wel ecclesiastical as civil in such sort as nothing is to be established among her subiects either in ecclesiasticall or civil causes publikl or privately but what belongeth vnto her power to correct order enact according vnto the written word of God and the rules of common equide and iustice So that it doth no whit infringe her royal power and authoritie to deny that she hath any warrant any power any sword granted her of God to establish either false Religion false Antichristian ordinances or yet any other vnwarrantable or vniust constitutiō Yet if of oversight she hath imposed any such thing vpon her subiects and inflicted a penaltie vpon them for not obeying that wherto they cannot yeeld any submissiō without the breach of Gods lawe I hold it to be the duty of private men to suller patiently the stroke of her sword and in no wise to withstand the power thereof either by open force or secret practises but only to betake themselves and their cause vnto the Lord God earnestly desiring him to passe by her oversight and to encline her heart and hand to embrace and mainteyue his truth and to suppresse all falshood violence and oppression Now if her Maiestie and this high Court require of vs that we resort vnto the publick assemblies of the land and so to enter as hath ben shewed into the tents of the Antichristian band continue therein I answer againe that this is against the written word of God and therfore that her Maiestie hath no power no authoritie from the Lord to require this at our hands We are punished for it we answer againe that the sword is given for our wealth and not for our hurt that it ought not to be drawen against vs for well doing yet we paciently and quietly bear the stroke we dare not resist we dare not rebel against the Powers Nay we intreat our God day and night for the prosperity of her Maiesties crowne desiring him in mercy to passe by this blemish of her government and not to lay it to her charge earnestly craving that her eyes and the eyes of your Honours may be opened to see our innocency and the truth wherein we stand admonishing both Her and you that although we for our parts knowe our selves bound even in nature to pacifie the hard dealing of our Prince and country towards vs by suffring and bearing of their iniuries as we would do our parents that yet the Lord God who iudgeth without respect of persōs is an avenger of al such things In respect wherof we dare notbut endeavour to the uttermost of our power to pull her and you from this consuming fire of his judgements that hang over your heads even for the maintenance of this Antichristian merchandise within this Land much more for pursuing vs that will not trafique and intermedle with the said wares Hitherto I have shewed the Parish-assemblies of the Land to be of a most feareful conspiracie against Iesus Christ and therefore to be dissolved by your Honours and avoided in the meane time by all the Servants of Christ But I would this preheminence that these forreigne Romish Captaines have over them were the only thing which maketh them vnclean vnto the Saints of God Their case in the next place then is now to be considered for the vnderstading wherof I am to set down these groūds following 1. That as the Lord hath appointed his word and trueth to be taught his Sacraments to be administred and the holy Order appointed by himself to be kept in his house and body so he hath ordeyned a Power and authoritie that is certaine offices by vertue whereof these things are to be done 2. Next that Christ Iesus being the head of his Church hath ill fulnes of power preheminence authority dwelling in himself in such sort as his body and spouse is to submit her self unto no power in religion save onely vnto that power which is derived from him that is her head So that as the Church is to receive no doctrines no sacraments no order but what the Lord hath anpointed to be in his house so also hee hath forbidden his said Church to receive be subiect vnto any power authority save onely unto the power which is derived frō the head therof For it is no lesse derogatory vnto the Majesty of Christ Iesus for the Church to submit her self vnto the power of another head though conveighing the truth with it then to receive the false doctrines and false sacraments of some other Religion or God 3. Thirdly that Satan in bringing the mysterie of iniquity to light and in advancing the sonne of perdition into his chaire of pestilence did not onely appoint false Sacraments false worship but also a false head and a false power that is false Offices by vertue wherof both those things were to be done as also the Lords true institutions and ordinances were to be violated in the Antichristian Synagogue 4. That those who preach the truth administer the sacraments of baptisme and the Lords supper and none other by vertue of any of the false offices invented and reteyned in the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist derive their power wherby they doe these things from Antichrist and not from Christ Iesus And therfore that such working by vertue of a false power is not to be received of the church of Christ Now to come to the Parish-assemblies of this land admit that ARCH BISHOPS LORD BISHOPS c. bare no such rule authority over them as now they do and that there were none but Preachers in them yet we demaund of these Preachers by what authoritie they preach baptize c that is we demand what office they have so to do whether this office of theirs be an office derived frō Chirst Iesus or a power left here by Antichrist I say that whatsoever they do they doe the same by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling none other That is they do it either as they are Deacons Preists or as having a priviledged immunitie licence and dispensation counterveyling a Deaconry or a Preisthood I adde this priviledged License because some one among ten thousand it may be being neither Preist nor Deacon by vertue of a License from his Ordinarie doth serve a cure Yet if there be any such they are not capable of any charge and what they do they do it by this power of the beast And here because I deale in a matter of fact I call but day light and common sense to decide this whole controversie which is conteyned in these two points 1. Whether at the expelling of the Pope out of this Land by her Maiesties saves the Popish offices of Preists and Deacons were expelled also out of the Parish-assemblies or reteyned 2. Whether at the same tyme or sithence any of the true offices of the Church of Christ were instituted and ordeyned in the Parish-assemblies of the Land The case is cleere that
the Popish offices of Preists and Deacons were reteyned and that the offices of Christs kingdome were not restored And it is by vertue of the Popish offices of the Preisthood and Deaconrie that the whole worship of God is performed or rather polluted and prophaned in all the Assemblies of this Land for the proofe whereof I call not onelie her Majestie her lawes and this high Court of Parliament to witnes but also the cheifest mainteiners of the parish-Assemblies namely the forwardest Preachers of the Land who in times past confessed whatsoever they do now that the offices of Christ were not planted and therefore laboured to her Majestie and the Parlement to have them established in the parish assemblies In regard of her Majesties lawes the case is cleere that the State then being led by the sight of our fathers in king Edwards daies accounted the popish Church to be the Church of Christ though corrupt popish offices of Bishops Preistes and Deacons to be the offices of the Church of Christ and therfore retained them for so we find it set downe in the booke of ordering Bishops and Preistes made in King Edwardes time and established by her Majestes Lawes as the ground rule whence and according to the which all the Ministeriall offices of the parish meetings yea of the whole Land must be squared The book saith That it is evident to all men diligentlie reading the holie Scripture and the auncient authors In the Preface that from the Apostles time there have bene these orders of Ministers in the Church of Christ Bishops Preistes Deacons And therfore saith the booke to the intent that these orders should be stil continued reverentlie used esteemedin the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at that present Bishop Preist or Deacon should execute any of them except he be tried examined admitted according to this booke Again no man in this Land can take a spirituall living either Parsonage Vicarage Curatship but by vertue of this Preisthood Deaconrie or a Popish licence equivalent unto this Preisthood so that if a Preacher be beneficed the same day that he denieth his licence his Preisthood his Deaconrie is he also deprived ipso facto if it please his Ordinarie and another may presentlie conveigh himselfe into his living if it were worth millions of gold Nay whosoever he be that wil cast of these Popish orders he is but a meere lay or private man and so not capable of anie office in anie of the assemblies of this land for so her Majesties lawes to wit the foresaid book doth conclude that these offices were evermore had in that reverend estimation that no man by his owne private authoritie might presume to execute any of them and consequentlie that all men should be called to the order of the Preisthood Deaconrie Prelacie according as this book doth allow He that is made a Minister in som reformed Church beyond the Seas is not capable of the Cure of a parish assemblie in this land except he shall receive a Deaconrie a Preisthood after the order of our land and yet he that receiveth orders in Rome is correspondent and answerable unto the pattern of our Deaconrie and Preisthood and so capable to buy sel that is to execute any publike function They are knowen cases that he who received his Preisthood or Deaconry in King Henrie the 8 his dayes is a Preist a Deacon under King Edward Queene Marie Queene Elisabeth by vertue of the same orders and he preacheth if he can preach being licensed therunto in King Henrie King Edward Queen Marie Queen Elisabeth their daies by vertue of the same Preisthood for the office is the same as both the booke and everie man for the most part doth account it He that hath received but primam tonsuram in King Henrie the VIII or Queen Maries daies being the first stepp of this abhominable order may by lawe performe those things under her Majestie which no lay man as they call him must presume to take in hand This case being cleer apparant if it be now demaunded why wee will not heare the truth taught by the preachers of the land why we wil not receive the Sacramentes at their hands we answere that this we refuse to do because we must not submit or consciences our soules and bodies being the temples of the holy Ghost to be wrought upō to be sat in unto any power in religion save only unto the power which is derived from our head Iesus Christ We answer that our head and Maister having all power dwelling in him hath this peculiar interest in vs being his members that he onely must sit in our Consciences by his ordinances This interest of his he will not communicate with any creature and therefore wee dare not though we should suffer a thousand deathes to transferre the same unto anie save unto himselfe alone and to joine with the popish assemblies of the Land If the preachers do seeke I ESVS CHRIST and his honour by their preaching they wil begin first with a lawful calling and office they wil derive their power from him by vertue of the offices that he ordeined in his word When they shall do this walk according to the doctrine which is according unto godlines wee will be the most willing to joine with them the most glad to hear them and to cōmunicate with them everie way to reverence them as the Ministers of Iesus Christ In the meane time let them not wonder that we hold this for undoubted truth namely That whosoever he be that sitteth in the temple of God that is worketh upon the consciences of men by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling he is an Antichristian Minister whatsoever truth he bringeth with him The trueth which such Ministers do teach is but the bait whereby Satan in his mysticall delusion powerfull subtilties hideth the false power by meanes whereof hee in his ordinances ruleth over those that otherwise would yeeld him no subjection none obedience When he cannot utter his ordinances by falsehood he is glad to make them awaie by meanes of the truth And he ruleth in the consciences of men not onely by false doctrine but also by his false power and ordinances His kingdome of darknes consisteth not onelie in the lies and false doctrine and worship which he hath coined but also in the false and Antichristian ordinances which he hath invented for the ruling of his Idolatrous denne And therefore the children and Saintes of God avoyd both the one and the other We owe him none obedience in either of them and farre be it even farre be it I say that we should sinne so treacherouslie against our Lord Maister and so greivouslie against our owne soules to be subject unto Satan in either of them seing by the most precious bloud of Christ Iesus and by the power of his crosse and resurrection we have bene
set free from all spirituall bondage whatsoever Satan could not reigne in this land by these his forenamed ordinances if he brought not truth with him it is no marveil that he bringeth trueth unto us rather then lose his kingdome He can transforme himselfe we knovve into an Angell of light but vve must not receiv him or his merchādise vvhat glasse soever he casteth over them or in vvhat vveed soever he cloth himselfe And therefore let it not be thought vvonderful that vve reject that preaching those Sacraments and those Ministers that by their preaching ministerie and sacraments vvould dravve our consciences to be subject unto the povver of Satan Nay rather vve may vvonder vvith astonishment hovv they dare presume to minister before Iesus Christ in the garments vveeds and offices of the Locustes of the bottomles pit hovv they dare presse to offer before the God of Israel being strangers from the Tabernacle by vertue of their office It vvas a positive lavv under Moses that the stranger not being of the line of Aaron yea or not called to the holie office that vvould intermedle vvith the office of the Preist should dy the death for it Much more if he vvere an Eckronitish or an Ashdodean Preist in his office And is not this man vvorthie of more honour then Moses his ordināces to be yet more reverenced then Moses his vvere Oh then vvhat a fearful presumption is it for the Preachers of this land I speak nothing all this vvhile of the Idol-readers the Prelates the Cōmissaries the Chancellors the Deanes the Archdeacons c to take his vvord in their mouthes his Sacramentes in their hands to minister in his sight being not Ashdodeans or Eckronitish but Antichristian Preists which is more horrible by vertue of their office calling The sensible presidents of Gods fearefull iudgements upon Corah and the two hundred fiftie Captaynes of the Congregation being men that held and taught such of them as were teachers as many points of truth as our preachers can hold or teach time time being counted together The fretting consuming leprosie of K. Vzziah are written for their instruction ours that they should not presume to intermedle with the holy things of God especially by vertue of a false Antichristiā office If it be here said that we have nothing to do what office they have so they preach the truth I answer that this is it which Satan would have to wit that his ordinances his power his Ministerie should be received of vs without any scruple or doubt what we do therby Graunt him this once and he wil soon overthrow all religion I have shewed before that a good conscience will beginne with a lawfull calling and office especially in this holy work and therfore if men have not forgotten to be ashamed let them not use this gracelesse uncolourable shift any longer to iustifie their uneven walking For if their outvvard office and calling wil not abide the fire of the word they are but wolves and vsurpers whosoever they be And if they be ashamed or think themselves too good to derive their office authoritie and power from Iesus Christ the Church of Christ and every member therof ought to be ashamed and afraid to receive them Nay the Church cannot receive them without high treason against the head thereof Christ Iesus vnto whose power alone we must submit our selves for we have none other head but him and therfore wil acknowledge no other power but his to have authoritie to work vpon our consciences They know what penaltie was to be executed vpon him under Moses that spake in the name of other Gods unto that people how dare they then go about to thrust us away frō the Lord our God who hath redeemed us from the power of the grave and to bring us into subjection unto the ordinances of that godlesse Mauzzim Do they not know that that Christ is not a true Christ but an Antichrist whatsoever truth he teacheth whatsoever miracles he worketh which cannot prove his outward office and calling unto us out of the written word of God What Ministers then can they be but Antichristiā whose office calling cannot derive the genealogie therof out of the same booke of the written undoubted veritie Christ Iesus telleth us that the Scriptures are they which testifie of him that his power even to preach and not his preaching onelie is in the verie conscience of his adversaries from heaven and not from men Hee tooke not the honour of his office unto him selfe but he that said unto him this day have I begotten thee gave it him as the Apostle teacheth Iohn Baptist confirmeth his office out of the written word namely that he was that voice of him that crieth in the wildernes whereof the Prophet Isay had foretold the Church The holy Apostles confirme their office out of the written word For they wil not onelie prove that they preach nothing but the truth administer no sacramentes save the true sacramentes onely but also wil shewe that they derive the power authority to do this from him who hath all power in his hand that is from Iesus who did not onely instruct them what trueth the Church was to receive but also gave them a Cōmission to do the same from his owne mouth in saieng Go yee therefore c. Nay they durst not presume to choose any to supplie the roome of Iudas among them except they had bene able to bring the warrant of the written word for their ground that an office was void in the house of God and that another was to supplie that roome Paul the Apostle is able to proue his office unto us out of many places of the written word The Spirit of God testifieth that he is an Apostle of Iesus Christ not at his own hand but by the wil of God What wil the Preachers of our time then say for them selves why they should not do the like Many of them go about to deceive them selves the simple people by the place of Paul Yee are the seale of mine Apostleship We have called many say they But by vertue of what office say wee If they allege we have nothing to do to examine that truth nay cōmon sense wil answere them that then they are wicked intruders that they are Lawlesse theeves that they are false Prophets nay that they are Anabaptists and that we may know them by this bitter presumptuous fruite which cōmeth out of their mouthes For wil they presume to take the word of Iesus Christ in their mouths to intermedle with his Sacramentes to rule in his house and wil they not shewe us how they come in by what office they doe these things wil they under pretense of an inward power bragge of an outward office nay exempt themselves from the charge of of an office in the house of God under the vaile of their outward giftes and so breake into the same in steed of
against Moses but within the tents that is under the power and of the conspiracie which the members and officers of Antichrist have raised against Christ Iesus the sonne of God And that it may be seen that I speak the truth I appeale to the consciences of all men in this place whether all the Parish-assemblies of England are not yea and continue in subiection vnto these offices of the Antichristian kingdome namely vnto an Archbishop a Lord bishop a Chancellor an Archdeacon a Commissary an Offâ—ciall and an other Preist at the least that is eyther a Parson a Vicar or a Curate Now touching the conspiracy wherof these men are guiltie I do agayn appeale vnto the consciences of all men whether it be not greater presumption for Lord Archbishops Bishops Chancellors CoÌ„missaries Archdeacons c. to say vnto Christ Iesus that he taketh too much vpon him in a peaceable kingdome to appoint by what offices and officers he should be served then for Corah Dathan Abiram to say Moses and Aaron you take too much vpon you I know it must needs be granted to be greater for shall they be accounted rebels that break Moses his law the violaters wherof died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses and will it not be adiudged much more heynous thus to rebel against the sonne of God The Spirit of God sayth yea because this man to wit Heb. 3.3 Iesus Christ is worthy of more honour then Moses And he that breaketh his Law especially entreth into conspiracie against him is a far greater traitor then he that riseth against the ordinances of Moses The conclusioÌ„ then is evident that the conspiracy of the Archbishops and Bishops of this land against Christ Iesus wherby they being forreigne Officers and straungers from the house of God by vertue of their Offices do yet presume to arrogate the government of his house into their owne hands to take vp weapons against him and his servants that would restore him into his own possession are greater Rebels and guiltie of a greater sin against the Maiestie of God then were Corah Dathan Abiram their company And that those who continue and have ecclesiasticall authoritie and iurisdiction are guilty of an high sinne and to expect a more fearful hand of God over them then those who remayned in the tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram If it be here obiected that these Romish Locusts their guard do not say that Christ taketh too much vpon himself in going about to plant what Offices he thinketh meet in his owne house they mend not themselves for he that heareth you heareth me saith Christ Iesus and he that despiseth his word reiecteth him againe Corah did not professe himselfe to rise against the God of Israel yet sayth Moses vnto him Thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord for what is Aaron that ye murmure against him So say we vnto this Romish traine ye and your abettors are gathered together this day against Iesus Christ and have wrested the Scepter out of his hand as for vs that oppose our selves against you in our Maisters quarrel what are we that ye should thus molest and persecute vs If any man shall plead ignorance for them and say that they see not what they do in these things we answer that the question is not what they know but what they doe They have had sufficient time to learne now these 34 yeares and vpward wherin they haue continued and increased their rebellion and their practises against CHRIST JESVS his Saints Let them put on armour and pitch a feild against her MAIESTIE molest and persequute her subiects despise her proclamations and imprison to the death her faithfullest servants and see whether pleading ignorance wil cover their attempts Much lesse wil it serve their turne in this case And if they are ignorant then speak they evil of and persequute that which they know not and so are in a fearful case But Corah and his company living in a time of smaller light having also some more reasons to cover their attempts as before hath and agayn shal be briefly touched might plead ignorance better then our Prelacy and Preisthood may do Wherfore eyther it must be sayd that men may conspire against IESVS CHRIST without controlment wheras this could not be done vnder and against Moses without the danger of a fore recompense of Gods wrath Or els it must be graunted that the conspiracie of our Prelates must be farre greater then that of Corah Dathan and Abiram was which can in no wise be denied both because it aymeth at the same point that Corahs did namely at the outward offices of the house of God to speak nothing here of the will-worship and false administrations wherein these Romish Offices are imployed in the assemblies of this Land and also in as much as it is against Iesus Christ the Sonne wheras the gainsaying of Corah withstood but the ordinances appointed by Moses the servant And therfore also it followeth that seing the assemblies of this Land cannot be drawen to leave the tents of these wicked men but continue in the wilful and obstinate defence of this their doing it followeth I say that they are also guilty of a greater conspiracie then those were that abode in the tents of Corah What these parish assemblies wil be able to say for themselves I know not for it is out of controversie true that all of them are at the commaundement under the iurisdiction of these Antichristian Captaynes They receive no Ministerie but what they allow what they make what hath authoritie from them They receive no worship manner of serving the true God but what these Romish Apollyons are content shal be over them Nay they are wholly their subiects and at their call and commaundement in every thing that apperteyneth vnto the outward worship of the Lord. When this gainsaying generation graunteth the Parish a preaching Preist they have a Preacher when they deny the same they must be content with reading Not to be long in a knowen case what can there be done in these assemblies which the Prelates are not content to tollerate and allow Nay what power hath the Parish or their Preist to establish any thing there but what they derive from their Ordinary And as to the most Parishes in this Land Preists that serve in them they professedly mainteyn this conspiracie Some few preaching Preists or Deacons and some small number of the Parish I graunt to be here and there which pretend a desire to have this conspiracie dissolved but these are nothing to the generall state of the Land And these in the mean time are also themselves the cheif vpholders of this conspiracie holding it lawful contrarie to the expresse inhibition of the word for themselves and all others to continue within these tents in such sort as they are become the cheifest mainteyners of this Rebellion the egerest pursuers of those
entring in at the doore Wee detest their Anabaptistrie But to answer the word abused by them Paul was an Apostle and had his office thereunto before ever he saw the Corinthians yea he had his office from Iesus Christ before ever he preached This office of his he proveth unto us by the written word although he was in no wise to receive the same his office from the Church Now if the Corinthians or any other whom he had called unto the obedience of the Gospell should by the instigation of the false Apostles call his office into question under the pretense that they knew not whether he spake true in affirming that Christ with his own mouth appointed him thereunto because he was not able to produce any witnesses of this Commission given as the rest of the Apostles were Paul answereth this that they were an evident seale of his office and as touching any calling from men he was not to receive it They were I say the seale of his Apostleship For he was made conspicuous amongst them by signes by wonders by doing of miracles They were by his Ministerie indued with the giftes of healing of miracles of prophecie of strange tongues and in these things inferiours unto no Church So that although they would not beleeve his testimonie of him selfe the witnesse which Luke in the written word giveth of him yet these most excellent rare supernaturall giftes wherewith he had furnished them were a sufficient seale unto their consciences that he was the great Apostle of Iesus Christ. Other witnesses of his office was he to bring none besides his owne testimony warranted by the written word the great power of the Spirit accompanying his Ministerie in a powerfull sort For a calling unto this office of his by the Church was he to receive none Now are the Ministers of our Parishes Apostles When saw they Iesus Christ then when spake he with them what miracle can they work what strange tongues which they studied not can they spake whom have they healed whom have they indued with these rare giftes why take they the polluted calling of the Preisthood or Deaconry from men If they be not Apostles they must not onely shew us their gifts but also what office they have in the Church to execute the same Thinke they to refuse and cast of the calling and order of God in his Church by bragging of their operations If they think themselves bound to take an office of the Church as their Preisthood sheweth they do why will they not have us to turne over the booke of their genealogie that we may see whether they be of that line of Aaron or of the house of Corah Whereas they bragge of calling and opening the eies of any I would learn whereto they have called them to be Christians to the Church of Christ they will not I hope say that the people were unchristianed Panims that the Parishes were no Churches before they came among them Whence then have they called the people out of the tentes of Corah out of the kingdom of Antichrist why both they their people continue their still And yf they say they have taught them many truethes which they knew not so may the Papist-preachers say too And if they have furnished them with any of the giftes of the Spirit they do thereby but deck and adorne a strumpet in steed of the true spouse of Christ with the Iewel◠of the spouse And therefore if they wrought any knowledge in their people let that be manifested by bringing them out of these Conspiring Tentes and presenting them before the dore of the true tabernacle of Iesus Christ As to themselves if they wil be the Ministers of righteousnes let them not fly the light but prove their office out of the written word For are they disciples and wil they be greater then their Maister Are they servantes and wil they be greater then their Lord Shal we yeeld unto them that lawlesse unwrittn prerogative which our head and Maister would not claime at our handes nay which we durst not yeeld unto him that is shall we receive them having no warrant of the scripture no Cōmission from God to come unto us They preach they say and they administer the Sacraments be it so But we demaund of them by what power they do these thinges If by a power that is by vertue of an Office comming from heaven let them shew it as our Lord and maister Christ Iesus did If by a power cōming from men or from the bottomlesse pit our Saviour Christ telleth us nay even the book of Ordination her Majesties Lawes tell us that they are theeves and robbers and they come unto us in the name and by the power of another God whome we know not will not acknowledge And the Lord by his Prophet sayth unto us with amighty voice I have not sent these Prophets yet they ranne I have not spoken unto them and yet they Prophecie They preach the trueth they say and administer the sacraments Be it so but have they taken the honour unto themselves or hath it ben given unto them by him who onely hath power to say This day or at such a time have I given thee honour holy office of the Ministerie in my Church If they can name us the time shew us the office we wil beleeve them we will embrace them otherwise we say unto them that no man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron that is no man taking it can have it for many would take it steal it c. if so they might come by the same This folly this presumption this collusion should not be heard of in Israel They preach and baptise they say We demand who sent them who said Go unto them If Iesus Christ let them shewe their commission from him that he hath said unto them as he did to the Apostles Go ye therfore c. If Antichrist by vertue of an office in his body hath said vnto them Go ye therfore c. they have power in deed to preach and to administer the Sacraments unto such as confesse themselves to be under that head But for our selves we refuse him and all his power his members his Officers If Antichrist saith vnto any All power over the assemblies of this Land is committed unto me and because many of the people would withdraw themselves from my jurisdiction if they had not the trueth taught vnto them Goe ye therefore preach that by meanes of your preaching they may remaine within my Tentes Shall we receive such Preachers God forbid And yet such are all the preachers of this Land Shall Antichrist say Goe shall we say Come vnto them Shall they derive their power from another head then from Christ Iesus shall we be in subjecttion vnto them They say that they are the Ministers of Iesus Christ but we demand by whose will by whose
commaudement by whose ordinance whether by the wil of God by the commandement of God by the ordinance of God or by the wil commandement and ordinance of the man of sinne that child of perdition Their office which they have the people over whom they are the tents where they minister the jurisdiction vnder which the submit themselves the parties by whome the place where the time when the ordinance wherby they are made will easilie decide this controversie prove vnto their faces that they are limmes of that body in regard of their office I speak not of the mens persons as touching the Lords election which shal be destroyed for evermore And here it is to be observed that when we speak vnto these preachers of their office they presently runne to the execution therof and prove themselves to have an office because they performe those things which apperteyne unto that office As if an intruding Iudge or Iustice being demanded by her Majestie or her Counsaile by what authoritie he sat vpon the lives deathes of malefactors by what authoritie he discharged out his warrants to call in and to restreine ryotous and vagrant persons should answer that he did nothing but what was behoofull and needfull for the state which sheweth not his authoritie power office whereby he intermedleth with these things but rather giveth evidence against himselfe that he is a lawlesse intruder and so in danger of the penaltie of her lawes and her high displeasure The like is the course of these preachers A stranger busieth himselfe in the Princes Court in those thinges which are needfull to be done about the Princes roiall person or otherwise The Prince espieth him and demaundeth who placed him in office how he durst presume to come in presēce especially so neere vnto the chaire of state without speciall leave and license The stranger answereth that he doth nothing but what is meete lawfull and alloweable to be done as for his office the Prince is not to respect that seing no evil is cōmitted whatsoever it may be was purposed to be done or how dangerous soever the president would be vnto the Princes roiall state and person And shall he be tolerated that presumeth after this sort against his Prince questionlesse no. Intollerable then is their presumption whosoever they be who think that this manner of dealing will stand alloweable before the Prince of Princes Offer it now vnto thy Prince saith Malachie speaking of any vnmeet service and see whether he will accept thereof See whether a Prince wil be content that he should be attended vpon early and late by no other officers then the knowen guard of the enemie in the Liverie and vnder the badge of the professed enimie no no. For although these might for a time do some faithful service yet might the Prince be day and night in iust feare of trecherie which at the length they would be assured to effect Nay there were no reason if they would serve the Prince but they should also cast of the badge and liverie of his enemy and conforme themselves according to the will and direction and be knowen by the cognizance of the Prince in whose service they should seeme to be imployed We know the Prelacie Preisthood and Deaconrie of old to have betrayed the glorie of God We know that they were appointed for none other purpose then to dishonour Iesus Christ. Wee have late experience how trecherously they forsook the truth and persecuted the same after King Edwards dayes wee speak nothing of the present conspiracie wherein they stand And should we now cōmit the salvatiō of our souls the truth of God the holy vessels of the sanctuarie the watch and ward of the holy city unto so pernicious faithles and trecherous a generation which wil be overthrowen whensoever the Lord doth recover his and cannot stand but by keeping him out of his right If they meane to serve Iesus Christ let them enter into his house and not continue in the pavilion of his enemy let them cast off their Antichristian cognisance and office and derive their office from him In the mean time let them learne that the office whatsoever it be the execution therof are so distinguished and severed asunder that the one of them cannot possibly be the other He may have a lawful office both in the Church and common wealth that never executed the same as dying the same hower that he receiveth it or otherwise The Apostles had their office in the Mount and so were true Officers by vertue therof before ever they executed their office in preaching baptising c. And if preaching and the administration of the sacraments be the office of the Preachers of this Land I marvel what they will have the execution of their office to bee If preaching be their office what Office have they when they preach not What office have the dumbe Ministers that cannot preach The point is so grosse and savoureth of such grosse ignorance as it is wonderful that those who are ready to object their want of learning vnto their adversaries and to claime interest in so large a portion thereof vnto themselves are not ashamed of bewraying their weaknes in this sort For if preaching be their office why are they Deacons why are they Preists why have they licenses to preach Why preach they not when their Preisthood Deaconrie and Licenses are gone If preaching be their Office what call they the execution therof as I have said It will serve them in no stead to deny thēselves to have the Popish Office of the Priesthood or Deaconrie in as much as they professe more truths then wil be professedly tollerated in Poperie Because this confirmeth not their office but the execution therof to be divers from that of the Popish preisthood The office of Bishops Preists Deacons as hath bene said were not changed vnder her Maiestie because they were thought to be the offices of the Church of Christ. The true offices were not restored for the same cause And therfore common experience wil convince the vaine sophistrie of men in going about to prove those offices to be diverse which neither were altered nor yet once thought to need any change or alteration Nay experience wil not onely teach us that our Preists have the same office with the popish sacrificers but also shew that they have many other things belonging vnt◠them which apperteyn unto none save vnto the Thus much of the Copie I had more of it I knew not where to have whether it was finished or not before his death I know not for he was apprehended adiudged and executed for witnessing of the truth of Christ howsoever any other thing was pretended against him and as I have heard while he was about writing of this treatise