The Name Mark and Number of the Beast, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Concerning th…se things that are not Antichristian, …ut are onelyonly falsly so called by the Separation.
VVE will not go over all the Points, but insist onelyonly upon those that are of greatest moment; to wit, Magistracy and Ministery. By these we may judge of the rest.
For the standing of the Magistracy, they take it to be Antichristian, because they have a power over other men; and the Beast, his Heads, and Horns, in the Revelation and Daniel, they finde by reading, That these do signifie Empires, Dominions, and the Kingdomes of the world. But herein they are greatly deceived; For in the Prophecies aforesaid, the Beasts, and their Horns, do not absolutely signifie Empires & Dominions, but Idolatrous Empires and Dominions; and not absolutely Idolatrous Empires, but such Empires and Dominions which do Lord and Tyrannize it over the Church of God, and do try the faith and patience of the Saints. By many passages of the present Discourse, we have sufficiently cleared the Point, That when Christ shall begin his Reign upon Earth, this will not be with the abrogation of all Magistracy, Power and Authority; onelyonly the Authorities and Governments shall acknowledge him (as indeed he is) the onelyonly Lord and Head of the Church. The Reign of the Lamb is immediately opposed to the Reign of the Beast: as therefore the Beast, in the times of his Empire, did not disannul the Being of Governments, though they were under his Power and Headship; no more will the Reign of the Lamb abrogate, and take away the Governments of this world, though they are made subject to his Laws. Magistracy is the Ordinance of God: they are guilty of a foul error then, whosoever they be, that shall go about to pluck up Magistracy, under the colour and pretence of an Antichristian Encroachment.
But this engine now a-days is more principally used against the Ministery; the great designs to throw the Ministery out of the consciences of the people: and therefore they are told again and again, That the Ministers are Antichristian in their Titles, in their Ordination by Bishops, in their Maintenance by Tythes, &c. For Antichristianism in Title, to make this good, they reckon up a defamed Catalogue of Names; the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Parsons, Vicars, Curats. But to this, abundant satisfaction is given, as by others, so by the old Non-conformists themselves, and specially by Mr. Ball, in his Answer to Canne. Among many other passages, these are his own words, pag. 45. To contend about the Name of Parson, is vain and fr…valous: but if we speak of the Office and Ministery, as it is exercised by the godly, learned, and painful Ministers of the Church of England: for the substance thereof, it is instituted of Christ, acknowledged by all true Churches in the world, ever since the first Plantation of the Christian Church; known by all Reformed Churches at this day, and so maintained by the Nonconformists. Against the Name, some it may be have taken exception; and against the pride, idleness, and covetousness of others, much hath been written: but that the Office it self of Parson or Vicar, as they preach the Gospel of Iesus Christ, and administer the Sacraments, according to the institution of Christ, and w…tch over the flock committed to their charge; that this Office, I say, sh…uld be condemned as Antichristian by the Non-conformists, is notoriously f…lse, and the contrary is apparently known to your self. In many passages of that learned Treatise, this point is solidly disputed, and the Reader may there finde, That many things are termed Antichristian, which are not, but are falsly so called by the Separation. But touching the Ordination by the Bishop, there is a greater accusation: The Pulpit-guard Routed hath these words: You your selves have concluded the Bishops Antichristian in their Calling, and is yours Christian? You had your outward Calling from them, a…d can they give you that they never had themselves? If the Bishops were true Ministers, and did rightly ordain, why then did you preach them down as Antichristian? This being the principal Objection, it hath an Answer already in sundry Treatises; so that my pains may be spared in the point. OnelyOnly because the present Discourse is concerning this subject, what is Antichristian, and what is not: we will propound these Quaeres to them that differ. First, in case the Ministers as ordained by Bishops, are Antichristian; yet a great part of the Ministery in being, did never partake of such an Ordination: they were made Ministers when the Bishops were not. Secondly, though the Diocesan Bishop was not put down as Antichristian; yet none can say, That the formality of Antichristianism, was or is primarily and immediately seated in him. For, as I have shewed in all the passages of the Treatise aforegoing, the formality of Antichristianism d…th stand in the Universal Headship; and this began to be set up many hundred years after the times of the Diocesan Bishop. All that can be said, he is Antichristian, so far as he doth symbolize with the Great Antichrist, in Lordliness and Tyranny over the Church and People of God: and how much better are they, that drive the trade of I am of Paul, I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas? Surely in respect of their pride, singularity, and affectation to make rents and schisms in the Church, they also may be termed Antichristian by Analogie and Reduction. Thirdly, it is absolutely false, that the Ordination of Ministers did formerly depend onelyonly upon the Bishop: For by the Laws and Usages of this Church, he could not Ordain without the assistance of other Ministers; and the execution of his Office, as to this point, was not so much as Lord Bishop, but as Minister and Elder in the Church. Fourthly, let it be supposed, that the power to Ordain had been wholly seated in the Diocesan; the error and corruption in the instrument, doth not disannul the institution of Christ. Ordination of Ministers is from Christ alone, though the mean to transmit and convey it, is from Men. Fifthly, if any should go so far, to cast away their Ordination, because they have received it by the means of the Bishop; must not they by the analogie and force of the same rule, be driven upon this rock, To renounce the Sacraments, and all other Ordinances of Christ, when they conceive that they are applied by the hand of evil Ministers? And what is this but plain Popery, to make the Ordinance of Christ wholly …o depend upon the personal worthiness or unworthiness of the administrator. For the maintenance of the Ministers by the Tythes, they are most frivolous to affirm, That this is an Antichristian provision. For what if this way of allowance hath been used in Antichristian times, and hath been conveyed to us by the means of Antichristian men; shall we therefore abdicate and cast it away as Antichristian? By the same rule, we must renounce the Articles of our Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Lords Prayer, our Priviledges that we hold by Magna Charta, our Lands that we possess in Capite, and Socage; and what not? for these have been used in the times of Antichrist, and have passed down to us by the means of Antichristian men. By all that hath been said, it is clear, That many things are called Antichristian, which are not so, but are falsly so termed by the Seperation. Yet nevertheless, if Ministers or others have in any kinde acknowledged an Authority, which is directly or indirectly, mediately or immediately Antichristian; so far as they have more or less acknowledged it, so far they ought to mourn or repent. Antichristianism is a sin more directly and immediately against the Kingly Office of Christ: for which cause he hath denounced such heavy Judgements against it, as we have formerly shewed. So far forth then as a man doth submit to an Authority, and to the Laws made by an Authority that is contrary to Christ; so far forth he doth sin against Christ: for this in effect, is to put him out of place, and to entertain his enemy in his room. Now this no pious man can or will do, but he will easily apprehend it to be a piercing and wounding of Christ; and for this he will go forth into the porch, and weep bitterly. Thus I have divided the matter between two Extremes: Though Ministers and others are not to leave their stations; yet as they have in any kinde sinned against the Authority of the true Head and King of the Church, they have so far forth cause to judge themselves, that they may not be judged.
FINIS