all with them no not the Pope himself But what if I prove that our Kings at their Coronations have at the same time been ordain'd Clergy-men they are no more excluded then by our Laws from the power of the Keys then Mr. Archdeen or the Pope himself What is Ordination but the ordering designing or setting a Man a part to some office if to the Ministry then there are certain significant Words to that purpose and what more significant words for Ordination to the Priest-hood or making a Man a Clergy man than those the Bishops uses to our Kings namely with Unction Anthems Prayers and Imposition of Hands as is usual in the Ordination of Priests with the same Hymn come Holy Ghost Eternal God c. The Bishop saying also amongst other things Let him obtain favour of the people like Aaron in the Tabernacle Elisha in the water Zacharias in the Temple give him Peters Key of Discipline and Pauls Doctrine Which last Clause was pretermitted in times of Popery from the Coronation of Hen. 6. till Charles 1. and Charles 2d lest it should imply the King to be more a Clergy man and Ecclesiastical Person than these Archdeacons could afford him but our Gracious King Charles 2d and his Father at their Coronations had the antients forms of crowning Kings reviv'd and in the Anointing the Bishop said Let those Hands be Anointed with Holy Oyl as Kings and Prophets have been Anointed and as Samuel c. Then â—he Arch-bishop and Dean of Westminster put the Coif on the King's Head then put upon his Body the Surplice saying this Prayer O God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords c. And surely of old the very Pope himself look't upon our Anointed Kings as Clergymen else why did the Pope make Hen. 2 his Legate De Latere here in England the usual office of the Archbishop of Canterbury usually styled Legati Nati Therefore Mr. Arch-deacon you talk like an unthinking Black-coat stockt with a little superficial Learning when you say our Laws exclude the King from the Keys of the Church to which he has as good right as your D. D. Divinity ship And indeed to give the Man his due he is glad afterwards to confess that Constantine and the Eminent Christian Emperours called Councels and approv'd their Canons Then by your leave dear D. D. They also for the same reason might upon occasion and if they had seen cause also disprove the same who then was Papa of old Pater Pa-trum surely no other but he that is PaPa I mean Paâ—ter Pa-triae All the Male-Administrations in Ecclesia stical Government take their Rise and Original from our Ignorance of the Power of the Keys or who are the Clavigers Key-keepers or Porters to let them in and turn them out of the Church The bulky Clergyman called a Bishop an Ordinary or a Diocesian he we say keeps the Church-Keys he Excommunicats and Excludes Sinners out of the Church and he alone receives them and lets them in but that 's false the sneaking Register and Surrogate do that Job Ay But who entrusted a Bishop alonâ— to be the Church-Porter Door-keeper or Church-key-keeper Where is his Commission Where is his Authority and who gave him this Authority For it is evident in Holy Scripture that God never gave him any such Commission Place Office or Authority to keep the Keys of the Church any more than the Speaker of the House of Commons or Chair-man to a Committee has power to turn out of the House or let in any of his Fellow-Members For does a Bishop differ from another Presbyter more than the Chair-man from the rest of the Committee or he that gives the Rule of the Court at Session differ from the rest of his Brethren and Fellow-Justices he is no better man nor the more learned wise nor more honest a man though he be Ordain'd to be the mouth of them that 's all to to speak what they put into his Mouth The Speaker takes too much upon him to speak the Sense of the House 'till the Majority of Votes has given him Instructions and Commissions to pronounce a Sentence or the Sense of the House or to turn any Member out of the House of Commons he has no such Authority he is the Speaker indeed and is look't upon as the wisest and fittest Man for that place it should be so it is not always so one or other of the Members must be chosen Speaker or Chairman and have precedency for Orderâ—salte and to avoid confusion but he no otherwayes differs from other Members except only that the Honourable Speaker is the Honourable Mouth that 's all after the Members have chosen and ordain'd him and the King has confirm'd him Even so a Bishop has no new Character confer'd upon him more then when he was but a Presbyter or Elder save only the Kings Ordination or Mandate or Conge d' Estire The Eâ—â—ction of the Dean and Chapter is a meeâ— mockery as aforesaid besides the playing with the Edgeâ—ools and mocking of God. Bishops and presbyters used to be chosen just as Parliament Men are chosen by the Majority of the Vows of the people as shall be more particularly proved in the 〈◊〉 in the Chapters concerning Bishops and Ordination Thus Paul and Barnabas were chosen and ordain'd by the whole Church Acts 13.3 Perhaps the chief Church-members laid their Hands upon or ordain'd the Ministers Missioners or Messengers of the Church but the worst Member had as much power and vertue to ordain a Messenger Elder or Bishop as the best Bishop or presbyter if the Majority of Votes had ordain'd and so appointed as is clear from Scripture and the practise of the primitive Church and shall be more particularly insisted upon in the Conclusion of the Chapter of Ordination Ordination What is it more then chusing approving or setting a Man a part for an Office to do business relating to this life or a better I will not say in Church or State or as a Clergy-man or Lay-man for these are idle ungrounded vain and odious names of distinction where God and Holy Scripture never made any such distinction and has not only confounded our notions of things but has been and yet is the cause of most of our Confusions in what Men mischievously distinguish and call Church and State which are not two things nor two distinct Bodies if you make them so you must make two Kings and two distinct Heads to these distinct Bodies and that is one too much And if you make a Clergy-man and a Lay-man two distinct sorts of persons you make a Man that God never made And if so Then Clergy-man I must Catechize you Who made you so God It is false For God in Holy Scripture does not call the Preachers but the Hearers not the Bishops Presbyters and Minister's the Clergy but the Hearers and Flock are God's Clergy 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. The Presbyters which are amongst you I exhort who am also
a Presbyter or Elder or Elderman or Grand Senior no greater name can well be given St. Peter was a Presbyter can there be a greater Disciple of Christ And the Presbyters to whom he preach't and were under him are the same with Bishops and those Presbyters also to whom St. Paul preach't at Ephesus and are called Presbyters in one verse are called Bishops in another and their Auditors or Flock are called the Clergy or God's Heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 How came Cassock men and Lawne-sleev'd-men first to make an Impropriation of this Word Clergy or God's Heritage to themselves forsooth I 'le tell you First it is clear that in all the Holy Scriptures this word Clergy or God's Heritage is never mentioned except in this place 1 Pâ—t 5.3 Secondly It is as clear that the word Clergy or Gods Loâ— belongs as much at least to the Layety as they call them in scorne if not more than to Presbyters or Bishops or Pastors who by another proud word too call themselves Divines for distinction sake from the Flock just as they have rob'd the Layety of their good name Clergy which by God was given to the Layety in Holy Writ Thirdly When the Pope and Bishops made Encroachments and Usurpations upon the Princes and Emperours taking their Dominions into the Church and St. Peters Patrimony then the Pope and Bishops feeling their own strength that they had strength enough of themselves as a distinct Body to go alone then they set up for themselves and made a new and distinct Corporation in the World called The Church The Clergy The Clergy The Lords Spiritual which is a Title absolutely and by Name forbidden as a prophane Name 1 Pet. 5.3 and also in the very next words in the same Verse they are forbid to Rob the people of the good Name of Clergy or God's Heritage because God gave the Flock that Name and Peter charg'd the Bishops as our Saviour did before that they should not be Lords nor Domineer nor exercise Lordship as the Princes of the Gentiles do For there was no such distinction nor prophane Names of distinction as Clergy and Layety Spiritual Lords and Temporal Lords there was but one sort of Clergy the Flock and but one sort of Lords Temporal The Princes or Temporal Lords for it is a Jesuitical Tenet which we practice and an old Popish Tenet and Errour in making Dominion to be Founded in Grace or to talk of Spiritual Lordship quatenus Spiritual Men or Apostles for it is totidem Verbis and by Name forbidden the Apostles I grant that a more Honourable Office or Officer cannot be in Nature than a good Presbyter or Bishop nor can that Holy and Spiritual Office be more debauch't and prophan'd than by making steps of Divinity to mount over all Humanity This is to Rancounter and Ruffle the whole course of Nature and make Heaven a pair of Stairs whither go you so fast To Hell To Hell And the Devil by the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked world contrary to that pretended Vow in Baptism of which a Bishop one would think should make a Conscience Thou that sayst a Man should not Steal saith Paul dost thou Steal and Filch Mâ—ns good Names that God hath given them the Clergy the Church and appropriates them to thy self and thy Coat â—â—le for shame this is a proud and covetous Encroachment taking in the Common by wicked Inclosures forsake the Devil and the Pope the Pompâ— and Vanities of this Wicked World. In the Conclusion I 'le tell thee what Bishop were in the purest and Primitive Times and how much now they are unlike what they ought to be if they have any Conscience or Reason in them but if not they are sit for any thing rather than Bishops Which Honour of Bishop or Presbyter for they are all one or little or no difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Câ—â—â—sosteme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Tim. very little no more than 〈◊〉 betwixt the Honourable Speaker of the House of Commons and the Honourable Members no more if so much But this Honour no Man taketh of himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron where note by the way that he that is called by the Church is said to be called by God or the Holy Ghost as Acts 13.2 3. But how was Aaron called of God By being Ordained High-Priest Who Ordain'd him The Captain the Lay-man as you call him the Prince by Name Moses And why may not Moses or any King or Prince Preach in his own Person and Administer the Church Keys in his own Person as well as Ordain a Deputy or Deputies called Aaron's if he be a Member as surely the Head is the chiefest Member A King Preach You 'le say that would be worth the hearing Yea so it is and does not his Sacred Majesty now Preach publickly once a Week more or less as occasion serves What in the Pulpit as the other King Henry aforesaid What matter is that Whether in the Pulpit or the Throne or the Chair or the Church or the Banqueting-House or Parliament-house The place alters not the Sermon or Speech But he does not Preach an Hour by the Glass No but Preaches more Divinity Wisdom and Sence in a Minute than the best of them do in an Hour that I can Hear and Preaches oftener than the Arch-bishop It is a Thousand times more skill to speak much in sew words than to talk Impertinently a whole Hour Oh! but Preaching is not the Arch-bishop's Province but ruling I thought that Ruling had been only the Kings Province Yea the Arch-bishop is Deputed by the King and Commissionated for the Work. I am glad to hear it he should be so Deputed and Commissionated aâ— other Judges are but he that gives a Deputation may upon Male-administration take it away and if either Arch Bishop Bishop or other Prelate of them all pretend jus Divinum for that prelacy it is not only false but they incurr all of them a Premunire by the Statutes of Provisorâ—s made even in popish times against those bold Intruders and Usurpers upon the Throne nay nay If the Rook or the Bishop can Check-mate the King put them all together in a Bag the Game is at an end What 's the matter with these People that do not know themselves If they do not they must be made to know themselves wherefore else do I bestow all this pains upon them St. Peter after he was an Apostle are these Men more was a Lay-man so were all the Apostles even the 13th too St. Paul Peter said Lo I go a Fishing we also quoth they will go with thee Did they throw their nets with their Cassocks on Or did St. Paul Weave Tent in his Gown If not what Flesh alive would have taken them for Clergy men more than other Fisher-men or Weavers as we foolishly and falsely accept and use the Word Clergy-man In the Old Testament Eli Samuel c. were no more Ministers than Magistrats no
Presbyâ—ery by all whâ—câ— Ceremonies of Kneeling Standing and Laying on of Hands is only meant Pâ—ayers made when they were in that posture now who can Imagin then that the Preiâ—â—â— of a Bishop iâ— more needful than the Presence of the Presbyâ—ers or People except he could Pray more heartly and more Spâ—riâ—ually than the rest Which he uâ—ually was supposed to do because his Worth noâ— his Friends Relations Monâ—y or Kâ—ndâ—ed advanc'â— him in Gospel Times and in the Primitive-Tinâ—s When Timothy was Ordain'd a Bishâ—p the Presbyters only did it except Presbyters and Bishops be only two Names for one person as undoubâ—edly they are after-times did dâ—â—â—inguish them how Only by Pâ—ecâ—dency as the Chair Man of a Commâ—tee the Speaker he that in Sessions gives the Rule of the Court but no better Men nor other Character â—han his other Brethren the Justices or Membâ—rs except for Order sake Precedency And therefore for Order-sake the Bishop with the Presbyters or the Presbyters or in default any Church Member or the whole Church might have Lâ—id on Hands as well as have Prayed at an Ordination thus when the holy Ghost had chosen Paul and Barnabas thâ—y had their Mission from the whole Church Acts 13.2 3. Jeâ—om and Chrysostom agree that there is no difference beâ—wixâ— a Prâ—â—byâ—â—r and Bishop but only Ordination and that was by Custom as the best man not as the sole men he never could Lawfully Ordain but in his own Church and his own Church Members only and by the consent of the rest of the Members for Bishops for Three Hundred Years after Christ had no more Souls in their Diocesses than they were intimately and familiarly acquainted with this makes Chrysostome say that notwithstanding the Custom of a Bishops Presence at Ordination yet betwixt Presbyters and Bishops there was little or no difference Homil. 11. in 1 Tun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very little difference and in Scripture times nothing at all Theopâ—â—lact calls it ferme niâ—il next to nothing namely Precedency but the Church in Scripture or the Faithful Ordain'd as many Bishops as was needful and may not Presbyters Ordain now without a Bishop's Presence as well as of old in Scripture Times or as well as Bishops do Ordain Arch-bishops and Metropolitan's But in Holy Writ if any had the Precedency the Presbyter had it The Presbyter's that are amongst you saith St. Peter I exhort who am also a Presbyter 1 Pet. 5.1 no greater Titles of Honour can be given than what Age and Nature gives thence comes Sieur Monsieur Syre and Sir or Father Maâ—am a diminutive of Dame or dam Madam my dam or Mother and Age being Honourâ—ble the greatest Title of Honour is thence deriv'd Senior Seniore Seignior Gâ—and Seniore in Spanish Italian and Lingua Franka Presbyter amongst the Greeks Elder or Alderman or Earl all is one derivative from Seniority to that if People be Ambitious of a Name Presbyter or Earl Alderman or Earl of the Church is far before Overseer or Bishop whose Diocess was at first no bigger than that he might â—asily Oversee it or see over it now it is Monstrous The burden of a Bishop is so great and the danger greater in Male-administration that 〈◊〉 Hâ—mil ult 23 6. 13 in Heb. 12.17 says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What 〈…〉 for Sours Yâ—â— and at his 〈◊〉 too Does not the Horrid Hazard threaten his Head But what cares some Men for the Thunder of Heaven's Vengeance till it fall upon them they are Stouter than those two Atheistical Emperours Tiberius and Caligula they would Run under Ground in Yaults and Caves when it Thunder'd but some are as unreâ—enring as the High. Priest of Rome called Julius Caesar that notwithstanding that he Reaâ— Divinity Lectuâ— in Rome to the People was the greatest Robber and Murderer in the World and Sacrific'd to his Ambitious and Greedy Rapacity the bravest Câ—mmon wealth that ever the Sun saw but he fell in the height of hâ—s Jâ—liâ—y and to shall all â—erably whose Portion is as they dâ—sire in this 〈◊〉 only In short the difference betwixt Presbyter and Bishop in Holy Writ is nothing at all no not in Ordinations As in Asrica Presbyters did Ordain and so now at this day in Germany France and in the most Prorestant Churches And must we Schismatice from Scripture And from all the Protestants in the World to follow a Custom they got into the Greek Church Fourty Customs they had besiâ—es this contrary to Scripture Customs Chrysostome being a Greek Bishop and Hierom though Writing in Latin yet dwelling and conversing amongst the Greeks but would never make so bold a venture as to be a Bishop in those times so the Fourth Century when the Task was fourty times easier because the Province or Dâ—â—cess was fourty times less nay a Hundred times less than now in England and Wales besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make the most on 't is but per Civitates alongst the Cities which being a Hundred in Creet and the Parisheth 〈◊〉 two Handred and Seven and not a Tenth part Chilmans this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only sillily Construed to make such Havock 〈◊〉 it has both in the State and all true Devotion Yet Men drink Healths to the Prosperity of the Church of England I they mean hereby a good Health to the Protestant Head of the Church and the Protestant Members the only True meaning with all my Heart let it pass Buâ— if by the Church of England they Scandalously mean there by only the great Diocesan's that cannot possibly Watch over Souâ—s excepâ— by 〈◊〉 Faith in the Black Guard of Apparitors Sumners Registerâ— Proctors Canonists Lay-Vâ—cars Vicar-Generals Commissaries Officials Surrogates or I do not know who at the General Randevoâ—z and Head Quarters at Doctors-Commons What an affront is this to the True Protestâ—nt Church of England I grant that the 〈◊〉 have all this whole Ragged Regiment and by the same Names too and for the same Service in their Popish Muster-Roll But God forbid That the Reformed Church of England should signally dâ—ffer from Popish Church Discipline not so much as Nominally and so little really and to purpose that some have only been Starved to Death in a Jâ—yl and many Hundreds and their Families undone whilst the Smith field Fire 's were fierce indeed but the â—ortures did not last long Our Marciful Hands made Men feel Death long and often before that King of Terrors was permitted to end the Pains Oh! blessed Reformaâ—n Yâ—â— you 'le say our Lâ—rany is in English the Mass Litany in Latin and the Saints are omitted and Te Dâ—um is â—ung in English or half Jabbâ—rd over unintelligibly after the firth Leâ—n We praise thee O God We Ackâ—owâ—â—ge thee to be the Lord All the Earth doth worship thee c. All the Earth 〈◊〉 wish it did but in my little Travels I know it is lasse for more than half the Earth are Infidels to old Day There we are out of
very few Glergy-Men or Bishops in England either in or out of the Universities that can shew any Authority of so ancient Standing or of to old a Style and Date as mine Nay we had no Scripture if Writing be not Preaching Besides if I should not thus teach my Ceremony Monger by the Press I could not Admonish him at all for my Pulpit is a narrow place though it stand alost and few Ceremony-Mongers desire to be cured For â—ike men that have filthy old Ulcers on their Legs they hate to be drest before folks they had rather It should Fester than be known There is not one word in the Ordination of Bishops in our Common-Prayer-Book or in Holy Writ that gives a Bishop more Authentick Orders to preach than a Presbyter or Priest only the King 's Maodate makes him the King's Commissioner But in reference to God or the People a Bishop has no better or fresher Character to Teach or Administer the Holy Sacraments than any Presbyter or than himself whilst he was but Presbyter Nor has any King or Parliament Bishop or Synod any Power any lawful Power to silence me for teaching Truth The Character is Indelible when they answer what I have Writ concerning Imprimatur's or Restraint of the Press in my late Speech without Doors they shall hear further from me For no Flesh alive has more Authority than our Lord Jesus and the Apostles had which was for Edification not Destruction to do good not harm to Advance not to Depress Truth to save Mens Lives Liberties and Properties not to destroy But some may object to me that the late King did silence me shut me out of my own Pulpit and banish't me from my House and Home my Self and my Family for three or four years last not only against Law Equity and Conscience but without Law or any Colour Process or Form of Law and yet I submitted in quietness and silence and made no noise in the World nor to the World not so much as Groaning or Complaining but far down silently To which I answer by confessing that it is all of it a great Truth and I was by Arbitrary Power and Oppression to my Damage some hundreds of Pounds thus silenc'd as a foresaid by Will and Pleasure a word from the Court ejected me from my Pulpit and my House but also a word from the Court recall'd me about a month before the Dutch Landed But to whom could I complain To the Throne I did without Remedy for that opprest me To the Righteous God I made my humble Appeal and he heard in Heaven his dwelling Place and laugh'd my Adversaries to scorn yea the Lord has had them in Derision and those that banish'd me from my House without Law and without a Cause are by God's Righteous Hand and Judgment turn'd out of their Houses and Homes and before they went recanted their Oppression towards me but going away in haste his Apostles could not hear me Restitution for the injustice There is a time for all things our Blessed Saviour had â—any things to say but even his Aposties could not hear them sometimes I writ against these Illegal Ceremonies in The Black Non-conformist seven years ago The times would not bear iâ— the Criminals would not hear Pâ—pery Popish-like Ceremonies were Rampanâ— My Soul did weep in seâ—et for their Pride they would not hear the Judgments of God are beginning at the House of God. I 'll now try again perhaps they will now hear But may some say Have a care of Scandalum Magnatum 〈◊〉 a care that your Book be not a Lybel and a Reflection apparent visibly apparent against great Men you might have whispered these things so private to them And have got a box o' th' Ear for my pains you mean by that particular Application whereas now none can be offended justly except his guilty Conscience make him confess that I have hit him home and that he is the Man. But clear Scriptures may some still urge shall not stand for Law in the King's Bench there you must follow the Course of the Court Ay ay I know it has been so but I hope thâ— New-Star Chamher-Court at that end of the Hall will now follow the Fate of that other Old Star-Chamber-Court condemned by 17 Car. 1.10 at the other end of Westminster-Hall For introducing an Arbitrary Power and Government the very words of the said Statute as an intolerable Burthen I will remember indeed that Lord Keeper North in his Speech when he introduc'd the new Lord Chief-Justice what shall I call Scroâ—â—s I think it was told him how easily he might notwithstanding the said Stature of Condemnation resuscitate and reâ—â—ve that old Star-Chamber by a Resurrection more glorious more extensive In the King's-Bench in its Cognizanâ—â— and Juriâ—diction then that old dead and by Statute damn'd Star-Chamber He was too true a Prophet witness their unconscionable unchristian unscriptural and illegal nec salvn tenemâ—nto Fines without Bowels of Compassion making a Man an Offender for a word and then ruine and undo a Man and his House a Man and his Heretage his Liberty his Rstate his Honour and sometime his Life in such an Arbitrary various and disagreeing Way to themselves as well as to Law thaâ— in the late famous Tryal of the Seven Bishops the Bench it self could not agree what was the Law of the Court. They all agreed that the Course of the Court and the Law of the Court were Synonimous one and the Phrase or Paraphrase but what was the Law or Gourse of the Gourt could not be deâ—lded Judge against Judge â—he Bench against the Bar Atturney that was against Atturney that is Soliâ—iter General that was against him that is and the most killing Arguments were Argumenta ad Hominem making the same Tongue in this Tryal Condemn and Eat its own Words in former Tryals viz. before they chang'd Places The Shot flew desperately from the Bâ—r to the Bench dreadfull doings there were however they kept a Pother Richard against Baxter and L' Estraâ—ge against Roger never made such a splutter At length to end the Contest the Wise Chief Justice went to Council and gravely ask'd the Advice of the Attorney Sir Sam but he was puzzled too and was Nonplus'd for the Course of the Law of the Court except for twelve years good Gentleman only by hear-say for sixty yeare more as he was told by an Old Stager that had been twice a Child and no man alive could remember that ever he was a Man In the right Sense the Vacation bâ—twixt the two Terms of Child-hood and Dotage was so very a shorâ— Vacation if any at all I Presume sayes one I presume sayes another I presume violently says a third nay if Presume he the Word then I presume also that in so presuming against Men's Lives and Liberties they were too Presumpruous Therefore do not you tell me of the Course of the Court of King's Bench if you know it you know
or Lord of the first House was wonderfully culminant and strong or else it is imposible that Irregularity and Folly could ever have been so notourly signified If I can erect thy Scheme I do prognosticat thou art in thy Detriment Fall and Azimuth I confess that amongst Dancing masters Rop-dancers Spanials and Monkeyes he is the fairest Candidate for a Reward or Crust that cringes comes over and bends the most nimbly but that men by Illegal and Irrational Capricio's should cherish their hopes so to become Favourites in the Church I do not understand it if I were as supple as the best I can only say as Cicero in his Declamation against Cataline Vivunt imó vivunt in senatum veniunt Oh tempora Oh mores It was a sad time when Father Peter or Madam Portsmouth chose Senators and that a poor Lad should find it out that the readiest Road to get into the Church or to the Steeple and Pinacle is to be like a young Setting-dog that first learns to stoop when he is bidden to nothing there 's hopes of him he 's coming on and may be a right Setting-dog in time and stoop to something CHAP. V. Of Bowing at the Name of Jesu THere is but one of these said Irregular and Illegal and Irrational Ceremonies afore-mentioned that have any colour of Law and that is the Canon for bowing at the Name Jesu but that Canon is nail'd by Scripture and Reason as well as by the Act of Uniformity which enacts great Penalties even Deprivation if any Ceremony monger obstinately persist in the Practise of any Ceremonies except those alone that are contained in the Common-Prayer-Bock of which that same of bowing at the Name of Joshua or Jesu and all their other Bowings and Cringes to the Altar to the East are none at all I protest I wonder at the Ceremony mongers Audacity and Fool-hardness that he still dare to do it in defiance of the Law Reason and Scripture except he think to set the Convocation-House over and above and on the Top of the Parliament-House where it will stand most Totteringly and subject to the Storms Let no man therefore think this Discourse to be bold or over-hold having the Law of God and Man Holy Scriptures and right Reason on my side and can therefore with such great Advantages baffle them all wonder rather at my incorrigible Ceremony-monger that will take no warning till he be forc'd publickly to recant the Schisms and Mischiefs his Noddle has forc'd in the Church of God. The strength of his Mai-Guards like that of Hell and Popery lies all in stopping the several Avenues of Light that none may enter into the Kingdom of Darkness for they hate the Light because their Deeds are Evil and therefore would if they could keep the Keys of the Press doors as well as the Pulpit doors that no glimmering may appear without License Thus the Devil Rages the more because his time is short and Frets and Fumes when you discover his Cloven-Foot especially when he has long been ador'd of which he is most Ambitious as an Angel of Light But Blessed be God that is above the Devil Truth and Light are his Glorious Attributes as Error and Darkness are the properties of Heil And if the Devil were not great in men and greatly strong they would submit to Law and Reason to God and his Holy Writ to the Laws of the Land. Equity and Conscience and not call to the Bevil and the Goaler to help them to wreek their Malice upon Innocent men that only show them their dirty Faces in a Glass God's Will be done I say with Chrysostome to Eudoxia the Empress I fear nothing but Sin and I must Sin except I reprove my Brethren and not suffer Sin upon them for as they have Sinn'd before all 't is sit they should Recant before all And so all of them will except they be past shame and consequently past Grace When Sick Men are deadly Sick and their whole Constitution so Distemper'd and out of Frame that the very Nâ—ble Parts are senseless stupid and past feeling 't is high time to Toll the Bell for them they have not long to live Come then give Glory to God Confess and Recant publickly in the Church where thy Nonsense was committed and defy the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanitles of this wicked World. Oh! but may â—ome say It cannot be deny'd but that your Coremony-Monger is the Fop of all Fops for bowing to the Altar to the East now his Wafer-God is departed buâ— have a care of condemning him when he bows at the Name of Jesu for Holy Scripture the Canon and Right Reason all three are his Vouchers Poor heares And as Solomon says Ye Fools when will ye be wise have not I washâ— theâ—â— â—â—aokâ—morâ—s and to as little purpose long ago For First That 〈◊〉 Philipptans the second At the Name of Jesu every knee shall bow woether in Heaven or Earth c. is no Precept but a Prophesie That the time shall come it is not yet come that the Name of Jesus shall 〈◊〉 above every Name whether Barchochobab the Jews Messias in English the Son of the Star Mehomet Antichrist or any other The thâ—e is not yet come for Jews Tuâ—ks Athlests and Devils do noâ— own the Name of Jesus above every Name whether in Heaven or Earth or Hell or things under the Earth but it shall come at least at the day oâ— Judgment and probably before Besides That Text At the Name of Jesus is depraved and ill 〈◊〉 to say no worse for if I did not revere to cast Dire upon the Asheâ— of the Dead I could name a great favourite-Favourite-Bishop under King Charles the 〈◊〉 that made that Text speak false English to Countenance his â—illy and Fopplsh Warship from that Text for because he could not bring himself and his Silly Worship to the Scripture he as Impudently as Prophanely brought the Scripture to his Whimsey Thus Mahomet pretending to have Faith to remove Mountains told the People his Followers and Musselmen that he would make that great Mountain that stood before him to come down to him at his third Call and therefore most gravely admonished it to come Once Twice Thrice but no Mountain would come whereupon without changing Countenance he said If the Hill will not come to Mahomet Mahomet shall go to the Hiâ—l and so marcht till they met For by that Holy Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Name is meant In the vertue and power of Jâ—us Every 〈◊〉 shall how c. As the Name of the Lord is a stâ—on Power the Righteous shall run to it and 〈◊〉 Prov. 19.10 Noâ— the Letters or sound of Jeâ—ovah not the Tetragrammatâ—n but the Power of God is the Tower not the four Letters or Sound of the Name whither the Righteous run and are safe Besides my Ceremont-Monger does not bow at the Name of Joshua which is the very word Jesu in
fit to come to the Bar and the Body of Physick by Physitians before they are fit to feel the Pulse or be Licensed His Answer is That he trust to his Deacon or Arch-deacon by implicite Faith He believes as the Arch-deacon tells him and that the form and manner of ordaining Deacons Priests and Bishops requires no more well it is well 't is very well answer'd and most Episcopally And why do you Confirm and lay Hands suddenly upon so many ignorant Persons that understand not one Article of Faith nor can so much as say the Creed The answer is The Common-prayer Book requires no more than to believe oy Implicit Faith the fitness of all that the Parish Priest says is fit he must take it for granted and believe as the Priest believes and see with other Mens Eyes but that is the Fault Brother of your Constitution that obliges you no more Work and Inspection than any Mortal can perform Besides where do we read except in the Mass Book and Common-Prayer Book of such a thing in Scripture as Confirmation by a Bishop That Scripture of little Children coming to Christ and he laid his Hands upon them and blessed them is in the Common-Prayer Book apply'd to infant Baptism in the Office of Publick Baptism and most incongruously too for that purpose for Jesus baptized none neither Men Women nor Children but his Disciples did that Nay the great Apostle of the Gentlies went about confirming the Disciples by sound Preaching but he baptized very few one or two or three he confeiles that he did baptize and if he had baptized any more he had forgoâ— therefore he did not make such a business of it in his own Person And as for laying Hands upon any Children or other there is not the least mention of any such Matter How came it then into the Church I 'le tell you Infants being not able to make a Confession or Profession of Faith and Repentance which two are required of all persons before they be baptized as saith the Church of England in her Doctrine Catechistical in the Common-Prayer Book and so said St. Augustine but I believe neither of them But because that Infants by reason of their tender Age cannot perform them therefore they do perform thâ— by Proxy 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 because the Sureties do promise a wise Reason for â—ises may be broken they shall perform both Faith and Repentance when they come to Age. Ay! Here 's a wise Reason for a Learned Church and enough to make all Rational Men that have not lost their Reason be Anabaptists or at least like Witches to deny their Baptism so Infancy For all Promises and Vowes are either broken or kept but the Promises and Vowes of God-fathers and God-mothers in infant Baptism are seldom or never kept but are broken Vows and broken Bonds and Promises The Sureties Promise and Vow that the poor Insolvent Child that cannot speak for it self shall when it can hear for Faith comes by hearing have Faith and when it can speak and gets Wit then it shall have Grace to confess and repent But suppose the Child live to have Wit enough to be a Ceremony-monger Had ever any Man or Woman of them the Grace to confess recant and repent And then the Promise of the Sureties is not worth more than some Lord's Promise nor worth a Farthing Again suppose the Child prove Deaf or Dumb or a Fool the Sureties Vow they do not know what nay if it live to be hang'd as many are for Thieves Witches Murderers Hlow is the God-fathers and Godmothers Vow and Promise perform'd when they vow'd and promised for poor Child in Baptism that it should forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh 2dly They vow and promise that Child shall believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith do they not break their Vow If poor Child prove to be a sceptick a Hobbist or an Athlest 3dly They vow that the poor Child shall keep God's Holy Will and Commandment and walk in the same all the days of its Life Do they not break their Vow if poor Child for whom they swore a solemn Vow and Promise in the presence of God being an Oath happen to turn Apostate Papist Mahometan or Infidel are not the Sureties all forsworn And though they be or be not there 's the mischief no good can possibly come of it but that which is lucumbent upon Parents and which Sureties seldom or never mind namely Christian Education and if so they should not Swear and Vow in the Child's Name that the Child does or shall believe and repent It is enough to promise good Education if the God-fathers and God-mothers be barren or old and past Children in such case it is enough to 〈◊〉 kind and careful of another Man's Child But if they have Children of their own or likely to have any it is too much because Charity should begin at Home And therefore the said Vow and Promise is but usually like the common Discourse of Hectors and Bullies I swear and Vow they cry on all Occasions when they intend nothing by Vowing and Swearing but forswearing and adding a Lye to the Promise and Vow First Then the Sureties promise that which no honest Man can honestly promise who makes Conscience of a Vow because he promises that which is impossible for him to perform Secondly If the Insolvent Child be bound by Sureties and good Bayl if he leave them in the lurch he wrongs them not he gave them no such Commission Power Deputation Authority or Request to promise and vow in his Name And therefore that talk of a Vow in Baptism it non-sense idle and vain How can a Man break a Vow or a Bond that he never made but his Sureties made it in his behalf Ay without his order knowledge care or desire How is Child concern'd therein any more than other Children in the World I have to hear Non-sense much more to preach it except I were sure I was to preach to none but Fops that swallow every thing that the Priest puts in their Mouth like the Wafer God without chewing Thirdly Suppose another Man's Faith or Repentance that has enough of both for his own Salvation and also Merits called Works of Supererogation by the Papists to spare heaped up and running over which the Saints departed St. Bridget St. Winifred St. Francis St. Ignatius Loyola St. Coleman c. has left at their Departure as a last Legacy to the Pope as the Papists hold Faith and Repentance enough to save all the Whores and Rogues in the World to whom the Pope gives no Sells to any that has Money and is willing to Buy If Works of Supererogation be true it is the first Market I would make I had rather buy Heaven than a Knight-hood or a Bishopâ—ick But suppose the Fool and his Money be soon parted and a Man get nothing
Burden so much too heavy for any single Shoulder that they are forc'd to perform the great Acts of a Bishop in Ordinations Confirmations Excommunications Absolutions c. only by Foppish as well as Popish like Implicite Faith seeing with other Mens Eyes and hearing with other Mens Ears that it is no wonder that they err so often Oh! but the Wages then must be divided as well as the Work Flesh and Blood cannot bear this Doctrine No it cannot therefore Flesh and Blood cannot enter neither into the Kingdom of Heaven But a Bishop of all others ought not to consult with Flesh and Blood and self-Interest which above all things in the World does bribe Mens Judgments that they cannot because they will not give their Assent and Consent to so great a Truth King Charles I. was tenaciously in love with Bishops as now in England constituted even to death so great was his Opinionatree in the Case â—nd yet he says they were not Bishops Jure Divino by Divine Right and yet neither contra Jus Divinum But I think quite contrary viz. that â—here is nothing in Scripture more plain than that Bishops are Jure divino and nothing more plain than that the Bishops in Engâ—and now constituted are contrary absolutely contrary to Jus Diviâ—um or Divine Right so far as they act like Novices in Implicite Faith Tim. 3.3 A Bishop must neither be a Novice nor given to filthy â—ucre For any Bâ—y-Bishop any ignorant and unlearned Bishop is as â—ood as the best in those Acts of Implicite Faith any Novice can see â—ith other Mens Eyes and hear with other Mens Ears any Novice can and the greater Novice the fitter too believe as others believe without any other Reason Therefore since the Holy Scripture says a Bishop ought not to be a Novice if he be a Novice that sees but by Implicite Faith then tell me count them if you can How many Novices have we in England that do all their greatest Acts by Implicite Faith This is as bold a Stroke you 'l say as ever was and yet not a jot too bold to strike at so Grand so Poppish so Popish a Folly as Implicite Faith by which it must be granted and cannot be denied our protestant Bishops do all their mighty Businesses and is the cause of such a contemptible and ignorant Glergy ill grounded Excommunications and Absolutions and â—apias's thereupon and such unscriptural irrational and Blind Confirmations perswading the Ignorant that they are fit to receive the other Sacrament of of the Lord's Supper when they know nothing of the Creed and sometimes were never listed or matriculated into Mother-Church by the Initiating Ordinance of Baptism But that is the Fault of the Person not of the Constitution If that were true it might be amended but it is false for it is not the Fault of the Person only but the Fault of the Constitution which obliges no Bishop in his Office and performance of these great Episcopal Acts but only to the knowledge of a Novice or implicite Faith. Nay if our Constitution did oblige him it would oblige him to Impossibilities for his Work is more than any Mortal can perform in propriâ personâ and the great charge of Souls which he takes upon him more terrible if his Conscience be awake or not brib'd with the Wages it must be sensible that no Plety Parts or Prudence can possibly discharge except as now by implicite Faith which any Bay aâ— Child aâ— Nevice can perform as well as the best It was Covetousness therefore and Ambition that first made Bishopricks so large for the sake of making all the Bishops Lands therein one Man's Monopoly and also made Bishops Consciences so large as to gape and swallow all the relishing Bit was so gustful and grateful to a greedy Gut but from the beginning it was not so Now every County must have a Bishop nay sometimes two or three or four Counties will scarcely hold one great Bishop nay to them too must be added sometimes a Rich Deanery Is it not strange that a Bishop should be a Deacon again for the Mony sake and a Parson again by Commendum for the sake of some bulky Parsonage like Wiggin in Lancashire in Commendum held by Dr. Cartwright Bishop of Chester now advanc'd to be a non-such Protestant Reader in Popish France and Curat to a Popish Prince in the Protestant Chappel in the Castle of Merli And I am perswaded they will have the Grace to blush if it do not also make their heartsake before I have done at the horrible Burthen they have undertaken which the Shoulders of the strongest and ablest Apostles of Christ never did or durst renture to take upon themselves no Mortal ever did or can discharge it but in this Novice way by Proxy or blind Implicite Faith God in his Mercy forgive them they know not what they do Philippi nay Jerusalem a little scanty City not so big and populous as Colchester by half and yet had several Bishops at a time therein Philip 1.1 To all the Saints which art at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons How many Bishops of London at this rate must there needs be in London not to mention the three Counties of Hartford Essex and Middlesex into the bargain Ay but the House of Lords will not hold so many Bishops No I grant There are Bishops â—now there already as some have laid and angerly grudge that we Clergy-men who are as much represented in the House of Commons as any Commoners in England and make as great a bustle at an Election of Members to get Men for our turn should also be represented in the other House which no other Commoners are and that my Lords the Bishops are tried by their Peers that is by their Equals Commoners but the Lords are Conciliarii Nati It is part of their Inheritance to be the King's Councellors and a Seat in the House of Lords is part of their Estate and State. But such Men talk like those that say that we had English Parliaments before Bishops and Abbots sat in the House of Lords and many Statutes the Judges say are good Law tho made in several Parliaments excluso Clere the Lord-Bishops and Lord-Abbots being shut out of Doors and not permitted into the House of Lords nay the Lord Abbots that had as good and as antient Right to sit in the House of Lords as Lord-Bishops are Long ago and to this day excluded Notwithstanding my known Devotion to my Lords the Bishops I confess I have not skill enough to answer such Reasons and Records It behoves them that have more wit and are more concern'd than I to give this a Rational Answer I consels my Ignorance but my Devotion to them is well enough known And I cannot deny but that the Bookish-men as my Lords are bred and usually Fellows of Colledges by that state they take upon them in the Colledge all but themselves going bare to them if they do but
Synod ep l. 2. c. 8. for not being contented with small Bishopricks and no bigger than a Bishop might superintend in his own person If Rapin be no sin It was never â— good World since â—he Clergy and Layety drove on two several Interests and two Bodies distinct and made the Church one thing and the State another If the Clergy endeavour to keep the people in subjection and under their Girdle Canonical by Impositions Canons and Acts of Uniformity endeavouring to Lord it over God's Heritage the Layety no wonder that they strugle for life and liberty and that the Feuds and Animosities betwixt them are Immortal but they would die cease and decease If Clergy-men studied to restore sinners and erroneous persons in the spirit of meekness Ay but the obstinate will not so be restored then let him alone perhaps he knows more than thou dost that art his Teacher However to his own Master he standeth or falleth and thou by giving him Warning hast deliver'd thy Soul as to matters of Faith and Opinion but as to evil works that is the Magistrates Province and care to correct and punish But if we cannot fright our Parishoners they will not care a Pin for us No you should say they do not care for you nor love you because you are such Scare-crows and Bug bears that would be If they fear you only they 'l never love you Do but labour diligently in the Word and Doctrine and fear not but that all good men will give thee of all men living as the Apostle says double honour which is due to a Ruling Elder much more to the Ministers â—hat labour in the Word and Doctrine though with us quite contrary to Scripture The Ruling Elder or Bishop is the man of double Honouâ— amongst us and the Pastor or Teaching Elder must â—carce keep his Harâ—on in the presence of the great Ruling Bishop to whoâ— the Apostle indeed commands us to give double honour but more especially to the Ministers or Pastors that Labour in the Word and Doctrine Those are the most honourable the most reverend Jure divino if you believe the holy Scriptures But Fops mind chiefly who speaks not whaâ— is spoken if it be the word of a Lord It is with them more valued and obey'd than the Word of the LORD These are unjust and corrupt Judges but I will not punish them if I had power as King Cambyses did one of his unjust Judges of the Kings-Bench viz. pull'd his Skin over his Ears stufâ— it with Straw and there Hung my Gentleman over the Bench in terrorem that other Tresylians might learn to beware of undermining the chief Pillar of any Government the Fundamental Laws Since therefore to give a Ruling Elder or Bishop more honour than a Paster or a good Preacher is expresly against holy Writ as aforesaid look you to that but that great Scripture which they bring to prove that every City had a Bishop and but one Bishop and every Bishop had but one City you see by what has been said both these assertions are sufficiently prov'd to be false though we had no other instance than in Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Greet to ordain Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greet is an Island that 〈…〉 a hundred Cities and was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Reign of Leosophus the Emperor and Anno 880. there were but Twelve Bishops but all that time why should we imagine that they were all Christians when the third great City of the Empire Antioch where Disciples were first called Christians and bigger than any City except Rome and Alexandria yet had no more Christians in is than one Church will hold Acts 13.44 Nay Jerusalem where our Lord was Crucified had so few Christians fourty years after at the destruction thereof that all the Christians being warned by God to depart did depart to Pella a poor little Village says Eusebius lib. 3. c. 5. held them all But we will take it for granted that Titus ordain'd in every City in the Island of Creet a Bishop namely a hundred And which is not at all likely that all were Christians for till Constantines time one Church held all the Christians in Rome and one great Church in Alexandria held all the Christians there as their Bishop Athanasius gives an account in his Epistle to Constantius the Son of Constanine yet Heylin in his Cosmeg p. 263 says There are in Creet but two hundred and seven Parishes then by that account the great Bishops will get but a Plurality two Parishes for their Diocesses And ever since that Bishops first Monopoliz'd so many Parishes all under their Ecclesiastical Government There has been no Ecclesiastical Government at all but a meer Anarchy and confusion as at this day and has been the occasion of setting up so many Independent Churches to the care of themselves and one another for whom the Ruling Bishop could not poisibly take care Eâ—grossing all Government we have none at all but some silly face of it in a poor surrogate and Register that minds little else than to singer the Pence and shear the poor Clergy and Church-Wardens twice a year in Visitations c. Deliver your Purse Poor Sheep escape better than we they are clipt but once a year and the Master that seeds them has the Wool but they that shear us poor Lambs take our Wool but seed us not they have it for nothing and their great Revenues will not satisfie but as I said in my naked truth It is not a sin for a rich man to rob the Spittle Let such hard hearted Clergy-men who have such exceeding many Flocks and Herds read their Neck Verse 2 Sam. 12.5 6. In Nathan's Parable of the Lamb and the Sentence And David's anger was greatly Kindled against the man and he said to Nathan As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die and he shall restore the Lamb four fold because he did this thing and because he had no pity And what do they visit for To see that all be Uniform Pish it is not to be done they themselves are not Uniform nor their Cathedral Worship Uniform with one another nor with Countrey Churches nor with the Act of Uniformity And what harm So all things be done decently and in order it needs not by order of Uniformity Nay Pope Gregory the 〈◊〉 Six hundred years after Christ commends variety of Usages In unâ fide nibil officit Sanctae Ecclesiae diversa consuetudo Let them show us one such Diocesan Bishop as we have got in England In the best and purest Times or one Bishop that ever durst pretend to Govern the Church by Implicite Faith in others for the first three hundred years or any thing like it In holy Scriptures or any reason for it or any possibility to discharge that heavy charge And I 'le strike out Avarice and Ambition as the