or otherwise without special License of the Ordinary of the same place Was not this an Usurpation of the Prerogative of the Lord of the Harvest Before Henry the 8th's dayes the King nominated who should be Bishop of such a Diocess being presented to the Pope the Pope was to approve of him After the Popes Approbation he was consecrated by the Arch-Bishop in England In the Apostâ—es dayes Bishops were made by the holy Ghost Acts 20.28 Henry the 8th casting off the Pope then he and his Parliament Enacted That no Bishop should be commended to the Pope but that the King should nominate them and approve of them to be suffiâ—ient Ministers About the year 1547. Edward the 6th put forth Injunctions That none should preach except sufficiently Licensed King James Enjoyned That none should Preach except lawfully Licensed thereto by the King or the Bishop Fox Acts Mon. Queen Mary in the first year of her Reign Enjoyned That none should preach but such as were allowed of by her Authority or by the Arch-Bishop or by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge In the thirteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth 't was Enacted That none should be made Ministers or admitted to preach unless he were able to answer and render to the Ordinary an Account of his Faith in Latin that is he was to be a Linguist a Schollar Now how Peter and John unlearned and ignorant men could have passed such a Tryal let the wise in Heart judge Further Queen Elizabeth Enacted That none should be admitted to any Benefice or above the value of 30 l. per ann unless he were a Batchellor of Divinity or allowed of by the University of Oxford or Cambridge Now how Peter and John and others the Ministers the of Waldenses and Albigenses being most of them Tradesmen Non-Entes of no standing in Universities could have passed this Tryal I see not though called by the Lord of the Harvest to labour in the Vineyard In the Year 1644. the Parliament made an Ordinance to authorize the Presbyter Assembly of Divines for the Ordination of Ministers and gave them Rules for the Examination of such as were to be ordained by them as Whether they had Sworn and taken the Covenant What Degree they had taken in the Vniversity c Herein notwithstanding the swelling pretence of Reformation Christ the Lord of the Harvest was denyed In the Year 1653. Oliver Cromwell and his Council ordained for the Approbation of publick Preachers and appointed Commissioners for that purpose to judge of the Abilities of men before they were admitted to preach And how such were entertained who were sent by the Lord of the Harvest to bear witness against Man-made Ministers and their Unscriptural Covetous Practices 't is fresh in the remembrance of many Now you that plead for a Mediate Humane Call let me thus Reason with you Must the Aaronical Priesthood which typed out Christ and the Prophetical Dispensation which foresaw Christ allow of no Call but what was Divine contrary to the Will of man And must the Evangelical Dispensation the Substance the end of the Law the end of the Prophets the Glory of Dispensations lean upon the bruised Reeds of a Humane Mediate Call by Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences I have done when I have answered a few Objections Objection Acts 1.24 Answer This makes nothing for a Humane Mediate Call by the Will of man but against it The Apostles after the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ judged it expedient that one should be ordained a Witness with them of the Resurrection of Christ instead of Judas who was gone to his place they appointed two Joseph and Matthias men that had been conversant among them had seen the glorious and wonderful Works of Christ grew up in the Faith of the Gospel with them not trained up in Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences Logicks Spoiling Philosophy Pagan Metaphysicks for that purpose and the Apostles said Thou Lord which knowest the Hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen Acts 1.24 Mark this Whether of these two thou hast chosen So that the adding of him to the cleaven Apostles they ascribed it to the Lord's Call Choice or Election Obj. Moses was learned in all the Wisdom of the Aegyptians Acts 7.22 Answ 'T is true but his Aegyptian Wisdom was not his Call into the Work of the Lord nâ—ither his Aegyptian Philosophy Hieroglyphicks nor the Smaragdine Table of Hermes Trismâ—gistus could qualifie him for that notwithstanding his Aegyptian Wisdom yet when he was to be concerned for the Lord he was as I may say Mute the Lord said to him Go and I will be with thy Mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say Exod. 4.12 Here he is drawn from the muddy Lake of Aegyptian Wisdom to have his Dependance and Reliance upon the Mouth and Teaching of the Living God from whom he had his Call The Smoke of the Bottomless Pit saith the Book called The Naked Truth hath so blinded men as that it is grown up into a general Opinion that none are fit to be admitted into holy Orders but University Students and if he hath learnt a little to chop Logick he is presently deemed fit to divide the Word of Truth and is easily instituted into a Living and if he can bring some nice Metaphysical Speculations from Aristotle some Theological Distinctions from Thomas Aquinas then he is judged worthy of two or three Livings And thus University Youth and even Boys of no Experience saith this Author are made Spiritual Pastors the most weighty Office in the World Obj. Acts 13.2 3 4. Answ This makes nothing for a Humane Mediate Call acquired by Heathen Arts Sciences and Philosophy but against it the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for tht Work whereunto I have called them Mark this Whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the holy Ghost c. Mark this sent forth by the holy Ghost Here both their Call and Mission is ascribed to the holy Ghost Further if Paul was not called before that he preached without a Call Acts 9.6 where Saul said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Here he was taken off from the Mouth of the High Priest to the Lord to know his Will and do it vers 15.20 Heavenly Wisdom being revealed his Idolized Magnified and highly Prized Arts Parts and Endowments fetched from Philosophers he accounted as Dung and Dross It is an Error saith Luther to say that a Divine is not made without Aristotle rather a Divine is not made except that be done without Aristotle Tom. 1. Fol. 10. The weighty Work of the Ministry saith Poole on this place is not to be undertaken without the Command and Mission of God None but such as are chosen and called of God can be fit to preach the Gospel Aug. Marl. on this place No kind of men are less capable of receiving the Doctrine of Christ than they that have their Mind
tempora Mutantur Times are changed and in reference to the Identity that is oneness and sameness of Elders and Bishops in Primitive times Scripture record is not altogether silent Though in Scripture 't is not in terminis that is express words that an Elder and a Bishop were one and the same Order and Office yet the circumstantial Expressions are so strong and pregnant that they are Equivalent to a clear Expression in terminis that is Express Words saith the Author of the Book called The naked Truth Paul being at Miletus sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and said unto them Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers that is Bishops Acts 20.17 28. Paul with the same Breath as I may say first calls them Elders then Bishops this evidently proves them one both in respect of Name and in respect of Office saith Durham Paul writing to Titus said For this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City c. For a Bishop must be blameless c. Titus 1.5 6 7. So the very same that he calls Elders he presently calls Bishops Further Peter said The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder feed the Flock of God taking the oversight thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may thus be rendred Overseeing the same as Bishops saith Darham 1 Pet. 5.1 2. So the very same Individuals whom he first calls Elders he presently calls Bishops proving the Identity Oneness Sameness of Elders and Bishops in the Primitive Church these Titles were Synonyma Synonymous both attributed to one and the self-same Person if they were not distinguished then who can justly distinguish them since The Jesuit Lorinus on this Scripture acknowledges this Identity You see that Peter and Paul who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired of God were clear and pregnant for the confirmation of this Truth Further Jerom in his Epistle to Evagrius as in other places and upon other accounts Theoderet Occumenus Clarius Valla Hammond Bilson the Author of the Book called The naked Truth men eminent in the Church since the Apostles dayes with many others such like have born Testimony that an Elder and a Bishop in the Apostles Language were one and the same and that they were Names indifferent and used to the same Persons Michael de Medina cited by Bellarmine Lib. 1. Cap. 15. de Clericis doth affirm that not only Jerom and Aerius but also Ambrosius Augustinus Sedulius Primasius Chrysostomus Theoderetus Oecumenus and Theophilactus held out this Identity the Waldenses and Wickliffians were of this Judgment Hence it follows that there was no difference betwixt the Names and Offices of Bishops and Elders in the Apostles dayes the difference was not begun by any Apostolick Constitution but upon Church-Custom Decrees of Councils and such other Grounds These things we have spoken saith Jerom to shew that Elders and Bishops were the same in the Primitive times and that Bishops may know that they are greater then Presbyters that is Elders rather through Custom than by the Lords appointment This I own As the Smoke of the Pit arose the Apostatical Leprosie overspred Discord and Contention arose about Religion Men drew into Parties one crying up this man another that man as in the Apostles dayes one cryed he was for Paul another for Apollo another for Cephas and every one accounted those his own not Christ's whom he Baptized Then for the Eradicating the Seeds of Divisions and for the Restraining of Disorderly Pastors it was decreed That one should be chosen out of the Presbyters that is Elders and have Authority over them and by way of Emineney be called Bishop Thus the Bishop shoulder'd out the Elders got Superiority over them Polydor de Invent. rer Nations being converted Bishops increased Differences arose For the restraining or preventing of which one was set over the Bishops so called Arch-Bishop Arch-Bishops increasing to restrain or prevent Heresies and Differences among them one was set over them called a Patriarch Patriarchs increasing to restrain or prevent Differences and Disorders among them one was set up above them called Catexochen by way of Eminency Papa that is Pope though Papa that is Pope before was a Name attributed to other Bishops Jerom on Titus Naked Truth Thus Elders and Bishops which were one Office in the pure Primitive Times through the Ground of Apostacy became divided Thus Bishop got Superiority over Elders Arch-Bishops over Bishops Patriarchs over Arch-Bishops Pope over the Patriarchs For the maintaining of Uniformity in the Church of Rome every Province was to be governed by one Priest or more who for Reverence sake should be called Bishops Then by permission of Christian Princes Kingdoms were divided into Diocesses Diocesses into Shires or Counties Shires into Parishes It was decreed That every Parish should yield Obedience to their Parish Priest the Parish Priest to the Dean the Dean to the Bishop the Bishop to the Arch-Bishop the Arch-Bishop to the Primate or Patriarch the Patriarch to the Legate the Legate to the Pope the Pope to General Councils and General Councils only unto God as they said The Title of Bishop is of divine Institution the other of Arch-Bishop Primate Patriarch Metropolitan Sub-Deacon Arch-Deacon Pope are not mention'd by the Apostles so of latter Institution by Man These things being consider'd 't is my Judgment with the abovesaid and others that might be mentioned that the same Individuals who were in the Primitive Dayes called Elders they were also called Bishops that they were one and the same Leigh also in his Critica Sacra saith the same That the same Persons who were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Elders ab at ate from their Age were also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops Over seers ab Officio from their Office CAP. IV. Of the Work of the Ministry of Christ and of Antichrist CHrist Jesus the Branch of Righteousness having called Disciples he influenced them with Salutiferous heavenly Wisdom and armed them with heavenly Armour that they might War under his Banner against Abaddon Apolyon the old Serpent and his Kingdom and be concerned as Instruments in the hand of she Lord for the rescuing of many out of his Captivity and Tyranny As the Disciples the Worthies and Warriers of the Lord were called of Christ so he appointed them their Work they were to do his Work grow up in like-mindedness with him heavenly-mindedness So he said to his Disciples Go therefore and teach all Nations c. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28. Consider this here was a divine Limit they were to minister that and nothing but that which they received from Christ the Well-spring of Life and Living Mercies Here the Smoke of the Bottomless Pit Anti-christians Doctrines
had done and wrote in the defence of Popery whereupon one taunted him with these Words Quod Aeneas damnavit Pius probavit that is What Aencas disallowed of Pius allowed of So what Man-made Ministers rejected as Heterodox is at the pleasure and command of Authority owned as Orthodox but Truth and the out-goings thereof are to be embraced because of themselves whether men fawn or frown Thus who are in their own Wills out of the pure Worship of God which is in Spirit and in Truth where true sence is and assurance of Divine Requirings such for Self-ends and Corporal ease are carried about with every Wind of Doctrine at the Commands and Injunctions of men against the unconstancy of these in such a weighty concern dropped out this following Reflection Away with such whose wily waxen Mind Takes every Seal and sails with every Wind Not out of Conscience but of Carnal Motion Of Fear or Favour Profit or Promotion And those Chamâ—â—leons that consort their Crew In Turky Turks among the Jews a Jew In Spain as Spain as Luther on the Rhine With Calvin here and there with Bellarmine Loose with the Lewd among the Gracious Grave With Saints a Saint among the Knaves a Knave CAP. V. Of the Wage of the Ministers of Christ being Free and Voluntary from their Converts and how it was continued in the Primitive Churches how the Co-ercive Compulsive Maintenance by Tythe and other unwarrantable Wages being the Maintenance of the Ministers of Antichrist was introduced CHrist having called Disciples and influenced them for his Heavenly Saving Work said unto them Freely ye have received freely give Matth. 10.8 What did they receive freely Power to heal the Sick and to Preach the Gospel as if he should have said I have freely learned these things of my Father ye have also freely learned them of me so in like manner teach others freely Whereby saith Poole on this place he did not only forbid detestable Bargains for their Ministry but all manner of Gain from such like things or from their Ministerial Labour which thing was purely and Conscientiously observed of the Apostles and of their Successors while the Primitive Faith and Order was kept among whom as Tertullian saith Nulla res dei pretis constabat that is Divine things were not bought and sold Further our Country-man Poole saith Paul and the Apostles obtained Necessaries for themselves by their own Hands rather then they would be burdensome to the Poor and Indigent or expose themselves to the malicious Slanders of Evil-minded People Further saith he Christ forbad his Disciples and Ministers to raise Gain or hord up Money under pretence of their new and wonderful Doctrine No man saith Aug. Marl. on this place can be a sound Minister of the Word nor a faithful Steward of Grace but he that Preaches freely Further he saith That all Hâ—relings do unworthily Vitiate and Prophane the holy Office of Teaching Naaman being cured of his Leprosie by Elisha the Prophet be offered him Gifts Elisha refused the same shewing forth another frame of Spirit then is in Man-made Ministers now but Gehazi the Servant of Elisha coveted after Silver and changes of Garments and received the same to whom Elisha said Is it time to receive Money Garments Oliveyards Vineyards Sheep and Oxen the Leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and to thy Seed forever So he became Leprous 2 Kings 5. Now man-made Ministers who run uncalled of the Lord for Tythe filthy Lucre Earthly ends Advantages and Preferments they are in a Spiritual Leprosie and being strangers to receiving freely and giving freely they make a distinction of Gifts There are say they 1. Dona infusa Gifts of God that are miraculous as to heal c. 2. Dona acquisita acquired Gifts as the knowledge of Preaching not now had without great Study Labour and Cost as this is not gotten freely so neither is it to be used without Recompence Who are of this mind they exclude themselves from the true Ministry which acquired parts cannot bring unto the Natural man notwithstanding his Accomplishments Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences is a stranger to the true Ministry being the Gift of God and peculiar to the New man Wisdom Knowledge Faith Healing Miracles Prophecy discerning of Spirits c. all came from one and the same Spirit as the true sighted Apostle Paul bare Testimony 1 Cor. 12. And this Distinction hath not his allowance Further as Christ called Disciples and appointed them their Work so he appointed them their Wage also he instructed them how to carry themselves both to them that received them and to them that received them not Into whatsoever House ye enter saith he and they receive you eat and drink such things as they set before you as they give you for the Work-man is worthy of his Meat the Labourer is worthy of his Hire Mat. 10. Luke 10. Here a Wage a Hire a Maintenance was allowed to them they had Christ's Ordinance for it Wherein two things are to be considered 1. That their Maintenance was Free and Voluntary 2. That their Maintenance arose from such as received them and their Doctrine For the Disciples were first to be received before they received any thing as undeniably arises from the Words Who so receive you saith Christ eat and drink with such Now by the phrase of Eating and Drinking the necessary Conveninencies of Life are implied as also by the phrase of Food and Rayment 1 Tim. 6.8 1 Cor. 9.14 It cannot reasonably be thought that Christ intended thereby to tye up his Ministers to Meat and Drink only but under that phrase the necessary Conveniencies of Life are intimated The Disciples the Apostles of the Lamb had his Ordinance for their Maintenance and of whom to receive it and as they were taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divide the Word aright so they were taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Foot it aright as to Teach Well so to Live Well and how exactly they were observant of Christ's Ordinance for their Maintenance may hereafter further appear The Disciples were sent out as Sheep in the midst of Wolves without Money or Brass in their Purses upon their return Christ asked them saying Lacked ye any thing They answered No Going in his heavenly Power and Virtue their Ministry was so effectual prevalent and influential as to open the Hearts of People to minister to their Necessities in the Work of the Gospel so he who sent them maintained them in touching influencing and opening Hearts to minister to their Necessities according to Christ's Ordinance upon that account provided they sought no set annual Stipends Salaries Augmentations They desisted not from Preaching for the want of a settled Maintenance as Man-made Ministers do who when their Maintenance ceases desist their Preaching fulfilling the old Proverb No Penny no Pater-noster Again as Christ instructed his Disciples how to carry and demean themselves to them that received them so he informed
1200. Upon the aforesaid Consideration this Innocent the third by his Decetal Epistle to the Bishop of Canterbury commanded him To enjoyn every man to pay his Temporal Goods to those that ministred Spiritual things to them and the same was enforced by Ecclesiastical Censures And this was the Rise Beginning and Original of General parochial Payment of Tythes in England This the Pope enjoyned notwithstanding any Custom to the contrary The Popes Decree is recorded by Cooke in the second part of his Institutes After this Innocent the third about the Year 1200. had restrained the Free and Voluntary Distribution of Tythes and settled a parochial Payment thereof in Pursuance and Confirmation thereof Gregory the tenth about the Year 1274. ordained That it should not be lawful for men to give their Tythes at their own Pleasure where they would as it had been but to pay all their Tythes to the Mother-Church this saith Cisterniensis Thus the Pope prevailed with People to pay their Tythes and after screwing a Peg higher limitted People to the Payment thereof according to his Appointment CAP. VI. Of the Rise of first Fruits in Christian Churches ACcording to the Mosaical Dispensation a portion of first ripe Fruits were offered unto the Lord and this did Sanctifie the Remainder of Fruits and by these the Jews were raised up into hopes of enjoying their whole Crop in due Season Exod. 22.29 This was a Type fulfilled in the Substance Christ Jesus the Glory of the Evangelical Dispensation Paul having received Christ the end of all the Jewish Types Figures Shadows Offerings first Fruits preached not up the Jewish first Fruits but Christ the end thereof who Sanctifies all that receive him and raises in them Hope and strong Confidence for the Fruition of the Crown of Life Now saith Paul Christ is risen from the dead and is become the first Fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Yea and the Saints in Christ are the Evangelical first Fruits taken out of the Residue of men as the Jewish first Fruits were taken out of the rest an Offering unto the Lord. Of his own Will begat he us saith James by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first Fruits of his Creatures Jam. 1.18 Yea and John called the Hundred Forty and Four Thousand who stood on Mount Sion with the Lamb The first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb Rev. 14.4 Thus in Gospel dayes the Jewish first Fruits were not preached up but Christ the End thereof the End of the first Covenant first Priesthood and its Typical Appurtenances even Christ the Evangelical first Fruits So who preach up the Figure the Substance being come such are Antichrists Now after the rising of the Smoke of the Pit darkning Sun and Air spoiling the Glory of the primitive Church the Beast that had long plunged in the Sea was rifen out of the Sea the Pope had gotten the Supremacy he by colour of the Jewish Laws which gave Tythes to the Levites gained an Universal Payment of Tythes to his Clergy he as Successor of the Jewish high-Priest claimed to himself first Fruits and Tenths denying thereby Christ Jesus to be come in the Flesh the End of Types Shadows and Figures First Fruits and Tenths are but a late Innovation claimed by the Pope as Successor to the Jewish high-Priest as Cooke in the third part of his Institutes testifies Though it was long e're the Pope brought to pass his Attempt of Tenths to himself from all his inferiour Priests in England yet at last it was effected Yea and the Laws of this Nation shew that there was no little strugling by Kings and Commons in Parliament against first Fruits calling the same An Horrible Mischief and a Damnable Custom Yet not so Horrible Mischievous or Damnable but the Pope would receive them and Man-made Ministers preach them up The Payment of first Fruits and Tenths were continued to the Pope as annexed to his Chair as Successor to the Jewish high-Priest Head of the Church till the days of Henry the 8th who then denyed the Popes Supremacy and assumed it to himself and by Act of Parliament got first Fruits and Tenths annexed to his Crown Thus the Aaronical Types and Figures were received from hand to hand entertained among the Professors of Christianity which thing being duely consider'd is Antichristian a Denyal of Christ to be come in the Flesh This being settled on King Henry and his Successors through want of Consideration and of a divine Understanding and being supposed a Due is continued among Protestants pretending to be high Sharers in Reformation CAP. VII Of the Rise of Mortuaries IN the Mid-night of Popery Priests begot in People a Belief that their Prayers Mass-Services Obits c. were wonderful effectual to bring the Souls of the deceased out of Purgatory So 't was appointed that the Relict the Wife of the Deceased was to pay ten Shillings more or less to the Priest and this was called a Mortuary And why must she pay so much to the Priest That the Priest might pray for the Soul of her Deceased Husband and that some of their Merits which they had in store might be shared out to him pretending They had a stock of Merits to sell to such as came with Money in their hands Selden mentions a Synod in Ireland wherein it appears that a man might have bequeathed his Burial to what Abbey he would and that the Abbot thereof should have his Apparel his Horse and his Cow for a Mortuary although he had before bestowed all he had upon another Abbot Now the Pope being denyed and a Reformation intended the Clergy concluded that it was gross and idolatrous to receive Mortuaries upon such a Consideration and yet unwilling to part with such a sweet Morsel devised a more plausible consideration and that was That Mortuaries should be given in Recompence of Tythes not duely paid in the Life-time not considering that in this very thing they condemn all their Hearers as Fraudulent and Deceitful so must have a Recompence for the Fraud Guile Unjust detaining of Church-dues in their Life-time The Apostles practised no such thing but bare Testimony That men should arise stained with Covetous Practises 'T is a shame that Protestants so called from protesting to renounce Popery should be so defiled and contaminated with such Covetous Practices In the dayes of Henry the 8th 't was enacted That the Bishops of Bangor Landaff and St Assaph and the Arch-Deacon of Chester should take Mortuaries of the Priests within their Jurisdictions as had been accustomed This Henry enacted That no Mortuary should be demanded where the Goods of the dead Person Debts deducted amount not to the value of ten Marks Nor above the Sum of three Shillings four Pence when they exceed not thirty pound Nor above six Shillings eight Pence when they exceed thirty Pound but under forty Nor above ten Shillings when they amount to forty Pound or above Thus after the primitive