Lord Bishops None of the Lords Bishops, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Wherein some other Passages of the Prelate in his Booke, touching the Authority of his Hierarchie, are met withall, and confuted by evidence of Scripture.
IN his*pag 15. Epistle Dedicatory he hath these words: She the Church of England) practises Church-Government, as it hath been in use in all Ages, and all Places, where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting, both in, and ever since the Apostles times; and yet the Seperatist condemnes her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline. So he. A bold Speech, and the more bold, because most false, and hath nothing but his bare Ipse dixit, his naked affirmation, as Authority sufficient. Whence I note sundry particulars. First that he calleth the Hierarchie, or Ecclesiasticall Government therof, the Church of England. A thing familiar with Prelates to make themselves the Church. And such a Church as that of Rome, the Pope and his Priests, or Prelates, are the Church, as themselves affirme. Whereas indeed (as Iunius hath well distinguished) … they are not the Body it selfe of the Church, but …ennes, or swellings grown up, and so incorporated into the Body, as overspreading it like a Leprosie, it assumes the denomination of the Body. And such are Prelates, who in the Church of England are Strumae great swellings like the Kings Evill, which are commonly next the Head, or about the necke, in the most principall parts of the Body. OnelyOnly in this they will not be called the Kings Evill, because they claime their Originall from Christ (as before is noted) and therfore though they be but certaine Abscessus, or Apostemes (and so indeed Apostat…s from the true Church of Christ) which not onelyonly deforme the Body, but greatly in danger the life thereof, yet the name of Church they challenge in peculiar to themselves. But surely the true Church of Christ in England disclaimes communion with such a false Church, as the Hierarchie calls it selfe.
Secondly, he saith that his Church, or Prelaticall Government hath been in all Times and Places, where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting. Here he finely excludes all the Protestant Reformed Churches, as no Churches of Christ, because they have weeded out those.*Heb. 12. 15. bittet roots, whereby many are defiled, and rooted up those plants, ‡Mat. 15. 13.which our heavenly Father hath not planted, to wit; all Prelates with their Hierar…hicall Government, which being rooted out of those Churches, the Gospell (blessed be God) and so the true Church of Christ hath taken the deeper and firmer rooting, and brought forth the more abundant‡Rom. …. fruits of holin…sse. But the Prelate in thus unchurching all true Reformists, is as good as his word, which he openly spake at Dr. Bastwicks Censure, in High-Commission, saying, The Protestant Churches beyond the Seas were no Churches, as having no Bishops, calling Calvin a plaine Rascall. But so long as those Churches have the true Bishops namely Orthodox and Sound Pastors to seed their severall …locks, it is not the Arch-prelate, that can so easily degrade them from being Christs true Churches, as he can deprive those Ministers both of Ministry and Meanes, who are obnoxious to his Church-Go…ernment.
Thirdly, where he saith, that his Church-Government hath been in use in all Ages, and in all Places, where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting, both In, and ever since the Apostles times: although this be most false, yet were it true, it would not therupon follow, that this his Church-Government is either Apostolicall, or jure divino, or from Christ. For first, every thing that hath been in use in the Apostles times, and in the true Church of Christ, is not therfore Apostolicke, or such, as the true Church of Christ alloweth of. For we read, that the Mistery of Iniquity began to worke in the Apostles times, and even then there were §2 Thess. 2.many Antichrists, and that in the very midst of the Church in those dayes.†1 Iohn 2. And if Prelates shall prove to be those Antichrists, which the Apostles detected, and described by their qualities (as will appeare anon…) then because such Antichrists were extant, and their Church-Government in use in the Apostles times, will the Prelate therfore conclude, such were Apostolicke, and had their Originall jure divino? Secondly, neither can the Prelate ever prove, that his Prelaticall Government (as now of later, and of long time it hath been) is any thing like to the Church-Government exercised by those, who took upon them to be the first Diocesan, or Provinciall Bishops in those ages succeeding the Apostles. He that shall read the Centuries; Cat…lagus Testiun… veritatis, and other true Church Stories, shall find as vast a difference between those poore ancient Bishops, both in their manner of life, and Church-Government, and the moderne Prelotes, since Antichrist mounted aloft in his Pontificalibus: as the *Ovid. Meta.Poet makes between the Silver Age, and the Iron Age: or as the‡Dan. 2. Prophet shews between the brazen brest of the Image of the Babylonish Empire, and the feet mixt of iron and clay. And that Image may well resemble the State of the Spirituall Babylon, or Hierarchy, which had its rise of simple and small beginnings, but by degrees Successively, it grew and got strength, and both height and bredth, and so became at length of a blind Brooke, a goodly navigable River, so as the Church turned a City of Traffique and Trade in all worldly pleasures and riches (as Babylon is described Revel. 18.) and so the more worldly it grew, the more wicked, proud, tyrannicall, lordly, and imperious, and of a Militant Church turned Triumphant as the Prelate himselfe saith of Rome so as now the Church Government of the Prelates in regard of their great Courts, and Consistories, and doing all things without the Presbytery… is as much unlike that ancient Church-Government of those Bishops of old, as our moderne Prelates themselves are unlike them in manner of life; for these are persecuters of the Gospel: those were persecuted, and suffered Martyrdome for Christ. Thus it is false, that he saith, that the Church-Government now in England was in us… in the Primitive Church. For to instance in one thing: In those ancient Times Excommunication was not used for every trifle, nor done in a blind Court, nor denounced by a dumb Priest. But enough of this.
Fourthly, whereas he saith: And yet the Seperatist condemnes her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline. First, as for the Seperatist (as he calls him) I thinke the Prelate with this his Book, and other his Prelaticall practises hath made more Separatists from his Prelaticall Church of England, then ever any that hath sit in the Chaire of Canterbury ever since his Predecessor Augustine first sate in it. Nor doe I see, how any Christian living in England can with a safe Conscience have communion with that Church, which professeth (as the Prelate doth in her Name) to be one and the Same Church with Rome, of one and the Same Faith and Religion. Yea were it no more, but that the Church of England professeth to be a Hierarchicall or Prelaticall Church, which in that very respect is no true Church of Christ, it were argument and cause sufficient to Seperate from her. And that because,
Secondly, he that is a true Seperatist from her, for the former respects, may justly condemne her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline, For first, She exerciseth, She professeth no other Discipline, but that which Antichrist, the Pope and the whole Antichristian Romish Church exerciseth and professeth, and that in all points Cap a pied, from top to toe. And this her Discipline is Antichristian, as being of Antichrist, and so against Christ, and exercised in the maintenance of Antichrist. For instance: The Prelaticall Church of England hath lately found out a Discipline, to censure, punish, imprison, fine, excommunicate, degrade deprive, and all these together, him that shall dare to deny the Pope and Prelates to be jure divino. Dr. Bastwicke did thus: and so the High-Commission served him, as aforesaid. What Discipline then in the world can be more Antichirstian, or more forcible to drive Christians from having any more communion with that Church; which exercising such an Antichristian Discipline, how can She shift off the just condemnation of Antichristianisme, which they shall cast upon her? Againe, Secondly, the whole Discipline of the Church of England, as it is the Discipline, which Antichrist and his Church exerciseth, and therfore Antichristian: So it is that, which hath no footing, but is expresly forbidden in the word of God, as Antichristian and Tyrannicall. For the Church of Englands Discipline stands most upon the imposition of sundry Ceremonies of humane invention, and Antichristian observation, which She presseth upon all mens Consciences, and for default of Conformity, layes grievous Censures upon them, as Excommunication, and the like. Now all such Ceremonies, so imposed, both Christ himselfe condemneth, *M…t. 15. 9.In vaine they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men: and the Apostle also throughout that whole Chapter of the Epistle to the Collossians doth charge Christians not to put their necks under any such yoake, as whereby they are deprived of the benefit of Christs death, and beguiled of their reward, and spoyled of their Christian liberty, and the like. Againe, the Prelates in imposing their Ceremonies are Antichristian, because in so doing, they usurpe Christs throne, and therein fitting, doe exercise a Tyranny over mens Consciences, intolerable to be borne; which if men will not yeeld unto, they doe in as much as in them lyeth, make them Anathemaes, shut them out of the Church, by Excommunication, &c. And lastly, their Excommunication, not onelyonly in regard of the matter and cause, for which it is, namely, because men will not renounce Christs service, to take the Tyrannicall yoake of Antichrists Ceremonies upon the shoulders of their Consciences, but for the very manner of it, as it is used in the Church of England, is a Discipline Antichristian, as being against that form of Excommunication, which is prescribed in the word of God, and was practised in the Apostolicall Churches. It was Christs rule, Tell it to the Church, that is, to the Congregation; and if the Offender will not heare the Congregation, he is Excommunicate by and out of the Congregation. And the Apostles rule is, for such Offenders as deserve Excommunication: *1 Cor. 5. 3, 4, 5.I verily (saith he) as absent in body, but present in Spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him, that hath so done this deed: In the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my Spirit, with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ. Whence I note, that Excommunication is a Solemne businesse, not to be inflicted for every trifling matter, much lesse as the Pharisees did, who excommunicated all those, that confessed Christ; nor to be done in a blind Court, and by a single soled Priest, nor the Offender to be released for the payment of his fees, or by way of committing, or the like: all which are practised in the Discipline of the Church of England. But Excommunication must not be, but for a great offence; nor done, but by the whole Congregation, nor released, but upon the publique repentance, confession, and promise of reformation before the said Congregation, where the offence was given, and by whom the penalty is taken off. Therfore the Discipline of the Church of England in this case is wholly Antichristian.
Lastly, forasmuch as Prelates doe necessarily draw after them a Traine of Ceremonies, as a Chaine of so many links, wherwith they captivate, ensnare, and enslave the Consciences of men (as their Motto is, No Ceremonie, no Bishop: for they goe inseperably together, like Tobie, and his Dogge) and the Church of England in her Discipline, and Church-Service, is wholly captivated by the Masters of such Ceremonies, the Prelates: and some Ceremonies are such, as even doe deny the Lord that bought them, as namely, Altars, and their Service: and all the Ceremonies imposed upon the Conscience, deny Christ to be the onelyonly King of his Church: all these taken together, what between the Prelates, and between their Ceremonies, the Church of England, and her Discipline is become Antichristian; and therfore no marvail, if for this cause, good Christians, that have knowledge, and make Conscience, doe Seperate from communion with any such Church.