CERTAIN DISCOURSES, Viz.  
Of BABYLON (Rev. 18. 4.) being the present See of Rome. (With a Sermon of Bishop BEDELS' upon the same words.)  
Of laying on of hands (Heb. 6. 2.) to be an ordained Ministry.  
Of the old Form of words in Ordination.  
Of a Set Form of PRAYER.  
Each being the JUDGEMENT of the late Archbishop of ARMAGH, and Primate of IRELAND.  
Published and enlarged by Nicholas Bernard D. D. and Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grays-inn, London.  
Unto which is added a Character of Bishop BEDEL, And an Answer to Mr. Pierces Fifth Letter concerning the late PRIMATE.  
London, Printed for john Crook, at the Sign of the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1659.   

TO THE Right Worshipful Sir WILLIAM ELLIS BARONET, His HIGHNESS' Solicitor GENERAL, The Readers, and Benchers, With the Ancients, Barresters, and Students, Of the Honourable Society of Graies-Inne.  
Ye are thus entitled to these Treatises. The occasion of publishing the First, was a Sermon preached by the late Archbishop of ARMAGH in your Chapel of the same subject, Nou. 5. 1654. who (out of his old love to this society, whereof he was a member) intended it as his last: the request then made to him for the permission of printing that, he did satisfy in his consent to the publishing of this For the other, some parts of them have been long agone preached before you by the Author, though now in another manner enlarged; which as a testimony of his due observance and respect to this Honourable Society, he desires may be accepted from him, who is  
Yours in the service of Christ, N. BERNARD. Grays-inn, Octob. 27. 1658.   

To the Reader  
HOw Popery and 
a Though of late it hath had that latitude as to comprehend Episcopacy, yet, in Ancient Records (which I have seen) it was limited to the Deans and Chapters; For this was then the form of the Arch-Bishops Provincial visitation, declaring that he would visit, Episcopum, Praelatos, clerum & populum.  Prelacy came first to be contracted, is not my enquiry; but sure I am, they are here very far a sunder, such as do apply that of Babylon (Rev. 17.) and the Man of sin (2 Thes. 2.) to the Pope can hardly be accounted Popish, which you find affirmed by the late Archbishop of Armagh, and Bishop Bedell, in their discussing of the same words, And who are supported in if by the most Eminent Bishops of England and Ireland, since the Reformation. Archbishop Whitgift, Bishop Jewel; Abbot, Bilson, Andrews, Downham, Morton, Hall, Davenant, Prideaux, with others, who have unanimously given their votes the same way, as is hereafter shown, And indeed it could not be otherwise expected from some of them who had been taught to put him into their 
b Common Prayer in Edw. 6.  Litany, From the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities, Good Lord deliver us. So that if any of later years professing themselves to be the sons of those old Prophets, have so far favoured the See of Rome, as to divert the stream of that application some other way, it appears they have in it degenerated from their Ancestors.  
The first Treatise, being the Primates three positions concerning Babylon, was wrote above 40 years agone, (which appears by the places of Scripture, rendered according to the old Translation) and sent to an Irish Jesuit in Dublin, (as I take it 
c The first that broached that figment of the Nagges head conscration in England, after 45 years' silence of any other Author, which in Bishop Bedells' Letters to Wadesworth, p. 142. is confuted.  Christophorus à sacro bosco, there called F. Halywood, the sum of which having been delivered by the Primate in a Sermon which he preached at Grays-Inne, Nou. 5. 1654. and being much desired by some of the Auditors to be published, he did condescend, to permit this, with that other Letter following, in their satisfaction.  
The learned Sermon of Bishop Bedels' (being of the same subject) I heard him preach it in Christ-Church, Dublin, 1634. before the Lord Deputy and Parliament. The occasion of his giving a copy of it, was at the request of a Papist, to have shown it to some learned men of his own Religion, and my opportunity to have it, was the near relation I had to him for divers years in that See; which after these 22 years lying latent with me) I have taken this fit occasion to publish it.  
That which I have added, is by way of confirmation from some grounds out of Ancient Fathers, the successive votes both of the learned Writers in those ages, who lived under the Tyranny of the See of Rome, as of our eminent Bishops and Writers, since that yoke was cast off in England; with the concurrence of our book of Homilies, several Synods of our own, and other reformed Churches, the determination of the 
* Synops. Theol. disp 41. de Christo & Antichristo conclus. Ex quibus apparet Pontificem & Papam Romanum, revera An●ich●if●um & filium perditionis esse, etc.  Dutch and French Divines. It being very observable, that whatsoever differences there are in the reformed Churches in other matters, yet there is a marvellous unity in this. To which is added the like judgement of Arminius, and some of the Church of Rome, (continuing at least in that communion) who profess it outright; others by way of consequence: Their chief Writers, who meet us half way, granting the place, only disputing the time, contending as much as we, that Babylon (Rev. 17.) must be meant Rome, the difference between us, whether Ethnic, or Papal.  
For that of the Primates judgement (seconded by some eminent Writers) what is meant, Heb, 6. 2. by laying on of hands, and of the sense of the old form of words in Ordination; viz. Receive the holy Ghost, whose sins thou forgivest, etc. and the use of them to be continued. I had leave from himself for the manifesting and enlarging of it. And I suppose the last subject concerning a Set Form of Prayer, will pass with the less opposition, by the concurring of divers eminent and worthy Persons, whom the contrary-minded cannot but highly esteem of. Having both in the former and this, taken up Saint Paul's manner of arguing with the Athenians, as certain also of your own have said, etc. or as elsewhere, one of themselves, even a Prophet of their own, etc. And surely, the Primates appearing so much against the See of Rome in the first, cannot but be a preparative to the harkening unto him the rather, in the two later.  
For myself, I have no other design in the whole, but the peace and unity of the Church, which we are all bound to seek, (and without which end and aim, all gifts whatsoever coveted by us, are of no value) and I hope to have that interpretation from such as are so affected.  
Two things which have been enlarged by way of Vindication of the Eminent Primate, from the injuries of Doctor Heylene, came so in my way, that I could not pass them, which else (by his being in the esteem of men so far above his reach) there had been no need of. He having in those and divers other aspersions which he hath cast upon him in his late book (which may hereafter be fully cleared) done himself the chiefest wrong.  
I commend the whole to the Readers charitable and impartial censure, that no prejudicated opinion do obstruct his right apprehension.   

THE CONTENTS Of the Several TREATISES;  

The First consists of three POSITIONS.  
1. THat a great City called Babylon, shall be a Seducer.  
2. That by this City is meant ROME.  
3. Not Heathen Rome, but since it was freed from the Government both of Heathen and Christian Emperors, and became the possession of the Pope.   

The Second.  
How the Papacy may be said to be the Beast that was, and is not, and yet is, Rev. 17. 18.   

The Third (being Bishop Bedels' Sermon on Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my people, etc.)  
The Speaker, our Saviour Christ: His people, those within the Covenant of Grace: A paralleling the Speeches here, with those of the Prophets; Of Literal Babel; who meant by Mystical Babylon: The judgement of Bellarmine, Salmeron, Viegas, to be the City of Rome. How the title of Babylon the great, and her reigning over the Kings of the earth, rather agrees to Rome Papal, then Heathen: The Cup of enchantment whereby she hath deceived all Nations, and one in special, in imitation of literal Babel, (Dan. 1.) applied to that See; Her Wantonness, Pride, sitting as a Queen, glorifying herself: the blood of Christians shed by the Papacy, to be beyond that of Heathen Rome's persecution: his conclusion from the Premises.  
That there are some of God's people in Babylon; That they are to go out not only in affection, but the place also: Of Baptism, Grounds of the Catechism, Faith, taught there; of the doctrine of of merits: What is to be thought of those that do yet live there, and cannot come out: Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church, rightly stated, p. 83. Of the Ordination had there, by the use of these words; Whose sins ye remit, etc. That the Papal Monarchy is Babylon, proved by arguments at the bar of Reason, and from common principles of Christianity. p. 89.  
Answer to that motive of staying in Babylon, because they are told they may be saved in it:  
An exhortation of such as are yet in that captivity to come out, and of ourselves to come further out. Of Impropriations, Dispensations, etc. with a conclusive prayer for the destruction of Babylon.   

The Fourth, A Confirmation of the abovesaid judgement.  
From some grounds out of the Ancient Fathers, consenting in an expectation that Rome must be the place, and the successor of the Emperor there, the Person. A clear application of it to the See of Rome, by the Fathers and Writers in successive ages before and after the tenth Century: The Judgement of the eminent Bishops of England since the reformation, the book of Homilies, especially in 2 places, calling the Pope Antichrist, and the Babylonical beast of Rome. A Synod in France, as Ireland; How far confessed by the prime writers of the Church of Rome. The mistake of such as have diverted the application of it some other way; an Answer of a passage of Doctor Heylenes concerning it, in relation to the Primate, and Articles of Ireland.   

The Fifth, Of laying on of Hands. Heb. 6. 2.  
Reason's why not confirmation, but ordination. Paraeus and Mr. Cartwrights concurrence in it with the Primate. The necessity of an ordained Ministry. The neglect of it as undermining the foundation. Objections answered, with a seasonable application to the present times. The necessity of an external call; The Authority not from the People, That objection against our ordination being derived from Rome, at large answered p. 218. That personal faults in the ordainers doth not null the ordination; Some application.   

The 6. Of the old form of words in Ordination, Receive the Holy Ghost, not meant of the sanctifying grace of the spirit, nor extraordinary gifts of it, but of ghostly or spiritual Ministerial authority. 1 Cor. 3. verse 3. 6. and 1 john 2. 20. The anointing teacheth you, etc. illustrated. An objection out of S. Augustine answered.  
Whose sins thou forgivest, etc. In what sense Ministers are said to forgive sins. The Primates judgement in his answer to the jesuits Challenge, defended to be according to the doctrine of the Church of England, which Doctor Heylene hath scandalised him in it.   

The 7th. Of a Set Form of Prayer.  
The judgement of Calvine. Dutch, and French divines with their Practice. Examples out of the Old Testament, and New. The pattern of our Saviour, giving a form to his disciples, taking one to himself, and observing the set forms made by others. That objection of Stinting the spirit answered. An Uniformity in public prayer a means of reducing unity in Church and State. The full concurrence of Mr. Rogers, Mr. Egerton, Dr. Gouge, Mr. Hildersham, Dr. Sibbs, Dr. Preston, etc. Of the length and gesture in prayer, Mr. Hildersham of an outward reverence in the public.  
A Character of Bishop Bedell, his industry at Venice, and at home, humility, moderation, government, and sufferings.  
An answer to Mr. Thomas Pierces fifth Letter, wherein three Certificates have been published by him, for the justification of a change of judgement in the late Primate of Ireland in some points.    

ERRATA.  
SOme omissions of Accents Po●nting, and number of pages, the intelligent Reader may correct himself.  
Page 39 l. 2. r. professed p. 40. l. 8. r. ●o-ammi. p. 44. l. 18. r. ir● p. 45. Lo. for there 'tis related that p. 46. l. 15. d. and p. 48. l. 8. circun. p. 49. l. 6. lie. p. 63. l. 〈◊〉. d. ●. p. 59 l. 11. (although p. 60. l. 4. her. p. 63. l. 1. As gods l. 21. dis● p. 64. l. 22. they, they. p. 70. l. 10. val. p. 82. l. 20. d. 〈◊〉 p. 92. l. 6. may, p. 160. l. 23. & p. 161. l. 11. Padre. p. 162. mar. l. 8. justif. p. 185. l. 2. baptising p. 189. l. 2. mining p. 198. l. 6. of the p. 248. l. 22. mediately p. 250. l. 22. a. p: 278. l. 12 there p. 317. l. 8. Wethersfield p. 322. l. 18. prayer, p. 329. l● 21. and Mr. p. 362. l. 12. d. following. p. ●78. l. ult. d. which.   

The judgement of the late Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland, what is understood by Babylon, in Apoc. 17. & 18.  Apoc. 18. v. 4. Go out from her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues. 
IN these words we are straightly enjoined, upon our peril, to make a separation from Babylon. For the understanding of which charge, these three Positions following are to be considered.  

The first Position.  
THat it is plainly foretold in the the Word of God, that after the planting of the Faith by the Apostles; the Kings and Inhabitants of the earth should be seduced and drawn into damnable errors: and that the mother of all these Abominations of the Earth, should be a certain great City called Babylon, in a Mystery.  

Proof.  
THis we find directly laid down in the Revelation, that a 
a Apoc. 17. v. 18. & 18 v. 2. & 21.  great City called 
b Apoe. 17. 5.  in a mystery Babylon should become the mother of the spiritual whoredom and abominations of the earth, so that the 
c Apoc. 17 2. & 18. v. 3.  Kings of the earth should commit fornication with her, and the Inhabitants of the earth should be made drunk with the wine of her fornication.    

The second Position.  
THat by this great City Babylon (the Mother of all the abominations of the earth) is understood Rome.  

Proof.  
1. BY the clear Testimony of Scripture, in the seventeen Chapter of the Revelation; where this City is described unto us, First by the situation; that it is seated upon seven Hills, (v. 9 18.) and then by the largeness of the Dominion thereof; That it is that great City that ruleth over the Kings of the earth, (v. 18.) Now that by these two marks Rome was most notoriously known in the Apostles days, may appear even by the Roman Poets, who describe Rome just after the same manner, as 
d (Horat. in Car. seculari.) Dii quibus septem placuere colles.  Ovid; 
Sed quae de septem totum circumspicit orbem  
Montibus, imperii Roma Deumque locus.   
Rome the place of the Empire▪ and of the Gods, 
Trist. lib. 1. Eleg. 4. Lib. 3. Eleg. 10.  which from seven hills doth take a view of the whole world. And more shortly Propertius.  Septem urbs alta jugis toti quae praesidet Orbi. 
The City mounted on seven hills which ruleth the whole world. No man reading Propertius, ever made question, but that Rome was here described; and therefore no reason why any doubt should be made, what that great City may be, which with the same colours is painted out unto us in the book of the Revelation.  
2. By the judgement of the anancient Fathers, affirming expressly that Rome is meant by Babylon, in the seventeenth Chapter of the Revelation, as the Rhemists themselves do voluntarily confess in their last note upon the first Epistle of Peter  
3. By the Confession of those who are most Devoted to the See of Rome: as (to name one for many, 
e De Rom. Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 2.  (Bellarmine the Cardinal Jesuit; whose words are these: [john in the Revelation every where calleth Rome Babylon, as Tertullian hath noted in his third Book against Martion, and in his Book against the Jews: and it is plainly gathered out of the seventeenth Chapter of the Revelation: Where great Babylon is said to sit upon seven Mountains and to have Dominion over the Kings of the earth. For there is no other City which in the time of john had Dominion over the Kings of the Earth, but Rome; and the building of Rome upon 7. hills, is a matter most famous.] Hitherto Bellarmine.    

The third Position.  
THat old Rome only under the Heathen persecutors (from the time of the first Emperor till Constantine's days) was not Babylon (as the Proctors of the Church of Rome would persuade us) but Rome in her last days being free from the Government both of Heathen and Christian Emperors. And that Rome was to be that Babylon, which should draw the Kings and Nations of the world unto Superstition and Idolatry from such time as it ceased to be subject to the civil Prince (and became the Possession of the Pope) until the last destruction thereof, which is yet to come.  

Proof.  
1. THe matter of Babylon is revealed unto Saint John as a mystery, Apoc●7 ●7. 6. But the persecution of the Church by the Heathen Emperor was far from being a mystery: For it being openly committed, 
Apo●. 1▪ 9  Saint john himself at the same time being a companion with the rest of the Saints in this tribulation (banished for the Word of God, and for the witnessing of jesus Christ into the Island Pathmos:) this could not be showed as a secret and mystical thing. And therefore some further matter, not then openly known to the world must here be intended.  
2. The state of Babylon after her fall, is thus declared, Apoc. 18. 2. 〈◊〉 is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon the great City is become the habitation of Devils, & the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird; for all Nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication with her, etc. If Heathen Rome only were Babylon, it would follow that upon the fall thereof in the days of Constantine the Emperor, Rome professing the Faith of Christ should then become the habitation of Devils, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Which being a most gross and absurd imagination, it must needs be granted, that after the days of the Christian Emperor, the faithful City should become a harlot; 
Romans 1. 8.  even Rome (whose Faith was once renowned throughout all the world) should become Babylon the mother of whoredoms and abominations of the Earth. 
Apoc. 17. 5.   
3. Such a Desolation is foretold should come upon the great City Babylon (which in the second position is proved to be Rome) that it should utterly be destroyed and never built again, nor reinhabited, (Apoc. 18. v. 21, 22, 23.) Now at that very time when this judgement shall come; it is said that the Kings of the Earth which have committed fornication with her, shall bewail her and lament her, (Rev. 18. verse 9) whereby it is most evident that Rome is not to cease from being Babylon, till her last destruction shall come upon her; and that unto her last gasp she is to continue her spiritual fornications, alluring all Nations unto her superstition and idolatry,  
4. Saint Paul, 2 Thessalonians 2. 7. Declareth that there was One in his time who did hinder the revealing of that wicked man, who was to be the head of this Apostasy, and falling away from the Faith. And when that he should be taken out of the way, than (saith the Apostle Verse 8.) Shall that wicked man be revealed. He that withheld and made this hindrance in the Apostles time could be no other but the Emperor, in whose hands, as long as the possession and government of Rome remained, it was impossible that that wicked One (of whom the Apostle speaketh) should reign there. So that upon his removal, that man of sin must succeed in his room, whereupon that great City, wherein he placeth his Throne falleth to be that Babylon, 
Revel. 18. 23.  which should deceive all Nations with her enchantments. Now all the world can witness, that the Emperor, who sometime was the Sovereign Lord of Rome, is now quite turned out of the Possession thereof, and the Pope entered thereupon in his stead. Whereupon it followeth, that the Pope (for all his Holiness) is that wicked one of whom the Apostle Prophesied, 
2 Thess. 2. 4  that he should sit in the temple of God exalting himself above all that is called God or worshipped: And consequently, that Rome, (where he hath settled his Chair) hath long since begun, and yet continueth to be that Babylon; from whose communion we are charged to sever ourselves, by that voice from Heaven, 
Apoc. 18. 4.  Go out of her my People, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her Plagues.     

The judgement of the Primate (wrote by him long ago in answer to the request of a learned Friend) what is meant by the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, and other passages in the 17. and 18. of the Revelation.  
IN the Revelation these four Particalars must be carefully distinguished. The woman (which is the great City Babylon.)  
The first beast which ariseth out of the Sea, Apoc. 13. 1.  
The second beast which ariseth out of the Earth, Apoc. 13. 11. and the false Prophet which ministereth to the second beast that goeth to destruction, Apoc. 16. 13. (19 20.) by which are meant (as I conceive) Vrbs Romana, Imperium Romanum, Pontifex Romanus, and Clerus Romanus. The two beasts in Cap. 13. verse 11. are plainly distinguished, and that distinction must necessarily be observed in the seventeenth Chapter. Likewise for the great beast mentioned in the third and seventh verses of that Chapter is the same with the first beast of the thirteenth Chapter as appeareth by the like description of the seven heads and ten horns: the lesser beasts mentioned in the eighth and eleventh verses, (which is the last head of the former) can be no other but the second beast mentioned in the thirteenth Chapter, verse 22 who revived the Image of the former, i. e. of the Empire, and made all to admire and adore it.  
Now the Question is how this latter which is Pontifex Romanus can be said to be the beast, that was, and is not, and yet is? My conceit of this is Singular, but such as it is, I will not conceal from you; The Pontifices among the ancient Rom. (as Dionysius Halicarnassaeus, noteth in his second Book of Roman Antiquities) were obnoxious to no other jurisdiction, neither were bound to render account of their doings to any, they were only at the command of the Pontifex maximus, whose authority was so great that the Emperors thought it inconvenient that this Supremacy should be committed to any other, therefore by assumeing it to themselves, and anexing it to their imperial Crown, they did by this means extinguish the Spiritual Magistracy, and in a sort extinguish the solemn Magistracy, which (under the 5. former heads) was distinguished from all other superior Governments, and prosecuted with special regard and reverence. That as if now for example in our state, one should Prophesy of the Government of the Dukes of Lancaster under the like Type, he might say of them in this manner; The beast that was (for the Dukes of Lancaster in their time have been great) and is not (for by annexing of the Duchy to the Crown, there is now no speech of any Duke) and yet i● (for the Duchy still remaineth with the several offices appertaining thereunto, though the state of the Duke lieth as it were drowned in the person of the King) So in like manner, the Angel might speak of these Pontifices Roman●, the beast that was (for he was in former time of special account) And is not (Being now confounded, and, in a manner, swallowed up with the state of the Emperor) And yet is (for the Priesthood remained still,) the Title and Dignity thereof resting in the Emperor. This Beast, this Pontifex Romanus shall hereafter appear in his Pontificalibus, and by his creatures (the false Prophet) induce the world to accept his Pontifical power for the highest upon earth, as before they did the Imperial, the image whereof is in this perfectly revived.  
As for the second we are to consider that the seven heads of the first beast are expounded, Apoc. 17. 9 & 10. to be both the seven Mountains on which the woman, (i. e.) the great City, verse 18. was seated, and the seven Kings (or head Governors,) by which that City was ruled.  
The Pope in regard of his Civil power over the woman (i. e.) his Regal Power over the City of Rome, orderly succeedeth the six heads that went before him, and so becometh the seventh, claiming that respect in higher headship than did his Predecessors.  
But not content with that, for whereas the state of Pontifex maximus, which in Saint john's time after a sort was, and is not, as hath been showed, by means of the Christian Emperors was clean extinguished (the first of them bearing only the Title, but not exercising the Office, and Gratian the Emperor at last abolishing both the Title and the Office, as by Zosimus a heathen Historian we understand) the Pope raised it again out of the grave and took it to himself, and after he had gotten to be the seventh head, retained not the pontificality as an appendent of his regal Power (as did the Emperors before him) but advanced the head thereof far above any of the seven civil supreme governments, making himself by that means an eight head distinct from any of the former, which in respect of his civil Power was one of the seven; Neither was he content to extend the jurisdiction of his Pontificality, ad urbem & regiones suburbicarias only, or to bond it within the confines of Italy, but (which was never done by any Pontifex maximus, before him) by being Pontifex urbis; he challenged a Title of Summus Pontifex Orbis, and so became not only a head of the former beast, but also a several beast by himself, receiving in his government the image of the former beasts, drawing all the world to worship the same, for (as Augustinus Steuchus writeth in his second Book against Laur. Valla) when the Pontificality was first set up in Rome, all Nations from East to West did worship the Pope, no otherwise then of old, the Caesars.   

A SERMON, Preached at Christ-Church Dublyn, before the Lord deputy, and the Parliament of Ireland, by BP. BEDELL, Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland, Anno 1634.  Revel. 18. 4. And I heard another voice from Heaven saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
Right Honourable, Reverend, Worshipful and Beloved.  
THe Censure that Saint Hierome passeth on this Book of the Revelation, Tot Sacramenta quot Ver●●, so many Words so many Mysteries, hath often run in my mind, and made me even fearful to pronounce concerning the divers Visions in it, and even loath to meddle with it; Neither have I to my best remembrance, above twice in my whole life chosen any Text out of it to declare out of this place, which resolution I should still have holden, save that I conceive some extraordinary fitness in this passage for the present occasion of this great meeting: And yet even now I shall treat of such a part, as is none of the hardest to be understood; so as with out launching into any deep and subtle Disputations, we may keep us by the shore side. And if you will be pleased to favour my endeavour: with your religious Attention, and the weakness of my voice with your silence, I will hold as strait a course as I can, and without further preamble come to the matter itself of this Text.  
And first for the Connexion and Declaration of the Sense, you shall be pleased to understand, that in the former Chapter, Saint john is showed a sight whereat he wondered with great marvel. 
Verse 3.  A woman sitting upon a Scarlet coloured beast, full of names of Blasphemy, which had seven heads and ten horns; this woman had in her forehead a name written, Babylon the great, the Mother of harlots and Abominations of the Earth. And in the rest of the Chapter the Mystery of the Woman, and the beast that bore her, being largely declared and one thing amongst the rest, 
Verse 9  that she sits on seven hills,) the Conclusion is, 
Verse 18.  That she is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth. In this Chapter Saint john proceeds in the same ter, and tells, how he saw first a mighty Angel descending from Heaven and proclaiming the fall of this Babylon, (Verse 2. 3.) and towards the end of the Chapter, to confirm the matter with a sign, another mighty Angel takes up a Millstone and throws it into the Sea, with this word with like violence Babylon shall be thrown, and no more be found. 
Verse 21.  In the midst between the Voices of these two Angels is inserted a long Speech, uttered also by a Voice from Heaven, beginning at this fourth Verse which I have now read and extending to the twenty ninth, partly admonishing God's People to come out of this Babylon in time, 
Verse 7.  partly describing her pride and security going before her destruction, partly bringing in as it were the Funeral Song, 
Verse 10.  that is, sung for her by her followers and Lovers partly exhorting 
Verse 20.  Heaven with those that dwell therein to rejoice at her ruin.  
This is the Order now for the meaning of the words, that shall appear best by resolving three Questions. 1. Whose this Voice is? 2. To whom it speaks? And 3. What? We need not be long to seek Who it is that speaks; For both those that speak before and after are expressly called Angels, and he that now speaks lacks that Addition, and the interest that he challengeth in those that are spoken to, calling them My People, showeth plainly (to use the words of our blessed Author in his speech to Peter at the Sea of Tiberias) It is the Lord. 
John 21. 7  And albeit those relations between the Lord and his People are often mentioned in Scripture, without any restraint to any one person in the blessed Trinity, yet because he that here speaks telleth of the Lord God's judging the great City, Verse the 8. As of another and third person, Strong is the Lord God that judgeth her. And again, Verse 20. Speaking to the Prophets and Apostles, saith, God hath avenged you on her. It is evident that he who hear speaks is the Mediator, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who carries his people not in his mind only, but in the Explication of his name, Matthew 1. 21. He shall save his People from their sins. Whereto it fitly agrees that this Voice is uttered, From Heaven, where our Lord Jesus is at the right hand of God: We see the speaker, now who are spoken unto Christ's People: There is no doubt, but in some Sense all the World are Christ's People, His Inberitance, his Possession. 
Psalm 2. 8.  And so much is often expressly expressed, 
Exod. 19 5.  But yet the Scripture in many places intimateth, that this phrase restraineth from the World to some particular and choice people, 
Deut. 7 6. Chap. 10. 14, 15. and Chap. 3. and 9  namely Israel, The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all People that are upon the face of the Earth. So Chapter 10. The Lord's portion is his People, Jacob the lot of his Inheritance; 
Exod. 19 5.  Ye shall be my peculiar Treasure above all People, though all the Earth be mine.  
Hence it is, that these two, My people, and Israel; are used indifferently in the same Sentence, as Psalm 57: Hear O my people O Israel, and so in many other places; 
Isay 81. 8. 13.  yet even amongst these there is some time a difference put, 
Micah 6 2  for all that are of Israel are not counted God's People, to some of them it is said, 
Isay 1. 10.  Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom, give ear ye People of Gomorah: And for an upbraiding of their continual rebellions against the Lord, the Prophet Hosea is bidden to name one of his sons, 
Hosea 1. 9  Lo-mmi, ye are not my people; and when to all other their Rebellions they rejected, yea crucified the Lord of Glory, the Lord also rejected them, and as he threatened by his Prophet, 
Isa. 65. 15.  called his servants by another name, Christians: Even these also are in a different manner socalled; sometimes all that are within the Covenant of Grace, and the Sacraments thereof are called Christ's People; sometimes those that he hath foreknown, and that are within the grace of the Covenant; 
Rom. 12. 2  God hath not cast away his People whom he foreknew according to that: 
Jer. 31. 33  I will put my Law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, I will be their God and they shall be my People. And these are those here most properly spoken unto, as appears, because the Motives here used the fear of partaking in sin and punishment, most properly work upon these, besides these being oppressed & holden in Captivity by the mystical Babylon here spoken of are in the 6. Verse Exhorted to cry her quittance in the same words almost which the ancient Church of Israel useth concerning the old Babel: 
Psal. 137. 8.  O Daughter of Babylon which art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.  
The third and last Point to be cleared remains, what the people of God are commanded to do, go out of her, saith our Lord jesus Christ; That is doubtless out of Babylon, 
Isa. 21. 9  before proclaimed, to be fallen that is after the Prophetical phrase certainly to fall; Babel is fallen, is fallen whence this form is borrowed.  
That Babel was a City in Chaldea, standing by the River Euphrates, where by the occasion of the presumptuous Tower, the Languages of Mankind were confounded, Genesis 11. 10. The first seat of Nymrod's Tyranny, Chapter 10. 10. Nebuchadnezer the King thereof carried thither Captive, jehoiakim and with him Daniel and his companions, together with the vessels of the House of God; about some twelve years after Zedekiah also was carried away Captive to the same place, jerusalem burned, the Temple desolated, and the whole people in a manner carried out of their own land to the same place of Babel, where they continued seventy years unto the overthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy by Cyrus.  
The Prophets Isay and Jeremiah, foretell the ruin of this Babel, and delivering of God's People from her Tyranny, whom they exhort upon her fall to return into their own land: Hence is this form taken, and this whole Chapter is compiled of little else, but the phrases of the Prophets touching Babel and Tyrus as the diligent reader by comparing the concording places may easily perceive:  
This Exhortation to leave Babylon, 
Isa. 52. 11. Ser. 50. 8. and Jer. 51 6. 9  is, Depart ye, Depart ye go out from thence, remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his Soul, be not cut off in her iniquity for sake her, and let us go every one into his own Country, Vers. 45. My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his Soul from the fierce anger of the Lord, which as you see are almost the very words of this Text, so that which follows here in the seaventh Verse, I sit as a Queen and am no Widow, and shall see no sorrow, is taken out of Isaiah 47. 7, 8.  
The wailing of the Merchants of this Babel, and the store and preciousness of her Merchandise is borrowed from the like Description of the Costlyness of Tyrus, Ezekiel 27. 
Ezek. 27.  The inrecoverable ruin of this Babel showed in the end of this Chapter, by the sign of a great Millstone cast into the Sea, is taken out of jer. 51. 
jer. 51.  Where the Prophecy of that itself against Babel, is appointed to be bound to a Millstone, and cast into the river Euphrates, which ran through the old Babel, with this word. Thus shall Babel sink, and shall not rise from the evil which I will bring upon her.  
These Prophecies were accordingly accomplished, as you may see in Daniel, 
Daniel 5.  for she is related in a great Feast made by Belshazzar to a thousand of his Lords (wherein he would needs bring forth the Vessels of God's House for his Nobles and Concubines to quaff in.) God wrote his Doom with a hand upon the wall of his Banqueting-house, and the same night the Medes and Persians under Darius and Cyrus, entered the City, slew the King, and proclaimed liberty to God's People, 
Ezra 1. 1.  to return into their Country and re-edify the House of God as you may see, and thus came Babel the Glory of Kingdoms (as it is called Esay 13. 19) to Confusion: But this is the literal Babel, whereunto there is a reference in this Text, What now is the Mystical Babylon which here God's People are bidden to leave. Questionless some City answering to this, in State, in Glory in Oppression of the People of God, neither must we take it for the buildings only and houses, but for the State also and Policy; as besides the Evidence of the Type of old Babel, so taken by the Prophets, and the common use of all Authors in like Case doth lead us.  
There be two Opinions recited by Cardinal Bellarmine in this matter, one that it should be the community of all the wicked and reprobate. But this hath no manner of agreement: with the Circumstances of the Text: This is not seated on seven hills, nor hath it seven Kings, five fallen, one being, and another to come, nor will those things that are foretold of the destruction of Babel agree to this Exposition, and is rejected by the learned of that side: And himself names another, (which he approves for the better) viz. that here by Babel is meant the City of Rome. As that was in Saint john's time, for as he shows out of Tertullian, Look as old Babylon was the head of that Empire, whose King persecuted and lead into captivity, the People of God, so did Rome then: This is not only Bellarmine's judgement, but Salmeron, Viegas, and others of that side that Babylon is Rome. They do well to yield to the clear evidence of truth so clear in deed as it would be too shameful impudence to deny it; For what City was there which in Saint john's time could have the addition of great, but only Rome, or did rule over the Kings of the earth, or (to omit all other Arguments was seated on seven hills: Septemque una sibi muro cirnundedit arces; It may be said Constantinople also is set on seven hills and not unfitly, for it was built in Emulation of Rome called new Rome, but not till some 
* Anno 330.  Ages after Saint john's time, we need not spend more words in a plam matter having our Adversaries own Confession, Babylon is Rome, and old Rome; yea saith Bellarmine, Heathen Rome persecuting Rome: Hear I beseech you, (Right Honourable and beloved) to observe well, not what Isay, but what Saint john, what the Angels, what our Lord jesus Christ himself do tell and relate in this Chapter, touching the fall of this Babel or Rome. It is confessed; if Babylon be Heathen Rome, that is now fall'n, and hath been above a thousand years ago, and consequenty thenceforth it is become An habitation of Devils, the hold of every foul spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful bird, for these are by the Angel conjoined with the fall thereof in the 2 Verse, will Bellarmine and his fellows now confess this to be so▪ I trow not.  
But because it may be some body else will, that we may speak not only to the men, but to the matter. Observe that the ruin of Babylon here spoken of, is so described as to be sudden in one day, in one hour: her desolation is not only without recovery, but even Consolation, 
Verse 〈◊〉. 10. 19  like to the throwing of a stone into the Sea, 
Verse 21. 22, 23.  so as neither Music, nor Minstrel, nor the sound of a Quern, or any Crafts-man, nor the voice of a Bridegroom, or a Bride, nor light of a Candle shall be found in her any more, This cannot agree with the Conversion, or the Subversion of heathen Rome, for all these things are yet left now to be found there; and if men will not wilfully shut their eyes, they must (me thinks) needs see that this Desolation did not then come upon Rome, nor is yet come upon her, And therefore it is not Heathen Rome, but after the embracing of Christian Religion, which is to fall, and consequently that out of which Christ's People are called; Viegas of likelihood was aware of this, and therefore hath devised another shift to escape by: He saith, Rome is here to be taken in a double estate. That before it received Christ's Faith, and that which shall be in Antichrists time: when (as Saint john saith in this and the former Chapter) It shall revolt from the Bishop of Rome, and from the Faith (as he saith) a little before Antichrists coming, or at least at the beginning of his Kingdom Rome shall be grown proud, and secure, so as to say, I sit as a Queen; and then by the ten Kings mentioned in the former Chapter (who had given their Kingdoms unto her;) shall she be ruined and burnt, &c In this Exposition, the revolt that he tells of from the Obedience of the See of Rome, is a Fancy of his own, and hath not the least ground in St. john's Vision, That the revolt from the Faith, whereof the Apostle Paul speaks, (2 Thessalonians 2.) is the very Apostasy of Antichrist the man of sin, 
2 Thes. 2. 3.  and son of perdition, that Rome in Antichrists time shall be secure, and account herself to sit as a Queen, and then be destroyed by the ten Kings that formerly had served and obeyed her; this is very true, as being expressly so laid down in the 16. and 17. Vers. of the former Chapter. But that which befell the jews in the looking for the Kingdom of Christ when it was already among them, happeneth to Viegas and those of his side, They fond look for Antichrist the last head of the beast, whereupon the Babylonian Harlot sitteth above a thousand years after all the former, and consider not that this beast is one Principality under divers forms of Government, whereof five being fallen in Saint john's time, one than in being, and the other to endure, a short space. To make this short space a thousand years, or else to put in so many years of the Pope's government over Rome before Antichrist come, who shall forsooth revolt from his Obedience: It seems rather the dream of a waking man then to hold any likelihood of Truth, Howsoever it resteth even by Vi●gas consent (notwithstanding his cunning combination of two states of Rome, that under Paganism, and that under Antichrist, with a thousand years between) that Rome must have continued Christian for sundry Ages before her Desolation, and for aught doth yet appear the present Monarchy which she claims to exercise over the Christian World, is the Mystical Babylon out of which Gods People are called.  
For the better clearing whereof, let us consider the Description that is made of this Babylon, by the Angels and our Saviour Christ himself more distinctly, to see whether it do agree to the present estate of Rome or no: The Angel tells john in the last Verse of the former Chapter, The woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth, and before (Verse 5.) upon her forehead is a name written, Mystery Babylon the great. Touching this greatness I may spare my pains to speak much, there is a learned Book of justus Lipsius which he entitles Admiranda, marvels, touching the greatness of Rome, not long after in concurrence thereto, there was another made by Thomas Stapleton our Countryman Professor at Louvain, which he entitles Vere admiranda, Marvels indeed, touching the greatness of the Church of Rome, wherein by comparison he endeavours to show that for largeness of Extent, strength and power over Princes themselves, honour yielded unto it, the greatness and magnificence of the Roman Church doth far surpass the Roman Empire. These two books were both printed together, and set forth at Rome against the year of Jubilee, 1600. as if the Papacy laboured to carry in her forehead the name Great Babylon;  
For the reigning over the Kings of the Earth by this great City, (which is another point of the Angel's description.) It is true that heathen Rome had anciently in the borders and confines of the state, sundry Kings that held their Kingdoms of her, Such were the Herod's, Aretas and Agrippa mentioned in the New Testament; but these were neither in number nor dignity, nor in the absoluteness of their subjection to be compared with those that the now Rome reigneth over: And no great marvel if the Roman Emperor armed with thirty or forty Legions had many Kings at command (saith Stapleton) but that the Pope being altogether unarmed, should give Laws to the Kings of the Earth: and either advance them to their Kingdoms, or depose them, who would not account worthy of great marvel? true, but the Angel shows us the true reason, 
Verse 12.  the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no 
Verse 17.  Kingdom as yet but receive power, as Kings at once with the beast, etc. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his Will, and to agree and to give their Kingdom unto the beast, until the Word of God shall be fulfilled.  
And consider I pray you here the manner how they have given their Kingdoms to the beast; Upon the Election of any new Pope, they send a solemn Embassage to profess their Obedienee to him: And one of those (which is extant in Print, as great a Monarch as any the Christian World hath) Offers himself and all his Kingdoms, his Seas, Firm lands, Islands, Arms, Forces, Treasures, Ships, Armies, whatsoever he is, whatsoever he hath, whatsoever he is able to do; and falling down at the Pope's feet as a most obsequious Son: he acknowledgeth and confesseth him to be the true Vicar of Christ our Saviour on Earth, the successor of Peter the Apostle, in that See, the head of the Universal Church, the Provost, Parent, and Pastor of all Christians, praying him and humbly beseeching him that he would receive all whatsoever be hath offered to the profit & defence of the Church into his Protection and Patronage: And these words, etc. are said with a gesture corespondent: the Ambassador falling down upon his knees: let Lip●ius if he can with all his reading in Story, show us such an Example of any King subject to old Pagan Rome:  
It is true that Nero accounted it for his highest Glory to have set the Crown upon Tiridates the King of the Armenians head in the City of Rome, with great state and pomp. But let us see (saith Stapleton) If the Majesty of the Church of Rome hath not had an equal part of this glory, yea and a greater, and then he reckons how Pope Leo the third gave the Empire to Charles the great, and how other Popes conferred to others a great many other Kingdoms: One thing he forgets that neither Nero nor any other Emperor of old Rome ever Crowned any with his feet, as Celestine the third, did Henry the sixth, nor caused him to hold their stirrups, or kiss their feet, much less set their feet upon their necks as Pope Adrian the fourth, and Alexander the third, did to the Emperor Frederick.  
And that we may not spend more time in proving that the present Papal Rome reigneth over the Kings of the Earth, the Merchants of Babylon are now resolved That all the Kingdoms of the Earth are the Popes, insomuch that the best Title that any Prince can have to his Crown is, Dei & Apostolicae sedis gratia, by the grace of God, and Apostolic See. 
Lib. Rom. Pon●. 5. 1. 2. 6.  And Cardinal Bellarmine recognising his works retracts that which might seem to Cross 
Ab Alex 6.  this title about the Pope's dividing 
Cap. 7. 8.  the new world to the Portugals and Spaniards: And tempers that which he had said that Christ himself whose Vicar the Pope is, had no temporal Kingdom, and lastly, asserts more roundly, contrary to his former opinion▪ viz. That the Church may deprive infidels of their Dominion which they have over the Faithful, yea, albeit they do not endeavour to turn away the Faithful from the Faith: Howsoever she doth not always so, because she wanteth strength, or doth not judge it expedient, but questionless, if those same Princes do go about to turn away their people from the faith, they may and aught to be deprived of their Dominions: I shall not need to call to remembrance here what Faith or infidelity is at this day in the Roman Language when Paul the fifth, teacheth the Catholics that they cannot take the Oath of Fidelity (salva fide Catholica) with safety of the Catholic Faith; which shows, that if the Pope may deprive infidels of their Dominions, how much more such as are Christians, being thereby more under the verge of his Authority, concerning the Pope's ruling over the Kings of the Earth, this may suffice.  
The Angel which in the beginning of this Chapter proclaimeth the fall of Babylon, saith that all Nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her Fornication, and the Kings of the earth have committed Fornication with her. In the Greek the Text is so, but might as well for the force of the Words, and better for the circumstances be rendered of the wine of the heat of her Fornication. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  And so Chapter 14. 8. This seems to be a Declaration of the liquor contained in the golden Cup which she hath in her hand full of abominations and unclean Fornications, And in this Chapter Verse 23. 
See also Chapter 14. 10.  by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived; by all which is meant that with hot intoxicating love drenches, she had besotted the Kings of the Earth to be enamoured of her; How to declare this of Heathen Rome I cannot well tell, unless it were that by benefits, favours and show of honour, Kings and Provinces were allured to bear the Roman yoke, and conform themselves to Rome, but for Papal Rome the matter is more easy, for under the pretence of religious Holiness, and Spiritual profit, the blessing of Almighty God, and of the blessed Apostle Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Christ's Vicar and Saint Peter's successor the Keys of Heaven, fullness of Power: And the Apostolical Sees, Exemptions, Dispensaons', Pardons, Faculties, Indulgences, jubilees, enlarging of souls out of Purgatory, she hath brought all sorts to her love and lure, Princes and great men, finding how needful her favour is for dispensing with some disadvantageous Oaths or incestuous marriages, or a soldering some cracked title to some signory, have been in Emulation and jealousy one with another about her love, and contented their subjects should flatter her and be seduced by her, so as at length she hath brought them to believe (at least to make profession that they believe) She cannot deceive them though she would never so fain, Volens Nolens errare non potest. If this cup of Enchantment were not; were it likely, were it possible, that she should persuade Christians to be content not to hear Christ's Voice, speaking in his Word, not to receive the Holy Sacrament of his body and blood whole and entire though he so gave it; and the Church for many Ages so kept it, Not to pray with understanding in a known tongue not to take the ten Commandments as God pronounced and wrote them twice with his own finger, but as she hath razed and deformed them, Not to say Amen to the Lords Prayer in the company with other Christians, because she would not allow it; were it not for this cup of Error, could she have ever persuaded that she can dissolve the bonds of fealty betwixt Subject and Prince, depose and denounce Kings; and warrant their Subjects to kill them, and had she not first with this cup of Sorcery transformed men into beasts, could she have found any that would have adventured to execute these her ungodly and wicked designs?  
Here by the way let me tell you of an old Babylonian trick, by which especially, the Western Babylon hath conveyed this cup of Error into the hands of all Nations. We read in the first of D●niel, that Nabuchadnezzar commanded the Master of his eunuchs, That he should bring certain of the King's ●eed, and of the Prince's Children in whom was no blemish, and of able wits, to te●ch them the Learning and ●ongue of the Chaldeans; Thus were Daniel and his fellows used, and had other name, and education given them that they might forget their own, (though Gods special Grace in them went beyond the policy of Babylon.) Such and worse hath been and is the practice of new Babylon in drawing younger Brothers of great houses and good wits to Rome and Romish Colleges and Seminaries, some of their names changed; making them their chief instruments of State to mould and frame their own Families, and Countries to the Roman Doctrine and Obedience. Those of the Council of the Samaritans that resisted the building of the Temple; render the reason of their careful advertising the King of his 
Ezra. 4  interest, viz. that because they were salted with the salt of the Palace it was not meet for them to see the King's damage: how should not they that have had their Education at the new Babylon's Charges; but in gratitude further her affairs, and draw all they may to her Obedience and Devotion: And thus much concerning Babylon's Cup.  
It followeth after in process of our Lord's speech; upbraiding her that she glorifies herself and lives in wantonness and pride, and saith, I sit as a Queen and shall not be a widow, nor ●re any sorrow, etc. It would require a long time to recite the Proverbs and by words only, which have been cast up and down, concerning the wantonness and uncleanness of Rome, since she came to be the seat of the Pope's Court, and how she hath drawn to herself, and spent the wealth of all Nations; in this matter I will spare rather your Ears and this place, than my own pains; for the Boast of sitting as a Queen, consider her maxims; viz. The Church of Rome is the Mistress and Teacher of all Churches, without spot or wrinkle, and it is necessary to salvation to every humane Creature to be under the Bishop of Rome, that no man may judge him nor say unto him Domine cut itafacias. If any man have a desire to see the vaunts of Rome. in this kind let him be pleased, to view the image of the Man of ●in, exalting himself in the Temple of God, as it is drawn by Master Fox in the end of the former Tome of his Acts and Monuments Ecclesiastical, out of the Popes own Decrees and Decretals; And if any make scruple to look on that Book, 
De Rob. Pont.  let him see Bellarmine undertaking that the Pope intending to teach the whole 
Cap. 3.  Church can in no case err in things appertaining to Faith; 
Ver. 5.  no, nor yet the particular Church of Rome, that it is probable and pious to believe the Pope cannot become an Heretic even as a particular Person; that he is the judge of Controversies in the Church, and his judgement certain and infallible: Add to these, that the same Bellarmine makes Temporal Felicity one of the notes of the 
De Not. Eccl. l. 4. c. 8.  Church.  
One point more rests in the speech of the last Angel concerning Babylon in this Chapter, Verse the last, That in her was found the blood of the Prophets, and Saints & of all that were slain upon the Earth: And in the former Chapter, 
Verse 6.  john saw the woman drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of jesus: That Heathen Rome was such there is no doubt: And although Bellarmine would draw the Text another way to jerusalem) that this is the 
Verse 11. 8.  great City, where the bodies of two witnesses shall lie unburied, where also the Lord was Crucified, since in the Roman Empire, and by a Roman Deputy, and to a Roman Death, our Lord was put, But this doth no less stick by Christian Rome unto this day, to be drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of jesus: Let Histories be turned, and an exact account taken, how many thousands (otherwise good Christians) have been slain and massacred merely for his pleasure sake, And because they would not submit to her Obedience; I think it will very evidently appear that they are imcomparably more than all those that suffered Martyrdom for the Christian Religion under Heathen Rome's persecution. To omit those whom as an Imperious Harlot she hath caused to be killed for calling her name in question.  
Thus you see the Description of Babylon doth no less agree to the present, than the old Heathen Rome, the great City, her command over the Kings of the Earth; Her enchanting Cup, Her wantonness and delicacy, Her arrogancy and pride: Lastly, that bloody and blood thirsty Cruelty against the worshippers of Christ, exercised by her, and (which I desire you to observe) by her alone; for in no other part of the Christian world you shall find it.  
To conclude then, since neither Heathen Rome only, as she was heathen (as Bellarmine would have it) can be Babylon, nor partly Heathen, and partly Antichristan, as revolted from the Pope, with a gap of a thousand years between (as Viegas divineth) And the Character that the Holy Ghost sets upon Babylon doth no less, but rather more agree to the present Pontifical Rome, then to the old Imperial. It is the falsely termed Christian, indeed the Antichristian Rome, which is the Babylon, out of which Gods People are called.  
And how they are to go out of her, it rests to be considered: Bellarmine citys Saint Augustine to prove that it is Cord non Corpore, not in place but affection; But the Temple of God's people departing from Babel would seemto imply both; And the rather because this great City is spiritually 
Rev. 11. 8  called Sodo● and Egypt: now such was the departure of Lott out of Sodom and Israel out of Egypt.  
It is true that by Cyrus his Edict God's people were permitted to return into their own Country to the place where the Lords worship was then fixed; Now there is no such place specially appointed, as our Lord jesus Christ shows in his speech with the woman of S●maria: 
John 4.  But certainly if any of God's people cannot by separation in judgement and affection so live, as not to be partakers of the sins of Babylon, they are to go out bodily also, and in no wise to touch any unclean thing, God's people are warned to do, even by the consideration of the Holy vessels of the Lord which they carried with them out of Babylon. The reason which confirms this charge of going out of Babylon, is drawn from the danger of participation in her sins, and in her Plagues, 
Isay 52. 11  that is, blows, stripes, punishments, which are not only those mentioned in the 8 Verse, Death, Mourning, Famine, Fire, but as in the 14. Chapter (where the same Proclamation is made of her fall which is here) the drinking of the hot and unalaid wine of God's vengeance, and to be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels, and the Lamb, and the smoke of their torments shall ascend for ever and ever. We have thus descussed the meaning of this Scripture, which being all laid together is this, Saint john hears our Lord jesus Christ admonishing from Heaven his faithful people to come out of the obedience of Romish, Popish Babylon, lest partaking with her in her sins, they receive also of her stripes and punishments, both Temporal and Eternal.  
Here concerning the person of the speaker mentioned in this first place, and that circumstance, that he speaks from Heaven, I will for the present say no more, but desire only that it may renew the religious attention of all; that each would say with himself, I will hearken what the Lord God will say, for he will speak Peace unto his People, and to his Saints that they turn not to folly: That every one would remember the words of the Apostle, 
Heb. 12. 25.  see that ye despise not him that speaketh, for if you escaped not, when ye refused him that speaketh one Earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven; But these points shall be more profitably pressed when we shall have considered the speech itself.  
Wherein observe first, he call ●is people to come out of Babylon,) a plain Argument that there are many not only good Moral and Civil honest men there, but good Christians, not redeemed only, but in the possession of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which may be confirmed by these reasons.  
First there is amongst these that are under the tyranny of the Romish Babylon, the Sacrament of entrance, into the Covenant of Grace; Baptism, by which those that are partakers thereof are made Members of Christ, ●he children of God, and heirs of Eternal lif●: & of these that have but this Seal of God's Covenant, (viz. infants) are no small and contemptible part of God's People, though as yet they cannot hear this Voice of Christ calling out of Babylon; besides this there is publication of the tenure of the Covenant of Grace to such as are of years, though not so openly and purely as it might and aught, yet so as the grounds of the Catechism are preached, sin is showed, Christ's redemption (or the story of it) is known Faith in him is called for, 
John 3. 18. 36. 5. 24.  and this Faith is by the Grace of God wrought in some: For the Word of God and his Calling is not fruitless, but like the rain returneth not in vain; and where true Faith is, Men are translated from death to life, he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life. 
John 3. last verse.   
Some men perhaps may object the Faith which they describe and call by this name of Catholic Faith, Is none other but such as the Devils may have:  
I answer, Religion is not Logic, He that cannot give a true definition of the soul is not for that, without a soul; so he that defines not Faith truly, yet may have true Faith; learned Divines are not all of accord touching the definition of it, But if (as by the whole stream of the Scripture it should seem) to be a trust and cleaving unto God; this Faith many there have, the Love of our Lord jesus Christ is wrought in many there, 
John 14. 21. 23.  now he that loveth Christ is loved of him and of the Father also, and because the proof of true love to Christ is the keeping of his sayings, their are good works, and according to the measure of knowledge great conscience of obedience.  
Yea will some man say, But that which marreth all is the Opinion of merit and satisfaction. Indeed that is the School Doctrine, but the Conscience enlightened to know itself will easily act that part of the Publican, who smote his breast and said, God be merciful to me a sinner. I remember a good advice of one of that side, let others (saith he) that have committed few sinnes, and done ma●y good works satisfy for their sins; But whatsoever thou d●st, refer it to the Honour of God: so as whatsoever good come from thee, thou resolve to do it to please God, accounting thy works too little to satisfy for thy sins: For as for thy si●s thou must offer Christ's works, his pains and wounds, and his death itself to him, together with that love of his out of which he endured these things for thee. These are available for the satisfaction for thy sins. But thou whatsoever thou dost or sufferest, offer it not for thy sins to God but for his love and good pleasure, wishing to find the more grace with him, whereby thou mayest do more, greater and more acceptable works to him, let the love of God then be to thee the cause of well-living, and the hope of well-working: thus he, and I doubt not but many there be on that side that follow this Council; here with I shall relate the speech of a wise and discreet Gentleman, my neighbour in England, who lived and died a Recusant; he demanded one time, What was the worst Opinion that we could impute to the Church of Rome? It was said, there was none more than this of our merits: 
De justisica. lib. 5. cap. 7.  And that Cardinal Bellarmine not only doth uphold them, but saith, we may trust in them, so it be done soberly; And saith, they deserve Eternal life, not only in respect of God's propromises and Covenant, but also in regard of the work itself: whereupon he answered, Bellarmine was a learned man, and could perhaps defend what he wrote by learning, But for his part he trusted to be saved only by the merits of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and as for good works he would do all that he could; Et valeant q●uantum volere possint.  
To proceed: In or under the Obedience of Rome there is Persecution and that is a better mark of Christ's people, than Bellarmine's Temporal felicity all that will live godly in Christ jesus (saith the Apostle) shall suffer persecution; ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake (saith our Saviour) and so are all they on that side that are less superstitious than others, or dare speak of redress of abuses, yea, there is Martyrdom for a free opposing men's traditions, Image-worshipers, Purgatory, and the like.  
Add, that inobedience to this call of Christ, there do some come daily from thence, and in truth how could our Saviour, call his people from thence if he had none there? How could the Apostles say that Antichrist from whose captivity they are called shall sit in the Temple of God (since that jerusalem is finally and utterly desolated) unless the same Apostle otherwhere declaring himself had showed us his meaning, that the Church is the house of God, and again, 
1 Tim. 3. 15.  ye are the Temple of the living God, and the Temple of God is Holy, which are ye; It will be said that there are on that side many gross errors, many open Idolatries, and superstitions, so as those which live there must needs be either partakers of them and like minded, or else very Hypocrites. But many errors and much ignorance; so it be not affected, may stand with true Faith in Christ, and when there is true Contrition for our sins, (that is, because it displeaseth God) there is a general and implicit repentance for all unknown sins, God's Providence in the general revolt of the ten Tribes, when Elias thought himself left alone had reserved seven thousand, 
1 Kings 19 18.  that had not bowed to the Image of Baal▪ and the like may be conceived he●e since especially, the Idolatry practised under the obedience of Mystical Babylon, is rather in false and will-worship of the true God, and rather commended, as profitable, then as absolutely, necessary, enjoined and the corruptions there maintained rather in superfluous addition than retraction in any thing necessary to salvation.  
Neither let that hard term of hypocrisy be used of the infirmity, and sometime, humble and peaceable carriage of some, that oppose not common errors, nor wrestle with the greater part of men, but do follow the multitude, reserving a right knowledge to themselves, and sometimes, (by the favour which God gives them to find where they live,) obtain better conditions than others can; We call not john the beloved Disciple an hypocrite, because he was known to the High Priest, 
John 18. 15, 16.  and could procure Peter to be let to see the arraignment of our Saviour: nor Peter himself that for fear denied him, much less Daniel and his companions that by suit obtained of Melzar their 
Daniel I. V. 16. 2  keeper that they might feed upon pulse and not be defiled with the King of Babel's meat, and these knew themselves to be captives and in Babel. But in the new Babel how many thousands do we think there are that think otherwise that they are in the true Catholic Church of God, the name whereof this harlot hath usurped: And although they acknowledge that where they live are many abuses, and that the Church hath need of reformation, yet there they were born, and they may not abandon their Mother in her sickness. Those that converse more inwardly with men of Conscience on that side, do know that these are speeches i● secret; which how they will be justified against the commands of Christ (come out of her my people) belongs to another place to consider. For the purpose we have now in hand, I dare not but account these the people of God, though they live very dangerously under the captivity of Babylon, as did Daniel, Mordecay, Hester, Nehemiah, and Ezra, and many Jews more, notwithstanding both Cyrus' Commission and the Prophets Command to depart.  
This point may give some light in a Question that is on foot among learned and good men at this day, Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church or no, where I think surely if the matter be rightly declared, for the terms, there will remain no question. As thus, whether Babylon pretending to be the Church of Rome, yea the Catholic Church, be so or not, or this, Whether the people of Christ that are under the captivity be a true Church or no, either of both ways declare in these terms, and the matter will be soon resolved.  
Except some man will perhaps 
Object.  still Object, Though there be a people of God, yet they can be no true Church, for they have no Priesthood which is necessary to the Constitution of a Church, As Saint Cyprian describes it, 
Epist●la 6 9  Plebs sacerdoti adunata, people joined to their priest, They have no Priesthood being by the very form of their Ordidination Sacrificers for the quick and the dead.  
I answer, 
Answ.  under correction of better judgements, they have the Ministry of Reconciliation by the Commission which is given at their Ordination; being the same which our Saviour left in his Church, 
John 20. 23.  Whose sins ye remit they are remitted, whose sins ye retain they are retained.  
As for the other power to sacrifice, if it be any otherwise then celebrating the Commemoration of Christ's sacrifice once offered upon the Cross, It is no part of the Priesthood or Ministry of the New Testament, But as superfluous additions thereunto, which yet worketh not to the destruction of that which is lawfully conferred otherwise. This Doctrine I know not how it can offend any, unless it be in being too Charitable, & that I am sure is a good fault, and serves well for a sure mark of Christ's sheep, And hath very good opportunity to help Christ's people out of Babel: 
John 13, 35.  by this saith he, shall men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have Charity one to another; But they call us Heretics, miscreants, Dogs, etc. and persecute us with more deadly hatred than Jews and Turks, yea, this is Babylon, and perhaps some of God's People in it that are misinformed of us. Thus did Saul for a while, yet a chosen vessel to bear Christ's Name over the world. But let us maintain our Charity to them as we are wont to bear with the weakness of our friends or children, when in hot Fevers or Pleurisies they miscall us. Let us remember if they be Christ's people, how little loving soever they be to us, they must be our beloved Brethren, and this of the Persons.  
Now let us see their duty. It is the Du●tie of those people of Christ to come out of Babylon; that is (as we have already showed) the Obedience of the present Roman Monarchy, And for this, the very authority of Christ's Voice from Heaven should suffice: For his sheep hear his voice. But if that be yet doubted, whether the Papal Monarchy, be Babylon, let us for the present set aside the mystical Arguments from this place, and all other Prophetical Circumstances. And let the matter be tried by plainer Arguments, at the Bar of Reason out of the common Principles of Christian Doctrine, 
John 5. 39  as thus, Where the use of Christ's Word is forbidden to his people, 
Luke 11. 52.  where they lay away the Key of Knowledge, 
1 Cor. 14. Matthew 28. 20.  and God's Worship is without understanding in an unknown tongue where Christ's Sacraments are corrupted and maimed: 
Jer. 17. 5.  
Rom. 6. 9  where Divine worship is communicated to Creatures, where Christ's Glorious Body is defended to be torn not only with the teeth of the faithful but also of faithless men, yea of Rats and Mice, where besides a number of other superstitions, the effects of Christ's blood, are communicated to Purgatory fire, to Saint Francis frock, and the Carmilites scapular, where the sole infallible interpretation, of Scripture, decission of Crntroversies, last resolution of our Faith, is placed in the breast of one man, who may be without true Faith and sound Knowledge of Religion or moral honesty itself, where the Doctrine is maintaived as Catholic, that the Pope is Vice-God, Monarch of the Christian World, Almighty, that he can Depose Princes, and Expose them to their subjects to be killed, Command the Angels, with many more like blasphemies; From this place and society Christ's people are to depart and separate themselves; But the present Roman Monarchy is such, The conclusion follows undeniable, Go out of her my People.  
Here will I crave leave to answer on Objection 
Object.  that may be made by flesh and blood, to be retentive to keep God's people from harkening to this voice of Christ; and is used for a motive to draw more also to the Obedience of Rome, God's people, (of which number I hope I am one) may be saved; nay, which is more cannot perish, why should I then be so solicitous, if salvation may be had there; on the contrary they deny that you have either Church or salvation; Therefore it is the safest course, by the Opinion of both sides, to continue there still.  
I answer; 
Answ.  This is not the discourse of Christ's sheep who make the hearing of his Voice, and doing of his Will, a higher end than their own salvation: but well may become the mouth of those deceivers that would seduce them.  
It is the very language of the old Serpent, ye shall not surely die: The reason and rule of Obedience is not the avoiding of hell fire, or the attaining of bliss of Heaven, but the doing of the Will of God.  
And yet supposing this to be true, that salvation mae be had in Babylon; yet it is attained with great difficulty, and as it were through the fire. As the Apostle speaketh of those builders which foolishly lay upon the precious foundation of Christ, the hay, straw, and stubble of men's Traditions: And there is again a large entrance, to be afforded into the everlasting Kingdom 
1 Cor. 2.  of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
2 Peter 1. 11.  If the graces of God's Spirit abound in us and make us not barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ.  
Again, ignorance, so that it be not wilful and affected may have some pardon, but to hold the Truth of God in unrighteousness, as all do that receive not the love of the Truth, and knowing how they which commit such things are worthy of death, yet do 〈◊〉 same and favour those that do them.  
The wrath of God from heaven is revealed against such, Romans 1. 18. 31. Even the danger of temporal punishment threatened to the sins of Rome is not to be neglected.  
Suppose a man were sure to go to Heaven; but (although to humane infirmity it may perhaps seem otherwise) even the Eternal punishments in Hell are not so great an evil as is the offence of God, and partaking of sin.  
Look therefore as this Sophism of Satan is in all other temptations to be answered; Thou mayest do this and yet be saved being of the number of Christ's people, for David, Peter, and others, although they did such things, yet found pardon and salvation, so here. Nay, I will not adventure God's wrath, I have other sins enough to answer for, My Conscience is more than a thousand witnesses: 
2 John 8.  I will not buy repentance so dear, and lose the things I have gotten.  
Now should I come to the Motives from the Danger of sin and of partaking in punishment. But the handling of these would require a long time: let me rather make some Application of that which hath been said already. And First and most properly to those that this Scripture most concerns and is directed unto: The People of God holden in the Captivity of the Roman Babylon; But alas they are not here, for this is one part of their Captivity, that they are kept, not only from hearing the voice of the Servants of Christ, or of Saint john the beloved Disciple, but of himself speaking here from Heaven; And they are so contented, what remedy may there be for those that are thus bewitched, Unless you (My L. L ●. and Brethren) will be contented to become Faithful Feoffees in trust, to convey this Voice and Message of Christ unto them: and by my request you shall be pleased to do it, with a great deal of Love. As this Precedent of our Lord himself doth lead you as to Brethren, and, as you hope, faithful People, loath to sin against him, desirous to please him in all things; Tell them then, that it is acknowledged by their own Doctors: That Rome is Babylon, and it is averred, that this is the present Papal Monarchy, that out of this they must depart by the Commands of our Lord jesus Christ's own Voice, under pain of being accessary to all her sins, and liable to all her punishments, wish them to use the Liberty to read the holy Scriptures, and to come out of the blind Obedience of men's Precepts and Traditions; be pleased to tell them further, that others may have some Colour of Excuse, that live in such places where they may not discover themselves without danger of the loss of their Goods, Honour or Life, they may do it here, not only with safety, but with Reputation and profit, entreat them to beware lest they make themselves extremely Culpable, not only of partaking with the former Idolatries, Extortions, Massacres, Powder Treasons, and King killings of that bloody City, but the new detestable Doctrines, Derogatory to the blood of Christ which moderate men even of her own Subjects detest. But which she for fear it should discontent her own Creatures, and devoted Darlings will not disavow: O if they would fear the plagues of Babylon, and that of all others the fearfullest: 
2 Thes. 2. 11.  Blindness of mind, and strong Delusions to believe Lies, that they may be damned that believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness: But you hope better things of them, accompanying Salvation; and this Message of our Lord Jesus Christ if you will be pleased to deliver, accompanying it with those General and common goods of Charity and Meekeness, Integrity, good Example, and the special furtherance, which your Callings and Places in State, Church or Family can give it, doubtless to Christ's people, will not be uneffectual.  
Blessed be God that hath-long ago stirred up the Spirits of our Princes, 
Ezra 1. ●.  like Cyrus to give liberty to God's People to go out of Babylon, 
Chap 6. 3. & 7. 12.  And to give large Patents, with Darius, and Artaxe●xes, for the building of the Temple and establishing the Service of God.  
And blessed be God, and his Majesty that hath sent us another Nehemiah, 
Neh. 2. 18.  to build up the walls of jerusalem, and to procure that the Portion of the Levites should be given them. 
Chapter ●0. 37. and 13. 10.  Give me leave (Right Honourable) to put you in mind, that this also belongeth to your Care, to Cooperate with Christ in bringing his People out of the Romish Captivity; And if to help away a poor Captive out of Turkey hath been Honourable to some Public Ministers: What shall it be to help to the enlarging of so many thousand souls out of the bondage of men's Traditions, and gaining to his Majesty so many entire Subjects, your wisdom (my Lord) is such, as it needeth not to be advised; and your Zeal as it needeth not to be stirred up: yet pardon me one word, for the purpose of helping Christ's People out of Babylon.  
They are called by himself often in Scripture, His Sheep; and verily, as in many other, so in this they are like to Sheep; which being Cooped up in a narrow Pent, though they find some Pleasure, and the Passage be set open, are not forward to come out; unless they be put on, but strain Courtesy, which should begin, yet when they are once out with a joyful frisk they Exult in their Freedom, yea, and when a few of the foremost lead, the rest follow; I shall not need to make Application: Do according to your wisdom in your place, and Christ whose Work it is shall be with you, and further your endeavours.  
The like I say unto you the rest of my Lords, Fathers, and Brethren help your Friends, Follower's, and Tenants out of Babylon, what you may in your places, you have the Examples, of Abraham, joshua, Cornelius praised in Scripture for propagating the Knowledge and Fear of God in their Families and Commands with the report of Gods accepting it, and rewarding it, And this to the use of others.  
But shall you not carry away something for yourselves also; Yes verily, take to yourselves this Voice of our Saviour, Come out of Babylon; you will say we have done it already, God be thanked we are good Christians, good Protestants, some of us Preachers and that call up on others to come out of, 
2 Cor. 5. 2.  Babylon; But if Saint Paul prayed the Converted Corinthians to be reconciled to God. And Saint john writing to Believers, sets down the record of God touching his Son, 
1 John 5. 13.  That they might believe in the Name of the Son of God; why may not I Exhort in Christ's Name and words, even those that are come out of Babylon, to come out of her, Qui monet ut facias, etc. He that persuades another to that which he doth already, in persuading encourageth him, and puts him on in his performance, but if there be any yet unresolved, and halting or hanging between two; (as the people did in Elias time) That present their bodies 
1 Kings 18. 21.  at such meetings as this is, when their hearts are perhaps at Rome; or no where; If any in some points rightly informed and cleared, in others doubtful, to such Christ speaks, Come out of her my People, press on by prayer, Conference, reading, (If Christ's Voice be to be heard) If Rome be Babylon, Come out of her.  
And let it be spoken with as little offence as it is delight, We that seem to be the forwardest in Reformatino, are not yet so come out of Babylon, as we have not many shameful Badges of her Captivity, witness her Impropriations, being indeed plain Church-robberie, devised to maintain her Colonies of idle and irregular Regulars, Idle to the Church and State, Zealous and Pragmatical to support and defend her power pomp and pride, by whom they subsisted, witness her Dispensations or dissipations rather, of all Canonical Orders; bearing down all with her Non obstante, her Symoniacal and Sacrilegious Venality of Holy things, her manifold Extortions in the Exercise of Ecclesiastical jurisdictiction, which we have not wholly banished: Let each of us therefore account it as spoken to himself, (Come out of her my People.)  
In this Journey let us not trouble and cast stumbling blocks before God's People, that are ready to come out or hinder one another with Dissensions in matters either inexplicable, or unprofitable: let it have some pardon: If some be even so forward in flying from Babylon, as they fear to go back, to take their own goods for haste and let it not be blamed or uncharitably censured, if some come in the R●ear, and would leave none of Christ's People behind them: No man reacheth his hand to another whom he would lift out of a Ditch, but he stoops to him. Our ends immediate are not the same, but yet they meet in one final intention; The one hates Babylon, and the other loves and pities Christ's People: There the one believes the Angel that cast the Millstone into the Sea; in the end of this Chap. with that word (so shall Babylon rise no more.) The other fear the threatening of our Saviour against such as scandalise any of the little ones believing in him, that it is better for such a one to have a Millstone hanged upon his neck, and be cast into the Sea himself:  
Finally, let us all beseech our Lord jesus Christ to give us Wisdom and opportunity to further his work and to give success unto the same himself, to hasten the judgement of Babylon, to bring his People out of this bondage, that we with them and all his Saints in the Church Triumphant May there upon sing a joyful Hallelujah, 
Matth. 18. 6.  as is expressed in the next Chapter.  Salvation, and Honour, and Glory, and ' Power, be unto the LORD our GOD, Amen. Halleluiah.  

A Confirmation of the judgement of these two most Reverend and learned Bishops in this particular, and the vindication of it, from the aspersion of Novelty or Singularity, from some grounds out of the Ancient Fathers; the continued Suffrages of learned men in successive ages, and the most eminent Bishops of England and Ireland of later years: occasioned to be the more large by the Censure which Doctor Heylene (in his late book) gives the Primate, and the Articles of Ireland for it.  
FIrst, For the Fathers, who lived before that defection or Apostasy, which was to preceded, and prepare the ways for the man of sin. (2 Thes. 2, 3.) there could not be expected from them, any such direct application, unless they had a Spirit of Prophecy themselves; Rome was in the Primitive times a pure Church, and the least infected with Arianisme, and other heresies which then abounded in the Eastern parts; being rather a receptacle of such as were banished thence by that persecution; so that it must have been a Prophetic pen that should then have affirmed, that righteous City should become an harlot.  
'Tis true, there might be a conception of that man of sin; but till his birth, there could be no judgement given of him, iniquity was breeding but in a mystery (verse the 8.) like the child in the womb, which the Mother of it, cannot then be assured, but it may prove an abortive; and harlots use to keep their conceptions close and undiscerned, till they are forced to discover them. Now this being thus in the conceiving and producing of that wicked one; the silence of the Fathers, as to so early a sentence, (whatsoever they might suspect) is not to be wondered at. Diseases may be gathering in the body, when neither the party himself is sensible, nor the most skilful Physician can discern of the event; fire may be kindling in the house, but the next neighbours do not cry out of it, till it be smelled; or flame forth to their view: And so there might be some such distempers, and strange fire, smothering in the Church of God for some 100's of years; but till it broke out, ye could not expect the Fathers of those ages, could take any notice of it; at least, digito monstrare, & dicier hic est.  
Secondly, The prophecies of the New Testament, are like those of Daniel in the Old; shut and sealed up, till the Time of the fulfilling; according to that of Saint Augustine; Prophetias implericitius quam intelligi; that prophecies are fulfilled before they are understood; agreeing with that (Rev. 1. 3.) blessed is he that reads and understands, for the time is at hand; 'Tis the speech of Irenaeus 
a Omnes prophetiae priusquam habent efficaciam, aenigmata sunt homi●ibus, sed cum venerit tempus, & evenerit quod prephet a●um est, habent liquidam & certam exp siti●nem, etc.  All prophecies before they are fulfilled, are riddles unto men; but as soon as the time is come, and the thing prophesied is come to pass, they have a clear and certain exposition, our apprehension conceives no further than our experience reacheth unto. That old Adage, Veritas est temporis filia, truth is the daughter of time, hath its place here, and in this sense, the day shall declare it; and therefore Andraeas Caesariensis, in his Commentary upon the Revelation, speaking of Babylon, and who should be meant by it, though he had his suspicions, as liviug near the time of the revealing of it; yet suspended his direct application, only saying that the 
b Accuratam calculi notitiam, tempus & experientia r●velabit vigilantibus.  accurate knowledge of the person, time, and experience will reveal it to the diligent observers. What our Saviour said of john the Baptist, for his knowledge of some mysteries foretold in the old Testament, and living after the Prophets, That he was greater than they, and the least of the Ministers of the Gospel by surviving him, to be greater than he; so is it in this sense appliable, to the after-ages of the Fathers, who lived to see the fulfilling, what is foretold of this subject by Saint Paul in the Thessalonians, and Saint john in the Revelations; Which is according to the judgement of Bishop Andrews in his Tortura Torti, page 186. where having fully applied that of Revel. 17. & 18. to the See of Rome, he adds this 
c Minimè verò mir●m, si i●ta quae dixi tam vel clar am, vel cerlam inscriptis patrum interp●aetationem non habeant: Ope●abatur enim modò mysterium tum iniquitatis. Signatus ad●uc liber er●t bujus prophetiae. Verissimum autem verbum est, aenigma esse propheti●m omnem, cum nondum completae est, ut quamvis prisci illi omni genere Charismatum▪ vitae v●rò sanctimonia longo nos intervallo supererarint, mirari tamen non debeat quis, si illis t●m non adeo explicata omnia sue●int qu●m robis per gratiam Dei jam surt, quicon summaetam jam prophe●iam illam qu●tidiè o●usis usurpamus▪ pag. 186.  But it is no wonder, those things which I have said, have not so clear or certain an interpretation in the writings of the Fathers; for it was then a mystery of iniquity; which wrought, the book of this prophecy was as yet sealed up; And it is a most true speech, every prophecy is a riddle, while 'tis not fulfilled. And though those Ancients very much excelled us in all manner of gifts, and specially in the holiness of life, yet no man hath cause to wonder, that all these things did not seem so clear to them, as by the grace of God they are now to us, who do see this prophecy now consummated daily before our eyes.  
Certainly, while Rome continued in its purity, the Fathers of that age, might well have wondered with great admiration, as Saint john himself did, and look upon it as incredulous, that it should have degenerated into that pride, Idolatry, Murder, and become the Mother of all abominations, etc. even as we would at this day, if the like should be foretold, of England, which hath been so famous for Religion, in being a shelter for such as have been persecuted by the See of Rome, abounded with writers against it, and the chief Church of the reformed Religion, in opposition to Popery. I say if any should take upon him a spirit of prophecy, in averring it should in time be an advancer of Popery, and be utterly overrun with it, and become a persecutor of such as should oppose the errors of it; the sink of Heresy, Schism, and profaneness, etc. would not we who now live, be as far from believing the report, as Hazael was at what was told him by the Prophet concerning himself.  
But Thirdly, There are some grounds out of the ancient Fathers, which may be accounted as foundations, whereupon to build this application the more firmly; being (as Bishop Andrews saith) a wonder they should see so much, looking on these things only, quasi per transennam.  
Tertullian, who lived about 400 years before the Emperor, was cast out of Rome, in the Exposition of that (2 Thes. 2. 9) and now ye know what withholdeth, or who letteth. verse 7. he who now letteth, will let till he be taken out of the way, saith this; 
d Quis nisi Romanus Status, cujus abscessio i● decem Reges dispersa, Antichristum superinducet, & tunc revelabitur iniquus.  Who can this be, but the Roman Empire, whose removal out of Rome, being dispersed into 10 Kingdoms, must usher in Antichrist, and then shall the wicked one be revealed; what he saith in his Apology for the Christians to the Emperor Severus, who was afraid of the multiplying of them, as Pharaoh was of the Israelites in Egypt, hath been touched already in the former Treatises, where the principal argument against any such fear is this. viz. The 
e Christianis necessitatem incumbere orandi pro Imperatoribus, etiam pro omni statu Imperii, rebúsque Romans; quoth vim maximam universo orbi imminentem a●●erbitates horrendas comminentem Romani Imperii commeatu scimus retardari Apol. c. 32. Commeatum dicere solet Tertullianus, spatium temporis praescriptum, etc. Vid. Down●am Epise. Derens. le Antichristo. lib. 2.  Christians have need to pray for the Emperor, and even for the whole State of the Empire, and the Roman affairs, in regard we know the greatest mischief hanging over the whole world, threatening horrible and bitter things, to be retarded by the continuance of the Roman Empire: which being compared with the former exposition, must be meant in the same sense, and is so applied by Bishop Abbot (demonstrat. Antichristi. n. 92.)  
Cyril Hierosolymitanus, and Ambrose say the like upon the same place, (2 Thes. 2.) Then shall that wicked one be revealed, viz. cum completa fuerint tempora Romani Imperii; post defectum Romani regni appariturum, etc. i. e. he shall appear after the failing of the Roman Empire, for, as long as that stands, he dares not appear. Saint chrysostom upon the same 
f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. id est, Imperium Romanum, quando è medio sublaetum fuerit; tunc venit ille, etc. & vacantem Imperii principatum invadet & te●tabit ad se rapere, & hominum, & Dei Imperium.  this can be no other than the Roman Empire, for as long as that stands, he dares not show himself, but upon the vacancy of that, he shall attempt to take to himself both the power of God and man, which how it fits the Papacy, may easily be discerned; Saint Jerome hath much to this purpose in divers places. In his answer to the 11. q. ad Algasiam, expounding that passage, ye know who letteth, etc. remember what I told you when I was with you, etc. he saith 
g Nen vult apertè di●ere. Romanum Imperium destruc●dum, quia tum adversum Christianos, rabiem conci●asset persecutionis.  he could not openly name the Roman Emperor, lest it should have caused a cruel persecution against the Christians (who imagined their Empire to have been without end) and refers them to what they had from him by word of mouth; And indeed there was none but the Roman Empire, that could then either have let, or hindered the man of sin from that presumptuous tyranny, or that the Apostle had cause to be cautious in naming, for fear of raising that molestation of the Christians. And in his Epistle ad Gaudentium; hearing that Rome was taken by the Goths and Vandals, and saw the Western Empire declining, he was looking for the man of sin to have sprung up in his room, at least, expected his birth then; So accordingly Saint Augustine, in his twentieth book de Civitate Dei, cap. 19 makes it to be a matter out of doubt, (nullus ambigit) that the successor to the Emperor in Rome, shall be the man of sin: The same saith 
h (Donec de medi● f●●t,) d●nec regnum quod nuac te●et de medi● auferatur: h●c de Imperio Romàno dictum est & propterea Paulum non id apertè scribere voluisse, ne calum●ia● incurra●, quod Romano Imperio malè ●ptaverit.  Primasius and 
i To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, tenet) intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quod prohibet, vel impedimento est; quid. nam autem est illud, ●isi Romanum Imperium, etc. nisi enim hoc solvetur, iste non veniet, etc.  Oecumenius upon the place, as Theophilact (who usually follows Saint chrysostom:) unto which diverse more might be added. But by this ye see the consent of the Fathers to the first 400 years for the time and place of revealing him; That though some lived 200 years, others 400. before the Emperor was cast out of Rome; yet they believed it should be: and though it cannot be expected they should directly name the person before he was in being, yet that Rome must be the place, and that he that should succeed the Roman Emperor, in it must be the person, they agree in. So much for clearing it from the aspersion of Novelty.  
2. Now secondly, to take off the aspersion of singularity, for which there are a multitude of votes this way, of such writers who lived after the Emperor was put out of Rome, and the Bishop of Rome had succeeded him, viz. after the 600 years after Christ. It would be endless to relate the Authors, who have given their testimony both in the exposition, and application of that of the 2 Thessalonians 2. to the See of Rome; Baronius himself acknowledgeth in the general, that there was not an age, but some learned man or other appeared in it accordingly, and even some of their own Communion. And about a thousand years after Christ, when the man of sin was come to the height, according to the description of him, foretold by Saint Paul, there were abundance. 
* Avent Annal. Boior. l. 5. p. 455.  Aventinus, who was one of their own) tells us in his Annals, there were many of the Germane Bishops and Pastors in Gregory the seventh's time, that preached it throughout Germany, applying the whole prophecy of Saint Paul to the Bishop of Rome. 
k Ibid▪ p. 470.  Qui titulo Christi, negotium Antichristi agitat, who under the title of Christ, doth the work of Antichrist. Nay, saith he, Pler●que omnes boni, justi, ingenui, Imperium Antichristi coepisse, eo tempore cernebant. i e. that all good men and ingenuous, for the most part discerned it at that time.  
A. 1100. a Bishop of Florence so publicly averred it, Antichristum advenisse, & in Ecclesia dominari; That the Bishop of Rome Paschalis the second (an. 1105.) was feign to convocate a Council at Florence, to silence him. Eberhardus Archiepiscopus Salisburiensis in Germany, in a great meeting of Bishops, applieth to the then Bishop of Rome, Gregory the seventh, divers passages in 2 Thes. 2. among which he hath this speech, speaking of the Bishop of Rome. Perditus ille homo, quem Antichristum vocare solent, in cujus fronte scriptum est; Deus sum, errare non possum, in Templo Dei sedet; i. e. That wicked one, whom they use to call Antichrist, (it seems it was a common Title given in those days to him as now) in whose forehead is written, I am God, I cannot err, he sits in the Temple of God, etc. And applies divers of the passages of the Revelation, 17. & 18. accordingly, Imperator vana appellatio & sola umbra est, Reges decem pariter existunt, qui Romanum quondam imperium partiti sunt, etc. Decem Cornua (id quod D. Augustino incredibile visum est) Romanas provincias possident, etc. i. e. See, the Emperor is a vain title, a mere shadow. Ten Kings have parted the Roman Empire among them, signified by the ten horns (which seemed incredible to Saint Augustine) Turks, Greeks, Egypt, Africa, Spain, France, England, Germany, Sicily, Italy, etc. Avent. Annal. lib. 7. 547.  
Honorius Augustadunensis 
m Ad calcem ●. Tom. Auctarii. Bibliothec▪ Elit. Paris. 16●0.  in anno 1120. applies the prophecy of the Beast, and Babylon in the Revelation to Rome, and the Pope. Bernardus Cluniacensis calls the Pope the King of Babylon, joachimus' Abbess 
n Vide Rog. Hoved●n.  in Richard the first's time, (anno 1190.) set forth his Theses, and maintained publicly, Antichristum jam natum esse in civitate Romana, & in Seed Apostolica sublimatum. i e. Antichrist to be now born in the City of Rome, and promoted in the Apostolic See. Johannis Sarisburiensis a Monk (anno 1150.) did the like. 
o Matth. Pa●●s.  Richard Grosthead that learned, pious, and eminent Bishop of Lincoln; anno 1253. made an excellent Oration to that purpose, a little before his death, Papam esse Antichristum, and the last words of men are the more memorable. Gulielmus Ockam, anno 1350. wrote to Clement the sixth, and publicly charged that See with Heresy and Antichr●stianisme.  
Franciscus Petrarcha, An. 1347. in Epist. 18. etc. applies the prophecy of the Babilonish harlot to Rome, not Heathen, but Papal, the then Court of Rome in these words; Tu es, famosa dicam, an infamis, meretrix, fornicata cum Regibus Terrae, illa equidem ipsa es, quam in spiritu sacer vidit Evangelista, illa eadem inquam es, & non alia, sedens super aquas multas, (i. e.) Thou art the famous, should I say or infamous harlot, which hast committed fornication with the Kings of the Earth; thou art the very same which in the spirit the holy Evangelist saw (i. e. john,) thou art I say the same, and not another, sittingupon many waters, etc.  
Besides, throughout these ages, from the year 1100. how many were there of those, whom the See of Rome 
p Non defueran● etiam in omnibus terris numer●si pi●rum coetus, qui toto sol●● Satins tem poor bell●m Antichrists indixerunt: cujusmodi erant, quos Papistae (cum primum sectae authorem à quo denominarentur, invenire n●n possent) à quodam Petro Waldo Lugdunensi Waldenfium & pauper●m Lugdunensium n●mina. indide●unt. Usserius Arch. Armach. de Eccles. Christ. success. & fla●. p. 150.  called Waldenses, whom Reynerus confessethto have filled France, Spain, Italy, and most of those Western parts; they with one mouth declared accordingly, thousands of them suffering death by that See, upon that account, whom we find then in most points consenting with us, and declaring against most of the errors of the Church of Rome: being guiltless of those scandals put upon them by Sanders, Cocci●s, and specially F. Parsons, which are fully cleared by the late Archbishop of Armagh, in his book de Eccles. Christi. Success. & statu. p. 159. even by the testimony of their own Authors; their witness agreeing not together. For john Wickleiffe our Countryman, one of great learning and piety, 'tis known sufficiently to have been his judgement and declaration, as those succeeding him, johannes Purveius, john Hus, Savanorola, and divers others, long before Luther's time, after which, it was more generally received in the reformed Churches, and the most learned men of each, whom time would fail me, so much as to name. Only as we have given you the votes of our own countryman and others, while they lived under the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, so let me add the votes of the most eminent of our English Bishops, since the withdrawing ourselves from him, that it may the rather appear, that the judgement of the Primate concurres with the rest of his brethren before him.  
Bishop jewel that learned Bishop of Sarisbury, in his Exposition of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, cap. 2. is very large in the application of the whole prophecy, to the See of Rome, as that of the vision of Saint john concerning Babylon, p. 373. etc. Concludes that Antichrist, shall not be a jew but a Christian, not a King, but a Bishop, and a holy Father, and should wear a Mitre. For on whom (saith he) should an Army of Priests attend (as Gregory the great a Bishop of Rome prophesied of Antichrist) but upon a Bishop, and an universal Bishop, at least one so claiming that universality; see his recollection of the whole: pag. 319. wondering any man should doubt of it; 'tis so apparent. And what he saith, p. 279. viz. that he knew what he should speak, would be ill taken of many, such affection they bear to him, whom the Apostle deciphers to be Antichrist (though I shall say nothing, but what, the holy scriptures, and learned writings of the Fathers have left unto us, and which the Church of God hath at this time proved to be true) will be found I fear also in many of this age, whose inclinations are too much declared in the defence of that See, in this particular.  
Bishop Abbot one of his successors, Bishop of Sarisbury) in that book of his called Antichristi demonstratio, which were his Lectures at Oxford, is as full also. Wherein at his entrance, having spoken of the name of Antichrist, and given some descriptiption of him, he adds these words; 
Haec ve 〈◊〉 netatio nominis Antichristi, si illam integram accip●amus quadratin illum optimè, quem esse ●erum illum Antichristum (D●n juvante) demonstra●●mus: Rom●num dico Purtifi●●m, qui se esse caput Ecclesiae Christi, Christi vicem implere glori●●ur.  All which are most fitly to be applied to him, whom (with God's assistance) we shall demonstrate to be the very Antichrist, I say the Bishop of Rome, who arrogates unto himself, to be the head of the Church of Christ, and his Vicegerent, etc. and p. 92. wonders at the blindness of men, like Owls at noon day, not to see it accordingly.  
Archbishop Whitgift in his defence of the Answer to the Admonition, often applies the Title of Antichrist to the Bishop of Rome, as a thing taken for granted. See Tract. 8. p. 349. where having spoken much of him before, he thus concludes. I know that those Sects and Heresies gave strength unto Antichrist, and at the length were one special means of placing him in his throne, even as also I am persuaded that he worketh as effectually at this day by your stirs and contentions, whereby he hath and will more prevail against this Church of England, then by any other means whatsoever. Therefore it behoveth you to take heed how you divide the Army of Christ, which should unanimitèr, fight against that Antichrist. That he means the See of Rome none can doubt.  
Whosoever shall read Bishop Andrews his Tortura Torti, cannot but conceive his judgement to be the same, Where he hath many of the observations, which have been mentioned already from the situation on seven hills, and the 7 head governments. And p. 183. upon the grant on both sides that Babylon is Rome; 
p De eo tantum nobis lis erit jam quae●am illa ibi Roma Babylon, aut Roma quo tempore Babylon esse coeperit; Cuirei tot ibi circumstantias adhibet S. Johannes, vix ut in ea errare ●uiquam contingat. Qu● enim Babylon ibi, eadem meretrix magna dicitur, etc. Edoctum antem ibi se dicit Johannes à spiritu de rebus quae venturae essent. Quod si jam Romam ibi (quo tu sensu vis) designavit, nihil venturum edocuit spiritus; Ethnica enim tum Roma in Auge erat vel maximè. Propheticus verò is liber totus haberi solet, etc. nimis autem illa misella tum prophetia foret, si praediceret fore, ut persequeretur Rom● Christianos ●idit ver● hoc priusquam in Paethmos relega●us esset, etc. p. 183, 184. and p. 185. De ca Roma quae veneficiis seducit, quae agnum specie refert, scriptam tamen in front blasphemiam, in Temph Dei sedet, cujus merces hominum animae; quam decem Reges igne concrematuri sunt ad perniciem sempiternam; quae per pseudo prophetam suam vim habet signa faciendi. Verè à To●● dicitur Romam Christianam perditam non iri: Non cer●è sed illam Antichristianam scili●et, etc.  he states the question for the time, and resolves it cannot be Rome Ethnic, for than it had been no prophecy, it being at that time a persecutor of the Christians, and a shedder of the blood of the Saints, which Saint John then had the experience of himself, with divers other arguments from her enchantments, manner of destruction, making merchandise of souls, the persons which shall burn her, which could not agree to Heathen Rome; Adding to be the same beast, which hath horns like the lamb, sits in the Temple (or Church) of God, exalts himself above all that is called God, one that was not in being in Saint John's time, pretendeth to to the working of miracles; and so concludes, that though Rome Christian may not go into perdition, yet Rome Antichristian shall, which hath been drunk with the blood of the Saints, and the Martyrs of jesus, etc.  
Bishop Bilson on in his book of the difference, between Christian subjection, and unchristian Rebellion, delivers his judgement often accordingly, as a matter out of controversy, affirming the Tyranny of Rome to be the power of darkness, and kingdom of Antichrist, applying the pride of the Papacy, to that of the man of sin, exalting himself in the Temple of God. 2 Thessaly. 2. It was, saith he, the ancient device and drift of Antichrist, to make himself mighty: when it was first attempted by Hildebrand (Greg. 7.) and now coloured by the Papists, with the name of Religion. p. 527. 817. etc.  
Bishop Hall, that elegant and pious Bishop of Norwich, hath much to this purpose, dispersed throuh his works. (No peace with Rome, Sect. 1.) Look on the face of the Roman Church, she is Gods and ours, look on the back, she is quite contrary Antichristian. Sect. 22. shall we ever grow to that height of madness, as to come from the Standard of God to the tents of the Roman Antichrist. The heavens shall pass away by a change, Rome by a destruction, not a change. (The Honour of the married Clergy) Were it not for this opinion (i. e. the forbidding it) the Church of Rome would want one evident brand of her Antichristianisme. (Sect. 15.) Speaking of a Popish Priest; Well doth it become the son of that Babylonish strumpet, the lips drenched in the cup of those fornications, etc. and abundance of the like, might be produced.  
Bishop Downham, the learned Bishop of Derry in Ireland, (from whose mouth I have heard sufficiently that way) in his book entitled Papa Antichristus, is the most large of any we have yet named, dividing his discourse into the description of the place and person, and the designation of the time, out of the 2 Thess. 2. and Revelat. 17. and all directly applied by him to the See of Rome.  
Bishop Morton, that famous and Reverend Bishop of Durham, (coetaneous with the former) and yet living, hath much of this in divers parts of his works.  
Bishop Davenant, the eminent Bishop of Sarisbury, and professor of Divinity at Cambridge, hath often declared his judgement accordingly, in his Determinations pag. 24. Pontifex Maximus Antichristianam suam superbiam, etc. audacia plusquam Antichristianâ, etc. Vniversalem Papae jurisdictionem in totam Ecclesiam, non esse jure divino, sed usurpatione Antichristiana.  
Bishop Prideaux, in his Lectures saith the like often, specially in that de Antichristo, that he cannot be the Turk, but the Pope, &c, Unto which Bishops might be added, the votes of many other learned orthodox and Episcopal men, whose judgements have been declared accordingly: As that learned Professor of Divinity, Doctor Samuel Ward, in his Lectures and Determinations at Cambridge, lately printed: specially in those three questions, Romana Ecclesia est Idololatrica; Apostasia à Paulo praedicta, est adimpleta; Romana Ecclesia est schismatica, i. e. 1. The Roman Church is Idolatrous. 2. The Apostasy foretold by Saint Paul, is fulfilled. 3. The Roman Church is schismatical. Thus concluding in relation to the See of Rome. Haec scilicet est illa Babylon, quae in cord suo dicit sedeo regina, sola sum, & non est praeter me. i e. This is that Babylon which saith in her heart, I sit as a Queen, I am only, & there is none besides me. And who knows not (till of later years) how both the Universities in their public disputations, and determinations, abounded in their conclusions accordingly.  
I shall only add the judgement of that meek and judicious man, Mr. Hooker, see his Treatise of Justification, Sect. 10. God hath spoken by his Angel from heaven to his people concerning Babylon, (by Babylon we understand the Church of Rome) Go out of her my people, that ye be not partaker of her plagues, he expounds the going out of her to be specially meant, out of Popish superstitions and heresies, calling the maintainers of them Popish Heretics, and by plagues, not only temporal but eternal. Sect. 20. compares the Pope to jeroboam, Rome to Samaria, that played the Harlot, etc. Sect. 27. speaking of the Bishop of Rome, and the Church of Rome, adds this. As Frenzy, though it take away the use of reason, doth notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it, because none can be frantic but they, so Antichristianity being the bane and plain overthrow of Christianity, may nevertheless argue the Church wherein Antichrist sitteth, to be christian. Sect▪ 57 God did in all ages keep his elect from worshipping the Beast, and from receiving his mark in their foreheads; he hath and will preserve them from receiving any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sin, whose deceit hath prevailed over none unto death, but only such as never loved the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessal. 2 Sect. 35. speaking of Christ's mercy to the worst of men upon their repentance, saith thus; if a Pope, stripped of usurped power, Antichrist converted, penitent, and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ, etc. shall I think Christ will spurn at him. In his Sermon on Saint jude, Sect. 14. He calls the Pope the man of sin, and son of perdition, who hath fawned upon the Kings and Princes of the earth, and by spiritual cozenage proclaiming sale of Pardons, etc. hath taken the children of the Noblest families, and made them his Cardinals, built Seminaries; and hereby as at this day, the man of sin wars against us, etc. with the cup of whose deadly abominations, this jeroboam of whom we speak, hath made the earth so drunk, that it hath reeled under us, etc. Now of whom the Prophet speaketh this; whether of the Bishop of Rome, or some other man, needs no further resolution, and so much for Mr. Hooker.  
And whether or no, those of the Remonstrants are of a contrary judgement (which some call the Arminian party) 'tis apparent, Arminius himself consented with the aforesaid Bishops and Authors, 
s Thes 31. De Pontifice R●mano, & praecipuis qui i●si attribuuntur titulis. S. 12. Adversarii parro Dei, & Antich●isti nomen ipsi compe●ere evidentissima ratione monstratur. Prius enim illi Apostolus 〈◊〉, quum appellat illum homi●nem peccati filium perdition●s; adversar●um & efferentem se supra vel contra omne id quod dicitur Deus aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; it a ut in temple Dei, tanquam Deus sedeat▪ prae se ferens se esse Deum: qui ex collapso Imperio Romano exu●get, ejusque vacantem dignitatem, occ●p●bat; haec enim 〈…〉 Romano s●la intelligenda esse, & intelligi posse asserimus. Antichristi ver● nomen il●i compete● excellentissimè, siuè particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppositionem, sive unius re● pro altera substitutionem, vel legitimè factam aut per vim & fraud's, &c significat. S. 13. i. e. Omni instiumentor●m Satanicorum genere usus est sophistica hypocris●, men●aciis, aequ●v●cationibus, perfidia, perjuriis, violentia, veneno, a●mis; adeo ut merito dici possit, bestiae illi formidabili quae Pardo, Vrso, Le●●i, similis est, & quâ Romanum Imperium significatum est, successisse, etc. Faxit Deus ut Ecclesia ab Antichristi fraudibus & Tyra●nide liberetur; Religiosae sapientiae est, Curiam Romanam, a● Ecclesia in q●â P●ntifex sedea● interstinguere, etc.  in his 31. Theol. disput. entitled: Of the Bishop of Rome, and of the chief Titles which are attributed unto him. Wherein after the rejection of the title given unto him by his favourites as blasphemous, and asserting his deserts of others, viz. the false Prophet (Revel. 19 20. cap. 16. 23. cap. 12. 14.) Which did wonders before the beast, out of whose mouth three impure spirits came forth; The overthrower and destroyer of the Church in matters of faith and worship, and raising of divisions between Princes and their subjects. S. 12. he asserts the name of Autichrist, most evidently to belong unto him: for the Apostle gives it unto him (2 Thessaly. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.) where he there calls him, the man of siu, the son of perdition, that opposeth and exalts himself above, or against all that is called God or worship, sitting in the Temple of God, and saying he is God; who upon the fall of the Roman Empire, should rise up in his stead; and take his vacant dignity. That these (saith he) are to be understood of the Bishop of Rome, and are to be understood of him only; we do affirm. And for the name of Antichrist, that most specially 'tis appliable to him, whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be understood by way of opposition to Christ, a pretended substitution, or a subordination in his stead, etc. Sect. 13. He hath made use of all sorts of instruments, hypocrisies, lies, equivocations, treacheries, perjuries, poison, force, and arms; that he may well be said to have succeeded that beast, like to a Leopard, a Bear, and a Lion. Revel. 13. 2. by which the Roman Empire is signified, whose Image he bore; and brought it to pass, whosoever would not worship the image of the beast, should be put to death, etc. and concludes with a prayer, that God would grant; that the Church might be delivered from the fraud and tyranny of Antichrist. And so much for the judgement of Arminius.  
Now, that the Divines of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, do generally accord also in it; need not to be inserted being sufficiently known, such as Daneus, Franciscus-Iunius, Tilenus, Morneus, Viguierus, Rivetus, Chamerus, etc. The Reformed Church of France, have made it one of their Articles in their confession, as ●e may find in Chamier (Paustrat. Cathol. Tom. 2. lib. 16. de Antichristo cap. 1.) where he gives you the words of the 31, Article conceived in Synodo Papinsensi, owned by him to be the confession of the reformed Churches in France, in these words following.  

t ●ùm Episcop●s Romanus, erecta sibi i● orbe Christiano Monarchia, dominationem usurpet in omnes Ecclesias & pastors, in tantam erectus superbiam,  Whereas the Bishop of Rome having erected to himself a Monarchy over the Christian world, doth usurp a Dominion over all Churches and Pastors; and hath rose to such a height of pride, as to call himself 
1 ut Deum se dicat, [Can. satis dist. 96. lib. 1. Sac●ar. Cerem. cap. de Benedictiensis.] veli●q●e  God, will be 
2 ad●rari, [Concil. Lateran●ult. Se●●. 1. 3. 9, ●] omnemque tribui sibi potestatem in 〈◊〉 & in terra, res Ecclesiasticas o●nes disp●nat; articulos fi lei definiat: Scripturarum author●ta●em, atque interpretationem à se esse, dicat, animarum 〈◊〉 exerceat; veta juramentáque dispenset, novos Dei cultus, i●stituat; Tum in civilibus, legi ●mam magistratu●um au●h●itatem pedib●s sub● got, 〈◊〉, ablatis, 〈◊〉 Imperiis. Credimus atque asserimus esse verum illum & G●rman●m Antichrist●m, perditicnis filium, pron●nciatum in verbo 〈◊〉 Meretricem purpuratam it siden●em septem 〈◊〉 in ●ogna civitate; quae regnum 〈◊〉 in Reges terrae: Expecta●●sque dum Dominus pr●ut pr●●sit ac jam coepit, confici●ns cum spirituoris sui, tandem ill●st●● adventu suo aboleat.  adored, and all power to be given him in heaven and earth; disposeth of all Ecclesiastical things; defines Articles of Faith, saith the authority of the Scripture, and the interpretation of it, to be from him; maketh Merchandise of souls, dispenseth with vows and oaths; institutes new worships of God. As also in civil affairs, treads upon the lawful authority of the Magistrate, in giving, taking away, translating of Empires; We do believe, and assert him to be the very proper Antichrist, son of perdition foretold in the word of God, the scarlet harlot, sitting on seven mountains in the great city; which hath obtained a rule over the Kings of the earth: and we do expect when the Lord according to his promise, and as he hath begun, will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth, and at length abolish with the brightness of his coming.  
And Maresius in his preface to the Answer of Hugo Grotius his Observations upon the 2 Thes. 2. and other places gives us the like Article, agreed upon in Synodo Nationali Gapensi. Anno 1604. which hath very little or no difference from the former, and so needless to be repeated. Which do fully agree with the Synod of Ireland, by by the Archbishops and Bishops, and the rest of the Clergy there in the Convocation holden at Dublin, 1615. num. 80. viz. The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supreme head of the Universal Church of Christ, that his works and doctrine, do plainly discovar him to be the man of sin, foretold in holy Scripture, whom the Lord shall consnme with the spirit of his mouth, and abolish with the brightness of his coming.  
The former Synod may possibly be undervalved with some, by bearing the name of Presbyterian; but seeing it consents with the latter which was Episcopal, why may it not be an introduction to a further moderation between them in other matters. And it stands but with justice; that if Presbytery have had a hand in the match of Episcopacy with Popery, (which seems to have been without consent of parties) it should upon this evidence be the more forward in assisting in the divorce.  
Now in regard that abovesaid Article of the Church of Ireland, confirmed by the judgement of the late Primate, hath been objected against by Doctor Heylene for that (as he saith) there is no such doctrine in the book of Articles, nor in any public monument, or record of the Church of England, but the contrary rather. ● shall cite some passages out of the book of Homilies, which are approved by the book of Articles, as a larger declaration of the Doctrine of the Church of England, and leave it to the Readers judgement.  
In the third part of the Sermon of good works, speaking against the Popish singing of Trentals, and the superstitious Orders in the Church of Rome, introduced to serve the Papacy, these words are as followeth: viz. Honour be to God, who did put light in the heart of King Henry the eighth; to put away all such superstitions, and Pharisaical Sects, by Antichrist invented, etc. which can be meant of no other, but the See of Rome; by the words not long after. viz. Let us rehearse some other kinds of Papistical superstitions, etc. In the second part of the Sermon of salvation, speaking against the Popish opinion of justification by works; these words are as followeth. justification is not the office of man, but of God; for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works, neither in part, nor in the whole, for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man, that Antichrist could set up against God, etc. and so accounts it not the doctrine of a Christian, that sets forth Christ's glory, but of him that is an adversary to Christ, and his Gospel; and a setter forth of man's vainglory, etc. And that passage in the third part of the Sermon against the peril of Idolatry, p. 69. I leave to the Readers judgement, if the sense can be understood, otherwise then of the See of Rome, in these words following. viz. Now concerning (popish) excessive decking of Images and Idols, with painting, gild, adorning with precious vestures, pearls and stones, what is it else but for the further provocation and enticement to spiritual fornication; which the Idolatrous Church, understandeth well enough. For she being indeed, not only an harlot (as the Scripture calls her) but also a foul, filthy, old harlot (for she is indeed of ancient years) and understanding her lack of nature and true beauty, and great loathsomeness, which of herself she hath; she doth (after the custom of such harlots) paint herself, and deck and tyre herself with gold, pearl, stone, and all kind of precious jewels, that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them, may please the foolish fantasy of fond lovers, and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her. Who if they saw her (I will not say naked) but in simple apparel, would abhor her, as the foulest, and filthiest harlot that ever was seen; According as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great strumpet of all strumpets, the Mother of whoredoms, set forth by Saint john in his Revelation (Apoc. 17.) who by her glory provoked the Princes of the earth, to commit whoredom with her, &c, and it followeth, pag. 77. And it is not enough to deck Idols, but at the last, come in the Priests themselves likewise decked with gold and pearl, and with a solemn pace, they pass forth before these golden puppets, and fall down to the ground on their marrowbones before the sehonourable Idols, and then rising up again, offer up odours and incense to them: etc. He that reads the whole, cannot judge of it to be meant otherwise, then of the Papacy.  
And if the fifth and sixth part of the Sermon against wilful rebellion be viewed, there will be found such a large narration of the pride and ambition of the Bishop of Rome, that there will not need any further help to an application of that 2 Thes. 2. to him, which thus beginneth, viz. After that ambition and desire of dominion, entered once into Ecclesiastical Ministers, whose greatness (after the doctrine and the example of our Saviour) should chiefly stand in humbling themselves; And that the Bishop of Rome did by intolerable ambition challenge, not only to be the head of all the Church dispersed throughout the world, but also to be Lord of all kingdoms of the world, as is expressly set forth in the book of his own Canon-Lawes. He became at once the spoiler and destroyer both of the Church, which is the kingdom of our Saviour Christ, and of the Christian Empire, and all Christian kingdoms, as an universal Tyrant over all. The particulars of whose actions to that end, are there related. viz. The Bishop of Rome stirring up subjects to rebel against their Sovereign Lords, even the Son against the Father, pronouncing such Schismatics, and persecuting them, who resused to acknowledge his abovesaid challenge of supreme authority over them; discharging them from their oath of fidelity made not only to the Emperor, but to other Kings and Princes throughout Christendom. The most cruel and bloody wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all kingdoms: the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian men, being slain by Christians, the loss of so many great Cities, Countries, Dominions, and Kingdoms, sometimes possessed by Christians in Asia, Africa, and Europe; The miserable fall of the Empire, and Church of Greece, sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom, into the hands of the Turks; The lamentable diminishing, decay and ruin of Christian Religion: and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly, which is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Rome's own favourites and friends to be seen, claiming also to have divers Princes and Kings to their vassals, liege men, and subjects, etc. behaving themselves more like Kings and Emperors in all things, than remained like Priests, Bishops and Ecclesiastical; or, (as they would be called) spiritual persons in any one thing at all, etc. and so concludes with an exhortation of all good subjects, knowing those the special instruments of the Devil, to the stirring up of all Rebellion, to avoid and flee them.  
Is not this a full description of the pride of that man of sin. 2 Thess. 2. in exalting himself above all Kings and Princes, and that son of perdition (being understood actively:) who was the cause of the perdition, or loss of so many thousands of Christian men's lives.  
And in the sixth part of the same Sermon, you have a more particular relation of the Bishop of Rome's bloodshed, (according to the description of that Harlot, Revel. 17. 6.) in these words. viz. And as these ambitio●s usurpers the Bishops of Rome, have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian blood, shed by the rebellims of ignorant subjects against their natural Lords and Emperors, whom they have stirred thereunto by false pretences: so is there no Country in Christendom, which by the like means of false pretences, hath not been over-sprinkled with the blood of subjects, by rebellion against their natural Sovereigns, stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome, etc. And in conclusion, as the Sermon often entitles the Bishops of Rome, unsatiable wolves, and their Adherents, Romish greedy wolves; so doth it in special call the See of Rome, the babylonical beast, in these words; viz. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindness, ignorance and superstition of the English in King John's time, and how much they were inclined to worship the babylon beast of Rome, and to fear all his threatenings, and causeless curses, he abused them thus, etc.  
I have transcribed these the more largely out of the Book of Homilies, both that such as have rejected them as Popish may see their error, and those that now so much favour the See of Rome, that they call such language railing, may have their mouths stopped, being it is from the mouth of the Church of England in her Homilies, which is a good warrant for her sons to say after her.  
Let the Reader judge whether these passages do not confirm, rather than contradict, or be contrary (as Doctor Heylene saith) to the Articles of Ireland, and the Primates judgement of the See of Rome.  
I shall only allege one passage more, and that is in the conclusion of the second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday. viz. Wicked and nought were the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part, as doth well appear by the story of their lives, and therefore worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets, and false Christ's, which deceived the world a long while, the Lord defend us from their Tyranny and pride, that they may never enter into this Vineyard again; but that they may be utterly confounded, and put to flight in all parts of the world. And he of his great mercy so work, that the Gospel of his Son may be truly preached to the beating down of sin, death, the Pope, the Devil, and all the kingdom of Antichrist, etc.  
This latter passage is only produced by Doctor Heylene, as an evidence, that the Pope is not declared to be Antichrist, either here, or any where else, in the book of Articles or Homilies, which how the force of it can be extended so far beyond its own sphere, both not appear: For his principal argument, that he finds here the Pope and Antichrist, distinguished as much as the Devil and the Pope. 'Tis answered, The destiuction here is not between the Pope and Antichrist, but between him and his Antichristian kingdom; for the words are not, the Pope, the Devil, and Antichrist; but, and all the kingdom of Antichrist. That Universality (all) comprehending both head and members. And if we should allow a Duumvirate, (in the Pope and Devil) for the government of that kingdom, one as the visible head, the other as the invisible, or the one him that reigneth; the other by whom he receiveth power so to do: (Rev. 13. 4.) both might be thus owned without infringing the title of either: Howsoever 'tis not the arguings from such niceties in the placing of words (which the book of Homilies, are not strict in, as might be showed in several instances) but the observation of the scope and drift of the place, the comparing it with others, the concurrence of the judgement of several eminent Bishop's aforecited, (who cannot be imagined to declare against the doctrine of it) will carry the sense of it accordingly, with the judicious and unbiased Reader: and so much for the book of Homilies.  
Unto which I might also add the opinion of some learned men, living and dying within the outward communion of the Church of Rome. To instance only in Padrio Paulo, who wrote the History of the Council of Trent: After whose stabbing by an Emissary from Rome, many of the Clergy of Venice, broke out into that application, calling that See Impura, insana, superba, meretrix, pestis, ac lues mortalium; and her ruin to be expected, according to Rvelat. 18. Some of the verses are printed at the end of the Interdict writ by Padrio Paulo, and translated out of Italian into Latin by Bishop Bedell, who was often an ear-witnsse when he lived in those parts of divers learned men, producing that of 2 Thes. 2. the man of sin who exalts himself above all, etc. and shall sit in the ●emple of God, etc. both as an argument that the Bishop of Rome is the person sitting; and that those who are oppressed, and tyrannised over by him, are 
u 
Calvin. Epist. 104. Under the Papacy some Church, remaineth, a Church crazed, forlorn, mistaken, yet some Church, his reason, is, Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God, which is cited by Mr. Hooker. Instit. Sect. 27.  
Geh●●i a man though overrun with a Leprosy, and to be shunned as unclean.  
Antichristianismus est morbus in Christianism●.   the Church of God, and from thence rejecting any application to mohammed, and fixing it upon the Bishop of Rome, some questioning, Is it he, or shall we look for another; others saying, (as the Jews of the blind man) This is one very like him, but many, This is he?) which puts me in mind of the confident assertion of Cardinal Perron, who affirms that whosoever maintaineth this wicked doctrine, that Popes have no power to put Kings by their supreme thrones, they teach men to believe that there hath not been any Church for many ages past, and that indeed the Church is the very Synagogue of Antichrist; and the Pope in good consequence to be the Antichrist; which Oration the Cardinal himself addressed to King james, upon a supposition, it might have converted him. See King james Preface, to the defence of the right of Kings 
* The words of the Cardinal are these. viz. by this Article (i. e. that Kings are not deposable by the Pope) we are cast headlong into a manifest heresy, as binding us to confess, that for many ages past, the Catholic Church hath been banished out of the whole world; for if the Champions of the doctrine contrary to this Article, do hold an impious & detestable opinion, contrary to God's word, then doubtless the Pope for so many hundred years expired, hath not been the head of the Church, but an heretic, and the Antichrist. p. 453. .  
Now whereas both sides (as you have heard) are agreed upon the place, to be Rome (which checks the fancy of such as would apply it to Constantinople, or to persons that never were at either) I shall only confirm it out of one of the Popish Writers, who hath quoted most of the rest (to save the Reader any farther labour, if he hath a mind to satisfy himself in it) 'tis Tyrinus the Jesuit, in his Commentary upon the 17. Revelat. Where comparing the vision of the beast with 7 heads, and 10 horns, cap. 13. with that of the 17. and granting it to be meant of the same, (like Pharaoh's dreams, the seven ears of corn, and the seven kine were both one) then, for the vision there; he saith by the great harlot, whose Mystical name is Babylon, cannot possibly be meant of any other then Rome: 'tis plain (saith he) she sits upon 
* The usual stile of the Sibyl's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. i e. Roma septicollis in Plutarch, & Varro, a Festival among the Romans called dies septem montium. Tertul. in his time calls the people of Rome, the people of the seven hills, Ipsam vernaculam septem collium plebem convenio. Apol. l. 35.  seven Mountains, and reigns over the Kings of the earth, which can agree to no other city besides. And urgeth that place of Saint Peter (2 Peter 5. 13.) the Church which is at Babylon salutes you, to be meant of Rome (for as Bishop Andrew's observes, 
x Ita avidè avent homines ●ii Petrum Romae, alicubi in Scripturâ reperire, poti●s ut Babylone●● velint esse Romam, ubi Pe●●us fuit, quam ut Petrus Romae n●n fuerit. Valde enim illorum interest ad ●aput fidei ut Petrus Romae cred●tur fuisse, etc. Tort. Torti. p 183.  rather than Peter should not be at Rome (which they have slender or no proofs for out of Scripture, but yet is of great consequence to the Papacy) they will confess it to be Babylon.  
And, though 2 Thes. 2. he saith the Temple of God, where the man of sin sits, is jerusalem; yet here his seat of Babylon must be Rome; Produceth the express Testimonies of the Fathers for it, Lactantius, Tertullian, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine, etc. and (saith he) even our heretic's meaning the Protestant Writers (for after the same way he calls heresy; so worship we the God of our Fathers) and in conclusion, produceth most of his own associates, the Writers of the Church of Rome, Sixtus Senensis, Bellarmine, Bozius, Zuarez, Salmeran, Alcazar, unto which I may add, Baronius, 
y Certissimum esse nomine Babylenis Roma●urbem significari. Anno 45. n. 18.  'Tis most certain (saith he) by the name of Babylon, the City of Rome is signified. Ribera in his Commentary upon it, saith the same, adding also 
z Hui● conveniunt aptissimè omnia atque illud inprimis, quod alii conve●ire non potest; optimè etiam convenisse●, quoth in ●odem capite, & mulier quam vidisti est civitas magna, quae habet regnum super reges terr●.  all things fitly agree to it, and somewhat that can be applied to no other than Rome, as The seven heads are seven hills, and, The City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth.  
Viegus saith, 
a Existimamus nomine Babylonis Remanam urbem significari in hoc Apocalypsis opere, ubi toties Babylon nominatur, etc. omnia quae his capitibas memorantur, in Romanam urbem aptissimè quadrant,  We conceive, wheresover Babylon is mentioned in the Revelation, it signifies Rome, and all things in the 17. and 18. Revel. very fitly appliable to it.  
According to that of 
b johannes in Apocalypsi Passim Romam vocat Babylonem ut Tertullianus annotavit, & ●pertè colligitut ex cap. 17. Apocal●p. ubi dicituy Babylon magna sedere suprà septem montes & habere imperium super reges terrae; nec enim alia civitas est, quae Iohannis tempore imperium habuerat super reges terrae quam Roma; & notissimum est supra septem colles Romam aedificatam esse. lib. 3. de Rom. Pont. cap. 13.  Bellarmine (formerly quoted) and Lessius 
c Romaà Johanne vocatur Babylon, quia Babilon fuit figura Romae, quibus verbi● aptè designat Romam.  who saith, john calls Rome Babylon, as being the figure of Rome, and by his words he elearly showeth it to be Rome, All which may well give a check to the Novelty of some among ourselves, who without the ballast of sound or solid judgement, have been carried about with the winds; of other imaginations, which yet I could easily believe, some Popish Agents (upon second thoughts) have had their hands in, to get it driven off the further from their shore; Though how far notwithstanding our aforesaid Writers, and these are from an agreement, in the abovesaid, hath been made apparent in the two former Treatises; viz. Those of the Popish Writers, would have it Rome, while it was Heathen, and the fall to be with the Hearhen Empire; and ours, Rome since it became Christian, and the fall yet to come. Those of ours, who in defence of our Ordination from the scandal of Antichristian, by its passing through the See of Rome, have endeavoured to take off that See, from being such in the aforementioned places; as it was a needless refuge, so the cure is worse than the disease.  
And those, who have with the Popish Writers, yielded the man of sin, and the son of perdition, by that manner of expression; to be meant of a single person, were not forced to it; for it may notwithstanding be meant of a successive race of men, in one place and government; non de unitate individui, sed speciei, according to the like instance in Scripture. Esa. 23. 15. Tyre shall be forgotten 70 years, according to the days of one King. (i. e.) of one Kingdom, viz. The Empire of the Chaldeans, which after Nebuchadnezar and his successors Evelmerodach and● Belshazar, was given to the Medes and Persiaus, and Dan. 7. 17. the 4 beasts are 4 Kings, (i. e.) the four successive Empires, the Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, Roman, as the seven Kings do accordingly, (Rev. 17.) signify seven successive governments, and so the man of sin, may be meant accordingly, not of a particular man, but of a race of men succeeding in that Tyranny; as when they say, the Pope is the Head of the Church, they do not limit it to this or that particular Pope, but mean it of the continued succession from S. Peter.  
Neither is the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of any more force for the limitation of it to one man there, (2 Thes. 2.) then it is in Luk. 4. 4. Man lives not by bread only, or Mark 2. 27. The Sabbath was not made for man: both includeing all mankind; or, 2 Tim. 3. ult. That the man of God may be perfect, etc. which is not confined to one, but takes in all the Ministry. For which; or any thing else, concerning this controversy (which I shall not enter into) I shall refer the Reader to Bishop Downham, Bishop jewel, Bishop Abbot, with others, from whom he may receive full satisfaction. Only thus much in confirmation of the judgement of those two Reverend and eminent Bishops, & a Vindication of it, from the aspersion of singularity, and novelty.   

THE Late Archbishop of ARMAGH'S judgement, of the sense of that place. Heb. 6. 2. Of laying on of hands, enlarged and defended.  
THis and the former verse may well be called the Apostles Catechism, consisting of six Principles, or Fundamentals of Christian doctrine (as they are called in the former verse) of which this is the Method.  
The two former concern this life, viz. Repentance from good works, and Faith towards God. The two latter, the end of this life, viz. the Resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement. The two middle, viz. the doctrine of Baptisms, and laying on of hands, are in relation to both, either as Conduits to convey the two former into us, or as Chariots to carry us with comfort to the two latter, That they are Fundamental Principles, as well as the other, cannot be doubted of, by their being placed in the midst of them; only the question is, what is meant by them.  
First, by the doctrine of Baptisms, I conceive is meant the Sacrament of Baptism, which is often joined with the two former Fundamentals; By our Saviour; with Faith, he that believeth and is baptised. Mark 16. 16. By Saint Peter with repentance, Acts 2. 38. Repent, and be baptised.  
The objection against it, 
Object.  is, that 'tis Baptisms in the plural number.  
Answ. 
Answ.  First the Syriack reads it in the singular number, and Saint Augustine in his book de fide & operibus, renders it; Lavacri doctrina, the doctrine of the font, from whence Ribera gathers there might be some Ancient Greek Copies accordingly.  
But secondly, it is an Enallage Numeri, the plural for the singular, as Genes. 8. 4. The Ark rested on the Mountains of Arrarat, which Tremelius by way of explanation, renders uno montium; Matth. 27. 44. Thiefs, for one of them only. Luke 23. 39 So accordingly, The Israelites having made one, golden Calf, said, these are thy Gods O Israel, etc. (Exodus 32. 4.) and verse 33. Moses saith, they have made themselves Gods of Gold, yet verse 24. it is called by Aaron, This Calf; Drusius hath divers of the like, as Sepulchers, for Sepulchre, Cities, for City, etc. and so here Baptisms, for Baptism.  
I am not ignorant of other conjectures by learned men, signifying a threefold Baptism. Sanguinis, flaminis, fluminis, or, the thrice dipping, or sprinkling; the number of persons coming to be baptised; the two several times in the year, in the Ancient Church set apart for it, Easter and Pentecost, called dies baptismatum, which is calvin's and Bezaes'; or implying the double act in it, the inward Baptism of Christ, and outward baptism of john; that is to say, the Ministers; which are Mr. 
a Answ. to Rhemist. Comment. on N. T upon this place.  Cartwrights words upon the place, who also saith, by a trope both Sacraments are here noted under one, but I conceive, that which we first gave, is the best; And 'tis observable, that the Apostle saith, the doctrine of Baptisms, 'tis not the absolute want of it, when it cannot be had, but the rejecting of the doctrine of it that damns. 'Tis possible that some of those three thousand converted by Saint Peter's Sermon, might have died before they could come to the water, and yet be saved; but if they had rejected the doctrine of it, when they were bad to be baptised, like the Pharisees rejecting the Counsel of God against themselves, or like Naman who despised the river jordan, I question it.  
A well ordered discipline is the ornament of the Church, but upon the confession and doctrine of Saint Peter, it was to be founded, in which sense the Apostles and Prophets in their doctrines are called the foundation of it; Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone, and (as some think) is the sense of that, Revel. 21. 14. that in the twelve foundations were the names of the twelve Apostles, in relation to their doctrinals; So much for that.  
Now the next is, the doctrine of laying on● of hands. Here is the great question, What is meant by it? That it is a Fundamental, cannot be denied; if Baptism be one, this must be another: see in the verse how like twins they are borne and bred under the same roof, And 'tis observable, that in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number, doctrines referring to both.  
In the search of several Authors, I find these two expositions, most worthy of consideration.  
The first is, Confirmation of children after Baptism, which hath somewhat of Antiquity for it, most of the Writers of the Church of Rome incline that way, and even Calvin is of that mind also, and in his Comment upon this place, stands much for it, and wisheth it had not been laid aside; hodie retinenda pura institutio, superstitio autem corrigenda; and produceth this custom of confirming of children in the Primitive times, to be an argument they were then baptised, but I conceive it cannot be the sense, for this reason; because 'tis not a Fundamental, and hard to prove, it was then (like Baptism and the rest) esteemed to be of a necessary use and belief in the Catholic Church, according to that of Vincentius Lyrinensis, 
Magnopere curandum est ut id teneamus, quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est, hoc est enim verè & propriè Catholicum. contr. haeresin. cap. 3.  That is, to be held for a Catholic verity, which hath been believed every where, always, and by all; And our Church saith, children baptised, have all things necessary to their salvation; The Papists that hold it to be a Sacrament, do not say 'tis a Fundamental, and when it was observed by us, we took it to be only an ancient laudable custom of the Church, and whether it was so in Saint Paul's time, in the Church of the Hebrews, it doth not appear.  
The second Exposition is, that it should be meant an ordained Ministry, which clearly in Saint Paul's time we find was wont to be by laying on of hands. This is Pareus his sense upon this place. It was (saith he) 
a Initialis doctrina de ministerio Ecclesiae quia tum ordinabantur per impositionem manuum.  an initial doctrine, concerning the Ministry of the Church then ordained by imposition of hands; 
* Totum munus Prophericum, etc.  Gualterus in his Comment upon this place, saith, In this is contained the whole function of Preachers, etc. designed unto it by imposition of hands: But none so full as Mr. Cartwright in his answer to the Rhemists upon this place, his words are these. viz. By the imposition of hands the Apostle meaneth no Sacrament, much less confirmation, after Baptism; but by a trope or borrowed speech, the Ministers of the Church; upon the which hands were laid, which appeareth in that whosoever believeth not; that there ought to be a Ministry by order (or Ordination) to teach and govern the Church; overthroweth Christianity, whereas if Confirmation of children were a Sacrament, as it is not; yet a man holding the rest, and denying the use of it, might notwithstanding be saved. And some lines after, gives us summarily the sense of this verse, viz. to be the doctrine of the Sacraments, and of the Ministry of the Church: Ye see, in his opinion, what a dangerous thing it is, no less than the hazard of their own salvation, to lay aside an ordained Ministry, or to deny the doctrine of it, which men now frequently presume.  
And 'tis observable, the argument which he useth, he produceth as a Maxim then in his time, taken for granted; not to be proved, but supposed; no man then so much as questioning the necessity of it, for though there were then divers disputes about discipline and ceremonies, (in which this learned Author then appeared) yet both parties esteemed alike of Ordination to be a sacred institution, none presuming to take upon them the office of the Ministry without it; Well, this I conceive to be the sense here of laying on of hands, viz. That it was a Principle of the Catechism taught to Christians at their first reception, that there was to be a successive ordination, or setting apart of persons for the Ministry, for an authorative preaching of faith and repentance, and administration of Sacraments, called laying on of hands from the outward rite; as the Lords Supper, by breaking of bread; And this was the judgement of the most Reverend and learned Father of our Church, the late Archbishop of Armagh, which hath the rather emboldened me to employ my thoughts in the confirmation of it; and surely, if it be a fundamental, the knowledge of the sense of it, is of a greater consequence, then to be slighted.  
First, it is considerable, how well this doth suit with Saint Paul's expression elsewhere, speaking of Ordination, 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the gift of God that is in thee by the putting on of my hands, 1 Tim. 4. 14. neglect not the gift that is in thee, given thee with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, both thus sufficiently reconciled; Saint Paul was the principal, the Presbyters were his assistants, according to the constitutions and custom of our Church in Ordination. The Bishop is not to do it alone, but with the assistance of at least three or four of the Ministers, which was after the pattern of the Primitive times; The injunction of Saint Paul for it, is accordingly. 2 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man, i. e. ordain. And it is the more observable, that all are from one and the same Apostle, it being one argument to prove Saint Paul was the Author of this Epistle to the Hebrews, by the use of this expression here, which is not in the Epistles of any other Apostle.  
'Tis true, we read of extraordinary gifts of tongues, etc. given by laying on of hands, in the Acts, but they cannot be understood here, for they were but temporary, and ceased, like Scaffolds, which, after the building of an house, are taken down, but what is meant here, must be as the foundation which remains to the last, and all falls with it, that agrees to an Ordained Ministry, which must continue for the preaching of faith and repentance, and administration of Sacraments to the end of the world. In which sense is that last speech of our Saviour. Matth. 28. Lo, I am with you unto the end of the world, it cannot be limited to the persons of the Apostles (with whose deaths those Administrations did not expire) but must be understood collectively of the whole body of the Ministry, then as it were in their loins, who should succeed in preaching, and Baptism, and through whom a successive powerful assistance of the spirit, is to be transferred in and through those, unto the world's end. This power of officiating, was poured on the head of the Apostles, and descendeth to the skirts of their garments, in these days. And how like a fundamental, Ordination is, may easily appear; it began at the foundation of the Church, and was one of the first stones laid in this Edifice, and it must continue to the last, for as the Lords Supper is to continue till the second coming of Christ, so the Ministers of it have the same term also (Ephes. 4. 13.) He gave some Pastors, Teachers, etc. Till we all come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the Stature of the fullness of Christ, etc.  
Rom. 10. 15. Ye have a building of four or five stories high of several Acts and Ministrations; but Ordination of a Ministry is the Foundation, Salvation is at the top of this Jacob's Ladder, but Ordination at the bottom: Whosoever will call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved, but how shall they call on him, on mhom they have not believed? how shall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher, and how shall they preach, except they be sent? etc. See, praying, believing, hearing, preaching, and then as the foundation of all, a Mission of Preachers for that end; what is said of the Commandments of the Law, (james 2.) he that offends in one, is guilty of all; such is the concatenation of the principles of the Gospel; break one link, and all are endangered; He that renounceth his Baptism, renounceth his Faith, into which he was baptised, even the death and resurrection of our Saviour signified by it, Colos. 2. Consider what ye do in renouncing the Ministry by whom ye were baptised, and have believed (1 Cor. 3. 5.) if any efficacy be in the Sacrament, according to the qualification & authoritative faculty of the person officiating, see what hazard you run in rejecting of such so ordained?  
Ye know the speech of our Saviour, Matth. 23. 17. He that swears by the Altar, sweareth by it, and all things thereon; and is not the contrary true, he that despiseth the Altar, despiseth not only that, but all that depend on it: If the Ordination or Mission of the person through God's institution, be of any efficay to what is officiated, I may leave the application to yourselves.  
Consider what ye do in a total renouncing of an ordained Ministry, as to Baptism and believing, through whom as instrumentals, ye did partake of them; If the foundation fall, how can the building stand: As ye see here Saint Paul makes an ordained Ministry, a fundamental principle of Christian Religion. So much for the sense of the Text, what is meant by laying on of hands.  
Now if Ordination be a fundamental principle, hence then these 2 things may be inferred.  
1. A necessity of continuing an ordained Ministry in the Church, and the neglect of it to be the underming of the foundation of it.  
2. That Ordination is not only an internal call from God, but an external from Man; for 'tis denominated here from laying on of hands.  
First a necessity of continuing such a distinct Order and profession for preaching, and other sacred Administratihns; This subject would heretofore have been accounted needless to be handled, but it is necessary and seasonable now, there being many set against the very function, as if any man might of himself assume it. To such I shall represent these considerations following. viz.  
1. That in all ages there have been some persons set apart for such divine Offices even before the Law, or constitution of Aaron and the Levites; as since, see some appointed, Exod. 19 22. Let the Priests which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves, (Chap. 24. 5.) called young men of the Children of Israel, sent of Moses, who offered the burnt offerings and sacrifice unto the Lord, and this is usually interpreted to be the Firstborn, and that of the principal of the families, instead of which the Levites were afterward taken, (see Numb. 3. 12.) And what a settled Priesthood there was in Moses and Solomon's time to the Captivity; and after it upon their return; who knows not? see Mal. 2. A speech to the Priests, and for that five hundred-yeer gap betwixt the Old Testament and the New, when the Prophets ceased, yet a Priesthood continued, that the service of God, then was not to put to the charity of Passengers, as beggars are by the high way, but some were appropriated to it; jeroboam that forsook the Temple, yet retained a Priesthood, though of his own corrupt appointment.  
Ob●ect. That of the Law was a Priesthood, but we speak of a Ministry.  
Resp. 1. We stand not upon words or Titles; neither doth the Apostle, for as (2 Cor. 3. 7, 8, 9) he calls the Priests of the Law Ministers, and their office a Ministration; so he implies, that the Ministers of the Gospel might have that Title of Priests (1 Cor. 9 13.) by taking his Argument for their maintenance from the Priests, Altar, and Temple, as they that serve at the Altar, partake of the Altar; even so hath God ordained, that those that preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel; and the name hath only grown ignominious, by the Church of Rome's retaining it, whom if by way of distinction, they had been called by us sacrificers (as Bishop Downham observes) there had been no offence in it. All that read the Fathers, know it is the term used by them; whose Tractates of the Ministry are entitled De Sacerdotio.  
And the Apostle makes it only a change of the Priesthood, (Hebr. 7. 12.) not a nulling of it, upon which change of a ministration, none presumed of themselves to officiate without an Ordination; john Baptist who was the preparative voice of the Gospel was ordained to it, and his disciples were set apart by him; our Saviour did the like in ordaining first Twelve for preaching and baptising, and then 72 after them, when one of the twelve was lost, no other stepped into his place without a solemn choice of him; Paul and Barnabas, Acts 14. 23. wheresoever they came and converted any nation, were careful of ordaining Successors. Saint Paul, as his last, gives that charge to Timothy and Titus after him, and in all Ages of the Church from the Primitive times, both in the Greek and Latin Church, it hath been observed to this day successively.  
So that for such as would have no such office of a Ministry by ordination, but all men left to themselves to officiate at their pleasure, we may say with the Apostle (1 Cor. 11. 16.) We have had no such custom, neither the Churches of God, (or as Eliphaz to job cap. 5. 1.) call now if there be any will answer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn, where is there any such Precedent in all the reformed Churches? The Israelites would have a King as all other nations; These are upon the contrary singularity. 'Tis true, the New jerusalem (Revel. 21. 22. meant heaven, is found without a Temple and a Priest, because Christ shall then give up his kingdom to his Father (1 Cor. 15.) i. e. the manner of this present government by the Sceptre of his word, and Seal of Sacraments, and then God shall be all in all, but till then, a settled Ministry must be continued.  
Secondly, if no successive ordained Ministry, why doth Saint Paul spend so much time in exhorting to a future provision for them. (1 Cor. 9 Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17.) can we think it was only for himself, and such then living, who expected Martyrdom weekly; why such large directions for the qualification of such, as were to be ordained by his Successors, in his Epistles to Timothy, and Titus, surely it was written for our instruction now.  
Thirdly, consider what conclusion must be the issue of the contrary, our Saviour pitied the people, when they were like Sheep without a Shepherd; That which is every man's work, is no bodies: As in reason, the office of the Ministry must be weakly and negligently done, when no persons are appointed to make it their study and sabour, foe when gaps are thus opened for any person, may not jesuits and such like Agents creep in under other forms, and privily bring in damnable heresies, to the seducing of the hearers; I am loath to imagine that this should be at the bottom of this assertion, that so with the more specious pretext, they might take away the maintenance, as indeed one must follow the other; for if there be no need of a settled ordained Ministry, what use of a settled means allotted for it.  
If any shall stumble at that speech often in the mouths of some, Isa. 54. 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, he may be satisfied by this double Answer.  
1. It was fulfilled in that time of our Lord and Saviour, teaching them immediately by himself, which he expounds accordingly; (john 6. 45.) It is written in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me, etc.  
2. The Lord is said to teach, when he doth it by a Ministry, sent by him according to that of jerem. 3. 15. I will give you Pastors after my own heart, that shall feed you with knowledge and understanding, etc. fulfilled under the Gospel. And we grant, that though the proposal of the doctrine is by the Minister, yet the illumination of the mind, and the rectifying of the heart through it, is from God.  
Object. If that of Saint Peter (1 Eph. 4. 10.) he objected, As every man hath received the gift, so let him minister the same as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God.  
Answ. I conceive it is not meant the gift of preaching, but of Alms. The words immediately before, are these. Use hospitality one to another without grudging, there is the manner, and then in these words, As every one hath received the gift, so let him minister, is employed the measure of it; agreeing with that of Saint Paul's injunction, 1 Cor. 16. 2. Let every one lay by him (to that end) as God had prospered him, etc.  
That these temporal things are the gift of God; the fourth Petition of the Lords Prayer, shows sufficiently. And that collections of these, and giving them to the poor, is called a ministering to the Saints. See 2 Cor. 8. 4. cap. 9 1. and styled grace, (cap. 8. 19) and what other sense can there be of that (cap. 9 8.) God is able to make all grace abound, but of temporal blessings, as the next words show, to multiply your seed sown, and minister bread for your food, (V. 10.) and they may be called the manifold grace or gift of God, by the divers sorts of them to be administered, food, clothing, relieving of the sick, etc. according as they are distinctly remembered at the last day, (Matth. 25.) And are not all bountiful charitable persons, the Lords Stewards, in dispensing these things to those of his household of Faith; so that upon these considerations, the place appears to to be far off from any application of it to Preaching. Indeed the next verse may be so meant. If any man speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God, etc. but yet to be understood with this limitation, viz. of a man ordained and constituted (as we have said) for that end.  
In a word, to allow all sorts of men to be preachers, is to make the whole body an eye, a tongue, etc. and if so as the Apostle saith, where is the hearing, are all teachers, are all interpreters? 'tis an argument from the absurdity, as if ye would expect the foot to see, the hand to speak; In Saint Paul's days it was said, Who is sufficient for these things? and shall all persons think themselves so now; Saint Paul bids Timothy give himself wholly to it: i. e. to meditation, study, reading, and not to entangle himself with the things of this world, which might take him off, and may they now meet in tradesmen and manufactures? and the office be performed without either? Is there not a distinction made between the Church of Ephesus, and the elders of it, (Acts 20.) between the Church and the Angel of it, (Revel. 2.) which if it be not meant of one person, the Bishop (as Ignatius styles him so about twelve years after, which was the judgement of the Primate) yet must at least be collectively meant of the Bishop, & the Ministry of it; Is there not a distinction between the Saints of Philippi, 
Phil. 1. 1.  & the Bishops & Deacons, are there not some said to be over the 
* 1 Ep. ●. 12.  Thessalonians in the Lord, and preaching & admonishing called in special, their work, as appropriated to them, for which he chargeth them to know them, & to esteem highly of them; as the like in his last charge to the Church of the Hebrews, (cap. ult. 7. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you in the Lord, and that watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, and if that were the special office of the ministry, then to have curam animarum; why not now? or where doth it appear, the term is expired? I conclude this point with an observation of the several steps of our declinings, or defections of later years; First, we were offended at some titles of the Ministry, then at the office itself; First, at such a Ministry so ordained, then at the ordaining of any Ministry at all. First, the solemn Assemblies in public were forsaken, and a retreat made into corners, than the Preachers themselves slighted, called by Solomon the Masters of Assemblies: First, a ceremony in baptising of Infants scrupled at, than the Baptism of Infants themselves; nay, the Sacrament of Baptism by water, called into question also; First, the Communion forborn, out of offence to some gesture, now the Sacrament itself neglected, and contemned, as if we may now live above and without Ordinances, & without any ordained Ministry to administer each, as indeed the one must follow the other.  
This is the train laid to blow us up, what jacob said after joseph was lost, and Benjamin must go too; All these things are against me, may be our application for the Church. If any thirty years agone, should have foretold that this Garden of God should have brought forth these weeds, that such Tenants should have so prevailed among us, he would have been by the most religious persons of that age, taken for one that dreamt; and they ready to have answered for their Mother-Church, as Hazael did for himself, when the Prophet told him, what evil he should be the Author of.  
Let us be of moderate spirits, and not run beyond the bounds of any precedent in the Primitive times, walk not in ways not cast up; (Jerem. 6. 16.) inquire for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein; be not like those in the next words, that said, we will not walk in them; but in new ones, according to your own fancies. Let the Tribe of Levi be purged, but let not the physic be so strong as to destroy them. Saint Paul magnified his own office; this is but to support it from being trodden under feet, and the end is your good, that in these distracted times, ye might not be without leaders, so ordained and fitted, to guide your feet in the way of peace, and so much for the first, A necessity of an ordained Ministry.  
Now the second observation is, that Ordination is not only an internal Call of God, but an external of man; for so 'tis denominated by that very act, laying on of hands, i. e. implying the hand of God is not all in the holy frame of the heart of the person by his spirit, requisite in every true believer, but there must be the hands of men in the designation of him in his name also. The first was wont to be asked, the person ordained, 
Book of Ordination.  viz. Whether in his heart or conscience, he found himself truly called to the Ministry, according to the will of our Lord jesus Christ. This persuasion of his gave a capacity, but the authority actually conferred on him, was by the imposition of hands, Ability and faithfulness were the qualifications, but the commission to officiate, was transferred to Timothy (2 Eph. 2. 2.) by that means. Ye know those two mementoes of Saint Paul to him, Neglect not the gift (1 Tim. 4. 14.) Stir up the gift of God which is in thee (2 Tim. 1. 16.) by the laying on of my hands, and of the hands of the Presbytery; if it should be asked, What is here meant by the gift, I conceive there is no necessity of understanding it, either of gifts of ability, or saving gifts of the Spirit; for as the former doubtless were found in Timothy before his ordination, and the latter from his childhood, & education; (2 Epist. cap. 3. 15. cap. 1. 5.) so 'tis a doubt if it were in the power of Timothy to transfer either of those by this means, they being to be left to Christ himself, who enlightens every man that cometh into the world; and to that holy Spirit who blows when, and where it listeth, but the surest sense is to take it for the authority given him for the officiating, and exercising these abilities, and transferring of it unto others: And in this sense I grant gifted men may preach, and perform other ministerial acts, i. e. who with the internal have received this external power and authority also, according to Christ's ordinance through imposition of hands.  
Indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken for internal abilities, and 'tis not improbable, but at the solemn meeting of the Church of God, both Ministry and people, in Fasting and Prayer, (which was the injunction of our Church, & should have been the practice) to invocate God for the assisting grace of his spirit, to be given to the person ordained, might be prevalent for that end; and that the receiving accordingly of ordination, might be so far operative, as to be a confirmation of the party the more, against errors and heresies, in the execution of it; The falling into which may possibly be the judgement of God upon some, who of late days have run without it, which agrees with the observation Chemnitius makes of Origen, who neglected Orders, and fell into the like; and at last made himself incapable of them. But I say again, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forenamed place, is most safely to be understood of the gift of authority to be exercised and transferred unto others by laying on of hands.  
And 'tis further confirmed by the many examples that do abound, our Saviour gave his Apostles not only an inward call by his Spirit, but an open verbal call before the people; Saint Stephen, a man full of Faith and the Holy Ghost, yet presumed not to officiate, till he had imposition of hands from them; Beware of making yourselves Ministers, our Saviour did not make himself a Priest (Heb. 5. 5.) 'tis the blot laid on jezabel, that she made herself a Prophetess, Revelat. 2. 20.  
'Tis frequent to hear an ordained Minister called Antichristian, but consider who deserves that Title, whether those that observe the rule of Christ, and tread in the paths of the Apostles, or such, who, without any precedent in Scripture, or in primitive times, are in this a law unto themselves. And do but think what ill issue may in the future, be of this promiscuous presumption, upon the offices of the Ministry, what doubts it may raise in our posterity, in receiving of Baptism, by such as cannot answer to that question By what authority dost thou these things, and who gave thee this authority?  
One objection common in the mouths of men is, 
Object.  Why do you stand so much upon a ceremony, as laying on of hands is?  
First, 
Answ.  that which the Apostle calls● a Principle and a Fundamental, do not you call a ceremony, according to that which was said, to S. Peter, That which God hath cleansed, call not thou common; for which we have both Precept and Example to three successions; Paul, and Timothy, and those that succeeded him.  
2. 'Tis a most honourable ceremony used upon other occasions, jacob in blessing of Ephraim, and Manasses, Moses in constitution of joshua, Naaman's expectation of Elias healing him, our Saviour's in blessing of the children in the Gospel, Saint Paul's at the Holy Ghosts coming upon the disciples of Ephesus in the gift of tongues. The Prophets of Antioch, upon the separating of Paul, and Barnabas, for a special work designed unto, as others by way of benediction and confirmation.  
3. If it be an institution, though, how mean soever it is to the eye, yet it must be observed, or else water in Baptism, & bread and wine in the Lord's Supper, may fall under the like contempt. Circnmcision was a carnal ordinance, yet (Rom. 3.) the Apostle checks those who questioned the profit or virtue of it. The wax of the Seal hath little worth in itself, but by the impression affixed to the patent, is of great consequence to the party, the like application may be made to imposition of hands, the Seal of Ordination.  
But suppose laying on of hands be granted as we have said, 
Object.  the question yet remains, By whose hands?  
Answ. 
Answ.  Doubtless not by the people's, for it doth not stand with reason, that any can transfer that authority, which they have not, The people may be said after a manner, to give their votes in the election, as it was the former (and ancient) custom, that they were asked if they knew of any impediment or crime, 
Book of Ordination.  for which the party ought not be received into this holy Ministry, and desired to declare it; and upon the objecting of any, the Bishop was to surcease, till the party accused should clear himself. The people had liberty of allegation, for, or against the person to be ordained, but it doth not follow, that therefore they had power in constituteing and ordaining. They are the persons to whom the Ministers are sent; can they be the Senders? they have their mission to them; can they have their Commission from them? we are Gods Ambassadors, not theirs, neither do ye ●ind any power this way derived or committed from Christ to them, As my Father sent me, so send I you, saith our Saviour to his Apostles, Lo, I am with you, and so with your successors, unto the end of the world. Saint Paul saith to Timothy, Lay thou hands, etc. to Titus, I left thee behind, that thou shouldest ordain (be it meant collectively of the rest of the Ministers, as assistants with him also,) but no mention of the people in that act.  
That of Numb. 8. 10. the people laid their hands on the Levits, is not meant in their consecration, but dedication, or the donation of them to be consecrated to the Lord, instead of the first born by Moses and Aaron; It was but as Hanna's giving up her son Samuel to Eli, to be consecrated to the service of the Temple, or like the presentation of a person formally under the hand and seal of the Patron to the Bishop, to be instituted or inducted; such was this of the Levites, only a signification of their act and deed under their hands, in giving up their whole title and interest in them, to be set apart for that end.  
For that of Mathias his election before the people, 
Object.  to be an Apostle (Acts 1. 16.) alleged by some for the power of people in Ordination.  
1. 
Answ. 1.  Saint Peter only signifieth to them what they were about to do, and doing it in their presence, as in Saint Cyprians time, it was the custom to have the Minister ordained, praesente plebe, sub omnium oculis, etc. in the presence of the people, before the eyes of all, etc. like Eleazar invested by Moses with the Priests garments, on the top of the Mount in the sight of the Israelites, but the actions in ●etting two apart in casting the lots, prayer, etc. were the Apostles.  
Secondly, This election here to the Apostleship, was neither the peoples, nor Apostles, but Gods by a divine suffrage, expressed by lot according to the prayer of the Apostles to God for it, and so it makes nothing for the people's act in ordination: and so much for the first Question, Whose hands must be imposed?  
2. 
2 Quest.  What if the ordainers, being of the Ministry, be found not to have ●een of clean hands themselves, i. e. of evil lives, is their ordination good?  
I answer, 
Answ.  Yes; For 'tis not a personal act, but an act of office, as 'tis not the learning of the Judge makes any decree valid, but his authority and commission for it; A Popish Judge gives a just sentence in Court, his sentence is not erroneous and Antichristian: though himself may be so; his act is good in Law: how bad soever he is in matter of Religion, & so the act of Ordination being an act of office is not nulled, or voided by personal defilements; It was the error of the Donatists, to put the virtue of Ministerial acts wholly upon the holiness of the person ministering; no, as Saint Augustine, saith, a foul hand may sow good seed.  
But there is one objection more to be answered, 
Object.  frequently in the mouths of men, viz. Your Orders were derived from Rome, and therefore Antichristian.  
1. 
Answ. 1.  Observe what contrary inferences are against us; The Papists say we have no lawful Ministry, because we have it not from Rome, having renounced our subjection to that See, others among ourselves argue the same, from our being deduced from it.  
Secondly, If they mean of our receiving it from thence, immediately after the Apostles time, (which the ancientest of the British Writers extant do not grant, but aver, that we received it from such as came from jerusalem hither even in Tiberius his time) it is no disparagement to us, 
Gildas.  for it was then a famous Church; see Saint Paul's Epistle to it, as Ignatius after him. But if they mean since the corruption and Apostasy of it, we may distinguish between from and through, as between the Fountain and Conduit, we received it from the Apostles, though running through some corrupt times of Popery, of which, since our reformation, it savours no more, than the Fish doth of the salt water, or as the three children in the furnace, when they came out there, was not so much as the smell of fire found upon them.  
3. If they mean of Austin the Monk sent from Rome in Gregory the great his time, about 600 years after Christ; there were then no such defilements of doctrine in it, that it should be a scandal to us either: And yet we were not then to seek for an ordained Ministry, there having been for many hundreds of years, before that, a flourishing Church among us, which the Saxons whom he came to convert, had been the persecutors and destroyers of, as Gildas tells us, so that in that, or the former, sense, the objection is not worth the answering.  
But fourthly, I suppose they mean of later Centuries, when that complaint of the Proph●et concerning jerusalem, might be appliable to Rome. How is that faithful City become a harlot? it was full of judgement, righteousness lodgeed in her; but now murderers, etc. i. e. Since the Bishop of Rome became corrupt in doctrine and worship.  
For this, first we thus answer. While we were under the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, it doth not appear that he ordinarily usurped, more than a mandatory nomination of the Bishop to be consecrated, which out of a blind fear of his excommunication was assented unto, but the consecration was not by him, but other Bishops here within ourselves. And I account the ordination or consecration to be derived from such as gave imposition of hands, not from the mandate for them to do it; Henry the eight, and the Kings succeeding, assumed the like power in the nomination of the person (which accordingly might not be gainsaid:) but from thence it cannot be argued, that our ordination or consecration was deduced from them, for the King's mandate served not to give power to ordain (which those Bishops had before intrinsically annexed to their office) but only was a warrant to apply this power to the person named in that Mandate. Now this being all which was usurped by the Bishop of Rome, in relation to the consecrations of our Bishops in England, when we were under the Tyranny of the Papacy, there is as little force for our deriving our ordination from him also. And if those Bishops of Sidon, which (as Archdeacon 
* De Minister. Anglican.  Mason tells us) assisted in the first consecration in Hen. 8. as in Edward the sixth's time, were not merely Titular, but had their consecration from the Greek Church, which is altogether a stranger to the See of Rome; it would take off somewhat from the pretence of a total derivation from thence.  
But still it may be objected, 
Object▪  that we have at least received our Ordination from such as professed the Religion of Rome.  
First, 
Answ.  it could not be called properly the Religion of Rome, till the Council of Trent, which determined many years after our falling off from the See of Rome: The Papists ask us, Where was our Religion before Luther? we might reply, Where was the Popish Religion before that time. 'Tis true, most of those poisonous errors were sown up and down the world before, but not collected fully into a body; and so owned and headed by the Papacy till then. For till that time, scarce any point we hold now against them but there were some of their own Authors who held it also. So that to speak properly the now Romish Religion in their new Creed, with other appurtenances, was established since our form of ordination.  
2. Suppose we received our ordination from such who were corrupted with Popish errors, yet if they retained the Fundamentals of Christian Religion, their ordination may be valid: those like some part of the bark of the tree uncut, may convey the Sappe from the root to the preserving of life in the branches. What Saint Augustine saith of the Donatists in some things, mecum sunt, they concur with me; in other things they are defiled, may be applicable to the Church of Rome, and if so, why may we not receive through them, what was of Christ's remaining in them, without being defiled with that corrupt part which is their own? why may not there be in this a separation of the precicious from the vile? And in our reformation we withdrew ourselves no further from her, than she hath declined from herself in the Apostles time, and from the ancient state and condition of it then, as one saith well, Nostra Ecclesia ab hodierna Romana Ecclesia contaminata recessit, ut ad pristinam, puram, Apostolicam, Romanam accedere posset. We forsook the present corrupted Church of Rome, that we might be nearer a kin to the first, pure, Apostolical Roman Church in the primitive times.  
3. In a word, we do affirm that neither their corruption in opinion, or vitiosity of life, do, or did, void it to the party ordained; none doubts of the Baptism of our forefathers administered by those of the like in the Church of Rome, as if there needed any reiteration, by them who survived our reformation: neither do we renew the orders received in that Church, when any Priest is converted, and betakes himself to our communion, and why should it be questioned here? Let the Seal be of Silver or brass, the impression is alike valid, if affixed by order to the deed; Parents in generation convey to the child what is essential to humane nature, not that which is accidental. A maimed Father begets a Son like himself, as he was before he lost his arm; as the circumcised did, and doth an uncircumcised child: the like application may be made, to the transferring of ordination in such a wounded, diseased, Apostatised Church, as the Roman now is, and by such corrupted persons in life and doctrine, continuing in it; so they do observe the 
* See Bishop Bedels' letter to Wadsworth, p. 157.  essentials in ordination; 
My defence for your Ministry is, that the form, Receive the H●ly Ghost; whose sins ye remit, are remitted: doth suciffiently comprehend the authority, &c,  other superstructures or corruption in the ordainers, doth not null it, either to the persons themselves, or successors; which might be further manifested by the practise of the Church in all ages.  
1. That Ministration under the Law, (the Priests of which the Jewish Writers say, were consecrated by laying on of hands) had as much cause to stand upon succession as any; yet, ye find often, that the Priests the sons of Aaron, and the Levites had corrupted their ways, were defiled with Idolatry in Ahaz, and Manasses time, and others, as bad or worse than the See of Rome; yet after a reformation, the succession which was by their hands was not questioned; Though the Priesthood ran through much filth, yet retaining the essentials of the Jewish Religion, as circumcision, etc. they were owned of God again in a successive ministration. See in the height of their Idolatry, when they were offering their children by fire, unto their Idols, yet by retaining the Sacrament, & covenant of circumcision, their children are called the Lords children, Ezek. 16. 20. Thou hast taken thy sons which thou hast borne unto me, etc. thou hast slain my children, in causing them to pass through the fire, etc.  
2. In our Saviour Christ's time, there was as bad a succession as ever; in the Priests, pharisees, Scribes, Sadduces, etc. yet as he permitted their administering of some rites for himself; whether of circumcision, or the offering made for him in the Temple, at the purification, after the custom of the Law, in his infancy, so at his manifestation about 30 years after, he sends those that were healed by him to the Priests, to offer what Moses commanded; ye see he did not determine against the office for the personal defilements of their Predecessors, or themselves.  
3. Nay, under the Gospel, about four hundred years after our Saviour Christ, was not the world so overrun with Arrians, that it groaned under it? (as St. jerom saith,) when they had the commands of the Pulpits, ordaining of Preachers, children were baptised by them, men put to receive the communion of them; as Hilary and Basil say, the Orthodox were hatched under the wings of the Arrian Priests; yet upon a reformation, and the renouncing of that heresy, we read not of any rejecting of the succeeding Ministers, because they were derived through such hands, which I conceive to have been as bad as the Bishop of Rome, and his followers. The Church then was so wise as to consider, a jewel looseth not his virtue by being delivered by a foul hand, so neither is the treasure of the Ministry to be despised, because it hath passed through some polluluted vessels to us, which is appliable for the saving harmless our ordination, though transmitted through the Popish defilements of some persons; so much in vindicating the ordination of the Church of England, from the scandal of being Popish & Antichristian, with which by some ignorant and rash people, it is frequently aspersed.  
Let me conclude with this short admonition. Be not hereafter so unworthy, as to blur that Ministry, with being Antichristian, by whom ye have received the knowledge of Christ; both by their translating of the Scriptures out of the Originals, into your Mother-tongue for your reading, and their labour, in the exposition of them for your understanding, by whom you and your fathers have been baptised, and instructed; Be not such ill birds, as thus to defile your own nests; do not side with the agents of the Bishop of Rome, in thus detracting and lessening the reputation and esteem of them. Let them not say in their hearts, so would we have it, nor you with your tongues, unless in your hearts you are Romish yourselves.  
Is it not strange, that those who have been so great opposers of the errors of Popery, wrote so learnedly, and fully against them, who have applied, that in the 2 Epist of the Thessalonians, concerning the man of sin, and that of Babylon in 17. Revel. to the Papacy, as Bishop Downham, Abbot, jewel, and the late eminent Primate, with divers others; that now they should (with their very calling and profession) be styled Popish; can we think otherwise, but that the hand of joab (I mean the Jesuit) is privily in it. Is it not a wonder it should so come about, that such as have been the greatest enemies to the See of Rome, should be reckoned as members, and friends of it; and thus perpetually yoked together as twins; nay trod under foot as unsavoury salt, upon that very account, as being Episcopal. Is this a just reward of their labour? in the defence of your profession; thus to be aspersed by you, as Absalon to Hushay, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Certainly those of the See of Rome, cannot but smile within themselves, that they have thus covertly deluded us, and so closely taken a revenge of those their adversaries.  
How true is that speech of our Saviour, A Prophet is not without honour, save in his own country; other nations, French and Germane, magnify the Clergy of the Church of England; by what is transmitted over Sea in many of their works, only despised at home as the offscouring of the world; what a preparative this is, to the expectation of the Papists, an able learned, ordained Ministry, having been hitherto the stop to the introduction of ignorance and superstition, which if removed, might flow in the more easily, which God in his mercy prevent.  
And thus I have endeavoured to confirm the Primates judgement upon this place, viz. that by laying on of hands, is meant an ordained Ministry.   

The Primates judgement of the Sense and Use of the Form of words in the former Constitution, at the Ordination of Priests or Presbyters, defended, and enlarged. viz. Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins thou forgivest, they are forgiven, and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained. Which as an Appendix to the former subject, could not well be omitted.  
THey are the words of our Saviour, john 20. 22. to the Apostles, and why they may not be continued to their Successors, (who are to succeed in that office of the Ministry to the end of the world,) doth not yet appear; and 'tis possible, that the late offence taken against them to the disuse of them, may arise from a misapprehension of the sense of them; The Primates judgement of which I think fit to manifest, who in all his Ordinations, constantly observed them.  
They consist of two clauses.  
1. Receive the Holy Ghost.  
2. Whose sins thou forgivest, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained.  
1. For the first; (Receive the Holy Ghost) We do not here understand the sanctifying graces of the spirit: For the Apostles had received them before, in that they were bid by our Saviour, to rejoice, that their names were written in heaven (the evidence of which is, heaven wrote in the heart here) and had his witness, that they had believed, and had kept his word, for whom he had also also prayed in that sense; Sanctify them through thy truth, John 17.  
And if this had been the gift, there had been no particular thing given to them, for all that will be saved, must in some measure partake of it. Rom. 8. 9 If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  
And though it be the testimony of a good Christian, yet 'tis not a sufficient warrant for him, to take upon him the Ministry.  
2. Again, it cannot be meant of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, viz. Gifts of tongues, etc. For in that sense the Holy Ghost was not yet given, till fifty days after. viz. the Feast of Pentecost, but this was given upon the day of his Resurrection; So that a third sense must be had, which was the Primates, as followeth.  
3. Receive the Holy Ghost] i. e. receive Ministerial power of officiating and dispensing those sacred Ministrations, unto which the promise of the holy Spirit is annexed, and through which, as the Conduit-Pipes, this holy water is conveyed; not so much meant for their own benefit, as the good of others; In this he gave them power as the Stewards of God, to be dispensers of holy and spiritual things, to the benefit of such, over whom the Holy Ghost had made them overseers, which is accordingly attributed to the Elders of Ephesus, whom S. Paul had ordained.  
Mr. Hooker's gloss (in his Eccles. Polit.) is accordingly; Receive the Holy Ghost, i. e. Accipite potestatem spiritualem, receive ghostly, or spiritual Authority, in order to the souls of men now to be committed to your charge; And if you mark the context, their Commission is here from the blessed Trinity; the Father, and Son, in the verse before. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. And in this verse, a reception of Authority from the third person, the Father sends, Matth. 9 38. Chap. 10. 20. the Son, Ephes. 4. here the Holy Ghost, as Acts 20.  
And so more fully thus. Receive the Holy Ghost, i. e. receive Authority from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the efficacious preaching of the Word, and Administration of Sacraments, by and through which, the graces of the holy spirit in repentance, faith, forgiveness of sins, and the like; are ordinarily wrought and confirmed to the hearers, and partakers of them: yet not excluding it from being a Prayer also, viz. that the person thus authorized, might receive such a spiritual assistance in it.  
Receive first by way of donation in the name of Christ, as to the office; and secondly, by way of impetration, as to the efficacious spiritual assistance of him in it, which the accustomed succeeding prayer did confirm: which as it was in both senses frequently effectual by the mouth and hands of the Apostles, so hath it been accordingly from age to age, in and by the Ministry succeeding, and therefore why may not the same form of words be used at their Ordination also.  
Can we think this solemn reception of the Holy Ghost, in that sense as hath been explained, was only for the benefit of that age, and withdrawn totally again in the next.  
That his being with them thus by his spiritual assistance, to the end of the world, was to determine with the death of the Apostles; some of which, (as Saint james, Acts 12.) were not long after; No surely, this oil poured upon their heads, descended further than so, even to the skirts of their garments, in these days.  
The third Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, hath much in confirmation of this. In the third verse, Saint Paul styles the Minister ordained by Christ, his Amanuensis; ye are the Epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. Christ the inditer, the Minister is as the hand of a ready writer; or the Spirit is as the ink, the Minister as the pen, through which 'tis diffused upon the fleshly Tables of your hearts, and by saying us, he doth not appropriate it to himself, but gives the like to Timothy ordained by him, which he continues in the sixth verse; God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit; as he calls the Word, the sword of the spirit (Ephes. 6.) committed into the hands of the Ministry, so the whole office is called the Ministration of the Spirit, v. 8. the Ministration of righteousness, v. 9 i. e. instrumentally, be it that of justification, or Sanctification, by which he saith, it did exceed in glory that under the law; The shining of Moses face, the glory of the Temple, and vestments of the Priests were glorious, but yet had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory which excelleth; for if that which is done away were glorious, how much more that which remaineth, is glorious. Now wherein lieth this glory, but in being by this Ministration, the Conduits through which the Spirit is conveyed, and received, or being (cap. 6. 1.) co-workers together with him of it, even as the glory of the latter Temple, by the presence of Christ himself, is said to be greater than the former, though it had types of him in a more outward glorious lustre: 'tis therefore called v. 18. the glass of the glory of the Lord, by which we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  
Which as it rebukes the Contemners of the office of the Ministry, so it answers that frequent objection made against the use of these words, at the Ordination to it; viz. That the Sanctifying graces of the spirit, were sometimes lacking both in the Ordainers transmitting, and ordained the recipients; It is answered, the Transmission, or reception of the Holy Ghost here, is not meant in that sense, as to the resting of it in the persons themselves, but as the conveyors of it, for the use and benefit of others, viz. through these Administrations, which they are now by this authorized to perform.  
And that it may be so, ye see it in judas, who by our Saviour's Commission to him through preaching, and baptising, was the instrument accordingly of the transferring of it, (i. e. remission of sins, etc.) unto others, without partaking of it himself: our Saviour calls him a Devil, and a son of perdition, but yet in this Office, the Devils were subject to him; and he the means of dispossessing of others; like Noah's Carpenters, who were instruments to save others, but were drowned themselves. 'Tis probable, Saint Paul, or some of the Apostles ordained Hymenaeus, and Phyletus, Phygellus, Hermogenes, and Diotrephas, but as in neither of them doth there appear any sanctified grace of the spirit, so we do not read it caused any suspension of the virtue of their ministerial acts to the receivers, or that the Apostles gave order for any reiteration of them; personal faults, not voiding Acts of Office; and so, why should the like be a prejudice to it in these succeeding Ages? Receiving supposeth a gift, but 'tis as the giving of a sum to a Steward by his Lord, not to his own private use, but for the dispensing of it to the family.  
And to say no more, there are some learned Interpreters, do apply that passage, 1 john Chap. 2. 20. to an ordained Ministry; ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth; 
a Eadem unctio) non pootuit luculentiore testimony pastors & doctores ornare, à quibus illi instituti f●erant, & quotidie ●dhuc instituebantur, quam quum ipsos diceret ab ipso Spiritu Sancto doceri, & jam antea esse doctos.  Beza 's words upon the place, are these; the same anointing) he could not with a more clear Testimony have adorned the Pastors and Teachers, from whom they were instructed, and daily as yet are; then to say they were taught by the holy Ghost, & had been formerly, etc. 
b Piscator in loc. Vnctio docet] id est, ministerium verbi (i. e.) Spiritus Sanctus effica● per praedicationem Evangelii, quare ministerium verbi in precio habendum est.  Piscator's words are these, The anointing teacheth] i. e. the Ministry of the word, or the Holy Ghost efficacious by the preaching of the Gospel, wherefore the Ministry ought to be in a great esteem with us.  
Ye see they do not understand by this Unction, or anointing, signifying the Holy Ghost, an immediate teaching, or inspiration, as by some Enthusiasm, but immediately through the Ministry, ordained for that end; by a Metonymy (as they say) of the Adjunct; the ointment, for the hand, which applies it, or delivers it to you, and the teaching you all things, is meant of all things necessary to salvation; the credenda, and agenda, which by the Ministry had been so f●lly taught them, that they needed not to be taught by Saint john again here.  
If any shall object (as it hath been nnto me) that of Saint Augustine, lib. 15. de Trinit. cap. 27. Quomodo ergo Deus non est qui dat Spiritum Sanctum, imò quantus Deus est qui dat Deum? neque enim aliquis discipulorum ejus dedit Spiritum Sanctum, orabant quippe ut veniret in eos, quibus manus imponebant, non ipsi eum dabant, quem morem in suis praepositis etiam nune servet Ecclesia etc. i. e. How should not he be God who gives the Holy Ghost? nay, how great a God who gives God? for neither any of his disciples, gave the holy Ghost; they prayed indeed, that it might come upon those on whom they imposed hands, they did not give it themseles; which custom the Church now observes, etc.  
1. 
Answ.  In the words before these, he speaks of a double giving of the Holy Ghost by our Saviour, the one on earth after his resurrection, the other from heaven after his Ascension, upon the day of Pentecost; now in relation to the latter in those extraordinary gifts of the spirit, the words objected have their principal application, which doth not concern that we have in hand, which is only of the former being meant of successive ministerial authority, for the ordinary dispensing of the office.  
Secondly, whereas he saith, the Church hath observed that custom in imposition of hands, to pray for the persons reciving of it, hath been formerly acknowledged to be one sense of that clause, viz. by way of impetration; Take the gift of the spirit, pro dono infuso, so we use the words per modum impetrationis, take it pro officio, so we use it, per modum collationis, ministerially conferring the power of executing the office of a Minister, & there is no contradiction, but that in the same act, there may meet a collation of the office with authority to execute, and an impetration for the persons receiving an assistance of the spirit in the executing of it, which, in the old in junction immediately followed, in a prayer, for the person ordained accordingly, so that the custom and intention of our Church, is no other than what was in Saint Augustine's time, not presuming to give the Holy Ghost in the latter sense, (only praying it might be given of God to him) but only in the former.  
So much for opening of the first clause in ordination, Receive the Holy Ghost, which rightly understood, is not such a rock of offence, as some have taken it to be, in the disuse of it.  
The second clause is, whose sins thou forgivest, they are forgiven, whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained. At which, as much, if not more offence hath been taken, then at the former, (as if it savoured of Popery) which ● shall give you the Primates sense of also. That it may be retained in ordination, and attributed safely to the office of the Ministry, without the least savour that way, which no man that knew him, and what Popery is, but will acquit him of the least grain of it.  
Thus far it will be granted by all sober persons.  
1. The Ministers may be said to remit sins, by way of preparative to it; in being the instruments (by preaching the word of reconciliation) to dispose men towards it in bringing them to repentance, whereby they are capable of it.  
2. By way of Confirmation, in exhibiting the seals of remission in the Sacraments, according as one well glosseth upon these words; 'Tis God's act only to forgive sins, but the Apostles are said to do it; 
a Non simplicitèr sed quia adhibent media per q●uae Deus remittit pecca●a, haec autem▪ media sunt ●erbum & Sacramenta; ●er. in loc.  not simply, but because they apply the means appointed of God for that end. viz. the word, and Sacraments; What is there more in forgiveness of sins, then in reconciliation of God and man; now ye find this given to the Ministry. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word, or ministry of reconciliation. God's act only authoritate propria, by his own supreme authority; the Minister's act potestate vicaria, as a substitute in Christ's stead, and the word doth include the Sacraments also, as in our usual speech, the Letters Patents doth the Seal affixed to them, as the Ministry, doth the whole ministerial office.  
3. Declaratively in testifying this grace of God, and declaring Gods good pleasure accordingly upon repentance unto the person, like that of Nathan to David, or Saint Peter to his Auditory (Acts 3.) as Ferus saith, 
b Non quod homo propriè remittet peccatum, sed quod ostendet & certificet adeò remiss●m, neque enim al●a est abso●utio ab homine, (quam si dicat) E● ti●i, certifico te, tibi remissa esse peccata, Annuncio tibi te habere Deum propit●um, etc. Ferus. lib 2. Comment. in Matth. cap. 9 edit. Mogu●t, 1559.  man doth not properly forgive sin, but doth declare, and certify that it is remitted of God, so that absolution received from man, is as much to say, behold my son, I certify thee, that thy sins are forgiven thee. I declare unto thee that God is at peace with thee, (which I relate the rather out of him both for his being a writer of the Church of Rome, and that this passage is purged out of his book by them as erroneous, as may be seen by comparing the Edition of Mentz, with the Edition at Antwerp, 1559, and 1570) Which agrees with that in the Articles of Religion of Ireland, num. 71. God hath given power to his Ministers, not simply to forgive sins (which prerogative he hath reserved only to himself) but in his name to declare and pronounce unto such as truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his Holy Gospel, the absolution, and remission of sins.  
But that ye may the more fully understand the Primates judgement in this point, whose authority prevails much with all good men, and how remote our Church is from that of the Papists in the use of those words in ordination, I shall give you some brief collections out of that Answer of his to the jesuit Malones challenge concerning this subject, and the rather to satisfy the Reader, against the injury, which (among others) Doctor Heylene hath done him in this, as if his judgement were opposite to the Doctrine of the Church of England.  
First, the Primate complains of the wrong done by the Papists in charging us with denying any power to be left by Christ to the Priests, or Ministers of the Church, to forgive sins, being the formal words which our Church requireth to be used in the Ordination of a Minister, and there states the question between them & us; That in the general, it was ever the doctrine of our Church, that the principal office of our Ministry is exercised in the forgiveness of sins, as the means, and end of it. The Question is of the manner of the execution, and the Bounds of it, which the Pope, and his Clergy have enlarged beyond all measure of truth and reason.  
We say, that to forgive sins properly, directly, and absolutely, is God's propriety only; Esay 43. 25. Psal. 32. 5. produced by our Saviour, Matth. 9 to prove his Deity, which is accordingly averred by all antiquity.  
But the Papists attribute as much to the Bishop of Rome, affirming, 
a In summo P●ntifice esse pleni●ud●nem omnium grat●arum, quia i●se solus confert plenam indulgentiam omnium peccatorum & computet sibi quod de primo princi●e D●mino dicimus, quia de plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus, de Regim. Principum, lib. 3. cap. 10. inter opuscula Th●mae, num 20. actiuè & proximè efficit gratiam justificationis, ●t flatus extinguit ignem, & dissipat nebulas, sic absolutio sacerdotis pecca●a etc. Bell. de Sacram. lib●o 2. cap. 1. de penitent. libro 3. cap. 2. Attritio virtute clavium fit contritio, Rom. Correctores Gloss. Gratiani de penitent. du●t. 1. principio, etc.  That in him there is a fullness of all graces, and he gives a full indulgence of all sins, that to him agrees that which we give to our Lord, that of his fullness, all we have received; and not much less to the meanest Priest; viz. That his absolution is such a Sacramental Act, that it confers grace; actively, and immediately, and effects the grace of justification, that as the wind doth extinguish the fire, and dispel Clouds, so doth his absolution, sins, and by it Attrition becomes Contrition.  
We do not take upon us any such sovereignty, as if it were in our power to proclaim war, or conclude peace between God, and man, at our discretion; We remember we are but Ambassadors, and must not go beyond our commission, and instructions. We do not take upon us thus to be Lords over God's heritage, as if we had the absolute power of the Keys. This were Popery indeed. No, we only acknowledge a Ministerial limited one, as Stewards to dispense things according to the Will of our Masters, and do assent unto the observation which cyril, Saint Basil, Ambrose, Augustine, make upon these words of Ordination of the Apostle; Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye forgive, shall be forgiven. viz. That this is not their work properly, but the work of the Holy Ghost, who remitteth by them; for as St. Cyril saith 
a Cui enim praevaricatores legis à peccato liberare licet, nisi legis ipsius autori. in Jo●. lib. 12. ●ap 56.  who can free transgressors of the Law, but the Author of the Law itself? 
b Datu●us erat Dmi●us hominibus Spi●itum Sanctum, ab ipso Spiri●u Sancto fidelibus suis dimitti peccata volebat intelligi; nam quid es h●m●, nisi ager sanandus, vis mihi esse medicus, mecum quaere medicum. Homil. 23. Ex. 50.  The Lord (saith St. Augustine) was to give un●o men the Holy Ghost, and he would have it to be understood, that by the Holy Ghost himself sins should be forgiven to the faithful, what art thou O man, but a sick man? thou hast need to be healed; wilt thou be a Physician to me, seek the Physician togegether with me: 
c Ecce per Spiritum Sanctum peccata donantur, ●omines, ministerium suum exhibent, non jus alicujus potestatis exercent, (de Sp. Sanct.) lib. 3. cap. 10.  Saint Ambrose; Lo, by the Holy Ghost sins are forgiven; men bring but their Ministry to it, they exercise not the Authority of any power in it.  
Now having acquitted our Church of Popery, in retaining these words in Ordination, the Primate proceeds in showing the Minister's exercise of his function, in this particular; viz. Forgiveness of sins in these four things. 1. Prayer. 2. Censures of the Church. 3. Sacraments. 4. The word preached.  
1. Prayer, jam. 5. 14, 15. If any be sick, let him send for the Elders of the Church, & let them pray over him, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him, and so shows it to have been the judgement and practice of the Fathers and the ancientest of the Schoolmen, that the power of the Keys in this particular, is much exercised in our being petitioners to God; for the persons remission, not excluding the prayers of the whole Church in assisting them with theirs, for which cause in public offences, S. Augustine exhorts men to show their repentance accordingly, that the Church might pray with the Minister for them, for the more sure imparting of the benefit of absolution. And that before Thomas Aquinas time, the form of absolution was by prayer for the party, & that a learned man in his time found fault with that indicative form newly introduced. Then the form being not, I absolve thee, but absolutionem & remissionem tribuat tibi omnipotens Deus, the Almighty God give unto thee absolution, and remission, etc. unto which the ancient rituals of the Roman Church as the Greek, (according to that of Damascenes form, yet retained) doth agree; and 'tis the Primates observation, that the ancient Fathers never used any Indicative form, but always prayer-wise; as ye have heard, according to which were the ancient Liturgies of the Latin, and Greek Churches; howsoever the Popish Priests now stand so much upon it, that they place the very essence and efficacy of that their Sacrament in it, in the first person, and not in the third.  
Indeed our Church, to show it stood not upon forms, did in its Liturgy observe each. 1. In the absolution after the general Confession it is only declarative; At the communion 'tis in the form of a prayer, at the visitation of the sick, 'tis both Declarative, Optative, and Indicative.  
2. In the Censures of the Church, there is an exercise of this part of our function, which we maintain against the Montanists & Novatians, who deny any ministerial power of reconciling of such penitents, as had committed heinous sins, and receiving them to the Communion of the faithful, which is contrary to that of Saint Paul, (as 'tis generally expounded by antiquity) Gal. 6. 1. If any man be overtaken in a fault, (i. e. in a scandalous one) you who are spiritual, restore (i. e. upon his repentance) such a one in the spirit of meekness, as in the particular of the Incestuous Corinthian, whom, as in the name and power of the Lord jesus, he had been excommunicated, by Saint Paul, and the Elders there, so upon his repentance, he was in the same name, and by the same power restored again, even by such, to whom was committed the Ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 27. 10. etc. And indeed this loosening of men, is generally by the Fathers accounted a restoring them to the peace of the Church, and admitting them to the Lords Table again, as is evident by their frequent expressions that way, which the Primate doth declare.  
3. In the administration of the Sacraments, which being a part of the Ministry of reconciliation, and the Seals of the Promises must necessarily also have reference to remission of sins, and so the ancient Fathers (of whom the Primate allegeth divers) do hold, that as these words, whose sins ye remit, are remitted unto them, etc. are a part of our Commission; so 'tis exercised by the Ministers of Christ in the Sacraments of Baptism, and the Communion; yet so, that the Ministry only is to be accounted man's, and the power Gods; it being saith Saint Augustine, 
a Aliud est baptiza●e per ministerium, aliud per p●●estatem & autheritat●m,  One thing to baptise by way of Ministry, another by way of power, which the Lord hath retained to himself, as to the Authority of remission of sins in it, according to that of john Baptists distinction between the external and internal Baptism, he baptised with the Baptism of water, to the remission of sins, but attributes that of baptising with the Holy Ghost, to Christ only.  
4. In the word of God preached, there is exercised this part of our function, in losing men from their sins, being a special part of this Ministry of reconciliation, committed to us, as the Ambassadors of Christ here upon the earth for that end; sinners are said to be holden with the cords of their own sins, Prov. 5. 12. The Apostles (saith Saint Jerome) according to their Commission given them by their Master, Whosoever you shall lose on earth, shall be loosened in heaven; (which bears the same sense with remitting, and retaining of sins here,) 
a quos funes, & vincula, solvunt Apostoli Sermone Dei, & testimoniis scripturae, & exhortatione. lib. 6. Comment. in Is. cap. 14.  Did lose those cords by the word of God, and Testimonies of Scripture, and exhortations unto virtue's 
b Remj●●untur peccata per Dei verbum, de Abel, & Cain. lib. 2. cap. 4.  Saint Ambrose saith the same, that sins are remitted by the word of God; etc. And so calls the Levite, that interpreted the Law, a Minister of remission; As the jewish Scribes, by taking away this key of knowledge, are said to shut up the Kingdom of heaven, so a Scribe fitted for the Kingdom of God in the Ministry, is a means by it to open the door of heaven to them, by being an instrument to open men's eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sius, etc. And by applying the word unto the consciences of their hearers, the Ministers of Christ did discharge that part of their function which concerns forgiveness of sins; not only declaratively, but operatively; in as much as God is pleased to use their preaching of the Gospel, as a means of conferring his spirit upon the sons of men, and of working of faith, and repentance, whereby remission of sins is obtained: thus john is said to have preached the Baptism of repentance, 
Mark 1. 4.  and to have given knowledge of salvation to the people, for the remission of sins: and Saint james, cap. 5. 20. saith, he that converts a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins. This hiding, or covering, is meant forgiveness, as 'tis accordingly set forth elsewhere. Rom. 4. 7. blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, 
Jer. 3●. 28.  and whose iniquities are covered, etc. Now, is there not as much offence in saying Ministers do save men's souls, or save men from their sins, (the propriety of our Saviour) as to say they forgive them their sins, the turning men from their iniquities, is God's act alone, according to the frequent prayer in the Prophets unto him first, yet in regard the word of reconciliation is committed to them as the ordinary means of it, by a usual Trope of the Act of the agent given to the instrument, it is attributed unto them, of which might be given many instances, Timothy (1 Ep. 1. 4.) is said to save them that hear him, though there is but one Saviour, because he preached the word of salvation, by which they were saved, (Acts 12. 14.) the word of God preached by the Apostles, is called by our Saviour, their word john 17. 20. and that which is properly the work of God, is called their work, 1 Thes. 5. The Corinthians who believed by Saint Paul's Ministry are said to be his Epistle, i. e. the Epistle of Christ ministered by him, as ye have it expounded in the next verse following; And so, why may not forgiveness of sins be said to be the work of the Ministers, i. e. the work of Christ ministered by them; being so far honoured, as to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Coworkers together with him. According unto which is the judgement of Dr. Ward, that Reverend and learned Professor of Divinity in Cambridge, in that determination of his, (in Comitiis an. 1637. mense Octob.) Potestas clavium extenditur ad remissionem culpae, where are many of the like observations, which I found enclosed in a letter unto the Primate, for his approbation, where I find somewhat more than is in that which is printed. viz. 80. Sic argumentatur Alensis. part. 4. q. 21. membr. 1. Paris potestatis est interius baptizare & à culpa mortali absolvere. Sed Deus non debuit potestatem baptizandi interius communicare, ne spes poneretur in homine, ergo pari ratione non potestatem absolvendi ab actuali peccato, fundamentum hujus rationis habetur apud Cyprianum de lapsis.  
And the like may be said of the binding part of their office called here, retaining of sins. Do we not read how the Ministers are sometimes brought in like those seven Angels in the book of the Revelation, which pour out the Vials of God's wrath upon the earth. Saint Paul saith, 2 Cor. 10. 6. he had vengeance in readiness against all disobedience, yet vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord; what other sense can it be but this? he is said to be the inflicter, because he was in Christ's name the denouncer? even as jeremiah, (cap. 1. 10.) is said to be set over the Nations, and Kingdoms to pluck up, and to pull down, to destroy, and to root out; because God had put these words in his mouth, and was ordained by him as a Prophet to pronounce destruction to them accordingly, or as Ezekiel (cap. 43. 3.) is said to have destroyed the City, by being said to pronounce destruction to it. The Primate observes, that we often meet with these speeches concerning the Leprosy (which was a Type of the pollution of sin) the Priest shall cleanse him, the Priest shall pollute him (Leu. 13.) according to the Hebrew, and the Greek version; and out of 
a ●Contaminatione contaminabit eum, haud dubium, quin Sacerd●s non quo contaminationis Author sit, sed quo ostendat eum contaminatum. Hieron. lib. 7. Esa. cap. 23.  Saint jerom, that 'tis said, verse 44. the Priest with pollution, shall pollute him, not that he is the Author of his pollution, but that he declares him to be polluted, and unclean; whereupon the Master of the sentences, and others do observe, 
b In remit●endis vel re●inendis pecca●is, id juris & Officii habent Evangelici sacerdotes, quod olim habebant. sub lege legales in curandis leprosis. Hi ergo peccata dimi●tunt vel re●inent, dum dimissa adeo, vel re●entae, indicant & ostendant. Ponunt enim sacerdotes nomen Domin● super filios Israel, sed ipse benedixit, si●ut legitur in Num. Petr. Lomb. l. 4. sent. dist. 14.  that in remitting, and retaining of sins, the Priests of the Gospel have the like power, and office, which the Priests of old had under the Law in curing the Lepers, who therefore accordingly may be said to forgive, and retain sins, whilst they show, and declare, they are forgiven, or retained of God 
a Num. 6.  So the Priests put the name of the Lord upon the children of Israel, and were commanded to bless the people in saying, The Lord bless thee: but it was the Lord himself that blessed them; according to the next words, and I will bless them.  
And thus in these four things, I leave it to be calmly considered of, if the Ministers have not power left them by Christ in relation to forgiveness of sins, and with these limitations, whether that part of the old form of the words of Ordination, might not be continued also, which seems to me to be explained in the next following them; viz. And be thou a faithful dispenser of the word, and Sacraments, etc. (through both which the graces of the Holy Ghost, and remission of sins are conveyed, and sealed) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. According as in the words at the Communion used to the recipient, the former clause was added in Q. Elizabeth's days, to give the more full sense of the latter. And let not any by this Moderate expression, extenuate the office of the Ministry, as Bellarmine would by this infer, that any Layman, Woman, or Child, may absolve as well as the Minister, (as we have among ourselves, too many of that judgement.) For it consisteth not in speech, but in power, or Authority; he being as the officer of a King, Authorized to make Proclamation of his pleasure: Every man may speak one to another, to the use of edifying, but to them is given, 1 Cor. 10. 16. power to edification, God hath made them able Ministers, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. That from them it comes, 1 Thess. 1. 5. not only in word, but in power also; and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; which accordingly hath been experimentally found; that howsoever another may from the Scripture show as truly unto the penitent, what glad tidings are there intended to him; yet to drooping and doubting souls, it hath not been so efficacious, in quieting them, and giving satisfaction to their consciences, either in sickness, deathbed, or otherwise; as by the Ministry ordained, and commissionated for that end; That as 'tis their office to pray and exhort you in Christ's stead to be reconciled unto God; so having listened to that Motion, and submitted yourselves accordingly; 'tis their office to declare, and assure unto you in Christ's stead, that God is reconciled with you, All which appears to be the ancient doctrine of the Church of England, by what is publicly declared in the exhortation before the Communion to be read sometimes at the discretion of the Minister which is the recitd and approved by the Primate, as followeth.  
And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in God's mercy, and with a quiet conscience, therefore, if there be any of you, which by means aforesaid, (i. e. Private examination and confession of sins to God) cannot quiet his own conscience, but requireth further Council and Comfort, then let him come to me; or some other discreet, and learned Minister of God's word, and open his grief, that he may receive such Ghostly Council, Advice, and Comfort; as his Conscience may be relieved; and that by the Ministry of God's word, he may receive comfort, and the benefit of absolution, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple, and doubtfulness.  
And now let the Reader judge if Dr. Heylene hath not cause to repent of his rash censure of the Primate, (in his late book p. 108.) as if in this part of his Answer to the Jesuit, he had (as he saith) in this particular, utterly subverted, as well the doctrine of this Church, as her purpose in it, etc. when those two arguments which himself urgeth, from the words of Ordination, and the exhortation at the communion, are produced and defended by the Primate also. What would he have? he saith the doctrine of the Church of England is, that, The Priest doth forgive sins authoritatiuè by a delegated, and commissionated power committed to him from our Lord and Saviour, doth not the Primate say the same; that 'tis not only declaratiuè, but designatiuè, not only by way of information out of the word of God (as another understanding Christian may do) to the penitent, that his sins are pardoned, but he doth it authoritative, as having a power and commission from God to pronounce it to the party, and by the seal of the Sacrament to assure the soul of the penitent, that he is pardoned of God, which no other man or Angel can do, ex officio, but the Minister of Christ, according to that of the Apostle; To us is committed the word of re●couciliation, this is the sum of the Primates judgement. He that would have more, must step over into the Church of Rome for it.  
I shall only make a trial whether Doctor Heylene will so conclude against Mr. Hooker, as he hath against the Primate; who in his sixth book of Ecclesiastical Policy, consents fully with him, where after his declaring, that for any thing he could ever observe, those Formalities which the Church of Rome do so esteem of, were not of such estimation, nor thought to be of absolute necessity with the Ancient Fathers, and that the form with them was with invocation, or praying for the penitent, that God would be reconciled unto him, for which he produceth Leo, Ambrose, 
a Sacerdos imponit manum subjecto, ●ed●tum Spiritus sancti invocat, & indicta in populum or atione altari reconcil●at, etc. advers. Lucifer.  Jerome, etc. p. 96. He thus declares his judgement, viz. As for the Ministerial sentence of private absolution, it can be no more than a declaration what God hath done▪ it hath but the force of the Prophet Nathan's absolution, God hath taken away thy sins, than which construction, especially of words judicial, there is nothing more vulgar. For example, the Publicans are said in the Gospel to have justified God: the jews in Malachy to have blessed the proud man, which sin, and prosper; not that the one did make God righteous, or the other, the wicked happy; but to bless, to justify, and to absolve, are as commonly used for words of judgement, or declaration, as of true and real efficacy; yea, even by the opinion of the Master of sentences, etc. Priests are authorized to lose and bind, that is to say, declare who are bound, and who are loosed; etc. Saint Jerome also, (whom the Master of the Sentences allegeth) directly affirmeth, That as the Priests of the Law could only discern, and neither cause nor remove Leprosies; so the Ministers of the Gospel, when they retain or remit sins, do but in the one judge how long we continue guilty, and in the other declare when we are clear, or free. (Tom▪ 6. Comment. in 16. Mat.) So (saith Mr. Hooker,) when conversion by manifest tokens did seem effected, Absolution ensuing, (which could not make) served only to declare men innocent. p. 108. When any of ours ascribeth the work of remission to God, and interprets the Priest's sentence to be but a solemn declaration of that which God himself hath already performed, they (i. e. the Church of Rome) scorn it. And so after much to this purpofe, he thus concludes. p. 113. Let it suffice to have shown how God alone doth truly give, and private Ministerial absolution, but declare remission of sins. And thus I leave Mr. Hooker under Doctor Heylen' s Censure, who hath already concluded, that forgiveness of sins by the Priest, only declaratiuè, doth not come up to the doctrine of the Church of England. Though the reason he gives, because it holds, the Priest doth forgive sins authoritatiuè, I do not see the force of, The former, supposing the latter; for the Officer, whose place it is, solemnly to make Proclamation of the King's pardon, doth it authoritatiuè; nay, dares not do it, unless he were authorized accordingly. And so much for the Primates judgement of those words of Ordination. Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins thou forgivest, are forgiven, whose sins thou retainest, are retained.   

The PRIMATES judgement of the Use of a set Form of Prayer, heretofore declared, and now more fully enlarged, and confirmed; with the concurrence of the Votes of such eminent persons who are so esteemed by the contrary-minded.  
THis Subject hath been so sufficiently discussed and determined by others, that no new thing can be expected from me, only you have here the judgement and Approbation of this eminent Primate, which being of so great esteem with all good men; 'tis possible now upon near an even scale of men's opinions in it, his may be of that weight, as to give satisfaction.  
First, that the Use of a set Form of Prayer, is not a setting up of any new doctrine, as the Athenians judged of Saint Paul, appears in that 'tis the practice of the Belgic Churches, for which ye have the determination of the Divines of Leyden, Polyander, Rivetus, Wala'us, Thysius; in their 
a Disput. 36. de cultu invocat. Sect. 33. non tantum licitas sed & valde utiler esse, contendimus, etc. & in magnis conventibus at●entio auditorum per usitatas formulas, non parum juvatur.  Synopsis Theologiae: And the resolution of Mr. Aims our countryman (who lived and died a Professor of Divinity among them) in his cases of conscience, who saith, 'tis 
b Licitum hoc esse manifestum est, ex approbata sanctorum praxi, quam in praescriptis Psalmis, & bene●ice●di formulis, scriptura nobis commendat. Vtile etiam & necessarium est quibusdam istisumodi f●rmam sequi, quamvis ex libell●●sit denotanda. l. 4. cap. 17. de or●tione mentali & vocali.  lawful from the approved practice of the Saints in the Psalms, and other Forms of blessing in the Scripture; nay profitable and necessary for some, though it be read out of a book.  
Then for the judgement and practice accordingly of the Reformed Church of France, Ludovicus Capellus gives us a sufficient account of (who is Professor of Divinity in the University of Summer) in one of his Theses lately published, de Liturgiae formulis conceptis, or a set form of a Liturgy, where after he hath answered all the pretended arguments against it, which it seems he had gleaned up out of some of our English Writers of late, he concludes 
a Vbi sunt 〈◊〉 Pastor's S. Liturgi● publica formula est apprimè utilis & necessaria, ●d communem Ecclesiae aedificationem, etc. earum usus jure damnari ●on p●●est nec debet, c●um s●mper & ubique, in universa Ecclesia Christi●na, toto terrarum orbe, ●am à piusquam 1300 annis perp●tuo obtinuerit, etiamq●e ●odie ubique obtineat, nisi apud novtio●, etc. Donec tandem nuperimè exorti sunt in Anglia, etc. de Litu●g. concept. form. 〈◊〉 3.  that 'tis very necessary both for the most learned Pastors and congregations, as unlearned; and the edification of both, being used throughout the Christian world in all ages, at least for these 1300 years, and is still at this day in all places, excepting only (as he saith) some of late with us in England, whose censure of them ● is so severe, that it would be offensive in me to repeat it.  
And surely the general custom and practice of the reformed Churches (which Saint Paul urgeth, 1 Cor. 11. 16. cap. 14. 33.) cannot be contemned by any sober Christian, unto which may be added, the judgement of divers pious and eminent men of onr own nation, and so esteemed by such as have asserted the contrary, whose judgements being too large to be inserted here, I shall defer them till the last, who do very fully concur with the Primate in it.  
Calvin was a wise and learned man, now as Beza tells us, it was his constant practice to use a set form of Prayer before Sermon, without alteration; So was it his advice in his Epistle to the Protector of England, in Edward the sixth's time, (which hath been mentioned elsewhere) for the establishing of a set form of a Liturgy here, from which it might not be lawful for pastors to depart, both for the good of the more ignorant, preventing of an affected novelty in others, and the declaring of an unanimous consent in all the Churches. For which practice and advice, he had sufficient warrant from the Precedent of the Ancient Fathers, in the Primitive times, which might be here also produced. And doubtless the council of Eliphaz is is good, job 8. Inquire I pray thee of the former ages, and prepare thyself for the search of their Fathers (for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing;) shall not they teach thee; etc. as that of the Prophet jeremiah (cap. 6. 19) ask for the old way, and walk therein; which may well rebuke the presumption of some, who are so led by their own fancies, that the Ancient Fathers are of no exemplary esteem with them. Only I may safely reprepresent this to the consideration of any ingenuous person; that if it were the practice of the Church of God in all ages for 1500 (or but 1300) years after Christ, not only of the vulgar, but of such as were glorious Martyrs, and the most eminent Preachers of former and later years, with whom the holy spirit did much abound, doth not the assertion of the contrary condemn the generation of the just, or at least argue a bold presumptuous censure of the spirits of just men now made perfect in heaven. This only by way of preparative to the Readers attention, that there is no singularity in it.  
2. See the warrants for it in the Scripture, i. e. in the Old Testament: (Numb. 6. 23.) the Lord gives a form of words to Aaron, and his sons, to be continued as a perpetual Liturgy from age to age, for the blessing the children of Israel, saying unto them, the Lord bless thee, and keep thee, the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace, etc. Numb. 10. 35. Moses gives himself a set form, at the rising and resting of the Ark. When the Ark set forward, Moses said, Rise up Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee, flee before thee; And when it rested, he said, return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel. Continued by David at the removal of the Ark in his time, Psal. 68 1. In the 26. of Deut. ye have two set forms prescribed of God himself. First, to him that offers his first fruits, verse 3. thou shalt say unto the Priest, etc. verse 5. thou shalt speak, and say before the Lord thy God, etc. consisting chiefly of confession to the 11. verse, and then to him that offers his third years tithes. verse 13. when, after a solemn protestation of bringing all the hollowed things, paying his Tithes truly, without diminution, or alienation, he is prescribed to say this prayer, before the Lord his God, verse 15. Look down from thy holy habitation from heaven, and bless thy people Israel; and the Land which thou hast given us, as thou swearest, etc.  
The book of Psalms, some consisting of Petitions, some of Confession, some of praises, (the several parts of prayer) what was the end of their composing and collection, but as a Liturgy containing the several forms framed by the Saints of God in several ages, and accordingly continued, and used in the Temple, and Synagogues upon several times, and occasions; As that for the Sabbath-day in special by the Title of it (Psal. 92.) as Moses prayer was preserved for the use of the Church (Psal. 90.) to David's time, so was his, and others, after the captivity to our Saviour's time, some were used to begin the service with; some to end it; some before the reading of the Law, and Prophets, some between them and before the expositions of either, (as those who have searched into those customs of theirs, tell us.)  
Praise is the principal part of prayer, and for that, how often do you read of Set Forms used by the most eminent Saints.  
Moses after the delivery from Pharaoh at the Red Sea, pens a set form of praise, for Myrian (Exod. 15 1.) unto which that of Rev. 15. relates where the Saints in heaven, are said to use that form also; at the victory over their enemies, they sang the song of Moses (1 Chron. 16. ●7.) Asaph and his Brethren had forms delivered them by David, to thank the Lord with, (verse 35.) say ye, save us O God of our salvation, etc. (2 Chron. 7. 6.) Solomon, at the dedication of the Temple, observes that form which was observed by his Father, praised be the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever; at which, (signifying an acceptance of it) the glory of the Lord filled the Temple, (2 Chron. 29. 30.) Hezekiah caused the Priests, and Levites, to praise God in the words of David and Asaph the Seer.  
No doubt, but these worthy reformers, Hezekiah, and Isaiah, were able to have framed prayers, and praises of their own; and that suddenly, (as Hezekiah seems to have done at a special occasion in the Temple, 1 Kings 19 14. both of them 2 Chron. 32. 20. in their private) but for the public settled constitutions, they rather chose to use those Forms which were used in the Church many ages before in David's time; see then a respect to Antiquity, not only in Doctrine, but in the Forms of prayer framed by the Saints before them. And surely if it were pleasing unto God then, according to the Counsel of the Prophet Hoseah to the Israelites in their repentance, (cap. 14. 2. take to yourselves words, and say thus unto him?) why should it not be now? he being yesterday, and to day, and the sa●e for ever. (Ezra 3. 10.) The like was observed after the Captivity, at the repairing of the Temple, when Ezra appointed the Lord to be praised after the Ordinance of David King of Israel. So much for the Old Testament.  
Now for the New Testament, ye have a Precedent for it; (which is above all Precedents) in our blessed Saviour, who gave a form to his disciples, (Luke 11, 1.) When ye pray, say, not only (as Matthew 6.) say after this manner, or say thus; but say this. In Saint Matthew, he gives a form to the people, and disciples together, which was before he sent them forth to preach; (for that was not, till cap. 10.) In Saint Luke he gives his disciples a Form, after he had made them preachers and Apostles, cap. 9 1. and after the 72 were sent out also, cap. 10. 1. and both returned from preaching through the Cities of Israel, see how both people and Teachers are allowed a set Form, and it seems john Baptist had done the like by the ground of their requests, Teach us as John taught his disciples. They were not then for New, and different ways from the Church before, or coaetaneous with them, but for a conformity, that it might appear john Baptist disciples, and they were one Church, and one body. A good example for us to follow, not to aim at a Singularity, or a division between other Churches, and us, but to draw as near as we can to a Conjunction with them, in having one heart, and one tongue. Seek not ways never before thought of, but tread in the steps of the precedent times, as the Disciples did here teach us, as john taught his.  
And the Reconciling of the Evangelists is easy, viz. It was our Saviour's mind, that it should be both a rule for all other, and said for a prayer also, and that which is a rule for others, must needs be in the highest degree so itself. A Standard for any measure, dry or liquid, may be used for that measure too; and so 'tis no contradiction, that the Lords prayer should be as the measure for other prayers, and said for a prayer also.  
And that it was so understood by the Fathers in the Primitive times; I shall only represent unto you some of the words of Saint Cyprian in his Sermon upon it, who lived about 250. years after our Saviour: and died a Martyr. He exhorts the people not to omit the use of the Lords prayer with their other prayers, in which he hath some such speeches as these, surely thou art more likely to obtain thy request; cum qui habitat intus in pectore, ipse sit in voce, when he that is in thy heart, is also in thy tongue: How can God but hear thee, when thou comest in the words of his Son, takest up the prayer sanctified by his sacred mouth; If thou hast no other prayer, use this; if thou hast others, use this also, and urge God daily in his own language; and with the words of his beloved Son. Like him that catched up Alexander in his Arms to appease his Father Phillip's anger; so saith he, take up Christ in thy Arms, make him thy spokesman, by taking up his own words; (that is with right understanding, and affection.) By these, and the like expressions in that Father, may be seen, what was the judgement and practice of the Primitive times, in relation to the use of that form of the Lords prayer, which the Divines of 
a Sicuti quoque tota vetust● Ecelesia, i● semper extra● controversiam bab●●●t, viz. Prec●●i●nem han● Christi non esse tantum rect● pre●andi normam, sed insuper queque 〈◊〉 precand● formam. Synops. Theol. disp. 36. Sect. 33.  Leyden do aver clearly, that without controversy, the whole ancient Church did always observe it, not as a Rule only, but a Form of prayer. 'Tis one extremity to make an absolute necessity of the using it always, and an other extremity not to use it at all. Our Church that in each service, at lest once owned it, as the principal, and parent of the rest, was free from any vain repetition. So much for the first thing observable in our Saviour's giving a form to his disciples, which is a warrantable precedent for the Church to do the like for her Members.  
2. Our Saviour gave himself a form of words, Matth. 26. 44. he went away the third time, and prayed, saying the same words; it was at three several times, and with some distance between each; and which is more observable, it was at his Passion. In afflictions we are most apt for various expressions, yet even then, he that was the Wisdom of the Father, and excelled in language, the tongues of men, and Angels, and could have abounded in the variety of Elegancy, yet varied not the phrase, but kept the same words; surely it was for our example, and to teach us that prayer consists not in words, but in the earnestness of affection; let no man except against the use of the same prayer twice; Our Saviour used it thrice, and (as the Apostle saith) he was heard in what he prayed, and 'tis the observation of the 
a 〈◊〉 Christum in cruse pendens depre●cation i●●rma, á D●vide tanquam ●ypo antea ●bservata, usus est. Muth. 27. 46. Ibid.  abovenamed, that our Saviour observed a set form of prayer upon the Cross, used before by David, (Psal. 22. 1.) as in the Type, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me (as those words, Into thy hands I commend my Spirit; are out of Psal. 31. 5.)  
3. He doth not only prescribe a form of words in prayer, but in the Sacraments. 1. Baptism. (Mat. 28.) Go and Baptism them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Which Form of words, the ancient Church ever observed without any variation, as containing (with the Element of water) the matter and form of Baptism, and in the Lord's Supper; the three Evangelists give us his very words, used by him in the Consecration of it, and is commended to the Church of Corinth by Saint Paul, who received it from the Lord also, and surely are to be accordingly used by us.  
4. 'Tis observable how he himself observed the set Forms, used by the Jews at the Passover, both in prayer and praises, see Beza (on Matth. 26. 20.) and Ainsworth (on Exodus 12.) granting it, and that the would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, john 16. ult. should be rendered; having sung the Hymns or Psalms, which they ●ay were a set portion of Psalms of praises (which the Jews call their great Hallelujah) from the 113. Psalms to the 118. as also divers others of our learned Writers conceive, (Paulus Burgensis, Scaliger, D●usius, etc.  
And can that of the Apostle (Col. 3. 16.) exhorting to praise the Lord with Psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, imply any other than a set form of words, according to our custom, yet retained in singing of Psalms in the congregation. And may not that of our Saviour (Mat. 18.) Where two or three of you shall agree together, touching any thing they shall ask, etc. imply that a prayer, composed by the consent and unanimous agreement of the Church, to be the more prevalent: put all these together, and are they not a Cloud of Witnesses, at least to confirm, and support the weaker sort in knowledge and utterance, who though of sincere hearts, yet cannot suddenly pour forth their desires in fitting expressions, worthy (as they conceive) the ears of Almighty God, but must make use of the pens, and forms of others, or of what they have premeditated, and framed to themselves; surely in these, if their hearts be, (as they may be) raised to a due height of holy affection, God accepts of them.  
The necessary requisites to a prayer, are such as these, That the person be acceptable, that the matter be good; that it be done in the right manner (i. e. with understanding with affection, and that rightly ordered, and qualified) and the end rightly terminated, with a submission to Gods will, for the time and measure, with the like, which I cannot now insist upon. But I never heard of any Divine that hath wrote of it, to have put in this for one. viz. That it must be suddenly poured out, without premeditation of matter, form, or method.  
The common Objection is this, 
Object.  that a set form is a limiting, or a stinting of the spirit in prayer, which ought not to be.  
First, 
Answ. 1.  this is but an unwritten Tradition, for if the spirit of a single Prophet in extraordinary gifts, must be limited in a subjection to the greater number of the Prophets, (1 Cor. 14.) why may not the spirit of a private Minister in these ordinary gifts, be limited by the vote and consent of the whole Ministry.  
Secondly, see the ill consequences of it. It must be appliable against singing of Psalms in the spirit, which Saint Paul puts together with prayer, I will pray with the spirit, and I will sing with the spirit, (1 Cor. 14. 5.) divers of the Psalms are prayers, now if the set form of words in them, be not an obstruction to the making a spiritual melody in your hearts to the Lord, why shall it be a stop to the overflowings, and enlargements of the heart, and spirit, in prayer.  
Again, it must be of the like force against preaching in ●he spirit, that if it be premeditated, or the Sermon be before composed, it cannot be in the demonstration of the spirit and power, nor have any efficacious operation in the hearers, which is both against our daily experience, and Solomon's Commendation of the Preacher, (meaning it may be himself, Eccles. 12.) because he was wise, he gave good heed, and sought out fit words, and set them in order, even words of truth.  
If the spirit was not obstructed in the pens of the Evangelists writing their Gospels, or with the Apostles in their several Epistles, then; notwithstanding both were done with labour, and study; why should our labour accordingly in the word and doctrine, by the pen or premeditation exclude it now: and if a set form doth not stint the spirit either in ●inging, preaching, or writing of holy things; why must it be so injurious only to the spirit of prayer.  
3. But thirdly, if a set form be the stinting of the spirit, it must be either in the speaker or hearer. 1. Not in the speaker, for his spirit may be the more at liberty to spiritual fervent enlargements, when there is no obstruction, or diversion by the work of the Invention in inditing of matter, and words, the unaptness, and unreadiness unto which in many, hath so disturbed them, and caused them to wander into such immethodical impertinet ways, that they have been far from the spirit of prayer.  
2. Not in the hearers, for than it must ever be so stinted, for whether the speaker useth sudden, or premeditated expressious, (which they cannot judge of) the hearers are alike bound to mind what proceeds from his lips, so that if the spirit be stinted with them in the latter, it is as much in the former. For as the judgement is the freer to say Amen by the foreknowledge, and approbation of the prayer, so the spirit and affections are at an equal freedom also; so that this objection is of no value.  
I shall only put this to consideration, whether that man's heart may be accounted most spiritual, which can be daily enlarged, and his affections lifted up in the use of the same words, or which cannot without the help of a variety, like those weak stomaches, or distempered in their health, that cannot relish one dish twice, but must at each meal, have the inventions of men employed to give them various; nay, in danger of losing their stomach, if they hear of them before they come suddenly before them; Now in this I would not be understood, to discourage any persons in exercising themselves this way, and striving to perfection in this gift, which I do much commend; only as those that learn to swim, have help at first of some supporters, but afterward come to swim without them. Children at first have their Copies, their paper ruled, their hands held, but in time do it of themselves, and so there is an expectation, that you that are of ability should grow in knowledge and utterance this way: but for the weaker sort, is it not better they should use a staff then slip, and are not the Major part of this kind, like men with weak sights, needing the help of Spectacles. To whom, by denying them a set Form, are we not injurious accordingly, Though those we call weak, may possibly, by their fervency, and ardency of affection be said of, as Saint Paul of himself; when I am weak, then am I strong, and God's strength perfected in their weakness.  
The prevalency of a prayer being not in the elegancy and loftiness of the stile, but in the sighs and groans, and inward workings of the heart, like that of Nehemiah, and Hanna, though their voice were not heard.  
In a word, an Uniformity in the public prayers of the Church to be observed in each congregation, would tend much to the unity of hearts and spirits among us, which Saint Paul commends as the more excellent way, and the end of coveting all gifts whatsoever, viz. a Composure of a Form for the public service of God, by the joint assistance of the most learned and pious, from which, the most eminent gifted person might not depart, more than the inferior. I speak not of prayer before Sermon and after, (when each may take their liberty, though therein the Dutch and French Church are strict also) but of some consent in the manner of Administration of Baptism, the communion, and other offices in the public, that might be owned by us all in Common, as the form of the Church of England, which as it hath been a means to continue a unity in other reformed Churches at this day; so I believe would be a means for the reducing it with us, even a settled peace both in Church and State; which ought to be the prayer and principal endeavour of every good Christian. So much for the declaring and confirming the Primates judgement of the use of a set form of prayer in the public.  
Now unto his, for the more easy reception of it, I shall here add the votes of some, whom the contrary minded (at least the most pious of them) will not gainsay. I shall not mention the judgement and practice of the worthy Ministers and Martyrs in Queen Mary's days; some of whom were put to death for approving, and using the ●orm which was then extant, being one of the 
a Ralph 〈◊〉, john Rough.  Articles put in against them. Of these it will be said, they walked according to the light then given them; I shall therefore trouble the Reader only with a few testimonies of godly and eminent men, who lived within our own memory; some of them reckoned among the Non-conformists, or old Puritans, yet in this particular fully concurring with the Primate.  
Mr. Richard Roger's Preacher at Walbersfield in Essex, (whom I well remember, and have often seen his constant attendance at the public prayers of the Church) In his pious book entitled the seven Treatises.  
In that Chapt. of public prayers. He thus beginneth. If that mind be in us, with the which we have been taught to come to all holy exercises, and so to be prepared for them; who doubteth, but that we may receive much help by them? yea, and the better a man is, the more he shall profit by them, etc. Some have thought all set forms of prayer are to be disliked, and such only to be offered up to God, as by extemporary gift, are conceived, and uttered; And that the Minister should use no set form of prayer, but as they are moved by God's spirit.  
I answer. It is a foul error so to think. For as there be necessary things to be prayed for of all men, and always, and those are the most things which we are to pray to the Lord for, so there may be a prescript form of prayer made concerning all such things; which being so, what letteth that in the reading of such forms, either of confessing of sins, request, or thanksgiving; what letteth, I say, that the ●earers hearts may not profitably go on with the same, both to humble, to quicken and to comfort: For is the reading itself unpure, when the Minister in his own behalf, and the peoples, uttereth them to God; I speak not (ye see) of the matter of prayer, but of reading it, for if the matter be erroneus, and naught, the pronounceing of it, maketh it not good, any more than the reading doth; and if it be good and pure being uttered or pronounced, the reading cannot hurt it, or make it evil. And as the Church in the Scripture did, and doth sing Psalms upon a book to God, and yet, though it utter a prescript form of words, I hope none will say that it is a sin to do so, the heart being prepared. In like manner to follow a prescript form of words in praying is no sin, and therefore ought not to be offensive to any, etc.  
And further, they may know that in all Churches, and the best reform, there is a prescript form of prayer used, and therefore they who are of mind that it ought not to be, must separate themselves from all Churches. Also, if a set form of prayer were unlawful, than neither were the Lords prayer (which is a form of prayer, prescribed by our Saviour, himself) to be used. And so he proceeds to persuade all good Christians to lay aside contention, and endless, and needless questions about this matter, and with well ordered hearts and minds to attend unto, and apply to themselves the prayers, which either before Sermon or after Sermon are uttered, or the other, which through the whole action of God's worship, are read in their hearing, etc. So much Mr. Rogers.  
Now this book of the seven Treatises, hath been since epitomised by Mr. Egerton, and entitled the practice of Christianity, which hath an Epistle of Doctor Gouge before it, in a high commendation of it. Now, at the conclusion of that he hath added, Certain Advertisements concerning prayer, in which, his, or both their judgements in this subject, are declared accordingly. viz. That it is lawful, and in some cases expedient, to use a set form of prayer. Question (saith he) is made by many of the lawfulness, or at least of the expediency of praying by the help of a book, or of using a prescript, and set form of prayer. It is to be considered, that there be divers degrees and measures of gifts, both natural, as of grace; besides, some have been by custom more trained and exercised in this holy duty than others, etc. which difference I have observed, not only in private Christians, but also in some most reverend, faithful, and worthy Ministers. Some using both in their public Ministry, and in their private families; a stinted prayer, and set form of words, with little alteration at all, except some extraordinary occasion have happened, and yet both sorts so furnished with piety and learning, as I could hardly prefer the one before the other.  

a Liberty in solitary prayers.  Moreover, whereas in respect of the place and company, there be three sorts of prayer public in the Church, private in the family, and secret by a man self; greatest liberty may be taken in secret and solitary prayer, because we are sure (that if there be a believing, humble, upright heart) God will not upbraid any man for his method, order, words, or utterance. Yet in private prayer we may not take so great a liberty, 
Less liberty in private prayer.  etc. and some well-affected, have been somewhat faulty and offensive in this behalf: weak and tender Christians, (such as commonly are in a family) are not so capable of that kind of prayer, which is called, conceived, or extemporate, varying every time in words and phrases, manner, and order, though the matter and substance be the same. 
Lest liberty in public prayer.  But especially care must be had in the public congregation, that nothing be done in praying, preaching, or Administration of Sacraments, but that which is decent and orderly; because there, many eyes do see us, and many ears do hear us; and therefore it is expedient (for the most part) to keep a constant form, both of matter and words, and yet without servile tying ourselves to words and syllables, but using herein such liberty and freedom, as may stand with comeliness, etc. And so he proceeds thus to direct men, that though a Book may be used in private prayer, yet that it is much better to get their prayer by heart, commending the use of the Lords Prayer, and the variety of other forms of godly prayers in print, penned by foreign Divines, as our own countrymen; as Mr. Bradford that blessed Martyr, Master Deering, Mr. Hieron, and divers others yet living, whose printed prayers are nothing inferior to the former. And so because there ever have been, and still are many Babes in the Church of God, which have need of milk, etc. and some of bad memories, and heavy spirits, etc. he frames divers forms of prayers to be used for Morning and Evening in case of sickness, for the Lords day, etc. Thus much very excellently, Mr. Egerton, approved by Doctor Gouge.  
Mr. Arthur Hildersham, Preacher at Ashbie-delazouch in Leicester-shire, upon the 51 Psalm, p. 63. saith thus. I dare not deny, but a weak Christian may use the help of a good Prayer-book; better to pray on a book, than not to pray at all. Certainly 'tis a spirit of error, that hath taught the world otherwise.  
First, our blessed Saviour prescribed to his Disciples a Form of prayer, not only to be to them and his whole Church a rule, and sampler, according to which, all our prayers should be framed, (as appears, when he saith, Matth. 6. 9 After this manner pray ye,) but even for them; to say, tying themselves to the very words of it, as appear, Luke 11. 2. when ye pray, say, our Father, etc. By which answer of our Saviour to his Disciples, it may also appear, that John taught his disciples to pray, by giving them forms of prayer; to say, yea, even in secret prayer. Matth. 6. 6.  
2. All the best reformed Churches do now, and ever have used, even in public Liturgies, prescript forms of prayer; and have judged them of great use and necessity for the edification of the Church: And surely this argument is not to be contemned by any sober Christian, as appeareth by the Apostles speech, 1 Cor. 11. 16. If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom; neither the Churches of God: So doth he again press the example and practice of all the Churches of the Saints, 1 Cor. 14. 33.  
3. This is no stinting, nor hindrance to the spirit of Prayer in any of God's people, no more than the singing of praise to the Lord in the words of David, is now, and was in Hezekiahs' time, 2 Chron. 29. 30. or the joining in heart with the words that another uttereth in conceived prayer: Thus far Mr. Hildersham.  
Doctor Preston (who used a set Form of Prayer before Sermon) in that Sermon of his preached before King james, Text, john 1. 16. Of his fullness we have all received, etc. p. 22. saith thus. That a set form is lawful, much need not be said, the very newness of the contrary opinion is enough to show the vanity and falsehood of it. It is contrary to the approved judgement of approved Counsels, learned Fathers, and the continual practice of the Church. He instanceth in Tertullia's time, and Origen, Saint Basil, Ambrose. Constantine the Great prescribed a set form of prayer to his soldiers, and Calvine in his 83. Epist. to the Protector of England, saith, that he doth greatly allow a set form of Ecclesiastical prayer, which the Minister shall be bound to observe. But (as I said before) of the lawfulness of it, there is no Question.  
How slight is that which is objected against the lawfulness of it; 
Object.  to wit, That the spirit is stinted, when we are fettered with words appointed?  
I answer, The freedom of the spirit stands not so much in the extent of words, as in the intention of zeal, wherein they are uttered. And if a set form be lawful, then must a set form needs excel, which is dictated by Christ himself, and is therefore more frequently to be used, and with all reverence, both in mind and gesture; nor doth this want the practice and approbation of the Ancientest, instancing in Saint Cyprian, and Saint Augustine, etc.  
And for a further confirmation, see the same affirmed by him again; in his book called the Saints daily exercise, set forth and approved by Doctor Sibbs, (who himself used a set Form of Prayer before Sermon,) Mr. Davenport p. 80. viz. Another case (saith he) is, Whether we may use a set Form of Prayer.  
Answ. I need not say much to you, for I think there is none here that doubts, but that a set Form of Prayer may be used: you know Christ prescribed a Form; you know there were certain Psalms, that were prayers that were used constantly, and therefore no doubt, but a set Form may be used, and in the Church at all times, both in Primitive times, and all along to the beginning of the Reformed times, to Luther, and calvin's time, still in all times, the Church had set Forms they used, and I know no objection is of weight. One main objection is this. That in stinted prayer, the spirit is straightened, etc. To this he gives a three fold answer.  
1. They that object it, do the same thing daily in the congregation, whose spirits are limited and stinted by being hearers of him that prays.  
2. 'Tis no general tye, but at other times in private, they may be as free as they will.  
3. The spirit or affections are not tied, or restrained by a set form, there may be largeness of the heart, though there be a limit of words; This is the sum of the answer, which the Reader may have more at large there.  
And thus I have given ye the judgement of these four eminent men in their time, approved by three other equal with themselves, all fully concurring with the Primate in this particular, which cannot but prevail much with such as have been, or are otherwise minded at this day, I add no more, presuming that those that will despise these, will set light by any other; and so much for this subject, concerning a set Form of Prayer.  
Now there are two other things, which upon this occasion might not be unseasonable to speak a word of, according to the Primates judgement also. viz. Of the length or brevity in prayer, and of the Gesture at it; in both which, many of this age have gone astray.  
1. For the length. In the public, all good discretion teacheth ordinarily not to be very large, (for we speak not now of extraordinary duties in public Fasts) because in a congregation, all the Auditors are not of the like strength. Some, (according to that distinction of john 1. Ep. 2. 13, 14.) may be Fathers, some young men, but others Children fitter for milk then strong meat, that a long continuance at prayer may as ill suit with them, as putting of a new garment to an old, or new wine into old bottles.  
Jacob's speech in answer to his Brother Esau, when he would have had him driven on his pace with him (Gen. 33. 13.) I will (saith he) lead on softly according as the Cattle with young, which are with me, and the children which are tender shall be able to endure, lest if I should over-drive them one day, the flock should die, may have its Moral application to the prudence of a Pastor this way.  
'Tis very dangerous to cause a fullness in the worship of God, that for prayer men should be apt to say, as those in the Prophet for the Sabbath, when will it be done?  
Solomon's caveat (Eccles. 5. 2.) against rash and hasty utterings, and multiplying of words in the house of God, and his Council, upon it. Let thy words be few, are observable, much may be spoken in a little, and 'tis true in this, as other matters, vis unita fortior.  
There is an excellent Epistle of Saint Augustine's concerning this subject, (Epist. 121. Probae viduae.) that (saith he) is not a commendation that he was long at prayer; there may be much speech, but little praying (multa locutio n●n multa precatio) while the affection is lifted up; like the hands of Moses, so long the party prays, when that is heavy, the Act of prayer ceaseth; sometimes (saith he) the work of prayer is rather done (gemitibus quam sermonibus; fletu quam afflatu) with sighs, than words, tears, than lips.  
The time when our Savionr is observed to have used a prolixity, was in the private, then whole nights in prayer, and the whole day till even, but not in the public; respecting, it may be, the causes before mentioned. So much for the length of it.  
Secondly, for the gesture; Certainly, the most comely is kneeling, after the example of David, (Psal. 100 Ezra (cap. 9 5.) Daniel (cap. 6. 10.) and the pattern of our Saviour, Luc. 22. 41. he kneeled down and prayed, etc. whose example Saint Stephen followed, (Acts 7. 6.) and Saint Paul (Acts 20. 36.) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, etc. (Eph. 3. 14.) The humility of the soul is principal, but that of the body must not be omitted; both being bought with a price, God must be glorified in both; present your bodies as a living holy acceptable sacrifice to him (Rom. 12. 1.)  
A second which is allowed, is standing, 2 Chron. 20. 5. jehosasaphat stood and prayed, etc. (Nehem. 9 14.) At a solemn fast, the Priests and people stood, and confessed their sins: allowed by our Saviour (Marc. 11. 25.) when thou standest praying; sitting is no fit gesture for it: as even 
* Cas. Cons. de Orat.  Amesius confirms it. Sessio non est gestus orandi, which is not justified by that of David, (2 Sam. 7. 18.) who upon the Message from God by Nathan, is said presently to have went in, and sat before the Lord and prayed, or that of the Israelites, (judg. 20. 26.) Who at their solemn Fasts are said to have wept, and sat before the Lord till Even; because the same word is frequently, and as properly rendered elsewhere; to remain, abide, or tarry in a place, as Genes. 27. 44. tarrying with him, etc. Leu. 4. 8. he shall tarry abroad, 1 Sam. 1. 23. tarry till thou have weaned him, etc. cap. 20. 29. thou shalt remain at the stone, etc. and so here, both for David and the Israelites, the sense is, only they continued or remained before the Lord in prayer and fasting, as that of Matth. 4. the people which sat in darkness, etc. can be meant in no other. Our Saviour's sitting at the right hand of his Father, hath as well the sense of standing, according to Saint Stephen's vision of him, Acts 7. 56. and that which is said of the Apostles at the Passover, Mark 14. 18, and as they sat and did eat (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) signifies rather a lying down, leaning one upon another, and according to the former instances, may imply as well a standing, which 'tis probable was the ancient gesture; so that sitting may be taken, in the latitude of any other gesture used at their remaining there.  
Nay, standing is not so strictly limited, but 'tis sometimes taken for kneeling, (2 Chron. 6. 12.) 'Tis said, Solomon stood before the Altar, and spread forth his hands towards heaven; yet verse 14. he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees, and (1 Kings 8. 54.) he arose from kneeling on his knees, That woman which is said to have stood at jesus feet, 
Luke 7. 38.  and kissed them, and washed them with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, must imply a bowing down, at least to a kneeling.  
A third, which in Scripture was accustomed with both the former, is the lifting up of the hands, according to that of David in the Psalms. Let us lift up our hands unto God in the heavens, 
Psal. 28. 1. Psal. 1. 41.  hear my supplication, when I lift up my hands towards thy holy Oracle, etc. which is referred to in the New Testament, I will that man lift up pure hands, (1 Tim. 2. 8.) signifying that of David, unto thee do I lift up my soul: To which we may add the lifting up of the eyes to heaven, according to the example of our Saviour (John 17. cap. 11. 41. Mat. 14. 19)  
Other unseemly postures of the hands, eyes, face, and the like; hath no example in Scripture, and even men's hiding, or covering of the face at public prayer, seems to be against the order of the Apostle, and the than custom of the Churches. 1 Cor. 11. 7. for by the head there is not meant the hairy scalp, but the face, both by several circumstances in it, and the acceptation of the word elsewhere. 2 Sam. 15. 30. David wept as he went, and had hishead covered, and all the people that were with him, covered every man his head, weeping as they went; etc. here by the head must be understood the face, after the manner of mourners, as on the contrary, that of our Saviour to his Disciples, in token of joy; lift up your heads, must be meant accordingly, And the face being the seat of shame, the head must be so taken, jer. 14. 3, 4. they were ashamed and confounded, they covered their heads, etc. unto which, some passages out of Tertullian might be given, by way of confirmation.  
Now for the better reception of this latter part of the Primates judgement, concerning our outward reverence in the public worship of God, whether at hearing of the Word or Prayer; so much neglected in these times; I shall here add what I find in the foresaid Mr. Arthur Hildersham, in his Lectures upon john 4. In the 26. Lecture he speaks much for the outward reverence of God's public worship in the Church. viz. That we should neither come into that place, nor go out of it, as ye would in or out of a danceing-schoole; But in our very coming in, and going out, and whole outward carriage; we should give some signification of the reverence that we bear to this place, and that we do indeed account it the house of God; Exhorts men to come to the beginning of the then public worship, or before it begins; and tarry till all be done: to be present at the Administration of Baptism, and at the blessing pronounced by God's Ministers. Affirms, that there was nothing then done in Gods public worship among us, but it was done by the Institution, and Ordinance, and Commandment of the Lord; the particulars of which, he mentions.  
In his 27. Lecture, he exhorts to a reverend gesture in prayer, kneeling as the fittest; or standing, not sitting. And commending the reading of the Scriptures in public; he saith, At the hearing of the word read, some further gesture, and outward signification of reverence is to be used, then is required at the hearing of the Sermon; which he confirms by proofs out of Scripture and reasons, too large to be related here. But he thus concludes. viz. So you see the custom of our Churches in sitting bare while the Word is read, is grounded upon good reason and warrant from the word of God, and such, as it well becomes every one of God's people to conform themselves unto.  
Lect. 29. he complains of that irreverence thus. Some will not vouchsafe to be bare at the reading of the Word, some will be bare at the Psalms, not at the Chapters; and if they could justly pretend infirmity for it, they were to be excused; but they will not be bare many of them, so long as the Text is in reading: yea, every youth and boy in our Congregations, are wont to be covered, while the Word is read.  
But the chief abuse is, the neglect of kneeling in prayer, many that will kneel at their own private prayers (which they make at their coming into the Church) can never be seen to kneel at the common and public prayers. Many that will kneel at the Lords prayer, will kneel at no other, wherein (though the Lord's prayer be in sundry respects more excellent than any other yet) there is as much reason we should kneel at any other prayer, as at it; for the reason of our kneeling, is not the excellency of the words used in prayer, but the reverence and duty we owe to the person we pray unto, etc. This saith that worthy and judicious Writer Mr. Hildersham,) I can but wonder, upon what pretence such a man could be silenced, (as he wrote himself to the Pri●ate; Anno 1630.  
I conclude only with an exhortation to decency, and a reverend comeliness in our solemn meetings, that devotion and prudence may kiss each other, that while the soul is lifted up in prayer, the body may be humbled, and the whole man presented to God as an acceptable sacrifice, that unity and uniformity in doctrine and worship; may be found among us, and that we may all be of one heart, and one mind. Consider what hath been said, and the Lord give us understanding and moderation in all things.   

A CHARACTER of Bishop Bedell late Bishop of Kilmore, in Ireland.  
UPon the occasion of publishing this Sermon of his (on Revel. 18. 4.) I have thought fit to give this exemplary character of him. Somewhat of his life is already extant, within that of Sir Henry Wotton's, the enlargement of which, I leave to the prudence of others, only thus much in brief.  
He was Fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, where he was one of the eight that commenced Bachelors of Divinity of that house in one year: whereof Bishop Hall and Doctor Ward were two, between whom and him, there was a continual intercourse of Letters to their last. From that College and University, he had that Character given him of learning, and prudence, that he was chosen to go with the Ambassador Sir Henry Wotton unto Venice. What the fruits of his some years being there produced upon Padre Paulo, and other learned men, sufficiently appears by the testimony given of him in a letter of the Embassador's hereunto annexed. The Interdict of Venice (wrote by the foresaid Author,) he translated out of Italian into Latin, for whose use he also translated the book of Common Prayer into Italian, and made an English Grammar (which I have seen writ with his own hand.)  
After his return from Venice, were wrote those learned Letters of his to Mr. Wadesworth, who at the same time, going with the Ambassador into Spain, had been withdrawn to the See of Rome, whose temper and meekness of stile to an Apostate, I wish were so far exemplary with some Writers among ourselves, as to abate that heat and bitterness, which hath broke forth in matters of less consequence.  
At his Benefice of Horningesh-earth near St. Edm. Bury in Suffolk, he continued long in great esteem, sometimes chosen by the Diocese to be a member of the Convocation.  
Upon the death of Sir William Temple Provost of the College in Dublin, the late Primate wrote earnestly to him to accept of it, being unanimously chosen by the Fellows. During his abode there, he performed the duty of the Catechist, & preached a Lecture Sermon once a week in Christ Church.  
He was not long Provost, but he was promoted to be Bishop of Kilmore, where (I being then the Dean) it gave me the occasion to be more known to him.  
In relation to the Liturgy of the Church of England, he gave this direction; viz. to observe whatsoever was enjoined in the Rubric without addition or diminution; not to be led by custom, but by rule. And in special, he ordered that the whole Doxology to the blessed Trinity, Glory be to the Father, etc. should be always read by the Minister alone, without the respond of the people, and the like for the Psalms: Te Deum, etc. with the rest, appointed to be read between and after the Lessons, though the custom had prevailed otherwise in most Churches.  
The Communion Table was placed by him, not at the East end, but within the body of the Chancel, and for other Innovations elsewhere introduced, he observed them not. His judgement being, that those were as well Non-conformists, who added of their own, as those who came short of what was enjoined, as he that adds an inch to the measure, disownes it for a rule, as well as he that cuts an inch off.  
He was a careful observer of the Lords Day both in the public and private, at one of the clock in the afternoon; he had then the Book of Common-Prayer read in the Irish tongue in the Church for the benefit of the Irish; at which he was constantly present himself, who in that little space had obtained the knowledge of the language. And as the New Testament had been long before translated into Irish; so had he caused the Old Testam. to be accordingly, & was almost ready for the press.  
And Whereas Doctor Heylene hath censured the late Primate very liberally for his approbation of the Articles of Ireland, he must take Bishop Bedell into the number also, who was so much for them, that I was present when, at the examination of an 
* Mr. Thomas Price then Fellow of the College of Dublin, who afterwards suffered much in the same Diocese by the Rebellion of Ireland, and is yet living in Wales.  able Minister then to be ordained, he did in the Church examine him in each, or most of the Articles, in a solemn meeting of the Clergy of that Diocese for that end, at least 2 full hours, whereby our votes might be also given for his approbation.  
At his Courts of jurisdiction, he frequently sat himself; where he caused always some of the Clergy, (if any were there) to sit covered on each side of him, with liberty to give their opinion in each case, and at a sentence, he asked their votes man by man: In some degree reducing then his Episcopal to a Synodical Government, according to the Primates proposal by way of accommodation an. 1641. It was his custom usually on the Lord's days, to preach upon those select portions of Scripture commonly called the Epistles and Gospels of the day.  
At the Visitations, he usually preached himself. The Procurations were bestowed in defraying the charges of the Ministers, and the rest given to some pious uses.  
After dinner and supper, a Chapter, was constantly read at his Table, and some time spent by him in opening some difficulties in it.  
The public Catechism, he had branched out into 52 parts; whereof, he appointed one to be constantly explained in the Afternoons in each Church, within his Diocese.  
He was very indulgent to the Irish Natives, in the preferring and encouraging of them for the Ministry; and yet such was their Ingratitude (i. e. the Popish party) that in that horrid rebellion, 1641. they exempted him not from their rapine; but seized upon his cattle, pillaged his house, ransacked and spoilt his Library; put him into a Castle, standing in a Lough, (called Lough-outre) about a mile and a half from his house, where he was imprisoned that winter. And at length being permitted to come out, died in a poor house of one who was an Irishman, and a Protestant, and continued faithful to him; by whose means an Hebrew manuscript Bible of his, (which he brought from Venice) was preserved, and is now in Emmanuel College Library in Cambridge.  
He was buried according to his own appointment in the Churchyard of the Cathedral of Kilmore, where he had caused his wife and son some years before to be buried. His judgement being against burials in Churches, as an abuse introduced by pride & superstition.  
I conclude only with this, if the Moderation of this Bishop had been observed elsewhere, I believe Episcopacy might have been kept upon its wheels.   

A Letter of Sir Henry Wotton's to the late King, in the behalf of Bishop Bedel, when he was desired by the Archbishop of Armagh, to accept of the Provostship of Dublin College in Ireland, which hath been lately published in the Life of Sir Henry Wotton.  
May it please your most Gracious Majesty,  
HAving been informed that certain persons have by the good wishes of the Archbishop of Armagh, been directed hither with a most humble Petition unto your Majesty, that you will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedell (now resident upon a small Benefice in Suffolk) Governor of your College at Dublin, for the good of that society; and my self being required to render unto your Majesty some testimony of the said William Bedell who was long my Chaplain at Venice in the time of my employment there; I am bound in all conscience, and truth (so far as your Majesty will vouchsafe to accept my poor judgement) to affirm of him that I think hardly a fitter man for that charge, could have been propounded unto your Majesty in your whole Kingdom, for singular erudition and piety; Conformity to the rites of the Church, and Zeal to advance the Cause of God wherein his Travels abroad were not obscure in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians.  
For may it please your Majesty to know that this is the man whom Padro Paul took, I may say, into his very soul; with whom he did communicate the inwardest thoughts of his heart; from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all Divinity, both Scholastical and positive, then from any that he had ever practised in his days, of which all the passages were well known to the King your Father, of most blessed memory. And so with your majesty's good favour, I will end this needless office; for the general fame of his Learning, his Life, and Christian temper, and those religious labours which himself hath dedicated to your Majesty, do better describe him, than I am able.  
Your majesty's most humble and faithful Servant, H. WOTTON.   

A Postscript.  
Mr. Thomas Pierce hath in an Appendage to a late book of his, printed five Letters wrote unto me by him, in each of which I cannot but much acknowledge his respects to me. To the four first I gave little else but brief returns of the like to him, which consisting chiefly, either in the asserting of the nearness of his judgement to the Primate's, or the remoteness of Mr. Barlee's, I did not conceive it fitting for me to interpose, and where there was a professed full agreement, it was no good office in me to make a difference. Now for those, the cause rendered of his not publishing them is good, there being nothing (as he saith) needful, or of concernment, in any one of them, Only to the fifth of his, wherein three Certificates are published as testimonies to confirm his former assertion of a late change of judgement in the Primate, with other applicatory passages from thence, I did return him a larger answer in this Letter following, (excepting somefew circumstantial alterations) having then no imagination that either of them should have been made public. And I have as little mind to it now, only by the provocation of divers of my Friends who conceive the Primate suffers in the interpretation of many by the silence of it, I have been compelled upon this occasion, to put forth this brief defence of him without any offence to Mr. Pierce. For his Appendage (wherein his respects to me are rather increased then lessened) I have thought fit to clear one passage. He saith I have spoken indiscriminately of Universal Grace, and Universal Redemption, and the place he quotes for it, is out of my second Letter to Mr. Barlee, p. 64. in these words, viz. But that by an Universal Redemption should be understood, an Universal Grace, etc. will not be attested to have heen affirmed by the Primate, etc. doth not this clearly imply a distinction to be made between them▪ I am sure I then so intended it. And therefore that which he adds immediately after. viz. That there is a wide difference between them, I do fully concur with him in it. Yet it seems to me, that himself puts them together often indiscriminately, as in the page before this, thrice in one page, 86. and p. 88 l. 32. as in his Philanth. p. 15. and elsewhere. And if I have in any other place done it, as in the title of the Letter, I was led to it by him. In this we have no disagreement, and I wish this following Letter may not occasion any, which I am forced thus to publish, as followeth.   

Doctor Bernard's Answer to Mr. Pierce's Fifth Letter containing three Certificates, produced by him to justify a late change of judgsment in the Primate of Ireland.  
SIR,  
I Owe you many thanks for the labour you have taken in your last Letter of the 28. of january, in transcribing the Certificates of those learned persons, which (supposing to have been rightly apprehended by them, without any mistake of him, yet) favourably interpreted, do not seem to me necessarily to argue what you have apprehended, and concluded of the change of judgement in the Primate, which I shall now ingenuously give you my sense of, without any desire of further dispute or contention about it.  
First for Doctor Walton's, where he saith, My Lord Primate did declare his utter dislike of the doctrine of absolute reprobation; I conceive it may be understood of the Supralapsarian opinion, which makes reprobation to be antecedent to the fall of Adam, and not only as a Preterition, but a Predamnation for actual sins. That he held the universality of Christ's death, not only in respect of sufficiency, but also in regard of efficacy, so that all men were by that made salvable (for so much efficacy I do not deny) differs not from that which his letter published, doth testify, and that the reason why all men were not thereby saved, was because they did not accept of salvation offered, is also granted, if it be according to his judgement rightly understood, viz. of those to whom the Gospel is preached; not of Pagans, and Infidels.  
That the grace of Conversion was not irresistible, but that men did often resist and reject the same, may well stand with my Lord Primate's Judgement, and no ways opposite to this. viz. That it is so effectual, that by the decree of his election; It is not resisted by the elect, and therefore his dissent from Geneva (as Doctor Walton certifies) is to be understood of Beza, not of Calvin; nor of the Sublapsarian (as I have intimated before) and I conceive his concurrence with Bishop Overall, which he averreth him to have professed, is to be understood as I have expressed it● for you know that Bishop Overall distinguished the Remonstrants' opinion, and that which he is pleased to call the opinion of the Puritans; (which title I wish he had spared) from the doctrine of the Church of England, which joins the universality of redemption with the special intention of God, effectually to save the elect. This for Doctor Walton's Certificate.  
Now for Mr. Goninges, which seems (by the Preface of it) to have been given you after your publishing the Lord Primate's change of judgement; somewhat of that may be safely granted; viz. The sincerity of God's universal call of all sinners to whom the Gospel was preached, which is the sum of what he affirms to have heard, from him in the public, but for that which he saith he received from him in private, viz. That God, together with his word preached, did give internal grace to all that are called by it, that they may repent if they will, yea they all can will, etc. If the Primate's words were not mistaken by him, (as they might the more possibly by the distance between the hearing, and the date of his certificate to you) I suppose this was the sense of them, viz. That by internal grace he did not understand more, then that there are some good motions offered unto the hearts of sinners, which if they did not extinguish and resist, and thereby draw upon themselves a further guilt, they should be seconded with more effectual grace; and, that upon their disobedience, God doth justly leave them to themselves, and doth not superadd that special grace, whereby their Wills are changed, and their conversion wrought. As for posse non resistere, it is consistent with actual resistance, which is taken away by special grace, and thus far I conceive he might hold with Bishop Overall; so much for Mr. Goninge.  
For Mr. Thornedick's Testimony, I see not wherein it differeth from the Lord Primate's Letter published, and needs no further answer. So that upon the whole I do not find, even by these Certificates, so sure a ground, for your assertion of my Lord Primate's change of judgement, and his being of late a serious convert, etc. as you have supposed; The first pretend but little, the last less, and the middle not much; thus interpreted: Howsoever for myself, had I been an ear-witness of that which certifies the most largely, I should have had more caution then to have adventured to signify the judgement of so eminent a person, under hand, and seal, (as you say you have it) without his knowledge, or consent, whether when he was living, or since his death, especially in that which should seem to imply a contradiction, to what he had before said and wrote.  
For that Objection of the 32 Article of Ireland, that Article may very well admit of some preparative motions tending to conversion, but not the actual grace of conversion; and may also be understood of denying an actual tuall call of all men, which are out of the Pale of the Church, or that the works of the creation and providence do lead men, or enable them to come to Christ, as some French Divines have lately taught.  
For that inconsistency employed by you, from what I have affirmed of my Lord Primates judgement. viz. That Massa corrupta was the object of predestination, it will well consist with his judgement of universal redemption, expressed in his letter. And, the decree of reprobation, supposed to be ex intentione speciali, doth not deny a salvability of all men, but only an effectual grace to be given to work their conversion, and may also consist with universal redemption, and possibility of salvation, because reprobation is only negatio specialis gratiae, non nudae sufficientis.  
As for Goteschalchus, the Primate relating the truth of the story, and his opinion, is not thereby obliged to every particular of them, and if there were any mistakes of Mr. Barlee's from thence, or that large Catechism going under his name, doth not concern me to take notice of:  
For that which you mention of Mr. Vaughan's relation in the life, and death of Doctor jackson, of the care which the Primate took, (being (as you say) a Mourner at his funeral) to have his writings very religiously preserved. First, I have viewed the place, and find some mistake in the words, which are only thus; viz. The Bishop of Armagh, (being at his funeral) much desired his papers might be carefully preserved. But secondly, I do not believe the Primate meant, or approved those works of Doctor jackson's, wherein he professeth himself to be for the Arminian way, as he doth in the Epistle Dedicatory of those Books which he dedicated to the Earl of Pembroke, and which were answered by Doctor Twisse. Other works it may be, that ●●arned man might have of other subjects, which might be useful to posterity, which the Primate might have a care of, but I do not believe they were any of that nature; and the rather because they must be meant of such works which were not extant at his death, and not of those which were already printed, as you seem to apply it. Besides, it doth not appear, the Primate than understood what subjects they were of; And therefore, that which you have immediately added of your own; viz. That such inestimable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might not be wanting to posterity, but might perform their work of bringing religion into its wits, (which the Reader might possibly mistake, in apprehending them to have been the Primates words) and your somewhat severe application to him, from thence, and what Mr. Barlee had said of Doctor jackson, seems to want a foundation here.  
For that which you write in your Postcript concerning my saying, that the doctrine of St. Augustine was confirmed, or inclined unto by the Primate in his works, if you observe the whole discourse, it is only in relation to Pelagius and his disciples, and limited to those points in debate concerning the Primates judgement, whereof universal redemption and free will, were mentioned; not that by it I had obliged the Primate to be of Saint Augustine's judgement in all points besides: And for that particular of perseverance, which you instance in, it came not into my discourse in either of my Letters to Mr. Barlee, what he or Mr. Baxter have produced of the Primates apprehension; what was Saint Augustine's judgement in that point, cannot argue it was therefore his own; Indeed, Saint Augustine is variously conceived in it, in his several Tractates, and where he hath some expressions tending to the final falling away of some who have been regenerated and justified; he is thus salved by others, who understand him either, de justificatis Sacramento tenus, or judicio charitatis, that they were such, or of some predispositions to regeneration, in some Moral reformation; not of a spiritual real conversion, which he denies to any reprobate.  
Now in this variety of senses, you should have done better than thus, to choose the worse; for the Primates judgement, who was against the Total and final falling away of those, who were effectually called, truly regenerated and sanctified, according to the 38 Article of Ireland; And thus I have touched the principal materials in your Letter.  
For that you say, some have endeavoured to gain credit to their Calvinistical opinions by their unjust usurpation of the Primates name. I could wish those hard expressions tending so much to the distaste of Calvin, might be abated; whom divers of the most eminent Writers, and learned Fathers of our Church, (whom I suppose you reverence) have had in great esteem; and usually name him with honour.  
I might quote divers, as Archbishop Whitgift, Bishop Bilson, Bishop Davenant, Mr. Hooker, Doctor Ward, etc. but Bishop Andrew's shall suffice, who in his determination against usury, (a case wherein he dissented from Calvin yet) thus writes of of him. Calvino (illustri viro nec unquam sine summi honoris praefatione nominando) etc. i e. Calvin an excellent man, never to be named without a Preface of the highest honour. I wish that spirit of meekness and charity found in those old Bishops, were doubled upon us in these days, when we are as much (if not more) called unto it; The contrary may possibly be grateful to the See of Rome, but I do not see what advantage it can be to us. For his discipline, you may take your liberty, which may well be distinguished from his doctrines. And for the Primate, though I cannot say he was of his judgement in all points, yet he had a due respect for him.  
For that which you object again to me, as you did in your third Letter, viz. my acknowledging an engagement to Mr. Barlee for his readiness offered, (in his first Letter unto me) to clear the Primate, etc. did not deserve a repetition, being it was in my first to him, when he was as much a stranger to me, as I was to you: only, let me say thus much of him. How far he had disagreed in his book from the Primates judgement; I shall not now inquire, but after the receipt of that tractate, wherein he read what his was; he wrote thus unto me (Decemb. 21. 1657.) viz. It is true, there be some minutiae, about which I am not satisfied, and shall be glad to have an amicable conference with you. However as to the rei summam, I do so perfectly agree with the most venerable Primate, as that I dare discharge you from all fears of ever having him exposed to my pen, and censure, etc. which I do the rather thus punctually repeat his words, because in short you have mentioned it from me in your fourth Letter. And when I had read you both, meeting in the Primate, I thought it my part to sit down in silence.  
In a word, you have with much industry viewed, and reviewed the Primates judgement in that point, which hath been published, but I wish I did not find you making that use of it, to endeavour to confirm your former assertion of a change in him, in which I am not in the least shaken in mind by what hath passed between us, but must still conceive (contrary to your expectation in the beginning of your Letter) there was a mistake wheresoever it lights, which being so gentle an expression, and which we are all subject unto, I see no cause of any offence, either to yourself, or Certifiers.  
I shall entreat you to let the venerable name (as you style it) of that good man rest in peace, without any further strife of tongues or pens; and let us leave his judgement to his works, which do undoubtedly testify of him: and for any further dispute of this subject between us, I wish this might be the last, as it is the largest; and that neither by this, nor any other, the least breach may be made between us, as to love, and friendship, which upon all occasions, shall ever bee readily manifested by  
Grays-inn, Febr. 9 1657. Your assured Friend and Servant, N. BERNARD.  
FINIS.