A BRIEF DISCOVERY OF THE FALSE CHURCH. Ezek. 16. 44. AS THE MOTHER SUCH THE DAUGHTER IS. 1590. To the Reader. IF THE GODLY YOUNG KING JOSCHIIAH, 2 King. 22. 11. when he herded the book of▪ GOD'S law read, & compared the acts of his forefathers, and the present estate of his kingdom thereunto, rend his clotheses in horror of the wrathful judgements of GOD, in that book denounced etc. If the Prophet JEREMIAH in his time so soon after IOSIA●… his death, when the defection began but to break out a fresh, & the whole land to decline from the ancient ways of the Lord: upon the consideration of GOD his fearful judgements to ensue, broke out into such deep & extreme lamentations, as he wished unto himself a cottage in the wilderness, where jer. 9 1. 2. he might remain, never to return to the land, to behold either the enormities present, or calamities to come, but there continually to lament, & shed forth abundance of tears, for the wrath & desolation that was to fall upon it, wishing his head a fountain, and his eyes as buckets hereunto etc. what occasion of sorrow and lamen●…ation have all Christian hearts, in whom is any compassion or love, in these dangerous (if not desperate) days▪, where the whole land (that I say not the whole world) ●…ath lain so long, and is so deeply set in defection, sin & security, where they are so universally departed from the straightway of life and peace, and are so far wandered and strayed in their own by-ways which they have sought out unto themselves, as they have now utterly lost all knowledge of the true way, & have no will to return: But though they be showed the way, and willed to walk in it, yet even the best of them stop their ears, wink with their eyes, & turn away the shoulder, lest Zach. 7. 11 they should be converted & be healed. Others, & those the chief governors of the church, & guide's of the people, do not only deny CHRIST to reign over them, or to yield him any fruit or tribute of his viveyeard, but most bitterly persecute all CHRIST'S servants that are sent to them, to show them, and call them back to the right way, rejecting CHRIST'S ordinances, as intolerable in this common wealth. As for the Seers, Prophets & watchmen, they do not only not blow the trumpet, not give warning, not discover the pit and t●…e snare, but cover them rather with flowers and green herbs: Yea they are become as fowlers to allure and draw men into their snares. The best of them that pretend a kind of reforma●…ion, seek not to revive the true pattern, or to call men to the Testament of CHRIST, from whence they are so far departed; so much as to renew the old scars of the old & first apostasy from the Gospel. In the mean while, detaining th●… people by their shifts and cavils under the yoke of Antichrist, corrupting themselves, even in those 〈◊〉. 10. things which they themselves see & acknowledge to be evil & unlawful, for the reformation whereof, they are earnest suitors unto the parliament. Thus seduce they and deceive the miserable people & 2 〈◊〉. 2. 18 19 themselves, leading them forward, & detaining them in the wrath of God. What heart would not melt & break to behold this estate, 2 Tim. 2. 13 the breach whereof is like the sea, and in the best help that is administered at any hand, but to cure it with untempered & unseasoned ●…am. 2. 13 stuff; the Prophets seeking out vain things, not discovering the ●…am. 2. 13, ●…4. iniquity to turn away the captivity, but have looked out burdens, & causes of putting away & banishment. what tears? what sorrow can suffice to deplore and lament this estate? but alas, private sorrow will not help public calamity. Many mourners Ezek. 9 4 5. there would seem in these times for TZION, who (good men) can take no rest for sleeping, ease, & belly cheer: feign they would have all things well, but they neither refrain from the pollutions, nor cry out against the abominations of the the times: & therefore, as Phil. 3. 18, 19 they are not marked on the foreheads by the Angel clothed in linen with the w●…iters inkhorn: so shall they not be spared by the avenging Angels that carry the instruments of dissipation in their hands. But now, while no man hath courage, or openeth his mouth for Isa. 59 4. the truth, whi●…es no man standeth up in the gap, or offereth himself ●…zek. 22. 30. i●… this service, while the ancients keep silence, & fly as chased hearts before the enemies, while the leaders faint, & lie at the head Lam. 1. of all the streets, as a bull●…k in a snare, & are full of the wrath of Isa. 51. 18, ●…0. the Lord, and of the rebuke of GOD, what safety or hope is in this estate? Yea what hear●… could endure to behold so many of his natural countrymen, dear friends, and neer●… kins folk in the flesh, to perish before his eyes, for want of warning or help. wherefore behold, ●…om. 9 1. 2. 3. even the zeal of the glory of my God enforced me, as also the tender love and care of the safety of this my country constrained Mic●…h. 3. 8 me to break silence, and to set the trumpet to my mouth, not any longer enduring the excellency of the one, or the life of the other, thus to be trodden under foot, and neglected. Myself I willingly acknowledge of all other the most unmeet, and every way unfit unto this work; but let my zeal of the truth, my love unto you, & the present necessity of the time, excuse me of presumption or vain glory, though no way cover or excuse any errors or faults escaped me in this present writing; which I wholly, even in fear & reue●…nce, submit, to the trial & cen●…ure of all men, at all times, by the word of God. I desire to have no further credit, than the word of GOD giveth warr●…nt, neither yet would I be reproved fo●… speaking the truth of God plainly and simply, although the same truth have long lyen hide and buried, & be now peradventure generally impugne●… of all men. Only, let neither the truth of God be prejudiced, nor the charitable Reader offended, by the vnlear●…ednes & simplicity of the writer. Let not the faith of CHRIST be held in respect of men's people, but let the Reader rather consider, that GOD is not always bond, or the truth tied to the Phariseiss lips, & to the Rabbins chair. God his glory is, to reveal at some Ma●…. 11. 25 times unto babes & sucklings, that, which he hideth from the wise 1 Cor. ●…. 26 etc. & prudent, yea even by such despised things, to reprove & confounded the wisdom & glory of the world. Let not the Rea●…er then fix his eyes upon the messenger (in whose mortal body he shall found 2 Cor. 4▪ 10. nothing, but the marks and dying of our Lord JESUS CHRIST) so much, as upon the matter, wherein he shall found life and peace unto his own soul: Neither in the matter let him regard the form, so much as the truth. The stile and phrase (no doubt) must needs seem harsh & unpleasant, being utterly voided of all human arts & learning (wherewith the whole world is now so deeply delighted, & 2. Tim. 4. wholly carried away) nothing else being welcome or acceptable unto their earthly séses, or ytching humorous ears, which cannot b●…ooke wholesome doctrine, or suffer the words of exhortation. I have not desired to speak in the words taught by human wisdom, but in the words taught of the Holy Ghost. From which, where I have 1 Cor. 2. 1●… swerved (as my unsanctified lips no doubt too often have) or which wherein I have abused (as fools know not to use a parable aright) I Prou. 26. 7 humbly crave the Christian correction, rather than the pardon of the reader; for it aught to go before, and shall be more profitable unto me. Great every way shall ●…he benefit hereof be, both to me & to the whole Church: I being instructed, shall (through the grace of God) both repent, & learn to amend my faults; the Church shall reap the fruits of God's graces much more plentifully in others; which if I may any way stir up, I shall not judge my labour wholly lost. The diffuse and disorderly handling of these points, will also no doubt be yrksonne unto the Reader, neither in deed take I any pleasure therein: but let that be partly imputed to the confuse subject (●…ou know what BABEL signifieth) but chiefly, to my want of skill, that known not how to do it better▪ I am content to bear that blame, so others may reap any good by the rest. If some unperfect sentences, or superfluous repetitions arise in the reading, attribute those to his weakened memory, that is but a little cherished, as also, to the inconvenience of the place, through the iniquity of the times: where such was the rage of the enemy, as he might not keep one shed by him, while he was writing of an other, having also as evil means to reuise or retract that he had written: so no wonder though many things escaped, which might with more diligence have been prevented: Let these also be the writer's blame deservedly, which he for thy good thinketh not much to sustain. But now remains the very Argument & subject of this Book, which of ●…l other will be most disliked, & held most odious & heinous of all sorts of men, who will never endure to hear the magnificence of the false Church, wherein they have so long been nouri●…hed in so great delight, reproved & cast down. So throughlie are they intoxicate with the wine of her abominations, and all their senses bound in the fetters of her fornications, that they have no eyes to see, ears to hear, or hearts to believe the truth: But especially, the shipmaisters, Act. 19 the mariners, merchantmen, and all the people that reign, row, & are carried in this false Church, they will never endure to see fire cast into her, the●… will never endure to suffer loss of their dainty & precious merchandise; but rather will raise up no small tumults and stirs against the servants of God, seeking their blood by all subtle & violent means, as we read in the scriptures their predecessors have always done, accusing them of treason, troubling the state, schism, heresy, and what not. But unto all the power, learning, deceit, rage of the false Church, we oppose that little Book of God's word which (as the light) shall reveal her, as the fire consume her, as an heavy millstone shall press her and all her children, lovers, partakers, & abettors, down to hell: which Book, we willingly receive, as the judge of all our controversies, knowing that all men shall one day (& that ere long) be judged by the same: by this Book who so is found in error or transgression, let them have sentence accordingly. Neither let the dreadful, & severe iugments of GOD be less feared or esteemed, because they are pronounced by a frail & weak man, or that man or messenger be hardlier entreated, or judged too severe, because he doth deliver the message of his Lord The Lord assuredly doth ratify in heaven, whatsoever he pronounceth here or earth; neither hath any servant of GOD power to altar & change his masters will; they cannot loose that he bindeth, or lighten his yoke. Let then that state, people, or person, that finds himself grieved at any thing here said, first inquire the truth thereof in the word of GOD, & so give credit & obedience accordingly; for when Amos. 3. 6. 7. 8. the Lion roareth who should not fear when the Lord hath spoken, who should not prophecy. Let him that heareth therefore hear, Ezek. 3. ultim and he that leaveth off let him leave off: yet let all know, the Lion roareth not in the forest, if no prey be present; neither the young Lion out of his den, if he be not about to take. And when the Lion of the Tribe of JUDA is once raised up, who shall then found Arguments to pled, or weapons of defence: it is a most fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Great is the mercy of GOD that bloweth the trumpet and giveth warning before he ●…ring the evil upon us, yea great is his mercy & patience, that yet continueth to speak, knock, and call, we having so long scorned his messengers, & despised his words etc. Only now let all men, in whom is any fear or love of GOD, any care of their own salvation, tremble at the word of GOD; let them be warned & feare●…, le●… them ponder their own ways, & departed from evil, lest the final wrath of God prevent them: Let them consider, the further they go on i●… error, the further they departed from the truth, and the harder they shall found it to return. Let them not be persuaded to continued in evil, by the authority, wisdom, pretended learning, or holiness of any, neither by the numbers and multitudes, after they Exo. 23. 2. have once herded or seen the error of their way: the Lord keep all his from presumptuous sin. Long hath that great millstone of the Lords fearful judgements been lift up on high, in the eyes of all men, over this presumptuous confuse BABEL wherein they continued: Revel 18. long hath the Lord called, & commanded all his people to go, yea to flee out of her. Many they see by God's mighty hand escaped & delivered, and marching with the banner of the Gospel displayed before all the enchanters of Egypt & PHARAOH his troops: Let the rest no longer ●…empt GOD, or be held under the dint & compass 1 Cor. 10. 9 of this dreadful millstone, by any persuasions; but let them save their souls out of this accursed false Church, with all speed, while yet grace and time is offered, and join themselves unto the faithful servants of CHRIST, under his conduct & Gospel; that he may lead them out of the house of this spiritual bondage, into the glori●…us liberty of the sons of GOD, unto that desired TZION R●…uel. 14. 1 there together to serve God, & lead their lives in holiness, according to Gods own will, to the comfort & assurance of their own souls, & the glory, of his name. Amen. Let the unjust do unjustly yet, and the filthy do filthily yet, and let the just do justice yet, and let the holy be sanctified yet. Behold I come shortly and my reward with me, to tender unto every one according as his work shallbe. Apoc. 22. 11. 12. Sing we have received a most sure word of the Lord our 2 Pet. 1. 19 Deut. 4 6. Psal. 119. 105. GOD, It behoveth us to give heed thereunto, as unto a light that shines in dark places, while we travel in the dangerous wilderness of this world. In which word, the whole wisdom and conncells of GOD for our direction and instruction in all things, are fully revealed unto us. So that now we are not to say in Deut. 30. 11. etc. our hearts, who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring yt us? or who shall go over the sea, & bring yt us & 'cause us to hear it, that we may obey it: For lo, it is near us, even in our mouth & in our heart, and set before our eyes for to do it; the sound of the Gospel having been long since carried forth through all the Regions of the whole earth: So that no nation ●…halbe excused, which will not serve Isa. 60. 12. & obey unto the Gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST; which being proclaimed with his own blessed mouth, sealed with his own heart blood, written with the pen of the holy Ghost, delivered & incommended Hebr. 2. 3, 4. by his holy Apostles & Prophets unto us & all posterities, Heb. 12. 24. 25. as his last will & Testament, whereunto nothing may be added, Gal. 3. 15. Deu. 4. 2 & 12. 32. Pro. 30, 6. Revel. 22. 18. nothing diminished, a●…tered, or changed, violate, or wilfully neglected, according to fleshly wisdom or worldly policy, without Deut. 5. 32. most heinous transgression, sacrilege, and impiety. For as all degrees of men, without respect or exception of any person, are Psa. 45. 6. heb. 1. 8 bond unto the same, as unto the Sceptre of our sovereign Lord, joh. 12. 48. 2 Cor. 5 10. Reu. 22. 18. 19 JESUS CHRIST, who is King over all, blessed for ever, Amen: so shall all men in particular be judged by the same, of all things done in Gal. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 3, 15. Deut. 31▪ 26. this mortal life. Neither hath any Angel in heaven, any mortal man, not nor the whole Church, power or prerogative, to altar or neglect the lest jot or title thereof. But GOD hath especially committed these holy oracles to the caref●…l custody of the Church, there to be inviolably preserved, as in Deut. 17. 8. etc. the side of the Ark, purely taught, expounded & delivered, without Mal. 2. 5. Exod. 23. 20, 21. Heb. 12. 28 corrupting, mixing, hiding, obscuring, perverting, wresting, there to be precisely observed with all reverence and fear, without Deut. 29. josu. 24. jud. 3. any willing or known transgression, or swerving either to the right 1 Cor. 6. 15. & 10, 16, 17. & 12, 13. hand or to the left, of the whole Church or any member thereof. And hereunto is the whole Church, and every particular member Eph. 1. 23. & 4. 12 thereof, both jointly and severally bond; both because they have Hebr. 3. 13. & 10, 24. P●…il. 2. 4. all of them interest in the tree and river of life, all are bond to the maintenance of the faith which is given, & is common to all Saints, and because they are all of them the members of CHRIST, and together his body, & each others members in him. Therefore are they so often by the Apostles charged & stirred up, to exhort, edify, and admoni●…h one an other, to stand upon the watch-towre of their faith, Rom. 16. 17. 2 Io●…. 10. 1 joh. 4. 1. to scout, and observe them diligently which cause divisions & offences, contrary to the doctrine which they have learned, to try the 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. spirits, to examine the doctrine whether any man teach otherwise, & consent not unto the wholesome words of our Lord JESUS CHRIST & to the doctrine which is according to godliness. Math. 6. 22. Luk. 11. 34. 35. 1 Pet. 2. 2 Many weighty and grave reasons are added to induce them to be the more vigilant Io●…. 6. Phil. 2. 16. & 〈◊〉; the doctrine being likened to the light of the eyes, to the Math. 15. 13. & 16. 12. Gal. 5. 9 Reu●…l 8. 11. & 9 3. 5. 19 & 16. 13. 2 Cor. 11, 13. 1 Cor. 3. Mat. 23. food, yea to the life of the foul, as also, error & corruption resembled to da●…knes, leaven, poison etc. Moreover, such teachers, to false and deceitful workmen, blind & unfaithful guides, to grievous & ravening wolves, to thieves & murderers etc. what sergeant titles & 2. Tim. 3. 6. etc. ●…heepes clothing soever they take and get into them: yet the holy Math. 7. 15. Act. 20 29. job. 10. Ghost speaks evidently, & every where warneth, that these builders shall destroy the Temple of God, whose house and work●… we 1. Cor. 3. 27. are etc. these guides shall seduce & misled us in the ways of death & destruction, these thieves and wolves shall spoil & murder us. Now by how much these goods are spiritual▪ this death of the soul, by so much are they more carefully to be avoided, shunned, eschewed. Therefore our saviour CHRIST & his Apostles, as they were most vigilant & faithful ministers, & did both prevent and foresee divers dangers & great evils to come, so gave they very earnest and often Mark. 13. Math. ●…. 4. ●…k. 21. warnings hereof unto the disciples, unto the Churches, commanding the porter, yea every servant of the house to watch, to beware & to take heed, showing them that many false CHRIST'S should arise & many false prophets, showing great signs & wonders, whereby to deceive (if it were possible) the very elect. He foretold them of Antichrist's original, increase & exaltation, how he should be have himself, what havoc he should ke●…p in the Church of God: as also of the general defection, & even of the very beginning thereof. How 〈◊〉. 24. 29. immediately after the tribulation of those days, namely the destruction & desosation of the earthly & material 〈◊〉, the Sun should be darkened, the moon should not give her light, the stars should fall from heaven & the powers of heaven should be shaken, and th●… beau●…ie thereof wrapped up as a scroll, that the whole world should be drowned in sensuality and security, as in the days of NOAH, because iniquity shallbe increased, & faith scarce found upon the earth at his coming. So that if those days should not be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. Y●…t, that all these things must & should undoubtedly come to pass, he showed it by the nearer things (namely the destruction of jerusalem the temple there etc.) as also confirmed it by the truth & steadfastness of his word, showing how the heaven & earth should pass away, but his words should not pass away, neither should this generation pass, until all these things were fulfilled. Of these things the Prophets spoke before, though more darkly, & as a far off, & by divers types as Isa. 14. 13. 14. Na●…um. 3. 4. 5, 6, 7. Da●…. 9 27 ●…lso Isa. 13. 10. & ●…4, 4. Ezek. 32. 7. joel 2. 31. & 3, 14. 15. But the Apostles gave much more evident & plain warning of these things, chief they that lived longest, and came nearest to these times. As the Apostle Paul to the Elders of Ephes ' Act. 20. 29. 30. 31. & in all his Epistles ple●…tifully; the Apostle Peter in his 2. Epistle 2. & 3 Chapt. The Apostle Jude, & John in all his Epistles: but especially in that heavenly Book of the Revelation; wherein he most lively describeth these things, even from the original, in several visions, according to the Revel. 4. & 5▪ chapters. several times that should ensue. wherein he showeth the happy estate of the Church, while Gods glorious throne was in the midst of the elders, & while it was enlightened with the burning lamps of God's spirit, and that the Book was received and opened of the Lamb, & while CHRIST sat upon the white horse, his own holy word, & that they remained together in that heavenly order, where in CHRIST Ephes. 4. 11. had placed & bestowed every member, & the Apostles those excellent Col. 2. 5. workmen, had planted & left them, being fitly coupled & joined together by every joint, for the service & help of the whole, according to the effectual power that is in the measure of every part; until Satan I say, that ancient enemy of our happiness, had that great sword given him, wherewith he made, & still shall make bloody war, & raise up grievous persecution against the woman & her seed without: within while they slept & were negligent, sowing his darnel of errors, and tars of discord amongst them, raising up sects through 1 Cor. 3. 3 etc. the ambition and vainglory of some, drawing others into schism Gal. 6. 12. etc. through pride and hypocrisy, others into heresies, through their Col. 2. headstrong & unbridled asfections: all into his snare, through the general default of all, who slacked their duties, & kept not their orderly watch one over an other, and jointly over the whole, as they were commanded & prescribed by the Apostles. But as the age that arose judg. 2. after joshua & those Elders of his time, was soon corrupted, and forgot the ordinances of their GOD, and the great things the Lord had done for their forefathers: so these soon fell from the apostolic order, and left their primitive diligence & care. The people upon a superstitious 2 Cor. 11. 20. reverence & preposterous estimation unto their teachers and elders, resigned up all things, even their du●…ie, interest, liberty, prerogative into their hands: suffering them to altar & dispose of all things after their own lusts, without inquiry or controlment. whereupon, the true pattern of CHRIST'S Testament, so highly, and with so great charge incommended by the Apostles unto the fidelity of the whole Church, was soon neglected and cast aside, especially by these evil work men these governors, who some of them affecting the pre-eminence, sought to draw an absolute power into their own 3 Io●…. 9 hands, perverting those offices of more labour & care, into swelling titles of fle●…hly pomp and worldly dignity. Thus wrought the 2 Thess. 2. 7. mystery of iniquity, yea so far were many of them carried with a vain opinion and ostentation of the excellency of their gifts, as they under holy pretextes of doing good unto others, sought al●…o 2 Cor. 11. 3. under this cloak a jurisdiction and regency over other congregat●…ons also, which was easily obtained, the people thr●…ugh the just judgements of GOD being now so bewitched and blinded with their sweet tongues, that they easily condescended. Then were these called Bishops of such a City, and if they were cities of rule, to which any territories, towns, or hamletes in the country belonged, then were they called Bi●…hops of such a Diocese etc. & had under them inferior or country Bishops, as also Deacons, subdeacons. Thus the whole Church growing remiss & negligent, both people & officers, that heavenly pattern left by the Apostles was soon violate, and upon new pretences, more & more innovate. For hereby was a wide gap opened to all licenciosnes & disorder, the people growing dissolute, the priests (as they term them) proud: so that religion, with was erwhile so irksoome to flesh and blood, so mightily persecuted by Satan and all the princes of the world, grew now so plausible to all sorts of men, so pleasing to their affections & appetites, that the great Princes of the world, and all their realms & countries flowed apace to the Church in this estate, the gates and entry being as ill kept without, as the watch within. So that upon this increase there were many of these city Bishops, whereby the pride of some could not heerwith be satisfied, until they had gotten them a new dignity; namely to be Archbbs. over all the BBs. in a Province or country. Here were also new Deacons, Archdeacon's erected: Yet was not the ambitious thirst of some thus staunched, but they aspired yet to a more high degree & pre-eminence; so that there must now be picked out four principal cities, which must carry 4. patriarchs. These had yet higher power than the Archbs. and were erected to see to the government & discipline (as they call it) of all Churches, in respect, or rather in despite of those 4 beasts, which had so many eyes and wings, and ●…tood day and night about the throne of God. but they were rather those 4 angels which stood upon the 4 corners of the earth, holding the 4 winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow upon the earth neither on the sea, nor on any tree. 〈◊〉 7. 1. But Satan having yet a further reach, ceased not here, but even amongst those 4 he still contended to set up one chief, which variably fallen out, sometimes to one, sometimes to another, until at length the lot rested upon the Sea of Rome, where the papacy being upholden ●… Thess. 2. by, & mixed with the Empire, and in the end swallowing it up, become Revel 13. the very throne of An●…ichrist, where he sitteth in his exaltation, to whom the key of the bottomless pit was given; which being by him set wide open, the smoke of his cannons, devices, trumperies, Reu. 9 vers. 1 2 3 etc. and abominations darkened the funne, poisoned the air: the Locusts & Scorpions that came out of this pit, & out of this smoke, the multitudes and swarms of monks, friars, cannons, vagrant & mendicant preachers, parish priests etc. so pestered and prisoned every tree, so stung & envenomed every conscience, as they could bear no fruit, neither brook any wholesome doctrine. Thus Antichrist being now established and fortified in the midst of his strengths, his council of Cardinals, his Metropolitan & Archbishops Palatine & Lord BBs. in every country: he now received Revel 13. 2. 5, 6▪ 7. the great charter of his prerogative infernal, even the Dragon his power, throne, and authority. He now boldly opened his mouth against God, blaspheming the tabernacle of CHRIST, & them that dwell therein: innovating and changing all things after his own ●…ustes, the ministery, government, orders, worship; thus exalting vers. 15 16 17 himself against all that is called GOD, & sitting in the temple of GOD as GOD, showing himself that he is GOD, causing all men to worship Revel 17. his miage, to receive his mark, to buy his▪ wares etc. bringing ●…orth his harlot upon the stage of the world, stately mounted upon his beastly power, pompously arrayed, and gorgeously decked, and adorned, the more to allure & entice: whose cup of fornications was Revel 18. 3 carried far & near, to many nations people and tongues, so that the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, the inhabitants of the earth were drunken with the wine of her fornications, which she conveyed unto them by the hands of her merchantmen, who are wax●…n rich with the abundance of her pleasures. Yet in all this defection, corruption, apostasy, hath GOD still reserved Revel. 7. 4. & ●…. a seed, a little poor remnant, who have been marked with the Revel 9 4. mark of GOD on their foreheads, & have been preserved from the Revel 14. ●…ting of these scorpions, the plague of these locusts, which have had Revel 12. 7. ●…ight in the midst of these hellish fogs, which have not bought nor Revel 15. Revel 17. 14 sold with the mark of the beast, neither drunk of the whores ●…up, neither have been defiled with her fornications: but have Revel. 14. 4. ●…eene the lambs called, choose, & faithful soldiers, following the jerem. 50. & 51. ●…amb in white array wheresoever he goeth, and leadeth them from Isa. 13. faith to faith. These by the light of the word read the harlot's mystery written in her forehead, discover her skirts, & all her ab●…ominations, & by that same light make her known to be that spi●…itual Babylon, where Christ's servants are kept in servitude from the free practice of his word, where the true temple his Church & ●…ll the vessels and instruments thereof are utterly ruinated, defaced ●…rofaned, trodden under foot. These also do show by the same light, ●…uen from the ancient prophecies, her, & all her synagogues, to become ●…he very habitation of devils, the hold of all fowl & wicked spi●…ites, & a cage of every unclean & hateful bird. ZIM & LIMB & all ●…armful beasts shall lodge there, the Dragon & the serpent, the Har●…ies, scritchowles & vultures shall there make their nest, & bring up ●…heir young one's. And therefore these shall call all the Lords faithful ●…eruantes out from amongst them, lest they be partakers of her sins, ●… receive of her plagues; showing them that her sins are at the ●…ul, come up into the sight of God into heaven, & that God now re●…embreth her iniquities, and is ready to power down his plagues Gen. 6. ●…pon her, as in the days of Noah & Sodom. Gen. 19 He only now st●…ieth but until his Ark be built, until Let his household be come forth, and the number of his elect be fulfilled; which time we may evidently discern approacheth apace: Our figtree hath almost budded all our signs. Therefore it is high time for the servants of GOD to look up, & to lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth near. We have all seen this general defection, Luke 21. 28. even in the manner as it was foretold to be come to pass: we have also see●…e in the heavens the tabernacle of t●…stimonie, even that first & Revel 15. 5. ●…. apostolic pattern, though we have not as yet been able to enter into the same, until the vials of Gods w●…ath be powered upon the 〈◊〉 16. throne of the Beast, the whore, this Babylon etc. we see all the faithful witnesses and martyrs of CHRIST in their several ages to have powered out their vials, some upon the earth, some upon the sea, some upon the fountains, others upon the sun, upon the throne of the beast, upon their Euphrates etc. we hear this voice round about us sounding in our ears ●…o out of her my people etc. Save thyself o Zion that dwellest Revel. 18. 4. 5. Isa. 52. 11. Za●…b. 2. 7. with the daughter Babel: Fly out of the midst of Babel, deliver every man his soul, be not destroyed in her iniquity, For this is the time of the Lords vengeance, he will tender I●…rem. 51. 6. 45. v●…o her a recompense: & again ●…lee out of the ●…idst of Babel departed out of the land jerem. 50. 8. of the Chaldeans & ●…e you as the goats before the flock. And our saviour CHRIST in that forerunning sign & type of judea Mat●…. 24. ●…6. etc. and jerusalem, warneth them that are in judea to flee to the mountains, them that are called on the house top, not to come down into their house to fetch or save any thing they have lost there, they that are in the fields, not to return back into the City to fetch their clotheses, showing the woes that are upon them, which either are hindered & pressed down with worldly affairs, as a woman great with child, or are detained & held with the leave either of their earthly friends how near so ever, or of their own flesh, that they cannot fly and deliver their souls, that cannot give ear or obey unto the commandment & voice of GOD while he calleth them, & so defer & put off their coming out, either until the winter of God's wrathful judgements circumvent & enclose them, or the Sabbath of his final Hebr. 3. and ●…. Cha●…t. indignation fall & rest upon them, & then there be no space granted them to fly, or grace to be preserved. Seeing then we have so many prophecies, so many types, so many warnings, so many callings, seeing all our signs are accomplished, & that Gods final judgements approach and steal upon us: let us not despise his grace, nor harden our hearts while he yet speaketh, & it is called to day: seeing we are fallen into these last & pertilous times, wherein Satan useth his last & uttermost sleights, whereby the whole world shallbe deluded, yea the very elect, if it were po●…sible, drawn away; let us not suffer ourselves to be any longer deceived, with the subtle inchantmentes of the false prophets & preachers of the times, neither to be deceived with the vain titles & glorious shows of Church, minis●…rie, sacraments▪ Gospel etc. whereof the false Church ●…ath always boasted & arrogated unto herself, as well as the true Church, wherewith, as with stales she hath alured, & as with snares detained h●…r Gen. 4. 3. 4. & 17▪ 23. & 21. 4. guests. cain (we read) as well as Habel, offered sacrifice: Ishmael and Isaac were both circumcised; Hagar and Sarah were two mothers; Gal. 4. 25. 26. the two mothers before Solomon pleaded both of them confidently 1 King. 3. 16. for the li●…ing child; the harlot as well as wi●…dome killed sacrifices, Prou. 7. 13. 14. etc & 9 Chap. 1 King▪ 12. 28. etc. ●…ent out her ministers, invited guests to her house; Israel in their schism & defection erected a temple, an altar, a ministery. It behoveth us therefore, while yet GOD vouchsafeth us time, carefully Lam. 3. 40. etc. by the light of Gods word, to examine our ways, and to ponder Math. 7. 13. 14. our estate, whether we be in that broad way that leadeth to Revel 14. 1. & 1●…▪ 15. destruction amongst those multitudes over whom the whore sitteth & raineth, or in the strait & narrow way which leadeth unto euerla●…ting life, with CHRIST'S little fl●…k and marked soldiers, whom the lamb leadeth & ●…uleth: whether we be in that great defection, in that spiritual Babylon under An●…christ & that Beast, or whether we be in the mount S●…on, in the spiritual jerusalem, where ●…he commandements of GOD are k●…pt, and the fai●…h of JESUS. This being known, all controverfies shall forthwith cease: For then shall we either be guilty of our own destruction through our wilful obstinacy, or else ●…hal we lay hold of eternal life, while yet it is offered, by forsaking our evil ways, and yielding obedience unto Gods holy word. Neither need we unto this business to go fetch our light out of men's writings (as sundry of the chief builders of ●…his corrupt age do) or curiously to inquire or dispute about I wot not what marks of the true Church, which while some inde●…ored to set down, endless controversies & vain strife about words hath arisen amongst them, without end or edifying. Therefore let us, for the apeasing and assurance of our consciences, give heed to the word of God, and by that golden reed measure our temple, our Revel 11. ●…. ●…. altar, & our worshippers: even by these rules whereby the Apostles, ●…hose excellent perfect workmen, planted & built the first churches, comparing the synagogues of this land unto them in the people, the ministery, administration, order, government etc. This way cannot deceau●… us, for neit●…er can the simplest err therein, neither any pol●…uted Isa. 35. ●…. (how subtle and cunning soever) pass by it unespied, vnre●…rooued: For as there is but one truth, ●…o whatsoever is diverse more or lesle th●…n that truth, is faulty and to be repent. FIRST THEREFORE, because every building consists of stones, let us examine of what kind of stones this Church of Eng●…and (as they term it) consists, and is compact; whether of such elect precious living stones, which are gathered unto and 1. Pet. 2. 5. ●…uilt upon CHRIST JESUS, and in him grow unto an holy and spi●…itual jerem. 5▪ 1. 26, 1 C●…ron. 29. 2. temple unto GOD etc. or of common, Babylonish repro●…ate 1 King. 5. 17. & 6. 7 stones, whereof the Lord hath sworn, that not one of them 2 Chron. 2. 8. ●…halbe taken for a corner, or for a foundation in his house. Ezra. 3. 7. The material temple (which was but a type of this) we ●…eade to be built from the very foundation, of choice, costly, perfect stones, the beams & rafters of choice Cedars, Algummin trees: Not common or Read Leviticus f●…om the 10 to the 23. Chap●…er. vile thing was used towards it, neither might any profane & polluted enter into it. But of the incomparable beauty & unutterable excellency of this spiritual Temple, under the holy ministery and 1 Pet. 1, 10. 11, 12. happy perfect government of CHRIST, all the prophets have with great delight spoken & foretold, and with extreme desire enquired, & longed to see the revelation of these joys & graces, which they in the spirit foresaw, & foreshowed unto us, to whom they should be performed. The prophet I saiah, speaking of the excellency thereof, breaketh forth into these words, Behold I will lay thy stones with the Isai 54. 11. etc. Carbuncle, & thy foundations with sapphires, & I will make thy windows of Esmeraldes, jerem. 31. 34. etc. & thy gates of shining stones, and all thy borders of precious stones, and thy children shallbe taught of the Lord, & much peace shallbe to thy children. And in an other place, speaking of the excellent glory of this spiritual temple, he Isai 60. 17, 21. & 35, 8. 10. & 55, 13. useth these words For brass I will bring gold, for iron I will bring silver, for wood brass, for stones iron. I will make also thy government of peace, & thy exactors of righteous●…es etc. thy people also shallbe all righteous, they shall possess the land for eue●…: the graff of my planting shallbe the work of mine hands that I may be glorified. And again; For thorns there shall grow fir trees, for nettles shall grow the myrrh tree, & it shallbe to the Lord for a name, & for an everlasting sign that shall not be taken away. All the plants of this orcha●…d shallbe of the Lords ●…mb. 2 4, 6. planting; they shall all be incense & Aloe trees, pomegranates and fir Cant. 4. 13. etc. trees, which shall continually bring forth pleasant, new, & fre●…h fruit, Ezek. 47, 12. because they grow by the sides of the river of life, are watered with Revel 22. 1. the dew of heaven, and refreshed with the winds of gods spirit. ●…om. 11. 17. 24. They come not, nor grow not here, until they be first cut off from 1 Cor. 6. 11. Titus 3. 3. CITIZEN Pet. 4, 3. Rom. 6. 4. 〈◊〉. 3. 10. ●… 7. 19 Luk. 13. 6 their corrupt natural stock, where they grew before, & be engrafted into ●…he true ol●…ue tree, the true vine: yea & being planted and engrafted, that plant, that branch that bringeth not forth good fruit, shallbe hewn down, shallbe cut off & cast out etc. Into this mountain Math. 15. 13. job. 15. 6. I●…r. 2. 21. entereth no venomous or harmful creature, the cockatrice & asp, the Lion & Leopard enter not and lodge not here, until they have left their poison, their fierceness etc. so that the sucking child may pla●… upon the hole of the Asp, the weaned child pu●… his hand Isai. 11, 6. & ●…. ●…nd 65. 25. upon the hole of the Cockatrice, the lamb and the wolf dwell together, the kid & the Leopard ●…at straw together, and a little child shall lead them. There may none be admitted into the church of CHRIST, but such as enter by public profession of the tru●… faith: None remain there, but such as bring forth the fruits of faith. The forerunner M●…th. 3. & 10. 7. John the baptist, first preached repentance to prepare the way, Luk. 10. & 13. 3. and make straight, the pa●…hes of the Lord, before he baptized any. The like did our Saviour Christ and his disciples: The Apostles also first Act. 2▪ 41. 42. And enerie w●…ere through the whol●… history of the act●… of the Apostles. gathered a people (by preaching) unto the faith: then received and joined them to the Church, and administered unto them the holy pledges of the faith: baptism as a seal of their ing●…affing into CHRIST, the holy supper as a symbol of their communion with CHRIST and all his faithful servants. Thus see we what kind of stones, what manner of people the Lord will have built & received into his Church. Now it remains, tha●… we by these rules examine the stones and people of the Exod. 28. 15. 21. Church of England; whether they be such choose precious stones, Revel 21. Z●…ch. 9 16. as we see here described, as the high priest carried in his broidered breastplate; whether they be such a choose redeemed, faithful, free, holy people, as are called unto, and walk in the faith of CHRIST JESUS: or they be rather of the refuse, common pebble chalk stones, which cannot be used to any sound and sure building, even all the profane and wicked of the land, Atheists, Papists, Anabaptistes & heretics of all sorts, gluttons, riot●…urs, blasphemers, periures, covetous, extortioners, thieves, whores, witches, conjurers etc. and who not, that dwelleth within this Island, or is within the Queen's dominion. All without exception or respect of person are received into, and nourished in the bosom of this Church, with the word and sacraments: None are here refused, none kept out. This Church (as the Mal. 1. 10. Ezek. 44. 7. & 16. 25. & 23. 42. 44. prophet says) openeth her knees to every passenger, furnisheth a table to the multitude, and drink offerings to the numbers; she keepeth open house to all comers, bread and wine and welcome: Prou. 9 17. Neither is she more dainty of her stolen waters, then of her hide bread, of her adulterate baptism, then of her Sheshak supper, not denying baptism to the seed even of whores and witches; she receiveth them all into her covenant (which is not with GOD, but with death and hell) giving them her peace, selling them her wares etc. This is their communion of saints, their holy fellowship: thus are they bond & enchained together in open sacrilege, idolatry, impiety, even all estates, Prince, priests, and people, and (as the Prophet says) even wreathed together as in a strong cable of iniquity, and folded one within an other as thorns in an hedge, or rather wrapped and plighted together, as thorns to the fire of Gods wrathful judgements. For whither we consider the whole estate or any particular part Micah. 7. 3. Nah. 1. 10. thereof, we shall found it wholly corrupt, & deeply s●…, as in the days of GIBBEA; not one sound part from the crown of the head to the Isa. 1. 16. sole of the feet, but all full of wounds, swellings, old putrefied sores Lamen. 2. 13. which cannot be bond up or cured, iniquity having broken in and overflowed the whole land, and every place thereof, even as the raging sea which cannot be stopped. There is no faith, no mercy, Hose. 4. 1. 2. no knowledge or fear of God in the land: by swearing, lying, kill, stealing, whoring, they break out, and blood toucheth blood: they ●…bhor judgement, & pervert all equity: they turn justice into gall, Micah. 3. 9 Amo●… 6. 12. Is●…. ●…9. 14. and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood: T●…uth falls in the streets, & equity cannot enter; the heads judge for ●…ewardes; the Micah. ●…. 11. priests teach for hire; the Prophet's prophecy for money; the people Hose. 4. 4. are incorrigible, such as cannot brook nor endure wholesome 2 Tim. 4. 3. ●…ek. 33. 3●…. Amo●… 5. 10 doctrine, but get unto them after their own lusts an heap of teachers, which may prophecy to them of wine and strong drink etc. They all hate & persecute him that rebuketh in the gate, they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. They prosecute with mortal hatred 1 Pe●…. 4. 4. 5. him that runneth not to the same excess and sin with them: and he that refraineth from evil, maketh himself a prey, and is spoilt Is●…. 59 15. R●…uel 13. 17. of all men. All the laws of GOD are here broken and rejected, both of the first and second table, both of the ecclesiastical and civil estate, and of every particular person in both, both in the worship of GOD, and in civil justice and conversation: all things being 2 Kings. 22. 11. 12. 13. innovate in both, according to the lusts and pleasures of men, the law and word of GOD being quite rejected and cast aside, as may appear, if the estate either of the Church or common wealth be examined or tried by the word of God. The particular defaults whereof in their customs, laws, trials, plead, jurisdiction, orders, decrees etc. are well nigh infinite. And what then are the enormities that ensue thereof to every estate, degree, and person. This need no other demonstration, than the general excess, pride, Ezek. 16. 49. superfluity, covetousness, rapine, cruelty, deceit, malice, debate, inordinate affections, unbridled lusts, dissoluteness, disobedienc●… etc. which are found most rife, even in all estates & degrees amongst them: Neither hath all kind of sin and wickedness more universally reigned in any nation at any time, then here at this present in this land; where all are received into the Church, all made members of CHRIST. All these sins, and many more abhomina●…ions (which a Christian heart abhorreth but to think or speak of) are amongst them winked a●…, tolerated, excused, covered and cured with the Gospel preached, and their holy sacraments. All this people, with all these manners, were in one day, with the blast of Q. Elizabeth's trumpet, of ignorant papists and gross idolaters, made faithful christians, & true professors: upon whom, these hungry priests, like ravening wolves and greedy foxes flew to divide the prey; some getting them the roomthes of Archbishops, others caught bishoprics, others caught Deaneries, archdeaconries, fat parsonages, some more, some fewer, as their estimation and friends were. They being thus installed, and their mouths stopped with these Isa. ●…6. 10. 11. fat morsels, the world by this time was well amended with them: There was no need to gather a people to the faith by preaching of the Gospel, neither to set the holy government of CHRIST over such as were called to the faith; All was now well enough, ●…er the people had received this ministery, after their Portuise was translated from latin into english, the supremacy, from the Sea of Rome, to the Sea of Canterbury. And after these Pseudo martyrs and runneaway professors had tasted the sweetness of ●…his roast, and pleasantness of these roomths, and were once warm ●…n their nests; then forgot they all their former peregrination, ●…nd devoured the vows they then made, seeking now to fortify ●…nd establish their own, and not CHRIST'S kingdom. And to this ●…nd they invented, obtained, and erected their blasphemous high Commission, in stead of the Spanish inquisition; where they gate ●…ower over all causes and people ecclesiastical, to make or abro●…ate what laws they list, and to impose them upon the whole Church, which is the whole land, to molest, cite, fetch up, examine, ●…mprison and fine whom they list, as long as they list, as much as ●…hey list, w●…hout controlment or any redress, though their pro●…eedings be expressly contrary, prejudicial, and repugnant unto the Crown and prerogative royal, unto the great charter and laws of ●…he land, as were not hard to show, if any ear might be given ●…herunto. Thus being enthronized, they show themselves plainly in their colours, both in establishing most of the Pope's cannons, and in adding new as ill of their own, still re●…aine further power to make more at their pleasures: which, howsoever they cannot, nor dare ●…ot justify by the word, yet will they maintain them by the sword; which sword they now draw forth against CHRIST'S most faith●…ull servants that will no●… bow down nor worship their beastly ●…uthoritie, but stand for the maintenance of the faith, once given unto the sai●…tes, and for the free and sincere practice of CHRIST'S holy Testament: which faith, Testament, and people of GOD, these accursed Apostates, with most deadly hatred and hostility persecute, and seek to suppress by all exquisite tyranny, closing and mving up the bodies of them in the most noisome places of the most vile prisons, sometimes ●…ot wi●…hout irons and blows, in stead of Arguments and persuasions, railing, blaspheming and slandering both the holy truth, and the witnesses thereof, with their poisoned heretical lying books, pamphlets, libels, which the Dragon like a flood casts out of the mouth of his false Prophets after the Church: yet dare they not once produce them to any trial or answer, knowing in their bad consciences, that 〈◊〉. 3. 20. their ill dealings may not endure the light: and therefore seek Ephes. 5. 13. they by all subtle and forceible means to suppress the same, limiting and prohibiting their priests, not to meddle with the reproof of any thing by public authority established etc. And such as will not be thus nurt●…ed they enclose up by their sole ●…ommandement in close and straight prisons, never letting them to escape out of their hands, until they be brought out upon the beer: Thus fulfil they the measure of their predecessors, 1 Thess. 2. 15. 16. shed the blood of the righteous, make open war against CHRIST Math. 23. 32. etc. and his G●…spel, cast the Son and heir out of his house, and will Math. 21. 38. 39 not susfer him to reign there by his own officers and laws, but take his inheritance unto them, with his sceptre and all his royal rites and prerogatives into their hands, showing themselves in the temple of GOD as GOD, erected new laws, new ordin●…ces, a new ministery, new worship, new orders & form of government, as shallbe showed hereafter. Now unto this their apostatical & bloody throne & antichristian Revel 13. 16. 17. power, and unto all the abominations proceeding from the same, standeth all the land both great and small, rich and poor, priest and people, in most servile subjection: & therefore in this estate cannot be Galliard▪ 4. 9 10. held or numbered among Christ's faithful servants, which are fully Revel. 14. 9 etc. redeemed by the price of his precious blood, from all these bondages joh. 8. 37. Gal. 5. 1. & Col. ●…. 6. 7. 8. and intanglementes, which they by a show of volun●…arie religion, and sergeant holiness, would impose upon men's consciences. Neither may such be held the servants of CHRIST, which stand subject unto his enemy Antichrist, bear his yoke, receive his ministery, wares etc. or which contend not for the maintenance Jude 3 Revel 14. 12. of the true faith, & for the sincere practice of the Gospel with freedom, in all patiented manner unto the death: suffering rather any thing, I●…h. 15. 14. than themselves to be defiled with his abominations. How then should this people, as they generally stand in the public estate of this land, in this subjection to Antichrist, in this idolatry, sacrilege, all kind of excess and sin, even in all degrees without repentance, faith, obedience, knowledge, be received, held, or esteemed the redeemed, called, faithful, free, obedient, loving subjects and people of the Lord? or how may CHRIST'S true & faithful servants have any spiritual communion or fellowship with them in this estate, without open sacrilege, most heinous impiety, and high profanation of the holy things of God. For if into the material temple, no profane or polluted person might enter and osfer, until he had embraced the faith, and been cleansed from his filthiness; how much more aught this profane, ignorant, unholy, wicked, disobedient rout, be kept out of the Church of CHRIST, & from all intermeddling with the holy things of GOD, which in this estate belong not unto them. But as these ungodly priests of these times have entered, and do administer unto this profane people, for the lucre of their goods tithes, wages, hire; so want not these balaam's sundry devilish shifts and cavils for the maintenance of their doings, lest▪ by this doctrine their portion should be reproved, their vantage for divining cease, as also their sin and shame be made manifest. Among an heap of their forged excuses, they set▪ this for doctrine in the fore ●…ront: THAT where ●… Christian Prince is, which mai●…taineth the Gospel, and Calvin justit. lib. 4. Sect. 9 ●…he whole land or estate not resisting this commandment, reue●…enceth the word & sacraments, there the whole multitude of such ●… land or state, are without doubt to be esteemed and judged a true Church. This reason they confirm not with any proofs of the ●…cripture, but by Mr. CALVINS' authority, who giveth these reasons ●…herof: because (says he) y●… is certain, the word and sacraments ●…re not without fruit, and that by this means unity is preserved to ●…he universal Church. Touching the person of the Author alleged, I gladly acknowledge ●…im a painful and profitable instrument, in the things he see, and ●…imes he served in, yet not without his many errors & ignorances, ●…specially touching the planting, government, and ordering of the Church of CHRIST: And no marvel, for being so newly escaped out of the smoky furnace of popery, he could not so suddenly see or attain unto the perfect beauty of Zion. But seeing my hope is, GOD hath pardoned all his errors etc. my purpose is not (with these wicked men) to revive and broach them a fresh, or make them pre●…identes, and by them take boldness to commit the like or worse of●…ences, nor yet to discover NOAH his shame and nakedness. So also concerning matters of faith, would I be loath to build upon, or be ●…ressed by the doctrines and examples of men, the best whereof we Prou. 19 27. 1 joh. 4. 1. Math. 7. 24. etc. ●…ee to be subject to their errors and faults. For as faith only believeth, and rests upon the holy word of God: so are we by the same to examine all the doctrines and doings of men, yea of the whole Church, and accordingly to approve or refuse the same. Touching this doctrine then, that a Christian Prince which publisheth and maintaineth the Gospel, doth forthwith make all that realm (which with open force resisteth not his proceedings) to be held a Church, to whom an holy ministery and sacraments belong, without further & more particular and personal trial, examination. confession etc. This doctrine we found by the word of God to be most false, corrupt, unclean, dangerous & pernicious doctrine, contrary to the whole course, practice, and laws both of the old & new Testament; breaking at once all Christian order, corrupting & poisoning all Christian communion & fellowship, & sacrilegiously profaning the holy things of God. First we know that no Prince or mortal man can make any a member 1 Tim. 2. 2. of the Church: they may by their godly government greatly help & further the Church, greatly comfort the faithful, & advance Rom. 9 15. Exod. 33. 19 the gospel etc. But to choose or refuse, to call or harden; that the eternal Rom. 8. 39 and almighty ruler of heaven and earth keepeth in his own jam. 1. 18. hands, and giveth not this power unto any other. This also we know, that whom the Lord hath before all worlds choose, them 2 Tim. 2. 19 ●…e will in his due time and means call by his word, and whom he Heb. 3. 14. ●…alleth, them he sealeth with this seal, to departed from iniquity, to Heb. 12. 25. believe and lay hold of CHRIST JESUS as their alone saviour, to honour and ob●…y him as their anointed King, Priest, & Prophet, to submit théselues unto him in all things, to be reform, corrected, governed, & directed by his most holy word, vowing their faithful obedience unto the same, as it shallbe revealed unto them. By this faith, confession & profession, every member of CHRIST from the greatest unto the lest, without respect of people, entereth into, & standeth in the Church. In this faith, have all the faithful congregations in the world, and true members of the same body, fellowship & communion each with other; and out of this faith have the true servants of GOD, no fellowship, no communion with any congregation or member, how flourishing titles or fair shows soever they make here in the flesh. None (as hath been proved) uncircumcised or polluted in flesh, Deut. 23. 3. might enter into the temple, or taste of the passouer or other sacrifices, Exod. 12. 48. how near soever they were in consanguinity, affinity, or subjection. N●…b. 9 14. In King DAVID'S time the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, & Philistims were brought under obedience & subjection: yet were none of them admitted into the temple etc. but such as embraced the faith. King HEZEKIAS and JOSIAH, two famous godly 2 Chron. 2. 9 & 30. & 35. Chap. Kings, after they had rightly reform the corrupt estate, admitted none to the passouer, but such as purified & sanctified themselves, according to the law. The like we read of the children of the captivity, after they had, finished the temple, set the priests in their Ezra. 6. 21. order, & th●… Levites in their courses etc. they ke●…t the passover together with all such as had separated themselue●… unto them from the fiilthines of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord GOD of Israel. These were godly Kings, which truly planted religion, and rightly reform the state, & had every way as great privilege and prerogative, as any Kings before or since; yet had they not power, neither dared they presume to open the temple doors to the profane or pulluted, or to admit them unto the passouer etc. for this had been heinous sacrilege & impiety, for which sins the wrath of GOD would have burned against them. Neither is the like sin less transgression now, either in the Prince that commands, the priests that administer, or the people that receive. The Prince himself entereth by the same door of faith●…, into the job. 10. 7. Church: & is bound to the straight observation & obedience of God's Deut. 17. 19 laws in his calling, as well as any other; and is for any transgression josh. 1. 7. 8. thereof, liable & subject to the censures & judgements of CHRIST in Psalm. 141. 5. his Church, which are without partiality or respect of people. 2 Sam. 12. 7. Which censures and judgements if the Prince contemn, he contemneth 2 Chron. 16. 7. & 19 2. 2 Kings. 20. 17. 2 Chron. ●…6. 16. etc. them against his own soul; & is thereupon, by the same power of CHRIST, to be disfranchized out of the Church, & to be delivered over unto Satan, as well as any other osfendor. Now though by this sin he loseth his right to be a christian or member of the church: yet loseth he not his right to be a King or magistrate, Math. 22. 21. & is so to be held and obeyed of all faithful Christians, which are his Prou. 8. 15. Eccles. 8. 2. Rom. 13. 1. subjects. And sure, they little know what belongeth either to the entrance into, or continuance in the Church of GOD, or what belongeth to the administration of the sacraments, or to the holy communion of the saints, which revive or defend this doctrine: For is not the whole Mark. 13. 34. 37. Church, but especially the porter or pastor (who aught to know joh. 10. 3. those well that come in, to know his sheep by name) guilty of great negligence & sacrilege, that receive such into their fellowship, & administer Ezek. 34. the holy things of God unto them, of whose faith they have Math. 7. 6. no more ●…timonie & assurance, yea or rather of whose infidelity & Mal. 1. 10. profaneness t●…ey ●…aue such apparent proofs? Can the word & sacraments 1 Cor. 10. 17. & 12. 13. 1 Cor. 〈◊〉. 29. (which they say cannot be without fruit) either take away or excuse their sin in delivering unto, or joining with the open unworthy in the sacraments? or excuse the unworthy receivers from eating or drinking their own damnation? may the temple of the Lord be thus profaned? the table of the Lord thus contemned & defiled? or is not the Lord a God of judgement? But it is impossible that the word & sacraments should be without fruit. This is true, yet the Isa. 55. 10. 11. fruit is of two sorts; for falling upon good ground, it bringeth herbs Micah. 5. 7. & fruit worthy of the dressor, & receiveth blessing of the Lord On the other side, if it fall upon i'll ground, which ●…till bringeth thorns & briers, it delivereth it not from, but rather hasteneth it unto the curse 1 Cor. 3. 6. & judgements of God. Neither can any labour of man, though Paul jerem. 2. 22. plant & Apollo's water, any thing preuail●…, except God give the increase. Amos 6. 12. That which is crooked can no man make strait. No washing, no soap, or nitre, can cleanse the Leopard from her spots; horses can not run upon the rock; neither can any man plough there with oxen. The sound of the Gospel is to some the sweet savour of life unto 2 Cor. 2. 16. life, unto others, the savour of death unto death. The gospel preached doth not make all the land, or all that hear it strait way members of the Church without seen, faith, & obedience. NOAH preached a 2 Pet. 2. 5. great while (while the Ark was in making) unto the old world, but prevailed not. The Lord sent to Israel and judah in their defection 2 Chro. 36. 15. 16. many Prophets, rising early & sending; yet they gave not ear, but mocked the messengers of God, despised his word, and misus●… his Prophets. The law & the Prophetts were daily read in the Synnagogues of the jews, at such time as CHRIST came: yet neither they nor their rulers known or acknowledged him, but fulfilled them in condemning him: Yea CHRIST himself, that most lively, powerful, excellent teacher, preached the gospel among them with great virtue & mi●…acles; yet believed they not on him, that the saying of Isa. 53. 1. the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled; Lord who hath believed our Isa. 6. 9 report; or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed: therefore they could not believe, because it is said again; he hath blinded their and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, and should be converted and I should heal them: And again in an other place; And I said I have Isa. 49. 4. laboured in vain, I have spent my strength in vain, & for nothing: but my judgement is with the Lord, & my work with my God. Then neither this doctrine followeth: that where a Christian Prince maintaineth the gospel, and the people by the same authority are compelled to hear the same; that the whole multitude, without further proof of thei●… Christian obedience, are hereupon to be received into the Church, and made partakers of the bread of the children, and the holy things of GOD: neither yet this strange opinion which is generally taught by the learned preachers of these times; that where there is a preaching minister, there that parish is ●…ndoubtedly (how profane and wicked soever the people be) to be held and accounted ●… true Church of CHRIST: except these presumptuous shepherds, these companions have greater virtue & prerogative than CHRIST himself had, who could not bring this to pass in the places where he taught: Yea the folly of some, even of the chief Rabbins amongst them, hath yet proceeded further; namely, that WHERE 〈◊〉 is one parish that hath (as he termeth him) a burning lamp viz. a preaching priest amongst six or seven other parishes having smoking lamps, viz. dumb priests that cannot preach, there the light of this burning lamp (or star called wormwood) shall enlighten the other candlesticks also, and give them the estimation and dignity of true Churches likewise. But my purpose is not here to entreat of the excellency of these preachers, & how powerfully and purely they preach the gospel: thereof in due place. It now remains to see, whether the virtue of the sacraments thus administered unto the whole multitude of a land or state, can sanctify and make holy, or be available to this people or no. It hath been above showed to be great sin, shameful negligence, high contempt, unsufferable profanation & sacrilege in the whole Church to admit, administer unto, or communicate with such: Neither can the holiness of the sacraments any way excuse, but rather 1 Cor. 11. 29. greatly augment their sin & judgement, which deliver such holy 1 Cor. 5. 6. hag. 2. 14 things to such known unworthy receivers which discern not the 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 5. lords body, neither can the holiness of the sacraments sanctify Rom. 4. 11. the receivers, especially the unworthy receivers; whose filthiness defileth the sacrament, even as leaven the lump. The sacraments confer not so much, as seal God's grace unto us, they give not faith to any so much, as confirm the faith of all the worthy receivers. But where they are thus prostituted & sacrilegiously profaned, they bring no such joy, they seal no such comfort, but rather Gods assured wrath for the abuse of his ordinances, the people, sacraments and all, being hereby unclean & polluted in Gods sight. Neither preserve they unto the Church hereby her unity and power, but 〈◊〉. 4▪ 4. 5. rather take away all communion, and so corrupt and poison it, that joh. 1. 6▪ 7. 2 Cor. 13. 8. now their fellowship is not in the faith, but in sacrilege and sin: And for the power of the Church, it is not given them to receive Deu●…. 4. 6. & the whole book. and admit, but to drive away and keep out the profane and open unworthy, from the table of the Lord Num. 5. 2. 3. THE NEXT shifts these Balaamites have, for the administering CALVIN ius●…. lib. 4. Cap. 1. 8 〈◊〉▪ 13. unto, the communicating with, and retaining the profane in the bosom of their Church: are certain Arguments, drawn by Mr. CALVIN from the 13. and of Matthew, against the Anabaptistes, to prove that the Church here on earth shall never be without sin, and is not to be left for sin etc. comparing the Church to a corn Math. 13. 24. field, which being sown with good grain, is by the enimi●…s fraud scattered with tars: of which it is not cleansed, until the crop be brought into the barne-floore: and unto a net, in which all Math. 13. 47. kind of the fi●…hes are gathered together, & are not choose out, until they be laid out upon the shore etc. and unto a floor, wherein the wheat is so gathered, that it lieth hidden under the chaff, until by Math. 3. 12. fan and syve it be at length laid up in the grainer. The doctrine which Mr. CALVINE here ind●…uoreth to prove, as it may be understood, is true: for no doubt while the Church consists of mortal men, so long is it subject to sin & ignorance; else had we no need of CHRIST to be our mediator, ou●… advocate, our high priest, our Prophet, to make our peace, to intercede for us, to Heh. 12. 24. offer up our prayers, to instruct us etc. Therefore such as shall for 1 joh. 2. 1. sin leave the communion of the Church, must seek the society Heb. 4. 15. 16. of Angels, and not of men: Much better should they do, according Deut. 18. 15. to the Apostles council, to admonish them that are out of order, to comfort the feeble minded, to bear with the weak, to be patiented 1 Thess. 5. 14. towards all men: yea if the sin be public and of the whole Heb. 10. 24. 25. Church, gravely, in the name of the lord to reprehend & reprove the same, & lovingly to exhort them to repentance & amendment; rather then preposterously to leave them, and rashly to forsake the fellowship, as the manner of some is. And doubtless, if it be the true ●…xod. 23. 21. 22. spouse of CHRIST, it will give ear to the voice of the bridegroom, Deut. 29. 9 Heb. ●… 2. 3. and not continued obstinate in presumptuous sin; for therefore were Rom. 6. 1. & 10▪ 31. & 12. 25. they not received to grace. Faith doth not abrogate the law, neither came CHRIST to take away the law, so much as the curse of the law Lam. 1. 25. from the Church: And hereunto serveth that great base and sea of James. 1. 23. 24. CHRIST'S blood, which is placed in the Church to purge and wash 1 ●…g. 7. 23. away through faith and repentance those deformities and blots of sin, which th●… glansse of the law ●…heweth: & not upon the privilege of CHRIST'S death to take boldness to s●…e, or to continued in any known sin, or to neglect or despise the word, or to think lightly of the l●…ast sin, or not with all possible speed to redress it rather, & remove it out of the Chu●…ch; whereunto the true church never wanteth either will or power: Neither aught any faithful servant of GOD ●…o communicate with that assembly, which wanteth either will or power to reform & amend any default which is committed amongst them, after it is made known unto them; as shall appear in the further handling of these & other their places, & Arguments, which they have corruptly sucked from Mr. CALVIN in this discourse; who no doubt hath vnsuffe●…ably perverted and wrested these places and other places of scripture, & drawn very foul & corrupt doctrine from them, touching the estate and order of a planted Church, and more dangerous & damnable conclusions from the same: as that it is lawful for the Church to receive and retain the ignorant profane multitude, to admini●…ter the sacraments unto, & communicate in the same with them; that the sacrament is not defiled with such open unworthy receivers, neither the faithful of the Church with this action, or their fellowship: also that we aught to abhor & withdraw from the wicked in common bread & conversation, but not in the worship of God, & the sacraments etc. that the people & our sauiou●… CHRIST did communicate with the polluted priests, corrupted sacrifices & people etc. These & such other fearful & false doctrines & conclusions, contrary to the whole course of scripture, his disciples have drawn from him. And in deed his abuse of these and other plac●…s; as the epistles to the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Asia etc. & his discourse thereof, seem to import: which that it may more plainly appear, let us come to the more particular consideration of his places, & examine whether any s●…ch doctrines, applications & conclusions may be drawn from them, and that briefly. To HIS FIRST place, where he resembleth the planted Church to that sown field, or rather confidently affirmeth that sown field to be the planted Church etc. and from thence draweth, that seen & known tars shall grow and remain in the planted Church, until GOD ●…oot them out; & thereupon concludeth, that none aught to refrain the communion of the Church for such offenders, especially, where the word is purely taught, & the sacraments rightly administered; which he maketh his two infallible marks of the Church, leaving out obedience unto & practise of the word, which he & his disciples, under the name of Discipline, make an hangby: whereof in due place. First here against Mr. CALVINS' writings & his disciples, I oppose the interpretation of our Saviour himself, who opening this parable upon his dis●…iples requests unto our good, says, that he which sowed 〈◊〉. 13. 24. the good seed is the Son of man, & the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, & the tars are the children of that wicked one, & the enemy that soweth them is the devil, & the harvest is the end of the world, & the reapers are the Angels etc. What interpretation can be more excellently consonant in every point unto the parable, them this? or what other interpretation can be 〈◊〉? is not every part of it most lively opened? did no●… GOD at the fir●…t make the world, & all things in the ●…me, good? was Gen. ●…. 3●…. Gen. 3. ●…t not corrupted through the fraud & malice of the devil? hath ●…ot GOD still in it his Church visible & universal, here & there ga●…hered & scattered in the world? hath not the devil also, that prince ●…f this dark world, his children & servants, which as tars overgrow & grieve the wheat, & cover the face of the whole f●…ld? Is not this ●…he condition & estate of the world, & shallbe to the end? Now here ●…hough GODS children by the light of his word espy, and grieve at Luk. 9 54. ●…hese wicked tars, so see this world, which is in deed the Lords field, & belongeth to the good seed, & not unto the evil, thus pestered and ●…uergrowne with the wicked: yet may they not by a rash & inordi●…ate zeal be carried away, either peremptorily to judge & condemn, ●…r utterly to extirpate these tars, as reprobates; both because the ●…ord hath reserved this final judgement & execution unto himself Rom. 9 24. jerem. 18. 6. Act. 5. 1. 7. ▪ who knoweth to what he hath predestinate every vessel that he ●…ath made, whether unto honour or to dishonour) & reserveth the Isa. 40. 13. 14. ●…easons & opportunities when to call or cut off in his own hands; & Rom. 11. 33. 34. ●…ath neither committed these things to man, nor need to be counseled or advised in them by man. But Christ in this parable rather teacheth ●…is disciples patience & sobriety, to be patiented towards all men, as ●…heir heavenly Father is patiented; rather suffering & instructing the evil 2 Tim. 2. 25. with meekness, proving if God at any time will give them repentance ●…y they may acknowledge the truth, & come to amendment out of the ●…nare of the devil, of whom they are taken prisoners to do his will; 1 Tim. 2. 1. Rom. 〈◊〉 19 Rom. 14. 4. ●…ather piti●…ng in their souls & praying for all men, them judging & fi●…ally condemning any, or calling for fire & vengeance upon them jam. 4. 12. etc. This were a preposterous zeal, & greatly against Gods glory 2 Pet. 3. 9 Ezek. 18 32. Ezek. 33. 11. ▪ who willeth all men to be saved, calleth them to his Sons mariagé ●…east, & therefore causeth the gospel to be preached & proclaimed for us) after we are once entered to shut the door of Gods grace against others. we were not for this cause received to mercy, but ra●…her to provoke others to taste of God's goodness also, & be examples ●… Tim. 1. 16. ●…o them that shall in time to come believe unto eternal life. If Paul, Mary Magdalene & others, nay if we ourselves (by whom of all others we know most evil) had been plucked up by the roots, while we grew amongst the rankest of the weeds & tars in the field of the world, had it not been much ruth? had not much good wheat been spilled? but he y chose & called us out of this dark world, unto Ti●…us 3. 3. the glorious inheritance of the Saints in light, shall show the like Coloss. 1. 13. mercy unto them also, if they abide not in unbelief. Our saviour Christ while he was here amongst us, came not into the world as Rom. 11. 23. them to judge or condemn the world, but that the world through him job. 3. 17. & ●…2. 4●… might be saved. Let not us then take that upon us, which belongeth not unto us, neither judge before the time; seeing God hath not given to his church to censure or judge them without, but to attend 1 Corin. 5. 13. Jude 14▪ ●…5. upon, & judge them which are within: God judgeth them that are w●…thout. But now, how may this place of the sown field (without unsufferable wrasting and falsifying) be understood of, or applied unto the planted Church of Christ? shall these stinking weeds & noisome Math. 16. 19 & 18. 17. 18. Psa●…. 14 9 Cant. 6. 9 tars grow there unweeded out? or hath not GOD therefore given unto his Church and every member thereof, the weeding hook of his word, & the power of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, whereby to censure 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 10 4. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 15 & cut off every obstinate offendor, to cast down every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of GOD, & to have vengeance ready against all disobedience and every transgression that ariseth amongst them. Is not the whole Church, & every member thereof often & almost euerie where in the scriptures commanded and stirred up to keep this watch diligently? and for the neglect & contempt thereof read we not of sundry Churches sharply reproved, yea utterly cut off? and is it then likely that our saviour CHRIST would here utterly forbidden his Apostles & Disciples, to intermeddle with the weeding out of these tars out of the Church, his garden? doth not this place, thus understood of the planted Church, utterly subvert and overthrow all ecclesiastical censures? and condemn the Apostles of presumption for stirring up the Churches to excommunicate and cast out their obstinate offenders, inordinate walkers, heretics etc. from amongst them? yea for so sharply reproving 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 12 20. 21. Revel 2. & 3 whole Churches, and threatening to come against them with the judgements of GOD for their defalts herein? which way can all the learning these men have, reconcile these places; but that 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. by this their interpretation there must needs be express contrariety. But as they thus pervert this place, so the application of it, and their collection from it, is much more pernicious and unsusferable, as shall afterward appear. THE NEXT place that is brought for the receiving and retaining their profane sinful multitudes in their Church, is the Parable of the draw-net, wherein fish of all sorts are gathered, and not severed until the Lords final judgements. This is granted them to be understood ●… Tim. 5. 24. of the planted Church, where, by the power of the word, all degrees and sorts of men are gathered, and amongst them diverse false and wicked hypocrites, which shall continued & remain in the Church, until the Lord pluck off their visors & pull them out, whether by death or by his final judgement. This is no new thing, this Mat●…. 22. 11. is not denied, this always hath been, & always shallbe unto the end Re●…l 2. 17. of the world. Many shall enter without the wedding garment, without that white stone, that inward testimony and assurance, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it, and GOD giveth unto none, but unto his choose. Many glorious hypocrites shall there Ma●…. 7. 21. be, which make a fair show in the flesh, which shall have prophesied, 1 Io●…. 2. 19 cast o●…t deui's, & done great works by CHRIST name, which in that day shall call, and not be herded. But what of all this? may it ●…om hence be concluded, that the profane multitude, without due ●…stimonie and proof of their faith by public profession etc. may ●…e admitted into, or any open wicked which remains obstinate ●…d impenitent may be retained in this Church of CHRIST? Surely ●…is ground will bear no such doctrine, this place no such con●…ruction. THERE YET remains an other main place to uphold their con●…sed profane assemblies, drawn from the third chapter of Matthew 12 ●…rse; where they liken the gathered and established Church of ●…HRIST unto a barneflore, in which the wheat is so gathered to●…eather, that it lieth hidden under the chaff, until being cleansed ●…ith fan & sieve, it be a●… length laid up in the grainer etc. yea Mr. ●…ALVINE in an other peculiar treatise against the Anabaptiss, using ●…is place of Matthew, says, THAT the faithful shallbe in the planted ●…hurch of CHRIST hidden amongst the open wicked & ungodly, as 〈◊〉 few grains of wheat lie in a great heap of chaff etc. Then ●…hich doctrine nothing can be devised more unclean & corrupt, ●…r more unworthy the Church of CHRIST, as breaking all the or●…inances and laws of GOD at once, and utterly subverting & defi●…ng all Christian communion etc. which doctrine, as it is directly ●…ontrarie unto the whole course of scriptures, both for the entrance ●…to the Church, and for the order & conversation in the Church; 〈◊〉 can no place of scripture be applied to the upholding and confir●…ation thereof, without unsufferable falsifying and violent wrasting ●…e same. As for this place Ma●…hew 3. 12. yt no more proveth this doc●…ine, than the others out of Math. 13. for here Matthew rather recor●…eth the conclusion of John the Baptistes sermon & doctrine, then ●…ny way describeth the estate of the established Church of CHRIST, 〈◊〉 the 11. and 12. verses showing the incomparable excellency of CHRIST'S person and ministery, in respect of his; & also in the same ●…ewing the divers effects of Christ's coming unto such as looked ●…or him, who as they were of two sorts, so had they several suc●…esse. The one sort he baptized, the other he consumed with fire, Mal 3. 1. 2. 3●… Is●…. 65. 5. Mal. 4. 1. 2. ●…he one sort he fanned, sifted, purged, fined, and preserved as wheat ●…nd silver; the other with the same fan and furnace he ●…scattered ●…nd burned up as chaff & dross. The humble poor of the flock, Zach. 11. ●…vhich gave ear to the voice in the wilderness, which confessed & Mal. 4. 6. ●…epented their sins, and made straight his paths, & received Ihons' ●…aptisme; those he received, fed & kept etc. but those proud Pha●…isies, Isa▪ 8. 14. 15. learned Scribes, and carnal Sa●…uceis, which thought them●…elues Luk. 2. 34. Luk. 7. 29. 30. in a perfect estate, and despised the council of God against ●…hemselues, and would not be baptized of John; those when the ●…ESSIAH also came, despised and contemned him, and therefore he Amos 5. 18. 19 2●…. ●…ut them off in one day, yea his day was unto them darkness and not ●…ght etc. But now which way should this fowl unclean barn-floore, thus pestered & overspread with chaff, be likened almost (without bla●…phemie) unto the holy Church of Christ rightly planted, established & governed according to his holy will & testament? where (as hath joh. 15. 19 Ro. 1. 7. been said) all the people that enter & are received there, are choose, 1 ●…et 43. 1 Cor. 1. 2. redeemed, called out of the world from amongst the heathen, 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18. Saints by calling, partakers of the same precious faith & glorious 2 ●…et. ●…. ●…. hope, humble, obedient, loving sheep. And therefore is the church likened to a sheepfold, which is both watched and defended to Numb. 24. 6. keep out the wild beasts, the wolf and little foxes; unto a garden shut up, & wellspring enclosed; an orchyeard & vineyard walled, Cant. 4. 12. 13. 14. where all the plants are natural sweet incense trees, pomegranate & all sweet fruit trees, Myrrh, Aloes, cinnamon, with trees of chief Isa. 35. 8. Io●…l 3. 17. spices. here entereth no Cananite, or profane person, but every Zach. 14. 20. 21. vessel shallbe clean & holy, as bowls before the Altar etc Furthermore 2 Ch●…on 4. 16. even in the material temple there were ash-pannes & besoms, E●…od. 38. 3. to sweep & carry out all dust & filth: And even in every barn-flore the husbandman hath his flail, his fan, his syve, to tresh his wheat out of the ear, to purge it from the chaff, to sever it from darnel & tars etc. which labour if he should slack, he should have no use of his wheat, he should have no clean nor wholesome bread. And how much more shall our heavenly husbandman purge his ●…. Cor. 10. 17. seed his wheat from such reprobate chaff & giddy darnel, before he receive them into one loaf, & set them at his heavenly table. They cannot be a new lump unto him, except they be purged from ●… Cor. 5. 7. 8. the old leaven of maliciousness & wickedness. The servants of God Ezra. 4. 3. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Nehem. 13. 23. 24. can neither build the Church, nor join in any spiritual action with the profane, nor with such sergeant professors as the Samaritans, nor with such bastardy false seed as that of MOAB & of ASHDOD levit. 19 19 etc. There may be no misseline or seeds of divers kinds sown Exod. 19 5. 6. in the lords ●…ield. The God of heaven and earth requireth unto Mal. 2. 15. himself a holy seed, he will be sanctified of all that draw near unto He●…. 12. 28. 29. him, for even our God is a consuming fire. How then dare any admit Ezek. 4 4. 7. & ●…. those the Lord shutteth out of his Church? or how dare they 〈◊〉. 23. 28. mingle and joineth such reprobate known chaff, cockle, tars & darnel with the lords wheat, wittingly and wittingly, which the Lord with fan & syve purgeth, & severeth, & casts out of his barn-flore, much less receiveth not into his granary. But how far is their ignorant rash●…es, or rather presumptuous boldness proceeded? which not only receive into & retain in their Church & fellowship these heaps of the wicked & open vnwor●…, even all the profane multitude, & all sorts of people that are found within their territories and jurisdiction, without respect of person; but even thrust them upon Christ whether he will or not, and make ●… Cor. 6. him an high Priest & Prophet unto them, administering unto them and their seed the holy things of God; as baptism, & the lords supper: Is not this to mingle heaven and earth, light & dark●…? or ●…hat higher sacrilege can be committed? shall these places, thus 1 Pet. 2. 8. ●…rasted & falsified, hide & diminish their sins? or rather not agra●…ate 2 Pet. 3. 16. & make manifest their error & wickedness? By what sober con●…truction, or almost common sense, can this place Math. 3. be vnder●…tood of the planted and rightly ordered Church of Christ? or how ●…ay such a Church be compared to a floor, where in a great heap ●…f chaff, a few grains of wheat lie hide and buried? we read in the ●…criptures, that the righteous shall shine as stars in the Church of God (yet I willingly acknowledge that there can in this life be no wheat so pure, which hath not both chaff & bran etc.) but that ●…n an other sense; only I would know of these men that thus grossly ●…iken the Church of God, what difference we may put betwixt the ●…orld and their Church? In the world in deed the children of God ●…hal for a season be mingled & remain amongst the profane & wicked, until the time of their visitation & calling; but after they have once given obedience unto the voice of Christ, then forget they & forsake their old conversation & company, & have no longer fel●…owship with the unfruitful works of darkness: but are renned in ●…ighteousnes & holiness and true knowledge, after the image of him that called them out of darkness into his marvelous light etc. But to cover & cure all this confusion & disorder, all this sacrilegious profanation & portsale of the holy things of God, & all other mischiefs & enormities amongst them, as also to stop the mouths, & to terrify all such as found fault with, & reprove these things or departed from amongst them, where the same are ●…ncurable & without redress; these Balaamites, these crooked disciples of Mr. CALVIN bring from him the examples of the Churches of Corinth, Galati●… and A●…ia, where were open wicked men; as the incestuous person, drunkards, gluttons, extortioners wranglers, wrong-doers, proud and ambitious people, sectaries heretics etc. as also sundry abuses and corruptions in doctrine, and in the administration of the sacrament etc. yet they were by the judgement of the holy Ghost notwithstanding all these sinners & sins, adjudged the holy churches of God, neither were the faithful commanded to refrain their communion. Furthermore the Prophets and our saviour CHRIST, at such time as the estate of the jews temple was wholly corrupted, forsook not the Temple, but resorted and communicated with the wicked people, at their feasts and sacrifices; Yea when the pollution and contagion was general and incurable, both in the people and priests: bec●…se (says their Author) a godly conscience is not hurt by the unworthiness of any, either minister or people; nor yet their ministery being the ordinance of GOD (as their ceremonies, sacrifices, and prayer with them etc. the word and sacraments with us) defiled; but are pure & wholesome unto the upright and faithful receivers, who may lift up pure hands in a wicked assembly, neither aught for the wickedness of men to ref●…se the holy ordinances of GOD; seeing it is only CHRIST'S office to purge the ba●…e-floore, & sever the tars etc. and belongeth to no private men to examine others, or the whole Church, so much as for every one 1 Cor. 11. 28. & ●… 1 Cor. 1●…. 29. to examine his own self, & to see that he be good wheat, lest otherwi●…e he eat unto his own judgement. For the bread of the Lord, & the faithful receivers thereof, are not made worse with the sins of others: It is one thing in common bread and conversation, to flee the company of wicked men; & an other thing for hatred of them, to forsake the fellowship of the Church. These and such other poisoned blasphemous cavils they bring, to justify and uphold their confused babylonish synagogues and all the abominations they commit in them. which wind●…haken figleaves, although I could in a word pluck from them, & so lay their filthiness naked; namely by showing that there can be no comparison betwixt the Church of Christ, and their whorish idolatrous Church, which hath not one part of a true church, not one pin, nail, nor hook, according to the true pattern, or in due frame, and so could set this their Author (upon whom they so much rely) most sharply against them; who in all these treatises is always to be understood of a Church rightly established and planted according to the Testament of Christ, with such ministers, such sacraments, as there are appointed etc. then which here amongst these his followers is nothing less, as shall not be hard to show in due place. And therefore the Arguments, drawn from the Churches of Corinth Galatia etc. even by their Authors own judgement, nothing serve their turn, who are more like to DAN and BETHEL in the schismatical estate of the kingdom of Israel, remaining still in that great defection of Antichrist foretold of etc. yet seeing they have taken the pains to fetch these Arguments from over the sea, and so earnestly urge them, let us do them the favour even so far as we may with Christian patience, to give them the hearing. THEIR FIRST Argument seemeth to be this. THERE WERE in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia etc. not only wicked people, but also sundry errors, abuses & corruptions in doctrine & administration: yet they were still judged ●…he Churches of God, and the faithful re●…rained not their communion, th●…rfore we aught not to leave these their assemblies, though the open wicked and many other enormities be there committed and suffered. First (as hath been noted) there is no comparison between these holy Churches of God, which were truly gathered, planted & ordered, and these their confused idolatrous assemblies. Then here must be observed, that they in nothing can be compared unto these C●…urches, but in sin & error; moreover that the faults of these Churches, which were but of ignorance and frailty, cannot be compared to the sins of these unchristian assemblies, which are in presumption & obstinacy disproved by others, confessed, & yet continued of themselves. Lastly here must be noted, how corruptly they understand, & unsufferably pervert those scriptures, where the apostle reprehendeth these sins in those churches etc. exhorteth the whole church to repentance, & to redress the things amiss, & that with sundry severe and apostolic threats, upon their ●…eglect or default therein. But these men take these places, where the sins of these churches are thus sharply reprehended & censured, and would justify thereby, the receiving, retaining & nourishing all this profane rout of people in the bosom of their churches: as ●…lso all the abomination, idolatry, open & wilful breach of God's laws, setting up their own antichristian divises & pop●…sh cannons in stead thereof etc. & would from hence conclude it, to be no more lawful for true Christians to remove out of these assemblies in this estate, than it was for the faithful in the churches of Corinth, Galatia etc. to forsake those churches, before their sins & errors were either reproved or censured. What more unsufferable abuse of scriptnres can there be then this, to take those examples which were written to terrify, admodish, & stir up all Churches & posterities to eschew, watch against, and r●…dresse such sins & transgressions, to colour and cloak all sin and iniquity, yea to take away from all Christi●…ns their liberty, & prower, either to reprove, censure, or refrain the same. These churches (say they) were judged & pronounced by the holy ghost, the churches of God, notwithstandi●…g these heinous sins amongst them. Well, what then? these and all other churches while they remain in this life. shall commit sundry & daily sins of ignorance, frailty etc. therefore they may also commit presumptuous sin, y●…a remain incorrigible & obstinate in their sins, and yet of us be esteemed & reverenced as the true churches of God: this they must prove, or else they say nothing: this, these examples of these churches prove not. For they cannot show that ever t●…ey de●…pised the Apostles admonition, or refused to redress the things they were blamed of: which if they should have done, houw could they be esteemed the church of God, while they reject the word, break the law, despise correction, yea even Gods grace & mercy offered, by stopping their ears & hardening their heart, refusing to repent etc. What can the heathen do more? nay wh●…t do they so much? for they sin in their ignorance, these in the presumption of their heart, & contempt. And now in this estate, what communion is to be held with them? what fellowship may the children of God have with such reb●…ls, apostates. Can any glorious titles or name of a Church, hide or diminish these sins? or how rather can the name of a Church (without blasphemy unto Christ) be given them in these sins? how can Christ be said to stand a King & Lord unto them that break & reject his laws, & set up in stead thereof their own devises & inventions? or how can Christ said a saviour unto them that despise his grace and mercy offered, refuse to repent and turn from their evil ways. They than not being under Christ's protection, nor in state of grace, while they continued obstinate in their sin etc. I have often wondered, how any man of sound judgement, could give them the name of a Church? or be so terrified with this vain & false title, that they dared not leave the communion of those wicked assemblies & adulterous Churches, which have broken the covenant, and forsaken the faith. God plighteth Exod. 19 5. not his favour and protection unto us, longer than we vow our obedience, levit. 26. and keep our faith unto him. At what time the most righteous Deut. 28. turneth from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, and Ezek. 18. & 33. Ch●…p. will not be turned therefrom, all his former righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned, but in his transgression that he hath committed, in his sin that he hath finned, in them he shall die. The same judge, by the same law, giveth the same sentence 2 Pe●…. 2. 4. ●…. 6. for the same sins, against a whole Church, nation, world. Neither I●…de 14. 15. is there cause why any of God's servants should more doubt to censure, judge, and avoid that Congregation, which rejecteth Gods word, presumptuously breaketh Gods laws, despiseth his reproof & mercy, as a wicked assembly, an adulterous Church; then to censure, judge and avoid any particular member of the Church, fallen into the like degree and height of sin, to be a withered unfruitful branch, to be cut off from the vine, to be thrown out of the vineyard. But here they deceive themselves and others, with certain infallible marks of the Church, which they have fantasied unto themselves; namely that where the word of GOD is sincerely taught, and the sacraments rightly administered, there undoubtedly is still the true Church of CHRIST; although otherwise there be never so many mischiefs abounding, all the wicked received and retained etc. no use of the power of CHRIST among them, either to censure sin, or cast out obstinate offenders. For this holy power to redress faults, they put aside by the name of DISCIPLINE. They call it an accident, or hangby, and make it not a thing of necessity: so that it may be a Church without it, though it be to be desired etc. The vanity and falsehood of these doctrines partly appeareth, where I showed that the preaching of the word maketh not a Church, except there be by the same a faithful people gathered unto CHRIST JESUS, ordered ●…nd governed by the rule of his word in all things, so far as shallbe revealed unto them etc: so that I need not here stand to refute the sam●…▪ only I would know of these great learned men, how it is possible for the ministers of the Church, either to preach the word si●…cerely, or administer the sacraments rightly, where there is no regard had to the faithful practice of the word, no care to redress things amiss, no power to shut out or excommunicathe the unworthy: Or how they can with all their learning, while they stand Pastors or teachers to such an unbelieving profane people, or unto such wick●…d one's as hate Isa. 57 2●…. to be rebuked and reform of their sins, preach the word, exercise Ier●…. 4. 4. prayer, deliver the sacraments, bless and dismiss the profane wicked Isa. 48. 22. people in the peace and favour of God, without most high sacrilege Pro. 24. 24 & 17. 15. profanation of Gods name, casting the precious body, and blood of CHRIST to hogs & dogs, blessing Gods enemies etc. M●…th. 7. 6. But now i●… it be not possible to exercise any true ministery, to have any true use of the word and sacraments, to keep any holy Mar. 13. 34 35. 36. 37. communion or Christian order, without the diligent watch of every member, but chiefly of the rulers and Elders, to see the word of God 1 Thes. 5. 14 duly practised and observed by all in their callings, to admonish all Ephes. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. 11. offenders, to censure all errors and transgressions, to excommunicate the obstinate impenitent, by the power of our Lord JESUS CHRIST which he hath given unto his true Church unto the world's end, all which, these men cover and cast aside in the name of DISCIPLINE, without which watch and power, this practice cannot be had, without which power and practise, the word of God is made an idol, the 1 Cor. 4. 2●… sacraments sacrilege unto us, and all things we do, odious and abominable Titus 1. 6. unto the Lord: with what common sense (to let pass their deep learning) can thes●… great preachers say, that the Church of CHRIST may want this watch, care, power and practise; yea and that the word may be sincerely ta●…ght, and the sacraments duly administered, though there be open transgression, obstinate offenders still kept and held amongst them. Is it not as much as if they said they known n●…ither what the Church, sacraments, ministery of the word, or Christian communion meant? For to what purpose is the word or the ministery of the word, where true practice and obedience is denied? or which way ●…an the true minister of CHRIST administer the sacraments ●…o a people in this estate? or the faithful servants of Christ, partake with such people in such sacraments, without most heinous sacrilege and impiety. WE MU NOT (say they) forsake the Church, nor the ordinance of GOD, for the sins of any, either minister or people: for a godly conscience is not hurt with the sins of another, neither the ministery or sacraments therewith defiled. If they mean h●…re by the Church, the assembly and communion of God●…s faithful obedient servants, by Gods ordinance the use of an holy ministery of the sacraments etc: I grant t●…at the Church, ministery, and ordinances of CHRIST, are not to be left, or thought the worse of for the sin of men, though all the world abuse them, though ANTICHRIST have corrupted them never so much or long. But if they mean (as all th●…ir reasoning imports) by the Church & ordinanc●…s of God, such wicked rebellious assemblies, as reject the word of God, with an high hand break his law, despise admonition, hate to be reform, receive & retain the open unworthy, wicked, impenitent to their sacraments, etc. I then deny these assemblies to be the true Churches of CHRIST; seeing they have broken the covenant, cast off CHRIST'S yoke etc. As also I deny their sacraments to be the ordinances of God, seeing to them in this estate belong not the sacraments & ministery of Christ, but the curse and judgements of God: And therefore they that leave Heb. 10. 30 them for, & in their sins in this estate, do neither leave the Church 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. of God, nor the ordinances of CHRIST, but rather fulful the commandment Re●…el 18. 4 of God, & preserve the Church, in saving their souls & bodies from such wicked & accursed assemblies, from such disobedient rebellious people, and from all the trumperies and deceits of the false Church etc. But let us a little examine, what kind of doctrine these men draw from Mr. CALVINE, & spread abroad in their pulpites, & public writings. They hold that whatsoever Congregation keepeth an outward show of the ministery of the word & sacraments, ceaseth not to be a Church, neither is to be left for any sin in manners (as they call it) whatsoever, though they willingly & presumptuously neglect & break the laws of God, both in their worship and conversation, and remain incorrigible & obstinate in these transgressions: Now they teach, that neither for such sins God is so displeased with the congregation, that he hereupon withdraweth his favour from them, or they ●…cease to be held & reverenced of us, as a Church: neither the public actions of the said congregation, as their prayers, preaching, sacraments etc. neither the communicantes with this assembly in these actions, are with & for these sins, defiled. For (say they) a godly conscience is not defiled with the sins of an other. What fleshly libertine hath or can breathe forth more poisoned doctrines then these? more contrary to the honour & whole word of God, from which it at once taketh away all reverence, obedience, & practise. What can be more popishly alleged for their Church, then to say, that it can bless these actions and people, whom God in his word accurseth: or that the Church may commit such high sacrilege & presumptuous sin, without the judgement & punishment due to the same. If God have made one & the same covenant from the beginning of the world with the whole Church, that he hath with every particular private member thereof, & hath given no more liberty to the whole Church, then to any private man, to break the lest of his laws: if God, for the transgression of his law, unpartially judgeth all, without respect of people: if presumptuous sin with obstinacy joined thereunto, breaketh the covenant with God; insomuch as it both breake●…h Gods law, and despiseth Gods mercy & grace, & so depriveth them in that estate of any benefit of CHRIST'S death: If they which in this manner break Gods law & despise his grace, to be judged of all men, as open wicked etc. If all the actiones of the wicked be accursed of God, & so much the more accursed and abominable, by how much they take show of holiness, & profane Gods name & ordinances: If all they which partake in such actions, prayers, & sacrifices which are an abomination unto the Lord, be guilty of the altar, and under the same curse; how should those assemblies, which continued in presumptuous & obstinate sin, be esteemed the true Churches of CHRIST; or any that administer unto, or communicate with them in this estate, in prayers, sacraments etc. avoid the judgement & curse of God, both for joining unto, & blessing the wicked, & for so high profanation of his name, & prostituting the holy mysteries of the ●…odie & blood of Christ, to such open unworthy receivers? Rightly then and directly to reason to the point. As many places of scripture as command Gods faithful servants, with all their forces & uttermostindevor to observe, practice, and obey unto Gods holy word & every part thereof, without any willing neglect or breach of the lest commandment, to their knowledge: As many places as show, that obstinate & presumptuous transgression breaketh the covenant: As many places as command us to seek out and resort unto the true Church of CHRIST, namely the communion & fellowship of the saints, Gods faithful obedient servants, there to present our souls and bodies, to be built & bestowed according to Gods will, there together with them to worship and serve our God etc: As many places as forbidden us all false Churches & assemblies, all spiritual fellowship & communion with the wicked, or to repair unto, or join with them in their prayers & worship etc. So many places forbidden us all spiritual fellowship & communion with all assemblies in this estate, what fair shows soever they make unto us, or glorious titles they take unto themselves: so many places evidently prove, that if in this estate we should communicate with them, we should be guilty of their sins, & partakers of their plagues. Which doctrines, because they are generally received of all, denied of none (though omitted and forgotten by many) and generally taught through the whole scriptures; I need not here stand to make any more particular proof or demonstration of them. And so these being granted, all these doctrines of Mr. CALVINE and his Disciples fall to the ground. Yet that the falsehood of them may somewhat more appear unto all men; let us draw a little nearer unto them, & consider of their main proofs, and fundamental doctrines. The public actiones (say they) and ministry of the Church, as prayers, sacraments etc. neither the godly conscience of any are defiled with the open sins of others, either of ministers or people etc. For why, such public actions are the ordinance of God, and cannot be defiled or made unavaileable with the sins of men, neither are to be left for such sins: Therefore the holy Prophets and our Saviour CHRIST himself, refrained not the Temple, at such times as the estate thereof was uholy corrupted, but communicated with the wicked in their feasts and sacrifices, although the pollution and contagion was general and incurable, both in the people and priests: For the rest, every man is to eyamine himself and not othe●…s, when he resorteth to the Church, or receiveth the communion of the body and blood of CHRIST: because he eateth to his own damnation or salvation, & not to an other man's etc. First, if the open sin of the minister or people defile not the prayers & sacraments by, & to them administered, why hath the Lord said, that ●…he sacrifice of the wicked is abomination unto him; that they might as well kill a man, as a bullock unto him; that they might as well ●…rou. 15. 8. offer a dog or swine's blood, as sacrifice or burned offering? why hath the Isa. 1. 13. & 66. 3. Lord said, that sacrifice without obedience, is not acceptable unto him; that he will have mercy & not sacrifice etc. Why hath the Lord been jere. 7. Hos. 6. 6. always so jealous over his sanctuary, and over them that come near L●…uit. 10. 3. unto him? why hath he made so many laws for the place, Altar, sacrifice, levit. 21. & 22. Chap. priests, people etc. that no priest with any apparent blemish, might offer the bread of the Lord, that no offering with any blemish might be accepted at the hands of any, that none with any pollution levit. 11. 12 13. 14. 15. Chap. Numb. 5. or uncleanness upon him, might touch the tabernacle, that no heathen or profane person which was not yet come unto the faith, might tread in the courts of the Lord, or any offering be accepted at their hands? why hath the Lord said, that whatsoever the wicked offer is unclean, whatsoever the polluted touch is defiled? whether it be the couch or seat they sit or lie upon, or vessels they use, whether it be holy flesh, wine or oil, it is defiled etc. Now then, seeing the Hagg. 2. 13. ●…4. whole scripture is so evident and plentiful in this point: That the open sin of the Church, defileth all the actions of the Church, maketh them and their offerings abominable unto the Lord: seeing no polluted person may either administer or offer unto the Lord: seeing no polluted person may either administer or offer unto the Lord: seeing what●…euer they touch, is also defiled and unclean; how can this doctrine of Mr. CALVINE and his wretched followers, stand? THAT THE OP●… sins, either of the minister or people▪ defile not the public actions, prayers sacraments etc. of that Church, those ministers, people, sacrifices, they cannot deny to have been the ordinances of God also: Yet even their holiest things were defiled and polluted, with the sins, and uncleanness of men. Now to the other point: WHITHER a godly conscience can take no hurt, neither need make scruple to communicate with the open wicked priests and people, in their prayers and sacraments▪ because they are the ordinances of GOD, which are not to be left for the sins of men: I have already often denied their prayer and sacraments in this estate, to be the ordinance of God. My reasons are; the wicked have nothing to do to take the name of GOD in their mouths, or to use 〈◊〉. 50. 16. 17. that heavenly exercise and blessed benefit of the word and prayer, because they make no conscience 〈◊〉 break Gods laws, and remain impenitent and hardened in their sins: then in this estate belong no sacraments or ministery unto them, by the ordinance of GOD; who Math. 26. hath as well set down what manner of minister and people shall deliver Mar. 14. and receive t●…e sacraments, as after what manner the sacraments Luk. 22. shallbe delivered. So that where such open wicked, impeni●…t, and unworthy ministers and people do administer or receive the ●…ramentes, so contrary unto, and without regard of CHRIST'S insti●…ion, such sacraments can no way be said the ordinances of CHRIT, ●…e blessed pledges of his body and blood etc: but rather, sure seals of 1 Cor. 11. 29 〈◊〉 wrath, even to as many as so sacrilegiously profane his holy ordi●…ce, 2 Cor. 13. and join together in that ungodly and accursed action, until ●…y repent. For, as in the holy symbol of the lords supper, the 1 Cor. 10. 17 ●…mmunicantes be made one body with CHRITS, and one another's 1 Cor. 12. 13. ●…mbers in the same body; so are these bond together as a faggot, the same judgements and wrath, in as much as they join together the same sin, and sacrilege, and all become alike guilty, even prin●…als (as we speak in the law) in the action. Ho●… then should any ●…re pled himself guiltless, when even the action they commit & boast 〈◊〉 is most heinous sacrilege. The matter will not in this case be shif●…d off with saying, an other man's sins cannot prejudice or defile ●…em, seeing they receive with pure conscience etc. For though this ●…ctrine (as it is here used) be most corrupt and false; yet here is now 〈◊〉 need, that they should be charged with others sins, seeing they in ●…is action are joined unto, and become a like guilty with the worst, & ●…ust now bear the burden of their own sins. But is this doctrine so hard and strange to them? that one should be ●…lluted with the known and suffered sins of an other? Let them ●…ade in the law, whether he that touched but the garment of a pol●…ed man or woman, much more of a leprous plaguy etc. was defiled ●…erby. If this were but by outward and bodily touching; how much ●…ore is that spiritual leprosy, that GANGREN●…, these running is●…es and plaguy sores of sin infectious and deadly contagious, espe●…lly in so near commixture, as that spiritual communion of the ●…ule? If the word of GOD will not prevail, let common sense and ex●…rience persuade this. Yea so spreading is this malady of sin, as ●…ing discovered in any one part of the body, if it be not with all speed ●…red or cut off, it becometh a like dangerous to the whole body; ●…ey all now, by this their negliglence and toleration, becoming a ●…e guilty etc. How many stories have we in the scriptures to con●…me his? not only in particular, as betwixt ELY and his sons (for ●…l whose wickedness he was blamed, in that he did not repress ●…d chastise, but only reprove their sins) but more generally. josh. 7. Numb. 25. ●…as not the whole Congregation smitten, for that ACHAN his sin ●…y hidden and unpunished amongst them? was not all the Congrega●…on punished for the sin of some in mount PEOR? was not the like ●…ared josh. 22. Doth not the Apostle say, that a little leaven leaue●…th the whole lump? and that their rejoicing was not good while Exod. 12. ●…ey kept the wicked man amongst them? Doth he not prove it by 1 Cor. 5. 6. 7. 8. ●…any reasons? that as by the law, the feast of the Passover was to be kept with unleavened bread, & that person that ate or reserved leaven, was to be cut off from the Congregation: so much more aught we to see, that there be no leavened or infectious person amongst us; that Leutt. 20. 4 no root of bitterness spring up, lest many thereby be defiled etc. Doth Deut. 29. 18. 19 20. not the Apostle (to take away all controversy) show by this similitude of leaven, that not only sin, but even the sinner is to be removed, Heb. 12. 15. both out of the feast (which belongeth not unto such, neither is to be jude. 12. kept whith such) lest Gods wrath for the breach of his law, in keeping the continual feast of our heav●…nly passover Christ jesus, burn forth against the whole house, that is, the whole Church; & also that such sin & sinners be removed out of the Church, lest the whole lump be leavened thereby; which we see how suddenly it is done: For (as the wise man saith) One dead fly causeth the ointmentes of the Eccle. 10. 1. Apothecary to stink. Now then, how can these men say, that the sins, yea the many obstinate sins, either of ministers or people, do neither defile the public actions of the church, neither the conscience of the godly receivers etc: where (as hath been by many reasons proved) the very action they so incommend, is no less●… then most heinous & impious sacrilege. So then, until they can prove it lawful, & no sacrilege, either for that obstinate and open wicked, to administer & receive the sacraments, & also for the godly to communicate in such sacraments with them; until they ca prove these sacraments, thus administered & received, to be blessed of God; until they can prove that two diverse, yea contrary sorts of people, namely the open wicked, & the godly, such as despise, & such as fear God, may be admitted unto, yea united in the sacraments: these doctrinis of there's cannot stand. But see into what straitss & absurdities they fall, whith go about to tolerate or pled for the lest sin: yea see how the fu●…ther they wade & strive herein, the further they entangle and ensnare themselves, falsifijng & perverting the scriptures, to the upholding of their erroneous & corrupt doctrines. FOR THEIR next shift to colour & hide their sacrilegd, is to hood, wink, & draw a vail over the eyes of the receiver. A PRIVATE M●…N (say they) HATH not to meddle whith the public actiones & affairs of the Church: which (if they be amiss) he is patiently to bea●…e, & to mourn & groan with love, until God either amend or correct them, whese office it is to root out the tars etc: but he is not for the sin of others to forsake the fellowship of the Church, which God will have kept, by all that shallbe partakers of his kingdom. It sufficeth that eve●…ie private man look to himself, examine himself, when he eateth of that bread, and drinketh of that cup; lest he eat unto his own judgement & damnation. here the Apostle (says their Author) willeth them, not to enter into the examination of other men, neither says that they shallbe judged for other men's faults, or that the t●…ble of the Lord is to be left for the wicked, yea, or that the wicked for some one or few sins are to be left. In this case Charity is to judge the best, & to think, that in so great an heap of chaff, there lie many good grains of wheat, yea to persuade himself, that even of those wicked, many do inwardly repent of their sins, although they have ●…ot power to amend their lives: The best man of us all is subject to many sins; the sins of others cannot take away the vertu●… of the ministery, and of the holy mysteries, which are not to be left for the sin of any; but such wicked rather to be shunned and avoided, in commom bread and conversation: but the Sacraments are NOT BEcause of them, to be refused. etc. This and such like detestable stuff, hath Mr CALVINE in his igno●…ance, partly to suppress and confute that damnable sect of the Ana●…aptistes; which fantastically dream unto themselves a Church in this ●…ife without spot, and for every transgression that ariseth, are ready to ●…eaue & forsake the fellowship of the Church, without due & order●…y reproof etc. partly also is this stuff brought, to defend his own ●…ash & disorderly proceedings at GENEVA, while he at the first dash made no scruple to receive all the whole state, even all the profane ig●…orant people into the bosom of the Church, to administer the sa●…ramentes unto them: which confuse rout, could not fit with Christ's ●…eauenly government, neither could it by any means agreed unto thē●…n this estate; but that monstrous disorders, and heinous enormities daily ensued thereof: whereby this their Church become a just reproach ●…o all men▪ even to these wicked here●…ikes etc. yea, that which is ●…orse, and more to be lamented, it become a miserable precedent, ●…nd pernicious example, even unto all Europe, to fall into the like ●…ransgression: as the confused estate of all those regions (where the ●…ospel is t●…us disorderly taught) declareth. In which sorrowful spec●…acle, we may lively behold what the wisdom of the most learned ●…s, where they swerver never so little from the heavenly wisdom of God, ●…nd what the most glorious and sure buildings of man are, when ●…hey are not wholly laid upon that firm rock and foundation of Gods word. We may here also clearly see, what it is to receive ●…ur Faith by tradition, to fetch the rules of our actiones from the ●…xamples and practice of men, and not from the pure word of ●…od: ●…or behold how these wretched disciples of CALVIN, three fold more corrupted and perverted than he (who as it is to be thought would never have opened his mouth against so clear truth, being ●…rought unto him) oppose with main force and bitterness these his writings, against the manifest truth of God; yea & contend more for 〈◊〉 crooked practice of them (as their suiting to parliaments for this re●…ormation) declareth, 〈◊〉 for that holy perfect pattern of Christ's Testament; to the upright practise whereof, they will at no hand be ●…rought. But let me return again to these doctrines of Mr. CALVINE, ●…rom which (by reason of these circumstances) I was a little digressed. ●… have already often, and I hope▪ sufficiently showed▪ how corruptly M ●. CALVINE thought of the Church, or rather how ignorant he was thereof, by these his odious simileas and comparisons. I have showed, that into the Church of CHRIST, all must enter by the door, & open profession of the true faith, and by the same faith & obedience stand ther●…: how no ●…rofane or wicked person may be received or retained into that fellow●…hip. I have showed that the ministery and sacraments of CHRIST belong not unto this people or Cong●…egation, and how such sacraments and ministery a●…e sacrilegious and ungodly, yea pernicious and damnable to the whole Congregation and all the communicantes, unless they repent and redress these faults. I have showed touching his marks of the Church, that wheresoever the word is sound taught, there is not by and by a Church; but only where a faithful people are gathered by the same word unto CHRIST; submitting themselves in all things to be ordered, ruled and gou●…ned by his word, as it shall from faith to faith be revealed unto them. Which people, thus gathered, and leading their lives ●…ogether, are to be esteemed an holy Church, and have power both to receive into, and cast out of their fellowship etc. although they have as yet obtained to have neither a ministery nor sacraments among them: always pro●…ided, that this be not by any default or negligence in them, they always being ready (as GOD administereth men & means) to proceed unto that holy order, commanded in the word: whereby appeareth, that the Church upon some occasions, may be without sacraments; and that they are not a perpetual mark of the Church, 〈◊〉. 5. so of necessity, that it should be no Church, if upon some occasions, it be for a season without them. I have also showed, that without this holy power of CHRIST, to censure and red●…esse faults and offenders, there can be no Church, no ministery, no communion; that the word without practice is an idol; prayers and sacraments delivered in obstinate sin, are abomination and sacrilege in God's sight; and that it is unpossible to have the word sincerely taught, and the sacraments purely administered, where ●…ny open sin or sinner is maintained, or retained: which must needs be, where the careful watch against sin, and power to reform defaults is neglected, or left. I have showed, that the whole Church hath no power to dispense with the breach of the lest commandment, and that such obstinate sin in the whole Church, breaketh the covenant with God, and maketh it cease to be a Church, or to be in God's favour, until they repent. I have showed, that all their prayers in this estate are accursed of God, and also all such as participate with them in the same. I have showed, that the known and suffered sin of any one member, is contagious unto all such as communicate with him in that estate, and maketh them all which communicate in prayers & sacraments with such an obstinate offendor, as guilty in God's sight, as he himself is. I have showed, Exod. 23. 2. that no faithful man aught, by any Congregation of men or Angels, ●…al. 1. 8. ●…e drawn into the least known transg●…ession of God's law etc. Which doctrines, although they suffice to ●…catter and disperse these smoky er●…ors of Mr. CALVINE and his disciples, yet seeing they have so roiled the ●…ountaine, & (as it were) darkened the sun with these my●…es & fogs; ●…t shall not be ●…misse ●…o discuss these points (which remain) a little ●…urther; and see what power eue●…ie particular member of the Church ●…ath in the Church, and in the public actions of the Church; and also ●…o see wherein, & how long they are to keep communion; & for what, & when to leave the same. It is manifest, that all the members of the Church have a like in●…erest in CHRIST, in his word, in the faith; that they altogether make 1 Cor. 12. one body unto him; that all the affairs of the Church belong to that Rom. 12. 6. & ●…. body together. All the actions of the Church, as prayers, censures, sacraments, faith etc. be the actions of them all jointly, and of every one of them severally; although the body, unto diverse actions, use such members as it knoweth most fit to the same: All the members are jointly bond unto edification, & unto all other helps or service they may do unto the whole: All are charged to watch, exhort, admonish, stir up, reprove etc. and hereunto have the power of our Lord JESUS, Ps●…. 149. 6. etc. the keys of the kingdom of heaven, even the word of the most high; thereby to bind their rulers in chains, and their nobles in fetters; thereby to cast down every strong hold & high thing, that is exal●…ed aga●…nst God; thereby to defend and maintain the faith, and every iode of the Mat. 18. 20 word, to stand fast in their liberty, to try the spirits, to avoid such as Ma●…. 16. 19 teach contrary doctrine, and consent not to the wholesome wo●…des of 1 Ihon. 4. ●…. our Lord JESUS, or deny the power and practise thereof, to admonish Rom. 16. 17. the greatest, even ARCHIPPUS, to look to his ministery, and (if n●…ed 1 Tim. 6. 3. etc. be) to pled with their mother etc. yea not further to follow her or an Angel of light, than they walk with God, and have the word for 2 Tim. 3. 5. their warrant. Our communion must be in the faith, and not in error Col ss. 4. 17 or transgression; we are not to follow a multitude to do evil, but Hos. 2. 1. in all things to follow faith to the conservation of our souls, and to 1 joh. ●…. 6. 7. grow up into him which is our h●…ad, CHRIST JESUS: whom●…, Heb. 10. 3●… while we hold fast, and whose word, while we h●…ue for the things we do, or refuse to do, we need not f●…are the 〈◊〉 of any vain men; neither be amazed at any vain titles of Church, sacraments etc. For this we know, that there is no Church can excuse us for the breach of God's law, before that great judge. Now then, seeing eueri●… member hath interest in the public ac●…ions of the Chu●…ch, and together shall bear blame for the defaltes of the same; and seeing all our communion must be in the truth, and that we are not to be drawn by a●…ie into any willing or known transgression of God's law; who can deny, but every particular member hath power, yea and aught to examine the manner of administering the sacraments, as also the estate, disorder, or transgressions of the whole Church, yea, and not to join in any known transgression with them, but rather to call them all to repentance etc. & if he found them obstinate & hardened in their sin, rather to leave their fellow●…hip, then to partake with them in wickedness. Neither doth the place 1 Cor. 11. 28. 29. THAT EVERY one aught to examine himself etc. hinder either their Christian liberty, or public duty; for these rules are general, the words are general & alike given to every member, and unto all the members of the Church, without respect or exception of any, either Pastor or others. So that by this reason▪ neither Pastor nor any, were to look unto the life, conversation, & estate of an other: neither can these rules or words any way be restrained to one, more than an other; much less may such corrupt doctrines; and false conclusions be drawn from them: THAT BECAUSE every man is to examine himself, therefore no man is to look to an other. Every man eateth either to his own salvation or damnation; therefore the open sins of minister or people, do neither hurt the sacraments there administered, nor the godly conscience of the receivers. What sense or sequel is in these reasons? what can be devised more false or foolish? because every one is to look to his own private estate, therefore no man may meddle with an other man's, 〈◊〉 with the public estate. Were he not as foolish that could be led or carried wi●…h these reasons, as they that made them? But being granted them, what kind of Church? what communion? what duty? what law or fear of God, would there remain? If the second we●…e granted; that the open, yea the obstinate sins of others, do hurt neither the sacrament, nor godly receivers; what doth it then skill who they be that administer, or rec●…aue them, or where they be administered, whether in the popish or turkish assemblies: A godly man (as they count him) may resort to what idolatrous or sacrilegious assemblies he will; so he in his heart go to worship God, it skilleth not what outward sin there be committed, or he joineth unto, that hurteth him nothing. What blasphemous hellish doctrines are these? which take away at once the whole Testament of Christ, and word of God, or tolerate the open breach of them? which take away all Christian liberty, duty, & communion. May we join to open sacrilege, & most heinous profanation of Gods ordinances, & that with the open wicked & impenite●…t, and not be guilty? Call they this to examine our selu●…s? or to eat to our own salvation? they make a fair interpretation of, and collection from these places. But might it not better be comprised within the examination of ourselves, to examine & look how we discharged both our public and private duties towards God and our brethren etc. which, how can I think I any way discharge unto them, that suffer my brethre●…, even before my face wittingly & willingly, ●…o run headlong into assured destruction, to eat their bane & damnation, yea & give consent thereunto. OH what a cruel and vnme●…ciful part were this? Call they this to ●…eepe the unity of the Church? not to break the fellowship etc. In ●…eed they say true; In thus doing in this communion I should not break ●…e fellowship, but even for company go to hell with them. For (as ●…e Apostle says) we which are many make one body & one bread, ●…ecause we are together partakers of one bread. But o how much better should we provide both for them and our ●…lues, to examine well, & declare unto them what this action is, & how ●…ur saviour CHRIST hath not only instituted after what manner it is to ●…e delivered & received, but also who should deliver & receive it: & ●…o show them, how in this estate they remaining impenitent and obsti●…ate, there belong no sacraments or blessing unto them, but rather a ●…arful looking for of judgement, seeing they both break GODS laws, ●… despise GODS grace: & therefore the sacraments seal unto them, ●…nd unto as many as either deliver the same unto them, or participate ●…ith them in the same, the assured wrath of God; both for that they ●…lesse & join unto the wicked, & so become guilty of all their sins ●…ogether with them: & also commit most heinous sacrilege, in breaking ●…he institution of CHRIST, in delivering the sacraments (as they pre-end) unto the open unworthy, & joining together with them therein. I ●…ope they are not so grossly popish, to suppose that the sacrame●…t can ●…nctifie the unworthy receivers, & givers: that in deed were no small ●…iracle, that it should do more than CHRIST doth (whom it repre●…nteth) especially where the institution is so wilfully & impiously bro●…en, as with them; where it is delivered to the open unworthy, who as the Prophet says) defile that holy thi●…g whatsoever they touch. But say they, Charity must think & judge the best; it must think, ●…at in this heap of chaff are many grains of wheat. Well it doth ●…ink so; what of this? can those grains either justify this sacrilege, 〈◊〉 set a loaf of filthy chaff upon the Lords holy table, or sanctify the ●…icked, this heap of chaff etc. Surely, well aught charity to border 〈◊〉 yt self within the compass of sobriety, and not peremptorily to ●…dge or determine of any, who belong to Gods election, and who be ●…probates (which God hath kept secret to himself) unless they see ●…ese damnable signs of the sin against the holy Ghost, upon them: 1 I●…on. 5. 1●… et cannot charity judge or pronounce any to be grains of wheat, ●…hiles they lie together hidden & unseperated from this filthy chaff, ●…ese apparent wicked & wickedness; for charity must be directed and ●…dged by faith, & faith by the word of God. But charity aught to judge (say they) that even the worst, when the●…●…ome to that ●…able, are inwardly sorry, & secretly repent. But doth cha●…itie see this sorrow & repentance? if not, how should it judge, & per●…wade it self it is so? yea, and presume thereupon to communicate with 'em, & receive them unto the table of the Lord? Charity had need ●…aue a good ground in these high matters, & not walk by rote, lest it ●…estroy both them & it self: Charity may not break Gods law●…s: their ●…innes are seen, known●… & public, their repentance must be answerable, secret repentance sufficeth not the church for open sin; they must see and witness the repentance, or else they must proceed without delay to excommunication. Charity for no respect, can either linger, lighten, or take away God's judgements. It always, even in all causes says: RIGHT and true are thy i●…dgmentes, King of Saintes. The judgements of the Church & of all the faithful, are the judgements of the Lord, which must be uprightly (without all ea●…thly affection or inclination any way) executed, lest God's wrath burn likewise against them, as we have plentiful examples in the scriptures. How then say these blind guides, that the faithful aught not to meddle with the judging of the wicked in the church? It is only God's office to root out the tars. Their final judgement, we with all humbleness re●…it unto the Lord, the judge of al. Their temporal judgements the Lord hath committed Deu●…. 29. 29. to his Church, & to every member of his Church, who are to pronounce upon them the judgements that are written, and every Deut. 17. 7. member of the Congregation throw upon them the stone of his judgement and consent. Therefore hath the Lord raised up the thrones of DAVID in his Church; and set his Saints upon seats round about his Throne. Yet for all this, the beginning and end of their song is: THAT the Church and table of the Lord, is not to be forsaken and left, because of the wicked. True, for the wicked are to be chased and driven from thence, where none may enter or stand, without his seen wedding Math. 22. 12. garment upon him. But (as I have been often driven to say) they that abandon these wicked perverted assemblies, which will not be withdraw●…n from their sins, but remain hardened and obstinate, leave not the Church or Table of God, but preserve the Church and Table of God. They make not the schism which keep the faith, but ●…eb. 10. 39 they that forsake the faith: yea & the faithful, thus separate, aught not for the sins of these or any, to neglect or intermit these holy exercises of the Church, but to inde●…or to have ●…hem in all holy and pure manner, according unto Christ's ordinance etc. THE last shift & help they have for receiving the profane & wicked to the sacraments is: that we aught to detest & abhor their conversation in common bread, because that is in their power & will; but not for their sakes to refuse the sacraments, because that is not in their wil What can be more gross & foolish? know these men what belongeth to the communion of Saintes? Is it in our power to refuse Heb. 10. 25 him in conversation, to whom we join in the faith, & in communion▪ Or may I abhor & drive him from my table, whom our Saviour Christ receiveth & admitteth to his table? Am I or my table holier than he or his? What a pharisaical pride were this? even the same they exercised unto the publicans: where is now this charity they erwhile spoke of? Love covereth the multitude of sins & wants; let not him that ●…. ●…et. 4. 8. is strong despise them that are weak, but receive them unto him etc. R●…m. 14. 1. instructing them with meekness, bearing their burden etc. May they ●…en despise & abhor any that is held a brother, or avoid his company ●…fore he be excommunicate, or have forsaken the faith, & remain ●…rdned or impeni●…ent etc. what a preposterous dealing is this, to re●…aue the wicked unto the lords Table, & to drive them from their ●…ne table. This is clean contrary to the Apostles doctrine, which 1 Cor. 5. 11. 12. 13. ●…ace Mr. CALVINE thought to escape and put away with this botch. 〈◊〉 there teacheth, that i●… any which is called a brother, be a fornica●…, or convetous, or a railer etc. such one is both to be purged as leaven 〈◊〉 of the lamp, and also e●…chued in civil meats: But such profane 〈◊〉 wicked, which have not yet embraced the faith, such are to be kept 〈◊〉 of the Church, and from the Table of the Lord, though otherwise 〈◊〉 are not so to abhortheir civil conversation, seeing we may have so ●…any occasions therunro, while we remain in this world. Whether 〈◊〉 ●…hall we believe Mr. CALVINE or the Apostle, they being so di●…ctly co●…trarie. For the other point of forsaking the Table of the ●…rd, I i●…sist in that which is already said, still saying, they aught in ●…erie true Church to be kept from it, especially upon obstinacy, ●…ter admonition. BUT YET Mr. CALVINE thus giveth not over the matter, but endeavoureth to prove (that the godly may, & aught to communicate with the open wicke●…, and yet shall not be defiled thereby) by the examples of the Prophets, in the corrupt times before the captivity; & of our saviour CHRIST while he lived here, who in the most corrupt times refrained not the sacrifices, prayers, or public ministry of the Temple, for the wickedness either of priests or people: but naving regard to the unity of the Church, & unto the ordinances of GOD, they held up pure hands in a wicked assembly. ●…irst I cannot perceive that in all this Mr. CALVINE hath proved ●…at the Prophets, or our Saviour CHRIST, have at any time joined, ●…to, or with any unlawful or pulluted priests or p●…ople, such as by 〈◊〉 law of God aught not to administer or offer in the Temple: neither 〈◊〉 to any unlawful prayers or sacrifices, which aught not to be offered ●…ere. And so all these examples are to no purpose alleged, & make ●…thing for him. For we still, by the rules of CHRIST'S Testament, hold 〈◊〉 utterly unlawful to receive or retain any profane or wicked per●…n, to administer unto, or communicate with such in the sacraments. 〈◊〉 that all, & whosoever so doth, most heinously break God's law, & 〈◊〉 all guilty of high sacrilege etc. Into which manif●…st wilful trans●…essions, neither the vain titles of the Church, neither the false flag 〈◊〉 the gospel & sacraments, aught to draw or allure us. As for these times under th●… law (whereof he speaketh) the worship 〈◊〉 God then consisted in outward legal ceremonies concerning the ●…me, place, priests, people, sacrifices, Altar etc. with prescript laws 〈◊〉 eu●…rie thing: which outward ordinances, if they diligenrly kept 〈◊〉 observed, there was then no cause why such sacrifices should be left▪ insomuch as they were in that outward worship altogether vnr●…proueable. Other faults of manners, except such as ou●…wardly defiled the body, or were contrary to the laws of the Temple, as bastardy, whoredom, idolatry etc. the priests or ecclesiastical estate than meddled not with. They belonged to the civil magistrates, whose office it was then, both to censure & punish such offenders accordi●…g to the law. While then the ecclesiastical laws which God in that estate appointed, were duly observed, there was no cause why the Prophets or any should refrain that worship: yet were the Prophets (which were appointed of God to instru●…t both the eccsesiastical & civil estate) to admonish and reprove the civil magistrates, and to cry out against them, & to denounce God's judgements against the one & the other, & to show than, that neither Temple nor sacrifice, neither fathers nor covenant could excuse or deliver them from the wrath & curse of God, while they continued in these sins, & deferred to repent. But now under the gospel, where all things are become new & spiritual, Revel. 21. 5. where CHRIST hath given unto his Church, & unto all his faithful 2 Cor. 5. 17. servants his powe●… & authority spiritually, to censure all manner of sin & sinners; he hath given them his holy word, & made them all Kings & Priests thereunto; he hath commanded them to watch, and Exod. 19 6. diligently to take heed, that no profane or wicked impenitent person 1 Pet. 2. 5. be admitted unto, or kept in his church: but diligently to watch both without & within, that the one sort be kept out, the other cast out of his Church. The legal pollutions, leprosies, ulcers running issues, infections, & unclean diseases, for which then the people were separated from the Temple & the Congregation; are now in this Church all manner known sins, obstinately held & maintained, which are far more infectious & contagious unto the souls of the whole Church, than those filthy diseases were unto the body. Neither is the Lord Heb. 12. 15. our God less jealous, or will be less offended, for keeping such in his Church, & admitting them unto his table now, than he was in those days, when the leprous, plaguy, or polluted were kept in the Congregation, & admitted to the altar: especially seeing he hath now given as great charge, as prescript laws, both whom, when, and how to cast out, as he did then. So that, as abominable should our worship and offering now be unto the Lord, & all we in as great blame: (seeing unto all his servants this charge, this watch, this power, these laws are given) as they in the former times, for the transgressions aforesaid. But now peradventure, these disciples of Mr. CALVINE will from their masters mouth affirm (for so in deed his words and writings apparently import, else as we haven showed these examples are brought to no purpose) that the Prophets & our saviour Christ, in those most sinful times, where all estates & people were thoroughly & wholly corrupt, all the laws of God, both concerning the Church and common wealth, the worship of God & cival conversation boldly broken by all, without any regard or conscience: that yet in these times the Prophets and our Saviour CHRIT communicated with these priest●…s & people in these sins, and were not defiled with their sins, but held up pure hands amongst them. Before I show the m●…nifest untruth, the pestilent errors & unsufferable blasphemy of these doctrines, I demand of them how they prove, that the Prophets and our Saviour CHRIT communicated in these times with these priests & people thus defiled and corrupted, thus openly breaking Gods laws & ordinances, both concerning his worship in the Temple, & the government of the common wealth. I see no proof alleged, except it be this: they built not other Churches, they erected not other Altars where they might have their several sacrifices. What of all this? They built not other Temples & Altars, therefore they communicated with the abominations in the Temple; they had no private sacrifices, therefore they resorted unto the pollu●…ed and corrupt sacrifices, used at these times in the Temple: Are these ●…heir best reasons? that because they did not one sin, therefore they did ●…n other: Can these men found no mean course? What if the Prophets in these times did neither of both? shall not the ignorance, falsehood & boldness of these men than appear, which thus slander the Prophets, ●…alsifie & pervert the scriptures, to maintain these damnable errors, & wicked dealing. The first they themselves confess & allege: the sec●…nd (though they bring no one place of scripture to approve) I thus by evident testimonies, both of the stories & of the Prophetts them●…elues, disprove. In the time of King ACHAS, when the Lords brazen 2 King. 16. Altar was removed & set aside, a new Altar, after the form of that at Ezek. 44. Damascus was brought in, and used in the place of the other. The priests that served thereunto, offered also upon other Altars which were set up by that wicked King to other Gods etc. Likewise in the time of MANASSES & AMON, when Altars, groves, & high places were built ●… Chron. 3●… unto Idols, the priests attended them, & other Altars (which the Lord 2 Chron. ●…6 had forbidden) brought in & set up in the courts of the Lord In the times of JEHOACHAS, JEHOIAKIM & ZEDEKYAH, when the Idol of indignation was again set up in the utter court of the people, in the next court of the Levites were painted upon the brickwall the s●…ilitude of all creeping and abominable things, as also all the Idols of the house of Israel, & the 70 antientes burning incense unto them: yea where the women wove hangings for the Egyptian Gods, & mourned for TAMMUZ: yea yet nearer the presence of the Lord, in the court of the priests, even at the very door of Temple of God, they turned their backs upon God, & with their faces towards the east worshipped the Sun. I would here demand of the learned●…t of these priests, whether they think that in these times the Prophets communicated with these priests? or how they can prove it? The contrary is to be proved, both by the laws of God, which forbade them to touch any polluted thing, especially to keep themselves undefiled with the filthiness of idols etc. & also in the stories of Hezekiah, and josiah; Hezekiah in the beginning of his reign, finding all things thus defiled & corrupted, c●…lled such godly Priests & Levites, as h●…d in his Father's time refrained ●…he 〈◊〉, & left off to administ●…r, & exho●…teth them to look & address●… themselves unto their charge which was committed v●…to them by the Lord, to sanctify themselves, to purge the Temple, and cast out the abominations his Father had brought in etc. which we read by them to be done, & the whole house & land purged by solemn sacrifice: And after that, the feasts which had before been intermitted, were again renewed & orderly kept. Iofi●…h also, af●…er he had purged the Temple, cast out & defaced the idols, placed & restored th●… priests & Levites in their due orders, struck & renewed a covenant with the Lord, summoneth the Priests, Levites, & people again to the due keeping o●… the feasts commanded in the law. And 2. C●…ron. 35. 3. (according to TREMELIUS his translation) he says thus unto them. But he said unto t●…e Le●…ites preparing the holy things of the Lord for all Israel, set, or put them before the holy Ark, in this house which SOLOMON the son of DAVID King of Israel hath built: It lieth no more upon you a burden to be carried upon your shoulder: now serve I●…HOVAH your God & his people Israel. In which words he calleth the Priests, Levites, and people to the law and institution of God Deut. 12. 5. etc. 〈◊〉. 17. 3. etc. that now all their feasts and sacrifices aught to be brought and kept before the Lord in his Temple, orderly according to his law, & not as when the Ark might be removed, to be kept in sundry places, neither yet as in private houses, as in the time of the corruptios where the Lord bore with them, as if they had been in Egypt in private houses. Now for the third time of JOZIAH his successors, let the 9 Chapter of EZEKIEL be considered: where we findal iudg●…d & damned to destruction, which were defiled with these abominations; & only those m●…rked by the Angel with the writer's inkhorn, & saved, which kept themselves pure from, & cried out against those abominations: likewise his 16. & 23. Chapters, where the Lord pleadeth against them as against an harlot which had forsaken her husband, & left, yea murdered her children; and therefore that his faithful serua●…tes should judge them not as the Church of God (as the false Prophets then & now do) but as harlots & as murt herers etc. His whole Prophecy is plentiful in this Argument, ●…hewing all to be defiled and abominable by these sins, & that the glory of the Lord utterly abandoned both the Temple & the City. All the Prophets in all their writings abundantly show, th●…t the faithful refrained in these corrupt times, & infinite reafones might be drawn from thence, to prou●… the same: but I hope, that ●…hich hath been already alleged, sufficeth in this point. Now I would only know of these learned disputers, which bring these examples of the Prophets & our Saviour Christ, ●…hinking thereby fully to conclude the matter, and to drive the nail to the head: whether if they should have communicated with these wicked and defiled priests and people, they should not also have sinned, and been polluted? If they deni●… that it had been no sin in them, and that they should not thereby be defiled (as Mr. CALVINE in his wriring●…s doth) than I ●…ring the manifest laws of GOD against them; where it is written, that no polluted person might either administer, or offer in the 〈◊〉. This then being unlawful for the priests or people to do, must ●…eeds also be unlawful in the Prophetts which w●…re not ignorant of this law, to suffer or consent unto etc. It is also written in their law, that whoso touched any unclean thing or polluted person, was also defiled thereby: yea what holy thing soever such polluted person touched, whether flesh or oil, was defiled and abominable. How then can these men say, the Prophets willingly joining to such open breach of the laws and ordinances of the Temple, touching and mingling ●…hemselues with such vncle●…ne and unlawful priests, p●…ople, ●…nd 〈◊〉, were not both defiled herein, & transgressed God's laws? If they say the Prophets communicated not in any unlawful action, or with any polluted person, then to what end do they bring and urge their examples, to draw us to join with them in open and known ●…ransgression. If they say they communicated with the priests that administered in the Temple in these corrupt times, then could it not be, but both the priests and they, must ne●…des be defiled with the ido●…atry and abominations that there were set up, as above is showed. Now nothing can be a greater transgression, or mo●…e filthy and con●…agious defilement, then to join to idolatry, or idolators. Neither can any be a greater allowance of joining unto th●…m, then to make th●…m our mouth or ministers unto GOD, or together with such, to join in any action concerning the worship of God. Thus than it must needs be: that the Prophets (if they communicated or offered, by, or with such corrupt priests and people) grievously with them transgressed, and were together with them defiled, n●…ither could they judge or cry out against the sins of the time, when they th●…mselues were alike guil●…ie and partakers with them in these sins. With what conscience then or f●…are of God, can they persuade us to sin, by the Prophetts examples? May they not as w●…ll by the exam●…les of the patriarchs DAVID etc. persw●…de us to inces●…, 〈◊〉, murder? if it we●…e sin in them, shall it b●… l●…sse i●… us? ar●… these 〈◊〉 and examples well used or applied by them? But how will they now do●…, when even that stone which they had set us as a triumphant monument of their vic●…orie, is rolled upon their ●…ead, and shall g●…ind them to dust, except th●…y r●…tire and repent. For while th●…y affirm our Saviour CHRIST to have communicated with ●…he wicked polluted pri●…stes & p●…ople in feasts and their sacrifices, & ●…hat at such a time (says their Author) as all estat●…s were thoroughly cor●…upt and desperately incurable; how shall they in this case clear him of grievous sin and pollution, or themselves rather of most accursed ●…nd unsufferable blasphemy? Great corruption there was no doubt in the ciui●… estate, by reason that the civil government was in the Gentile●… ha●…des, the profane Romans' that known not God; and thereby also great slackness & defaults even amongst the priests & rulers of the Temple, as appeared by the sects & errors amongst them, by the many tr●…ditions brought in, & the great & more weighty things of the law, as mercy & judgement, neglected. Great also was their blindness, hardness of heart & obstinacy, which not only did not acknowledge, but refused & murdered the Lord of life himself, that flourishing tree of all righteousness, that innocent, in whom was found no sin. Yet notwithstanding all this, I cannot found by the histories of the evangelists, but that the outward ordinances of the Temple were indifferetly well kept and observed, especially about the time of Christ's birth, when were found divers godly priests & holy, just men & women, that administered & offered in the Temple. To take all doubt & controversy away, the holy Ghost recordeth, that all things about him, were done according to the law. We read also that his parents accustomably resorted up to jerusalem, at the ●…uke. 2. 39 feasts; which, they being godly, would not have done, if they had not been kept according to the law. So that here was no apparent or lawful cause, to drive away the godly from the Temple & sacrifices: neither any comparison betwixt the outward estate of the Temple, & the outward estate of those Congregations which receive and admit the open wicked & unworthy to the sacraments, & will not be admonished or redress the same. But to come to our Saviour Christ's person: I read not anywhere, that he communicated or offered with the priests & p●…ople in the Temple; neither bringeth Mr. CALVINE, any proof thereof, save that he went up unto the feasts. But we read not that he went up to offer or communicate with them according to the law, but rather to teach & instruct them, & to call them to repentance joh. 5. 16. 18. & amendment of life. We euerie where read, how sharply he reproved both priests & people; insomuch as they, even at the beginning joh. 7. 8. 9 10. 11. 12. chapte●…s. of his ministery, sought to kill him; which they would not have done, if he had consented or communicated with them. We read not that either he or his disciples, not nor john the Baptist received or baptized any, but such as repent & believed. We see, that neither he nor his disciples kept the traditions or customs of the jews, of washing, fasting etc. We see, that he received such as the jews had excommunicate, namely the blind man; & after their obstinacy was apparent, both separated his disciples from them, & openly euerie where denounced against them. We read again, that they sought to kill him, because so many went from them after him. As for his going up to their feasts, it is apparent, that it was not to offer and communicate with them, so much as to teach the people, there having the fittest opportunity, and greatest concourse. He went not according to the order of the law, but sometime at the midfeast, sometime no●… at all. We may see in that discoutse joh. 7. betwixt his kinsfolk & him, ●…oth by their speech, and his answer, that his custom was not to go ●…o offer, so much as to teach. When he came there, he reproved and ●…eformed some things amiss, as the tables of the money changers, and ●…hem that sold doves etc. In the great day of their feast of Taberna●…les, he called them from their superstitious drawing water in their ●…ell of Siloam, unto himself, that lively spring of living waters etc. As for their feast of the Passover, he kept it not with them, but a part ●…y himself with his disciples, in a private place. To which reasous if we add the continual debate and hostility betwixt him, the priests, ●…hariseis, & their proselytes, and all sorts of ministers & rulers of the Temple, with the manner of their reasoning, their spurning against him with envy, he confuting their errors, & convincing their wickedness with power, yea judging and condemning them for their wickedness, ●…bstinacie, cruelty, & contempt of God & his word, as in the 21. 22. & 23. chapters of Matthew appear. By all which reasons & circumstances, & many other that may be drawn out of the evangely, I think we may rather deem, yea conclude, that Christ did not communicate with ●…hose wicked priests and people at their feasts and sacrifices, rather ●…hen upon M ●. CALVINS' bore report, to believe he did. But whether he did, or did not, it were blasphemy to think or affirm, that he ever ●…oyned unto them in any action, where they broke the lest iode of his Father's law: for than should he be with them guilty of transgression & sin as is above proved; & then the monstrous doctrines that would ●…nsue hereof, no christian ears can endure to hear. And sure their sin is not much less, which go about to draw such poisoned doc●…rines & devilish conclusions from him, to make him an author of sin, ●…ea of most impious sacrilege and profanation of God's name, and all manner headstrong wickedness & abomination, which these w●…etches would colour & tolerate, under his name & examples. Thus having dispatched these foreign cavils, of these our English Romish priests, not so much for their sakes (to whom by Mr. CALVINS' own judgement they appertain not) as for the truths sake, which ●…y such false & smoky reasons is grievously obscured; it is now high ●…me we look homeward unto the present matter in hand: namely, by the rules of the word, to examine this their church of England. Which as we have found to consist of all the profane and wicked people of the land; all, without any choice or difference, being alike received & nourished in the bosom of their Church etc. so if we by the rules of Christ's Testament duly examine this their flaunting ministery, whereof their Church so boasteth; I doubt not but that we shall found them as sergeant, prodigious, antichristian, and rightly fitting to this monstrous confuse body of the multitudes, this harlot, their Church sittet●… on. Which ministery to describe in their colours, were a fit Argument for a stage play, to bring forth these hypocrites out of their dens, and to make them play their parts in the light; then for any sober & christian discourse who abhor to rave in their unclean cages & filthy kennels) yet that they may the sodainlyer appear of what so●… they are, & we the sooner have done with them: let us first consider what manner of officers CHRIST hath appointed in the Church of God; then, how th●…se aught to enter; then how to administer: and so briefly by these rules examine the ministery of their Church of England. The ministery appointed unto the government & service of the Church Philip. 1. 1. of CHRIST we found to be of two sorts, Elders & Dea●…ons: the Elders, some 1 Tim. 3. of them, to give attendance unto the public ministery of the word & Ti●…us 1 Rom. 12. 7 8. sacraments, as the Pastor & Teacher: the other Elders together with them, Act. 6. 1. to give attendance to the public order & government of the Church: Tim. 5. 17. the Deacons, to attend the gathering and distributing the goods of the Act. 20. 28 Church. Now these Officers are first duly proved, examined, & compared 1 Thes. 5. 12. by, & to these rules set down in the Testament of CHRIST, both 1 Cor. 12. 7. in apparent graces, by the manifestation of the spirit; as also in all unreprovable 1 T●…m. 3. conversation, witnessed, & well approved unto that flock, of Act. 6. Act. which they are choose to serve & attend. This done with prayer & fasting, they are choose & ordenied in the same Congregation, by public consent. They being thus choose & ordained by all, are now diligently 1 Cor. 4. 2. & faithsully to execute their office unto all, not prejudicing the liberty 2 Cor. 10. 8. of any, ●…mbitiously assuming any inordinate authority, or abusing or Act. 20. neglecting their office, neither holding or executing it, in regard or in 1 Pet. 5. 2. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 8. joh. 9 respect of person: but uprightly and indifferently performing it unto all men, as in the eyes of God, whose word they purely and sin●…erely teach, faithfully & precisely observe, to their uttermost knowledge and ●… Cor. 11. ●…. power. If in any thing they transgress or offend; they are, as well as Phil. 3. 17. any other members, liable to the censure of the Church: which is, to 1 Tim. 5. 21. etc. reprove, depose, or excommunicate them, according to the quality of the sin, & estate of the offenders etc. 1 Tim. 5. 20 Col. 4. 17. Now to come to the ministery of the Church of England, which is 1 Thes. 5. 14 so manifold & divers, as I know not how to begin to describe it. But Rom. 16. 17. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. let it first be divided into these 3 sorts: 1. Reigning or Governing. 2 Serving & 3 Collegiate. 1. Of the reigning & governing minifters, are archbishops Lord Bishops, archdeacons, chancellors, Commissaries, all of the 2 Tim. 3. 5. high Commission, as likewise such civil Doctors, Proctors, Registers, ●…itus 3. 10. Scribes, Pursuivantes, Summoners as attend upon their Court●…s of faculties, prerogative, Archies, delegates etc. 2 Of the serving sort, are Parsons, Vickars, Curates, hireling Lecturers, vagrant & mercenary Preachers, house priests, Chaplains, half-Priestes or catechisers, Churchwardens, sidemen, questmen, pa●…ish Clerks. 3 Of the ministery col●…egiate, are Lord Bishops, Deans Subdeans, Prebendaries, Canons, petty cannons, Gospelers, Pistellers, Singing men, Singing boys, Vergiers, Sextines. This division I suppose, will well near suffice for their officers. But now, how to divide or distinguish their offices, I know not; I am so unlearned & ignorant of such great secrets, & high mysteries. Neither yet have I skill to ●…arshial then in their degrees of honour, which (I have herded say) they have, both in the common wealth, & in their schools; as ●…eir Primate, their Mettopolitane graces, their Palatine Lordbishops 〈◊〉 their Baronny Lordships: all which I ween be Peers of the realm, 〈◊〉 estates of the Landlord Now there are also certain Doctors of diui●…tie, & Bachelors of divinity, which have many great privileges & ●…ogatiues, of the cap, the skatlet gown, the hood, the habbite, the ●…pet etc. the ring, the chair: the one of them, being a Knights fellow, ●…e other an Esquires in any ground in England. Also how capable ●…ese are by statute of how many benefices, I cannot tell. Neither have I the cunning to derive their genealogies and pede●…ies, as they took beginning in the ages succeeding the Apostles, in ●…e first 4. or 500 years: only because I want that deep learning, I must ●…ntent myself to go to that old book of God's word. There in deed ●…emember Revel. 9 that I read of a Star that fallen from heaven unto the ●…rth, which had the key of the bottomless pit given unto him; who ●…hen he had opened that bottomless pit, there arose the smoke of ●…e pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, wherewith the Sun and ●…e air were darkened. Out of which smoke of the said pit, I read, 〈◊〉 at all these monstrous, armed, crowned, poisoned Locusts & Scor●…ōns issued etc. Now as they took beginning with Antichris●…, under ●…eir king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apolluon: so took they increase together with him. ●…or when Satan had enthronized him, given him his high Commission, 〈◊〉 made him his Lieutenant general in earth etc. than these his Peers 〈◊〉 c●…ptaines compassed about & guarded his throne, & did miracles ●…efore the Beast, deceiving with the effectual power of their errors, ●…l such as received the Beasts mark, or worshipped his image, and 2. Thess. 2. 9 &. ●…ried forth his image far an near, and set it up in all places where his ●…rson could not be, & compelled all both small & great, rich & poor, 〈◊〉 receive the Beasts mark & worship his image: this I read in the 13 ●…f the Reve. Now in the 16. Chapter of the said book, after that y●… vi●…s of Gods wrathful judgements had been powered out upon the earth, ●…ō the sea, upon the rivers & fountains of waters, upon the Sun vpō●…e Throne of the Beast, upon their great river Euphrates; I read, that ●…ese unclean spirits that came out of the mouth of that Dragon, ●…nd out of the mouth of that Beast, and out of the mouth of that false ●…rophet, ●…hich are y ᶜ spirits of Devils, working miracles; should go ●…rth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather ●…em unto the battle of that great day of God almighty: yea and in ●…e 17. of the Revelation, that they should 'cause these kings, those ten ●…ornes, to hate the whore, to make her desolate and naked, to burn ●…e whore with fire, even that fair harlot, of whose cup they ha●…●…runke, and with whom they had committed fo●…ation so many ●…eares before? and to give their kingdoms, power, and authority vn●…o the Beast, until the wo●…des of God be accomplished. In the 19 & 20. ●…hapters of this said book, I read; that they, together with all the ●…ostes of these kings that thus make war against the Lamb, & besiege ●…e beloved City & the tents of the Saints round about, shallbe taken cast into a lake of fire & brimstone, & there to be tormented together with that Dragon, & that Beast, & that false Prophet, day and night for evermore. And lo, thus have we brought these fellows home again, even to the place where we found them. For out of the bottomless pit they came, & into that fiery furnace they shall. Let them that list more curiously to search, inquire after them in their Cen●…uaries and A●…nalles: it sufficeth me to know, that they came out of the bottomless pit, that they belong not to CHRIST'S kingdom, that they are strangers there, & have there neither name, place, nor office. We found in the Church of CHRIST no mention of these rufflers, they are not members of his body, they are neither Pastors, Teachers, Elders nor Deacons: but eu●… of late before our eyes, these self fame officers, Courts, attendants, even from their Primate Archbishop to the parish priest, & so to the Sumner, administered unto the whore of Rome, & had their original from the Apostatical seat of ANTICHRIST. How then should they thus suddenly become the members of CHRIST, yea rulers of his house whether he will or not? who not only thrust in their parsons by intrusion, but these monstrous offices, Courts, & Cannons, never read of, neue●… herded of in the Testament & Church of CHRIST. For there we found no mention of any other Archbishop or Lor●… Bishop, than that chief shepherd & Lord of life, CHRIST JESUS; unto whom every knee aught to bow, and every tongue confess But these blasphemous Beasts, or rather heads of that Beast, are no●… ashamed to arrogate unto them CHRIST'S names and titles, which a●…e written upon them as names of blasphemy, that the scripture migh●… Revel 13. be fulfilled: which titles & honours, they blasphemously would defend, Revel. 17. 3. with this scripture, which is spoken of the office & person of the ciu●… magistrate: I have said, you a●…e Gods, & you all are the children of the most high. Psa. 8●…. 6. although our Saviour CHRIST hath expressly, with his own mouth said to his Apostles (them whom I am sure these are neither greater no●… better). The Kings of the Gentiles reign over them, & they that bear rule over them a●… Luk. 22. 24 called bountiful, but be you not so: but let the greatest among you, be as the lest, & 〈◊〉 Io●…. 13. 12. etc. chiefest, as he that serveth. Now when they cannot defend their pride & blasphemy by the word, (which glass most lively showeth, even to their own eyes & conscience●… the ugliness & heinousness of their sin) they then run to their la●… shoot anchor, to uphold their tottering states by the Prince's donation. Which if it were so, were but a weak defence for them, against the wrath & judgement of God that condemneth them, & a mighty sin (& yet no novelty) for the Kings of the earth to give their crowns unto the Beast etc. But I would here know of them, whether any Prince may lawfully give that unto them, or they receive that, which CHRIST hath denied them, yea & carefully avoided in his own person, leaving them an example etc. & why by the donation of the Emperor CONSTANTINE, the Pope's supremacy may not be as well justified: then ●… would here know, how they ca●… avoid the crime of slandering the ●…rince, which lay this charge upon her: which in deed is due to their ●…oly father the Pope, who when he received of his father the devil his ●…thoritie & great power, magnificently dealt these honourable titles 〈◊〉 offices to these his natural sons proceeded from his own mouth 〈◊〉 throne, many himdred years before Queen ELISABETH was born. Now as we found their names & titles blasphemous, so if we look ●…el into their offices, we shall found them no better. Of the ordinary ●…tablished permanent offices, Pastor, Teacher, Elder, which are Act. 20. 2●… 〈◊〉 oversee, and administer unto that flock, of which they are orderly 1 Pet. 5. 2. ●…osen etc. these are not; who some of them stands a Primate or Pope Rom. 12. 7. ●… ●…to the whole land, some other a Metropolitan over half the land, ●…e lest of these Anakims' over many hundredth steeples, Churches ●…s they say) therefore they have none of these ordinary offices, which ●…nly now remain. As for the extraordinary offices of Apostles, Pro●…etes, Ephe. 4. 11. Evangelists, which God at the first used to the carijng forth ●…f his truth, the gathering together & setting in order of his Saints 〈◊〉 we found Ithem (Apostles I mean & evangelists) altogether ceased, 〈◊〉 now needles; insomuch as the foundation is already fully & sound 1 Cor. 3. 10. 11. etc. ●…yde, as also all ordinances & orders which the Church is to receau●…, ●…pressly set down & manifested in the Testament of Christ; to which 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 〈◊〉 Churches are now, for their direction in all things, wholly r●…ferred. As for Prophets, their office was neither definite nor permanent, Act. 20. 32 ●…ut by peculiar & extraordinary revelations, according to some espe●…al Act. 14. 23. occasions of the Church; whereof I suppose these men (who are so ●…notant of, & rebellious against the revealed will of God) have fmal ●…ccasion to boast. But if their madness should proceed so far, we leave ●…eir discovery & judgement to the law of God, written Deut. 13. 1. &. Gal. 1. 1. ●…postles I suppose they are not; having neither any immediate cal●…ng Act. 1. 24. from God unto their Apostleship (unless as they in their inscrip●…on of their titles and stile do writ: JOHN by the permistion of God and ●…wer of the devil Bishop of such a place) and so as the Apostle says are 2 Cor. 11. 13. etc. ●…alse Apostles, laying not the true foundation, but a new 〈◊〉, even their holy father the Pope's Cannons, and the devilish in●…unctions Gal. 2. 4. 5. & 6. Chap. of their blasphemous high Commission: whereupon & wher●…y, their Church is built & ruled in all things. Now to their office 1 Cor. 4. 17. ●…f Evangelists, they want their Apostolical sending, also their work Phil. 2. 19 etc. 1 Thes. 3. 2. 1 Tim. 1 3. Titus 1. 5. ●…nd building declareth, that false Evangelists & deceitful workmen ●…hey are, that keep not that true pattern, which the Apostles prac●…ised & left to all the Churches; but according to their own fancies ●…et up & pluck down, what & when it pleaseth th●…m, as all their ac●…ions 1 T●…m. 5. 21. declare, having no one pin, nail, or hook according to the 2 Tim. 1. 13. ●…rue pattern in CHRIST'S Testament, or in right frame; which if I 2 Tim. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 here indeuo●…r in particular to declare, it were to go about to ●…mptie that foul sink, even the bottomless p●…t, f●…om whence they ●…ame: sufficeth ut here to have showed their names, offic●…s, authori●…ie, not to be of God, neither to belong to CHRIST'S Church. Therefore we need not be further inquisitive, either of thei●… callings or doings, seeing they belong not unto us, were it not to call them, or so many of them as belong to God's election, unto repentance, to leave the●… accursed trade and offices etc. as also to call such of the people, as belong to the kingdom of Christ, from their apostatical & antichristian throne. What hath been said of the names & offices of these magnificen●… Prelates these great Lords; the same (for avoiding tedious repetition) is to be judged of all the crew of their associates, assistants, attendants inferior priests & officers: of whose names or offices, we found no m●…tion in Ch●…ists Testament, no use or place in Christ's church. yet because some of them make a fairer show in the flesh, & under counterfai●… show of holiness deceive the simple, & lead▪, captive many a stule; I will leave for a while these great peers & mighty estates, with all their colleagues & followers in their gross wickedness, which is apparent and odious unto all men, in whom is any sparck of light or grace; and will now address myself to pull of the visardes of these disguised hypochrites, these ravening wolves which come to us in sheeps clothing, under glorious and swelling titles of Pastors, Teachers, Preachers and Ministers of the gosp●…l, men of great learning, of very holy life, and of great sinceri●…ie, se●…kers & ●…ighers fo●… reformation, snch as abhor and cry out against the Bishops & thei●… proceedings, etc. These Phariseiss, these Sectaries are they, which misled the people in ●…heir crooked and buy paths os death, & will neither lead the●… nor suffer them to enter into the peaceable & straightway of the Lord, bu●… keep them always learning, & never bring `them to the sight o●… acknowledging of the truth etc. as when we come to examine thei●… manner of theaching, shall appear. In the mean while, let us a litl●… go back again (as it were) that we may the more orderly proceed, and consider in a word or two, of these Rabbins people, education, learning, training, whereby they are made fit to these great offices; then of the offices themselves, & of their calling & entrance thereunto; last of all, of their administration, how they behave themselves therein▪ And this, but by way of a summary and most brief recital; ffor if ●… should stand to lay open their dealing at large, though it were without either proving or disproving (for this in matters so mani●…est need not) it would make in it self a most large discourse, and were a subject too great for any m●…ns capacity to handle, to set down the●… monstrous transgre●…siones & disorders in particular, much more in ●…heir heinousness & indignity, which do even fill the great fling bok●… of God's cu●…se, the Prophet speaketh of. But to give you a blush of some of them, and to open you a way the better at your further leisure, by your further and more diligo●…t ●…earch, to look into thei●… dealings; I will (God so willing) of many, set you down a few. FIRST FOR their people, we found them all generally the seed and ●…fspring of the unbelievers, of men without the faith without the ●…hurch, of these confuse idolatrous multitudes above spoken of, & ●…s the unchristian education of these imps maketh manif●…st; who, ●…uen from their cradles, a●…e nourished in all manner of profaneness, eathenisme, vain & ungodly sciences & literature ostentation, pride, ●…ore than monkish (that I say not) Sodomitish idleness, supersti●…ō, idolatry etc. This, their ungodly nurture in their common schools where they must learn the latin or greek tongue from lascivius Poets & heathenish philosophers) showeth evidently. With this quor are their pitchers at the first seasoned: when they have been ●…ell nouseled in these, and have orderly passed to the highest form; ●…en are they fit for one of the Universities, where they being placed 〈◊〉 some one College (as they term them) or other, after they have ●…eene solemnly Matriculate and sworn upon the Proctor's Book to ●…eir mother the Vniversatie, to conceal and keep close her secrets 〈◊〉 mysteries, as also to be obedient to her statutes and orders; the●… are they trained up in Logic, Rhetoric, & Philosophy: which lear●…ings they draw from Aristotle & Cice●…o, and such like. There they ●…arne to reason and speak by art, by Sylogismes and Tropes; which ●…tes when they have gotten (or at the lest, spent some appointed time 〈◊〉 the Vniversites) than they commence Bachelors or Masters of ●…. Now if they continued still with their mother, and give their ●…inde to the study of divinity (as they call it) which is as much to ●…y as the rearding of men's writings, such as are best esteemed of in ●…ese times, with those feathers they fly, and with those eyes they see: ●…hich books being taken from them, they are as mute as fish, as ●…ind as moles. But when once they are grown skilful in this traditional diuini●…e, that they dare undertake upon some months warning, to speak ●…n hour upon some t●…xt, and that they dare trust their memory's 〈◊〉 deliver no worse stuff than they have read in the commentaries ●…nd common places of th●…se Authors: then upon a little practice they row bold to set up their bills of challenge upon the school doors, ●…at they purpose to dispute for their degree, and to maintain ●…taine hard points of divinity, generally consented unto, and reea●…ed of all men: which questions as also the whole scriptures, ●…ust in these their schools & disputations, be unsufferably corrup●…d, abused, wrested, perverted, blasphemed according to the luste●…●…f these Philosophical & heathen disputers; which he●…r must ha●…le, divide, utter and discuss, according ●…o their vain affected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Logic Rhetoric. Well when they have thus performed their arts, either in Luce or 〈◊〉, and that their solemn day of their commencement draw●…h nee●…e; there some worthy Chaplain or other, to win the spurs, 〈◊〉 a Deanery at the lest when it f●…lleth, undertaketh to d●…fend Non▪ r●…sidencie, or Plurality of be●…efices; or some other, to confirm the faith of the Church of England, undertaketh to defend, THAT the apostolical discipline (as they term it) or government & order which is set down in CHRIST'S Test●…ment for his Church unto the worlds end, is no●… perpetual or of necessity; but may be altered according to the will of Princes, estates etc. & also that CHRIST descended into hell, during that time his body lay in the grave. These & such like damnable heresies and blasphemies, are confirmed in the eyes of the whole land, who resort thi●…her to see this stage play, where the fencers fight booty, the people that shall dispute being purposely appointed, the time set how long they shall dispute; the dogs being to be pulled off, either by mass vicechancellor or Mr. PROCTOR, as the arguments by any thing strong or the disputers distressed. Now here must also be considered, that all these prizes are played in latin, that the learning may the more, and their folly the less appear, lest even the common people should hiss them of the stage, if they spoke english. But why do I thus reveal their mother OSIRIS secrets: some of them will say I am an unnatural child, an ill bird etc. when I come there mine entertainment shallbe accordingly for this gear. Well I am content here to cease, yt neither being my purpose, nor to the purpose here, to set down all their magical ceremonial rites, used & due unto such several degree etc. To return therefore again to these our commenced divines, who when they have once got this degree upon them, there is now neue●… a benefice in a shire, but if it be ready for them, they are fit for it▪ There is now no question to be made before any ordinary in England of their learning. They need not now be posed by the doctors, by mass chancellor or mass Commissarie, how many s●…nes Noah had, or whether they can read distinctly the homilies, Injunctions and service book; all this they could do while they were bible clerks & fellows in the College; every morning next their he●…rtes they said over this gear: Neither shall they be enjoined to con certain chapters of the Testament without book, their hood and tippet shewe●…h they have learning enough; and together with their mother the universities licence to preach, excuseth them of all this stir, which other poor priests do pass, but unto them it could not, without the dishonour of the university & shame of their degree, be offered. They therefore now (if before this time they have not had the full order of priesthood) easily ob●…eine it without any difficulty. Only they must now kneel●… down at their holy Father the Bishop's fe●…t, who solemnly sitting in a chair, layeth his Simoniacal hands upon him, delivereth him the b●…ble into his hands, breath●…th upon him, & gi●…eth, or rather selleth him his unholy ghost, as he shall know by the price of his box & writings, ere he go. I had like to have forgotten the cheese matter of all (without which it could have been no bargain) namely, his so●…mne and corporal oath upon the cover of the bible or service book, to be buxom and obedient to his ordinary and his substitutes, & to vow his canonical obedience to all ●…ch ecclesiastical orders, injunctions and ●…egrees, as either are by public authority established & set forth, or ●…ereafter shallbe by the said authority made & set forth: That he shall ●…ot preach any seditious or contentious doctrines, neither any thing ●…n reproof of the proceedings, orders & iniunctiones, by public ●…uthoritie allowed; but shall exhort all men unto the obedience of the ●…ame etc. These things being done, & his dimissaries paid for, he ●…iseth up a full priest in any ground of England, get him now a benefice ●…r a cure where he can. He is now a priest sufficiently capable of any kind of office, in any Church or Churches whatsoever, whether to be a Deane or an Arch●…eacon of many hundred Churches, whether to be a parson of one or more parishes, whether to be an hired preacher commonly called a GE●…EVA Doctor, for from thence this new office is (unwitting to his Grace of Canterbury) stolen into the Church of England, except peraduen●…ure they stand before him but for mongrel curates still. Well if they will have a parsonage, they must either now become Chaplains to ●…ome great BAAL or ●…her, that hath store in his gift, or else make ●…riendship, for love or money, to some inferior BAAI, that is such a Lord of some town or towne●…, or else enter in chaffaire with some ●…ther priest, for his roomth. And somewhat here would be said of these 〈◊〉 or Lord Patron●…, what kind of office they have in the Church of England, lest hereafter I forget, as I do sundry other things. It is not needful here, to dispute of these Lord Patrons, when o●…●…ow they took beginning: whither at the beginning of the defection ●…hen the people first slacted & neglected their duty, and gave up their ●…hristian liberty, power, & interest in all the Church affairs, the choice, ●…ensuring, & depofing their officers etc. into the hands of their pres●…itry, as is above declared: or at the flowing in of the deluge of the Gentiles, when the provincial Bishops, Archbishops & Metropolitans ●…prang up: or when the Pope was by the general consent of all Princes, made supreme head of the Church, & the great tributes out of all lands ●…aied unto him etc. that then peradventure, he, to gra●…isie these Princes & Lords, of his mere benignity granted unto them the nomination unto bishoprics & personages etc. But how or when they sprung up ●…t ●…killeth not, we finding them as Antichristian as any of the other. No such office we ever read of, to belong to the Church of Christ, neither any such Lord there, to take away all the liberty & interest of the people in the choice of their pastor. CHRITS servants are now no longer wards, neither are in this manner to be bought & sold, as open and sheep in a fair or market. But see, when the Lords beau●…ful staff of his holy government & order is broken, how he dissanulleth his covenant with those people, and deliuer●…th them up to the destroyers, to these greedy wolves & hungry foxes, as a pray. For these lords Patrons, to whom these advowsens belong, are to appoint & present their clerks unto these benefices: who being admitted & instituted by the Bishop etc. the people ha●…e no more power in the negative, to refuse or depose him (be he never so unable or unworthy) than they had before in the affirmative, to choose or elect their minister. But these Lord Patrons, may alien or cell their advowsons by the law of the land, even as any other part of their inheritance or possessions: yea be these Patrons never so infamously & notoriously wicked, gluttons, covetous, profane Atheists etc. Yea, if he have 40 of these advowsons, and those distant many hundred miles, even to the uttermost bounds of the land: yet is he to all these towns to present their priests, except he make Lapse, and then falls it into the Bishop of that Diocese his hands. Thus must the greatest Doctor & clerk of them that will have a benefice enter, and be presented thereunto by some of these Baal's or other, unto the Ordinary or Bishop of that Diocese, by whose letters of institution he is inducted, ring his bells etc. payeth his first fruits (after the jewish, or rather popish manner) h●… p●…oxes procurations etc. Now the parsonage or vicarage to which they enter, is to be townepriest or Parson, or vicar of a certain parish, to read them their service, according to the times and manner appointed, to marry, to bury, to christian, to deliver their other sacrament of their communion, to visit and housel their sick with the said book and sacrament, to receive their tithes, offerings, mortuaries etc. Then (if he be so cunning, and as he can intent and afford it) to preach them a sermon of an hour long: but that is in his liberty ●…ow seldom he will, except his benefice be a certain of pounds in the Queen's book, and then in deed is he bond to bestow a sermon on his parish four times in the year, either by himself, or by his learned substitute. By this we may also see these their parsonages and vicarages to be in name, offic●…, and function as Antichristian and popish, as any of the other: ●…o such office or officer mentioned in the Testament of CHRIST. For the men that possess them, & those by common estimation even the best, most holy, and learned of them; I have briefly, but very truly showed, what manner people they are; nuzzled even from their mother's breasts in profaneness, heathenism, vain philosophy, ungodly arts; how they are trained up in idolatry, superstition, and most filthy abominations, perjury, blasphemy, pride, vainglory, ambition, Phil 3. 18. etc. studijng these vain arts, and even divinity (which they number among these arts) for filthy lucre, ostentation, and their bellies sake, making not only an art, but a stage play and an occupation of religion; with their tr●…ditionall and philosophical glosses, corrupting, ●… Tim. 1. 3. 4. obscuring, and perverting the pure text with their logical conclusions ●… Tim. 6. 3. 4. ●…. 20. 21 and ●…hetorical figures; give liberty to their wits in their learning to deface, strive, and dispute against the holy known truth of God, making and tossing it as a tennis ball amongst them, both publicly in the schools and privately in their Colleges at their problem●…s. In ●…hich munkish dens thev lurk and lead their lives, in all manner 〈◊〉 idleness and pride; not to speak of those secret sins & abhomi●…tiōs, which are commonly committed amongst these Sodomites, which ●…e in such fellowships and fraternities, where Gods pure religion & ●…oly ordinance of matrimony are banished, as amongst them. The ●…rticular abuses of which societes and Colleges, yea even of their vni●…rsite in general, with all that more than heathemish disorder, popish ●…hominations, which are there without shame enjoined and com●…itted, wherwitth the youth, yea almost all estates, of the land are lea●…ned & poisoned, would in it self require a long & peculiar treatise, ●…t summarily to reckon up & bring to light. I hope, by this little which hath been said, concerning the educa●…n and training of these our great divines, it apear●…h unto all men ●…hat will judge by the word of God and are endued with the spirit of ●…od) what kind of fellowships these university Colleges are, what ●…nd of cages full of unclean birds, of foul and hateful spirits etc. ●…et these learned clerks daub them with their untempered mortar, ●…hiles yet the time serveth them, yet is their judgement of the Lord: ●…e word is go out from his mouth, it hasteneth apace, and cannot 〈◊〉 called back: even the same judgement and end, which are in their ●…ght executed upon their elder brethren and sisters the Templars, the ●…onkes, and knights of their St. John of jerusalem, the Abbeys Fri●…ers Nunneries they had one and the self same popish original with ●…ese: they still retain the same damnable and incurable abuses: ther●…re the same, or greater judgements remain them. Let us see if the 〈◊〉. of Peter-house be now able to ward this blow: sure I doubt ELY ●…inster will not defend him from the hail of God's wrath, in that day. ●…e hath hitherto taken but half his tale with him, therefore his recko●…ing is behind. It is but an easy point of learning, both to frame and ●…nswere other men's, or rather his own Arguments: we in the coun●…ie which are not acquainted with such figures, count such but to skir●…ish with their own shadow, & deem them not the wisest men in a ●…ire. But this learned Doctor by the figure of Omission, in an evil con●…ience, took no more of the Argument, than he was able to deal ●…ithall, namely thus much. THE UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND ●…AMBRIDG have a popish original: Therefore Queen ELISABETH ●…ught to abolish them. Let him now take the rest of the Argument▪ as ●…t was made in a marginal note, in the side of a blasphemous book of ●…is, and put it together thus. THE UNIVERSITIES of CAMBRIDG and ●…XFORD have the same popish & idolatrous beginning y●… the colleges ●…f monks, Freers', Nuns, & those vermin had, & still retain y ᶜ same ●…nsufferable & incurable abuses etc. therefore Queen Elisabeth hath, & ●…ught by as good right to abolish them, as her progenitor did the Ab●…aies. Thus was it made before unto him: but of his doctorly autho●…itie, writi●…g with privilege, he taught he might take and leave at his ●…leasure; especially, having to do with poor prisoners, which can have no place given to defend their wrongs, nor to answer unto his lies & slau●…ders. But l●…t him yet upon better advise, make a better answer to this one Argument; till then, we will not trouble him with more. I 〈◊〉 upon a better view, he shall scarce found them so like those ●…oorishing vines in the lords garden, as unto the vine of 〈◊〉, and the vi●…es of Gomorrahij: their grapes are poisoned grapes, their clusters bitter clusters: their wine is the poison of Dragons, & the cruel gall of Asps. Neither shall he found them so like to the schools of the Prophets he speaketh of, which purely kept and taught the word of God amongst them, in those corrupt times; as unto the Pope's Seminaries, being as ready upon the lest change of the whether now to serve him, as ever they were; being not unlike the Turks ●…eraglia in Constantinople, in which place his Iane●…saries which are the guard of his person, are first trained & instituted in the discipline of his war, before they serve him either abroad, or in his Court. And sure these University kinghtes are the very guard of Antichrist's throne, the strength of his battle, his instruments to carry forth his wares, to subdue the people unto him & keep them in his obedience, as bitter enemies of the Church and serua●…tes of God, & of all righteousness, as these Turkish janeizaries unto these christened regions, with whom they have to do. But it is time now to return to these our university divines & their ministery again, being somewhat overlong stayed by this frivolous Doctor in the way. I have already showed their education, learning, degrees, and also in what manner, and upon what conditions the best of them come by and hold their priesthood: that is to say, how they first Deut. 6. 13. blaspheme Gods holy name, in swearing after that idolatrous manner: Amos 8. 14 how they solemnly and advisedly forswear & abjure the Lord JESUS Zepha. 1. 5. CHRIST, in swearing their canonical obedience to the Antichristian Math. 5. 34 Revel 13. 16 & 14. 9 etc. throne of these Bishops, their courts, & cannons: for two so contrary masters they cannot serve, as CHRIST & Antichrist, neither have communion with both. And how they now remain the marked soldiers Psa. 94. 20 of the Beast, even in the forehead, having taken his licence and seals; 2 Cor. 6. 15. & how by this their oath & subscription to their romish trumpery & devilish diuises, they have resolutely forsworn Gods truth, made Gal. 2. 5. shipwreck of faith and a good conscience (if any they had before) and how by taking this licence with this limitation, they have emancipate the whole word of God (as much as in them lieth) unto these Bishops or rather the Pope's Cannons. And yet (to make their sin the more odious & inexcusable) these slaves to sin, are not only sworn unto such decrees as are already made (although nothing can almost be added to the wickedness and blasphemy of them) but even have bond themselves by oath to such decrees, as they hereafter shall make, being by public authority of the land enjoined etc. also how they hereby become the vowed servants & bondmen, the marked ministers & waged soldiers of Antichrist. I have also showed their ministery to be Antichristian, adulterate and vagrant, wit●…out place, people, charged, office, government: and how they must come by it b●… as unlawful means, even by symonical compacts, open bribery & extortion, as the ex cessive price of their box & writings unto the Bishop & his clerk, ●…heir first fruits (not to speak of other secret bargains how they come by the patrons good will etc.) declare. Moreover I have showed, how their office of Parson or Vicar is ●…s popish, strange, antichristian: & how their entrance & induction is ●…s popish & jewish, as the rest: & how the function of, & their behaviour in this office is yet worst of all, most corrupt, blasphemous, & ab●…ominable: which now but by as slight a running over their admini ●…tration, will even with detestation appear unto all men. Whose infinite & odious sins herein to set down in particular, according to ●…heir heinousness, no tongue or pen of any martal man is able; for that were to momber the hairs of the beast, or to divide the drops of a ●…unning river. If I therefore set down some such principal & especial heads, fro●… whence these mischiefs & their particular transgressi ●…ns flow, as I remember them (who know of many, but a few) leaving the further search of the r●…st, & consideration of these, to the further labour & judgement of the godly, by the scriptures: as also, the more particular remorse & repentance of them, to their con●…ciences which have committed, & shall account before the Lord for the same. I hope (I say) by that time, the delusionis of these Babylonish divines & Egyptian Enchanters, will appear unto all men, save unto them that perish; & their madness be made so manifest, as both they & their Proselytes shallbe left naked, without one excuse or figleaf to cover their shame Now then as the education, training, learning, degrees, ministery manner & conditions of r●…ceauing that office & manner of coming by, & entrance into the same, have been partly described; so was the ends & function of their ministery and office, a little touched in a word or two: namely, how they all are, by oath and office bond, to read and observe the injunctions etc. to read their service book at their appointed times, places and manner, according to the same to administer their Sacraments, church women, visit the sick, bury the dead etc. and only for this ministery they receive the offerings, tithes, mortuaries & wages of the people. Also it hath been showed, that preaching is no part of their office or ministery, but only in certain special cases (where that benefice is at a certain rate in the QVEENES' book) required, and that not necessarily laid upon the person of such a parson, but only quarterly enjoined at 4. solemn feasts of the year, as at their Christmas, Easter: etc. and may be performed or supplied by their substitute. here also must ●…e observed, that a person or Vicar, is not by law nor office enjoined to be resident & give attendance in person unto his charge & flock, but may be absent at his will, & where he will, so he found the parish a journey man to read their service, administer their Sacraments etc. yea and as he cometh unto them without the people●… privity, will, or consent, so may he stand●… parson or (●…s these▪ learned preachers would have him ter●…ed) a Pastor unto them, though he never see his f●…ock, nor his flock him. So may he also by law (as the best of them usually do) upon their own liking or disliking (but especially upon the offer of a better living) departed from them, chang●… or cell his office, without the people's knowledge or privity. For as their ministry is not tied to any office, so is not their office tied to any charge. Are not these miserable Pastors trow we? or are not the 2. Cor. 11. 20. people more miserable, that have such sh●…pheardes and guides se●… over them, whom they must (will they nile they) nourish with their goods etc. to the gathering up whereof, these priests will look well enough, without regard or respect of people, whether they be rich or poor, old or young, widow or fatherless, that is all one to them▪ they will not spare their due: They take up all with the angle, th●…y catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarn. It skilleth not to 1. Sam. 2. 12 etc. them whose it be, whether the goods of the infidel or of the believer. Ez●…. 34. 2. etc. It skilleth not them whom they spoil, whether the poor▪ the widow, or the fatherless, if they fall within the bounds, and precincts Mic. 3. 2. etc. of their parish: they regard not by what right, or after what manner they have it, whither by jewish tithes and offerings, or popish Pro. 30. 20 chrismatories and mortuaries. They regard not, so the Princes and 〈◊〉. 11. 5. their lord Bishop's laws allow them, though God's laws expressly forbidden. That day of account they put far ●…ff, and think to do well enough then: yea they in the mean while bless themselves in the name of the Lord, though they commit all this wickedness. Of all that groweth or increaseth within the compass of their parish, whithe●… corn, wood, grass or ca●…tel, the priest will have his part; yea for whom soever is born or dieth in his parish, he will have a fee; and for thi●… gear he standeth a priest to the whole parish and all the inhabitants thereof indifferently. If the d●…iul of hell would ●…ome and dwell in his parish, he were a priest for him, and would for his goods administer the Sacraments etc. unto him also. But here, before I begin to deal●… with their manner of administration, it were not amiss, in few words, to show the damnable filthiness of their maintenance for their ministeri●…. Christ having abrogate the levitical priesthood and law, instituted for the gospel an other ministery, & for the ministery an other maintenance. He ordained in his Testament, that the minister of the gospel 1. C●…r. 9 7 etc. should live of the gospel, the shepherd of the flock he ●…eedeth the husbandman of the vineyard he d●…esseth & keepeth. Now this flock ●…ōsisted not of goats, swine, dogs, wolves etc. neither is this shepherd limited, or sheep constrained to a tenth, or any stinted part or portion; but according to the present want of the one, & estate of the other, this matter is otherwise provided; they together relieving him according to his present need; he together wi●…h them, bearing the burden of their present and common poverty, ●…uerie one that is taughtin the 2. Cor. 8. 13 ●…ord, ●…reely contributing and imp●…rting, even of all their goods, to Galliard▪ 6. ●…. & 4. 15. ●…he competent main●…enance of such as instruct them in the word, ●…nd have the oversight of them, not unto riot and excess, but unto 1. Th●…s. 5. 1●… 13. 2. ●…fficiencie. Which contribution, as it is a duty of the Saints, so is Thes. 3. 9 ●…t also, in the manner of it, a free offering of their benevolence, and an Exo. 25. 2. ●…oly alms unto the Lord: by which alms and contribution, our Sa●…iour 2. Cor. 9 4. Christ himself, his Apostles, and all the ministers or officers of Phil. 4. 18. ●…he church of Christ, which live or receive any thing of the church, Heb. 13. 16 ●…ere, and are to be maintained. Within the bounds of which sober Luke. 8. 3. ●…ediocritie and christian modesty, while these proud Prelates and joh. 12. 6. ●…reedy priests will not be held, the one sort breaketh out into all ex●…esse 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. and riot, the other into miserable rapine and extortion, thrus●…ng their flesh hook into every poor body's kettle, and (as it were) ●…lucking the bread from them and their children's mouths, 〈◊〉 they should be sustained; besides the heinous unlawfulness of ●…he very action yt self, & high sacrilege they commit therein: which, ●…hiles a certain Doctor of there's hath of late la●…ored to approve; the ●…icked man hath term●…d this blessed alms, and holy contribution ●…f the Saints (in contempt thereof and of them which are or have ●…eene sustained thereby) the ●…lmes 〈◊〉: yea, to disgrace the truth, and ●…o hide the superfluity, excess pride, and unsatiate covetise of the ●…nglish Clergy; he maketh it a common custom in his slanderous ●…āphlet, to leave out, or take inn at his pleasure, or mistake, where & ●…hat seemeth good unto him: As here he hath done the 9 Chapt. ●…f the ●…, Corin●…h, for the 9 Chapter of the 1. Corinth: and so still fighteth ●…ith himself, and confuteth his own idle fantasies. The one place ●…eaketh of the general charity we aught to carry towards all ●…aintes, even ●…o them of other Congregations and Countries: the ●…ther, of the peculiar maintenance of the Minister of Christ, how he ●…ught to be maintained by that flock, to which he administereth, and ●…ot by infidels or wicked people, to whom his ministery belongeth ●…ot. Likewise that place Gallat. 6. vers. 6. where they that are taught in ●…he word, are commanded to impart of all their goods unto them that ●…nstruct them in the word: which place evidently showeth, what kind ●…f maintenance belongeth to the ministers of the gospel, who aught ●…o contribute, in what manner, and how far. Namely all such faithful ●…o whom this ministery belongeth, and they not by any rated pro●…ortions, as tenths, or thyrdes, etc. but even in love, to make him ●…artaker of that little or much the Lord sendeth, according to his pre●…ent wants and necessary uses, who if he have to food and ●…ayment, 1. Tim, 6. ●…. ●…ught to be therewith content. This place, this Chem●…rim would put ●…way, with a marveling at our folly in quoting it in the side of ●…is former book, against the stinted tithes and accursed goods & ●…ffringes of the profane & wicked, whereof he and his fellow priests ●…re maintained. Whereby it is evident, that these priests, which thus are maintained, Num●…. 18. either by these jewish tithes & offerings, as at the baptism o●… Le●…i. 22. 25 children, and purification of women, or by the goods and wages of Ezec. 44. 7. the profane and wicked, are not the ministers of Christ. For (faith the holy Ghost) If there be a change of the priesthood, then of necessity Heb. 7. 12. must there be a change of the law. But these men, both prieste●… and people, which either pay or receive these tithes and offringe●… etc. still keep these levitical laws for the maintenance of the ministery: therefore they not having made a change of those laws, Act. 15. belong not to the ministery and kingdom of Christ. For (as I have Gal. 4. 9 & 5. 2. 3. 4 showed) these are not the laws which Christ hath instituted for th●… maintenance of the ministery of the Gospel: neither can these lawe●… Col. 2. 20. now be joined unto, or made to accord with the gosp●…ll. For in retaining the gospel, we ab●…ogate the ceremonial law, in re●…uing the ceremonial law, or any part thereof, we revive the Levitical ministery, and thereby abolish the gospel and ministery of Christ: yea in retaining and cleaving unto the shadow, we lose the substance, and so are left and shut up under the law, and are abolished ●…rom Christ, whom we deny to be either come, dead, risen again or ascended, while we still retain the ceremony and shadow. Now it is apparan●…, that tithes and offerings were merely ceremonial, and instituted for the maintenance of the levitical ministery, and belong not to the ministery of Christ, neither have any reservation in the Testament of N●…m. 18. 31 28. Christ, but sundry express places there are against them: & in place thereof, we have (as hath been said) the free contribution of all the faithful, not limited or stinted, but extending to the communication of all the goods they have. But these priests & people still retain●… the levitical decimations in the same form, to the same ende●… etc. therefore must they needs be under that dangerous estate obou●… declared: Neither will their Doctors popish distinction help the matter. saith he: the Church of England retaineth, not tithes, as any pa●… of the ceremonial law, but as a stipend for the ministers. Why I beseech, him, how did the jews retain & use them? was it not as a stipend likewis●… for their ministers? & may this law, this stipend now, fit the ministery of Christ? why hath Christ then made new? or how is the old law changed with the old ministery, if the law of tithes be still kep●… Might not this Doctor as well bring in the cities and suburbs which were given to the Levites & priests, for them & their families to dwe●… in, or any other Levitical ceremony, by the same excuse? & I doub●… not but they would do so also, were it not that they have already much more ample allowance in the stead thereof in every City & town of the land: where the parson, (yea some where, both parson & vicar) is endowed with houses & gleab lands besides their tithes, not to speak●… of the whole lordships & towns, that the Collegiate priesthood po●…sesse: & yet these cormorantes are never satisfied, these horseleeches still suck, though blood in abunda●…ce run out of their wide mouths. And here also by the way●…, the unlawfulness of their gleebes would ●…e noted; both in that they have no warrant in ●…he Testament of CHRIS●…, being so fixed and certain, he having there set down an ●…ther kind of maintenance, not fixed, nor certain, but according to ●…he present wants and occasiones etc: as also that that tying of land ●…n a parish to the ministery there, doth presuppose and necessarily pre●…ume of a Church always in that pari●…h; where as the Prophet says; ●…hey that were my people yesterday, are risen up on the other side, as ●…gainst an enemy etc. How many famous Churches see we remo●…ed and fallen? how m●…ny godly Fathers have had wicked children? ●…odly ages, wicked successors? Many other reasons might be brought ●…gainst these gleabes, for which these belly priests so cry out: As con●…erning their idolatrous original and abuse, being given to the main●…enance of a popish ministery, and therefore aught rather to be put to ●…iuill uses, and not to the maintenance of the ministery of CHRIST. But to return to th●…ir tithes again: wherein as yet I could never ●…ee any difference betwixt the jews and them, save that these swine●…eardes tithe pigs, geese etc. and all such unclean beasts and fowls ●…or gain, which were an abomination unto the jews. But some of ●…hem would hide this, by the Prince's commandment. We have in many places showed, that the Prince hath no power to break Gode●…●…awes, or innovate or al●…er CHRIST'S Testament. here I would know of them, whither the due payment of tithes etc. was not often commanded by the godly Kings of ●…da also: Let them read the stories of EZECHIAH, JOZIAH, NEHEMIAH etc. let them read the prophecies of JOEL, HAGGAI, ZACHARIE, MALACHI. Why then▪ we see the commandment of the Prince makes no difference between them and the ●…ewes herein: the commandment of the Prince cannot altar the pro●…ertie of God's laws: the commandment of the Prince can be no war●…ant or ●…xcuse, for the altering of CHRIST'S Testament. But what excuse can they now forge for their offerings at the baptism of children, at ●…heir purifying of women? Is not this also manifest judaisme? I will not levit. 12. 6. here speak of the superstition of the action, but of the oblation only: what difference is there betwixt them and the jews herein? They will say the jews offered Pigeons etc. not money. But they must understand, Leui●…. 27. the jews had a law also of redeeming their sacrifices for money, & so offr●…d money also when the sacrifice could not be had, & in sundry other cases: This then willbe no sufficient difference. I doubt therefore they must be driven to Doctor ROBERT SOME his catholic & universal destruction abovenamed: They retain them not as any part of the ceremo●…l law, but as the ministers stipend. Well, let this distinction be authentical, because it goes with privilege: yet let a poor Christian ask them this question; where they found in the new Testament, that Christians may make such offerings, or the minister of CHRIST live of s●…ch offerings? I suppose they will take day to answer●…: and I (because I will not too far overchardge them at once) will forbear here to call them to ●…ccompt for their mortuaries, or portion which they take of the goods of the dead, for their oblations at their Easter Sacrament, at the marijng, and at the burijng of any in their parish. This I think would prove a cumbersome piece of work for them to approve and justify by CHRIST'S Testament, to belong to the maintenance or office of his ministery. And sure, I take no great pleasure to rave more than needs I must, in this their dung; which is so gross, as even with the reciting it is refu●…ed. So that I hope, by this little which hath been said, concerning their levitical tythinges, their jewish oblations, their heathenish and popish customs etc: it evidently may appear to all men (in whom is any light) that neither this their ministery, or these their ministers, which are thus maintained, are of CHRIST, or belong to his Church. If this yet be not plain enough, let such as doubt, give ear to their Administration, which now followeth to be examined. WHICH ADMINISTRATION of there's, because it is so ample (for the help of my memory, & that the matter may be the better understood) I will for this time divide it into necessary and voluntary. By necessary, I mean that public administration, whereunto by law, office, and oath they are bond: by voluntary, I mean their extraordinary pains taking in preaching, reading lectures on the week days, catechizing families etc. And first (as order requireth) I will deal with the more general, with that of necessity, which law requireth of all priests: whereunto, both they, their Churchwardens and Sidemen are bond by oath, the one to observe, the other to see it observed, & to present the defaltes. And this (because it is so infi●…ite, & extendeth so largely, almost to the practice & execution of all the Injunctions and orders of thei●… Church etc.) I will only (or chief at the lest) here meddle with their public administration in their Church, in their worship of God etc. and that but with some few (I will not say chief) things: for yet the Subject is too large for my capacity. Unto this ministration, for their better instruction and direction in all things, as also that there might be found one uniform orde●… amongst them in all places, they have one SERVICE BOOK, commonly called THE BOOK of common prayer: unto this are all the priests of the land sworn, to use it in manner and form prescribed. Now in this Book is included the whole form and substance of their ministry. here are their prayers made to their hand, and prescribed what prayers to say in the morning, and likewise what at Evensong: as also what Psalms, Chapters, pistles & Gospels to read in their due seasons, what in the winter what in the Summer, what in the Le●…t, what in the Aduent. here are set down their prayers, chapters etc. for their fasts, their solemn feasts and Saints days, yea and for every other day of the year. ●…or the Sunday is a governing day, and is written in their Calendar ●…ith read letters, and ruleth all the days of the week, save certain vn●…uly days and their Ea●…es, which will not be governed by it▪ but cha●…enge to themselves a peculiar worship also: they having their days 〈◊〉 the same Calendar written with great letters too, & that which mo●…e 〈◊〉, their Eaves written with read letters. And because they are but stran●…ers and come but once in the year, they look for the more solemn ●…tertainment, that the priest should diligently watch, and the people ●…ait for their coming, & make preparation accordingly: if they come ●…n a cluster, or at some solemn and double feast, th●…n to in●…ertaine ●…ē with new clotheses, clean houses, garnished with green bowghes, 〈◊〉 holly and ivy, with good cheer & much pastime, all work on these 〈◊〉 idol days, laid aside. Yea though they come but one alone, and 〈◊〉 on the week day, ●…et that week is not saint ●. Sunday, Lord of the As●…ndent, it is a part of his service to give warning unto the people of ●…e others coming, that they keep his or her Eve with fasting and ●…aier; that upon their day they keep an holy feast, abstain from la●…our etc. Moreover, by this Book are the priests to administer their ●…cramentes, by this Book to Church their women, by this Book to ●…arry, by this Book to visit & housle the sick, by this Book to bury the ●…ead, by this Book to ke●…p their Rogation, to ●…ay certain Psalms and ●…raiers over the corn and grass, certain gospels at cro●…sewaies etc. ●…his Book is good at all assays; it is the only Book of the world. He 〈◊〉 can but orderly & distinctly read this Book, may get a living by 〈◊〉: It is no marvel though they be sworn to and by this Book. ●…any great things might be said of this Book, how it was made by ●…ertayne learned Bishops, afterward godly Martyrs, and how some ●…f the Martyrs used part of it (as the Litany) the night before 〈◊〉 suffered etc. Well, who translated it we will not contend. For ●…e thing yt self, it is evident to be abstracted out of the Pope's blas●…hemous mass-book, and how consonant it is unto the word of ●…od, remains to be examined; and shall, through God's grace, by the ●…iscussing of some particular points, though not of every singular er●…or (for that were an endless labour) appear: & so shall neither the mar●…yres use commend, nor our dislike condemn, but God's word be judge ●…f all. To let pass therefore what in times past this Book hath been, and ●…ow it hath been used, either by the Pope or those Bishops: we found ●…t now to be the very ground work of their faith, Church and mi●…isterie, in place to them of the word of God, as from whence they ●…etch all their direction for all things; yea herein above the word of ●…od, in that from hence they fetch not only their rules whereby to do ●…hinges, but even the very things themselves that they do▪ as their Lei●…ourgies etc. So far is this Book from being subject to the word of God, as ●…t in all things ouerrul●…th the word of God, dismembreth, rendeth, cor●…upteth, perverteth, abuseth it to their stinted M●…ttēs & Evensong, to thei●… days, fasts, feasts etc. yea the word of God m●…y not be taught, bu●… where this book hath first been read, and hath had the pre-eminence. This book in their Churches must have the sovereignty, it may not be gainsa●…ed or controlled, or if it be, the word of God must give pla●…e, that priest called cor●…m nobis, lessoned, and schooled; if he will not be conformable, deprived of his priestdome: if he be found stout or con●…macious, them is he cast into prison to cool him, vn●…il his stomach com●… down, that he make suit unto his Grace or some other L. Bishop hi●… Ordinary, and enter bond to be conformable, or silent. Moreover this book, in that it standeth a public prescript continued liturgy (not as yet to come to the particulars or meddle with the blasphemous contents thereof but to speak generally of it) as if 〈◊〉 were the best that ever was devised by mortal man: yet in this place & use, being brought into the Church, yea or into any pri●…ate house, 〈◊〉 becometh a detestable idol, standing for that it is not in the Church o●… God & consciences of men: namely, fo●… holy, spiritual, and faithfu●… prayer, it being nothing less, but rather abominable and loath som●… sacrifice in the sight of God, even as a dead dog. Now vnd●…r the law, Leu. 1. 2. 3. 4 Chap●…. might neither any corrupt or any unlawful sacrifice, with any seen blemish, be offered at the Altar, neither any part of any beast (●…hough whil●… it lived never so sufficient) being slain before it be brought unto 〈◊〉 Altar, it was abomination unto the Lord Every sacrifice must be brought quick & new unto the Altar, & there be s●…ayne every morning and evening: how much more in this spiritual Temple of God, whe●… 1 Cor. 6. 19 the offerings are spiritual, and God hath made all his servants Kings, & 1 Pet. 2. 5. priests, to offer up acceptable sacrifices unto him, through 〈◊〉 Revel. 21. 10 CHRIT, who hath thereunto given them his holy spirit into their hearts, Rom. 12. 1. to help their infirmit●…es, and ●…each them to cry ABBA Father. Ho●… Rom. 8. 26. much more hath he which ascended, given graces to tho●…e his seruan●… 15. Ephe. 4. 7. 8. etc. (whom he useth in such high services) to the repairing of the Sain●…, the work of the ministery, and the edification of the Church? unto whom God useth them, as his mouth: the Church again on the oth●… side, useth them as their mouth unto the Lord Shall we think th●… God hath any time left these his servants so singly furnished & destitute Isa, 2●…. 9 etc. of his grace, that they cannot found words according to their necessities & faith, to express their wants and desires, but need thus to be Heb. 5. 13. taught line unto line, as children new weaned from the breasts, what & when to say, how much to say, and when to make an end; to say th●… collect at at the beginning, that at the end that before, the other afte●…, this in the morning, that at after noon etc. How like children, or ra●…her like mas king fools are these great clerks dressed? show they n●… hereby, that either they have no faith, or el●… are such infants, as 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 2. have more need to be fed, than to divide the portion unto others? Kno●… they trow we, what pra●…er or the spirit of God means? Prayer I take 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 16. be a confident demanding which faith ma●…eth tho●…ow the holy 〈◊〉▪ ●…. Ephe. ●…. 1●… ●…ccording to the will o●… God, for their present wants, estate etc. How 1. Io●…. 2 1. now? can any read, prescript, stinted Leitou●…gie, which was penned many Ep●…. 6. 1●…. years or days before, be said a pouring forth of the heart unto the P●…il. 4. 6. Lord? or those faithful requests wh●…ch are stirred up in them by the The whol●… book of Psalms holy Ghost, according to their present wants & estate of their hearts, or church? unless they can say, that their hearts & church stand in Lament. ●…. 40. 41. ●…he same estate now, & so still to their lives end shall continued, without ●…ither further increase or decrease, change or alteration, as they did joel. 2. 14. ●…hen: yea, that their childers' children shall also so continued, to whom Hose. 14. ●… ●…hey leave and incommend this liturgy, unto the worlds end. What Pro. 4. 18. 19 〈◊〉 strange estate is this, that always thus standeth at a stay? The way of ●…he righteous (Solomon says) shines as, the light, that shines more Luk. 11. 23. ●…nd more unto the perfect day: as on the contrary, the way of the ●…icked is as the darkness, they know not wherein they shall fall. Our Saviour Christ says, that if we gather not, we scatter. The Apostle 1. Pet. 2. ●…. 〈◊〉 willeth the new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the Ep●…. 4. 1●…. ●…ord, that they may grow thereby; until they come to the measure of ●…he age of the fullness of Christ says the Apostle Paul. Now then if ●…hey & their church increase not in the measure of knowledge, grace, ●…olines, etc. it is an infallible sign that they have not the Spirit of God. If th●…y do increase, why then is not God served with his own ●…est gif●…s? Is not the judgement of the Prophet then upon them; which Mal. 1. 14. ●…aith Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, yet voweth and ●…acrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing, Is this old rotten Leit●…urgis their new songs they sing unto the Lord with and for his graces? May fuch old written rotten stuff be called ●…ier, the odours of the Saints, burned with that heavenly fire of the ●…ltar, the lively graces of the spirit etc. may reading be said praying? ●…ay such apocryphas trumpery be brought into the church os God, & there be read, reverenced & received, as the sacred word of God? ●…hrust upon men's consciences, yea upon God himself whether he will o●… no? Is not this presumptuously to undertake to teach the Spirit of Rom. 8. 26. 27. God? & to take away his office, which (as hath been said) instructeth ●…l the children of God to pray, even with inward sighs & groans 〈◊〉, 1. I●…. 2. 27. & giveth both words & utterance, yea & (as the Apostle 〈◊〉 ●…th) we need no other teacher to these things, than that annoin●…ing which we have received, and dw●…lleth in us. Is not this (if ●…hey will have their written stuff to be held & used as prayer) to bind ●…he holy Ghost to the froth & leaven of their lips, as it were to the holy ●…ord of God? Is it not utterly to quench & extinguish the Spirit of God, both in the ministery & people, while they tie both them & God ●…o ●…heir stinted numbered prayers? Is this the 〈◊〉 & unisormitie that aught to be in all Churches? & ●…s amongst all Christ's servants, to make them agreed in a stinking 〈◊〉 diuis●…d apocryphas Leitu●…gie, good for nothing but for cush●… & pillows for the idle priests, & profane carnal Atheists to rock them a sleep and keep them in securitie●…, whereby the conscience is no way either touched, edified, or bettered? Truly I am ashamed to think, much more to writ of so gross & filthy abomination, so generally received, even of all estates, of these parts of the world, who have by a popish custom & tradition received yt one of, & from an other, without any warrant from the word. For the Apostles▪ (I am sure) these master builders, have left no such precedent in, or commandment unto the churches, neither given them any such power to bring in or set up any such apocryphas liturgy in the church of God. They ●…. Tim. 2. 1. always used spiritual prayers according to their present wants & occasions, Heb. 13. 15. & so taught all churches to pray, always, with all manner of Eph. 6. 18. prayer & supplication in the spirit, & thereby to make known thei●… Phil. 4. 6. wants, & show their requests in all things unto God their heavenly 1. C●…r. 14. 15. father: Our Saviour Christ also, he taught his disciples, that God is a Spirit, & will be worshipped in spirit & truth. He hath likewise set joh. 4. 24. down most excellent rules, & a most absolute form for all prayers in that part of scripture Math. 6. 9 10. 11. 12. 13. commonly (but falsely) called the Lord's prayer: wherein he hath most notably instructed, directed, and restrained our ignorant & inordinate desires, to those excellent heads. In which, whatsoever is needful for us to desire, or lawful fo●… us to pray, is in some one or other of those branches included: eueri●… one of them being a base & foundation, whereupon & whereby to frame many million of several p●…ticions, according to the several wants & occasions, at such several times as the Saints have cause to pray. They are all of them, so many everrunning fountains, from which Gods servants by the holy Ghost, derive & draw continually fresh & new graces; & are all together▪ such an abysm & unmeasured sea of wisdom, from which all Christ's servants through the world, have always fetched all their knowledge, graces, comfort, & assurance of and in their prayers (according to the capatitie of the vessel of their faith) some more, some less, all some▪ yet have not all of them together, much less any one of them is able in the little dish of his shallow understanding, to comprise the unmeasurable depth & greatness of this Ocean of all wisdom & grace. Whereby it is evident, as also by the circumstances & manner of delivering the same by our Saviour CHRIST; by his Apostles, Disciples & Churches spiritual use of prayer according to their present estate & wants, that these prescript words were not given o●… enjoined as a prescript prai●…r, so to be used by any, even the wise●…t, much less the simpler, unbroken up, unexpounded, etc. so much as a compendious summary of all necessary knowledge, & rules for all prayer, gathered (by the Author of all wisdom) into a brief, for the direction & instruction of our weakness & ignorance. Of which ends & uses, while some are ignorant, or rather (a●… their gross idolatry, carnal dullness, & superstitious presumption showeth) are ignorant either what faithful prayer, or the spirit of God is: while they both popishly abuse this scripture as a principal collect in their public leitourgi●…, with their often & idle repetition thereof, five times in their morrow mass etc. & also through this abuse they grow further bold to mould a new calf, a n●…w Lei●…ourgie of their own, & set that up also in the church of God, as they count it. Yfyt were granted them, that this scripture, & sundry psalms, and other scriptures they allege out of the prophetts, were commanded & ●…nioyned to be read & used, as, & for the very prayers of the church & ●…f the Saints (than which nothing can be more false or grossly fond to ●…onceaue) yet which way (if this were granted them) can they hereby ●…roue it lawful for them to bring in their own apocryphas diuises, & ●…et them yp in the church, as & with the holy canonical word of God? May their s●…inking filth be compared or placed with the heavenly li●…ely word of God, without unsufferable blasphemy? may the froth of ●…heir lips, & folly of their hearts be thrust upon men's consciences, ●…ea even upon the Spirit of God himself in this man●…r? In the church ●…f God may nothing come, or be herded, but the canonical scriptures ●… lively graces of Gods Spirit, according to the same. But these their ●…pocrypha Leitourgies, can neither be said the word of God, neither ●…e lively grace's o●… God's Spirit according to the same word, s●…ing ●…ey were made & conceived long before, & are wholly thus used, with●…ut wa●…ant, example or commandment in the word of God; yea are ●…ontrary t●…l the rules of & sore prayer, to the exercise & use of God's ●…pirit, & directly set against all the laws of the first Table, by worship●…ng God in vain, after their own traditions, precepts, & diuises, Math. 15. 9 ●… not according to his holy Will, & commandment. Can these men think, that because God commands his lively ●…ord to be read or sung in the church, & promises a blessing ther●…nto, Ezech. 47. while it is used according to his ordinance, it never being so Revel. 22. 12 ●…pened, touched or herded without great fruit, it being the very tree ●… river of life, with the abundant fruits & flowing graces whereof, the ●…hole church is nourished & watered; that therefore the like commā●…nt or blessing is of their leau●…ned Leitourgies? or because God, 〈◊〉 the infancy of his church, prescrib●…d certain scriptur●…s and psal●…es to be read & sung upon their sabath day, solemn feasts etc. yea ●… at other times of their great affliction, oppression & calamity, cau●…d certain comfortable 〈◊〉 to be read in the ass●…mblie, sore the ●…rengthning of the faithful; both that they should not be dismayed at 〈◊〉 greatness & continuance of these troubles, or think them strange, or else ●…ppose that God were either off●…nded with, or unmindful of them, or 〈◊〉 ●…is mercies etc. that therefore now they may upon such feasts, sabo●…s, days, times, troubles, enjoin (that I no more mention their own ●…auened leitourgies) these or any other scriptures by stint & measure, 〈◊〉 injunction & law upon th●… church of God now? Is the church of God 〈◊〉 in wardship & such infancy? shut up as under a garrison? that it must ●…ue such Tutors & rudiments? Is not Christ now dead, risen, and Gal. 3. 25. ●…ended? and hath freed his church from such tutelship? he himself now becoming their lawgiver and minister in person, and hath now given them his holy word & Spirit, to administer wisdom unto them, in all freedom to use the same his word, according to his will & their own occasions, unto his glory and their comforts? And what can now be a greater bondage to the church, injury unto Christ and unto the Spirit of God, then thus to limit, to stint & circumscribe the church of God, the ministery of Christ & the spirit of God, by apportioning, rating, & enjoining by way of subjection & commandment this scripture in this number & quantity for this day, feast, fast, calamity, etc. where have they any rule for this in the Testament of Christ? They will say, it sufficeth that they have warrant for it in the old Testament, where these perscript & limited scriptures at such days, feasts, times, occasions, were commanded & enjoined in the church etc. But I hope they can put difference, betwixt the estate & laws of the church under Moses, & now under Christ: & that they will not now reserve, ●…eviue, and apply those laws belonging to the Temple & the ministery thereof, now to the church & ministery of Christ. But they take not these to be ceremonial laws, but ●…ather moral, which commands scriptures to be read, & prayers to be made in the church of God; these scriptures which they enjoin, are such: therefore may so be used. True it is, the moral law both commanded the name of God to b●… called upon, and the word of God to be read etc. and this to all ti●…s, estates, people indifferently, as well to that ministry under the law, as to this under the gospel; leaving the particular manner & order ther●…f, to the wisdom, direction, & revelation of the holy Ghost from time to time, as seemed good unto him. Now, it pleased God to give those rudiments of the use of certain scriptures, psalms etc. to the ministery of that church, commanding such scriptures to be there read upon 1. Chron. 25. such days, occasiones etc. such psalms to be sung by such Levites of such an order, of ASAPH HEMAN or JEDUTHUN, to be sung in such a time, with such musics, such instruments etc. All which I am sure they cannot deny to be inseparably joined & used to those scriptures, in that Temple and ministery, and were merely ceremonial, now utterly abrogate, with that Temple and ministery, and no way belong to the ministery or Church of Christ. Those stinted laws and customs I say I would not be understood of the precious word of God, whereof every iode and title abideth for ever, and is of use and fruit in the church of God which scriptures and figures are not without their especial profit in their spiritual sense and understanding: all and each of which scriptures, are now freely to be used withou●… stint or limitation in the Church of Christ, as his spirit giveth wisdom, grace, and utterance, and not to be restrained and aportionate by way of prescription and commandment, without the loss of Christian liberty, of the truth of the Gospel, & the abusing the word of God unto idolatry, & making yt an Idol. But here they will say, that the reading of the scriptures and ●…inging of Psalms, is also commanded in the Church of CHRIST. This ●…ath been long since granted, yet no such stinted and limited reading ●… singing thus & thus much this day, at that time etc. as they enjoin. ●…ell yet, seeing they are still commanded, though at our liberty what & when to read or sing them, many of them being godly prayers; we may ●…et pray by the book and by written prayers. As this word (prayer) by 〈◊〉 general construction may be understood, I grant they may be called ●…raiers, in that they contain fit matter, rules & instructions for prayer, ●…nd were to that end by the holy Ghost written: yet can they not be ●…ied our prayers, or my particula●… prayer, because they neither express ●…ur present wants, according to the present estate of our hearts, nei●…her can be said the lively graces & work of God's spirit in us, so much ●…s the power of God's word and Spirit unto us. My meaning is; they ●…re not d●…awen or powered out of our hearts, as out of a fountain, bu●…●…ather drawn out of the fountain of God's word, & powered into our ●…eartes as a vessel: therefore can not be said our prayer, which must pro●…eed from the present estate of our heart. They are not our words by ●…s offered unto God, but Gods word by him offered unto us, therefore ●…annot be said our prayers. But o how hard a thing is it for carnal men to discern spiritual 1 Cor. 2. 14. ●…hinges? They can by no means be made to put difference betwixt the 1 Cor. 12. 4. & 14. 15. ●…ord of God, and their Apocryph●… Leitourgies (which they falsely vaunt to ●…e according to the word of God) betwixt reading, singing, & praying: 〈◊〉 the present lively graces of God's Spirit in us, and their old ●…enned dead writings: betwixt God's word to us, instructing us accor●…ing to our infirmities by way of petition, and our words unto God by ●…aithfull prayer. And this vale being laid over their eyes and hearts, ●…hese blind guide's ●…ot only affirm, but condemn things they know ●…ot? the one in setting up their own rotten Leitourgies, abusing the ●…ord of God to, & in the same etc. the other in crying out with open ●…outh against such as repro●…e them, and will not partake with them ●…n their idolatry. Insomuch as Doctor ROBERT SOME confesseth very ●…illingly and freely, that he was amazed, when he herded us affirm, that ●…art of holy scripture (commonly by them called the lords prayer & so ●…ighly abused) aught not by Christians to be enjoined or used for, or as ●… prayer, either publicly or privately. Our reasons are; it was not to ●…hat end instituted by our Saviour CHRIT, so much as to instruct us to ●…ray, and direct and assure us in prayer etc. It was never so used by our ●…auiour, his Apostles & Churches, who ever prayed according to their ●…resent wants, as the Spirit gave utterance. The like rules (beside ●…heir examples and practice) they have given unto the Churches, not where mentioning nor enjoining this or any other scripture, to be used ●…or their prayer. We cannot arrive nor comprehend the riches and depth of that prayer, without more particular explication and application. That prayer expresseth not our particular wants, or estate of our hearts, neither do we understand those general doctrines, by the bore saying or reading it over. This scripture is not the grace of God's spirit in us; It is not drawn out of the fountain of our hearts. It is not our words to God, but his unto us: etc. It edifieth not the whole Congregation so that they may all mind one thing, or say Amen. The●…fore, and for all these reasons, it aught not and cannot be used of any christian, either publicly or privately, as their prayer: as by many other reasons shall further appear in the brief answer to this said Doctor's Arguments. HIs first Argument is thus from CHRIST'S own mouth. CHRIST COMMANDETH CHRISTIANS to pray thus Our Father etc. Therefore it is lawful for Christians to pray so. Well said: be it so a little while, be it a commandment in these worde●… Luk. 11. when you pray say etc. It then being a commandment is of necess●…tie to be wholly said as it is there s●…t down, and cannot be in our choice and will, whether we will say it or no; for the commandment is tied to all Math. 5. 19 the words, & no commandment is in our liberty to do, or leave undone: I●…m. 2. 10. but they that leave it undone, break that commandment which commandeth it to be done. Moreover, these words when you pray are general, & extend to all times of our prayer, that whensoever we pray we must say those words there prescribed, & whensoever we fail ●…o to do, we break this commandment. And thus by this Doctor his reason, have the Apostles & Churches, yea our Saviour CHRIST faulted & broken this commandment, so often as he hath failed to use these words in prayer: which words, we can never found that either he or they have used at any time in their prayers: but that with other words they have prayed, we found every where. By this time you have spun a fair thread, you have made a goodly reason. But it is peradventure my ignorance and want of learning, that thus wrist that I understand not: for your Argument will bear no such conclusion. Your words I am sure I misaledg not. CHRIST (say you) commands Christians to pray thus Our Father etc. Therefore they may pray so. This commandment I trow extendeth to the ve●…e words Our Father etc. else your Argument maketh nothing for you, or against us. And if it be a commandment, & have a relation to the words, than I am sure the other conclusions will follow as well as this. Therefore it were better for your safety (though not for your fl●…shly credit) to lose this Argument then gain this blasphemy; & that we consent together in this, that the commandment here stretcheth not to the words, but rather to the doctrine & sense. For if it should at all be understood of those prescript words, that the reading or saying of them might be our prayer; then must it n●…edes be granted, that this of all other were the most perfect prayer; both in that there is included in it all other prayers, even whatsoever may lawfully of us be asked, o●… can of God be granted; and also avoided all battology, vain repetitions etc. Wherefore, it being a prayer to be used, and the best of all prayers, fitting all times, occasions etc. it must needs follow of ●…ecessitie to be always used, because God is always to be served with 〈◊〉 best. Yea it must needs follow, to be solely and only used, & none ●…ut that, because all other prayer should be but vain babbling, yea open ●…mbition in putting our own unsufficient stuff, in the place of this ●…lsufficient prayer. For the best of our prayers & actions are vnsuffici●…nt, unperfect, & as a stained clot. But this (if it be a prayer) cannot be ●…enied, to be sufficient, perfect, and without stain, THis Doctors second Argument is this. EVERY BRANCH OF THE Lord's prayer is a petition; Therefore every branch is a prayer. For every mean ●…coller knoweth, that the Argument followeth a specie ad genus affirmatiuè. And if every branch be a prayer, then must the whole (because they concern the glory of God & our benefit) needs be an excellent prayer. Virtus coniuncta fortior. I have before showed how sundry Psalms, this & many other scrip●…ures may be in some sense called prayer or prayers: because the Lord 〈◊〉 them by petition manner instructeth our weak faith how to pray vn●…o him, how to frame our requests, our words, how to lay hold of, & ●…se his promises etc. Yet I have further showed, why these scriptures, ●…hus barely read or said, cannot be said our prayers, without further ex●…lication, application etc. unto our present needs and estates. So that ●…r. Doctors learned reason followeth not: for except he can prove it ●…ur prayer, he says nothing. Now in that I grant it him, by some con●…ruction to be called a prayer, it is to avoid contention about words: ●…or else they would never leave urging the synonimie, betwixt a petitiō●…nd a prayer: which in all tongues signify one thing. Now then Mr. ●…octors reason in his own sense, is but thus much. Every branch ●…f the lords prayer is a prayer; Therefore everien branch of the Lords ●…rayer is a prayer. Need he to have showed his deep learning and hard ●…ogicall rules a specie ad genus affirmatiuè for this stout reason. I would have ●…hought he might have learned to have made as good a reason as this ●…t home, and never have travailed to Cambridg for it. For if this rea●…on hold, he may prove himself a learned, a wise, or an honest man, ●…r the falsest and absurdest thing of the world. It is so, therefore it is so. would here know of his Docterhood, whither prayer or Petition ●…e the Genus, and which is the Species, in this his logical reason? or if he ●…et it alone and trouble not himself now any further with the matter seeing he hath feathered his nest, and hath got that he all this while wai●…ed for) I am content: for I am not greatly desirous to learn away this ●…is cunning. To the matter in controversy: I deny that scripture which he calleth ●…he Lords prayer, or any one particular branch of it, properly to be said ●… prayer, that is, such an exercise or offering, as the Saints (by the ●…orke of the Spirit in them) offer unto God through JESUS CHRIST. ●…either followeth that, because every branch containeth either a reques●… request of some benefit, or the deliverance from some evil, that therefore it is a prayer. For this it is as it is written in the book, though it be never read; therefore I may by M ●. Some his reason & Logic conclude, that the book also prayeth, because all these branches are in the book, and all these branches are such prayers. Neither yet doth the reading of these scriptures make it a prayer any more, than the reading of the scripture maketh a sermon: there is required a little more work of the Spirit in both. In the on●… to the explication & application of the scripture read; in the other to the pouring out & expressing the desire●… and estate of the heart in faith. For it sufficeth not, that all our wants, or whatsoever we can ask or stand in need of, are there expressed: what booteth that me? I can ask or receive no more, than mine own faith extendeth unto: An enwrapped faith will not serve or save me▪ this were to conclude, because i●… the bible is all wisdom and Docto●… Some hath the bible: therefore he hath all wisdom. In this scripture i●… all prayer: therefore when I have said or read this scripture, I have prayed all manner of prayer. What pitiful, blind, yea popish & pernicious re●…sons are these? For (says this Doctor) he is unlearned that knoweth not, that all petitions are contained within the compass of, & may be deduced from the lords prayer. Therefore when we read or say the lords prayer, we pray for the Queen, for the Navy etc. and all other petitio●…s that we need inclusively, & that until I can prove that all petitions are not therein concluded, I gain nothing by this reason, in tha●… I allege, that neither our particular nor present wants are therein expressed; and therefore it cannot be said our prayer. Doth this Docto●… know what either faith or prayer means? Can any thing be devised more popish or idolatrous than this? popish, in that he maketh praie●… without faith, understanding, or knowledge of the thing we say? yea giveth meed to the very saijng over these words: Idolatrous, in that h●… putteth holiness and virtue in the words understood. For let me ask of him, which way that can be said a private prayer where my word●… express not my heart? were it not rather an idle superstitious or fond futility? & a taking of the lords name in vain? I would also understand of him, whether any such public prayer may be used in the congregation, which is not understood of all? and whither to the simple●… ●… Cor. 14. sort he might not almost pray in an unknown tongue as well? or ho●… Act. 8. 31. should they understand this, without some particular explication or application? Therefore by these unfallible reasons we may conclude, th●… this scripture neither any other can be used either privately or publicly as our prayer, without some further work of the Spirit in us. But he hath for this an evasion, namely that our knowledge is here bu●… in part, and therefore we may understand in measure, and so have use o●… this as a prayer. If he mean private prayer, though I in some measu●… may by such a speedy reading understand somewhat, yet this understanding nothing expresseth, so much as instructeth my present hea●… therefore it cannot be said or used as my prayer▪ For every knowledge ●…r understanding maketh not prayer: neither do we here reason of ●…ecret or inward prayer, but of pronounced prayer. If he mean pub●…ike Math. 24. 45, 46. prayer, it is manifest that whole joaves unbroken up or vndeui●…ed, may not be set before children; especially in their prayers, which 〈◊〉 a public action of the whole church, & must be understood of the ●…hole church. But be it granted him to be understood of all the church: ●…et every branch being so infinite, from whence spring & are derived so ●…any infinite petitions; how now in this case shall they all with one heart, Rom. 15. 5. ●…e mind and one mouth be said to praise God, when their minds 〈◊〉 thus discracted, their thoughts dispersed, one about one thing Act. 1. 14. & 2. 46. 〈◊〉 other about an other, even so many several, as there are diversity ●…f things in the world, of conceits, and armies of thoughts in men: ●…me shall ask private things while others ask public. How ●…ould this be avoided, though all the church were as learned as this 1. Cor. 14. 〈◊〉▪ 6. ●…octor mistaketh himself to be. And this we know, that public prai●…rs must so be made, as they may be with ane accord, that all may be ●…nderstood, that all may say Amen. But (says this Doctor) I then take away the use of this Scripture: ●…o; but the abuse rather. For how should it▪ now be used as a prayer, ●…ithout these popish errors, gross absurdities, and heinous idolatry? ●…herin this popish Doctor & all the priests of the land fall, while they ●…se it: some of them saying it for all their wants at once, that they ●…ight soon have done, others five times in a morning next their ●…eart for all the week after, or until wednesday or friday, that they ●…aue service again. Other more smooth hypocrites (yet as gross dolaters) use it as a close or supply (forsooth) to their long & prolix ●…raiers conceived before, with this preamble. FOR THESE & all other gra●…es necessary, let us say the Lords prayer. What can be more gross, ●…opish, idolatrous, superstitious then this? do they not hereby put ho●…nes in the words? why should they else use them after they have praie●…●…s God hath given them utterance by his Spirit? do they not fall into ●…he same errors, abuses, inconveniences above showed & confuted. here I had like to have forgotten one of our Doctors main rea●…ons, which he bringeth to shut up the point, & that is this; it hath ●…men added in the end; therefore it is a prayer. Had it not been pity ●…o have lost this reason? why your A. b. c. before the catechism of the ●…hurch of England hath both the sign of the cross & ●…ittle, title est Amen▪ ●…et I never herded it taken for a prayer. Christ himself is called Amen, ●…hal I therefore say that he, or the whole written word of God which is ●…alled Amen also is a prayer? Moreover, I found it after Luke without Amen, ●…ea & without For thy is the kingdom, the power: etc. now would I know of ●…ou after which Evangelist I must say it. And thus being wearied ●…ith your frivolous reasons, & nothing refreshed with your unsavoury ●…arren notes, wherewith while you would have opened, you have roi●…ed & shut up those heavenly pu●…e fountains; neither yet resting in ●…our interpretation of, much less in your collection from this word Amen, I betake you (when you shall have recovered your senses from the amazement wherinto you were smitten with this strange Doctrine touchnig prayer) to a further consideration of the matter; to see if you can bring any better reasons, or repair these in your third book, against the poor persecuted servants of Christ whom you untruly accuse, blaspheme & publish for Anabaptists & what not in these you●… privileged poisoned writings. I have sufficiently (as I hope) showed the unlawfulness of bringing into, or reading in the church these stinted numbered prayers, and set service in their written devised Leitourgies: both because they wan●… warrant in the Testament of Christ & practice of the Apostles, and are contrary to the same, being Apochryphas, & not the lively graces of God's Spirit; being contrary to all the rules of prayer, yea to the Spirit yt selfe & christian liberty: not being drawn from the Spirit of God in us according to the necessities & present estate of the church, or of our hearts as the Spirit giveth utterance; but rather teaching the Spirit words, & usurping the office thereof in the consciences of men: yea setting stintes & laws upon the Spirit & church, prescribing this, & thus much to be said this day in the morning, at afternone, thus many collects or Pater nosters, here a Creed, a T●… deum. etc. I have showed the supertition idolatry & abomination of the best of them, how they are bu●… as a dead stinking carrion, & not a lively acceptable sacrifice unto the Lord, & so abomination; will worship, not required at our hands, & so superstition; brought into & standing in the church of God for that they are not, namely as rules & laws of the church, as holy prayers and incense of the Saints, as the lively graces & present work of the Spirit, & so idolatry. I have showed that those scriptures used in them, do no way justify them, no more than they do the mass-book, or a Conjures magical incantations, which have also holy psalms & scriptures, & as unreprovable prai●…rs: but rather that they make than the more heinous, in that they so rend, mangle, & pervert the scriptures to such blasphemous abuses. I have showed that such written stinted stuff, cannot be said the prai●…rs o●… the Saints, neither do any good, either instruct or help the weak●… consciences of any: but are rather the very leaven & poison of their hearts & souls, the very cradles and cushions of these graceless Priests & Atheists, to rock them asleep●… in their sins & security, never touching the heart or conscience, but teaching them to prate over upon the book or by rote their certain number of words to the Lord, as though the book were their heart, utterly quenching the Spirit of God, and all the light that is in them▪ They make them b●…leeue that this prescript prayer is good at this time, that at an other time; this when they rise or at dinner, the t'other when they go to supper or to sleep; this when they are sick, that is special good to be read or said at the point and hour of death. Thus abuse they & mislead men, keep them wholly from the exercise of the Spi●…it of God in them, from the searching and pouring out their hearts ●…efore the Lord, from the due confession, sorrow & repentance for ●…heyr sins, from the true knowledge or any use or benefit of that bles●…ed benefit, & holy exercise of prayer, and wholly from receiving any ●…crease, blessing, or grace from God; as the present estate of their church ●…heir faith & souls showeth evidently, being by their stinted Lei●…ourgie ●…cōsidered at the best that they can imagine or speak for themselves) ●…ept at a stay, always in one estate, having neither more nor less of ●…ods grace, but even the self same stil. Thus are they never led forth ●…ne step towards perfection, until a new liturgy be made, where ●…hey have all things prescribed, both what to do & how to do, what 〈◊〉 say, how much to say, when to say & when to make an end. Thus iug●…le they & mock with God, & behold how the Lord deludeth & de●… them, withholdeth the early & latter rain of his blessings frō●…ē, & the continual spring & harvest of his fruitful grac●…s, they being ●…holy empty & destitute thereof, deprived of light, tru●… knowledge, ●…ea common sense & feeling: their consciences being seared as with an ●…ote iron, their hearts paved & hardened in their sins, which they ●…ōmit ●…uen with g●…eedines, having left them no sight, judgement or power 〈◊〉 themselves, to discern betwixt good & evil, neither to look or know ●…hat 〈◊〉 will of God is, for any thing they do or leave undone. Neither ●…aue they power to practise it, but depend wholly upon others for all 〈◊〉 things: to them they go to inquire; as they say, so it is without any ●…oubt: so it must be done without any contradition. Thus is their faith, ●…at enwrapped faith of the papist●…s, to bel●…ue as the church 〈◊〉, without knowing what the church bel●…eueth, to believe & do, ●…s such a preacher, such a rabbin believeth & doth. O he is a lear●…ed, an holy man, he would not do●… otherwise than well for all the world: ●…uch a Martyr made this, & such a man that, it cannot be but good, say ●…od what he wil They see with other men's eyes, speak with other men's ●…outhes, pray & believe with other men's hearts. Thus do they all by ●…rescript custom & tradition, without regard to the rules of God's word: ●…hus build they their house & faith upon th●… sands: thus are they by ●…heir blind guide's deluded & led out of the way: thus are they cast into ●…tter d●…knes, & held in the chains of sin unto judgement, their hands ●…ies, hearts & all their senses & powers being fast bound by thes●… Egip●…iā in chāt●…rs & their delusions. And now that we have thus largely set ●…ut the v●…lawfulnes & inconveniences of all prescript Lei●…ourgies, that all 〈◊〉 & pr●…tences may be removed out of the way: me thinks it ●…s now time to return to this Lei●…ourgie of ●…he church of ENGLAND, and ●…o consider somewhat more particularly of it: whereby we shall discern ●…hat kind of faith they have, profess, & exercise. AND HERE IN to deal●… with every particular error thereof, or to med●…le with the patcheries & innumerable trumpe●…ies therein, or all their ●…rosse follies, & more than childish, even apish triflings, or their fri●…olous constitutions & customs whereunto they bind & lesson the pa●…ish priest to say his matins & evensong in order, to begin with this confession throughout the year, nay throughout their life. Then cometh the priests general pardon, through the power that his lord Bishop hath committed unto him, & so he proceedeth to his stinted psalms & Lessons, with his certain of Paternosters ever & among, & of CREEDS, their forged patchery commonly calcd the Apostles Creed or SYM●…OLE, ATHANASIUS CREED, the NICENE CREED sometimes said in prose sometimes song in metre on their festivals: their Epistles, their Gospels, the one to be read with the priests face toward the west, the other with his face toward the east; with their versicles, one to be said by the priest, the other by the parish clerk or people; with their time●… when to kneel, when to sit, when to stand, when to curtsy at the name of JESUS, when to glory their Lord at the beginning of their Gospel, or at the end of their psalms with their collects & Anthems, this in their ordinary journal, that in their festivals, this at morn, that a●… even, etc. With these grosseries & follies it is not my purpose to meddle: the work is to great for me; if I should begin I should not know when to make an end. Only Here by way of question, I would know of them, where they learned thus to limit and apportion scripture; this Chapter to be read on this day, that upon their next sunday, this for the first lesson, that for the second, these on the morning, that at evensong. I would moreover know of them, where they learned to hue out & dismember the scriptures in this manner; to pluck them from the context with such violence, without all ●…ense, order, or cause; & to make that their Gospel of the day more than any other Scripture of the new Testament, or then a whole Chapter of one of the Evangelists, commonly read for their second lesson at their matins; & to give more honour to this shred, all the people being bond to stand up upon their feet, & aloud to glory God, where they take their ease & sit still at the other, & say never a word unto it. I would also know of them, how their pieces of the prophecies become Epistles? & where they learned to make thus many Pistles & Gospels? I would also know of them, where they learned to canonize & read the APOCRYPHA writings (which swarm with unsufferable forgeries, lies and errors) in the church, if not of the mass-book? whereof in deed this their Portuise is a right graff. In the new Testament I am sure they found none of these customs, they have no precedent there thus to distorted, abuse, profane dismember & rend the holy Scriptures, or to thrust them by stint & limitation to days & times in this childish manner, upon the church: neither to read nor bring in the erroneous devices of men into the church, and set it up as the word of God. Yet are these patches and shreddes even the very bade best parts of their service or worship, & even the unsufferable best use they make of the Scriptures: which they not only thus rend, dismember, apportion, stint & limit, this & thus much on this day in the morning, in this or that place of their morrow mass. etc. But yet see how they abuse it to more accursed idolatry and abomination, as to their idol feasts both jewish and popish, their fasts ●…f all sorts, their holy days. All which, because they celebrated & so●…mnize in their Church, it shall not be amiss a little by the light of the ●…ord to examine what kind of stuff they are. First therefore I will begin with the Iewi●…h feasts they still retain, as ●…heir Easter & Pentecost. Of these solemnities & feasts we read Exod. ●…2. Leu. 23. Numb. 28. Deut. 26. that they belonged & were enjoined to the ●…ewes under the law, were merely ceremonial & ritual, figuring Christ's ●…erson & belonging to the Levitical ministery, such as appertain not ●…nto, neither are to be retained in the church or ministery of CHRIST, ●…ithout the utter loss of CHRIST, and utter denial of him to be as yet ●…ome in the flesh etc. But here peradventure they will use their Doc●…ors foresaid Catholic distinction viz. that they keep not these feasts & days after the Levitical manner, neither unto those ends, but rather ●…n the one to celebrated the resurrection of our Saviour CHRIST, in the ●…ther the glorious miracle of the giving the holy Ghost unto the Apost●…es: etc. and this, their service upon these days showeth plainly. Of ●…hese ends, uses, & service at and of these feasts & days (which are a ●…reat deal more abominable than those of the jews) hereafter: for ●…ith all these floorishes cannot I be satisfied concerning the very feasts & days of Easter and whitsuntide, which still retain the same names ●…ascha and Pentecostes, the same times solemnities, cessations, the same so●…emne Sabothes or Sundays that the jews did, keeping their Passover ●…n the first month of the jews, the first day more solemn than the rest, ●…umbring seven weeks just after the same unto their Pentecost, whose first ●…day they keep in like manner. All these ceremonies the laws & places a●…boue alleged, show evidently to be derived from them Jews. We found no ●…uch customs, no such commandments in the new Testament. We there Gal. 4. 9 10. ●…eade, that if we observe or be brought in bondage of such feasts, days Gal. 5. 1. etc. etc. we turn from Christ, he profiteth us nothing. But they observe Col. 2. 20. ●…hese feasts of E●…ster & Pentecost as our Saviour Christ & his Apostles did & so have warrant sufficient enough for that they do; Is it so? Then ●…hey observe their Easter wholly after the jewish manner for so did our Saviour CHRIST being made under the law. But our Saviour CHRIST ●…here instituted this feast to be kept, & that after an other manner, as the ●…institution of the Supper declared, how it aught to be kept in the ministery of the gospel: I never found any such thing in the text. Neither did the Apostles (who delivered as they had received) ever give any such commandment, or tied the celebrating the Supper to that feast that 1. Cor. 11. 21▪ etc▪ day as the Church of England doth: but left the day & time to the liberty of the Church. If it be to be kept in that manner, them is it to be kept in the night after supper. If the feast & day still remain, then doth the Pasover still remain: for both were alike by our Saviour observed at that Mat. 26. 26 time: but if the Passover be abrogate, & Christ our Passover be offered 1 Cor. 5. 7. 8▪ for us, then is that feast & day also abrogate, and we to keep the feast even all the days of our life in sincerity & truth: other observation of the day I never found, in all the practice of the Apostles or Churches. For the other feast of their Penticost, they have little help from the second of the Acts: for the Disciples assembling in that private manner, could not be to keep that public feast of their first fruits, where they were to make public & ●…olemne offerings, according to the law: etc. so much as according to the commandment of our Saviour CHRIT, Act. 1. 4. to wait for the promise of the Father etc. which not being as yet performed, they could not keep that day as in commemoration of the great wonders the Lord them showed, & grace he shed upon them. Now then, if they kept not that day as any feast, either after the jewish or this popish manner, how should these men from thence fetch warrant for their feast; for after the jewish manner they will at no hand be said to keep it, & after their manner it is clear the Apostles than could not keep it, because the miracle was not as then done, neither had they as yet those gifts of tongues neither known they at their assembling, in what manner, or what the Lord would work that day. For though it pleased the Lord upon that day to show these wondrous works: yet did not he it, that either we should keep a superstitious celebration of that day more than of others after this idola●…s manner, or still retain the jewish feast: etc. so much as upon that day, in that great and solemn concourse of people, to give public witness to the Gospel of our Lord ●…SVS CHRIST, & furnish up his witnesses according to his promises. etc. For I am sure they cannot show either commandment or example in the new Testament, that this or any such feasts have been kept or are to be kept in the Churches of Christ. It maketh nothing to their purpose that Paul Act▪ 18. departed from Ephesus to keep the feast ensuing in jerusalem: for what he did (no doubt) he did by revelation of 1 Cor. 9 20 the Spirit, unto the more easy winning of the jews, to whom he (for Act▪ 16. 3. the time) become and behaved himself as a jew, & this both by the special Heb. 8. 13. revelation of the Spirit, and warrant of the word. For unto the jews a time was given of shaking and removing these ceremonies, from which they could not be so suddenly or easily removed, because Act. 15. they were given and delivered unto them by God himself, upon the mount Sinai etc. yet seeing they never were given nor belonged to the Gentiles, the Apostles at no hand would have them entangled with these ceremonies. Neither did Paul here enjoin the Church at Ephesu●… to keep this feast, but how sharply he hath dealt with those jews or other false teachers that sought to trouble the Churches with them, appeare●…h in all his Epistles; and how roundly, but for a little halting herein, he dealt with the Apostle Peter, appeareth Galat. 2. 14. And if the Gal. ●…. 4. 5. Apostle then at the first planting of the Churches, when many ●…wes were mingled amongst the Gentiles, would not receive the lest ordinance with the ministery of the Gospel, by way of subjection not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continued amongst th●…m; what would he now say to these false Apostles and counterfeit wretches, which not being Jews but Gentiles by nature, and having 〈◊〉 these examples and documents before them; yet dare without ●…y warrant thrust their jewish and heathenish traditions upon the ●…hurches with a strong hand; which thus mingle the jewish ceremo●…es with the Gospel: which way should the truth of the Gospel re●…aine with them, when the Apostle says, that but a little of such leaven Gal. 5. 9 ●…oth leaven the whole lump? But see, these Phariseiss not only retain the day & the feast, but join 〈◊〉 the celebration of the one day a principal article of our faith, the re●…rection of Christ from the dead: where have they learned (trow ●…e) to make such a set and especial memorial of Christ's resurrection ●…e day above all the days in the year? But here their answer is rea●…, because forsooth CHRIST rose as that day of the year. Did he so? ●…ow shall we know that? their holy Father the Pope having in a so●…mne general council corrected his Calendar says, he rise ten days ●…efore, and keepeth his feast accordingly. Is it not doubtful they come 〈◊〉 the post, and then all their devotions are lost. But be it of their ●…de. Be it that Christ rose iu●…t as that day; yet would I feign know the ●…ysterie of the matter, why we should more specially remember ●…d celebrated Christ's resurrection that lords day, than the next ●…ordes day, yea or then any day of the year? or why they should keep ●…ch a solemn double feast tha●… Lords day more than any other: vn●…sse peradventure it be, because the sun danceth that day when 〈◊〉 rises. I could never as yet found in Christ's Testament any such bet●…rnes Rom. 14. 5. 6. of one day then an other, neither that Christ's resurrection was 〈◊〉 be celebrated with such a stagelike fle●…hly pomp, in superstition and ●…olatrie, in flesly ●…ustes, riot and gluttony; that day making holy two ●…ther days after it, and drawing the whole land both young and old, 〈◊〉 these days, to intermit their lawful callings, wherein they are placed ●…f God (upon what necessity or occasion soever) to give attendance to ●…eir propery and Idolatry, so spend the time in idleness, folliè, & vani●…e. Is this to celebrated the resurrection of CHRIST from dead works? Colos. 3. 10. Rom. 6. 4. ●… to be renewed in knowledge & holiness, after the image of him that ●…reated them? or is it not amongst their holy Father's superogatorie ●…orkes, which God never required or commanded? For I would ●…aine ●…earne of them, where they can likewise show any commandment or ●…varrant for their solemn WHITE SUNDAY, and their feast of PENTE●…OST, other than the jews double Sabaths & feasts etc. But I have now ●…one with this feast: I would therefore know where in the new Testa●…ent they found any precedent or commandment, to solemnize the very ●…ay of the Apostles receiving those wondered gifts of the holy Ghost. ●…hat the Apostles did not then keep that day as a feast or gratulation ●…f this matter, is already showed; because they had not as then received ●…hese gifts, neither known in what manner God would work: that ever ●…fter they kept or commanded to be kept any such set solemn memorial thereof upon any one day more than an other, I suppos●…●…annot ●…e showed in the new Testament. Paul they may allege Act. 20. 16. made haste out of Asia, to be (if it were possible) at jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost: yet this proveth nothing that the Apostles or Christians kept the feast & commemoration of the wonderful apparition of the holy Ghost etc. which until they can show, they must be guilty as forgers & coiners of a new religion, & so of adding unto, yea abrogating of the Testament of CHRIST. We doubt not but the jews a long time kept that & many other feasts, but they may be no example for us in this matter: nor yet these with their ancient traditions wherein the papists and they prescribe, from which forgeries they derive these and many other trumperies, without some better warrant from the word of God, then as yet they can show. Neither is it my purpose here to stand to recite their heathenish manner of keeping those feasts with idleness, riot & gluttony, with their may-games, morris dance, & summer Lords etc. I now make haste to their popish feasts. WHICH BECAUSE they are so many, we will keep their own division of them in Double and Single Feasts. Of their double feasts are their Christmas day, with the day of his circumcision and epiphany, the Annunciation, & Puritication of their Lady, called Candlemas day; their day of all the Saints together, called Hallowmasse; their Michaelmass●… & all Angels, besides their Easter & whitsuntide whereof we have spoken, also their Ascension day, & Trinity sunday. Now their single feasts and common Holidays are the Saints days in order as they come in their beadroll, & their common sundays. Of which sundays, though they have commandment both in the law by the fourth commandemét, & in the new Testament by the commandment & practice of the Apostles, to keep in the Church the first day of the week, an holy convocation unto the Lord, spending that day in prayers, hearing the word, and other holy exercises; yet seeing they so miserably profane it to idolatry, both after the manner of the heathen & Papists, it becometh an idol feast no less accursed than the others. After the manner of the heathen they abuse it, in dedicating yt unto, and naming it after the chief idol of the pagan, the Son, a creature, and in feasting that day after their manner in pride, gluttony, riot, idleness, sport, play etc. After the manner of the papistes they abuse it, in their stinted, superstitious, idolatrous service, their abuse of scriptures of prayer at their meeting, which is not to any edifi●…ng or leading forward in the ways of God, their course & direction being set down both to priests and people before hand, what they shall do, say, pray, how much in the forenoon at Matins, how little at afternoon at Evensong etc. Further, in that they dedicated one special Sunday above all the rest unto the Holy trinity; & yet give less honour unto this Sunday & feast, then to their white sunday going next befor●…. Their other solemn holy feasts, seeing they want warrant in the word of God, & have nothing for their foundation & groundwork, are thereby cast utterly out of the Church of CHRIST, which is not to be edified upon the sands of men's fancies, neither to worship God after the devices of their own hearts, but according to 〈◊〉 prescript rules of his holy word: & therefore I need spend no time 〈◊〉 the refutation of them: the bore recital of these their trifling follies 〈◊〉 vanities, is enough to scatter them into the wound: for what warrant, ●…ommandement, or proof have these stage players in the word of ●…od, in this manner to solemnize the birth, circumcision, epiphany, ●…surrection & ascension of Christ upon their several days, with their 〈◊〉 fasts, worship, & feasts? why do not they celebrated as well his bap●…sme, temptation and victory over Satan in the wilderness, the cal●…ng of the woman of Samaria, the receiving the Syrophoenitian, his fa●…ous miracles, casting out devils, raising the dead, walking upon the 〈◊〉, transfiguration upon the mountain, giving the holy Ghost unto ●…is Apostles, with his commission and message etc. These are written 〈◊〉 the new Testament, & were done of him as well as the other; for our ●…arning and comfort as well as the other. Why then should not they 〈◊〉 well have their peculiar days, fasts, worship, feasts, as the other. ●…ut where have they thus learned Christ? to worship him by starts ●…nd stintes, by days and eaues, by such idol fasts and feasts? Is not Col. 2. 20. ●…his to draw the worship of God (which is perpetual and spiritual) Mat. 15. 9 ●…nto carnal commandements, worldly ordinances and customs Act. 17. 22. ●…gaine, and that after so superstitious and profane a manner? Supersti●…ious, in that it is without commandment or precedent in the Testament ●…f Christ, will worship not required or accepted at their hands: pro●…hane, in that they celebrated these feasts in all manner gluttony, ex●…esse, riot, prodigality, pride, luxury, vanity, idle games, & heathen ●…cortes. Thus they celebrated the nativity, circumcision, epiphany & ●…esurrection of Christ, with gay clotheses, clean houses, good cheer, ●…he viol in the feast to stir up lust in stead of devotion, eating & drink●…ng & rising up to play and dance, after the manner of Bacchus in his ●…eastes, with their Lords of misrule, commonly called Christmas lords, ●…ames, interludes, nummeries, Sodomitish masks, wassail cups, ●…ith thousands of abominations, which chaste & Christian hearts & ears abhor to hear or think of. This is the fruit of their idola●…rie & idleness: this they learned of their forefathers in the wilderness. While Moses was on the mount Ex●…d. 32. their priest cast them a calf of gold, made of their chief jewels that it might be of the more estimation. To this Calf they made an Altar, the priest devoutly proclaimed a fast to all the▪ people on the eve, a solemn feast and holy day unto the Lord, yea of the Lord jehovah as he said. On the day where the people offered burned offerings, and brought peace offerings on the morning; after sat down to eat & drink and rose up to play. This is the very mould and pattern of these their idol feasts, fasts, worship etc. In Christ's Testament they never learned to divide Christ's actions & life into such a stageplay; making one day a Pageant of his birth, an other of his circumcision, an other of his epi●…hanie resurrection etc. though these were distinct things, and done ●…t several times: yet never read I that they aught (in this manner) upon peculiar days to be celebrated in the church, more than at any other time or day of the year; or that they aught to have a set worship with select Psalms, Lessons, Pistles, Gospels, Collects, Anthems; or such a devout fast on their eaveses, or feast on their days, with such revels as they keep. But that their devotions may yet more appear, they worship him even in his mother's belly, or rather before she was conceived with him, they adore the words of salutation, even in the Angel Gabrie●… his mouth, & give a solemn fast, worship, and feast day thereunto, which they call the Annunciation of their Lady. And lest she might be offended, they solemnize also with double feast her purification, commonly called Candlemas. And here in this feast I would know of these deep divines, what it is they worship & solemnize; whether this action she did, or the person of their Lady: for needs it must be the one or both o●… them, here being nothing either in or joined with this action besides, worthy of such special veneration & high solemnity. If then y●… b●… the action of her Purific●…ion; that was but a legal ceremony, and not now to be brought into the Church of Christ. If her person (as it i●… also like) how then will they escape the breach of the first cōmādemē●…; unless peradventure they hope through her mediation to be dispensed withal, & that she will speak a good word unto her Son for them; & therefore they power out unto her their drink offerings, and burn incense 〈◊〉. 44. to the Queen of heaven. And that they might not fail at time of need, see, they make all the S●…intes, & Innocentes in heaven their friends & on their side, celebrating to the Innocentes one day of their solemn Christmas: unto all Saints (because none should be forgotten, & they are many in number) they keep an especial & principal feast day, with a devout fast upon the eve etc. yet lest some of the chief Santes, as ●…hon the Baptist, and the twelve Apostles might be displeased in that they are numbered & passed over with other common Saints, they severally remember them again in their turn with their peculiar eaveses, days, fasts, fe●…stes, & worship. here is yet also an other Saint, whom I had like to have ou●…rskipped, the Captain of them all, St. GEORGE, their Borrowgh, the patron of the land, a worthy warrior, our Lady's knight I ween. This Saint hath here no small entertainment, with his solemn procession (& that by no small states, but even the greatest of the land) with his cornets trumpets, harp, shackbutes, psalte●…ies, dulcimer & all instruments of Music etc. This Saint (besides his noble order of knighthood) hath also his famous peculiar Chaplain Palatine of the order, who is to wear a goldring on his thomb: & what a fam●…us feast they keep unto this Saint, there is none in Court or Country can be ignorant. Because I ●…m no good Herald, I will not undertake to blazon his arms, the read Cross in white field that he beareth in banner displayed, nor yet his wo●…hy 〈◊〉: For all those ●… refer you to his L●…gend. A●…d here me thinks before we go any further, we had need inquire ●…ome learned Doctor's opinion of this gear, lea●…t we that be silly and ●…ooke no further than the word of God giveth us to see, take it for ●…ost gross idolatry & abomination, because in all the book of God 〈◊〉 the beginning to the ending, we found no such precedent or cōman●…emēt; & therefore (if it please you) because DO. ROBERT SOME hath ●…ndertakē the matter, we will hear his learned judgement of this stuff. This learned Doctor (who hath this wit for the most part with him, ●…o take no more of a matter than he is able to deal with) frameth an ●…rgument in the name of an other, thus. The church of England maketh men●…ion of Saints deceased, viz. Apost. Martyrs' etc. in some of their pub●…ike prayers: therefore the church of England doth worship Saintes ●…eceased. His answer is, they are mentioned to stir us up, not to wor●…hip them, but to tread in the steps of their virtue & religion; & so con●…ludeth the Argument very weak & silly. But how if this Argument ●…roue his own, what opinion shall we then hold of his Doctorhood? ●…ot to speak of his evil conscience, who (to colour that the cannot ius●…ifie, & to pass by that he cannot gainsay or disprove) is not ashamed ●…sually throughout his writings, to father the forgeries of his own ●…dle head upon others, thinking (by depraving the poor professors of ●…he truth) to suppress it, or (at the lest) to get credit and promotion ●…nto himself. But I would know of his evil conscience (which shall ere ●…ong be arraigned for all these things, before him that is greater than ●…is conscience) whether he never herded other reasons from some of them, ●…o prove this their celebration & commemoration of Angels & deceas●…d ●…aintes to be idolatrous, blaspheamous & abominable, even to the ●…hief Authors of this stuff, & that in the presence of some very ho●…orable: namely because they dedicated to these Angels & dead Saints 〈◊〉 peculiar Eve & Day, caling them after their names, thereby impropri●…ting & giving that to the creature, which is only due & reserved in ●…he hand & possession of the Creator. 2 because upon their Eaves they ●…nioyne & bid in their church (upon their sunday) a public fast and 〈◊〉 in th●…se Angels and Saints names. 3 b●…cause upon their day (which they call an holy day) they proclaim a solemn feast to be kept, ●…ith general cessation from their labours in their trades, as upon the Lords day by the 4 commandment. 4 & this by a public law (not to men●…ion all the fleshly and lewd behaviour, idleness, pride, vanity, excess) ●…pely seen & suffered upon these their feastivals & holy days. 5 be●…ause upon these days they have a peculiar prescript devised worship ●…o each several Saint, that they thus celebrated: not here to mention ●…heir unsufferable shredding, dismemb●…ing, rending & perverting of ●…criptures, to clout up this idolatry. These reasons if either those two ●…reat BBs to whom they were propounded, or this Doctor which thē●…eard them had sound confuted, & justified this their manner of ce●…ebrating & worshipping dead Saints & Angels in their church: then ●…ad the Antichristian tyranny of the one, the rep●…ochful blasphemy 〈◊〉 the other, some colour; which now are odious unto God & man. But now seeing these Arguments still remain with them unanswered, and that they are so loath to meddle with them; I would now only learn of this Doctor, where▪ he (in all the scripture) hath found this idolatrous custom of there's, to celebrated the memorial of any one deceased Saint, & that upon one set day yearly, in this manner: we read not that the Fathers before the flood used it, neither yet after the flood, b●…fore the law: yet were they very godly men, of great virtue, such as instructed their children in the true worship & ways of God: such as their children honoured & reverenced whilst they lived, & did all filial duties unto them; being dead, decently buried them: but never after kept any amnual or set day in their remembrance. The like under the law we read of Moses, Samuel, David etc. men very famous & renowned for their virtue & godliness, greatly honoured of all while they lived, no such matter done to them after they were dead, yet were they presidents by their virtue, even unto all ages unto the worlds end. The Apostles also whom they so especially above all other Saints prefer & celebrated being dead, yea taken away as famous martyrs, never in this manner upon one special set day celebrated their constancy in the faith & virtue, as we may see by the Apostle james and the Martyr 〈◊〉. Likewise the Apostles Paul & Peter being ready to suffer for the Gospel, left no such commandements unto the churches, that any such prayers & festivals should be kept to them or their remembrance, being dead: but rather stirred up & admonished the churches while they lived, & disired the church's prayers for them while they lived. So that we seeing no ground for this stuff in the word of God, see not otherwise, but to hold them for detestable idolatries' forgeries & abominations, for the reasons above recited. And now, because I have been somewhat longer even in the bore recital of these trumperies, than I thought; I will pass over the rest of their gross trash (as their christening their Synagogues and Bells into the names of sundry Saints both men and women Saints, even all in the Pope's Calendar: their solemn visiting their special Saints tombs & monuments, as their St. Edwine his tomb in St. Paul his church in London by the Mayor very solemnly upon Candlemas night kneeling down thereat, & saying a Pater noster. Likewise the yearly commemoration of the Founders & benefactors of Colleges in the universities, with their solemn prayers purposely, as also their other idol feasts unto St. Michael & all Angels which they adore and celebrated in like manner, with their eve, their fast, their holy day, worship, feast. What will this learned Doctor say to this? is this also to immtate their religion & virtue? where learned he this immtation, this religion, if not in the mass-book where they fetch the rest? this is deep divinity in deed, & far passing all human capacity. No marvel though he (to whom such mysteries be revealed) challenge to himself to be a Doctor of divinity, advancing himself in the things he never saw, being rashly puffed up with his fleshly mind. Col. 2. ●…8. And now having taken a view of their solemn & idol fea●…es, it remains that in a word or two we consider of their hypocritish & pharisaical 〈◊〉, which are in divers sorts: as their Saints and festival eaveses, their embers or Quatuor tempora, their lent fast, and their ordinary fridays. Of all which curiously to inquire, by whom and upon what occasions their fasts were first instituted or invented, & how they grew into this abuse, would but minister matter to jangle, and were nothing to the purpose: it is enough that we found them vain, full of hypocrisy, superstition, idolatry, without ground, and from the ●…ules of the scriptures. Having showed the feasts to which these e●…ue fasts lead & are a preparation to be heathenish, popish, idolatrous; it sufficeth to prove these fa●…tes which have the same beginning, use, & end, and are of the same conspiracy, to be alike guilty. yet I must say, they have more colour & show of probatilitie, than any of the other: insomuch as in outward pretence they might seem to humble and prepare the people's hearts to the hearing of God's word, & to withdraw them from worldly encumbrances, by attending both to public & private earnest p●…aier etc. But (as is showed) the very feast & worship to which they lead being so blasphemous & idolatrous, as also kept and spent in all manner ●…ewdnes, riot, excess voluptuousness idleness and sin: this fast must needs be alike superstitious, abusive, & abominable. For their Em●…ers, they are so grossly popish, as there can nothing be said for them; vn●…es it be Doctor Robert's popeholy excuse, which he maketh for the lent ●…ast, & all the fasting days & eaues that are kept in England at once. This great clerk says, they are enjoined, not for religion, but for ●…ollicie, uz. y●… maintenance of the navigation, & so referreth unto a Sta●…ute, made in that behalf. I perceive now the greatest clerks are not always the wisest men. I will be judged even by any that never commenced Doctor, whether this be a sufficient reason or not. The Prince ●…y act commands all these popish fasting days to be kept, therefore all ●…hese fasting days, ●…ent & all, are civil actions. The Prince commandeth ●…ll the Bishop's ceremonies, government, injunctions, seruicebook etc ●…o be observed, therefore they are all civil actions, and not to be kept or ●…efused as in conscience towards God, but as in regard of the outward court, by Mr. SOME his reasons. If he were not better seen in ●…he Statute of nonresidency then in the Statute of Navigation, well might he ●…e his GRACELESS Chaplain; but never shall he be a true Pastor, whilst he ●…akes this course. It should seem this popish Doctor either cannot ●…ut difference betwixt the first and second Table: or else suppo●…eth that no lay men (as he termeth them) may meddle with the first Table; else would he never be so gross as to conclude, because the Prince commands it, therefore it is a civil action: yea and an other more blas●…heamous conclusion thereupon; The prince commands it, therefore it is no matter of con●…cience, but aught without scruple to be done, for (says this Doctor) he is a simple Diui●…e, that cannot distinguish ●…etwixt the external Court and the Court of conscience. Might he not th●…s bring in ●…l manner idolatry & human traditions, being commanded by the Prince●… and no man aught to refuse the same, and stand for the maintenance of the faith, because now the action concerns not the conscience, but the outward obedience to the magistrate. But of that point hereafter. First let me show, that public fasting is an action belonging to the Church, to be used upon ●…pecial occasions, as in time of some public calamity, great transgression etc. with great reverence, preparation of the heart & soul, prayer, and other holy exercises. That public fasts ●…aue always belonged to the Church & been exercised therein, plentifully appeareth in the old & new Testament as levit. 16. 29. & 23. 7. Numb. 29 7. 1 Sam. 7. 6. Ester 4. 16. 17. Ne●…em. 9 Ezra. 8. 21. Mat. 9 15. Act. 13. 2. 3. & 14. 23. Besides these examples, we have many doctrines & rules set us down in the word, how to use, & what things to eschew, both in public and private fasts. Isa. 58. joel 1 & 2 Chap. Zach. 7. D●…n. 9 Math. 6. 16. L●…k. 5. 35. Math. 17. 21. 1 Cor. 7. 5. So that he is a very young Christian, & (in my judgement) not worthy to be a teacher in the Church of God, that taketh the public fasts of the Church to be civil actions, & not to concern the conscience. But let me yet come nearer unto this Doctor & use more familiar reasons unto him, wherewith he is better acquainted then with the word of God. Are not all his fasting days & fasting eaveses, as they arise in their Calendar, solemnly bidden in their Church by the Priest after his second lesson, on the sunday? are not the people commanded there, to fast upon such holy tides, to resort to Church? to pray & hear their divine ser●…ice? what thinks he? are these civil actions? Well, and now to his lent fast, which he would put away with abstinence from flesh, and that not for religion, but for maintenance of the Navy etc. I would first know of Mr. Doctor, whither he finds in his books, that the Lent was hrst found out for the maintenance▪ of navigation, and whither it was brought & received in England for that purpose. He will say, that although it hath been popi●…hly & superstitiously used heretofore in the Church of England, yet now it is used for the mainten●…nce of navigation: this is a thing not denied. So was it also in the most popish and blind time of all, and that much more than it is now; when scarce one in a land dur●…t eat flesh without the Pope's especial dispensation. Men could then no more than now ●…ate fi●…h, except some went to sea to take it. But shall I therfo●…e say that the fast enjoined by, & used in the Church, is a civil action? how cometh it to pass then, that it is so solemnly observed in holy Church upon the first day thereof, commonly called Ash-wednesday? in stead of the popish shrift, displing, and ashes, they use an especial communion; wherein the people are invited to do their repentance. Bitter curses and execrations be read and pronounced against certain sins, whereof never a one in the Church is free, or ever yet repent of them; and there made to acknowledge and confirm their own dam●…ation▪ by ratifying the curse with their own mouth, saying Amen unto ●…hem. And this as they most grossly bear themselves and the people ●…n hand, that in the primitive Church was used a godly discipline; that ●…t the beginning of Lent, such people as were notorious sinners were ●…ut to open penance, and punished in this world etc. that their ●…oules might be saved in the day of the Lord etc. This stuff by the ●…riest must be read in the pulpit upon their Ash-wednesday. Where found ●…hey this in all the new Testament, in the practice of the primitive ●…hurches there? Know they what either the primitive Churches or ●…he government of CHRIST means? that thus popishly dream of ●… discipline upon that day especially, of such a corporal penance of a ●…ent etc. where found they this trumpery in CHRIST'S Testament? But ●…is wretch that in his conscience known the idolatry, and these gross ●…oleries well enough: thought to hide that he could not defend, by ●…ying, the Lent was but abstinence from flesh at the Prince's comman●…ement; Let him read the last Collect of their commination upon ●…shwednesday, and see there if they desire not God to be favourable to his ●…eople which turn to him in weeping fasting and praying. Is this ●…ut to abstain from flesh. Let him look their Epistle and Gospel ●…pon the same day, the one taken out of the Prophet Io●…l Chap. 2. vers. ●…. Turn you unto me with all your hearts with fasting weeping & mour●…ing & ●…. the other out of Math. 6. 16. When you fast be n●…t s●…d etc. Let ●…im yet further peruse his porteous upon the first sunday in Lent: he ●…all found their Collect of the day (as they call it) to begin thus ●… Lord ●…vhich for our sakes didst fast 40. da●…es and 40. nights: give us grace to ●…se such abstinence, that our flesh being subdued etc. their, Gospel ●…f the same day taken out of Math 4. showeth the history of CHRIST ●…ast and temptation etc. Let him yet turn his port●…se, and see if ●…e found not there an especial communion for every day in their 〈◊〉 week, and upon their good friday a trental of collects. ●…re all these but civil actions? but abstinence from flesh, for the ●…aintenance of NAVIGATION? Doth the statute by him alleged cō●…and these things? or is it the priests office to meddle with that sta●…te? if all this were, yet could they not help or hide this gross pope●… and heinous idolatry, which they in these their blasphemous ●…ent fast & ●…. whereof, because this Doctor was either ashamed or ●…feard to meddle which (being such abominable stuff as can found ●…o defence or excuse) I also will not meddle with the further disco●…erie or refutation thereof, as taking no pleasure to rave in their filthy ●…hannels. YET remain two points of his deep and pestilent divinity to b●…●…xamined; the one, whether Princes may set any permanent positive ●…wes, set days & times, when, what time of the year, & how long to ●…ast? the other whither the Princes lawful constitutions concerning ●…utward things, bind the conscience. The first ROBERT SOME affir●…eth, and thereby ratifieth his Lent fast, embers, eve fasts, and friday ●…astes. The other he says toucheth no●… the conscience, making a subtle distinction between the EXTERNAL covert and the covert of CONSCIENCE. To follow him so far as the error & wickedness of these two positions would lead, would make of it self too wide a gap in the work we have in hand. I will therefore handle the first point so far as it maketh to this present matter; and the second very briefly, by way of digression. Before I come to his divinity, I would know of this learned Doctor, whither if the Prince ratify & command the Pope's blasphemous decrees & abominations; whither this doth either altar the property or quality of them: or such commandment bindeth not the conscience▪ I need not here stand to show these his popeholy fasts of the Church of England to be idolatrous in the first inuent●…on, & now more abominable in the present use, such stuff as he will not file his hands with the defence of them; & now whether these be bettered in that they are commanded by act of parliament etc. But to come to the matter in hand, whither the Prince or whole Church may make permanent laws for the yearly, m●…ncthly, or weekly fasts to be still observed upon this or that day. I have above showed, that fasts are upon especial and present occasions, actions, calamities, etc. to be exercised, to the humbling & preparing the body and soul unto true repentance, prayer & other holy exercises. This all the practice of the jews in their Temple showeth: who upon especial occasions as war, plague etc. used fasting. That these set fasts were not perdurable any longer then upon these present occasions, we also found. For the fasts that EZRA & NE●…EMIAH in●…tituted were not continued from year to year unto the posterity. This very question also the Lord by his Prophet Zachary fully resolveth, in the 7. & 8. Chapters of his prophecy: where the jews sending unto the Temple to know whither the fast instituted in the fift month, for the destruction of their Temple, were still to be observed, the Temple being again built after their return out of Babylon; to whom the Prophet (after he had reproved their former sin obstinacy, & sup●…rstitious abuse both of ●…asting & all the worship of God, which were unavaileable and did but aggravate their judgements, so long as they continued in their sins) showed them that it was not their fasting from meat, or eating, that made them more or less acceptable to God, but their faithful obedience unto his word, & that his kingdom consist●…th not in meats and drinks etc. as also instructing them of the true use & ends of fasting & prayer; in the end concludeth chap. 8. 19 etc. that all their former fasts of the 4. 5. 7. and 10. month were now to cease, promising unto them in stead thereof, a continual feast, with his abundant blessings, so long as they walked faithfully with the Lord, comparing in that Chapter his former plagues, to their former sins etc. So then we see how ●…sting is upon especial & present occasions to be used, & those or such like occasions ●…asing, not to be continued without end or use: for that were not only to make positive laws, to bind that which God hath left▪ at liberty: but also to put holiness in the very action of fasting, without right end or true use. Further the practice & use of fasting in the church of Christ under the Gospel, showeth, that there can be no permanent laws of the time & day made thereof. For they (not only upon such present & public occasions of calamity) are to use it; but also in some especial & Act. 3. 2. weighty actions, whereof dependeth the good or evil estate of that church or congregation: as upon the choice of the Officers & Elders Act. 14. 23. of the Church. That peculiar Congregation in such actions, at such ●…imes, is to humble themselves with fasting & prayer: and yet this fast ●…either to be enjoined to others which have not that occasion of such ●…ike action: neither to be annually, monthly etc. continued of them after that action performed. Therefore we may conclude, that neither the magistrate, nor the whole church may set positive laws of public ●…astes, to be held upon such a day or such a month from year to year▪ 1. Cor. 7. 5. ●…eing they are upon present urgent & especial occasions to be used. And as for private fasts, seeing they are wholly put in every Christians li●…ertie and the occasions neither concerning others, nor publicly known of them; there can much less be any positive laws made to ●…ast this or that day of necessity: what gaineth then this learned Doc●…or, by this evasion. THAT THE PRINCE commands these yearly, monthly, and weekly fasts; unless it be to lay that blame & blasphemy, which before was due unto the Pope their Founder, now upon the Prince. Do not these priests an high piece of service unto her Majesty ●…eerin? But this profound Divine, hath yet one trick in his budget, to ●…alue all this matter; & that is, the Prince doth not command them to fast, ●…ut only upon such days to abstaime from flesh. How false this is by ●…heir especial deuotio●…s upon such days, the priests solemn bidding ●…hē in open church etc. hath been sully already convinced. Moreover, ●… would know of him (if he can tell me) if the action should be merely ●…iuil as he would have it, what the church hath to do with it to pu●…lish them, to assemble & pray etc. on those days: Also, why the very ●…aues & days in time & number as the Pope used & left them, are still ●…y them so retained & used? were not this to offend the consciences of ●…he faithful? to nourish others in their foreconceived superstition and ●…dolatrie? Is not this the very cause that maketh so many papists? in ●…hat so many popish relics still remain? And now further I would know of Mr. Doctor, how he can prove by the law of God, that the Prince may forbidden his subjects to eat ●…lesh upon such days & such times etc. I demand not now any polli●…ike reasons, for than he would smite me down with these two; for ●…he sparing the young increase of beasts, & for the maintenance of the Navy: but my conscience cannot rest upon them: I had rather have one ●…ule or example out of the word of God, where I can found no such pre●…ident, unless it be king Saule●…: who ind●…ed by solemn curse forbade the ●…sraelites to taste food but for one day, & that upon as v●…gent occasion as 1. Sam. 14. I suppose possibly can be alleged, namely during the battle & prusui●…e of the Philistines: but he was reproved for it both by the holy Ghost in the mouth of I●…athan when he said. My Father hath troubled the land, 〈◊〉. 29. see now how mine eyes are made eleere by tasting a title of this honey: & also by L●…t from God himself, the matter coming to be tried be●…wixt him and his son, who had made the default, when the Lord answered not by Urim as he had covenanted and accustomed: the hypocrite Saul desired the Lord to give the per●… or upright: & so 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉. 41. taken, denounced by Gods own judgement innocent & not guilty: & the wretch left as the author and chief in the trespass, by making that ungodly law. So then, if it were not lawful for him upon such a weighty occasion, by way of law, to restrain the use of God's creatures for one day; I cannot see how upon any politic cause, such r●…straintes may be made throughout, & from yea●…e to year. My reasons are, first God hath created these creatures & not man, & given to man sovereignty over them, to use them to food freely; therefore 〈◊〉. 9 2. 3. they which by law restrain the sober and free use of them. 1 both calback the Lords liberal g●…ant. 2 & deprive the Creator of honour & praise, in & for the use of them, & 3 make a law of that the Lord hath left in liberty. 4 then the Apostle calleth such laws as in this manner 1. Tiu●…, 4. 3. 4. 5. command to abstain from meats, the doctrines of devils. ●… to conclude the Apostle often charges us to stand fast in our liberty, & not to be brought in bondage of any thing, which is by God put in our 4. Co●…. 6. 12. power. But by such laws, our free use of such creatures is for these times taken away etc. For which reasons, I am (as yet) in conscience persuaded, that the civil magistrate aught not to make permanent laws of that the Lord hath left in our liberty, neither by way of law to restrain●… them one day, for any civil or politic causes whatsoever. I would not now be understood of ecclesiastical & religious fasts; we have both laws & plentiful examples in the scriptures, that the Prince & church may proclaine such general fasts, upon occasions etc. Neither would I here be suspected to go about to diminish or pluck away the high sacred power & authority the Lord hath given to the civil magistrate, as to his Lief●…enāt, over both body, life, & goods: ●…o much as to she●… 〈◊〉. 3. 1. that the Princes or Magistrates power is yet by God himself limited Rom. 13. ●…ccles. 8. 2. & circum●…cribed; for the transgression whereof, they shall (as any other men) account unto the Lord; in whom they are to command, as we also readily in the same Lord to obey. The excess or abuse of these creatures the magistrate may & aught to punish & repress because that is sin; and therefore is the law and 〈◊〉. 71. sword of God committed unto him: but by a law of his own (whereof is no warrant in the word of God) to restrain them for these or these times, I think there he exceedeth his commission, though upon never so great colour of policy, and that the action were purged of all this romish superstition and idolatry, wherewith now it is refersed. The Prince is to govern, oversee & provide for the common wealth, administering & dispensing, gathering & 〈◊〉 the cre●…tu ●…es and wealth thereof, as a Father and a Steward: yet still with this I●…terim, as the Psa. 82. 6. 7 Steward & servant of God according to their masters will, as they that Mat. 25. 19 ●…ball account. But here it may be said, that the Magistrate & not we shall answer for this sin, if it be any; that it is our duty to obey in these outward ●…hings without inquiry or questioning, because the reason, charge, nor account of the Magistrates office is not committed unto us: neither may we thus inquire into the same, being private men with out apparent pre●…mptiō & secret rebellion. God forbidden that any of his seruats ●…hould be ●…tained with either of these faults: we honour, reverence & obey the office & person of the Magistrate (I say not now worship & adore) as God himself. In that we seek to know the Magistrates duty etc. we do not ●…herby either intermeddle or intrude into his office: unless we known Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 23. ●…ow to obey and how far, how should we obey? what is not of faith is ●…inne: & where should we know either his or our own duty, but in y Hos. 5. 11. Book of God? whereby both he for commanding & making ungodly de●…rees, Mic●…. 6. 1●…. & we for obeijng them, shall be judged. Obedience must always ●…e in the Lord If the Prince demand or command my body or goods in ●…is service, I am to yield them both readily without further questioning Rom. 13. 6. ●…f his intents, ends, or purposes, those belong not unto me: only I M●…t. 17. 27. ●…m to look to the outward thing which I do, that it be lawful & 〈◊〉 by the word: as the Prince cómandeth me to make ready my wea●…ons to serve in the war, I may not refuse: but if this war be apparently ●…nlawful, as against God's servants etc. I may not obey. The Prince 1 Pe●…. 2. 13. ●…aketh me an officer or under Magistrate; I am in this place to serve 1 Sam. 22. 17. ●…im, but not to execute any of his unlawful decrees etc. The Prince ●…emandeth my goods; I am readily & willingly to departed with them ●…l unto him, without inquiry: but if the Prince command me to give ●…y goods to such an idol, or after such a wicked manner, as by way of ●…ithes to a minister, or by way of pension to an antichristian minister, I ●…ay not obey, but rather suffer his indignation, yea death, because now Dan. 3. 18. ●… make myself a tr●…passer, in doing that which God forbidd●…th, at ye●…rinces commandement. So in like manner, if the Prince should command ●…ll the goods, victuals or cattle I have, I most willingly would obey; ●…nowing y● for this he, & not I should account. For I am commanded to ●…ay tribute, & not set the portion how much or when, myself. But if ●…he Prince make a law, that no man shall eat flesh during the Lent, but ●…uch as have special licence from him; I say this law is unjust, contrary ●…o the bountiful liberality of God, who hath given all men at all times a ●…ree use of these creatures to food. It is cont●…arie to the order of God's ●…reation, who hath therefore created & ordained them. It is contrary to God's honour, who will have prais●… & thanks for the holy & pure vs●…●…f them. It is contrary to God's wisdom, who hath seen no such law ●…f restraint expedient. It is contrary to the liberty & freedom God ●…ath given us in CHRIST: God having at all times put all his creatures for our sustenance in our choice & power, even as the green herb of the field. Therefore I see not why the servants of God should any more by this commandment be restrained or forbear, than Daniel did for the decree of the King of Persia for the thirty days inhibition, to make suit or petition to any, save the King only. We need not fear the indignation of man, when God approveth the things we do. Policy must Gen. 1. 28. take, & not give laws unto religion. The Lord hath by his word given levit. ●…6. a blessing to all the creatures, that they should increase & multiply Deut. 28. by virtue thereof to the use & sustenance of mankind, even of every living soul that he bringeth into the world. Yea before he made man, he provided food for him. This goodness he still extendeth to the good Isa. 28. 18 & bad generally to all. So that to make such politic laws for the restraint ●…oel. ●…. 55. of this the lords bounty, is not only to distrust the Lords p●…ouidence, & not to depend thereof for the future time, using the bread of the day with thankfulness in sobriety; but to asc●…ibe to our own policy & council that, which is due to the Lord of life, the giver of increase. Famine and scarcity are not kept away with human policy: they are the messengers & punishments of God for sin. Yet speak I not here against godly providence, christian parsimony, or sober & modest use of God his creatures: all this may be done without either breach of God's laws, or restraining ●…hat by law, which God hath left at liberty. Nov cometh to be considered that learned problem of Do. SOME, wherein he thinketh himself as safe, as if he had got a castle on his back, trusting more to the fame & tomb of his M ●. CALVINE for the defence thereof, then unto his own learning or the truth of the matter: namely, THAT THE conscience of man is not bond by this law, but the outward action: & he is a simple divine that cannot distinguish between the external court & the court of consciece. For the Author of this Doctrine, though I ca●…not assent unto him in this very point, for such reasons as I shall by & by show: yet is he no Patron or Master for such scholars as this popish Doctor, yea and other divines of these our miserable days, who do but seek out shifts and evasions out of his writings, to cover & defend their shameful transgressions, which they without conscience or fear of God commit. For by this subtle distinction (being understood in the best sense) hath D.R.S. both animated & confirmed Princes in their wicked decr●…es, by enjoining obedience unto such laws, & taken away all fear of Gods wrath & judgements from such as obey these laws; making them believe, that the conscience is not hereby bond, burdened or charged, but only the outward action etc. & therefore they need to make no scruple of conscience to obey such hests. Well, that I may at once pluck from him Ajax S●…ield (this is his own profane phrase) and set this his Author most sharply against him, who hath especially excepted all laws, which either bind that God hath left in our liberty, & all traditions whatsoever, that are brought into the church: h●… inveigheth most gravely and worthily against 〈◊〉 such laws and traditions, and exempteth all Christians from the obedience or receiving of such laws or traditions. How will Doctor SOME do now for his lent? ●…we have showed it (in the best construction) to be an human law, ●…estraining and inhibiting the sober and ●…oly use of those creatures which God hath put in our liberty. But ●…s the truth in deed is, and as their present practice without all con●…radiction declareth: it is (as it is used with them) a burdenous idola●…rous tradition, a papistical and romish custom, being used after that ●…uperstitious abominable manner that I have abou●… declared, a spe●…iall and solemn part of their worship, a great and principal action of their Church; as the solemn bidding and keeping of that, shew●…th. How can this doctor then say, it concerns not the conscience? ●…o not the public actions of the Church, the worship and service of God, prayer & fasting concern the conscience? or may such trumpery ●…raditions be brought into the Church? or laid upon the conscience? ●…e learneth n●… such doctrine of Mr. CALVINE: who alloweth no human diuises, no Apocrypha traditions to be brought into the Church of God, how holy, pregnant or necessary soever they may seem to be. Yet in handling this point, he hath unhappily stumbled at I wot ●…ot what old prescriptions and ancient erroneous customs, of kee●…ing a solemn memorial of the birth, death, and resurrection of CHRIST upon their peculiar days yearly; as also the feast of Pentecost, when the Apostles received the holy Ghost etc. He also alloweth of Ap●…crypha Leitourgies, viz. ●…set & stinted form of numbered public prai●…rs to be brought into and used in the Church, and this as it should ●…eeme, because he would not be thought a Novatian, or an Author of ●…ew Religion etc. But see, how he hath thereby both ensnared himself, & opened a gap for other like trumpery to be brought into the church, ●…vhich may easily carry both as great show of antiquity and of godines, as these. He hath thereby also given a very pernicious precedent ●…nto other ages, as appeareth in the miserable estate of our common ●…velth; who are a great deal more ready to follow him in his errors & ●…ransgressions, then to imitate him in his godly virtues, laborious and ●…oly life. Me thinks also, that Mr. CALVINE in the other part of this ●…oint (concerning such laws as pluck away any part of our Christian ●…ibertie, or inhibit & restrain that which God hath put in our power) ●…ath greatly departed from himself therein. For having very truly set down, that it is heinous presumption in any mortal man to restrain or make laws of such things as the Lord hath left in liberty; he straightway (lest he should offend, or keep back civil magistrates frō●…eceauing the Gospel) inventeth a politic distinction, betwixt the outward or ciul Court, & the Court of conscience; saying that this outward Court respecteth men only, & bindeth not the conscience of the doer, but the outward actions only: the other concerns matters belonging unto God, & therefore bindeth the conscience. Thus hath he both lost & entangled himself, & utterly overthrown all his former doctrine. CONSCIENCE HE defineth from the second of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ●… to be a certain feeling or remorse within ourselves▪ according to the knowledge of God's will, which doth continually present us, & accuse or acquit us before the judgement seat of God. Although this definition be somewhat of the scantest, as making the conscience of man extend no further than his present knowledge, which yet we read in the scriptures Reu. 20. 12. stretcheth much further, namely to the whole li●…e of man (wherein Math. 16. 27 God as in a book writeth aly▪ things done in this mortal life) which Rom. 2. 3. 4. 5. etc. book he often openeth not until the final judgement, but suffereth men Ectles. 8. 11. 12. 13. to run on, & die in their sin without feeling, until than he plucking away all veils & lets, set all their sins that ever they have committed Is●…. 57 11. in thought, word or deed in order, according to their indignity before them: whereupon, in horror of conscience, the scripture setteth out and describeth their fearful desperate estate unto our capacity, showing▪ that in that day, they shall even desire the rocks to fall upon them & 〈◊〉. 6. 16. the seas to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. etc. If our consciences were only charged but with the sins which we commit against our knowledge, them ignorance of God's law excuseth the breach thereof, Rom. 2. 12. then were the ignorant in far most best estate, and had the clearest ●… Thes. 1. 8 conscience, than needed we not to pray for pardon for our ignorant levit. 5. 17. 18. sins etc. But because our conscience in this life cannot be touched with, or accuse us here of more than we know to be sin (for as the Apostle says, without the law we lived, but when the commandment came sin revived, but we died) therefore to a●…oide further controversy, I rest in this his description, which me thinks also maketh vene fully against himself: for we see how the knowledge of the law reviveth ●…om. 7. sin, & maketh it out of measure sinful. But to come to the point: Mr. CALVINE says that by the civil laws the conscience is not bond, but the outward action only. If he mean thus, that the conscience is not subject to the civil Magistrate, but the body only, he says true. If he mean that the civil Magistrate can but look upon the outward action in the keeping or breach of his law, he says true. For man, not not the whole Church can enter into God's seat, to search and judge the conscience, the inward affections 〈◊〉. 17. 9 of the heart etc. Man can but behold and judge the outward 1. Cor. 3. 11. actions, according to the law of God; for if they could, then should no hypocrites creep into, or remain in the Church. The heart and conscience (until by outward actions it be revealed) is not only liable unto, but searched by, and judged of God. And this we see as well in the laws of the first Table as in the laws of the second. While I resort and walket together with the Church, and worship God to all outward seeming unreprovablie: though I be inwardly never so great an hypocrite: until my sin apparently break out, the Church can no more censure me, than the civil Magistrate can punish me before I have broken the law. So then we see the secret conscience is as far out of the reach, censure & judgement of the Church, as it is out of the Magistrates hand, until some fault or offence be made. But if Mr. CALVINE mean (as his words and whole scope int●…nd) that the conscience is not charged with the law of the outward Court, but with the outward action only, then surely he greatly erred. For this doctrine is most dangerous and false, as discharging the conscience from the whole second Table, unto which it is as much bond, as unto the first. Neither can we keep or please God in the first, that walk not with a good conscience towards all men in the second. Our prayers are abominable that are offered with hands full of blood, Isa. 1. & 7●…. Chap. Prou. 15. ●…. & 21. 27. ●…r with our hearts abounding with lu●…tes, or set upon the world. We are not to offer our offering upon the Altar, until we have sati●…fied our injuried or offended Brother, and made agreement with our conscience, while we are in the way: we cannot love God whom Math. 5. 23. etc. we have not seen, if we love not our Brother etc. Thus we see how God himself hath joined the Tables together, and enjoined them upon 1 I●…. 4. 20 the consciences of all men; as whereby they shallbe judged before him. ●… speak not now concerning the heavy weight of God's law, which ●…one of our Fathers were able to bear▪ or the straight exaction of the ●…erimplishment thereof; the best of us not bei●…g able to answer him one of a thousand, from both which the death of JESUS CHRIST hath set us free. Yet hath not our Lord JESUS CHRIST abrogate one title of his Father's law, neither exempt the consciences of men from the second Table, and bond them with, and unto the first Table only. If the transgression of the lest of God's laws be death, and this death extend both unto the body and soul; who can deliver & exempt our consciences from a careful and most strict observation of all God's laws, even with all our strength and the utmost power God hath given us, daily examining our consciences even to every idle word or ●…aine thought, pouring out & unfolding our hearts before the Lord, ●…ndighting, arraigning and judging our own hearts before him the knower & searcher of them, that so we may have our debt-book canceled, and all our sins blotted out through the blood and mediation 1 Cor. 11. 31. of that immaculate Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world. Moreover, there is no consequent, because the civil Court or outward Rom. 13. 5. action concerns men only, & is done unto them, that therefore 1 Pet. 2. 13. those laws and actions bind not the conscience. For both we are bidden Act. 24. 14▪ 15. 16. to obey the Magistrate for conscience sake, & from the heart; & to behave ourselves towards all men, that we may have the testimony of ●… clear conscience. It sufficeth not to do the thing we are commanded, C●…l. 3. 22. 23. 24. but we must do it cheerfully & with a good heart: we must not only do that which is good, but do it well & as we aught to do. The civil Eph. 6. 5. ●…. Magistrate in puni●…hing an offendor, may yet do it with such affections, as he may before God murder him: we also in all duties of ●…haritie, must do them with a single heart and eye, for else it availeth ●…s not. If we do them grudgingly, as of constraint, or to be seen or praised of men, or of custom with others, & not of c●…oscience towards God & our neighbour, they profit us nothing. And this holdeth a●… well in the first, as in the second Table. Our religion is vain (though it be outwardly never so unreprovable) if our heart stand not sound & upright. A strange doctrine it is, to sever the conscience, & the law; the conscience, & the outward action: they may aswell here while we live sever the body & the soul, which though they are distinct things, 〈◊〉 can they not be here separate. The body shall rue the thoughts of the soul; the soul shall rue the sins of the body: the body & soul together make a man, & the man both body & soul, are liable unto all God's laws, and shallbe judged for the breach of the lest. Hath God commanded it? we must obey & do his commandment with all our soul, & that with such circumstances & affections as the Lord requireth, be the action never so slight & bodily in our seeming, yet it must be done in singleness of heart as in the eyes & name of God; yea (says Collos. 3. 17. the Apostle) as unto God himself, to whom we shall account for all things done in this mortal flesh. Knowing then this terror of the Lord, it behoveth us to take heed what we put upon the file of that record against that day, to examine our own hearts & conscience●… 2 Cor. 5. 10 daily, lest they be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; to judge ourselves here how we do the will of God in all things, & not to put off through security, until we be judged of God. And sure if this doctrine were sincerely & sound taught, it would stay the rage of sin, which now breaketh out (as the bakers oven while it is not tended) 〈◊〉. 7. 4. 6. both in Magistrates & people. The Magistrate would be well advised what laws he maketh, the people how they obey; knowing, that both shall answer unto the great judge: whereas now by this deep learning of Doctor SOME, the conscience not being bond by the Prince's law, but the outward & temporal action only; the Prince may make what laws he lust for civil policy: the people aught without all scruple to obey, seeing their laws bind not the eonscience etc. But if ●…e Princes laws be contrary or divers to the laws of God, then is not our conscience or body bond by or unto them, then are we not to obey such laws, but stand for our Christian liberty and the maintenance of the faith in all patiented manner, rather enduring the wrath of man, then procuring the wrath of God. The vain pretence of civil policy, will n●…ither excuse them nor us before God the judge of all, with whom w●… have to do: He will have his laws statutes & judgements kept & not altered, innovate or neglected, according to human wisdom, the state & policies of times & humours of men, which vary & turn with the wound, making laws to day and abrogating them to morrow, one Prince after one manner, an other quite contrary. But the statutes & Deut. 4. 8. & 7. 11. & ●…. 1. & 26. ●…6. judgements of God, which are delivered & expounded vn●…o us by his holy Prophetts, endure for ever the pure wisdom, the upright i●…stice, the true exposition & faithful execution of his moral law: which laws were not made for the jews state only (as Mr CALVINE hath taught) but for all mankind, especially for all that Israel of God: from which laws, Psal. 119. ●…. 106. 106. it is not lawful in judgement to vary or decline either to the one hand, or to the other. For what do we thereby, but control the wisdom & Mal. 4. 4. equity of God's ways, prefer & think our own more wise and equal, Deu. 4. 6. ●…brogate his, & set up our own instead thereof; frame God to the common Ez●…. 18. 25. wealth, & not the common wealth to the will of God. Thus by the neglect of God's Laws, do●…h the whole world oue●…flow with all manner sin, plunged deeply & unrecoverably into God's wrath, & eu●…n hasteneth him unto final judgements & vengeance. These are the best fruits that are reaped by this Doctors deep divinity, while he seue●…eth the conscience from the law, making the law to bind the outward action, but not the conscience. BUT SEE NOW through this Doctor's Cavils I have been drawn ●…rom the present purpose: which was, to consider what kind of fasts ●…re used in this their Church of England, which as we have hitherto ●…hewed to be wholly derived from their mother Church of Rome, ●…n the same idolatrous manner, times & seasons: so there now remai●…eth an other new kind of fast, invented and brought in by the lear●…ed ministry of the land, such as sue and seek for the reform●…tion of ●…he Church: & this without the licence or allowance of their LL. the BB●…. This fast I know not from whence it was brought, whither from GENEVA or else where, in despite (it should seem) of the fasts used by the jews & in the primitive Churches. Here the learned priests & preachers lay their heads together, choose out 3 or 4 ●…rom amongst ●…hem to preach: One of them must play Sin, an other the judgements of God, the third Repentance, the fourth the Gospel. The people are solemnly ●…idden from all quarters to this Stageplay who (at the first invention of ●…t) flocked in thick and threefold to behold this novelty. There ●…e that playeth sin, frameth himself cunningly to his auditory, that ●…e offend none of his great Canaanites nor rich gluttons, but especial●…y having regard unto his first oath at the taking of his antichristian ministery, when he forswore Christ and the faith, unto his Lord the 〈◊〉. & bond himself not to speak against any thing by public authority established etc. he hath great regard, not to meddle with any of these matters, lest he awake the sleepy dog, & know not how to ●…pease him again, or recover his credit and estimation with him. Wherefore I warrant you, there is no sin against the fir●…t Table in the land, except it be among such as still remain Papists, recusantes etc. and such as will customably blaspheme the name of God, and also such as do not diligently enough countenan●…e the preaching ●…riestes (I should say as frequent not their sermons) etc. but otherwise ●…or the state of the Church, there is nothing amiss, but flourisheth marvelously, abounding with such lear●…ed Prie●…tes, as no Church in ●…he world hath the like: yet I must say as I have herded, let the auditory be such as will back them, and they will have a fling at the BBs▪ i●… some eloquent DELPHIC dark speeches, such as may be retracted, or have a double construction (as shall more appear when we come to their manner of preaching) If they were removed, & they had the discipline of the Apostles in their parishes, than all were well, there is nothing else wanting amongst them. And for this all that mourn in the chine, and sigh in secret for it, (though neither Priest nor people know what it means) yet they must now fast, and then they have done their duties to the full; the fault is not in them, but in God almighty that they have it not. Such a priest as this is a blazing star, a paragon of a Country, one of the new found MARTIN'S SAINTS. And such people are Puritans or Martinistes praecisians: though both priest and people for all this glozing and hypocrisy with God & the world, stand still under the BBs. antichristian yoke, the one administering, the other receiving all their detestable wares & marks. But to return again to this their fast; if you come now to the second Table of the law; o they are severe men, they will make a conscience to tremble; If there be ever an usurer, or a Drunkard, or an whoremaster, they will so bebayt him, as he will not love a sermon again a goodwhile. Yet for all this when they meet a broad they are good friends, especially when they meet at the Sacraments: then they forgive one another from the bottom of their hearts. Now here must be noted by the way, that these kind of people are not indeed the most beneficial to these fasti●…g pharisaical Preachers, & lightly will not go further than by law he must needs; which is, to pay him his tithes and offerings etc. But in their company they delight not, neither will bid them home to their houses or magnify them: and therefore these men must bear with them, if in the pulpit (when they are ravished with zeal of the Lord) they have now & the●… a gird at them to ease their stomachs, especially now for fashion sake. As for all the rest of their auditory, there is no such sin amongst them, and therefore they shallbe exhorted to confess all their sins, in thought, word, or deed unto the Lord, to acknowledge their evil ways, and power out their hearts before the Lord, to sorrow and mourn, and if they have any voluntary tears, to help the Priest to weep for that present, though neither their evil ways be showed them, but (as hath been said) most cunningly hide and covered from their eyes, lest they should see and avoid them. Neither in their private conversation, offices, houses, are their sins by the light and power of the word discovered unto them, or they called to the practice of their duties, lest they indeed should then espy the deceit of these miserable guides, that have made them believe they stood in God's favour all this time, and detesting their perfidy and hypocrisy, should return unto the Lord And thus being exhorted to ●…ament and repent their sins they know not, and to return to the Lord; the priest that playeth the last part, will heal them all with the Gospel, dismiss them with the peace and blessing of God, be they never so many, lest they should wound weak consciences etc. Thus is this solemn fast ended. When the PP. have said their certain, the people dismissed (where I trow for that night is no talk either by the way as they go home, or at their supper, but how excellently such a man & such a man did) The priests themselves that took this pains are bestowed at some of their hosts, or good dames houses; where at night they recompense their fasting & mourning, with good cheer and ease. As for the next day (by that time they have slept of the matter) all is quite forgotten, every man upon hi●… old biace again even as they were wont to be, they are no changelings: priest & people in the same idolatry, profannes etc. that before. Thus do these prophets, not only not discover the sin of the land▪ unto the people by their preachmentes and long pharisaical prayers, but solder them therein, and strengthen their hands th●…rwith, that no man camn departed from iniquity? but dissemble also with God himself, and weary him with these their abominable prayers, & hypocritish fasts, counterfeiting a great sorrow & heaviness for their sins, aflicting Isa. 5●…. their souls for a piece of a day, bowing down the head as a Zach. 7. bulrush etc. not losing the bands of wickedness, nor taking off the heavy burdens and letting the oppressed go free, or breaking the heavy yokes, nor executing judgement, or relieving the widow and fatherless; but refusing to harken, pulling away the shoulder, stopping their ears, making their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the ●…aw & the words which the Lord of hosts sendeth ●…n his spirit by the ministry of his servants, resisting the holy Ghost a●… their forefathers have done, persecuting at all hands and smiting with the fist of wickedness such as speak unto them in the name of God, for the redress and amendment of their lives. THUS HAVING seen these solemn fasts, what kind of stuff they are, let us now a little while turn our eyes to the public Sacraments of this famous Church of England. Which that they may the sooner appear, let us see in a word or two, what the ordinance of Christ is concerning the outward administration thereof. We found in his Testament unto every true Sacrament required. 1. a lawful minister of the Gospel to deliver them. 2. a faithful people or their seed to receive them. 3. the outward elements & form of words which our Saviour Christ hath ordained thereunto: As in baptism to baptize them Mat. 28. 〈◊〉 with clean water in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of Mat. 26. 26 the holy Ghost: Unto the supper of the Lord are required the elements Ma●…. 14. 22 of bread and wine: which bread (after thanks giving) is to be broken Luke. 22. 19 and to be delivered with such words of exhortation as are thereunto 1. Cor. 11. 24 prescribed, and the cup to be delivered in like manner. Now where any of these wanteth; either a lawful minister of the Gospel to deliver them, a faithful people & holy congregation joined together in the faith and order of Christ, to receive them, or any other form of administration either in the elements or order, be used, than our Saviour Christ in his Testament hath enjoined to be used; we may boldly affirm, that such are adulterate & false Sacraments. And now let us but even as briefly compare these Sacraments of the Church of England, to these rules. They there have (to begin with) an antichristian Romish ministery, such as the Pope left them, as is abovesaid; a profane confuse people & their seed, to receive them. For who with them (that is able to pay for the Chrism) is not baptized? the seed of heretics, witches, conjurers etc. who with them is not admitred to their communion of the supper, that will pay his offertory? And to come to their form of administration, what a sort of fond trifling ceremonies are added to their Sacraments? as to their public baptism: it must be done in their conjured hallowed Font, with a special Gospel taken o●…t of the 10 Chapter after Mark, the water being well conjured & hallowed to the mystical washing away of sin etc. special Gossipes called and choose which are godfathers & godmothers, which must publicly there undertake for that child, that he shall forsake the devil & all his works, & constantly believe Gods holy word, & obediently keep his commandements. Where, after this pretty dialogue, betwixt the parish priest, the parish clerk, these godfathers & godmothers which answer for the infant: the priest baptizeth it in the name of the Father, of the Son, & of the holy Ghost, and of the holy Cross, & charges these godfathers etc. to teach the infant the Creed, Lords prayer, ten commandements. All which when he can say, & have learned also some of that worthy Catechism which is set out for that purpose; then must he be brought to the Bishop to receive his second Baptism, which they call Bishoping, or confirmation: whereunto also he must have a new Godfather etc. Then after ●…e hath been posed by the Bishop, wh●…ther he can say his gear above prescribed, the child kneeling down, this reverend B●…. layeth his holy hands upon his head, & says a certain Collect over him, confirmeth his former baptism, & giving him his blessing, dismisseth him. Yet is there a third and fourth kind of baptism in the Church of England; namely the hasty baptism done by the midwife: who if she see the child in peril and like to dye, before it can be brought to the Church; then is she to bestir her, & give the child the christendom, lest it never come in heaven: and this baptism is warranted by their seruice-Boke to be lawful and sufficient baptism: and the Priest finding it orderly done by the cunning midwife, is to publish it in the Church to be very good & allowable, and to commend them that so orderly did it, at that time of necessity. But if the Priest upon the examination of the matter, found that the midwife was not cunning in this trade; but for haste or fear forgot or left out some of her accomplementes: then must he (according to the ●…orme prescribed in their public baptism, proceed with the Godfathers & Godmothers etc. save that when he cometh to dip it, he must say, N. If thou be not baptized already, I baptize thee etc. And this may be termed baptism by supposition. Their other sacrament of the supper also is not free of the like found trifling & superstitious additions: and is by their SERVICE-BOOK divided into 2 sorts: public, of all together in their Synagogue; & private in their houses, called the communion of the sick. In their public communion, the Priest (arrayed in his ministerial vesture) is placed at the north end of the Table, and there is to read his certain. He is there nurtured, when to turn to the Table, when to the people, when to stand, when to kneel; what, and when to say. The people (after they have offered to the priest) are in their place to kneel down to say and answer the Priest at his turns & times, as is prescribed in their mass-book: where (after Sr. priest hath taken a say, and begun to the people) he delivereth unto them (as they kneel) their maker after the old popish manner, altering the words and form of institution delivered by our Saviour and his Apostles, saying. THE BODY of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, which was given for thee etc. It were long to set down their preambles and several collects at this their communion, as at their Christmas day, their Easter day, Ascension day, white-sunday Trinity sunday, and how the whole queir, priest & people glory God, with Angels & Archangelles and all the company of heaven etc. and after they have received the priests blessing, they are all dismissed with peace. But now their private communion or housling of the sick, is after a more cursory & brief manner; with a short little pistle & gospel, and nothing so many Pater nosters, Creeds, collects, Anthems, nor such solemn exhortations, because the sick desires to have it with him out of the world. He must provide the implements and some of his friends (if he may be so much beholding unto them) to take part with him. But if his disease be such, or favour not such, as that he cannot get them unto him, th●… yet may he & the Priest dispatch the matter together; and it shallbe never the less wholesome to the sick man. These are the holy sacraments, the Church of England boasteth of: which, how welly they agreed to the institution of CHRIST, I hope by this sleight repetition of some of their popish trumperies and corruptions, appeareth. So that it were but a weariness, either to rip up the rest of their blasphemous Liturgy, in discussing the manifold errors which abound in their collects & exhortations, & abuse of scriptures unto the same: or to show forth their v●…reasonable profanation and high sacrilege in these things which are already showed. Which be so repugnantly con●…rarie to the institution of CHRIST, & every way so popishly gross, as no pretext or excuse can be forged for them, except it be the prerogative of the Apostatical Sea of Rome, which by the high Commission of Satan hath power to forge a new ministery, new sacraments, new laws and cannons, where in deed this ministery of there's, these sacr●…mentes, worship, orders etc. were minted & stamped. And so may they draw an argument from thence for them all, thus. They that were baptized in the Church of Rome, when afterward they came unto the true faith, were not to be rebaptized. Therefore though this baptism in the church of Rome, were done by a worse ministry, & in worse manner than there's, yet is it of all men esteemed for a true, and available sacrament: and so if this baptism be allowable, much more the baptism of the Church of England, which is done in much purer manner than there's. Well, seeing comparisons be odious, and I might be thought partial to speak what I think, and know of the matter: I remit the full deciding of this controversy unto the 23. Chapter of Ezechiels' prophecy, where you shall see whither Aholah, or Aholibah were the honester woman. Only, before I come to this stout reason, let me a little turn it upon themselves. All that were baptized in the Church of Rome, when they come unto the true faith are not to be rebaptized, Oenone's. 17. but have reaceaved a true Sacrament: therefore the Church of Rome Exo. 19 5. 6 & 20. 6. is the true Church of CHRIST: for the seals of the covenant only belongeth to that Church or people, to whom the covenant belongeth: De●…t. 4. 7. 8 but the covenant only belongeth to the true Church, & to them Deut. 29. & 30. Chap. that are in the true faith: therefore now by this reason, are they all in schism, by dividing themselves from this their holy mother Church Is●…. 8. 16. of Rome. Song. 4. 12. Doctor ROBERT SOME in his first infamous book against the anabaptistical R●…m. 9 4. & Ephes. 2. ●…2. recusantes (as he of his charity calleth them) proveth the sacraments delivered by the dumb english priests, to be true sacraments, because the baptism in the Church of Rome is true baptism, for that they baptize, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. But in certain marginal notes added to this great clerks book, was this inconvenience among many other, moved unto his further consideration, how he would then ward the blow of flat schism: but he of his discretion took further time in his next book (which in deed, I suppose was written but in some spleen) peradventure in the mean time upon further advise, the wound may blow in such a quarter, as he will be ready, (together with his lords Grace) to go back again, and so avoid this danger of schism well enough. Yet I must say, this D. was friendly advised when it was (though he of his choleric nature taken it not so, but called him ignorant bold anabaptistical wrangler for his good will) to spare this deep divinity derived from Mr. CALVINE and other writers of these times, lest in deed he opened such a gap to the papists, as neither the Church of England, nor of GENEVA, nor any that hold this opinion shall ever be able to shut. For see, if this baptism thus delivered in the Church of Rome be a true and an available sacrament, then may it be a true sa●…rament without a lawful minister to▪ deliver it, unless they allow also popi●…h prie●…tes to be true ministers; then may the seal of the covenant be given to open idolaters, unless they will also make the papists true and faithful Christians: then doth God's covenant of peace and love belong unto this Apostatical Babylonish harlot, unless they will make the Church of Rome the spouse of CHRIST. Then hath CHRIST many bodies, many spouses, or else cannot three so diverse Churches, as the Church of Rome, the Church of England, the Church of Geneva, all or any two (I will not say any one) of them be true Churches, or else also must CHRIST be divided, and stand an head, an husband to all these Churches, & so be one in one place, & an other in an other place: yea then may CHRIST be an husband where his wives rule, and set up and pluck down, bring in & cast out, what & whom they will without his leave or will. Infinite other absurdities and blasphemies would then ensue, even all manner corruptions & abominations would then prove lawful. And let me add yet this unto the rest: If the baptism of the Church of Rome be a true sacrament, then have they one true sacrament, & an other false. For I am sure (or at least I think) they are not so gross and shameless in the Church of England, to hold that breaden God, that magical conjuration upon their Altar, to be a true Sacrament. Good in substance, bad in form will not salve this sore, for than I may conclude, that by this sophistry, a lawful minister to deliver, a faithful people to receive, the simple & pure element and form of administration which CHRIST hath instituted were not necessarily required to a true sacrament or seal of the covenant, or (as they in their logic term it) of the substance of a sacrament, & so may (nay is) all CHRITS Testament utterly abrogate at once; & then have mortal men power, both to reject the ministry and laws of CHRIST, and to erect new in stead thereof in the Church. Neither yet will this cavil (good to the faithful receiver, or unto the receiver after he hath faith) help the ma●…ter: for first we here reason not of the people receiving, but of ●…the thing received; not of the time to come, but of the time present: namely, whither this baptism, thus delivered in that place, be a true sacrament, when and as it is delivered, or no. And sure if then it be not good in that manner, it cannot afterward be made good by any future faith; neither yet can in the present time be received of faith: for faith neither alloweth nor justifieth sin: If the action be evil, a faithful man may neither do it nor join in the action with, & to them that do it. Rom. 12. 9 How then should these false sacraments be said good to the faithful receiver when the action is evil, & the faithful are utterly forbidden to receive it; neither can they receive it, without most heinous sacrilege. Ag●…ine how should faith rejoice in, or justify a wicked & ungodly action? & then how should this sacrilegious sacram●…t be available, or seal the blessing of God to faith to come? when God only blesseth his own ordinance, & curseth all transgression thereof: therefore faith is rather to purge it by bitter tears & repentance, then to joy in it & justify it. But here then will dangerous conc●…usions be drawn against us, if p●…pish baptism be no true sacrament. THAN IS THE Prince and all the ancient peers of the land unbaptised, yea they will conclude against ourselves, that we also are unbaptised; seeing we (for the reasons above said) hold not the sacraments administered in the Church of England at this present, to be true seals of the covenant and favour of God: & then aught all upon pain of neglect of the holy ordinance of God, to seek the seal of the covenant: but this now cannot be had, because we have now in all Europe no ministry to deliver yt●…, ●…all the ministery both of this land, and all these known parts of the world, being sprung from and ordained by the Church of Rome. For all the protestants when they forsook the Sea of Rome, yet left not that ministery they then had, but exercised by virtue of that ministery, without any new ordination etc. But if we deny the Church of Rome to be a Church, then how should the ministery made by it, be a true ministery? and so is all the ministery of this land thrown to the ●…arth, both LL. BBs. & parish priests, curates, preachers & all: Neither (says D. S.) can this ever be recovered. For if the baptism in the Church of Rome be not a true sacrament, then are all the people unbaptised: If the people be unbaptised, then can they not choose a minister; because (says he) they are not as yet by baptism engraffed into the visible Church, neither may they (until they be baptized) be admitted to the communion etc. These reasons (no doubt) are strong and sure, if we found not a better solution than the CLERK of OXENFORD hath as yet made in the behalf of Mr. PENRY. For if the church of Rome be no true Church, 〈◊〉 the ministers made therein are no true ministers: for by his own (a●…d that a true) position; WHERE THERE IS no Church, there is no calling: but all the ministers of the Church of England were made either in the Church of Rome, or by virtue of that ministery fetched from the Church of Rome, & that within the memory, yea within half the age of a man; therefore we may by his own reason conclude all this ministery, both BBs. & PPs. to be Romish, antichristian & false: & so the sacraments by them delivered are no true sacraments. Let him, by all the wit, craft, and sophistry in his budget avoid this reason. Again, if the baptism of the Church of Rome were not true baptism, than were all the people upon the change of that Religion unbaptised; for there was no other baptism then delivered, but that: & being unbaptised, they have neither right nor power to choose or execute any ministery, deliver or receive the other Sacrament, until they have baptism. For none uncircumcised in flesh might eat the Passover, 〈◊〉. 12. 48 or offer any manner of gift in the Temple. And thus we see, Le●…. ●…2▪ 25. neither have these ministers of the Church of England, power to deliver Sacraments (they themselves being both unbaptised and also no true ministers, as above is manifestly convinced) neither have the people unbaptised, any power to receive the Sacraments, or means to redress Mat. 28. 19 ●…●…. these mischiefs, until either a third Eliah or second John Baptist come down from heaven to restore this defection. YfM ●▪ Penrie provide not better stuff for his own defence, than his friend of Oxenford hath as yet brought; I can tell him this, that both he & his companions must become Brownistes (as they to the dishonour of Christ term us) or else this popish Doctor will prevail against them: for that most odious and unchristian flattery of her Majesty, will neither cover nor cure this sore. It will not suffice to say, that her majesty is persuaded in conscience that she is baptized, therefore she need no other baptism, though she (as yet) have received none. Neither will it help the matter to say, the Bishop or priest which administereth the communion unto her, knoweth not so much; therefore she may still run on in this course unbaptised. Neither will all the colourable and deceitful Arguments drawn for the assurance of her salvation, help this case; or do her any good: if she remain and be found in open and wilful, yea presumptuons transgression & contempt or neglect of God's ordinance. There is but one common salvation for all men of all degrees, both Prince and people: the law of God remains sure forever, & can for no estate or person be changed. None can be a member of a planted Church, but such as are baptized. This we see by circumcision the common seal to all that were within the covenant, to the Church & their seed. This was the practice of Christ & his Apostles, they that were baptized Ast. 2. 3●…. 41. were added & numbered to the Church, & not until then received into the fellowship: how friendly and well affected soever they were unto the Act. 8. 12. Church. Now then, the state standing thus; that the bapti●…me d●…livered A●…t. 9 18. & 10. 48. in the Church of Rome is no baptism, the ministery there given, no ministery etc: & this so apparently proved after his syllogistical Act. 5. 13. manner by this Scholar of Oxenford; how can her Majesty any longer be ignorant, or that Congregation to which she joineth (if there were any such) that she & they all are unbaptised? Seeing the matter is published in print, & spread abroad through all parts of the land, & the gloove cast down with open challenge to maintain the same against all opponentes: well, & this being known, with what conscience can either that minister deliue●…, or she & that people receive the lords supper in this estate●… seeing none unbaptised may receive it, but is subject to the same cu●…se that the uncircumcised were, which were admitted to the Passover? how can they (now that they see thsn estate) commit further sin & sacrilege, and violate the whole order & Testament of Christ, by plunging themselves into further transgression, and seeking no remedy to avoid this? Baptism he says is not the cause, but the seal of salvation; & they may be saved which were never baptized. I grant all this, where it can by no means to had: but I hope they will not so say, that it can not be had with them, and that the matter is not come to that pass from the most flourishing estate of a Church in Europe, and that so suddenly with opening but one gap. Then have Mr. Pe●…rie and D. S. spun a fair thread: let them take heed, for a▪ few of these Arguments will make as many as have sight, grace or c●…science Brownictes, as this sch●…ller blasphemeth them. But what remedy for this mischief? seeing all now are unbaptised, where shall we come by baptism? and that must be had, before either entrance or proceeding to any ministe●…ie or Church. It sufficeth not here to say, that we may be saved without it, & that we neither neglect or despise it: for one inch can we not stir in this building and business of the Church, until we be baptized. Most pestilent & pernicious is that council given unto her majesty: that where she hath received comfort to her soul, thither she may still resort for fur●…her comfort. Is this the ●…est council & help you can afford her? then (as I●…b says) miserable comforters are you al. Is this sound 2 Thes. 2. 12. doctrine to say, that where she hath received or rather supposed comfort, thither she may still resort for more? Is this to measure the action Isa 66. 3. and the comfort by the rules of God's word? what if the action be unlawful, ●…om. 6. 1. & she take comfort in unrighteousness, may she still continued in sin? may she not thus justify any wickedness? for what superstitious papist will not say, that he hath taken comfort before his shrines & roods? yea how many tears in that conceited superstition will they shed before them, for very joy imagined? shall they for this cause not departed from their idolatry, when yr is reproved by the word; because they have received comfort? But me thinks I see the scholars solution of this, his meaning and word●…s both were, of such a sound inward comfort in Christ her Saviour built upon his promises & word, as doth thoroughly appease her conscience, & acquit her soul. Well then, we are agreed of the point, that there is no ●…rue comfort, but that which is g●…ounded upon the promises of God; no comfort or blessing promised to any action, but where it is done ●…ccording to the ordinance & will of God in his word; Go●… only blessing his own ordinance. Now then I hope he can ap●…oue this proceeding without baptism unto the supper of the Lord, to be warrantable & lawful by the word of God: & that where the want of this baptism is, not only in the receivers but in the ministers, yea where he is no minister of the Gospel that administereth this Sacrament also; or el●… there is no comfort to her majesty in this action, which is so ●… Thess. 1. 8 openly repugnant to all the rules of Christ's Testament, which is here most wittingly & presumptuously broken: & so nothing from thence to be expected, but a fearful looking for of judgement. I will not here urge either the general unlawfulness of the whole ministery of E●…gland, either the strangeness or unlawfulness of the office unto which they are called, or of the unlawfulness of their ordination and entrance, nor of the most abominable administration of their offices. Neither will I here urge this want of baptism both in people & minister: nor yet the open breach of Christ's institution, both in the manner & words thereof in the deliverance of it: Only I will come to this Scholar in a plain point that he and I shall agreed of, lest he escape me through his learning▪ & wind himself away by his sophi●…trie: for he that so pregnantly defendeth is friend, I suppose will do more for himself, when need shall so require. The point then wherein I would be satisfied at his hand is, whether he take the Lord Archb. of Canterb: his g●…ce, or the LL. BB. his brethren to be true ministers of the Gospel & Church of Christ, or no? if he be Mr PENRIE ●… is friend, he will say no, & surely I will say Amen unto it: Phil. 2. 11. for in the Testament of Christ did I never read of any Lord Bishop but 1. Pe●…. 5. 4. Christ, which is Lord over all, neither of any Archb. but the ArB. of our souls Christ jesus; to let pass the unlawfulness of their office, function etc. Now than I would know whether this L. Archb. may deliver the Sacraments? & whither he would advise our Sovereign Prince, to receive them at his hand or no? Sure if she may frequent or take comfort in this Sacrament, than (to let pass all the other heap of faults, which to lay open would fill a volume) is the Lord Archb: a true minister, this a true and holy Sacrament, or else he through flattery persuadeth his Prince to sacrilege and transgression, in encouraging her both still to receive this sacrilegious Sacrament in this manner defiled by these Romish BB▪. & Priests, & also to continued & remain unbaptised: although that she now know & be persuaded through this man's strong proves; that she as yet hath received no baptism. Either he is to prove that an unbaptised people (even such a people, where not one of them is baptized, neither can baptism be administered or held amongst them) may join together, erect a ministery, administer & receive the other Sacrament etc. or else, that her Majesty. & this Church of England hath some special immunity & privilege to proceed without baptism. Sure, even the two gross Doctors whom he so derideth, will think this strange stuff: there was never any such Church or proceed read or herded of, in the Testament of Christ. And see how the skornful (by the just iudgm●…t of God) are taken & ensnared in their own delusions. For what cou●… D. John Bridges, or D. R. S. have devised more corruptly or vnfaith●…ully, either towards God or their Prince & the whole land, for iustifijng their op●… & wilful breach of Christ's Testament; all their popery & abominations, than this? Your Maie●…tie ●…aith he (though the plain evidence of Gods word be brought into your ears to the contrary) yet is persuaded in consciece, that you in the popish Church received the true Sacrament of baptism: Therefore upon this persuasion your majesty need not seek the outward sign, especially seeing (God be thanked) your Majesty hath received the inward grace & assured testimony of your salvation in your soul: therefore your Majesty now hath no need of the outward Act. 9 18. sign; for that were a going back again: yea a putting necessity of salvation in the outward element, which is nothing without the inward grace; that he is able to make so many syllogisms for your majesties salvation as you need not to be bond to the strait keeping of Christ's Testament, neither fear any danger that may ensue. For you have done enough already for the assurance of your salvation, in putting down the latin mass, and thrusting the Pope out of the land, though we have an english mass and english Popes in stead thereof: you have done enough in publishing & professing the gospel, 1 Cor. 4. 20 though all free & sincere practice thereof be utterly debarred out of the land; & could never by any suit be obtained, yt CHRIST might reign in his own Church by his own ministery & laws: you have done Is●…y. 60. 12. enough in nourishing so many strangers & preserving their lives under your protection; though here within the land your own natural & true hearted subjects, & CHRIST'S most faithful servants, be daily famished & made away in your prisons by these murdering BB●…. only because they dare not allow or join unto such abominations as they thrust upon the whole land: though they daily cry in the ears of your Majesty & your honourable Councillors for some equal trial, either according to the laws of the land (which is granted thieves & murderers) or by the word of God: that if they hau●… made any crime, or hold any error contrary to the truth of the Gospel, they might be censured accordingly, or else delivered from the antichristian tyranny of these BB●…. malitions slanders of these PP. yea though even these strangers also, whose bodies are here preserved have lo●…t the freedoome of their souls, & are partly by the wretched example of these unfaithful tolerating subscribing priests brought into the bondage of these BB●…. as sundry of them which have any conscience complain. What can these men say? stand not▪ these things thus? else let their own complaints & supplications to the parliaments, their protestations & new devised scoffing libels be examined: wherein they complain of these enormities and their wrongs by the BBs. supposing to themselves that they are those servants of CHRIST, that are thus oppressed. And how will this gear sort to the assurance of the Prince's salvation? not only to keep out CHRIST, & not to suffer him to reign Luk. 19 27. over her, but to set up Antichrist his enemy, & to give her power unto joh. 3. 37. the Beast, not only to keep out the right & free practice of the Gospel, Revel. 17. 13. ●…4. but to set up in stead thereof all this heap and dounghil of romish trumperies, & to ratify the Pope's Cannons & Courts, not only to exalt CHRIST'S enemies, but to persecute Christ's servants, and to arm with her sword these wolves against them. What ●…ood or figure will make this gear stand before the face of Christ, when he shall come to judgement with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, to tender vengeance unto them which do not know God▪ & which obey not unto the gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. How can they which submit to these abominations 2 The. 1. 8. 9 which they see & condemn, be held faithful Christians? ●…ude 14. 15. how can they that thus flatter & dissemble with their Prince, & that in ●…ek. 33. 6. such weighty and high matters which concern her so near, be held true hearted & faithful subjects? how can one mouth blow forth such contra●…ieties? how can one fountain sand forth at one place such bit●…er and sweet waters? How can the Prince unto us, & in our eyes, stand ●… Principal upholder of Antichrist, and such a principal member of CHRIST at one and the same time? I doubt all the Logic this scholar hath, or all the learning these renowned priests his abettors (whom he so magnifieth & extolleth) have, can not reconcile this gear, or cover their perfidous flattery & dissimulation with God & man: which to all men shall even by themselves appear, if their Theses or M●…ior propositions, which they use against the Church of Rome, & against these their LL. BB●…. be duly examined and indifferently applied to this their own ministery, administration & practice. And sure it were a work●… worthy the labout, to gather and sum their Maxims together, and briefly to draw their own Arguments against themselves, that so they may be haltered and judged of their own mouth: and both their hypocrisy and sin appear unto all men. The Lord of his mercy deliver & preserve here Majesty from such blind guides as the Bishopp●… are, from such unfaithful guides as these counterfeits, these false Prophets are. But what will D. BRIDGES, and D. SOME say now to this gear? when their greatest enemies (after all this conflicting and skirmishing with them) have yielded them the whole cause in open field, & made a more strong and unanswerable Argument against themselves, for the maintenance of the Archbishop his Grace, and all his graceless proceed, than they all this while have done, with all their study & lampe-light. How say they by this? her Majesty is here counseled, comforted and assured even by these men themselves, to resort still to that place for the sacrament, where she hath found comfort in receiving it. But she hath found comfort in receiving it at the L. Archbishop graces hands, with his rich cope on his shoulders, beraied with all his po●…tifisalibus, the english mass-book in his hands, yea by your leave with the round wa●…er. I will not here speak of attiring the Chapel & high Altar that day, and other Court ceremonies, or whether any receive the said sacrament together with her Majesty or no; or whither these things be left. But sure thus hath her Majesty received it, & either found comfort therein, or else it was not done of faith: but if she found comfort in it, o how will the Archbishop then rejoice? for them by these men's full consent & council, she is still to resort thither etc. and then need they not be redressed in her days, and that is the thing he all this while feared, lest by the powerful denouncing of God's judgements against these sins, God's grace might work in her majesties heart, to cast down all this idolatry. It is as much as he desireth, that he may remain in his palace at Lambeth still: be his calling, office, ministery, as repugnant to the word of God, or odious in God's eyes as they will, that is no matter. And see what a subject is here offered unto his learned Doctors to work upon: for their extravagant learning will not be satisfied with so little; as his lords grace will. But they will r●…plie and come upon you for all old reckoninges, and not suffer you to departed until you have fully ●…atisfied. They will thus reason against you: If it be a true sac●…ment which her Majesty hath all this while received at the hands of these Bishops in this manner etc. where she hath found comfort; then must the L. Archbish. and these L. BB ●. needs be true ministers of the Gospel; for by your own reason where there is a true sacrament there must needs be a true minister: but here you confess to be the true sacrament of the ●…upper (for her Majesty can take no true comfort in a false sacrament) therefore this Archbishop these BBs that always here administer it, are true ministers of the Gospel of CHRIST. And if they be true ministers of the Gospel and Church of CHRIST, then aught they not, and cannot be put away without open violence to the body of CHRIST, for none of his true members may be either cut off or cast out while they abide in his body, without i●…urie to his body, yea such injury as he will suffer at no mortal man's hands: neither in deed can or will the true Church or t●…ue Christians commit such outrage against him. So then how high is their sin against CHRIST, Prince & Church, which sue & seek to the Prince and Parliament, to have these true natural members of Christ's body, these reverend Lord Bishops cut off and cast away? I speak here concerning their offices, ministry, jurisdiction and so forth; which these men sue unto the Court & parliament to have utterly removed: if they be of Christ, than (without the abrogation of his Testament) how should they be taken away? If he have in his Testament set down, that he will have in and over his Church L. Archbishops Lord Bishops thus attendend & waited on, to rule & reign in his absence, to make laws, to make ministers etc. then what Prince in the world ca●… pluck away these L. Archbbs. & Lord Bi●…hops from the Church, without they likewise cast CHRIST out of doors: For CHRIST will not be divided nor halfed in this sort. If we will have him, we must take him with all his members: we cannot take one part of him, & refuse an other: he will not abide with th●…m that thus dismember him. What kind of council then do these men give unto the Prince, which thus draw her into battle against God & his Christ? in advising her to cast out of the land the true ministery of Christ? how can the Church of Christ miss these precious members or stand without them? how can she suffer them to be rend from her? how can they rather offer this violence to their natural mother, so to wound & dismember her? yea unto the body of Christ and unto their own members, if they likewise belong to that body? what outrage? what unnaturalness? what fury? what madness we●…e this? what high impiety against God & heaven. Will not here be matter enough for all the pulpits in the land & stationer's shops in London? how will they now do with these unmerciful DD. who (now they have them thus bond & fettered) will lay on load upon them. They will now have the popish baptism and all ere they let them go, and that thus. Those Archbish. & L. BBs. and all the rabble of Priests & ministers which flow from their seat, have no ●…ther foundation or warrant for their offices & ordination, than the which they had in the Church of Rome: but these Archb: L. BB. and PP. in these offices with that calling & ordination they had in the Church of Rome administer true sacraments here, & so are by them approved for true ministers; therefore there was a true ministry in the Church of Rome. This cannot be denied, for that Church which hath not a tru●…, but altogether a false ministry in it, cannot in delivering their own ministery, deliver a true ministery: but the Church of Rome in delivering their own ministery as Archbishops, L. Bishops, parish priests and hireling preachers or curates, Church wardens, side men, parish Clerks etc. ●…eliuered a true ministery; else could neither these offices remain in the Church of Christ or these men administer in these offices by virtue of that calling: therefore it may be conclud●…d, there was a true ministery in the Church of Rome. To allege that these men were called to the true faith, will ●…ot help this; for we reason not here of the men nor of their faith, but of their offices and ordination, ●…oth which they found in, & fetched from the Church of Rome: and now they administer in the same offices and by virtue of the same ordination; therefore if this ministery of the Church of ENGLAND, be ●…rue, there must needs have been & be a true ministry in the Church of Rome, seeing it is the self fame in respect of the offices and ordination; neither can any false minister ordain a true minister. Well then, having obtained and convinced a true ministery to be in the Church of Rom●… (for else neither can these Bishops or their creatures be true ministers, or the sacraments by them or any of them administered to the Queen and the land, be true sacraments) now let D. BRIDGES or D. ROBERT alone with you for all the rest, for th●…y will have both the Church & sacraments of Rome on foot again. The true Church only can ordain true ministers; but the Church of Rome ordained true ministers, as our L. Bishops and all their priests and ministery of this land: therefore the Church of Rome is a true Church. How shall these learned Doctors be answered? Again: such sacrament●… as are administered in the true Church are always true sacraments, sealing the favour and blessing of God unto them: therefore the sacraments, but especially the baptism there delivered (for to that above the other, these Doctors have an especial liking) is a true sacrament. What a quandary have you now brought yourselves unto? you must either deny all the ministery of the Church of England, which are not only ordained by these Bishops, but alike with them derived from the Church of Rome: or else you must affirm these L. Bishops to be the true mi●…isters of the Gosp●…ll; I speak in respect of their office, which then cannot be taken away: and then are all they seditious people, disturbers of the peace of the Church, and quiet of the common wealth, that seek to disturb or remove these offices, which Christ hath placed and planted in his Church. For if the parson of or any other learned minister, that you think best of, whither Doctor or other, be to be held true ministers, then have they a lawful calling & ordination to a lawful office etc. If their calling & ordination▪ be approved, then are the Bishops justified: for no false or unlawful minister can ordain a true Minister, as hath been proved. So than if the BBs. be allowed for true ministers, needs must the Church of Rome, the ministery and sacraments thereof be ratified by necessary consequence Vt supra. Not middle course (as you affirm) may here be taken; we must either make the tree good or evil, these ministers of the Church of England, true, or false: if false then deliver they no true sacraments, then is all their administration, sacraments, sermons accursed, how holy soever, or near the truth in outward show: then are they the ministers of Satan of Antichrist, sent of God in his wrath to deceive & destroy such as are ordained to death, then aught all Christ's true sheep to flee and avoid them: then aught not the Prince either to punish such as flee & avoid them for that doing, neither herself to repair to their sermons or sacraments for comfort: then is all the comfort she there taketh but delusion, even the deceit of Satan, to the destruction of all such as take comfort in unrighteousness, and that which displeaseth the Lord: Then are all they seducers which egg & persuade the Pro. 9 14. etc. Queen through their hypocrisy and flattery, unto them: as whereby Math. 7. 15. they draw her into the wrath of God, & eminent danger, & inevitable Mat. 24. 24 destruction, except she forsake them: and this is the sound council joh. 10. 5. they give her, to betray her soul to these wolves these deceivers. 2 Thes. 2. 12 So long as she is baptized with the inward baptism of the Spirit, Deu. 28. 36 though she want the outward & never seek it, it skilleth not. Will not the two learned Doctors judge this to be flat Anabaptistry, to separate from and oppose the inward Spirit against the revealed word of God? as though they that had that inward grace and earnest of their adoption, need not the outward sign, & aught not to seek it: yea that which yet is more deeply set, will they not and may they not justly say, that you hold and teach the very main grounds of all Anabaptistri●… namely, that (so they be moved by the inward spirit) they may go to any unlawful action, & (so their own heart condemn them not) they need not fear though the action be evil, & other men condemn them, for they stand or fall to their own master: else would you never have given the Prince council (being in your judgement unbaptised) because ●…he hath received inward grace (as you say) therefore not to seek the outward seal, which every member of the established Church must receive. Because she hath this inward grace, therefore she may without doubting present herself to the lords Table to receive the holy supper; though she have not been engraffed or received into the Church by outward baptism, especially that she will still persuade herself that she in the popish Church received it, for t●…is is in her no sinful ignorance, that seeing she hath received great comfort often times, in the communion in that manner by these ministers above said, administered unto her in this estate? she may still upon the scholar of Oxford his warrant adventure to fetch more there, be the action never so sacrilegious, execrable, and repugnant to God's word. Shall not these gross blind Doctors (who are in deed the very sepulchre of all rottenness) yet explode and detest these Anabaptistical phant●…sies? shall Pro●…, 25. 24. not the glorious 〈◊〉 of Christ, which you would seem to affect and jere. 1. 17. pled (though I 〈◊〉 herded of such scoffing divines to help up Christ's Gal. 1. 10. kingdom) through this your hateful flattery, hypocrisy & dissembling, 2. Tim. 4. 3. suffer great blame and reproach? because in deed you fear the jer. 23. 17. faces of men more than you fear God; & dare more boldly preach Eze●…. 13. 18 19 these and many other apparent lies, than the truth; which are better accepted of all men in these miserable and corrupt times. To their Philip. 3. 18 appetites and humours you transform and apply Christ, making him a Galat. 6. 12. Saviour to every rich glutton (live as profanely and wickedly as he Zach. 4. 6. 7. list) for your bellies sake. You seek to bring Christ in by the arm of flesh, and not by the power of his word and virtue of his Spirit, into jer. 17. 5. the hearts and co●…sciences of men: because in deed you dare not publish that truth you know, & practise it in a good conscience, enduring cheerfully with patience what soever may be inflicted upon you for the same by this evil and sinful generation: whereas now you dare neither believe nor affirm any more of God's truth, than either is already publicly received, or else confirmed by some of your authentic Authors M ● CALVINE, Mr BEZA, D. FULKE; thus holding & dissembling the faith of Christ in respect of people, times, and I wot not what policies. As though the truth of God were not always in season, always necessary, always authentic. And therefore God hath taken you in your own policies and subtleties, delivered you into the hands of your ●…nemies whom you so skoffed and scorned: and certainly unless you repent and turn unto him, he will make you even a reproach unto all men, as unsavoury salt, that can neither season, nor be seasoned with any thing. And in deed, we poor persecuted Christians, whom you so despise and blasphemy, baptizing us into the name of Browne, as though we had either derived or hold our faith of him, or any mortal man; or el●… were detected and convinced of some notorious heresies, thus adding afflictions unto our bands, whereas yourselves dare not affirm nor abide by, that Christ is the Son of God, if any persecution should arise therefore: we poor persecuted Christians (I say) are so far from rejoicing to see you thus ensnared and foiled, that we even grieve and blush for shame, that so glorious a cause should be so evil handled of you. Why, could not the sacred scriptures have given light to the deciding this doubt and undoing this knot; but that the one side must run to Mr. CALVINE, a●…d he must be i●…star mill: the other to D. FULKE, ●…d he must be put in the other balance as a counterpoise, and these being directly contrary the one to the other: the one holding the Church of Rome to be a Church though corrupted, defaced (with other such ignorant rotten terms that belong not to a true Church) the baptism there delivered to be a true sacrament, though there were neither lawful minister, faithful people, nor the institution of Christ kept in the elements and manner of delivering In which opinion, though it be altogether without ground of the word, or common sense; yet the one he will rest, because it best fitteth his popish turn and fleshly appetite, to cover all the abominations which are derived from the Church of Rome, and still as holy relike●… kept, reserved, and worshipped in this Church of England. The other side erecteth D. FULKE as their patron and giveth him a garland in his grave, because he hath utterly denied the Church of Rome in any sort to be held a true Church: & brought in that famous monument of that pontifical prelate the dowghtie S. John of Beverlay, that deprived the ignorant doggbolt priest (as he termeth him) disannulled the Baptism that he had delivered, and rebaptized the youngman. Now though no one jot of this priest of Beverlay his doing be allowable by Gods word (for there it is not found, that either one man may make or deprive a minister in the Church of God, or that the outward sign of Baptism thus given aught to be repeated) yet because this very well fitteth their humours, to disgrace the dumb priests and magnify the preaching priests, and for some other private respects, therefore forsooth this side will as peremptorily & with as little truth rest in M▪ EULK his judgement: and he shall want no figures nor flowers, that Cambridg or Oxford can afford to deck his hearse ●…. Cor. 3. 34. withal. And when think you (if both sides thus confidently betake them to their captains) shall they be accorded, and meet in the truth when they are both so wilful and thus far from it? or how shall the poor people which are led by these miserable guides, ever come Heb. 13. 8. to the sight of the truth. Undoubtedly Christ is not thus divided, neither is the spirit of God thus divers and contrary; or the word of God yea and nay. There is but one truth, one way, which neither Eph. 4. 4. of these adverse guides have as yet found, and (as it should seem) 2. Cor●…. 18. though it were showed them, they would in this presumption of their hearts rather run on headlong unto death in this their headstrong course, then by repentance turn into the ways of life that they might be saved. For besides the manifold errors of each of these factions, which have been showed in part: mark (I beseech you) into what present mischief and inevitable dangers, each course leadeth all (that hold the, same) unto. The one side that holdeth with Doctor ROBERT SOME: THAT the baptism delivered in the Church of Rome was a true Sacrament, not only thereby enclose themselves in schism, by such violent dividing in ●…uch hostile manner from the true Church, yea and even thereby conclude against the Church of England, that it is not a true Church, because there is but one true Church through the world as there is but one God, one Spirit, one CHRIST. CHRIST cannot stand an head to two so divers and contrary bodies, as these two Churches would seem to be. Now they confessing the Church of Rome to be a true Church, do hereby acknowledge themselves, both in schism & a false Church. Besides that, they utterly subvert the whole Testament of CHRIST, by bringing a new ministry and new manner of administration into the Church etc. The other side, that denijng the Church of Rome, or any covenant or seals to belong unto her, do also deny that any outward baptism is there delivered, and do thereby affirm, all the people that now are in our known parts of the world to be unbaptised, which received none other than that baptism: and then seeing there is no lawful minister to baptize this people (for none unbaptised may be a minister or baptize, neither have an unbaptised p●…ople power to elect, or ordain a ministery amongst them: Of this can no rule, precedent or example be showed in the scriptures, but all to the express contrary, especially since all extraordinary offices have ceased) and so must all the building of CHRIST'S Church and the work of the ministery cease, until some second John Baptist or new Apostles be sent us down from heaven except peradventure they after their long travel bring us forth some new Evangelist: and sure if they make a new ministry they must also make a new Gospel and confirm it with new miracles. Well thus we see the error & danger of both these ways: neither of which lead unto life; therefore neither to be followed. We may not follow the first sort of guides, lest they lead us back again to EGYPT SODOM BABYLON from whence R●…uel. 18. 4. we were escaped, or rather wherein we are by them still detained. zach. 2. 7. We may not commit ourselves to the other guide's lest we be not Heb. 1. 6. led forward toward perfection: but deluded with their doubling 2 Tim. 3. 5. 6. 7. and windings as in a maze: always going, always learning, yet never the further on our way or nearer our iournaies' end, never taught or brought to the acknowledgement and right practice of the truth. What then is to be done in this distress? surely even this; when men are at their wits ends, to flee unto God for council and direction: Isa. 42. 16. whose word if we el●…uate as our lodestar, we shall no doubt by the light thereof (Gods gracious Spirit blowing upon the sails of our faith) safely sail through all these difficulties, even with a strait course to the free and sincere practice of the Gospel; neither striking against the rocks of popery, nor falling up on the shelves & quicksands of Anabaptistry. For he that is ascended upon high, hath not left 1 Cor. 2. 16. his house destitute of council and direction ●…or all affairs and occasions in all times and estates whatsoever: but hath in his word left most perfect rules and absolute laws for all things▪. So that though he for the judgement of the world, the trial of his servants & the manifestation of his own power, bring his servants into Babylon; yet knoweth 1 Cor. 12. 3. he how to preserve and deliver his servants, without either iustifijng ●…eu. 18. 22. 23. of Babylon with D.R.S. & his disciples, or re●…ming of Babylon with these learned priests of the time and their followers: and having brought jer. 25. 10. them forth, to lead them forth to Zion, and to rear up the decayed tabernacles Amos 9 11. of David that were fallen down, without using one stone of jer. 51. 26. Babel in the work, for a corner or for a foundation. So then we now being fallen into, & found in that general defection & apostasy, whereof we were warned by our Saviour Christ, his Prophets, & Apostles: it remains that we search the scriptures whether we can there found any presidents of any such times, and see whether we can there fetch any better direction, than these learned men abovesaid have given us in this case. We read in the time of Ezechiah, that the kingdom of Israe●… had a ●… Chron. 30 1●…. 18. long time remained in schism & apostasy, having forsaken that true Temple and erected unto themselves new Temples, new Altars, n●…w ministery etc. neither could by any warnings, threats or corrections 2 Chron. 35. ●…7. be r●…claimed. Yet such of them as left their false worship and returned Ezra 6. 21. 22. to the true Temple to worship God there, were received and admitted to the passouer, without either gathering, correcting, or repeating the circumcision they had received in the time of this their schism and apostasy. The like we read to be done in the times of josiah, of Ezra, & of N●…hemiah, when they had yet longer continued in their schism and idolatry, upon their return (out of their dispersion & captivity) unto the Lord: And yet no doubt to those men, in these times, and in this estate, could the circumcision they there received (shall I speak according to the times & say be no true sacrament, or rather leave that traditional word which engendereth strife rather than godly edifying & say) be no true seal of the covenant of God's favour unto them, being added to their false worship, idolatry, schism, apostasy, obstinacy, contempt. This I think will be easily granted of all hands: For Rom. 2. 25. God's covenant is no longer made or continued with any Church or people, than they remain in his faith and obedience: yet you sce this circumcision thus received, not to be reiterate when they came unto the true faith. Whereby we are evidently taught, both that such baptism as is delivered in the false Church is no true seal of God's covenant (commonly called a true sacrament) & yet also, that such outward washing or baptism, delivered after their supe●…stitious manner in that idolatrous place, aught not unto such to be repeated as afterward forsake the false Church, and join unto the Church of God. Thus me thinks this hard difficult knot is (even with a trise) undone; when we take the true light & right way unto it. Which while these learned Doctors & diep divines (as they in their stile and banner writ themselves) have laboured by the light of their own pregnant wits to unlose, they have the further encumbered themselves, & entangled their miserable followers. For what cause hath D.R. SOME now to contend, that the baptism delivered in the false Church, should be a true seal of the covenant? or what occasion hath Mr. PENRIES' Proctor to deny, that such as there received that baptism, are not (touching the outward action) baptized? they must here show some sufficient discrepance betwixt these examples alleged out of the scriptures, & the estate of the present question; or else with reverence rest in the practice of the holy Ghost, though neither they nor I be able to arrive to the wisdom thereof. As for D. SOME, I see not what he can say: unless he either affirm, the circumcision in that apostasy of Israel, to be a true seal of the covenant: which if he do, than I oppose unto him, not only the through corruption of their estate, but also the public repudiation & bill of divorce, Hose. 2 & 4 Chap. which the Lord sent them by his Prophets: or else he must in deed show himself a worthy champion & prefer his mother Church of Rome, to the defected estate of Israel; which if he do, then must we sand to E●…dor to call up Amasiah the priest of Bethel to debate the matter with him. Amos 7. 10. And until they meet, I leave upon him the 17 Chapter of the Revelation; where the holy Ghost (as lively describing that City & Church of Rome in their situation and collars as if he had named them) calleth the one the Beast, the other the Harlo●… or great whore in that vision. Now if she Revel. 17. be an whore (as I must believe God rather than D.S.) then can she not be the spouse of CHRIST, the true Church. Then for the rest let Bethel & Rome strive in hell for the preemin●…ce: I have naught to do to judge them that are without. But now Mr. PENRIES' advocate D. SOME his adversary (who hath choose the much more reasonable extreme) peradventure will not be so soon satisfied. It is an hard matter to persuade sense where faith is wanting. But I for this matter must hold him still hard to the places of scripture alleged: so that he must show me some sufficient difference b●…twixt these cases, or else yield unto, or reprove the holy Ghost. If he put difference, it must be either in the estate of the place, of the people, or of the things delivered and compared. For the place, though Israel were part of the promised land, yet that could no way sanctify the Israelites or better their state, or defend them from the wrath of God due to their sins. It was also accursed of God, together with and for them delivered into the hands of the heathen, as we read: Neither was it ever more holy than Rome, or any place where the Church of God was or is, seeing God's blessing is eu●…r with his Church; therefore the place can put no difference. For the people: as they were sometimes Gods choose peculiar people, so were sometimes the people of the Church of Rome also: both of them apostatate, both in transgression, though (it may be) not in like depth, yet both of them out of the favour, & in the wrath of God. It were in vain to pled which of them were worse; the Ren. 22. 〈◊〉. best place out of the Church of God they shal●… found ill enough. Though I easily yield Rome or the fairest of her Daughters (though it be the Church of England) to be without all comparison worse. For the thing●… delivered & compared, both circumcision & baptism, were seals annexed to the Lords covenant, both signs and marks, which all that Gen. ●…7 were received into the communion of God's servants aught to have: Math. 3. both signifijng, a putting away the shame of Egip●…, a cutting & washing away our original & natural corruption▪, our engraffing into CHRIST'S josh. 5. 9 death & resurrection both through & with him, of our dijng unto sin, Rom. 6. 5. & living unto righteousness: as also a very putting on of CHRIST, with Collos. 2. 11. the full benefit of his merits & passion, to the perfect redemption of our souls & bodies, & full appeasing of our consciences from the wrath of God, the rigour of the law, for all the sins that ever we have committed, as fully & assuredly as we ourselves had fulfilled the law, & satisfied the wrath & justice of God etc. what then should be the impediment, why the outward baptism, delivered in the false and apostatical Church (which I only properly count the false Church) as the outward circumcision delivered in the false & apostatical Church should now more be denied, this more than that? Peradventure it will here be alleged; that the circumcision there, was much more lawfully done, & better than this baptism. I will not stand upon that; it being nothing to our purpose: I will not stand upon terms of better & more lawful, in comparing than one with an other: It sufficeth me, that in comparing them unto, & judging them by the law of God, neither of them are found either good or lawful. For unlawful it was to administer circumcision unto open idolaters, or apostates, or unto their seed, until they were renewed by faith & repentance. So is y●… still in baptism; the lawfulness of circumcision, or the holiness of the word of God, doth not justify the action or the people, where the one or the other are abused. As in the false Church circumcision is good, & the ●…os. 4. 15. 17. word of God is most holy: but to receive circumcision or to hear the word of God in the false Church, is to apostatate from CHRITS to join Amos 4. 4. & 5. 5. to God's enemies, & to forsake the true church. He cannot have fellowship 1 Cor. 10. ●…. 0. with both at one time: at what time he joineth to the one he forsaketh the other. Nothing done in the false Church (be it never so holy in show) is justified, either by them or to them; but even the calling upon the name of God, the reading scriptures, the administering baptism etc. is turned into sin, presumption, & profanation of God's name & ordinance unto them, while they remain in their iniquity. There was nothing Isa. 1. & 66 Chap●…. in the false Church, either in their manner of doing it, that made this circumcision received, allowable, or not to be repeated, neither did the faith subsequent justify the action passed of circumcision done to, & in the false Church. It was the mere mercy of God, that pardoned and purged the sin to the faithful & penitent: It was the wisdom of God, (the sin & abuse of the action thus done & received in the false church being thus purged) to reserve his own ordinance, & not to reiterate the action of circumcision. They that give a natural cause thereof, as of the impossibility of reiterating circumcision, & so put difference between circumcision & baptism: the one being impossible to be done again, the other not so, greatly err in judgement, & miss the point. For both ●…he Apostle in express words showeth, & experience in Chirurgeric confirmeth 1 Cor. 7. 18. the same; that circumcision may be gath●…red, & so might be terate or defaced also as baptism, if that had been found needful in the wisdom of the holy Ghost. What say I then, do I any way justify this outward action of circum●…ision as it is done in the false Church? nothing less, but condemn it ●…ltogether, as an hamous profanation of God's holy ordinance; yet when ●…t is purged by sincere repentance of all the error therein, & abuse thereof; ●…t pleased God in pardoning the faults to reserve & not to repeat the outward action: which because it was wrongly done, yet cannot therefore ●…e said not done at al. For we may, and must put difference betwixt a ●…hing not rightly done & a thing to be done, or not done at al. For the ●…rrors & faults of the baptism being purged by repentance, & done away through the mercy of God; the Lord now beholdeth the rest of ●…he action, & the thing which in pretence before they seemed to do, as ●…is ordinance & commandment: not from hencforth imputing the faults ●…n doing it being now repent, pardoned & done away, either unto the action or them: so that ●…rom henceforth they look more carefully to ●…he doing 〈◊〉 holy actions, according to the prescript will of God, making no willing transgression therein hereafter, neither presenting or willingly suffering their child●…en to be presented in the false Church unto their baptism, sore than they cannot be said to have truly repent it. That were to go back again & wallow them in their former apo●…tasie 2 Pet. 2. 20. Ezek. 18. 26 & sin, & to bring their old sins upon their head. But now seeing we justify not the action of B●…ptisme, as it is done in th●… false Church by an unlawful minister after an unlawful manner, & yet the error & evil doing thereof being repent & purged away do not 〈◊〉 the outward action because it cannot be said no action etc. Peradventure hereupon may be collected that such baptism as is delivered by an infid●…l, which never had knowl●…dg o●… God in CHRIST, being afterward repent of and sorrowed, that their body hath been guilty of such profanation etc. the outward baptism may in like manner remain, & not be repeated when they join unto the true Church. This may at no hand be brought to pass, neither in deed doth it here-hence follow: for easy it is to put difference betwixt an infidel, which never known God in CHRIST; and an Apostata which hath had knowledge of, and still outwardly (though corruptly) pro●…esseth God and CHRIST. The one sort know not what the Church, worship, and sacraments mean: the other (though corrupted in their knowledge) yet carry a show of Church, worship, sac●…amentes, ministery; yea & hath them, though corrupt & adulterate: so there is neither sequel nor comparison betwixt them. For that which the heathen & infidel should so prophan●… & deliver, can no way be said any kind of sacrament, either ●…ue or false; because (as is said) they have no kind of ●…hew of Church, ministery or sacraments etc. but the false Church hath all these to show, & seeming true though in deed false. So is it easy to put a difference betwixt false & adulterate baptism, and true baptism; which D.R.S. with all his divinity hath not as yet learned to do: and also betwixt false & adulterate baptism, & no baptism, which these other learned priests cannot as yet spy out. For else would they never so grossly both deny the baptism in the Church of Rome to be any baptism, concluding all the people that received it altogether without outward baptism: yet being unbaptised make it a matter of no necessity to seek outward baptism, because they (notwithstanding all their writings) still suppose it to be true baptism they there received, & so it is needles that they should seek or receive the outward baptism; and having the inward baptism of God's Spirit in their hearts, they need not seek the outward seal, but proceed without it unto the other sacrament. Also they having found comfort in that, than they are safe enough though men & Angels, yea though God himself in his word say it is unlawful & unsufferable, yea damnable sacrilege, both to them and the whole Church that administereth or joineth unto them in this action: Yet if they have found comfo●…t they may notwithstanding all this, boldly resort thither again where they have been thus banque●…ted; yea the parties finding this comfort in their souls at the receiving the supper, though (as is said) expressly against God's word, which warranteth no such comfort unto them in that action, but condemneth it flatly, yea & their estate & sin being showed them in the word, whereby their conscience is convinced; yet may they by this great Clerk of OXFORD his opinion, hung up the law of baptism as an old canceled record, yea as popish traditions that make nothing to salvation, whereof they will assure themselves, though they wittingly break God's laws & remain in the same transgression. For (say they) men at the supper are not bidden to examine themselves what was done to them being infants, or what they did 90. o●… 50. years ago etc. Is this a strong reason to disprove the commandment of God touching the receiving outward baptism, or to come unto the Table and supper of the Lord being unbaptised? yea to count these commandements as old worthless concealed records, popish traditions? etc. or is it not most high and unsufferable blasphemy rather, against CHRIST & his ordinance? Is this the account they make of the law of God, or the comfort he taketh & continual use he maketh even of that outward baptism as an excellent instruction stay & assurance of his faith? not that I make baptism the cause of salvation, o●… think that none can be saved without it. But God hath made it a most comfortable pledge & seal of his love & help to our faith, all the time that we live in this mortal life; even to him most, that hath received the greater measure of inward grace. So far is it from being at any time to any man a canceled record, that it remains for ever a sacred & iwiolable law, of special use to them that have received it, of necessity to all such as will enter into the established church of CHRIST: without which they cannot be permitted to enter, much less admitted to the Table of the Lord It is no imaginary comfort of ours can take away, or altar the irrefragable law of God: though we be not bidden to examine what was done to us being infants, or to particulate every thing we have done in our life: yet are we to consider our estate before God showed us this mercy, both of our natural corruption in general, and our particular misery being the seed of infidels, idolaters, such as were without the covenant, such as presented & offered us to Satan in the false Church, & we there in that adulterate baptism, received the pledge of God his assured wrath, & so every way the children of death & hell etc. These things aught not to be forgotten, or as the budget at our back to be cast behind us: but both with grief to be remembered, that we vile wretches should so highly have profaned God's name, with them of the false Church: & also with joy that God hath showed this mercy unto us, to redeem & deliver us out of these snares of Satan; but especially to consider when we come to the supper of 1. Cor. 11. 29. the Lord, both what the thing is we do receive, & how, with whom, & in what manner we aught to receive it. Now if we be ignorant of the doctrines of baptism, but much more, if we have not received baptism, how should we be held worthy receivers of those high mysteries, of the body & blood of our Lord jesus Christ? The watch & rules of the word are ill kept in that Church, which admitteth any, much more many into their communion, with out full assurance of their baptism. But what kind of Church is that, which consists wholly of a people unbaptised? for so (by his argument) are all they that were baptized in the popish churches? And then all the land being such at the first receiving of the G●…spel (as they imagine to themselves) how should an unbaptised people choose from among themselves able ministers to baptize? Is it not likely that this famous scholar known full little, what belonged either to the Church, ministery, or sacraments of Christ, that written this learned discourse? hath not the Church of England gotten a worthy champion, that thus learnedly defendeth her, & her proceed? & with one word of his mouth pronounceth all such, Brownists, as deny this their C●…rch of England, even the elder daughter of the Ezek. 16. 44. Church of Rome together with her mother, to be the true spouse of Christ; and therefore both reprove by the word of God, & refrain according to the same word all their abominations, suffering in all patiented manner whatsoever may be done or said against us for the same by the hands of these Cainites, & mouths of these Balaamites, rather than defiling our souls with their abominations. Which, as it were a weariness for any man but to recite, and bring to light these hellish mists and fogs, these secret mysteries of their ministery and worship which they exercise in their Temples: so is it an impossibility for this learned clerk with all his cunning, or the greatest priest of them, to defend the same, when the light of the word is but once brought unto them: so suddenly are they thereby discovered, of what sort they are. Let them therefore that thus contend for their whorish Church, approve and justify hereby the word of God: and then surely I will yield them to deserve the garland of a bishopric, or else let them assure themselves, that it is neither their tyranny, railing or sophistry, can either cover or excuse their shame from his fiery eyes, with whom they have to do, or lay that blame & reproach upon others, which they endeavour. To return therefore again to that, from which we have been somewhat with drawn by these occurrentes: it remains that we proceed in the examination of the public ministration of this famous Church of England. Of their sacraments we have herded; but they have besides these certain half sacraments or high mysteries unto which belong set & prescript communions; which to perform & execute, are no small part of the priests office. Not to speak of their orders or injunctions which are four times in the year to be solemnly read, not to repeat their sacrament of Peonance, with their bitter curses and comminations going before their Lent fast. They have yet the holy sacrament of marriage, solemnly kept in the holy church (for the most part) upon the lords day: & an especial Leito●…rgie or communion framed to the same. This action is to be done by the priest etc. who instructing the parties to be joined in wedlock wha●… to say, & when to pray etc. teacheth the man to wed his wife with a ring In the name of the Fa●…her, the Son, and of 〈◊〉 ●…oly Ghost; which ring must before by the man be laid upon the service▪ book, together with his offering unto the priest & Clerk. The book serveth in stead of holy water to hollow the ring. The ring thus hallowed, serveth in stead of an element to this sacrament, being joined to these words In the name of the Father, of the Son, & of the holy Ghost; especially, when all the collects, special psalm & blessings are said by the priest the married couple devoutly kneeling in the mean while at the communion table etc. But here will be answered, that the reform & better sort of priests, will not marry with the ring: here must then be noted, that they break their other of their Canonical obedience, which they took before the Bishop when they received their priesthood. Moreover, that for their default herein, they are to be censured and reproved by their Church: namely, their Commissary his Court, before whom such defaults are to be presented by the Churchwardens & questmen, unless they also will be forsworn for company. Moreover these reform & well conscienced priests, though they reject this ring as an idolatrous relic, yet dare they not by the word pronounce the unlawfulness thereof, that others also might leave & detest the same. That would cost blows, the Bishop would not suff●…r that: therefore they for the peace of their Church, join to them in the communion etc. that use this execrable idolatry. But well, let me not discourage them in well doing, lest we take them not often in that fault: left if the Bishop once hear of it, it than become but a matter indifferent, & then they for the peace of the Church, & the saving their benefice, & their skins whole, use it again for company. But here in the mean time I would know of the learnedest of them, where they found in the old or new Testament, that marriage is an ecclesiastical action, belonging to the worship of God in his Church, to be done by the minister as part of his office & function, & that in the Church, but especially upon the lords day with such a set liturgy of collects, exhortations; psalms, anthems & blessings framed to the purpose. I hope they found not this in the 4 Chapter of the book of Ruth: yet I doubt not, but both Booz and Ruth were godly people, and very lawfully & famously married. They used no priest in this business, nor yet made it a matter belonging to the tabernacle or worship of God. I have always found yt the parent's office to provide marriages for their children, while they remain in their charge & government: and that the parties themselves affianced & betrothed each other in the fear of God, & the p●…esence of such witnesses as were present, and that in their parents or other private houses, without running to Church to the priest after this manner. I ever took marriage for an ordinance & action of the second Table, and see not why they might Mat●…. 21. 12 13. not as well set up the tables of the money changers, or bring in any other civil business or chaffaire as this into their church. But see what these Balaamites will not do for gain; both make God a new devised worship, setting up and bringing in their own diuises, and Burning incense thereunto, and holding the people in such blindness and superstition, as they believe not themselves to be rightly married, except it be done by a priest, after the prescribed manner, and the in the due seasons also: namely, in the forenoon at morning prayer, when matins is done, next before the communion (as they call it) & this not upon any forbidden tides, as in the holy time of lent etc. when men aught to fast, without an especial licence from the sea of Can●…erburie, which Popedom hath power both to restrain meats and marriage, and 1 Tim. 4. 2. 3 ag●…ine to permit them upon grave & weighty considerations, to such as will pay roundly for the same. THE PRIEST hath also in this their porteous, a prescript form of visiting the sick, with perfect instructions what to say at the first step into the sick man his house, what when he cometh into the sick man's presence, how without any questioning of his estate, whether he be asleep or awake, alive or dead, without any words unto the sick person: the priest must down upon his mary bones, desire God to forgive the sick man his sins, and also to forgive the sins of his forefathers, with his due number of Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have ●…ercie upon us, his Pater noster with his versicles and response or aides to this mass for the quick and the dead. Which being ended, he proceedeth to his prescript exhortation; which, because it is almost a leaf long, the priest, to make short work, if the party be passing away etc. may cut off two parts of it, and say a creed: then exhort him to temember his debts, and to make his will, and to give to the poor: which being done, then by that special authority committed to him by his lord Bishop, to absolve the sick person of all his sins; and so with a special psalm and his certain of collects, to conclude the matter. This is the ordinary Visitation over & besides that especial housel or Communion of the sick above spoken of. And here, before we proceed further, me thinks there would be something said concerning this power of binding and losing sins, which the priests of the Church of England, and also of the Church of Rome challenge unto themselves as incident to their office, by virtue of some especial grant and prerogative made unto them above other Christians. Which unless they together with their holy Father the Pope, should fetch from the keys given to Pe●…er, Math. 16. 19 or from job. 20. 23 I never could hear of any evidence they had to show. For the first place I think they will not say, that the promise was made to Peter only; for than it should be contrary to the second: where the same power is given to more. Besides that, it is an usual doctrine in their pulpits, to confute the Pope's false understanding of that place: And for the place of John, I trow they cannot prove this power there given only to the Apostles, there being many disciples both men & women in the place. I hope also that they. are not so gross to suppose this power given to the people of men (for then it must have died and ceased with the Apostles, seeing we read not in all the Testament of any speciel or personal bequest made by them to any degree of men one more than another, and so they challenge it by an old worthless title) so much, as to the truth and power of the word of God; which word being believed and apprehended by faith, loses us from all our sins through that blood of Christ our Lord: which word also being rejected or transgressed, bindeth our sins unto the judgement seat of Christ, without repentance: which word is bond & sealed up amongst Christ's disciples. Neither is it given or committed unto the ministe●…s of the Church only, for than none could have faith but ministers, none aught to profess, publish or stand for the maintenance of the faith, but ministers. But we see this power, the word, the faith committed to the whole Church and every member thereof, all being commanded to watch, to publish, defend and practise the Gospel to the uttermost of their power, to admonish reprove one another etc. Now how should this be done, but by the power of the word? Moreover our Saviour Christ in sending forth the 70. gave the self same power unto their word, Mat. 15. 15. that he did unto the 12. to such as received the Gospel, peace with remission Luk. 17. 3. of sins; to such as received it not, the shaking off the dust of levit. 19 17. the feet against them. But it will peradventure be said, that in as much as the ministery of the word is chief committed unto them, Psa. 149. therefore the power of binding & losing also. To this I answer, that 1. Tim. 3. 15 I have not learned in the word, so to tie the power to the person of the man. This power is not of man but of God. The lest in the Church hath as much power by this word of God to bind the sin ●…om. 16. 17 of the Pastor, and upon his repentance to pronounce comfort & peace Coloss. 4. 17 unto him; as he hath to remit or bind the sin of the lest. So that monstrous is their presumption, that assume unto themselves not only the power given unto the whole Church (as shall be showed hereafter) but usurp I wot not what peculiar power obove all other, to bind or remit sins: yea to remit for wage the sins of every profane glutton and wicked Atheist, which will sand for the priest at the hour of death to read his Mass-book over him etc. LIKEWISE ALSO, as these Priests visit and houfel their sick by this book; so do they in like manner bury their dead by the same book. The priest meeting the corpse at the Church stile in white array (his ministering vesture) with a solemn song, or else reading aloud certain of their fragments of scripture, & so carry the corpse either to the grave, made in their holy cemitery & hallowed Churchyard, or else (if he be a rich man) carry his body into the Church: Each where his dirige & trental is read over him after they have taken off the holy covering clot, & the linen crosses wherewith the corpse is dressed, until it come unto the Churchyard or Church into that holy ground (lest sprights in the mean time should carry it away) the priest there pronounceth, that almighty God hath taken the soul of that their brother or sister unto him, be he heretic, witch, conjuror, and desiring to meet him with joy in the resurrection etc. who after he hath cast on th●… first shovel full of earth in his due time with his due words, committing earth to earth, ashes to ashes etc. then may they boldly proceed to cover him, while the priest also proceedeth to read over his holy gear, & say his Pater noster (which fi●…teth all assays) & his other prayers over the Corpse. That being done, there is for that time no more, but to pay the priest & clerk their hire. As for the mortuary, the priest will come home to the house of the dead for that well enough. But now if he be a man of wealth, that he make his grave with the rich in the Church, he shall then pay accordingly: for that ground is much more precious & holy than the Churchyard, having been consecrated & all to be sprinkled with holy water; there he shall be sure to lie dry, his grave being cut east and west and he so laid, that he may rise with his face into the east. Likewise if he have been any hearer of sermons in his life time, & have loved them well; he will be at cost to get some learned priest or other to preach over him at his bu●…al: and that shallbe much more wholesome for him then a paltry mass. But if he be of any great degree, or but stepped into the gentry; then he hath accordingly his mourners, yea his heralds peradventure, carijng his cote amour & streamers before him with solemn ado and pitching them over his tomb, as if Duke Hector, or Ajax, or Sr. Lancelot were buried. Then is the corpse brought in, with singing & many solemn Ezek. 32. 2●… circumstances that I know not of, & then is mass preacher su●…e of a mourning gown & a good reward for his pains. Besides all the superstition & idolatry in their liturgy, the popish ceremonies and heathenish pomp and customs, I would here feign know of our learned priests, where in all the Bible, they learned to say prayers or preach over (I will not though I truly might say) for the dead. As I take it, they have neither precedent nor commandment for it in the word of God. yet there we read of sundry christian burials: as of our Saviour CHRIST, STEPHEN & others; where we read neither of joh. 19 38. etc. dirgies nor sermons over them, though there were Apostles & sundry other able men to have done it. And I think it cannot be denied, if Act. 8. 2. any had deserved such commemoration, these did. But as they derived this stuff from the heathens, whether Persians, Athenians, or Romans' (I will not contend) which used these pulpit orations for the dead: so to the heathens I leave them. The next question is; where I may found in the book of God, that it belonged to the ministers office to bury the dead. It was a pollution 〈◊〉. 21. to the levitical priesthood to touch a carcase, or any thing about it. I never read in all the practice or epistles of the Apostles, that it belonged to any minister of the Church, as by office, to bury the dead. The next question is, why (of all other places) men must be buried in the Church or Churchyard? else they have not christian men's burial; but if they be not buried there and that by the priest, with his book, then are they buried like dogs, say the common people. Me thinks those of all other should not be the convenientest places: It was a thing never used until popery began; it is neither comely, convenient, nor wholesome. Well, now the last question is concerning these solemn mourners arrayed in black, many of them with hoods, caps, crosses and other knacks: where they learned thus to bemourne & lament their dead, by I know not how many months? They will tell me 'tis lawful to mourn & sorrow for the dead; God beareth so far with our infirmities. True, but yet with this Interim, as Christians, not as heathens with Deu. 14. 1. 2 a black attire outwardly, by set and stinted seasons, until so many 1 Thes. 4. 13 etc. months be passed: Christians use not to make such outward show of mourning, and to have it so far from the heart, as for the most part the chief mourners, the wife and the heir have. Neither do Christians use to mourn after such a superstitious and profane manner, or to have their mourning only in their garments, as numbers of serving men, re●…einers, mourning boys, and poor men put in mourning weeds, which never got so much by the glutton in all his life time, which are so far from mourning, as they are glad with all their hearts. Again how mourn Sr. Priests; either the parish priest that hath his mortuary and his fee for burijng him, or the preacher that hath his mourning livery and his hire also? Can they not (let them speak of their conscience) found in their hearts to be so set a work every da●… in the week. Besides, who be more curious and nicely picked to have their mourneries fitted at an hair breadth, than these mourning women? you shall not have them more choice of any garment ●…hat ever they ware, than (for the most part) they are of this: these are ●…ignes of a very sorrowful heart. To conclude, after all their prayers, preachment, where (I trow) the priest bestoweth some figures in his commendations (though he be with the glutton in the gulf of hell) to make him by his thetorick a better Christian in his grave than he was ever in his life, or else he yerneth his money ill. After all is done in Church, then are they all gathered together to a costly & sumptuous banquet. Is not this jolly Christian mourning? who would not mourn thus every day in the year. I will not here cumber our priests with over many questions, lest they answer me none of these. As how they can prove it now lawful to disbowel and embalm every rich glutton where his burijng place is hard by, and there is no cause either to keep or remove him, especially seeing all figures are long since in CHRIST performed and now ceased. Neither will I trouble them to show warrant by the word, for the exquisite sculpture & garnishing of their tombs, with engraving their arms and Atehea●…ements, moulding their images & pictures, and to set these up as monuments in their Church: which Church must also (upon the day of such burials) be solemnly arrayed and hanged with black, that even the very stones may mourn also for company. Is not this Christian mourning think you? else report me to the Church of England. All this while we have said nothing of the excellent virtues of the party deceased, for the priest (I trow) hath said enough for him in the pulpit: though he were the veriest profane atheist, profuse glutton, greedy extortor, co●…tous scraper in all the parish where he dwelled, though he never had any knowledge, love or fear of God in his life, but lived & died like a wrethched worldling: yet if he be rich enough, & his friends will be at the cost with him, he ●…hal want none of this funeral furniture to help him to heaven. He shall for his money want neither priest to pray for him, to preach over him, to praise him, to tell the people that his soul is assuredly with God, because in deed ere while upon shrift he forgave him all his sins in the name of the Father, the son, & of the holy Ghost, & peradu●…ture housled him also with the Sacrament. All this, with mourners enough, both men women & boys shall he not want for his money in Church of England to be his beads men, & to say a paternoster for his soul, & desire God to have mercy upon it, for their liveries & doles which is had at their death: though in his life time the poor might go naked or starve, for any help and relief they found of him. He would not then give, lest he might need himself ere he died: yea at his death he shall want no ringers, that will for money ring a soule-peale on all the hallowed bells for his soul, & drink a carouse for it also. But this you must note▪ neither rich nor poor, neither young nor old can get burial without money in the church of England: no penny no paternoster there: but please the priest, & then he will bury his brother & pray for, and over him whatsoever he be, so far as his book will go. There are all things vaenal & venial for money. The priest will for money pardon all his offences, by the authority committed unto him: he will for money marry and bury, both which are become solemn actions of this Church, & especial parts of the worship of God; as you may perceive by their several Leitourgies & solemnities appointed to the same. YET REMAINS also an especial part of the priests trade & again; namely:, the Purification or (as they call it) the Churching of women▪ who, after they have been safely delivered of childbirth, & have lie●… in, & been shut up their month of days accomplet: then are they to repair to Church, & to kneel down in some place ●…igh the Communion Table (not to speak how she cometh wympeled & muffled, accompanied with her wives, & dare not look upon the sun nor sky, until the priest have put her in possession again of them) unto whom (thus ●…it. 12. placed in the Church) cometh Sr. Priest, strait ways standeth by her, & readeth over her a certain Psalm viz. 121. & assureth her that the sun shall not burn her by day, nor the moon by night, saith his Pater●…oster with the prescribed versicles and response, with his Collect. And then she having offered her accustomed offerings unto him for his labour God speed her well, she is a woman on foot again, as holy as ever she was; she may now put off her veiling kerchief, & look her husband & neighbours in the face again. Is not this excellent stuff to be brought into and practised in the Church? What can be a more apish imitation, or rather a more full reviving of the jewish purification then this? both in respect of the occasion, as Childbirth; the time of her keeping in and separation from the congregation, namely a full month; the occasion & manner of her coming abroad, veiled, accompanied with her women neighbours, repairing to the Church, kneeling down to the priest until he have said his certain over her, & then her oblation unto the priest for the same. Is not all this absolutely jewish? though in deed the priests part savour more of popery. Seeing therefore they will not have it a jewish purification, let it be a mixed action of judaisme & popery. This trumpery is so gross, as it deserveth no refutation, but a dung fork to c●…st it out. If they be ashamed of the action, why do they use it? if she be not defiled by childbirth, why do they separate her? why do they cleanse her? why may she not return unto the Church (having recovered strength) before her month be expired? why may she not come a●…ter ●…er accustomed manner, and give God thanks for all his benefits & mercies, together with others? why is she enjoined to come, & the priest to receive her in this prescript manner? why are the women held in a superstitious opinion, that this action is necessary? why is it a statute & ordinance of their Church? an especial part of their worship? which who so neglect, either priest or people, are for their such defaults punished by the Commissary or Ordinary. To conclude, why should such solemn, yea public thanks (to take it at the fairest they can make it) be given openly in the Church, more for the safe deliverance of these women, being (though a singular benefit of God) y●…t a thing natural, ordinary, and common, more than for sundry other strange and marvelous deliverances from sickness, many dangers of death, and perils both by sea and land, showed by the mighty hand of God towards men and women daily, if there lay not some high mystery and deep point of divinity in the matter? why should every private and ordinary benefit be made a public action and duty of the Church? or why should women have this prerogative? if it be but bore thancksgiving (as they when they are called to accounted for this would bear us in hand) why should (if that be so) the women be more churched upon that occasion, then when they have escaped some great danger of drowning, burning, sword, enemies, or when they are recovered of some extreme sickness and disease? yea why should this solemn public peculiar thanks be more given for the escaping of evil, then for the receiving many singular great benefits at God's hand; which they are content (be they as many as he will) to swallow up in oblivion, and never to trouble him nor themselves with the matter. Thus while they seek to eschew the golph of judaisme and superstition, they run themselves upon y●… shelves of the Massalian heresy. THUS HAVING summarily run over the public worship of the Church of England prescribed in their service book, rather by way of discovery then of discourse: I will now (passing over their superstitious customs in their several churches, some upon this day some upon that Eve, according as they stand affected and devote to this peculiar Saint or that Angel, for some special wonders & great miracles showed in these several places, as largely appeareth in their legend) address myself to speak a little of these their holy Synagogues or places of assembly, commonly called their parish Church, whereunto all this rabble of worshippers resort at their appointed seasons to hear this divine book, together with their learned priests sermons etc. And in the first beginning I fear me we shall fall into such a controversy, as cannot easily be decided; namely, whether the pagan or papists where the first founders of them? Some of them which for their fame deserved to be chronicled, are recorded to have been devote unto the Gods of the heathens, like as the days of their wecke still are, not only into the names of Saints & Angels, but into the names of these heathen Gods which they still retain, having utterly lost the name and order of their Creator, as the First, second, third day of the Gene. 1. week, of the first, second, third, or such a month etc. and are now quite given away, one day to the sun Soli, another to the Moon, another to Merckrie, another to Mar●…, another to jupiter▪ another to Venus▪ and the last to Saturn, which they have now so long held by prescription in quiet possession, as it is bonbtfull when the right owner shall challenge them, his plea will not be herded in westminster hall. In like manner I have herded, that these their temples have been dedicated unto these Gods, who have had their Flamens & archflamins therein; but upon the conversion of Engl●…nd to the faith of Rome, they were all then new baptized into the names of holy saint●…s. I know here again that our learned Antiq●…ries will hardly consent to this: but then I must d●…sire them to show me, when these their ancient Cathedral churches were christened into the saints names they now bear. I suppose they shall found some of them to have carried the names they at this day do, a great while. We shall also have much ado with them concerning the first faith which Engla●…d received, which they will confirm by the notable estate of the church the first 500 years after the Apostles. And here shall be brought upon me a whole cartlode of writers, Counsels, Doctors: unto all which I oppose that little book of Christ's Testament: from which they immediately after the destruction Math. 24. 29. of jerusalem, & the decease of the Apostles fell away; changing and innovating all things daily more and more, until they had Act. 20. 29 2. Thess. 2. brought it to this estate: fashioning religion to the fancies and lusts 1. Io●…. 2. 18. of men, as it might best allure, retain and please the Princes & multitudes of the world, as is above in the beginning of this treatise more particularly showed, and may by these ancient monuments of their idolatry which still remain, as by so many arguments be evidently convinced. These Synagogues are built altogether to the form of the old Téple Exod. 27. 9 etc. of the jews, in a long square East and west, with their holy Court 1. King. 6. walled round about, commonly called the Churchyard, which is holy ground, and serveth for Christian burial, being altogether exempt for civil use: yet is it lawful for the young men & maids to play there together upon their sundays and holy days. But who so smiteth any in that holy ground, by statute is to have his hand cut off thersore. These Synagogu●…s have also their battlements, and their porch adjoining to the●… Church, not here to speak of the solemn laying the foundation; where the first stone must be laid by the hands of the Bishop or his suffragan, with certain magical prayers, & holy water, and many other idolatrous rites. They have unto it their folding d●…res and an especial levity, the parish clerk to keep the key. They have at the west end their hallowed bells, which are also baptized, sprinkled etc. They have their isles, and their body of the Church: they have also their selles to the sides of the walls, their vestery to keep the priests ministerial garments, where they are to attire and 1. Chron. 26 dress themselves before they go to their service: they have their Ezek. 42. treasury. All the cathedral o●… mother churches also have their cloisters for their Dean, prebendaries, cannons, petty cannons, singing men and singing boys etc. within their precinct and walls to abide and devil, that they may keep the watch of the temple, and their hours of Orisons. Again they have in the body of their Church their hallowed 1. Kings, 7. 23. font, to keep the holy water wherewith they baptize, all other vessels and waters to the use of baptism being by express law forbidden. They have also their holiest of all, or chancel, which peculiarly belongeth to the priest and choir, which help the priest to say & sing his service. They have their roodloft as a partition between their holy and holiest of all. The priest also hath a peculiar door into his chancel, through which none might pass but himself. Now Numb. 19 this Church thus reared up, is also thoroughly hallowed with their sprinkling water, & dedicated & baptized into the name of some especial Saint or Angel, as to the patron and defender thereof, against all Ezek. 41. 17. 18. enemies, spirits, storms, tempests etc. Yet hath it within also all the holy army of saints & Angels in their windows and walls, to keep it. Thus I think can be no doubt made, but that the very erections of these synagogues (whether they were by the heathens or papists) were idolatrous. But here I look to have objected these two reasons against me: the one for the defence of the original, the other for the present estate of them: namely, that many of these superstitions I speak of, were invented long after England received the faith, and therefore the original of these churches could not be so evil: the other, that now (thanks be to God) they are quite purged of all these idols in the walls and windows, & used to the pure worship of God; therefore I do not well so to writ of them in this estate. To the first reason (but that I love not to rave in the apocryphas writings as they do with the papists, & therefore never bring their controversies to end) I could show most of these idolatrous shapes and customs, to have been very ancient, & in deed by all likelihood, even from the first building of these synagogues, & therefore it skilleth not to inquire whether all these idolatries were invented at the first bringing of their faith into England; seeing it is manifest that most of these churches were built many years after. For (as hath been said) they at the first contented themselves with such temples as they ere while worshipped their idols in: so that they that will object unto me some few of their temples built in a round form, must both be sure that they were not built by heathens, and that all these romish relics of the Churchyard, porch, hallowed bells, font, images in the walls and windows etc. were added since the building thereof: And this I suppose will be hard for them t●… do. The papists can prescribe a long time for their images and many other things: yet all this if they could do, what were these few unto all the other so many thousands as we see to carry these idolatrous shapes even from the very foundation, which we know, and with our eyes have seen thus defiled with idols and odolatrie? so that it shallbe needles for them to trouble themselves with things farther off, when these things still remain in this shape before our eyes. And this also may answer their second allegation, where they allege them now to be quite purged of all the former Idols & idolatry wherewith they were defiled. How then do they still stand in their old idolatrous shapes, with their ancient appurtinances, with their Courts, cells, isles, chancel, belles etc. Can these remain, & all idolatrous shapes and relics be purged from them? which are so inseparably inherent unto the whole building, as it can never be cleansed of this fretting leprosy, until it be desolate, laid on heaps, as their younger sisters●…, the abbeys & Monasteries are. We see how suddenly even in few days they may be replenished and garnished with all their idols again. We had a late proof thereof in Q. Mary's time, which is not yet taken out of the common people's minds; who in doubt of the like hereafter, partly upon superstition, but generally because they would not be at the like charge to buy new, have reserved the old relics still: some of them standing up in their Church windows, others kept in their chests & vesteries; yea sundry of them are still in use: as their bells, font, organs, copes, surplices, the covering clot of the altar etc. which way can these be purged, so long as thy remain in this shape. Their whole Church also, is it not still a fit shrine to receive all the rest? what letteth that they might ●…ot be set up again (if the Idols were in readiness) in one hour? seeing their very roomths still remain as they left them, and want but a little sweeping: so that every Saint may know & take his old place again. And as it standeth with the whole frame of their Church walls, windows, and implements: so standeth it in like manner with the whole ministery of this Church, from the highest bishop to the lo●…est priest, curate, preacher, or half priest. They may all together within the space of one hour, with a little changing of their copy, serve again in their old roomths which they held in the church of Rome, to which this ministery of there's a great deal better fitteth then unto the Church of CHRIST, which can bear no such adulterate & antichristian ministery. Well then you see what good reformation they have made, & how thoroughly they have purged their Churches of popery & idolatry, & that not only spiritual idolatry (as in their worship & administration above hath been showed) but even this gro●…e material idolatry, which ●…leaueth to the whole frame and every part of those their Churches both within and without, from the very foundation to the covering stone thereof. So that now they must be driven either absolutely to justify these their cathedral & parish Churches in this form, with these appurtenances, furniture & use, by the word of God; or else we may resolutely by the same word detest them as abominable Idols; such as by the law of God are devote to utter destruction, both the altars Exod. 34. 13. the very places Deu●…. 12. 2. and the gold of them Deut. 7. 25. In such detestation aught idolatry to be amongst all God's servants, as their eye aught not to spare or covet that which the Lord rejecteth and detesteth. Thus the godly kings of juda, Asa, jehoshaphat, Ezekiah, joshiah, 2 Chron. 17 6 destroyed all the high places, altars, groves, which were erected in juda 2 Chron. 29 & Israel 〈◊〉 to the law of God. 2 Chron. 3 But here it will be said peradventure, that these judicial laws were only made but for the jews common wealth, and we now under CHRIST are not bond unto them. Let such men know, that with as little sin & as great reason they may say, the moral laws of God (as we call them) were likewise gi●…en only to the jews, and that we now under CHRIST are not bond to them. For he that said thou shalt have ●…o other Gods before my face, & thou shalt not make unto they self any graven image hath likewise said: Thou shalt utterly deface and destroy all these synagogues & places where such idols have been set up & worshipped. Who seethe not that this law hath relation unto, and dependeth upon the other? and is that temporal judgement which God hath set down, & will have man execute for the breach of the other. And sure he that will altar or abrogate the one, may by as good warrant altar or abrogate the other. To my seeming, none could better set down the penalty for transgressing of his law, than he that gave his law: unless now in this learned age some prove wiser than God, & set down more just judgements than he. In the rest I hope no man will take these commandements concerning idolatry to be ceremonial or temporal, or that CHRIST then hath abrogate or taken these away from any, either jew or Gentile. But now (with one consent) they will all pled it lawful, to co●…uert these idol places & furniture to the service of God: and this they will confirm with the authority of AUGUSTINE, CALVINE & many other writers; as also by the practice of CONSTANTINUS the Bishop of Alexandria, & all the Churches of EUROPA at this day: how they from time to time, still have used those Temples & places to the true worship of God; which the heathen, the heretics, and papists have before profaned & abused to their idol & false worship. To these I answer, that they are all but men, but if they were ●…o many Though this Book could not by the Author be corrected or revised, yet h●… sig nified his mind doubtful, nor changed in this 〈◊〉 Namely, that though these Synagogs' being dedicated to ●…dolatry & defiled wit Idols, aught therefore to b plucked down, yet n●… with such detestation to b utterly destroyed, as these I dolls which had worsh●… given unto them, but th●… the idolatrous shapes bein utterly abolished, the stu●… of these Synagogs', as th' stone, timber, lead, 〈◊〉 etc may be converted to ciui●… and honest uses, as the go creature of God, as mea●… offered to Idols etc. Angels they could not countervail the authority of one of these laws of God & places of scripture alleged: which show evidently, that God hath such idol places & all their furniture in such detestation, that he hath commanded the magistrate utterly to race & deface them. So far is it that God will be worshipped in them, that he will not have them so much as reserved, lest they defile the land & draw us to idolatry: as by experience they lately have seen in Q. MARY'S time, and we now with grief behold amongst themselves. And ●…nerly let them make unto their selves what pretences they can best devise of this & that holiness or end, God seethe their hearts, how they love the creature more than the Creator; how with the hypocrite SAUL they spare the fat ware of AMALEK, the execrable thing, to sacrifice, to worship God withal. God abhorreth these things, he will not be worshipped with them: and therefore they in reserving them, not only condemn God of injustice & folly (that belike considered not, that these things might be sanctifiedly used to his worship) but thru●…t upon God such abominations as he detesteth, & with them they will worship him whether he will or no. But they shall one day know the price of transgression; and that obedience is better than sacrifice, & that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and transgression as wickedness & idolatri●…. But now D. R. to fortify and back these authors, bringeth also thi●… reason out of Mr. CALVINE: THAT THE use of many things is pure whose original is impure. As for example; it is law●…ul to swear, though the beginning & occasion of oaths was by reason of man's sin, who is apt to lie, to deceive, or not to credit each others simple word etc. To th●…s example, this in a word: ●… see not why I should be of Mr. CALVINS' mind touching the original of oaths. For the like he might say of prayer, of the written word of God, yea of CHRIST himself, the sacraments, & all holy exercises of this life. If man were not i●… sin he need not pray, if he were not wrapped in ignorance▪ he need not the word etc. But shall I conclude hereupon, that the original of these holy things is impure; sure ●…hat were unclean doctrine. These things no doubt are before all beginnings most holy: laid up with God in the bosom of CHRIST from whence they spring unto us, & are derived by us through the holy Ghost to help our infirmities, to instruct our ignorance, & to Exod. 22. 11. confirm & assure our hearts. Yea even amongst ourselves an oath for Num. 5. 19 confirmation is an end of strife, given to our infirmiti●…s that cannot see Heb. 6. 16. things absent or secret things, as God doth. And therefore is his holy name which seethe all things, reverently taken for confirmation, & not as it is publicly used in the Church of England. So then an oath hath not the original from man, but from God himself who is the author of ●…en. 12. 2. & 15. 18. & 17. 4. & 22. 16. 17. oaths. Neither is an oath given to the sin of any (for so should the name of God be highly profaned and abused) but it ●…s given to the infirmities of all; that of things uncertain, unknown and doubtful unto us, we might rest in that truth which is confirmed unto us in the name of the most high God etc. we may very well put difference betwixt our infirmities and our sins: CHRIST taken our infirmities yet without sin; And now not any longer insisting upon the doctrine of SOME his antecedent, I deny his Argument at once: That because the use of many things whose original is impure, may be pure: therefore these idol places and temples may be used to the worship of God. He seethe the laws of God flat to the contrary, which alloweth them no use at all either civil or ecclesiastical of such idolatrous places. But he proveth it thus. The 〈◊〉 were gross idolaters; but the Israel●…tes having vanquished them, offered of their ●…poiles unto the Lord etc. Numb. 31. therefore these idol Temples & places & idolatrous trumpery, may be reserved & used in the worship of God. I must still deny his Argument. First he hath not here proved, that this gold of the Midianites was either in any idolatrous forms, or had bee●…e dedicated to Idols; & therefore from this place can conclude nothing▪ It is easy to put difference betwixt the substance of Idolaters, as gold, silver, oxen, sheep, cattle: & their Idols, & idol places. The one the captains of this host of the Israelites offered unto the Lord, for the sin they had committed in this war in sparing the Midianitish women, even Num. 31. 49 & ●…. the jewels of gold, bracelets, chains, rings, ear ring's, ornaments of legs (as the text recordeth) & the Lord accepted them. But these I trow he cannot call idols or idolatrous jewels, though they were the jewels of idolaters. The difference is great & easily put betwixt these. The lands, goods, cattle, of idolaters, we may purchase, inherit, use & enjoy: their idols, even of the most precious metals, we are to detest & destroy. Yet even here in this example, they were commanded to purge all that might go through the fire, by the fire & with the water vers. 23. of purification; & all other their utilences which they got in that war, to be purged with water vers. 21. etc. But now that second bullock which GEDEON offered, is thought and judg. 6. 25. etc. alleged to have belonged to BAAL, & brought for an instance to prove that things devote to idols may be used to the worship of God. To this if it were admitted that this bullok had belonged to BAAL (which notwithstanding I see not how ut may be proved by the text) I answer, that one particular example doth not take away a general law: Again, that GIDEON did nothing but by the express commandment of God. So that they which will enforce this example against these laws, may as well use it against the law of the altar, of the Place where to sacrifice, of the Priests which aught to offer them: all which were by GIDEON much more apparently to our seeming broken, than this law, which in deed I cannot see that he broke it at all. Further by his example private men might intrude into the magistrates office to destroy idolatrous places etc. which is unlawful. Yet Mr. SOME thinking to make the matter more sure bringeth Corah his censors for proof: because of them were made plates for a covering for the altar. But see how the further he goeth, the more he still mistaketh the matter. For these censors of Cora●…h & his company, were never offered to any idols, or used to any idolatry; but are by the testimony of the holy Ghost pronounced holy Numb. 16. 37. and therefore nothing fit his turn. Many other divine reasons he hath to prove this matter, that the churches which idolaters bui●…t, the lands which they gave unto y● maintenanc●… of their popish ministery, as arch-BBs. L. BB. parish priests, parsons, vickars etc. and also to the collegiate priests, as Deaves, Prebends, Cannons, singing men etc. aught now to be converted to the maintenance of these people & collegiate priests their successors: and (as I hear) he hath got himself into one of these colleges, & hath for his good service unto BAAL and against CHRIST, obtained JUDAS his roomth (I mean not concerning his Apostles but his deacons office) to carry the bag, & rob the poor. Well howsoever that matter standeth with him, I am sure this his reason of ●…loraes legacy unto the theatre of Rome to maintain stage plays, where wicked & filthy people might meet, deserveth no such recopences. Flora (says he) was an harlot in Rome & very wealthy: she gave very much for the erection and continuance of a yearly spectacle in Rome. By reason of gross inconveniences, that absurd show was abolished. But ●…loraes legacy was converted to the use & benefit of that common wealth. And what of all this M ●. SOME? Therefore may such things as have been dedicated by idolators, unto their idol service and the maintenance of their idol ministry, be now converted to the worship of God, & to the maintenance of the ministry of CHRIST? It is already showed that God will not be worshipped with such idolatrous stuff: and above in the handling the tithes & gl●…abes of the church of England, that CHRIST hath in his Testament set down an other kind of maintenance for the ministery of the Gospel than such popish legacies. But what sequel is in this? Fl●…raes legacy was converted to a better use, therefore things offered by idolaters to idolatry may now be converted to the worship of God etc. you see there is a bar in the way; the express laws of God to the contrary. Sure it is doubtful these profane fables and frivolous reasons would cost you a laughing at, if you lighted into some of these new pleasant Divines handling: save that in deed this subject is as a read hot iron, that would burn their fingers; and therefore they will either let it alone, or with you help to quench it. But now let me come to that doctorly distinction of yours, wherewith you most learnedly decide, & judicially conclude the whole point. These founders (say you) these idolaters erred not i●… ge●…ere but in specie. Not in the general, in that they gave lands to Colleges for God's service; but in the particular they erred, in that they gave it to the celebration of the mass, which they took to be God's service. How shall poor simple Christians that know not this deep learning, arrive to this high divinity, to make one & the self same action good & evil by logic. We know not through this diviuitie of yours, whether we should approve or condemn this action of giving lands to these colleges, to se●…ue God after the popish manner. For if we condemn it as a maintenance of idolatry, then strait he telleth us that it was given to the service of God i●… genere. whereby what he should mean I cannot conjecture, except he mean either in name and outward pretence, or else peradventure in inward intent, that they gave of a good mind to advance God's worship, though the present worship to which they gave it was idolatrous & ungodly. To the first sense; I found that all idolaters have always made profession of the worship of God. So AARON when he had made the Calf, proclaimed saying: to morrow shall be the holy day of the Lord: so the harlot said she had peace ossrings: the false Church maketh 〈◊〉 to worship CHRIST, to preach the Gospel etc. therefore the prete●…ce of cul●…us Dei cannot justify their action either in Ge●…ere or in Specie. We are taught by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 20. that whatsoever the idolaters offer, they offer unto devils & not unto God. This doctrine Moses taught before him levit. 17. 7. where having restrained all offerings, to be brought to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest etc. concludeth on this manner And they shall no more offer their offerings unto devils, after whom they have go a whoring. etc. showing there, that all sacrifices offered else where, then in the place appointed of God, by any other than by Gods lawful ministers, were an abomination to the Lord, not offered to God but to devils. This also appeareth Deu●…. 32. 15. 16. 17. etc. 2. Chron. 11. 15. whereupon we may conclude, that no outward pretence can justify an evil action, or make it good in Gevere: as for inward intentes, they can no way justify outward transgression▪ for than who should be found or judged culpable? But in the particular he granteth they erred; in that they took the popish mass for God's service, & gave their lands for the maintenance & the celebration thereof. It is well yet that this is found an error (though it be a very faint term for such high sacrilege) Let us then see in a word what kind of error it is, that the action may thereby be discerned & judged. Is not this mass a most blasphemous & execrable Idol, in that it is affirmed to be the very body & flesh of Christ, & so is adored? Is it not an open and utter denijng of both the natures of Christ? his humanity, in that they make that his body to be in many thousand places at one instant, in that they make it now patible, manducable, to be digested & cast out etc. his deity, in that they pluck him from the right hand of majesty, & now cast him into most filthy places by degestion, in that they offer him up again, conjure & sacrifice him again, & separate his deity from his humanity, both from his glory: and is this with D Some but an error, and that in Sp●…cie? I can tell him, a little of this leaven, will make sour the whole lump. And if he himself were not somewhat tainted with this, he would never for shame of the world call this cultus Dei, or say that they which gave their lands to this purpose, gave them to the worship of God, & erred not in Genere. But yet a word or two for the further explanation of this doctors deep divinity. Be it they gave their lands ad missae celebrationem to the celebration of the mass, and to these colleges to that end were they Revel. 9 3. given: which necessarily presupposeth (if we had no other proof) that Ezek. 8. 16. they were such sacrificing priests as used to say mass, a college of these Sodomites, those Locusts. Now than they erred in somewhat more, then in giving to that false worship, in that they gave to the maintenance of these idle bellies, these caterpillars, such an ungodly society & fraternity. And now, seeing the same colleges & dens remain & consist of the same wicked idle priests & their associates, in the same manner that they then did, only the latin mass removed (& that in what manner, appeareth by that which hath been above said concerning their service book) how now can these colleges be said reform, or these grants lawful? when the parties to whom such grants are made, are by all laws, both Gods & man's, uncapable of them, yea not to live or be suffered in a Christian common wealth. And the Prince hath as good right to abolish these, as her ancestor hath their brethren the Monks & Freeres, and to assume their lands into her hands, & employ them unto the benefit of the common wealth: but utterly in like manner to dissolve these idle colleges and to desolate these idol synagogues, that (as it is said by the prophet) the ravens & owls may make their nests there, as they do in the other. ●…ay. 34. But here peradventure it willbe interiected, that these synagogues may be purged, or (as our learned priests say) reform, & so still used to the worship of God; seeing all things are now made clean unto us through the word of God & prai●…r. Unto this I say: that idols cannot be cleansed with the blood of Christ, Act. 15. 20. neither by his word which utterly condemneth them, as often hath been levit. 14. etc. said. Again the idolatrous shape so cleaveth to every stone, as it by no means can be severed from them while there is a stone left standing upon a stone. So that neither they can be used to the worship of God, nor we have any civil use of them, seeing they are execiable & devote to destruction: so that they that use such execrable & unclean things, cannot be clean, but must needs be defiled with the filthiness of these idols. And herein either the ignorance or wretchedness of these priests appeareth, which thus pled for Baal & his Temples, under colour of reformation: which you see appeareth to be no other thing, then to seek to repair & da●…be that muddy brickwall (which the Lord so often commands to be utterly destroyed) for their belly, that their portion may be made fat thereby. But it may be here objected, that an Idol is nothing, and that the worship of God is now spiritual & free in all places. Though the Idol in respect of the inventors be said to be nothing, because of the vanity of the invention of man; yet in respect of the things offered & abused to the same, the Apostle teacheth that such things are offr●…d to devils, 1. Cor. 10. 19 20. & that they which have any fellowship in these actions, have fellowship with devils. Now further, the spiritual worship of God doth not take away the commandments against gross idolatry▪ neither the freedom which Christ hath given to worship him in all places, doth give leave to reserve these execrable idols, or to worship him in such places: For by that reason, we might as well go to the false Church to the popish synagogues, or turkish assemblies: but that we know in a Christian to be an utter apostacce from God: God will not be worshipped in such places. Well yet though they may not be used to the worship of God, yet why may they not be convert●…d to civil uses, as well as the land and dwelling houses of these priests; seeing it is lawful for us to buy, or to eat flesh offered to idols. It were reason enough for me to allege & rest in the word & wisdom of God, which hath commanded these idol synagagues & places which have been erected & used to idolatry and false worship, to be utterly razed & destroyed. Yet reserved he the goods & lands of the idolaters to civil uses etc. So me thinks there may be great reason rendered, & difference put betwixt such creatures as are given to idolaters to civil uses (I say not here civil ends) for albeit the end of the giver be to the maintenance of idolatry, yet the Donees cannot so use them, but only to civil uses; as houses to devil in, lands to till etc. And those creatures which are wholly separate from all civil use and consecrated to idolatry, as these idol synagogues & all their implements & furniture. The one we see though they have been defiled with idolatry as in respect of the end & owners; yet those abuses taken away, the things remain clean & of free use; the other are both accursed by Gods own mouth, devote to destruction etc. and therefore can neither be cleansed nor rese●…ued. The Lord will not have any part of the damned thing Deut. 13. 17. cleave unto our hand, neither to reserve the gold & silver thereof, lest Deut. 7. 25. 26. we be ensnared therewith; for it is an abomination before the Lord, neither may we bring abomination unto our house, jest we be accursed like unto it: but we are commanded utterly to abhor it, and count it most abominable, for it is accursed. Now then, if the most precious metals be forbidden; the base, as iron, lead, stone much more, and that with such vehemency both with threats and promises; how great is their danger and sin both priests and people, which spare that which God commands to be destroyed, which covet that which God accurseth? what then in the end shall this Doctor get by his Dean●…ie? the●…e BBs. and priests by their promotions and fat living? If God be true of his word, there is a fearful reckoning remains Psal. 11. 6. them; a●…d not only them, but the whole land which is defiled with, & susfreth such abominations. But here policy mak●…th an other politic doubt: how these collegiate priests and parsons should do for livings, and the people for places to assemble in, if these lands should be taken away, if the idolatrous temples should be pulled down. As to the first part such unchristian colleges as these dens of thieves & idle bellies are, aught to be dissolved; they deposed from their priesthood, & turned to some more honest trade of living in the common wealth: and so is this doubt soon at an end; when their antichristian ministery ceaseth and ungodly frater●…ities are dissolved, then there need not any longer lan●…es for the maintenance of such abbey lubbers, and of such locusts. As for the true ministry of CHRIST, they look for no such lordly & settled provision, they depend upon the providence & blessing of God, upon that flock unto which they administer. They are content in the greatest plenty with sufficiency to necessary food & raiment for them & their families, as wives, & children. And of this also they are neither their own carvers nor judges, but it is administered unto them from time to time by the Church to which they serve & attend, as need requireth, and their present ability affords; which most willingly make their ministers partakers with them even of all their goods, according to their need, & the others power. Now for places to assemble in: they have little love to the Gospel which build themselves such stately seeled houses, & allow not to the people of God a house to assemble & worship God in. There were synagogues built in judea & Israel after the high places were destroyed. Great were our blame, if we should suffer the idolaters so far to exceed & condemn us, which have built such magnificent & sumptuous aedifices to their idols; and we not afford a poor simple house to the Lord JESUS CHRIST, who now requireth not such sumptuous Temples, his true Temple being the souls & bodies of his choose. But I doubt, this worldly policy which hath so long born the sway & ruled religion, will never in this world yield herself prostrate as an humble handmaid, to take laws at God, & suffer him to order & govern all things by his word: I doubt in this last age of the world, there are too many false Prophets abroad, which are go forth unto the Kings of R●…uel 16. 13. ●…4. the earth, rather to draw than into battle against CHRIST & his Saints, them to bring CHRIST so generally & absolutely into their kingdoms. Yet now if I be asked who aught to abolish this idolatry, to destroy these synagogues, to dissolve these fraternities, & to depose these antichristian priests: To that I answer, the Prince, or state; and that it belongeth not to any private men: For we see they were s●…t up & remained in Israel & juda, until God raised up godly Princes to pluck them down & destroy them: yea it were an intrusion into the magistrates office & seat, for any private man so far to intermeddle. But hence than it will peradventure be collected; that seeing the Prince suffereth them, & it is not in any private man's power to redress these mischiefs, therefore private men aught likewise to frequent the same idol places & priests (though with grief of heart) until God incline the Prince to remove these abuses. I am loath in this place to meddle with the priests allegations, for their perfidy & idolatry; which use this reason with some more colours & faces among many other thereunto. Mine answer here is, that this Argument followeth not: It is one thing to abolish public evils, and an other to abstain from public evils: only the Magistrate may pull down the public monuments of idolatry; yet every private Christian ●…xod. 20. 3. both may, and upon pain of damnation aught to refaine from ●…zek. 9 4. public idolatry, or from any thing which is evil in God's ●…ies, though Hos. 4. 15. it be allowed & commanded by all the Princes of the world. The godly 1 joh. 5. 21. jews & Israelites, though they could not pull down the idolatrous ●…euel. 14. 4. places, yet refrained them; as is above d●…clared▪ So that King ASA his example, which is brought by the Priests to colour and tolerate their idolatry, will not help this matter, or serve their turn. King ASA (say they) though he plucked down all the Altars built unto strange Gods etc. yet suffered the high places which were built to the God of heaven, to stand; and was commended of the holy Ghost to have had his heart upright etc. Therefore the Prince may suffer these synagogues which were likewise-built to the true God (though otherwise abused to idolatry) & the people frequent them, the idolatry being removed. I hope they will not say, that king ASA either did well or was commended for leaving those high places standing, which were expressly forbidden by the law in many places, and afterward pulled down by his some JEHOSAPHAT. Neither yet can they prove that either ASA, or 2 Chron. 17. 6. any godly jew repaired unto them, or offered there sacrifices there, for that had been expressly against the law of God. So that it nothing maketh Deut. 16. 21. 22. either for the suffering of these idol synagogues, much less for the wor●…hipping in the same; which can no way be purged of idolatry & superstition wherewith they are now ●…raught and highly placed in the Read. Isa. 27. 9 people's minds, until they be plucked down & defaced before their Isa. 30. 22. eyes. yet even in these abominable sties are not the best sort and the most learned of the preachers ashamed to execute their ministery, and to call the people unto them to the open breach of God's laws, the feeding & nouri●…hing the profane & ignorant people in their old▪ foreconceaved superstitious opinion they hold of them; thinking neither the sermons nor sacraments any where else so holy, as they are in thes●… hallowed dedicated Churches & Chapels: and to the no small offence, & wounding the hearts of all that have any knowledge of God amongst them, which can no where else come by their sermons & ministry, but in these forbidden idolatrous accursed places. AND NOW THE public worship of the Church of England Pro●…▪ 7. 16. being thus far discovered; me thinks it due time, & most fit Revel 2. 22. to examine the public preaching of the Gospel in the said Church: seeing that therewith, as with a goodly embroidered coverlet & fine sheets of Egypt they cover jesabels' bed, & hide all their fornications: seeing therewith, Hoze. 9 8. as with a sweet whistle they allure, as with a charm they retain Habak. 1. 1●…▪ 16. their auditory: seingtherwith, as with an angle they take up all, & catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarn, whereof they rejoice and are glad; therefore they sacrifice unto their nets & burn incense unto their yarn, because by them their portion is made fat, and their mere plenteous. But these counterfeit ornaments being brought to the trial of God's word, they will strait appear but whorish scarves to co●…er her shame & filthiness; & not those goodly broidered coverings, wherewith Isa. 47. 3. the true tabernacle is adorned. These stales being disclosed, I hope they Ezek. 16. 3●…. shall in vain bait their hooks & spread their nets for the birds that N●…b. 3. 5. 6. are on wing, & through the mercy of God espy their grins: so that from henceforth these Babylonish marchantmen shallbe dri●…en to wail Revel: 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. and lament, because no man buyeth their ware any more. And jere. 2●…. sure, if the Prophet jeremy in his time were so vehemently affected with▪ grief, that his bowels within him swollen, his bones shook, and his heart for sorrow & fear even broke, to behold the sins of the Prophets which drawn all the land into transgression, & held them in the wrath of God etc. What would he, or what aught we in these our days to do? who found not only all the marks of false Prophets which are recorded in the scriptures upon them, but even Satan's uttermost deceits & effectual 2 Cor. 11. 13. 14. ●…5. delusions amongst them, suborning & transforming them, as Mark. 13. 22 if they were ministers of righteousness, taking unto them the names & 2 Thess. 2. 9 10. 2 Pet. 2. titles of CHRIST'S ministers, preachers of the Gospel, seekers of reformation etc. whereby he deceiveth the world, draweth them into most 2▪ Pet. 3. heinous sins & high profanation of God's name, which can no other way be reform or purged, but by the utter dissolution of the whole ●…rame, when this whole world shall be consumed with fire, unto the which day it hasteneth & is reserved. And sure even hereby we may assuredly know, that we are fallen into the last times, inasmuch as in this clear light of the Gospel (whereby the whore of Babylon is not only descried, but consumed & burned as it were by fire) yet these deceitful workmen not only build their own timber and stubble devices, but most highly profane that heavenly frame & gracious government of CHRIST, in seeking to bring it in, & to plant it over & amongst their confuse profane multitudes, in these their Babylonish parish assemblies. Yet no doubt, that God that revealed & showed in the heaven openly, the Temple of the tabernacle of testimony, will gather in, build, & preserve his elect in the same, even as he did Noah & his family in the Ark in the day of the flood. BUT TO Return to our present purpose, which is to show after what manner these ministers of the Church of England preach the Gospel. Here must be remembered after what order they stand priests, how they entered, what they vowed by oath at their entrance, what kind of office they are entered unto; likewise unto what manner of people, and how they execute these their offices; not here to speak of their manner of coming by them. It hath been above declared, how all the ministery of the Church of England is derived from & held of these antichristian BBs. by the tenure of homage & fealty at the lest, if not of Villeinage. So that such of them as acknowledge the BBs. to be antichristian, do together with the same sword & blow cut off all the ministry springing & proceeding from their apostatical chair, there is no fence or ward to save them. It hath been declared likewise, how at the receiving this ministery, they solemnly upon their knees (by oath) vowed their canonical obedience to these BBs & their substitutes their orders and decrees; and this not only to the observation of the things that are or shallbe by these their Lords & Superintendent●… commanded them, but likewise by the same to be disciplined, censured & chastised for any thing offensive unto them, which in their ministery they shall do or say, whither by Mulct, Suspension, deposition, or prison. Furthermore, from them they fetch their licence to preach, with their laws of stint, limitation, and prescription, when to preach, what to preach, where and how long to preach; but especially by public doctrine not to speak against any thing by public authority enjoined, or by the same authority hereafter to be enjoined; as also, to exhort their parishioners unto the due obedience & observation of such injunctions. And that this be faithfully performed, their Lords the BBs. have not only the oaths of the priests, to observe etc. and of the Churchwardens and sidemen, to present the defaltes thereof; but their several deputies & officers, as Archdeacon's, Chancellors, Commissaries, to keep their courts & scenes to see these things observed & punish the offending; to which substitutes & courts they are all attendant & accountable. Their ordinary offices which they execute are parsons or vickars, not here to speak of the collegiate priest●…s, who may & do exercise all the offices of their Church in their own person: for one man may be a person or pastor a Doctor & a Dean or Deacon; take D.R.S. for example. As for such as term themselves ministers or preachers, they are but mercenary men to help an other in his office, as the no●… residents, plurified parsons, or dumb ministers: they have a roving ministery, without either certain office or place. As for their name of teacher, which they counterfeit & usurp unto themselves to hide their wretchedness, and to purchase estimation with the people: it is known their Church of England, nor yet her mother of ROME hath no such office, other than their popish university Doctors, who have it as an addition of honour, & not of office; which name you see they hold together with & far above their office of a Parson. But even these roving ministers & mercenary preachers, fetch their ministery and licence to preach from the chair of their Lord Bishop, upon the same conditions and covenant that the other, yea and execute their charges when they are hired, after the same manner, both in saing their ●…eruice enjoined them etc. & in making their appearance & account at the scenes & courts abo●…e said. If some of them here take exception unto this, & allege particular instances to the contrary, who neither read the service book nor yet come at the BBs. courts; let these men be more nearly observed, and you shall found these but mere delusions and jugglings to blear the eyes of the simple. For mark these men, and I warrant you this book must go before or after their sermon▪ and be read either by some reading priest, or else by the roaring bulls of their cathedral Church: for there is no Church or public Chapel in England, but is bond unto this book, and these well conscienced how learned soever, make no scruple to second this book with their sermons by 30▪ years together (if they have been priests so long) & stand ministers to this people in this idolatry, idolatrous places, sodomitish & monkish colleges etc. Is not this all one as if themselves used or read the book & sung withthem for company, seeing they both join with them in prayer, stand a minister unto them in these places & estate: yea and (by their leaves) the wisest of them do both administer & receive the sacraments after the order of this book, together with these people etc. And in that they make not continual appearance unto their Scenes & courts; it is by some peculiar privilege granted by the a●…ch-Bish. unto some great man or other, or else by some especial prerogative from the Prince: both with this intendment always, that they do nothing contrary or preiudi●…iall unto the public course and proceedings of the land; for if they do, there is no privilege or prerogative can defend them from their arch L. Bishop: his letters missi●…e & messengers will soon be with them, they must answer the matter before his Highness, and that with due homage & submission, or else they know the price of it etc. And is not this all one in effect as if they made their monthly Revel 13. 17 appearance unto their ordinaries substitutes, when we see they have the Re●…el 14. 9 open mark of the Beast in their licence, privilege etc. and must preach after the same prescription that other priests do etc. And when we see they do their homage in open court unto the archbeast upon his summons? Revel 13. 13. 14. & 16. 13. may I not then justly conclude, that all the Priests of England have a false & antichristian ministery upon them, exerc●…se it in idolatry Re●…el 19 20 & unto idolaters, have the marks of, and stand in subjection unto the beast, preach by his licence & limitation etc. and so join as the false Prophet ●…nto his throne: And who now can say, that these men preach the Gospel truly & sincerely, while they remain in this antichristian ministery, idolatry, confusion, subjection? But that this their preaching may more manifestly appear unto all men, let the indifferent readers but consider with themselves of the truth of these matters, while I but by way of a brief repetition discover some of their deceits, shifts, and errors. First therefore I must desire them duly to consider of these former circumstances, as of their ministery & manner of receiving the same; of their office & manner of coming by it, and of their administering in the same: and unto these to join that which should have been first remembered, their academical education & school learning whereof they so boast, & whereby they are made fit for the high work of the ministery and government of the Church; yea that most high office of God's Dispenser or Steward. These being duly considered, and compared unto the rules in CHRIST'S Testament, concerning the ministery & ministers of the Gospel: see if they found them not peremptory lets, why in this estate they cannot preach the Gospel of CHRIST sincerely, which they have not as yet truly Math. 6. 24 known or embraced. Yea let them examine them nearly by this light, Rom. ●…0. ●…4. ●…oh. 8. 42. 43. 44. & see if they found them not those noi●…ome Egyptian▪ botches & grievous plague sores, which by the just judgement of God are fallen upon the Revel 16. 2. men that have the mark of the Beast, and upon them which worship his image, and are never found upon any of the children of God, much less upon the ministers of CHRIST. Next let them consider, whether these learned & best reform preachers (for unto them still as the most pernicious deceivers I bend my speech, that other being so gross as of themselves they fall to the ground) whether these learned preachers (I say) do not make merchandise 2 Pe●…. 2. 1●…. ●…ude. 11. of the word, and open portsale of the Gospel, offering their cunning, and selling their tongues like the orators and lawyers of the common 1 Thess. 2. ●… wealth, setting a price of the Gospel and compounding for their bellies Phil. ●…. 18. 19 before hand with the gluttons & profane people to whom they Micah. 3. 5. 11. administer: always ready upon the hearing of a better bargain to remove, as we have above said of their parsonages, deaneries, bishoprics, Ezek. 13. 19 and all▪ other ecclesiastical livings of their Church of England, until they arrive unto the archbishopric of Canterbury, to be Primate and Metropolitan of all England. That only office is as their polestar, fixed, and unmovable, unto and by which they direct all their course: And now I leave to your judgement whether any such Bal●…ites and Sinioniaks can truly and sincerely preach the Gospel. But all this they will hide and salve with these two allegations: that the workman is worthy of his hire: and that if they should not thus compound, the people are so vircharitable and covetous, as they should want maintenance for food, raiment, & books. To the former it hath already in a peculiar discourse been showed, that the ministers of the Gospel should neither be maintained with jewish tithes, nor balaam's wages, much less bargain and bartre in this manner, & be their own carvers. To the other, if the people want that charity as not to administer C●…l. 6. ●…. unto such of their earthly things which trea●… out the corn, yea grinned, 1 Cor. 9 9 11. prepare, and divide unto them their food & portion, and administer unto them spiritual and heavenly things, then are they utterly unworthy Rom. 15. 2●… Luk. 3. 10. 11. of the Gospel, then belongeth not the Gospel unto them. Then why do they administer the Gospel and stand herds to these 1. joh. 3. 17. gadarenes? why cast they their pearls before such swine? why do Mat. 7. 6. they sell the Gospel & stand ministers, yea prostitute the body & blood of Christ for wage, to such open unworthy as have neither faith nor charity? As for their apparel, it is either too nice & curious, or else too affec●…ed Zach. 13. 4. and framed as the rough garment to deceive. Math. 23. 5 For their diet, they are so far from suffering these necessities and di●…tresses, 1 Cor. 4. 1. that famine, hunger, cold & nakedness, that labour and painfulness 2 Cor. 6. 4 etc. which the Apostle sustained; as they are rather of those I●…d. 12. feasters the Apostle Jude speaketh of, which feed themselves without all fear▪ Yea these ●…ycophants, these trencher priests will most cunningly Mica. 2. 11. insinuate into some great or noble man's house, where they are sure to be well fed, and safe from all storms: even the meanest of them will never be without their good hosts & dames where they may lay their knife aboard, & fill their belly of the best. Infinite are ●…heir ar●…es both I●…dg. 17. & 18. chap to get & retain such friends; never were there in any ●…ge such priests for the wealthy sort; but as for the poor, these pharisee is will have no Ezek. 34. meddling with them further, then while they bring their offerings or Mica. 3. pay their tithes. Sure they will be to have Christ a cook unto them: as for having him to be their King, the shall be but by way of inscription in a piece of paper, or in the pulpit some time: yet even there meddle they as little with▪ Christ's offices as may be. Now for their books (where in deed lieth all their learning and cunning, without which they are as blind as moles, as mute as fish) it is no marvel though they call for them, for therein consiseth ●…all their glory: he that can most learnedly fetch out his sermon ●…frō●…thē, and preach their notes in manner of discourse, he is the only man, he hitteth the point aright, though the text be never touched or broken up. Neither is it a small matter that will ●…urnish one of these learned preachers of books: they will not stick to bestow more wealth in their study, than many a godly christian and good house keeper hath to maintain his family, & to relieve his neighbours with. But they edify and build up the Church hereby, which is much more precious than earthly sustenance. I believe it well: for upon such sandy foundations is both their own faith and their whole ●…th. 7. 26 Church built, and not upon the sure rock of Christ's Testament: what good and sound stuff they pick from thence, partly may appear by the discussing of sundry errors, which even the chief & very best of a●… their writers have held; partly shall more appear, when we come to Prou. 8. 8. the examination of their pulpe●… doctrines. Only in this place I set Eze●…. 47. 12 down my simple judgement, that it were much better for the whole ●…eu. 22. 2. Church and themselves also; that for prophecy & doctrine they la●…d aside all authors, and betake them wholly of all hands to the book of God. So should that book be more sound understood and opened, every word and leaf of the tree of life have his due virtue: so should they see with their own eyes and not with other men's, 〈◊〉. 8. 8. speak with their own tongues: etc. so should they and their whole Eze. 47. 12. auditory have greater assurance for the things they do or leave undone, Revel 22. 2. so should there be many fewer of these blind guides, these traditional preachers. ●…ct. 4. ●…9. 20. Furthermore here is to be observed, how these priests or preachers, Act. 5. 19 not only take their licence to preach at their lords these antichristia Reu. 13. 12. 13. 14. Bishops hands, & again at their pleasure are deposed & scilenced & submit their doctrine to their censure, the Gospel to th●…ir limitation Reu. 17. 4. & prescrip●…iō, preaching nothing that may breed either the BBs dislike or their own unquiet etc: but with their sermons deck up & adorn ezek. ●…3. 10. ●…1. the whore, heal the wound of the beast, curse, reproach and slander Christ's most faithful servants, bless Christ's enemies even all the profane ●…er. 6. 14. 20. of the land: Finally they therewith daub up all the sin of the land, & join the Gospel to all the abomination of the time? Hos. 5. 10. 11. The former part of these hath been often showed, & need neither proof nor repetition; their b●…e with their paper licence, their o●…he Mi●…. 6. 26. o●… canonical obedience, their public injunctions etc. declare. The other part, their present administration & the lamentable estate jer. 6. 28. 29. 30. of the whole land, being through their deceit so deeply set and strongly held in apostasy, transgression and ignorance, manifesteth Hos. 4. 1. 2. without further proof. Let the gross idolatry, miserable servitude Hos. 7. 4. 10. to the antichristian yoke of these Bishops, the more than Babylonish Ezek. 16. 49. confusion, the Sodomitish pride & excess, the open pe●…uerting of judgement & justice, the through corruption of all estates, the deluge and Hos. 9 9 height of sin never herded nor read of the like in any nation or time Amos. 6. going before, show what Kind of Gospel they preach, or rather how they preach the Gospel. There is no man so sinful and wretched that will come and hear their cunning in the pulpit, whom they sand not away with the peace & blessing of God. There is no people within Ezek. 14. 4. 7. 10. the compass of the whole land that will fee and feed them well, to whom they will not at the first sight administer, deliver them the sacraments Ezek. 22. 25. 26. etc: yea, be he never so notoriously wicked, impenitent, unworthy, unto & with whom they will not communicate. Yea let Ezek. 13. 1●… him be wealthy, and one that will entertain & countenance the preacher, Micah. 3. 11. receive him unto house, & resort to his sermons, what life may jer. 23. 17. not this man lead, even before Mr. Preacher his face. What gluttony, jer. 8. 11. 12. etc. riot excess, idleness, profannes, pride, what cruelty, oppression, wrong, covetousness, pleasure, vanity, delight, even all the apples & ripe authunne fruits their souls can lust after or desire, may they not gather with Revel. 18. 14. full hand by Mr. Preachers permission: yea so they be rich & of authority Hos. 4. 8. 9 10. or noble, then will he help to reach him down the boughs, and prepare them to his appetite, which way soever his humour stand. For they are cunning physicians, & will very soon espy the constitution & inclination of their patientes; which being found, than physic, diet & all shallbe prepared accordingly, which way soever his appetite chief tendeth, that shall not be crossed I warrant you, but finely fed & nourished. If he be ambitious, discontented with his present estate, still aspiring, and climbing to fu●…ther honour, that is imputed to his virtuous & honourable mind, which no mean thing can content or suffice; what soever office or many offices he thus attaineth, they a●… all in him the redward of virtue, the especial favour & blessing of God towards him, wherewith God doth most highly honour, esteem and advance him before all other men. Let him execute these offices as Isa. 59 14. negligently, nay as unjustly & corruptly, with as great extortion, wrong, Mic●…h. 3. 3. 12. violence as apparently as may be, perverting yea selling justice, so that judgement is turned into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into Am●…s. 5. 7. wormwood; all this gear belongeth not to Mr. Preacher to intermeddle Hos. 10. 4. with matters too high for them. If they should reprove these things, it were the next way to bring him in dislike with the Gospel & to bring in popery again; & so should the preachers want countenance: so far are they from reproving him by name, or their Church from calling these great states to account for these or any other particular sin, that so they might either be turned from their levit. 19 17 evil ways by r●…pentance, or else receive that public reproof and levit. 5. 1. ecclesiastical censure that belongeth to the same, according to the commandment jer. 1. 17. 18 and power of our Lord jesus Christ for the humbling of his Ezek. 3 flesh. Ezek. 33. 3. But sure I ween this case is a Demurrur in the Church of England, ye●… utterly denied to be lawful or sufferable, that the magistrate should be excommunicate: they therefore in stead hereof, receive them in this estate to their sermons, prayers, & sacraments, in hope of secret repentance, as they say: for what though they have used yt all their life and give no outward sign of amendment, yet repentance may come in the twinkling of an eye. Well now if these noble or rich men be given to riot & gluttony, ●…zek. 13. 18. with all manner of delicate fare, pampering up the flesh etc. that in 1. Thess. 2. 1. ●…. 3. 4. 5. 6. them is but good housekeeping: if they & their retinue exceed in monstrous and vain apparel, it is but raiment fit to their degree, age, or Is●… 3 sex: If they keep & nourish troops of idle servingmen & followers, this still belongeth to their degree: if they and their whole household spend all their life time in fleshly & vain sports and gaming, so that numbers of men have no other trade, and be wholly employed to the keeping of hawks & dogs to serve the lust of these men: all this is covered Math. 12. 34. 35. 36. 37. under christian recreation & pastime, and is tolerable enough so he will hear a sermon, and call his family to a lecture; yea the priest will not then stick to stay & look on, until the games at tables or set ●…ph. 5. 3. 4. 5. 6. at cards be done; yea or at some odd time, to make their exercise gi●…e place to an interlude. As for their common table talk, they Col. 3. 5. 6. may there be as profane as Esau, and use there what merriments, Eph. 4. 29. scoffs, jesting & vain speech they list; all is in the way of mirth, good Isa. 5. 8. fellowship, wrapped up in the clot, and sanctified with Mr. Preachers jer. 6. 13. short grace. As for most insatiable and greedy covetousness in 1. Cor. 6. 10 purchasing and joining not field unto field, but town unto town, Col. 3. 5. until they be Lords of a whole country, that is but good hu●…bandrie, wise foresight, and allowable providence for them & their posterity. Be the sin never so odious and apparent, if it be in a man of au●…horitie, these prophets these preachers dare not reprove it, for that were both to transgress their commission, & forfeit their letters patents. If these sins be found upon any of their patrons proselytes or hearers, then for love they must wink at them, and not found faul●…▪ especially if they be any of these inherent or inbred sins which Heb. 12. ●… cleave close to the soul, & cannot without great strife & dislike unto 1. Pet. 4. 2. the flesh, be left. With these sins these Predicantes will not meddle▪ Ro●…. 12. 2 as if they be given to pride, to exhort them to lowliness & humbleness, to cast away these ornaments which nourish that sin & wherein Cal. 5. 19 the flesh delighteth, and to get unto them the jewels of godly knowledge ●… 〈◊〉. 1. 4. ●…●…. & Christian virtues to deck & garnish their souls therewith: if they be given to riot, fleshly lusts▪ & vanities, spending their time therein, to council them to redeem the time while it is called to day, to subdue the flesh & bring it into obedience & mortify the lusts thereof, showing them▪ the end of such pleasures & delights to be bitterness & death etc. If they be given to covetous hoarding up treasures, purchasing lands, building sumptuous houses and garnishing them etc. Prou. 1●…. 4. to show them that the covetous shall not enter into the kingdom of Luk. 12. 17. God, that these uncertain riches can neither help them, nor establish 1 Tim. 6. 17. 18. 19 their posterity, not not in this world, God having so many means to take their wealth from them and them from their wealth in the twinkling Luke. 16. 9 10. of an eye, much less make them the more acceptable unto God: showing them that they are but the Lords stewards and bailiffs of Ia●…es. 5. 1. them, and shall account unto him for the use of every farthing: and Mat. 25. 14▪ etc. therefore it behoveth them to be careful that they bestow them according to their Mr. his will, otherwise the mispence or miskeeping of them shall fret their soul, & rise up in judgement against them: yea even in this life they shall be but snares to them & their posterity, to bring and hale them to more sure damnation etc. Fie these were too sour & unpleasant Luk. 22. 34 35. doctrines, especially when they come to be put in practice in all Psal. 69. 〈◊〉 these duties of the second Table; I doubt me much, that if they should but once sincerely & faithfully deal with any one text, the saying would be so hard as they should lose numbers of their disciples, if not the whole multitude of their hearers: and I doubt me, not be half so welcome to their gl●…ttons houses as they are at this day. But now for such sins as either these chief of their auditory are not apparently infected with, or else cā●…ndure to be weaned of (for this you must always note, to their appetite must the whole feast be prepared) for such sins let their preachers alone, they will rouse & handle them to the quick. As if they whom they seek to please be rath●…r given to prodigality, profusion, inordinate wasting in excess, pride, vanity: o so they will then be bait the covetous scraping drudges out of the Church: And so of the contrary, where the chief of their auditory air more parsimonious & covetous; than will they as much c●…y out of waist, excess, riot in apparel, diet etc. then may not a great ruff look into the Church, lest they will do penance that were it. Generally else, where they light on gentle & tractable souls, which in deed bear a love to the truth & unto such as most sincerely teach it: here will they first by their utmost art seek to bring themselves into credit & estimation: for here will they take boldness to speak (though colourably and but in faint & doubtful terms) against many corruptions in their Church, as the dumb mini●…trye, Cross in baptis●…e, versing & canting their psalms & anthems from one to an other as ten●…isballs, against the organs, cap, tippet, surplice and such like: They will also put on such an outside of gravity and a good conscience, they will rebuke swearing, and before such as these dislike of vain apparel▪ peradventure also of idle gaming, exhort to diligent hearing of the word preached, making the poor souls believe that even by this outward hearing they are in a strait course and ready way to salvation, though they neither practise that little truth they hear, neither understand the word, or be able to know thereby when they do well or 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7 evil: yet into such a superstitious fear are they brought, and such a ●…al. 6. 4. Hub. 5. 12. conceit & opinion of these men's sincerity, great knowledge and good conscience, that they even depend on their mouths, believe all true that they say, without question or trial thereof by the word of God, neither dare they believe the express scriptures when they are brought to reprove their doings: In such reverence and estimation have they these good men. Whose counterfeit and corrupt dealing as you have somewhat herded it in the second Table; so if you now but turn your eye a little to the first Table, you shall see they deal much worse in the worship & service of God. For stand not they minister's to all this abominable stuff that hath been above recited? It is the very proper ministration belonging & enjoined to their ministery, unto which by office and oath they stand bond, and not unto preaching of the word of God; for that is a thing voluntary, supererogatory: but this is a thing of necessity, by law, by oath, by presentment, by visitation enjoined & seen to be observed, it must always go before, and take the pre-eminence of the word of God. And if the word of God happen to follow it (by your leave) it may not be so bold as control it, for if it do, I know who goeth out of doors. And mark the precisest▪ & best of your preachers well, you shall see they will meddle with it as little as may be: Or if they do at any time, it shallbe but rather to prune or lordship some water boughs that are superfluous, of a tender care to preserve & polish it, & not to lay the axe to the root & bulk of the tree. For I tell you if it fall, down goes ministery, sacraments, Church & altogether: and ò what a fall would that be. It stands them upon therefore to take heed how they deal with this gear, lest they open such a gap as they be never able to shut with all the learning they want. No marvel therefore, 2 Cor. 2. 17. & 4. 1. 2. 3. though they deal daintily in ambiguous and doubtful terms with such counterfeit stuff; for if they should bring it either to the touchstone Ephes. 5. 13. or to the light, it would at the first blush bewray it self. In the mean time what good preaching is this of there's, that have had the Gospel thus long amongst them daily taught and preached, and have not in 32 years space as yet discovered this abominable odious idolatry, most gross & stinking popery. Must you not needs now condemn these your preachers, either of ignorance or perfidy? of ignorance Mat. 5. 13. 14. if they know or see not these abominations: yet you see they dare adventure both to practise & administer this stuff unto others, Rom. 2. ●…7. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. yea to reproach, slander, and revile all such as of conscience unto God refuse to partake with them, and receive at their hands this trumpery. Now than if they be thus blind as they cannot discern these things how dare you any longer follow or use than for guides? If the blind lead Math. 15. 14 the blind shall not both fall into the ditch? but if they say they see, how heinous then is their sin, how great their perfidy and treachery unto 2 Cor. 6. 14 God & man? unto God, both in that they thus presumptuously of set 15. joh. 8. 12 purpose with most high contempt, violate his laws and tread under 1 joh. 1. 5. 6. foot his Testament, and also abuse his most sacred word in joining it Izek. 13. 11. to such abominations; yea not only not discover & cast out these idolatries & filthy dung therewith, but in stead thereof daub & solder up jere. 23. 9 all the ryftes & leaks therewith. It is most certain that the word of 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. 6. God in the mouths of all his true ministers & servants, is as fire & an hammer: as fire, to consume all stubble & trash; as an hammer, to break in sunder whatsoever opposeth it self against the truth of God's word. It is manifest therefore, that they preach their own devices, & not the word of God sincerely: for the Ark of God & DAGON cannot stand up together, such light & such darkness cannot be mixed. Again, if they had stood in the council of the Lord and had declared his word unto his people, they should have turned them from their evil ways, and from the wickedness of their inventions. But they have fortified and soldered the people therewith in all these sins and abominations, giving them their peace, and blessing, and pardon every day they come to Church, so that none can departed from iniquity: Therefore the greater is their treason to God & man, in drawing them into the high transgression of God's laws, and in keeping them in the wrath of God. Now who is so desperate, as knowing the perfidy and treachery of these miserable guide's both towards God and man, that would hazard and commit his soul and body to the conduct of such blind and deceitful guides, as either cannot or will not lead them right? who 〈◊〉. 33. would commit the City to such blind watch men, as either cannot discern 1 Cor. 14. 8●…. the enemy; or unto such treacherous watchmen, as will not blow the trumpet and give warning unto all men to be in a readiness; but on the contrary are in compact with the enemy, have betrayed the whole Church into their hands, yielded unto them absolute authority, taken their laws, their peace, their mark, and stand now the sworn waged ma●…ked sould●…ors of Antichrist, guarding his very throne & person, setting up & burning ince●…se to his image, gylding the harlot the Revel. 13. 13▪ 14. Reu. 17. 4. & 18. ●…2▪ 13. Ezek. 16. 16. 17. 18. 19 Prau. ●…. 14. 15. false Church, and araying her with all the titles & ornaments, even the gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, scarlet etc. that belong to the true tabernacle: In her do they offer the meat, flower, wine, oil, honey that God hath given: In her burn they their frankincense and sweetest perfumes: In her they prepare a feast & furnish a Table to the multitudes. These are her chamberlains her tapsters, that stand at the door of her house, of every high place in the land, and invite & toll in their guests, which flow in vn●…o them at the sound of their bell. These call & allure such as pass by their way & go right on their way, to take a bay●…e at their i●…ne, promising their peace offerings, wisdom & great cheer, and very great and good company of the noble, the rich, the learned; who will all be ready upon the first blush of fair weather, as soon as ever it holdeth up over head & these storms and clouds are blown Eccle. 11. 4. away, to go with them on that journey whether they are travailing, for Prou. 15. 19 & 22. 5. thither also are they bend; and as soon as ever God shall incline the Prince's heart, than they will all forsake Antichrist & go unto CHRIST. Prou. 23. 13. In the mean time they have all with one consent determined▪ not to guide forward one step. Also these that go before them in the way, and will not stay for this good company; ●…uch they say mar all their course, and hinder the Amos 5. 10 discipline they seek. And therefore they assay by all means to turn Isa. 59 15. them out of their way: which if it will not be, than they denounce & Exod. 14. 5. proclaim them as most bitter enemies Brownestes, Schismatics, proud and ignorant people, disobedient to Magistrates; whom they in their pulpits stir up, to sand out their horsemen & chariors after them, to bring them by force back again into EGYPT, and to hold their bodies in moist noisome, vile and straight prisons, except they will come to these fowlers, unto their high places. For these good men would not have CHRIST brought in in the base Math. 2. 2. 3. etc. manner by faith & repentance, leaving all such things as are contrari●… to his will, and seeking to do the things that he hath commanded Math. 18. 3. whosoever say nay to it, and whatsoever it cost, whether imprisonment, Mat. 10. 37. 38. 39 confiscation or death, bearing his cross in all patiented, meek and humble manner, with cheerfulness and joy. Fie, this is all too base, they Luke 17. 20 would bring him in with sound of trumpet by an army and strength, Isa. 42. 2. by act of parliament, by consent of all estates of the realm, Prince, Nobles, Zacb. 9 9 Priests & people, and that into these famous synagogues & high Math. 21. 9 ●…5. places, gorgeously decked for his majesty; and not in this abject manner to run to him into upper chambers, hooles in woods, prisons etc. and that a few poor d●…spised unlearned wretches, and that not with the Magistrates leave & good will etc. Thus see you how far these guides are from leading you forward in ●…eb. 611. the strait ways of the Lord, that with this their preaching they keep you & bring you backward: you see how far these watchmen are from ●…sa. 56. 10. 11. ringing the alarm, and sounding the trumpet against the enemy, against any sin in any person, against Antichrist. As you see, they promise' peace & blessing to the most wicked, & dare not give warning of or denounce against any si●…n either in the state (I mean common wealth) or Church or any great person in the same, be the sin neu●…r so heinous against the first or second Table; but rather daub up all these abominations and all the land in their sin, keeping and holding them ●…herin bound as in chains and fetters, unto the Lords fearful judgement: yea by these their sermons, keeping all the people in ignorance, unfurnished of their christian armour and weapons: Neither in deed need they any; for you see in the happy realm of England, there are no enemies, ex●…ept Satan draw men to the●…t, or murder, or treason. If they can keep themselves from these faults, or keep them secret, why then all is well, there are no other faults or enemies, Satan hath no instruments & dare not stir in this estate under a Christian Prince, where there is such preaching of the Gospel etc. you see how these your learned preachers your good men, have not with all their sermons & preaching withdrawn one soul all this while from the false Chu●…ch, or the abominable idolatries therein? but on the contrary, administer in the false Church, daubing her up & retaining all their auditory in her, hindering & drawing back by their uttermost arts and endeavours, all that seek to walk in the strait & peaceable ways of the Lord These, with the infinite enormities that ensue hereof, were enough to dis●…ouer unto you what manner of ministers these are, and ministry they exercise, & how they prcach the Gospel. But yet I must add this unto the rest; how with all this their preaching, 1. Pe●…. 2. 2. they have not all this while given any increase to the body, not leading Heb. 6. 1. their hearers one step towards perf●…ction: but as they stood 30 years Is●…. 48. 17. ago, in the self same estate are they still, in the same confusion, idolatry, disorder in their synagogues, as appeareth by their present estate. And as for other knowledge of God or his word they have none touching the second table, as the innumerable multitudes of their suits, wrongs, complaints, in all their courts of plea declare, which never were so fraught, not even under the most gross popery, as they are under this light of their Gospel, all these being members of their Church. Neither is it possible that such idolaters as both priests and people are, should have any sound knowledge or judgement of God's word and truth: for they that know not God aright, how should they know his word aright. Now the Apostle teacheth us, & our common Isa. 41. 18. 19 20. sense confirmeth, that it is unsound milk that giveth no increase to the body in 30 years space, we have to suspect such milk to be unwholesome I trow: nei●…her would any of us (in whom is any wit or love) put out our children to such nurses, much less their souls. But they use to stop the mouths of their auditory that should so say or enter into such discourse with them, that if they have not gotten knowledge and profited in sanctification by their preaching, then are they all without faith, & so in a woeful case, in no estate of salvation, bidding them prove and examine themselves, if Christ be not in them then are they reprobates. etc. This argument so terrifieth the poor soul's consciences that neither 2. Cor. 13. 5. have knowledge to examine their ways by Gods word whether they lead unto life or unto death, neither have ever seen or been taught any better course than that they are in; to which if you add that general verbal knowledge of Christ, and some f●…w other doctrin●…s touching faith and manners, somewhat more pure than the doctrine of the papists, wherein they have found comfort, yea and finding their consciences pricked and convinced of some sins they have 〈◊〉 in their sermons, have endeavoured through the grace of God to leave th●…m, & at▪ length gorten victory over them etc. This knowledge, comfor●…, remorse, so worketh with these poor souls, that they hold the ministers of these things in such veneration, as they are ready with the people of Lystra to sacrifice unto them: not knowing in deed the effectual working of Satan's delusions, with what show of 2. Thess. 2. 9 10. light and truth, with what power, signs, & lying wonders he shall deceive such as have not received ●…he love of the truth. They know not that the false Church shall have her religion & worship also, her ministers & preachers of the Gospel of Christ etc. & that these ministers shall transform themselves as though they were ministers of righteousness, Mark. 13. 5. 6. 21. 22. 23 & shall deceive many with their false Christ's and Gospel's that they preach in these latter days, whereof our Saviour Christ & his Apostles have warned us, why the false Church could not have these things without some general knowledge, which general knowledge shall reprove such things as are contrary to the same: and it being spiritual, it shall also have spiritual effects, as to move joy or sorrow. This the preaching in the popish Church also effecteth, who hath taught your preachers this argument, and hath as good right to use it towards them, as they unto you or unto us. But can this knowledge which you get by them, justify your ways, your Church, ministery, worship? etc. if not, seeing they are so directly against the word of God, what booteth this knowledge to eternal life: Balaam with all the false prophets had, and the devils have this faith & knowledge in as great ●…ames. 2. 19 measure as the learnedst of these ministers; yet the one is damned, the others tremble. As for the comfort received by their preaching, it having no promise of blessing in the word of God (your Church & whole ministery being accursed) is rather a fearful sign of the effectual working of their delusions, them any reason whereby you may assure your s●…lues, or justify them in their ungodly proceed, whom the word of God in all their works condemneth. Look not to gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles, or any good fruits of such evil trees as are not of our heavenly fathers planting, & therefore shallbe plucked up by the roots. You see they have stood teaching you day unto day, line upon line line upon line, here a little & there a little, yet have never brought Isa. 28. 13. you to a clear sight & acknowledging of the truth. You see they lead Prou. 2. 15. etc. you in the crooked paths of death, they teach and stand ministers in the false Church, of whose ministery in this estate is no comfort but assured destruction to be looked for, they being sent of God in his wrath to deceive the children of death, the reprobate. You see they are like those enchanters that resisted Moses, who do all their miracles both in Egypt and Babylon etc. to detain the people in Egip●… and Babylon. They have all go out of the way, they have been made altogether unprofitable, there is none that doth good no not one, their throat is an open sepulchre, they have used their tongues to deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing & bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and calamity is in their ways, & the way of peace they have not known, the fear of God is not before their eyes. How then should they profit this people or guide them right, when they themselves know not the right way. But here they will strait be upon me with this question: where I had my faith & understanding of the right course, if not from them & their preaching? there being no other means left in the land to beget faith, than their ordinary preaching in this ministry, this church which we now forsake. The vanity of this argument I have even now showed, and how thereby much rather the Church and ministery of Rome with all the abominations therein might be justified, seeing they were much more catholic & universal than these. But to their question I answer; that God never leaveth himself without faithful & true witnesses, which abhor iniquity, teach & practise the truth so far as it is revealed unto them; which no doubt instruct many Dan. 12. 3●… and turn them from their evil ways. Further we have the holy Reu. 5. 6. 7●… word of God, and the Lamb hath obtained to open the seals thereof, joh. 14. 26. who hath given us his Spirit to guide us into all truth, and bring all things to our remembrance that he hath taught us. God is not tied to Math. 11. 〈◊〉 the lips of these phariseiss: yea his glory is to hide these things from Ioh●…. 3. 8●… the proud and prudent, and to reveal them to babes and sucklings. The wound bloweth where it listeth etc. Faith is the only gift of God, who never wanteth means to publish his truth, and to save his elect. These popish priests that stand ministers after a false and counterfeit order, even after the order of Antichrist not of CHRIST and the order of his Testament, that stand ministers of idolatry unto idolaters, that hate to be reform or reproved, have naught to do to take God holy word in their mouths: But if they were as true & famous ministers Gal. 1. 8. as ever spoke upon the earth, yet, if they should exercise such a 2 Io●…. 10. ministery as they do in those places, after that idolatrous and corrupt Phil. 3. 17. manner, to all the profane and wicked: If they had all the gifts of all 1 Cor. 11. 3●… Exod. 23. 2. men and Angels; yet were they to be held accursed, to be left, and Heb. 10. 3●… not to be received to house etc. we are to follow the Apostles no further than they walk with CHRIST, not nor the whole church any further, than they observe the rules of the word: we are not to err or be drawn into transgression with a multitude or by the mighty. They break the communion that break the faith, they break the faith which transgress the word. But if these men should know the right course (which in deed I cannot believe, because the scripture speaketh evidently, that God will blind their eyes and bow down their backs etc.) OH how high then were their sins which forsake the ways of life, & have in the presumption of their own heart sought joh. 9 4●…. & 15. 22. out unto themselves buy ways, and lead the people astray? with how many stripes are they worthy to be beaten? Thus you see how this Gospel they te●…ch you is taught in a strang●… and false ministery in the false Church; is joined to the throne of the beast of antichrist; is joined unto all the abomination & abominable of the land; is taught by prescription, limitation and stint according to the Bishop's injunctions, decrees & traditions; unto which it is, together with the whole church both ministers & people, in bondage. You see how it hath neither light nor power in it to discover and cast out these most gross & damnable idolatries, how it utterly wanteth practise in this false Church, where (say CHRIST what he will) all must be after the pleasure of Antichrist. You see how thereby the body hath not been edified or led forth any one step toward perfection, but rather (as by Satan's most strong delusions) have been held thereby in this Egyptian bondage and Babylonish confusion under Antichrist. You see the ministers of these wares, of what livery they are; how they are the marked waged servants of Antichrist, the merchantmen of the who●…e to carry abroad her abominable wares. Now remains, that I discover unto you some of the gall, wherewith Isa. 19 14. 15. their honey is mixed; some of the leaven, wherewith your milk is poisoned; that you may see how the Lord in judgement hath mingled amongst them the Spirit of error, & given them up to the Spirit of pride & fornication, and caused them to err in all their ways, & made night unto them for a vision, and darkness for a divination; how the sun is Micah. 3. 6. Isa. 59 8 10. go down over your Prophets, and the day made dark over them. Now that this may the sooner be brought to pass, let me very briefly show you: first what manner of CHRIST they teach you; then some few of the chief heads of the infinite errors they teach. And this the rather, because they say they hold the foundation, and that there is nothing wanting amongst them but matters of less moment & of no necessity, making some doctrines and some part of CHRIST'S Testament fundamental & substantial, others accidental & such as may be altered and violate without any prejudice or danger to the soul: Yea such may the transgressions & errors be, as though they be obstinately continued in, and openly taught after they be reproved and convinced by the word of God, yea & the parties die in that estate without repentance of these transgressions or errors; yet may they hold the foundation, & be undoubtedly saved. Of this mind were & still continued five of the very principal & best esteemed ministers of England, both for learning and conscience: although there were alleged against the same these express scriptures Numb. 15. 30. 31. where it is written that That soul that doth any thing with an outstretched or high hand, whether he be born in the land or a stranger, the same blaspheme●…h the Lord: therefore that person shall be cut off from amongst his people, because he hath despised the word of the Lord and made his commandment of none effect, that person shallbe utterly cut off, his iniquit●…e shall be upon him. Exod. 23. 21. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 23. Ezek. 18. 26. where the Prophet concludeth, that when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness & committeth iniquity, & dieth therein, he shall die for his iniquity that he hath done. Likewise also our Saviour CHRIST Math. 5. 1●…. 19 teacheth, that one jot or title of his word shall not pass, and that whosoever shall break one of the lest of his commandments & teach men so, shallbe called lest in the kingdom of heaven. And the Apostle ●…ames 2. 10. teacheth, that whosoever shall keep the whole law yet faileth in one, becometh guilty of all. And how plentiful is the Apostle Paul in this point; that whoso teacheth otherwise, & yieldeth not to the wholesome words of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, & to the doctrine which is according to godliness, such are of corrupt minds, destitute of truth etc. to be separated 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. to be avoided Rom. 16. 17. to be rejected Titus 3. 10. As for offences and transgressions of the word, we have a perpetual rule Math. 18. 17. 2 Thes. 3. 14 If he transgress he is to be admonished, reproved, Phil. 3. 15. censured: If he err of ignorance, he is to be instructed with Rom. 14. meekness, until God re●…eale the truth also unto him. But if he not only err, but affirm & teach his error, whereby others are or may be infected; it is time to look to that GANGRENE, lest it fret further; it 2 Tim. 2. 17. is time to purge out such leaven, lest it make sour the whole lump. Gal. 5. 9 But to hold as these men do, and as they are driven to do when they pled for their whorish Church & antichristian ministery, is not only to go expressly contrary to the whole scope of scriptures; to infringe & violate all God's laws & covenant; to hold (as in deed they teach) CHRIST a Saviour without repentance; to make some part of the scripture more holy, more authentical, more true than other: in sum, to submit the holy scriptures & Testament of CHRIST to the will & lust of man; to ratify or abrogate them at his pleasure; to make this part of substance, that of form, this fundamental, that accidental, this necessary to salvation, that needles etc. But if the whole scripture 2 Tim. 3. 16. was given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to convince, Prou. 30. 5. to correct, to instruct in righteousness: If it be the groundwork Psal. 19 8. & 12. 6. & foundation of the Church, of our faith: if it be the law & rule of our life, the light of our eyes etc: if e●…erie word of God be holy, pure, Psal. 119. ●…ntire perpetual; then is this di●…p learning of there's devilish and blasphemous; that thus to colour & cover their wickedness, make some part Ephe. 2. 2●… of God's word fundamental, substantial, necessary, other accidental, superficial, needles; especially where it showeth, reproveth, and condemneth their doings; yea which make some sins openly & manifestly convinced, yet ohstinatly continued & persisted in, without any repentance in this life, for all this, not to be mortal or deadly, as the papists say & hold. Yet nevertheless will these men be said to hold the foundation to salvation, notwithstanding that they disfranchise & reject a great part of CHRIST Testament, and hold it not as fundamental & necessary, and make neither conscience nor care to transgress the same, and to bring in other laws into the Church in stead thereof: yea upon that part which they would seem to retain, they build all this stubble, trumpery, & abominations which have been recited from the beginning of this treatise. To conclude, though they remain presumptuously obstinate in all these horrible transgression●…, if by any this their shameless ass●…rtion (namely that they hold the foundation to salvation) be with never so plain proof of scripture denied, and they lovingly admonished and exhorted; against such they whe●… their viperous tongues, & power out all the venom of their railings, reproaches, slanders, and most shameless lies (whereof their own festered consciences accuse them) in their pulpyts & privy meetings, machinating & devising against them as against open professed enemies, and all because they reprove them of their counterfeit walking, which they cannot nor dare not in any Christian and peaceable manner enterprise by the word of God to approve & justify. But as you have herded how they generally use & esteem the word of God, so let me briefly show you what kind of CHRIST they preach you. Generally and verbally they hold & confess him in both his natures very God & very man, to the word of their redemption & salvation as the papists also do, though somewhat diversly, stumbling & contending rather about words then about any material difference when they are pressed. For CHRIST they will confess their only redeemer, & fully & sufficiently to have wrought their salvation, though by & by stumbling at the phrase of some scriptures, they will join unto him their own beggary works & merits etc. Both of them generally and verbally confess CHRIST in his 3 offices viz. to be their only King, Priest, & Prophet: but when it cometh to the practice & obedience, than they both with one consent sand an embaslage after him saying, that we will not have this man to reign ou●…r us; 'Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from us, let us break his bands & cast his cords from us; this is the heir, come let us kill him, and let us take his inheritance etc. I know our english priests will have many fine floorishes to hide this treachery: as that they acknowledge him their only Priest & Mediator, to have with that one oblation of his own precious body once offered, fully satisfied the justice & appeased the wrath of his Father. Yea they acknowledge him to be the very first fruits, & sanctifier of the whole heap, clothing all his with his righteousness, & that he is entered into the heavens into the v●…rie throne of God, & there offereth up the prayers & maketh intercession for all them. Likewise, that he is heir and King over all both men & Ang●…ls, that he hath in this his (or rather our flesh) vanquished all our enemies, Satan, sin, death & hell, & triumphed over them in that his cross; that he is ascended up on high & sitteth at the right hand of God, from whence he shall come to judge the quick & the dead. And for his proph●…cie, that he is the end of all prophecies to whom they were directed, the fullness and fountain of all wisdom whom we aught to hear; and how by that his heavenly word he begetteth us to life everlasting etc. These & many other comfortable & true doctrines they can & do deliver touching the offices of CHRIST; but all these you must understand, & I pray you observe well (for so shall you clearly espy their error & deceit) are still but what CHRIST hath done in his own person for Psal. 45. his elect: here is not one word spoken what he doth in his elect: how Isa. 9 7. he teacheth, sanctifieth & ruleth them by the sceptre of his word, how Isa. 33. 22. he is a King, Priest, & Prophet here on earth, & exerciseth the offices Deut. 18. here in his Church amongst his servants the Saints: how he is their Hebr. entire pastor, their teacher, their King; how he feedeth & reigneth in ZION, Exod. 19 6. yea & maketh all his children kings, priests, & prophets. Re●…. 1. 6. Kings, in that he hath given them his word into their hearts & mouths, whereby as with a sharp two edged sword they cut off sin, & fight against Heb. 4. 12. all errors; whereby they reign over their own affections, subdue that flesh, 1 Cor. 10. 4 5. 6. cast down every imagination that is exalted against the knowledge of God, & bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; whereby they unpartially censure, judge & cast out all manner of sin as it Math. 18. 17 ariseth & appeareth amongst them, binding their rulers in chains and Psal. 149. their nobles in fetters of iron, executing upon them the judgements that Isa. 54. 17. are written; yea thereby condemning every weapon & tongue that shall arise in judgement against the truth: This is the heritage of the Lords servants, this honour shallbe to all his Saints. Priests he maketh them, 1 Pet. 2. 5. in that he anointeth them with his own holy spirit, whereby they both Rom. 12. ●…. offer up their prayers & praises through him unto God, & their own Psal. 141. 2. bodies & souls as living sacrifices unto him daily; which is their reasonable serving of God. Prophets he maketh them, in that he revealeth his truth unto them, & commandeth them to witness it & spread it forth in all places to his glory. One word of these heavenly effects in & amongst them of their duty, Luk. 19 27. obedience, love, and faithfulness they own & aught again on their Isa. 60. 12. parts to perform unto him, they all this while show not; and how without Psal. 2. this there is no comfort or benefit to be expected or received by Revel 19 15 Christ; without this faith, love, & obedience, none can have him a King unto them to rule & defend them, none can have him a Prophet to teach & instruct them, none can have him a priest to sanctify & bless them, none can have him a Saviour. But all they that either acknowledge not the Lord jesus Christ, or obey not unto his eternal Gospel, but withhold 2 Thes. 1. 8. 9 the truth in unrighteousness, shallbe punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, & from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, & to be made marvelous in all them that believe. But alas, how is it possible that they should know or see this beauty of the King in Zion, while they remain in Babylon? how is it possible that they should teach this submission & obedience unto Christ jesus, when they themselves remain the bondseruants & sworn soldiers of Antichrist in such manner as hath been rehearsed. How then in this estate should they stand the faithful ministers of 2 Cor. 6. 25. Christ, or preach him sincerely? Can there be any accord betwixt C●…rist Mal. 1. 6. & Antichrist? can they both reign together in one Church? or these Isa. 1. 2. 3. 4 men stand ministers unto both at one time. If Christ be their King ezek. 34. 14 where is then his honour, where is his obedience? CHRIST reigneth Zach. 11. 7. over none but his own servants, and them he ruleth by the scepte●… of his holy word: but here with them his sceptre is wrested ou●… of his hand, and a Sceptre of reed given him, the canons of the pope, the Bishop's injunctions, and decrees of the high commission, by which your Church is wholly o●…erruled, unto which your king C●…rist Exod. 23. 21 himself while he is amongst you must be subject, or else there is no place joh. 14. 21. for him. CHRIST giveth laws unto his servants, & ordereth all things 1 Cor. ●…. 16. in his Church according to his own will: but you give laws to your joh. 17. 8. CHRIST & set strange ordinances over his Church; yea you have not Mat. 18. 20 any one thing there either in order or administration, according to his joh. 8. 32. 36. Rom. 8. 15. 1 Cor. 5. Testament. Again, CHRIST hath given full power & liberty to all and every one of his servants, to put in p●…actise whatsoever he commands, Math. 18. as also to reform, to reprove, censure and cast out whatsoever is joh. 20. found to be contrary & repugnant unto his word, though all the powers in the earth or in hell withstand it. But the CHRIST these men preach 1 Cor. 4. 20 you, is utterly without power to put any thing of his own will in practice, 2 Tim. 3. 5. but is sold as a bondslave to these antichristian Bishops and preachers, his enemies. He cannot by virtue of his own word & authority redress any thing, be it never so heinous or enormous: neither can he establish or bring in any thing that is wanting, be it never so necessary & important, without humble suit and attendance unto the high Court of parliament, or upon the high Court of commission. If they reject his suit, though it be by 30 ye●…es together, and that in these two reasonable requests; that they would remove their heinous & blasphemous idolatries from before his face, and give him leave to rule them by his own offic●…rs & laws: yet must this poor CHRIST with all his servants, even the whole Church still surcease the practice of the Gospel, and continued under these abominations; yea (if he anger his Lords the Bishops much) he shallbe whipped with scorpions, with new rods; and this by the universal consent of all his learned preachers in the land, who are at a full point & have set it down as a resolute decree, not to stir a foot forward until they have the prince's power & the consent of parliament. Then they will bring him in with horsemen and charets, with bells & bonfires. How like you this your worthy King? trow you that ever PILATE arrayed him worse when they clad him in purple, put a sceptre of a r●…d in his hand, a crown of thorns upon his head, bowed the knee before him & hailed him a King, yea writ him one in three languages Hebrew, Greek & 〈◊〉: or the chief priests and phariseiss, when they b●…indfolded him, buff●…d & scourged him, spatt in his face & blasphemed him? or the people that with one consent demanded him unto the death, preferred the seditious murderer BARRABAS before him, haled him to the cross, despited & reviled him upon the cross. A King he is without power, a King without laws, a King without officers, a King without subjects, yea a slave he is made to every slave. He hath strange officers, strange laws that he is not acquainted with set over him & imposed upon him whether he will or ●…o, which not only rule his heritage but overrule him a●…ter their own lusts. He is fashioned to the common wealth, & not the common wealth unto him: and in the Church he is but an idol king an idol Christ, and hath not there so much honour given him, as the players do unto their kings upon the stage. And as for the priestly office he should execute amongst them, therein they abuse him yet worse: for a new ministery they erect in stead of his: parsons or mercenary roving preachers, in stead of Pastors and faithful Teachers. As for the other rabble that serve in stead of Elders with their multitudes of attendants, as also their other inferior new found officers, would fill a book but to describe them & their offices. Thus make they him a minister after an other order than that which he hath set down in his Testament, then that whereunto he was anointed of his Father, & that with an oath, & that for ever. They impose also upon him a new ministration & strange worship more displeasing unto God then Nadabs' fire, them Vzzahs' altar, even all that idolatrous book of that common service, which he must (will he nile he) administer in manner & form abovesaid. Thus make they him a minifter Psal. 110. 4 of all their idolatries & abomination; by him they offer up unto Heb. 7. God all this their will worship, popery & superstition: Moreover they Gal. 3. 15. make him a mediator of an other Testament then that of his own, Heb. 9 17. binding him to this english mass book and to all the injunctions of the BBs. the high commission & convocation house. Finally they make him a priest, a mediator, a saviour to all the profane atheists, idolaters, miscreants & wicked people, conjurers, witches, heretics & who not; all being received into the bosom of their Church, whom●… they bless in his name with his peace, to whom for money they cell & deliver their sacraments: and thus by all these ways they most impiously deny, & sacrilegiously defile the holy priesthood of Christ. What kind of prophecy he exerciseth amongst them, may appear by that which is already said. They make him tak●… upon him the ministery of Antichrist, even that the Pope left in the Land: they will not suffer nor receive his ministery. which he hath in his Testament appointed for his Church. They set laws not only over him in this ministery they appoint him, but also over the Gospel yt self, both by aportionating how much of his word shallbe read, in what oder and time etc. And this order being through the year and permanent, they thereby abrogate no small part of the Bible, and take it clean away from the Church, in that by their law they appoint what shallbe read for ever, casting the rest quite out of the Church, allowing it no time or place to be publicly read. They bring in also in stead thereof divers apocryphas Deut. 4. 2. &. 12. 32. writings, and read them in their Church in the place of canonical Prou. 30. 6 scriptures. They read also as part of their public ministery Reve. 22. 18 of their Church not only their abominable service book, but the blasphemous injunctions of their Bishops, and are not ashamed to preach and publicly to expound in the Church their fond apocrypha Cat●…chismes. To conclude they mussel & bridle up their Christ's mouth by public law & power, forbidding him to teach any thing contrary unto, or to found fault with any thing by public authority established or to be established, swearing him daily to execute their injunctions; thus joining the Gospel to all the idolatry, abomination, blasphemy, & as you see, to all the sin, iniquity & mischief of the land, whereby they make Christ a false prophet, an idolater, a blasphemer, and guilty yea a ringleader to all this ill. Thus you see what kind of Christ they teach you, without powe●…, holiness, truth: what kind of Gospel without freedom, without practice, without light. You see how they subject Church, Gospel & Christ to the apostatical chair of Antichrist, making Christ both a minister to all their abominations, and to justify and daw be them up with the Gospel. Infinite were the labour to reckon up all the forgeries they build upon this foundation, this Christ, this Gospel; or to show how these wretch's munge, corrupt, pervert, wrested, falsify & abuse the scriptures, how they roil, yea poison the pure fountains; or to recite the sundry 〈◊〉. 34. ●…8. 19 errors they hereby fall into. For while they thus blasphemously 2. Cor. 2. 17 ●… 4. 2. deny in deed and practise the whole anointing of Christ, namely his three offices, his kingdom, priesthood, and prophecy; standing Gal. 1. 7. the sworn waged marked servants of that adversary that Antichrist 2. Pet. 3. 16 that beast, these Bishops, deriving their forged false ministery from joh. 5. 23. them, prophecijng by their licence & limitation etc: thereby they fla●…ly 2. Pet. 2. 1. deny the kingdom, Priesthood, and prophecy of Christ: for two Mat. 6. 24. contrary Masters they cannot obey, they cannot be subject both to Deut. 18. 2●…. Christ and Antichrist: two diverse and contrary ministries they cannot execute, the ministery of Christ and the ministery of Antichrist at the same time, neither can they prophecy in bot●… their names etc. Many are their forged cavillations which they invent unto themselves to hide this their perfidy, all which (as not recking them wor●…hie the reciting) I leave to be refuted by their own practice, comp●…red to the word of God: as I might also unto their own allegations & excuses, God having so divided their tongues, & made them so contrary one unto an other, as it is an impossible thing to found two of them of one mind; yea or any one of them con●…tant in that he affirmeth. So are these accustomed to do all things without ground or assurance, following the traditions, writings & examples of others, never looking how consonant they be unto Gods word. This maketh them thus ignorant and blind in all the laws and ordinances of Christ, touching the true gathering building and governing the Church of Christ, that they know not the doctrines even of the beginnings of Christ, of repentance from dead works, faith towards God, of baptism and laying on of hands: This maketh them not to know so much, as the stones whereof Christ's Church must be built, nor the true foundation whereupon to build them, as you may see by that which hath been said concerning their outward estate & practice; much less know they the true form & fashion of the house, & lest of all the true administration & ordinances thereof; as appeareth evidently by their receiving of, & administering unto this monstrous confuse body of their profane routs of people; by their exercising this their false and antichristian ministery, and that after such an idolatrous blasphemous symoniacal manner; as also by receiving antichrist's yoke, traditions, ordinances; Galliard, 3. 15. whereby (as hath been showed) they deny Christ in the flesh, by denijng Gal. 2. 5. his offices his anointing: they deny his ministery, his ordinances, his whole Testament, by receiving an other ministery, other laws then s●…ch as he there hath prescribed: Or else they must affirm, that earthly men may admit into & make members of the Church whom they please and will; that they also may altar, add to, detract, yea abrogate and disannul what part of Christ's Testament they lift; that they may erect a new ministery, a new form of administration of sacraments, of worship, of government: Of all which severally to entreat and set down their particular errors and enormities, no pen of man sufficeth. I refer herein the reader partly to that which here is already written concerning their ministery, ordination▪ ministration, sa●…raments, worship etc. but chief to his own●… more near view and diligent search of their doings by the light of God's word. They hold also, that the true Church of Christ may be built and established without the outward offices and government he hath prescribed in his Testament: yea that in stead of them, it may receive a false and adulterate ministery, be governed by other Officers and laws than he hath appointed in his word. They hold that it may be a true Church, though both ministery, ministration and government be thus wholly corrupted and forged, and though it have never entered or smitten covenant with Christ, but still and ever have remained in subjection unto Antichrist in one false shape or other; whose yoke (they hold) aught not to be cast off, to redress any sin or abuse among them, or put in practise any more of CHRIST'S Testament, then is by public authority permitted; yea in this confusion, idolatry, subjection, though neither the people be called unto nor joined in the faith, though neither ministery, ministration nor any thing be aright according to the word amongst them, though their Church abound with all manner of sin, abomination and abominable people, though they have neither power to separate the most unclean, to censure or cast out any offendor or off●…nce, to redress any thing be it never so odious, hateful, and apparently ill, nor yet have liberty to put in practise any of Christ's heavenly ordinances: notwithstanding all this they hold it with main force and outcries to be a true established church of Christ, though there be never a true stone nor any one pin or nail o●… the true tabernacle aright amongst them, as their adulterate ministery, office, election, ordination, administration worship, sacraments, pr●…iers, fasting, abuse of the word read, abuse of the word preached (which they corrupt, roil, distorted, pervert, wrested, leaven, falsify, poison, abuse, profane, abrogate, exclude at their wills) d●…clare. Of all which what unsound opinions they hold, their present practice compared to the word of God, manifesteth: yea they will still be the true Church & ministers of CHRIST, though they reject his word, remain obstinate in their sin, defend, pled for, & justify the same, persecute, blaspheme, & mu●…ther CHRIST'S servants that speak unto them in the name of CHRIST & exhort them to amendment. Thus you may see into what hardness & blindness of heart & extreme utter darkness the Lord hath cast these your Seers because they have loved darkness more than light, neither have trembled at his word, but walked in the presumption of their own heart, committing arrogancy in their wrath. OH how great is that darkness, when the very light of your Church is such darkness, as it is but that very smoke of the bottomle●… pit, when it is duly examined. For as you have herded all their worship, ministery, prayers, sacraments, fasts, to be but counterfeit & abomination: so yet of all other you may perceive this their preaching of the Gospel, to be most detestable & pe●…nitious, even the strongest snare & delusion of Satan, whereby he allureth deceiveth and holdeth captive the miserable world in the chains of transgression, error, idolatry, abomination & impenitency, unto judgement. This preaching of there's as it is exercised in a false ministery a false Church, as it proceedeth from the chair of Antichrist; so is it wholly subject thereunto, both the person & doctrine of the preacher. Their person either to be still approved & licenciate, or else silenced, suspended, deprived: their doctrine to be allowed or condemned as pleaseth their Lords Ordinaries (in whose pontifical breasts and hands standeth the whole doctrine of the church of England) what they shall receive, what they shall reject; what they shall say, what they shall leave unsaied etc. The word of God, Church, ministery, preaching and all, are wholly in the hands of these lawles●…e Lords, to abrogate, establish, bring in, ●…al. 1. 8. cast out, depose, suspend without controlment or account. A greater ●… Cor. 3. 13. power than ever was given unto or exercised by any of CHRIST'S Apostles, ●… Cor▪ 11. 1. who always submitted their doctrine, practice, people, unto the Act. 5. 17. 11 trial and censure of the word, and that by any Christian. They never ●… Cor. 11. 23 exercised domion o●…er the faith of any, or laid any other burden upon the Church, than what they either read in the word of God, or acknowledged to be the will of God. But here in the Church of Engl●…d it is held a small thing to have a strange ministry, worship, laws, orders, government imposed upon them; to have a great part of God's word quite banish●…d the Church, the rest that is allowed them but by shredds & patches at ●…tarts & braydes; to have their preaching by stint prescription, limitation; to have the whole doctrine subject not to the will of God but to the will of these their Ordinarie●…, who (they may be sure) will allow no more & none otherwise, then shall agreed to their apostatical throne. The ministers of this Church may not preach, the people believe, much less practise any more of the word of God, than what is confirmed by these their Ordinaries. The poor parish o●… congregation where these priests serve, may not meddle or have to do with the election, administration or deposing of these their ministers: for why, they are lay men & have no skill, neither aught to intermeddle with ecclesiastical affairs, or with the word of God. Be their minister never so blind, unsufficient or vile a wretch, detected of never so horrible sins, yet may not they remove him: their only help is to complain to their Lord Ordinary; in the mean while they must join to the wret●…h in prayers, in sacraments, yea still & for ever, if it pleas●… not their said Lord to give ear to their complaint. Let their minister preach never such damnable or heretical doctrine, wrist, pervert, corrupt, falsify the scriptures never so violently and heinously, all the Church (no though there be all the priests in a country as at a Scene) hath no authority, nay is by express law forbidden to reprove this doctrine presently or publicly, or yet to forbidden him to deal with the scriptures; their remedy is still to complain to their Ordinary, and until it please him to take order therein, the whole congregation is still bond to frequent his heretical sermons & ministery: yea all the priests of the land both pontifical and reformistes agreed in this point & conclude, that the lay people (as they term them) aught not to intermeddle either with the deposing their minister, or reproof of hi●… doctrine. The one sort (as you have herded) sendeth them to their Lords these Bishops, the other referreth them over for these & many other cases vnd●…r hand, to a provincial or classical Synod or permanent council of priests etc. Among whom all these affairs must be debated: & after they are agreed upon the point, than their decrees to be brought forth, solemnly published & pronounced to the people, who must attend upon, await & receive these Oracles as most holy & canonical. They have no remedy if they also be contrary to the truth, but to appeal to a council, in the mean while still joining to such a wretch, such an heretic, and that in the high profanation of God's holy name, word & ordinances. But my purpose is not in this place either to refute the popish prelacy of the one sort, or the devilish forgery of the other (hoping to found a more fit place for both) so much as to show, that every Christian congregation hath power in themselves, and of duty aught presently & publicly to censure any false or unsound doctrine that is publicly delivered or maintained amongst them, if it be known & discerned unto them; yea any one member in the Church hath this power, whatsoever he be Pastor or Prophet that uttereth it: as also to show how far this their pulpit preaching differeth from that heavenvly blessed exercise of expounding scriptures or prophecy in the Church of CH●…IST. The first me thinks already very fully proved in all these places where our Saviour CHRIST hath given unto his Church and to every Mat. 18. 1●…. 18. particular congregation thereof himself, his word, his power, with express charge to put in practice whatsoever he hath commanded them: 1 Cor. 5. 4. and threatened his wrath and displeasure against that whole congregation 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. which neglecteth or breaketh any of his commandments, or suffereth any seen transgression, or error, or incorrigible impenitent offendor: Zach. 5. 9 Also where he commanded all men to inform that Church Mark. 13. 34 whereof they are members, of fuch transgressions, offences, enormities as arise amongst them. This he in vain had commanded, and they in ●…aine should do this, except he had given both absolute authority & express charge unto the Church to redress and take order in the same. In as many places al●…o as he hath commanded the whole church & every Rom. 16. 17. member thereof to watch, to scout and observe their teachers, to 1 job. 4. 1. try the Spirits, to mark them diligently which cause division & offences 2 Tim. 6. 3. 5 contrary to the doctrine which they have learned; to separate them●… 2 joh. 9 10. from ●…uch as teach after an other manner, or consent not unto the 2 Tim. 3. 1. whol●…ome words of our Lord JESUS CHRIST & to the doctrine which 2. 3. 4. 5. is according unto godliness; to hold them accursed that pe●…uert the Gospel of CHRIST, or preach any thing besides that hath been taught by CHRIST & his Apostles; to reject an heretic after one & the second Tit. 3. 10. admonitionto; have in a readiness due vengeance against all disobedience 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. 6. etc. In all these and sundry other places most evidently appeareth, that CHRIST hath given full power, absolute authority, and express commandment 〈◊〉. 6. 9 unto his Church, even to every particular congregation, to cen●…ure both the people & doctrines of their ministers, & of every member of their said congregations. He sendeth them not here ●…o these popish ●… Heb. 12. 22 etc. ordinaries, ne●…ther yet to a provincial Synod or a Classis of priests: there are other uses of Synods or counsels, as shall in due place be declared. 2 Pet. 1. 1. They can neither add to, nor diminish from the power of the Reu. 2. 26. Church, or execute & altar any part of the Church's duty. josh. 7. 12. 25. ●…osh. 22. 18. 1 Cor. 5 6. 1 Cor. 12. 25. 27. ‡ Moreover, sith every member hath like interest in CHRIST, in his word the public doctrine & ministration of the Church, and shall all be held g●…iltie & punished for the public transgressions & abuses of the Church; seeing ●…uerie member is bond to the edification, service and utility of the body; seeing every member of the Church is commanded Mar. 13. 3●… 37. ●…●…ob. 4. to watch, to try the Spirits, to contend for the maintenance of the faith once indifferently given to all saints, to avoid false teachers 1. Mark. 13. 5. 6. 2●…. 23. false Prophets etc. seeing they are commanded not to follow the multitude Math. 7. 15. or mighty, in evil; seeing they are commanded to reprove their ●…hil. 3. 2. brother plainly, to bind their sins by the word, even their Princes levit. 19 17 in those chains and nobles in those fetters, to say to ARCHIPPUS look Exod. 23. 2. to thy ministery that thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil Luk. 17. 3. it; yea though an Apostle or an Angel from heaven should ●…each either Psal. 145. other doctrine or after an other manner, then is in CHRIST'S Testament Col. 4. 17 prescribed, to hold and pronounce him accursed. To conclude Gal. 1. 8. the point; seeing the prayers, sacraments, sermons of such wicked pro●…. 15. 8. ●… or heretical ministers are sacrilege and abhomivation in God's sight, 1 Cor. 10. 17. 18. 20. and that all which communicate, join to, hear or suffer such ministers are alike guilty of this sin & sacrilege: who can doubt, but that every Christian hath power and authority in due time and place (not disturbing CHRIST'S holy order in his Church) publicly to reprove any public ●…ransgression of any member of the Church, or of the whole Church; as also to di●…couer and refute any error escaped or Jude 3. 10, delivered in public doctrine: yet this (as is said) in due time & order, giving leave and place unto the Elders and Prophets of the said Congregation fir●…t: who if they neglect or overpass such public transgression or error, then may any one of the congregation, or any Chri●…tian who●…oeuer; yea he aught to reprove such transgression and error, unless he willbe guilty of betraying the faith of CHRIST, of the destruction of the whole congregation, knowing the danger of such leaven, the suddenness of the wrath of God for such things. here will be grossly objected, that the common people are ignorant, not able to judge betwixt truth & error, disordered, variable, easy to be divided & led into sects; and therefore they are not to intermeddle with the iudgmen●… and reproof of faults and errors escaped in the ministery, or with the censuring their people. That their people are blind, ignorant, seditious, headstrong, I readily grant; neither ca●… it be otherwise, having such blind guides & co●…rupt teachers as all they are. I grant also, that neither the people nor they aught in thi●… estate to meddle with the word of God, or take his blessed name in their mouth, without most high and unsufferable profa●…ation of the same. But for the people of CHRIST, they are all enlightened Math. 6. 2●…. with that bright morning star, that son of righteousness. 1 Cor. 6. 11. The eye of their faith is single, and the whole body is light. They a●…e Col. ●…. 〈◊〉. 13. an humble, meek, obedient people, they will hear and follow the true Rom. 12. 9 10. etc. shepherd, but a stranger they will not hear. They rejoice & love e●…nestly Gal. 4. 18. in the truth, & ●…a by no means be drawn to do any thing against 2 Cor. 13. 8. the truth. And therefore hath God amongst them bound up the testimony Isa▪ 8. 16. and sealed up the law: To them he hath committed the charge 1 Tim. 3. 15. and keeping of his holy oracles; to them and every one of them he rom. 8. 9 〈◊〉. hath given his holy sanctifi●…ng Spirit, to open unto them and to lead joh. 16. 13. them into all truth: to them he hath given his Son to be their King, Priest 1 joh. 2. 27. and Prophet, who hath made them unto him Kings & Priests. But if Revel 1. 6. they were so blind and ignorant as these men would make them, how could they then discern truth from error, how could they approve truth, or refute error & transgression. Happily for all this here will be said, that the common fort of CHRIST●… servants either have not this knowledge, or have it but in small measure; and therefore are unfit to deal in the●…e high matters, and can not do it orderly & soberly. To this I answer, that they are to reprove no more than their assured Rom. 12. 3. knowledge leadeth them unto. If they transgress the limits either 1 Thes. 5. 14. of their knowledge in reproving that which deserveth no reproof, or 2 Thes. 3. 14 break the established order of the Church by rashness, intemperance etc. then are they for so doing subject to reproof & censure for abusing their liberty, for breaking order: the Churches of God have no 1 Cor. 11. 16. custom to be contentious. But if they should be debarred of this 1 Cor. 14. 33 power, liberty and duty because they are not so learned as the priests, and have not been at the university etc. by that popish reason were the word of God to be shut up from all lay men (as they call them) that no man might read or speak thereof in his house or family, because they have not knowledge to understand it & open it after their school manner, the word of God being such an abysm of wisdom and of so great dignity & reverence, & that in all places alike. And should they not by this reason also shut it up from themselves, and from all men in 1 Cor. 13. 9 this life? for he that knoweth most knoweth here but in part, yea & of 1 Cor. 8. 2. that part he knoweth nothing as he aught to know. Phil. 3. 13. But they are to understand that God hath not given us his word that it should be perfected or receive grace from us, but that it should bring 1 Cor. 4. 7. grace unto us, build up & accomplish our faith, & nourish us unto eternal life; that it should be milk to the weak & unexpert, strong meat to them of riper age. According to this word who so speaketh not, it is because their is no light in them. By this word what so is reproved or affirmed, the baseness or ignorance of the speaker is not to be regarded: ●…ames. 2. 1. it no way diminisheth any thing from the dignity & truth of the word; to which (as the only object) the Church is to cast their eye. As for these learned divines of our age, I refer them unto, or rather oppose unto them the wisdom & word of God, who you see hath given unto all his servants this liberty & power; yea rather hath laid upon them this charge & duty, to reprove & censure any error or transgression which is committed by the whole Church or any member of the Church contrary to the word of God, by the same word. But yet are not our learned Reformists satissied: for ●…oe, they fetch a reason somewhat more subtly (though altogether as far from the truth as the other) from 1 Cor. 14. 32. where it is ●…aid The Spirits of the Prophet's ar●… subject to the Prophets, therefore conclude they, that the people are not to reprove, judge, or censure the doctrine of the minister, but only an assembly of ministers, a school of Prophets as they call it. Before I show their gross mistaking & perverting this place of scripture, I dismiss their Argument by denying the consequent thereof. That because the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets; that is, such as have the gift of utterance & expounding scriptures aught principally & especially to judge of that exercise, and to speak in that exercise as in way of prophecy: Therefore the whole Church besides nor any member thereof aught not to reprove, and censure such errors as have escaped the Prophets & are revealed unto them. And for this I insist in the former reasons & express places of scripture alleged. Very hard it were, that that heavenly and most blessed exercise of prophecy which was instituted of God for the singular comfort & general enlightening of the whole Church, should through the pride and Gal. 5. 9 arrogancy of a few, be turned to the utter subversion of the faith of 2. Tim. 2. 17 the whole Church, and the desolation thereof. For what part can T●…. 1. 10. there be pure, where the doctrine is not sound? or what can be more joh. 4. 42. miserable then to see with others men's eyes, to believe with other Gal. 6. 4. men's hearts, yea to be brought into that slavery and subjection, that they must receive and believe whatsoever the prophets or ministers speak and agreed upon, be it never so dissonant and repugnant to the word of God. This were right after the manner of the Atheists of these days, to hire into their parish a learned preacher, though all the rest of the parish be never so blind, profane, wretched, yet where this burning lamp is, they are all in happy state and safe enough; because they have the Gospel preached amongst them, they are a famous joh. 5. 39 & 10. 37. 38. &. 18. 20. 21. Church. But our Saviour Christ & his Apostles submitted their ministery & doctrine to the trial, censure and judgement of all, by the scriptures; yea & most commended and rejoiced in these hearers that were most diligent to examine and try their doctrine. And I would Act. 17. 11. feign know what injury it were unto any, if the Church still retained 1. Thess. 5. 21. that liberty, not disturbing the holy order thereof. But these priests, they will not only not submit their people & doctrine to the censure 2. Cor. 1. 13. of the Church where they administer (for they must have a jury of clerks a Classis of Priests to go upon them) but they bind their poor Church to their lips, and build it upon themselves, and with their blazing light strike all the r est of their hearers & followers sta●…ke blind. Now let me return to this place of the Corinth's which they so falsely interpret, miserably misuse, and most perniciously pervert. The prophets they give out to be understood of such ministers only, as have the gift of preaching (as they call it) holding it lawful for none else to speak of the scriptures by way of interpretation and prophecy, especially to expound them in the Church or Congregation. This exercise spoken of here by the Apostle, they say is vnders●…ood of such prophetical ministers only, is instituted only for such, and belongeth only unto such. The place of such exercise, they term a school or college of prophets. hereupon they abuse this heavenly glorious exercise, in that they shut it up amongst a few of them, shut out the people from it utterly, making it like OSIRIS mysteries: Besides that they here amongst themselves unsufferably corrupt all the scriptures they entreat of, by their Rhetorical figures, divisions, demonstrations, human & traditional writings, wherein all their university learning consists. This place they most perniciously pervert, in that from hence they derive their Prophetical Conventicles and Classical Synods, assuming hereby into their own hands the key of all knowledge, and shutting up the scriptures, yea all God's graces, even the holy Ghost yt self amongst themselves in these their schools of prophets: as also into their Classes of select priests the sc●…pter of Christ and absolute government of all churches, to whom it is left but to receive & execute the reverent decrees of this famous Classes of priests. And now let this ●…cripture whereupon they build all this stuff be duly ●…. Cor. 14. searched & pondered, & you shall found it in all these things direct & flat against them. First that the prophets there spoken of by the Ver. 1. 12. 13. Apostle, that are to speak in and judge of this exercise were not only ministers, is gathered by the whole scope of the chapter, where every brother is incited to emulate spiritual gifts, the rather that they might prophecy and help to edify the Church; this gift by many reasons being preferred to all other gifts, & proved far most excellent both in it self & to others etc. Moreover in this exercise of prophecy which was instituted for the instruction and comfort of all, the Apostle says that Three Prophe●…s may speak in due order, one after an other at one time, & Ver. 29. the others are to judge etc. Three ministers I am sure in any one church there cannot be that by office are to attend unto the ministration of the Rom. 12. 7. 8. word. The pastor & the Teacher are the only offices that I now know appointed to the ministery of the word; & therefore even by this place, more besides the ministers of the Church may speak in the way, yea in this public exercise of prophecy. Neither aught this to seem strange in the ears of any that know what belongeth to the exercise Luk. 10. of prophecy or order of the Church: It is no other thing than Christ Act. 8. 4. &. 11. 20. hath instituted & the Apostles every where taught, and that by most sensible reasons. For as the body consists of many members, & all the members have not one office etc: so the members of the Church Rom. 12. 6. being divers & having received divers gifts, are (according unto the 1 Pet. 4. 10 grace that is given to every one) to serve the Church, or rather the Lord with the same, as good disposers of the manifold grace of God. If they have the gift of prophecy, then are they to exercise it according to the proportion of faith, speaking as the words of God always, keeping themselves within the bond of sobriety & truth: who so doth otherwise is subject to censure & reproof. We see the practice hereof not only in Corinth but in Antiochia & Rome, & no doubt by the same rule in other churches. In Anti●…chia we read of sundry prophets & teachers, Barnabas, Symeon, Lucius, Mana●…en, Paul. Act. 13. 1. & 15. 32. of judas & Silas, that exhorted & taught in that Church. That there were sundry also that taught in Rome, appeareth Philip. 1. 14. 15, & ●…. Neither hath this been strange even under the law: we see God Deut. 13. 2. & 18. 20. etc. chose his prophets of all tribes, whose doctrine was to be tried by God's word. Their prophecies of future things, by the event: we see our Saviour Christ his Apostles & disciples did the like throughout all the cities & synagogues of the jews. If unto this it be answered that our saviour Christ was Lord of the law & of the Temple, and so might do his pleasure (for the proph●…ts Apostles & disciples what they did was also by the commandment of God) and so none of these examples to be made presidents unto us without the like warrant. I grant well, neither would I ground upon these examples if either they were contrary to any law of God, or that there were not express warrant in the Testament of Christ & in the other scriptures, that such as have the gift of prophecy may and aught to exercise their gift in the Church of Christ. To that end I brought these examples, to show that it was a thing usual amongst the jews and not contrary to any law, as Doctor SOME & almost all the priests of the land very ignorantly and falsely give out. For neither can they prove that it was unlawful for any besides the priests to read or expound the scriptures, or use exhort●…tion and prayer in the Temple & public Synagogues of the jews, neither yet that it only belongeth to the ministers of the Chu●…ch under the Gospel, unless we will take their bore affirmation for proof. But as under the law I have alleged many examples to the contrary, 1. Kings. 8. 2. Chro●…. 34. &. 35. Chap. so might I bring more. Solomon prayed, 〈◊〉 exhorted in the Temple. If they think to evade by saijng they were prophets, & did it by especial warrant; I doubt they cannot prove josiah a prophet. Again I would ask them, whither this especial warrant were private and known only to themselves, or public and known to the people & state also? Public they cannot show it, for than would they never have resisted the message and slain the prophets etc. If it were only private and known to the prophets only, than what was this to the state or people? the priests would never have suffered them in this manner to have usurped their office. Again our Saviour Christ (if it had been contrary to the law) would never have done it, or caused his disciples to do it; who were no where reprehended for teaching, but for their doctrine only, as appeareth by the examination of our Saviour CHRIST before the high priests: neither were any of his disciples troubled for teaching in any of the cities and synagogues where he sent them. After his death also, when the Apostles accustomably taught and Act. 4. &. 5. Chap. prayed in the temple, being brought before the council, they were not reproved (though they were ig●…orant and ba●…e men of occupation in their eyes) because they taught & prayed publicly, but because they taught the righteousness and glory of that Christ whom they had so unjustly murdered and put to death; and were not forbidden simply not to teach, but not to teach in his name. So you see it was not Christ's warrant that stood them in any stead for the allowance of this action either before magistrates or people who known or acknowledged not Christ but abhorred him & put him to death. If it had been contrary to the law for any but priests publicly to teach, pray etc. both our saviour Christ and his disciples should have herded of it no doubt at the hands of these carping cavilling phariseiss, & of those malicious murderous priests. But we see the Apostles were every wh●…re permitted to teach through all the synagogues of the jews, inso much as the rulers of the synagogue at 〈◊〉 sent unto Paul & Barnabas, willing them if they had Act. 13. 15. any exhortation for the people, to say. This they would neither have permitted nor done, if it had been contrary to their law. By 〈◊〉 warrant these rulers did it not; for, 〈◊〉 his name sake they persecuted & afterward stoned him. Let this perilous paradox then at length be gained Tha●… others which have the gift of prophecy besides the ministers, may publicly 〈◊〉 or exhort in the Church. Now remain●…th to be showed, that this exercise of prophecy belongeth to the whole Church, and aught not to be shut up in this manner amongst the priests only, the people being shut out eithe●… to speak or hear. This the Apostle in this▪ 14 Chapter plentifully proveth by many reasons, & plainly a●…oweth in direct words. Reason's may be drawn from the very exercise of proph●…cie yt self, which is nothing else now with the Church, than an expounding & interpretation of scriptures. This light I am sure they will grant aught not to be hide under a bed or bushel; neither to be shut up amongst a few, as these Anab●…ptistical preachers use in their conventicles at this exercise. There are no ear secrets Ma●…. 10. 27. Ne●…em. 8. 8. or hidden mysteries which are to be kept close, but are to be p●…oclaimed & published upon the house top. The ends also of this exercise of prop●…ecie show, that it belongeth to the whole Church, and none of them aught to be shut out. The ●…er. 3. 5. 31 24 ends are the edification, exhortation, & comfort of the whole body. what a pride & insolency, yea cruelty is it in these men, that would assume unto themselves only this bountiful grace of God, and debar 〈◊〉 from the same, and that the very Church, to whom it belongeth & for whom it was instituted; when the Lord alloweth even strangers & unbelievers to come unto it, lifting up the Son of man thereby 〈◊〉▪ 11. 10. 〈◊〉. 8. 13. 〈◊〉. 3. 14. as a standard to other nations. What enemies than are these men unto the glory of God and contrary unto all men, that would take from them this most blessed means of their salvation. The Apostle also in express words declareth, that this exercise belongeth to the whole Church. V●…r. 23. 24. If (says he) when the whole Church is come together unto the same, & all speak tongues, there come in also they that are ignorant or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad? but if all prophecy & there come in an infidel or idiot, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all etc. The 26. Ver▪ also: what is then brethren? when you come together every one of you hath a psalm ●…ath doctrine etc. Likewise Ver. 31. For you may all by one every one of you prophecy, that all may learn and all may be comforted. What can be more manifest & direct then these places, that this exercise of prophecy belongeth to the whole Church, & that every faithful man ●…ath here freedom and powe●… both ●…o be present and to speak also as ●…eed ●…equireth, and God revealeth unto him. Are not also all the carnal reasons of these phariseiss taken away, which allege the ignorance of the most part, or confusion, if all might be suffered to speak. To the one, no man is to speak but as the words of God, according to the proportion of faith within the bounds of sobriety & truth; his words must be to edification, else he faulteth & is judged for them. For the confusion that might hereupon arise if all should have power to speak: It is not here said that every one which hath power 1 Cor. 10. 23▪ Gal. 5. 13. 1 Pe●…. 2. 16. V 40. V 33. should at all times use this power: that which is lawful is not always expedient: Christians are to use their liberty to the edification, & not the confusion of the Church; for God is not the author of disorder but of peace, as in all the Churches of the Saints. They than that thus pre●…mptuously either innovate or abuse this blessed ordinance of CHRIST, found fault with & control the commandments of God, and charge God with confusion, who is the author of this exercise, order, liberty. But D. SOME hath by the privilege of the Church of England published it utterly unlawful for any that is not a minister, to deal with the interpretation of scriptures, what gifts soever God hath given him thereunto; and says, these absurdities would ensue thereof: that wo●… may then also preach in the Church▪ that those men that thus speak in way of prophecy usurp the ministers office with Corath, offer uzziahs incense, & may also by this means enter into the Council chamber, and intrude into the civil magistrates office; for to give council also is every Christians duty etc. What can be more blasphemously & reproachfully repugnant to the word & order of CHRIST, who you see is the author of this exercise in this manner, & hath for ever left it as a commandment unto all churches: For (says the Apostle vers. 37.) If any man seem to be a Prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge what I writ unto you, because they are the commandments of God etc. But if any man be ignorant, let him b●… ignorant: Therefore my brethren covet you to prophecy, and to speak with tongues forbidden not: Let all things be done comely, and according to order. For D. SOMES first absurdity; women are expressly forbidden to speak by way or in the exercise of this proph●… in the Church vers. 34. 35. So then this is but a reproach of his own absurd brain, to bring th●… truth into slander. That such as speak in this exercise of prophecy do not any way usurp the ministers office, hath been largely showed by the discour●… of this whole Chapter. Neither hath▪ he brought any piece of a reason to prove, that only ministers aught to speak of the scriptures in ●…he Church. For his third impi●…us & odious calumniation; that such as presume to speak in the Church not being ministers, may as well intrude into the Council chamber & magistrates 〈◊〉; it is in it self so false, foolish & absurd, as it deser●…eth none answer. It is but the venom of his serp●…●…ongue, the Add●… poison that is under his lips, wher●…y he seeketh to draw the truth of CHRIST and the professors thereof into hatred. He might as well say, that because CHRIST hath made us all Kings & Priests unto him, therefore we will here usurp the civil magistrates and ecclesiastical ministers office. These are but the malicious collections & vain conclusions of his idle head & graceless heart, thus to blaspheme the holy ordinances of CHRIST, to call it Anabaptistical, the depraving of the holy scriptures, abusing of the auditors, disturbing both of Church & common wealth, calling such Christian assemblies as practise this commandment 〈◊〉 conventicles, although he never in his life was present at any of their exercises, nor is able to charge any one of them with any one 〈◊〉 error, as they by his own mouth are able to charge him & all this antichristian ministery of England, which exercise a ministery without a lawful calling thereunto by virtue of their inward calling, which is their learning & sufficiency; as though CHRIST did not know the end, use & measure of the gifts he hath given them. In the Church of CHRIST there are none suffered to speak by way of prophecy, but such as have the gift of prophecy: and to forbidden such to ●…peake, were to stop up the conducts & springs of the Church, or rather of God's graces, whereby the Church should be watered and refreshed: so far is this exercise from d●…prauing the scriptures or abusing the auditory. The rest of his vituperie he hath laid upon CHRIST the author of this exercise▪, and to him shall answer for the same at that day of reckoning & account. If none but Ministers may speak publicly in the Church by way of prophecy, how should the people have trial of the gifts of any? how should any ministers in this general apostaci●… and departure, be r●…stored? yea how should there ever be any other then now are? For if the people may not hear their gifts, how should they judge them? ●…f they may not utter their gifts, how should the people hear them? here I shall by both sorts of our priests, aswell Pontifical as 〈◊〉 be answered; that the law is not so general, but that there are exceptions unto the same. The Pontifical will allege; That their mother the University, their father the Bishop, have authority to give licence to preach in any Church wheresoever they become before th●…y be either full ministers, or have any office as the engli●…h Deacon or half priests, the cathedral Prebends, the common Curates or roving Preachers: Amongst which you must note a double mystery. Some of them are full ministers without either certain cha●…ge, place, or office. Others have a certain, yea a pastors charge and office, and yet are not full ministers: of which sect are the Prebends & civil Doctors, who may have parsonages, and yet be no ministers. The Reformists they will likewise answer me; that their mother the University she hath power to give lea●…e to preach universally through all Churches, and also the Select Cl●…ssis: yea peradventure this school of Prophets as●…embled, have power to admit some one pick●…d man to their mysteries which is no priest, & to give him leave to speak amongst them; yet hereof I doubt, and therefore will not stand; and thus may the people by both sides have trial of their gifts. Great reason that they which ma●…e the law should also make and take ●…xceptions at their pleasure. But well, what booteth this trial that they allow the people, when neither of them give the p●…ople liberty to judge or reprove their doctrine? when both sides, both▪ Bishops and this new Classis take upon them to make ministers without the people, without any charge, place, or office certain? But let this matter rest: I would know of both or any of them, what this their mother they so much boast of is? & where she had this high authority above other women? H●… they will with one voice answer, that the Universities are the seminaries of religion, of the ministery of the land; the schools and colleges of learning, wherein the sons of the Prophets are trained up, as they were in Naiot●…, in Beth●…l, jericho, jerusalem & Cori●…th. If the ●…ree be known by the fruit, the Cockatri●…e by the poisoned eggs, the Viper by the spawn, th●… nest by the birds; then let the religion and priests of the land show what kind of seminaries & colleges these Universities are. If these be the b●…st fivite and famousest men (that are instructed in nothing but to corrupt and cavil against the truth) then let them take heed, for the axe is laid to the root of the tree etc. If also these your vniue●…sities be compared to these cities whither these faithful men repaired (because of these famous Prophets) to be instructed in the laws of God, we shall found them more like to the Sodomitical colleges and fellowships of the idolatrous monks and Friars, brethren of a birth, even by both parents; then unto the holy assemblies of the Prophets. And this will appear if we compare them either in the people assembled, or in the manner & ends of their education & training. What the sons of the Prophets were, is already showed; namely godly men that rep●…ired to the cities where these famous Prophets were most resident, to be instructed in the law of God. But the people that resort to these universities are the children of all the profane in the land, that repair thither to be instructed in heathen & vain arts, whereby they may get their living; or if they study divinity (as they call it) they make an occupation of it: It is but for their belly, for worldly promotion, and not for the glory of God, as the greedy ●…eeking after their ecclesiastical livings by the one sort, the selling o●… their cunning and letting forth their tongues to hire of the other ●…ort, declareth. These holy companies of prophets mentioned in the scriptures, wer●… trained up in the law of God, lived orderly in the fear of God together with their wives & families. But these university colleges are a misseline row●…e of very young men for the most part & boys together▪ leading their lives in idolatry, confusion, disorder; spending their lives in vanity, folly, idleness, living neither in the fear of God, nor in any well established order of his Church, neither in any lawful calling in the common wealth. They are forbidden in these societies to live in holy wedlock: If he be married, he may not there enter: if he being entered mary, he may not there tarry. An endless discourse y●… were but to recite their several idolatrous profane usages, mysteries, oaths, vows, ceremonies; all which evidently show from whence they had their original; namely from antichrist's chair, to which they have ever served, & still in all places do serve, fight stoutly under his banner against the faith & Church of CHRIST, supplijng him continually with fresh soldiers to carry abroad his merchandise, & set abroach the deceits of Satan. Neither are they more like unto the Churches of CHRIST, then unto Revel 18. 2. ●… joh. 1. 7. 2 Cor. 6. 14 the schools of the Prophets: the Church of CHRIST is no cage of such unclean & hateful birds, of their fry & offspring: the churches of CHRIST have no such colleges, societies, fellowships; the Churches of CHRIST have no such heathenish & idolatrous customs, exercises, usages, oaths, vows, ceremonies; they have no such profane arts, 1 Tim. 1. 4. & 4. 7. & 6. 3. 4. 5. 20. 21. Act. 20 vain education & literature; they have no such degrees & ostentation of learning, neither are there found either Bachelors or Doctors of divinity: Their Pastors and Teachers are choose for their knowledge, gravity, godliness of life: they have no such fastuous & blasphemous titles, but are called to a labour and a charge; for the faithful performance whereof, they rather desire to be commended, then to be thus greeted in the market place. As they are by the Church wherein they serve, called to this office; so are they orderly & reverently ordained by and in the same Congregation, with fasting & prayer etc. and not arrayed in scarlet with the habit, hood, tippet, cornered cap, with their maces and beadels proclaiming before them, and such a train of the pope's clerks young and old following them through the streets till they march to the place where they play their prizes: Neither are they in this manner dubbed Doctors by the delivering a book unto them, sworn upon a book to their father's fidelity & their mother's mysteries, adopted their son by a ring & a kiss, or enthronized in a chair with many o●…her ceremonies and made Doctors of divinity, Doctors Act. 20. 28 ●… 〈◊〉. 5. 2. in name & title only, without any certain office or Church wherein & whereunto to administer. For this title of divinity, I know not how to give it unto any mortal 〈◊〉. 2. 9 man without blasphemy, CHRIST only excepted, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily. The english of Christian religion & profession of the Gospel and faith of CHRIST, I can well away Revel 13. 1. Revel 17. 3. with and dig●…st: but this english romish abstract of divinity, I am assured came from the same forge that their title of the supreme head of the Church did, and cannot with all the glozes, scholions, & learned interpretations they can devise, be made other then most high blasphemy against the sacred person of Christ, who is the only universal Doctor of all his disciples, & of all true religion. And evil may Math. 23. 8▪ 10. D. S. either defend or pattern his Doctorhood by St. Paul, who in the same verse by him alleged 1 Tim. 2. 7. showeth a lawful calling, a lawful & certain office, & also a sincere & faithful administration thereof. But now as St Paul's Apostolic office is ceased, the Church being established and delivered to other certain offices: so if Paul's apostolic room or Doctorship (as he caleth it) were void, I suppose D. SOME not the fittest man in the world for it: although (if it be as I hear) he can be no l●…sse them an apostle by his offices, he being a Pastor, if not a double or plurified none resident Pastor of many churches; a Doctor you see by privilege and stile, and a Deacon I mean also at Ely▪ And what was or could any Apostle be more; Yet seeing all these are but forged stuff, and that he hath neither any true office in the Church, neither any true calling thereunto etc. we can take him but for a false Apostle at the best, if he sit not in an Apostates chair, that I say not an Apostates gown some where else; & so leave him e●…ther to repentance, or to follow his predecessor to his appointed place. But by following this bird over far, I had almost been trained from the nest. I was showing what little affinity there is betwixt the churches of Christ and these universities, these Colleges of clerks, these schools of Prophets. In the Churches of Christ the names and offices of Chancellor, vice▪ Chan●…elor, Commiss●…ry, Proctors, Taskers, Bedels', Provosts, Masters of Colleges, vice Masters, Boweers, Deans, Fellows, etc. are all strange and unheard of; as also their several statutes, customs, ceremonies, their manner of degree●… and disputing for their degrees and order of teaching, which were no small labour but to reckon up. All which as they are strange to the Church of Christ, who found not in all Gods word any of these offices, degrees, statutes, orders, customs, ceremonies, vows etc. neither any such universities, colleges, societies of scholars: so (seeing they have no ground in the word of God, no fellowship or communion with the Church) I see not why they should have any more toleration than their elder brethren the monks, who eueri●… way had as great show of holiness ●…nd colour of utility to the Church as they, or t●…ese other cath●…drall coll●…giate dens have, yea and might both as soon and as well have been purged of their Mass and latin service, as these are: so that the same end that is befallen the one remains the other. The lord is not pleased with any voluntary religion. That building that hath not the word of God for the foundation, though it be daubed with never so great cunning Ezek. 13. 11. etc, and learning, and undershored with never so great policy and power, though it be built as high as B●…bel, yet shall it assuredly fall, Math. 7. 26 1. joh. 1. 7. Eph. 4. 13. 14. 15. 16. Eph. 5. 8. 9 10. 11. 12. and the greater shallbe the fall thereof. As there is no building without the word of God for the foundation; so is there no fellowship or communion out of the Church of God. And therefore no such confused colleges, no such idolatrous assemblies as are not gathered unto Christ but unto Antichrist, as live not in that Christian order & fellowship which Christ hath appointed to all his servants in his Church, but lead their lives in antichristian disorder in Babylonish, if not Sodomitish confusion; no such heathen schools wherein youth is not trained up in the fear, knowledge, and order of CHRIT, but in vain Eph. 6. 4. 〈◊〉. 22. 6. arts, superstition, idolatry, disorder etc. have any foundation in the word of God, any fellowship with or allowance in the Church of God. But here will the university Knights draw me within the compass of these two absurdities: First that I condemn all good arts and literature; then, that I quite drive them out of the world by taking away the schools of the same, wherein youth might be trained & brought up. Nothing less, I with my whole heart allow of any art or science that is consonant to the word of God, & to the doctrine which is according to godliness: only the curious & heathen arts, profane & vain babble and oppositions of science falsely so called which they profess & wherewith they poison & co●…upt all the youth of the land, I abhor, because God condemneth. As for schools to teach the tongues or any laudable or necessary art, I wish them in abundance; that if it were possible not only the youth, but even the whole church might be trained therein: I with my whole heart wish, that all the Lords people were Prophets: such an enemy am I to true knowledge & learning, that I would not have it any longer kept secret in a mystery, but even proclaimed upon the house top in every City & in every street: yet still & ever with this caution, that these schools both be in an established church (I mean in such places where the Saints live together in the faith, order, obedience and communion of CHRIST) and not in such monkish, idolatrous, confused, idle, profane colleges and fellowships as there's are: Likewise that the tongues or sciences be here taught in an holy, sanctified, reverend, grave manner, and not in such an unsanctified vain manner as they use: So shall the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that cover the sea: for in the Church of Christ are all his springs enclosed, which by this means should run at every conduct, and water the whole land abundantly, whereas now they lie in miserable darkness, wholly overgrown with brambles & briars. And surely I even with marvel wonder, how these men can be so blinded, to compare these wicked idolatrous societies to the assemblies of the proph●…ts, or unto the Church of Christ, when you see they have nothing common with them or like unto them, either in the people assembled, doctrine taught, manner of teaching & learning, or order of life; when they utterly want warrant in the word of God for such kind of Colleges, societies and schools, these having been derived either from the heathens, Egyptians, Greeks, Persians that had their peculiar colleges and schools to their peculiar sects, or else have is●…ued out of the smoke of antichrist's inventions out of the bottomless pit. They always have been & still are the very hives & nurseries of these armed poisoned Locusts & venomous Scorpions, I mean either that false ministery of Antichrist, even all the governing & teaching priests as Cardinals, Archbish. Bish. Suffragan●…s, Archdeacon's, Chan●…lors, Com●…issaries, Civil Doctors, Advocates, Proct●…rs, 〈◊〉 roving Ministers & Preachers, parish Priests etc. or those counterfeit religious hypocrites, monks, Friars, Nuns, Clerks, or (as we now of late call them) scholars. All which have in innumerable multitudes from time to time and at all times swarmed and issued out of these hives into the face of the whole earth, corrupting and destroijng eueri●… green thing, poisoning the pure fountains of God's word with their accursed gloz●…s, d●…epe learning, subtle & figurative interpretations, darkening the son and infecting the air therewith; as also with the blasphemous traditions of their king 〈◊〉 that Angel of the bottomless pit. They have always most pestilently fought under this their captain against the Lamb his Gospel & Church, plentifully furnishing and continually supplijng all the offices & roomths belonging to that huge Midianitish host of Antichrist: the leaders, captains, and officers whereof, are & ever have been wholly taken out of these Ser●…liaes, even from the Pope●… person to the lowest Priest. How they are reform by having this english portesse their service book in stead of their old mass-book, may partly by that which is above written concerning the same, appear: but more manifestly, by taking a view of some of the blasphemous idolatrous customs which still remain in practice with them in the same manner as they did under the Pope: all or any of which it is not here my purpose any further to describe. It sufficeth me to have showed them to be confused, idolatrous, unchristian, unlawful assemblies and societies; so far from being to be compared unto, or justified by the assemblies of the Prophets or that heavenly exercise of proph●…cie now in the Church of CHRIST, as they are not to be suffered in a Christian common wealth. And therefore he ●…re again once more I conclude; that both these ungodly assemblies, as also the cathedral dens and colleges, aught by as good right to be abolished, as their other brethren and sisters of a birth the monasteries & nunneries are, seeing they all want foundation in the word, had one and the same hellish original, had and these still retain the same blasphemous incurable abus●…s, which can by no way be reform but by their utter dissolution. Thus have we through the mercy of God by the light of his word taken a sleight vie●… of the nests of these unclean birds, and have thereby seen both what manner of schools, & what kind of Prophets these are: we have seen how evil this 14 of the Corinthians fitteth either these university and cathedral Colleges, or these new devised Conventicles of prophetical priests: we have scene how wickedly they corrupt, pervert, abuse that scripture & holy exercise. Now it remains but in a line or two, compare their public preaching in their Synagogues to this heavenvly exercise of prophecy instituted in the churches of Christ. First these parish priests or hired preachers all of them preach under their ordinaries licence stint & limitation, as hath been showed. Then they are prescribed their time when to begin. They have a prescript place like a tub called their pulpit, for the most part able to receive no more than one person, except it be a suggestor or prompter, as in some special places: Neither do they ordinarily speak any more than one, & he for the most part disputes to the hourglass, which being run his sermocination must be at an end. Preach this priest never so unsound corrupt or heretical doctrine, there is no present or public controlment or retractation to be had. Handle he the scripture never so unsufficiently or unsavorilye, pervert, mistake, or falsify he it never so grievously, there is no amendss or supply of others to be looked for, none else being suffered to speak. The Church hath no power either to approve or reprove any doctrine delivered them, be it never so consonant to, or dissonant from the word of God. Here would not be forgotten also the sweet psalmodical harmony of the Vultures, Crows, Gleades, Owls, Ge●…se; of the Leopards, Bears, Wolves, Dogs, Foxes, Swine, Goats (pardon me for thus the holy Ghost termeth & likeneth the proph●…ne confuse multitudes assembled in the false Church) All these together with one accord sympathy & harmony sing some pleasant ballad, or else unto DAVID'S melodious Harp some psalm in ●…ime (I say not rhythm now or metre) well concinnate to the ear (though never a whit to the sens●…, purpose or true use of the psalm) before the sermon, to stir up the spirit of their worthy priest or preacher: Who being thus ●…apt or ravished with this harmony, goes to his gear in form aboue●…aid, where his mouth distills, & his lips drop down such old parables, such premeditate & well studied & choose sentences, as shall displease no party, unless he be of too suspicious a nature; or howsoever I warrant you he hath his learned privileged author, and that at his finger's ends for his discharge. Thus have you briefly seen the usual order of your public prophecy. If you compare it now to the rules and orders set down by the Apostle for that blessed exercise unto all churches in that 1. Cor. 14. ver. 26. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33: then may you judge of yourselves what is right or amiss, and ease me of further trouble to rave in this filthy dung, and to bring this counterfeit stuff in particular to the trial. Great were the labour and far exceeding my slender capacity, especially my decayed memory, but even summarily to recount all the principal and special heads of their false doctrines & false practice, from whence flow infinite errors and enormities, even as the innumerable drops of a fountain▪ yea but to prosecute and go forward in this disordered mane●… to search out and ●…me up those which yet are wanting. All which I rather leave to the more diligent & fruitful investigation of such as God hath endued with a greater i●…dgment & more clear sight, confessing myself both wearied & overcharged with the greatness of the work. For while I have endeavoured but to give you as it were a blush of their counterfeit & antichristian ministery, and to show the error of their education, election, ordin●…tion and administration throughout, of the blasphemous and idolatrous worship they use, of their sacrilegious and adulterate sacraments, their prostituting & selling them the Gospel themselves, of their profanation of prayer, the name and word of God both read and preached, abrogating & excluding part, mankeling, dismembering, distorting, perverting the rest to th●…ir idol feasts, sacraments, marijng, burijng, visiting, churching, charming the fields: how they preach the word by stint, limitation, subjection both of themselves & their doctrine to their antichristian ordinaries, whose apostati●…al throne they uphold & daub therewith, as also gilled & adorn the whore the false Church, joining it to all the abomination & sin of the land, hiding, stealing, concealing, obscuring, wrasting, munging, corrupting, leavening, selling the Gospel; as also their abusing, counterfeiting, perverting the holy exercise of prophecy. All which when I had but lightly touched & discovered according to my purpose, hoping that so I might have made an end of this odious and irksome argument, these things being so manifest & heinous in themselves that I need not stand either to prove or disprove them, or to show the indignity, danger & enormities that ensue thereof: Even then lo is the whole word of God, the Law & the Gospel presented unto me, most wretchedly corrupted, abused, violate, & trodden under foot by them, by your preachers I say, even your learnedst best Good men that you so esteem of: I still speak & would be understood of the general & public errors & transgressions of this Church, which if I ●…hould go about to particulate, I could not hope to live until I had made an end. And that you may not think I speak by the figure hyperboie, as they use: I earnestly bes●…ech any one in whom●… is any spark of light, grace, conscience, love or fear of God, to consider & examine by the word of God, or rather to lament & deplore with me the through corruption & universal transgression of all God's laws both in the Church & common wealth, as the present estate of each doth show. The one I hope this present treatise shall somewhat reveal & discover: the other shall be as manifest, if by this light with a single eye you but peruse the public laws, judgements, pleas, trials, customs, orders, trades, estates, degrees (still I speak generally of the whole body which hath not from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet one sound part, but all is full of wounds, swellings, ulcers, corruption) so that he that fears Good cannot in this common wealth keep a good conscience, & live amongst them, whether he buy, sell, lend, borrow, hire, work for hire, give, take, sue or be s●…ed▪ The Laws, Courts, judges, juries, Advocates, generally all estate●… from the highest to the lowest are so thoroughly corrupt. Not to speak here of the particula●… sins, the height, quality & universality of them, which were infinite; let the idolatrous & blasphemous worship, yea the idolatrous & blasphemous oaths, publicly admitted, given, required and received of all people in all causes, so contrary to the law of God in the manner, & all the circumstances show how sound the fir●…t Table of the law is taught in the Church of England: Not to speak of the common and usual swearing, forswearing, blaspheming, cursing for every trif●…e & cause, yea without any cause, used through the whole land without controlment, rebuke, censure, punishment. Let the general profaneness, excess in gluttony, in apparel; let the idleness, wantonness, vanity, with the idolatry above spoken of & used upon the Lord's day show, how well the fourth commandment is taught and observed in the Church of England. Let the common riot & headstrong disobedien●…e and contempt of all the children and servants, even of all the youth of the land, the due punishment whereof is here neither spoken of, nor executed; let their profane, vain, idle education show, how well the 5 Commandment is taught and observed in the Church of England. Let the continual open jars, frays, murder, bloodshed in every corner of the land without either censu●…e or p●…nishment, yea the usual pardons that they give for the same show, how well the sixth Commandment is taught in the Church of England: Not here to speak of the common contentions, wrangles, jars, suits, wrongs; of the wrath, heartburning, malice, envy, cursed speaking, reviling, nicknaming, reproaching, blaspheming, that are rife amongst them: Let the general uncleanness, whoredom, adultery, which never abounded more in SODOM (so that almost there is not one amongst them that hath his wife chaste or their bed private) Let their manner of punishing & purging this sin show, how well they teach and keep this commandment: Not here to speak of their exquisite arts and curiosity in setting out their beauty to the view, their prodigious shapes, whorish atyres, dissolute & immodest behaviours, enticing and alluring words wherewith they provoke unto lust, all which in this Church are made no sins but matters of comeliness, courtesy, love etc. And that your gravest & best conscienced preachers think not themselves in this case without blame, let them examine their corrupt consciences, how m●…ny of their chief hearers & deuou●… proselytes they know both men & women, that know such crimes each by other, and yet for filthy lucre or fleshly respects continued together. Let the public open general thefts, violence, robberies, wrongs, and either their permission, or their corrupt and unlawful punishing the ●…ame show, how the eight commandment is taught. Not here to speak of the privy & more secret, nay truly of the open falsehood, deceit, coven in all trades, offices▪ callings, estates, degrees, people. What should I ●…tand to prosecute the rest. Let the general deceit, swearing, forswearing, backbiting, slandering; the insatiate coveting, lusting etc. show ●…ow well they teach & observe the other laws. And as they deal with the laws and judgements, so handle they in like manner the ●…rophets, which are the faithful expounders of the laws: all which to demonstrate in particular, were an endless & unachevable labour. And if these general corruptions, errors, transgressions be so infinite, what is to be thought of their particular personal errors which they in their public doctrine and daily ministry sparse abroad, even as that flood of bitter wate●…s which the Dragon casts forth of his mouth and the miserable people of the earth swallow up, partly through their general blindness, partly through their servile subjection, which have not the power or liberty publicly to control or censure any error, be it never so blasphemous. Whereupon is come about, that every one taketh boldness to utter in their pulpyts what him listeth (so he speak not against any thing by public authority established) he may handle the word of God after his own fancy, and abownd in his own sense. Whereupon arise such an innumerable heap of errors, so m●…nie diverse, variable, inconstant & contrary opinions amongst them, that (as the ignorant papists say) it is impossible to found two of them in one mind and judgement, yea in any two Churches of the land to hear the same doctrines taught, because in deed they preach either their own dreams and fantasies, or else their lucubrations out of human writings, who are almost of as divers & sundry opinions as themselves. Yet if any of these authors be with the BB●…. privilege, then are they authentic, irrefragable, called by both sides the faith of the Church of England, and not to be impugned or gainsaid without the censure of most high presumption. Thus hath God in his just judgement divided the tongues & confounded the language of these Babiloni●…h builders, that they almost agreed not in or upon any thing; one preaching one thing, an other the quite contrary; one building after this sort, another after that; one calling for this law, this thing, an other for that. Thus is their kingdom divided, their estate confused, and their house shall shortly be left unto them desolate. Many and innumerable excuses, shifts, cavils, they daily knit, wea●…e and forge to cover their detestable dealings, and hide their ways from the Lord, both by perverting the scriptures thereunto, and diverting them by their sophistry and putting them away, be they never so directly against them: with all which their poisoned diuises it is not my purpose nor yet in my power here to meddle, they being already so infinite, and their forge daily going to frame new. Only this from the mouth of the Lord I warn all men of. They are but Cockatrice eggs Isa. 〈◊〉. that they disclose & hatch, but spider's webs that they weave: their eggs are full of deadly poison, he that eateth of them dieth, he that is but sprinkled with them or treadeth upon them, is as if he were stung with a Viper or Scorpion: their webs shall not be for clot, neither shall they cover themselves with their deeds: their works are the works of iniquity, and the work of violence in their hands etc. The work & the workmen shallbe consumed together. The▪ wall & th●… daubers shall both fall and be overthrown in the storm of the Lords wrath: all Ezek. 13. Amos 9 their turning of diuises, though they build as high as heaven & dig as deep as hell, shall not cover them from the eyes or defend them from the hand of the Lord; but rather as the Prophet says in an other place, they shall pull all down upon their heads by the same means whereby they thought to uphold it. For (says he) this iniquity shallbe unto them as a breach that falls, as a swelling in an high brickwall whose breaking cometh suddenly in a moment; the sentence is go out from the Lord, it ●…asteneth to be performed: BABYLON shall fall & be utterly destroyed Isa. 47. together with all their substance, people, pleasures: evil cometh upon her, and she shall not know the morning thereof: destruction shall fall upon her suddenly ere she be ware: the multitude of her divines and enchanters shall neither deliver her from, nor discover unto her these evils; but they shallbe as stubble, and the fire shall burn them together with her. This is the end of all their cunning & learning; which you see they employ not to publish and proclaim the Lords truth, so much as to suppress & darken the same; hoping thereby to hide their own counterfeit dealing, which the Lord will have no longer covered, but revealeth their wickedness unto all men, that those which have any fear or love of God, or care of their own salvation, might save their souls from 〈◊〉. ●… 4. their murderous mouths, and follow the deceitful miserable guides no further in the crooked movable p●…thes of their inventions, no●… stay any longer in the steps of that flock, but to come forth from Prou. 5. ●…ong. ●…. 6. 7. amongst them unto that true shepherd of ISRAEL which so graciously seeketh & calleth them that he may bring them to Zion that City of joy, that mountain of holiness, that heavenly inclozed paradise where he feedeth & watereth his kids with the fruits and water of that ●…ree & that river of life; which so far passeth that earthly garden or park where ADAM was first plac●…d, as that excelled the wilderness of Kadesh, or as the heaven passeth the earth, or in deed as the true substance the shadow & type. Which grace that you may found & apprehended as it is the chief end of this my present writing, so is it my continual pra●…er unto the Lord; herein resting & being assured of this, that all CHRIST'S sheep will hear his voice, but a false Prophet or a stranger they will not hear or follow. Such are all these your ministers & preachers apparently proved unto you to be, by all the marks which God in his word hath set down●… to know them by. False Prophets they are, in that they persuade unto 1 ●…rror 2 transgression 3 idolatry 4 apostasy Deut. 13. 2. False Prophets they are, in that they prophecy unto this sinful land in this corrupt estate pe●…ce & prosperity. l●…r. 28. 8. False Prophe●…s they are, in that cover all the ●…inne of the land with the name of the Lord, of the church, Gospel, Sacraments etc. jer. 7. 4. & 18. 18. Micah. 2. 7. False Prophets they are, in that they daub the muddy brickwall of this corrupt & apostatical estate, with their untempered sermo●…s Ezek. 13. 10. etc. False Prophets they are, in that they prophecy in the name of so many Baalims', Baal Bishop, Baal Patron & those Baalims' to whom they stand chaplains. jer. 23. 13. False Prophets they are, in that they prophecy for hire, & sell their cunning Ezek. 13. 4. 19 Mi●…h. 2. 11. & 3. 11. Math. 10. 8. False Prophets they are, in that they handle not the word of God sincerely & faithfully, but join it to all the wickedness of the land etc. jer. 23. 28. 29. 1 Thes. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Ezek. 34. 18. False Prophets they are in that they blow not the trumpet, but yield unto the enemy & are scilenced at their commandment Ezek. 33. 6. Isa. 56. 10. jer. 1. 17. False Prophets they are, in that they are men pleasers, vailers, pillow sowers Ezek. 13. 18. ●…al. 1. 10. False Prophets they are, in y● with their sweet tongu●…s they allure, deceive, nourish and hold all the profane people in idolatry and sin jer. 23. 17. 31▪ 32. Strangers they are from the common wealth of 〈◊〉, in that they are not gathered to CHRIST their head, but stand members of the fa●…se Church under Antichrist. Ephes. 2. 12. Mat. 12. 30. Strangers they are, in that they execute a strange office, unheard of in the Church or Testament of CHRIST. Rom. 12. 7. 8. Strangers in that they are not called of God unto their office, but entered & ascended an other way joh. 10. 1. ●… c. Heb. 5. 4. Nu. 16. 5. 40. Stragers they are, in that they ex●…rcise a counterfeit, antichristian, roving, idolatrous ministry in the fal●… Church Deut. 32. 17. 2 Chron. 11. 15. Amos. 5. 26. jude. Strangers, in that they have th●…ir original f●…om the apostatical chair of Antichrist which they still guard & uphold, figh●…g under his flag against CHRIST his Gospel & the faith●…ull witnesses thereof. R●…u▪ 9 3. 12. Reu. 13. 13. 14. & 16. 1●…. Blind false guides and seducers they are, in that they lead the people in the wa●…es of darkness and death, promising them liberty, reformation etc. when they themselves stand bonds●…ruants of corruption. Prouer●…. 2. 13. etc. Math. 15. 14. Hebr. 6. 1. 2 Pet▪ 2. 19 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7. False builders & dece●…tfull work men, in that they neither gather unto nor build upon the true foundation, CHRIST and his word; but gather unto & build upon 〈◊〉 & his traditions, and so destroy thesoules of all that are built in this their Church. 2 Corint. 1●…. 13. ●… Cori●…t. 3. 9 etc. Ephes. 2. 20. 21. 22. They are powered out in the error of Bala●…m for wage, in that they sell their divinity to God's enemies jude. 11. The way of Cain they follow in that they murder the faithful by daily reproaches vitupe●…ie and slanders. Iud.▪ 11. ●… joh. 3. 12. The truth of the●…e things you may read & see in the scriptures: the proof of all these you may see in their standing, doctrines, practice, duly compared unto & truly examined by the rules of God's word. Now it r●…maineth that you be warned & obey the calling of God, & disterminate yourselves from amongst them, lest you despise the grace of God against you●… own souls, and he give you up to their delusions. Let such as take offen●…e at my sharp manner of writing against these their esteemed learned preachers before they condemn my spirit 〈◊〉 it, whether these judgements be the Lords or no. Then let them examine unpartially whither these men be not under the same, in such ●…aner as I have said. As for me, what am I that I should altar, or what is man that he should control●… the Lords iudgment●…s in losing that which he bindeth, or holding in veneration that which he hath in detestation, or to give titles unto any in their sin: that were to call CHRIST execrable, yea to make myself guilty of the same sin & judgement which the Lord now commandeth me to denounce against them. Of the affection & intent of my heart, I make the searcher of all heart's judge, even whether I desire not their salvation as mine own. They that judge the medicine too sharp, & me an austere & unskilful physician, should do well for the first to examine the ingredients by that heavenly herbal, and the whole confection together by the practice of that great physician and his disciples. For the ingredients I have prefixed under every branch & leaf, the bough & root where I gathered them. For the composition & confection, I have desired to follow our Saviour CHRIST in his conferences, where he reproved the priests, Scribes & Phariseiss of his time while he lived here amongst them in the flesh, desiring you to peruse the 21. 22. 23. chap. of Ma●…. comparing them to the other Evangelists and unto zach. 11. I have also followed the Prophets & Apostles, who always dealt most sharply with the false Prophets and false Teachers of their times, how great estimation or show of learning soever they carried, and have le●…t unto us perpetual doctrines to do the like, both to watch, discover & avoid false Prophets which shall arise within the Church; as also to bait the wolf from the fold, and not to suffer him to enter, much less to teach or exercise any office there, come he never so disguised in sheeps clothing, wrapped in Samuels mantle, or in a rough hairy garment to deceive. If their examples for their incomparable pre-eminence be not allowed me to follow, yet their doctrines cannot be so taken from the lest of Christ's servants: For a p●…rticular instance I insi●…t among many other scriptures upon Zacar. 13. 2. 3. Verses: where they may see an express warrant for this my manner of dealing with these manner of men, as also the ●…oueraigne virtue & effect of this sharp medicine▪ old corrupt sores must not be cured with skinning plasters or sweet ointments: If I should obey their ambitious appetite therein, I should destroy both them & myself: their seared consciences must be wounded, their rough garment and counterfeit ministery which they for gain & vainglory so corruptly execute, must be plucked from them, they showed the height of their sin & the wrath of God due unto the same for the high prof●…nation of his holy name & word, & the misleading & murdering so many souls etc. that so they may (if they belong to God's election & to CHRIST'S kingdom) be humbled for their sins, and betake them to some more godly trade of living, until CHRIST think them worthy, and call them to the work of his ministery. This grace & effect with my whole heart I wish them; beseeching them in the mean while not to fix their eyes upon my baseness and ignorance which bring the message, so much as upon their own miserable estate & the message that God vouchsafeth even by me to sand them, lest they be offended at my baseness & folly (which is evetie way greater than they ●…ā imagine or I utter) & so in the pride of their own wisdom and presumption of their own hearts in disdaining me, they stumble at the words of God, & despise his grace against their own souls. The baseness of CHRIST'S choice hath ever been no small offence to the learned Pha●…seis & their proselytes, that he should begin his glorious ministry & kingdom in GALILEE, and that amongst a sort of the most despised simple artificers, leaving & rejecting the great learned Phariseiss, Scribes & Priests, who where the greatest enemies and persecutors of him & his Gospel etc. The scripture also speaketh evidently that in these latter days, when the viall●… of God's judgements shallbe powered upon the false Church, that the most part of the men that have received the mark of the Beast and worshipped his image shall not repent of their works, but break out into noisome & grievous sores & botches ●…nd shallbe so tormented with hea●…e, that their tongues shallbe smitten with venomous bli●…ters, that they shall blaspheme the God of heaven for their pain & sores etc. The truth of this prophecy, and terror of these judgements, I behold (with grief) executed even upon the chiefest & learnedest of your ministery, stricken with such blindness as they grope their way in the noon light, and reel like drunken men in their paths: they are hardened with ambition and covetise as they can found no grace, nor place to repentance: yea (that I even tr●…mble to think of) possessed which such madness, as they that sometimes to our seeming sought reformation and the kingdom of CHRIST JESUS, are now become of all others the most pernicious en●…mies thereof, daily stud●…jng for new ca●…illes and shifts to hide their wretchedness, and to keep back and mislead the people, yea to weaken and discourage the hearts & hands of such as in the love, fear, & truth of God have begi●…ne to build the Lords Temple; despising, accusing, slandering, reproaching them worse than ever the Amonites & Samarita●…es did the jews; yea even blaspheming the truth of the Lord, when they see they can by no means prevail against it. For all which their impious deeds & hard sayings, they shall shortly give account to him that is coming with thousands of his saints. THUS HAVING discored unto you the true estate of the people, ministery, worship & ministration of the church of England: it remains now that we take a little view of the 〈◊〉 government & ordinances of this their Church: which though they may partly appear by that which is already written concerning other points, yet if they be brought a little nearer the light, and compared to these orders & ordinances that our Saviour CHRIST hath set down in his last will & Testament, and incommended to his Church for ever; then shall they most e●…idétly & easily be discerned of all men; no labour, learning or power can then any longer justify, colour, or uphold them. Great hath been their craft▪ & manifold their devices to cover their antichristian practices, and to uphold this their ruinous and tyrannous kingdom (I had need express my me●…ning to be of their false ecclesiastical regiment, the kingdom of the Beast, lest they be my interpreters & draw me within dagger of treason, so like are they unto their predecessors the Priests & Phariseiss, so apt (as the Prophet says) to lay a snare for him that rebuketh in the gate, & to condemn him as guilty for the word etc.) First they sought to darken the true light, by terming this heavenly government of CHRI●…T and holy ord●…rs & ordinances of his Testament The outward discipline used in the primitive Churches, especially in the time of Lent etc. then to keep the Magistrates & the people utterly from all sight & knowledge hereof, both by inhibiting all their priests to preach thereof, and not suffering any such places of scripture as make express mention thereof to be so much as read in their Church, as ●…om. 12. 1 Cor. 15. & 12. 2 Cor. 2. Eph. 4. 2 Thes. 3. CITIZEN Tim. 3 & 5. Ti●…. ●…. much less to be sincerely expounded & made known unto the Church, that they can at no hand away with scilencing, suspending, emprizoning such of their forsworn priests as meddle with such matters. Yea the wretches persuade the magistrates, that it would breed an innovation, if not a subversion of the whole state, hinder the course of the common law, cut off the civil, quite extinguish the cannon law, that it would raise continual schisms, contentions, and unapeaseable troubles and tumults; that it would innovate and altar the regiment of the common wealth, and draw it to an Aristocra●…ie or Democrati●… etc. These things these unclean devilish spirits th●…t are come & speak out of the mouth of the Dragon, blow into the civil magistrates 〈◊〉, and breath into their hear●…es, who being a great deal more politic than religious (the Lord knoweth with what truth & sorrow of hear●… I speak it) are not able to discern this most impious & high blasphemy against God and his CHRIST, from sacred verity; but because it is▪ plausible to the flesh, rightly agreeth to the present corrupt estate both of Church & common wealth, and in nothing disturbeth the strong man tha●… holdeth them all in peace, they readily i●…brace it, publish & maintain their devilish decrees, give their power unto the Beast, whereby he warreth against CHRIST his Gospel & saints. And thus are they drawn by them into the great day of God almighty even against CHRIST and them that are of his side, whom they daily persecute and murder in ●…heir prisons; and therefore shallbe slain with that sharp sword of him that rid●…th upon the white horse; they shall in the just judgement of God▪ ●…e made a pray even a quarry & a feast to these unclean spirits, to these greedy ravenous fowls, which (as that scripture says) shall feed & 〈◊〉 their ravenous appetites upon them, yea these unclean spirits shall draw them together with the Beast and the false Prophet into battle against CHRIST & against his army of saints. These blasphemous wretches (not to darken only bu●… to reproach the truth yet further) proceed & give out, that the heavenvly order & ordinances which Christ hath appointed in his Testament the government of his Church (which they call discipline) are but accidental, & no essential mark of the established Church, but that it may be a Church planted without them, yea that the true Church of Christ may take an other order of government, other ordinances than Christ hath appointed in his Testament; that this order of Christ's government is neither permanent, perpetual, nor necessary, but that it is in a Christian magistrates power to keep out Christ's government, & to erect & establish an other after their wills. These hellish & blasphemous doctrines do all the Priests & Preachers of the land give out & publish, else could they not either esteem the Church of England in this estate as it receiveth Antichrist's yoke this popish hierarchy in the true Church of Christ, neither would they exercise any ministery in this Church in this estate, or sue unto and stay for the Prince and parliament to bring themselves vuder Christ's sa●…red government. But the Pontificals proceed yet further to open their mouths unto more accursed blasphemy, which would make a Christian heart to rend his clotheses, to hear that Christ's blessed order wherein the Apostles▪ planted & establis●…ed the first churches, is not only not necessary, but intolerable now under a christian Prince, as bringing not only all these public perturbations & mischiefs unto the common wealth which are above recited, & they have suggested unto the magistrates; but also innumerable other inconveniences which would proceed if the people should have election of their own ministery & Church offic●…rs; if the affairs of the church should be directed by a council or company of Elders; if the doubts of the churches should be decided by an assembly of other churches (which they call a Synod & a Council) if faults should be censured by excommunication etc. Thus is Antichri●…t exalted & openeth his mouth against God & all his ordinances. Thus are the tongues of the false Prophet's fe●… on fire of hell. Many other impossibilities are there brought by the Potificals against the Reformicts, why this their course which they seek to bring in by parliament aught not & cannot be admitted in this land. All which because they neither concern nor hinder the truth, but rather through the mercy of God stop & make head to the new devised forgeries of these Reformistes, I w●…llingly pass over in s●…ilence, leaving the divided kingdom to t●…ie out the matter amongst themselves. Yet now before I proceed further, let me in a word or two give yo●… warning of the other sort of enemies of Christ's kingdom, y ● Phariseiss of these times, I mean these your great learned Preachers your Good meu that sigh & groan for reformation, but their hands with the fluggard deny to work. These counterfeits would raise up a second erro●… even as a second Beast, by so much more dang●…rous by how much y●… hath more show of the truth. These men instead of this gross antichristian government which is now manifest & odious unto all men, would bring in a new adulterate forged government in show, or ●…ther in despite of Christ's blessed government, which they in the pride, rashness, ignorance and sensuality of their fleshly hearts most miserably innovate, corrupt and pervert, both 1 in the very thing they seek, 2 in their manner of seeking it, 3 in the people over whom they would set it, 4 & in their manner of exercising it. The thing yt self they innovate & corrupt, in that they add new devices of their own; as their Pasto●…al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Sacraments, their set continued Synods, their sele●…t Cl●…sses of ministers, their settled supreme council. Their false manner of seeking it is manifest, in that they seek to bring Christ in by the arm of flesh, by suiting & supplicating to his vassals and servants (if so be they will have them or can imagine them Christians, that have not or will not suffer Christ to reign over them by his own laws & ordinances) or if they judge them not Christians, than they seek, suit unto, & stay upon his enemies until they will suffer & allow Christ to re●…gne over his Church according to his own will & Testament. This is not; Ki●…e the son lest he be angry, and you perish in the way: Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand; and if they refuse & speak evil of the way, to shake of the dust of the feet against them: this is not to bring Christ in by the power of his own word and spirit as it hath wrought in their hearts t●…ue r●…pentance and conversion, by showing them the error and danger of their ways, and by calling them unto the right practice of the Gospel. Nay in stead of this, these men will not only continue suiting to such despisers where God calleth them away; but stay the whole land in their idolatry from receiving Christ, until these men will permit them: yea they will so sweeten the matter and so alloy it to their fleshly appetites, as ●…rist shallbe framed unto the common wealth and not the common wealth unto C●…rist: they shall still retain and exercise this their ungodly devilish power to give laws unto Christ and his Church, and to receive or permit no more of his laws then standeth with their good liking, so they will but receive this their new devised plattforme, and put down the Bishops. They also make no other choice, n●…ither seek further argument●… of faith & repentance in the people over whom they would set this their pretended government. These men still would have the whole land to be the Church, and every parish therein a particular Congregation of the same. These men would have all redressed by virtue of one parliament one day, and not by virtue of the word preached: which, as it hath with them no power to effect any thing, so expect they not any fruits thereof, but take in all the common wealth, even all the Queen's subjects into this th●…ir Church under CHRIST'S government and protection, for so would they bear them in hand, that such this reformation which they seek, is. Their false manner of exercising this their pretended discipline, may 〈◊〉 app●…re by the weak and fearful practice of some of their forward men; who that they might make a fair ●…hew amongst their rude ignorant parishners, in stead of CHRIST'S government set up their counterfeit Discipline in and over all the parish, making the popish Chur●…hwardens & perjured Questmen Elders: And for Mr. Parson himself, he takes unto him the instrument of that foolish shepherd, his pastoral staff or wooden dagger of suspension, wherewith he keepeth such a flourishing, as the flies can have no rest; yea by your leave, if any poor man in the parish offend him, he may peradventure go without his bread & wine for that day. Their permanent Synods and counsels also which they would erect (not here to speak of their new dutch Class●… for therein is a secret) should only consist of Priests or Ministers as they term them; people of the Churches be shut out, and neither be made acquainted with the matters debated there, neither have free voice in those Synods & Counsels, but must receive & obey without contradiction whatsoever those learned Priests shall decree. These Synods & Counsels shall have absolute power over all Churches, doctrines & ministers, to erect, ratify or abrogate, to excommunicate or depose at their pleasures: Their decrees are most holy without controlment, unless it be by the Prince or the high Court of Parliament: Not ●…eere to speak of their solemn orders observed in these councils and Synods, as their choice by suffrage amongst themselves of their Archisynagogo●…, or Rector Chorj, their precedent (as they call him) propownder or moderator of their council; about which their predecessors have had no small stir, until their holy Father the Pope put an end to the strife by getting the chair. This stusfe they would bring in again under colour of reformation, ●…hese & many more their leavened corrupt writings of discipline, and their supplications unto the Parliament, d●…clare: With what pernicious forgeries, what kind of sacrilegious profanation of God's holy ordinances, shall more plainly appear●… when we have s●…t down the truth of CHRIST'S institution, which is the only arch-type and true pattern of all true builders & buildings; which who so at any hand transgresseth, either in matter or manner (as they speak) is to be reproved as an evil workman, and his work to burn, seem it to have never so great an●…iquitie, holiness & v●…ilitie in pretence. The ancient ways of the Lord are the only true ways; whatsoever is second or divers, is new & false. This I say, because both these factions of our pontifical and reforming Priests have sought rather to the broken pits & dry cisterns of men's inventions for their direction and groundwork, then unto the pur●… fountain of God's word. The first sort most gro●…ly draw all their water from that most 〈◊〉 drain and poisoned sink of the papistical corrup●…ion, as is to be seen by their whole ministery, worship, ministration, government etc. because it in all points accordeth ●…o their antichristian prelacy, idola●…rie, pride etc. and only be●…t agreeth to the corrupt estate of this realm, which hath so long been made drunk with the whores cup, that they can now taste or brook no other liquor. T●…e other sort, they fetch their reformation from the primitive defection, when the ministery began to usurp & grow into unlawful superiority and jurisdiction; when they began to decline from the true pattern of CHRIST'S Testament, and grew bold to innovate: as to set up a new & antichristian ministery, as their Provincials, Bishops, Archbishops, Archdeacon's, metropolitans, Patriarches, to take the whole regiment of the Church into their hands, to gather councils of Bishops, to make new decrees etc. All which proceed, as I found them defected from the rules of CHRIST'S Testament, so far dare I boldly pronounce them (their proceed I mean leaving their people to the Lords judgement) wicked & ungodly, not looking unto or respecting the learning or holiness of the men, how ancient & how many soever. From these ancient defections have these learned reforming Priests drawn their platform of reformation, as best suiting to the estimation of their people, the admiration of their learning and holiness, and not greatly opposite to the sinful estate of the land, especially as they in thei●… wisdoms would use the matter; who (I dare undertake for them good men) would not molest or offend any of wealth or authority, live as they list; neither need they be so afraid of the thunderbolt of ex●…munication, they will I warrant you proceed to it with a leaden heel, especially ag●…inst such men. And for the r●…st which seems so strange in their ears, as their Pas●…ors and Elders for their Parson & Questmen, their Synods in stead of their Commissaries courts, their high counsels in stead of the high commission; let them never be afraid, for by that time they are acqu●…inted with the new names, they shall not find the jurisdiction half so strange as it seems: It will be troublesome to none but to their Lords the BB. their courts & attendants, and the dumb ministers; in deed their cake is dough if this gear this sweeping new reformation come in. As for these new officers these Elders, they shall be but of the wealthiest honest simple men of the parish, that shall sit for ciphers dumb by their Pastor & meddle with nothing, neither poor souls shall they know more than they say. As for the ordering of all things, that shallbe in the Pastor's hands only, especially in some chief men who shall be these precedents & rulers of Synods & counsels, and so the p●…ople be kept as far from the knowledge & performance of their duties as ever they were: for so long have the Priests (for so still I call all false and antichristian ministers) usurped and detained the sole regiment of the Church in their hands, as it willbe a very hard matter for the people ever to recover their liberty ag●…ine. You see how the one side (the Pontificals I mean) prescribe in their qui●… possession & reject all claim the people can make, refuting them by M●…hiauels considerations & 〈◊〉 his politics in stead of the new Tes●…amēt, alleging I wore not how many politic incōuenie●…ces in way of Bar. The other sect (or faction rather) these Reformi●…s, howsoever for fashion sake they give the people a little liberty to sweeten their mouths, & make them believe that they should choose their own ministers (for further right in the censuring their ministers, or in the ordering the affairs of their churches they allow not, as hath been said) yet even in this pretended choice do they cousin & beguile them also, leaving them nothing but the smoky windy title of election only; enjoining them to choose some university clerk, one of these college birds of their own brood, or else comes a Synod in the neck of them, and ●…dnihilats the election whatsoeue●…●…t be. They have also a trick to stop it before it come so far; namely in the ordination, which must (forsooth) needs be done by other Pri●…sts: for the Church that chooseth him hath no power to ordain him: And this makes the mother Church of Geneu●… and the Dutch classes (I dare not say the secret classes in England) to make ministers for us in England. And these ministers when they are come over, are received and esteemed as Angels in hell, & shine as bright stars in these smoky Egyptian furnaces, wherein the miserable people of the land are kept in most hard servitude, daily new tasks laid upon them by this spiritual 〈◊〉 Antichrist: so far are these new guides (whom they trust) from leading them freely with the lords banner of the Gospel displayed before them, as you see they would be glad of any of Pharaohs conditions, their suit at the best intendment and uttermost course being but to worship God in Egypt, & to have these tyrannous taske-maisters their Lord Bishops & their attendants taken from them. Most willing they are with all their people to remain in spiritual bondage to the civil magistrate (I would not here be misunderstood of that lawful bodily obedience which all Christians own in all lawful things unto the civil magistrate. But these unclean spirits are go out unto the Kings of the earth to gather them into battle against God & his Christ, to make th●…m not only to cast Christ's bands from them, but to tie him in their b●…ndes; keeping away upon their regal authority what part of Christ's laws they list from the Church, and laying what laws of their own they list upon the Church. Alas what a dangerous & fearful abuse of their authority is this? they are not made Kings to reign over Christ or to giu●… him laws, but to honour and worship the son, to cast down their Sceptres at his feet, not to disturb or hinder his saints from the free and sincere practice of his Testament, but to encourage them and go before them therein, as king David did, dancing & recoicing Psal. 2. Psal. 10●…. 14. 15. before the Ark. Princes are equally bond to the keeping of all Gods laws as the meanest or any other, & shall for the brea●…h thereof not escape the judgement of that Lion of the tribe of Iud●…, wh●… will Deut. 32. 4●…. tread upon Princes (as the prophet says) as clay when he treadeth the great winepress without the city. This is the portion of all the lords Revel. 14. enemies, to this banquet do these false Prophets with their perfidy and ●…latterie bring them, that they cannot endure to be reproved of God himself by his word, to which they can at no hand endure to be made subject. Therefore they hate & persecute him that rebukerh in Am●…s, 5. 10 the gate, they abhor him that speaketh uprightly, and rule all things after their own lusts. And sure, even this incorrigible pride & wickedness of Princes & magistrates which would by no means be brought to the obedience of the Gospel, first drove the Anabaptistes into their devili h conceits of them, that no Prince or magistrate could be saved; afterward, th●…t thei●… veri●… office & function are utterly unlawful in the kingdom of Christ: which wicked heresies as they have no ground in the word of God (the 〈◊〉. 13. civil magistracy being the blessed ordinance of God for the defence of Christ's Gospel & Saints, & therefore all humble obedience thereunto 1. Pet. 2. 13. Tit. 3. 1. commanded as unto the Lord himself, & this both by our Saviour Christ●… own example, & the continual exhortations & commandments of his Apostles in all their epistles unto the churches) so can these Anab●…ptistical heresies no way be better refuted & taken out of the hearts of all men at once, them by the humble submission of Princes & magistrates unto the Revel. 21. 24. Throne & Sc●…pter of Christ, them by bringing their glory & honour unto the church according to the comfortable prophecies of the scriptures. Isa. 60. 3. 10. 11. Isa. 65. 25. OH what ●… comfort were this to Christ's poor lambs, to ●…ee the Lion so humbled as to eat hay together with them in the mountain of the Lord, & not to live of the ravin & spoil of the poor sheep, so as they dare not come aneere them for their fierceness. What a joy were it to see God's ordinances thus united, to see Moses & Aaro●… brethren, & this in the glorious spiritual Temple of God, where Christ shallbe Hhimmanuel, God with us, rule, guide, feed, & sanctify us every one in their callings. OH what a heavenly communion should this be, what a beauty▪, what a joy to the whole earth. But o how far are we from this comfort, our magistrates from this happiness, ●…euel. 16. 13 14. while they give their ear to the serpent speaking out of the mouth of the false prophet, that blasphemeth Christ & his ordinances, 〈◊〉. ●…7. 17 Heb. 10. 29 2. Thess. 2. Reve. 13. Dan. 7. Re●…. 14. 12. & accuseth his saints unto them; while they give their power unto the Beast that trampleth Christ's Testamet under their feet, & counteth the blood thereof as a common thing; that setteth up the image of his own devices & causeth all men of all degrees to worship the same: & all such as in fear & faith unto God refuse so to do, those in all hostile manner they confiscate, persecute, imprison, enclose, make away, without ani●… equal hearing of their cause, or once bringing it to light. This, their blasphemous writings & sermons, the public worship & estate of their church, their prisons generally through London & the land, declare. They have published in their writings That the orders & ordinances which Christ hath in●…is Testament left unto ●…is Church, were but temporary while ●…he Church ●…as under heathen tyrants; and that where the Gospel is embraced by a Christian Prince, they are not onli●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but inconvenient, yea intolerable, as bringing the utter subversion of the land, 〈◊〉 up tumul●…, & 〈◊〉 & withdrawing the people from obedience unto their magi●… & a number of such like execrable mandible blasphemies. Read that most blasphemous Pare●…thesis of T. C. esteemed the Bishop of Winchester, beginning at ye73 page unto the 84 of that his Book which he written against the Libeler MARTIN MARPRELATE. The wickedness & falsehood of whose devilish calumniations that they may even suddenly appear, I will address myself to prove unto him by the undoubted evidence of God's word y●…strange Proposition which he so confidently condemneth, & in way of reproachful challenge to all Christ's servants propoundeth: namely, That there aught throughout al●…ges & estates of the world in all places, to be one & the same form of outward governmet in all true churches of Christ unto the world's end. Scilicet: tha●… apostolic priminue pattern lef●… unto 〈◊〉 in Christ's new Testament & none other. And this through the assistance of God's spirit by direct scriptures, without any wrasting or perverting the same. Which being done, by that time (I hope) the innocency of such as seek this Christian order and communion in sincerity, as also the blasphemy of them that deprave the order & accuse the seekers thereof, shallbe evident to all men. I am not ignorant in what a sophistical Saducaical manner this horned Bishop hath propounded his questions, quite from the state of the controversy and drift of his reproaches subsequent. The deceit & error whereof may be more fitly laid open after this difficult proposition (which he and his associates with such tyranny impugn) is proved. God we read when he first erected his tabernacle amongst the Isra●…, set down in the mountain the perfect pattern of all things even to the lest instrument, hook, or tape used therein; as also the whole Ex●…. 25▪ 40. composition and use of every thing belonging thereunto, with all the ordinances thereof. He left nothing to the will or discretion of Moses Heb. 8. 5. Heb. 3. 1. Chro. 2●…. 11. & ●…. whose commendation was, that he was found faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of things to be spoken. The like we read of David in the distribution of the orders and functions of the Priests and Levites: Of Solomon and Zerubabel in the building the material Temple. We see (I say) how perfectly the Lord set down the matter and form, the number assize, place, order and use of every thing belonging to his Tabernacle and Temple. We see what absolute laws he set down for every thing there to be done; how i●…lous he was over his sanctuary, and what severe iudgm●…ntes he showed upon them that transgressed the lest of his ordinances; as the examples of Nadab, Abihu, Corath, Ely and his sons, uzza & sundry others, the deportation of both the kingdoms with the destruction of the Temple, and at length the utter desolation thereof, show. And may we suppose that God is less careful, provident, absolute jealous over this his glorious Temple which consists of the bodies and souls of his dear 〈◊〉 Saintes for the structure, instruments, form, order & ordinances of this which abideth for ever, them he was of that other which consisted but of stone and wood▪ which was to abide but a time & was but a type and shadow of this? If we so think, let the new Testament of our Saviour CHRIST convince us; wherein is left unto us a most lively and express pattern for all things, with the fit mould wherein every thing aught to be form & cast, most perfect & direct laws & ordinances for the number, place, order, use & direction of all things belonging unto CHRIST'S Church. Can any imagine unto themselves that God is less loving unto, delighted in, or jealous over this Temple whereof his own only dear son is builder, minister, & head, than he was over that base earthen Temple (for so in respect of the incomparable glory of this I may call it) whereof MOSES was the builder etc. Can any imagine the ministry, orders & ordinances of CHRIST'S Church delivered by the son himself, ratified & confirmed by the voice of God from heaven, by many miracles and wonders on earth, of less congruence, necessity or account, than those of that Temple delivered by Angels? or that God hath given now greater power or privilege to any mortal creature, Prince, or minister in this church to neglect, altar, violate or innovate any of Christ's laws, or bring in & set up any of their own in this Church, than he did then to MOSES, DAVID, SOLOMON in that Temple. If these laws be of greater force, estimation, perpetuity, both in regard of the dignity & pre-eminence of Christ the minister of the things administered, & of the place, I mean the spiritual Temple; yet if the word spoken by Angels was sure, and▪ every transgression & disobedience received just recompense of reward; If that word might at no hand either in the building, reformation or administration, even in the lest & vilest things (as the ashes of the Altar which had their appointed place i●…struments & ministers) be neglected, broken or innovate by no mortal man of what estate or degree soever, upon what occasion or politic respect soever, without some warrant from Gods own mouth that gave the Law: how shall they escape, or where shall they stand, that not only neglect & violate, but despise, reproach, and innovate the whole established order & ordinances that Christ hath set down in his Testament for this his church? Shall not this be to make God more loving, gracious, provident, careful, jealous over that material Temple, that shadow, them he is now over this his Church the substance, and to prefer the shadow to the substance, that Temple to this Church? Should not this be to prefer the person & Testament of MOSES, to the person & Testament of Christ, inasmuch as they make the one to be delivered and confirmed with a great deal more authority, majesty, power then the other? were it not to make MOSES more absolute & faithful in his house, than Christ in his Church, inasmuch as MOSES left a perfect Tabernacle & Testament, and did see & gave charge that all the ordinances thereof should be most precisely kept & observed? But Christ belike hath left an unperfect Church and Testament, in as much as he hath not taken full order for the ministery, government, orders, and ordinances thereof: yea though he have in his Testament set down orders & laws for all these things, yet they are not so authentic▪ or irrefragable as those of Moses, Princes & States may according to their policies receive, reject or innovate these etc. Were not this to prefer the ministery of Levy & those outward ordinances and beggarly rudiments in dignity, to the sacred ministery and ordinances of Christ, inasmuch as they are made more holy, congruent, necessary & inviolable than Christ's? But the holy Ghost throughout the whole epistle to the Hebrews handling this very subject, convinceth, instructeth, and exhorteth the jews to leave all superstitious foreconceaved opinions of their Temple, ministery, & ordinances, & wholly with reverence to embrace & behave themselves in the Church, ministery & ordinances of Christ. Hereunto he persuadeth by the incomparable excellency, glory, pr●…eminence, perpe●…uitie of Christ's person, Church, ministery, Testament, which can never be shaken or removed, compared unto the weakness, baseness, impotency & vanity of MOSES person, that Temple, ministery & Testament which were temporary, caduke, to be abolished and to give place unto these which they but prefigured whereunto they led and served, this being the beginning & the end of their erection. Many most grave exhortations and weighty charges doth the holy Ghost there give unto us concerning the reverence, fear, faithful, holy, obedient, diligent, orderly & constant walking & behaviour that we aught to show in the Church of Christ unto his word & Testamē●…, drawing Arguments both from the unspeakable glory, majesty, excellency, beauty, joy of Christ's church, a●… also from the terror & severity of God who is the judge & beholder of this church against all inordinate walkers & contumatious offenders therein. From every word almost of which epistle may an argument be drawn, to prove the inviolable excellency & perpetual necessity of Christ's orders and ordinances left in his Testament for the building, direction, & government of his Church. It will▪ not here help them to say that the ministery & government of Christ are eternal in respect of the covenant & end, in that they lead to the kingdom of heaven, or in respect of the perpetuity of the doctrine of the Gospel, or in respect of the inward rule & work his holy Spirit hath in our hearts, and is not understood of the perpetuity and necessity of that outward order of government & administration left and practised by Christ's Apostles. These ignorant cavils will not help them. For this self same covenant of life everlasting touching the end had the jews and all the faithful that ever were. They were all ●…aued through faith in Christ seen & apprehended by the eye of faith, though not yet exhibited in the flesh unto them. The difference of the covenant them was not in the e●…d to which it tended, so mu●…h as in the present Church, ministery, things administered, orders, ordinances, worship, worshippers etc. the covenant being made to these outward ritual figures and ceremonies, but until the substance should be Ihewed, and Christ's heavenly Church & ministery erected, to which then the jews & all men were called, to which now the covenant is only made. As for the truth & perpetuity of the doctrines & of the gospel, they were the same from the beginning that they are now: Christ was before all beginnings that wisdom & word of God; Christ was the fulfilling of all the Prophets who foreshowed of him. But if they mean by doctrine & Gospel that heavenly ministery, sacraments, exercises, and communion of the Church which are peculiar unto the Gospel according to the rules prescribed in Christ's Testament, then is the question granted me; without the due obseruati●…n of which rules, they can have no true ministery, sacraments, exercises, communion, Gospel, as I shall strait way show. Now as fo●… this inward government & sanctification they speak of, where Christ reigneth in their hearts by the power of his Spirit etc. I say that the Spirit of God may not & cannot be severed from the word of God. They that openly & willingly break the lest of God's laws, boast of a false gift when they speak of their inward sanctification. Christ doth not reign in the heart of any that will not submit all their outward actions to be ruled by him also. Christ will have the whole man both body & soul to serve him: he parteth not with Antichrist or belial. This is one of the Anabaptistical errors, whereby the reforming prea●…ers defend their popish ministery. They say they have Christ●… inward calling to the ministery, in that they have gifts, learning and fitness; therefore though they want his outward calling (which they say is not of the substance of the ministery) yea though they have a false antichristian outward calling, yet are they to be esteemed as the minister●… of CHRIST. Might they not as tolerably, yea with less offence both to God and man, usurp the magistrates chair without a calling (inasmuch as it is of no such excellency or worthiness as the heavenly ministery of CHRIST) because they have wisdom and fitness etc. But to return again to our purpose. This inward government & sanctification of the Spirit had the faithful jews before Christ came in our flesh, and before they were called to the Church and ministery of Christ: Therefore either these are no answers, or else the whole scope of that epistle to the Hebrues is vaine●…, for all these things the jews enjoyed before: they had the same covenant of salvation, the same perpetual true doctrines & Gospel, the same inward government & sanc●…ification of the Spirit that we have: Only because they wanted the heavenly practice & ministery of the Gospel, the heavenly orders, exercises, and communion of the Church of Christ, they were called from those ritual types & figurative shadows whereby in their infancy and ●…onage they were trained & shut up, unto the open sight and clear beholding of the glory of the Lord with open face, all veils being taken away, and unto the free & orderly practise of the same Gospel according C●…l. 3. & 4 〈◊〉. 2 Cor. ●…. to Christ's new Testament, all trumpery traditions being abolished. With what extreme desire have all the Prophets longed after, and great delight written of the excellent beauty, heavenly government, inviolable order of this Church? How often hath David in his Psalms remembered the same? with what admiration hath he expressed the absolute perfect structure of that compact city? as Solomon also lively described the beauty, preciousness & juncture of all her parts. How plentifully have the Prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, zachariah and others even with an open eye described the whole form of the building of this Church? as also all of them given evident testimonies of the perpetuity of the government & ordinances thereof. How often doth David exhort the Saint●… to celebrated the excellency & perpetuity of Christ's government & throne? by how many testimonies doth he extol & prove the same, as is every where found in the psalms; sundry whereof, the author to the Hebrews, as also the other Apostles in their sermons & writings have used, both to prove the excellency, necessity & eternity of, and to draw men unto this heavenly government of CHRIST in his Church. The prophet Isai●…h in the 33 of his prophecy v●…rs. 20. etc. willeth the ●…ewes in all their calamities to behold Sio●… that city of their assemblies▪ to 'cause their eyes look upon jerusalem that quiet fold, that tent that shall never be dissevered, of whose pins or stakes not one may be taken away, neither shall any of the chords thereof be broken; but there the mighty JEHOVAH shallbe unto us in place of floods & of broad rivers wherein shall pass no naui●… with oars, neither shall any great ship pass●… through it, for JEHOVAH is our revenger, JEHOVAH is our Lawgiver, JEHOVAH is our King, he shall save us. What can be said more plainly ●…or the inviolable perpetuity both of the order & form of building, and also for the government, administration & ordinances of CHRIST'S Church? Of all which as God himself is the author, so you see he voweth to be the defender and revenger against all the power of tyrant's o●… any mortal man whosoever. Likewise the prophe●… Da●…iel in his 7 chapter after he had been showed the calamity, tyranny & oppression done unto the Saints by the 4 beasts, but especially by that presumptuous horn that lively figure & foretreader of Antichrist, whose mouth spoke presumptuous words against the most high, and consumed the ●…aints of the most high, that thought he might change the times & the law into whose hands they were for a season delivered etc. After these visions Da●…iel was showed how this presumptuous horn was consumed & destroyed with the fiery stream that proceeded from the ancient of days, and how this unlawful dominion was taken from the other beasts and given to him that came f●…om heaven, and having finished the full redemption of his ●…aints, & being ascended up again and set at the right hand of his Father, there was given unto him dominion and glory and a kingdom▪ that all people nations and tongues should serve him; whose dominion is a perpetual dominion that passeth not away, & his kingdom is ●…euer corrupted Ver. 14. Also Ver▪ 27. What can be more di●…ect for the perpetuity of the government & ordinances that Christ hath left & appointed in his new Testament for his ch●…rch? which whosoever presumeth to▪ again●… or violate, much more to innovate or change, shall he not be under the same sin damnation & curse with this presumptuous blasphemous horn. The Prophet zachariah also in the eleventh of his prophecy showeth, that all CHRIST'S ●…heep are governed and kept under our chief shepherds pastoral staves Beauty & Bands. All other are out of his protection, delivered up in his wrath to be guided by the instruments of foolish & idol shepherds, whose right arm shallbe without strength and withered up, their right eye shallbe utterly darkened, there shall be no light in them. Both these shepherds & their flocks, even all such as are misled by & with them are given up of the Lord to utter destruction because they cast the Lords cords from them & would not be bond in his bands, their soul abhorred the Lord they would not have him to reign over them, therefore his soul abhorred them he gave them up to their own lusts & ensnared them in their own policies. For all the wisdom of all flesh without the Lord is madness, their most exquisite plattes of government which they can devise unto themselves, are but the instruments of foolish shepherds to their own perdition & of as many as are governed by them. These things are so manifest in that Chapter, the true shepherd, government, & sheep, as also the false shepherd, governmet, & sheep with the divers ends of both being there described, the one in the person of our Saviour & his disciples, the other in the Priests, rulers, phariseiss & people of the jews, with their very manner of rejecting & betrai●…ng him so lively set down; as none can cavil at the●…e things or mistake them ●…o grossly again, as one of these foolish shepherds D. SOME hath done, taking his chapter to be understood of the estate of the jews in zecheri●…hs time, the 1●…. & 13. verse of 〈◊〉 person & wages. Who if he had but compared this chapter in it self, much more to the discourse of the Prophet precedent & subsequent, but especially to the evident event & perimplishing in & by our Saviour Christ Math. 21. 23. 24 26. Chapters, he would never have justified tithes by the 12 & 13 verses of of this eleventh Chapter of zechariah. If any doubt of the interpretation of these two staves 〈◊〉 & Bands, let him consider the allegory how shepherds use their staves & hooks; or rather let him weigh the 7 ver. where he shall found that Christ with these staves fed, governed, and defended those sheep his Father gave him, as also verse 14 the interpretation & end of the staff B●…ndes, how there can be no true communion where they are not knit together in the faith, order, government and love of Christ. But if he compare this prophecy to the event & fulfilling thereof by our Saviour Christ & his Apostles that called all men from the shadows & figures of the Temple unto the kingdom & Church of Christ; he shall manifestly see, that this sense in all things accordeth, and no other can be made to agreed to the words and Argument of this Prophet in this Chapter. Note●… might plentifully be drawn & many weighty Arguments framed from these allegories, as also from the e●…ymologie of these words to show the excellency, amenity, pleasantness, comeliness, congruence, utility, necessity, perpetuity of CHRIST'S pastoral government of his Church; and how disorderly and unnatural a thing it were for the sheep to disobey, especially to control and teach their shepherd. But I hope the judgements denounced in that chapter for such faults, and the plain demonstration of the danger, error, folly, horror of all other governments and instruments▪ whatsoever, may suffice to satisfy the godly in this point, and to restrain them from such presumption and rebellion, either to reject or to innovate or altar CHRIST'S holy government, order and ordinances. As for the unperswaded and disobedient, I leave them to their account when they shall see him whom they have pierced through come with clouds: and in the mean while will address myself to prove by sundry express places of the new Testament, that the ordinances the Apostles left for the building, administration & government of the Church, are the commandments of God, perpetual, inviolable, to be observed, and not to be willingly neglected or changed unto the world's end. Our Saviour CHRIST having fini●…hed whatsoever was needful here upon earth to be ●…one in his person either for the work of our redemption, or for the removing & abolishing all the legal shadow●…s & ceremonial worship, or for the ratifijng his Gospel▪ the gathering, planting & establishing his Church▪ having choose, appointed, and perfectly instructed his Apostles of all things belonging thereunto: In the 28 chap. according unto Matthew Vers. 1●…. 19 20. he used this speech unto them And ●…esus coming spoke unto them saying, all authority in heaven & in earth is given unto me; Go therefore teach you all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you all days until the consummation of the world Amen. Omitting the sundry necessary circumstances and manifold profitable doctrines that might from this scripture be observed and drawn to hold me to the present purpose, we here may see not only the Apostles personal power and authority, but the warrant and dignity of all things they taught or did in this brief of their commission and ministry, which we here see to be derived from & founded upon our Saviour CHRIST'S sacred person and sovereign power. We here see whom they were to teach, whom to baptize, how to baptize, how and what to ●…each the baptized, and how to leave such as they had thus taught, gathered, and instructed. In sum, we here ●…ee the very manner and order of winning, receiving, gathering, ordering, instructing, building up and establishing the Church of CHRIST. We here see all the orders and ordinances which the Apostles practised in, and left unto the Churches by our Sauiou●… own mo●…th pronounced to be his Commandments, and those per●…etuall, such as he will have to continued and be observed of all his servants unto the world's end. We see them no●… only commanded unto his Apostles that they should practise and teach them in their time, or in time of per●…ecution; but he charges his Apostles to teach all churches all Christians to keep and observe them at all times until the consummation and end of the world; giving unto all his servants and churches the same power to practise and observe all these his comandementes, that he gave unto his Apostles: plighting upon such their faith and obedience his presence & protection unto them, in these words And lo I am with you all days until the consummation of the world; sealing the truth both of these his commandemetes and ordinances and also of this his covenant and protection unto all ages with this his authentic seal, with this word of all truth, Amen. So that me thinks all the blasphemous reproaches and cavils of all sorts of enemies unto the sacred inviolable government and order of our Saviour CHRIST delivered and practised by his Apostles in his churches, are utterly by this one place of scripture (if so be there were no more to the same effect) taken out of the way: both they that deny the continance or necessity hereof in all ages and places, & they that would make these apostolic ordinances but matters of form, not matters of faith or of substance (as they speak) they being here confirmed & commanded by that Lord of all truth of all power in heaven and in earth. Peradventure that old Saducee that ●…hus sophistically hath propounded these questions in that 74 leaf of his answer unto MARTIN, will stumble (as he ordinarily doth at the word of God) at these words [all things whatsoever I have commanded you] collecting, that because the Apostles had not as yet received the exp●…esse rules & commandments for all the things they afterward taught & practised, that therefore this commandment cannot be understood or applied to such things as they afterward taught, and so nothing or little serveth to the outward form of government & order of the Church. Although it were not hard from this very place necessarily to confirm the intendment & commandment of all the ordinances and rules which the Apostles after taught & prescribed unto the churches even by that which is here expressed concerning the ministery, baptism etc. which here are commanded all churches to be observed in that manner as the Apostles taught them? which ministers, sacraments & ministery could not in and by these churches be had or practised without the observation of these rules & ordinances, as the election, probation of such ministers by the flocks where they are to administer etc. which were not all that time set down by the holy Ghost or practised by the Apostles as yet. Although I could also show that our Saviour Christ had already instructed his Apostles that he had choose and set a part to that work, of all things belonging to his kingdom Act. 1. 2. and had given them his holy spirit in abundant measure to this their ministery which should teach them all things & b●…ing all things to their remembrance (joh. 20. 22.) which he had told them; Yet mine joh. 20. 22. awnswere here is that if our saviour Christ in these words (All whatsoever ●… have commanded you) had respect only unto such precepts as he had then at that time given them, & not unto all other things which he should afterward reveal unto them by his holy spirit also; it were both contrary to their commission & charge they delivered, which (as is said) was that they should win, gather together, build, order, instruct & establish his Church according to the rules & commandments of his will & Testament, which could not at all be done by them if all these laws & rules were not alike confirmed of, & commanded by him: as also if these words All whatsoever ●… have commanded etc. should so be restrained, it were to make the other holy laws & ordinances which he afterward showed to his Apostles, & they by the same spirit both showed & recorded unto the churches of Christ, of less value and authority than those former; to make some part of holy scripture more true holy & authentical than other: yea it were utterly to abrogate & disfranchize these latter scriptures. Furthermore I suppose it were a hard matter for any man to dis●…sse & set down what things Christ had at that time taught these Apostles, & what he had as yet concealed. So that this cavil can no way put off this most direct and express place, let me therefore proceed to others. The Apostle Paul. 1. Tim. 5. 21. charges Timothy before God & the Lord jesus Christ & the elect Angels, that he k●…epe these things without prejudice, doing nothing according to inclination etc. Also Chap. 6. ver. 13. he useth these words unto him ●… command thee before God that ●…uickneth all things & Christ ●…esus that testified before Pontius Pilate that good confession, to keep the commandment without spot unrebukable vnt●…l the appearing of our Lord jesus Christ, which in due time that blessed & only mighty, that King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall show etc. Likewise 1 Cor. 14. 37. he hath these words If any man seem to be a prophet or spiritua●… let him acknowledge the th●…ngs I writ unto you because they are the commandements of God: but if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. With what greater authority or weight of words could the Apostle either confirm or incommend unto the Church in all ages these cannons & ordinances which he in these epistles hath set down for the building, order, government of all churches, of all the officers people & actions of the same to be religiously & inviolably kept as the commandments of that great dreadful God, as the laws of that our Lord and King until his appearing in glory. Who can any longer doubt (that will either rest in the manifest testimonies of the holy Ghost, give credit to the resolute affirmations, and ear to the vehement charges of the Apostle, or that will duly expend either the general scope of these epistles, or duly weigh the manifold rules in particular and the manner of delivering them) that these cannons and ordinances are the absolute laws and holy commandments of CHRIST for the building and government of his Church, so necessary, inviolable, perpetual, as without which or with any other his Church can neither be built nor kept. Are not all these p●…rticular rules for the several offi●…es, people, qualities, for their manner of election, probation, ordination, administration, etc. set down in way of commandment and law with as great authority, credit & reverence as any other part of Christ's Testament or God's word? So that the Apostles whole ministery may with as much right or reason be called into doubt or question, as these camnons & ordinances which the Apostle every where confirmeth with the same authoriti●… that he doth all his writings 2 Cor. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 11. ●…. 2. 2 Th●…s. 2. 15. Colo●…s. 2. 5. and sundry other places which were long to recite. Moreover how carefully and by how many reasons have the Apostles incommended these orders & statutes unto the whole Church & unto the chief workmen & builders therein? what perfect laws hath he set down in those his epistles unto Ti●…othie and Titus those two excellent workmen his trained & exercised children, whom he therefore calleth his natural & right begotten sons, and especially commends them unto the Churches, as to the Corinthians epistle 1. Chap. 4. vers. 17. For this caus●…●…aue I sent unto you Timotheus which is my beloved son & faithful in the Lord, who will put you in remembrance of my ways which in CHRIST as I teach euerie where in every Church: And unto the Philippians chap. 2. 22. but you know th●… proof of him because as a son unto his father he hath served with me unto the Gospel. yet notwithstanding all this their promptness & experience, we see what careful charges the Apostles laid upon them, most precisely & exactly to observe all these rules in all their actions of the Church & towards all men; that they keep that express pattern of wholesome words that they had herded of him in the faith & love that is in CHRIST JESUS, calling these rules the express pattern or engraven form or delineation of all things belonging unto or to be done in the Church, charging them of their fidelity and love both unto CHRIST JESUS and unto those whom they are to build, to keep and always to have this true pattern and form before their eyes in all things they do, commending it for the soundness & wholsomes thereof both to the builder●… & the builded thereby. For it being the true pattern, form, mould for every thing, every part, every member, whereunto they aught to be compared, fashioned & cast, neither can the parts have any right shape, neither the whole any true form, if they be not framed and built according to this pattern; and then how should the building either stand or agreed unto it self? much less please the Lord & owner of the house when he seethe it thus spoilt and destroyed. Therefore it behoveth both the builders, and every one that is built, to consider diligently after what manner & order he buildeth, and is built. For this cause the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 3. having showed how soundly the Apostles as wi●…e Master builders had laid the foundation, exhorteth all that are to succeed & build upon that foundation, to look well how they build upon it; for this foundation will bear nothing but gold, silver, precious stones, they may not build in this house their hay, timber, stubble. Every man's work here shallbe made manifest, the day shall declare it because it shallbe revealed in the fire, which shall try every man's work of what sort it is: If upon this trial by this light it be found answerable to that heavenly pattern of CHRIST'S Testament▪ yt than abideth to the praise & comfort of the workman. But wherein any of these builders shall in any part of their work, whether in matter or manner (as they v●…e to speak to colour their transgressions) even in the lest thing be found to have swerved from the true pattern, by this light; if then upon such discovery made unto them they suffer not these their works to burn, acknowledging, forsaking, and repenting their such errors and transgressions, and withdrawing others from the like, they shall not only destroy themselves by this their presumptuous sin, but all such as after this discovery & reproof made, remain with them and join unto them in this their presumptuous sin. For (says the Apostle) these m●… corrupt or destroy the Temple of God which is holy, which Temple you are, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: If any man corrupt or destroy the Temple of God, him shall God destroy etc. We see with what weighty, grave & plentiful reasons, exhortations & proves the Apostle affirmeth and confirmeth these things by every verse of that chapter, yea almost by every word of the verse (which carry a several consideration and especial force in themselves) but especially from the 8 verse unto the end. He there setteth down the people of the Apostles as a perpetual example unto all builders unto the world's end: The practice of the Apostles as the true only foundation, th●… e●…resse pattern for all buildings, yea for every thing in every true building unto the world's end. Which foundation & pattern he deriveth not from & confirmeth not by the authority of man, but by the authority of CHRIST, showing that it is not in man's power either to la●… any other foundation, or altar this that is laid; calling it but one & the same in all places, even as CHRIST is one & the same, and calling every part of the word they delivered fundamental as part of the very foundation of this building, and maketh not (with the learned Pharisies and school Divines of our age) some part of CHRIST'S Testament fundamental & substantial, other parts thereof accidental, formal, not necessary, not of substance or es●…ence, who thus with the deep learning of Satan abrogate what part of CHRIST'S Testament they please, build their own stubble diuises, destroy the work of God together with their own souls & the soul's of as many as are built or led by them. And therefore the Apostles h●…ere calleth all builders & buildings to this one only foundation of CHRIST'S word & Testament, charging them to make it of all their actions whatsoever the only rule & foundation; and not as these false builders of the Church of England do, who rejecting the true pattern of CHRIST'S Testament in all things they do or go about, yet vainly boast that they hold the foundation, preach & practise the Gospel of Christ sincerely etc. although (as is said) they reject what part of Christ's Te●…tament they list as not fundamental, substantial, 〈◊〉, abrogate the whole pattern of the Apostles practise, & mould & lay unto themselves a new pattern a new foundation, making not only new rules, laws, orders for the government & whole administration of the Church, but a new ministery, new officers, new actions which are not read or herded of in the Testament of Christ; it never as ●…et being agreed amongst them what part of Christ's Testament they allow & hold for the foundation & for the Gospel. But in deed to say as it is, the foundation & gospel of their Church is not yet laid to either side; for though they all at this present generally embrace the Pope's canons & decrees o●… the high commission as the foundation, certain allowed writings and privileged books for the Gospel of their Church; yet keep the Prelates in their hand to coin & forge new laws new doctrines, what & when they please, as also the Reformists they sue to Prince & parliament that they might be allowed to make & bring in yet other new laws & doctrines as far from the true pattern as these, as (when they are compared thereunto) will app●…are. But the Apostle here as he teacheth but one foundation, so teacheth he yt the groundwork both of the whole church & of every part thereof & action therein, calling all builders hereunto, charging them to take it for the foundation of all their doings, without which whatsoever they do or enterprise seem it never so necessary or expedient in their eyes, yet is it but as an house without a foundation, which not being laid upon the rock but upon the sands of men's wisdom, wante●…h a groundwork, & therefore cannot stand. He willeth them therefore to be sure of this foundation before they build, yea and to look care●…ully how they build upon it, because their work shallbe manifested, declared, tried, revealed in the day in the fire. This day shall manifest and declare all their whole building both within & without, the whole form and order thereof: All things when they are reproved of this light are manifest, for it is the light that maketh all things manifest. This fire not only trieth & revealeth all counterfeit stuff, but burneth and consumeth the same: their wood, hay, stubble cannot be unrevealed in this day, or vnconsumed in this fire. To which wood, hay, stubble, he likeneth all the devices & pollecies of man's wit, how prudent or pregnant soever th●…y seem: and therefore upon the divers ends of such buildings and builders, he exhorteth by the reward and eternity of the one unto the faithful and careful keeping the true pattern; by the terror & loss of the other he dehorteth from all negligent, but especially all wilful and presumptuous transgression of the same, showing Gods unpartial examination and judgement of every man's work: which by how much it is so dear unto the Lord, so precious in his sight; by so much it behoveth all men to be the more careful thereof, whose transgressions therein shall be the more heinous. This work he calleth the Temple of God, which Temple we have above showed in the type to be built in every thing according to the pattern showed in the mount. How much more than aught it in the true substance to be built in every thing according to the heavenly perfect pattern of Christ's Testament, wherein we have the whole mind and will of CHRIST as the Apostle says in the last words of the second chapter of this epistle? Now the Apostle here says this Temple of the Lord is holy; but even in the figure might no strange or poll●…ed thing enter, it was an abomination unto the Lord, how much more in this excellent spiritual house aught no fleshly devices of our own (which are wholly corrupt & altogether defiled) to be brought; but the wisest devices of men being set in the place of the wisdom of God or brought into his Temple, are not only foolish, idle, vain, but abomination to the Lord, such as corrupt, destroy and deface the Temple of God, because the devices of man cannot be joined with the thoughts of God: God needeth not the advise or council of man. The wisdom of man is always to rest in the wisdom of God; wherein he proceedeth further, it is turned to folly and rebellion, & made a snare unto themselves. Now then (seeing the Church of Christ is the Temple of God, and the Temple of God is holy, and is corrupted & destroyed when man presumeth therein to be wise above that he aught, or hath warrant to be wise) the Apostle from all these places and every word thereof useth reasons & exhortations to exhort all men that enter into this Temple to observe their feet●…, that they be more near to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools: for the Lord is more delighted with obedience than sacrifice; he will be sanctified in all that come near unto him, & willbe served in this ●…is Temple with reverence and fear, for even the Lord our God is a consuming fire. But our learned Priests treading in the steps of their predecessors the false Prophets, are so far from being moved with reverence and fear because of the Lords holy Temple, that they from hence draw arguments to justify their transgressions, and embolden themselves therein by the titles of the Church and Temple of God. Say they the Churches of Corinth, Gallati●…, Asia had sundry faults, yet are they pronounced by the Apostle the Churches of CHRIST: therefore much more they that teach not circumcision, deny not the resurrection etc. Though these arguments be largely answered in an other place, yet here would be observed (besides the po●…son that they gather from these examples to tolerate and commit sin thereby) how little they understand the estate of these Churches, charging the whole Church with the errors of some few, whom the Apostles the●…e confuted. But if some of these were the errors of the whole Church (as we doubt not but the Church may, doth, and shall while it is in this life err) y●…t if it shall persist in error after it shall be by the word of God convinced and reproved, than we may say with the Apostles here; that such corrupt and destroy the Temple of God, even so many souls as are by them and together with them thus misled, whereof this building consists. Therefore the Apostle here (as in sundry other places) admonisheth the whole Church & every member thereof carefully to look to their builders & guides, that they lead them in the right ways of the Lord, and build them according to the true pattern of CHRIST'S Testament, to follow them no further than they follow CHRIST & have his word for their warrant: from which when they swe●…ue or transgress, and being admonished will not return, then is the whole Church to excommunicate such a Pastor, leader, builder whosoever, and to sepe●…ate him or as many as cleave unto him or follow him in this estate. The argument the Apostle useth is of no less weight than the salvation of their own souls, which otherwise shóuld be destroyed & corrupted by them. He willeth them neither to be led away with the show of wisdom, utility, policy, holiness, nor any pretences wherewith they shall cover their error, neither with the estimation of their people, authority, wisdom, learning, virtue etc. For if they teach otherwise & come not to the wholesome words of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, they are puffed up knowing nothing. As for their person & office, they are not to rule over, so much as to build up our faith, for by faith we stand: they are not Lords over the heritage, but servants of the Church; for Paul, and Apollo, and Cephas are ours, and we Christ's, and Christ Gods. But see, while I thought but to have touched the general argument of this Chapter, to prove that the Church of Chri●… aught to be built in all things according to the will of Chrift as he hath set down in his Testament (othérwise it can neither be said his house, nor the builders thereof or builded therein his faithful servants) See how before I witted or would, I am drawn into particulars as into a whirlpool & bottomless gulf of knowledge, while I thought but to have drawn but a little water at the brink in the shallow vessel of my understanding and crazed memory: which though they be no way able to break up these unmeasured depths▪ or orderly to deliver but that little God giveth me to see in them; yet I doubt not but many infallible Arguments may from this Chapter be drawn without any violence or wresting to prove the necessity & perpetuity of that form & order of building & governing Christ's Church, which he by his Apostles hath set down in his Testament. Now let me proceed to confirm this Proposition by other reasons drawn from other places of scripture. As it hath been showed that there can be no true building without that only true foundation & express pattern of the Apostles practice in Christ's Testament, that all other foundations, forms, buildings, builders are deceitful & false, and will not abide the fiery trial or stand in God's sight; so if we consider the manner how the holy Ghost instructeth us in other places uz. 1 Cor. 12. Ep●…es. Rom. 12. we shall there see the congruence, necessity, perpetuity of the order & government which Christ hath in his Testament prescribed. We there read this his Church compared to an ●…umane body, which consisting of diue●…s members, must of n●…cessitie have them duly placed and knit together in their ●…ight order & srame: We read there that as God createth, fashioneth, placeth and knitteth together the memb●…rs of this our earthly b●…die without taking council of one or another; so in like wisdom & power he createth, prepareth, ordereth, disposeth, commingleth, contempereth all the members of this his heavenly body according to the rules of his T●…stament by the manifestation of the spirit in every one. But now ●…uen common sense teacheth how far the wisest man upon earth is from being able to make unto man's body the lest m●…mber thereof even but one hair white or black, much less to knit the members together by joints & sinews in their due place & function: How then can dust and a●…hes imagine to make unto the spiritual body of Chri●… new strange members & knit them as strangely together by new joints and sinews. We read in the●…e chapters, that the ministers & officers appointed by our Saviour Chri●…t in his Testament, are the principal members of this public body of the Church; his ordinances & laws there set down, the joints and sinews whereby the members are fitly knit unto the whole body, even as the curtains of the tabernacle by their strings and hooks. But now as no mortal man can make, fashion, dispose or knit together these human members of a natural body, so much less can he make any other members serve in the places of the true natural members, or by any means place, fasten, and knit these as by joints and sinews unto and in a man's body. What use should a man have of an eye of glass, a nose of wax, an hand of brass, a foot of wood? what congruence, coherence, proportion, sympathy, feeling, compassion should these have with the other members? what learning or art can knit these by joints, sinews, veins artures? or draw one & the same ●…kin over them as a covering, or fasten it unto them as unto or together with the true and natural members? If man's wisdom cannot 〈◊〉 this in a frai●…e human body of earth and clay, what possibility then is there to bring this to pass in the spiritual body of Christ? what communion what commixture can there be betwixt heaven & earth, betwixt light and darkness, betwixt spiritual & carnal things? how then is it possible to knit or make agreed the earthly dark carnal devised members and laws of man, to the heavenly lightsome spiritual body of Christ? Yea albeit this could be supposed to be brought to pass (than which nothing can be more fond than to imagine, more wicked then to attempt) what kind of strange and monstrous body should ●…hey now make unto Christ, by knytting unto him strange members, such as belong not to his body? If an human body should have growing unto it any other than the true members that belong unto a man, were not ●…uch a creature to be held a monster and not a man. As for example; if it had many heads in stead of one, if it Revel. 1●…. should have feet like a Bear, a mouth as a Lion, the rest like a Leopard etc. who (that had any sight or sense) could take & esteem this for the natural body of a man? much less for the comely beautiful amiable body of Christ or of his Bride: were not this to be liker unto the body of Antichrist that Beast, of that whore that monster? what then i●… the presumption, reb ellion & furi●… of those Prelates that dare enterprise not only to cast away the true and natural members, but in the place of them to plant these adulterate monstrous members, and that (as they would make themselves and others believe) in the body & Church of Christ. Again what an astonishment & madness hath invaded and possessed these learned reforming Priests, that confess the want of all Christ's true members (I mean such officers as he hath ordained for the building and governing his Church) that complain likewise of the unlawfulness and antichristianity of these members which now grow upon this body and govern the same; and yet discern not themselves to be of these monstrous antichristian members, even the ministery & mouth of that Beast●…, having the same original, shape and form with them, being all come out of one smoky forge etc: yea and for all this mistake that beastly body of the harlot their Church that beareth, groweth unto, and consists of these members, for that heavenly body that true spouse & established Church of Christ; as though Christ's body Christ's Church could grow unto and consist of these false members, or be said built and established without the true members. What strange paradoxes are these, yet are they even the forwardest positions they can be drawn unto. But we are taught in these scriptures, that Christ's body consists not, neither can his Church be built with such strange Antichristian members, or with any other than those which he hath there prescribed for the gathering the Saints into one, for the work of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ etc. From which Scriptures infinity reasons (if we would enter into particulets) might be drawn to prove the necessity, congruence and perpetuity of these officers & ordinances there prescribed to the ministery, government and service of his Church. But that were to handle the whole platform and o●…der of Christ's Testament, the excellency and perfection whereof but slightly to describe, as it far exceedeth my slender capacity, so not being to this present purpose, I have only endeavoured to use such general reasons as might prove this general Proposition That the government and ordinanc●…s that Christ in his Testament hath set down and appointed unto his Church are necessare, only fi●… and perpetual, and that the true Church of Christ can or may no more receive any other office●…s, government and ordinances, than the body of a man can receive other members, the members an other order or temperature, then that which God hath assigned. Which I hope by these places is so manifest, as I need stand no longer to enforce the necessity and only fit congruence thereof unto the body & members of the church; by showing either the comeliness, beauty, features of the Chucch when it is thus furnished of these true members, and the members thus placed, built together, ordered and used. The necessity of these, let common sense and experience in the bas●… pattern of our own natural body show, how ill we could either admit any other than those members that God hath appointed thereunto, or spare any of those members●…, or have them kept from their true use and peculiar function, or placed in any other order or place, or knit togethe●… with any other joints, sinews or vain●…s than God hath disposed for them. But the heavenly spiritual beauty, order, congruence and use of these members thus commixed and contempered, ●…et the 4▪ 6. and 7 chapter of Solomon's song declare: From all which together ●… every member apart, the use, administration, and benefit thereof; as also from the disorder, infinite inconveniences and mischeises that would ensue of the rejecting of this or receiving any other order, government, administration, might infinite and several arguments be drawn to prove the absolute necessity of the one, the v●…ter inhibition & unfitness of any other. But here now fitly cometh a certain obi●…ction of the aforesaid D. R. S. ●…o be answered: Sa●…th he If that outward form of discipline were of the essence of the Church; then where that form of discipline either was or is not, there was and is no Church, which is a gross●… absurdity: My reasons are, Samaria had not that form of discipline, but it was a famous Church Acts 8. Antiochi●… had not that form of discipline, yet it was a flourishing Church: The greatest part of reform Churches in Christendom have not that form of discipline, yet they are accounted holy Churches of all but of the Papists and 〈◊〉. What his Doctorhood means by these disguised terms of the discipline & essence of the Church I understand no●…, and therefore will leave them where I ●…ind them, eschewing (according to the Apostles rule) such profane inanity of words and oppositions of science falsely so called, which som●… pro●…essing, have erred about the faith. But if he by these reasons suppose to have impugned the necessity and perpetuity of CHRIST'S holy government & order wherinto the Apostles built all Churches, and which they left unto all Churches; I shall then brief●…ly show how far he faileth of that purpose, and reasoneth quite to a new and divers question, and therefore can thereby conclude nothing against this: For our qu●…stion here is not, whither the Church may not sometime upon some necessity's b●… without this order or some part thereof for a season, but whither the Church may receive any other form of government in stead of this. So that if he had proved that the Churches of Samaria and Antiochia had received any other form of government and order then this Apostolic; then had he in deed said somewhat (although a particular instance or two may not take away or draw us from a general law and perpetual rule. But he trifling about the name of a Church, quite forsaking the question, would infer from the ambiguity of the word, that because a Church upon some necessitie●… may for a season be without this 〈◊〉 ord●…r and government▪ therefore they may reject this an●… take an other according to the policies of the time & place. How diversly the church is read in the scriptures (not here to stand of the etymology of the word ecclesia) me thinks this great divine should not be ignorant: how som●…times it is read for all the Saints in heaven and in earth; sometimes for all the Saints dispersed or gathered here in the whole world; som●…times for a company of faithful people joined together in the 〈◊〉 & cō●…union of the faith, endeavouring to proceed into the order of CHRIST, and in the same faithfully to walk together: But commonly it is taken for a company of such faithful thus entered covenant, established & walking in due order according to the rules of God's word; of which kind of Church we all this while reason. For their church of England is not now unestablished as Samaria and Antiochia were at these times he speaketh of, but it is established into an order ministery and government, though according to the Pope's cannons & not according to the Testament of CHRIST. So that he might as well have reaso●…ed from any of the oth●…r reading of a Church, and gained as much; scilzt: that becausè all the Saints in heaven are called a Church, yet they have not Pastors, Teachers etc. therefore the Church of CHRIST may be established without these: as also all the dispersed Saints are called a Church yet have not this order & government; therefore etc. Samaria & Antiochi●… at their first calling to the faith had not this established order and government, yet were held famous & flourishing Churches; therefore the Church may be established into an other form of order and government then that of CHRIST'S Testament: this if he conclude not, he gaineth nothing; this if he conclude, I deny his Argument. It followeth not because the Church is not always thus established, therefore it aught not to be thus established. The Churches of Samaria and Antiochia ●…either can be showed to have received any other order or government, or to have neglected this; but the contrary appeareth of Sam●…ria Act. 9 31. where Luke recordeth, that the churches throughout all ●…udea, Galilee & Samaria had peace, being built & proceeding in the fear of the Lord, and were replenished with the comfort of the holy Ghost. What thinketh D. S. now? was not Samaria built & established in this order? unless he can show that the Apostles built the Churches in any other order; and then from this place may he also conclude, that the Churches in judea & Galilee were not thus built, this scripture not secretly showing that ●…oth they were all built alike, & that there was but one order of building amongst the Apostles in these words being edified or built. Me thinks this place also showeth some lets that sometime may hinder the Churches from this holy order; namely, the tyranny of wicked magistrates who persecute the Church in such sort as they cannot safely meet & assemble to make choice of ministers, or to exercise ●…nie ministery. But we see the churches here upon the first means neglected not either to attain vnt●… or exercise this order (and that without staijng for the Magistrates p●…sion) and were in so doing replenished with the comfort of the holy Ghost. Neither yet appeareth h●…ere the certain time when Sa●…aria was thus built. It is not unlike that it was established into this order, even Acts. 8. (that he speaketh of) when they received the gifts of the holy Ghost at Peter and john's being there, who it is to be judged likewise, rather helped to bestow those gifts in order to the edifijng of the whole, then left them (having fit gifts for these offices) in disorder, which had been great sin both in the Apostles & in the Church of Sa●…aria. The like also is to be thought of the Church at Antiochia Act. 11. they being called to the faith were a long time instructed by the Apostles Barnabas and Paul▪ God so blessed their labours as that Church grew famous, and many Prophets resorted thither from jerusalem▪ May we then by D. SOMES bore affirmation without any proof affirm that this Church being so long & excellently instructed by these famous men, having so greatly profited in the faith & knowledge of Christ above many other Churches which had this or●…er, that they yet should thus long be kept from it more than any other Church, being more fit than many, yea than any other Church at that time, save jerusalem: This were not only contrary to the practice of Paul & Barnabas in all other churches, but contrary to the rules of Christ's Testament. But if we would stand upon the point, it were not hard to prove that Antiochia was then established into order: we see they there administered unto the necessities of other Churches, and sent Paul and Barnabas upon this their business, which they having fulfilled returned back again to Antiochia; from whence by the whole Church they were at the commandment of the holy Ghost sent out with imposition of hands. Afterwards when they had planted and established many Churches in Asia into this order, they returned thither again & there remained a long time until they w●…re again sent to jerusalem about the question of Circumcision; which being debated, they with other famous men returned & abode in the Church of Antiochia, preaching & teaching the Gospel with great joy, comfort, and blessing. Yet in none of these places we found mentioned that after Act. 11. they were established into this order; but we see that there and in all these places they executed the duties, and had the full power of a church established. Therefore except we will make the practice of the holy Ghost contrary unto it sel●…, we are not to doubt but this An●…iochia also was established in this order. Doth not D. SOME then unsufferably both falsify and pervert these scriptures, in affirming that these churches had not that established order amongst them, concluding from their example that the Christian order and government of Christ's Testament is neither necessary nor perpetual. But to conclude & shut up the point at once, he bringeth the greatest part of the reform Churches of▪ Christendom which have not this christian order & government (which he termeth form of discipline) yet are accounted holy Churches of all but Papists, and Anab●…ptists. Doth he not here very learnedly prove the question by the question: if his church be of God, l●…t him approve it by God's word, otherwise though he should fetch the Pope's broad seal also (from whom he borroweth this argument) it would not serve his turn. With the estate of other Churches I am not acquainted, and therefore will not meddle: but how well this holy church of England is reform, you parley may perceive by that which is above said; and more evidently may, if you measure it by the rules of CHRIST'S Testament, according unto which it hath no one thing in due order or frame: So that why either Papists or Anabaptiss should deny it, I cannot see; it being an unclean hold or prison of every unclean bird, of every fowl and hateful Spirit, except it be as that kingdom divided in it self, because it consists of such jarring and disagreeing spirits. Neither can I see how any (that knoweth or will be instructed what a true established Church of CHRIST is) can any longer mistake that adulterous Church of England that sitteth upon all the confuse peopl●… as upon many waters, that is liker unto Zennacheribs' tumultuous camp, then unto the well ordered and established Church of CHRIST, which hath nothing common with CHRIST'S Church but the ve●…ie name only. For the true Church of CHRIST, we found upon her all the marks of that harlot and of that Beast, whose members, image, yoke she carrieth, and hath cast off Christ●… yoke from her neck, despising his word, persecuting and murdering his servants. Wherefore until she bring us either better Arguments or better fruits, we are so far from honouring her with the title of a Church, as we are not abashed to tender unto her as she hath rendered unto us; & to double unto her double, according to her works; and in that cup wher●…n she hath mixed, to mingle to her the double. So far are we from giving that authority unto her in this presumptuous sin, as to draw an argument from, or be induced to think by her example, that because she casts off CHRIST'S yoke & beareth Antichrists, therefore the holy order & ordinances of CHRIST for the building, ministry, & government of his Church is not perpetual, necessary, or always expedient. I grant that the true Church of Christ may sometimes upon some necessities be without this holy order for a season, as in the first gathering of the Saints, especially now when we are not to expect any such miraculous or extraordinary giving of God's Spirit as was in the primitive times, when we cannot suddenly either be made fit for these high offices, or have such perfect knowledge and probation each of others gifts and co●…uersation as is required thereunto. Also in time of persecution when the Church cannot peaceably meet either to choose or exercise any ministery, or that their chief and principal members be held from them in prisons, or at such time as the chief Elders are taken away either by death or otherwise fall away. In these and such like times the Church may for a season upon necessity so enforcing be without this established order: but this is neither willingly to neglect it, nor presumptuously to reject it. herehence it followeth not that this holy order is not always necessary, because it is not nor cannot be always executed: So they might conclude all God's laws not always necessary, perpetual, or expedient, because they are not or cannot be always practised by us. Should our infirmity, sin o●… default take away the stability or truth of God's ordinances? This would as well follow of this their reason, as the other: that because the Church of CHRIST may at sometimes be without this established order of CHRIST and yet be held the true Church, therefore that prescribed order of CHRIST is not perpetual, always necessary, or convenient: thus laijng the default upon CHRIST'S sacred ordinances, as though they were notalwaies holy necessary & convenient, which in deed is due to us an●… our infirmity and inability to receive or exercise such a gracious blessed ministery, or to walk in this heavenly order. Nothing is more sure than this, the true Church can be established into no other order, it can receive none other officers or laws than are in CHRIST'S Testament prescribed. This hath been already manifestly proved & yet further might be, by as many places of scriptures as either the true or false Church is spoken of, the true of false ministery, the true or false ministration; as either CHRIST'S kingdom or any of his offices are spoken of, or antichrist's presumption and forgery: as it hath been proved by the true pattern of the house whereby every part thereof aught to be ●…ramed and put together according to the will of the Lord of the house, otherwise the house will never hung together or be to the owners liking or the bvilder's praise. Likewise it hath by the necessity, congruence, coherence of the true and natural parts and members of the body been proved, how that no other can be added, without making yt a monstrous body; neither the true members be otherwise knit together, placed, disposed, used, without the destruction of the whole body: and this much more of that spiritual house and body of CHRIST'S Church; which being so perfect, precious, comely, excellent, cannot admit to be shaped, fashioned, framed, disposed after the fa●…sies of earthly men, who the best of them that ever was (always excepting the head of the Church) in his best consideration, was but a member of the Church. Neither was there ever power given to any of them, whether Prince or Prophet whosoever or authority to altar, neglect, or bring in an●…e pin or hook (even the lest thing) or so much as the place thereof in the Tabernacle, Temple, or Church of God. How often doth the Church in the song of Solomon say My belo●…ed is mi●… & I am his; & how often doth she charge all her friends to stay without, & not to stir up her well-beloved until he please? how often doth she vow to keep herself wholly unto him? how often doth he again repeat the amiableness, comeliness, beauty, congruence, fea●…ures, fr●…itefulnes, plea●…antnes of all her parts even from top to toe? how greatly he is delighted in her, and how the Kings of the earth should be tied in her ra●…ters etc. Doth not he say that Solomon & earthly Princes may put or let out their vineyards (not being able themselves to till and dress them) to be dressed & trimmed to their servants, reserving to themselves a rent etc. But his vineyard is always before him, he is able to till, dress, and keep it every whit himself, he neither letteth it out to hire, nor suffereth any to part or possess the fruit thereof with him. How many Arguments than might be drawn either from the perfection, divine order etc. of the parts of the Church, from the faith, love, chastity▪ obedience unto CHRIST as to her husband Lord King? Likewise how many from his absolute power, authority, possession over her wholly by the right of an husband Lord King. How many reasons might be drawn from the absolutnes & wisdom of his laws, the graciousness & peace of his heavenly government & order (which cannot be willingly infringed or broken without rebellion; nor changed & altered without presumptuous treason) to prove the perpetuity, necessity, and fit congruence of those officers & ordinances that he 〈◊〉 his Testament hath prescribed for the building, ministry, and government of his Church and of every member thereof, whither Prince or minister over whom CHRIST reigneth by equal right, and even the ●…ame jurisdiction that he doth over the lest. There is no exception or acceptation Isa. 60. 12. joh. 3. 36. Luk. 19 27. of people with God: That nation & that kingdom that will not ser●…e him shall perish, and those nations shallbe utterly destroyed: He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him: Those that will not have him to reign over them he judgeth and destroyeth as enemies. CHRIST reigneth by his own officers, which it is lawful at no hand for his true subjects either to disobey, altar▪ or reject. Subjects and servants are not to give, but to take laws at their King & Lord: God hath made his Son Lord and h●…ire of all things, and hath given him a name above every name, that Phil. 2. 1●…. etc. at the name of JESUS every knee should bow both of h●…auenly things & earthly things and things under the earth, and every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is the Lord unto the glory of God his Father, because all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that Io●…. 5. 23. sent him. OH how great then is their wickedness, how pernicious their council, who (for filthy lucre sake) persuade Princes that they are not only not subject themselves in person to the laws & spiritual censures of Christ in his Church; but that they are not bound to admit that order of government prescribed in his Testament (which they shuffle off with the term of outward discipline) in their lands? May not, yea do not Princes by this means boldly break all God's laws, and disannul any of them at their pleasures? break that they may follow their own hearts lusts, fulfilling the inordinate appetites thereof, wallowing & glutting themselves in all fleshly pleasure, vanity, & exce●…e, committing what wickedness they will without admonition, censure or reproof (I would here still be understood of the ecclesiastical spiritual censures by the word) May they not yet proceed further and disannul which of God's laws they list, either in common wealth or Church? In the common wealth, when they both abrogate all Gods judicial laws & cut them off at one blow, as made & belonging to the common wealth of the jews only (as though God had no regard of the conversation of other Christians his servants also) or else had left some other peculiar laws for the manners of the Gentiles, or had left them in greater liberty to be and to make laws & customs unto themselves. Heerupon it cometh to pass, that so many wicked ungodly laws and customs are decreed; that the whole order & course of judgement & justice is constuprate & perverted, that so many capital mischiefs as God punished by death, as blaspheming the name of God, open idolatry, disobedience to parents, are not by law punished at all; incest, adultery either passed over or punished by some lighter trifling chastisement; wilful murder often pardoned; theft (if it be above 13 pennies) punished by death: yea this sin is punished not only in the person of the thief (who that wise King said if he should steal seven times, may yet live & satisfy with his body or goods) but in the people of all such as this their unjust law judgeth any way accessary; which extendeth so far, as many honest men may for this trifle for buynig or receiving part of these stolen goods, be also put to death & forfeit all the lands & goods they have; whereby their wives, children, & families are punished also & utterly undone. And thus by this their policy are many thieves made for one; not to speak of all this guiltless blood that is upon the head of the magistrate, judge, officers, jury, and the whole land by this means▪ what should ●… stand to particulate their infinite transgressions of God's laws even in their civil estate, which is in much worse case than many heathen nations which never known God or his Christ. All this ariseth of this immunity from the order, government, & censure of Christ in his Church, & from the inordinate authority the apostatical church giveth unto Princes & magistrates, & they assume unto themselves: so that the saying of the prophet concerning the proud Kings of Babel is now rightly verified in them. Thou didst say with thy heart, I will ascend into heaven above the star●… of GOD almighty, I will exalt my throne & will sit in the mountain of the congregation in the sides of the north, I wi●…l ascend above the height of the clouds, I will make myself equal unto the most high. For see, while they take power to reject that holy government, order, officers, laws that Christ our King hath ordained and appointed to his Church, they stretch their hand also & presume further, to e●…ect a new government, new orders, laws, officers, ministry, ministration etc. And what is this but both to reprove Christ's laws, and to reject his yoke from them, & also to take Christ's offices, throne & S●…epter from him, whom the Lord hath set upon the throne of David to order & stabli●…h it with judgement & justice, & l●…id the key of government upon his shoulder, that what he openeth no man should ●…hut, and wh●…t he shutteth no man should open. How g●…eat them is their pride & presumption that are so far ●…rom obeijng & seeing Chri●…s laws executed, as they utterly abrogate them & t●…ke th●…m out of the way, & set up their own idol diuis●…s in the stead of them? So far are they from taking laws at him as their King & Lord, as they give laws of him as King & Lord Is not this to deny, nay to put an end to his ministery & kingdom? to his ministry, by taking away that which he established, & bringing in a new into the church; to his kingdom, by abrogating his laws, offices, ordinances, & by bringing in & establishing their own: In so much as through the odious fl●…tery of these their priests, some of them have suffered themselves to be called the supreme head of 〈◊〉 Church in earth, as though Christ's Church had one head in earth & an other in heaven, or that Christ were not the head of his Church here in earth also. But the wretched Priests would excuse this i●…audible blasphemy with this interpretation (which yet they express not) 1. under Christ, as though Christ's Church might have two heads, an upper & an under head one above an other: were not this to make her a monster like their Church, which hath m●…nie heads, & upon them written names of blasphemy, as supreme head of the Church primate Bishop, metropolitan Bishop, Lord Archbishop's grace, Lord Bish. & Archdeacon etc. All which heads, but especially that their supreme head of the church, may (they say) make laws for the church, And all this execrable blasphemy they hide under the title & office of the civil magistrate, who in deed is God's blessed ordinance. Neither will these limbs of the Devil be satisfied with any humble acknowledgement of the civil powe●…, or with any christian submission unto th●…●…ame; but will extort by oath an allowance & subscription unto this their ungodly power, blasphemous titles, antichristian decrees & proceed etc. It will not suffice to confess that God hath made the civil magistrate the keeper of the book of the law, to see both the tables thereof observed by all people both in the Church & common wealth, & so hath power over both church & common wealth; but they must have this indefinite p●…oposition granted them That a Pri●…ce hath power to make laws for the Church. By which word making is implied, or rather (as the general estate both of church & common wealth show) expressed plainly that they mean that the Prince may devise & make new laws for the Church such as are notheard of in that book of God. By laws they mean any traditions, ordinances, customs etc. which are not prescribed in CHRIST'S Testament; otherwise why should they use these words or v●…ge that power of making laws. A godly Prince is bond ●…o God's law, made the keeper thereof, not the controller; the servant not the Lord God hath in that book made most perfect & necessary laws both for Church & common wealth: he requireth of the King & magistrate to see these laws executed, and not to make new. He that mak●…th any new laws taketh vn●…o him the office of God, who is the only law maker: all men of what estate soever ar●… but God's creatures, s●…uātes, & subjects to his law. Moses, ●…oshua, Samuel, Dau●…d, 〈◊〉. made no new laws, but reu●…ued & executed the old laws which God had made. These exampl●…s that miserable man & high tra●…tor to God & his Prince ROBERT SOME citeth to prove the P●…nces may make lawe●… for the church & con●…on wealth, t●…erby ind●…uoring to 〈◊〉 & hold her Ma ●. and the honourable Magistrates of this land in this presumptuous breach of all God's l●…wes in this church & common wealth, by causing them to rati●…ie & publish the ungodly decrees which that blasphemous high Commission hath made or shall hereafter make, under this pretext, that Christian Princes have power to make laws for the Church▪ Whi●…h Commission & all their proceed, because they can no way be justified by the law of God & Testiment of Christ, but are directly contrary unto the same (as shall strait way be proved) therefore the old limb of Antichrist, that crowned horn of the Beast that T. C. breatheth out of the mouth of the dragon most h●…llish blasphemy against Christ's 〈◊〉 & them that dwell in the heaven, accusing Christ's blessed order & manner of government, of sedition, tumults, disobedience unto the civil estate, as giving the rains to the p●…oples unbridled & inordinate appetites which can not be rest●…eined, subverting all magis●…racie & the whole order of the common wealth. Had that beast any religion that thus blesphemed Christ's ordinance? have not the heathen at all times thus reproached & accused the word of God & Gospel of Christ? Yet what is more free of these crimes, than this order they so accuse, whereof Christ himself is the author & preserver. Is it not the f●…llowship & communion? & have such sins any f●…llowship with him? Before any can enter or be received ●…nto this f●…llowship, he must be renewed by repentance, denijng all his fleshly conversation concerning the time p●…st: he must be begotten by that immortal seed: he must b●… born again of water and the Spirit, and ●…ter as a new born babe and as a child waned from the br●…sts: he must leave all his venom and fierceness, & become as a meek lamb obedient unto his sh●…pheardes. At what time any is found disobedient and headstrong or incorrigible, he forthwith loos●…th his place in this communion and fellowship, he is separate & cast out. As for their ord●…r of their assembly, it is not ●…multious or con●…ntious, but r●…ther an heavenly school of all order, sobrie●…ie and modest●…e, which the A●…gels with great delight b●…hold, every one there knowing his calling, place & bounds, which he wi●…hout pres●…t b●…ame may not break; as fr●…e, but not having that liberty as a cloak of wick●…dnes, but as the s●…ruantes of God; whose law is here purely & sincerely taught, eu●…ry 〈◊〉 & degree instructed how they ough●…●…o walk & behave th●…mselues towards God & men in all manner conversation: Nothing more or more often inculcate, than to yield due honour, obedience, submission unto all magistrates, parents, superiors, & that not for fashion sake or ignorantly, but as of knowledge, faith & conscience towards God. Hereunto, as also unto all other duties they are continually instructed, exhorted; whosoever transgresseth is admonished, censured, and (without present repentance & amendment) duly cast out of this fellowship & communion, where no inordinate walking or contumacious people are suffered. Who then but that old Satan or some son of his, could thus accuse the lambs the babes these little one's of Christ of rebellion, sedition, tumult & c? what mouth else could reproach and blaspheme that heavenly gracious blessed order of Christ in his Church of subverting common wealths, destroijng civil magistracy & government? without which holy ordinance & magistracy as there can be no Church, no assembly, no execution of law, no callings, no trades, no order, no safety amongst men; so without this instruction, government & holy order of the Church can no estate no magistracy be blessed of God, because without this they can neither know nor execute their duties, neither walk holily or lawfully in their callings, or do any thing that may please God. Who then but these unclean spirits that speak out of the mouth of that Dragon, & out of the mouth of that Beast, & out of the mouth of that false prophet, could in this manner disjoin those that God hath so ne●…rlie joined? widowing & spoiling the Church of that comfort and assistance she should have of the civil magistrate, depriving the civil magistrates of that instruction & joy they should have in the Church. As we have above alleged, that nation or common wealth, Prince, magistrate, estate, degree, person whosoever that submitteth not to ou●… Lord jesus Christ to be wholly governed by his word both body & soul in all things whatsoever without any exception, reservation, or polli●…ike respect; that nation, Prince, magistrate, person, soul shall be utterly destroyed amongst Christ's enemies. So Christ may not neither will be fashioned or framed to any common wealth, policy o●… pleasure of any Prince: he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings; all the kingdoms of this world are his, & he shall reign for evermore: those that are no●… under his Sceptre of grace, those he will rule with a read of iron, those shall be broken as a potter's vessels. So far then is this heavenly and blessed government of Christ in his Church by his word (to which every soul that will be saved must be subject) from being the overthrow of any common wealth or lawful estate thereof, that you see it is the only foundation of the one, and establishment of the other, a perfect rule for both, to which all laws, policies, states, degrees, people in all actions must be framed and subject. To which whatsoever is contrary or transgressing, whither common wealth, common, cannon, o●… civil laws, their judges, pleaders, courts, must either be reform or consumed thereby. Not titles, policies, pleas, or prerogatives can excuse them from or before that judge who upholdeth, governeth, and judgeth all things by that his word, and with the same ●…ifteth and fanneth out whatsoever is found contrary to his will. To which government & trial of his word because they will not submit their people & proceed, therefore with one consent all the estates & degrees of the land, Prince, priests & people hate him, & sand by their elders an embassage after him, that they will not have him to reign over them, accusing his government of innovation, dangerous to their state, pernicious to the whole land etc. Thus take they boldness to break his bands and cast his yoke from them, to transgress his laws, change his ordinances, and to break the everlasting covenant even that Testament purchased for them and sealed unto them with that precious blood of the giver: Therefore hangs the wrath of God over them, the day of his vengeance hasteneth, fear and a pit & a snare are upon them: He that flieth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the p●…t, and he that cometh out of the pit shallbe taken in the snare, for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake: The earth is utterly broken, the earth is quite burst in sunder, the earth is moved exceedingly, the earth shall reel too & fro like a drunken man and shallbe removed like a tent, and the defection thereof shallbe heavy upon it, so that it shall fall & rise no more because the land is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; for they transgress the laws, they change the ordinances, and break the everlasting covenant. THERE Remaineth yet an other question of this old captious Sadducie, wherein he requireth to have noted unto him some particular Churches either in the Apostles time or since, wherein the whole government of the Church was practised only by Doctors, Pastors, Elders and Deacons and none other, and that in an equality without superiority in one above an other. To satisfy his demands in this cavilling question (which evidently appeareth to be made rather for a snare then any godly edifijng) I hold neither lawful nor expedient, until he have acknowledged & yielded unto the former: namely; unto the necessity & perpetuity of that order of government and administration which CHRIST in his Testament hath prescribed, which he hath miserably violated, rejected and blasphemed. That in this estate to show him the treasures and ordinances of this spiritual Temple is utterly forbidden and unlawful, appeareth Ezek. 43. 10. 11. in these words Thou Son of man show unto the house of Israel this 〈◊〉 when they shall be ashamed of their wickedness, that they may measure the pattern; when (I say) they shallbe ashamed of all they have done, make known unto them the form of the house, and the constitution thereof, the doings out thereof, and the coming in thereof, and the whole form thereof, and all the statu●…es thereof, and all the figures thereof, and all the laws thereof, & describe them before their eyes, that they may keep the whole fa●…hion thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. Therefore until he have repent and forsaken his antichristian ministry, unlawful Lordship & jurisdiction, I hold it not lawful whilst he re●…aineth in and will not come out o●… Babel to reason or jangle with him concerning the heavenly & most holy ordinances of Zion which he doth but blaspheme & reproach with his ungodly mouth that is op●…ned to all impiety. That it is not expedient until he have yielded unto the former question to answer this, is manifest. For to what purpo●…e were it to reason with him how these officers of Christ●… Church aught to administer & govern, when he utterly denieth that in the Church of England such offices & jurisdiction were tolerable: So that it could no way edify him, but rather minister matter of cavil unto his blasphemous mouth, who seeketh nothing else in this captious (yet with all most ignorant & fond) vain question. We aught not to cast our pearls before swine, or to expose the Lords holy truth to reproach. This is my answer to him conc●…rning his second question. Yet to remove these stumbling blocks out of the way of others, & to rid them out of the snar●…s which this Spider hath woven; I will through God's grace briefly ●…hew them the errors & folly of this cavilling question, chiefly in these 3 points thereof. First in that he requireth some particular Churches by name, wherein this whole government of the Church was practised etc. 2 when it was practised by Doctors, Elders Pastors, Deacons only & none other 3 where these practised it in an equality without superiority in one above an other. In the first point he stumbleth & cavilleth at this, because in deed no church that ever was or shallbe upon earth hath or can fully execute this government of CHRIST (but have been and shallbe subi●…ct to many def●…lts, many transgressions) taking here the government of CHRIST for his whole revealed will in his word and Testament; to the faithful observation of every title whereof the Church is by covenant bond (where by the way must be noted, that this carping Pharisey knoweth in his corrupt & festered conscience what CHRIST'S true gou●…rnment is, which he so mainly impugneth, namely that righteous Sceptre of his holy word) which in deed b●…cause none of the primitive Church●…s that the Apostl●…s planted & governed could ever fully keep, but have been subject to many faltes and reproofs; therefore this man would conclude this government of CHRIST to be an unnecessary & impossible thing, which God neither would command nor we can perform. Wherein his wick●…dnes and impiety yet proceedeth a degree ●…urther than that of the ●…ollerating Pri●…sts; who would excuse & defend their most heinous transgressions by the sins & d●…faltes of other Church●…s; this man thereby would utterly abrogate and disannul th●… whole law of God, and Testament of Christ, by which the Church aught to be governed, unto the faithful practice and observation whereof the whole ●…hurch is bound. Can the infirmity & sin ●…f any mortal creatur●…s ta●…e away the truth and st●…bilitie of God's laws, of Christ's Testament? might he not as well conclu●…e, no Church or member of the Church hath at any time put in practise all God's laws, a●…d to sa●… (as it is) are not able to keep any one of them, t●…erfore the laws of God are not p●…rmanent, necessary, nor now commanded because no Church can keep them all: such reasons are not worthy the refuting. The second part of his question, where he demandeth to know where this government of CHRIST was practised by Doctors, Pastors, Elders & Deacons only & none other, is so full o●… vanity & folly as it deserveth none answer. For my part, I never read nor herded of any such Church: I ever thought that every member of the Church without exception or exemption of any one person, had been all alike bond to the obedience of God's word, the practice of CHRIST'S government, to be instructed & ruled by him in all things, every one walking within the bounds of his calling: I never thought that the practice of Christ's government belonged only to these officers; I rather thought it had been their duty & office to have s●…ene this government faithfully & orderly practised by all the members of the Church. Why we ●…ee Christ's ecclesiastical government is not only tied to the public actions of the whole congregation; but extend●…th to every action of every Christian, whereof CHRIST is the beholder and judge▪ yea and for every known transgression and disobedience hath due vengeance ready, whither by reproof or excommunication: I ever thought that the execution of Christ's government and judgements had belonged to the whole body of the Church which assigneth the public ordering thereof, as the ministry etc. to the proper and fit members, each one in their due functions; not hereby resigning up her power & authority & government wholly into their hands, but still reserving the right in the whol●… body together; & in every member apart. So that if these officers or any of them transgress, the church reserveth power to every member freely (●…ccording to the quality of the offence & the rules of the word) to admonish and reprove, the whole to censure & excōmunica●…e such officers so offending. Which officers in execut●…on of their office & funct●…ō, do rather reserve this liberty and power to the whole Church and every member thereof in due order, them any way diminish or plu●…k away the same from the lest. It were a disorderly part & against n●…ture for any member to arrogate the power of the whole body unto it self: Such presumption was not herded of in the church of CHRIST until Antichrist sprung up, neither will it be removed until he be aboli●…hed. Elders are appointed to see the government & order of CHRIST observed▪ not to take it all into their hands. One other gross error and ignorance in this branch is to be obseru●…d, that is, he numbereth the D●…acons amongst the governing officers of the Church▪ this he never le●…rned in Christ's Testament; well may it be the practice of the Church of Rome & England where are such jolly archdeacon's and ruffling Deans. The Deacons office in the Church is, to gather & distribute, not to govern. The third point in this cavilling question is, to know where these officers above said practised that government in an equality without superiority in one above an other. It hath been even now showed how this government belongeth & is committed to the whole body, how their office consists to teach the Church how to practise it & to see it observed by all in due order, and not ambitiously to assume it wholly into their own hands. For the rest, though there be a communion in the Church, yet there is no equality. The Church knoweth how to give honour & reverence unto their Elders, especially to them that labour in the word & doctrine. The Church of CHRIST is taught to obey & submit unto their leaders, to acknowledge them that labour amongst them & that are set over them in the Lord, & to admonish them, and to hold those in superabundant love for their work sake: The Elders also amongst themselves know how to give honour one unto another by going before; yet all this without prejudice to themselves that give, or detriment to him that receiveth it, without the loss of the lest jot of their own liberty, or puffing him up, or setting him in any unlawful authority. They give it to his labour, diligence, virtue and desert; which ceasing, they strait withdraw their praise, & in the stead thereof use exhortation, admonition, yea (if need be) censure. All the parts of man's body are not alike esteemed and used; we have much more care and tenderness over the eyes then of the hands or feet, yet may not the eye hereby refuse to do service and attend to the hand or foot in all their business and affairs, neither may it disturb the lest member of the body in their peculiar office & function, or intrude into their place. The eye guideth & directeth the hand, showing how it aught to do the work: the hand again washeth, wipeth, and doth all loving help it may unto the eye. Both eye & hand & every other part of the body are distinct members, yet so knit and joined together in the body, as they do their due service unto the eye, & each unto other in the whole, not confounding the order of nature, nor disturbing each other in the work. The Church hath like care to see that inviolable order and temper of the members in CHRIST'S body duly preserved: the honour they gi●…e to one member is not the dishonour of another, or hindrance of the whole body. The Church neither doth neither may give immoderate honour either in fastuous swelling titles of vanity, or any inordinate authority to any member; that would rather puff up the flesh then cheer up the spirit. All the gifts God hath given any member, are to the service of the whole body: he that will be greatest must be as the lest, he must wash the feet & not have his feet kissed of the lest: all superiority is here comprised within the bounds of Christian order & modesty. Humility goeth before and is the companion of honour: honour is not here conferred to lift up the hear●…s of the greatest above the lest, but rather for their counsel, care, love, service unto all; it is willingly given unto such by all: Ambition & vainglory are here carfully avoided both by the g●…ers & receivers: who so seeketh the primacy with Diotrephes is here ●…uggillate & laid open, resisted 3 joh. 9 & rebuked of all, as that Antichrist that Lucifer: the greatest Elder of the Church, the Pastor, is but a servant & steward of the house, not Tit. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Lord of the heritage; but a member, not Lord of the body; to be honoured for his excellent place in the body & gifts of God; to be reverenced for his fa●…thfulnes, labour, and diligence. Yet this must ever be remembered, his honour consists in his service, his service belongeth unto all; so that the lest member of the body hath like interest in him, as he in the lest member: the l●…st member hath like liberty and f●…eedome with him in Christ, though not like gifts or function of Christ. AND NOW this strange & troublesome Proposition is thus proved That Christ's Church can be established into no other order, or governed by any other officers or ordinances than Christ in his Testam●…t hath prescribed, & that these great impediments & difficulties are also removed out of the way; me thinks it time, & here a fit occasion offered, to go in hand with the examination of the present established government of the Church of England. And here to begin with the Antichristian authority of the chief rulers (namely the Bishops) which they would bear away & hide v●…der this word Superiority: of their lineage, pedigree, original you have above herded, as also of their strange manner of offices and consecration; and somewhat also of their power generally, and from whence they derived it: but let us now a little further consider thereof. First they take upon them each one of them to sit upon (as they call it) or to govern many hundred churches, others of them many thousands; one of them as Pope, or Primate over all: they make & depose ministers by their absolute authority; they make and disannul laws: th●…y ratify or rei●…ct what scriptures they list; they confirm or refuse what doctrines they list; they make what kind of worship, ministration they list; they change, innovate, coin, altar, bring in, cast out what and whom they list, without check or controlment. The truth of all these need no other proof than their present estate; the warrant of any of these I am sure cannot be showed in Christ's Testament: therefore I doubt not at one word to call them all devilish & Antichristian. To confute them severally were a labour both needles & troublesome, they being of themselves so apparently odious; yet this briefly in a word. One man cannot stand a Bishop unto divers churches at one time, no more than one eye can be a 1 member, & 2 do the function at one time to divers bodies, 3 in divers places; no more than one candle can be put in two or more divers candlesticks, 2 in divers houses, 3 and show light unto them all at one time. Thus are Bishops in their office, place, ministery, called members, yea the eye of the body, lights, and the Math. 5. 14. Revel. 2. CITIZEN. candle of the house: the Church yt self also c●…lled the body, the candlestick in the scriptures. Not one shepherd can attend, watch, feed, oversee two or more flocks at one time in divers places: no watc●… man Ezek. 34. Act. 20. can keep watch in divers Cities at one time. Bishops are called shepherds, watchmen; the Church, a flock, a city in the scriptures. Be●…ides, CHRIST hath established an other quite contrary order; not one watchman or shepherd over many churches, but many watchmen over one Church; & yet hath given power & commanded every member to watch, & all little enough. Mo●…eouer it is CHRIST'S only office now to walk in the midst of the 7 golden Candlesticks, he holdeth the 7 stars in his own right hand, he is the archbishop and visitor of all Churches ●…euel. 1. & shepherds: CHRIST is the head over the universal & every particular body of his Church; he hath given this office to no mortal man in earth; they are all but members of some one body, though divers in function & dig●…itie, as the eye, hand, foot etc. yet all but members of the body to which they serve: every member being circumscribed within the limits of their place, office, function. One member cannot place, displace or cut off an other, this aught to be done by the whole body, as in the name & power of their head CHRIST: unto every one 2. Cor. 5. of which congregations CHRIST hath given this his power, to be executed according to the rules of his word: CHRIST is the Bridegroom, he only hath the Bride: but the friends of the Bridegroom they I●…h. 3. 29. stand and hear and rejoice exceedingly for the bridegrooms voice. ●…eue. 5. CHRIST is that slain living Lamb that hath obtained to take that sealed written Book out of the right hand of him that sitteth on the throne, and to open the same. All Elders, Angels, and the whole host in heaven & in earth fall down on their faces & give glory to the Lamb▪ Lames. 4, ●…2 CHRIST is the only Lawgiver unto his Church, and hath given mos●… heavenly perfect laws in his Testament unto his Church, & hath sealed his Testament with that his blood, so that nothing may be added unto, or taken there from. He never gave to any mortal man power to make new laws, but hath commanded all men faithfully to keep those laws which he hath made, within the limits of their calling. It is only the office of the holy Ghost to teach the S●…ints to pray, to give ●…om. 8. 26, 27. 1. joh. 2. ●…7. words according to the will of God, to fill their mouths with new ●…onges, which they, as sweet odours & incense day & night offer up unto God through CHRIST. What then and how great is the sin of these presumptuous shepherds, these blasphemous antichristian Bishops that climb up and intrude into the place, office, and room of CHRIST? that take his spouse from him, and all his ministers, officers, orders and ordinances from her: that altar, abrogate, bring in, cast out what and whom they ●…st etc. that take the office of the holy Ghost upon them, and not only set up in the Church of God their molten egyptian calf, cast ●…n the old mould of the mass book (save a little new annuled & engraven with a few of their own diuises) b●…t thrust this filthv idol upon men's con●…ciences as their prayers, yea upon God himself, as all the service and worship they will allow him in his Church. See whither these be not the undoubted marks of Antichrist that adversary? search the prophecies & the scriptures whether this be not that very abomination of desolation? lift up your eyes, to the destruction, hauo●…k and waste thes●… adversaries have made in the sanctuary, how they roar in the midst of the congregation, & have there set up their bamners & signs, & lift Psal. 74. up their axes upon all the lords plants, & broken down with their malles all the beautiful sieling & carved work, have cast the lords sanctuary into the fire, have razed it to the ground, & have profaned the dwelling place of his name: they are resolved in their hearts to do violence, and to destroy them altogether, and have brought in all maof filthy abominable things into the sanctuary. When they found these things in this estate, then let him that readeth consider; let them that be in the city, and will save their souls, flee into the mountain. There belongeth no reformation to this estate, even that reformation which these counterfeit preachers pretend, is altogether as ill. You see what in ordinate antichristian power they still retain in the priests hands: in all their parishes, the pa●…son or minister (as they call him) must rule all and be above the whole ●…ocke, who may control him or withstand him in nothing, either in doctrine, or practise, be it never so ill. They must complain to the Synod, classes, or council of pri●…ts: which synods, classes, counsels, must consist wholly of ministers, ●…e people shut out, and those have absolute power over all churches, people, matters, causes, to debate, define, determine, decree, ratify, di●…anull what they list, by permission of the high Court of Parliament, which hath supreme power over the Church and all counsels and causes thereof, ut supra: otherwise, until by this court these decrees be taken away, all churches are burdened and must stand subject unto them. But let us now return to the execution of this monstrous antichristian power of the BB●…. This extendeth even to all the whole practice, worship, ministery, orders, ordinances, injunctions, decrees, laws of their Church already made, and hereafter to be made, and therefore are infinite, and pass any man or creature whatsoevers setting down in particular. A great labour it were to reckon up all their consti●…utions and camnons which they have fetched from I wot not what old counsels, or rather from th●…ir holy Father the Pope, or the heap of their civil laws & customs which they have received from their mo●…er of Rome; all which are pleaded, judged, sold by these Lords Bishops, their chāc●…llors, ●…eanes; civil Doctors, Proctors, aduccates, pleader's brawlers, archdeacon's, commissaries in their Courts of faculties Ar●…s, prerog●…tiue▪ delegates, & in their commissaries court (not here to spoke of the well head, that ever running spring of all mischief, their Spanish i●…quisitiō or english high commission, it deserveth especial mention by it ●…lf. These laws they take for the foundation of th●…ir church in stead o●… Christ's new Testament: these courts give the whole direction unto, and execute all the censures of & for this Church, whether it be excommunication, s●…spension or mulct, Mr. Archdeacon & mass Commissary bea●…e no small sway. It were long & ha●…d to relate the divers orders, process & manners of pleading that belong to these courts, that is no small secret, it is no easy occupation, many a man's living dependeth thereon: it is no small calling to be but a pursuyvamt or cursetor of these courts: (I say not so of the parators & summoner's that belong to the commissaries court:) here are all things plead●…ble & vendible fo●… money, but without money here is no man will open his mouth, be the cause never so just. For money you may here have expedition or delay of judgement, with ●…undry shifts & evasions which I want skill to utter. For money you may have privileges, dispensations, licences, to eat fle●…h, or to marry at forbidden times, as in the holy time of Lent etc. privately in the night, in some secret place, suddenly without consent of parents, yea without banes as king, & by what Priest you will; also to have many benefices, & in sundry other cases, whereof these courts exercise jurisdiction, as of precontracts, adulteries, testaments, and sundry other that I know not of. All which & whatsoever, an ancient Bishop of this land hath undertaken to defend by Christ's new Testament: wherefore until we see his profess I dare not give sentence against them, or pronounce them antichristian. His proof is drawn from 1 Tim. 5. 19 Against a priest or elder receive no accusation under 2 or 3 witnesses. here (says he) is an accuser, here is a person accused, here are witnesses examined, here is a judgement & deciding of the matter; therefore here is an exercise of a jurisdiction and a manner of a court. To make it yet more sure, he takes away an obiecton that lay in his way; namely, that it was not Timothy his court only, but jointly exercised with the residue of the Elders that had the government. This (he says) cannot be, because the words are direct●…d to Timothy only. It is pity MARTIN his press was go before this reason had an answer, so should he not have lost his due shame for the same. But was there ever l●…le portion of scripture so violently wrested, distorted, perverted, and that by an old Bishop? I am deceived if he fetched not this reason from the school of Sorbon: for either my memory faileth me, or I have read their citations also by summoner's pursyvants etc. proved by Gen. 3. 9 Adam where art thou? Well to the point: I cannot rest either in his translation or interpretation of this verse, they are both corrupt & popishly fals●…: The text is Against an Elder receive not accusation except in 2 or 3 witnesses. ●… cannot here allow the word Priest, nor spare the words exceptin: his interpretation is most gross & false, contrary to the whole scope and phrase both of that chapter & the whole epistle, prejudicial to the perp●…tuity & true practice of the commandment. For if this law were directed to Timothy only, and that the other Elders & the Church were shut out in the examination and censuring of such faults; then how could the Church or any member thereof now have any use of this commandment? I never herded of any special bequest Timothy made to these Lord Bishops above all other, neither can I see from hence, why they should usurp this jurisdiction over their superiors; namely over the parish Priests & parsons that stad for Pastors, these Bishops (if they have any office) being put Elders. So then by this rule the Parson should keep court over the Bishops, & not the Bishop over so many Parsons. But to say the truth, this reason would much better fit the Pope, in whom this supreme jurisdiction over all Churches and Elders should in one person be bestowed, as by his sai●…ng it was in Timothy, rather than unto so many Bishops, who all cannot have that sole peculiar authority which belonged unto Timothy alone, from which so many worthy Bishops were then shut out. But why should this commandment belong more to Timothy alone, th●…n all the other commandments in this chapter (that I say not in this epistle) which was wholly written & directed to Timothy; there was bore shift when this was made the only reason: and now further, why should this commandment more than all the rest of this chapter, of the manner of rebuking elder men, and elder women, honouring widows etc. be tied more to Timothy's person & office, yea or to the people & office of elders? may none reprove an Elder, but a Lord Bishop? or (as the reformists would have it) but a synod or council of Priests? It is plentifully above proved, that the whole Chu●…ch hath power to observe, reprove, censure their greatest Teachers & Elders, or why should this rule of hearing and receiving ill reports so solely belong to Timothy, or to other Elders, more than the contrary commandment going next before, of the honour care & love due to Elders. I hope they can be content to be honoured, provided for, and loved of the whole flock, especially for their desert and virtue; surely so must they be contented to be reproved and censured of all, when by evil life they deserve it. This commandment in deed willeth all Christians to be careful what reports and tales they hear or 〈◊〉 of their Elders, and that they be sure they have good & lawful proof in two or three witnesses etc: other christians had ears, mouths, and hearts which had need to be governed as well as Timothy. I grant well that publicly in the Church the ●…rial and censuring of Elders aught ch●…efly to be done by the Elders of that Church, but this neither prejudicing the liberty of any, even the lest, freely to object or speak what he knoweth to be blamed, either in the Elder accus●…d, or in the public action by the other Elders that try & examine; much less to the secluding & shutting out th●… whole Church, with these wicked Priests, even both these factions Pontifical and Reform●…ts, who both of them would assume the whole government of the Church into their own hands, at the least utterly debar the congregation, where these things are amiss, to intermeddle. The Church must receive what they amongst themselves: have decreed, whither in their brawling courts, whither in their Se●…ct classes. The public censuring of any member, whither Elder or other, is an action of the whole Church: whereunto (if it use the most fit members or officers) should such officers and members hereupon arrogate the whole action, interest & power to themselves, secluding the whole body the Church, whose officers & members they are? As when ●…he body useth the eye, the mouth, the feet, to see, sp●…ake, go, is not the whole body of consent with these actions, and said to see, to speak, to go, although to these particular actions it vs●…th these particular members? what a dismembering of the body, and rending of the Church would these ambitious Priests make? who the one would withdraw all public actions of the Church into their popish (Courts, the other into their conventicles & synods of Priests. As for reproof by admonition, any member of the Church hath free power also to reprove the greatest Elder of the Church, according to the quality of his offence: if his offence be private, privately; if public, publicly: Yea he is bond by the law of God so to do, and not to suffer sin in him; yet this within the bounds of modesty & order; as if there be others present more fit to do it, to give them time and place, but if they neglect it, or do it amiss, then to use his power, yea to do his duty. Now then seeing the whole Church hath this power to censure faults in their hands, and that it properly belongeth unto them (as we shall have many occasions hereafter to show) and that these Elders are but ministers & servants of the Church, substituted to this & other functions. Seeing also every one, even the lest member in the Church, hath interest, power & freedom in & over this or any action of the Church, to approve or orderly to reprove any action or person of the Church, and that publicly if need so require; how can any from this place draw▪ that the reproof of Elders only belongeth to Elders; or how could this popish prelate collect, that this power was only given to Timot●…y, when Timothy and the Apostles themselves were subject to the reproof of the lest, where these transgressed from the word & will of God: how could he from hence derive his absolute power over all Churches & Priests, when no such thing is here by this commandment given to Timothy? how could this old dreamer from hence derive, or hereby defend these romish brawling bawdy court's, with all their popish camnons, customs, plead, pleaders, even all that swarm of vermin that live & attend upon the same courts? I hope if we granted him his own most false interpretation; that Timothy had sole power, and by virtue of this commandment exercised absolute jurisdiction over the whole Church & the other Elders; that yet he did it not after this antichristian ungodly manner as he and his brethren Bishops do, by such mercenary romish Doctors, pleaders, proctor's etc. which are to colour & pled the most vile hateful causes which a christians ear abhorreth to hear of, or by such wicked blasphemous customs, oaths, purgations etc. These I suppose he can not prove to be used in Timothy's court, neither can he derive any of this dung from that holy commandment of God; for thē●…ight every christian keep such a court over & against BBs. etc. seeing they may reprove and rebuke the greatest Bishop in the Church, that transgresseth against the word of God. Not let him look into the 9 chapter of the Revelation, & there he shall see his own & all these poisoned armed locusts original to have come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit etc. Further to discuss the popery, wickedness, & folly of this reason, or the unlawfulness of these antichristian courts, were labour needles: they being so gross of themselves,▪ as by the first bringing the heavenly light unto them, they are discovered thereby, & chased away as the darkness of the night by the sun rising, the gross vapours by the wound. They have no foundation of the word, and therefore must needs fall: the word of God will bear no such rotten stubble and filthy dung, therefore I leave▪ this reason to remain to his perpetual shame, and the shame of all the brood & household of Anak: who if they could be drawn but to any peaceable opening the book of God, but with the lest christian (I would not now be understood of any learned Priest of the opposite faction, who having derived all their ministery & ministration from them, and exercising the same under them, can never prevail against their fathers, as in all their conflicts hath been seen, because in deed they take not the whole cause and right groundwork▪ therefore they cannot further the Gospel, or bring glory to God: But if the least Christian whom both factions so depise & persecute, might have but free & orderly trial with either or both sides and factions, I doubt not but God would give such blessing and power to his word which he would put in their mouths, as their counterfeit and wicked dealings should be discovered: yea albeit both sides hate the light and flee this christian peaceable trial (whereby they plainly bewray of what Spirit they are) though they dig as deep as hell to hide their devices, y●…t God will disclose them, and that even by their own pens and tongues, rather than he will want instruments. another fleshly reason he bringeth from the lawfulness of these courts, & that is from the Prince's authority, A christian Prince that alloweth the free course of the Gospel commandeth them: therefore every godly subject aught to obey them. The Gospel cannot have free course, while these antichristian courts, Bishops, ministry stand: if the Gospel had free course, they should all be abolished: But is this a Bishoply or Christian reason? a godly Prince commands them▪ therefore they aught to be obeyed? why have Princes authority to command what they list? or if they do, aught christians to obey any ungodly decree? I had thought that both they aught to command & we to obey in the Lord always: but especially may Princes bring in any new ordinances at their pleasure into the Church of CHRIST? what▪ can the Pope say more for his sackful of traditions? make you this unlawful in the person of the Pope that maketh some more show of learning, knowledge, and religion, and hath his learned council of cardinals about him, and yet make it lawful in a christian Prince to innovate or abrogate the Testament of CHRIST in this manner? to bring in or keep out of the Church what ordinances they list? you show yourself a faithful watchman and Bishop over the Church & unto your Prince's soul, that suffer such rule to be kept in the Church without blowing the trumpet of God's word against it, that suffer your Prince thus to run into, and remain in the wrath of God unadmonished, unreproved. You learned this of no true Prophets, no faithful Bishops; let it remain then upon you for an undoubted mark of a false Prophet, a Balaamite, a wolf, a murderer of souls. And as for your authority, know (seeing it hath no better ground in the world of God) it shall all fall to the ground: all the Princes of the world or powers of hell ●…hall not be able to uphold it; Babylon shall fall and all her ●…eu. 18. 17. pomp shall vanish, though her princes and shipmasters or bishops, and all her mariners, ministers, and marchandmen howl and wail therefore: for the God that condemneth her is a strong Lord: as for the King of Egypt he is a man and not God almighty, and their horse's ●…a. 31. ●…. flesh, but not Spirit: wherefore when JEHOVAH shall stretch forth his hand, the helper shall fall and the helped shall fall, and all these shall fail together. Let us now proceed to the censures of the church of England, which wholly consist in the Bishop's hand, who executeth them by himself or his Commissary: they are not exercised for obstinacy joined to sin or error, but lightly (if not altogether) for contempt of their courts, either in not appearing at, or obeijng their commandments and decrees; or else for some transgressions against their idol service book, in speaking against it or against their ordinary or his stubstitute M●…. commissary, or the parish priest or such like; or else for not observing their idol holy days; or not receiving with their parson; or not having their children baptized etc. For these and such like they shallbe convented and very severely punished either by mulct or excommunication or imprisonment: there are no other sins amongst the people that deserve excommunication, they have other punishments for sin besides excommunication, as to fine them & punish them by the purse. Neither in deed know I many sins that they use to inquire after, except it be adultery and fornication; there are no more sins worthy of ecclesiastical censure: But these they punish very sore; for if he will not pay for the shooijng Mr. Commis●…aries mare, he may peradventure do his penance before all the Sodomites in the parish in a white sheet, while Mr. Parson is reading his service book to them, or else his sermon. But if he speak a word in Mr. Commissarie his ear, and will stand upon his purgation, then must he get as bad brothels as himself to swear by Mr. Commissaries book, that they think in their corrupt conscience that he is clear. This done, and cost of the court discharged, then (have he been never such a whoremaster all his life time, or been never so manifestly or often detected or taken in this crime) yet is there no credit to be given to any proof▪ in respect of the oaths of these his so domiticall companions that clear him by oaths: & this is called his purgation. I am ashamed & abhor, but to think in my heart of that proof of adultery they require, or else all complaint or suit is unavaileable. Thus do these holy fathers the Bishops make adultery either a laughing, or else a pecuniary matter; purging and expiating it by perjury or ●…korne. They have also a censure of suspension, & this is diversly used; sometimes towards their Priests and Preachers, by the Bishops; sometimes by these Priests towards their parishioners. It is used towards the Priests when they break their orders enjoined them and whereunto they are sworn, or are contumacious to their Ordinary or his substitut●…s or Commissary etc, when they refuse to wear such garments as are enjoined them, or to read thei●… service orderly, or to administer the sacraments after any other manner, or refuse to bury the dead, & to Church women with the book, or if they preach any doctrine against any thing by public authority enjoined; then for such faults is his Ordinary to suspend him from preaching or ministering for a season, until he bebrought into order, or become confo●…mable, or else to deprive him and disannul his orders and ministry. The Priests, they execute this suspension against open offenders, such as are not in love and charity with their neighbours, and by virtue hereof keep them from the sacrament of the supper, unless they get Mr. Chancellor or Mr. Commissaries commandment unto the Priest to receive them. Yet in the mean while they are admitted to their public prayers etc. To the first kind of Sus●…ension all the Priests generally (except it he some odd man in the la●…d) submit, & yet such a one joineth unto these other Priests as brethren, though he hold the Bishops and their power antichristian, & they submit both their ministery & the Gospel unto the Bishop's power & censure. To the second kind in the hand of the Priests they all wholly consent, in somuch as some of the chief masters of this faction in their books of church discipline, have set it down for a cannon and rule, to suspend some such from the sac●…aments, who have committed some public sin and persisteth obstinately in the same, a●…ter public reproof, whom notwithstanding they still hold as a member and a brother with them, and join unto in their common prayers, exercise of the word, and other mutual duties as contribution for the poor. First this suspension of there's must needs be held the instrument & ●…oole of that foolish shepherd, because it is not found nor herded of in all the practice or writings of the Apostles, neither in all the Testament of Christ, where y●…t a perfect government and direction for the Church is s●…t down. Then if it be a censure of the Church, it is a public censure, because we see they are openly kept back from participation of the public communion. If it be a public censure, it must be for sin publicly known: but Christ & his Apostles have set down unto the Church one only other course to be taken for public sinn●…s, namely, when he refuseth to hear the voice of the Church, or rather Mat. 18. 17. of Christ in his Church, to proceed forthwith to excommunication. Therefore in this case of open obstinacy in public sin, if suspension be used, it not only taketh the place of excommunication, but keepeth away that only true course which Christ hath instituted; & therefore is a mere ●…orgerie and an idolatrous device, and hath no place in the church of Christ. If a●…ie here object, that excommunication being the extremest & most severe censure of the Church, and an utter cutting off, therefore it aught to be proceeded unto with great pity, patience, and long suffering, trijng all means before we cut off a member: In regard whereof they in their wisdom and pity think it expedient, first to try & use this censure of suspension before they proceed to cast him quite out, proving if this may draw him to repentance. My answer is, that we cannot be more wise, patiented, loving, tēde●…lie kind, than our God is, or then God will have us to be▪ If we seek to exceed or go beyond these rules and bounds that he hath set us down, we are vainly pu●…fed up in our fleshly mind, our wisdom is turned to folly, our pity into cruelty▪ our love into hatred, our patience into transgression, whereby we destroy both ourselves, & such as we seek to save. God looketh for obedience rather than sacrifice at ou●… hands: he needeth no direction or instruction from us: ou●… wisdom is to rest in the wisdom of God, to be wise, patiented, & loving as he will have us wise, patiented; and loving. If, or when he commands to smite, it is not in man's powe●… to sp●…re or stay, so should we pull the wrath of God upon our own heads also: we break no love while we execute Gods laws uprightly: as it is sin to prevent, so is it to foreslow the lords judgements. Excommunication is not man's, but God's judgements, though God have committed it unto the church as to his ministers. God hath set down the whole process and due time & manner of sentence thereof: he hath left nothing therein to the discretion of the Church, whereby to make all men the more to stand in awe & t●…ēble at so dreadful a sentence of so terrible a judge. When the sin is come to that ripeness prescribed, then is excommunication due, & to be pronounced: but when public sin is orderly & publicly reproved, & yet still the party offending remains impenitent, and will not confess & forsake his sin, but despising the exhortation and censure of the Church, he harden his heart in his sin; then is sin at th●…t prescribed ripeness apparently: Therefore▪ than the Church cannot, neither hath in their power to protract or defer the sentence of excommunication any longer upon any hope or further trial, because they have already had that trial which God alloweth. They therefore should now sin grievously against the justice & majesty of God, they should draw themselves into God's wrath, harden the heart & destroy the soul of the other, yea ●…uen open a gap & wide door unto the whole church to sin, who seeing such foreslacking of judgement, would take boldness, upon hope to found repentance time enough. They that give any further time upon pity, or any other fleshly reason, condemn the Lord of cruelty & rashness, who giveth no further time, after public reproof & exhortation despised. So that to yt●…eaden ●…ule of proceeding to excommnnication with a leaden heel when the sin is thus ripe, I oppose this golden rule, to remove sin out of the church with the wings of a Stork, & the wound under their wings: yet Zach. 5. first that the Epha be lifted up betwixt the earth▪ & the heaven, that the sin be publicly seen, public censured. Now for this same new found censure of suspension which they (these Reformists) would bring in & exercise in stead of excommunication or (as they pr●…tend) as a preparative to excommunication, whereby they may first be shut out from the holiest of all, out of the chancel, where the Priest by sole authority reigneth, & so by degrees proceed to excommunication, to shut him out of the church also, if he repent not; what doth this their wisdom & pi●…ie, but comdemne the Lord of folly & cruelty, or rather show forth their own presumption & folly that thus forsake & condemn the ways of the Lord as unequal, by bringing in & following their own ways, as more equal. How can these forgers th●…se coiners of religion seem & sue to cast out the heap of human traditions, as contrary, & such as cannot be joined unto, or with the Testament of Christ, & yet bring in these forgeries of their own? for so I may justly call them from whencesoever they have derived them, if not from the book of God. But lest I be noted of prejudice, to found fault with the thing I know not, & to condemn before I have convinced; let us in a word or two see, how thi●… timber of these accordeth to the rest of the building, and upon what socket or foundation it standeth. This suspension we found to be a public separation & putting away of some open offendor & unworthy receiver from the Table of the Lord by the Pastor before excommunication, he yet being held a member of their Church, communicating with them in prayers, contribution etc. here I must not be understood of the younger sort which are not as yet admitted to the Table of the Lord, the seed of the faithful of them called Cate●…umenoi; but of such as have been partakers thereof, and are under the censures of the Church. Let us now see how lawful it is for the whole Church, but especially for any one member, as of his own sole authority, to shut out such members from the Table of the Lord, before, or otherwise then by excommunication. That this may be done, let us see wh●…t the Table of the Lord is. The Apostle thus defineth it: The cup of blessing which we blefs●…, is it not the communion of the blood of CHRIST? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of CHRIST? because we many are one bread, one body, for all participate of one bread. here we see this Table or Sup●… of the Lord, a lively and most comfortable s●…mbole of our communion with CHRIST, as also each with other in Christ; excellently showing unto us the means & maver of our redemption, to stir us up unto thankfulness, to rejoice in our God & praise his name therefore, to the general strengthening of all our faiths, and to the mutual binding us together in all holy duties and love etc. Here we see the Table of the Lord to be public, free, open & alike common to all Saints, each one having a like interest, necessity, use, comfort thereof, the lest as well & as much as the greatest, CHRIST having alike died & paid one and the same ransom for them all, that they all might have a like interest in him, feed and feast through one and the same Spirit, faith, hope, joy in him. Which interest, power, joy etc. not mo●…tall man, not the whole Church, much less any member thereof, not nor hell gates shallbe able to pluck from the lest member of CHRIST, while he remains and abideth in the body. A most unnatural part were it in the mother to pluck away the breast from the child, whereby it should be nourished▪ but though the mother might do this & murder her own child without blame; yet the whole Church cannot drive away or keep out the lest of these members from any public action of the Church, much les●…e separate them from this heavenvly comfort, free public communion, while they remain members of CHRIST, & are not cut off from his body. Further, seeing this Table is called The communion of the body & blood of Christ, as also the communion of the whole church, who can keep back any such member as still remains in the body of CHRIST, in his Church, without depriving him of this communion of CHRIST & of the Church, and so of life: for except they ●…ate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, they can have no life in them. But these men keep them from the body & blood of CHRIST, from the communion of CHRIST and of the Church, therefore also from life yt self; and so in seeming to correct him lightly, they kill him out right, for more than this can they not do by this orderly excommunication which they hold so rigoious. Such as shall cavil at these words Except you shall eat the flesh of the Son of man etc. saijng that I popishly abuse the place, let them cavil: though I acknowledge that many thousands that never attained the symbol of the supper, yet do feed of that body & blood of CHRIST by faith unto eternal life; yet this I say, that such as by censure are put back from the Table of the Lord▪ are cut from the communion of CHRIST & of his Church, and so from life: For if he have not communion with Christ and his Church, he can have no life: he cannot be both thus s●…perate from their communion, and have it together. They that pluck away the seal, cancel the deed; but they pluck away the seal of the covenant, in that for his sin they debar him from this comfortable communion, which is yet more than the seal, in that it bringeth such present effect and comfort; Therefore they (as far as man can do) cut him from Christ & his covenant, by this their idol suspension. Now then having thus shut him out of their communion, how should they hold him in ythaving? thus cut him off from Christ, and the bands that should bind him to Christ & to the Saints, how can they hold him a member of Christ, a Saint, or admit him as a brother amongst them in their prayers, ministry, contribution? This is very strange divinity, to shut him out, and yet to hold him in; to cut him o●…f from the body, & yet to hold him of the body: this may by logic be proved, but it never can be proved by Christ's Testament. Yet is there an other as strange a mystery in the matter, which I never learned in Christ's Testament: and that is ho●… a member that is publicly convicted of, and remains obstinate in open sin, should be shut out from the Table of the Lord, & yet be received & admitted as a member, unto the other ministe●…ie of the Church; as to prayers, contribution etc. belike the other ministry & prayers of the Church are not so holy as this supper, that such an offendor is held unworthy to communicate in, & therefore is shut out from the one; but he is worthy enough for, & therefore is admitted unto the other: this is a strange censure, a strange case as ever I herded of. I had thought that after the sin grew once public, being known & dealt with by the Church, if then such offenders remain obstinate, they had been forthwith to be cut off, & cast out as dead withered branches, & not to be thus half shut out & half kept in, half cut off & half remain, separate from the supper, admitted to the ministry of the word & prayers. This is to make him half a brother & half no brother, half a christian & half no christian. But yet further, seeing this suspension is a public censure of the Church for public sin, a separation from public exercises & actions etc. how chance it is thus put in one man's power, who by his absolute authority may keep back any one of the ●…locke from the Table of the Lord, without the commandment, yea the ●…riuitie of the whole church; yet this me thinks is the strangest of all, & never herded of in the church & Testament of Christ. Christ hath given and committed his power to censure fault●…s & people, as also the interest, possession, and government of all officers & actions to the whole Chur●…h (I mean to every such particular congregation) and not unto one particular special man above the rest or more than the rest. Every particular member of the Church hath like interest in the public actions and ministry of the Church, like power to censure the offences of the whole Church o●… the greatest minister thereof, in due order and time (as hath already in this treatise been often & plentifully proved) and therefore cannot in this manner be kept back by any one man, as of his sole authority any more than they may keep back that man whatsoever he be. I ●…peake not this to raise contention betwixt these where there aught to be love and reverence, so much as to note out the popish pride of these pharisaical Reformers, that take upon them to be Lords over the Church and this feast: whereof, if they were as good as they would be taken to be, they were but servants and guests at the best. The Church yt self can neither receive nor cast out a member as of themselves: they do it by the power and commandment of Christ; they must see faith & profession thereof, before they receive; they must see sin & obstinacy before they cut off: until these be seen, the whole Church nor all the men of the world have not power to receive or put by any one; if they do, the action is void, and the judgement & wrath of God rests upon them for that sin, until they repent thereof. Likewise also when this profession of faith, or this obstinacy in sin is found in any, then cannot the whole Church or all the men of the world keep out or keep in such, without incurring the judgement & wrath abovesaid. How great then is the sin & judgement of these popish Priests, that not only pluck away the power of the Church from them, but even the power & office of Christ from him, and assume it into their own hands? who thus dare innovate and abrogate Christ's Testament, reject his wholesome excommunication as too rough, bring in their deadly suspension in place thereof, and with that idol tool of that foolish shepherd, smite & keep out whom it pleaseth them, and as long as they list? Zach. 11. 15. Their old popish reason that they bring from the power of the keys, hath been above refuted in the discovery of their absolution, & proue●… to be tied neither to the person or office of any man, more then to every faithful member & servant of Christ, by the power of God's word etc. Yet have I also sometimes read in some of their books of Church discipline (as they term it) some other reasons for it; namely, from the law of separation for uncleanness: such as were defiled by the dead, by creeping & unclean things, by issues etc. were to absta●…e from the Tabernacle for a season, yea the Priest also upon suspicion of lepry or other fowl disease might seclude such a one for certain days, as we read in the books of the law plentifully; from whence they derive both this power of the Pastor, & the censure of suspension. I have there read also (or else my memory greatly faileth me) drawn from Mat. 5. 23. 24. verses because he that had injuried or offended his brother was taught by our Saviour Christ first to make satisfaction & be reconciled, them to offer his gift etc. that therefore such as had done wrong unto▪ or were not in charity with their neighbours, are by the Priests to be kept from the Altar, whereupon they enchanted & offered their breaden God, and now they popishly apply to the communion table, & from hence draw their suspension. But because I have not their books with me, & would be loath any way to injury them or charge them falsely, I will briefly show the insufficiency of these reasons, and so proceed, ●…asting to an end. From those Levitical laws whereby the Priests secluded such as they suspected of unclean diseases, until proof were made one way or other, may no conclusion be drawn, that therefore the Pastor now may suspend such as he suspecteth, or rather knoweth to be infected with incurable deadly & ●…bstinate sin, from the communion board etc. In the levitical tabernacle the priest●… did nothing without prescript laws, there was nothing left to his discretion, he had his certain signs set him down whereupon to seclude, wherup on to pronounce clean, as also whereupon to pronounce unclean. But now under the Gospel where that priesthood and those laws are quite taken away, we have now no such commandments of suspecting or suspending. The causes here of separation are not bodily but spiritual, not diseases of the body, but diseases of the soul, sin: which sin when it publicly appeareth, & obstinacy be added to the same, when it is publicly viewed & censured; then hath the Church a prescript law & commandemen●… to excommunicate & to cast out; not the Pastor to suspend such an unclean person▪ therefore betwixt these suspensions (as they call them) that under the law, & this under their gospel, is no proportion or comparison; that being done according to God's prescript laws, this altogether without warrant of the word, except peradventure they do it by warrant of these levitical laws, or else ●… see no cause they should thus bring them for the main proof of this their suspension; which if they do, them are they levitical Priests also, for none else might meddle with the administration of those laws; then are they also under the shadow, under the law, not under Christ, grace, the Gospel. The laws of the levitical ministry cannot be exercised by the ministry of the the gospel, neither any of them now received, without the loss of Christ. A dangerous thing it is thus violently to wrist and misapply these Levitical laws, figures, ceremonies, or to build upon the same such stubble wooden diuises as they do, as their tithes, offerings, purifications, feasts, suspension (not to speak of their ministerial vestures, holy cemitory synagogues, with all the jews implements thereof, whereby they innovate or rather abrogate the Testament of CHRIST, coin & forge a new ministery, a new worship, a new Gospel; for the Gospel of Christ only accordeth to his own ministery, and the ministery of Christ to his own Gospel: the Gospel of Christ may neither be added unto, nor diminished from the legal ceremonies and figures, while they are soberly understood and rightly applied, give a good light and gracious▪ instruction: but when they are thus rashly allegorized according to the fantasies of men, and boldly applied to maintain their diuises, the●… become they unto them a stone to stumble at. The other reason from Ma●…h. 5. 23. 24. is altogether as false, and yet rather more corrupt. Our Saviour there teacheth, that God requireth mercy & not sacrifice; sacrifice with bloody hands or an evil heart is▪ abomination unto God: He therefore there exhorteth, that they first make clean their hands from oppression, and make peace with their neighbour, then purge their heart and make peace with God by sacrifice according to the laws Leui●…. 6. 5. Num. 5. 7. 8. this doctrine still remains & belongeth to every Christian, even to the Pastor himself▪ The Lord abhorreth all hypocrisy, he looketh not to Cain's sacrifice neither is pleased with balaam's Altar: he will have all that approach unto him, to draw near with a true heart, their hearts being sprinkled from an evil conscience, and washed in our body with pure water etc. But what of all this? what place is here found to suspension▪ o●… what power is here gi●…en to the Pastor to separate from the communion table in this manner? v●…les (as the papists do) they take themselves for sacrificing Priests, their communion table for the altar: this their priestly power derived from these levitical laws is above answered. I would here know of these allegorisers what the alt●…r in the law signified, and what our Saviour CHRIST here meant by the altar, if not the whole worship of God, & with what se●…se they can thus popishly understand it of & apply it to their communion table only, shutting them from that, admitting them to their prayers and other exercise. Hear me thinks their answer is ready; because the sacrifice of CHRIST'S body is there remembered & resembled. It is well; and will they shut such from the communion of the sacrifice of CHRIST'S body, whose prayers 〈◊〉 will offer up upon that golden altar? might the Priests under the law receive and burn the odours upon the incense ●…ltar, whose sacrifices they refused at the brazen altar for burned offerings? whosoever for uncleanness etc. was separate, was separate from the whole tabernacle & all the ministery & exercises thereof. How then can these blind & fooli●…h 〈◊〉. 22. 3. Pharisies thus half Chri●…t, to make him a minister, an advocate, an altar for the prayers of such to whom he is no sacrifice, no minister at th●… brazen altar, whom he driveth from his table from his communion, and will neither give his body unto them, nor suffer them to be knit with his members unto it. What manner of juggling, what kind of fast and lose is this? what shall we think of the e●…tate of these men that are thus suspended? they being half driven from CHRIST, half received unto Christ, half cast out of the Church, half admitted in. What is this estate like unto, if not to the popish purgatory? these men being neither wholly Christ's, nor wholly Satan's: And surely seeing they will with the papists from hence take this popish Priestly power unto the●…selues, as also this fond tool of suspension, I see not why they should descent from them in the third, namely in the purgatory. By this time I hope you perceive what kind of stuff this their ce●…sure of suspension is, which both the sorts of these Priests generally allow of and receive. You see how evil it accordeth to the heavenly frame of CHRIST'S Testament and Church: you may also by this which hath generally been said touching the most reform use of it in the hands of these supposed Pastors (that should be) judge what kind of ●…oole and weapon it is in the hands of these popish Prelates the BB●…. you may see by the exercise of it upon any private member, what an odious and intolerable thing it were to be e●…ercised upon the Pastor or other ministers of the Church, especially at the pleasure and lust of one man: now let us proceed to their excommunication. This is executed by one man or his Commissary in their courts (as hath been said) never for any sin or error (for such matters they either let pass, or punish by the temporal sword, by fines, imprisonment, or penance etc.) But their excommunication is altogether exercised for contumacy: as for not obeijng their summons, or for not satisfijng the judgement of their cou●…ts, namely for not paying these ravenous voultures, these officers the●…r fees, or not paying the mulcts that are inflicted upon them in their Courts etc. And as it most commonly ariseth but about these money matters, so is it in effect but a money matter yt self: you shall found Mr. commissary if he see it coming no unreasonable man, he had as leeve take your money himself as an other should, for this he knows it shallbe dispensed with for money, either in his court or some where else. The form of this excommunication I cannot set down, but I ween it be in manner of a writ in latin, as also the Absolution thereof proclaimed in the name of the Bishop or archbishop after the order of their mother Church of Rome: these their spider webs of their ecclesiastical laws & jurisdiction extend not but unto the smaller and common flies, the magistrates & greater personages are wholly exempt from them. The other sect of these Priests, the counterfeit Reformists, they also would exclude the Church from this & all other ecclesiastical censures, assuming them wholly into their own hands, either into the Priest's hands with his silly presbytery or eldership, which he overruleth at his pleasure in every particular congregation, or else into their synods and counsels, which have power over all churches & every member & action the●…of, to excommunicate & absolve, to make and depose, to ordain & abrogate, without the p●…iuitie & consent of the Churches, other than of their Preachers or Priests. Thus both sides subvert the liberty of the Church, & pervert the ordinance of Christ, the one sort by corrupting, the other by utterly rejecting the unpartial use of true excommunication by every Christian congregation according to the rules of Chri●…s Testament, as intolerable & a mischief to this common wealth. We have above largely proved, the necessity, stability, perpetuity of that order and government which Chri●… in his Testament hath set down for the building & direction of his Church. By many places of scripture & reasons we have showed, how that order & government only best accordeth and fitteth to the Church of Christ, in all places & times whatsoever: and how the Church can neither receive other orders and laws, or change these which Christ hath given, without cas●…ing off CHRIST'S yoke, & disan●…lling his Testament; CHRIST'S Testament and Church being for ever in all places one and the same. We have also 〈◊〉 places of this present writing showed, how CHRIST hath given unto his Church his spiritual power and authority, with the sharp two edged sword that proceedeth out of his mouth, to cut off all transgr●…ssion and error, as also all trespassers and heretics that remain obstinate and impenitent in their sin; and hath given them strait commandment vigilantly & vnpa●…tially to use the same sword and power unto the worlds end. The necessity of which power, though it were not confirmed by so many direct and express places of scripture; yet might it to a●… men appear, in that without the same they can neither receive CHRIST, who is never severed from his power; neither can they keep sound any communion, when they h●…ue not the power to ●…ast▪ out & separate the plaguy & leprous from amongst them. Moreover, we have showed how this power of excommunication election, ordination etc. is not committed into the hands of one particular person, as the Pope and his natural children our Lord B●…hops now use it; nor yet into the hands of the eldership only, or of the Pastors of many particular congregations (as the reforming▪ preachers would have it) so much as it is given & committed to the whole Church, even to every particular congregation, and to every member thereof alike: To which holy spiritual power of CHRIST, every member of the Church & servant of Christ must be subject alike, without exception or exemption of person. How contrary then unto God & prejudicial unto his Church, is the blasphemy & pride of those men, which thus presump●…uously open their mouths against heaven & all the ordinances of God, pronouncing this spiritual & heavenly censure of excommunication duly executed by the church according to the will & commandment of Christ (as the only means for the preservation of the whole Church and of the parties so excommunicate) to be intolerable in a christian realm, prejudicial to Princes and Magistrates; yea that popi●…hly assume this sword of CHRIST, this power of his Church into their own hands, and therewith of their own sole authority smite some, exempt others as they lust themselves: whose monstrous & enormous abuse of this heavenly ordinance, cannot by the pen or mouth of any be so lively described, as it is with great letters to the view of all men engraved and exposed in the daily practice of their Commissaries courts, the court of high commission etc. But that all the pretextes of this their odious blasphemy and pride may at once be plucked from them, let me in a word or two by express scriptures show what true excommunication is, by whom, upon whom, and how it is to be executed. We read 1 Cor. 5. Titus 3. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Excommunication to be an utter disfranchizing, and public cu●…ting off of all convinced obstinate offenders from all interest in CHRIST & all communion with his Church, in the open congregation. We read in the said 1 Cor. 5. as also Math. 18. 17. Math. 28. 20. Rom. 16. ●…7. 2 Thess. 3▪ 6. 14. the power & execution of this censure of excommunication to be committed to the whole Church, else why should the Apostle charge & blame the whole Church for the neglect thereof, and command the whole Church to execute it? why should our Saviour CHRIST command his disciples to admonish their br●…thtē when they offend, and if they repent not, to complain unto the church. He sendeth them not here unto the Pastor▪ to complain unto him, nor unto the Bishop, high commission, Presbutry, Synod or Council to complain unto them for redress; neither yet comitteth he here or in any other place of scripture this action unto them, or commands them as by virtue of their office to do it. But (as may evidently appear in these and sundry other places of scripture) both this public casting out & receiving in of any member, is committed and belongeth unto the whole Church & every member thereof jointly together, & is not especially or solely committed to any one or any some of them any more than unto all the rest. We see also the Pastor, & all the teachers & other members of the Church subject unto this censure▪ yea & the church where these members make such offence, is to proceed against them, to avoid them, to excommunicate them. Read for further proof of this Gall 1. 8. 9 2 joh. 9 & ●…. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 17. &. 3. 5. Coloss. 4. 17. Phillip. 3. 2. 17. 18. 19 So that although the church perform this action by the Pastor, as a member most fi●… th●…r unto; yet neither the Pastor gaineth, nor the Church loses any right or interest in this action hereby, because we see evidently the church hath power to do this action without a Pastor, yea against their Pastor, The manner of thi●… excommunication, we in the said 5 of the 1 Corinth found to be done in the public congregation where the whole church is assembled, & not in any courts or Bishops houses; in the name & power of our Lord jesus Christ, & not in the name and power of a Lord Bishop or arch Bishop, in the usual tongue of that congregation as it may best edify, and not in the roman tongue after their popish manner in form of a writ. This censure is not done before the fault be publicly known, either in the first committing of it, or else by process for contemning admonition, neither before the party offending be duly convinced, admonished & exhorted: But when the sin thus appeareth & becometh public, the sinner is thus convinced, admonished, exhorted, & still continueth obstinate & impenitent; then is the Church without delay or pa●…tialitie to proceed, by the power of our Lord ●…esus Christ with one consent to cast o●…t such a one, & deliver him unto Satan for the humbling of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord; yea to avoid f●…om themselves both the contagion and judgements following his sin. Now then seeing this censure of excommunication is an especial part of the judgement, power, & Sceptre of Christ; seeing Christ hath committed it unto his Church, even unto every Christian congregation▪ whether it be established in order, or it be endeavouring into o●…der, as a most necessary means to preserve & keep them in the v●…itie of the faith & godliness, without which power & the due execution thereof it is impossible to k●…epe a●…e communion; how great is their sin against Christ & his Church, that thus presumptuously wrested the sword out of Christ's hand, & take it into their own furious hands, that thus utterly deprive the Church of all use of it, save that they smite & wound the poor lambs and servants of CHRIST with it, or rather with that great sword given unto their father the devil to shed innocent blood. But especially what injury do they unto their Princes and magistrates, that thus deprive & exempt them from the heavenly government of Christ (if so be this their ecclesiastical discipline & Church government be the true government of Christ (as they vaunt and give out) do they not hereby manifest, that either Princes and magistrates are not the servants & subjects of Christ, or else that themselves have the great charte●… of Antichrist as well as their sire the Pope, to dispense with the breach of God's laws, & to assoil Princes & magistrates from the obedience and reverence of Christ? Or else peradventure with their deep learning they are able to prove. THAT CHRISTIAN PRINCES AND MAGISTRATES, EITHER CANNOT SIN in such manner to deserve excommunication, or else are not liable to the same judgements of God, as other Christians are for the like transgressions; or else that Christ hath not made one and the same co●…enant with all men, but hath appointed one way for Princes & magistrates to be saved, an other way for inferior Christians of lower callings. But if the covenant & law of God be one & the same unto all men▪ if all men aught to be alike liable to the law of God, & subject to the sacred person & Sceptre of Christ; if rebellion be as the sin of witchcraft, & transgression as idolatry; if Christ be an upright and unpartial judge; if Topheth be prepared of old, if it be prepared even for the King deep and large etc. Then most dangerous and damnable is the perfidy and f●…atterie of these prophets that not only pronounce peace unto wicked magistrates in their sin, but exempt Christian magistrates from subjection and obedience unto the Sceptre and government of Christ in his Church, whereby they draw them into battle against Christ. For if they be not under his Sceptre of grace, then are they under his yro●…●…od, wherewith he will bruise them to sheardes. If they be his subjects, then doth he reign over them, & that by his own laws: but if they will not have him to reign over them, than cometh he against them and judgeth them as his enemies. This is the good service these men do unto their magistrates, to bring them into the wrath of the Lion of the tribe of juda: this is the care these good shephardes have of the souls of their Prince & magistrates, to suffer them to run on in their sin without coercion or reproof; yea to deprive them of the only means & cure that God in his mercy & wisdom hath provided for all his servants in that estate. But these politic divines make Princes believe that it is no small injury & derogation to their people & office to be subject to the reproof & censute of Christ in his Church. Excommunication of magistrates (say they) was an instrument to bring y●… necks of Emperors & Princes under the Pope's girdle, the only mean whereby he become so dreadful to all men, & got to himself so great authority: therefore our english Pope & L. Bishops, though they still retain in their hands this popish thunderbolt of excommunication; yet so warily do they use it, as they will not affray Princes or great personages therewith. Alas, & cannot these learned Bishops in all this light & free passage of the Gospel they boast of, as yet discern or put difference betwixt Christ's most lawful sacred spiritual power, and the Popes usurped devilish carnal powers? should not magistrates be subject to the first, because they aught not to endure or suffer the second? Hath not God spoken from heaven; This is my beloved Son, hear him? and again; Therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name, that in the name of JESUS every knee should bow etc and every to●…gue confess, that JESUS is the Lord? and speaking unto the Son, he says Thy throne Ô God to the world of worlds, the Sceptre of thy kingdom is a rod of righteousness: and in an other place I have anointed my King upon Zion mine holy mountain etc. Give he●…d therefore you Kings, be you disciplined you judges of the earth, serve the Lord in fear, rejoice in trembling: kiss the Son lest that he be angire, & you perish in the way. It were long to recite the express scriptures which every where show, that all Kings and Magistrates aught to be subject to the Sceptre and censure of CHRIST in his Church, to bring their glory & honour thither, and cast down their crowns before him, of whom they receive & hold their crowns, even by homage tenure, from whom they derive all thei●… power, & therefore with all their power aught to serve him, unto whom they shall account. All the godly Kings of whom we read in the scriptures, have been bound and subject unto the laws of God and censures of the Church, in their calling, as any other. How earnestly did DAVID beseech the Lord, that he would seek out his servant, when he erreth, as a sheep? that the righteous might smite him, for that shallbe a benefit; that they might reprove him, for that shallbe as a chief ointment. As Kings enter into the Church, and are made members of CHRIST by profession & true practice of the faith; so when they fall and departed from the same faith, and will▪ not be reduced by admonition and reproof, they are no longer to be held of the faith of the Church, but are as any other, to receive the judgement and censure of CHRIST, to be cut off and cast out as withered branches; and this as the only remedy of their salvation for the humbling of their flesh etc▪ If Kings be subject to the instruction and admonition of the Church ●…s David, Asa, I●…oshaphat, Ezekiah etc. were; why should they not also with Vzziah (when the running vlcer●… of fretting & incurable sin appear upon them) be cut off from the how●…e of the Lord, and separate from the communion of the Saints as he was, lest they defile more, & make the whole offerings and company abominable unto the Lord If in that material Temple, where the worship consisted in external ceremonies, no degrees of people were exempted from the observation of the laws, the King himself might not enter with his uncleanness upon him, but as you see was cast out according to the law? how much more in this spiritual house of CHRIST, aught they to be subject to the laws and judgements of CHRIST, as well, yea and rather more than any other. To this they object, because the King is the chief & supreme governor here in earth over all people and causes as well of the Church as of the common wealth, unto whom every soul must be subject: therefore cannot the whole Church, much lesfe any member thereof (all being his subjects) censure, judge, or excommunicate the Prince, the placing, punishing, and deposing of whom, only belongeth unto God, by whom King's r●…igne. OH how great is the blindness of these Phariseiss, that cannot put difference between the spiritual judgements of CHRIST in his Church, & the temporal or rather corporal judgements of the magistrate in the common wealth? but most grossly and wickedly oppose the one against the other? Might they not as well reason, and upon the same grounds conclude, that the Prince is no member of the Church, neither that the Church hath any communion with him, because he is supreme governor of the Church, and all the Church are his subjects? yea do they not as much, when they give unto Princes s●…ch blasphemous titles, popi●…h prerogatives & dispensations, as SUPREME HEAD OF THE CHURCH, to make laws for the Church concerning the worship, ministry, ministration & whole government of the Church, and those such as are not read of in the book of God, & to be exempt from the jurisdiction & censure of Christ in his church? Now which way in this estate can they make the Prince a subject of Christ or member of his Church, when both in titles, power, & pregative they exa●…t Princes into the chair of Christ, or (to say as it is) rather into the chair of Antichrist. But to come to this politic impediment and intolerable inconvenience that would ensue, if Princes should be subject to the excōm●…nication of the church, then say they he should be subject to the Church, and so subject to his subjects. I deny the sequel of their Argument: for this censure is not the censure of the Church, so much as of CHRIST in his Church: so that though CHRIST use the ministery of his Church, the Church the ministery of some most fit memb●…r unto this action, y●…t is y●… still the censure & judgement of CHRIST, unto which every servant of CHRIST & member of the Church must be subject. So that they might as well reason, that the Prince is subject to the Church etc. because he must be subject to the Gospel; which is also the ministery of the Church. The lest member of the Church is not subject to the church, neither to follow it further than it followeth CHRIST. But while some, without all fear of God have endeavoured to draw, and others not doubted to yield that honour which is due unto God▪ unto the people of men; here-hence hath all this exaltation of Antichrist & pride of the prelac●…e arisen; yea these impious collections and blasphemous conclusions against Christ's holy ordinances ensued: to such a measure and height is this sin now grown, that they not only cast off Christ's yoke themselves, but assoil Princes of their allegiance unto him; yea proclaim this most peaceable & spiritual censure of CHRIST, to be sed●…ious, intolle●…able, contrary unto the magistracy etc. Then which assertion what can be more heathen & barbarous? Is it not to set their state expressly against Christ? yea Christ against God? cannot these carnal men consider, that Christ himself while he was here on earth, as also his Apostles, were subject in all lawful things unto the civil magistrate, & taught the churches so to be unto the world's end? yet both CHRIST & his Apostles gave perpetual & often commandments for the diligent & upright use of this spiritual censure unto the wo●…lds end. Are they so anabaptistical to think, that there never were or should be magistrates of the Church? or think they that these laws were made for the church, before the magistrates were called to the faith? were not Nicodemus, joseph of Aramathia, Sergius Paulus, Cornelius▪ Dionysius, Erastus etc. magistrates, and called to the faith? yet in their tune was the use of excommunication enjoined, and practised. Not where can they show in all the Testament of CHRIST any exception or immunity of any one person from this spiritual censure & government of CHRIST, which is no way contrary unto the temporal estate & civil degree of the Prince or magistrate. Who though they be excommunicate, yet still retain their civil estate & dignity wherein God hath placed them, and still are reverenced and obeyed of the whole church, as such magistrates whom God hath set over them: only members of the Church they cannot be held, while they presumptuously transgress, or obstinately disobey CHRIST'S voice. It is not in the power of the Church to receive or cast out any member, before they see faith or transgression▪ accordingly▪ nor yet hath the Church power to keep in any member, longer than he keepeth the faith & walketh orderly. So then until they can prove that there can be no magistrates but such as are of the church, or that this ecclesiastical excommunication is a depriving & deposing of the civil magistracy, they do but reproach the truth, and seduce the magistrate. As these spiritual judgements extend not unto, so the Church that pronounceth & executeth the same, no way meddleth with the office or person of the Prince, or magistrate. They are taught not to lay violent hands upon the Lords anointed▪ but to be obedient unto the death. It always hath been the custom of the Pope & his offspring, to encroach both upon Churches and Princes, to assume this antichristian power over both into their hands, to bind & to lose, to curse & assoil whom they list. Neither can I see the sin of these Antichristian BBs. these imps of the Pope to be less in discharging Princes from this holy censure of CHRIST, thē●…heir Sires was in tyrannising & oppressing them therewith: neither yet how these men can beat down the tyrannous usurped power of the Pope, when they ass●…me into their own hands, and execute the self same power over the whole Church and all the ordinances thereof without account or 〈◊〉, as hath been plentifully showed in all this discovery, and yet more shall appear, if we now take a little view of th●…ir Commission, which is the very abysm & golph from whence spring & flow all these innumerable enormities, into every pa●… of this whole land their Church. THIS INDEFINITE monstrous Commission I (having never seen their letters patents or any copy thereof) cannot othervise describe, then by certain appa●…ant circumst●…nces: as the men of whom it consists, and that have the chief rule thereof; the people & causes over which this Commission is set, and hath jurisdiction; and the manner of using their said power. The Commissioners are certain ecclesiastical & civil people; as first the Primate of England [the Archb: of Canterbury] then I suppose the Metropolitan of York, with certain other Bishops, as London, Winchester, etc. certain Deans, Archdeacons & Chancellors, with sundry especial civil Doctors etc. The civil people of this Commission are now of late days some few of her Maties honourable Council, the two chief judges: certain Courtiers; as the two Masters of her majesties requests; certain choose Aldermen, & the Recorder of London; certain other officers about the City; as the Li●…ftenant of the Tower, the post-Mr. & sundry other that I know not, not hee●…e to recite that rabble of advocates, proctor's, scribes, pursuyvamts, attending thereupon. These thus joined in this high great Commission, have (or at the lest exercise) by virtue thereof absolute power & jurisdiction over the whole Church of England and every particular congregation of the same, and over eu●…ry minister & member of the same, even over all the Q. Subjects. They also exercise final jurisdiction & absolute power over all causes ecclesiastical whatsoever, to handle and determine, to visit, inquire & punish, to make new laws, orders, decrees, and to enjoin the same as authentic upon all Churches, as, & before the holy oracles of God. They have power also to assume any cause or plea out of any other of their inferior spiritual Courts (as they call them) into their own hands, to ratify or disannul any thing there done. They have power also to erect and to authorize new little high Commissions in any City of the land, where it pleaseth them: only with this exc●…ption; that they always acknowledge the supreme power of their parent at Lambeth. Yet further this great high Commission hath absolute power over sundry (and what not) civil causes, insomuch as they fear not to meddle with matters belonging to the Q. crown or pre●…ogatiue royal, or to any of her Courts of plea whatsoever: yea they have not doubted to intercept caus●…s belonging unto, & depending in the high Court of parliament, if Mr. PENRY in his app●…ale say true. Th●…y have power to cite, summon or convent by their pursuyvants & cursitors, what person of the land eith●…r man or woman at any time when they please: they have power to command all the Q. officers, as Majors of Cities, Sheriffs etc. to serve & attend, watch & ride, by day or by night upon their business whatsoever: also to apprehended, to incarcerate, or to deliver out of prison, what person or pe●…sons, how innocent or flagitious soever, upon their bar warrant, without further inquire or delay: yea they have power to fetch up any of these officers before them from their charge in her majesties services, & there also to ymprison them, if they so think good. They have power to authorize these rakehell ●…obbers their pursuyvants, to herry, molest or attach any of the Q. ●…aithful subiectts they list, to break open & ●…ansack their houses by day or by night, to spoil & carry away what and whom they please without controlment, their warrants being made indefinite, without any certain perscription or limitation. Well, & being thus furnished with this power, they come together at Revel. 9 7. 9 their Session as charets armed to the batt●…l, a great tail of officers & court of a●…tendants being assembled, the appearance whereof exceedeth I suppose that of the Vatican at Rome, no prayer used before, neither the book of God opened in this their ecclesiastical council. The parties conu●…nted are to attend, being called to appear before them: before whom being come, what affairs soever they have, whither of a whole Church, or of many congregations, what office or degree soever they be of, they must there stand their head●…s discou●…red before them, no place given them with or by these Commissioners. If they be to propound, speak, or complain of any thing, they mu●…t do it by the officers of this Court, their Advocates, Proctors, R●…gisters, Scribes seou●…dum modum & formam, and that to no small charge by that time all these voultures have their fees: otherwise than by these they may not pled in this Court: the judgements of this Court they must receive without contradiction or gaynsaijng; there is no appeal, no help●…, no m●…anes to reu●…rse the same, be they never so vni●…st. Any oth●…rs that are blamed and accused unto this Court, have not he●…re pl●…ce to answer unto such things as shallbe obi●…cted against them by their accusers, b●…ing brought face to face, or to defend themselves according to equity: but here they shall hardly know their accusers, or accusations at any time, until they have taken an oath to answer truly unto such things as shallbe demanded of them in that Court; whereby they are driven to accuse themselves, and so minister matter abundantly unto their adversaries. The oath that is here administered is, that laying their hand or; finge●…s upon a book, they swear by God & by the contents of the book, to answer truly unto such things as shallbe demanded of them, and so kissing the book their oath is accepted, & no further leisure given to consider what th●…y answer unto their demands. But if any make conscience, or deny to receive this idolatrous wicked oath (which though it be proved unto them to be n●…uer so unlawful, and contrary to the commandment of God. Deut. 6. 13. & De●…t. ●…0. 20. to be never so superstitious in devising & adding, yea in enjoining ceremonies where God in these laws hath made none, but commanded to swear without any ceremonies by the name of God only; though it be proved to be never so idolatrous, in joining any thing unto or with God, in swearing by any thing besides or with God; though the fearful curse of God be showed to be denounced against such mane●… of swearing & swearers, by the Lords prophets in these words, They that swear in the sin of S●…maria, & that say, thy God OH Dan liveth and the way of Beerschebah liveth, even they shall fall & never ●…ise up again; and in an other place, that the Lord will cut off all that swear by JEHOVAH as they swear by 〈◊〉: be this oath proved never so unnecesfarie, the cause not requiring any such trial; be it proved never so unnatural, it being to accuse themselves, & that unto their adversaries) yet will these graceless Bishops enforce this oath; first by way of persuasion, by Abraham's & jaacobs' examples, who caused the one his se●…uant, the other his son to swear, putting their hand under their theigh etc. and by the Angels lifting up his hand unto heaven to swear. If unto the fi●…st they be answered, that Abraham & jaacob joined not this ceremony unto the oath, so much as to exact the fidelity & performance of the oath, seijng God himself swore unto Abraham without this ceremony Gen, 15 & 17; as also Ishaac swore, & jaacob swore without this ceremony Gen. 26. 31. & Gen. 31. 53; so that there can be no law drawn or example made of Abraham & jaacob herein, especially seeing this was before the law was given: but now we ●…aue an absolute law given of God for the form of oaths, from which law we aught not to swerver. If unto the second, namely the Angels lifting up the hand unto heaven while he swore it be likewise answered; that no law can be enforced from hence, or any new ceremony enjoined in swearing, nothing being done here contrary to the law of God, neither any example given to break or altar the law given of God, seeing now both all superstitious ceremonies & idolatrous oaths are forbidden us, by our Saviour Christ & his Apostles: Math. 5. 34. 3. 5 Mat. 23. Gal. 4. 9 Col. 2. 20. Their next reason is drawn from the Prince's privilege; that the Prince hath power to make laws of indifferent things, & is therein to be obeyed: this manner of oath is showed to be no indifferent thing, but altogether unlawful & prohibited for the reasons above alleged. ●…. Cor. 6. 12 But if it were a thing indifferent (as they suppose) so to swear or not so to swear, yet were it not lawful for any mortal man to bind that by way of law, which God hath left in our liberty; much less to bring in new ceremonies or diuises into the worship of God: for so might all the Pope's traditions be brought in & justified. When these reasons will not serve to persuade o●… assure the conscience, them these holy fathers, these tender hearted christian BBs. are driven to their last argument whereby they uphold their antichristian throne, Viz. the civil power & authority which is committed into their murderous hands. Then are they forthwith committed unto close prison, there to remain until they either yield, or die; and this without respect of age, sex, or degree, especially if they be convented for refusing or speaking against the BBs. Popelike authority, antichristian decrees, idolatrous injunctions etc: such▪ with mortal hatred they persecute, much more ●…hen they do the most heinous malefactors & traitorous Papists: such they openly publish to be sectaries, schismatics, heretics, Anabaptists, disobedient to magistrates, seditious, conventiclers etc. and all because they will not bear Antichrist's yoke, nor carry the Beasts mark, nor bow down unto & worship his image. Such therefore they hunt & pursue a●…rode by their spia●…s & pursyvants, and having caught them, use with all e●…quisite tyranny, never suffering them to departed out of thei●… hands, until they either deny the faith, or be fetched from them by the Lords peremptory messenger, Death. Long it were to relate their fine spanish arts to molest these constant witnesses & faithful servants of Christ when they get them in their prisons, by shutting them up long close, by causing them to be produced and indicted at the general sessions upon the statute of recusansy, having made some of the Iudg●…s on their part; although this statute was made for Christ's and her Maties. ●…nemies, the Papists, recusants of all christian verity. When upon this statute they have got them indicted, and upon the execution thereof cast into prisons; yet he●…re their malice ceaseth not, but although they be the Q. prisoners in her execution, yet will they (contrary to all law) assume them back again into th●…ir hands, and by th●…ir sole authority without any cause alleged, commit them perpetual close prisoners, thereby to shorten their lives, and to cut off all means either of their own maintenance from them, or whereby they might any way satisfy the Que●…ne. Thus play they with poor Christians as the cat doth with the mo●…se, boldly committing them unto and taking them f●…om the secular powers at their own pleasure; abusing the Queen's laws and most faithful subi●…ctes at their own lust, without check or controlment, they being subject and liable to no law. To such a height is this strange Romish spanish Court now grown, under colour of ●…eforming ●…cclesiasticall abus●…s, that it usurpeth absolute power over all law●…s, caus●…s, people, 〈◊〉; yea and becometh the very fountain or sink rather, from whence flow all errors, abuses, and disorders into the whole land, it being the very bane & poison both of the church and common wealth, that ●…uer going forge of Satan, wherein he daily mint●…th all his antichr●…stian new devices & decrees for this monstrous harlot the false Church, that Senate wherein all their affairs are cons●…lted, that Council wherein all their decrees are concluded, a Synod wherein all causes are debated, a school wherein all questions are disputed, a fair wherein all their wares are sold. This monstrous Court taketh utterly away the power and stoppeth the course of God's word, of his Church, and of the godly laws of the land: prejudicial it is to the prerogative of the Prince, to the jurisdiction of her ●…oyall Courts▪ to the liberty of her free subjects, & to the great Cha●…r of England, as their practice evidently showeth. How contrary it is unto God, & unto all the rules of his word, even by this summary recital & insufficient description of their doings, at the first reading may appear to all men that will bring them to the light. So barbarous is th●…ir power, so odious their proceed, as no apology can be made for them, unless by the same they will also justify the authority of the Pope, and proceed of the spanish inquisition; both which yet herein they exceed, in that this Court hath power to make laws & o●…dinances for all churches without their consent, which the Pope cannot do: as also, in that this Court hath power & jurisdiction over many, & almost all civil causes, which the spanish inquisition hath not. Let not my words be wrasted or misconstrued to the reproach of these honourable personages, & such civil magistrates as are of this Commission; whose civil offices & people we from our hearts unfeignedly honour and reverence: yet can the authority of their personages no way justify the unlawfulness of this Commission, or hide the ungodliness of the BBs. proceed therein; with whose crafty practices we suppose they are not made acquainted, being tised into this Commission by the sub●…ilty of the BBs. (who suppose to fortify their anti●…hristian power & popish regiment, by the authority and countenance of the these honourable & reverend men) whom they persuade that they shall do much good herein: before whom they bring none, but the most heinous & fowl causes, as incest, plurality of wives, papistry etc. never suffering them to look into the secrets & mysteries of their kingdom, or to hear the just complaints of the Q. oppressed subjects by their tyranny. These (as is above said) they will not suffer so much as to expose their griefs utter their wrongs, or to pled & defend their own cause before these c●…uil magistrates, not not in this their own court, where the Archbishop is in his exaltation, and their chief adversaries are judges; so fearful are they lest the light should break forth, and all their packing and wickedness be bew●…aied. But he that discloseth all secrets, will (I doubt not) shortly reveal all their doings, and make them as odious as they are now honourable. At which time, such as now join to them and uphold them, shall stand far off for fear of their torments, when the wrath of God shallbe revealed from heaven against all the impiety and injustice of these men that withhold the truth in unrighteousness: For sure, if the Prince & Magistrates but known the unlawfulness of this Commission, ●…ither in the people, power, or practise thereof, they would ●…oone withdraw their power f●…om the beast, and would not in this manner uphold or 〈◊〉 unto the throne of Antichrist, that forgeth wrong bes●…des law. The ecclesiastical people of this Commission we ha●…e by express●… scriptures showed, neither to be true ministers of the Gospel, neithe●… true members of the Church of Christ. Both which though they were, yet could they not receive or exercise such antichristian power & inordinate authority over all, or any one congregation of Christ; much less in the estate they stand. For the civiil magistrates that are of this Commission, though they may as members together with those congregations whereunto they are joined, jointly with the whole Church exercise such spiritual power to censure faltes, discuss matters, and determine of such affairs as belong unto & arise in their congregations etc. yet can they not (as by virtue of their civil office) exercise these spiritual censures & power, which Christ hath given & belongeth unto the whole Church▪ much less assume into their own hands, and pluck from the whole Church this power which Christ hath given them. So then all the people of this Commission, both ecclesiastical & civil, are ●…tterly uncapable of this inordina●…e power & jurisdiction; which being so mon●…trous & heinou●… over all churches, all 〈◊〉 causes, people & doctrines; to ratify, or di●…anul, erect or pull down, bring in, or cast out of the Church, handle & hold plea of many civil causes also, and that after so blasphemous & unchristian a manner, by administering & enforcing their idolatrous book oath, by prohibiting somuch as to speak for themselves or in their own causes, by inflicting penalties & fines, by incarcerating whom & for what they list, and there detaining them as close & as long as they list, and that without bail, mainprize, or trial: which monstrous confused power, belongeth rather unto, & is more fit for that Antichrist, that Beast; and unto the false church, then unto any member of CHRIST, or of his church. God hath pur difference (though no disagreement) betwixt th●…●…hurch, and the common wealth, betwixt the ministers jurisdiction, & censures of each of them; having set unto each sort their due bounds, officers and limits which they aught not after this manner to transgress or confounded, making I know not what commixture of people, offices, causes in this monstrous Commission, where the civil magistrate is made a judge & minister of ecclesiastical causes; their church ministers, of civil & common wealth matters, & all under pretext of the commission of the Prince: who because he hath power over all causes & people both of the Church & common wealth; ●…herfore these men suppose that he may make what new laws, decrees & orders for both Church & common wealth that he list, & change the ordinances & decrees of God at his pleasure, especially if he be a christian Prince; for than he is no way bound to the laws of God or limits of his calling. But against such devilish doctrines we have often in this treatise proved, that though the Prince be placed of God in the most high authority both o●…er the church & common wealth here upon earth, yet he is but ●…he servant of God, circumscribed with laws, as one that shall tender an ●…ccompt, & be judged before the Lord of all his doings, as any other. Though the Prince have the book of God ●…ōmitted unto him, with charge to see it duly executed by every one in his calling, yet hath he ●…t to keep & observe, & not to break or change. We have also proved all the laws of God to be most holy, inviolable, and all sufficient both for the church & common wealth, & the perfect instruction of every officer & member of the same in their several duties & callings: so that nothing is now left unto a●… mortal man, of what high dignity & calling soever, but to fulfil & execute the will of God in his word, in their places & callings: which word being now perfected in the heavenly ministry of Christ, nothing may be added to, or taken from the same, without most high sacrilege & impiety, & the utter abrogating of CHRIST'S Testament: no new devise (how holy or necessary ●…oeuer to our earthly seeming) is now to be brought in, or required at our hands, our obedience being more acceptable unto God then our sacrifice. Which way ●…en can this strange monstrous Commission, never read nor herded of in the new Testament of Christ, or whole word of God, so unlawful in the people that are the Commissioners, in the power & authority they exercise, & in all their proceed; so pernicious to the whole church, so dir●…ctly contrary to the word of God, & to the utter subversion & taking out of the way the whole Testament & ordinances of Christ; how may this commission (I say) be set o●…er the whole church, or be justified by the Princes authority? But to prove that this ecclesiastical high Commission is no antichristian ungodly or new device, Mr. SOME hath taken some pains, & bestowed upon us a few reasons, such as they are. Says he, this Commission is derived from our gracious sovereign Q. ELISABETH, to whom the Antichrist 1 of Rome is a professed enemy, and is directed to honourable reverend & wise men of the clergy & temporalty▪ therefore it is not antichristian. Again sundry branches of this Commission are godly, as to 2 preserve God's religion whole & sound from popery, Anabaptistry etc. to meet with & suppress notable disorders, as incests, polygamies, oppression of the ministers etc. and to give defence & countenance to the good: therefore this Commission is very godly. Thirdly, high Commissions 3 were directed from jehos haphat King of juda, and from Artaxerx●… King of Persia; therefore the high Commission of England is no new devise 2. Chron. 19 Ezra. 7. By the first reason it should seem that Mr. SOME supposeth that there is no Antichrist but the Pope of Rome; neither any thing to be Antichristian, which cometh not from him: otherwise ●…here will be little sequel of this reason; that because the QUEEN'S Majesty directeth this commission to honourable & reverend men of the clergy & temporalty, therefore the high Commission is not antichristian or unlawful. Might not by this reason King David's Commission or letters mandatory unto Ioa●…, for the murdering of Vriah be accounted good, because king David was a most godly Prince, if so be that the goodness of any mortal man might make that which is evil good, or justify any unlawful action. We here reason not of the goodness of any men's persons●…, so much as of the unlawfulness of this Commission, which by so many reasons being proved such, can neither be justified by the Prince's authority that dir●…cteth it, nor by the goodness of any to whom it is▪ directed, but remains altogether unlawful for the one to grant, for the other to accept. Yet for the people of these Commissioners, we have showed the civil personages & magistrates to be utterly uncapable of any ecclesiastical functions, while they retain these civil offices, much more of such unlawful & ungodly authority & jurisdiction over so many churches, as they execute in this Commission. As for the honourable reverend clergy this Doctor speaketh of, if we had said nothing concerning their office & ministry before, yet this his popish tea●…me of clergy (whereby he segregateth the ministry from the rest of the church, or else only would ha●…e them to be the Lords heritage) sufficiently bewrayeth from what forge they all came, & plainly showeth them to have come from their holy father the Pope, begotten and born upon their mother of Rome, such a Lordly Clergy or clearal Prelacy not being before herded of, or r●…ad in the Te●…tament of Christ: and so by this reason the high Commission is like to prove antichristian, this honourable reverend clergy which bear all the rule in this Commission, being so immediately derived, and directly descended from that Antichrist of Rome. And as for this popish distinction, betwixt the clergy & the laity; I refer him to read with due consideration Act. 26. 18. & 1 Pet. 5. 3. There is as little sequel of his second reason; that because this Commission hath some good branches, as to purge God's religion of popery, anabaptistry, to punish & to suppress notable disorders, as incests, polygamies, oppression of ministers: therefore this whole high Commission is good & godly. Might not the most ungodly counsels that ever were, be thus defended & justified? because they decreed not some, but many good things? Might not any sect or heresy be thus also defended & justified? because they hold & teach many good things? yet judge we such ecclesiastical counsels & assemblies antichristian, which have no warrant from the word of God, where the holy ghost is not both the author & ruler. Therefore until this high Commission be approved either by precedent or rule, we must still hold it antichristian & unlawful. And now touching these fair pretexts wherewith this sepulchre of all rottenness is guilded, this deep grave is covered, as with flowers & green grass; let even these fairest shewe●… thereof be examined and proved by ●…hat which hath been said touching their service-book, & ministry, what a pure worship & holy ministry this Commission preserveth and maintaineth. Let the commonnes of ince●…ts, polygamies, adulteries, for●…ication & all uncleanness that aboundeth in the land, show the great good that this commission doth in the land: yea let their profane & ungodly order that they take for the suppressing & punishing these crimes, show what a holy council this is. The Lord commandeth odious & unnatural incests & all adulteries to be puni●…hed with death: the high Commission punisheth the most hateful incests & poligamies by prisons or by the purse. As for such incest as is not in marriage & other adulteries they are but peccadilia, punished by doing penance in a white sheet, or else by some less mulct without impri●…onmēt. Moreover, this commission punisheth the most high & execrable idolatries by prisons & forfaiturs, making yt a pecuniary matter, contrary to the law of God Deut. 1●…▪ & Deut. 7. Now let us come to Mr. SOMES 3 argument, where by scripture he doth approve this high Commission to be no new diui●…e. King jehoshaphat and king Ar●…axerxes directed high Commissions. Iehoshaph●…t (says Mr. SOME) in these words. In jerushalem did jehoshaphat s●…t of the Levites & of the Priests & of the chief of the families of Israel, for the judgement & cause of the Lord And they returned to jerushalem, and he charged them saying etc. How ignorantly, if not corruptly D. S. hath inverted this text, both in the words & distinctions, may appear to any that will compare it to the original. He hath inverted the words thus, in that he says [for the judgement & cause of the Lord] where the text is [for the judgement of the Lord, & y●▪ plea, or strife] Lemischphat jehovah velarib. He hath inverted the di●…tinctions in these words And they retur●…ed to 〈◊〉, and ●…e 〈◊〉 them sa●…ng. In which 〈◊〉 he hath put a period, where the t●…xt is continued in the verse without distinction, and hath made a little 〈◊〉, where should be an hebrew period; beginning the verse where he ●…hould not, rending part of the ●… verse, & giving it to the ninth: whereby he hath dism●…mbred & confounded the text (as shall by & by appear) by misplacing this word JEHOVAH, and putting it after both the judgement & the plea, he hath given or rather taken occasion to think, that this was but one entire commission, consisting of ecclesiastical & civil people ioi●…d together, and that this commission had authority to handle & decide both ecclesiastical & civil causes; whereas in deed ●…he word JEHOVAH is joined to the word [Mis●…] of purpose to put difference betwixt the ecclesiastical & political judgements, which are expressed in the 10 verse; the 11 verse also showing the distinction both of these judgements & judges: for ecclesiastical matters sending to the people Amariah the high Priest to the Temple & to the ministers thereof, the Priests & Levites: for politic & civil causes, sending the people to Zebadia, & to those heads of the families mentioned in ye●… verse, here called Schi●… rulers or judges: which verse he also hath most corruptly delivered, both by misplacing the words of the text, and conveijng in words of his own, especially in these words [& the Levites shall be officers before you] where the words lie in the text thus [& judges Leui●…s ●…efore you.] whereby he craftily would collect, that the Levites executed civil functions, and so our Bishops and Priests may be Lords judges, Iustic●…s of peace, & hold jurisdiction of civil causes; & this rabble of romish civilians, advocates, proctor's etc. might be officers in the stead of Levites. Further, his rash inverting the hebrew distinctions in the latter end of the ●… & beginning of the 9 verse, he hath so royled & confounded the t●…xt, as no man can understand who they were that returned to Ierushal●…m (or rather as the text is when they sh●…uld return to Ierushal●…) whither these judges Commissioners (as Mr. SMOE calleth them) or the other judges & people of the land, that in cases of doubt should return to jerushalem, according to the law & commandment of God. Deut. 17. 8. 9 to inquire at the priests or at the chief judge etc. But D. S. having thus troubled & roil●…d the pure fountain with his f●…te, would now give us this muddy water to drink: that this commi●…ion (as he termeth it) at Ieru●…alem was s●…t over all the Cities, judges etc. of the whole land, and that these commissioners were they that returned to Ierushal●…m. By which scripture thus delivered & understood, he would shape and erect this his Lords Grace high Commission. But let us now even a little compare them together, and see what likeness there is betwixt 〈◊〉 proceed in jerushalem, and there's in this high commission. jehoshaphat set judges in the land through all the strong cities; he set 〈◊〉. 5. in jerushalem of the heads of the families of Israel, appointing amongst th●…m one chief judge for all civil affairs, and the King's business, as the King's 〈◊〉. He commanded also, & caused the Priests to remain in their due course at jerushalem, to study & teach the law of God diligently: and to see this duly done of them, he set the high Priest over them, to be the chief in all matters of the Lord What of all this? what new thing is here done, or besides law Exod. 18. Num. 1●…. Deut. 1 That the Prince al●…o is charged, and of duty aught to see the ministers of the church to do their duty & teach the law of God diligently & sincerely, we read Deut. 17. 1 Chron. 28. 2 Chron. 29. & 30. & 35. This did Ieho●… & no other thing. Now in that he placed it at jerusalem, it was according to the commandment of God, who had choose that place to put his name there, that the law might proceed out of Zion, & all people flow thither to worship God, & hear his word. But in all this Ie●… hath neither commixed, nor confounded the civil and ecclesiastical offices in one commission; neither erected any new ecclesiastical ordinance, besides those which God in his word had prescribed; or perverted or diverted any ordinance that God hath instituted. But in this high Commission of the church of England is an open commixture & confusion of civil & ecclesiastical offices & causes; a new devised ordinance with new officers, new proceed, and a strange course not herded or read of in the whole word of God. Yea by this Commission they pervert and turn away the whole practice of all the ordinances of Christ in his Church Neither will that great commission which Artaxerxes gave unto He●… the Priest, any whit more either colour or warrant this monstrous high Commission of there's, granted unto their chief Priest & archbishop: which Commission, if it should have reached over far; yet had it rather been to be imputed unto the ignorance of the heathen King that known not the laws of God, then to have been alleged or urged as an example for us to follow in the sáme evil, especially now urder Christ's most perfect absolute Testament & ministry in his church. But what was this commission of Artaxerxes that D. SOME so enforceth? Artaxerxes granted unto Hezra leave by commission to carry up with him unto jerusalem all such of Israel and juda, as were willing to go, together with all such vessels, instruments, gold, silver, or free gifts, as should be given unto the service of God by them in Babilo●…: as also that being come to jernshalem, he should set judges & arbiters, that might both diligently teach and see the laws of God duly executed. What is in this Commission found contrary to the law of God; or what did Hezra by this commission contrary to the law of God? It will here be said, that Hezra being a Priest, had civil and ecclesiastical power committed unto him, & by virtue of this commission exercised both civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction etc. we see manifestly in the 23 & 25 verses that the king's commission had relation wholly to the law of God, that Hezra being a man prompt therein, should see all things done in the Temple at Jerusalem & in the kingdom of juda and Israel, according to the law of God; yet here is no commission given him to execute both civil and ●…cclesiastical offices in his own person, neither read we, or may we (without sin) imagine that ever he did so; for that had been an heinous breach of all God's laws, an unsufferable confusion of all God's ordinances; who as he hath in his word always put difference & distinction betwixt the civil & ecclesiastical estates, so hath he unto each several office, appointed several ministers to attend. Monstrous therefore & most ungodly is that commission, where both these estates & offices are mingled & confounded in one. Antichristian & beastlike is that person, that sitteth as chief of this Commission, & exerciseth both civil & ecclesiastical jurisdiction, by the commandment of any mortal creature, it being so directly repugnant to the laws of God, and the Testament of Christ, so pernicious to the Church of Christ, utterly perverting & diverting all the ordinances thereof, & subverting the whole liberty, powers, censures, & duties of the whole Church, and of every member & minister thereof. Evil then may this mixed confuse ecclesiastical high Commission be compared unto, or approved, by this godly commission of Artaxerxes; or this popish supremacy, inordinate power, & civil jurisdiction of this high Archpriest or Bishop, by the person of Hezra: who most painfully & sincerely taught the law of God, most precisely practised the same within the bounds of his calling, most modestly & faithfully behaved himself in all things, as the scripture beareth record. The 26 verse, where the disobedient & the offenders are commanded to have due judgement & execution according unto the law of God, & quality of their offence, can by no common reason, much less by any Christian judgement be said to be commanded to be executed by Ezra his person. The priests office (as we have said) was to teach the law, & to exhort all people to the obedience of the same; but their office was not to erercise civil jurisdiction, or to execute civil judgements: these were to be performed by civil magistrates. Neither may these judgements of death, eradication, mulct of goods, of bands, by this commandment of Artaxerxes (who no doubt used such words in this commission as agreed to the laws & judgements of Persi●…, rather than of knowledge in God's law) be made either ecclesiastical censures, or any way be executed in any Christian politic regiment, otherwise than they are found to accord with the laws & judgements of God prescribed in his word. But this new devised high ecclesiastical Commission doth not only censure & punish all faults of their churches, by these judgements & penalties, but doth inflict them in what measure & manner they lust upon all people, for all causes whatsoever; whether causes of religion, as open idolatry, popish mass etc. or contempt of their injunctions & decrees, in not resorting to their worship & sacraments, or administering them after any other manner, than they have prescribed etc. whither for civil offences, be they never so heinous & abominable, as most odious incests, adulteries, polygamies etc. All these by this commission are punished by the purse & by the prison; for the law of God for idolators & adulterers were all to sharp: therefore this holy council (guided belike by some better & wiser spirit) have found out this more mitigate course, repressing these sins. But if any upon faith and conscience towards God, refrain their idolatrous devices, there can for such be found out no kind of hostility, confiscation, perpetual close imprisonment, sufficient for their faults. Thus no way can this high Commission of the church of England, be justified by these examples of 〈◊〉 & Artaxer●…es, neither hath it any more defence in the new Testament, where is no mention of any such council or Court set over all churches & over every méber, minister, cause, affair & censure thereof to impose, depose, determine, judge, censure, punish at their pleasure whom & what they lust, without contradiction or controlment. We read in the practice of the Apostles, of a synod or council of ●…undry churches for the deciding of controversies & doubts, where certain choose Elders of the churches are thereunto assembled, together with such faithful of any church as will be present, without shutting out of any of them: neither are these Elders here gathered in any such stagelike or pontisicall manner, as these our Prelates are in this Commission; but in this christian council or assembly each one hath free liberty and place to relate or debate his own cause, without interruption or prejudice: neither is any thing here decre●…d by the will of any man, but only by the will of God, & that upon evident demonstration of the word; otherwise, no credit or obedience given to any thing they set down or determine. During the time of which council, & at any time after, without any prejudice, any christian hath freedom and liberty, in due time & place, not disturbing the peaceable order of Christian assemblies, to speak according to the word of God, either in approbation or reproof of any thing to be done, or done in that council. Which council or synod, as it hath not power to erect or bring in any new decrees or ordinances into the church, besides those which are prescribed in the book of God (which are all-sufficient for all times & occasions unto the world's end) so hath not this council any power or authority over any church, or any member of the church, to censure, excommunicate, erect or depose any. This council or assembly is only ordained for the help & quiet of churches, to discuss questions & to decide doubts, as they fall out & arise; that so all churches in all places might walk by one rule in the unity of the spirit. This council is not permanent, or always settled in one place, but to be used by any Churches at any time or place upon due occasions. Neither is this council so subsisting of the presbytery, ortied to the people of any, that the lest member of Christ is thereby shut out, not suffered to hear or to speak, or any way prejudiced: neither is any Church by this council either deprived of their high power & authority, which Christ hath given to every several congregation alike, or forestalled from the due execution thereof towards any member of their congregation, or cause that ariseth amongst them. But (as is said) this council is only a broth●…rly & peaceable meeting of sundry churches, for the better & more as●…ured deciding & discussing of doubts and questions that arise, leaving the whole practice & due execution of all things, to every particular congregation, in that order & manner that Christ hath prescribed in his Testament. These occasions, rules, and proceed of Synods, counsels, or meetings of divers Churche●…, we found left unto us in that holy pattern Act. 15. where though the chief builders the Apostles themselves were, yet even there were all things handled with this order, modesty, sobriety, freedom etc. But now if we compare their high ecclesiastical Commission unto this holy council and meeting, how unlike in all their orders, proceed and actions shall it be found? Their Commission being made a continual settled permanent Court, having strange judges, advocates, officers, iuri●…diction, pleas, process etc. usurping and exercising supreme power & absolute authority over all churche●…, ministers, people, laws, doctrines, to ratify or disannul, to establish or reject, to erect or depose whom & what they lust, executing all the censures & offices of the Church, changing, bringing in and setting up what they please, shutting out the sentence of all Churches & Christians, allowing them neither interest, election, voice or presence in this their council, thrusting their decrees and constitutions as most holy upon all Churches & the consciences of all men with an high & strong hand, to be received without contradiction or question, adjuring, exam●…ning, suspending, deposing, fining, emprisoning, persecuting with all hostility all such as receive not their constitutions, & submit not unto their power. Now let any christian judge, whether this Commission be not more like unto the high court of the Beast, then unto an holy peaceable orderly assembly of christians, met in the fear of God, and guided by his Spirit to inquire & search out God's will, and humbly to rest in the same. The civil magistrates power or presence can no way i●…stifie this Commission, or their proceed, being found so directly contrary to the Testament of CHRIST, unto which it is now lawful for no man or Angel to superordeine, altar, or pluck away any thing, without hainou●… sacrilege. This monstrous commixture then of these distinct powers in one court or person, together with this confuse practice, barbarous havoc & tyranny they make & exercise over God's heritage & Christ●… poor servants, do evidently denote, and, as by the very steps, trase out unto all men, the person, throne, and power of that Antichrist, that adversary, that beast, accordingly as they are described & foreshowed unto us in the scriptures. Math. 24. 15. 2 Thess. 2. how Antichrist should presume into the very place and office of CHRIST, showing himself in the Church of God as God, by changing the laws and Testament of CHRIST, and by bringing in new ordinances, new ministry, worship etc. Revel. 13. & Reu. 17. 12. 13. 14. 17. how Antichrist being thus exalted, the Dragon should give him his power, his throne, & his great authority; as also the Kings of the earth; yea such Kings as had before burned the whore with fire, should give unto the Beast their power & authority, wherewith he should fight with the Lamb, & make wa●… with the Saints opening his mouth unto blasphemy against God, and his tabernacle, and them that d●…ell therein, setting up his blasphemous image in all pl●…ces etc. Now as we have by the light of God's word, in this little that hath been s●…ied, evidently found & seen these Bi●…hops, their courts & government to be wholly antichristian, & utterly unlawful, but especially this their high court of Commission, to be most blasphemous, the very throne of the Beast, utterly commingling confounding & subverting all God's ord●…nances, all estates, and offices both of Church & common wealth, the whole liberty of Christians, the power & duties of the church: so likewise if we by the same rules, but as lightly examine & measure the secret classes, the ordinary set Synods, & counsels of ministers (as they term themselves) which these Reformists now privily bring in, and would openly set up; they shall no doubt be found as new, strange, and antichristian, as prejudicial to the liberty of the Saints, & to the power, right, and duties of the whole Church, and as contrary to the Gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, as these other, what show soever of former antiquity, or of present necessity they may pretend. And this, if they be compared in the people assembled, and causes for which they are assembled, and which they handle in the se●… continued times & place of their meeting, in their order & manner of proceeding & judgement in t●…eir decrees & power, unto that perfect pattern of all christian councils Act. 15. will forthwith appear. The people assembled in these counsels are only ministers, all other Christians being shut out, and allowed neither place, voice, or consent among them. The causes for which they are assembled, and which they handle, not being doubts or questions which arise in the Churches, but all the affairs, offices, and duties of the Church, & that without making the Churches privy wherefore they assemble, or what they will t●…ere handle. The time & place of these counsels, they (without the will & privity of the Churches) make settled, continual▪ permanent; not leaving to the Church either the liberty when and where to keep these counsels, or whom to use in these counsels. The order & manner of their proceeding and judgement, is, first to choose & erect amongst them a Prolocutor, Moderator, or judge, to govern & order this action, who & when they shall speak, and when they shall cease etc. where the matters being debated, the greater part prevaileth and carri●…th the judgement. Their decrees are per●…mptory, irrevocable, most holy, inviolable, to be received & embraced of all Churches without contradiction or scruple, no power left to any Church to examine, refuse, or reverse the same, be they found neu●…r so contrary to God's word, but only either by the same council, or by act of Parliament: in the mean while they all must practise & obey these decrees. The power of these counsels is over all Churches, people, causes, doctrines, to give the right hand of fellowship (as they term it) or to sand the bill of divorce, to ratify or rei●…ct, whom & what they will. This council also executeth all the censures & duties of the church; as to make or depose ministers, to censure, excommunicate etc. To conclude, as all these counsels have & exercise power & jurisdiction over the ch●…rch, so are they in authority one above an other: as the Synod above the Classes, the Council above the Synod, to confirm, abrogate, or disannul whatsoever constitutions or actions the other ha●…h made. Yea (as some report) upon the e●…ormities & abuse●… that did arise in these counsels & assemblies of Bishops, were devised & erected these new strange orders & degrees of Bishops, Archbishops, patriarchs, Popes, and all their substitutes & courts. From which strange counsels, offices, ministry, courts, have flowed forth and daily spring, all these strange popish ●…ntichristian orders, decrees, innumerable diuises & traditions, daily innovations, continual changes in the worship of God, all the proceed of the Church & of the whole Testament of CHRIST; while men re●…t not in the wisdom & counsels of God, but presume to be wise above that they aught to be wise, some attributing unto their clergy (as they call them) others to the Prince, others to the Church more then enough, none yielding unto CHRIST that which is his due: namely, to suffer him to govern his whole Church by such officers and laws as he hath in his Testament prescribed; but rather in the presumption of their own hearts they will set over him & his Church such laws & officers, or at the lest assign unto him such laws & offi●…ers, as they think best to accord, and judge most meet for their policy: as though CHRIST could be a minister or mediator of any other Testament, than of his own; or that any mortal men may altar, change, neglect or re●…ect CHRIS●…S Testament, without his fearful wrath & heavy indignation for the same. Wherefore, seeing the whole church & all the proceed thereof must be built upon CHRIST'S Testament; seeing every ●…oule and every action shallbe judged by CHRIST'S Testament; seeing nothing is pleasing unto God, or will stand before the face of CHRIST, that is found disagreeing to CHRIST'S Testament; seeing also even by this little search & superficial view we have taken of the present estate, and pretended reformation of this their church of England, all things appear to be out of frame, still in the old corruption, and (at the best) but inclining to the primitive & ancient defections from CHRIST'S Testament, nothing being aright or according to the will of God amongst them: seeing we found all those scriptures that have foreshowed of An●…ichrist & his proceed, lively fulfilled amongst them, all the marks of that painted deccitful harlot, the false & malignant Church, to be found upon them; as also all t●…e vials of Gods wrathful judgements to be powered forth upon them, and all their doings. Finally, seeing God vouch●…afeth both to discover, and to call all men forth out of Babylon, by proclaiming of his glorious Gospel, and yet offr●…th more grace before he let fall the heavy millstone of his final indignation upon them all to grinned them to dust, and to press them to the bottom of hell, b●…ing ready to receive all that come forth unto him, to esteem, guide, and defend them as his dear children: It behoveth all such, in whom in any care of their own salvation, any fear of God, or love of that appearing of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, to Revel. 18. preserve their souls & bodies pure from the idolatry and abominations of the false Church, to save themselves from this wicked & perverse generation, by coming out from amongst them, & fleeing out Act. 2. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 17. zach. 2. 7. Revel. 14. of Babel, and by gathering themselves unto the Lamb in mount Zion, there amongst & together with his choose called faithful servants under his banner & conduct to fight in all patiented & constant manner that good fight of faith, holding forth the word of life against all the works & powers of darkness, not abhorring the cross of CHRIST, or loving in his service their lives unto the death, but being always ready to do or suffer according to the will of God, following the Lamb wheresoever he goeth: that so he may lead them in the ways of life & peace, and at length bring them to the full fruition of that endless happiness which he hath prepared for all his in his Father's kingdom, there to rest with him in perfect joy for ever & ever. Which grace that they may found, as I have not spared my poor endeavour (●…hough thereby I have exposed myself to present peril & open reproach, by the violent hands & virulent tongues of these malignant adversaries) to blow the trumpet, awaken & admonish all, that yet some might be saved: so shall not cease, while yet God preserveth me alive amongst them, euē●…n my continual prayers, incessantly to beseech the Lord to show this mercy unto his choose; who because they are only known unto himself, I shall not cease to hope & wish that even the greatest enemies might be of this number: that whereas now they stand the waged marked servants of Antichrist, they might by unfeigned repenrance, wash away those stigmatical scars, be mustered & enrolled in the Lamb's Book of life, having his Father's name written in their foreheads: to whom be praise in the Church by CHRIST JESUS through●…ut all generations for ever Amen. But the found●…tion of GOD standeth firm, having this seal: the Lord knoweth who are his▪ and let every one, naming the name of GOD d●…part from iniquity. 2 Tim. 2. 19 If thou be wise, thou sha●…t be wise for thyself; but if thou scorn, th●… alone shalt suffer. Prou. 9 12. By the Lords most unworthy servant and witness i●…●…andes. HENRY barrow. FINIS. The Printer to the Reader. I must acknowledge very many faults escaped in the printing of this Book, & therefore do crave the Readers patience, and the Author's pardon, having given the one (no doubt) some cause of offence, and done the other (I fear) a greater wrong: but hoping that both will rest satisfied, & that the Reader shall reap the profit of this fruitful discourse, I bid them farewell.