Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 119 – Section 120
His Arguments to prove the Ministers of England: true Ministers Mr B.of Christ, follow in order.
The first is because they are not Ministers of Antichrist: and thatI. he would prove by 4. Reasons. 1. by their doctrine, and oath against him. 2. because they shew no obedience vntounto him. 3. because Antichrist himself disclaimeth them, as no Ministers, & condemneth them, as haeretiques 4. because Antichrists Ministers are sacrificing and m…ssing Preists, which they are not.Answ.
Here Mr B. (had he done faithfully) should have cleared our Arguments, by which in sundry treatises published for that purpose, we have proved them in respect of their offices, entrances, & administratiōs, the Ministers of ātichrist: but thinking it easyer to strike, then to fence, he passeth by what we have written against them, & layes down certeyn colourable reasōs for them: which I have summarily set down in order: and vntounto which I return this answer.
First and generally, that there is one common errour in all his Arguments: namely, that there is no Antichrist, but that great Antichrist the Pope: as though there were no more Divils but Beelzebub, because he is the cheif of the Divils. I would know of this man, what he thinks of the clergy in King Hen. 8 dayes, that took the oath of supremacy, and taught against the Pope, opposing him, & being opposed by him: or what he thinks of the Lutheran Ministers, that disclaym the Antichrist of Rome as haereticall, and are disclaymed by him, & yet do abhor from the reformed Churches, and from al cōmunion with them, for the mayn truthes they hold, touching the sacrament, and predestination. The thing then is, that there are degrees of Antichristianism, & orders of Antichrists, that is of such as are adversaries vntounto Christ. In Pauls time that “2 Thes. 2. 3. 4.man of sin, & adversary was got into the temple of God: and in Iohns time †1 Ioh. 2. 18. & 4 3.many Antichrists were come into the world: and yet there was then neyther Pope, nor masse preist; no nor Diocesan or Provinciall Prelate neyther. There was in deed *3 Ioh. 9. 10.Diotrephes, who sought for praeheminence, & to rob the Church of † the power of Christ, and so1 Cor. …. 4. was an Antichrist, as there were many other impugning Christ the Lord otherwise: but the great Antichrist of Rome was by many degrees, and long continuance to be advanced to his throne. And as there were lesser Antichrists before him, by which he entred: so are there also after him; and those left behind him in the Church of Engl: out of which he is driven. And those are the Lord Arch bishops, and Lordbishops, with their orders, and administrations: vntounto whom whilst the inferiour ministers do swear canonicall obedience, they do by oath promise obedience vntounto Antichrist, and receive his mark: and so ministring, are the marked servants of Antichrist, whom they obey: whom they are also by doctrine to defend, except their othes, and words disagreed. From whom if any of them do withdraw this their bounden, and sworn obedience, by denying subscription vntounto his orders, or conformity vntounto his ceremonies, them he silences, suspends, and deprives as schismaticall (if not hereticall), and vtterly vnworthy of their, and their Churches service. And these things the reader may apply to Mr B. 3. first severall Reasons.
Now to your fourth, and last Argument, viz: that you are no masse-preists, my answer is, first that you hauehave the same office with masse preists though reformed of that massing, and some other impietyes: and this both the practise of your Church, and your doctrine (pleading for succession, and ordination from Rome, & Romish Bishops, do necessarily confirm. All the massepreists ordeyned in Queen Maries dayes for that end, were vponupon their conformity to the orders then, continued Ministers in their severall congregations, in Queen Elizabeths dayes, by vertue of their former ordination. And so are such masse-preists at this day (though ordeyned at Rome) received and continued amongst you, vponupon the aforenamed conditions. Now it is your own constant affirmation every where, that ordination makes the minister. Wherevpon it followes, that no new ordination, no new minister, but the old massepreist reformed of such impieties, wherein Rome exceeds England. 2. it is your doctrine in your first book, that the ministery makes the Church, & gives denomination vntounto it: & in your 2. book, that the Church of Rome is a true Church: wherevpon it followeth necessarily, that the ministery in the Church of Rome is a true Ministery: except a false ministery can make a false Church. And if any order of ministery be, it is that of the parish preists, for they are the likest the Pastours in their severall charges. Whence I do also conclude, that since the Romish preists office is a true office though vnderunder corruptions, as it was true Iob overshadowed with byles, eyther the English preists must hauehave the same office with thē, (though with the byles cured) or els they are not the true ministers of Christ. And for the name preist, at which (you say) we catch, you do idly draw it from the Greeks, since it is most evident, that with the office, the name was tanslated vntounto you from the Latine, and Romish Church: their sacerdos being your Priest in your books of ordination, and common prayer, which you hauehave from them: otherwise why do you not turn the Greek words praesbyter, & proistamenos, preists in your English Bibles, which are translated from the originalls.
The sum of the 2. Arg. is that the Ministers of the Church of Engl: II.are Pastours, and Teachers, that is good sheepheards, such as do keep, Mr B.feed, and govern the flock; and as are qualified with gifts, and vnderstanding, and instruct them that are vnlearned.
If in stead of Pastours, and Teachers, you had put Parsons, & Answ.Vicars, your writtes of presentation, and institution would hauehave proved it. But that you are Pastours, and Teachers, such as Paul speaks of Ephe. 4. by holy writ you can never manifest. 2. though the things were true you speak both for your power, and practise, yet except you administred those things by a lawfull calling, in a lawfull office, and to a lawfull assembly, you were not true Pastors, and Teachers. But it is not true you say of your selves that you play the good sheepheards in feeding, that is in providing pasture for the sheep, and in governing, & ordering them to, & fro, & at it. Your Prelates govern or rather reign, but teach not: your parish Preists some of them that can, & list, teach so much as they dare for feare of their imperious Lords, but govern not.