Several Treatises of Worship and Ceremonies, Treatise 4 – To the reader 2
Engliſh Puritaniſm.
CHAP. I. Concerning Religion, or the worſhip of God in general.
IMprimis, They hold and maintain, That the Word of God contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles, is of abſolute perfection, given by Chriſt the head of the Church, to be unto the ſame, th… ſole Canon and rule of all matters of Religion, and the worſhip and ſervice of God whatſoever. And that whatſoever done in the ſame ſervice and worſhip cannot be juſtified by the ſaid word, is unlawfull. And therefore that it is a ſin, to force any Chriſtian to do any act of Religion or Divine ſervice, that cannot evidently be warranted by the ſame.
2. They hold that all Eccleſiaſtical actions invented and deviſed by man, are utterly to be excluded out of the exerciſes of Religion; eſpecially ſuch actions as are famous and notorious Myſteries of an Idolatrous Religion: and in doing whereof, the true Religion is conformed (whether in whole or in part) to Idolatry and ſuperſtition.
3. They hold that all outward means inſtituted and ſet apart to expreſſe and ſet forth the Inward worſhip of God, are parts of Divine Worſhip, and that not only all moral actions but all typical rites and figures ordained to ſhadow forth in the ſolemn worſhip and ſervice of God, any ſpiritual or religious act or habit in the mind of man, are ſpecial parts of the ſame: And therefore that every ſuch act ought evidently to be preſcribed by the Word of God, or elſe ought not to be done: it being a ſin to performe any other worſhip to God, whether External or Internal, Moral or Ceremonial, in whole or in part, then that which God himſelf requires in his word.
4. They hold it to be groſſe ſuperſtition, for any mortal man to inſtitute and ordain as parts of Divine Worſhip, any myſtical Rite and Ceremonie of Religion whatſoever, and to mingle the ſame with the Divine Rites and Myſteries of Gods Ordinance. But they hold it to be high preſumption to inſtitute and bring into Divine worſhip ſuch Rites and Ceremonies of Religion, as are acknowledged to be no parts of Divine Worſhip at all, but only of Civil Worſhip and Honour: For they that ſhall require to have performed unto themſelves a Ceremonial Obedience, Service, and worſhip, conſiſting in rites of religion to be done at that very inſtant that God is ſolemnly ſerved and worſhiped, and even in the ſame worſhip make both themſelves and God alſo an Idol; ſo that they judge it a far more fearfull ſin to add unto, and to uſe in the worſhip and ſervice of God, or any part thereof, ſuch myſtical Rites and Ceremonies as they eſteem to be no parts or parcells of Gods worſhip at all, than ſuch as in a vain and ignorant ſuperſtition, they imagine and conceive to be parts thereof.
5. They hold that every act or action appropriated and ſet apart to divine ſervice and worſhip, whether moral or ceremonial, real or typical, ought to bring ſpecial honour unto God; and therefore that every ſuch act ought to be apparently commanded in the Word of God, either expreſly, or by neceſſary conſequent.
6. They hold that all actions, whether Moral or Ceremonial, appropriated to Religious or Spiritual Perſons, functions, or actions, either are or ought to be Religious and Spiritual: And therefore either are or ought to be inſtituted immediately by God, who alone is the Author and Inſtitutor of all Religious and Spiritual actions and things, whether Internal or External, Moral or Ceremonial.
CHAP. II. Concerning the Church.
1. THey hold and maintain that every Companie, Congregation, or Aſſembly of men, ordinarily joyning together in the true worſhip of God, is a true viſible Church of Chriſt, and that the ſame title is improperly attributed to any other Convocations, Synods, Societies, combinations, or Aſſemblies whatſoever.
2. They hold that all ſuch Churches or Congregations, communicating after that manner together, in divine worſhip, are in all Eccleſiaſtical matters equal, and of the ſame power and authority; and that by the Word and will of God they ought to have the ſame ſpiritual Priviledges, Prerogatives, Officers, Adminiſtrations, Orders, and Formes of Divine worſhip.
3. They hold that Chriſt Jeſus hath not ſubjected any Church or Congregation of his, to any other ſuperior Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, than unto that which is within it ſelf: So that if a whole Church or Congregation ſhall erre, in any matters of faith or Religion, no other Churches, or ſpiritual Church-Officers have (by any warrant from the Word of God) power to cenſure, puniſh, or controle the ſame; but are only to counſel and adviſe the ſame, and ſo to leave their ſoules to the immediate judgment of Chriſt, and their bodies to the ſword and power of the Civil Magiſtrate, who alone upon earth hath power to puniſh a whole Church or Congregation.
4. They hold that every eſtabliſhed Church or Congregation ought to have her own ſpiritual officers & miniſters, reſident with her, & thoſe ſuch as are injoyned by Chriſt in the New Teſtament, and no other.
5. They hold that every eſtabliſhed Church ought (as a ſpecial prerogative by which ſhe is indowed by Chriſt) to have power and liberty to elect and chuſe their own ſpiritual and Eccleſiaſtical Officers; and that it is a greater wrong to have any ſuch forced upon them againſt their wills, than if they ſhould force upon men wives, and upon women husbands againſt their will and liking.
6. They hold that if in this choice any particular Churches ſhall erre, that none upon earth but the Civil Magiſtrate hath power to controle or correct them for it: And that though it be not lawfull for him to take away this power from them, yet, when they or any of them ſhall apparently abuſe the ſame, he ſtands bound by the Law of God, and by vertue of his Office (grounded upon the ſame,) to puniſh them ſeverely for it, and to force them under civil mulcts to make better choice.
7. They hold that the Eccleſiaſtical Officers and Miniſters of one Church ought not to bear any Eccleſiaſtical Office in another, but ought to be tyed unto that Congregation of which they are members, and by which they are elected into office: And they are not, (without juſt cauſe, and ſuch as may be approved by the Congregation) to forſake their Callings; wherein if the Congregation ſhall be perverſe, and will not hearken to reaſon, They are then to crave the aſſiſtance and help of the Civil Magiſtrate, who alone hath power, and who ought by his Civil Sword, and Authority, procure to all Members of the Church, whether their Governors, or others, freedome from all manifeſt injuries and wrongs.
8. They hold that the Congregation having once made choice of their ſpiritual Officers, unto whom they commit the Regiment of their Soules, they ought not (without juſt cauſe, and that which is apparently warrantable by the Word of God) to diſcharge, deprive, or depoſe them; but ought to live in all Canonical obedience and ſubjection unto them, agreeable to the Word of God: And if by permiſſion of the Civil Magiſtrate, they ſhall by other Eccleſiaſtical Officers, be ſuſpended, or deprived, for any cauſe in their apprehenſion good and juſtifiable by the Word of God, then they hold it the bounden duty of the Congregation to be continual ſuppliants to God, and humble ſuters unto Civil Authority for the reſtauration of them unto their Adminiſtrations, which if it cannot be obtained, yet this much honour they are to give unto them, as to acknowledge them to the death, their ſpiritual Guides and Governors, though they be rigorouſly deprived of their Miniſtry and Service.
9. They hold that though one Church is not to differ from another, in any Spiritual, Eccleſiaſtical, or Religious matters whatſoever, but are to be equal and alike; yet, that they may differ, and one excel another in outward Civil Circumſtances, of place, time, Perſon, &c. So that although they hold that thoſe Congregations of which Kings and Nobles make themſelves members, ought to have the ſame Eccleſiaſtical Officers, Miniſtry, worſhip, Sacraments, Ceremonies, and Forme of Divine Worſhip, that the baſeſt Congregation in the Country hath, and no other; yet they hold alſo, That as their Perſons in civil reſpects excel, ſo in the Exerciſes of Religion in civil matters they may excel other Aſſemblies, Their Chappels and Seats may be gorgeouſly ſet forth, with rich Arras and Tapeſtry, their Fonts may be of Silver, their Communion Tables of Ivory, and if they will, covered with gold; the Cup out of which they drink the Sacramental blood of Chriſt may be of beaten gold ſet about with Diamonds; their Miniſters may be clothed in ſilk and velvet, ſo themſelves will maintain them in that manner; otherwiſe, they think it abſurd and againſt common reaſon, that other baſe and Inferior Congregations muſt by Eccleſiaſtical Tithes and Oblations, maintain the ſilken and velvet ſuits, and Lordly retinue of the Miniſters, and Eccleſiaſtical Officers of Princes and Nobles.
10. They hold that the Lawes, Orders, and Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction of the viſible Churches of Chriſt, if they be lawfull and warrantable by the Word of God, are no wayes repugnant to any Civil State whatſoever; whether Monarchical, Ariſtocratical, or Democratical, but do tend to the further eſtabliſhing and advancing of the Rights and Prerogatives of all and every of them: And they renounce and abhor from their ſoules all ſuch Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction or Policy, that is any way repugnant and derogatory to any of them, eſpecially to the Monarchical State, which they acknowledg to be the beſt kind of Civil Government for this Kingdome.
11. They hold and bel…eve, that the equality in Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction and authority, of Churches and Church-Miniſters, is no more derogatory and repugnant to the State and glory of a Monarch, than the Paritie or equality of Schoolmaſters of ſeveral Schools, Captains of ſeveral Camps, Shepherds of ſeveral flocks of ſheep, or Maſters of ſeveral Families, yea they hold the clean contrary, that inequality of Churches, and Church-Officers in Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction and Authority, was that principally that advanced Antichriſt unto his throne, and brought the Kings and Princes of the earth unto ſuch vaſſallage under him; and that the Civil Authority and glory of Secular Princes and States hath ever decayed, and withered, the more that the Eccleſiaſtical Officers of the Church have been advanced and lifted up in authority, beyond the limits and confines that Chriſt in his word hath preſcribed unto them.
CHAP. III. Concerning the Miniſters of the Word.
1. THey hold that the Paſtors of particular Congregations are, or ought to be the higheſt Spiritual Officers in the Church, over whom, (by any Divine Ordinance) there is no ſuperiour Paſtor but only Jeſus Chriſt: And that they are led by the ſpirit of Antichriſt, that arrogate or take upon themſelves to be Paſtors of Paſtors.
2. They hold that there are not by any Divine Inſtitution in the word, any ordinary, National, Provincial, or Dioceſan Paſtors or Miniſters under which the Paſtors of particular Congregations are to be ſubject, as Inferior Officers. And that if there were any ſuch, that then the Word of God would have ſet them down more diſtinctly and preciſely than any of the reſt: For the higher place that one occupieth in the Church, of the more neceſſity he is unto the Church; of the more neceſſity he is to the Church, the more carefully would Chriſt (the head of the Church) have been in pointing him out, and diſtinguiſhing him from other. Hence, in the Old Teſtament, the High Prieſt, his Title, Office, Function and ſpecial Adminiſtration and Juriſdiction is more particularly and preciſely ſet down, than the Office of any of the Inferior Prieſts and Levites. Alſo in the New Teſtament, the Office of a Paſtor is more diſtinctly, and more preciſely ſet down, than of a Doctor, or any other inferior Church-Officer: So that a man may as well call into queſtion the whole New Teſtament, as doubt whether there ought to be a Paſtor in every Congregation, or doubt of his proper Office and Function. And if by Gods Ordinance there ſhould be an ordinary Eccleſiaſtical Officer above the Paſtors of particular congregations, than Chriſt out of all queſtion would with that ſpecial care and coſt have ſet it forth, by Titles, prerogatives, peculiar Offices, Functions, and Gifts, that the Churches and people of God ſhould have reaſon rather …o doubt of any Office or Juriſdiction, than of the peculiar office or Juriſdiction of the Primates, Metropolitanes, Arch-Biſhops and Prelates of the world.
3. They h…ld that if there were a ſupream, National, Eccleſ…aſtical Miniſter or Paſtor, that ſhould be the Prince of many thouſand Paſtors, that then alſo Chriſt (as he did in the Jewiſh Church) would have appointed a ſolemn National or Provincial Liturgy or worſhip, unto which at ſometimes of the year, the whole body of the people ſhould aſcend, and that unto the Metropolitan City, as unto a Jeruſalem; and that he would (as he did in the Jewiſh Church) more preciſely and particularly have ſet down the manner of ſolemnization thereof, than of his parochial worſhip: Foraſmuch therefore as they cannot read in the New Teſtament of any higher or more ſolemn worſhip, than of that which is to be performed in a particular Congregation, they cannot be perſwaded, that God hath appointed any higher Miniſters of his ſervice and worſhip under the New Teſtament, than the elect Miniſters of particular Congregations.
4. They hold that the High Prieſt of the Jews, was typically and in a figure, the ſupream head of the whole Catholique Church, which though it were viſible only in the Province and Nation of Jury, yet thoſe of other Nations and Countries (as appears by the Hiſtory of Acts, even though they were Ethiopians,) were under this High Prieſt, and acknowledged homage unto him. So that he was not a Provincial Metropolitane, but in very deed, an Oecumenical and univerſal Biſhop of the whole world. And therefore they hold, (this being the beſt ground in the word, for Metropolitane and Provincial Paſtors or Biſhops,) that the Pope of Rome, who alone maketh claim unto, and is in poſſeſſion of the like univerſal Supremacy, hath more warrant in the Word of God, to the ſame, than any Metropolitane or Dioceſan (not dependant upon him) hath or can have. So that they hold, that by the Word of God, either there muſt be no Metropolitanes and Dioceſans, or elſe there muſt be a Pope.
5. They hold That no Paſtor ought to exerciſe or accept of any Civil publique Juriſdiction and authority, but ought to be wholly imployed in ſpiritual Offices and Duties to that Congregation over which he is ſet. And that thoſe Civil Magiſtrates weaken their own Supremacy, that ſhall ſuffer any Eccleſiaſtical Paſtor to exerciſe any Civil Juriſdiction within their Realms, Dominions, or Seigniories.
6. They hold, that the higheſt and ſupream Office and authority of the Paſtor, is to preach the Goſpel ſolemnly and publickly to the Congregation, by interpreting the written Word of God, and applying the ſame by exhortation and reproof unto them. They hold, that this was the greateſt work that Chriſt and his Apoſtles did; and that whoſoever is thought worthy and fit to exerciſe this authority, cannot be thought unfit and unworthy to exerciſe any other ſpiritual or Eccleſiaſtical authority whatſoever.
7. They hold that the Paſtor or Miniſter of the Word, is not to reach any Doctrine unto the Church, grounded upon his own judgment or opinion, or upon the Judgment or opinion of any or all the men in the world; but only that truth that he is able to demonſtrate and prove evidently, and apparently, by the Word of God ſoundly interpreted; and that the people are not bound to believe any Doctrine of Religion or Divinity whatſoever, upon any ground whatſoever, except it be apparently juſtified by the Word, or by neceſſary conſequent deduced from the ſame.
8. They hold that in interpreting the Scriptures, and opening the ſence of them, he ought to follow thoſe Rules only that are followed in finding out the meaning of other writings, to wit, by weighing the propriety of the tongue wherein they are written, by weighing the Circumſtance of the place, by comparing one place with another, and by conſidering what is properly ſpoken and what tropically or figuratively. And they hold it unlawfull for the Paſtor to obtrude upon his people a ſence of any part of the Divine Word, for which he hath no other ground but the bare teſtimonies of men; and that it is better for the people to be content to be ignorant of the meaning of ſuch difficult places, than to hang their Faith in any matter in this caſe upon the bare Teſtimony of man.
9. They hold that the people of God ought not to acknowledge any ſuch for their Paſtors, as are not able by Preaching, to interpret and apply the Word of God unto them in manner and forme aforeſaid: And therefore that no ignorant, and ſole reading Prieſts are to be reputed the Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, who ſendeth none into his Miniſtry and ſervice, but ſuch as he adorneth in ſome meaſure with ſpiritual gifts. And they cannot be perſwaded that the faculty of reading in ones Mother tongue the Scriptures, &c. which any ordinary Turk or Infidel hath, can be called in any congruity of ſpeech, a Miniſterial gift of Chriſt.
10. They hold that in the Aſſembly of the Church, the Paſtor only is to be the mouth of the Congregation to God in Prayer, and that the people are only to teſtifie their aſſent by the word Amen. And that it is a Babilonian cofuſion, for the Paſtor to ſay one piece of a Prayer, and the people with mingled voices to ſay another; except in ſinging, which by the very ordinance and inſtinct of nature, is more delightfull, and effectual, the more voices there are joyned and mingled together in harmony and conſent.
11. They hold that the Church hath no authority to impoſe upon her Paſtors or any other of her Officers, any other miniſterial Duties, Offices, Functions, Actions or Ceremonies, ei…her in Divine worſhip or out of the ſame, then what Chriſt himſelf in the Scriptures hath impoſed upon them, or what they might lawfully impoſe upon Chriſt himſelf, if he were in perſon upon the earth, and did exerciſe a Miniſterial Office in ſome Church.
12. They hold that it is as great an injury to force a Congregation or Church to maintain as their Paſtor, with Tithes, and ſuch like Donations, that perſon that either is not able to inſtruct them, or that refuſeth in his own perſon ordinarily to do it, as to force a man to maintain one for his wife, that either is not a woman, or that refuſeth in her own perſon to do the duties of a wife unto him.
13. They hold that by Gods Ordinance there ſhould be alſo in every Church, a Doctor, whoſe ſpecial office ſhould be to inſtruct, by way of Catechizing, the Ignorant of the Congregation (and that particularly) in the main grounds and Principles of Religion.
CHAP. IV. Concerning the Elders.
1. FOraſmuch, as through the malice of Sathan, there are and will be in the beſt Churches many diſorders and ſcandalls committed, that redound to the reproach of the Goſpel, and are a ſtumbling block to many, both without and within the Church; and ſith they judge it repugnant to the Word of God, that any Miniſter ſhould be a ſole Ruler, and as it were a Pope, ſo much as in one Pariſh, (much more that he ſhould be one over a whole Dioceſſe, Province, or Nation) they hold that by Gods Ordinance the Congrega…ion ſhould make choice of other Officers, as Aſſiſtants unto the Miniſters in the ſpiritual regiment of the Congregation, who are by office, jointly with the Miniſters of the Word, to be as Monitors and Overſeers of the manners and converſation of all the Congregation, and one of another; that ſo every one may be more wary of their wayes, and that the Paſtors and Doctors may better attend to Prayer and Doctrine, and by their means may be made better acquainted with the eſtate of the people, when others eyes beſides there own ſhall wake and watch over them.
2. They hold that ſuch only are to be choſen to this Office, as are the graveſt, honeſteſt, diſcreeteſt, beſt grounded in Religion, and the ancienteſt Profeſſors thereof in the Congregation, ſuch as the whole Congregation do approve of, and reſpect, for their wiſdome, holineſſe, and honeſty, and ſuch alſo (if it be poſſible) as are of civil note and reſpect in the world, and able (without any burden to the Church) to maintain themſelves, either by their Lands, or any other honeſt Civil Trade of life: Neither do they think it ſo much diſgrace to the policy of the Church, that Tradeſmen and Artificers, (endowed with ſuch qualities as are above ſpecified) ſhould be admitted to be Overſeers of the Church, as it is that perſons both ignorant of Religion and all good letters, and in all reſpects for perſon, quality, and ſtate, as baſe and vile as the baſeſt in the Congregation, ſhould be admitted to be Paſtors and Teachers of a Congregation. And if it be apparent that God (who alwaies bleſſeth his own Ordinances) doth often, even in the eyes of Kings, and Nobles, make honourable the Miniſters and Paſtors of his Churches, upon which he hath beſtowed ſpiritual Gifts and Graces, though for birth, education, preſence, outward eſtate and maintenance, they be moſt baſe and contemptible; ſo he will as well in the eyes of all holy men, make this Office which is many degrees inferior to the other, precious, and Honourable, even for the Divine Calling and Ordinance ſake.
CHAP. V. Concerning the Cenſures of the Church.
1. THey hold that the ſpiritual keyes of the Church are by Chriſt, committed to the aforeſaid ſpiritual Officers and Governors, and unto none other: which keyes they hold that they are not to be put to this uſe, to lock up the Crowns, Swords, or Scepters of Princes and Civil States, or the Civil Rights, Prerogatives, and Immunities, of Civil Subjects in the things of this Life, or to uſe them as picklocks to open withal mens Treaſuries and Coffers, or as keyes of Priſons, to ſhut up the bodies of men; for they think that ſuch a Power and Authority Eccleſiaſtical is fit only for the Antichriſt of Rome, and the conſecrated Governours of his Synagogues, who having no Word of God, which is the Sword of the Spirit, to defend his and their uſurped Juriſdiction over the Chriſtian World, doth unlawfully uſurp the lawful Civil Sword and Power of the Monarchs and Princes of the Earth, thereby forcing men to ſubject themſelves to his ſpiritual vaſſalage and Service, and abuſing thereby the ſpiritual Keyes and Juriſdiction of the Church.
2. They hold that by vertue of theſe Keyes, they are not to make any curious Inquiſitions into the ſecret or hidden vices or crimes of men, extorting from them a confeſſion of thoſe faults that are concealed from themſelves and others: or to proceed to moleſt any man upon ſecret ſuggeſtions, private ſuſpition, or uncertain fame, or for ſuch crimes as are in queſtion whether they be crimes or no; But they are to proceed only againſt evident and apparent crimes, ſuch as are either granted to be ſuch of all civil honeſt men: or of all true Chriſtians, or at leaſt ſuch, as they are able, by evidence of the Word of God, to convince to be ſins to the conſcience of the Offender; As alſo, ſuch as have been either publikely committed, or having been committed in ſecret, are by ſome good means brought to light, and which the delinquent denying, they are able by honeſt and ſufficient teſtimony to prove againſt him.
3. They hold, that when he that hath committed a ſcandalous crime cometh before them, and is convinced of the ſame, they ought not (after the manner of our Eccleſiaſtical Courts) ſcorn, deride, taunt and revile him with odious and contumelious ſpeeches; eye him with big and ſtern looks, procure Proctors to make Perſonal Invectives againſt him, make him dance attendance from Court day to Court day, and from Term to Term, frowning at him in preſence, and laughing at him behind his back: but they are (though he be never ſo obſtinate and perverſe) to uſe him brotherly, not giving the leaſt perſonal reproaches, or threats, (but laying open unto him the nature of his ſin by the light of Gods Word) are only by donouncing the judgements of God againſt him, to terrifie him, and ſo to move him to repentance.
4. They hold, that if the party offending be their civil Superiour, that then they are to uſe, even throughout the whole carriage of their Cenſure, all civil Complements, Offices and Reverence due unto him; That they are not to preſume to convent him before them, but are themſelves to go in all civil and humble manner unto him, to ſtand bare before him, to bow unto him, to give him all civil Titles belonging unto him; and, if he be a King and Supream Ruler, they are to kneel down before him, and in the humbleſt manner to cenſure his faults, ſo that he may ſee apparently that they are not carried with the leaſt ſpice of malice againſt his Perſon, but only with zeal of the health and ſalvation of his ſoul.
5. They hold, that the Eccleſiaſtical Officers, laying to the charge of any man any Errour, Hereſie, or falſe Opinion whatſoever, do ſtand bound themſelves, firſt, to prove that he holdeth ſuch an errour or hereſie; and ſecondly, to prove directly unto him that it is an errour by the Word of God, and that it deſerveth ſuch a cenſure, before they do proceed againſt him.
6. They hold, that the Governours of the Church ought with all patience and quietneſs hear what every Offender can poſſibly ſay for himſelf, either for Qualification, Defence, Apology, or Juſtification of any ſuppoſed crime or errour whatſoever; and they ought not to proceed to cenſure the groſſeſt offence that is, untill the Offender have ſaid as much for himſelf in his defence as he poſſibly is able. And they hold it an evident Character of a corrupt Eccleſiaſtical Government, where the parties convented may not have full liberty to ſpeak for themſelves, conſidering, that the more liberty is granted to ſpeak in a bad cauſe, (eſpecially before thoſe that are in Authority, and of judgment,) the more the iniquity of it will appear, and the more the Juſtice of their Sentence will ſhine.
7. They hold, that the Oath ex officio, whereby Popiſh and Engliſh Eccleſiaſtical Governours, either upon ſome ſecret informations, or ſuggeſtions, or private ſuſpitions, go about to bind mens conſciences to accuſe themſelves and their friends of ſuch crimes or imputations as cannot by any direct courſe of Law be proved againſt them, and whereby they are drawn to be inſtruments of many heavy croſſes upon themſelves and their friends, and that often for thoſe Actions that they are perſwaded in their conſciences are good and holy; (I ſay) that they hold that ſuch an Oath (on the urgers part) is moſt damnable and tyrannous, againſt the very Law of Nature, deviſed by Antichriſt, through the inſpiration of the devil, that by means thereof, the profeſſors and practizers of the true Religion, might either in their weakneſs, by per jury, damn their own ſouls, or be drawn to reveal to the Enemies of Chriſtianity, thoſe ſecret religious acts and deeds, that being (in the perſwaſion of their conſciences) for the advancement of the Goſpel, will be a means of heavy ſentences of condemnation againſt themſelves and their deareſt friends.
8. They hold, that Eccleſiaſtical Officers have no power to proceed in Cenſure againſt any Crime of any Perſon, after that he ſhall freely acknowledge the ſame, and profeſs his hearty penitency for it: And that they may not, for any crime whatſoever, lay any bodily or pecuniary mulct upon them, or impoſe upon them any Ceremonial Mark or Note of ſhame, ſuch as is the white ſheet, or any ſuch like; or take any fees for any cauſe whatſoever, but are to accept of, as a ſufficient ſatisfaction, a private ſubmiſſion and acknowledgment, if the Crime be private, and a publike, if the crime be publike and notorious.
9. They hold, that if a Member of the Church be obſtinate, and ſhew no ſigns and tokens of repentance of that crime, that they by evidence of Scripture have convinced to be a crime, that then by their Eccleſiaſtical Authority they are to deny unto him the Sacrament of the Supper. And if the ſuſpenſion from it will not humble him, then (though not without humbling themſelves in prayer, faſting, and great demonſtration of ſorrow for him) they are to denounce him to be as ye… no member of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of that Congregation, and ſo are to leave him to God and the King. And this is all the Eccleſiaſtical Authority and Juriſdiction that any ſpiritual Officers of the Church are to uſe againſt any man, for the greateſt crime that can be committed.
10. They hold, that the Officers of the Church are not to proceed unto the extreameſt Cenſure againſt any man, without the free conſent of the whole Congregation it ſelf.
11. They hold, that the Miniſter, or any other particular Officer, offending, is as ſubject to theſe Cenſures, as any other of the Congregation.
12. They hold, that if any Member of the Congregation, having committed a ſcandalous ſin, ſhall of himſelf forſake the Worſhip of God, and the Spiritual Communion with the Church, that then the Eccleſiaſtical Officers have no authority or juriſdiction over him, but only the Civil Magiſtrate, and thoſe unto whom he oweth Civil ſubjection, as Parents, Maſters, Landlords, &c.
CHAP. VI. Concerning the Civil Magiſtrate.
1. THey hold, that the Civil Magiſtrate, as he is a Civil Magiſtrate hath, and ought to have Supream power over all the Churches within his Dominions, in all cauſes whatſoever; and yet they hold, that as he is a Chriſtian, he is a Member of ſome one particular Congregation, and ought to be as ſubject to the ſpiritual Regiment thereof preſcribed by Chriſt in his Word, as the meaneſt ſubject in the Kingdom; and they hold, that this Subjection is no more derogatory to his Supremacy, than the Subjection of his body in ſickneſs to Phyſitians, can be ſaid to be derogatory thereunto.
2. They hold, that thoſe Civill Magiſtrates are the greateſt Enemies to their own Supremacie, that in whole or in part, communicate the virtue and power thereof to any Eccleſiaſtical Officers. And that there cannot be imagined by the wit of man a more direct means to check-mate the ſame, than to make them Lords and Princes upon Earth, to inveſt them with Civil Juriſdiction and Authority, and to conform the ſtate and limits of the Juriſdiction to the State of Kings, and bounds of Kingdoms.
3. They hold, that there ſhould be no Eccleſiaſtical Officer in the Church ſo high, but that he ought to be ſubject unto, and puniſhable by the meaneſt Civil Officer in a Kingdom, City, or Town, not only for common crimes, but even for the abuſe of their Eccleſiaſtical Offices; yea, they hold, that they ought to be more puniſhable than any other Subject whatſoever, if they ſhall offend againſt either Civil or Eccleſiaſtical Laws.
4. They hold, that the Civil Magiſtrate is to puniſh with all ſeverity the Eccleſiaſtical Officers of Churches, if they ſhall intrude upon the rights and prerogatives of the Civil Authority, and Magiſtracy, and ſhall paſs thoſe bounds and limits that Chriſt hath preſcribed unto them in his Word.
5. They hold, that the Pope is that Antichriſt, and therefore that Antichriſt, becauſe being but an Eccleſiaſtical Officer, he doth in the height of the pride of his heart make claim unto, and uſurp the Supremacy of the Kings and Civil Rulers of the Earth. And they hold, that all defenders of the Popiſh Faith, all endeavours of reconcilement with that Church, all plotters for tolleration of the Popiſh Religion, all countenancers and maintainers of Seminary Prieſts and profeſſed Catholicks, and all deniers that the Pope is that Antichriſt, are ſecret enemies to the Kings Supremacy.
6. They hold, that all Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Officials, &c. have their Offices and Functions only by will and pleaſure of the King and Civil States of this Realm; and they hold, that whoſoever holdeth that the King may not, without ſin, remove theſe Offices out of the Church, and diſpoſe of their Temporalities and maintenance according to his own pleaſure, or that theſe Offices are Jure Divino, and not only or meerly Jure humano: That all ſuch deny a principal part of the Kings Supremacy.
7. They hold, that not one of theſe Opinions can be proved to be contrary to the Word of God, and that if they might have leave, that they are able to anſwer all that hath been written againſt any one of them.
FINIS.
TWELVE General Arguments, Proving that the CEREMONIES Impoſed upon the Miniſters of the Goſpel in England, by our Prelates, are unlawful;
And therefore, That the Miniſters of the Goſpel, for the bare and ſole omiſſion of them in Churh-Service, for conſcience ſake, are moſt unjuſtly charged of diſloyalty to His MAJESTIE.
Mat. 18.23.
If I have ſpoken evil, bear witneſs of the evill: but if I have ſpoken well, why ſmiteſt thou me?
Printed in the Year, 1660.
To the Reader.
GOod Reader, We come not as voluntaries into this field of Contention, but dragg'd into it by the very hairs of our head: If our cauſe be righteous and good, Thou wilt eaſily grant (in ſo great Imputations and Extremities inflicted upon us for the ſame) that we can do no leſs than give reaſons for our ſelves and it. All the favour I require of thee, is, That thou wouldſt look into our cauſe (not by the flaſhing lightings that come out of the mouths of our Adverſaries the Prelates) but by the light of our own Reaſons, by which, if thou ſhalt ſee the goodneſs of our cauſe, and innocency of our perſons, than embrace it with us, and in pity pray for us, that (without ſhipwrack of Faith and a good Conſcience) we may endure patiently and meekly, whatſoever God ſhall ſuffer to be inflicted upon us for the ſame, in theſe wicked and licentious times.