Several Treatises of Worship and Ceremonies, To the reader 3 – Title page 5
An Advertiſement.
I had thought (good Reader) to have fortified ſome other poynts in the Arguments, which to them that do not conſider may ſeem weak, but I forbear for ſome ſpeciall reaſons, I am onelyonly to admoniſh thee of one defect amongſt others, that hath paſſed me, viz. The miſtaking of the Archbiſhops Argument, though I made it better then it was. For thus it is, and hath been I know not how oft (as unanſwerable) been propounded.
Thoſe Ceremonies whoſe doctrine is ſound and good, are lawfull and good ceremonies. The doctrine of theſe ceremonies is ſound and good. Ergo,
Which is ſubject to the very ſame abſurdities that the other, and more alſo. For 1. the Doctrine of them is unſound & falſe, for the doctrine of them is this, that they are matters indifferent, of order, decency, and edification, no parts of Divine worſhip, that they are Schiſmaticks that will not conform unto them, enemies to the Supremacy and State, that it is a wicked errour to hold them unlawfull and ſuperſtitious, that they are to be excommunicated that affirm them to be ſo, &c. All which is unſound doctrine concerning them.
2. Grant the Doctrine ſound, yet it followeth not that the Ceremonies are good; for the thing may be wicked, any yet the doctrine of it ſound. For, There is a ſound doctrine of all vices.
3. In what reſpect doth he affirme the doctrine to be ſound and good? Is it not from the uſe and end that is aſſigned unto them by himſelf? Becauſe they are appointed for ſuch and ſuch ends? Hence will follow the very ſame abſurdities, that I have obſerved in the former. For then any ridiculous or baſe Ceremony, may be inſtituted, ſo it be under pretence of a good end.
A PROTESTATION OF THE Kings Supremacy, Made in the name of the afflicted MINISTERS, and oppoſed to the ſhamefull Calumniations of the PRELATES.
PSAL. 7.3.5.
O Lord my God, if I have done this thing, if there be any wickedneſs in my hands; Then let the Enemy perſecute my ſoule, and take it, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the Duſt. Selah.
JOHN 18.23.
If I have ſpoken evill, beare witneſs of the evill: But if I have ſpoken well, why ſmiteſt thou me.
Printed in the year, 1660.
To the civil States of this Kingdome.
WEe beſeech your H. and W. that you would by this true light that we ſhall give unto you, look into our innocency. His Excellent Majeſtie, your ſelves, and your ſacred Thrones are exceedingly abuſed, with Fogs and Miſts, which (breathed out of the mouths of the Prelates) are caſt between your eyes, and the integrity of our cauſe: through the darkneſs whereof you are led to give many heavy Sentences againſt the moſt harmleſs Subjects in the Kingdome, as Enemies to the Supremacy and State. Whereas it ſhall appear that no Chriſtians in the world give more unto the ſame then we, and that in very truth, the cauſe that we maintain is for the King and Civil State, againſt an Eccleſiaſticall State, that ſecretly, and in a Myſtery (as we may hereafter have occaſion to prove) oppoſeth it ſelfe againſt the ſame. If this proteſtation ſhall in any meaſure ſatisfie you, Then we deſire your Honourable Mediations for us to the higheſt. If not; That then we may know wherein it is defective, and we ſhall be found ready to give all ſatisfaction.
CHAP. I. A PROTESTATION of the Kings Supremacy.
WE hold and maintain, the ſame Authority and Supremacy in all cauſes and over all perſons Civil and Eccleſiaſticall, granted by Statute to Queen Elizabeth, and expreſſed and declared in the book of Advertiſements and Injunctions, and in Mr. Bilſon againſt the Jeſuites, to be due in full and ample mannner (without any limitation or qualification) to the King and his Heirs and Succeſſours for ever. Neither is their (to our knowledge, any one of us, but is and ever hath been moſt willing to ſubſcribe and ſwear unto the ſame, according to form of Statute, And we deſire that thoſe that ſhall refuſe the ſame may bear their own iniquity.
2. We are ſo far from judging the ſaid Supremacy to be unlawful: that we are perſwaded that the King ſhould ſin highly againſt God, if he ſhould not aſſume the ſame unto himſelf, and that the Churches within his Dominions ſhould ſin damnably, if they ſhould deny to yield the ſame unto him, yea though the Statutes of the Kingdom ſhould deny it unto him.
3. We hold it plain Antichriſtianiſm for any Church, or Church Officers whatſoever, either to arrogate or aſſume unto themſelves any part or parcel thereof, & utterly unlawful for the King to give away or alienate the ſame from his own Crown and dignity to any ſpiritual potentates or rulers whatſoever within or without his dominions.
3. We hold that though the Kings of this Realm were no Members of the Church but very Infidels, yea & perſecutors of the truth that yet thoſe Churches that ſhall be gathered together within theſe Dominions ought to acknowledge and yeild the ſaid ſupremacy unto them. And that the ſame is not tyed to their faith and Chriſtianity but to their very Crown from which no ſubject or ſubjects have power to ſeparate or disjoyne it.
5. We hold that neither King nor civil eſtate are bound in matter of Religion to be ſubject and obedient to any Eccleſiaſtical perſon or perſons whatſoever, no further then they ſhall be able to convince their conſciences of the truth thereof out of the Word of God. Yea we think they ſhould ſin againſt God, if they ſhould ground their Religion, or any part or parcel thereof upon the bare Teſtimony or Judgment of any man, or of all the men in the world.
6. We hold that no Churches or Church-Officers have power for any crime whatſoever to deprive the King of the leaſt of his Royal Prerogatives whatſoeer, much leſs to deprive him of his Supremacy wherein the Height of his Royal Dignity conſiſts.
7. We hold that in all things concerning this life whatſoever, the Civil Juriſdiction of Kings and Civill States excelleth and ought to have preheminence over the Eccleſiaſticall, and that the Eccleſiaſticall neither hath, nor ought to have any power in the leaſt degree over the bodies, lives, goods, or liberty of any perſon whatſoever, much leſſe of the Kings and Rulers of the Earth.
8. We hold that Kings by virtue of their ſupremacy have power: yea alſo that they ſtand bound by the Law of God to make Laws Eccleſiaſtical ſuch as ſhall tend to the good ordering of the Churches in their Dominions; And that the Churches ought not to be diſobedient to any of their Lawes, ſo far as in obedience unto them, they do not that which is contrary to the Word of God.
9. We hold that though the King ſhall command any thing contrary to the Word unto the Churches, that yet they ought not to reſiſt him therein, but onelyonly peaceably to forbear Obedience, and ſue unto him for grace and mercy, and where that cannot be obtained, meekely to ſubmit themſelves to the puniſhment.
10. We hold that the King hath power by virtue of his ſupremacy, to remove out of the Churches, whatſoever he ſhall diſcern to be practiſed therein, not agreeable to the Word of God. And if he ſhall ſee any defect either in the Worſhip of God, or in the Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline, he ought by his royal Authority and power to procure and force the redreſs thereof, yea, though it be without the conſent and againſt the will of the Eccleſiaſtical Governers themſelves.
11. We hold that the King hath as much Authority over the Body, Goods, and Affaires, of Eccleſiaſtical Perſons, as of any other of his Subjects whatſoever. And that by his Authority, he may force them not onelyonly to all civil duties belonging unto them, but alſo unto Eccleſiaſtical: afflicting as great puniſhment upon them for the neglect thereof, as upon any other of his Subjects.
12. We hold that he hath power, to remove out of the Churches, all Scandalous Schiſmatical and Heretical Teachers, and by all due ſeverity of Lawes to repreſs them.
13. We hold that all Eccleſiaſtical Lawes made by the King (not repugnant to the Word of God) do in ſome ſort bind the conſciences of his Subjects: and that no ſubject ought to refuſe obedience to any ſuch Law.
14. We hold that the King onelyonly hath power within his Dominions, to convene Synods or general Aſſemblies of Miniſters, and by his Authority Royal, to ratifie and give life and ſtrength, to their Canons and Conſtitutions, without whoſe ratification, no man can force any ſubject to yeild any Obedience unto the ſame.
15. We hold that though the King may force the Churches to be ſubject and obedient unto him: and to be Members of the Common-wealth; yet that the Churches ſeverally or joyntly, have no power to force him: or any Subject, againſt their will to any ſervice unto them, or to any religions duty whatſoever. No, nor to be ſo much as a Member of any Church.
16. We hold that the King ought not to be ſubject to the Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures of any Churches, Church Officers or Synods whatſoever, but onelyonly to that Church and thoſe Officers of his own Court and Houſhold, unto whom (in reverence of their Religion and of the ſpiritual Graces of God he ſees ſhining in them) he ſhall of his own free will, ſubject and commit the Regiment of his Soul, in whom there can be no ſuſpition nor fear of any partiality, or unjuſt or rigorous dealing againſt him.
17. We hold that if any Eccleſiaſtical Governours (call them by what name you will) ſhall abuſe their Eccleſiaſtical Authority in the execution of their cenſures, upon any man whoſoever; That the King and Civil States under him, have power to puniſh them ſeverely for it, much more if they ſhall abuſe it upon the Supream Majeſty himſelf.
18. If the King ſubjecting himſelf to ſpiritual Guides and Governours, ſhall afterwards refuſe to be guided and governed by them according to the Word of God, and living in notorious ſin without Repentance ſhall wilfully contemn and deſpiſe all their holy and religious Cenſures, that then theſe Governours are to refuſe to adminiſter the holy things of God unto him, and to leave him to himſelf and to the ſecret Judgement of God, & wholly to reſign and give over that ſpiritual charge and tuition over him, which by calling from God and the King they did undertake. And more then this they may not do. And after all this, We hold that he yet ſtill retaineth, and ought to retain, intirely and ſolidly, all that aforeſaid ſupream power and Authority over the Churches of this Dominion, in as ample a manner, as if he were the moſt Chriſtian Prince in the World.
19. We acknowledge King JAMES to be our onelyonly lawful Sovereign, and unto him to be due all the aforeſaid Supremacy, and we renounce and abjure all Opinions, Doctrines, Practiſes, whatſoever repugnant or contrary to the ſame, as Anabaptiſtical and Antichriſtian, and wiſh they may be ſeverely puniſhed.
20. We never refuſed Obedience to any Lawes or Commandements of the King, or State whatſoever, but onelyonly to ſuch as we have proved or are ready to prove, (if we might be heard with indifferency) to be contrary to the Word of God. And we are ready to take our Solemn Oathes, before the Throne of Juſtice, that the onelyonly cauſe of our refuſal of Obedience to thoſe Canons of the Prelates for which we are at preſent ſo extreamly afflicted, is meere Conſcience, and a fear to ſin againſt God: And that if by due form of reaſoning we may be convinced in our Conſciences of the contrary, we are as willing as any Subjects in the Realm to Obey and Conform.
21. We refuſe Obedience onelyonly to ſuch Canons as require the performance of ſuch Acts, and Rites of Religion, as are rejected and abandoned of all other Reformed Churches, as Superſtitious Diſorders, Such, as are ſpecial Myſteries of the Romiſh Antichriſtian Idolatry, Such as have been controverted in the Church ever ſince the laſt breaking forth of the Light of the Goſpel out of the cloud of Popery in Luthers time. Such as all Proteſtant Writers and Defenders of our Faith beyond the Seas, and moſt of our own Country men have either in general or particular condemned as vain, idle, and unprofitable, Such as all the Faithful, and Painful Paſtors of this Realm, and in a manner all States and degrees of the ſame, would be content were removed, and ſwept out of the Church, and for which few or none are zealous but the Prelates, and their Adherents.
22. We deny no Authority to the King, in matters Eccleſiaſtical, but onelyonly that which Chriſt Jeſus the onelyonly Head of the Church hath directly, and preciſely appropriated unto himſelf, and hath denyed to communicate to any other creature or creatures in the World. For we hold, That Chriſt alone is the Doctor of the Church in matters of Religon, and that the Word of Chriſt which he hath given unto his Church, is of abſolute perfection, containing in it all parts of the true Religion, both for Subſtance and Ceremony, and a perfect direction in all Eccleſiaſtical matters whatſoever. Unto and from which it is not lawful for any Man or Angel, to add or detract.
23. We are ſo far from making claim of any ſupremacy unto our ſelves (and thoſe Eccleſiaſtical Officers which we deſire) that we exclude from our ſelves and them (as that of which we are utterly uncapable) all Princely and Lordly ſtate, pompe and power whatſoever, holding it a ſin for any whoſoever to exerciſe (no not by commiſſion from the Magiſtrate) any Authority over the Body, Goods, Lives, Liberty of any Man whoſoever for any crime or offence whatſoever. So that any one of the baſeſt and moſt inferiour civil officers in a Kingdom hath and ought to have (in our Judgement) more Authority and Power over men then any or all the Eccleſiaſtical Officers in the ſame Kingdom or in the whole World. Yea we hold that the higheſt Eccleſiaſtical Officer in the Church ought to be as ſubject unto the baſeſt civil officers in the Kingdom, as the meaneſt Subject in the Kingdom; And that they ought not by virtue of their office, to challenge any freedom or immunity at all from any Civil Subjection whatſoever, belonging to any common Subject.
24. We confine and bound all Eccleſiaſtical power within the limits onelyonly of one particular Congregation, holding that the greateſt Eccleſiaſtical power ought not to ſtretch beyond the ſame; And that it is an arrogating of Princely Supremacy, for any Eccleſiaſtical perſon, or Perſons whoſoever, to take upon themſelves Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction over many Churches, much more over whole Kingdomes and Provinces of Chriſtians.
25. We hold it utterly unlawful for any one Miniſter to take upon himſelf, or accept of a ſole Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction over ſo much as one Congregation. And therefore we hold that ſome of the ſufficienteſt and moſt honeſt and godly men in the Congregation, ought to be choſen by the Heads of Families, to be adjoyned in Commiſſion as aſſiſtants to the Miniſter, in the ſpiritual Regiment of the ſouls of that Congregation, of which he is the paſtor.
26. We hold that theſe Eccleſiaſtical Officers being ſo choſen by the Church or Congregation are to exerciſe over the ſaid Congregation only a Spiritual Iuriſdiction and power, conſiſting in a carefull overſight of the outward behaviour of the Members of their Church, That it be not ſcandalous, offenſive, and unbeſeeming Chriſtians, And if any Member ſhall be delinquent they are brotherly to admoniſh him, ſhewing him the nature of his crime by the word of God, And if after two or three admonitions, he ſhew no tokens of ſorrow and penitencie, then are they to deny unto him the pledges and ſeales of the Church, to wit the Sacraments. If this cannot humble him but that he continue obſtinate in that ſin, then they are by the mouth of the Miniſter in Congregation (the whole Church conſenting freely thereto) denounce him to be no Member of the Kingdom of Heaven, and ſo forbear to have any further charge over him, untill God ſhall work the grace of Repentance, in him: in this manner they are to proceed againſt all apparent and Evident crimes only, as Murder, Adultery, Theft, Blaſphemie, Ribaldery, Lying, Slandering, Profanation of the Sabothes, contempt of Divine Worſhip, Diſobedience to the Civil Magiſtrate, &c. Neither ought the extreameſt of the Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures any whit hinder the courſe of juſtice that the Civil Magiſtrate is to exerciſe againſt the ſame crimes; for if a Traytor himſelf ſhould be penitent, the Church ought to forgive him and lovingly to imbrace him as a Son, but the Magiſtrate ought to execute him, if he ſhould be obſtinate in that crime: As the Magiſtrate ought to cut him off from the Civil Communion of men, ſo ought the Congregation (of which he is a Member) cut him off from all ſpiritual Communion with them. If any one of the Eccleſiaſtical Officers themſelves ſhall ſin, he is ſubject to the cenſures of the reſt as any other member of the congregation. If they ſhall all ſin ſcandalouſly either in the execution of their Office or in any other ordinarie manner: Then the Congregation that choſe them freely, hath as free power to depoſe them, and to place others in their room. If the Congregation ſhall erre, either in chooſing or depoſing of her ſpiritual Officers. Then hath the Civil Magiſtrate alone power and authority to puniſh them for their fault, co compel them to make better choiſe, or to defend againſt them thoſe Officers that without juſt cauſes they ſhall depoſe or deprive.
27. We hold that thoſe Eccleſiaſtical Perſons that make claim to greater power and authority then this, Eſpecially they that make claim Iure Divino of power and Iuriſdiction to meddle with other Churches then that one Congregation of which they are or ought to be members, Do uſurp upon the Supremacy of the Civil Magiſtrate, who alone hath and ought to have (as we hold and maintain) a power over the ſeveral Congregations in his Dominions, and who alone ought by his authority not only to preſcribe common Laws and Canons of uniformity and conſent, in Religion and worſhip of God unto them all; But alſo to puniſh the offences of the ſeveral Congregations, that they ſhall commit againſt the laws of God, the policy of the Realm, and the Eccleſiaſtical Conſtitutions enacted by his authority.
28. We hold that the King ought not to give this authority away or to commit it to any Eccleſiaſtical Perſon or Perſons whatſoever, But ought himſelf to be as it were, Archbiſhop and general overſeer of all the Churches within his Dominions, and ought to imploy under him, his honourable Counſel, his Iudges, Leiftenants, Iuſtices, Conſtables and ſuch like to overſee the Churches, in the ſeveral diviſions of their civil Regiments, viſiting them and puniſhing by their civil power whatſoever they ſhall ſee amiſs in any of them: Eſpecially in the Rulers and Governers.
29. For as much as no people are more hated, perſecuted and wronged of the wicked world then the true Churches of Chriſt; We hold that no people in the Earth ſtand in more need of the civil Magiſtrate then they. And that it is the greateſt outward bleſſing they can injoy in this life, to live under the Protection of their Swords & Scepters, & the greateſt cauſe of mourning when the ſame ſhall be bent againſt them. And we hold thoſe Churches to be no true Churches of Jeſus Chriſt that living in any Country, ſhall refuſe ſubjection to the civil Regents and Governers of the ſame; be they (in reſpect of Religion) never ſuch Paganiſh Infidells.
30. We hold it utterly unlawfull, for any Chriſtian Churches whatſoever, by any armed force or power, againſt the will of the civil magiſtracy and State under which they live. To erect and ſet up in publique, the true worſhip and ſervice of God or to beat down or ſuppreſs any ſuperſtition or Idolatry that ſhall be countenanced and maintained by the ſame. Only, Every man is to look to himſelf, that he communicate not with the evils of the times, induring what it ſhall pleaſe the State to inflict, and ſeeking by all honeſt and peaceable means all reformation of publick abuſes, onelyonly at the hands of civil publicke perſons, and all practiſes contrarie to theſe, we condemn as ſeditious and ſinfull.
31. All that we crave of his Majeſtie and the State, is, that by his and their permiſſion and under their protection, and approbation, it may be lawfull for us, to ſerve and worſhip God in all things according to his revealed will, and the manner of all other reformed Proteſtant Churches, that have made ſeparation from Rome, that we may not be forced againſt our conſciences to ſtain and pollute the ſimple and ſyncere worſhip of God preſcribed in his word, with any humane Traditions and Rites whatſoever, but that in Divine worſhip we may be actors only of thoſe things that may for matter or manner either ingeneral or ſpecial be concluded out of the word of God. Alſo to this end that it may be lawfull for us to exhibite unto them and unto their Cenſure a true and ſyncere Confeſſion of our faith, containing the main Grounds of our Religion, unto which all other doctrines are to be conſonant: as alſo a Form of Divine worſhip and Eccleſiaſtical Government, in like manner warranted by the word, and to be obſerved of us all under any civil puniſhment that it ſhall pleaſe the ſaid Majeſtie, and ſtate to inflict, under whoſe authority alone, we deſire to exerciſe the ſame: and unto whoſe puniſhment alone we deſire to be ſubject if we ſhall offend againſt any of thoſe Lawes and Canons that themſelves ſhall approve in manner aforeſaid: and our deſire is, Not to worſhip God in dark corners, but in ſuch publick places and at ſuch convenient times as it ſhall pleaſe them to aſſigne, to the intent, that they and their officers may the better take notice of our offences (if any ſuch ſhall be committed in our Congregations, and aſſemblies) that they may puniſh the ſame accordingly. And we deſire we may be ſubject to no other Spiritual Lords but unto Chriſt, nor unto any other Temporal Lords but unto themſelves, whom alone in this Earth we deſire to make our Judges and ſupreame Governers and Overſeers in all cauſes Eccleſiaſtical whatſoever, renouncing as Antichriſtian, all ſuch Eccleſiaſtical powers as arrogate and aſſume unto themſelves under any pretence of the Law of God or man, the ſaid power which we acknowledge to be due only to the Civil Magiſtrate.
32. So long as it ſhall pleaſe the King and civil State (though to the great derogation of their own authority as we may have occaſion hereafter to prove) to maintain in this Kingdom, the State of the Hierarchy or Prelacie: We can (in Honour to his Majeſtie and the State, and in deſire of peace) be content without envy to ſuffer them to injoy their ſtate and dignity, and to live as brethren, amongſt thoſe miniſters that ſhall acknowlege ſpiritual homage unto their ſpiritual Lordſhips, paying unto them all temporal duties, of tenths and ſuch like: yea and joyning with them in the ſervice and worſhip of God ſo far as we may do it without our own particular communicating with them in thoſe humane Traditions and rites, that in our conſciences we judge to be unlawfull. Only we crave in all dutifull manner that which the very Law of Nature yeeldeth unto us, that for as much as they are moſt malicious enemies unto us and do apparently thirſt either after our blood, or ſhipwrack of our faith and conſciences, that they may not hence forth be our judges in theſe cauſes, but that we may both of us ſtand as parties at the bar of the Civil Magiſtrate to be tried in thoſe differences that are between us, and that when they ſhall publickly maligne or ſlander us or our cauſe, it may be lawfull for us in a dutifull, ſober, peaceable and modeſt manner without perſonal reproach or diſgrace, in as publick manner juſtifie our ſelves, and then inſteed of that ſillie mockſervice to the King of wearing a linnen rag upon our backs or making a Chriſtleſs Croſſe upon a Babies face, we ſhall be ready to perform and yeeld triple homage, ſervice, and tribute unto him, and ſhall think our lives and all that we have too vile to ſpend in the ſervice of him and the civil ſtate under him.
FINIS.
A PROPOSITION CONCERNING KNEELING in the very Act of RECEIVING.
Howſoever, Publiſhed to ſatisfie Profeſſours, yet humbly Submitted to the Judgement of PROPHETS.
ROM. 14.10, 11, 12.
Why doeſt thou condemn thy Brother, For it is written, I live (ſaith the Lord) and every Knee ſhall bow unto me. So then, every one of us ſhall give accounts of himſelf unto God.
1 COR. 10, 14, 21.
Flee from Idolatry, Yee cannnot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the Table of Devils.
Printed in the year, 1660.