people drinke these troubled waters or drive their backs to the wall 4. They have turned the Ministery wholly into a Jewish-Popish Sacrificing Priesthood 5. They set up a new kinde of reading-preaching and suppresse sound preaching silence and suspend the orthodox Preachers and fill their places with Metaphysicall cloudy-brain'd Humanists Arminian * Mountebancks and Popish fellowes who usually stuffe their Sermons out of Aristotles Ethicks and the Fryars Postills 6. In stead of the word they set up Images Crucifixes Altats and teaching Ceremonies to stirre up the dull minds of men against Christs prerogative and propheticall office to which it belongs to teach his Church by his word and works and not by mens inventions and works of mens hands 7. They Pope-like corrupt the word with their stinking breath breathing forth for Scripture what they please some are the Fathers others the sonnes of the Church and in summa the Church of themselves and exalt themselves above the Scriptures especially when they meet in the Convocation house and have their Canons in casting they make lawes above and against the word and preach for them punish the breach of them more than the breach of Gods Commandements 8. By vertue of their offices they assume a power to conferre holinesse upon things and places consecrate Churches Altars and places and place holinesse in their superstitions and abhominations as Altars Altar-cringing Jesus and East-worshipping c. Whereas the word alone hath power to sanctifie and make holy Thus by bringing in the accursed thing of Romes Idolatry they are become the Aâ—bans that trouble the Land 8. Nature works so strongly in their offices as you may now see it in their bold impudent faces professing reconciliation of us to Rome pronouncing them happy that shall be the instruments to reconcile the petty seeming differences and make us at one with their mother but I hope before that be done they and their mother shall be both confounded Jere. 50.11 12. For the light hath dazled them the Sunne is gone downe and the day is dark over them to make them confounded and ashamed Zach. 14.17 Mich. 3.6 7. 2. For Prayer 2 Prayer how doe they by their very office professe and practice the corrupting of it which as incense should be purely offred Mal. 3. They 1. fill the house of God with smoke of the strange fire of their abhominations of all sorts new and old inventions Letany and long som service said and sung with yelling and chanting like the Priests of Baal their old and new inventions fopperies second Service and corrupt prayers all put together as like the Masse as an apple is like an Orenge 2. By their offices they ordaine Priests of the lowest of the people to offer up their corrupt prayers as dunibe Sir Iohns ale-house-keepers and generally vile persons who like Elyes sonnes cause men to abhorre their offerings 3. All this corruption in worship flowes out of the Canon Law as the filthy fountaine through their offices as the pipes to set it abroad to infect the world and is preserved as in cisternes in the Canons and service-booke the second maine basis whereupon Episcopacy stands in the dunghill Canon Law which casts such a foule savour in the nosthrills of God as we may admire his patience in suffering it so long without sweeping it and us all together away in some strange inundation of Judgement Nothing but a flood of Justice and reformation will prevent his kindled anger against us manifested of late in so many fearefull and prodigious signes and wonders especially in and about Churches as if he had pointed with his finger that there is his quarrell one strange fire procuring another and threatning yet greater if we repent not reforme not 3. 3 Sacraments For the Sacraments how have they changed them into Sacrifices witnesse their baptismall regeneration kneeling at Sacrament or bread-worship wherein wee are beholding to Costerus the Jesuite for telling us their meaning right out if Christ saith he were not teally in the bread our kneeling were worse and more grosse Idolatry than that of the Heathen Thus they turne the Sacraments into propitiatory Sacrifices to wash away sinne and conferre grace xapere op rato and so the inward work of Gods Spurit banished it would be too tedious to be more in particulars 4. 4 Discipline For discipline the nature of the office shews it selfe here most as in the strongest pulse working with all its might continually by their Canons and Canon Law authoritie to oppose and suppresse Christs Kingly office and government to repaire and restore the ruinous kingdome of Antichrist and that Iudas-like Antichrist-like under a feigned profession of friendship to Christ 2. Their offices uphold the Popish Canon law government which hath left us no footsteps of the Apostolike discipline and kingly office of Christ wholly swept away in the great deluge of Popery and never yet restored as our first reformers aymed which may appeare by the Preface to the commination in the common prayer-booke and were enough to set all reformed Spirits on work to perfect what they in the infancy of reformation left undone or saw not clearly being then newly risen out of the long darksome night of Popery and how should their diligence shame our negligence in so bright a Sun-shine of the Gospel as we have had since and stirre up our spirits to search out and set up that primitive discipline they aymed at now above fourscore yeares agoe which hath been so much disputed for written for and petitioned for at so many Parliaments and been onely hundred by these Antichristian Prelates whose office it is to justle Christ from his throne untill the words of God be fulfilled * Apoc. 17 1â— because they know the setting up of his kingdome will be the downfall of theirs they cannot stand together therefore this hath been long their master-peice with all their craft and cunning to uphold their Papall government and tyranny by their Canons and Canon law to crush all who have stood in their way to oppose them and plead for Christs owne discipline using them worse than Turkes would have done as witnesse the multitude of Ministers and people in prisons murthered of thousands banished of families scattered and estates ruined for standing for Christs discipline 2. The very nature of their office is to thirst after the blood of Gods servants Where Antipas my faithfull martyr is slaine there is Sathans throne Apoc. 2.13 Of this tyranny let one of themselves be witnesse out of whose mouth the Lord exacted this testimony Prelate Vaughan in a speech to Dr Morton long agoe now Prelate of Duresme confessed that the persecution of these times were worse than in Queene Maries dayes and gave reasons for it Now let Prelate Morton speak how they are encreased in his time and by him or if he will not it may be God may exact it of him sometime with more horrour of conscience than
slaughter of these his enemies who will not have him to rule over them Luk. 19.17 The Minor is their part to prove See Argument 4. And if they have any Letters Patents for their offices let them open their black boxes and produce them or els as polluted be put from the Priesthood as those Nehem. 7.64 that could not reckon up their Genealogie from Livi 2. In all the book of God from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalyps we find not one word of warrant for the name or office of an Archbishop Diocesan Bishop Deane Archdeacon Chancellour or any of their orders but are meerly derived from Antichrist crept into the Church by carnall policy and flattery and abuse of Princes favours and have no foundation but in the Canon Law of the Pope as before Arg. 5. and 6. that 's all the divine authoritie they have and no wonder if it be divine enough for them to stand upon being the same with Antichrist for Diocesan Bishops were the first step whereby the Papacy mounted to its height and are the pillars of its support even to this day But when the Prelates father their authoritie some upon God the Father some upon God the Sonne and others upon the holy Ghost they declare themselves to be of that stamp Christ reproves and accuses of blasphemy and to be of the Synagogue of Sathan who say they are Jewes and are not but doe lye Apoc. 3.9 Who say they are Apostles and are not but are found lyers Apoc. 2.2 So then when they boast of divine authoritie they are right like themselves for that is another mark of Antichrist the adding of lyes to all their abhominations for which they shall be cast out of the holy Citie Apoc. 22.15 3. The whole streame of truth flowing out of the Scriptures as the fountain runs so strongly against them that down they goe to the Sea of Rome that dead Sea to fetch their pedigree from that ancient family of long Enmitie to Christ the Ancient of dayes and fountaine of all Antiquitie before whom nothing was and without whom nothing was made or done Joh. 1.2 3. That this is so see clearly Mr Paul Baine his diocesan tryall the very Prelates rats-bane and will burst them ere long it savours so sweetly of the Scriptures fragrant fulnesse and excellency by the breathings of Gods Spirit which is the Prelates deadly poyson that none of them durst ever take it in hand to answer it now about twenty years published and there who will may read the doome of their divine authoritie 4. If they flie to Antiquitie we ans 1. We acknowledge no antiquitie but what is according to the Scriptures the Judge of all Controversie it s a sure rule of the learned against the Papists that Whatsoever is not according to the Word but by or besides the Word is against the Word 2. We answer with Cyprian the flowre and sweetest bloome of all antiquitie a Martyr and a Bishop but no Lord or Diocesan Bishop Epist ad Pomp. Epist. 74. Antiquitie without truth is antiquitie of errour and antiquitie without truth is nothing worth saith our learned Whitakers Controverse de Eccles quaest 5. But to leave them more without excuse we wil prosecute yet one tryall more of them which we learne from our great Master the Lord Jesus for the discovery of false Prophets who come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are avening Wolves By their fruits yee shal know them Mat. 7.15 16 20. False Prophets in Scripture alwayes set forth such as have no lawfull but a pretended office so the Diocesan Bishops c. are the false Prophets wee have to doe withall the name of Prophets so the name of Bishops is the sheeps cloathing they come in to doe the works of Sathan and Antichrist the very name of Bishop which in it selfe is good is like Jacobs voice with Esaus hands there 's much power of Sathan used under the shelter of words and names as of great force to deceive Mountebanck-like and therefore saith Luther Luther de falso nom ordine Episcoporum Tom. 2. p. 330. they shew or set out themselves as if they were Pastours of the Church as if they were Bishops when they are meere shadowes sacrificing persons dumb statues and painted truncks under the loftie high title of Bishops destroying the whole world and therefore having been too long deceived with words and names wee now will follow Christs rule By their fruits to know them The office of Prelacy is the lame Jade we spoke of even now and hath been long tryed by the Word but now is growne so hot ridden as will not abide that kinde of handling therefore the last tryall of them is this By their fruits to know them and so by their footsteps we shall see which way they are running Now the fruits of the office wee have shewed in the foregoing Argument to be the overthrowing of the offices of Christ and propagating the Kingdome of Antichrist Ex mero officio as the proper fruits of their functions and naturally flowing through the office out of that filthy lake of Romes authoritie as before and therefore the fruits must needs be according to the soyle bitter fruits to the Church of God And here wee will take a further tryall of them and how they grow and increase in fruitfulnesse Such plants as are of the Fathers planting the Son purgeth that they may bring forth more fruit Ioh. 15.2 Fruits unto holinesse Ephes 4.24 But we see when these men once enter into a Bishops Sea or other their offices they soone wither and cast their fruit how many of learning and good abilities before they entred into these corrupt offices have quickly after fallen under the withering curse of the Fig-tree Never fruit grew more upon thee And how can it be otherwise there 's such a plaguy infection lyes in the office arising out of the filthy dunghill foundation which rots and blasts all the fruits of their learning and morall parts and renders them wholly like the soyle they live in and corrupt ayre of the Episcopall Seas they breath in here 's the infection the poyson that kills them sooner or later t is in the office not so much in the person but as the office infects him therefore no safetie to their persons till they be put out of the infected places to lodge in fresh ayre A Caveat Their counsell then is not good who would onely remove and change the persons and put other learned men in the places O it is the greatest cruelty you can doe to these mens soules you had better place them to live in a Pest-house or cast their bodies alive into the Mari Mortuo than into a Bishops Sea if they be good men they should so save their soules whereas this way you hazard their soules and bodies both Let none then be so cruell to their friends to put them upon this preferment on so desperate a condition
of the supreme Magistrate as all the times of the Judges and many good Kings even from Joshua to the time of Artaxerxes the feast of keeping of boothes was neglected Because first there 's much naturall blindnesse in the best men secondly the Church often too carelesse in some weighty things thirdly men are ready to sit downe ere their work be half done soone weary in so great and publick works as Reformation is the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Thus as they of old long neglected the feast of boothes so have we too long neglected Christs discipline and government the Lord pardon it Seventhly and lastly for the flourishing of Religion under the Prelates government we have no cause to thanke them they have alway persecuted the light and life of it and done their best to put out the light and to bring in an Egyptian darknesse againe secondly it hath been those they have most persecuted who have spread the greatest light for a persecuted light is ever the brightest which shews it to be of God and like to him though darknesse comprehend it not to him be glory that we have any light after so hot persecutions and so many banished this is a signe our persecuted light shall prevaile Tandem bona causa triumphat was that renowned old Duke of Saxons Motto in all his bitter troubles with Luther Thirdly though some see it not so sleepy-headed in their ease and pleasures they little regard the hazard Gods Ark is in yet others that have watched long in the long winter night of the Churches troubles for the dawning of the day of deliverance have found ill fruits of flourishing of Religion and seene a great decay of the power of godlinesse these many yeares past and many Ministers and professors fallen some in following the sway of the times for worldly things others through pusillanimitie of spirit into great decay of gifts and deadnesse all for want of Christs discipline to keepe all men in their severall stations and active in obedience and to hedge in the Church from the inroades of enemies The Lord teach us the use and benefit of and open our eyes to see the want of pardon our so long neglect of Christs Kingly office Conclusion of all Since now the pretended divine Authoritie of the Hierarchy is fayled in the foundation and left them no footing but in the filthy dunghill of the Canon Law of the Popes Authoritie exalted above the Scriptures in which they Mother like have built their nests as in the clefts of the rocks of the seven hilled Citie And they in Gods just judgement so blinded and of late confounded in their Councells as to cast off his Majesties royall Authoritie by which they have stood too long and not a little trenched upon they deserve to finde and feele that He beares not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 but is Gods vindex of his own and subjects wrongs many wayes so especially in opposing Christ so long in his Kingly office and now at last in all his offices As they by the abuse of his Majesties sword have ruined many so by the same sword let them perish Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed He that killeth with the sword shall be killed with the sword Gen. 9.6 Apoc. 13.10 Matth. 26.52 the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and we waite the fulfilling of it The Lord put into the hearts of our royall King and of this honourable Parliament to fulfill his will upon Babell and all her bratts and abhominations Amen Amen Jerem. 50.24.26 I have laid a snare for thee and thou art also taken O Babylon and wast not aware thou art sound and also caught because thou hast striven against the Lord. Tread her in hèapes destroy her utterly let nothing of her be left The benefits of Reformation of Discipline Then shall Christs workmen with great alacritie begin to build the house of God which these men have defaced and defiled and make a beautifull habitation for the Lord Jesus to dwell and delight in and great shall be his glory in the midst of us in presence and protection Then shall our eyes see our King in his glory on his throne and our Jerusalem in peace Isa 33.17.20 Then also shall King Charles his throne be more glorious than any his predecessors then shall Judgement and Justice flow forth as a mighty River to sweep away all sinne and wickednesse Then shall our King be to the Just as raine upon the grasse new mowen Psal 72. the Mountaines shall bring forth peace and the little hills righteousnesse Court and Countrey shall flourish the Land shall bring forth her encrease and God even our God shall blesse us and all the ends of the Earth shall seare him Psal 67.6 When they heare and see what great things he will doe for us A short appendix touching Discipline Since in this great and honourable High Court of Parliament every subject is so concerned as bound to submit to what shall be therein established therefore as a member and well-wisher of the well-fare of the whole body I crave leave for a word or two concerning discipline Since t is now in every mans mouth what forme of discipline we shall have when the Prelaticall as none of Christs shall be justly abolished Which seems to me to upbraid the ignorance and unthankfulnesse of this age the fruits of Episcopacy as if men in the Sun-shine should complaine of darknesse or as if the Spirit of Christ which descended upon the Apostles teaching all things and leading them into all truth should have left them wandring at randome without direction in governing the house of God or yet left it arbitrary to mens severall minds humours and frames The Scriptures are full and plentifully furnished with instructions for the whole frame and fashions of the house of GOD which all brought together and set up would be a beautifull structure it is the tabernacle of God with men Apoc. 21.3 walking in the midst of them 2 Cor. 6.16 Apoc. 2.1 Luk. 2◠17 It were a piece of heavens happinesse to see it advanced in the same form Christ hath appointed and his Apostles practised and instituted in all the Churches to be perpetuall to the worlds end All I have to say in one word t is that I would consent to keepe close to that patterne and beware of the severall frames of mens braines to governe the Church by humane policy after the manner of earthly Kingdomes and States which was the first thing brought in the plague of Episcopacy and will still leave a back-dore to papall tyranny in the Church of God from which we can never be secured untill Christs own government be established t is his own Scepter must rule and no inventions of men or Angels if possibly they could be consulted with FINIS