SEing we haue receaued a most sure word of the Lord our 2 Pet. 1. 19. Deut. 4 6. Psal. 119. 105. GOD , It behoueth vs to geue heede thervnto , as vnto a light that shineth in darke places , whiles we trauell in the dangerous wildernes of this world . In which word , the whole wisdome and conncells of GOD for our direction and instruction in all thinges , are fully reuealed vnto vs . So that now we are not to say in Deut. 30. 11. &c. our heartes , who shall goe vp for vs to heauen , and bring yt vs ? or who shall goe ouer the sea , & bring yt vs & cause vs to heare yt , that we may obey yt : For loe , yt is neere vs , euen in our mouth & in our heart , and set before our eies for to do yt ; the sound of the Gospell hauing beene long since caried forth through al the Regions of the whole earth : So that no nation ●…halbe excused , which will not serue Isa. 60. 12. & obey vnto the Gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST ; which being proclaimed with his owne blessed mouth , sealed with his owne heart blood , written with the pen of the holy Ghost , deliuered & incommended Hebr. 2. 3 , 4. by his holy Apostles & Prophets vnto vs & all posterities , Heb. 12. 24. 25. as his last wil & Testament , wherunto nothing may be added , Gal. 3. 15. Deu. 4. 2 & 12. 32. Pro. 30 , 6. Reuel. 22. 18. nothing diminished , a●…tered , or changed , violate , or wilfully neglected , according to fleshly wisdome or worldly pollicie , without Deut. 5. 32. most heinous transgression , sacriledge , and impietie . For as all degrees of men , without respect or exception of any person , are Psa. 45. 6. heb. 1. 8 bound vnto the same , as vnto the Scepter of our soueraigne Lord , Ioh. 12. 48. 2 Cor. 5 10. Reu. 22. 18. 19. IESVS CHRIST , who is King ouer all , blessed for euer , Amen : so shall all men in particular be iudged by the same , of all things done in Gal. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 3 , 15. Deut. 31 ▪ 26. this mortall life . Neither hath any Angel in heauen , any mortall man , no nor the whole Church , power or prerogatiue , to alter or neglect the least iote or title therof .

But GOD hath especially committed these holy oracles to the caref●…l custody of the Church , there to be inuiolably preserued , as in Deut. 17. 8. &c. the side of the Arke , purely taught , expounded & deliuered , without Mal. 2. 5. Exod. 23. 20 , 21. Heb. 12. 28 corrupting , mixing , hiding , obscuring , peruerting , wresting , there to be precisely obserued with all reuerence and feare , without Deut. 29. Iosu. 24. Iud. 3. any willing or knowen transgression , or swaruing either to the right 1 Cor. 6. 15. & 10 , 16 , 17. & 12 , 13. hand or to the left , of the whole Church or any member therof . And heervnto is the whole Church , and euerie particular member Eph. 1. 23. & 4. 12 therof , both iointly and seuerally bound ; both because they haue Hebr. 3. 13. & 10 , 24. P●…il . 2. 4. all of them interest in the tree and riuer of life , all are bound to the maintenance of the faith which is giuen , & is common to al Sainctes , and because they are all of them the members of CHRIST , and togeather his bodie , & each others members in him . Therfore are they so often by the Apostles charged & stirred vp , to exhort , edifie , and admoni●…h one an other , to stand vpon the watch-towre of their faith , Rom. 16. 17. 2 Io●… . 10. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. to scowte , and obserue them diligently which cause diuisions & offences , contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned , to trie the 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. spirites , to examine the doctrine whether any man teach otherwise , & consent not vnto the wholsome wordes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST & to the doctrine which is according to godlines . Math. 6. 22. Luk. 11. 34. 35. 1 Pet. 2. 2 Many waightie and graue reasons are added to induce them to be the more vigilant Io●… . 6. Phil. 2. 16. & 〈◊〉 ; the doctrine being likened to the light of the eies , to the Math. 15. 13. & 16. 12. Gal. 5. 9. Reu●…l 8. 11. & 9. 3. 5. 19. & 16. 13. 2 Cor. 11 , 13. 1 Cor. 3. Mat. 23. food , yea to the life of the foule , as also , error & corruption resembled to da●…knes , leauen , poison &c. Moreouer , such teachers , to false and deceitful workmen , blind & vnfaithful guides , to greeuous & rauening wolues , to thieues & murtherers &c. what counterfeit titles & 2. Tim. 3. 6. &c. ●…heepes clothing soeuer they take and get ynto them : yet the holy Math. 7. 15. Act. 20 29. Iob. 10. Ghost speakes euidently , & euerie where warneth , that these builders shal destroie the Temple of God , whose howse and work●… we 1. Cor. 3. 27. are &c. these guides shall seduce & mislead vs in the waies of death & destruction , these thieues and wolues shal spoile & murther vs . Now by how much these goods are spiritual ▪ this death of the soule , by so much are they more carefully to be auoided , shunned , eschewed . Therfore our sauiour CHRIST & his Apostles , as they were most vigilant & faithful ministers , & did both preuent and foresee diuers dangers & great euils to come , so gaue they verie earnest and often Mark. 13. Math. ●… . 4. ●…k . 21. warnings hereof vnto the disciples , vnto the Churches , commanding the porter , yea euerie seruant of the house to watch , to beware & to take heed , shewing them that manie false CHRISTES should arise & many false prophets , shewing great signes & wonders , wherby to deceaue ( if yt were possible ) the verie elect . He fore told them of Antichristes original , increase & exaltation , how he should be haue himself , what hauock he should ke●…p in the Church of God : as also of the general defection , & euen of the verie beginning therof . How 〈◊〉 . 24. 29. immediatly after the tribulation of those daies , namely the destruction & desosatiō of the earthly & material 〈◊〉 , the Sunne shoud be darkned , the moone should not giue her light , the starrs should fal from heauen & the powers of heauen should be shaken , and th●… beau●…ie therof wrapped vp as a scroule , that the whole world should be drowned in sensualitie and securitie , as in the daies of NOAH , because iniquitie shal be increased , & faith scarse found vpon the earth at his coming . So that if those daies should not be shortned , there shoud no flesh be saued . Y●…t , that al these things must & should vndoubtedly come to pass , he shewed yt by the nearer thinges ( namely the destruction of Ierusalem the temple there &c. ) as also confirmed yt by the truth & stedfastnes of his word , shewing how the heauen & earth should passe away , but his wordes should not passe away , neither should this generation passe , vntil al these thinges were fulfilled . Of these things the Prophets spake before , though more darkly , & as a far off , & by diuers types as Isa. 14. 13. 14. Na●…um . 3. 4. 5 , 6 , 7. Da●… . 9. 27 ●…lso Isa. 13. 10. & ●…4 , 4. Ezek. 32. 7. Ioel 2. 31. & 3 , 14. 15. But the Apostles gaue much more euident & plaine warning of these things , chiefly they that liued longest , and came nearest to these times . As the Apostle Paul to the Elders of Ephes ' Act. 20. 29. 30. 31. & in al his Epistles ple●…tifully ; the Apostle Peter in his 2. Epistle 2. & 3. Chapt. The Apostle Iude , & Ihon in al his Epistles : but especially in that heauenly Book of the Reuelation ; wherin he most liuely describeth these thinges , euen from the original , in seueral visions , according to the Reuel. 4. & 5 ▪ chapters . seueral times that should ensue . wherin he sheweth the happy estate of the Church , whiles Gods glorious throne was in the midst of the elders , & whiles yt was inlightned with the burning lamps of Gods spirit , and that the Book was receaued and opened of the Lamb , & whiles CHRIST sate vpon the white horse , his owne holy word , & that they remained togeather in that heauenly order , wher in CHRIST Ephes. 4. 11. had placed & bestowed euerie member , & the Apostles those excellent Col. 2. 5. workmen , had planted & left them , being fitly coupled & ioined togeather by euerie ioint , for the seruice & help of the whole , according to the effectual power that is in the measure of euerie part ; vntil Satan I say , that auncient enimie of our happines , had that great sword giuen him , wherwith he made , & stil shal make bloudye war , & raise vp greeuous persecution against the woman & her seed without : within whiles they slept & were negligent , sowing his darnel of errors , and tares of discord amongst them , raising vp sectes through 1 Cor. 3. 3. &c. the ambition and vainglory of some , drawing others into schisme Gal. 6. 12. &c. through pride and hypocrisie , others into heresies , through their Col. 2. headstrong & vnbridled asfections : al into his snare , through the general default of al , who slacked their duties , & kept not their orderly watch one ouer an other , and iointly ouer the whole , as they were commanded & prescribed by the Apostles . But as the age that arose Iudg. 2. after Ioshua & those Elders of his time , was sone corrupted , and forgate the ordinances of their GOD , and the great thinges the Lord had done for their forefathers : so these sone fell from the Apostolike order , and left their primitiue diligence & care . The people vpon a superstitious 2 Cor. 11. 20 . reuerence & preposterous estimation vnto their teachers and elders , resigned vp al thinges , euen their du●…ie , interest , libertie , prerogatiue into their handes : suffering them to alter & dispose of all thinges after their owne lustes , without inquirie or controlement . whervpon , the true patterne of CHRISTES Testament , so highly , and with so great charge incommended by the Apostles vnto the fidelitie of the whole Church , was soone neglected and cast aside , especially by these euil work men these gouernours , who some of them affecting the preeminence , sought to draw an absolute power into their owne 3 Io●… . 9. handes , peruerting those offices of more labour & care , into swelling titles of fle●…hly pompe and worldly dignitie . Thus wrought the 2 Thess. 2. 7. mysterie of iniquitie , yea so far were manie of them caried with a vaine opinion and ostentation of the excellencie of their giftes , as they vnder holy pretextes of doing good vnto others , sought al●…o 2 Cor. 11. 3. vnder this cloke a iurisdiction and regencie ouer other congregat●…ons also , which was easily obteyned , the people thr●…ugh the iust iudgmentes of GOD being now so bewitched and blinded with their sweet tongues , that they easily condiscended . Then were these caled Bishops of such a Citie , and if they were cities of rule , to which any territories , townes , or hamletes in the countrie belonged , then were they called Bi●…hops of such a Diocesse &c. & had vnder them inferiour or countrie Bishops , as also Deacons , subdeacons . Thus the whole Church growing remisse & negligent , both people & officers , that heauenly patterne left by the Apostles was soone violate , and vpon new pretences , more & more innouate . For hereby was a wide gap opened to al licenciosnes & disorder , the people growing dissolute , the priestes ( as they terme them ) proude : so that religion , with was erwhile so irksoome to flesh and blood , so mightily persecuted by Sathan and all the princes of the world , grew now so plausible to all sortes of men , so pleasing to their affections & appetites , that the great Princes of the world , and all their realmes & countries flowed apace to the Church in this estate , the gates and entrie being as ill kept without , as the watch within . So that vpon this increase there were manie of these citie Bishops , wherby the pride of some could not heerwith be satisfied , vntil they had gotten them a new dignitie ; namely to be Archbbs. ouer all the BBs. in a Prouince or countrie . Heer were also new Deacons , Archdeacons erected : Yet was not the ambitious thirst of some thus stanched , but they aspired yet to a more high degree & preeminence ; so that there must now be picked out fowre principal cities , which must carrie 4. Patriarches . These had yet higher power than the Archbs. and were erected to see to the gouernment & discipline ( as they call yt ) of al Churches , in respect , or rather in despite of those 4 beastes , which had so many eies and wings , and ●…tood day and night about the throne of GOD . but they were rather those 4 angels which stood vpon the 4 corners of the earth , holding the 4 windes of the earth , that the windes should not blow vpon the earth neither on the sea , nor on any tree . 〈◊〉 7. 1.

But Sathan hauing yet a further reach , ceased not heere , but euen amongst those 4 he stil contended to set vp one chief , which variably fell out , somtimes to one , somtimes to another , vntil at length the lot rested vpon the Sea of Rome , where the papacie being vpholden ●… Thess. 2. by , & mixed with the Empire , and in the end swallowing yt vp , became Reuel 13. the very throne of An●…ichrist , where he sitteth in his exaltation , to whome the key of the bottomles pyt was giuen ; which being by him set wide open , the smoke of his cannons , deuises , trumperies , Reu. 9. vers. 1 2 3 &c. and abhominations darkned the funne , poisoned the aire : the Locustes & Scorpions that came out of this pit , & out of this smoke , the multitudes and swarmes of monkes , fryers , cannons , vagrant & mendicant preachers , parish priestes &c. so pestered and prisoned euerie tree , so stung & enuenomed euerie conscience , as they could beare no fruite , neither brooke any wholsome doctrine .

Thus Antichrist being now established and fortified in the midst of his strengths , his councel of Cardinals , his Metropolitane & Archbishops Palatine & Lord BBs. in euerie countrie : he now receaued Reuel 13. 2. 5 , 6 ▪ 7. the great charter of his prerogatiue infernal , euen the Dragon his power , throne , and auctoritie . He now boldly opened his mouth against God , blaspheming the tabernacle of CHRIST , & them that dwel therin : innouating and changing all thinges after his owne ●…ustes , the ministerie , gouernment , orders , worship ; thus exalting vers. 15 16 17 himself against al that is called GOD , & sitting in the temple of GOD as GOD , shewing himself that he is GOD , causing all men to worship Reuel 17. his miage , to receaue his mark , to buy his ▪ wares &c. bringing ●…orth his harlot vpon the stage of the world , stately mounted vpon his beastly power , pompously araied , and gorgiously decked , and adorned , the more to allure & intise : whose cup of fornications was Reuel 18. 3 caried far & neere , to many nations people and tongues , so that the kings of the earth committed fornication with her , the inhabitants of the earth were drunken with the wine of her fornications , which she conueied vnto them by the handes of her merchantmen , who are wax●…n ritch with the abundance of her pleasures .

Yet in al this defection , corruption , apostacie , hath GOD stil reserued Reuel. 7. 4. & ●… . a seed , a litle poore remnant , who haue beene marked with the Reuel 9. 4. mark of GOD on their foreheades , & haue been preserued from the Reuel 14. ●…ting of these scorpions , the plague of these locustes , which haue had Reuel 12. 7. ●…ight in the midst of these hellish fogs , which haue not bought nor Reuel 15. Reuel 17. 14 sold with the marke of the beast , neither drunke of the whores ●…up , neither haue beene defiled with her fornications : but haue Reuel. 14. 4. ●…eene the lambes caled , chosen , & faithful souldiours , following the Ierem. 50. & 51. ●…amb in white araye whersoeuer he goeth , and leadeth them from Isa. 13. faith to faith . These by the light of the word reade the harlots mysterie written in her forehead , discouer her skirts , & all her ab●…ominations , & by that same light make her knowen to be that spi●…itual Babilon , where Christes seruantes are kept in seruitude from the free practise of his word , where the true temple his Church & ●…ll the vessels and instrumentes therof are vtterlie ruinate , defaced ●…rofaned , trodden vnder foot . These also doe shew by the same light , ●…uen from the ancient prophecies , her , & al her synagogs , to become ●…he verie habitation of deuils , the hold of all fowle & wicked spi●…ites , & a cage of euerie vncleane & hateful bird . ZIM & IIM & all ●…armful beastes shal lodge there , the Dragon & the serpent , the Har●…ies , scritchowles & vultures shal there make their nest , & bring vp ●…heir yong ones . And therfore these shal call al the Lordes faithful ●…eruantes out from amongst them , least they be partakers of her sinns , ●… receaue of her plagues ; shewing them that her sinns are at the ●…ul , come vp into the sight of God into heauen , & that God now re●…embreth her iniquities , and is ready to powre downe his plagues Gen. 6. ●…pon her , as in the daies of Noah & Sodome . Gen. 19.

He only now st●…ieth but vntill his Arke be built , vntil Lot his houshold be come forth , and the number of his elect be fulfilled ; which time we may euidently discerne approcheth apace : Our fig-tree hath almost budded al our signes . Therfore yt is high time for the seruantes of GOD to looke vp , & to lift vp their heades , for their redemption draweth neere . We haue al seene this general defection , Luke 21. 28. euen in the maner as yt was foretold to be come to pass : we haue also see●…e in the heauens the tabernacle of t●…stimonie , euen that first & Reuel 15. 5. ●… . Apostolike patterne , though we haue not as yet beene able to enter into the same , vntill the vials of Gods w●…ath be powred vpon the 〈◊〉 16. throne of the Beast , the whore , this Babilon &c. we see all the faithful witnesses and martyres of CHRIST in their seuerall ages to haue powred out their vials , some vpon the earth , some vpon the sea , some vpon the fountaines , others vpon the sunne , vpon the throne of the beast , vpon their Euphrates &c. we heare this voice round about vs sounding in our eares ●…o out of her my people &c. Saue thy self ô Syon that dwellest Reuel. 18. 4. 5. Isa. 52. 11. Za●…b . 2. 7. with the daughter Babel : Flie out of the midst of Babel , deliuer euerie man his soule , be not destroied in her inquitie , For this is the time of the Lords vengeance , he will render I●…rem . 51. 6. 45. v●…o her a recompence : & againe ●…lee out of the ●…idst of Babell depart out of the land Ierem. 50. 8. of the Chaldeans & ●…e ye as the gotes before the flock .

And our sauiour CHRIST in that forerunning signe & type of Iudea Mat●… . 24. ●…6 . &c. and Ierusalem , warneth them that are in Iudea to flee to the mountaines , them that are called on the house top , not to come downe into their house to fetch or saue any thing they haue lost there , they that are in the fieldes , not to returne back into the Citie to fetch their clothes , shewing the woes that are vpon them , which either are hindred & pressed downe with worldly affaires , as a woman great with child , or are deteined & held with the leaue either of their earthly frendes how neere so euer , or of their owne flesh , that they cannot flie and deliuer their soules , that cannot giue eare or obey vnto the commandement & voice of GOD whiles he calleth them , & so deferr & put off their comming out , either vntil the winter of Gods wrathful iudgmentes circumvent & inclose them , or the saboth of his final Hebr. 3. and ●… . Cha●…t . indignation fal & rest vpon them , & then there be no space granted them to flie , or grace to be preserued . Seing then we haue so manie prophecies , so many tipes , so many warnings , so manie callings , seing all our signes are accomplished , & that Gods final iudgmentes approch and steale vpon vs : let vs not despise his grace , nor harden our hearts whiles he yet speaketh , & yt is called to day : seing we are fallen into these last & pertilous times , wherein Satan vseth his last & vttermost sleightes , wherby the whole world shal be deluded , yea the verie elect , if yt were po●…sible , drawen away ; let vs not suffer our selues to be any longer deceaued , with the subtil inchantmentes of the false prophets & preachers of the times , neither to be deceaued with the vaine titles & glorious shewes of Church , minis●…rie , sacramentes ▪ Gospel &c. wherof the false Church ●…ath alwaies boasted & arrogated vnto her self , as well as the true Church , wherwith , as with stales she hath allured , & as with snares detained h●…r Gen. 4. 3. 4. & 17 ▪ 23. & 21. 4. guestes . Cayn ( we read ) as wel as Habel , offred sacrifice : Ismael and Isaac were both circumcised ; Hagar and Sarah were two mothers ; Gal. 4. 25. 26. the two mothers before Solomon pleaded both of them confidently 1 King. 3. 16. for the li●…ing childe ; the harlot as wel as wi●…dome killed sacrifices , Prou. 7. 13. 14. &c & 9. Chap. 1 King ▪ 12. 28. &c. ●…ent out her ministers , inuited guestes to her house ; Israel in their schisme & defection erected a temple , an altar , a ministerie .

It behoueth vs therfore , whiles yet GOD vouchsafeth vs time , carefully Lam. 3. 40. &c. by the light of Godes word , to examine our waies , and to ponder Math. 7. 13. 14. our estate , whether we be in that broad way that leadeth to Reuel 14. 1. & 1●… ▪ 15. destruction amongst those multitudes ouer whome the whore sitteth & raineth , or in the straight & narrow way which leadeth vnto euerla●…ting life , with CHRISTES litle fl●…k and marked soldiours , whome the lamb leadeth & ●…uleth : whether we be in that great defection , in that spiritual Babilon vnder An●…christ & that Beast , or whether we be in the mount S●…on , in the spirituall Ierusalem , where ●…he commandementes of GOD are k●…pt , and the fai●…h of IESVS .

This being knowen , al controuerfies shal forthwith cease : For then shall we either be guiltie of our owne destruction through our wilful obstinacie , or els ●…hal we lay hold of eternal life , whiles yet yt is offred , by forsaking our euil waies , and yeilding obedience vnto Godes holy word . Neither need we vnto this busines to goe fetch our light out of mens writinges ( as sundrie of the chief builders of ●…his corrupt age do ) or curiously to enquire or dispute about I wote not what markes of the true Church , which whiles some inde●…ored to set downe , endles controuersies & vaine striefe about words hath arisen amongst them , without end or edifying . Therfore let vs , for the apeasing and assurance of our consciences , giue heed to the word of God , and by that golden reed measure our temple , our Reuel 11. ●… . ●… . altar , & our worshippers : euen by these rules wherby the Apostles , ●…hose excellent perfect workmen , planted & built the first churches , comparing the synagogues of this land vnto them in the people , the ministerie , administration , order , gouernment &c. This way cannot deceau●… vs , for neit●…er can the simplest erre therin , neither any pol●…uted Isa. 35. ●… . ( how subtle and cunning soeuer ) passe by yt vnespied , vnre●…rooued : For as ther is but one truth , ●…o whatsoeuer is diuerse more or less th●…n that truth , is faultie and to be repented .

FIRST THERFORE , because euerie building consisteth of stones , let vs examine of what kinde of stones this Church of Eng●…and ( as they terme yt ) consisteth , and is compact ; whether of such elect precious liuing stones , which are gathered vnto and 1. Pet. 2. 5. ●…uilt vpon CHRIST IESVS , and in him grow vnto an holy and spi●…itual Ierem. 5 ▪ 1. 26 , 1 C●…ron . 29. 2. temple vnto GOD &c. or of common , Babilonish repro●…ate 1 King. 5. 17. & 6. 7 stones , wherof the Lord hath sworne , that not one of them 2 Chron. 2. 8. ●…halbe taken for a corner , or for a foundation in his house . Ezra . 3. 7. The material temple ( which was but a type of this ) we ●…eade to be built from the verie foundation , of choice , costly , perfect stones , the beames & rafters of choise Cedars , Algummin trees : No common or Read Leuiticus f●…om the 10 to the 23. Chap●…er . vile thing was vsed towardes yt , neither might any profane & polluted enter into yt . But of the incomparable bewtie & vnvtterable excellencie of this spiritual Temple , vnder the holy ministerie and 1 Pet. 1 , 10. 11 , 12. happy perfect gouernment of CHRIST , all the prophetes haue with great delight spoken & fore told , and with extreme desire inquired , & longed to see the reuelation of these ioies & graces , which they in the spirit foresaw , & foreshewed vnto vs , to whome they should be performed . The prophet I saiah , speaking of the excellencie therof , breaketh forth into these wordes , Behold I will lay thy stones with the Isai 54. 11. &c. Carbuncle , & thy foundations with saphirs , & I will make thy windowes of Esmeraldes , Ierem. 31. 34. &c. & thy gates of shining stones , and al thy borders of pretious stones , and thy children shal be taught of the Lord , & much peace shal be to thy children . And in an other place , speaking of the excellent glorie of this spirituall temple , he Isai 60. 17 , 21. & 35 , 8. 10. & 55 , 13. vseth these wordes For brasse I will bring gold , for yron I wil bring siluer , for wood brasse , for stones yron . I will make also thy gouerment of peace , & thine exactors of righteous●…es &c. thy people also shal be all righteous , they shall possesse the land for eue●… : the graffe of my planting shal be the work of mine handes that I may be glorified . And againe ; For thornes there shal grow firr trees , for nettles shal grow the myrrh tree , & yt shal be to the Lord for a name , & for an euerlasting signe that shall not be taken away . Al the plantes of this orcha●…d shal be of the Lordes ●…mb . 2 4 , 6. planting ; they shal all be incense & Aloe trees , pomgranates and fir Cant. 4. 13. &c. trees , which shal continually bring forth pleasant , newe , & fre●…h fruit , Ezek. 47 , 12. because they grow by the sides of the riuer of life , are watered with Reuel 22. 1. the dewe of heauen , and refreshed with the windes of godes spirit . ●…om . 11. 17. 24. They come not , nor grow not heere , vntil they be first cut off from 1 Cor. 6. 11. Titus 3. 3. 1 Pet. 4 , 3. Rom. 6. 4. 〈◊〉 . 3. 10. ●… 7. 19. Luk. 13. 6 their corrupt natural stock , where they grewe before , & be ingrafted into ●…he true ol●…ue tree , the true vine : yea & being planted and ingrafted , that plant , that branch that bringeth not forth good fruit , shal be hewen downe , shal be cut off & cast out &c. Into this mountaine Math. 15. 13. Iob. 15. 6. I●…r. 2. 21. entereth no venemous or harmfull creature , the cockatrice & aspe , the Lion & Leopard enter not and lodge not heere , vntill they haue left their poison , their fiercenes &c. so that the sucking child may pla●… vpon the hole of the Aspe , the weaned child pu●… his hand Isai. 11 , 6. & ●… . ●…nd 65. 25. vpon the hole of the Cockatrice , the lambe and the wolfe dwel togither , the kid & the Leopard ●…at straw together , and a litle child shal lead them . Ther may none be admitted into the church of CHRIST , but such as enter by publike profession of the tru●… faith : None remayne there , but such as bring forth the fruites of faith . The forerunner M●…th . 3. & 10. 7. Ihon the baptist , first preached repentance to prepare the way , Luk. 10. & 13. 3. and make strait , the pa●…hes of the Lord , before he baptised any . The like did our Sauiour Christ and his disciples : The Apostles also first Act. 2 ▪ 41. 42. And enerie w●…ere through the whol●… historie of the act●… of the Apostles . gathered a people ( by preaching ) vnto the faith : then receaued and ioyned them to the Church , and administred vnto them the holy pledges of the faith : baptisme as a seale of their ing●…affing into CHRIST , the holy supper as a symbole of their communion with CHRIST and al his faithful seruantes .

Thus see we what kinde of stones , what manner of people the Lord will haue built & receaued into his Church . Now yt remaineth , tha●… we by these rules examine the stones and people of the Exod. 28. 15. 21. Church of England ; whether they be such chosen pretious stones , Reuel 21. Z●…ch . 9. 16. as we see here described , as the high priest caried in his broidered brestplate ; whether they be such a chosen redeemed , faithful , free , holy people , as are called vnto , and walke in the faith of CHRIST IESVS : or they be rather of the reffuse , common pibble chalke stones , which cannot be vsed to any sownd and sure building , euen al the profane and wicked of the land , Atheistes , Papistes , Anabaptistes & heretikes of al sortes , gluttons , riot●…urs , blasphemers , periures , couetous , extortioners , thieues , whores , witches , coniurers &c. and who not , that dwelleth within this Iland , or is within the Queenes dominion .

All without exception or respect of person are receiued into , and nourished in the bosome of this Church , with the word and sacramentes : None are here refused , none kept out . This Church ( as the Mal. 1. 10. Ezek. 44. 7. & 16. 25. & 23. 42. 44. prophet saith ) openeth her knees to euerie passenger , furnisheth a table to the multitude , and drink offerings to the numbers ; she keepeth open house to all commers , bread and wine and welcome : Prou. 9. 17. Neither is she more dainty of her stollen waters , then of her hid bread , of her adulterate baptisme , then of her Sheshak supper , not denying baptisme to the seed euen of whores and witches ; she receaueth them al into her couenant ( which is not with GOD , but with death and hell ) giuing them her peace , selling them her wares &c. This is their communion of saintes , their holy fellowship : thus are they bound & enchained togither in open sacriledge , idolatrie , impietie , euen al estates , Prince , priestes , and people , and ( as the Prophet saith ) euen wreathed togither as in a strong cable of iniquitie , and folded one within an other as thornes in an hedg , or rather wrapped and plighted together , as thornes to the fire of Godes wrathfull iudgmentes .

For whither we consider the whole estate or any particuler part Micah . 7. 3. Nah. 1. 10. therof , we shall find yt wholy corrupte , & deeply s●… , as in the daies of GIBBEA ; not one sownd part from the crowne of the head to the Isa. 1. 16. sole of the feet , but all ful of woundes , swellinges , old putrified sores Lamen. 2. 13. which cannot be bound vp or cured , iniquitie hauing broken in and ouerflowed the whole land , and euerie place therof , euen as the raging sea which cannot be stopped . There is no faith , no mercie , Hose. 4. 1. 2. no knowledg or feare of God in the land : by swearing , lying , killing , stealing , whoring , they breake out , and blood toucheth blood : they ●…bhor iudgment , & peruert all equitie : they turne iustice into gall , Micah . 3. 9. Amo●… 6. 12. Is●… . ●…9 . 14. and the fruit of righteousnes into wormwood : T●…uth falleth in the streetes , & equitie cannot enter ; the heades iudg for ●…ewardes ; the Micah . ●… . 11. priestes teach for hire ; the Prophets prophecie for money ; the people Hose. 4. 4. are incorrigible , such as cannot brooke nor endure wholsom 2 Tim. 4. 3. ●…ek . 33. 3●… . Amo●… 5. 10 doctrine , but get vnto them after their owne lustes an heap of teachers , which may prophecie to them of wine and strong drink &c. They al hate & persecute him that rebuketh in the gate , they abhor him that speaketh vprightly . They prosecute with mortal hatred 1 Pe●… . 4. 4. 5. him that runneth not to the same excesse and sinne with them : and he that refraineth from euil , maketh himself a pray , and is spoiled Is●… . 59. 15. R●…uel 13. 17. of all men . All the lawes of GOD are heere broken and reiected , both of the first and second table , both of the ecclesiasticall and ciuile estate , and of euerie particular person in both , both in the worship of GOD , and in ciuile iustice and conuersation : all things being 2 Kings . 22. 11. 12. 13. innouate in both , according to the lustes and pleasures of men , the law and word of GOD being quite reiected and cast aside , as may appeare , if the estate either of the Church or common welth be examined or tried by the word of GOD . The particuler defaults wherof in their customes , lawes , trialls , pleadings , iurisdiction , orders , decrees &c. are well nigh infinite . And what then are the enormities that ensue therof to euerie estate , degree , and person . This need no other demonstration , then the general excesse , pride , Ezek. 16. 49. superfluitie , couetousnes , rapine , crueltie , deceit , malice , debate , inordinate affections , vnbridled lustes , dissolutnes , disobedienc●… &c. which are found most rife , euen in all estates & degrees amongst them : Neither hath all kind of sinne and wickednes more vniuersally raigned in any nation at any time , then heere at this present in this land ; where all are receaued into the Church , all made members of CHRIST .

All these sinnes , and many more abhomina●…ions ( which a Christian heart abhorreth but to think or speak of ) are amongst them winked a●… , tollerated , excused , couered and cured with the Gospel preached , and their holy sacramentes . All this people , with all these manners , were in one daye , with the blast of Q. Elizabeths trumpet , of ignorant papistes and grosse idolaters , made faithfull Christianes , & true professors : vpon whome , these hungrie priestes , like rauening wolues and greedy foxes flew to diuide the pray ; some getting them the roomthes of Arch-bishops , others caught Bishoprickes , others caught Deanries , arch-Deaconries , fat parsonages , some more , some fewer , as their estimation and frendes were .

They being thus installed , and their mouthes stopped with these Isa. ●…6 . 10. 11. fat morsels , the world by this time was well amended with them : There was no neede to gather a people to the faith by preaching of the Gospell , neither to set the holy gouernment of CHRIST ouer such as were called to the faith ; All was now well enough , ●…er the people had receaued this ministerie , after their Portuise was translated from latine into english , the supremacie , from the Sea of Rome , to the Sea of Canterburie . And after these Pseudo martyres and runneaway professors had tasted the sweetnes of ●…his rost , and pleasantnes of these roomths , and were once warme ●…n their nestes ; then forgate they all their former peregrination , ●…nd deuowred the vowes they then made , seking now to fortifie ●…nd establish their owne , and not CHRISTS kingdome . And to this ●…nd they inuented , obteined , and erected their blasphemous high Commission , in stead of the Spanish inquisition ; where they gate ●…ower ouer all causes and persons ecclesiasticall , to make or abro●…ate what lawes they list , and to impose them vpon the whole Church , which is the whole land , to molest , cite , fetch vp , examine , ●…mprison and fyne whome they list , as long as they list , as much as ●…hey list , w●…hout controlement or any redresse , though their pro●…eedings be expresly contrarie , preiudicial , and repugnant vnto the Crowne and prerogatiue royal , vnto the great charter and lawes of ●…he land , as were not hard to shew , if any eare might be giuen ●…herunto .

Thus being enthronized , they shew themselues playnly in their colours , both in establishing most of the Popes cannons , and in adding new as ill of their owne , still re●…aine further power to make more at their pleasures : which , howsoeuer they cannot , nor dare ●…ot iustifie by the word , yet will they maintaine them by the sword ; which sword they now draw forth against CHRISTES most faith●…ull seruantes that will no●… bow downe nor worship their beastly ●…uthoritie , but stand for the maintenance of the faith , once giuen vnto the sai●…tes , and for the free and sincere practise of CHRISTES holy Testament : which faith , Testament , and people of GOD , these accursed Apostataes , with most deadlie hatred and hostilitie persecute , and seeke to suppresse by all exquisite tyrannie , closing and mving vp the bodies of them in the most noisome places of the most vile prisons , somtimes ●…ot wi●…hout yrons and blowes , in stead of Argumentes and perswasions , railing , blaspheming and slandering both the holy truth , and the witnesses therof , with their poisoned heretical lying bookes , pamphlets , libells , which the Dragon like a flood casteth out of the mouth of his false Prophets after the Church : yet dare they not once produce them to any triall or answere , knowing in their bad consciences , that 〈◊〉 . 3. 20. their ill dealings may not endure the light : and therfore seeke Ephes. 5. 13. they by all subtill and forceible meanes to suppresse the same , limiting and prohibiting their priestes , not to meddle with the reproofe of anie thing by publike authoritye established &c. And such as will not be thus nurt●…ed they inclose vp by their sole ●…ommandement in close and strait prisons , neuer letting them to escape out of their handes , vntill they be brought out vpon the beere : Thus fulfil they the measure of their predecessors , 1 Thess. 2. 15. 16. shed the blood of the righteous , make open war against CHRIST Math. 23. 32. &c. and his G●…spel , cast the Sonne and heire out of his house , and wil Math. 21. 38. 39. not susfer him to reigne there by his owne officers and lawes , but take his inheritance vnto them , with his scepter and al his roial rites and prerogatiues into their handes , shewing themselues in the temple of GOD as GOD , erected newe lawes , newe ordin●…ces , a newe ministerie , newe worship , newe orders & forme of gouernment , as shal be shewed hereafter .

Now vnto this their apostatical & bloody throne & antichristian Reuel 13. 16. 17. power , and vnto al the abhominations proceeding from the same , standeth al the land both great and small , rich and poore , priest and people , in most seruile subiection : & therfore in this estate cannot be Gal ▪ 4. 9. 10. held or numbred among Christes faithful seruantes , which are fully Reuel. 14. 9. &c. redeemed by the price of his pretious blood , from al these bondages Ioh. 8. 37. Gal. 5. 1. & Col. ●… . 6. 7. 8. and intanglementes , which they by a shew of volun●…arie religion , and counterfeit holines , would impose vpon mens consciences . Neither may such be held the seruantes of CHRIST , which stand subiect vnto his enimie Antichrist , beare his yoke , receaue his ministerie , wares &c. or which contend not for the maintenance Iude 3. Reuel 14. 12. of the true faith , & for the sincere practise of the Gospel with freedome , in al patient maner vnto the death : suffring rather anie thing , I●…h. 15. 14. then themselues to be defiled with his abhominations . How then should this people , as they generally stand in the publique estate of this land , in this subiection to Antichrist , in this idolatry , sacriledg , al kind of excesse and sinne , euen in al degrees without repentance , faith , obedience , knowledg , be receaued , held , or esteemed the redeemed , called , faithful , free , obedient , louing subiects and people of the Lord ? or how may CHRISTES true & faithful seruantes haue any spirituall communion or fellowship with them in thys estate , without open sacriledg , most hainous impietie , and high profanation of the holy things of God . For if into the material temple , no profane or polluted person might enter and osfer , vntill he had imbraced the faith , and beene clensed from his filthines ; how much more ought this profane , ignorant , vnholy , wicked , disobedient rowte , be kept out of the Church of CHRIST , & from al intermedling with the holy things of GOD , which in this estate belong not vnto them .

But as these vngodly priestes of these times haue entred , and do administer vnto this profane people , for the lucre of their goodes tithes , wages , hire ; so want not these Balaams sundrie diuelish shiftes and cauils for the maintenance of their doinges , least ▪ by this doctrine their portion should be reprooued , their vantage for diuining cease , as also their sinne and shame be made manifest . Amongst an heape of their forged excuses , they set ▪ this for doctrine in the fore ●…ront : THAT where ●… Christian Prince is , which mai●…taineth the Gospel , and Caluin iustit . lib. 4. Sect. 9. ●…he whole land or estate not resisting this commandement , reue●…enceth the word & sacramentes , there the whole multitude of such ●… land or state , are without doubt to be esteemed and iudged a true Church . This reason they confirme not with any proofes of the ●…cripture , but by Mr. CALVINS authoritie , who giueth these reasons ●…herof : because ( saith he ) y●… is certaine , the word and sacramentes ●…re not without fruit , and that by this meanes vnitie is preserued to ●…he vniuersall Church .

Touching the person of the Author alledged , I gladly acknowledg ●…im a painful and profitable instrument , in the thinges he saw , and ●…imes he serued in , yet not without his manie errors & ignorances , ●…specially touching the planting , gouernment , and ordering of the Church of CHRIST : And no meruaile , for being so newly escaped out of the smoky fornace of poperie , he could not so sodeinly see or attaine vnto the perfect beawtie of Sion . But seeing my hope is , GOD hath pardoned all his errors &c. my purpose is not ( with these wicked men ) to reuiue and broach them a fresh , or make them pre●…identes , and by them take boldnes to commit the like or worse of●…ences , nor yet to discouer NOAH his shame and nakednes . So also concerning matters of faith , would I be loth to build vpon , or be ●…ressed by the doctrines and examples of men , the best wherof we Prou. 19. 27. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Math. 7. 24. &c. ●…ee to be subiect to their errors and faults . For as faith only beleeueth , and resteth vpon the holy word of God : so are we by the same to examine al the doctrines and doinges of men , yea of the whole Church , and accordingly to approue or refuse the same .

Touching this doctrine then , that a Christian Prince which publisheth and maintaineth the Gospell , doth forthwith make all that realme ( which with open force resisteth not his proceedinges ) to be held a Church , to whome an holy ministerie and sacramentes belong , without further & more particular and personal trial , examination . confession &c. This doctrine we find by the word of God to be most false , corrupt , vncleane , dangerous & pernicious doctrine , contrarie to the whole course , practise , and lawes both of the old & newe Testament ; breaking at once al Christian order , corrupting & poisoning al Christian communion & fellowship , & sacrilegiously profaning the holy thinges of God .

First we know that no Prince or mortal man can make any a member 1 Tim. 2. 2. of the Church : they may by their godly gouernment greatly help & further the Church , greatly comfort the faithful , & aduance Rom. 9. 15. Exod. 33. 19. the gospel &c. But to chuse or refuse , to cal or harden ; that the eternal Rom. 8. 39. and almightie ruler of heauen and earth keepeth in his owne Iam. 1. 18. handes , and giueth not this power vnto any other . This also we know , that whome the Lord hath before al worldes chosen , them 2 Tim. 2. 19. ●…e wil in his due time and meanes cal by his word , and whome he Heb. 3. 14. ●…alleth , them he sealeth with this seale , to depart from iniquitie , to Heb. 12. 25. beleeue and lay hold of CHRIST IESVS as their alone sauiour , to honour and ob●…y him as their annointed King , Priest , & Prophet , to submit théselues vnto him in all thinges , to be reformed , corrected , gouerned , & directed by his most holy word , vowing their faithful obedience vnto the same , as yt shal be reuealed vnto them . By this faith , confession & profession , euerie member of CHRIST from the greatest vnto the least , without respect of persons , entereth into , & standeth in the Church . In this faith , haue all the faithfull congregations in the world , and true members of the same bodie , fellowship & communion each with other ; and out of this faith haue the true seruantes of GOD , no fellowship , no communion with any congregation or member , how florishing titles or faire shewes soeuer they make heere in the flesh .

None ( as hath beene prooued ) vncircumcised or polluted in flesh , Deut. 23. 3. might enter into the temple , or tast of the passouer or other sacrifices , Exod. 12. 48. how neere soeuer they were in consanguinitie , affinitie , or subiection . N●…b . 9. 14. In King DAVIDS time the Edomites , Moabites , Ammonites , & Philistims were brought vnder obedience & subiection : yet were none of them admitted into the temple &c. but such as imbraced the faith . King HEZEKIAS and IOSIAH , two famous godly 2 Chron. 2. 9. & 30. & 35. Chap. Kings , after they had rightly reformed the corrupt estate , admitted none to the passouer , but such as purified & sanctified themselues , according to the law . The like we reade of the children of the captiuitie , after they had , finished the temple , set the priests in their Ezra . 6. 21. order , & th●… Leuites in their courses &c. they ke●…t the passouer together with all such as had seperated themselue●… vnto them from the fiilthines of the heathen of the land , to seeke the Lord GOD of Israel . These were godly Kinges , which truly planted religion , and rightly reformed the state , & had euerie way as great priuiledg and prerogatiue , as any Kings before or since ; yet had they not power , neither durst they presume to open the temple dores to the profane or pulluted , or to admit them vnto the passouer &c. for this had beene heinous sacriledg & impiety , for which sinnes the wrath of GOD would haue burnt against them . Neither is the like sinne lesse transgression now , either in the Prince that commandeth , the priestes that administer , or the people that receaue .

The Prince himself entreth by the same dore of faith●… , into the Iob. 10. 7. Church : & is bownd to the strait obseruation & obedience of Gods Deut. 17. 19. lawes in his calling , as well as any other ; and is for any transgression Iosh. 1. 7. 8. therof , liable & subiect to the censures & iudgmentes of CHRIST in Psalm. 141. 5. his Church , which are without partialitie or respect of persons . 2 Sam. 12. 7. Which censures and iudgmentes if the Prince contemne , he contemneth 2 Chron. 16. 7. & 19. 2. 2 Kings . 20. 17. 2 Chron. ●…6 . 16. &c. them against his owne soule ; & is thervpon , by the same power of CHRIST , to be disfranchized out of the Church , & to be deliuered ouer vnto Satan , as well as any other osfendor . Now though by this sinne he loseth his right to be a christian or member of the church : yet loseth he not his right to be a King or magistrate , Math. 22. 21. & is so to be held and obeid of all faithful Christians , which are his Prou. 8. 15. Eccles. 8. 2. Rom. 13. 1. subiectes .

And sure , they litle know what belongeth either to the entrance into , or continuance in the Church of GOD , or what belongeth to the administration of the sacramentes , or to the holy communion of the saintes , which reuiue or defend this doctrine : For is not the whole Mark. 13. 34. 37. Church , but especially the porter or pastor ( who ought to know Ioh. 10. 3. those well that come in , to know his sheep by name ) guiltie of great negligence & sacriledg , that receaue such into their fellowship , & administer Ezek. 34. the holy thinges of God vnto them , of whose faith they haue Math. 7. 6. no more ●…timonie & assurance , yea or rather of whose infidelitie & Mal. 1. 10. profanenes t●…ey ●…aue such apparant proofes ? Can the word & sacramentes 1 Cor. 10. 17. & 12. 13. 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 . 29. ( which they say cannot be without fruit ) either take away or excuse their sinne in deliuering vnto , or ioyning with the open vnworthy in the sacramentes ? or excuse the vnworthy receauers from eating or drinking their owne damnation ? may the temple of the Lord be thus profaned ? the table of the Lord thus contemned & defiled ? or is not the Lord a God of iudgment ? But yt is impossible that the word & sacramentes should be without fruit . This is true , yet the Isa. 55. 10. 11. fruit is of two sortes ; for falling vpon good ground , yt bringeth herbs Micah . 5. 7. & fruit worthy of the dressor , & receaueth blessing of the Lord. On the other side , if yt fal vpon il ground , which ●…till bringeth thornes & briars , yt deliuereth yt not from , but rather hastneth yt vnto the curse 1 Cor. 3. 6. & iudgments of God . Neither can any labour of man , though Paul Ierem. 2. 22. plant & Apollos water , any thing preuail●… , except God giue the increase . Amos 6. 12. That which is crooked can no man make straight . No washing , no sope , or nitre , can clense the Leopard from her spots ; horses can not run vpon the rock ; neither can any man plow ther with oxen .

The sownd of the Gospel is to some the sweete sauour of life vnto 2 Cor. 2. 16. life , vnto others , the sauor of death vnto death . The gospel preached doth not make al the land , or al that heare yt straight way members of the Church without seene , faith , & obedience . NOAH preached a 2 Pet. 2. 5. great while ( whiles the Arke was in making ) vnto the old world , but preuailed not . The Lord sent to Israel and Iudah in their defection 2 Chro. 36. 15. 16. many Prophets , rising early & sending ; yet they gaue not eare , but mocked the messengers of God , despised his word , and misus●… his Prophets . The law & the Prophetts were dayly read in the Synnagogues of the Iewes , at such time as CHRIST came : yet neither they nor their rulers knew or acknowledged him , but fulfilled them in condemning him : Yea CHRIST himself , that most liuelie , powerful , excellent teacher , preached the gospell among them with great vertue & mi●…acles ; yet beleeued they not on him , that the saying of Isa. 53. 1. the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled ; Lord who hath beleeued our Isa. 6. 9. report ; or to whome is the arme of the Lord reuealed : therfore they could not beleeue , because yt is said againe ; he hath blinded their and hardened their heartes , that they should not see with their eies , nor vnderstand with their heartes , and should be conuerted and I should heale them : And againe in an other place ; And I said I haue Isa. 49. 4. laboured in vaine , I haue spent my strength in vaine , & for nothing : but my iudgment is with the Lord , & my work with my God . Then neither this doctrine followeth : that where a Christian Prince maintaineth the gospel , and the people by the same authoritie are compelled to heare the same ; that the whole multitude , without further proofe of thei●… Christian obedience , are herevpon to be receaued into the Church , and made partakers of the bread of the children , and the holy thinges of GOD : neither yet this strange opinion which is generally taught by the learned preachers of these times ; that where there is a preaching minister , there that parish is ●…ndoubtedly ( how profane and wicked soeuer the people be ) to be held and accounted ●… true Church of CHRIST : except these presumptuous shepheardes , these companions haue greater vertue & prerogatiue then CHRIST himself had , who could not bring this to passe in the places where he taught : Yea the follie of some , euen of the chief Rabbines amongst them , hath yet proceeded further ; namely , that WHERE 〈◊〉 is one parish that hath ( as he termeth him ) a burning lamp viz. a preaching priest amongst sixe or seuen other parishes hauing smoking lampes , viz. dumb priestes that cannot preach , there the light of this burning lamp ( or star called wormwood ) shall enlighten the other candlestickes also , and giue them the estimation and dignitie of true Churches likwise . But my purpose is not heer to intreate of the excellencie of these preachers , & how powerfully and purely they preach the gospell : therof in due place . It now remaineth to see , whether the vertue of the sacramentes thus administred vnto the whole multitude of a land or state , can sanctifie and make holy , or be auaileable to this people or no.

It hath beene aboue shewed to be great sinne , shamful negligence , high contempt , vnsufferable profanation & sacriledg in the whole Church to admit , administer vnto , or communicate with such : Neither can the holines of the sacramentes any way excuse , but rather 1 Cor. 11. 29. greatly augment their sinne & iudgment , which deliuer such holy 1 Cor. 5. 6. hag . 2. 14 things to such knowen vnworthy receauers which discerne not the 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 5. Lordes bodie , neither can the holines of the sacramentes sanctifie Rom. 4. 11. the receauers , especially the vnworthy receauers ; whose filthines defileth the sacrament , euen as leuen the lump . The sacramentes confer not so much , as seale Gods grace vnto vs , they giue not faith to any so much , as confirme the faith of all the worthy receauers . But where they are thus prostituted & sacrilegiously profaned , they bring no such ioy , they seale no such comfort , but rather Gods assured wrath for the abuse of his ordinances , the people , sacramentes and all , being hereby vncleane & polluted in Godes sight . Neither preserue they vnto the Church hereby her vnitie and power , but 〈◊〉 . 4 ▪ 4. 5. rather take away al communion , and so corrupt and poison yt , that Ioh. 1. 6 ▪ 7. 2 Cor. 13. 8. now their fellowship is not in the faith , but in sacriledg and sinne : And for the power of the Church , yt is not giuen them to receaue Deu●… . 4. 6. & the whole booke . and admit , but to driue away and keep out the profane and open vnworthy , from the table of the Lord. Num. 5. 2. 3.

THE NEXT shiftes these Balaamites haue , for the administring CALVIN ius●… . lib. 4. Cap. 1. 8 〈◊〉 ▪ 13. vnto , the communicating with , and retayning the prophane in the bozome of their Church : are certayne Argumentes , drawen by Mr. CALVIN from the 13. and of Mathew , against the Anabaptistes , to prooue that the Church heer on earth shal neuer be without sinne , and is not to be left for sinne &c. comparing the Church to a corne Math. 13. 24 . field , which being sowen with good graine , ys by the enimi●…s fraud scattered with tares : of which yt is not clensed , vntill the crop be brought into the barne-floore : and vnto a net , in which all Math. 13. 47. kind of the fi●…hes are gathered together , & are not chosen out , vntil they be laid out vpon the shore &c. and vnto a floore , wherin the wheate is so gathered , that yt lieth hidden vnder the chaffe , vntil by Math. 3. 12. fanne and syue yt be at length layd vp in the grainer .

The doctrine which Mr. CALVINE heer ind●…uoreth to prooue , as yt may be vnderstood , is true : for no doubt while the Church consisteth of mortal men , so long is yt subiect to sinne & ignorance ; els had we no need of CHRIST to be our mediator , ou●… aduocate , our high priest , our Prophet , to make our peace , to intercede for vs , to Heh. 12. 24. offer vp our praiers , to instruct vs &c. Therfore such as shall for 1 Ioh. 2. 1. sinne leaue the communion of the Church , must seeke the societie Heb. 4. 15. 16. of Angels , and not of men : Much better should they doe , according Deut. 18. 15. to the Apostles councel , to admonish them that are out of order , to comfort the feeble minded , to beare with the weake , to be patient 1 Thess. 5. 14. towardes all men : yea if the sinne be publike and of the whole Heb. 10. 24. 25. Church , grauelie , in the name of the lord to reprehend & reprooue the same , & louingly to exhort them to repentance & amendment ; rather then preposterously to leaue them , and rashly to forsake the fellowship , as the maner of some is . And doubtles , if yt be the true ●…xod . 23. 21. 22. spouse of CHRIST , yt wil giue eare to the voice of the bridegroome , Deut. 29. 9. Heb. ●… 2. 3. and not continue obstinate in presumptuous sinne ; for therfore were Rom. 6. 1. & 10 ▪ 31. & 12. 25. they not receaued to grace . Faith doth not abrogate the law , neither came CHRIST to take away the law , so much as the curse of the law Lam. 1. 25. from the Church : And heervnto serueth that great base and sea of Iames . 1. 23. 24. CHRISTES blood , which is placed in the Church to purge and wash 1 ●…g . 7. 23. away through faith and repentance those deformities and blots of sinne , which th●… glāsse of the law ●…heweth : & not vpon the priuiledg of CHRISTES death to take bouldnes to s●…e , or to continue in any knowen sinne , or to neglect or despise the word , or to thinke lightly of the l●…ast sinne , or not with all possible speed to redresse yt rather , & remooue yt out of the Chu●…ch ; whervnto the true church neuer wanteth either wil or power : Neither ought any faithfull seruant of GOD ●…o communicate with that assembly , which wanteth either wil or power to reforme & amend any default which is committed amongst them , after yt is made knowen vnto them ; as shal apear in the further handling of these & other their places , & Argumentes , which they haue corruptly sucked from Mr. CALVIN in this discourse ; who no doubt hath vnsuffe●…ably peruerted and wrested these places and other places of scripture , & drawen verie foule & corrupt doctrine from them , touching the estate and order of a planted Church , and more dangerous & damnable conclusions from the same : as that yt is lawfull for the Church to receiue and reteine the ignorant prophane multitude , to admini●…ter the sacramentes vnto , & communicate in the same with them ; that the sacrament is not defiled with such open vnworthy receauers , neither the faithful of the Church with this action , or their fellowship : also that we ought to abhor & withdraw from the wicked in common bread & conuersation , but not in the worship of God , & the sacraments &c. that the people & our sauiou●… CHRIST did communicate with the polluted priestes , corrupted sacrifices & people &c. These & such other fearful & false doctrines & conclusions , contrarie to the whole course of scripture , his disciples haue drawen from him . And in deed his abuse of these and other plac●…s ; as the epistles to the Churches of Corinth , Galatia , Asia &c. & his discourse therof , seeme to import : which that yt may more plainly apeare , let vs come to the more particular consideration of his places , & examine whether any s●…ch doctrines , applications & conclusions may be drawen from them , and that breefly .

To HIS FIRST place , where he resembleth the planted Church to that sowen field , or rather confidently affirmeth that sowen field to be the planted Church &c. and from thence draweth , that seene & knowen tares shall grow and remaine in the planted Church , vntill GOD ●…oot them out ; & thervpon concludeth , that none ought to refraine the communion of the Church for such offendors , especially , where the word is purely taught , & the sacramentes rightly administred ; which he maketh his two infallible markes of the Church , leauing out obedience vnto & practise of the word , which he & his disciples , vnder the name of Discipline , make an hangby : wherof in due place .

First heer against Mr. CALVINS writinges & his disciples , I oppose the interpretation of our Sauiour himself , who opening this parable vpon his dis●…iples requests vnto our good , saith , that he which sowed 〈◊〉 . 13. 24. the good seed is the Sonne of man , & the field is the world , and the good seed are the children of the kingdom , & the tares are the children of that wicked one , & the enimie that soweth them is the deuil , & the haruest is the end of the world , & the reapers are the Angels &c. What interpretation can be more excellently consonant in euerie point vnto the parable , them this ? or what other interpretation can be 〈◊〉 ? is not euerie part of yt most liuely opened ? did no●… GOD at the fir●…t make the world , & all things in the ●…me , good ? was Gen. ●… . 3●… . Gen. 3. ●…t not corrupted through the fraude & mallice of the deuil ? hath ●…ot GOD stil in yt his Church visible & vniuersal , here & there ga●…hered & scattered in the world ? hath not the deuil also , that prince ●…f this dark world , his children & seruantes , which as tares ouergrow & grieue the wheate , & couer the face of the whole f●…ld ? Is not this ●…he condition & estate of the world , & shal be to the end ? Now here ●…hough GODES children by the light of his word espie , and grieue at Luk. 9. 54. ●…hese wicked tares , so see this world , which is in deed the Lordes field , & belongeth to the good seed , & not vnto the euil , thus pestered and ●…uergrowne with the wicked : yet may they not by a rash & inordi●…ate zeale be caried away , either peremptorily to iudge & condemne , ●…r vtterlie to extirpate these tares , as reprobates ; both because the ●…ord hath reserued this final iudgment & execution vnto himself Rom. 9. 24. Ierem. 18. 6. Act. 5. 1. 7 . ▪ who knoweth to what he hath predestinate euerie vessel that he ●…ath made , whether vnto honour or to dishonour ) & reserueth the Isa. 40. 13. 14. ●…easons & oportunities when to cal or cut off in his owne handes ; & Rom. 11. 33. 34. ●…ath neither committed these things to man , nor need to be councelled or aduised in them by man . But Christ in this parable rather teacheth ●…is disciples patience & sobrietie , to be patient towardes al men , as ●…heir heauenly Father is patient ; rather suffring & instructing the euil 2 Tim. 2. 25 . with meeknes , prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance ●…y they may acknowledg the truth , & come to amendment out of the ●…nare of the deuil , of whome they are taken prisoners to do his wil ; 1 Tim. 2. 1. Rom. 〈◊〉 19. Rom. 14. 4. ●…ather piti●…ng in their soules & praying for al men , them iudging & fi●…ally condemning any , or calling for fire & vengeance vpon them Iam. 4. 12. &c. This were a preposterous zeale , & greatly against Godes glorie 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezek. 18 32. Ezek. 33. 11. ▪ who willeth al men to be saued , calleth them to his Sonnes mariagé ●…east , & therefore causeth the gospell to be preached & proclaimed for vs ) after we are once entred to shut the dore of Godes grace against others . we were not for this cause receaued to mercy , but ra●…her to prouoke others to tast of Gods goodnes also , & be examples ●… Tim. 1. 16. ●…o them that shal in time to come beleeue vnto eternal life . Yf Paul , Mary Magdalene & others , nay if we our selues ( by whome of al others we know most euil ) had beene plucked vp by the rootes , whiles we grewe amongst the rankest of the weedes & tares in the field of the world , had yt not beene much ruth ? had not much good wheate beene spilt ? but he y chose & called vs out of this dark world , vnto Ti●…us 3. 3. the glorious inheritance of the Saintes in light , shal shew the like Coloss. 1. 13. mercie vnto them also , if they abide not in vnbeliefe . Our sauiour Christ whiles he was here emongst vs , came not into the world as Rom. 11. 23. them to iudge or n the world , but that the world through him Iob. 3. 17. & ●…2 . 4●… might be saued . Let not vs then take that vpon vs , which belongeth not vnto vs , neither iudge before the time ; seing God hath not giuen to his church to censure or iudge them without , but to attend 1 Corin. 5. 13. Iude 14 ▪ ●…5 . vpon , & iudg them which are within : God iudgeth them that are w●…thout .

But now , how may this place of the sowen field ( without vnsufferable wrasting and falsifying ) be vnderstood of , or applied vnto the planted Church of Christ ? shall these stinking weedes & noisome Math. 16. 19. & 18. 17. 18. Psa●… . 14 9. Cant. 6. 9. tares grow there vnweeded out ? or hath not GOD therfore giuen vnto his Church and euerie member therof , the weeding hooke of his word , & the power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST , wherby to censure 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 10 4. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 15 & cut off euerie obstinate offendor , to cast downe euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledg of GOD , & to haue vengeance ready against all disobedience and euery transgression that ariseth amongst them . Is not the whole Church , & euerie member therof often & almost euerie where in the scriptures commanded and stirred vp to keep this watch diligently ? and for the neglect & contempt therof reade we not of sundrie Churches sharply reprooued , yea vtterly cut off ? and is yt then likely that our sauiour CHRIST would here vtterly forbid his Apostles & Disciples , to intermedle with the weeding out of these tares out of the Church , his garden ? doth not this place , thus vnderstood of the planted Church , vtterly subuert and ouerthrow all ecclesiastical censures ? and condemne the Apostles of presumption for stirring vp the Churches to excommunicate and cast out their obstinate offenders , inordinate walkers , heretikes &c. from amongst them ? yea for so sharply reproouing 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 12 20. 21. Reuel 2. & 3. whole Churches , and threatning to come against them with the iudgmentes of GOD for their defalts herein ? which way can all the learning these men haue , reconcile these places ; but that 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. by this their interpretation there must needes be expresse contrarietie . But as they thus peruert this place , so the application of yt , and their collection from yt , is much more pernicious and vnsusferable , as shall afterward appeare .

THE NEXT place that is brought for the receauing and reteining their profane sinfull multitudes in their Church , is the Parable of the draw-net , wherin fishes of all sorts are gathered , and not seuered vntill the Lordes finall iudgmentes . This is granted them to be vnderstood ●… Tim. 5. 24. of the planted Church , where , by the power of the word , all degrees and sorts of men are gathered , and amongst them diuerse false and wicked hypocrites , which shall continue & remaine in the Church , vntill the Lord pluck off their visors & pull them out , whether by death or by his finall iudgment . This is no new thing , this Mat●… . 22. 11. is not denied , this alwaies hath beene , & alwaies shal be vnto the end Re●…l 2. 17. of the world . Many shall enter without the wedding garment , without that white stone , that inward testimonie and assurance , which no man knoweth saue he that receaueth yt , and GOD giueth vnto none , but vnto his chosen . Many glorious hypocrites shal there Ma●… . 7. 21. be , which make a faire shew in the flesh , which shal haue prophecied , 1 Io●… . 2. 19. cast o●…t deui's , & done great workes by CHRIST name , which in that day shall call , and not be heard . But what of all this ? may yt ●…om hence be concluded , that the profane multitude , without due ●…stimonie and proof of their faith by publike profession &c. may ●…e admitted into , or any open wicked which remaineth obstinate ●…d impenitent may be reteined in this Church of CHRIST ? Surelie ●…is ground will beare no such doctrine , this place no such con●…ruction .

THERE YET remaineth an other maine place to vphold their con●…sed profane assemblies , drawen from the third chapter of Mathew 12 ●…rse ; where they liken the gathered and established Church of ●…HRIST vnto a barneflore , in which the wheate is so gathered to●…eather , that yt lieth hidden vnder the chaffe , vntill being clensed ●…ith fanne & siue , yt be a●… length layd vp in the grainer &c. yea Mr. ●…ALVINE in an other peculiar treatise against the Anabaptists , vsing ●…is place of Mathew , saith , THAT the faithful shal be in the planted ●…hurch of CHRIST hidden amongst the open wicked & vngodly , as 〈◊〉 few graines of wheate lie in a great heape of chaffe &c. Then ●…hich doctrine nothing can be deuised more vncleane & corrupt , ●…r more vnworthy the Church of CHRIST , as breaking all the or●…inances and lawes of GOD at once , and vtterly subuerting & defi●…ng all Christian communion &c. which doctrine , as yt is directly ●…ontrarie vnto the whole course of scriptures , both for the entrance ●…to the Church , and for the order & conuersation in the Church ; 〈◊〉 can no place of scripture be applied to the vpholding and confir●…ation therof , without vnsufferable falsifying and violent wrasting ●…e same .

As for this place Ma●…hew 3. 12. yt no more prooueth this doc●…ine , then the others out of Math. 13. for here Mathew rather recor●…eth the conclusion of Ihon the Baptistes sermon & doctrine , then ●…ny way describeth the estate of the established Church of CHRIST , 〈◊〉 the 11. and 12. verses shewing the incomparable excellencie of CHRISTES person and ministerie , in respect of his ; & also in the same ●…ewing the diuers effectes of Christes comming vnto such as looked ●…or him , who as they were of two sortes , so had they seuerall suc●…esse . The one sort he baptised , the other he consumed with fire , Mal 3. 1. 2. 3●… Is●… . 65. 5. Mal. 4. 1. 2. ●…he one sort he fanned , sifted , purged , fined , and preserued as wheat ●…nd siluer ; the other with the same fanne and fornace he ●…scattered ●…nd burnt vp as chaffe & drosse . The humble poore of the flock , Zach. 11. ●…vhich gaue eare to the voice in the wildernes , which confessed & Mal. 4. 6. ●…epented their sinnes , and made strait his pathes , & receaued Ihons ●…aptisme ; those he receaued , fed & kept &c. but those proud Pha●…isies , Isa ▪ 8. 14. 15. learned Scribes , and carnal Sa●…uceis , which thought them●…elues Luk. 2. 34. Luk. 7. 29. 30 . in a perfect estate , and despised the councel of God against ●…hemselues , and would not be baptised of Ihon ; those when the ●…ESSIAH also came , despised and contemned him , and therfore he Amos 5. 18. 19. 2●… . ●…ut them off in one day , yea his day was vnto them darknes and not ●…ght &c.

But now which way should this fowle vncleane barn-floore , thus pestered & ouerspred with chaffe , be likened almost ( without bla●…phemie ) vnto the holy Church of Christ rightly planted , established & gouerned according to his holy will & testament ? where ( as hath Ioh. 15. 19. Ro. 1. 7. beene said ) all the people that enter & are receaued there , are chosen , 1 ●…et 43. 1 Cor. 1. 2. redeemed , called out of the world from amongst the heathen , 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18. Saintes by calling , partakers of the same pretious faith & glorious 2 ●…et . ●… . ●… . hope , humble , obedient , louing sheepe . And therfore is the church likened to a sheepfold , which is both watched and defended to Numb. 24. 6. keepe out the wild beastes , the wolfe and litle foxes ; vnto a garden shut vp , & welspring inclosed ; an orchyeard & vineyard walled , Cant. 4. 12. 13. 14. where al the plantes are natural sweet incense trees , pomgranate & al sweet fruit trees , Myrrhe , Aloes , cynnamon , with trees of chief Isa. 35. 8. Io●…l 3. 17. spices . Heere entereth no Cananite , or profane person , but euerie Zach. 14. 20. 21. vessel shal be cleane & holy , as bowles before the Altar &c Furthermore 2 Ch●…on 4. 16. euen in the material temple there were ash-pannes & besoms , E●…od . 38. 3. to sweep & carry out al dust & filth : And euen in euerie barn-flore the husbandman hath his flayle , his fanne , his syue , to tresh his wheat out of the eare , to purge yt from the chaffe , to seuer yt from darnel & tares &c. which labour if he should slack , he should haue no vse of his wheat , he should haue no cleane nor wholsome bread . And how much more shal our heauenlie husbandman purge his ●… . Cor. 10. 17. seed his wheat from such reprobate chaffe & giddy darnel , before he receaue them into one loafe , & set them at his heauenly table . They canot be a newe lump vnto him , except they be purged from ●… Cor. 5. 7. 8. the old leuen of maliciousnes & wickednes . The seruantes of God Ezra . 4. 3. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Nehem. 13. 23. 24. can neither build the Church , nor ioine in any spiritual action with the profane , nor with such counterfeit professors as the Samaritanes , nor with such bastardy false seede as that of MOAB & of ASHDOD Leuit. 19. 19. &c. There may be no misseline or seedes of diuers kinds sowen Exod. 19. 5. 6. in the Lordes ●…ield . The God of heauen and earth requireth vnto Mal. 2. 15. himself a holy seed , he will be sanctified of all that draw neere vnto He●… . 12. 28. 29. him , for euen our God is a consuming fire . How then dare any admit Ezek. 4 4. 7. & ●… . those the Lord shutteth out of his Church ? or how dare they 〈◊〉 . 23. 28. mingle and ioyneth such reprobate knowen chaffe , cockle , tares & darnel with the Lordes wheate , wittingly and wittingly , which the Lord with fanne & syue purgeth , & seuereth , & casteth out of his barn-flore , much lesse receaueth not into his granarie .

But how far is their ignorant rash●…es , or rather presumptuous boldnes proceeded ? which not only receaue into & retaine in their Church & fellowship these heapes of the wicked & open vnwor●… , euen all the profane multitude , & al sortes of people that are found within their territories and iurisdiction , without respect of person ; but euen thrust them vpon Christ whether he will or no , and make ●… Cor. 6. him an high Priest & Prophet vnto them , administring vnto them and their seed the holy thinges of God ; as baptisme , & the Lordes supper : Is not this to mingle heauen and earth , light & dark●… ? or ●…hat higher sacriledge can be committed ? shal these places , thus 1 Pet. 2. 8. ●…rasted & falsified , hide & diminish their sinns ? or rather not agra●…ate 2 Pet. 3. 16. & make manifest their error & wickednes ? By what sober con●…truction , or almost common sense , can this place Math. 3. be vnder●…tood of the planted and rightly ordered Church of Christ ? or how ●…ay such a Church be compared to a flore , where in a great heape ●…f chaffe , a few graines of wheate lie hid and buried ? we read in the ●…criptures , that the righteous shall shine as starrs in the Church of God ( yet I willingly acknowledge that there can in this life be no wheate so pure , which hath not both chaffe & branne &c. ) but that ●…n an other sense ; only I would know of these men that thus grossly ●…iken the Church of God , what difference we may put betwixt the ●…orld and their Church ? In the world in deed the children of God ●…hal for a season be mingled & remayn amongst the profane & wicked , vntil the time of their visitation & calling ; but after they haue once giuen obedience vnto the voice of Christ , then forget they & forsake their old conuersation & companie , & haue no longer fel●…owship with the vnfruitful workes of darknes : but are renned in ●…ighteousnes & holines and true knowledg , after the image of him that called them out of darknes into his merueilous light &c.

But to couer & cure al this confusion & disorder , al this sacrilegious profanation & portsale of the holy thinges of God , & al other mischeifes & enormities amongst them , as also to stop the mouthes , & to terrifie al such as find fault with , & reprooue these thinges or depart from amongst them , where the same are ●…ncurable & without redresse ; these Balaamites , these crooked disciples of Mr. CALVIN bring from him the examples of the Churches of Corinth , Galati●… and A●…ia , where were open wicked men ; as the incestuous person , drunkardes , gluttons , extortioners wranglers , wrong-doers , prowd and ambitious persons , sectaries heretikes &c. as also sundrie abuses and corruptions in doctrine , and in the administration of the sacrament &c. yet they were by the iudgment of the holy Ghost notwithstanding al these sinners & sinnes , adiudged the holy churches of God , neither were the faithfull commanded to refraine their communion . Furthermore the Prophets and our sauiour CHRIST , at such time as the estate of the Iewes temple was wholy corrupted , forsooke not the Temple , but resorted and communicated with the wicked people , at their feastes and sacrifices ; Yea when the pollution and contagion was generall and incurable , both in the people and priestes : bec●…se ( saith their Author ) a godly conseience is not hurt by the vnworthines of any , either minister or people ; nor yet their ministerie being the ordinance of GOD ( as their ceremonies , sacrifices , and praier with them &c. the word and sacramentes with vs ) defiled ; but are pure & wholsome vnto the vpright and faithfull receauers , who may lift vp pure handes in a wicked assemblie , neither ought for the wickednes of men to ref●…se the holy ordinances of GOD ; seing yt is only CHRISTES office to purge the ba●…e-floore , & seuer the tares &c. and belongeth to no priuate men to examine others , or the whole Church , so much as for euerie one 1 Cor. 11. 28. & ●… 1 Cor. 1●… . 29. to examine his owne self , & to see that he be good wheat , least otherwi●…e he eate vnto his owne iudgment . For the bread of the Lord , & the faithfull receauers therof , are not made worse with the sinnes of others : It is one thing in common bread and conuersation , to flee the companie of wicked men ; & an other thing for hatred of them , to forsake the fellowship of the Church .

These and such other poisoned blasphemous cauils they bring , to iustifie and vphold their confused babylonish synagogues and al the abhominations they commit in them . which wind●…haken figleaues , although I could in a word pluck from them , & so lay their filthines naked ; namly by shewing that there can be no comparison betwixt the Church of Christ , and their whorish idolatrous Church , which hath not one part of a true church , not one pinne , naile , nor hooke , according to the true patterne , or in due frame , and so could set this their Author ( vpon whome they so much relie ) most sharply against them ; who in all these treatises is alwaies to be vnderstood of a Church rightly established and planted according to the Testament of Christ , with such ministers , such sacramentes , as there are apointed &c. then which here amongst these his followers is nothing lesse , as shall not be hard to shew in due place . And therfore the Argumentes , drawen from the Churches of Corinth Galatia &c. euen by their Authors owne iudgment , nothing serue their turne , who are more like to DAN and BETHEL in the schismatical estate of the kingdome of Israel , remaining stil in that great defection of Antichrist fortold of &c. yet seing they haue taken the paines to fetch these Argumentes from ouer the sea , and so ernestly vrge them , let vs do them the fauour euen so far as we may with Christian patience , to giue them the hearing .

THEIR FIRST Argument seemeth to be this . THERE WERE in the Churches of Corinth , Galatia &c. not only wicked persons , but also sundrie errors , abuses & corruptions in doctrine & administration : yet they were stil iudged ●…he Churches of God , and the faithful re●…rained not their communion , th●…rfore we ought not to leaue these their assemblies , though the open wicked and many other enormities be there committed and suffered .

First ( as hath beene noted ) there is no comparison betweene these holy Churches of God , which were truly gathered , planted & ordered , and these their confused idolatrous assemblies . Then here must be obserued , that they in nothing can be compared vnto these C●…urches , but in sinne & error ; moreouer that the faultes of these Churches , which were but of ignorance and frailty , cannot be compared to the sinnes of these vnchristian assemblies , which are in presumption & obstinacie disproued by others , confessed , & yet continued of themselues . Lastly here must be noted , how corruptly they vnderstand , & vnsufferably pervert those scriptures , where the apostle reprehendeth these sinnes in those churches &c. exhorteth the whole church to repentance , & to redresse the thinges amisse , & that with sundrie seuere and apostolike threats , vpon their ●…eglect or default therin .

But these men take these places , where the sinnes of these churches are thus sharply reprehended & censured , and would iustifie therby , the receauing , reteining & nourishing al this profane rowt of people in the bosome of their churches : as ●…lso al the abhomination , idolatrie , open & wilful breach of Gods lawes , setting vp their owne antichristian divises & pop●…sh cannons in stead therof &c. & would from hence conclude yt , to be no more lawful for true Christians to remoue out of these assemblies in this estate , then yt was for the faithful in the churches of Corinth , Galatia &c. to forsake those churches , before their sinnes & errors were either reproved or censured . What more vnsufferable abuse of scriptnres can there be then this , to take those examples which were written to terrifie , admodish , & stir vp all Churches & posterities to eschew , watch against , and r●…dresse such sinnes & transgressions , to colour and cloke al sinne and iniquitie , yea to take away from al Christi●…ns their libertie , & prower , either to reproue , censure , or refraine the same .

These churches ( say they ) were iudged & pronounced by the holy ghost , the churches of God , notwithstandi●…g these hainous sinnes amongst them . Wel , what then ? these and al other churches whiles they remaine in this life . shal commit sundrie & daily sinnes of ignorance , frailtie &c. therfore they may also commit presumtuous sinne , y●…a remaine incorrigible & obstinate in their sinnes , and yet of vs be esteemed & reuerenced as the true churches of God : this they must proue , or els they say nothing : this , these examples of these churches prove not . For they cannot shew that euer t●…ey de●…pised the Apostles admonition , or refused to redresse the thinges they were blamed of : which if they should haue done , houw could they be esteemed the church of God , whiles they reiect the word , breake the law , despise correction , yea even Godes grace & mercie offred , by stopping their eares & hardening their heart , refusing to repent &c. What can the heathen doe more ? nay wh●…t doe they so much ? for they sinne in their ignorance , these in the presumtion of their heart , & contempt . And now in this estate , what communion is to be held with them ? what fellowship may the children of God haue with such reb●…ls , apostataes . Can any glorious titles or name of a Church , hide or diminish these sinnes ? or how rather can the name of a Church ( without blasphemie vnto Christ ) be giuen them in these sinnes ? how can Christ be said to stand a King & Lord vnto them that breake & reiect his lawes , & set vp in stead therof their owne devises & inventions ? or how can Christ said a sauiour vnto them that despise his grace and mercie offred , refuse to repent and turne from their euil waies . They then not being vnder Christes protection , nor in state of grace , while they continue obstinate in their sinne &c. I haue often wondered , how anye man of sound iudgement , could giue them the name of a Church ? or be so terrisied with this vaine & false title , that they durst not leaue the communion of those wicked assemblies & adulterous Churches , which haue broken the couenant , and forsaken the faith . God plighteth Exod. 19. 5. not his fauour and protection vnto vs , longer then we vowe our obedience , Leuit. 26. and keep our faith vnto him . At what time the most righteous Deut. 28. turneth from his righteonsnes and committeth iniquitie , and Ezek. 18. & 33. Ch●…p . wil not be turned therefrom , all his former righteonsnes that he hath done shal not be mentioned , but in his transgression that he hath committed , in his sinne that he hath finned , in them he shal die . The same Iudge , by the same law , giueth the same sentence 2 Pe●… . 2. 4. ●… . 6. for the same sinnes , against a whole Church , nation , world . Neither I●…de 14. 15. is there cause why any of Gods seruantes should more doubt to censure , iudg , and auoid that Congregation , which reiecteth Godes word , presumptuously breaketh Godes lawes , despiseth his reproofe & mercie , as a wicked assembly , an adulterous Church ; then to censure , iudge and auoid any particular member of the Church , fallen into the like degree and height of sinne , to be a withered vnfruitfull branch , to be cut off from the vine , to be throwen out of the vineyard .

But here they deceaue themselues and others , with certayne infallible markes of the Church , which they haue fantasied vnto themselues ; namely that where the word of GOD is sincerely taught , and the sacramentes rightly administred , there vndoubtedly is still the true Church of CHRIST ; although otherwise there be neuer so many mischeifes abounding , all the wicked receaued and reteined &c. no vse of the power of CHRIST among them , either to censure sinne , or cast out obstinate offendors . For this holy power to redresse faultes , they put aside by the name of DISCIPLINE . They call yt an accident , or hang-by , and make yt not a thing of necessitie : so that yt may be a Church without yt , though yt be to be desired &c. The vanitie and falshood of these doctrines partly apeareth , where I shewed that the preaching of the word maketh not a Church , except there be by the same a faithfull people gathered vnto CHRIST IESVS , ordered ●…nd gouerned by the rule of his word in all things , so far as shal be reuealed vnto them &c : so that I need not here stand to refute the sam●… ▪ only I would know of these great learned men , how yt is possible for the ministers of the Church , either to preach the word si●…cerely , or administer the sacramentes rightly , where there is no regard had to the faithfull practise of the word , no care to redresse thinges amisse , no power to shut out or excommunicathe the vnworthy : Or how they can with all their learning , whiles they stand Pastors or teachers to such an vnbeleeuing profane people , or vnto such wick●…d ones as hate Isa. 57. 2●… . to be rebuked and reformed of their sinnes , preach the word , exercise Ier●… . 4. 4. praier , deliuer the sacramentes , blesse and dismisse the profane wicked Isa. 48. 22. people in the peace and fauour of God , without most high sacriledg Pro. 24. 24 & 17. 15. profanation of Godes name , casting the pretious bodie , and blood of CHRIST to hoggs & doggs , blessing Godes enimies &c. M●…th . 7. 6.

But now i●… yt be not possible to exercise any true ministerie , to haue any true vse of the word and sacramentes , to keep any holy Mar. 13. 34 35. 36. 37. communion or Christian order , without the diligent watch of euerie member , but cheefly of the rulers and Elders , to see the word of God 1 Thes. 5. 14 duly practised and obserued by all in their callings , to admonish all Ephes. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. offenders , to censure all errors and transgressions , to excommunicate the obstinate impenitent , by the power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which he hath giuen vnto his true Church vnto the worlds end , all which , these men couer and cast aside in the name of DISCIPLINE , without which watch and power , this practise cannot be had , without which power and practise , the word of God is made an idol , the 1 Cor. 4. 2●… sacramentes sacriledge vnto vs , and all thinges we do , odious and abhominable Titus 1. 6 . vnto the Lord : with what common sense ( to let passe their deep learning ) can thes●… great preachers say , that the Church of CHRIST may want this watch , care , power and practise ; yea and that the word may be sincerely ta●…ght , and the sacramentes duly administred , though there be open transgression , obstinate offendors still kept and held amongst them . Is yt not as much as if they said they knew n●…ither what the Church , sacramentes , ministerie of the word , or Christian communion meant ? For to what purpose is the word or the ministerie of the word , where true practise and obedience is denied ? or which way ●…an the true minister of CHRIST administer the sacramentes ●…o a people in this estate ? or the faithfull seruants of Christ , partake with such people in such sacramentes , without most heinous sacriledg and impietie .

WE MVST NOT ( say they ) forsake the Church , nor the ordinance of GOD , for the sinnes of any , either minister or people : for a godly conscience is not hurt with the sinnes of another , neither the ministerie or sacramentes therwith defiled . If they meane h●…re by the Church , the assemblie and communion of God●…s faithfull obedient seruantes , by Godes ordinance the vse of an holy ministerie of the sacramentes &c : I graunt t●…at the Church , ministerie , and ordinances of CHRIST , are not to be left , or thought the worse of for the sinne of men , though all the world abuse them , though ANTICHRIST haue corrupted them neuer so much or long . But if they meane ( as al th●…ir reasoning importeth ) by the Church & ordinanc●…s of God , such wicked rebellious assemblies , as reiect the word of God , with an high hand breake his lawe , despise admonition , hate to be reformed , receaue & reteine the open vnworthie , wicked , impenitent to their sacramentes , &c. I then denie these assemblies to be the true Churches of CHRIST ; seing they haue broken the couenant , cast off CHRISTES yoke &c. As also I denie their sacramentes to be the ordinances of God , seing to them in this estate belong not the sacramentes & ministerie of Christ , but the curse and iudgmentes of God : And therfore they that leaue Heb. 10. 30 them for , & in their sinnes in this estate , do neither leaue the Church 2 Cor. 6. 17 , 18. of God , nor the ordinances of CHRIST , but rather fulful the commandement Re●…el 18. 4 of God , & preserue the Church , in sauing their soules & bodies from such wicked & accursed assemblies , from such disobedient rebellious people , and from al the trumperies and deceites of the false Church &c.

But let vs a litle examine , what kind of doctrine these men draw from Mr. CALVINE , & spread abrode in their pulpites , & publike writinges . They hould that whatsoeuer Congregation keepeth an outward shew of the ministerie of the word & sacramentes , ceaseth not to be a Church , neither is to be left for any sinne in maners ( as they call yt ) whatsoeuer , though they willingly & presumptuously neglect & break the lawes of God , both in their worship and conuersation , and remaine incorrigible & obstinate in these transgressions : Now they teach , that neither for such sinnes God is so displeased with the congregation , that he herevpon withdraweth his fauor from them , or they ●…cease to be held & reuerenced of vs , as a Church : neither the publike actions of the said congregation , as their praiers , preaching , sacramentes &c. neither the communicantes with this assemblie in these actions , are with & for these sinnes , defiled .

For ( say they ) a godly conscience is not defiled with the sinnes of an other .

What fleshly libertine hath or can breath forth more poisoned doctrines then these ? more contrarie to the honour & whole word of God , from which yt at once taketh away al reuerence , obedience , & practise . What can be more popishly alledged for their Church , then to say , that yt can blesse these actions and persons , whome God in his word accurseth : or that the Church may commit such high sacriledge & presumptuous sinne , without the iudgment & punishment due to the same . Yf God haue made one & the same couenant from the beginning of the world with the whole Church , that he hath with euerie particular priuate member therof , & hath giuen no more libertie to the whole Church , then to any priuate man , to breake the least of his lawes : if God , for the transgression of his lawe , vnpartially iudgeth al , without respect of persons : if presumptuous sinne with obstinacie ioined thervnto , breaketh the couenant with God ; insomuch as yt both breake●…h Godes law , and despiseth Godes mercie & grace , & so depriueth them in that estate of any benefite of CHRISTES death : If they which in this maner breake Godes law & despise his grace , to be iudged of al men , as open wicked &c. If al the actiones of the wicked be accursed of God , & so much the more accursed and abhominable , by how much they take shew of holines , & profane Godes name & ordinances : Yf all they which partake in such actions , praiers , & sacrifices which are an abhomination vnto the Lord , be guilty of the altar , and vnder the same curse ; how should those assemblies , which continue in presumptuous & obstinate sinne , be esteemed the true Churches of CHRIST ; or any that administer vnto , or communicate with them in this estate , in praiers , sacramentes &c. auoid the iudgment & curse of God , both for ioining vnto , & blessing the wicked , & for so high profanation of his name , & prostituting the holy mysteries of the ●…odie & blood of Christ , to such open vnworthy receiuers ? Rightly then and directly to reason to the point . As many places of scripture as command Godes faithful seruantes , with al their forces & vttermostindeuor to obserue , practise , and obey vnto Godes holy word & euerie part therof , without any willing neglect or breach of the least commandement , to their knowledg : As many places as shew , that obstinate & presumptuous transgression breaketh the couenant : As many places as command vs to seek out and resort vnto the true Church of CHRIST , namely the communion & fellowship of the saintes , Godes faithful obedient seruantes , there to present our soules and bodies , to be built & bestowed according to Gods wil , there together with them to worship and serue our God &c : As many places as forbid vs all false Churches & assemblies , al spiritual fellowship & communion with the wicked , or to repaire vnto , or ioine with them in their praiers & worship &c. So many places forbid vs al spirituall fellowship & communion with al assemblies in this estate , what faire shewes soeuer they make vnto vs , or glorious titles they take vnto themselues : so many places euidently prooue , that if in this estate we should communicate with them , we should be guilty of their sinns , & partakers of their plagues . Which doctrines , because they are generally receaued of all , denied of none ( though omitted and forgotten by many ) and generally taught through the whole scriptures ; I need not here stand to make any more particular proofe or demonstration of them . And so these being granted , all these doctrines of Mr. CALVINE and his Disciples fall to the ground . Yet that the falshood of them may somwhat more appeare vnto all men ; let vs draw a litle neerer vnto them , & consider of their maine proofes , and fundamental doctrines .

The publike actiones ( say they ) and ministerye of the Church , as praiers , sacramentes &c. neither the godly conscience of anye are defiled with the open sinnes of others , either of ministers or people &c. For why , such publike actions are the ordinance of God , and cannot be defiled or made vnavaileable with the sinnes of men , neither are to be left for such sinnes : Therfore the holy Prophets and our Sauiour CHRIST himself , refrained not the Temple , at such times as the estate therof was vholy corrupted , but communicated with the wicked in their feastes and sacrifices , although the pollution and contagion was generall and incurable , both in the people and priestes : For the rest , euerie man is to eyamine himself and not othe●…s , when he resorteth to the Church , or receiueth the communion of the bodie and blood of CHRIST : because he eateth to his owne damnation or saluation , & not to an other mans &c.

First , if the open sinne of the minister or people defile not the praiers & sacramentes by , & to them administred , why hath the Lord said , that ●…he sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination vnto him ; that they might as well kil a man , as a bullock vnto him ; that they might as wel ●…rou . 15. 8. offer a dog or swines blood , as sacrifice or burnt offering ? why hath the Isa. 1. 13. & 66. 3. Lord said , that sacrifice without obedience , is not acceptable vnto him ; that he will haue mercie & not sacrifice &c. Why hath the Lord beene Iere. 7. Hos. 6. 6. alwaies so ielous ouer his sanctuarie , and ouer them that come neere L●…uit . 10. 3. vnto him ? why hath he made so many lawes for the place , Altar , sacrifice , Leuit. 21. & 22. Chap. priestes , people &c. that no priest with any apparant blemish , might offer the bread of the Lord , that no offring with any blemish might be accepted at the handes of any , that none with any pollution Leuit. 11. 12 13. 14. 15. Chap. Numb . 5. or vncleannes vpon him , might touch the tabernacle , that no heathen or profane person which was not yet come vnto the faith , might tread in the courtes of the Lord , or any offring be accepted at their handes ? why hath the Lord said , that whatsoeuer the wicked offer is vncleane , whatsoeuer the polluted touch is defiled ? whether yt be the couch or seate they sit or lie vpon , or vessels they vse , whether yt be holy flesh , wine or oile , yt is defiled &c. Now then , seing the Hagg. 2. 13. ●…4 . whole scripture is so euident and plentifull in this point : That the open sinne of the Church , defileth all the actions of the Church , maketh them and their offrings abhominable vnto the Lord : seing no polluted person may either administer or offer vnto the Lord : seing no polluted person may either administer or offer vnto the Lord : seing what●…euer they touch , is also defiled and vncleane ; how can this doctrine of Mr. CALVINE and his wretched followers , stand ? THAT THE OP●… sinnes , either of the minister or people ▪ defile not the publike actions , praiers sacramentes &c. of that Church , those ministers , people , sacrifices , they cannot deny to haue beene the ordinances of God also : Yet euen their holiest thinges were defiled and polluted , with the sinnes , and vncleannes of men .

Now to the other point : WHITHER a godly conscience can take no hurt , neither need make scruple to communicate with the open wicked priestes and people , in their praiers and sacramentes ▪ because they are the ordinances of GOD , which are not to be left for the sinnes of men : I haue alreadie often denied their praier and sacramentes in this estate , to be the ordinance of God . My reasons are ; the wicked haue nothing to doe to take the name of GOD in their mouthes , or to vse 〈◊〉 . 50. 16. 17. that heauenly exercise and blessed benefit of the word and praier , because they make no conscience 〈◊〉 breake Godes lawes , and remaine impenitent and hardned in their sinnes : then in this estate belong no sacramentes or ministerie vnto them , by the ordinance of GOD ; who Math. 26. hath as well set downe what manner of minister and people shall deliuer Mar. 14. and receaue t●…e sacramentes , as after what manner the sacramentes Luk. 22. shal be deliuered . So that where such open wicked , impeni●…t , and vnworthy ministers and people do administer or receaue the ●…ramentes , so contrarie vnto , and without regard of CHRISTES insti●…ion , such sacramentes can no way be said the ordinances of CHRIT , ●…e blessed pledges of his bodie and blood &c : but rather , sure seales of 1 Cor. 11. 29 〈◊〉 wrath , euen to as many as so sacrilegiously profane his holy ordi●…ce , 2 Cor. 13. and ioine together in that vngodly and accursed action , vntill ●…y repent . For , as in the holy symbole of the Lordes supper , the 1 Cor. 10. 17 ●…mmunicantes be made one bodie with CHRITS , and one anothers 1 Cor. 12. 13. ●…mbers in the same bodie ; so are these bound together as a fagot , the same iudgmentes and wrath , in as much as they ioine together the same sinne , and sacriledg , and all become alike guilty , euen prin●…als ( as we speake in the law ) in the action . Ho●… then should any ●…re plead himself guiltles , when euen the action they commit & boast 〈◊〉 is most heinous sacriledge . The matter will not in this case be shif●…d off with saying , an other mans sinnes cannot preiudice or defile ●…em , seing they receiue with pure conscience &c. For though this ●…ctrine ( as yt is here vsed ) be most corrupt and false ; yet here is now 〈◊〉 need , that they should be charged with others sinnes , seing they in ●…is action are ioyned vnto , and become a like guilty with the worst , & ●…ust now beare the burden of their owne sinnes .

But is this doctrine so hard and strange to them ? that one should be ●…lluted with the knowne and suffered sinnes of an other ? Let them ●…ade in the lawe , whether he that touched but the garment of a pol●…ed man or woman , much more of a leprous plaguy &c. was defiled ●…erby . If this were but by outward and bodily touching ; how much ●…ore is that spirituall leprosie , that GANGREN●… , these running is●…es and plaguy sores of sinne infectious and deadly contagious , espe●…lly in so neere commixture , as that spiritual communion of the ●…ule ? If the word of GOD will not preuaile , let common sense and ex●…rience perswade this . Yea so spreading is this malady of sinne , as ●…ing discouered in any one part of the body , if yt be not with al speed ●…red or cut off , yt becommeth a like dangerous to the whole bodie ; ●…ey all now , by this their negliglence and tolleration , becomming a ●…e guiltie &c. How many stories haue we in the scriptures to con●…me his ? not only in particular , as betwixt ELY and his sonnes ( for ●…l whose wickednes he was blamed , in that he did not represse ●…d chastice , but only reprooue their sinnes ) but more generally . Iosh. 7. Numb. 25. ●…as not the whole Congregation smitten , for that ACHAN his sinne ●…y hidden and vnpunished amongst them ? was not all the Congrega●…on punished for the sinne of some in mount PEOR ? was not the like ●…ared Iosh. 22. Doth not the Apostle say , that a litle leauen leaue●…th the whole lumpe ? and that their reioicing was not good whiles Exod. 12. ●…ey kept the wicked man amongest them ? Doth he not proue yt by 1 Cor. 5. 6. 7. 8. ●…any reasons ? that as by the lawe , the feast of the Passouer was to be kept with vnleavened bread , & that person that ate or reserved leaven , was to be cut off from the Congregation : so much more ought we to see , that there be no leavened or infectious person amongst vs ; that Leutt. 20. 4 no root of bitternes spring vp , least many therby be defiled &c. Doth Deut. 29. 18. 19. 20. not the Apostle ( to take away al controversie ) shew by this similitude of leaven , that not only sinne , but even the sinner is to be removed , Heb. 12. 15. both out of the feast ( which belongeth not vnto such , neither is to be Iude. 12. kept whith such ) least Godes wrath for the breach of his law , in keeping the continual feast of our heav●…nly passover Christ Iesus , burne forth against the whole house , that is , the whole Church ; & also that such sinne & sinners be removed out of the Church , least the whole lump be leavened therby ; which we see how sodainly yt is done : For ( as the wise man saieth ) One dead flie causeth the ointmentes of the Eccle. 10. 1. Apotecarie to stinke . Now then , how can these men say , that the sinnes , yea the many obstinate sinnes , either of ministers or people , do neither defile the publike actions of the church , neither the conscience of the godly receauers &c : where ( as hath beene by many reasons proved ) the verie action they so incommend , is no less●… then most heinous & impious sacriledge . So then , vntil they can proue yt lawful , & no sacriledge , either for that obstinate and open wicked , to administer & receaue the sacramentes , & also for the godly to communicate in such sacramentes with them ; vntil they ca proue these sacramentes , thus administred & receaved , to be blessed of God ; vntil they can proue that two divers , yea contrary sortes of people , namly the open wicked , & the godly , such as despise , & such as feare God , may be admitted vnto , yea vnited in the sacramentes : these doctrinis of theirs cannot stand . But see into what straites & absurdities they fall , whith goe about to tollerate or plead for the least sinne : yea see how the fu●…ther they wade & striue herein , the further they intangle and ensnare themselves , falsifijng & perverting the scriptures , to the vpholding of their erroneous & corrupt doctrines .

FOR THEIR next shift to couller & hide their sacrilegd , is to hood , wink , & draw a vaile ouer the eies of the receaver . A PRIVATE M●…N ( say they ) HATH not to meddle whith the publike actiones & affaires of the Church : which ( if they be amisse ) he is patiently to bea●…e , & to mourne & grone with loue , vntil God either amend or correct them , whese office it is to roote out the tares &c : but he is not for the sinne of others to forsake the fellowship of the Church , which God will haue kept , by al that shal be partakers of his kingdom . It sufficeth that eve●…ie priuate man looke to himself , examin himself , when he eateth of that bread , and drinketh of that cup ; least he eate vnto his owne iudgment & damnation . Heere the Apostle ( saith their Author ) willeth them , not to enter into the examination of other men , neither saith that they shal be iudged for other mens faultes , or that the t●…ble of the Lord is to be left for the wicked , yea , or that the wicked for some one or fewe sinnes are to be left . In this case Charity is to iudg the best , & to thinke , that in so great an heape of chaffe , there lye many good graines of wheate , yea to perswade himfelf , that euen of those wicked , many do inwardly repent of their sinnes , although they haue ●…ot power to amend their liues : The best man of vs al is subiect to many sinnes ; the sinnes of others cannot take away the vertu●… of the ministerie , and of the holy mysteries , which are not to be left for the sinne of anie ; but such wicked rather to be shunned and auoided , in commom bread and conversation : but the Sacramentes are NOT BEcause of them , to be refused . &c.

This and such like detestable stuffe , hath Mr CALVINE in his igno●…ance , partly to suppresse and confute that damnable sect of the Ana●…aptistes ; which fantastically dreame vnto themselues a Church in this ●…ife without spot , and for euerie transgression that ariseth , are ready to ●…eaue & forsake the fellowship of the Church , without due & order●…y reproofe &c. partly also is this stuffe brought , to defend his owne ●…ash & disorderly proceedinges at GENEVA , whiles he at the first dash made no scruple to receaue al the whole state , euen al the profane ig●…orant people into the bozome of the Church , to administer the sa●…ramentes vnto them : which confuse rowt , could not fit with Christes ●…eauenly gouerment , neither could yt by any meanes agree vnto thē●…n this estate ; but that monstrous disorders , and heinous enormities daily insued therof : wherby this their Church became a iust reproch ●…o all men ▪ euen to these wicked here●…ikes &c. yea , that which is ●…orse , and more to be lamented , yt became a miserable president , ●…nd pernitious example , euen vnto all Europe , to fall into the like ●…ransgression : as the confused estate of all those regions ( where the ●…ospel is t●…us disorderly taught ) declareth . In which sorowful spec●…acle , we may liuely behold what the wisdome of the most learned ●…s , where they swerue neuer so litle from the heauenly wisdom of God , ●…nd what the most glorious and sure buildinges of man are , when ●…hey are not wholy layd vpon that firme rock and foundation of Godes word . We may heere also cleerly see , what yt is to receaue ●…ur Faith by tradition , to fetch the rules of our actiones from the ●…xamples and practise of men , and not from the pure word of ●…od : ●…or behold how these wretched disciples of CALVIN , three fold more corrupted and peruerted then he ( who as yt is to be thought would neuer haue opened his mouth against so cleare truth , being ●…rought vnto him ) oppose with mayne force and bitternes these his writinges , against the manifest truth of God ; yea & contend more for 〈◊〉 crooked practise of them ( as their suting to parliamentes for this re●…ormation ) declareth , 〈◊〉 for that holy perfect patterne of Christes Testament ; to the vpright practise wherof , they wil at no hand be ●…rought .

But let me returne againe to these doctrines of Mr. CALVINE , ●…rom which ( by reason of these circumstances ) I was a litle digressed . ●… haue already often , and I hope ▪ sufficiently shewed ▪ how corruptly M ● . CALVINE thought of the Church , or rather how ignorant he was therof , by these his odious simileas and comparisons . I haue shewed , that into the Church of CHRIST , al must enter by the dore , & open profession of the true faith , and by the same faith & obedience stand ther●… : how no ●…rofane or wicked person may be receiued or reteined into that fellow●…hip . I haue shewed that the ministerie and sacramentes of CHRIST belong not vnto this people or Cong●…egation , and how such sacramentes and ministerie a●…e sacrilegious and vngodly , yea pernitious and damnable to the whole Congregation and all the communicantes , vnlesse they repent and redresse these faultes . I haue shewed touching his markes of the Church , that whersoeuer the word is soundly taught , there is not by and by a Church ; but only where a faithful people are gathered by the same word vnto CHRIST ; submitting themselues in all thinges to be ordered , ruled and gou●…ned by his word , as yt shall from faith to faith be reuealed vnto them . Which people , thus gathered , and leading their liues ●…ogether , are to be esteemed an holy Church , and haue power both to receaue into , and cast out of their fellowship &c. although they haue as yet obteined to haue neither a ministerie nor sacramentes among them : alwaies pro●…ided , that this be not by any default or negligence in them , they alwaies being ready ( as GOD administreth men & meanes ) to proceed vnto that holy order , commanded in the word : wherby apeareth , that the Church vpon some occasions , may be without sacramentes ; and that they are not a perpetual marke of the Church , 〈◊〉 . 5. so of necessitie , that yt should be no Church , if vpon some occasions , yt be for a season without them . I haue also shewed , that without this holy power of CHRIST , to censure and red●…esse faultes and offendors , there can be no Church , no ministerie , no communion ; that the word without practise is an idol ; praiers and sacramentes deliuered in obstinate sinne , are abhomination and sacriledge in Gods sight ; and that yt is vnpossible to haue the word sincerely taught , and the sacramentes purely administred , where ●…ny open sinne or sinner is maintained , or reteined : which must needes be , where the carefull watch against sinne , and power to reforme defaultes is neglected , or left . I haue shewed , that the whole Church hath no power to dispence with the breach of the least commandement , and that such obstinate sinne in the whole Church , breaketh the couenant with God , and maketh yt cease to be a Church , or to be in Gods fauor , vntill they repent . I haue shewed , that al their praiers in this estate are accursed of God , and also all such as participate with them in the same . I haue shewed , that the knowne and suffered sinne of any one member , is contagious vnto all such as communicate with him in that estate , and maketh them all which communicate in praiers & sacramentes with such an obstinate offendor , as guiltie in Gods sight , as he himself is . I haue shewed , Exod. 23. 2. that no faithfull man ought , by any Congregation of men or Angels , ●…al . 1. 8. ●…e drawen into the least knowne transg●…ession of Gods law &c. Which doctrines , although they suffice to ●…catter and disperse these smoky er●…ors of Mr. CALVINE and his disciples , yet seing they haue so roiled the ●…ountaine , & ( as yt were ) darkned the sunne with these my●…es & foggs ; ●…t shall not be ●…misse ●…o discusse these pointes ( which remaine ) a litle ●…urther ; and see what power eue●…ie particular member of the Church ●…ath in the Church , and in the publike actions of the Church ; and also ●…o see wherin , & how long they are to keepe communion ; & for what , & when to leaue the same .

It is manifest , that all the members of the Church haue a like in●…erest in CHRIST , in his word , in the faith ; that they altogether make 1 Cor. 12. one bodie vnto him ; that all the affaires of the Church belong to that Rom. 12. 6. & ●… . bodie together . All the actions of the Church , as praiers , censures , sacramentes , faith &c. be the actions of them all iointly , and of euerie one of them seuerally ; although the bodie , vnto diuerse actions , vse such members as yt knoweth most fit to the same : Al the members are iointly bound vnto edification , & vnto all other helpes or seruice they may do vnto the whole : All are charged to watch , exhort , admonish , stir vp , reproue &c. and herevnto haue the power of our Lord IESVS , Ps●… . 149. 6. &c. the keies of the kingdom of heauen , euen the word of the most high ; therby to bind their rulers in chaines , and their nobles in fetters ; therby to cast downe euerie strong hold & high thing , that is exal●…ed aga●…nst God ; therby to defend and maintaine the faith , and euerie iode of the Mat. 18. 20 word , to stand fast in their libertie , to trie the spirites , to auoid such as Ma●… . 16. 19. teach contrary doctrine , and consent not to the wholsome wo●…des of 1 Ihon. 4. ●… . our Lord IESVS , or denie the power and practise therof , to admonish Rom. 16. 17. the greatest , euen ARCHIPPVS , to looke to his ministerie , and ( if n●…ed 1 Tim. 6. 3. &c. be ) to plead with their mother &c. yea no further to follow her or an Angell of light , then they walke with God , and haue the word for 2 Tim. 3. 5. their warrant . Our communion must be in the faith , and not in error Col ss. 4. 17 or transgression ; we are not to follow a multitude to do euill , but Hos. 2. 1. in all thinges to follow faith to the conseruation of our soules , and to 1 Ioh. ●… . 6. 7. grow vp into him which is our h●…ad , CHRIST IESVS : whom●… , Heb. 10. 3●… whiles we hold fast , and whose word , whiles we h●…ue for the thinges we do , or refuse to doe , we need not f●…are the 〈◊〉 of anie vaine men ; neither be amazed at any vaine titles of Church , sacramentes &c. For this we know , that there is no Church can excuse vs for the breach of Gods law , before that great Iudge . Now then , seeing eueri●… member hath interest in the publike ac●…ions of the Chu●…ch , and together shall beare blame for the defaltes of the same ; and seeing all our communion must be in the truth , and that we are not to be drawen by a●…ie into anie willinge or knowen transgression of Gods law ; who can denie , but euerie particular member hath power , yea and ought to examine the manner of administring the sacramentes , as also the estate , disorder , or transgressions of the whole Church , yea , and not to ioine in any knowen transgression with them , but rather to call them all to repentance &c. & if he find them obstinate & hardened in their sinne , rather to leaue their fellow●…hip , then to partake with them in wickednes .

Neither doth the place 1 Cor. 11. 28. 29. THAT EVERIE one ought to examine himself &c. hinder either their Christian libertie , or publike dutie ; for these rules are generall , the wordes are general & alike giuen to euerie member , and vnto all the members of the Church , without respect or exception of any , either Pastor or others . So that by this reason ▪ neither Pastor nor any , were to look vnto the life , conuersation , & estate of an other : neither can these rules or wordes any way be restrained to one , more then an other ; much lesse may such corrupt doctrines ; and false conclusions be drawen from them : THAT BECAVSE euerie man is to examine himself , therfore no man is to looke to an other . Euerie man eateth either to his owne saluation or damnation ; therfore the open sinnes of minister or people , do neither hurt the sacramentes there administred , nor the godly conscience of the receiuers . What sense or sequele is in these reasons ? what can be deuised more false or foolish ? because euerie one is to looke to his owne priuate estate , therfore no man may meddle with an other mans , 〈◊〉 with the publike estate . Were he not as foolish that could be led or caried wi●…h these reasons , as they that made them ?

But being granted them , what kind of Church ? what communion ? what duty ? what law or feare of God , would there remaine ? If the second we●…e granted ; that the open , yea the obstinate sinnes of others , do hurt neither the sacrament , nor godly receiuers ; what doth yt then skil who they be that administer , or rec●…aue them , or where they be administred , whether in the popish or turkish assemblies : A godly man ( as they count him ) may resort to what idolatrous or sacrilegious assemblies he will ; so he in his heart go to worship God , yt skilleth not what outward sinn there be committed , or he ioineth vnto , that hurteth him nothing . What blasphemous hellish doctrines are these ? which take away at once the whole Testament of Christ , and word of God , or tollerate the open breach of them ? which take away all Christian libertie , dutie , & communion . May we ioine to open sacriledge , & most heinous profanation of Godes ordinances , & that with the open wicked & impenite●…t , and not be guiltie ? Call they this to examine our selu●…s ? or to eate to our owne saluation ? they make a faire interpretation of , and collection from these places .

But might yt not better be comprised within the examination of our selues , to examine & looke how we dischardge both our publike and priuate duties towardes God and our brethren &c. which , how can I thinke I any way discharge vnto them , that suffer my brethre●… , euen before my face wittingly & willingly , ●…o runne headlong into assured destruction , to eate their bane & damnation , yea & giue consent thervnto . O what a cruel and vnme●…ciful part were this ? Call they this to ●…eepe the vnitie of the Church ? not to breake the fellowship &c. In ●…eed they say true ; In thus doing in this communion I should not break ●…e fellowship , but euen for companie goe to hell with them . For ( as ●…e Apostle saith ) we which are manie make one bodie & one bread , ●…ecause we are together partakers of one bread .

But ô how much better should we prouide both for them and our ●…lues , to examine wel , & declare vnto them what this action is , & how ●…ur sauiour CHRIST hath not only instituted after what maner yt is to ●…e deliuered & receiued , but also who should deliuer & receaue yt : & ●…o shew them , how in this estate they remaining impenitent and obsti●…ate , there belong no sacramentes or blessing vnto them , but rather a ●…arful looking for of iudgment , seing they both breake GODES lawes , ●… despise GODES grace : & therfore the sacramentes seale vnto them , ●…nd vnto as many as either deliuer the same vnto them , or participate ●…ith them in the same , the assured wrath of God ; both for that they ●…lesse & ioine vnto the wicked , & so become guiltie of all their sinnes ●…ogether with them : & also commit most heinous sacriledge , in breaking ●…he institution of CHRIST , in deliuering the sacramentes ( as they pre-end ) vnto the open vnworthy , & ioining together with them therin . I ●…ope they are not so grosly popish , to suppose that the sacrame●…t can ●…nctifie the vnworthy receauers , & giuers : that in deed were no smal ●…iracle , that yt should do more then CHRIST doth ( whome yt repre●…nteth ) especially where the institution is so wilfully & impiously bro●…en , as with them ; where yt is deliuered to the open vnworthy , who as the Prophet saith ) defile that holy thi●…g whatsoeuer they touch .

But say they , Charitie must thinke & iudge the best ; yt must think , ●…at in this heape of chaffe are many graines of wheat . Well yt doth ●…ink so ; what of this ? can those graines either iustifie this sacriledge , 〈◊〉 set a loafe of filthie chaffe vpon the Lordes holy table , or sanctifie the ●…icked , this heape of chaffe &c. Surely , well ought charitie to border 〈◊〉 yt self within the compace of sobrietie , and not peremptorily to ●…dge or determine of any , who belong to Godes election , and who be ●…probates ( which God hath kept secret to himself ) vnlesse they see ●…ese damnable signes of the sinne against the holy Ghost , vpon them : 1 I●…on . 5. 1●… et cannot charity iudge or pronounce any to be graines of wheate , ●…hiles they lie together hidden & vnseperated from this filthy chaffe , ●…ese apparant wicked & wickednes ; for charitie must be directed and ●…dged by faith , & faith by the word of God .

But charitie ought to iudge ( say they ) that euen the worst , when the●…●…ome to that ●…able , are inwardly sory , & secretly repent . But doth cha●…itie see this sorrow & repentance ? if not , how should yt iudge , & per●…wade yt self it is so ? yea , and presume thervpon to communicate with hem , & receaue them vnto the table of the Lord ? Charitie had need ●…aue a good ground in these high matters , & not walke by rote , least yt ●…estroy both them & yt self : Charitie may not breake Godes law●…s : their ●…innes are seene , known●… & publike , their repentance must be answerable , secret repentance suffiseth not the church for open sinne ; they must see and witnesse the repentance , or els they must proceed without delay to excommunication . Charitie for no respect , can either linger , lighten , or take away Gods iudgmentes . It alwaies , euen in all causes saith : RIGHT and true are thy i●…dgmentes , King of Saintes . The iudgmentes of the Church & of al the faithful , are the iudgmentes of the Lord , which must be vprightly ( without al ea●…thly affection or inclination any way ) executed , least Gods wrath burne likewise against them , as we haue plentiful examples in the scriptures . How then say these blind guides , that the faithful ought not to meddle with the iudging of the wicked in the church ? It is only Gods office to root out the tares . Their final iudgment , we with al humblenes re●…it vnto the Lord , the Iudge of al. Their temporal iudgmentes the Lord hath committed Deu●… . 29. 29. to his Church , & to euerie member of his Church , who are to pronounce vpon them the iudgmentes that are written , and euerie Deut. 17. 7. member of the Congregation throw vpon them the stone of his iudgment and consent . Therfore hath the Lord raised vp the thrones of DAVID in his Church ; and set his Saintes vpon seates round about his Throne .

Yet for al this , the beginning and end of their song is : THAT the Church and table of the Lord , is not to be forsaken and left , because of the wicked . True , for the wicked are to be chased and driuen from thence , where none may enter or stand , without his seene wedding Math. 22. 12. garment vpon him . But ( as I haue beene often driuen to say ) they that abandon these wicked peruerted assemblies , which will not be withdraw●…n from their sinnes , but remayne hardned and obstinate , leaue not the Church or Table of God , but preserue the Church and Table of God . They make not the schisme which keep the faith , but ●…eb . 10. 39 they that forsake the faith : yea & the faithful , thus seperate , ought not for the sinnes of these or any , to neglect or intermit these holy exercises of the Church , but to inde●…or to haue ●…hem in al holy and pure maner , according vnto Christes ordinance &c.

THE last shift & help they haue for receauing the prophane & wicked to the sacramentes is : that we ought to detest & abhor their conversation in common bread , because that is in their power & wil ; but not for their sakes to refuse the sacramentes , because that is not in their wil. What can be more grosse & foolish ? know these men what belongeth to the communion of Saintes ? Is it in our power to refuse Heb. 10. 25 him in conuersation , to whome we ioine in the faith , & in communion ▪ Or may I abhor & driue him from my table , whome our Sauiour Christ receaueth & admitteth to his table ? Am I or my table holier then he or his ? What a pharisaical pride were this ? euen the same they exercised vnto the publicanes : where is now this charitie they erwhile spake of ? Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes & wantes ; let not him that ●… . ●…et . 4. 8. is strong despise them that are weake , but receaue them vnto him &c. R●…m. 14. 1. instructing them with meeknes , bearing their burden &c. May they ●…en despise & abhor any that is held a brother , or auoid his companie ●…fore he be excommunicate , or haue forsaken the faith , & remaine ●…rdned or impeni●…ent &c. what a preposterous dealing is this , to re●…aue the wicked vnto the Lordes Table , & to driue them from their ●…ne table . This is cleane contrary to the Apostles doctrine , which 1 Cor. 5. 11. 12. 13. ●…ace Mr. CALVINE thought to escape and put away with this botche . 〈◊〉 there teacheth , that i●… any which is called a brother , be a fornica●… , or cōuetous , or a railer &c. such one is both to be purged as leauen 〈◊〉 of the lampe , and also e●…chued in ciuil meates : But such prophane 〈◊〉 wicked , which haue not yet imbraced the faith , such are to be kept 〈◊〉 of the Church , and from the Table of the Lord , though otherwise 〈◊〉 are not so to abhortheir ciuil conuersation , seeing we may haue so ●…any occasions thervnro , whiles we remayne in this world . Whether 〈◊〉 ●…hall we beleeue Mr. CALVINE or the Apostle , they being so di●…ctly co●…trarie . For the other point of forsaking the Table of the ●…rd , I i●…sist in that which is already said , still saying , they ought in ●…erie true Church to be kept from yt , especially vpon obstinacie , ●…ter admonition .

BVT YET Mr. CALVINE thus giueth not ouer the matter , but indeuoreth to proue ( that the godly may , & ought to communicate with the open wicke●… , and yet shall not be defiled therby ) by the examples of the Prophets , in the corrupt times before the captiuity ; & of our sauiour CHRIST while he liued heere , who in the most corrupt times refrained not the sacrifices , prayers , or publike ministery of the Temple , for the wickednes either of priestes or people : but nauing regard to the vnitie of the Church , & vnto the ordinances of GOD , they held vp pure hands in a wicked assembly .

●…irst I cannot perceaue that in all this Mr. CALVINE hath proued ●…at the Prophets , or our Sauiour CHRIST , haue at any time ioined , ●…to , or with any vnlawfull or pulluted priestes or p●…ople , such as by 〈◊〉 law of God ought not to administer or offer in the Temple : neither 〈◊〉 to any vnlawful praiers or sacrifices , which ought not to be offered ●…ere . And so all these examples are to no purpose alledged , & make ●…thing for him . For we still , by the rules of CHRISTS Testament , hold 〈◊〉 vtterly vnlawfull to receaue or reteine any profane or wicked per●…n , to administer vnto , or communicate with such in the sacramentes . 〈◊〉 that all , & whosoeuer so doth , most heinously breake Gods law , & 〈◊〉 all guiltie of high sacriledg &c. Into which manif●…st wilfull trans●…essions , neither the vaine titles of the Church , neither the false flag 〈◊〉 the gospel & sacramentes , ought to draw or allure vs .

As for these times vnder th●… law ( wherof he speaketh ) the worship 〈◊〉 God then consisted in outward legall ceremonies concerning the ●…me , place , priestes , people , sacrifices , Altar &c. with prescript lawes 〈◊〉 eu●…rie thing : which outward ordinances , if they diligenrly kept 〈◊〉 obserued , there was then no cause why such sacrifices should be left ▪ insomuch as they were in that outward worshipp altogeather vnr●…proueable . Other faultes of maners , except such as ou●…wardly defiled the bodie , or were contrarie to the lawes of the Temple , as bastardy , whordome , idolatrie &c. the priestes or ecclesiastical estate then medled not with . They belonged to the ciuil magistrates , whose office yt was then , both to censure & punish such offendors accordi●…g to the law . Whiles then the ecclesiasticall lawes which God in that estate apointed , were duly obserued , there was no cause why the Prophets or any should refraine that worship : yet were the Prophets ( which were apointed of God to instru●…t both the eccsesiastical & ciuil estate ) to admonish and reproue the ciuil magistrates , and to cry out against them , & to denounce Gods iudgmentes against the one & the other , & to shew than , that neither Temple nor sacrifice , neither fathers nor couenant could excuse or deliuer them from the wrath & curse of God , whiles they continued in these sinnes , & deferred to repent .

But now vnder the gospel , where al things are become new & spiritual , Reuel. 21. 5. where CHRIST hath giuen vnto his Church , & vnto all his faithfull 2 Cor. 5. 17. seruantes his powe●… & authoritie spiritually , to censure al manner of sinne & sinners ; he hath giuen them his holy word , & made them all Kings & Priestes thervnto ; he hath commanded them to watch , and Exod. 19. 6. diligently to take heed , that no profane or wicked impenitent person 1 Pet. 2. 5. be admitted vnto , or kept in his church : but diligently to watch both without & within , that the one sort be kept out , the other cast out of his Church . The legal pollutions , leprosies , vlcers running issues , infections , & vncleane diseases , for which then the people were seperated from the Temple & the Congregation ; are now in this Church all maner knowen sinnes , obstinatly held & maintained , which are far more infectious & contagious vnto the soules of the whole Church , then those filthy diseases were vnto the bodie . Neither is the Lord Heb. 12. 15. our God lesse ielous , or will be lesse offended , for keeping such in his Church , & admitting them vnto his table now , then he was in those daies , when the leprous , plaguy , or polluted were kept in the Congregation , & admitted to the altar : especially seing he hath now giuen as great charge , as prescript lawes , both whome , when , and how to cast out , as he did then . So that , as abhominable should our worship and offring now be vnto the Lord , & all we in as great blame : ( seing vnto all his seruantes this charge , this watch , this power , these lawes are giuen ) as they in the former times , for the transgressions aforesaid .

But now peraduenture , these disciples of Mr. CALVINE will from their maisters mouth affirme ( for so in deed his wordes and writings apparantly import , els as we hauen shewed these examples are brought to no purpose ) that the Prophetes & our sauiour Christ , in those most sinful times , where al estates & persons were throughly & wholy corrupt , al the lawes of God , both concerning the Church and common welth , the worship of God & ciual conuersation boldly broken by al , without any regard or conscience : that yet in these times the Prophets and our Sauiour CHRIT communicated with these priest●…s & people in these sinnes , and were not defiled with their sinnes , but held vp pure handes amongst them . Before I shew the m●…nifest vntruth , the pestilent errors & vnsufferable blasphemie of these doctrines , I demaund of them how they proue , that the Prophets and our Sauiour CHRIT communicated in these times with these priestes & people thus defiled and corrupted , thus openly breaking Gods lawes & ordinances , both concerning his worship in the Temple , & the gouernment of the common welth . I see no proof alledged , except yt be this : they built not other Churches , they erected not other Altars where they might haue their seueral sacrifices . What of all this ? They built not other Temples & Altars , therfore they communicated with the abhominations in the Temple ; they had no priuate sacrifices , therfore they resorted vnto the pollu●…ed and corrupt sacrifices , vsed at these times in the Temple : Are these ●…heir best reasons ? that because they did not one sinne , therfore they did ●…n other : Can these men find no meane course ? What if the Prophets in these times did neither of both ? shall not the ignorance , falshood & boldnes of these men then apeare , which thus slander the Prophetes , ●…alsifie & peruert the scriptures , to maintaine these damnable errors , & wicked dealinge . The first they themselues confesse & alledge : the sec●…nd ( though they bring no one place of scripture to approue ) I thus by euident testimonies , both of the stories & of the Prophetts them●…elues , disproue . In the time of King ACHAS , when the Lords brazen 2 King. 16 . Altar was remoued & set aside , a new Altar , after the forme of that at Ezek. 44. Damascus was brought in , and vsed in the place of the other . The priestes that serued thervnto , offred also vpon other Altars which were set vp by that wicked King to other Goddes &c. Likewise in the time of MANASSES & AMON , when Altars , groues , & high places were built ●… Chron. 3●… vnto Idols , the priestes attended them , & other Altars ( which the Lord 2 Chron. ●…6 had forbidden ) brought in & set vp in the courtes of the Lord. In the times of IEHOACHAS , IEHOIAKIM & ZEDEKYAH , when the Idoll of indignation was againe set vp in the vtter court of the people , in the next court of the Leuites were painted vpon the wall the s●…ilitude of all creeping and abhominable things , as also all the Idols of the house of Israel , & the 70 antientes burning incense vnto them : yea where the women woue hangings for the Egiptian Goddes , & mourned for TAMMVZ : yea yet neerer the presence of the Lord , in the court of the priests , euen at the verie dore of Temple of God , they turned their backes vpon God , & with their faces towardes the east worshipped the Sunne . I would here demand of the learned●…t of these priestes , whether they thinke that in these times the Prophets communicated with these priestes ? or how they can proue yt ?

The contrarie is to be proued , both by the lawes of God , which forbad them to touch any polluted thing , especially to keep themselues vndefiled with the filthines of idols &c. & also in the stories of Hezekiah , and Iosiah ; Hezekiah in the beginning of his raigne , finding all thinges thus defiled & corrupted , c●…lled such godly Priests & Leuites , as h●…d in his Fathers time refrained ●…he 〈◊〉 , & left off to administ●…r , & exho●…teth them to loke & address●… themselues vnto their charge which was committed v●…to them by the Lord , to sanctifie themselues , to purge the Temple , and cast out the abhominations his Father had brought in &c. which we reade by them to be done , & the whole house & land purged by solemne sacrifice : And after that , the feastes which had before bene intermitted , were againe renued & orderly kept . Iofi●…h also , af●…er he had purged the Temple , cast out & defaced the idols , placed & restored th●… priestes & Leuites in their due orders , strook & renued a couenant with the Lord , summoneth the Priestes , Leuites , & people againe to the due keeping o●… the feastes commanded in the lawe . And 2. C●…ron . 35. 3. ( according to TREMELIVS his translation ) he saith thus vnto them . But he saied vnto t●…e Le●…ites preparing the holy thinges of the Lord for all Israel , set , or put them before the holy Arke , in this house which SOLOMON the sonne of DAVID King of Israel hath built : It lieth no more vpon you a burden to be caried vpon your shoulder : now serue I●…HOVAH your God & his people Israel . In which wordes he calleth the Priestes , Leuites , and people to the law and institution of God Deut. 12. 5. &c. 〈◊〉 . 17. 3. &c. that now all their feastes and sacrifices ought to be brought and kept before the Lord in his Temple , orderly according to his law , & not as when the Ark might be remoued , to be kept in sundrie places , neither yet as in priuate houses , as in the time of the corruptios where the Lord bare with them , as if they had beene in Egipt in priuate houses .

Now for the third time of IOZIAH his successors , let the 9. Chapter of EZEKIEL be considered : where we findal iudg●…d & damned to destruction , which were defiled with these abhominations ; & only those m●…rked by the Angel with the writers ynckhorne , & saued , which kept themselues pure from , & cried out against those abhominations : likewise his 16. & 23. Chapters , where the Lord pleadeth against them as against an harlot which had forsaken her husband , & left , yea murdered her children ; and therfore that his faithful serua●…tes should iudg them not as the Church of God ( as the false Prophets then & now do ) but as harlots & as murt herers &c. His whole Prophecie is plentifull in this Argument , ●…hewing all to be defiled and abhominable by these sinnes , & that the glory of the Lord vtterly abandoned both the Temple & the Citie . All the Prophets in all their writinges abundantly shew , th●…t the faithfull refrained in these corrupt times , & infinite reafones might be drawen from thence , to prou●… the same : but I hope , that ●…hich hath beene already alledged , sufficeth in this point . Now I would only know of these learned disputers , which bring these examples of the Prophets & our Sauiour Christ , ●…hinking therby fully to conclude the matter , and to driue the naile to the head : whether if they should haue communicated with these wicked and defiled priestes and people , they should not also haue sinned , and beene polluted ? If they deni●… that yt had beene no sinne in them , and that they should not therby be defiled ( as Mr. CALVINE in his wriring●…s doth ) then I ●…ring the manifest lawes of GOD against them ; where yt is written , that no polluted person might either administer , or offer in the 〈◊〉 . This then being vnlawful for the priestes or people to doe , must ●…eeds also be vnlawfull in the Prophetts which w●…re not ignorant of this law , to suffer or consent vnto &c. It is also written in their law , that whoso touched any vncleane thing or polluted person , was also defiled therby : yea what holy thing soeuer such polluted person touched , whether flesh or oile , was defiled and abhominable . How then can these men say , the Prophets willingly ioining to such open breach of the lawes and ordinances of the Temple , touching and mingling ●…hemselues with such vncle●…ne and vnlawfull priestes , p●…ople , ●…nd 〈◊〉 , were not both defiled herein , & transgressed Gods lawes ?

If they say the Prophets communicated not in any vnlawful action , or with any polluted person , then to what end do they bring and vrge their examples , to draw vs to ioine with them in open and knowen ●…ransgression . Yf they say they communicated with the priestes that administred in the Temple in these corrupt times , then could yt not be , but both the priestes and they , must ne●…des be defiled with the ido●…atry and abhominations that there were set vp , as aboue is shewed . Now nothing can be a greater transgression , or mo●…e filthy and con●…agious defilement , then to ioyne to idolatry , or idolatours . Neither can any be a greater allowance of ioyning vnto th●…m , then to make th●…m our mouth or ministers vnto GOD , or together with such , to ioyne in any action concerning the worship of God . Thus then yt must needes be : that the Prophets ( if they communicated or offred , by , or with such corrupt priestes and people ) grieuously with them transgressed , and were together with them defiled , n●…ither could they iudge or cry out against the sinnes of the time , when they th●…mselues were alike guil●…ie and partakers with them in these sinnes . With what conscience then or f●…are of God , can they perswade vs to sinne , by the Prophetts examples ? May they not as w●…ll by the exam●…les of the Patriarches DAVID &c. persw●…de vs to inces●… , 〈◊〉 , murther ? if yt we●…e sinne in them , shal yt b●… l●…sse i●… vs ? ar●… these 〈◊〉 and examples well vsed or applied by them ?

But how wil they now do●… , when euen that stone which they had set vs as a triumphant monument of their vic●…orie , is rouled vpon their ●…ead , and shall g●…ind them to dust , except th●…y r●…tire and repent . For whiles th●…y affirme our Sauiour CHRIST to haue communicated with ●…he wicked polluted pri●…stes & p●…ople in feastes and their sacrifices , & ●…hat at such a time ( saith their Author ) as al estat●…s were throughly cor●…upt and desperatly incurable ; how shal they in this case cleare him of grieuous sinne and pollution , or themselues rather of most accursed ●…nd vnsufferable blasphemy ? Great corruption there was no doubt in the ciui●… estate , by reason that the ciuil gouerment was in the Gentile●… ha●…des , the prophane Romaines that knew not God ; and therby also great slacknes & defaultes euen amongst the priestes & rulers of the Temple , as apeared by the sectes & errors amongst them , by the many tr●…ditions brought in , & the great & more waighty things of the law , as mercy & iudgment , neglected . Great also was their blindnes , hardnes of heart & obstinacie , which not only did not acknowledg , but refused & murthered the Lord of life himself , that flourishing tree of all righteousnes , that innocent , in whome was found no sinne . Yet notwithstanding al this , I cannot find by the hystories of the Euangelistes , but that the outward ordinances of the Temple were indifferetly well kept and obserued , especially about the time of Christes birth , when were found diuers godly priestes & holy , iust men & women , that administred & offred in the Temple .

To take all doubt & controuersie away , the holy Ghost recordeth , that all thinges about him , were done according to the law . We reade also that his parentes accustomably resorted vp to Ierusalem , at the ●…uke . 2. 39. feastes ; which , they being godly , would not haue done , if they had not beene kept according to the law . So that heere was no apparant or lawful cause , to driue away the godly from the Temple & sacrifices : neither any comparison betwixt the outward estate of the Temple , & the outward estate of those Congregations which receaue and admit the open wicked & vnworthy to the sacramentes , & wil not be admonished or redresse the same . But to come to our Sauiour Christes person : I reade not any where , that he communicated or offred with the priestes & p●…ople in the Temple ; neither bringeth Mr. CALVINE , any proof therof , saue that he went vp vnto the feastes . But we reade not that he went vp to offer or communicate with them according to the law , but rather to teach & instruct them , & to call them to repentance Ioh. 5. 16. 18. & amendment of life . We euerie where reade , how sharply he reproued both priestes & people ; insomuch as they , euen at the beginning Ioh. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. chapte●…s . of his ministerie , sought to kill him ; which they would not haue done , if he had consented or communicated with them . We reade not that either he or his disciples , no nor Iohn the Baptist receaued or baptised any , but such as repented & beleeued . We see , that neither he nor his disciples kept the traditions or customes of the Iewes , of washing , fasting &c. We see , that he receaued such as the Iewes had excommunicate , namely the blind man ; & after their obstinacie was apparant , both seperated his disciples from them , & openly euerie where denounced against them . We reade againe , that they sought to kill him , because so many went from them after him . As for his going vp to their feastes , yt is apparant , that yt was not to offer and communicate with them , so much as to teach the people , there hauing the fittest oportunitie , and greatest concurse . He went not according to the order of the law , but sometime at the midfeast , somtime no●… at all . We may see in that discoutse Ioh. 7. betwixt his kinsfolk & him , ●…oth by their speach , and his answere , that his custome was not to goe ●…o offer , so much as to teach . When he came there , he reproued and ●…eformed some things amisse , as the tables of the mony changers , and ●…hem that sold doues &c. In the great day of their feast of Taberna●…les , he called them from their superstitious drawing water in their ●…ell of Siloam , vnto himself , that liuely spring of liuing waters &c. As for their feast of the Passouer , he kept yt not with them , but a part ●…y himself with his disciples , in a priuate place . To which reasous if we add the continual debate and hostilitie betwixt him , the priestes , ●…hariseis , & their proselites , and all sortes of ministers & rulers of the Temple , with the maner of their reasoning , their spurning against him with enuie , he confuting their errors , & convincing their wickednes with power , yea iudging and condemning them for their wickednes , ●…bstinacie , crueltie , & contempt of God & his word , as in the 21. 22. & 23. chapters of Mathew apeare . By all which reasons & circumstances , & many other that may be drawen out of the Euangelie , I thinke we may rather deeme , yea conclude , that Christ did not communicate with ●…hose wicked priestes and people at their feastes and sacrifices , rather ●…hen vpon M ● . CALVINS bare report , to beleeue he did . But whether he did , or did not , yt were blasphemie to thinke or affirme , that he euer ●…oyned vnto them in any action , where they brake the least iode of his Fathers law : for then should he be with them guilty of transgression & sinne as is aboue proued ; & then the monstrous doctrines that would ●…nsue hereof , no christian eares can endure to heare . And sure their sinne is not much lesse , which goe about to draw such poisoned doc●…rines & diuelish conclusions from him , to make him an author of sinn , ●…ea of most impious sacriledge and profanation of Gods name , and all maner headstrong wickednes & abhomination , which these w●…etches would couller & tollerate , vnder his name & examples .

Thus hauing dispatched these foraine cauils , of these our English Romish priestes , not so much for their sakes ( to whome by Mr. CALVINS owne iudgment they apertaine not ) as for the truthes sake , which ●…y such false & smoky reasons is grieuously obscured ; yt is now high ●…me wee looke homeward vnto the present matter in hand : namly , by the rules of the word , to examine this their church of England . Which as we haue found to consist of al the prophane and wicked people of the land ; all , without any choice or difference , being alike receaued & nourished in the bozome of their Church &c. so if we by the rules of Christs Testament duly examine this their flanting ministerie , wherof their Church so boasteth ; I doubt not but that we shal find them as counterfeit , prodigious , antichristian , and rightly fitting to this monstrous confuse bodie of the multitudes , this harlot , their Church sittet●… on . Which ministerie to describe in their coullers , were a fitter Argument for a stage play , to bring forth these hypocrits out of their dennes , and to make them play their partes in the light ; then for any sober & christian discourse who abhor to raue in their vncleane cages & filthy kennels ) yet that they may the sodainlyer apeare of what so●… they are , & we the soner haue done with them : let vs first consider what maner of officers CHRIST hath apointed in the Church of God ; then , how th●…se ought to enter ; then how to administer : and so briefly by these rules examine the ministerie of their Church of England .

The ministerie apointed vnto the gouernment & seruice of the Church Philip. 1. 1. of CHRIST we find to be of two sortes , Elders & Dea●…ons : the Elders , some 1 Tim. 3. of them , to giue attendance vnto the publike ministerie of the word & Ti●…us 1. Rom. 12. 7 8. sacramentes , as the Pastor & Teacher : the other Elders together with them , Act. 6. 1. to giue attendance to the publike order & gouernment of the Church : Tim. 5. 17. the Deacons , to attend the gathering and distributing the goodes of the Act. 20. 28 Church . Now these Officers are first duly proued , examined , & compared 1 Thes. 5. 12. by , & to these rules set downe in the Testament of CHRIST , both 1 Cor. 12. 7. in apparant graces , by the manifestation of the spirit ; as also in al vnreproueable 1 T●…m . 3. conuersation , witnessed , & wel aproued vnto that flock , of Act. 6. Act. which they are chosen to serue & attend . This done with praier & fasting , they are chosen & ordenied in the same Congregation , by publike consent . They being thus chosen & ordeined by all , are now diligently 1 Cor. 4. 2. & faithsully to execute their office vnto all , not preiudicing the libertie 2 Cor. 10. 8. of any , ●…mbitiously assuming any inordinate authoritie , or abusing or Act. 20. neglecting their office , neither holding or executing yt , in regard or in 1 Pet. 5. 2. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 8. Ioh. 9. respect of person : but vprightly and indifferently performing yt vnto all men , as in the eies of God , whose word they purely and sin●…erely teach , faithfully & precisely obserue , to their vttermost knowledg and ●… Cor. 11. ●… . power . If in any thing they transgresse or offend ; they are , as well as Phil. 3. 17. any other members , liable to the censure of the Church : which is , to 1 Tim. 5. 21. &c. reproue , depose , or excommunicate them , according to the qualitie of the sinne , & estate of the offenders &c. 1 Tim. 5. 20 Col. 4. 17.

Now to come to the ministerie of the Church of England , which is 1 Thes. 5. 14 so manifold & diuers , as I know not how to begin to describe yt . But Rom. 16. 17. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. let yt first be diuided into these 3 sorts : 1. Reigning or Gouerning . 2 Seruing & 3 Collegiate . 1. Of the reigning & gouerning minifters , are Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops , Arch-Deacons , Chancellers , Commissaries , all of the 2 Tim. 3. 5. high Commission , as likewise such ciuil Doctors , Proctors , Registers , ●…itus 3. 10. Scribes , Pursuiuantes , Sumners as attend vpon their Court●…s of faculties , prerogatiue , Archies , delegates &c. 2 Of the seruing sort , are Parsons , Vickars , Curates , hireling Lecturers , vagrant & mercenarie Preachers , house priestes , Chaplens , half-Priestes or catechisers , Church-wardens , sidemen , questmen , pa●…ish Clarkes . 3 Of the ministerie col●…egiate , are Lord Bishops , Deanes Sub-Deanes , Prebendaries , Canons , petie Channons , Gospellers , Pistellers , Singing men , Singing boies , Vergiers , Sextines . This diuision I suppose , wil wel neere suffice for their officers . But now , how to diuide or distinguish their offices , I know not ; I am so vnlearned & ignorant of such great secrets , & high misteries . Neither yet haue I skil to ●…arshial then in their degrees of honour , which ( I haue heard say ) they haue , both in the common welth , & in their schooles ; as ●…eir Primate , their Mettopolitane graces , their Palatine Lordbishops 〈◊〉 their Baronny Lordships : al which I weene be Peeres of the realme , 〈◊〉 estates of the Land. Now there are also certayne Doctors of diui●…tie , & Bachelors of diuinitie , which haue many great priuileges & ●…ogatiues , of the cappe , the skatlet gowne , the hood , the habbite , the ●…pet &c. the ring , the chaire : the one of them , being a Kinghts fellow , ●…e other an Esquires in any ground in England . Also how capable ●…ese are by statute of how many benefices , I cannot tell .

Neither haue I the cunning to deriue their genealogies and pede●…ies , as they tooke beginning in the ages succeeding the Apostles , in ●…e first 4. or 500. yeres : only because I want that deep learning , I must ●…ntent my self to goe to that old book of Gods word . There in deed ●…emember Reuel. 9. that I read of a Sar that fell from heauen vnto the ●…rth , which had the key of the bottomles pyt giuen vnto him ; who ●…hen he had opened that bottomles pyt , there arose the smoke of ●…e pyt , as the smoke of a great fornace , wherwith the Sunne and ●…e aire were darkned . Out of which smoke of the said pyt , I read , 〈◊〉 at al these monstrous , armed , crowned , poisoned Locustes & Scor●…ōns issued &c. Now as they tooke beginning with Antichris●… , vnder ●…eir king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apolluon : so tooke they increase together with him . ●…or when Sathan had enthronized him , giuen him his high Commission , 〈◊〉 made him his Lieftenant general in earth &c. then these his Peeres 〈◊〉 c●…ptaines compassed about & guarded his throne , & did miracles ●…efore the Beast , deceauing with the effectual power of their errors , ●…l such as receaued the Beastes marke , or worshipped his image , and 2. Thess. 2. 9. & . ●…ried forth his image far an neere , and set yt vp in al places where his ●…rson could not be , & compelled al both smal & great , rich & poore , 〈◊〉 receiue the Beastes mark & worship his image : this I read in the 13 ●…f the Reue. Now in the 16. Chapter of the said booke , after that y●… vi●…s of Gods wrathful iudgmentes had beene powred out vpon the earth , ●…ō the sea , vpon the riuers & fountaines of waters , vpon the Sunne vpō●…e Throne of the Beast , vpon their great riuer Euphrates ; I read , that ●…ese vncleane spirites that came out of the mouth of that Dragon , ●…nd out of the mouth of that Beast , and out of the mouth of that false ●…rophet , ●…hich are y ᶜ spirites of Deuils , working miracles ; should goe ●…rth vnto the kings of the earth , and of the whole world , to gather ●…em vnto the battel of that great day of God almightie : yea and in ●…e 17. of the Reuelation , that they should cause these kings , those ten ●…ornes , to hate the whore , to make her desolate and naked , to burne ●…e whore with fire , euen that faire harlot , of whose cup they ha●…●…runke , and with whome they had committed fo●…ation so many ●…eares before ? and to giue their kingdomes , power , and authoritie vn●…o the Beast , vntil the wo●…des of God be accomplished . In the 19. & 20. ●…hapters of this said booke , I read ; that they , together with all the ●…ostes of these kings that thus make warre against the Lamb , & beseege ●…e beloued Citie & the tentes of the Saintes round about , shal be taken cast into a lake of fire & brymstone , & there to be tormented together with that Dragon , & that Beast , & that false Prophet , day and night for euermore . And loe , thus haue we brought these fellowes home againe , euen to the place where we found them . For out of the bottomles pyt they came , & into that fierie fornace they shal . Let them that list more curiously to search , inquire after them in their Cen●…uaries and A●…nalles : yt sufficeth me to know , that they came out of the bottomles pyt , that they belong not to CHRISTES kingdom , that they are strangers there , & haue there neither name , place , nor office . We find in the Church of CHRIST no mention of these rufflers , they are not members of his bodie , they are neither Pastors , Teachers , Elders nor Deacons : but eu●… of late before our eies , these felf fame officers , Courtes , attendantes , euen from their Primate Arch-bishop to the parish priest , & so to the Sumner , administred vnto the whore of Rome , & had their originall from the Apostatical seate of ANTICHRIST . How then should they thus sodenly become the members of CHRIST , yea rulers of his house whether he will or no ? who not only thrust in their parsons by intrusion , but these monstrous offices , Courtes , & Cannons , neuer read of , neue●… heard of in the Testament & Church of CHRIST .

For there we find no mention of any other Arch-bishop or Lor●… Bishop , then that chief shepheard & Lord of life , CHRIST IESVS ; vnto whome euerie knee ought to bowe , and euerie tongue confesse But these blasphemous Beastes , or rather heades of that Beast , are no●… ashamed to arrogate vnto them CHRISTES names and titles , which a●…e written vpon them as names of blasphemie , that the scripture migh●… Reuel 13. be fulfilled : which titles & honors , they blasphemously would defend , Reuel. 17. 3. with this scripture , which is spoken of the office & person of the ciu●… magistrate : I haue saied , ye a●…e Goddes , & ye all are the children of the most high . Psa. 8●… . 6. although our Sauiour CHRIST hath expresly , with his owne mouth said to his Apostles ( them whome I am sure these are neither greater no●… better ) . The Kinges of the Gentiles reigne ouer them , & they that beare rule ouer them a●… Luk. 22. 24 called bountifull , but be ye not so : but let the greatest among you , be as the least , & 〈◊〉 Io●… . 13. 12. &c. chiefest , as he that serueth .

Now when they cannot defend their pride & blasphemie by the word , ( which glasse most liuely sheweth , euen to their owne eies & conscience●… the ouglines & heinousnes of their sinne ) they then runne to their la●… shote anker , to vphold their tottering states by the Princes donation . Which if yt were so , were but a weake defence for them , against the wrath & iudgment of God that condemneth them , & a mightie sinne ( & yet no noueltie ) for the Kings of the earth to giue their crownes vnto the Beast &c. But I would heere know of them , whether any Prince may lawfully giue that vnto them , or they receaue that , which CHRIST hath denied them , yea & carefully auoided in his owne person , leauing them an example &c. & why by the donation of the Emperour CONSTANTINE , the Popes supremacie may not be as well iustified : then ●… would heere know , how they ca●… auoide the crime of slandering the ●…rince , which lay this charge vpon her : which in deed is due to their ●…oly father the Pope , who when he receiued of his father the diuel his ●…thoritie & great power , magnificently dealt these honorable titles 〈◊〉 offices to these his natural sonnes proceeded from his owne mouth 〈◊〉 throne , many himdred yeres before Queene ELISABETH was born .

Now as we find their names & titles blasphemous , so if we looke ●…el into their offices , we shal find them no better . Of the ordinarie ●…tablished permanent offices , Pastour , Teacher , Elder , which are Act. 20. 2●… 〈◊〉 ouersee , and administer vnto that flock , of which they are orderly 1 Pet. 5. 2. ●…osen &c. these are not ; who some of them standes a Primate or Pope Rom. 12. 7. ●… ●…to the whole land , some other a Metropolitane ouer half the land , ●…e least of these Anakims ouer many hundreth steeples , Churches ●…s they say ) therfore they haue none of these ordinarie offices , which ●…nly now remaine . As for the extraordinarie offices of Apostles , Pro●…etes , Ephe. 4. 11. Euangelistes , which God at the first vsed to the carijng forth ●…f his truth , the gathering together & setting in order of his Saintes 〈◊〉 we find Ithem ( Apostles I meane & Euangelistes ) altogether ceased , 〈◊〉 now needles ; insomuch as the foundation is already fully & soundly 1 Cor. 3. 10. 11. &c. ●…yde , as also al ordinances & orders which the Church is to receau●… , ●…pressly set downe & manifested in the Testament of Christ ; to which 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 〈◊〉 Churches are now , for their direction in al thinges , wholy r●…ferred .

As for Prophets , their office was neither definite nor permanent , Act. 20. 32 ●…ut by peculier & extraordinarie reuelations , according to some espe●…al Act. 14. 23. occasions of the Church ; wherof I suppose these men ( who are so ●…notant of , & rebellious against the reuealed wil of God ) haue fmal ●…ccasion to boast . But if their madnes should proceed so far , we leaue ●…eir discouerie & iudgment to the law of God , written Deut. 13. 1. & . Gal. 1. 1. ●…postles I suppose they are not ; hauing neither any immediate cal●…ng Act. 1. 24. from God vnto their Apostleship ( vnles as they in their inscrip●…on of their titles and stile doe write : IOHN by the permistion of God and ●…wer of the diuill Bishop of such a place ) and so as the Apostle saith are 2 Cor. 11. 13. &c. ●…alse Apostles , laying not the true foundation , but a new 〈◊〉 , euen their holy father the Popes Cannons , and the deuilish in●…unctions Gal. 2. 4. 5. & 6. Chap. of their blasphemous high Commission : whervpon & wher●…y , their Church is built & ruled in all thinges . Now to their office 1 Cor. 4. 17. ●…f Euangelistes , they want their Apostolical sending , also their worke Phil. 2. 19. &c. 1 Thes. 3. 2. 1 Tim. 1 3. Titus 1. 5. ●…nd building declareth , that false Euangelistes & deceitful workmen ●…hey are , that keep not that true patterne , which the Apostles prac●…ised & left to all the Churches ; but according to their owne fancies ●…et vp & pluck downe , what & when yt pleaseth th●…m , as all their ac●…ions 1 T●…m . 5. 21. declare , hauing no one pynne , naile , or hooke according to the 2 Tim. 1. 13. ●…rue patterne in CHRISTS Testament , or in right frame ; which if I 2 Tim. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 here indeuo●…r in particular to declare , yt were to goe about to ●…mptie that foule sinke , euen the bottomles p●…t , f●…om whence they ●…ame : sufficeth vt heere to haue shewed their names , offic●…s , authori●…ie , not to be of God , neither to belong to CHRISTS Church . Therfore we need not be further inquisitiue , either of thei●… callings or doings , seeing they belong not vnto vs , were yt not to cal them , or so many of them as belong to Gods election , vnto repentance , to leaue the●… accursed trade and offices &c. as also to call such of the people , as belong to the kingdom of Christ , from their apostatical & antichristian throne .

What hath beene said of the names & offices of these magnificen●… Prelates these great Lords ; the same ( for auoiding tedious repetition ) is to be iudged of al the crue of their associates , assistantes , attendants inferior priestes & officers : of whose names or offices , we find no m●…tion in Ch●…ists Testament , no vse or place in Christs church . yet because some of them make a fairer shew in the flesh , & vnder counterfai●… shew of holines deceaue the simple , & leade ▪ , captiue many a stule ; I wil leaue for a while these great peeres & mightie estates , with all their collegues & followers in their grosse wickednes , which is apparant and odious vnto all men , in whome is any sparck of light or grace ; and wil now addresse my self to pul of the visardes of these disguised hypochrites , these rauening wolues which come to vs in sheepes clothing , vnder glorious and swelling titles of Pastors , Teachers , Preachers and Ministers of the gosp●…l , men of great learning , of very holy life , and of great sinceri●…ie , se●…kers & ●…ighers fo●… reformation , snch as abhor and cry out against the Bishops & thei●… proceedinges , &c.

These Phariseis , these Sectaries are they , which mislead the people in ●…heir crooked and bye pathes os death , & wil neither lead the●… nor suffer them to enter into the peaceable & strait waies of the Lord , bu●… keep them alwaies learning , & neuer bring `them to the sight o●… acknowledging of the truth &c. as when we come to examine thei●… manner of theaching , shal appeare . In the meane while , let vs a litl●… goe back againe ( as yt were ) that we may the more orderly proceed , and consider in a word or two , of these Rabbines persons , education , learning , training , wherby they are made fit to these great offices ; then of the offices themselues , & of their calling & entrance therunto ; last of al , of their administration , how they behaue themselues therin ▪ And this , but by way of a summarie and most brief recital ; ffor if ●… should stand to lay open their dealing at large , though yt were without either prouing or disprouing ( for this in matters so mani●…est need not ) yt would make in yt self a most large discourse , and were a subiect too great for any m●…ns capacitie to handle , to set downe the●… monstrous transgre●…siones & disorders in particular , much more in ●…heir heinousnes & indignity , which do euen fil the great flyng bok●… of Gods cu●…se , the Prophet speaketh of . But to giue you a blush of some of them , and to open you a way the better at your further leasure , by your further and more diligo●…t ●…earch , to looke into thei●… dealings ; I wil ( God so willing ) of many , set you downe a few .

FIRST FOR their persons , we find them all generally the seed and ●…fspring of the vnbeleeuers , of men without the faith without the ●…hurch , of these confuse idolatrous multitudes aboue spoken of , & ●…s the vnchristian education of these ympes maketh manif●…st ; who , ●…uen from their cradles , a●…e nourished in al maner of prophanenes , eathenisme , vaine & vngodly sciences & literature ostentation , pride , ●…ore then monkish ( that I say not ) Sodomitish idlenes , supersti●…ō , idolatrie &c. This , their vngodly nurture in their common scholes where they must learne the latine or greeke tongue from lasciuius Poets & heathenish philosophers ) sheweth euidently . With this quor are their pitchers at the first seasoned : when they haue beene ●…ell nouseled in these , and haue orderly passed to the highest forme ; ●…en are they fit for one of the Vniuersities , where they being placed 〈◊〉 some one Colledg ( as they tearme them ) or other , after they haue ●…eene solemnely Matriculate and sworne vpon the Proctors Booke to ●…eir mother the Vniuersatie , to conceale and keepe close her secretes 〈◊〉 mysteries , as also to be obedient to her statutes and orders ; the●… are they trained vp in Logick , Rhetorick , & Philosophy : which lear●…ings they draw from Aristotle & Cice●…o , and such like . There they ●…arne to reason and speake by art , by Sylogismes and Tropes ; which ●…tes when they haue gotten ( or at the least , spent some apointed time 〈◊〉 the Vniuersites ) then they commence Bachelors or Maisters of ●… . Now if they continue still with their mother , and giue their ●…inde to the studie of diuinitie ( as they cal yt ) which is as much to ●…y as the rearding of mens writinges , such as are best esteemed of in ●…ese times , with those feathers they flie , and with those eies they see : ●…hich bookes being taken from them , they are as mute as fishes , as ●…ind as moles .

But when once they are growen skilful in this traditional diuini●…e , that they dare vndertake vpon some moneths warning , to speake ●…n howre vpon some t●…xt , and that they dare trust their memories 〈◊〉 deliuer no worse stuffe then they haue read in the commentaries ●…nd common places of th●…se Authors : then vpon a litle practise they row bould to set vp their bylles of chalenge vpon the schole dores , ●…at they purpose to dispute for their degree , and to maintaine ●…taine hard pointes of diuinitie , generally consented vnto , and reea●…ed of all men : which questions as also the whole scriptures , ●…ust in these their schooles & disputations , be vnsufferably corrup●…d , abused , wrested , peruerted , blasphemed according to the luste●…●…f these Philosophical & heathen disputers ; which he●…r must ha●…le , diuide , vtter and discusse , according ●…o their vaine affected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Logick Rhetorick .

Wel when they haue thus performed their artes , either in Luce or 〈◊〉 , and that their solemne day of their commencement draw●…h nee●…e ; there some worthy Chaplen or other , to winne the spurres , 〈◊〉 a Deanry at the least when yt f●…lleth , vndertaketh to d●…fend Non ▪ r●…sidencie , or Pluralitie of be●…efices ; or some other , to confirme the faith of the Church of England , vndertaketh to defend , THAT the apostolicall discipline ( as they tearme yt ) or gouernment & order which is set downe in CHRISTES Test●…ment for his Church vnto the worldes end , is no●… perpetuall or of necessite ; but may be altered according to the will of Princes , estates &c. & also that CHRIST descended into hell , during that time his body laye in the graue . These & such like damnable heresies and blasphemies , are confirmed in the eies of the whole land , who resort thi●…her to see this stage play , where the fencers fight bootie , the persons that shall dispute being purposely apointed , the time set how long they shall dispute ; the dogs being to be puld off , either by masse vicechancellor or Mr. PROCTOR , as the arguments by any thing strong or the disputers distressed . Now here must also be considered , that al these prizes are plaied in latine , that the learning may the more , and their folly the lesse appeare , least euen the common people should hisse them of the stage , if they spake english . But why doe I thus reueale their mother OSYRIS secretes : some of them will say I am an vnnatural child , an ill bird &c. when I come there mine intertainement shal be accordingly for this geare . Well I am content heere to cease , yt neither being my purpose , nor to the purpose heere , to set downe all their magical ceremonial rites , vsed & due vnto such seueral degree &c.

To returne therfore againe to these our commenced diuines , who when they haue once gotten this degree vpon them , there is now neue●… a benefice in a shire , but if yt be ready for them , they are fit for yt ▪ There is now no question to be made before any ordinarie in England of their learning . They need not now be posed by the doctors , by masse chancelor or masse Commissarie , how many s●…nes Noah had , or whether they can reade distinctly the homilies , Iniunctions and seruice booke ; all this they could do whiles they were bible clarkes & fellowes in the Colledge ; euerie morning next their he●…rtes they said ouer this geare : Neither shal they be inioined to conne certayne chapters of the Testament without booke , their hood and tippet shewe●…h they haue learning inough ; and together with their mother the vniuersities licence to preach , excuseth them of all this stirre , which other poore priestes do passe , but vnto them yt could not , without the dishonour of the vniuersitie & shame of their degree , be offred . They therfore now ( if before this time they haue not had the ful order of priest-hood ) easily ob●…eine yt without any difficultie . Only they must now kneel●… downe at their holy Father the Bishops fe●…t , who solemnely sitting in a chaire , layeth his Simoniacal handes vpon him , deliuereth him the b●…ble into his handes , breath●…th vpon him , & gi●…eth , or rather selleth him his vnholy ghost , as he shal know by the price of his boxe & writinges , ere he goe . I had like to haue forgotten the cheese matter of al ( without which yt could haue beene no bargaine ) namely , his so●…mne and corporal othe vpon the couer of the bible or seruice booke , to be buxome and obedient to his ordinarie and his substitutes , & to vow his canonical obedience to all ●…ch ecclesiasticall orders , iniunctions and ●…egrees , as either are by publike authoritie established & set forth , or ●…ereafter shal be by the said authotitie made & set forth : That he shal ●…ot preach any seditious or contentious doctrines , neither any thing ●…n reproofe of the proceedinges , orders & iniunctiones , by publike ●…uthoritie allowed ; but shal exhort al men vnto the obedience of the ●…ame &c. These thinges being done , & his dimissaries paied for , he ●…iseth vp a ful priest in any ground of England , get him now a benefice ●…r a cure where he can .

He is now a priest sufficiently capable of any kind of office , in any Church or Churches whatsoeuer , whether to be a Deane or an Arch●…eacon of many hundred Churches , whether to be a parson of one or moe parishes , whether to be an hired preacher comonly called a GE●…EVA Doctor , for from thence this new office is ( vnwitting to his Grace of Canterburie ) stollen into the Church of England , except peraduen●…ure they stand before him but for mungrel curates still . Wel if they will haue a personage , they must either now become Chaplaines to ●…ome great BAAL or ●…her , that hath store in his gift , or els make ●…riendship , for loue or mony , to some inferior BAAI , that is such a Lord of some towne or towne●… , or els enter in chaffaire with some ●…ther priest , for his roomth . And somwhat here would be said of these 〈◊〉 or Lord Patron●… , what kind of office they haue in the Church of England , least hereafter I forget , as I doe sundrie other thinges .

It is not needfull heere , to dispute of these Lord Patrons , when o●…●…ow they tooke beginning : whither at the beginning of the defection ●…hen the people first slacted & neglected their dutie , and gaue vp their ●…hristian libertie , power , & interest in al the Church affaires , the choice , ●…ensuring , & depofing their officers &c. into the handes of their pres●…itry , as is aboue declared : or at the flowing in of the deluge of the Gentiles , when the prouincial Bishops , Archbishops & metropolitanes ●…prang vp : or when the Pope was by the general consent of al Princes , made supreme head of the Church , & the great tributes out of al lands ●…aied vnto him &c. that then peraduenture , he , to gra●…isie these Princes & Lordes , of his meere benignitie granted vnto them the nomination vnto bishoprickes & personages &c. But how or when they sprang vp ●…t ●…killeth not , we finding them as Antichristian as any of the other . No such office we euer read of , to belong to the Church of Christ , neither any such Lord there , to take away all the libertie & interest of the people in the choice of their pastor . CHRITS seruantes are now no longer wardes , neither are in this maner to be bought & sold , as open and sheep in a faire or market . But see , when the Lordes beau●…ful staffe of his holy gouernment & order is broken , how he dissanulleth his couenant with those people , and deliuer●…th them vp to the destroiers , to these greedy wolues & hungrie foxes , as a pray . For these Lordes Patrons , to whome these aduowsens belong , are to apoint & present their clarkes vnto these benefices : who being admitted & instituted by the Bishop &c. the people ha●…e no more power in the negatiue , to refuse or depose him ( be he neuer so vnable or vnworthy ) then they had before in the affirmatiue , to chuse or elect their minister . But these Lord Patrons , may alien or sell their aduowsons by the law of the land , euen as any other part of their inheritance or possessions : yea be these Patrons neuer so infamously & notoriously wicked , gluttons , couetous , prophane Atheistes &c. Yea , if he haue 40 of these aduowsons , and those distant many hundred miles , euen to the vttermost boundes of the land : yet is he to all these townes to present their priestes , except he make Lapse , and then falleth yt into the Bishop of that Diocesse his handes . Thus must the greatest Doctor & clerke of them that wil haue a benefice enter , and be presented thervnto by some of these Baals or other , vnto the Ordinarie or Bishop of that Diocesse , by whose letters of institution he is inducted , ringeth his belles &c. payeth his first fruites ( after the Iewish , or rather popish maner ) h●… p●…oxes procurations &c.

Now the parsonage or vicarage to which they enter , is to be townepriest or Parson , or vickar of a certaine parish , to reade them their seruice , according to the times and maner apointed , to marrie , to burie , to christen , to deliuer their other sacrament of their communion , to visit and housel their sick with the said booke and sacrament , to receaue their tithes , offringes , mortuaries &c. Then ( if he be so cunning , and as he can intend and afford yt ) to preach them a sermon of an hower long : but that is in his libertie ●…ow seldome he wil , except his benefice be a certayne of poundes in the Queenes booke , and then in deed is he bound to bestow a sermon on his parish fower times in the yeare , either by himself , or by his learned substitute . By this we may also see these their parsonages and vicarages to be in name , offic●… , and function as Antichristian and popish , as any of the other : ●…o such office or officer mentioned in the Testament of CHRIST . For the men that possesse them , & those by common estimation euen the best , most holy , and learned of them ; I haue breefly , but verie truly shewed , what maner persons they are ; noseled euen from their mothers breastes in profanenes , heathenisme , vaine philosophy , vngodly artes ; how they are trained vp in idolatrie , superstition , and most filthie abhominations , periurie , blasphemie , pride , vainglorie , ambition , Phil 3. 18. &c. studijng these vaine artes , and euen diuinitye ( which they number among these artes ) for filthy lucre , ostentation , and their bellies sake , making not only an art , but a stage play and an occupation of religion ; with their tr●…ditionall and philosophicall glosses , corrupting , ●… Tim. 1. 3. 4. obscuring , and peruerting the pure text with their logicall conclusions ●… Tim. 6. 3. 4. ●… . 20. 21 and ●…hetorical figures ; giue libertie to their wittes in their learning to deface , striue , and dispute against the holy knowne truth of God , making and tossing yt as a tennise ball amongst them , both publikly in the schooles and priuatly in their Colledges at their problem●…s . In ●…hich munkish dennes thev lurke and lead their liues , in all manner 〈◊〉 idlenes and pride ; not to speake of those secret sinnes & abhomi●…tiōs , which are commonly committed amongst these Sodomites , which ●…e in such fellowships and fraternities , where Gods pure religion & ●…oly ordinance of matrimonie are banished , as amongst them . The ●…rticular abuses of which societes and Colleges , yea euen of their vni●…rsite in general , with all that more then heathemish disorder , popish ●…hominations , which are there without shame inioined and com●…itted , wherwitth the youth , yea almost all estates , of the land are lea●…ned & poisoned , would in yt self require a long & peculiar treatise , ●…t summarily to recken vp & bring to light .

I hope , by this litle which hath beene said , concerning the educa●…n and training of these our great diuines , yt apear●…h vnto all men ●…hat will iudg by the word of God and are endued with the spirit of ●…od ) what kind of fellowships these vniuersitie Colleges are , what ●…nd of cages full of vncleane birdes , of foule and hateful spirites &c. ●…et these learned clarkes daube them with their vntempered morter , ●…hiles yet the time serueth them , yet is their iudgment of the Lord : ●…e word is gone out from his mouth , yt hasteneth apace , and cannot 〈◊〉 called back : euen the same iudgment and end , which are in their ●…ght executed vpon their elder brethren and sisters the Templars , the ●…onkes , and knightes of their St. Ihon of Ierusalem , the Abbies Fri●…ers Nunneries they had one and the self same popish orginal with ●…ese : they still retaine the same damnable and incurable abuses : ther●…re the same , or greater iudgmentes remayne them . Let vs see if the 〈◊〉 . of Peter-house be now able to ward this blow : sure I doubt ELY ●…inster wil not defend him from the haile of Gods wrath , in that day . ●…e hath hitherto taken but half his tale with him , therfore his recko●…ing is behind . It is but an easie point of learning , both to frame and ●…nswere other mens , or rather his owne Argumentes : we in the coun●…ie which are not acquainted with such figures , count such but to skir●…ish with their owne shadow , & deeme them not the wisest men in a ●…ire . But this learned Doctor by the figure of Omission , in an euill con●…ience , tooke no more of the Argument , then he was able to deale ●…ithall , namely thus much . THE VNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND ●…AMBRIDG haue a popish original : Therfore Queene ELISABETH ●…ught to abolish them . Let him now take the rest of the Argument ▪ as ●…t was made in a marginal note , in the side of a blasphemous booke of ●…is , and put yt together thus . THE VNIVERSITIES of CAMBRIDG and ●…XFORD haue the same popish & idolatrous beginning y●… the colleges ●…f monkes , Freers , Nunnes , & those vermine had , & stil retaine y ᶜ same ●…nsufferable & incurable abuses &c. therfore Queene Elisabeth hath , & ●…ught by as good right to abolish them , as her progenitor did the Ab●…aies . Thus was yt made before vnto him : but of his doctorlie autho●…itie , writi●…g with priuilege , he tought he might take and leaue at his ●…leasure ; especially , hauing to do with poore prisoners , which can haue no place giuen to defend their wrongs , nor to answere vnto his lies & slau●…ders . But l●…t him yet vpon better aduise , make a better answere to this one Argument ; til then , we will not trouble him with more . I 〈◊〉 vpon a better view , he shall scarse find them so like those ●…oorishing vines in the Lordes garden , as vnto the vine of 〈◊〉 , and the vi●…es of Gomorrahij : their grapes are poisoned grapes , their clusters bitter clusters : their wine is the poison of Dragons , & the cruel gall of Aspes . Neither shall he find them so like to the scholes of the Prophets he speaketh of , which purely kept and taught the word of God amongst them , in those corrupt times ; as vnto the Popes Seminaries , being as ready vpon the least change of the wheather now to serue him , as euer they were ; being not vnlike the Turkes ●…eraglia in Constantinople , in which place his Iane●…saries which are the guard of his person , are first trained & instituted in the discipline of his war , before they serue him either abroade , or in his Court. And sure these Vniuersitie kinghtes are the very guard of Antichristes throne , the strength of his battel , his instrumentes to carry forth his wares , to subdue the people vnto him & keep them in his obedience , as bitter enemies of the Church and serua●…tes of God , & of all righteousnes , as these Turkish Ianeizaries vnto these christened regions , with whome they haue to doe .

But yt is time now to returne to these our vniuersitie diuines & their ministerie againe , being somwhat ouerlong staied by this friuolous Doctor in the way . I haue already shewed their education , learning , degrees , and also in what maner , and vpon what conditions the best of them come by and hold their priesthood : that is to say , how they first Deut. 6. 13. blaspheme Gods holy name , in swearing after that idolatrous maner : Amos 8. 14 how they solemnely and aduisedlie forswere & abiure the Lord IESVS Zepha . 1. 5. CHRIST , in swearing their canonical obedience to the Antichristian Math. 5. 34 Reuel 13. 16 & 14. 9. &c. throne of these Bishops , their courtes , & cannons : for two so contrarie maisters they cannot serue , as CHRIST & Antichrist , neither haue communion with both . And how they now remaine the marked soldiers Psa. 94. 20 of the Beast , euen in the forehead , hauing taken his licence and seales ; 2 Cor. 6. 15. & how by this their othe & subscription to their romish trumperie & deuilish diuises , they haue resolutely forsworne Godes truth , made Gal. 2. 5. shipwrack of faith and a good conscience ( if any they had before ) and how by taking this licence with this limitation , they haue emancipate the whole word of God ( as much as in them lieth ) vnto these Bishops or rather the Popes Cannons . And yet ( to make their sinne the more odious & inexcusable ) these slaues to sinne , are not only sworne vnto such decrees as are already made ( although nothing can almost be added to the wickednes and blasphemie of them ) but euen haue bound themselues by othe to such decrees , as they hereafter shal make , being by publike authoritie of the land enioined &c. also how they hereby become the vowed seruantes & bondmen , the marked ministers & waged soldiours of Antichrist . I haue also shewed their ministerie to be Antichristian , adulterate and vagrant , wit●…out place , people , chardge , office , gouernment : and how they must come by yt b●… as vnlawful meanes , euen by symonical compactes , open bribery & extortion , as the ex cessiue price of their boxe & writinges vnto the Bishop & his clerke , ●…heir first fruites ( not to speake of other secret bargaines how they come by the patrones good wil &c. ) declare .

Moreouer I haue shewed , how their office of Parson or Vickar is ●…s popish , strange , antichristian : & how their entrance & induction is ●…s popish & iewish , as the rest : & how the function of , & their behauiour in this office is yet worst of all , most corrupt , blasphemous , & ab●…ominable : which now but by as slight a running ouer their admini ●…tration , wil euen with detestation appeare vnto al men . Whose infinite & odious sinnes heerin to set downe in particuler , according to ●…heir hainousnes , no tongue or pen of any martal man is able ; for that were to momber the haires of the beast , or to diuide the droppes of a ●…unning riuer . If I therfore set downe some such principal & especial heades , fro●… whence these mischeues & their particular transgressi ●…ns flowe , as I remember them ( who know of many , but a few ) leauing the further search of the r●…st , & consideration of these , to the further labour & iudgment of the godly , by the scriptures : as also , the more particular remorse & repentance of them , to their con●…ciences which haue committed , & shal accompt before the Lord for the same . I hope ( I say ) by that time , the delusionis of these Babilonish diuines & Egiptian Inchanters , wil apeare vnto al men , saue vnto them that perish ; & their madnes be made so manifest , as both they & their Proselites shal be left naked , without one excuse or figleafe to couer their shame

Now then as the education , training , learning , degrees , ministerie maner & conditions of r●…ceauing that office & maner of comming by , & entrance into the same , haue beene partly described ; so was the endes & function of their ministerie and office , a litle touched in a word or two : Namly , how they al are , by othe and office bound , to reade and obserue the iniunctions &c. to reade their seruice book at their appointed times , places and maner , according to the same to administer their Sacramentes , church women , visit the sick , burie the dead &c. and only for this ministerie they receaue the offringes , tithes , mortuaries & wages of the people . Also yt hath beene shewed , that preaching is no part of their office or ministerie , but only in certaine special cases ( where that benefice is at a certaine rate in the QVEENES book ) required , and that not necessarily laid vpon the person of such a parson , but only quarterly inioined at 4. solemne feastes of the yeare , as at their Christmas , Easter : &c. and may be performed or supplied by their substitute .

Heere also must ●…e obserued , that a person or Vickar , is not by law nor office inioined to be resident & giue attendance in person vnto his charge & flock , but may be absent at his wil , & where he will , so he find the parish a iornay man to reade their seruice , administer their Sacramentes &c. yea and as he commeth vnto them without the people●… priuitie , wil , or consent , so may he stand●… parson or ( ●…s these ▪ learned preachers would haue him ter●…ed ) a Pastor vnto them , though he neuer see his f●…ock , nor his flock him . So may he also by law ( as the best of them vsually do ) vpon their owne liking or disliking ( but especially vpon the offer of a better liuing ) depart from them , chang●… or sell his office , without the peoples knowledge or priuitie . For as their ministery is not tied to any office , so is not their office tied to any charge . Are not these miserable Pastors trow we ? or are not the 2. Cor. 11. 20. people more miserable , that haue such sh●…pheardes and guides se●… ouer them , whome they must ( wil they nil they ) nourish with their goodes &c. to the gathering vp wherof , these priestes wil looke wel enough , without regard or respect of persons , whether they be rich or poore , old or young , widowe or fatherles , that is al one to them ▪ they wil not spare their due : They take vp al with the angle , th●…y catch yt in their net , and gather yt in their yarne . It skilleth not to 1. Sam. 2. 12 &c. them whose yt be , whether the goodes of the infidel or of the beleeuer . Ez●… . 34. 2. &c. It skilleth not them whome they spoile , whether the poore ▪ the widow , or the fatherles , if they fall within the boundes , and precinctes Mic. 3. 2. &c. of their parish : they regard not by what right , or after what maner they haue yt , whither by Iewish tithes and offringes , or popish Pro. 30. 20 chrismatories and mortuaries . They regard not , so the Princes and 〈◊〉 . 11. 5. their lord Bishops lawes allowe them , though Gods lawes expressly forbid . That day of accompt they put far ●…ff , and think to do wel inough then : yea they in the meane while blesse themselues in the name of the Lord , though they commit all this wickednes . Of al that groweth or increaseth within the compasse of their parish , whithe●… corne , wood , grasse or ca●…tel , the priest wil haue his part ; yea for whom soeuer is borne or dieth in his parish , he wil haue a fee ; and for thi●… geare he standeth a priest to the whole parish and al the inhabitantes therof indifferently . If the d●…iul of hel would ●…ome and dwel in his parish , he were a priest for him , and would for his goodes administer the Sacramentes &c. vnto him also . But heere , before I begin to deal●… with their maner of administration , yt were not amisse , in few wordes , to shew the damnable filthines of their maintenance for their ministeri●… . Christ hauing abrogate the Leuiticall priesthood and law , instituted for the gospel an other ministerie , & for the ministerie an other maintenance . He ordeined in his Testament , that the minister of the gospel 1. C●…r. 9. 7 &c. should liue of the gospel , the shepheard of the flock he ●…eedeth the husbandman of the vineyard he d●…esseth & keepeth . Now this flock ●…ōsisted not of gotes , swine , doggs , wolues &c. neither is this shepheard limited , or sheepe constrained to a tenth , or any stinted part or portion ; but according to the present want of the one , & estate of the other , this matter is otherwise prouided ; they together releeving him according to his present need ; he together wi●…h them , bearing the burthen of their present and common pouertie , ●…uerie one that is taught-in the 2. Cor. 8. 13 ●…ord , ●…reely contributing and imp●…rting , euen of al their goodes , to Gal ▪ 6. ●… . & 4. 15. ●…he competent main●…enance of such as instruct them in the word , ●…nd haue the ouersight of them , not vnto riot and excesse , but vnto 1. Th●…s . 5. 1●… 13. 2. ●…fficiencie . Which contribution , as yt is a dutie of the Saintes , so is Thes. 3. 9. ●…t also , in the maner of yt , a free offring of their beneuolence , and an Exo. 25. 2. ●…oly almes vnto the Lord : by which almes and contribution , our Sa●…iour 2. Cor. 9. 4. Christ himself , his Apostles , and al the ministers or officers of Phil. 4. 18. ●…he church of Christ , which liue or receaue any thing of the church , Heb. 13. 16 ●…ere , and are to be maintained . Within the boundes of which sober Luke . 8. 3. ●…ediocritie and christian modestie , whiles these prowd Prelates and Ioh. 12. 6. ●…reedy priestes wil not be held , the one sort breaketh out into al ex●…esse 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. and riot , the other into miserable rapine and extortion , thrus●…ng their flesh hook into euerie poore bodies kettle , and ( as yt were ) ●…lucking the bread from them and their childrens mouthes , 〈◊〉 they should be sustained ; besides the heinous vnlawfulnes of ●…he very action yt self , & high sacriledge they commit therin : which , ●…hiles a certaine Doctor of theirs hath of late la●…ored to approue ; the ●…icked man hath term●…d this blessed almes , and holy contribution ●…f the Saintes ( in contempt therof and of them which are or haue ●…eene sustained therby ) the ●…lmes 〈◊〉 : yea , to disgrace the truth , and ●…o hide the superfluitie , excesse pride , and vnsatiate couetise of the ●…nglish Clergie ; he maketh yt a common custome in his slanderous ●…āphlet , to leaue out , or take inn at his pleasure , or mistake , where & ●…hat seemeth good vnto him : As heere he hath done the 9. Chapt. ●…f the ●… , Corin●…h , for the 9. Chapter of the 1. Corinth : and so still fighteth ●…ith himself , and confuteth his owne idle fantacies . The one place ●…eaketh of the general charitie we ought to carrie towardes al ●…aintes , euen ●…o them of other Congregations and Countries : the ●…ther , of the peculier maintenance of the Minister of Christ , how he ●…ught to be maintained by that flock , to which he administreth , and ●…ot by infidels or wicked persons , to whome his ministerie belongeth ●…ot . Likewise that place Gallat. 6. vers. 6. where they that are taught in ●…he word , are commanded to impart of al their goodes vnto them that ●…nstruct them in the word : which place euidently sheweth , what kind ●…f maintenance belongeth to the ministers of the gospell , who ought ●…o contribute , in what maner , and how far . Namely al such faithful ●…o whome this ministerie belongeth , and they not by any rated pro●…ortions , as tenthes , or thyrdes , &c. but euen in loue , to make him ●…artaker of that litle or much the Lord sendeth , according to his pre●…ent wantes and necessary vses , who if he haue to food and ●…ayment , 1. Tim , 6. ●… . ●…ught to be therwith content . This place , this Chem●…rim would put ●…way , with a maruailing at our folly in quoting yt in the side of ●…is former booke , against the stinted tithes and accursed goodes & ●…ffringes of the prophane & wicked , wherof he and his fellow priestes ●…re maintained .

Wherby yt is euident , that these priestes , which thus are maintained , Num●… . 18. either by these Iewish tithes & offringes , as at the baptisme o●… Le●…i . 22. 25 children , and purification of women , or by the goodes and wages of Ezec. 44. 7. the profane and wicked , are not the ministers of Christ . For ( faith the holy Ghost ) If there be a change of the priesthood , then of necessitie Heb. 7. 12. must there be a change of the law . But these men , both prieste●… and people , which either pay or receaue these tithes and offringe●… &c. still keepe these leuitical lawes for the maintenance of the ministerie : therfore they not hauing made a change of those lawes , Act. 15. belong not to the ministerie and kingdom of Christ . For ( as I haue Gal. 4. 9. & 5. 2. 3. 4 shewed ) these are not the lawes which Christ hath instituted for th●… maintenance of the ministerie of the Gospel : neither can these lawe●… Col. 2. 20. now be ioined vnto , or made to accord with the gosp●…ll . For in reteining the gospel , we ab●…ogate the ceremonial law , in re●…uing the ceremonial law , or any part therof , we reuiue the Leuitical ministerie , and therby abolish the gospel and ministerie of Christ : yea in retaining and cleauing vnto the shadow , we loose the substance , and so are left and shut vp vnder the law , and are abolished ●…rom Christ , whome we denie to be either come , dead , risen againe or ascended , whiles we stil retaine the ceremonie and shadow . Now it is apparan●… , that tithes and offringes were meerly ceremonial , and instituted for the maintenance of the leuitical ministerie , and belong not to the ministerie of Christ , neither haue any reseruation in the Testament of N●…m . 18. 31 28. Christ , but sundrie expresse places there are against them : & in place therof , we haue ( as hath been said ) the free contribution of al the faithful , not limited or stinted , but extending to the communication of al the goodes they haue . But these priestes & people stil retain●… the leuitical decimations in the same forme , to the same ende●… &c. therfore must they needes be vnder that dangerous estate obou●… declared : Neither wil their Doctors popish distinction help the matter . Saieth he : the Church of England reteineth , not tithes , as any pa●… of the ceremonial law , but as a stipend for the ministers . Why I besech , him , how did the Iewes reteine & vse them ? was yt not as a stipend likewis●… for their ministers ? & may this law , this stipend now , fit the ministerie of Christ ? why hath Christ then made new ? or how is the old law changed with the old ministerie , if the law of tithes be stil kep●… Might not this Doctor as wel bring in the cities and subvrbs which were giuen to the Leuites & priestes , for them & their families to dwe●… in , or any other Leuitical ceremonie , by the same excuse ? & I doub●… not but they would do so also , were yt not that they haue already much more ample allowance in the stead therof in euerie Citie & towne of the land : where the parson , ( yea some where , both parson & vickar ) is indowed with houses & gleab landes besides their tythes , not to speak●… of the whole lordships & townes , that the Collegiate priesthood po●…sesse : & yet these cormorantes are neuer satisfied , these horsleaches stil suck , though blood in abunda●…ce runne out of their wide mouthes .

And heere also by the way●… , the vnlawfulnes of their gleebes would ●…e noted ; both in that they haue no warrant in ●…he Testament of CHRIS●… , being so fixed and certaine , he hauing there set downe an ●…ther kind of maintenance , not fixed , nor certaine , but according to ●…he present wantes and occasiones &c : as also that that tying of land ●…n a parish to the ministerie there , doth presuppose and necessarily pre●…ume of a Church alwaies in that pari●…h ; where as the Prophet saith ; ●…hey that were my people yesterday , are risen vp on the other side , as ●…gainst an enemie &c. How many famous Churches see we remo●…ed and fallen ? how m●…ny godly Fathers haue had wicked children ? ●…odly ages , wicked successors ? Many other reasons might be brought ●…gainst these gleabes , for which these belly priestes so crie out : As con●…erning their idolatrous originall and abuse , being giuen to the main●…enance of a popish ministerie , and therfore ought rather to be put to ●…iuill vses , and not to the maintenance of the ministerie of CHRIST .

But to returne to th●…ir tythes againe : wherin as yet I could neuer ●…ee any difference betwixt the Iewes and them , saue that these swine●…eardes tythe piggs , geese &c. and al such vncleane beastes and fowles ●…or gaine , which were an abhomination vnto the Iewes . But some of ●…hem would hide this , by the Princes commandement . We haue in many places shewed , that the Prince hath no power to breake Gode●…●…awes , or innouate or al●…er CHRISTS Testament . Heere I would know of them , whither the due paiment of tithes &c. was not often commanded by the godly Kinges of ●…da also : Let them reade the stories of EZECHIAH , IOZIAH , NEHEMIAH &c. let them reade the prophecies of IOEL , HAGGAI , ZACHARIE , MALACHIE . Why then ▪ we see the commandement of the Prince makes no difference betweene them and the ●…ewes herein : the commandement of the Prince cannot alter the pro●…ertie of Gods lawes : the commandement of the Prince can be no war●…ant or ●…xcuse , for the altering of CHRISTS Testament . But what excuse can they now forge for their offringes at the baptisme of children , at ●…heir purifying of women ? Is not this also manifest Iudaisme ? I wil not Leuit. 12. 6. heere speake of the superstition of the action , but of the oblation only : what difference is there betwixt them and the Iewes herein ? They will say the Iewes offred Pigeons &c. not money . But they must vnderstand , Leui●… . 27. the Iewes had a law also of redeeming their sacrifices for mony , & so offr●…d mony also when the sacrifice could not be had , & in sundry other cases : This then wil be no sufficient difference . I doubt therfore they must be driuen to Doctor ROBERT SOME his catholike & vniuersal distruction abouenamed : They retaine them not as any part of the ceremo●…l law , but as the ministers stipend . Wel , let this distinction be authenticall , because yt goes with priuiledge : yet let a poore Christian aske them this question ; where they find in the new Testament , that Christians may make such offringes , or the minister of CHRIST liue of s●…ch offrings ? I suppose they will take day to answer●… : and I ( because I will not too far ouerchardge them at once ) wil forbeare here to call them to ●…ccompt for their mortuaries , or portion which they take of the goodes of the dead , for their oblations at their Easter Sacrament , at the marijng , and at the burijng of any in their parish . This I think would proue a combersome peece of work for them to approue and iustifie by CHRISTES Testament , to belong to the maintenance or office of his ministerie . And sure , I take no great pleasure to raue more than needes I must , in this their doung ; which is so grosse , as euen with the reciting yt is refu●…ed . So that I hope , by this litle which hath beene said , concerning their Leuiticall tythinges , their Iewish oblations , their heathenish and popish customes &c : yt euidently may apeare to all men ( in whome is any light ) that neither this their ministerie , or these their ministers , which are thus maintained , are of CHRIST , or belong to his Church . Yf this yet be not plaine inough , let such as doubt , giue eare to their Administration , which now followeth to be examined .