are to bee esteemed vaineglorious teachers though their mouths even runne over whith all manner of art eloquence and learning And as for those that preach any thing which God hath not commaunded or perswade to conforme to any thing which is not grounded on the scriptures from these words of Saint Peter wee may safely esteeme them whether they speake elegantly or rudely but fabulous fellowes and Deceiueable doctors in taking vpon them like young masters or old Rabbies to teach defend or maintaine any thing in Gods worship which Christ the sole Doctor of all thinges whatsoeuer of Religious vse and which his Churches vpon any cause and in any respect may conform vnto neuer commanded taught or in the scriptures published or so much as once mentioned by precept or president yea obserue them wel and take heed of them these are the teachers of false Christs for they may as well teach that here is Christ or loe he is there as presse Christians to coÌ„forme to this ceremonie or that gesture of religious use in the publicke worship of God which Christ neither here nor there nor any where ever taught or in any degree or respect commanded so that if you heare any preachers teahing things with great zeale and learning which are not the direct commandements of Christ or grounded plainly in the evidence of the spirit upon the unerring rocke of the sacred Scripture I will not deny but such may speake in the power of a Spirit but certainly not of Gods Spirit For he even the Spirit of truth teaches nothing of himselfe though he be the very fountaine of all truth but onely what he hath heard in the word of the Father not that he needs any instructer or direction but that the most glorius and blessed Trinitie as the sole and onely way to preserue all true Churches or congregations in holy and heavenly unitie hath tied himselfe as it were or covenanted that though there be many other things of most admirable excellencie yet to require conformitie to nothing but those things which are written in the scriptures seeing they are fully and perfectlie sufficient unto faith or beliefe and therefore unto all manner of godlinesse the fruits of faith and so to eternall life the end or reward of faith through his name If any man therfore undertake to teach the Churches of Christ let him speake as the words of God and not as the cannons and precepts of men do enioyne for as God is glorified by those so is hee much dishonoured by these yea though they speak the wisdom of this world which the great ones Commend the learned approue and all doe generallie admire for the kingdom of God or preaching consists not in word in phrases in elegancie of speach excellencie of uttrance or in any other endowments of Art nature but in the evidence of the spirit of power when the cosciences of the hearers by the right handling of the word shall bee wrought upoÌ„ by making manifest the verie secrets of their hearts and so enforced to humble their souls and worship God and confesse not that great learning or reading is in the preacher but plainlie that God is in that ministerie indeed because it casteth down and doth not lift up as the word or doctrine of men doth because their manner of teaching is meerly carnall euen such as is approved by men but not warranted by the word strong holds or the Imaginations and Inventions of men which in a high degree do exalt themselves against the knowledge of God even against those doctrines of ceremonies callings gestures which God hath made known in the word and set mens thoughts and consciences at libertie from the obedience of Christ according to the scriptures concerning these things onelie under pretence of not being forbidden and so by their conformitie to that which Christ hath not commanded doe most strongly repaire and fortifie tâ—ose strong holds of humane devices concerning voluntary religions or ceremonies which the Lord by all meanes labours as being the greatest hinderers of the peace of his kingdome and fosterers of his rebellious enemies to haue utterlie ruinated yea and as Christ hath ordained to sanctifie and cleanse his Church by the obedience of faith which is the true conformitie of the doctrines of the word so these men by pressing conformitie to ceremonies callings and gestures which haue no warrant in the word do directly intimate though they pretend the cleane contrarie that their religion is but a doctrine of the tongue and not of the reformation of the life For if they subscribe and haue understanding of the heauenly doctrines and be able to retaine them in memorie and so at a trice can discourse or reason of them then are they absolutely qualified and excellent Divines though they make no conscience of that which they know and professe further then they see cause so indeed do most beastly pollute and by plain intimation both of their doctrine and life perswade their hearers to defile the Church of Christ and to take away the beautie glorie of it which is to be free froÌ„ human inventions to fill it with all horrible spots and wrinkles of worldly traditions that so it may never be holy but full of blame Are you not ashamed you deceitfull guides to cast abroad these firebrands and mortall insinuations in your lectures sermons or writings coÌ„versations and yet protest you meane no hurt is not your fiery heat in these courses a fained madnes or doe you make any more conscience thereof then of your play or sporte Yea say they our purpose in so doing is to do much good for we teach presse that in this conformitie which we so perswade unto every one should come with a good honest heart to perform these actions gestures withal for that is it which the Lord requires yea hee will passe by much infirmitie where he findes true sinceritie So that belike if men seem to haue good affections that shall be sufficient warraÌ„t to iustifie any strange or vncommanded gesture or ceremonie in the publicke worship of God yea though it be never so wickd at least in appearance and Idolatrous an action yet if they meane well and beleeue as the Church beleeues that these things are indifferent and lawfull or not forbidden all shall be exceeding well and what I pray you if the Iewes with good and honest hartes even sincerely purposing and verely intending to winne them vnto God do marrie wyues of Ashdod Amon and Moab dare you say these mariages are lawfull or can their Children euer possibly for all this good meaning speake the language of Canaan sincerely or trewly no verely though you charge them vpon paine of death to prepare them selues therevnto neuer so hartely yet doe you but presse them to a thing impossible be not wiser then God least it
things wherein there is any appearance or likenesse of evill ye 〈…〉 forme to nothing be it gesture action or ceremony in Gods publicke worship if it be not the commandement of Christ which hath any resemblance of Idolatry in it though the Idolatry it selfe be sent packing for verily such inventions haue in them though purified never so often an Idolatheous disposition Haue you no fellowship therefore with them and so I pray that the peace of God may be with you all that are in Christ Iesus Now unto him that is able to keepe you that you fall not in these times of triall and to present you faultlesse before the presence of of his glory with ioyes unspeakeable and glorious even to God onely wise bee glory and maiesty dominion and power both now and for evermore Amen T. D. CERTAIN REASONS OF APRIVATE Christian against Conformitie to keeling in the very act of Receiving the Lords Supper THE Eternall sonne of God our blessed Lord spake alwaies to his church euen from the beginning and directed all his seruants for their manner of worship as well outward as inward even to the fathers before the flood to the Patriarks Prophetts and holy men of God after and this he did in diuers and sundry manners but now since his comming in the flesh he hath tyed all Churches and all persons that desire to haue eternall life to the sole direction of his word which is his owne and onely personall voyce and doth testifie of him whatsoever is profitable for the Church to conforme vnto either for doctrine or gouernment or for whatsoeuer else that is any way or in any degree helpfull vnto godlinesse for this and this onely is the immortall seede or the seede of immortalitie all other doctrins for any Religious vses raised els where are meerly mortall or seeds of death and therefore vtterly vncapable of any good vse in the publicke worship of God Seing then we must wholy and onely depend vpon the scriptures for direction in all the actions of Gods publick worship which are to be conformed unto let us in these controversies about kneeling in the very act of receaving the Lords supper whatsoever else is in question being of Religious use diligently give heed to the things wee haue heard and learned therein being truely or evidently grounded thereon and by no means approove in any degree of any thing else for that will make us one time or other in one thing or other to run out and fall from our first love yea doe what possibly we can to decline scatter Harken therefore to that which the Lord Iesus himselfe did purposely speake in this his own voice concerning this very point I thanke thee ô father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise hast opened or as Luk renders it revealed them to babes euen so father because it so pleased thee VVhence he gives all his â—ervants plainly to understand that all the wit learning discretion experience and Iudgement in the whole world is not possibly able to find out the mysteries of Religion or to determine with what ceremonies actions gestures Gods publick worship service is to be performed no though they be Rabbies Doctors or the most absolute teachers in Israel but that this is a speciall peculiar priviledge or grace treasured up in the word and reserved purposely for such persons as will dig and search for it and rather desire and labor to have dominion over all their known corruptions and so to bee glorious within then to exercise any outward glorious pompous domination in the world for those that rest them selves and depend on Gods holy own ordinances shall have their hearts or understanding thereby opened or inlightned so made able to know the hope of their calling the riches of the glorious inheritance of the saints the exceeding greatnes of Gods power towards al which beleeue but those that depend upon the wisdom and learning of men can not possibly attain hereunto because Gods own ordinances though they do enjoy them yet are not esteemed of them further then the excelleÌ„cy of the outward gifts therin give coÌ„tent to their senses for though they heare yet they will not do or obey all such bee they never so wise and learned are in the flesh and therefore cannot possibly please God but those in whom the Spirit of God doth dwell shal be enlightned and made able to discerne all things which the other though of never so great learning most admirable parts having even the very spirit of the world in them can not do because they have but mans wisdom that perceiveth not the things of God nay they are foolishnes unto him here therefore for distinction sake and that every one might iudge his own heart whether he be of that number to whom God hath revealed these things or no our Saviour cals them Babes not in sanctification of life and power of Gods spirit but in their sence feeling being privy to their manifold weaknesses ignorances therfore in all humblenes of mind and meeknes of spirit they renounce their owne wisedom and submit themselves to the word of God as also being in the accompt esteeme of the world when they are compared with those that be contrary minded no better then very Babes even base contemptible persons not worthy so much as to carry their books after them yet these are the people and thus must they find themselves quallified men women or children whom Christ hath chosen to Reveale his holy and divine mysteries unto So that howsoever learning and wisdom are highly to bee reverenced as being very excellent gifts of God ordeyned for special helps in the ministerie of the Church both for the finding out of the truth also for the deviding of it aright therefore they that despise them cannot bee of God yet many times men of Belial doe enjoy them even false Prophets profane preachers who are many of them of most excellent parts so that from this place it is most evident that very often and not unusually learned and wise grave and understanding men yea famous and of principall note even Chiefe Rulers and principall pillars in the Churches of Christ having as much in them for all manner of learning in humanity in divinitie and in whatsoever as nature and industrie can possibly attaine unto are notwithstanding all this more then this if more can be teachers defenders maintainers of many grosse and horrible errors yea vise and damnable heresies which yet Babes do separate and fly from if any be pleased to restraine these words of Christ to the doctrines of faith and IustificatioÌ„ though every branch haue intrest in the priviledges of the tree I wil not contend about it but onely presuming on their patience be bould
of Christ are to be esteemed even the least of them in their degree meere workes of Darknes must it not needs followe even by infinite degrees that much more it is horrible iniquite to conform to or vse idle words or gestures not comely in the most special presence of our most holy God even when wee are at his owne holy table and is not euerie thing Rash hastie Idle uncomely which is not warranted by the word of God must not the heart be prepared before the body or any part thereof can bring forth any word action or gesture which is good and can the heart possibly bee prepared any way but by conforming to the spirit of God according to the scriptures yea is not every other conformitie parcell of that Evill treasure Incertainty therefore and Novelty are very evill yea most deadly corruptions and being thus iustified in the publick worship of God will corrupt and eate into all the civill procedings of the state whatsoever If then it bee subiect to his non fuit sic ab initio though it be of never so great antiquity yea therin may be coryval with the real presence and though the ordeyners thereof and pleaders for it had all the wit and learning of whole universities and the most absolute wisdom of a nationall Synode yet hee that could not erre hath adjudged it to bee a meare Novilty was it not so from the beginning of the sacrament did this gesture or these ceremonies creepe into the worship of God after the Apostolicall times mentioned in the scripture then with out all question though all the learned men in the whole world hold it and them lawfull yet it is a Novelty and they meere and idle Incerteinties for nullum tempus occurrit Regi wherefore as our said soveraine Lord and most learned King sayd to the grave and learned Iudges of the land Remember you are no makers of law but interpreters of the Law according to the true sence thereof even so I beseech al godly pastors and learned divines if they sincerely desire to build up the house of God and not to breake down the carved work thereof with axes and hammers bee pleased to remember that they are not to make rules or lawes cannons or constitutions in the Churches of Christ to bind the Consciences of Christians withall but onely to interprete and divide the word of God aright being the onely Cannon and sole rule of the Conscience and that not after this fathers or that Counsels opinion or Iudgement or the practise of later or more ancient Churches but according to the true sence of the spirit alwayes and onely evident in the scriptures And is it the Kings office to protect and settle the true interpretation of the law of God within his Dominions oh blessed and for ever blessed shall such bee then questionles will our Lord and master the great King of heaven and earth protect all those that stand for the true interpretation thereof and are readie to conforme to any thing that is evidently grounded thereon and refuse not conformity unto anithing but what is not warranted thereby Therefore brethren all that seeke the Lord with upright and honest hearts let them in these cases of Controversie not Runne into this or that Corner or country after an old Rabbie or a new Doctor but goe directly and plainly to the Law and to the testimonie for resolution truely given by the word of God doth onely bind the consciences of men And all Fathers or Counsels Doctors or Canons how Ancient and universall soever which Command or perswade to Conforme to any thing in Gods worship of Religious use and do not speake according to this word it is most certain they have no light in them But here my Lord indifferents light horsmen offer a light skirmish and say that these things not being forbidden in the word Christians have liberty to use or not to use as they think good or as the magistrate is pleased to command No saith the holy Ghost whosoever speaks not according to the word that is according to the doctrine of the word or practise of the Church mentioned in and approved by the word there is verily nothing but darknes in them for Christ is that light even the whole and onely light of the whole universall Church and is not the light of his word in these things which are so pressed and urged then whosoever followes or conforms unto them walks in darknes even as those that conforme to any thing truely grounded on the word follow Christ and so do not walk in darknes Is not his light of the word then but the darknes of mans wisdom and humane learning onely in these things then verily is the Prince of darknes strongly and most firmely for them oh how fearefull if he prevail which the Lord of light forbid must needs that darknes be and who dare conforme therunto will the pretence of not being forbidden shift off these things If therefore your pastors cannot make it appeare that the things which they perswade you to conform unto are according to the word of God you are bound in conscience not to yeeld unto them because you may not have any kind of fellowship with any actions gestures or other works which have no light but Darknes in them and all things are made manifest onely by the light of the word lykewise you know that Jesus Christ is that faithfull and true witnesse we may more falsely depend on his Testimony then on all the fathers and Counsels Cannons and Doctors in the whole world But they say that all these do sweare directly that kneeling even as it is vrged and so all things els in controuersie is both lawfull and Convenient but what saith that vneerring witnes heere our aduersaries reply that as he saith nothing for the gesture so he hath not one word against it or any of the rest I demand then whether this gesture be a true gesture or a lying gesture they must needs say a true gesture or els they shame all but can it possibly be so and that faithful and true wittnes never gaue any kind of testimony vnto it and wee haue a direct comandement to heare him in all things not in doctrines of faith only but in doctrins of gestures and ceremonies also yea in whatsoeuer is in any degree of religious vse do not stumble at the next wordes for they are all plain to him that will vnderstand for wherein consists the faithfullnes of Christ his Testimony but in revealing or making knowne all things concerning faith or gouernmēt gestures or ceremonis yea whatsoeuer the father would haue the Churches at any time in his worship and service to conforme vnto but to vse onely his owne wordes All things that I haue heard of my father I haue made knowne vnto you but he made knowne unto them that a
determines that is good and pleaseth God but look what he doth not approve though he doe not forbid it God will never accept it so that now by their own Doome we must go to Christ in this so hard a controversie to know which callings and ceremonies are lawfull in the administration of the Church and which gesture in the act of receiving the Lords supper is unlawfull or wicked and every soul that will not harken and be obedient unto him in these and all other things wee confes ought to be cut off destroyed out of the people as well as he that speakes in the name of other Gods or which is all one presumeth to speake a word in the name of the Lord which hee never commanded him to speake that is which teacheth the lawfulnesse of Conformity to some things of divine or religious use in the publicke worship of God which the Lord never commanded Doth not this full charged Canon most evidently threaten utter and unavoydable destruction to him that desperately or presumptuously without warrant from Gods word will come in the very mouth of it to assault the Cittie or sanctuarie of our God by pressing conformity to ceremonies and actions callings gestures of religious use in the worship of God which the Lord never commanded Here they are pleased to come to parlee would fain perswade vs that there shall be a final peace cōcluded and to that end a truce is taken and afterwards yea diuers times renewed till spying some speciall advantage which they wil neuer ouerslip they presently pyke quarrells at some thing publickly taught or privatly practised pretending forsooth that it is a violent and most dangerous breach of the peace of holy Church and then by some stratageme wherein they are admirable by one devise or other they put out by prefermēt the eyes of some most iudicious cut out the learned tongues of other by suspension and the rest that will not winke and be as mute as fishes shall be certainly cast into darke and noysome dungeons or into the deepe and dangerous seas or exposed to a thowsand other miseries as wofull and verie late experience doth manifestly testifie therfore what hope is there of all their faire offers yet that the world may take notice that wee desire peace vpon any outward terms whatsoeuer though neuer so vnequall or preiudiciall so that wee may hold our inward peace with God we do most reuerently respectiuely yeeld them audience Now they being well acquainted through their continuall experience with our resolution and being privie to their owne consciences that they are not able to stand before us if the cause come once to be tried by the Scriptures yet beeing very unwilling that the world should take notice hereof they make solemne protestation that they are most ready to referre the censure of this cause in question unto Christ himselfe And therefore having submitted themselues unto him according to the Fathers appointment they doe most diligently attend unto every word hee hath spoken and search everie sillable examine euerie letter yea and try everie root by the very originall and yet cannot finde as they offer to sweare upon all the books in the world that he hath forbidden kneeling no not as it is urged in the very act of receiving the Lords supper in any place of holy Scripture nor any other of the things in controversie and therefore conclude that we may very lawfully and being commanded ought most readily or else we sinne greevoussy if wee refuse to conforme thereunto This had been a verie prettie and wittie shift in a yong sophister and in controversies of their element tollerable if not commendable but beeing in the holy matters of the eternall God shifts and trickes of wit subtill evasions and nice distinctions are in matters I say of religious use but like the wittie excuses of the whoorish woman in the close carriage of her most filthie practises and therefore I will even referre it to the Lords owne censure and for answer do say that it is most true that all that do sincerely desire to take away evil from Israel or the Church must of necessitie take away all knowne presumptuous offenders either in the civill or Ecclesiasticall estate whether they be Hearers or Teachers For if they teach urge that which the Lord never cōmanded or is not warranted by the Scriptures and yet hold that for these and those politicke considerations it may upon such and such tearmes or limitations be conformed unto they speake in the name of other Gods even that golden God Pollicie not that there is any intendment in pressing conformitie to humane inventions in Gods worship to draw any from beleeving in the true everliving God but that the Lord that made mans heart and therefore knowes what means are best to reforme it hath ordeyned in the second commandement and the branches thereof the most absolute and effectuall means which in his wisdom hee saw to bee best for the holy Ghost to work in and by and with for the effecting of this new creation or regeneration of the heart unto which only as I may say he hath entailed by his faithfull covenant the effectuall working of his spirit for that very end purpose As therefore those that maintaine and teach these things purely and unmixed doe set up the Lord to be their God and by their holy partaking of them they may be assured of his love and favour even to be sealed up against the day of redemptiō so they that do not tye themselues precisely hereunto do verily serve other Gods and have no promise of any grace but what the Devill whose power onely doth work where the Lords is wanting can bestow upon them because they do not serve the true God described in the first commandement for either he is God in every commandement or in no commandement therefore to teach the doctrine of the first commandement never so soundly and purely and to corrupt the doctrine of the second cōmandement which concernes all things in the publick worship of God needfull in any respect for being or well being of the Churches of God by enioyning any Novelty or Incerteinty meere Inventions and devises of men is directly to teach in the name of other Gods and seeing the Lord never made promise to bee in such a worship no more then hee hath done to the devotions of the Turks and Indians I would faine see a sound reason How any of good Indgement and sincere hearts knowing the unwarrantablenes of these things dare conforme in any respect unto them but rather to subscribe that they that will take evill away from Israel must of absolute necessity take order that all such proud Prophets or ambitious preachers and all such profane and presumptuous hearers as dare teach and will coform to mens inventions be not fined in thousands or perpetually imprisoned but utterly deprived not only of their
he taught as one having authority not as the learned Scribes which he shewed in opening the sence and meaning of the holy Ghost deliuering fit doctrines and making profitable uses and applications from the word so that he spake to the hearts and consciences of his hearers in the power of his ministerie which they doe not who teach the precepts of men but speak only to the ears of their hearers yet alwayes the motives that he used to perswade thē to conformity was not these things are not forbidden or they are the traditiōs of our godlie Elders or they are most fitting this state and present government or it is the pleasure of the civill magistrate or the Church Rulers hold it meet though indeed divers learned men at that verie time used such kind of arguments in their ministerie and teaching for that subscription which they required but his Doctrine which hee preached and the things he urged and pressed was not his own but his that sent him it was not of his humane Invention which yet was a great deall freer from errour then all the fathers and 〈…〉 cels in the world but onelie such as 〈◊〉 that sent him to preach and teach the glad tydings of salvation was the authour of As whereas some might object unto him these are thine own speaches and in the pulpit you haue libertie to say what you list and to gird at whom you please make it playn to our capacities how we may know who is of God and who is sent of the Devill for thou and the Scribes and Pharisees teach both of you verie learnedlie and zealously but in verie manie things especially in the ceremonies and callings actions and gestures of Religious use in the publick worship of God directlie contrarie one against the other and therefore most certaine that both of you cannot possiblie be of God he therefore giues them a playn and an unerring Rule whereby the simplest in a congregation may discerne which preacher teaches the doctrine that comes from God and which speaks onely from men or the deuill first do the will of God get a good and an honest heart free from preiudice and profanesse readie to doe whatsoeuer the Lord requires of thee in generall as thou art a Christian or in particular as thou art a magistrate or subiect minister or hearer husband or wife parent or child master or seruant bond or free old or young rich or poore maried or single or of what condition soeuer for els if thou haue neuer so much wit learning vnderstanding discretion hast not respect vnto all his cōmandemēts though thou feare and reuerence the faithfull ministers of God yea heare them gladly and reforme thy selfe in doing many things which they make plaine to thy conscience is not the will of God yet if thou wilt not captivare thy Iudgment and subdue thy will and affections to be obedient vnto all that God requires it is impossible for thee to discerne the truth or to be preserued from error but if thou wilt be sincere which is Euangelicall perfection free thy heart from hypocrisie and be that thou wouldest seeme to be then if thou wouldest know indeed which preachers are worthy of double honour and which deserue shame contempt looke not at their spruce neatnesse in their attire or excellencie of gifs or degrees of learning for herein perhaps there will appeare no great difference both being graue wise and understanding men but hee that is sent of God seeketh his glory that sent him Yea but which is that the same is true you shall never heare him presse or teach novelties or incerteinties but onely such things as are plainlie grounded on the word of trueth whatsoever they concern faith or government godlinesse or ceremonies yea there is no unrighteousnesse in him nor any unrighteous inference in his ministerie but Christians may most safelie commit their souls to such a one even to depend upon his ministerie as a most powerfull means ordeined by God to bring them to salvation the other seeks his own glory that is a foule fault and he is a very prowd fellow I warrant him what shew soever he make but how may we take true notice of him he speaketh of himselfe and seeketh his own glory his manner of preaching is in one kind or other verie vaine glorious using all possible means though in some verie covertly to set forth himselfe and to make known his great reading or Iudgment his wit art and understanding in all manners or kinds of deepe learning and true schollership and therefore he comes in Excellencie of words and studies most painfullie and carefullie for such Intising speeches wittie and well ordred sayings pleasing passages pithy sentences and elegant phrases even whatsoeuer might ravish the hearers and by the admiration of the excellencie of his gifts and exquisitnesse of his Art might so prevaile that their faith might be in the wisedom of men even to beleeve onely so much as flesh and blood can disclose a man by nature may perceive which kind of preaching with words and manner of handling which mans wisdom teacheth makes the crosse of Christ of none effect and when excellencie or grace of words is more affected then the dignitie or worthinesse of the matter which is intreated then are their sermons beautified with most glorions speeches wherein the focre and power of eloquence doth shew it selfe to allure and delight the hearers but he that is sent of God labours and striues to speake in such words and phrases seeme they never so plaine base or contemptible wherein the power of God may bee made manifest to the consciences of their hearers honour and reverence such but it is most dangerous to commit thy soul unto and to depend upon the ministerie of the other though he be as great a scholler and as wise a man as is in all the World These courses therefore all those that desire to use their talents profitablie in the ministerie of the Church must purposely avoid even as they would the golden legend or like Deceiveable fables not but that those to whom God hath given a beautifull forme of speaking may use it as well as they that have comely shape or fairefaces but as they that bee black must not paint themselues so preachers may not affect oratorie to the eare but to the heart nor yet that rude and grosse phrases are the onely powerfull manner of speaking but that every one is to use that gift which God hath given him to the edification of his auditorie which consists in delivering the sence plainly in the evidence of the spirit and applying it powerfully to the conscience and this deuiding the word aright that euerie one may haue his portion seasonably ought to be studied for and affected of all faithfull ministers not a painted or pensild maner of speaking But those that scorn this māner of handling the word
a spirit in man and therefore it may bee that some are called spirituall men yet we should allwayes find this to be true in all controversies o◠proceedings about matters of Religious nature not many such how excellent soever much lesse the greatest part of them though most wise after the flesh no though their counsell in their dayes be esteemed as free from error as the oracle of God are notwithstanding chosen of God to doe any speciall good to his Churches or servants for indeed though their titles be spirituall yet their wayes and courses doe plainly testifie that their hearts are Carnall and fleshly and therefore they do not savour the things of Gods spirit no they seeme meere foolishnesse unto them because indeed they are spiritually discerned therfore they esteem them verie fooles and asses that will loose a good living rather then conforme to mens Inventions in Gods worship thus doe they assume that sufficiencie to themselues which is wholy of God Almightie whose inspiration onely giveth understanding especially in all matters of Religious use and yet will these aspiring spirits presume to set the H. Ghost to schoole most presumptuously reade large lectures of discretion unto him in his servants because they will not conforme without his direct warrant pretending that there is great truth no lies in the things they presse and yet cannot possiblie proue them to bee commanded of God as all trueth necessarie for the Church to conforme unto is as though if there were any kind of truth in them the holy Ghost would not lead and direct us therein and least they should put this off as a peculiar promise to the Apostles he hath purposely by precept and practise expresly in all such occasions tied us absolutely to the Scriptures you haue done foolishlie therefore in this O yee reverend and learned men that ye◠haue not rested on the word of the Lord in these thing in controversie which you so eagerly presse conformitie unto but as it were upon the hoast of the Aramits on the Ancient fathers general counsels and canons humane reason and the learning and wisdom of the world heare therefore the word of the Lord henceforth you shall haue wars one or other shall set upō your ceremonies all other your humane inventions and never giue that argument over till all ordinances in the Church which God hath not planted by the authoritie of the Scriptures bee utterlie rooted out And this your Idoll of conformitie the ripe fruit of your proud hearts wil deceiue you yea though thereby you are growen confident because you haue at length setled your seats as safely as in the clefts of the Rock and made your nests the verie next to the Eagle himself in the supremest mountaines of the highest Region yet will I bring you down from thence saith the Lord for though by thy wisdom and deepe pollicies or undiscerned subtleties thou hast gotten thee great riches and prefer 〈…〉 nts and hast increased very greatly thy power and authoritie and so art lifted up in thine heart as in a chaire of securitie conceiting thy selfe that thou art wiser then Daniel and hast more learning and wisdom greater reason and stronger arguments for thy conformitie then all those that are of perfect or sincere hearts towards the Lord and are contrarie minded and therefore dare no way conforme unto you with whom their feare even hee whom they serue will shew his strength yet behold God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound you that are so wise yea vile and despised persons which in the opinion of the world being compared with you did not so much as seeme to exist or bring to naught your strongest arguments for this your great goddesse conformitie and that by a plaine demonstration of their vanity yea though they be neither prophets or sons of the Prophets nor so much as brought up at the feet of some prophet but in comparison meere strangers yet they bee as a terrible nation and their arguments shall be as drawen swords against the verie beautie of thy wisdom yea they shal defile thy brightnesse your so admired vnderstanding by laying open your most dissembling and cunning practises yea in some of you horrible and fearefull blasphemies Many haue had I confesse too religious estimation of your learning and other venerable endowments but finding it plaine that in this Controversie with poore Christians you haue cast off the word of the Lord and trust in violence and wickednesse and stay thereupon for the iustifying of your courses not regarding the lawes of God or man but by one devise or other will breake through all therefore there is great hope that this iniquitie which lies swelling within you will make you so top-heavie as your verie height the onely thing you so wisely foresaw to be necessarie and therefore so providently by your deepe reaches haue attained will be an unavoydable cause of your sudden and violent downefall yea and with that detestation as no one humane invention seeme it never so tollerable shall bee left for the meanest use and office in the worship and publick service of the Lord no not so much as a little sheard to fetch fire or water for as all Gods ordinances are good so no humane invention of religious use in Gods worship can be good no not one And wheras it is obiected y t the reverend Fathers of our Church hold thē lawfull and good Iure diuino even so that Reuerend father Deterano Chamberlen to Vrban 6. publickly taught with great approbation of many great Divines that the verie meaning of Christ in saying giue to Caesar the things that be Caesars was but till his ascention and that when he was lifted vp he would drawe all these things vnto him that is Baronies Earledomes yea and kingdomes too even all that was Caesars and that it is therfore of Diuine Institution that the ministers of the Gospell might challenge and enioy these things as their proper and peculiar right both revenewes and honours and that it was grievous sacriledge for any prince to withhold the same or any ciuil authority from them or to this effect was that which he held which hath sprong out of that slip which he then set the seueral plants wherof haue wōderfully thriven in al christendom so likewise many great schollers and very learned divines haue held it an invincible argument that the Popes gouernment Hierarchie and supremacie is lawfull because it hath prospered and so long endured with good success for els say they God would neuer haue suffred it Is it not also avowed by many wise and reuerent Doctors that Iames the brother of our Lord according to the flesh did bring in the Masse and ioyned it to the scripture and therefore that it is of Apostolicall institution and ought to be conformed unto In like
manner it is a receiued opinion of great antiquitie being one of the deepe doctrines of diuine Durandus that euerie sonday and holiday the soules do play in Purgatorie Are they not worthy therefore to be presented that doe any kinde of worke upon any holy day yea though it bee not in prayer time unlesse it bee to goe to the Ale-house to be merry and to leap and daunce about the May-poule after a bagpipe or so forth for that helpes forward the foresaid merriment yea our owne countrey-man Cardinall Poole a reverent Divine and as great a Scholler as any of our great Adversaries held and taught that the meaning of Christ in making Peter a fisher of men was that hee would driue all Emperours and Kings yea all the people of the world into the Popes net so that he might seeth broyle or fry them in a pan even as his Holines should think best to use and order them and his Prelates and their inferiour officers also to make their best gain and advantage of them and many other strange opinions concerning callings and ceremonies in Gods worship haue beene published by great Schollers and confirmed by whole Synods Convocations yea and generall Councels with as great probabilitie many of them and shew of all kinde of true learning as all that is which the reverend fathers and learned Divines of this age haue published or can say for these ceremonies and the other things in controversie amongst us Seing then the Church in her wisedom establised them as divine truths though not as necessarie to salvation yet profitable for unitie decencie and to try the obedience of her children why should not they be as well conformed to as ours were not their pure naturals as able to finde out some things commendable yea necessarily to be conformed unto in the worship of God though they had no better ground for them in the Scripture then as is formerly mentioned as well as the naturals of this pure or learned and spirituall age Degrees of Evill there is indeed but nature admits not any one degree of goodnesse no not one for it is starke dead in trespasses and sinnes the minde vaine the understanding darkened and full of ignorance the heart haidened not perceiving the things of the spirit of God nay it thinks them to be meere foolishenesse and more then needes even most absurd and against common sence must it not therefore be granted of absolute necessitie that all such spirituall persons as well in these times as in those by what name or title soever they be called though they haue all the learning and wisedome in the world yet if they bring not the warrant of Gods word plainly or truely for them in all their ceremonies callings gestures and other devices whatsoever of religious use are to bee held reputed and adiudged lyars and therefore all such their opinions of the Divell the father of lies and therfore by no meanes upon any tearmes to bee conformed unto was not their verbum non scriptum consuetudo sanstae Ecclesiae traditiones patrum bonae intentiones constitutiones vel canones as tollerable and necessarie as ours was it not the practise of the serpent from the beginning to proue by many wise and learned arguments that the onely way to aspire to spirituall preferments in this world is absolutely to forsake and disclaime the warrant of the sacred scripture in all matters of ceremonie and to depend upon tradition and the Catholicke grounds aforesaid Oh our most deere mother we can never forget these weightie instructions which so carefully and constantly thou hast taught unto us first that all manner of witch-craft is in the degree a direct forsaking of God and a uniting and knitting unto the Divell and therefore no manner of Witch white or blacke good or evill nor any that seeke after them ought to liue not that there is any of them good but that like other humane or divellish inventions they seeme to do good by maintaining divers in unlawfull callings and by helping some to their stollen or lost goods or others of diseases in men or beasts or the like Secondly that Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft yea that a Rebellious transgression though it bee but in ceremonie calling or gesture is a wickednesse not inferiour to Idolatrie for the same ground or foundation serues for both and that it is noâ— garments musick and such like complement that the Lord accepts or takes any pleasure in which yet hee doth in every thing of Religious use which he would haue his fervants in his worship to conforme unto but when his voyce is obeyed Now his voice is in nothing but what his word doth command therefore thou didst conclude that hee was not obeyed in any thing of religious use which was not grounded upon his commandement according to his own words whatsoeuer I command you concerning my worship that do thou shalt not add any thing whether ceremony calling gesture or whatsoever thereto for al counsels or canons or whatsoever that in Gods worship require any thing of religious use which is not the commandement of the Lord or his voyce is directly stubbornes of a wicked heart which makes to go backward from God and sinceritie to all profanes and Apostacie trueth is perished and cleane gone out of the mouth of such preachers as maintain such things and therefore thou didst charge us for ever to continue in our serving of God in all things which are written in the word of God to doe them yea them onely and not any Invention or noveltie whatsoever which unavoidably especially being once known and yet Iustified and defended will bring Gods greevous plague and curse Is the Righteousnesse of the Church Revealed in the Gospell and that not torne or patched but perfect and compleate and is the worship and ceremonies callings and gestures whereby the Church is made partaker of that righteousnesse and shewes her thankfulnesse unto God for the same but lamely taught therein or to the halues part being left to traditions unwritten verities and humane Inventions verily as in that so in these if there be any cause of Reioycing it is not with God and therefore must needs be with the Devill for what else can possibly bee found concerning the flesh bee it never so wise or learned or any work fruit or device thereof is not the Iustifying of humane Inventions in Gods worship without warrant from the word a plaine profession that they thinke though they bee not more Iust then GOD or more pure then their maker yet verily there is some iustice and puritie in their nature whereby they are able to find out a holy use of these things which God never commanded Is not this a verie naturall branch of that follie which being found was punished so fearefullie in the Angels therefore didst thou warne us also for ever to take heed of unstedfastnes