one thing I must take notice of which to me seems unaccountable that is the using of the Word Priest in our Prayer-book In the two Places I quoted before Ephes 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 whereunto we may joyn Rom 12 the Apostle mentioneth the several Offices belonging to the Church but there is no sign either of the Name or of the Office of a Priest under the Law there were some because Sacrifices were to be made but under the Gospel no Sacrifice but of Prayer and Praise we have the Eucharisty or Commemoration of our Lord and Saviour's Sacrifice upon the Cross but that 's good for Papists to have Priests who pretend daily to make an Expiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the Living and of the Dead but we abhor such a thing at least pretend to do so We say we abolish the thing and yet retain the Name the Name of Minister is in Scripture known in this Sence 1 Cor. 44.1 Let a Man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God The Names Bishop Pastor and Elder are known in Scripture but if they think the Word Minister below them which I charitably believe they do not because sometimes though seldom they use it then they may use the Word Elder or Presbyter which is the Greek for Elder 1 Pet. 5.1 Presbyter as St. Peter calls himself and Presbytery are Scripture Names signifying Office in the Church but there is a great Difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter and a Priest which is the proper Signification of the last as Heb. 5.6 so then the Word Priest is fetched afar off and there is no such Office in the Christian Church As to the Litany the same may be said by the People at the same time with the Minister but with a low Voice and not not after and separately they do it after the manner of the Kirie Eleison used by Papists here the People not the Minister make the Prayer for they and not he say Spare us good Lord Good Lord deliver us We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. When 't is said from Fornication and all other deadly Sin the Word deadly doth favour the Popish erroneous Distinction of Mortal and Venial Sins They hold but seven Mortal Sins whereof Fornication is one but they hold there are Sins of their Nature not mortal and which do not deserve Death which is contrary to the whole Course of Scripture Ezech. 18.20 Rom. 6.23 which saith expresly the Soul that sinneth it shall die and the Wages of Sin is Death This may easily be mended with changing the Word deadly into any of these gross horrid enormeous or such like which to deny is certainly to refuse Peace upon easie Terms to
are Breeders of to give them their due they are the Burthens of the Church the Blemish of God's Ordinances the Scourge of good Preachers the Brood and Hopes of Popery the rejoycing of the Prophane the Grievance of the Good and the Seed of Dissention so then it is an unwarrantable Presumption to bring them in the Case can be no better illustrated than with the Parable in the Gospel where the Lord Jesus is said to be like a Man taking a far Journey Mark 13.34 who left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his Work and commanded the Porter to watch The Church we must understand to be his House where we observe no Authority but that which is given and no Work but that which is left and over these the Porters must watch that no other Authority be intruded nor other Work be done To this belongs what St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 10.13 We will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the Measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us It would be very strange if during the Absence of the Lord and Master of a House some of the Servants would introduce other Rules and other Works to be done than what he commanded to be observed If such Attempts be so odious and against Rule and Reason in worldly things what must it be in God's House Thus much I could not forbear taking notice of in my way now we return to our Evidences Peter Martyr comes next who though a Divinity Professor at Oxford yet was a Forreigner born he adviseth the Ministers of Poland to keep such Order in the Administration of Sacraments as differeth most from the Toys and Ceremonies of Papists and if from the Heart we hated Superstition certainly we would do our Endeavour clean to put out and deface all the Footsteps and Monuments thereof Further he saith there is somewhat more hard I confess of those Garments they call holy and which somewhat troubleth me that I wonder they are so strictly retained and he himself refuseth to wear the Surplice for he saith when I was at Oxford I would never use those white Garments in the Quire though at that time I were a Canon I had no reason for it but that wich then moved and doth still move me and perhaps may justly move you is how that is not to be done which shall confirm what my Conscience cannot allow of and those things he calleth meer Relicks of Popery The Wirtemburg Confession saith it is not lawful either to restore the old Ceremonies of the Law or to devise new ones to shadow forth the Truth already laid open or brought to light by the Gospel as in the Day-light to set up Candles to signifie the Light of the Gospel or to carry Banners or Crosses to signifie the Victory of Christ thorough his Cross 'T is added no mystical Rites which carry some Mystery or Signification in them though not otherwise impious as namely such as should be Parts of God's Doctrine or kind of Sacraments but only because such Laws as belong to Order and Decency are lawful But why any longer to stand upon some particular Evidences we have with us a whole Cloud of Witnesses for beyond Sea Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bullinger to whom some Letters from Lady Jane Grey are to be seen at Zurich Danaeus Sadeel Chemnitius Zesperus Mullerus Chamier Musculus c. besides some we named before and all I shall conclude with several Passages of that excellent Epistle a purpose and by Order from the Elector Palatine by Zanchius written to Queen Elizabeth which doth begin thus Most Gracious and most Christian Queen We have not without Grief understood that the Fire of Contention about certain Garments which we thought had been quenched long ago is now again to the incredible Offence of the Godly as it were arised from Hell and kindled afresh in your Majesties Kingdom and that the Occasion of this Fire is because your gracious Majesty being perswaded by some otherwise great Men and carried with a Zeal but certainly not according to Knowledge to retain Unity in Religion hath now more than ever before resolved yea doth command that all Bishops and Ministers of the Church shall in Divine Service put on the white and linnen Garments which the popish Priests now use in Popery to the perpetual Disgrace of your renowned Majesty which thing being so I see not how your gracious Majesty can with good Conscience propound again the Garments in Question and other things of that kind smelling as yet of popish Superstition and once banished out of the Churches to be taken on again and therefore all things are to be called back as much as may be to the Rule of God and to the Former and Apostolical and to the more pure and simple Form of Religion Finally if as the Apostle commandeth we are to abstain not only from all Evil but from all Appearance of Evil to what End I beseech you most Renowned and most Godly Queen should those things be brought in again into the Church of God by the Prince's Commandments which are contrary to the Gravity of the Apostolical Worship which smell of the popish Superstition which do not serve to the Edification of the Godly nor to Order nor for Ornament except that which is whorish which lastly can bring no Profit but on the contrary many Evils to the Church c For though they be not evil or unclean in their Nature yet because of the former and late Abuse they are not altogether free from Uncleanness certainly it cannot be denied but that at least they will give Occasions of many Evils and very grievous Superstitions now the very Occasions also of Evils are to be avoided This is to tempt God We ought most Religious Queen to have nothing to do with the Papists in matter of Religion save in those things which they have common with the Apostles Why I beseech you were some things otherwise Godly reproved and blamed in Scripture that they had not taken away Temples and Churches for Divine Service in the Mountains or high places which were built by holy Fathers before the building of the Temple Now which is the better to follow the Godly Simplicity of the Apostles or the ungodly Pomp of Papists This recalling of such popish Garments will be a greater Evil then peradventure it may be seen even to the very wise Men at the first Sight therefore to recal these stinking Garments and other Rubbish of the Popish Church into the Church of Christ at this time what is it but to give Papists an occasion and the best that may be to confirm and harden themselves and theirs in their Superstitions and also to help them therein And who knoweth not that these Garments are a Part of the Houshold Stuff of the Romish Seducer and to bring them into the Church of Christ What is it else but to provoke God to Anger and