bishop ushers second prophesie which he delivered to his daughter on his sick-bed wherein is contained divers prophetick sayings for the years 1680, 1681, 1682, 1683, 1684, which were by him predicted for the said years : wherein also is laid down the divers revolutions for the ensuing years : likewise a very strange prophesie concerning the kings restauration, which he gave to a person of quality in the time of his sickness : also he foretels that the papists were the persons that should cause all the calamitites that would ensue. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1681 approx. 6 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 4 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64682 wing u222 estc r4892 12085574 ocm 12085574 53732 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64682) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 53732) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 829:21) bishop ushers second prophesie which he delivered to his daughter on his sick-bed wherein is contained divers prophetick sayings for the years 1680, 1681, 1682, 1683, 1684, which were by him predicted for the said years : wherein also is laid down the divers revolutions for the ensuing years : likewise a very strange prophesie concerning the kings restauration, which he gave to a person of quality in the time of his sickness : also he foretels that the papists were the persons that should cause all the calamitites that would ensue. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 5 p. printed for john hunt ..., london : 1681. reproduction of original in bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng anti-catholicism -england. prophecies. great britain -history -restoration, 1660-1688. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-04 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion bishop ushers second prophesie which he delivered to his daughter on his sick-bed . wherein is contained divers prophetick sayings for the years 1680 , 1681 , 1682 , 1683 , 1684. which were by him predicted for the said years . wherein also is laid down the divers revolutions for the ensuing years . likewise a very strange prophesie concerning the kings restauration , which he gave to a person of quality in the time of his sickness . also he foretels that the papists were the persons that should cause all the calamities that would ensue . london , printed for john hunt at the sign of the black spread eagle without temple-bar . 1681. bishop usher's second prophesie , which he discovered to his daughter on his sick-bed , &c. he prophesied of the rebellion in ireland , and massacre there , and the wars in england , many years before they brake out ; and this he saw fulfilled . he prophesied of another great persecution that was to come ; and when one demanded of him , whether that great persecution were passed or not ? he turning his eyes to the person asking him , and fixing them after an ireful manner , as he was wont to do , when he spake not his own words ; and when the power of god was upon him ; he said , feed not your selves with vain hopes of its being past : for i tell you , all you have seen , is but the beginning of sorrow , to that which is to come over all the protestant churches of christ , who e're long will fall under a sharper persecution than ever they have had upon them ; and therefore , ( said he to the person that spake to him ) look you be not found in the outward court ; for christ will measure all that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward court he will leave out to be trodden under foot , and to be swept away , whose religion stands in performing the outward part , without the inward power of faith , and love uniting them unto christ. those god will give to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers which are in the temple before the altar , are those who indeed worship god in spirit , and in truth ; whose souls are made his temples , by whom he is loved and adored in their most inward thoughts : they have , and do sacrifice their lusts and vile corrupt affections , and their own will to him . these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wing . and this shall be one great difference between the last and all preceding persecutions , that whereas in the former , the most eminent saints were cut off , here the most eminent and faithful to god shall be preserved by god as a seed for the glory which shall immediately follow to the churches , as soon as this storm shall be blown over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be a short persecution , and shall take away the dross with hypocrites and formalists , whilst the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity is over . it was then asked , by what instruments this persecution should be carried on ? he answered , by the papists . it was answered , that seemed improbable , since they were now less countenanced , and less numerous than heretofore in these nations , and people more against them . he replyed , it should be by their hands , and by the way of a suddain massacre ; and that the pope should be the instrument of it . and these things he pake with that assurance , and that was seen to be , which had been observed in him , when he predicted several things formerly , which came to pass accordingly , in the observation , and to the knowledge of those he spake them to . and he added , those were in his esteem the gentiles spoken of , rev. 11. and the second , to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot , they having received the gentiles worship by images and many mediators . and this , saith he , is more designing among them , and will come ; therefore look you be found watching and ready . the like he spake also to the lady tyrrel , his daughter , about the same time , expressing himself as above : and the said lady adds , that after she had opened the door of his chamber , she found him with his eyes lifted up to heaven , and tears running down his cheeks apace , and in a kind of extasie , wherein he continued after she came in , near half an hour , without taking any notice of her ; and then recovering , told her , his thoughts were exercised in contemplating the great miseries and persecution which was coming , which would be so sharp and bitter , as that they had drawn those tears from his eyes ; but he hoped he should not live to see it ; but possibly she might : for they are , said he , even at the door ; therefore take heed you be not found sleeping . the same also he repeated to mrs. bisse , the chief baron of ireland's wife in dublin , with this circuustance added to her , that , said he , if they bring in the king , and restore him , it may a little longer be deferred ; but it will surely come ; and therefore be not unprovided for it . finis . directions propovnded and hvmbly presented to the high court of parliament concerning the booke of common prayer and episcopall government / written by a reverend and learned divine now resident in this city. udall, ephraim, d. 1647. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64716 of text r10972 in the english short title catalog (wing u7). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 10 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 4 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64716 wing u7 estc r10972 12827948 ocm 12827948 94305 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64716) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 94305) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 255:e173, no 26) directions propovnded and hvmbly presented to the high court of parliament concerning the booke of common prayer and episcopall government / written by a reverend and learned divine now resident in this city. udall, ephraim, d. 1647. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 5 p. [s.n.], london : 1641. wing attributes work to ephraim udall, bm however, indicates possible attribution to "e udall or archbishop usher." reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng church of england. -book of common prayer. a64716 r10972 (wing u7). civilwar no directions propounded and humbly presented to the high court of parliament, concerning the booke of common prayer and episcopall government. udall, ephraim 1641 1655 2 0 0 0 0 0 12 c the rate of 12 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2002-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-05 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2002-05 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion directions propovnded and hvmbly presented to the high court of parliament . concerning the booke of common prayer and episcopall government . written by a reverend and learned divine now resident in this city . london , printed anno dmo. 1641. the opinions and directions of a worthy divine , presented to the parliament , concerning the liturgie , and episcopall government . to satisfie your demands both concerning ye liturgie , and episcopall government , first for the book of common prayer , it may be alleadged . 1. that god himselfe appointed in the law , a set forme of benediction , numb. 6. 23. 24 , 25 , 26. 2. that david himselfe , set psalmes to be sung upon speciall occasions , as the title of them sheweth . 3. that the prophet ioel appointed a set forme of prayer to be used by ye priest at solemne fasts , joel , 2. 7. 4. that christ not onely commands us to pray after such manner , matth. 6. 9. but to use a set forme of words , luke 11. 2. when you pray , say our father . 5. the spirit of god is no more restrained by using a set forme of prayer , then by singing set hymnes or psalmes in meeter , which yet the adversaries of our common prayer , practise in their assemblies . 6. of all prayers ( premeditated ) are the best , ecclesiastes . 5. 2. 7. and of premeditated prayers , those which are allowed by publike authority , are to be preferred above those , which are uttered by any private spirit . 8. all the churches in the christian world , in the first and best times , had their best formes of lyturgies , whereof most are extant in the writings of the fathers unto this day . 9. let our service book be compared with the french , dutch , or any other lyturgie , prescribed in any of the refo●med churches , and it will appeare to any indifferent reader , that it is more exact and compleate , then any of them . 10. our service booke , was penned and allowed of , not onely by many learned doctors , but glorious martyrs , who sealed the truth of the reformed religion with their blood , yet it cannot be denyed , but that there are spots and blemishes , nemo quidem in pulchro corpore , and it were to be wished , so it bee done without much noyse . 1. that the kalender in part might be reformed , and the lessons taken out of the canonicall scriptures , appointed to be read in the place of them , for besides , that there is no necessity of reading any of the apocripha , for there are in some of the chapters , set in the index , passages repugnant to the doctrine of the holy scriptures , as namely in some chapters in tolit . 2. that in the psalmes , epistles , and gospells , all sentences alledged out of the holy scriptures , the last translation ( of king james his bible ) may be followed , for in the former , there be many passages not agreeable to the originall , as might be proved by many instances . 3. that in the rubricke , whereof of late the word ( priest ) hath beene instead of the word ( minister ) it may be expunged , and the word minister restored , which is lesse offensive , and more agreeable to the languages of all the reformed churches , and likewise that some clauses which seeme surrepticiously to have crept into it , be expunged ; as namely , after the communion , every parishioner shall communicate , and also shall receive the sacraments and other rites , according to the order of this book appointed , which words can carry no good sence in a protestants eares , nor those added , against private baptisme , that it is certaine by gods word , that children being baptized , having all things necessary for their salvation , be undoubtedly saved . 4. that in the hyms , instead of the songs of the 3. children , some others were placed out of the canonicall scriptures , and that a fitter psalme were chosen at the churching of women , ( for those verses ) he will not suffer thy foote to be moved , and the sunne shall not burne thee by day , nor the moone by night , seeme not very pertinent , that in the prayers and collects , some expressions were bettered , as when it is said , almighty god , which onely workest great marvailes , send downe upon thy bishops , &c. and let thy great mercy loose them , for the honour of iesus christs sake , and for fornication and all other deadly sins , as if all other sinnes were not deadly , and that among all the chances of this mortall life , they may be defended , &c. 5. and in the visitation of the sicke , i absolve thee from all thy sinnes and the like . 6. that in singing of psalmes , either the same rymes are superfluous badges , ( as i say ) and for why , and homely phrases , as thou shalt feed them with browne bread , and take thy hand out of thy lap , and give thy foes a rap , and mend this geare , and the like may be corrected , or at the least , a better translation of the psalmes in meeter , appointed in the place of the old , secondly , for episcopall government , it may be alleaged . that in the old law , the priests were above the levites . 2. that in the gospell , the apostles were above the seventy disciples . 3. that in the subscription of st. pauls epist. which are part of canonicall scripture , as it is said , that tim. was ordained the first bishop of the church of the ephesians . that titus was ordained the second bishop of the church of the ephesians . that titus was ordained the first bishop of the church of the cretians . 4. that if episcopall ordination and jurisdiction , hath expresse warrant in holy scripture , as namely , titus 1. 5. for this cause left i thee in creet that thou shouldst set in order things that are wanting , and ordaine presbyters , that is ministers in every city , and 1. tim. 5. 22. lay hands suddenly on no man , and ver. 19. against a presbyter or minister , receive no accusation , but under two or three witnesses . 5. the angels to whom the epistles were endorsed , 2. and 3. of apoc. are by the vnanimous consent of all the best interpreters , both ancient and latter , expounded to bee the bishops of those cities . 6. eusebius , and other ecclesiasticall writers , affirme ( none contradicting them ) that the apostles themselves , chose iames bishop of jerusalem , and that in all the aposte-like sees , there succeeded bishops , which continued in all the christian world , and no other government heard of in the church , for 1500 yeares and more , then by the bishops , and the canons of counsels , both generall and provinciall , which consisted of bishops . 7. that so many acts of parliament , and lawes of the kingdome , and statutes of colledges of both universities , have relation to bishops , that the removing of them especially ( there having beene never no other government ●●●led in this kingdome ) will breed and make confusion , and no reformation , but rather a deformation in the church , yet it were to be wished , that in some things our government might be reduced to the constitutions and practise of the primitive church , especially in these particulars . 1. that bishops did ordinarily and constantly preach , either in the metropolitan church , or in the parochiall church , in their visitations . 2. that they might not ordaine any ministers , without the consent of three or foure at the least , grave and learned presbyters . 3. that they might not suspend any minister , ab officio , & beneficio , at their pleasures , by the sole authors , but onely with a necessary consent of some assistants , and that for such causes and crimes onely , as the antient canons , or the lawes of the kingdome , appointed . 4. that none may be excommunicated , but by the bish. himselfe ( with the consent of the pastor ) whose parish the delinquent dwelleth in , & that for heynous and scandalous crimes , joyned with obstinate and wilfull contempts of the church authors , and that for none appearances , or ordinances , upon ordinary occasions , some lesser punishments might be inflicted , and that approved by law . 5. that bishops might not demand benevolence for the clergie , nor exact allowance for their dyet , at the visitations , nor suffer their servants to exact undue fees at ordinations and institutions . 6. that bishops , and chancellors , and officials , may be subject to the censures of provinciall synods , and convocations . finis . a copie of the proceedings of some worthy and learned divines, appointed by the lords to meet at the bishop of lincolnes in westminster touching innovations in the doctrine and discipline of the church of england. together with considerations upon the common prayer book. church of england. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a32992 of text r211825 in the english short title catalog (wing c4103b). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 16 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a32992 wing c4103b estc r211825 99825469 99825469 29851 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a32992) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 29851) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2166:01) a copie of the proceedings of some worthy and learned divines, appointed by the lords to meet at the bishop of lincolnes in westminster touching innovations in the doctrine and discipline of the church of england. together with considerations upon the common prayer book. church of england. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [1], 7 p. [s.n.], london : printed 1641. signed at end: arch bishop of armach [and 6 others]. even page numbers on rectos. copy cropped at foot of title page. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. eng church of england -government -early works to 1800. church of england. -book of common prayer -early works to 1800. ecclesiastical law -england -early works to 1800. a32992 r211825 (wing c4103b). civilwar no a copie of the proceedings of some worthy and learned divines, appointed by the lords to meet at the bishop of lincolnes in westminster: tou church of england 1641 2543 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 b the rate of 4 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-04 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-06 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-06 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a copie of the proceedings of some worthy and learned divines , appointed by the lords to meet at the bishop of lincolnes in westminster : touching innovations in the doctrine and discipline of the church of england . together with considerations upon the common prayer book . innovations in doctrine . 1 qvare , whether in the twentieth article these words are not inserted , habet ecclesia authoritatem in controversiis fidei . 2 it appeares by stetfords and the approbation of the licencers , that some doe teach and preach , that good workes are concauses with faith in the act of iustification . doctor dove also hath given scandall in that point . 3 some have preached that works of penance are satisfactory before god . 4 some have preached , that private confession by particular enumeration of sins is necessary to salvation , necessitate medii , both those errors have been questioned at the consistory at cambridge . 5 some have maintained , that the absolution , which the priest pronounceth , is more then declaratory . 6 some have published , that there is a proper sacrifice in the lords supper , to exhibit christs death in the postfact , as there was a sacrifice to prefigure in the old law in the antefact , and therefore that we have a true altar , and therefore not only metaphorically so called , so doctor heylin and others in the last summers convocation , where also some defended , that the oblation of the elements might hold the nature of the true sacrifice , others the consumption of the elements . 7 some have introduced prayer for the dead , as master browne in his printed sermon : and some have coloured the use of it with questions in cambridge , and disputed , that preces pro defunctis non supponunt purgatorium . 8 divers have oppugned the certitude of salvation . 9 some have maintained the lawfulnesse of monasticall vowes . 10 some have maintained that the lords day is kept meerly by ecclesiasticall constitution , and that the day is changeable . 11 some have taught as new and dangerous doctrine , that the subjects are to pay any sums of mony imposed upon them , though without law , nay contrary to the lawes of the realme , as doctor sybthorp and doctor manwaring bishop of saint davids , in their printed sermons , whom many have followed of late yeares . 12 some have put scornes upon the two bookes of homilies , calling them either popular discourses , or a doctrine usefull for those times wherein they were set forth . 13 some have defended the whole grosse substance of arminianisme , that electio est ex fide praevisa , that the act of conversion depends upon the concurrence of mans free will , that the justified man may fall finally and totally from grace . 14 some have defended vniversall grace , as imparted as much to reprobates as to the elect , and have proceeded usque ad salutem ethnicorū , which the church of england hath anathematized . 15 some have absolutely denyed originall sin , and so evacuated the crosse of christ , as in a disputation at oxen. 16 some have given excessive cause of scandall to the church as being suspected of socinianisme . 17 some have defended that concupiscence is no sin , either in the habit or first motion . 18 some have broacht out of socinus a most uncomfortable and desperate doctrine , that late repentance , that is , upon the last bed of sicknesse , is unfruitfull , at least to reconcile the penitent to god . adde unto these some dangerous and most reproveable books . 1 the reconciliation of sancta clara , to knit the romish and protestant in one ; memorand . that he be caused to produce bishop watsons book of the like reconciliation which he speaks of . 2 a booke called brevis disquisitio , printed ( as it is thought ) in london , and vulgarly to be had , which impugneth the doctrine of the holy trinity , and the verity of christs body ( which he tooke of the blessed virgin ) in heaven , and the verity of our resurrection . 3 a booke called timotheus philalethes de pace ecclesiae , which holds that every religion will save a man , if he hold the covenant . innovations in discipline . 1 the turning of the holy table altarwise , and most commonly calling it an altar . 2 bowing towards it , or towards the east , many times , with three congees , but usually in every motion , accesse , or recesse in the church . 3 advancing candlesticks in many churches upon the altar so called . 4 in making canopies over the altar so called , with traverses and curtains on each side and before it . 5 in compelling all communicants to come up before the rails , and there to receive . 6 in advancing crucifixes and images upon the parafront , or altar-cloth so called . 7 in reading some part of the morning prayer at the holy table , when there is no communion celebrated . 8 by the ministers turning his backe to the west , and his face to the east , when he pronounceth the creed , or reads prayers . 9 by reading the letany in the midst of the body of the church in many of the parochiall churches . 10 by pretending for their innovations , the injunctions and advertisements of queene elizabeth , which are not in force , but by way of commentary and imposition , and by putting to the liturgy printed secundo , tertio edwardi sexti , which the parliament hath reformed and laid aside . 11 by offering of bread and wine by the hand of the church-wardens , or others , before the consecration of the elements . 12 by having a credentia , or side table besides the lords table for divers uses in the lords supper . 13 by introducing an offertory before the communion , distant from the giving of almes to the poore . 14 by prohibiting the ministers to expound the catechisme at large to their parishioners . 15 by suppressing of lectures , partly on sundayes in the afternoone , partly on weeke dayes , performed as well by combination , as some one man . 16 by prohibiting a direct prayer before sermon , and bidding of prayer . 17 by singing the te deum in prose after a cathedrall church way , in divers parochiall churches , where the people have no skill in such musicke . 18 by introducing latine service in the communion of late in oxford , and into some colledges in cambridge , at morning and evening prayer , so that some young students , and the servants of the colledge doe not understand their prayers . 19 by standing up at the hymnes in the church , and alwayes at gloria patri . 20 by carrying children from the baptisme to the altar so called , there to offer them up to god . 21 by taking downe galleries in churches , or restraining the building of such galleries where the parishes are very populous . memorandum . 1 that in all the cathedrall and collegiate churches two sermons be preached every sunday by the deane and prebendaries , or by their procurement , and likewise every holiday , and one lecture at the least to be preached on working dayes every weeke , all the yeare long . 2 that the musick used in gods holy service in cathedrall and collegiate churches be framed with lesse curiosity , that it may bee more edifying and more intelligible , and that no hymnes or anthemes be used where ditties are framed by private men , but such as are contained in the sacred canonicall scriptures , or in our liturgy of prayers , or have publique allowance . 3 that the reading deske be placed in the church where divine service may best be heard of all the people . considerations upon the booke of common prayer . 1 vvhether the names of some departed saints and others should not be quite expunged the kalender . 2 whether the reading of psalmes , sentences of scripture concurring in divers places in the hymnes , epistles and gospels , should not be set out in the new translation . 3 whether the rubrique should not bee mended , where all vestments in them of divine service are now commanded which were used , 2. ed. 6. 4 whether lessons of canonicall scripture should be put into the kalender in stead of apocrypha . 5. that the doxologie should be alwaies printed at the end of the lords praier , and be alwaies said by the minister . 6 whether the rubrique should not be mended , where it is ( that the lessons should be sung in a plaine tune ) why not ( read with a distinct voice . ) 7 whether gloria patri should be repeated at the end of every psalme . 8 whether according to that end of the preface before the common prayer , the curate should be bound to read morning and evening prayers every day in the church , if he be at home , and not reasonably tet●ed , and why not only on wensday , and fryday morning , and in the afternoone on saturdaies , with holyday eves . 7 whether the himnes , benedicite omnia opera , &c. may not be left out . 10 in the prayer for the clergy , that the phrase perhaps to be altered , which only worketh great marvails . 11 in the rubrique for the administration of the lords supper whether this alteration to be made , that such as intend to communicate shall signify their names to the curate over night or in the morning before prayers . 12 the next rubrique to be cleared , how far a minister may repulse a scandalous and notorious sinner from the communion . 13 whether the rubrique is not to be mended , where the churchwardens are straitly appointed to gather the almes for the poore before the communion begin , for by experience it is proved to be done better when the people depart . 14 whether the rubrique is not to be mended , concerning the party that is to make his generall confession upon his knees , before the communion , that it should be sayd only by the minister and then at every clause repeated to the people . 15 these words in the forme of the consecration , this is my body , this is my bloud of the new testament , not to be printed hereafter in great letters . 16 whether it will not bee fit to insert a rubrique touching kneeling at the communion , that is , to comply in all humility with the prayer which the minister makes when he delivers the elements . 17 whether cathedrall and collegiate churches shall be straitly bound to celebrate the holy communion every sunday at the least , and might not it rather be added once in a moneth . 18 in the last rubrique touching the communion , is it not fit that the printer make a full point , and begin with a new great letter at these words . and every parishioner shall also receive the sacraments . 19 whether in the first prayer at the baptisme , these words , didst sanctifie the floud iordan , and all other waters , should be thus changed , didst sanctifie the element of water . 20 whether it be not fit to have some discreete rubrique made to take away all scandall from signifyng the signe of the crosse upon the infants after baptisme , or if it shall seeme more expedient to be quite difused , whether this reason should be published , that in antient liturgies no crosse was confined upon the party , but where oyle also was used , and therfore oile being now omitted so may also that which was concomitant with it the signe of the crosse . 21 in private baptisme , the rubique mentions that which must not be done , that the minister may dip the child in water being at the point of death . 22 whether in the last rubrique of conformation those words be to be left out , and be undoubtedly saved . 23 whether the catechisme may not receive a little more enlargement . 24 whether the times prohibited for marriage are quite to be taken away . 25 whether none hereafter shall have licences to marry , nor be asked their banes of matrimony , that shall not bring with them a certificat from their ministers that they are instructed in their catechisme ; 26 whether these words in matrimony , with my body i thee worship , shall not be thus altered , i give thee power over my body . 27 whether the last rubrique of marriage should not be mended , that new married persons should receive the communion the same day of their marriage , may it not well be , or upon the next sunday following when the communion is celebrated . 28 in the absolution of the sicke , were it not plaine to say , i pronounce thee absolved . 29 the psalme of thanksgiving of women after childbirth , were it not fit to be composed out of proper versicles taken from divers psalmes . 30 may not the priest rather read the commination in the desk , then go up to the pulpit . 31 the rubrick in the commination leaves it doubtful whether the letany may not be read in divers places in the church . 32 in the order of the buriall of all persons , 't is said , wee commit his body to the ground , in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternall life , why not thus , knowing assuredly , that the dead shall rise againe . 33 in the collect next unto the collect against the pestilence , the clause perhaps to be mended , for the honour of jesus christ sake . 34 in the letany instead of fornication and all other deadly sin , would it not satisfie thus ? from fornication and all other grevious sinnes . 35 it is very fit that the imperfections of the meeter in the singing psalmes should be mended , and then lawfull authority added unto them , to have them publiquely sunge before and after sermons , and somtimes instead of the hymns of morning and evening prayer . arch bishop of armach . bp. of lincolne . dr. prideaux . dr. ward . dr. brownrig . dr. featly . dr. hacket . the prophecy of bishop usher unto which is added two letters, one from sir william boswell ... to the most reverend william laud ... : the other from the reverend john bramhall ... to the most reverend james usher, late archbishop of armah. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1687 approx. 16 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64674 wing u209 estc r12466 13308223 ocm 13308223 98980 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64674) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 98980) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 441:9) the prophecy of bishop usher unto which is added two letters, one from sir william boswell ... to the most reverend william laud ... : the other from the reverend john bramhall ... to the most reverend james usher, late archbishop of armah. ussher, james, 1581-1656. boswell, william, sir, d. 1649. bramhall, john, 1594-1663. [3], 9 p. [s.n.], london : 1687. reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -early works to 1800. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-04 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the prophecy of bishop usher . unto which is added two letters , one from sir william boswell ( ambassadour at the hague ) to the most reverend william laud , late archbishop of canterbury . the other from the reverend john bramhall , bishop of derry in ireland , to the most reverend james usher , late archbishop of armah . london : printed in the year , 1687. the prophecy of bishop usher . the prediction of the most learned and pious arch-bishop usher , is very remarkable , as it was printed about seven years ago with licence , and the truth of the matter of fact therein delivered , never that i know of denied , but confirmed by many , which in short was thus . — that the year before this holy primate died ( who was buried in the abbey at westminster 17 of april , 1656. the usuper cromwel allowing 2001. towards his funeral , so great his worth , that it even charmed that tyrant , otherwise far from being a friend to any of his profession : ) an intimate friend of the arch-bishop's asking him ( amongst other discourse ) what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland and ireland , ( of which he had heard him speak with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement ) and whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come ? he answered — that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect it as ever be had done . adding , that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches of europe . his friend arguing , that he hoped the afflicton might now be over , and be intended of our late calamitous civil wars . the reverend prelate turning towards him , and fixing his eyes upon him with that serious and severe look which he usually had when he spake god's word , and not his own , and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain him to speak , said thus : fool not your selves with such hopes , for i tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will ere long fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has been upon them ; and therefore ( said he to him ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshiper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and outward worshipers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion l●es in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life and power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and th●se god will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles : but the worshipers within the temple , and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and there own wills to him ; and th●se god will bide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ? and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other preceding persecutions , for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer m●st , and were most violently fallen upon , but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all ; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites and formal professors , but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over past . his friend then asked him , by what means or instruments this great tryal should be brought on . he answered , by the papists . his friend replyed , that it seemed very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenanced , and but few in these nations , and that the hearts of the people were more set against them than ever since the reformation . he answered again , that it would be by the hands of papists , and in the way of a suddain massacre , and that the then pope should be the chief instrument of it . he also added , that the papists were in his opinion the gentiles spoken of , rev. 11. to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot ▪ they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators : and this ( said he ) the papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . this gracious man repeated the same things in substance to his only daughter the lady tyrril , and that with many tears , and much about the same time . a letter from sir william boswell , to the most reverend william laud , late arch-bishop of canterbury , remaining with sir robert cotton's choice papers . most reverend ; as i am here employ'd by our soveraign lord the king , vour grace can testify that i have left no stone unturn'd for his majesty's advancement ; neither can i omit ( whenever i meet with treacheries or conspiracies against the church and state of england ) the sending your grace an account in general . i fear matters will not answer your expectations , if your grace do but seriously weigh them with deliberation . for be you assur , d , the romish clergy have gull'd the misled party of our english nation , and that under a puritanical dress ; for which the several fraternities of that church , have lately received indulgence from the see of rome , and council of cardinals , or to educate several of the young fry of the church of rome , who be natives of his majesty's realms and dominions , and instruct them in all manner of principles and tenents contrary to the episcopacy of the church of england . there be in the town of hague , to my certain knowledge , two dangerous impostors , of whom i have given notice to the prince of orange , who have large indulgences granted them , and known to be of the church of rome , altho they seem puritans , and do converse with several of our english factors . the one , james murray a scotchman , and the other john napper , a yorkshire blade . the main drift of these intentions is , to pull down the english episcopacy , as being the chief support of the imperial crown of our nation : for which purpose above sixty romish clergy-men are gone within these two years out of the monasteries of the french king's dominions , to preach up the scotch covenant , and mr. knox his discriptions and rules within that kirk , and to spread the same about the nothern coasts of england . let therefore his majesty have an inkling of these crotchets , that he might be persuaded , whenever matters of the church come before you , to refer them to your grace , and the episcopal party of the realm : for there be great preparations making ready against the liturgy and ceremonies of the church of england : and all evil contrivances here and in france , and in other protestant holdings to make your grace and the episcopacy odious to all reformed protestants abroad : it has wrought so much on divers of the forreign ministers of the protestants , that they esteem our clergy little better than papists . the main things that they hit in our teath are , our bishops to be called lords ; the service of the church ; the cross in baptism ; confirmation ; bowing at the name of jesus ; the communion tables placed alter-ways ; our manner of consecrations : and several other matters which be of late buzz'd into the heads of the forreign clergy , to make your grievances the less regarded in case of a change , which is aimed at , if not speedily prevented . your grace's letter is carefully delivered by my gentleman 's own hands unto the prince . thus craving your graces hearty prayers for my undertakings abroad , as also for my safe arrival , that i may have the freedom to kiss your grace's hands , and to tell you more at large of these things ; i rest , your graces most humble servant , w. b. hague , june 12. 1640. a letter from the right reverend j. bramhall bishop of derry ; ( afterwards primate of ireland ) to the most reverend james usher arch-bishop of armagh . most reverend ; i thank god i do take my pilgrimage patiently , yet i cannot but condole the change of the church and state of england . and more in my pilgrimage than ever , because i dare not witness and declare to that straying flock of our brethren in england , who have misled them , and who they are that feed them . but that your lordship may be more sensible of the churches calamities , and of the dange●s she is in of being ruin'd , if god be not merciful unto her , i have sent you a part of my discoveries , and it from credible hands , at this present having so sure a messenger , and so fit an opportunity . it plainly appears , that in the year 1646 , by order from rome , above , 100 of the romish clergy were sent into england , consisting of english , scotch , and irish , who had been educated in france , italy , germany , and spain ; part of these within the several schools there appointed for their iustructions . in each of these romish nurseries , these scholars were taught several handicraft-trades and callings , as their ingenuities were most bending , besides their orders , or functions of that church . they have many yet at paris a fitting up to be sent over , who twice in the week oppose one the other ; one pretending presbytery , the other independency ; some anabaptism , and other contrary tenents , dangerous and prejudicial to the church of england , and to all the reformed churches here abroad . but they are wisely preparing to prevent these designs , which i heartily wish were considered in england among the wise there . when the romish orders do thus argue pro and con , there is appointed one of the learned of those convents to take notes and to judg : and as he findes their fancies , whether for presbytery , independency , anabaptism , atheism , or for any new tenents , so accordingly they be to act , and to exercise their wits . upon their permission when they be sent abroad , they enter their names in the convent registry , also their licences : if a franciscan , if a dominican , or jesuit , or any other order , having several names there entered in their licence ; in case of a discovery in one place , then to fly to another , and there to change their names or habit. for an assurance of their constancy to their several orders , they are to give monthly intelligence to their fraternities , of all affairs where-ever they be dispers'd : so that the english abroad , know news better than ye at home . when they return into england , they are taught their lesson , to say ( if any enquire from whence they come ) that they were poor christians formerly that fled beyond-sea for their religion-sake , and are now returned , with glad news , to enjoy their liberty of conscience . the 100 men that went over 1646 ; were most of them soldiers in the parliament's army , and were daily to correspond with those romanists in our late king's army , that were lately at oxford , and pretended to fight for his sacred majesty : for at that time , there were some roman-catholicks who did not know the design a contriving against our church and state of england . but the year following , 1647 , many of those romish orders , who came over the year before , were in consultation together , knowing each other . and those of the king's party asking some why they took with the parliament's side , and asking others whether they were bewitched to turn puritans , not knowing the design : but at last , secret bulls , and licences being produced by those of the parliament's side , it was declared between them , there was no better design to confound the church of england , than by pretending liberty of conscience . it was argued then , that england would be a second holland , a common-wealth ; and if so , what would become of the king ? it was answered , would to god it were come to that point . it was again reply'd , your selves have preached so much against rome , and his holiness , that rome and her romanists will be little the better for that change : but it was answered , you shall have mass sufficient for 100000 in a short space , and the governors never the wiser . then some of the mercifullest of the romanist said , this cannot be done unless the king die : upon which argument , the romish orders thus licenced , and in the parliament army , wrote unto their several convents , but especially to the sorbonists , whether it may be scrupled to make away our late godly king , and his majesty his son , our king and master ; who , blessed be god , hath escaped their romish snares laid for him ? it was returned from the sorbonists . that it was lawful for roman catholicks to work changes in governments for the mother churches advancement , and chiefly in an heretical kingdom ? and so lawfully make away the king. thus much to my knowledge , have i seen and heard since my leaving your lordship , which i thought very requisite to inform your grace ; for my self would hardly have credited these things , had not mine eyes seen sure evidence of the same . let these things sleep within your gracious lordships breast , and not awake but upon sure grounds , for this age can trust no man , there being so great fallacy amongst men. so the lord preserve your lordship in health , for the nations good , and the benefit of your friends ; which shall be the prayers of your humble servant , j. derensis . july , 20. 1654. these two letters were taken out of that treasury of choice letters published by dr. parr , his lordships chaplain , and printed for nathaniel ranew at the kings-arms , in st. pauls church-yard . 1686. finis . strange and remarkable prophesies and predictions of the holy, learned, and excellent james usher, late l. arch-bishop of armagh ... giving an account of his foretelling i. the rebellion in ireland ..., ii. the confusions and miseries of england in church and state, iii. the death of king charles the first, iv. his own poverty and want, v. the divisions in england in matters of religion ... / written by the person who heard it from this excellent persons own mouth ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1678 approx. 16 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64683 wing u225 estc r7048 13091762 ocm 13091762 97375 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64683) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 97375) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 402:9) strange and remarkable prophesies and predictions of the holy, learned, and excellent james usher, late l. arch-bishop of armagh ... giving an account of his foretelling i. the rebellion in ireland ..., ii. the confusions and miseries of england in church and state, iii. the death of king charles the first, iv. his own poverty and want, v. the divisions in england in matters of religion ... / written by the person who heard it from this excellent persons own mouth ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. person who heard it from this excellent person's own mouth. 8 p. printed for r.g., london : 1678. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ussher, james, 1581-1656. prophecies. great britain -church history -17th century -prophecies. great britain -history -stuarts, 1603-1714 -prophecies. ireland -history -rebellion of 1641 -prophecies. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-05 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2005-05 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion strange and remarkable prophesies and predictions of the holy , learned , and excellent james usher , late l. arch-bishop of armagh , and lord primate of ireland . giving an account of his foretelling i. the rebellion in ireland forty years before it came to pass . ii. the confusions and miseries of england , in church and state. iii. the death of king charles the first . iv. his own poverty and want . v. the divisions in england in matters of religion . lastly , of a great and terrible persecution which shall fall upon the reformed churches by the papists , wherein the then pope should be chiefly concerned . written by the person who heard it from this excellent persons own mouth , and now publisht earnestly to perswade us to that repentance and reformation which can only prevent our ruin and destruction . and the lord said , shall i hide from abraham the thing which i do ? gen. 18. 17. licensed , november the 16 th . london , printed for r. g. 1678. strange and remarkable predictions of that holy , learned , and excellent bishop , james usher late lord primate of ireland . the author of the life of this excellent and worthy primate and arch-bishop , gives an account , that among other extraordinary gifts and graces , which it pleased the almighty to bestow upon him , he was wonderfully endued with a spirit of prophecy , whereby he gave out several true predictions and prophesies of things a great while before they came to pass , whereof some we have seen fulfilled , and others remain yet to be accomplished . and though he was one that abhor'd enthusiastick notions , being too learned , rational , and knowing , to admit of such idle freaks and whimsies . yet he profest , that several times in his life he had many things imprest upon his mind , concerning future events , with so much warmness and importunity , that he was not able to keep them secret , but lay under an unavoidable necessity to make them known . from which spirit he foretold the irish rebellion forty years before it came to pass , with the very time when it should break forth , in a sermon preached in dublin in 1601. where from ezek ▪ 4. 6. discoursing concerning the prophets bearing the iniquity of judah forty days , the lord therein appointed a day for a year : he made this direct applycation in relation to the connivance at popery at that time . from this year ( says he ) will i reckon the sin of ireland , that those whom you now imbrace , shall be your ruin , and you shall bear this iniquity . which prediction proved exactly ture , for from that time 1601 , to the year 1641 , was just forty years , in which it is notoriously known , that the rebellion and destruction of ireland happened , which was acted by those popish priests , and other papists , which were then connived at . and of this sermon the bishop reserved the notes , and put a note thereof in the margent of his bible ; and for 20 years before , he still lived in the expectation of the fulfilling thereof : and the nearer the time was , the more confident he was , that it was near accomplishment , though there was no visible appearance of any such thing : and ( sayes dr. bernard ) the year before the rebellion broke forth , the bishop taking his leave of me , being then going from ireland to england , he advised me to a serious preparation ; for i should see heavy sorrows and miseries , before i saw him again ; which he delivered with as great confidence , as if he had seen it with his eyes : which seems to verify that of the prophet , amos 3. 7. surely , the lord will do nothing , but he will reveal it to his servants , the prophets . from this spirit of prophesie , he fore-saw the changes and miseries of england in church and state ; for having in one of his books , ( called de prim , eccl. brit. ) given a larg account of the destruction of the church and state of the brittains , by the saxons , about 550 years after christ : he gives this among other reasons , why he insisted so largely upon it ; that he fore-saw , that a like judgment was yet behind , if timely repentance and reformation did not prevent it : and he would often mourn upon the fore-sight of this , long before it came . from this spirit he gave mournful intimations of the death of our late soveraign , charles the first ; of whom he would be often speaking with fear and trembling , even when the king had the greatest success : and would therefore constantly pray , and gave all advice possible , to prevent any such thing . from this spirit he fore-saw his own poverty in worldly things ; and this he would often speak of , with admiration to the hearers , when he was in his greatest prosperity ; which the event did most certainly verify . from this spirit he predicted the divisions and confusions in england in matters of religion , and the sad consequences thereof ; some of which we have seen fulfill'd : and i pray god , the rest which he feared , may not also be accomplished upon us . lastly , from this spirit he fore-told , that the greatest stroke upon the reformed churches was yet to come ; and that the time of the utter ruin of the see of rome , should be when she thought her self most secure : and as to this last , i shall add a brief account from the persons own hand , who was concerned therein ; which followeth in these words : the year before this learned and holy primate , a. bishop usher dyed , i went to him , and earnestly desired him , to give me in writing his apprehensions concerning justification , and sanctification by christ ; because i had formerly heard him preach upon those points , wherein he seemed to make those great mysteries more intelligible to my mean capacity , than any thing which i had ever heard from any other : but because i had but an imperfect and confused remembrance of the particulars , i took the boldness to importune him , that he would please to give a brief account of them in writing ; whereby i might the better imprint them in my memory ; of which he would willingly have excused himself , by declaring his intentions of not writing any more : adding , that if he did write any thing , it should not exceed above a sheet or two : but upon my continued importunity , i at last obtained his promise . he coming to town some time after , was pleased to give me a visit at my own house ; where i failed not to challenge the benefit of the promise he had made me : he replyed ; that he had not writ , and yet he could not charge himself with any breach of promise : for ( said he ) i did begin to write ; but when i came to write of sanctification , that is , of the new creature , which god formeth by his spirit in every soul , which he doth truly regenerate , i found so little of it wrought in my self , that i could speak of it only as parrots by rote , & without the knowledge & under standing of what i might have exprest ; & therefore , i durst not presume to proceed any further upon it . and when i seemed to stand amazed , to hear such an humble confession from so great and experienced a christian , he added ; i must tell you , we do not well understand what sanctification and the new creature are ; it is no less then for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of god , and to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames of love , as a whole burnt offering to christ , and how little ( says he ) are many of those who profess christianity experimentally acquainted with this work on their souls . by this discourse , i conceived he had very excellently and clearly discovered to me that part of sanctification which he was unwilling to write . i then presumed to enquire of him what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland , and ireland , of which this reverend primate had spoken with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement . i asked him whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come , to which he answered , that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect it , as ever he had done , adding , that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches of europe ; i replyed , that i did hope it might have been past as to these nations of ours , since i thought , that though we , who are the people thereof , have been punished much less than our sins have deserved , and that our late wars had made far less devastations , then war commonly brings upon those countries where it pleaseth god in judgement to suffer it ; yet we must needs acknowledge , that many great houses had been burnt , ruined , and left without inhabitants , many great families impoverished and undone , and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloody war , and that ireland and scotland , as well as england , had drunk very deep of the cup of gods anger , even to the overthrow of the government , and the utter desolation almost of a very great part of those countries . but this holy man , turning to me , and fixing his eyes upon me with that serious and ireful look which he usually had when he spake gods word and not his own ; and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain him to speak , which i could easily discern much to differ from the countenance where with he usually spake to me ; he said thus . fool not your self with such hopes , for i tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will ere long fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has upon them ; and therefore ( said he to me ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshipper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , & call themselves his people ; & the outward worshippers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life & power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and these god will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers within the temple and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him ; and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ; and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other preceding persecutions ; for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer most , and were most violently fallen upon , but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all ; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites and formal profesors , but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over-past . i then asked him by what means or instruments this great tryal should be brought on . he answered , by the papists ; i replyed , that it seemed to me very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenanced , and but few in these nations , and that the hearts of the people were more set against them then ever since the reformation . he answered again , that it would be by the hands of papists , and in the way of a suddain massacree ; and that the then pope should be the chief instrument of it . all this he spake with so great assurance , and with the same serious and concerned countenance , which i have before observed him to have ▪ when i have heard him soretell some things which in all humane appearence were very unlikely to come to pass , which yet i my self have lived to see happen according to his prediction , and this made me give the more earnest attention to what he then uttered . he then added , that the papists were in his opinion the gentiles spoken of in the 11th of the revelations , to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it underfoot ; they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators ; and this ( said he ) the papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . this was the substance , & i think ( for the greatest part ) the very same words which this holy man spake to me at the time beforementioned not long before his death , and which i writ down , that so great and notable a prediction might not be lost and forgotten by my self nor others . this gracious man repeated the same things in substance to his only daughter the lady tyrril , and that with many tears , and much about the same time that he had exprest what is aforesaid to me , and which the lady tyrril assured me of with her own mouth , to this purpose . that opening the door of his chamber , she found him with his eyes lift up to heaven , and the tears running a pace down his cheeks , and that he seemed to be in an extasie , wherein he continued for about half an hour , not taking the least notice of her , though she came into the room , but at last turning to her , he told her , that his thoughts had been taken up about the miseries and persecutions that were coming upon the churches of christ , which would be so sharp ●●d bitter , that the contemplation of them had fetched those tears from his eyes , and that he hoped he should not live to see it , but possibly she might , for it was even at the door ; therefore take heed ( says he ) that you be not found sleeping . the same things he also repeated to the lady bysse , wife to the present lord chief baron of ireland , but with adding this circumstance , that if they brought back the king , it might be delayed a little longer , but ( sayd he ) it will surely come , therefore be sure to look that you be not found unprepared for it . to conclude in the words of dr. bernard , speaking of this excellent person . now howsoever i am as far from heeding of prophesies this way as any , yet with me it is not improbable , that so great a prophet , so sanctified from his youth , so knowing & eminent throughout the universal church , might have at some special times more then ordinary motions and impulses in doing the watchmans part , of giving warning of judgments approaching . finis . a speech delivered in the castle-chamber at dublin, the xxii. of november, anno 1622 at the censuring of certaine officers, who refused to take the oath of supremacie. by iames bishop of meath. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1631 approx. 18 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a14241 stc 24555 estc s118952 99854159 99854159 19567 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a14241) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 19567) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1368:7) a speech delivered in the castle-chamber at dublin, the xxii. of november, anno 1622 at the censuring of certaine officers, who refused to take the oath of supremacie. by iames bishop of meath. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 12, [2] p. printed by r[obert] y[oung] for the partners of the irish stocke, london : 1631. printer's name from stc. running title reads: a speech in the castle-chamber concerning the oath of supremacie. the last leaf contains a commendation from king james to the author. usually found as part 5 of stc 24544 or 24544.5. reproduction of the original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church and state -great britain -early works to 1800. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2005-04 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a speech delivered in the castle-chamber at dvblin , the xxii . of november , anno 1622. at the censvring of certaine officers , who refused to take the oath of supremacie . by iames bishop of meath . london , printed by r. y. for the partners of the irish stocke . 1631. a speech delivered in the castle-chamber concerning the oath of supremacie . what the danger of the law is , for refusing this oath , hath beene sufficiently opened by my lords the iudges ; and the qualitie and quantitie of that offence hath been aggravated to the full by those that have spoken after them . the part which is most proper for me to deale in , is the information of the conscience , touching the truth and equitie of the matters contained in the oath : which i also have made choice the rather to insist upon , because both the forme of the oath it selfe requireth herein a full resolution of the conscience ( as appeareth by those words in the very beginning thereof ; i doe utterly testifie and declare in my conscience , &c. ) and the persons that stand here to be censured for refusing the same , have alledged nothing in their owne defence but only the simple plea of ignorance . that this point therefore may bee cleared , and all needlesse scruples removed out of mens minds : two maine branches there bee of this oath , which require speciall consideration . the one positive : acknowledging the supremacy of the governement of these realmes , in all causes whatsoever , to rest in the kings highnesse onely . the other negative : renouncing all iurisdictions and authorities of any forreine prince or prelate within his maiesties dominions . for the better understanding of the former , we are in the first place to call unto our remembrance that exhortation of st. peter . a submit your selves unto every ordinance of man for the lords sake : whether it bee unto the king , as having the preheminence ; or unto governours , as unto them that are sent by him , for the punishment of evill doers , and for the praise of them that doe well . by this we are taught to respect the king , not as the only governour of his dominions simply ( for wee see there bee other governours placed under him ) but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as him that excelleth , and hath the preeminence over the rest , that is to say , ( according to the tenure of the oath ) as him that is the onely supreme governour of his realmes . vpon which ground we may safely build this conclusion ; that whatsoever power is incident unto the king by vertue of his place , must be acknowledged to be in him supreme : there being nothing so contrary to the nature of soveraigntie , as to have another superiour power to over-rule it . qui rex est , regem ( maxime ) non habeat . in the second place wee are to consider , that god for the better settling of piety and honesty among men , and the repressing of prophanenesse and other vices , hath established two distinct powers upon earth : the one of the keyes , committed to the church ; the other of the sword , committed to the civill magistrate . that of the keyes is ordained to worke upon the inner man ; having immediate relation to the b remitting or retaining of sins . that of the sword is appointed to work upon the outward man ; yeelding protection to the obedient , and inflicting externall punishment upon the rebellious and disobedient . by the former , the spirituall officers of the church of christ are inabled to c governe well , to d speak and exhort and rebuke with all authoritie , to e loose such as are penitent , to commit others unto the lords prison , untill their amendment , or to binde them over unto the iudgment of the great day , if they shal persist in their wilfulnesse and obstinacie . by the other , princes have an imperious power assigned by god unto them , for the defence of such as doe well , and executing f revenge and wrath upon such as doe evill ; whether g by death , or banishment , or confiscation of goods , or imprisonment , according to the qualitie of the offence . when st. peter , that had the keyes committed unto him , made bold to draw the sword ; he was commanded to h put it up , as a weapon that he had no authoritie to meddle withall . and on the other side , when vzziah the king would venture upon the execution of the priests office , it was said unto him ; i it pertaineth not unto thee , uzziah , to burn incense unto the lord , but to the priests the sons of aaron , that are consecrated to burne incense . let this therefore be our second conclusion : that the power of the sword and of the keyes are two distinct ordinances of god ; and that the prince hath no more authoritie to enter upon the execution of any part of the priests function , than the priest hath to intrude upon any part of the office of the prince . in the third place we are to observe , that the power of the civill sword , ( the supreme managing wherof belongeth to the king alone ) is not to bee restrained unto temporall causes only ; but is by gods ordinance to be extended likewise unto all spirituall or ecclesiasticall things and causes . that as the spirituall rulers of the church doe exercise their kinde of governement , in bringing men unto obedience , not of the duties of the first table alone ( which concerneth piety and the religious service which man is bound to performe unto his creator ) but also of the second ( which respecteth morall honesty , and the offices that man doth owe unto man : ) so the civill magistrate is to use his authority also in redressing the abuses committed against the first table , aswell as against the second , that is to say , aswell in punishing of an heretick , or an idolater , or a blasphemer , as of a thiefe , or a murtherer , or a traytor ; and in providing by all good meanes , that such as live under his government k may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all piety and honesty . and howsoever by this meanes we make both prince and priest to bee in their severall places custodes utriusque tabulae , keepers of both gods tables : yet do we not hereby any way confound both of their offices together . for though the matter wherein their government is exercised may be the same ; yet is the forme and manner of governing therein alwaies different . the one reaching to the outward man onely , the other to the inward : the one binding or loosing the soule , the other laying hold on the body and the things belonging thereunto : the one having speciall reference to the iudgement of the world to come , the other respecting the present retaining or loosing of some of the comforts of this life . that there is such a * civill government as this in causes spirituall or ecclesiasticall , no man of iudgement can deny . for must not heresie ( for example ) bee acknowledged to be a cause meerly spirituall or ecclesiasticall ? and yet by what power is an hereticke put to death ? the officers of the church have no authority to take away the life of any man : it must be done therefore per brachium seculare ; and consequently it must bee yeelded without contradiction , that the temporall magistrate doth exercise therein a part of his civill government , in punishing a crime that is of it owne nature spirituall or ecclesiasticall . but here it will be said . the words of the oath being generall ; that the king is the only supreme governour of this realme and of all other his highnesse dominions and countries : how may it appeare that the power of the civill sword only is meant by that government , and that the power of the keyes is not comprehended therein ? i answere : first , that where a civill magistrate is affirmed to bee the governour of his owne dominions and countryes ; by common intendement this must needs be understood of a civill governement , and may in no reason be extended to that which is meerely of another kinde . secondly i say , that where an ambiguitie is conceived to bee in any part of an oath ; it ought to bee taken according to the understanding of him for whose satisfaction the oath was ministred . now in this case it hath been sufficiently declared by publick authority , that no other thing is meant by the governement here mentioned ; but that of the civill sword onely . for in the booke of articles agreed upon by the archbishops & bishops & the whole clergie in the convocation holden at london anno 1562. thus we read . where we attribute to the queenes majesty the chiefe government , ( by which titles wee understand the minds of some slanderous folkes to be offended : ) we give not to our princes the ministring either of gods word or of the sacraments ( the which thing the injunctions also lately set forth by elizabeth our queene doth most plainly testifie : ) but that onely prerogative which we see to have beene given alwaies to all godly princes in holy scriptures by god himselfe , that is , that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by god , whether they be ecclesiasticall or temporall , and restraine with the civill sword the stubborne and evill doers . if it be here objected that the authority of the convocation is not a sufficient ground for the expositiō of that which was enacted in parliament : i answer , that these articles stand confirmed not onely by the royall assent of the prince , ( for the establishing of whose supremacy the oath was framed ) but also by a speciall act of parliament ; which is to be found among the statutes in the thirteenth yeare of queene elizabeth , chap. 12. seeing therfore the makers of the law have full authority to expound the law ; and they have sufficiently manifested , that by the supreme government given to the prince they understand that kind of government only which is exercised with the civill sword : i conclude , that nothing can be more plaine than this ; that without all scruple of conscience , the kings majesty may be acknowledged in this sense to bee the only supreme governour of all his highnesse dominions and countries , as well in all spirituall or ecclesiasticall things or causes as temporall . and so have i cleered the first maine branch of the oath . i come now unto the second ; which is propounded negatively : that no forrein prince , person , prelate , state or potentate , hath or ought to have any jurisdiction , power , superiority , preheminence or authority , ecclesiasticall or spirituall within this realme . the forreiner that challengeth this ecclesiasticall or spirituall jurisdiction over us , is the bishop of rome : and the title whereby he claimeth this power over us , is the same whereby he claimeth it over the whole world ; because he is s. peters successor , forsooth . and indeed , if s. peter himselfe had beene now alive , i should freely confesse , that hee ought to have spirituall authoritie and superioritie within this kingdome . but so would i say also , if s. andrew , s. bartholmew , s. thomas , or any of the other apostles had beene alive . for i know that their commission was verie large ; to l goe into all the world , and to preach the gospel unto every creature . so that in what part of the world soever they lived , they could not bee said to be out of their charge ; their apostleship being a kind of an universall bishoprick . if therefore the bishop of rome can prove himselfe to bee one of this ranke : the oath must be amended ; and wee must acknowledge that hee hath ecclesiasticall authoritie within this realme . true it is , that our lawyers in their year-bookes by the name of the apostle do usually designe the pope . but if they had examined his title to that apostleship , as they would try an ordinary mans title to a piece of land : they might easily have found a number of flawes and maine defects therein . for first it would be enquired , whether the apostleship was not ordained by our saviour christ as a speciall commission ; which being personall onely , was to determine with the death of the first apostles . for howsoever at their first entry into the execution of this commission , we finde that m matthias was admitted to the apostleship in the roome of iudas : yet afterwards when iames the brother of iohn was slaine by herod , wee doe not reade that any other was substituted in his place . nay we know that the apostles generally left no successors in this kinde : neither did any of the bishops ( he of rome only excepted ) that sate in those famous churches , wherein the apostles exercised their ministery , challenge an apostleship or an universall bishoprick , by vertue of that succession . it would secondly therefore bee inquired , what sound evidence they can produce , to shew that one of the company was to hold the apostleshipp as it were in fee , for him and his successors for ever ; and that the other eleven should hold the same for terme of life only . thirdly , if this state of perperuity was to be cast upon one : how came it to fall upon s. peter , rather than upon s. iohn ; who outlived all the rest of his fellowes , and so as a surviving feoffee had the fairest right to retaine the same in himself & his successors for ever ? fourthly , if that state were wholly settled upon s. peter : seeing the romanists themselves acknowledge that he was bishop of antioch before he was bishop of rome ; we require them to shew , why so great an inheritance as this , should descend unto the yonger brother ( as it were by burrough-english ) rather than to the elder , ( according to the ordinary manner of descents . ) especially seeing rome hath little else to alledge for this preferment , but only that s. peter was crucified in it : which was a very slender reason to move the apostle so to respect it . seeing therfore the grounds of this great claime of the bishop of rome appeare to be so vaine and frivolous : i may safely conclude , that he ought to have no ecclesiasticall or spirituall authority within this realme ; which is the principall point contained in the second part of the oath . finis . iames rex . right reverend father in god , and right trusty and welbeloved counsellor , wee greet you well . you have not deceived our expectation , nor the gracious opinion we ever conceived both of your abilities in learning , and of your faithfullnesse to us and our service . whereof as we have received sundry testimonies both from our precedent deputies , as likewise from our right trusty & welbeloved cousin & counsellor the viscount falkland our present deputy of that realm ; so have we now of late in one particular had a further evidence of your duty and affection well expressed by your late carriage in our castle-chamber there , at the censure of those disobedient magistrates , who refused to take the oath of supremacy . wherein your zeale to the maintenance of our just and lawfull power , defended with so much learning and reason , deserves our princely and gracious thankes ; which we doe by this our letter unto you , and so bid you farewell . given under our signet at our court at white-hall the eleventh of ianuary , 1622. in the 20. yeare of our raigne of great brittaigne , france and ireland . to the right reverend father in god , and our right trusty and welbeloved counsellor , the bishop of meath . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a14241-e70 a 1 per. 2. 13 , 14. b iohn 20. 23. c ● . tim. 5. 17. d tit. 2. 15. e matth. 16. 19. & 18. 18. f rom. 13. 4. g ezra 7. 26. h matt. 26. 52. i 2. chr. 26. 18. k 1 tim. 2. 2. * as on the other side , that a spirituall or ecc●esiasticall government is exercised in causes civill or temporall . for is not excommunication a maine part of ecclesiasticall government , and forest lawes a speciall branch of causes temporall ? yet we see in sententiâ latâ super chartas , anno 12. r. h. ; that the bishops of england pronounce a solemne sentence of excommunication against the infringers of the liberties contained in chartâ de forestâ . l mark. 16. 15. m acts 1. 25 , 26. the rights of primogeniture, or, the excellency of royall authority in a sermon preached before his majesty in the isle of wight, upon the anniversary of his birth-day / by james, l. bishop of armagh and primate of ireland. ussher, james, 1581-1656. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64681 of text r24650 in the english short title catalog (wing u221). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 19 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64681 wing u221 estc r24650 08259481 ocm 08259481 41260 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64681) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 41260) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1242:28) the rights of primogeniture, or, the excellency of royall authority in a sermon preached before his majesty in the isle of wight, upon the anniversary of his birth-day / by james, l. bishop of armagh and primate of ireland. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 12 p. printed for r. lowdes, london : 1648. reproduction of original in the huntington library. eng primogeniture -sermons. sermons, english -17th century. a64681 r24650 (wing u221). civilwar no the rights of primogeniture: or, the excellency of royall authority· in a sermon preached before his majesty in the isle of wight, upon the ussher, james 1648 3684 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-04 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the rights of primogeniture : or , the excellency of royall authority in a sermon preached before his majesty in the isle of wight , upon the anniversary of his birth-day . by the r. r. father in god , james , l. bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland . — nunquam libertas gratior extat quam sub rege pio — london , printed for r. lowndes , 1648. the rights of primogeniture , &c. gen . 49. 3. reuben , thou art my first borne , my might , and the beginning of my strength . this is the beginning of jacobs blessing his children , which was an act ( and a principall act ) of his faith , as it is heb. 11. 20. and in this we may see a difference betwixt the death of jacob and his fathers . abraham , isaac , and jacob , were famous in their generations : god is not ashamed to be called their god . and if we consider their lives and deaths , we shall find this difference . abraham in his life was most glorious , his faith famous , witnesse his offering his onely son to god with that strength of faith , that although he verily beleeved that in jacob all the nations of the earth should be blessed , yet was his faith so strong as to be content to offer him up , being perswaded that god was able to raise him from the dead . now although his life was thus glorious , when ye come to his death , this is all that is said of him : then abraham gave up the ghost , and died in a good old age , and was gathered unto his fathers . commonly great things are expected from holy men at their death , yet ye see abraham was but ordinary in his death . concerning isaac's life , the scripture saith but little , and the selfe same words are used of him at his death , as was at the death of abraham . jacob as ordinary in his life as ye shall meet withall ; but his death was a prophecy of christ's comming into the world . he begins with reuben , to whom ( though he had no mind at all to blesse him ) he gives his due ; shewes him that the right of primogeniture belonged unto him , if he had not forfeited it : thou art my first borne , my might , & the beginning of my strength . for this reason god commands , that the first borne should have a double portion . and so reuben should have received , but that he forfeited it ; therefore , saith he , because thou art unstable as water , &c. thy excellency is departed from thee : and so he gave it to joseph . in repeating the genealogie of jacobs sonnes , 1 chron. 5. 1 , 2. now ( saith the text ) the sons of reuben the first borne of israel , ( for he was the first borne ) but forasmuch , as he defiled his fathers bed , his birth-right was given unto the sons of joseph , the son of israel , and the genealogie is not to be reckoned after the birth-right , &c. ye see , though he had forfeited his birth-right , he could not forfeit his primogeniture , but there was an escheate thereof to joseph . all the rest had a single tribe , set out to them , but joseph had two tribes , and so the right that should have gone to reuben fell to joseph . besides this , had not reuben forfeited his birth-right , he should have had more then this double portion , for there was a promise made , that kings should proceed from him . now as in the former joseph succeeded him , so in this of eminency and power , it fell to judah , for so it followes in 1 chron. 5. before named . now to explicate this . the regall power which comes by discent is described by a double eminency . the excellency of dignity , and the excellency of power . by dignity you understand , all outward glory ; by power , all dominion , and these are the two branches of majesty . the greekes do therefore expresse it in the abstract . in respect of dignity , the supreame magistrate is called glory , in respect of soveraignty , he is called lordship . the king is not only glorious , but glory ; not only powerfull , but power . let every soule be subject to the higher powers . both are joyned in the epistle to jude , and in the 8. verse , there is a wicked sort described , that despise dominion , and speake evill of dignities . they despise dominion that make no conscience to blaspheme the foot-steps of the lords anointed . these men dare do what michael durst not doe , verse 9. he durst not bring against the devill a railing accusation , but these dare speake evill of dignities . and what is their censure ? verse 13. to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever . we use to say , that those that have gods tokens upon them are past hopes of like . here ye may plainly see gods tokens upon these men , they are reserved to everlasting damnation . well , let us now come to unfold these two parts of majesty , dignity , and dominion . the excellency of dignity , and the excellency of power by dignity , is meant , the outward pompe and glory annexed to the scepter . for , it is gods ordinance that there should be an extraordinary splendour in majesty more then in any other . and therefore the scripture doth often describe the courts of princes , their splendour at home , and in their progresse abroad , with dignity and state . acts 25. 23. when king agrippa and bernice went to heare paul , the text saith , they removed with great pompe . it was a thing beseemed the regall power so to doe . 1 king. 10. 2. the queen of sheba came to jerusalem to see solomen with a great traine : but she came to a farre greater court then her owne . and this state in courts is not pride , but it is a thing allowed by gods ordinance , as christ saith , those that weare soft rayment are in kings courts . and speaking of the lillies of the field , i say to you ( saith he ) that solomon in all his glory was not like one of these . if you see a man ( though in russet ) attended upon by others in rich clothes , you will conclude that man ( though in russet ) to be some great personage . the queen of sheba was astonished at what she saw in solomon's court ; for , when she beheld the meat of his table ( he must not be served as other men ) the sitting of his servants , the attendance of his ministers , and his cup-bearer , &c. the text saith , there was no more spirit in her . she was ( as a man may say ) besides her self to see this state . and so stately it was , that psal. 45. it is brought in as an allegoricall description of the glory of christ and his church . i need not go to forraigne princes to prove this , the scripture doth sufficiently evidence it . in ester 1. there is a description of ahasuerus and his feast , the like to which you will not read of in any other story , it lasted one hundred and fourscore daies , which was a full half yeare , and with the greatest glory that could be , ver. 4. when he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdome , and the honour of his excellent majesty , &c. so then , this is the first part of majesty , namely , outward splendour , which is lawfull and requisite to maintaine the dignity of a prince . and as the prince ought to have this in his owne person , and his attendants , so all dignity and glory rests in him as in the fountaine , and all titles of dignity are in him also . even as ye see in the firmament , 1 cor. 15. there is one glory of the sunne , another of the moone , and one starre excelleth another in glory . in the common-wealth , there are some knights , some lords , some earles , &c. but all these differences come from one sun , one head , the prince . there is no light in the moone but what is derived from the sunne , even here is borrowed , the starres light is borrowed also , and when the sonne appeares , they cease to shine . the starres at this time shine as much as at midnight , but that the light of the sunne doth darken them . even so in the presence of majesty , those other excellent dignities doe not shine at all . 2. to come to the eminency of power ; for a king to have great state and to have no power , he were then but a poore king . a duke of venice is served in as great state as can be , but he hath no power at all . there is a subordination of power in all government , which because it cannot go ad infinitum , it must needs rest somewhere , and that is in the king . let every soule be subject to the higher powers . and the apostle in 1 pet. 2. 13. distinguisheth , whether it be to the king , as supreme , or unto governours , as unto them that are sent by god , for the punishment of evill doers , &c. and he adds , that by so doing , the ignorance of foolish men may be put to silence . if any professour of religion doe rebell against the king , this is a scandall to religion . now the apostle did foresee that such there would be , and therefore commands that they be put in mind to be subject , &c. but if any that professe religion doe rebell ( as i said before ) it is the fault of the professour , and not of the profession ; for the church of england doth teach the contrary . but when men shall not onely practice , but teach rebellion , ( for by their fruits ye shal know them ) this amounts to a very high crime indeed . the king ( as saint peter saith ) hath the excellency of power , as sent by god . but , what need i say any more ? we all sweare that the king is the onely supreame governour in his dominions . a man would think , that that word onely might be spared , since nothing can be above a supream , but it is put there by way of eminency . there can be no dominion in the world , unlesse there be an eminency of power in some one or other . if a man be wronged in any court , he may lawfully appeale higher , but then , appeales must not be infinite , there must be a supremacy of power somewhere to rest in . the philosopher saith , it must be either in one , or in all . where the eminency of power is in one , it is called a monarchy . the king must onely have the supreme power , for if any be joyned with him , then it is no monarchy . if the power be in a certaine number , it is called an aristocracy . if the power be in all , a democracy ; and all power then is derived from the body of the people , and where you say so , you destroy the monarchy , and erect a democracy . the duke of venice hath ( as i said before ) a marveilous great state , and yet the state of venice is no monarchy , because the supremacy of power is not in him . he cannot receive a letter , nor make an edict without the states allowance ; nay , he may be called to accompt by them . i read in josephus that herod having offended cleopatra , she be sought antony ( who did not use to deny her any thing ) to call him to accompt ; but antony refused so to doe , then , saith he , he will be no king . look upon the common-wealth of lacedemon , they had kings lineally descended from the race of hercules ; but shall we say they had regall power ? nothing lesse , because there were ephori in that state , a certaine power in the people to call their kings to accompt : the supremacy of power there was not in the prince . in switzerland , there is a democracy , and the onely democraticall government i know of . they have their magistrates that governe the people . and yet though there be many magistrates that governe in those cantons , this is no aristocracy , for at the magistrates in switzerland are accomptable to the people , and all their power is limited by them . the supremacy of power is in the people there , and thence it comes to be a democracy . eminency of power . in the word of a king there is power , saith the preacher , eccles. 8. 4. it was wont to be so , and by the word of god you see it ought to be so . but i will not enlarge upon this . it may be some ears will not indure sound doctrine . but the king we see must be acknowledged to be supreame , and no superior to the king . farre be it from me ( being in gods place ) to flatter any man , i thanke god i fear no flesh , but do deliver the truth . having now spoken of the two branches of majesty , dignity , and power . we shall speake of a birth-right that descends to kings . it should have been reulien's right here , if god had not taken it from him for a fault . this day is the birth-day of our soveraigne lord . birth-dayes of kings have been usually celebrated with great solemnity in former times . herod's birth-day was celebrated many years after his death : and the herodians ( for the many mighty workes that herod did ) bleeeved him to be the messiah . it pleaseth god that this day begins the 49. year of his life , and let me call it the year of jubile to his majestie . the jewes had a custome that in the 49. year of any mans life , he should be at liberty , what ever his sufferings were before . it must be the desire and prayer of every loyall heart , that the king may have a jubile indeed . this is that which loyalty bids us doe . i will not stand too much upon this particular . but this i will say , o that we knew our happinesse ; to have a king that is the son of nobles ! a king that is not a child . a king that is at full age to governe , by wisdome , and prudence . and truely as god gives us this blessing , so he expects we should acknowledge it thankefully . eccles. 10 , 16. woe be to thee o land ( saith the preacher ) when thy king is a child : and blessed art thou o land when thy king is the son of nobles : that hath his breeding answerable . to have him , when his experience both riverted in him sound judgement , and ability to governe . the lord threatned jerusalem , in esay 3. 4. i will give children to be their princes , and babes shall rule over them . those that would have their owne wils , could ( i warrant you ) be content that the youngest should raigne . to have a base man exalted , is one of the things that the earth cannot bear . but some body must have the government , it doth not belong to all . you see here is by birth , one that hath a right unto it . when jehosaphat distributed his estate , 2 chron , 21. he gave gifts to his other sons , but the kingdome unto jehoram , because he was his first-borne . a kingdome is not a thing dividable . so the king of edom , 2 king. 3. 27. though he tooke and offered his eldest sonne ( that should have reigned in his stead ) as an offering : yet in the propheste of amos , he is called the king of edom , because he had it in view . now to come to christians , we are kings in our sort , we are primogeniti , we are the israel of god . when god sent moses to deliver his people , he bids him deliver this message to pharaoh , exod. 4. 22. thou shalt say to pharaoh , thus saith the lord , israel is my sonne , even my first-borne . here is our priviledge , though god hath many sonnes , yet being found in christ , we are all first-borne . and so the children of god are called , heb. 12. the congregation of the first-borne . every one that is a member of christ hath the priviledge of a first-borne . they are all heires . in the same relation that christ is , by nature , we are by grace and adoption : and being so , we have the excellency of dignity , and the excellency of power . we do not speak of the power of this world : christ said , my kingdome is not of this world . they that preach , the saints shall reign upon the earth , did not learne it from god , for our kingdome is not of this world . there is not that excellency to be found in any of the sonnes of men , as is to be found in one poore child of god . will you see david a king ? when he comes with a pious eye , psal. 15. 4. see who are there the most worshipfull persons . in whose eyes a vile person is contemned , but honours them that feare the lord . when he sees gods image in any soule , he honours him ; and if he be a wicked man , a child of the devill , he is a vile person in his eyes . a sinner ( though otherwise never so noble ) is a very vile person , psal , 16. my goodnesse , saith david , doth not extend to thee , but unto the saints upon the earth . the apostle saint john , 1 joh. 3. behold ( saith he ) what manner of love the father bestowed upon us , that we should be called the sonnes of god , and therefore the world doth not know us , &c. but if they be so excellent , how come they to be so despised in the world ? the reason is , because the world doth not know them to be such . the world doth not know christs children , more then they know christ himself . i have often thought , that when his majesty was in france , where he was not knowne , a neglect put upon him there , would not have been in any proportion so bad , as the like must needs be amongst his owne subjects . and so it is with us . we are spirituall kings , a royall priesthood : if the world did know us to be such , they would deale with us otherwise then they doe , but our life is hid with christ in god , and one day it shall appeare , and then shall the righteous shine in the kingdome of their father . beloved , hereupon it is that the children of god have their guard of angels . the king hath a choice guard to attend him , but if ye did see what attendance the children of god have , you would admire . the angels of god do pitch their tents about them . in the cantioles , the state of solomons bed is described with threescore valiant men about it for a guard . what is this but a type of the angels of god guarding his owne people , the militia of heaven ? but i perceive the time is past , therefore will end here . the end . matters of great consequence, and worthy of note to all england first the royall embassage from the prince of orange, to the well affected subjects of england : secondly, a message from a committee of both houses of parliament, to the spanish embassador to make stay of the ships at dunkerk, which were intended for the supply of the rebels in ireland : thirdly, the true and humble petition of the lords and commons now assembled in parliament, to the kings most excellent majesty : concerning the lord kimbolton, m. hollis, and the rest of the gentlemen that were accused of high treason : fourthly, an order of the house of the lords for suppressing of the arch-bishop of armaghs sermon, which was falsely put upon him : fiftly, articles against sir edward herbert knight, his majesties attorney generall, by the house of commons : sixtly, an ordinance from his majesty, and both houses of parliament, for the ordering of the militia of the kingdome of england, and also of the dominion of wales : lastly, the names of all the lievtenants of every country, which are approved by the kings majesty. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a50287 of text r8293 in the english short title catalog (wing m1305). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 23 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a50287 wing m1305 estc r8293 12589398 ocm 12589398 63840 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a50287) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 63840) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 250:e135, no 7) matters of great consequence, and worthy of note to all england first the royall embassage from the prince of orange, to the well affected subjects of england : secondly, a message from a committee of both houses of parliament, to the spanish embassador to make stay of the ships at dunkerk, which were intended for the supply of the rebels in ireland : thirdly, the true and humble petition of the lords and commons now assembled in parliament, to the kings most excellent majesty : concerning the lord kimbolton, m. hollis, and the rest of the gentlemen that were accused of high treason : fourthly, an order of the house of the lords for suppressing of the arch-bishop of armaghs sermon, which was falsely put upon him : fiftly, articles against sir edward herbert knight, his majesties attorney generall, by the house of commons : sixtly, an ordinance from his majesty, and both houses of parliament, for the ordering of the militia of the kingdome of england, and also of the dominion of wales : lastly, the names of all the lievtenants of every country, which are approved by the kings majesty. ussher, james, 1581-1656. england and wales. parliament. [8] p. printed at london, for f. coules and tho. bankes, london : 1641. illustrated t.p. imperfect: edges cropped. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng hampden, john, 1594-1643. hesilrige, arthur, -sir, d. 1661. holles, denzil holles, -baron, 1599-1680. manchester, edward montagu, -earl of, 1602-1671. pym, john, 1584-1643. strode, william, 1600 or 1601-1645. ussher, james, 1581-1656. a50287 r8293 (wing m1305). civilwar no matters of great consequence, and worthy of note to all england. first the royall embassage from the prince of orange, to the well affected [no entry] 1642 3814 64 0 0 0 0 0 168 f the rate of 168 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-04 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion matters of great consequence , and worthy of note to all england . first the royall embassage from the prince of orange , to the well affected subjects of england . secondly , a message from a committee of both houses of parliament , to the spanish embassador , to make stay of the ships at dunkerk , which were intended for the supply of the rebels in jreland . thirdly , the true and humble petition of the lords , and commons now assembled in parliament , to the kings most excellent majesty ; concerning the lord kimbolton , m. hollis , and the rest of the gentlemen that were accused of high treason . fourthly , an order of the house of the lords for suppressing of the arch-bishop of armaghs sermon , which was falsely put upon him . fiftly , articles against sir edward herbert knight , his majesties attourny generall , by the house of commons . sixtly , an ordnance from his majesty , and both houses of parliament , for the ordering of the militia of the kingdome of england , and also of the dominion of wales . lastly , the names of all the lievtenants of every country , which are approved by the kings majesty . portrait printed at london for f. coules , and tho. bankes . 1642. a royall embassage from the prince of orange , to the wel-affected subjects in england . we have maturely considered of this disloyall opposition which have been reflected on our father , the manifold endeavours of your unwearied vigilancy , and the obstacles that interrupt the same , with the multiplicity of distractions wherein your kingdome is dangerously involved did forthwith according to our indulgent ●ffection , think it expedient to premonish and advertise you of them nerous perils which are imminent and impendent over you ; it strooke a repercussive griefe and carefull sollicitation into our princely minde , as soone as we had intelligence concerning the same ; and that their stratagems might prove abortive , for the prevention therof we thought good to shew our ●●●lous duty to his maj●sty , our respective affection to his parliament , and the fu●ure security of his royall throne and realme . and first were predictate unto you the obscurely hatched conspiracies of the king of spaine , the o●ject of whose sole intents have principally aimed at the destructive ruine of your nation : we have had credible intelligence ; that he is suddenly resolved to raise a strong and formidable navie ( scarec inferiour to that almost invincible armado ) and with a rushing and unexpected throng invade the land . don pedro affirmed this to be true , and hath conducted many paper-messengers to us concerning the absolute ●ste●pulation and credible assertion of the same . don pedringano l●kewise ( my singular and intimate friend did certifie the same unto me : wherefore we lovingly 〈◊〉 and obsequiously too , premonish you to be circumspective and cautious , for to our certain knowledge don ke●valo caris is in great preparation to raise and augment his fleet as appeared by the notions of our dearest friends . but besides this trap , there is likewise a dangerous snare distended against your kingdome , which both do violently threaten a most preciptious destruction . my intent is not misterious or enigmaticall ▪ but rather very perspicuous to be interpreted i meane the frenchmen , who , like the egyptian locusts , who are resolved to 〈◊〉 in the realm suddenly , and so imbrew their inhumane hands in the ●ffusive bloud of the protestants . these with the anxiliary assistance of the rebels in ireland , being linke confederates , and once conjoyned in the cruell concatination of tyrannicall consp●reces are able to precipitate the whole kingdome at one stroke , if gods omnipotent hand do not stay it , and your vigilant endeavours prevent it , sed meliora speramus , we hope and expect a more happy , favourable , & propitious event . yet notwithstanding without any sup'ne procrastination we humbly beseech for your owne safety particularly , and the epidemicall security of the whole kingdome , that you would with judicious maturity of counsel seriously consider the perrilous precedent premises , and you may then 〈◊〉 , that the consquence thereof is very dangerous . wherefore in this respect our humble advice is , that you would be graciously pleased to fortifie all the chiefe coasts and cinque porte with military arms , and strong ammunition in defence of the kingdome , for otherwise nothing can bee expected but ruinate and precipitate destruction . likewise that you would gravely consider and appoint , that the city of london be strongly provided , and the tower soundly searched , least any intestine plot should be fomented at home . as also , that all mill●●● ammunition be provided , and it be forthwith ordered , that the traine bands should daily waite for prevention of any conspiracies that should ensu● . thus as we have presented our present care and indulgent sollicitation for the safety and welfare of the kingdome : so likewise wee presume to command respectively our petitionary desire to your honours : first , that your honours would be graciously pleased to condiscend to his majesties pleasure and just command , without repugnance and opposition ; for a distractes varience between a king and his subjects , is the first ground and principium of confusion to a nation . therefore wee humbly implore your honours to conjoyne with his majestie in a reciprocall concord , that the knot of peace and tranquillitie may be tyed so securely fast , that all the hell-guided conspiracies of forraigne enemies may be annihilated and abollished . that you would likewise endeavour to concatenate the affections of the people to his majesty , that his royall prerogative and imperiall throne be not violated , and trampled downe by the malicious aspersions of such as are ill-affected and dangerous persons in the realme . that the divisions and distractions in the kingdome may bee allayed and asswaged , to the comfort of his majesty , the honour of his parliament , and the perpetuall peace and prosperity of the realme . in the meane time my diurnall prayers assiduous supplications shal be invocated upon the mighty and almighty assistance and auxiliation of god that all your deliberation and determining counsels may be directed to the right object , and for my part i wil confirm my resolutions , & am fully intended to assist you with my full power and forces , and i shall likewise diligently endeavour to repe● and detrude those forraign enemies : and for the irish rebels we shall labour to quallifie , and by gods divine providence assisting us wee shal crowne england with an olive branch of victorious tranquillity in the kingdome . the impeachment of sir edward harbert , the kings majesties atturney generall . that the said sir edward harbert knight , his majesties atturney generall , sworne the third day of ianuarie in the yeare of the lord 1641. contrary to his oath and the duty of his place , did falsely , scandalously and malitiously advise , frame and publish certaine false , scandalous articles of high treason against the lord kimbolton , one of the members of the house of peers in parliament , densil hollis esq. sir arthur hasilrig barronet , iohn pym , iohn hampden and william strond esquires , being then , and yet members of the house of commons in parliament : a coppy of which articles i am commanded by the house of commons to deliver to your lordships . 1. that they have trayterously endevoured to subvert the fundamentall laws and government of the kingdome of england , to deprive the king of his regal power , and to place in subjects an arbitrary and tyrannicall power over the lives , liberties , and estates of his majesties leige people . 2. that they have trayterously endevoured by many foule aspersions upon his majesty and his government , to alienate the affections of his people , and to make his majesty odious unto them . 3. that they have endevoured to draw his majesties late army to disobedience to his majesties commands , and to side with them in their trayterous designes . 4. that they have trayterously invited and incouraged a forraine power to invade his majesties kingdome of england . 5. that they have trayterously endevoured to subvert the right and very being of parliaments . 6. that for compleating of their trayterous designes they have endevoured ( as far as in theme lay ) by force and terrour to compell the parliament to joyne with them in their trayterous designes , and to that end have actually raysed and countenanced tumults against the king and parliament . 7. that they have traiterously conspired to levie , and actually have levied war against the king . and the said sir edw. harbert , the 3. day of ian. did falsely , unlawfully , and maliciously exhibit the said articles unto the house of peeres in parliament , and caused the same to be entred into the clarks book of the said house , intending & endevouring thereby , falsely , unlawfully , and malitiously to deprive the said houses of their said severall members , and to take away their lives , estates , and good names : all which doings of the said atturney , and every of them , were and are high b●eaches of the priviledges of parliament , tending to sedition , and to the utter subve●sion of the fundamentall rights and being of parliament , the liberty of subjects , and to the great scandall and dishonour of his majesty and his government , and were and are contrarie to the oath of the said atturney general , and to the great trust reposed in him by his majesty : and contrary to the lawes of this realm , and a great derogation to his majesties royall crown and dignity . for which high crimes , and misdemeanors , the sayd commons saving to themselves the liberties of exhibiting any farther or other impeachment or accusation against the said sir edward harbert , do impeach him ; and doe pray that he may be forthwith put to answer the premisses in the presence of the commons . an ordinance of both houses of parliament for the ordering of the milicia of the kingdome of england , and dominion of wales . whereas there hath been of late a most dangerous and desperate designe upon the house of commons , which we have just cause to believe to be an effect of the bloudy counsells of the papists and other ill-affected persons , who have already raised rebellion in the kingdome of ireland ▪ and by reason of many disorders , we cannot but fear they will proceed not onely to stirre up the like rebellion and insurrections in this kingdome of england , but also to back them with forces from abroad . for the safety therefore of his majesties person , the parlament and kingdom in this time of imminent danger , it is ordered by the king , lords , and commons now in parliament assembled , that a. b. shall have power to call together all and singular his majesties subjects , within the countie of c. aswell within liberties as without , that are meet and fit for the wars , and them to traine , exercise and put in readinesse , and them after their abilitie and faculties well and sufficiently from time to time cause to be arrayed and weaponed , and to take the muster of them in places most fit and convenient for that purpose . and the said a. b. shall have power and authority within the said county ▪ to nominate and appoynt such persons of quality , as to him shall seem meet to be his deputy lieutenants to be approved of by both houses of parliament . and that any one or more of the said deputies so assigned , shall in the absence , or by the command of the said a. b. have power and authority to do and execute within the county of c. all such powers and authorities as before in this present ordinance is contained . and he shall have power to make colonells and captaines , and other officers , and also to remove out of their places , and make others , from time to time , as hee shall thinke fit for that purpose . and his deputies , colonells , and captaines , and other officers , shall have further power and authoritie to lead , conduct and imploy the persons aforesay armyed and weaponed , as well within the county of c. as also within any other part of this realme of england , or dominion of wales , for the suppression of all rebellions , insurrections , and invasions that may happen , according as they from time to time shall receive directions by his majesties authoritie-signified unto them by the lords and commons assembled in parliament . and it is further ordained , that such persons as shall not obey in any of the premisses , shall answer their neglect and contempt to the lords and commons in parliamentarie way , and not otherwise , nor else where : and that every the powers granted ( as aforesaid ) shall continue untill it shall be otherwise ordered , or declared by both houses of parliament , and no longer . this to goe also to the dominion of wales . the names of those persons , that were thought fit by his majesty , and the honourable court of parliament to be trusted with the militia of this kingdome . barkshire earle of holland . bedfordshire earle of bol●nbroke . buck●nghamshire lord paget . cambridg●shire and the isle of ely lord north , ch●shre & the county & city of chester lord strange . cornwall lord roberts . cumberland l. gray of wark . derby earle of rutland . devo●shire , & of the county and ●●ity of exon earle of bed. dor●etshire , & the county of the town of pool earl of salisbury . for the isle of purbecke com. dorset . sir . ioh. banks k. l. chiefe iustice of the common pleas , &c. durham s h. vare the elder . essex . earle of warwick ▪ gloustershire , & the ●om & city of glousester lord ●handois . hampshirt , & of the town and county of southamp . and of the isle of wight earle of pembr. hertfordshire earle of salisbury . herefordshire lord dacres . huntingtonshire lord mandevile . kent , and the city and county of canterburie earle of leicester . com. lancaster lord whart●● leicester earle of stamford middlesex earle of holl●●d com. northampton lord spencer . nottingham , and of the towne and county of nottingham earle of clare . northumberland , and of the town and countie of newcastle , and of the town of barwick earle of no●thumberla●d norffolk ▪ and of the com. and c●●y of norwich earle of warw. 〈◊〉 l. vis say & seale rutland earle of exon ▪ salop l. littleton , l. keeper , &c. somerset marquis hertford . that the lieutenant of the county of worcest . shal be nominated before somerset ▪ staffordsh & of the com. of the city of lichfield earle of essex . suffolk earle of suffolk . surrey earle of nottinghā . sussex earl of no●thumber . warwick , & of the com of the city of coventrie lord brook . westmerland earle of cumbe●lād . w●les earle of pembrook . wigorn , & of the county of the city of worcest . lord ed. howard of estrig for the county and city of bristell master densil holl●● . yorkshire , & of the com. and city of york , and of the county of the town of kingston on hul earle of essex . of the parts of kestaven & holland , and the com. of the city of lincoln . earle of lincoln for the parts of lindsay , in the county of holland lord willoughby of ●arum . monmouth lord phil herbert . isle of arglesay earl of northumber . 〈◊〉 lord phil. herbert . caraigan earle of carbery . carm●●ther , and carmarthen town earle of carbery . 〈◊〉 earle of pembrook . denbigh lord fielding . flintshire lord fielding . glamorgan lord phil. herbert . montgomery earle of essex . merioneth earle of pembrooke . pembrooke , and the towne of haverford west earle of northumberland . radnor lord little●●● l. keeper . &c. that for the levving , ordering , and exercising the m●litia of the city of london , power is given un●o sir iohn w●ll●stere , sir iacob garret , knights , and alder●en ▪ thomas atkin alderman , sir iohn wollistone , k. and alderman , iohn warner alderman , and iohn toufe alderman , serjeant m●jor general s●●ppon , or any three or more of them . randolph m●●waring , william gibs , iohn fowke , iam●s b●●●ce , francis peck , samuel warner iames russ●ll , nathanael wright , william ●arkler , alexander norm●●nghton , stephen 〈◊〉 , owen ro●e , citizens of london , or any 〈◊〉 or more of them . to the kings most excellent maiesty the humble petition of the lords and commons now assembled in parliament . sheweth , that your majesty , in answer to their late petition , touching the proceedings against the lord kimbleton , m. hollis , sir arthur hasserig , m. pym . m. hampden , and m. strode , members of the parliament , was pleased to signifie , that as your majesty once conceived , that you had ground enough to accuse them , so now your majesty findes as good cause wholly to desert any further prosecution of them . notwithstanding which , they remaine still under that heavy charge so imputed unto them , to the exceeding prejudice , not onely of themselves , but also of the whole parl●●ment . and whereas by the expresse lawes , and statutes of this your realme , that is to say , by two acts of parliament , the one made in the thirty seven , and the other in the thirty eighth year● of the raigne of your most noble progenitor , king edward the third ; if any person whatsoever ▪ make suggestion to the king himselfe , of any crime committed by another , the same person ought to bee sent , with the suggestion , before the chancellor or keeper of the great s●●●e , treasurer , and the great councell , there to finde surety to pursue his sugg●stio● , which if he cannot prove , hee is to bee imprisoned till he hath satisfied the party , accused of his 〈◊〉 , and slander , and made fine and 〈◊〉 to the king . the said lords and commons humbly beseech your maiesty , that not onelyin point of iustice to the said members in their particulars , but for the v●ndication of the rights and priviledges of parliament . your majesty will bee pleased to send the person or persons , that in this case made the suggestions , or informations to your majesty , against the said members of parliament , together with the said suggestions or informations , to your parliament , that so such fruites of the said good lawes may bee had , as was intended by them , and the rights and priviledges of parliament may bee vindicated , which of right and justice ought not to be denyed . a message from a committee of both houses of parliament , to the spanish ambassador , to make stay of ships at dunkerk , intended for the supply of the rebels in ireland . the lords and commons have commanded us , to intimate to the spanish ambassador , the advertisement that they have received of certaine ships lying in dunkerk , laded with ammunition ready to take saile , intended for the reliefe of the rebels of ireland : this they hold contrary to the articles agreed upon , in the treaties of peace betweene the two crownes ; and therefore the ambassador is to bee moved from both houses , to send speedily to dunkerk , and to all other his majesties dominions , and unto the king his master , to make stay of those , and , all such ships , as may carry any supply of men , victuals , money , or any other ayde to his majesties subjects , that at this present are in rebellion in ireland ; which otherwise will bee understood to bee a breach of the treaties , between the crownes of england and spaine , and so resented by the parliament . to the right honourable , the house of peeres , now assembled in parliament . the humble petition of iames archbishop of armagh , humbly sheweth , that whereas your lordships , were pleased to employ your petitioner in preaching before you on the fast-day , the 22. of december last ; ( which service , according to his mean ability , he was carefull to perform ) so it is , that one iohn nicholson , having got into his hands , a collection of some rude , and incoherent notes of that sermon , tooke the boldnesse to publish the same ( under the title of vox hiberniae ) as a true relation of that which was uttered before your lordships that day . which being in many places void of common sense , and in the whole , every way unanwerable unto what was fit to have bin delivered before so honourable and judicious an audience : his humble request is , that your lordships would be pleased , to call in that supposititious pamphlet , &c. die veneris 11. februarii , 1641. ordered by the lords in parliament , that a book concerning the l ▪ archbishop of armagh , being published and printed by iohn nicholson , shall bee called in and suppress●d . io. browne . cleric . parliam . finis . the iudgement of doctor rainoldes touching the originall of episcopacy more largely confirmed out of antiquity / by james archbishop of armagh. ussher, james, 1581-1656. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64660 of text r7442 in the english short title catalog (wing u186). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 24 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64660 wing u186 estc r7442 11976553 ocm 11976553 51794 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64660) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 51794) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 521:3) the iudgement of doctor rainoldes touching the originall of episcopacy more largely confirmed out of antiquity / by james archbishop of armagh. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 16 p. printed by g.m. for thomas dovvnes, and are to be sold by wiliam lee ..., london : 1641. first edition. reproduction of original in university of pennsylvania library. eng rainolds, john, 1549-1607. -judgement of doctor reignolds concerning episcopacy. episcopacy. a64660 r7442 (wing u186). civilwar no the iudgement of doctor rainoldes touching the originall of episcopacy. more largely confirmed out of antiquity by james archbishop of armag ussher, james 1641 3768 23 210 0 0 0 0 618 f the rate of 618 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2005-04 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the iudgement of doctor rainoldes touching the originall of episcopacy . more largely confirmed out of antiquity by james archbishop of armagh . london , printed by g.m. for thomas dovvnes , and are to be sold by william loe at the turkes head in fleetstreet . 1641. the ivdgement of doctor rainoldes touching the originall of episcopacie . when a elders were ordain'd by the apostles in every church , b through every city , c to * feed the flocke of christ , whereof the holy ghost had made them over-seers : they to the intent they might the better doe it by common counsell and consent , did use to assemble themselves and meete together . in the which meetings , for the more orderly handling and concluding of things pertaining to their charge ; they chose one amongst them to be the president of their company and moderator of their actions . as in the church of ephesus , though it had d sundry elders and pastors to guide it : yet amongst those sundry was there one chiefe , whom our saviour calleth e the angell of the church , and writeth that to him , which by him the rest should know . and this is he whom afterward in the primitive church the fathers called bishop . for as the name of f ministers , common to all them who serve christ in * the stewardship of the mysteries of god , that is in preaching of the gospell , is now by the custome of our english speech restrained to elders who are under a bishop : so the name of g bishop common to all elders and pastors of the church , was then by the usuall language of the fathers appropriated to him who had the presidentship over elders . thus are certaine elders reproved by h cyprian ; for receiving to the communion them who had fallen ( in time of persecution ) before the bishop had advised of it with them and others . and i cornelius writeth that the catholick church committed to his charge had sixe and forty elders , and ought to have but one bishop . and both of them being bishops , the one of rome , the other of carthage , k doe witnesse of themselves that they dealt in matters of their churches governement by the consent and counsell of the company of elders , or the eldership , l as they both ( after s. m paul ) doe call it . thus farre , that reverend a doctor : whose observation touching the angell of the church of ephesus ( in the second of the revelation ) that he was the same with him whom afterwards in the primitive church the fathers called bishop , is clearely confirmed , both by the succession of the first bishops of that church , and by the testimony of ignatius , who ( within no greater compasse of time then twelve yeares afterwards ) distinguisheth the singular and constant president thereof , from the rest of the number of the presbyters , by appropriating the name of bishop unto him . as for the former : we finde it openly declared in the generall councell of chalcedon , by leontius bishop of magnesia ; that b from timothie ( and so from the daies of the apostles ) there had beene a continued succession of seven and twenty bishops ; all of them ordained in ephesus ▪ of which number the angell of the church of ephesus , mentioned in the revelation , must needs be one whether it were timothie himselfe , as c some conceive ; or one of his next successors , as others rather do imagine . for that timothie had been sometime d the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( which is the appellation which iustin martyr giveth unto him , whom other of the fathers do peculiarly tearme a bishop ) or antistes , or president of the ephesine presbytery , is confessed by beza himselfe : and that he was ordained the first bishop of the church of the ephesians , we doe not onely read in the subscription of the second epistle to timothie , and the ecclesiasticall history of e eusebius , but also in two ancient treatises concerning the martyrdome of timothie ; the one namelesse in the library of f photius , the other bearing the name of g polycrates , even of that polycrates , who was not onely himselfe bishop of this church of ephesus , but borne also within six or seven and thirty yeares after s. iohn wrote the forenamed epistle unto the angell of that church : as it appeareth by the yeares he was of , when he wrote that epistle unto victor bishop of rome , wherein he maketh mention of h seven kinsmen of his who had beene bishops ; he himselfe being the eight . i come now to the testimony of ignatius : whom i theodoret and k felix bishop of rome , and l iohn the chronographer of antioch report to have beene ordained bishop of antioch by s. peter ; and without all controversie did sit in that see , the very same time wherein that epistle unto the angell of the church of ephesus was commanded to be written . in the isle of patmos had s. iohn his revelation manifested unto him , m toward the end of the empire of domitian , as irenaeus testifieth ; or the foureteenth yeare of his governement , as n eusebius and hierom specifie it . from thence there are but twelve yeares reckoned unto the tenth of trajan : wherein ignatius , in that last journey which he made for the consummation of his glorious martyrdome at rome , wrote another epistle unto the selfe-same church of ephesus . in which he maketh mention of their then bishop onesimus : as it appeares both by o eusebius citing this out of it , and by the epistle it selfe yet extant . in this epistle to the ephesians , ignatius having acknowledged that their p numerous multitude was received by him in the person of their bishop onesimus , and q blessed god for granting unto them such a bishop as he was : doth afterwards put them in mind of their r duty in concurring with him , as he sheweth their worthy presbytery did , being s so conjoyned ( as he saith ) with their bishop , as the strings are with the harpe ; and toward the end exhorteth them to t obey both the bishop and the presbytery , with an undevided minde . in the same journey wrote ignatius also an epistle unto the church of smyrna ; another of those seven unto whom those letters are directed in s. iohns revelation ▪ wherein he also u saluteth their bishop and presbytery : exhorting all the people to x follow their bishop , as christ iesus did his father , and the presbytery , as the apostles ; and telling them that y no man ought either to administer the sacraments , or doe any thing appertaining to the church , without the consent of the bishop . and that polycarpus was then bishop , when s. iohn wrote unto the angell of the church in smyrna ; who can better informe us then irenaeus ? who did not onely know those worthy men , z who succeeded polycarpus in his see ; but also a was present , when he himselfe did discourse of his conversation with s. iohn , and of those things which he heard from those who had seene our lord iesus . polycarpus b saith he , was not onely taught by the apostles and conversed with many of those that had seene christ , but also was by the apostles constituted in asia bishop of the church which is in smyrna : whom we our selves also did see in our younger age for he continued long , and being very aged , he most gloriously and nobly suffering martyrdome departed this life . now being ordained bishop of symrna by the apostles ; who had finished their cours● and departed out of this life before s. iohn ( the last surviver of them ) did write his revelation : who but he could there be meant by the angell of the church in smyrna ? in which that he still held his episcopall office unto the time of his martyrdome ( which fell out lxxiiii yeares afterward ) may sufficiently appeare by this testimony , which the brethren of the church of smyrna , who were present at his suffering , gave unto him . c he was the most admirable man in our times , an apostolicall and propheticall doctor , and bishop of the catholick church which is in smyrna . whereunto we may add the like of polycrates bishop of ephesus , who lived also in his time and in his neighbourhood , affirming d polycarpus to have beene both bishop and martyr in smyrna . so saith he in his synodicall epistle , directed unto victor bishop of rome , about 27 yeares after the martyrdome of polycarpus ; he himselfe being at that time 65 yeares of age . about the very same time wherein polycrates wrote this epistle unto victor , did tertullian publish his book of prescriptions against hereticks : wherein he avoucheth against them , that e as the church of smyrna had polycarpus placed there by iohn , and the church of rome clement ordained by peter ; so the rest of the churches also did shew , what bishops they had received by the appointment of the apostles , to traduce the apostolicall seed unto them . and so before him did irenaeus urge against them f the successions of bishops , unto whom the apostles committed the charge of the church in every place . g for all the hereticks ( saith he ) are much later then those bishops , unto whom the apostles committed the churches . and , h we are able to number those who by the apostles were ordained bishops in the churches , and their successours unto our daies ; who neither taught nor knew any such thing as these men dreame of . for proofe whereof , he bringeth in the succession of the bishops of rome , from i linus ( unto whom the blessed apostles committed that episcopacie ) and anacletus ( by others called cletus ) and clement ( who did both see the apostles , and conferred with them ) unto k eleutherius ; who , when he wrote had the charge of that bishoprick in the twelfth place after the apostles ; concerning whom , and the integrity which then continued in each other succession from the apostles daies , hegesippus , who at the same time published his history of the church , saith thus . l soter succeeded anicetus , and after him was eleutherius . now , in every succession , and in every city , all things so stand , as the law and the prophets , and our lord doe preach ▪ when this m eleutherius ( as our bede relateth ) was bishop of the church of rome , lucius king of the brittaines sent an epistle to him ; desiring that by his meanes he might be made christian ▪ who presently obtained the effect of his pious request : and the brittaines kept the faith then received sound and undefiled in quiet peace , untill the times of dioclesian the emperour . by whose bloudy persecution the faith and discipline of our brittish churches was not yet so quite extinguished ; but that within ten yeares after ( and eleven before the first generall councell of nice ) three of our bishops were present and subscribed unto the councell of arles : n eborius of yorke , restitutus of london , and adelfius of colchester , called there colonia londinensium ▪ the first root of whose succession we must fetch beyond eleutherius , and as high as s. peter himselfe : if it be true , that he o constituted churches here , and ordained bishops , presbyters and deacons in them ; as symeon metaphrastes relateth out of some part of p eusebius ( as it seemeth ) that is not come unto our hands . but , to returne unto the angels of the seven churches , mentioned in the revelation of s. iohn : by what hath beene said , it is apparent , that seven singular bishops , who were the constant presidents over those churches , are pointed at under that name . for other sure they could not be , if all of them were cast into one mould , and were of the same quality with polycarpus , the then angell of the church in smyrna : who without all question was such , if any credit may be given herein unto those that saw him and were well acquainted with him . and as tertullian in expresse termes affirmeth him to have beene placed there by s. iohn himselfe ( in the testimony before alledged out of his q prescriptions : ) so doth he else-where , from the order of the succeeding bishops , not obscurely intimate , that the rest of that number were to be referred unto the same descent . r we have , saith he , the churches that were bred by john . for although marcion do reject his revelation ; yet the order of the bishops reckoned up unto their originall , will stand for iohn to be their founder . neither doth the ancient writer of the martyrdome of timothy ( mentioned by photius ) meane any other by those seven bishops , whose assistance he saith s. iohn did use , after his returne from patmos , in the governement of the metropolis of the ephesians , that is , of the churches of asia most properly so called , which in his time acknowledged the bishop of ephesus for their primate . s being revoked from his exile by the sentence of nerva , he betook himselfe to the metropolis of ephesus ; and being assisted with the presence of the seven bishops , he took upon him the government of the metropolis of the ephesians : and continued , preaching the word of piety , untill the empire of trajan . that he remained with the ephesians and the rest of the brethren of asia , untill the daies of trajan ; and that during the time of his abode with them , he published his gospell ; is sufficiently witnessed by t irenaeus . that upon his returne from the island , after the death of domitian , he applied himselfe to the government of the churches of asia , si confirmed likewise both by u eusebius , and by x hierom : who further addeth , that y at the earnest intreaty of the bishops of asia he wrote there his gospell . and that he himselfe also , being free from his banishment , did ordaine bishops in divers churches , is clearely testified by clement of alexandria ; who lived in the next age after , and delivereth it as a certaine truth , which he had received from those who went before him and could not be farre from the time wherein the thing it selfe was acted . z when s. iohn ( saith he ) domitian the tyrant being dead , removed from the island of patmos unto ephesus , by the intreaty of some he went also unto the neighbouring nations ; in some places constituting bishops , in others founding whole churches ▪ and thus much may suffice for the deduction of episcopacie from the apostolicall times . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64660e-130 a act. 14.23 . b tit. 1.5 . c act. 20.28 . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that is , to doe the duty of a pastor to it . d act. 20.17 . e rev. 2.1 . f 1. cor. 4.1 . * luke 12.42 . g 1. tim 3.2 . tit. 1.7 . act. 20.28 . h epist. 13. presbyteris & diaconis . i euseb. hist. eccles. 1.6 . c. 42. k cornelius cypriano ep. 46. cyprianus presbyteris & diaconis ep. 6. l cornelius ep. 46. apud cyprianum . m 1. tim. 4.14 . a d. rainold . conference with hart , chap. 8. divis 3. b {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . concil chalcedon . act. 11. c 〈…〉 . in vit. polycarp . cap 7. d n●tandum est ex 〈◊〉 , timotheum in ephesino presbyterio 〈…〉 {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( id est , antis●●●em ) ut vocat justinus . pez . annotat. in 1. tim. 5.19 . qui politicae causa reliquis fratribus in coetu praeerat ( qu●m iustinus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} vocat ) peculiariter dici episcopus coepit . id. in philip . 1.1 . e euseb. hist. lib 3. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . f {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . & post . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . phot. b●bliothec . num . 254. g polycrat . de martyrio timothei : inter vitas sanctorum ▪ edit. lovanij anno 1485 ▪ h {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . polycrat . epist. ad victorem : apud euseb lib. 5. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . i theodoret in dialogo 1. sive {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . k felix iii. in epist. ad zenonem . imp. recitat . in v. synodo constantinopol . act. 1. ( tomo 2. concilior . pag. 220. edit. binij , ann. 1606 ) l johan . mal●la antiochenus , chronic. lib. 10. m.s. m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . iren. advers. haeres . lib. 5. cap. 30. euseb. lib. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . n euseb. chronic. hieron. catal. scriptor . ecclesiast . in johanne . o euseb. lib. 3. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . p {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ignat epist. ad e●h●s q {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ibid. r {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ibid. s {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ibid. t {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ibid. u {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. in epist. ad smyrn. x {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ibid y {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. ibid. z {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . iren. advers haeres lib 3. cap. 3. euseb. lib. 4 hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . a iren. in epist ad florinum : ( apud euseb. lib. 5. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ) & ad victorem ( ibid. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ) b {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . iren lib 3. cap. 3. ut suprà . c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . smyrnens . eccle. . epist. encycl de martyrio polycarpi euseb. lib 4. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . polycrat . epist. ad victorem : apud euseb. lib. 5. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . e sicut smyrnaeorum ecclesia polycarpum ab johanne conlocatum resert ; sicut romanorum clementem à petro ordinatum edit : proinde ( or perinde ) utique 〈◊〉 ●●ceterae exhibent quos , ab apostolis in episcopatum constitutos . apostolici seminis traduces habent . tertullian de praescript . cap. 32. vid. & ejusd lib. 4. contra marcion . cap. 5. f successiones episcoporum , quibus apostolicam quae in unoquoque loco est ecclesiam tradiderunt . iren. lib. 4. advers. haeres . cap. 63. g omnes enim ij valdè posteriores sunt , quàm episcopi , quibus apostoli tradiderunt ecclesias . id. lib. 5. cap. 20. h habemus annumerare eos qui ab apostolis instituti sunt episcopi in ecclesijs , & successores eorum usque ad nos ; qui nihil tale docuerunt neque cognoverunt quale ab his deliratur . id. lib. 3. cap 3. i {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. ibid. & apud eu●eb lib 5. hist {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . k {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . & s. ibid. l {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . hegesip. . apud euseb. lib 4. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . m cùm eleutherius vir sanctus pontificatui romanae ecclesiae praeesset , misit ad eum lucius britannorum rex epistolam ; obsecrans ut per ejus mandatum christianus efficeretur . et mox effectū piae postulationis consecutus est : susceptamque fidem britanni usque in tempora diocletiani principis inviolatam integramque quietâ pace servabant . bed. hist. ecclesiast . anglor . lib. 1. cap. 4. n tom. 1. concilior . galiae , à sirmondo edit. pag. 9. o {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . metaphrast . commentar. de petro & paulo ; ad diem 29 iu●ij . p {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ibid. q tertull. praescript . cap. 32. & , post eum , hieronymus in catal. script . ecclesiast . cap. 17. polycarpus , joannis apostoli discipulus , ab eo smyrnae episcopus ordinatus . r ha●emus & joannis alumnas ecclesias . nam etsi apocalypsim ejus marcion respuit ; ordo tamen episcoporum ad originem recensus , in joannem stabit auctorem . sic & caeterarum generositas recognoscitur . tertullian . advers. marcion . lib. 4. cap 5. s {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . phot. bibliothec num 254. t irenae . advers heraes . lib. 2 cap. 39. item lib. 3 . c 1. & 3. u euseb. lib. 3. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . x hie●onym . in catal. script ecclesiast . cap 9. y id ibid. & praefat. in evangel matthaei ▪ z {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . clem. alexandrin . in lib de divite salvando ( qui falso origenis nomine habetur editus , ad calcem tomi 3. commentariorum michaelis ghislerij ) euseb. hist. lib 3. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the reduction of episcopacie unto the form of synodical government received in the ancient church proposed in the year 1641 as an expedient for the prevention of those troubles which afterwards did arise about the matter of church-government / by james usher ; published by nicholas bernard. ussher, james, 1581-1656. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64679 of text r29579 in the english short title catalog (wing u218). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 26 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64679 wing u218 estc r29579 11174611 ocm 11174611 46533 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64679) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 46533) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1432:28) the reduction of episcopacie unto the form of synodical government received in the ancient church proposed in the year 1641 as an expedient for the prevention of those troubles which afterwards did arise about the matter of church-government / by james usher ; published by nicholas bernard. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 149-176 p. [s.n.], london : 1658. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. eng church of england -government. church polity. a64679 r29579 (wing u218). civilwar no the reduction of episcopacie unto the form of synodical government received in the ancient church proposed in the year 1641 as an expedient ussher, james 1658 4093 43 15 0 0 1 0 166 f the rate of 166 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-04 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the reduction of episcopacy unto the form of synodical government , received in the ancient church : by the most reverend and learned father of our church dr. james usher , late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of all ireland . proposed in the year 1641. as an expedient for the prevention of those troubles , which afterwards did arise about the matter of church-government . published by nicholas bernard . d. d. preacher to the honourable society of grayes-inne , london . london , printed , anno domini , 1658. to the reader . the originall of this was given me by the most reverend primate , some few years before his death , wrote throughout with his own hand , and of late i have found it subscribed by himself , and doctor holseworth , and with a marginal note at the first proposition , which i have also added . if it may now answer the expectation of many pious , and prudent persons , who have desired the publishing of it , as a seasonable preparative to some moderation in the midst of those extreams , which this age abounds with , it will attain the end intended by the authour : and it is likely to be more operative , by the great reputation he had , and hath in the hearts of all good men , being far from the least suspicion to be byassed by any privivate ends , but onely ayming at the reducing of order , peace , and unity , which god is the authour of , and not of confusion . for the recovery of which , it were to be wished , that such as do consent in substantials , for matter of doctrine , would consider of some conjunction in point of discipline , that private interest and circumstantials , might not keep them thus far asunder . grayes-inne , octob. 13. 1657. n. bernard . the reduction of episcopacy unto the form of synodical government , received in the ancient church ; proposed in the year 1641 , as an expedidient for the prevention of those troubles , which afterwards did arise about the matter of church-government . episcopal and presbyterial government conjoyned . by order of the church of england , all presbyters are charged a to administer the doctrine and sacraments , and the discipline of christ , as the lord hath commanded , and as this realme hath received the same ; and that they might the better understand what the lord had commanded therein , b the exhortation of saint paul , to the elders of the church of ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their ordination ; take heed unto your selves , and to all the flock among whom the holy ghost hath made you overseers to c rule the congregation of god , which he hath purchased with his blood . of the many elders , who in common thus ruled the church of ephesus , there was one president , whom our saviour in his epistle unto this church in a peculiar manner stileth d the angell of the church of ephesus : and ignatius in another epistle written about twelve yeares after unto the same church , calleth the bishop thereof . betwixt the bishop and the presbytery of that church , what an harmonius consent there was in the ordering of the church-government , the same ignatius doth fully there declare , by the presbytery , with e saint paul , understanding the community of the rest of the presbyters , or elders , who then had a hand not onely in the delivery of the doctrine and sacraments , but also in the administration of the discipline of christ : for further proof of which , we have that known testimony of tertullian in his general apology for christians . f in the church are used exhortations , chastisements , and divine censure ; for judgement is given with great advice as among those , who are certain they are in the sight of god , and in it is the chiefest foreshewing of the judgement which is to come , if any man have so offended , that he be banished from the communion of prayer , and of the assembly , and of all holy fellowship . the presidents that bear rule therein are certain approved elders , who have obtained this honour not by reward , but by good report , who were no other ( as he himself intimates ) elsewhere but g those from whose hands they used to receive the sacrament of the eucharist . for with the bishop , who was the chiefe president ( and therefore stiled by the same tertullia● in another place , h summus sacerdos for distinction sake ) the rest of the dispensers of the word and sacraments joyned in the common government of the church ; and therefore , where in matters of ecclesiasticall judicature , cornetius bishop of rome used the received forme of i gathering together the presbytery ; of what persons that did consist , cyprian sufficiently declareth , when he wisheth him to read his letters k to the flourishing clergy : which there did preside , or rule with him : the presence of the clergy being thought to bee so requisite in matters of episcopall audience , that in the fourth counc●ll of c 〈…〉 ge it was concluded , l that the bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of 〈◊〉 clergy : and that otherwise the 〈…〉 ops sentence should be void , unlesse it were confirmed by the presence of the clergy : which we find also to be inserted into the canons of m egbert , who was arch-bishop of york in the saxon times , and afterwards into the body of the n cannon law it self . true it is , that in our church this kinde of presbyterial government hath been long disused , yet seeing it still professeth that every pastor hath a right to rule the church ( from whence the mame of rector also was given at first unto him ) and to administer the discipline of christ , as well as to dispense the doctrine and sacraments , and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth onely from the custome now received in this realm ; no man can doubt , but by another law of the land , this hinderance may be well removed . and how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the clergy might be 〈…〉 ved again , and with what lit 〈…〉 〈…〉 ew of alteration the synodical conventions of the pasters of every parish might be accorded with the presidency of the bishops of each diocese and province , the indifferent reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing propositions . i. in every parish the rector , or incumbent pastor , together with the church-wardens and sides-men , may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that congregation , who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs , as the quality of their offence shall deserve ▪ and if by this means they cannot be reclaimed , they may be presented to the next monethly synod ; and in the mean time debarred by the pastor from accesse unto the lords table . ii. whereas by a statute in the six and twentieth year of king henry the eighth ( revived in the first year of queen elizabeth ) suffragans are appointed to be erected in 26 several places of this kingdom ; the number of them might very well be conformed unto the number of the several rural deanries into which every diocese is subdivided ; which being done , the suffragan supplying the place of those , who in the ancient church were called chorepiscopi , might every moneth assemble a synod of all the rectors , or incumbent pastors within the precinct , and according to the major part of their voyces , coclude all matters that shall be brought into debate before them . to this synod the rector and church-wardens might present such impenitent persons , as by admonitions and suspension from the sacrament would not be reformed ; who if they should still remain contumacious and incorrigible , the sentence of excommunication might be decreed against them by the synod , and accordingly be executed in the parish where they lived . hitherto also all things that concerned the parochial ministers might be referred , whether they did touch their doctrine , or their conversation ' as also the censure of all new opiuions , heresies , and schismes , which did arise within that circuit ; with liberty of appeal , if need so require , unto the diocesan synod . iii. the diocesan synod might be held , once , or twice in the year , as it should be thought most convenient : therein all the suffragans , and the rest of the rectors , or incumbent pasters ( or a certain select number of of every deanry ) within the dio●ese might meet , with whose consent , or the major part of them , all things might be concluded by the bishop , or * saperintendent ( call him whether you will ) or in his absence , by one of the suffragans ; whom he shall depute in his stead to be moderator of that assembly . here all matters of greater moment might be taken into consideration , and the orders of the monthly synodes revised , and ( if need be ) reformed : and if here also any ma●ter of difficulty could not receive a full determination : it might be referred to the next provincial , or national synod . iv. the provincial synod might consist of all the bishops and suffragans , and such other of the clergy as should be elected out of every diocese within the province , the arch-bishop of either province , might be the moderator of this meeting , ( or in his room some one of the bishops appointed by him ) and all mat●ers be ordered therein by common consent as in the former assemblies . this synod might be held every third year , and if the parliament do then sit ( according to the act of a triennial parliament ) both the arch-bishops and provincial synods of the land might joyn together , and make up a national councel : wherein all appeals from infer 〈…〉 ur synods might be received , all their acts examined , and all ecclesiastical constitutions which concerne the state of the church of the whole nation established . we are of the judgement that the form of government here proposed is not in any point repugnant to the scripture ; and that the suffragans mentioned in the second proposition , may lawfully use the power both of jurisdiction and ordination , according to the word of god , and the practice of the ancient church . ja. armachanus . rich. holdsworth . after the proposal of this , an. 1641. many quaeries were made , and doubts in point of conscience resolved by the primate , divers passages of which he heth left under his own hand , shewing his pious endeavours to peace and unity , which how far it then prevailed , is out of season now to relate , only i wish it might yet be thought of to the repairing of the breach , which this division hath made , and that those , who are by their office messengers of peace , and whose first word to cach house should be peace , would earnestly promote it , within the walls of their mother-church , wherein they were educated , and not thus by contending about circumstantials lose the substance , and make our selves a prey to the adversary of both , who rejoyce in their hearts , saying , so would we have it . which are the primates works , and which not . a catalogue of the works already printed of doctor james usher , late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of all ireland , which are owned by him . in latine . de ecclesiarum christianarum successione & statu. quarto , londini , 1613. epistolarum hibernicarum sylloge , 4o . dublinii 1630. historia goteschalci , 4o . dublinii 1631. de primordiis ecclesiarum britanicarum , 4o . dublinii 1639. ignatii epistolae cum annotationibus , 4o . oxoniae 1645. de anno solari macedonum , 8o . londini 1648. annales veteris testamenti , fol. londini 1650. annales novi testamenti usque ad extremum templi & reipublicae judaicae excidium , &c. fol. londini 2654. epistola ad capellum de variantibus textus hebraici lectionibus , 4o . londinii 1652. de graeca septuaginta interpretum versione syntagma 4o . londini 1655. these four last are sold by john crook , at the ship in st. paul's church-yard . in english . an answer to a challènge made by the jesuite malone in ireland , anno 1631. a sermon preached before the house of commons , febr. 18. 1618. a declaration of the visibility of the church , preached in a sermon before king james , june 20. 1624. a speech delivered in the castle-chamber in dublin , the 22. of november , 1622. the religion profest by the ancient irish and brittains , 4o . 1631. these five are bound together in quarto . immanuel , or the incarnation of the son of god , 4o . dublin . 1639. a geographical description of the lesser asia , 4o . oxford , 1644. the judgement of doctor reynolds , touching the original of episcopacy more largely confirmed out of antiquity , an. 1641. his discourse of the original of bishops and metropolitanes , in 4o . oxford , 1644. his small catechisme re-viewed , 12o . london , 1654. ☞ his aforesaid annals of the old and new testament ; with the synchronismus of heathen story to the destruction of jerusalem , translated out of latin into english now at the presse , fol. to be sold by john crook , at the ship in st. pauls church-yard . in regard there have been , and are divers books printed , which go under the name of the late arch-bishop of armagh , but are not his , and more may be obtruded to the injury of him , i have thought fit , at the request of the printer , to give the reader this advertisement following . in anno● 1640. there was a book printed , entitled the bishop of armaghs direction to the house of parliament , concerning the liturgy and episcopal government , and anno 1641. another book entitled vox hiberniae , being some pretended notes of his , at a publick fas● . both these at his petition were suppressed by order from the house of lords and commons , 11. feb. 1641. and i hope will not be revived . in anno 1651. a book called ( a method for meditation , or a manual of divine duties , which most injuriously is printed in his name , but is none of his , which he directed me then to declare publickly as from him , yet in 1657. it is again reprinted to his great dishonour . for his small catechisme the reader is to take notice , that there was a false one printed without his knowledge , and is still sold for his . the injury he received by it compelled him to review it , with an epistle of his own before it , which is the mark to know the right edition , though being framed for his private use in his younger yeares , ( about 23. ) he had no intention of it for the publick . if any sermon-notes taken from him have been printed in his life-time under his name , or shall be hereafter ) which divers have of late attempted ) the reader is to take notice that it was against his minde , and that they are disowned , by him , which as he endeavoured to his utmost to suppresse , while he was living , so it was his fear to be injured in it after his death . for a further confirmation of which , i shall give you part of a letter of his , while he was bishop of meath , ( upon the like intention of a printer , who had gotten into his hands some notes of his sermons , said to be preached by him in london , and was about to publish them ) which he wrote to doctor featly , chaplain to the then arch-bishop of canterbury for the stopping of them , in these words . i beseech you to use all your power to save me from that disgrace , which undiscreet and covetous men go about to fasten upon me , or else i must be driven to protest against their injurious dealings with me , and say as donatus once did , mala illis sit , qui me● festinant edere ante me . but i repose cenfidence in you , that you will take order that so great a wrong as this may not be done unto me . remember me to worthy doctor goad , and forget not in your prayers . dublin , sept. 16. 1622. your most assured loving friend , and fellow labourer ja. medensis . that book entitled the summe and substance of christian religion , some of the materials with the method are his , collected by him in his yonger years , for his own private use : but , being so unpolished , defective , and full of mistakes , he was much displeased at the publishing of it in his name . and though it be much commended at home , and by ludovicus crocius abroad , yet that he did disown it as it is now set forth , this letter following , wrote to mr. john downham , ( who caused it to be printed ) doth sufficiently confirm , as followeth . sir , you may be pleased to take notice , that the catechisme you write of is none of mine , but transcribed out of mr , cartwrights catechisme , and mr. crooks , and some other english divines , but drawn together in one method , as a kind of common-place-book , where other mens judgements and reasons are simply laid down , though not approved in all points by the collector ; besides that the collection ( such as it is ) being lent abroad to divers in scattered sheets , hath for a great part of it miscarried , the one half of it as i suppose ( well nigh ) being no way to be recovered , so that so imperfect a thing copied verbatim out of others , and in divers places dissonant from mine own judgement , may not by any meanes be owned by me ; but if it shall seem good to any industrious person to cut off what is weak and superfluous therein , and supply the wants thereof , and cast it into a new mould of his own framing , i shall be very well content that he make what use he pleaseth of any the materials therein , and set out the whole in his own name : and this is the resolution of may 13. 1645. your most assured loving friend ja. armachanus . a book entituled confessions and proofs of protestant divines of reformed churches for episcopacy , &c. though it be a very learned one , yet it is not his ; onely that of the original of bishops and metropolitans ( frequently bound up with the former ) is owned by him . unto which he was earnestly moved by a letter from doctor hall , the late reverend and learned bishop of norwich , then bishop of exeter ; which , shewing the great esteem he had of him , is annexed as followeth . to the most reverend father in god , and my most honoured lord , the lord arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland . most reverend , and my most worthily honoured , lord . that which fell from me yesterday , suddenly and transcursively , hath since taken up my after-midnight thoughts , and i must crave leave , what i then moved , to importune , that your grace would be pleased to bestow one sheet of paper upon these distracted times , in the subject of episcopacy , shewing the apostolical original of it , and the grounds of it from scripture , and the immediately succeeding antiquity ; every line of it coming from your graces hand , would be super rotas suas : as solomons expression is , very apples of gold , with pictures of silver , and more worth than volumes from us : think , that i stand before you like the man of macedon , and that you hear me say , come and help us : and as your grace is wholly given up to the common good of the church , say , whether you can deny it ? and if please your grace to take your rise from my humble motion to expresse your self in this question , wherein i am publickly interested , or otherwise , to professe your voluntary resolutions for the setling of many , either misled , or doubting soules , it will be the most acceptable , and ( i hope ) the most successefull work that your grace hath ever undertaken ; it was my earnest motion long ago to ( {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) to intreat this labour from your grace ; which now comes from my meannesse ; your gracious humility will not even from so low hands disregard it ; with my zealous suit , and hopefull expectation of a yeilding answer , i humbly take leave , and am your graces humbly , and heartily devoted jos. exon. finis ▪ notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64679e-430 a the book of ordination . b ●●id , ex act. 20 , 27 , 28. c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . so taken in mat. 2. 6. and rev. 12. 5. and 19. 15. d rev. 2. 1. e 1 tim. 4. 14. f ibidem etiam exhortationes , castigationes & censura divina ; nam & judicatur magno cum p●●dere ut apud cert●s de dei conspectu , summú nque futuri judicii p●aeiudicium est . si quis ita deli 〈…〉 , ut à commu●●catione . o●ationis & conventus , & omnis sancti commecii relegetur president proba●● quique seniores , honorem istum non pretio , sed testimonio adepti . t●●tul . apologet. cap. 39. g 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manibus 〈◊〉 praesidentium s●m●mus , 〈◊〉 de coro●● 〈◊〉 , cap. 3. h dan●● quidem 〈◊〉 hab● 〈◊〉 sum 〈…〉 〈◊〉 ; qui 〈◊〉 episcopus : 〈◊〉 pres●y●●i & 〈◊〉 ▪ 〈◊〉 de bapt , cap. 17. i omni actu ad 〈◊〉 perlate ●la 〈…〉 contra 〈…〉 , 〈◊〉 apud 〈◊〉 epi●● . 46. k florenti 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 cum 〈◊〉 cy 〈…〉 epist. 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 cornel . l ut episcopu● nullius causam audiet absque praesentia clericorum suoram , alioquin irrita erit sententia episcopi nise clericorum praesentiâ confirmetur , concil. carthag . iv. cap. 23. m excerption . egberti , c. 43. n 15. q. 7. cap. nullus . how the church might syn●dically be governed , arch-bishops and ●ish●ps being still retained , * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , id est , superintendentes ; unde & nomen episcopi trastum est , hi●ron , epist. 86. ad evagrium . episcopal and presbyterial government conjoyned proposed as an expedient for the compremising of the differences, and preventing of those troubles about the matter of church-government / written in the late times by ... ja. usher ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1679 approx. 25 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2006-06 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64644 wing u175 estc r11050 11821924 ocm 11821924 49590 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64644) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 49590) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 555:3) episcopal and presbyterial government conjoyned proposed as an expedient for the compremising of the differences, and preventing of those troubles about the matter of church-government / written in the late times by ... ja. usher ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. 13 [i.e. 14] p. [s.n.], london : 1679. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church polity. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-01 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2006-01 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion episcopal and presbyterial government conjoyned : proposed as an expedient for the compremising of the differences , and preventing of those troubles about the matter of church-government . written in the late times by the late learned and famous ja. usher , arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland . and now published , seriously to be considered by all sober conscientious persons , and tendred to all the sons of peace and truth in the three nations , for recovering the peace of the church , and setling its government . tolle jano nominis crimen , & nihil restat nisi criminis nomen , tert. apol. contra rationem nemo sobritis ; contra scripturam nemo christianus ; contra ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit . aug. de trin. london , printed in the year 1679. the preface . if any one ask , who is he presumes to publish the papers of that learned , pious , and peacable prelate ( worthy of eternal memory , ) without approbation first had , of such as hold the chair in the several parts of controverted discipline ? i answer , the learned men of each party are not yet agreed , nor do i know when they will be : and the times require that some means be used to advance the peace of the church , and preserve the nation . that peace i mean , whereby the minds of men may be disposed to lay aside all old animosities , and upon a common principle of union , become charitable , and so perpetual friends . the faithfull and true ministers of the gospel of peace , will ( i hope , ) give their allowance to this attempt , pious and charitable in its intention . for the contrary minded who would have fire come from heaven to consume all those , who receive not their dictates , i shall only rebuke them with that of our saviour to his disciples , ye know not of what manner of spirit ye are ? peace therefore and christian concord , is not the matter these men seek , but perpetual parties and sidings , wherein perhaps they hope to appear somebody ; which temper ( even in the minds where it ought least to be , ) hath embroyl'd the world in miserable feuds . and this being perceiv'd by men experienced in publick business , hath produced variety of complaints . sir edwyn sandys discoursing of the division of protestants abroad into lutherans and calvinists , complains . that the ministers of each side have so far bestirr'd themselves , that the coal which a wise man , with a little moisture of his mouth would soon have quenched , they with the wind of their breath have contrariwise so enflamed , that it threatneth a great ruine and calamity on both sides . and a little after , reprehending the heat and extremity of contention . they make more account ( says he ) of some empty syllogism than of the peace of the church , and happiness of the world. the most learned and pious hugo grotius , bemoaning the discords of christian leaders , says , si in eorum bellorum quibus tam diu vastatur europa causas inquirimus , inveniemus hoc incendium , maximè ab ijs quos pacis praecones esse debuerunt excitatum . and mr. dury , after all his travells in the matter of ecclesiastical peace , found at last the difficulty to lie at home , among those of his own profession : which caused him to lay down this maxim. that neither can a civil confederation be truly framed among protestants , nor when it is framed can it be faithfully maintained , except the foundation thereof be laid in the minds of the clergy . the expedient here proposed by this learned and pious prelate , for composing the controversies and contentions about ecclesiastical government , will not make the wounds wider i hope , i do not see how it can . and if it bring with it a healing virtue to unite and consolidate parties discontinued , in any measure , i shall not repent me of acting the empyrick in applying this sovereign receipt , ( which came fortunately to my hands ) to the curing all those fretting ailments have so long troubled the church . nor will this attempt of mine be insecure , if the learned and pious guides of either party be consulted . it is dr. hammond's judgment , that a moderate episcopacy , with a standing assistant presbytery , as it will certainly satisfie the desires of those whose pretensions are regular and moderate , ( craving nothing more , and in some things less than the laws of the land , ) so it will appear to be that , which all parties can best tolerate : and which next himself , both presbyterian , independant and erastian , will make no question to choose and prefer , before any of the other pretenders . and mr. baxter , ( no friend to modern episcopacy ) earnestly incultating the pastoral care and oversight of souls : i speak not this , says he , against any bishops , that acknowledge the presbyters to be true pastors to rule and teach the flock , and take themselves only to be the chief , and presidents among presbyters , yea , or the rulers of presbyters that are rulers of the flock . but of them that null the presbyters office , and the churches government and discipline , by undertaking it alone as their sole prerogative . me thinks , ( as agrippa said to paul , almost thou persuadest me to be a christian , ) i might here step in , and tell these learned and pious controvertists , that , almost they may be persuaded to be friends . but the principal defence i intend my self against the censures of my publishing those papers , is , the sense of the late king himself , in his posthumous admired book . not ( says he ) that i am against the managing of this presidency and authority in one man by the joynt counsel and consent of many presbyters ; i have offered to restore that . and again , i was willing to grant or restore to presbytery , what with reason or discretion it can pretend to ; in a conjuncture with episcopacy . so that , the purpose the late king had , of uniting his divided people , ( if god had so permitted , whose judgments are wonderfull , and his ways past finding out , ) was upon grounds agreeable to the design of this paper . and therefore what was by him so piously and prudently intended , for restoring peace and unity to the church , is so much the more necessary now , by how much we understand that intention of the said king : and that the same parties remain still estranged in conuntenance and conversation . and yet it would not be so , if some instrument or medium could be used to bring them to debate ( with an humble christian spirit , ) on terms of reconcilement and unīty . which , whensoever it shall , by gods gracious dispensation and providence over us be granted : so much of our passions and interest must be laid aside , as not to think it imaginable , in the traverse of such long and sharp disputes and diffirences , that one party should be totally guilty , and the other altogether innocent . when i consider a presbyterian , will it be well to fetch a character , from all the frailties and failings of men of that persuasion ? if one preached , it would never be well till twice 7. prelates be hanged up , as the 7. sons of saul were hanged up in gibeon . and another , that the bloodiest and sharpest war was to be endured , rather than the least error in doctrine and discipline . and another , wishing that all the prelates in the kingdom and himself were together in a bottomless boat at sea , for he would be content to loose his life , so the bishops might loose theirs . will not all these seem strong and tearing winds , rending the rocks of all order and good government , in which god was not . rather than the small and still voice , which walked in the garden in the cool of the day , when god came to enquire calmly after adams sin ? or will they not seem rather so many predictions , which we have seen fulfilled sadly upon that place , and those persons , whoyet were as ignorant of the prophetick import of their own expressions , as caiphas was of christs offering himself for the world , when he counselled the jews , that it was expedient that one man should die for the people , and yet knew not the import of christ dying for the people . when men pass sentence upon themselves , god often sees it executed : the israelites no sooner wish they had died in the land of egypt , or in the wilderness : but the answer is returned , as i live saith the lord , as you have spoken in mine ears , so will i do to you . and the heathen poet could teach us the same lesson . evertere domos totas optantibus ipsis , dii faciles . i do not like raking fire out of embers , by searching for the faults of men , who perished in their own flames , and are objects of our pitty more than passion . otherwise no nation under heaven could afford examples equal to that of scotland , for the proof of rigid presbyterian discipline . of which how much is settled after more then 100 years are run out since the nobles , gentry and people , have been vehemently . sollicited to kill and slay each other , or any body else rather than be , without it , the present state of affairs there may bear us witness . would it be a good course of judging of episcopal government , to rake into the records and histories of 1600. years , for the errors of all bishops , whòm worldly interest , or passion , or other human frailties have carried beyond the gravity , austerity , humility and apostolical piety of their primitive institution . and will this serve to level imparity , the principle of all order and government ? and secure the modern presbytery from the like irregularities or excesses ? certainly those accusations and calumnies , which politicians say secure other states , subvert the foundations of the churches peace : which are laid in charity , the characteristick note of a christian. by this ye know if ye be my disciples , ( says christ ) if ye love one another . and in ancient times the common saying was , ecce quam diligunt christiani ? that execrable delight and joy , which any one takes to accuse , or to find faults in others , he hath from the devil , who is the great accuser of the brethren . it is evident to what a miserable extremity the divisions about church-government , had brought a great nation . from disputing and fighting for this and that form , we at last knew no form at all : every one doing what seemed good in his own eyes . god having justly taken away from both , what was so intemperately desired , and contended for on either side . both episcopacy and presbytery that strive for it , do it surely for this common end , that the people , being taught to know god aright , might glorifie him in their lives and conversations . the people , i say , who are more easily disposed to innovations and disobedience many times , by the artifice and insinuations of a few ; than can be reclaimed again by the authority , eloquence and wisdom of many . they are therefore a commiserable body , and being commonly the masters of error ( the weakest part of whom being their mind and meer servants to the ambition of others ) how much doth it most truly import the sacred function , to be wholly employ'd in saving the souls of these men , from perishing in a famine of spiritual food and nourishment . but while both strive for the rule and form of doing this ( without imputation of ambition or usurpation ) is it not pitty to think the matter should ever come to that pass that one half of the nation must be first destroyed . and instead of settling christs discipline , that no body at this rate , should be left to become christs disciples , whom error or the sword had not devoured . that both may rule and yet not strive , is proposed here by our pious and learned prelate . by which charity and brotherly love may be restored , ( almost wholly extingushed out of the hearts of men , ) and the grain of evil seed sown in place thereof destroy'd ; which hath brought forth ungodliness to this very time . in the mean time it is a work worth propounding , and worthy of the office and industry of all men , in whom is the true fear of god , ( the principle of honour as well as wisdom ) who are followers of either party : that they soften the minds of the tenacious and refractory , and sweeten the spirits of the sowre and morose , that they may say one to another as abraham did to lot , let there be no strife , i pray thee between me and thee , and between my herdmen and thy herdmen , for we be brethren . and let every pious , humble and peaceable overseer and bishop , presbyter and ruler of christs flock , and watchman over the pretious souls of men , so labour at the throne of grace for this weatherbeaten ship of gods church , ( hardly escaping yet the waves of confusion and disorder , ) that she may at last hear an angell from god speaking to her as once to st. paul. fear not beloved , thou must be brought before caesar , and god hath given thee all those that sail with thee . episcopal and presbyterial government conjoyned . by order of the church of england all presbyters are charged a to minister the doctrine and sacraments , and the discipline of christ , as the lord hath commanded , and as this realm hath received the same ; and that they might the better understand what the lord hath commanded therein b , the exhortation of st. paul to the elders of the church of ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their ordination ; take heed uunto your selves , and to all the flock , among whom the holy ghost hath made you overseers ; to * rule the congregation of god , which he hath purchased with his blood. of the many elders , who in common thus ruled the church of ephesus , there was one president ; whom our saviour in his epistle to that church in a peculiar manner stileth c the angel of the church of ephesus ; and ignatius , in another epistle written about twelve years after unto the same church , calleth the bishop thereof , betwixt which bishop and the presbytery of that church , what an harmonious consent there was in the ordering of the church-goverment , the same ignatius doth fully there declare , by presbytery with d st. paul understanding the company of the rest of the presbyters or elders , who then had a hand not onely in the delivery of the doctrine and sacraments , but also in the administration of the discipline of christ ; for further proof whereof , we have that known testimony of tertullian in his apology for christians e . in the church are used exhortations , chastisements , and divine censure . for judgment is given with great advice as among those who are certain they are in the sight of god ; and it is the chiefest foreshewing of the judgment which is to come , if any man have so offended that he be banished from the communion of prayer , and of the assembly , and of all holy fellowship . the presidents that bear rule therein , are certain approved elders , who have obtained this honour , not by reward , but by a good report ; who were no other ( as he himself elsewhere intimateth ) but those f from whose hands they used to receive the sacrament of the eucharist . for with the bishop who was the chief president ( and therefore stiled by the same tertullian in another place g summus sacerdos for distinction sake ) the rest of the dispensers of the word and sacraments joyned in the common government of the church ; and therefore , where in matters of ecclesiastical judicature , cornelius bishop of rome used the received form of h gathering together the presbyters , of what persons that did consist , cyprian sufficiently declareth , when he wisheth him to read his letters i to the flourishing clergy which there did preside or rule with him , the presence of the clergy being thought to be so requisite in matters of episcopal audience , that in the fourth councel of carthage , it was concluded , k that the bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of his clergy , and that otherwise the bishops sentence should be void , unless it were confirmed by the presence of the clergy , which we find also to be inserted into the cannons of l egbert , who was arch-bishop of tork in the saxons times , and afterwards into the body of the m canon law it self . true it is , that in our church this kind of presbyterial government hath been long disused , yet seeing it still professeth , that every pastor hath a right to rule the church from whence the name of rector also was given at first unto him ) and to administer the discipline of christ , as well as to dispence the doctrine and sacraments , and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth only from the custom now received in this realm , no man can doubt but by another law of the land this hindrance may be well removed : and how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the clergy might be revived again , and with what little shew of alteration , the synodical conventions of the pastors of every parish might be accorded with the presidency of the bishops of each diocess and province ; the indifferent reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing propositions . i. in every parish the rector or incumbent pastor , together with the churchwardens and sidesmen may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that congregation , who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs , as the quality of their offence shall deserve ; and if by this means they cannot be reclaimed , they may be presented unto the next monthly synod ; and in the mean time debarred by the pastor from access to the lords table . ii. whereas by a statute in the 26th year of king henry the eight ( revived in the first of queen elizabeth ) suffiagans are appointed to be erected in twenty six several places of this kingdom , the number of them might very well be conformed unto the number of the several rural deanries into which every diocess is subdivided ; which being done , the suffragan ( supplying the place of those who in the ancient church were called chorepiscopi ) might every month assemble a synod of all the rectors , or incumbent pastors within the precinct , and according to the major part of their voices conclude all matters that should be brought into debate before them . to this synod the rector and church-wardens might present such impenitent persons , as by admonition and suspension from the sacrament , would not be reformed ; who if they should still remain contumacious and incorrigible , the sentence of excommunication might be decreed against them by the synod , and accordingly be executed in the parish where they lived . hitherto also all things that concerned the parochial ministers might be referred , whether they did touch their doctrine or their conversation ; as also the censure of all new opinions , heresies , or schisms , which did arise within that circuit ; with liberty of appeal , if need so require , unto the diocesan synod . iii. the diocesan synod might be held once or twice in the year , as it should be thought most convenient : therein all the suffragans and the rest of the rectors or incumbent pastors ( or a certain select number ) of every deanry within that diocess might meet , with whose consent , or the major part of them , all things might be concluded by the bishop or superintendent ( call him whither you will ) or in his absence by one of the suffragans whom he shall depute in his stead to be moderator of that assembly . here all matters of greater moment might be taken into consideration , and the orders of the monthly synods revised , and ( if need be ) reformed : and if here also any matters of difficulty could not receive a full determination ; it might be referred to the next provincial or national synod . iv. the provincial synod might consist of all the bishops and suffragans , and such other of the clergy as should be elected out of every diocess within the province ; the primate of either province might be moderator of this meeting ( or in his room some one of the bishops appointed by him ) and all matters be ordered therein by common consent as in the former assembly . this synod might be held every third year , and if the parliament do then sit ( according to the act for a triennial parliament ) both the primates and provincial synods of the land might joyn together , and make up a national counsel : wherein all appeals from inferior synods might be received , all their acts examined , and all ecclesiastical constitutions which concern the state of the church of the whole nation established . finis the form of government here proposed , is not in any point repugnant to the scripture , and that the suffragans mentioned in the second proposition , may lawfully use the power both of jurisdiction and ordination , according to the word of god , and the practise of the ancient church . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64644-e170 luke 9. 55. europae speculum 172. votum pro pace 62. disc. tending to eccles. peace pag. 2. 3. pref. to the power of the keyes . gildas salv. 338. act. 26. 28. pag. 144. pag. 173. rom. 11. 33. char. 1. large declar . 403. 1 king. 19. 11. 12. gen. 3. 8. joh. 18. 14. num. 14. 2. v. 28. juven . sat. 10. joh. 13. 35. rev. 12. 14. 2 esdr. 4. 30. eccles. 10. 24. prov. 1. 7. gen. 13. 8. act. 27. 24. notes for div a64644-e1260 a the form of ordaining of ministers . b ibid. ex act. 20. 17 , 28. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so taken in mat. 2. 6. and apoc. 12. 5. & 19. 15. c rev. 2. 1. d 1 tim. 4. 14. e ibidem etiam exhortationes , castigationes & censura divina ; nam & judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de dei conspectu , summumque futuri judicii praeindicium est , si quis ita deliquirit , ut à communicatione orationis & conventus & omnis sancti commercii relege●ur : praesident probars quique seniores , honorem istum non pretiosed . testimonio adepti . tertul. apologet. cap. 39. f nec de aliorum manibus quampraesidentium sumimus , id. de corona militis , cap. 3. g dandiquidem baptismi habet jus summus sacerdos , qui est episcopus , dehinc presbyteri & diaconi . id. de bapt. cap. 17. h omni actu ad me perlato placuit contrahi presbyterium , cornel apud cypr. ep , 46. i florentissimo illic clero te cum praesidenti . cyp. ep . 55. ad cornel. k ut episcopus nullus causam audiat absque praesentia clericorum suorum alioquin irrita erit sententia episcopi nisi clericorum praesenti â confirmetur , conc. car. thag . cap. 23. l excirption . egberti cap 43. m 15 q. 7. cap. nullus . the parochial government answerable to the church session in scotland . the presbyterial monthly synods , answer to the scottish presbyteries or ecclesiastical meetings . diocesan synods answerable to the provincial synods in scotland . the provincial and national synodanswerable to the general assembly in scotland . vox hibernæ, or, rather the voyce of the lord from ireland a sermon preached in saint peters church at westminster before divers of the right honourable the lords of the upper house in the high court of parliament : on the last publike fast day, being wednesday the 22th of december 1641 : wherein the miserable estate of the kingdome of ireland at this present is laid open and the people and kingdome of england earnestlie exhorted to turne to almight god by true repentance least the same iudgements or worse fall upon us / by the laborious and reverend doctor iames vsher ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64688 of text r233006 in the english short title catalog (wing u228). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 31 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64688 wing u228 estc r233006 12442947 ocm 12442947 62136 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64688) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 62136) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 249:e132, no 32) vox hibernæ, or, rather the voyce of the lord from ireland a sermon preached in saint peters church at westminster before divers of the right honourable the lords of the upper house in the high court of parliament : on the last publike fast day, being wednesday the 22th of december 1641 : wherein the miserable estate of the kingdome of ireland at this present is laid open and the people and kingdome of england earnestlie exhorted to turne to almight god by true repentance least the same iudgements or worse fall upon us / by the laborious and reverend doctor iames vsher ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. [16] p. for iohn nicolson ..., printed at london : 1642. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng bible. -n.t. -luke xiii, 5 -sermons. fast-day sermons. ireland -history -1625-1649 -sermons. a64688 r233006 (wing u228). civilwar no vox hiberniæ or rather the voyce of the lord from ireland: a sermon preached in saint peters church at westminster, before divers of the rig ussher, james 1642 6289 10 0 0 0 0 0 16 c the rate of 16 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-09 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-09 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vox hibernae or rather the voyce of the lord from ireland : a sermon preached in saint peters church at westminster , before divers of the right honorable , the lords of the upper house in the high court of parliament , on the last publike fast day , being wednesday the 22th . of december . 1641. wherein the miserable estate of the kingdome of ireland at this present is laid open , and the people and kingdome of england , earnestlie exhorted to turne to almighty god by true repentance least the same iudgements or worse fall upon us . by the laborious and reverend doctor iames vsher bishop of armagh and primate of ireland . luke 13. 4 , 5. thinke you that those 18. upon whom the tower in siloe fell , and slew them , were sinners above all men in ierusalem . 5. i tell you nay , but except you amend your lives you shall likewise perish . printed at london for iohn nicolson , under saint martins church within ludgate . 1642. vox hjberniae . luke . 13. 5. except ye repent you shall all likewise perish . a harsh text you will say , & yet notwithstanding uttered by him that was the merchant of men , he that was the good phisitian that came to cure us . who as hee testifies of himselfe in the 12. os saint iohn , that hee came not to judge the world , but to condemne the world . and yet he that was the saviour of the world meanes to save none without faith and repentance , and therefore he telles us ; that except we repent , we shall all likewise perish . the occasion of the words was from a matter that was told unto him , a storie that men told as a thing that no way appertained unto them . pilate he had mingled the blood of the galileans with their sacrifices : now ths pharisees they heard of it , and this they tell as newes to our saviour christ , as if it had no way touched them , and so our saviour seeing they tooke not the matter as to themselves for examples unto them tells them that whatsoever iudgements they did see executed upon others , the very selfe same thing would bee to them , if they did not repent . to apply it unto our selvee : it is the case of our neighbour nation , what are they greater sinners then we , i tell you nay , the very same iudgements that fall upon them shall fall upon you vnlesse you prevent it by timely repentance . these judgements are sent as examples and instructions unto us . those that fell with their carkasses in the wildernesse are examples unto us that wee might not run unto the same excesse of riot . the lord might have made you examples unto ireland , as well as he hath made ireland an example unto you . as the lord saith in the prophesie of hosea 4. 11. i have overthrowne some of you as god did overthrow sodom & gomorah , & ye are as a firebrand snatcht out of the burning , & yet you returned not . god hath overthrowne that land especially the best of the land , according as he did to germanie ; and now he is come neerer to us ; the miseries & calamities which they indure were too tedious to relate . et animus reminiscere horret luctusque refugit . and as if god did intend yet to shew us his judgements more neere to us : the fire breakes out in that corner of the nation that wee least feared , which should cause us to repent in sackcloath and ashes ; wee know it is the case of our soveraigne that we should take this to heart : we know that david when the judgements of god was upon him in his child , then he fasted and humbled his soule with fasting ; yea and is hee did when affections were upon others of his brethren , that were no great friends unto him . wee see it also in nehemiah , that he hearing such newes as we now heare from ireland , nehemiah 1. 3. nehemiah asked how his brethren the children of israell were , as he was told that they were in great afflicton . this was the newes , how doth he take it . and it came to passe when i heard these words i sate downe and wept and mourned , and fasted , and prayed before the god of heaven . this is the sence that all the members of the body should have one of another . they should call upon god one for another . god makes this an example unto us , that if we doe not repent , the same judgement or a greater shall fall upon us . the thing which we are to doe is to repent ; the physitian he tells us the danger that we are in , if we do not repent , & he gives us a proviso that if will take this course notwithstanding the evill that is against us , he will forgive us if we do repent . and here we will see first , the danger we are in . the danger is perishing , either repent or there is no possibility of salvation , noe prevention of gods judgements in this world , nor in the world to come without repentance ; thinke not that these words are in vaine , thinke not that these wordes are spoken in vaine , t' is not a bare and cold profession of religion that shall save you , if you do not repent you shall perish , and be destroyed . beloved , wee must consider with our selves , that god is mercyfull when he will pardon a sinner . but when he intends to leave them , he is not mercyfull if they do not repent : and thou deceivest thy selfe , and makest an idoll of thy god , if thou thinke that he is so made up of mercy , that he hath forgotten to be just . the lord will breake the hairie scalpe of them that commit iniquity . say not i shall be delivered , notwithstanding i goe on in these courses , the lord will not have mercy upon that man . a man that goes on in iniquity , the lord will not have mercy upon such an one , his mercy appeares to them that are weary of their sinnes , and come unto him , what is it that makes the sin of the holy ghost so terrible as it is there described . heb. 6. 6. it is impossible . if they shall fall away to renew them againe unto repentance ; that 's the deadly sinne , the sinne against the holy ghost . but what what is it i aske thee , that makes this sinne so deadlie ? why because he that commits this sinne is not renewed by repentance ; if he were renewed by repentance , this sinne against the holy ghost should be forgiven him , doe not thinke that the sinne of man is above the mercy of god , do not thinke that any sin that mortall man can commit , shall out-vie the blood of christ , the sin against the holy ghost should not be deadly , except the point lie in this , hee cannot be renewed by repentance , so that if thou be not renewed by repentance , thou art in the state of him that is guilty of the sinne against the holy ghost , of one miserable and irrecoverable , many thinges i have to speake , but i see that my time is but short , and therefore i must be briefe . you see the first thing , the danger is inevitable , no way to scape it but if we repent , the lord will repent of the iudgement against us , but if we repent not , there is no hope to escape either in this world , or in the world to come ; but i come to the duty of the day . for the worke of this day fasting is nothing but the outward way , yet it is the onely way to repentance , do not thinke that you come to heare an ordinary sermon god expects it at thy hands , that thou shouldst examine what thou hast heard , whatsoever thou hast heard this day , out of this place of thy duty , the lord lookes thou shouldest do it speedily , now is the axe laid to the root of the tree , and therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire . now , why not before ? now that is now the preaching of the gospell comes to you , now the lord exhorts you by the danger , now he shewes you the way how to repent , and to escape the wrath that is to come . now if you doe not repent , gods sword is drawn , the axe is laid to the root of the tree , and god wil cut you down . now the lord he threatneth you , these thinges only that you might repent . therefore as god saith in hosea ; i will do thus . how ? i will do to you , as i have done to them in ireland . i will do to you , as i have done to sodom and gomorrah . and because i will doe thus unto thee , prepare to meete thy god oh israell , i am ready to strike , and that i may not strike thee , prepare to meete thy god . those men that are our enemies they strike before they give us warning , but saith god , therefore i will doe thus unto thee , and because i will do thus , do thou meete me with repentance , psal. 103. ver. 12. except you returne the lord is preparing of his arrowes . psal. 103. ver. 12. why doth he not shoot , presently he must bend his bow , and draw out his arrowes , and tell you of it that you may remember . remember this now , now that god cals you all to repentance , now if you neglect the practise of it , the axe is laid to the root of the tree . but now to come to the point of the act of repentance , i will not stand much to shew you what repentance is , but to shew you what you are to do . as you must not come before the lord and say , lord we repent us of our sins , and mocke god , never intending it , never doe it upon the perill of his indignation , of his wrath that shall burne against you in the world to come . know that these are not vaine words , for repentance ; there are two parts of it , and the lord doth expect that both should bee performed by us . wee read in the scripture of repentance for sinne , and we read of repentance from sinne . so the apostle to the corinthians , saith thus ; least my god should humble me before you ; for there are many that repent not of their abhomination . and acts. 8. 22. repent therefore of this thy wickednesse . repentance hath two lookes like ianus with two faces it lookes backward , and it lookes forward , when it lookes backwards it lookes upon the thing that is done , and because that is done , cannot be undone , therefore it weeps , and wailes , and greives , that thing is done to gods dishonour , which cannot be undone , that is repentance when a man looks upon sin , rending himselfe , and is sorrowfull for what is past , that 's but the first part of repentance . the second is that , that lookes upon sinne with distast , it is abhominable unto him : it is not hereafter i will not sweare , i will not be light & wanton , i will not be evill , but there must be an hatred of all sinne , you that love the lord hate evill ; there must not be onely a ceasing from the act of sinne , but there must be a reformation of the will , and of the heart , to the utter obhorring to the utter hating of sinne . concerning the former of these , repentance when it looks upon sinne that is past , the sinnes that i have committed that many have not regarded for the fornications that you have committed , you must understand that here the worke of repenting is humiliation . but ( marke it ) not an humiliation wherein a man is meere passive , or is humbled by some great affliction that is fallen upon him . the judgement of god may come to a man , the stoutest man and humble him , but that is not an humiliation of repentance . the humiliation which repentance brings it is an ●ctive passion : the stoutest man that is , when gods hand that hath touched him , he will cry , and groane , and lament , and yet he is no penitent for all this , but repentance it is an act i doe my selfe , i act it my self . rend your hearts and not your garments they did rend them with their owne hands : so to have a rent heart , it must be an act of my selfe upon my selfe , i will not stay till gods crosse fall upon me & crush me , but i will labour to take up the crosse ; i will doe it by god grace also , for as you heard well in the morning , nothing but the holy ghost can worke this in your hearts , yet god doth not worke with us as we doe with a spade . the spirit of god maketh use of nature , not as agent but as a sujbect wherein grace is ; and if there were not this the spirit could worke without it . it is said of our saviour christ in the case of lazarus , when he groaned he was troubled , if you doe observe the reading in the margent , it is , and iesus troubled himselfe , luke 15. and so in in his other sufferings , phil. 3. 20. he offered himselfe ; so that this humiliation must bee in obedience . humble yourselves under the mighty hand of god , and he will raise you up so that the humilitation , it must bee a voluntary worke , having its originall from gods spirit , that seing there is no other remedy in the world , to shew thy hating of it ; thou wilt take an holy revenge , thou wilt breake that stony heart of thine , and thou wilt not suffer it to be obdurate against the lord , but howsoever god never doth this against a mans will . heeris the point , the humilitation which the sinner hath , it is an act of his will ; hee doth not onely suffer as those that are strucke by the hand of god , so iudas might have repented , but that comes out of a kind heart to almighty god , that it breaks the heart . but beloved , e●e i goe further , we will examine wherein this humilitation doth stand . humilitation stands in a generall processe , which we make against our selves . if we will judge our selves , we shall not be judged by him , so that this humiliation is a iudiciall processe against our selves , wee will make our hearts throb , wee will make our eyes flow forth into teares , when wee looke backe upon our sinnes committed . this is the humilitation of a penitent sinner ; so in this case a man comes to summe up all the powers and faculties of his soule , the will , the understandng , the conscience , the sence , it will require all thy power , and all thy strength to doe it . thy memory that must draw up the indenture , thou must consider that god will open all when hee comes to judge thee ; thou swearest , thou hast forgotten it presently , but god hath written it in a booke ; thy conscience shall remember every oath that thou hast sworne , every idle word that thou hast spoke , you see god . psal. 50. saith ; he will set all our sins in order before us , he will rub up this dull memory of ours , we must draw unto our remembrance the multitude of the sinnes that we have committed against god . it is the speech of the prophet esah , call to your remembrance the sins that you have committed ; and if you would rubbe up your remembrances , and doe as stewards that have a bad memory , make it their businesse to cast and account every night , what they lay out the day before : and so if wee would every day before wee go to bed call our selves to an account , how we have spent that day , our memories should not be so short , wee must know how to set sinne before the sight of almighty god , briefely thus . looke first in thy owne debt , a debt that thou didst commit before thou wast born , begin at the highest , what was that ? doe not you know that many men have beene arrested , and undone for debts , for which as we say they did never drinke ; a debt may be owing by the sonne for his father , after that his father is dead , thou art in the loynes of adam , if adam had stood , thou shouldest have stood , bring he is falne , thou fallest with him : we all hange upon adam as the stringe that the prophet speaks of ; that as a bunch of keyes hung upon a string , when that the string is broken , then all the keyes fall downe , with him we all hang , and with him we all fall ; the sinne acted by adams justice imputed unto thee as thou art in his loynes . againe in the second place , by reason of this imputation of adams sinne unto thee , thou art deprived of that image in which thou and hee were created ; assoone as ever adam acted the sinne , presently adam was spoiled ; his understanding was darkned , his will was rebellious , his conscience was disordered , only heere was the difference , adam was despoyled of it , after he had continued long in the world , thou assoone as ever soule and body were conjoyned together , god considers thee in adam to have reached forth thy hand to the forbidden fruit , and therefore the same thing that befell adam , that he was spoyled of his originall righteousnesse , the same befals thee , the prophet david in the 51. psal. hee was guilty of murther , and adultery yet for all this hee saith , he was borne in sinne , and doe you not thinke he did it to extenuate his sin and iniquity , that he was borne in sinne , and concelved in it , as if a man should doe me harme , because it was naturall unto him , hee could not abide me , should not i thinke him the more wicked , so the sins against god are very haynous ; the root from whence this adulterie proceeded , and this murther came , it came from the corruption of his ill nature . as we deale with toades and foxes and vermine , wee kill and destroy them , when they doe no hurt , wee thinke they may doe ill , because the nature of them is to doe harme ; so god he findes us such toades , such things , even before wee are out of the shell , and therefore god may justly deale with us so : so that god may take a young child and cast it into hell as soone as it is borne . if god will doe this for the first sinne , death went over them that did not sinne after the similitude of the transgression of adam . death went over those that committed no naturall sinne , as adam did . consider this , that when we were first borne by reason of the seede o● rebellion that is in us , if god had marked us assoone as we came out of the wombe , he might justly have committed us to hell , begin with the vanitie of your childhood . consider with yourselves how soone that evill seedes spring forth into fruit . consider how in its rife in a child before you thinke it hath understanding . consider that which comes from pride , frowardnesse , wrangling , and wantonnesse . looke afterwards when thou commest to thy riper age , when thou wast married , when thou wast without governement . divide thy life into severall parts , all these things may serve to set before us , those sinnes that wee have committed , not hiding them , not concealing them with adam . to play the part of the kings attorney not only to bring an evidence of the fact , but to shew how hainous and grievous it is . and beloved , when this hath beene done both in sinnes of commission and ( which will breake any ones heart to thinke ) of the sinnes of omission ; the innumerable good things which god hath commanded me to doe , yet i have neglected them , nay rather there proceedes words that are so farre from tending to edification , that they are corrupt words , as the apostle speakes ; this i told unto you , thus you must doe , the more of those sinnes you put before you , the more incited you should shew your selves : my sinnes are more then the haires of my head , and in another place , my sinnes are a burrhen too heavie for me to beare : so that this is the part of a penitent sinner , to set his sinnes before him , and then to desire god to forgive his secret sinnes , so draw them before thy heart , before almighty god , and condemne them , and then god will not condemne thee ; when wee have done thus , this appertaines to the first part wherein i indite my selfe , these and these things i have done , these and these things god hath committed to me , i have received much grace of god in vaine ; i have abused my talent and hid it in a napkin ; these be for the inditement . but then wee must come to the triall , when my memorie hath brought them to me , and when my understanding hath considered them and weighed them in the ballance of the sanctuary , and i consider that they are sinnes to be aggraated not onely by the law but by the gospel , then my confience presently like a peece overcharged recoyles me backward , and i consider the weight of them that they are a burthen to heavie for me to beare . then the soule strikes the heart , this is my case ; considering what the law hath said , considering what the gospel hath said : alasse if i had not commited these sinnes while i was under grace , under the minister of the gospel , when christ invited me to come unto him ; when he bids me cast this burthen upon his shoulders , and hee would ease me , i will not doe it , and though that hee comes with peace and with safetie we will not receive him ; as you heard in the morning ; set before you the representation of the true crucifix . the lambe of god that was slaine in the law ▪ he that offered him was to lay his hand upon the head of the lambe and confesse his sinnes over him , and then the lambe was slaine . now consider this , my swearing & my lying & my vanity , my pride in apparrell , and all my sinnes , ●ll are laid upon the lambs head that was never guilty of these vanities , the lambe of god , hee was slaine though thou canst not groane for thy sinnes , thou canst not weepe for thy sinnes looke , then looke upon christ , he sought god with strange cryes and teares , not in regard of the punishment , though thou diddest not cry for thy sinnes , he had strong cryes and teares . phil 5. and observe the highest crie . my god , my god why hast thou forsaken me . you that thinke sinne to be so small a matter , consider your sinne as it lay upon christ , strong cryes you see it cost him . consider him lying graveling upon the ground , as it were panting for life , sweating blood before his father ; crying , father if it be possible take this cup from me : as if hee should say , if hou wilt shew onely mercie passe by thy judgement all this time ; with cryes and with strong teares , and the third time cryes upon the crosse , my god , my god why hast thou forsaken me . when all the earth had a blacke mantle cast over it , & darkenesse over him that was the light of the world , and as great a darkenesse in him , his soule was darkened within him . to consider these things is able to breake the heart of any man that hath the lest sparke of grace in him . but then consider with thy selfe thus ; what hath sin done to me ? first , it hath defiled thee , 1 cor. 5. 1. he wishes us that wee would keepe our selves from all defilement of body and spirit . that which goes into the mouth of a man defiles not a man , but that which goes out , for , from within , even out o the heart of man proceedeth evill thoughts . luke 7. 21. 22. adulterie , fornications , murthers , theft , covetuousnesse , wickednesse , deceit , vncleannesse , a wicked eye , backbiting , pride , foolishnesse . there is no sinne that thou committest but it bespots thy soule . did you but see the soule of a sinner what dishonour and slaine brings to it , it is like a filthy spot in pure white lawne ; your sinnes they have made a separation between you and your god . they are now in a state of enmitie , ( saith god ) my soule doth loathe them , and their soule doth loath me . there is an utter s●paration betweene god and us by sinne : and after all this comes god and inlarges thee from satan that possessed thee , but the prince of this world is cast out ; who is the prince of the world , the prince that rules in the children of disobedience . and this is the iudgement which our saviour brings the prince of this world , but unt●ll wee bee renewed by repentance , still where god comes out the devill comes in . a man is so possest that for his life he hath not the power to resist the least temptation of the devill , but as fast as he tempts he committs sinne , and then comes gods iudgement : you have it in deut. 28. your sins are a breach of covenant with almighty god , & do you think that covenant breakers , breakers of covenant shall scape . they are put amongst the blacke guard in the first of the romans , adulterers , swearers , truce-breakers , i will send among you plagues , the judgements that are not written in this booke : why saith turtullian , scipturae plenitudinem habent , the scriptures have a fulnesse , i have seene an end of all perfection , but thy commandements are exceeding large . and yet there are unwritten judgements . the scripture which is perfect , it doth not containe all the judgements which god will send upon sinners . and hence , from the consideration of this comes loathing of a mans selfe , and a godly sorrow , these are the affections we should have , when we have produced our faults , and the law hath shewne the miserie we are liable to by the committing of them , then a man come to abhorre himselfe as iob saith . therefore i repent and obhorre my selfe in dust and ashes : you see this abhorring a mans selfe it is a concomitant of true repentance . those that be in the darke , though they be naked , they are not ashamed : why ? because they see no light , but when the light of gods spirit hath discovered to a man his foulenes and his shame , then they doe repent and abhorre themselves , ezek. 26. god exhorts them that they should loath themselves as a signe of repentance . shame you know it is a part of the judgement against sin , for daniel the last chapter and the second verse , some shall rise to shame and to everlasting contempt . now when we come to judge ourselves that we be not judged of god , we must bring ourselves to this shame . and as ezra when hee came by fasting and repentance to god , hee saith , i am ashamed to come before thee , not for his owne sinnes , but for those among whom he was : the best fruit that thou canst reape of sinne , though it be repented is shame . the prophet zephaniah saith , the wicked know no shame . ier. 6. 15. were they ashamed when they had done these things , they were not ashamed , neither could they blush , when thou hast done these things and considerest them , art thou ashamed of them . when thou considerest of them betweene god and thy owne conscience dost thou blush ? you that were not ashamed to commit the sinne , now that god hath opened your eyes , see whether you can blush , and be ashamed before almighty god for committing these sinnes . but then there is sorrow which is the last thing , which sorrow must be true , and from the heart ; the inward sorrow it is contrition , it is the rending and breaking of the heart , when a man is ready to teare himselfe in peeces , because that he hath offended so gracious a god , that hath done so much for us . this is that which the apostles calls that same sorrow which is according to god , 1. iam. all israell wept before the lord , suppose there were no hell , no damnation , no outward judgement , yet as long as there is a god in heaven , i cannot but be sorrow for my sinne and when thou canst doe thus , it is an argument thou art a penitent sinner , and this is done by fasting and weeping , fasting and weeping they are things that are joyned together . 1. sam. 7. 6. it is said that when the philistims came against them , they fasted and powred down water by the lord , that is they made or wept such abundance of teares , as if water had beene powred downe , and so iudg. 2. 4. when the angell came to bochim and told the people of their sins , the people lift up their voice and wept . beloved , beloved doe not our dry eyes this day testifie that we have little sorrow , remember that place in zachary , they shall looke upon him whom they have pierced . zach. 12. 10. and they shall lament for him , as one mourneth for his onely son , and be sorry for him , as one is sorry for his first borne . doft thou weepe for thy son , and not for crucifying of thy saviour ; it is not set downe that sorrow shall be in them , but they shall bee sorrow , to shew the greatnesse of it , as though they were steeped and soaked in it , and such a sorrow as was in the valley of megiddo , when iosiah died , in memory or which ieremiah wrote his booke of lamentations . and they shall sorrow apart , to shew that it is a part ; that sorrow which is a part , it is particularly every man , it was not the iewes speares or sins that did crucifie christ but thy sins . beloved , i must speake now concerning the matter of fasting , and ( beloved ) it must be fasting , not such a superficiall fasting , as we commonly use , but fasting of another nature ; we doe not understand the name of it , if you compare , luk. 5. 33. and mat. 9. 14. together ; why doe the disciples of iohn & the pharisees fast often ; but thy diciples fast not as saint mat. hath it ; but saint luk. thus : why doe the diciples of iohn fast often and pray , and the diciples of the pharisees also , but thine eate and drink ; he that eates or drinks any thing his fast is done , and the least droppe of water thou hast taken it breakes 〈◊〉 shell of thy fasting . and it was the doctrine of the ancient ●●thers that he that had tasted but a drope of water , he had do●● with his fast for that day . and this outward fasting , must 〈…〉 onely be from anything that is to be eaten ; but also from all delight , let the bridegroome come forth of his chamber ; that which we know to be lawfull and good , yet because it hath a solace in it , that ordinance of god it must be forborne , any outward kinde of solace that gives content , it must be avoided our apparrell , the wearing of our best apparrell , any thing that may be contrary to the fasting , see ahab when hee fasted hee humbled himselfe and wept , and put on sackcloth , and went fastly , that is he went barefoot , now those that goe barefoot cannot but tread very softly . esah . 58. 13. thou shalt not think thy owne thoughts , speake thine on words , nor doe thy owne actions . the prophet doth there speak of the sabboth which was on the tenth day of the seventh moneth , not of the hebdomate weekly sabboth , the saturday , but of the universary sabboth ; and the beginning of the chapter runneth that way . wee have fasted , and thou hast not looked upon us , that fasting day wherein ( as some report ) adam fell they should not doe any thing , : this was but the shall of fasting , all outward things that can give content to the outward man must be avoided ; so farre as necessity will brooke it ; but i see the time is past , thus much therefore shall serve for this time . finis . pag. 1. lin. 8. for but to condemne the world , rea . but to save the world . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64688e-290 in a sermon preached by d. williams arch-bishop of yorke . obiection answer . prophecys concerning the return of popery into england, scotland and ireland by arch-bishop usher, mr. herbert, dr. d. pareus ... [et. al.] 1682 approx. 65 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 18 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a70861 wing p3675 estc r7049 13388337 ocm 13388337 99359 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a70861) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 99359) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 402:10 or 1554:15) prophecys concerning the return of popery into england, scotland and ireland by arch-bishop usher, mr. herbert, dr. d. pareus ... [et. al.] ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 33 p. printed for a. bancks, london : mdclxxxii [1682] reproduction of original in the huntington library. entry for u208 cancelled in wing (2nd ed.). created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -england -prophecies. catholic church -controversial literature. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2005-04 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion prophecys concerning the return of popery into england , scotland and ireland . by arch-bishop vsher , mr. herbert , dr. d. pareus , mr. burroughs , mr. selden , mr. baxter , dr. m. luther , arch-bishop grindal , bishop jewel , bishop gauden , mr. hooker , dr. sutcliffe . london , printed for a. bancks , mdclxxxii . prophecies concerning the return of popery into england , scotland and ireland . james vsher late lord arch-bishop of armagh primate of ireland , being asked by a gentleman of his acquaintance what his thoughts were of a very great persecution , which should fall upon the church of god in these narions of england , scotland , and ireland , of which he had spoken with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement . the gentleman asked him whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come , to which he answered , that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect it , as ever he had done , adding , that this said persecution would fall upon all the protestants churches of europe . the other replyed , that he did hope it might have been past as to these nations of our , since he thought , that though we , who are the people thereof , have been punished much less than our sins have deserved , and that our late wars had made far less devastations , than war commonly brings upon those countries where it pleaseth god in judgment to suffer it : yet we must needs accknowledge that many great houses had been burnt , ruined and left without inhabitants , many great families impoverished and undone , and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloody war , and that ireland and scotland , as well as england , had drunk very deep of the cup of god's anger , even to the overthrow of the government , and the utter desolation almost of a very great part of those countries . but this holy man turning to him , and fixing his eye upon him , with that serious and irefull look , which he usually had when he spake god's words and not his own , and when the power of god seemed to be upon , and to constrain him to speak , which the gentleman could easily discern much to differ from the countenance , wherewith he usually spake to him , he said thus . fool not your self with such hopes , for i tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will er'e long fall under a sharper persecution than ever it hath been upon them , and therefore said he , look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshiper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward worshipers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian whose religion lies in performing the outside without shewing any inward life and duties of christianitie , power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and these god will leave to be trodden own , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshipers within the temple and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him , and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ; and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other proceeding persecutions ; for in the former , the most eminent and spirituall ministers and christians did generally suffer most , and were most violently fallen upon , but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over . for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all ; and shall onely take away the grosse hypocrites and formal professors , but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be overpast . the gentleman then asked him by what means or instruments this great trial should be brought on . he answered , by the papists ; the other replyed , that it seemed to him very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenanced , and but few in these nations , and that the hearts of people were more set against them than ever since the reformation . he answered again , that it would be by the hand , of papists , and in the way of sudden massacre , and that he the then pope would be the chief instrument of it . he then added , that the papists were in his own opinion the gentiles spoken of in the 11th of the revelation to whom the outward court shall be left , that they might tread it under foot : they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators ; and this ( said he ) the papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . mr. george herbert . religion stands on tip-toe in our land , ready to pass to the american strand . when height of malice , and prodigious lusts , impudence sinning , witchcrafts , and distrusts , ( the marks of future bane ) shall fill our cup unto the brim , and make our measure up : when 〈◊〉 shall swallow tiber , and the thames . by letting in them both , pollutes her streams : when italy of us shall have her will , and all her calender of sins fullfill ? whereby one may foretell , what sins next year . shall both in france and england domineer . then shall religion to america fle . they have their times of gospel , ev'n as wee . mr. david pareus professor of divinity in heidelberg there shall arise a king out of the nation of the most illustrious lilie , having a long fore-head , high brows , great eyes , and an eagles nose : he shall gather a great army , and destroy all the tyrants of his kingdom : and slay all that fly and hide themselves in mountains and caves from his face : for righteousness shall be joyned unto him , as the bridegroom to the bride : with them he shall wage war even unto to the fourtieth year , bringing into subjection the islanders , spaniards , and italians : rome and florence , he shall destroy and burn with fire , so as salt may be sowed on that land. the greatest clergyeman who have invaded peters seat , he shall put to death : and in the same year obtain a double crown at last going over sea with a great army , he shall enter greece , and be named king of the greeks , the turks and barbarians he shall subdue , making an edict , that every one shall die the death that worshipeth not the crucified one , and none shall be found able to resist him , because an holy arme from the lord shall always be with him . and he shall possesse the dominion of the earth , these things being done , he shall be called the rest of holy christians , &c. mr. jeremiah burroughs . babylon must down , and yet the kings lament her fall , who then must pull her down but the people ? not that the people can raise a war meerly for religion , but god will so order things , that the papists shall by their malice be put upon such plots and entreprizes , that shall make themselves liable to the justice of the law , so that king 's shall have no legal power to resure them from it , but inferiour magistrates assisted by the people shall in a just way fall upon them , even then when the kings of the earth , and their merchants shall lament them . hence revelation 19. 6. the hallelujah that is begun upon the lord god omnipotent reigning , is begun by the people . i hear the voice of many waters , &c. saying , allelujah , for the lord god omnipotent reigneth . now the scripture frequently sets forth the people by waters , as revelation 17. 15. the waters which thou sawest were people . we read canticles 5. 11. where the glory of christ is set forth , it begins at the head , but cant 7. 1. where the glory of the church is set forth , it begins at the feet ; how beautifull are thy feet ! surely the right knowledge of these liberties god hath given his people , will much help forward the great things god hath to do in this latter age. mr. selden . mirum quidem , &c. it is a wounderfull thing that azuarrus 400 years ago should say that indeed about the year 1500 the catholick religion should fall much in lustre , extent and authority ( if i translate his words aright ) onely i must confess the pride , vanity , and security of the catholick clergy seem to make way to it : yet ( which is more strange ) the same religion shall cover it's self towards the years 1700 , onely i must needs say that i think the late divisions arising no doubt from roman insinuations , seem to threaten the late reformation ; weakening the interest of religion on the one hand , and opening advantages to the adversaries of it on the other ; while the jewish way was one and entire within it self , it was secure from forreign attempts upon its being or purity ; as soon as it was crumbled into those minute parts and factions of esseans , pharisees , sadducess , herodians , zelots , &c. it yielded to the adversary , and at last was resolved to nothing : but that i think there is a providence in all ages remarkable , which doth at once bear testimony to , and secure religion , i shall much fear that our most excellent religion , so miserably confounded by its distracted followers , would one day give place to the two grand mischiefs of the world popery and profaneness ; against which there are no other remedies below the mercifull assistance of heaven , than found doctrine setled , severe discipline established , a decent and holy worship secured , and a grand establishment enjoyned , which may fence in truth and virtue , and keep out errour and sin ; whereby the orthodox and the good part of the nation may be known and encouraged , as the heterodox may be discovered and awed . mr. baxter . when the motion was first made , for the publishing of these papers , it seemed to me to be as the casting of water into the sea ; so great is the number of the learned writings of protestant divines against the papists ( which will never be well answered ) that the most elaborate addition may seem superfluous ; much more these hasty disputations prepared but for an exercise which is the recreation of a few country-ministers at a monethly meeting , when they ease themselves of their ordinary work . but upon further consideration , i saw it was , the casting of water upon a threatning fire , which the sea it self doth but restrain . it 's more engines than a few that are openly or secretly at work at this time to captivate these nations again to the roman pope . when so many hundreds , if not thousands are night and day contriving our seduction , ( under the name of reconciling us to the church ; ) if no body counter-work them what may they not do . it s not enough that we have had defenders , and that their books are yet in the world. old writings are laid by , though much stronger than any new ones : but new ones are sooner taken up and read ? the papists have of late been very plentiful , and yet very sparing in their writings plentiful of such as run among the simple injudicious people in secret , so that the countries swarm with them ; but sparing of such as may provoke any learned man to a confutation : that so , they may in time dis-used us from those studies , and so disable the ministry therein , and catch us when we are secure through a seeming peace , and fall upon us when we have lost our strength . and i am much afraid that the generality of our people ( perhaps of the best ) are already so much disused from these studies , as to be much unacquainted with the nature of popery , and much more to seek for a preservative against it , and a through confutation of them . so that if papists were once but as fully set out among us in their own likeness , as they are under the names of quakers and other sects , what work would you see in many places ? i doubt many would follow their pernicious ways , and fall like sheep of a common rot , or people in a raging pestilence , especially if they had but the countenance of the times : not through their strength , but because our people are naked , and unmeet for a defence . the work that now they are upon , is , 1. by divisions , and reviling the ministers , to loosen the people from their guides ; that they may be as a masterless dog that will follow anybody that will whistle to him . 2. to take down the ministers maintenance and encouragements , that they may be disabled so vigorously to resist them . 3. to hinder their union , that they may abate their strength , and find them work against each other . 4 to procure a liberty of seducing all they can under the name of liberties of conscience , that so they may have as fair a game for it as we : and ignorance and the common corruption of nature ( especially so heightened by a custome in sin ) doth befriend the devil's cause much more than god's ; or else how 's comes it to pass that the godly are so few , and error , idolatry and impiety doth so abound in all the earth ! 5. to break the common people into as many sects and parties as they can , that they may not onely employ them against one another , but also may hence fetch matter of reproach against our profession in the eyes of the world. 6. to plead under the name of seekers against the certainty of all religion ; that men may be brought to think that they must be either of the popish profession or of none . and indeed when all sects have done their worst it is but two , that we are in any great danger of ( and of those i think we are in more danger , than the most are aware of ) and that is , 1. papists : who plead not as other parties , onely by the tongue , but by exciting princes and states against us , and disputing with the fagot or hatchet in their hands : and if we have not arguments that will confute a navy , an army , or a powder-plot , we can do no good against them . 2. prophaneness , animated by apostate infidels : this is the religion that men are born in . and men that naturally are so indeared to their lusts , that they would not have the scripture to be true , will easily hearken to him that tells them it is false . yea so much doth popery befriend men in a vicious course , that some are apt to joyn those together , thinking at the heart that christianity is but a fable : but yet for fear it should prove true , they will be papists , that they may have that easie remedy for a reserve . if god will preserve us but from these two dangers , popery and prophaneness animated by infidelity , it will go well with england . 1. either scripture is true or not true : if not , popery is not true , which pleadeth its warant from it ( and some of them argue , as if they purposed to disprove the scripture and to imitate sampson , in pulling down the house on their heads and ours , in revenge for the dishonour they have suffered by the scripture . ) if it be true ( as nothing more true ) then popery is not true , which palpably contradicteth it , as in the points of latine service , and denying the cup in the lords supper , and many other is most evident . 3. either the judgment of the antient doctors is sound or not : if not , then the church of rome is unsound , that is sworn to expound the scripture only according to their consent : if it be sound , then the church of rome is unsound , that arrogate a vniversal government and infallibility , and build upon a foundation , that was never allowed by the antient doctors ( as in the third disp. i have fully proved ) and which most christians in the world do still reject . 4. either reason it self is to be renounced or not : if it be , then none can be papists but mad men . if not , then popery must be renounced , which foundeth our very faith upon impossibilities , and teacheth men of necessity to believe in the pope as the vicar of christ , before they believe in christ , with many the like , which are afterwards laid open . 5. either our five senses , and the judgment made upon them , is certain and infallible or not . if not , then the church of rome , both pope and council are fallible , and not at all to be trusted : for when all their tradition is by hearing or reading , they are uncertain whether ever they heard or read any such thing ; and we must all be uncertain whether they speak or write it : and then we must not only subscribe to fransc. sanches . quod nihil scitur , but also say that nihil certo creditur . but if sense be certain and infallible ; then the church of rome , even pope and council are not only fallible ; but certainly false deceivers and deceived . for the pope and his council tell the church that it is not bread and wine which they take , eat and drink in the eucharist . but the senses of all sound men do tell them that it is . i see that its bread and wine , i smell it , i feel it , i taste it ; and some what i hear , to further my assurance : and yet if popery be not false , it s no such matter . one would think the dullest reader , might be quickly here resolved whether popery be true or false . look on the consecrated bread and wine , touch it , smell it , taste it , and if thou canst but be sure that it is indeed bread and wine , thou mayest be as sure that popery is a delusion . and if thou can'st but be sure , that it is not bread and wine , yet thou mayst be sure that the pope or his council , nor any of his doctors are not to be believed . for if other mens senses be deceitful , theirs and thine are so too . reader , adhere to god , and the righteousness of christ , and the teachings of the holy ghost , by the scriptures , and a faithfully ministry , in the communion of the saints , and as a member of the catholick church , which arising at jerusalem , is dispersed over the world , containing all that are christians ; renounce not right reason , or thy senses ; and live according to the light which is vouchsafed thee ; and then thou shalt be safe from popery , and all other pernicious damning errors . mr. luther . non citius , &c. no sooner have we reformed , but those arise among us who speak perverse things , and destroy that in a week , which we had been some years setting up ; whose hand is this , is it not the adversaries ? who sows these tares , but the enemy ? who finding he cannot prevail openly , undermines us secretly ; who seeing he cannot succeed against us bare-faced , attempts us under the vizard of a deluded people : god of his mercy put a stop to those delusions , which if they proceed will ingulf us again in popery : these cry down the ministers of the gospel , the papists can do no more ; they do the papists work for them , alas , alas ! &c. archbishop grindal . two great dangers i really fear , atheism and popery ; both me thinks , i see arising out of our needless divisions and differences , fomented and cherished , i fear by satan the enemy of mankind , and the pope , the enemy of christendom , that antichrist , the mystery of whose iniquity yet worketh among us , but that she letteth who also did let , and will let , by her power and authority given her of god , for god , until ( which god avert , though their enemies endeavour ) she be taken out of the way . — by these differences the enemies of our religion ●gain this , that nothing can be established by law in the protestant religion , whose every part is opposed by one or other of her own professors ; so that things continuing loose and confused , the papists have their opportunity to urge their way , which is attended with order and government , and our religion continued thus distracted and divided , some vile wretches lay hold of the arguments on one side to confute the other , and so hope at last to destroy all : in quae reservamur tempora ? bishop jewel . now let us behold the present state of our country . these words of christ our saviour were never more true , than we finde them now in these our days . the harvest is great , and the labourors very few , the poore people sieth forsaken , and left as it were sheep without a guide : the afflicted in conscience have no man to quiet them : they grow wild and savage , as it were a people that had no god : they are commanded to change their religion , and for lack of instruction , they know not whither to turn them : they know not , neither what they leave nor what they should receive . some other defie , and spit at the holy gospel of our saviour christ , and refuse the covenant of everlasting life . some other for lack of knowledge follow after willful and blind masters , and become arrians or pelagians , and thus they blaspheme the son of god. some others give themselves over to their own affections , and , as he saith , rejoyce and triumph in their filthiness , without fear of god , without conscience of sin , and so tread down the blood of the testament under feet : and this do they for lack of teaching , because they have not learned men and preachers to shew them what they should do . o , saith our saviour christ , the good shepherd and bishop of our souls , my harvest is beaten down and lost , and there is none that will go abroad and save it . my people run headlong to their own destruction , not of malice but of very simplicity , only because they are not taught , because they know not my father nor me . also , it is not my fathers will that any of them should be lost . but for the hope of posterity , i report me to all you which are fathers , and have children for whom you are careful . although your selves have a zeal and care for the house of god : yet will you breed them up , keep them at school , until four and twenty years old to your charges , that in the end they may live in glorious poverty ? that they may live poorly and naked like the prophets and apostles ? our posterity shall rue , that ever such fathers went before them : and chronicles shall report this contempt of learning among the punishments , and murrains , and other plagues of god. they shall leave it written in what time and under whose raign this was done . or if we grow so barbarous that we consider not this , or be not able to draw it into chronicle , yet fortain nations will not spare to write this , and publish it to our everlasting reproach and shame . in the mean time , what may be ghessed of their meaning , which thus ravin and spoil the house of god , which decay the provision thereof , and so basely esteem the ministers of the gospel ? they cannot say to god , the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up . howsoever in other things they do well , howsoever they seem to rejoyce at the prosperity of sion , and to seek the safety and preservation of the lords anointed : yet needs must it be , that by these means forraign power , of which this realm by the mercy of god is happily delivered , shall again be brought in upon us . such things shall be done unto us , as we be for suffered : the truth of god shall be taken away , the holy scriptures burnt and consumed in fire . a marvellous darkness and calamity must needs ensue . for , if the tempest be so dark in the sea , that the load-star lose her light , and the needle tail to give token of the north pole , no marvel though the ship lose her course , and be swallowed in the sands . the gospel , of christ is the fountain of light , and of knowledge . it cannot be maintained by ignorance and darkness . these be the props of their kingdom which take away the scriptures , which hold the people in blindness , which flie the light , which have their common prayers , minister the sacraments , marry , bury their dead in a strange tongue , that the people may understand nothing : which make a famme of hearing the word of god : which stop up the springs of the water of life : which take away the keys of the kingdom of heaven , and neither enter in themselves , nor suffer them that would enter : which say ignorance is the mother of devotion , and the church is then in best order , and the people most devout , when they are hood-winckt and blinded , and see nothing . these are not fit instruments wherewith we may overcome the adversaries . this is not the sword of the spirit , these are not the spiritual weapons , which cast down holds , and every high thing that is exalted against the kingdom of god. when man that would keep out his enemy , will pull down his holds ? what captain that meaneth to give a forcible assault upon the enemy , will discourage his fighting souldiers , but our souldiers are out of courage , our castles are falling : therefore that which we tear will fall upon us . bishop gauden . these , and such like , are the uncouth expressions used to usher it , under the names of liberty , curiosity , sublimity , nothing but ignorance , idleness , atheisme , barbarity , irreligion , and utter confusion in this church : or at best , ( as i shall afterward more fully demonstrate ) they are but van-courriers , or agitators for romish superstitions and papalusurpations ; the end of all this gibberish is , venient romani . put all these fine fancies and affected phrases together , with all those strange phantasms in religion , which of late have haunted this church , like so many unquiet vermin , or unclean spirits ; truely they spell nothing but , first , popular extravagances , which are the embasings and embrovlings of all true and reformed religion ; next they portend popish interests and policies prevailing against this church and state , whose future advantages are cunningly , but notably , wrapt up in these plebeian furies , and fondnesses , as grocery wares are in brown paper . be confident , the spirit of rome ( which is very vigilant and and active ( doth then move most potently upon the face of our english waters , when there is to be seen nothing but a sea of confusion , a meer chaos of the christian and reformed religion . which feared deluge , ( and by wise men forseen ) devastation of the reformed religion ( once wisely established , honourably maintained , and mightily prospered in the church of england ) is already much spread and prevalent among many people , under the plea and colour of i know not what liberty , to own any or no minster , any or no religion , any , none , or many churches in england . the visible decayes and debasings of the true and reformed religion in england , as to piery , equity , unity and charity , as to the authority of its ministry and solemnity of its ministrations , are so palpable , both in the outward peace and profession , also in the inward warmth and perswasion , that it is high time for all sober and wise men , that love god , religion , and their country , mightily to importune the mercies of god , that breathing upon us with a spirit of meekness and wisdom , truth and love , humility and honesty , he would ( at length ) asswage that deluge of contempt and confusion , the troubled and bitter waters of wrath and contention , which have overwhelmed the highest mountains of this church ; over-topping by their salt waves and aspersions , the gravest , wisest , most learned and religious , both preachers and professors , of the reformed religion in this church and nation . which licentious insolencies have made all sober christians so sick , weary and ashamed of them , that they cannot but be infinitely grieved to see and fore-see the low ebbe , to which the reformed religion in its purity and power , must in time fall in england , while the pristine dignity and authority of the evangelical ministry is so invaded baffled and depised ; while the authentick derivation , and catholick succession of that holy power , is so interrupted , innovated , divided , destroyed ; while the reverence of primitive customes and examples is so slighted , abated , by popish innovators ; while the cords of christian harmony and church-policy are so loosened and ravelled on every side ; while the just honour and encouragements of learning and learned men are so much damped and exhausted ; while the ecclesiastick glory of his nation , which was the chiefest ( in being and owning it self as a true and reformed church of christ ) is so much eclipsed , to the great reproach of this present age , and the infinite hazard of posterity ; which will hardly ever recover the honour , order , beauty and unity of christian and reformed religion , formerly enjoyed in this church and nation , when once the jewels of it , the learned , ordained , orderly and authoritative ministers of the gospel , with all their ministry and ministrations , come to be either trampled under feet by schismatical fury , or invaded and usurped by vulgar insolency ; which in time will rake them all up , and bury them in the dunghil of romish superstitions and papal usurpations . from the deformities , divisions , and degenerations of religion , also the falsifications , usurpations and devastations , which of later years have been made by the violent sort of anabaptists and other furious sectaries , against the unity and authority , the sanctity and majesty of the church of england , destroying its primitive order and apostolick government , its catholick succession , its holy ordination , its happy and most successful ministry , to the great neglect and contempt of all holy ministrations and duties of religion ; i cannot but further intimate to your piety and prudence ( o my honoured countrey-men ) that which is most notorious , and no lesse dangerous , both in religious and civil respects , namely , the great advantag●s , applauses and increases , which the roman , or papal party daily gain against the reformed religion , as it was once wisely , honourably , and happily established , professed and maintained here in england : which is now looked upon by the more subtil , superstitious and malicious sort of papists , as deformed , divided , dissolved , desolated ; so conclamat for dead , that they fail not with scorn to boast that in england we have now no church , no pastors , no bishops , no presbyters , no true ministry , no holy ministrations , no order , no vnity , no authority , no reverence , as to things divine or ecclesiastick . insomuch that we must in this sad posture , not onely despair of ever getting ground against the romanists , by converting any of them from the errours of their way to the true reformed religion ; but we must daily expect to lose ground to the popish party and their proselytes : there being no banks or piles now sufficient to keep the sea of rome from over-flowing or undermining us , in order to advance their restless interests ; which have been , and still are , mightily promoted , not by the reverend bishops and the other episcopal clergy ( who are men of learning , piety , prudence , and martyrlike constancy ) as some men with more heat than wit , more spite than truth , have in their mechanick and vulgar oratory of late miserably and falsly declaimed ; but by those who have most done the popes work , while they have seemed most furiously to fly in the popes face as popularly zealous against popery , and yet at the same time by a strange giddiness , headiness , and madness , they have risen up against that mother-church which bare them , and those fathers in it , who heretofore mightily defended them and theirs from the talons and gripes of that roman eagle : and this not with childish scufflings or light skirmishings , to which manner of sight the illiterate weakness and rudeness of our new masters and champions hath reduced those controversies ? but with such a panoply or compleat armour of proof , such sharp weapons , such ponderous engines , such rare dexterity of well-man-aged powers , raised from all learning , both divine and humane , that the high places and defences of rome were not able to stand before them heretofore , when they were battered by our jewels , our lakes , our davenants , our whites , our halls , our mortons , our andrews , and the late invincible vsher , who deserved to be primate , not only of ireland , but of all the protestant forces in the world . all these were bishops , worthies of the first three , seconded in their ranks by able and orderly presbyters , as whitakers , perkins , reynolds , whites , crakenthorps , sutcliffs , and innumerable others , while our regiments were orderly , our marchings comely , and our forces both united and encouraged . whereas , now there is no doubt but the merciless mowing down and scattering of the clergy of england , like hay , with the withering and decay of government , regularity and order in this church , these have infinitely contributed to the papal harvest , and romish agitations ; the gleamings of whose emissaries will soon amount to more than the sheaves of any the most zealous and reformed ministers in england . by the papal interest and advantages , i do not mean the roman clergies preaching or propagting those truths of christians , doctrine , and d●ties , which ( for the main ) they profess in common with us and all christian churches , if any of them be thus piously industrious , i neither quarrel at them , nor envy their successes , but rather i should rejoyce in them with saint paul ; because however christ crucified is preached , by some whom common people will either more reverence or sooner believe ( than they generally do the decayed , despised , and divided ministers of england ) who seem to have ( many of them ) so small abilities , and carrying so little shew or pretence of any good authority for their work ministerial ; nor can they be potent or esteemed abroad , who are so impotent and disesteemed at home . but i mean that papal monarchy , or ecclesiastical tyranny , by which the church , of rather the court of rome , ( by such sinister arts and unjust policies , as were shamefully used and discovered in the tridentine conventicle ) seeks to usurp and continue an imperial power over all churches and bishops , as if there had been but one apostle , or one apostolick church planted in the world ; also to corrupt and abuse that ancient purity , simplicity , and liberty of religion , which was preserved among primitive churches and their co-ordinate bishops : further , without fear of god or reverence of man , opposing some divine truths and undoubted institutions of christ also imposing such erroneous doctrines and superstitious opinions upon all christians , to be believed , and accordingly practised , as become not the severity and sanctity of true religion , adding to that holy foundation ( which was indeed first laid by the great apostles and continued happily for many hundred years by the successive bishops of rome ) those after-superstructures , not of ceremonies onely , which are tolerable ( many of them like feathers , making but little weight in religion ) but of corrupt doctrines and superstitious duties , as seem ( at best ) impertinent to true piety ; but some of them are erroneous , s●crilegious , pernicious . in somethings they are boldly adding to , or detracting from the doctrine and institutions of our blessed lord jesu● christ : in other things they impose for sacred and necessary , such opinions and customes , which are but the rust and drosse , the disease and deformity of christian religion , contracted in the long ignorance , darknesse , and almost barbarity of times , which god winked at : but now they appear highly and justly scandalous , yea , intolerable to more judicious and lesse credulous christians , who are very sensible , not onely of that offence , which many papal injunctions and observations give to themselves , as christians , but also to the very heathens , to jews , and to mahometans , who cannot teconcile in any reason or religion the idolatrous use of images and hoasts among papists , to which they must submit , if they will be in communion with them , or converted to be christians ; nor yet those tridentine terrours and anathemas of eternal damnation , which are thundered by them against all those who will not , against god's expresse words , own as truth , and submit to as necessary , those opinions and practices among papists , which seem either impious or impertinent , as to true faith and a good conscience . against all which burthens ( too heavy for any wise and generous christians to bear , when once duly informed of the weight and danger of them , and duly reformed from them ) as the great wisdom , piety , and order of the church of england in its sacred ministry and holy ministratious , was heretofore the greatest barre and bulwark in all the christian world : so the disadvantge of the reformed religion are now so palpable , and the danger of the people of this nation , as so obvious in their returning to that egypt and babylon again , which is not the church of rome , but its disease and opression ; that i know not in ordinary providence any means can be used , or is left , to stop the daily prevalencies of popery , and the great apostasie of england to the romish superstition and subjection in after-times , unlesse god stir up such wisdome , zeal and care in those that have honest hearts , joyned with publick power and influence , not so much to fleece and depress popish recusants by pecuniary exactions ( which is to set religion to sale , and to make merchandize of mens errours , rather than fairly to perswade and win them by the proper and perswasive engines of true religion ; ) but ( rather ) duly to restore and speedily assert the honour , order , succession , unity , authority and majesty of this reformed church and its catholick ministry : from which when the papists see our selves to be such profound revolters , with what face can we expect they should ever come into our reformation which they now behold with joyful and disdainful eyes , so mangled , so deformed , so massacred by our owns hands ? how can we with justice , honor , or humanity , inflict severe penalties upon papists , as refusing to conform to our church and religion , when they protest , with so much truth , to our faces , they cannot see any church , any religion among us , as uniform , publick , authentick , constant ? what ( they say ) formerly had the goodliest figure and fairest presence of a christian church , and the best reformed of any , is now deformed , ruined , demolished ; nothing but scattered rafters and pieces of that ship-wrackt vessel now appear floating up and down in a restless and foaming sea of faction , opposition and confusion , between bishops , ministers and people : some are episcopal , others presbyterian , a third sort independant : all are disparate or opposite in discipline , some are heterodox in doctrine : the anabaptists rise against all , and the quakers so are above all . to which of all these , with many other sects , shall an honest-hearted papist apply himself , to be safe and setled in religion ? if to the poor and depressed remains of bishops , and the episcopal clergie , who yet adhere to the church england ; alas , they are weak and exhausted , contemned by many , pitied some , but asserted by few or none , according to their true merit in former ages , or their present worth , courage , constancy and patience in this . if the romanists go to the presbyterian party , which like small shoots spring out so thick in england , upon the cutting down of episcopacy , to which they all formerly submitted ; these , besides their levity , parity , and in constancy , as to their former stations , opinions , and oaths , seem so unseasonably insolent , and magisterially domineering , before they had got a full and just dominion , that all sober men think them rather popular , plebeian and impertinent in their heats , transport and passions , than so modest , wise , and grave , as becomes those who will undertake to wrest government out of the hands of their superiours and betters every way , and to impose a novelty of untried and undesired discipline upon such a great and stout nation as england is ; which disdaining the insolency of popes , and offended at the indiscretion of some bishops , will hardly ever bear the pertnesse of petty presbyters , who cannot want vanity , impudence and arrogancy , when they fancy themselves in a supremacy of power above people , parliaments and princes : for they affect no lesse , as christ's due and theirs too . if the tossed romanists run to the spruce and self-conceited independents for shelter , because these fine new masters seem to have patents for christian liberty , and urge a magna charta from christ , to be accountable to none in matters of religion , but their own little congregation , church , or body , in which , as in an ecclesiastick corporation or free borough of religion , they may hang and draw , exercise high and low justice upon mens souls as they list in their little conventicles ; yet here the poor papist finds so much of a rude and exotick novelty , such a grosse shew of schisme , such variety , such an inconsistency , such a plebeian petulancy , such pitiful and ridiculous affections , and arrogating of church-power in some of the plebs , and such contempt of it in others , that he cannot think it is other than some pieces of josephs bloody coat , or some torn limbs of his body . compared to what splendour , order , strength , beauty , unity , decency , and majesty in doctrine and discipline , in faith and holy duties , was formerly to be observed , even to the envy and admiration of sober papists , in the church of england ; how much more in the antient and catholick churches grand combinations , from which these petty fractions and crumblings of christians seem most abhorrent and dissonant ? this goodly cedar , then , of the church of england being thus broken and hewn down , and nothing like it , or comparable to it , planted in its room , but such shrubs and mushromes as grow of themselves out of the rankness of the earth ( vulgar humours and passions ) under whose shade any egyptian vermine , frogs , or unclean birds may hide themselves ; no wonder if the papists triumph in their sufferings and constancies if they despise all our presbyterian , independent , anabaptistick , and fanatick novelties ; if they rejoyce in that vengeance which they conclude god hath made upon our schismes , errours , obstinacies , and persecutions against them , by our mutual confusions . hence must daily and necessarily follow secret inclinations , and accessions to the roman party , by all those who are not well grounded in the reformed religion , or not much prejudiced against the popish errours , or are indifferent for any religion which is most easie or pleasing . these at length will wrap to the roman party , as the most specious of any : so that unless there be a speedy restauration of the honour of the church of england , i see not how it is possible to prevent that fatal relapse , either to romish superstition and slavery , or else to a dreadful persecution , which will in time necessarily follow those dissipations and destructions of this reformed church , its minstry , government and religion , which some men have already too much , and still do , beyond measure , so industriously promote , to the excessive joy and gratifying of the popish party and designs , which are not onely invasive upon the honour and freedome of this nation , but highly scandalous to our reformed profession , and dangerous to our consciences , especially as we yet stand convinced of the errors , superstitions and sacriledges of the romish religion since it lapsed from the primitive institutions of christ , the patterns of the apostles , the ancient communion of christian churches , and the fraternal co-ordination of bishops , who were alwayes united in orderly , happy , and harmonious aristocracies , rather than subordinate to any one monarchical supremacy , as to ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction : however they had such regulation and primacy of order , by patriarchs and metropolitans among bishops and the representers of several churches , as become wise men , that were numerous when they met in great councils or church assemblies . nor do these wilely romanists exercise their malice against this reformed church , onely with their own strength and dexterity , but they have other oblique policies and sinister practices by which they set on work the hot heads and pragmatick hands of all other sects , who pretend the greatest antipathies to popery , and yet most promote its interests by their factions and fanatick practises , by their heedlesse and , hedlesse their boundlesse and endlesse agitations , which blast all true reformation , and bring nothing but division and confusion . for among these there are a sort of people who affect supremacy in church and state too , a spiritual and temporal dominion , no lesse than doth the pope of rome : there among them many petty popes , who would fain be the great and onely dictators of religion , whose opinionative pride and projects are as yet of a lesse volume and blinder print , but they every day mediate and agitate new editions of their power , and larger additions to their parties and designs ; being as infallible in their own conceits , as imperious in their spirits , and magisterial in their censures , as the proudest popes of rome ; not doubting to condemn and excommunicate any private christians and ministers , yea whole christian churches , yea and the best reformed in the world ( such as england was ) , if they be not just of their form and fashion , or if they will not patiently submit to their multiform and deformed reformations , by which they daily with-draw true reformation to such a small thread , that losing its strength and integrity , it must needs snap in pieces and become uselesse : the strange fires of blind , popular , preposterous and sacrilegious zeal so over-boyling true religion and sober reformation , till they are utterly confounded and quenched with such fordid and shamefull deformities , as must needs follow their divisions , distractions and despiciencies , as to all church-order , christian unity and ministerial authority . thus many heady and giddy professors have been so eager to come out of babylon , that they are almost run out of their wits , and far beyond the bounds of good consciences ; so jealous of superstition , that they are panders for confusion ; so scared with the name of rome , that they are afraid of all right reason and sober religion ; so fearful of being over-righteous by following vain traditions of men , that they fear not to be over-wicked , by over-throwing the good foundations of order , honour , peace and charity , which christ and his apostles have laid in his church : fierce enemites indeed against the idolatry of antichrist , but fast friends to belial and mammon , to schisme and sacriledge ; which having no fellowship with god and christ , must needs belong to the party of antichrist , which contains a circle of errours , while christ is the centre of truth : and we know that parts diametrically opposite to each other may ( yet ) make up the same circumferences and be at equal distance from the centre ; so may practises and opinions which seem most crosse against each other , yet at herod and pilate , alike conspire against christ and true religion , like vicious extremes , which are contrary to each other , and yet uncorrespondent with that virtue from which they are divided . but the end or effect following their actions , ( though possibly not some of their intentions ) will be this , to prepare by these various windings , confused circulations and distorted wrestings of the reformed religion , the way for roman factors , papal interests and jesuitick designes , whose learned abilities , orderly industry , and indefatigable activity is such , that by that time the old stock of reverend , orderly and authoritative bishops and presbyters , ( the truest and most unquestionable ministers of the church of christ ) are worn out in england , and the reformed religion is reduced with its titular and extenuate ministers to a meer medly , or popular chaos of confusions , ( the most of sober people being either sick , or shamed , or weary of their home bred disorders , and unremedied diseases in religion ) . by this time ( i say ) the romish agitators will not onely devour all these petty parties , and feeble factions of reformers , with as much ease as the stork did the frogs ; but they will ( in time ) utterly destroy the remains of the defamed doctrine and deformed religion , which your fore fathers owned , and to the death professed , as most true and well reformed , with great honour , holiness , and happiness , which yet the ignorance and insolence , the illiterateness , and rusticity , the barrenesse and barbarity of novel sects have already rendred poor and despicable , much to be pitied and deplored both at home and abroad . i must ever so far own my reason , as to professe that i look upon the defamers dividers and destroyers of the church of england , ( whatever they are or seem ) to be no other than the perdues or forelorn hope of popery , which by lighter skirmishes open advantages to the popes main battaglio ; the vancourriers , or harbingers , sent and excited ( in great part ) from the pragmatick policies of rome , whose grand interest since the reformation hath been , not more to advance the house of austria and preserve the papacy , than to regain the church of england to the romish slavery . certainly these petty parties , who scarce know what they drive at , and are full of varieties in their fancies , forms and factions , these cannot produce so constant a current and so strong a tide , as is always urging against the church of england and the honour of the reformed religion ; but they are driven on by a subtle and secret , yet potent impulse , as waves of the sea , not onely dashing and breaking upon each other , but ( all of them ) battering the honour and stability of the church of england , as the great rampart or bank which stands in the way of the see of rome , mightily opposing and hindering heretofore both fanatick confusions , papal usurpations , and romish superstions ; whose advantages now are evidently prepared and carried on by those , that under the name of reformation will most effectually at last overthrow it . for after these petty spirits , who have been and are the great dividers , despisers and destroyers of the reformed church of england , have a few years longer played their mad pranks in this sometime so flourishing and fruitful vineyard of the lord , ( pulling up the hedge of ecclesiastical canons , and civil sanctions , throwing down the wall of ancient discipline and catholick government , breaking in pieces the wine-press of holy ordination and ministerial authority and succession , pulling up both root and branch of holy plants and regular planters ; ) what ( i beseech you ) can hinder these subtle foxes and wild boars of romish power and policy , to enter in , and not onely secretly , but openly ( as occasion shall serve ) to destroy all the remaining stock of the true protestants and professors of the reformed religion ; who at first soberly protesting against popish errours and deformities , afterwards praying ( in vain ) for a joynt and just reformation , did ( at last ) reform themselves , after the rule of god's word , interpreted by the catholick practise of purest antiquity . what ( without a miracle ) can hinder the papal prevalency in england , when once sound doctrine is shaken , corrupted , despised ; when scriptures are wrested by every private interpreter ; when the ancient creeds and symbols , the lords prayers and ten comandments , all wholsome forms of sound doctrine and devotion , the articles and liturgy of such a church , together with the first famous councils , all are slighted , vilified despited and abhorred by such englishmen as pretend to be great reformers ; when neither pristine respect nor support , credit nor countenance , maintenance nor reverence shall be left either to the reformed religion or the ministry of it ? without which they will heardly be carried on beyond the fate of pharaohs chariots , when their wheeles were taken off , which is to be overwhelmed and drowned in the romish red sea , which will certainly overflow all , when once england is become not onely a dunghill and tophet of heretical filth and schismatical fire , but an aceldama , or field of blood , by mutual animosities and civil dissentions , arising from the variations and confusions of religions . all which , as the roman eagle now fore-sees , and so follows the camp of sectaries ( as vultures and birds of prey are wont to do armies ) so no man , not blinded with private passions and present interest , is so simple , as not to know that it will in time terribly seize upon the blind , dying , or dead carkase of this church and nation ; whose expiration will be very visible , when the purity , order and unity of religion , the respect , support and authority of the ministry is vanished and banished out of england , by the neglect of some , the malice , madnesse and ingratitude of others , your most unhappy countrey-men : then shall the israel of england return to the egypt of rome ; then shall the beauty of our sion be captive to the bondage of babylon's either superstition or persecution ; from both which i beseech god to deliver us . as an omen of the future fate , how many person of fair estates , others of good parts and hopefull learning , are already shrewdly warped and inclined to the church of rome , and either actually reconciled , or in a great readiness to embrace that communion ( which excommunicates all greek and latine churches , eastern , western and african christians , which will not submit to its dominion and superstition ) chiefly moved thereto , because they know not what to make of or expect from the religion and reformation of the church of england ; which they see so many zealous to reproach and ruine , so few concerned to relieve , restore , or pity ? as for the return of you ( my noble countrey-men ) and your posterity to the roman subjection and superstition . i doubt not but many of you , most of you , all of you , that are persons of judicious and conscientious piety , do heartily deprecate it , and would seriously avoid it to the best of your skill and power , as indeed you have great cause , both in prudence and conscience , in piety and policy : yet i believe none of you can flatter your selves , that the next century shall defend the reformed religion in england from romish pretensions , perswasions and prevalencies , as the last hath done , while the dignity , order and authority of the ministry , the government of excellent bishops , the majesty and unity of this reformed church and its religion , were all maintained by the unanimous vote , consent and power of all estates . nay , the dilemma and distressed choice of religion is now reduced to this , that many peaceable and well-minded christians , having been so long harressed , bitten and worried with novell factions and pretended reformations , would rather chuse that there posterity ( if they may but have the excuse of ignorance in the main controversies , to plead for gods mercy in their joyning to that communion which hath so strong a relish of egyptian leeks and onions , of idolatry and superstition , besides unchristian arrogancy and intolerable ambition ; that their posterity , ( i say ) shall return to the roman party , which hath something among them setled , orderly and uniform , becoming religion , than to have them ever turning and tortured upon ixion's wheel , catching in vain at fanciful reformations , as tantalus at the deceitful waters , rolling with infinite pains and hazard the reformed religion , like sisyphus his stone , sometimes asserting it by law and power , otherwhile exposing it to popular liberty and looseness ; than to have them tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine , with the faedities , blasphemies , animosities , anarchies , dangers ▪ and confusions , attending fanatick fancies and quotidian reformations , which like botches or boiles from surfeited and unwholsome bodies , do daily break out among those christians , who have made no rule of religion but their own humours , and no bounds of their reformations but their own interests ; the first makes them ridiculous , the second pernicious to all sober christians . whereas the roman church , however tainted with rank errours and dangerous corruptions in doctrine and manners ( which forbid us under our present convictions to have in those things any visible sacred communion with them , though we have a great charity and pity for them ; charity in what they still retain good ; pity , in what they have erred from the rule and example of christ and his catholick church ; ) yet it cannot be denied , without a brutish blindness and injurious slander ( which onely serves to gratifie the gross antipathies of the gaping vulgar ) that the church of rome , among its tares and cockle , its weeds and thornes hath many wholsome herbs , and holy plants growing ; much more of reason and religion , of good learning and sober industry , of order and polity , of morality and constancy , of christian candor and civility , of common honesty and humanity , becoming grave men and christians , by which to invite after-ages and your posterity to adhere to it and them , rather than to be everlastingly exposed to the profane bablings , endless janglings , miserable manglings , childing confusions , atheistical indifferencies and sacrilegious furies of some later spirits , which are equally greedy and giddy , making both a play and a prey of religion , who have nothing in them comparable to the papal party , to deserve your or your posteritie's admiration or imitation , but rather their greatest caution and prevention : for you will find what not i onely , but sad experience of others may tell you , that the sythes and pitch-forks of these petty sects and plebeian factions will be as sharp and heavy as the papists swords and faggots heretofore were , both to your religious and civil happiness . rigid be not for episcopacy , nor too much earnest for presbytery ; no faction espouse , what e're it be , for by that means may enter popery . mr. hooker . with our contentions their irreligious humor also is much strengthened ; nothing pleaseth them better than these manifold oppositions about the matter of religion , as well for that they have the more opportunity to learn on one side , how the other may be oppugned , and so weaken the credit of all unto themselves ; as also because by their hot pursuit of lower controversies amongst men professing religion , and agreeing in the principal foundations thereof , time will cause alteration to grow : for which purpose when they see occasion they stick not sometimes in other mens persons , yea sometimes without any vizard at all , directly to try , what the most religious are able to say in defence of the highest points , whereupon all religion dependteh . now for the most part it so falleth out touching things that are generally received , that although in themselves they be most certain , yet because men presume them granted of all , we are hardly able to bring such proof of their certainty , as may satisfie gainsayers , when suddenly , and besides expectation they require the same at our hands , which unpreparation and unreadiness , when they find in us , they turn it to the soothing up of themselves in that accursed fancy , whereby they would fain believe that the hearty devotion of such as indeed fear god , is nothing else but a kind of harm less error , bred and confirmed in them by the flight of wiser men . dr. sutcliffe . haud vanus timor , &c. it s no vain fear which some wise men have entertained upon their experience of affairs , that these unhappy questions about indifferent things managed by the subtile jesuites , thereby to disturb the peace and settlement of our church , until at last they enjoy their long expected opportunity to set up themselves , and restore the exploded tyranny and idolatry of the church of rome . finis . the principles of christian religion sumarily sett dovvne according to the word of god: together with a breife epittomie of the bodie of divinitie. by james usher bishop of armaugh. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1645 approx. 73 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 61 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64670 wing u202 estc r215733 99827508 99827508 31928 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64670) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 31928) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1899:13) the principles of christian religion sumarily sett dovvne according to the word of god: together with a breife epittomie of the bodie of divinitie. by james usher bishop of armaugh. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 42, [4], 45-114 p. printed by r.b. for geo. badger, and are to bee sold at his shop, in st. dunstans church yard, in fleet-street, london : 1645. "a briefe method of christian religion" has separate title page dated 1646; pagination and register are continuous. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -early works to 1800. catechisms, english -early works to 1800. christianity -essence, genius, nature -early works to 1800. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-07 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-07 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the principles of christian religion : sūmarily sett downe according to the word of god : together with a breife epittomie of the bodie of divinitie . by iames vsher bishop of armagh . london , printed by r.b. for geo. badger , and are to bee sold at his shop , in st. dunstans church yard , in fleet street . 1645. the principles , of christian religion , summarily set downe according to the word of god. question . what sure grounds have we to build our religion upon ? ans. the word of god contained in the scriptures . what are those scriptures ans. holy writings indited by god himselfe , for the perfect instruction of his church what gather you of this that god is the author of those writings ? ans , that therefore they are of most certaine credit , and highest authoritie . how serue they for the perfect instruction of the church ; ans in that they are able to instruct us sufficiently , in all points of faith , that we are bound to beleive , and all good duties that we are bound to practice . what gather you of this ; ans. that a it is our duty to acquaint ourselves with these holy writings , and b not to receive any doctrine , that hath not warrant from thence . what is the first poine of religion , you are to learne out of gods sacred word ? ans. the nature of god. what is god ? ans. god is a spirit , most perfect b most c wise , almigh●y , and most , holy . what meane you by call●ng god a spirit ? ans , that he hath no body at all , and therfore must not be thought like to any things , which may be seene by the eye of man. how many gods are there ? ans. only one d god , but three persons . which is the first person ? ans. the father e , who begetteth the son : which is the second ? ans. the sonne begotten of the father . which is the third ? ans. the holy ghost proceeding from the father and the sonne . what did god before the world was made ? ans. hee did before all time , by his unchangable councell , ordaine , whatsoever should come to passe . in what manner had all things the beginning ? ans. in the beginning of time , when no creature had any being , god by his word alone , in the space of sixe dayes , created all things . which are the principall creatures ? ans. angels and men. what is the nature of angels ? ans. they are wholly spirituall , haveing no body at all . what is the nature of man ? ans. hee consists of two divers parts , a body , and a soule . what is the body ? ans. the outward and earthly part of man made at the begining of the dust of the earth . what is the soule ? ans. the inward and spirituall part of man which is immortall , and never can die . how did god make man at the beginning ? ans. according to his owne likenesse , and image . wherein was the image of god principally seen ? ans in the perfection of the understanding and the freedome , and holinesse of the will. how many men were created at the beginning ? ans. two , adam the man & eue the woman from both whom , afterwa●ds all mankinde did proceed . what doth god after the creation ; ans. by his providence he preserveth , and governeth his c●eatures with al things belonging unto them . what befell angels after their creation ? ans some continued in the holy estate , wherein they were created , some of them fell , and became divels . may the good angels fall hereafter ? ans. no , but they shall always continue in their holinesse , and happinesse . shall the wicked angels ever recover teeir first estate ? ans. they sh●ll not , but be tormented in hell , world without end . how did god deale with man , after that hee made him . ans , he made a covenant or agreement with adam and in him with all mankind . what was man bound to doe by this covenant ? ans. to continue as holy , as god at the first made him , to keepe all gods commandements and never to breake any of them : what did god promise unto man , if hee did thus keepe his commandements ; ans the continuance of his favour and everlasting life . what did god threaten vnto man if hee did sinne , and breake his commandements ? a. his dreadful curse , and everlasting death . did man continue in that obedience , whiche he did owe unto god ? ans. no : for adam and eve obeying , rather the perswasion of the devil , then the commandements of god , did eate of the forbidden fruite , and so fell away from god. was this the sinne of adam , and eve alone ; or are wee also guilty of the same ? ans. all wee that are their children , are guilty of the same sinne , for we all sinned in them . wh●t followed upon this sinne ? ans. the losse of the image of god , and the corruption of nature in man called originall sinne . wherein standeth the corruption of mans nature ? ans. in sixe things principally . what is the first ? ans. the blindnesse of the understanding , which is not able to cōceive of the things of god. what is the second ? ans. the forgetfulnesse of the memory unfit to remember good things . what is the third ? ans. the rebellion of the will , which is wholly bent to sin , and altogether disobedient unto the will of god. vvhat is the four●h ? ans. diso●der of the affections , as joy , heavinesse , love , anger , feare , and such like . what is the fift ? ans. feare and confusion in the conscience , condemning where it should not , and excusing where it should condemne . vvhat is the sixth ? ans. every member of the body is become a ready instrument , to put sinne in execution . what are the fruits that proceed from this naturall corruption . ans. actuall sinnes , whereby we breake the commandements of god in the whole course of our life . how doe you break gods commandements ? ans. in thought , word and deed , not doing that which we ought to do , and doing that which we ought not to doe . what punishment is mankinde subject to , by reason of originall and actual sin ? ans. he is subject to all the plagues of god in this life , and endlesse torments in hell after this life . did god leave man in this wofull estate ? a. no , but of his free and undeserved mercy , entred into a new covenant with mankind . what is offered unto man in this n●w cov●nant ? a. grace and life everlasting , is freely offered , unto all that shall bee reconciled unto god , by his son iesus christ , who alone is mediator betwixt god and man. vvhat are you to consider in christ the mediatour of this covenant ? ans. two things , his nature , and his office. how many natures be there in christ ? ans. two , the god-head , and the man-hood joyned together in one person . vvhy must christ bee god ? ans. that his obedience and suffering , might bee of infinite worth , and value , as proceeding from such a person , as was god equall to the father , that hee might bee able to overcome the sharpenesse of death ( which himselfe was to unde●goe ) and to raise us up from the death of sinne by sending his holy spirit into our hearts . vvhy must christ bee man : ans. because the god-head could not suffer , and it was further requisite that the same nature which had offended should suffer for the offence , and that our nature which was corrupted in the first adam should be restored to his integrity in the second adam christ iesus our lord. what is the office of christ ? ans , to be a mediator betwixt god & man. what was required of christ for making peace & reconcilation betwixt god and man ? ans. that he should satisfie the first covenant wherunto man was tyed . wherein was christ to make satisfaction to the first couenant ; ans. in performing that righteousnes which the law of god did require of man , in bearing the punishment which was due unto man for breakīg of the same law . how did christ perform that righteousnesse which gods law requireth of mā ? ans. in that he was conceived by the holy ghost , without all spot of originall corruption , and lived most holy all the days of his life , without all actuall sin . how did he beare the punishment which was due unto man for breaking gods law ? a. in that he willingly for mā● sake made himselfe subject to the curse of the law , both in body and soule , and humbling himselfe even unto the death , offered up unto his father , a perfect sacrifice for all the sinne of gods children . vvhat is required of man for obtaining the benefits of the gospell ? ans. that he receive christ iesus whom god doth freely offer unto hī . by what meanes are you to receive christ ? ans. by faith , whereby i believe the gracious promises of the gospell . how doe you rec●ive christ by faith ; ans. by laying hold of him , and applying him with all his benefits to the comfort of my owne soule . vvhat is the first maine benefit which we doe get by thus receiving christ ? ans. iustification , wherby in christ , wee are accounted righ●eous and so are freed from condemnation , and have assurance of everlasting life . vvherein standeth this justification ? ans. in the forgivenesse of our sinnes , and imputing of christs righteousnesse unto us . wherby then must we● looke to be justified in the sight of god. ans. onely by the merrits of christ iesvs , received of us by faith . what other maine benefit doe we get by receiving christ ? ans. sanctification whereby wee are freed from the tyranny of sin and the image of god is renewed in us . wherein is this sanctification seene ? ans. in repentance , and new obedience , springing from thence . vvhat is repentance ? ans. repentance is a gift of god , wherby a godly sorrow is wraught in the heart of the faithfull , for offending god their mercifull father , by theit former transgressions , together with a resolution for the time ●o come , to forsake their former , courses and to lead a new life : vvhat call you new obedience . ans. a carefull endeavour which the faithfull have to give unfained obedience to all gods commandements , according to that measure of strength , wherewith god doth enable them . what rule have we for the direction of our obedience ? ans. the morall law of god , the summe whereof is contained in the ten cōmandements . what are the che●fe parts of this law ? ans. . the duties which wee owe unto god , set downe in the fi●st table , and that which wee owe unto man in the second . what is the summe of the first table . ans. that wee love the lord our god , with all our hear● , with all our soule , and with all our minde . how many comm●ndements belong to this table ? ans. foure what duty is imployed in the fir●t commandement ? ans. that in all the inward powers , and faculties of our soul●s , the true eternall god be entertained and he only . what dutie is injoyned in the second commandement ? ans. that all outward meanes of religion , and solemne worship bee given unto the same god alone , and not so much as the best degree therof ) even of the bowing of the body , be communicated to any image or representation , either of god or any thing else whatsoever . what is inioyned in the third commandement ? ans. that in the ordinary course of our lives , we use the name of god ( that is his tythes word , workes , judgements , and whatsoever he would have himselfe knowne by ( with reverence , and all holy respect , that in all things he may have his due glory given unto him . what doth the fourth commandement require ? ans. that wee keepe holy the sabboth day , by resting from the ordinary busines of this life and bestowing that leisure upon the exercises of religion , both publike and private . what is the summe of the second table ? ans. that wee love our neighbours as our selves . what commandements belong to this table ? ans. the six last . what kind of duties are prescribed in the fift commandement , which is the first of the second table ? ans. such duties as are to be performed w th a speciall respect of superiours , inferiours , and equalls , as namely , reverence to all superiours , obedience to such of them , as are in authority , and wha●soever speciall duties concerne the husband , and wife , parents and children , masters , and servants , magistrate , and people , pastors and flocke , and such like . what doth the sixt commandement injoyne ? ans. the preservation of the safety of mens persons with all meanes tending to the same . what is required in the seventh commandement ? ans. the preservation of the chastity of mens persons , for the keeping whereof , wedlocke is commanded unto them that stand in deed thereof . what things are ordained in the eight commandement ? a. whatsoever concerneth the goods of this life , in rega●d either of our selues , or of our neighbours . of our selves , that we labour diligently , in an honest , and profitable calling , contenting our s●lves , with the goods well gotten , and with liberalitie imploy them to good uses of our neighbours , that we use just dealings unto them in this respect , and use all meanes that may tend to the furtherance of their estate . what doth the ninth commandement require ? ans. the using of truth in our dealing , one with another , especially to the prese●vatiō of the good name of our neighbours . what doth the tenth and last commandement containe ; ans. it condemneth all wandring thoughts , that disagree from the love which wee owe to our neighbours , although wee never yeeld our consent thereunto what meanes doth god use to offer the benefits of the gospel unto men , and to worke , and increase his graces in them ? ans. the outward ministery of the gospel . where is this ministerie executed : ans. in the visible churches of christ. what doe you call a visible church ? ans. a company of men that live vnder the meanes of salvation . what are the principall parts of this ministerie ? ans. the administration of the word , and sacraments . what is the word ? ans. that part of the outward ministerie w ch cōsisteth in the delivery of doctrine . what is a sacrament ? ans. a sacrament is a visible signe , ordeined by god , to bee a seale for confirmation of the promises of the gospell unto the true members in christ. vvhat are the sacramēts ordained by christ in the new testament ? ans. baptisme and the lords supper . what is baptisme ? ans. the sacrament of our admission into the church , sealing unto us our new birth , by the communion , which wee have with christ iesus . what doth the elements of water in baptisme , represent unto us ? ans. the bloud and merits , of iesus christ our lord. what doth the clensing of the body ●epresent ? ans. the clensing of the soule by the for givenesse of sinne , and imputation of christs righteousnesse . what doth the being under the water , aad the freeing from it againe , represent ? ans. our dying unto sinne , by the force of christs death , and living againe unto righteousnesse , through his resurrection . what is the lords supper ? ans. a sacrament of our preservation in the church , sealing unto us our spirituall nourishment , and continuall increase in christ . what doth the elements of bread and wine in the lords supper represent unto us ? ans. the body , and bloud of christ. what doth the breaking of the bread , and powring out of the wine represent ? ans. the sufferings whereby our saviour was broken for our iniquities , the shedding of his precious bloud and powring out of his soule unto death . vvhat doth the r●ceiving of the bread , and vvine represent ? ans , the receiving of chr●st by faith . vvhat doth the nourishmrnt , which our body receiveth ( by vertue of this outward meat ) seal ūto us ? ans. the perfect nourishment , and continuall increase of strength w ch the inward man , injoyeth by vertue of the communion with iesus christ , after the course of this life is ended . vvhat shall bee the state of man in the world to come ? ans. every one to be rewarded according to the life , which hee hath lead . how many kindes bee there of this judgement ? ans. two , the one particular , the other generall . vvhat call you the particular judgement ? ans. that which is given upon the soule of every man , as soone as it is departed from the body . what is the state of the soule of man , as soone as hee departeth out of this life ? ans. the soules of gods children bee presen●ly received into heaven , there to injoy unspeakeable comforts ; the soules of the wicked are sent into hel , there to endure endles tormēnts . vvhat call you the generall judgement ? ans. that which christ shall in a solemne manner , give upon all men at once , when hee shal come at the last day , with the glory of his father , and all men , that ever have be●n from the beginning of the world untill that day shall ●ppeare , ●ogether before him , bo●h in body , and soule , whether they bee qui●ke or dead . how sh●ll the dead appeare before the judgement seate of christ ? ans. the bodyes which they had in their life time , sh●ll by the almighty power of god be restored againe , and quickned with their soules and so there shall bee a resurrection from the dead . how shall the quicke appeare ? ans. such a● then remaine al●ve , sh●ll bee changed in the twinkling of an eye , which shall bee to them in stead of death . what sentence shall christ pronounce upon the righteous ? ans. come yee blessed of my father , inherit the kingdome prepared for you , from the foundations of the world . what sentence shall hee pronounce upon the wicked ? ans. depart from me yee cursed , into everlasting fire , which is prepared for the devill , and his angels . vvhat shall follow this ? ans. christ shall deliver up the kingdome to his father , and god shall bee all in all . a briefe method of christian religion with a more particular declaration of some perticular heads of doctrine , which for more plainesse sake were shortly touched in the former summe . heb. 6.1 . therefore leaving the doctrine of the b●ginning of christ. &c. by iames vsher bish. of armagh . london , printed for geo. badger . 1646. the method of the doctrine of christian religion . question . what certaine rule have we left us for our direction in the knowledge of the true religion whereby we must be saved ? ans. the holy scriptures of the old , and new testament , which god delivered unto us , by the ministerie of his servants the prophets , and apostles , to informe us perfectly in all things that are needfull for us to know in matters of religion . what be the generall heads of religion , which in these holy writings are delivered unto us ? ans. the knowledge of gods nature and kingdome . what are we to consider in gods nature ? ans. first , his essence or being , which is but one , and then the persons which are three in number . what doe you consider in gods essence or being ? ans. his perfection and life . how are we to conceive of god in regard of his perfection ? ans. that he is a spirit most single and infinite , having his being from himself , and having need of nothing which is without himselfe . why doe you call god a spirit ? ans. to declare his being to be such as hath no body , and is not subject to our outward senses , that we admit not any base conceit of his majesty , in thinking him to be like unto any thing which can be seen by the eye of man. what understand you by this singlenesse or simplicity of gods nature ? ans. that he hath no parts nor qualities in him , but whatsoever is in him is god , and gods whole essence . what gather you of this that god hath no parts nor qualities ? ans. that he neither can bee divided , nor changed , but remaineth alwayes in the same state without any alteration at all . in what respect doe you call gods essence infinite ? ans. in that it is free from all measure , both of time and place . how is god free from all measure of time ? ans. in that he is eternall without beginning , and without ending , never elder nor younger , and hath all things present , unto him neither former or later , past or to come . how is god infinite in regard of place ? ans. in that he filleth all things and places both within and without the world , present every where , contained no where . how is he present every where ? hath he one part of himselfe here , and another there ? ans. no , for he hath no parts at all whereby he might be divided , and therefore must be wholly wheresoever he is . what doe you call the life of god ? ans. that by which the divine nature is in perpetuall action , most simply and infinitely moving it self , in respect whereof the scripture calleth him the living god. what gather you of the comparing this infinitenes and simplicity ( or singlenesse ) of gods nature , with his life and motion ? answ. that when strength , justice , and mercy are attributed unto god , we must conceive that they are in him without all measure , and further also that they bee not divers vertues whereby his nature is qualified ; but that all they and every one of them is nothing else but god himselfe , and his intire essence . wherein doth the life of god shew it selfe ? ans. in his alsufficiencie , and in his holy will. wherein standeth his alsufficiency ? a. in his all-knowing wisdome , and his almighty power . wherein doth his wisdome consist ? ans. in perfect knowledge of all things that either are or might be . in what sort doth god know all things ? doth he as we doe , see one thing after another ? ans. no , but with one sight he continually beholdeth all things distinctly , whether they be past , present , or to come . how is he god almighty ? ans. because he hath power to bring to passe all things that can be , howsoever to us they may seeme impossible . wherein is the holinesse of his will seen ? ans. in his goodnesse and in his justice . wherein doth he shew his goodnesse ? ans. in being beneficiall unto his creatures , and shewing mercy unto them in their miseries . wherein sheweth he his justice ? ans. both in his word , and in his deeds . how sheweth he justice in his word ? ans. because the truth thereof is most certaine . how sheweth he justice in his deeds ? ans. by ordering and disposing all things rightly , and rendring to his creatures according to their works . what doe you call persons in the godhead ? ans. such as having one essence or being equally common , are distinguished ( not divided ) one from another by some incommunicable property . how commeth it to passe that there should be this diversitie of persons in the godhead ? ans. though the essence or being of the godhead be the same , and most simply as hath been declared ; yet the manner of this being is not the same , and hence ariseth the distinction of persons , in that beside the being which is common to all , and the self-same in all , they have every one some especiall property which cannot be common to the rest . which are these persons , and what are these personal properties ? ans. the first person in order is the father , who begetteth the son. the second is , the sonne begotten of the father . the third is , the holy-ghost , proceeding from the father and the son. doth the godhead of the father beget the god-head of the son ? ans. no , but the person of the father begetteth the person of the sonne . thus much of gods nature , what are we to consider in his kingdome ? ans. first , the decree made from all eternity ; and then the execution thereof accomplished in time . how was the decree made ? ans. all things whatsoever should in time come to passe , with every small circumstance appertaining thereunto , was ordained to be so from all eternitie , by gods certaine and unchangeable counsell . did god then before he made man , determine to save some , & reject others ? ans. yes surely , before they had done either good or evill , god in his eternall counsel set some apart , upon whom he would in time shew the riches of his mercy , and determined to withhold the same from others , on whom he would shew the severity of his wrath . what should move god to make this difference between man and man ? ans. only his owne pleasure , whereby having purposed to create man for his owne glory , forasmuch as he was not bound to shew mercie unto any , and his glory should appeare as well in executing of justice , as in shewing mercy ; it seemed good unto his heavenly wisdome to chuse out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy , leaving the rest to be spectacles of his justice . wherein doth the execution of gods decree consist ? ans. in the works of the creation and providence . what was the manner of the creation ? ans. in the beginning of time when no creature had any being , god by his word alone , did in the space of six dayes create all things , both visible and invisible , making every one of them good in their kinde . what are principal creatures which were ordained unto an everlasting condition ? ans. angels altogether spirituall and void of bodies : and man consisting of two parts , the body which is earthly , and the ●●ule which is spirituall , and therefore not subject to mortality . in what regard is man said to be made according to the likenesse and image of god ? ans. in regard especially of the perfections of the powers of the soule ; namely , the wisdome of the mind , and the true holinesse of his free-will . how are you to consider of gods providence ? ans. both as it is common unto all the creatures which are thereby sustained in their being , and ordered according to the lords will , and as it properly concerneth the everlasting condition of the principal creatures ; to wit , angels , and men . what is that which concerneth angels ? ans. some of them remained in that blessed condition wherein they were created , and are by gods grace for ever established therein . others kept it not , but wilfully left the same , and therefore are condemned to everlasting torment in hell , without all hope of recovery . how is the state of mankinde ordered ? ans. in this life by the tenor of a twofold covenant , and in the world to come , by the sentence of a twofold judgement . what is the first of these covenants ? ans. the law , or the covenant of workes , whereby god promiseth everlasting life unto man , upon condition that he performe intire and perfect obedience unto his law , according to that strength wherewith he was indued by nature of his creation , & in like sort threatneth death unto him if he doe not performe the same . what seale did god use for the strengthning of his covenant ? ans. the two trees which he planted in the middle of paradise , the one of life , the other of knowledge of good and evill . what did the tree of life signifie ? ans. that man should have assurance of everlasting life if he continued in obedience . what did the tree of knowledge of good and evill signifie ? ans. that if man did fall from obedience , he should be surely punished with everlasting death , and so know by experience in himselfe , what evill was , as before he knew by experience that only which was good . what was the event of this covenant ? ans. by one man sinne entred into the world , and death by sinne , and so death went over all men , forasmuch as all men have sinned . how did sinne enter ? ans. whereas god had threatned unto our first parents , that whatsoever day they did eat of that forbidden fruit they should certainly die . they beleeving rather the word of the devill that they should not dye , and subscribing unto his reproachfull blasphemy , whereby hee charged god with envy towards their estate , as if hee had therefore forbidden the fruit , least by eating thereof they should become like god himself , entred into action of rebellion against the lord who made them , and openly transgressed his commandement . what followeth from this ? ans. first , the corruption of nature , called originall sinne , derived by continuall discent from father to sonne , wherewith all the powers of the soule and body are infected , and that in all men equally , and then actuall sin ariseth from hence . shew how the principall powers of the soule are defiled by this corruption of our nature ? ans. first , the understanding is blinded with ignorance and infidelity . secondly , the memory is prone to forget the good things which the understanding hath conceived . thirdly , the will is disobedient unto the will of god , understood and remembred by us , the freedome and holinesse which it had at the first being lost , and is now wholly bent to sin . fourthly , the affections are ready to overrule the wil , and are subject to all disorder . lastly , the conscience it selfe is distempered and polluted . in what sort is the conscience thus distempered ? ans. the duties therof being two , especially to give direction in things to be done , and to give both witnesse and judgement in things done : for the first , it sometimes giveth no direction at all , and thereupon maketh a man to sin in doing of an action , otherwise good and lawfull ; sometimes it giveth a direction , but a wrong one , and so becommeth a blind guide , forbidding to doe things which god alloweth , and commanding to doe things which god forbiddeth . for the second , it sometimes giveth no judgement at all , nor checking the offender as it should ; but being benummed , and as it were seared with an hot yron ; it sometimes giveth judgement , but falsly condemning where it should excuse , and excusing where it should condemne , thereby filling the mind with false fears , or feeding it with vaine comforts , and somtimes giveth true judgement , but uncomfortable and fearfull , tormenting the guilty soule as it were with the flashes of hell-fire . what are the kinds of actuall sinn● ? ans. such as are inward in the thoughts of the mind and lusts of the heart , or outward , in word or deed , whereby the things are done which should be omitted , and those things omitted , which should be done . what is the death which all men are subject unto , by reason of these sinnes ? ans. the curse of god both upon the things that belong unto them ( such as are their wife and children , honour , possessions , use of gods creatures ) and upon their own persons in life and death . what are the curses they are subject to in this life ? ans. all temporall calamities both in body ( which is subject unto infinite miseries ) and in soule , which is plagued somtime with madnesse , sometime with the terrour of a guilty conscience , sometimes with a benummed and seared conscience , sometime with hardnesse of heart , which cannot repent ; and finally , a spirituall slavery under the power of the world and the devill . what is the death that followeth this miserable life ? ans. first , a separation of the soule from the body , and then an everlasting seperation of the whole man from the presence of god with unspeakable torment in hell-fire , never to be ended , which is the second death . if all mankind be subject to this damnation , how then shall any man be saved ? ans. surely by this first covenant of the law , no flesh can be saved , but every one must receive in himselfe the sentence of condemnation ; yet the lord being a god of mercy , hath not left us here , but entred into a second covenant with mankind . what is the second covenant ? a. the gospel or the covenant of grace , wherby god promiseth everlasting life unto man , upon condition that he be reconciled to him in christ ; for as the cōdition of the 1. was the continuance of that justice , which was to be found in mans own person ; so the condition of the second is the obtaining of that justice which is found without himselfe in the person of the mediator jesus christ. what are we to consider in christ our mediator ? ans. two things , his nature and his office . how many natures be there in christ ? ans. two , the god-head , and the manhood ; remaining still distinct in their substance , properties and actions . how many persons hath he ? ans. only one , which is the person of the son of god , for the second person in the trinity tooke upon him , not the person , but the nature of man ; to wit , a body and a reasonable soule , which doe not subsist alone , ( as we see in all other men ) but are wholly sustained in the person of the son of god. what is the use of this wonderfull union of the two natures in one person ? ans. our nature being received into the union of the person of the son of god , the sufferings and the obedience which it performed became of infinite value , as being the sufferings of him who was god , equal with the father . what is the office of christ ? ans. to be a mediator betwixt god and man. what par● of his office did he exercise concerning god ? ans. his priesthood . what are the parts of his priestly office ? ans. the satisfaction of gods justice , and his intercession . what is required of christ for the satisfaction of gods justice ? ans. the paying of the price which was due for the breach of the law committed by mankinde , and the performance of that righteousnesse , which man by the law was bound unto , but unable to accomplish . how was christ to pay the price which was due for the sinne of mankind ? ans. by that wonderful humiliation , wherby he that was equall with god , made himselfe of no reputation , and became obedient unto the death , sustaining both in body and soule , the curse that was due to the transgression of the law. what righteousnes was there required of christ in our behalfe ? ans. both originall which he had from his conception ( being conceived by the holy-ghost , in all purenesse and holinesse of nature ) and actual which he performed by yeelding perfect obedience , in the whole course of his life , unto all the precepts of gods law. what is the intercession of christ ? ans. that part of his priesthood , whereby he maketh request unto his father for us , and presenteth unto him both our persons , and our imperfect obedience , making both of them ( however in themselves polluted ) by the merit of his satisfaction , to be acceptable in gods sight . thus much of that part of the office of the mediatour which is exercised in things concerning god ; how doth he exercise himselfe in things concerning man ? ans. by communicating unto man that grace and redemption which he hath purchased from his father . what parts of his office doth he exercise here ? an. his propheticall and kingly office. what is his propheticall office ? ans. that whereby he informeth us of the benefits of our redemption , and revealeth the whole will of his father unto us , both by the outward meanes which he hath provided for the instruction of his church , and by inward enlightning of our mindes by his holy spirit . what is the kingly office ? ans. that whereby he ruleth his subjects , and confoundeth all his enemies . how doth he rule his subjects ? ans. by making the redemption which he hath wrought effectuall in the elect , calling those whom by his prophetical office he hath taught to embrace the benefits offered unto them , and governing them being called both by these outward ordinances which he hath instituted in the church , and by the inward operation of his blessed spirit . having thus declared the natures and office of christ , the mediator of the new covenant ; what are you now to consider in the condition of mankinde which hold by him ? ans. two things , the perticipation of the grace of christ , effectually communicated by the operation of gods spirit unto the catholike church , which is the body and spouse of christ , out of which there is no salvation ; and the outward meanes ordained for the offering and effecting of the same , vouchsafed unto the visible church . how is the grace of god effectually communicated to the elect , of whom the catholike church doth consist ? ans. by that wonderfull union , , whereby christ and his church are made one ; so that all the elect being ingrafted into him , grow together into one misticall body , whereof he is the head. what is the bond of this union ? ans. the communion of gods spirit , which being derived from that man christ jesus , upon all the elect , as from the head unto the members , giveth unto them spirituall life , and maketh them pertakers of christ with all his benefits , what are the benefits which arise to gods children from hence ? ans. reconciliation and sanctification . what is reconciliation ? a. that grace wherby we are freed from gods curse , and restored unto his fatherly favour . what are the branches of this reconciliation ? ans. justification and adoption . what is iustification ? ans. that grace whereby we are freed from the gilt of sinne , and accounted righteous in christ jesus our redeemer . how then must sinfull man looke to be justified in the sight of god ? ans. by the mercy of god alone , whereby he freely bestoweth his sonne upon him , imputing mans sinnes unto christ , and christs righteousnes unto man , whereby the sinner being possessed of jesus christ , obtaineth of god remission of sinnes , and imputation of righteousnesse . what is adoption ? ans. that grace wherby we are not only made friends with god , but also his sons and heires with christ. what is sanctifica●●●n ? a. that grace wherby we are freed from that bondage of sin remaining in us , and restored unto the freedome of righteousnesse . what be parts of sanctification ? ans. mortification , whereby our naturall corruption is subdued , and vivification or quickning , whereby inherent holinesse is renewed in us . is there no distinction to be made among them that thus receive christ ? ans. yes , for some are not capable of knowledge , as infants , and such as we terme naturals . othersome are of discretion in the former sort , we are not to proceed further then gods election , and the secret operation of the holy-ghost . in the other there is further required , a lively faith bringing forth fruit of true holines is it in mans power to attaine this faith and holinesse ? ans. no , but god worketh them in his children according to that measure which he in his children seeth fit . what doe you understand by faith ? ans. a gift of god , whereby man being perswaded not only of the truth of gods word in generall ; but also of the promises of the gospell in particular , applieth christ with all his benefits , unto the comfort of his owne soule . how are we said to be justified by faith ? ans. not as though we were just , for the worthinesse of this vertue , for in such respect christ alone is our righteousnesse ; but because faith , and faith only is the instrument fit to apprehend and receive , not to worke or procure our justification , and so to knit us unto christ that we may be made per●akers of all his benefits . what is that holinesse which accompanieth this justifying faith ? ans. a gift of god , whereby the heart of the beleever is withdrawne from evill , and converted unto newnes of life . wherein doth this vertue shew it selfe ? ans. first , in unfained repentance , and then in cheerfull obedience springing from the same . what are the parts of repentance ? ans. two , a true griefe wrought in the heart of the beleever , for offending so gracious a god by his former transgressions . and a conversion unto god againe , with full purpose of heart , ever after to cleave unto him , and to refraine from that which shall be displeasing in his sight . what is the direction of that obedience which god requireth of man ? a. the morall law , whereof the ten commandements are an abridgement . what is the summe of the law ? ans. love. what bee the parts thereof ? ans. the love which wee owe unto god , cōmanded in the first ; and the love which we owe unto our neighbours , commanded in the second table . how do you distinguish the foure commandements which belong unto the first table ? ans. they doe either respect the conforming of the inward powers of the soule , to the acknowledgement of the true god , as the first commandement ; or the holy use of the outward meanes of gods worship , as in the three following . what are the duties which concerne the outward means of gods worship ? ans. they are either such as are to be performed every day as occasion shall require , or such as are appointed for a certaine day . what commandements do belong unto the first kinde ? ans. the second concerning the solemne worship of religion ; and the third , concerning that respect which we are to have of gods honour in the common carriage of our life . what commandement belongeth to the second kinde ? ans. the fourth , injoyning the speciall sanctification of the sabbath day . how doe you distinguish the six commandements belonging to the second table ? ans. the first five doe ordaine such actions as are injoyned with consent of the mind at least : the last , respecteth the first motions that arise in the heart before any consent be given . what are the duties ●ppertaining to the first kinde ? ans. they are either due unto certaine persons , in regard of some speciall bonds ; or to all men in generall , by a certaine rite ; the first sort is set down in the first commandement ; the other , in the foure next . what is the outward meanes whereby the gospell is offered unto mankinde ? a. the ministry of the gospell , which is exercised in the visible church of christ. of whom doth the visible church cons●st ? ans. of publike officers , ordained to be ministers of christ , and disposers of heavenly things , according to the prescript of the lord , and the rest of the saints , who with obedience are to subject themselves to the ordinance of god. what are the parts of the outward ministry ? ans. the administration of the word , and of the ordinances exercised thereunto , which are especially sacraments and censures . what is the word ? ans. that part of the outward ministry which consisteth in the delivery of doctrine , and this is the ordinary instrument which god useth in begetting faith. what order is there used in the delivery of the word for the begetting of faith ? ans. first , the covenant of the law is urged to make sin and the punishment therof knowne , wherupon the sting of conscience pricketh the heart with a sense of gods wrath , and maketh man utterly to despaire of any ability in himselfe to obtain everlasting life ; after this preparation the mercies of the gospell are propounded , wherupon the sinner resuming hope of pardon , sueth unto god for mercy , and particularly applyeth unto his own soul those comfortable promises , and hath wrought in him by the spirit of god , an earnest desire at the least to beleeve and repent . what is a sacrament ? ans. a visible signe ordained by god , to be a seal for confirmation of the promises of the gospel , unto those who perform the conditions required in the same . how is this done by a sacrament ? a. by a fit similitude between the signe and the things signified ; the benefit of the gospell is represented unto the eye , and the assurance of enjoying the same , confirmed to such as are within the covenant : wherefore as the preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes of begetting faith ; so both it and the holy use of the sacraments , bee the instruments of the holy-ghost , to increase and confirme the same . how many kindes of sacraments be there ? ans. two , the first of admission of gods children : into the church , there to be pertakers of an everlasting communion with them ; the second , of his preservation or nourishment therin , to assure him of his continual increase in christ , in which respect the former is once , the lat●er often to be administred . what doe you understand by censures ? ans. the ordinance which god hath appointed for the confirmation of the threatnings of the gospell against the disobedient . how are these censures exercised ? ans. first , by the word alone by admonition . secondly , by afflicting a penaltie , either by shutting up the offender in the lords prison , till such time as he shew tokens of repentance , or by cutting off the rotten member from the rest of the body . hath this administration of the gospell been alwayes after the same manner ? ans. for substance it hath alwayes bin the same , but in regard of the m●nner proper to certaine times , it is distinguished into two kinds , the old and the new . what call you the old ministry ▪ a. that which was delivered unto the fathers , to continue until the fulnesse of time , wherein , by the comming of christ it was to be reformed . what were the properties of this ministry ? ans. first , the commandements of the law were more largely , and the promises of christ more sparingly and darkly propounded , these la●ter being so much the more generally and obscurely delivered , as the manifesting of them was further off . secondly , these promises of things to come were shadowes , with a similitude of types and figures ; which when the truth should be exhibited were to vanish away . what were the chiefe states and periods of this old ministry ? ans. . the first from adam to abraham , the second from abraham to christ. what were the speciall properties of the latter of these two periods ? ans. first , it was more especially restrained unto a certain family and nation . secondly , it had joyned with it a solemne repetition and declaration of the first covenant of the law. thirdly , besides the ceremonies which were greatly inlarged under moses , it had sacraments also added unto it . what were the ordinary sacraments of this ministry ? ans. the sacrament of admission in the church was circumcision , instituted in the dayes of abraham : the other of continual preservation and nourishment , the paschall lambe instituted in the time of moses . what is the new administration of the gospell ? ans. that which is delivered unto us by christ to continue unto the end of the world . what are the properties thereof ? ans. first , it is indifferently propounded unto all people , whether they be jewes or gentiles , and in that respect is catholique or universall . secondly , it is full of grace and truth , bringing joyfull tydings unto mankinde , that whatsoever was formerly promised of christ , is now accomplished , and so in stead of the ancient types and shadowes exhibited , the things themselves , with a large declaration of all the benefits of the gospell . what be the principall points of the word of this ministery ? ans. that christ our saviour ( whom god by his prophets had promised to send into the world is come in the flesh , and hath accomplished the worke of our redemption : that he was conceived by the holy-ghost , borne of the virgin mary , suffered under pontius pilate , was crucified and dyed upon the crosse : that body and soule being thus separated , his body was laid in the grave , and remained under the power of death , and his soule went into the place appointed for the soules of the righteous ; namely paradise , the seat of the blessed . that the third day body and soule being joyned together againe , he rose from the dead , and afterwards ascended up into heaven , where he sitteth at the right hand of his father , until such time as he shall come unto the last judgement . what are the sacraments of this ministry ? ans. the sacrament of admission into the church is b●ptisme , ( which sealeth unto us our spirituall birth ) the other sacrament of our continuall preservation is the lords supper , which sealeth unto us our continuall nourishment . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64670-e220 2 pet. 1.19 . 2 tim. 3.15 . ● pet. 2.21 2 tim. 3.16 . lu. 16.29 . gal. 1.8 . esay 8.20 . 2 tim. 3.16.17 a deut. 31 11.12 . iosh. 8.35 ioh. 5.39 . b acts 17.11 . 1 cor. 4.6 2 principle a iohn . 4 24 b apoc. 1.8 act. 17.24 , 25. c pro. 8.14 1 tim. 1.17 . iob 9 . 1●.13 i●r . 10.12 . exo. 34.6 , 7 psal. 147.17 col. 1.15 . rom. 1.23 deut. 4.12 . & ver , 12.16 1 tim. 1.17 eph. 4 , 5 , 6 1 cor. 8.4 deu. 4.35 39 mat. 28.19 . 1 ioh. 5 7. d heb. 1.3 5 e heb. 1.5 . heb. 1.6 . ioh. 1.14 . ioh 85.26 . gal. 4 6. 3 principle acts 2 22. cap. 15.18 . psal. 33.11 . gen. 1.1 . heb. 11.3 . exod. 20.11 . rev. 4.11 . heb. 1.7.14 . gen. 2.7 . heb. 12 9. gen. 2.7 . gen. 3.19 . eccl. 12.7 . ma. 10 28. rev. 6.9 . 2 cor. 5.8 gen. 1.26.27 . & cap , 9.6 . col. 3.10 . eph. 4.24 . eccl 7.29 gen. 1.26.27 gen. 2.18 . act. 17 26 1 tim. 2.13 . 4 principle ioh. 5.17 . neh. 9.6 . psa. 119.91 . heb. 1.3.11 . act 17.26 28 mat. 20 30 pro. 16.33 mat. 25.31 . & ver . 41. iude 6. ioh. 8 44. 1 joh. 3.8 . mat 15.32 41 ioh. 8 . 4● . 〈◊〉 3.8 . 1 tim. 5.21 . mat. 18.10 . lu. 20.36 . 2 ●et . 2.4 . iude 6. mat. 25.41 . rev. 20.10 mal. 2.10 . gen. 2.17 . rom. 2.15 . luke 10.26.27 . rom. 7.7.12.14 . gal. 3 10.12 . 2 tim. 3.5 . gal. 3.12 . lu. 10·25 . 26.27.28 . rom. 7 10 cap. 10.5 . gen. 2.17 . gal. 3·10 ●ev . 26.26.14.15 deu. 28.15.16 , & ●8 . 19.20 . 5 principle gen. 3.1.6 eccl. 7 29. io●n 8 44 rom. 5.14 15 rom. 5.12 14.15.16 ge. 5.1.3 . & 8.21 . psa. 51.5 . iob. 14 rom. 7.14 18.23 . eph. 4.22.23 . 1 cor. 2.14 . ier. 24.7 2 cor. 3.5 14 eph. 4.17.18.19 . deu. 32.18 pro. 3.1 . ps. 119 , 16 ps. ●06 . 21 ro. 85 , 6. iohn 1.13 . phil. 2.13 . eph. 4.19 . rom. 1.26 . ●am . 3.15 . & 4 , 5. tit. 1.15 , 16. heb. 10.22 rom· 7.9 . ioh. 16.2 . iob 31.1 . rom. 6.13 19. & cap 3.13 , 14.15 2 pet. 2. 14 psal. 119.37 . ro. 6● 6.17 . & cap. 7 5. gal. 5.19.20.21 . mat. 15.19 ma. 12.34 , 35 , 36. & cap. 15.19 . acts 8.22 . iam. 3.2 , ma. 25.42 , 43. isa. 1.16 , 17. mar. 7.21 , 22. deut. 28.45 . lu. 16.23.44 mat. 25.41 6 principle ezec. 16 6 60.62 . zac. 9.11 . rom. 3.24 , 25 , 26. rom. 5.15 16 , 17.19 , 20 , 21. eph. 2.7 , 8 9. 1 tim. 2.5.6 . 1 tim. 3.16 . ioh. 1.14 . luk 1.35 . ro. 1.3 , 4. rom. 9.5 . gal. 4 4. heb. 4.14 . cap. 9.14 . act. 20.28 1 pet. 3.18 ioh. 2.19.21 . eph. 1.2 . col. 1.13 . 1 ●o . 5.20 rom. 8 9. 1 io. 4.13 rom 1.4 . rom. 14 15 rom. 8.34 . col. 2.13 . gal. 4.4 . 1 cor. 15.21 . heb. 2.13.16 rom 5.12 19. iohn 1.16 1 tim. 2.5 1 ioh. 2.1 . heb. 12.24 rom. 8.3 , 4.10 . gal. 4. ● . 5 rom. 10.4 mat. 5.17 . heb. 5.8 9 10. heb. 10.5.10 . ph. 2.7.8 . ioh 4.34 . esa. 53.10 , 11. 1 pet. 2.24 lu. 1.35 . 1 pet. 1.19 . cap. 2.22 . cap. 3.18 . 1 ioh. 3.5 . esa. 53.9 . ioh. 8.29.46 . cap , 15.10 . heb. 7.25 26 gal. 3.13 . 2 pe. 2·23 24 esa. 53.10 11 mat. 26..37 , 38 , 39 lu. 22.43 , 44. heb. 5.7 . phil. 2.8 . heb. 9.14.15 , & ver 26 , 28. heb. 10.10.12 , & 13.12 7 principle . iohn 1.11.12 . rom 5.17 heb. 3.6.14 col. 2.6.7 iohn 1 12.13 . cap. 6.29.35.40 47 , cap. 7.37.38 . ro. 9.30 . ep. 1.13 . rom 5.17 . heb 3.6 . col. 2.6 ▪ 7 ioh. 4 . 41.4● 50.53 . ioh. 6.29.35.40.47 , 4● . 50.51.53.54 , 55 , 56 , 57.58 gal. 2.20 . cap. 3.27 . eph. 3.17 . 2 cor. 13.5 ioh. 12.44 , 46 1 cor. 1.30 2 cor. 5.19.21 . rom. 5.11.16 , 17 , 18 , 19 rom. 8.1 1.33 , 34. 1 ioh. 1.7 , 8 ro. 4.3.4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 1 co. 1.30 . ro. 8.3 , 4. eph. 1.7 . esa. 50.20 phil. 3.9 . rom. 3.24 . gal. 3.8 . cap. 2 , 16. 1 cor. 6.11 1 thes. 5.23 . 1 th. 4.4 rom. 6 , 7.14 . col. 3.5.9 , 10. titus 3.5 , 6. acts 26.20 . mat. 3.8 . 2 tim. 2.25 . ier. 31.18 , 19 2 cor. 7.10 , 11. acts 3.19 . act 26 8. p●al . 119 . 1●6.112 . luke 1.6.74 , 75. psal. 119.6 . 1 pet 4 2 , 3 , 4. 1 ioh. 3.3 . 1 ioh. 5.3 . exo. 20.18 mat. 15 6.9 . ps 119.105.106 . deut. 5 32. cap. 12.32 . num 15 39. ier. 19.5 . exo. 34.7 , 28. mat. 22.37 38 , 39 , 40. mar. 12.30.31.33 . luk. 1.75 . c. 10.26 , 27. ep. 4.24 . 1 tim. 2.2 . exo. 20.2 . v● . 2.3 . exo. 20.4 , 5 , 6 exo. 20.7 . exo. 20.9.10 . exo. 20.12 ps . 6. ● eh ex 20.13 . ex. 20.14 exo. 20.15 exo. 20.16 ver. 17. mat. 5.28 . rom. 7.7 . 8 principle rom. 1.15 16. cap. 10 14 , 15 , 16 17. 1 cor 1 . 21· c. 1.12 28 eph. 4.11.12.13 , 14 2 cor. 3.6 . mat. 18.17.18 . act. 11.26 . c. 14.23 c. 15.22 . ca. 20.7 . v. 17.18 . 1 cor. 4.17 . c. 14.23.28.33.34 . act. 2 , 46.47 . mat. 28.19 act. 2.41 42.44 cap. 20.7.17 . 1 tim. 3.9 1 tim. 1.3 4 , 5. c. 4.11.12 , 13. c. 5.17 . 2 tim. 2.15 . c. 4.2 rom. 10 14 , 16 , 17. 1 cor. 1.18.21 , 23 , 24. act. 14 . 2● , c. 20 , 21.27.31 , 32. 1 cor. 1.8 . gen 17.10 , 11. rom. 4.11 , 12. c. 2.28.29 . 1 cor. 10 1 2 , 3 , 4. & ver . 16 cap 12 , 13. mat. 28.19 cap. 26.26 act : 2.38 41 , 42. cap. 8.36 , 27. c. 1.5 . titus 3.5 gal. 3 27. 1 cor 1.13.15 . cap. 12.13 . 1 ioh. 17.16.9.14 . acts 2.38.22.16 . 1 ioh 1.7 heb. 9.14 . 1 pet. 1.19 . rev. 1.5 . acts. 2.38 . cap. 22.16 . mat 3.6.11 . acts 8.36 , 37. rev. 1.5 . 1 cor. 6.11 gal. 3.27 . eph 5.26 tit 3.5 . 1 pet. 3.21 . eze. 36.25 , 26. heb. 9.14 . rom. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 col. 2.11 , 12 1 pet. 3.21 mat. 26.26 , 27 , 28 1 cor. 11.20.23 , 24.25 , 26. &c 1 cor. 10.16 . cap. 12 , 13. matth. 26.26.28 . 1 cor. 10.16 . c. 11.20.23 , 24 , 25 , 26. ●oh 6.33 50.51 . mat. 26.26.28 . 1 cor. 11.24 , 25 , 26. esa. 53.5 , 6.11.12 . 1 cor. 10.16 , 17. c. 12 13. ioh. 1.12 . c. 6.27.29 , 35 , 36 , 40 , 47 , 48.63 , 64. c. 7.37 , 38. 2 cor. 13 5. ep. 3.17 . h●b . 3.14 . ioh. 6·34 . 50 , 51 54 , 56 , 57 , 58 eph. 4.16 . eph. 3.17 . 9 principle heb. 9.27 . rom. 1.4.10.12 . 2 cor. 5.8 9.10 . eccl. 12.14 gen. 3.19 . act. 17.31 eccl. 12 7. heb. 9.27 . 〈◊〉 . ●6 . 12 25. ●● 3 4● . rev 1●●3 e●● . 57 ●2 2 co● . 5.6 8 ●oh . 5 ●4 . 1 ●et . 3 ▪ ● es● ▪ ●● . 14. ioh. ● . 24 ▪ m●●h . 13.40.41 , 42 43.49 50. cap. 19.28 . cap 24.30 31 cap. 25.31 , 32 , 33 , 46. acts 1 11. cap. 3.19 21. c. 17.31 1 co. 4.15 1 corin. 15.52 . 1 tim. 4.1 . 1 cor 3.15 1 pet. 4 , 5. 2 thes 1.7 , 8. 2 pet 3.10 1 th. 4.16 ioh. 5.27 , 28 dan. 12.2 3. 1 cor. 15.12 , 13. iob 19.25 , 26 , 27 dan. 12.2 , 3. ioh. 5.28 , 29 ioh 11.24 . 1 cor. 15.12 , 13 , 14.32.50.52 . 1 thes. 4.14 , 15 , 16. rev. 20.12 13. 1 thes. 4·15 , 16 , 17· 1 cor. 15·51 , 52 , 53 mat. 25.34 c. 13 43 2 thes. 1.10 . rom. 2 7.10 . rev. 22.14 mat. 25.41 rom 2.8.9.2 . 2 th. 1.8 , 9. rev. 22 ●5 1 cor. 15.24.28 revel . 21.22 , 23 notes for div a64670-e6010 eph. 1.9 . 2 pet. 1.21 . 2 tim. 3.15 , 16. psal. 103.8 . 1 chr. 29.11 . psal. 145.3 , 4 , 11 , 13. mat. 6.13 . col. 1 . 1● . heb. 1.3 . 1 john 5. ioh. 117 , 8. 1 tim. 6.16 . psal. 145.3 . rev. 1.8 . rom. 11.36 . act● 17.24 . exo 33.19 , 20. rev. 1.8 . isa. 14.17 . cap ▪ 43.29 . v. 8.14 . mal. 3.6 . jam. 1.17 . rev. 1.8 . psal 92.4 . 2 pet. 3.8 . john 8.58 . 1 kin 8.27 . psal. 145.3 . jer. 1.23 , 24. deut. 10.6 . cap. 30.40 . john 3.10 . heb. 10.31 . 1 tim 4.16 . cap. 6.17 . prov. 8.14 . 1 joh. 4.17 . isa. 43 . 2● . jer. 32.17 . nahu . 1.3 . deut. 32.4 . exo. 34 6 , 7 psal. 89.13 . jer. 52.19 . cap. 13.13 . job 9.4 psal. 147.5 . prov. 8.14 . jer. 8.10 . psal. 147.5 . prov. 8.14 . jer. 8.10 . cap. 52.19 . cap. 13.13 . job . 9.4 . heb. 4.19 . rev. 18. mat. 19.26 . luke 1.37 . mar. 14 36. mat. 19.17 . rom. 9.18 . ex. 34.6 , 7. neh. 9.17 , 31 , 32 , 33. psal. 103.8 , 9 , 10. lam. 3.22 . john 4.16 . psal. 33.5 . 1 tim. 4.10 . psal. 145.7 , 8 , 9 , 17. deut. 32.4 . job 34.10 , 1 deut. 32.4 . ps. 145.17 . rom. 2.2 . rev. 5.6 . rev. 22.12 . 1 pet. 1.17 . psal. 11.5 . eph. 1.11 . acts 4.28 ▪ 2 tim. 1.9 . rom. 9.11 , 21 , 22 ▪ 23. ma● 2.5 , 34 , 41. 2 tim 2.20 . 1 thes. 3.9 . rom. 9.11 , 21 , 22 , 23. prov. 16.4 . mat. 11.25 , 26. eph. 1.11 . jude 4. psal. 33.6 . psal 148.5 . neh. 9 6. ps. 146.6 , 7. heb. 11.13 . ge ▪ 2.1 , 2 , 3. exo. 20.11 . cap. 31.17 . col. 1.16 . gen. 1.4 , 31. gal. 3.10.11 , 12 , 13 , 14. rom. 3.27 . cap. 10.46 . heb. 9.27 . rom. 14.10 , 12. mat. 25.31 , 32. gen. 2.9.17 . cap. 3.17 . gen. 3.3 , 7 , 11 , 17 , 22 , 24 rev. 2 7. prov. 3.18 . rom. 5.12 . gen. 3. jam. 1.4 . gal. 5.19 . col. 2 3 , 9 , 10. titus 1.15 . rom. 2.15 . john 8.9 . rom. 14.23 gal. 1.4 . 1 chr. 13.9 . john 16.2 . eph. 4.18 , 19. 1 tim. 4.2 . col. 2.22 . rom , 7.9 . prov. 28.1 . act. 24.26 . jam. 1.14 , 15. eph. 2.3 . mat. 5.28 . cap. 11.34 . cap. 13.19 . c. 25.42 , 43. isa. 1.16 , 17. rom. 3.10 . rom. 7.10 . gal. 3.10 . deut. 28.15 , 16. psal. 119.10 , 12. prov. 10.7 . deu. 28.21.22 . lev. 26.16 , 17. john 5. ●4 . deut. 28.28 , 66 , 67. psal. 69.12 . 1 joh. 2.16 . ephes. 2.2 . col. 1.13 . cap. 4.4 . luke 16.23 , 24 , 26. rev. 21 8. 2 thes. 1.9 . rom. 3.19 , 20. cap. 8.3 . gal. 2.16 . cap. 3.10 , 11 , 12 , 21 , 22. ep. 2.3 , 4 , 5 gal. 3.16 , 17. john 1.12 . rom. 5.17 . eph. 2.13 , 14. rom. 2.21 , 22. john 10.3 . psal. 3.9 . 1 tim. 2.5 . heb. 2.7 . cap. 5.1 . cap. 7.24 . heb. 7.24 , 35 , 26 , 27. psal. 2.7 , 8. gal. 3.13 . acts 7.25 . heb. 9.10 . jam. 8.34 : joh. 17.20 , 44. exo. 28.38 . 1 pet. 2.5 . rev. 8.3 . rom. 5.15 , 17 , 19. john 5.21 . cap. 17.2 , 6. luk. 4.18 , 19. deu. 18.18 . john 1.18 . cap. 8.26 . cap 15.15 . eph. 2.17 . isa. 61.12 . heb. 1.2 . cap. 2 3. cap. 3.1 , 2. mat. 27.17 . cap. 23.10 . luk. 24 , 25. acts 16.4 . 1 cor. 2.10 , 11 , 12. psa. 26.8 , 9. john 18.36 . zac. 9.9 , 10. eph. 1.20 , 21 , 22. mat. 22.7 , 13. luk. 19.14.25 , 27. ps. 22. 1 cor. 15.25 , 27. 1 cor. 15.45 . eph. 4.1 , 15 , 16. col. 1.13 . cap. 2.12 . john 5.25 , 26 , 27. cap. 17.2 . 1 cor. 13.9 . rom. 14.17 . 2 pet. 1.3 , ● . rom. 8.10 . 1 cor. 1.24 . 1 pet. 5.10 . eph. 1.22 . cap. 5.24 . luke 1.31 . isa. 9.6 , 7. eph. 4.11 . math. 18.17 , 18. acts 20.31 . mat. 3.11 . 1 cor. 12.7 , 8 , 9. 2 cor. ●2 . 2 cor. 33. eph. 2. 1 john 1.3 . eph. 4.11 , 12 , 15 , 16. gal 3.2 , 5 , 6. 1 thes. 2.13 . eph. 1.13 , 22 , 23. eph. 5.26 , 27 , 29. john 17.21 , 22 , 23. 1 cor. 1.13 . eph. 2.2 . c. 5. ●9 , 30. john 15.1 , 2 , 4 , 5. eph. 4.15 , 16. col. 2.19 . 1 cor. 13.13 . 1 joh. 4.24 . rom. 5.5 , 8 , 9. eph. 2.22 . phil. 2.1 . 1 cor 6.11 . 1 joh. 2.5 , 6. 1 pet. 1.2 . 2 pet. 2.3 , 4. col. 1.21 , 22. heb. 9.10 , 14. rom. 5 10. 2 cor. 5.8 , 9 eph. 2.16 . 1 col. 2.21 . gal. 3.8 , 13 , 14. 1 cor. 3.21 . rom. 4.23 , 24. rom. 13.24 , 25 , 26. eph. 2.8 ▪ 9. rom. 8.32 . isa. 9.6 . gal. 3.5 , 9. col. 1.14 , 21 , 22. & ver . 12 , 13 acts 13.38 , 39. rom. 8.13 . gal. 2.26 . eph. 1.3 . eph. 4.22 , 23. rom. 6.4 , 11 , 13. col. 2.12 . acts 2 . 3● . 1 cor. 2.14 . 1 cor. 12 , 13. eph. 3.17 . 1 thes. 1.3 . titus 3.8 . 1 tim. 1.5 . gal. 3.6 . acts 23.9 . 1 cor. 2.12 , 14. phil. 1.16 . cap. 2.3 , 15. 1 cor. 3.3 . 2 tim. 2.23 jer. 31.18 . 1 pet. 1.9 . eph. 3.20 . eph. 1.18 . heb. 11.1 , 2 , 3. col. 2.7 , 12. eph. 3.12 , 17. joh. 11.12 , 16. gal. 3.16 , 20. phil. 3.8 , 9. 2 tim. 1.6 . heb. 10.22 , 23. 2 cor. 13.5 . act. 2.41 , 42 c. 10.47 , 48. mat. 3.6 , 11. cap. 28.19 . c. 8.36 , 37. rom. 8.1 . 1 john 3.9 . 1 pet. 3.9 . 1 pet. 1.4 . titus 2.12 . gal. 6.15 . 2 cor. 7.10 , 11. jer. 31.18 , 19. act. 11 . 2● , 23. acts 26.20 ▪ rom. 13.8 . 1 tim. 1.5 . col. 3.14 . mat. 22.37 , 38 , 39 , 40. marke 12.30 , 31 , 32. rev. 1.20 . phil. 1.1 . act. 20 , 17 , 28. 1 pet. 5.1 , 2 , 3. 1 tim. 3.2 , 13. rom. 12.7 , 8 1 cor. 4.1 . heb. 13.17 , 24. 2 chr. 17.7 . act. 2.40 , 41 cap. 11.20 . 1 cor. 4.13 . rom. 10.17 . john 17.10 . eph. 1.13 . rom. 3 10. cap. 7.9 , 10. gal 3.12 , 23. acts 2.37 . mat. 13.24 . cap. 11.28 . gal. 2.18 , 19. heb. 4.16 . hos. 14 , 2 , 3. rom. 8.13 , 26 , 1 cor. 10. ● , 2 , 3 , 4 ▪ 16. gen. 17.10 , 11. deut. 30.6 . rom. 2.28 , 29. mat. 3 11. 1 pet. 3.21 . col. 2.11 , 12 , 13. act. 2.41 , 42 cap. 14.22 . cap. 20.32 . rom. 4.11 . 1 cor. 10.23.1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 16. cap. 4.12 , 13. exo. 12.28 . mat. 18.17 , 18. 1 cor. 5.4 , 5. mat. 18 . 1●● 16 , 17 , 18. 2 thes. 3.14 . 1 cor. 5.4 ▪ 5 , 11 , 13. 2 cor. 1.6 , 7.8 . 2 tim. 2 . 2● . 1 cor. 16.22 john 9.22 . heb. 11.2 , 8 , 9 , 10.15 . cap. 13.8 9 , 10 , 11. 2 cor. 3.6 , 7 , 8. acts 10 43. cap. 13.11 . cap. 26.6 , 7. luke 16.16 . john 1.17 . heb. 11. c. 9 1 , 9 , 10. acts 7.44 . 2 cor. 3.7 , 11. mal. 4.4 . jer. 21 31 , 32 , 33. heb. 11.13 . 2 cor. 3.13 , 18. heb. 8. 9 , 13. 2 cor. 3 11 , 13. gal. 4.3 , 4. col. 2.16 , 17. luk. 1.44 , 45. ps. 44.19 , 26. rom. 9.4 . act. 13.17 . deut. 4.1 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 17. cap. 1.6 , 7 , 8 , 14. cap. 2.26 . cap. 26.18 , 19. john 1.16 , 17. ex. 24 7 , 8. deut. 4.12 . rom. 10.5 . h● . 9 ● , 2 , 3. john 7. ●2 . exo. 12 48. acts 7.8 . john 7.22 . gen. 7.9 , 10 rom. 4.11 . col. 2.11 . deut 30.6 , 7. exo 12.3 , 4. num. 9.11 , 12. deu 16.2 . 1 cor. 5.7 . 1 pet. 5.19 . john ●9 . 36 . exo. 12.46 . john 1.17 . heb. 1.2 . cap. 2.3 , 4. cap 3.5 , 6. 1 cor. 3.11 . heb. 12.27 , 28. is● . 41.1 , 2. c 61 3 , 4 , 5 ▪ cap 65.12 . cap. 66.12 , 19 , 21. john 16.10 . mat. 18.19 , 20. rom. 15.25 , 26. eph. 3.5 , 6 , 8 , 9. col. 1.5 , 6. john 1.17 . cap. 14.21 . rom. 11.2 , 3. 1 pet. 1.10 , 11 , 12. 1 cor. 1.23 , 2● . heb 9.12 , 16 , 18. 1 tim. 3.16 . luke 1.35 . rom. 1.1 , 2 , 3. job . 1.14 , 45. john 19.28 , 30. mat. 1.18.19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. mat. 27.2 , 26 , 51. cap. 12.12 . c 27. ●9 , 60. rom. 6.9 . luke 23.43 , 46 , 47. mat. 16.21 . cap. 28.16 . 1 cor. 15.4 , 6 , 8. 1 tim. 2.8 . ma● . 16.19 . acts 1.9 , 10 , 11. eph. 4.10 . heb. 1.3 . 2 tim. 4.1 . a geographicall and historicall disqvisition touching the asia properly so called, the lydian asia (which is the asia so often mentioned in the new testament), the proconsular asia, and the asian diocese by james ussher. ussher, james, 1581-1656. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64646 of text r27036 in the english short title catalog (wing u177). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 84 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64646 wing u177 estc r27036 09619216 ocm 09619216 43842 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64646) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 43842) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1344:24) a geographicall and historicall disqvisition touching the asia properly so called, the lydian asia (which is the asia so often mentioned in the new testament), the proconsular asia, and the asian diocese by james ussher. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 32, [3] p. printed by henry hall, oxford : 1643. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. eng lydia. a64646 r27036 (wing u177). civilwar no a geographicall and historicall disquisition, touching the asia properly so called, the lydian asia (which is the asia so often mentioned in ussher, james 1643 13386 244 650 0 0 0 0 668 f the rate of 668 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-04 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-05 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2005-09 spi global rekeyed and resubmitted 2005-11 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2005-11 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a geographicall and historicall disqvisition , touching the asia properly so called , the lydian asia ( which is the asia so often mentioned in the new testament ) the proconsular asia and the asian , diocese . by james ussher , archbishop of armagh , and primate of all ireland . act. 19.10 . all they which dwelt in asia , heard the word of the lord jesus , both jevves and greekes . 1 corinth. 16.19 . the churches of asia salute you . revel. 1.4 . john to the seven churches in asia . grace be unto you and peace . oxford , printed by henry hall , 1643. to the reader . finding much perplexitie in the severall acceptions of the name of asia , even taken in the stricter sense , for that which was but a member of asia the lesse : for mine owne better satisfaction , in reading as well of the new testament as of other ecclesiasticall and civill histories ; i endeavoured to try whether , by a fit distinction of places and times , some helpe might be found for the resolving of those difficulties . vvhere i learned withall , both how wide he should erre in matters of this kinde , that would trust only to ptolemies tables , without further consulting with the ancienter historians and geographers ; and what use might be made of the imperiall laws , not only for the furtherance of civill prudence , but also for the bettering of our knowledge in other parts of good learning . vvhich briefe observations of mine , now the second time revised , enlarged , and much amended ( the former edition being but suddenly thought upon ) i here again present to the favourable view , and submit to the riper judgement of the more intelligent reader . et veniam pro laude peto : laudatus abundè , non fastiditus si tibi , lector , ero . a disqvisition , touching the asia properly so called , the lydian asia , the proconsular asia , and the asian diocese . chap. i. of the asia which by the romanes was first properly so called ; and the severall members thereof . as the lesser asia ( now called natolia or anatolia ) was a part of the great , and asia properly so called a part of that lesser ; so the lydian asia was a parcell of that asia which was properly so called . for the fuller understanding whereof , we are to call to mind , that the romanes having possessed themselves of the countreyes which had formerly belonged unto the pergamen kings , reduced them into the forme of a province ; which they called , a by the name of the great continent , asia . this is by cicero b distinguished into foure members : phrygia , mysia , caria , and lydia . the first whereof is by dionysius afer , c strabo , d ptolemy and others , divided into the greater and the lesser phrygia . within the greater those two phrygia's were comprehended , which in after ages , were knowne by the names of pacatiana and salutaris : the former of which ( mentioned in the subscription , added by the greeke church unto the former epistle of s. paul unto timothy ) being the more southerne part of the greater phrygia , is thought to have received that appellation from pacatianus : who in the dayes of constantine the great , bore the office of the e prefect of the praetorium of the east , having not long before beene at the same time f both consul and prefect of the city of constantinople ; and ( as it may seeme ) diverse yeares before that , began his preferments here in the west , with the * lieutenantship of our brittaine . of the latter , there is mention made in a certaine g constitution of constantius the sonne of constantine , and in the subscriptions both of the fourth generall councell held at chalcedon , and of the fifth held at constantinople ; in which last h severus subscribeth as bishop of synnada , the metropolis of phrygia salutaris , ( however i socrates , by some lapse of memory , and k nicephorus blindly following him , have made this to be a city of phrygia pacatiana : ) as in that of chalcedon , l abercius , as bishop of hierapolis , a citie of the same phrygia salutaris . where it may be noted ; first , that besides that more knowne hierapolis in phrygia pacatiana ( of which we shall have occasion to speake hereafter ) there was another of lesse note in phrygia salutaris : the one whereof in m pli●yes dayes ( before this new distinction of the parts of the greater phrygia was brought in ) belonged to the laodicean , the other to the pergamen jurisdiction . secondly , that before this abercius , who was present at the councell of chalcedon ; there were two other bishops of the same name , who succeeded one another in the same see , about the time of the emperour marcus aurelius antoninus , whose episcopall seat is by n symeon metaphrastes placed in that little phrygia , whereof synnada was the metropolis : whereas the other greekes more consonantly to the truth do relate , that o abercius was bishop of hierapolis in phrygia salutaris . for the greater phrygia ( whereof this salutaris was a part ) both by the forenamed geographers , and by p diodorus siculus and q livy , is opposed to that which lay upon the hellespont : and had in it the cities of ilium ( called by r herodotus , the pergamus of priamus , upon the river seamander ) and of troas ; which is often mentioned in the s new testament , and by others named t antigonia , alexandria , and the u alexandrian troas : from whence the whole countrey retained the name of troas ; aswell as the other appellations of x epictetus , the hellespontian and the lesser phrygia : beginning northward , y according to homer , from the river aesepus , or z according to damastes from the city parium , not far from thence , and , according to both , extending it self from thence , along the water si●e , southward unto the promontory lectum . betwixt this lesser and the greater phrygia was mysia interposed : the borders of each other being so confusedly intermingled together , a that it was a very difficult matter to distinguish them . and as the lesser phrygia was called the hellespontian , and a difference thereby put betwixt it and the greater : so this mysia likewise , being in the countrey ( although further removed from the fretum or strait ) of hellespont , had the like name of the hellespontian mysia given unto it ; thereby to discriminate it from the ●strian * mysia or moesia : the hellespontian mysia and phrygia joyntly making up that intire province , which in the division of the empire made by constantine ( because it was setled under the government of a b consular president ) had the name of the c consular hellespont bestowed upon it . thus galen , having occasion to prescribe the use of mysian wine , declareth that he meant thereby , d not that which was from the mysia about the river ister , but from that which is named the hellespontian ; which ( saith he ) is about our asia , and conterminous unto pergamus . for that the greater mysia reached southward unto the pergamen territory , and the plaine of caïcus , is by c herodotus and f strabo in like sort testifyed : as it reached from thence northward unto the mountaine olympus ; which from the mysians was called g moesius or mysius , and the h mysians from it again received the surname of olympeni . that which i ptolemy calleth the lesser mysia ( the chiefe citie whereof was cyzicus ) reaching from that mountaine westward unto the river aesepus , and there joyning with the northern part of epictetus or the lesser phrygia . caria was parted from lydia by the winding currents maeander : from the receiving of the river lycus into it , unto the emptying of it selfe into the myrtoan sea . for howsoever ptolemy taketh all that lyeth betwixt this and the river cayster from lydia , and addeth it unto caria : yet k strabo maketh maeander to be the limit betwixt those provinces ; and aswell by scylax caryandensis in his periplus , as by l pliny , m maximus tyrius , and n stephanus byzantinus , it is reckoned among the rivers of lydia . lydia contained , beside the inland region , commonly knowne by that name , the adjoyning countries also , aswell of ionia , lying on the sea side betwixt the mouthes of the river hermus and maeander , as of aeolis , reaching up from hermus , either unto the river caicus as ptolemy , or , as strabo would have it , unto the very promontory of lectum , the ancient bound betwixt troas and the sea-coast of the greater mysia . for that mysia reached unto the mouth of caïeus , is acknowledged not only by o ptolemy , but also by p strabo himselfe : and yet , because that in his time it was possessed by the aeolians , he declareth withall , that q aeolis , then properly so called , did extend from hermus unto lectum , and that r when one turneth about from lectum , the renowned cities of the aeolians , and the adramyttian bay , doe receive him . so doth pliny likewise affirme , that s the promontory lectum did disterminate aeolis and troas : although elsewhere , following other authors , he placeth assos ( the first city that occurreth after the doubling of the cape of lectum , and whereof there is mention made acts 20.13 , 14. ) in t troas , as ptolemy doth . but u strabo , and x hellanicus before him , maketh it a city of aeolis : as stephanus byzantinus after them , where he saith , it y is a city of aeolis about the hellespont : from which the authority of alexander cornelius ( subjoyned hereunto by him ) saying that assos in mysia was a colony of the mitylenaeans ( in the island of lesbus , which lay next opposite unto this mysia ) swarveth little or nothing at all : mysia , after it came unto the possession of the aeolians , having gotten the name of aeolis ; as by z mela and a pliny is fully testified . the not observing whereof caused stephanus to make the assos of aeolis a different city from the assos of mysia neer unto antandrus : for so do i read the place in him ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . and not , as the vulgar books have it ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the principall sea-townes of this part of mysia or aeolis b from lectum to caïcus , over against lesbus , are by strabo reckoned in this order : assos , adramyttium , atarnus and pitane . that adramyttium ( mentioned in act. 27.2 ) was c a city of that mysia which is by caïcus , and d atarna a city betwixt mysia and lydia , neere unto lesbus ; and e pitane a city of aeolis , is affirmed by stephanus . so as , reckoning atarna it selfe ( as f herodotus doth ) among the cities of mysia , the rest of aeolis downward will fall within the limits of lydia . wherein we finde , that aswell g phocaea ( which is within aeolis ) as ephesus , colophon , lebedus , teos and clazomenae , the most knowne cities of ionia , are expresly placed by herodotus . neither is there any reason to be given , why cicero in his enumeration of the countries of asia , should wholly praetermit the mention of aeolis and ionia ; but that he comprehended them under the names of mysia and lydia : in which we see adramyttium , and all the other cities downeward unto ephesus , to be placed by scylax in his periplus . chap. ii. of the lydian asia , and the seven metropoliticall cities thereof . that heretofore lydia was called meonia , and the lydians termed meonians : we read in a herodotus , b diodorus siculus , c dionysius afer , d strabo , e pliny , f stephanus byzantinus , and others . and that g meonia was in the dayes of homer named asia , and the inhabitants thereof by callinus ( another poet , h elder then archilochus ) in the ionian dialect termed for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or asians ; we find to have beene the opinion of demetrius scepsius , i who was equall in time unto crates and aristarchus the grammarian . whereunto we may also adde that of euripides , in his bacchae ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . together with that which is related by k stephanus byzantinus , l suidas , and the great etymologist ; that upon this tmolus there was a city of lydia seated , which had the name of asia : and by strabo m , that betwixt the two lydian mountaines of tmolus and messogis lay the great caystrian plaine , which homer calleth the asian field , in that verse of the second of the iliads ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . to which virgil also hath relation in that of the first of his georgicks ; — & quae asia circum dulcibus in stagnis rimantur prata caystri : and in the seventh of the aeneids ; — sonat amnis , & asia longè pulsa palus . whereunto the testimony of eunapius may be referred likewise , who speaking of that admirably learned gentlewoman sosipatra , saith that n she was of that asia which is about ephesus , where the river cayster running through the countrey , giveth his name to the plain by which it passeth . it is further also reported by strabo , that o in this plaine neere unto the banks of the river cayster , the inhabitants used to shew the chappels dedicated to the honour of caystrius , and of one asias ; whom the etymologist p noteth to have been sometime king of lydia ; and to have given the name unto this asian field . ●r , as q the lydians themselves would have it , to the whole land of asia : alleadging further , that from this asias , the sonne of cotys , the sonne of maneus , they had a tribe in their head-city sardis , which they called {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , as is recorded by herodotus . whether r from this asias the continent of asia did take his denomination , or from the forementioned city of lydia , or from asia the wife of prometheus , or from some other originall ; stephanus byzantinus leaveth us to enquire . but beside that the first vowell in homers asia is long , and in the greater asia ( which s stephanus acknowledgeth him to have been ignorant of ) is of a * short quantitie : no man can doubt , but the derivation of the name of asia from a lydian city , or from a lydian king and heros , is farre more properly applyable to lydia it selfe , then to the whole continent either of the greater or the lesser asia . for that lydia was t formerly called asia , is directly affirmed by the ancient scholiast of apollonius rhodius : and that the asia mentioned in the new testament was comprehended within the bounds of lydia ( containing in it , according to the above confirmed description , aeolis and ionia ) will quickly appeare to those that carefully compare the acts of the apostles and the booke of the revelation together . in the 16. chapter of the acts , the journey of s. paul and his company is by s. luke thus described . when they had gone throughout phrygia and the region of galatia , and were forbidden of the holy ghost to preach the word in asia ; after they were come to mysia , they assayed to goe into bithynia : but the spirit suffered them not . and they passing by mysia , came downe to troas . where it may be observed , that the greater phrygia , ( through which they passed into galatia ) and mysia olympena ( which was next adjoyning unto bithynia ) and hellespont wherein troas was situated , being all of them parcells of the asia by the romans properly so called ; are yet expresly distinguished from asia , in this more strict sense so denominated as caria likewise , wherein miletus stood , appeareth to be by what we read in acts 20.16 , 17. and as these are thus exempted by s. luke ; so the rest that remaine of the proper asia , together with the seven churches of asia mentioned in the revelation of s. iohn , a●e all of them comprehended within the limits of that lydian asia , whereof we have spoken . for , that pergamus was a city of lydia , is plainly affirmed by u xenophon : to whom aristotle also may be added , in his booke {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , where he speaketh of a warre sometime raised {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . that smyrna at first was poss●ssed by x the lydians , is testifyed also by aristotle , treating of the birth and education of homer : who seemeth to have had the surname of maeonius , either from maeon the king , or maeonia the countrey it selfe of lydia ; among the cities whereof , smyrna ( the most likely place of that famous poëts nativitie ) is by scylax caryandensis reckoned . as ephesus likewise is , both by him and y herodotus ; sardis , philadelphia and thyatyra by ptolemy : and z laodicea by stephanus byzantinus . yet is laodicea by ptolemy referred unto caria , and by others unto phrygia . the reason of which difference we may lea●ne from strabo , a who sheweth that the confines of phrygia , lydia and caria were so coincident , that they were hardly to be discern●d the one from the other . which is the cause , that though b he doth reckon laodicea among the cities of phrygia ; yet hierapolis , which was c opposit to it ( toward the east ) is by stephanus d said to be seated betwixt phrygia and lydia : it by that meanes being placed in , and laodicea without the borders of phrygia . this also doth strabo assigne for another reason , e why the bounds of the provinces hereabout were confounded : because that the romans did not divide these places by the nations ; but ordered them after another manner , according to the circuits wherein they kept their courts , and exercised judicature . five of these tribunals were seated in the cities of f laodicea , sardis , smyrna , ephesus , and pergamus : philadelphia was within the sardian , and thyatira within the pergamen circuit although that g thyatira was a metropolis also of it selfe , as ptolemy declareth in his geography ; and in all likelyhood philadelphia also , the only city remaining of those seven famous ones singled out , as the seats of the most eminent churches of all asia , in the book of the revelation . for that philadelphia was herein no whit inferiour unto thyatira ; may easily be gathered by the respect which it still retained , after that lydia ( as we shall heare ) was separated from the proconsular asia , and each province ordinarily permitted to have but one metropolis . for sardis being then the prime city of lydia , the next in account after it was philadelphia , another also being placed betwixt it and thyatira : as appeareth by the order of them constantly observed aswell in the h civill as in the i ecclesiasticall catalogues of the cities belonging to that province . whereupon in the acts of the constantinopolitan councell held under mena● , we see that eustathius subscribeth himselfe , in expresse termes , k bishop of the metropolis of the philadelphians , of the province of the lydians . chap , iii. of the proconsular asia , and the severall alterations of the limits thereof . i come now from the lydian asia , and the seven metropoliticall cities thereof , unto the proconsular : which , according to the condition of a other provinces , had in severall times it's severall alterations . for in the distribution of the empire made by augustus caesar , it appeareth to have been the same with that former asia of the romans , which we described in the beginning out of cicero ; but in that which was afterwards brought in by constantine , to have been confined within the bounds of the lydian asia . the greatnesse of the one above the other being sufficiently intimated in those verses of statius , touching the yeare of the proconsulship of vectius bolanus ; who , before that , had been proconsul here in brittaine : b — quantusque potentes mille urbes asia sortito rexerit anno ; imperium mulcente togâ . that same yeare , c wherein caesar obtained first the surname of augustus , himselfe being then the seventh , and marcus agrippa ( who married his sisters daughter ) the third time consul ; was this politicall division of the provinces ordered by him : farr diffe●ing from that geographicall partition of countries delivered by his nephew agrippa . whom d solinus following in his geography , beginneth asia from telmessus of lycia and the carpathian bay : and boundeth it on the east with lycia ( or lycaonia , as e pliny hath it ) and phrygia ; on the west with the aegean , on the south with the aegyptian sea , and on the north with paphlagonia . which being made the limit of agrippa's asia on that side ( and not pontus or propontis ) doth necessarily shew that pontus and bit●ynia we●e included therein . whereas it plainly appeareth by strabo and dio , that in augustus his platforme these were a province by themselves . f they being made by him a praetorian province , and asia a consular ; containing in it ( as strabo witnesseth ) all that asia which was on this side the river halys and the mountaine taurus , excepting galatia , the countryes that had been lately under the government of king amyntas , together with the province of bithynia and that of pontus and propontis adjoyned thereunto . all which being deducted ; those countries will remaine , which by g onuphrius are assigned unto augustus his proconsular asia : to wit , lydia , ionia , caria , mysia , phrygia , and the proconsular hellespont . h the two roman colonyes whereof , troas and parium , are by paulus the lawyer particularly noted to have beene seated in the province asia . and this is it indeed , which ptolemy proposeth unto us , as that which was accounted i the asia properly so called in the dayes of antoninus pius ; who himselfe , as k proconsul , had sometime l governed this province . where , in the breviat of the first table of asia , it is not to be passed by , that mention is made of m asia properly so called , wherein was phrygia . for howsoever that were no part , either of agrippa's asia ( from whence by n solinus it is excluded ) or yet of the lydian asia ( from which in o the acts of the apostles , as also in p the letters of the church of vienna and lions , and q tertullians booke against praxeas , it is clearly distinguished : ) yet hierapolis , the chiefe city thereof , by r polycrates , and s vlpian , and iulius africanus ( as farre as we have him in t eusebius his chronicle ) is placed in asia ; as being contained within the limits assigned by strabo to the proconsular asia , as it stood in the time of augustus and the heathen emperours after him . but in the dayes of constantine , and the christian emperours that succeeded him , the circuit thereof was much abbridged , and a distinction brought in betwixt the proconsular asia and the asian diocese ; the one being put under the command of the proconsul of asia , the other under the government of the vicarius of asia or the asian diocese : for so in the imperiall constitutions is he indifferently nominated . thus in the ccclxv . yeare of our lord , two rescripts were given out by the emperour valens : the one u dated the 27th . of january ( in the latter end of the first yeare of his raigne ) to clearchus the vicarius asiae ; the other , x the 6th of october following , unto his successor auxonius , under the style of vicarius dioeceseos asianae . this auxonius y some doe imagine to be the same with ausonius the poët : without all ground of authority or reason , removing him out of the western into the eastern empire . but of his predecessor we are sure , that he is the same clearchus , whom eunapius mentioneth to have been in his time preferred unto this government ; before he was by valens promoted afterwards unto the proconsulship of the other asia . concerning this first preferment of his he declareth , that he was made z governour of all that asia , the jurisdiction whereof did extend from hellespont , through lydia and pisidia , unto pamphylia . which is as much to say ( if my second thoughts doe not here deceive me ) as that it contained in it the consular hellespont and phrygia salutaris adjoyning thereunto ; together with phrygia pacatiana , descending from thence downeward , by lydia on the west-side and pisidia on the east , unto pamphylia . for howsoever in the alterations that followed this ( as we shall heare anone ) the greater part of the in-land lydia was brought under this vicarian regiment ( as , not pisidia and pamphylia only , but lycaonia , lycia and caria also were : ) yet that in clearchus his time this part of lydia was parcell of the proconsular asia , is sufficiently intimated by eunapius , extending it unto tmolus a a mountaine placed in the eastern border of lydia . for touching the advancement of clearchus unto the proconsular government he writeth thus . b things prosperously succeeding , valens was wonderfully well pleased with clearchus , and was so farre from depriving him of his former charge , that he advanced him unto a greater government ; appointing him to be proconsul of asia now properly so called . this from pergamus downewards taking the sea-coast into it , toward the adjacent continent reacheth unto caria ; the mountaine tmolus circumscribing that of it which belongeth unto lydia . of the governments it is the most honourable ; and is not subject to the praefectus praetorio . saving that now , by reason of these late commotions , c all things are againe confounded and disturbed . where touching the limits of this asia now properly so called , it may be noted ; that as galen ( in the place before alledged ) maketh the hellespontian mysia ( which in the old dist●ibution of the empire was within the precinct of the jurisdiction of the then proconsular asia ) to be conterminous unto pergamus , where he himselfe was borne : so eunapius from the same pergamus beginneth the bounds of the now proconsular asia ; extending the length thereof from thence downeward unto caria , and the breadth from the sea unto the mountaine tmolus , which is by euripides , in his bacchae , called {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the fortresse of lydia ; and on the side whereof sardis ( a chiefe city of that province , and eunapius his owne countrey ) is not only by him , but also by d herodotus , e strabo , and f pliny ( how soever ptolemyes tables doe misplace it ) sufficiently proved to have beene situated . that ridge of the mountaine , on which sardis was seated , bounding that part of lydia toward the east ( as we have said ) and the other tract thereof reaching from thence unto hypaepa , a city of lesse name within the same country : as ovid declareth in those verses ; g nam freta prospiciens latè riget arduus alto tmolus in ascensu , clivoque extensus utroque , sardibus hinc , illinc parvis finitur hypaepis . by which description it appeareth , that this proconsular asia was little or nothing different from the lydian asia ; called lydia , not only by herodotus and scylax , but also ( if i mistake not ) by h constantius the emperour himselfe . to valens , the elder theodosius succeeded in the eastern empire : who took away i the consular hellespont from the jurisdiction of the vicarius of the asian diocese , and put it under the command of the proconsul of asia . which state of the then proconsular or proper asia that greek geographer might seeme to have respected ; who beginneth his enumeration of the xlviii . provinces of the continent of asia , with pontus and bithynia . asia properly so called . great phrygia . lycia and caria . galatia , &c. as we have it presented unto us by that most curious searcher of all such kind of rarities , k claudius salmasius . wherein it is observable , that hellespont , aeolis , ionia and lydia are included in , aswell as the greater phrygia and caria are excluded from the asia then properly so called . whence that new addition of hellespont being put aside ; the remaine will prove to be the same with that which a little before was styled by eunapius , the asia now properly so called . in the dayes of arcadius ( the son and successor of the foresaid theodosius ) this addition of hellespont to the jurisdiction , was much abated by the detraction of the maine inland part of lydia from the body of the proconsular asia . which is the cause why l palladius , speaking of the asian synod of seventy bishops held by chrysostom in the ccccii. yeare of our lord , doth separate the bishops of lydia from the bishops of asia . for as for the subscriptions of the first councell of nice , both those which are found in some latin books , and those greek ones that have beene lately published m out of sambucus his copy : they being quite dissonant the one from the other , and having in both of them diverse manifest tokens of forgery and corruption , doe deserve here no regard at all . yet in this distraction of lydia from the proconsular asia , it appeareth aswell by n the civill and o ecclesiasticall lists of the provinces of the easterne empire , recorded by the grecians , as by the p subscriptions of the councell of chalcedon and other of the eastern synods ; that the southerne part of lydia , lying betwixt the rivers of maeander and cayster , which we noted to have beene attributed by ptolemy unto caria ( and wherein were the cities of priene , magnesia , trallis and nysa ) was still reserved unto asia : together with all that lay upon the sea-coast from ephesus upward , not only unto pitane and the mouth of caicus ( which we shewed to have beene a parcell of the lydian asia ) but also unto assos and the promontory of lectum ; which was possessed first by the mysians , then by the lydians , and lastly by the aeolians . for that this also , at least wise from antandrus downward , was sometimes accounted as an appendant unto lydia , may be gathered , partly from the words of g scylax caryandensis ( though here corrupted ) partly from the testimony of xenophon ; who telleth us that he and his company , r departing from antandrus , passed by the sea side of lydia , unto the playne of thebe , and through it unto adramyttium . compared with strabo , relating to the same purpose , that the former s inhabitants of the playne of thebe were the lydians , then called meones : and that t in his time the name of the lydian gates was still preserved in adramyttium , as a memoriall of the building of that city by the lydians . although yet , by the authority of galen and eunapius , we begin our lydian asia from the river caïcus and pergamus : those other places of atarna , thebe , adramyttium and antandrus , being by u herodotus also referred to mysia , and not to lydia . to conclude therefore the various alterations of the limits of the proconsular asia : as we have referred ptolemies asia properly so called to the proconsular asia , as it was ordered by augustus ; and eunapius his asia now properly so called , to that which was by constantine ; and the namelesse geographers proper asia , to that which was by the elder theodosius : by the like reason also , what simplicius writeth in the dayes of justinian touching x his asia now so called , and symeon metaphrastes long after him ( though concerning elder times , wherein these provinces stood in a far different posture from that which he presenteth unto us ) y of the confluence of the inhabitants of asia unto abercius ; we may well suppose to have relation unto this last settlement , which was made in the dayes of arcadius and the younger theodosius . chap. iv. of the asian diocese , and the metropolitan cities thereof ; with the civill and ecclesiasticall government setled therein . a diocese , in the language of the times whereof we speake , was a a circuit comprehending within it many provinces : and the asian diocese in that sense , sometimes taken more strictly , as it was distinguished from the proconsular asia and the provinces subject to the jurisdiction of the proconsul thereof ; and sometimes more largely , as containing those proconsular provinces also under it . the former acception hath place in that constitution of theodosius the elder , whe●e b the proconsular asia and the asian diocese are both nominated together : and generally where ever the office of the vicarius or c comes ( for these two titles are used d to signifie the same dignitie ) of asia or the asian diocese ( or e region , as julianus antecessor rendreth it ) is made mention of . the latter , when the asian is rehearsed joinctly with other dioceses of the eastern empire : as in l. si quis post hanc . c. ut nemo ad suum patrocin . and l. provinciae thraciar· c. de militari veste . according to which acception , whole f asia , as theodoret calleth it , in the dayes of the younger theodosius did consist of eleven provinces . g three whereof appertained to the disposition of the proconsul of asia : the proper proconsular which he governed by himselfe , the consular hellespont , and that of the rhodes , and the other scattered islands called cyclades ; which were first h made a province , and placed under a i president , by the emperour vespasian k eight were under the vicarius or lieutenant of asia : lydia , caria , phrygia pacatiana and phrygia salutaris , with those foure other which were superadded to that proper asia of the ancient romans , whereof we made mention in the beginning out of strabo and cicero ; namely pamphylia , lycia , lycaonia and pisidia . this distribution is to be seen in the latin list of the provinces and dignities of both the empires ; called by l alciat the breviary of theodosius the younger . m by whom lycia was divided from lycaonia and made a province by it selfe ; myra being appointed the metropolis and place of the residence of the president thereof : as iohannes malela setteth downe in his chronicle . which report of his if we admit for authentique ; we must withall say , that theodoret , in the place even now alledged , had relation to the state of his owne time , when speaking of the care which chrysostom had of asia , he saith that it was governed by eleven presidents . joyning the three provinces which were under the proconsul of asia , with the other eight that were under the vicarius of the asian diocese ; which otherwise , if lycia and lycaonia had been conjoyned , would have been but seven provinces . indeed , n in the generall enumeration of the provinces of the easterne empire , which we meet withall toward the beginning of the foresaid theodosian breviary , there are but ten provinces numbred of the whole asian diocese : the first and principall of them all , to wit asia it selfe , by some errour ( wherewith o onuphrius also and p contius was misledd ) being omitted . which was nothing amended by isidorus mercator , but increased rather ; when he reckoneth up q twelve provinces in this asia : the first and chiefe whereof he maketh to be asia it selfe ; r in which ( saith he ) is ilium , or troy ; the second lydia , the third galatia . whereas ilium was situated not in this , but in the province of hellespont : and galatia appertained to the pontican , and not to the asian diocese . whence , by the way , we may correct an errour that hath crept into the greek edition of the subscriptions of the 6. action of the councell of chalcedon : wherein , though theosebius bishop of ilium had put to his name , yet stephen the metropolitan of the ephesians , among those absent bishops that were under his jurisdiction , doth nominate rufinus bishop , not timi ( as the latin books have it ) but ilii . s some do think , that the emperour iustinian did take away hellespont from the government of the proconsul of asia , and joyned it with pontus polemoniacus . but that errour arose from the old latin translation of the xxth . novell of justinian ; t hellespontus being therein put for helenopontus , in the pontican diocese : as appeareth not only by the greek text and u iulians latin epitome thereof , but also by the latin it selfe ( acknowledging afterwards , that this mutation was made in galatia and the pontican , not the asian diocese ) and by the xxviiith . novell most evidently . though sure it is , that x he took from the lievtenant or vicarius the government of the asian diocese , and confined him within the limits of phrygia pacatiana , whereof he constituted him count or comes . by that which in the second chapter hath been delivered , it appeareth , that under the first emperours there were many metropoliticall cities within one province ; and some chosen out of them wherein courts of justice were erected , unto which the next adjoyning circuits might upon all occasions have recourse . whereupon those contentions afterwards did arise betwixt the cities of the proconsular asia , touching each ones dignitie and precedency : for the composing whereof aristides made that oration of concord unto them , which is still extant . wherein yet the common desire of all the asians accorded in this ; y that the proconsul , at his first comming into the province , should passe into asia by sea , and among the other metropoles first arrive at ephesus : as by the rescript of the emperour antoninus ( vouched by ulpian , in his first book of the proconsuls office ) most manifestly appeareth . but in the disposition of the empire made by constantine it was ordered , that in every province there should be but one chiefe city held for the metropolis : and that unto it , l all the provincials should resort for the administration of publike justice . whereupon ephesus , being by the former imperiall constitution , grounded upon the joincte consent of the asians themselves , z preferred before all the rest ( as being the ordinary place of the convention of the common councell , and it self held to be a the common treasury of asia ) was appointed to be the sole metropolis of this new proconsular asia ; and withall retained the preeminence which formerly it had above all the cities of the old . whereof , we may see the testimonies , aswell of b chrysostom and others of the ancient who wrote upon the epistle of s paul to the ephesians ; as of the emperour c theodosius , in the letters wherby he summoneth dioscorus and other bishops to appeare at the second councell at ephesus , assembled by him in the yeare of our lord ccccxlix . whence he that wrote the book of the places mentioned in the acts of the apostles ( falsly fathered upon s. hierom ) saying that d where the city of ephesus is , there is the asia specially so called ; may seem to have meant no other thing thereby , but that the province which had ephesus for it's metropolis , was that which had the name of asia in a singular manner appropriated unto it . if therein he looked any further then to the ba●e words of the text ; wherein it is said , that paul e continuing at ephesus by the space of two years , all they which dwelt in asia heard the word of the lord . and that afterward f he determined to sayle by ephesus , because he would not spend the time in asia : and thereupon sending for the elde●s of the church of ephesus , he said unto them ; ye know from the fi●st day that i came into asia , after what manner i have beene with you at all seasons . out of all which it was no hard matter for him to gather at large , as g erasmus did after him ; that asia in the new testament denoteth that part of asia minor , in which ephesus standeth . it is here also further to be noted , that as in the state of the civill government , the jurisdiction of the annuall presidents ( by aristides styled h bishops ) was extended unto all the cities that were contained within the limits of their severall provinces ; and when but one metropolis was appointed unto every province , wherein the governour was to keep his ordinary residence , the provinciall presidents had from thence the appellation of {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( or m●tropolitan judges , as , at the end of the first novell of justinian , the * old latin interpreter rendr●th it : ) so , in the eastern empire especially , the ecclesiasticall r●giment was herein conformed unto the civill ; there being but one metropolitan bishop setled in every province , unto whom the bishops of all the rest of the cities were subordinated . by which meanes it came to passe . that of the seven churches in asia , spoken of in the book of the revelation , ephesus alone in the dayes of constantine had the metropoliticall dignitie left unto it . then after the dayes of valens the emperour , the inland lydia being separated from asia , the bishop of sardis ( which had been the i ancient seat of the lydian kings ) became the metropolitan of that province : the sees of philadelphia and * thyatira being made subject to him ; as smyrna and pergamus were to the bishop of ephesus . there remained then of the seven , only laodicea : which got the honour of being the metropolis of phrygia pacatiana ; as we read in the greek subscription of the first epistle unto timothy : the §. latenesse whereof is thence rightly collected by the learned k cujaicus . for as the distinction of ph●ygia pacatiana and salutaris is no where to be found before the distribution of the provinces made by constantine : so at that time also , when but one metropolis was allotted unto every province , it is a question , whether of those two * prime cities that were so nea●e together , hierapolis , which without all controversie was acknowledged to belong unto phrygia , was not rather chosen to be the mother city therein , then laodicea , which by reason of the doubtfull situation thereof ( as we have heard ) was indifferently challenged to appertaine unto phrygia , caria and lydia . in the dayes of the succeeding emperours indeed , l who yielded so farr to the ambition of some bishops , that they were content there should be two metropolitans in one province , both these cities were accounted for the metropoles of phrygia pacatiana which is the cause , why in the fourth generall councell , assembled at chalcedon , aswell m nunechius bishop of the metropolis of laodicea , as stephen bishop of the metropolis of hierapolis , do subscribe for themselvs and the absent bishops which were under them . as also in the fifth general councell held at constantinople , there is mention made at the same time of n iohn bishop of the metropolis of the laodiceans , and auxanon bishop of the metropolis of the hierapolitans : & in the sixth , of tiberius bishop of the laodiceans and sisinnius of the hierapolitans , either of them giving unto his seat the title o of the metropolis of the pacatian phrygians . and although by a canon of the said councell of chalcedon it was provided , that any bishop which afterward p would attempt to make such divisions to the derogation of the rights of his owne metropolitan , should be deprived of his dignitie ; and that q the new metropoles formerly constituted by the imperiall charters should so content themselves with this honour , that the proper rights should still be preserved unto that which was the metropolis indeed : yet we see for all this , that r in the lists of the bishopricks of the east made in the succeeding times , there are still distinct suffragans reckoned under these two metropolitans of laodicea and hierapolis ; and that diverse other private bishops were not hereby restrained from aspiring unto a metropoliticall dignitie . among whom ( to speak onely of those who were within the compasse of the lydian asia ) was the bishop of smyrna ; who found the meanes to be made first {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or independent , and then t a metropolitan with u seven suffragans depending upon him . x the bishop of pergamus ; who was exempted likewise from his subordination to ephesus , and made a metropolitan by himself . and the bishop of philadelphia : s y who by andronicus palaeologus the elder was substituted into the place of the bishop of sardis , and made metropolitan of all lydia . so as of the bishops of the seven churches mentioned in the book of the reuelation , he of thyatira only excepted , all at the last became metropolitans , as they were at the first . but among all these , the see of ephesus had evermore the preeminence . and as it was the mother city of the proconsular asia : so was that asia likewise the prime province of all the asian diocese ; and had in such esteem , that the proconsul thereof was exempted from the jurisdiction of the praefectus praetorio orientis , ( as before we have heard out of eunapius ) unto which the vicarius or lieutenant of the asian diocese was subject . conformably whereunto in the ecclesiasticall government , the bishop of ephesus was not only held to be the metropolitan of the proconsular asia , but also the primate of all the provinces that were contained within the compasse of the whole asian diocese . vpon which ground it was , that among those bishops which palladius ( in the life of chrysostom ) mentioneth to have beene ordained by antoninus bishop of ephesus ; z some were of lycia and phrygia , as well as others of asia : the ordination of these latter being challenged by vertue of his metropoliticall , of the others by his patriarchicall jurisdiction . in the arabick acts of the councell of nice ( which that worthy knight sr. thomas roe , among other rare monuments , brought with him from the east and bestowed upon the famous library of the university of oxford ) it is affirmed that a the patriarchship of ephesus was translated unto the bishop of constantinople , and that he was then made the second in order , and the patriarch of alexandria the third . and a constitution is therein recited , that the patriarchall see should be translated from ephesus to the imperiall city ; that so honour might be done both to the empire and priesthood together : and , to the end the other bishop might be honoured ( and not lightly set by , because of the transferring of the patriarchall chaire from him ) that he should enjoy the eminent title of catholicus . for proofe whereof , the testimony of one dionysius is there alledged . but neither the authority of this obscure dionysius , nor of the latter arabians following him , is of sufficient weight to gaine credit to this relation : especially seeing it is well known , that the title of catholicus , taken in this sense , b is of a very late originall , and ( for ought we can find ) at no time attributed unto the bishop of ephesus ; and that the bishop of constantinople had the second place among the patriarchs first assigned unto him , not in the councell of nice , but c in the second generall councell held at constantinople in the yeare ccclxxxi . after which advancement , the first bishop of that see we read of , that extended his jurisdiction beyond the sea unto d the pontican and asian dioceses , was john chrysostome , e who passing over unto ephesus , and holding there the foresaid synod of the lxx . asian bishops , placed heraclides in the bishoprick of ephesus , then vacant by the death of antoninus ; and deposing xiii . bishops , who were charged to have been simoniacally ordained by him , placed others in their roome . and , although within foure yeares after , aswell heraclides as the other thirteen bishops of chrysostoms ordination were removed againe , and the former bishops restored to their places : yet it appeareth by the acknowledgement of the pontican and asian bishops in the xvith . action of the councell of chalcedon , that his successors continued their claime , and challenged still a right at leastwise in the ordination of the metropolitans of both those dioceses . which power of ordaining metropolitans , not only in the thracian but also in the pontican and asian diocese , being thereupon confirmed unto the bishops of constantinople by a f speciall act of that councell ( beside g a liberty given to all clerkes that had any suit with their metropolitan , to prosecute the same either before the primate of the diocese or the patriarch of constantinople , at their owne election ) gave occasion unto euagrius to write , that h the councell of chalcedon took away the patriarchicall right from the church of the ephesians ; and that by timothy of alexandria ( the deadly enemy of that councell ) it was restored thereunto againe . after which time we see , that the bishop of ephesus , as metropolitan of the asian province , subscribeth thus unto the constantinopolitan synod held under menas . i i hypatius , by the mercy of god bishop of the metropolis of the ephesians of the asian province , have defined and subscribed . and as patriarch of the asian diocese , to the letters sent by the sixth councell of constantinople , unto pope agatho , thus . k i theodorus by the mercie of god bishop of the metropolis of the ephesians , and primate of the asian diocese , both for my self , and the synod that is under me , have subscribed . for although in the times of the latter emperours also , he still retained the title of primate or l exarch of all asia ; yet all asia did not import therein the whole asian diocese , but the asian province only : the exarchate of the diocese , having been wholly engrossed into the hands of the patriarch of constantinople . which is the cause , why balsamon noteth , that m the priviledge heretofore granted unto exarches by the councell of chalcedon , was in his dayes of no force at all . for although some of the metropolitans ( saith he ) are named exarches ; yet have they none of the other metropolitans within the dioceses any wayes subject unto them . and n iohn , in a late synod held after the time of the councell of florence , subscribeth himselfe bishop of the metropolis of the ephesians , and exarch ( or primate , not of the diocese , but ) of the province of the asians . and of the asian diocese , with the civill and ecclesiasticall government thereof , thus much in briefe may suffice . finis . to the right honourable , the house of peeres , now assembled in parliament . the humble petition of james archbishop of armagh . humbly sheweth , that whereas your lordships were pleased to employ your petitioner in preaching before you on the fast-day , the 22. of december last : ( which service , according to his mean ability , he was carefull to performe : ) so it is , that one iohn nicholson , having got into his hands a collection of some rude and incoherent notes of that sermon , took the boldnesse to publish the same ( under the title of vox hiberniae ) as a true relation of that which was uttered before your lordships that day . which being in many places void of common sense , & in the whole every way unanswerable unto what vvas fit to have been delivered before so honourable and judicious an audience , his humble request is , that your lordships would be pleased , to call in that suppositions pamphlet , &c. die veneris , 11. februarii , 1641. ordered by the lords in parliament , that a book concerning the l. arch-bishop of armagh , being published and printed by iohn nicholson , shall be called in and suppressed . jo . browne . cleric . parliam . to the wardens and company of the stationers of london . an order of the commons house of parliament , for the suppressing of an other pamphlet , falsly fathered upon the said archbishop of armagh . die martis , 9. febr. 1640. whereas complaint hath been made unto us by iames lord arch-bishop of armagh and primate of all ireland , that a certain pamphlet hath beene lately most injuriously fathered upon him , and spread abroad under the false title of the bishop of armagh's direction to the house of parliament , concerning the liturgie and episcopall government : it is this day ordered in the commons house of parliament , that the master and companie of stationers , and all others whom it may concerne , shall take such course for the suppressing of the said book , that they shall not suffer it to be put in print , or if it be already printed , not permit the same to be divulged . and if any man shall presume to print or publish the book above-mentioned ; that he , or they , shall be then lyable to the censure of the said house . h. elsynge cler. domûs comm. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64646e-290 trist. lib. 1. e. leg. 6. notes for div a64646e-490 a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strabo , geograph . lib. 13 pag 624. ( edit. graeco . latin . an 1620 ) b namque , ●t opinor , asia vestra constat ex phrygiâ , mysiâ , ca●iâ , lydiâ . cicero , in orat . pro flacco : ad ipsos asianos ve●ba facien● . c strabo , lib. 12 pag. 571. d ptolem , geograph . lib. 5. cap. 2. e cod. theod. lib. 10. tit 15. de advocato fisci . l. 2. f ibid. l 3. tit. 5. de sponsal . l. 4. * vid. cod theod. l 11. tit 7 de exact . leg. 2. ad pacatianum vicarium britannia●um . g l. cum appellatio . c. de appellationib . h severus episcopus synnadensium , metropoleos phrygiae salutaris . concil. 5. collat. 8. i socrat. histor. ecclesiastic . lib. 7. cap. 3. k nicephor . callist . histor. . lib. 14. cap. 11. l {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . concil chalcedon . act. 16. m plin. histor. natural . l. 5. c. 29. & 30. n {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . & post . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . metaphrast . in actis abercii , octob. 22. ( m● . in bibl. other . colleg. corp. christi , oxon. ) o {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . menaun●· graec. ms. o●tob . 22. p {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . diodor . sic lib. 18. q in asiâ phrygiam utramque , alteram ad hellespontum , majorem alier●m vocant , liv. lib. 38. r herodot. lib. 7. s act 16.8 , 11. et 20 ● , 6. 2 ●or . 2 12. 2 tim. 4.12 . t t●oi● , antigonia dicta , nunc alexand● a col●nia rom pl●n . lib. 5. cap 30 u {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} strabo , lib. 13. pag. 581. ptolem lib. 5. c●p . 2. galen . de simplic medic●m facul● . lib. 9. x strabo , lib. 2 pag. 129 & lib. 12. pag. 563.571 . y vid. strabon . li . 13. pag. 582 , 583 , 586. z ibid pag. 583. init : a id. lib. 12. p●g . 571 , 572. * de qua macer l c. est capi cudus , in d. de offic. adsessor l. 3. & ulp●anus in d. de captiv . & postlimin . & redempt . l. 9 vid. et strabonem , l. 12 p●g . 57l . ex arte midoro b noritia utriusque imperii . c l offic. h●llesponti . c. de offic. com . sacr. patrimon . vel potiùs 〈◊〉 proconsulis & legati . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . galen . de sanitat , tuend. lib. ● . c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , herodot. lib. 6. §. 28. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. lib. 7 §. 42. f {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s●rabo . lib. 12. pag. 576. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id ibid. pag. 571. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. ibid. et adde ex pausama in atticis ( pag. 4. et 10. ) ips●m u●bem pergamenam d●ctam fuisse olim teuthraniam . g mons olympus , moesius ( al. mysius ) dictus ; civitas oly●pena . plin lib. 5. cap. 32. h {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . herodot. lib. 7. §. 74. vid. strabon . lib. 12. pag. 571.574.576 i {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} iem . lib 5. cap 2. k {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strab. lib. 12 ▪ pag. 517. l lydia perfusa flexu● si amnti maeandr● recursibus , super ioniam proced●r .. plin l. 5. cap. 29 ▪ m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . maxim. tyr. disse●t . 38. n {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . stephan . de vrbib . o ptolem· lib. 5. cap. 2. cujus graecus tamen textus in mari●ima hujus orae descriptione manifesto librarii errore , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} nomen habe● , pro {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . p strabo . lib. 12. pag. 571. q {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. lib. 13. pag. 586. r {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. i●id . pag. 605. s promontariam lecton disterminan● ae●lida & troada . plin. lib. 5 : ●ap . 30. t id. lib. 2. cap. 96. & lib. 36. cap. 17. u {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strab. lib. 15 pag. 7●5 . x {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. lib. 13. pag. 610. y {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . stephan . in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . z ex quo ab aeolus incoli coepit , aeolis facta . pompon. m●la . ●ib . 1. cap. 18. a aeolis proxima est , quondam mysia appellata . plin. lib. 5 cap. 30. b {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strabo , lib. 13. p●g . 581. c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . stephan . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. e {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. f {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . he●odot . lib. 1. g {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. ibid. notes for div a64646e-5080 a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . herodot. lib 7. § 74. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. lib. 1. §. 7. b {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . diodor . l●b. 4. c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . dionys. in pe●●egesi . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} strabo . lib. 13 pag. 586. e lydia , mae●nia antè app●llata . plin. lib. 5. ca● . 29. f {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . stephan . & vice vertâ , in g●aecolati●o cyrilli glossario . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , maeonia . g {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s●r●bo , lib 13. pag 6●7 . h id lib. 14. ●ag . 648. i id. lib. 13. pag. 609. k {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ste●h●n . de v●b●b . in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . l {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s●d in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , & etymologic . in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( leg. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s●●abo , lib. 13. pag. 629. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. lib. 14. pag. 650. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ver. scholiast . aristophanis , in ach●rnen . n {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . eunap . sardian . in vitâ aed●sii , o {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} strabo , lib. 14. pag. 650. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . e●●●ath . in iliad . ● pag. 254. edit. roman . p {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} etymologic ▪ magr . in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . q {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . herodot. lib. 4. §. 45. r {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . steph●n . de urbib . in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. ibid. * yet it is long in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : whereof stephanus , in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . for so the place is to be restored out of dionysius : whose verse this is , in his periegesis . as those others also of the river tanais . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . so ovid likewise lib. 5. metamorphos. iam super europen sublimis & asida terram . a●d lib. 9. of miletus — et in asideterrâ moenta constituis . t {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . scholiast. . apollon. argonaut . lib. 2. u {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . xenoph. de exped. cyri. lib. 7. x {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . aristot . lib. 3. de poëtica : apud pluta●ch . in lib. de vitâ & poësi homeri . y herodot. histor. . lib. 1. z {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . st●phan . de vrbib . in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strabo , lib. 13. pag. 628. b id. lib ▪ 12. pag ▪ 576. & lib. 14. pag. 663. c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . i● . lib. 13. pag. ●29 . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . steph●n . de vrbib . e {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strab. lib. 13. pag. 629. f plin. lib. 5. cap 29. & 30. g {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ptolem. l. 5. c. 2 h hieroclis . notit. orientalis imperii ; in appendice geographiae sacrae caroli à sancto paulo ed●t . paris . an. 1641. pag. 29. i ordo m●tropolitar . ibid. pag. 13 , & 45. & in to●o 1. juri● graeco· roman● . pag. 90. k {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . concil. constantinop . sub menâ , act. 5. notes for div a64646e-8000 a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strabo , lib. 17· pag. 840. b stat. lib. 5. sylvar . in pro●reptico ad crispin . c dio , lib. 53. d solin . polyhist. cap. ●3 . e plin. lib. 5. cap. 27. f strabo , lib. 17. pag. 8●0 . g onuphr. panum . commentar. reipubl . roman . lib. 3. pag. 378. ( edit. francof●rt . an. 1597. ) h in provincià asià duae sunt juris i●alic● , tria● & parium . l. in l●si ●an . d. de censib . i {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ptolem. lib. 5. cap. 2. k jul. capitolin . in antonino pio. l provinciae asia praerat . marcianus ● c. in l , d● vus hadrian . d. de custod . & exhibit , reor . m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ad sin . libri 8. geograph ptolem. n asiam excipit ph●ygia . solin ▪ polyhist . cap. 43. o act. 2.9 , 10. & 16.6 . p {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . e●seb . lib. 5. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . q pacem ecclesi●● asiae & phrygiae inferentem . tertullian . r polycrat . in epistolià synodicâ , apud euseb : l●b. 5. hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s ulpian . in d. de aquâ quotidian . & aest●v . l. 1. §. 13. t {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . euseb. chron ad an. 10. neronis . u cod. theodos . lib. 5 tit. 11. ne c●lon . insciodom . x ibid. lib. 12. tit. 1. de decu●ionib . leg. 69. y g●id . pancirol . commentar. in notit. orient . i● per . cap. 122. vid. & jo●. scaliger . ausonian . lection . lib. 2 , cap. 17. z {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . eunap . in vitâ maxim● . a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strabo . lib. 13 pag. 629 b {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . eunap . in vitá maxim. c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . euripid. in bacchis . d herodot. lib. 1. §. 84. & lib. 5. §. 101. e {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . strabo . l. 13. pag. 625. f lydia celebratur maximè sardibus , in latere tmol● montis , qui antè timolus appellabatur . plin , lib. 5. c. 29. g ovid . metamorph lib 9● . h l. cùm appellatio . c. de appellatio nib . i l. offic. hellesponts . c. de offic. comi● . sacr● p●trimon . vel potius , proconsulis et legati . k salmas . plinian . exercitat . in solin . pag. 803. l pallad. in vitâ chrysostomi : & ex eo georgius al●xandrinus , tomo 8. edít. savilian oper . ch●ysost . pag. 202. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . m in commentario jo. seldeni ad eu●ychu origin●s ubi rectissin è monuir , subscriptiones has graecas recentiores multò esse commatis quàm co●stantini temporae admittunt . ( pag. 128. ) n hie●oclis no●itia oriental ▪ imperiis in append. g●og●aph sacr. pag. 27. o photius , de ordine metropolita● . ibid. pag. 43. et in tomo . 1. juris graeco romani , pag. 90. p subscript . concil. chalced , act. 6. concil. constantinop . vi . act. 18. &c. g {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} s●ylax in per●plo . r {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . x●noph . de exped. cyri , lib. 7. s strabo , lib. 13. pag. 586. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . id. ibid. pag. 613. u herodo● . lib. 7. de xerxi● exercitu . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . simplic . in aristot. phys●c . lib. 5. y {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . metaphrast . in actis aberc●● , octob. 22. notes for div a64646e-11590 a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , balsamon , in concil. chalcedon . can. 9. b cod. theodos . lib. 16. tit. 1. de fide cathol l. 3. nec non etiam in asià proconsula●s atque asianâ diocesi , amphilochio &c. ita enim ex ms. malmesburiensi ( quem mihi communicavit v. c. ( jo seldenus ) locus resti●uendus est . c imp. const●ntin . ad tertullianum p. v. comitem dioeceseos asianae . ibid. lib. 2. tit. 26. finium regundor . l. 1. impp. arcad . et honorius a a. nebridio comit● asia . cod. justinian . lib. 11. in quib . caus. colon● . censiti . l. 2. d imp. constantinu● ad tiberianum vica●ium hispaniarum . in l. si à sponso . c de donationib . ante nupt. et ad tiberianum comitem hispaniarum . in l. cùm servum . c de serv . fugitiv . e vicarius asiana regionis . julian . epitom . novel . 8. sive constitut. 15. §. 56 ▪ ( ●dit . lugdun . an. 1567. ) quam idem ibid. paulo pòst asianam dioecesim appellat . simili●er & in constitut. 24. §. 98. asianam regionem vocat ; quae in authentic . c●llat . 4. tit. 2. ( de appellationib . §. similique modo ) nomine asiana diocoeseos designatur . f {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . theodore● . histor. . ecclesi●stic . lib. 5. cap. 28. g subdisp●sitione vt●● spectabilis p●oconsulit ●sia , provincia infra scripta : asia , insula , h●llespontus . notitia provinciar . & dignitat . utriusque impetu . h sub vespasiano principe insularum provine a facta est . sext. r●fus , in breviario . i l. iamdudum . c. vbi ●ausa . k sub despositione viri spectabili● v●●arit dioeceseos asiana , provincia inf●ascr●pta . pamphyli● , &c notit. provinciar· l alciat : pa●erg . lib. 5 c. 13. m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . jo. malel . ant●ochen . chronic. m.s. lib , 14. n asianae x. pamphylia , hellespontus , lydia , &c. notit , utriusque imperii . o onuphr. commentar. reipub. ro●ā . lib. 3. pag. 424. p cont. 〈◊〉 . in iustinian . novell . 8. cap. 2. q in asia xii , prima ipsa asia . vid. salmasii eucharistic . de eccles. suburbicar. . pag. 347. r asiae provincia xii . asia ipsa , in qua est ilium , id est , troia , lydia , galatia , ly●ia , caria . hellespontu● . &c. provinciar . romanar . libell . ab ant. sconhovio & andr. schotto edit. ex isidori collect. epistolar. . decretal , ms. s guid. pancirol . commentar. in noti● , o●ient , imper ▪ cap. 210. t au●hentic . collat. 3. tit. 7. de administra . offic. in sacr. appellat●on . u julian . constit . 25. § , 102. x iustinian . novel . 8. cap. 2. nov. 20 , c●p . 6. nov. 24. cap. 5. & nov. 27. init . y impe●ator noster antoni●u● augustus ad desideria asianorum resc●i●sit ; proconsuli ●ecessitatem impositam , per mare asiam appli●a●e {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . primam attingere ulpian in l observa●e . d. de offic. procons . z {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . eus●b . lib. 4 hist. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . aristid . or●t de concord●â , ●d civitat●● asi●t●c●s . b {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ch●ysost . in argument . epist. ad eph●s . c {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . th●odos . ●un . epist. a● dioscor . in●er acta co●cil . e●h●sin . 〈◊〉 . ( inser●a actioni 1. concil. chalcedon . ) d ●p●cialiter ubi e●hesu● civitas est , asia vocatur . lib. de locis act. apostol. inter h●eronymi & bedae o●era . e act. 19.10 . f act. 20 16 , 18. g erasm a●no● . in a●t . 16. & rom. 16 ▪ h {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . arist●d . in orat . citat . quum anteà dixister . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . qu●●st ille sortitus annus ; de quo st●ti●● , suprà p●g . 13. * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , are vvith him iudices p●ovinciarum , in n●vell 69. i {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . s●rabo , lib. 13. pag. 625. * in the latine edition of the subscriptio●s adjoyned unto the 9. action of the councell of chalcedon , thyatira is made subj●ct to synnada . but the greeke readeth the●e , not {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , but {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} rather ; a se● well known to be suffragan to synnada , the metropolis of phrygia salutatis . §. although it be elde● then those middle times , wherein phrygia pacatiana , by a meta●hesis of the first syllabl●s , was called capatiana : as may be seen in hie●ocles his civilla à 〈◊〉 his ecclesiastica●l list of the provinces . in appendic . geographiae sacrae . p●g . 27.39 , 41.49.53 . k vnde satis liquere potest , de sub●criptione primae epistolae ad timotheum , recentio●em eam esse . cujac . in exposit . nove●l 145. * lao●icea and hierapolisa● they w●re neer one onether ( and so conjoyned by the apostle , in coloss 413. ) so have th●y the first place also assigned unto them among the cities of ph●ygia pacatiana , by hie●ocles in the civill list of the provinces : append. geogr. sacr. pag. 21. l {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . concil. chalcedon . can. 12. m subscript . concil. ch●lced . act. 6. & 16. n concil. v. collat. 8. o {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . concil. vi . constantinop . act , 18. p {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ●oncil . chalced. c●n . 12. q {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} &c. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , ibid. r notit. graec. in appendic . geograph . s●cr . pag. 16. & 18. it●m 48. & 52. jur. graeco . roman . tom. 1. pag. 94. & 98. t jur. g●aeco· roman . tom. 1. pag. 88. & 245. u ibid· pag. 100. x georg. co. din . curep●lat . de offic. constantinop . pag. 221 , & . 237. edit. fr. junii . s notit. graec. in append. geograph . sacr. p●g . 8. & 40 y ibid. pag. 219. & 231. vid. s●lmas●i eucharistic . de eccles. suburbicar. . pag. 383. z {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . sozomen . hist. lib. 8. cap. 6. a ca. 35. & . 32. quorum indicium debeo d. edovardo pocolcio linguae arabicae in academiâ oxoniensi professori doctissimo . b cathol●ci nomen infirmâ imperti atate natum . salmas . eucharistic . de eccles. suburbicar : cap. 3. pag. 511. c concil ▪ constantinopol . i. ●a● . 3. d theodoret. lib. 5. histor. . cap. 28. e pallad. & georg. alexandrin . in vità chrysostomi . sozomen . lib. 8. histor. . cap. 6. f concil. chalcedon . act. 16. & canon . 28. g ibid. can 9. & 17. h {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . euagr. histor. . lib , 3. cap. 6. i {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . concil. cp. sub menâ ; act. 5. k {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . synod . vi . constantinop . act. 18. l {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . in ordine thronor . metropolitan . ad calcem codini . de officiis constantinopol , vid. salmasii eucharistic , de eccles. suburbicar . cap. 2. pag. 385 , 408 , 409. m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . theod. balsam . in concil. chalcedon . can. 9. n {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . subscript . concil. constantinopol . sub . gregorio patriarchâ habit . vide sirmondi propemptic . lib. 2. cap. 5. pag. 214. & 218. a briefe declaration of the universalitie of the church of christ, and the unitie of the catholike faith professed therein delivered in a sermon before his maiestie the 20th. of iune 1624. at wansted. by iames ussher, bishop of meath. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1629 approx. 85 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 23 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2006-06 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a68833 stc 24547 estc s118942 99854149 99854149 19556 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a68833) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 19556) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1041:15, 1368:4) a briefe declaration of the universalitie of the church of christ, and the unitie of the catholike faith professed therein delivered in a sermon before his maiestie the 20th. of iune 1624. at wansted. by iames ussher, bishop of meath. ussher, james, 1581-1656. the third impression. [2], 42 p. printed by iohn dawson, for ephraim dawson, and are to be sold at the rain-bow neere the inner temple gate in fleet-street, london : 1629. running title reads: a sermon preached before his maiestie. reproductions of the originals in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery and the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. appears at reel 1041 (henry e. huntington library and art gallery copy) and at reel 1368 (union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library copy). created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian union -early works to 1800. sermons, english -17th century. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-01 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2006-01 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a briefe declaration of the vniversalitie of the chvrch of christ , and the vnitie of the catholike faith professed therein : delivered in a sermon before his maiestie the 20 th . of iune 1624. at wansted . by iames vssher , bishop of meath . the third impression . london , printed by iohn dawson for ephraim dawson , and are to be sold at the rain-bow neere the inner temple gate in fleet-street . 1629. ephes. 4.13 . till we all come in the unitie of the faith , and of the knowledge of the sonne of god , unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ. when the lords arke was to set forward , the forme of prayer used by moses , was ; a rise up , lord , and let thine enemies be scattered ; and let them that hate thee , flee before thee . the sweet psalmist of israel , framing his descant to this ground , beginneth the psalm which he prepared to be sung at the removing of the arke , after the same manner . b let god arise : let his enemies be scattered : let them also that hate him , flee before him : and then goeth on , till at length he hath raysed his note unto his full height : thou hast ascended up on high : thou hast led captivitie captive : thou hast received gifts for men ( psalm . 68.18 ) . which being by our apostle in c this chapter interpreted of the ascension of our saviour christ into heauen , and made the very spring from whence the matter of my present text is derived , leadeth us to the just application of the type to the truth , and putteth us in minde , that the removing of the arke , which gave occasion to the penning of his psalme , was an adumbration of our saviours removeall from the earth to heaven ; and that by this absence of his , we are no losers , but gainers ▪ seeing he is ascended 〈◊〉 on high , both to triumph over his and our foes , [ he led captivitie captiue ] and to conferre benefits upon his friends . [ he gave gifts unto men . ] the d arke of the covenant ( we know ) was appointed to be a figure of e iesus the mediatour of the new covenant : the great king , prophet and priest of his church . therefore was it ordered , that the arke should haue a crowne of gold about it : ( exod. 37.2 . ) than which , what could be more fit to set forth the state of our king ? for thus wee see iesus crowned with glory and honour . ( heb. 2.9 . ) vpon the ark stood the propitiatorie or mercie-seate , whence god did use to deliver his oracles from betwixt the cherubins : than w ch , what more lively representation could there be of the propheticall office of our saviour ? of whom it is written : god hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his sonne . ( heb. 1.2 . ) the arke had both the rod and the tables of the law , by gods appointment placed within it : than which , what could be more apt to expresse the satisfaction , which our high priest was to make unto his fathers justice , as well by his passive as by his active obedience ? for as he felt the stroke of the rod for us , that f the chastisement of our peace being laid upon him , with his stripes we might be healed : so g it behooved him also to fulfill the law and all righteousnesse ; that so he might be h the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth . the letter of the law being not more certainely to be found within the arke , than the accomplishment thereof within him : according to that which he spake by his holy prophet . i in the volume of the booke it is written of mee , that i should doe thy will , o god : yea , thy law is within my heart . the arke had many removes from place to place , whiles it sojourned in the tabernacle : but was brought up at last into the temple , there to dwell upon god's holy hill ; the place of which he himselfe had said . k this is my rest for ever ; here will i dwell , for i have a delight therein . where , at the first entry , king salomon stood ready to entertaine him with this welcome , l arise , o lord god , into thy resting place , thou , and the arke of thy strength : let thy priests , o lord god , be clothed with salvation ; and let thy saints reioyce in goodnesse . our blessed saviour , in the dayes of his flesh , had no resting place , but continually m went about doing good : untill at length n he was received up into heaven , and sate on the right hand of god. for when he had ended his progresse upon earth , and o finished there that worke which his father had given him to doe ; he p left the world , and went to the father ; making his last remove unto the high court of heaven , q where he is to reside untill the time of the restitution of all things . r the temple of god was opened in heaven , and there was seene in his temple the arke of his testament , saith s. iohn in the apocalypse . if we looke to the corporall presence of our saviour ; in the temple of heaven must this arke be sought for , in no oother place is it to be found : but if we looke to the vertue comming from him , by the operation of his word and spirit ; so we shall finde him in his temple upon earth , s present with us alwayes , even unto the end of the world : for , these were the gifts that , when he ascended into heaven , he did bestow upon men . this the prophet layeth downe thus : t thou hast ascended up on high : thou hast received gifts for men . the apostle citeth it thus : u when he ascended up on high , he gave gifts unto men . the reconciliation is easie : he received those gifts , not to retaine them with himselfe , but to distribute them for the behoofe of his church . so for the spirit , s. peter teacheth us , acts 2.33 . therefore being by the right hand of god exalted , [ there is his ascending up on high ] and having received of the father the promise of the holy ghost , [ there is his receiving ] he hath shed forth this which ye now see and heare . [ there is his giving of this gift unto men . ] and for the ministery of the word , he himselfe intimateth as much in his commission , given to the apostles , mat. 28.18.19 . all power is given unto mee in heaven and in earth : [ there he receiveth ] goe ye therefore , and teach all nations : [ there he giveth this gift unto men . ] x he gave some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers , for the perfecting of the saints : saith our apostle here . that herein also that might be fulfilled , which we heard to haue beene uttered , when the arke was brought to his resting place y : let thy priests , o lord god , be cloathed with salvation , and let thy saints reioyce in goodnesse . the worke of the ministery , how meanely soever it be esteemed in the world ; yet in the estimation of our saviour christ , was one of the choysest gifts , that in this solemnitie of his triumphant z ascending up far above all heavens , he thought fit to bestow upon his church here upon earth : as that which tended both to the a perfecting of the saints , and to the edifying of his owne body . for as b it hath pleased the father , that in him all fulnesse should dwell : so the son is also pleased , not to hold it any disparagement , that c his body , the church , should be accounted the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all . that howsoever in himselfe he be most absolutely and perfectly complete ; yet is his church so neerely conjoyned unto him , that he holdeth not himselfe full without it : but as long as any one member remaineth yet ungathered and unknit unto this mysticall body of his , he accounteth , in the meane time , somewhat to be deficient in himselfe . and therefore our apostle having , in the words immediately going before this text , declared , that the ministery was instituted for the edifying of the bodie of christ ; addeth presently , till wee all come in the unitie of the faith , and of the knowledge of the sonne of god , unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ. in which words we may obserue aswell the matter of this building [ wee all ] as the structure of it ; and further also consider in the structure , first , the laying of the foundation [ in the unitie of the faith , and of the knowledge of the sonne of god ] secondly , the bringing of the worke to perfection , and the raising of it to his just height [ unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ ] . the matter then of this spirituall edifice ( that wee may begin with that ) are wee our selves . d yee also as lively stones , are built up a spirituall house : saith saint peter . to this saint paul doth here adde a note of vniversalitie [ we all : ] as suting best with the nature of the catholick or vniversall church , which is that body of christ , of the edifying whereof he here treateth : of which therefore he telleth us more plainly in another place ; that e by one spirit we are all baptized into one bodie , whether wee be iewes or gentiles , whether we be bond or free . for the catholick church is not to be sought for in any one angle or quarter of the world : but among all that in every place call upon the name of iesus christ our lord , both theirs and ours . ( 1 corinthians 1.2 . ) therefore to their lord and ours was it said ; f aske of mee , and i will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession ; and to his mysticall body , the catholique church accordingly . g i will bring thy seed from the east , and gather thee from the west : i will say to the north , give up ; and to the south , keepe not backe : bring my sonnes from farre , and my daughters from the ends of the earth ; even every one that is called by my name . thus must we conceiue of the catholick church , as of one entire body ; made up by the collection and aggregation of all the faithfull unto the unitie thereof : from which union there ariseth unto every one of them such a relation to , and a dependance upon the church catholique , as parts use to haue in respect of their whole . whereupon it followeth , that neyther particular persons , nor particular churches , are to worke as severall divided bodyes by themselues ( which is the ground of all schisme ) , but are to teach , and to be taught , and to doe all other christian duties , as parts conjoyned unto the whole , and members of the same common-wealth or corporation ; and therefore the bishops of the ancient church , though they had the governmēt of particular congregations onely committed unto them , yet in regard of this communion which they held with the vniversall , did usually take to themselves the title of bishops of the catholick church . which maketh strongly aswell against the new separatists , as the old donatists : who either hold it a thing h not much materiall , so they professe the faith of christ , whether they doe it in the catholick communion , or out of it ; or else ( which is worse ) dote so much upon the perfectiō of their own part , that they refuse to joyn in fellowship with the rest of the body of christians ; as if they themselues were the onely people of god , and all wisedome must live and die with them and their generation . and herein , of all others , doe our romanists most fearefully offend ; as being the authors of the most cruell schisme , that ever hath been seene in the church of god. those infamous schismes of the novatians and donatists were but petty rents , in comparison of this huge rupture , which hath pulled asunder east and west , north & south ; and growne to such a head at home , that in our western parts ( where this faction was so prevalent ) it hath for diverse ages past been esteemed catholicke . in the 17 th of the revelation wee haue a woman described unto us , sitting upon seven mountaines , and upon many waters . the woman is there expounded to be i that great citie which reigneth over the kings of the earth . the seven mountains upon which that city sate , needed not to be expounded ; every childe knew what was meant thereby . the waters are interpreted k peoples , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues . which is that very vniversalitie and catholicisme that the romanists are wont so much to brag of . for , this woman is the particular church of rome , the city-church ; which they call the mother-church , the holy ghost stileth l the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth . those peoples , and multitudes , & nations , and tongues , are such as this proud citie reigneth over : the catholick-roman church they are commonly called by themselves ; but by the holy ghost , m the beast upon which the woman sitteth . this woman is the head of the faction , and the very mother of this schism : the beast , that is to say , they that suffer themselues to be thus ridden by her , are her abbettors and supporters in it . for the particular church of rome ( not being content to be a fellow-member with the rest of the churches of christ , and to haue a joynt dependance with them upō the whole body of the church catholick , n which is the mother of us all ) will needs goe out of her rank ; and , scorning any longer to be accounted one of the branches of the catholick church , would faine be acknowledged to be the root of it : so that now all other churches must hold their dependance upon it , or otherwise be cast forth as withered branches , which are fit onely to be throwne into the fire , and burned . the wisedome of god foresaw this insolency long before-hand : and therfore caused a caveat to be entred against it , even in that epistle which was specially directed to the church of rome it selfe . the words are plaine enough , rom. 11.18 . if thou boast , thou bearest not the root , but the root thee . the church of rome therefore must know that shee is no more a root to beare up other churches , than other churches are to beare up her : she may not goe beyond her line , and boast her selfe to be the root of the catholick church , but be contented to be born her selfe by the root , aswell as other particular churches are . for a streame to sever it selfe from the common fountaine , that it may bee counted a fountaine it selfe , without dependance upon any other ; is the next way to make an end of it , and dry it up . the church of rome may doe well to think of this , and leave off her vaine boasting . o i sit a queen , and am no widow , and shall see no sorrow . other churches may faile , and the gates of hell may prevaile against them : but it cannot fall out so with me . whereas she might remember , that they were romanes , unto whom the apostle so long since gave this admonition . p be not high minded , but feare . for if god spared not the naturall branches , take heed lest he also spare not thee . behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of god : on them which fell , severitie , but towards thee , goodnes , if thou continue in his goodnesse : otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. the romanes therefore by their pride may get a fall , as well as others ; and the church of rome by infidelity may be cut off , aswell as any other congregation : and yet the catholick church subsist for all that , as having for her foundation neither rome , nor rom's bishop , but iesus christ , the sonne of the living god. and yet this proud dame and her daughters , the particular church of rome i meane , and that which they call the catholick romane ( or the faction rather that prevaileth in them both ) have in these latter ages confined the whole church of christ within themselves , and excluded all others that were not under the romane obedience , as aliens from the common-wealth of israel , and strangers from the covenants of promise . the donatists were cryed out against by our forefathers , for shutting up the church within the parts of the south ; and rejecting all others that held not correspondency with that patch of theirs : and could they thinke well then of them , that should conclude the church within the western parts of the world , and exclude all other christians from the body of christ , that held not by the same root there that they did ? it is a strange thing to me , that wise men should make such large discourses of the catholique church , and bring so many testimonies to prove the vniversalitie of it : & not discern , that while by this means they think they have gotten a great victory over us , they have in very truth overthrowne themselves ; for when it cōmeth to the point , in stead of the catholick church which consisteth of the cōmunion of all nations , they obtrude their own peece unto us : circumscribing the church of christ within the precincts of the romish jurisdiction , and leaving all the world beside to the power of sathan ; for with them it is a resolved case ; that q to every creature it is altogether of necessitie to salvation , to be subiect to the romane bishop . what must then become of the poore moscovites and grecians ( to say nothing of the reformed churches ) in europe ? what of the aegyptian and aethiopian churches in africk ? what of the great companies of christians scattered over all asia , even from constantinople unto the east indies , which have and still doe endure more afflictions and pressures for the name of christ , than they have ever done , that would be accounted the onely friends of christ ? must these , because they are not the popes subjects , be therefore denied to be christ's subiects ? because they are not under the obedience of the romane church , doe they thereupon forfait the estate which they claime in the catholick church , out of which there is no salvation ? must we give all these for gone , and conclude , that they are certainly damned ? they who talke so much of the catholick church , but indeed stand for their owne particular , must of force sinke as low in uncharitablenesse , as they have thrust themselves deep in schisme : wee who talke lesse of the vniversalitie of the church , but hold the truth of it , cannot finde in our hearts to passe such a bloudy sentence upō so many poore soules , that have given their names to christ. he whose pleasure it was to spread the churches seed so farre , said to east , west , north , and south ; giue : it is not for us then to say ; keepe backe . he hath given to his sonne the heathen for his inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession : wee for our parts dare not abbridge this grant , and limit this great lordship , as we conceiue it may best fit our owne turnes ; but leave it to his owne latitude , and seek for the catholick church neither in this part nor in that peece , but ( as it hath beene before said in the words of the apostle ) among r all that in every place call upon the name of iesus christ our lord , both theirs and ours . yea , but how can this be , will some say , seeing the catholike church is but one : and the principall reason for which it is accounted one , is s the unitie of the faith professed therein ? how then can this unitie of faith bee preserved in all places , if one speciall church be not set as a mistresse over all the rest , and one chiefe bishop appointed for a master over all others , by whom in matters of faith every one must be ruled ? and out of such different professions , as are to bee found among the divided christians in those severall parts of the world , how can there be fit matter drawne for the making up of one vniversall church ? to this i answer ( and so passe from the matter of the building , to the structure ) that it is most true indeede , that in the church there is t one lord , one faith , one baptisme : for so we are taught by the apostle in this chapter . but yet , in the first place , it is to be considered , that this unitie of the faith must be compassed by such meanes as god hath ordained for the procuring of it , and not by any politicke trickes of mans devising . now for the bringing of us all to this unity of the faith , the apostle here telleth us , that christ u gave some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers . if he had thought that the maintenance of this unitie did depend upon the singularitie of any one apostle , or pastor , or teacher : is it to be imagined , that hee would have overslipped such a singular person ( even in that very place where , of all others , his presence was most requisite ) and runne altogether , as he doth , upon the plurall number ? that the multitude of teachers dispersed over the world , without any such dependancie or correspondencie , should agree together in laying the foundations of the same faith , is a speciall worke of gods spirit . and it is x the unity of the spirit which the apostle here speaketh of , and exhorteth us to keepe in the bond of peace . whereas the unity of which our adversaries boast so much ( which is nothing else but a wilfull suffering of themselves to be led blind-fold by one man , who commonly is more blind than many of themselves ) is no fruit of the spirit , but of meere carnall policie : and may serve peradventure for a bond of peace betwixt themselues and their owne partie ( such as y the priests of antichrist were to have , and as many as would be content to yeeld themselves to the conduct of such a commander ) but hath proved the greatest block that ever stood in the way , for giving impediment to the peace and unity of the universall church , which here we looke after . and therefore nilus archbishop of thessalonica , entring into the consideration of the original ground of that long cōtinued schisme , whereby the west standeth as yet divided from the east , and the latin churches from the greeke , wrote a whole booke purposely of this argument , wherein he sheweth , z that there is no other cause to be assigned of this distraction , but that the pope will not permit the cognisance of the controversie unto a generall councell , but will needs sit himselfe as the alone teacher of the point in question , and have others hearken unto him as if they were his scholars : and that this is contrary both to the ordinances , and the practice of the apostles and the fathers . neither indeed is there any hope , that ever wee shall see a generall peace , for matters of religion , setled in the christian world , as long as this supercilious master shall be suffered to keepe this rule in gods house : how much soever he be magnified by his owne disciples , and made the onely foundation upon which the unitie of the catholick church dependeth . now in the next place , for the further opening of the unitie of the faith , wee are to call unto minde the distinction which the apostle maketh betwixt a the foundation , and that which is builded thereupon : betwixt b the principles of the doctrine of christ , and that which he calleth perfection . the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the sonne of god here spoken of , hath reference ( as we heard ) to the foundation : as that which followeth of a perfect man ; and the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ , to the superstruction and perfection . in the former there is a generall unitie among all true beleevers : in the latter , a great deale of varietie , there being severall degrees of perfection to be found in severall persons , c according to the measure of the gift of christ. so we see in a materiall building , that still there is but one foundation , though great disparitie be observed in sundry parts of the superstruction : some rooms are high , some lowe , some darke , some lightsome , some more substantially , some more slightly builded , and in tract of time some prove more ruinous than others ; yet all of them belong to one building , as long as they hold together , and stand upon the same foundation . and even thus is it in the spirituall building also ; whether we respect the practicall part of christianitie , or the intellectuall . in the practicall we see wonderfull great difference betwixt christian and christian : some by gods mercy attaine to a higher measure of perfection , and keepe themselves unspotted from the cōmon corruptions of the world ; others watch not so carefully over their wayes , and lead not such strict lives , but are oftentimes overtaken and fall fowly : that he who looketh upon the one and the other , would hardly thinke that one heaven should receive them both . but although the one doth so farre outstrip the other in the practice of new obedience ( which is the christian mans race ) yet are there certaine fundamentall principles , in which they both concurre ; as d a desire to feare gods name , e repentance for sinnes past , and a sincere f purpose of heart for the time to come to cleave unto the lord . which whosoever hath , is under mercie , and may not be excluded from the communion of saints . in like manner for the intellectuall part : the g first principles of the oracles of god ( as the apostle calleth them ) hold the place of the common foundation , in which all christians must be grounded : although h some be babes , and for further knowledge are unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse ; other some are of perfect age , who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill . the oracles of god containe aboundance of matter in them , and whatsoever is found in them is a fit object for faith to apprehend : but that all christians should uniformely agree in the profession of all those truthes that are revealed there , is a thing that rather may be wished , than ever hoped for . yet the varietie of mens judgements in those manie points , that belong to theologicall faith ; doth not dissolve the unitie which they hold together in the fundamentall principles of the catholick faith . the unitie of the faith commended here , is a catholick unitie , and such as every true christian attaineth unto . till wee all come in the unitie of the faith : saith the apostle . as there is a i common salvation , so is there a k common faith ; which is l alike precious in the highest apostle and the meanest beleever . for we may not thinke that heaven was prepared for deepe clerkes onely : and therefore beside that larger measure of knowledge , whereof all are not capable , there must be m a rule of faith common to small and great ; which as it must consist but of few propositions , ( for simple men cannot beare away many ) so is it also requisite , that those articles should be of such weight and moment , that they may be sufficient to make a man wise unto saluation : that howsoever in other points learned men may goe beyond common christians , and exceed one another likewise by many degrees : yet in respect of these radicall truthes , which is the necessarie and common food of all the children of the church , there n is not an unitie onely , but such a kinde of equalitie also brought in among all sorts of christians , as was heretofore among the congregation of the israelites in the collection of their manna ; where o he that gathered much , had nothing over ; and hee that gathered little , had no lacke . if then salvation by beleeving these common principles may be had , and to salvation none can come that is not first a member of the catholick church of christ : it followeth thereupon , that the unitie of the faith , generally requisite for the incorporating of christians into that blessed societie , is not to be extended beyond those common principles . which may further be made manifest unto us by the continuall practice of the catholick church her selfe , in the matriculation of her children , and the first admittance of them into her communion . for when shee prepared her catechumeni for baptisme , and by that dore received them into the congregation of christs flock ; we may not think her iudgement to have beene so weake , that shee would omit any thing herein that was essentially necessary for the making of one a member of the church . now the profession which she required of all that were to receive baptisme , was , for the agenda or practicall part , an abrenuntiation of the divell , the world , and the flesh , with all their sinfull workes and lustes ; and for the credenda , the things to be beleeved , an acknowledgement of the articles of the creed : which being solemnly done , she then baptised them in this faith ; intimating thereby sufficiently , that this was that one faith commended unto her by the apostles , as the other that one baptisme which was appointed to be the p sacrament of it . this creed , though for substance it was the same every where , yet for forme was somewhat different ; and in some places received moe enlargements than in others . the westerne churches herein applyed themselves to the capacitie of the meaner sort , more than the easterne did : using in their baptisme that shorter forme of confession , commonly called the apostles creed , which in the more ancient times was briefer also than now it is . as we may easily perceive , by comparing the symbol recited by marcellus ancyranus ( in the q profession of the faith which he delivered to pope iulius ) with the expositions of the apostles creed , written by the latin doctors : r wherein the mention of the fathers being maker of heaven and earth , the sonnes death and descending into hell , and the communion of saints , is wholly omitted . all which , though they were of undoubted veritie , yet for brevities sake seeme at first to have beene omitted in this short summe : because some of them perhaps were not thought to be altogether so necessary for all men ( which is s suarez his judgement touching the point of the descent into hell ) ; and some that were most necessary , either thought to be sufficiently implied in other articles ( as that of christ's death in those of his crucifixion and buriall ) , or thought to be sufficiently manifested by the light of reason ; as that of the creation of heaven and earth . for howsoever this , as it is a truth revealed by god's word , becommeth an object for faith to apprehend ( heb. 11.3 . ) : yet it is otherwise also clearely to be understood by the discourse of reason ( rom. 1.20 . ) , even as the unitie , and all the other attributes of the godhead likewise are . which therefore may be well referred unto those praecognita , or common principles which nature may possesse the minde withall , before that grace enlightneth it ; and need not necessarily to be inserted into that symbol , which is the badge and cognizance whereby the beleever is to be differenced and distinguished from the vnbeleever . the creed which the easterne churches used in baptisme , was larger then this : being either the same , or very little different from that which we commonly call the nicene creed ; because the greatest part of it was repeated and confirmed in the first generall councell held at nice : where the first draught thereof was presented to the synod by eusebius , bishop of caesarea , with this preamble . t as wee have received from the bishops that were before us , both at our first catechizing , and when we received baptisme : and as we have learned from the holy scriptures ; and as we have both beleeved and taught , when wee entred into the ministery , and in our bishoprick it selfe : so beleeving at this present also , we declare this our faith unto you . to this the nicene fathers added a more cleare explication of the deitie of the sonne ( against the arrian heresie , wherewith the church was then troubled ) , professing him to be begotten , not made , and to be of one substance with the father . the second generall councell , which was assembled fiftie-six yeares after at constantinople , approving this confession of the faith , as u most ancient and agreeable to baptisme , inlarged it somewhat ; in the article that concerned the holy ghost especially , which at that time was most oppugned by the macedonian heretickes . and whereas the nicene confession proceeded no further , than to the beliefe which we have in the holy trinitie ; the fathers of constantinople made it up , by adding that which was commonly professed touching the catholicke church and the priviledges belonging thereunto . epiphanius repeating this creed at large , x affirmeth it to haue been delivered unto the church by the apostles . y cassianus avoucheth as much , where he urgeth this against nestorius , as the creed anciently received in the church of antioch ; from whence hee came . the romane church , after the dayes of charles the great , added the article of the procession of the h●ly ghost from the sonne , unto this symboll : and the z councell of trent hath now recommended it unto us , as that principle in which all that professe the faith of christ doe necessarily agree ; and the firme and onely fovndation , against which the gates of hell shall never prevaile . it is a matter confessed therefore by the fathers of trent themselues , that in the constantinopolitane creed , or in the romane creed at the farthest ( which differeth nothing from the other , but that it hath added filióque to the procession of the holy ghost , and out of the nicene creed , deum de deo , to the articles that concerne the sonne ) that onely foundation , and principle of faith is to be found , in the unitie whereof all christians must necessarily agree . which is otherwise cleared sufficiently , by the constant practice of the apostles and their successours , in the first receiving of men into the societie of the church . for in one of the apostles ordinary sermons , we see , there was so much matter delivered , as was sufficient to convert men unto the faith , and to make them capable of baptisme : and those sermons treated onely of the first principles of the doctrine of christ ; upon the receiving whereof , the church ( following the example of the apostles ) never did denie baptisme unto her catechumeni . in these first principles therefore must the foundation be contained , and that common unitie of faith which is required in all the members of the church . the foundation then being thus cleared : concerning the superstruction , we learne from the apostle , that some a build upon this foundation , gold , silver , precious stones , wood , hay , stubble . some proceed from one degree of wholesome knowledge unto another ; increasing their maine stock , by the addition of those other sacred truthes that are revealed in the word of god : and these build upon the foundation , gold , and silver , and precious stones . others retaine the precious foundation , but lay base matter upon it ; wood , hay , stubble , and such other eyther unprofitable or more dangerous stuffe : and others goe so farre , that they overthrow the very foundation it selfe . the first of these be wise , the second foolish , the third madde builders . when the day of tryall commeth : the first mans b worke shall abide ; and hee himselfe shall receive a reward ; the second shall lose his worke , but not himselfe ; ( c he shall suffer losse , saith the apostle , but he himselfe shall be saved : ) the third shall lose both himselfe and his worke together . and as in this spirituall structure verie different kindes of materialls may be laid upon the same foundation , some sound and some unsound : so in either of them , there is a great difference to be made betwixt such as are more contiguous to the foundation , and such as be remoter off . the fuller explication of the first principles of faith , and the conclusions deduced from thence , are in the ranke of those verities that be more neerely conjoyned to the foundation : to which those falsities are answerable on the other side , that grate upon the foundation , and any way endanger it . for that there be diverse degrees both of truthes and errors in religion , which necessarily must be distinguished ; is a thing acknowledged , not by us alone , but by the learnedest also of our adversaries . d there be some catholick verities ( say they ) which doe so pertaine to faith , that these being taken away , the faith it selfe must be taken away also . and these by common use wee call not onely catholick , but verities of faith also . there are other verities which bee catholick also and universall , namely , such as the whole church holdeth , which yet being overthrowne , the faith is shaken indeed , but not overturned . and in the errors that are contrary to such truthes as these , the faith is obscured , not extinguished ; weakened , not perished . neverthelesse , e though the faith bee not altogether destroyed by them , yet is it evill at ease , and shaken , and as it were disposed to corruption . for as there be certaine hurts of the bodie which doe not take away the life , but yet a man is the worse for them , and disposed to corruption eyther in whole or in part ; as there be other mortall hurts , which take away the life : so likewise are there certaine degrees of propositions , which containe unsound doctrine , although they have not manifest heresie . in a word , the generall rule concerning all these superstructions , is : that the more neere they are to the foundation , of so much greater importance be the truthes , and so much more perillous be the errors , as againe , the farther they are removed off , the lesse necessary doth the knowledge of such verities prove to be , and the swarving from the truth lesse dangerous . now from all that hath beene said , two great questions may be resolved , which trouble manie . the first is ; what wee may judge of our fore-fathers ▪ who lived in the communion of the church of rome ? whereunto i answere , that wee have no reason to thinke otherwise , but that they lived and dyed under the mercie of god. for wee must distinguish the papacie from the church wherein it is , as the apostle doth f antichrist from the temple of god , wherein hee sitteth . the foundation upon which the church standeth , is that common faith , ( as we have heard ) in the unitie whereof all christians doe generally accord . vpon this old foundation antichrist raiseth up his new buildings ; and layeth upon it , not hay and stubble onely , but farre more vile and pernicious matter , which wrencheth and disturbeth the very foundation it selfe . for example . it is a ground of the catholick faith , that christ was borne of the virgin mary : which in the scripture is thus explained . g god sent forth his sonne , made of a woman . this the papacie admitteth for a certaine truth : but insinuateth withall , that upon the altar god sendeth forth his sonne made of bread. for the transsubstantiation which these man would haue us beleeve , is not an annihilation of the bread , and a substitution of the bodie of christ in the stead thereof , but a reall conversion of the one into the other : such as they themselves would have esteemed to be a bringing forth of christ , and a kinde of generation of him . for , to omit the wilde conceits of postellus in his booke de nativitate mediatoris ultimâ : this is the doctrine of their graver divines ( as cornelius à lapide the iesuite doth acknowledge in his romane lectures ) that h by the words of consecration truely and really as the bread is transsubstantiated , so christ is produced and as it were generated upon the altar , in such a powerfull and effectuall manner ; that , if christ as yet had not beene incarnate , by these words [ hoc est corpus meum ] he should be incarnated , and assume an humane bodie . and doth not this new divinitie , thinke you , shrewdly threaten the ancient foundation of the catholick beleefe of the incarnation ? yet such as in the dayes of our fore-fathers opposed the popish doctrine of transsubstantiation , could alledge for themselues , i that the faith which they maintained , was then preserved among the laitie , and so had anciently beene preserved . and of mine owne knowledge i can testifie , that when i have dealt with some of the common people that would be counted members of the romane church , and demanded of them what they thought of that which i knew to be the common tenet of their doctors in this point : they not onely rejected it with indignation , but wondered also that i should imagine any of their side to be so foolish , as to give credit to such a senselesse thing . neither may we account it to have been a small blessing of god unto our ancestors , who lived in that kingdome of darkenesse , that the ignorance wherein they were bred , freed them from the understanding of those things , which being known might prove so prejudiciall to their soules health . k for there be some things , which it is better for a man to be ignorant of , than to know : and the l not knowing of those profundities , which are indeed the depths of satan , is to those that have not the skil to dive into the bottome of such mysteries of iniquitie , a good and an happie ignorance . the ignorance of those principles of the catholique faith , that are absolutely necessarie to salvation , is as dangerous a gulfe on the other side : but the light of those common truthes of christianitie was so great , and so firmely fixed in the mindes of those that professed the name of christ , that it was not possible for the power of darkenesse to extinguish it , nor the gates of hell to prevaile against it . nay , the verie solemne dayes , which by the ancient institution of the church were celebrated for the commemoration of the blessed trinitie , the nativitie , passion , resurrection , and ascension of our saviour christ , did so preserve the memorie of these things among the common people ; that by the m popish doctors themselves , it is made an argument of grosse and supine ignorance , that any should not have explicite knowledge of those mysteries of christ , which were thus publikely solemnized in the church . and ( which is the principall point of all ) the ordinary instruction appointed to be given unto men upon their death-beds , was : n that they should looke to come to glorie , not by their owne merits , but by the vertue and merit of the passion of our lord iesus christ ; that they should place their whole confidence in his death onely , and in no other thing ; and that they should interpose his death betwixt god and their sinnes , betwixt them and gods anger . so that where these things did thus concurre in any ( as wee doubt not but they did in many thousands ) , the knowledge of the common principles of the faith , the ignorance of such maine errours as did endanger the foundation , a godly life , and a faithfull death : there we have no cause to make any question , but that god had fitted a subject for his mercy to worke upon . and yet in saying thus , wee doe nothing lesse than say that such as these were papists , either in their life or in their death : members of the romane church perhaps they were , but such as by god's goodnes were preserved from the mortalitie of popery that raigned there . for popery it selfe is nothing else but the botch or the plague of that church : which hazardeth the soules of those it seizeth upon , as much as any infection can doe the body . and therefore if any one will needs be so foole-hardy as to take up his lodging in such a pest-house , after warning given of the present danger ; wee in our charitie may well say , lord have mercy upon him : but he , in the meane time , hath great cause to feare , that god in his justice will inflict that judgement upon him , which o in this case he hath threatned against such as will not beleeve the truth , but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse . and so much may suffice for that question . the second question , so rise in the mouthes of our adversaries , is : where was your church before luther ? whereunto an answere may bee returned from the grounds of the solution of the former question : that our church was even there where now it is . in all places of the world , where the ancient foundations were retained , and those common principles of faith , upon the profession whereof men have ever beene wont to be admitted , by baptisme , into the church of christ : there we doubt not but our lord had his subjects , and wee our fellow-servants . for wee bring-in no new faith , nor no new church . that which in the time of the ancient fathers p was accounted to be truely and properly catholick , namely , that which was beleeved every where , alwayes , and by all : that in the succeeding ages hath evermore beene preserved , and is at this day entirely professed in our church . and it is well observed by a learned man , who hath written a full discourse of this argument ; that q whatsoever the father of lies either hath attempted or shall attempt , yet neither hath he hitherto effected , nor shall ever bring it to passe hereafter , that this catholick doctrine , ratified by the common consent of christians alwayes and every where , should be abolished ; but that in the thickest mist rather of the most perplexed troubles , it still obtained victorie , both in the mindes and in the open confession of all christians , no wayes overturned in the foundation thereof : and that in this veritie that one church of christ was preserved in the midst of the tempests of the most cruell winter , or in the thickest darknes of her waynings . thus if at this day we should take a survay of the severall professions of christianitie , that have any large spread in any part of the world ( as of the religion of the romane and the reformed churches in our quarters , of the aegyptians and aethiopians in the south , of the grecians and other christians in the easterne parts ) , and should put-by the points wherein they did differ one from another , and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they all did generally agree : wee should finde , that in those propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole christian world , so much truth is contained , as , being joyned with holy obedience , may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation . neither have wee cause to doubt , but that r as many as doe walke according to this rule ( neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable heresies thereupon , nor otherwise vitiating their holie faith with a lewd and wicked conversation ) peace shall bee upon them , and mercie , and upon the israel of god. now these common principles of the christian faith , which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or things generally beleeved of all , as they have s vniversalitie , and antiquity , and consent concurring with them ( which by vincentius his rule , are the speciall characters of that which is truely and properly catholick : so for their duration wee are sure that they have still held out , and beene kept as the seminarie of the catholique church in the darkest and difficultest times that ever have beene : where if the lord of hostes had not in his mercy reserved this seed unto us , we should long since t have beene as sodom , and should have beene like unto gomorrah . it cannot be denied indeed , that sathan and his instruments have used their utmost endeavour , either to hide this light from mens eyes , by keeping them in grosse ignorance , or to deprave it by bringing-in pernicious heresies ; and that in these latter ages they have much prevailed both wayes , aswell in the west and north , as in the east and south . yet farre be it , for all this , from any man to thinke , that u god should so cast away his people , that in those times there should not be left a remnant according to the election of grace . the christian church was never brought unto a lower ebbe , than was the iewish synagogue in the dayes of our saviour christ ; when x the interpreters of the law had taken away the key of knowledge : and that little knowledge that remained , was miserably corrupted , not onely with the leaven of the pharisees , but also with the damnable heresie of the sadduces . and yet a man at that time might have seene the true servants of god standing together with these men in the selfe-same temple : which might well be accounted , as the house of the saints in regard of the one , so a denne of theeves in respect of the other . when the pestilent heresie of the arrians had polluted the whole world ; the people of christ were not to bee found among them onely who made an open secession from that wicked company , but among those also who held externall communion with them , and lived under their ministery . where they so learned the other truthes of god from them , that they were yet ignorant of their maine errour ; god in his providence so ordering matters , that ( as it is noted by s. y hilary ) the people of christ should not perish under the priests of antichrist . if you demand then , where was gods temple all this while ? the answer is at hand : there where antichrist sate . where was christs people ? even under antichrists priests : and yet this is no justification at all , either of antichrist , or of his priests ; but a manifestation of god's great power , who is able to uphold his church even there z where satans throne is . babylon was an infectious place , and the infection thereof was mortall : and yet god had his people there , whom hee preserved from the mortalitie of that infection . else , how should he have said ; a come out of her my people ; that yee bee not partakers of her sinnes , and that ye receive not of her plagues . if the place had not beene infectious , he should not have needed to forwarne them of the danger wherein they stood of partaking in her sinnes ; and if the infection had not beene mortall , he would not have put them in minde of the plagues that were to follow : and if in the place thus mortally infected , god had not preserved a people alive unto himselfe , he could not have said ; come out of her my people . the enemie indeed had there sowne his tares : but b sowne them in the lords field , and among the lords wheate . and a field , we know , may so bee c overgrowne with such evill weedes as these ; that at the first sight a man would hardly thinke , that any corne were there at all : even as in the barne it selfe , the d mixture of the chaffe with the wheate is sometime such , as a-farre off a man would imagine that he did see but a heape of chaffe , and nothing else . those worthy husbandmen that in these last 600. yeares have taken paines in plucking up those pernicious weedes out of the lords field , and severing the chaffe from his graine ; cannot be rightly said in doing this , eyther to have brought in another field , or to have changed the ancient graine . the field is the same , but weeded now , unweeded then : the graine the same , but winnowed now , unwinnowed then . wee preach no new faith , but the same catholique faith that ever hath beene preached : neyther was it any part of our meaning to begin a new church in these latter dayes of the world , but to reforme the old . a tree that hath the luxurious branches lopped off , and the noxious things that cleave unto it taken away ; is not by this pruning and purging of it made another tree than it was before : neyther is the church reformed in our dayes , another church than that which was deformed in the dayes of our fore-fathers ; though it hath no agreement , for all that , with poperie , which is the pestilence that walked in those times of darkenesse , and the destruction that now wasteth at noone day . and thus have i finished that which i had to speak , concerning the unitie of the faith : for the further explication whereof , the apostle addeth . [ and of the knowledge of the sonne of god. ] wherein wee may observe both the nature of this grace , and the object of it . for the former , we see that faith is here described unto us by knowledge : to shew unto us , that knowledge is a thing that is necessarily required in true beleeving ; whereof this may bee an argument sufficient : that in matters of faith the scripture doth use indifferently the termes of knowing and beleeving . so iob 19.25 . i know that my redeemer liveth . ioh. 17.3 . this is life eternall , that they know thee the onely true god , and iesus christ whom thou hast sent . esai . 53.11 . by his knowledge shall my righteous servant iustifie manie . as therefore in the fundamentall truthes of christian religion unitie of faith is required among all those that belong to the catholick church : so in those maine grounds likewise there is unitie of knowledge generally required among all that professe the name of christ. for some things there be , the knowledge whereof is absolutely necessarie , e necessitate medij vel finis ( as the school-men speak : ) without which no man may expect , by gods ordinarie law , to attaine unto the end of his faith , the salvation of his soule . and in these a man may lose himselfe , not by heresie onely , which is a flat denying ; but by ignorance also , which is a bare not knowing of them : these things being acknowledged to be so necessarie , that although it lay not in our power to attaine thereunto , yet this invincible ignorance should not excuse us from everlasting death . even as if there were one onely remedie , whereby a sicke man could be recovered , and freed from corporall death : suppose the patient and the physitian both were ignorant of it , the man must perish , as well not knowing it , as if being brought unto him , he had refused it . and therefore in this case it is resolved , that f from the explicite faith , & actuall knowledge of these things , nothing can excuse but onely such an incapacitie as is found in infants , naturals , and distracted persons : and that in all others which have the use of reason , although they want the meanes of instruction , this ignorance is not onely perillous , but also damnable . the danger then of this ignorance being , by the confession of the most judicious divines of both sides , acknowledged to be so great : the wofull estate of the poore countrey wherein i live , is much to bee lamented , where the people generally are suffered to perish for want of knowledge : the vulgar superstitions of poperie not doing them halfe that hurt , that the ignorance of those common principles of the faith doth , which all true christians are bound to learne . the consideration whereof , hath sometime drawne mee to treate with those of the opposite party , & to move them : that howsoever in other things we did differ one from another , yet wee should joyne together in teaching those maine points , the knowledge whereof was so necessary unto salvation , and of the truth whereof there was no controversie betwixt us . but what for the jealousies , which these distractions in matters of religion have bred among us , & what for other respects , the motiō took small effect : & so betwixt us both , the poor people are kept still in miserable ignorāce , neither knowing the grounds of the one religion nor of the other . here the case ( god be thanked ) is farre otherwise : where your maiesties care can never be sufficiently commended , in taking order , that the chiefe heads of the catechisme should , in the ordinarie ministerie , be diligently propounded and explained unto the people throughout the land . which i wish were as duely executed every where , as it was piously by you intended . great scholars possibly may thinke , that it standeth not so well with their credite , to stoop thus low , and to spend so much of their time in teaching these rudiments and first principles of the doctrine of christ. but they should consider , that the laying of the foundation skilfully , as it is the matter of greatest importance in the whole building , so is it the very master-peece of the wisest builder g according to the grace of god which is given unto mee , as a wise master-builder , i have layd the foundation : saith the great apostle . and let the learnedest of us all try it when-ever wee please ; wee shall finde , that to lay this ground-worke rightly , ( that is , to apply our selves unto the capacitie of the common auditorie , and to make an ignorant man to understand these mysteries in some good measure ) will put us to the tryall of our skill , and trouble us a great deale more , than if we were to discusse a controversie , or handle a subtile point of learning in the schooles . yet h christ did give as well his apostles , and prophets , and evangelists , as his ordinarie pastors and teachers , to bring us all , both learned and unlearned , unto the unitie of this faith and knowledge : and the neglecting of this , is the frustrating of the whole worke of the ministerie ▪ for let us preach never so many sermons unto the people , our labour is but lost , as long as the foundation is unlaid , and the first principles untaught , upon which all other doctrine must be builded . hee therefore that will i studie to shew himselfe approved unto god , a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed , dividing the word of god aright ; must have a speciall care to plant this kingdome both in the mindes and in the hearts of them that heare him . i say , in the hearts aswell as in the mindes : because we may not content our selves with a bare theoricall knowledge , which is an information onely of the vnderstanding , and goeth no further than the braine ; but we must labour to attaine unto a further degree both of experimentall and of practicall knowledge , in the things that wee have learned . a young man may talke much of the troubles of the world , and a scholar in the vniversitie may shew a great deale of wit in making a large declamation upon that argument : but when the same men have afterwards been beaten in the world , they will confesse that they spake before they knew not what , and count their former apprehension of these things to be but meere ignorance , in respect of that new learning which now they have bought by deare experience . the tree in paradise , of which our first parents were forbidden to eate , was called k the tree of knowledge of good and evill : because it signified unto them , that as now while they stood upon termes of obedience with their creator , they knew nothing but good ; so at what time soever they did transgresse his commandement , they should begin to know evill also , whereof before they had no knowledge , not but that they had an intellectuall knowledge of it before ( for he that knoweth good , cannot be ignorant of that which is contrarie unto it ; rectum being alwayes index sui & obliqui : ) but that till then they never had felt any evill , they never had any experimentall knowledge of it . so our apostle in this epistle boweth his knees unto the father of our lord iesus christ , that hee would grant unto these ephesians , l to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge : shewing , that there is a further degree of knowledge in this kinde , that may be felt by the heart , though not comprehended by the braine : and in the epistle to the philippians , m he counteth all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of christ iesus his lord. meaning hereby a knowledge grounded upon deepe experience of the vertue of christs death and resurrection , in his owne soule : as he expoundeth it himselfe , in the words following . n that i may know him , and the power of his resurrection , and the fellowship of his sufferings , and be made conformable unto his death . there is an experimentall knowledge then to be looked after , beside the mentall : and so is there a practicall knowledge likewise , as well as an intellectuall . when christ is said to have knowne no sinne : wee cannot understand this of intellectuall knowledge ( for had he not thus knowne sinne , he could not have reproved it as he did ) but of practicall . so that , o hee knew no sinne , in s. paul ; must be conceived to be the very same with , p he did no sinne , in s. peter . in the first to the romanes , they that q knew god , because they glorified him not as god , are therefore said , r not to have god in their knowledge . god made his wayes and his lawes knowne to the children of israel in the desert ; and yet he s said of them : it is a people that doe erre in their heart , and they have not knowne my wayes . for there is an errour in the heart , as well as in the braine : and a kinde of ignorance arising from the will , as well as from the minde . and therefore in the epistle to the hebrewes , t all sinnes are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ignorances , and u sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ignorant and erring persons : because how ever in the generall the understanding may be informed rightly , yet when particular actions come to be resolved upon , mens perverse wils and inordinate affections cloude their mindes , and lead them out of the way . that therefore is to bee accounted sound knowledge , which sinketh from the braine into the heart , and from thence breaketh forth into action : ( setting head , heart , hand , and all aworke : ) and so much onely must thou reckon thy selfe to know in christianitie , as thou art able to make use of in practise . for as saint iames saith of faith ; x shew me thy faith by thy workes : so doth he in like manner of knowledge . y who is a wise man , and endued with knowledge amongst you ? let him shew out of a good conversation his workes with meekenesse of wisedome : and s. iohn much to the same purpose . z hereby we doe know that we know him , if wee keepe his commandements . he that saith , i know him , and keepeth not his commandements , is a lyar , and the truth is not in him . he speaketh there of iesus christ the righteous : the sonne of god , who is here in my text likewise made the obiect of this knowledge . a thou art christ the sonne of the living god : is by christ himselfe made the rocke upon which the whole church is builded , and , b other foundation ( saith s. paul ) can no man lay , than that is laid , which is iesus christ. c not that wee should thinke , that there were no other fundamentall doctrine to bee acknowledged but this alone ( for the articles of the holy ghost , forgivenesse of sinnes , resurrection of the dead , eternall judgement , and such like other , have their place also in the d foundation ) but because this is the most speciall object of faith , and the primarie foundation of all the other . for first , as god is made the coaequate object of the whole bodie of divinitie , notwithstanding it treateth also of men and angels , heaven and hell , sinne and obedience , and sundrie other particulars ; because all these are brought to god reductiuely , if not as explications of his nature , yet of his workes and kingdome : so likewise may christ be made the primarie head of all other fundamentall articles , because they have all reference unto him ; being such as concerne eyther his father , or his spirit , or his incarnation , or his office of mediation , or his church , or the speciall benefits which he hath purchased for it . secondly , howsoever this faith and knowledge , being taken in their larger extent , have for their full object what-ever is revealed in the word of god : yet as they build us upon the foundation , as they incorporate us into the mysticall body , as they are the meanes of our justification and life , they looke upon the sonne of god , and him onely . the holy scriptures ( within the bounds whereof the utmost extent of all our faith and knowledge must be contained ) are able to make us wise unto salvation ; but yet through faith which is in christ iesus ( 2 tim. 3.15 . so , by his knowledge ( or the knowledge of himselfe ) shall my righteous servant iustifie many : sayth the father of the son , esay 53.11 . and the life which i now live in the flesh , i live by the faith of the son of god , who loved me , and gave himselfe for me : saith the apostle , gal. 2.20 . the children of israel in the wildernesse , being stung with fierie serpents , were directed , for their recovery , to looke upon the brazen serpent : which was a figure of e the son of man , lifted up upon the crosse ; that whosoever did beleeve in him , might not perish , but have eternall life . now as the israelites with the same eyes , and with the same visive facultie , wherewith they beheld the sands and the mountaines in the desert , did looke upon the brazen serpent also ; but were cured by fastning their sight upon that alone , and not by looking upon any other object : so by the same faith and knowledge whereby we are justified , f we understand that the world was framed by the word of god , and beleeve all other truths revealed ; and yet fides quâ iustificans , faith as it doth justifie us , doth not look upon these , but fixeth it selfe solely upon the son of god , not knowing any thing here but iesus christ and him crucified and thus hath our saviour a speciall and peculiar place in that larger foundation : according to that of the apostle , ephes. 2.20 . yee are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets , g of which ( for so his words in the originall may well beare it ) iesus christ is the chiefe corner-stone . it followeth now , that wee should proceed from the foundation to the structure : and so h leaving the principles of the doctrine of christ , goe on unto perfection [ unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ ] : there is a time wherein christ is but begun , and as it were a-breeding in us . gal. 4.19 . my little children , of whom i travell in birth againe untill christ be formed in you . after that he hath beene formed in our hearts , he is at first but as a babe there ; yet resteth not at that stay : but as in his naturall body hee i increased in stature , so in every part of his mysticall body hee hath set for himselfe a certaine measure of stature , and a fulnesse of growth ; which being attained unto , a christian is thereby made a perfect man. and for this end also doth the apostle here shew that the ministery was instituted , k that we henceforth should be no more children ( as it is in the words immediately following my text ) , but that we might grow up into him in all things , which is the head , even christ. for the perfection which the apostle here speaketh of , is not to be taken absolutely , ( as if any absolute perfection could be found among m●n in this life ) but in comparison with childhood ; as the opposition is more clearely made by him , in 1. corinth . 14.20 . brethren , be not children , in understanding , howbeit in malice be you children , but in understanding be perfect , that is to say , of mans estate . and , heb. 5.13.14 . every one that useth milke , is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse ; for he is a babe : but strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect , that is , that are of full age ; as our interpreters have rightly rendred it . now as there is great difference among men in their naturall growth , so is there no lesse varietie among them also in respect of their spirituall stature : there being severall degrees of this imperfect kinde of perfection here spoken of ; which , according to the diversitie of times , places , and persons , may admit a greater or a lesser measure . for we may not thinke that the same measure of knowledge ( for example ) is sufficient for a learned man and an unlearned ; for a pastor , and for an ordinarie christian ; for those that lived in the time of darkenesse , and them that enjoy the light of the gospel ; for them that have the meanes , and them that want it . but , according to the measure of the gift of god , wee must know notwithstanding that it is required generally of all men ; that they grow in grace , and in the knowledge of our lord and saviour iesus christ. ( 2. pet. 2.18 . ) not in knowledge onely , but in grace : even l grow up into him in all things , which is the head ; as our apostle here admonisheth us . wee must proceed from faith to faith , ( rom. 1.17 . ) that is , from one measure and degree of it unto another : and this being the root , and other graces as it were the branches , if it grow apace , other graces also must hasten , and ripen , and grow proportionably with it : else thou mayest justly suspect , that thy growth is not sound , and answerable to that which the apostle sheweth to be in the mysticall body of christ ; which m according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part , maketh increase of the bodie , unto the edifying of it selfe in love . the time will not permit me to proceed any further : and therefore here i end . n now the god of peace , that brought againe from the dead our lord iesus , that great shepheard of the sheepe , through the bloud of his everlasting covenant , make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will ; working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight , through iesus christ : to whom be glorie for ever and ever . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a68833-e120 a num. 10.35 . b psal. 68.1 . c ephes. 4 ▪ 8.20 . d heb. 9.4 . e heb. 12.24 . f esa. 53.5 . g math. 3.15 . and 5.17 . h rom. 10.4 . i psal. 40.7.8 . heb. 10.7 . k psal. 132.14 . l ibid. vers . 8.9.16 . 2 chron. 6.41 m act. 10.38 . n mar. 16. o ioh. 17.4 . p ioh. 16.28 . and 19.30 . q act. 3.21 . r rev. 11.19 . s mat. 28.20 . t psal. 68 18. u ephes. 4.8 . x ephes. 4.11.12 . y 2 chron. 6.41 . psal. 132.9.16 z ephes. 4.10 . a ib. ver . 12. b col. 1.19 . c ephes. 1.23 . d 1 pet. 2.5 . e 1 cor. 12.13 . f psal. 2.8 . g esa. 43.5.6.7 . h augustin . ep . 48. quàm multi nihil interesse credentes in quâ quisque parte christianus sit ; ideò permanebant in parte donati , quia ibi nati erant , & eos inde discedere , atque ad catholicam nemo transire cogebat . et paulò pòst putabamus quidem nihil interesse ubi fidē christi teneremus : sed gratias domino , qui nos à divisione collegit , & hoc uni deo congruere , ut in unitate colatur , ostendit . i rev. 17.18 . k ibid. ver . 15. l ibid. vers . 5. m ib. v. 3. & 7. n gal. 4.26 . o rev. 18.7 . p rom 11.20 , 21.22 . q subesse romano pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus , dicimus , definimus , & pronuntiamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis bonifac. viii . in extravag de majoritate & obedi●ntiâ , cap vn●m sanctam . r 1 cor. 1.2 . s ecclesia ex pluribus personis congregatur : & tamen una dicitur , propter unitatem fidei . hieron . ( si modò is ho●ū commentartorum author est ) in psal. 23. t ephes. 4.5 . u ibid v. 11. x ibid. ver ●● . y pace ●●â , d est , impie●●●s suae u●●t te se jact●●● ; ●gentes ●e non ut christi episcopos , sed ut antichrist●acerdotes . hilar. contr . auxentium . z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a 1 cor 3.10.11.12 . b heb. 6.1 . c ephes. 4.7 . d neh. 1.11 . e luk. 13.3.5 heb. 6.1 . f act. 11.23 . g heb. 5.12 . h ib. ver . 13. ●4 i iude , ver . 3. k tit. 1.4 . l 2 pet. 1.1 . m regula fidei , pusillis magnisque communis . aug. ep . 57. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ ●renaus , lib. 1. cap. 3. o exod. 16.18 . 2 cor 8.15 . p sacramentum fidei . aug. epist. 23. q habetur apud epiphaniū in haeres . 7● . r see my answer to the iesuits challenge , page 284 285. s fr. suarez , tom . 2. in 3 ▪ par . thom. disp . 43. sect . 2. t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . euseb. ep . apud socratem , lib. 1. hist. cap. 8. ( al. ● . ) et theodoret. li. 1. cap 12. u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . conc. constant. epis . apud theod. l. 5. cap. 9. x epiphan . in ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 518. edit . grac. y io. cass. lib. 5. de incarnat . verbi . z concil . tridentin . ( s●● 3 ) symbolum fid●i , quo sancta romana ecclesi● utitur , tanquam princip●um tilud , in quo omnes , qui fidem christi profitentur necessariò conveniunt , ac fundamentum firmū & unicum , contra quod portae inferi nunquam praevalebunt , totidem verbis , quibus in omnibus ecclesiis legitur , exprimendum esse censuit . a 1 cor. 3.12 . b ibid. v. 14. c ibid. v. 15. d quaedam sunt catholicae veritates , quae ita ad fidem pertinent , ut his sublatis , fides quoque ipsa tollatur . quas nos , usu frequenti non solùm catholicas , sed fidei veritates appellavimus . aliae veritates sunt etiamipsae catholicae & universales , nempè quas universa ecclesia tenet , quibus licèt eversis , fides quatitur , sed non evertitur tamen ▪ atque in hujusmodi veritatū contrariis er● oribus , dixi fidem obscurari , non extingui ; infirmari , non perire . has ergo nunquam fidei veritates censui vocandas , quamvis doctrinae christianae veritates sint . melch canu● , loc . theolog. lib. 12 cap 11. e neces●ar●ò oportet distinguere alios gradus propositionum , per quas etiamsi fides non destruatur omninò , tamen malè habet , & quatitur , & quasi disponitur ad corruptionem . sicut sunt quaedam corporum laesiones quae non auferunt vitam , sed malè habet homo per eas , & disponitur ad corruptionem aut in toto aut in parte ; aliae verò sunt laesiones mortales , quae vitam eripiunt : ita sunt quidam gradus propositionum , continentes doctrinam non sanam , etiamsi non habeant haeresim manifestam . dominic bannes , in 2 am 2 ae . quaest 11. artic 2. f 2 thes. 2 ▪ 4. g gal. 4.4 . h per verba consecrationis verè & realiter uti transsubstantiatur panis , ita producitur & quasi generatur christus in altari , adeò potenter & effi caciter , ut si christus nec dum esset incarnatus ▪ per haec verba hoc est corpus meum , incarnaretur , corpusque humanum assumeret : ut graves theologi docent . cornelius cornelij à lapide , commentar . in esai . 7.14 . i confitentur alii , quòd fides sua , quâ astruunt quòd panis & vinum remanent post consecrationē in naturis suis , adhuc servatur laicis , & antiquitùs servabatur . io. tissington , in confessione cont . io. wicliff . quam ms. habeo . k sunt enim quaedam , quae nescire , quàm scire , sit melius . aug. enchirid . ad laurent . cap. 17. l rev. 2.24 . m in sylvest . in summâ , verb. fides . §. 6. ex thom. in 2 a 2 ae , quaest . 2. art . 7. n see my treatise de christianarum ecclesiarum successione & statu , cap. 7 §. 21.22 . and the answere to the iesuite , pag. 514.515 . o 2 thess. 2.12 . p in ipsâ catholicâ ecclesiâ magnoperè curandum est , utid teneamus quod ubique , quod semper , quod ab omnibus creditum est : hoc est etenim verè propriéque catholicum ▪ vincent . lirin cont . haeres . cap. 3. q quicquid vel molitus sit vel moliturus sit mendacii pater , non tamen vel effecisse hactenús vel effecturum posthàc , ut haec doctrina catholica , omniū christianorū consensu , semper & ubique rata , aboleatur : quin potiûs , illam in densissimâ maximè involutarum perturbationum caligme victricem extitisse , & in animis & in aperta confessione christianorum omnium , in suis fundamentis nullo modo labefactatam . in illâ quoque veritate unam illam ecclesiam fuisse conservatam in mediis saevissimae hyemis tempestatibus , vel densissimis tenebris suorum interluniorum . ioh. serranus , in apparat ad fidem cathol . edit paris . an . 1607. pag. 172. r gal. 6.16 . s vniversitatem , antiquitatem , cōsensionem . vincent . lirin ▪ 〈…〉 hae●es . 〈…〉 t esay . 1.9 . u rom. 11.2.5 . x luk. 11.52 . y et hujus q●●dem usque adhuc impietatis occasio per fraudem perficitur ; ut jam sub antichristi sacerdotibus christi populus non occidat . hilar contr . auxentium . z revel . 2.13 . a rev. 18.4 . b mat. 13.24 , 25. c infelix lolium , & steriles dominantur avenae . d grana cùm coeperint tríturari interpaleam , se non jam tangunt , & quasi non se noverunt , quia intercedit medio palea . et quicunque longiùs attendit aream , paleam solumn ▪ odò putat : nisi diligentiùs intueatur , nisi manum porrigat , nisi spiritu oris , id est , flatu purgante di●●ernat ; difficilè pervenit ad discretionē granorum . serm. 228. de tempore , tomo . 10. oper. augustini . e necessarium necessitate medii appellāt theologi illud , quod ex lege ordinariâ dei , sic ad salutem necessarium est , ut quicunque etiam ob ignorantiam invincibilem , vel quacunque aliâ de caussâ id non fuerit assecutus , is nequeat etiam consequi salutem greg. de valentiâ , tom . 3. commentar . theolog. quaest . 2. punct . 2. col . 299. illa quae sunt necessaria necessitate finis , si desint , nobis etiam sine culpâ nostra , non excusabunt nos ab aeternâ morte ; quamvis non fuerit in nostrâ potestate illa assequi . quemadmodum etiamsi non sit nisi unicum remedium , ut aliquis fugiat mortem corporalem , & tale remedium ignoretur & ab infirmo & medico ; sine dnbio peribit homo ille . dom. bannes , in 2 am 2 ae , quaest . 2. art . 8. col . 348. f sicut ad legis christi habitualem fidem omnis vitiator obligatur sine ullâ exceptione ; sic ab ejus actuali fide nullus excusatur nisi solâ incapacitate , &c. parvulos autem & furiosos , caeterísque passionibus mente captos , seu aliâ naturali impossibilitate prohibitos , incapaces voco : etsi non simpliciter , tamē secundùm quid ; sc. dum his defectibus laborant . petr. de alliaco . in quaestione vesperiarum . g 1 cor. 3.10 . h ephes. 4.11 . i 2 tim. 2.15 k gen 2.9.17 . l ephe. 3.19 . m phil. 3.8 . n ibid. vers . 10. o 2 cor. 5.21 . p 1 pet. 2.22 . q rom. 1.21 . r ibid. vers . 18. s psal. 95.10 . heb. 3.10 . t heb 9.7 . compared with lev. 16.16.17 . u heb. 5.2 . aristot. ethic. lib. 3. cap 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . x iam. 2.18 . y iam. 3.13 . z 1 ioh. 2.3.4 . a mat. 16.16.18 . b 1 cor. 3.11 . c vid. aug. lib. de fide & oper . ● . 9 . d heb. 6.1.2 . e ioh. 3.14.15 f heb. 11.3 . g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . h heb. 6.1 . i luk. 2. ●2 . k eph. 4.14 , 15. l ephes. 4.15 . m ephes. 4.16 n heb. 13.20.21 . the great necessity of unity and peace among all protestants, and the bloody principles of the papists made manifest by the most eminently pious and learned bishop usher ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1688 approx. 79 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64647 wing u178 estc r23183 12493621 ocm 12493621 62445 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64647) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 62445) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 299:17) the great necessity of unity and peace among all protestants, and the bloody principles of the papists made manifest by the most eminently pious and learned bishop usher ... ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 14 p. printed and sold by j. wallis ..., london : 1688. reproduction of original in yale university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian union -anglican communion -early works to 1800. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-09 john latta sampled and proofread 2005-09 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the great necessity of unity and peace among all protestants , and the bloody principles of the papists made manifest . by the most eminently pious and learned bishop usher , sometime lord primate of ireland . heb. xi . iv . — he being dead , yet speaketh . london : printed and sold by j. wallis in whit 〈…〉 1688. 1 cor. 10. vers. 17 : we being many , are one bread , and one body : for we are all partakers of that one bread. other entrance i need not make unto my speech at this time , than that which the apostle himself presenteth unto me in the verse next but one going before my text : i speak to wise men . the more unwise might i deem my self to be , who being so conscious unto my self of my great weakness , durst adventure to discover the same before so grave and judicious an auditory ; but that this consideration doth somewhat support me , that no great blame can light herein upon me , but some aspersion thereof must reflect upon your selves , who happened to make so evil a choice ; the more facile i expect you to be in a cause , wherein you your selves are some ways interested . the special cause of your assembling at this time , is , first , that you who profess the same truth , may joyn in one body , and partake together of the same blessed communion : and then , that such as adhere unto false worship , may be discovered and avoided : you , in your wisdom , discerning this holy sacrament to be , as it were , ignis probationis , which would both congregare homogenea , and segregare heterogena , ( as in philosophy we use to speak ) both conjoyn those that be of the same , and disjoyn such as be of a differing kind and disposition . and to this purpose have i made choice of this present text : wherein the apostle maketh our partaking of the lords table to be a testimony , not only of the union and communion which we have betwixt our selves , and with our head , ( which he doth in the express words , which i have read ) but also of our dis-union and separation from all idolatrous worship : as appeareth by the application hereof unto his main drift and intendment , laid down in the 14. and 2 verses . the effect therefore of that which st. paul in express terms here delivereth , is the communion of saints : which consisteth of two parts , the fellowship which they have with the body , laid down in the beginning ; and the fellowship which they have with the head , laid down in the end of the verse : both which are thus explained by st. john , that which we have seen and heard , declare we unto you , that ye also may have fellowship with us ; and truly our fellowship is with the father , and with his son jesus christ , 1 john 1. 3. let them therefore that walk in darkness , brag as much as they list of their good-fellowship : this blessed apostle assureth us , that such only as do walk in the light , have fellowship one with another , 1 joh. 1. 6 , 7. even as they have fellowship with god , and jesus christ his son , whose blood shall cleanse them from all sin . and to what better company can a man come , than to the general assembly , and church of the first born which are inrolled in heaven , and to god the judge of all , and to the spirits of just men made perfect , and to jesus the mediator of the new covenant : and to the blood of sprinkling , which speaketh better things than that of abel ? heb. 12. 23 , 24. no fellowship ( doubtless ) is comparable to this communion of saints . to begin therefore with the first part thereof , as the apost . in gal. 3. 27. 28. maketh our being baptized into christ , to be a testimony that we are all one in christ : so doth he here make our partaking of that one bread , to be an evidence that we also are all one bread , and one body in him . and to the same purpose , in chap. 12. following , he propoundeth both our baptism and our drinking of the lords cup , as seals of the spiritual conjunction of us all into one mystical body . for as the body is one , ( saith he ) and hath many members , and all the members of that one body , being many , are one body : so also is christ. for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body , whether we he jews or gentiles , whether we be bound or free : and have been all made to drink into one spirit . 1 cor. 12. 12. 13. afterwards he addeth , that we are the body of christ , and members in particular , ibid. v. 27. and in another place also , that we being many , are one body in christ , and every one members one of another . rom. 12. 5. now the use which he teacheth us to make of this wonderful conjunction ( whereby we are made members of christ , and members one of another ) is twofold : 1. that there should be no schism in the body . 2. that the members should have the same care one for another , 1 cor. 12. 25. for preventing of schism , he exhorteth us in ephes. 4. 3 , 6. to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace : and to make this bond the firmer , he putteth us in mind of one body , one spirit , one hope , one lord , one faith , one baptism , one god and father of all , who is above all , and through all , and in us all : by this multiplication of unities declaring unto us , that the knots whereby we are tied together , are both in number more , and of far greater moment , then that matters of smaller consequence should dissever us : and therefore that we should stand fast in one spirit , with one mind , striving together for the faith of the gospel , and in nothing terrified by our adversaries , phil. 1. 27 , 28. but howsoever god hath thus marshalled his church in a goodly order , terrible as an army with banners : yet , such is the disorder of our nature , that many , for all this , break rank , and the enemy laboureth to breed division in gods house , that so his kingdom might not stand . nay , oftentimes it cometh to pass that the watchmen themselves , cant. 5. 7. who were appointed for the safeguarding of the church , prove , in this kind , to be the smiters and wounders of her : and from among them who were purposely ordained in the church , for the bringing of men into the unity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the son of god , eph. 4. 13. even from among those , some do arise , that speak perverse things , to draw away disciples after them . act 20. 30. thus we find in the ecclesiastical history , that after the death of julian the apistate , questions and disputes concerning matters of doctrine were freshly set afoot by those who were set over the churches . whereupon soz●men maketh this grave observation : that the disposition of men is such , that when they are wronged by others , they are at agreement among themselves ; but when they are freed of evils from abroad , then they make insurrections one against another . which as we find to be too true by the late experience of our neighbour churches in the low-countries : so are we to consider with the wiseman , that what hath been ; is now , and that which is to be , hath already been , eccles. 3. 15. and be not so inquisitive , why the former days were better than these ? for we do not enquire wisely concerning this . ibid. 6. 10. when like troubles were in the church heretofore , isidorus pelusiota , an ancient father , moveth the question , what a man should do in this case ? and maketh answer , that if it be possible we should mend it , but if that may not be , we should hold our peace . lib. 4. epist. 133. the apostles resolution , i think , may give sufficient satisfaction in this point , to all that have moderate and peacable minds . if in any thing ye be otherwise minded , god shall reveal even this unto you : nevertheless , whereto we have already attained , let us walk by the same rule , let us mind the same thing . phil. 3. 15. 16. it is not to be looked for , that all good men should agree in all things : neither is it fit that we should ( as our adversaries do ) put the truth unto compromise , and to the saying of an achitophel , whose counsel must be accepted , as if a man had inquired at the oracle of god. we all agree that the scriptures of god are the perfect rule of our faith : we all consent in the main grounds of religion drawn from thence : we all subscribe to the articles of doctrine agreed upon in the synod of the year 1562. for the avoiding of diversities of opinions , and the establishing of consent touching true religion . hitherto , by gods mercy , have we already attained ; thus far therefore let us mind the same thing ; let not every wanton wit be permitted to bring what fancies he list into the pulpit , and to disturb things that have been well ordered . i beseech you brethren ( saith the apostle ) mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned , and avoid them . rom. 16. 17. if in some other things we be otherwise minded , than others of our brethren are ; let us bear one with another , until god shall reveal the same thing unto us : and howsoever we may see cause why we should dissent from others in matter of opinion ; yet let us remember , that this is no cause why we should break the kings peace , and make a rent in the church of god. a thing deeply to be thought of by the ismaels of our time , whose hand is against every man , and every mans hand against them ; who bite and devour one another , until they be consumed one of another ; who forsake the fellowship of the saints , and by a sacrilegious separation brake this bond of peace . little do these men consider , how precious the peace of the church ought to be in our eyes ( to be redeemed with a thousand of lives ) and of what dangerous consequence the matter of schism is unto their own souls . for howsoever the schismatich secundum affectum ( as the schoolmen speak ) in his intention and wicked purpose , taketh away unity from the church ; even as he that hateth god , doth take away goodness from him , as much as in him lieth : yet secundum effectum , in truth , and in very deed , he taketh away the unity of the church only from himself : that is , he cutteth himself off from being united with the rest of the body ; and being dissevered from the body , how is it possible that he should retain communion with the head ? to conclude therefore this first use which we are to make of our communion with the body : let us call to mind the exhortation of the apostle : above all things put on love , which is the bond of perfectness , and let the peace of god rule in your hearts , to the which also ye are called in one body . col. 3. 14. 15. behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity : ps. 133. 1. what a goodly thing it is to behold such an honourable assembly as this is , to be as a house that is compact together in it self , ps. 122. 3. holding fit correspondence with the other part of this great body , and due subordination unto their and our head ! such as wish not well to the publick good , and would rejoyce at the ruin of our state , long for nothing more , then that dissensions should arise hete , betwixt the members mutually , and betwixt them and the head. hoc ithacus velit , & magno mercentur atridae . they know full well , that every kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation ; and every house divided against it self , shall not stand : matth. 12. 25. nor do they forget the politicians old rule ; divide & impera , make a division , and get the dominion . the more need have we to look herein unto our selves ; who cannot be ignorant how dolorous solutio continui , and how dangerous ruptures , prove to be unto our bodies . if therefore there be any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , fulfil our joy : that ye be like minded , having the same love , being of one accord , of one mind ; and doing nothing through strife or vain glory . phil. 2. 1 , 2 , 3. remember that as oft as we come unto the lords table , so oft do we enter into new bonds of peace , and tie our selves with firmer knots of love together : this blessed communion being a sacred seal , not only of the union which we have with our head by faith , but also of our conjunction with the other members of the body by love . whereby as we are admonished to maintain unity among our selves , that there be no schism or division in the body : so are we also further put in mind , that the members , should have the same care one for another . for that is the second use which st. paul teacheth us to make hereof , in 1 cor. 12. 26. which he further amplifieth in the verse next following , by the mutual sympathy and fellow-feeling which the members of the same body have on with another for whether one member suffer , all the members suffer with it ; or one member be honoured , all the members rejoyce with it . and then he addeth : now ye are the body of christ , and members in particular : shewing unto us thereby , that as we are all concorporated ( as it were ) and made copartners of the promise in christ : so we should have one another in our hearts , to die and live together . 2 cor. 7. 3. and hereupon is that exhortation in heb. 13. 3 grounded : remember them that are in bonds , as bound with them , and them which suffer adversity , as being our selves also in the body : it being a perilous sign that we be no lively members of that body , if we be not sensible of the calamities that lie upon our afflicted brethren . we know the woe that is pronounced against such as are at ease in sion , and are not grieved for the affliction of joseph , amos 6. 1 , 6 , 7. with the judgment following . therefore now shall they go captive , with the first that go captive . we know the angels bitter curse against the inhabitants of meroz . curse ye meroz ( said the angel of the lord ) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof : because they came not to help the lord , to help the lord against the mighty . judg. 5. 23. not as if the lord did stand in need of our help , or were not able , without our assistance , to maintain his own cause , but that hereby he would make trial of our readiness to do him service and prove the sincerity of our love . if we hold our peace and sit still at this time , deliverance shall arise to gods church from another place , esther 4. 14. but let us look that the destruction do not light upon us and ours . i need not make any application of that which i have spoken : the face of christendom , so miserably rent and torn , as it is at this day , cannot but present it self as a ruful spectacle unto all our eyes , and ( if there be any bowels in us ) stir up compassion in our hearts . neither need i to be earnest in exciting you to put your helping hands to the making up of these breaches : your forwardness herein hath prevented me , and instead of petitioning ( for which i had prepared my self ) hath ministred unto me matter of thanksgiving . a good work is at all times commendable : but the doing of it in fit time , addeth much to the lustre thereof , and maketh it yet more goodly . the season of the year is approaching , wherein kings go forth to battel , 2 sam. 11. 1. the present supply and offer of your subsidy was done in a time most seasonable : being so much also the more acceptable , as it was granted not grudgingly , or of necessity , but fr●ely , and with 〈…〉 mind : god 〈…〉 giver : and he is able to make all grace abound towards you , that ye always having all sufficiency in all things , may abound to every good work . 2 cor. 9. 7 , 8. and thus being by your goodness so happily abridged of that which i intended further to have urged from the conjunction which we have with the body : i pass now unto the second part of the communion of saints , which consisteth in the union which we all have with one head. for christ our head is the main foundation of this heavenly union . out of him there is nothing but confusion ; without him we are nothing but disordered heaps of rubbish : but in him all the building fitly framed together , groweth unto an holy temple in the lord ; and in him are we builded together an habitation of god through the spirit , ephes. 2. 21 , 22. of our selves we are but lost sheep , scattered and wandring upon every mountain . from him it is , that there is one fold , and one shepheard , ( joh. 10. 16 ) god having purposed in himself to gather together in one all things in christ , both which are in heaven , and which are on earth , even in him , ephes. 1. 10. this is the effect of our saviours prayer , joh. 17. 21. that they all may be one , as thou father art in me , and i in thee , that they also may be one in us , &c. i in them , and thou in me , that they may be made perfect in one . and this is it which we find so oft repeated by st. paul : we being many , are one body in christ , rom. 12. 5 ye are all one in christ jesus , gal. 3. 28. and in the text we have in hand : we being many , are one bread , and one body . why ? because we are all partakers of that one bread : namely , of that bread , whereof he had said in the words immediately going before : the bread which we break , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? 1 cor. 10. 16. under the name of bread therefore here is comprehended both panis domini , and panis dominus ; not only the bread of the lord , but also the lord himself , who is that living bread which came down from heaven , joh. 6. 51. for as st. peter , saying , that baptism doth save us , 1 pet. 3. 21. understandeth thereby both the outward part of that sacrament , ( for he expressly calleth it a figure ) and more than that too ( as appeareth by the explication presently adjoyned : not the putting away of the filth of the flesh ) even the inward purging of our consciences by vertue of the death and resurrection of jesus christ : so st. paul here making the reason of our union to be our partaking of all this one bread , hath not so much respect unto the external bread in the sacrament ( through he exclude not that neither ) as unto the true and heavenly bread figured thereby ; whereof the lord himself pronounceth in john 6. 32. 51. the bread that i will give , is my flesh , which i will give for the life of the world : and ( to shew that by partaking of this bread , that wonderful union we speak of , is effected : ) he that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , dwelleth in me , and i in him . joh. 6. 56. it is a lamentable thing to behold , how this holy sacrament , which was ordained by christ to be a bond whereby we should be knit together in unity , is , by satans malice , and the corruption of mans disposition , so strangely perverted the contrary way ; that it is made the principal occasion of that woful distraction which we see amongst christians at this day , and the very fuel of endless strifes , and implacable contentions . and forasmuch as these mischiefs have proceeded from the inconsiderate confounding of those things which in their own nature are as different as may be : for the clearer distinguishing of matters , we are in the first place to consider , that a sacrament taken it its full extent comprehendeth two things in it : that which is outward and visible , which the schools call properly sacramentum , ( in a more strict acception of the word : ) and that which is inward and invisible , which they term rem sacramenti , the principal thing exhibited in the sacrament . thus in the lords supper , the outward thing which we see with our eyes , is bread and wine , the inward thing which we apprehend by faith is , the body and blood of christ : in the outward part of this mystical action , which reacheth to that which is sacramentum only , we receive this body and blood but sacramentally ; in the inward , which containeth rem , the thing it self in it , we receive them really : and consequently the presence of these in the one is relative and symbolical ; in the other , real and substantial . to begin then with that which is symbolical and relative : we may observe out of the scripture , which saith , that abraham received the sign of circumcision , a seal of the righteousness of the saith which he had being uncircumcised ; that sacraments have a two-fold relation to the things whereof they be sacraments : the one of a sign , the other of a seal . signs , we know , are relatively united unto the things which they do signify ; and in this respect are so nearly conjoyned together , that the name of the one is usually communicated unto the other . this cup is the new testament , or , the new covenant , saith our saviour in the institution of the holy supper , luke 22. 20. this is my covenant , saith god in the institution of circumcision in the old testament , gen. 17. 10. but how it was his covenant , he explainerh in the verse immediately following ; ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin ; and it shall be a sign of the covenant betwixt me and you . so words being the signs of things , no sooner is the sound of the word conveyed to cur ears , but the notion of the thing signified thereby is presented unto our mind : and thereupon in the speech of the scripture nothing is more ordinary , than by the term of word to note a thing . we read in 1 sam. 4. that the philistines were afraid and said , god is come in the camp. ver . 7. when the israelites brought thither the ark of the covenant of the lord of hosts , which dwelleth between the cherubims , v. 4. and yet was that no other but this relative kind of presence whereof now we speak : in respect whereof also the shewbread is in the hebrew named , the bread of faces , or , the presence bread . we see with us , the room wherein the kings chair , and other ensigns of state are placed , is called the chamber of presence , although the king himself be not there personally present . and as the rude and undutiful behaviour of any in that place , or the offering of any disrespect to the kings pourtraicture , or to the armes royal , or to any other thing that hath relation to his majesty , is taken as a dishonour done unto the king himself : so here , he that eateth the bread , and drinketh the cup of the lord unworthily , is accounted guilty of offering indignity to the body and blood of the lord. 1 cor. 11. 27. in this sort we acknowledge sacraments to be signs ; but bare signs we deny them to be : seals they are , as well as signs of the covenant of grace . as it was therefore said of john the baptist , that he was a prophet , and more than a prophet : matt. 11. 9. so must we say of sacraments , that they be signs , and more than signs ; even pledges and assurances of the interest which we have in the heavenly things that are represented by them . he that hath in his chamber the picture of the french king , hath but a bare sign ; which possibly may make him think of that king when he looketh on it , but sheweth not that he hath any manner of interest in him . it is otherwise with him that hath the kings great seal for the confirmation of the title that he hath unto all the lands and livelihood which he doth injoy . and as here , the wax that is affixed to those letters patents , howsoever for substance it be the very same with that which is to be found every where , yet being applied to this use , is of more worth to the patent , than all the wax in the countrey beside : so standeth it with the outward elements in the matter of the sacrament . the bread and wine are not changed in substance from being the same with that which is served at ordinary tables : but in respect of the sacred use whereunto they are consecrated , such a change is made , that now they differ as much from common bread and wine , as heaven from earth . neither are they to be accounted barely significative , but truly exhibitive also of those heavenly things whereto they have relation , as being appointed by god to be a means of conveying the same unto us , and putting us in actual possession thereof . so that in the use of this holy ordinance , verily as a man with his bodily hand and mouth receiveth the earthly creatures ; so verily doth he with his spiritual hand and mouth ( if any such he have ) receive the body and blood of christ. and this is that real and substantial presence , which we affirmed to be in the inward part of this sacred action . for the better conceiving of which mistery , we are to inquire , first , what the thing is which we do here receive ; secondly , how and in what manner we are made partakers of it . touching the first , the truth which must be held , is this : that we do not here receive only the benefits that flow from christ ; but the very body and blood of christ : that is , christ himself crucified . for as none can be made partaker of the vertue of the bread and wine to his bodily sustenance , unless he first do receive the substance of those creatures : so neither can any participate in the benefits arising from christ to his spiritual relief , except he first have communion with christ himself . we must have the son , before we have life , 1 joh. 5. 12. and therefore eat him we must , joh. 6. 57. ( as himself speaketh ) that is , as truly be made partakers of him as we are of our ordinary food , if we will live by him . as there is a giving of him on gods part ( for unto us a son is given , esa. 9. 6. ) so there must be a receiving of him on our part ; for as many as received him , to them gave he power to become the sons of god. joh. 1. 12. and as we are called by god unto the communion of his son jesus christ our lord , 1 cor. 1. 9. so it we do hear his voice , and not harden our hearts by unbelief , we are indeed made partakers of christ , heb. 3. 14. this is that great mistery ( for so the apostle termeth it ) of our union with christ , whereby we are made members of his body , of his flesh , and of his bones , eph. 5. 30 , 32. and this is that eating of the flesh of the son of man , and drinking of his blood , which our saviour insisteth so much upon , in joh. 6. where if any man shall demand , ( that i may now come unto the second point of our inquiry . ) how can this man give us his flesh to eat ? joh. 6. 52. he must be ware that he come not pre-occupied with such dull conceits as they were possessed withal , who moved that question there ; he must not think that we cannot truly feed on christ , unless we receive him within our jaws : for that is as gross an imagination as that of nicodemus , who could not conceive how a man could be born again , unless he should enter the second time into his mothers womb : joh. 3. 4. but must consider , that the eating and drinking which our saviour speaketh of , must be answerable to the hungring and thirsting , for the quenching whereof this heavenly banquet is provided . mark well the words which he useth , toward the beginning of his discourse concerning this argument . i am the bread of life , he that cometh to me , shall never hunger ; and he that believeth in me , shall never thirst . but i said unto you , that ye also have seen me , and believe not . joh 6. 35 , 36. and compare them with those in the end : it is the spirit that quickeneth , the flesh profiteth nothing : the words that i speak unto you , they are spirit , and they are life . but there are some of you that believe not . now observe , that such as our hungring is , such is our eating . but every one will confess , that the hunger here spoken of , is not corporal , but spiritual : why then should any man dream here of a corporal eating ? again , the corporal eating , if a man might have it , would not avail any thing to the slaking of this hunger , nay , we are expresly told , that the flesh thus taken ( for so we must understand it ) profiteth nothing , a man should never be the better , nor one jot the holier , nor any whit further from the second death , if he had filled his belly with it . but that manner of feeding on his flesh , which christ himself commendeth unto us , is of such profit , that it preserveth the eater from death , and maketh him to live for ever , joh. 6. 50 , 51 , 54 , 58. it is not therefore such an eating , that every man who bringeth a bodily mouth with him may attain unto : but it is of a far higher nature , namely , a spiritual uniting of us unto christ , whereby he dwelleth in us , and we live by him . if any do farther inquire , how it is possible that any such union should be , seeing the body of christ is in heaven , and we are upon earth ? i answer , that if the manner of this conjunction were carnal and corporal , it would be indeed necessary that things conjoyned should be admitted to be in the same place : but it being altogether spiritual and supernatural , no local presence , no physical nor mathematical continuity or contiguity is any way requisite thereunto . it is sufficient for the making of a real union in this kind , that christ and we ( tho' never so far distant in place each from other ) be knit together by those spiritual ligatures , which are intimated unto us in the words alledged out of joh. 6. to wit , the quickening spirit descending downward from the head , to be in us a fountain of supernatural life ; and a lively faith ( wrought by the same spirit ) ascending from us upward , to lay fast hold upon him , who having by himself purged our sins , sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high . first therefore , for the communion of the spirit , which is the ground and foundation of this spiritual union ; let us call to mind what we have read in gods book : that christ , the second adam , was made a quickening spirit : cor. 15. 45. and that he quickeneth whom he will , joh. 5. 21. that unto him god hath given the spirit without measure , joh. 3. 34. and of his fulness have all we received , joh. 1. 16. that he that is joyned unto the lord , is one spirit , 1 cor. 6. 17. and that hereby we know that we dwell in him , and he in us , because he hath given us his spirit , 1 joh. 3. 24. 4. 13. by all which it doth appear , that the mistery of our union with christ consisteth mainly in this : that the self same spirit whch is in him , as in the head , is so derived from him into every one of his true members , that thereby they are animated and quickened to a spiritual life . we read in ezekel 1. of four living creatures , and of four wheels standing by them . when those went , ( saith the text ) those went ; and when those stood , these stood : and when those were lifted up from the earth , the wheels were lifted up over against them . he that should behold such a vision as this , would easily conclude by that which he saw , that some invisible bands there were by which these wheels and living creatures were joyned together , howsoever none did outwardly appear unto the eye : and the holy ghost , to give us satisfaction herein , discovereth the secret , by yielding this for the reason of this strange connexion ; that the spirit of the living creature was in the wheel , exek . 1. 21. from whence we may inferr , that things may truly be conjoyned together , tho' the manner of the conjunction be not corporal : and that things distant in place may be united together , by having the spirit of the one communicated unto the other . nay , if we mark it well , we shall find it to be thus in every of our own bodies : that the formal reason of the union of the members consisteth not in the continuity of the parts ( tho' that also be requisite to the unity of a natural body : ) but in the animation thereof by one and the same spirit . if we should suppose a body to be as high as the heavens , that the head thereof should be where christ our head is , and the feet where his members are : no sooner could that head think of moving one of the toes , but instantly the thing would be done , without any impediment given by that huge distance of the one from the other . and why ? because the same soul that is in the head , as in the fountain of sence and motion , is present likewise in the lowest member of the body . but if it should so fall out , that this , or any other member proved to be mortified , it presently would cease to be a member of that body ; the corporal conjunction and continuity with the other parts notwithstanding . and even thus is it in christ ; altho ' in regard of his corporal presence , the heaven must receive him , until the times of the restitution of all things , act. 3 21. yet is he here with us alway , even unto the end of the world , matt. 28. 20. in respect of the presence of his spirit ; by the vital influence whereof from him , as from the head , the whole body is fitly joyned together , and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth , according to the effectual working in the measure of every part . which quickening spirit if it be wanting in any , no external communion with christ or his church , can make him a true member of this mistical body : this being a most sure principle , that he which hath not the spirit of christ is none of his , rom. 8. 9. now among all the graces that are wrought in us by the spirit of christ the soul ( as it were ) of all the rest , and that whereby the just doth live , habak . 2. 4. rom. 1. 17. gal. 3 11. heb. 10. 38 is faith ; for we through the spirit wait for the bope of righteousness by faith , saith st. paul to the galatians . gal. 5. 5. and again : i live , yet n●t i , but christ liveth in me ; and the life which i now live in the flesh , i live by the faith of the son of god , who loved me , and gave himself for me , gal. 2. 20. by faith it is , that we do receive christ : joh. 1. 12. and so likewise christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith . eph. 3. 17. faith therefore is that spiritual mouth in us , whereby we eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood , that is , ( as the apostle expresseth it without the trope ) are made partakers of christ , heb. 3. 14. he being , by this means , as truly , and every ways as effectually made ours , as the meat and drink which we receive into our natural bodies . but you will say , if this be all the matter , what do we get by coming to the sacrament ? seeing we have faith , and the quickening spirit of christ before we come thither . to this i answer : that the spirit is received in divers measures , and faith bestowed upon us in different degrees ; by reason whereof our conjunction with christ may every day be made straiter , and the hold which we take of him firmer . to receive the spirit not by measure , joh. 3. 34. is the priviledge of our head : we that receive out of his fulness , joh. 1. 16. have not our portion of grace delivered unto us all at once , but must daily look for supply of the spirit of jesus christ. phil. 1. 19. so also , while we are in this word , the righteousness of god is revealed unto us from faith to faith , rom. 1. 17. that is , from one degree and measure of it to another : and consequently we must still labour to perfect that which is lacking in our faith , 1 thes. 3. 10. and evermore pray with the apostles , lord increase our faith , luke 17. 5. as we have therefore received christ jesus the lord , so must we walk in him , rooted and built up in him ; and stablished in the faith , colos. 2. 6 , 7. that we may grow up into him in all things , which is the head. ephes. 4 , 4. 1. and to this end god hath ordained publick officers in his church for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministery , for the edifying of the body of christ , till we all come in the unity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the son of god , unto a persect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of christ , eph. 4. 12 , 13. and hath accordingly made them able ministers of the spirit that quickeneth , 1 cor. 3. 6. and ministers by whom we should helieve , even as the lord shall give to every man , 1 cor. 3. 5. when we have therefore received the spirit and faith ( and so spiritual life ) by their ministery , we are not there to rest : but as new born babes we must desire the sincere milk of the word , that we may grow thereby , 1 pet. 2. 2. and as grown men too , we must desire to be fed at the lords table , that by the strength of that spiritual repast we may be inabled to do the lords work , and may continually be nourished up thereby in the life of grace , unto the life of glory , neither must we here with a fleshly eye look upon the meanness of the outward elements , and have this faithless thought in our hearts , that there is no likelihood , a bit of bread , and a draught of wine should be able to produce such heavenly effects as these . for so we should prove our selves to be no wiser than naaman the syrian was , who having received direction from the man of god , that he should wash in jordan seven times , to be cleansed of his leprosie , 2 kings 5. 12. 13. replied with indignation , are not abana and pharpar , rivers of damascus , better than all the waters of israel ? may i not wash in them . and be clean ? but as his servants did soberly advise him then : if the prophet had bid the do some great thing , wouldest thou not have done it ? how much rather then , when he saith to thee , wash and be clean ? so give me leave to say unto you now : if the lord had commanded us to do some great thing , for the artaining of so high a good ; should not we willingly have done it ? how much rather then , when he biddeth us to eat the bread , and drink the wine that he hath provided for us at his own table , that by his blessing thereupon we may grow in grace , and be preserved both in body and soul unto everlasting life ? true it is indeed , these outward creatures have no natural power in them to effect so great a work as this is , no more than the water of jordan had to recover the leper : but the work wrought by these means , is supernatural ; and god hath been pleased , in the dispensation both of the word and of the sacraments , so to ordain it , that these heavenly treasures should be presented unto us in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power might be of god. 2 cor , 4. 7. as therefore in the preaching of the gospel , the minister doth not dare verba , and beat the air with a fruitless sound , but the words that he speaketh unto us are spirit and life ; god being pleased by the foolishness of preaching , to save them that believe : so likewise in the administration of the lords supper , he doth not feed us with bare bread and wine , but if we have the life of faith in us , ( for still we must remember that this table is provided not for the dead , but for the living ) and come worthily , the cup of blessing which he blesseth , 1 cor. 10. 16. will be unto us the communion of the blood of christ , and the bread which he breaketh , the communion of the body of christ ; of which precious body and blood we being really made partakers , ( that is , in truth and indeed and not in imagination only ) altho' in a spiritual and not a corporal manner , the lord doth grant us , according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man , that we may be filled with ad the fulness of god. eph. 3. 16 , 19. for the sacraments ( as well as the word ) be a part of that ministration of the spirit . which is committed to the ministers of the new testament , 2 cor. 36 , 8. forasmuch as by one spirit , ( as before we have heard from the apostle ) we have been all baptized into one body , and have been all made to drink into one spirit . 1 cor. 12 , 13. and thus have i finished the first part of my task , my congregatio homogeneorum , ( as i call it ) the knitting together of those that appertain to the same body , both with their fellow-members , and with their head : which is the thing laid down in the express words of my text. it remaineth now that i proceed to the apostles application hereof unto the argument he hath in hand , which is segregatio heterogeneorum , a dissevering of those that be not of the same communion ; that the faithful may not partake with idolaters , by countenancing , or any way joyning with them in their ungodly courses . for that this is the main scope at which st. paul aimeth in his treating here of the sacrament , is evident both by that which goeth before in v. 19. wherefore my deatly beloved , flee from idolatry : and that which followeth in the 21. ye cannot drink the cup of the lord , and the cup of devils ; ye cannot be partakers of the lords table , and of the table of devils . whereby we may collect thus much , that as the lords suprer is a seal of our conjunction one with another . and with christ our head ; so is it an evidence of our dis-junction from idolaters , binding us to disavow all communion with them in their false worship , and indeed , the one must necessarily follow upon the other ; considering the nature of this hainous sin of idolatry is such , that it can no ways stand with the fellowship which a christian man ought to have , both with the head , and with the body of the church . to this purpose , in 2 cor. 6. 16 , 17. we read thus : what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? for ye are the temple of the living god , as god hath said , i will dwell in them , and walk in them , and i will be their god , and they shall be my people . wherefore come out from among them , and be ye separate , saith the lord , and touch not the unclean thing ; and i will receive you . and in colos. 2. 18 , 19. let no man beguile you of your reward , in a voluntary humility , and worshipping of angels , intruding into those things which he hath not seen , vainly puft up by his fleshly mind : and not holding the head , from which all the body by ioynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together , increaseth with the increase of god. in which words the apostle sheweth unto us , that such as under pretence of humility were drawn to the worshipping of angels , did not hold the head , and consequently could not retain communion with the body , which receiveth his whole growth from thence . answerable whereunto the fathers assembled out of divers provinces of asia in the synod held at laodicea , ( not far from the colossians ) did so solemnly conclude , that christiana ought not to forsake the church of god , and go and invocate angels , and pronounced an anathema against any that should be found to do so , because ( say they ) he hath forsaken our lord jesus christ , the son of god , and given himself to idolatry : declaring plainly , that by this idolatrous invocation of angels , a discession was made both from the church of god , as they note in the beginning , and from christ the head of the church , as they observe in the end of their canon . for the further understanding of this particular , it will not be amiss to consider what theodoret , a famous bishop of the ancient church , hath written of this matter in his commentary upon colos. 2d . that is , they that defended the law ( saith he ) induced them also to worship the angels , saying , that the law was given by them . and this vice continued in phrygia , and pisidia for a long time : for which cause also the synod assembled in laodicea the chief city of phrygia , forbid them by a law , to pray unto angels . and even to this day among them and their borderers , there are oratories of st. michael to be seen . this therefore did they counsel should be done , using humility , and saying , that the god of all was invisible , and inaccessible , and incomprehensible ; and that it was fit men should get gods favour by the means of angels . and this is it , which the apostle saith ; in humility , and worshipping of angels . thus far theodoret , whom cardinal baronius discerning to come somewhat close unto him , and to touch the idolatry of the popish crue a little to the quick , leaveth the poor shifts wherewith his companions labour to obscure the light of this testimony , and telleth us plainly , that theodoret , by his leave , did not well understand the meaning of pauls words : and that those oratories of st. michiel were erected anciently by catholicks , and not by those hereticks which were condemned in the council of laodicea , as he mistook the matter . as if any wise man would be perswaded upon his bare word , that the memory of things done in asia so long since , should be more fresh in rome at this day , than in the time of theodoret , who lived 1200 years ago . yet must i needs confess , that he sheweth a little more modesty herein than bellarmine his fellow-cardinal doth ; who would make us believe , that the place in revel . 19. where the angel saith to st. john that would have worshipped him , see thou do it not , i am thy fellow-servant , worship god : maketh for them ; and demandeth very soberly , why they should be reprehended , who do the same thing that john did ? and , whether the calvinists knew better than john , whether angels were to be adored or no ? and as for invocation of them , he telleth us , that st. jacob plainly prayed unto an angel , in gen. 48. when in blessing the sons of joseph , he said , the angel which delivered me from all evil , bless those children . whom for answer we remit to st. cyril , ( in the first chapter of the third book of his thesaurus ) and intreat him to tell us , how near of kin he is here to those hereticks , of whom st. cyril there speaketh . his words be these : that he doth not mean ( in that place , gen. 48. 16. ) an angel , as the herbticks understand it , but the son of god , is manifest by this : that when he had said , ( the angel , ) he presently addeth , ( who delivered me from all evils . ) which st. cyril presupposeth , no good christian will ascribe to any but to god alone . but to come more near yet unto that which is idolatry most properly : an idol ( we must understand ) in the exact propriety of the term , doth signifie any image ; but according to the ecclesiastical use of the word , it noteth such an image as is set up for religious adoration . and in this later sence we charge the adherents of the church of rome with gross idolatry : because that contrary to gods express commandment they are found to be worshipers of images . neither will it avail them here to say , that the idolatry forbidden in the scripture , is that only which was used by jews and pagars . the apostle indeed in this place exhorting christians from idolatry , propoundeth the fall of the jews in this kind before their eyes : neither be ye idolaters , saith he , as some of them were . 1 cor. 10. 7. 8. and so doth he also add concerning another sin , in the verse following : neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed . as well then might one plead , that jewish or heathenish fornication were here only reprehended , as jewish or heathenish idolatry . but as the one is a foul sin , whether it be committed by jew , pagan , or christian : so if such as profess the name of christ , shall practise that which the word of god condemneth in jews and pagans , for idolatry , their profession is so far from diminishing , that it augmenteth rather the hainousness of the crime . the idols of the heathen are silver and gold , the work of mens hands , saith the psalmist , and so the idols ( of christians , in all likelihood , mentioned in the revelation , are said to be of gold , and silver , and brass , and stone , and of wood ; which neither can see , nor hear , nor walk . the description of these idols ( we see ) agreeth in all points with popish images : where is any difference ? the heathen , say they , held the images themselves to be gods , which is far from our thought . admit , some of the simpler sort of the heathen did so : what shall we say of the jewish idolaters , ( of whom the apostle here speaketh ) who erected the golden calf in the wilderness ? can we think that they were all so senseless , as to imagin that the calf , which they knew was not at all in rerum natura , and had no being at that time when they came out of egypt , should yet be that god which brought them up out of the land of egypt , exod. 32. 4. and for the heathen : did the romans and grecians , when they dedicated in several places an hundred images ( for example ) to the honour of jupiter , the king of all their gods , think that thereby they had made an hundred jupiters ? or when their blocks were so old , that they had need to have new placed in their stead ; did they think by this change of their images , that they made change also of their gods ? without question they must so have thought , if they did take the very images themselves to be gods : and yet the prophet bids us consider diligently ; and we shall find that the heathen nations did not change their gods , jer. 2. 10 , 11. nay , what do we meet with , more usually in the writings of the fathers , than these answers of the heathens for themselves ? we worship the gods by the images . we fear not them , but those to whose image they are made , and to whose names they are consecrated . i do not worship that stone , nor that image which is without sense . i neither worship the image nor a spirit in it ; but by the bodily portaiture i do behold the sign of that thing which i ought to worship . but admit they did not account the image it self to be god , ( will the papist further say ; ) yet were those images set up to represent either things that had no being , or devils , or false gods ; and in that respect were idols : whereas we erect images only to the honour of the true god and his servants the saints and angels . to this i might oppose that answer of the heathen to the christians : we do not worship evil spirits : such as you call angels , those do we also worship , the powers of the great god , and the ministers of the great god : and put them in mind of st. augustines reply : i would you did worship them ; you should easily learn of them not to worship them . but i will grant unto them , that many of the idolatrous jews and heathens images were such as they say they were : yet i deny that all of them were such , and confidently do avouch , that idolatry is committed by yielding adoration to an image of the true god himself . for proof whereof ( omitting the idols of micha , judg. 17. 3 , 13. and jeroboam , 2 kings 10. 16. 29 , 31. which were erected to the memory of jehovah the god of israel ; as also the athenians superstitious worship of the unknown god , act. 17. 23. if , as the common use of idolaters was , they added an image to their altar : ) i will content my self with these two places of scripture ; the one whereof concerneth the jews , the other the heathen . that which toucheth the heathen , is in the first chapter of the epistle to the romans : where the apostle having said , that god had shewed unto them that which might be known of him ; and that the invisible things of him , that is , his eternal power and godhead , was manifested unto them by the creation of the world , and the contemplation of the creatures : he addeth presently , that god was sorely displeased with them , and therefore gave them up unto vile affections , because , they changed the glory of that uncorruptible god , into an image made like to corruptible men , and to birds , and four-footed beasts , and creeping things . whereby it is evident , that the idolatry condemned in the wisest of the heathen , was the adoring of the invisible god , whom they acknowledged to be the creator of all things , in visible images fashioned to the similitude of men and beasts . the other place of scripture , is the 4 of deuteronomy : where moses useth this speech unto the children of israel . the lord speak unto you out of the midst of the fire : yee heard the voice of the words , but saw no similitude , only ye heard a voice , verse 12. and what doth he infer upon this ? take ye therefore good heed unto your selves , ( saith he in the 15. verse ) for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the lord speak unto you in horeb , out of the midst of the fire . lest ye corrupt your selves , and make you a graven image , the similitude of any figure , the likeness of male or female , the likeness of any beast that is on the earth , the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air , the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground , the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth . where we may observe : first , that god , in the delivery of the law , did purposely use a voice only ; because that such a creature as that , was not to be expressed by visible lineaments , as if that voice should have said unto the painter , as eccho fayned to doe it the poet. vane , quid affectas faciem mihi ponete , pictor ? si mihi vis similem pingere , pinge sonum . secondly , that when he uttered the words of the second commandement in mount sinai , and forbad the making of the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above , or in the earth beneath , or in the waters under the earth ; he did at that time forbear to shew himself in any visible shape , either of man or woman , either of beast in the earth , fowl in the air , or fish in the waters beneath the earth : to the end it might be the better made known , that it was his pleasure not to be adored at all in any such forms ; and that the worshiping of images , not only as they have reference to the creatures whom they do immediatly represent , or to false gods , but also as they have relation to himself ( the true god , who was then speaking unto them in the mount ) did come within the compass of the idolatry which was condemned in that commandment . in vain therefore do the romanists go about to perswade us , that their images be no idols : and as vainly also do they spend time in curiously distinguishing the several degrees of worship ; the highest point whereof , which they call latreia , and acknowledg to be due only unto god , they would be loth we should think that they did communicate to any of their images . but here we are to understand , first of all , that idolatry may be committed by giving not the highest only , but also the lowest degree of religious adoration unto images : and therefore in the words of the commandment , the very bowing down unto them , which is one of the meanest degrees of worship , is expresly forbidden . secondly , that it is the received doctrine of popish divines , that the image should be honoured with the same worship , wherewith that thing is worshipped whose image it is : and therefore what adoration is due to christ and the trinity , the same by this ground they are to give unto their images . thirdly , that in the roman pontifical published by the authority of clement the 8. ( to omit other testimonies in this kind ) it is concluded , that the cross of the popes legate shall have the right hand , upon this very reason , quia debetur et ●atria , because the worship proper to god is due to it . now whether they commit idolatry , who communicate unto a senseless thing , that worship which they themselves confess to be due unto god alone : let all the world judge . they were best therefore from henceforth confess themselves to be idolaters : and stand to it , that every kind of idolatry is not unlawful . their jesuite gregorius de valentia will tell them for their comfort , that it is no absurdity to think that st. peter , when he deterreth the faithful by name ab illicit is idolerum cultibus ( st. peter calleth them , that is , abominable idolatries ) doth insinuate thereby , that some worship of images is lawful . john monceye the frenchman in his aaron purgatus ( dedicated to the late pope paul 5. ) and in his 20 questions propounded to visorius , stretcheth yet a strain higher . for howsoever he cannot away with the name of idols and idolatry ; yet he liketh the thing it self so well , that he undertaketh to clear aaron from committing any error in setting up the golden calf , and laboureth to purge laban , and micha ; and jeroboam too , from the imputation of idolatry : having found indeed , that nothing had been done by them in this kind , which is not agreeable to the practice of the roman church at this day . and lest the poor people , whom they have so miserably abused , should find how far they have been misled , we see that the masters of that church do in the service books and catechisms , which come unto the hands of the vulgar , generally leave out the words of the second commandment that make against the adoration of images : fearing lest by the light thereof , the mistery of their iniquity should be discovered . they pretend indeed that this commandment is not excluded by them , but included only in the first : whereas in truth they do but craftily conceal it from the peoples eyes , because they would not have them to be ruled by it . nay , vasquez the jesuit doth boldly acknowledge , that it plainly appeareth by comparing the words of this commandment , with the place which hath been alledged out of deut. 4. that the scripture did not only forbid the worshipping of an image for god , but also the adoration of the true god himself in an image . he confesseth further , that he and his fellow catholicks do otherwise . what saith he then to the commandment , think you ? because it will not be obey'd it must be repeal'd , and not admitted to have any place among the moral precepts of god. it was ( saith he ) a positive and ceremonial law : and therefore ought to cease in the time of the gospel . and as if it had not been enough for him to match the scribes and pharisces in impiety , who made the commandments of god of none effect , that they might keep their own traditions : that he might fulfil the measure of his fathers , and shew himself to be a true child of her who beareth the name of being the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth ; rev. 17 5. he is yet more mad , and sticketh not to maintain , that not only a painted image , but any other thing of the world , whether it be without life and reason , or whether it be a reasonable creature , may ( in the nature of the thing , and if the matter be discreetly handled ) be adored with god , as his image ; yea , and counteth it no absurdity at all , that a very wisp of straw should be thus worshipped . but let us turn yet again , and we shall see greater abominations than these . ezek. 8. 15. we heard how this blessed sacrament , which is here propounded by the apostle , as a bond to unite christians together in one body , hath been made the apple of strife , and the occasion of most bitter breaches in the church : we may now observe again , that the same holy sacrament , which by the same apostle is here brought in as a principal inducement to make men flee from idolatry , is by our adversaries made the object of the grossest idolatry that ever hath been practised by any . for their constant doctrine is , that in worshipping the sacrament they should give unto it , ●atriae cul●um qui vero deo debetur , ( as the councel of trert hath determined , ) ' that kind of service which is due to the true god ; determining their worship in that very thing which the priest doth hold betwixt his hands . their practice also runs accordingly : for an instance whereof we need go no further than to sanders book of the lords supper ; before which he hath prefixed an epistle dedicatory , superscribed in this manner : to the body and blood of our saviour jesus christ , under the forms of bread and wine , all honour , praise , and thinks , be given for ever . adding further in the process of that blockish epistle : howsoever it be with other men , i adore thee my god and lord really present under the forms of bread and wine , after consecration duly made : beseeching thee of pardon for my sins , &c. now if the conceit which these men have concerning the sacrament , should prove to be false ( as indeed we know it to be most absurd and monstruous ) their own jesuit cosler doth freely confess , that they should be in such an error and idolatry , qualis in orbe terratum nunquam vel visus vel auditus fuit ▪ as never was seen or heard in this world . for the error of them is more tolerable , ( saith he ) who worship for god a statue of gold or silver , or an image of any other matter , as the gentiles adored their gods ; or a red cloth lifted up upon a spear , as it is reported of the lappians ; or living creatures , as did sometime the egyptians ; than of those that worship a piece of bread . we therefore who are verily perswaded that the papists do thus , must of force ( if we follow their jesuits direction ) judge them to be the most intolerable idolaters that ever were . nay , according to their own principles , how is it possible that any of themselves should certainly know , that the host which they worship should be any other thing but bread ? seeing the change doth wholly depend upon consecration duly made , ( as sanders speaketh ) and that rependeth upon the intention of the priest , which no man but himself can have notice of . bellarmin , disputing against ambrosius catharinus , one of his own brethren , that a man hath no certain knowledge of his own justification , can take advantage of this , and alledge for himself , that one cannot be certain by the certainty of faith , that he doth recive a true sacrament ; for as much as the sacrament cannot be made without the intention of the minister , and none can see another mans intention . apply this now to the matter we have in hand , and see into what intricate labyrinths these men have brought themselves . admit the priests intention stood right at the consecration , yet if he that baptized him failed in his intention when he administred that sacrament , he remaineth still unbaptized , and so becometh uncapable of priesthood ; and consequently , whatsoever he consecrateth is but bread still . yea , admit he were rightly baptized too : if either the bishop that conferred upon him the sacrament of orders , ( fot so they hold it to be ) or those that baptized or ordained that bishop , missed their right intention ; neither will the one prove bishop , nor the other priest ; and so with what intention soever either the one or the other doth consecrate , there remaineth but bread still . neither doth the inconvenience stay here , but ascendeth upward to all their predecussors : in any one of whom if there fall out to be a nullity of priesthood ( for want of intention , either in the baptizer , or in the ordainer ) all the generation following , according to their principles , go without their priesthood too ; and so deliver but bread to the people , instead of the body of christ. the papists themselves therefore , if they stand unto their own grounds , must needs confess , that they are in no better case here , than the samaritans were in , of whom our saviour saith , ye worship ye know not what , joh. 4. 22. but we know , that what they worship ( be the condition or intention of their priest what it will be ) is bread indeed ; which while they take to be their god , we must still account them guilty of spiritual fornication , ' and such fornication , as is not so much as named amongst the gentiles . these then being the idolaters with whom we have to deal , let us learn first how dangerous a thing it is to communicate with them in their false worship . rev. 18. 4. for if we will be partakers of babylons sins , we must look to receive of her plagues . secondly , we are to be admonished , that it is not sufficient that in our ownpersons we refrain worshipping of idols , but is further required , that we restrain ( as much as in us lieth ) the practice thereof in others ; lest by suffering god to be dishonoured in so high a manner , when we may by our calling hinder it , we make our selves partakers of other mens sins . eli the high priest was a good man , and gave excellent counsel unto his lewd sons : yet we know what judgment fell upon him , because his sons made themselves vile , and he frowned not upon them , ( that is , restrained them not ; ) which god doth interpret to be a kind of idolatry , in ' honouring his sons above him . the church of pergamus did for her own part hold fast christs name , and denied not his faith : yet had the lord something against her ; because she had there them that held the doctrine of balaam , who taught balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of israel , to eat things facrificed unto idols , and to commit fornication . so we see what special notice our saviour taketh of the works , and charity , and service , and faith , and patience of the church of thyatira : and yet for all this he addeth , notwithstanding , i have a few things against thee , because thou sufferest that woman jezebel , which calleth her self a prophetess , to teach and to sedue my servants to commit fornication , and to eat things sacrificed untoidols . revel 2. 20. in judges 2. god telleth the children of israel , what mischief should come unto them by tolerating the canaanitish idolaters in their land. they shall be thorns in your sides ( saith he ) and their gods stall be a snare unto you . which words contain in them the intimation of a double danger : the one respecting the soul , and the other the body . that which concerneth the soul is : that their idols should be a snare unto them . for god well knew that mans nature is as prone to spiritual fornication , as it is to corporal . as therefore for the preventing of the one , he would not have a common harlot tolerated in israel , lest the land ss●ould fall to whoredom , and become full of wickedness , levit. 19. 29. so for the keeping out of the other , he would have provocations taken away , and all occasions whereby a man might be tempted to commit so vile a sin . the bodily danger that followeth upon the toleration of idolaters , is : that they should be in their sides , that is , ( as in another place it is more fully expressed ) they should be pricks in their eyes , and thorns in their sides , and should vex them in the land wherein they dwelled . now in both these respects it is certain , that the toleration of the idolaters with whom we have to do , is far more perilous than of any other . in regard of the spiritual danger , wherewith simple souls are m●re like to be insnared : because this kind of idolatry is not brought in with an open shew of impiety , ( as that of pagans ) but is a mistery of iniquity , a wickedness covered with the vail of piety ; and the harlot , which maketh the inhabitants of the earth drunk with the wine of this formcation , is both gilded her self , and presenteth also her abominations unto her followers in a cup of gold . rev. 17. 2 , 4. if we look to outward peril , we are like to find these men , not thorns in our sides to vex us , but daggers in our hearts to destroy us . not that i take all of them to be of this furious disposition , ( mistake me not : i know a number my self of a far different temper : ) but because there are never wanting among them some tutbulent humours , so inflamed with the spirit of fornication , that they run mad with it ; and are transported so far , that no tolerable terms can content them , until they have attained to the utmost pitch of their unbridled desires . for compassing whereof , there is no treachery , nor rebellion , nor murther , nor desperate course whatsoever , that ( without all remorse of conscience ) they dare not adventure upon . neither do they thus only , but they teach men also so to do : arming both pope , and bishops , and people , and private persons , with power to cast down even kings themselves from their thrones , if they stand in their way , and give any impediment to their designs . touching the popes power herein , there is no disputing : one of them telleth us , that there is no doubt , but the pope may depose all kings , when there is a reasonable cause so to do . for bishops , cardinal baronius informeth us by the example of dacius the bishop of millayn , his dealing against the arrians , that those bishops deserve no blame , and ought to suffer no envy , who roll every stone , ( yea , and rather than fail , would blow up stones too ) that they may not live under an heretical prince . for the people , dominicus bannes , a dominican priar , resolves that they need not , in this case , expect any sentencing of the matter by pope , or other ; but when the knowledge of the fault is evident , subjects may lawfully ( if so be they have sufficient strength ) exempt themselves from subjection to their princes , before any declaratory sentence of a judge . and that we may understand that the proviso which he inserteth of having strength sufficient , is very material ; he putreth us in mind , that the faithful ( the papists he meaneth ) of england , are to be excused hereby , who do not exempt themselves from the power of their superiors , nor make war against them . because that generally they have not power sufficient to make such wars against princes , and great dangers are eminent over them . lastly , for private persons , we may read in suarez , that an heretical king , after sentence given against him , is absolutely deprived of his kingdom , so that he cannot possess it by any just title : and therefore from thence forth may be handled altogether as a tyrant ; and consequently , he may be killed by any private person . only the jesuit addeth this limitation : that if the pope do depose the king he may be expelled or killed by them only to whom he shall commit that business . but if he injoin the execution thereof to us body , then it shall appertain to the lawful successer in the kingdom : or if none such be to be found , i● shall belong to the kingdom it self . but let him once ●e declared to be a tyrant ; mariana ( suarez his country-man and fellow jesuit ) will tell you better how he should be handled . that a tyrant ( saith he ) may be killed by open force and arms , whether by violent ●●eaking in into the court , or by joyning of battel , is a matter confess'd : yea , and by deceit and ambushes too , as ehud o● in killing eglon the king of the moabites . indeed it ●●uld argue a braver mind to profess open enmity , and publikly to rush in upon the enemy of the common-wealth : ●ut it is no less prudence , to make advantage by fraud and ambushes , because it is done without stir , and with less dan●er surely , both publick and private . his conclusion is , that it is lawful to take away his life , by any art whatsoever : with this proviso 〈…〉 be not constrained either wittingly or unwittingly to be the cause of his own death . where the tenderness of a jesuits conscience is well worth the observing . he maketh no scruple at all to take away the mans life : only he would advise that he be not made away , by having poyson conveyed into his meat or drink , lest in taking hereof ( forsooth ) he which is to be killed , should by this means have some hand in procuring his own death . yet poison him you may , if you list , so that the venom be externally applied by some other , he that is to be killed helping nothing thereunto : namely , when the force of the poison is so great , that a seat or garment being infected there with , it may have strength to kill . and that such means of poisoning hath been used , he proveth by divers practices of the moors : which we leave to be considered of by fitzherbert , who to prove that squires intention of poisoning q. eliz. in this manner , was but a meer fiction ) would perswade us that it is not agreeable to the grounds of nature and reason , that any such thing should be . thus we see what pestisent doctrine is daily broched by these incendiaries of the world : which , what pernicious effects it hath produced , i need not go far to exemplifie ; this assembly and this place cannot but call to mind the memory of that barbarous plot of the powder-treason . which being most justly charged to have exceeded all measure of cruelty ; as involving not the k. alone , but also his children , and the states of the kingdom , and many thousands of innocent people in the same ruin : a wicked varlet ( with whose name i will not defile this place ) steppeth forth some 4 years after , and with a brazen forehead bideth us not to wonder at the matter . ' for of an evil and pernicious herb , both the seeds are to be crushed , and all the roots to be pulled up , that they grow not again . and otherwise also , for a few wicked persons it falleth out oftentimes that many perish in shipwrack . in the later of which reasons we may note these mens insolent impiety toward god : in arrogating unto themselves such an absolute power for the murchering of innocents , as he that is lord of all , hath over his own creatures ; the best of whom , if he do enter into ●udgment with them , will not be found righteous in his 〈◊〉 . in the former , we may observe their deadly ma●… toward gods anointed . which they sufficiently dec●●re will not be satisfied but by the extirpation of him and all his roal progeny . and whereas for the discovery of such wicked spirits ; his majesty in his princely wisdom did cause an oath of a●legiance to be framed ; by the tendring whereof h● might be the better able to distinguish betwixt his lo●al and disloyal subjects , and to put a difference betwixt a seditious and a quiet-minded romanist : this companion derideth his simplicity , in imagining , that that will serve the turn , and supposing that a pap●st will think himself any whit bound by taking such an oath . see ( saith he ) in so great oraft , how great simplicity doth bewray it self . when he had placed all his security in that oath , he thought he had found such a manner of oath , knit with so many circumstances , that it could not , with , safety of conscience , by any means be dissolved by any man. but he could not se , that if the pope did dissolve that oath ; all the tyings of it , ( whether of performing fidelity to the king , or of admitting no dispensation ) would be dissolved together . yea , i will say another thing that is more admirable . you know ( i believe ) that an unjust oath , if it be evidently known , or openly declared to be such , bindeth no man ; but is void ipso facto . that the kings oath is unjust , hath been sufficiently declared by the pastor of the church himself . you see therefore , that the obligation of it is vanished into smoak : so that the bond , which by so many wise men was thought to be of iron , is become less than of straw . if matters now be come unto this pass , that such as are addicted to the pope , will account the oath of allegience to have less force to bind than a rope of straw ; judge ye wether that be not true which hath been said , that in respect not of spirituall-infection only , but of outward danger also to our state , idolaters may be more safely permitted than papists . which i doe not speak , to exasperate you against their persons , or to stirr you up to make new laws for shedding of their blood . their blindness i do much pitty : and my hearts desire and prayer to god for them is , that they might be saved . onely this i must say , that ( things standing as they do ) i cannot preach peace unto them . for as john said to joram , 2 kings . 9. 22. what peace , so long as the whoredomes of thy mother j●zabel , and her witchcrafts are so many ? so must i say unto them : what peace can there be , so long as you suffer your selves to be led by the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth , who by her sorceries hath deceived all nations , and made them drunk with the wine of her fornication ? let her put away her whoredoms out of her sight , and her adulteries from between her brests ; let her repent of her murthers , and her sorceries , and her idolatries : or rather , because she is past all hope , let those that are seduced by her cease to communicate with her in these abominable iniquities ; and we shall be all ready to meet them , and rejoyce with the angels in heaven for their conversion . in the mean time , they who sit at the helm and have the charge of our church and common-wealth committed to them , must provide by all good means , that god be not dishonoured by their open idolatries , nor our king and state indangered by their secret trecheries . good laws there are already enacted to this purpose : which if they were duly put in execution , we should have less need to think of making new . but it is not my part to press this point . i will therefore conclude as i did begin : i speak as to wise men ; judge ye what i say . finis . immanuel, or, the mystery of the incarnation of the son of god unfolded by james archbishop of armagh. ussher, james, 1581-1656. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a64650 of text r7064 in the english short title catalog (wing u180). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 96 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 35 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a64650 wing u180 estc r7064 11967355 ocm 11967355 51763 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64650) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 51763) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 521:2) immanuel, or, the mystery of the incarnation of the son of god unfolded by james archbishop of armagh. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [2], 66 p. printed by leonard lichfield ..., oxford [oxfordshire] : 1643. possibly a sermon. cf. madan. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. eng incarnation -early works to 1800. a64650 r7064 (wing u180). civilwar no immanuel, or the mystery of the incarnation of the son of god; unfolded by james, archbishop of armagh. ussher, james 1643 17884 28 65 0 0 0 0 52 d the rate of 52 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2005-04 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion immanvel , or the mystery of the incarnation of the son of god ; unfolded by james , archbishop of armagh . iohn , 1. 14. the word was made flesh . oxford , printed by leonard lichfield , printer to the vniversity , 1643. the mysterie of the incarnation of the son of god . the holy prophet , in the book of the a proverbs , poseth all such as have not learned wisedome , nor known the knowledge of the holy , with this question ? who hath ascended up into heaven , or descended ? who hath gathered the wind in his fists ? who hath bound the waters in a garment ? who hath established all the ends of the earth ? what is his name , and what is his sons name , if thou canst tell ? to help us herein , the son himselfe did tell us , when he was here upon earth , that b none hath ascended up to heaven , but he that descended from heaven , even the son of man which is in heaven . and that we might not be ignorant of his name , the prophet esay did not long before foretell , that c vnto us a child is borne , and unto us a son is given ; whose name should be called , wonderfull , counsellour , the mighty god , the everlasting father , the prince of peace . where if it be demanded , how these things can stand together ? that the son of man speaking upon earth , should yet at the same instant be in heaven ? that the father of eternity should be born in time ? and that the mighty god should become a childe ; which is the weakest state of man himselfe ? we must call to minde , that the first letter of this great name , is wonderful . when he appeared of old to manoah , his name was wonderfull , and he did wonderously , judge 13. 18 , 19. but that , and all the wonders that ever were , must give place to the great mystery of his jncarnation , and in respect thereof cease to be wonderfull . for of this work , that may be verified , which is spoken of those wonderfull judgements , that god brought upon egypt ; when he would d shew his power , and have his name declared throughout all the earth . e before them were no such ; neither after them shall be the like . neither the creation of all things out of nothing , which was the beginning of the works of god ( those six working dayes putting as it were an end to that long sabbath that never had beginning ; wherein the father , sonne and holy ghost did infinitely f glorifie themselves and g rejoyce in the fruition one of another , without communicating the notice thereof unto any creature ) nor the resurrection from the dead , and the restauration of all things , the last workes that shall goe before that everlasting sabbath ( which shall have a beginning , but never shall have end : ) neither that first , i say , nor these last , though most admirable peeces of worke , may be compared with this ; wherein the lord was pleased to shew the highest pitch ( if any thing may be said to bee highest in that which is infinite and exempt from all measure and dimensions ) of his wisedome , goodnesse , power and glory . the heathen chaldeans , to a question propounded by the king of babel , make answer ; h that it was a rare thing which hee required and that none other could shew it , except the gods ; whose dwelling is not with flesh . but the raritie of this lyeth in the contrary to that which they imagined to be so plaine : that hee i who is over all , god blessed for ever , should take our flesh and dwell , or * pitch his tabernacle , with us . that as k the glory of god filled the tabernacle ( which was l a figure of the humane nature of the lord ) with such a kinde of fullnesse , that moses himselfe was not able to aproach unto it ; ( therein comming short , m as in all things , of the lord of the house ) and filled the temple of salomon ( a type likewise n of the body of our prince of peace ) in o such sort that the priests could not enter therein : so p in him all the fulnesse of the godhead should dwell bodily . and therefore if of that temple , built with hands , salomon could say with admiration ; q but will god in very deed dwell with men on the earth ? behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot containe thee ; how much lesse this house , which i have built ? of the true temple , that is not of this building , we may with greater wonderment say with the apostle , r without controversie , great is the mystery of religion : god was manifested in the flesh . yea , was made of a woman , and borne of a virgine . a thing so s wonderfull , that it was given for a signe unto unbeleevers 740. yeeres before it was accomplished ; even a signe of god's own chusing , among all the wonders in the depth , or in the height above . therefore the lord himselfe shall give you a signe : behold a virgin shall conceive and beare a son , and shall call his name immanuel . esai . 7. 14. a notable wonder indeed , and great beyond all comparison , that the son of god should be t made of a woman : even made of that woman which was u made by himselfe . that her wombe then , and the x heavens now , should contain him , whom y the heaven of heavens cannot containe . than he who had both father and mother , whose pedigree is upon record , even up unto adam , who in the fulnesse of time was brought forth in bethlehem , and when he had finished his course , was cut off out of the land of the living at jerusalem ; should yet notwithstanding be in truth , that which his shadow melchisedek was onely in the conceit of the men of his time ; z without father , without mother , without pedigree , having neither beginning of dayes , nor end of life . that his father should be a greater than he , and yet he his fathers b equall . that he c is , before abraham was ; and yet abrahams birth preceded his , well nigh the space of two thousand yeares . and finally , that he who was davids sonne , should yet be davids lord : d a case which plunged the greatest rabbies among the pharesies ; who had not yet learned this wisedome , nor known this knowledge of the holy . the untying of this knot dependeth upon the right understanding of the wonderfull conjunction of the divine and humane nature in the unity of the person of our redeemer . for by reason of the strictnesse of this personall union , whatsoever may be verified of either of those natures , the same may be truely spoken of the whole person ; from whether soever of the natures it be denominated . for the clearer conceiving whereof , we may call to minde that which the apostle hath taught us touching our saviour : e in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily , that is to say , by such a personall and reall union , as doth unseparably & everlastingly conjoyn that infinite godhead with his finite manhood in the unity of the selfe-same individuall person . he in whom that fulnesse dwelleth , is the person : that fulnesse which so doth dwell in him , is the nature . now there dwelleth in him not onely the fulnesse of the godhead , but the fulnesse of the manhood also ▪ for we beleeve him to be both perfect god , begotten of the substance of his father before all worlds ; and perfect man , made of the substance of his mother in the fullnesse of time . and therefore we must hold , that there are two distinct natures in him : and two so distinct , that they doe not make one compounded nature ; but still remaine uncompounded and unconfounded together . but hee in whom the fulnesse of the manhood dwelleth , is not one , and hee in whom the fulnesse of the godhead another : but he in whom the fulnesse of both those natures dwelleth , is one and the same immauel , and consequently it must be beleeved as firmly , that he is but one person . and here wee must consider , that the divine nature did not assume an humane person , but the divine person did assume an humane nature : and that of the three divine persons , it was neither the first nor the third that did assume this nature ; but it was the middle person , who was to bee the middle one , that must undertake this mediation betwixt god and us . which was otherwise also most requisite , aswell for the better preservation of the integrity of the blessed trinity in the godhead , as for the higher advancement of mand-kinde by meanes of that relation which the second person the mediatour did beare unto his father . for if the fulnesse of the godhead should have thus dwelt in any humane person , there should then a fourth person necessarily have been added unto the godhead . and if any of the three persons , beside the second , had been borne of a woman ; there should have been two sonnes in the trinity : whereas now the sonne of god and the sonne of the blessed virgin , being but one person , is consequently but one sonne ; and so no alteration at all made in the relations of the persons of the trinitie . againe , in respect of us , the apostle sheweth , that for this very end f god sent his owne son made of a woman ; that we might receive the adoption of sons : and thereupon maketh this inference . wherefore thou art no more a servant , but a son ; and if a son , then an heire of god through christ : intimating thereby , that what relation christ hath unto god by nature , we being found in him have the same by grace . by nature hee is g the only begotten sonne of the father : but this is the high grace he hath purchased for us ; that h as many as received him , to them he gave power or priviledge , to become the sonnes of god , even to them that beleeve on his name . for although he reserve to himselfe the preeminence , which is due unto him in a * peculiar manner , of being i the first borne among many brethren : yet in him , and for him , the rest likewise by the grace of adoption are all of them accounted as first-bornes . so god biddeth moses to say unto pharaoh ; k israel is my sonne , even my first-borne . and i say vnto thee ; let my sonne goe , that he may serve me : and if thou refuse to let him goe ; behold i will slay thy sonne , even thy first borne . and the whole israell of god , consisting of jew and gentile , is in the same sort described by the apostle to be l the generall assembly and church of the first borne inrolled in heaven . for the same reason that maketh them to be sons , to wit , their incorporation into christ , the selfe-same also maketh them to be first-bornes : so as ( how ever it fall out by the grounds of our common law ) by the rule of the gospell this consequence will still hold true ; m if children , then heires , heires of god and joynt-heires with christ . and so much for the son , the person assuming . the nature assumed , is the seed of abraham , hebr. 2. 16. the seed of david , rom. 1. 3. the seed of the woman , gen. 3. 15. the word , n the second person of the trinity , being o made flesh , that is to say , p gods own sonne being made of a woman , and so becomming truly and really q the fruit of her wombe . neither did he take the substance of our nature only , but all the properties also and the qualities thereof : so as it might be said of him , as it was of r elias and the s apostles ; that he was a man subject to like passions as we are . yea , he subjected himselfe t in the dayes of his flesh to the same u weaknesse which we finde in our own fraile nature , and was compassed with like infirmities ; and in a word , in all things was made like unto his brethren , sinne only excepted . wherein yet we must consider , that as he took upon him not an humane person , but an humane nature : so it was not requisite he should take upon him any personall infirmities , such as are , madnesse , blindnesse , lamenesse , and particular kinds of diseases which are incident to some only , and not to all men in generall ; but those alone which do accompany the whole nature of mankinde , such as are hungring , thirsting , wearinesse , griefe , paine and mortality . we are further here also to observe in this our x melchisedeck , that as he had no mother , in regard of one of his natures , so he was to have no father in regard of the other ; but must be borne of a pure and immaculate virgin , without the helpe of any man . and this also was most requisite , as for other respects , so for the exemption of the assumed nature from the imputation and pollution of adams sinne . for y sinne having by that one man entred into the world ; every father becommeth an adam unto his child , and conveyeth the corruption of his nature unto all those whom hee doth beget . therefore our saviour assuming the substance of our nature , but not by the ordinary way of naturall generation , is thereby freed from all the touch and taint of the corruption of our flesh ; which by that meanes only is prop●gated from the first man unto his posterity . whereupon , he being made of man , but not by man , and so becomming the immediate fruit of the wbome and not of the loynes ; must of necessity be acknowledged to be z that holy thing , which so was borne of so blessed a mother . who although shee were but the passive and materiall principle of which that precious flesh was made , and the holy ghost the agent and efficient ; yet cannot the man christ jesus thereby be made the son of his a owne spirit . because fathers do beget their children out of their owne substance : the holy ghost did not so , but framed the flesh of him , from whom himself proceeded , out of the creature of them both , b the hand-maid of the lord ; whom from thence all generations shall call blessed . that blessed wombe of hers was the bride-chamber , wherein the holy ghost did knit that indissoluble knot betwixt our humane nature and his deity : the son of god assuming into the unity of his person that which before he was not ; and yet without change ( for so must god still be ) remaining that which he was . whereby it came to passe , that c this holy thing which was borne of her was indeed and in truth to be called the sonne of god . which wonderfull connexion of two so infinitely differing natures in the unity of one person , how it was there effected ; is an inquisition fitter for an angelical inteliigence , than for our shallow capacity to look after . to which purpose also we may observe , that in the fabrick of the arke of the covenant , d the posture of the faces of the cherubims toward the mercy-seat ( the type of our saviour ) was such , as would poynt unto us , that these are the things which the angells desire to * stoop and look into . and therefore let that satisfaction , which the angell gave unto the mother virgin ( whom it did more specially concerne to move the question , e how may this be ? ) content us , f the power of the highest shall over-shadow thee . for as the former part of that speech may informe us , that g with god nothing is unpossible : so the latter may put us in minde , that the same god having over-shadowed this mystery with his own veile , we should not presume with the men of h bethshemesh to looke into this arke of his ; least for our curiosity we be smitten , as they were . only this we may safely say , and must firmly hold : that as the distinction of the persons in the holy trinity hindreth not the unity of the nature of the god-head , although every person entirely holdeth his own incommunicable property ; so neither doth the distinction of the two natures in our mediatour any way crosse the unity of his person , although each nature remaineth intire in it selfe , and retaineth the properties agreeing thereunto , * without any conversion , composition , commixtion or confusion . when i moses beheld the bush burning with fire , and yet no whit consumed , he wondred at the sight , and said ; i will now turne aside , and see this great sight , why the bush is not burnt . but when god thereupon called unto him out of the midst of the bush , and said , draw not nigh hither , and told him who he was ; moses trembled , hid his face , and durst not behold god . yet , although being thus warned , we dare not draw so nigh ; what doth hinder but we may stand aloofe off , and wonder at this great sight ? k our god is a consuming fire ; saith the apostle : and a question wee finde propounded in the prophet , l who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings ? moses was not like other prophets , but m god spake unto him face to face , as a man speaketh unto his friend : and yet for all that , when hee besought the lord that he would shew him his glory ; he received this answer ; n thou canst not see my face : for there shall no man see mee , and live . abraham before him , though a speciall o friend of god , and the p father of the faithfull , the children of god ; yet held it a great matter that he should take upon him so much as to q speak unto god , being but dust and ashes . yea the very angells themselves ( r which are greater in power and might ) are fain to s cover their faces , when they stand before him ; as not being able to behold the brightnesse of his glory . with what astonishment then may we behold our dust and ashes assumed into the undivided unitie of gods owne person ; and admitted to dwell here , as an inmate , under the same roofe ? and yet in the midst of those everlasting burnings , the bush to remain unconsumed , and to continue fresh and green for evermore . yea , how should not we with abraham rejoyce to see this day , wherein not only our nature in the person of our lord jesus is found to dwell for ever in those everlasting burnings ; but , in and by him , our owne persons also are brought so nigh thereunto , that t god doth set his sanctuarie and tabernacle among us , and dwell with us , and ( which is much more ) maketh us our selves to be the u house and the x habitation , wherein he is pleased to dwell by his spirit . according to that of the apostle , y yee are the temple of the living god , as god hath said ; i will dwell in them and walke in them , and i will be their god , and they shall be my people . and that most admirable prayer , which our saviour himselfe made unto his father in our behalfe . z i pray not for these alone , but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word : that they all may be one , as thou father art in mee and i in thee , that they also may be one in us ; that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me . i in them , and thou in me : that they may be made perfect in one ; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me , and hast loved them as thou hast loved me . to compasse this conjunction betwixt god and us , he that was to bee our a jesus or saviour , must of necessity also bee immanuel , which being interpreted is , god with us ; and therefore in his person to bee immanuel , that is , god dwelling with our flesh ; because he was by his office to be immanuel , that is , he who must make god to be at one with us . for this being his proper office , to be b mediatour between god and men , he must partake with both : and being before all eternity consubstantiall with his father , he must at the appoynted time become likewise consubstantiall with his children . c for asmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood ; he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same : saith the apostle . we read in the romane history , that the sabines and the romans joyning battell together , upon such an occasion as is mentioned in the last chapter of the booke of iudges ; of the children of benjamin , catching every man a wife of the daughters of shilo : the women , being daughters to the one side and wives to the other , interposed themselves and tooke up the quarrell . so that by the mediation of these , who had a peculiar interest in either side , and by whose meanes this new alliance was contracted betwixt the two adverse parties ; they who before stood upon highest termes of hostility , * did not only entertaine peace , but also joyned themselves together into one body and one state . god and we were d enemies ; before wee were reconciled to him by his sonne . he that is to be e our peace , and to reconcile us unto god , and to slay this enmity , must have an interest in both the parties that are at variance , and have such a reference unto either of them ; that he may be able to send this comfortable message unto the sonnes of men . f goe to my brethren ; and say unto them : i ascend unto my father , and your father ; and to my god , and your god . for as long as g hee is not ashamed to call us brethren ; h god is not ashamed to be called our god . and his entring of our apparance , in his own name and ours , after this manner , i behold , i , and the children which god hath given mee ; is a motive strong enough to appease his father , and to turne his favourable countenance towards us . as on the other side , when we become unruly , and prove rebellious children , no reproofe can be more forcible , nor inducement so prevalent ( if there remaine any sparke of grace in in us ) to make us cast downe our weapons and yeeld , than this ; k doe ye thus requite the lord , o foolish people and unwise ? is not he thy father that hath bought thee ? and bought thee , l not with corruptible things , as silver and gold , but with the precious bloud of his owne son . how dangerous a matter it is to be at ods with god , old ely sheweth by this maine argument : m if one man sinne against another , the judge shall judge him : but if a man sin against the lord , who shall plead or intreat for him ? and job , before him ; n he is not a man as i am , that i should answer him , and we should come together in judgement : neither is there any dayes-man , or vmpire betwixt us , that might lay his hand upon us both . if this generall should admit no manner of exception , then were we in a wofull case , and had cause to weep much more than saint iohn did in the revelation ; when o none was found in heaven , nor in earth , nor under the earth , that was able to open the booke which he saw in the right hand of him that sate upon the throne , neither to look thereon . but as s. iohn was wished there , to refraine his weeping ; because p the lion of the tribe of iuda , the root of david , had prevailed to open the book , and to loose the seven seales thereof : so he himself else where giveth the like comfort unto all of us in this particular . q if any man sin , we have an advocate with the father , iesus christ the righteous : and he is a propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only , but also for the sins of the whole world . for as r there is one god , so is there one mediatour between god and men , the man christ iesus , who gave himselfe a ransom for all ; and in discharge of this his office of mediation , as the only fit umpire to take up this controversie , was to lay his hand as well upon god , the party so highly offended , as upon man , the party so basely offending . in things concerning god , the priesthood of our mediatour is exercised . s for every high priest is taken from among men , and ordained for men in things pertaining to god . the parts of his priestly function are two ; satisfaction and intercession : the former whereof giveth contentment to gods justice ; the latter solliciteth his mercy , for the application of this benefit to the children of god in particular . whereby it commeth to passe , that god in t shewing mercy upon whom he will shew mercy , is yet for his justice no looser : being both u just , and the justifier of him that beleeveth in iesus . by vertue of his intercession , our mediatour x appeareth in the presence of god for us , and y maketh request for us . to this purpose , the apostle noteth in the fourth to the hebrewes , 1. that we have a great high priest , that is passed into the heavens , iesus the sonne of god . ( vers. 14. ) 2. that we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities , but was in all things tempted as wee are ; yet without sinne . ( vers. 15. ) betwixt the having of such , and the not having of such an intercessor , betwixt the height of him in regard of the one , and the lowlinesse in regard of his other nature , standeth the comfort of the poore sinner . he must be such a suitour as taketh our cause to heart : and therefore z in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren ; that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high priest . in which respect as it was needfull hee should partake with our flesh and bloud , that he might be tenderly affected unto his brethren : so likewise for the obtaining of so great a suit , it behoved he should be most deare to god the father , and have so great an interest in him , as he might alwayes be sure to be a heard in his requests ▪ who therefore could be no other , but he of whom the father testified from heaven , b this is my beloved sonne , in whom i am well pleased . it was fit our intercessor should be man , like unto our selves ; that we might c boldly come to him , and finde grace to help in time of need : it was fit he should be god , that he might boldly goe to the father , without any way disparaging him ; as being his d fellow , and e equall . but such was gods love to justice , and hatred to sinne ; that he would not have his justice swallowed up with mercy , nor sinne pardoned without the making of fit reparation . and therefore our mediatour must not looke to procure for us a simple pardon without more adoe ; but must be a f propitiation for our sinnes , and redeem us by fine and g ransome : and so not only be the master of our requests , to intreat the lord for us ; but also take upon him the part of an h advocate , to plead full satisfaction made by himselfe , as our i suretie , unto all the debt wherewith we any way stood chargeable . now the satisfaction which our surety bound himselfe to performe in our behalfe , was of a double debt : the principall , and the accessory . the principall debt is obedience to gods most holy law : which man was bound to pay as a perpetuall tribute to his creator , although he had never sinned ; but , being now by his owne default become bankrupt , is not able to discharge in the least measure . his surety therefore being to satisfie in his stead ; none will be found fit to undertake such a payment , but he who is both god and man . man it is fit he should be : because man was the party that by the articles of the first covenant was tied to this obedience ; and it was requisite that , k as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners , so by the obedience of one man likewise , many should be made righteous . againe , if our mediatour were only god , he could have performed no obedience ( the godhead being free from all manner of subjection : ) and if he were a bare man , although he had beene as perfect as adam , in his integrity , or the angels themselves ; yet being left unto himselfe amidst all the temptations of satan & this wicked world , he should be subject to fall , as they were ; or if he should hold out , as l the elect angels did ; that must have been ascribed to the grace and favour of another : whereas the giving of strict satisfaction to gods justice was the thing required in this behalfe . but now being god , as well as man , he by his owne m eternall spirit preserved himselfe without spot : presenting a farre more satisfactory obedience unto god , than could have possibly been performed by adam in his integrity . for beside the infinite difference that was betwixt both their persons , which maketh the actions of the one beyond all comparison to exceed the worth and value of the other : we know that adam was not able to make himselfe holy ; but what holinesse he had , he received from him who created him according to his owne image : so that whatsoever obedience adam had performed , god should have n eaten but of the fruit of the vineyard which himselfe had planted ; and o of his owne would all that have been , which could be given unto him . but christ did himselfe sanctifie that humane nature which he assumed , according to his owne saying , john 17. 19. for their sakes i sanctifie my selfe : and so out of his owne peculiar store did he bring forth those precious treasures of holy obedience , which for the satisfaction of our debt he was pleased to tender unto his father . again , if adam had p done all things which were commanded him , he must for all that have said : i am an unprofitable servant ; i have done that which was my duty to doe . whereas in the voluntary obedience , which christ subjected himselfe unto , the case stood farre otherwise . true it is that if we respect him in his humane nature , q his father is greater than he ; and he is his fathers r servant : yet in that he said , and most truly said , that god was his father , s the jewes did rightly inferre from thence , that he thereby made himselfe equall with god ; and t the lord of hosts himselfe hath proclaimed him to be the man that is his fellow . being such a man therefore , and so highly borne ; by the priviledge of his birth-right , he might have claimed an exemption from the ordinary service whereunto all other men are tied : and by being u the kings sonne , have freed himselfe from the payment of that tribute which was to be exacted at the hands of strangers . when x the father brought this his first-begotten into the world , he said ; let all the angells of god worship him : and at the very instant wherein the sonne advanced our nature into the highest pitch of dignity , by admitting it into the unity of his sacred person , that nature so assumed was worthy to be crowned with all glory and honour : and he in that nature might then have set himselfe downe y at the right hand of the throne of god ; tyed to no other subjection than now he is , or hereafter shall be , when after the end of this world he shall have delivered up the kingdome to god the father . for then also , in regard of his assumed nature , he z shall be subject unto him that put all other things under him . thus the sonne of god , if he had minded only his owne things , might at the very first have attained unto the joy that was set before him : but a looking on the things of others , he chose rather to come by a tedious way , and wearisome journey unto it ; not challenging the priviledge of a sonne , but taking upon him the forme of a meane servant . whereupon in the dayes of his flesh , he did not serve as an honourable commander in the lords host , but as an ordinary souldier : he made himselfe of no reputation , for the time as it were * emptying himselfe of his high state and dignity ; he humbled himselfe , and became obedient untill his death ▪ being content all his life long to be b made under the law : yea so farre , that as he was sent c in the likenesse of sinfull flesh , so he disdained not to subject himselfe unto that law , which properly did concerne sinfull flesh . and therefore howsoever circumcision was by right appliable only unto such as were d dead in their sinnes , and the uncircumcision of their flesh ; yet he , in whom there was no body of the sinnes of the flesh to be put off , submitted himselfe notwithstanding thereunto : not only to testifie his communion with the fathers of the old testament ; but also by this meanes to tender unto his father a bond , signed with his owne bloud , whereby he made himselfe in our behalfe a debtour unto the whole law . for i testifie ( saith e the apostle ) to every man that is circumcised , that he is a debtour to the whole law . in like manner baptisme appertained properly unto such as were defiled , and had need to have their f sinnes washed away : and therefore when all the land of judea , and they of jerusalem went out unto john , they g were all baptized of him in the river jordan , confessing their sinnes . among the rest came our saviour also : but the baptist considering that he had need to be baptized by christ , and christ no need at all to be baptized by him , refused to give way unto that action ; as altogether unbefitting the state of that immaculat lamb of god , who was to take away the sinne of the world . yet did our mediatour submit himselfe to that ordinance of god also : not only to testifie his communion with the christians of the new testament ; but especially ( which is the reason yeelded by himselfe ) because h it became him thus to fulfill all righteousnesse . and so having fulfilled all righteousnesse , whereunto the meanest man was tied , in the dayes of his pilgrimage ( which was more than he needed to have undergone , if he had respected only himselfe : ) the workes which he performed were truly works of supererogation , which might be put upon the account of them whose debt he undertook to discharge ; and being performed by the person of the sonne of god , must in that respect not only be equivalent , but infinitely overvalue the obedience of adam and all his posterity , although they had remained in their integrity , & continued untill this houre instantly serving god day & night . and thus for our maine and principall debt of obedience , hath our mediator given satisfaction unto the iustice of his father ; with i good measure , pressed down , shaken together , & running over . but beside this , we were liable unto another debt ; which we have incurred by our default , and drawn upon our selves by way of forfeiture , and nomine poenae . for as k obedience is a due debt ; and gods servants in regard thereof are truly debters : so likewise is sinne a l debt , and sinners m debters , in regard of the penalty due for the default . and as the payment of the debt which commeth nomine poenae , dischargeth not the tenant afterwards from paying his yearly rent ; which of it selfe would have been due , although no default had been committed : so the due payment of the yearly rent , after the default hath been made , is no sufficient satisfaction for the penalty already incurred . therefore our surety , who standeth chargeable with all our debts , as he maketh paiment for the one by his active , so must he make amends for the other by his passive obedience : he must first n suffer , & thē enter into his glory . o for it became him , for whom are all things , and by whom are all things , in bringing many sons unto glory , to make the captain of their salvation perfect ( that is , a perfect accomplisher of the work wch he had under takē ) through sufferings . the godhead is of that infinit perfection , that it cannot possibly be subject to any passion . he therefore that had no other nature but the godhead , could not pay such a debt as this ; the discharge whereof consisted in suffering and dying . it was also fit , that gods justice should have bin satisfied in that nature which had transgressed ; and that the same nature should suffer the punishment , that had committed the offence . p for asmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood , he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same : that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death , that is , the devill ; and deliver them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage : such and so great was the love of god the father towards us , that q hee spared not his owne sonne , but delivered him up for us all : and so transcendent was the love of the sonne of god , towards the sonnes of men , that he desired not to be spared ; but rather than they should lye under the power of death , was of himselfe most willing to suffer death for them . which seeing in that infinite nature , which by eternall generation he received from his father , he could not doe ; he resolved in the appoynted time to take unto himselfe a mother , and out of her substance to have a body framed unto himselfe , wherein he might r become obedient unto death , even the death of the crosse , for our redemption . and therefore s when he commeth into the world , he saith unto his father , a body hast thou fitted me ; lo , i come to doe thy will , o god . by the which will ( saith the t apostle ) we are sanctified , through the offering of the body of jesus christ once for all . thus we see it was necessary for the satisfaction of this debt , that our mediator should be man : but he that had no more in him than a man , could never be able to goe thorow with so great a worke . for if there should be found a man as righteous as adam was at his first creation , who would be content to suffer for the offence of others : his suffering possibly might serve for the redemption of one soule ; it could be no sufficient ransome for those u innumerable multitudes that were to be x redeemed to god out of every kindred , and tongue , and people , and nation . neither could any man or angell be able to hold out , if a punishment equivalent to the endlesse sufferings of all the sinners in the world should at once be laid upon him . yea the very powers of christ himselfe , upon whom y the spirit of might did rest , were so shaken in this sharp encounter ; that he , who was the most accomplisht patterne of all fortitude , stood z sore amazed and a with strong crying and teares prayed that , b if it were possible , the hour might passe from him . c this man therefore being to offer one sacrifice for sins for ever ; to the burning of that sacrifice he must not only bring the d coals of his love as strong as death , and as ardent as the fire which hath a most vehement flame , but he must adde thereunto those everlasting burnings also , e even the flames of his most glorious deity : and therefore f through the eternall spirit must he offer himselfe without spot unto god ; that hereby he might g obtaine for us an eternall redemption . the bloud whereby the church is purchased , must be h gods owne blood : and to that end must i the lord of glory be crucified ; k the prince and author of life be killed ; he l whose eternall generation no man can declare , be cut off out of the land of the living ; and the man that is gods owne fellow be thus smitten ; according to that which god himselfe foretold by his prophet . m awake , o sword , against my shepherd , and against the man that is my fellow , saith the lord of hosts : smite the shepherd , and the sheep shall be scattered . the people of israell , we reade , did so value the life of david their king , that they counted him to be worth n ten thousand of themselves : how shall we then value the life of o davids lord ; p who is the blessed & only potentate , the king of kings , and lord of lords ? it was indeed our nature that suffered ; but he that suffered in that nature , q is over all , god blessed for ever : and for such a person to have suffered but one houre , was more than if all other persons had suffered ten thousand millions of years . but put case also , that the life of any other singular man might be equivalent to all the lives of whole mankinde : yet the laying down of that life would not be sufficient to doe the deed , unlesse he that had power to lay it down , had power likewise to take it up again . for to be detained alwayes in that prison , r from whence there is no comming out , before the payment of the uttermost farthing ; is to lie alwaies under execution , and so to disanull quite the plea of that full paymēt of the debt wherein our surety stood engaged for us . and therefore the apostle upon that ground doth rightly conclude ; that s if christ be not raised , our faith is vaine , we are yet in our sinnes ; and consequently , that as he must be t delivered to death for our offences , so he must be raised again for our justification . yea , our saviour himselfe , knowing full well what he was to undergoe for our sakes , told us before hand , that the comforter whom he would send unto us , should u convince the world , that is , fully satisfie the consciences of the sonnes of men , concerning that x everlasting righteousnesse which was to be brought in by him , upon this very ground : because i goe to my father , and ye see me no more . for if he had broken prison , and made an escape , the payment of the debt , which as our surety he took upon himselfe , being not yet satisfied , he should have been seene here againe : heaven would not have held him , more then paradise did adam , after he had fallen into gods debt and danger . but our saviour raising himselfe from the dead , presenting himselfe in heaven before him unto whom the debt was owing , and maintaining his standing there , hath hereby given good proofe , that he is now a free-man , and hath fully discharged that debt of ours for which he stood committed . and this is the evidence we have to shew of that righteousnesse , whereby we stand justified in gods sight : according to that of the apostle . y who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth : who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died , yea rather that is risen again ; who is even at the right hand of god , who also maketh intercession for us . now although an ordinary man may easily part with his life ; yet doth it not lye in his power to resume it againe at his own will and pleasure . but he that must doe the turne for us , must be able to say as our iesvs did . z i lay down my life , that i may take it again . no man taketh it from me , but i lay it downe of my selfe : i have power to lay it down , and i have power to take it againe . and in another place : a destroy this temple , and in three dayes i will raise it up ; saith he unto the jewes , speaking of the temple of his body . an humane nature then he must have had , which might be subject to dissolution : but being once dissolved , he could not by his owne strength ( which was the thing here necessarily required ) raise it up againe ; unlesse he had b declared himselfe to be the son of god with power , by the resurrection from the dead . the manhood could suffer , but not overcome the sharpnesse of death : the godhead could suffer nothing , but overcome any thing . he therefore that was both to suffer and to overcome death for us , must be partaker of both natures : that c being put to death in the flesh , he might be able also to quicken himselfe by his owne spirit . and now are wee come to that part of christs mediation , which concerneth the conveiance of d the redemption of this purchased possession unto the sons of men . a deare purchase indeed , which was to be redeemed with no lesse price then the bloud of the sonne of god ▪ but what should the purchase of a stranger have been to us ? or what should we have beene the better for all this ; if we could not derive our descent from the purchaser , or raise some good title whereby we might estate our selves in his purchase ? now this was the manner in former time in israell , concerning redemptions ▪ that unto him who was the next of kinne belonged the right of being e goël , or the redeemer . and iob had before that left this glorious profession of his faith unto the perpetuall memory of all posterity . f i know that my goël or redeemer liveth , and at the last shall arise upon the dust ( or , stand upon the earth : ) and after this my skinne is spent ; yet in my flesh shall i see god . whom i shall see for my selfe , and mine eyes shall behold , and not another for me . whereby we may easily understand , that his and our redeemer was to be the invisible god , and yet in his assumed flesh made visible even to the bodily eyes of those whom he redeemed . for if he had not thus assumed our flesh , how should we have been of his bloud , or claimed any kindred to him ? and unlesse the godhead had by a personall union beene unseparably conjoyned unto that flesh ; how could he therein have beene accounted our next of kinne ? for the better clearing of which last reason ; we may call to mind that sentence of the apostle . g the first man is of the earth earthy : the second man is the lord from heaven . where , notwithstanding there were many millions of men in the world betwixt these two ; yet we see our redeemer reckoned the second man . and why ? but because these two were the only men who could be accounted the prime fountains , from whence all the rest of mankinde did derive their existence and being . for as all men in the world by meane descents do draw their first originall from the first man : so in respect of a more immediate influence of efficiencie and operation do they owe their being unto the second man , as he is the lord from heaven . this is gods own language unto jeremy . h before i formed thee in the belly , i knew thee : and this is davids acknowledgement , for his part . i thy hands have made me and fashioned me ; k thou hast covered me in my mothers wombe : l thou art he that took me out of my mothers bowels . and jobs , for his also . m thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about : thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh , and hast fenced me with bones and sinews . and the n apostles , for us all : in him we live , and move , and have our being . who inferreth also thereupon , both that we are the off-spring or generation of god ; and that he is not farre from every one of us . this being to be admitted for a most certaine truth ( notwithstanding the opposition of all gain-sayers ▪ ) that * god doth more immediately concurre to the generation and all other motions of the creature , then any naturall agent doth or can doe . and therefore , if o by one mans offedce , death raigned by one ; much more they which receive abundance of grace & of the gift of righteousnes , shall raign in life by one , jesus christ , considering that this second man is not only as universall a principle of all our beings , as was that first , and so may sustaine the common person of us all , as well as he ▪ but is a far more immediate agent in the production thereof : not , as the first , so many generations removed from us , but more near unto us then our very next progenitours ; and in that regard justly to be accounted our next of kinne , even before them also . yet is not this sufficient neither : but there is another kinde of generation required , for which we must be beholding unto the second man , the lord from heaven ; before we can have interest in this purchased redemption . for as the guilt of the first mans transgression is derived unto us by the meanes of carnall generation ▪ so must the benefit of the second mans obedience be conveyed unto us by spirituall regeneration . and this must be layd downe as a most undoubted verity : that , p except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdome of god ; and that every such must be q born , not of bloud , nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man , but of god . now , as our mediatour in respect of the adoption of sons , which he hath procured for us , r is not ashamed to call us brethren : so in respect of this new birth , whereby he begetteth us to a spirituall & everlasting life , he disdaineth not to owne us as his children . s when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin , hee shall see his seed : saith the prophet esaias . t a seed shall serve him ; it shall be accounted to the lord for a generation : saith his father david likewise of him . and he himselfe , of himselfe ▪ u behold i , and the children which god hath given me . vvhence the apostle deduceth this conclusion : x forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud , he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same . he himselfe , that is , he who was god equall to the father , for who else was able to make this y new creature , but the same z god that is the creator of all things ? ( no lesse power being requisite to the effecting of this , then was at the first to the producing of all things out of nothing : ) and these new a babes being to be b borne of the spirit ; who could have power to send the spirit , thus to beget them , but the father and the sonne from whom he proceeded ? the same blessed spirit , who framed the naturall body of our lord in the wombe of the virgin , being to new mould and fashion every member of his mysticall body unto his similitude and likenesse . for the further opening of which mystery ( which went beyond the apprehension of c nicodemus , though a master of israel ) we are to consider ; that in every perfect generation , the creature produced receiveth two things from him that doth beget it : life and likenesse . a curious limmer draweth his own sonnes portraiture to the life ( as we say ) yet , because there is no true life in it , but a likenesse only ; he cannot be said to be the begetter of his picture , as he is of his son . and some creatures there be that are bred out of mudde or other putrid matter : which although they have life , yet because they have no correspondence in likenesse unto the principle from whence they were derived , are therefore accounted to have but an improper and equivocall generation . whereas in the right and proper course of generation ( others being esteemed but monstrous births that swarve from that rule ) every creature begetteth his like : — nec imbellem feroces progener ant aquilae columbam . now touching our spirituall death & life , these sayings of the apostle would be thought upon . d wee thus judge , that if one dyed for all , then were all dead : and that be dyed for all , that they which live , should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe . e god who is rich in mercy , for his great love wherewith he loved us , even when we were dead in sin , hath quickened us together with christ . f and you being dead in your sins , and the uncircumcision of your flesh , hath hee quickened together with him , having forgiven you all trespasses . g i am crucified with christ . neverthelesse i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in mee : and the life which i now live in the flesh , i live by the faith of the son of god , who loved mee and gave himselfe for me . from all which we may easily gather , that if by the obedience and sufferings of a bare man , though never so perfect , the most soveraigne medicine that could be thought upon should have beene prepared for the curing of our wounds : yet all would be to no purpose , we being found dead , when the medicine did come to be applyed . our physitian therefore must not only be able to restore us unto health , but unto life it selfe : which none can do but the father , son and holy ghost ; one god , blessed for ever ▪ to which purpose , these passages of our saviour also are to be considered . h as the father hath life in himselfe : so hath he given to the son to have life in himselfe . i as the living father hath sent me , and i live by the father : so he that eateth me , even he shall live by me . k i am the living bread , which came downe from heaven ; if any man eat of this bread , he shall live for ever : and the bread that i will give ; is my flesh , which i will give for the life of the world . the substance whereof is briefly comprehended in this saying of the apostle : l the last adam was made a quickening spirit . an adam therefore and perfect man must he have been ; that his flesh , given for us upon the crosse , might be made the conduit to convey life unto the world : and a quickening spirit he could not have been , unlesse he were god , able to make that flesh an effectuall instrument of life by the operation of his blessed spirit . for , as himselfe hath declared , m it is the spirit that quickeneth ; without it , the flesh would profit nothing . as for the poynt of similitude and likenesse : we reade of adam , after his fall , that he n beg at a son in his owne liknesse , after his image . and generally , as well touching the carnall as the spirituall generation , our saviour hath taught us this lesson . o that which is borne of the flesh , is flesh ; and that which is borne of the spirit , is spirit . whereupon the apostle maketh this comparison betwixt those who are borne of that first man , who is of the earth earthy , and of the second man , who is the lord from heaven . p as is the earthy , such are they that are earthy ; and as is the heavenly , such are they also that are heavenly : and as we have borne the image of the earthy , we shall also beare the image of the heavenly . we shall indeed hereafter bear it in full perfection : when q the lord jesus christ shall change our base body , that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body ; according to the working , whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe . yet in the mean time also , such a conformity is required in us unto that heavenly man , that r our conversation must be in heaven , whence we look for this saviour : and that we must s put off , concerning the former conversation , that old man , which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts , and be renewed in the spirit of our mind , and put on the new man , which after god is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse . for as in one particular point of domesticall authority , t the man is said to be the image and glory of god , and the woman the glory of the man : so in a more universall maner is christ said to be u the image of god , even x the brightnesse of his glory , & the expresse image of his person ; and we y to be conformed to his image , that he might be the first-born among those many brethren , who in that respect are accounted z the glory of christ . we read in the holy story , that god a tooke of the spirit which was upon moses , and gave it unto the seventy elders ; that they might bear the burden of the people with him , and that he might not beare it , as before he had done , himselfe alone . it may be , his burden being thus lightened , the abilities that were left him for government were not altogether so great , as the necessity of his former employment required them to have beene : and in that regard , what was given to his assistants , might perhaps be said to be taken from him . but we are sure the case was otherwise in him of whom now we speake : unto whom b god did not thus give the spirit by measure . and therefore although so many millions of beleivers do continually receive this c supply of the spirit of iesus christ ; yet neither is that fountaine any way exhausted , nor the plenitude of that well-spring of grace any whit empayred or diminished : it being gods pleasure , d that in him should all fullnesse dwell ; and that e of his fulnesse all we should receive grace for grace . that as in the naturall generation there is such a correspondence in all parts betwixt the begetter and the infant begotten , that there is no member to be seen in the father , but there is the like answerably to be found in the child , although in a far lesse proportion : so it falleth out in this spirituall , that for every grace which in a most eminent manner is found in christ , a like grace will appeare in gods childe , although in a far inferiour degree ; similitudes & likenesses being defined by the logicians to be comparisons made in quality , and not in quantity . vve are yet further to take it into our consideration , that by thus enliving and fashioning us according to his owne image , christs purpose was not to raise a seed unto himselfe dispersedly and distractedly , but to f gather together in one the children of god that were scattered abroad : yea and to g bring all unto one head by himselfe , both them which are in heaven and them which are on the earth . that as in the tabernacle , h the vaile divided between the holy place and the most holy ; but the curtains which covered them both were so coupled together with the taches , that it might still i be one tabernacle : so the church militant and triumphant , typified thereby , though distant as far the one from the other as heaven is from earth , yet is made but one tabernacle in jesus christ ; k in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the lord , and in whom all of us are builded together for an habitation of god through the spirit . the bond of this mysticall union betwixt christ and us ( as l elsewhere hath more fully been declared ) is on his part that m quickening spirit , which being in him as the head , is from thence diffused to the spirituall animation of all his members : and on our part n faith , which is the prime act of life wrought in those who are capable of understanding by that same spirit . both wherof must be acknowledged to be of so high a nature : that none could possibly by such ligatures knit up so admirable a body , but he that was god almighty . and therefore although we did suppose such a man might be found who should perform the law for us , suffer the death that was due to our offence and overcome it ; yea and whose obedience and sufferings should be of such valve , that it were sufficiett for the redemption of the whole world : yet could it not be efficient to make us live by faith , unlesse that man had been able to send gods spirit to apply the same unto us . vvhich as no bare man or any other creature whatsoever can doe ; so for faith we are taught by s. o paul , that it is the operation of god , and a worke of his power , even of that same power , wherewith christ himselfe was raised from the dead . vvhich is the ground of that prayer of his , that the p eyes of our understanding being enlightened , we might know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to ms-ward who beleeve , according to the working of his mighty power , which he wrought in christ when be raised him from the dead , and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places , farre above all principality , and power , and might , and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that to come : and hath put all things under his feet , and gave him to be head over all things to the church ; which is his body , the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all . yet was it fit also , that the head should be of the same nature with the body which is knit unto it ▪ and therefore that he should so be god , as that he might partake of our flesh likewise . q for we are members of his body , saith the same apostle ; of his flesh , and of his bones . and r except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man , saith our saviour himselfe , and drink his bloud ; ye have no life in you . s he that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my bloud , dwelleth in me , & i in him . declaring thereby , first , that by this mysticall and supernaturall union we are as truly conjoyned with him , as the meat and drink we take is with us ; when by the ordinary worke of nature it is converted into our owne substance . secondly , that this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature . thirdly , that the t lamb slaine , that is , u christ crucified , hath by that death of his made his flesh broken and his bloud poured out for us upon the crosse to be fit food for the spirituall nourishment of our soules ; and the very well-spring from whence , by the power of his god-head , all life and grace is derived unto us . upon this ground it is , that the apostle telleth us , that we x have boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of jesus ; by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us , through the vaile , that is to say , his flesh . that as in the tabernacle , there was no passing from the holy to the most holy place , but by the vaile : so now there is no passage to be looked for from the church militant to the church triumphant , but by the flesh of him , who hath said of himselfe ; y i am the way , the truth , and the life , no man commeth unto the father but by me . jacob in his dreame beheld z a ladder set upon the earth , the top whereof reached to heaven , and the angels of god ascending and descending on it , the lord himself standing above it . of which vision none can give a better interpretation then he , who was prefigured therein , gave unto nathanael . a hereafter you shall see heaven opened , and the angels of god ascending and descending upon the son of man . whence we may well collect , that the only meanes whereby god standing above , and his israel lying here below are conjoyned together , and the only ladder whereby heaven may be scaled by us , is the son of man . the type of whose flesh , the vaile , was therefore commanded to be b made with cherubims ; to shew that we come c to an innumerable company of angels , when we come to iesus the mediatour of the new testament : who as the head of the church hath power to d send forth all those ministring spirits , to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation . lastly , we are to take into our consideration , that as in things concerning god , the maine execution of our sauiours priesthood doth consist ; so in things concerning man he exerciseth both his propheticall office , whereby he openeth the will of his father unto us , and his kingly , whereby he ruleth and protecteth us . it was indeed a part of e the priests office in the old testament to instruct the people in the law of god , and yet were f they distinguished from prophets : like as in the new testament also , g prophets as well as apostles are made a different degree from ordinary pastours and teachers who received not their doctrine by immediate inspiration from heaven ; as those other h holy men of god did , who spake as they were moved by the holy ghost . whence saint paul putteth the hebrewes in mind , that god who i in sundry parts , and in sundry manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets , hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his son christ jesus : whom therefore he styleth k the apostle , as well as the high priest of our profession ; who was faithfull to him that appointed him , even as moses was in all his house . now moses , we know , had a singular preeminence above all the rest of the prophets : according to that ample testimony which god himself giveth of him . l if there be a prophet among you , i the lord will make my self knowne unto him in a vision , and will speake unto him in a dream . my servant moses is not so , who is faithfull in all mine house : with him well i speake mouth to mouth , even apparently , and not in dark speeches , and the similitude of the lord shall be behold . and therefore we finde , that our mediatour in the execution of his propheticall office is in a more peculiar manner likened unto moses : which he himself also did thus foretell . m the lord thy god will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee , of thy brethren , like unto me , umto him ye shall hearken . according to all that thou desiredst of the lord thy god in horeb , in the day of the assembly , saying , let me not heare againe the voyce of the lord my god , neither let me see this great fire any more , that i dye not . and the lord said unto me , they have well spoken , that which they have spoken . i will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren , like unto thee , and will put my words into his mouth , and he shall speak unto them all that i shall command him . and it shall come to passe , that whosoever will not hearken unto my words , which he shall speak in my name , i will require it of him . our prophet therefore must be a man raised from among his brethren the israelites ( n of whom , as concerning the flesh , he came ) who was to performe unto us that which the fathers requested of moses : o speak thou to us , and we will hear ; but let not god speak with us , lest we dye . and yet ( that in this also we may see , how our mediatour had the preeminence ) p when aaron and all the children of israel were to receive from the mouth of moses all that the lord had spoken with him in mount sinai , they were afraid to come nigh him , by reason of the glory of his shining countenance : so that he was faine to put a vaile over his face , while he spake unto them that which he was commanded . but that which for a time was thus q made glorious , had no glory in respect of the glory that excelleth ; and both the glory thereof , and the vaile which covered it , are now abolished in christ : the vaile of whose flesh doth so overshadow r the brightnesse of his glory , that yet under it we may s behold his glory , as the glory of the only begotten of the father ; yea and t we all with open face , beholding as in a glasse the glory of the lord , are changed into the same image from glory to glory , even as by the spirit of the lord . and this is daily effected by the power of the ministery of the gospell , instituted by the authority , and seconded by the power , of this our great prophet : whose transcendent excellency beyond moses ( unto whom , in the execution of that function , he was otherwise likened is thus set forth by the apostle . u he is counted worthy of more glory then moses , in as much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house . for every house is builded by some one : but he that built all things is god . and moses verily was faithfull in all his house , as a servant , for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after : but christ as the son , over his owne house . x this house of god is no other then the church of the living god : whereof as he is the only lord , so is he properly the only builder . christ therefore being both the lord and the y builder of his church , must be god as well as man : which is the cause , why we finde all the severall mansions of this z great house to carry the title indifferently of a the churches of god and b the churches of christ . true it is , that there are other ministeriall builders , whom christ employed in that service : this being not the least of those gifts which he bestowed upon men at his triumphant ascension into heaven , that c he gave not only ordinary pastours and teachers , but apostles likewise , and prophets , & evangelists ; for the perfecting of the saints , for the worke of the ministery , for the edifying of the body of christ . which what great power it required , he himself doth fully expresse in passing the grant of this high commission unto his apostles . d all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth . go ye therefore and teach all nations , baptizing them in the name of the father , and of the son , & of the holy ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you : and lo , i am with you alway , even unto the end of the world , amen . s. paul professeth of himself , that he e laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the apostles : yet not i , saith he , but the grace of god which was with me . and therefore although f according to that grace of god which was given unto him , he denieth not but that , as a wise master-builder , he had laid the foundation ; yet he acknowledgeth that they upon whom he had wrought , were gods building as well as gods husbandry . for who , saith g he , is paul , and who is apollo , but ministers by whom you beleeved , even as the lord gave to every man ? i have planted , apollo watered ▪ but god gave the increase . so then neither is he that planteth anything , neither he that watereth : but god that giveth the increase . two things therefore we finde in our great prophet , which do far exceed the ability of any bare man ; and so do difference him from all the h holy prophets , which have beene since the world began . for first we are taught ; that i no man knoweth the father , save the son , and hee to whomsoever the son will reveale him : and that k no man hath seen god at anytime ; but the only begotten son , which is in the bosome of the father , he hath declared him . being in his bosome , he is become conscious of his secrets , and so out of his own immediate knowledge enabled to discover the whole will of his father unto us . whereas all other prophets and apostles receive their revelations at the second hand , and according to the grace given unto them by the spirit of christ . witnesse that place of s. peter for the prophets : l of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently , who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you ; searching what or what manner of time the spirit of christ which was in them did signifie , when it testified before hand the sufferings of christ and the glory that should follow . and for the apostles , those heavenly words which our saviour himselfe uttered unto them , whilst he was among them . m when the spirit of truth is come , he will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himselfe , but whatsoever he shall heare , that shall he speake ; and he will shew you things to come . he shall glorifie me : for he shall receive of mine , & shew it unto you . all things that the father hath , are mine : therefore said i , that he shall take of mine , and shall shew it unto you . secondly , all other prophets and apostles can do more ( as hath been said ) but plant and water ; only god can give the increase ▪ they may teach indeed and baptize ; but unlesse christ were with them by the powerfull presence of his spirit , they would not be able to save one soule by that ministery of theirs . we , n as lively stones , are built up a spirituall house : but , o except the lord doe build this house , they labour in vaine that build it . for who is able to breath the spirit of life into those dead stones , but he , of whom it is written ? p the hour is comming , and now is , when the dead shall heare the voyce of the son of god ; and they that hear it , shall live . and again : q awake thou that sleepest , and arise from the dead , and christ shall give thee light . who can awake us out of this dead sleep , and give light unto these blinde eyes of ours ; but the lord our god , unto whom we pray , that he would r lighten our eyes , least we sleep the sleep of death ? and as a blinde man is not able to conceive the distinction of colours , although the skilfullest man alive should use all the art he had to teach him ; because he wanteth the sense whereby that object is discernable : so s the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of god ( for they are foolishnesse unto him ; ) neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned . vvhereupon the apostle concludeth , concerning himselfe and all his fellow-labourers ; that t god who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse , hath shined in our hearts , to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god , in the face of iesus christ : but we have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power may be of god , and not of us . our mediatour therefore ( who must u be able to save them to the uttermost that come unto god by him ) may not want the excellency of the power , whereby he may make us capable of this high knowledge of the things of god , propounded unto us by the ministery of his servants : and consequently , in this respect also , must be god , as well as man . there remaineth the kingdome of our redeemer : described thus by the prophet esay . x of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end , upon the throne of david and upon his kingdome ; to order it , and to establish it with judgement and with justice , from henceforth even for ever . and by daniel . y behold , one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven , and came to the ancient of daies ; and they brought him near before him . and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdome , that all people , nations , & languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion , which shall not passe away , and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed . and by the angel gabriel , in his ambassage to the blessed virgin . z behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb , and bring forth a son , and shalt call his name iesus . he shall be great , and shall be called the son of the highest : and the lord god shall give him the throne of his father david and he shall reigne over the house of iacob for ever ; and of his kingdome there shall be no end . this is that new a david our king , whom god hath raised up unto his b owne israel ▪ who was in truth , that which he was called ▪ the son of man , and the sonne of the highest that in the one respect , c we may say unto him , as the israelites of old did unto their david ; d behold , we are thy bone and thy flesh : and in the other , sing of him as david himself did ; e the lord said unto my lord , sit thou at my right hand untill i make thine enemies thy footstoole . so that the promise made unto our first parents , that f the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head , may well stand with that other saying of s. paul ; that g the god of peace shal bruise satan under our feet : seeing h for this very purpose the son of god was manifested i in the flesh , that he might destroy the works of the divel . and still that foundation of god will remaine unshaken : k i , even i am the lord , and beside mee there is no saviour . l thou shalt know no god but me : for there is no saviour beside me . two speciall branches there bee of this kingdome of our lord and saviour : the one of grace , whereby that part of the church is governed which is militant upon earth ; the other of glory , belonging to that part which is triumphant in heaven . here upon earth , as by his propheticall office he worketh upon our mind and understanding , so by his kingly he ruleth our will and affections ; m casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of god , and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of christ . where , as we must needs acknowledge , that n it is god which worketh in us both to will and to doe , and that it is o hee which sanctifieth us wholly ▪ so are wee taught likewise to believe , that p both he who sanctifieth , and they who are sanctified , are all of one , namely of one and the selfe same nature ; that the sanctifier might not be ashamed to call those ; who are sanctified by him , his brethren ▪ that as their nature was corrupted and their bloud tainted in the first adam , so it might be restored again in the second adam ; and that as from the one a corrupt , so from the other a pure and undefiled nature might be transmitted unto the heirs of salvation . the same q god that giveth grace , is he also that giveth glory ▪ yet so , that the streams of both of them must runne to us through the golden pipe of our saviours humanity ▪ r for since by man came death ; it was fit that by man also should come the resurrection of the dead . even by that man , who hath said , s who so eateth my flesh ▪ and drinketh my bloud , hath eternall life ; and i will raise him up at the last day . who , then t shall come to bee glorified in his saints , and to be made marvellous in all them that beleeve : and shall change this base body of ours , that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious body , according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe unto him therefore that hath thus loved us , and washed us from our sinnes in his own bloud , and hath made us kings and priests unto god and his father ; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever . amen . philip . 3 , 8. i count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of christ iesus my lord . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64650e-130 a pro. 30. 3 , 4. b ioh. 3. 13. c esai , 9. 6. d exod. 9. 16. e ibid. chap. 10 14. & 11. 6. f iohn 17. 5. g prov. 8. 30. h dan. 2. 11. i rom. 9. 5. * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . iohn 1. 14. k exod. 40. 34 , 35. l heb. 9. 9. 11. m heb. 3. 3. 6. n ioh. 2. 19. 21. o 2 chron. 9. 1 , 2. p colos. 2. 9. q 2 chro. 6. 18. r 1. tim. 3. 16. s esai . 7. 11. 4. t gal. 4. 4. u ioh. 1. 3. coloss. 1. 16. x act. 3. 11. y 1. king. 8. 27. z heb. 7. 3. with esai 53. 8. & mica . 5. 2. a john 14. 28. b ioh. 5. 18. phil. 1. 6. c ioh. 8. 58. d matth 22. 42 , 43 , &c. e col. 2. 9. f gal. 4. 4 , 5 , 7. g ioh. 1. 14. & 3. 16. h ioh. 1. 12. * propter quod unumquodque est tale , illud ipsum est magis tale . i rom. 8. 29. k exod. 4. 22 , 23. see ierem. 31. 9. l heb. 12. 23. m rom. 8. 17. gal. 4. 7. n 1. iohn 5. 7. o iohn 1. 14. p gal. 4. 4. q luke 1. 42. r {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . iam. 5. 17. s {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . act. 14 15 t heb. 5 7. u 2 cor. 13. 4. heb. 2. 17 , 18. & 4. 15. x heb. 7. 3. y rom. 5. 12. z luk. 1. 35. a gal. 4. 6. rom. 8. 9. b luk. 1. 38 , 48. c luk. 1. 35. d exod. 37. 〈◊〉 . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} 1. pet. 1. 12. e luk. 1. 34. f ibid. ver. 35. g ibid. ver. 37. h 1. sam. 6. 19. * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . i exod. 3. 2 , 3 , 5 , 6. act. 7. 31 , 32. k heb. 12. 19. l esay 33. 14. m num. 12. 6 , 7 , 8. exod. 33. 12. n exod. 33. 18 , 20. o esay 41. 8. 2 chro. 20. 7. iames 2. 23. p rom. 4. 15 , 16. gal. 3. 7. q gen. 18. 27. r 2. pet. 2. 11. s esay 6. 2. t levit. 26. 11 , 1● . ezech. 37. 26 , 27. revel. 21. 3. u heb 3. 6. x ephes. 2. 2 〈◊〉 . y 2 cor. 6. 16. z iohn 17. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. a matth. 1. 21. 23. see anselms cur deus homo . b 1 tim. 2. 5. c heb. 2 14. * sic pax facta , foedusque percussum : secutaque res mira dectu , ut relictis sedibus suis novam in vrbem hostes demigrorent , & cum generis suis avitas opes pro dote sociarent . l. flor. histor. . rom. lib. 1. cap. 1. d rom. 5. 10. e ephes. 2. 14 , 16. f ioh. 20. 17. g heb. 2 , 11. h heb. 11. 16. i heb. 2. 13. k deut. 32. 6. l 1 pet. 1. 17 , 18 , 19. m 1 sam 2 , 25. n iob 9. 32 , 33. o revel. 5. 3 , 4. p ibid. vers. 5. q ioh. 2 , 1 , 2. r 1 tim. 2. 5 , 6. s heb. 5. 1. & 2. 17. t rom. 9. 15 , 16. u rom. 3. 26. x heb. 9. 24. y rom. 8. 34. hebr. 7. 25. z heb. 2. 17. a iohn 11. 42. b matth. 3. 17. c heb. 4. 16. d zach. 13. 7. e phil. 2. 6. f {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . rom. 3. 25. 1 iohn 2. 2. & 4. 10. g {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . matt. 20. 28. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . 1 tim. 2. 6. see iob 33. 24 h 1 iohn 2. 1. i heb. 7. 12. k rom. 5. 19. l 1 tim. 5. 21. m heb. 9. 14. n 1 cor. 9. 7. o 1 chron. 29. 14 , 16. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . p luke 17. 10. q ioh. 14. 28. r esay 53. 11. mar. 12. 18. s iohn 5. 18. t zach. 13. 7. u matth. 17. 25 , 26. x heb. 1. 6. y heb. 12. 2. z 1 cor. 15. 27. a philip . 2. v. 4 , 5 , 7 , 8. * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} phil. 2. 7. b gal. 4. 4. c rom. 8. 3. d coloss. 2. 11 , 13. e gal. 5. 3. f act. 22. 16. g matth. 3. 6. mark 1. 5. h matth. 3. 15. i luk. 6. 38. k luk. 17. 10. rom. 8. 12. gal. 5. 3. l matth. 6. 12. compared with luk. 11. 4. m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . luk. 14. 4. matth. 13. 16. n luk. 24. 26. o heb. 2. 10. p heb. 2. 14 , 15. q rom. 8. 12. r phil. 2. 8. s heb , 10. 5 , 7 t ibid. vers. 9 , 10. u revel. 7. 9. x revel. 5. 9. y esay 11. 2 ▪ z mark 14. 33. luk. 22. 44. a heb. 5. 7. b mar. 14. 35 , 36. c heb. 10. 12. d cantic. 8. 6. e esay 33. 14. f heb. 9. 14. g ibid ver. 12. h act. 20. 28. i 1 cor. 2. 8. k act. 3. 15. l esay 53. 8. m zach. 13. 7. with matth. 26. 31. n 2 sam. 18. 3. o matth. 22. 43 , 44. p 1 tim. 6. 15. revel. 19. 16. q rom. 9 5. r matth. 5. 26. s 1 cor. 13. 17. t rom. 4. 25. u ioh. 16. 10. x dan. 9. 24. y rom. 8. 33 , 34. z ioh. 10. 17 , 18. a ioh. 2. 19 , 21. b rom. 1. 4. c pet. 3. 18. d ephes. 1. 14. e ruth 3. 12. & 4. vers. 1 , 3 , 4 , 7. f iob. 19. 25 , 26 , 27. g 1 cor. 15. 47. h jerem. 1. 5. i psal. 119. 73. k psa. 139. 13. l psal. 71. 6. m job . 10. 8 , 11. n act. 17. 27 , 28 , 29. * see bradwardin de causâ dei , lib. 1. cap. 3 , & 4. o rom. 5. 17. p iohn 3. 3. q iohn 1. 13. r heb. 2. 11. s esay 53. 10. t psal. 21. 30. u heb. 2. 13. x ibid. ver. 14 ▪ y 2 cor. 5. 17. ephes. 2. 10. gal. 6. 15. z iohn . 1. 13. iam. 1. 18. 1 pet. 1. 3. 1 iohn 5. 1. a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . 1 pet. 2. 2. with 1. 23. b iohn 3. vers. 5 , 6 , 8. c ibid. vers. 4 , 9 , 10. d 2 cor. 5. 14 , 15. e ephes. 2. 4 , 5 f colos. 2. 13. g gal. 2. 20. h iohn 5. 26. i iohn 6. 57. k ibid. ver. 51. l 1 cor. 15. 45. m iohn 6. 63. n gen. 5. 3. o iohn 3. 6. p 1 cor. 15 , 48 , 49. q phil. 3. 11. r ibid. ver. 20. s eph. 4. 22 , 23 , 24. t 1. cor. 11. 7. u 2. cor. 4. 4. x heb. 1. 3. y rom. 8. 29. z 2. cor. 8. 23. so where the hebrew hath gods image , num. 12. 8. & psal. 17. 15. the greek rendreth it , his glory . a num. 11. 7 , 25. b iohn 3. 34. c philip . 1. 19. d colos. 1. 19. e iohn . 1. 16. f iohn 11. 58. g ephes. 1. 10. h exod. 26. 33. i ibid. vers. 6. & 〈◊〉 . k ephes. 2. 21. 22. l sermon to the commons house of parliament , ann. 1620. m iohn 6. 63. 1. cor. 6. 17. & 15. 45. phil. 2. 1. rom. 8. 9. 1. ioh. 3. 24. & 4. 13. n gal. 2. 30. & . 5. 5. & 3. 11. ephes. 3. 17. o colos. 2. 12. 2. thes 1. 11. p ephes. 1. 19 , 20 , &c. q ephes. 5. 30. r iohn 6. 35. s ibid. vers. 56. t revel. 5 12. & 13. 18. u 1. cor. 1. 23. & 2 , 2 ▪ x heb. 10. 19 , 20. y iohn 14. 6. z gen. 28. 12 , 13. a john 1. 51. b exod. 26. 31. & 36. 35. c heb. 12. 22. 24. d heb. 1. 14. e deut. 33. 10. hagg. 2. 11. mal. 2. 7. f esai . 28. 7. ier. 6. 13. & 8. 10. & 14. 18. & 23. 11 , 33 , 34. lam. 2. 20. g eph. 4. 11. h 2. pet. 1. 21. i {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . heb 1. 1. k heb. 3. 1 , 2. l num. 12. 6 , 7 , 8. m deut. 18. 15 , 16. &c. act. 3. 22 , 23. n rom. 9. 5. o exod. 20. 19 deut. 5. 25 , 27. p exod. 34. 30 , 32 , 33. q 2. cor. 3. 7 , 10 , 11 , 13. r heb. 1. 3. s iohn 1. 14. t 2. cor. 3. 18. u heb. 3. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. x 1 ▪ tim. 3. 15. y mat. 16. 18. z 2 tim. 2. 20. a 1. cor. 11. 16. b rom. 16. 16. c eph. 4. 11 , 12. d mat. 28. 18 , 19 , 20. e 1. cor. 15. 10. f 1. cor. 3. 9 , 10. g ibid. vers. 5 , 6 , 7. h luk. 1. 70. i matt. 11. 27. k iohn 1. 18. l 1. pet. 1. 10 , 11. m iohn . 16. 13 , 14 , 15. n 1. pet. 2. 5. o psal. 127. 1. p iohn 5. 25. q ephes. 5. 14. r psal. 13. 3. s 1. cor. 2. 14. t 2. cor. 4. 6 , 7. u heb. 7. 25. x esay . 9. 7. y dan. 7. 13 ▪ 14. z luk. 1. 31 , 32 , 33. a ier. 30. 9. hos. 3. 5. ezech. 34. 23. & 37. 24. b gal. 6. 16. c eph. 5. 39. d 2. sam. 5. 1. e psal. 110. 1. matth. 22 43 , 44. act. 2. 34 , 35. f gen. 3. 15. g rom. 16. 20. h 1. iohn 3. 8. i 1. tim. 3. 16 k esai 43. 11. l hos. 13. 4. m 1. cor. 10. 5. n phil. 2 ▪ 13. o 2. thes. 5. 23. p heb. 2. 11. q psal. 84. 11. r 1. cor. 15. 21. s iohn 6. 54. t 2. thes. 1. 10. phil. 3. 21. revel. 1. 5 , 6. a sermon preached before the commos-house [sic] of parliament, in saint margarets church at westminster, the 18. of february. 1620. by iames vssher. professor of diuinitie in the vniuersitie of dublin, in ireland substance of that which was delivered in a sermon before the commons house of parliament, in st. margarets church at westminster, the 18. of february, 1620 ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1624 approx. 95 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 28 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a14239 stc 24554 estc s119955 99855160 99855160 20635 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a14239) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 20635) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1158:16) a sermon preached before the commos-house [sic] of parliament, in saint margarets church at westminster, the 18. of february. 1620. by iames vssher. professor of diuinitie in the vniuersitie of dublin, in ireland substance of that which was delivered in a sermon before the commons house of parliament, in st. margarets church at westminster, the 18. of february, 1620 ussher, james, 1581-1656. [6], 50 p. printed by i.d[awson] for iohn bartlett, and are to be sould at the golden cup in the goldsmiths rowe in cheapside, london : 1624. printer's name from stc. the first leaf is blank. running title reads: a sermon preached before the commons house of parliament. the substance of that which was delivered in a sermon before the commons house of parliament, in st. margarets church at westminster, the 18. of february, 1620. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-04 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-05 haley pierson sampled and proofread 2005-05 haley pierson text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a sermon preached before the commos-hovse of parliament , in saint margarets church at westminster , the 18. of february . 1620. by iames vssher . professor of diuinitie in the vniuersitie of dublin , in ireland . london printed by i. d. for iohn bartlett , and are to be sould at the golden cup in the goldsmiths rowe in cheapside . 1624. to the honovrable assembly of the commons house of parliament . it pleased this honourable assembly to require my seruice , in preaching at that late religious meeting of yours , for the receiuing of the holy sacrament of the lords supper . i was afterward also sent vnto by the like authority , to publish that which ( according to my poore ability ) i then deliuered . and although in respect of my selfe , and of my want of time to prosecute such a subiect , i could wish i had beene spared from such a taske : yet rather then the expectation , and expresse signification of the desire of the representatiue body of the whole comminalty of the kingdome should rest vnsatisfied ; i haue yeelded to commit this vnto the disposing and direction of them , for whose sakes it was at first vndertaken . opprimi enim me onere officij malui , quàm id , quod mihi cum fide semel impositum fuit , propter infirmitatem animi deponere . the very words which then i vttered , i am not able to present vnto you : the substance of the matter i haue truly laid downe , though in some places ( as it fell out ) somewhat contracted , in others a little more inlarged . whatsoeuer it is , i wholly submit it vnto your graue censures : and so beseeching the lord to giue you prosperous successe in all your worthy indeuours for the seruice of god , his maiesty and your countrey , i rest yours in all christian duty to be commanded , iames vssher . 1. cor. 10. vers. 17. wee being many , are one bread , and one body : for we are all partakers of that one bread . other entrance i need not make vnto my speech at this time , then that which the apostle himselfe presenteth vnto mee in the verse next but one going before my text : i speake to wise men . the more vnwise might i deeme my selfe to be , who being so conscious vnto my selfe of my great weakenesse , durst aduenture to discouer the same before so graue and iudicious an auditory ; but that this consideration doth somewhat support me , that no great blame can light herein vpon mee , but some aspersion thereof must reflect vpon your selues , who happened to make so euill a choyce ; the more facile i expect you to bee in a cause , wherein you your selues are some wayes interested . the speciall cause of your assembling at this time , is , first , that you who professe the same truth , may ioyne in one body , and partake together of the same blessed communion : and then , that such as adhere vnto false worship , may bee discouered and auoyded : you in your wisedome discerning this holy sacrament to bee , as it were , ignis probationis , which would both congregare homogenea , and segregare heterogenea , ( as in philosophie wee vse to speake ) both conioyne those that be of the same , and dis-ioyne such as bee of a differing kinde and disposition . and to this purpose haue i made choyce of this present text : wherein the apostle maketh our partaking of the lords table to bee a testimony , not onely of the vnion and communion which wee haue betwixt our selues , and with our head , ( which he doth in the expresse words , which i haue read ) but also of our dis-vnion and separation from all idolatrous worship : as appeareth by the application hereof vnto his maine drift and intendment , laid downe in the 14. and 21. verses . the effect therfore of that which saint paul in expresse termes heere deliuereth , is the communion of saints : which consisteth of two parts ; the fellowship which they haue with the body , laid downe in the beginning ; and the fellowship which they haue with the head , laid downe in the end of the verse : both which are thus explained by saint iohn : that which wee haue seene and heard , declare we vnto you , that ye also may haue fellowship with vs ; and truly our fellowship is with the father , and with his sonne iesus christ , 1. ioh. 1.3 . let them therefore that walke in darknesse , brag as much as they list of their good-fellowship : this blessed apostle assureth vs , that such onely as doe walke in the light , haue fellowship one with another ; euen as they haue fellowship with god , and iesus christ his sonne , whose blood shall cleanse them from all sinne . and to what better company can a man come , than to the generall assembly , and church of the first-borne which are inrolled in heauen , and to god the iudge of all , and to the spirits of iust men made perfect , and to iesus the mediator of the new couenant , and to the blood of sprinkling , which speaketh better things then that of abel ? no fellowship ( doubtlesse ) is comparable to this communion of saints . to begin therefore with the first part thereof ; as the apostle in the third to the galatians maketh our being baptized into christ , to bee a testimony that wee are all one in christ : so doth hee heere make our partaking of that one bread , to be an euidence that we also are all one bread , and one body in him . and to the same purpose , in the twelfth chapter following , he propoundeth both our baptisme and our drinking of the lords cup , as seales of the spirituall coniunction of vs all into one mysticall body . for as the body is one , ( saith he ) and hath many members , and all the members of that one body , being many , are one body : so also is christ. for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body , whether wee bee iewes or gentiles , whether we be bond or free : and haue been all made to drinke into one spirit . afterwards hee addeth , that wee are the body of christ , and members in particular : and in another place also , that we being many , are one body in christ , and euery one members one of another . now the vse which hee teacheth vs to make of this wonderfull coniunction ( whereby wee are made members of christ , and members one of another ) is two-fold : 1. that there should be no schisme in the body . 2. that the members should haue the same care one for another , 1. cor. 12.25 . for preuenting of schisme , hee exhorteth vs in the fourth to the ephesians , to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace : and to make this bond the firmer , hee putteth vs in minde of one body , one spirit , one hope , one lord , one faith , one baptisme , one god and father of all , who is aboue all , and through all , and in vs all : by this multiplication of vnities declaring vnto vs , that the knots whereby wee are tyed together , are both in number more , and of farre greater moment , then that matters of smaller consequence should disseuer vs : and therefore that wee should stand fast in one spirit , with one minde , striuing together for the faith of the gospell , and in nothing terrified by our aduersaries , philip. chap. 1. vers . 27 , 28. but howsoeuer god hath thus marshalled his church in a goodly order , terrible as an army with banners : yet , such is the disorder of our nature , that many for all this breake ranke , and the enemy laboureth to breed diuision in gods house , that so his kingdome might not stand . nay , oftentimes it commeth to passe , that the watchmen themselues , who were appoynted for the safegarding of the church , proue in this kinde to bee the smiters and wounders of her : and from among them who were purposely ordained in the church , for the bringing of men * into the vnity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the son of god , euen from among those , some doe arise , that speake peruerse things , to draw away disciples after them . thus wee finde in the ecclesiasticall history , that after the death of iulian the apostata , a questions and disputes concerning matters of doctrine were freshly set afoot by those who were set ouer the churches . wherupon sozomen maketh this graue obseruation : that b the disposition of men is such , that when they are wronged by others , they are at agreement among themselues ; but when they are freed of euils from abroad , then they make insurrections one against another . which as we finde to be too true by the late experience of our neighbour churches in the low countries : so are we to consider with the wise man , c that what hath been , is now , and that which is to bee , hath already been : and bee not so inquisitiue , d why the former dayes were better then these ? for wee doe not enquire wisely concerning this . when like troubles were in the church heretofore , isidorus pelusiota , an ancient father , moueth the question , e what a man should doe in this case ? and maketh answere , that if it be possible , wee should mend it , but if that may not bee , wee should hold our peace . the apostles resolution , i thinke , may giue sufficient satisfaction in this poynt , to all that haue moderate and peaceable mindes . f if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded , god shall reueale euen this vnto you : neuerthelesse , whereto wee haue already attained , let vs walke by the same rule , let vs minde the same thing . it is not to bee looked for , that all good men should agree in all things : neither is it fit that we should ( as our aduersaries doe ) put the truth vnto compromise , and to the saying of an achitophel , whose counsell must bee accepted , as if a man had inquired at the oracle of god. we all agree that the scriptures of god are the perfect rule of our faith : wee all consent in the maine grounds of religion drawne from thence : wee all subscribe to the articles of doctrine agreed vpon in the synode of the yeere 1562. for the auoyding of diuersities of opinions , and the establishing of consent touching true religion . hitherto , by gods mercy , haue wee already attained ; thus farre therefore let vs minde the same thing : let not euery wanton wit be permitted to bring what fancies he list , into the pulpit , and to disturbe things that haue been well ordered . i beseech you , brethren ( saith the apostle ) marke them which cause diuisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned , and auoid them . if in some other things wee bee otherwise minded , than others of our brethren are ; let vs beare one with another , vntill god shall reueale the same thing vnto vs : and howsoeuer we may see cause why we should dissent from others in matter of opinion ; yet let vs remember , that that is no cause why wee should breake the kings peace , and make a rent in the church of god. a thing deepely to be thought of by the ismaels of our time , whose hand is against euery man , and euery mans hand against them ; who bite and deuoure one another , vntill they bee consumed one of another ; who forsake the fellowship of the saints , and * by a sacrilegious separation breake this bond of peace . little doe these men consider , how precious the peace of the church ought to bee in our eyes ( to bee redeemed with a thousand of our liues ) and of what dangerous consequence the matter of schisme is vnto their owne soules . for howsoeuer the schismaticke secundùm affectum ( as the schoolemen speake ) in his intention and wicked purpose , taketh away vnity from the church ; euen as he that hateth god , doth take away goodnesse from him , as much as in him lyeth : yet secundùm effectum , in truth and in very deed , hee taketh away the vnity of the church onely from himselfe : that is , hee cutteth himselfe off from being vnited with the rest of the body ; and being disseuered from the body , how is it possible that he should retaine communion with the head ? to conclude therefore this first vse which wee are to make of our communion with the body : let vs call to minde the exhortation of the apostle : aboue all things put on loue , which is the bond of perfectnesse , and let the peace of god rule in your hearts , to the which also ye are called in one body . behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnity : what a goodly thing it is to behold such an honourable assembly as this is , to bee as a house that is compact together in it selfe ; holding fit correspondence with the other part of this great body , and due subordination vnto their and our head ! such as wish not well to the publike good , and would reioyce at the ruine of our state , long for nothing more , then that dissensions should arise here , betwixt the members mutually , and betwixt them and the head. hoc ithacus velit , & magno mercentur atridae . they know full well , that euery kingdome diuided against it selfe , is brought to desolation ; and euery house diuided against it selfe , shall not stand : nor doe they forget the politicians old rule , diuide & impera , make a diuision , and get the dominion . the more neede haue wee to looke herein vnto our selues ; who cannot bee ignorant how dolorous solutio continui , and how dangerous ruptures proue to bee vnto our bodies . if therefore there be any comfort of loue , if any fellowship of the spirit , fulfill our ioy : that yee be like-minded , hauing the same loue , being of one accord , of one minde ; and doing nothing through strife or vaine-glory . remember that as oft as we come vnto the lords table , so oft doe we enter into new bonds of peace , and tye our selues with firmer knots of loue together : this blessed communion being a sacred seale not onely of the vnion which wee haue with our head by faith , but also of our coniunction with the other members of the body by loue . whereby as we are admonished to maintaine vnity among ourselues , that there be no schisme or diuision in the body : so are we also further put in minde , that the members should haue the same care one for another . for that is the second vse which saint paul teacheth vs to make hereof , in 1. cor. 12.26 . which he further amplifieth in the verse next following , by the mutuall sympathy and fellow-feeling which the members of the same body haue one with another . for whether one member suffer , all the members suffer with it ; or one member be honoured , all the members reioyce with it : and then he addeth : now ye are the body of christ , and members in particular . shewing vnto vs thereby , that as wee are all * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concorporated ( as it were ) and made copartners of the promise in christ : so wee should haue one another in our hearts , * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to die and liue together . and hereupon is that exhortation in the 13. to the hebrewes grounded : remember them that are in bonds , as bound with them , and them which suffer aduersity , as being your selues also in the body . it being a perillous signe that we be no liuely members of that body , if we be not sensible of the calamities that lye vpon our afflicted brethren . we know the woe that is pronounced against such as are at ease in sion , and are not grieued for the affliction of ioseph : with the iudgement following . therefore now shall they goe captiue , with the first that goe captiue . we know the angels bitter curse against the inhabitants of meroz . curse ye meroz ( said the angell of the lord ) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof : because they came not to helpe the lord , to helpe the lord against the mighty . not as if the lord did stand in need of our helpe , or were not able , without our assistance , to maintaine his owne cause ; but that hereby he would make triall of our readinesse to doe him seruice , and proue the sincerity of our loue . if wee hold our peace and sit still at this time , deliuerance shall arise to gods church from another place : but let vs looke that the destruction doe not light vpon vs and ours . i need not make any application of that which i haue spoken : the face of christendome , so miserably rent and torne , as it is at this day , cannot but present it selfe as a rufull spectacle vnto all our eyes , and ( if there be any bowels in vs ) stirre vp compassion in our hearts . neither need i to be earnest in exciting you to put your helping hands to the making vp of these breaches : your forwardnesse herein hath preuented mee , and in stead of petitioning ( for which i had prepared my selfe ) hath ministred vnto mee matter of thankesgiuing . a good worke is at all times commendable : but the doing of it in fit time , addeth much to the luster thereof , and maketh it yet more goodly . the season of the yeere is approching , wherein kings goe forth to battell : the present supply and offer of your subsidie was done in a time most seasonable : being so much also the more acceptable , as it was granted not grudgingly , or of necessity , but freely , and with a willing minde . god loueth a cheerefull giuer : and he is able to make all grace abound towards you , that ye alwayes hauing all sufficiency in all things , may abound to euery good worke . and thus being by your goodnesse so happily abridged of that which i intended further to haue vrged from the coniunction which we haue with the body : i passe now vnto the second part of the communion of saints , which consisteth in the vnion which we all haue with one head. for christ our head is the maine foundation of this heauenly vnion . out of him there is nothing but confusion ; without him we are nothing but disordered heapes of rubbish : but in him all the building fitly framed together , groweth vnto an holy temple in the lord ; and in him are we builded together for an habitation of god through the spirit , ephes. 2.21 , 22. of our selues wee are but lost sheepe , scattered and wandring vpon euery mountaine . from him it is , that there is one fold , and one shepheard , ioh. 10.16 . god hauing purposed in himselfe to gather together in one all things in christ , both which are in heauen , and which are on earth , euen in him , ephes. 1.10 . this is the effect of our sauiours prayer , ioh. 17.21 . that they all may be one , as thou father art in me , & i in thee , that they also may be one in vs , &c. i in them , and thou in me , that they may be made perfect in one . and this is it which we finde so oft repeated by saint paul : we being many , are one body in christ , rom. 12.5 . ye are all one in christ iesus , gal. 3.28 . and in the text wee haue in hand : wee being many , are one bread , and one body . why ? because we are all partakers of that one bread : namely , of that bread , whereof he had said in the words immediately going before : the bread which we breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? vnder the name of bread therefore heere is comprehended both panis domini , and panis dominus ; not onely the bread of the lord , but also the lord himselfe , who is that liuing bread which came downe from heauen , ioh. 6.51 . for as saint peter , saying that baptisme doth saue vs , vnderstandeth thereby both the outward part of that sacrament , ( for he expressely calleth it a figure ) and more than that too ( as appeareth by the explication presently adioyned : not the putting away of the filth of the flesh ) euen the inward purging of our consciences by vertue of the death and resurrection of iesus christ : so saint paul heere making the reason of our vnion to bee our partaking all of this one bread , hath not so much respect vnto the externall bread in the sacrament ( though he exclude not that neither ) as vnto the true and heauenly bread figured thereby ; whereof the lord himselfe pronounceth in the sixth of iohn : the bread that i will giue , is my flesh , which i will giue for the life of the world . and ( to shew that by partaking of this bread , that wonderfull vnion we speake of , is effected : ) hee that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , dwelleth in me , and i in him . it is a lamentable thing to behold , how this holy sacrament , which was ordained by christ to be a bond whereby wee should be knit together in vnity , is by satans malice , and the corruption of mans disposition , so strangely peruerted the contrary way ; that it is made the principall occasion of that wofull distraction which wee see amongst christians at this day , and the very fuell of endlesse strifes , and implacable contentions . and for as much as these mischiefes haue proceeded from the inconsiderate confounding of those things which in their owne nature are as different as may be : for the cleerer distinguishing of matters , we are in the first place to consider , that a sacrament taken in his full extent , comprehendeth two things in it : that which is outward and visible , which the schooles call properly sacramentum , ( in a more strict acception of the word : ) and that which is inward and inuisible , which they tearme rem sacramenti , the principall thing exhibited in the sacrament . thus in the lords supper , the outward thing which we see with our eyes , is bread and wine , the inward thing which wee apprehend by faith is , the body and blood of christ : in the outward part of this mysticall action , which reacheth to that which is sacramentum onely , we receiue this body and blood but sacramentally ; in the inward , which containeth rem , the thing it selfe in it , wee receiue them really : and consequently the presence of these in the one is relatiue and symbolicall ; in the other , reall and substantiall . to begin then with that which is symbolicall and relatiue : we may obserue out of the scripture , which saith , that abraham receiued the signe of circumcision , a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which hee had being vncircumcised ; that sacraments haue a twofold relation to the things whereof they be sacraments : the one of a signe , the other of a seale . signes , wee knovv , are relatiuely vnited vnto the things which they doe signifie ; and in this respect ate so neerly conioyned together , that the name of the one is vsually communicated vnto the other . this cup is the new testament , or , the new couenant , saith our sauiour in the institution of the holy supper , luk. 22.20 . this is my couenant , saith god in the institution of circumcision in the old testament , gen. 17.10 . but how it was his couenant , hee explaneth in the verse immediatly following : ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskinne ; and it shall be a signe of the couenant betwixt me and you . so words being the signes of things , no sooner is the sound of the word conueyed to our cares , but the notion of the thing signified thereby is presented vnto our minde : and thereupon in the speech of the scripture nothing is more ordinary , then by the terme of * word to note a thing . we reade in the fourth of the first of samuel , that the philistims were afraid and said , god is come into the campe , vers . 7. when the israelites brought thither the arke of the couenant of the lord of hosts , which dwelleth betweene the cherubims , vers . 4. and yet was that no other but this relatiue kinde of presence wherof now we speake : in respect whereof also the shewbread is in the hebrew named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of faces , or , the presence bread . wee see with vs , the roome wherein the kings c●aire , and other ensignes of state are placed , is called the chamber of presence , although the king himselfe bee not there personally present : and as the rude and vndutifull behauiour of any in that place , or the offering of any dis-respect to the kings pourtraicture , or to the armes royall , or to any other thing that hath relation to his maiesty , is taken as a dishonour done vnto the king himselfe : so heere , hee that eateth the bread , and drinketh the cup of the lord vnworthily , is accounted guilty of offering indignity to the body and blood of the lord. in this sort wee acknowledge sacraments to be signes ; but bare signes we denie them to bee : seales they are , as vvell as signes of the couenant of grace . as it vvas therefore said of iohn the baptist , that he vvas a prophet , and more then a prophet : so must vve say of sacraments , that they be signes , and more then signes ; euen pledges and assurances of the interest vvhich vvee haue in the heauenly things that are represented by them . he that hath in his chamber the picture of the french king , hath but a bare signe ; vvhich possibly may make him thinke of that king vvhen hee looketh on it , but shevveth not that hee hath any manner of interest in him . it is othervvise vvith him that hath the kings great seale for the confirmation of the title that hee hath vnto all the lands and liuelihood which he doth inioy . and as heere , the waxe that is affixed to those letters patents , howsoeuer for substance it bee the very same with that which is to be found euery where , yet being applyed to this vse , is of more worth to the patentee , then all the waxe in the country beside : so standeth it with the outward elements in the matter of the sacrament . the bread and wine are not changed in substance from being the same with that which is serued at ordinary tables : but in respect of the sacred vse whereunto they are consecrated , such a change is made , that now they differ as much from common bread and wine , as heauen from earth . neither are they to be accounted barely significatiue , but truly exhibitiue also of those heauenly things whereto they haue relation : as being appoynted by god to bee a meanes of conueying the same vnto vs , and putting vs in actuall possession thereof . so that in the vse of this holy ordinance , as verily as a man with his bodily hand and mouth receiueth the earthly creatures ; so verily doth he with his spirituall hand and mouth ( if any such he haue ) receiue the body and blood of christ. and this is that reall and substantiall presence , which wee affirmed to be in the inward part of this sacred action . for the better conceiuing of which mystery , we are to inquire , first , what the thing is which wee doe heere receiue ; secondly , how and in what manner we are made partakers of it . touching the first , the truth which must be held , is this : that wee doe not here receiue onely the benefits that flow from christ ; but the very body and blood of christ , that is , christ himselfe crucified . for as none can bee made partaker of the vertue of the bread and wine to his bodily sustenance , vnlesse he first doe receiue the substance of those creatures : so neither can any participate in the benefits arising from christ to his spirituall reliefe , except he first haue communion with christ himselfe . we must a haue the sonne , before wee haue life : and therefore b eate him we must , as himselfe speaketh ) that is , as truly bee made partakers of him , as we are of our ordinary food , if we will liue by him . as there is a giuing of him on gods part ( for c vnto vs a sonne is giuen ; ) so there must bee a receiuing of him on our part : for d as many as reciued him , to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of god. and as wee are e called by god vnto the communion of his sonne iesus christ our lord : so if we doe heare his voyce , and not harden our hearts by vnbeliefe , wee are indeed made f partakers of christ. this is that great mystery ( for so the apostle termeth it ) of our vnion with christ , whereby we are made members of his body , of his flesh , and of his bones : and this is that eating of the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinking of his blood , which our sauiour insisteth so much vpon , in the sixth of iohn . where if any man shall demand , ( that i may now come vnto the second poynt of our inquiry ) how can this man giue vs his flesh to eate ? he must beware that he come not pre-occupied with such dull conceits as they were possessed withall , who moued that question there ; hee must not thinke that we cannot truly feed on christ , vnlesse we receiue him within our iawes : ( for that is as grosse an imagination as that of nicodemus , who could not conceiue how a man could bee borne againe , vnlesse he should enter the second time into his mothers wombe : ) but must consider that the eating and drinking which our sauiour speaketh of , must be answerable to the hungring and thirsting , for the quenching whereof this heauenly banquet is prouided . marke well the words which he vseth , toward the beginning of his discourse concerning this argument . i am the bread of life , hee that commeth to me , shall neuer hunger ; and hee that beleeueth on me , shall neuer thirst . but i said vnto you , that ye also haue seene me , and beleeue not . and compare them with those in the end : it is the spirit that quickeneth , the flesh profiteth nothing : the words that i speake vnto you , they are spirit , and they are life . but there are some of you that beleeue not . now obserue , that such as our hungring is , such is our eating . but euery one will confesse , that the hunger heere spoken of , is not corporall , but spirituall : why then should any man dreame heere of a corporall eating ? againe , the corporall eating , if a man might haue it , would not auaile any thing to the slaking of this hunger ; nay , we are expressely told , that the flesh thus taken ( for so we must vnderstand it ) profiteth nothing , a man should neuer be the better , nor one iot the holier , nor any whit further from the second death , if he had filled his belly with it . but that manner of feeding on this flesh , which christ himselfe commendeth vnto vs , is of such profit , that it preserueth the eater from death , and maketh him to liue for euer . it is not therefore such an eating , that euery man who bringeth a bodily mouth with him may attaine vnto : but it is of a farre higher nature ; namely , a spirituall vniting of vs vnto christ , whereby he dwelleth in vs , and we liue by him . if any doe further inquire , how it is possible that any such vnion should be , seeing the body of christ is in heauen , and wee are vpon earth ? i answere , that if the manner of this coniunction were carnall and corporall , it would bee indeed necessary that the things conioyned should bee admitted to bee in the same place : but it being altogether spirituall and supernaturall , no locall presence , no physicall nor mathematicall continuity or contiguity is any way requisite thereunto . it is sufficient for the making of a reall vnion in this kinde , that christ and we ( though neuer so farre distant in place each from other ) bee knit together by those spirituall ligatures , which are intimated vnto vs in the words alledged out of the sixth of iohn : to wit , the quickening spirit descending downeward from the head , to be in vs a fountaine of supernaturall life ; and a liuely faith ( wrought by the same spirit ) ascending from vs vpward , to lay fast hold vpon him , who hauing by himselfe purged our sinnes , sitteth on the right hand of the maiesty on high . first therefore , for the communion of the spirit , which is the ground and foundation of this spirituall vnion ; let vs call to minde what we haue read in gods booke : that christ , the second adam , was made a a quickening spirit : and that he b quickeneth whom he will : that vnto him c god hath giuen the spirit without measure : and d of his fulnesse haue all we receiued : that e he that is ioyned vnto the lord , is one spirit : and that f heereby wee know that we dwell in him , and he in vs , because hee hath giuen vs his spirit . by all which it doth appeare , that the mystery of our vnion with christ consisteth mainly in this : that the selfe-same spirit which is in him , as in the head , is so deriued from him into euery one of his true members , that thereby they are animated and quickened to a spirituall life . we reade in the first of ezekiel , of foure liuing creatures , and of foure wheeles standing by them . when those went , ( saith the text ) these went ; and when those stood , these stood : and when those were lifted vp from the earth , the wheeles were lifted vp ouer against them . hee that should behold such a vision as this , would easily conclude by that which he saw , that some inuisible bands there were by which these wheeles and liuing creatures were ioyned together , howsoeuer none did outwardly appeare vnto the eye : and the holy ghost , to giue vs satisfaction heerein , discouereth the secret , by yeelding this for the reason of this strange connexion ; that the spirit of the liuing creature was in the wheeles , ezek. 1.21 . from whence wee may inferre , that things may truly be conioyned together , though the manner of the coniunction bee not corporall : and that things distant in place may be vnited together , by hauing the spirit of the one communicated vnto the other . nay , if we marke it well , we shall finde it to be thus in euery of our owne bodies : that the formall reason of the vnion of the members consisteth not in the continuity of the parts ( though that also be requisite to the vnity of a naturall body : ) but in the animation thereof by one and the same spirit . if we should suppose a body to be as high as the heauens , that the head thereof should be where christ our head is , and the feet where we his members are : no sooner could that head thinke of mouing one of the toes , but instantly the thing would be done , without any impediment giuen by that huge distance of the one from the other . and why ? because the same soule that is in the head , as in the fountaine of sence and motion , is present likewise in the lowest member of the body . but if it should so fall out , that this , or any other member proued to be mortified , it presently would cease to bee a member of that body ; the corporall coniunction and continuity with the other parts notwithstanding . and euen thus is it in christ ; although in regard of his corporall presence , the heauen must receiue him , vntill the times of the restitution of all things : yet is he here with vs alway , euen vnto the end of the world , in respect of the presence of his spirit ; by the vitall influence whereof from him , as from the head , the whole body is fitly ioyned together , and compacted by that which euery ioynt supplieth , according to the effectuall working in the measure of euery part . which quickening spirit if it be wanting in any , no externall communion with christ or his church , can make him a true member of this mysticall body : this being a most sure principle , that he which hath not the spirit of christ , is none of his , rom. 8.9 . now among all the graces that are wrought in vs by the spirit of christ , the soule ( as it were ) of all the rest , and that whereby a the iust doth liue , is faith. b for we through the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith , saith s. paul to the galatians . and againe : c i liue , yet not i , but christ liueth in me ; and the life which i now liue in the flesh , i liue by the faith of the sonne of god , who loued me , and gaue himselfe for me . by faith it is , that wee doe d receiue christ : and so likewise e christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith . faith therefore is that spirituall mouth in vs , whereby wee eate the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinke his blood , that is , ( as the apostle expresseth it without the trope ) f are made partakers of christ : he being by this meanes as truly , and euery wayes as effectually made ours , as the meate and drinke which we receiue into our naturall bodies . but you will say , if this be all the matter , what doe we get by comming to the sacrament ? seeing we haue faith , and the quickening spirit of christ before wee come thither . to this i answere : that the spirit is receiued in diuers measures , and faith bestowed vpon vs in different degrees ; by reason whereof our coniunction with christ may euery day bee made straiter , and the hold which we take of him firmer . to receiue the spirit g not by measure , is the priuiledge of our head : we that h receiue out of his fulnesse , haue not our portion of grace deliuered vnto vs all at once , but must daily looke for i supply of the spirit of iesus christ. so also , while we are in this world , k the righteousnesse of god is reuealed vnto vs from faith to faith , that is , from one degree and measure of it to another : and consequently , we must still labour to l perfect that which is lacking in our faith , and euermore pray with the apostles , m lord increase our faith . n as wee haue therefore receiued christ iesus the lord , so must wee walke in him ; rooted and built vp in him , and stablished in the faith : that wee o may grow vp into him in all things , which is the head. and to this end god hath ordained publike officers in his church , p for the perfecting of the saints for the worke of the ministery , for the edifying of the body of christ , till we all come in the vnity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the sonne of god , vnto a perfect man , vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ : and hath accordingly q made them able ministers of the spirit that quickeneth , and r ministers by whom we should beleeue , euen as the lord shall giue to euery man. when wee haue therefore receiued s the spirit and t faith ( and so spirituall life ) by their ministery , we are not there to rest ; but u as new borne babes we must desire the sincere milke of the word , that we may grow thereby : and as growne men too , wee must desire to be fed at the lords table , that by the strength of that spirituall repast we may be inabled to doe the lords worke , and may continually be nourished vp thereby in the life of grace , vnto the life of glory . neither must we heere with a fleshly eye looke vpon the meanenesse of the outward elements , and haue this faithlesse thought in our hearts , that there is no likelihood , a bit of bread , and a draught of wine should be able to produce such heauenly effects as these . for so we should prooue our selues to be no wiser than naaman the syrian was , who hauing receiued direction from the man of god , that he should wash in iordan seuen times , to be cleansed of his leprosie ; replied with indignation , are not abana and pharpar , riuers of damascus , better then all the waters of israel ? may i not wash in them , and be cleane ? but as his seruāts did soberly aduise him then , if the prophet had bid thee doe some great thing , wouldest thou not haue done it ? how much rather then , when hee saith to thee , wash and be cleane ? so giue mee leaue to say vnto you now : if the lord had commanded vs to doe some great thing , for the attaining of so high a good ; should not we willingly haue done it ? how much rather then , when hee biddeth vs to eate the bread , and drinke the wine that he hath prouided for vs at his owne table , that by his blessing thereupon wee may grow in grace , and be preserued both in body and soule vnto euerlasting life ? true it is indeed , these outward creatures haue no naturall power in them to effect so great a worke as this is , no more then the water of iordan had to recouer the leper : but the worke wrought by these meanes , is supernaturall ; and god hath been pleased in the dispensation both of the word and of the sacraments so to ordaine it , that these heauenly treasures should bee presented vnto vs in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power might be of god. as therefore in the preaching of the gospell , the minister doth not dare verba , and beate the aire with a fruitlesse found , but the words that hee speaketh vnto vs are spirit and life ; god being pleased by the foolishnesse of preaching , to saue them that beleeue : so likewise in the administration of the lords supper , he doth not feed vs with bare bread and wine , but if we haue the life of faith in vs , ( for still we must remember that this table is prouided not for the dead , but for the liuing ) and come worthily , the cup of blessing which he blesseth , will be vnto vs the communion of the blood of christ , and the bread which hee breaketh , the communion of the body of christ : of which precious body and blood wee being really made partakers , ( that is , in truth and indeed , and not in imagination onely ) although in a spirituall and not a corporall manner ; the lord doth grant vs , according to the riches of his glory , to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man , that we may bee filled with all the fulnesse of god. for the sacraments ( as well as the word ) be a part of that ministration of the spirit , which is committed to the ministers of the new testament : for as much as by one spirit , ( as before we haue heard from the apostle ) wee haue been all baptized into one body , and haue been all made to drinke into one spirit . and thus haue i finished the first part of my taske , my congregatio homogeneorum , ( as i call it ) the knitting together of those that appertaine to the same body , both with their fellovv-members , and vvith their head : vvhich is the thing laid dovvne in the expresse vvords of my text. it remaineth novv that i proceed to the apostles application hereof vnto the argument hee hath in hand , vvhich is segregatio heterogeneorum , a disseuering of those that bee not of the same communion ; that the faithfull may not partake vvith idolaters , by countenancing , or any vvay ioyning vvith them in their vngodly courses . for that this is the maine scope at vvhich s. paul aimeth in his treating here of the sacrament , is euident both by that vvhich goeth before in the 19. vers . wherefore my deareby beloued , flee from idolatry : and that vvhich follovveth in the 21. yee cannot drinke the cup of the lord , and the cup of diuels ; ye cannot be partakers of the lords table , and of the table of diuels . whereby vve may collect thus much , that as the lords supper is a seale of our coniunction one vvith another , and vvith christ our head ; so is it an euidence of our dis-iunction from idolaters , binding vs to dis-auovv all communion vvith them in their false vvorship . and indeed , the one must necessarily follovv vpon the other : considering the nature of this hainous sinne of idolatry is such , that it can no wayes stand with the fellowship which a christian man ought to haue , both with the head , and with the body of the church . to this purpose , in the sixth of the second to the corinthians we reade thus : what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? for ye are the temple of the liuing god , as god hath said , i will dwell in them , and walke in them , and i will bee their god , and they shall be my people . wherefore come out from among the , & be ye separate , saith the lord , and touch not the vncleane thing ; and i will receiue you . and in the 2. chap. of the epistle to the colossians : let no man beguile you of your reward , in a voluntary humility , and worshipping of angels , intruding into those things which he hath not seene , vainely puft vp by his fleshly minde : and not holding the head , from which all the body by ioynts and bands hauing nourishment ministred , and knit together , increaseth with the increase of god. in which words the apostle sheweth vnto vs , that such as vnder pretence of humility were drawne to the worshipping of angels , did not hold the head , and consequently could not retaine communion with the body , which receiueth his whole growth from thence . answerably whereunto the fathers assembled out of diuers prouinces of asia in the synode held at laodicea , ( not farre from the colossians ) did solemnely conclude , that a christians ought not to forsake the church of god , and goe and inuocate angels , and pronounced an anathema against any that should bee found to doe so , b because ( say they ) he hath forsaken our lord iesus christ , the sonne of god , and giuen himselfe to idolatry : declaring plainly , that by this idolatrous inuocation of angels , a discession was made both from the church of god , as they note in the beginning , and from christ the head of the church , as they obserue in the end of their canon . for the further vnderstanding of this particular , it will not be amisse to consider what theodoret , a famous bishop of the ancient church , hath written of this matter in his commentary vpon the second to the colossians , they that defended the law ( saith he ) induced thē also to worship the angels , saying that the law was giuen by them . and this vice continued in phrygia , and pisidia for a long time : for which cause also the synod assembled in laodicea the chiefe city of phyrgia , for bad them by a law , to pray vnto angels . and euen to this day among them and their borderers , there are oratories of saint michael to be seene . this therefore did they counsell should be done , vsing humility , and saying , that the god of all was inuisible , and inaccessible , and incomprehensible ; and that it was fit men should get gods fauour by the meanes of angels . and this is it which the apostle saith , in humility , and worshipping of angels . thus farre theodoret , whom cardinall baronius discerning to come somwhat close vnto him , and to touch the idolatry of the popish crue a little to the quicke , leaueth the poore shifts wherewith his companions labour to obscure the light of this testimony , and telleth vs plainely , that c theodoret , by his leaue , did not well vnderstand the meaning of pauls words : and d that those oratories of saint michael were erected anciently by catholicks , and not by those hereticks which were condemned in the councell of laodicea , as he mistooke the matter . as if any wise man would bee perswaded vpon his bare word , that the memory of things done in asia so long since , should be more fresh in rome at this day , then in the time of theodoret , who liued twelue hundred yeeres agoe . yet must i needs confesse , that hee sheweth a little more modesty heerein then bellarmine his fellow-cardinall doth ; who would make vs beleeue , that the place in the nineteenth of the reuelation , where the angell saith to saint iohn that would haue worshipped him , see thou doe it not , i am thy fellow-seruant , worship god ; maketh for them ; and demandeth very soberly , e why they should be reprehended , who doe the same thing that iohn did ? and , whether the caluinists knew better then iohn , whether angels were to bee adored or no ? and as for inuocation of them , he telleth vs , that f saint iacob plainly prayed vnto an angell , in the 48. of genesis , when in blessing the sonnes of ioseph , hee said , the angell which deliuered me from all euill , blesse those children . whom for answere we remit to saint cyril , ( in the first chapter of the third booke of his thesaurus ) and intreate him to tell vs , how neere of kinne hee is here to those hereticks of whom s. cyril there speaketh . his words bee these : that hee doth not meane ( in that place , genes . 48.16 . ) an angell , as the heretickes vnderstand it , but the sonne of god , is manifest by this : that when hee had said , [ the angel , ] he presently addeth , [ who deliuered mee from all euils . ] which s. cyril presupposeth , no good christian will ascribe to any but to god alone . but to come more neere yet vnto that which is idolatry most properly : an idoll ( we must vnderstand ) in the exact propriety of the terme , doth signifie any image ; but according to the ecclesiasticall vse of the word , it noteth such an image as is set vp for religious adoration . and in this later sence we charge the adherents of the church of rome with grosse idolatry : because that contrary to gods expresse commandement they are found to bee worshippers of images . neither will it auaile them heere to say , that the idolatry forbidden in the scripture , is that onely which was vsed by iewes and pagans . the apostle indeed in this place dehorting christians from idolatry , propoundeth the fall of the iewes in this kinde before their eyes : neither be yee idolaters , saith he , as some of them were . and so doth hee also adde concerning another sinne , in the verse following : neither let vs commit fornication , as some of them committed . as well then might one pleade , that iewish or heathenish fornication were here onely reprehended , as iewish or heathenish idolatry . but as the one is a foule sinne , whether it bee committed by iew , pagan , or christian : so if such as professe the name of christ , shall practise that which the word of god condemneth in iewes and pagans , for idolatry , their profession is so farre from diminishing , that it augmenteth rather the hainousnesse of the crime . the idols of the heathen are siluer and gold , the worke of mens hands , saith the psalmist : and so the idols ( of christians , in all likelihood ) mentioned in the reuelation , are said to bee of gold , and siluer , and brasse , and stone , and of wood ; which neither can see , nor heare , nor walke . the description of these idols ( wee see ) agreeth in all poynts with popish images : where is any difference ? the heathen , say they , held the images themselues to be gods , which is far from our thought . admit , some of the simpler sort of the heathen did so : what shall we say of the iewish idolaters , ( of whom the apostle here speaketh ) who erected the golden calfe in the wildernesse ? can wee thinke the they were all so senselesse , as to imagine that the calfe , which they knew was not at all in rerum naturâ , and had no being at that time when they came out of egypt , should yet be that god which brought them vp out of the land of egypt ? and for the heathen : did the romans and grecians , when they dedicated in seuerall places an hundred images ( for example ) to the honour of iupiter , the king of all their gods , think that thereby they had made an hundred iupiters ? or when their blocks were so old , that they had need to haue new placed in their stead ; did they think by this change of their images , that they made change also of their gods ? without question they must so haue thought , if they did take the very images themselues to be their gods : and yet the prophet bids vs consider diligently ; and wee shall finde that the heathen nations did not change their gods , ( ierem. 2.10 , 11. ) nay , what doe we meet with , more vsually in the writings of the fathers , then these answers of the heathens for themselues ? a wee worship the gods by the images . b wee feare not them , but those to whose image they are made , and to whose names they are consecrated . c i doe not worship that stone , nor that image which is without sense . d i neither worship the image nor a spirit in it : but by the bodily pourtrature i doe behold the signe of that thing which i ought to worship . but admit they did not account the image it selfe to be god , ( will the papist further say ; ) yet were those images set vp to represent either things that had no being , or diuels , or false gods ; and in that respect were idols : wheras we erect images onely to the honour of the true god , and of his seruants the saints and angels . to this i might oppose that answere of the heathen to the christians : e we doe not worship euill spirits : such as you call angels , those doe we also worship , the powers of the great god , and the ministers of the great god. and put them in minde of s. augustines reply : f i would you did worship them ; you should easily learne of them not to worship them . but i will grant vnto them , that many of the idolatrous iewes & heathens images were such as they say they were : yet i deny that all of them were such , and confidently doe auouch , that idolatry is committed by yeelding adoration to an image of the true god himselfe . for proofe whereof ( omitting the idoles of g micah , and h ieroboam , which were erected to the memory of iehouah the god of israel ; as also the athenians superstitious worship of the * vnknowne god , act. 17.23 . if , as the common vse of idolaters was , they added an image to their altar : ) i will content my selfe with these two places of scripture ; the one whereof concerneth the iewes , the other the heathen . that which toucheth the heathen , is in the first chapter of the epistle to the romans : where the apostle hauing said , that god had shewed vnto thē that which might be knowne of him ; and that the inuisible things of him , that is , his eternall power and god-head , was manifested vnto them by the creation of the world , and the contemplation of the creatures : hee addeth presently , that god was sorely displeased with them , and therefore gaue them vp vnto vile affections , because they changed the glory of that vncorruptible god , into an image made like to corruptible men , and to birds , and foure-footed beasts , and creeping things . whereby it is euident , that the idolatry condemned in the wisest of the heathen , was the adoring of the inuisible god , whom they acknowledged to be the creator of all things , in visible images fashioned to the similitude of men and beasts . the other place of scripture , is the 4. of deuteronomy : where moses vseth this speech vnto the children of israel . the lord spake vnto you out of the midst of the fire : yee heard the voyce of the words , but saw no similitude , onely yee heard a voyce , verse 12. and what doth he inferre vpon this ? take yee therefore good heed vnto your selues , ( saith he in the 15. vers . ) for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the lord spake vnto you in horeb , out of the midst of the fire . left yee corrupt your selues , and make you a grauen image , the similitude of any figure , the likenesse of male or female , the likenes of any beast that is on the earth , the likenes of any winged fowle that flieth in the aire , the likenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground , the likenes of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth . where we may obserue : first , that god in the deliuery of the law did purposely vse a voyce onely ; because that such a creature as that , was not to be expressed by visible lineaments . as if that voyce should haue said vnto the painter , as eccho is fayned to doe in the i poet. vane , quid affectas faciem mihi ponere , pictor ? si mihi vis similem pingere , pinge sonum . secondly , that when he vttered the words of the second commandement in mount sinai , and forbad the making of the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue , or in the earth beneath , or in the waters vnder the earth ; hee did at that time forbeare to shew himselfe in any visible shape , either of man or woman , either of beast in the earth , foule in the aire , or fish in the waters beneath the earth : to the end it might be the better made knowne , that it was his pleasure not to be adored at all in any such formes ; & that the worshipping of images , not onely as they haue reference to the creatures whom they doe immediately represent , or to false gods , but also as they haue relation to himselfe ( the true god , who was then speaking vnto them in the mount ) did come within the compasse of the idolatry which was condemned in that commandement . in vaine therefore doe the romanists goe about to perswade vs , that their images be no idoles : and as vainely also doe they spend time in curiously distinguishing the seuerall degrees of worship ; the highest point whereof , which they call latreia , and acknowledge to be due onely vnto god , they would be loth wee should thinke that they did communicate to any of their images . but here wee are to vnderstand , first of all , that idolatry may be committed by giuing not the highest onely , but also the lowest degree of religious adoration vnto images : and therefore in the words of the commandement , the very bowing downe vnto them , which is one of the meanest degrees of worship , is expresly forbidden . secondly , that it is * the receiued doctrine of popish diuines , that the image should be honored with the same worship , wherewith that thing is worshipped whose image it is : and therfore what adoration is due to christ and the trinity , the same by this ground they are to giue vnto their images . thirdly , that in the roman pontificall published by the authority of clement the viii . ( to omit other testimonies in this kinde ) it is concluded , * that the crosse of the popes legate shal haue the right hand , vpon this very reason , quia debetur ei latria , because the worship proper to god is due to it . now whether they commit idolatry , who communicate vnto a senselesse thing , that worship which they themselues confesse to be due vnto god alone : let all the world iudge . they were best therefore from henceforth confesse themselues to be idolaters : and stand to it , that euery kinde of idolatry is not vnlawfull . their iesuite gregorius de valentia will tell them for their comfort , that it is no absurdity to thinke that saint peter , when he deterreth the faithfull by name ab illicitis idolorum cultibus ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saint peter calleth them , that is , abominable idolatries ) doth insinuate therby , that * some worship of images is lawfull . iohn monceye the frenchman in his aaron purgatus ( dedicated to the late pope paul the fifth ) and in his twenty questions propounded to visorius , stretcheth yet a straine higher . for howsoeuer hee cannot away with the name of idols and idolatry ; yet he liketh the thing it selfe so well , that he vndertaketh to cleare aaron from committing any error in setting vp the golden calfe , and laboureth to purge laban , and micha , and ieroboam too from the imputation of idolatry : hauing found indeed , that nothing had beene done by them in this kinde , which is not agreeable to the practice of the romane church at this day . and lest the poore people , whom they haue so miserably abused , should finde how farre they haue beene misled ; wee see that the masters of that church doe in the seruice books and catechismes , which come vnto the hāds of the vulgar , generally leaue out the words of the second commandement that make against the adoration of images : fearing lest by the light thereof , the mystery of their iniquity should be discouered . they pretend indeed that this commandement is not excluded by them , but included onely in the first : whereas in truth they doe but craftily conceale it from the peoples eyes , because they would not haue them to be ruled by it . nay , vasquez the iesuite doth boldly acknowledge , that it plainely appeareth by comparing the words of this commandement , with the place which hath beene alledged out of the 4. of deuteronomy ; that the scripture did not onely forbid the worshipping of an image for god , but also the adoration of the true god himselfe in an image . he confesseth further , that he and his fellow catholikes doe otherwise . what saith hee then to the commandement , thinke you ? because it will not be obeyed , it must be repealed , and not admitted to haue any place among the morall precepts of god. * it was ( saith he ) a positiue and ceremoniall law : and therefore ought to cease in the time of the gospell . and as if it had not beene enough for him to match the scribes and pharises in impiety , who made the commandement of god of none effect , that they might keepe their owne tradition : that he might fulfill the measure of his fathers , and shew himselfe to be a true childe of her who beareth the name of being the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth ; he is yet more mad , and sticketh not to maintaine , that not onely a paynted image , but any other thing of the world , whether it be without life and reason , or whether it be a reasonable creature , may ( in the nature of the thing , and if the matter bee discreetly handled ) be adored vvith god , as his image ; yea and counteth it no absurdity at all , that a very vvispe of stravv should be thus vvorshipped . but let vs turne yet againe , and vve shall see greater abominations then these . we heard hovv this blessed sacrament , vvhich is here propounded by the apostle , as a bond to vnite christians together in one body , hath beene made the apple of strife , and the occasion of most bitter breaches in the church : we may now obserue againe , that the same holy sacrament , which by the same apostle is here brought in as a principall inducement to make men flee from idolatry , is by our aduersaries made the obiect of the grossest idolatry that euer hath been practised by any . for their constant doctrine is , that in worshipping the sacrament they should giue vnto it , latriae cultum qui vero deo debetur , ( as the councell of trent hath determined , ) that kinde of seruice which is due to the true god ; determining their worship in that very thing which the priest doth hold betwixt his hands . their practice also runs accordingly : for an instance whereof we neede goe no further then to sanders booke of the lords supper ; before which he hath perfixed an epistle dedicatory , superscribed in this manner : to the body and blood of our sauiour iesus christ , vnder the formes of bread and wine , all honour , praise , and thankes , be giuen for euer . adding further in the processe of that blockish epistle . howsoeuer it be with other men , i adore thee my god and lord really present vnder the formes of bread and wine , after consecration deuly made : beseeching thee of pardon for my sinnes , &c. now if the conceite which these men haue concerning the sacrament should proue to bee false ( as indeed we know it to be most absurd and monstrous ) their owne iesuite coster doth freely confesse , that they should be in such an error and idolatry , qualis in orbe terrarum nunquam vel visus vel auditus fuit , as neuer was seene or heard of in this world . * for the error of them is more tolerable , ( saith he ) who worship for god a statue of gold or siluer , or an image of any other matter , as the gentiles adored their gods ; or a red cloth lifted vp vpon a speare , as it is reported of the lappians ; or liuing creatures , as did sometime the egyptians ; then of those that worship a piece of bread . we therefore who are verily perswaded that the papists doe thus , must of force ( if we follow their iesuites direction ) iudge them to be the most intolerable idolaters that euer were . nay , according to their owne principles , how is it possible that any of themselues should certainly know , that the host which they worship should be any other thing but bread ? seeing the change doth wholy depend vpon consecration duly made , ( as sanders speaketh ) and that dependeth vpon the intention of the priest , which no man but himselfe can haue notice of bellarmine , disputing against ambrosius catharinus , one of his owne brethren , that a man hath no certaine knowledge of his owne iustification , can take aduantage of this , and alledge for himselfe , that one * cannot be certaine by the certainty of faith , that hee doth receiue a true sacrament ; for asmuch as the sacrament cannot be made without the intention of the minister , and none can see another mans intention . apply this now to the matter we haue in hand ; and see into what intricate labyrinths these men haue brought themselues . admit the priests intention stood right at the time of consecration , yet if he that baptized him failed in his intention when he administred that sacrament , he remaineth still vnbaptized , and so becommeth vncapable of priesthood ; and consequently , whatsoeuer he consecrateth is but bread still . yea , admit hee were rightly baptized too : if either the bishop that conferred vpon him the sacrament of orders , ( for so they hold it to be ) or those that baptized or ordained that bishop , missed their right intention ; neither will the one proue bishop , nor the other priest ; and so with what intention soeuer either the one or the other doth consecrate , there remaineth but bread still . neither doth the inconuenience stay heere , but ascendeth vpward to all their predecessors : in any one of whom if there fall out to bee a nullity of priesthood ( for want of intention , either in the baptizer , or in the ordainer ) all the generation following , according to their principles , goe without their priesthood too ; and so deliuer but bread to the people , in stead of the body of christ. the papists themselues therefore , if they stand vnto their owne grounds , must needs confesse , that they are in no better case heere , then the samaritans were in , of whom our sauiour saith , yee worship yee know not what : but we know , that what they worship ( bee the condition or intention of their priest what it will be ) is bread indeed ; which while they take to be their god , we must still account them guilty of spirituall fornication , and such fornication , as is not so much as named amongst the gentiles . these then being the idolaters with whom we haue to deale , let vs learne first how dangerous a thing it is to communicate with them in their false worship . for if we will be partakers of babylons sinnes , wee must looke to receiue of her plagues . secondly , wee are to be admonished , that it is not sufficient that in our owne persons we refraine worshipping of idols , but it is further required , that we restraine ( as much as in vs lyeth ) the practice thereof in others ; lest by suffering god to be dishonoured in so high a manner , when wee may by our calling hinder it , wee make our selues partakers of other mens sinnes . eli the high priest was a good man , and gaue excellent counsell vnto his lewd sonnes : yet wee know what iudgement fell vpon him , because his sonnes made themselues vile , and he frowned not vpon them , ( that is , restrained them not ; ) which god doth interpret to be a kinde of idolatry , in honouring of his sonnes aboue him . the church of pergamus did for her owne part hold fast christs name , and denyed not his faith : yet had the lord something against her ; because she had there , them that held the doctrine of balaam , who taught balac to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of israel , to eate things sacrificed vnto idols , and to commit fornication . so we see what speciall notice our sauiour taketh of the workes , and charity , and seruice , and saith , & patience of the church of thyatira : and yet for all this he addeth , notwithstanding , i haue a few things against thee , because thou sufferest that woman iezebel , which calleth her selfe a prophetesse , to teach and to seduce my seruants to commit fornication , and to eate things sacrificed vnto idols . in the second of iudges god telleth the childrē of israel , what mischiefe should come vnto them by tolerating the canaanitish idolaters in their land. they shall be thornes in your sides , ( saith he ) and their gods shall be a snare vnto you . which words containe in them the intimation of a double danger : the one respecting the soule , the other the body . that which concerneth the soule , is : that their idols should be a snare vnto them . for god well knew that mans nature is as prone to spirituall fornication , as it is to corporall . as therefore for the preuenting of the one , he would not haue a common harlot tolerated in israel , lest the land should fall to whoredome and become full of wickednesse : so for the keeping out of the other , he would haue prouocations taken away , and all occasions whereby a man might be tempted to commit so vile a sinne . the bodily danger that followeth vpon the toleration of idolaters , is : that they should be in their sides , that is , ( as in another place it is more fully expressed ) they should be prickes in their eyes , and thornes in their sides , and should vexe them in the land wherein they dwelled . now in both these respects it is certaine , that the toleration of the idolaters with whom we haue to doe , is farre more perillous than of any other . in regard of the spirituall danger , wherewith simple soules are more like to bee insnared : because this kinde of idolatry is not brought in with an open shew of impiety , ( as that of the pagans ) but is a mystery of iniquity , a wickednesse couered with the vaile of piety ; and the harlot , which maketh the inhabitants of the earth drunke with the wine of this fornication , is both gilded her selfe , and presenteth also her abominations vnto her followers in a cup of gold . if we looke to outward perill , we are like to find these men , not thornes in our sides to vexe vs , but daggers in our hearts to destroy vs. not that i take all of them to be of this furious disposition , ( mistake me not : i know a number my selfe of a farre different temper : ) but because there are neuer wanting among them some turbulent humours , so inflamed with the spirit of fornication , that they runne mad with it ; and are transported so farre , that no tolerable termes can content them , vntill they haue attained to the vtmost pitch of their vnbridled desires . for compassing whereof , there is no trechery , nor rebellion , nor murther , nor desperate course whatsoeuer , that ( without all remorse of conscience ) they dare not aduenture vpon . neither doe they thus only , but they teach men also so to doe : arming both pope , and bishops , and people , and priuate persons , with power to cast downe euen kings themselues from their thrones , if they stand in their way , and giue any impediment to their designes . touching the popes power herein , there is no disputing : one of them telleth vs , that a there is no doubt , but the pope may depose all kings , when there is a reasonable cause so to doe . for bishops , cardinall baronius informeth vs by the example of dacius the bishop of millayne , his dealing against the arrians ; b that those bishops deserue no blame , and ought to suffer no enuie , who roll euery stone , ( yea and rather then faile , would blow vp stones too ) that they may not liue vnder an hereticall prince . for the people , dominicus bannes , a dominican friar , resolues , that they need not , in this case , expect any sentencing of the matter by pope , or other ; but c when the knowledge of the fault is euident , subiects may lawfully ( if so be they haue sufficient strength ) exempt themselues from subiection to their princes , before any declaratory sentence of a iudge . and that we may vnderstand that the prouiso which hee inserteth of hauing strength sufficient , is very materiall ; he putteth vs in minde , that d the faithfull ( the papists he meaneth ) of england are to bee excused hereby , who doe not exempt themselues from the power of their superiours , nor make warre against them . because that generally they haue not power sufficient to make such warres against princes , and great dangers are imminent ouer them . lastly , for priuate persons , wee may reade in suarez , that an hereticall king , e after sentence giuen against him , is absolutely depriued of his kingdome , so that he cannot possesse it by any iust title : and therfore from thenceforth may be handled altogether as a tyrant ; and consequently , hee may bee killed by any priuate person . onely the iesuite addeth this limitation : that f if the pope doe depose the king , he may be expelled or killed by them onely to whom hee shall commit that businesse . but if he inioyne the execution thereof to no body ; then it shall appertaine to the lawfull successor in the kingdome : or if none such be to be found , it shall belong to the kingdome it selfe . but let him once be declared to be a tyrant ; mariana ( suarez his country-man and fellow iesuite ) will tell you better how hee should bee handled . g that a tyrant ( saith he ) may be killed by open force and armes , whether by violent breaking in into the court , or by ioyning of battell , is a matter confessed : yea , and by deceit and ambushes too , as ehud did in killing eglon the king of the moabites . indeed it would argue a brauer minde to professe open enmity , and publikely to rush in vpon the enemy of the common-wealth : but it is no lesse prudence , to take aduantage by fraud and ambushes , because it is done without stirre , and with lesse danger surely , both publike and priuate . his conclusion is , that h it is lawfull to take away his life , by any art whatsoeuer : with this prouiso onely , that he be not constrained either wittingly or vnwittingly to bee the cause of his owne death . where the tendernesse of a iesuites conscience is well worth the obseruing . hee maketh no scruple at all to take away the mans life : onely hee would aduise that hee be not made away , by hauing poyson conueyed into his meat or drinke , lest in taking hereof ( forsooth ) he which is to be killed , should by this meanes haue some hand in procuring his owne death . i yet poyson him you may , if you list , so that the venome be externally applyed by some other , he that is to bee killed helping nothing thereunto : namely , when the force of the poyson is so great , that a seat or garment being infected therewith , it may haue strength to kill . and that such meanes of poysoning hath been vsed , hee prooueth by diuers practices of the moores : which we leaue to be considered of by fitzherbert , who ( to proue that squires intention of poysoning queene elizabeth in this manner , was but a meere fiction ) would perswade vs that it is not agreeable to the grounds of nature and reason , that any such thing should be . thus we see what pestilent doctrine is daily broched by these incendiaries of the world : which , what pernicious effects it hath produced , i need not goe farre to exemplifie ; this assembly and this place cannot but call to minde the memory of that barbarous plot of the powder-treason . which being most iustly charged to haue k exceeded all measure of cruelty ; as inuoluing not the king alone , but also his children , and the states of the kingdome , and many thousands of innocent people in the same ruine : a wicked varlet ( with whose name i will not defile this place ) steppeth forth some foure yeeres after , and with a brasen forehead biddeth vs not to wonder at the matter . for of an euill and pernicious herbe , both the seeds are to be crushed , and all the roots to be pulled vp , that they grow not againe . and otherwise also , for a few wicked persons it falleth out oftentimes that many perish in shipwracke . in the later of which reasons we may note these mens insolent impiety toward god : in arrogating vnto themselues such an absolute power for the murthering of innocents , as hee that is lord of all , hath ouer his owne creatures ; the best of whom , if he doe enter into iudgement with them , will not bee found righteous in his sight . in the former , we may obserue their deadly malice toward gods anoynted , which they sufficiently declare will not bee satisfied but by the vtter extirpation of him , and all his royall progenie . and whereas for the discouery of such wicked spirits , his maiesty in his princely wisedome did cause an oath of allegeance to bee framed ; by the tendring whereof he might be the better able to distinguish betwixt his loyall and disloyall subiects , and to put a difference betwixt a seditious and a quiet-minded romanist : this companion derideth his simplicity , in imagining , that that will serue the turne , and supposing that a papist will thinke himselfe any whit bound by taking such an oath . l see ( saith he ) in so great craft , how great simplicity doth bewray it selfe . when he had placed all his security in that oath ; hee thought he had found such a manner of oath , knit with so many circumstances , that it could not , with safety of conscience , by any meanes be dissolued by any man. but hee could not see , that if the pope did dissolue that oath ; all the tyings of it , ( whether of performing fidelity to the king , or of admitting no dispensation ) would bee dissolued together . yea , i will say another thing that is more admirable . you know ( i beleeue ) that an vniust oath , if it be euidently knowne , or openly declared to be such , bindeth no man ; but is voyd ipso facto . that the kings oath is vniust , hath been sufficiently declared by the pastor of the church himselfe . you see therefore , that the obligation of it is vanished into smoke : so that the bond , which by so many wise men was thought to bee of iron , is become lesse then of straw . if matters now be come vnto this passe , that such as are addicted to the pope , will account the oath of allegeance to haue lesse force to binde them then a rope of straw ; iudge ye whether that be not true which hath been said , that in respect not of spirituall infection onely , but of outward danger also to our state , any idolaters may be more safely permitted then papists . which i doe not speake , to exasperate you against their persons , or to stirre you vp to make new lawes for shedding of their blood . their blindnesse i doe much pitty : and my hearts desire and prayer to god for them is , that they might bee saued . onely this i must say , that ( things standing as they doe ) i cannot preach peace vnto them . for as iehu said to ioram , what peace , so long as the whoredomes of thy mother iezabel , and her witchcrafts are so many ? so must i say vnto them : what peace can there be , so long as you suffer your selues to bee led by the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth , who by her sorceries hath deceiued all nations , and made them drunke with the wine of her fornication ? let her put away her whoredomes out of her sight , and her adulteries from betweene her breasts ; let her repent of her murthers , and her sorceries , and her idolatries : or rather , because she is past all hope , let those that are seduced by her , cease to communicate with her in these abominable iniquities ; and wee shall be all ready to meet them , and reioyce with the angels in heauen for their conuersion . in the meane time , they who sit at the helme , and haue the charge of our church and common-wealth committed to them , must prouide by all good meanes , that god bee not dishonoured by their open idolatries , nor our king and state indangered by their secret trecheries . good lawes there are already enacted to this purpose : which if they were duly put in execution , wee should haue lesse need to thinke of making new . but it is not my part to presse this poynt . i will therefore conclude as i did begin : i speake as to wise men ; iudge ye what i say . 2. tim. 2.7 . consider what i say ; and the lord giue you vnderstanding in all things . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a14239-e170 cic notes for div a14239-e260 1. ioh. 1.6 , 7. heb. 12.23 , 24. gal. 3.27 , 28. 1. cor. 12.12 , 13. ibid. vers . 27. rom. 12.5 . ephes. 4 . 3-6 . cant. 6.4 . cant. 5.7 . * veteres scripturas scrutans , inuenire non possum , scidisse ecclesiam & de domo dei populos seduxisse , praeter illos qui sacerdotes à deo positi fuerant & prophetae . hieron . ephes. 4.13 . act. 20.30 . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sozomen . lib. 6. hist. ecclesiast . cap. 4. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. c eccles. 3.15 . d eccles. 6.10 . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . isidor . pelus . lib. 4. epist. 133. f phil. 3.15 , 16. rom. 16.17 . gen. 16.12 . gal. 5.15 . * vos ergo quare separatione sacrilegâ pacis vinculum dirupistis ? august . lib. 2. de baptismo contra donat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i say and protest , that to make schisme in the church , is no lesse euill , than to fall into heresie . chrysost . in ephes. hom. 11. col. 3.14 , 15. psal. 133.1 . psal. 122.3 . math. 12.25 . phil. 2.1 , 2 , 3. * ephes. 3.6 . * 2. cor. 7.3 . heb. 13.3 . amos 6.1 , 6 , 7. iudg. 5.23 . ester 4.14 . 2. sam. 11.1 . 2. cor. 9.7 , 8. 1. cor. 10.16 . 1. pet. 3.21 . ioh 6.32 , 51. ioh. 6.56 . rom. 4.11 . * so the ten commandements are called ten words , exod. 34.28 . with god no word shall be vnpossible , that is , no thing . luk. 1.37 . &c. 1. cor. 11.27 . math. 11.9 . a 1. ioh. 5.12 . b ioh. 6.57 . c esa 9.6 . d ioh. 1.12 . e 1. cor. 1.9 . f heb. 3.14 . ephes. 5.30 , 32. ioh. 6.52 . ioh. 3.4 . ioh. 6.35 , 36. ioh. 6.63 , 64. ioh. 6.50 , 51 , 50 , 58. heb. 13. a 1. cor. 15.45 . b ioh. 5.21 . c ioh. 3.34 . d ioh. 1.16 . e 1. cor. 6.17 . f 1. ioh. 3.24 . 4.13 . act. 3.21 . math. 28.20 . ephes. 4.16 . a habak . 2.4 . rom. 1.17 . gal. 3.11 . heb. 10.38 . b gal. 5.5 . c gal. 2.20 . d ioh. 1.12 . e ephes. 3.17 . f heb. 3.14 . g ioh. 3.34 . h ioh. 1.16 . i phil. 1.19 . k rom. 1.17 . l 1. thes. 3.10 . m luk. 17.5 . n colos. 2.6 , 7. o ephes. 4.15 . p eph. 4.12 , 13. q 2. cor. 3.6 . r 1. cor. 3.5 . s gal. 3.2 . t ioh. 17.20 . u 1. pet. 2.2 . 2. king. 5.12 , 13. 2. cor. 4.7 . 1. cor. 1.21 . 1. cor. 10.16 . ephes. 3.16 , 19. 2. cor. 3.6 , 8. 1. cor. 12.13 . 2. cor. 6.16 , 17 col. 2.18 , 19. a concil . laodicen . can. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : in● . & ● . cap. epist. ad coloss. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . c ex his videas ( quod necessar ò dicendum est ) theodoretum haud satis feliciter ( ains pace sit dictum ) assecutum esse pauli verborum sensum . baron . annal . tom . 1. ann . 60. sect . 20. d incautè nimus , quae à catholicis essent anti quitùs institula , haereticis , quorum nulla esset memoria , tribuens . id. ibid. e cur nos reprehendimur , qui facimus quod ioannes fecit ? num meliùs joanne nórunt caluinistae , sintne angeli adorandi ? bellar. de sanctor . beatitud . lib. 1. cap. 14. f hic apertè s. iacob angelum inuocauit . id. ibid. cap. 19. see for this , the excellent homily of the perill of idolatry . 1. cor. 10.7 , 8. psal. 135.15 . reuel . 9.20 . exod. 32.4 . a deos per simulacra veneramur . arnob. lib. 6. aduers. getes . b non ipsa , inquiūt , timemus ; sed eos , ad quorum imaginem ficta , et quorum nominibus cōsecrata sunt . lact. lib. 2. diuin . institut . ca. 2. c non ego illum lapidem colo , nec illud simu●acrum quod est si●e sensu . aug. in psal. 96. d nec simulacrū nec daemonium colo ; sed per effigiem corporalem cius rei signum intueor , quā colere debeo . aug. in psa. 113. c. 2. e non colimus mala daemonia : angelos quos dicitis , ipsos et nos colimus , virtutes dei magni , et ministeria dei magni . aug. in psa. 96. f v●inam ipsos colere velletis ; facilè ab ipsis disceretis non illos colere . aug. in psal 96. g iudg. 17 3.13 h 2. kin. 10.16 , 29 31. * trehellius pollio , in the life of claudius , calleth the god of moses , incertum numē . so doth lucan the god of the iewes , incerti iudaea dei. as therefore the iewes ( by the relation of tacitus , li. 2. hi. ) worshipped their god in mount carmel , non simulaero aut templo , sed arâ tantùm : so it might bee that the athenians also did the like , especially if we consider that their ara misericordia ( which possibly might be the same with this ) is thus described by statius . lib. 12. thebaidos : nulla autē effigies , nulli cōmissa metailo forma dei ; mētes habitare et pectora gaudet . i ausonius , epigram . xi . * constans est theologorū sententia , imaginē eodem honore et cultu honorari et coli , quo colitur id cuius est imago . azor. institut . moral . part . 1. lib. 9. c. 6. * crux legati , quia debetur ei latria , erit à dextris . pontifical . edit . rom. pag. 672. grego . valent. li. 2. apol. de idolatr . ca. 7. 1. pe. 4.3 . * some idolatry he should say : for that is s. peters word . gab. vasquez . lib. 2. de ador. disput . 4. c. 3. §. 74.75 . * cùm suerit iuris positiui et caeremonialis illa leges mosaicae prohibitio , tempore legis euangelicae debuit cessare ; atque id , quod aliâs iure naturali licitum , et honestum est , vt imagines depingere , et illis etiā vti ad adorationem , in lege euangelicâ locum habere debet . vasques . ibid. c. 4. §. 84. reu. 17.5 . vasquez de adorat . lib. 3. disput . 1. cap. 2. § 5.8.10 . ezek. 8.15 . concil . trident. sess . 13. ca. 5. * tolerabilior est enim error eorum , qui pro deo colunt statuā auream aut argenteam , aut alterius materiae imaginem , quo modo gentiles deos suos venerabantur ; vel pannum rubrum in hastam elenatum , quod narratur de lappis ; vel viua animalia , vt quondam egyptij : quàm eorū , qui frustū panis . coster . enchirid . ca. 12. * neque potest certus esse certitudine fidei , se percipere verum sacramentum ; cùm sacramentum sine intentione ministri non conficiatur , & intentionem alterius nemo videre possit . bellarmin . de iustificat . lib. 3. cap. 8. ioh. 4.22 . reuel . 13.4 . 1. sam. 3.13 . 1. sam. 2.29 . reuel . 2.14 . reuel . 2.20 . iudg. 2.3 . leuit. 19.29 . numb . 33.55 . reuel . 17.2 , 4. a dubium non est , quin papa possit omnes reges , cùm subest causa rationabilis , deponere . augustin . triumphus , de potest . ecclesiast . quaest . 46. artic . 2. b quo exemplo satis intelligas , non moereri calumniam , neque inuidiam episcopos illos pati debere , qui ne sub haeretico principe degant , omnem lapidem voluunt . baron . an . 538. §. 89. c quando adest euidens notitia criminis , licitè possunt subditi ( si modò eis vires suppetant ) eximere se à potestate suorum principum ante judicis sententiam declaratoriam . bannes in thom. 2.2 . quaest . 12. artic 2. d ex hác conclusione sequitur esse excusandos anglicanos & saxonios fideles , qui non se eximunt à potestare superiorum , nec bellum contra illos gerunt . quon●am communiter non habent facultatem ad h●ec bella gerenda contra principles , & imminent illis grauia pericula . id. ibid. e post sententi am latam omninò priuatur regno , ita vt non possit iusto titulo illud possidere : ergo extunc poterit tanquam omninò tyrannus tractari ; & consequenter à quocunque priuato poterit interfici . fr. suarez defens . fid . cathol . lib. 6. cap. 4. §. 14. f si papa regem deponat , ab illis tantùm poterit expelli , vel interfici , qui bus ipse id commiserit . quod si nulli executionem imperet , pertinebit ad legitimum in regno successorem ; vel si nullus inuentus fuerit , ad regnum ipsum spectabit . id. ibid. § 18. g jtaque apertâ vi & armis posse occidi tyrannum , siue impetu in regiam facto , siue commissâ pugnâ , in confesso est . sed & dolo atque insidijs exceptum : quod fecit aiod , &c. est quidem maioris virtutis & animi simultatem apertè exercere , palàm in hostem reipublicae irruere : sed non minoris rudentiae , fraudi & insidijs locum captare , quod sine molu contingat , minori certe periculo publico atque priuato . io. mariana , de reg instit . lib. 1. cap. 7. h jn eius vitam grassari quacunque arte concessum ; ne cogatur tantùm sciens aut imprudens sibi conscire mortem . id. ibid. in fine . i hoc tamen temperamento vti in hâc quidem disputatione lícebit , si non ipse qui perimitur venenum haurire cogitur , quo intimis medullis concepto pereat : sed exteriùs ab alio adhibeatur nihil adiuuante eo qui perimendus est : nimirum cùm tanta vis est veneni , vt sellâ eo aut veste delibutâ vim interficiendi habeat . id. ibid. k at inquies , omnem modum crudelitatis excessit ea coniuratio ; cum & prolem , & regni ordines simul implicuisset . id velim ne mireris . nam malae & pernitiosae herbae & seminae conterenda , & radices omnes euellendae sunt , ne recrescant . aliâs etiam , propter paucos sceleratos , multi saepè naufragio pereunt . b. p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epistolae i. r. impress . anno 1609. l sed vide in tantâ astutiâ , quanta sit simplicitas . cùm omnem securitatem in eo iuramento sibi statuisset ; talem se modum iuramenti , tot circumstantijs connexüisse existimabat , qui , saluâ conscientiâ , nullâ ratione à quoquam dissolui posset . sed videre non potuit , si pontifex iuramentum dissoluerit , omnes illius nexus , siue de fidelitate regi praestandâ , siue de dispensatione non admittendâ , pariter dissolutos fore . immo aliud dicam admirabilius . nosti , credo , iuramentum iniustum , si tale esse euidenter sciatur , vel apertè declaretur , neminem obligare ; sed ipso facto nullum esse . regis iuramentum iniustum esse , ab ipso ecclesiae pastore sufficienter declaratum est . vides igitur iam , in ●umum abijsse illius obligationem ; vt vinculum , quod à tot sapientibus ferreum putabatur , minus sit , quàm stramineum . id. ibid. 2. king. 9.22 . reu. 17.2 , 5. and 18.23 . hos. 2.2 . 1. cor. 10.15 . the strange and wonderful predictions of mr. christopher love, minister of the gospel at laurence jury, london who was beheaded on tower-hill, in the time of oliver cromwell's government of england. giving an account of babylon's fall, and in that glorious event, a general reformation over all the world. with a most extraordinary prophecy, of the late revolution in france, and the downfall of the antichristian kingdom, in that country. by m. peter jurieu. also, nixon's chesire prophecy. love, christopher, 1618-1651. 1651 approx. 118 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 44 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-05 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a49257 wing l3177a estc r217305 99828987 99828987 33422 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a49257) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 33422) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1971:18) the strange and wonderful predictions of mr. christopher love, minister of the gospel at laurence jury, london who was beheaded on tower-hill, in the time of oliver cromwell's government of england. giving an account of babylon's fall, and in that glorious event, a general reformation over all the world. with a most extraordinary prophecy, of the late revolution in france, and the downfall of the antichristian kingdom, in that country. by m. peter jurieu. also, nixon's chesire prophecy. love, christopher, 1618-1651. jurieu, pierre, 1637-1713. ussher, james, 1581-1656. grey, jane, lady, 1537-1554. wallace, lady, fl. 1651. nixon, robert, fl. 1620? nixon's cheshire prophecy at large. 87, [1] p. printed for the bookseller, london : [1651?] date of publication conjectured by wing. work is actually a collection of prophecies by love, peter jurieu [i.e. pierre jurieu], richard nixon, james usher [i.e. james ussher], lady jane grey and lady wallace; each with separate caption titles. reproduction of the original in the trinity college library, dublin. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -early works to 1800. 2002-12 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-01 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-03 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2003-03 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the strange and wonderful predictions of mr. christopher love , minister of the gospel at laurence jury , london : who was beheaded on tower-hill , in the time of oliver cromwell's government of england . giving an account of babylon's fall , and in that glorious event , a general reformation over all the world . with a most extraordinary prophecy , of the late revolution in france , and the downfall of the antichristian kingdom , in that country . by m. peter jurieu . also , nixon's cheshire prophecy . london : printed for the booksellers . to the public . the following prophecies , some of which have been accomplished in our own time , must appear interesting , and as such we publish them ; those of mr. love promise great events , which must happen before the present generation passes away : and as to monsieur jurieu's predictions , relative to the french revolution , they point out so clearly part of what has already come to pass , in france , that it may be reasonably presumed the rest will be verified in due time . predictions of mr. christopher love , a few nights after he was sentenced to be b●●eaded , on tower-hill , which was on the 22d day of august , 1651 , ten days before his appointed time , by the sentence he received at the bar , being one night visited by two of his intimate acquaintances , or bosom friends , as he himself called them , they began to complain of the cruelty of the times , and the malice and usage of time-serving brethren ; to which mr. love answered , and think you this is an evil time ? no , no ; this is the very time when grace and true god●iness can be distinguished f●om hypocrisy : many have followed christ hitherto for the loaves , and are now turned back for the roughness of the way , and the sore trial and tribulation which others met with who are gone be●ore them . there are many in london at this very day , who think to go to heaven in their gilded coaches , and have denied christ's cause before men ( against whom i now witness ) and christ in his never failing word has promised to deny all such before his father and the holy angels . this is the time to discern be●ween him that s●rveth god , and him that serveth him not . they formerly were my familiar acq●ain●ance , in fellowship and sweet converse . i sent this day to have a few words with them here in prison ; but they would not come ; for their countenance is fallen , their consciences wounded , — they cannot look me in the face ; because i knew of their resolution , and was a witness to their perjuration , — but , ah ! how will they look the blessed jesus in the face in the morning of the resurrection ? what answer or excuse will they have for what they have done ? o foolish people ! who think to escape the cross , nay , you must all suffer persecution who follow the lamb ; we must be hated of all nations for christ's sake ; we must come thro' great tribulation , thro' the fiery furnace of affl●ction , before we can enter the land of joy and felicity . know ye not that the souls that were slain for the testimony of jesus are placed under the altar ? happy , happy are those men at this day , and ever shall be happy , who suffer for christ's sake in a right and charitable way — thro' love to his cause , and honesty of heart : not thro' pride and hypocrisy , without the root of the matter , to have it said they died 〈◊〉 : these are they who will miss their mark ; and those who denied the call and looked back shall never have the honour to find it i am now pointed out by many to be in a destitute and forlorn condition ; but i would not exchange my state , no , not for all the glory that 's on the earth ; i find my r●deemer's love stronger in my bonds , than ever i did in the days of my liberty ; therefore i hold living here as death itself . i am as full of love and joy in the holy spirit , as ever bo●●le was fi●led with new wine . i am ready to cry out , the spirit of the lord is upon me ; i will not take upon me to prophecy ; neve●theless the spirit of the lord causeth me to utter : — this usurped authority of cromwell , shall shortly be at an end ; england shall be blessed with meek kings , and mild governments ; powerful preachers , and dull hearers : good sermons to them will be as music to a sleepy man ; they shall hear , but not understand , nor lay the word 〈◊〉 the heart , to practise it in their lives , to walk by it . o england , thou shalt wax old in wickedness ; thy sins abound like those of sodom ; thy voluptuousness shall cry aloud for vengeance ; the lord shall threaten and chastise thee , yet in mercy and love will he look upon those that fear him , and call upon his name : he will spare of his anger , when the wicked shall be sifted from amongst you as the chaff is sifted from amongst the wheat ; for out of thee , o england , shall a bright star arise , whose light and voice shall make the heathen to quake , and knock under with submission to the gospel of jesus ; he shall be as a sound of thunder in the ears of the wicked , and as a ●anthorn to the jews , to lead them to the knowledge of jesus , the only son of god , and true messiah , whom they so long mistrusted , for the short work spoken of by the apostle , which the lord is to make upon the earth , in the latter age of the world , cannot be far off . observe , my dear friend , while you live my calculation of the dates in the book of the revelation , and in daniel , which the spirit of the lord led me into ; for the lord will reveal it to some of his own , ere that time come ; for the nearer the time is , the seals shall be taken away , and more and more shall be revealed to god's people ; for the lord doth nothing without he reveal it , by his spirit , to his servants the prophets : he destroyed not the old world , without the knowledge of noah — he did not overthrow sodom and gomorrah , without the knowledge of abraham . i do not mean now , that any new prophet shall arise ; but the lord by his spirit shall cause knowledge to abound among his people , whereby the old prophecies shall be clearly and perfectly understood . and i die in that thought , and really believe that my calculations are right , on the revelation by st. john , and the prophecy which st. jerome copied off and translated out of the hebrew language , as it is written on seth's pillar in damascus , which pillar is said to have stood since before the flood and was built by seth , adam's son , and written by enoch the prophet ; as likewise the holy precepts whereby the patriarch walked before the law was given to moses , which were also engraven on the said pillar . whereof many jews have copies , in their own language written on parchment , and engraven on brass and copper ; but the alteration of the date makes them to stagger at it , not knowing that the dates were to be altered by the birth of christ. first , this prophecy is enti●led . a short work of the lord 's in the latter age of the world . great earthquakes and commotions by sea and land shall come in the year of god 1779. great wars in germany and america , in 1780. the destruction of popery , or babylon's fall , in the year 1790. god will be known by many in the year 1795. this will produce a great man. the stars will wander , and the moon turn as blood , in 1800. africa , asia , and america , will tremble , in 1803. a great earthquake over all the world , in 1805. god will be universally known by all : then a general reformation , and peace for ever , when the people shall learn war no more . happy is the man that liveth to see this day ! prophecy of the french revolution , from a publication by the late mr. peter jurieu , in 1687. rev. xi . 13. and the same hour was there a great earthquake , and the tenth part of the city fell , and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand , and the remnant were affrighted , and gave glory to god. now what is this tenth part of this city , which shall fall ? we cannot doubt that 't is france . this kingdom is the most considerable part or piece of the ten horns , or states , which once made up the great babylonian city : it fell ; this does not signify , that the french monarchy shall be ruined ; it may be humbled ; but in all appearance providence does design a great elevation for her afterward . 't is highly probable , that god will not let go unpunished the horrible outrages which it acts at this day . afterward , it must build its greatness upon the ruins of the papal empire , and enrich itself with the spoils of those who shall take part with the papacy . they who at this day persecute the protestants , know not whither god is leading them : this is not the way by which he will lead france to the height of glory . if she comes thither 'tis because she shall shortly change her road . her greatening will be no damage to protestant states ; on the contrary , the protestant states shall be enriched with the spoils of others ; and be strengthened by the fall of antichrist's empire . this tenth part of the city shall fall , with respect to the papacy ; it shall break with rome , and the roman religion . one thing is certain , that the babylonian empire shall perish through the refusal of obedience by the ten kings , who had given their power to the beast . the thing is already come to pass in part . the kingdoms of sweden , denmark , england , and several sovereign states of germany , have withdrawn themselves from the iurisdiction of the pope . they have spoiled the h●rlot of her riches . they have eaten her flesh , ie . seized her benefices and revenues , which she had in their countries . this must go on , and be finished as it began . the kings , who yet remain under the empire of rome , must break with her , leave her solitary and desolate . but who must begin this last revolt ? 't is most probable that france shall . not spain , which as yet is plunged in superstition , and is as much under the tyranny of the clergy as ever . not the emperor , who in temporals is subject to the pope , and permits the archbishop of strigonium in his states , to teach that the pope can take away the imperial crown from him . it cannot be any country but france , which a long time ago hath begun to shake off the yoke of rome . 't is well known , how solemnly and openly war hath been declared against the pope , by declaration of the king ( ratified in all the parliaments ) by the decisions of the assembly of the french clergy , by a disputation against the authority of the pope , managed in the sorbon , solemnly , and by order of the court. and to heighten the affront , the theses were posted up , even upon the gates of his nuncio . nothing of this kind had h●●herto happened , at least in a time of peace , and unless the pope had given occasion by his infolencies . besides this , superstition and idolatry lose their credit much in france . — there is a secret party , though well enough known , which greatly despiseth the popular devotions , images , worship of saints , and is convinced that these are human inventions ; god is before-hand preparing for this great work . to this it may be objected , that for the last fifty years , the pope's empire hath not been made up of ten kings , because england , sweden , denmark , &c. have thrown off his government ; and consequently , france is not at this day the tenth part of the babylonian empire ; for 't is more than a tenth part of it . but this is no difficulty : for we must know , that things retain the names which they bore in their original ( without regarding the alterations which time does bring along ) . though at this day , there are not ten kingdoms under the babylonian empire , 't is notwithstanding certain , that each kingdom was called , and ought to be called in 〈◊〉 prophecy , the tenth part ; because the prophet having described this empire in its beginning , by its ten horns or ten kings , 't is necessary for our clear understanding , that every one of these ten kings , and kingdoms should be called one of the ten kings or of the ten kingdoms , with respect to the constitution of the antichristian empire . seeing the tenth part of the city that must fall , is france , this gives me some hopes , that the death of the two witnesses hath a particular relation to this kingdom . 't is the street or place of this city . i. e. the most fair and eminent part of it . the witnesses must remain dead upon this street , and upon it they must be raised again . and as the death of the witnesses and their resurrection have a relation to the kingdom of france , it may well fall out , that we may not be far distant from the time of the resurrection of the witnesses seeing the three years and a half of their death are either begun , or will begin shortly . and in the earthquake were slain seven thousand ; in the greek it is , seven thousand names of men , and not seven thousand men . i consess , that this seems somewhat mystericus : in other places we find not this phrase , names of men , put simply for men . perhaps there is here a figure of grammar called hypallage casus , so that names of men are put for men of name , i. e. of raised and considerable quality , be it on account of riches , or of dignity , or of learning . but i am more inclined to say , that here these words , names of men , must be taken in their natural signification , and do intimate , that the total reformation of france shall not be made without bloodshed , nothing shall be destroyed but names ; such as are the names of monks , of carmelites , of augustines , of dominicans , of iacobins , of franciscans , capuchins , iesuites , minimes , and an infinite company of others , whose number 't is not easy to define , and which the holy ghost denotes by the number seven , which is the number of perfection , to signify , the number of monks and nuns shall perish for ever . this is an institution so degenerated from its first original , that 't is become the arm of antichrist . these orders cannot perish one without another . these great events deserve to be distinguished from all others ; for they have changed , and shall change , the whole face of the world . introduction to nixon's cheshire prophecy , by the author of his life . this remarkable prophecy has been carefully revised , ●orrected , and improved ; also some account given of our author , robert nixon , who was but a kind of ideot , and used to be employed in following the plough . he lived in some farmers ' families , and was their drudge and jest . at last , thomas cholmondeley , of vale-royal , esq. took him into his house , and he lived there when he composed this prophecy , which he delivered with as much gravity and solemnity as if he had been an oracle ; and it was observed , that though the fool was a driveler , and could not speak common sense when he was uninspired , yet in delivering his propecies he spoke plainly and sensibly ; how truly will be seen in the following pages . as to the credit of this prophecy , i dare say it is as well attested as any of nostradamus's or merlin's , and come to pass as well as the best of squire bickerstaff's . it is pain enough that great men have in all ages had recourse to prophecy as well as the vulgar . i would not have all grave persons despise the inspirations of nixon . the late french king gave audience to an inspired farrier , and rewarded him with an hundred pistoles for his prophetical intelligence ; though by what i can learn , he did not come near our nixon for gifts . the simplicity , the circumstances , and history , of the cheshire prophecy , are so remarkable , that i hope the public will be as much delighted as i was myself . by the way , this is not a prophecy of to-day ; it is as old as the powder plot , and the story will make it appear that there is as little imp●sture in it as the jacobites pretend there is in the person it seems to have an eye to : but whether they are both impostures alike or not , i leave to the reader to determine . j. oldmixon . the prophecy . in the reign of king james the first , there lived a man , generally repu●ed a fool , whose name was nixon . one day , when he returned home from ploughing in the field , he laid the things down which he had in his hands , and continuing for some time in a seemingly deep and thoughtful meditation , at length he pronounced in a loud voice , now i will prophesy . and spoke as follows : when a raven shall build in a stone lion's mouth on the top of a church in cheshire , then a king of england shall be driven out of his kingdom , and never return more . when an eagle shall sit on the top of the house , then an heir shall be born to the cholmodeley's family ; and this heir shall live to see england invaded by foreigners , who shall proceed so far as a town in cheshire ; but a miller named peter , shall be born with two heels on one foot and at that time living in a mill of mr cholmondeley's , he shall be instrumental in delivering the nation . the person who then governs the nation will be in great trouble , and 〈◊〉 about : the invading king shall be killed , laid across a horse's back like a calf , and led in triumph . the miller having been instrumental in it , shall bring forth the person that then governs the kingdom , and be knighted for what he has done ; and after that england see happy days . a young new set of men shall come , who shall prosper , and make a flourishing church for two hundred years . as a token of the truth of all this , a wall of mr. cholmondeley's shall fall : if it fall downwards , the church shall be oppressed , and rise no more : but if upwards , next the rising hill on the side of it , then it shall flourish again . under this wall shall be found the bones of a british king. a pond shall run with blood three days , and the cross-stone pillar in the forest su●k so low into the ground , that a crow from the top of it shall drink of the best blood in england . a boy shall be born with three thumbs , and shall hold three king's horses , while england shall be three times won and lost in one day . the original may be seen in several families in cheshire , and in particular in the hands of mr. egerton of oulton , with many other remarkable circumstances : as that pecferton wind mill should be removed to ludditon hill , that horses saddled should run about 'till their girts rotted away . but this is sufficient to prove nixon as great a prophet as partridge , and we shall give other proofs of it before we have done . now as for authorities to prove this prophecy to be genuine , and how it has hitherto been accomplished , i might refer myself to the whole county of chester , where it is in every one's mouth , and has been for these forty years . as much as i have of the manuscript was sent me by a person of sense and veracity , and as little disposed to believe visions as any body . there is something so very odd in the story , and so pat in the wording of it , that i cannot help giving it as i found it . the family of the cholmondeley's is very ancient in this county , and takes its name from a place so called near nantwich . there are also cholmton and cholmondeston ; but the feat of that branch of the family , which kept our prophet nixon , is at vale royal , on the river weaver in delamere forest . it was formerly an abbey founded by edward i. and came to the cholmondeley's from the famous family of the holcro●ts . when nixon prophesied , this family was near being extinct , the heir having married sir walter st. john's daughter , a lady not esteemed very young , who , notwithstanding being with child , fell in labour , and continued so for some days . during which time an eagle fat upon the house-top , and flew away when she was delivered , which proved to be a son . a raven is also known to have built in a stone lion's mouth , in the steeple of the church of over , in the forest of delamere . not long before the abdication of king james , the wall spoken of fell down and fell upwards , and in removing the rubbish , were found the bones of a man of more than ordinary size . a pond at the same time ran with water that had a reddish tincture , and was never known to have done so before or since . headless cross , in the forest , which in the memory of man was several feet high , is now sunk within half a ●oot of the ground . in the parish of budworth , a boy was born with three thumbs ; he had also two heels on one foot ▪ — lady egerton , wishing well to another restoration , often instigated her husband to turn peter , the miller of negenshire mills , out of the mills ; but he locoked upon it as a whimsy , and so permitted peter still to ontinue there , in hopes of becoming as good a knight as sir philip his landlord was . of this peter i have been told that the lady narcliff , of chelsea , and the lady st. john of battersea have often been heard to talk , and that they both asserted the truth of our prophecy , and its accomplishment , with particulars that are more extraordinary than any i have yet mentioned . the noise of nixon's predictions reaching the ears of king james the first , he would needs ●ee this fool , who cried and made a●o that he might not go to court ; and the reason that he gave was , that he should be starved . ( a very whimsical fancy of his : courts are not places where people use to starve in , when they once come there , whatever they did before . ) the king being informed of nixon's refusing to come , said he would take particular care that he should not be starved , and ordered him to be brought up . nixon cried out , he was sent for again , and soon after the messenger arrived , who brought him up from cheshire . how or whether he prophesied to his majesty , no body can tell ; but he is not the first fool that has made a good court prophet . that nixon might be well provided for , 't was ordered that he should be kept in the kitchen , where he grew so troublesome in licking and picking the meat , that the cooks locked him up in a hole , and the king going on a sudden from ham●ton court to london , they forgot the fool in the hurry , and he was really starved to death . there are a great many passages of this fool-phrophet's life and sayings transmitted by tradition from father to son in this county palatine ; as , that when he lived with a farmer , before he was taken into mr. cholmondeley's family , he gored an ●x so cruelly , that one of the ploughmen threatened to beat him for abusing his master's beast . nixon said , my master's beast will not be his three days . a life in an estate dropping in that time , the lord of the manor took the same ox for an herriot . this account , as whimsical and romantic as it is , was told to the lady cowper , in the year 1670 , by dr. parric● , late bishop of ely , then chaplain to s●r walter st. john ; and that lady had the following farther particulars , relating to this prophecy , and the fulfilling of many parts of it , from mrs chute , fister of mrs. cholmondeley , of vale-royal who affirmed , that a multitude of people gathering together to see the eagle before mentioned , the bird was ●rightened from her young ▪ that she herself was one of them , and the cry among the people was , nixon's phrophecy is fulfil●ed , and we shall have a foreign king. she declared , that she read over the prophecy many times , when her sister was with child of the heir who now enjoys the estate . she particularly remembered membered that king james ii. was plainly pointed at , and that it was foretold he would endeavour to subvert the laws and religion of this kingdom , for which reason they would rise and turn him out ; that the eagle of which nixon prophesied perched in one of the windows at the time her sister was in labour . she said it was the biggest bird she ever saw ; that it was in a deep snow , and that it perched on the edge of a great bow-window , which had a large border on the outside , and she and many others opened the window , to try to scare it away , but it would not stir till mrs cholmondeley was delivered ; after which it took flight to a great tree over against the room her sister lay in , where having staid about three days , it flew away in the night . she affirmed further to the lady cowper , that the falling of the garden-wall was a thing not to be questioned , it being in so many people's memory ; that it was foretold that the heir of vale-royal should live to see england invaded by foreigners , and that he should fight bravely for his king and his country : that the miller mentioned is alive , and expects to be knighted , and is in the very mill that is foretold : that he should kill two invaders who would come in , the one from the west , and the other from the north : that he from the north should bring with him of all nations ; swedes , danes , germans , and dutch ; and that in the solds of his garments he should bring fire and famine , plague and murder : that many great battles should be fought in england , one upon london bridge , which would be so bloody , that people would ride in london streets up to their horses bellies in blood ; that several other battles should be sought up and down most parts in cheshire ; and that the last that ever would be fought in england should be on delamere fo●est : that the heir of oalton , whose name is e — n , and has married earl cholmondeley's si●ter , shall be hanged up at his own gate . lastly , he foretels great glory and prosperity to those who stand up in defence of their laws and liberties , and ruin and misery to those that should betray them . he says , the year before this would happen , bread-corn would be very dear , and that the year following more troubles should begin which would last three years ; that the first would be moderate , the second bloody , and the third intolerable ; that unless they were shortened no mortal could bear them ; and that there were no mischiefs but what poor england would feel at that time . but that george , the son of george , shall put an end to all . that afterwards the church should fl●uri●h , and england be the most glorious nation upon earth . the same lady cowper was not content to take these particulars from mrs. chute , but she inquired of sir thomas aston of the truth of this prophecy , and he attested it was in great reputation in cheshire , and that the facts were known by every one to have happened as nixon said they would , adding , that the morning before the garden-wall fell , his neighbour mr. cholmondeley going to ride out a hunting , said , nixon seldom fails , but now i think he will ; for he foretold that this day ●y garden wall would fall , and i think it looks as if it would stand these forty years ; that he had not been gone a quarter of an hour before the wall split , and fell upwards against the rising of the hill , which , as nixon would have it , was the presage of a flourishing church . as to the removal of pecserton mill , it was done by sir john crewe , the mill having lost its trade there , for which he ordered it to be set upon ludditon hill ; and being asked if he did it to fulfill the prophecy , he declared he never thought of it . i myself have inquired of a person who knows mr. cholmondeley's pond as well as rosamond's in st. james's park , and he assured me the falling of the wall , and the pond running blood as they call it , are facts which , in cheshire , any one would be reckoned mad for making the least question of . as there are several particulars in this prophecy which remain unfulfilled , so when they come to pass some other circumstances may be added , which are not convenient to be told now for private reasons , but will shortly appear . if i had a mind to look into the antiquities of this county , i might ●ind that prodigies and prophecies are no unusual things there . cambden tells us , that at brereton , not many miles from vale royal , which gave name to a famous , antient , numerous , and knightly family , there is a thing as strange as the perching eagle , or the falling of the wall , which he says was attested to him by many persons , and was commonly believed ; that before any heir of this family dies , there are s●en in a lake adjoining , the bodies of trees swimming upon the water for several days together . he likewise adds , that near the abbey of st. maurice , in burgundy , there is a fish-pond , in which a number of fishes are put equal to the number of monks of that place ; and if any one of them happens to be sick , there is a fish seen floating on the water : and in case the fit of sickness proves fatal to the monk , the fish foretells it by its own death some days before . this the learned cambden relates in his description of cheshire , and the opinion of the trees swimming in the lake near brereton prevails all about the country to this day , only with this difference , that some say 't is one log that swims , and some say many . j. oldmixon . strange and remarkable prophecies and predictions , of the holy , learned , and excellent james usher , late lord bishop of armagh , and lord primate of ireland : giving an account of his foretelling . i. the rebellion in ireland forty years before it came to pass . ii. the confusions and miseries of england in church and state. iii. the death of king charles the first . iv. his own poverty and want. v. the divisions in england in matters of religion . lastly , of great and terrible persecutions which shall fall upon the reformed churches by the papists , wherein the pope should be chiefly concerned . written by the person who heard it from this excellent man 's own mouth , and now published e●rnestly to persuade us to that repentance and reformation which can only prevent our ruin and destruction . and the lord said , shall i hide from abraham the thing which i do ? gen. xviii . 17. strange and remarkable predictions of that holy , learned , and excellent bishop james usher , late lord primate of ireland . the author of the life of this excellent and worthy primate and archbishop , gives an account that , among other extraordinary gifts and graces , which it pleased the almighty to bestow upon him , he was wonderfully endued with a spirit of prophecy , whereby he gave out several true predictions and prophecies of things a great while before they came to pass , whereof some we have seen fulfilled , and others remain y●t to be accomplished . and though he was one that abhorred enthusiastic notions , being too learn●d , rational , and knowing , to admit of such idle freaks and whimsies : yet he professed , that several times in his life he had many things , impressed upon his mind concerning future events , with so much warmness and importunity , that he was not able to keep them secret , but lay under an unavoidable necessity to make them known . from which spirit he foretold the irish rebellion forty years before it came to pass , with the very time when it should break forth , in a sermon preached in dublin in 1601 , where , from ezek. iv . 6 , discoursing concerning the prophets bearing the iniquity of iudah forty days , the lord therein appointed a day for a year : he made this direct application in relation to the connivance at popery at that time. from this year ( says he ) will i reckon the sin of ireland , that those whom you now embrace , shall be your r●in , and you shall bear this ●niquity . which prediction proved exactly true , for from that time 1601 , to the year 1641 , was just forty years , in which it is notoriously known , that the rebellion and destruction of ireland happened , which was acted by those popish priests , and other papists , which were then connived at . and of this sermon the bishop reserved the notes , and put a note thereof in the margin of his bible ; and for twenty years before , he still lived in the expectation of the fulfilling thereof ; and the nearer the time was , the more confident he was that it was near accomplishment , though there was no visible appearance of any such thing ; and , ( says dr. bernard ) the year before the rebellion broke forth , the bishop taking his leave of me , being then going from ireland to england , he advised me to a serious preparation , for i should see heavy sorrows and miseries before i saw him again , which he delivered with as great confidence as if he had seen it with his eyes ; which seems to verify that of the prophet , amos iii. 7. surely the lord will do nothing , but he will reveal it to his servants , the prophets . from this spirit of prophecy , he foresaw the changes and miseries of england in church and state ; for having in one of his books , called de prim. eccl. brit. given a large account of the destruction of the church and state of the britons , by the saxons , about ●50 years after christ : he gives this among ●ther reasons , why he insisted so largely upon 〈◊〉 ; that he foresaw , that a like judgment was ●●et behind if timely repentance and reforma●●on did not prevent it ; and he would often ●ourn upon the foresight of this long before it ●ame . from this spirit he gave mournful intima●●ons of the death of our sovereign charles the 〈◊〉 , of whom he would be often speaking 〈◊〉 fear and trembling , even when the king 〈◊〉 the greatest success ; and would therefore 〈◊〉 pray , and gave all advice possible 〈◊〉 prevent any such thing . from this spirit he foresaw his own poverty in worldly things ; and this he would often speak 〈◊〉 with admiration to the hearers ; when he was in his greatest prosperity , which the event did most certainly verify . from this spirit he predicted the divisions and con●usions in england in matters of religion , and the sad consequences thereof ; some of which we have seen fulfilled ; and i pray god , the rest which he feared may not also be accomplished upon us . lastly , from this spirit he foretold , that the grea●●st stroke upon the reformed church●s was yet to come ; and that the time of the utter ruin of the see of rome should be whe● she thought herself most secure : and as to thi● last , i shall add a brief account 〈◊〉 the person 's own hand who was concerned therein which followeth in these words : the year before this learned and holy primate archbishop usher , died , i went to him , an● earnestly desired him , to give me in writing his apprehensions concerning justification , an sancti●ication by christ : because i had for merly heard ●im preach upon those point● wherein he seemed to make those great mysteries more intelligible to my mean capacity , tha● any thing which i had ever heard from 〈◊〉 other : but because i had but an imperfect 〈◊〉 confused remembrance of the particulars , took the boldness to importune him , that 〈◊〉 would please to give a brief account of them 〈◊〉 writing , whereby i might the better impri●● them in my memory ; of which he would 〈◊〉 have excused himself , by declaring his 〈◊〉 of not writing any more ; adding , that if he did write any thing it should not exceed above a sheet or two : but upon my continued importunity , i at last obtained his promise . he coming to town some time after , was pleased to give me a visit at my own house where i failed not to challenge the benefit of the promise he had made me : he replied , that he had not writ , and yet he could not charge himself with any breach of promise ; for ( said he ) i did begin to write , but when i came to write of sanctification , that is , of the new creature which god formeth by his spirit in every soul which he doth truly regenerate , i found so little of it wrought in myself , that i could speak of it only as parrots by rote , and without the knowledge and understanding of what i might have expressed , and therefore i durst not presume to proceed any further upon it . and when i seemed to sta●d amazed , to hear such an humble confession from so great and experienced a christian , he added , i must tell you , we do not well understand what sanctification and the new creature are ; it is no less than for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of god , and to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames of love , as a whole burnt offering to christ ; and how little ( says he ) are many of those who profess christianity experimentally acquainted with this work on their souls ? by this discourse , i conceived he had very excellently and clearly discovered to me that par● of sanctification which he was unwilling to write . i then presumed to enquire of him what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland , and ireland , of which this reverend primate had spoken with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement . i asked him whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come ? to which he answered , that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect i● as ever he had done , adding , that this sad per●ecution would fall upon all the protestan● churches of europe ; i replied , that i did hope it might have been past as to these nations of ours , since i thought that th●ugh we , who are the people thereof , have been punished much less than our sins have deserved , and that our late wars had made far less devastations than war commonly brings upon those countries where it pleaseth god in judgment to suffer it ; yet we must needs acknowledge , that many great houses had been burnt , ruined , and left without inhabitants , many great families impoverished and undone , and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloody war , and that ireland and scotland , as well as england , had drank very deep of the cup of god's anger , even to the overthrow of the government , and the utter desolation almost of a very great part of those countries . but this holy man turning to me , and fixing his eyes upon me with that serious and ireful look which he usually had when he spake god's word , and not his own , and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain● him to speak , which i could easily discern much to differ from the countenance wherewith he usually spake to me ; he said thus : fool not yourself with such hopes , for i tell you all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will , ere long , fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet was upon them ; and therefore ( said he to me ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshiper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward worshippers he will leave out to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life and power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and these god will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers within the temple , and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him ; and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ; and this shall be one great diffe●●nce between this last , and all the other preceding persecutions ; for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally 〈◊〉 most , and were most v●olently fallen upon , but in this last persecuti●● these shall be preserved by god as a seed to p●rtake of that glory which shall immediately fo●●ow and come upon the church , as soon as eve● this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the ●●arpest , so it shall be the short●st persecution 〈◊〉 them all , and sha●l only take away the gross ●●ypocrites and formal professors , but the 〈◊〉 spiritual believers shall be preserved till 〈◊〉 calamity be 〈◊〉 . i then asked him by what means or instruments this great trial was to be brought on ? ●e answered , by the papists ; i replied , that it 〈◊〉 to me very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenan●ed , and 〈◊〉 in these nations , and that the hea●●s o● the people were m●re set against 〈◊〉 than eve● 〈◊〉 the reformation . he 〈◊〉 again , that it would be by the hands of pa●is●s , in a time when they would be in gr●at power , and in the way of a sudden 〈◊〉 , and that the pope should be the chief instrument of it . all this he spake with so great assurance , and with the same serious and concerned 〈…〉 which i have before observed him to have , when i have heard him foretel some things which in all human appearance were very unlikely to come to pass , which yet i myself have lived to see happen according to his prediction , and this made me give the more earnest attention to what he then uttered . he then added , that the pa●ists were th● gentiles spoken of in the 11th of the revelations , to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot , they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators ; and this ( said he ) the papists are always designing among themselves , therefore be sure you be ready ▪ and not found wanting . this was the substance , and , i think , for the greatest part , the very same words which this holy man spake to me at the time before mentioned , not long before his death , and which i writ down , that so great and notable a prediction might not b●-lost and forgotten by myself nor others . this gracious man repeated the same things in substaace to his only daughter the lady tyr●il , and that with many tears , and much about the same time that he had expressed what is aforesaid to me , and which the lady tyrril assured me of with her own m●uth to this purpose : that opening the door of his chamber , she found him with his eyes lift up to heaven , and the tears running apace down his cheeks , and 〈…〉 continued for about half an hour , not taking the least notice of her , though she came into the room ; but at last turning to her , he told her , that his thoughts had been taken up about the miseries and persecutions that were coming upon the churches of christ , which would be so sharp and bitter , that the contemplation of them had fetched those tears from his eyes . the same things he also repeated to the lady bysse , wife to the then present lord chief baron of ireland , but with adding this circumstance , wo unto them that are found unprepared for it . ●o conclude in the words of dr. bernard , speaking of this excellent person , now howsoever i may be as far from heeding of prophe●cies this way as any , yet with me it is not improbable , that so great a prophet , so sanctified from his youth , so knowing and eminent throughout the universal church , might have at some special times more than ordinary motions and impulses in doing the watchman's part of giving warning of judgments approaching . from m` auliffe's prophecies . and in those days it shall come to pass , that the nations of europe will be moved to war , and that mighty men and princes will unite from all corners of the ea●th to maintain their power , and that they will gather from all quarters thousands and tens of thousands to fight their battles , and establish their dominions over multitudes and nations ; but their arms shall avail them nought : in their union they shall find destruction , and their mighty hosts shall be scattered like chaff before the wind ; pestilence and famine shall overtake those who escape from the sword , and few shall live to bring home the news of their mishap ▪ and defeats . the stars of nations shall then fall , and desolation shall reign among the great and proud of the earth ; for their ways are the ways of ungodliness , and their paths are those of injustice and oppression . in those days ( and they are at hand ) the mighty lord of truth shall avenge the injuries of his people , and his name shall be known throughout . the reign of his justice shall succeed that of his mercy , and long forbearance ; his mighty arm shall exalt the humble , and prostrate the proud . it shall also come to pass in those days , that the blood of africans shall be repaid , and slavery shall be no more ; the beams of truth all strike on the eyes of all nations , and evangelical love shall pervade all hearts , equa● rights shall be the foundation of continua● peace ; and the glory of all people shall be to know the lord of armies , and obey his eternal laws . it is to be lamented that the compiler could not collect the whole of this great man's predictions , but hopes to get them shortly , being promised them by a friend , who will interpret them faithfully from the old irish. the families of m` auliffes were formerly an ancient irish family in the county of cork , and possessed of large estates there ; some of which are now enjoyed by the respectable families of the name of st. leger , who purchased them ; this great prophet foretold the transferring of all the family property , and the total extinction of his name , which he said would be forgotten , and hardly remembered by the rising generations ; which has all turned out as ●e foretold . he also foretold a gentleman in his days , named anthony st. leger , that he would live to a great age , providing he would never pass over bennet's bridge in the county of kilkenny , and if he would , that there he most undoubtedly was to lose his life ; but as destiny in human circumstances is by some deemed unavoidable , it was most unfortunately verified in mr. s. who lost his life by a gun shot at bennet's bridge , by the following accident : — one of his carriage horses had dropped a shoe traveling through that country , from which accident mr. s. could not pursue his journey without getting a shoe on his beast , and being told there was a smith's forge at bennet's bridge , on his way , he drove to the fatal place ( where a forge remains to this day ) but there had not been any person at work in it ; the smith was found , and applied to , to put a shoe on the horse with all convenient dispatch ; who excused himself , saying he had no iron . the horse being lame , and not able to go on further without a shoe , necessitated mr. s. to get out of his carriage and im●ortune the smith to search diligently for iron sufficient for the purpose ▪ when after a long research it could not be obtained , without having recourse to an old rusty gun barrel , from which a shot had not been fired p●rhaps for half a century b●fore , and being in some useful position , was at length put into the furnace by the smith with reluctance , for the ●urpose of taking off sufficient to make an horse● shoe : little did mr. s. think of m` auliffe's prophecy , or eternity at hand , whilst he stood in the forge all the time . the rusty old gunbarrel , which had been load●d with powder and ball of a long time , no sooner had got the heat of the fire , than the contents went off , and unluckily killed mr. s. on the spot , which shews that mr. s. had either disbelieved or had forgotten the prophet's caution , which too often has been the case of many , who are ashamed of taking council in pe●ilous cases . least they may become thereby subjects for the ridicule of their more hardened acquaintances . the following other prophecy of m'auliffe's , has not yet come to pass , and is dev●utly hoped it never may . — when every running water in ireland shall turn a mill wheel , the● shall the protestants and romanists ( papists ) kill each other with great slaughter . but as his prophecies have been spoken and wrote in irish , it is left with the wise and sagacious to explain his words , which signify battles between the sasanoughs and irish. the irish word sasanough signifies an english protestant , and what is difficult to explain ; whether between the people of the romish persuasion , aginst the other dissenting sects in ireland , or nation against nation , is not easy to say . another of his prophecies is as follows : in seventeen hundred ninety and five , whoever will be at that period alive , will see plenty revisit this fortunate land , and ireland emerg'd from her slavish command ; ere the period arrives will a torrent of blood , discolour'd , be forc'd from it's primitive flood ; the verdure of spring will be shaded with red , and the fruits of the earth oppress'd with the dead . it should be seriously remarked , that the year 1795 has been pointed out particularly by different prophets , as a year of greater destruction and human slaughter than any year previous ; even mrs. shipton prophecied a century or two back , that e — 's ruin would begin in 1792 , and terminate in 1795. the wicked in all nations and ages ridicule prophecies , never acknowledging the ordained will of an angry providence ; yet they are always more fearful than such as believe : and though it appears in holy writ , that revolutions happen from the foundation of the world , and will to the end of time ; yet the almighty always , and without exception , gives some people the gift of foretelling such changes in human affairs , and expressly declares he will not do any such things , but he will first impart to his servants the prophets . and as often as he threatens his creatures with any dreadful change , it is to convince them it proceeds from his wrath and indignation , originating from their intolerable wickedness , and changing his love into hatred , yet always and at all times promises to withhold the scourge or persecution , if the threatened nations of people will cry out for mercy , and call in fervency upon his holy name , to come to their a●●istance , and avert his dreadful wrath and vengeance from them , but they seldom or never do , though he quotes examples ( to every succeeding generation in vain ) viz. noah's flood , the cities of sodom and gomorrah , with many others , when the people laughed at predictions , and timely advice , as they do still . in the whole course of human affairs holy writ proves his threats and promises are all conditional , calculated to stimulate people to call always on him for mercy , and to execute his easy commands , particularly his doctrines in the new testament ; be their accursed hearts are hardened , and the shut the gates of their understanding again●● him , and in the blind career of their lives have insensibly bid defiance to him and his laws . that the text of scripture in the book of esdras may be fulfilled to their eternal condemnation , wherein the lord god desires esdras not mind who shall be damned , but seek after them who shall be saved , for hell was created for the multitude , and heaven for the few . let all who read this book strive to be of that few , and mind the rules mentioned therein , and also in the new testament , and if they do not , they will be outcasts in hell , and all their finery and ●rippery here , will be their open and everlasting shame there . if the bible was universally ●●ad , and fulfilled to the utmost of human power , the mighty god would not have so great cause against his creatures , or to warn them to turn to him ( the merciful and loving father ) by the voice of prophets and other warnings , than that blessed book . is he not constantly looking down from his holy mountain ( the variety of the glories and pleasures of which never yet entered the heart of mankind to conceive the least idea of , ) on the wicked universe with grief and sorrow , saying , o my people , my people , how often would i have gathered ye together , as a hen gathers her chickens , but ye would not . hear now , readers , you have a loving god , a weeping god , and a god who tells you in the bible his nature and his name is love , with out-stretched arms , open to receive ●very one that will turn unto him , but ye will not ; therefore , if you do not , when you die ( a●ter performing faithfully all the works of the devil , by greedily desiring and pursuing with your wicked hearts and inclinations , the alluring ways of this world , in which all your thoughts are enveloped ) expect the dreadful sentence from him , who will then , he says , appear to ye as a roaring lion , and say i know ye not ; go ye accursed into everlasting torments , prepared for the devil and his servants . let none be alarmed at the revolution in france , such revolutions must happen in all idolatrous nations ; they corroborate with the holy bible , a nation shall be converted in a day , that is , emerging from idolatry and idolatrous persecution , at destined periods , in the fulness of the time of the most high , and so on previous to the coming of the great judge , idolatrous monarchs must be all cut off . but if mighty men should plan and scheme for centuries to reduce things to their own human weak and wicked wishes , their labour is in vain , they are mocked by god , they cannot see into the great causes ; they are greedy for dominion and filthy lucre , they are cruel and unjust , and all their ways are an abomination before the face of the great one ; they are poor , blind , naked , miserable , foolish and wicked . give attention now ●ll who never go● the gift of repentance from above , read the new testament , and the most imaginary innocent among ye , will find yourselves fitted for hell's torments ; rouse to immediate repentance , call on the most high for mercy , cease from hell-born wickedness , such as gambling , night parties , revelling , balls , assembli●s , drums , hellish masquerades , drunkenness , glu●tony , dress , and pride , which christ says is of your father the devil ; cease from superfluous dress , be a quaker entirely in dress , and a very plain one , for your soul's sake , to obey christ , and fulfill the holy scriptures , cry aloud to the most high ( with the true baptismal tears of repentance ) which is the real water baptism of salvation , previous to the operation of the holy ghost , and externally described in the third chapter of st. john in the new testament . beware of hypocrisy , ostentation , and falsehood , banish these hydras from the inmost recesses of your hearts ; make room there for the holy ghost to dwell in , for with them hydras he cannot dwell , and without him do not trouble yourselves to look forward to salvation ; do not strive to please human creatures , or you cannot please god ; talk no more of fashions or of the circle of your acquaintances , such conversation is abominable to god ; boast no more of your acquaintances , lord such a one , or lady such a one , they are earth and dirt , titles are sacrilegeous and blasphemous , which is always the consequence of accursed wealth , for wealth is a curse from god , because it never was and never will be applied as god commanded it , therefore he declares it is harder for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle ; when a person gets wealth he gets pride , and contempt for all who do not possess the same curse , wealth , and in consequence of that wealth and pride , the devil instigates him to renounce his name , and take the ridiculous name of a river , a town , a hill , or a province , and tacks god's name and title to it . then he is exalted , and god positively declares and says , whoever exalts himself shall surely be abased , that is , cast into hell ; and thus does the devil sport with all wealthy people , and proud people , and dressy people . dress draws every curse from god down upon the soul ; the more dressy , the more vicious ; clothing was first invented to cover sin and shame , and ought therefore be as plain as possible , besides god strictly commands it should be so . now , hear the declaration of a fine shewy dressy person to god , viz. i will dress , powder , curl , and paint , to spite you , god , because you desire me not ; i will flirt , laugh , please and be pleased , praise and be praised , read plays , romances , and all other devilish books , because you say all those will corrupt me , and that i must account for every idle word i speak ; i will not read the bible , nor do therein , because you desire me , for every thing you command me i will not do , and every thing you forbid me i will do , god , because my father and mother brought me up this way , and they follow the same life themselves , for we all prefer the damnation of hell , to you and your old book filled with stories of love , terrors , heaven , hell , and all such tedious nonsense , to people of fashion going into perdition . the more wicked and abominable a person is before god , the more glaringly they wish to adorn the filthy carcase , iniquity invented new fashions , it originated in france ; every married woman there was despised if she was not a w — ; the bible was forbid to be read by order of ant●christ and his deputies , least the people should perceive their own damnation , and rebel against idolatry ; the contagion is in england , ireland , &c. ; the world is teeming with wickedness , the lord god is like a roaring lion , filled with wrath , fury , and revenge , he is thundering down his vengeance in a variety of ●hapes , previous to the general judgment , which is now the general dread of the people , teeming with iniquity , and filled with terrors without one single exception among the wicked . whenever the almighty intendsany great event he puts it more or less in the people's minds before the execution , to induce them to holiness ; for there is no other way to prevent his wrath . but instead , they continue to act as if they were never to die , and blinding each other with praise , flattery , hypocrisy , and deceit . suppose christ was this instant to come down and judge all people , shewing heaven's great expanse of innumerable pleasures on one side , and hell's yawning torments on the other , how would the proud and dressy appear ? would the not with their pride and fashionable dress in hell , where it originated ? are they the pious holy people , marked with the holy ghost to sa●vation , that could run to meet christ , whose face is of flaming fire ? or are they those pointed out in the bible , who are marked by the devil , to devote themselves to the pleasures and passions of this hell-grown world ? let them answer for themselves ; 〈◊〉 if they cannot , i can ; they are of the latter description , they are an ab●mination before the l●rd , and before his holy people on earth ; they have stipulated with the devil their pre●ious souls for fashionable dress & pride ; and as god says , cannot escape the damnation of hell. therefore , readers , do not ye be of this accursed number , but follow the advice given in this little pamphlet of very great value ; cast away instantly your fashionable dress , pride , ●rippery , and all accursed worldly show , and you will make the devil fly away from you , roaring with despair ; and god and the innumerable host of heaven will shout for joy , and the windows of heaven will be opened unto you . give atrention now , ye wealthy , ye great wicked ones , who are squandering thousands and tens of thousands yearly in superfluous excesses , which are the works of the son of perdition . squander your thousands on the purchase of millions of bibles , new testaments , hymn books , and psalm books , scatter them among the people like corn before the plow , by which all the human race will learn to know the lord , and do his blessed will ; propagate the gospel of christ in its original purity , until all the people shall know that the gospel sound alone is sure salvation , and not the abominable works of man's hands ; renounce idolatry ; sue for the property of the distressed , when wronged by the unjust ; distrib●te justice without favour or affection , and god will love you and keep you in safety . read the bible the ensuing long winter evenings , ye and your families ; expound it to each other every night , and if at leisure in the day time also . glorify god , let your conversation turn on every verse , on every chapter you read , of the wonderful works of the lord iesus christ and his apostles : then your conversation will be in heaven , and this is also the communion of saints , so little understood in this world . let that same jesus never leave your thoughts ; this is what the apostle means , where he says , pray without ceasing ; this incessant silent meditation on jesus , is certain salvation ; this is worshiping in spirit and in truth , because god is in christ , your souls then feed on him , and grow rich in grace , and grace is the gradual operation of the holy ghost , which brings you from glory to glory . let all men and women be exhorters to good , by their profound knowledge of the bible , which will abolish evil from the human race ; empty your purses to put all the indigent to industry , who have the inclination but not the means ; and after doing all these things , and ten thousand times more , do not take the least merit to yourselves ; it is not ye that do it , it is the holy ghost in ye ; therefore give all the merit to god , and all the glory ; and then know he has only done ye the honor of choosing ye to be useful machines to do his business ; and if ye are conscious in your hearts it is so , and that ye firmly believe that property which ye so distribute is his , and not your own , ( as all wealthy fools imagine ) then the wide expanse of heaven is open for your enjoyment as soon as your fervency of love for him desire it , with millions of millions of pleasures , with him on his holy mountain ; do all those things if you can , and if you can and do not , read your dreadful sentence in the new testament . give attention again , ye wealthy ; cast away all your ●rippery , your variegated head-dr●sses , and all other ornaments calculated to adorn your carcas●s for praise and admiration , which is certain c●●demnation to your souls ; play no cards or other gambling ; never enter them hellish seminaries of corruption called play-houses ; do not suffer a play book of any kind , romance or novel , inside your houses ; they are the keys that unlock the doors of hell ; propagate industry , the arts and sciences , travels , voyages , geography , the globes , the maps , &c. among the poor ; squander god's money in all such employments , but let holy writ be always uppermost in your thoughts , and the subjects of your conversations , when the others are not absolutely necessary ; become domesticks , and ●ay no more ridiculous fashionable vis●ts ; do not continue to make gods of your filthy carcases , with made dishes , iuscious meats and ●rinks , or other vicious extravagancies ; you must certainly give an account of every shilling you unnecessarily lay out on your persons and families , and if contrary to the observations made here and in the new testament , th●n the dreadful and intolerable sentence is 〈◊〉 for an endless eternity . a seasonable hint dear f●llow traveller thro' the wilderness of this world. you and i must soon appear before the judgment seat of christ , and as we may possibly never meet again in this ●if● , a 〈◊〉 hints concerning that most joyful or most awful event may not be unseasonable . the bible is the word of the living god ; for all scrip●ure is given by inspiration of god : holy men of god s●ake and worte as they were move● by the holy ghost the follwing hints taken from that divine book deserve your immediate and most serious consideration . the word of god assures us , that you and i are sinners , for god hath n●lu●ed all under sin , — there is none that doeth good and 〈◊〉 not , no not one , — we were even sh●p●n in iniquity , and in sin did our mother con●●ive us . another awful truth contained in scripture is , that the wages of sin , is hell — and that it is appointed unto all men once to a●e , and after death the iudgment ; that heart searching judgment , where not an action in your life , — not a word of your tongue , nor a thought of your heart , — will escape the notice of that jesus , who will be the judge of both the quick and the dead ; then the righteous and the wicked will recei●● according to the things done in the body , whether 〈◊〉 be good or evil . the righteous shall go away into everlasting life , — but the wicked will be ●ast down to hell , to be tormented with devils and damned spirits for ever and ever . oh , how dreadful will that be to you and m● if thro' our sins we should come into that ●lace of torment ! i would further ●int to you that the blessed god hath manifested his grace and love and hath shewn his tender pity and compassion in giving his dear son , the lord jesus christ to be a redeemer , and saviour of poor lost sinners ; that jesus is both god and man in one divine person , that he might be able to save the very worst of sinners who come unto god thro' him . his blood was shed on the cro●s for your redemption , from sin , death , and hell , — his spotless righteousness was wrought out for your eternal justification , if you indeed , and in truth believe in him . he obeyed the law of god in your room and 〈◊〉 ; and be died , that you might not die eternally ; and is that glorious sun of righteousness that will arise and shine upon his people for ever and ever . in order to your saving knowledge of jesus christ , your having ●aith in him , and a living union with him , a very great change must pass in your heart and li●e . this change is the peculiar work o● the holy ghost , and is called in scripture , re●eneration , or the new birth . except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdom of god. you know , that this divine change manifests itself by a heart deeply humbled under a sense of sin ; and an earnest desire after salvation . it further shews itself by a discovery of jesus christ , as a suitable , compassionate , and all ●ufficient saviour , and by a holy life and conversation . to them that believe christ is percious . — he is the chief among ten thousand , and altogether lovely . — oh is he ●o to you and me ! ●xamine your heart daily on this weighty question — do you know jesus christ ? do you love him ? are you devoted to him , and do you put all your trust in him ? if you do , you are happy . — if not , your condition is most miserable . l●t me beseech you by the mercies of god , by the love of jesus , and by the worth of your precio●s soul , that you earnestly pray , o! my heavenly father , forgive my sins , and ●eveal thy dear son in me ; blessed jesus ! let me be redeemed by thy blood , and clothed with thy righteousness . — oh! holy and blessed spirit , ●anctify my heart , be in me a spirit of frequent and fervent prayer . give me faith in jesus christ — teach me to love him , and give me grace to grow like him — and make me what thou wouldst have me to be . guide me by thy counsel and fit me for thy glory . let me beg of you , ( my dear ) to give up your heart to these things , that we may meet in heaven , and be for ever with the lord . i conclude with intreating you most affectionately to consider these things directly . life is uncertain — death — judgment , — heaven and hell , are at hand , and are awful things — devote your time to seek an interest in jesus christ as your saviour and redeemfr — ask and you shall re●●ive , seek and you shall find , kno●k and it shall be opened unto you . that the lord may bless these hints to your soul , is the earnest prayer of your hearty well-wisher , for jesus ' sake . christianus . the quaker's advice . as i have often , in passing along the streets and highways , heard the most sacred name very profane●y made use of , both by men and women , and many grievously calling for damnation on themselves and one on another , my heart has been , and is , deeply afflicted t●ereat : and therefore i beseech you , in the name of jesus christ , do not defile your souls which are dear and precious , by any wilful sin : and amongst other things , do not ta●e the holy name of god in vain , for the lord will not hold him or her guiltless that taketh his holy name in vain . god is willing to save you ; why should any of you lose and destroy yourselves ? observe this attentively ; for notwithstanding all that the lord has done , and is d●ing for us , such as die in their sins , where he is gone , they can never come . abstain from drunkenness , and all excess , and from every appearance of evil , love one another , as jesus christ hath loved you ; apply yourselves to the witness of god within you , which reproves you for evil ; submit to , and obey its holy manifestations and discoveries and it will do much more for you than a●● you can hear from any man. this witness of god is the word of his grace , even the word of life , the holy ghost , which is able to save your souls . in the love of the gospel , i invite you all to come and taste how good and merciful the lord is towards all those that return to him with their whole hearts . if you are such a one , who can , through an ill habit and bad custom , curse , swear , and do any other bad action , almost without reproof or feeling ; though your case be so desperate , there is yet mercy with god that he may be feared : and i advise you to endeavour to be still a few minutes in the morning , when you awake , before you rise up , and then think seriously with yourself thus : i have not given my being to myself : i am accountable to the author and creator of it ; and this day he ( the lord of all ) will take notice of all my actions ; this day he will hear all my words ; this day he will know all my thoughts ; and at a certain time ( yet unknown to me when ) my soul must give him a full account . i am not without some degree of hope , that such serious reflections may be conducive to raise desires like these : oh! that i may be watchful . oh! that i may sin no more as long as i live : for we must cease to do evil before we can learn to do well . therefore silence before the lord , and attention to his reproofs of instruction in your own heart , which are the way to life , are the first steps to come to christ , and to be made a real christian. self enquiries for every morning . 1. was god in my thoughts at lying down and ●ising up ? and were the thoughts of him sweet and refreshing to my soul ? 2. in what frame is my heart this morning ? do i admire the goodness of god in the last night's sleep , and for adding more time to my life ? and am i heartily thankful ? 3. can i r●ally commit myself and all my affairs to god this day , to be guided by his counsel , and protected and provided for , by his care , and to be entirely at his disposal ? 4. am i resolved to speak for god and his glory ? and in the strength of christ , will i n●ither be afraid , ashamed , nor weary of well-doing ? 5. am i a child of god and an heir of glory ? and does the spirit of god testify that i am born again . if i am god's child , should i not wear the garments of righteousness , and take heed of defiling myself with sin ? should i n●t do more than others ? 6. who is the greatest deceiver ? if my heart should i not be jealous . and watchful over it : where are the greatest dangers , and m●st p●rnicious mistakes ? if in so●l concerns , should i not venture the loss of all things rather than lose my precious , never-dying soul ? 7 who are my most implacable , powerful and soul-destroying enemies , but the world , the flesh and the devil ? and should i no● w●●ch and be sober ; so as neither to idoli●e the 〈◊〉 ▪ pamper the second , nor listen to the third ? 8 who is or can be my best friend ▪ but god ? and should i not fear his displeasure more than death , desire his favour more than life , and thro' all this day love , honour , and obey him . 9. where is the greatest vanity and vexation , but in the world ? and should i not live above it ? 〈◊〉 not godliness the greatest gain ? and should i not make it my chiefest business . 10. what is my heavenly work ▪ but to strive , r●● , w●estle , fight ? and can ● do all this withou● care , dilige●ce and watchfulness ? 11. whose eyes will be upon me all this day , to observe my head and heart , my lip , and life , but his who is the judge of all the earth ? and dare i sin in his presence , and affront him to his face ? 12. if i should spend this day in vanity , idleness , or sin , will it not be sorrow●ul at night ? if i spend it holily and p●ofitably , shall i not pray with greater confidence , lie down more peacefully , and have 〈◊〉 ●estimony of a good conscience for my rejoicing . 13 how would i have this day appear at the day of judgment ? ought not my though●s , words and actions to be such now , as i 〈◊〉 then wish them to have been ? 14. how may i this day order my secular business with most prudence and wisdom , integrity and upligh●ness and for my real advantage ? 15. am i now fit to draw nigh to god in pray●● , and can i seek first . and as my chief concern , the kingdom of god and his righteousness ? 16. am i now willing to take christ alone for righteousness ? and to devote all my time and 〈◊〉 to him ? and to offer him praise continually ? self enquiries for every evening . 1. what have i done this day for god and his glory ? what can i look back upon with comfo●● ? 2. in what frame hath my heart been all this day ? have i more desired heavenly or earthly things ? hath my jo●s been more in god and in the hopes of ●uture glory , than in worldly riches , honours or pleasures ▪ was my g●●ef more for sin or for the troubles of li●e ? have i more derived comfort from the broken cis●erns of created good , or from god the living fountain ? 3. what were m● intentions ? have i been sincere , and maintained a conscience void of off●●c● towards god and towards man ? did i eat and drink , pray , and converse to the glory of ged , or was self ●ppermost in all ? 4. what spiritual duties have i performed this day ? did i regard the manner as well as the ma●●er , and do them from conscience not from custom ? did i pray servently , and ●ead and m●ditate so as to affect my heart ? 5. how faithful diligent ▪ and care●ul , have i been in my place and calling ? and have there been no idle hours in the day ? 6. what has been my company this day ? what good have i done them or received from them ? did ● reprove , exhort and strengthen ▪ encourage , comfort and w●rn , as the matter required ? 7. how have i bo●●e the crosses and troubles of the day ? did i neither despise them , nor saint under them ; neither entert●in hard thoughts of god , nor utter rash words against him ? 8. what were my temptations this day ? was i easi●y d●awn into sin , or restrained and overawed by god's all-seeing eye , merciful heart , or a●enging hand ? what convict●on , merey , or warning did i sin against ? and have i repented of my sin ? 9. what were my enjoyments , and how was my hear●●ffected under them ? was i affected with the goodness of god to me in my health , ●riends and estate , and unfeignedly thankful for them ? 10. what have i learned this day ? have i got more heart-affecting knowledge of god and of his glory ; and of myself and of my sins ? of this word and that which is to come ? 11. what have i remembered of the word of god , whether read or heard ? was any 〈◊〉 sweet 〈◊〉 my soul , and did i by ●aith make any promise my ow● did any particular precept 〈…〉 ? 12. what graces have i 〈…〉 ? have i lived by ●ai●h . loved god , and 〈…〉 for chr●st : have i had 〈◊〉 to god the 〈◊〉 , as my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ; to 〈…〉 saviour , 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ; and to the holy 〈◊〉 as my 〈◊〉 strength and com●o●●er ? 13 have i been suitably affected with the 〈◊〉 or miseries of others , whether 〈…〉 have i had a compassionate heart , and 〈◊〉 hand to any in want ? 14 have i especially done good to them who a●e of the 〈…〉 . however 〈…〉 ? 15. did the c●●●ch of god 〈…〉 of christ ●e near my heart ? have i 〈…〉 the welfare of christs chu●ch , and 〈◊〉 its desolations , and 〈◊〉 heav●n abo●e my 〈◊〉 joy. 16. have i really set death before me , and 〈◊〉 my life as a vapour ? if god should this ●ight clo●e my eyes in death , how is it like to be with my soul ? 17. lo●●nceivably great , glorious and terrible as the day of judgment will be , dare i meet christ at his coming ? will my graces bear the t●ial of that day ? can i now with joy say , even so , come 〈◊〉 iesus ? lady jane grey's letter to her sister , the evening before she was beheaded in the towe● of london . translated from the original gre●k . i have sent you , my dear fi●●er catharine , a book , which , though ●t be not exte●nal●y 〈◊〉 with gold , or curious embroidery of nee●l● work , ● internally of more value than a● the precious mines in the wide world , my only dear and best beloved 〈◊〉 , it is the book of the law of our great and dear redeemer ; his testimony and last 〈◊〉 ▪ bequeathed to lead us to e●ernal happiness . read it with attention and an earnest de●ire to follow its precepts , and it wi●●urely bring you to immo●tal and everlasting life , teach you to live ●nd die , win you to god. e●dow you with happiness and glory . labour to live acco●ding to the rules it contains , and you shall inherit su●h riches , as the covetous cannot wi●hd●●w , the thie● steal , nor the moth corrupt . my dear sister , ask wisdom from above , and de●ire with david to understand the law of the lord our god , 〈◊〉 on the 〈◊〉 of thy heart by divi●e love , live still to die , that through death you may obtain eternal life . let not your youth blind you from knowing that at all hours , times , and seasons , are alike to the most high god , when he 〈…〉 are they 〈◊〉 ●amps are 〈◊〉 when he comes ; the lord is equall● glorified in the young as in the old ; my dear good si●ter , 〈◊〉 to die , deny the ●en 〈◊〉 of the wo●●d , the 〈◊〉 , and the d●vil , and delight 〈…〉 in the lo●d . jesus christ ; be sorry for yo●r sins ; love god , do●●e●lpair , be strong in faith in christ , live and die him the dear redeemer , and with st. paul , wh● fi●led with the fulness of divine love , you will 〈◊〉 to be d●ssolved , to be with christ , wi●h whom 〈◊〉 love and life eternal ; be the good servant , that wh●●eath steals on , like a thief in the n●gh● , you b● not found in da●k●ess , with the children of th● world , who know not god , and be not witho●● oil in your lamp , like the foolish virgins , least yo● be re●used ad●it●ance to the marriage ●upper of th● lamb ; or w●thou● the w●dding ga●ment , least 〈◊〉 be cast into outer da●kness ; rejoice in the redeemer , follow our great master christ , ●heerfully bear your cross or crosses , lay a●l your sins on hi● shoul●ers , and embrace him always . rejoice with me , at my death , my dearest sister . that i shall be delivered from this body of corruption , and clothed with the garment of incorruption ; for by 〈◊〉 this mortal life , i shall obtain one immor●al , joyful , glorious , and eve●lasting , which i pray the almighty god to give you when he shall please to call you hence , and send you all sufficient grace . ●o live in his love and fear , and die in true christian ●aith , in christ jesus , who redeemed us , and all who love him , and long for his coming ; a●d i now exhort you , in the name of our almighty father , neve● to swerve either from the hope of life or ●ear of death : for if you deny his truth to prolong a we●ry and corrupt being , omniporence himself will 〈◊〉 you , and cu● sho●● by his vengeance , what 〈◊〉 were desirous of prolonging , by the loss of your precious soul. cleave to him ▪ and he will ex●end : your days to a 〈◊〉 circumsribed to his own glory ; to which i 〈◊〉 god bring me now , a●d you hereaf●er , when it shall please him to call you farewell . once more , my beloved 〈◊〉 , put your whole ●ru●t in the great 〈◊〉 who alone ca● help you — amen your loving sister , j●ne dudley . she was a lady of the m●st amiable person , most engaging disposition , and 〈◊〉 ●●c●mpl●shed parts . she 〈…〉 greatest 〈◊〉 in acq●●●ing every part of poli●e li●e●●●ure ▪ had a 〈◊〉 knowledge of the ro●●a● and greek languages , 〈◊〉 modern tongues , and the elega●● arts ▪ the best of wives to the most aff●cti●nate husband , she re●u●ed being placed on the ●hrone , till 〈◊〉 by her father , father-in-law and h●sb●●d : when she had been warned to prepare for death , which she had long expected , she received the dreadful news with jo● , the queen 's bigo●●ed zeal ( under colour of tender mercy to the prisoner's soul ) induced her to send priests , who tormented her wi●h perpetual disputations , and ● 〈◊〉 was granted her on conditions that she would embrace the ●do●atrous wo●ship of the church of rome : 〈◊〉 she he●d death and christ in greater esteem . lady jane had presence of mind ( in them 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 circumstances , to d●fend her religion with a christian for●itude , supported from holy writ ▪ and also wrote a letter to her sister in the ●reek ●angua●e , exhorting her to maintain , in every reve●se of fortune , the like steady ●erse●erance ▪ on the da● of her execution . she re●used to see her ●●sband lord guil●ord , but sent him word ▪ that the ●e●derness of their ●arting , might probab●● 〈…〉 ▪ 〈…〉 from that co●●●ancy which their approaching end ●●qu●red of them . their separation would be only fo● a m●m●nt , and would soon r●join each other in 〈◊〉 , where their affections would be 〈…〉 ; and where death , disappointments , and 〈◊〉 co●ld no lo●ger have access to them , 〈◊〉 break on their happin●●s . extracts relative to the church of rome . ( by lady wallace . ) to be able to judge of the discontent which is now general in all roman catholic countries , as well to draw natural conclu●ions from those com●●●tions which seem to be inevitable , from the a●arice of the c●ergy , you must go back to the infancy of christianity , and make you●self acquainted with the increase , abuse , and decrease of the power of the church of rome , which now , even it s once most supe●stitious adherents begin to revolt against , from the avarice and depravity of the clergy . begin from a d. 66 , when we find the marty●●dom of pe●er and paul upon record : and the appointment of st. lin , to be bishop of rome ; happy for ch●istianity , the cruel 〈◊〉 which cru●hed and ha●assed the ens●●ved people , rendered them greedy to adopt a doctrine which promised comfo●t to their sufferings , eternal rest and blessings herea●●e● , in proportion to their oppression and sufferings in this world . in the three fi●st ages of the church . the bishop of rome ▪ in common wi●h the other ●ishops ▪ preached the ●●ctrine of christianity in all tha● purity which ou● s●viour commanded to all his disciples , vested all with equal powers : piety , moderation , and priva●●on ma●ked their lives , and there never was me●tion m●de of any superior power being invested in the bishop of rome , till the days of constantine the 〈…〉 new mode●●ed the empire , and gave the 〈…〉 power of regulating all religious disputes 〈◊〉 church rites and re●orms ; but always re●erving to the emperor the power of au●horizing . or a●●ulling , the decisions of the bishop this power , ●he e●npero●s continued to exercise , without any bishop having ever hinted , that by divine authority he poss●ss●d any superiority over the other bishops , or over the government of his own country , far less in that of his ●eighbours . at the period when civil discord and foreign wars so convul●ed and dis●embered the empire , that no 〈◊〉 could take upon him the government of the 〈◊〉 , the emperor invested the bishops as his agents ; and they assumed af●erwards this power as their right , in the fourth century , and no emperor afterwards was powerful enough to re-assume his rights . upon the popes becoming ve●ted with the civil government , their luxury and v●ces became scandalous . they were followed by ●l●ves and mistress●s in the streets in the greatest pomp , and from their riches and power they were able to usu●p that superiority over the other bishops which they some time a●●er a●●empted to m●ke their credulous adherents believe they had been impowered by christ to assume . the high 〈◊〉 and affluence bestowed by constantine upon the s●e of rome , made all the 〈◊〉 bishops anxiou● to succeed to it , and ●●storia●s tell us , that the sa●e co●●up●ion and in●rigue were u●●d in those days as there is now to make a pope . in 378. the emperor gratian formed a spiritual court , which confisted of the bishop of rome , and seven ●●her bishops ; to judge finally of all church 〈◊〉 ; and he 〈◊〉 that all his subjects should ●ddp● the belief of the trinity , and become of the christian church , whi●● proved that he ( who was bec●me a christian ) was head of the church and supreme in power ▪ and this was frequently shewn by the emp●rors making the monks serve as soldiers , and the bishops of rome as ambassadors : one of the popes , sylverius , was starved to death when on an embassy . ●till the eighth century , we 〈◊〉 the popes power no greater than that o● our archbi●hops ; after that 〈◊〉 , the imbeci●●●y , superstition , and often the poverty and difficulties of the emperors , tempted them to give the popes sovereign power over provinces , titles , a●d homage , to gain 〈◊〉 , or pardon of their 〈◊〉 . so soon as 〈…〉 were declared head of the. church , they 〈…〉 those pagans who had turned 〈◊〉 christianity to 〈◊〉 same ideas to them that they had to their 〈◊〉 druids , that the per●on who was exc●mmunicated by them , was degraded , and deprived of the common 〈◊〉 of the people ; and thu● 〈◊〉 began first to 〈◊〉 damnation on nations and king ; who devia●ed from 〈◊〉 politics . in this same century , pep●● , in 〈◊〉 , finding his sovereign , childeric , a weak p●ince , ●o 〈◊〉 the ambitious scheme of 〈◊〉 him , and 〈◊〉 his throne , which pope z●cheria encouraged him 〈◊〉 do ; knowing that if pepin succeeded , he could not do without the influence of the church , over the minds of the people , as well as the riches of its treasury : for which pepin promised to aid him with his arms , and every art to establish his power ; and after pepin by these means had completed his 〈◊〉 , the ; pope was attacked by allulph , a lomb●rd prince . when pepin hastened to his succour , and forced 〈…〉 totally to give●up to the pope the 〈◊〉 of rome . in the time of pope adrian , who succeeded zacheria , charlemagne , who succeeded pepin , again rep●l●ed the lombard princes , who wi●hed to reduce the ●avished power of the papal splendor . char●emagne ●ound the pope a ve●y powerful friend : from the bigotry , the natural produce of ignorance , which reigned in those day● , the princes and people impover●shed themselves to make presents to the pope , whom they believed to be endowed with su●ernatural powers , from the miracles and 〈◊〉 they daily 〈◊〉 by their know●edge in 〈◊〉 and chemistry , which knowledge was 〈◊〉 confined to the priesthood . thus by reading history , you will 〈◊〉 by what almost imperceptible degrees the church of rome emerged from all the simplicity and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 doct●ines of christ , to e●joy that splendour and corruption which have 〈…〉 many ages distinguished it . surely the leading 〈◊〉 to become a traitor and a 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 ●o the doc●rines of our saviour . one of the pope● causes of the great success of the 〈◊〉 was , that 〈◊〉 were elected ; they were 〈◊〉 always men of ●ho●en abilities , and a●ts , 〈◊〉 to the study of enr●ching and agrandizing the 〈◊〉 : if any pope turned out a man of a different cast , the cardinals lost no time to murder or depo●e him ; whereas the princes who succeeded their 〈◊〉 were either fools or wise men , as the chance of fortune directed . the popes , under pretence of managing the 〈◊〉 of the church and the con●ciences of kings , were a●ways fending men to undermine the polities of every cabinet ; either by encouraging the weaknesses of the leading men , or by denouncing thunders which 〈◊〉 the weak minde● and 〈◊〉 ; and thus with the aid of all powerful gold 〈…〉 i●fluence . there●ore , it is 〈◊〉 to be wondered at , that they should so long have kept all europe in a state of blood , barbari●m and bigotry , which 〈◊〉 would have been i●s wretched 〈◊〉 , had not england , swi●zerland , and many of the german principalities , by the will of providence , re●o●med ▪ an● 〈◊〉 from the u●j●st vsurpa●ion of the church of rome . re●igion 〈◊〉 that period has ce●sed to be the 〈…〉 of state intrigues in those rival nations which gave laws to the world . should a general reform of that church now h●ppen , which is very probab●e , the minds of its ad●e●ents seem ripe for revolt , from their groaning severely under the tyranny of a corrupt avar●cious clergy ; and we may expect to see all europe enjoy pe●manent peace ●ut the restless spirit of domination in the romish clergy will leave no attempt u●●ried to secu●e their power ; and it is only by a conflict which must produce va●ied 〈◊〉 of blo●d , that they will submit to restore their usurped spoils : we find that already many of them have kept the chair by ass●ssinations , cruelty and treachery . sergiu● the third made one of his numerous bas●ards , pope , under the name of john the eleventh . john the twel●th was also a bastard of pope agape●us ; for in those days , 〈◊〉 those heroes willingly made the sacrifice to god of that generally troublesome appendage to a libe●●ine — a wife , yet the● could not dispense with a variety of mistresses . gregory the se●ond profited the most by his amours ; for the empr●ss matilda , and the daughter of the duke of tuscany left him large legacies . pascal the second stirred up and supported henry the fifth to act so bad a part by his father ; for it was those scan●●lous ●epresentatives of divine virtue which armed ●ons against their fathers , and made them be●●me ra●●ors to their oath and allegiance . alexander the 〈◊〉 is reco●ded as a wonder of brutal crimes-clement the seventh had the mortification to see 〈…〉 his cha●● , and could work no miracle to prevent his being dr●ven out of rome . he also 〈◊〉 the emperor 〈◊〉 cry loudly against the pow●r and u●urpation of the 〈◊〉 , which awed him so ●uch that he lost england , as he dared not give 〈◊〉 to hen●y the eighth to divor●e catharine of a●●agon , becau●e she was the aunt of charles whom he was afraid more to irritate . henry , enraged against every thing which stood in opposition to his wishes , bu●ned the pope in ●ffigy in lon●on , and ordered every ore to change their ●eligion with as little remoise as he changed his wife : thus an 〈◊〉 people are for e●er persecuted by despotic ●ools . paul the third was famous for being the most luxurious and licen●ious man of his time ; he made his ba●●ards cardinals whe● boys . at this period the ●lergy made a violent effort to re-establish their power in englan● ; and mary with that cru●l , revengeful spirit , which seems to have been the most powerful engine of the church , by burning and ex●irpating all those who dared oppose her , did all she could to bring england again under the yoke of pop●●y : but such a co●●uct was not calculated to make pro●elytes of the minds of men , enlightened by the mild i●fluence of truth , and it soon pleased god to purge the ear●h of such a monster . but it was 〈◊〉 to paul the fourth to see the mortal blow given to the power of the s●e of rome , in the glorious reign of elizabeth , whose want of ●oleration , which stained her name with a sister's death , arose from a conviction that tolerating such opposite doct●ines in the chur●● , must inevitably , sooner or later , involve the 〈◊〉 in civil disco●d . six●us the 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 , at england's having not only thrown off the 〈◊〉 of rome but her sudden rise to grand ●r and 〈◊〉 , that he promised philip the second to secure to him the 〈◊〉 of britain , prov●ded he would do h●m●ge to him , but all his hol● 〈◊〉 and masses would not save the invin●●b●e armada . in latter times , the popes have 〈◊〉 a ver● 〈◊〉 conduct in com●arison to 〈◊〉 former . their intrigues are now chie●ly 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 money on the superstitious , and in that debau●her● which so eminently distinguishes the clerg● in the roman catholic count●ies , where the harrassed people revo●● at seeing the divine representatives of christ such avaricious 〈◊〉 ; and poor , miserable and di●contented they only wait an opportunity to throw off the yoke , and worship god in purity and sincerity no p●i●ce is now so ignorant as to tremble at the thunders of the vatican : yet the pope c●●tinues to impoveri●h the neigh●ouring ki●gdoms , b● selling every year his bulls nec●ss●ry for all ranks of the priesthood , to their being in orders ; it would appear very wonderful that sovereig●s should continue to submit to what so evidentl● impoverishes their people , did not that love of despotism . which is imbi●ed with the name of king , render them unwilling to destroy its chief source . on a view of the many vicious characters who have filled the chair , one shudders to think in this enlightened age , that any part of mankind shou●d attribute to such sinners the virtues of christ , and lo●k on men polluted with every crime , as ves●ed with a supernatural power . at fi●st , by degree● , by treac●ery and us●rpation on the part of the 〈◊〉 of rome , by interested motives on the part of the emperor , and b● big●try in the people , they a●●ved a● that wealth , splendor and power . wh●ch th●y make their 〈◊〉 followers falsely believe th●● have derived ●●om heaven : but now the mi●ds of men are ope●ing to the treacherous delusions which have so long duped them . and reformation o● an absolu●● revolution , will most likely soon be ●ffected in all 〈◊〉 governments . an answer to doctor priestly , and all other deis●ical unitarians , who deny christ's divinity ; by a christian unitarian , who believes in christ's divinity . this is a subject of the greatest importance to mankind , par●i●ularly as their eternal happiness depends on the knowledge of this great divine m●ster● , which the pe●ple who imagine they are christians ▪ concei●edly 〈◊〉 themselves they have a perfect knowledge of ; and some independent people will spurn with contempt at the impudence of any spiritual , enlightened person , who will dare intrude so trifling a subj●ct on their idle fashionable hours : yet a great many who read this will acknowledge that not one in a million know any thing of the matter , not know how to-call-on the deity , or what deity to-call-on . mankind may be informed in the new testament , that in the last days , ( which is shortly before the general judgmen● ) fa●se prophe●s shall appear and deny the lord j●sus christ , who bought them with his blood , and will almost deceive the very el●ct . the word elect means such as are filled with the holy ghost . in the book of isaiah the propher , in the old testament , god speaks frequently of his intention of essuming flesh and becoming man , and even speaks to the humanity , and the humanity to his divinity ; which confound the unconverted , not knowing how to separate the divinity from the humanity . the followi●g remarks and explanations will prove there 〈◊〉 but one god ▪ or one being to be worshipped , which is the invisible god in the visible christ , and the holy ghost in god this is well known to the elect only and is also called grace , which word grace 〈◊〉 understood by the unconverted externally only , not internally . whosoever worships christ , includes the god-head . in isaiah , cha● . 1 , and ver . 4 , god calls himself the holy one of israel , verse 11 , he never delighted in offerings . verse 13. incense an a●omination , verse 18 , though your sins be red as scarlet they shall be made white as snow , verse 24 , lord of hosts . mighty one of israel . chap. 7. verse 14 , shews how the virgin mary was to conceive and bear a son , whole name should be ●manuel ( which is god ) . chap 8. verse 13 , 14 , the lord of hosts himself shall be your fear a●d dread , he shall be for a sanctuary ( a holy place to resort to ) , but to some people a stumbling none , a rock of offence , and a sna●e , ●such as despise information to holiness and christ. the same words are mentioned of christ in the new testament . chap. 9 , verse 6 , shews the birth of christ , that his name shall be wonderful , counsellor , the migh●y god , the everlasting father , the p●ince of peace there shall be no end to his government , it shall hold for ever this chapter and verse is sufficient to prove christ god. chap 11 , and five first verses , shew the birth of christ , that is in his human nature , saying , there shall appear ▪ a rod , or branch of the root of j●sse [ j●ss●-was david's father . ] and the 〈◊〉 of the lord shall rest-upon him , he shall be filled with wisdom , understanding , counsel , might , knowledge , righteousness . ver. 11. the lord shall set his hand the second time [ christ ] to recover the remnant 〈◊〉 p●ople . chap 12 , his people will praise him , and say , behold god is my salvation , the lord jehovah 〈◊〉 my strength , &c. chap 17 , verse 6 , 7 , lord god of israel , man's maker , and holy one of is●ael . verse 10 , the god of s●lvation ▪ and the rock . chap 40 , ●erse 1. 3. the voice of john the bap●ist in the wilderne●s [ ●his worl● ] p●epa●e the way of the lord in the 〈…〉 make a straight way for our god [ christ ] . ver. 〈◊〉 all s●●sh shall see it , which was god's sanctua●y , christ. v 9. b●● old your god. verse 10 , behold the lord god will come , with a strong hand he shall rule , his reward is with him , his work [ on earth ] is 〈◊〉 him . verse 11 , he shall 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 like a ●hepherd , gather his lambs , carry them in his bosom , a●d gently lead those that are wi●h young , &c. chap. 41 , verle 4 , iam the first and the last . verse 13 ▪ 14 ▪ he i● lord god , the redeemer and holy 〈…〉 . chap. 42 , first five verses , god speaks of assu●ing fle●h , and then says he h●s cr●at●d heaven and ea●th , and all thing● , and gave breath to the peop●e . chap 43 ▪ verse 3 ▪ i am the lord god , the holy o●e of is●ael , , the 〈◊〉 . ver. 〈◊〉 i am he lord and only saviour . ve●se . 13 , before the ●ay was made , i am . verse 14 ▪ god is lord re●eemer and holy one of israel . vers. 25. i b●●t out transgression , and will not remember 〈◊〉 for my own sake . chap. 44 ▪ verse 6 ▪ i am the lord , the 〈◊〉 of israel , the re●e●mer , 〈◊〉 lord of hosts , i am 〈…〉 and i am the last , a●d b●sides me there is no god. chap. 45 , verse 15 , god of is●ael , the sav●●ur . chap. 48 , verse 12 , 〈…〉 , i am the 〈◊〉 , i also am the 〈◊〉 . verse 17. the lord , re●e●mer , holy one of israel , the lord god. chap 49. this chapter entirely requ●●es to be expl●in●d , out it is suff●cient to say , 〈◊〉 the humanity and 〈…〉 , to , and of , each other . in verse 26 , god concludes , saying , ●ll fleth shall know , that i the lord am saviour , redeemer , and mighty one of israel . chap. 50 , verse 1 , 2 , 3 ▪ god speaks in the divinity , and in verse 4 ▪ 5 ▪ 6 ▪ 7. &c. he speaks in the in●ended humanity ▪ and says , i gave my back to 〈◊〉 ●miters , and my che●ks to them that plucked off the hair , i hid 〈◊〉 my face from shame and spi●●ing . ch. ●1 verse 1 , he speaks in the divinity , and calls himself the rock . chap , 53 , god calls his humanity [ ch●●●● ] his arm , he has no beauty extraordinary , but 〈◊〉 in his human form be de●pis●d and ●ej●cted among men , a man of sorrows , and acq●ainted with g●ief , shu●●ed by men and not esteemed , he bore manking's grief and sorrow ▪ though they believed he was 〈…〉 , and afflict●d of god , with his sufferings to the end of this chapter . chap 54 , verse 5 , god sa●s , i am creator , lord of ●●osts , redeemer , holy one of israel , and god of the whole earth . jeremiah , chap. 2. ver 13 , god is the fountain of hving waters . zacariah , chap. 12 , verse 10. they shall look 〈◊〉 whom they have pierced . having made a few observations out of many , from isaiah the prophet , proving god to have become christ , by taking on him human nature , and appearing like man : it now remains necessary to prove christ from the doctrines of the new testament , to be that same god spoken of in the old by references . in the beginning of the new testament , and first chapter of matthew , verse 21 , 22 , 23 , it appears the virgin mary was to bring forth a ●on , who should save his people from their sins , and his name shall be called emanuel [ that is god ] reference to isaiah , c. 1. v. 18. c. 7 , v 14. c 43 , v. 25 , c 44 , v. ● . mathew , chap. 2 , v 1 , 2 , his star in heaven guided the wise m●n of the east to . jerus●lem , to worship jesus and the● called jesus king of the jews a●d worshiped him . 〈◊〉 ●● , and they fell down and worshiped him . ma●hew , c. 3 , v 3. john bap●it●●●id , prepare the way of the lord , make his path stra●gh● . refer to isaiah , ch 40. v. 13 , in isaiah jesus is called g●d . mathew . chap. 4. v. 4 , man shall ●ve by every word that proceeds out of ●he mou●h of god. 〈◊〉 7. jesus said to the devil , it is written again , thou 〈◊〉 not tempt the lord thy g●d : here jesus calls himself god twice . v. 10 , the devil temp●e● j●sus a third time , and jesus grew a●gry and bid him 〈◊〉 , and desired him to worship jesus , for he was the lord god. ch. 7. v , 23 , jesus pronounces 〈◊〉 as god. ch. 9. v. 2 , jesus forgive● sins , refer to isaiah . c 43 , v. 25 mathew , c 9 , v. 18 , a great man wo●ships jesus c. 12. v. 8 je●us is lord of the sab●th , c. 15. v 22 , 25 , the woman said to jesus , have mercy on me , o lord , and worshiped him . luke , c 2 , v. 11. j●sus christ is saviour and lord , refer to isaiah , c. 43 , v. 3 , v. 11. c. 45. v. 15. c 49. v 2● . john , c. ● . in the beginning was the word , and the word was god , a●l things were made by him , and without him was not any thing made , in him was life , which was light . [ or spiritual knowledge ] to mankind . and the light shined in darkness [ mankind ] and the darkness [ of stubborn man ] comprehended it not . he was the true light , he was in the world ▪ he created the world , and the people of it , and they did not know him ; he came to his own [ the jews ] and his own would not receive him . and [ god ] the word was made flesh [ jesu● ] a●d dwelt among mankind on earth , who behe●d the glo●● of the father in him . full of grace and truth . ver. 18 , no man hath seen god at any time , the only begotten son ( or human tabernac●e ) which is in the bosom ( o● pro●ection ) of the father , hath d●clared him . verse 29. st. john says , he takes away the sins of the world . v. 33 , jesus baptizes with the holy ghost [ rivers of living water ] . this chapter proves christ the same god [ as has been observed from the book of isaiah ] the fi●st verse prove● him god [ or rather the earthy 〈…〉 th●ough ] the second and third ve●●●s prove him from the beginning to be god , the creator of all things . the tenth verse proves j●sus she same god and creator . and in the 14th verse the word ( god ) was made fl●sh , and lived in the world . in the 18th verse , the divinity [ or god ] was invisi●le , speaking in the 〈◊〉 jesus , or jesus the 〈◊〉 , decla●ing god in the 23d ve●se st. john says . he is the same god spoken of by isaiah the p●ophet . n●w , if he was not god , he could not forgive 〈◊〉 nor dispose of the holy ghost as he pleased ▪ nor create all things , nor did he commit sin himself , and if he was no● god , he would not suffer the people to worship him frequently . there is no nec●ssity ●o re●er to isaiah , to corroborate the observations made in this chapter , as most of the quotations from isaiah 〈◊〉 it . ch. 4. v. 10 ▪ if jesus was not god , he c●uld 〈◊〉 offer the w●man of samaria ▪ living waters , which is the holy gh●st refer to j●remiah , c. 2. v. 13 , in v ●4 of st. joh●'s , 4●h chap jesus said , whoever drinks of the wat●r i give , it shall be a well in him sp●inging up to everlasting life ( which water is the holy ghost ) refer to jeremiah , as before . a●d in john. c 4 v. 23 , 24. jesus said , true worshipers shall worship ●he ●ather in spirit and in truth . now observ● god [ out of christ ] is a co●suming fire , therefore he is to be worshiped in chinst , [ the sat●ctuary and propitiation for 〈◊〉 . ] ver. 42 , christ the saviour of the world refer 10 isaiah , c 43. v. 3. 1● . j●hn , c 8 v. 16 , 17 ▪ 18 ▪ 19 ▪ 〈◊〉 says , my judgment is ●●ue , i am not alone , but i and the father tha sent me , this prove● god in jesus , the earthen vess i which god made and sent ; and again he says , the test mony of two are true . god and himself ; and again he says to the people , if ●e had known me , ye would know the father also . v 29 he that sent me is with me , the father has not left me alone , for i do alwa●s the things that please him . v. 58. j●sus said before abraham was , i am , and in the old testament god is called the great i am . ch. 10 , jesus said i am the door of the sheep . by me man sh●●l be saved . i am the good shepherd , i giv● my life for my sheep . i am the good sh●pherd ▪ i know my sheep , and they know me , i lay down my life for my sheep , no man compels me or takes it from me ▪ i lay it down of myself , and take it again , because i have power , i and my father are one , the father is in me and i in him refer to isaiah , c. 40 , v 9 ●0 . 11 in john , c. ●2 , v. 45 , jesus says , whoever sees me . sees 〈◊〉 father also ; c. 14. v. 7 , whoever knows me k●ows the father , and have seen him and known him . v. 9 , he that knows me , sees and knows the father . v. 10 , i am in the father , and the father in me , and the words that i speak are not sp●ken by me , but by the father that dwells in me ; he does the works . acts , c 20 , v. 28 , g●d was crucified ▪ and purchased his people with his won blood corinth c. 5. v ●9 , god was in christ , reconciling the world to himself . the first epistle general of john , c 3 v. 5 god was manifested in the fl●●h [ chri●● ] to take away sins . rev. c. 1 , v 7 , 8. j●sus is god , behold i●come in the clouds , and every eye shall see , and also them that pierced him , and the people shall weal ; then he said , i am alpha and omega ▪ the beginning and the end , saith the lord , which is ▪ a●d which was [ on earth ] and which is to come again on earth , the almighty . v 11 , i am a●pha and omega , the fi●st and the last . v. 12. like the son of man [ jesus ] v. 17 , 18 , i am the first and the last . i am he that lived , and was crucified , and behold i am a●ive again for ever more 〈◊〉 2 , v 8 , j●sus is the first and the last , that was crucified , and is a live . ch. 4 v. 8. 9. 10 , 11 , christ proved to be god. ch. 5 , v 5. jesus is called the lion of the tri●e of juda. ch 20 , v. 12 ▪ j●sus is called god , opening the books and judgi●g the world . ch 21 , v 5 , 6 , 7 , and he tha● sat up●n the throne [ jesus judging the world ] said it is done , i am alpha and o●ega , the beginning and the end . i will give u●to the thi●sty the fountain of living waters . but unbelievers , liars , &c ▪ shall be cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone . ch. 22. v. 12 , 13 16 , behold i come quickly , my reward is with me ▪ to give according to people's works . i am alpha and om●ga , the beginning a●d the end , the fi●st and the last . i jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these thing● in the churches [ among the people ] ver. 20 ▪ he that testifies these things ▪ saith , surely i come quickly , the lord jesus 〈◊〉 . a most effectual plan , to prevent a french invasion . the people who are to execute this plan , are that class , who are possessed of perpetuities of upwards of one thousand pounds yearly , after a deduction of two thousand pounds , principal money , for each of his or her children , except the eldest son , who should have 200l . yearly from the age of 21 , and the remainder at his father's death , except 200l . yearly to the widow , if a widow should be . religion , and the bare necessaries of life , are such total strangers to the lower class of people that they are always looking for a change in the government favourable to a total annihilation of the wealthy ; and the wealthy , on the other hand , believe keeping the poor in profound pove●ty and darkness , the best way to keep them quiet ; but it is not , and only resembles a fire to be quenched by putting dry fuel on it , which will make it burn more violent ; oppression always terminates in human slaughter , though the fire may be a century kindling , or centuries : it is better for the wealthy lose a liable voluntarily , than lose all with the loss of life , i●voluntarily , like a death bed repentance , which god does not listen to ; for what man worth five , ten , or twenty thousand pounds yearly , in the hands of a banditti of assassins , would not give it all for his life . here follows the preventative : take a poor man , and settle him in a comfortable situation , making him pay ( or fecure ) a reasonable valuation ; then see what family he has , and for himself , wife , and children , abate twenty shillings yearly , each , on the following terms , give him the book called the new testament , and then say , do you and your family read this as often as ye are at leisure , and whilst you perform its contents , i will keep you in the comfortable place i have given , but no longer : wealthy one , you must do more , establish a school in your parish , or neighbourhood , and pay the teacher also ; and thus do ye wealthy ones , with all the poor , and idolatry goes to destruction ; the poor will all love you , and god will love you , the poor will revolt at the idea of invasion , or revolution , or any change that should di●comfit their comfort . or if you will not do this , subscribe a million of guineas , and all people you suspect for wishing your overthrow , give them a guinea an head to each in their families , to go to america . but this last advice will not prevent an invasion , it would be only a foolish act of charity , that god reqnires ; besides , it wonld depopulate the nation , and lessen the rent roll , then would the wealthy cry out , o my rent roll , my rent roll is not half what it was ; but god will answer , o thy rent roll has shut thee out eternally from me , thou did not send my messenger among the nations ( that is to distribute the new testament among the poor ) ; thou did not propagate the gospel . you will say your ministers did propagate the gospel , but the lord will say . your ministers are ordained with human forms , but my ministers are ordained with the holy ghost , from the foondations of the world , but ye and your ministers persecute them : and perhaps he will even say , ye have also called yourselves lords , and great ones who are but earth , which names and titles are for me only , and how can you look in my face . extracts , from dupaty's travels , in italy . in my way to the capitol i met a coach , in which were two recollet friars , the one seated backwards , the other forwards , holding between their legs something i could not distinguish . every one stopped and saluted with profound respect . i asked to whom this reverence was addressed . it is , answered one of the standers-by , to the bambino , which these good fathers are carrying to a prelate , who is very ill and given over by his physicians . i afterwards procured an explanation what this bambino was . the bambino is a little wooden jesus , richly dressed and ornamented . the convent , which has the good fortune to possess this image , neither has , nor needs any other patrimony . as soon as any person ( who can afford the expence , ) is seriously ill , they send for the bambino , and always in a coach , for he never goes on foot . two recollets conduct , and place him by the sick man , where they remain , at his expence , until he dies or recovers . the bambino is constantly running about ; they sometimes fight who shall have him at the gate of the convent , and tear him from each other ; in the summer , especially , he has extraordinary business , though he makes them pay very dearly for his visits , on account of the demand , and the hot weather . this is but fair . the progress , insolence , and intolerable tyranny of the church of rome , is now become of serious consideration and publick complaint , the establishment of which will infallibly be the destruction of church , state , laws , liberties , properties , and lives . the protestant writers , ever since the revolution , have frequently and effectually exposed and confuted this pernicious doctrine , calculated to plunder and rob the ignorant and illiterate ; to whom only the church of rome pretends to be the mother and mistress of all churches ; and domineers the vulgar and wicked into that belief , or faith ; always exerting her tyranny to continue them in the grossest darkness , and from a knowledge of the gospel light from generation to generation . the pope always imposes a belief on the ignorant , that he is successor to christ , st. peter , &c. and such blasphemy ; and none can be saved but his subjects : and eating of all the luxuries and dainties in the world , on a friday or saturday , sends people to heaven , except meat , which sends to hell , but all his , wicked doctrines being contrary to that of christ , he takes ●are the gospel light shall be kept from them , as long as he can ; well knowing a general knowledge of it , would destroy his craft , as st. paul did that of alexander the copper-smith . finis . the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. published by authoritie. good counsells for the peace of reformed churches. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a53386 of text r216583 in the english short title catalog (wing o356). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 159 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 77 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a53386 wing o356 estc r216583 99828309 99828309 32736 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a53386) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 32736) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1856:19) the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. published by authoritie. good counsells for the peace of reformed churches. t. i. davenant, john, ca. 1572-1641. hall, joseph, 1574-1656. morton, thomas, 1564-1659. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [6], 64, 22, 23, [1], 7, [1], 29, [1] p. printed for ch. downes, [london and oxford] : 1643. dedication signed: t.i. works by bishops john davenant, thomas morton, joseph hall and archbishop james ussher and french divines. imprint from wing o355. a reissue, with different prelims., of: good counsells for the peace of reformed churches, 1641. reproduction of the original in the lambeth palace library, london. eng reformation -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century -early works to 1800. a53386 r216583 (wing o356). civilwar no the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion, and the right gove [no entry] 1643 27461 153 50 0 0 0 0 74 d the rate of 74 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-11 elspeth healey sampled and proofread 2007-11 elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion , and the right government of reformed churches . wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life . ephes. 4. 15. speake the truth in love . published by authoritie . printed for ch. downes . 1643. to the godly and christian readers , grace and peace . as there is nothing more pleasing to god , than to be truly zealous for his glorie , so no way better to attaine that zeale , than to read and meditate upon gods commandements ; and strive to live in love and charitie with all men , which that you may the better performe , i beseech you peruse these ensuing discourses , and the lord give you understanding in all things . t. i. psal. 120. when i was in trouble , i called upon the lord , & he heard me . deliver my soule , o lord , from lying lips : & from a deceitfull tongue . what reward shall bee given or done unto thee , thou false tongue ? even mightie and sharp arrowes , with hot burning coles . wo is me , that i am constrained to dwell with mesech : and to have mine habitation among the tents of kedar . my soule hath long dwelt among them , that be enemies unto peace . i labour for peace , but when i speak unto them thereof , they make them ready to battell . the opinion of the right reverend father in god iohn dav●nant bishop of sarisbury . to his learned and worthy friend mr iohn dury . t is well worthy the consideration of all pious divines , which god speakes by his prophet zachary , love the truth and peace . with which that of the apostle also suite's well , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , speake the truth in love . wee may not so hotly pursue after trueth , as that in the mean time we wholly neglect peace ; nor may we desire such a peace as will not consist with the trueth . those divines therefore who quarrell and contend so much for the faith and religion , they may talke what they list , but hee that love's not both trueth and peace , love's indeed neither , nor hath he any true affection or desire to either of them , who desire 's them not both . for if it be true which philosophers tell us , that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unitie than it 's being , i see no reason why the spirituall and mysticall body , the church catholique , should not with as great a zeale study to preserve her unitie : seeing if that be once dissolved and lost , shee is so farre from being a church , that she cannot so much as be imagined one . let us then on god's name be as earnest and eager in desiring & defending the trueth as the best , but withall let us not forget that of saint paul , that if it be possible , and as much as in us lie's , we live peaceably with all men : j say , with all men , in an externall and civill ; but with all christian men , in a spirituall and ecclesiasticall peace . this is the earnest desire of our saviour christ , and 't is the joynt wish & prayer of his whol church , that all they who professe themselves beleivers in christ , might be united and knit together into one body ; that they might be all of one heart and of one soule . this being so , surely those pious and peacemaking divines are highly to bee commended , who of late have imployed themselves and their endeavours about the reeonciling of the reformed churches . for my owne part , i would to god i were able to contribute any thing that might further and promote so good and godly a worke . what i can , i shall willingly at your request ( sir ) doe it : and shall impart unto you what my thoughts were , when j lately meditated with my selfe hereupon . in the first place therefore , it would bee considered , whether or no it be possible to establish such an union amongst all the reformed churches , so as that they shall account of one another not as friends only , but as brethren ; and exhibit mutually each to other the signes , fruites , and effects not onely of an outward and generall freindship , but of a more intimate & spirituall amity and communion . for if this fraternall & spirituall union we so much desire , cannot be had , we may then desist ; things impossible doe not binde us to the having or seeking of them : but if it may possibly be procured , 't were a great pitty and a shame that so good a worke and so well-pleasing to god as this is , should be either opposed or delayed . now when i say , that it would first be considered whether or no this union we treate of , be possible ; my meaning is , whether or no such an union may stand with a diversity of opinions amongst private doctors in these severall churches , touching those much-controverted points which have of a long time ( to the great greife of all good men ) much troubled the germane churches . for although it were to be wished , that divines would fairely and fully agree amongst themselves about all those controversies ; yet for so many different mindes to concurre all in the same opinion , is ( as i conceave ) a thing scarce to be hoped for , much lesse to be effected in one age . but that these said churches , notwithstanding such disputes as hang undecided , may neverthelesse entertaine amongst themselves a christian charitie and correspondence , is apparent from hence , that as often as divines of both sides have set themselves seriously about this work , they still prevailed in it as much as they desired ; and they might no doubt have prevailed further , if they themselves had not wilfully stood in their own way . witnesse luther himselfe and the helvetians : betwixt whom ( though they differed in their opinions about the presence of christs body ) a freindly agreement notwithstanding was made at marpurge : luther there professing , that he would not by any meanes permit the adverse party that honour , to outstrip him in their desires of amitie and peace . which peace , after that it had by i know not what mischeivous devices been somewhat disturbed and diminished , was againe renewed & confirmed by them : whereat luther himselfe rejoyced , and upon a strict examination of the helveticke confession , held it very requisite that they should lovingly joyne hearts and hands together . but here if any one think , that this was no such entire and perfect union as that which now i affirm to be possible ; i will grant him this : but then i must adde withall , that it was not any impossibility in the thing it selfe , but rather the wilfull opposition of some amongst them , possest with some jealousies and suspitions , which was the cause why that godly and good worke was not brought to full perfection . for as for bucer and some other eminent divines of the same opinion with him , they did not only sue for an absolute and perfect agreement , but besides they offered to make it appeare that it was very fit such an union should be concluded ; neither did they omit any thing that might make for the furthering of it . moreover , that this union of the reformed churches we speake of , is not a thing impossible , is confirmed further from that agreement amongst the polonian churches , begun of late at sendomire , & ever since carefully by them kept and observed : it is true , they could not bury all controversies ; but they could banish all contentions ; and establish so perfect a peace , as that they refused not to admit of each other into their publike congregations , to the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments . which holy & brotherly concord of those churches , that most wise prince lodowick , electour and count palatine , did not only by his letters to them congratulate , but desired of almighty god in his prayers , that the germane churches also might be blessed with it . what therefore was long since said to that blessed peace-maker king solomon , concerning the building of the temple at jerusalem , the same say i to all moderate and peaceable divines concerning the uniting of the reformed churches ; arise , yee worthies , and be doing , and the lord will be with you . never despaire but that may be now effected , which all men will grant hath been done heretofore . but least this groundlesse bugbeare of a fancied impossibility should yet slacken the endeavours either of princes , or divines , or any other pious and well affected christians , and deterre them from proceeding herein ; i will recount all those lets and hinderances , which render the peace and union of churches utterly impossible to be obtained : from whence it will easily appeare , that there 's no one of them here , to hinder why the germane churches ( notwithstanding some points of difference amongst them ) may not setle a firme peace amongst themselves , and being once setled preserve it inviolable . now the first and maine obstacle that hinders those churches which agree not in all points of religion , from entertaining a communion amongst themselves , is the usurping and exercising of a tyrannicall power and authority one over another . for if any one church will take upon her to domineer and lord it over the faith of other churches , so as not to acknowledge any for her brethren , nor admit of any into her fellowship and communion , but such onely as will be content to beleive and speak just as shee will have them , all hope is then taken away of ever obtaining or preserving any agreement in any differences or disputes whatsoever . for the sacred scriptures forbid us thus to enslave our selves to any humane authoritie , and our sole lord and master christ jesus forbid's us to acknowledge any upon earth for a lord over our faith and conscience : and that church which enter's into a communion with another upon these termes , doth not hereby purchase a peace , but rather resigne's up her selfe to a most unjust slavery . onely the church of rome is come to that height of pride & madnesse , that she will take upon her to exclude from the communion of saints , & damne to the pit of hell all such churches as will not submit their necks to that antichristian yoake of absolute and blind obedience . god of his goodnes ever keep off this popish folly and fury from setting foot in the protestant churches : which if it should once take place , that union of our churches which we are all bound to pray for , would bee no longer either to be hoped or wisht for . but ( blessed be god for it ) it is well known , there 's not any of the reformed churches but doe from their soules detest and abhorre all such antichristian ambition and desire of soveraignety . and thus have i removed out of the way the maine obstacle which usually occasion's a perpetuall division & rent betwixt such churches as differ in some points , and thereby make's an union of those churches to become impossible . a second let or hinderance which may render the said union of different churches ( for example , the saxon and helvetian churches ) impossible , is the approbation and practice of jdolatry in the one , & the utter detestation of it in the other . that of the prophet hosea is well knowne , though israel play the harlot , yet let not judah offend : come yee not unto gilgal , neither goe yee up to beth-aven . likewise also that of the apostle , what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? and a number of places more to the same purpose . neither is that saying of tertullian touching this matter unworthy our observation , idolatry ( saith he ) is become the grand and generall sin of whole mankinde , the epidemicall disease of the whole world . since therefore god so severely chargeth us to keepe our selves from idols & all kinde of idolatry , though never so speciously colour'd over , wee may well call that morally impossible which cannot be performed without some staine and tincture of idolatry , and without a high and hainous offence against the sacred majestie of god . here then we may behold that grand let , whereby the reformed churches ( to their great greife of heart ) are forced to shunne a communion with the church of rome . for so farre in love is shee with her idolls , and so rigorously doth shee impose the worshipping of them upon all her children , that no man can be admitted into her communion , at least not continue in it , unlesse he will become a notorious and down-right idolater . if the case so stood , that the germane churches could not enter into and enjoy a blessed unity and peace one with another , except they must be required and bound either to practise an idolatrous worship , or at the least to beleive and professe that such practice is not unlawfull , i would not stick to affirme that a communion which cannot be had but upon such hard conditions , is indeed impossible to bee had : since ( as lawyers use to speake ) wee can doe onely so much , as may lawfully be done by us . and here we have just cause to blesse god , that the reformed churches ( although they have not the happinesse to agree in all matters of lesser moment ) yet doe they all of them by his grace unanimously conspire & joyne together against idolatry ; so as not onely to condemne , but also to beat downe and abolish it : insomuch that if at this very houre they were all disposed and desirous to joyne hands and strike a league of amity and union , it might be done without any the least danger of idolatry . away then with that pretended impossibility of a reconciliation , grounded upon the perill of idolatry : nor let any such false surmises weaken the heart or hands of any religious christian from going on with so good a worke . the third & last obstacle which doth block up the way to an union & render's it impossible , is the differing of severall churches about some fundamental point of faith , necessary to be knowne and beleived by every christian upon paine & perill of eternall damnation ; so as that the one side doth solidly hold and maintaine it , the other heretically denie's and oppose's it . for to be at peace with heretickes who goe about to undermine and subvert the foundation of our christian faith , what is it else but to revolt from christ the rocke on which the church is founded & built ? of this last obstacle , because it is of speciall use and moment , i shall treate somewhat more at large . in the first place therefore , i conceive that to be a fundamentall point , which ( by the ordination of god revealing such a truth ) is of such necessity unto salvation to be knowne and assented unto , as that a bare ignorance , much more a wilfull opposition of it carries with it a certaine perill of exclusion from the kingdome of heaven . divines now-adaies have no commission to invent or coine any new articles of this nature , and obtrude them on gods church : that which was not fundamentall in the apostolicall and primitive times , all our assertions and altercations and anathema's will never bee able to make it such . these first and fundamentall trueths , collected out of the whole body of the scriptures & put together in the apostles creed , make up that rule of faith which s. austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem , a common rule for all men , both great & small : and which is by him accounted necessary to bee beleived constantly by all . concerning the which , that speech of hilary also is much to the same effect ; 't is our safest and best course to hold fast that first & onely-evangelicall faith , which we made confession of at our baptisme . and to these fundamentall trueths the apostle ( i beleive ) had an eye , when he stiled titus , his owne sonne [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] after the common faith . this common faith laid downe in the apostles creed , proposeth to all christians , to be beleived by them , the wonderfull production of all creatures out of nothing , the unsearchable mysterie of the glorious trinitie , the fruit & benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the incarnation , passion , resurrection , and glorification of christ ; & , what follow's thereupon , the redemption of mankind , the sanctification of the elect , the communion of saints , the remission of sins , the resurrection of mens bodies , and the glorifying of the faithfull . he that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short creed , and endeavour's to lead his life according to the commandements and precepts of our saviour christ , cannot justly be denied the title of a christian , nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any christian church whatsoever . on the other side , he that shall deny or oppose any one of the said articles , although he arrogate to himselfe the name of a christian , yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodoxe and sound christians . besides these , there are ( i confesse ) many other trueths contained in the scriptures , and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence , which are very profitable to be knowne , and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of divinity : but they are then only ( and not otherwise ) necessary to be beleived under paine of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the church , when 't is clearely evidenced unto us that they are contained in gods word , or may necessarily be inferred from it . in these points therefore , if any particular church cannot make the trueth which she her selfe beleive's , so cleare and manifest to other churches , as thereby to winne them over to the same beleife , shee must forsake them in their errours , but by no meanes may she ( because of such errours ) deny them her charity and communion . i adde further , that if it should happen that two churches should vary about some particular place of holy writ , the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamentall point of faith , and the other thinking that it doth not so : yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds , and separate one from another ; so long as they agree both of them in the point it selfe , and acknowledge it to have cleare & solid foundation in other places of god's word . and last of all this may be added yet further , that 't is not a thing impossible , nor any way contrary to the duety of good christians , to entertaine a communion with those churches which hold such a doctrine as seemes to us inconsistent with some fundamentall trueth , so that in the meane while they doe expresly beleive & professe that fundamentall trueth it selfe . for 't is utterly against all charity , yea and reason too , that a man should be thought ( meerely for some consequences , which he neither apprehend's nor grants ) to deny and reject a fundamentall point , which yet he strongly beleive's , expresly affirme's , yea and ( if need so required ) would not stick to seale the trueth of it with his dearest blood . how much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate divine ? we must not ( saith he ) so much consider what will follow in the thing it selfe from every assertion , as what will follow from it in the apprehension and judgement of those who maintaine any such assertion as seeme's to us repugnant to some fundamentall point of faith . for as he who assent's to the trueth of some principle , cannot therefore be said properly to beleive and understand whatsoever and abler schollar can by consequences infer from that principle ; so neither can he who maintaine's a false opinion , justly bee thought to hold all those absurdities which a nimble head easily observe's to adhere unto or follow upon that erroneous opinion of his . we may indeed urge and presse these consequences upon our brethren , to see if haply wee can by this meanes beat them off their errour ; but malitiously to fasten them upon them , as though they were their profest opinions , this we may not doe . how farre this extend's , and of what excellent use it is to the setling of a brotherly union amongst the reformed churches , all wise men and such as unfainedly desire the peace of gods church , will easily perceive . for if it once be granted , that a peace and union is not impossible ( that is , not unlawfull ) save onely with such as actually disbeleive some fundamentall point of faith , or maintaine some such heresy as strike's at the heart of religion , and cut's off the abettors of it from having any communiō with christ ; then will it follow , that betwixt a sound and a diseased church , betwixt two churches whereof one is more , the other lesse pure , there may be such a brotherly communion as we desire among the germane churches . let therefore the orthodoxe churches separate themselves from all such as have plaid the apostates & fallen away from fundamentall faith ; but let them not separate from those which erre onely in points of lesser moment and such as doe not cut off the maintainers of them from being members of the mysticall body of christ , the sole author and fountaine of our salvation . the apostle command's us to receive ( not , reject ) such as are weake in the faith : and the same apostle tel's us how that we which are strong , ought to beare the infirmities of the weake , & not to please our selves . that church therefore doe's but too much please & indulge her selfe , which despise's other churches , as unworthy of her fellowship and communion , not for any tyranny that they exercise , nor any idolatry which they approve or practise , nor any damnable heresie which they maintaine , but meerely for some mistakes or infirmity of their knowledge . this was not the practice of the fathers in the primitive church : whose care and diligence in procuring & preserving peace amongst particular churches disperst and scattered over the whole world , stand's upon record in ecclesiasticall storie and may be observed in each severall age of the church . but of all other , that of optatus milevita nus fit's best to our purpose ; that all the churches throughout the whole world were by the help and entercourse of those letters by them called [ formatae ] kept in one communion and fellowship . now those [ formatae ] or synodicall letters contained nothing at all save onely a bare confession of the catholike faith delivered in their generall creeds , and breifely explained afterwards in opposition to some heretickes , by the unanimous consent of the church universall met together in generall councells held at nice , chalcedon , and other places . as for those infinite other questions which might be raised and debated amongst private doctours of each side , no church ever required or expected from others an absolute & universall consent therein . for if such an universall agreement in all points had been deemed so necessary as that unity & peace could not possibly have been maintained betwixt particular churches without it , there would then have been more need of huge and high-swollne volumes of controversies , than of such breife confessions and synodicall letters as they made use of for that purpose . but if wee refuse to learne of the ancient fathers of the church , yet let us at length learne thus much from our very adversaries , that it is not a thing impossible for severall churches to live charitably and peaceably together , and use the same service and sacraments , although they differ one from another about some controversies , wherein 't is meerely in vaine ever to look for an universall agreement . to say nothing of the contentions betwixt the thomists and scotists , neither of those between the dominicans and jesuites ; there is one controversie hotly and violently disputed amongst popish churches , which , if taken single and by it selfe , is of greater moment than all ours put together ; i meane that concerning the infallible judge in all matters of faith : the churches of spaine and italy will have the pope to be this supreme judge , authorised by christ himselfe , and so farre illuminated and assisted with an infallible spirit , as that he cannot possibly erre in such decrees and determinations as hee give's out with an intention to binde the whole church : on the other side , the french churches deny the pope any such priviledge , throwing him downe from his chaire of infallibility , and making him liable to errour as well as other men ; so farre forth that should he refuse to submit to the authoritie and judgement of a generall councell , either in matters of faith or of practice , they will tell you he 's to be esteemed a schismaticke and a hereticke , and to be deposed thereupon . behold here a great difference amongst them about the very foundation and the maine pillar of the whole catholike faith ! and yet notwithstanding this so great a variety of opinions , they still hold together all of them in one and the same brotherly communion . o for sion's sake let it not be told in gath , nor published in the streets of ashkelon , that the philistines should be better affected and more desirous of peace and unity amongst themselves , than the israel of god is . ●ast of all , if an union may not consist with a diversity of opinions in some controversies of lesser moment , i would gladly that any man would show me but two churches in the whole christian world ( except they be such whereof one is subordinate to the other ) which must not necessarily hereupon be divided , and as it were by a wall of partition separated frō each other . unlesse therefore we will grant , that a separation from other churches is not to be made save onely upon a difference in fundamentalls , the communion of the church catholike ( aunciently so much famed and talked of ) will be found in the end to be nothing else but an aery and empty sound or name void of all trueth and reality . the donatists of old were wont to say , that the church was perished from off the whole earth save onely from the part of donatus , in whom alone ( they said ) it was preserved : and our adversaries of rome ( herein right donatists ) tell us that the church catholike is of no larger extent than the romane . as for our selves , it become's and behove's us to detest this schismaticall and factious humour , and to foster and cherish a brotherly communion with all such christian churches as neither heresie nor idolatry hath cut off from christ our head , and such as have not exercised any usurped tyranny over other churches . all that hath hitherto beene said touching the lets & hinderances which render a communion of severall churches impossible , as also touching diversity of opinions which may well consist with such a reconciliation , aymes at this , that if once it were agreed upon amongst divines that all those controversies whereabout the reformed churches have of a longtime busied and wearied themselves , are of that nature that a man may safely be of either opinion and still remaine in christ , holding the substance of saving faith without incurring any damnable heresy ; then must we needs grant , that an union and agreement amongst all protestant churches may be made and maintained notwithstanding all such controversies , as being indeed not so properly any differences of our churches as of our schooles . it is not my purpose to enter the lists of those controversies : onely i doe pray and earnestly intreat those learned & reverend divines of germany , that laying aside all passion & partialitie , they would in the spirit of meeknesse calmely and candidly discusse all those severall controversies which are agitated amongst them : for if once we let loose the raines to passion , judgement must needs give place . the maine controversie , and which indeed is the fountaine from whence all the rest in a manner are derived , is that which stands yet undecided concerning the manner how christ's body and blood are present in the eucharist . touching which point the learned a bucer , having well waighed the matter , give's in at last this verdict , that they agreed in the thing it selfe ; all the difference was meerely in words and manner of expression . 't was once the speech of b luther , if you beleive & teach that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare signes of bread and wine , and that such receiving thereof is true and reall , not imaginary onely , the strife betwixt us is ended . at that very same time c bucer & his adherents granted , that the very body and blood of our lord is offered , given , and received together with the visible signes of bread and wine . iacobus andreae saith , we neither hold with the capernaites , nor admit of popish transubstantiation , nor maintaine we any physicall or locall presence and inclusion of christs body and blood in the blessed sacrament ; nor doe we by those words [ substātially , corporally , orally ] understand any thing else but only a true & reall presence and participation of his body and blood in this sacrament . now let us heare the judgement of the helvetians herein ; although they deny that there 's any transubstantiation of the elements , or any locall inclusion of christ's body in the bread , or any conjunction of his body and blood with the outward elements remaining after the sacrament is ended ; yet they willingly grant that by vertue of a mysticall & sacramentall union the bread is christ's body , & that his body is truely present and received together with the bread . j doe not knowe what two things can possibly be more like than is this opinion of the helvetians with that of the lutherans . but if any man suspect that there may privily lurke a diversity of meanings under these so-concording expressions , yet are we still to urge , and enquire whether that diversity be such and so great as to render the peace and union of those churches utterly impossible , and to give just occasion for a perpetuall rent and division amongst them . i assure my selfe , learned & judicious divines when they are out of the heat of controversy , and look indifferently into the matter , will think farre otherwise of it . now as for those other controversies , concerning the ubiquity of christ's body , the communication of properties , & other such like , all springing from that former touching the sacrament , he that doth seriously ponder with himselfe what is granted and what denied of each side , will easily perceive that neither the one nor the other doth so much as call in question , much lesse oppose or overthrow any necessary and fundamentall point of faith : since both sides hold and professe whatsoever the church catholike in her creeds and generall councells hath declared to be beleived in these points ; and whatsoever hath been by her in like manner condemned as erroneous , is equally rejected by both . but yet notwithstanding all this , that we see now and then some men catching at consequences , and taking advantage from thence to charge heresy one upon another , it is a matter that deserve's not so much our wonder as our pitty : we all of us know , 't is the common custome of hot and eager disputants , especially when through long agitation of the matter they are inflamed with choller and passion : and besides , i have already showne in breife , what we are to think of such heresies as are fastned upon men meerely for such consequences as they themselves neither apprehend nor grant . for the present , this alone may suffice to show the possibility of a reconciliation , that there 's no one opinion expresly maintained by either side , which is directly contrary to the substance of faith , or destructive of salvation [ salutis devoratorium ] to make use of tertullian's expression : nay whatsoever is such , is plainly and expresly condemned by both . if of later times any new differences have been raised amongst those churches touching predestination , freewill , and the like ; these can no way be made a sufficient ground of schisme and separation betwixt them . for in all these there is nothing of fundamentall and necessary beleife save onely this , that the free grace & goodnesse of god , in the predestination of miserable men , in the conversion of sinfull men , in the freeing of their captivated wills ; in a word , in the finall perseverance and salvation of his elect , be so farre forth acknowledged and extoll'd , as that whatsoever makes any way for the enstating of them in grace and glory , and whatsoever is done by them in reference thereunto , all must be ascribed to the speciall grace and mercy of almighty god : on the contrary , whatsoever concerne's the corruption of man's nature , his obstinacie in sinne , the pravitie and servitude of his corrupt will ; in short , whatsoever praecipitate's & plunge's wretched men into hell and everlasting perdition , all this we must thank our selves & our sins for , & by no meanes impute any part of it to god . so long as these things stand firme and unshaken ( as without doubt they doe ) though in the meane time their manner of apprehensions and expressions , yea though their opinions be different in other points which are onely superstructions and belong not to the foundation ▪ yet are not these of such moment as that a perpetuall breach and division should be made and continued betwixt whole churches for such petty matters . if therefore this were but once agreed upon amongst divines , that their jarres and contentions are not , nor ever were about any fundamentall points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and beleived by all that will be saved , then must it also be granted for a manifest trueth , that 't is no way impossible but an agreement and communion may be established this dangerous schisme utterly rooted out , and a blessed peace setled and preserved amongst the german churches . and thus having proved that a reconciliation is possible , it remaine's that in the next place we consider whether or no princes , doctors and pastors of gods church , and in generall all christians bee not bound in duty by the law of god , every man to endeavour according to his utmost power and ability that such an union may with all convenient speed be setled and established amongst the reformed churches . 1 and that all men are so bound , seeme's to be intimated by that of s. paul which i alledged before ; if it be possible , & as much as in you lie's , live peaceably with all men . if so great care and diligence must be had to maintaine a civill and externall peace with all sorts of men , then surely a spirituall & ecclesiasticall peace amongst christians is much rather to be sought after and preserved , where therefore there is no utter impossibility to hinder why such an union may not be obtained , such men can in no wise be excused , who either out of negligence or wilfulnesse disobey the commandements of god herein . nor can any man justly here pretend that discords and diversities of opinions cannot as yet be composed and setled : for if it be possible that the schisme it selfe & the rent betwixt these churches may be taken away , ( as without all question it may ) i had rather that a mil-stone were hanged about my neck , and that i were drowned in the depth of the sea , than that i should willingly be any hinderance to so good a work , so well-pleasing to god , and so necessary to the removall of scandall ; nay than that i should not with my whole minde and might promote and further it . 2 to this may be further added , what must necessarily be confes't by all men , that a true and right order'd charity is of as great necessity for the attaining of salvation , to all churches and to every particular member in any church , as is the true and entire profession of sound and saving faith : our lord and saviour christ jesus make's this the badge and cognizance whereby to distinguish and discerne betwixt his true disciples and such as are spurious and counterfeit ; by this shall all men know that yee are my disciples , if yee love one another . now i leave it to every man's conscience to judge , what manner of charity that is , which see's and suffer's christian churches ( without all just cause and necessity ) to stand still at distance and defiance one with another , and perpetually to shunne a reconciliation and union . is it not enough for us to separate from the hay and stubble , i meane , from the errours of other churches , but must we by a voluntary separation forsake the churches themselves which as yet have not forsaken christ or his truth ? 3 further yet , we see how that both zuinglians and lutherans ( as they are usually termed ) confesse that those churches which hold with either side , doe notwithstanding still remaine true christian churches , & true members of the church catholike , whereof christ is the head . the renowned princes in their preface prefixt to the forme of agreement plainly professe , that it was farre from their thoughts and intentions to condemne such persons as erred through the weaknesse of their judgement ; provided that they did not defame and blaspheme god's trueth ; much lesse to condemne whole churches , living either under the romane empire or elsewhere : nay they did not doubt but that there were many pious & religious men living in those churches , though they agreed not with them in all points of religion . moreover , when it was objected to lucas osiander , how that he had sometimes termed calvinists the divel's martyres , hee forthwith purged himselfe from that aspersion thus ; they that have heard my sermons , will say that they never heard from me any reproachfull termes against the blessed ▪ martyrs of christ : yea my owne writings publisht to the world will witnesse for me , that j termed those which were massacred in france on s. bartholomewe's day , holy martyres . this then would be seriously thought upon , whether or no it will stand with the policy , piety , and the duty of christian churches , for every petty errour to deny the right hand of fellowship and brotherly love to those churches , who in the mean time ( notwithstanding such errours ) may continue christ's blessed martyrs and holy brethren . they who acknowledge christ for their elder brother , must of necessity whether they will or no have all christs brethren joyned to them in a most sure and fast knot of consanguinity and communion . 4 besides , i am very confident that both the saxon , and helvetian , & all other churches which joyne with either of those two , will professe that they desire to have and to retaine a brotherly communion and peace with this our church of england , as also with the scottish , jrish , and all other forraigne churches of the reformation . and truely we for our parts , although we doe not assent to them in all points of controverted ▪ divinity , yet doe we account of them as our brethren in christ , and doe solemnely protest that we entertaine a holy and brotherly communion with them . and if they be like affected towards us , with what reason then and equitie doe the german churches deprive themselves of that brotherly communion one with another , which yet they are not afraid to entertaine with forraigne churches ? what therefore moses said long since to the two israelites that were striving together , the same may truly be said to the germane churches quarrelling and contending one with another , but cannot so truely be disproved ; sirs , yee are brethren , why doe yee wrong one to another . 5 last of all , that which all good men are bound to beg of almighty god in their prayers to him , questionlesse they are bound likewise to imploy their best care and endeavours for the procuring of it . now who is there that doe's not daily solicite god for the flourishing and peaceable estate of his church ? who is there that make's it not a part of his daily prayers , that god would be pleased to remove out of the way whatsoever doth disquiet and disturbe her peace , or any way let and hinder her spirituall growth and edification ? this was king david's wish ; & it should be the wish of all good princes , and divines , and generally of all christians . neither did david wish onely the happinesse and prosperity of gods church , but hee carefully sought to doe it good , and as much as in him lay he did procure and effect it . all this was but duty in him to doe , and can it be lesse then dutie in us ? and here i should but trifle away the time , should i goe about to play the oratour and expresse at large to the germane churches , the blessings that accompany peace & unitie , & the many miseries & calamities of a long-continued schisme and division . that speech of prudentius is a most certaine trueth , — scissura domestica turbat rem populi ; titubatque foris quod dissiditiktùs : civill and intestine broiles alwaies prove the undoing of a people ; nor doe things ever goe right abroad , when there is dissention at home . what may make most for the good and advantage of their churches , let it be their care to consider ; and resolve this with themselves , that what ever it be , it is not onely to be sought after with their prayers , but with the utmost diligence and endeavours of every one of them in particular . neither let any unexperienced men amongst them thinke or hope , that they shall ingratiate themselves with papists , and so live more peaceably by them and suffer lesse harme from them , by refusing to enter into freindship and fellowship with calvinists ( as they terme them . ) what is to be hoped for & expected from them , we may learne from osiander ; papists ( saith he ) spare neither lutherans nor zuinglians , but condemne both of them to fire and faggot , in all those places where the pope ( that raging and ravenous beast of rome ) beare's rule and sway : they that are most in favour with them , can at best but hope for that kindnesse from them which vlysses ( in homer ) obtained of polyphemus , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ] to be devoured last , after he had lookt on and seene all his freinds and companions devoured before him . they will perhaps destroy the calvinists first , but the lutherans must look to follow after them : none are like to escape in the end , if once the papists have them at their mercy . what hitherto hath been said , is to show that a communion and reconciliation of the germane churches is a thing , not only possible , but in obedience to gods commandement a necessary duty . it now remaine's that j proceed to set downe the way and meanes whereby such a reconciliation may be compassed , and the rents and distractions of the said churches may with most conveniencie and speed bee made up : which i shall doe , rather to testifie that vehement desire & zeale which i have to so good a work , than out of any opinion that those famous churches ( which alwaies have abounded with store of learned and pious divines ) can any way stand in need of advice herein from me or any other forraigne divine whatsoever . seeing therefore that the fore-mentioned controversies may be agitated either betwixt severall and distinct churches , whereof one is no way subordinate to the other ; or else betwixt such particular men as are members of the same church , and subjects to one & the same prince : j will speak first , of divers churches independent one upon another , and afterwards of particular men in one & the same church , and show how peace and unitie may be made and preserved amongst them . for the first , i conceive there 's no readier and better way for reducing of two different churches to the same communion , than is that usuall one of procuring a faire and peaceable conference amongst divines of both sides , authorised and appointed there unto by their princes . for if any one imagine , that a councell being once held of all the reformed churches , there will out of hand within the compasse of some few moneths , or yeares , yea or in one age , an end be put to all disputes whatsoever , which have of a long time troubled and busied the learned , so as that they shall all joyne and agree in the same opinion about all such points of controversie ; this ( with submission to better judgements ) seemes to me very unlikely . for so dull and dim-sighted is the eye of our understanding , that it can hardly peirce into the depth of such subtle and intricate questions , no not when it is alone , free and undisturbed in it's contemplations : but being distracted , by the stirs & tumults of disputation so far unable are we to penetrate into the quick of them , that many times we cannot so much as discerne and perceive them , no not when we look upon them with a fixt and steddy eye . and ( to speak plainly what i conceive in this matter ) the cheife use of councells , especially of generall councells , is to maintaine and defend those necessary and plaine points of faith against the oppositions of hereticks , rather than to discusse or determine nice controversies of lesser moment and use . to returne then to that faire & freindly conference , which but now i commended for the likeliest and fittest meanes of obtaining an union : if it could be undertaken with such an intention , & mannaged in such sort , as it ought to be , wee have good cause to hope that we shall in a short time see a blessed peace and union established amongst the germane churches . this therefore must carefully be remēbred by all such as shall be present & parties to such a meeting , that the end why they are called together , is not that like adversaries they should strive for the mastery , but rather that they should like brethren search out and make use of all lawfull and warrantable meanes for the setling of peace and unitie . for if once they fall a crossing and contending one with another , they will never be able to perswade , much lesse to procure any agreement betwixt such churches as are at ods and opposition . let them therefore carefully keep off and forbeare to enter the intricate labyrinths of ordinary disputes : & let their meeting aime at this one end , to make it appeare to their churches , how that there 's no just cause why they should any longer stand out and refuse to joyne hands and be united . to effect this , let it in the first place be set downe how farre the church catholike hath declared herselfe in each controversie , what hath been by her defined and required to be beleived generally by all sub anathemate . for about points fundamentall there may sometimes arise such doubts and disputes as are no way fundamentall : and such , as that the ancient fathers of the church , had they been raised in their times , would never have attempted a decision of them , to the hazard of breeding or fostering a schisme betwixt severall churches . for instance , that god is one in essence , and three in persons distinguished one from another ; that the sonne is begotten of the father ; that the holy ghost is the spirit of both father and sonne ; that these three persons are coeternall and coequall ; all these are fitly determined , and reckoned in the number of fundamentalls : but now if any man should peremptorily affirme and maintaine , that all those schoole-nicities touching the manner of the sonne 's generation , and the procession of the holy ghost , are likewise fundamentall and of equall necessity with the former , & ought to be determined one way ; that man should deserve but litle thanks from christ and his church , by such his rash and inconsiderate assertion . so likewise , that our lord jesus christ is both god and man ; that he hath both natures , divine and humane , inseparably united in one person ; and that we have salvation onely by this god incarnate ; all this is fundamentall , or rather 't is that firme & immoveable foundation whereon the whole catholike & saving faith is built : but yet notwithstanding we must not think , that whatsoever may be questioned and debated about the ineffable manner of that union betwixt the two natures , or the manner how his body is present in the blessed sacrament , as also concerning the communication of properties unto the humane nature by vertue of its union with the divinity , or touching the actions and operations of his humanity depending upon the said union , wee must not ( i say ) imagine that all these belong to fundamentall faith , but rather to theologicall science , or perhaps not so neither , but onely to the vaine curiosity of some particular divines . let them therefore make this their first and maine businesse , carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamentall points and others that are not so ▪ and let them not think , that whatsoever is appendant and bordering upon a fundamentall point , must therefore forthwith be it selfe fundamentall . when this is once done ; their next care must be that these fundamentalls be expressed and published after a breife and perspicuous manner , and propounded to the publike acceptation and approbation of all the churches . certa semper sunt in paucis , saith tertullian ; certaine and undoubted trueths are not many , and they are such as may be delivered in a few words : whatsoever is necessary for a christian man's salvation to be knowne by him ; and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy , it is all of it plaine and obvious . here 's no use either of subtle & acute distinctions , or of any long and tedious explications , which are oftimes used not for the building up of christians in the fundamentall faith , but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private doctors . in a word , here 's no use of any metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions ; which serve only to perplex and confound the learned , and to deterre such as are unlearned from embracing the catholike faith ; but doe not any way encline the hearts either of one or other to yeild assent and beleife to the fundamentall points of faith . after they have proceeded thus far , having drawn up a breife and plaine forme of all such points as are by them judged to appertaine unto the substance of that common faith which is necessary to be known and professed by all churches ; & having passed by & left undecided all such points as are not so generally received & agreed upon ; in the next place , moderate & peaceable divines should labour to exhort and perswade all the rest , that they would quietly lay aside all controversies and contentions about such points as good christians may safely be ignorant of without hazard of their salvation ; and that they would not quarrell any longer about thē , to the danger of the church , the losse of her peace , and the scandall of schisme which is thereby like to fall upon her . of what good use and necessity this advice is , may be clearely seen from the rashnesse of the church of rome , and her clean contrary practice herein : who being not content with those articles delivered in the apostles creed , and nicene creed , will needs obtrude upon the christian world those other new-coin'd articles of the trent-conventicle , and hath thereby ministred occasion of a perpetuall rent and schisme amongst the churches . how much more prudently did that blessed martyr and most learned father of his times , s. cyprian behave himselfe ? who professeth , that he would not , for difference in opinion , contend or strive with any man ; nor would he break the peace of our lord with his brethren , or cast off any man from his communion , because he was of a different minde from him . by which his christian charity and moderation , s. cyprian ( though in an errour ) deserved better of the church than stephen bishop of rome who was in the right , and did ( by his unquiet spirit ) as much as in him lay to rend and teare asunder the churches . thus warranted by the example of this blessed martyr , and likewise by the judgement of s. austin herein , i need not stick to affirme , that amongst the doctors and divines of germany those who are in the errour and yet are willing and desirous to retaine a brotherly communion with the rest , are freer & further from schisme in gods sight , than they who are in the trueth & withall disdaine and deny to entertaine such a communiō with other churches which seek and sue for it . if therefore they can but get an universall consent in all fundamentalls , though in other things there bee some difference amongst private doctors , yet let them all joyne their votes and voices in this prayer to god , nulla salus bello , pacemte poscimus omnes ; no safety can be had or hoped for in warre , therefore give peace in our time ô lord . but if any here shall demand , what course is to be taken about such controversies as cannot be decided and agreed upon , that they may not give any occasion whereby this peace and union of the churches should be hindered , or being obtained should afterwards be disturbed and lost ; i will set down some few rules , which to me seeme worthy the observation and practice of divines on both sides . first , that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipt from adversaries either by word or writing , amids the heat of disputation , they should all be pardond on both sides for the publike good , and for ever after buried in silence and oblivion . and if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards be reprinted ; before they passe the presse , let them first be purged of all gall & bitternesse , which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife & contention amongst brethren . secondly , because no man can with patience heare himselfe branded with heresie , heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of nestorian , eutychian , or any other condemned hereticke , so long as he doth expresly denie and disclaime the damn'd opinions of such hereticks : seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firme in a brotherly communion and concord , who for every petty difference in opinion cease not by such reproachfull and reviling termes to provoke and exasperate one another . and it were to be wished further , that those siding names of lutherans , zuinglians , calvinists , were all laid aside ; which are badges rather of faction than any fraternall union , anh such as the ancient fathers could never approve of . epiphanius would not allow christians to beare any {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , any other name added over & above to the name of christian , but rest content with that . non petrianos , non paulinos vocari nos oportet , sed christianos : who ought not to be called either petrians , or paulians , but christians , saith nazianzen . but of all others lactantius is the most severe and rigorous herein ; christiani esse desierunt , qui christi nomine omisso humana & externa vocabula induerunt ▪ they have left off to be christians , who take up forraigne titles and humane appellations instead of the name christian : though to say the trueth , such names are rather fasten'd and father'd on particular churches by others , than by themselves either desired or owned . thirdly , that all profound and controverted points be let alone and not medled with in sermons preached to the common people , or in any such books as are publisht in the vulgar tongue ; let them be accounted rather the exercise and busines of the schooles , than any fit food & nourishment for men's soules . such perplex'd disputes may very well be spared in the pulpit ; but charity , which usually is impaired by the handling and discussing of them , cannot be spared or wanting amongst christians , without the utmost danger and hazard of their soules . the common people doe but play and sport with such controversies , they are no whit profited by them ; and in the end , not well understanding them , they give over sporting , and fall a quarrelling and contending about them . last of all , if divines shall hereafter have a minde to disperse or publish and discourses about these points , let them doe it according to that grave advice of greg. nazianzen , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , with reasons , not revilings : let their aimes & intentions be , not to non-plus and baffle , but rather fairely and freindly to informe and reduce their straying brother into the way of trueth . hee that shall after this manner be brought to see and forsake his errour , will not thinke himselfe vanquished , but instructed ; nor will he be abasht and asham'd , like one over matcht & overcome by his adversary , but rather rejoyce as one better'd and benefited by his brother . he that is a proficient is never ashamed . hitherto have i laid down the meanes and manner how an union may be setled and continued betwixt severall and independent churches . but because it may and often doth happen , that there are divers men , both learned and unlearned , living in the same church and within the dominions of the same prince , whose consciences ( whether rightly or misinformed ) will not suffer them to subscribe to the common and more generally received opinion in these controversies ; let us in the next place enquire , what course is best to be taken concerning such men . and here , the governours of each severall church if they have any regard & respect to the safety of their weak brethren , they must see that they doe not intermixe with the publike confessions and articles of religion , which they would have received and assented unto by all such as live under their jurisdiction , any curious and unnecessary controversies , nor any decisions of nice and subtle questions ; but rather they must take care that such publike confessions be framed and temper'd to the capacity of the common people , so as they may instruct & edify the ignorant , and promote the salvation of all . herein they should doe well to consider the wisdome of our fore-fathers ; whose ancient confessions ( unlesse we corrupt & stuffe them with new opinions of our own , on purpose to disturb the publike peace ) no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them . neither is there any necessity why we should burden our publike confessions with any such additions of our own ; since god himselfe hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happines , not through the rough & knotty paths of perplex'd & intricate disputes , but by the smooth and compendious way of faith & charity . why then such strifes and contentions about words ? what make schoole-nicities amongst church-confessions ? the salvation of christians is wholy placed in beleiving and serving god , as that great athanasius sometimes gravely spake . adde to this , that they will have much adoe to maintaine a firme peace with other churches , who cease not to persecute men and expell them their communion ( as if they were hereticks ) onely because they maintain that doctrine which those other churches hold and professe : for in so doing , what doe they else but tacitly charge heresy upon other churches ? whom though in word they acknowledge for their brethren , yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them . lastly , unlesse the publike confessions of churches be cnofined to such points onely as are fundamentall and generally received by all the reformed churches , this inconvenience must of necessity follow thereupon , that many learned , pious , and peaceable ministers shall be driven out & disenabled from exercising the ministery in those churches wherein they live . but if any man doubt , whether or no such men may lawfully entertaine a holy and spirituall communion one with another in the same church , who yet agree not amongst themselves in all points of divinity ; this ( as i conceive ) is a matter out of all doubt and question . for as touching that blessed communion which is betwixt christians at the receiving of the lord's supper , it consist's cheifly in these particulars , that by the common bond of the blessed spirit we are all united to that sole head of the church christ jesus ; that by the same spirit , and by faith and charity we are united amongst our selves and linked together as it were into one body ; that lastly , like men fed at the same table , we are all of us nourished up unto eternall life with the same quickning food , to wit the body and blood of christ : in all these particulars doe they professe a communion , whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy table . but now as we doe not by this mutuall communion professe our selves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equall measure of knowledge in divinity : so neither doe we hereby professe , that there is an absolute and exact agreement amongst us about all points of divinity , or that we are all of us in one and the same opinion about all disputes and controversies . if no communion could be had amongst christians , but upon such hard termes as these , i beleive it would hardly be found betwixt s. peter and s. paul ; certaine i am the church of corinth must of necessitie have fallen in peices ; and in these times of ours there would not easily be found many divines of note and eminence , which could with a safe conscience communicate together at the same holy sacrament and supper of our lord . it is therefore the duty of all church-governours ( as being conscious to themselves of the common infirmities of all men , both themselves & others ) to take heed least while they exact of their people a too strict and punctuall confession of more than what 's necessary , they thereby wound and weaken the sweet peace and unity of christendome , than which nothing more necessary . so much for church-governours . come we in the next place to such ministers and other christians of what state and condition soever , as desire to continue in the communion of those churches wherein they live , but yet their consciences will not permit them to allow & professe all the common and received opinions of the said churches . such men must see that they show themselves teachable and tractable , and not persist after a proud and pertinacious manner in defence of those opinions wherein they dissent from their church . now such a one is to be accounted teachable and tractable , who lends a willing and attentive eare to the instructions and information of the church ; who doe's not dissent from her out of any perverse and peevish humour , but meerely out of the weaknesse of his judgement , being not able in such profound points to discerne that trueth which men of greater learning and more acute wits easily see and perceive . and because it is the peculiar prerogative of almighty god to search the hearts , it behoves us christians to encline alwaies to the more favourable and more charitable side ; and , where we have not cleare and evident reasons for the contrary , we ought to judge of every man that he denies his assent rather out of conscience than contumacy and perversenesse . they who thus behave themselves , are not to be excluded and expelled the communion of those churches wherein they live , for petty mistakes and errours in their opinions : but yet with this caution and condition , that they take not upon them to oppose the received opinion of the church , or to publish & spread their own private opinion amongst the common people . nor can they justly dislike of this caution or take it ill , whosoever have a desire to live peaceably in the communion of the church : for admit that the private opinion of some divine or any other christian , be true ; and the publike judgement of the church , erroneous : yet neverthelesse , if the errour be such as doe's not prejudice a christian man's salvation , it is much better that the true opinion of any private man whatsoever should quietly lie hid in silence and obscurity , than that the publike authority of the church should be openly contemned and trampled on , or that the churche's peace , by this unnecessary conflict of jarring opinions , as by two contrary windes , should be shaken and torne in peices . but if any man be perswaded in his conscience , that his private opinion wherein hee differ's from the church , is of such moment and importance as that men cannot be saved without the knowledge of it ; such a one , if he cannot perswade and convince the rulers and governours of his church in this matter , must either turne aside into some other church , or else ( for the good of men's soules ) patiently submit to such censures as the church in which he live's shall inflict upon him . this is it ( most learned sir ) which at your request i thought good to write and send unto you . if it may stand you or any man else in any steed for the advancing of the churche's peace , i have all my wish & ayme for which i penned it . they who are better acquainted with the present state and affaires of the germane churches than i am , will be able ( no doubt ) to give you fuller and better advice herein . for my selfe , it remaine's onely that i humbly beseech almighty god , that he would move and encline the hearts of princes , earnestly to desire this blessed union of our churches ; that he would enlighten the understandings of divines to find out and follow after such meanes as may most conduce to the speedy establishing of it ; that lastly he would enflame the hearts of all christians to embrace this peace , & bequeath it to all posterity . the god of peace grant this for the sake of his deare sonne , the sole author & procurer of our peace . to whom with the blessed spirit be all honour , glory , & thankesgiving world without end . amen . the opinion of the right reverend father in god thomas morton bishop of dvrham , concerning the peace of the church . worthy sir , i cannot easily expresse how much i was joyed with those few leaves which i lately receaved from you ; as soone as i understood how that there was now at length some hopes of setling a true and brotherly union betwixt us & those of germany who hold the augustane confession . for seeing that the very name of peace is sweet and delight some , much more the thing it selfe ; especially if it be a peace in religion , which indeed comprehends in it all kinds of true peace and unity : i cannot chuse therefore but congratulate and joy you ( sir ) with that good and truly-apostolicall office which you now undergoe : an emploiment which hath ever this successe , that it never can prove in vaine , or be altogether lost ; for it will be sure either to redound to the good of him that receive's it ( if it be embraced , ) or else ( if rejected ) returne back againe into his bosome who proffer's it . notwithstanding , i observe there are two maine controversies set downe by you , which seem to let and hinder why wee cannot quickly be united and made one church ; the former is touching the eucharist ; the other , touching that involv'd and mysterious point of praedestination . for the composing of which two controversies , that you should desire my opinion , seeme's truly to me to be a course somewhat preposterous and out of order : rather wee should imitate ( as i conceive ) those expert physitions , who sometimes cure one contrary by another : so likewise we , seeing that discords in opinion have bred disaffection and hatred in men's minds , 't were necessary we should first endeavour that love and amity may be seated in the hearts and affections of men , that so we may the more easily allay their heat in disputation , and reconcile them in their much differing opinions . to the promoting of this good work i neither can nor may be wanting . all that i shall say touching both controversies , give me leave to glance at in three words ; to wit , that the way & meanes of establishing an union , to men of peaceable minds , is easie ; to such as are lesse moderate , t is possible ; to both , very necessary . the first thesis . that 't is easie for peaceable and moderate men to be reconciled . this appeare's plainely from that love and freindship which was in times past betwixt the professors of both sides , notwithstanding that their differences in opinion were then very rife . this is a point of speciall moment , and therefore for proofe of it we should not alledge the examples of any obscure men , but of such as were eminent and beyond all exception of both sides . let them then ( if they please ) consult their luther , melanchthon , jacobus andreae , brentius : wee 'l bring in our calvin , bucer , peter martyr , and zanchy : all which sometimes shined in the church of christ like starres of the first magnitude . first then , there are to be seene in calvin's workes many excellent elogies of luther , even then when luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the point of the sacrament , and provoked them farre to repay him in his owne language . whose passions , thereby moved & enflamed , calvin with admirable prudence supprest & kept from breaking out ▪ but i desire ( saith he ) you would consider , first what a worthy man luther is , and with what excellent gifts qualified ; with what courage & constancy , with what dexterity , with what successe and efficacy of his doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestir'd himselfe to lay wast the kingdome of antichrist , & maintaine the doctrine of our salvation : i have many times said , that should he call me divel , yet neverthelesse i would still have so reverent an esteem of him as to acknowledge him for a worthy servant of god . thus calvin : a saying so full of sweetnesse and moderation , as if not a man but humanity it selfe had spoken it . not long after , he made use of the apostle's argument to containe & keep in our divines , least waxing too hot and passionate , they should break out into revilings : it become's us ( saith he ) so to reprove what we finde amisse in him , as that we remit something out of an honourable respect to his rare endowments : let not therefore that befall u● , which is denounced by s. paul , that by biting and devouring one another we be consumed . though he have provoked us , yet are wee rather to keep us quiet than to teare the wound wider to the publike danger and dammage of god's church . but now how did luther carry himselfe ? was he so farre possest with prejudice and passion , as to disdaine all commerce and societie with our men ? nay he refused not to enter into freindship with calvin himselfe , though he knew him to be a stout champion of our sacramentary cause . let calvin himselfe speake , if you please , notwithstanding luther ( saith he ) in private was so farre from accounting me his enimy , that though he well knew my opinion , ye refused he not to salute mee with reverence by letters writ with his owne hand , ( for the dishonesty of westphalus forceth mee to speake thus foolishly , so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himselfe used . ) afterwards , when the agreement was halfe finished at marpurge , and they were not yet departed from that meeting , he affirme's that he retained the same esteeme of occolampadius and zuinglius as he formerly had done ▪ and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them hence forth as brethren . secondly , what an intimate freindship & familiarity there was betwixt melanchthon , jacobus andreae , brentius , and our divines , the mutuall salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witnes : melanchthon writing to calvin , begins his letter after this manner ; reverend and christian brother , i trust we shall have a time to meet and conferre together . and afterwards concluding , i beseech the sonne of god , our lord jesus christ , the guardian and keeper of his church , that he would guide and protect thee and us all . farewell most deare brother . besides , what was observed concerning melanchthon & others by our sturmius , he himselfe will by no meanes conceale from us ; as though ( saith he ) philip melanchthon did not impart his opinion ( touching the sacrament ) to peter martyr , afterwards , to divers others : with whom he still continued in love and freindship further , jacobus andreae and brentius did unanimously adhere to the opinion of luther concerning the eucharist , of whom notwithstanding calvin thus speaks ; your letters , worthy sir and my much honoured brother ( speaking to jacobus andreae ) were not a litle welcome to me ; for as much as i understand by them how that amids these sad and unhappy contentions , wherein i am most unwillingly engaged , you still continue like affected towards me as heretofore you have been . againe , this your moderation of mind i embrace & highly applaud . farewell worthy sir , and my much respected brother . i wish all happinesse to brentius . god almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit , strengthen and sustaine you by his power , and shower downe his blessings in abundance upon you . and againe , in another letter , brentius salute's you . thus were matters carried amongst thē : and why should not we , putting on bowells of meeknesse , tread the steps of these worthies ? shall they breath out nothing but mildnesse and sweetnesse , and wee nought but rage and fury ? god forbid . i have done with the first thesis ; i now proceed to the second . the second thesis . that 't is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed . give mee leave to make use of that maxime of aristotle , so frequently used in the schooles ; but in a sense somewhat different — quae conveniunt in eodem tertio , inter se conveniunt : such two things as agree in any one third , agree likewise betwixt themselves . in like manner , i conceive that though we differ much in our opinions about the eucharist , yet there are still remaining amongst us some common principles and certaine notes or notions out of which any one who is not blinded with prejudice may draw an assertion . one is , the authority of scripture , sufficient of it selfe to challenge a beleife : a second is , the cleare light of antiquity , as cleare as the sunne at mid-day . but this is no fit place to discourse at large upon these . three other there are which in no wise may bee passed over , seing they are such as are more proper and peculiar to the two adverse parts . i wil begin with the first of thē . the augustane confession is by the divines of saxony esteemed as an oracle , of undeniable and unquestionable authority ; now if our men allow and approve of that confession , ● doe not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a reconciliation . and for certaine calvin herein agrees with them : i desire ( saith hee ) as much as any man a sincere and true union , so it be such as god hath approved in his word : nor doe i reject the augustane confession ; whereunto i did once wittingly and willingly subscribe , according to that interpretation which the author thereof himselfe put upon it . againe , i affirme ( saith hee ) that in that confession , as it was printed at ratisbon , there 's not so much as one word which is contrary to our doctrine : and if there be any ambiguity to be met with in the sense , none is more ●it to be the interpreter of it than the author himselfe , whose worth will easily obtaine him that honour with all pious and learned men . so he. neither is he singular in this : but others there are , though of the same opinion with him concerning the eucharist , who will grant as much . a i am of the number of those ( saith john sturmius ) who concerning the receiving of the body & blood of christ approve of the augustane confession . hierome zanchy hath a desire to bring in his verdict too , b i professe ( saith hee ) that as often as i had occasion to speake any thing about this point , i did alwaies containe my selfe within the compasse of these three heads ▪ the first whereof is , that in the lord's supper not onely bread and wine , but the very body and blood of our lord is truely offered us by christ , and likewise truely received , truely eaten and drunke by us . the second , but this is done not by the mouth and teeth of our body , but by a true and an actuall faith . the last , that therefore this is done by beleivers onely , and by none others . now these heads are taken out of god's word nor are they repugnant to the augustane confession . these things being so , those worthy men have the more reason to be entreated by us , that besides the said augustane confession ( which was anciently framed and ordained to be the common rule of faith for all protestants , whereby they might be distinguished from papists ) they would not obtrude upon us any other private opinions of their own , to the hinderance of the publike peace . a second principle of the like nature , which even reason it selfe doth dictate , is this ; that no antecedent is to be urged and pressed , the necessary consequent and sequell whereof may not bee granted by us . but now it is well knowne , that luther , to remove out of the way the perill of idolatry , did abolish all a worshipping at the celebration of the eucharist , which had formerly been practised ; and for the same end he abolisht the elevation of the host also ; that b brentius likewise did with much earnestnesse oppose their breaden god , ( for so hee himselfe terme's it ; ) lastly , that c melanchthon did reject their bread-worship in the lord's supper . those godly and learned men therefore are to be entreated , that they would well weigh with themselves whether or no these same abuses which they with so great applause cryed down and abhorred , be not for all that the genuine ofspring of that vbiquity which at this day is maintained by them . thirdly , least any man haply should pretend , that no whit is to bee abated of that bitternesse and rigour wherewith at first they exercised the patience of occolampadius , and zuinglius , they are againe to be intreated that in their great wisedomes they would herein take notice of a vast difference ananias , in the ninth of the acts , when first he was warned in a vision to put his hands upon saul , he was somewhat unwilling to doe it ; j have heard ( saith he ) by many of this man &c. but afterwards , having better understood the counsell and purpose of god , he gladly embrace's him , saying , brother saul the lord hath sent mee unto thee . the very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of luther himselfe towards zuinglius and oecolampadius ; whom at first hee fell upon roughly , when he heard that they held there was nothing in the eucharist save only bare signes and figures : but afterwards , having further examined their meaning , he kindly & courteously reacht out the right hand of fellowship unto them . after the very same manner did calvin likewise stand affected towards them , as he himselfe confesseth ; when at my first entrance ( saith hee ) into the cleare sun-shine of the gospell out of popish darknes , i read in luther how that oecolampadius and zuinglius would admit of nothing in the sacraments but bare and empty figures , this ( i confesse ) so farre possest me with a prejudice against their writings , that i refrained a long time from reading them . thus spoke calvin at that time of those men , whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him . why may not then the saxon divines be pleased to show themselves luthers towards us , so long as they finde us not inferiour to oecolampadius and zuinglius in this point ? the third thesis . that this friendly vnion and reconcilement we wish for , is very necessary for all men , whether of a milde or turbulent disposition . it is not my purpose to lash out into common places , wherein much paines might be spent , and litle or no benefit got by it . it behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments , as may , not coldly beg and intreat , but command , and as it were violently compell men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves . neither are there any ( as you well know ) fitter for the setling and confirming of such a communion , than are those which are drawne from the common joy , or greife ; the common danger , or the common good & advantage of both sides . there 's not a more evident and infallible signe of a true member of christ , than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another ; which is seene especially in two things : first , in rejoycing at the hopes of a reconciliation ; such as was the psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of brethren , ● how good and joyfull a thing it is ! secondly , a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissention ; such as the jewes expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of reuben . schisme growing and getting upon the church at corinth , the apostle exhort's them to bee [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement : the word is derived frō {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which amongst physitions signifies to set right againe such members as are out of joynt . the same apostle , that he might compose and setle the mindes of the philippians , ô what a sacred charme doe's he make use of ! if ( saith he ) there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any bowells of mercies , fulfill my joy . but how may they doe that ? he goes on ; that yee be like minded , having the same love , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] being of one accord , of one mind . i verily beleive , that eloquence her selfe , if she had a tongue to speake , she could not have spoke more emphatically : where each word is a sharp dart , peircing and wounding our very hearts and soules . i will adde onely that long chaine of vnities in the same apostle to the ephesians ; one body , one spirit , one hope , one calling , one lord , one faith , one baptisme , one god and father of all : all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at , to wit , that the ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . as touching the danger , we all of us know that the tyranny of the romish antichrist hang's over our heads : who sweetly sing's to himselfe that blacke and fatall maxime [ divide & impera ] set them once at variance , and then you may quickly master them ; or rather , by setting them at variance , you may confound and tumble them into the pit of hell : for the kingdome being once divided , hell it selfe cannot stand . let us learn to be wise from the examples of others : the guelphi and gibelli●i [ those two implacable and irreconcileable factions ] did agree together and joyne their forces , when the common enimie came against them ▪ and shall not we rowse our selves up to save & defend our selves ? as for the gaine and advantage i mentiond , can there be any greater gaine than salvation ? and yet even this too , the more common , the greater and better it is . let us then ( i beseech you for the love of god ) set before our eyes the greek church , which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement , as appeare's from that confession of faith lately set forth in the name of all the easterne churches by the right reverend father cyrill patriarch of constantinople : which agrees exactly with our protestant confessions in every article set forth and published by him . me thinks i see this most ample & farre spreading part of the christian world ready to fly into our armes & embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves : which hope of ours should christ be pleased to crowne with successe ▪ this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the emperours in the world . but i hasten to your other question . the other controversy . concerning that unfathom'd mystery of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes . this is that other question ( as i gather from your letter ) whereon as on a rock divers men ( otherwise desirous of peace ) have dasht and split themselves . that therefore men may knowe , i have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute , but rather am cast upon it against my will , my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation , but ( as the times rather require ) by way of exhortation & advice . i hope therefore the learned divines of saxony will take this my advice in good part , wherein i earnestly pray and beseech them , first , that they would be reconciled to their owne luther in this point , who ( as it did well become a child of grace ) did constantly hold and maintaine that the grace of god is every way free and gratuitous . next , that they would not , in the patronizing and vindicating of divine grace , suffer themselves to be outstript by papists , nay jesuites , and the prime doctors too of that sect , bellarmine , tolet , pererius , suarez , salmeron , maldonat : who have all of them exploded this doctrine of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes , as pure pelagianisme . last of all , it is some wisdome for a man to profit by his enimy : there came out a book two yeares agon , written by will : de gibieuffe , of the oratorian order , priest and doctor of the sorbon , dedicated to the present pope vrban : wherein are inserted the words of pope clement the eighth concerning the auxilia gratiae : the summe whereof is this ; that this whole doctrine ought to be squared and conformed to s. austin's judgement in the point of grace ; that the same s. austin ought be acknowledged and followed as a guide and leader , for asmuch as that good father seeme's to have omitted nothing which concernes the said controversies : and because ( saith he ) many of our praedecessours have stood up so stoutly for that doctrine of s. austin concerning grace as if they desired to have it continued in the church as her right of inheritance , it is not meet i should suffer her to be deprived of this her patrimony . thus farre that pope : unto whose judgement ( j will not say , for the authority , but the trueth of it ) i nothing doubt but calvin himselfe , were he now living , would subscribe : and he that shall read calvin's writings , will quickly grant , that in these controversies he had more than an ordinary share of s. austin's legacy . thus you see , sir , how that partly your importunity ( who are such an earnest factour for peace ) and partly my own zeale in so necessary a cause , have made me exceed the accustomed bounds of a letter ▪ wherein , if you finde not much judgement , yet may you behold my care & desires for christian peace . the author of all true peace , our lord jesus christ , strengthen and enable you by the power of his holy spirit cheerefully to goe thorough with this so waighty an employment for the publike peace of his church . farewell . thomas durham . postscript . that we should thus first seek and sue for brotherly love & unity , is so farre from being any prejudice to our cause , as that it is rather to be counted an honour to us : in that we herein follow the precept and practice of god himselfe ; of whom the evangelist saith , 1. joh. 4. 10. he first loved us . the opinion of the right reverend father in god ioseph hall bishop of exceter . those articles of religion wherein the divines of both sides doe fully agree , are abundantly sufficient , both for a christian man's salvation , and likewise for the establishing of a firme & lasting peace in the churches of god . as for the rest , i would not have them reckoned amongst the apostle's [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] foolish questions : doubtlesse they are such as may perhaps not unfitly bee sent to the divinity-schooles , there to bee throughly discussed : but by no meanes ought they to disquiet the peace either of any christian soule , or of god's holy church . what doe we professing christian charity and love , if we still obstinately refuse to indulge our brethren this litle liberty of dissenting from us in doubtfull & difficult schoole-questions ? seeing wee know very well that our good and gracious saviour passed over with silence and toleration great and greivous errours in comparison of these ( if it be granted that these are errours , ) and that too even in such as were of his owne houshold and retinue . there are but three things about which the reverend divines of both sides professe themselves to differ . the first is , whether or no our lord and saviour jesus christ be truly omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent not only according to his divinity , but also according to his humane nature , by vertue of the personall union ? that the lord jesus ( to wit god and man ) is in both his natures omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent , is confest on each side : this being granted , the word [ according ] is a meere schoole-nicity . how farre the vertue of that hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , the holy ghost is silent , and a christian may safely be ignorant of it . let the doctors , if they list , dispute and busie their braines as much as they please about this matter : it will be enough for a christian , to knowe that he hath a saviour who is both god and man , to whom all these attributes truely belong and appertaine . nay even divines themselves have enough wherein they may rest satisfied , so long as this be granted on both sides , that even the humane nature considered personally is omniscient , omnipresent , & omnipotent : which wee all of us roundly and readily professe without any doubt or scruple . o what enimies are we to peace , if we will yet needs quarrell amongst our selves ● in all this , i wish we would carefully remember that usefull distinction of john gerson , esse quaedam de necessitate fidei , quadam verò de fidei devotione : that there are some things essentiall and necessary to faith , other some things which shee piously and devoutly beleives , but yet they are not of such necessity as the other : the former are such as may not so much as bee once doubted of , but these latter may admit of an {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; we may safely either suspend our assent unto them , or positively dissent from them . the second article wherein they differ , is concerning the manner of receiving christ in the eucharist . both agree , that christ's body is truly and really given , taken , and eaten in this sacrament together with the outward elements : all the question is concerning vnworthy receivers . an unworthy question truly it is , that the publike peace should any way be disturbed about it . we willingly grant both of us , that even such as are vnworthy doe eat that which by a sacramentall union is christ's body ; and that therefore they are guilty of the body and blood of jesus christ : what doe wee now making any more adoe about the manner of their eating , whether it be orall or not ? let christians make this their care , that they thēselves may be found worthy communicants , and let them not trouble themselves to knowe how those which are unworthy are partakers of christ . how farre the vertue of that sacramental union extends it selfe , and whether the manner of this eating be orall or spirituall , let the schools dispute it : christians need not be too curious in enquiring after it ; nor is it fit wee should disquiet the churche's peace , by refusing to indulge mutually one another a liberty of opinion in such nice points . the third article is that fatall point of praedestination : about which , divines of both sides expresse themselves variously , but yet modestly and discreetly . in many things , and such as are of most moment , their judgements on both sides are the same : as , that election is most free , & proceeding from the meere mercy of god , that god found not any cause or occasion in those whom hee elected , the sight whereof might move him to chuse them rather than others : but that he did from all eternity reprobate and praedestinate to eternall damnation such as persevere and persist in their sinnes and infidelity ; not by any rigid and absolute decree , without having any respect or regard to sin , but out of his most just judgement : so as all the cause & the blame of it ought to be sought for in the men themselves . in this they are at a stand ; that the foresight of faith and perseverance is by the reverend divines of saxony placed before the act of god's election : so as god did from everlasting foreordaine such as he fore-saw would in time beleive , &c. certainly of all the questions about praedestination , this concerning the order of his decree is least materiall ▪ seeing we know assuredly that the infinite & all-wise disposer of things performes all this with one single & most simple act . there is nothing more certain than that god did foresee who would beleive , and that he did praedestinate such as should be saved : let but this then be granted ( which they of saxony willingly professe ) that faith is the sole gift of god , and that whatsoever good there is in the elect , all of it doth originally proceed from the free grace & meere mercy of god , which was bestowed on them in jesus christ from all eternity ; i say , let this be granted , and doubtlesse there can be no danger in that opinion of praevision or fore-sight : god from everlasting fore-saw that ▪ which he himselfe from everlasting decreed to bestow in time upon such as should beleive . all this is sound and safe , nor is there any cause why any further strife & contention should be made here ▪ about . in all this , i embrace and applaud this christian and brotherly moderation and holy desires of peace : thus it becomes christians , thus it becomes divines . i am much deceived , if this modest and seasonable appeasing and calming of men's minds doe's not promise a firme and perpetuall peace to god's church . thou god of peace , in thy good time accomplish it : give eare to the prayers of thy people , and grant that all christians may be of one heart and one way , till at length we come , by thee who art the way , to thee who art the life . amen , amen . from the palace at exceter . febr. 25. 1634. which is the humble , daily , and devout prayer of jos : exon : afterwards the same mr john dury sent unto the ld bishop of exceter a coppy of a certaine pious and peaceable decree , made & published by a generall vote at a publike meeting of the states in franckfort : requesting his opinion concerning the meanes and manner how this good worke might be advanced ▪ where unto he had returned him this answer . to his most faithfull , learned , and loving freind mr john dury , all happinesse . sir , ihave read over , with a great deale of delight , the transcript you sent me of that decree for peace , which was lately signed by all the protestant states and delegates assembled at franckfort : than which decree , nothing ( in my opinion ) could possibly have been devised more full of prudence and religion : nor doe i see ( as the case now stand's ) what more could be once hoped for ; or what could possibly have beene proposed and resolved upon that might more conduce to the advancement of the publike peace , which all good men so much wish and desire . thus it was meet that the holy citizens of god's church , that pious princes and peeres should thus carefully provide for the peace and safety of christendome and blessed be god , the bestower of every good gift ▪ the author of peace , who did put into their noble hearts those holy desires and purposes : may the same good god be pleased , at length to finish this his owne work so hopefully begun , and crowne it with successe . and truely neither our prayers nor our utmost endeavours shall ever be wanting hereunto ▪ neither know i well upon what hopes it is , but methinkes my mind doth confidently promise and praesage a happy issue to this holy enterprise . for indeed what a small and slender hedge is it , which now divide ▪ s and part 's us ? we doe all of us of the reformation , receive and approve the same scriptures , the same creeds ▪ the same augustane confession : onely in one article the sense is so doubtfully expressed , that the author himselfe did not thinke it safe to adhere to the letter of it . the foundation of the christian faith is , amongst us all , one and the same , entire and unshaken ; there 's not so much as one stone in it , or the least peice of coement , about which any question either is or can be made ▪ upon this foundation there are built certain points of schoole-divinity , about which alone we so hotly contend : but what are these to a christian ? what are these to salvation ? in what a safe and quiet state might the affaires of christendome have been , if such nice disputes of curious and over-busie heads had never been heard of ; if learned men could have contented thēselves with some generall formes of expressing the trueth , and not presently to have sifted divinity so over-nearly as they have done ? but seeing these strifes , which are not onely unprofitable , but very hurtfull and prejudiciall to both sides , are thus unfortunately raised ; what better advice can be thought upon for the setling and composing of these stirres , than that the faith be brought back againe to its primitive simplicitie and plainenesse , by the publike authority and joynt consent of the christian church ? and that in this confused mixture and multiplicity of matters of beleife , the christian world be taught warily to distinguish betwixt the genuine and proper articles of faith , and the lesse necessary additions of schoole-conclusions : which truely in this very businesse is a matter of no great difficulty to performe . this especially is fundamentall , christ is both god and man ; and so likewise this , christ , god and man , is truely omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent : now if any shall adde further , jesus christ , according to his humane nature , is omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent ; truely that word [ according ] seemes to be farre off from the foundation ; 't is a scholasticall notion , and to be turned over to profest divines ; but it is not fit the salvation of plaine and illiterate christians should be made to hang and depend upon such a subtle and nice point as this is . can these knowe , or are they bound to know , how farre the vertue of the hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , or what the bounds are either of those faculties or operations which flow from that union of the two natures ? certainely if god had intended this for a necessary point to be knowne by all men , he would not so sparingly and obscurely have revealed unto his church a mystery so fundamentall and important . i dispute not the trueth of the point , ( nor is this pertinent to my purpose , ) onely i question whether it be of necessity to be beleived . let us view a comparison betwixt things humane & divine , although what similitude can there bee'twixt earth and heaven ? man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other : and yet notwithstanding , each part hath its severall properties and actions , which are usually attributed ( and that very rightly too ) to the whole ; the whole man hath the use of sense , doth understand , eat , walke , sleep , dye : thus much even sense & reason doth unanswerably evince : will any man hereupon say , that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne , man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason ; and according to his soule he doth eat , walke , sleep , and dye ? truly the same that reason is , in respect of intelligible matters ; the same is faith , in things spirituall and divine : i am not ignorant , how much they differ in their subjects ; yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived , is alike different in both . such trueths therefore as are certaine , such as are necessarily to be beleived , and apparently fundamentall , let us all unanimously embrace and professe them : as for the rest , let divines ( if they please ) busie their heads with them , but let not the plaine & common sort of christians trouble themselves about them more than needs . but if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike peace , that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression ; let us but say ( as * hier : zanchy sometimes alledged out of innocent and the schoole-men ) that even christ's humane nature according to its personall essenc● is omni present , &c. and i see no reason why both sides may not , nay will not readily consent and agree to it . here let us fixe ; let neither side proceed any further beyond this , and wee are safe . in the point of the sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall , that the true and essentiall body and blood of christ is truely present , offered , and received in that holy supper● but whether or no it be corporally present in the bread & wine , whether or no ( by a supernaturall vertue of the conse●rated elements ) it be orally received and eaten , even by wicked and unworthy communicants , this is a matter of theologicall dispute , and such as ( in the judgement of luther , melanchthon , justus jonas , ofiander , brentius , stephanus agricola ▪ yea & of oecolampadius , zuinglius , bu●er , hedi● ) ought not to infri●ge christian love and charity . and upon this promising signe was begun that famous agreement at marpurge , in the yeare 1529. that likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory , which is related concerning the meeting at witemberge , in the yeare 1536 , by ludovicus rabus pastor at vlme , in his history of martyrs : with whom agree's iohn swiccius , pastor at constance ( cited by hospinian ) who was there present at that time ; and 't is to be seen likewise in the english writings of bucer ▪ there were present at that meeting , of the one side , capito , bucer , musculus , and the rest of the more eminent divines out of the cheife imperiall cities in high germany ; of the other side , luther , philip , ionas , pomeranus , cruciger , with other doctors & preachers of witemberge : and after some expostulations , and divers speeches to and fro , wherein both sides freely & fairely delivered their opinions , at length luther ( stepping a litle aside with his associates , and conferring with them about it ) concluded with these words ; if yee beleive and teach , that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare ●ignes bread and wine ; and that such giving and receiving is true and reall , not onely imaginary , the strife betwixt us is at an end , and we doe acknowledge & receive you as our deare brethren in the lord . all this , bucer , capito , and the rest , plainely and freely affirmed : whereupon they joyned hands , and so parted . indeed the waters were then calme and quiet , not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds ; and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of trueth . why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise ? and having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed , why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of peace and unity ? concerning the point of praedestination , how doth the church of christ groane under the burden of a number of huge & high-swolne volumes ? yet when wee have done all we can , and wearied our selves and the christian world with our wrangling pens , this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men , 1 ▪ that god from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto salvation . 2. that none were elected by god , nor shall be saved , who doe not beleive in jesus christ , and persevere in this faith . 3. that none can beleive in christ , save onely they whom god is pleased to enable hereunto , and to worke it in them by the effectuall grace of his spirit ▪ 4. that god did not damne , no nor reprobate any man , but with an eye to sin : so that all the cause & the blame of men's damnation , lie's in themselves ; but the cause of election and salvation is in the meere grace and mercy of god . now all this is confeston both sides . ● know right well , there are infinite questions & controversie a raised about this point : let every man on god's name enjoy his owne opinion ; i will not prescribe to any man . for my selfe , if any man be desirous to know what my opinion herein is , i freely professe my selfe to adhere to the articles of the church of england , and to the judgement of our english divines who voted in the synod at dort ( wherein my selfe was presen 〈…〉 but what is there in this profound point , about which vulgar and illiterate christians need to trouble themselves , save onely that plaine & obvious trueth confest by all ? for the rest , let divines dispute them in the schooles ; but it were well if they would forbeare to medle with them in the pulpit . how are the very same controversies , and others of greater waight and moment , still on foot in the church of rome , and yet so warily and wisely doe they carry the matter , that the publike peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them . let vs learne wisedome from them who professe nought but enmity towards us . would but christian princes by their authority decree , & divines fairely and moderately containe and keep themselves within these bounds of disputation and controversie ( bounds indeed larg and spatious enough , ) wee should have a lasting & firme agreement , the church would flourish in peace and tranquillity , and lastly trueth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common enimy . that this may be brought to passe ( as we all wish and desire it should ) the honourable states and delegates did very wisely propose and advise that a publike meeting of peaceable divines should be summoned and sought for by invitatory letters , that the freindly & laudable conference , which was begun at li●swich , should be reassumed and prosecuted with like modesty as it had formerly been be gun ; that all such di●ines of note & eminence as cannot be present at that meeting should send over their opinions and advice ; that all the fundamentalls of religion , necessary for salvation , should be determined , and all other points laid aside , and turned over to the schooles ( if need should require ; ) that in the meane time men's tongues and pens should be enjoyned moderation or else silence ; that lastly publike prayers should be solemnly made in the churches of both sides for the successe of this good worke . let but these things be done with an upright heart , in the feare of god , and wee need not doubt of a happy issue : it is god's own cause , he will not be wanting to himselfe . for you , mr dury , who have hitherto with such zeale , such unwearied paines , so many dangers , so great charges , prosecuted this designe so well pleasing to god , his angells , and men ; truly you have deserved so well of the whole church , as that all good men must acknowledge themselves much indebted to you . goe on ( worthy sir ) with your great undertakeings , and put a period to this good worke : or rather , may the great god of heaven & earth doe this for you and us all ; and may he still preserve and prosper you in these travailes and labours of yours . farewell from your loving freind jos : exon : the opinion of the most reverend father in god iames usher lord arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland , with some other reverend bishops in ireland . reverend and much respected brother in christ ; wee had long since by common consent made ready an answer to your former letters which you writ unto us severally some moneths agon : but being desirous to have likewise a generall subscription to it according to that agreement which should be betwixt fellow-brethren of the clergy , we deferred the sending of it somewhat the longer in hopes of a meeting . you desire us now in your second letter dated from london march 20. that we would give you our opinion concerning the conference at lipswich ; the rather , because that conference is likely to have some effect and influence upon the busines you have in hand . thus therefore ; that meeting ( though it was called for other ends and reasons ) yet seeing it was holden with such good successe , and that the cheife divines of both sides had so faire & freindly a conference , heard one another with such patience , & parted with such love and brotherly affection , it is a very good signe that this matter is from the lord , and from this good beginning who can chuse but hope for a happy and successefull issue ? but yet notwithstanding , they parted differing about three points : it is well that they differd but in three ; & 't is better yet , that even in those three points they agreed in most things , and such as are of greatest moment ; nor was their difference so much about the thing it selfe , as about some formes of expression , which for the most part we cannot so easily forget and cast off after we have been long accustomed to them . for seeing it is confest on both sides , that christ hath two natures in one person , so inseparably united that neither can they be divided , nor are they confounded , but still remaine distinct and severall without all mixture or aequality ( so much as of their properties , ) to what end is it to quarrell about improper and figurative propositions ? so likewise in the eucharist , seeing they both agree that the faithfull doe eat not only the fruit and benefit , but the very essence ( or substance ) of christ's body ; and that on god's part the sacraments are exhibited entire & perfect , the thing signified together with the sign , what doe they contending about hypocrites and unbelievers ? 't is all one as if physi●ions should fall a disputing about a dead man , whether or no the potion he tooke hath any operation upon him . there remaines yet that other much controverted question touching praedestination : and yet even in this too it would be no hard matter for them to be reconciled , were but spleen and partiality laid aside , and in the roome thereof a reverent and modest feare how we pry too farre into god's secret counsells , placed and planted : seeing the best and ablest divines of both sides acknowledge , that in many questions about this mystery we must be faine to take up st paul's exclamation , o the depth ! and that 't is both lawfull & sufficient for them to rest and hold together in those cleare & undoubted trueths ; namely , that the election of such as shall be saved , was made in christ ; that the destruction of all such as perish , is from themselves ; that salvation is from god ; that faith ( yea even foreseen faith ) is not from our selves , it is the gift of god , that we may not boast of any thing , seeing we have nothing of our own ; all must be ascribed to god : as s. cyprian of old devoutly and pithily spake . thus you have , both what we hope & conceive of the conference at lipswich . but the most principall and speciall thing , which should be earnestly prest and inculcated , is this ; that in divine matters , espocially in such high and difficult mysteries as these are , which are rather to be adored than pried into , we ought to have a certaine and set rule to speake by ▪ as s. austin sometimes prudently and piously counselled : & therefore it would be a very safe and good course for us to refraine from all novell and new-fangled expressions , and to confine the liberty of prophecying to such formes and phrases as the holy scriptures doe furnish us withall . it remaines , that wee earnestly beseech the god of peace to bruise satan under our feet , & that shortly : unto which god we heartily recommend you ( reverend brother ) & rest may 14. anno 1634. your most affectionate friends james armagh . william kilmore . john ardagh . the judgement of the same right reverend father , the lord arch-bishop of armagh , delivered in a sermon of his preached before k. iames at wansted , iune 20th . 1624. if at this day wee should take a survay of the severall professions of christianity , that have any large spread in any part of the world ( as of the religion of the romane and the reformed churches in our quarters , of the aegyptians and aethiopians in the south , of the grecians & other christians in the easterne parts , ) and should put-by the points wherein they differ one from another , and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they doe all generally agree ; wee should finde , that in those propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole christian world , so much trueth is contained , as being joyned with holy obedience , may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation . neither have we cause to doubt , but that as many as doe walke accorto this rule ( neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable here●ies thereupon , nor otherwise vitiating their holy faith with a lewd and wicked conversation ) peace shall be upon them , and mercy , and upon the israel of god . the opinion of some famous divines of the french church . that which hath been the constant and earnest wish of all good men for these hundred yeares past , and which by all wise men hath been esteemed worthy to be purchased at any rate and with any paines though never so great ; this ( we heare , to the exceeding great joy of our hearts ) is at this day endeavoured by some worthy servants of christ ▪ with singular zeale , and not without good hopes of a happy successe : to wit , that the protestant churches which differ one from another about some points of religion , laying aside or at least moderating on both sides their over-tenacious adhering to their own opinions , may now at length be united and made up into one body . we being much joyed with this welcome newes , first of all we render all possible praise and thankesgiving to almighty god the giver of all good things , that he hath been pleased to put such good thoughts and intentions into the hearts of his servants ; and wee most earnestly beseech him , that his blessing may goe along with this good designe , & crowne it with successe : next , we returne many thanks to those our reverend and worthy brethren and fellow-ministers , who have put their hands to this worke ; and we doe highly applaud and admire their faithfulnesse , zeale , charity , and singular magnanimity & courage herein . what a brave and noble spirit does it argue in them , that they could once hope for an unity and peace of our churches in these desperate and distracted times ? or that they durst venter upon a matter of such difficulty , which had so often been attempted heretofore by men of great abilities , but could never be brought to passe ? what the event of this so great and good a designe will be , is in the sole power & pleasure of almightie god : but surely the very endeavouring and intending of so good a worke deserve's no litle commendation : for , the bare purpose or having in one's heart and thoughts matters of great concernment , and such as may make for the good of christ's church , is a great and good worke , & never faile's of its reward from our bountifull god : although there be good cause to hope , that the paines which learned men take hereabout shall even with men too have its fruit & effect . for , now that they have spent their spirits and heat of contention , & wearied themselves with long strife and variance , it is more than probable that they will now at last entertaine those counsells of peace which they have hitherto out of spleene and passion rejected and set light by . besides , that most sharp plowshare of god's judgement wherewith for almost these foureteene yeares he hath furrowed and plowed up the french and german churches , hath so subdued & broken up men's minds on each side , that never was there a more fit and seasonable opportunity for sowing and casting in the seeds of unity and peace , than now . wee cannot chuse therefore but greatly approve , commend , and admire the purposes and endeavours of those worthy men who have imployed their paines in so necessary a worke : but since we understand how that they are desirous to knowe more particularly what our opinion is of this whole businesse , let us proceed to set downe ( as breifly and plainly as we can ) our judgement herein . indeed it were much to be wished , that they who professe themselves christ's disciples and followers , would all think and speake alike of matters spirituall and divine ; perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement , ( as s. paul exhorts his corinthians . ) but since there is so much weaknesse in man's understanding , and so great difficulty in points of divinity , that this perfect and absolute agreement betwixt pious men is a thing not to be had or hoped for in this world ; in the next place it were to be wished , that they would agree and be of the same beleife about the maine & principall heads of religion : and for other matters which are of lesse moment and use , and such as do not any way make either for holinesse of life , or comfort of men's consciences , & consequently doe not necessarily pertaine to christ's kingdome ( which consists in those two things ) that they would in such wise beleive them , as to beare with others who dissent frō them about such points . for as we see in civill & saecular matters , the best states-men are not alwaies of the same opinion concerning the affaires of the commonwealth ; so likewise in the church , so long as the summe and substance of religion is agreed upon & maintained , no matter though in some other points the judgements of the faithfull be various and different . that this is lawfull , both the thing it selfe loudly proclaimes it , and s. paul confirmes it ; who doe's not only permit but command us ( more than once ) to beare with such as differ from us in their opinions ▪ and 't is the common and generall opinion of all such divines as have been of any note and esteem in the church ever since our saviour christ's times downe to this present age . yet is not this so to be understood , as if all manner of differences in religion were to be tolerated : for even the same apostle denounceth an anathema against such as shall preach any other gospell than that which he had preached ; and the most moderate amongst the fathers of the christian church have alwaies constantly held , that we are to shunne and avoid the company of hereticks . for there bee some opinions of those men who differ about religion , which overthrow the very foundation of our salvation , & destroy either that piety or that charity which wee are commanded by god's word to practise towards god and men : such are the erroneous doctrines of romanists , who will have that religious worship given to creatures , which god hath reserved peculiar to himselfe ; who make our faith to rely upon the judgement and authority of men ; who severall waies overthrow the preistly office of jesus christ ; in a word , who have with their own inventions so stained and deformed the whole christian religion , that they have left no one part in it sound and untainted . such likewise are the opinions of socinians , who ( to let passe their other positions ) deny our lord and saviour christ jesus to be truely god : and if once you take away his divinity , it will necessarily follow , that either wee worship a creature , or else that we doe not worship the sonne of god ; both of which are manifestly repugnant to those trueths which are delivered to us in holy writ as absolutely necessary to salvation . we conceive therefore that no peace in way of religion can be had with these men , nor with any others who maintaine any errours of this nature , till they shall renounce these their private doctrines . but for those who hold some erroneous opinion which yet may consist with piety , & charity , and all christian duties belonging thereunto , we think ( as s. paul seeme's to have determined ) a communion may be held with them . wee may mildly admonish such , and when opportunity is offered , discreetly reprove and instruct them ; but to cast them out of the church , and ( for no other cause ) to curse and excommunicate them as men in a desperate and damnable estate , this ( in our opinion ) is neither fitting nor lawfull to be done . now to apply this to the matter in hand ▪ we conceive that to this latter sort all those controversies doe belong which are agitated amongst protestant divines , touching christ's presence in the sacramentall ●ignes , touching divine praedestination , and some few other points . for they doe agree in all such points as conduce either to piety towards god , or charity towards men ; they maintain on both sides , that the scriptures are of divine inspiration , that they are perfect , perspicuous , and authenticall ; they detest with one heart & mouth the tyranny , and pernitious doctrines of the pope , and they equally keep off from entertaining a communion with him ; they have the same sacraments ; they worship the same christ ; they professe the same righteousnesse and holinesse in this life , and they expect the same glory in the life to come : in a word , so great and so wonderfull an agreement is there betwixt them about all saving and necessary doctrines , that ( did not the history of their affaires , and those bitter contentions which have hitherto ( more is the pitty ) been fomented amongst them , witnesse the contrary ) there 's no man but would thinke they had a meeting at the beginning , and by common counsell & consent agreed upon the same confession of faith . in such a multitude of mysteries , who can chuse but admire that there should not be above one or two points wherein they did not fully agree ? for even about the eucharist , which is the maine matter of this woefull division , they both of them grant that 't is a sacrament not a sacrifice ; that it is to be eaten , not worshipped ; both the two kindes instituted by our saviour christ ( to wit , bread and wine ) are neither transubstantiated nor divided one from the other by either side ; they both acknowledge the same use and end of this holy rite , to wit the commemorating of christ's death , & the partaking of his body which was crucified , and of his blood which was shed for us : there is onely one thing about which they disagree , namely the manner how christ's body is given to us and received by us in that sacrament ; the thing is the same on both sides , onely the manner of it is divers . this difference , though it be but small , yet is it not ( wee confesse ) altogether of no moment : but that it should be of so great moment , as that it ought to make a breach of charity and affection amongst brethren , a duty so useful and necessary to the christian world , and so miraculously wrought amongst them by the hand of heaven , this we utterly deny . neither doe we alone deny it : to say nothing of our brethren in poland , and almost all the germans which hold with us , who ( as it is well knowne to all men ) ever did , and at this day doe make the same reckoning and account of that controversy as we but now did ; to say nothing likewise of those famous divines of both sides in saxony and brandenburge , who ( as we have been informed ) were lately of the very same opinion concerning these points , when they had fairely discussed them at lipswich , whither they were come with their princes . but one thing there is which we cannot here omit to mention , a matter perhaps not so well knowne to forraine nations , yet such a matter it is as we confidently beleive will be most welcome and acceptable to all good & peaceable men , to wit that the reformed churches here in france ( whereof there are good store ) have alwaies been of that same opinion touching these controversies , & they have given testimony of this their opinion , both heretofore sundry waies , and likewise now very lately by an expresse decree made in a generall synod held here at charenton neare paris in the yeare 1631. for when , upon occasion of a citizen of lions ( unto whose daughter a certaine young german of the augustane confession , as they call it , was a suiter ) it was questiond , how we are to account and esteeme of such as are commonly termed lutherans ; all the brethren which were there met , out of all the provinces of france , and sent thither from their several churches , did unanimously vote thus ; that seeing the churches of the augustane confession doe agree with the other reformed churches in all the principles and fundamentall points of true religion , and that in their discipline and forme of divine worship there is neither idolatry nor superstition : such of the faithfull of that confession as shall with the spirit of charity and in a truly peaceable way joyne themselves unto the publike assemblies of the churches in this kingdome , and desire to communicate with them , may , without the abjuration of their former opinions which they hold contrary to the beleife of these churches , be admitted to the holy table , contract marriages with the faithfull of our confession , and present themselves in the quality of godfathers to the children which shall be baptized ; upon their promise given to the consistory , that they will never solicite such children , directly or indirectly , against the doctrine beleived and professed in our churches , but shall content themselves with giving them instruction onely in those points wherein we all agree . we are not ignorant , how that many objections may be made against this decree by such as have a mind to contend & cavill : but such objections they are , most of them , as have but litle strength and validity in them , and such as can no way stand in comparison with those waighty reasons wherewith the christian faith and charity doe furnish us . it is not our purpose to insist on every particular ; onely in general , we think it not amisse to put men in minde of two things , which if they were observed with that care as it fitting , both sides perhaps would henceforth judge more mildly and charitably of each other than hitherto they have done . first then , speciall heed would be taken by us , that the assertions and opinions of private men , though doctors , though of never so great esteem and repute amongst their own men , be not father'd on that whole church wherein such men live , as the common and generally received doctrine of them all . for what can be imagined more unequall , than that one man's crime , or commendation , should be imputed to all ? and what by him hath been spoken well or ill , should be rewarded or punished in others ▪ who were so farre from deserving any such matter , as that many times such things are fastned on them as they never so much as once heard of from others , or once thought thereupon themselves . the generall doctrine of each severall church is laid downe and comprised in publike confessions , severall for each side ; their's ( namely the doctrine of the lutheran party ) in the augustane confession ( as they terme it ; ) that of the other side , in many severall confessions , diversly expressed according to the diversity of countries and kingdomes . from these are we to judge and esteeme what is held and maintained by both : seeing they doe all professe themselves to assent and adhere to these , and that they will live & dye in this faith . but ( for ought i know ) neither doe they so generally approve the writings of brentius or chemnitius , nor doe these so farre magni●ie piscator or beza , as if they would that whatsoever is affirmed by those men , should be admitted and acknowledged as the common and necessary faith of all christians . nay so farre are they both of them from this folly , that they themselves freely reprove and censure their own men , and mark out many passages in their writings , as different from the common and received doctrine of their church . whence it follow's , that the sayings of such men , whosoever they be , are unjustly , and ( to speake the most favourably of it ) preposterously fatherd on the whole church in which they lived . and yet notwithstanding , what else are all those tenents with which protestant divines cast one another in the teeth , with which they upbraid one another as if they were the publike and generall faults of the two adverse parts , and for which they so labour to draw one another into envy & contempt ? i say , what else are they but the private positions of some particular doctors on both sides , vented many times either in choler and passion , or out of a vehement zeale to maintaine their cause , when they were hard pressed & put to it either with the difficulty of the things themselves , or the subtilty of an acute adversary ; and so , spake rather out of necessity than judgement and premeditation . for truely so sound and untainted are the publike confessions of our churches on each side , that there is very litle and hardly any thing which either of them can finde wanting in the other's confession . our divines in germany doe commend the augustane confession ; and no doubt but our brethren the lutherans will in like manner approve of ours , for the farre greater part of it , would they but once be pleased to read it over impartially without passion and prejudice . certainly neither in that confession of theirs shall any man meet with that vbiquity of christ's body , which wee condemne in lutheranisme ; nor in this of ours , that stoicall fate so much objected against us . but a second fault there is , very frequent amongst men of both sides , and almost hereditary , which ought ( as we conceive ) with all care and diligence to bee shun'd and avoided in this businesse . namely , that they who maintaine any position , should not bee thought to hold whatsoever seemes to us to follow thereupon by the rules of disputation . for it often fall's out , that he who hold's a principle from which such a conclusion is inferred , may notwithstanding be utterly ignorant of that which is in ferred from his principle . for instance , he that first observed the loadstone to point towards the north pole , did not forth with perceive all the severall experiments that have been afterwards made from thence for the use and benefit of navigation : for conclusions lye hid and buried in their principles , nor are they deduced thence without some paines and study . he therefore who hold's some principle , and withall doth either not heed and regard it ; or else considers it , but with an intellect which is either dull or prepossessed with anger or affection or some other passion , this man , from that principle of his which hee understand's , doth not straightway understand whatsoever may be knowne and concluded from it . thus they who live in the papacy , having their mindes bewitched ( that i may so speake ) with the authority of their leaders , though they grant with us that the sinnes of men are most fully expiated by that sacrifice offered up by christ on the crosse , yet can they not hence conclude ( although it evidently follow hereupon ) that their sacrifice of the altar is vaine and superfluous . now as he who understand's some one trueth , is sometimes ignorant of other trueths which are consequent thereupon : so likewise he who hath some erroneous opinion , must not therefore be thought to hold and maintaine all the absurdities that may be inferred from it : for there 's the same account to bee made of consequences either way . thus tertullian of old , and many of the ancient fathers , taught that the humane soule is derived from the father to the sonne by way of propagation ; but that 't is mortall , which followes upon the former , this they were so farre from granting , that they did alwaies expressely deny it . as therefore wee doe not say that the papists doe therefore deny their sacrifice of the altar , because they grant ( as we doe ) the perfection and sufficiency of that sacrifice which was offered up by christ on the crosse , though in all good consequence this overthrowes that sacrifice of theirs : so neither doe we think that tertullian , & others of the same opinion touching the originall of man's soule , ought to be charged for holding the soule to be mortall , because this latter errour seeme's to be deducible from the former . now then how extreme faulty in this kinde divines of both sides have beene , who is there that see's not ? for we commonly charge our brethren ( the lutherans ) with eutychianisme , ( though they in the meane time deny and disclaime it , ) because this errour , as we think , follows upon their doctrine concerning the lord's supper ▪ they againe on the other side , stick not to charge us with i knowe not what monstrous opinions , as if we made god the author of all sin and wickednesse , ( assertions which we justly abhorre & tremble at , because they perswade themselves that this may be gathered from our doctrine about god's praedestination and providence . wee will not here dispute whether these things be rightly inferred yea or no from our severall tenents and opinions on both sides : it sufficeth , that whatsoever they be , whether justly or unjustly pin'd upon our opinions , they are denied by us both : nor can we ever be induced by any arguments whatsoever , to grant that they are agreeable and consonant to our faith . for so long as this is done ( as indeed it is , ) it is manifest from what hitherto hath been delivered , that neither can they without injustice and calumniation bee charged with eutychianisme , nor we with those monstrous and damnable opinions , although both these errours could by true & solid consequence be concluded from our severall positions , ( which yet neither side will ever confesse for their own part . ) seeing therefore that all or most of those doctrines which the one side taxeth in the other as pernicious and such as cannot consist with salvation , are but either the private opinions of some particular men or else but corollaries and conclusions violently wrested by force of argument out of their severall opinions , would but men ( as in reason they ought ) forbeare to father any thing on either side save onely that which their whole churches expresly owne and professe for their received opinions , it would be very easie to maintaine that all the dispute and controversie which is in agitation betwixt them , is such as may be tolerated , and that there is not any thing contained in the faith and doctrine of either side which overthrowe's salvation . now were but this once agreed upon and beleived on both sides , there would remaine litle or no difficulty in this whole businesse wherein worthy men doe at this present employ themselves , namely of setling peace and unity amongst our churches . for seeing there are but two waies possible of being reconciled ; either , that one side shall renounce their private opinions , and come over to the other , or else , that both sides shall joyne together , retaining their severall opinions , and by a mutuall condescending shall each of them tolerate that which they dislike in the other's doctrine , especially if it be such as cannot be altered without perill and dammage to a whole church ; the former of these two waies ( as we conceive ) is not now to be stood upon , whereof triall hath been heretofore made not onely without successe but with much danger & harme , as appeares sufficiently from those many disputations & conferences which have been held betwixt both sides during this whole age ; whereby hatred and & enmity hath been ingendred rather than extinguished , and the number of controversies rather increased than diminished . wee must therefore betake our selves to that other way of being reconciled , and in it must we employ all our paines and cares & studies , as being indeed both the onlyeasie and lawfull way , yea and necessary too in our judgement . and that wee may at length attaine unto this , it would not be amisse ( as we conceive ) to proceed after this manner and method ; first , wee must endeavour that a kinde of truce and cessation from our st●ifes & contentions may be agreed upon and enjoyned the divines of both sides , and that they be stirred up and exhorted to take this whole businesse into consideration : this being obtained , in the next place speciall diligence must be used , that after a meeke , freindly , and most persuasive manner it be made appeare to all , that we are not at variance about any fundamentall point of christian religion , or such wherein men may not safely be of either opinion without hazarding their salvation : and here men must be very carefull that they refraine from all intricate questions , and trifling disputes , ( such wherein the schoolemen have spent so much paines , mincing and mangling every thing into i know not how many peices , & then handling every peice severally , ) which serve for no other end save onely to torture & torment mens mindes , but no way make for edification . would but god be pleased so farre to prosper these endeavours as that thus much may be once brought to passe , wee make no doubt but every man would then readily wish for this much-desired communion , which none ever shunn'd or refused but out of a kinde of religion and conscience , conceiving it unlawfull to entertaine a communion with any that are not of the same beleife and opinion with themselves : so soone as men on both sides shall be wrought off from this superstitious conceit , they will gladly run and rush ( as it were ) into one anothers armes and embraces . for it cannot be imagined that there is any man , either of the one side or the other , so stupid & void of all reason & & religion , but knows how foul & scandalous a thing , how hurtfull to both sides , how dangerous and pernitious to the whole christian world this schisme is which hath hitherto divided and distracted us ; on the other side , how sweet , how beneficiall , both to our selves & all others , unity and peace would be , so it might be had without losse of faith and salvation . and truely the way to setle this unity ( were we but once come to that ) is plaine and easie . for seeing we doe both of us ( by god's grace ) equally acknowledge and beleive the gospell of our lord jesus christ penned by his disciples ; and seeing we confesse , that whatsoever is of necessity for salvation to be beleived or done by us , it is all clearely and plainly laid downe in this gospell , what hinder's why we may not joyntly confirme and ratify those articles wherein we both agree ? & for those other points about which wee differ , wee may expresse them in such words and phrases as the sacred scriptures afford us , and not suffer our men to enquire any further , or contest about thē . for if it be true which we both confesse , that all those heavenly mysteries which must necessarily be knowne by us , are clearely revealed in god's word , doubtles then we may content our selves with so much as the scripture has delivered , and wee may safely forgoe all other points wherein the scripture is silent . let therefore all the heads of matters in dispute amongst us be laid downe and expressed in a certaine and set forme , such as may give satisfaction to both parties , made up wholly ( if it be possible ) of scripture-words : and let no man require from his brother any more besides it : if any man have attained to a further degree of knowledge , let him keep his knowledge to himselfe ; and let him not despise the weaknesse and simplicity of others who have not made so great a progresse in knowledge as himselfe . as for rites and ceremonies wherein the forme of divine worship and the churche's discipline are contained , we conceive it fit that every church should be left to her owne judgement and liberty herein , and that no innovation be made about such matters . hereafter , if it shall please god , when time shall have confirmed and strengthened this union , there may be compiled , by the joynt consent and advice of all , a common liturgy ; which would be both a token and bond of peace . for the present , we shall think our paines well bestowed , if at this first attempt we can prevaile with both sides to tolerate mutually out of christian charity such differences of opinion as are betwixt us either in doctrine or discipline ( which truely are but small , & altogether unworthy to occasion such a rupture and breach betwixt us , ) and so at length to acknowledge one another to be ( as indeed we are ) brethren in the lord . thus much we thought good to speak in breife touching this matter , that our reverend brethren , who are well affected to the publike peace , may understand how ready & willing wee are to concurre with them in this pious and christian worke . and though our meane abilities and the present state and condition of our affaires be such , as that wee cannot performe such service in it as is meet and requisite , yet shall our earnest prayers alwaies accompany the labours and endeavours of those reverend men who are or shall be employed therein : and we shall account that day most happy , wherein we shall behold brethren ( having buried all strifes and contentions ) joyne hands and hearts , and dwell together in the same jerusalem ; by this fast and firme communion , anticipating ( as it were ) & foreacting here upon earth that everlasting unity and concord which we shall hereafter enjoy in heaven . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a53386e-260 c. 8. v. 19. ephes. 4. 15. rom. 12. 14. joh. 17. 21. act. 4. 32. ho●p histor. sacr. ann. 15 29. idem ann. 1537 ▪ ibid. harm. confes. par . 1. & 2. in confess . polon. 1. chron. 22. 16. mat 23. c. 4. v. 5. 2. cor. 6. 16. 〈…〉 a● 〈…〉 . ad constant . august . tit. 1. 3. bucer . rom. 14. 1. rom. 15. 1. magdeburg . lib. 2. cap. 7. august . de unitate eccl. c. 1● . a in epist. ad luther . b contra rober . atringen & alibi . hosp : in . hist. sacr. pag 144 ad an. 153 6. c ibid. coiloq . momp. . pag 16. 〈…〉 . ann. 15●● p. 145. math. 18. joh. 1335. 1. cor. 3. 12. osiand . antist. pag. 75. in ant●st . pag ▪ 91. gal. 2. 9 ▪ act. 7. 16 psal. 122 9. in antist. pag. 7 4. o● . 2. tit. 1. 3. epist ad stephen & ad iuhaian praef. ad co●●il . carthag . v●l . august . de b●p● . lib. 2 cap 4 5. epiph. har 42. & 70. n●zian orat. 30. ●●st . ●u●lib 4 cap. 30. orat. 3. de pa. ● in orat. unum esse christ●m notes for div a53386e-3290 calvi● . epist. 57. bulling . calvin . tract. 2. de●ens . de sacra●… c●n● . melanchthon calvino , inter epistola● calvini , 187. iob. sturmius ep. ●d prin● . fredet●i●ter calvini ep. 304. calvin . epist. 240. iacob . andreae . & epist. 32. farello . c●l●i● ▪ ●pi 〈…〉 mart●●●●●●al●●●●o 〈…〉 t●s . 〈…〉 ● . 〈…〉 . a ep. sturm●● ad ●r●d . prin●●●t●r epist. ●al●in . 304. b ●●●●h . 〈…〉 de c●●● domini con●●ss●● magistrat . a ●●●tur 〈…〉 xtat ●●ter 〈…〉 epist. ●04 . & epist. 45 ●●●●●● su●tz●r . ib. b calvin . epist 32. ●ar●●●● . c melan●●● . epist. calvin . ●●●●●ter ep. 187. calv. opusc. defens . 2 ▪ de sacram. c●…nae this is the title of that confession . g●i● de g● 〈…〉 li●●●t●●● d● 〈…〉 crea 〈…〉 ‑ 〈…〉 notes for div a53386e-5830 * zanch. iudici● de di●●idio c●●● in fine miscella●●o●u●● quod idem pr●batur a ●uinglio i●i●e a citate . ●●d . ●tiam f●ild●um nostratem ▪ in lib. de eccles. & appendi●e . ●●d lib. ● de eccl●s●● . c. 35. & 42. & app●nd part . ● ▪ respons ▪ ad secundum capu● hi●gonii . ●●●●●●a● citantur p●● . m●●a● l. cai●tan 〈…〉 these heads 〈…〉 granted on bo●h sides in this conscienc● . notes for div a53386e-6630 g●l 6 1● . notes for div a53386e-6790 〈…〉 15. 1. 〈…〉 3. 15. good counsells for the peace of reformed churches by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines ; translated out of latine. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a37176 of text r15642 in the english short title catalog (wing d319). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 153 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 76 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a37176 wing d319 estc r15642 12951291 ocm 12951291 95919 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a37176) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 95919) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 735:4) good counsells for the peace of reformed churches by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines ; translated out of latine. dury, john, 1596-1680. davenant, john, ca. 1572-1641. morton, thomas, 1564-1659. hall, joseph, 1574-1656. ussher, james, 1581-1656. [4], 64, 22, 23, 7, 29 p. printed by leonard lichfield for william webb, oxford [oxfordshire] : 1641. marginal notes. attributed to john dury. cf. madan 997. includes essays by john davenant, thomas morton, joseph hall, ussher, and french divines. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng church of england. -thirty-nine articles. concord. a37176 r15642 (wing d319). civilwar no good counsells for the peace of reformed churches. by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines. translated out of latine. [no entry] 1641 27869 26 55 0 0 0 0 29 c the rate of 29 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2002-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-12 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-01 olivia bottum sampled and proofread 2003-02 spi global rekeyed and resubmitted 2003-03 rina kor sampled and proofread 2003-08 spi global rekeyed and resubmitted 2003-10 olivia bottum sampled and proofread 2003-10 olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion good covnsells for the peace of reformed churches . by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines . translated out of latine . oxford , printed by leonard lichfield , for william webb . 1641 cvm privilegio . k. james our late most learned soveraigne , in the epistle of is. casaubon to cardinall perron , upon the 3d observation . the king thinketh that the number of things absolutely necessary to salvation is not great . wherefore his majesty is of opinion that there is no readier way to a generall accord , than diligently to sever necessary points from unnecessary ; and so that there be a consent in the necessary articles , in the other unnecessary place may be given to christian liberty . the king judgeth those points simply necessary , which are either expresly in the word of god commanded to be beleived or done , or collected out of the word by the ancient church , by immediate consequence . if this distinction were well applyed to the deciding of controversies at this day , and divine lawes fairely severed from positive or ecclesiasticall constitutions , it is very likely that godly and moderate men would not long be at any variance in things absolutely necessary . for they are but few , as we said before ; and they are already almost agreed upon among all that call themselves christians . and further , his majestie doth so approve of the former distinction , and esteemes it to be of such moment for the lessening and setling of controversies ( which at this day so much vex the church of christ , ) that in his judgement it is the duty of all godly men that love truth and peace most diligently to teach , presse , and urge it . mr hooker in his answer to mr travers , at the end . sith there can come nothing of contention but the mutuall wast of the parties contending , till a common enimy dance in the ashes of them both ; j doe wish heartily , that the grave advice which constantine gave for reuniting of his clergy , so many times upon so small occasions in so lamentable sort divided ; or rather , the strict commandment of christ unto his , that they should not be divided at all , may at the length , if it be his blessed will , prevaile so farre , at the least in this corner of the christian world , to the burying and quite forgetting of strife ▪ together with the causes which have either bred it or brought it up ; that things of small moment never disjoyne them , whom one god , one lord , one faith , one spirit , one baptisme , bands of so great force , have linked ; that a respective eye towards things wherewith we should not be disquieted , make us not , as through infirmity the very patriarchs themselves were , full gorged , unable to speake peaceably to their own brother ; finally , that no strife may ever be heard of againe , but this , who shall hate strife most , who shall pursue peace and unity with swiftest paces . sr edwin sandys in his book entitled europae speculum , or a veiw of the state of religion in the westerne parts of the world . pag : 173. the end ( of these unhappy differences in religion betwixt the protestant churches ) will bee , that their enimies shall laugh , when themselves shall have cause to weep : unlesse the graciousnesse of god stirre up some worthy princes of renowne and reputation with both sides , to interpose their wisedome , industry , and authority , for the uniting these factions , or at leastwise for reconciling and composing these differences in some tolerable sort : a work of immortall fame and desert ; and worthy of none other but of them of whom this wicked base world is not worthy . the opinion of the right reverend father in god iohn davenant bishop of sarisbury . to his learned and worthy friend mr iohn dury . t is well worthy the consideration of all pious divines , which god speakes by his prophet zachary , love the truth and peace . with which that of the apostle also suite's well , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , speake the truth in love . wee may not so hotly pursue after trueth , as that in the mean time we wholly neglect . peace ; nor may we desire such a peace as will not consist with the trueth . those divines therefore who quarrell and contend so much for the faith and religion , they may talke what they list , but hee that love's not both trueth and peace , love's indeed neither ; nor hath he any true affection or desire to either of them , who desire 's them not both . for if it be true which philosophers tell us , that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unitie than it 's being , i see no reason why the spirituall and mysticall body , the church catholique , should not with as great a zeale study to preserve her unitie : seeing if that be once dissolved and lost , shee is so farre from being a church , that she cannot so much as be imagined one . let us then on god's name be as earnest and eager in desiring & defending the trueth as the best , but withall let us not forget that of saint paul , that if it be possible , and as much as in us lie's , we live peaceably with all men : j say , with all men , in an externall and civill ; but with all christian men , in a spirituall and ecclesiasticall peace . this is the earnest desire of our saviour christ , and 't is the joynt wish & prayer of his whol church , that all they who professe themselves beleivers in christ , might be united and knit together into one body ; that they might be all of one heart and of one soule . this being so , surely those pious and peacemaking divines are highly to bee commended , who of late have imployed themselves and their endeavours about the reconciling of the reformed churches . for my owne part , i would to god i were able to contribute any thing that might further and promote so good and godly a worke . what i can , i shall willingly at your request ( sir ) doe it : and shall impart unto you what my thoughts were , when j lately meditated with my selfe hereupon . in the first place therefore , it would bee considered , whether or no it be possible to establish such an union amongst all the reformed churches , so as that they shall account of one another not as friends only , but as brethren ; and exhibit mutually each to other the signes , fruites , and effects not onely of an outward and generall freindship , but of a more intimate & spirituall amity and communion . for if this fraternall & spirituall union we so much desire , cannot be had , we may then desist ; things impossible doe not binde us to the having or seeking of them : but if it may possibly be procured , 't were a great pitty and a shame that so good a worke and so well-pleasing to god as this is , should be either opposed or delayed . now when i say , that it would first be considered whether or no this union we treate of , be possible ; my meaning is , whether or no such an union may stand with a diversity of opinions amongst private doctors in these severall churches , touching those much-controverted points . which have of a long time ( to the great greife of all good men ) much troubled the germane churches . for although it were to be wished , that divines would fairely and fully agree amongst themselves about all those controversies ; yet for so many different mindes to concurre all in the same opinion , is ( as i conceave ) a thing scarce to be hoped for , much lesse to be effected in one age . but that these said churches , notwithstanding such disputes as hang undecided may neverthelesse entertaine amongst themselves a christian charitie and correspondence , is apparent from hence , that as often as divines of both sides have set themselves seriously about this work , they still prevailed in it as much as they desired ; and they might no doubt have prevailed further , if they themselves had not wilfully stood in their own way . witnesse luther himselfe and the helvetians : betwixt whom ( though they differed in their opinions about the presence of christs body ) a freindly agreement notwithstanding was made at marpurge : luther there professing , that he would not by any meanes permit the adverse party that honour ▪ to outstrip him in their desires of amitie and peace . which peace , after that it had by i know not what mischeivous devices been somewhat disturbed and diminished , was againe renewed & confirmed by them : whereat luther himselfe rejoyced ▪ and upon a strict examination of the helveticke confession , held it very requisite that they should lovingly joyne hearts and hands together . but here if any one think , that this was no such entire and perfect union as that which now i affirm to be possible ; i will grant him this : but then i must adde withall , that it was not any impossibility in the thing it selfe , but rather the wilfull opposition of some amongst them , possest with some jealousies and suspitions , which was the cause why that godly and good worke was not brought to full perfection . for as for bucer and some other eminent divines of the same opinion with him , they did not only sue for an absolute and perfect agreement , but besides they offered to make it appeare that it was very fit such an union should be concluded ▪ neither did they omit any thing that might make for the furthering of it . moreover , that this union of the reformed churches we speake of , is not a thing impossible , is confirmed further from that agreement amongst the polonian churches , begun of late at sendomire , & ever since carefully by them kept and observed : it is true , they could not bury all controversies ; but they could banish all contentions ; and establish so perfect a peace , as that they refused not to admit of each other into their publike congregations , to the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments . which holy & brotherly concord of those churches , that most wise prince lodowick , electour and count palatine , did not only by his letters to them congratulate , but desired of almighty god in his prayers , that the germane churches also might be blessed with it . what therefore was long since said to that blessed peace maker king solomon , concerning the building of the temple at ierusalem , the same say i to all moderate and peaceable divines concerning the uniting of the reformed churches ; arise , yee worthies , and be doing , and the lord will be with you . never despaire but that may be now effected , which all men will grant hath been done heretofore . but least this groundlesse bugbeare of a fancied impossibility should yet slacken the endeavours either of princes , or divines , or any other pious and well affected christians , and deterre them from proceeding herein ; i will recount all those lets and hinderances , which render the peace and union of churches utterly impossible to be obtained : from whence it will easily appeare , that there 's no one of them here , to hinder why the germane churches ( notwithstanding some points of difference amongst them ) may not setle a firme peace amongst themselves , and being once setled preserve it inviolable . now the first and maine obstacle that hinders those churches which agree not in all points of religion , from entertaining a communion amongst themselves , is the usurping and exercising of a tyrannicall power and authority one over another . for if any one church will take upon her to domineer and lord it over the faith of other churches , so as not to acknowledge any for her brethren , nor admit of any into her fellowship and communion , but such onely as will be content to beleive and speak just as shee will have them , all hope is then taken away of ever obtaining or preserving any agreement in any differences or disputes whatsoever . for the sacred scriptures forbid us thus to enslave our selves to any humane authoritie , and our sole lord and master christ jesus forbid's us to acknowledge any upon earth for a lord over our faith and conscience : and that church which enter's into a communion with another upon these termes , doth not hereby purchase a peace , but rather resigne's up her selfe to a most unjust slavery . onely the church of rome is come to that height of pride & madnesse , that she will take upon her to exclude from the communion of saints , & damne to the pit of hell all such churches as will not submit their necks to that antichristian yoake of absolute and blind obedience . god of his goodnes ever keep off this popish folly and fury from setting foot in the protestant churches : which if it should once take place , that union of our churches which we are all bound to pray for , would bee no longer either to be hoped or wisht for . but ( blessed be god for it ) it is well known , there 's not any of the reformed churches but doe from their soules detest and abhorre all such antichristian ambition and desire of soveraignety . and thus have i removed out of the way the maine obstacle which usually occasion's a perpetuall division & rent betwixt such churches as differ in some points , and thereby make's an union of those churches to become impossible . a second let or hinderance which may render the said union of different churches ( for example , the saxon and helvetian churches ) impossible , is the approbation and practice of jdolatry in the one , & the utter detestation of it in the other . that of the prophet hosea is well knowne , though israel play the harlot , yet let not judah offend : come yee not unto gilgal , neither goe yee up to beth-aven . likewise also that of the apostle , what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? and a number of places more to the same purpose . neither is that saying of tertullian touching this matter unworthy our observation , idolatry ( saith he ) is become the grand and generall sin of whole mankinde , the epidemicall disease of the whole world . since therefore god so severely chargeth us to keepe our selves from idols & all kinde of idolatry , though never so speciously colour'd over , wee may well call that morally impossible which cannot be performed without some staine and tincture of idolatry , and without a high and hainous offence against the sacred majestie of god . here then we may behold that grand let , whereby the reformed churches ( to their great greife of heart ) are forced to shunne a communion with the church of rome . for so farre in love is shee with her idolls , and so rigorously doth shee impose the worshipping of them upon all her children , that no man can be admitted into her communion , at least not continue in it , unlesse he will become a notorious and down-right idolater . if the case so stood , that the germane churches could not enter into and enjoy a blessed unity and peace one with another , except they must be required and bound either to practise an idolatrous worship , or at the least to beleive and professe that such practice is not unlawfull , i would not stick to affirme that a communion which cannot be had but upon such hard conditions , is indeed impossible to bee had ▪ since ( as lawyers use to speake ) wee can doe onely so much , as may lawfully be done by us . and here we have just cause to blesse god , that the reformed churches ( although they have not the happinesse to agree ) in all matters of lesser moment ) yet doe they all of them by his grace unanimously conspire & joyne together against idolatry ; so as not onely to condemne , but also to beat downe and abolish it : insomuch that if at this very houre they were all disposed and desirous to joyne hands and strike a league of amity and union , it might be done without any the least danger of idolatry . away then with that pretended impossibility of a reconciliation , grounded upon the perill of idolatry : nor let any such false ▪ surmises weaken the heart or hands of any religious christian from going on with so good a worke . the third & last obstacle which doth block up the way to an union & render's it impossible , is the differing of severall churches about some fundamental point of faith , necessary to be knowne and beleived by every christian upon paine & perill of eternall damnation ; so as that the one side doth solidly hold and maintaine it , the other heretically denie's and oppose's it . for to be at peace with heretickes who goe about to undermine and subvert the foundation of our christian faith , what is it else but to revolt from christ the rocke on which the church is founded & built ? of this last obstacle , because it is of speciall use and moment , i shall treate somewhat more at large . in the first place therefore , i conceive that to be a fundamentall point , which ( by the ordination of god revealing such a truth ) is of such necessity unto salvation to be knowne and assented unto , as that a bare ignorance , much more a wilfull opposition of it carries with it a certaine perill of exclusion from the kingdome of heaven . divines now-adaies have no commission to invent or coine any new articles of this nature , and obtrude them on gods church : that which was not fundamentall in the apostolicall and primitive times , all our assertions and altercations and anathema's will never bee able to make it such . these first and fundamentall trueths , collected out of the whole body of the scriptures & put together in the apostles creed , make up that rule of faith which s. austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem , a commom rule for all men , both great & small : and which is by him accounted necessary to bee beleived constantly by all . concerning the which , that speech of hilary also is much to the same effect ; 't is our safest and best course to hold fast that first & onely-evangelicall faith , which we made confession of at our baptisme . and to these fundamentall trueths the apostle ( i beleive ) had an eye , when he stiled titus , his owne sonne [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] after the common faith . this common faith laid downe in the apostles creed , proposeth to all christians , to be beleived by them , the wonderfull production of all creatures out of nothing , the unsearchable mysterie of the glorious trinitie , the fruit & benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the incarnation , passion , resurrection , and glorification of christ ; & , what follow's thereupon , the redemption of mankind , the sanctification of the elect , the communion of saints , the remission of sins , the resurrection of mens bodies , and the glorifying of the faithfull . he that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short creed , and endeavour's to lead his life according to the commandements and precepts of our saviour christ , cannot justly be denied the title of a christian , nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any christian church whatsoever . on the other side , he that shall deny or oppose any one of the said articles , although he arrogate to himselfe the name of a christian , yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodoxe and sound christians . besides these , there are ( i confesse ) many other trueths contained in the scriptures , and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence , which are very profitable to be knowne , and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of divinity : but they are then only ( and not otherwise ) necessary to be beleived under paine of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the church , when 't is clearely evidenced unto us that they are contained in gods word , or may necessarily be inferred from it . in these points therefore , if any particular church cannot make the trueth which she her selfe beleive's , so cleare and manifest to other churches , as thereby to winne them over to the same beleife , shee must forsake them in their errours , but by no meanes may she ( because of such errours ) deny them her charity and communion . i adde further , that if it should happen that two churches should vary about some particular place of holy writ , the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamentall point of faith , and the other thinking that it doth not so : yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds , and separate one from another ; so long as they agree both of them in the point it selfe , and acknowledge it to have cleare & solid foundation in other places of god's word . and last of all this may be added yet further , that 't is not a thing impossible , nor any way contrary to the duety of good christians , to entertaine a communion with those churches which hold such a doctrine as seemes to us inconsistent with some fundamentall trueth , so that in the meane while they doe expresly beleive & professe that fundamentall trueth it selfe . for 't is utterly against all charity , yea and reason too , that a man should be thought ( meerely for some consequences , which he neither apprehend's nor grants ) to deny and reject a fundamentall point , which yet he strongly beleives , expresly affirme's , yea and ( if need so required ) would not stick to seale the trueth of it with his dearest blood . how much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate divine ? we must not ( saith he ) so much consider what will follow in the thing it selfe from every assertion , as what will follow from it in the apprehension and judgement of those who maintaine any such assertion as seeme's to us repugnant to some fundamentall point of faith . for as he who assent's to the trueth of some principle , cannot therefore be said properly to beleive and understand whatsoever an abler schollar can by consequences infer from that principle ; so neither can he who maintaine's a false opinion , justly bee thought to hold all those absurdities which a nimble head easily observe's to adhere unto or follow upon that erroneous opinion of his . we may indeed urge and presse these consequences upon our brethren , to see if haply wee can by this meanes beat them off their errour ; but malitiously to fasten them upon them , as though they were their profest opinions , this we may not doe . how farre this extend's , and of what excellent use it is to the setling of a brotherly union amongst the reformed churches , all wise men and such as unfainedly desire the peace of gods church , will easily perceive . for if it once be granted , that a peace and union is not impossible ( that is , not unlawfull ) save onely with such as actually disbeleive some fundamentall point of faith , or maintaine some such heresy as strike's at the heart of religion , and cut's off the abettors of it from having any communiō with christ ; then will it follow , that betwixt a found and a diseased church , betwixt two churches whereof one is more , the other lesse pure , there may be such a brotherly communion as we desire among the germane churches . let therefore the orthodoxe churches separate themselves from all such as have plaid the apostates & fallen away from fundamentall faith , but let them not separate from those which erre onely in points of lesser moment and such as doe not cut off the maintainers of them from being members of the mysticall body of christ , the sole author and fountaine of our salvation . the apostle command's us to receive ( not , reject ) such as are weake in the faith : and the same apostle tel's us how that we which are strong , ought to beare the infirmities of the weake , & not to please our selves . that church therefore doe's but too much please & indulge her selfe , which despise's other churches , as unworthy of her fellowship and communion , not for any tyranny that they exercise , nor any idolatry which they approve or practise , nor any damnable heresie which they maintaine , but meerely for some mistakes , or infirmity of their knowledge . this was not the practice of the fathers in the primitive church : whose care and diligence in procuring & preserving peace amongst particular churches disperst and scattered over the whole world , stand's upon record in ecclesiasticall storie and may be observed in each severall age of the church . but of all other , that of optatus milevitanus fit's best to our purpose ; that all the churches throughout the whole world were by the help and entercourse of those letters by them called [ formatae ] kept in one communion and fellowship . now those [ formatae ] or synodicall letters contained nothing at all save onely a bare confession of the catholike faith delivered in their generall creeds , and breifely explained , afterwards in opposition to some heretickes , by the unanimous consent of the church universall met together in generall councells held at nice , chalcedon , and other places . as for those infinite other questions which might be raised and debated amongst private doctours of each side , no church ever required or expected from others an absolute & universall consent therein . for if such an universall agreement in all points had been deemed so necessary as that unity & peace could not possibly have been maintained betwixt particular churches without it , there would then have been more need of huge and high-swollne volumes of controversies , than of such breife confessions and synodicall letters as they made use of for that purpose . but if wee refuse to learne of the ancient fathers of the church , yet let us at length learne thus much from our very adversaries , that it is not a thing impossible for severall churches to live charitably and peaceably together , and use the same service and sacraments , although they differ one from another about some controversies , wherein 't is meerely in vaine even to look for an universall agreement . to say nothing of the contentions betwixt the thomists and scotists , neither of those between the dominicans and iesuites ; there is one controversie hotly and violently dispured amongst popish churches , which , if taken single and by it selfe , is of greater moment than all ours put together ; i meane that concerning the infallible judge in all matters of faith : the churches of spaine and italy will have the pope to be this supreme judge , authorised by christ himselfe , and to farre illuminated and assisted with an infallible spirit , as that he cannot possibly erre in such decrees and determinations as hee give's out with an intention to binde the whole church : on the other side , the french churches deny the pope any such priviledge , throwing him downe from his chaire of infallibility , and making him liable to errour as well as other men ; so farre forth that should he refuse to submit to the authoritie and judgement of a generall councell , either in matters of faith or of practice , they will tell you he 's to be esteemed a schismaticke and a hereticke , and to be deposed thereupon . behold here a great difference amongst them about the very foundation and the maine pillar of the whole catholike faith ! and yet notwithstanding this so great a variety of opinions , they still hold together all of them in one and the same brotherly communion . o for sion's sake let it not be told in gath , nor published in the streets of ashkelon , that the philistines should be better affected and more desirous of peace and unity amongst themselves , than the israel of god is . last of all , if an union may not consist with a diversity of opinions in some controversies of lesser moment , i would gladly that any man would show me but two churches in the whole christian world ( except they be such whereof one is subordinate to the other ) which must not necessarily hereupon be divided , and as it were by a wall of partition separated frō each other . unlesse therefore we will grant , that a separation from other churches is not to be made save onely upon a difference in fundamentalls , the communion of the church catholike ( aunciently so much famed and talked of ) will be found in the end to be nothing else but an aery and empty sound or name void of all trueth and reality . the donatists of old were wont to say , that the church was perished from off the whole earth save onely from the part of donatus , in whom alone ( they said ) it was preserved : and our adversaries of rome ( herein right donatists ) tell us that the church catholike is of no larger extent than the romane . as for our selves , it become's and behove's us to detest this schismaticall and factious humour , and to foster and cherish a brotherly communion with all such christian churches as neither heresie nor idolatry hath cut off from christ our head , and such as have not exercised any usurped tyranny over other churches . all that hath hitherto beene said touching the lets & hinderances which render a communion of severall churches impossible , as also touching diversity of opinions which may well consist with such a reconciliation , aymes at this , that if once it were agreed upon amongst divines that all those controversies where about the reformed churches have of a long time busied and wearied themselves , are of that nature that a man may safely be of either opinion and still remaine in christ , holding the substance of saving faith without incurring any damnable heresy , then must we needs grant , that an union and agreement amongst all protestant churches may be made and maintained notwithstanding all such controversies , as being indeed not so properly any differences of our churches as of our schooles . it is not my purpose to enter the lists of those controversies : onely i doe pray and earnestly intreat those learned & reverend divines of germany , that laying aside all passion & partialitie , they would in the spirit of meeknesse calmely and candidly discusse all those severall controversies which are agitated amongst them : for if once we let loose the raines to passion , judgement must needs give place . the maine controversie , and which indeed is the fountaine from whence all the rest in a manner are derived , is that which stands yet undecided concerning the manner how christ's body and blood are present in the eucharist . touching which point the learned (a) bucer , having well waighed the matter , give's in at last this verdict , that they agreed in the thing it selfe ; all the difference was meerely in words and manner of expression . 't was once the speech of (b) luther , if you beleive & teach that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare signes of bread and wine , and that such receiving thereof is true and reall , not imaginary onely , the strife betwixt us is ended . at that very same time (c) bucer & his adherents granted , that the very body and blood of our lord is offered , given , and received together with the visible signes of bread and wine . iacobus andreae faith , we neither hold with the capernaites , nor admit of popish transubstantiation , non maintaine we any physicall or locall presence and inclusion of christs body and blood in the blessed sacrament ; nor doe we by those words [ substātially , corporally , orally ] understand any thing else but only a true & reall presence and participation of his body and blood in this sacrament . now let us heare the judgement of the helvetians herein ; although they deny that there 's any transubstantiation of the elements , or any locall inclusion of christ's body in the bread , or any conjunction of his body and blood with the outward elements remaining after the sacrament is ended ; yet they willingly grant that by vertue of a mysticall & sacramentall union the bread is christ's body , & that his body is truely present and received together with the bread . j doe not knowe what two things can possibly be more like than is this opinion of the helvetians with that of the lutheran̄s . but if any man suspect that there may privily lurke a diversity of meanings under these so-concording expressions , yet are we still to urge , and enquire whether that diversity be such and so great as to render the peace and union of those churches utterly impossible , and to give just occasion for a perpetuall rent and division amongst them . i assure my selfe , learned & judicious divines when they are out of the heat of controversy , and look indifferently into the matter , will think farre otherwise of it . now as for those other controversies , concerning the ubiquity of christ's body , the communication of properties , & other such like , all springing from that former touching the sacrament , he that doth seriously ponder with himselfe what is granted and what denied of each side , will easily perceive that neither the one nor the other doth so much as call in question , much lesse oppose or overthrow any necessary and fundamentall point of faith : since both sides hold and professe whatsoever the church catholike in her creeds and generall councells hath declared to be beleived in these points ; and whatsoever hath been by her in like manner condemned as erroneous , is equally rejected by both . but yet notwithstanding all this , that we see now and then some men catching at consequences , and taking advantage from thence to charge heresy one upon another , it is a matter that deserve's not so much our wonder as our pitty : we all of us know , 't is the common custome of hot and eager disputants , especially when through long agitation of the matter they are inflamed with choller and passion : and besides , i have already showne in breife , what we are to think of such heresies as are fastned upon men meerely for such consequences as they themselves neither apprehend nor grant . for the present , this alone may suffice to show the possibility of a reconciliation , that there 's no one opinion expresly maintained by either side , which is directly contrary to the substance of faith , or destructive of salvation [ salutis devoratorium ] to make use of tertullian's expression : nay whatsoever is such , is plainly and expresly condemned by both . if of later times any new differences have been raised amongst those churches touching predestination , freewill , and the like ; these can no way be made a sufficient ground of schisme and separation betwixt them . for in all these there is nothing of fundamentall and necessary beleife save onely this , that the free grace & goodnesse of god , in the predestination of miserable men , in the conversion of sinfull men ▪ in the freeing of their captivated wills ; in a word , in the finall perseverance and salvation of his elect , be so farre forth acknowledged and extoll'd , as that whatsoever makes any way for the enstating of them in grace and glory , and whatsoever is done by them in reference thereunto , all must be ascribed to the speciall grace and mercy of almighty god : on the contrary , whatsoever concerne's the corruption of man's nature , his obstinacie in sinne , the pravitie and servitude of his corrupt will ; in short , whatsoever praecipitate's & plunge's wretched men into hell and everlasting perdition , all this we must thank ourselves & our sins for , & by no meanes impute any part of it to god . so long as these things stand firme and unshaken ( as without doubt they doe ) though in the meane time their manner of apprehensions and expressions , yea though their opinions be different in other points which are onely superstructions and belong not to the foundation yet are not these of such moment as that a perpetuall breach and division should be made and continued betwixt whole churches for such petty matters . if therefore this were but once agreed upon amongst divines , that their jarres and contentions are not , nor ever were about any fundamentall points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and beleived by all that will be saved , then must it also be granted for a manifest trueth , that 't is no way impossible but an agreement and communion may be established this dangerous schisme utterly rooted out , and a blessed peace setled and preserved amongst the german churches . and thus having proved that a reconciliation is possible , it remaine's that in the next place we consider whether or no princes , doctors and pastors of gods church , and in generall all christians bee not bound in duty by the law of god , every man to endeavour according to his utmost power and ability that such an union may with all convenient speed be setled and established amongst the reformed churches . 1 and that all men are so bound , seeme's to be intimated by that of s. paul which i alledged before ; if it be possible , & as much as in you lie's , live peaceably with all men . if so great care and diligence must be had to maintaine a civill and externall peace with all sorts of men , then surely a spirituall & ecclesiasticall peace amongst christians is much rather to be sought after and preserved , where therefore there is no utter impossibility to hinder why such an union may not be obtained , such men can in no wise be excused , who either out of negligence or wilfulnesse disobey the commandements of god herein . nor can any man justly here pretend that discords and diversities of opinions cannot as yet be composed and setled : for if it be possible that the schisme it selfe & the rent betwixt these churches may be taken away , ( as without all question it may ) i had rather that a mil-stone were hanged about my neck , and that i were drowned in the depth of the sea , than that i should willingly be any hinderance to so good a work , so well-pleasing to god , and so necessary to the removall of scandall ; nay than that i should not with my whole minde and might promote and further it . 2 to this may be further added , what must necessarily be confes't by all men , that a true and right order'd charity is of as great necessity for the attaining of salvation , to all churches and to every particular member in any church , as is the true and entire profession of sound and saving faith : our lord and saviour christ jesus make's this the badge and cognizance whereby to distinguish and discerne betwixt his true disciples and such as are spurious and counterfeit ; by this shall all men know that yee are my disciples , if yee love one another . now i leave it to every man's conscience to judge , what manner of charity that is , which see's and suffer's christian churches ( without all just cause and necessity ) to stand still at distance and defiance one with another , and perpetually to shunne a reconciliation and union . is it not enough for us to separate from the hay and stubble , i meane , from the errours of other churches , but must we by a voluntary separation forsake the churches themselves which as yet have not forsaken christ or his truth ? 3 further yet , we see how that both zuinglians and lutherans ( as they are usually termed ) confesse that those churches which hold with either side , doe notwithstanding still remaine true christian churches , & true members of the church catholike , whereof christ is the head . the renowned princes in their preface prefixt to the forme of agreement plainly professe , that it was farre from their thoughts and intentions to condemne such persons as erred through the weaknesse of their judgement ; provided that they did not defame and blaspheme god's trueth ; much lesse to condemne whole churches , living either under the romane empire or elsewhere : nay they did not doubt but that there were many pious & religious men living in those churches , though they agreed not with them in all points of religion . moreover , when it was objected to lucas osiander , how that he had sometimes termed calvinists the divel's martyres , hee forthwith purged himselfe from that aspersion thus ; they that have heard my sermons , will say that they never heard from me any reproachfull termes against the blessed martyrs of christ : yea my owne writings publisht to the world will witnesse for me , that i termed those which were massacred in france on s. bartholomewe's day , holy martyres . this then would be seriously thought upon , whether or no it will stand with the policy , piety , and the duty of christian churches , for every petty errour to deny the right hand of fellowship and brotherly love to those churches , who in the mean time ( notwithstanding such errours ) may continue christ's blessed martyrs and holy brethren . they who acknowledge christ for their elder brother , must of necessity whether they will or no have all christs brethren joyned to them in a most sure and fast knot of consanguinity and communion . 4 besides , i am very confident that both the saxon , and helvetian , & all other churches which joyne with either of those two , will professe that they desire to have and to retaine a brotherly communion and peace with this our church of england , as also with the scottish , irish , and all other forraigne churches of the reformation . and truely we for our parts , although we doe not assent to them in all points of controverted . divinity , yet doe we account of them as our brethren in christ , and doe solemnely protest that we entertaine a holy and brotherly communion with them . and if they be like affected towards us , with what reason then and equitie doe the german churches deprive themselves of that brotherly communion one with another , which yet they are not afraid to entertaine with forraigne churches ? what therefore moses said long since to the two israelites that were striving together , the same may truly be said to the germane churches quarrelling and contending one with another , but cannot so truely be disproved ; sirs , yee are brethren , why doe yee wrong one to another . 5 last of all , that which all good men are bound to beg of almighty god in their prayers to him , questionlesse they are bound likewise to imploy their best care and endeavours for the procuring of it . now who is there that doe's not daily solicite god for the flourishing and peaceable estate of his church ? who is there that make's it not a part of his daily prayers , that god would be pleased to remove out of the way whatsoever doth disquiet and disturbe her peace , or any way let and hinder her spirituall growth and edification ? this was king david's wish ; & it should be the wish of all good princes , and divines , and generally of all christians . neither did david wish onely the happinesse and prosperity of gods church , but hee carefully sought to doe it good , and as much as in him lay he did procure and effect it . all this was but duty in him to doe , and can it be lesse then dutie in us ? and here i should but trifle away the time , should i goe about to play the oratour and expresse at large to the germane churches , the blessings that accompany peace & unitie , & the many miseries & calamities of a long-continued schisme and division . that speech of prudentius is a most certaine trueth , — scissura domestica turbat rem populi ; titubatque foris quod dissidit intùs : civill and intestine broiles alwaies prove the undoing of a people ; nor doe things ever goe right abroad , when there is dissention at home . what may make most for the good and advantage of their churches , let it be their care to consider ; and resolve this with themselves , that what ever it be , it is not onely to be sought after with their prayers , but with the utmost diligence and endeavours of every one of them in particular . neither let any unexperienced men amongst them thinke or hope , that they shall ingratiate themselves with papists , and so live more peaceably by them and suffer lesse harme from them , by refusing to enter into freindship and fellowship with calvinists ( as they terme them . ) what is to be hoped for & expected from them , we may learne from osiander ; papists ( saith he ) spare neither lutherans nor zuinglians , but condemne both of them to fire and faggot , in all those places where the pope ( that raging and ravenous beast of rome ) beare's rule and sway : they that are most in favour with them , can at best but hope for that kindnesse from them which vlysses ( in homer ) obtained of polyphemus , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ] to be devoured last , after he had lookt on and seene all his freinds and companions devoured before him . they will perhaps destroy the calvinists first , but the lutherans must look to follow after them : none are like to escape in the end , if once the papists have them at their mercy . what hitherto hath been said , is to show that a communion and reconciliation of the germane churches is a thing , not only possible , but in obedience to gods commandement a necessary duty . it now remaine's that j proceed to set downe the way and meanes whereby such a reconciliation may be compassed , and the rents and distractions of the said churches may with most conveniencie and speed bee made up : which i shall doe , rather to testifie that vehement desire & zeale which i have to so good a work , than out of any opinion that those famous churches ( which alwaies have abounded with store of learned and pious divines ) can any way stand in need of advice herein from me or any other forraigne divine whatsoever . seeing therefore that the fore-mentioned controversies may be agitated either betwixt severall and distinct churches , whereof one is no way subordinate to the other ; or else betwixt such particular men as are members of the same church , and subjects to one & the same prince : j will speak first , of divers churches independent one upon another , and afterwards of particular men in one & the same church , and show how peace and unitie may be made and preserved amongst them . for the first , i conceive there 's no readier and better way for reducing of two different churches to the same communion , than is that usuall one of procuring a faire and peaceable conference amongst divines of both sides , authorised and appointed thereunto by their princes . for if any one imagine , that a councell being once held of all the reformed churches , there will out of hand within the compasse of some few moneths , or yeares , yea or in one age , an end be put to all disputes whatsoever , which have of a long time troubled and busied the learned , so as that they shall all joyne and agree in the same opinion about all such points of controversie ; this ( with submission to better judgements ) seemes to me very unlikely . for so dull and dim-sighted is the eye of our understanding , that it can hardly peirce into the depth of such subtle and intricate questions , no not when it is alone , free and undisturbed in it's contemplations : but being distracted , by the stirs & tumults of disputation so far unable are we to penetrate into the quick of them , that many times we cannot so much as discerne and perceive them , no not when we look upon them with a fixt and steddy eye . and ( to speak plainly what i conceive in this matter ) the cheife use of councells , especially of generall councells , is to maintaine and defend those necessary and plaine points of faith against the oppositions of hereticks , rather than to discusse or determine nice controversies of lesser moment and use . to returne then to that faire & freindly conference , which but now i commended for the likeliest and fittest meanes of obtaining an union : if it could be undertaken with such an intention , & mannaged in such sort , as it ought to be , wee have good cause to hope that we shall in a short time see a blessed peace and union established amongst the germane churches . this therefore must carefully be remēbred by all such as shall be present & parties to such a meeting , that the end why they are called together , is not that like adversaries they should strive for the mastery , but rather that they should like brethren search out and make use of all lawfull and warrantable meanes for the setling of peace and unitie . for if once they fall a crossing and contending one with another , they will never be able to perswade , much lesse to procure any agreement betwixt such churches as are at ods and opposition . let them therefore carefully keep off and forbeare to enter the intricate labyrinths of ordinary disputes : & let their meeting aime at this one end , to make it appeare to their churches , how that there 's no just cause why they should any longer stand out and refuse to joyne hands and be united . to effect this , let it in the first place be set downe how farre the church catholike hath declared herselfe in each controversie , what hath been by her defined and required to be beleived generally by all sub anathemate . for about points fundamentall there may sometimes arise such doubts and disputes as are no way fundamentall : and such , as that the ancient fathers of the church , had they been raised in their times , would never have attempted a decision of them , to the hazard of breeding or fostering a schisme betwixt severall churches . for instance , that god is one in essence , and three in persons distinguished one from another ; that the sonne is begotten of the father ; that the holy ghost is the spirit of both father and sonne ; that these three persons are coeternall and coequall ; all these are fitly determined , and reckoned in the number of fundamentalls : but now if any man should peremptorily affirme and maintaine , that all those schoole-nicities touching the manner of the sonne 's generation , and the procession of the holy ghost , are likewise fundamentall and of equall necessity with the former , & ought to be determined one way ; that man should deserve but litle thanks from christ and his church , by such his rash and inconsiderate assertion . so likewise , that our lord jesus christ is both god and man ; that he hath both natures , divine and humane , inseparably united in one person ; and that we have salvation onely by this god incarnate ; all this is fundamentall , or rather 't is that firme & immoveable foundation whereon the whole catholike & saving faith is built : but yet notwithstanding we must not think , that whatsoever may be questioned and debated about the ineffable manner of that union betwixt the two natures , or the manner how his body is present in the blessed sacrament , as also concerning the communication of properties unto the humane nature by vertue of its union with the divinity , or touching the actions and operations of his humanity depending upon the said union , wee must not ( i say ) imagine that all these belong to fundamentall faith , but rather to theologicall science , or perhaps not so neither , but onely to the vaine curiosity of some particular divines . let them therefore make this their first and maine businesse , carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamentall points and others that are not so ; and let them not think , that whatsoever is appendant and bordering upon a fundamentall point , must therefore forth with be it selfe fundamentall . when this is once done ; their next care must be that these fundamentalls be expressed and published after a breife and perspicuous manner , and propounded to the publike acceptation and approbation of all the churches . certa semper sunt in paucis , saith tertullian ; certaine and undoubted . trueths are not many and they are such as maybe delivered in a few words : whatsoever is necessary for a christian man's salvation to be knowne by him ; and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy , it is all of it plaine and obvious . here 's no use either of subtle & acute distinctions , or of any long and tedious explications , which are oftimes used not for the building up of christians in the fundamentall faith , but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private doctors . in a word , here 's no use of any metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions ; which serve only to perplex and confound the learned , and to deterre such as are unlearned from embracing the catholike faith ; but doe not any way encline the hearts either of one or other to yeild assent and beleife to the fundamentall points of faith . after they have proceeded thus far , having drawn up a breife and plaine forme of all such points as are by them judged to appertaine unto the substance of that common faith which is necessary to be known and professed by all churches ; & having passed by & left undecided all such points as are not so generally received & agreed upon ; in the next place , moderate & peaceable divines should labour to exhort and perswade all the rest , that they would quietly lay aside all controversies and contentions about such points as good christians may safely be ignorant of without hazard of their salvation ; and that they would not quarrell any longer about thē , to the danger of the church , the losse of her peace , and the scandall of schisme which is thereby like to fall upon her . of what good use and necessity this advice is , may be clearely seen from the rashnesse of the church of rome , and her clean contrary practice herein : who being not content with those articles delivered in the apostles creed , and nicene creed , will needs obtrude upon the christian world those other new-coin'd articles of the trent-conventicle , and hath thereby ministred occasion of a perpetuall rent and schisme amongst the churches . how much more prudently did that blessed martyr and most learned father of his times , s. cyprian behave himselfe ? who professeth , that he would not , for difference in opinion , contend or strive with any man ; nor would he break the peace of our lord with his brethren , or cast off any man from his communion , because he was of a different minde from him . by which his christian charity and moderation , s. cyprian ( though in an errour ) deserved better of the church than stephen bishop of rome who was in the right , and did ( by his unquiet spirit ) as much as in him lay to rend and teare asunder the churches . thus warranted by the example of this blessed martyr , and likewise by the judgement of s. austin herein , i need not stick to affirme , that amongst the doctors and divines of germany those who are in the errour and yet are willing and desirous to retaine a brotherly communion with the rest , are freer & further from schisme in gods sight , than they who are in the trueth & withall disdaine and deny to entertaine such a communiō with other churches which seek and sue for it . if therefore they can but get an universall consent in all fundamentalls , though in other things there bee some difference amongst private doctors yet let them all joyne their votes and voices in this prayer to god , nulla salus bello , pacem te poscimus omnes ; no safety can be had or hoped for in warre , therefore give peace in our time ô lord . but if any here shall demand , what course is to be taken about such controversies as cannot be decided and agreed upon , that they may not give any occasion whereby this peace and union of the churches should be hindered , or being obtained should afterwards be disturbed and lost ; i will set down some few rules , which to me seeme worthy the observation and practice of divines on both sides . first , that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipt from adversaries either by word or writing , amids the heat of disputation , they should all be pardond on both sides for the publike good , and for ever after buried in silence and oblivion . and if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards he reprinted ; before they passe the presse , let them first be purged of all gall & bitternesse , which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife & contention amongst brethren . secondly , because no man can with patience heare himselfe branded with heresie , heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of nestorian , eutychian , or any other condemned hereticke , so long as he doth expresly denie and disclaime the damn'd opinions of such hereticks : seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firme in a brotherly communion and concord , who for every petty difference in opinion cease not by such reproachfull and reviling termes to provoke and exasperate one another . and it were to be wished further , that those siding names of lutherans , zuinglians , calvinists , were all laid aside ; which are badges rather of faction than any fraternall union , anh such as the ancient fathers could never approve of . epiphanius would not allow christians to beare any {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , any other name added over & above to the name of christian , but rest content with that . non petrianos , non paulinos vocari nos oportet , sed christianos : whe ought not to be called either petrians , or paulians , but christians , saith nazianzen . but of all others lactantius is the most severe and rigorous herein ; christiani esse desierunt , qui christi nomine omisso humana & externa vocabula induerunt they have left off to be christians , who take up forraigne titles and humane appellations instead of the name christian : though to say the trueth , such names are rather fasten'd and father'd on particular churches by others , than by themselves either desired or owned . thirdly , that all profound and controverted points be let alone and not medled with in sermons preached to the common people , or in any such books as are publisht in the vulgar tongue ; let them be accounted rather the exercise and busines of the schooles , than any fit food & nourishment for men's soules . such perplex'd disputes may very well be spared in the pulpit ; but charity , which usually is impaired by the handling and discussing of them , cannot be spared or wanting amongst christians , without the utmost danger and hazard of their soules . the common people doe but play and sport with such controversies , they are no whit profited by them ; and in the end , not well understanding them , they give over sporting , and fall a quarrelling and contending about them . last of all , if divines shall hereafter have a minde to disperse or publish and discourses about these points , let them doe it according to that grave advice of greg. nazianzen , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , with reasons , not revilings ▪ let their aimes & intentions be , not to non-plus and baffle , but rather fairely and freindly to informe and reduce their straying brother into the way of trueth . hee that shall after this manner be brought to see and forsake his errour , will not thinke himselfe vanquished , but instructed ; nor will he be abasht and asham'd , like one overmatcht & overcome by his adversary , but rather rejoyce as one better'd and benefited by his brother . he that is a proficient is never ashamed . hitherto have i laid down the meanes and manner how an union may be setled and continued betwixt severall and independent churches . but because it may and often doth happen , that there are divers men , both learned and unlearned , living in the same church and within the dominions of the same prince , whose consciences ( whether rightly or misinformed ) will not suffer them to subscribe to the common and more generally received opinion in these controversies ; let us in the next place enquire , what course is best to be taken concerning such men . and here , the governours of each severall church if they have any regard & respect to the safety of their weak brethren , they must see that they doe not intermixe with the publike confessions and articles of religion , which they would have received and assented unto by all such as live under their jurisdiction , any curious and unnecessary controversies , nor any decisions of nice and subtle questions ; but rather they must take care that such publike confessions be framed and temper'd to the capacity of the common people , so as they may instruct & edify the ignorant , and promote the salvation of all . herein they should doe well to consider the wisdome of our fore-fathers ; whose ancient confessions ( unlesse we corrupt & stuffe them with new opinions of our own , on purpose to disturb the publike peace ) no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them . neither is there any necessity why we should burden our publike confessions with any such additions of our own ; since god himselfe hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happines , not through the rough & knotty paths of perplex'd & intricate disputes , but by the smooth and compendious way of faith & charity . why then such strifes and contentions about words ? what make schoole-nicities amongst church-confessions ? the salvation of christians is wholy placed in beleiving and serving god , as that great athanasius sometimes gravely spake . adde to this , that they will have much adoe to maintaine a firme peace with other churches , who cease not to persecute men and expell them their communion ( as if they were hereticks ) onely because they maintain that doctrine which those other churches hold and professe : for in so doing , what doe they else but tacitly charge heresy upon other churches ? whom though in word they acknowledge for their brethren , yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them . lastly , unlesse the publike confessions of churches be cnofined to such points onely as are fundamentall and generally received by all the reformed churches , this inconvenience must of necessity follow thereupon , that many learned , pious , and peaceable ministers shall be driven out & disenabled from exercising the ministery in those churches wherein they live . but if any man doubt , whether or no such men may lawfully entertaine a holy and spirituall communion one with another in the same church , who yet agree not amongst themselves in all points of divinity ▪ this ( as i conceive ) is a matter out of all doubt and question ▪ for as touching that blessed communion which is betwixt christians at the receiving of the lord's supper , it consist's cheifly in these particulars , that by the common bond of the blessed spirit we are all united to that sole head of the church christ jesus ; that by the same spirit , and by faith and charity we are united amongst our selves and linked together as it were into one body ; that lastly , like men fed at the same table , we are all of us nourished up unto eternall life with the same quickning food , to wit the body and blood of christ : in all these particulars doe they professe a communion , whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy table . but now as we doe not by this mutuall communion professe our selves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equall measure of knowledge in divinity : so neither doe we hereby professe , that there is an absolute and exact agreement amongst us about all points of divinity , or that we are all of us in one and the same opinion about all disputes and controversies . if no communion could be had amongst christians , but upon such hard termes as these , i beleive it would hardly be found betwixt s. peter and s. paul ; certaine i am the church of corinth must of necessitie have fallen in peices ; and in these times of ours there would not easily be found many divines of note and eminence , which could with a safe conscience communicate together at the same holy sacrament and supper of our lord . it is therefore the duty of all church-governours ( as being conscious to themselves of the common infirmities of all men , both themselves & others ) to take heed least while they exact of their people a too strict and punctuall confession of more than what 's necessary , they thereby wound and weaken the sweet peace and unity of christendome , than which nothing more necessary . so much for church-governours . come we in the next place to such ministers and other christians of what state and condition soever , as desire to continue in the communion of those churches wherein they live , but yet their consciences will not permit them to allow & professe all the common and received opinions of the said churches . such men must see that they show themselves reachable and tractable , and not persist after a proud and pertinacious manner in defence of those opinions wherein they dissent from their church . now such a one is to be accounted teachable and tractable , who lends a willing and attentive eare to the instructions and information of the church ; who doe's not dissent from her out of any perverse and peevish humour , but meerely out of the weaknesse of his judgement , being not able in such profound points to discerne that trueth vvhich men of greater learning and more acute wits easily see and perceive . and because it is the peculiar prerogative of almighty god to search the hearts , it behoves us christians to encline alwaies to the more favourable and more charitable side ; and , where we have not cleare and evident reasons for the contrary , we ought to judge of every man that he denies his assent rather out of conscience than contumacy and perversenesse . they who thus behave themselves , are not to be excluded and expelled the communion of those churches wherein they live , for petty mistakes and errours in their opinions : but yet with this caution and condition , that they take not upon them to oppose the received opinion of the church , or to publish & spread their own private opinion amongst the common people . nor can they justly dislike of this caution or take it ill , whosoever have a desire to live peaceably in the communion of the church : for admit that the private opinion of some divine or any other christian , be true ; and the publike judgement of the church , erroneous : yet neverthelesse , if the errour be such as doe's not prejudice a christian man's salvation , it is much better that the true opinion of any private man whatsoever should quietly lie hid in silence and obscurity , than that the publike authority of the church should be openly contemned and trampled on , or that the churche's peace , by this unnecessary conflict of jarring opinions , as by two contrary windes , should be shaken and torne in peices . but if any man be perswaded in his conscience , that his private opinion wherein hee differ's from the church , is of such moment and importance as that men cannot be saved without the knowledge of it ; such a one , if he cannot perswade and convince the rulers and governours of his church in this matter , must either turne aside into some other church , or else ( for the good of men's soules ) patiently submit to such censures as the church in which he live's shall inflict upon him . this is it ( most learned sir ) which at your request i thought good to write and send unto you . if it may stand you or any man else in any steed for the advancing of the churche's peace , i have all my wish & ayme for which i penned it . they who are better acquainted with the present state and affaires of the germane churches than i am , will be able ( no doubt ) to give you fuller and better advice herein . for my selfe , it remaine's onely that i humbly beseech almighty god , that he would move and encline the hearts of princes , earnestly to desire this blessed union of our churches ; that he would enlighten the understandings of divines to find out and follow after such meanes as may most conduce to the speedy establishing of it ; that lastly he would enflame the hearts of all christians to embrace this peace , & bequeath it to all posterity . the god of peace grant this for the sake of his deare sonne , the sole author & procurer of our peace . to whom with the blessed spirit be all honour , glory , & thankesgiving world without end . amen . the opinion of the right reverend father in god thomas morton bishop of dvrham , concerning the peace of the church . worthy sir , i cannot easily expresse how much i was joyed with those few leaves which i lately receaved from you ; as soone as i understood how that there was now at length some hopes of setling a true and brotherly union betwixt us & those of germany who hold the augustane confession . for seeing that the very name of peace is sweet and delightsome , much more the thing it selfe ; especially if it be a peace in religion , which indeed comprehends in it all kinds of true peace and unity : i cannot chuse therefore but congratulate and joy you ( sir ) with that good and truly-apostolicall office which you now undergoe : an emploiment which hath ever this successe , that it never can prove in vaine , or be altogether lost ; for it will be sure either to redound to the good of him that receive's it ( if it be embraced , ) or else ( if rejected ) returne back againe into his bosome who proffer's it . notwithstanding , i observe there are two maine controversies set downe by you , which seem to let and hinder why wee cannot quickly be united and made one church ; the former is touching the eucharist ; the other , touching that involv'd and mysterious point of praedestination . for the composing of which two controversies , that you should desire my opinion , seeme's truly to me to be a course somewhat preposterous and out of order : rather wee should imitate ( as i conceive ) those expert physitions , who sometimes cure one contrary by another : so likewise we , seeing that discords in opinion have bred disaffection and hatred in men's minds , 't were necessary we should first endeavour that love and amity may be seated in the hearts and affections of men , that so we may the more easily allay their heat in disputation , and reconcile them in their much differing opinions . to the promoting of this good work i neither can nor may be wanting . all that i shall say touching both controversies , give me leave to glance at in three words ; to wit , that the way & meanes of establishing an union , to men of peaceable minds , is easie ; to such as are lesse moderate , t is possible ; to both , very necessary . the first thesis . that 't is easie for peaceable and moderate men to be reconciled . this appeare's plainely from that love and freindship which was in times past betwixt the professors of both sides , notwithstanding that their differences in opinion were then very rife . this is a point of speciall moment , and therefore for proofe of it we should not alledge the examples of any obscure men , but of such as were eminent and beyond all exception of both sides . let them then ( if they please ) consult their luther , melanchthon , iacobus andreae , brentius : wee 'l bring in our calvin , bucer , peter martyr , and zanchy : all which sometimes shined in the church of christ like starres of the first magnitude . first then , there are to be seene in calvin's workes many excellent elogies of luther , even then when luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the point of the sacrament , and provoked them farre to repay him in his owne language . whose passions , thereby moved & enflamed , calvin with admirable prudence supprest & kept from breaking out : but i desire ( saith he ) you would consider , first what a worthy man luther is , and with what excellent gifts qualified ; with what courage & constancy , with what dexterity , with what successe and efficacy of his doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestir'd himselfe to lay wast the kingdome of antichrist , & maintaine the doctrine of our salvation : i have many times said , that should he call me divel , yet neverthelesse i would still have so reverent an esteem of him as to acknowledge him for a worthy servant of god . thus calvin : a saying ▪ so full of sweetnesse and moderation , as if not a man but humanity it selfe had spoken it . not long after , he made use of the apostle's argument to containe & keep in our divines , least waxing too hot and passionate , they should break out into revilings : it become's us ( saith he ) so to reprove what we finde amisse in him , as that we remit something out of an honourable respect to his rare endowments : let not therefore that befall us , which is denounced by s. paul , that by biting and devouring one another we be consumed . though he have provoked us , yet are wee rather to keep us quiet than to teare the wound wider to the publike danger and dammage of god's church . but now how did luther carry himselfe ? was he so farre possest with prejudice and passion , as to disdaine all commerce and societie with our men ? nay he refused not to enter into freindship with calvin himselfe , though he knew him to be a stout champion of our sacramentary cause . let calvin himselfe speake , if you please , notwithstanding luther ( saith he ) in private was so farre from accounting me his enimy , that though he well knew my opinion , ye refused he not to salute mee with reverence by letters writ with his owne hand , ( for the dishonesty of westphalus forceth mee to speake thus foolishly , so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himselfe used . ) afterwards , when the agreement was halfe finished at marpurge , and they were not yet departed from that meeting , he affirme's that he retained the same esteeme of oecolampadius and zuinglius as he formerly had done and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them henceforth as brethren . secondly , what an intimate freindship & familiarity there was betwixt melanchthon , iacobus andreae , brentius , and our divines , the mutuall salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witnes : melanchthon writing to calvin , begins his letter after this manner ; reverend and christian brother , i trust we shall have a time to meet and conferre together . and afterwards concluding , i beseech the sonne of god , our lord iesus christ , the guardian and keeper of his church , that he would guide and protect thee and us all . farewell most deare brother . besides , what was observed concerning melanchthon & others by our sturmius , he himselfe will by no meanes conceale from us ; as though ( saith he ) philip melanchthon did not impart his opinion ( touching the sacrament ) to peter martyr ; afterwards , to divers others : with whom he still continued in love and freindship ▪ further , iacobus andreae and brentius did unanimously adhere to the opinion of luther concerning the eucharist , of whom notwithstanding calvin thus speaks ; your letters , worthy sir and my much honoured brother ( speaking to iacobus andreae ) were not a litle welcome to me ; for as much as i understand by them how that amids these sad and unhappy contentions , wherein i am most unwillingly engaged , you still continue like affected towards me as heretofore you have been . againe , this your moderation of mind i embrace & highly applaud . farewell worthy sir , and my much respected brother . i wish all happinesse to brentius . god almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit , strengthen and sustaine you by his power , and shower downe his blessings in abundance upon you . and againe , in another letter , brentius salute's you . thus were matters carried amongst thē : and why should not we , putting on bowells of meeknesse , tread the steps of these worthies ? shall they breath out nothing but mildnesse and sweetnesse , and wee nought but rage and fury ? god forbid . i have done with the first thesis ; i now proceed to the second . the second thesis . that 't is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed . give mee leave to make use of that maxime of aristotle , so frequently used in the schooles ; but in a sense somewhat different — quae conveniunt in codem tertio , inter so conveniunt : such two things as agree in any one third , agree likewise betwixt themselves . in like manner , i conceive that though we differ much in our opinions about the eucharist , yet there are still remaining amongst us some common principles and certaine notes or notions out of which any one who is not blinded with prejudice may draw an assertion . one is , the authority of scripture , sufficient of it selfe to challenge a beleife : a second is , the cleare light of antiquity , as cleare as the sunne at mid-day . but this is no fit place to discourse at large upon these . three other there are which in no wise may bee passed over , seing they are such as are more proper and peculiar to the two adverse parts . i wil begin with the first of thē . the augustane confession is by the divines of saxony esteemed as an oracle , of undeniable and unquestionable authority ; now if our men allow and approve of that confession , j doe not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a reconciliation . and for certaine calvin herein agrees with them : i desire ( saith hee ) as much as any man a sincere and true union , so it be such as god hath approved in his word : nor doe i reject the augustane confession ; whereunto i did once wittingly and willingly subscribe , according to that interpretation which the author thereof himselfe put upon it . againe , i affirme ( saith hee ) that in that confession , as it was printed at ratisbon , there 's not so much as one word which is contrary to our doctrine : and if there be any ambiguity to be met with in the sense , none is more fit to be the interpreter of it than the author himselfe , whose worth will easily obtaine him that honour with all pious and learned men . so he. neither is he singular in this : but others there are , though of the same opinion with him concerning the eucharist , who will grant as much . (a) i am of the number of those ( saith iohn sturmius ) who concerning the receiving of the body & blood of christ approve of the augustane confession ▪ hierome zanchy hath a desire to bring in his verdict too , (b) i professe ( saith hee ) that as often as i had occasion to speake any thing about this point , i did alwaies containe my selfe within the compasse of these three heads the first whereof is , that in the lord's supper not onely bread and wine , but the very body and blood of our lord is truely offered us by christ , and likewise truely received , truely eaten and drunke by us . the second , but this is done not by the mouth and teeth of our body , but by a true and an actuall faith . the last , that therefore this is done by beleivers onely , and by none others . now these heads are taken out of god's word , nor are they repugnant to the augustine confession . these things being so , those worthy men have the more reason to be treated by us , that besides the said augustine confession ( which was anciently framed and ordained to be the common rule of faith for all protestants , whereby they might be distinguished from papists ) they would not obtrude upon us any other private opinions of their own , to the hinderance of the publike peace . a second principle of the like nature , which even reason it selfe doth dictate , is this ▪ that no antecedent is to be urged and pressed the necessary consequent and sequell whereof may not bee granted by us . but now it is well knowne , that luther , to remove out of the way the perill of idolatry , did abolish all (a) worshipping at the celebration of the eucharist , which had formerly been practised ; and for the same end he abolisht the elevation of the host also , that (b) brentius likewise did with much earnestnesse oppose their br●●den god , ( for so hee himselfe terme's it ; ) lastly , that (c) melanchthon did reject their bread-worship in the lord's supper . those godly and learned men therefore are to be entreated , that they would well weigh with themselves whether or no these same abuses which they with so great applause cryed down and abhorred , be not for all that the genuine ofspring of that vbiquity which at this day is maintained by them . thirdly , least any man haply should pretend , that no whit is to bee 〈◊〉 of that bitternesse and rigour where with at first they exercised the patience of oecolampadius , and zuinglius , they are againe to be intreated that in their great wisedomes they would herein take notice of a vast difference ▪ ananias , in the ninth of the acts , when first he was warned in a vision to put his hands upon saul , he was somewhat unwilling to doe it ; i have heard ( saith he ) by many of this man &c. but afterwards , having better understood the counsell and purpose of god he gladly embrace's him , saying , brother saul the lord hath sent mee unto thee . the very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of luther himselfe towards zuinglius and oecolampadius ; whom at first hee fell upon roughly , when he heard that they held there was nothing in the eucharist save only bare signes and figures : but afterwards , having further examined their meaning , he kindly & courteously reacht out the right hand of fellowship unto them . after the very same manner did calvin likewise stand affected towards them , as he himselfe confesseth ; when at my first entrance ( saith hee ) into the cleare sun-shine of the gospell out of popish darknes , i read in luther how that oecolampadius and zuinglius would admit of nothing in the sacraments but bare and empty figures , this ( i confesse ) so farre possest me with a prejudice against their writings , that i refrained a long time from reading them . thus spoke calvin at that time of those men , whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him . why may not then the saxon divines be pleased to show themselves luthers towards us , so long as they finde us not inferiour to oecolampadius and zuinglius in this point ? the third thesis . that this freindly vnion and reconcilement we wish for , is very necessary for all men , whether of a milde or turbulent disposition . it is not my purpose to lash out into common places , wherein much paines might be spent , and litle or no benefit got by it . it behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments , as may , not coldly beg and intreat , but command , and as it were violently compell men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves . neither are there any ( as you well know ) fitter for the setling and confirming of such a communion , than are those which are drawne from the common joy , or greife , the common danger , or the common good & advantage of both sides . there 's not a more evident and infallible signe of a true member of christ , than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another ; which is seene especially in two things : first , in rejoycing at the hopes of a reconciliation ; such as was the psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of brethren , ô how good and joyfull a thing it is ! secondly , a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissention ; such as the jewes expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of reuben . schisme growing and getting upon the church at corinth , the apostle exhort's them to bee [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement : the word is derived frō {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which amongst physitions signifies to set right againe such members as are out of joynt . the same apostle , that he might compose and setle the mindes of the philippians , ô what a sacred charme doe's he make use of ! if ( saith he ) there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any bowells of mercies , fulfill my joy . but how may they doe that ? he goes on ; that yee be like minded , having the same love , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] being of one accord , of one mind . i verily beleive , that eloquence her selfe , if she had a tongue to speake , she could not have spoke more emphatically : where each word is a sharp dart , peircing and wounding our very hearts and soules . i will adde onely that long chaine of vnities in the same apostle to the ephesians ; one body , one spirit , one hope , one calling , one lord , one faith , one baptisme , one god and father of all : all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at , to wit , that the ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . as touching the danger , we all of us know that the tyranny of the romish antichrist hang's over our heads : who sweetly sing's to himselfe that blacke and fatall maxime [ divide & impera ] set them once at variance , and then you may quickly master them ; or rather , by setting them at variance , you may confound and tumble them into the pit of hell : for the kingdome being once divided , hell it selfe cannot stand . let us learn to be wise from the examples of others : the guelphi and gibellini [ those two implacable and irreconcileable factions ] did agree together and joyne their forces , when the common enimie came against them . and shall not we rowse our selves up to save & defend our selves ? as for the gaine and advantage i mentiond , can there be any greater gaine than salvation ? and yet even this too , the more common , the greater and better it is . let us then ( i beseech you for the love of god ) set before our eyes the greek church , which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement , as appeare's from that confession of faith lately set forth in the name of all the easterne-churches by the right reverend father cyrill patriarch of constantinople : which agrees exactly with our protestant confessions in every article set forth and published by him . me thinks i see this most ample & farre spreading part of the christian world ready to fly into our armes & embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves : which hope of ours should christ be pleased to crowne with successe , this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the emperours in the world . but i hasten to your other question . the other controversy . concerning that unfathom'd mystery of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes . this is that other question ( as i gather from your letter ) whereon as on a rock divers men ( otherwise desirous of peace ) have dasht and split themselves . that therefore men may knowe , i have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute , but rather am cast upon it against my will , my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation , but ( as the times rather require ) by way of exhortation & advice . i hope therefore the learned divines of saxony will take this my advice in good part , wherein i earnestly pray and beseech them , first , that they would be reconciled to their owne luther in this point , who ( as it did well become a child of grace ) did constantly hold and maintaine that the grace of god is every way free and gratuitous . next , that they would not , in the patronizing and vindicating of divine grace , suffer themselves to be outstript by papists , nay jesuites , and the prime doctors too of that sect , bellarmine , tolet , pererius , suarez , salmeron , maldona●● who have all of them exploded this doctrine of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes , as pure pelagianisme . last of all , it is some wisdome for a man to profit by his enimy : there came out a book two yeares agon , written by will : de gibieuffe , of the oratorian order , priest and doctor of the sorbon , dedicated to the present pope vrban : wherein are inserted the words of pope clement the eighth concerning the auxilia gratiae : the summe whereof is this ; that this whole doctrine ought to be squared and conformed to s. austin's judgement in the point of grace ; that the same s. austin ought be acknowledged and followed as a guide and leader , for asmuch as that good father seeme's to have omitted nothing which concernes the said controversies : and because ( saith he ) many of our praedecessours have stood up so stoutly for that doctrine of s. austin concerning grace as if they desired to have it continued in the church as her right of inheritance , it is not meet i should suffer her to be deprived of this her patrimony . thus farre that pope : unto whose judgement ( j will not say , for the authority , but the trueth of it ) i nothing doubt but calvin himselfe , were he now living , would subscribe : and he that shall read calvin's writings , will quickly grant , that in these controversies he had more than an ordinary share of s. austin's legacy . thus you see , sir , how that partly your importunity ( who are such an earnest factour for peace ) and partly my own zeale in so necessary a cause , have made me exceed the accustomed bounds of a letter . wherein , if you finde not much judgement , yet may you behold my care & desires for christian peace . the author of all true peace , our lord jesus christ , strengthen and enable you by the power of his holy spirit cheerefully to goe thorough with this so waighty an employment for the publike peace of his church . farewell . thomas durham . postscript . that we should thus first seek and sue for brotherly love & unity , is so farre from being any prejudice to our cause , as that it is rather to be counted an honour to us : in that we herein follow the precept and practice of god himselfe ; of whom the evangelist saith , 1. joh. 4.10 . he first loved us . the opinion of the right reverend father in god ioseph hall bishop of exceter . those articles of religion wherein the divines of both sides doe fully agree , are abundantly sufficient , both for a christian man's salvation , and likewise for the establishing of a firme & lasting peace in the churches of god . as for the rest , i would not have them reckoned amongst the apostle's [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] foolish questions : doubtlesse they are such as may perhaps not unfitly bee sent to the divinity-schooles , there to bee throughly discussed : but by no meanes ought they to disquiet the peace either of any christian soule , or of god's holy church . what doe we professing christian charity and love , if we still obstinately refuse to indulge our brethren this litle liberty of dissenting from us in doubtfull & difficult schoole-questions ? seeing wee know very well that our good and gracious saviour passed over with silence and toleration great and greivous errours in comparison of these ( if it be granted that these are errours , ) and that too even in such as were of his owne houshold and retinue . there are but three things about which the reverend divines of both sides professe themselves to differ . the first is , whether or no our lord and saviour jesus christ be truly omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent , not only according to his divinity , but also according to his humane nature , by vertue of the personall union ? that the lord jesus ( to wit god and man ) is in both his natures omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent , is confest on each side : this being granted , the word [ according ] is a meere schoole-nicity . how farre the vertue of that hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , the holy ghost is silent , and a christian may safely be ignorant of it . let the doctors , if they list , dispute and busie their braines as much as they please about this matter : it will be enough for a christian , to knowe that he hath a saviour who is both god and man , to whom all these attributes truely belong and appertaine . nay even divines themselves have enough wherein they may rest satisfied , so long as this be granted on both sides , that even the humane nature considered personally is omniscient , omnipresent , & omnipotent : which wee all of us roundly and readily professe without any doubt or scruple . o what enimies are we to peace , if we will yet needs quarrell amongst our selves ! in all this , i wish we would carefully remember that usefull distinction of iohn gerson , esse quaedam de necessitate fidei , quaedam verò de fidei devotione : that there are some things essentiall and necessary to faith , other some things which shee piously and devoutly beleives , but yet they are not of such necessity as the other : the former are such as may not so much as bee once doubted of , but these latter may admit of an {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; we may safely either suspend our assent unto them , or positively dissent from them . the second article wherein they differ ; is concerning the manner of receiving christ in the eucharist . both agree , that christ's body is truly and really given , taken , and eaten in this sacrament together with the outward elements : all the question is concerning vnworthy receivers . an unworthy question truly it is , that the publike peace should any way be disturbed about it . we willingly grant both of us , that even such as are vnworthy doe eat that which by a sacramentall union is christ's body ; and that therefore they are guilty of the body and blood of jesus christ . what doe wee now making any more adoe about the manner of their eating , whether it be orall or not ? let christians make this their care , that they thēselves may be found worthy communicants , and let them not trouble themselves to knowe how those which are unworthy are partakers of christ . how farre the vertue of that sacramental union extends it selfe , and whether the manner of this eating be orall or spirituall , let the schools dispute it : christians need not be too curious in enquiring after it ; nor is it fit wee should disquiet the churche's peace , by refusing to indulge mutually one another a liberty of opinion in such nice points . the third article is that fatall point of praedestination : about which , divines of both sides expresse themselves variously , but yet modestly and discreetly . in many things , and such as are of most moment , their judgements on both sides are the same : as , that election is most free , & proceeding from the meere mercy of god , that god found not any cause or occasion in those whom hee elected , the sight whereof might move him to chuse them rather than others : but that he did from all eternity reprobate and praedestinate to eternall damnation such as persevere and persist in their sinnes and infidelity ; not by any rigid and absolute decree , without having any respect or regard to sin , but out of his most just judgement : so as all the cause & the blame of it ought to be sought for in the men themselves . in this they are at a stand ; that the foresight of faith and perseverance is by the reverend divines of saxony placed before the act of god's election : so as god did from everlasting foreordaine such as he fore-saw would in time beleive , &c. certainly of all the questions about praedestination , this concerning the order of his decree is least materiall ▪ seeing we know assuredly that the infinite & all-wise disposer of things performes all this with one single & most simple act . there is nothing more certain than that god did foresee who would beleive , and that he did praedestinate such as should be saved : let but this then be granted ( which they of saxony willingly professe ) that faith is the sole gift of god , and that whatsoever good there is in the elect , all of it doth originally proceed from the free grace & meere mercy of god , which was bestowed on them in jesus christ from all eternity ; i say , let this be granted , and doubtlesse there can be no danger in that opinion of praevision or fore-sight : god from everlasting fore-saw that , which he himselfe from everlasting decreed to bestow in time upon such as should beleive . all this is sound and safe , nor is there any cause why any further strife & contention should be made here about . in all this , i embrace and applaud this christian and brotherly moderation and holy desires of peace : thus it becomes christians , thus it becomes divines . i am much deceived , if this modest and seasonable appeasing and calming of men's minds doe's not promise a firme and perpetuall peace to god's church . thou god of peace , in thy good time accomplish it : give eare to the prayers of thy people , and grant that all christians may be of one heart and one way , till at length we come , by thee who art the way , to thee who art the life . amen , amen . from the palace at exceter . febr. 25. 1634. which is the humble , daily , and devout prayer of jos : exon : afterwards the same mr john dury sent unto the ld bishop of exceter a coppy of a certaine pious and peaceable decree , made & published by a generall vote at a publike meeting of the states in franckfort : requesting his opinion concerning the meanes and manner how this good worke might be advanced : whereunto he had returned him this answer . to his most faithfull , learned , and loving freind mr john dury , all happinesse . sir , i have read over , with a great deale of delight , the transcript you sent me of that decree for peace , which was lately signed by all the protestant states and delegates assembled at franckfort : than which decree , nothing ( in my opinion ) could possibly have been devised more full of prudence and religion : nor doe i see ( as the case now stand's ) what more could be once hoped for ; or what could possibly have beene proposed and resolved upon that might more conduce to the advancement of the publike peace , which all good men so much wish and desire . thus it was meet that the holy citizens of god's church , that pious princes and peeres should thus carefully provide for the peace and safety of christendome and blessed be god , the bestower of every good gift , the author of peace , who did put into their noble hearts those holy desires and purposes : may the same good god be pleased , at length to finish this his owne work so hopefully begun , and crowne it with successe . and truely neither our prayers nor our utmost endeavours shall ever be wanting hereunto : neither know i well upon what hopes it is , but methinkes my mind doth confidently promise and praesage a happy issue to this holy enterprise . for indeed what a small and slender hedge is it , which now divide's and part 's us ? we doe all of us of the reformation , receive and approve the same scriptures , the same creeds the same augustane confession : onely in one article the sense is so doubtfully expressed , that the author himselfe did not thinke it safe to adhere to the letter of it . the foundation of the christian faith is , amongst us all , one and the same , entire and unshaken ; there 's not so much as one stone in it , or the least peice of coement , about which any question either is or can be made . upon this foundation there are built certain points of schoole-divinity , about which alone we so hotly contend : but what are these to a christian ? what are these to salvation ? in what a safe and quiet state might the affaires of christendome have been , if such nice disputes of curious and over-busie heads had never been heard of ; if learned men could have contented thēselves with some generall formes of expressing the trueth , and not presently to have sifted divinity so over-nearly as they have done ? but seeing these strifes , which are not onely unprofitable , but very hurtfull and prejudiciall to both sides , are thus unfortunately raised ; what better advice can be thought upon for the setling and composing of these stirres , than that the faith be brought back againe to its primitive simplicitie and plainenesse , by the publike authority and joynt consent of the christian church ? and that in this confused mixture and multiplicity of matters of beleife , the christian world be taught warily to distinguish betwixt the genuine and proper articles of faith , and the lesse necessary additions of schoole-conclusions : which truely in this very businesse is a matter of no great difficulty to performe . this especially is fundamentall , christ is both god and man ; and so likewise this , christ , god and man , is truely omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent : now if any shall adde further , iesus christ , according to his humane nature , is omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent ; truely that word [ according ] seemes to be farre off from the foundation ; 't is a scholasticall notion , and to be turned over to profest divines ; but it is not fit the salvation of plaine and illiterate christians should be made to hang and depend upon such a subtle and nice point as this is . can these knowe , or are they bound to know , how farre the vertue of the hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , or what the bounds are either of those faculties or operations which flow from that union of the two natures ? certainely if god had intended this for a necessary point to be knowne by all men , he would not so sparingly and obscurely have revealed unto his church a mystery so fundamentall and important . i dispute not the trueth of the point , ( nor is this pertinent to my purpose , ) onely i question whether it be of necessity to be beleived . let us view a comparison betwixt things humane & divine , although what similitude can there bee'twixt earth and heaven ? man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other : and yet notwithstanding , each part hath its severall properties and actions , which are usually attributed ( and that very rightly too ) to the whole ; the whole man hath the use of sense , doth understand , eat , walke , sleep , dye : thus much even sense & reason doth unanswerably evince : will any man hereupon say , that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne , man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason ; and according to his soule he doth eat , walke , sleep , and dye ? truly the same that reason is , in respect of intelligible matters ; the same is faith , in things spirituall and divine : i am not ignorant , how much they differ in their subjects ; yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived , is alike different in both . such trueths therefore as are certaine , such as are necessarily to be beleived , and apparently fundamentall , let us all unanimously embrace and professe them : as for the rest , let divines ( if they please ) busie their heads with them , but let not the plaine & common sort of christians trouble themselves about them more than needs . but if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike peace , that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression ; let us but say ( as * hier : zanchy sometimes alledged out of innocent and the schoole-men ) that even christ's humane nature according to its personall essence is omnipresent , &c. and i see no reason why both sides may not , nay will not readily consent and agree to it . here let us fixe ; let neither side proceed any further beyond this , and wee are safe . in the point of the sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall , that the true and essentiall body and blood of christ is truely present , offered , and received in that holy supper ▪ but whether or no it be corporally present in the bread & wine , whether or no ( by a supernaturall vertue of the consecrated elements ) it be orally received and eaten , even by wicked and unworthy communicants , this is a matter of theologicall dispute , and such as ( in the judgement of luther , melanchthon , iustus ionas , osiander , brentius , stephanus agricola ; yea & of oecolampadius , zuinglius , bucer , hedio ) ought not to infringe christian love and charity . and upon this promising signe was begun that famous agreement at marpurge , in the yeare 1529. that likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory , which is related concerning the meeting at witemberge , in the yeare 1536 , by ludovicus rabus pastor at vlme , in his history of martyrs : with whom agree's iohn swiccius , pastor at constance ( cited by hospinian ) who was there present at that time ; and 't is to be seen likewise in the english writings of bucer : there were present at that meeting , of the one side , capito , bucer , musculus , and the rest of the more eminent divines out of the cheife imperiall cities in high germany ; of the other side , luther , philip , ionas , pomeranus , cruciger , with other doctors & preachers of witemberge : and after some expostulations , and divers speeches to and fro , wherein both sides freely & fairely delivered their opinions , at length luther ( stepping a litle aside with his associates , and conferring with them about it ) concluded with these words ; if yee beleive and teach , that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare signes bread and wine ; and that such giving and receiving is true and reall , not onely imaginary , the strife betwixt us is at an end , and we doe acknowledge & receive you as our deare brethren in the lord . all this , bucer , capito , and the rest , plainely and freely affirmed : whereupon they joyned hands , and so parted . indeed the waters were then calme and quiet , not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds ; and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of trueth . why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise ? and having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed , why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of peace and unity ? concerning the point of praedestination , how doth the church of christ groane under the burden of a number of huge & high-swolne volumes ? yet when wee have done all we can , and wearied our selves and the christian world with our wrangling pens , this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men , 1. that god from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto salvation . 2. that none were elected by god , nor shall be saved , who doe not beleive in jesus christ , and persevere in this faith . 3. that none can beleive in christ , save onely they whom god is pleased to enable hereunto , and to worke it in them by the effectuall grace of his spirit . 4. that god did not damne , no nor reprobate any man , but with an eye to sin : so that all the cause & the blame of men's damnation , lie's in themselves ; but the cause of election and salvation is in the meere grace and mercy of god . now all this is confest on both sides . j know right well , there are infinite questions & controversies raised about this point : let every man on god's name enjoy his owne opinion ; i will not prescribe to any man . for my selfe , if any man be desirous to know what my opinion herein is , i freely professe my selfe to adhere to the articles of the church of england , and to the judgement of our english divines who voted in the synod at dort ( wherein my selfe was present . ) but what is there in this profound point , about which vulgar and illiterate christians need to trouble themselves , save onely that plaine & obvious trueth confest by all ? for the rest , let divines dispute them in the schooles ; but it were well if they would forbeare to medle with them in the pulpit . how are the very same controversies , and others of greater waight and moment , still on foot in the church of rome , and yet so warily and wisely doe they carry the matter , that the publike peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them . let vs learne wisedome from them who professe nought but enmity towards us . would but christian princes by their authority decree , & divines fairely and moderately containe and keep themselves within these bounds of disputation and controversie ( bounds indeed larg and spatious enough , ) wee should have a lasting & firme agreement , the church would flourish in peace and tranquillity , and lastly trueth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common enimy . that this may be brought to passe ( as we all wish and desire it should ) the honourable states and delegates did very wisely propose and advise that a publike meeting of peaceable divines should be summoned and sought for by invitatory letters , that the freindly & laudable conference , which was begun at lipswich , should be reassumed and prosecuted with like modesty as it had formerly been begun ; that all such divines of note & eminence as cannot be present at that meeting should send over their opinions and advice ; that all the fundamentalls of religion , necessary for salvation , should be determined , and all other points laid aside , and turned over to the schooles ( if need should require ; ) that in the meane time men's tongues and pens should be enjoyned moderation or else silence ; that lastly publike prayers should be solemnly made in the churches of both sides for the successe of this good worke . let but these things be done with an upright heart , in the feare of god , and wee need not doubt of a happy issue ; it is god's own cause , he will not be wanting to himselfe . for you , mr dury , who have hitherto with such zeale , such unwearied paines , so many dangers , so great charges , prosecuted this designe so well pleasing to god , his angells , and men ; truly you have deserved so well of the whole church , as that all good men must acknowledge themselves much indebted to you . goe on ( worthy sir ) with your great undertakeings , and put a period to this good worke : or rather , may the great god of heaven & earth doe this for you and us all ; and may he still preserve and prosper you in these travailes and labours of yours . farewell from your loving freind jos : exon : the opinion of the most reverend father in god iames usher lord arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland , with some other reverend bishops in ireland . reverend and much respected brother in christ ; wee had long since by common consent made ready an answer to your former letters which you writ unto us severally some moneths agon : but being desirous to have likewise a generall subscription to it , according to that agreement which should be betwixt fellow-brethren of the clergy , we deferred the sending of it somewhat the longer in hopes of a meeting . you desire us now in your second letter dated from london march 20. that we would give you our opinion concerning the conference at lipswich ; the rather , because that conference is likely to have some effect and influence upon the busines you have in hand . thus therefore ; that meeting ( though it was called for other ends and reasons ) yet seeing it was holden with such good successe , and that the cheife divines of both sides had so faire & freindly a conference , heard one another with such patience , & parted with such love and brotherly affection , it is a very good signe that this matter is from the lord , and from this good beginning who can chuse but hope for a happy and successefull issue ? but yet notwithstanding , they parted differing about three points : it is well that they differd but in three ; & 't is better yet , that even in those three points they agreed in most things , and such as are of greatest moment ; nor was their difference so much about the thing it selfe , as about some formes of expression , which for the most part we cannot so easily forget and cast off after we have been long accustomed to them . for seeing it is confest on both sides , that christ hath two natures in one person , so inseparably united that neither can they be divided , nor are they confounded , but still remaine distinct and severall without all mixture or aequality ( so much as of their properties , ) to what end is it to quarrell about improper and figurative propositions ? so likewise in the eucharist , seeing they both agree that the faithfull doe eat not only the fruit and benefit , but the very essence ( or substance ) of christ's body ; and that on god's part the sacraments are exhibited entire & perfect , the thing signified together with the sign , what doe they contending about hypocrites and unbelievers ? 't is all one as if physitions should fall a disputing about a dead man , whether or no the potion he tooke hath any operation upon him . there remaines yet that other much controverted question touching praedestination ▪ and yet even in this too it would be no hard matter for them to be reconciled , were but spleen and partiality laid aside , and in the roome thereof a reverent and modest feare how we pry too farre-into god's secret counsells , placed and planted : seeing the best and ablest divines of both sides acknowledge , that in many questions about this mystery we must be faine to take up st paul's exclamation , o the depth ! and that 't is both lawfull & sufficient for them to rest and hold together in those cleare & undoubted trueths ; namely , that the election of such as shall be saved , was made in christ ; that the destruction of all such as perish , is from themselves ; that salvation is from god ; that faith ( yea even foreseen faith ) is not from our selves , it is the gift of god ; that we may not boast of any thing , seeing we have nothing of our own ; all must be ascribed to god : as s. cyprian of old devoutly and pithily spake . thus you have , both what we hope & conceive of the conference at lipswich . but the most principall and speciall thing , which should be earnestly prest and inculcated , is this ; that in divine matters , especially in such high and difficult mysteries as these are , which are rather to be adored than pried into , we ought to have a certaine and set rule to speake by as s. austin sometimes prudently and piously counselled ▪ & therefore it would be a very safe and good course for us to refraine from all novell and new-fangled expressions , and to confine the liberty of prophecying to such formes and phrases as the holy scriptures doe furnish us withall . it remaines , that wee earnestly beseech the god of peace to bruise satan under our feet , & that shortly : unto which god we heartily recommend you ( reverend brother ) & rest may 14. anno 1634. your most affectionate freinds james armagh . william kilmore . john ardagh . the judgement of the same right reverend father , the lord arch-bishop of armagh , delivered in a sermon of his preached before k. iames at wansted , iune 20th . 1624. if at this day wee should take a survay of the severall professions of christianity , that have any large spread in any part of the world ( as of the religion of the romane and the reformed churches in our quarters , of the aegyptians and aethiopians in the south , of the grecians & other christians in the easterne parts , ) and should put-by the points wherein they differ one from another , and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they doe all generally agree ; wee should finde , that in those propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole christian world , so much trueth is contained , as being joyned with holy obedience , may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation . neither have we cause to doubt , but that as many as doe walke accorto this rule ( neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable heresies thereupon , nor otherwise vitiating their holy faith with a lewd and wicked conversation ) peace shall be upon them , and mercy , and upon the israel of god . the opinion of some famous divines of the french church . that which hath been the constant and earnest wish of all good men for these hundred yeares past , and which by all wise men hath been esteemed worthy to be purchased at any rate and with any paines though never so great ; this ( we heare , to the exceeding great joy of our hearts ) is at this day endeavoured by some worthy servants of christ with singular zeale , and not without good hopes of a happy successe : to wit , that the protestant churches which differ one from another about some points of religion , laying aside or at least moderating on both sides their over-tenacious adhering to their own opinions , may now at length be united and made up into one body . we being much joyed with this welcome newes , first of all we render all possible praise and thankesgiving to almighty god the giver of all good things , that he hath been pleased to put such good thoughts and intentions into the hearts of his servants ; and wee most earnestly beseech him , that his blessing may goe along with this good designe , & crowne it with successe : next , we returne many thanks to those our reverend and worthy brethren and fellow-ministers , who have put their hands to this worke ; and we doe highly applaud and admire their faithfulnesse , zeale , charity , and singular magnanimity & courage herein . what a brave and noble spirit doe's it argue in them , that they could once hope for an unity and peace of our churches in these desperate and distracted times ? or that they durst venter upon a matter of such difficulty , which had so often been attempted heretofore by men of great abilities , but could never be brought to passe ? what the event of this so great and good a designe will be , is in the sole power & pleasure of almightie god : but surely the very endeavouring and intending of so good a worke deserve's no litle commendation : for , the bare purpose or having in one's heart and thoughts matters of great concernment , and such as may make for the good of christ's church , is a great and good worke , & never faile's of its reward from our bountifull god : although there be good cause to hope , that the paines which learned men take hereabout shall even with men too have its fruit & effect . for , now that they have spent their spirits and heat of contention , & wearied themselves with long strife and variance , it is more than probable that they will now at last entertaine those counsells of peace which they have hitherto out of spleene and passion rejected and set light by . besides , that most sharp plowshare of god's judgement wherewith for almost these foureteene yeares he hath furrowed and plowed up the french and german churches , hath so subdued & broken up men's minds on each side , that never was there a more fit and seasonable opportunity for sowing and casting in the seeds of unity and peace , than now . wee cannot chuse therefore but greatly approve , commend , and admire the purposes and endeavours of those worthy men who have imployed their paines in so necessary a worke : but since we understand how that they are desirous to knowe more particularly what our opinion is of this whole businesse , let us proceed to set downe ( as breifly and plainly as we can ) our judgement herein . indeed it were much to be wished , that they who professe themselves christ's disciples and followers , would all think and speake alike of matters spirituall and divine , perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement , ( as s. paul exhorts his corinthians . ) but since there is so much weaknesse in man's understanding , and so great difficulty in points of divinity , that this perfect and absolute agreement betwixt pious men is a thing not to be had or hoped for in this world ; in the next place it were to be wished , that they would agree and be of the same beleife about the maine & principall heads of religion : and for other matters which are of lesse moment and use , and such as do not any way make either for holinesse of life , or comfort of men's consciences , & consequently doe not necessarily pertaine to christ's kingdome ( which consists in those two things ) that they would in such wise beleive them , as to beare with others who dissent frō them about such points . for as we see in civill & saecular matters , the best states-men are not alwaies of the same opinion concerning the affaires of the commonwealth ; so likewise in the church , so long as the summe and substance of religion is agreed upon & maintained , no matter though in some other points the judgements of the faithfull be various and different . that this is lawfull , both the thing it selfe loudly proclaimes it , and s. paul confirmes it ; who doe's not only permit but command us ( more than once ) to beare with such as differ from us in their opinions : and 't is the common and generall opinion of all such divines as have been of any note and esteem in the church ever since our saviour christ's times downe to this present age . yet is not this so to be understood , as if all manner of differences in religion were to be tolerated : for even the same apostle denounceth an anathema against such as shall preach any other gospell than that which he had preached ; and the most moderate amongst the fathers of the christian church have alwaies constantly held , that we are to shunne and avoid the company of hereticks . for there bee some opinions of those men who differ about religion , which overthrow the very foundation of our salvation , & destroy either that piety or that charity which wee are commanded by god's word to practise towards god and men : such are the erroneous doctrines of romanists , who will have that religious worship given to creatures , which god hath reserved peculiar to himselfe ; who make our faith to rely upon the judgement and authority of men ; who severall waies overthrow the preistly office of jesus christ ; in a word , who have with their own inventions so stained and deformed the whole christian religion , that they have left no one part in it sound and untainted . such likewise are the opinions of socinians , who ( to let passe their other positions ) deny our lord and saviour christ jesus to be truely god : and if once you take away his divinity , it will necessarily follow , that either wee worship a creature , or else that we doe not worship the sonne of god ; both of which are manifestly repugnant to those trueths which are delivered to us in holy writ as absolutely necessary to salvation . we conceive therefore that no peace in way of religion can be had with these men , nor with any others who maintaine any errours of this nature , till they shall renounce these their private doctrines . but for those who hold some erroneous opinion which yet may consist with piety , & charity , and all christian duties belonging thereunto , we think ( as s. paul seeme's to have determined ) a communion may be held with them . wee may mildly admonish such , and when opportunity is offered , discreetly reprove and instruct them ; but to cast them out of the church , and ( for no other cause ) to curse and excommunicate them as men in a desperate and damnable estate , this ( in our opinion ) is neither fitting nor lawfull to be done . now to apply this to the matter in hand , we conceive that to this latter sort all those controversies doe belong which are agitated amongst protestant divines , touching christ's presence in the sacramentall signes , touching divine praedestination , and some few other points . for they doe agree in all such points as conduce either to piety towards god , or charity towards men ; they maintain on both sides , that the scriptures are of divine inspiration , that they are perfect , perspicuous , and authenticall ; they detest with one heart & mouth the tyranny , and pernitious doctrines of the pope , and they equally keep off from entertaining a communion with him ; they have the same sacraments ; they worship the same christ ; they professe the same righteousnesse and holinesse in this life , and they expect the same glory in the life to come : in a word , so great and so wonderfull an agreement is there betwixt them about all saving and necessary doctrines , that ( did not the history of their affaires , and those bitter contentions which have hitherto ( more is the pitty ) been fomented amongst them , witnesse the contrary ) there 's no man but would thinke they had a meeting at the beginning , and by common counsell & consent agreed upon the same confession of faith . in such a multitude of mysteries , who can chuse but admire that there should not be above one or two points wherein they did not fully agree ? for even about the eucharist , which is the maine matter of this woefull division , they both of them grant that 't is a sacrament , not a sacrifice ; that it is to be eaten , not worshipped ; both the two kindes instituted by our saviour christ ( to wit , bread and wine ) are neither transubstantiated nor divided one from the other by either side ; they both acknowledge the same use and end of this holy rite , to wit the commemorating of christ's death , & the partaking of his body which was crucified , and of his blood which was shed for us : there is onely one thing about which they disagree , namely the manner how christ's body is given to us and received by us in that sacrament ; the thing is the same on both sides , onely the manner of it is divers . this difference , though it be but small , yet is it not ( wee confesse ) altogether of no moment : but that it should be of so great moment , as that it ought to make a breach of charity and affection amongst brethren , a duty so useful and necessary to the christian world , and so miraculously wrought amongst them by the hand of heaven , this we utterly deny . neither doe we alone deny it : to say nothing of our brethren in poland , and almost all the germans which hold with us , who ( as it is well knowne to all men ) ever did , and at this day doe make the same reckoning and account of that controversy as we but now did ; to say nothing likewise of those famous divines of both sides in saxony and brandenburge , who ( as we have been informed ) were lately of the very same opinion concerning these points , when they had fairely discussed them at lipswich , whither they were come with their princes . but one thing there is which we cannot here omit to mention , a matter perhaps not so well knowne to forraine nations , yet such a matter it is as we confidently beleive will be most welcome and acceptable to all good & peaceable men , to wit that the reformed churches here in france ( whereof there are good store ) have alwaies been of that same opinion touching these controversies , & they have given testimony of this their opinion , both heretofore sundry waies , and likewise now very lately by an expresse decree made in a generall synod held here at charenton neare paris in the yeare 1631. for when , upon occasion of a citizen of lions ( unto whose daughter a certaine young german of the augustane confession , as they call it , was a suiter ) it was questiond , how we are to account and esteeme of such as are commonly termed lutherans ; all the brethren which were there met , out of all the provinces of france , and sent thither from their several churches , did unanimously vote thus ; that seeing the churches of the augustane confession doe agree with the other reformed churches in all the principles and fundamentall points of true religion , and that in their discipline and forme of divine worship there is neither idolatry nor superstition : such of the faithfull of that confession as shall with the spirit of charity and in a truly peaceable way joyne themselves unto the publike assemblies of the churches in this kingdome , and desire to communicate with them , may , without the abjuration of their former opinions which they hold contrary to the beleife of these churches , be admitted to the holy table , contract marriages with the faithfull of our confession , and present themselves in the quality of godfathers to the children which shall be baptized ; upon their promise given to the consistory , that they will never solicite such children , directly or indirectly , against the doctrine beleived and professed in our churches , but shall content themselves with giving them instruction onely in those points wherein we all agree . we are not ignorant , how that many objections may be made against this decree by such as have a mind to contend & cavill : but such objections they are , most of them , as have but litle strength and validity in them , and such as can no way stand in comparison with those waighty reasons wherewith the christian faith and charity doe furnish us . it is not our purpose to insist on every particular ; onely in general , we think it not amisse to put men in minde of two things , which if they were observed with that care as it fitting , both sides perhaps would henceforth judge more mildly and charitably of each other than hitherto they have done . first then , speciall heed would be taken by us , that the assertions and opinions of private men , though doctors , though of never so great esteem and repute amongst their own men , be not father'd on that whole church wherein such men live , as the common and generally received doctrine of them all . for what can be imagined more unequall , than that one man's crime , or commendation , should be imputed to all ? and what by him hath been spoken well or ill , should be rewarded or punished in others , who were so farre from deserving any such matter , as that many times such things are fastned on them as they never so much as once heard of from others , or once thought thereupon themselves . the generall doctrine of each severall church is laid downe and comprised in publike confessions , severall for each side ; their's ( namely the doctrine of the lutheran party ) in the augustane confession ( as they terme it ; ) that of the other side , in many severall confessions , diversly expressed according to the diversity of countries and kingdomes . from these are we to judge and esteeme what is held and maintained by both : seeing they doe all professe themselves to assent and adhere to these , and that they will live & dye in this faith . but ( for ought i know ) neither doe they so generally approve the writings of brentius or chemnitius , nor doe these so farre magnifie piscator or beza , as if they would that whatsoever is affirmed by those men , should be admitted and acknowledged as the common and necessary faith of all christians . nay so farre are they both of them from this folly , that they themselves freely reprove and censure their own men , and mark out many passages in their writings , as different from the common and received doctrine of their church . whence it follow's , that the sayings of such men , whosoever they be , are unjustly , and ( to speake the most favourably of it ) preposterously fatherd on the whole church in which they lived . and yet notwithstanding , what else are all those tenents with which protestant divines cast one another in the teeth , with which they upbraid one another as if they were the publike and generall faults of the two adverse parts , and for which they so labour to draw one another into envy & contempt ? i say , what else are they but the private positions of some particular doctors on both sides , vented many times either in choler and passion , or out of a vehement zeale to maintaine their cause , when they were hard pressed & put to it either with the difficulty of the things themselves , or the subtilty of an acute adversary ; and so , spake rather out of necessity than judgement and premeditation . for truely so sound and untainted are the publike confessions of our churches on each side , that there is very litle and hardly any thing which either of them can finde wanting in the other's confession . our divines in germany doe commend the augustane confession ; and no doubt but our brethren the lutherans will in like manner approve of ours , for the farre greater part of it , would they but once be pleased to read it over impartially without passion and prejudice . certainly neither in that confession of theirs shall any man meet with that vbiquity of christ's body , which wee condemne in lutheranisme ; nor is this of ours , that stoicall fate so much objected against us . but a second fault there is , very frequent amongst men of both sides , and almost hereditary , which ought ( as we conceive ) with all care and diligence to bee shun'd and avoided in this businesse ▪ namely , that they who maintaine any position , should not bee thought to hold whatsoever seemes to us to follow thereupon by the rules of disputation . for it often fall's out , that he who hold's a principle from which such a conclusion is inferred , may notwithstanding be utterly ignorant of that which is inferred from his principle . for instance , he that first observed the loadstone to point towards the north pole , did not forthwith perceive all the severall experiments that have been afterwards made from thence for the use and benefit of navigation : for conclusions lye hid and buried in their principles , nor are they deduced thence without some paines and study . he therefore who hold's some principle , and withall doth either not heed and regard it ; or else considers it , but with an intellect which is either dull or prepossessed with anger or affection or some other passion , this man , from that principle of his which hee understand's , doth not straightway understand whatsoever may be knowne and concluded from it . thus they who live in the papacy , having their mindes bewitched ( that i may so speake ) with the authority of their leaders , though they grant with us that the sinnes of men are most fully expiated by that sacrifice offered up by christ on the crosse , yet can they not hence conclude ( although it evidently follow hereupon ) that their sacrifice of the altar is vaine and superfluous . now as he who understand's some one trueth , is sometimes ignorant of other trueths which are consequent thereupon : so likewise he who hath some erroneous opinion , must not therefore be thought to hold and maintaine all the absurdities that may be inferred from it : for there 's the same account to bee made of consequences either way . thus tertullian of old , and many of the ancient fathers , taught that the humane soule is derived from the father to the sonne by way of propagation ; but that 't is mortall , which followes upon the former , this they were so farre from granting , that they did alwaies expressely deny it . as therefore wee doe not say that the papists doe therefore deny their sacrifice of the altar , because they grant ( as we doe ) the perfection and sufficiency of that sacrifice which was offered up by christ on the crosse , though in all good consequence this overthrowes that sacrifice of theirs : so neither doe we think that tertullian , & others of the same opinion touching the originall of man's soule ought to be charged for holding the soule to be mortall , because this latter errour seeme's to be deducible from the former . now then how extreme faulty in this kinde divines of both sides have beene , who is there that see's not ? for we commonly charge our brethren ( the lutherans ) with eutychianisme , ( though they in the meane time deny and disclaime it , ) because this errour , as we think , follows upon their doctrine concerning the lord's supper they againe on the other side , stick not to charge us with i knowe not what monstrous opinions , as if we made god the author of all sin and wickednesse , ( assertions which we justly abhorre & tremble at , because they perswade themselves that this may be gathered from our doctrine about god's . praedestination and providence . wee will not here dispute whether these things be rightly inferred yea or no from our severall tenents and opinions on both sides . it sufficeth , that whatsoever they be , whether justly or unjustly pin'd upon our opinions , they are denied by us both : nor can we ever be induced by any arguments whatsoever , to grant that they are agreeable and consonant to our faith . for so long as this is done ( as indeed it is , ) it is manifest from what hitherto hath been delivered , that neither can they without injustice and calumniation bee charged with eutychianisme , nor we with those monstrous and damnable opinions , although both these errours could by true & solid consequence be concluded from our severall positions , ( which yet neither side will ever confesse for their own part . ) seeing therefore that all or most of those doctrines which the one side taxeth in the other as pernicious and such as cannot consist with salvation , are but either the private opinions of some particular men , or else but corollaries and conclusions violently wrested by force of argument out of their severall opinions , would but men ( as in reason they ought ) forbeare to father any thing on either side save onely that which their whole churches expresly owne and professe for their received opinions , it would be very easie to maintaine that all the dispute and controversie which is in agitation betwixt them , is such as may be tolerated , and that there is not any thing contained in the faith and doctrine of either side which overthrowe's salvation . now were but this once agreed upon and beleived on both sides , there would remaine litle or no difficulty in this whole businesse wherein worthy men doe at this present employ themselves , namely of setling peace and unity amongst our churches . for seeing there are but two waies possible of being reconciled ; either , that one side shall renounce their private opinions , and come over to the other ; or else , that both sides shall joyne together , retaining their severall opinions , and by a mutuall condescending shall each of them tolerate that which they dislike in the other's doctrine , especially if it be such as cannot be altered without perill and dammage to a whole church ; the former of these two waies ( as we conceive ) is not now to be stood upon , whereof triall hath been heretofore made not onely without successe but with much danger & harme , as appeares sufficiently from those many disputations & conferences which have been held betwixt both sides during this whole age ; whereby hatred and & enmity hath been ingendred rather than extinguished , and the number of controversies rather increased than diminished . wee must therefore betake our selves to that other way of being reconciled , and in it must we employ all our paines and cares & studies , as being indeed both the only easie and lawfull way , yea and necessary too in our judgement . and that wee may at length attaine unto this , it would not be amisse ( as we conceive ) to proceed after this manner and method ; first , wee must endeavour that a kinde of truce and cessation from our strifes & contentions may be agreed upon and enjoyned the divines of both sides , and that they be stirred up and exhorted to take this whole businesse into consideration : this being obtained , in the next place speciall diligence must be used , that after a meeke , freindly , and most persuasive manner it be made appeare to all , that we are not at variance about any fundamentall point of christian religion , or such wherein men may not safely be of either opinion without hazarding their salvation : and here men must be very carefull that they refraine from all intricate questions , and trifling disputes , ( such wherein the schoolemen have spent so much paines , mincing and mangling every thing into i know not how many peices , & then handling every peice severally , ) which serve for no other end save onely to torture & torment mens mindes , but no way make for edification . would but god be pleased so farre to prosper these endeavours as that thus much may be once brought to passe , wee make no doubt but every man would then readily wish for this much-desired communion , which none ever shunn'd or refused but out of a kinde of religion and conscience , conceiving it unlawfull to entertaine a communion with any that are not of the same beleife and opinion with themselves ▪ so soone as men on both sides shall be wrought off from this superstitious conceit , they will gladly run and rush ( as it were ) into one anothers armes and embraces . for it cannot be imagined that there is any man , either of the one side or the other , so stupid & void of all reason & & religion , but knows how foul & scandalous a thing , how hurtfull to both sides , how dangerous and pernitious to the whole christian world this schisme is which hath hitherto divided and distracted us ; on the other side , how sweet , how beneficiall , both to our selves & all others , unity and peace would be , so it might be had without losse of faith and salvation . and truely the way to setle this unity ( were we but once come to that ) is plaine and easie . for seeing we doe both of us ( by god's grace ) equally acknowledge and beleive the gospell of our lord jesus christ penned by his disciples ; and seeing we confesse , that whatsoever is of necessity for salvation to be beleived or done by us , it is all clearely and plainly laid downe in this gospell , what hinder's why we may not joyntly confirme and ratify those articles wherein we both agree ? & for those other points about which wee differ , wee may expresse them in such words and phrases as the sacred scriptures afford us , and not suffer our men to enquire any further , or contest about thē . for if it be true which we both confesse , that all those heavenly mysteries which must necessarily be knowne by us , are clearely revealed in god's word , doubtles then we may content our selves with so much as the scripture has delivered , and wee may safely forgoe all other points wherein the scripture is silent . let therefore all the heads of matters in dispute amongst us be laid downe and expressed in a certaine and set forme , such as may give satisfaction to both parties , made up wholly ( if it be possible ) of scripture-words : and let no man require from his brother any more besides it : if any man have attained to a further degree of knowledge , let him keep his knowledge to himselfe ; and let him not despise the weaknesse and simplicity of others who have not made so great a progresse in knowledge as himselfe . as for rites and ceremonies wherein the forme of divine worship and the churche's discipline are contained , we conceive it fit that every church should be left to her owne judgement and liberty herein , and that no innovation be made about such matters . hereafter , if it shall please god , when time shall have confirmed and strengthened this union , there may be compiled , by the joynt consent and advice of all , a common liturgy ; which would be both a token and bond of peace . for the present , we shall think our paines well bestowed , if at this first attempt we can prevaile with both sides to tolerate mutually out of christian charity such differences of opinion as are betwixt us either in doctrine or discipline ( which truely are but small , & altogether unworthy to occasion such a rupture and breach betwixt us , ) and so at length to acknowledge one another to be ( as indeed we are ) brethren in the lord . thus much we thought good to speak in breife touching this matter , that our reverend brethren , who are well affected to the publike peace , may understand how ready & willing wee are to concurre with them in this pious and christian worke . and though our meane abilities and the present state and condition of our affaires be such , as that wee cannot performe such service in it as is meet and requisite , yet shall our earnest prayers alwaies accompany the labours and endeavours of those reverend men who are or shall be employed therein : and we shall account that day most happy , wherein we shall behold brethren ( having buried all strifes and contentions ) joyne hands and hearts , and dwell together in the same ierusalem ; by this fast and firme communion , anticipating ( as it were ) & foreacting here upon earth that everlasting unity and concord which we shall hereafter enjoy in heaven . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a37176e-300 c. 8. v. 19. ephes. 4.15 . rom. 12.18 . joh ▪ 17.21 . act. 4.32 . hosp. histor. sacr. ann. 1529. idem ann. 1537 ibid. harm. confes. par . 1. & 2. in confess . polon. 1. chron. 22.16 . mat 23. c. 4. v. 5. 2. cor. 6.16 . epist. 57. ad dardan . ad constant. august . tit. 1.3 . bucer . rom. 14.1 . rom. 15.1 . magdeburg . lib. 2. cap. 7. august . de unitate eccl. 6.12 . (a) in epist. ad luther . (b) contra rober . atringen . & alibi . hosp : in . hist. sacr. pag 144 ad an. 1536. (c) ibid. colloq. momp. . pag. 16. hospin . ann. 1530 p. 145. math. 18. joh ▪ 1335. 1. cor. 3.12 . osiand . antist. pag. 75. in antist. pag 91. gal. 2.9 . act. 7.26 . psal. 122.9 . in antist. pag. 74. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} tit. 1.3 . epist. ad stephen . & ad iubaian . praef. ad concil. carthag . vid. august . de bapt. lib. 2. cap. 4 5. epiph. har. 42. & 70. nazian. orat. 30. institut . lib 4. cap. 30. orat. 3. de pace . in orat. unum esse christum notes for div a37176e-3570 calvin . epist. 57. bulling . calvin . tract. 2. desens . de sacram. coenae . melanchthon calvino , inter epistolas calvini , 187. ioh. sturmius ep. ad princ. freder . inter calvini ep. 304. calvin . epist. 240. iacob . andre . e . & epist. 32. farello . calvin . epist. 236. martino schalingio eccles ratis . pastori . calv opusc. tract. defens . 2 de sacram. coenae . (a) ep. sturmii ad fred. princ. inter epist. calvin . 304. (b) zanch. miscel. tract. de coena domini confess . ad magistrat . (a) ep. sturmiiquae extat inter calvini epist. 304. & epist. 45. quae est sultzer . ib. (b) calvin . epist 32. farello . (c) melancht. . epist. calvin . quae inter ep. 187. calv. opuse . defens . 2. de sacram. coenae this is the title of that confession . guil. de gibieuffe de libertate dei & creaturaruta . notes for div a37176e-6250 * zanch. iudicio de dissidio coenae in fine miscellaneorum . quod idem probatur à zuinglio ibidem citato . vid. etiam feildium nostratem , in lib. de eccles. & appendice ▪ vid. lib. 3 de ecclesia . c. 35. & 42. & append. part . 1. respons . ad secundum caput higgonii . vbi etiam citantur pic. miran . l. caietanus , alii . these heads are granted on both sides in this conference . notes for div a37176e-7070 gal. 6.16 . notes for div a37176e-7230 rom. 15.1 . phil. 3.15 . the judgement of the late arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland 1. of the extent of christs death and satisfaction &c, 2. of the sabbath, and observation of the lords day, 3. of the ordination in other reformed churches : with a vindication of him from a pretended change of opinion in the first, some advertisements upon the latter, and in prevention of further injuries, a declaration of his judgement in several other subjects / by n. bernard. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1658 approx. 178 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 95 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64661 wing u188 estc r24649 08259185 ocm 08259185 41259 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64661) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 41259) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1242:27) the judgement of the late arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland 1. of the extent of christs death and satisfaction &c, 2. of the sabbath, and observation of the lords day, 3. of the ordination in other reformed churches : with a vindication of him from a pretended change of opinion in the first, some advertisements upon the latter, and in prevention of further injuries, a declaration of his judgement in several other subjects / by n. bernard. ussher, james, 1581-1656. bernard, nicholas, d. 1661. [9], 176 p. printed for john crook, london : 1658. "the reduction of episcopacy unto the form of synodical government received in the ancient church" has special t.p. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of ireland. -collected works. theology -early works to 1800. theology -history -17th century. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2005-04 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the judgement of the late arch-bishop of armagh , and i primate of ireland , 1. of the extent of christs death and satisfaction , &c. 2. of the sabbath , and observation of the lords day . 3. of the ordination in other reformed churches : with a vindication of him from a pretended change of opinion in the first ; some advertisements upon the latter ; and , in prevention of further injuries , a declaration of his judgement in several other subjects . by n. bernard , d. d. and preacher to the honourable society of grayes-inne , london . gather up the fragments that remain , that nothing be lost : joh. 6. 12. london , printed for john crook , at the ship in st. pauls church-yard , 1658. to the reader . the first treatise containing the judgement of the most eminent primate of ireland , concerning the true intent and extent of christs death , and satisfaction upon the crosse , was written by him , at the request of a friend , a little before the synod of dort : a copy of which being taken , was ( unknowne to him ) carried thither by a member of it : upon the multiplying of them exceptions were taken by divers , and by one penne contracted into a letter to him ; which the second treatise is an answer unto : both these i had from him about twenty eight yeares agone , and now upon the desire of such , whose judgements i subscribe unto , and the prevention of other mistaken copies , which possibly might be produced , i have been hastened to the printing of them . that which hath given the occasion , is the mistake lately published of the change of his judgement in it , a little before his death : but by the view of these , i believe the authour will receive satisfaction . in the vindication of which two letters , being desired from me long agone , ( which have been hitherto deferred the publick ) i have been importuned to permit them to be annexed . unto which i shall here adde but this , that not onely in the forenamed subjects , but in the rest relating to the remonstrants , the primate concurred with bishop davenant , whose lectures demorte christi , & praedestinatione & reprobatione , he caused to be published , only that little treatise added in the conclusion of it , entituled sententia ecclesiae anglicanae de praedestinatione & capitibus annexis , &c. taken to be bishop davenants , and implyed so by the printer ( ab eodem , uti fertur , authore , which possibly hath occasioned the apprehension of a change in him also ) i have been assured by a person of eminency , ( who affirms it out of his own knowledge ) that it was bishop overals . and now upon this occasion i have thought fit to publish a learned letter of the primates wrote many yeares agone to doctor twisse , concerning the sabbath , and , observation of the lords day ; having two copies , corrected throughout with his owne hand , with parts of two other letters of the same matter , which i had together with the former : as also his judgement in divers other subjects , both in doctrine and discipline , with some advertisements for the clearing and preventing of any further misapprehensions . unto which is added his reduction of episcopacy to the form of synodical government , &c. before published ; and at the request of the printer , a distinction of those bo●kes which are owned by the primate , from such as are not . if the readers opinion shall dissent in any of the above-named , or swell into an opposition , let him not expect any defensive armes to be taken up by me , it being my part to declare his judgement as i finde it , which with the most pious and learned , i doubt not but will be ( as it hath been ) of a reverend and high esteem : if it may but moderate the heat , which hath lately broken out among us about some of them , the fruit expected is reaped ; and as these shall be of profit and acceptance , i shall be encouraged to a further gathering up of the like fragments . n. b. the judgement of the late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland , of the true intent and extent of christs death , and satisfaction upon the crosse. written in answer to the request of a friend , march 3. 1617. the true intent and extent of christs death , and satisfaction upon the crosse. the all-sufficient satisfaction of christ , made for the sinnes of the whole world. the true intent and extent , is lubricus locus to be handled , and hath , and doth now much trouble the church : this question hath been moved sub iisdem terminis quibus nunc , and hath received contrary resolutions ; the reason is , that in the two extremities of opinions held in this matter , there is somewhat true , and somewhat false ; the one extremity extends the benefit of christs satisfaction too farre , as if hereby , god , for his part , were actually reconciled to all mankind , and did really discharge every man from all his sins , and that the reason why all men do not reap the fruit of this benefit , is the want of that faith whereby they ought to have believed , that god in this sort did love them : whence it would follow , that god should forgive a man his sins , and justifie him before he believed , whereas the elect themselves , before their effectuall vocation are said to be without christ , and without hope , and to be utter strangers from the covenants of promise , ephes. 2. 2. 2. the other extremity contracts the riches of christs satisfaction into too narrow a room ; as if none had any kind of interest therein , but such as were elected before the foundation of the world ; howsoever by the gospel , every one be charged to receive the same : whereby it would follow , that a man should be bound in conscience to believe that which is untrue , and charged to take that wherewith he hath nothing to do . both extremities then , drawing with them unavoidable absurdities : the word of god ( by hearing whereof , faith is begotten , eph. 1. 13. ) must be sought uuto by a middle course , to avoyd these extremities . for finding out this middle course , we must , in the matter of our redemption , carefully put a distinction betwixt the satisfaction of christ absolutely considered , and the application thereof to every one in particular : the former was once done for all , the other is still in doing : the former brings with it sufficiency abundant , to discharge the whole debt ; the other addes to it efficacy . the satisfaction of christ , onely makes the sinnes of mankind fit for pardon , which without it , could not well be ; the injury done to gods majesty being so great , that it could not stand with his honour to put it up without amends made . the particular application makes the sins of those to whom that mercy is vouchsafed to be actually pardoned : for , as all sins are mortal , in regard of the stipend due thereunto by the law , but all do not actually bring forth death , because the gracious promises of the gospel stayeth the execution : even so all the sinnes of mankind , are become venial , in respect of the price paid by christ to his father ( so farre , that in shewing mercy upon all , if so it were his pleasure , his justice should be no loser , ) but all do not obtain actual remission , because most offenders do not take out , nor plead their pardon as they ought to do . if christ had not assumed our nature , and therein made satisfaction for the injury offered to the divine majesty , god would not have come unto a treaty of peace with us , more than with the fallen angels , whose nature the sonne did not assume : but this way being made , god holds out unto us the golden scepter of his word , and thereby , not onely signifieth his pleasure of admitting us unto his presence , and accepting of our submission , which is a wonderful grace , but also sends an embassage unto us , and entreats us that we would be reconciled unto him , 2 cor. 5. 20. hence , we inferre against the first extremity , that by the vertue of this blessed oblation , god is made placable unto our nature ( which he never will be unto the angelical nature offending ) but not actually appeased with any , untill he hath received his son , and put on the lord jesus . as also against the latter extremity , that all men may be truly said to have interest in the merits of christ , as in a common , though all do not enjoy the benefit thereof ; because they have no will to take it . the well-spring of life is set open unto all ( apoc. 22. 17. ) whosoeever will , let him take of the water of life freely , but many have nothing to draw with ; and the well is deep , faith is the vessel whereby we draw all vertue from christ , and the apostle tells us , that faith is not of all , ( 2 thes. 3. 2. ) now the means of getting this faith is the hearing of the word of truth , the gospel of our salvation ( ephes. 1. 13. ) which ministreth this general ground for every one to build his faith upon . syllogisme . what christ hath prepared for thee , and the gospel offereth unto thee , that oughtest thou with all thankfulnesse to accept , and apply to the comfort of thy own soul. but christ by his death and obedience hath provided a sufficient remedy for the taking away of all thy sinnes , and the gospel offereth the same unto thee . therefore thou oughtest to accept , and apply the same to the comfort of thine own soul. now this gospel of salvation many do not hear at all , being destitute of the ministery of the word ; and many hearing do not believe , or lightly regard it ; and many that do believe the truth thereof , are so wedded to their sinnes , that they have no desire to bee divorced from them , and therefore they refuse to accept the gratious offer that is made unto them . and yet notwithstanding their refusal on their part , we may truly say , that good things were provided for them on christs part , and a rich price was put into the hands of a foole , howsoever he had no heart to use it ( prov. 17. 16. ) our blessed saviour , by that which he hath performed on his part , hath procured a jubilee for the sons of adam ; and his gospel is his trumpet , whereby he doth proclaim liberty to the captives , and preacheth the acceptable yeare of the lord ( luke 4. 18 , 19. ) if for all this some are so well pleased with their captivity that they desire no deliverance , that derogates nothing from the generality of the freedome annexed to that year . if one say to sinne his old master , ( levites 25. 24. exod. 21. 5. deut , 15 , 26 : ) i love thee , and will not go out free , he shall be bored for a slave , and serve for ever . but that slavish disposition of his , maketh the extent of the priviledge of that yeare not a whit the straiter , because he was included within the general grant as well as others ; howsoever , he was not disposed to take the benefit of it : the kingdom of heaven is like to a certain king that made a marriage of his son , and sent his servants to those that were bidden to the wedding with this message ; behold , i have prepared my dinner ; my oxen , and my fatlings are killed , and all things are ready , come to the marriage , ( verse 4. ) if we look to the event . they they that were bidden made light of their entertainment , and went their wayes ; one to his farme , and another to his merchandize . ( verse 5. ) but that neglect of theirs doth not falsify the word of the king ( verse 4. ) viz. that the dinner was prepared , and these unworthy guests were invited thereunto ; for what , if some did not believe , shall their unbelief disannull the faith , and truth of god ? ( rom. 3. 3 , 4. ) god forbid ; yea , let god be true , & every man a lyar , as it is written , that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings , and overcome when thou judgest . let not the house of israel say , the way of the lord is unequall . for when he cometh to judge them , the inequality will be found on their side , and not on his . o house of israel , are not my wayes equal , and your wayes unequal ? saith the lord , ezek . 18. 29 , 30. ) the lord is right in all his wayes , and holy in all his works . all the wayes of our god are mercy and truth ; when we were in our sinnes it was of his infinite mercy that any way , or remedy should be prepared for our recovery . and when the remedy is prepared , we are never the nearer , except he be pleased of his free mercy to apply the same to us , that so the whole praise of our redemption , from the beginning to the end thereof , may intirely be attributed to the riches of his grace , and nothing left to sinfull flesh wherein it may rejoyce . the freeing of the jewes from the captivity of babylon , was a type of that great deliverance , which the son of god hath wrought for us . cyrus , king of fersia , who was christus domini ( and herein but a shadow of christus dominus , the authour of our redemption ) published his proclamation in this manner ; who is amongst you of all his people , the lord his god be with him , and let him go up , ( 2 chron , 36. 23. and 1 ezra 2. ) now it is true , they alone did follow this calling , whose spirit god had raised to go up , ( ezra 1. 5. ) but could they that remained still in babylon , justly plead , that the kings grant was not large enough , or that they were excluded from going up by any clause contained therein ? the matter of our redemption purchased by our saviour christ lieth open to all , all are invited to it , none that hath a mind to accept of it , is excluded from it . the beautifull feet of those that preach the gospell of peace , do bring glad tidings of good things to every house where they tread . the first part of their message being this , peace to this house , ( rom. 10. 15. luke 10. 5. luke 17. ) but , unlesse god be pleased out of his abundant mercy to guide our feet into the way of peace , the rebellion of our nature is such , that that we run head-long to the wayes of destruction and misery , ( rom. 3. 16. ) and the wayes of peace do we not know . they have not all obeyed the gospel , rom. 10. 16. all are not apt to entertain this message of peace , and therefore , though gods ambassadours make a true ten-tender of it to all unto whom they are sent , yet their peace only resteth on the sons of peace , but if it meet with such as will not listen to the motion of it , their peace doth again return unto themselves , ( luke 10. 6. ) the proclamation of the gospel runneth thus : apoc. 22. 17. let him that is a thirst come , for him this grace is specially provided , because none but he will take the paines to come ; but least we should think this should abridge the largenesse of the offer , a quicunque vult , is immediately added , and whosoever will , let him take of the water of life freely : yet withall this must bee yielded for a certain truth , that it is god who must work in us to will and to do , of his good pleasure ; and though the call be never so loud and large , yet none can come except the father draw him , ( john 6. 46. ) for the universality of the satisfaction derogates nothing from the necessity of the speciall grace in the application : neither doth the speciality of the one any wayes abridge the generality of the other . indeed christ our saviour saith ( joh. 17. 6. ) i pray not for the world , but for them that thou hast given me : but the consequence hereby inferred may well be excepted against , viz. he prayed not for the world , therefore , he payed not for the world ; because the latter is an act of his satisfaction , the former of his intercession : which being divers parts of his priest-hood are distinguishable one from another , by sundry differences . this his satisfaction doth properly give contentment to gods justice , in such sort as formerly hath been declared : his intercession doth solicit gods mercy . the first containes the preparation of the remedy necessary for mans salvation ; the second brings with it an application , of the same . and consequently the one may well appertain to the common nature , which the son assumed , when the other is a speciall priviledge vouchsafed to such particular persons onely , as the father hath given him . and therefore we may safely conclude out of all these premisses , that the lamb of god offering himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world , intended by giveing sufficient satisfaction to gods justice , to make the nature of man , which he assumed , a fit subject for mercy , and to prepare a medicine for the sinnes of the whole world ; which should be denied to none that intended to take the benefit of it : howsoever he intended not by applying this all-sufficient remedy unto every person in particular to make it effectual unto the salvation of all , or to procure thereby actual pardon for the sins of the whole world . so , in one respect hee may be said to have died for all , and in another respect not to have died for all ; yet so as in respect of his mercy he may be counted a kind of universal cause of the restoring of our nature , as adam was of the depraving of it ; for as far as i can discerne , he rightly hits the naile on the head that determineth the point in this manner . thom , contra gentiles , lib. 4o. 55. mors christi est quasi quaedam uuiversalis causa salutis ; si cut peccatum primi hominis fuit quasi universalis causa damnationis . oportet autem universalem causam applicari ad unumquodque s●ecialiter , ut effectum universalis causae participet . effectus igitur peccati primi parentis pervenit ad unumquemque per carnis originem ; effectus autem mortis christi pertingit ad ad unumquemque per spiritualem regenerationem per quam christo homo quodammodo conjungitur & incorporatur . an answer of the said arch-bishop of armagh , to some exceptions taken against his aforesaid letter , as followeth . icannot sufficiently wonder , why such exceptions should be taken at a letter of mine , which without my privity came to so many mens hands , as if thereby i had confirmed papisme , arminianisme , and i know not what error of mr. culverwels , which ( as you write ) is , and hath been , opposed by many ; yea , all good men . the papist ( saith one ) doth thus distingnish ; a mediator of redemption and intercession ; and bellarmine ( saith another ) divides the satisfaction and application of christ. to which , what other answer should i make but this ? to hold that christ is the onely mediator of redemption , but the saints are also mediators of intercession , that christ by his merits hath made satisfaction to his father in grosse , and the pope by his indulgence , and his priests by their oblations in the masse do make a particular application to particular persons . to joyne thus partners with christ in this manner in the office of mediation is popery indeed ; but he who , attributing the entire work of the mediation unto christ alone , doth yet distinguish the act of redemption from the act of intercession , the satisfaction made by him unto god , from the application thereof communicated unto men , is as far from popery , as he that thinks otherwise is from the grounds of the catechisme ; for that christ hath so died for all men ( as they lay down in the conference of hague ) ut reconciliationem cum deo , & peccatorum remissionem singulis impetraverit , i hold to be untrue , being well assured , that our saviour hath obtained at the hands of his father reconciliation , and forgivenesse of sinnes , not for the reprobate , but elect onely ; and not for them neither , before they be truly regenerated , and implanted into himselfe . for , election being nothing else but the purpose of god , resting in his own minde , makes no kind of alteration in the party elected , but onely the execution of that decree and purpose , which in such as have the use of reason is done by an effectual calling , in all by spiritual regeneration , which is the new birth , without which no man can see the kingdom of god. that impetration , whereof the arminians speak , i hold to be a fruit , not of his satisfaction , but intercession ; and seeing i have learned from christs own mouth , joh. 17. 9. i pray not for the reprobate world : i must needs esteem it a great folly to imagine that he hath impetrated reconciliation and remission of sinnes for that world . i agree therefore thus farre with mr. aimes in his dispute against grevinchovius , that application and impetration , in this latter we have in hand , are of equall extent ; and , that forgivenesse of sinnes is not by our saviour impetrated for any unto whom the merit of his death is not applyed in particular . if in seeking to make straight that which was crooked in the arminians opinion , he hath bended it too farre the contrary way , and inclined too much unto the other extremity , it is a thing , which , in the heat of disputation , hath befallen many worthy men before him ; and if i be not deceived , gave the first occasion to this present controversie . but i see no reason why i should be tied to follow him in every step , wherein he treadeth : and so much for mr. aimes . the main error of the arminians ( vid. corvin . in defen . armini . cap. ii. ) and of the patrons of universal grace is this , that god offereth unto every man those means that are necessary unto salvation , both sufficiently and effectually ; and , that it resteth in the free will of every one to receive , or reject the same ; for the proof thereof they alledge , as their predecessors , the semipelagians , did before them , that received axiome of christs dying for all men , which being rightly understood , makes nothing for their purpose . some of their opposites ( subject to oversights as well as others ) more forward herein then circumspect , have answered this objection , not by expounding ( as was fit ) but by flat denying that famous axiome : affirming peremptorily , that christ died onely for the elect , and for others nullo modo : whereby they gave the adverse party advantage to drive them unto this extream absurdity , viz. that seeing christ in no wise died for any , but for the elect , and all men were bound to believe that christ died for themselves , and that upon pain of damnation for the contrary infidelity ; therefore all men were bound to believe : that they themselves were elected , although in truth the matter were nothing so : non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis tempus eget . neither is their hope that the arminians will be drawn to acknowledge the error of their position , as long as they are perswaded the contrary opinion cannot be maintained without admitting that an untruth must be believed , even by the commandment of him that is god of truth , and by the direction of that word , which is the word of truth . endeavouring therefore to make one truth stand by another , and to ward off the blow given by the arminians in such sort that it should neither bring hurt to the truth , nor give advantage to error , admit i failed of mine intent , i ought to be accounted rather an oppugner than any wise an abettor of their fancies . that for the arminians . now for mr. culverwell , that which i have heard him charged withall , is the former extremity , which in my letter i did condemne , viz. that christ in such sort did die for all men , that by his death he made an actuall reconcilement between god and man ; and , that the special reason why all men reap not the fruit of this reconciliation ; is the want of that faith , whereby they ought to have believed that god in this sort did love them . how justly he hath been charged with this error , himselfe can best tell ; but if ever he held it , i do not doubt , but he was driven thereunto by the absurdities , which he discerned in the other extremity ; for what would not a man fly unto rather then yield , that christ no manner of way died for any reprobate , and none but the elect had any kind of title to him , and yet so many thousand reprobates should bee bound in conscience to believe that he died for them , and tied to accept him for their redeemer and saviour ; yea , and should be condemned to everlasting torments for want of such a faith , ( if we may call that faith , which is not grounded upon the word of truth ) whereby they should have believed that which in it selfe was most untrue , and laid hold of that in which they had no kinde of interest ; if they , who dealt with mr. culverwell laboured to drive out one absurdity by bringing in another , or went about to stop one hole by making two , i should the lesse wonder at that you write , that though he hath been dealt withall by many brethren , and for many yeares , yet he could not be drawn from his errour . but those stumbling-blocks being removed , and the plain word of truth laid open , by which faith is to be begotten , i dare boldly say he doth not hold that extremity wherewith hee is charged , but followeth that safe , and middle course , which i laid down ; for after he had well weighed what i had written , he heartily thanked the lord and me , for so good a resolution of this question , which for his part he wholly approved , not seeing how it could bee gainesayed . and so much likewise for mr. culverwell . now for mr. stock 's publick opposition in the pulpit , i can hardly be induced to believe that he aimed at me therein ; if he did , i must needs say he was deceived , when hee reckoned me amongst those good men , who make the universality of all the elect , and all men to be one ; indeed i wrote but even now , that god did execute his decree of election in all by spirituall generation : but if any shall say , that by , all thereby i should understand the universality of all , and every one in the world , and not the universality of all the elect alone , hee should greatly wrong my meaning : for i am of no other mind than prosper was , lib. 1. de vocat . gent. habet populus dei plenitudinem suam , & quamvis magna pars hominum salvantis gratiam aut repellat aut negligat , in electis tamen & praescitis atque ab omni generalitate discretis , specialis quaedam censetur universitas , ut de toto mundo , totus mundus liberatus , & de omnibus hominibus , omnes homines videantur assumpti . that christ died for his apostles ( luke 22. 19. ) for his sheep ( john 10. 15. ) for his friends ( john 15. 13. ) for his church ( ephes . 5. 25. ) may make peradventure against those , who make all men to have a share alike in the death of our saviour : but i professe my selfe to hold fully with him , who said , etsi christus pro omnibus mortuus est , tamen specialiter pro nobis passus est , quia pro ecclesia passus est . yea , and in my former writing i did directly conclude ; that as in one respect christ might have been said to die for all , so in another respect truely said not to have died for all : and my beliefe is , that the principall end of the lords death , was , that he might gather together in one the children of god scattered abroad ; ( john 11. 52. ) and , that for their sakes he did specially sanctifie himselfe , that they also might be sanctified through the truth ( john 17. 19. ) and therefore it may be well concluded , that christ in a speciall manner died for these ; but to inferre from hence , that in no manner of respect he died for any others , is but a very weak collection , specially the respect by me expressed being so reasonable , that no sober mind advisedly considering thereof , can justly make question of it , viz. that the lamb of god offering himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world , intended by giving satisfaction to gods justice to make the nature of man which he assumed , a fit subject for mercy , and to prepare a soveraigne medicine that should , not onely be a sufficient cure for the sinnes of the whole world , but also should be laid open to all , and denied to none , that indeed do take the benefit thereof : for he is much deceived that thinkes a preaching of a bare sufficiency , is able to yield sufficient ground of comfort to a distressed soule , without giving a further way to it , and opening a further passage . to bring newes to a bankrupt that the king of spain hath treasure enough to pay a thousand times more than he owes , may be true , but yields but cold comfort to him the miserable debtor : sufficiency indeed is requisite , but it is the word of promise that gives comfort . if here exception bee taken , that i make the whole nature of man fit for mercy , when it is as unfit a subject for grace as may be . i answer , that here two impediments do occurre , which give a stop unto the peace , which is to be made betwixt god and man. the one respects god the party offended , whose justice hath been in such sort violated by his base vassals , that it were unfit for his glorious majesty to put up such an injury without a good satisfaction . the other respects man the party offending , whose blindnesse , stupidity , and hardnesse of heart is such , that he is neither sensible of his own wretchedness , nor gods goodnesse , that when god offers to be reconciled unto him , there must bee much intreaty to perswade him to be reconciled to god , ( 2 cor. 5. 20. ) in regard of the latter i acknowled with the apostle , that the naturall man receives not the things of the spirit , for they are foolishnesse to him ; neither can he , because spiritually discerned , ( 1 cor. 2. 14. ) and this impediment is not taken away by christs satisfaction ( which is a work of his priestly function ) but by the enlightening of the mind , and softning the heart of the sinner , which are effects issuing from the execution of the prophetical , and kingly office of our redeemer . when therefore i say , that by christs satisfaction to his father he made the nature of man a fit subject for mercy , i mean thereby , that the former impediment arising on gods part is taken away , that if it were not for the other ( for the having whereof we can blame none but our selves , and in the not removing , whereof , wee cannot say god hath done us any wrong ) there were no let , but all men might be saved : and if it pleased god to extend his mercy unto all , as he keeps his freedome therein , in having compassion on whom he will have mercy , and leaveing others in blindnesse , naturall hardnesse of their own heart , yet the worth of christs satisfaction is so great , that his justice herein should be no loser . but if this justice ( you will say ) be satisfied , how comes it to passe that god exacts payment again from any ? i answer , we must take heed we stretch not our similitudes beyond their just extent , least at last we drive the matter too farre , and be forced to say ( as some have done ) that wee cannot see how satisfaction and forgivenessè can stand together , and so by denying christs satisfaction be injurious to gods justice , or by denying remission of sinnes become injurious to gods mercy . wee are therefore to understand , that the end of the satisfaction of gods justice is to make way for gods free liberty in shewing mercy , that so mercy and justice meeting : and embraceing one another , god may be just , and the justifier of him that believes in jesus , ( rom. 3. 26. ) now the generall satisfaction of christ , which was the first act of his priestly office , prepares the way for gods mercy , by making the sinnes of all mankinde pardonable , the interposition of any barre from gods justice notwithstanding , and so puts the sonnes of men onely in a possibility of being justified , a thing denied to the nature of fallen angels , which the sonne was not pleased to assume ; but the speciall application of this satisfaction vouchsafed by christ unto those persons onely whom his father hath given him out of the world , which is an appendant , or appertaineth to the second act of his priest-hood , viz. his intercession , produceth this potentia in actum , i. e. procureth an actuall discharge from gods anger ; and maketh justification , which before was a part of our possibility , to be a part of our presenr possession . if it be said , it is a great derogation to the dignity of christs death , to make the sinnes of mankinde onely pardonable , and brings in a bare possibility of justification . i answer , it is a most unchristian imagination to suppose the merit of christs death , being particularly applyed to the soul of a sinner , produceth no further effect than this . saint paul teacheth us that we be not onely justifiable , but justified by his bloud , ( rom. 5. 9. ) yet not simply as offered on the crosse , but through faith in his blood , ( rom. 3. 25. ) that is , through his bloud applyed by faith . the bloud of jesus christ his sonne , ( saith saint john , 1 john 1. 17. ) cleanseth us from all sinnes , yet cleanse it doth not by being prepared , but by being applyed , prepared it was when hee poured it out once upon the crosse , applyed it is when he washeth us from our sinnes therein , ( rev. 1. 5. ) it is one thing therefore to speak of christs satisfaction , in the generall absolutely considered ; and another thing , as it is applyed to every one in particular ; the consideration of things as they are in their causes , is one thing ; and as they have an actuall existence , is another thing . things as they are in their causes , are no otherwise considerable , but as they have a possibility to be . the application of the agent to the patient , with all circumstances necessarily required , is it that gives to the thing an actuall being . that disease is curable for which a soveraigne medicine may be found , but cured it is not till the medicine be applyed to the patient ; and if it so fall out , that , the medicine being not applied , the party miscarries , we say , he was lost , not , becanse his sicknesse was incurable , but , because there wanted a care to apply that to him that might have helped him . all adams sonnes have taken a mortall sicknesse from their father , which , if it be not remedied , will , without faile , bring them to the second death : no medicine under heaven can heale this disease , but onely a potion confected of the blood of the lamb of god , who came to take away the sinnes of the world ; which , as prosper truly notes , habet quidem in se ut omnibus prosit ; sed si non bibitur non medetur . the vertue thereof is such , that if all did take it , all without doubt should be recovered , but without takeing it there is no recovery ; in the former respect it may be truly said , that no mans state is so desperate , but by this means it is recoverable , ( and this is the first comfortable newes that the gospel brings to the distressed soule ) but here it resteth not , nor feedeth a man with such a possibility , that he should say in his heart , who shall ascend into heaven to bring christ from above ? but it brings the word of comfort nigh unto him , even to his mouth and heart , and presents him with the medicine at hand , and desireth him to take it ; which being done accordingly , the cure is actually performed . a vindication of the late arch-bishop of armagh , from some mistakes made by master thomas pierce , both in his philanthropy , & post-cript at the conclusion of his correct copy of some notes of gods decrees , &c. affirming a change of judgement in him a little before his death , of some points controverted between mr. barlee and himself , but especially of universal grace and redemption , relating to the subject of the former treatise . by dr. bernard , preacher to the honourable society of grayes-inne . the printer to the reader . these two letters following , expected from the person to whom they were writ , as an appendix to another treatise , being hither to delayed the publick , and now conceived very requisite to be inserted here , as having a relation to the former tractates mentioned in one of them ; the doctor hath been importuned to permit them accordingly also , with some alteration and addition . the first letter of doctor bernards to mr. barlee , in answer to some passage in mr. pierces philanthropy . worthy syr , iam much your debtor for those large expressions of your affection to the late . arch-bishop of armagh , and the readinesse to cleare him from some injury done him by mr. thomas pierce , in his answer to a book of yours . two eminent men of each university , before i heard from you , had sent unto me for their private satisfaction . and now upon your letter and directions i have viewed the severall passages tending that way , chap. 1. sect. 3. 5. chap. 3. sect. 17. 7. chap. 4. sect. 13. which in sum i finde amounts to this , viz. that the late primate of armagh was , though a late , yet a serious convert : and affirmed , a little , or not long , before his death to severall persons , that he utterly rejected all those opinions of calvin . that there were evident marks of a change in him . that a little before his death he professed an utter dislike to the whole doctrine of geneva , in those affairs , &c. first ; it is possible mr. pierces enformers might mistake the doctrine for the discipline of geneva , or calvin , which by some in their sermons hath been advanced accordingly : or if it were of the doctrine , he hath taken a great latitude in saying , all the opinions , the whole doctrine . and the restriction . viz. in those affaires , is somewhat obscure , being introduced occasionally upon the speech of one or two of them . it had been better to have named the several points he means , from which howsoever , as to calvin , or geneva , how could he be said to revolt , when in terminis he did not professe the defence of either . it being the doctrine of s. augustine , which hath been confirmed by him . and for calvine , though i do not take upon me the defence of him neither , yet there is one doctrine of his , and in those affaires ( different from some of his own profession in geneva ) which must be exempted from mr. pierces universality , and which , will not be found that the primate rejected , viz. that massa corrupta was the object of praedestination , as bishop davenant makes it appear , ( in his determinations , q. 26. ) where he first cleares him from the a slanders the jesuites have raised of him in it , viz. that he should hold that god in the first act before any fore-sight of sin , elected some to glory , and ordained others to destruction ; and in the second place ordained the sinne of adam to that end , that he might exercise justice towards the reprobates , and mercy towards the elect ; and then gives you clearly b the truth of calvines judgement in two propositions confirmed out of divers quotations in his institutions , viz. that the corrupt masse ; or man lapsed , was the object of election and reprobation , though not the cause : and further , proves , that what the jesuits put upon calvine , their own popish writers were the prime authours of , viz. scotus , naclantus , pighius , catharinus , galatinus , alphonsus mendoza , who aver , that the c decree of praedestination is not onely before the decree of permitting the lapse of man , but also before the creating of him . and d desires it might be taken notice of , that the popish writers were the chief authors of that opinion , which denies 〈◊〉 lapsed to be the subject of divine praedestination ; which , if some of ours did consider , they would be the slower paced in the defence of that which hath occasioned this digression . howsoever , as to calvin's opinion , this reverend and learned bishop thus far supports it , that he joyns s. e augustines suffrage with his own in it ; and as it is there declared , i understand not how it is rejected by this eminent primate . but whatever these points were , if this be mr. pierces meaning , that a little before his death he should verbally retract what he had published in his works , i am assured ( though it be hard to prove a negative ) there was no such matter : but that he was constant in them to his end . when he was last in london , continuing here about seven weeks together , i was perpetually with him , taking then the opportunity of a further speaking with him of most of the passages of his life , as of the several books he had wrote , th● subjects of them , the occasion of their writing , when some such points ( as mr. pierce possibly may meane ) came into discourse . and then there was not the least change in him . and it is to be presumed , in that last act of winding up his whole life , if there had been any , he would have then mentioned it , and this was but about five weekes ( which is a little , or not long ) before his death . and it hath bee confirmed to me by a minister , who was at ryegate a fortnight before , as by some honourable persons , who spake with him of these subjects a few dayes before his death ; so that i believe mr. pierce hath not been well adadvised in publishing this his information . and it is no new thing to have bookes , as well as opinions , laid to his charge which he knew not : it was presumed in his life , and so the lesse wonder if it be practised after his death . there is a book entitled a method of meditation , which was printed in his name , anno 1651. and , though by his commands to me , it was then publickly declared to be none of his , yet since his death ( this 1657. ) it is reprinted , and , notwithstanding the renewing of that declaration by the same way wherein i found him abused , it is still sold under his name to the great dishonour of him . the passage which mr. pierce is most clear in , chap. 1. sect. 15. where , speaking of universal grace and redemption , he saith , the most learned anti-arminians have been fein to assert it , as well as arminius . among us , the late bishop of armagh , &c. first , he should have done well to have named where he hath asserted it in any of his works , next , what , or who compelled him , that he was fein to do it ; and if by that speech as well as arminius he means ( according to common construction ) as full , or in the same terms as arminius ; it will be the hardest proof of the three ; whom he scarce ever names in his works : his aime being against pelagius and his disciples . unlesse that passage in his pelagian history may be so applyed ( wrapped up under the title of britanniae antiquitates , pelagius being a britain , which he intended to have taken out , and printed as a treatise by it selfe ) where he having given us at large the bold and rugged language , with which julian , one of pelagius his followers , in defence of his doctrine , greets the most mild and meek father s. augustine , he addes this , chap. 11. p. 312. ) cujus idcirco verba hic describenda putavi ; ut in hoc speculo contemplaretur lector , consimiles nostrorum temporum ardeliones ; thrasoni huic adeo geminos , ut in eos , hujus spiritus quasi per pythagoricam quandam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , immigrasse videatur : i know not how he can call him an anti-arminian , unlesse he confesse them to be pelagians . secondly , in this particular concerning universall redemption i have cause to believe there was not any change in him from what his judgement was many yeares agone : and if he were not totally according to calvin , must it therefore be argued , he was wholly for arminius ? might not there be a mean wherein he might tread more safely according to the ancient doctrine of the church ? and indeed to deal clearly with you , his judgement in this point was in a middle way different , both from yours , and mr. pierce , which if it might not expose him to both your pens and censures , but be a reconciliation between you , ( the latter of which i see little hope of ; ) i might be moved the more willingly to declare it . i do the rather mention this ; because , as mr. pierce saith , you call it the chief head of arminianisme , so he saith , 't is that with which other opinions in debate must stand , or fall : and chap. 3. p. 15. excuseth his prolixity on it , because if this error be once disclaimed by the adversary , all the rest will tumble of their own accord , &c. in a word , i am sorry to find that heat between you , which beng ministers and neighbours , is the more unseemly . i shall advise you in your reply to endeavour rather to heal up the breach , than make it wider ; the fruits of the spirit appearing much in meeknesse and gentlenesse , &c. and laying aside all verball animosities and personal reflections , calmely to fall upon the matter , and so i commend you and your labours to gods blessing and direction , and rest your very assured friend n. bernard . grayes-inne , march 11. 1656. a vindication of the primate , from a late change of opinion . a second letter , of the said doctor bernard to mr. barlee , in answer to a part of a postscript at the conclusion of a book of mr. pierces , viz. a correct copy of some notes of gods decrees , &c. wherein the former erroneus report raised upon the late arch-bishop of armagh , especially concerning universal grace , or redemption , being more largely affirmed , is here more fully cleared and vindicated . sir . i have lately received from you another book of master pierces , which i saw not before , viz. a correct copy of gods decrees , &c. in the postscript of which i find a larger confirmation of what had been affirmed by him , in relation to the late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland : which , at your desire , i cannot refuse to return you my sense of also . the authour is a stranger to me , but appears to be a man of very excellent parts and abilities , and i am sorry he hath been moved to employ them in this particular , in a continued confident declaring the change of opinion in so learned and pious a prelate ( as himselfe worthily styles him , ) to whom for ought i know he was a stranger , and adding , that what he hath before affirmed to be upon a just ground and mature deliberation , and yet i find no other foundation upon which this is built , than the report of others . the frequent experimental failing of which , when it comes to the proof , hath wrought it out of reputation , with prudent men , to depend upon . that which i find in the conclusion of his postscript , i must begin with , wherein he doth determine , viz. that whosoever shall appear to hold the negative , that my lord primate of armagh did not declare his rejection of these opinions , which i resist , and which himselfe formerly embraced , will wrong the memory of the bishop . as i do not ( according to his caveat ) take upon me to prove a negative , so i do not understand the ground of this definitive sentence , upon whomsoever shall adhere to it . i am sure his meaning is not , because he doth resist them ; and lesse shew is there , because the primate had formerly embraced them ; for a changeablenesse in doctrine carries in it self a shew of dishonour , that with him there should be yea and nay : surely there must be somewhat of grosse corruption , or dangerous consequence formerly taught and professed by this good primate , that should incurre this censure ; and it is too early a conclusive , while they are yet in dispute between you , and the matter not heard on the primates side ; which i expected not from a person so ingenuous , as i read master pierce to be . and howsoever the whole implies that the primate had wronged himselfe , if not his hearers and readers , in preaching and writing of untruths so long ; but much more if he had died without retracting them ; and that the injury done to him , is already decreed to lye upon that person that shall affirm otherwise of him in either : yet this must not deterre or discourage me in this service of his vindication , leaving it to the judgemnent of others , which may be thought lesse injurious , the averring his constancy , or inconstancy in matters of such weight and moment . i shall be contented he do enjoy his opinion , if he will not censure me for not forsaking my own , viz. that i think i should wrong him and my selfe , at least do neither right , if i should silently let this belief of him passe without putting it to a stand , by producing those probabilities which have prevailed with me to the contrary . that which mr. pierce professeth , viz. that he published it to the immortall honour of that great prelate , doth not well suit with the expressions in the next breath , calling it an error which had possest him , and intimating it to be a retraction of his aberrations , or a penitency of his sins , which he having no sense of , or not expressing it till then , he must have contracted a great guilt all his life , both in preaching and writing to the subversion , possibly , of many . this if he had found himself guilty of , a verball retraction would not have sufficed , but he should have given satisfaction also by his pen : his judgement having been by that transmitted beyond the seas , which one sermon in a church in london , or opening his mind to a few in private , could not have expiated : neither would so good a man as he , have rested in it , but with s. augustine humbly have revoked his error in that way also ; but i believe none of those pretended witnesses of his change will say that he gave them that promise or that they did so much as request it of him , though they had time enough to have wrote unto him , if omitted in the conference . and certainly mr. pierce , ( to use his own expression ) had in singlenesse of affection done him more right and honour , if he had left him wholly to his works ; which do sufficiently testifie of him , rather than thus to bring him upon the stage after his death , and give sentence on him onely upon hear-say : there being no necessity in this dispute to have so much as named him . neither can i think those , any cordial friends of the bishops ( as he stiles them ) who have been the occasion of putting him upon it . and i do remember that the last time he was in london , he did expresse a suspition of some that came to visit him , that they would by wresting his words , make some such use of them , as now appears : who proposed discourses of the like subjects to him , and whereupon he did confirm at full that which had been his judgement of them formerly . for that of mr pierces offer of proof by some learned and grave divines , who had conference with the bishop , and will ( as he saith ) be glad to attest the same under their hands : as i know not what cause there should be of gladnesse , or forwardnesse in this testimony ; so when they shall meet with contrary attestations by the like of their own profession , it makes me sad , to foresee what a fire this may possibly kindle among us , ( to the rejoycing of those of the church of rome ) which i have no mind to burn my fingers in , onely i stick firmly to my perswasion in my former letter confirmed there by several probable testimonies , that there was no such change as is pretended in him near his death . and if this of mr. piercies affirmation should prove to be the raising of a false report , ( which he ingenuously confesseth to be so great an evill , and doth so hate and condemne , whether through ignorance , or credulity : ) this must be of the first magnitude , when it hath for its object so eminent and pious a person , whose praise being through the churches , and in special , for those his labours tending to those subjects , the whole reformed church are concerned in it . i find him still puuctually observing his former expression , viz. rejecting all the doctrines of geneva , in which besides the latitude , there is this ambiguity , whether it be meant according to calvin , or beza ; for both were of geneva ; between whom in some of these points there was the like difference as between mr. perkins and bishop abbot , with us , viz. in the supralapsarian opinion , which * beza was for , but calvin held it otherwise , as hath been shewed in the former letter . it had been better to have instanced the particulars of those doctrines , than thus by clouding them in the generals to put us upon conjectures , which they should bee . the onely point which he names here , is , that the primate embraced the doctrine of universal redemption , and saith , in that he doth as good as say all . he doth not assert it from his own knowledge , but saith he hath it from many most unquestionable persons which had it poured into their eares , by the primates own mouth . if it were in a sermon of his at a church in london , the last he preached in that city , and many moneths before his death ; ( which i am enformed by others is the sense of it ) i was present at it , and with me there was no new thing observed to have been uttered by him , differing from what his judgement was many yeares agone , since i had the happinesse to be known unto him . it may be some of these persons produced for witnesses being strangers to him and taking him to be of the other extremity might apprehend it as a retractation , if they heard him affirming , that by the death of christ all men receive this benefit that they are salvabiles or put into a capacity of sulvation ; that terms of peace are procured for all mankinde , that all mens sins are become pardonable , mercy attainable , ( in which state those of the angelical nature which fell , are not . ) that there is some distinction to be made between his satisfaction ( rightly understood ) and his intercession , according to that of our saviour , i pray for these , i pray not for the world , &c. it is possible , for ought i know , some such expressions might be his then . but that by this universal redemption should be understood such an universal grace , that the same measure of it , without any distinction , should equally , and alike , be conferred and aplied to judas , which was to peter ; and that the onely difference , was , the free-will of peter in accepting , without any further cause of thanks to god for his grace in inclining him accordingly , &c. this i suppose will not be attested to have been professed by him , either in this , or any other sermon , or private conference with him . and in this present enlargement , i would not be understood to interpose my selfe in the controversie ; or to affixe thus much upon mr. piercies judgement , but only to averre , that the primate at his last in this particular differed not from what he had declared formerly , which the former tractate , i suppose , will confirm , now published , but not resolved on , when this was first written . that which he saith , is the summe of what he had said , viz. that the reverend primate did conform his judgement to all the fathers of the church for the first four centuries after christ , this he might averre without any relation to these points in controversie , it being the term , or thereabouts , which he accepts of in his answer to the jesuit malones challenge in the justfying , or condemning those twelve points of controversie , between us and the church of rome , of which one concerning free will is of this fraternity . what the primates judgement was of that , is sufficiently declared there , and he continued in the same without any change the last time i saw him , by the discourse i had then with him of it : and s. augustine ( unlesse we be over-strict ) may be admitted within that compasse , being accounted by the primate , at the time when he was consecrated a bishop , to be but in anno 410. and prosper reckons his death , in 433. being then of age , 76. before whose time these points were never discussed by the fathers at large singly , nor determined by them joyntly in any council ; which pelagius gave the first occasion of : and 't is known that the doctrine of st. augustine against him is inclined unto , and defended by the primate in his works . and , to say no more , the articles of religion , agreed upon by the arch-bishops and bishops , and the rest of the clergy of ireland , in the convocation holden at dublin , anno 1615. which fully determine and declare all those points accordingly ; he had then the honour to be appointed by the synode as a principal person to draw them up ; now the last time i saw him ( which was after that pretended testimony of the witnesses of his change , either in publick or private ) he did fully confirm and commend them to me to be heeded and observed by me as the summary of his judgement in those and other subjects , of which i have said somewhat more , elsewheree . that of mr. piercies drawing in more to bear him company , viz. king james , b. andrews , melancthon , in their changes also for the better , as he is pleased to derermine ; doth not concern me to take notice of : onely if he have found it as their last will and testament in their works , he shall but charitably erre ( to use his own words ) if he should be mistaken ; but no such matter appears here , as to the primate . in a word , i cannot but professe my respect to mr. pierce , both for his own worth , as the great esteem which in this postsript ( more then in his former book ) he hath expressed of this eminent primate , and can easily believe he would account it a reputation to his opinion , that his might patronize it , by the great esteem had of him in all parts of the reformed church , both for his learning and piety ; and i have so much charity as to believe that this error is more to be imputed to his informers than himself , and if i were known to him i would advise him not to insist any farther in it , it being by these several circumstances so improbable ; but , according to his own ingenuous offer , to make an ample satisfaction , and what he hath so highly extolled in the primate to have been his glory and honour in preferring truth before error , in that his supposed imaginary retractation , i may without offence return the application to himselfe ; which , with all prudent men , will be much more , his own commendation , and though , according to his profession , he be innocent , as to any voluntary injury ; thinking he did god and him good service : yet it being a wrong in it selfe , will deserve some apology . and , indeed , it wil be hard for any prudent impartial man to believe , that what the primate upon mature deliberation and long study for so many yeares had professed in the pulpit , and at the presse , he should be so soon shaken in minde , as , without any convincing force of argument from any other , that is known , at once renounce all he had formerly said , and draw a cross line over all he had wrote ; and that in a sermon , not made of purpose for that end , ( which had been very requisite , and which must have been of too narrow a limit in relation to so many subjects here intimated ) but onely as on the bye ; i say , when his workes wherein hee is clearly seen and largely declared , with a cloud of ear-witnesses for many yeares , both in publick and private , confirming his constancie in them , through the diverse changes of the times to his last , shall be produced and laid in one ballance ; and a few witnesses of some few passages at one sermon , who in a croud might be mistaken , and the apter to be so , by the interest of their own opinion ; put into the other ; will not all unbyassed persons cast the errata into the latter ? i shall conclude with a course complement to your selfe ; that i have not thus appeared for your sake , to whom i am a stranger , nor out of any opposition to mr. pierce , who appeares to me to be a person of value : but onely out of my duty and high account , i must ever have of the memory of that judicious , holy , and eminent primate : and so commit you to gods protection and direction , and rest , your assured friend n. bernard . grayes-inne , june 10. 1657. a learned letter of the late arch-bishop of armagh to dr. twisse , concerning the sabbath , and observation of the lords day . worthy sir , your letter of the first of february came unto my hands the seventh of april , but , my journy to dublin following thereupon , and my long stay in the city , ( where the multiplicity of my publick and private employments would scarce afford me a breathing time ) was such ; that i was forced to defer my answer thereunto , untill this short time of my retiring into the countrey : where , being now absent also from my library : i can rather signifie unto you , how fully i concurre in judgement with those grounds , which you have so judiciously laid in that question of the sabbath , than afford any great help unto you in the building , which you intend to raise thereupon . for when i gave my selfe unto the reading of the fathers , i took no heed unto any thing that concerned this argument : as little dreaming that any such controversie would have arisen among us . yet generally i do remember that the word sabbatum in their writings doth denote our saturday : although by analogy from the manner of speech used by the jewes , the term be sometimes transferred to denote our christian festivities also , as sirmondus the jesuite observeth , out of sidonius apollinaris , ( lib. 1. epist. 2. ) where , describeing the moderation of the table of theodorick , king of the gothes upon the eves , and the excesse on the holy day following ; he writeth of the one , that his convivium diebus profestis simile privato est , but of the other . de luxu autem illo sabbatario narrationi meae supersedendum est , qui nec latentes potest latere personas . and because the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fourth commandement pointeth at the sabbath , as it was in the first institution , the seventh day from the creation : therefore they held that christians were not tied to the observance thereof . whereupon you may observe , that s. augustine in his speculum ( in operum tomo 3o. ) purposely selecting those things which appertained unto us christians ; doth wholly pretermit that precept , in the recital of the commandements of the decalogue ; not because the substance of the precept was absolutely abolished : but because it was in some parts held to be * ceremonial , & the time afterwards was changed in the state of the new testament , from the seventh to the first day of the week : as appeareth by the authour of the 25 sermon , de tempore ( in 10 o tomo operum augustini : ) and that place of athanasius in homil . de semente , where he most plainly saith , touching the sabbath , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . whereupon caesarius arelatensis in his twelfth homily , doubted not to preach unto the people . verè dico , fratres , satis durum & prope nimis impium est , ut christiani non habeant reverentiam diei dominico , quam judaei observare videntur in sabbato , &c. charles the great in his lawes , taketh it for granted , that our observation of the lords day is founded upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fourth commandement . statuimus ( saith he , a libro 1o. capitularium , cap. 81. ) secundum quod & in lege dominus praecepit , ut opera servilia diebus dominicis non agantur ; sicut & bonae memoriae genitor meus in suis synodalibus edictis mandavit : and lotharius likewise , in legibus alemannorum , titulo 38. b die dominico nemo opera servilia praesumat facere : quia hoc lex prohibuit , & sacra scriptura in omnibus contradicit . accommodating the law of god touching the sabbath unto our observation of the lords day , by the self-same analogy ; that the church of england now doth in her publick prayer : lord have mercy upon us , and incline our hearts to keep this law. the jewes commonly hold two things touching their sabboth ; as menasses ben-israel sheweth in his eighth probleme , de creatione ; which be published at amsterdam the last year . first , that the observation thereof was commanded onely unto the a israelies , ( where he speaketh also of the seven precepts of the sons of noah ; which have need to be taken in a large extent , if we will have all the duties that the heathen were tyed unto to be comprised therein ) secondly , that it was observed by the patriarchs , before the coming out of egypt . for that then the observation began , or that the israelites were brought out of egypt , or the egyptians drowned upon the sabbath ; i suppose our good friend mr. mead will not be able to evince , either out of b deut. 5. 15 or out of any other scripture whatsoever . and the text , genes . 2. 3. ( as you well note ) is so cleare for the ancient institution of the sabbath , and so fully vindicated by d. rivet from the exceptions of gomarus ; that i see no reason in the earth why any man should make doubt thereof : especially considering withall , that the very gentiles , both civill and barbarous , both ancient and of latter dayes , as it were by an universal kind of tradition , retained the distinction of the seven dayes of the week , which if dr. heylin had read , so well proved as it is , by rivetus and salmasius , he would not have made such a conclusion as he doth : that because the heathen ( of the four great monarchies at least ) had no distinction of weeks , therefore they could observe no sabbath ; whereas he might have found , that the distinction of the dayes of the week did reach etiam ad ipsos usque sauromatas , for even of the slavonians themselves ( while they yet continued in their ancient paganisme : ) thus writeth helmoldus , chronic. slavor . lib. 1. cap. 84. illic secundâ feriâ populus terrae , cum flamine & regulo , convenire solebant propter judicia , the same order of the dayes of the week being retained by them , which theophilus the old bishop of antioch noteth to have been observed by all mankind . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith he , lib. 2. ad antolycum ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) confounding as it seemeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as also doth lacta●tius , lib. 7 cap. 14. ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherewith we may joyn that other place of johannes philoponus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. ult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who , with shewing the cause thereof , thus shuts up the whole work . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . we see it a almost generally observed in all nations , though never so farre distant , and strangers one to another , that in their reckoning of numbers , when they come to ten , they return to their addition of 1. 2. and 3. again . if it should be demanded , how they did all come to agree upon this kind of arithmetick ; and not some place their period at 8. some at 12. some at 15 ? i suppose this could not be better resolved , than by saying they had this by tradition from the first fathers that lived before the dispersion ; and that this is not an improbable evidence of that truth propounded by the apostle unto the philosophers of athens , acts 17. 26. that god made of one bloud all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth . how more when we finde a farre greater agreement among the nations , in the computation of the seven dayes of the week ( the self-same day , which is accounted the first by one , being in like manner reckoned so by all ; notwithstanding , that great variety of differences : which is betwixt them in the ordering of their years and moneths : ) how much more strongly , i say , may we conclude from hence , that the tradition of the seventh day was not of moses , but of the fathers , and did not begin with the common-wealth of israel , but was derived unto all nations by lineal descent from the sons of noah ? adde hereunto that those heathens , who were strangers from the common-wealth of israel , though they made not the seventh day as festival as the jews did ; yet did they attribute some holinesse to it , and gave it a peculiar honour above the other dayes of the week ; wherein they retained some relicks , and preserved still some clear foot-steps of the first institution . quinetiam populi jam * olim , saith josephus , ( sub fin . lib. 2. contra apion . ) multùm nostram pietatem aemulantur : neque est civitas graecorum ulla usquàm aut barbarorum , nec ulla gens , ad quam septimanae , in qua vacamus , consuetudo minimè pervenerit ; jejuniaque & candelabra accensa , &c. of which rite of lighting of candles , or lamps rather , mention also is made by seneca in his 95 th . epistle : accendere aliquam lucernam sabbathis prohibeamus ; quoniam nec lumine dii egent , & ne homines quidem delectantur fuligine . and by tertullian lib. 1. ad nation . cap. 13. where he noteth also those to be the sabbaths observed by the nations , saying thus unto them . qui solem & diem ejus nobis exprobratis , agnoscite vicinitatem : non longè à saturno & sabbatis vestris sumus , wherein though their devotion were somewhat like 〈◊〉 of the jewes , ( which is all that those words of josephus do import ; multum nostram pietatem aemulantur , ) yet that it was not done by any late imitation of them , or with any relation at all to their observance ; that other place of tertullian doth seem to evince , in the 16 th . chapter of his apologeticum . aequè si diem solis laetitiae indulgemus , aliâ longè ratione quàm religione solis ; secundo loco ab eis sumus qui diem saturni otio & victui decernunt , exorbitantes & ipsi à judaico more , a quem ignorant . and that they did not celebrate their satturdayes , with that solemnity wherewith themselves did their annuall festivities , or the jewes their weekly sabbaths , may appear by the words of this same author , in the 14 th . chapter of his book de idololatriâ , thus speaking unto the christian , ( who observed 52 lords dayes every year , whereas all the annual festivities of the pagans put together , did come short of fifty . ) ethnicis semel annuus dies quisque festus est ; tibi octavo quoque die . excerpe singulas solemnitates nationum , & in ordinem texe ; pentecosten implere non potuerunt . and yet , as i said , that they accounted satturday more holy , and requiring more respect from them than the other ordinary dayes of the week , may be seen by that of tibullus . eleg. 3. lib. 1. aut ego sum causatus aves , aut omina dira . saturni sacra me tenuisse die . and that of lucian , a in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of boyes getting leave to play 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that of aelius lampridius , touching alexander severus , using to go unto the capitols and other temples , upon the seventh day . whereunto we may adde those verses of the ancient greek poets , alleadged by clemens alexandrinus , ( lib. 5. stromat . ) and eusebius ( lib. 13. praeparat . evangelic . ) which plainly shew that they were not ignorant , that the works of creation were finished on the seventh day , for so much doth that verse of linus intimate . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that of homer . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that of callimachus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the israelites , by the law of moses , were not only to observe their weekly sabbath every seventh day , but also their feast of weekes once in the year : which although by the vulgar use of the jewish nation it may now fall upon any day of the week , yet do the samaritans untill this day constantly observe it on the first day of the week ; which is our sunday , for which they produce the letter of the law , levit. 23. 15 , 16. where the feast of the first fruits ( otherwise called pentecost , or the feast of weeks ) is prescribed to be kept the morrow after the seventh sabbath ; which not they onely , but also amongst our christian interpreters , isychius and rupertus do interpret to be the first day of the week . planiùs , saith isychius , legislator intentionem suam demonstrate volens , ab altero die sabbati memor ari praecepit quinquaginta dies : dominicum diem proculdubiò volens intelligi . hic enim est altera dies sabbati , ( in hâc enim resurrectio facta est ) qua hebdomadae numerantur septem , usque ad alterum diem expletionis hebdomadae . dominicâ rursus die pentecostes celebramus festivitatem , in quâ sancti spiritus adventum meruimus . a where you may observe by the way , that although this authour made a little bold to strain the signification of altera dies sabbati , ( which in moses denoteth no more than the morrow after the sabbath ) yet he maketh no scruple to call the day of christs resurrection another sabbath day , as in the councel of friuli also ( if i greatly mistake not the matter ) you shall find satturday called by the name of sabbatum ultimum and the lords day of sabbatum primum , ( with some allusion perhaps to that of st. ambrose , in psal. 47. ubi dominica dies caepit praecellere , quâ dominus resurrexit ; sabbatum , quod primum erat secundum haberi caepit à primo , ) not much unlike unto that , which dr. b heylin himself noteth out of scaliger of the aethiopian christians ; that they call both of them by the name of sabbaths : the one the first , the other the latter sabbath ; or in their own language , the one sanbath sachristos , ( i. e. ) christs sabbath , the other sanbath judi , or the jews sabbath . but touching the old pentecost it is very considerable , that it is no where in moses affixed unto any one certain day of the moneth , as all the rest of the feasts are : which is a very great presumption , that it was a moveable feast , and so c varied , that it might alwayes fall upon the day immediately following the ordinary sabbath . and if god so order the matter , that in the celebration of the feast of weeks the seventh should purposely be passed over , and that solemnity should be kept upon the first : what other thing may we imagine could be praesignified thereby , but that under the state of the gospel the solemnity of the weekly service should be celebrated upon that day ? that on that day the famous pentecost in the 2. of the acts was observed , is in a manner generally acknowledged by all : wherein the truth of all those that went before being accomplished , we may observe the type and the verity , concurring together in a wonderfull manner . at the time of the passeover christ our passeover was slain for us : the whole sabboth following he rested in the grave . the next day after that sabbath , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or sheaf of the first fruits of the first ( or barly ) harvest was offered unto god ; and christ rose from the dead , and became the first fruits of them that slept ; many bodies of the saints that slept , arising likewise after him . from thence was the count taken of the seven sabbaths ; and upon the more after the seventh sabbath ( which was our lords day ) was celebrated the feast of weeks , the day of the first fruits of the second ( or wheat ) harvest : upon which day the apostles having themselves received the first fruits of the spirit , begat three thousand soules with the word of truth , and presented them as the first fruits of the christian church unto god , and unto the lamb. and from that time forward doth waldensis note that the lords day was observed in the christian church in the place of the sabbath . quia inter legalia ( saith he ) tunc sublata sabbati castodia fuit unum , planum est tunc intrâsse dominicam loco ejus : sicut baptisma statim loco circumcisionis . adhuc enim superstes erat sanctus johannes , qui diceret : et fui in spiritu die dominicâ , apocal. 1. cùm de dominicâ die ante christi resurrection nulla prorsùs mentio haberetur . sed statim post missionem spiritus sancti , lege novâ fulgente , in humano cultu sublatum est sabbatum ; & dies dominicae resurrectionis clarescebat dominica . the revelation exhibited unto st. john upon the lords day ; is by irenaeus ( in his fifth book ) referred unto the empire of domitian , or , as s. hierome in his catalogue more particularly doth expresse it , to the fourth yeare of his reigne : which answereth partly to the forty ninth , and partly to the ninty fifth year of our lord , according to our vulgar computation ; and was but eleven or twelve yeares before the time , when ignatius did write his epistles . of whom then should we more certainly learn , what the apostle meant by the lords day , then from ignatius ? who was by the apostles themselves ordained bishop of that church , wherein the disciples were first called christians ; and in his epistle to the magnesians clearly maketh the lords day to be a weekly holy day , observed by christians , in the room of the abrogated sabbath of the jews : than which , can we desire more ? but here you are to know , beside the common edition , wherein the genuine epistles of ignatius are fouly depraved by a number of beggarly patches added unto his purple by later hands ; there is an ancient latine translation to bee found in the library of caies colledge in cambridge ; which , although it be very rude , and corrupt both in many other , and in this very same place also of the epistle to the magnesians ; yet is it free from these additaments , and in many respects to be preferred before the common greek copy , as well because it agreeth with the citations of eusebius , athanasius , and theodoret , and hath the sentences vouched by them out of ignatius ( and particularly that of the eucharist , in the epistle to the smyrnians ) which are not at all to be found in our greek ; and hath in a manner none of all those places in the true epistles of ignatius , against which exception hath been taken by our divines : which addeth great strength to those exceptions of theirs , and sheweth that they were not made without good cause . now in this translation there is nothing to be found touching the sabbath , and the lords day in the epistle to the magnesians , but these words only . non ampliùs sabbatizantes , sed secundùm dominicam viventes , in quâ , & vita nostra orta est ; whereunto these of our common greeke may be made answerable . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all those other words alleadged by dr. heylin , ( part . 2. pag. 43. ) to prove that ignatius would have both the sabbath and the lords day observed , being afterwards added by some later grecian ; who was afraid that the custome of keeping both dayes observed in his time should appear otherwise to be directly opposite to the sentence of ignatius , whereas his main intention was to oppose the ebionites of his owne time : who , as eusebius witnesseth in the third book of his ecclesiasticall history , did both keep the sabbath with the jewes , and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . by whose imitation of the church herein , the antiquity of the observation of the lords day may be further confirmed : ebion being known to have been st. paul's antagonist ; and to have given out of himself , that he was one of those that brought the prices of their goods , and laid them down at the apostles feet : as the universality of the observance may be gathered by the argument drawn from thence by eusebius towards the end of his oration of the praises of constantine ) to prove the preeminency of our saviour christ , above all the gods of the heathen : because this prescript of his touching the celebration of this day was admitted and submitted unto , not within the dominions of constantine onely , but also throughout the compasse of the whole world . * quis n. ( saith he ) cunctis totius orbis terrarum incobis , seu terra seu mari illi sint , praescripserit ut singulis septimanis in unum convenientes diem dominicum festum celebrarent ; instituentque ut sicut corpora pascerent cibariis , sic animos divinis disciplinis refi●erent ? we see then that the doctrine , which the true ignatius received immediately from the hands of the apostles , was the very same with that was delivered by the fathers of the councel of laodicea , about 250 years after , ( for the profs produced by the authours , to whom my a lord of eli , pag. 73. refereth us , for having it to be held before the first nicene , are nothing worth . ) non oportet christianos judaizare & in sabbatho otiari ; sed ipsos eo die operari , diem autem dominicum praeferentes otiari ( si modo possint ) ut christianos : the contrary whereunto pope gregory the first ( in registr . lib. 11. epist. 3. esteemeth to bee the doctrine of the preachers of antichrist : qui veniens , diem dominicum & sabbatum ab omni opere faciet custodiri : which my lord of eli , pag. 219. ) rendreth ; upon the old sabbath-day , or upon the sunday : by a strange kinde of mistake turning the copulative into a disjunctive . a letter of doctor twisse to the lord primate , thanking him for the former letter , and his book de primordiis , brit. eccles. the history of goteschalcus , &c. where the honour and respect he gives him is exemplary , unto others . most reverend father in god , i was very glad to hear of your grace his coming over into england ; and now i have a faire opportunity to expresse my thankfull acknowledgement of that great favour wherewith you were pleased to honour me , in bestowing one of your books upon me , de origine britannicarum ecclesiarum ; which i received from sir benjamin rudierd in your grace his name , about the end of summer last , wherein i do observe not onely your great learning and various reading manifested at full , but your singular wisdom also in reference to the necessitous condition of these times ; taking so fair an occasion to insert therein , the history of the pelagian heresie , so opportunely coming in your way . your history of goteschalcus was a piece of the like nature , which came forth most seasonably ; we know what meetings there were in london thereupon by some ; and to what end , to relieve the reputation of vossius , who laboured not a little when he was discovered to have alleadged the confession of pelagius , for the confession of austin : as also in fathering upon the adrametine monkes , the original of the praedestinarian heresie : i was at that time upon answering corvinus his defence of arminius , and had dispatcht one digression upon the same argument , and in the issue concluded that it was but a trick of the pelagians to cast the nick-name of the praedestinarian heresie , upon the orthodox doctrine of st. austine : but upon the coming forth of your goteschalcus , i was not onely confirmed therein , but upon better , and more evident grounds , enabled in a second digression to meet with the dictates of — who endeavoured to justifie the conceit of vossius , but upon very weak grounds . thus i have observed with comfort the hand of god to have gone along with your grace , for the honouring of the cause of his truth , in so precious a point as is the glory of his grace . and i nothing doubt , but the same hand of our good god will be with you still , and his wisdome will appear in all things you undertake , whether of your own choice , or upon the motion of others : there being never more need of hearkening unto , and putting in practice our saviours rule , be ye wise as serpents , and innocent as doves . and have i not as great cause to return your grace most hearty thanks , for the kind letters i received in answer to the motions i was emboldned to make ; had it been but onely to signifie the great satisfaction i received thereby in divers particulars , but especially in two principal ones ; the one , the mystery of the feasts of first fruits opened to the singular advantage of the honour of the lords day in the time of the gospel , the other , in correcting ignatius by a latine manuscript of caies colledge ; which since i have gotten into my hands , and taken a copy thereof , and have caused it to be compared with two other copies , manuscripts in oxford , the one in magdalene , the other in baliol colledge library ; i take no small comfort in the hope i conceive of seeing your grace before your departure into ireland , i heare of a purpose your grace hath to see oxford , and abide some time there , the lord blesse you , and keep you , and make his face to shine upon you . newberry may 29. 1640. yours in all observance , desiring to sit at your grace his feet . william twisse . mr. chambers of clouford by bath , hath long ago answered dr. heylines history of the sabbath , but knowes not how to have it printed . a clause in a letter of the primates , to mr. ley , of the sabbath . for mine own part , i never yet doubted but took it for granted ; that as the setting of some whole day apart for gods solemne worship was juris divini naturalis , so that this solemne day should be one in seven , was juris divini positivi , recorded in the fourth commandement . and such a jus divinum positivum , here i mean , as baptisme and the lords supper are established , both which lie not in the power of any man , or angel to change , or alter , wherein me thinks , your second position is a little too waterish , viz. that this doctrine rather then the contrary is to be held the doctrine of the church of england ; and may well be gathered out of her publick liturgy , and the first part of the homily concerning the place , and time of prayer . whereas , you should have said that this is to be held undoubtedly the doctrine of the church of england . for if there could be any reasonable doubt made of the meaning of the church of england in her liturgy , who should better declare her meaning , than self in her homily ? where she peremptorily declareth her minde . that in the fourth commandement god hath given expresse charge to all men , that upon the sabbath day , which is now our sunday , they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour , to the intent , that like as god himself wrought six dayes , and rested the seventh , blessed and sanctified it , and consecrated it to rest , and quietnesse from labour , even so gods obedient people should use the sunday holily , and rest from their common , and daily businesse , and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service ; than which , what could you devise to say more your self ? for the further maintenance of which doctrine , i send you herewith a treatise , written by a a learned man ( now with god ) against theophilus brabourn ; who gave occasion to the raising up of these unhappy broiles ; which , if it may any way conduce to the furtherance of your more exact treatice , &c. i shall be very glad , and be ready to , &c. part of a letter of the primates , to an honourable person , not long after the coming forth of doctor heylins book ▪ of the history of the sabbath , which i found wrote in the same paper with the former . as for dr. heylins a relation , concerning our articles of ireland , it is much mistaken . for first where he saith , they did passe when his majesties commissioners were imployed about the setling of the church , anno 1615. and chargeth them with this strict austerity ( as he termeth it ) in the prescript observation of the lords day , he sheweth himself very credulous , there having been no such commissioners here at that time , and our articles having been published in print divers years before the commissioners ( whom hee meaneth ) came hither , as sir nathaniel rich ( who was one of them himself ) can sufficiently inform you . secondly , where he saith , he is sure , that till that time the lords day had never attained such credit as to be thought an article of the faith , he speaks very inconsiderately . hee that would confound the ten commandements ( whereof this must be accounted for one , unlesse he will leave us but nine ) with the articles of the faith , he had need be put to learn his catechisme again : and he that would have every thing , which is put into the articles of religion ( agreed upon in the synod for the avoyding of diversity of opinions , and for the maintenance of peace , and uniformity in the church ) to be held for an article of the faith , should do well to tell us whether hee hath as yet admitted a the book of the ordination of bishops , and the two volumes of homilies into his creed , for sure i am he shall find these received in the articles of religion , agreed upon in the synod held at london , 1562. to which doctor heylen himself having subscribed , i wonder how he can oppose the conclusion , which he findeth directly laid down in the homily of the time and place of prayer in the fourth commandement , viz. god hath given expresse charge to all men that upon the sabbath-day which is now our sunday ( for these are the plain words of the homily , which the doctor with all his sophistry will never be able to elude ) they shall cease from all weekly , and week-day labour , to the intent thot like as god himselfe wrought six dayes , and rested the seventh , and blessed , and consecrated it to quietnesse , and rest from labour , even so gods obedient people should use the sunday holily , and rest from their common and daily businesse , and also give themselves wholly to the heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service . by the verdict of the church of england , i am sure the lords day had obtained such a pitch of credit , as nothing more could be left to the church of ireland in their articles , afterward to adde unto it . thirdly , he shameth not to affirm , that the whole book of the articles of ireland is now called , in ( which is a notorious untruth . ) and lastly , that the articles of the church of england , were confirmed by parliament in this kingdome , anno 1634. where it is well known that they were not so much as once propounded to either house of parliament , or ever intended to be propounded . the truth is , that the house of convocation in the beginning of their canons , for the manifestation of their agreement with the church of england , in the confession of the same christian faith , and the doctrine of the sacraments ( as they themselves professe ) and for no other end in the world , did receive and approve of the articles of england ; but that either the articles of ireland were ever called in , or any articles , or canons at all , were ever here confirmed by act of parliament , may well be reckoned among doctor heylins fancies . which shews what little credit he deserves in his geography , when he brings us newes of the remote parts of the world , that tells us so many untruths of things so lately , and so publickly acted in his neigbour nation . a confirmation of the latter clause in this letter of the primates , viz. that the articles of ireland ( determining the observation of the lords day ) were not called in anno 1634. as doctor heylin hath affirmed . doctor heylin , under the mask of an observator hath been already offended with me , for joyning in a certificate against what he hath related concerning the abrogating of the articles of ireland , which was done by the command of this most reverend primate in his life time , and since that , he hath been much more ; for my saying in his funeral sermon , some had rashly affirmed it , and that some such presumptious affections have been lately published , and stiling that person a presumptuous ( i may say also uncharitable ) observator , that should presume to enter into the lord primates breast , and aver that the abrogating of them ( to use his own term ) was the cause of his carrying a sharp tooth , bearing a grudge ( and that a mortal one ) towards the l. lieutenant strafford . the language with which throughout he pleaseth himselfe , might have been easily returned , but in regard such pen-combats are unseasonable , and unfitting betweene those of the same profession ( onely gratefull to the adversary of both ) i have left it to the prudence of a third person , who hath a convenient opportunity in his history to clear the whole , in the examination and moderation of all the passages between mr. l. strange and him . onely thus much upon this occasion , the observator is pleased to give me a share in his title-page , calling it a rescue from the back-blowes of dr. bernard ; indeed as to the person smitten , if they were any , they could be no other , for he then turned the back , and not the face , being an anonymus , and so appearing in that disguise , i might be excused as he was that smote a clergy man , riding without his priestly habit , a man that walks in the dark , may meet with a knock by such as mean him no harm . and indeed the apprehension of the authours disaffection so much expressed to this eminent , and pious primate in the endeavours thus to blemish him , ( whom the whole reformed church hath an high esteem of , ) gave it suspected , both to my self , and others to have been some jesuit , or agent of the sea of rome , though as yet , not any one ( as i hear of ) hath moved his tongue against that true israelite at his exit hence , and i am sorry to see his sole enemies to be those of his own house , and profession . but for the confirmation of what is here affirmed by the primate , that the articles of ireland were not called in , though his above-mentioned letter is sufficient to all uninteressed persons , yet for the readers more full satisfaction , i shall give you a brief narrative of the whole matter , being then a member of that convocation . first in the house of the clergy , which was then in the cathedrall of st. patricks dublin , there was a motion made for the reception anew of the articles of ireland , and all unanimous were for the affirmative , excepting two , who went out . another time the whole house of the clergy being called into the quire , where the bishops sate , and the same thing again propounded to them , they all stuck to their former vote , excepting seven . the intent of the whole clergy being by this sufficiently understood , and it appearing , there was no need of any such confirmation , having been an. 1615. fully and formally established , ( viz. signed by arch-bishop jones , chancelour of ireland , and then speaker of the house of the bishops in convocation , by the prolocutor of the house of the clergy in their names , and signed by the then lord deputy chichester , ( by order from king james in his name ) that motion was no more repeated , onely the primate was consulted with , concerning the approving and receiving of the articles of england also , to which he readily consented , there being no substantial difference between them , to which he had subscribed himself voluntarily , long before in england , and conceiving it to be without any prejudice to the other . hereupon the first canon ( being all that was done in relation to them ) was drawn up , the primate approved it , and proposed it selfe ( as president of the synod ) in the house of the bishops , commended it to the house of the clergy , where by his motion many assented the more readily , they all gave their votes , man by man , excepting one person , who suspended his , out of the suspition that some might make that construction , which is the observators conclusion . now the chief argument , which the observator ( if i may not call him dr. heylin ) spends himself upon , is from what he hath picked out of the words of the canon , where they do not onely approve , but receive the articles of england , from thence he inferres a superinducing of those , and so an abrogating of these of ireland . but i answer , there was not a reception of the one instead of the other , but the one with the other , and there being no difference in substance , but onely in method number of subjects determined , and other circumstantials , it argues no more an abrogation than that doth of the apostles creed , by our reception of the nicene creed and athanasius's , wherein some points are more enlarged , or that the reception into our use the form of the lords prayer , according to saint matthew , abrogates that of saint luke , being the shorter ; neither do i see , but if for the manifestation of our union with other reformed churches ; we should approve and receive their articles of religion , and they receive ours , it were no abrogating of either . and the difference in them being onely in circumstantials , and not in substance , all might be called one confession , that as of many seas one ocean , of many national churches one catholick church , so of many forms of canfessions , but one faith amongst them . that argument from the apostles speech of making void the old covenant by speaking of a new , or taking in the first day of the week to be the sabbath , instead of the last , when but one of the seven was to be kept , doth not fit the case : for in these there was a superinduction , and reception of the one for the other : but in the canon , the articles of england are received not instead , but with those of ireland . and that it was the sense then apprehended , not only by the primate , but by the other bishops ( at least divers of them ) appears in this , that afterwards at an ordination they took the subscription of the party ordained to both articles . and for further confirmation of this i shall give you the sense of a most eminent , learned , and judicious person , upon the view of what the observator rescued had written of it , i have received ( sayes he ) the book you sent me , and have perused it ; i see he will have the allowance of our articles of england , by the synod in ireland , to be a virtual disanulling of the irish confession ; which ( i conceive ) saith no more , but , that both confessions were consistent ; and the act of that synod not a revocation of the irish articles , but an approbation of ours , as agreeing with them ; he hath his flings at your sermon , preached at the lord primates funeral , but in truth , he wrongs himself and our church in those detractions from him . a letter of the late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland , to doctor bernard of grayes inne , containing his judgement of the ordination of the ministry in france and holland . i received this following letter from the late arch-bishop of armagh , not long before his death , which ( at the desire of some prudent men , and of different opinion in the subject of it ) i have been moved to publish , which indced was committed to me by him for that end , and i do it the rather now , in regard somewhat hath been mistaken in the discourse of it , to his prejudice on both sides : so that without breach of trust i could no longer detain it . the occasion of it was this , there was given me by an honourable person a writing , containg a report raised of the said arch-bishop concerning his judgement of the ordination beyond the sea , which he prayed me to send unto him , which is as followeth : mr. — asked the arch-bishop of armagh , upon occasion of an ordination , what he thought of them that were ordained by presbyters ? he said he judged their ordination to be null , and looked on them as lay-men . he asked him , what he conceived of the churches beyond the sea. the bishop answered , he had charitable thoughts of them in france . but as for holland , he questioned if there was a church amongst them , or not : or words fully to that purpose . this dr. — confidently reports . this paper according to the earnest desire of the said person , i sent inclosed to the lord primate , being then out of town , from whom immediately i received this answer , containing his judgement of the ordination of the ministery of the reformed churches in france , and holland , as followeth . touching mr. — i cannot call to mind that he ever proposed unto me the questions in your letter inclosed , neither do i know the doctor — who hath spread that report ; but for the matter it self , i have ever declared my opinion to be , that episcopus & presbyter , gradu tantum differunt , non ordine ; and consequently , that in places where bishops cannot be had , the ordination by presbyters standeth valid , yet on the other side holding as i do , that a bishop hath superiority in degree above a presbyter , you may easily judge that the ordination made by such presbyters , as have severed themselves from those bishops , unto whom they had sworne canonical obedience , cannot possibly by me be excused from being schismatical ; and howsoever , i must needs think that the churches , which have no bishops , are thereby become very much defective in their government , and that the churches in france , who , living under a popish power , cannot do what they would , are more excusable in this defect than the low-countries that live under a free state : yet for the testifying my communion with these churches ( which i do love and honour as true members of the church universal . ) i do professe that with like affection , i should receive the blessed sacrament at the hands of the dutch ministers , if i were in holland , as i should do at the hands of the french ministers , if i were in charentone . some animadvertisements upon the aforesaid letter , in prevention of any misinterpretations of it . 1. whereas in the former part of it , he saith , he hath ever declared his opinion to be , &c. i can witnesse it from the time i have had the happinesse to be known to him , it being not ( as some possibly might suggest ) a change of judgement upon the occurrences of latter years . 2. for that superiority onely in degree ; which , he saith , a bishop hath above a presbyter , it is not to be understood as an arbitrary matter at the pleasure of men , but that he held it to be of apostolical institution , and no more a diminution of the preheminencie and authority of episcopacy , than the denomination of lights given in common by moses , to all of them in the firmament ( genes . 1. ) detracts from the sun & moon , whom he calls the greater , and were assigned of god to have the rule of the rest ; though the difference between them be onely graduall , yet there is a derivative subordination , as the preheminence of the first-born , was but graduall , they were all brethren , but to him was given of god the excellency , or supremacy of dignity and power , to him they must bow , or be subject , and he must have the rule over them : and that this gradus is both derived from the pattern prescribed by god in the old testament ( where that distinction is found in the title of the chief priest , who had the rule of the rest , called by the lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) and from the imitation thereof brought in by the apostles , and confirmed by christ in the time of the new ; the primate hath so fully confirmed in that learned tractate of his , of the originall of bishops , which he hath deduced from the apostolicall times ; that i know not what can be added ; and even for that higher gradus of a metropolitan , or arch-bishop , to have been also apostolicall , he hath , from the superscription of john , to the seven churches , ( each of which cities being metropolitical , and the rest of the cities of asia daughters under them ) given very strong probabilities , hard to be gain-said ; unto which ( as an excellent comment upon this letter ) i shall refer the reader . 3. that in this judgement of his he was not singular ; doctor davenant , that pious , and learned bishop of salisbury , consents with him in it . ( in his determinations , q. 42. produceth the principal pf the schoolmen , gulielmus parisiensis , gerson , durand , &c. episcopatus non est ordo praecisè distinctus à sacerdotio simplici , &c. non est alia potestas ordinis in episcopis quam presbyteris , sed inest modo perfectiori . and declares it to be the generall opinion of the schoolmen . episcopatum ut distinguitur à simplici sacerdotio non non esse alium ordinem ; sed eminentiorem quandam potestatem & dignitatem in eodem ordine sacerdotali , &c. and as he grants the bishop to have dignitatem altiorem , potestatem majorem , &c. so doth the primate in that he saith he hath a superiority in degree above a presbyter , and that the churches which have no bishops , are thereby become very much defective in their government ; both of them being farre from a parity . and whereas the primate saith , that in cases of necessity , where bishops cannot be had , the ordination by presbyters standeth valid , bishop davenaut concurres with him also : that where bishops were heretical , or idolatrous , and refuse to ordain orthodox ministers , that in such and the like cases he saith : si orthodoxi presbyteri ( ne pereat ecclesia ) alios presbyteros cogantur ordinare , ego non ausim hujusmodi ordinationes pronuntiare irritas , & innanes , &c. necessitas non inscitè lex temporis appellatur , & in tali casu defendat id ad quod coegit , and produceth the opinion of richardus armachanus ( one of this primates predecessors , and one of the most learned men in his time ) to be accordingly . armachani opinio est , quod si omues episcopi essent defuncti , sacerdotes minores possunt ordinare , & applies it to the like protestant churches , which the primate mentions . hac freti necessitate si ecclesiae quaedam protestantium quae ordinationes ab episcopis papistis expectare non poterant consensu presbyterorum suorum presbyteros ordinarunt , non inde episcopali dignitati praejudicasse , sed necessitati ecclesiae obtemperasse judicandi sint , thus much for bishop davenants concurrence , to which divers others might be added , as in speciall , doctor richard field sometimes dean of glocester , in his learned book of the church , lib. 3. cap. 39. and lib. 5. cap. 27. where this judgement of the primates , and this concurrence of bishop davenants is largely confirmed , without the least derogation from the preheminencie of episcopacy . but that book entituled , the defence of the ordination of the ministers of the reformed churches beyond the seas maintained by mr arch-deacon mason , against the romanists ( who wrote also a defence of episcopacy , and of the ministery of the church of england ) is sufficiently known , and i have been assured , it was not onely the judgement of bishop overal , but that he had a principal hand in it ; he produceth many testimonies . the master of the sentences , and most of the schoolmen , bonaventure , tho. aquinas , durand . dominicus , soto , richardus armachanus , tostatus , alphonsus à castro , gerson , petrus , canisius , to have affirmed the same , and at last quoteth medina , a principal bishop of the councel of trent , who affirmed , that jerome , ambrose , augustine , sedulius , primasius , chrysostome , theodoret , theophylact , were of the same judgement also . and i suppose there is none doubts , but that the primate joyned with arch-deacon mason in that conclusive wish of his , viz. that wherein the discipline of france , or holland is defective , they would by all possible means redresse , and reform it , and conforme themselves to the ancient custome of the discipline of christ , which hath continued from the apostles time , that so they may remove all opinion of singularity , and stop the mouth of malice it selfe , in a word , if the ordination of presbyters in such places where bishops cannot be had , were not valid , the late bishops of scotland had a hard task to maintain themselves to be bishops , who were not priests , for their ordination was no other , and for this , a passage in the history of scotland , wrote by the arch-bishop of saint andrews is observable , viz. that when tke scots bishops were to be consecrated by the bishops of london , ely , and bath , here at london house , an. 1609. he saith , a question was moved by doctor andrews , bishop of ely , touching the consecration of the scottish bishops , who , as he said , must first be ordained presbyters , as having received no ordination from a bishop . the arch-bishop of canterbury , doctor bancroft , who was by ; maintained , that thereof there was no necessity , seeing where bishops could not be had , the ordination given by the presbyters must be esteemed lawfull , otherwise that it might be doubted if there were any lawfull vocation in most of the reformed churches , this applauded to by the other bishops , ely acquiesced , and at the day , and in the place appointed , the three scottish bishops were consecrated by the above-said three english bishops , the arch-bishop of canterbury forbearing for another cause there mentioned . now though the ordination of presbyters in this case of necessity be granted to be valid , yet i have heard this learned primate wonder at the neglect found in the late presbyterian way of ordation , viz. that at imposition of hands , they neither used the ancient form of words , with which the first framers of it were themselves ordained , nor used any other to that sence in their room , at least there is no order , or direction for it . for suppose the words of our saviour to the apostles , ( john 10. 21 , 21. ) at their ordination were scrupled at , viz. receive the holy ghost , whose sins thou dost forgive are forgiven : and whose sins thou dost retain are retained , ( which rightly understood , gave no just cause ) yet why might not the next words have been continued ? viz. and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of god , and of his holy sacraments , in the name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost : or the other words upon the solemne delivery of the bible , into the hands of the person ordained ; take thou authority to preach the word of god , and to minister the holy sacraments in the congregation where thou shalt be so appointed . i can imagine no cause against the use of one of these , unlesse it be because they had been used there , as if in this sense , old things must be done away ; and all must be new . to impose hands ( according to the injunction of the apostle , and to have it accompanied with prayer and thanksgiving for the person , is well done ( wich in the former constitution was solemnly observed before , and after it ) but why should the formal transmitting of authority also in the name of christ for the power of officiating be left undone , if the scruple in the instrumental cause be satisfied , why might it not have been prevented in the formall , who might have freely given what they had received . now to give the seal of ordination ( as some please to call imposition of hands ) without any expresse commission annexed , or grant of authority to the person , the primate was wont to say , seemed to him to be like the putting of a seale to a blanck , which being so weighty a businesse , i wish prudent men would consider of , least in the future it arm the adversary with objections ; and fill our own with further scruples ; and so much ( far larger then i intended ) for the prevention of any offence , which might be taken at the one part of the letter . now for the other clause of his judgement , which he leaves unto me to judge , what in reason i might apprehend to be his , i leave it accordingly to the judgement of others : all that can give any offence , is that term of schisme . but in regard it is not directly determined , but onely that he could not be an advocate to excuse it ; and being delivered in that latitude , that it is dubious whether forreigne ( to which the question chiefly relateth ) or domestick , former times , or latter , may take the application . i shall not offend the reader with any larger apology , onely wherein any shall find themselves concerned , i wish such humble and meek spirits , that the admonition of so pious , and eminent a bishop , ( whose fame is throughout the churches ) might prevaile to the amendmeut of what hath been amisse among us . if i have abounded beyond my measure , to the hazard of the offence of both parties in these advertisements , let it be excused by the impartiality of it , and the unbyassed intention for the setling of truth and peace so shaken of later dayes . the primates judgement of severall subjects . the mifinterpretations , which have been already made of this most reverend and learned mate , of a change of judgement in him towards his latter end , ( which i have been moved here to vindicate ) giving it suspected to be the fore-runner of more of the like , which may be raised hereafter , i have been advised upon this occasion , both in answer to , and prevention of any other false rumours for the future to declare more fully what i did of him briefly in his funerall sermon , as to some particulars then whispering of him ( omitted at the presse , but not with my will , ) and i do it the rather in regard , as i was desired then by some of different judgement , to make an impartial relation of his there ( there each like israel and judah , for david , claiming an interest in him ) so finding that omission to be diversly interpreted to my censure , and conceived by some to be the occasion of those severall mistakes raised of him since , ( whereby , as ( praef . to disp . of sacram. ) mr. baxter complaines , the good bishop must now be what every one will say of him , one feigning him to be of one extreame , and the other of the other extreame ) which the publishing might have prevented , i have thought fit to discharge that trust reposed in me , both in relation to his doctrine and practice , and i know no person of more generall reputation , and more like to be an exemplary pattern in this his moderation , which i conceived fit to be known unto all men . the late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland , his judgement in matter of doctrine , discipline , and other subjects ; of which there have been some different opinions among others , and some misinterpretations of him . in doctrine he did fully approve the articles of religion of the church of england , as the same more enlarged in the articles of ireland : the discipline and constitutious of both , he did also approve . for the liturgy in the publick prayers , as while he lived at drogheda in ireland , they were constantly observed in his family , so he had them in estimation to his last ; and the last time he was in london upon the occasion of some rash groundlesse rumours raised of him to the contrary , ( to his no small grief ) he gave his judgement accordingly to an honourable person , wrote with his owne hand , which he shewed unto me ; he had constantly prayers in his family four times a day ; at six in the morning , and eight at night , they were such , wherein the gifts of those , who were his chaplains were exercised , but before dinner and supper in the chappel , was the forenamed also observed ; indeed he was not so rigid , as to tie all men in the private , to an absolute necessary use of it , or in the publike , that a sermon was not to be heard , unlesse that did precede ; and for the healing or preventing of those distractions and divisions , which have been among ministers as others , and the moderating of each extremity in relation to the use of it whereby there might be a return of that wished-for peace and unity , which of late years we have been strangers to , he conceived some prudent moderate accommodation might have been thought of ( and yet may ) by wise men , in order to the present continuance of the substantial part of it , ( each side yielding somewhat , after the example of saint paul in circumstantials ) which might have better borne the name of a reformation , than thus to have a totall suppression of it , whereby with the intention of gathering up the tares , the wheat hath been rooted up also . as for some arbitrary innovations , not within the compasse of the rule , and order of the book , he did not affect , and often wished they had not been introduced , as foreseeing the issue of it , what was commanded he readily observed , but did not take upon him to introduce any rite , or ceremony upon his own opinion of decency , till the church had judged it so ; and thought they most owned the book , who neither added , or diminished from the rule of it . and for bowing at the name of jesus , though he censured not those that did , either in our , or other reformed churches , according to the custome of each , yet he did not conceive the injunction of it could be founded upon that of the apostle , phil. 2. 10. and wondred at some learned mens assertions , that it was the exposition of all the fathers upon it , and as the wise composers of the liturgy gave no direct injunction for it there , so in ireland he withstood the putting of it into the canon , anno 1634. that a form of prayer , not only by way of direction , but punctually composed were fit to be had in the publike he was ever for , as much conducing to the benefit of the vulgar people , which are the major part of the nation , and especially in the administration of baptisme , and the communion , as well for the shunning and preventing the disorder , and scandalous confusion found in some mens performances of them , as the testifying of an unity and unanimity among us , which saint paul prefers as the more excellent way , before the variety of all spirituall gifts whatsoever . he often wished the judgement of calvine concerning it ( who was a wise and learned man ) in his letter to the l. protector of england , in edward the sixth's time , were more known than it is , in regard of his esteem with such , who have oppsed it , who doth a much approve that there should be a certain set form of prayer , from which it should not be lawfull for the pastors to depart in their function , both that some care might be had of the more simple , and ignorant sort , as also that the consent of all the churches within themselves might the more evidently appear . and lastly , for the prevention of the inconstant levity of some , who are affecters of novelty , and so adviseth to have a set catechisme , a set form of publick prayers , and administration of sacraments . he was for the ministers improving of their gifts , and abilties in prayer , before sermon and after , according to his own practice : but if that were done , he saw no reason why the other should be left undone ; the church of god being like a great family , whereein some being infants and children , as well as of full age , a provision must be had of milk , as stronger meat , and all ought to be equally taken care of , even the ignorant , and simpler sort , as well as those of greater education . for ordination , or an ordained ministery , such was his judgement of the necessity of it , that he took it to be a fundamental , and one of those principles of christian doctrine , ( hebr. 6. 2. ) called , laying on of hands ; the great neglect of which he much lamented , as fearing it would prove to be the undermining the foundation of our church , which mr. cartwright , in his a commentary upon the place , confirmes to the full , and in a higher expression , as if it were the overthrow of christianity . and yet , as you have heard , he was not so severe as to condemn , and disown the ministery of other reformed churches , or refuse communion with them , because in every particular , as to some persons usually ordaining , they were defective . for episcopacy , he was not wanting with saint paul to magnifie his own office , by two several tractates he hath published , ( none being more able to defend the ancient right of it ) for which he was by letters importuned , by some of the most eminent persons of his own profession , yet how humbly without any partiality to himself , and the eminent degree he had obtained in it , did he declare his judgement , is evident by the above-said tractates , and the letter before mentioned , and his prudence in the present accommodation of things in that treatise of his , viz. the reduction of it to the form of synodical government , for the prevention of that disturbance , which did afterwards arise about it , is as apparent also ; if others concerned in these transactions had been of that moderation , humility , and meeknesse , the wound given , might have been healed before it grew incurable . that the annual commemorations of the articles of the faith , such as the nativity , passion , resurrection , of our saviour , &c. were fit to be observed ( which saint augustine saith , in his time were in use through the whole catholick church of christ ) and is now in some reformed churches , as a means to keep them in the memory of the vulgar , ( according to the pattern of gods injunction to the israelites in the old testament , for the types of them ) appeared sufficiently to be his judgement , by his then constant preaching upon those subjects . the friday before easter ( i e. the resurrection , east in old saxon , signifying rising ) appointed for the remembrance of the passion of our saviour , he did duely at drogheda , in ireland , observe as a solemn fast , ( inclining the rather to that choice out of prudence , and the security from censure , by the then custome of having sermons beyond their ordinary limit in england ; ) when ( after the publick prayers of the church ) he first preached upon that subject , extending himselfe in prayer and sermon beyond his ordinary time , which we imitated , who succeeded in the duties of the day , and which being known to be his constant custome , some from dublin , as other parts , came to partake of it ; which most excellent sermons of his upon that occasion , he was by many godly religious persons importuned much for the publishing of them , and his strict observation of this fast was such , that neither before , or after that extraordinary paines would he take the least refreshment , till about six a clock , and which did not excuse him from preaching again on easter day , when we constantly had a communion . that tractate of his , entitled , the incarnation of the son of god , was the summe of two , or three sermons , which i heard him preach at drogheda , at that festivall , when we celebrate the birth of our saviour . that he was for the often publike reading of the ten commandements , and the creed , before the congregation , according to the custome of other reformed churches , i suppose none can doubt of , and not onely that , which is commonly called the apostles creed , but the nicene and athanasius , his book of the three creeds sufficiently perswade it . what his judgement was of the use of the lords prayer , his practice shewed it in the constant concluding of his prayer before sermon with it . and his approbation of that gesture of kneeling at the communion was often apparent before many witnesses . for confirmation of children ( which calvine , beza , piscator , and others do much commend , and wish it were restored among them ) he was not wanting in his observation , as an ancient laudable custome , by which was occasioned the more frequent having in memory the principles of religion , with the yonger sort . at his first publike giving notice of the time of that his intention , ( it having been long disused in ireland ) he made a large speech unto the people of the antiquity of it , the prudence of the first reformers in purging it from popish superstitions , with the end of it , and then such youths presented to him , who could repeat the publike catechisme were confirmed , and so often afterwards , and indeed the apprehension of his piety and holinesse moved the parents much , to desire that their children might by him receive that benediction , which was seconded with good , and spiritual instruction , that stuck to them when they came to further yeares . the publike catechisme , containing the summe of the creed , the 10. commandements , the lords prayer , and doctrine of the sacraments , despised by some for its plainnesse , he thought therefore to be the more profitable for the vulgar ; and at drogheda in ireland , gave me orders every lords day in the afternoon , ( beside the sermon which was not omitted ) to explain it . he was very exemplary in the careful observation of the lords day in his family ; the sermon preached by him in the forenoon , being constantly repeated in the chappel by his chaplain , about five of the clock in the afternoon , unto which many of the town resorted . for habits , he observed such , which were accustomed by those of his profession ; for the organ , and the quire , he continued them as he found them in use before him . and as in all things , so in his ordinary wearing garments , he was a pattern of gravity , approving much of a distinctive apparel in the ministery that way . lastly , for the ecclesiastical constitutions of ireland , as he was in an. 1634. ( being then the primate ) the chief guide in their establishment , so before he was a bishop , an. 614. being then a member of the convocation , he was employed as a principal person for the collecting , and drawing up such canons as concerned the discipline , and government of the church , and were to be treated upon by the arch-bishops and bishops , and the rest of the clergy of ireland , ( divers taken out of the statutes , queen elizabeths injunctions , and the canons of england , 1571. ) which i have lately found , written then with his own hand . the two first of which being in these words . 1. that no other form of liturgy , or divine service , shall be used in any church of this realm ; but that , which is established by law , and comprized in the book of common-prayer , and administrations of sacraments , &c. 2. that no other form of ordination shall be used in this nation , but which is contained in the book of ordering of bishops , priests , and deacons , allowed by authority , and hitherto practized in the churches of england , and ireland , make it apparent that his judgement concerning many of the above-mentioned subjects , was the same in his yonger , as elder years . and yet notwithstanding all this , there were alwayes some , and still are too many , who are apt to blurre him with the title of a puritane , ( which is is one occasion of this enlargement ) though in none the sense of it is more uncertain then in his application , and from none a greater lustre would be given unto it than by his reflexion . in whom , with his conformity to the discipline , liturgy , and articles of the church of england , labour in writing , constancy in preaching against the errours of popery , and such as border upon it , so much humility , holinesse , and charity , and other fruits of the spirit did so eminently shine . indeed i have seen divers letters , wrote unto him from those , who heretofore were so aspersed , full of respect , and large expressions of their love to him , and many receiving satisfaction , have concurred with him in the abovesaid particulars , his humility and meeknesse prevailing more then others strict austerity , but how that said title could be fixed on him , i am yet to seek , unlesse it bear a better sense than the authours of it will own . nay , some of the simpler sort , hearing of a conjunction of popery and prelacy , have thought they could not be parted in him , though most of his sermons , as well as his writings , sufficiently clear him that way . i remember many yeares agone , the late arch-bishop of canterbury wrote unto him into ireland , of a strong rumour then raised of him here at court , that he was turned a papist ( presumed to be by a letter of some popish priest from thence . ) but it fell out to be at the same time , or immediately after he had in two learned sermons given his judgement at large , that the papacy was meant by babylon , in the 17 , and 18 , of the revelation , which in the return of his answer to that report he did affirm , and was his judgment to his last , though the reply made to him did not consent in that . i am not a stranger to such a design of some of the romish party , a little before his death , for the raising of the like rumour , by some letters wrote unto him from some of eminency among them , which i disdain any further to mention . and thus upon this occasion i have endeavoured to prevent for the future , any more injurious mistakes of him , by an impartial declaring , according to my knowledge , his judgement , and practice in these particulars , wherein he may well be esteemed of us ( as erasmus saith of saint augstine ) vividum quoddam exemplar episcopi , omnibus virtutum numeris absolutum . and i wish in these divided times , wherein each party hath a great , and a reverend opinion of him , they would shew it in this , by taking his spirit of moderation for their copy to write after , and for my own part , i would to god not only they , but also all that read , or hear this of him , were both almost , and altogether such as he was . the reduction of episcopacy unto the form of synodical government , received in the ancient church : by the most reverend and learned father of our church dr. james usher , late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of all ireland . proposed in the year 1641. as an expedient for the prevention of those troubles , which afterwards did arise about the matter of church-government . published by nicholas bernard . d. d. preacher to the honourable society of grayes-inne , london . london , printed , anno domini . 1658. to the reader . the originall of this was given me by the most reverend primate , some few years before his death , wrote throughout with his own hand , and of late i have found it subscribed by himself , and doctor holseworth , and with a marginal note at the first proposition , which i have also added . if it may now answer the expectation of many pious , and prudent persons , who have desired the publishing of it , as a seasonable preparative to some moderation in the midst of those extreams , which this age abounds with , it will attain the end intended by the authour : and it is likely to be more operative , by the great reputation he had , and hath in the hearts of all good men , being far from the least suspicion to be byassed by any privivate ends , but onely ayming at the reducing of order , peace , and unity , which god is the authour of , and not of confusion . for the recovery of which , it were to be wished , that such as do consent in substantials , for matter of doctrine , would consider of some conjunction in point of discipline , that private interest and circumstantials , might not keep them thus far asunder . grayes-inne , octob. 13. 1657. n. bernard . the reduction of episcopacy unto the form of synodical government , received in the ancient church ; proposed in the year 1641 , as an expedidient for the prevention of those troubles , which afterwards did arise about the matter of church-government . episcopal and presbyterial government conjoyned . by order of the church of england , all presbyters are charged a to administer the doctrine and sacraments , and the discipline of christ , as the lord hath commanded , and as this realme hath received the same ; and that they might the better understand what the lord had commanded therein , b the exhortation of saint paul , to the elders of the church of ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their ordination ; take heed unto your selves , and to all the flock among whom the holy ghost hath made you overseers to c rule the congregation of god , which he hath purchased with his blood . of the many elders , who in common thus ruled the church of ephesus , there was one president , whom our saviour in his epistle unto this church in a peculiar manner stileth d the angell of the church of ephesus : and ignatius in another epistle written about twelve yeares after unto the same church , calleth the bishop thereof . betwixt the bishop and the presbytery of that church , what an harmonius consent there was in the ordering of the church-government , the same ignatius doth fully there declare , by the presbytery , with e saint paul , understanding the community of the rest of the presbyters , or elders , who then had a hand not onely in the delivery of the doctrine and sacraments , but also in the administration of the discipline of christ : for further proof of which , we have that known testimony of tertullian in his general apology for christians . f in the church are used exhortations , chastisements , and divine censure ; for judgement is given with great advice as among those , who are certain they are in the sight of god , and in it is the chiefest foreshewing of the judgement which is to come , if any man have so offended , that he be banished from the communion of prayer , and of the assembly , and of all holy fellowship . the presidents that bear rule therein are certain approved elders , who have obtained this honour not by reward , but by good report , who were no other ( as he himself intimates ) elsewhere but g those from whose hands they used to receive the sacrament of the eucharist . for with the bishop , who was the chiefe president ( and therefore stiled by the same tertullian in another place , h summus sacerdos for distinction sake ) the rest of the dispensers of the word and sacraments joyned in the common government of the church ; and therefore , where in matters of ecclesiasticall judicature , cornetius bishop of rome used the received forme of i gathering together the presbytery ; of what persons that did consist , cyprian sufficiently declareth , when he wisheth him to read his letters k to the flourishing clergy : which there did preside , or rule with him : the presence of the clergy being thought to bee so requisite in matters of episcopall audience , that in the fourth councell of cartbage it was concluded , l that the bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of 〈◊〉 ●lergy : and that otherwise th● 〈…〉 sentence should be void , u●●●sse it were confirmed by the presence of the clergy : which we find also to be inserted into the canons of m egbert , who was arch-bishop of york in the saxon times , and afterwards into the body of the n cannon law it self . true it is , that in our church this kinde of presbyterial government hath been long disused , yet seeing it still professeth that every pastor hath a right to rule the church ( from whence the mame of rector also was given at first unto him ) and to administer the discipline of christ , as well as to dispense the doctrine and sacraments , and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth onely from the custome now received in this realm ; no man can doubt , but by another law of the land , this hinderance may be well removed . and how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the clergy might be 〈◊〉 again , and with what 〈…〉 of alteration the synodical conventions of the pastors of every parish might be accorded with the presidency of the bishops of each diocese and province , the indifferent reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing propositions . i. in every parish the rector , or incumbent pastor , together with the church-wardens and sides-men , may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that cougregation , who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs , as the quality of their offence shall deserve ; and if by this means they cannot be reclaimed , they may be presented to the next monethly synod ; and in the mean time debarred by the pastor from accesse unto the lords table . ii. whereas by a statute in the six and twentieth year of king henry the eighth ( revived in the first year of queen elizabeth ) suffragans are appointed to be erected in 26 several places of this kingdom ; the number of them might very well be conformed unto the number of the several rural deanries , into which every diocese is subdivided ; which being done , the suffragan supplying the place of those , who in the ancient church were called chorepiscopi , might every moneth assemble a synod of all the rectors , or incumbent pastors within the precinct , and according to the major part of their voyces , coclude all matters that shall be brought into debate before them . to this synod the rector and church-wardens might present such impenitent persons , as by admonitions and suspension from the sacrament would not be reformed ; who if they should still remain contumacious and incorrigible , the sentence of excommunication might be decreed against them by the synod , and accordingly be executed in the parish where they lived . hitherto also all things that concerned the parochial ministers might be referred , whether they did touch their doctrine , or their conversation ' as also the censure of all new opinions , heresies , and schismes , which did arise within that circuit ; with liberty of appeal , if need so require , unto the diocesan synod . iii. the diocesan synod might be held , once , or twice in the year , as it should be thought most convenient : therein all the suffragans , and the rest of the rectors , or incumbent pasters ( or a certain select number of of every deanry ) within the diocese might meet , with whose consent , or the major part of them , all things might be concluded by the bishop , or * saperintendent ( call him whether you will ) or in his absence , by one of the suffragans ; whom he shall depute in his stead to be moderator of that assembly . here all matters of greater moment might be taken into consideration , and the orders of the monthly synodes revised , and ( if need be ) reformed : and if here also any matter of difficulty could not receive a full determination : it might be referred to the next provincial , or national synod . iv. the provincial synod might consist of all the bishops and suffragans , and such other of the clergy as should be elected out of every diocese within the province , the arch-bishop of either province , might be the moderator of this meeting , ( or in his room some one of the bishops appointed by him ) and all matters be ordered therein by common consent as in the former assemblies . this synod might be held every third year , and if the parliament do then sit ( according to the act of a triennial parliament ) both the arch-bishops and provincial synods of the land might joyn together , and make up a national councel : wherein all appeals from infer●●ur synods might be received , all their acts examined , and all ecclesiastical constitutions which concerne the state of the church of the whole nation established . we are of the judgement that the form of government here proposed is not in any point repugnant to the scripture ; and that the suffragans mentioned in the second proposition , may lawfully use the power both of jurisdiction and ordination , according to the word of god , and the practice of the ancient church . ja. armachanus . rich. holdsworth . after the proposal of this , an. 1641. many quaeries were made , and doubts in point of conscience resolved by the primate , divers passages of which he heth left under his own hand , shewing his pious endeavours to peace and unity , which how far it then prevailed , is out of season now to relate , only i wish it might yet be thought of to the repairing of the breach , which this division hath made , and that those , who are by their office messengers of peace , and whose first word to cach house should be peace , would earnestly promote it , within the walls of their mother-church , wherein they were educated , and not thus by contending about circumstantials lose the substance , and make our selves a prey to the adversary of both , who rejoyce in their hearts , saying , so would we have it . which are the primates works , and which not . a catalogue of the works already printed of doctor james usher , late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of all ireland , which are owned by him . in latine . de ecclesiarum christianarum successione & statu . quarto , londini , 1613. epistolarum hibernicarum sylloge , 4o. dublinii 1630. historia goteschalci , 4o. dublinii 1631. de primordiis ecclesiarum britanicarum , 4o. dublinii 1639. ignatii epistolae cum annotationibus , 4o. oxoniae 1645. de anno solari macedonum , 8o. londini 1648. annales veteris testamenti , fol. londini 1650. annales novi testamenti usque ad extremum templi & reipublicae judaicae excidium , &c. fol. londini 2654. epistola ad capellum de variantibus textus hebraici lectionibus , 4o. londinii 1652. de graeca septuaginta interpretum versione syntagma 4o. londini 1655. these four last are sold by john crook , at the ship in st. paul's church-yard . in english. an answer to a challenge made by the jesuite malone in ireland , anno 1631. a sermon preached before the house of commons , febr. 18. 1618. a declaration of the visibility of the church , preached in a sermon before king james , june 20. 1624. a speech delivered in the castle-chamber in dublin , the 22. of november , 1622. the religion profest by the ancient irish and brittains , 4o. 1631. these five are bound together in quarto . immanuel , or the incarnation of the son of god , 4o. dublin . 1639. a geographical description of the lesser asia , 4o. oxford , 1644. the judgement of doctor reynolds , touching the original of episcopacy more largely confirmed out of antiquity , an. 1641. his discourse of the original of bishops and metropolitanes , in 4o. oxford , 1644. his small catechisme re-viewed , 12o. london , 1654. ☞ his aforesaid annals of the old and new testament ; with the synchronismus of heathen story to the destruction of jerusalem , translated out of latin into english now at the presse , fol. to be sold by john crook , at the ship in st. pauls church-yard . in regard there have been , and are divers books printed , which go under the name of the late arch-bishop of armagh , but are not his , and more may be obtruded to the injury of him , i have thought fit , at the request of the printer , to give the reader this advertisement following . in anno● 1640. there was a book printed , entitled the bishop of armaghs direction to the house of parliament , concerning the liturgy and episcopal government , and anno 1641. another book entitled vox hiberniae , being some pretended notes of his , at a publick fast . both these at his petition were suppressed by order from the house of lords and commons , 11. feb. 1641. and i hope will not be revived . in anno 1651. a book called ( a method for meditation , or a manual of divine duties , which most injuriously is printed in his name , but is none of his , which he directed me then to declare publickly as from him , yet in 1657. it is again reprinted to his great dishonour . for his small catechisme the reader is to take notice , that there was a false one printed without his knowledge , and is still sold for his . the injury he received by it compelled him to review it , with an epistle of his own before it , which is the mark to know the right edition , though being framed for his private use in his younger yeares , ( about 23. ) he had no intention of it for the publick . if any sermon-notes taken from him have been printed in his life-time under his name , or shall be hereafter ) which divers have of late attempted ) the reader is to take notice that it was against his minde , and that they are disowned , by him , which as he endeavoured to his utmost to suppresse , while he was living , so it was his fear to be injured in it after his death . for a further confirmation of which , i shall give you part of a letter of his , while he was bishop of meath , ( upon the like intention of a printer , who had gotten into his hands some notes of his sermons , said to be preached by him in london , and was about to publish them ) which he wrote to doctor featly , chaplain to the then arch-bishop of canterbury for the stopping of them , in these words . i beseech you to use all your power to save me from that disgrace , which undiscreet and covetous men go about to fasten upon me , or else i must be driven to protest against their injurious dealings with me , and say as donatus once did , mala illis sit , qui mea festinant edere ante me . but i repose cenfidence in you , that you will take order that so great a wrong as this may not be done unto me . remember me to worthy doctor goad , and forget not in your prayers . dublin , sept. 16. 1622. your most assured loving friend , and fellow labourer j. a. medensis . that book entitled the summe and substance of christian religion , some of the materials with the method are his , collected by him in his yonger years , for his own private use : but , being so unpolished , defective , and full of mistakes , he was much displeased at the publishing of it in his name . and though it be much commended at home , and by ludovicus crocius abroad , yet that he did disown it as it is now set forth , this letter following , wrote to mr. john downham , ( who caused it to be printed ) doth sufficiently confirm , as followeth . sir , you may be pleased to take notice , that the catechisme you write of is none of mine , but transcribed out of mr , cartwrights catechisme , and mr. crooks , and some other english divines , but drawn together in one method , as a kind of common-place-book , where other mens judgements and reasons are simply laid down , though not approved in all points by the collector ; besides that the collection ( such as it is ) being lent abroad to divers in scattered sheets , hath for a great part of it miscarried , the one half of it as i suppose ( well nigh ) being no way to be recovered , so that so imperfect a thing copied verbatim out of others , and in divers places dissonant from mine own judgement , may not by any meanes be owned by me ; but if it shall seem good to any industrious person to cut off what is weak and superfluous therein , and supply the wants thereof , and cast it into a new mould of his own framing , i shall be very well content that he make what use he pleaseth of any the materials therein , and set out the whole in his own name : and this is the resolution of may 13. 1645. your most assured loving friend ja. armachanus . a book entituled confessions and proofs of protestant divines of reformed churches for episcopacy , &c. though it be a very learned one , yet it is not his ; onely that of the original of bishops and metropolitans ( frequently bound up with the former ) is owned by him . unto which he was earnestly moved by a letter from doctor hall , the late reverend and learned bishop of norwich , then bishop of exeter ; which , shewing the great esteem he had of him , is annexed as followeth . to the most reverend father in god , and my most honoured lord , the lord arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland . most reverend , and my most worthily honoured , lord. that which fell from me yesterday , suddenly and transcursively , hath since taken up my after-midnight thoughts , and i must crave leave , what i then moved , to importune , that your grace would be pleased to bestow one sheet of paper upon these distracted times , in the subject of episcopacy , shewing the apostolical original of it , and the grounds of it from scripture , and the immediately succeeding antiquity ; every line of it coming from your graces hand , would be super rotas suas : as solomons expression is , very apples of gold , with pictures of silver , and more worth than volumes from us : think , that i stand before you like the man of macedon , and that you hear me say , come and help us : and as your grace is wholly given up to the common good of the church , say , whether you can deny it ? and if please your grace to take your rise from my humble motion to expresse your self in this question , wherein i am publickly interested , or otherwise , to professe your voluntary resolutions for the setling of many , either misled , or doubting soules , it will be the most acceptable , and ( i hope ) the most successefull work that your grace hath ever undertaken ; it was my earnest motion long ago to ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to intreat this labour from your grace ; which now comes from my meannesse ; your gracious humility will not even from so low hands disregard it ; with my zealous suit , and hopefull expectation of a yeilding answer , i humbly take leave , and am your graces humbly , and heartily devoted jos. exon . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64661-e5820 a calvinum criminantur jesuitae quod defendat deum , in primo instanti ante omnem praevis●●nem peccati , quosdam absolutè elegisse ad gloriam , alios destinâsse ad interitum . in secundo autem instanti , peccatum adami eo fine ordinâsse , ut justitiam suam erga reprobos , & misericordiam erga electos posset exercere . ( determ . q. 26. ) b verissimam calvini sententiam , hisce duabus proposicionibus contineri affirmo , &c. caecus est qui non videt in hisce locis substerni corruptam massam praedestinationis &c. subjectum esse tum electionis tum reprobationis , non causam , &c. ibid. c decretum praedestinationis non solum deereto lapsus permittendi , sed hominis creandi priùs & antiquiùs esse , &c. ibid. d hoc tantùm cupio ut indè perspiciatis , ipsos pontificios primarios esse hujus sententiae authores , quae negat hominem lapsum fuisse divinae praedestinationis subjectum . ibid. e illud sole clarius testimonium est , quod ex augustino desumptum affertur & probatur à calvino institut 3. c. 23. sect . 11. ibid. notes for div a64661-e7510 * rom. 9. 21s annotat. &c. notes for div a64661-e10060 * vid. augustin . praefat. in speculum . a edit . lindebreg . pag. 842. b ibid. pag. 373. a whether the proselyte , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were tied thereunto , is handled in the talmud of jerusalem , seder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fol. 8. d of my edition . b compare with deut. 16. 12. 7. part. 1. cap. 4. pag. 83 , 84. pag. 90. a the variation of some rude american breaketh here no square no more than it doth in the unskilfull reckoning of their times . [ they being meer savages . * this word was not well left out by gomarus , in investigat . p. 123. the greek , s. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a upon these two words i ground the strength of the argument : which will hold , notwithstanding the correction of gottef●edus , out of that in libro , 1. ad nationes cap. 13. quod quidem facitis , exo●bitantes & ipsi à vestris ad altenas religiones . a oper. lucian . graec● lat . pag. 893. edit . paris . ann. 1615. isych . lib. 6. in levit. cap. 23. vid. lidya . de variis annorum formis , cap. 5. a i. consecuti sumus , ( juxta usum loquendi veterum . ) concil . forojuliens . cap. 13. b part. 2. cap. 2. pag. 19. 1. c against doctor heylin , part 2. cap. 1. pug . 14. 1 cor. 5. 7. levit. 23. 10 , 11. 1 cor. 15. 20. matth. 27. 52 , 53. levit. 23. 15 , 16 , 17. numb . 28. 26. exod. 34. 22. acts 2. 1 , 4 , 5 , 41. jam. 1. 18. revel . 14. 4. thom. waldens . doctrinal . tom. 3. tit. 16. c. 140. revel . 7. 10. acts 11. 26. a it may be the three first syll ables of this word were wanting in the greek copy , which the translator used ; & thence came his viventes . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a d. white . notes for div a64661-e14610 a mr. hely of perry . notes for div a64661-e14890 a hist. of the sabbath . part . 2. cap. 8. a these two here instanced were not by way of diminution , for he did highly approve of both , as being excellent composures , but because they are either for the most part to be reckoned among the agenda , rather then the credenda , or that in both there are some circumstantials observed , and exhorted unto , only for decency and order , according to the wisdom of the church , which come not within the compasse of the creed , as upon the view of them , without descending to particulars , may easily appear . notes for div a64661-e19620 a o quod ad formulam precum & rituum ecclesiasticorum valde probo , ut certa illa extet à qua pastoribus discedere in functione sua non liceat , tam ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati & imperitiae , quam ut certius it a constat omnium inter se ecclesiaerum consensus ; ●ostreme etiam ut obviam eatur desultoriae quorundam levitati , qui novationes quasdam affectant ; sic igitur statum esse catechismum oportet statam sacramentorum administrationem , publicam item precum formulam ; vid. ep. anno 1546. protectori angliae . a answer to the rhem. ●est notes for div a64661-e23280 a the book of ordination . b ibid. ex act. 20 , 27 , 28. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . so taken in mat. 2. 6. and rev. 12. 5. and 19. 15. d rev. 2. 1. e 1 tim. 4. 14. f ibidem etiam exhortationes , castigationes & censura divina ; nam & judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud cert●s de dei conspectu , summúnque futuri judicii praejudicium est , si qui● ita deliquerit , ut à communicatione orationis . & conventuss , & omnis sancti commecii relegetur ▪ praesident probati quique seniores , honorem istum non pretio , sed testimonio adepti . tertul . apologet. cap. 39. g 〈◊〉 de a●io ●um manibus quam praesidentium ●●mimus , id de corona ●ilitis , cap. 3. h dandi quidem raptis●i habet jus summus sacerdos ; qui 〈◊〉 episcopus : ●●hinc presbytari & diaco●i . id. de bapt. cap. 17. i omni actu ad ●e perlato placuit contrahi presbyterium , cornel apud cyp. epist. 46. k florentissimo alio cle●●●cum praesidenti cyprian epist. 55. ad cornel. l ut episcopus nullius causam audiet absque praesentia clericorum suorum , alioquin irrita erit sententia episcopi nisi clericorum praesentiâ confirmetur , concil . carthag . iv. cap. 23. m excerption . egberti , c. 43. n 15. q. 7. cap. nullus . how the church might synodically be governed , arch-bishops and bishops being still retained , * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , id est , superintendentes ; unde & nomen episcopi trastum est , hieron , epist. 86. ad evagrium . certain discourses, viz. of babylon (rev. 18. 4.) being the present see of rome (with a sermon of bishop bedels upon the same words) of laying on of hands (heb. 6. 2.) to be an ordained ministry, of the old form of words in ordination, of a set form of prayer : each being the judgment of the late arch-bishop of armagh, and primate of ireland / published and enlarged by nicholas bernard ... : unto which is added a character of bishop bedel, and an answer to mr. pierces fifth letter concerning the late primate. ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1659 approx. 353 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 196 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-07 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64635 wing u161 estc r10033 12198836 ocm 12198836 56045 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a64635) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 56045) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 619:1) certain discourses, viz. of babylon (rev. 18. 4.) being the present see of rome (with a sermon of bishop bedels upon the same words) of laying on of hands (heb. 6. 2.) to be an ordained ministry, of the old form of words in ordination, of a set form of prayer : each being the judgment of the late arch-bishop of armagh, and primate of ireland / published and enlarged by nicholas bernard ... : unto which is added a character of bishop bedel, and an answer to mr. pierces fifth letter concerning the late primate. ussher, james, 1581-1656. bedell, william, 1571-1642. bernard, nicholas, d. 1661. [22], 380 p. printed for john crook ..., london : 1659. errata: prelim. p. [22]. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bedell, william, 1571-1642. catholic church -controversial literature. 2003-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-04 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-05 rina kor sampled and proofread 2003-05 rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certain discourses , viz. of babylon ( rev. 18. 4. ) being the present see of rome . ( with a sermon of bishop bedels upon the same words . ) of laying on of hands ( heb. 6. 2. ) to be an ordained ministery . of the old form of words in ordination . of a set form of prayer . each being the judgment of the late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland . published and enlarged by nicholas bernard d. d. and preacher to the honourable society of grayes-inne , london . unto which is added a character of bishop bedel , and an answer to mr. pierces fifth letter concerning the late primate . london , printed for iohn crook , at the signe of the ship in st. pauls church-yard , 1659. to the right worshipfull sir william ellis baronet , his highnes sollicitor generall , the readers , and benchers , with the ancients , barresters , and students , of the honourable society of graies-inne . yee are thus intituled to these treatises . the occasion of publishing the first , was a sermon preached by the late arch-bishop of armagh in your chappell of the same subject , nov. 5. 1654. who ( out of his old love to this society , whereof he was a member ) intended it as his last : the request then made to him for the permission of printing that , he did satisfy in his consent to the publishing of this for the other , some parts of them have been long agone preached before you by the authour , though now in another manner enlarged ; which as a testimony of his due observance and respect to this honourable society , he desires may be accepted from him , who is yours in the service of christ , n. bernard . grayes-inne , octob. 27. 1658. to the reader how popery and a prelacy came first to be contracted , is not my enquiry ; but sure i am , they are here very far a sunder , such as do apply that of babylon ( rev. 17. ) and the man of sin ( 2 thes. 2. ) to the pope can hardly be accounted popish , which you find affirmed by the late archbishop of armagh , and bishop bedell , in their discussing of the same words , and who are supported in if by the most eminent bishops of england and ireland , since the reformation . archbishop whitgift , bishop jewell ; abbot , bilson , andrews , downham , morton , hall , davenant , prideaux , with others , who have unanimously given their votes the same way , as is hereafter shewn , and indeed it could not be otherwise expected from some of them who had been taught to put him into their b letany , from the tyranny of the bishop of rome , and all his detestable enormities , good lord deliver us . so that if any of later years professing themselves to be the sons of those old prophets , have so far favoured the see of rome , as to divert the stream of that application some other way , it appears they have in it degenerated from their ancestors . the first treatise , being the primates three positions concerning babylon , was wrot above 40 years agone , ( which appears by the places of scripture , rendred according to the old translation ) and sent to an irish jesuit in dublin , ( as i take it c christophorus à sacro bosco , there called f. halywood , the summe of which having been delivered by the primate in a sermon which he preached at grays-inne , nov. 5. 1654. and being much desired by some of the auditours to be published , he did condescend , to permit this , with that other letter following , in their satisfaction . the learned sermon of bishop bedels ( being of the same subject ) i heard him preach it in christ-church , dublin , 1634. before the lord deputy and parliament . the occasion of his giving a copy of it , was at the request of a papist , to have shewen it to some learned men of his own religion , and my opportunity to have it , was the near relation i had to him for divers years in that see ; which after these 22 yeares lying latent with me ) i have taken this fit occasion to publish it . that which i have added , is by way of confirmation from some grounds out of ancient fathers , the successive votes both of the learned writers in those ages , who lived under the tyranny of the see of rome , as of our eminent bishops and writers , since that yoke was cast off in england ; with the concurrence of our book of homilies , severall synods of our own , and other reformed churches , the determination of the * dutch and french divines . it being very observable , that whatsoever differences there are in the reformed churches in other matters , yet there is a marvellous unity in this . to which is added the like judgement of arminius , and some of the church of rome , ( continuing at least in that communion ) who professe it out-right ; others by way of consequence : their chief writers , who meet us halfe way , granting the place , only disputing the time , contending as much as we , that babylon ( rev. 17. ) must be meant rome , the difference between us , whether ethnick , or papall . for that of the primates judgement ( seconded by some eminent writers ) what is meant , heb , 6. 2. by laying on of hands , and of the sense of the old form of words in ordination ; viz. receive the holy ghost , whose sins thou forgivest , &c. and the use of them to be continued . i had leave from himself for the manifesting and enlarging of it . and i suppose the last subject concerning a set form of prayer , will passe with the lesse opposition , by the concurring of divers eminent and worthy persons , whom the contrary-minded cannot but highly esteem of . having both in the former and this , taken up saint pauls manner of arguing with the athenians , as certain also of your own have said , &c. or as elsewhere , one of themselves , even a prophet of their own , &c. and surely , the primates appearing so much against the see of rome in the first , cannot but be a preparative to the hearkning unto him the rather , in the two later . for my self , i have no other design in the whole , but the peace and unity of the church , which we are all bound to seek , ( and without which end and aim , all gifts whatsoever coveted by us , are of no value ) and i hope to have that interpretation from such as are so affected . two things which have been enlarged by way of vindication of the eminent primate , from the injuries of doctor heylene , came so in my way , that i could not passe them , which else ( by his being in the esteem of men so far above his reach ) there had been no need of . he having in those and divers other aspersions which he hath cast upon him in his late book ( which may hereafter be fully cleared ) done himselfe the chiefest wrong . i commend the whole to the readers charitable and impartiall censure , that no prejudicate opinion doe obstruct his right apprehension . the contents of the severall treatises ; the first consists of three positions . 1. that a great city called babylon , shall be a seducer . 2. that by this city is meant rome . 3. not heathen rome , but since it was freed from the government both of heathen and christian emperours , and became the possession of the pope . the second . how the papacy may be said to be the beast that was , and is not , and yet is , rev. 17. 18. the third ( being bishop bedels sermon on rev. 18. 4. come out of her my people , &c. ) the speaker , our saviour christ : his people , those within the covenant of grace : a paralleling the speeches here , with those of the prophets ; of litterall babell ; who meant by mysticall babylon : the judgement of bellarmine , salmeron , viegas , to be the city of rome . how the title of babylon the great , and her reigning over the kings of the earth , rather agrees to rome papal , then heathen : the cup of inchantment whereby she hath deceived all nations , and one in speciall , in imitation of literall babell , ( dan. 1. ) applyed to that see ; her wantonnesse , pride , sitting as a queen , glorifying her self : the blood of christians shed by the papacy , to be beyond that of heathen romes persecution : his conclusion from the premises . that there are some of gods people in babylon ; that they are to goe out not only in affection , but the place also : of baptisme , grounds of the catechisme , faith , taught there ; of the doctrine of of merits : what is to be thought of those that doe yet live there , and cannot come out : whether the church of rome be a true church , rightly stated , p. 83. of the ordination had there , by the use of these words ; whose sins ye remit , &c. that the papall monarchy is babylon , proved by arguments at the barre of reason , and from common principles of christianity . p. 89. answer to that motive of staying in babylon , because they are told they may be saved in it : an exhortation of such as are yet in that captivity to come out , and of our selves to come further out . of impropriations , dispensations , &c. with a conclusive prayer for the destruction of babylon . the fourth , a confirmation of the abovesaid judgment . from some grounds out of the ancient fathers , consenting in an expectation that rome must be the place , and the successor of the emperour there , the person . a clear application of it to the see of rome , by the fathers and writers in successive ages before and after the tenth century : the judgment of the eminent bishops of england since the reformation , the book of homilies , especially in 2 places , calling the pope antichrist , and the babylonical beast of rome . a synod in france , as ireland ; how far confessed by the prime writers of the church of rome . the mistake of such as have diverted the application of it some other way ; an answer of a passage of doctor heylenes concerning it , in relation to the primate , and articles of ireland . the fifth , of laying on of hands . heb. 6. 2. reasons why not confirmation , but ordination . paraeus and mr. cartwrights concurrence in it with the primate . the necessity of an ordained ministry . the neglect of it as undermining the foundation . objections answered , with a seasonable application to the present times . the necessity of an external call ; the authority not from the people , that objection against our ordination being derived from rome , at large answered p. 218. that personal faults in the ordainers doth not null the ordination ; some application . the 6. of the old form of words in ordination , receive the holy ghost , not meant of the sanctifying grace of the spirit , nor extraordinary gifts of it , but of ghostly or spirituall ministeriall authority . 1 cor. 3. verse 3. 6. and 1 iohn 2. 20. the anointing teacheth you , &c. illustrated . an objection out of s. augustine answered . whose sins thou forgivest , &c. in what sense ministers are said to forgive sins . the primates judgement in his answer to the iesuits challenge , defended to be according to the doctrine of the church of england , which doctor heylene hath scandalized him in it . the 7th . of a set form of prayer . the judgment of calvine . dutch , and french divines with their practice . examples out of the old testament , and new. the pattern of our saviour , giving a form to his disciples , taking one to himself , and observing the set forms made by others . that objection of stinting the spirit answered . an vniformity in publique prayer a means of reducing unity in church and state. the full concurrence of mr. rogers , mr. egerton , dr. gouge , mr. hildersham , dr. sibbs , dr. preston , &c. of the length and gesture in prayer , mr. hildersham of an outward reverence in the publick . a character of bishop bedell , his industry at venice , and at home , humility , moderation , government , and sufferings . an answer to mr. thomas pierces fifth letter , wherein three certificates have been published by him , for the justification of a change of judgement in the late primate of ireland in some points . errata . some omissions of accents po●nting , and number of pages , the intelligent reader may correct himself . page 39. l. 2. r. professed p. 40. l. 8. r. ●o-ammi . p. 44. l. 18. r. ir● p. 45. lo. for there t is related that p. 46. l. 15. d. and p. 48. l. 8. circun . p. 49. l. 6. ly . p. 63. l. 〈◊〉 . d. ● . p. 59. l. 11. ( although p. 60. l. 4. her . p. 63. l. 1. as gods l. 21. dis● p. 64. l. 22. they , they . p. 70. l. 10. val . p. 82. l. 20. d. 〈◊〉 p. 92. l. 6. may , p. 160. l. 23. & p. 161. l. 11. padre . p. 162. mar . l. 8. justif . p. 185. l. 2. baptizing p. 189. l. 2 . -mining p. 198. l. 6. of the p. 248. l. 22. mediatly p. 250. l. 22. a. p : 278. l. 12 there p. 317. l. 8. wethersfield p. 322. l. 18. prayer , p. 329. l● 21. and mr. p. 362. l. 12. d. following . p. ●78 . l. ult . d. which . the judgement of the late arch-bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland , what is understood by babylon , in apoc. 17. & 18. apoc. 18. v. 4. go out from her my people , that ye be not partakers of her sins , and receive not of her plagues . in these words we are straightly enjoyned , upon our peril , to make a separation from babylon . for the understanding of which charge , these three positions following are to be considered . the first position . that it is plainly foretold in the the word of god , that after the planting of the faith by the apostles ; the kings and inhabitants of the earth should be seduced and drawn into damnable errours : and that the mother of all these abominations of the earth , should be a certain great city called babylon , in a mysterie . proof . this we finde directly laid down in the revelation , that a a great citie called b in a mystery babylon should become the mother of the spiritual whoredome and abominations of the earth , so that the c kings of the earth should commit fornication with her , and the i●habitants of the earth should be made drunke with the wine of her fornication . the second position . that by this great city babylon ( the mother of all the abominations of the earth ) is understood rome . proof . 1. by the clear testimony of scripture , in the seventeen chapter of the revelation ; where this city is described unto us , first by the situation ; that it is seated upon seven hills , ( v. 9. 18. ) and then by the largeness of the dominion thereof ; that it is that great citie that ruleth over the kings of the earth , ( v. 18. ) now that by these two marks rome was most notoriously known in the apostles dayes , may appear even by the romane poets , who describe rome just after the same manner , as d ovid ; sed quae de septem totum circumspicit orbem montibus , imperii roma deumque locus . rome the place of the empire ▪ and of the gods , which from seven hills doth take a view of the whole world . and more shortly propertius . septem urbs alta jugis toti quae praesidet orbi . the city mounted on seven hils which ruleth the whole world . no man reading propertius , ever made question , but that rome was here described ; and therefore no reason why any doubt should be made , what that great citie may be , which with the same colours is painted out unto us in the book of the revelation . 2. by the judgement of the anancient fathers , affirming expresly that rome is meant by babylon , in the seventeenth chapter of the revelation , as the rhemists themselves doe voluntarily confess in their last note upon the first epistle of peter 3. by the confession of those who are most devoted to the see of rome : as ( to name one for many , e ( bellarmine the cardinal jesuite ; whose words are these : [ iohn in the revelation every where calleth rome babylon , as tertullian hath noted in his third book against marcion , and in his book against the jewes : and it is plainly gathered out of the seventeenth chapter of the revelation : where great babylon is said to sit upon seven mountains and to have dominion over the kings of the earth . for there is no other city which in the time of iohn had dominion over the kings of the earth , but rome ; and the building of rome upon 7. hills , is a matter most famous . ] hitherto bellarmine . the third position . that old rome onely under the heathen persecutors ( from the time of the first emperour till constantines dayes ) was not babylon ( as the proctors of the church of rome would perswade us ) but rome in her last dayes being free from the government both of heathen and christian emperours . and that rome was to be that babylon , which should draw the kings and nations of the world unto superstition and idolatrie from such time as it ceased to be subject to the civil prince ( and became the possession of the pope ) until the last destruction thereof , which is yet to come . proof . 1. the matter of babylon is revealed unto saint john as a mysterie , apoc●7 ●7 . 6. but the persecution of the church by the heathen emperour was far from being a mysterie : for it being openly committed , saint iohn himself at the same time being a companion with the rest of the saints in this tribulation ( banished for the word of god , and for the witnessing of iesus christ into the iland pathmos : ) this could not be shewed as a secret and mystical thing . and therefore some further matter , not then openly known to the world must here be intended . 2. the state of babylon after her fall , is thus declared , apoc. 18. 2. 〈◊〉 is fallen , it is fallen , babylon the great citie is become the habitation of devils , & the hold of all foul spirits , and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird ; for all nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication , and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her , &c. if heathen rome onely were babylon , it would follow that upon the fall thereof in the dayes of constantine the emperour , rome professing the faith of christ should then become the habitation of devils , and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird . which being a most grosse and absurd imagination , it must needs be granted , that after the dayes of the christian emperour , the faithful citie should become a harlot ; even rome ( whose faith was once renowned throughout all the world ) should become babylon the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth . 3. such a desolation is foretold should come upon the great city babylon ( which in the second position is proved to be rome ) that it should utterly be destroyed and never built again , nor reinhabited , ( apoc. 18. v. 21 , 22 , 23. ) now at that very time when this judgement shall come ; it is said that the kings of the earth which have committed fornication with her , shall bewail her and lament her , ( rev. 18. verse 9. ) whereby it is most evident that rome is not to cease from being babylon , till her last destruction shall come upon her ; and that unto her last gaspe she is to continue her spiritual fornications , alluring all nations unto her superstition and idolatrie , 4. saint paul , 2 thessalonians 2. 7. declareth that there was one in his time who did hinder the revealing of that wicked man , who was to be the head of this apostacie , and falling away from the faith. and when that he should be taken out of the way , then ( saith the apostle verse 8. ) shall that wicked man be revealed . he that with-held and made this hinderance in the apostles time could be no other but the emperour , in whose hands , as long as the possession and governement of rome remained , it was impossible that that wicked one ( of whom the apostle speaketh ) should raigne there . so that upon his removal , that man of sinne must succeede in his roome , whereupon that great citie , wherein he placeth his throne falleth to be that babylon , which should deceive all nations with her inchantments . now all the world can witnesse , that the emperour , who sometime was the soveraigne lord of rome , is now quite turned out of the possession thereof , and the pope entered thereupon in his stead . whereupon it followeth , that the pope ( for all his holiness ) is that wicked one of whom the apostle prophesied , that he should sit in the temple of god exalting himself above all that is called god or worshipped : and consequently , that rome , ( where he hath settled his chayre ) hath long since begun , and yet continueth to be that babylon ; from whose communion we are charged to sever our selves , by that voyce from heaven , goe out of her my people , that ye be not partakers of her sinnes , and receive not of her plagues . the judgement of the primate ( wrot by him long agoe in answer to the request of a learned friend ) what is meant by the beast that was , and is not , and yet is , and other passages in the 17. and 18. of the revelation . in the revelation these four particalars must be carefully distinguished . the woman ( which is the great city babylon . ) the first beast which ariseth out of the sea , apoc. 13. 1. the second beast which ariseth out of the earth , apoc. 13. 11. and the false prophet which ministreth to the second beast that goeth to destruction , apoc. 16. 13. ( 19. 20. ) by which are meant ( as i conceive ) vrbs romana , imperium romanum , pontifex romanus , and clerus romanus . the two beasts in cap. 13. verse 11. are plainly distinguished , and that distinction must necessarily be observed in the seventeenth chapter . likewise for the great beast mentioned in the third and seventh verses of that chapter is the same with the first beast of the thirteenth chapter as appeareth by the like description of the seven heads and ten horns : the lesser beasts mentioned in the eighth and eleventh verses , ( which is the last head of the former ) can be no other but the second beast mentioned in the thirteenth chapter , verse 22 who revived the image of the former , i. e. of the empire , and made all to admire and adore it . now the question is how this latter which is pontifex romanus can be said to be the beast , that was , and is not , and yet is ? my conceit of this is singular , but such as it is , i will not conceal from you ; the pontifices among the ancient rom. ( as dionysius halicarnassaeus , noteth in his second book of roman antiquities ) were obnoxious to no other jurisdiction , neither were bound to render account of their doings to any , they were only at the command of the pontifex maximus , whose authority was so great that the emperours thought it inconvenient that this supremacy should be committed to any other , therefore by assumeing it to themselves , and anexing it to their imperial crown , they did by this means extinguish the spiritual magistracie , and in a sort extinguish the solemne magistracy , which ( under the 5. former heads ) was distinguished from all other superiour governments , and prosecuted with special regard and reverence . that as if now for example in our state , one should prophesie of the government of the dukes of lancaster under the like type , he might say of them in this manner ; the beast that was ( for the dukes of lancaster in their time have been great ) and is not ( for by annexing of the dutchey to the crown , there is now no speech of any duke ) and yet i● ( for the dutchey still remaineth with the several offices appertaining thereunto , though the state of the duke lieth as it were drowned in the person of the king ) so in like manner , the angel might speak of these pontifices roman● , the beast that was ( for he was in former time of speciall account ) and is not ( being now confounded , and , in a manner , swallowed up with the state of the emperour ) and yet is ( for the priest-hood remained still , ) the title and dignity thereof resting in the emperour . this beast , this pontifex romanus shall hereafter appear in his pontificalibus , and by his creatures ( the false prophet ) induce the world to accept his ponti●ical power for the highest upon earth , as before they did the imperial , the image whereof is in this perfectly revived . as for the second we are to consider that the seven heads of the first beast are expounded , apoc. 17. 9. & 10. to be both the seven mountains on which the woman , ( i. e. ) the great city , verse 18. was seated , and the seven kings ( or head governours , ) by which that city was ruled . the pope in regard of his civil power over the woman ( i. e. ) his regall power over the city of rome , orderly succeedeth the six heads that went before him , and so becometh the seventh , claiming that respect in higher headship then did his predecessors . but not content with that , for whereas the state of pontifex maximus , which in saint iohns time after a sort was , and is not , as hath been shewed , by means of the christian emperors was clean extinguisht ( the first of them bearing only the title , but not exercising the office , and gratian the emperour at last abolishing both the title and the office , as by zosimus a heathen historian we understand ) the pope raised it again out of the grave and took it to himself , and after he had gotten to be the seventh head , retained not the pontificality as an appendant of his regall power ( as did the emperours before him ) but advanced the head thereof far above any of the seven civil supreme governments , making himself by that means an eight head distinct from any of the former , which in respect of his civil power was one of the seven ; neither was he content to extend the jurisdiction of his pontificality , ad urbem & regiones suburbicarias onely , or to bound it within the confines of italy , but ( which was never done by any pontifex maximus , before him ) by being pontifex urbis ; he challenged a title of summus pontifex orbis , and so became not onely a head of the former beast , but also a severall beast by himself , receiving in his government the image of the former beasts , drawing all the world to worship the same , for ( as augustinus steuchus writeth in his second book against laur. valla ) when the pontificality was first set up in rome , all nations from east to west did worship the pope , no otherwise then of old , the caesars . a sermon , preached at christ-church dublyn , before the lord deputie , and the parliament of ireland , by bp . bedell , bishop of kilmore in ireland , anno 1634. revel . 18. 4. and i heard another voyce from heaven saying , come out of her my people , that ye be not partakers of her sins , and that ye receive not of her plagues . right honorable , reverend , worshipful and beloved . the censure that saint hierome passeth on this book of the revelation , tot sacramenta quot ver●● , so many words so many mysteries , hath often run in my mind , and made me even fearful to pronounce concerning the divers visions in it , and even loath to meddle with it ; neither have i to my best rememberance , above twice in my whole life chosen any text out of it to declare out of this place , which resolution i should stil have holden , save that i conceive some extraordinary fitness in this passage for the present occasion of this great meeting : and yet even now i shall treat of such a part , as is none of the hardest to be understood ; so as with out lanching into any deep and subtle disputations , we may keep us by the shore side . and if you will be pleased to favour my indeavour : with your religious attention , and the weaknesse of my voyce with your silence , i will hold as straight a course as i can , and without further preamble come to the matter it self of this text. and first for the connexion and declaration of the sence , you shall be pleased to understand , that in the former chapter , saint iohn is shewed a sight whereat he wondered with great marvel . a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , which had seven heads and tenn horns ; this woman had in her fore-head a name written , babylon the great , the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth . and in the rest of the chapter the mystery of the woman , and the beast that bare her , being largely declared and one thing amongst the rest , that she sitts on seven hills , ) the conclusion is , that she is the great citie which raigneth over the kings of the earth . in this chapter saint iohn proceeds in the same ter , and tells , how he saw first a mighty angel descending from heaven and proclaiming the fall of this babylon , ( verse 2. 3. ) and towards the end of the chapter , to confirm the matter wih a sign , another mighty angel takes up a milstone and throwes it into the sea , with this word with like violence babylon shall be thrown , and no more be found . in the middest between the voyces of these two angels is inserted a long speech , uttered also by a voyce from heaven , begining at this fourth verse which i have now read and extending to the twenty ninth , partly admonishing gods people to come out of this babylon in time , partly describing her pride and security going before her destruction , partly bringing in as it were the funeral song , that is , sung for her by her followers and lovers partly exhorting heaven with those that dwell therein to rejoyce at her ruine . this is the order now for the meaning of the words , that shall appeare best by resolving three questions . 1. whos 's this voyce is ? 2. to whom it speaks ? and 3. what ? we need not be long to seek who it is that speaks ; for both those that speak before and after are expresly called angels , and he that now speaks lacks that addition , and the interest that he challengeth in those that are spoken to , calling them my people , sheweth plainly ( to use the words of our blessed authour in his speech to peter at the sea of tiberias ) it is the lord. and albeit those relations between the lord and his people are often mentioned in scripture , without any restraint to any one person in the blessed trinity , yet because he that here speaks telleth of the lord gods judgeing the great citie , verse the 8. as of another and third person , strong is the lord god that judgeth her . and again , verse 20. speaking to the prophets and apostles , saith , god hath avenged you on her . it is evident that he who hear speakes is the mediatour , our lord jesus christ , who carries his people not in his minde onely , but in the explication of his name , matthew 1. 21. he shall save his people from their sinnes . whereto it fitly agrees that this voyce is uttered , from heaven , where our lord jesus is at the right hand of god : we see the speaker , now who are spoken unto christs people : there is no doubt , but in some sense all the world are christs people , his inberitance , his possession . and so much is often expres●y expressed , but yet the scripture in many places intimateth , that this phrase restraineth from the world to some particular and choice people , namely israel , the lord thy god hath chosen thee to be a speciall people unto himselfe above all people that are upon the face of the earth . so chapter 10. the lords portion is his people , jacob the lot of his inheritance ; ye shall be my peculiar treasure above all people , though all the earth be mine . hence it is , that these two , my people , and israel ; are used indifferently in the same sentence , as psalm 57 : heare o my people o israel , and so in many other places ; yet even amongst these there is some time a difference put , for all that are of israel are not counted gods people , to some of them it is said , hear the word of the lord ye rulers of sodome , give ear ye people of gomorah : and for an upbraiding of their continual rebellions against the lord , the prophet hosea is bidden to name one of his sons , lo-mmi , ye are not my people ; and when to all other their rebellions they rejected , yea crucified the lord of glory , the lord also rejected them , and as he threatned by his prophet , called his servants by another name , christians : even these also are in a different manner socalled ; sometimes all that are within the covenant of grace , and the sacraments thereof are called christs people ; sometimes those that he hath foreknown , and that are within the grace of the covenant ; god hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew according to that : i will put my law into their inward parts , and write it in their hearts , i will be their god and they shall be my people . and these are those here most properly spoken unto , as appears , because the motives here used the fear of partaking in sinne and punishment , most properly work upon these , besides these being oppressed & holden in captivity by the mystical babylon here spoken of are in the 6. verse exhorted to cry her quittance in the same words almost which the ancient church of israel useth concerning the old babel : o daughter of babylon which art to be destroyed , happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us . the third and last point to be cleared remains , what the people of god are commanded to doe , goe out of her , saith our lord iesus christ ; that is doubtlesse out of babylon , before proclaimed , to be fallen that is after the prophetical phrase certainly to fall ; babel is fallen , is fallen whence this form is borrowed . that babel was a city in chaldea , standing by the river euphrates , where by the occasion of the presumptious tower , the languages of mankinde were confounded , genesis 11. 10. the first seate of nymrods tyranny , chapter 10. 10. nebuchadnezer the king thereof carried thither captive , iehoiakim and with him daniel and his companions , together with the vessels of the house of god ; about some twelve years after zedekiah also was carried away captive to the same place , ierusalem burnt , the temple desolated , and the whole people in a manner carried out of their own land to the same place of babel , where they continued seventy years unto the overthrow of the babylonian monarchy by cyrus . the prophets isay and jeremiah , foretel the ruine of this babel , and delivering of gods people from her tyranny , whom they exhort upon her fall to returne into their own land : hence is this forme taken , and this whole chapter is compiled of little else , but the phrases of the prophets touching babel and tyrus as the diligent reader by comparing the concording places may easily perceive : this exhortation to leave babylon , is , depart ye , depart ye goe out from thence , remove out of the middest of babylon , and goe forth out of the land of the chaldeans , flee out of the middest of babylon , and deliver every man his soul , be not cut off in her iniquitie for sake her , and let us goe every one into his own countrey , vers. 45. my people , goe ye out of the middest of her , and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the lord , which as you see are almost the very words of this text , so that which followes here in the seaventh verse , i sit as a queen and am no vvidow , and shall see no sorrow , is taken out of isaiah 47. 7 , 8. the wayling of the merchants of this babel , and the store and preciousnesse of her merchandize is borrowed from the like description of the costlyness of tyrus , ezekiel 27. the inrecoverable ruine of this babel shewed in the end of this chapter , by the signe of a great milstone cast into the sea , is taken out of ier. 51. where the prophesie of that it self against babel , is appointed to be bound to a milstone , and cast into the river euphrates , which ran through the old babell , with this word . thus shall babel sinke , and shall not rise from the evil which i will bring upon her . these prophecies were accordingly accomplished , as you may see in daniel , for she is related in a great feast made by belshazzar to a thousand of his lords ( wherein he would needs bring forth the vessels of gods house for his nobles and concubines to quaff in . ) god wrote his doom with a hand upon the wall of his banquetting-house , and the same night the medes and persians under darius and cyrus , entered the citie , slew the king , and proclaimed libertie to gods people , to return into their countrey and reedifie the house of god as you may see , and thus came babel the glory of kingdomes ( as it is called esay 13. 19. ) to confusion : but this is the literal babel , whereunto there is a reference in this text , what now is the mystical babylon which here gods people are bidden to leave . questionlesse some city answering to this , in state , in glorie in oppression of the people of god , neither must we take it for the buildings onely and houses , but for the state also and policy ; as besides the evidence of the type of old babel , so taken by the prophets , and the common use of all authours in like case doth lead us . there be two opinions recited by cardinal bellarmine in this matter , one that it should be the communitie of all the wicked and reprobate . but this hath no manner of agreement : with the circumstances of the text : this is not seated on seven hills , nor hath it seven kings , five fallen , one being , and another to come , nor will those things that are foretold of the destruction of babel agree to this exposition , and is rejected by the learned of that side : and himselfe names another , ( which he approves for the better ) viz. that here by babel is meant the citie of rome . as that was in saint iohns time , for as he shewes out of tertullian , look as old babylon was the head of that empire , whose king persecuted and lead into captivity , the people of god , so did rome then : this is not onely bellarmines judgement , but salmeron , viegas , and others of that side that babylon is rome . they do well to yield to the clear evidence of truth so clear in deed as it would be too shameful impudence to deny it ; for what city was there which in saint iohns time could have the addition of great , but onely rome , or did rule over the kings of the earth , or ( to omit all other arguments was seated on seven hills : septemque una sibi muro cirnundedit arces ; it may be said constantinople also is set on seven hills and not unfitly , for it was built in emulation of rome called new rome , but not till some * ages after saint iohns time , we need not spend more words in a plam matter having our adversaries own confession , babylon is rome , and old rome ; yea saith bellarmine , heathen rome persecuting rome : hear i be●eech you , ( right honourable and beloved ) to observe well , not what isay , but what saint iohn , what the angels , what our lord iesus christ himselfe doe tell and relate in this chapter , touching the fall of this babel or rome . it is confessed ; if babylon be heathen rome , that is now falne , and hath been above a thousand years agoe , and consequenty thenceforth it is become an habitation of devils , the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird , for these are by the angel conjoyned with the fall thereof in the 2 verse , will bellarmine and his fellowes now confess this to be so ▪ i trow not . but because it may be some body else will , that we may speak not only to the men , but to the matter . observe that the ruine of babylon here spoken of , is so described as to be sudden in one day , in one houre : her desolation is not only without recoverie , but even consolation , like to the throwing of a stone into the sea , so as neither musick , nor minstrel , nor the sound of a quern , or any crafts-man , nor the voyce of a bridegroome , or a bride , nor light of a candel shall be found in her any more , this cannot agree with the conversion , or the subversion of heathen rome , for all these things are yet left now to be found there ; and if men will not wilfully shut their eyes , they must ( me thinkes ) needs see that this desolation did not then come upon rome , nor is yet come upon her , and therefore it is not heathen rome , but after the embracing of christian religion , which is to fall , and consequently that out of which christs people are called ; viegas of likelyhood was aware of this , and therefore hath devised another shift to escape by : he saith , rome is here to be taken in a double estate . that before it received christs faith , and that which shall be in antichrists time : when ( as saint iohn saith in this and the former chapter ) it shall revolt from the bishop of rome , and from the faith ( as he saith ) a little before antichrists coming , or at least at the beginning of his kingdome rome shall be grown proud , and secure , so as to say , i sit as a queen ; and then by the ten kings mentioned in the former chapter ( who had given their kingdomes unto her ; ) shall she be ruined and burnt , &c in this exposition , the revolt that he tells of from the obedience of the see of rome , is a fancy of his own , and hath not the least ground in st. iohns vision , that the revolt from the faith , whereof the apostle paul speaks , ( 2 thessalonians 2. ) is the very apostacy of antichrist the man of sinne , and sonne of perdition , that rome in antichrists time shall be secure , and account her self to sit as a queen , and then be destroyed by the ten kings that formerly had served and obeyed her ; this is very true , as being ●xpresly so laid down in the 16. and 17. vers. of the former chapter . but that which befell the iewes in the looking for the kingdome of christ when it was already among them , happeneth to viegas and those of his side , they fondly look for antichrist the last head of the beast , whereupon the babylonian harlot sitteth above a thousand yeares after all the former , and consider not that this beast is one principality under divers forms of government , whereof five being fallen in saint iohns time , one then in being , and the other to endure , a short space . to make this short space a thousand years , or else to put in so many years of the popes government over rome before antichrist come , who shall forsooth revolt from his obedience : it seemes rather the dream of a waking man then to hold any likelyhood of truth , howsoever it resteth even by vi●gas consent ( notwithstanding his cunning combination of two states of rome , that under paganisme , and that under antichrist , with a thousand years between ) that rome must have continued christian for sundery ages before her desolation , and for ought doth yet appear the present monarchy which she claims to exercise over the christian world , is the mystical babylon out of which gods people are called . for the better clearing whereof , let us consider the description that is made of this babylon , by the angels and our saviour christ himself more distinctly , to see whether it doe agree to the present estate of rome or no : the angel tells iohn in the last verse of the former chapter , the woman which thou sawest is the great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth , and before ( verse 5. ) upon her forehead is a name written , mysterie babylon the great . touching this greatness i may spare my pains to speak much , there is a learned book of iustus lipsius which he intitles admiranda , marvells , touching the greatness of rome , not long after in concurrence thereto , there was another made by thomas stapleton our countreyman professour at lovaine , which he intitles vere admiranda , marvels indeed , touching the greatness of the church of rome , wherein by comparison he indeavours to shew that for largeness of extent , strength and power over princes themselves , honour yielded unto it , the greatness and magnificence of the romane church doth far surpass the roman empire . these two books were both printed together , and set forth at rome against the year of jubilee , 1600. as if the papacy laboured to carry in her forehead the name great babylon ; for the reigning over the kings of the earth by this great city , ( which is another point of the angels description . ) it is true that heathen rome had anciently in the borders and confines of the state , sundry kings that held their kingdomes of her , such were the herods , aretas and agrippa mentioned in the new testament ; but these were neither in number nor dignity , nor in the absoluten●ss of their subjection to be compared with those that the now rome reigneth over : and no great marvel if the roman emperour armed with thirty or fourty legions had many kings at command ( saith stapleton ) but that the pope being altogether unarmed , should give lawes to the kings of the earth : and either advance them to their kingdomes , or depose them , who would not account worthy of great marvel ? true , but the angel shewes us the true reason , the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kings which have received no kingdome as yet but receive power , as kings at once with the beast , &c. for god hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will , and to agree and to give their kingdome unto the beast , until the word of god shall be fulfilled . and consider i pray you here the manner how they have given their kingdomes to the beast ; vpon the election of any new pope , they send a solemne embassage to profess their obedienee to him : and one of those ( which is extant in print , as great a monarch as any the christian world hath ) offers himself and all his kingdomes , his seas , firm lands , islands , armes , forces , treasures , ships , armies , whatsoever he is , whatsoever he hath , whatsoever he is able to doe ; and falling down at the popes feet as a most obsequious sonne : he acknowledgeth and confesseth him to be the true vicar of christ our saviour on earth , the successour of peter the apostle , in that see , the head of the vniversal church , the provost , parent , and pastor of all christians , praying him and humbly beseeching him that he would receive all whatsoever be hath offered to the profit & defence of the church into his p●otection and patronage : and these words , &c. are said with a gesture corespondent : the embassador falling down upon his knees : let lip●ius if he can with all his reading in story , shew us such an example of any king subject to old pagan rome : it is true that nero accounted it for his highest glory to have set the crown upon tiridates the king of the armenians head in the city of rome , with great state and pomp . but let us see ( saith stapleton ) if the majesty of the church of rome hath not had an equal part of this glory , yea and a greater , and then he reckons how pope leo the third gave the empire to charles the great , and how other popes conferred to others a great many other kingdomes : one thing he forgets that neither nero nor any other emperour of old rome ever crowned any with his feet , as celestine the third , did henry the sixth , nor caused him to hold their stirrops , or kiss their feet , much less set their feet upon their neckes as pope adrian the fourth , and alexander the third , did to the emperor frederick . and that we may not spend more time in proving that the present papal rome reigneth over the kings of the earth , the merchants of babylon are now resolved that all the kingdomes of the earth are the popes , insomuch that the best title that any prince can have to his crown is , dei & apostolicae sedis gratia , by the grace of god , and apostolick see. and cardinal bellarmine recognizing his works retracts that which might seem to cross this title about the popes dividing the new world to the portugals and spaniards : and tempers that which he had said that christ himselfe whose vicar the pope is , had no temporal kingdome , and lastly , asserts more roundly , contrary to his former opinion ▪ viz. that the church may deprive infidels of their dominion which they have over the faithfull , yea , albeit they do not endeavour to turn away the fai●hful from the faith : howsoever she doth not alwayes so , because she wanteth strength , or doth not judge it expedient , but questionlesse , if those same princes do goe about to turn away their people from the faith , they may and ought to be deprived of their dominions : i shall not need to call to rememberance here what faith or infidelity is at this day in the roman language when paul the fift , teacheth the catholickes that they cannot take the oath of fidelity ( salva fide catholica ) with safety of the catholick faith ; which shewes , that if the pope may deprive infidels of their dominions , how much more such as are christians , being thereby more under the verge of his authority , concerning the popes ruling over the kings of the earth , this may suffice . the angel which in the begining of this chapter proclaimeth the fall of babylon , saith that all nations have drunke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication , and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her . in the greek the text is so , but might as well for the force of the words , and better for the circumstances be rendred of the wine of the heat of her fornication . and so chapter 14. 8. this seems to be a declaration of the liquor contained in the golden cup which she hath in her hand full of ●bominations and unclean fornications , and in this chapter verse 23. by thy sorceries were all nations deceived ; by all which is meant that with hot intoxicating love drenches , she had besotted the kings of the earth to be enamored of her ; how to declare this of heathen rome i cannot well tell , unless it were that by benefits , favours and shew of honor , kings and provinces were alured to bear the romane yoak , and conform themselves to rome , but for papal rome the matter is more easie , for under the pretence of religious holiness , and spiritual profit , the blessing of almighty god , and of the blessed apostle saint peter and saint paul , christs vicar and saint peters successor the keyes of heaven , fulness of power : and the apostolical sees , exemptions , dispensaons , pardons , faculties , indulgences , iubilees , inlarging of souls out of purgatory , she hath brought all sorts to her love and lure , princes and great men , finding how needful her favour is for dispensing with some disadvantagious oaths or incestuous marriages , or a soldering some crackt title to some signory , have been in emulation and jealousie one with another about her love , and contented their subjects should flatter her and be seduced by her , so as at length she hath brought them to believe ( at least to make profession that they believe ) she cannot deceive them though she would never so fain , volens nolens errare non potest . if this cup of inchantment were not ; were it likely , were it possible , that she should perswade christians to be content not to hear christs voice , speaking in his word , not to receive the holy sacrament of his body and blood whole and intire though he so gave it ; and the church for many ages so kept it , not to pray with understanding in a known tongue not to take the ten commandements as god pronounced and wrote them twice with his owne finger , but as she hath rased and deformed them , not to say amen to the lords prayer in the company with other christians , because she would not allow it ; were it not for this cup of errour , could she have ever perswaded that she can dissolve the bonds of fe●lty betwixt subject and prince , depose and denounce kings ; and warrant their subjects to kill them , and had she not first with this cup of sorcery transformed men into beasts , could she have found any that would have adventured to execute these her ungodly and wicked designs ? here by the way let me tell you of an old babylonian trick , by which especially , the westerne babylon hath conveyed this cup of errour into the hands of all nations . we read in the first of d●niel , that nebuchadnezzar commanded the master of his eunuches , that he should bring certain of the kings ●eed , and of the princes children in whom was no blemish , and of able witts , to te●ch them the learning and ●ongue of the chaldeans ; thus were daniel and his fellowes used , and had other name , and education given them that they might forget their own , ( though gods special grace in them went beyond the p●llicy of babylon . ) such and worse hath been and is the practice of new babylon in drawing younger brothers of great houses and good wits to rome and romish colledges and seminaries , some of their names changed ; makeing them their chiefe instruments of state to mould and frame their own families , and countreyes to the romane doctrine and obedience . those of the council of the samaritanes that resisted the building of the temple ; render the reason of their careful advertising the king of his interest , viz. that because they were salted with the salt of the palace it was not meet for them to see the kings damage : how should not they that have had their education at the new babylons charges ; but in gratitude further her affaires , and draw all they may to her obedience and devotion : and thus much concerning babylons cup. it followeth after in process of our lords speech ; upbraiding her that she glorifies her selfe and lives in wantonness and pride , and saith , i sit as a queen and shall not be a widow , nor ●re any sorrow , &c. it would require a long time to recite the prov●rbs and by words only , which have been cast up and down , concerning the wantonness and uncleanness of rome , since she came to be the seat of the popes court , and how she hath drawn to her self , and spent the wealth of all nations ; in this matter i will spare rather your ears and this place , then my own pains ; for the boast of sitting as a queen , consider her maximes ; viz. the church of rome is the mistress and teacher of all churches , without spot or wrinckle , and it is necessarie to salvation to every humane creature to be under the bishop of rome , that no man may judge him nor say unto him domine cut itafacias . if any man have a desire to see the vaunts of rome . in this kind let him be pleased , to view the image of the man of ●in , exalting himself in the temple of god , as it is drawn by master fox in the end of the former tome of his acts and monuments ecclesiastical , out of the popes own decrees and decretals ; and if any make scruple to look on that book , let him see bellarmine undertaking that the pope intending to teach the whole church can in no case erre in things appertaining to faith ; no , nor yet the particular church of rome , that it is probable and pious to believe the pope cannot become an hereticke even as a particular person ; that he is the judge of controversies in the church , and his judgement certain and infallible : add to these , that the same bellarmine makes temporal felicity one of the notes of the church . one point more rests in the speech of the last angel concerning babylon in this chapter , verse the last , that in her was found the bloud of the prophets , and saints & of all that were slain upon the earth : and in the former chapter , iohn saw the woman drunken with the bloud of saints and martyrs of iesus : that heathen rome was such there is no doubt : and although bellarmine would draw the text another way to ierusalem ) that this is the great city , where the bodies of two witnesses shall lie unburied , where also the lord was crucified , since in the romane empire , and by a romane deputy , and to a romane death , our lord was put , but this doth no less stick by christian rome unto this day , to be drunken with the bloud of saints and martyrs of iesus : let histories be turned , and an exact account taken , how many thousands ( otherwise good christians ) have been slain and massacred merely for his pleasure sake , and because they would not submit to her obedience ; i think it will very evidently appeare that they are imcomparably more then all those that suffered martyrdome for the christian religion under heathen romes persecution . to omit those whom as an imperious harlot she hath caused to be killed for calling her name in question . thus you see the description of babylon doth no lesse agree to the present , then the old heathen rome , the great city , her command over the kings of the earth ; her inchanting cup , her wantonness and delicacy , her arrogancy and pride : lastly , that bloudy and bloud thirsty cruelty against the worshippers of christ , exercised by her , and ( which i desire you to observe ) by her alone ; for in no other part of the christian world you shall find it . to conclude then , since neither heathen rome onely , as she was heathen ( as bellarmine would have it ) can be babylon , nor partly heathen , and partly antichristan , as revolted from the pope , with a gap of a thousand years between ( as viegas divineth ) and the character that the holy ghost sets upon babylon doth no lesse , but rather more agree to the present pontifical rome , then to the old imperial . it is the falsely termed christian , indeed the antichristian rome , which is the babylon , out of which gods people are called . and how they are to go out of her , it rests to be considered : bellarmine cites saint augustine to prove that it is corde non corpore , not in place but affection ; but the temple of gods people departing from babel would seemto imply both ; and the rather because this great city is spiritually called sodo● and egypt : now such was the departure of lott out of sodome and israel out of egypt . it is true that by cyrus his edict gods people were permitted to return into their own countrey to the place where the lords worship was then fixed ; now there is no such place specially appointed , as our lord iesus christ shews in his speech with the woman of s●maria : but certainly if any of gods people cannot by separation in judgement and affection so live , as not to be partakers of the sins of babylon , they are to go out bodily also , and in no wise to touch any unclean thing , gods people are warned to do , even by the consideration of the holy vessels of the lord which they carried with them out of babylon . the reason which confirms this charge of going out of babylon , is drawn from the danger of participation in her sins , and in her plagues , that is , blowes , stripes , punishments , which are not onely those mentioned in the 8 verse , death , mourning , famine , fire , but as in the 14. chapter ( where the same proclamation is made of her fall which is here ) the drinking of the hot and unalaid wine of gods vengeance , and to be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels , and the lamb , and the smoak of their torments shall ascend for ever and ever . we have thus descussed the meaning of this scripture , which being all laid together is this , saint iohn hears our lord iesus christ admonishing from heaven his faithful people to come out of the obedience of romish , popish babylon , least partaking with her in her sins , they receive also of her stripes and punishments , both temporall and eternal . here concerning the person of the speaker mentioned in this first place , and that circumstance , that he speaks from heaven , i will for the present say no more , but desire onely that it may renew the religious attention of all ; that each would say with himselfe , i will hearken what the lord god will say , for he will speak peace unto his people , and to his saints that they turn not to folly : that every one would remember the words of the apostle , see that ye despise not him that speaketh , for if you escaped not , when ye refused him that speaketh one earth , much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven ; but these points shall be more profitably pressed when we shall have considered the speech it self . wherein observe first , he call ●is people to come out of babylon , ) a plain argument that there are many not onely good moral and civil honest men there , but good c●ristians , not redeemed onely , but in the possession of the grace of our lord jesus christ , which may be confirmed by these reasons . first there is amongst these that are under the tyranny of the romish babylon , the sacrament of entrance , into the covenant of grace ; baptisme , by which those that are partakers thereof are made members of christ , ●he children of god , and heirs of eternal lif● : & of these that have but this seal of gods covenant , ( viz. infants ) are no small and contemptible part of gods people , though as yet they cannot hear this voyce of christ calling out of babylon ; besides this there is publication of the tenure of the covenant of grace to such as are of years , though not so openly and purely as it might and ought , yet so as the grounds of the catechisme are preached , sin is shewed , christs redemption ( or the story of it ) is known faith in him is called for , and this faith is by the grace of god wrought in some : for the word of god and his calling is not fruitless , but like the rain returneth not in vain ; and where true faith is , men are translated from death to life , he that believeth in the son hath everlasting life . some men perhaps may object the faith which they describe and call by this name of catholick faith , is none other but such as the divels may have : i answer , religion is not logick , he that cannot give a true definition of the soul is not for that , without a soul ; so he that defines not faith truely , yet may have true faith ; learned divines are not all of accord touching the definition of it , but if ( as by the whole stream of the scripture it should seem ) to be a trust and cleaving unto god ; this faith many there have , the love of our lord iesus christ is wrought in many there , now he that loveth christ is loved of him and of the father also , and because the proof of true love to christ is the keeping of his sayings , their are good works , and according to the measure of knowledge great conscience of obedience . yea will some man say , but that which marreth all is the opinion of merit and satisfaction . indeed that is the school doctrine , but the conscience enlightned to know it self will easily act that part of the publican , who smote his breast and said , god be merciful to me a sinner . i remember a good advice of one of that side , let others ( saith he ) that have commi●ted few si●nes , and done ma●y good workes satisfie for their sins ; but whatsoever thou d●st , refer it to the honour of god : so as whatsoever good come from thee , thou resolve to doe it to please god , accounting thy works too little to satisfie for thy sins : for as for thy si●s thou must offer christs works , his pains and wounds , and his death it self to him , together with that love of his out of which he endured these things for thee . these are available for the satisfaction for thy sins . but thou whatsoever thou dost or sufferest , offer it not for thy sins to god but for his love and good pleasure , wishing to find the more grace with him , whereby thou mayest doe more , greater and more acceptable works to him , let the love of god then be to thee the cause of well-living , and the hope of well-working : thus he , and i doubt not but many there be on that side that follow this councel ; here with i shall relate the speach of a wise and discreet gentleman , my neighbour in england , who lived and died a recusant ; he demanded one time , what was the worst opinion that we could impute to the church of rome ? it was said , there was none more then this of our merits : and that cardinal bellarmine not onely doth uphold them , but saith , we may trust in them , so it be done soberly ; and saith , they deserve eternal life , not onely in respect of gods propromises and covenant , but also in regard of the work it self : whereupon he answered , bellarmine was a learned man , and could p●rhaps defend what he wrote by learning , but for his part he trusted to be saved onely by the merits of his lord and saviour jesus christ , and as for good works he would do all that he could ; et valeant q●uantum volere possint . to proceed : in or under the obedience of rome there is persecution and that is a better mark of christs people , then bellarmines temporal felicity all that will live godly in christ iesus ( saith the apostle ) shall suffer persecution ; ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake ( saith our saviour ) and so are all they on that side that are less superstitious then others , or dare speak of redress of abuses , yea , there is martyrdome for a free opposing mens traditions , image-worshipers , purgatory , and the like . add , that inobedience to this call of christ , there do some come dayly from thence , and in truth how could our saviour , call his people from thence if he had none there ? how could the apostles say that antichrist from whose captivity they are called shall sit in the temple of god ( since that ierusalem is finally and utterly desolated ) unless the same apostle otherwhere declaring himself had shewed us his meaning , that the church is the house of god , and again , ye are the temple of the living god , and the temple of god is holy , which are ye ; it will be said that there are on that side many gross errors , many open idolatries , and superstitions , so as those which live there must needs be either partakers of them and like minded , or else very hypocrites . but many errors and much ignorance ; so it be not affected , may stand with true faith in christ , and when there is true contrition for our sins , ( that is , because it displeaseth god ) there is a general and implicite repentance for all unknown sins , gods providence in the general revolt of the ten tribes , when elias thought himselfe left alone had reserved seven thousand , that had not bowed to the image of baal ▪ and the like may be conceived he●e since especially , the idolatry practised under the obedience of mystical babylon , is rather in false and will-worship of the true god , and rather commended , as profitable , then as absolutely , necessary , enjoyned and the corruptions there maintained rather in superfluous addition then retraction in any thing necessary to salvation . neither let that hard term of hypocrisie be used of the infirmity , and sometime , humble and peaceable carriage of some , that oppose not common errors , nor wrestle with the greater part of men , but do follow the multitude , reserving a right knowledge to themselves , and sometimes , ( by the favour which god gives them to find where they live , ) obtain better conditions then others can ; we call not iohn the beloved disciple an hypocrite , because he was known to the high priest , and could procure peter to be let to see the arraignment of our saviour : nor peter himself that for fear denied him , much less daniel and his companions that by suit obtained of melzar their keeper that they might feed upon pulse and not be defiled with the king of babels meat , and these knew themselves to be captives and in babel . but in the new babel how many thousands do we think there are that think otherwise that they are in the true catholike church of god , the name whereof this harlot hath usurped : and although they acknowledge that where they live are many abuses , and that the church hath need of reformation , yet there they were born , and they may not abandon their mother in her sickness . those that converse more inwardly with men of conscience on that side , doe know that these are speeches i● secret ; which how they will be justified against the commands of christ ( come out of her my people ) belongs to another place to consider . for the purpose we have now in hand , i dare not but account these the people of god , though they live very dangerously under the captivity of babylon , as did daniel , mordecay , hester , nehemiah , and ezra , and many jewes more , notwithstanding both cyrus commission and the prophets command to depart . this point may give some light in a question that is on foot among learned and good men at this day , whether the church of rome be a true church or no , where i thinke surely if the matter be rightly declared , for the tearms , there will remain no question . as thus , whether babylon pretending to be the church of rome , yea the catholick church , be so or not , or this , whether the people of christ that are under the captivity be a true church or no , either of both waies declare in these tearms , and the matter will be soon resolved . except some man will perhaps still object , though there be a people of god , yet they can be no true church , for they have no priesthood which is necessary to the constitution of a church , as saint cyprian describes it , plebs sacerdoti adunata , people joyned to their priest , they have no priesthood being by the very form of their ordidination sacrificers for the quick and the dead . i answer , under correction of better judgements , they have the ministery of reconciliation by the commission which is given at their ordination ; being the same which our saviour left in his church , whose sins ye remit they are remitted , whose sinnes ye retain they are retained . as for the other power to sacrifice , if it be any otherwise then celebrating the commemoration of christs sacrifice once offered upon the cross , it is no part of the priesthood or ministery of the new testament , but as superfluous additions thereunto , which yet worketh not to the destruction of that which is lawfully conferred otherwise . this doctrine i know not how it can offend any , unless it be in being too charitable , & that i am sure is a good fault , and serves well for a sure mark of christs sheep , and hath very good opportunity to help christs people out of babel : by this saith he , shall men know that ye are my disciples , if ye have charitie one to another ; but they call us hereticks , miscreants , doggs , &c. and persecute us with more deadly hatred then jewes and turks , yea , this is babylon , and perhaps some of gods people in it that are misinformed of us . thus did saul for a while , yet a chosen vessel to bear christs name over the world . but let us maintain our charitie to them as we are wont to bear with the weakness of our friends or children , when in hot fevers or plurisies they miscal us . let us remember if they be christs people , how little loving soever they be to us , they must be our beloved brethren , and this of the persons . now let us see their dutie . it is the du●tie of those people of christ to come out of babylon ; that is ( as we have already shewed ) the obedience of the present roman monarchy , and for this , the very authority of christs voyce from heaven should suffice : for his sheep hear his voice . but if that be yet doubted , whether the papal monarchy , be babylon , let us for the present set aside the mystical arguments from this place , and all other prophetical circumstances . and let the matter be tried by plainer arguments , at the bar of reason out of the common principles of christian doctrine , as thus , where the use of christs word is forbidden to his people , where they lay away the key of knowledge , and gods worship is without understanding in an unknown tongue where christs sacraments are corrupted and maimed : where divine worship is communicated to creatures , where christs glorious body is defended to be torn not onely with the teeth of the faithful but also of faithlesse men , yea of rats and mice , where besides a number of other superstitions , the effects of christs blood , are communicated to purgatory fire , to saint francis frock , and the carmilites scapular , where the sole infallible interpretation , of scripture , decission of crntroversies , last resolution of our faith , is placed in the brest of one man , who may be without true faith and sound knowledge of religion or morall honesty it self , where the doctrine is maintaiued as catholike , that the pope is vice-god , monarch of the christian world , almightie , that he can depose princes , and expose them to their subjects to be killed , command the angels , with many more like blasphemies ; from this place and society christs people are to depart and separate themselves ; but the present romane monarchy is such , the conclusion follows undenyable , goe out of her my people . here will i crave leave to answer on objection that may be made by flesh and blood , to be retentive to keep gods people from hearkning to this voyce of christ ; and is used for a motive to draw more also to the obedience of rome , gods people , ( of which number i hope i am one ) may be saved ; nay , which is more cannot perish , why should i then be so solicitous , if salvation may be had there ; on the contrary they deny that you have either church or salvation ; therefore it is the safest course , by the opinion of both sides , to continue there still . i answer ; this is not the discourse of christs sheep who make the hearing of his voice , and doing of his will , a higher end then their own salvation : but well may become the mouth of those deceivers that would seduce them . it is the very language of the old serpent , ye shall not surely die : the reason and rule of obedience is not the avoyding of hell fire , or the attaining of bliss of heaven , but the doing of the will of god. and yet supposing this to be true , that salvation mae be had in babylon ; yet it is attained with great difficulty , and as it were through the fire . as the apostle speaketh of those builders which foolishly lay upon the precious foundation of christ , the hay , straw , and stubble of mens traditions : and there is again a large entrance , to be afforded into the everlasting kingdome of our lord and saviour jesus christ , if the graces of gods spirit abound in us and make us not barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of christ. again , ignorance , so that it be not wilful and affected may have some pardon , but to hold the truth of god in unrighteousness , as all do that receive not the love of the truth , and knowing how they which commit such things are worthy of death , yet doe 〈◊〉 same and favour those that doe them . the wrath of god from heaven is revealed against such , romans 1. 18. 31. even the danger of temporal punishment threatned to the sinnes of rome is not to be neglected . suppose a man were sure to goe to heaven ; but ( although to humane infirmity it may perhaps seem otherwise ) even the eternal punishments in hell are not so great an evil as is the offence of god , and partaking of sin . looke therefore as this sophisme of sathan is in all other temptations to be answered ; thou maiest doe this and yet be saved being of the number of christs people , for david , peter , and others , although they did such things , yet found pardon and salvation , so here . nay , i will not adventure gods wrath , i have other sinnes enough to answer for , my conscience is more then a thousand witnesses : i will not buy repentance so deare , and loose the things i have gotten . now should i come to the motives from the danger of sinne and of partaking in punishment . but the handling of these would require a long time : let me rather make some application of that which hath been said already . and first and most properly to those that this scripture most concerns and is directed unto : the people of god holden in the captivitie of the romane babylon ; but alass they are not here , for this is one part of their captivity , that they are kept , not onely from hearing the voyce of the servants of christ , or of saint iohn the beloved disciple , but of himselfe speaking here from heaven ; and they are so contented , what remedy may there be for those that are thus bewitched , unlesse you ( my l. l ● . and brethren ) will be contented to become faithfull feoffees in trust , to convey this voyce and message of christ unto them : and by my request you shall be pleased to doe it , with a great deale of love. as this president of our lord himselfe doth leade you as to brethren , and , as you hope , faithfull people , loath to sinne against him , desirous to please him in all things ; tell them then , that it is acknowledged by their owne doctours : that rome is babylon , and it is averred , that this is the present papall monarchie , that out of this they must depart by the commands of our lord iesus christs owne voyce , under paine of being accessary to all her sinnes , and lyable to all her punishments , wish them to use the libertie to reade the holy scriptures , and to come out of the blinde obedience of mens precepts and traditions ; be pleased to tell them further , that others may have some collour of excuse , that live in such places where they may not discover themselves without danger of the losse of their goods , honour or life , they may doe it here , not onely with safetie , but with reputation and profit , intreat them to beware least they make themselves extreamely cu●pable , not onely of partaking with the former idolatries , extortions , massacres , powder treasons , and king killings of that bloody city , but the new detestable doctrines , derogatory to the blood of christ which moderate men even of her own subjects detest . but which she for fear it should discontent her own creatures , and devoted darlings will not disavow : o if they would feare the plagues of babylon , and that of all others the fearfullest : blindness of mind , and strong delusions to believe lies , that they may be damned that believed not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness : but you hope better things of them , accompanying salvation ; and this message of our lord jesus christ if you will be pleased to deliver , accompanying it with those generall and common goods of charitie and meekeness , integritie , good example , and the speciall furtherance , which your callings and places in state , church or family can give it , doubtlesse to christs people , will not be uneffectual . blessed be god that hath-long agoe stirred up the spirits of our princes , like cyrus to give libertie to gods people to go out of babylon , and to give large patents , with darius , and artaxe●xes , for the building of the temple and establishing the service of god. and blessed be god , and his majestie that hath sent us another nehemiah , to build up the walls of ierusalem , and to procure that the portion of the levites should be given them . give me leave ( right honourable ) to put you in mind , that this also belongeth to your care , to cooperate with christ in bringing his people out of the romish captivitie ; and if to help away a poor captive out of turkie hath been honourable to some publicke ministers : what shall it be to help to the enlargeing of so many thousand souls out of the bondage of mens traditions , and gaining to his majestie so many entire subjects , your wisedom ( my lord ) is such , as it needeth not to be advised ; and your zeal as it needeth not to be stirred up : yet pardon me one word , for the purpose of helping christs people out of babylon . they are called by himself often in scripture , his sheep ; and verily , as in many other , so in this they are like to sheep ; which being cooped up in a narrow pent , though they find some pleasure , and the passage be set open , are not forward to come out ; unlesse they be put on , but strain courtesie , which should begin , yet when they are once out with a ioyfull friske they exult in their freedome , yea , and when a few of the foremost lead , the rest follow ; i shall not need to make application : do according to your wisedome in your place , and christ whose work it is shall be with you , and further your endeavours . the like i say unto you the rest of my lords , fathers , and brethren help your friends , followers , and tenents out of babylon , what you may in your places , you have the examples , of abraham , ioshua , cornelius praysed in scripture for propagating the knowledge and fear of god in their families and commands with the report of gods accepting it , and rewarding it , and this to the use of others . but shall you not carry away something for your selves also ; yes verily , take to your selves this voyce of our saviour , come out of babylon ; you will say we have done it already , god be thanked we are good christians , good protestants , some of us preachers and that call up on others to come out of , babylon ; but if saint paul prayed the converted corinthians to be reconciled to god. and saint iohn writing to belevers , sets down the record of god touching his son , that they might believe in the name of the son of god ; why may not i exhort in christs name and words , even those that are come out of babylon , to come out of her , qui monet ut facias , &c. he that perswades another to that which he doth already , in perswading incourageth him , and puts him on in his performance , but if there be any yet unresolved , and halting or hanging between two ; ( as the people did in elias time ) that present their bodies at such meetings as this is , when their hearts are perhaps at rome ; or no where ; if any in some points rightly informed and cleared , in others doubtful , to such christ speaks , come out of her my people , presse on by prayer , conference , reading , ( if christs voyce be to be heard ) if rome be babylon , come out of her . and let it be spoken with as litle offence as it is delight , we that seem to be the forwardest in reformatino , are not yet so come out of babylon , as we have not many shamefull badges of her captivity , witness her impropriations , being indeed plaine church-robberie , devised to maintain her colonies of idle and irregular regulars , idle to the church and state , zealous and pragmatical to support and defend her power pomp and pride , by whom they subsisted , witness her dispensations or dissipations rather , of all canonical orders ; bearing down all with her non obstante , her symoniacal and sacrilegious venality of holy things , her manifold extortions in the exercise of ecclesiasticall iurisdictiction , which we have not wholly banished : let each of us therefore account it as spoken to himself , ( come out of her my people . ) in this journey let us not trouble and cast stumbling blocks before gods people , that are ready to come out or hinder one another with dissentions in matters either inexplicable , or unprofitable : let it have some pardon : if some be even so forward in flying from babylon , as they fear to go back , to take their own goods for haste and let it not be blamed or uncharitably censured , if some come in the r●ear , and would leave none of christs people behind them : no man reacheth his hand to another whom he would lift out of a ditch , but he stoops to him . our ends immediate are not the same , but yet they meet in one final intention ; the one hates babylon , and the other loves and pitties christs people : there the one believes the angel that cast the milstone into the sea ; in the end of this chap. with that word ( so shall babylon rise uo more . ) the other fear the threatning of our saviour against such as scandalize any of the little ones believing in him , that it is better for such a one to have a milstone hanged upon his neck , and be cast into the sea himselfe : finally , let us all beseech our lord iesus christ to give us wisedome and opportunity to further his work and to give success unto the same himself , to hasten the judgement of babylon , to bring his people out of this bondage , that we with them and all his saints in the church triumphant may there upon sing a joyfull hallelujah , as is expressed in the next chapter . salvation , and honour , and glory , and ' power , be unto the lord our god , amen . halleluiah . a confirmation of the iudgement of these two most reverend and learned bishops in this particular , and the vindication of it , from the aspersion of novelty or singularity , from some grounds out of the ancient fathers ; the continued suffrages of learned men in successive ages , and the most eminent bishops of england and ireland of later yeares : occasioned to be the more large by the censure which doctor heylene ( in his late book ) gives the primate , and the articles of ireland for it . first , for the fathers , who lived before that defection or apostasy , whch was to preceed , and prepare the ways for the man of sin . ( 2 thes. 2 , 3. ) there could not be expected from them , any such direct application , unlesse they had a spirit of prophesie themselves ; rome was in the primitive times a pure church , and the least infected with arianisme , and other heresies which then abounded in the eastern parts ; being rather a receptacle of such as were banished thence by that persecution ; so that it must have been a prophetick pen that should then have affirmed , that righteous city should become an harlot . 't is true , there might be a conception of that man of sin ; but till his birth , there could be no judgement given of him , iniquity was breeding but in a mystery ( verse the 8. ) like the child in the womb , which the mother of it , cannot then be assured , but it may prove an abortive ; and harlots use to keep their conceptions close and undiscerned , till they are forced to discover them . now this being thus in the conceiving and producing of that wicked one ; the silence of the fathers , as to so early a sentence , ( whatsoever they might suspect ) is not to be wondred at . diseases may be gathering in the body , when neither the party himself is sensible , nor the most skilfull physitian can discern of the event ; fire may be kindling in the house , but the next neighbours do not cry out of it , till it be smelt ; or flame forth to their view : and so there might be some such distempers , and strange fire , smothering in the church of god for some 100's of yeares ; but till it brake out , ye could not expect the fathers of those ages , could take any notice of it ; at least , digito monstrare , & dicier hic est . secondly , the prophesies of the new testament , are like those of daniel in the old ; shut and sealed up , till the time of the fulfilling ; according to that of saint augustine ; prophetias implericitius quam intelligi ; that prophesies are fulfilled before they are understood ; agreeing with that ( rev. 1. 3. ) blessed is he that reads and understands , for the time is at hand ; 't is the speech of irenaeus a all prophesies before they are fulfilled , are riddles unto men ; but as soon as the time is come , and the thing prophesied is come to passe , they have a clear and certain exposition , our apprehension conceives no further then our experience reacheth unto . that old adage , veritas est temporis filia , truth is the daughter of time , hath its place here , and in this sense , the day shall declare it ; and therefore andraeas caesariensis , in his commentary upon the revelation , speaking of babylon , and who should be meant by it , though he had his suspitions , as liviug near the time of the revealing of it ; yet suspended his direct application , only saying that the b accurate knowledge of the person , time , and experience will reveale it to the diligent observers . what our saviour said of iohn the baptist , for his knowledge of some mysteries foretold in the old testament , and living after the prophets , that he was greater then they , and the least of the ministers of the gospel by surviving him , to be greater then he ; so is it in this sense appliable , to the after-ages of the fathers , who lived to see the fulfilling , what is foretold of this subject by saint paul in the thessalonians , and saint iohn in the revelations ; which is according to the judgement of bishop andrews in his tortura torti , page 186. where having fully applyed that of revel . 17. & 18. to the see of rome , he addes this c but it is no wonder , those things which i have said , have not so clear or certain an interpretation in the writings of the fathers ; for it was then a mystery of iniquity ; which wrought , the book of this prophesie was as yet sealed up ; and it is a most true speech , every prophesie is a riddle , while 't is not fulfilled . and though those ancients very much excelled us in all manner of gifts , and specially in the holinesse of life , yet no man hath cause to wonder , that all these things did not seem so clear to them , as by the grace of god they are now to us , who do see this prophesie now consummated daily before our eyes . certainly , while rome continued in its purity , the fathers of that age , might well have wondred with great admiration , as saint iohn himself did , and look upon it as incredulous , that it should have degenerated into that pride , idolatry , murder , and become the mother of all abominations , &c. even as we would at this day , if the like should be foretold , of england , which hath been so famous for religion , in being a shelter for such as have been persecuted by the see of rome , abounded with writers against it , and the chief church of the reformed religion , in opposition to popery . i say if any should take upon him a spirit of prophesie , in averring it should in time be an advancer of popery , and be utterly over-run with it , and become a persecutor of such as should oppose the errours of it ; the sinke of heresie , schisme , and prophanenesse , &c. would not we who now live , be as far from believeing the report , as hazael was at what was told him by the prophet concerning himself . but thirdly , there are some grounds out of the ancient fathers , which may be accounted as foundations , whereupon to build this application the more firmly ; being ( as bishop andrews saith ) a wonder they should see so much , looking on these things only , quasi per transennam . tertullian , who lived about 400 yeares before the emperour , was cast out of rome , in the exposition of that ( 2 thes. 2. 9. ) and now ye know what with-holdeth , or who letteth . verse 7. he who now letteth , will let till he be taken out of the way , saith this ; d who can this be , but the roman empire , whose removal out of rome , being dispersed into 10 kingdomes , must usher in antichrist , and then shall the wicked one be revealed ; what he saith in his apology for the christians to the emperour severus , who was afraid of the multiplying of them , as pharaoh was of the israelites in egypt , hath bin touched already in the former treatises , where the principal argument against any such fear is this . viz. the e christians have need to pray for the emperour , and even for the whole state of the empire , and the roman affaires , in regard we know the greatest mischief hanging over the whole world , threatning horrible and bitter things , to be retarded by the continuance of the roman empire : which being compared with the former exposition , must be meant in the same sense , and is so applied by bishop abbot ( demonstrat . antichristi . n. 92. ) cyril hierosolymitanus , and ambrose say the like upon the same place , ( 2 thes. 2. ) then shall that wicked one be revealed , viz. cum completa fuerint tempora romani imperii ; post defectum romani regni appariturum , &c. i. e. he shall appear after the failing of the roman empire , for , as long as that stands , he dares not appeare . saint chrysostome upon the same f this can be no other then the roman empire , for as long as that stands , he dares not shew himself , but upon the vacancy of that , he shall attempt to take to himselfe both the power of god and man , which how it fits the papacy , may easily be discerned ; saint ierome hath much to this purpose in divers places . in his answer to the 11. q. ad algasiam , expounding that passage , ye know who letteth , &c. remember what i told you when i was with you , &c. he saith g he could not openly name the roman emperour , lest it should have caused a cruell persecution against the christians ( who imagined their empire to have been without end ) and referres them to what they had from him by word of mouth ; and indeed there was none but the roman empire , that could then either have let , or hindred the man of sin from that presumptuous tyranny , or that the apostle had cause to be cautious in naming , for fear of raising that molestation of the christians . and in his epistle ad gaudentium ; hearing that rome was taken by the gothes and vandals , and saw the western empire declining , he was looking for the man of sin to have sprung up in his room , at least , expected his birth then ; so accordingly saint augustine , in his twentieth book de civitate dei , cap. 19. makes it to be a matter out of doubt , ( nullus ambigit ) that the successor to the emperour in rome , shall be the man of sinne : the same saith h primasius and i oecumenius upon the place , as theophilact ( who usually followes saint chrysostome : ) unto which divers more might be added . but by this ye see the consent of the fathers to the first 400 yeares for the time and place of revealing him ; that though some lived 200 years , others 400. before the emperour was cast out of rome ; yet they believed it should be : and though it cannot be expected they should directly name the person before he was in being , yet that rome must be the place , and that he that should succeed the roman emperour , in it must be the person , they agree in . so much for clearing it from the aspersion of novelty . 2. now secondly , to take off the aspersion of singularity , for which there are a multitude of votes this way , of such writers who lived after the emperour was put out of rome , and the bishop of rome had succeeded him , viz. after the 600 years after christ. it would be endlesse to relate the authours , who have given their testimony both in the exposition , and application of that of the 2 thessalonians 2. to the see of rome ; baronius himself acknowledgeth in the generall , that there was not an age , but some learned man or other appeared in it accordingly , and even some of their own communion . and about a thousand yeares after christ , when the man of sin was come to the height , according to the description of him , foretold by saint paul , there were abundance . * aventinus , who was one of their own ) tells us in his annals , there were many of the german bishops and pastors in gregory the seventh's time , that preached it throughout germany , applying the whole prophesie of saint paul to the bishop of rome . k qui titulo christi , negotium antichristi agitat , who under the title of christ , doth the work of antichrist . nay , saith he , pler●que omnes boni , justi , ingenui , imperium antichristi coepisse , eo tempore cernebant . i. e. that all good men and ingenuous , for the most part discerned it at that time . a. 1100. a bishop of florence so publickly averred it , antichristum advenisse , & in ecclesia dominari ; that the bishop of rome paschalis the second ( an . 1105. ) was fein to convocate a councel at florence , to silence him . eberhardus archiepiscopus salisburiensis in germany , in a great meeting of bishops , applies to the then bishop of rome , gregory the seventh , divers passages in 2 thes. 2. among which he hath this speech , speaking of the bishop of rome . perditus ille homo , quem antichristum vocare solent , in cujus fronte scriptum est ; deus sum , errare non possum , in templo dei sedet ; i. e. that wicked one , whom they use to call antichrist , ( it seems it was a common title given in those dayes to him as now ) in whose fore-head is written , i am god , i cannot erre , he sits in the temple of god , &c. and applies divers of the passages of the revelation , 17. & 18. accordingly , imperator vana appellatio & sola umbra est , reges decem pariter existunt , qui romanum quondam imperium partiti sunt , etc. decem cornua ( id quod d. augustino incredibile visum est ) romanas provincias possident , &c. i. e. see , the emperor is a vain title , a meer shadow . ten kings have parted the roman empire among them , signified by the ten horns ( which seemed incredible to saint augustine ) turks , greeks , egypt , affrick , spain , france , england , germany , sicely , italy , &c. avent . annal. lib. 7. 547. honorius augustadunensis m in anno 1120. applies the prophesie of the beast , and babylon in the revelation to rome , and the pope . bernardus cluniacensis calls the pope the king of babylon , ioachimus abbas n in richard the first 's time , ( anno 1190. ) set forth his theses , and maintained publickly , antichristum jam natum esse in civitate romana , & in sede apostolica sublimatum . i. e. antichrist to be now born in the city of rome , and promoted in the apostolick see. johannis sarisburiensis a monk ( anno 1150. ) did the like . o richard grost-head that learned , pious , and eminent bishop of lincoln ; anno 1253. made an excellent oration to that purpose , a little before his death , papam esse antichristum , and the last words of men are the more memorable . gulielmus ockam , anno 1350. wrote to clement the sixth , and publickly charged that see with heresie and antichr●stianisme . franciscus petrarcha , an. 1347. in epist. 18. &c. applies the prophesie of the babilonish harlot to rome , not heathen , but papal , the then court of rome in these words ; tu es , famosa dicam , an infamis , meretrix , fornicata cum regibus terrae , illa equidem ipsa es , quam in spiritu sacer vidit evangelista , illa eadem inquam es , & non alia , sedens super aquas multas , ( i. e. ) thou art the famous , should i say or infamous harlot , which hast committed fornication with the kings of the earth ; thou art the very same which in the spirit the holy evangelist saw ( i. e. iohn , ) thou art i say the same , and not another , sittingupon many waters , &c. besides , throughout these ages , from the year 1100. how many were there of those , whom the see of rome p called waldenses , whom reynerus confessethto have filled france , spaine , italy , and most of those western parts ; they with one mouth declared accordingly , thousands of them suffering death by that see , upon that account , whom we find then in most points consenting with us , and declaring against most of the errours of the church of rome : being guiltlesse of those scandals put upon them by sanders , cocci●s , and specially f. parsons , which are fully cleared by the late arch-bishop of armagh , in his book de eccles. christi . success . & statu . p. 159. even by the testimony of their own authours ; their witness agreeing not together . for iohn wickleiffe our countryman , one of great learning and piety , 't is known sufficiently to have bin his judgment and declaration , as those succeeding him , iohannes purveius , iohn hus , savanorola , and divers others , long before luthers time , after which , it was more generally received in the reformed churches , and the most learned men of each , whom time would fail me , so much as to name . only as we have given you the votes of our own country-man and others , while they lived under the tyranny of the bishop of rome , so let me adde the votes of the most eminent of our english bishops , since the withdrawing our selves from him , that it may the rather appear , that the judgement of the primate concurres with the rest of his brethren before him . bishop iewell that learned bishop of sarisbury , in his exposition of the second epistle to the thessalonians , cap. 2. is very large in the application of the whole prophesie , to the see of rome , as that of the vision of saint iohn concerning babylon , p. 373. &c. concludes that antichrist , shall not be a iew but a christian , not a king , but a bishop , and a holy father , and should weare a mitre . for on whom ( saith he ) should an army of priests attend ( as gregory the great a bishop of rome prophesied of antichrist ) but upon a bishop , and an universal bishop , at least one so claiming that universality ; see his recollection of the whole : pag. 319. wondring any man should doubt of it ; 't is so apparent . and what he saith , p. 279. viz. that he knew what he should speak , would be ill taken of many , such affection they bear to him , whom the apostle deciphers to be antichrist ( though i shall say nothing , but what , the holy scriptures , and learned writings of the fathers have left unto us , and which the church of god hath at this time proved to be true ) will be found i fear also in many of this age , whose inclinations are too much declared in the defence of that see , in this particular . bishop abbot one of his successours , bishop of sarisbury ) in that book of his called antichristi demonstratio , which were his lectures at oxford , is as full also . wherein at his entrance , having spoken of the name of antichrist , and given some descriptiption of him , he addes these words ; all which are most fitly to be applied to him , whom ( with gods assistance ) we shall demonstrate to be the very antichrist , i say the bishop of rome , who arrogates unto himself , to be the head of the church of christ , and his vicegerent , &c. and p. 92. wonders at the blindness of men , like owls at noon day , not to see it accordingly . arch-bishop whitgift in his defence of the answer to the admonition , often applies the title of antichrist to the bishop of rome , as a thing taken for granted . see tract . 8. p. 349. where having spoken much of him before , he thus concludes . i know that those sects and heresies gave strength unto antichrist , and at the length were one speciall meanes of placing him in his throne , even as also i am perswaded that he worketh as effectually at this day by your stirres and contentions , whereby he hath and will more prevail against this church of england , then by any other means whatsoever . therfore it behoveth you to take heed how you divide the army of christ , which should unanimitèr , fight against that antichrist . that he means the see of rome none can doubt . whosoever shall read bishop andrews his tortura torti , cannot but conceive his judgement to be the same , where he hath many of the observations , which have been mentioned already from the situation on seven hills , and the 7 head governments . and p. 183. upon the grant on both sides that babylon is rome ; p he states the question for the time , and resolves it cannot be rome ethnick , for then it had been no prophesie , it being at that time a persecutor of the christians , and a shedder of the blood of the saints , which saint john then had the experience of himself , with divers other arguments from her inchantments , manner of destruction , making merchandize of soules , the persons which shall burn her , which could not agree to heathen rome ; adding to be the same beast , which hath horns like the lamb , sits in the temple ( or church ) of god , exalts himself above all that is called god , one that was not in being in saint johns time , pretendeth to to the working of miracles ; and so concludes , that though rome christian may not go into perdition , yet rome antichristian shall , which hath been drunk with the blood of the saints , and the martyrs of iesus , &c. bishop bilson on in his book of the difference , between christian subjection , and unchristian rebellion , delivers his judgement often accordingly , as a matter out of controversie , affirming the tyranny of rome to be the power of darknesse , and kingdom of antichrist , applying the pride of the papacie , to that of the man of sin , exalting himself in the temple of god. 2 thessal . 2. it was , saith he , the ancient device and drift of antichrist , to make himself mighty : when it was first attempted by hildebrand ( greg. 7. ) and now coloured by the papists , with the name of religion . p. 527. 817. &c. bishop hall , that elegant and pious bishop of norwich , hath much to this purpose , dispersed throuh his works . ( no peace with rome , sect. 1. ) look on the face of the roman church , she is gods and ours , look on the back , she is quite contrary antichristian . sect. 22. shall we ever grow to that height of madnesse , as to come from the standard of god to the tents of the roman antichrist . the heavens shall passe away by a change , rome by a destruction , not a change . ( the honour of the married clergy ) were it not for this opinion ( i. e. the forbidding it ) the church of rome would want one evident brand of her antichristianisme . ( sect. 15. ) speaking of a popish priest ; well doth it become the son of that babylonish strumpet , the lips drenched in the cup of those fornications , &c. and abundance of the like , might be produced . bishop downham , the learned bishop of derry in ireland , ( from whose mouth i have heard sufficiently that way ) in his book entituled papa antichristus , is the most large of any we have yet named , dividing his discourse into the description of the place and person , and the designation of the time , out of the 2 thess. 2. and revelat. 17. and all directly applyed by him to the see of rome . bishop morton , that famous and reverend bishop of durham , ( coetaneous with the former ) and yet living , hath much of this in divers parts of his works . bishop davenant , the eminent bishop of sarisbury , and professor of divinity at cambridge , hath often declared his judgement accordingly , in his determinations pag. 24. pontifex maximus antichristianam suam superbiam , &c. audacia plusquam antichristianâ , &c. vniversalem papae jurisdictionem in totam ecclesiam , non esse jure divino , sed usurpatione antichristiana . bishop prideaux , in his lectures saith the like often , specially in that de antichristo , that he cannot be the turk , but the pope , &c , unto which bishops might be added , the votes of many other learned orthodox and episcopall men , whose judgements have been declared accordingly : as that learned professor of divinity , doctor samuel ward , in his lectures and determinations at cambridge , lately printed : specially in those three questions , romana ecclesia est idololatrica ; apostasia à paulo praedicta , est adimpleta ; romana ecclesia est schismatica , i. e. 1. the roman church is idolatrous . 2. the apostasie foretold by saint paul , is fulfilled . 3. the roman church is schismaticall . thus concluding in relation to the see of rome . haec scilicet est illa babylon , quae in corde suo dicit sedeo regina , sola sum , & non est praeter me . i. e. this is that babylon which saith in her heart , i sit as a queen , i am only , & there is none besides me . and who knowes not ( till of later yeares ) how both the vniversities in their publick disputations , and determinations , abounded in their conclusions accordingly . i shall only adde the judgement of that meek and judicious man , mr. hooker , see his treatise of justification , sect. 10. god hath spoken by his angel from heaven to his people concerning babylon , ( by babylon we understand the church of rome ) go out of her my people , that ye be not partaker of her plagues , he expounds the going out of her to be specially meant , out of popish superstitions and heresies , calling the maintainers of them popish hereticks , and by plagues , not only temporal but eternal . sect. 20. compares the pope to ieroboam , rome to samaria , that played the harlot , &c. sect. 27. speaking of the bishop of rome , and the church of rome , addes this . as frenzy , though it take away the use of reason , doth notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it , because none can be frantick but they , so antichristianity being the bane and plain overthrow of christianity , may nevertheless argue the church wherein antichrist sitteth , to be christian . sect ▪ 57. god did in all ages keep his elect from worshipping the beast , and from receiving his mark in their foreheads ; he hath and will preserve them from receiving any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sin , whose deceit hath prevailed over none unto death , but only such as never loved the truth , but took pleasure in unrighteousness . 2 thessal . 2 sect. 35. speaking of christs mercy to the worst of men upon their repentance , saith thus ; if a pope , stripped of usurped power , antichrist converted , penitent , and lying prostrate at the foot of christ , &c. shall i think christ will spurn at him . in his sermon on saint iude , sect. 14. he calls the pope the man of sin , and son of perdition , who hath fawned upon the kings and princes of the earth , and by spiritual cousenage proclaiming sale of pardons , &c. hath taken the children of the noblest families , and made them his cardinals , built seminaries ; and hereby as at this day , the man of sin warres against us , &c. with the cup of whose deadly abominations , this ierob●am of whom we speak , hath made the earth so drunk , that it hath reeled under us , &c. now of whom the prophet speaketh this ; whether of the bishop of rome , or some other man , needs no further resolution , and so much for mr. hooker . and whether or no , those of the remonstrants are of a contrary judgement ( which some call the arminian party ) 't is apparent , arminius himself consented with the aforesaid bishops and authours , s in his 31. theol. disput . intituled : of the bishop of rome , and of the chief titles which are attributed unto him . wherein after the rejection of the title given unto him by his favourites as blasphemous , and asserting his deserts of others , viz. the false prophet ( revel . 19. 20. cap. 16. 23. cap. 12. 14. ) which did wonders before the beast , out of whose mouth three impure spirits came forth ; the overthrower and destroyer of the church in matters of faith and worship , and raising of divisions between princes and their subjects . s. 12. he asserts the name of autichrist , most evidently to belong unto him : for the apostle gives it unto him ( 2 thessal . 2. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8. ) where he there calls him , the man of siu , the son of perdition , that opposeth and exalts himself above , or against all that is called god or worship , sitting in the temple of god , and saying he is god ; who upon the fall of the roman empire , should rise up in his stead ; and take his vacant dignity . that these ( saith he ) are to be understood of the bishop of rome , and are to be understood of him only ; we do affirm . and for the name of antichrist , that most specially 't is appliable to him , whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be understood by way of opposition to christ , a pretended substitution , or a subordination in his stead , &c. sect. 13. he hath made use of all sorts of instruments , hypocrisies , lies , equivocations , treacheries , perjuries , poison , force , and armes ; that he may well be said to have succeeded that beast , like to a leopard , a beare , and a lion. revel . 13. 2. by which the roman empire is signified , whose image he bare ; and brought it to passe , whosoever would not worship the image of the beast , should be put to death , &c. and concludes with a prayer , that god would grant ; that the church might be delivered from the fraud and tyranny of antichrist . and so much for the judgement of arminius . now , that the divines of the reformed churches beyond the seas , do generally accord also in it ; need not to be inserted being sufficiently known , such as daneus , franciscus-iunius , tilenus , morneus , viguierus , rivetus , chamerus , etc. the reformed church of france , have made it one of their articles in their confession , as ●e may find in chamier ( paustrat . cathol . tom. 2. lib. 16. de antichristo cap. 1. ) where he gives you the words of the 31 , article conceived in synodo papinsensi , owned by him to be the confession of the reformed churches in france , in these words following . t whereas the bishop of rome having erected to himself a monarchy over the christian world , doth usurp a dominion over all churches and pastors ; and hath rose to such a height of pride , as to call himself 1 god , will be 2 adored , and all power to be given him in heaven and earth ; disposeth of all ecclesiastical things ; defines articles of faith , saith the authority of the scripture , and the interpretation of it , to be from him ; maketh merchandize of soules , dispenseth with vowes and oathes ; institutes new worships of god. as also in civil affaires , treads upon the lawful authority of the magistrate , in giving , taking away , translating of empires ; we do believe , and assert him to be the very proper antichrist , son of perdition foretold in the word of god , the scarlet harlot , sitting on seven mountains in the great city ; which hath obtained a rule over the kings of the earth : and we do expect when the lord according to his promise , and as he hath begun , will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth , and at length abolish with the brightnesse of his coming . and maresius in his preface to the answer of hugo grotius his observations upon the 2 thes. 2. and other places gives us the like article , agreed upon in synodo nationali gapensi . anno 1604. which hath very little or no difference from the former , and so needlesse to be repeated . which do fully agree with the synod of ireland , by by the arch-bishops and bishops , and the rest of the clergy there in the convocation holden at dublin , 1615. num . 80. viz. the bishop of rome is so farre from being the supreme head of the vniversal church of christ , that his works and doctrine , do plainly discovar him to be the man of sin , foretold in holy scripture , whom the lord shall consnme with the spirit of his mouth , and abolish with the brightnesse of his coming . the former synod may possibly be undervalued with some , by bearing the name of presbyterian ; but seeing it consents with the latter which was episcopal , why may it not be an introduction to a further moderation betweene them in other matters . and it stands but with justice ; that if presbytery have had a hand in the match of episcopacy with popery , ( which seems to have been without consent of parties ) it should upon this evidence be the more forward in assisting in the divorce . now in regard that above-said article of the church of ireland , confirmed by the judgement of the late primate , hath been objected against by doctor heylene for that ( as he saith ) there is no such doctrine in the book of articles , nor in any publick monument , or record of the church of england , but the contrary rather . ● shall cite some passages out of the book of homilies , which are approved by the book of articles , as a larger declaration of the doctrine of the church of england , and leave it to the readers judgment . in the third part of the sermon of good works , speaking against the popish singing of trentals , and the superstitious orders in the church of rome , introduced to serve the papacy , these words are as followeth : viz. honour be to god , who did put light in the heart of king henry the eighth ; to put away all such superstitions , and pharisaical sects , by antichrist invented , &c. which can be meant of no other , but the see of rome ; by the words not long after . viz. let us rehearse some other kinds of papistical superstitions , &c. in the second part of the sermon of salvation , speaking against the popish opinion of justification by works ; these words are as followeth . iustification is not the office of man , but of god ; for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works , neither in part , nor in the whole , for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man , that antichrist could set up against god , etc. and so accounts it not the doctrine of a christian , that sets forth christs glory , but of him that is an adversary to christ , and his gospel ; and a setter forth of mans vain-glory , &c. and that passage in the third part of the sermon against the perill of idolatry , p. 69. i leave to the readers judgement , if the sense can be understood , otherwise then of the see of rome , in these words following . viz. now concerning ( popish ) excessive decking of images and idols , with painting , gilding , adorning with pretious vestures , pearles and stones , what is it else but for the further provocation and inticement to spiritual fornication ; which the idolatrous church , understandeth well enough . for she being indeed , not only an harlot ( as the scripture calls her ) but also a foule , filthy , old harlot ( for she is indeed of ancient yeares ) and understanding her lack of nature and true beauty , and great lothsomnesse , which of her self she hath ; she doth ( after the custome of such harlots ) paint her self , and deck and tire her self with gold , pearle , stone , and all kind of pretious jewels , that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them , may please the foolish fantasie of fond lovers , and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her . who if they saw her ( i will not say naked ) but in simple apparel , would abhorre her , as the foulest , and filthiest harlot that ever was seen ; according as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great strumpet of all strumpets , the mother of whoredomes , set forth by saint iohn in his revelation ( apoc. 17. ) who by her glory provoked the princes of the earth , to commit whoredome with her , &c , and it followeth , pag. 77. and it is not enough to deck idols , but at the last , come in the priests themselves likewise decked with gold and pearle , and with a solemn pace , they pass forth before these golden puppets , and fall down to the ground on their marrow-bones before the sehonourable idols , and then rising up again , offer up odours and incense to them : &c. he that reads the whole , cannot judge of it to be meant otherwise , then of the papacy . and if the fifth and sixth part of the sermon against wilful rebellion be viewed , there will be found such a large narration of the pride and ambition of the bishop of rome , that there will not need any further help to an application of that 2 thes. 2. to him , which thus beginneth , viz. after that ambition and desire of dominion , entred once into ecclesiastical ministers , whose greatnesse ( after the doctrine and the example of our saviour ) should chiefly stand in humbling themselves ; and that the bishop of rome did by intolerable ambition challenge , not only to be the head of all the church dispersed throughout the world , but also to be lord of all kingdoms of the world , as is expressely set forth in the book of his own canon-lawes . he became at once the spoyler and destroyer both of the church , which is the kingdom of our saviour christ , and of the christian empire , and all christian kingdomes , as an universal tyrant over all . the particulars of whose actions to that end , are there related . viz. the bishop of rome stirring up subjects to rebell against their soveraigne lords , even the son against the father , pronouncing such schismaticks , and persecuting them , who resused to acknowledge his above-said challenge of supreme authority over them ; discharging them from their oath of fidelity made not only to the emperour , but to other kings and princes throughout christendome . the most cruell and bloody wars raised amongst christian princes of all kingdoms : the horrible murder of infinite thousands of christian men , being slain by christians , the losse of so many great cities , countries , dominions , and kingdomes , sometimes possessed by christians in asia , affrick , and europe ; the miserable fall of the empire , and church of greece , sometime the most flourishing part of christendom , into the hands of the turks ; the lamentable diminishing , decay and ruine of christian religion : and all by the practice and procurement of the bishop of rome chiefly , which is in the histories and chronicles written by the bishop of rome's own favourites and friends to be seen , claiming also to have divers princes and kings to their vassals , liege men , and subjects , &c. behaving themselves more like kings and emperours in all things , then remained like priests , bishops and ecclesiastical ; or , ( as they would be called ) spiritual persons in any one thing at all , &c. and so concludes with an exhortation of all good subjects , knowing those the speciall instruments of the devill , to the stirring up of all rebellion , to avoid and flee them . is not this a full description of the pride of that man of sinne . 2 thess. 2. in exalting himselfe above all kings and princes , and that son of perdition ( being understood actively : ) who was the cause of the perdition , or losse of so many thousands of christian mens lives . and in the sixth part of the same sermon , you have a more particular relation of the bishop of rome's blood-shed , ( accoding to the description of that harlot , revel . 17. 6. ) in these words . viz. and as these ambitio●s usurpers the bishops of rome , have overflowed all italy and germany with streams of christian blood , shed by the rebellims of ignorant subjects against their naturall lords and emperours , whom they have stirred thereunto by false pretences : so is there no countrey in christendome , which by the like means of false pretences , hath not been over-sprinkled with the blood of subjects , by rebellion against their naturall soveraigns , stirred up by the same bishops of rome , &c. and in conclusion , as the sermon often entitles the bishops of rome , unsatiable wolfes , and their adherents , romish greedy wolfes ; so doth it in speciall call the see of rome , the babylonicall beast , in these words ; viz. the bishop of rome understanding the bruit blindnesse , ignorance and superstition of the english in king johns time , and how much they were inclined to worship the babilonical beast of rome , and to fear all his threatnings , and causelesse curses , he abused them thus , &c. i have transcribed these the more largely out of the book of homilies , both that such as have rejected them as popish may see their errour , and those that now so much favour the see of rome , that they call such language railing , may have their mouthes stopped , being it is from the mouth of the church of england in her homilies , which is a good warrant for her sons to say after her . let the reader judge whether these passages do not confirme , rather then contradict , or be contrary ( as doctor heylene saith ) to the articles of ireland , and the primates judgement of the see of rome . i shall only alledge one passage more , and that is in the conclusion of the second part of the sermon for whit-sunday . viz. wicked and nought were the popes and prelates of rome for the most part , as doth well appear by the story of their lives , and therefore worthily accounted among the number of false prophets , and false christs , which deceived the world a long while , the lord defend us from their tyranny and pride , that they may never enter into this vineyard again ; but that they may be utterly confounded , and put to flight in all parts of the world . and he of his great mercy so work , that the gospel of his son may be truly preached to the beating down of sin , death , the pope , the devill , and all the kingdome of antichrist , &c. this latter passage is only produced by doctor heylene , as an evidence , that the pope is not declared to be antichrist , either here , or any where else , in the book of articles or homilies , which how the force of it can be extended so farre beyond its own sphere , both not appeare : for his principal argument , that he finds here the pope and antichrist , distinguished as much as the devil and the pope . 't is answered , the destiuction here is not between the pope and antichrist , but between him and his antichristian kingdom ; for the words are not , the pope , the divell , and antichrist ; but , and all the kingdome of antichrist . that universality ( all ) comprehending both head and members . and if we should allow a duumvirate , ( in the pope and devill ) for the government of that kingdom , one as the visible head , the other as the invisible , or the one him that reigneth ; the other by whom he receiveth power so to do : ( rev. 13. 4. ) both might be thus owned without infringing the title of either : howsoever 't is not the arguings from such niceties in the placing of words ( which the book of homilies , are not strict in , as might be shewed in several instances ) but the observation of the scope and drist of the place , the comparing it with others , the concurrance of the judgement of severall eminent bishops afore-cited , ( who cannot be imagined to declare against the doctrine of it ) will carry the sense of it accordingly , with the judicious and unbiassed reader : and so much for the book of homilies . unto which i might also adde the opinion of some learned men , liveing and dying within the outward communion of the church of rome . to instance onely in padrio paulo , who wrote the history of the councill of trent : after whose stabbing by an emissarie from rome , many of the clergy of venice , brake out into that application , calling that see impura , insana , superba , meretrix , pestis , ac lues mortalium ; and her ruine to be expected , according to rvelat . 18. some of the verses are printed at the end of the interdict writ by padrio paulo , and translated out of italian into latin by bishop bedell , who was often an ear-witnsse when he lived in those parts of divers learned men , producing that of 2 thes. 2. the man of sin who exalts himself above all , &c. and shall sit in the ●emple of god , &c. both as an argument that the bishop of rome is the person sitting ; and that those who are oppressed , and tyrannised over by him , are u the church of god , and from thence rejecting any application to mahumet , and fixing it upon the bishop of rome , some questioning , is it he , or shall we look for another ; others saying , ( as the jewes of the blind man ) this is one very like him , but many , this is he ? ) which puts me in mind of the confident assertion of cardinal perron , who affirms that whosoever maintaineth this wicked doctrine , that popes have no power to put kings by their supreme thrones , they teach men to beleeve that there hath not been any church for many ages past , and that indeed the church is the very synagogue of antichrist ; and the pope in good consequence to be the antichrist ; which oration the cardinal himselfe addressed to king iames , upon a supposition , it might have converted him . see king iames preface , to the defence of the right of kings * . now whereas both sides ( as you have heard ) are agreed upon the place , to be rome ( which checks the phansie of such as would apply it to constantinople , or to persons that never were at either ) i shall only confirm it out of one of the popish writers , who hath quoted most of the rest ( to save the reader any farther labour , if he hath a mind to satisfie himself in it ) 't is tyrinus the jesuit , in his commentary upon the 17. revelat. where comparing the vision of the beast with 7 heads , and 10 hornes , cap. 13. with that of the 17. and granting it to be meant of the same , ( like pharaoh's dreames , the seven eares of corne , and the seven kine were both one ) then , for the vision there ; he saith by the great harlot , whose mystical name is babylon , cannot possibly be meant of any other then rome : 't is plain ( saith he ) she sits upon * seven mountains , and raigns over the kings of the earth , which can agree to no other city besides . and urgeth that place of saint peter ( 2 peter 5. 13. ) the church which is at babylon salutes you , to be meant of rome ( for as bishop andrewes observes , x rather then peter should not be at rome ( which they have slender or no proofes for out of scripture , but yet is of great consequence to the papacy ) they will confesse it to be babylon . and , though 2 thes. 2. he saith the temple of god , where the man of sinne sits , is ierusalem ; yet here his seat of babylon must be rome ; produceth the expresse testimonies of the fathers for it , lactantius , tertullian , ierome , ambrose , augustine , &c. and ( saith he ) even our hereticks meaning the protestant writers ( for after the same way he calls heresie ; so worship we the god of our fathers ) and in conclusion , produceth most of his own associates , the writers of the church of rome , sixtus senensis , bellarmine , bozius , zuarez , salmeran , alcazar , unto which i may adde , baronius , y 't is most certaine ( saith he ) by the name of babylon , the city of rome is signified . ribera in his commentary upon it , saith the same , adding also z all things fitly agree to it , and somewhat that can be applied to no other then rome , as the seven heads are seven hills , and , the city which reigneth over the kings of the earth . viegus saith , a we conceive , wheresover babylon is mentioned in the revelation , it signifies rome , and all things in the 17. and 18. revel . very fitly appliable to it . according to that of b bellarmine ( formerly quoted ) and lessius c who saith , iohn calls rome babylon , as being the figure of rome , and by his words he elearly sheweth it to be rome , all which may well give a check to the novelty of some among our selves , who without the ballast of sound or sollid judgement , have been carried about with the winds ; of other imaginations , which yet i could easily believe , some popish agents ( upon second thoughts ) have had their hands in , to get it driven off the further from their shore ; though how farre not-withstanding our aforesaid writers , and these are from an agreement , in the above-said , hath been made apparant in the two former treatises ; viz. those of the popish writers , would have it rome , while it was heathen , and the fall to be with the hearhen empire ; and ours , rome since it became christian , and the fall yet to come . those of ours , who in defence of our ordination from the scandal of antichristian , by its passing through the see of rome , have endeavoured to take off that see , from being such in the aforementioned places ; as it was a needlesse refuge , so the cure is worse then the disease . and those , who have with the popish writers , yeelded the man of sin , and the son of perdition , by that manner of expression ; to be meant of a single person , were not forced to it ; for it may notwithstanding be meant of a successive race of men , in one place and government ; non de unitate individui , sed speciei , according to the like instance in scripture . esa. 23. 15. tyre shall be forgotten 70 years , according to the days of one king. ( i. e. ) of one kingdom , viz. the empire of the caldeans , which after nebuchadnezar and his successors evelmerodach and● belshazar , was given to the medes and persiaus , and dan. 7. 17. the 4 beasts are 4 kings , ( i. e. ) the four successive empires , the chaldean , persian , grecian , roman , as the seven kings do accordingly , ( rev. 17. ) signify seven succe●●ive governments , and so the man of sin , may be meant accordingly , not of a particular man , but of a race of men succeeding in that tyranny ; as when they say , the pope is the head of the church , they do not limit it to this or that particular pope , but mean it of the continued succession from s. peter . neither is the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of any more force for the limitation of it to one man there , ( 2 thes. 2. ) then it is in luk. 4. 4. man lives not by bread only , or mark 2. 27. the sabbath was not made for man : both includeing all mankind ; or , 2 tim. 3. ult . that the man of god may be perfect , &c. which is not confined to one , but takes in all the ministery . for which ; or any thing else , concerning this controversie ( which i shall not enter into ) i shall referre the reader to bishop downham , bishop iewel , bishop abbot , with others , from whom he may receive full satisfaction . only thus much in confirmation of the iudgement of those two reverend and eminent bishops , & a vindication of it , from the aspersion of singularity , and novelty . the late arch-bishop of armagh's judgement , of the sense of that place . heb. 6. 2. of laying on of hands , enlarged and defended . this and the former verse may well be called the apostles catechisme , consisting of six principles , or fundamentals of christian doctrine ( as they are called in the former verse ) of which this is the method . the two former concern this life , viz. repentance from good works , and faith towards god. the two latter , the end of this life , viz. the resurrection of the dead , and eternal judgement . the two middle , viz. the doctrine of baptismes , and laying on of hands , are in relation to both , either as conduits to convey the two former into us , or as chariots to carry us with comfort to the two latter , that they are fundamental principles , as well as the other , cannot be doubted of , by their being placed in the midst of them ; only the question is , what is meant by them . first , by the doctrine of baptismes , i conceive is meant the sacrament of baptisme , which is often joyned with the two former fundamentals ; by our saviour ; with faith , he that believeth and is baptized . mark 16. 16. by saint peter with repentance , acts 2. 38. repent , and be baptized . the objection against it , is , that 't is baptismes in the plurall number . answ. first the syriack reads it in the singular number , and saint augustine in his book de fide & operibus , renders it ; lavacri doctrina , the doctrine of the font , from whence ribera gathers there might be some ancient greek copies accordingly . but secondly , it is an enallage numeri , the plural for the singular , as genes . 8. 4. the ark rested on the mountaines of arrarat , which tremelius by way of explanation , renders uno montium ; matth. 27. 44. theeves , for one of them only . luke 23. 39. so accordingly , the israelites having made one , golden calfe , said , these are thy gods o israel , &c. ( exodus 32. 4. ) and verse 33. moses saith , they have made themselves gods of gold , yet verse 24. it is called by aaron , this calfe ; drusius hath divers of the like , as sepulchers , for sepulcher , cities , for city , &c. and so here baptismes , for baptisme . i am not ignorant of other conjectures by learned men , signifying a threefold baptisme . sanguinis , flaminis , fluminis , or , the thrice dipping , or sprinkling ; the number of persons coming to be baptized ; the two several times in the year , in the ancient church set apart for it , easter and pentecost , called dies baptismatum , which is calvins and bezaes ; or implying the double act in it , the inward baptisme of christ , and outward baptisme of iohn ; that is to say , the ministers ; which are mr. a cartwrights words upon the place , who also saith , by a trope both sacraments are here noted under one , but i conceive , that which we first gave , is the best ; and 't is observable , that the apostle saith , the doctrine of baptismes , 't is not the absolute want of it , when it cannot be had , but the rejecting of the doctrine of it that damnes . 't is possible that some of those three thousand converted by saint peters sermon , might have died before they could come to the water , and yet be saved ; but if they had rejected the doctrine of it , when they were bad to be baptized , like the pharisees rejecting the counsel of god against themselves , or like naman who despised the river iordan , i question it . a well ordered discipline is the ornament of the church , but upon the confession and doctrine of saint peter , it was to be founded , in which sence the apostles and prophets in their doctrines are called the foundation of it ; jesus christ being the chief corner stone , and ( as some think ) is the sence of that , revel . 21. 14. that in the twelve foundations were the names of the twelve apostles , in relation to their doctrinals ; so much for that . now the next is , the doctrine of laying on● of hands . here is the great question , what is meant by it ? that it is a fundamentall , cannot be denied ; if baptisme be one , this must be another : see in the verse how like twins they are borne and bred under the same roof , and 't is observable , that in the greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number , doctrines referring to both . in the search of several authours , i find these two expositions , most worthy of consideration . the first is , confirmation of children after baptisme , which hath somewhat of antiquity for it , most of the writers of the church of rome incline that way , and even calvin is of that mind also , and in his comment upon this place , stands much for it , and wisheth it had not been laid aside ; hodie retinenda pura institutio , superstitio autem corrigenda ; and produceth this custome of confirming of children in the primitive times , to be an argument they were then baptized , but i conceive it cannot be the sence , for this reason ; because 't is not a fundamentall , and hard to prove , it was then ( like baptisme and the rest ) esteemed to be of a necessary use and belief in the catholick church , according to that of vincentius lyrinensis , that is , to be held for a catholick verity , which hath been believed every where , alwayes , and by all ; and our church saith , children baptized , have all things necessary to their salvation ; the papists that hold it to be a sacrament , do not say 't is a fundamentall , and when it was observed by us , we took it to be only an ancient laudable custome of the church , and whether it was so in saint pauls time , in the church of the hebrewes , it doth not appear . the second exposition is , that it should be meant an ordained ministery , which clearly in saint paul's time we find was wont to be by laying on of hands . this is pareus his sense upon this place . it was ( saith he ) a an initial doctrine , concerning the ministery of the church then ordained by imposition of hands ; * gualterus in his comment upon this place , saith , in this is contained the whole function of preachers , &c. designed unto it by imposition of hands : but none so full as mr. cartwright in his answer to the rhemists upon this place , his words are these . viz. by the imposition of hands the apostle meaneth no sacrament , much lesse confirmation , after baptisme ; but by a trope or borrowed speech , the ministers of the church ; upon the which hands were laid , which appeareth in that whosoever believeth not ; that there ought to be a ministery by order ( or ordination ) to teach and govern the church ; overthroweth christianity , whereas if confirmation of children were a sacrament , as it is not ; yet a man holding the rest , and denying the use of it , might notwithstanding be saved . and some lines after , gives us summarily the sense of this verse , viz. to be the doctrine of the sacraments , and of the ministery of the church : ye see , in his opinion , what a dangerous thing it is , no lesse then the hazard of their own salvation , to lay aside an ordained ministery , or to deny the doctrine of it , which men now frequently presume . and 't is observable , the argument which he useth , he produceth as a maxime then in his time , taken for granted ; not to be proved , but supposed ; no man then so much as questioning the necessity of it , for though there were then divers disputes about discipline and ceremonies , ( in which this learned authour then appeared ) yet both parties esteemed alike of ordination to be a sacred institution , none presuming to take upon them the office of the ministery without it ; well , this i conceive to be the sence here of laying on of hands , viz. that it was a principle of the catechisme taught to christians at their first reception , that there was to be a successive ordination , or setting apart of persons for the ministery , for an authorative preaching of faith and repentance , and administration of sacraments , called laying on of hands from the outward rite ; as the lords supper , by breaking of bread ; and this was the judgement of the most reverend and learned father of our church , the late arch-bishop of armagh , which hath the rather emboldned me to employ my thoughts in the confirmation of it ; and surely , if it be a fundamentall , the knowledge of the sense of it , is of a greater consequence , then to be slighted . first , it is considerable , how well this doth sute with saint pauls expression elsewhere , speaking of ordination , 2 tim. 1. 6. stirre up the gift of god that is in thee by the putting on of my hands , 1 tim. 4. 14. neglect not the gift that is in thee , given thee with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , both thus sufficiently reconciled ; saint paul was the principal , the presbyters were his assistants , according to the constitutions and custome of our church in ordination . the bishop is not to do it alone , but with the assistance of at least three or four of the ministers , which was after the pattern of the primitive times ; the injunction of saint paul for it , is accordingly . 2 tim. 5. 22. lay hands suddenly on no man , i. e. ordain . and it is the more observable , that all are from one and the same apostle , it being one argument to prove saint paul was the authour of this epistle to the hebrews , by the use of this expression here , which is not in the epistles of any other apostle . 't is true , we read of extraordinary gifts of tongues , &c. given by laying on of hands , in the acts , but they cannot be understood here , for they were but temporary , and ceased , like scaffolds , which , after the building of an house , are taken down , but what is meant here , must be as the foundation which remains to the last , and all falls with it , that agrees to an ordained ministery , which must continue for the preaching of faith and repentance , and administration of sacraments to the end of the world . in which sence is that last speech of our saviour . matth. 28. lo , i am with you unto the end of the world , it cannot be limited to the persons of the apostles ( with whose deaths those administrations did not expire ) but must be understood collectively of the whole body of the ministery , then as it were in their loines , who should succeed in preaching , and baptisme , and through whom a successive powerful assistance of the spirit , is to be transferred in and through those , unto the worlds end . this power of officiating , was powred on the head of the apostles , and descendeth to the skirts of their garments , in these dayes . and how like a fundamental , ordination is , may easily appear ; it began at the foundation of the church , and was one of the first stones laid in this edifice , and it must continue to the last , for as the lords supper is to continue till the second coming of christ , so the ministers of it have the same term also ( ephes. 4. 13. ) he gave some pastors , teachers , &c. till we all come unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of christ , &c. rom. 10. 15. ye have a building of four or five stories high of severall acts and ministrations ; but ordination of a ministery is the foundation , salvation is at the top of this iacobs ladder , but ordination at the bottome : whosoever will call on the name of the lord , shall be saved , but how shall they call on him , on mhom they have not believed ? how shall they believe on him , of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher , and how shall they preach , except they be sent ? &c. see , praying , believing , hearing , preaching , and then as the foundation of all , a mission of preachers for that end ; what is said of the commandements of the law , ( iames 2. ) he that offends in one , is guilty of all ; such is the concatenation of the principles of the gospel ; break one link , and all are endangered ; he that renounceth his baptisme , renounceth his faith , into which he was baptized , even the death and resurrection of our saviour signified by it , colos. 2. consider what ye do in renouncing the ministery by whom ye were baptized , and have believed ( 1 cor. 3. 5. ) if any efficacy be in the sacrament , according to the qualification & authoritative faculty of the person officiating , see what hazard you run in rejecting of such so ordained ? ye know the speech of our saviour , matth. 23. 17. he that swears by the altar , sweareth by it , and all things thereon ; and is not the contrary true , he that despiseth the altar , despiseth not only that , but all that depend on it : if the ordination or mission of the person through gods institution , be of any efficay to what is officiated , i may leave the application to your selves . consider what ye do in a totall renouncing of an ordained ministery , as to baptisme and believing , through whom as instrumentals , ye did partake of them ; if the foundation fall , how can the building stand : as ye see here saint paul makes an ordained ministery , a fundamental principle of christian religion . so much for the sence of the text , what is meant by laying on of hands . now if ordination be a fundamental principle , hence then these 2 things may be inferred . 1. a necessity of continuing an ordained ministery in the church , and the neglect of it to be the underming of the foundation of it . 2. that ordination is not only an internal call from god , but an externall from man ; for 't is denominated here from laying on of hands . first a necessity of continuing such a distinct order and profession for preaching , and other sacred administratihns ; this subject would heretofore have been accounted needlesse to be handled , but it is necessary and seasonable now , there being many set against the very function , as if any man might of himself assume it . to such i shall represent these considerations following . viz. 1. that in all ages there have been some persons set apart for such divine offices even before the law , or constitution of aaron and the levites ; as since , see some appointed , exod. 19. 22. let the priests which come near to the lord sanctify themselves , ( chap. 24. 5. ) called young men of the children of israel , sent of moses , who offered the burnt offerings and sacrifice unto the lord , and this is usually interpreted to be the first-borne , and that of the principall of the families , instead of which the levites were afterward taken , ( see numb . 3. 12. ) and what a setled priesthood there was in moses and solomons time to the captivity ; and after it upon their return ; who knows not ? see mal. 2. a speech to the priests , and for that five hundred-yeer gap betwixt the old testament and the new , when the prophets ceased , yet a priesthood continued , that the service of god , then was not to put to the charity of passengers , as beggars are by the high way , but some were appropriated to it ; ieroboam that forsook the temple , yet retained a priesthood , though of his own corrupt appointment . ob●ect . that of the law was a priesthood , but we speak of a ministery . resp. 1. we stand not upon words or titles ; neither doth the apostle , for as ( 2 cor. 3. 7 , 8 , 9. ) he calls the priests of the law ministers , and their office a ministration ; so he implies , that the ministers of the gospel might have that title of priests ( 1 cor. 9. 13. ) by taking his argument for their maintenance from the priests , altar , and temple , as they that serve at the altar , partake of the altar ; even so hath god ordained , that those that preach the gospel , should live of the gospel ; and the name hath only grown ignominious , by the church of rome's retaining it , whom if by way of distinction , they had been called by us sacrificers ( as bishop downham observes ) there had been no offence in it . all that read the fathers , know it is the term used by them ; whose tractates of the ministery are intituled de sacerdotio . and the apostle makes it only a change of the priesthood , ( hebr. 7. 12. ) not a nulling of it , upon which change of a ministration , none presumed of themselves to officiate without an ordination ; iohn baptist who was the preparative voice of the gospel was ordained to it , and his disciples were set apart by him ; our saviour did the like in ordaining first twelve for preaching and baptizing , and then 72 after them , when one of the twelve was lost , no other stepped into his place without a solemne choice of him ; paul and barnabas , acts 14. 23. wheresoever they came and converted any nation , were carefull of ordaining successors . saint paul , as his last , gives that charge to timothy and titus after him , and in all ages of the church from the primitive times , both in the greek and latine church , it hath been observed to this day successively . so that for such as would have no such office of a ministery by ordination , but all men left to themselves to officiate at their pleasure , we may say with the apostle ( 1 cor. 11. 16. ) we have had no such custome , neither the churches of god , ( or as eliphaz to iob cap. 5. 1. ) call now if there be any will answer thee , and to which of the saints wilt thou turn , where is there any such president in all the reformed churches ? the israelites would have a king as all other nations ; these are upon the contrary singularity . 't is true , the new ierusalem ( revel . 21. 22. meant heaven , is found without a temple and a priest , because christ shall then give up his kingdome to his father ( 1 cor. 15. ) i. e. the manner of this present government by the scepter of his word , and seale of sacraments , and then god shall be all in all , but till then , a setled ministery must be continued . secondly , if no successive ordained ministery , why doth saint paul spend so much time in exhorting to a future provision for them . ( 1 cor. 9. gal. 6. 6. 1 tim. 5. 17. ) can we think it was only for himself , and such then living , who expected martyrdome weekly ; why such large directions for the qualification of such , as were to be ordained by his successors , in his epistles to timothy , and titus , surely it was written for our instruction now . thirdly , consider what conclusion must be the issue of the contrary , our saviour pitied the people , when they were like sheep without a shepherd ; that which is every mans work , is no bodies : as in reason , the office of the ministery must be weakly and negligently done , when no persons are appointed to make it their study and sabour , fo when gaps are thus opened for any person , may not iesuits and such lik agents creep in under other forms , and privily bring in damnable heresies , to the seducing of the hearers ; i am loth to imagine that this should be at the bottome of this assertion , that so with the more specious pretext , they might take away the maintenance , as indeed one must follow the other ; for if there be no need of a setled ordained ministery , what use of a setled meanes alotted for it . if any shall stumble at that speech often in the mouthes of some , isa. 54. 13. all thy children shall be taught of the lord , he may be satisfied by this double answer . 1. it was fulfilled in that time of our lord and saviour , teaching them immediately by himself , which he expounds accordingly ; ( iohn 6. 45. ) it is written in the prophets , they shall be all taught of god , every man therefore that hath learned of the father , cometh unto me , &c. 2. the lord is said to teach , when he doth it by a ministery , sent by him according to that of ierem. 3. 15. i will give you pastors after my own heart , that shall feed you with knowledge and understanding , &c. fulfilled under the gospel . and we grant , that though the proposal of the doctrine is by the minister , yet the illumination of the mind , and the rectifying of the heart through it , is from god. object . if that of saint peter ( 1 eph. 4. 10. ) he objected , as every man hath received the gift , so let him minister the same as good stewards of the manifold grace of god. answ. i conceive it is not meant the gift of preaching , but of almes . the words immediately before , are these . vse hospitality one to another without grudging , there is the manner , and then in these words , as every one hath received the gift , so let him minister , is implyed the measure of it ; agreeing with that of saint pauls injunction , 1 cor. 16. 2. let every one lay by him ( to that end ) as god had prospered him , &c. that these temporal things are the gift of god ; the fourth petition of the lords prayer , shewes sufficiently . and that collections of these , and giving them to the poor , is called a ministring to the saints . see 2 cor. 8. 4. cap. 9. 1. and stiled grace , ( cap. 8. 19. ) and what other sense can there be of that ( cap. 9. 8. ) god is able to make all grace abound , but of temporall blessings , as the next words shew , to multiply your seed sowen , and minister bread for your food , ( v. 10. ) and they may be called the manifold grace or gift of god , by the divers sorts of them to be administred , food , clothing , relieving of the sick , &c. according as they are distinctly remembred at the last day , ( matth. 25. ) and are not all bountiful charitable persons , the lords stewards , in dispensing these things to those of his houshold of faith ; so that upon these considerations , the place appears to to be farre off from any application of it to preaching . indeed the next verse may be so meant . if any man speak , let him speak as the oracles of god , &c. but yet to be understood with this limitation , viz. of a man ordained and constituted ( as we have said ) for that end . in a word , to allow all sorts of men to be preachers , is to make the whole body an eye , a tongue , &c. and if so as the apostle saith , where is the hearing , are all teachers , are all interpreters ? 't is an argument from the absurdity , as if ye would expect the foot to see , the hand to speak ; in saint pauls dayes it was said , who is sufficient for these things ? and shall all persons think themselves so now ; saint paul bids timothy give himself wholly to it : i. e. to meditation , study , reading , and not to intangle himself with the things of this world , which might take him off , and may they now meet in tradesmen and manufactures ? and the office be performed without either ? is there not a distinction made between the church of ephesus , and the elders of it , ( acts 20. ) between the church and the angel of it , ( revel . 2. ) which if it be not meant of one person , the bishop ( as ignatius stiles him so about twelve years after , which was the judgement of the primate ) yet must at least be collectively meant of the bishop , & the ministery of it ; is there not a distinction between the saints of philippi , & the bishops & deacons , are there not some said to be over the * thessalonians in the lord , and preaching & admonishing called in special , their work , as appropriated to them , for which he chargeth them to know them , & to esteem highly of them ; as the like in his last charge to the church of the hebrews , ( cap. ult . 7. 17. obey them that have the rule over you in the lord , and that watch for your soules , as they that must give an accompt , and if that were the speciall office of the ministery , then to have curam animarum ; why not now ? or where doth it appear , the term is expired ? i conclude this point with an observation of the several steps of our declinings , or defections of later yeares ; first , we were offended at some titles of the ministery , then at the office it selfe ; first , at such a ministery so ordained , then at the ordaining of any ministery at all . first , the solemn assemblies in publick were forsaken , and a retreat made into corners , then the preachers themselves slighted , called by solomon the masters of assemblies : first , a ceremony in baptizing of infants scrupled at , then the baptisme of infants themselves ; nay , the sacrament of baptisme by water , called into question also ; first , the communion forborne , out of offence to some gesture , now the sacrament it selfe neglected , and contemned , as if we may now live above and without ordinances , & without any ordained ministry to administer each , as indeed the one must follow the other . this is the train laid to blow us up , what iacob said after ioseph was lost , and benjamin must go too ; all these things are against me , may be our application for the church . if any thirty years agone , should have foretold that this garden of god should have brought forth these weeds , that such tenents should have so prevailed among us , he would have been by the most religious persons of that age , taken for one that dreamed ; and they ready to have answered for their mother-church , as hazael did for himself , when the prophet told him , what evill he should be the authour of . let us be of moderate spirits , and not run beyond the bounds of any president in the primitive times , walk not in wayes not cast up ; ( jerem. 6. 16. ) enquire for the old paths , where is the good way , and walk therein ; be not like those in the next words , that said , we will not walk in them ; but in new ones , according to your own fancies . let the tribe of levi be purged , but let not the physick be so strong as to destroy them . saint paul magnified his own office ; this is but to support it from being trodden under feet , and the end is your good , that in these distracted times , ye might not be without leaders , so ordained and fitted , to guide your feet in the way of peace , and so much for the first , a necessity of an ordained ministery . now the second observation is , that ordination is not onely an internal call of god , but an external of man ; for so 't is denominated by that very act , laying on of hands , i. e. implying the hand of god is not all in the holy frame of the heart of the person by his spirit , requisite in every true believer , but there must be the hands of men in the designation of him in his name also . the first was wont to be asked , the person ordained , viz. whether in his heart or conscience , he found himself truly called to the ministry , according to the will of our lord iesus christ. this perswasion of his gave a capacity , but the authority actually conferred on him , was by the imposition of hands , ability and faithfulnesse were the qualifications , but the commission to officiate , was transferred to timothy ( 2 eph. 2. 2. ) by that means . ye know those two memento's of saint paul to him , neglect not the gift ( 1 tim. 4. 14. ) stirre up the gift of god which is in thee ( 2 tim. 1. 16. ) by the laying on of my hands , and of the hands of the presbytery ; if it should be asked , what is here meant by the gift , i conceive there is no necessity of understanding it , either of gifts of ability , or saving gifts of the spirit ; for as the former doubtlesse were found in timothy before his ordination , and the latter from his childhood , & education ; ( 2 epist. cap. 3. 15. cap. 1. 5. ) so 't is a doubt if it were in the power of timothy to transferre either of those by this means , they being to be left to christ himself , who enlightens every man that cometh into the world ; and to that holy spirit who blowes when , and where it listeth , but the surest sence is to take it for the authority given him for the officiating , and exercising these abilities , and transferring of it unto others : and in this sence i grant gifted men may preach , and perform other ministerial acts , i. e. who with the internall have received this externall power and authority also , according to christs ordinance through imposition of hands . indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken for internall abilities , and 't is not improbable , but at the solemn meeting of the church of god , both ministery and people , in fasting and prayer , ( which was the injunction of our church , & should have been the practice ) to invocate god for the assisting grace of his spirit , to be given to the person ordained , might be prevalent for that end ; and that the receiving accordingly of ordination , might be so far operative , as to be a confirmation of the party the more , against errors and heresies , in the execution of it ; the falling into which may possibly be the judgement of god upon some , who of late dayes have run without it , which agrees with the observation chemnitius makes of origen , who neglected orders , and fell into the like ; and at last made himselfe incapable of them . but i say again , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forenamed place , is most safely to be understood of the gift of authority to be exercised and transferred unto others by laying on of hands . and 't is further confirmed by the many examples that do abound , our saviour gave his apostles not only an inward call by his spirit , but an open verball call before the people ; saint stephen , a man full of faith and the holy ghost , yet presumed not to officiate , till he had imposition of hands from them ; beware of making your selves ministers , our saviour did not make himself a priest ( heb. 5. 5. ) 't is the blot layed on iezabell , that she made her selfe a prophetesse , revelat . 2. 20. 't is frequent to hear an ordained minister called antichristian , but consider who deserves that title , whether those that observe the rule of christ , and tread in the paths of the apostles , or such , who , without any president in scripture , or in primitive times , are in this a law unto themselves . and do but think what ill issue may in the future , be of this promiscuous presumption , upon the offices of the ministery , what doubts it may raise in our posterity , in receiving of baptisme , by such as cannot answer to that question by what authority dost thou these things , and who gave thee this authority ? one objection common in the mouthes of men is , why do you stand so much upon a ceremony , as laying on of hands is ? first , that which the apostle calls● a principle and a fundamentall , do not you call a ceremony , according to that which was said , to s. peter , that which god hath cleansed , call not thou common ; for which we have both precept and example to three successions ; paul , and timothy , and those that succeeded him . 2. 't is a most honourable ceremony used upon other occasions , iacob in blessing of ephraim , and manasses , moses in constitution of ioshua , na●mans expectation of elias healing him , our saviours in blessing of the children in the gospel , saint pauls at the holy ghosts coming upon the disciples of ephesus in the gift of tongues . the prophets of antioch , upon the separating of paul , and barnabas , for a speciall work designed unto , as others by way of benediction and confirmation . 3. if it be an institution , though , how mean soever it is to the eye , yet it must be observed , or else water in baptisme , & bread and wine in the lords supper , may fall under the like contempt . circnmcision was a carnall ordinance , yet ( rom. 3. ) the apostle checks those who questioned the profit or vertue of it . the waxe of the seale hath little worth in it self , but by the impression affixed to the pattent , is of great consequence to the party , the like application may be made to imposition of hands , the seal of ordination . but suppose laying on of hands be granted as we have said , the question yet remains , by whose hands ? answ. doubtlesse not by the peoples , for it doth not stand with reason , that any can transferre that authority , which they have not , the people may be said after a manner , to give their votes in the election , as it was the former ( and ancient ) custome , that they were asked if they knew of any impediment or crime , for which the party ought not be received into this holy ministry , and desired to declare it ; and upon the objecting of any , the bishop was to surcease , till the party accused should clear himself . the people had liberty of allegation , for , or against the person to be ordained , but it doth not follow , that therefore they had power in constituteing and ordaining . they are the persons to whom the ministers are sent ; can they be the senders ? they have their mission to them ; can they have their commission from them ? we are gods embassadours , not theirs , neither do ye ●ind any power this way derived or committed from christ to them , as my father sent me , so send i you , saith our saviour to his apostles , lo , i am with you , and so with your successors , unto the end of the world . saint paul saith to timothy , lay thou hands , &c. to titus , i left thee behind , that thou shouldest ordain ( be it meant collectively of the rest of the ministers , as assistants with him also , ) but no mention of the people in that act . that of numb . 8. 10. the people laid their hands on the levits , is not meant in their consecration , but dedication , or the donation of them to be consecrated to the lord , instead of the first born by moses and aaron ; it was but as hanna's giving up her son samuel to eli , to be consecrated to the service of the temple , or like the presentation of a person formally under the hand and seal of the patron to the bishop , to be instituted or inducted ; such was this of the levites , only a signification of their act and deed under their hands , in giving up their whole title and interest in them , to be set apart for that end . for that of matthias his election before the people , to be an apostle ( acts 1. 16. ) alleadged by some for the power of people in ordination . 1. saint peter only signifieth to them what they were about to do , and doing it in their presence , as in saint cyprians time , it was the custome to have the minister ordained , praesente plebe , sub omnium oculis , &c. in the presence of the people , before the eyes of all , &c. like eleazar invested by moses with the priests garments , on the top of the mount in the sight of the israelites , but the actions in ●etting two apart in casting the lots , prayer , &c. were the apostles . secondly , this election here to the apostleship , was neither the peoples , nor apostles , but gods by a divine suffrage , expressed by lot according to the prayer of the apostles to god for it , and so it makes nothing for the peoples act in ordination : and so much for the first question , whose hands must be imposed ? 2. what if the ordainers , being of the ministry , be found not to have ●een of clean hands themselves , i. e. of evill lives , is their ordination good ? i answer , yes ; for 't is not a personal act , but an act of office , as 't is not the learning of the judge makes any decree valid , but his authority and commission for it ; a popish judge gives a just sentence in court , his sentence is not erroneous and antichristian : though himself may be so ; his act is good in law : how bad soever he is in matter of religion , & so the act of ordination being an act of office is not nulled , or voided by personal defilements ; it was the errour of the donatists , to put the vertue of ministerial acts wholly upon the holinesse of the person ministring ; no , as saint augustine , saith , a foul hand may sow good seed . but there is one objection more to be answered , frequently in the mouthes of men , viz. your orders were derived from rome , and therefore antichristian . 1. observe what contrary inferences are against us ; the papists say we have no lawful ministery , because we have it not from rome , having renounced our subjection to that see , others among our selves argue the same , from our being deduced from it . secondly , if they mean of our receiving it from thence , immediately after the apostles time , ( which the ancientest of the brittish writers extant do not grant , but averre , that we received it from such as came from ierusalem hither even in tiberius his time ) it is no disparagement to us , for it was then a famous church ; see saint pauls epistle to it , as ignatius after him . but if they mean since the corruption and apostasy of it , we may distinguish between from and through , as between the fountain and conduit , we received it from the apostles , though running through some corrupt times of popery , of which , since our reformation , it savours no more , then the fish doth of the salt water , or as the three children in the furnace , when they came out there , was not so much as the smell of fire found upon them . 3. if they mean of austine the monke sent from rome in gregory the great his time , about 600 yeares after christ ; there were then no such defilements of doctrine in it , that it should be a scandall to us either : and yet we were not then to seek for an ordained ministery , there having been for many hundreds of years , before that , a flourishing church among us , which the saxons whom he came to convert , had been the persecutors and destroyers of , as gildas tells us , so that in that , or the former , sense , the objection is not worth the answering . but fourthly , i suppose they mean of later centuries , when that complaint of the proph●et concerning ierusalem , might be appliable to rome . how is that faithful city become a harlot ? it was full of judgement , righteousnesse lodgeed in her ; but now murderers , &c. i. e. since the bishop of rome became corrupt in doctrine and worship . for this , first we thus answer . while we were under the tyranny of the bishop of rome , it doth not appear that he ordinarily usurped , more then a mandatory nomination of the bishop to be consecrated , which out of a blind fear of his excommunication was assented unto , but the consecration was not by him , but other bishops here within our selves . and i account the ordination or consecration to be derived from such as gave imposition of hands , not from the mandate for them to do it ; henry the eight , and the kings succeeding , assumed the like power in the nomination of the person ( which accordingly might not be gainsaid : ) but from thence it cannot be argued , that our ordination or consecration was deduced from them , for the kings mandate served not to give power to ordain ( which those bishops had before intrinsecally annexed to their office ) but only was a warrant to apply this power to the person named in that mandate . now this being all which was usurped by the bishop of rome , in relation to the consecrations of our bishops in england , when we were under the tyranny of the papacy , there is as little force for our deriving our ordination from him also . and if those bishops of sidon , which ( as arch-deacon * mason tells us ) assisted in the first consecration in hen. 8. as in edward the sixth's time , were not meerly titular , but had their consecration from the greek church , which is altogether a stranger to the see of rome ; it would take off somewhat from the pretence of a totall derivation from thence . but still it may be objected , that we have at least received our ordination from such as professed the religion of rome . first , it could not be called properly the religion of rome , till the councell of trent , which determined many years after our falling off from the see of rome : the papists ask us , where was our religion before luther ? we might reply , where was the popish religion before that time . 't is true , most of those poysonous errours were sowen up and down the world before , but not collected fully into a body ; and so owned and headed by the papacy till then . for till that time , scarce any point we hold now against them but there were some of their own authours who held it also . so that to speak properly the now romish religion in their new creed , with other appurtenances , was established since our form of ordination . 2. suppose we received our ordination from such who were corrupted with popish errours , yet if they retained the fundamentalls of christian religion , their ordination may be valid : those like some part of the barke of the tree uncut , may convey the sappe from the root to the preserving of life in the branches . what saint augustine saith of the donatists in some things , mecum sunt , they concurre with me ; in other things they are defiled , may be applicable to the church of rome , and if so , why may we not receive through them , what was of christs remaining in them , without being defiled with that corrupt part which is their own ? why may not there be in this a separation of the precicious from the vile ? and in our reformation we withdrew our selves no further from her , then she hath declined from her self in the apostles time , and from the ancient state and condition of it then , as one saith well , nostra ecclesia ab hodierna romana ecclesia contaminata recessit , ut ad pristinam , puram , apostolicam , romanam accedere posset . we forsook the present corrupted church of rome , that we might be nearer a kin to the first , pure , apostolical roman church in the primitive times . 3. in a word , we do affirme that neither their corruption in opinion , or vitiosity of life , do , or did , void it to the party ordained ; none doubts of the baptisme of our fore-fathers administred by those of the like in the church of rome , as if there needed any reiteration , by them who survived our reformation : neither do we renew the orders received in that church , when any priest is converted , and betakes himself to our communion , and why should it be questioned here ? let the seal be of silver or brasse , the impression is alike valid , if affixed by order to the deed ; parents in generation convey to the child what is essentiall to humane nature , not that which is accidentall . a maimed father begets a son like himself , as he was before he lost his arme ; as the circumcised did , and doth an uncircumcised child : the like application may be made , to the transferring of ordination in such a wounded , diseased , apostatized church , as the roman now is , and by such corrupted persons in life and doctrine , continuing in it ; so they do observe the * essentials in ordination ; other superstructures or corruption in the ordainers , doth not null it , either to the persons themselves , or successors ; which might be further manifested by the p●actice of the church in all ages . 1. that ministration under the law , ( the priests of which the jewish writers say , were consecrated by laying on of hands ) had as much cause to stand upon succession as any ; yet , ye find often , that the priests the sons of aaron , and the levites had corrupted their wayes , were defiled with idolatry in ahaz , and manasses time , and others , as bad or worse then the see of rome ; yet after a reformation , the succession which was by their hands was not questioned ; though the priesthood ran through much filth , yet retaining the essentialls of the jewish religion , as circumcision , &c. they were owned of god again in a successive ministration . see in the height of their idolatry , when they were offering their children by fire , unto their idols , yet by retaining the sacrament , & covenant of circumcision , their children are called the lords children , ezek. 16. 20. thou hast taken thy sons which thou hast borne unto me , &c. thou hast slayn my children , in causing them to pass through the fire , etc. 2. in our saviour christs time , there was as bad a succession as ever ; in the priests , pharises , scribes , sadduces , &c. yet as he permitted their administring of some rites for himselfe ; whether of circumcision , or the offering made for him in the temple , at the purification , after the custome of the law , in his infancy , so at his manifestation about 30 yeares after , he sends those that were healed by him to the priests , to offer what moses commanded ; ye see he did not determine against the office for the personal defilements of their predecessors , or themselves . 3. nay , under the gospel , about four hundred years after our saviour christ , was not the world so over-run with arrians , that it groaned under it ? ( as st. ierom saith , ) when they had the commands of the pulpits , ordaining of preachers , children were baptized by them , men put to receive the communion of them ; as hilary and basil say , the orthodox were hatched under the wings of the arrian priests ; yet upon a reformation , and the renouncing of that heresie , we read not of any rejecting of the succeeding ministers , because they were derived through such hands , which i conceive to have been as bad as the bishop of rome , and his followers . the church then was so wise as to consider , a jewel looseth not his vertue by being delivered by a foul hand , so neither is the treasure of the ministry to be despised , because it hath passed through some polluluted vessels to us , which is appliable for the saving harmlesse our ordination , though transmitted through the popish defilements of some persons ; so much in vindicating the ordination of the church of england , from the scandall of being popish & antichristian , with which by some ignorant and rash people , it is frequently aspersed . let me conclude with this short admonition . be not hereafter so unworthy , as to blurre that ministery , with being antichristian , by whom ye have received the knowledge of christ ; both by their translating of the scriptures out of the originalls , into your mother-tongue for your reading , and their labour , in the exposition of them for your understanding , by whom you and your fathers have been baptized , and instructed ; be not such ill birds , as thus to defile your own nests ; do not side with the agents of the bishop of rome , in thus detracting and lessening the reputation and esteem of them . let them not say in their hearts , so would we have it , nor you with your tongues , unlesse in your hearts you are romish your selves . is it not strange , that those who have been so great opposers of the errors of popery , wrot so learnedly , and fully against them , who have applyed , that in the 2 epist of the thessalonians , concerning the man of sin , and that of babylon in 17. revel . to the papacy , as bishop downham , abbot , iewell , and the late eminent primate , with divers others ; that now they should ( with their very calling and profession ) be styled popish ; can we think otherwise , but that the hand of ioab ( i mean the jesuit ) is privily in it . is it not a wonder it should so come about , that such as have been the greatest enemies to the see of rome , should be reckoned as members , and friends of it ; and thus perpetually yoked together as twins ; nay trod under foot as unsavory salt , upon that very account , as being episcopall . is this a just reward of their labour ? in the defence of your profession ; thus to be aspersed by you , as absolon to hushay , is this thy kindnesse to thy friend ? certainly those of the see of rome , cannot but smile within themselves , that they have thus covertly deluded us , and so closely taken a revenge of those their adversaries . how true is that speech of our saviour , a prophet is not without honour , save in his own country ; other nations , french and german , magnifie the clergy of the church of england ; by what is transmitted over sea in many of their works , onely despised at home as the off-scouring of the world ; what a preparative this is , to the expectation of the papists , an able learned , ordained ministery , having been hitherto the stop to the introduction of ignorance and superstition , which if removed , might flow in the more easily , which god in his mercy prevent . and thus i have endeavoured to confirm the primates judgement upon this place , viz. that by laying on of hands , is meant an ordained ministery . the primates judgement of the sense and vse of the form of words in the former constitution , at the ordination of priests or presbyters , defended , and enlarged . viz. receive the holy ghost , whose sins thou forgivest , they are forgiven , and whose sins thou doest retain , they are retained . which as an appendix to the former subject , could not well be omitted . they are the words of our saviour , iohn 20. 22. to the apostles , and why they may not be continued to their successors , ( who are to succeed in that office of the ministery to the end of the world , ) doth not yet appear ; and 't is possible , that the late offence taken against them to the disuse of them , may arise from a misapprehension of the sense of them ; the primates judgement of which i think fit to manifest , who in all his ordinations , constantly observed them . they consist of two clauses . 1. receive the holy ghost . 2. whose sins thou forgivest , they are forgiven ; and whose sins thou dost retain , they are retained . 1. for the first ; ( receive the holy ghost ) we do not here understand the sanctifying graces of the spirit : for the apostles had received them before , in that they were bid by our saviour , to rejoyce , that their names were written in heaven ( the evidence of which is , heaven wrot in the heart here ) and had his witnesse , that they had believed , and had kept his word , for whom he had also also prayed in that sense ; sanctifie them through thy truth , john 17. and if this had been the gift , there had been no particular thing given to them , for all that will be saved , must in some measure partake of it . rom. 8. 9. if any man have not the spirit of christ , he is none of his . and though it be the testimony of a good christian , yet 't is not a sufficient warrant for him , to take upon him the ministery . 2. again , it cannot be meant of the extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost , viz. gifts of tongues , &c. for in that sense the holy ghost was not yet given , till fifty dayes after . viz. the feast of pentecost , but this was given upon the day of his resurrection ; so that a third sense must be had , which was the primates , as followeth . 3. receive the holy ghost ] i. e. receive ministeriall power of officiating and dispensing those sacred ministrations , unto which the promise of the holy spirit is annexed , and through which , as the conduit-pipes , this holy water is conveyed ; not so much meant for their own benefit , as the good of others ; in this he gave them power as the stewards of god , to be dispensers of holy and spiritual things , to the benefit of such , over whom the holy ghost had made them overseers , which is accordingly attributed to the elders of ephesus , whom s. paul had ordained . mr. hooker's glosse ( in his eccles . polit. ) is accordingly ; receive the holy ghost , i. e. accipite potestatem spiritualem , receive ghostly , or spiritual authority , in order to the soules of men now to be committed to your charge ; and if you mark the context , their commission is here from the blessed trinity ; the father , and sonne , in the verse before . as my father hath sent me , so send i you . and in this verse , a reception of authority from the third person , the father sends , matth. 9. 38. chap. 10. 20. the sonne , ephes. 4. here the holy ghost , as acts 20. and so more fully thus . receive the holy ghost , i. e. receive authority from the father , son , and holy ghost , for the efficacious preaching of the word , and administration of sacraments , by and through which , the graces of the holy spirit in repentance , faith , forgivenesse of sins , and the like ; are ordinarily wrought and confirmed to the hearers , and partakers of them : yet not excluding it from being a prayer also , viz. that the person thus authorized , might receive such a spiritual assistance in it . receive first by way of donation in the name of christ , as to the office ; and secondly , by way of impetration , as to the efficacious spiritual assistance of him in it , which the accustomed succeeding prayer did confirm : which as it was in both senses frequently effectual by the mouth and hands of the apostles , so hath it been accordingly from age to age , in and by the ministery succeeding , and therefore why may not the same form of words be used at their ordination also . can we think this solemn reception of the holy ghost , in that sense as hath been explained , was onely for the benefit of that age , and withdrawn totally again in the next . that his being with them thus by his spiritual assistance , to the end of the world , was to determine with the death of the apostles ; some of which , ( as saint iames , acts 12. ) were not long after ; no surely , this oyle poured upon their heads , descended further then so , even to the skirts of their garments , in these dayes . the third chapter of the first epistle to the corinthians , hath much in confirmation of this . in the third verse , saint paul styles the minister ordained by christ , his amanuensis ; ye are the epistle of christ ministred by us , written not with ink , but with the spirit of the living god. christ the inditer , the minister is as the hand of a ready writer ; or the spirit is as the ink , the minister as the pen , through which 't is diffused upon the fleshly tables of your hearts , and by saying us , he doth not appropriate it to himselfe , but gives the like to timothy ordained by him , which he continues in the sixth verse ; god hath made us able ministers of the new testament , not of the letter , but of the spirit ; as he calls the word , the sword of the spirit ( ephes. 6. ) committed into the hands of the ministery , so the whole office is called the ministration of the spirit , v. 8. the ministration of righteousnesse , v. 9. i. e. instrumentally , be it that of iustification , or sanctification , by which he saith , it did exceed in glory that under the law ; the shining of moses face , the glory of the temple , and vestments of the priests were glorious , but yet had no glory in this respect , by reason of the glory which excelleth ; for if that which is done away were glorious , how much more that which remaineth , is glorious . now wherein lieth this glory , but in being by this ministration , the conduits through which the spirit is conveyed , and received , or being ( cap. 6. 1. ) co-workers together with him of it , even as the glory of the latter temple , by the presence of christ himselfe , is said to be greater then the former , though it had types of him in a more outward glorious lustre : 't is therefore called v. 18. the glass of the glory of the lord , by which we are changed into the same image from glory to glory , even as by the spirit of the lord. which as it rebukes the contemners of the office of the ministery , so it answers that frequent objection made against the use of these words , at the ordination to it ; viz. that the sanctifying graces of the spirit , were sometimes lacking both in the ordainers transmitting , and ordained the recipients ; it is answered , the transmission , or reception of the holy ghost here , is not meant in that sense , as to the resting of it in the persons themselves , but as the conveyers of it , for the use and benefit of others , viz. through these administrations , which they are now by this authorized to performe . and that it may be so , ye see it in iudas , who by our saviours commission to him through preaching , and baptizing , was the instrument accordingly of the transferring of it , ( i. e. remission of sins , &c. ) unto others , without partaking of it himself : our saviour calls him a devill , and a son of perdition , but yet in this office , the devils were subject to him ; and he the means of dispossessing of others ; like noahs carpenters , who were instruments to save others , but were drowned themselves . 't is probable , saint paul , or some of the apostles ordained hymenaeus , and phyletus , phygellus , hermogenes , and diotrephas , but as in neither of them doth there appear any sanctified grace of the spirit , so we do not read it caused any suspension of the vertue of their ministerial acts to the receivers , or that the apostles gave order for any reiteration of them ; personal faults , not voyding acts of office ; and so , why should the like be a prejudice to it in these succeeding ages ? receiving supposeth a gift , but 't is as the giving of a summe to a steward by his lord , not to his own private use , but for the dispensing of it to the family . and to say no more , there are some learned interpreters , do apply that passage , 1 iohn chap. 2. 20. to an ordained ministery ; yee need not that any man teach you , but as the same anointing teacheth you all things , and is truth ; a beza 's words upon the place , are these ; the same anointing ) he could not with a more cleare testimony have adorned the pastors and teachers , from whom they were instructed , and daily as yet are ; then to say they were taught by the holy ghost , & had bin formerly , &c. b piscators words are these , the anointing teacheth ] i. e. the ministry of the word , or the holy ghost efficacious by the preaching of the gospel , wherefore the ministery ought to be in a great esteem with us . ye see they do not understand by this vnction , or anointing , signifying the holy ghost , an immediate teaching , or inspiration , as by some enthusiasme , but immediately through the ministery , ordained for that end ; by a metonymy ( as they say ) of the adjunct ; the oyntment , for the hand , which applyes it , or delivers it to you , and the teaching you all things , is meant of all things necessary to salvation ; the credenda , and agenda , which by the ministery had bin so f●lly taught them , that they needed not to be taught by saint iohn again here . if any shall object ( as it hath been nnto me ) that of saint augustine , lib. 15. de trinit . cap. 27. quomodo ergo deus non est qui dat spiritum sanctum , imò quantus deus est qui dat deum ? neque enim aliquis discipulorum ejus dedit spiritum sanctum , orabant quippe ut veniret in eos , quibus manus imponebant , non ipsi eum dabant , quem morem in suis praepositis etiam nune servet ecclesia &c. i. e. how should not he be god who gives the holy ghost ? nay , how great a god who gives god ? for neither any of his disciples , gave the holy ghost ; they prayed indeed , that it might come upon those on whom they imposed hands , they did not give it themseles ; which custom the church now observes , &c. 1. in the words before these , he speaks of a double giving of the holy ghost by our saviour , the one on earth after his resurrection , the other from heaven after his ascension , upon the day of pentecost ; now in relation to the latter in those extraordinary gifts of the spirit , the words objected have their principal application , which doth not concern that we have in hand , which is only of the former being meant of successive ministerial authority , for the ordinarie dispensing of the office . secondly , whereas he saith , the church hath observed that custome in imposition of hands , to pray for the persons reciving of it , hath bin formerly acknowledged to be one sense of that clause , viz. by way of impetration ; take the gift of the spirit , pro dono infuso , so we use the words per modum impetrationis , take it pro officio , so we use it , per modum collationis , ministerially conferring the power of executing the office of a minister , & there is no contradiction , but that in the same act , there may meet a collation of the office with authority to execute , and an impetration for the persons receiving an assistance of the spirit in the executing of it , which , in the old in junction immediately followed , in a prayer , for the person ordained accordingly , so that the custome and intention of our church , is no other then what was in saint augustines time , not presuming to give the holy ghost in the latter sense , ( only praying it might be given of god to him ) but only in the former . so much for opening of the first clause in ordination , receive the holy ghost , which rightly understood , is not such a rock of offence , as some have taken it to be , in the disuse of it . the second clause is , whose sins thou forgivest , they are forgiven , whose sins thou doest retain , they are retained . at which , as much , if not more offence hath been taken , then at the former , ( as if it savoured of popery ) which ● shall give you the primates sense of also . that it may be retained in ordination , and attributed safely to the office of the ministery , without the least savour that way , which no man that knew him , and what popery is , but will acquit him of the least grain of it . thus far it will be granted by all sober persons . 1. the ministers may be said to remit sins , by way of preparative to it ; in being the instruments ( by preaching the word of reconciliation ) to dispose men towards it in bringing them to repentance , whereby they are capable of it . 2. by way of confirmation , in exhibiting the seales of remission in the sacraments , according as one well glosseth upon these words ; 't is gods act onely to forgive sins , but the apostles are said to do it ; a not simply , but because they apply the means appointed of god for that end . viz. the word , and sacraments ; what is there more in forgivenesse of sins , then in reconciliation of god and man ; now ye find this given to the ministery . 2 cor. 5. 18 , 19. god was in christ reconciling the world unto himself , not imputing their trespasses unto them , and hath committed unto us the word , or ministery of reconciliation . gods act onely authoritate propria , by his own supreme authority ; the ministers act potestate vicaria , as a substitute in christs stead , and the word doth include the sacraments also , as in our usual speech , the letters pattents doth the seale affixed to them , as the ministery , doth the whole ministerial office . 3. declaratively in testifying this grace of god , and declaring gods good pleasure accordingly upon repentance unto the person , like that of nathan to david , or saint peter to his auditory ( acts 3. ) as ferus saith , b man doth not properly forgive sin , but doth declare , and certifie that it is remitted of god , so that absolution received from man , is as much to say , behold my son , i certifie thee , that thy sins are forgiven thee . i declare unto thee that god is at peace with thee , ( which i relate the rather out of him both for his being a writer of the church of rome , and that this passage is purged out of his book by them as erroneous , as may be seen by comparing the edition of mentz , with the edition at antwerp , 1559 , and 1570 ) which agrees with that in the articles of religion of ireland , num . 71. god hath given power to his ministers , not simply to forgive sinnes ( which prerogative he hath reserved only to himselfe ) but in his name to declare and pronounce unto such as truly repent , and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel , the absolution , and remission of sins . but that ye may the more fully understand the primates iudgement in this point , whose authority prevails much with all good men , and how remote our church is from that of the papists in the use of those words in ordination , i shall give you some brief collections out of that answer of his to the iesuite malones challenge concerning this subject , and the rather to satisfy the reader , against the injury , which ( among others ) doctor heylene hath done him in this , as if his judgement were opposite to the doctrine of the church of england . first , the primate complains of the wrong done by the papists in charging us with denying any power to be left by christ to the priests , or ministers of the church , to forgive sins , being the formal words which our church requireth to be used in the ordination of a minister , and there states the question between them & us ; that in the general , it was ever the doctrine of our church , that the principal office of our ministery is excercised in the forgivenesse of sins , as the means , and end of it . the question is of the manner of the execution , and the bounds of it , which the pope , and his clergy have enlarged beyond all measure of truth and reason . we say , that to forgive sinnes properly , directly , and absolutely , is gods propriety onely ; esay 43. 25. psal. 32. 5. produced by our saviour , matth. 9. to prove his deity , which is accordingly averred by all antiquity . but the papists attribute as much to the bishop of rome , affirming , a that in him there is a fulnesse of all graces , and he gives a full indulgence of all sins , that to him agrees that which we give to our lord , that of his fulnesse , all we have received ; and not much lesse to the meanest priest ; viz. that his absolution is such a sacramental act , that it confers grace ; actively , and immediately , and effects the grace of iustification , that as the wind doth extinguish the fire , and dispell clouds , so doth his absolution , sins , and by it attrition becomes contrition . we do not take upon us any such soveraignty , as if it were in our power to proclaim warre , or conclude peace between god , and man , at our discretion ; we remember we are but embassadors , and must not go beyond our commission , and instructions . we do not take upon us thus to be lords over gods heritage , as if we had the absolute power of the keyes . this were popery indeed . no , we only acknowledge a ministerial limited one , as stewards to dispense things according to the will of our masters , and do assent unto the observation which cyrill , saint basil , ambrose , augustine , make upon these words of ordination of the apostle ; receive the holy ghost , whose sins ye forgive , shall be forgiven . viz. that this is not their work properly , but the work of the holy ghost , who remitteth by them ; for as st. cyril saith a who can free transgressors of the law , but the authour of the law it self ? b the lord ( saith st. augustine ) was to give un●o men the holy ghost , and he would have it to be understood , that by the holy ghost himselfe sins should be forgiven to the faithfull , what art thou o man , but a sick man ? thou hast need to be healed ; wilt thou be a physitian to me , seek the physitian togegether with me : c saint ambrose ; lo , by the holy ghost sins are forgiven ; men bring but their ministerie to it , they exercise not the authoritie of any power in it . now having acquitted our church of poperie , in retaining these words in ordination , the primate proceeds in shewing the ministers exercise of his function , in this particular ; viz. forgivenesse of sins in these four things . 1. prayer . 2. censures of the church . 3. sacraments . 4. the word preached . 1. prayer , iam. 5. 14 , 15. if any be sick , let him send for the elders of the church , & let them pray over him , and if he have committed sins , they shall be forgiven him , and so shewes it to have been the judgement and practice of the fathers and the ancientest of the schoolmen , that the power of the keyes in this particular , is much exercised in our being petitioners to god ; for the persons remission , not excluding the prayers of the whole church in assisting them with theirs , for which cause in publick offences , s. augustine exhorts men to shew their repentance accordingly , that the church might pray with the minister for them , for the more sure imparting of the benefit of absolution . and that before thomas aquinas time , the form of absolution was by prayer for the partie , & that a learned man in his time found fault with that indicative form newly introduced . then the form being not , i absolve thee , but absolutionem & remissionem tribuat tibi omnipotens deus , the almighty god give unto thee absolution , and remission , &c. unto which the antient ritualls of the roman church as the greeke , ( according to that of damascenes form , yet retained ) doth agree ; and 't is the primates observation , that the ancient fathers never used any indicative form , but alwaies prayer-wise ; as ye have heard , according to which were the ancient liturgies of the latine , and greek churches ; howsoever the popish priests now stand so much upon it , that they place the very essence and efficacie of that their sacrament in it , in the first person , and not in the third . indeed our church , to shew it stood not upon forms , did in its liturgie observe each . 1. in the absolution after the general confession it is only declarative ; at the communion 't is in the form of a prayer , at the visitation of the sick , 't is both declarative , optative , and indicative . 2. in the censures of the church , there is an exercise of this part of our function , which we maintain against the montanists & novatians , who deny any ministeriall power of reconciling of such penitents , as had committed heynous sins , and receiving them to the communion of the faithfull , which is contrary to that of saint paul , ( as 't is generally expounded by antiquity ) gal. 6. 1. if any man be overtaken in a fault , ( i. e. in a scandalous one ) you who are spiritual , restore ( i. e. upon his repentance ) such a one in the spirit of meeknesse , as in the particular of the incestuous corinthian , whom , as in the name and power of the lord iesus , he had bin excommunicated , by saint paul , and the elders there , so upon his repentance , he was in the same name , and by the same power restored again , even by such , to whom was committed the ministery of reconciliation , 2 cor. 27. 10. &c. and indeed this loosening of men , is generally by the fathers accounted a restoring them to the peace of the church , and admitting them to the lords table again , as is evident by their frequent expressions that way , which the primate doth declare . 3. in the administration of the sacraments , which being a part of the ministerie of reconciliation , and the seales of the promises must necessarily also have reference to remission of sins , and so the ancient fathers ( of whom the primate alleadgeth diverse ) do hold , that as these words , whose sins ye remit , are remitted unto them , &c. are a part of our commission ; so 't is exercised by the ministers of christ in the sacraments of baptisme , and the communion ; yet so , that the ministery only is to be accounted mans , and the power gods ; it being saith saint augustine , a one thing to baptize by way of ministerie , another by way of power , which the lord hath retained to himself , as to the authority of remission of sins in it , according to that of iohn baptists distinction between the externall and internall baptisme , he baptized with the baptisme of water , to the remission of sins , but attributes that of baptizing with the holy ghost , to christ onely . 4. in the word of god preached , there is exercised this part of our function , in loosing men from their sins , being a speciall part of this ministery of reconciliation , committed to us , as the embassadours of christ here upon the earth for that end ; sinners are said to be holden with the cords of their own sins , prov. 5. 12. the apostles ( saith saint ierome ) according to their commission given them by their master , whosoever you shall loose on earth , shall be loosened in heaven ; ( which beares the same sense with remitting , and retaining of sins here , ) a did loose those cords by the word of god , and testimonies of scripture , and exhortations unto vertues b saint ambrose saith the same , that sins are remitted by the word of god ; &c. and so calls the levite , that interpreted the law , a minister of remission ; as the iewish scribes , by taking away this key of knowledge , are said to shut up the kingdom of heaven , so a scribe fitted for the kingdome of god in the ministery , is a meanes by it to open the door of heaven to them , by being an instrument to open mens eyes , and to turn them from darknesse to light , from the power of satan to god , that they may receive forgivenesse of sius , &c. and by applying the word unto the consciences of their hearers , the ministers of christ did discharge that part of their function which concerns forgivenesse of sins ; not only declaratively , but operatively ; in as much as god is pleased to use their preaching of the gospel , as a meanes of conferring his spirit upon the sons of men , and of working of faith , and repentance , whereby remission of sins is obtained : thus iohn is said to have preached the baptisme of repentance , and to have given knowledge of salvation to the people , for the remission of sins : and saint iames , cap. 5. 20. saith , he that converts a sinner from the errour of his way , shall save a soule from death , and hide a multitude of sins . this hiding , or covering , is meant forgivenesse , as 't is accordingly set forth elsewhere . rom. 4. 7. blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven , and whose iniquities are covered , &c. now , is there not as much offence in saying ministers do save mens soules , or save men from their sins , ( the propriety of our saviour ) as to say they forgive them their sins , the turning men from their iniquities , is gods act alone , according to the frequent prayer in the prophets unto him first , yet in regard the word of reconciliation is committed to them as the ordinary meanes of it , by a usuall trope of the act of the agent given to the instrument , it is attributed unto them , of which might be given many instances , timothy ( 1 ep. 1. 4. ) is said to save them that hear him , though there is but one saviour , because he preached the word of salvation , by which they were saved , ( acts 12. 14. ) the word of god preached by the apostles , is called by our saviour , their word iohn 17. 20. and that which is properly the work of god , is called their worke , 1 thes. 5. the corinthians who believed by saint pauls ministery are said to be his epistle , i. e. the epistle of christ ministred by him , as ye have it expounded in the next verse following ; and so , why may not forgivenesse of sins be said to be the work of the ministers , i. e. the work of christ ministred by them ; being so far honoured , as to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , coworkers together with him . according unto which is the judgement of dr. ward , that reverend and learned professor of divinity in cambridge , in that determination of his , ( in comitiis an . 1637. mense octob. ) potestas clavium extenditur ad remissionem culpae , where are many of the like observations , which i found inclosed in a letter unto the primate , for his approbation , where i find somewhat more then is in that which is printed . viz. 80. sic argumentatur alensis . part . 4. q. 21. membr . 1. paris potestatis est interius baptizare & à culpa mortali absolvere . sed deus non debuit potestatem baptizandi interius communicare , ne spes poneretur in homine , ergo pari ratione non potestatem absolvendi ab actuali peccato , fundamentum hujus rationis habetur apud cyprianum de lapsis . and the like may be said of the binding part of their office called here , retaining of sins . do we not read how the ministers are sometimes brought in like those seven angels in the book of the revelation , which poure out the vialls of gods wrath upon the earth . saint paul saith , 2 cor. 10. 6. he had vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience , yet vengeance is mine , i will repay , saith the lord ; what other sense can it be but this ? he is said to be the inflicter , because he was in christs name the denouncer ? even as ieremiah , ( cap. 1. 10. ) is said to be set over the nations , and kingdomes to pluck up , and to pull down , to destroy , and to root out ; because god had put these words in his mouth , and was ordained by him as a prophet to pronounce destruction to them accordingly , or as ezekiel ( cap. 43. 3. ) is said to have destroyed the city , by being said to pronounce destruction to it . the primate observes , that we often meet with these speeches concerning the leprosie ( which was a type of the pollution of sin ) the priest shall cleanse him , the priest shall pollute him ( lev. 13. ) according to the hebrew , and the greek version ; and out of a saint ierom , that 't is said , verse 44. the priest with pollution , shall pollute him , not that he is the author of his pollution , but that he declares him to be polluted , and uncleane ; whereupon the master of the sentences , and others do observe , b that in remitting , and retaining of sins , the priests of the gospel have the like power , and office , which the priests of old had under the law in curing the lepers , who therefore accordingly may be said to forgive , and retaine sins , whilst they shew , and declare , they are forgiven , or retained of god a so the priests put the name of the lord upon the children of israel , and were commanded to blesse the people in saying , the lord blesse thee : but it was the lord himself that blessed them ; according to the next words , and i will blesse them . and thus in these four things , i leave it to be calmly considered of , if the ministers have not power left them by christ in relation to forgivenesse of sins , and with these limitations , whether that part of the old form of the words of ordination , might not be continued also , which seems to me to be explained in the next following them ; viz. and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word , and sacraments , &c. ( through both which the graces of the holy ghost , and remission of sins are conveyed , and sealed ) in the name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost . according as in the words at the communion used to the recipient , the former clause was added in q. elizabeths dayes , to give the more full sense of the latter . and let not any by this moderate expression , extenuate the office of the ministery , as bellarmine would by this inferre , that any lay-man , woman , or child , may absolve as well as the minister , ( as we have among our selves , too many of that judgement . ) for it consisteth not in speech , but in power , or authority ; he being as the officer of a king , authorized to make proclamation of his pleasure : every man may speak one to another , to the use of edifying , but to them is given , 1 cor. 10. 16. power to edification , god hath made them able ministers , not of the letter , but of the spirit . that from them it comes , 1 thess. 1. 5. not only in word , but in power also ; and in the holy ghost , and in much assurance ; which accordingly hath been experimentally found ; that howsoever another may from the scripture shew as truly unto the penitent , what glad tidings are there intended to him ; yet to drooping and doubting soules , it hath not been so efficacious , in quieting them , and giving satisfaction to their consciences , either in sicknesse , death-bed , or otherwise ; as by the ministery ordained , and commissionated for that end ; that as 't is their office to pray and exhort you in christs stead to be reconciled unto god ; so having listened to that motion , and submitted your selves accordingly ; 't is their office to declare , and assure unto you in christs stead , that god is reconciled with you , all which appeares to be the ancient doctrine of the church of england , by what is publickly declared in the exhortation before the communion to be read sometimes at the discretion of the minister which is the recitd and approved by the primate , as followeth . and because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy communion , but with a full trust in gods mercy , and with a quiet conscience , therefore , if there be any of you , which by meanes aforesaid , ( i. e. private examination and confession of sinnes to god ) cannot quiet his own conscience , but requireth further councell and comfort , then let him come to me ; or some other discreet , and learned minister of gods word , and open his grief , that he may receive such ghostly councel , advice , and comfort ; as his conscience may be relieved ; and that by the ministery of gods word , he may receive comfort , and the benefit of absolution , to the quieting of his conscience , and avoyding of all scruple , and doubtfulnesse . and now let the reader judge if dr. heylene hath not cause to repent of his rash censure of the primate , ( in his late book p. 108. ) as if in this part of his answer to the jesuite , he had ( as he saith ) in this particular , utterly subverted , as well the doctrine of this church , as her purpose in it , &c. when those two arguments which himself urgeth , from the words of ordination , and the exhortation at the communion , are produced and defended by the primate also . what would he have ? he saith the doctrine of the church of england is , that , the priest doth forgive sins authoritativè by a delegated , and commissionated power committed to him from our lord and saviour , doth not the primate say the same ; that 't is not only declarativè , but designativè , not only by way of information out of the word of god ( as another understanding christian may do ) to the penitent , that his sins are pardoned , but he doth it authoritative , as having a power and commission from god to pronounce it to the party , and by the seale of the sacrament to assure the soule of the penitent , that he is pardoned of god , which no other man or angel can do , ex officio , but the minister of christ , according to that of the apostle ; to us is committed the word of re●couciliation , this is the summe of the primates judgement . he that would have more , must step over into the church of rome for it . i shall only make a trial whether doctor heylene will so conclude against mr. hooker , as he hath against the primate ; who in his sixth book of ecclesiasticall policy , consents fully with him , where after his declaring , that for any thing he could ever observe , those formalities which the church of rome do so esteem of , were not of such estimation , nor thought to be of absolute necessity with the ancient fathers , and that the form with them was with invocation , or praying for the penitent , that god would be reconciled unto him , for which he produceth leo , ambrose , a ierome , &c. p. 96. he thus declares his judgement , viz. as for the ministerial sentence of private absolution , it can be no more then a declaration what god hath done ▪ it hath but the force of the prophet nathan's absolution , god hath taken away thy sins , then which construction , especially of words judiciall , there is nothing more vulgar . for example , the publicans are said in the gospel to have justified god : the iewes in malachy to have blessed the proud man , which sin , and prosper ; not that the one did make god righteous , or the other , the wicked happy ; but to blesse , to justifie , and to absolve , are as commonly used for words of judgement , or declaration , as of true and reall efficacy ; yea , even by the opi●ion of the master of sentences , &c. priests are authorized to loose and bind , that is to say , declare who are bound , and who are loosed ; &c. saint ierome also , ( whom the master of the sentences alledgeth ) directly affirmeth , that as the priests of the law could only discern , and neither cause nor remove leprosies ; so the ministers of the gospel , when they retain or remit sinnes , do but in the one judge how long we continue guilty , and in the other declare when we are clear , or free . ( tom ▪ 6. comment . in 16. mat. ) so ( saith mr. hooker , ) when conversion by manifest tokens did seem effected , absolution ensuing , ( which could not make ) served onely to declare men innocent . p. 108. when any of ours ascribeth the work of remission to god , and interprets the priests sentence to be but a solemn declaration of that which god himselfe hath already performed , they ( i. e. the church of rome ) scorne it . and so after much to this purpofe , he thus concludes . p. 113. let it suffice to have shewen how god alone doth truly give , and private ministerial absolution , but declare remission of sinnes . and thus i leave mr. hooker under doctor heylen ' s censure , who hath already concluded , that forgivenesse of sins by the priest , onely declarativè , doth not come up to the doctrine of the church of england . though the reason he gives , because it holds , the priest doth forgive sins authoritativè , i do not see the force of , the former , supposing the latter ; for the officer , whose place it is , solemnly to make proclamation of the kings pardon , doth it authoritativè ; nay , dares not do it , unlesse he were authorized accordingly . and so much for the primates judgement of those words of ordination . receive the holy ghost , whose sins thou forgivest , are forgiven , whose sins thou retainest , are retained . the primates judgment of the vse of a set form of prayer , heretofore declared , and now more fully enlarged , and confirmed ; with the concurrence of the votes of such eminent persons who are so esteemed by the contrary-minded . this subject hath been so sufficiently discussed and determined by others , that no new thing can be expected from me , onely you have here the iudgement and approbation of this eminent primate , which being of so great esteem with all good men ; 't is possible now upon near an even scale of mens opinions in it , his may be of that weight , as to give satisfaction . first , that the vse of a set form of prayer , is not a setting up of any new doctrine , as the athenians judged of saint paul , appeares in that 't is the practise of the belgick churches , for which ye have the determination of the divines of leyden , polyander , rivetus , wala'us , thysius ; in their a synopsis theologiae : and the resolution of mr. aimes our countryman ( who lived and died a professor of divinity among them ) in his cases of conscience , who saith , 't is b lawfull from the approved practice of the saints in the psalmes , and other formes of blessing in the scripture ; nay profitable and necessary for some , though it be read out of a book . then for the judgement and practice accordingly of the reformed church of france , ludovicus capellus gives us a sufficient account of ( who is professor of divinity in the university of somer ) in one of his theses lately published , de liturgiae formulis conceptis , or a set form of a liturgie , where after hee hath answered all the pretended arguments against it , which it seemes he had gleaned up out of some of our english writers of late , he concludes a that 't is very necessary both for the most learned pastors and congregations , as unlearned ; and the edification of both , being used throughout the christian world in all ages , at least for these 1300 years , and is still at this day in all places , excepting only ( as he saith ) some of late with us in england , whose censure of them ● is so severe , that it would be offensive in me to repeat it . and surely the general custome and practice of the reformed churches ( which saint paul urgeth , 1 cor. 11. 16. cap. 14. 33. ) cannot be contemned by any sober christian , unto which may be added , the judgement of diverse pious and eminent men of onr own nation , and so esteemed by such as have asserted the contrary , whose judgements being too large to be inserted here , i shall deferre them till the last , who do very fully concurre with the primate in it . calvin was a wise and learned man , now as beza tells us , it was his constant practice to use a set form of praier before sermon , without alteration ; so was it his advice in his epistle to the protector of england , in edward the sixth's time , ( which hath bin mentioned elsewhere ) for the establishing of a set form of a liturgy here , from which it might not be lawfull for pastors to depart , both for the good of the more ignorant , preventing of an affected novelty in others , and the declaring of an unanimous consent in all the churches . for which practice and advice , he had sufficient warrant from the president of the ancient fathers , in the primitive times , which might be here also produced . and doubtlesse the councell of eliphaz is is good , iob 8. enquire i pray thee of the former ages , and prepare thy selfe for the search of their fathers ( for we are but of yesterday , and know nothing ; ) shall not they teach thee ; &c. as that of the prophet ieremiah ( cap. 6. 19. ) aske for the old way , and walk therein ; which may well rebuke the presumption of some , who are so led by their own fancies , that the ancient fathers are of no exemplary esteem with them . onely i may safely reprepresent this to the consideration of any ingenuous person ; that if it were the practice of the church of god in all ages for 1500 ( or but 1300 ) yeares after christ , not only of the vulgar , but of such as were glorious martyrs , and the most eminent preachers of former and later yeares , with whom the holy spirit did much abound , doth not the assertion of the contrary condemn the generation of the just , or at least argue a bold presumptuous censure of the spirits of just men now made perfect in heaven . this only by way of preparative to the readers attention , that there is no singularity in it . 2. see the warrants for it in the scripture , i. e. in the old testament : ( numb . 6. 23. ) the lord gives a form of words to aaron , and his sons , to be continued as a perpetual liturgy from age to age , for the blessing the children of israel , saying unto them , the lord blesse thee , and keep thee , the lord make his face to shine upon thee , and be gracious unto thee ; the lord lift up his countenance upon thee , and give thee peace , &c. numb . 10. 35. moses gives himself a set form , at the rising and resting of the ark. when the ark set forward , moses said , rise up lord , and let thine enemies be scattered , and let them that hate thee , flee before thee ; and when it rested , he said , return o lord unto the many thousands of israel . continued by david at the removall of the ark in his time , psal. 68. 1. in the 26. of deut. ye have two set formes prescribed of god himself . first , to him that offers his first fruits , verse 3. thou shalt say unto the priest , &c. verse 5. thou shalt speak , and say before the lord thy god , &c. consisting chiefly of confession to the 11. verse , and then to him that offers his third years tythes . verse 13. when , after a solemne protestation of bringing all the hollowed things , paying his tythes truly , without diminution , or alienation , he is prescribed to say this prayer , before the lord his god , verse 15. look down from thy holy habitation from heaven , and blesse thy people israel ; and the land which thou hast given us , as thou swearest , &c. the book of psalmes , some consisting of petitions , some of confession , some of praises , ( the several parts of prayer ) what was the end of their composing and collection , but as a liturgy conteining the severall formes framed by the saints of god in severall ages , and accordingly continued , and used in the temple , and synagogues upon severall times , and occasions ; as that for the sabbath-day in speciall by the title of it ( psal. 92. ) as moses prayer was preserved for the use of the church ( psal. 90. ) to davids time , so was his , and others , after the captivity to our saviours time , some were used to begin the service with ; some to end it ; some before the reading of the law , and prophets , some between them and before the expositions of either , ( as those who have searched into those customes of theirs , tell us . ) praise is the principall part of prayer , and for that , how often do you read of set forms used by the most eminent saints . moses after the delivery from pharaoh at the red sea , pennes a set form of praise , for myrian ( exod. 15 1. ) unto which that of rev. 15. relates where the saints in heaven , are said to use that form also ; at the victory over their enemies , they sang the song of moses ( 1 chron. 16. ●7 . ) asaph and his brethren had forms delivered them by david , to thank the lord with , ( verse 35. ) say ye , save us o god of our salvation , &c. ( 2 chron. 7. 6. ) solomon , at the dedication of the temple , observes that form which was observed by his father , praised be the lord , for his mercy endureth for ever ; at which , ( signifying an acceptance of it ) the glory of the lord filled the temple , ( 2 chron. 29. 30. ) hezekiah caused the priests , and levites , to praise god in the words of david and asaph the seer . no doubt , but these worthy reformers , hezekiah , and isaiah , were able to have framed prayers , and praises of their own ; and that suddenly , ( as hezekiah seems to have done at a special occasion in the temple , 1 kings 19. 14. both of them 2 chron. 32. 20. in their private ) but for the publick setled constitutions , they rather chose to use those formes which were used in the church many ages before in davids time ; see then a respect to antiquity , not only in doctrine , but in the forms of prayer framed by the saints before them . and surely if it were pleasing unto god then , according to the counsell of the prophet hoseah to the israelites in their repentance , ( cap. 14. 2. take to your selves words , and say thus unto him ? ) why should it not be now ? he being yesterday , and to day , and the sa●e for ever . ( ezra 3. 10. ) the like was observed after the captivity , at the repairing of the temple , when ezra appointed the lord to be praised after the ordinance of david king of israel . so much for the old testament . now for the new testament , yee have a president for it ; ( which is above all presidents ) in our blessed saviour , who gave a form to his disciples , ( luke 11 , 1. ) when ye pray , say , not only ( as matthew 6. ) say after this manner , or say thus ; but say this . in saint matthew , he gives a form to the people , and disciples together , which was before he sent them forth to preach ; ( for that was not , till cap. 10. ) in saint luke he gives his disciples a form , after he had made them preachers and apostles , cap. 9. 1. and after the 72 were sent out also , cap. 10. 1. and both returned from preaching through the cities of israel , see how both people and teachers are allowed a set form , and it seems iohn baptist had done the like by the ground of their requests , teach us as john taught his disciples . they were not then for new , and different wayes from the church before , or coaetaneous with them , but for a conformity , that it might appear iohn baptist disciples , and they were one church , and one body . a good example for us to follow , not to ayme at a singularity , or a division between other churches , and us , but to draw as near as we can to a conjunction with them , in having one heart , and one tongue . seek not wayes never before thought of , but tread in the steps of the precedent times , as the disciples did here teach us , as iohn taught his . and the reconciling of the evangelists is easie , viz. it was our saviours mind , that it should be both a rule for all other , and said for a prayer also , and that which is a rule for others , must needs be in the highest degree so it selfe . a standerd for any measure , dry or liquid , may be used for that measure too ; and so 't is no contradiction , that the lords prayer should be as the measure for other prayers , and said for a prayer also . and that it was so understood by the fathers in the primitive times ; i shall onely represent unto you some of the words of saint cyprian in his sermon upon it , who lived about 250. years after our saviour : and died a martyr . he exhorts the people not to omit the use of the lords prayer with their other prayers , in which he hath some such speeches as these , surely thou art more likely to obtein thy request ; cum qui habitat intus in pectore , ipse sit in voce , when he that is in thy heart , is also in thy tongue : how can god but hear thee , when thou comest in the words of his sonne , takest up the prayer sanctified by his sacred mouth ; if thou hast no other prayer , use this ; if thou hast others , use this also , and urge god daily in his own language ; and with the words of his beloved son. like him that catched up alexander in his armes to appease his father phillips anger ; so saith he , take up christ in thy armes , make him thy spokes-man , by taking up his own words ; ( that is with right understanding , and affection . ) by these , and the like expressions in that father , may be seen , what was the judgement and practice of the primitive times , in relation to the use of that form of the lords prayer , which the divines of a leyden do averre clearly , that without controversy , the whole ancient church did alwayes observe it , not as a rule only , but a form of prayer . 't is one extremity to make an absolute necessity of the using it alwayes , and an other extremity not to use it at all . our church that in each service , at least once owned it , as the principall , and parent of the rest , was free from any vain repetition . so much for the first thing observable in our saviours giving a form to his disciples , which is a warrantable president for the church to do the like for her members . 2. our saviour gave himselfe a form of words , matth. 26. 44. he went away the third time , and prayed , saying the same words ; it was at three severall times , and with some distance between each ; and which is more observable , it was at his passion . in afflictions we are most apt for various expressions , yet even then , he that was the wisdome of the father , and excelled in language , the tongues of men , and angels , and could have abounded in the variety of elegancy , yet varied not the phrase , but kept the same words ; surely it was for our example , and to teach us that prayer consists not in words , but in the earnestnesse of affection ; let no man except against the use of the same prayer twice ; our saviour used it thrice , and ( as the apostle saith ) he was heard in what he prayed , and 't is the observation of the a above-named , that our saviour observed a set form of prayer upon the crosse , used before by david , ( psal. 22. 1. ) as in the type , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ( as those words , into thy hands i commend my spirit ; are out of psal. 31. 5. ) 3. he doth not only prescribe a form of words in prayer , but in the sacraments . 1. baptisme . ( mat. 28. ) go and baptise them in the name of the father , of the son , and of the holy ghost . which form of words , the ancient church ever observed without any variation , as containing ( with the element of water ) the matter and form of baptisme , and in the lords supper ; the three evangelists give us his very words , used by him in the consecration of it , and is commended to the church of corinth by saint paul , who received it from the lord also , and surely are to be accordingly used by us . 4. 't is observable how he himself observed the set formes , used by the jews at the passover , both in prayer and praises , see beza ( on matth. 26. 20. ) and ainsworth ( on exodus 12. ) granting it , and that the wod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , iohn 16. ult . should be rendred ; having sung the hymnes or psalms , which they ●ay were a set portion of psalmes of praises ( which the jewes call their great hallelujah ) from the 113. psalm to the 118. as also divers others of our learned writers conceive , ( paulus burgensis , scaliger , d●usius , &c. and can that of the apostle ( col. 3. 16. ) exhorting to praise the lord with psalms and hymns , and spiritual songs , imply any other then a set form of words , according to our custome , yet retained in singing of psalms in the congregation . and may not that of our saviour ( mat. 18. ) where two or three of you shall agree together , touching any thing they shall aske , &c. imply that a prayer , composed by the consent and unanimous agreement of the church , to be the more prevalent : put all these together , and are they not a cloud of witnesses , at least to confirm , and support the weaker sort in knowledge and utterance , who though of sincere hearts , yet cannot suddenly poure forth their desires in fitting expressions , worthy ( as they conceive ) the eares of almighty god , but must make use of the pennes , and formes of others , or of what they have premeditated , and framed to themselves ; surely in these , if their hearts be , ( as they may be ) raised to a due height of holy affection , god accepts of them . the necessary requisites to a prayer , are such as these , that the person be acceptable , that the matter be good ; that it be done in the right manner ( i. e. with understanding with affection , and that rightly ordered , and qualified ) and the end rightly terminated , with a submission to gods will , for the time and measure , with the like , which i cannot now insist upon . but i never heard of any divine that hath wrot of it , to have put in this for one . viz. that it must be suddenly poured out , without premeditation of matter , form , or method . the common objection is this , that a set form is a limiting , or a stinting of the spirit in prayer , which ought not to be . first , this is but an unwritten tradition , for if the spirit of a single prophet in extraordinary gifts , must be limited in a subjection to the greater number of the prophets , ( 1 cor. 14. ) why may not the spirit of a private minister in these ordinary gifts , be limited by the vote and consent of the whole ministery . secondly , see the ill consequences of it . it must be appliable against singing of psalmes in the spirit , which saint paul puts together with prayer , i will pray with the spirit , and i will sing with the spirit , ( 1 cor. 14. 5. ) divers of the psalmes are prayers , now if the set form of words in them , be not an obstruction to the making a spiritual melody in your hearts to the lord , why shall it be a stop to the overflowings , and enlargements of the heart , and spirit , in prayer . again , it must be of the like force against preaching in ●he spirit , that if it be premeditated , or the sermon be before composed , it cannot be in the demonstration of the spirit and power , nor have any efficacious operation in the hearers , which is both against our daily experience , and solomons commendation of the preacher , ( meaning it may be himself , eccles . 12. ) because he was wise , he gave good heed , and sought out fit words , and set them in order , even words of truth . if the spirit was not obstructed in the pens of the evangelists writing their gospels , or with the apostles in their several epistles , then ; notwithstanding both were done with labour , and studdy ; why should our labour accordingly in the word and doctrine , by the pen or premeditation exclude it now : and if a set form doth not stint the spirit either in ●inging , preaching , or writing of holy things ; why must it be so injurious onely to the spirit of prayer . 3. but thirdly , if a set form be the stinting of the spirit , it must be either in the speaker or hearer . 1. not in the speaker , for his spirit may be the more at liberty to spirituall fervent enlargements , when there is no obstruction , or diversion by the work of the invention in inditing of matter , and words , the unaptnesse , and unreadinesse unto which in many , hath so disturbed them , and caused them to wander into such immethodicall impertinet wayes , that they have been far from the spirit of prayer . 2. not in the hearers , for then it must ever be so stinted , for whether the speaker useth sudden , or premeditated expressious , ( which they cannot judge of ) the hearers are alike bound to mind what proceeds from his lips , so that if the spirit be stinted with them in the latter , it is as much in the former . for as the judgment is the freer to say amen by the fore-knowledge , and approbation of the prayer , so the spirit and affections are at an equall freedom also ; so that this objection is of no value . i shall onely put this to consideration , whether that mans heart may be accounted most spiritual , which can be daily enlarged , and his affections lifted up in the use of the same words , or which cannot without the help of a variety , like those weak stomacks , or distempered in their health , that cannot relish one dish twice , but must at each meale , have the inventions of men imployed to give them various ; nay , in danger of losing their stomack , if they hear of them before they come suddenly before them ; now in this i would not be understood , to discourage any persons in exercising themselves this way , and striving to perfection in this gift , which i do much commend ; only as those that learn to swim , have help at first of some supporters , but afterward come to swim without them . children at first have their copies , their paper ruled , their hands held , but in time do it of themselves , and so there is an expectation , that you that are of ability should grow in knowledge and utterance this way : but for the weaker sort , is it not better they should use a staffe then slip , and are not the major part of this kind , like men with weak sights , needing the help of spectacles . to whom , by denying them a set form , are we not injurious accordingly , though those we call weak , may possibly , by their fervency , and ardency of affection be said of , as saint paul of himself ; when i am weak , then am i strong , and gods strength perfected in their weaknesse . the prevalency of a prayer being not in the elegancy and loftinesse of the stile , but in the sighes and groanes , and inward workings of the heart , like that of nehemiah , and hanna , though their voice were not heard . in a word , an vniformity in the publick prayers of the church to be observed in each congregation , would tend much to the unity of hearts and spirits among us , which saint paul commends as the more excellent way , and the end of coveting all gifts whatsoever , viz. a composure of a form for the publick service of god , by the joynt assistance of the most learned and pious , from which , the most eminent gifted person might not depart , more then the inferiour . i speak not of prayer before sermon and after , ( when each may take their liberty , though therein the dutch and french church are strict also ) but of some consent in the manner of administration of baptisme , the communion , and other offices in the publick , that might be owned by us all in common , as the form of the church of england , which as it hath been a means to continue a unity in other reformed churches at this day ; so i believe would be a means for the reducing it with us , even a setled peace both in church and state ; which ought to be the prayer and principall endeavour of every good christian. so much for the declaring and confirming the primates iudgment of the use of a set form of prayer in the publick . now unto his , for the more easie reception of it , i shall here adde the votes of some , whom the contrary minded ( at least the most pious of them ) will not gainsay . i shall not mention the judgement and practice of the worthy ministers and martyrs in queen maries dayes ; some of whom were put to death for approving , and using the ●orm which was then extant , being one of the a articles put in against them . of these it will be said , they walked according to the light then given them ; i shall therefore trouble the reader onely with a few testimonies of godly and eminent men , who lived within our own memory ; some of them reckoned among the non-conformists , or old puritanes , yet in this particular fully concurring with the primate . mr. richard rogers preacher at walbersfield in essex , ( whom i well remember , and have often seen his constant attendance at the publick prayers of the church ) in his pio●s book entituled the seven treatises . in that chapt. of publick prayers . he thus beginneth . if that mind be in us , with the which we have been taught to come to all holy exercises , and so to be prepared for them ; who doubteth , but that we may receive much help by them ? yea , and the better a man is , the more he shall profit by them , &c. some have thought all set forms of prayer are to be disliked , and such onely to be offered up to god , as by extemporary gift , are conceived , and uttered ; and that the minister should use no set form of prayer , but as they are moved by gods spirit . i answer . it is a foul errour so to think . for as there be necessary things to be prayed for of all men , and alwayes , and those are the most things which we are to pray to the lord for , so there may be a prescript form of prayer made concerning all such things ; which being so , what letteth that in the reading of such forms , either of confessing of sinnes , request , or thanksgiving ; what letteth , i say , that the ●earers hearts may not profitably go on with the same , both to humble , to quicken and to comfort : for is the reading it self unpure , when the minister in his own behalf , and the peoples , uttereth them to god ; i speak not ( ye see ) of the matter of prayer , but of reading it , for if the matter be erroneus , and naught , the pronounceing of it , maketh it not good , any more then the reading doth ; and if it be good and pure being uttered or pronounced , the reading cannot hurt it , or make it evill . and as the church in the scripture did , and doth sing psalmes upon a book to god , and yet , though it utter a prescript form of words , i hope none will say that it is a sin to do so , the heart being prepared . in like manner to follow a prescript form of words in praying is no sinne , and therefore ought not to be offensive to any , &c. and further , they may know that in all churches , and the best reformed , there is a prescript form of prayer used , and therefore they who are of mind that it ought not to be , must seperate themselves from all churches . also , if a set form of prayer were unlawful , then neither were the lords prayer ( which is a form of prayer , prescribed by our saviour , himself ) to be used . and so he proceeds to perswade all good christians to lay aside contention , and endlesse , and needlesse questions about this matter , and with well order'd hearts and minds to attend unto , and apply to themselves the prayers , which either before sermon or after sermon are uttered , or the other , which through the whole action of gods worship , are read in their hearing , &c. so much mr. rogers . now this book of the seven treatises , hath been since epitomized by mr. egerton , and entituled the practice of christianitie , which hath an epistle of doctor gouge before it , in a high commendation of it . now , at the conclusion of that he hath added , certain advertisements concerning prayer , in which , his , or both their judgements in this subject , are declared accordingly . viz. that it is lawfull , and in some cases expedient , to use a set form of prayer . question ( saith he ) is made by many of the lawfulnesse , or at least of the expediencie of praying by the help of a book , or of using a prescript , and set form of prayer . it is to be considered , that there be divers degrees and measures of gifts , both naturall , as of grace ; besides , some have been by custome more trained and exercised in this holy dutie then others , &c. which difference i have observed , not onely in private christians , but also in some most reverend , faithfull , and worthy ministers . some using both in their publick ministerie , and in their private families ; a stinted prayer , and set form of words , with little alteration at all , except some extraordinarie occasion have happened , and yet both sorts so furnished with pietie and learning , as i could hardly prefer the one before the other . a moreover , whereas in respect of the place and company , there be three sorts of prayer publick in the church , private in the family , and secret by a man self ; greatest liberty may be taken in secret and solitarie prayer , because we are sure ( that if there be a believeing , humble , upright heart ) god will not upbraid any man for his method , order , words , or utterance . yet in private prayer we may not take so great a libertie , &c. and some well-affected , have been somewhat faultie and offensive in this behalfe : weak and tender christians , ( such as commonly are in a family ) are not so capable of that kind of prayer , which is called , conceived , or extemporate , varying every time in words and phrases , manner , and order , though the matter and substance be the same . but especially care must be had in the publick congregation , that nothing be done in praying , preaching , or administration of sacraments , but that which is decent and orderly ; because there , many eyes do see us , and many ears do hear us ; and therefore it is expedient ( for the most part ) to keep a constant form , both of matter and words , and yet without servile tying our selves to words and syllables , but using herein such libertie and freedome , as may stand with comelinesse , &c. and so he proceeds thus to direct men , that though a book may be used in private prayer , yet that it is much better to get their prayer by heart , commending the use of the lords prayer , and the varietie of other formes of godly prayers in print , penned by forreigne divines , as our own countreymen ; as mr. bradford that blessed martyr , master deering , mr. hieron , and divers others yet living , whose printed prayers are nothing inferiour to the former . and so because there ever have been , and still are many babes in the church of god , which have need of milk , &c. and some of bad memories , and heavie spirits , &c. he frames divers formes of prayers to be used for morning and evening in case of sicknesse , for the lords day , &c. thus much very excellently , mr. egerton , approved by doctor gouge . mr. arthur hildersham , preacher at ashbie-delazouch in leicester-shire , upon the 51 psalme , p. 63. saith thus . i dare not deny , but a weak christian may use the help of a good prayer-book ; better to pray on a book , then not to pray at all . certainly 't is a spirit of errour , that hath taught the world otherwise . first , our blessed saviour prescribed to his disciples a forme of prayer , not only to be to them and his whole church a rule , and sampler , according to which , all our prayers should be framed , ( as appears , when he saith , matth. 6. 9. after this manner pray ye , ) but even for them ; to say , tying themselves to the very words of it , as appeareth , luke 11. 2. when ye pray , say , our father , &c. by which answer of our saviour to his disciples , it may also appear , that john taught his disciples to pray , by giving them forms of prayer ; to say , yea , even in secret prayer . matth. 6. 6. 2. all the best reformed churches do now , and ever have used , even in publick liturgies , prescript forms of prayer ; and have judged them of great use and necessitie for the edification of the church : and surely this argument is not to be contemned by any sober christian , as appeareth by the apostles speech , 1 cor. 11. 16. if any man seem to be contentious , we have no such custome ; neither the churches of god : so doth he again presse the example and practice of all the churches of the saints , 1 cor. 14. 33. 3. this is no stinting , nor hinderance to the spirit of prayer in any of gods people , no more then the singing of praise to the lord in the words of david , is now , and was in hezekiahs time , 2 chron. 29. 30. or the joining in heart with the words that another uttereth in conceived prayer : thus far mr. hildersham . doctor preston ( who used a set form of prayer before sermon ) in that sermon of his preached before king iames , text , iohn 1. 16. of his fulnesse we have all received , &c. p. 22. saith thus . that a set form is lawfull , much need not be said , the very newnesse of the contrary opinion is enough to shew the vanitie and falshood of it . it is contrary to the approved judgement of approved councells , learned fathers , and the continual practice of the church . he instanceth in tertullians time , and origen , saint basil , ambrose . constantine the great prescribed a set form of prayer to his souldiers , and calvine in his 83. epist. to the protectour of england , saith , that he doth greatly allow a set form of ecclesiastical prayer , which the minister shall be bound to observe . but ( as i said before ) of the lawfulnesse of it , there is no question . how slight is that which is objected against the lawfulnesse of it ; to wit , that the spirit is stinted , when we are fetterd with words appointed ? i answer , the freedome of the spirit stands not so much in the extent of words , as in the intention of zeal , wherein they are uttered . and if a set form be lawfull , then must a set form needs excell , which is dictated by christ himself , and is therefore more frequently to be used , and with all reverence , both in mind and gesture ; nor doth this want the practice and approbation of the antientest , instancing in saint cyprian , and saint augustine , &c. and for a further confirmation , see the same affirmed by him again ; in his book called the saints daily exercise , set forth and approved by doctor sibbs , ( who himself used a set form of prayer before sermon , ) mr. davenport p. 80. viz. another case ( saith he ) is , whether we may use a set forme of prayer . answ. i need not say much to you , for i think there is none here that doubts , but that a set form of prayer may be used : you know christ prescribed a form ; you know there were certain psalmes , that were prayers that were used constantly , and therefore no doubt , but a set form may be used , and in the church at all times , both in primitive times , and all along to the beginning of the reformed times , to luther , and calvins time , still in all times , the church had set forms they used , and i know no objection is of weight . one main objection is this . that in stinted prayer , the spirit is streitned , &c. to this he gives a three fold answer . 1. they that object it , do the same thing daily in the congregation , whose spirits are limited and stinted by being hearers of him that prayes . 2. 't is no generall tye , but at other times in private , they may be as free as they will. 3. the spirit or affections are not tyed , or restrained hy a set form , there may be largenesse of the heart , though there be a limit of words ; this is the summe of the answer , which the reader may have more at large there . and thus i have given ye the judgement of these four eminent men in their time , approved by three other equall with themselves , all fully concurring with the primate in this particular , which cannot but prevail much with such as have been , or are otherwise minded at this day , i adde no more , presuming that those that will despise these , will set light by any other ; and so much for this subject , concerning a set form of prayer . now there are two other things , which upon this occasion might not be unseasonable to speak a word of , according to the primates judgement also . viz. of the length or brevity in prayer , and of the gesture at it ; in both which , many of this age have gone astray . 1. for the length . in the publick , all good discretion teacheth ordinarily not to be very large , ( for we speak not now of extraordinary duties in publick fasts ) because in a congregation , all the auditours are not of the like strength . some , ( according to that distinction of iohn 1. ep. 2. 13 , 14. ) may be fathers , some young men , but others children fitter for milke then strong meat , that a long continuance at prayer may as ill suit with them , as putting of a new garment to an old , or new wine into old bottles . iacobs speech in answer to his brother esau , when he would have had him driven on his pace with him ( gen. 33. 13. ) i will ( saith he ) lead on softly according as the cattle with young , which are with me , and the children which are tender shall be able to endure , lest if i should over-drive them one day , the flock should die , may have its morall application to the prudence of a pastor this way . 't is very dangerous to cause a fulnesse in the worship of god , that for prayer men should be apt to say , as those in the prophet for the sabbath , when will it be done ? solomons caveat ( eccles. 5. 2. ) against rash and hasty utterings , and multiplying of words in the house of god , and his councell , upon it . let thy words be few , are observable , much may be spoken in a little , and 't is true in this , as other matters , vis unita fortior . there is an excellent epistle of saint augustines concerning this subject , ( epist. 121. probae viduae . ) that ( saith he ) is not a commendation that he was long at prayer ; there may be much speech , but little praying ( multa loquutio n●n multa precatio ) while the affection is lifted up ; like the hands of moses , so long the party prayes , when that is heavie , the act of prayer ceaseth ; sometimes ( saith he ) the work of prayer is rather done ( gemitibus quàm sermonibus ; fletu quàm afflatu ) with sighes , then words , teares , then lips . the time when our savionr is observed to have used a prolixity , was in the private , then whole nights in prayer , and the whole day till even , but not in the publick ; respecting , it may be , the causes before mentioned . so much for the length of it . secondly , for the gesture ; certainly , the most comely is kneeling , after the example of david , ( psal. 100. ezra ( cap. 9. 5. ) daniel ( cap. 6. 10. ) and the pattern of our saviour , luc. 22. 41. he kneeled down and prayed , &c. whose example saint stephen followed , ( acts 7. 6. ) and saint paul ( acts 20. 36. ) for this cause i bow my knees unto the father , &c. ( eph. 3. 14. ) the humility of the soul is principall , but that of the body must not be omitted ; both being bought with a price , god must be glorified in both ; present your bodies as a living holy acceptable sacrifice to him ( rom. 12. 1. ) a second which is allowed , is standing , 2 chron. 20. 5. iehosasaphat stood and prayed , &c. ( nehem . 9. 14. ) at a solemn fast , the priests and people stood , and confessed their sinnes : allowed by our saviour ( marc. 11. 25. ) when thou standest praying ; sitting is no fit gesture for it : as even * amesius confirms it . sessio non est gestus orandi , which is not justified by that of david , ( 2 sam. 7. 18. ) who upon the message from god by nathan , is said presently to have went in , and sate before the lord and prayed , or that of the israelites , ( iudg. 20. 26. ) who at their solemn fasts are said to have wept , and sate before the lord till even ; because the same word is frequently , and as properly rendred elsewhere ; to remain , abide , or tarry in a place , as genes . 27. 44. tarrying with him , &c. lev. 4. 8. he shall tarry abroad , 1 sam. 1. 23. tarry till thou have weaned him , &c. cap. 20. 29. thou shalt remain at the stone , &c. and so here , both for david and the israelites , the sense is , only they continued or remained before the lord in prayer and fasting , as that of matth. 4. the people which sate in darknesse , &c. can be meant in no other . our saviours sitting at the right hand of his father , hath as well the sense of standing , according to saint stephens vision of him , acts 7. 56. and that which is said of the apostles at the passover , mark 14. 18 , and as they sate and did eat ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) signifies rather a lying down , leaning one upon another , and according to the former instances , may imply as well a standing , which 't is probable was the ancient gesture ; so that sitting may be taken , in the latitude of any other gesture used at their remaining there . nay , standing is not so strictly limited , but 't is sometimes taken for kneeling , ( 2 chron. 6. 12. ) 't is said , solomon stood before the altar , and spread forth his hands towards heaven ; yet verse 14. he stood , and kneeled down upon his knees , and ( 1 kings 8. 54. ) he arose from kneeling on his knees , that woman which is said to have stood at iesus feet , and kissed them , and washed them with her teares , and wiped them with the hair of her head , must imply a bowing down , at least to a kneeling . a third , which in scripture was accustomed with both the former , is the lifting up of the hands , according to that of david in the psalmes . let us lift up our hands unto god in the heavens , hear my supplication , when i lift up my hands towards thy holy oracle , &c. which is referred to in the new testament , i will that man lift up pure hands , ( 1 tim. 2. 8. ) signifying that of david , unto thee do i lift up my soul : to which we may adde the lifting up of the eyes to heaven , according to the example of our saviour ( john 17. cap. 11. 41. mat. 14. 19. ) other unseemly postures of the hands , eyes , face , and the like ; hath no example in scripture , and even mens hiding , or covering of the face at publick prayer , seems to be against the order of the apostle , and the then custome of the churches . 1 cor. 11. 7. for by the head there is not meant the hairy scalp , but the face , both by several circumstances in it , and the acceptation of the word elsewhere . 2 sam. 15. 30. david wept as he went , and had hishead covered , and all the people that were with him , covered every man his head , weeping as they went ; &c. here by the head must be understood the face , after the manner of mourners , as on the contrary , that of our saviour to his disciples , in token of joy ; lift up your heads , must be meant accordingly , and the face being the seat of shame , the head must be so taken , ier. 14. 3 , 4. they were ashamed and confounded , they covered their heads , &c. unto which , some passages out of tertullian might be given , by way of confirmation . now for the better reception of this latter part of the primates judgement , concerning our outward reverence in the publick worship of god , whether at hearing of the word or prayer ; so much neglected in these times ; i shall here adde what i find in the foresaid mr. arthur hildersham , in his lectures upon iohn 4. in the 26. lecture he speakes much for the outward reverence of gods publick worship in the church . viz. that we should neither come into that place , nor go out of it , as ye would in or out of a danceing-schoole ; but in our very comeing in , and going out , and whole outward carriage ; we should give some signification of the reverence that we bear to this place , and that we do indeed account it the house of god ; exhorts men to come to the beginning of the then publick worship , or before it begins ; and tarry till all be done : to be present at the administration of baptisme , and at the blessing pronounced by gods ministers . affirmes , that there was nothing then done in gods publick worship among us , but it was done by the institution , and ordinance , and commandement of the lord ; the particulars of which , he mentions . in his 27. lecture , he exhorts to a reverend gesture in prayer , kneeling as the fittest ; or standing , not sitting . and commending the reading of the scriptures in publick ; he saith , at the hearing of the word read , some further gesture , and outward signification of reverence is to be used , then is required at the hearing of the sermon ; which he confirmes by proofes out of scripture and reasons , too large to be related here . but he thus concludes . viz. so you see the custome of our churches in sitting bare while the word is read , is grounded upon good reason and warrant from the word of god , and such , as it well becomes every one of gods people to conform themselves unto . lect. 29. he complains of that irreverence thus . some will not vouchsafe to be bare at the reading of the word , some will be bare at the psalmes , not at the chapters ; and if they could justly pretend infirmity for it , they were to be excused ; but they will not be bare many of them , so long as the text is in reading : yea , every youth and boy in our congregations , are wont to be covered , while the word is read . but the chief abuse is , the neglect of kneeling in prayer , many that will kneel at their own private prayers ( which they make at their coming into the church ) can never be seen to kneel at the common and publick prayers . many that will kneel at the lords prayer , will kneel at no other , wherein ( though the lords prayer be in sundry respects more excellent then any other yet ) there is as much reason we should kneel at any other prayer , as at it ; for the reason of our kneeling , is not the excellency of the words used in prayer , but the reverence and duty we owe to the person we pray unto , &c. this saith that worthy and judicious writer mr. hildersham , ) i can but wonder , upon what pretence such a man could be silenced , ( as he wrot himselfe to the pri●ate ; anno 1630. i conclude only with an exhortation to decency , and a reverent comelinesse in our solemne meetings , that devotion and prudence may kisse each other , that while the soule is lifted up in prayer , the body may be humbled , and the whole man presented to god as an acceptable sacrifice , that unity and uniformity in doctrine and worship ; may be found among us , and that we may all be of one heart , and one mind . consider what hath been said , and the lord give us understanding and moderation in all things . a character of bishop bedell late bishop of kilmore , in ireland . upon the occasion of publishing this sermon of his ( on revel . 18. 4. ) i have thought fit to give this exemplary character of him . somewhat of his life is already extant , within that of sir henry wotton's , the enlargement of which , i leave to the prudence of others , onely thus much in brief . he was fellow of emmanuel colledge in cambridge , where he was one of the eight that commenced batchellours of divinity of that house in one yeare : whereof bishop hall and doctor ward were two , between whom and him , there was a continuall intercourse of letters to their last . from that colledge and vniversity , he had that character given him of learning , and prudence , that he was chosen to go with the embassadour sir henry wotton unto venice . what the fruits of his some yeares being there produced upon padre paulo , and other learned men , sufficiently appears by the testimony given of him in a letter of the embassador's hereunto annexed . the interdict of venice ( wrot by the foresaid authour , ) he translated out of italian into latin , for whose use he also translated the book of common prayer into italian , and made an english grammar ( which i have seen writ with his own hand . ) after his return from venice , were wrot those learned letters of his to mr. wadesworth , who at the same time , going with the embassadour into spain , had been withdrawn to the see of rome , whose temper and meeknesse of stile to an apostate , i wish were so far exemplary with some writers among our selves , as to abate that heat and bitternesse , which hath broke forth in matters of lesse consequence . at his benefice of horningesh-earth near st. edm. bury in suffolk , he continued long in great esteem , sometimes chosen by the diocesse to be a member of the convocation . upon the death of sir william temple provost of the colledge in dublin , the late primate wrot earnestly to him to accept of it , being unanimously chosen by the fellowes . during his abode there , he performed the duty of the catechist , & preached a lecture sermon once a week in christ church . he was not long provost , but he was promoted to be bishop of kilmore , where ( i being then the dean ) it gave me the occasion to be more known to him . in relation to the liturgie of the church of england , he gave this direction ; viz. to observe whatsoever was enjoyned in the rubrick without addition or diminution ; not to be led by custome , but by rule . and in speciall , he ordered that the whole doxology to the blessed trinity , glory be to the father , &c. should be alwayes read by the minister alone , without the respond of the people , and the like for the psalms : te deum , &c. with the rest , appointed to be read between and after the lessons , though the custome had prevailed otherwise in most churches . the communion table was placed by him , not at the east end , but within the body of the chancell , and for other innovations elsewhere introduced , he observed them not . his judgement being , that those were as well non-conformists , who added of their own , as those who came short of what was enjoyned , as he that addes an inch to the measure , disownes it for a rule , as well as he that cuts an inch off . he was a careful observer of the lords day both in the publick and private , at one of the clock in the after-noon ; he had then the book of common-prayer read in the irish tongue in the church for the benefit of the irish ; at which he was constantly present himself , who in that little space had obtained the knowledge of the language . and as the new testament had been long before translated into irish ; so had he caused the old testam . to be accordingly , & was almost ready for the press . and whereas doctor heylene hath censured the late primate very liberally for his approbation of the articles of ireland , he must take bishop bedell into the number also , who was so much for them , that i was present when , at the examination of an * able minister then to be ordained , he did in the church examin him in each , or most of the articles , in a solemn meeting of the clergy of that diocesse for that end , at least 2 full hours , whereby our votes might be also given for his approbation . at his courts of iurisdiction , he frequently sate himself ; where he caused alwayes some of the clergy , ( if any were there ) to sit covered on each side of him , with liberty to give their opinion in each case , and at a sentence , he asked their votes man by man : in some degree reducing then his episcopall to a synodicall government , according to the primates proposall by way of accommodation an . 1641. it was his custome usually on the lord's dayes , to preach upon those select portions of scripture commonly called the epistles and gospels of the day . at the visitations , he usually preached himselfe . the procurations were bestowed in defraying the charges of the ministers , and the rest given to some pious uses . after dinner and supper , a chapter , was constantly read at his table , and some time spent by him in opening some difficulties in it . the publick catechisme , he had branched out into 52 parts ; whereof , he appointed one to be constantly explain'd in the afternoons in each church , within his diocess . he was very indulgent to the irish natives , in the preferring and encouraging of them for the ministery ; and yet such was their ingratitude ( i. e. the popish party ) that in that horrid rebellion , 1641. they exempted him not from their rapine ; but seized upon his cattle , pillaged his house , ransack't and spoyled his library ; put him into a castle , standing in a lough , ( called lough-outre ) about a mile and a halfe from his house , where he was imprisoned that winter . and at length being permitted to come out , died in a poor house of one who was an irish-man , and a protestant , and continued faithfull to him ; by whose means an hebrew manuscript bible of his , ( which he brought from venice ) was preserved , and is now in emmanuel colledge library in cambridge . he was buried acccording to his own appointment in the church-yard of the cathedral of kilmore , where he had caused his wife and son some years before to be buried . his judgement being against burials in churches , as an abuse introduced by pride & superstition . i conclude only with this , if the moderation of this bishop had been observed elsewhere , i believe episcopacy might have been kept upon its wheeles . a letter of sir henry wotton's to the late king , in the behalf of bishop bedel , when he was desired by the archbishop of armagh , to accept of the provostship of dublin colledge in ireland , which hath been lately published in the life of sir henry wotton . may it please your most gracious majesty , having been informed that certain persons have by the good wishes of the arch-bishop of armagh , been directed hither with a most humble petition unto your majesty , that you will be pleased to make mr. william bedell ( now resident upon a small benefice in suffolk ) governour of your colledg at dublin , for the good of that society ; and my self being required to render unto your majesty some testimony of the said william bedell who was long my chaplain at venice in the time of my employment there ; i am bound in all conscience , and truth ( so far as your majesty will vouchsafe to accept my poore judgement ) to affirm of him that i think hardly a fitter man for that charge , could have been propounded unto your majesty in your whole kingdom , for singular erudition and piety ; conformitie to the rites of the church , and zeal to advance the cause of god wherein his travels abroad were not obscure in the time of the excommunication of the venetians . for may it please your majesty to know that this is the man whom padro paule took , i may say , into his very soule ; with whom he did communicate the inwardest thoughts of his heart ; from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all d●vinity , both scholastical and positive , then from any that he had ever practiced in his dayes , of which all the passages were well known to the king your father , of most blessed memory . and so with your majestie 's good favour , i will end this needlesse office ; for the generall fame of his learning , his life , and christian temper , and those religious labours which himself hath dedicated to your majesty , do better describe him , then i am able . your majestie 's most humble and faithfull servant , h. wotton . a postscript . mr. thomas pierce hath in an appendage to a late book of his , printed five letters wrot unto me by him , in each of which i cannot but much acknowledge his respects to me . to the four first i gave little else but brief returnes of the like to him , which consisting chiefly , either in the asserting of the nearnesse of his judgement to the primate's , or the remotenesse of mr. barlee's , i did not conceive it fitting for me to interpose , and where there was a professed full agreement , it was no good office in me to make a difference . now for those , the cause rendred of his not publishing them is good , there being nothing ( as he saith ) needfull , or of concernment , in any one of them , only to the fifth of his , wherein three certificates are published as testimonies to confirm his former assertion of a late change of judgment in the primate , with other applicatory passages from thence , i did return him a larger answer in this letter following , ( excepting somefew circumstantiall alterations ) having then no imagination that either of them should have bin made publick . and i have as little mind to it now , only by the provocation of divers of my friends who conceive the primate suffers in the interpretation of many by the silence of it , i have been compelled upon this occasion , to put forth this brief defence of him without any offence to mr. pierce . for his appendage ( wherein his respects to me are rather encreased then lesse●ed ) i have thought fit to clear one passage . he saith i have spoken indiscriminately of universal grace , and vniversall redemption , and the place he quotes for it , is out of my second letter to mr. barlee , p. 64. in these words , viz. but that by an vniversall redemption should be understood , an vniversall grace , &c. will not be attested to have heen affirmed by the primate , &c. doth not this clearly imply a distinction to be made between them ▪ i am sure i then so intended it . and therefore that which he addes immediately after . viz. that there is a wide difference between them , i do fully concurre with him in it . yet it seems to me , that himself puts them together often indiscriminately , as in the page before this , thrice in one page , 86. and p. 88. l. 32. as in his philanth . p. 15. and elsewhere . and if i have in any other place done it , as in the title of the letter , i was led to it by him . in this we have no disagreement , and i wish this following letter may not occasion any , which i am forced thus to publish , as followeth . doctor bernards answer to mr. pierce's fifth letter containing three certificates , produced by him to justifie a late change of judgsment in the primate of ireland . sir , i owe you many thanks for the labour you have taken in your last letter of the 28. of ianuary , in transcribing the certificates of those learned persons , which ( supposing to have been rightly apprehended by them , without any mistake of him , yet ) favourably interpreted , do not seem to me necessarily to argue what you have apprehended , and concluded of the change of judgement in the primate , which i shall now ingenuously give you my sense of , without any desire of further dispute or contention about it . first for doctor walton's , where he saith , my lord primate did declare his utter dislike of the doctrine of absolute reprobation ; i conceive it may be understood of the supralapsarian opinion , which makes reprobation to be antecedent to the fall of adam , and not only as a praeterition , but a predamnation for actuall sins . that he held the universality of christ's death , not onely in respect of sufficiency , but also in regard of efficacy , so that all men were by that made salvable ( for so much efficacy i do not deny ) differs not from that which his letter published , doth testifie , and that the reason why all men were not thereby saved , was because they did not accept of salvation offered , is also granted , if it be according to his judgement rightly understood , viz. of those to whom the gospel is preached ; not of pagans , and infidels . that the grace of conversion was not irresistable , but that men did often resist and reject the same , may well stand with my lord primate's judgement , and no wayes opposite to this . viz. that it is so effectual , that by the decree of his election ; it is not resisted by the elect , and therefore his dissent from geneva ( as doctor walton certifies ) is to be understood of beza , not of calvin ; nor of the sublapsarian ( as i have intimated before ) and i conceive his concurrence with bishop overall , which he averreth him to have professed , is to be understood as i have expressed it● for you know that bishop overall distinguished the remonstrants opinion , and that which he is pleased to call the opinion of the puritans ; ( which title i wish he had spared ) from the doctrine of the church of england , which joynes the universality of redemption with the speciall intention of god , effectually to save the elect . this for doctor walton's certificate . now for mr. goninges , which seems ( by the preface of it ) to have bin given you after your publishing the lord primate's change of judgment ; somewhat of that may be safely granted ; viz. the sincerity of god's universal call of all sinners to whom the gospel was preached , which is the summe of what he affirmes to have heard , from him in the publick , but for that which he saith he received from him in private , viz. that god , together with his word preached , did give internal grace to all that are called by it , that they may repent if they will , yea they all can will , &c. if the primate's words were not mistaken by him , ( as they might the more possibly by the distance between the hearing , and the date of his certificate to you ) i suppose this was the sense of them , viz. that by internall grace he did not understand more , then that there are some good motions offered unto the hearts of sinners , which if they did not extinguish and resist , and thereby draw upon themselves a further guilt , they should be seconded with more effectuall grace ; and , that upon their disobedience , god doth justly leave them to themselves , and doth not superadde that speciall grace , whereby their wills are changed , and their conversion wrought . as for posse non resistere , it is consistent with actuall resistance , which is taken away by speciall grace , and thus far i conceive he might hold with bishop overall ; so much for mr. goninge . for mr. thornedick's testimony , i see not wherein it differeth from the lord primate's letter published , and needs no further answer . so that upon the whole i do not find , even by these certificates , so sure a ground , for your assertion of my lord primate's change of judgement , and his being of late a serious convert , &c. as you have supposed ; the first pretend but little , the last less , and the middle not much ; thus interpreted : howsoever for my self , had i been an ear-witnesse of that which certifies the most largely , i should have had more caution then to have adventured to signifie the judgement of so eminent a person , under hand , and seale , ( as you say you have it ) without his knowledge , or consent , whether when he was living , or since his death , especially in that which should seem to imply a contradiction , to what he had before said and wrot . for that objection of the 32 article of ireland , that article may very well admit of some preparative motions tending to conversion , but not the actuall grace of conversion ; and may also be understood of denying an actuall tuall call of all men , which are out of the pale of the church , or that the works of the creation and providence do lead men , or enable them to come to christ , as some french divines have lately taught . for that inconsistency implyed by you , from what i have affirmed of my lord primates judgement . viz. that massa corrupta was the object of predestination , it will well consist with his judgment of universall redemption , expressed in his letter . and , the decree of reprobation , supposed to be ex intentione speciali , doth not deny a salvability of all men , but onely an effectuall grace to be given to work their conversion , and may also consist with universall redemption , and possibility of salvation , because reprobation is onely negatio specialis gratiae , non nudae sufficientis . as for goteschalchus , the primate relating the truth of the story , and his opinion , is not thereby obliged to every particular of them , and if there were any mistakes of mr. barlee's from thence , or that large catechisme going under his name , doth not concern me to take notice of : for that which you mention of mr. vaughans relation in the life , and death of doctor iackson , of the care which the primate took , ( being ( as you say ) a mourner at his funerall ) to have his writings very religiously preserved . first , i have viewed the place , and find some mistake in the words , which are onely thus ; viz. the bishop of armagh , ( being at his funerall ) much desired his papers might be carefully preserved . but secondly , i do not believe the primate meant , or approved those works of doctor iacksons , wherein he professeth himself to be for the arminian way , as he doth in the epistle dedicatory of those bookes which he dedicated to the earle of pembrook , and which were answered by doctor twisse . other works it may be , that ●●arned man might have of other subjects , which might be usefull to posterity , which the primate might have a care of , but i do not believe they were any of that nature ; and the rather because they must be meant of such works which were not extant at his death , and not of those which were already printed , as you seem to apply it . besides , it doth not appear , the primate then understood what subjects they were of ; and therefore , that which you have immediately added of your own ; viz. that such inestimable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might not be wanting to posterity , but might performe their work of bringing religion into its wits , ( which the reader might possibly mistake , in apprehending them to have been the primates words ) and your somewhat severe application to him , from thence , and what mr. barlee had said of doctor iackson , seemes to want a foundation here . for that which you write in your postcript concerning my saying , that the doctrine of st. augustine was confirmed , or inclined unto by the primate in his works , if you observe the whole discourse , it is onely in relation to pelagius and his disciples , and limited to those points in debate concerning the primates judgement , whereof universall redemption and free will , were mentioned ; not that by it i had obliged the primate to be of saint augustines judgement in all points besides : and for that particular of perseverance , which you instance in , it came not into my discourse in either of my letters to mr. barlee , what he or mr. baxter have produced of the primates apprehension ; what was saint augustines judgement in that point , cannot argue it was therefore his own ; indeed , saint augustine is variously conceived in it , in his severall tractates , and where he hath some expressions tending to the finall falling away of some who have been regenerated and justified ; he is thus salved by others , who understand him either , de justificatis sacramento tenus , or judicio charitatis , that they were such , or of some predispositions to regeneration , in some morall reformation ; not of a spiritual real conversion , which he denies to any reprobate . now in this variety of senses , you should have done better then thus , to chuse the worse ; for the primates judgement , who was against the total and final falling away of those , who were effectually called , truly regenerated and sanctified , according to the 38 article of ireland ; and thus i have touched the principal materials in your letter . for that you say , some have endeavoured to gain credit to their calvinistical opinions by their unjust usurpation of the primates name . i could wish those hard expressions tending so much to the distaste of calvin , might be abated ; whom divers of the most eminent writers , and learned fathers of our church , ( whom i suppose you reverence ) have had in great esteem ; and usually name him with honour . i might quote divers , as arch-bishop whitgift , bishop bilson , bishop davenant , mr. hooker , doctor ward , &c. but bishop andrewes shall suffice , who in his determination against usury , ( a case wherein he dissented from calvin yet ) thus writes of of him . calvino ( illustri viro nec unquam sine summi honoris praefatione nominando ) &c. i. e. calvin an excellent man , never to be named without a preface of the highest honour . i wish that spirit of meeknesse and charity found in those old bishops , were doubled upon us in these dayes , when we are as much ( if not more ) called unto it ; the contrary may possibly be gratefull to the see of rome , but i do not see what advantage it can be to us . for his discipline , you may take your liberty , which may well be distinguished from his doctrines . and for the primate , though i cannot say he was of his judgement in all points , yet he had a due respect for him . for that which you object again to me , as you did in your third letter , viz. my acknowledgeing an engagement to mr. barlee for his readinesse offered , ( in his first letter unto me ) to clear the primate , &c. did not deserve a repetition , being it was in my first to him , when he was as much a stranger to me , as i was to you : only , let me say thus much of him . how far he had disagreed in his book from the primates judgement ; i shall not now enquire , but after the receipt of that tractate , wherein he read what his was ; he wrot thus unto me ( decemb. 21. 1657. ) viz. it is true , there be some minutiae , about which i am not satisfied , and shall be glad to have an amicable conference with you . however as to the rei summam , i do so perfectly agree with the most venerable primate , as that i dare discharge you from all feares of ever having him exposed to my pen , and censure , &c. which i doe the rather thus punctually repeat his words , because in short you have mentioned it from me in your fourth letter . and when i had read you both , meeting in the primate , i thought it my part to sit down in silence . in a word , you have with much industry viewed , and reviewed the primates judgement in that point , which hath been published , but i wish i did not find you making that use of it , to endeavour to confirm your former assertion of a change in him , in which i am not in the least shaken in mind by what hath passed between us , but must still conceive ( contrary to your expectation in the beginning of your letter ) there was a mistake wheresoever it lights , which being so gentle an expression , and which we are all subject unto , i see no cause of any offence , either to your self , or certifiers . i shall entreat you to let the venerable name ( as you stile it ) of that good man rest in peace , without any further strife of tongues or pens ; and let us leave his judgment to his works , which do undoubtedly testifie of him : and for any further dispute of this subject between us , i wish this might be the last , as it is the largest ; and that neither by this , nor any other , the least breach may be made between us , as to love , and friendship , which upon all occasions , shall ever ber readily manifested by grayes-inne , febr. 9. 1657. your assured friend and servant , n. bernard . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64635-e590 a though of late it hath had that latitude as to comprehend episcopacy , yet , in ancient records ( which i have seen ) it was limited to the deans and chapters ; for this was then the form of the arch-bishops provinciall visitation , declaring that he would visit , episcopum , praelatos , clerum & populum . b common prayer in edw. 6. c the first that broached that figment of the nagge 's head conscration in england , after 45 yeares silence of any other author , which in bishop bedells letters to wadesworth , p. 142. is confuted . * synops. theol. disp 41. de christo & antichristo conclus . ex quibus apparet pontificem & papam romanum , revera an●ich●if●um & filium perditionis esse , &c. notes for div a64635-e3230 a apoc. 17. v. 18. & 18 v. 2. & 21. b apoe . 17. 5. c apoc. 17 2. & 18. v. 3. d ( horat. in car. seculari . ) dii quibus septem placuere colles . trist. lib. 1. eleg. 4. lib. 3. eleg . 10. e de rom. pontif. lib. 2. cap. 2. apo● . 1 ▪ 9. romans 1. 8. apoc. 17. 5. revel . 18. 23. 2 thess. 2. 4 apoc. 18. 4. notes for div a64635-e6000 verse 3. verse 9. verse 18. verse 21. verse 7. verse 10. verse 20. john 21. 7 psalm 2. 8. exod. 19. 5. deut. 7 6. chap. 10. 14 , 15. and chap. 3. and 9. exod. 19. 5. isay 81. 8. 13. micah 6 2 isay 1. 10. hosea 1. 9. isa. 65. 15. rom. 12. 2 jer. 31. 33 psal. 137. 8. isa. 21. 9. isa. 52. 11. ser. 50. 8. and jer. 51 6. 9. ezek. 27. ier. 51. daniel 5. ezra 1. 1. * anno 330. verse 〈◊〉 . 10. 19. verse 21. 22 , 23. 2 thes. 2. 3. verse 12. verse 17. lib. rom. pon● . 5. 1. 2. 6. ab alex 6. cap. 7. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see also chapter 14. 10. ezra . 4 de rob. pont. cap. 3. ver. 5. de not. eccl. l. 4. c. 8. verse 6. verse 11. 8. rev. 11. 8 john 4. isay 52. 11 heb. 12. 25. john 3. 18. 36. 5. 24. john 3. last vers . john 14. 21. 23. de justisica . lib. 5. cap. 7. 1 tim. 3. 15. 1 kings 19. 18. john 18. 15 , 16. daniel i. v. 16. 2 object . epist●la 6 9. answ. john 20. 23. john 13 , 35. john 5. 39. luke 11. 52. 1 cor. 14. matthew 28. 20. jer. 17. 5. rom. 6. 9. object . answ. 1 cor. 2. 2 peter 1. 11. 2 john 8. 2 thes. 2. 11. ezra 1. ● . chap 6. 3. & 7. 12. neh. 2. 18. chapter ●0 . 37. and 13. 10. 2 cor. 5. 2. 1 john 5. 13. 1 kings 18. 21. matth. 18. 6. notes for div a64635-e14960 a omnes prophetiae priusquam habent efficaciam , aenigmata sunt homi●ibus , sed cum venerit tempus , & evenerit quod prephet a●um est , habent liquidam & certam exp siti●nem , &c. b accuratam calculi notitiam , tempus & experientia r●velabit vigilantibus . c minimè verò mir●m , si i●ta quae dixi tam vel clar am , vel cerlam in-scriptis patrum interp●aetationem non habeant : ope●abatur enim modò mysterium tum iniquitatis . signatus ad●uc liber er●t bujus prophetiae . verissimum autem verbum est , aenigma esse propheti●m omnem , cùm nondum completae est , ut quamvis prisci illi omni genere charismatum ▪ vitae v●rò sanctimonia longo nos intervallo supererarint , mirari tamen non debeat quis , si illis t●m non adeo explicata omnia sue●int qu●m robis per gratiam dei jam surt , quicon summaetam jam prophe●iam illam qu●tidiè o●usis usurpamus ▪ pag. 186. d quis nisi romanus status , cujus abscessio i● decem reges dispersa , antichristum superinducet , & tunc revelabitur iniquus . e christianis necessitatem incumbere orandi pro imperatoribus , etiam pro omni statu imperii , rebúsque romanis ; quod vim maximam universo orbi imminentem a●●erbitates horrendas comminentem romani imperii commeatu scimus retardari apol . c. 32. commeatum dicere solet tertullianus , spatium temporis praescriptum , &c. vid. down●am epise . derens. le antichristo . lib. 2. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. id est , imperium romanum , quando è medio sublaetum fuerit ; tunc venit ille , &c. & vacantem imperii principatum invadet & te●tabit ad se rapere , & hominum , & dei imperium . g nen vult apertè di●ere . romanum imperium destruc●dum , quia tum adversum christianos , rabiem conci●asset persecutionis . h ( donec de medi● f●●t , ) d●nec regnum quod nuac te●et de medi● auferatur : h●c de imperio romàno dictum est & propterea paulum non id apertè scribere voluisse , ne calum●ia● incurra● , quod romano imperio malè ●ptaverit . i tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tenet ) intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quod prohibet , vel impedimento est ; quid . nam autem est illud , ●isi romanum imperium , &c. nisi enim hoc solvetur , iste non veniet , &c. * avent annal . boior . l. 5. p. 455. k ibid ▪ p. 470. m ad calcem ● . tom. auctarii . bibliothec ▪ elit . paris . 16●0 . n vide rog. hoved●n . o matth. pa●●s . p non defueran● etiam in omnibus terris numer●si pi●rum coetus , qui toto sol●● satan● tem pore bell●m antichrists indixerunt : cujusmodi erant , quos papistae ( cum primum sectae authorem à quo denominarentur , invenire n●n possent ) à quodam petro waldo lugdunensi waldenfium & pauper●m lugdunensium n●mina . indide●unt . usserius arch. armach . de eccles. christ. succes . & fla● . p. 150. haec ve 〈◊〉 netatio nominis antichristi , si illam integram accip●amus quadratin illum optimè , quem esse ●erum illum antichristum ( d●n juvante ) demonstra●●mus : rom●num dico purtifi●●m , qui se esse caput ecclesiae christi , christi vicem implere glori●●ur . p de eo tantum nobis lis erit jam quae●am illa ibi roma babylon , aut roma quo tempore babylon esse coeperit ; cuirei tot ibi circumstantias adhibet s. johannes , vix ut in ea errare ●uiquam contingat . qu● enim babylon ibi , eadem meretrix magna dicitur , &c. edoctum antem ibi se dicit johannes à spiritu de rebus quae venturae essent . quod si jam romam ibi ( quo tu sensu vis ) designavit , nihil venturum edocuit spiritus ; ethnica enim tum roma in auge erat vel maximè . propheticus verò is liber totus haberi solet , &c. nimis autem illa misella tum prophetia foret , si praediceret fore , ut persequeretur rom● christianos ●idit ver● hoc priusquam in paethmos relega●us esset , &c. p. 183 , 184. and p. 185. de ca roma quae veneficiis seducit , quae agnum specie refert , scriptam tamen in fronte blasphemiam , in temph dei sedet , cujus merces hominum animae ; quam decem reges igne concrematuri sunt ad perniciem sempiternam ; quae per pseudo prophetam suam vim habet signa faciendi . verè à to●● dicitur romam christianam perditam non iri : non cer●è sed illam antichristianam scili●et , &c. s thes 31. de pontific● r●mano , & praecipuis qui i●si attribuuntur titulis . s. 12. adversarii parro dei , & antich●isti nomen ipsi compe●ere evidentissima ratione monstratur . prius enim illi apostolus 〈◊〉 , quum appellat illum homi●nem peccati filium perdition●s ; adversar●um & efferentem se supra vel contra omne id quod dicitur deus aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; it a ut in templ● dei , tanquam deus sedeat ▪ prae se ferens se esse deum : qui ex collapso imperio romano exu●get , ejusque vacantem dignitatem , occ●p●bat ; haec enim 〈…〉 romano s●la intelligenda esse , & intelligi posse asserimus . antichristi ver● nomen il●i compete● excellentissimè , sivè particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppositionem , sive unius re● pro altera substitutionem , vel legitimè factam aut per vim & fraud●● , &c significat . s. 13. i. e. omni instiumentor●m satanicorum genere usus est sophistica hypocris● , men●aciis , aequ●v●cationibus , perfidia , perjuriis , violentia , veneno , a●mis ; adeo ut merito dici possit , bestiae illi formidabili quae pardo , vrso , le●●i , similis est , & quâ romanum imperium significatum est , successisse , &c. faxit deus ut ecclesia ab antichristi fraudibus & tyra●nide liberetur ; religiosae sapientiae est , curiam romanam , a● ecclesia in q●â p●ntifex sedea● interstinguere , &c. t ●ùm episcop●s romanus , erecta sibi i● orbe christiano monarchia , dominationem usurpet in omnes ecclesias & pastores , in tantam erectus superbiam , 1 ut deum se dicat , [ can. satis dist . 96. lib. 1. sac●ar . cerem . cap. de benedictiensis . ] veli●q●e 2 ad●rari , [ concil . lateran●ult . se●● . 1. 3. 9 , ● ] omnemque tribui sibi potestatem in 〈◊〉 & in terra , res ecclesiasticas o●nes disp●nat ; articulos fi lei definiat : scripturarum author●ta●em , atque interpretationem à se esse , dicat , animarum 〈◊〉 exerceat ; veta juramentáque dispenset , novos dei cultus , i●stituat ; tum in civilibus , legi ●mam magistratu●um au●h●itatem pedib●s sub● gat , 〈◊〉 , ablatis , 〈◊〉 imperiis . credimus atque asserimus esse verum illum & g●rman●m antichrist●m , perditicnis filium , pron●nciatum in verbo 〈◊〉 meretricem purpuratam it siden●em septem 〈◊〉 in ●ogna civitate ; quae regnum 〈◊〉 in reges terrae : expecta●●sque dum dominus pr●ut pr●●sit ac jam coepit , confici●ns cum spirituoris sui , tandem ill●st●● adventu suo aboleat . u calvin . epist. 104. under the papacy some church , remaineth , a church crazed , forlorne , mistaken , yet some church , his reason , is , antichrist must sit in the temple of god , which is cited by mr. hooker . instit. sect. 27. geh●●i a man though over-run with a leprosy , and to be shunned as unclean . antichristianismus est morbus in christianism● . * the words of the cardinal are these . viz. by this article ( i. e. that kings are not deposable by the pope ) we are cast headlong into a manifest heresie , as binding us to confesse , that for many ages past , the catholick church hath been banished out of the whole world ; for if the champions of the doctrine contrary to this article , do hold an impious & detestable opinion , contrary to gods word , then doubtless the pope for so many hundred years expired , hath not been the head of the church , but an heretick , and the antichrist . p. 453. * the usual stile of the sybils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. e. roma septicollis in plutarch , & varro , a festival among the romans called dies septem montium . tertul. in his time calls the people of rome , the people of the seven hills , ipsam vernaculam septem collium plebem convenio . apol. l. 35. x ita avidè avent homines ●ii petrum romae , alicubi in scripturâ reperire , poti●s ut babylone●● velint esse romam , ubi pe●●us fuit , quam ut petrus romae n●n fuerit . valde enim illorum interest ad ●aput fidei ut petrus romae cred●tur fuisse , &c. tort. torti . p 183. y certissimum esse nomine babylenis roma●urbem significari . anno 45. n. 18. z hui● conveniunt aptissimè omnia atque illud inprimis , quod alii conve●ire non potest ; optimè etiam convenisse● , quod in ●odem capite , & mulier quam vidisti est civitas magna , quae habet regnum super reges terr● . a existimamus nomine babylonis remanam urbem significari in hoc apocalypsis opere , ubi toties babylon nominatur , &c. omnia quae his capitibas memorantur , in romanam urbem aptissimè quadrant , b iohannes in apocalypsi passim romam vocat babylonem ut tertullianus annotavit , & ●pertè colligitut ex cap. 17. apocal●p . ubi dicituy babylon magna sedere suprà septem montes & habere imperium super reges terrae ; nec enim alia civitas est , quae iohannis tempore imperium habuerat super reges terrae quam roma ; & notissimum est supra septem colles romam aedificatam esse . lib. 3. de rom. pont. cap. 13. c romaà johanne vocatur babylon , quia babilon fuit figura romae , quibus verbi● aptè designat romam . notes for div a64635-e22150 object . answ. a answ. to rhemist . comment . on n. t upon this place . magnopere curandum est ut id teneamus , quod ubique , quod semper , quod ab omnibus creditum est , hoc est enim verè & propriè catholicum . contr . haeresin . cap. 3. a initialis doctrina de ministerio ecclesiae quia tum ordinabantur per impositionem manuum . * totum munus prophericum , &c. phil. 1. 1. * 1 ep. ● . 12. book of ordination . object . answ. object . answ. book of ordination . object . answ. 1. 2 quest. answ. object . answ. 1. gildas . * de minister . anglican . object ▪ answ. * see bishop bedels letter to wadsworth , p. 157. my defence for your ministry is , that the forme , receive the h●ly ghost ; whose sins ye remit , are remitted : doth suciffiently comprehend the authority , &c , notes for div a64635-e30450 a eadem unctio ) non pootuit luculentiore testimoni● pastores & doctores ornare , à quibus illi instituti f●erant , & quotidie ●dhuc instituebantur , quam quum ipsos diceret ab ipso spiritu sancto doceri , & jam antea esse doctos . b piscator in loc . vnctio docet ] id est , ministerium verbi ( i. e. ) spiritus sanctus effica● per praedicationem evangelii , quare ministerium verbi in precio habendum est . answ. a non simplicitèr sed quia adhibent media per q●uae deus remittit pecca●a , haec autem ▪ media sunt ●erbum & sacramenta ; ●er . in loc . b non quod homo propriè remittet peccatum , sed quod ostendet & certificet adeò remiss●m , neque enim al●a est abso●utio ab homine , ( quam si dicat ) e● ti●i , certifico te , tibi remissa esse peccata , annuncio tibi te habere deum propit●um , &c. ferus . lib 2. comment . in matth. cap. 9. edit . mogu●t , 1559. a in summo p●ntifice esse pleni●ud●nem omnium grat●arum , quia i●se solus confert plenam indulgentiam omnium peccatorum & computet sibi quod de primo princi●e d●mino dicimus , quia de plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus , de regim . principum , lib. 3. cap. 10. inter opuscula th●mae , num 20. activè & proximè efficit gratiam justificationis , ●t flatus extinguit ignem , & dissipat nebulas , sic absolutio sacerdotis pecca●a &c. bell. de sacram. lib●o 2. cap. 1. de poenitent . libro 3. cap. 2. attritio virtute clavium fit contritio , rom. correctores gloss. gratiani de poenitent . du●t . 1. principio , &c. a cui enim praevaricatores legis à peccato liberare licet , nisi legis ipsius autori . in jo● . lib. 12. ●ap 56. b datu●us erat dmi●us hominibus spi●itum sanctum , ab ipso spiri●u sancto fidelibus suis dimitti peccata volebat intelligi ; nam quid es h●m● , nisi ager sanandus , vis mihi esse medicus , mecum quaere medicum . homil. 23. ex. 50. c ecce per spiritum sanctum peccata donantur , ●omines , ministerium suum exhibent , non jus alicujus potestatis exercent , ( de sp. sanct. ) lib. 3. cap. 10. a aliud est baptiza●e per ministerium , aliud per p●●estatem & autheritat●m , a quos funes , & vincula , solvunt apostoli sermone dei , & testimoniis scripturae , & exhortatione . lib. 6. comment . in is. cap. 14. b remj●●untur peccata per dei verbum , de abel , & cain . lib. 2. cap. 4. mark 1. 4. jer. 3● . 28. a ●contaminatione contaminabit eum , haud dubium , quin sacerd●s non quo contaminationis author sit , sed quo ostendat eum contaminatum . hieron . lib. 7. esa. cap. 23. b in remit●endis vel re●inendis pecca●is , id iuris & officii habent evangelici sacerdotes , quod olim habebant . sub lege legales in curandis leprosis . hi ergo peccata dimi●tunt vel re●inent , dum dimissa adeo , vel re●entae , indicant & ostendant . ponunt enim sacerdotes nomen domin● super filios israel , sed ipse benedixit , si●ut legitur in num. petr. lomb. l. 4. sent . dist . 14. a num. 6. a sacerdos imponit manum subjecto , ●ed●tum spiritus sancti invocat , & indicta in populum or atione altari reconcil●at , &c. advers . lucifer . notes for div a64635-e35730 a disput. 36. de cultu invocat . sect. 33. non tantum licitas sed & valde utiler esse , contendimus , &c. & in magnis conventibus at●entio auditorum per usitatas formulas , non parum juvatur . b licitum hoc esse manifestum est , ex approbata sanctorum praxi , quam in praescriptis psalmis , & bene●ice●di formulis , scriptura nobis commendat . vtile etiam & necessarium est quibusdam istisumodi f●rmam sequi , quamvis ex libell●●sit denotanda . l. 4. cap. 17. de or●tione mentali & vocali . a vbi sunt 〈◊〉 pastor●s s. liturgi● publica formula est apprimè utilis & necessaria , ●d communem ecclesiae aedificationem , &c. earum usus jure damnari ●on p●●est nec debet , c●um s●mper & ubique , in universa ecclesia christi●na , toto terrarum orbe , ●am à piusquam 1300 annis perp●tuo obtinuerit , etiamq●e ●odie ubique obtineat , nisi apud novtio● , &c. donec tandem nuperimè exorti sunt in anglia , &c. de litu●g . concept . form . 〈◊〉 3. a sicuti quoque tota vetust● ecelesia , i● semper extra● controversiam bab●●●t , viz. prec●●i●nem han● christi non esse tantum rect● pre●andi normam , sed insuper queque 〈◊〉 precand● formam . synops . theol. disp . 36. sect. 33. a 〈◊〉 christum in cruce pendens depre●cation i●●rma , á d●vide tanquam ●ypo antea ●bservata , vsus est . muth . 27. 46. ibid. object . answ. 1. a ralph 〈◊〉 , iohn rough. a liberty in solitary prayers . lesse liberty in private prayer . least liberty in publi●k prayer . object . * cas. cons. de orat. luke 7. 38. psal. 28. 1. psal. 1. 41. notes for div a64635-e42530 * mr. thomas price then fellow of the colledge of dublin , who afterwards suffered much in the same diocesse by the rebellion of ireland , and is yet living in wales . a discourse of the religion anciently professed by the irish and brittish. by iames vssher archbishop of armagh, and primate of ireland ussher, james, 1581-1656. 1631 approx. 355 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 72 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a14233 stc 24549 estc s118950 99854157 99854157 19565 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a14233) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 19565) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1191:5) a discourse of the religion anciently professed by the irish and brittish. by iames vssher archbishop of armagh, and primate of ireland ussher, james, 1581-1656. [8], 133, [11] p. printed by r[obert] y[oung] for the partners of the irish stocke, london : 1631. printer's name from stc. running title reads: of the religion professed by the ancient irish. usually found as part 4 of stc 24544 or 24544.5. reproduction of the original in yale university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of ireland -history -early works to 1800. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-04 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse of the religion anciently professed by the irish and brittish . by iames vssher archbishop of armagh , and primate of ireland . london , printed by r. y. for the partners of the irish stocke . 1631. ❧ to my very mvch honovred friend , sir christopher sibthorp , knight , one of his majesties iustices of his court of chiefe place in ireland . worthy sir : i confesse , i somewhat incline to bee of your minde , that if unto the authorities drawn out of scriptures and fathers ( which are common to us with others ) a true discoverie were added of that religion which anciently was professed in this kingdome ; it might prove a speciall motive to induce my poore country-men to consider a little better of the old and true way from whence they have hitherto been mis-ledd . yet on the one side , that saying in the gospel runneth much in my minde ; a if they heare not moses and the prophets , neyther will they be perswaded , though one rose from the dead : and on the other , that heavie iudgement mentioned by the apostle ; b because they received not the love of the truth , that they might bee saved , god shall send them strong delusion , that they should beleeve lyes . the woefull experience whereof , wee may see daily before our eyes in this poore nation : where , such as are slow of heart to beleeve the saving truth of god delivered by the prophets and apostles , doe with all greedinesse imbrace , and with a most strange kinde of credulitie entertaine those lying legends , wherewith their monkes and friars in these latter daies have polluted the religion and lives of our ancient saints . i doe not deny but that in this countrey , as well as in others , corruptions did creep in by little and little , before the divell was let loose to procure that seduction which prevailed so generally in these last times : but as farre as i can collect by such records of the former ages as have come unto my hands eyther manuscript or printed ) the religion professed by the ancient bishops , priests , monks , and other christians in this land , was for substance the very same with that which now by publike authoritie is maintained therein , against the forraine doctrin brought in thither in later times by the bishop of romes followers . i speake of the more substantiall points of doctrine , that are in controversie betwixt the church of rome and us at this day ; by which only we must iudge , whether of both sides hath departed from the religion of our ancestors : not of matters of inferiour note , much lesse of ceremonies and such other things as appertaine to the discipline rather than to the doctrine of the church . and whereas it is knowne unto the learned , that the name of scoti in those elder times ( whereof we treate ) was common to the inhabitants of the greater and the lesser scotland ( for so heretofore they have beene distinguished ) that is to say , of ireland , and the famous colonie deduced from thence into albania : i will not follow the example of those that have of late laboured to make dissension betwixt the daughter and the mother , but account of them both , as of the same people . tros rutulusve fuat , nullo discrimine habebo . the religion doubtlesse received by both , was the selfe same ; and differed little or nothing from that which was maintained by their neighbours the britons : as by comparing the evidences that remaine , both of the one nation and of the other , in the ensuing discourse more fully shall appeare . the chiefe heads treated of in this discourse , are these : i. of the holy scriptures . pag. 1. ii. of predestination , grace , free-will , workes , iustification and sanctification . pag. 11. iii. of purgatory , and prayer for the dead . pag. 21. iiii. of the worship of god , the publike forme of liturgie , the sacrifice , and sacrament of the lords supper . pag. 30. v. of chrisme , sacramentall confession , penance , absolution , marriage , divorces , and single life in the clergie . pag. 45. vi. of the discipline of our ancient monkes ; and abstinence from meats . pag. 54. vii . of the church and various state thereof , especially in the dayes of antichrist : of miracles also , and of the head of the church . pag. 66. viii . of the popes spirituall iurisdiction , and how little footing it had gotten at first within these parts . pag. 75. ix . of the controversie which the britons , picts , and irish maintained against the church of rome , touching the celebration of easter . pag. 92. x. of the height that the opposition betwixt the romane party , and that of the brittish and the scottish grew unto ; and the abatement thereof in time : and how the doctors of the scottish and irish side have beene ever accounted most eminent men in the catholike church , notwithstanding their dis-union from the bishop of rome . pag. 105. xi . of the temporall power , which the popes followers would directly intitle him unto over the kingdome of ireland : together with the indirect power which hee challengeth in absolving subjects from the obedience , which they owe to their temporall governours . pag. 117. of the religion professed by the ancient irish. chap. i. of the holy scriptures . two excellent rules doth st. paul prescribe unto christians for their direction in the waies of god : the one , that they a be not unwise , but understanding what the will of god is ; the other , that they b bee not more wise than behoveth to be wise , but be wise unto sobriety . and that we might know the limits , within which this wisedome and sobriety should bee bounded ; hee elsewhere declareth , that not to bee more wise than is fitting , is c not to be wise above that which is written . hereupon sedulius ( one of the most ancient writers that remaineth of this country birth ) delivereth this for the meaning of the former rule ; d search the law , in which the will of god is contained : and this for the later ; e he would be more wise than is meete , who searcheth those things that the law doth not speake of . unto whom wee will adjoyne claudius another famous divine , ( counted one of the founders of the university of paris ) who for the illustration of the former , affirmeth that men f therefore erre , because they know not the scriptures ; and because they are ignorant of the scriptures , they consequently know not christ , who is the power of god and the wisedome of god : and for the clearing of the latter , bringeth in that knowne canon of saint hierome ; g this , because it hath not authority from the scriptures , is with the same facility contemned , wherewith it is avowed . neither was the practice of our ancestors herein different from their judgement . for as bede touching the latter , recordeth of the successors of colum-kille the great saint of our country ; that they h observed onely those workes of piety and chastity , which they could learne in the propheticall , evangelicall , and apostolicall writings : so for the former , hee specially noteth of one of the principall of them , to wit , bishop aidan ; that i all such as went in his company , whether they were of the clergie , or of the laity , were tyed to exercise themselves , either in the reading of scriptures , or in the learning of psalmes . and long before their time , it was the observation which saint chrysostome made of both these ilands : that k although thou didst goe unto the ocean , and those brittish isles , although thou didst sayle to the euxine sea , although thou didst goe unto the southerne quarters ; thou shouldst heare all men every where discoursing matters out of the scriptvre , with another voice indeede , but not with another faith , and with a different tongue , but with an according judgement . which is in effect the same with that which venerable bede pronounceth of the island of brittaine in his owne dayes , that l in the language of five nations it did search and confesse one and the same knowledge of the highest truth , and of the true sublimity ; to wit , of the english , the britons , the scots , the picts , and the latins . which last although hee affirmeth by the meditation of the scriptures to have become common to all the rest : yet the community of that one among the learned , did not take away the property of the other foure among the vulgar , but that such as understood not the latin , might yet in their own mother tongue have those scriptures , wherein they might search the knowledge of the highest truth , and of the true sublimity . even as at this day in the reformed churches , the same latin tongue is common to all the learned in the meditation and exposition of the scriptures ; and yet the common people for all that , doe in their owne vulgar tongues * search the scriptures , because in them they thinke to have eternall life . for as by us now , so by our forefathers then , the m continuall meditation of the scriptures was held to give speciall vigour and vegetation to the soule ( as wee reade in the booke attributed unto st. patrick , of the abuses of the world : ) and the holy documents delivered therein , were esteemed by christians as their chiefe riches ; according to that of columbanus , n sint tibi divitiae , divinae dogmata legis . in which heavenly riches our ancient scottish and irish did thrive so well , that many worthy personages in forraine parts were content to undergoe a voluntarie exile from their owne country ; that they might more freely trafficke here for so excellent a commodity . and by this meanes altfrid king of northumberland , purchased the reputation of o a man most learned in the scriptures . scottorum qui tum versatus incola terris , coelestem intento spirabat corde sophiam . nam patriae fines & dulcia liquerat arva , sedulus ut domini mysteria disceret exul . as bede writeth of him , in his poëme of the life of our countryman st. cuthbert . so when wee reade in the same bede of p furseus , and in another ancient author of q kilianus , that from the time of their very childhood , they had a care to learne the holy scriptures : it may easily bee collected , that in those dayes it was not thought a thing unfit , that even children should give themselves unto the studie of the bible . wherein how greatly some of them did profit in those tender yeeres , may appeare by that which boniface the first archbishop of mentz , relateth of livinus ( who was trained up in his youth by benignus in r the singing of davids psalmes , and the reading of the holy gospels , and other divine exercises ) and ionas of columbanus ; in whose s breast the treasures of the holy scriptures were so layd up , that within the compasse of his youthfull yeeres hee set forth an elegant exposition of the booke of the psalmes , by whose industry likewise afterward , the studie of gods word was so propagated ; that in the monasteries which were founded t according to his rule beyond the seas , not the men only , but the religious women also did carefully attend the same , that through patience and comfort of the scriptures they might have hope . see for this , the practice of the virgin u bitihildis lying upon her death bed ; reported by the same ionas , or whosoever else was the author of the life of burgundofora . as for the edition of the scriptures used in these parts at those times : the latin translation was so received into common use among the learned , that the principall authority was still reserved to the originall fountaines . therefore doth sedulius in the old testament commend unto us x the hebrew verity ( for so with s. hierome doth he style it : ) and in the new correct oftentimes the vulgar latin according to the truth of the greek copies . for example : in 1 cor. 7 34. he readeth as wee doe , there is difference betweene a wife and a virgin ; and not as the rhemists have translated it out of the latin. rom. 12. 19. hee readeth , non vosmetipsos vindicantes , not avenging your selves : where the vulgar latin hath corruptly , non vosmetipsos defendentes , not defending your selves . rom. 3. 4. where the rhemists translate according to the latin , god is true : hee sheweth that in the greeke copies it is found , let god be true , or , let god be made true . rom. 15. 17. hee noteth that the latin bookes have put glory for gloriation . galat. 1. 16. where the rhemists have according to the latin , i condescended not to flesh & bloud : he saith , that in graeco meliùs habet ( for so must his words bee here corrected out of st. hierome , whom hee followeth ) the greek hath it better , i conferred not . rom. 8. 3. where the rhemists say of god , according to the latin translation , that of sinne hee damned sinne in the flesh : sedulius affirmeth , that veriùs habetur apud graecos , it is more truly expressed in the greeke bookes ; that for sinne he damned sinne in the flesh . lastly , where the rhemists translate after their latin copie , gal. 5. 9. a little leaven corrupteth the whole paste : hee saith it should be , leaveneth , ( as we have it ) and y not corrupteth , as it is ill read in the latin bookes . so where they translate by the same authority , galat. 6. 1. instruct such an one in the spirit of lenitie : z claudius , following st. hierome , affirmeth that it is better in the greeke , restore or perfect him . and where they make st. peter say , mat. 16. 22. lord , bee it farre from thee : a he noteth , that it is better in the greeke , lord , favour thy selfe . in the old testament i observe that our writers doe more usually follow the translation taken out of the septuagint , than the vulgar latine , which is now received in the church of rome . so , for example , where the vulgar latin hath esay 32. 4. b the tongue of the stammerers ( or mafflers , as the doway translation would have it englished ) shall speak readily and plainely : in the confession of st. patricke c wee finde it layd downe more agreeably to the d greeke lection : the stammering tongues shall swiftly learne to speak peace . and in his epistle to coroticus or cereticus ; e malach. 4. 2. you shall dance as calves loosed out of bands : where our common latin hath ; f you shall leape as calves of the heard . and iob 20. 15 , 16. g the riches which he shall gather unjustly , shall be vomited out of his belly , the angel of death draweth him . hee shall be mulcted with the wrath of dragons : the tongue of the serpent shall kill him . where the vulgar latin readeth : h the riches , which he hath devoured , he shall vomit out , and god shall draw them forth out of his belly . he shall suck the head of aspes , and the vipers tongue shall kill him . the same course is likewise observed by sedulius in his citations . but gildas the briton in some bookes , ( as deuteronomy , esay and ieremy , for example ) useth to follow the vulgar latin translated out of the hebrew ; in others ( as the bookes of chronicles , iob , proverbs , ezekiel , and the small prophets ) the elder latin translated out of the greeke , as also long after him his country man * nennius , in reckoning the yeares of the age of the world , followeth the lxx . and asser alledgeth the text , genes . 4. 7. i if thou offer aright , and dost not divide aright , thou sinnest ; according to the k greek reading : whereas the vulgar latin hath it ; l if thou doe well , shalt thou not receive againe ? but if thou doest ill , shall not thy sinne forthwith be present at the doore ? of the psalter there are extant foure latin translations out of the greeke , ( namely the old italian , the romane , the gallican , and that of millayne : ) and one out of the hebrew , composed by st. hierome : which though it bee now excluded out of the body of the bible , and the gallican admitted in the roome thereof ; yet in some manuscript copies , it still retaineth his ancient place . three whereof i have seene my selfe in cambridge , the one in trinitie , the other in benet , and the third in iesus colledge librarie : where this translation out of the hebrew , and not the vulgar out of the greek , is inserted into the context of the bible . in the citations of gildas , and the confession of saint patrick , i observe that the roman psalter is followed , rather than the gallican : in the quotations of sedulius , on the other side , the gallican rather than the roman . claudius speaking of a text in the 118 th . ( or as he accounteth it , the 117 th . ) m psalme , saith , that where the lxx . interpreters did translate it , o lord save me , it was written in the hebrew , anna adonai osanna : which our interpreter hierom ( saith he ) more diligently explaining , translated thus ; i beseech thee , o lord , save i beseech thee . before this translation of s. hierome , n i have seene an epigram prefixed by ricemarch the briton ; who by caradoc of lhancarpan o is commended for the godliest , wisest , and greatest clerke that had been in wales many yeares before his time , his father sulgen bishop of s. davids only excepted , who had brought him up , and a great number of learned disciples . he having in this epigramme said of those who translated the psalter out of greeke , that they did darken the hebrew rayes with thir latin clowde : addeth of s. hierome , that being replenished with the hebrew fountaine , hee did more cleerely and briefly discover the truth ; as drawing it out of the first vessell immediately , and not taking it at the second hand . to this purpose thus expresseth he himselfe ; ebraeis nablam custodit littera signis : pro captu quam quisque suo sermone latino edidit , innumeros linguâ variante libellos ; ebraeumque jubar suffuscat nube latina . nam tepefacta ferum dant tertia labrasaporem . sed sacer hieronymus , ebraeo fonte repletus , lucidiùs nudat verum , breviusque ministrat . namque secunda creat , nam tertia vascula vitat . now for those bookes annexed to the old testament , which s. hierom calleth apocryphall , others ecclesiasticall ; true it is that in our irish and brittish writers some of them are alledged as parcels of scripture , and propheticall writings ; those especially that commonly bare the name of salomon . but so also is the fourth booke of esdras cited by gildas , in the name of p blessed esdras the prophet ; which yet our romanists will not admit to be canonicall : neither doe our writers mention any of the rest with more titles of respect than wee finde given unto them by others of the ancient fathers , who yet in expresse termes doe exclude them out of the number of those bookes which properly are to be esteemed canonicall . so that from hence no sufficient proofe can bee taken , that our ancestours did herein depart from the tradition of the elder church , * delivered by s. hierome in his prologues , and explained by brito ( a briton , it seemeth , by nation , as well as by appellation ) in his commentaries upon the same ; which being heretofore joyned with the ordinarie glosse upon the bible , have of late proved so distastefull unto our popish divines , that in their new editions ( printed at lyons anno 1590. and at venice afterward ) they have quite crossed them out of their books . yet marianus scotus ( who was borne in ireland in the mxxviii . yeare of our lord ) was somewhat more carefull to maintaine the ancient bounds of the canon set by his forefathers . for he in his chronicle , following eusebius and s. hierom , at the reigne of artaxerxes longimanus writeth thus : q hitherto the divine scripture of the hebrewes containeth the order of times . but those things that after this were done among the iewes , are represented out of the booke of the maccabees , and the writings of iosephus and aphricanus . but before him , more plainly , the author of the book de mirabilibus scripturae ( who is accounted to have lived here , about the yeare dclvii . ) r in the bookes of the maccabees , howsoever some wonderfull things bee found , which might conveniently bee inserted into this ranke ; yet w●ll wee not weary our selves with any care thereof ▪ because wee only purposed to touch in some measure a short historicall exposition of the wonderfull things contained in the divine canon . as also in the apocryphall additions of daniel , hee telleth us , that what is reported s touching the lake ( or denne ) and the carrying of abackuk , in the fable of bel and the dragon , is not therefore placed in this ranke , because these things have not the authority of divine scripture . and so much concerning the holy scriptures . chap. ii. of predestination , grace , free-will , faith , workes , iustification and sanctification . the doctrine which our learned men observed out of the scriptures & the writings of the most approved fathers , was this ▪ that god b by his immoveable counsaile ( as gallus speaketh in his sermon preached at constance ) ordained some of his creatures to praise h●m , and to live blessedly from him and in him , & by him : namely , c by his eternall predestination , his free calling , and his grace which was due to none . that d hee hath mercie with great goodnesse , and hardneth without any iniquitie : so as neyther he that is delivered can glory of his own merits , nor he that is condemned complain but of his own merits . for asmuch as grace onely maketh the distinction betwixt the redeemed and the lost ; who by a cause drawne from their common originall , were framed together into one masse of perdition . for e all mankinde stood condemned in the apostaticall roote ( of adam ) with so just and divine a judgement ; that although none should be freed from thence , no man could rightly blame the justice of god : and such as were freed , must so have beene freed , that by those many which were not freed , but left in their most just condemnation , it might bee shewed what the whole lumpe had deserved , that the due judgement of god should have condemned even those that are justified , unlesse mercy had relieved them from that which was due : that so all the mouthes of them , which would glory of their merits , might bee stopped ; and hee that glorieth , might glory in the lord. they further taught ( as saint augustine did ) that f man using ill his free will , lost both himselfe and it . that , as one by living is able to kill himselfe , but by killing himselfe is not able to live , nor hath power to raise up himselfe when hee hath killed himselfe so when sinne had beene committed by free will , sinne being the conquerour , free will also was lost ; for asmuch as of whom a man is overcome , of the same is hee also brought in bondage ( 2 pet. 2. 19. ) that unto a man thus brought in bondage and sold , there is no liberty left to doe well , unlesse he redeeme him , whose saying is this ; if the sonne make you free , yee shall bee free indeede . ( iohn 8. 36. ) that g the minde of men from their very youth is set upon evill : there being not a man which sinneth not . that a man h hath nothing from himselfe , but sinne . that i god is the author of all good things , that is to say , both of good nature , and of good will ; which unlesse god doe worke in him , man cannot doe . because this good will is prepared by the lord in man ; that by the gift of god hee may doe that , which of himselfe he could not doe by his owne free-will . that k the good will of man goeth before many gifts of god , but not all : and of those which it doth not goe before , it selfe is one . for both of these is read in the holy scriptures ; his mercy shall goe before mee , and , his mercie shall follow mee : it preventeth him that is unwilling that hee may will , and it followeth him that is willing , that he will not in vaine . and that therefore we are admonished to aske that wee may receive , to the end , that what we doe will may be effected by him , by whom it was effected that we did so will. they taught also , that l the law was not given , that it might take away sinne , but that it might shut up all under sinne : to the end that men , being by this means humbled , might understand that their salvation was not in their owne hand , but in the hand of a mediatour . that by the law commeth , m neither the remission nor the removall , but the knowledge of sinnes : that it n taketh not away diseases , but discovereth them ; o forgiveth not sinnes , but condemneth them . that p the lord god did impose it , not upon those that served righteousnesse , but sinne ; namely , by giving a just law to unjust men , to manifest their sins , and not to take them away : forasmuch as nothing taketh away sins but the grace of faith which worketh by love . that our q sinnes are freely forgiven us ; r without the merit of our workes : that s through grace we are saved , by faith , and not by works ; and that therfore we are to rejoyce , t not in our owne righteousnesse , or learning , but in the faith of the crosse , by which all our sinnes are forgiven us . that u grace is abject and vaine , if it alone doe not suffice us : and that we x esteem basely of christ , when we thinke that he is not sufficient for us to salvation . that y god hath so ordered it , that he will be gracious to mankind , if they do beleeve that they shall be freed by the bloud of christ. that , as z the soule is the life of the body , so faith is the life of the soule : and that wee live a by faith onely , as owing nothing to the law. that b hee who beleeveth in christ , hath the perfection of the law. for whereas none might be justified by the law , because none did fulfill the law , but onely hee which did trust in the promise of christ : faith was appointed , which should be accepted for the perfection of the law , that in all things which were omitted faith might satisfie for the whole law. that this righteousnesse therefore is c not ours , nor in us , but in christ ; in whom were are considered as members in the head . that d faith , procuring the remission of sinnes by grace , maketh all beleevers the children of abraham : and that e it was just , that as abraham was justified by faith onely , so also the rest that followed his faith should bee saved after the same manner . that f through adoption we are made the sons of god , by beleeving in the sonne of god : and that this is g a testimony of our adoption , that we have the spirit ; by which we pray , and cry abba father ; forasmuch as none can receive so great a pledge as this , but such as bee sonnes onely . that h moses himselfe made a distinction betwixt both the justices , to wit of faith and of deedes : that the one did by workes justifie him that came , the other by beleeving onely . that i the patriarches and the prophets were not justified by the workes of the law , but by faith . that k the custome of sinne hath so prevailed , that none now can fulfill the law : as the apostle peter saith , acts 15. 10. which neither our fathers nor wee have beene able to beare . but if there were any righteous men which did escape the curse : it was not by the workes of the law , but for their faiths sake that they were saved . thus did sedulius and claudius , two of our most famous divines deliver the doctrine of free will and grace , faith and workes , the law and the gospel , iustification and adoption ; no lesse agreeably to the faith which is at this day professed in the reformed churches , that to that which they themselves received from the more ancient doctors , whom they did follow therein . neither doe wee in our judgement one whit differ from them , when they teach that l faith alone is not sufficient to life . for when it is said , that faith alone justifieth : this word alone may bee conceived to have relation either to the former part of the sentence , which in the schooles they terme the subject ; or to the latter , which they call the predicate . being referred to the former , the meaning will be ; that such a faith as is alone ( that is to say , not accompanied with other vertues ) doth justifie : and in this sense wee utterly disclaime the assertion . but being referred to the latter , it maketh this sense ; that faith is it which alone or onely justifieth : and in this meaning onely doe we defend that proposition ; understanding still by faith , not a dead carkase thereof ( for how should the just bee able to live by a dead faith ? ) but a true and lively faith , m which worketh by love . for as it is a certaine truth , that among all the members of the body , the eye is the onely instrument whereby we see ; and yet it is as true also , that the eye being alone , and separated from the rest of the members , is dead , and for that cause doth neither see onely , not see at all : so these two sayings likewise may stand well enough together , that among all the vertues in the foule , faith is the onely instrument whereby wee lay hold upon christ for our justification ; and yet , that faith being alone , and disjoyned from the society of other graces , is dead in it selfe , ( as st. n iames speaketh ) and in that respect can neither only justifie , nor justifie at all . so though claudius doe teach as wee doe , that o faith alone saveth us ; because by the workes of the law no man shall bee justified : yet hee addeth withall this caution . p not as if the workes of the law should be contemned , and without them a simple faith ( so hee calleth that solitary faith whereof we spake , which is a simple faith indeed ) should bee desired ; but that the workes themselves should bee adorned with the faith of christ. for that sentence of the wise man is excellent , that the faithfull man doth not live by righteousnesse , but the righteous man by faith . in like manner sedulius , acknowledgeth with us , that god q hath purposed by faith onely to forgive our sinnes freely , and r by faith onely to save the beleevers ; and that , when men have fallen , they are to bee renewed s onely by the faith of christ , which worketh by love . intimating by this last clause , that howsoever faith onely be it which justifieth the man , yet the worke of love is necessarily required ( for all that ) to justifie the faith . and this faith ( saith t he ) when it hath beene iustified , sticketh in the soyle of the soule , like a roote which hath received a showre : that when it hath begunne to be manured by the law of god , it may rise up againe into bowes , which may beare the fruit of workes . therefore the roote of righteousnesse doth not grow out of works , but the fruit of works out of the root of righteousnesse ; namely out of that root of righteousnesse , which god doth accept for righteousnesse without workes . the conclusion is : that saving faith is alwaies a fruitfull faith ; and though it never goe alone , yet may there be some gift of god , which it alone is able to reach unto . as u columbanus also implieth in that verse : sola fides fidei dono ditabitur almo . the greatest depressers of gods grace , and the advancers of mans abilities , were pelagius and celestius● the one borne in brittaine ( as appeareth by prosper aquitanus ) the other in scotland or ireland ; as x m r. persons doth gather out of those words of s. hierom in one of the prefaces of his commentaries ( not upon ezechiel , as he quoteth it , but ) upon ieremy . y he hath his off-spring from the scottish nation , neere to the britans . these hereticks ( as our marianus noteth out of prosper . in his chronicle ) preached , among other of their impieties , z that for attaining of righteousnesse every one was governed by his owne will , and received so much grace as he did merit . whole venemous doctrine was in brittaine repressed , first by palladius , lupus , germanus and severus from abroad ; afterward , by david menevensis , and his successors at home agreeably to whose institution , asser. men●vensis doth professe , that god is alwaies to bee esteemed both the mover of the will , and the bestower of the good that is willed for hee is ( saith hee ) a the instigatour of all good wills , and withall the most bountifull provider that the good things desired may bee had : forasmuch as hee would never stirre up any to will well , unlesse hee did also liberally supply that which every one doth well and justly desire to obtaine . among our irish , the grounds of sound doctrine in these points were at the beginning well settled by palladius and patricius , b sent hither by celestinus bishop of rome . and when the poyson of the pelagian heresie , about two hundred yeares after that , beganne to breake out among them : the clergie of rome in the yeare of our lord dcxxxix . ( during the vacancie of the see , upon the death of severinus ) directed their letters unto them , for the preventing of this growing mischiefe . wherein among other things they put them in minde , that d it is both blasphemy and folly to say , that a man is without sinne : which none at all can say , but that one mediatour betwixt god and man , the man christ iesus , who was conceived and borne without sinne . which is agreeable , partly to that of claudius ; that e it is manifest unto all wise men , although it bee contradicted by heretickes , that there is none who can live upon earth without the touch of some sinne : partly to that of sedulius , that f there is none of the elect so great , whom the divell doth not dare to accuse , but him alone who did no sinne , and who said ; the prince of this world commeth now , and in mee bee findeth nothing . for touching the imperfection of our sanctification in this life , these men held the same that wee doe : to wit , that the law g cannot be fulfilled ; that h there is none that doth good , that is to say , perfect and entire good . that i gods elect shall be perfectly holy and immaculate in the life to come , where the church of christ shall have no spot nor wrinkle : whereas in this present life they are righteous , holy , and immaculate , not wholly , but in part only that k the righteous shall then be without all kinde of sinne , when there shall be no law in their members , that shall resist the law of their minde . that although l sinne doe not now reigne in their mortall body to obey the desires thereof : yet sin dwelleth in that mortall body , the force of that naturall custome being not yet extinguished , which we have gotten by our originall , and increased by our actual transgressions . and as for the matter of merit : sedulius doth resolve us out of s. paul , that we are saints m by the calling of god , not by the merit of our deed ; that god is able to exceeding abundantly above that we aske or think , n according to the power that worketh in us , not according to our merits ; that o whatsoever men have from god ; is grace , because they have nothing of due ; and that p nothing can bee found worthy or to bee compared with the glorie to come . chap. iii. of purgatory , and prayer for the dead . the next point that offereth it selfe unto our consideration , is that of purgatory . whereof if any man doe doubt ; a caesarius ( a germane monke of the cistercian order ) adviseth him for his resolution to make a journey into scotland ( the greater scotland he meaneth ) and there to enter into s. patricks purgatory : and then he giveth him his word , that he shall no more doubt of the paines of purgatory . if doctor terry ( who commendeth this unto us as the testimony of b a most famous authour ) should chance to have a doubtfull thought hereafter of the pains of purgatory ; i would wish his ghostly father to injoyne him no other penance , but the undertaking of a pilgrimage unto s. patricks purgatorie ; to see whether he would prove any wiser when he came from thence , than when he went thither . in the meane time , untill he hath made some further experiment of the matter , he shall give me leave to beleeve him that hath beene there , and hath cause to know the place as wel as any ( the iland wherein it is seated , being held by him as a part of the inheritance descended unto him from his ancestours ) and yet professeth , that hee found nothing therein , which might afford him any argument to thinke there was a purgatorie . i passe by , that nennius , and probus , and all the elder writers of the life of s. patrick that i have met withall , speake not one word of any such place ; and that c henrie the monke of saltrey , in the daies of king stephen , is the first in whom i could ever finde any mention thereof . this only would i know of the doctor , what the reason might bee , that where hee bringeth in the words of giraldus cambrensis touching this place , as d an authenticall authoritie ; he passeth over that part of his relation , wherein he affirmeth , that s. patrick intended by this means to bring the rude people to a perswasion of the certaintie e of the infernall paines of the reprobate , and of the true and everlasting life of the elect after death . the grecians alledge this for one of their arguments against purgatory : that whereas f their fathers had delivered unto them many visions and dreames and other wonders concerning the everlasting punishment , wherewith the wicked should be tormented in hell ; yet none of them had declared any thing concerning a purgatorie temporarie fire . belike the doctor was affraid , that wee would conclude upon the same ground ; that s. patrick was carefull to plant in mens minds the beleefe of heaven and hell , but of purgatory taught them never a word . and sure i am , that in the booke ascribed unto him , de tribus habitaculis , ( which is to be seene in his majesties librarie ) there is no mention of any other place after this life , but of these two only . i will lay downe here the beginning of that treatise ; and leave it to the judgement of any indifferent man , whether it can well stand with that which the romanists teach concerning purgatorie at this day . g there be three habitations under the power of almighty god : the first , the lowermost , and the middle . the highest whereof is called the kingdome of god , or the kingdome of heaven , the lowermost is termed hell , the middle is named the present world , or the circuit of the earth . the extremes whereof are altogether contrary one to another : ( for what fellowship can there be betwixt light and darkenesse , betwixt christ and belial ? ) but the middle hath some similitude with the extremes . for in this world there is a mixture of the bad and of the good together . whereas in the kingdome of god there are none bad , but all good : but in hell there are none good , but all bad . and both those places are supplyed out of the middle . for of the men of this world , some are lifted up to heaven , others are drawne downe to hell ▪ namely , like are joyned unto like , that is to say , good to good , and bad to bad : just men to just angels , wicked men to wicked angels ; the servants of god to god , the servants of the divell to the divell . the blessed are called to the kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the world : the cursed are driven into the everlasting fire that is prepared for the divell and his angels , thus farre there . hitherto also may be referred that ancient canon of one of our irish synods , wherin it is affirmed , that the soule being separated from the body is h presented before the judgement seat of christ , who rendreth it owne unto it , according as it hath done : and that neither the archangel can leade it unto life , untill the lord hath iudged it ; nor the divell transport it unto paine , unlesse the lord doe damne it . as the sayings of sedulius likewise ; that after the end of this life , i eyther death or life succeedeth , and that k death is the gate by which wee enter into our kingdome : together with that of claudius ; that l christ did take upon him our punishment without the guilt , that thereby hee might loose our guilt , and finish also our punishment . cardinall bellarmine indeed alledgeth here against us the vision of furseus : who m rising from the dead , told many things , which he saw concerning the paines of purgatory ; as bede , he saith , doth write . but , by his good leave , we will be better advised , before wee build articles of faith upon such visions and dreames as these : many whereof deserve to have a place among n the strange narrations of soules appearing after death , collected by damascius the heathen idolater ; rather than among the histories and discourses of sober christians . as for this vision of furscus : all that bede relateth of it to this purpose , is concerning certain great fires above the ayre , appointed to o examine every one according to the merits of his workes . which peradventure may make something for damascius his purgatory in circulo lacteo ( for in that circle made hee p away for the soules that went to the hades in heaven ; and q would not have us wonder , that there they should be purged by the way : ) but nothing for the papists purgatory , which bellarmine by the common consent of the schoolemen determineth to bee within the bowels of the earth . neyther is there any thing else in the whole booke of the life of furseus ( whence bede borrowed these things ) that looketh toward purgatorie : unlesse peradventure that speech of the divell may bee thought to give some advantage unto it . r this man hath not purged his sins upon earth ; neither doth he receive punishment for them here . where is therefore the justice of god ? as if gods justice were not sufficiently satisfied by the sufferings of christ ; but man also must needs give further satisfaction thereunto by penall workes of sufferings , eyther here , or in the other world . which is the ground , upon which our romanists doe lay the rotten frame of their devised purgatorie . the later visions of malachias , tundal , owen , and others that lived within these last five hundred years ; come not within the compasse of our present inquirie : nor yet the fables that have beene framed in those times , touching the lives and actions of elder saints ; whereof no wise man will make any reckoning . such ( for example ) is that which we read in the life of st. brendan : that the question being moved in his hearing , s whether the sinnes of the dead could be redeemed by the prayers or almes-deeds of their friends remaining in this life ( for that was still a question in the church : ) he is said to have told them , that on a certaine night , as hee sayled in the great ocean , the soule of one colman t ( who had beene an angry monke , and a sower of discord betwixt brethren ) appeared unto him ; who complaining of his grievous torments , intreated that prayers might be made to god for him , and after sixe dayes thankefully acknowledged that by meanes thereof hee had gotten into heaven . whereupon it is concluded , u that the prayer of the living doth profit much the dead . but of s. brendans sea-pilgrimage , we have the censure of molanus a learned romanist ; that there bee x many apocryhall fooleries in it : and whosoever readeth the same with any judgement , cannot choose but pronounce of it , as photius doth of the strange narrations of damascius , formerly mentioned ; that it containeth not only apocryphall , but also y impossible , incredible , ill-composed , and monstruous fooleries . whereof though the old legend it selfe were not free ( as by the heads thereof , touched by glaber rodulphus and giraldus cambrensis , may appeare ) yet for the tale that i recited out of the z new legend of england , i can say , that in the manuscript books which i have met withall here , in st. brendans owne country , ( one whereof was transcribed for the use of the friars minors of kilkenny , about the yeere of our lord 1350. ) there is not the least footstep thereof to be seene . and this is a thing very observable in the ancienter lives of our saints ( such i meane , as have beene written before the time of sathans loosing ; beyond which we doe not now looke : ) that the prayers and oblations for the dead mentioned therein , are expressly noted to have beene made for them , whose soules were supposed at the same instant to have rested in blisse . so adamnanus reporteth , that saint colme ( called by the irish , both in a bedes and our dayes , colum-kille ) b caused all things to be prepared , for the sacred ministry of the eucharist ; when he had seene the soule of st. brendan received by the holy angels : and that hee did the like , when columbanus bishop of leinster departed this life . for i must to day ( saith st. colme c there ) although i bee unworthy , celebrate the holy mysteries of the eucharist , for the reverence of that soule which this night , carried beyond the starry firmament betwixt the holy quires of angels , ascended into paradise . whereby it appeareth , that an honourable commemoration of the dead was herein intended , and a sacrifice of thanksgiving for their salvation rather than of propitiation for their sinnes . in bede also wee finde mention of the like obsequies celebrated by st. cuthbert for one hadwaldus ; after d he had seene his soule carried by the hands of angels unto the joyes of the kingdome of heaven . so gallus and magnus ( as walafridus strabus relateth in the life of the one , and theodorus campidonensis , or whosoever else was author of the life of the other ) e said masse ( which what it was in those dayes wee shall afterward heare ) and were instant in prayers for the commemoration of abbat columbanus their countryman ; f frequenting the memory of that great father , with holy prayers , and healthfull sacrifices . where that speech of gallus unto his deacon magnus or magnoaldus , is worthy of speciall consideration : g after this nights watch , i understood by a vision , that my master and father columbanus is to day departed out of the miseries of this life unto the joyes of paradise . for his rest therefore i ought to offer the sacrifice of salvation . in like manner also , when gallus himselfe dyed ; h iohn bishop of constance prayed to the lord for his rest , and offered healthfull sacrifices for him : although he were certainly perswaded that he had attained the blessing of everlasting life ; as may bee seene in walafridus . and when magnus afterwards was in his death bed , hee is said to have used these words unto tozzo bishop of ausborough , that came to visit him . i doe not weepe , reverend prelate , because thou beholdest me labouring in so many stormes of worldly troubles : because i beleeve in the mercy of god , that my soule shall rejoyce in the freedome of immortalitie . yet i beseech thee , that thou wilt not cease to helpe mee a sinner and my soule with thy holy prayers . then followeth : that at the time of his departure , this voice was heard ; k come , magnus , come , receive the crowne which the lord hath prepared for thee . and that thereupon tozzo said unto theodorus ( the supposed writer of this history ) l let us cease weeping , brother ; because wee ought rather to rejoyce , having heard this signe of the receiving of his soule unto immortality , than to make lamentation . but let us goe to the church , and be carefull to offer healthfull sacrifices to the lord for so deare a friend . i dispute not of the credit of these particular passages : it is sufficient , that the authors from whom wee have received them , lived within the compasse of those times , whereof wee now doe treate . for thereby it is plaine enough ( and if it be not , it shall elsewhere be made yet more plaine ) that in those elder dayes it was an usuall thing , to make prayers and oblations for the rest of those soules , which were not doubted to have beene in glorie : and consequently , that neither the commemoration nor the praying for the dead , nor the requiem masses of that age , have any necessary relation to the beleefe of purgatory . the lesson therefore which claudius teacheth us here out of saint hierome , is very good : that m while wee are in this present world , wee may bee able to helpe one another , either by our prayers or● by our counsailes , but when wee shall come before the iudgement seate of christ , neither iob , nor daniel , nor noah can intreate for any one , but every one must beare his owne burden . and the advice which the no lesse learned than godly abbat columbanus giveth us , is verie safe : not to pitch upon uncertainties hereafter , but now to trust in god , and follow the precepts of christ ; while our life doth yet remaine , and while the times , wherein we may obtaine salvation , are certaine . vive deo fidens ( saith n he ) christi praecepta sequēdo ; dum modò vita manet , dum tempora certa salutis . whereunto iohn the briton ( another son of sulgen bishop of st. davids ) seemeth also to have had an eye , when ( at the end of the poëme which he wrote of his owne and his fathers life ) he prayeth for himselfe in the same manner : vt genitor clemens solitâ pietate remittat factis aut dictis quae gessi corde nefando ; dum mihi vita manet , dum flendi flumina possunt . nam cum tartareis nullius cura subintrat . chap. iv. of the worship of god , the publicke forme of liturgie , the sacrifice and sacrament of the lords supper . touching the worship of god , sedulius delivereth this generall rule : that a to adore any other beside the father , and the sonne , and the holy ghost , is the crime of impiety ; and that b all that the soule oweth unto god , if it bestow it upon any beside god , it committeth adultery . more particularly , in the matter of images , c hee reproveth the wise men of the heathen , for thinking that they had found out a way , how the invisible god might bee worshipped by a visible image : with whom also accordeth claudius ; that d god is to bee knowne , neither in mettall nor in stone . and for oathes , there is a canon ascribed to saint patricke ; wherein it is determined , that e no creature is to bee sworne by , but onely the creator . as for the forme of the litugrie or publicke service of god , which the same st. patrick brought into this country : it is said , that hee received it from germanus and lupus ; and that it originally descended from s. marke the evangelist . for so have i seene it set downe in an ancient fragment , written wellnigh 900. yeeres since : remaining now in the library of sir robert cotton , my worthy friend ; who can never sufficiently bee commended , for his extraordinary care , in preserving all rare monuments of this kinde . yea st. hieromes authority is there vouched for proofe hereof . beatus hieronymus adfirmat , quòd ipsum cursum , qui dicitur praesente tempore scottorum , beatus marcus decanta●it . which being not now to bee found in any of saint hieroms workes , the truth thereof i leave unto the credit of the reporter . but whatsoever liturgie was used here at first : this is sure , that in the succeeding ages no one generall forme of divine service was retained , but diverse rites and manners of celebrations were observed in diverse parts of this kingdome ; untill the romane use was brought in at last by gillebertus , and malachias , and christianus , who were the popes legates here about 500. yeeres agoe . this gillebertus ( an old acquaintance of f anselm archbishop of canterbury ) in the prologue of his booke de usu ecclesiastico , directed to the whole clergie of ireland , writeth in this manner . g at the request , yea and at the command of many of you ( dearely beloved ) i endevoured to set downe in writing the canonicall custome in saying of houres , and performing the office of the whole ecclesiasticall order ; not presumptuously , but in desire to serve your most godly command : to the end that those diverse and schismaticall orders , wherewith in a manner all ireland is deluded , may give place to one catholicke and romane office. for what may bee said to bee more undecent or schismaticall ; than that the most learned in one order , should bee made as a private and lay man in another mans church ? these beginnings were presently seconded by malachias : in whose life , written by bernard , wee reade as followeth . h the apostolicall constitutions , and the decrees of the holy fathers , but especially the customes of the holy church of rome , did he establish in all churches . and hence it is , that at this day the canonicall houres are chanted and sung therein , according to the manner of the whole earth : whereas before that , this was not done , no not in the citie it selfe . ( the poore city of ardmagh he meaneth . ) but malachias had learned song in his youth , and shortly after caused singing to be used in his own monasterie ; when as yet , aswell in the citie as in the whole bishoprick , they eyther knew not , or would not sing . lastly , the worke was brought to perfection , when christianus bishop of lismore , as legate to the pope , was president in the councell of casshell : wherein a speciall order was taken for i the right singing of the ecclesiasticall office ; and a generall act established , that k all divine offices of holy church should from thenceforth be handled in all parts of ireland , according as the church of england d●d observe them . the statutes of which councell were l confirmed by the regall authoritie of king henry the second ; m by whose mandate , the bishops that met therein were assembled , in the yeare of our lord 1171. as giraldus cambrensis ▪ witnesseth , in his historie of the conquest of ireland . and thus late was it , before the romane use was fully settled in this kingdome . that the britons used another manner in the administration of the sacrament of baptisme than the romanes did : appeareth by the proposition made unto them by austin the monke ; n that they should performe the ministerie of baptisme , according to the custome of the church of rome . that their forme of liturgie was the same with that which was received by their neighbours the galls , is intimated by the author of that ancient fragment before alledged : who also addeth , that the o gallican order was received in the church throughout the whole world . yet elsewhere doe i meete with a sentence alledged out of gildas ; that p the britons were contrary to the whole world , and enemies to the roman customes , aswell in their masse , as in their tonsure . where to let passe what i have collected touching the difference of these tonsures ( as a matter of very small moment eyther way ) and to speake somewhat of the masse ( for which so great adoe is now adayes made by our romanists ) wee may observe in the first place , that the publike liturgie or service of the church , was of old named the masse : even then also , when prayers only were said , without the celebration of the holy communion . so the last masse that s. colme was ever present at , is noted by q adamnanus to have beene vespertinalis dominica noctis missa . he dyed the mid-night following ; whence the lords day tooke his beginning ( 9● viz. iunii , anno dom. 597. ) according to the account of the romanes : which the scottish and irish seeme to have begunne from the evening going before . and then was that evening-masse said : which in all likelihood , differed not from those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by r leo the emperour in his tacticks , that is to say , from that which we call even-song , or evening prayer . but the name of the masse was in those daies more specially applied to the administration fo the lords supper : & therfore in the same s adamnanus we see that sacra eucharistiae ministeria and missarum solemnia , the sacred ministerie of the eucharist and the solemnities of the masse , are taken for the same thing . so likewise in the t relation of the passages that concerne the obsequies of columbanus , performed by gallus and magnoaldus ; we finde that missam celebrare and missas agere , is made to be the same with divina celebrare mysteria and salutis hostiam ( or salutare sacrificium ) immolare : the saying of masse , the same with the celebration of the divine mysteries and the oblation of the healthfull sacrifice . for by that terme was the administration of the sacrament of the lords supper at that time usually designed . for as in our u beneficence , and communicating unto the necessities of the poore ( which are sacrifices wherewith god is well pleased ) wee are taught to x give both our selves and our almes , first unto the lord , and after unto our brethren by the will of god : so is it in this ministery of the blessed sacrament . the service is first presented unto god , ( from which , as from a most principall part of the dutie , the sacrament it selfe is called the eucharist ; because therein wee y offer a speciall sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving alwaies unto god ) and then communicated unto the use of gods people . in the performance of which part of the service , both the minister was said to give , and the communicant to receive the sacrifice : as well as in respect of the former part , they were said to offer the same unto the lord. for they did not distinguish the sacrifice from the sacrament , as the romanists doe now adayes : but used the name of sacrifice indifferently , both of that which was offered unto god , and of that which was given to and received by the communicant . therefore wee read of offring the sacrifice to god : as in that speech of gallus to his scholler magnoaldus ; z my master columbanus is accustomed to offer unto the lord the sacrifice of salvation in brasen vessels . of giving the sacrifice to man : as when it is said in one of the ancient synods of ireland , that a a bishop by his testament may bequeath a certaine proportion of his goods for a legacie to the priest that giveth him the sacrifice . and of receiving the sacrifice from the hands of the minister : as in that sentence of the synod attributed unto s. patrick ; b he who deserveth not to receive the sacrifice in his life , how can it helpe him after his death ? and in that glosse of sedulius upon 1. cor. 11. 33. c tarry one for another , that is , ( saith he ) untill you doe receive the sacrifice . and in the brittish antiquities : where we reade of amon a noble man in wales ( father to samson the saint of dole in little brittain ) that d being taken with a grievous sicknesse , hee was admonished by his neighbours , that according to the usuall manner he should receive the sacrifice of the communion . whereby it doth appeare , that the sacrifice of the elder times was not like unto the new masse of the romanists , wherein the priest alone doth all ; but unto our communion , where others also have free libertie given unto them to e eat of the altar , as well as they that serve that altar . again , they that are communicants in the romish sacrament , receive the eucharist in one kinde onely : the priest in offering of the sacrifice receiveth the same distinctly , both by way of meat and by way of drinke ; which they tell us f is chiefly done , for the integritie of the sacrifice and not of the sacrament . for in the sacrifice , they say , g the severall elements be consecrated , not into christs whole person as it was borne of the virgin or now is in heaven : but the bread into his body apart , as betrayed , broken , and given for us ; the wine into his bloud apart , as shed out of his bodie for remission of sinnes and dedication fo the new testament , which bee conditions of his person as hee was in sacrifice and oblation . but our ancestours , in the use of their sacrament , received the eucharist in both kinds : not being so acute as to discerne betwixt the things that belonged unto the integritie of the sacrifice and of the sacrament , because in very truth , they tooke the one to be the other . thus bede relateth , that one hildmer , an officer of egfrid king of northumberland , intreated our cuthbert h to send a priest that might minister the sacraments of the lords body and bloud unto his wife that then lay a dying : and cuthbert himselfe , immediately before his owne departure out of this life , received the communion of the lords body and bloud ; as i herefride abbat of the monsterie of lindisfarne ( who was the man that at that time ministred the sacrament unto him ) made report unto the same bede . who elsewhere also particularly noteth , that he then tasted of the cup. k pocula degustat vitae , christique supinum sanguine munit iter . lest any man should thinke , that under the formes of bread alone he might be said to have been partaker of the body and bloud of the lord , by way of concomitance : which is a toy , that was not once dreamed of in those daies . so that we need not to doubt , what is meant by that which wee reade in the booke of the life of furseus ( which was written before the time of bede ) that l he received the communion of the holy body and bloud ; and that hee was wished to admonish m the pastors of the church , that they should strengthen the soules of the faithfull with the spirituall food of doctrine , and the participation of the holy body and bloud , or of that which cogitosus writeth in the life of saint brigid , touching the place in the church of kildare ; n whereunto the abbatesse with her maidens and widowes used to resort , that they might enioy the banquet of the body and bloud of iesus christ. which was agreeable to the practice , not only of the nunneries founded beyond the seas according to the rule of columbanus ; where the virgins o received the body of the lord , and sipped his bloud ( as appeareth by that which ionas relateth of domnae , in the life of burgundofora : ) but also of s. brigid her selfe , who was the foundresse of the monasterie of kildare ; one of whose miracles is reported , even in the later legends , to have happened when shee was about to drinke out of the chalice , at the time of her receiving of the eucharist . which they that list to looke after , may finde in the collections of capgrave , surius , and such like . but , you will say ; these testimonies that have beene alledged , make not so much for us , in proving the use of the communion under both kindes , as they make against us , in confirming the opinion of transubstantiation : seeing they all specifie the receiving , not of bread and wine , but of the body and bloud of christ. i answer , that forasmuch as christ himselfe at the first institution of his holy supper did say expresly ; this is my body , and , this is my bloud : hee deserveth not the name of a christian , that will question the truth of that saying , or refuse to speake in that language , which hee hath heard his lord and master use before him . the question onely is , in what sense , and after what manner , these things must bee conceived to bee his body and bloud . of which there needed to be little question : if men would bee pleased to take into their consideration these two things ; which were never doubted of by the ancient , and have most evident ground in the context of the gospel . first , that the subject of those sacramentall propositions delivered by our saviour ( that is to say , the demonstrative particle this ) can have reference to no other substance , but that which hee then held in his sacred hands , namely , bread & wines which are of so different a nature from the body and bloud of christ , that the one cannot possibly in proper sense be said to be the other ; as the light of common reason doth force the romanists themselves to confesse . secondly , that in the predicate , or latter part of the same propositions , there is not mention made only of christs body and bloud ; but of his body broken , and his bloud shed : to shew , that his body is to be considered here apart , not as it was borne of the virgin , or now is in heaven , but as it was broken and crucified for us ; and his bloud likewise apart , not as running in his veines , but as shed out of his body ; which the rhemists have told us to be conditions of his person , as hee was in sacrifice and oblation . and lest wee should imagine , that his body were otherwise to bee considered in the sacrament than in the sacrifice ; in the one alive , as it is now in heaven , in the other dead , as it was offered upon the crosse : the apostle putteth the matter out of doubt , that not onely the minister in offering , but also the people in receiving , even p as often as they eate this bread , and drinke this cup , doe shew the lords death untill hee come . our elders surely , that held the sacrifice to bee given and received ( for so we have heard themselves speak ) as well as offered ; did not consider otherwise of christ in the sacrament , than as hee was in sacrifice and oblation . if here therefore , christs body be presented as broken and livelesse , and his bloud as shed forth and severed from his body ; and it be most certaine , that there are no such things now really existent any where ( as is confessed on all hands : ) then must it follow necessarily , that the bread and wine are not converted into these things really . the q rhemists indeede tell us , that when the church doth offer and sacrifice christ daily ; hee in mysterie and sacrament dyeth . further than this they durst not goe : for if they had said , hee dyed really ; they should thereby not only make themselves daily killers of christ , but also directly crosse that principle of the apostle , rom. 6. 9. christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more . if then the body of christ in the administration of the eucharist be propounded as dead ( as hath been shewed ) and dye it cannot really , but onely in mysterie and sacrament : how can it be thought to bee contained under the outward elements , otherwise than in sacrament and mysterie ? and such as in times past were said to have received the sacrifice from the hand of the priest ; what other body and bloud could they expect to receive therein , but such as was sutable to the nature of that sacrifice , to wit , mysticall and sacramentall ? coelius sedulius ( to whom gelasius bishop of rome , with his synod of lxx . bishops , giveth the title of r venerable sedulius ; as venantius fortunatus of s conspicuous sedulius ; and hildephonsus toletanus of the t good sedulius , the evangelicall poet , the eloquent orator , and the catholicke writer ) is by trithemius and others supposed to be the same with our u sedulius of scotland ( or ireland ) whose collections are extant upon st. pauls epistles : although i have forborne hitherto to use any of his testimonies , because i have some reason to doubt , whether hee were the same with our sedulius or no. but coelius sedulius ( whatsoever countryman hee was ) intimateth plainly , that the things offered in the christian sacrifice , are the fruit of the corne and of the vine : ( x denique pontificum princeps summusque sacerdos quis nisi christus adest ? gemini libaminis author , ordine melchisedech , cui dantur munera semper quae sua sunt , segetis fructus , & gaudia vitis . or , as hee expresseth it in his prose ; y the sweete meate of the seede of wheate , and the lovely drinke of the pleasant vine . of melch●sedek ( according to whose order christ , and he onely , was priest ) our owne sedulius writeth thus : z melchisedek offered wine & bread to abraham for a figure of christ , offering his body and bloud unto god his father upon the crosse. where note , that first hee saith , melch sedek offered bread and wine to abraham , not to god : and secondly , that hee was a figure of christ offering his body and bloud upon the crosse , not in the eucharist . but we ( saith a he ) doe offer daily , for a commemoration of the lords passion ( once performed ) and our owne salvation . and elsewhere , expounding those words of our saviour , doe this in remembrance of me ; hee bringeth in this similitude , used before and after him by others . b he left a memory of himselfe unto us : even as if one that were going a farre journey , should leave some token with him whom hee loved ; that as oft as hee beheld it , hee might call to remembrance his benefits and friendship . claudius noteth , that our saviours c pleasure was , first to deliver unto his disciples the sacrament of his bodie and bloud ; and afterwards to offer up the body it selfe upon the altar of the crosse . where at the first sight i did verily thinke , that in the words fractione corporis an error had beene committed in my transcript ( corporis being miswritten for panis ) but afterwards comparing it with the originall , whence i tooke my copie , i found that the author retained the manner of speaking used both d before and e after his time ; in giving the name of the thing signified unto the signe , even there where the direct intention of the speech was to distinguish the one from the other . for hee doth expresly here distinguish the sacrament of the bodie , which was delivered unto the disciples , from the body it selfe , which was afterwards offered upon the crosse : and for the sacramentall relation betwixt them both , hee rendreth this reason . f because bread doth confirme the body , and wine doth worke bloud in the flesh : therefore the one is mystically referred to the body of christ , the other to his bloud . which doctrine of his ( that the sacrament is in it owne nature bread and wine , but the body and bloud of christ by mysticall relation ) was in effect the same with that which long afterwards was here in ireland delivered by henry crumpe the monke of baltinglas , g that the bodie of christ in the sacrament of the altar was onely a looking glasse to the body of christ in heaven : yea and within fifty or threescore yeeres of the time of claudius scotus himselfe , was so fully maintained by iohannes scotus in a booke that hee purposely wrote of that argument ; that when it was alledged and extolled by berengarius , pope leo ( the ninth ) with his bishops assembled in synodo vercellensi , an● . domini , 1050 ( which was 235. yeeres after the time that claudius wrote his commentaries upon st. matthew ) had no other meanes to avoide it , but by flat h condemning of it . of what great esteeme this iohn was with king alfred , may be seene in william of malmesbury , roger hoveden , matthew of westminster , and other writers of the english history . the king himselfe , in the preface before his saxon translation of st. gregories pastorall , professeth that he was holpen in that worke by i iohn his masse-priest . by whom if he did meane this iohn of ours : you may see , how in those dayes a man might be held a masse-priest , who was far enough from thinking that he offered up the very body and bloud of christ really present under the formes of bread and wine ; which is the onely masse that our romanists take knowledge of . of which wonderfull point how ignorant our elders were , even this also may be one argument : that the author of the booke of the wonderfull things of the holy scripture ( before alledged ) passeth this quite over , which is now esteemed to be the wonder of all wonders . and yet doth he professe , that he k purposed to passe over nothing of the wonders of the scripture , wherein they might seeme notably to swerve from the ordinary administration in other things . chap. v. of chrisme , sacramentall confession , penance , absolution , marriage , divorces , and single life in the clergie . that the irish a did baptize their infants without any consecrated chrisme , lanfranc maketh complaint in his letters to terdeluacus ( or tirlagh ) the chiefe king of that country . and bernard reporteth , that malachias in his time ( which was after the daies of lanfranc and pope hildebrand ) did b of the new institute the most wholesome use of confession , the sacrament of confirmation , and the contract of marriages : all which he saith the irish before were either ignorant of , or did neglect . which , for the matter of confession , may receive some further confirmation from the testimonie of alcuinus : who writing unto the scottish ( or , as other copies read , the gothish ) and commending the religious conversation of their laity , who c in the midst of their worldly imployments were said to leade a most chaste life ; condemneth notwithstanding another custome , which was said to have continued in that country . for d it is said ( quot he ) that no man of the laity will make his confession to the priests ; whom we beleeve to have received from the lord christ , the power of binding and loosing , together with the holy apostles . they had no reason indeed to hold ( as alcuinus did ) that they ought to confesse unto a priest all the sinnes they could remember : but upon speciall occasions , they did ( no doubt ) both publikely and privately make confession of their faults , aswell that they might receive counsaile and direction for their recovery , as that they might bee made partakers of the benefit of the keyes , for the quieting of their troubled consciences . whatsoever the gothish did herein ( by whom wee are to understand the inhabitants of languedok in france , where alcuinus lived ) sure wee are , that this was the practice of the ancient scottish and irish. so wee reade of one fiachna or fechnaus , that being touched with remorse for some offence committed by him , he fell at st. colmes feet , lamented bitterly , and e confessed his sinnes before all that were there present . whereupon the holy man , weeping together with him , is said to have returned this answer : f rise up , sonne , and bee comforted , thy sinnes which thou hast committed are forgiven ; because ( as it is written ) a contrite and an humbled heart god doth not despise . we reade also of adamanus , that being very much terrified with the remembrance of a grievous sinne committed by him in his youth ; he g resorted unto a priest , by whom hee hoped the way of salvation might bee shewed unto him , hee confessed his guilt , and intreated that hee would give him counsell , whereby hee might flee from the wrath of god that was to come . now the counsell commonly given unto the penitent after confession , was ; that hee should h wipe away his sinnes by meet fruits of repentance : which course bede observeth to have beene usually prescribed by our cuthbert . for penances were then exacted , as testimonies of the sincerity of that inward repentance which was necessarily required for obtaining remission of the sinne : and so had reference to the taking away of the guilt , and not of the temporall punishment remaining after the forgivenesse of the guilt ; which is the new found use of penances , invented by our later romanists . one old penitentiall canon wee finde laid downe in a synod held in this country about the yeere our lord ccccl . by s. patrick , auxilius , and isserninus : which is as followeth . i a christian who hath kild a man , or committed fornication , or gone unto a southsayer after the manner of the gentiles , for every of those crimes shall doe a yeere of penance : when his yeere of penance is accomplished , he shall come with witnesses , and afterward hee shall be absolved by the priest. these bishops did take order ( we see ) according to the discipline generally used in those times , that the penance should first be performed ; and when long & good proofe had bin given by that means of the truth of the parties repentance , they wished the priest to impart unto him the benefit of absolution . wheras by the new device of sacramentall penance the matter is now far more easily transacted : by vertue of the keyes the sinner is instantly of attrite made contrite , and thereupon as soon as hee hath made his confession hee presently receiveth his absolution : after this , some sorry penance is imposed , which upon better consideration may bee converted into pence ; and so a quicke end is made of many a foule businesse . but for the right use of the keyes , we fully accord with claudius : that k the office of remitting and retaining sinnes which was given unto the apostles , is now in the bishops and priests committed unto every church . namely , that having taken knowledge of the causes of such as have sinned , as many as they shall behold humble and truly penitent , those they may now with compassion absolve from the feare of everlasting death ; but such as they shall discerne to persist in the sins which they have committed , those they may declare to be bound over unto never ending punishments . and in thus absolving such as be truly penitent , we willingly yeeld , that the pastors of gods church doe remit sinnes after their manner , that is to say , ministerially and improperly : so that the priviledge of forgiving sinnes properly and absolutely , bee still reserved unto god alone . which is at large set out by the same claudius ; where hee expoundeth the historie of the man sicke of the palsey , that was cured by our saviour in the ninth of s. matthew . for , following bede upon that place , he writeth thus . l the scribes say true , that none can forgive sinnes but god alone ; also forgiveth by them , to whom hee hath given the power of forgiving . and therefore is christ proved to bee truely god because he forgiveth sinnes as god. they render a true testimony unto god : but in denying the person of christ , they are deceived . and againe : m if it bee god that , according to the psalmist , removeth our sins as far from us , as the east is distant from the west ; and the sonne of man hath power upon earth to forgive sinnès : therefore hee himselfe is both god and the sonne of man. that both the man christ might by the power of his divinitie forgive sinnes ; and the same christ being god , might by the frailtie of his humanitie dye for sinners . and out of s. hierome : n christ sheweth himselfe to bee god , who can know the hidden things of the heart ; and after a sort holding his peace he speaketh . by the same majestie and power , whereby i behold your thoughts , i can also forgive sinnes unto men . in like manner doth the author of the booke of the wonderfull things of the scripture observe these o divine workes in the same historie : the forgiving of sinnes , the present cure of the disease , & the answering of the thoughts by the mouth of god who searcheth all things . with whom , for the propertie of beholding the secret thoughts , sedulius also doth concurre , in those sentences . p god alone can know the hidden things of men . q to know the hearts of men , and to discerne the secrets of their minde , is the priviledge of god alone . that the contract of marriages , was either unknown or neglected by the irish , before malachias did institute the same anew among them ( as bernard doth seeme to intimate ) is a thing almost incredible . although r giraldus cambrensis doth complaine , that the case was little better with them after the time of malachias also . the licentiousnesse of those ruder times , i know , was such , as may easily induce us to beleeve , that a great both neglect and abuse of gods ordinance did get footing among this people . which enormities malachias , no doubt , did labour to reforme : and withall peradventure brought in some new matters , not knowne here before ; as hee was very desirous his country men should generally conforme themselves unto the traditions and customes of the church of rome . but our purpose is here only to deale with the doctrine and practice of the elder times : in which , first , that marriage was not held to bee a sacrament , may bee collected from s sedulius , who reckoneth it among those things , which are gifts indeed , but not spirituall . secondly , for the degrees of consanguinitie hindering marriage , the synod attributed unto st. patricke seemeth to referre us wholly unto the levitical law ; prescribing therein t neyther lesse nor more than the law speaketh : and particularly , against matching with the wife of the deceased brother ( which was the point so much questioned in the case of king henrie the eighth ) this u synodicall decree is there urged . the brother may not ascend into the bed of his deceased brother : the lord having said , they two shall be one flesh . therefore the wife of thy brother , is thy sister . whereupon we finde also , that our kilianus did suffer martyrdome for x dissolving such an incestuous marriage in gozbertus duke of franconia : and that clemens scotus for maintaining the contrary was both by y boniface archbishop of mentz , and the z councell held at rome by pope zacharie in the yeare dccxlv . condemned as a bringer in of iudaisme amongst christians . yet how farre this condemned opinion of his prevailed afterward in this countrey , and how foule a crime it was esteemed to be by others abroad ( notwithstanding the pope doth now by his buls of dispensation take upon him to make a faire matter of it ) may easily be perceived by this censure of giraldus : a moreover , saith hee , which is very detestable , and most contrary not only to the faith , but also unto common honesty ; brethren in many places throughout ireland do , i say not marry , but marre rather and seduce the wives of their deceased brothers , while in this sort they filthily and incestuously have knowledge of them : cleaving herein not to the marrow but to the barke of the old testament , and desiring to imitate the ancient in vices more willingly than in vertues . thirdly , touching divorces , wee reade in sedulius ; that b it is not lawfull , according to the precept of our lord , that the wife should be put away , but for the cause of fornication , and in the synod ascribed to st. patrick . c it is not lawfull for a man to put away his wife , but for the cause of fornication . as if he should say ; for this cause , he may . whence if hee marry another , as it were after the death of the former , they forbid it not . who they were , that did not forbid this second marriage , is not there expressed : that saint patrick himselfe was of another minde , would appeare by this constitution following ; which in another ancient canon-booke i found cited under his name . d if any mans wife have committed adulterie with another man : he shall not marry another wife , as long as the first wife shall be alive . if per adventure she be converted , and doe penance : he shall receive her ; and she shall serve him in the place of a maid-servant . let her for a whole yeare doe penance in bread and water , and that by measure : neyther let them remaine in the same bed together . fourthly , concerning single life , i doe not finde in any of our records , that it was generally imposed upon the clergie ; but the contrary rather . for in the synod held by st. patrick , auxilius , and isserninus ; there is a speciall order taken , e that their wives shall not walke abroad , with their heads uncovered . and st. patrick himselfe confesseth ( at leastwise the confession which goeth under his name saith so ; and probus , iocelinus , and others that write his life , agree therewith ) that hee f had to his father calphurnius a deacon , and to his grandfather potitus a priest. for that was no new thing then among the britons : whose bishops therefore gildas doth reprehend ( as for the same cause he did the chiefe of the laity ) that they were not content to be the husbands of one , but of many wives , and that they corrupted their children by their evill example : whereas g the chastitie of the fathers was to be esteemed imperfect , if the chastitie of their sonnes were not added thereunto . nennius , the eldest historiographer of the britons which wee have after him ( who in many copies also beareth his owne name ) wrote that booke which we have extant of his , to h samuel the childe of benlanus the priest , his master : counting it a grace , rather than any kinde of disparagement unto him , to bee esteemed the sonne of a learned priest. which maketh him in the i verses prefixed before the worke to say : christe , tribuisti patri samuelem , * but about 60. or 70. yeares after , i finde some partiall eclipse here ( and the first , i thinke , of this kinde , that can bee shewed among the britons ) in the lawes of howel dha : where it is ordered , that k if a clerk of a lower degree should match with a woman , and have a sonne by her , and that clerke afterward having received the order of priest-hood , should have another sonne by the same woman ; the former son should enjoy his fathers whole estate , without being bound to divide the same with his other brother . yet these marriages for all that were so held out , that the fathers not content their sonnes should succeed them in their temporall estate alone , prevailed so far that they continued them in the succession of their spirituall promotions also . which abuse giraldus cambrensis l complaineth to have been continuedin wales unto his time ; & out of m hil●ebertus cenomanensis sheweth to have prevailed in little brittaine also : whence he inferreth , n that this vice was of old common to the whole brittish nation aswell on this side as on the other side of the sea . whereunto for ireland also wee may adde the letters written by pope innocent the third unto iohannes salernitanus the cardinall , his legate , o for abolishing the custome there , whereby sonnes and grand-children did use to succeede their fathers and grand-fathers in their ecclesiastical benefices . chap. vi. of the discipline of our ancient monkes ; and abstinence from meats . what hath beene said of the married clergie , concerneth the seculars , and not the regulars , whereof there was a very great number in ireland ; because here a almost all the prelates were wont to bee chosen into the clergie out of monasteries . for our monasteries in ancient time were the seminaries of the ministerie : being as it were so many colledges of learned divines , whereunto the people did usually resort for instruction , and from whence the church was wont continually to bee supplied with able ministers . the benefit whereof was not onely contained within the limits of this iland , but did extend it selfe to forraine countries likewise . for this was it that drew b egbert and ceaddae ( for example ) into ireland ; that they might there leade a monasticall life in prayers and continencie and meditation of the holy scriptures : and hence were those famous monasteries planted in england by aidan , finan , colman , and others ; unto which c the people flockt apace on the lords day , not for the feeding of their body , but for the learning of the word of god , as beda witnesseth . yea this was the principall meanes , whereby the knowledge both of the scriptures and of all other good learning was preserved in that inundation of barbarisme , wherewith the whole west was in a manner overwhelmed . hitherto ( saith d curio ) it might seeme that the studies of wisedome should quite have perished ; unlesse god had reserved a seed in some corner of the world . among the scottish and the irish something as yet remained of the doctrine of the knowledge of god and of civill honesty ; because there was no terrour of armes in those utmost ends of the world . and we may there behold and adore the great goodnesse of god ; that among the scots , and in those places where no man would have thought it , so many great companies should bee gathered together under a most strict discipline . how strict their discipline was , may appeare partly by the rule , and partly by the daily penances of monkes ; which are yet extant of columbanus his writing . in the later of these , for the disobedience of monkes these penances are prescribed . e if any brother bee disobedient ; hee shall fast two dayes , with one bisket and water . if any say , i will not do it ; three dayes , with one bisket and water . if any murmure ; two dayes , with one bisket and water . if any doe not aske leave , or tell an excuse ; two dayes , with one bisket and water ▪ and so in other particulars . in his rule , these good lessons doth hee give unto his monkes , among many others . that f it profited them little , if they were virgins in body , and were not virgins in minde . that they g should daily profit , as they did daily pray , and daily reade . that h the good things of the pharisee being vainly praised were lost , and the sinnes of the publican being accused vanished away : and therefore that a great word should not come out of the mouth of a monke , lest his great labour should perish . they were not taught to vaunt of their state of perfection , and workes of supererogation : or to argue from thence ( as celestius the pelagian monke sometime did ) that i by the nature of their free will they had such a possibility of not sinning , that they were able also to doe more than was commanded ; because they did observe perpetuall virginity which is not commanded , whereas for not sinning it is sufficient to fulfill the precepts . it was one of the points which gallus ( the scholler of columbanus ) delivered in his sermon preached at constance ; that our saviour k did so perswade the apostles & their followers to lay hold upon the good of virginity ; that yet they should know , it was not of humane industry , but of divine gift . and it is a good observation which wee reade in claudius : that l not only in the splendour of bodily things , but also in mournfull abasing of ones selfe , there may bee boasting ; and that so much the more dangerous , as it deceiveth under the name of the service of god. our monkes were religious in deede , and not in name only ; farre from the hypocrisie , pride , idlenesse and uncleannesse of those evill beasts and slothfull bellies that afterward succeeded in their roome . under colour of forsaking all , they did not hooke all unto themselves ; nor under semblance of devotion did they devoure widowes houses : they held begging to bee no point of perfection ; but m remembred the words of our lord iesus , how he said , it is a more blessed thing to give rather than to take . when king sigebert made large offers unto columbanus and his companions , to keep them within his dominions in france : hee received such another answer from them , as n thaddaeus in the ecclesiasticall history is said to have given unto abgarus the governour of edessa : o wee who have forsaken our owne , that according to the commandement of the gospel we might follow the lord , ought not to embrace other mens riches ; lest peradventure we should prove transgressors of the divine commandement . how then did these men live , will you say ? walafridus strabus telleth us , that p some of them wrought in the garden , others dressed the orchard ; gallus made nets and tooke fish , wherewith hee not only relieved his owne company , but was helpfull also unto strangers . so bede reporteth of cuthbert , that when hee retired himselfe unto an anchoreticall life , he q first indeed received a little bread from his brethren to feede upon , and dranke out of his owne well ; but afterwards hee thought it more fit to live by the worke of his owne hands , after the example of the fathers : and therefore intreated , that instruments might bee brought him wherewith he might till the earth , and corne that hee might sowe . r quique suis cupiens victum conquirere palmis ; incultam pertentat humum proscindere ferro , et sator edomitis anni spem credere glebis . the like doth hee relate of s furseus ; and bonifacius of t livinus ; and theodorus campidonensis ( or whosoever else wrote that booke ) of u gallus , magnoaldus , and the rest of the followers of columbanus ; that they got their living by the labour of their owne hands . and the x apostles rule is generally laid downe for all monkes , in the life of furseus : y they which live in monasteries should worke with silence , and eate their owne bread . but now there is start up a new generation of men , that refuse to eate their own bread , and count it a high point of sanctity to live by begging of other mens bread ; if yet the course they take may rightly bee termed begging . for as richard fitz-ralphe , that famous archbishop of armagh , objected to their faces , before the pope himselfe and his cardinals in z his time ( and the matter is little amended , i wisse , in ours ) scarce could any great or meane man of the clergie or the laitie eate his meate , but such kinde of beggers would be at his elbowe : not like other poore folkes humbly craving almes at the gate or the doore ( as francis did cammand and teach them in his testament ) by begging ; but without shame intruding themselves into courts or houses , and lodging there . where , without any inviting at all , they eate and drinke what they doe finde among them : and not with that content , carry away with them eyther wheate , or meale , or bread , or flesh , or cheeses ( although there were but two in an house ) in a kinde of an extorting manner ; there being none that can deny them , unlesse he would cast away naturall shame . this did that renowned primate ( whose anniversary memory is still celebrated in dundalke , where hee was borne and buried , by the name of saint richard ) publickly deliver in the yeere 1357. at the consistory of avinion : where he stoutly maintained against the whole rabble of the friars , what hee had preached the yeere before at pauls crosse unto the people . namely , a that our lord iesus christ , although in his humane conversation hee was alwayes poore , b yet did hee never voluntarily begge himselfe , c nor taught others so to doe , d but taught the plaine contrary : and e that no man could prudently & holily take upon himself the perpetuall observation of voluntary beggary ; forasmuch as such kinde of begging , as well by christ , as by his apostles and disciples , by the church and by the holy scriptures , was both disswaded and also reproved . his countryman henry crumpe ( a monke of the cistercian order in baltinglas ) not long after , treading in his steps , was accused for delivering in his determinations at oxford : that f the friars of the foure mendicant orders are not , nor ever were instituted by gods inspiration , but that contrary to the generall councell of lateran , held under innocent the third ( which prohibited the bringing in of any more new religious orders into the church ) and by feigned and false dreames , pope honorius being perswaded by the friars , did confirme them . and g that all the doctors which did determine for the friars side , were eyther affraid to speak the truth , lest their books should be condemned by the friars that had gotten to be inquisitors ; or said , as it seemeth , or proceeded onely by way of d●sputation and not of determination : because if they had spoken the truth plainly in the behalfe of the church , the friars would have persecuted them , as they d●d persecute the holy doctor armachanus . which crumpe himselfe found afterwards to be too true by his owne experience . for hee was forced to deny and abjure these assertions in the house of the carmelite friars at stanford , before william courtney archbishop of canterbury : and then silenced , that hee should not exercise publickly any act in the schooles , either by reading , preaching , disputing , or determining ; untill hee should have a speciall licence from the said archbishop so to doe . but to leave the begging friars ( being a kinde of creatures unknowne to the church for twelve hundred yeers after christ ) and to return to the labouring monkes : wee finde it related of our brendan : that he h governed three thousand such monkes , who by their owne labours and handy-worke did earne their living . which agreeth well with that saying ascribed to him by the writer of his life : i a monke ought to bee fed and clothed by the labour of his owne hands . neither was there any other order observed in that famous monasterie of bangor among the britons , k wherein there is said to have beene so great a number of monkes , that the monastery being divided into seven portions ( together with the rectors appointed over them ) none of all those portions had lesse than three hundred persons in them : all which ( saith bede ) were w●nt to live by the labour of their owne hands . from the destruction of which monastery , unto the erection of tuy gwyn , or white-house ( which is said to have beene about the yeere 1146. ) the setter forth of the * welsh chronicle observeth , that there were no abbeyes among the britons . here in ireland bishop colman founded the monastery of magio ( in the † county of limrick ) for the entertainment of the english : where they l did live according to the example of the reverend fathers ( as bede writeth ) under a rule and a canonicall abbot , in great continency and sincerity , with the labour of their owne hands . like whereunto was the monastery of mailros also , planted by bishop aidan and his followers in northumberland ; where st. cuthbert had his education : who affirmed , that m the life of such monkes was justly to bee admired , which were in all things subject to the commands of their abbot ; and ordered all the times of their watching , praying , fasting , and working , according to his direction . n excubiasque , famemque , preces , manuumque laborem ad votum gaudent proni fraenare regentis . as for their fasting ( for of their watching and praying there is no question made ; and of their working wee have already spoken sufficiently ) by the rule of columbanus , they were o every day to fast , and every day to eate : that by this meanes , p the enabling of them for their spirituall proficiency might bee retained , together with the abstinence that did macerate the flesh . hee would therefore have them q every day to eate , because they were every day to profit ; and because r abstinence , if it did exceed measure , would prove a vice and not a vertue . and he would have them to fast everie day too , that is , not to eate any meate at all ( for other fasts were not knowne in those dayes ) untill evening . s let the food of monkes ( saith he ) be meane , and taken at evening ; flying satiety and excesse of drink : that it may both sustaine them and not hurt them . this was the daily fasting and feeding of them that lived according to columbanus his rule . although the strictnesse of the fast seemeth to have beene kept on wednesdayes and fridayes onely : which were the dayes of the weeke , wherein the ancient irish ( agreeable to the custome of the grecian rather than the roman church ) were wont to observe abstinence both from meate and from the * marriage bed . whence in the booke before alledged , of the daily penances of monkes , we finde this order set downe by the same columbanus : that t if any one , unlesse he were weake , did upon the wednesday or friday eate before the ninth houre ( that is to say , before three of the clocke in the afternoone , according unto our account ) hee should be punished with fasting two dayes in bread and water ▪ and in bedes ecclesiasticall historie ; that u such as followed the information of aidan , did upon the same dayes observe their fast , untill the same houre . in which history we also reade of bishop cedd ( who was brought up at lindisfarne with our aidan and finan ) that keeping a strict fast , upon a speciall occasion , in the time of lent , hee did x every day , except the lords day , continue his fast , ( as the manner was ) untill the evening ; and then also did eate nothing but a small pittance of bread , and one egge , with a little milke mingled with water . where by the way you may note , that in those daies egges were eaten in lent , and the sundayes excepted from fasting , even then when the abstinence was precisely and in more than an ordinarie manner observed . but generally for this point of the difference of meats , it is well noted by claudius out of s. augustin , that y the children of wisedome doe understand , that neither in abstaining nor in eating is there any vertue ; but in contentednesse of bearing the want , and temperance of not corrupting a mans selfe by abundance , and of opportunely taking or not taking those things , of which not the use but the concupiscence is to be blamed . and in the life of furseus , the hypocrisie of them is justly taxed , that being z assaulted with spirituall vices , doe yet omit the care of them , and afflict their body with abstinence : who a abstaining from meates , which god hath created to be received with thankesgiving , fall to wicked things , as if they were lawfull ; namely to pride , covetousnesse , envy , false witnessing , backbiting . of whom gildas giveth this good censure , in one of his epistles which now are lost . b these men , while they doe feed on bread by measure , for this same very thing doe glory without measure ; while they use water , they are withall drenched with the cup of hatred ; while they feed on dry meates , they use detractions ; while they spend themselves in watchings , they disprayse others that are oppressed with sleepe ; preferring fasting before charitie , watching before justice , their owne invention before concord , severitie before humilitie , and lastly , man before god. such mens fasting , unlesse it be proceeded unto by some vertues , profiteth nothing at all : but such as accomplish charitie , doe say with the harpe of the holy ghost ; all our righteousnesses are as the cloth of a menstruous woman . thus gildas : who upon this ground layeth downe this sound conclusion ; wherewith wee will shut up this whole matter . c abstinence from corporall meats is unprofitable without charitie . they are therefore the better men , who doe not fast much , nor abstaine from the creature of god beyond measure , but carefully keepe their heart within pure before god , from whence they know commeth the issue of life : than they who eate no flesh , nor take delight in secular dinners , nor ride with coaches or horses , thinking themselves hereby to bee as it were superiour to others ▪ upon whom death hath entred through the windows of haughtinesse . chap. vii . of the church , and various state thereof , especially in the dayes of antichrist : of miracles also , and of the head of the church . concerning the catholike church , our doctors taught with s. gregory ; that god a hath a vineyard , to wit , the universall church , which from just abel untill the last of the elect that shall be borne in the end of the world , as many saints as it hath brought forth , so many branches ( as it were ) hath it budded . that b the congregation of the just is called the kingdome of heaven ; which is the church of the just . that c the sonnes of the church bee all such as from the beginning of mankinde untill now , have attained to be just and holy . that d what is said of the body , may bee said also of the members ; and that in this respect , as well the apostles and all beleevers , as the church it selfe , have the title of a pillar given them in the scriptures . that e the church may be considered two manner of wayes : both that which neyther hath spot nor wrinkle and is truely the body of christ , and that which is gathered in the name of christ without full and perfect vertues ; which notwithstanding by the warrant of the apostle , may have the name of the church given unto it , although it be depraved with errour . that f the church is said not to have spot or wrinkle , in respect of the life to come . that when the apostle saith ; in a great house there are not only vessels of gold , &c. but some to honour and some to dishonour : ( 2 tim. 2. 20. ) by this g great house he doth not understand the church ( as some have thought ) which hath not spot nor wrinkle : but the world , in which the tares are mingled with the wheate . that yet in h the holy church also , the evill are mingled with the good , and the reprobate with the elect : and that in this respect it is resembled unto the wise and foolish virgins ; as also to i the kings marriage , by which this present church is designed , wherein the good and the bad doe meet together . so that k in this church , neyther the bad can bee without the good , nor the good without the bad : whom the holy church notwithstanding doth both now receive indifferently , and separate afterwards at their going from hence . the number of the good , gildas complaineth to have beene l so exceeding short in his time among the britons , in comparison of the other ; that their mother the church in a manner did not see them lying in her own lap , albeit they were the onely true sonnes which she had . and for externall pressures , our doctors have delivered , that m the church sometimes is not only afflicted , but also defiled with such oppressions of the gentiles ; that if it were possible , her redeemer might seeme for a time utterly to have forsaken her : and that , in the raging times of antichrist , n the church shall not appeare ; by reason that the wicked persecutors shall then exercise their cruelty beyond all measure . that in those o times of antichrist , not onely more often and more bitter torments shall be put upon the faithfull , than before were wont to be ; but ( which is more grievous ) the working of miracles also shall accompany those that inflict the torments : as the apostle witnesseth , saying ; whose comming is after the working of satan , with all seduction , signes , and lying wonders . namely , p juggling ones : as it was foretold before ; they shall shew such signes that , if it were possible , the very elect should bee deceived , by such a phantasticall power , as iamnes and mambres wrought withall before pharao . q what unbeleever therefore ( say they ) will then bee converted unto the faith ? and who is hee that already beleeveth , whose faith trembleth not and is not shaken ? when the persecuter of piety is the worker of wonders : and the same man that exerciseth crueltie with torments , that christ may be denyed ; provoketh by miracles , that antichrist may bee beleeved ? and r what a pure and a single eye is there need of , that the way of wisedome may be found ; against which so great deceivings and errours of evill and perverse men , doe make such a noyse ? all which notwithstanding men must passe through ; and so come to most certaine peace , and the unmoveable stabilitie of wisedome . hence concerning miracles , they give us these instructions . first , that s neyther if an angel should shew himselfe unto us to seduce us , being suborned with the deceits of his father the divell , ought he to prevaile against us ; neither if a miracle should be done by any one , as it is said of simon magus that he did flye in the ayre : t neyther that signes should terrifie us , as done by the spirit ; because that our saviour also hath given us warning of this before-hand . ( matth. 24. 24 , 25. ) secondly , that u the faith having increased , miracles were to cease ; forasmuch as they are declared to have beene given for their sakes that beleeve not . and therefore that x now when the number of the faithfull is growne , there bee many within the holy church that retaine the life of vertues , and yet have not those signes of vertues : because a miracle is to no purpose shewed outwardly , if that bee wanting which it should worke inwardly . for according to the saying of the master of the gentiles ; languages are for a signe , not to the faithfull but to infidels . ( 1 cor. 14. 22. ) thirdly , that the working of miracles is no good argument to prove the holinesse of them that bee the instruments thereof : and therefore y when the lord doth such things for the convincing of infidels , he yet giveth us warning that we should not bee deceived thereby , supposing invisible wisedome to bee there , where we shall behold a visible miracle . for hee saith : many shall say unto me in that day , lord , lord ; have wee not prophesied in thy name , and in thy name cast out divels , and in thy name done many miracles ? ( matth. 7. 22 ) fourthly , that z he tempteth god , who for his own vaine glory will make shew of a superfluous and unprofitable miracle . such as that ( for example ) was , whereunto the divel tempted our saviour , matth. 4. 6. to come downe headlong from the pinnacle of the temple unto the plaine , a every miracle being vaine , which worketh not some profit unto mans salvation . whereby wee may easily discerne , what to judge of that infinite number of idle miracles , wherewith the lives of our saints are every where stuffed : many whereof wee may justly censure ( as b amphilochius doth the tales that the poets tell of their gods ) for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fables , of laughter worthy , and of teares ; yea some of them also we may rightly brand , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnseemely fables , and divels documents . for what ( for example ) can be more unseemely , and tend further to the advancement of the doctrine of divels , than that which cogitosus relateth in the life of s. brigid ? that she , for saving the credit of a nunne that had beene gotten with childe , c blessed her faithfully forsooth ( for so the author speaketh ) and so caused her conception to vanish away , without any delivery and without any paine . which for the saving of st. brigids owne credit , eyther d hen. canisius or the friars of aichstad ( from whom he had his copie of cogitosus ) thought fit to scrape out , and rather to leave a blanke in the booke , than to suffer so lewd a tale to stand in it . but i will not stirre this puddle any further : but proceed on , unto some better matter . and now are wee come at last to the great point , that toucheth the head and the foundation of the church . concerning which sedulius observeth , that the title of e foundation is attributed both to christ , and to the apostles and prophets . that where it is said , esay 28. 16. behold , i lay in sion a stone , &c. f it is certaine , that by the rocke or stone christ is signified . that , in ephes. 2. 20. g the apostles are the foundation , or christ rather the foundation of the apostles . for christ ( saith hee ) is the foundation , who is also called the corner stone , joyning and holding together the two wals . therefore is hee the foundation and chiefe stone ; because in him the church is both founded and finished . and we are to account the apostles h as ministers of christ , and not as the foundation . the famous place , matthew 16. 18. ( whereupon our romanists lay the maine foundation of the papacie ) claudius expoundeth in this sort . i vpon this rocke will i build my church , that is to say , upon the lord and saviour , who granted unto his faithfull knower , lover , and confessor the participation of his owne name ; that from petra ( the rocke ) hee should be called peter . the church is builded upon him : because onely by the faith and love of christ , by the receiving of the sacraments of christ , by the observation of the commandements of christ , wee come to the inheritance of the elect and eternall life , as witnesseth the apostle , who saith , other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid , which is christ iesus . yet doth the same claudius acknowledge , that k st. peter received a kinde of primacy for the founding of the church ( in respect whereof hee termeth him l ecclesiae principem , and m apostolorum principem , the prince of the church , and the prince or chiefe of the apostles ) but hee addeth with all , that saint paul also was chosen in the same manner , to have the primacy in founding the churches of the gentiles . and that hee n received this gift from god , that hee should bee worthy to have the primacie in preaching to the gentiles , as peter had it in the preaching of the circumcision . and therefore that o st. paul challengeth this grace as granted by god to him alone , as it was granted to peter alone among the apostles . and that hee esteemed himselfe p not to be inferiour unto st. peter , because both of them were by one ordained unto one and the same ministery . and that writing to the galatians , q he did in the title name himselfe an apostle of christ , to the end that by the very authority of that name hee might terrifie his readers ; judging , that all such as did beleeve in christ , ought to be subject unto him . it is furthermore also observed by claudius , that r as when our saviour propounded the question generally unto all the apostles , peter did answer as one for all ; so what our lord answered unto peter , in peter he did answer unto all . and therefore s howsoever the power of loosing and binding might seeme to be given by the lord unto peter alone , yet without all manner of doubt it is to be knowne , that it was given unto the rest of the apostles also : as himselfe doth witnesse , who appearing unto them after the triumph of his passion and resurrection , breathed on them , and said unto them all ; receive the holy ghost , whose sinnes ye remit , they are remitted unto them , and whose sins ye retaine they are retained . gildas the briton goeth further , affirming that t to the true priest it is said ; thou art peter , and upon this rocke i will build my church . that u to peter and his successors our lord saith ; and unto thee will i give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven . and consequently , that x unto every holy priest it is promised : whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth , shal be bound likewise in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth , shal be loosed likewise in heaven . whereupon hee pronounceth of the good priests of brittaine ; that they y doe lawfully obtaine the apostolicall state , and z lawfully sit in the chaire of st. paul : and on the other side of the bad , that a with uncleane feete they usurpe the seate of the apostle peter , but by the demerit of their covetousnesse fall into the pestilent chaire of the traytor iudas ; and so the ordainers of such , place b after a sort iudas the betrayer of our lord , in the seate of peter . lastly , as claudius noteth , that c the foundation of the church was laid not onely upon st. peter , but also upon st. iohn : so in a certaine hymne supposed to be written by secundinus ( knowne in this country commonly by the name of st. scachlin ) in the yeere of our lord ccccxlviii . st patrick also is thus commended . d he is constant in the feare of god , and unmovable in the faith , upon whom the church is builded as upon peter ; whose apostleship also he hath obtained from god , and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against him . yea e christ is there said to have chosen him for his vicar upon earth . his see likewise of armagh , is by one calvus perennis in the dayes of brian king of ireland ( who was slaine , as appeareth by f marianus in the yeere 1014. ) termed g the citie apostolick . so desiderius bishop of cahors in france , is by our countryman gaellus saluted both h papa and apostolicus : and the bishop of kildare in ireland , honoured by cogitosus , with the stile of i summus sacerdos , and k summus pontifex , the highest priest and the highest bishop . those titles and prerogatives , which the pope now peculiarly challengeth unto himselfe , as ensignes of his monarchy , being heretofore usually communicated unto other bishops , when the universall church was governed by way of aristocratie . chap. viii . of the popes spirituall iurisdiction ; and how little footing it had gotten at first within these parts . master campion telleth us ; that a when ireland first received christendome , they gave themselves into the iurisdiction both spirituall and temporall of the see of rome . but herein he speaketh without booke ; of the spirituall jurisdiction untruly , of the temporall absurdly . for from the first legation of palladius and patricius , who were sent to plant the faith in this country , it cannot bee shewed out of any monument of antiquity , that the bishop of rome did ever send any of his legats to exercise spirituall jurisdiction here ( much lesse any of his deputies to exercise jurisdiction temporall ) before gillebertus , quem aiunt primâ functum legatione apostolicae sedis per universam hiberniam ; saith one that lived in his own time , even bernard himselfe in the life of malachias . one or two instances peradventure may be alledged out of some obscure authors , whose names , and times , and authority no man can tell us newes of : but unlesse that which is delivered by bernard , as the tradition that was current in his time , can bee controlled by some record that may appeare to have beene written before his dayes ; we have small reason to detract any thing from the credit of so cleere a testimony . this country was heretofore , for the number of holy men that lived in it , termed the iland of saints : of that innumerable company of saints , whose memory was reverenced here ; what one received any solemne canonization from the pope , before malachias archbishop of armagh , & laurence of dublin ? who lived , as it were , but the other day . we reade of sundry archbishops that have beene in this land : betwixt the dayes of saint patrick and of malachias , what one of them can be named , that ever sought for a pall from rome ? ioceline indeed a late monke of the abbey of furnesse , writeth of st. patrick ; that the bishop of rome b conferred the pall upon him , together with the execution of legatine power in his roome . but he is well knowne to be a most fabulous author : and for this particular , bernard ( who was his ancient ) informeth us farre otherwise ; that c from the very beginning untill his time , the metropoliticall see of armagh wanted the use of the pall. with whom the author of the annales of mailros doth fully accord ; noting that d in the yeere 1151. pope eugenius ( the same to whom bernard did write his bookes de consideratione ) did by his legate iohn papiron transmit foure pals into ireland ; whither a pall before had never beene brought . and therefore giraldus cambrensis , howsoever he acknowledgeth that saint patrick did e choose armagh for his seate , and did appoint it to be as it were a metropoliticall see , and the proper place of the primacie of all ireland ; yet doth hee affirme withall , that in very deed f there were no archbishops in ireland , but that bishops only did consecrate one another , untill iohannes papirio ( or paparo ) the popes legate brought foure pals thither . whereupon some of our chroniclers after him , give this note concerning gelasius , who was at that time archbishop of armagh ; that g hee is said to have beene the first archbishop , because hee used the first pall : and that others before him were called archbishops and primates in name only ; for the reverence of saint patrick , as the apostle of that nation . and indeed it might seeme , that the complaint made by anselme in his letters to muriar dach king of ireland , that h bishops here were consecrated by bishops alone , might somewhat justifie the truth of giraldus his relation ; if we did not find a further complaint there also , that they were often i ordained by one bishop onely . but as this latter argueth , not the want of a competent number of bishops in the land ( for , as we shall heare presently , they had more than a sufficient number of such ) but a neglect of the observance of the canon provided by the nicence fathers in that behalfe : so can it not rightly bee inferred out of the former , that wee had no archbishops here at that time , but that the bishops rather did faile much in the canonicall respect which they ought to shew unto their metropolitane . for that the irish had their archbishops ( beside many other pregnant testimonies that might bee produced ) pope hildebrands owne briefe doth sufficiently manifest ; which is directed k to terdeluachus ( or tirlagh ) the illustrious king of ireland , the archbishops , bishops , abbots , nobles , and all christians inhabiting ireland . and for the archbishops of armagh in particular ; it appeareth most evidently by bernard in the life of malachias , that they were so far from being metropolitans and primates in name onely ; that they exercised much greater authority before they were put to the charges of fetching pals from rome , then ever they did afterward : and that they did not onely consecrate bishops , but erected also new bishopricks , and archbishopricks too sometimes , according as they thought fitting . we reade in nennius , that at the beginning st. patrick l founded here 365. churches , and ordained 365. bishops , beside 3000. presbyters . in processe of time the number of bishops was daily m multiplyed according to the pleasure of the metropolitan , ( whereof bernard doth much complaine ) and that , not onely so farre , that every church almost had a severall bishop : but also that in some n townes or cities there were ordained more than one ; yea and oftentimes o bishops were made without any certaine place at all assigned unto them . and as for the erecting of new archbishoprickes : if we beleeve our legends , p king engus and s. patrick , with all the people , did ordaine , that in the city and see of albeus ( which is emelye , now annexed to cashell ) should be the archbishoprick of the whole province of mounster . in like manner also , q brandubh king of the lagenians , with the consent as well of the laity as of the clergie , did appoint that in the citie of fernes ( which was the see of moedog , otherwise called edanus ) should bee the archbishopricke of all the province of leinster . but bernards testimony , wee have no reason not to beleeve , relating what was knowne to be done in his owne very time : that r celsus the archbishop of armagh , had of the new constituted another metropoliticall see , but subiect to the first see , and to the archbishop thereof . by which wee may see that in the erection of new archbishopricks and bishopricks , all things were here done at home , without consulting with the see of rome for the matter . as for the nomination and confirmation of the archbishops and bishops themselves : wee finde the manner of advancing saint livinus to his archbishoprick thus laid downe by boniface in the description of his life . s when menalchus the archbishop was dead , calomagnus the king of scots , and the troope of his officers with the under-courtiers , and the concourse of all that countrey , with the same affection of heart cryed out , that the holy priest livinus was most worthily to bee advanced unto the honour of this order . the king ( more devout than all of them ) consenting thereunto , three or foure times placed the blessed man in the chaire of the archbishoprick with due honour , according to the will of the lord. in like manner also did t king ecgfrid cause our cuthbert to be ordained bishop of the church of landisfarne ; and king pipin u granted the bishoprick of salzburg to our virgilius : and duke gunzo would have x conferred the bishoprick of constance upon our gallus ; but that he refused it , and y caused another upon his recommendation to be preferred thereunto . in the booke of landaffe , which is called tilo ( eyther from teliau the second bishop of that place , whose life is largely there described ; or rather from the place it selfe , which of old was called * telio ) we reade that germanus and lupus z did consecrate chiefe doctor over all the britons inhabiting the right side of britanie , s. dubricius , being chosen archbishop by the king and all the diocesse : and that by the graunt of mouric the king , the nobilitie , clergie , and people , they appointed his episcopall see to bee at landaff . that a oudoceus , the third bishop after him , being elected by king mouric , and the chiefe of the clergie and laitie of the whole diocesse , was by them sent to the archibishop of canterbury for his consecration . that b gucaunus ( the 26 th . bishop of that church ) was consecrated by dunstan archbishop of canterbury ; the pastorall staffe being given him in the court by edgar chiefe king of the english. that next after him , c in the year . 983. election being made by the kings and the whole clergie and people of glamorgan , and the pastorall staffe given in the court by ethelred chiefe king of the english ; bledri was consecrated by the archbishop of canterbury , who is there named albricus . ( though in truth , at the yeare here assigned , dunstan did still hold the place . ) and that after his decease in the yeare 1022. d by the election of the people and clergie of landaff and the kings of the britons ( namely king riderch that reigned at that time through all wales , and hivel the substitute of the king of glamorgan ) ioseph was consecrated bishop by aelnod archbishop of canterbury , at the word of cnut king of england , in whose court the pastorall staffe was given unto him . here in ireland much after the same manner , m r. campion himselfe setteth down , that f to the monarch was granted a negative in the nomination of bishops at every vocation : the clergie and laity of the diocesse recommending him to their king , the king to the monarch , the monarch to the archbishop of canterbury . although this last clause bee wrongly extended by him to the bishops of the whole land , which properly belonged to the ostmann strangers , that possessed the g three cities of dublin , waterford , and limrick . for these being a colonie of the norwegians and livonians , and so country-men to the normans , when they had seene england subdued by the conquerour , and normans advanced to the chief archbishoprick there ; would needs now assume to themselves the name of h normans also , and cause their bishops to receive their consecration from no other metropolitan but the archbishop of canterbury . and forasmuch as they were confined within the walls of their own cities : the bishops which they made had no other diocesse to exercise their jurisdiction in , but onely the bare circuit of those cities . whereupon we finde a certificate made unto pope innocent the third in the yeare 1216. by the archbishop of tuam and his suffraganes ; that i iohn papiron the legate of the church of rome comming into ireland , found that dublin indeed had a bishop , but such a one as did exercise his episcopall office within the wals onely . the first bishop which they had in dublin ( as it appeareth by the records of that church ) was one donatus , or dunanus , as others call him : upon whose death , in the yeare 1074. k gothric their king , with the consent of the clergie and people of dublin , chose one patrick for their bishop , and directed him into england to bee consecrated by lanfranc archbishop of canterbury : who sent him backe with commendatory l letters aswell to the said gothric king of the ostmans , as to terdeluacus the chiefe king or monarch of the irish. hereupon , after the decease of this patrick , m in the yeare 1085. the same terdeluacus and the bishops of ireland joyned with the clergie and people of dublin , in the election of donatus , one of lanfrancs owne monkes in canterbury : who was by him there also consecrated . then when he dyed , in the yeare 1095. his nephew samuel , a monke of st. albans but borne in ireland , was n chosen bishop in his place by murierdach king of ireland , and the clergie and people of the citie : by whose common decree he was also sent unto anselme archbishop of canterbury for his consecration . not long after , the waterfordians , following the example of the dublinians , erected a bishoprick among themselves ; o and sent their new bishop to canterburie for his consecration . the manner of whose election the clergie and people of waterford in the letters which they wrote at that time unto anselme , doe thus intimate . p we and our king murchertach , and dofnald the bishop , and dermeth our captain the kings brother , have made choice of this priest malchus , a monke of walkeline bishop of winchester , the same man , without doubt , who was afterward promoted to the bishopricke of lismore ; so much commended by bernard in the life of malachias . the last bishop of dublin in the yeare 1122. was sent unto anselmes next successor for his consecration : touching which i have seene this writ of king henry the first , directed unto him : henricus rex anglia , radulpho cantuariensi archiepiscopo , salutem . * mandavit mihi rex hiberniae per breve suum , & burgenses dublinae , quòd elegerunt hunc gregorium in episcopum , & eum tibi mittunt consecrandum . vndè tibi mando , ut petitioni eorum satisfaciens , ejus consecrationem sine dilatione expleas . teste ranulpho cancellario apud windelsor . henry king of england , to ralphe archbishop of canterbury , greeting . the king of ireland hath intimated unto mee by his writ , and the burgesses of dublin , that they have chosen this gregory for their bishop , and send him unto you to be consecrated . wherfore i wish you , that satisfying their request , you performe his consecration without delay . witnesse ranuph our chancellour at windsor . all the burgesses of dublin likewise , and the whole assembly of the clergie , directed their joint letters to the archbishop of canterburie the same time : where in among other things they write thus . q know you for verity , that the bishops of ireland have great indignation toward us , and that bishop most of all that dwelleth at armagh : because we will not obey their ordination , but will alwaies bee under your governement . whereby we may see , that as the ostmans were desirous to sever themselves from the irish , and to bee esteemed normans rather : so the irish bishops on the other side , howsoever they digested in some sort the recourse which they had to lanfranc and anselme ( who were two of the most famous men in their times , and with whom they themselves were desirous to hold all good correspondence ) yet could they not well brooke this continuation of their dependance upon a metropolitan of another kingdome ; which they conceived to be somewhat derogatorie to the dignitie of their owne primate . but this jealousie continued not long . for this same gregorie being afterwards made archbishop of dublin , and the bishopricks here settled by iohannes paparo : aswell they of dublin , as the others of waterford and limrick ( for they also had one patricke consecrated bishop unto them by theobald archbishop of canterbury ) did ever after that time cease to have any relation unto the see of canterbury . and now to goe forward : as the kings and people of this land in those elder times kept the nomination of their archbishops and bishops in their own hands , and depended not upon the popes provisions that way : so doe wee not finde by any approved record of antiquitie , that any visitations of the clergie were held here in the popes name ; much lesse that any indulgences were sought for by our people at his hands . for , as for the r charter of s. patrick , ( by some intituled , de antiquitate avalonicâ ) wherein s phaganus and deruvianus are said to have purchased ten or thirtie yeares of indulgences from pope eleutherius ; and st. patrick himselfe to have procured twelve yeares in his time from pope celestinus : it might easily bee demonstrated ( if this were a place for it ) that it is a meere figment , devised by the monkes of glastenbury . neyther doe i well know , what credit is to bee given unto that stragling sentence , which i finde ascribed unto the same authour . t if any questions doe arise in this iland , let them bee referred to the see apostolick . or that other decree , attributed to auxilius , patricius , secundinus and benignus . u whensoever any cause that is very difficult , and unknown unto all the iudges of the scottish nations , shall arise ; it is rightly to bee referred to the see of the archbishop of the irish ( to wit , patrick ) and to the examination of the prelate thereof . but if there , by him and his wisemen , a cause of this nature cannot easily be made up : wee have decreed , it shall bee sent to the see apostolick ; that is to say , to the chaire of the apostle peter , which hath the authoritie of the city of rome . onely this i will say , that as it is most likely , that st. patrick had a speciall regard unto the church of rome , from whence he was sent for the conversion of this iland : so if i my selfe had lived in his daies , for the resolution of a doubtful question i should as willingly have listened to the judgement of the church of rome , as to the determination of any church in the whole world ; so reverend an estimation have i of the integritie of that church , as it stood in those good daies . but that st. patrick was of opinion , that the church of rome was sure ever afterward to continue in that good estate , and that there was a perpetuall priviledge annexed unto that see , that it should never erre in judgment , or that the popes sentences were alway to bee held as infallible oracles ; that will i never beleeve : sure i am , that my countrey-men after him were of a farre other beleefe ; who were so farre from submitting themselves in this sort to whatsoever should proceed from the see of rome , that they oftentimes stood out against it , when they had little cause so to doe . for proofe whereof i need to seeke no further , than to those very allegations which have been lately urged for maintenance of the supremacie of the pope and church of rome in this countrey . first , m r. coppinger commeth upon us , with this wise question . x was not ireland among other countries absolved from the pelagian heresie by the church of rome , as cesar baronius writeth ? then hee setteth downe the copie of s. gregories y epistle , in answer unto the irish bishops that submitted themselves unto him . and concludeth in the end , that the bishops of ireland being infected with the pelagian errour , sought absolution first of pelagius the pope : but the same was not effectually done , untill s. gregory did it . but in all this , hee doth nothing else but bewray his owne ignorance . for neyther can hee shew it in cesar baronius or in any other author whatsoever , that the irish bishops did ever seeke absolution from pope pelagius ; or that the one had to deale in any businesse at all with the other . neyther yet can hee shew that ever they had to doe with saint gregory in any matter that did concerne the pelagian heresie . for these bee dreames of coppingers owne idle head . the epistle of s. gregory dealeth onely with the controversie of the three chapters , which were condemned by the fifth generall councell ; whereof baronius writeth thus . z all the bishops that were in ireland , with most earnest study , rose up jointly for the defence of the three chapters . and when they perceived that the church of rome did both receive the condemnation of the three chapters , and strengthen the fifth synod with her consent : they departed from her , and clave to the rest of the schismatickes , that were eyther in italy , or in africke , or in other countries , animated with that vaine confidence , that they did stand for the catholicke faith , while they defended those things that were concluded in the councell of chalcedon . a and so much the more fixedly ( saith he ) did they cleave to their error , because whatsoever italy did suffer by commotions of warre , by famine or pestilence , all these unhappy things they thought did therefore befall unto it , because it had undertaken to fight for the fifth synod against the councell of chalcedon . thus farre baronius : out of whose narration this may bee collected , that the bishops of ireland did not take all the resolutions of the church of rome for undoubted oracles ; but when they thought that they had better reason on their sides , they preferred the judgement of other churches before it . wherein how peremptory they were , when they wrote unto st. gregory of the matter ; may easily be perceived by these parcels of the answer , which hee returned unto their letters . b the first entry of your epistle hath notified , that you suffer a grievous perfecution● which persecution indeed , when it is not sustained for a reasonable cause , doth profit nothing unto salvation . and c therefore it is very unfit , that you should glory of that persecution , as you call it , by which it is certaine you cannot be promoted to everlasting rewards . d and whereas you write , that since that time among other provinces italy hath beene most afflicted ; you ought not to object that unto it as a reproach : because it is written : whom the lord loveth he chasteneth , and scourgeth every sonne that he receiveth . then having spoken of the booke that pope pelagius did write of this controversie ( which indeed was penned by gregory himselfe ) hee addeth . e if after the reading of this booke , you will persist in that deliberation , wherein now you are ; without doubt you shew , that you give your selves to bee ruled not by reason , but by obstinacie . by all which you may see , what credit is to be given unto the man , who would beare us in hand , that this epistle of st. gregory was sent as an answer unto the bishops of ireland , that did submit themselves unto him : whereas ( to say nothing of the f copies , wherein this epistle is noted to have beene written to the bishops of iberiâ , and not , in hiberniâ ) the least argument of any submission doth not appeare in any part of that epistle ; but the whole course of it doth cleerly manifest the flat contrary . in the next place steppeth forth osullevan beare ; who in his catholick history of ireland , would have us take knowledge of this , that g when the irish doctors did not agree together upon great questions of faith , or did heare of any new doctrine brought from abroad , they were wont to consult with the bishop of rome the oracle of truth . that they consulted with the bishop of rome , when difficult questions did arise , wee easily grant : but that they thought they were bound in conscience to stand to his judgement , whatsoever it should bee , and to entertaine all his resolutions as certaine oracles of truth ; is the point that wee would faine see proved . for this hee telleth us , that h when questions and disputations did arise here concerning the time of easter and the pelagian heresie ; the doctors of ireland referred the matter unto the see apostolicke . whereupon , the errour of pelagius is reported to have found no patron or maintainer in ireland : and the common course of celebrating easter was embraced both by the northren irish , and by the picts and britons , as soon as they understood the rite of the romane church . which ( saith hee ) doth not obscurely appeare by the two heads of the apostolicke letters , related by bede , lib. 2. cap. 19. but that those apostolick letters ( as he calleth them ) had that successe which hee talketh of , appeareth neither plainly nor obscurely by bede , or any other authority whatsoever . the errour of pelagius , saith he , is reported to have found no patron or maintainer in ireland . but who is he that reporteth so , beside philip osullevan ? a worthy author to ground a report of antiquity upon : who in relating the matters that fell out in his owne time , discovereth himselfe to bee as egregious a lyar , as any ( i verily thinke ) that this day breatheth in christendome . the apostolicke letters he speaketh of , were written ( as before hath bin touched ) in the yeere of our lord dcxxxix . during the vacancie of the romane see , upon the death of severinus . our countryman kilianus repayred to rome 47. yeeres after that , and was ordained bishop there by pope conon in the yeere dclxxxvi . the reason of his comming thither , is thus laid downe by egilwardus or who ever else was the author of his life . i for ireland had beene of old defiled with the pelagian heresie , and condemned by the apostolicall censure , which could not bee loosed but by the romane judgement . if this be true : then that is false which osullevan reporteth of the effect of his apostolicall epistle , that it did so presently quash the pelagian heresie , as it durst not once peepe up within this iland . chap. ix . of the controversie which the britons , picts , and irish maintained against the church of rome , touching the celebration of easter . the difference betwixt the romanes and the irish in the celebration of easter , consisted in this . the romanes kept the memoriall of our lords resurrection upon that sunday , which fell betwixt the xv. and the xxi . day of the moone ( both termes included ) next after the xxi . day of march ; which they accounted to bee the seat of the vernall aequinoctium , that is to say , that time of the spring wherein the day and the night were of equall length . and in reckoning the age of the moone they followed the alexandrian cycle of xix . yeeres ( whence our golden number had his originall ) as it was explained unto them by dionysius exiguus : which is the account that is still observed , not onely in the church of england , but also among all the christians of greece , russia , asia , aegypt , and aethiopia ; and was ( since the time that i my selfe was borne ) generally received in all christendome , untill the late change of the kalendar was made by pope gregory the xiii th . the northren irish and scottish , together with the picts , observed the custome of the britons : a keeping their easter upon the sunday that fell betwixt the xiiii . and the xx. day of the moone ; and following in their account thereof , not the xix . yeeres computation of anatolius , b but sulpicius severus his circle of lxxxiiii . yeeres . for howsoever they extolled anatolius c for appointing ( as they supposed ) the bounds of easter betwixt the xiiii . and the xx. day of the moone , yet wilfride in the synod of strenshal chargeth them utterly to have rejected his cycle of xix . yeeres : from which therefore cummianus draweth an argument against them ; that d they can never come to the true account of easter , who observe the cycle of lxxxiiii . yeeres . to reduce the irish unto conformity with the church of rome in this point , pope honorius ( the first of that name ) directed his letters unto them : e exhortintg them , that they would not esteeme their own paucity , seated in the utmost borders of the earth , more wise than the ancient or moderne churches of christ through the whole world ; and that they would not celebrate another easter contrary to the paschall computations , and the synodall decrees of the bishops of the whole world . and shortly after , the clergie of rome ( as wee have said ) upon the death of severinus , wrote other letters unto them to the same effect . now where osullevan avoucheth , that the common custome used by the church in celebrating the feast of the lords resurrection was alwaies observed by the southerne irish ; and now embraced also by the northren , together with the picts and britons ( who received the faith from irish doctors ) when they had knowledge given them of the rite of the church of rome : in all this ( according to his common wont ) he speaketh never a true word . for neyther did the southerne irish alwayes observe the celebration of easter commonly received abroad : neyther did the northren irish , nor the picts , nor the britons , many yeeres after this admonition given by the church of rome , admit that observation among them . to speake nothing of his folly in saying , that the britons received the faith from the irish : when the contrary is so well knowne , that the irish rather received the same from the * britons . that the common custome of celebrating the time of easter was not alwaies observed by the southerne irish , may appeare by those words of bede , in the third booke of his history and the third chapter . porrò gentes scottorum , quae in australibus hiberniae insulae partibus morabantur , jamdudum ad admonitionem apostolicae sedis antistitis paschacanonico ritu observare didicerunt . for if ( as this place cleerly proveth ) the nations of the scots , that dwelt in the southern parts of ireland , did learne to observe easter after the canonicall manner , upon the admonition of the bishop of rome : it is evident , that before that admonition they did observe it after another manner . the word jamdudum , which bede here useth , is taken among authors oftentimes in contrary senses : either to signifie a great while since , or else , but lately , or erewhile , in the former sense it must bee here taken , if it have relation to the time wherein bede did write his book : and in the latter also it may be taken , if it be referred to the time whereof he treateth , ( which is the more likely opinion ) namely to the comming of bishop aidan into england ; which fell out about halfe a yeere , after that honorius had sent his admonitorie letters to the irish. who , as hee was the first bishop of rome we can reade of , that admonished them to reforme their rite of keeping the time of easter : so that the irish also much about the same time conformed themselves herein to the romane usage , may thus be manifested . when bishop aidan came into england from the iland hy , now called y-columkille ; f the colledge of monkes there was governed by segenius , who in the g inscription of the epistle of the clergie of rome sent unto the irish , is called segianus . now there is yet extant in sir robert cottons worthy librarie , an epistle of cummianus directed to this segienus ( for so is his name there written ) abbot of y-columkille ▪ wherein he plainly declareth , that the great cycle of dxxxii . yeeres , and the romane use of celebrating the time of easter according to the same , was then newly brought in into this country . h for the first yeere ( saith he ) wherein the cycle of dxxxii . yeeres began to bee observed by our men ; i received it not , but held my peace , daring neither to commend it nor to dispraise it . that yeere being past , he saith he consulted with his ancients ; who were the successors of bishop ailbeus , queranus coloniensis , brendinus , nessanus and lugidus . who being gathered together in campo-lene , concluded to celebrate easter the yeere following together with the universall church . i but not long after ( saith hee ) there arose up a certaine whited wall , pretending to keepe the tradition of the elders ; which did not make both one , but divided them , and made voide in part that which was promised : whom the lord ( as i hope ) will smite , in whatsoever manner he pleaseth . to this argument drawne from the tradition of the elders , hee maketh answer : that k they did simply and faithfully observe that which they knew to bee best in their dayes , without the fault of any contradiction or animosity , and did so recommend it to their posterity . and opposeth thereunto n the unanimous rule of the vniversall catholicke church : deeming this to be a very harsh conclusion . o rome erreth , ierusalem erreth , alexandria erreth , antioch erreth , the whole world erreth : the scottish onely and the britons doe alone hold the right . but especially hee urgeth the authority of the first of these patriarchicall sees , which now ( since the advancement thereof by the emperour phocas ) began to bee admired by the inhabitants of the earth , as the place which god had chosen ; whereunto , if greater causes did arise , recourse was to bee had , according to the synodicall decree , as unto the head of cities . and therefore he saith , that they sent some unto rome : who returning backe in the third yeere , informed them , that they met there with a grecian , and an hebrew , and a scythian , and an aegyptian in one lodging ; and that they all , and the whole world too , did keep their easter at the same time , when the irish were dis-joyned from them by the space of a whole * moneth . p and wee have proved ( saith cummianus ) that the vertue of god was in the relicks of the holy martyrs , and the scriptures which they brought with them . for we saw with our eyes , a mayde altogether blinde opening her eyes at these relickes , and a man sicke of the palsie walking , and many divels cast out . thus farre he . the northren irish and albanian scottish on the other side , made little reckoning of the authority , either of the bishop or of the church of rome . and therefore bede , speaking of oswy king of northumberland , saith that q notwithstanding he was brought up by the scottish , yet he understood that the roman was the catholike and apostolike church ( or , that the roman church was catholike and apostolike ) intimating therby , that the scottish , among whom he received his education , were of another minde . and long before that , laurentius , mellitus and iustus ( who were sent into england by pope gregory to assist austin ) in a letter which they sent unto the scots that did inhabite ireland ( so bede writeth ) complained of the distaste given unto them by their country-men , in this manner . r wee knew the britons , wee thought that the scots were better than they . but wee learned by bishop daganus comming into this iland , and abbot columbanus comming into france ; that the scots did differ nothing from the britons in their conversation . for daganus the bishop comming unto us , would not take meate with us , no not so much as in the same lodging wherein we did eate . and as for miracles , wee finde them as rife among them that were opposite to the romane tradition , as upon the other side . if you doubt it , reade what bede hath written of bishop aidan ( s who of what merit hee was , the inward iudge hath taught , even by the tokens of miracles ; saith hee ) and adamnanus of the life of s. colme or columkille . whereupon bishop colman in the synod at strenshal frameth this conclusion . t is it to be beleeved , that colme our most reverend father , and his successors , men beloved of god , which observed easter in the same manner that wee doe , did hold or doe that which was contrary to the holy scriptures ? seeing there were very many among them , to whose heavenly holinesse the signes and miracles which they did , bare testimony : whom nothing doubting to bee saints , i desist not to follow evermore their life , maners , and discipline . what wilfride replied to this , may be seene in bede : that which i much wonder at , among the many wonderfull things related of st. colme by adamnanus , is this ▪ that where hee saith , that this saint , during the time of his abode in the abbay of clone ( now called clonmacnosh ) did u by the revelation of the holy ghost prophesie of that discord , which after many dayes arose among the churches of scotland ( or ireland ) for the diversity of the feast of easter : yet hee telleth us not , that the holy ghost revealed unto him , that he himselfe ( whose example animated his followers to stand more stiffely herein against the romane rite ) was in the wrong , and ought to conforme his judgment to the tradition of the churches abroad . as if the holy ghost did not much care , whether of both sides should carry the matter away in this controversie : for which ( if you please ) you shall heare a very pretty tale out of an old legend , concerning this same discord whereof s. colme is said to have prophesied . x vpon a certaine time ( saith my author ) there was a great councell of the people of ireland in the white field : among whom there was contention about the order of easter . for lasreanus , the abbot of the monasterie of leighlin , unto whom there were subject a thousand & five hundred monkes , defended the new order that lately came from rome : but others defended the old . this lasreanus or lazerianus is the man , who in other legends ( of no other credit than this we now have in hand ) is reported to have been the bishop of romes legate in ireland ; and is commonly accounted to have beene the first bishop of the church of leighlin . his principall antagonist at this meeting was one munna , founder of the monasterie which from his was called teach-munna , that is , the house of munna ( in the bishoprick of meath : ) who would needs bring this question to the same kinde of triall here , that austin the monke is said to have done in england . in defence of the roman order , bede telleth us that austin made this motion to the brittish bishops , for a finall conclusion of the businesse . y let us beseech god , which maketh men to dwell of one mind together in their fathers house ; that hee will vouchsafe by some heavenly signes to make knowne unto us , what tradition is to be followed , and by what way wee may hasten to the entry of his kingdome . let some sicke man be brought hither ; and by whose prayers he shall bee cured , let his faith and working be beleeved to be acceptable unto god , and to bee followed by all men . now munna , who stood in defence of the order formerly used by the british and irish , maketh a more liberall proffer in this kinde , and leaveth lasreanus to his choyce . z let us dispute briefly ( saith he ) but in the name of god let us give judgement . three things are given to thy choyce , lasreanus . two bookes shall be cast into the fire , a booke of the old order and of the new ; that we may see whether of them both shall be freed from the fire . or let two monkes , one of mine and another of thine , be shut up into one house : and let the house be burnt , and wee shall see which of them will escape untouched of the fire . or let us goe unto the grave of a just monke that is dead , and raise him up againe : and let him tell us , after what order wee ought to celebrate easter this yeare . but lasreanus being wiser than so , refused to put so great a matter to that hazzard : and therefore returned this grave answer unto munna ; if all be true that is in the legend . a we will not goe unto thy judgement : because we know that , for the greatnesse of thy labour and holinesse , if thou shouldest bid that mount marge should bee changed into the place of the white field , and the white field into the place of mount marge ; god would presently doe this for thy sake . so prodigall doe some make god to be of miracles , and in a manner carelesse how they should fall ; as if in the dispensing of them , he did respect the gracing of persons rather than of causes . in what yeare this councel of the white field was held , is not certainely knowne : nor yet whether s. munna be that whited wall , of whom wee heard cummianus complaine . the synod of strenshal ( before mentioned ) was assembled long after , at whitby ( called by the saxons streanesheale ) in yorkeshire , the b yeare of our lord dclxiiii . for the decision of the same question . concerning which , in the life of wilfrid ( written by one aeddi an acquaintance of his , surnamed stephen ; at the commandement of acca , who in the time of bede was bishop of hangustald or hexham , in northumberland ) we reade thus . c vpon a certaine time in the daies of colman metropolitan bishop of the citie of yorke , oswi and alhfrid his sonne being kings ; the abbots and priests and all the degrees of ecclesiasticall orders meeting together at the monastery which is called streaneshel , in the presence of hilde the most godly mother of that abbey , in presence also of the kings and the two bishops colman and aegelberht , inquiry was made touching the observation of easter , what was most right to bee held : whether easter should bee kept according to the custome of the brittous and the scots and all the northren part , upon the lords day that came from the xiiii . day of the moone untill the xx. or whether it were better , that easter sunday should bee celebrated from the xv. day of the moone untill the xxi . after the manner of the see apostolick . time was given unto bishop colman in the first place , as it was fit , to deliver his reason in the audience of all . who with an undaunted minde made his answer , and said . our fathers and their predecessors , who were manifestly inspired by the holy ghost , as columkille was , did ordaine that easter should be celebrated upon the lords day that fell upon the xiiii . moone ; following the example of iohn the apostle and evangelist , who leaned upon the breast of our lord at his last supper , and was called the lover of the lord. hee celebrated easter upon the xiiii . day of the moone : and wee with the same confidence celebrate the same , as his disciples polycarpus and others did ; neyther dare wee for our parts , neyther will wee change this . bede relateth his speech thus . d this easter which i use to observe , i received from my elders , who did send me bishop hither : which all our fathers , men beloved of god , are knowne to have celebrated after the same manner . which that it may not seeme unto any to bee contemned and rejected : it is the same which the blessed evangelist iohn , the disciple specially beloved by our lord , with all the churches whech he did oversee , is read to have celebrated . fridegodus a who wrote the life of wilfrid at the command of odo archbishop of canterbury ) expresseth the same verse , after this manner . e nos seriem patriam , non frivola scripta tenemus , discipulo * eusebit polycarpo dante iohannis . ille etenim bis septenae sub tempore phoebae sanctum praefixit nobis fore pascha colendum , atque nefas dixit , si quis contraria sentit . on the contrary side wilfrid objected unto colman and his clerkes of ireland ; that they with their complices , the pictes and the brittons , f out of the two utmost iles , and those not whole neyther , did with a foolish labour fight against the whole world . g and if that columb of yours ( saith he ) yea and ours also if hee were christs , was holy and powerfull in vertues : could hee bee preferred before the most blessed prince of the apostles ? unto whom the lord said : thou art peter , and upon this rocke will i build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it ; and i will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven . which last words wrought much upon the simplicitie of king oswy ; who feared , that h when hee should come to the doores of the kingdome of heaven , there would bee none to open , if hee were displeased who was proved to keepe the keyes : but prevailed nothing with bishop colman ; who i for the feare of his countrey ( as stephen in the life of wilfrid writeth ) contemned the tonsure and the observation of easter used by the romanes ; and k taking with him such as would follow him , that is to say , such as would not receive the catholike easter and the tonsure of the crown ( for of that also there was then no small question ) returned back againe into scotland . chap. x. of the height that the opposition betwixt the romane party and that of the brittish and scottish grew unto ; and the abatement thereof in time : and how the doctors of the scottish and irish side have beene ever accounted most eminent men in the catholike church , notwithstanding their dis-union from the bishop of rome . in colmans roome wilfrid was chosen archbishop of yorke : who had learned at rome from archdeacon boniface , a the course of easter , which the schismaticks of brittaine and ireland did not know ( so goe the words of stephen , the ancient writer of his life : ) and afterward did brag , b that hee was the first which did teach the true easter in northumberland ( having cast out the scots ) which did ordaine the ecclesiasticall songs to bee parted on sides , and which did command s. benets rule to be observed by monkes . but when he was named to the archbishopricke , c he refused it at the first ( as william of malmesbury relateth ) lest he should receive his consecration from the scottish bishops , or from such as the scots had ordained , whose communion the apostolike see had rejected . the speech which he used to this purpose , unto the kings that had chosen him , is thus laid downe by stephen the writer of his life . d o my honourable lords the kings ; it is necessary for us by all meanes providently to consider , how with your election i may ( by the helpe of god ) come to the degree of a bishop , without the accusation of catholike men . for there be many bishops here in brittaine , none of whom it is my part to accuse , ordained within these foureteene yeares by the brittons and scots , whom neyther the see apostolicke hath received into her communion , nor yet such as consent with the sch●smaticks . and therefore in my humility i request of you , that you would send me with your warrant beyond the sea , into the countrey of france , where many catholike bishops are to be had ; that without any controversie of the apostolike see i may be counted meet , though unworthy , to receive the degree of a bishop . while e wilfrid protracted time beyond the seas , king oswy ledde by the advice of the quartadecimans ( so they injuriously nicknamed the brittish and irish , that did celebrate easter from the fourteenth to the twentieth day of the moone ) appointed f a most religious servant of god and an admirable doctor that came from ireland , named ceadda , to be ordained bishop of yorke in his roome . constituunt etenim perverso canone coeddam , moribus acclinem , doctrinae robore fortem , praesulis eximij servare cubilia : sicque audacter vivo sponsam rapuere marito , saith fridegodus . this ceadda , being the scholler of bishop aidan , was far otherwise affected to the brittish and irish than wilfrid was : and therefore was content to receive his ordination from g wini bishop of the west-saxons , and tow other brittish bishops that were of the quartadeciman partie . for at that time ( as bede noteth ) there was not in all brittaine any bishop canonically ordained ( that is to say , by such as were of the communion of the church of rome ) except that wini only . but shortly after , the opposition betwixt these two sides grew to be so great , that our cuthbert ( bishop of lindisfarne ) upon his death-bed required his followers ; that they should h hold no communion with them which did swerve from the unity of the catholicke peace , eyther by not celebrating easter in his due time , or by living perversly : and that they should rather take up his bones and remove their place of habitation , than any way condescend to submit their neckes unto the yoke of schismatickes . for the further maintaining of which breach also , there were certaine decrees made both by the romanes , and by the saxons that were guided by their institution . one of the instructions that the romans gave them , was this : i you must beware , that causes bee not referred to other provinces or churches , which use another manner and another religion : whether to the iewes , which doe serve the shadow of the law rather than the truth ▪ or to the britons , who are contrary unto all men , and have cut themselves off from the romane manner , and the unitie of the church ; or to heretickes , although they should bee learned in ecclesiasticall causes , and well studied . and among the decrees made by some of the saxon bishops ( which were to bee seene in the library of sir thomas knevet in northfolke , and are still , i suppose , preserved there by his heire ) this is laid downe for one . k such as have received ordination from the bishops of the scots or brittaines , who in the matter of easter and tonsure are not united unto the catholicke church , let them bee againe by imposition of hands confirmed by a catholicke bishop . in like manner also let the churches that have beene ordered by those bishops , be sprinkled with exorcized water , and confirmed with some service . wee have no licence also to give unto them chrisme or the eucharist , when they require it ; unlesse they doe first professe , that they will remaine with us in the unity of the church . and such likewise as eyther of their nation , or of any other , shall doubt of their baptism , let them be baptized . thus did they . on the other side , how averse the brittish and the irish were from having any communion with those of the romane party ; the l complaint of laurentius , mellitus , and iustus before specified , doth sufficiently manifest . and the answer is well knowne , which * the seven brittish bishops , and many other most learned men of the same nation , did return unto the propositions made unto them by austin the monk ( who was sent unto their parts with authority from rome : ) that m they would perform none of them , nor at all adneit him for their archbishop . the welsh chroniclers do further relate , that dinot the abbot of bangor produced diverse arguments at that time , to shew that they did owe him no subjection : and this among others . n wee are under the government of the bishop of kaer-leon upon vske , who under god is to oversee us , and cause us to keepe the way spirituall . and gotcelinus bertinianus in the life of austin : o that for the authority of their ceremonies they did alledge , that they were not onely delivered unto them by saint eleutherius the pope their first instructer at the first infancie almost of the church , but also hitherto observed by their holy fathers who were the friends of god and followers of the apostles : and therefore they ought not to change them for any new dogmatists . but above all others , the brittish priests that dwelt in west-wales abhorred the communion of these new dogmatists above all measure : as aldhelme abbot of malmesbury declareth at large in his epistle sent to geruntius king of cornwall . where among many other particulars hee sheweth , that p if any of the catholickes ( for so he calleth those of his owne side ) did goe to dwell among them ; they would not vouchsafe to admit them unto their company and society , before they first put them to forty dayes penance . yea , q even to this day ( saith bede , who wrote his history in the yeere dccxxxi . ) it is the manner of the brittons , to hold the faith and the religion of the english in no account at all , nor to communicate with them in any thing more than with pagans . whereunto those verses of taliessyn ( honoured by the britons with the title of ben beirdh , that is , the chiefe of the bardes or wisemen ) may bee added : ( which shew , that hee wrote after the comming of austin into england , and not 50. or 60. yeeres before , as others have imagined . ) * gwae'r offeiriad byd nys engreifftia gwyd ac ny phregetha : gwae ny cheidw ey gail ac ef yn vigail , ac nys areilia : gwae ny cheidw ey dheuaid rhac bleidhie , rhufeniaid a'iffon gnwppa . wo be to that priest yborne , that will not cleanly weed his corne and preach his charge among : wo be to that shepheard ( i say ) that will not watch his fold alway , as to his office doth belong : wo be to him that doth not keepe from romish wolves his sheepe with staffe and weapon strong . as also those others of mantuan ; which shew that some tooke the boldnesse to taxe the romans of folly , impudencie , and stolidity , for standing so much upon matters of humane institution , that for the not admitting of them they would breake peace there , where the law of god and the doctrine first delivered by christ and his apostles was safely kept and maintained . r adde quod & patres ausi taxare latinos ; causabantur eos stultè , imprudenter , & aequo duriùs , ad ritum romae voluisse britannos cogere , & antiquum tam praecipitanter amorem tam stolido temerâsse ausu . concedere roma debuit , aiebant , potiùs quàm rumpere pacem humani quae juris erant ; modò salva maneret lex divina , fides , christi doctrina , senatus quam primus tulit ore suo ; quia tradita ab ipso christo erat , humanae doctore & lumine vitae . by all that hath been said , the vanity of osullevan may be seene , who feigneth the northren irish , together with the picts and the britons , to have beene so obsequious unto the bishop of rome ; that they reformed the celebration of easter by them formerly used , as soone as they understood what the rite of the romane church was . whereas it is knowne , that after the declaration thereof made by pope honorius and the clergie of rome ; the northren irish were nothing moved therewith , but continued still their owne tradition . and therfore bede findeth no other excuse for bishop aidan herein ; but that s eyther hee was ignorant of the canonicall time , or if he knew it , that he was so overcome with the authority of his owne nation , that he did not follow it : that he did it , t after the manner of his owne nation ; and that u hee could not keepe easter contrary to the custome of them which had sent him . his successor finan x contended more fiercely in the businesse with ronan his countryman ; and declared himselfe an open adversary to the romane rite . colman that succeeded him , did tread just in his steps : so farre , that being put downe in the synod of streanshal , yet for feare of his country ( as before we have heard out of stephen , the writer of the life of wilfrid ) he refused to conforme himselfe ; and chose rather to forgoe his bishoprick , than to submit himselfe unto the romane lawes , colmanusque suas inglorius abjicit arces , malens ausonias victus dissolvere leges : saith fridegodus . neither did hee goe away alone : but y tooke with him all his countrymen that he had gathered together in lindisfarne or holy iland : the scottish monks also that were at rippon ( in yorkshire ) z making choice rather to quit their place , than to admit the observation of easter and the rest of the rites according to the custome of the church of rome . and so did the matter rest among the irish about forty yeeres after that : untill their own countryman a adamnanus perswaded most of them to yeeld to the custome received herein by all the churches abroad . the picts did the like not long after , under king naitan : who b by his regall authority commanded easter to be observed throughout all his provinces according to the cycle of xix . yeeres ( abolishing the erroneous period of lxxxiiii . yeeres which before they used ) and caused all priests and monkes to bee shorne croune-wise , after the romane manner . the monkes also of the iland of hy or y-columkille , c by the perswasion of ecgbert ( an english priest , that had been bred in ireland ) in the yeere of our lord dccxvi . forsooke the observation of easter and the tonsure which they had received from columkille a hundred and fiftie yeeres before , and followed the romane rite ; about lxxx . yeeres after the time of pope honorius , and the sending of bishop aidan from thence into england . the britons in the time of d bede retained still their old usage : untill e elbodus ( who was the chiefe bishop of northwales , and dyed in the yeere of our lord dcccix . as caradoc of lhancarvan recordeth ) brought in the romane observation of easter . which is the cause , why f his disciple nennius , designeth the time wherein he wrote his history , by the character of the g xix . yeeres cycle , and not of the other of lxxxiv . but howsoever north-wales did ; it is very probable that west-wales ( which of all other parts was most eagerly bent against the traditions of the romane church ) stood out yet longer . for we finde in the greeke writers of the life of chrysostome , that certaine clergie men which dwelt in the iles of the ocean , repaired from the utmost borders of the habitable world unto constantinople , in the dayes of methodius ( who was patriarch there , from the yeer dcccxlii . to the yeere dcccxlvii . ) to enquire of h certaine ecclesiasticall traditions , and the perfect and exact computation of easter . whereby it appeareth , that these questions were kept still a foot in these ilands ; and that the resolution of the bishop of constantinople was sought for from hence , as well as the determination of the bishop of rome , who is now made the only oracle of the world . neither is it here to be omitted , that whatsoever broyles did passe betwixt our irish that were not subject to the see of rome , and those others that were of the romane communion : in the succeeding ages , they of the one side were esteemed to be saints , as well as they of the other ; aidan for example and finan , who were counted ringleaders of the quartadeeiman party , as well as wilfrid and cuthbert , who were so violent against it . yet now adayes men are made to beleeve , that out of the communion of the church of rome nothing but hell can bee looked for ; and that subjection to the bishop of rome , as to the visible head of the universall church , is required as a matter necessary to salvation . which if it may goe currant for good divinity : the case is like to goe hard , not onely , with the i twelve hundred british monkes of bangor , who were martyred in one day by edelfride king of northumberland ( whom our annals style by the name of k the saints ; ) but also with st. aidan and st. finan , who deserve to bee honoured by the english nation with as venerable a remembrance , as ( i doe not say , wilfrid and cuthbert ; but ) austin the monke and his followers . for by the ministery of l aidan was the kingdome of northumberland recovered from paganisme : ( whereunto belonged then , beside the shire of northumberland and the lands beyond it unto edenborrow , frith , cumberland also and westmorland , lancashire , yorkshire , and the bishopricke of durham : ) and by the meanes of m finan , not onely the kingdome of the east-saxons ( which contained essex , middlesex , and halfe of hertfordshire ) regained , but also the large kingdome of mercia converted first unto christianity ; which comprehended underit , glocestershire , herefordshire , worcestershire , warwickshire , leicestershire , rutlandshire , northamptonshire , lincolneshire , huntingtonshire , bedfordshire , buckinghamshire , oxfordshire , staffordshire , darbyshire , shropshire , nottinghamshire , chesshire , and the other halfe of hertfordshire . the scottish that professed no subjection to the church of rome , were they , that sent preachers for the conversion of these countries ; and ordained bishops to governe them : namely , n aidan , finan and colman successively for the kingdome of northumberland ; o for the east-saxons , cedd brother to ceadda the bishop of yorke before mentioned , p for the middle-angles ( which inhabited leicestershire ) and the mercians , diuma ( for q the paucity of priests , saith bede , constrained one bishop to bee appointed over two people ) and after him cellach and trumhere . and these with their followers , notwithstanding their division from the see of rome , were for r their extraordinary sanctity of life and painfulnesse in preaching the gospel ( wherein they went farre beyond those of the other side , that afterward thrust them out and entred in upon their labours ) exceedingly reverenced by all that knew them : aidan especially , who s although hee could not keepe easter ( saith bede ) contrary to the manner of them which had sent him ; yet he was carefull diligently to performe the workes of faith and godlinesse , and love , according to the manner used by all holy men . whereupon hee was worthily beloved of all , even of them also who thought otherwise of easter than he did : and was had in reverence not only by them that were of meaner ranke , but also by the bishops themselves , honorius of canterbury , and felix of the east-angles . neither did honorius and felix any other way carry themselves herein , than their predecessors laurentius , mellitus & iustus had done before them : who writing unto the bishops of ireland , that dissented from the church of rome in the celebration of easter and many other things ; made no scruple to prefixe this loving and respectfull superscription to their letters . t to our lords and most deare brethren , the bishops or abbots throughout all scotland ; laurentius , mellitus and iustus bishops , the servants of the servants of god. for howsoever ireland at that time u received not the same lawes wherewith other nations were governed : yet it so flourished in the vigour of christian doctrine , ( as abbot ionas testifieth ) that it exceeded the faith of all the neighbour nations ; and in that respect was generally had in honour by them . chap. xi of the temporall power , which the popes followers would directly intitle him unto over the kingdome of ireland : together with the indirect power which he challengeth in absolving subjects from the obedience which they owe to their temporall governours . it now remaineth that in the last place wee should consider the popes power in disposing the temporall state of this kingdome : which eyther directly or indirectly , by hooke or by crooke , this grand usurper would draw unto himselfe . first therefore cardinall allen would have us to know , that c the sea apostolike hath an old claime unto the soveraigntie of the countrey of ireland ; and that before the covenants passed betweene king iohn and the same sea. which challenges ( saith he ) princes commonly yeeld not up , by what ground soever they come . what princes use to yeeld or not yeeld , i leave to the scanning of those , unto whom princes matters doe belong : for the cardinals prince i dare be bold to say , that if it bee not his use to play fast and loose with other princes , the matter is not now to doe ; whatsoever right he could pretend to the temporall state of ireland , hee hath transferred it ( more than once ) unto the kings of england . and when the ground of his claime shall be looked into ; it will bee found so frivolous and so ridiculous , that we need not care three chippes , whether he yeeld it up or keep it to himselfe . for whatsoever become of his idle challenges : the crowne of england hath otherwise obtained an undoubted right unto the soveraigntie of this countrey ; partly by conquest , prosecuted at first upon occasion of a sociall warre , partly by the severall submissions of the chiefetaines of the land made afterwards . for d wheras it is it free for all men , although they have been formerly quitt from all subjection , to renounce their owne right : yet now in these our daies ( saith giraldus cambrensis , in his historie of the conquest of ireland ) all the princes of ireland did voluntarily submitt , and binde themselves with firme bonds of faith and oath , unto henry the second king of england . the like might be said of the generall submissions made in the dayes of king richard the second and king henry the eighth : to speake nothing of the prescription of divers hundreds of yeares possession ; which was the plea that e iephte used to the ammonites , and is indeed the best evidence that the bishop of romes own f proctors do produce for their masters right to rome it selfe . for the popes direct dominion over ireland , two titles are brought forth ; beside those covenants of king iohn ( mentioned by allen ) which hee that hath any understanding in our state , knoweth to be clearly voide and worth nothing . the one is taken from a speciall grant supposed to bee made by the inhabitants of the countrey , at the time of their first conversion unto christianitie : the other from a right which g the pope challengeth unto himselfe over all ilands in generall . the former of these was devised of late by an italian , in the reigne of king henry the eighth ; the later was found out in the daies of king henry the second : before whose time not one footestep doth appeare in all antiquitie of any claime that the bishop of rome should make to the dominion of ireland ; no not in the popes owne records , which have beene curiously searched by nicolaus arragonius , and other ministers of his , who have purposely written of the particulars of his temporall estate . the italian of whom i spake , is polydore vergil ; he that composed the booke de inventoribus rerum , of the first inventers of things : among whom hee himselfe may challenge a place for this invention ; if the inventers of lyes bee admitted to have any roome in that companie . this man being sent over by the pope into england h for the collecting of his peter-pence , undertooke the writing of the historie of that nation , wherein he forgat not by the way to doe the best service hee could to his lord that had imployed him thither . there hee telleth an idle tale ; how the irish being moved to accept henry the second for their king , i did deny that this could be done otherwise than by the bishop of romes anthoritie : because ( forsooth ) that from the very beginning , after they had accepted christian religion , they had yeelded themselves and all that they had into his power . and they did constantly affirme ( saith this fabler ) that they had no other lord , beside the pope : of which also they yet doe bragge . the italian is followed herein by two englishmen , that wished the popes advancement as much as hee ; edmund campian and nicholas sanders . the one whereof writeth , that k immediately after christianitie planted here , the whole iland with one consent gave themselves not onely into the spirituall , but also into the temporall iurisdiction of the see of rome . the other in polydores owne words ( though hee name him not ) that l the irish from the beginning , presently after they had received christian religion , gave up themselves and all that they had into the power of the bishop of rome ; and that untill the time of king henry the second , they did acknowledge no other supreme prince of ireland , beside of the bishop of rome alone . for confutation of which dreame , we need not have recourse to our owne chronicles : the bull of adrian the fourth , wherein hee giveth libertie of king henry the second to enter upon ireland , sufficiently discovereth the vanitie thereof . for , hee there shewing what right the church of rome pretended unto ireland , maketh no mention at all of this ( which had beene the fairest and clearest title that could bee alledged , if any such had been then existent in rerum naturâ ) but is faine to flie unto a farre-fetcht interest which hee saith the church of rome hath unto all christian ilands . m truly ( saith he to the king ) there is no doubt , but that all ilands unto which christ the sunne of righteousnesse hath shined , and which have received the instructions of the christian faith , doe pertaine to the right of saint peter and the holy church of rome : which your noblenesse also doth acknowledge . if you would further understand the ground of this strange claime , whereby all christian ilands at a clap are challenged to bee parcell of st. peters patrimonie : you shall have it from iohannes sarisburiensis , who was most inward with pope adrian , and obtained from him this very grant whereof now wee are speaking . n at my request ( saith he ) he granted ireland to the illustrious king of england henry the second , and gave it to bee possessed by right of inheritance : as his owne letters doe testifie unto this day . for all ilands , of ancient right , are said to belong to the church of rome , by the donation of constantine , who founded & endowed the same . but will you see , what a goodly title here is , in the meane time ? first , the donation of constantine hath been long since discovered to be a notorious forgerie , and is rejected by all men of judgement as a senslesse fiction . secondly , in the whole context of this forged donation i find mention made of ilands in one place only : o where no more power is given to the church of rome over them , than in generall over the whole continent ( by east and by west , by north and by south ) and in particular over iudaea , graecia , asia , thracia , and aphrica ; which use not to passe in the account of st. peters temporall patrimonie . thirdly , it doth not appeare , that constantine himselfe had any interest in the kingdome of ireland : how then could hee conferre it upon another ? some words there be in an oration of p eumenius the rhetorician , by which peradventure it may bee collected , that his father constantius bare some stroke here : but that the iland was ever possessed by the romanes , or accounted a parcell of the empire , cannot be proved by any sufficient testimonie of antiquitie . fourthly , the late writers that are of another mind , as pomponius laetus , cuspinian , and others , doe yet affirme withall , q that in the division of the empire after constantines death , ireland was assigned unto constantinus the eldest sonne : which will hardly stand with this donation of the ilands supposed to bee formerly made unto the bishop of rome and his successors . pope adrian therefore , and iohn of salisbury his sollicitor , had need seeke some better warrant for the title of ireland , than the donation of constantine . iohn harding in his chronicle saith , that the kings of england have right r to ireland also , by king henry ( le fitz of maude , daughter of first king henry ) that conquered it , for their great heresie . which in another place he expresseth more at large , in this manner : s the king henry then , conquered all ireland by papall dome , there of his royaltee the profits and revenues of the land the domination , and the soveraigntee for errour which agayn the spiritualtee they held full long , and would not been correct of heresies , with which they were infect . philip osullevan on the other side , doth not only deny t that ireland was infected with any heresie : but would also have us beleeve , u that the pope never intended to conferre the lordship of ireland upon the kings of england . for where it is said in pope adrians bull ; x let the people of that land receive thee , and reverence thee as a lord : the meaning thereof is , saith this glozer , y let them reverence thee , as a prince worthy of great honour ; not as lord of ireland , but as a deputie appointed for the collecting of the ecclesiasticall tribute . it is true indeed that king henry the second , to the end hee might the more easily obtaine the popes good wil for his entring upon ireland , did voluntarily offer unto him the payment of a yearely pension of one penny out of every house in the countrey : which ( for ought that i can learne ) was the first ecclesiasticall tribute that ever came unto the popes coffers out of ireland . but that king henry got nothing else by the bargaine but the bare office of collecting the popes smoke-silver ( for so wee called it here , when wee payed it ) is so dull a conceit ; that i doe somewhat wonder how osullevan himselfe could be such a blocke-head , as not to discerne the senselesnesse of it . what the king sought for and obtained , is sufficiently declared by them that writ the historie of his reigne . z in the yeare of our lord mclv. the first bull was sent unto him by pope adrian : the summe whereof is thus laid down in a second bull , directed unto him by alexander the third , the immediate successor of the other . a following the stepps of reverend pope adrian , and attending the fruit of your desire ; we ratifie and confirme his grant concerning the dominion of the kingdome of ireland conferred upon you : reserving unto st. peter and the holy church of rome , as in england so in ireland , the yearely pension of one penny out of every house . in this sort did pope adrian , as much as lay in him , give ireland unto king henry , haereditario jure possidendam , to bee possessed by right of inheritance ; & withall b sent unto him a ring of gold , set with a faire emerauld , for his investiture in the right thereof : as iohannes sarisburiensis , who was the principall agent betwixt them both in this businesse , doth expresly testifie . after this , in the year mclxxi . the king himselfe came hither in person : where the archbishops and bishops of ireland c received him for their king and lord. the king ( saith iohn brampton ) d received letters from every archbishop and bishop , with their seales hanging upon them in the manner of an indenture ; confirming the kingdome of ireland unto him and his heyres , and bearing witnesse that they in ireland had ordained him and his heyres to bee their kings and lords for ever . at waterford ( saith roger hoveden ) e all the archbishops , bishops , and abbots of ireland came unto the king of england , and received him for king and lord of ireland ; swearing fealty to him and to his heyres , and power to reigne over them for ever : and hereof they gave him their instruments . the kings also and princes of ireland , by the example of the clergie , did in like manner receive henry king of england for lord and king of ireland ; and became his men ( or , did him homage ) and swore fealty to him and his heyres against all men . these things were presently after confirmed in the nationall synod held at casshell : the acts whereof in giraldus cambrensis are thus concluded . f for it is fit and most meet , that as ireland by gods appointment hath gotten a lord and a king from england ; so also they should from thence receive a better forme of living . king henry also at the same time g sent a transcript of the instruments of all the archbishops and bishops of ireland , unto pope alexander : who by his apostolicall authority ( for so was it in those dayes of darknesse esteemed to bee ) did confirme the kingdome of ireland unto him and his heyres , ( according to the forme of the instruments of the archbishops & bishops of ireland ) h and made them kings thereof for ever . the king also i obtained further from pope alexander , that it might bee lawfull for him to make which of his sonnes hee pleased , king of ireland , and to crowne him accordingly ; and to subdue the kings and great ones of that land , which would not subject themselves unto him . whereupon , in a grand councell held at oxford in the yeere of our lord mclxxvii . k before the bishops and peeres of the kingdome hee constituted his sonne iohn king of ireland ; l according to that grant and confirmation of pope alexander . and to make the matter yet more sure , in the yeere mclxxxvi . hee obtained a new licence from pope vrban the third ; m that one of his sonnes , whom hee himselfe would , should bee crowned for the kingdome of ireland . and this the pope did not onely confirme by his bull : but also the yeere following purposely sent over cardinall octavian and hugo de nunant ( or novant ) n his legates into ireland , to crowne iohn the kings sonne there . by all this wee may see , how farre king henry the second proceeded in this businesse : which i doe not so much note , to convince the stolidity of osullevan , who would faine perswade fooles , that he was preferred onely to bee collector of the popes peter-pence : as to shew , that ireland at that time was esteemed a kingdome , and the kings of england accounted no lesse than kings thereof . and therefore * paul the fourth needed not make all that noyse , and trouble o the whole court of heaven with the matter : when in the yeere mdlv . he tooke upon him by his apostolicall authority ( such i am sure , as none of the apostles of christ did ever assume unto themselves ) to erect ireland unto the title and dignity of a kingdome . whereas hee might have found , even in his owne * romane provinciall , that ireland was reckoned among the kingdomes of christendome , before hee was borne . insomuch , that in the yeere mccccxvii . when the legates of the king of england and the french kings ambassadours fell at variance in the councell of constance for precedencie ; the english orators , among other arguments , alledged this also for themselves . p it is well knowne , that according to albertus magnus and bartholomaeus in his booke de proprietatibus rerum , the whole world being divided into three parts ( to wit , asia , africk and europe ) europe is divided into foure kingdomes : namely , the romane for the first , the constantinopolitane for the second , the third the kingdome of ireland which is now translated unto the english , and the fourth the kingdome of spain . whereby it appeareth , that the king of england and his kingdome are of the more eminent ancient kings and kingdomes of all europe : which prerogative the kingdome of france is not said to obtaine . and this have i here inserted the more willingly , because it maketh something for the honour of my country ( to which , i confesse , i am very much devoted ) and in the printed acts of the councell it is not commonly to be had . but now commeth forth osullevan againe , and like a little furie flyeth upon q the english-irish priests of his owne religion , which in the late rebellion of the earle of tirone did not deny that hellish doctrine , fetcht out of hell for the destruction of catholickes , that it is lawfull for catholickes to beare armes and fight for heretickes against catholickes and their country . or rather ( if you will have it in plainer termes ) that it is lawfull for them of the romish religion , to beare armes and fight for their soveraigne and fellow-subjects that are of another profession , against those of their own religion that trayterously rebell against their prince and country . and to shew , r how madde and how venemous a doctrine they did bring ( these bee the caitiffes owne termes ) that exhorted the laitie to follow the queens side : he setteth downe the censure of the doctors of the university of salamanca and vallodilid , published in the yeere mdciii . for the justification of that rebellion , and the declaration of pope clement the eights letters touching the same ; wherein he signifieth that s the english ought to be set upon no lesse than the turkes , and imparteth the same favours unto such as set upon them , that hee doth unto such as fight against the turkes . such wholesome directions doth the bishop of rome give vnto those that will be ruled by him : far different ( i wisse ) from that holy doctrine , wherewith the church of rome was at first seasoned by the apostles . t let every soule bee subject unto the higher powers ; for there is no power but of god : was the lesson that s. paul taught to the ancient romanes . where if it bee demanded ; u whether that power also , which persecuteth the servants of god , impugneth the faith , and subverteth religion , be of god ? our countryman sedulius will teach us to answer with origen ; that even such a power as that , is given of god , for the revenge of the evill , and the praise of the good . although he were as wicked , as eyther nero among the romans , or herod among the iewes : the one whereof most cruelly persecuted the christians , the other christ himselfe . and yet when the one of them swayed the scepter , saint paul told the christian romanes ; that they x must needes be subject , not only for wrath , but also for conscience sake : and of the causelesse feare of the other , these verses of sedulius are solemnly sung in the church of rome , even unto this day . y herodes hostis impie , christum venire quid times ? non eripit mortalia , qui regna dat coelestia . why , wicked herod , dost thou feare and at christs comming frowne ? the mortall he takes not away , that gives the heavenly crowne . a better paraphrase whereof you cannot have , than this which claudius hath inserted into his collections upon st. matthew . z that king which is borne , doth not come to overcome kings by fighting , but to subdue them after a wonderfull manner by dying : neither is he borne to the end that hee may succeed thee , but that the world may faithfully beleeve in him . for he is come , not that hee may fight being alive , but that hee may triumph being slaine : nor that he may with gold get an armie unto himselfe out of other nations , but that hee may shed his precious bloud for the saving of the nations . vainly didst thou by envying feare him to be● thy successor , whom by beleeving thou oughtest to seeke as thy saviour : because if thou diddest beleeve in him , thou shouldest reigne with him ; and as thou hast received a temporall kingdome from him , thou shouldest also receive from him an everlasting . for the kingdome of this childe is not of this world ; but by him it is that men do reign in this world . he is the wisedome of god , which saith in the proverbs : by mee kings reigne . this childe is the word of god : this childe is the power and wisedome of god : if thou canst , thinke against the wisedome of god : thou workest thine owne destruction , and dost not know it . for thou by no meanes shouldest have had thy kingdome , unlesse thou hadst received it from that childe which now is borne . as for the censure of the doctors of salamanca and vallodilid : our nobility and gentry , by the faithfull service which at that time they performed unto the crowne of england , did make a reall confutation of it . of whose fidelity in this kinde i am so well perswaded , that i doe assure my selfe , that neither the names of franciscus zumel and alphonsus curiel ( how great schoole-men soever they were ) nor of the fathers of the society ( iohannes de ziguenza , emanuel de roias , and gaspar de mena ) nor of the pope himselfe , upon whose sentence they wholly ground their resolution ; eyther then was or hereafter will be of any force , to remove them one whit from the allegeance and duty which they doe owe unto their king and country . nay i am in good hope , that their loyall mindes will so farre distaste that evill lesson , which those great rabbies of theirs would have them learne ; that it will teach them to unlearne another bad lesson , wherewith they have beene most miserably deluded . for whereas heretofore a wise men did learne to give credence to the truth , by whosoevers mouth it should be delivered : now men are made such fooles , that they are taught b to attend in the doctrine of religion , not what the thing is that is said , but what the person is that speaketh it . but how dangerous a thing it is , to have the faith of our lord iesus christ in respect of persons ; and to give entertainment to the truth , not so much for it selfe as for the regard that is had to the deliverer of it : i wish men would learne otherwise , than by wofull experience in themselves . c the truth ( saith claudius ) is to bee loved for it selfe , not for the man , or for the angell , by whom it is preached . for he that doth love it in respect of the preachers of it , may love lyes also , if they peradventure shall deliver any . as here without all peradventure , the pope and his doctors have done : unlesse the teaching of flat rebellion and high treason may passe in the account of catholicke verities . the lord of his mercie open their eyes , that they may see the light ; and give them grace to receive the love of the truth , that they may be saved . the lord likewise grant ( if it bee his blessed will ) that truth and peace may meet together in our dayes , that we may bee all gathered into d one fold under one shepheard , and that e the whole earth may be filled with his glory . amen , amen . finis . faults in some copies . in the iesuites challenge , pag. 3. lin . 2. read , contrary . pag. 4. lin . 9. for should , read shall . in the answer , pag. 4. l. 26. likewise . p. 5. l. 21. satisfie . p. 12. l. 7. continued . p. 16. l. 22. penitentiall . p. 26. l. 6. knew . p. 27. l. 26. augustin . p. 50. l. 23. ( saith n fulgentius ) p. 51. l. 6. when he ●s found to be that . p. 62. l. 3. antoninus . p. 64. l. 12. after christ. p. 72. l. 4. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 75. l. 6. cresse out , of mets first and afterwards . p. 76. l. 3. carisiacum or cressy . p. 96. l. 9. secretly . p. 123. l. 26. commanded . p. 124. l. 5. sinnes . p. 126. l. 17. intercession . ibid. l. 19. for the comma put a full point ; and in the next line for the full po●nt put a comma . p. 136. l. 1. anastasius . p. 139. l. 4. scriptures . ibid. l. 7. levite . 146. l. 31. instrumentally . p. 147. l. 22. death . pag. 154. l. 25. augustine . p. 156. l. 2. and p. 162. l. 19. medicine . p. 171. l. 16. the p. 172. l. 14. for these , read their . p. 285. l. 2. clympiodorus . p. 188. l. 10. ( about 243. p. 190. l. 4. who very . p. 194 l. 16. ( with . ibid. l. 18. for pid read paide . p. 195. l. 6. intended . p. 205. l. 15. halleluia . p. 206. l. 8. for drive , read not drive . p. 221. l. 1. write , p. 226. l. 19. in the romane pontificall . p. 228. l. 17. apocryphal . p. 234. l. 7. entring againe into . p. 253. l. 8. forme . p. 264. l. 5. kindes . p. 270. l. 18. for ceasing , read casing . p. 277. l. 26. ascension . p. 281. l. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 284 l. 5. expounding that place in . p. 291. l. 1. entring again into . p. 307. l. 14. apocryphall ; p. 310 l. 1. crosse out , vs. p. 323. l. 17. steuchus . p. 328. l. 20 , 21. with that which olympiodorus writeth upon the same chapt er . p. 330. l. 3. divisiun . p. 343. l. 5. crosse out the last comma . l. 22. palace . p. 359. l. 28. of it . p. 361. l. . 27. iudgment . p. 368. l. 6. for giveth , read goeth . p. 376. l. 25. sister . p. 379. l. 12. comming . p. 391. l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 395. l. 26. for depravation , r. deprivation . p. 398. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 427. l. 9. for excepting r. accepting . l. 15. invocation . l. 16. salvation . l. 18. noted . l. 20. call . p. 428. l. 19. in stead of for , r. of . p. 437. l. 6. anastasius . p. 439. l. 6. were in . p. 441. l. 16. lliads . p. 443. l. 4. tryed . p. 449. l. 11. congruitie . p. 453. l. 14. here a. p. 454. l. 25. there of . p. 461. l. 26. descend . p. 469. l. 17. of ang. p. 471. l. 30. collections . p. 472. l. 5. colossians . l. 22. phrygia . p. 473. l. 6. for mad , r. made . l. 18. the word . p. 476. l. 17. ( saith . l. 28. speake . ) p. 491. l. 4. m blessed . p. 492. l. 10. despise . p. 497 , 500 , 501. and 504. in the title , r. of images . p. 497 l. 21. for confirme , rs . conforme . p. 503. l. 12. origen . p. 505. l. 8. deaes and divers . p. 506 l. 13. prevaile . p. 508. l. 9. a whoring . p. 516. l. 15. destitute . p. 518. l. 3. pu●e . pag. 521. l. 19. to bew , p. 525. l. 15. observeth . p. 535. l. 12. pray . p. 538. l. 6. iuvet . p. 539. l. 30. hortatuque p. 540. l. 2. ex fracto . p. 541. l. 17. inspiration . p. 547. l. 27. hereby . p. 548. l. 10. therefore . p. 556. l. 7. in the. p. 557. l. 6. freely . p. 561. l. 10. receiving . p. 569. l. 24. substantiall . in the margent . pag. 17. after the letter i , lin . 3. read monasterii . p. 29. g. l. 10. praescientiam . p. 31. n. l. 1. in 2. 2. p. 42. k. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. lin . 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 43. 0. l. 8. presbyter . p. 45. b. l. 2. videtis . l. 8. apud fulgentium in fine libelli de baptismo aethiopis ; bedam , &c. p. 46. l. ult . psalmum . p. 49. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 50. n. l. 6. invenitur . fulgentius ( in fine libelli de baptismo aethiopis ) augustini nomine citatus apud bed. &c. p. 54. a. l. 1● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 66. r. l. 5. divinâ autem illum . p. 72. p. l. 1. removeantur . p. 73. t. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 74. c. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 76. i. l. 2. effieitur . ibid. k. suprà . p. 77. r. l. 1. mysterium . p. 82. h. l. 8. colleg. p. 87. l. lin . 16 for 162. read 262. p. 88. o. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. q. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 94. l. l. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. l. 30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 104. l. lin . ult . inter . p. 111. o. l. 10. quod . p. 116. g. l. 3 non p. 119 s. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 121. g. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 123 a l. 3. sacerdotio . p. 124. g. l. 6. theophyl act in ioh. 8. p. 126. u. l. 11. vossio . p. 128. f. l. 14. inedit . ibid. k. l. 3. misericordiam . p. 129. * l. 1. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 143. i. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 152. t. l. 2. ignoret . p. 156. l. lin . ult . aquisgran . sub ludovico pio , cap. 37. p. 157. m. l. 1. illum . ibid. l. 27. iidem . p. 167. c. l. 13 quaest . p. 171. o. l. 33. ostendendi . p. 177. x. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. y. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 180. h. l. 18. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 182. s. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 187. m. l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 188. o. l. 27. corripimur . p. 189. p. l. 23. after conversat . insert this parenthesis ( cuius author eligius noviomensis ) p. 192. d. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 196. d. l. 4. offerimus . ibid. l. 13. crosse out , & 178. ibid. g. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 197. i. l. 15. blot out the point after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. k. l. 2. apostolis . p. 198. n. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 199. s. l. 3 ; fruntur . ibid. l. 5. contextione . p. 202. h. l. 25. refern . p. 205. o. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 206. u. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 208. c. l. 6. quos . p. 209. g. l. 4. gra. câ . p. 210. n. l. 4. beneventani ) p. 211. r. l. 10. for in r. ex . p. 213. y. l. 6. menesi● . p. 214. § l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 215. * l. 19. pareret . p. 218. i. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 222. l. 6. consequuntur . ibid. y. l. ult . col . 228. e. p. 228. q. l. 2. apocrypha . p. 231. a. l. 14. invenire . p. 232. c. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 235. q. l. 10. praecesserunt videantur usque ad iudiciidiem , per plurimum scilicet temporis , debitâ sibi remuneratione , &c. p. 236. x. l. 29. for 206. r. 220. p. 237. a. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. c. l. 22. ephesius . p. 238. * l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. ● . l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . & l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 241. k. l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 245. a. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 246. f. l. 6. euchologio , p. 247. m. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 248. n. l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 253. h. l. 1. volaterran . ibid. l. 6. rupe . p. 254. o. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 255. r. l. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 260. e. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 262. d. l. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 263. el. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 264. h. l. 3 , 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 265. l. lin 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. ult 138. p. 269. l. 3 , 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 272. s. l. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 273. t. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 275. h. l. 6. for aufe●e , r. offerre . p. 278. m. l. 2. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 282. g. l. 24. donec . p. 284. p. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 286. al. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 287. h. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. 11. asterius . p. 290. s. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 291. z , l. 11. crosse out in . ibid. l. 14. lugd. p. 292. l. lin . 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 293. n. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. r. l. ult . intravit . p. 294. u. l. 6. crosse out , in fine . p. 295. z. l. 6. paupertatis . p. 297. h. l. 10. infernum . p. 299. q. l. 3. infernum ibid. s. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. u. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 300. x. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ira. ibid. z. l. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 301. g. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. m. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. n. l. 4. laudantes . p. 303. z. l. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 308. y. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 313. y. l. 1. for mortuorum , r. mortuum . p. 318. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. * . l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. m. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 319. p. l. 12. uruntur . ibid. l. 14. m. annaeus seneca , lib. 8. ibid. r. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 323. o. l. 19. falso . p. 325. c. l. 1. ibidem in . p. 327. s. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 328. u. l. 8. recidant . ibid. x. l. 4 , 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. z. in stead of the latin , put the greek . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; olympiod . caten . graec. in iob 17. p. 333. h. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 342. * l. 13 , 14. phasada for corruption . p. 343. s. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 346. u. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. v. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 347. b. l. 2 , 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 348. d. s. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 349. h. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 350. m. l. 10. cr●sse out the comma . p. 351. s. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 352. a. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 353. b. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibl . 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 357. n. l. 25. num. 16. 30 , 33. ib. o. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 361. dil . 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 18 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 362. h. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 363. s. l. ult . for 238. put 237. p. 364. t. l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. x. l. i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 366. l. 1. c. autholog . ib. e. l. 8 , 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 367. a. apud . p. 3●9 . r. put the comma before , not after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 370. b. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 371. k. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. lin . 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. o. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 376. k. l. 4. positam p. 377. l. lin . 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibm . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. n. l. ult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; p. 378. o. l. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 379. u. l. 31. numer . p. 383. k. l. 2. cresse out , 294. & . p. 384. r. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 386. * l. 16. for 349. r. 939. ibid. l. 13. ad. p. 387. a. l. 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 391. a. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 394. c. l. 10. spoletinus . p. 401. z. l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 401. l. lin . 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 404. r. l. 18. for 308. put 309. p. 407. i. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. k. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 422. 0. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 423. r. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. s. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 425 , x. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 428. b. l. 11 , 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 43. n. l. ult . for 142. put 241. p. 432. o. for contr . put conc . p. 436. ● . l. 9 , supplicia . ib. g. l. 5. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 4. ●7 . h. l. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 43. 8. l. 1. k. sic , p. 440. q. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 44. u. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. z. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 44 , 2. a. l. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 444. d. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 446. l. lin . 4 , 5. for initio pag. 392. put pag. 435. ad . y. literam . p. 452. * l. 16. quaestiones , ib. l. 18. for , auctorum , r. sanctorum . p. 453. m. l. 16. vi , p. 457. u. l. 6. for , audiens , r. audens , p. 458. g. l. ult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 60. k. l. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. l. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 12. in . matth. and , in eclogis . ib. l. lin . 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 461. m. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. n. l. 2 , ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. o. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 462. q. l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. r. l. ult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 463. l. 5 , 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 46● . y. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 46. * . l. 2. feirand , p. 469. t. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. u. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l. ●0 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 473. 1. l. 4. origin ib. l. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 474. o. l. 5. quirogae . ib. p. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 475. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 476. u. l. 8. honorari , p. 477. a. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. d. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lin . 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. e. l. ult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 485. h. l. 18. aeneid , p. 490. d. l. 2. tribulationis ●p . 491. q. l. 1. miserere , p. 502. x. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. z. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 506. u. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 507. z. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 508. b. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 509. l. 17. for , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 514. l. 1. a. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. ●16 . l. 1. f. quis. à nostrūm p. 518. x. l. 3. istis , r. estis , p. 519. v. l. 5. ut sit . p. 523. l. in . 22. aliqua , l. 27. aequitatem , inesse , p. 526. a. appetere , p. 537. i. prosper , p. 538. k. l. 11. cùm , p. 540. * l. 25. baron , p. 542. x. l. 2. viribus , p. 543. a. l. ult . augustini , p. 548. c. l. 2. quam , p. 553. * . l. 5. merue . p. 554. * l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 555. g. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l , 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. l , 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 556. m. lin . 5. proaemium . ib. n. l. 4 , 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. p. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p 557. q. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. s. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. t. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib. u. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 5●8 . x. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. a. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 18. after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . put a full point ; and after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in lin 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 562. k. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 563. n. l. 18. resecat , ib. p. 3. comparari , p. 564. q. l. 6. blot out . the point . after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. r. l. 4 , 5. read the place thus ; quippiam iustum , non respondebo , sed meum iudicem deprecabor . veiut si apertiùs fa●catur , dicens : etsi ad opus virtutis excrevero , &c. p. 565. t. l 2. beda , p. 573. a. l. 3. bona , p. 576. q. enchirid , p. 580. p. 1. 10. condignae , p. 58. 1. q. l. 8. quidam , p. 582. v. l. 4. origin , ib. z. l. 15. ca●sidor , ib. a. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the catalogue of the authors at the end ; referre tatianus to they yeare 170. at the yeare 290. put pamphilus , for pamphylus . at the yeare 475. faustus regensis , for repensis . referre concilium aquisg●anense sub pipino , to the yeare 836. at the yeare ●●3 . 〈◊〉 asser menevensis be placed . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a14233-e50 a luke 16. 31. b 2 thes. 2. 10 , 11. notes for div a14233-e640 a ephes. 5. 17. b rom. 12. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . c 1 cor. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . d scrutamini legem , in quâ voluntas ejus continetur . sedul . in ephes. 5. e plus vult sapere , qui illa scrutatur quae lex non dicit . id. in rom. 12. f proptereà errant , quia scripturas nesciunt : & quia scripturas ignorant , consequenter nesciunt virtutem dei , hoc est , christum , qui est dei virtus & dei sapientia . claud. in matth. lib. 3. habetur ms. romae in bibliothecâ vallicellaná ; & cantabrigiae , in bibliothce . colleg. benedict . & aulae pembrochianae . g hoc , quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem , eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur . id. ib. h tantùm ea quae in propheticis , evangelicis & apostolicis literis discere poterant , pietatis & castitatis opera diligenter observantes . bed. lib. 3. histor . ecclesiast . cap. 4. i in tantum autem vita illius à nostri temporis segniciâ distabat ; ut omnes qui cum eo incedebant , sive adtonsi , sive laici , meditari deberent , id est , aut legendis scripturis , aut psalmis discendis operam dare . id. ibid. cap. 5. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chrysost. in serm . de utilitate lectionis scripturae , tom . 8 edit . savil. pag 111. l quinque gentium linguis unam eandemque summae veritatis & verae sublimitatis scien●●a● scrutatur & confitetur ; angl●rum videlicet , b●itonum , scotorum , pictorum , & latinorum , quae meditatione scripturarum caeteris omnibus est facta communis . bed. lib. 1. histor. ecclesiast . cap. 1. * iohn 5. 39. m bonis semper moribus delectatur & consentit ; & assiduis scripturarum meditationibus & eloquiis animam vegetar . patric . de abuseonibus saeculi , cap. 5. de pudicitia . n columban . in monastichis , & in epistolâ ad hunaldum . o successit e●gfrido in regnum altfrit , vir in scripturis doctissimus . bed. lib. 4. hist. ca. 26. p ab ipso tempore pueritiae suae curam non modicam lectionibus saeris , simul & monasticis exhibebat disciplinis . bed. lib. 3 hist. cap. 19. ab infantiâ sacris literis & monasticis disciplinis eruditus . iohannes de tinmouth ( & ex eo io. capgrar . ) in vita fursei . q a puerili aetate magnum habet studium sacras discere literas . tom. 4. antiqu. lect . heur . canis . pag. 642. r davidic●● psalmo●um melodiis , & sanctorum evangeliorum mell . fluis lectionibus atque caeteris divitiis exercitationibus e●u fac . in vitâ livini . s tantum i●●ejus pectore divinatum thesauri scripturarum conditi tenebantur ; ut intra adolescentiae aetatem detentus , psalmorum librum elimato sermone exponeret . ion●● in vitâ columba i , cap. 2. t b. burgundofora monasterium quod euoriacas appellatur , &c. secundùm regulam s. columbani instituit . id. in vitâ burgundos . u cùm jam in extremis posita posceret per successiones noctium lumen coram se accendi , & sacrae lectionis praeconia ante se legi , &c. id ibid. x hebraicam veritatem sedul . in galat. 3. & hebr. 7. y non , ut malè in latinis codicious , corrumpit . sedul . in gal. 5. z instruat ; sive , ut melius habetur in graeco , perficiat in spiritu lenitatis . claud. in gal. 6. a absit à te domine : vel ut meliùs habetur in graeco ; propitius esto tibi , domine . id. lib. 2. comment . in matth. b lingua balbo●um velociter loquetur & planè . c linguae balbutientes velociter discent loqui pacem . d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , e exultabitis sicut vituli ex vinculis resoluti . graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . f salietis sicut vituli de armento . g divitiae quas congregabit injustè , evomentur de ventre ejus , trahit illum angelus mortis . itá draconum mulctabi●ur : interficiet illum lingua colubri . graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . h divitias quas devoravit ●vomet , & de ventie illius extrah●t ●as deus . caput aspidum suget , & occidet cum lingua viperae . * ●●nn . hisior . briton . cap. 1. i si rectè offeras , rectè autem non dividas , peccas . asser menervens . de gestis alfreat r. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l nonne si bene egeris , recipies ? fin autem malè , statim in foribus peccatum ●derit ? m in psalmo 117. ubi lxx . interpretes transtulerunt , o domine salvū me fac ; in hebraeo scriptum est , anna adonai osanna : quod interpres noster hieronymus diligentiùs elucidans ita transtulit ; obsecro domine , salva obsecro . claud. scot. in matth. lib. 3. n ms. in bibliothec● eruditissi●i antistiatis d. guilielmi bedelli , kilmorersis & ardachadensis apud nos episcopi . o caradoc . in chronico cambriae , circa annum 1099. ad quem in aliis etiam annalibus britannicis mss. annotatum repperi . sub hujus anni ambitum morti succumbit richmarch cogno . mine sapiens , filius sulgeni episcopi , cum jam annum xliii . aetatis ageret . p quid praetereà beatus esdras propheta ille , bibliotheca legis , minatus sit attendite . gild. epist. * vid. richard. armachanum , de questionib . armeniorum , 〈◊〉 18. cap. 1. q hucusque hebraeorum divina scriptura tempurum seriem continet . quae verò post haec apud iudaeos sunt gesta , de libro maccabaeorum , & iosephi atque aphricani scriptis exhibentur . marian. chron. ms. r in maccabaeorum libris etsi aliquid mirabilium numero inserendum conveniens fuisse huic ordini inveniatur ; de hoc tamen nullâ curâ satigabimur : quia tantum agere proposuimus , unde divini canonis mirabilibus exiguam ( quamvis ingenioli nostri modulum excedentem ) historicam expositionem ex parte aliquâ tangeremus . lib. 2. de mirabilib . script . cap. 34. ( inter opera b. augustini , tom . 3. ) s de ●acu vero iterùm & abacuk translato in belis & draconis fabulà , idcirco in hoc ordine non ponitur ; quòd in authoritate divinae scripturae non habentur . ibid. cap. 32. notes for div a14233-e3440 b praescitam & praedestinatam immobili consilio creaturam , ad se laudandum , & ex se & in se & per se beatè vivendum . s. gallus in serm . habit . constant. c praedestinatione scilicèt aeternâ , non creatione temporariâ , sed vocatione gratuitâ , vel ●ndebitâ , gratiâ . id. ib. d miseretur magná bonitate , ●obdurat nullà iniquita●● : ut neque libera●●s de luis meritis glorietur , neq damnatus nisi de suis meritis conquetatur sola enim 〈◊〉 ●edemptos discernit à perditis , quos in unam perdi●●●● concreavcrat massam , ab ori●●ne ducta caussa communi . sedul . in rom. 9. e videt universum genus humanum tam justo judicio divinoque in apostaticâ radice damnatum ; ut etiamsi nullus inde liberatur , nemo rectè posset dei vituperare justitiam : & qui liberantur , sic oportuisse liberari , ut ex pluribus non liberatis , atque damnatione justissimâ derelictis , ostenderetur quid meruisset universa conspersio , quòd etiam justos debitum judicium dei damnaret , nisi in ejus debitum misericordia subveniret : ut volentium de suis meritis gloriari , omne os obstruatur ; & qui gloriatur , in domino glorietur . id ibid. f libero arbitrio malè utens homo , & se perdidit , & ipsum . sicut enim qui se occidit , utique vivendo se occidit , sed se occidendo non vivit , neque seipsum poterit refuscitare cùm occiderit : ita cùm libero arbitrio peccaretur , victore peccato amissum est & liberum arbitrium . à quo enim quis devictus est , huic & servus addictus est . sed ad benè faciendum ista libertas unde erit homini addicto & vendito , nisi redimat , cujus illa vox est ; si vos filius liberaverit , verè liberi eritis ? id. ibid. g quòd ab adolescentia mens hominum apposita sit ad malitiam : non est enim homo qui non peccet . id. in ephes. 2. h quid habes ex teipso nisi peccatum ? id. in 1 cor. 4. i deus author est omnium bonorum , hoc est , & naturae bonae , & voluntatis bonae ; quam nisi deus in illo operetur , non facit homo . quia praeparatur voluntas à domino in homine bona ; ut faciat deo donante , quod à seipso facere non poterat per liberi arbitrii voluntatem . claud. li. 1. in matth. k praecedit bona voluntas hominis multa dei dona , sed non omnia : quae autem non praecedit ipsa , in eis est & ipsa . nam utrumque legitur in sanctis eloquiis ; & misericordia ejus praeveniet me , & misericordia ejus subsequetur me : nolentem praevenit ut velit , volentem subsequitur , ne frustrà velit . cur enim admonemur petere ut accipiamus ; nisi ut ab illo fiat quod volumus , à quo factum est ut velimus ? sedul . in rom. 9. l non ergo lex data est , ut peccatum auferret , sed ut sub peccato omnia concluderet . lex enim oflendebat esse peccatum , quod illi per consuetudinem caecati possent putare iustitiam : ut hoc modo humiliati cognoscerent non in suâ manu esse salutem suam , sed in manu mediatoris . id. in gal. 3. m non remissio , nec ablatio peccatorum , sed cognitio . id. in rom. 3. n lex , quae per moysen data est , tantùm peccata ostendit , non abstulit . claud. in gal. 2. perque illam legem morbos ostendentem non auferentem , etiam praevaricationis crimine contrita superbia est . id. in gal. 3. o lex non do●at peccata , sed damnat . sedul . in rom. 4. p dominus deus imposuerat non justitiae servientibus sed peccato : justam scilicèt legem injustis hominibus dando , ad demonstranda peccata eorum , non auferenda . non enim aufert peccata nisi gratiâ fidei quae per dilectionem operatur . claud. in argument . epist. ad gal. q gratis nobis donantur peccata . sedul . in gal. 1. a morte redemptis gratis peccata dimittuntur . id. in ephes. 1. r absque operum merito , & peccata nobis concessa sunt pristina , & p●x indulta post veniam . claud. in gal. 1. s gratiâ estis salvati per fidem , id est , non per opera . sedul . in eph. 2. t non in propriâ justitiâ , vel doctrinâ , sed in fide crucis , per quam mihi omnia peccata dimissa sunt . sedul & claud. in gal. 6. u abjecta & irrita gratia est , si ●●bi sola non sufficit . sedul . in gal. 2. x christum vilem habetis , dum putatis eum vobis non sufficere ad salutem . id. in galat. 3. y disposuit deus propitium sefuturum esse humano generi , si credant in sanguine ejus se esse liberandos . id. in rom. 3. z vita corporis amma , vi a animae fides est . id. in hebr. 10. a in fide vivo filii dei , id est , in solâ fide , qui ni●●ld●b olegi . id. in . gal. 2. b perfectionem legi habet , qui credit in christo. cùm enim nullus iustifica●●tui ex lege , quia nemo implebat legem , nisi qui sp●raret in promissionem ch●●●● : fides posita est , quae cederet pro perfectione legi ; ut in omnibus praetermissis fides satissaceret pro totâ lege . id. in rom. 10. c non nostra , non in nobis , sed in christo , quasi membra in capite . id. in 2 cor. 5. d fides , dimissis per gratiam peccatis , omnes credentes filios efficit abrahae . id. in rom. 4. e iustum fuerat , ut quo modo abraham credens ex gentibus per solam fidem iustificatus est ; ita caeteri fidē eius imitantes salvarentur . id. in rom. 1. f per adoptionem efficimur filii dei , credendo in filium dei. claud. l●b . 1. in mat. g testimonium adoptionis , quòd habemus spiritum , per quem ita oramus : ● intam enim arrham non poterant , nisi filii accipere . sed. in rom. 8. h ipse moses distinxit inter utramque iustitiam , fidei scilicet atque factorum : quia altera operibus , altera solâ credulitate iustificet accedentem . id. in rom. 10. i patriarchae & prophetae non ex operibus legis , sed ex fide iustificati sunt . id. in gal. 2. k ita praevaluit consuetudo peccandi , ut nemo iam perficiat legem : sicut petrus apostolus ait ; quod neque nos neque patres nostri portare potuimus . si qui verò iusti non erant maledicti ; non ex operibus legis , sed fidei gratiâ salvati sunt . id. in gal. 3. l hoc contra illos agit , qui solam fidem posse sufficere dicunt . sedul . in ephes. 5. non ergo sola ad vitam sufficit fides . claud in gal. 5. bis . haec sententia illos revincit , qui solam fidem ad salutem animarum suarum sufficere arbitrantur . id. ibid. in fine . m gal. 5. 6. n iam. 2. 17. o si gentes fides sola non salvat , nec nos : quia ex operibus legis nemo iustificabitur . claud. in galat . 2. p non quò legis opera contemnenda sint , & absque eis simplex fides adpetenda ; sed ipsa opera fide christi adornentur . sc●● est enim sapientis viri ●sla sententia ; non fidelem v●v●●e ex iustitiâ , sed iustum ex fide . id. in galat . 3. q gratis proposuit per solam fidem dimittere peccata . sedul . in rom. 4. r vt solâ fide salvatentur credentes . idem . in galat. 3. s per solam fidem christi , quae per dilectionem operatur , id. in hebr. 6. t haee fides cùm justificata fuerit , ●anquam radix imbre suse pro , haeret in animae solo ; ut cum per legem dei excoli ●aeperit , rurtùm in eam surgant rami , qui fructus operum ferant . non ergo ex operibus radix justitiae , sed ex radice justitiae fructus operum crescit● illâ scilicet radice justitiae , cu● deus accep●●in fert justitiam sine operibus . id. in rom. 4. u columban . in 〈◊〉 . x pe●s●three convers. part . 1. chap. 3. sect . 10. y habet enim progeniem seoticae gentis , de britannorum viciniâ . hieron . prooem . lib. 3. commentar . in ierem. z vnumquem jue adiustitiam voluntate propriâ regi ; tantumque accipere gratiae , quantum meruerit . morian , scot. chron. ad an . dom 413. vel 414. whereof see more particularly , the answer to the iesuite , in the question of free-will . a omnium bonarum voluntatum inssigator ; necnon etiam , ut habeantur bona desiderata , largissimus administrator . neque enim unquam aliquem bene velle insligaret , nisi & hoc , quod bene & iustò quisque habere desiderat , largiter administraret . asser. d● rebus gestic aelfredi . r. b prosp. aquitan . advers . coelater . 〈…〉 . d blasphemia & stultiloquium est dicere , esse hominem sine peccato quod omnino non potest , nisa unus mediater dei & hominum 〈◊〉 christus iesus , qui sine peccato est conceptus & partus . epist. cler. roman . apud . ●●dam , lib. 2. hist. cap. 13. e quia , ( quod omnibus sapientibus patet , licèt haeretici contradicant ) nemo est , qui sine adtactu alicuius peccati vivere possit super terram . claud. lib. 2. in . matth. f nullus electus & ita magnus , quem diabolus non audeat accusare : nisi illum solum , qui peccatum non fecit , qui & dicebat ; nunc venit princeps huius mundi , & in me nihil . invenit . sedul . in rom. 8. g non potest impleri . id. in rom. 7. h non est qui faciat bonum , hoc est , perfectum & integrum bonum id. in rom. 3. i ad hoc nos elegit , ut essemus sancti & immaculati , in futurâ vitâ ; quoniam ecclesia christi non habebit maculam neque rugam . licèt etiam in praesenti vitâ justi , & sancti , & immaculati , quamvis non ex toto , tamen ex parte , non inconuenienter dici possunt . id. in ephes . 1. k tunc erit iustus fine ullo omninò peccato , quando nulla lex erit in memberis eius , repugnans legi mentis eius . claud. in gal. 5. l non enim iam regnat peccatum in eorum mortali corpore ad obediendum desideriis eius : quamvis habitet in eodem mortali corpore peccatum , nondum extincto impetu consuetudinis naturalis , quâ mortaliter nati sumus , & ex proptlis vitae nostrae , cùm & nos ipsi peccando auximus quod ab origine peccati humani damnationis trahebamus . id ibid. m vocatione dei , non merito facti . sedul . in . rō . 1. n se●●nd●m virtutem quae operatur in nobis ; non secundùm merita nostra . id. in ephes. 3. o sciendum est , quin omne quod habent homines à deo , gratia est : nihil enim ex ●ebito habent . id. in rom. 16. p nihil dignum inveniri vel comparati ad futuram glori●m potest . id. in rom. 8. notes for div a14233-e5980 a qui de purgatorio dubitat , scotiam pergat , purgatorium sancti patricii intret , & de purgatorii poenis ampliùs non dubitabit . caesar. heisterbach . dialog . lib. 12. cap. 38. b cujus loci fama , ita sparsim per omnes europae partes velare visa est ; ut caesarius celeberrimus auctor , de eo nihil dubitans sic scribat . guil. thyraeus , in discurs panegyrit . de s. patric . pag. 151. c henr. saltereyens . in lib. de visione oeni mil t is ms. in publicâ cantabrigiensis academiae bibliothecâ ; & privatâ viri doctiss . m. tho●ae alani oxomensis ; & in nigro libro ecclesiae s. trinitat . dublin . d de posteriori non minùs authentica videtur auctoritas giraldi cambrensis , rerum lbernicarum diligentissimi investigatoris , qui taliter loquitur . thyr , discurs . panegyric . pag. 153. e de infernalibus namque reproborum poenis , & de verâ post mortem perpetuâque electorum vitâ vir sanctus cum gente incredulâ dum disputâsset : ut tanta , tam inusitata , tam inopinabilis rerum novitas rudibus infidelium animis oculatâ fide certi●s imprimeretur : efficaciorationum instantiâ magnam & admirabilem utriusque rei notitiam , dutaeque cervicis populo perutilem , meruit in terris obtinere . giral . cambrens . topograph . hibern . distinct . 2. cap. 5. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . marcus ephesius , in graecorum apolog. de igne purgatorio ad concil . basileens . g tria sunt sub omnipotentis dei nutu habitacula : primum , mum , medium ▪ quorum sumimum , regnum dei vel reg●ū coelorum di●itur , imum vocatur inferous , medium mundu● praesens vel orbis tertarum appellatur . quo●um extrema omninô sibi invieem sunt contraria , & nullâ sibi societate conju●cta : ( quae enim societas potest esse luci ad tenebras , & christo ad belial ? ) medium veò nonnullam habet similitudinem ad extrema , &c commixio namque malorum simul & honorum in h●c mundo est . in regno autem dei nulli mali sunt , sed omnes boni : at in inferno nulli boni sunt , sed omnes mali . et uterque locus ex medio suppietur . h●minum enim huius mundi ali● elevantur ad coelum , ali● trahuntur ad infernum . similes quippe similibus i●●gu 〈◊〉 , id est , boni bonis , & mali malis ; iusti homines iustis angelis , transg essores homine transgressoribus angelis ; servidei deo , servi diaboli diabolo . benedicti vocantur ad 〈…〉 paratum ab origine mundi : maledicti expelluntur in ignem aeternum , qui prae para●● 〈◊〉 diabolo & angelis eius . patric . de trib , babitac . ms. in bibliothecâ regid iacobae● . h custodita●imam usque dum steterit ante tribunal christi ; cui refert sua prout gesserit propria . nec archangelus potest ducere ad vitam , usque dum indicaverit eam dominus ; nec zabulus ad poenam traducere , nisi dominus damnaverit cam . synod . hibern . in vet . cod . canonum , titulorum 66. ms. in bibliothecá d. roberti cot●oni . cuius initium : inter vetera concilia , quatuor esse venerabiles synodos , &c. i finem dixit exitum vitae & actuum ; cui aut mors , aut vita succedit . sedul . in rom. 7. k mors po●ta est , per quam itur ad regnum id. in . 1. cor. 3. l suscepit christus sine reatu supplicium nostrum ; ut inde solreret reatum uostrum , & finiret etiam supplicium nostrum . claud. in galat. 3. m beda lib. 3. hist. anglor . cap. 19. scribit , b. furseum à mortuis resurgentem narrâsse multa , quae vidit de purgatoriis poenis . bellarm. de purgator . lib. 1. cap. 11. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . phot. bibliothec. num . ●30 . o etsi terribilis iste & grandis rogus videtur , tamen iuxta merita operum singulos examina● : quia uniuscuiusque cupiditas in hoc igne ardebit . bede lib. 3. cap. 19. p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . damasc. . apud ●o . philoponum 〈◊〉 1. meteor . fol. 104. b. q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . id. ibid. r hic homo non purgavit delicta sua in terrâ , 〈◊〉 vindictam hic recipit . vbi ●st ergo iusticia dei ? ab . v●ae furse● . s si peccata mortuorum redimi possunt ab amicis suis remanentibus in hâc vitâ ; orando , vel eleemosynas faciendo . vit. brendani , in legendâ . io. cap. gravii . t colmannus , inquit , vocor : qui sui monachus iracundus , discordiaeque seminator inter fratres . ibid. u in hoc ergo , dilectissimi , apparet : quòd oratio vivorum multùm mortuis prodest . 〈◊〉 . x multa apocrypha deliramenta . molan . in vsuard . martyolog . mai. 26. y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . phof . bibliothec . num . 130. z nova legenda angliae . impress . londin . an . 1516. a qui videlicèt columba nunc à nonnullis , composito à cella & columba nomine , colum-celli vocatur . bed. lib. 5. hist. ca. 10. b adaman . vit. columb . lib. 3. cap. 15. c meque ( ait ) hodiè , quamlibèt indignus sim , ob venerationem illius animae , quae hâc in nocte inter sanctos angelorum choros vecta ultra siderea coelorum spatia ad paradisum ascendit , sacra oportet eucharistiae celebrare mysteria . ib. cap. 16. d vidi , inquit , animam cujusdam sancti manibus angelicis ad gaudia regni coelestis ferri . bed. in vit . cuthbert . cap. 34. e coeperunt missas agere , & precibus insistere pro commemoratione b. columbani . walafrid . vit. gall. lib. 1. cap. 26. theodor. vit . magni , li. 1. cap. ult . edit . goldasti , c. 12. canissi . f deinde tanti patris memoriam precibus sacris & sacrificiis salutaribus frequentaverunt . ibid. g post hujus vigilias noctis , cognovi per visionem , dominum & patrem meum colum. banum de hujus vitae angustiis hodie ad paradisi gaudia commigrásse . pro ejus itaque requie sacrificium salutis debeo immolare . ibid. h presbytez eum ut surgeret monuit , & pro requie defuncti ambitiosiùs dominum precaretur . intraverunt itaque ecclesias , & ●piscopus pro ●●a●ssimo salutares hostias immolavit amico . finito autem fraternae commemorationis obsequio , &c. walafrid . strab. vit . gall. lib. 1. cap. 30. qui etiam addit postea , discipulos ejus , pariter cum episcopo orationem pro illo fecisse . cap. 33. i noli flere , venerabilis p●aesul , quia me in tot mundialium perturbationum procellis laborantem conspicis : quoniam credo in misericordiâ dei , quòd anima mea in immortalitatis libertate fit gavisura . tamen deprecor , ut orationibus tuis sanctis me peccatorem & animam meam non desinas adjuvare . theodor , campiden . vel quicunque author fuit vitae magni , lib. 2. cap. 13. edit . goldasti , cap. 28. canissi . k veni , magne , veni ; accipe cotonam quam tibi dominus praeparatam habet . ibid. l cessen●●● flere , frater ; quia potiùs nos oportet gaudere de animae ejus in immortalitate sumprae hoc signo audito , quàm luctum facere : sed eamus ad ecclesiam , & pro tam charissimo amico salutares hostias domino immolare studeamus . finito itaque fraternae commemorationis obsequio , &c. ibid. m dum in praesenti seculo sumus , sive orationibus , sive consiliis invicem posse nos adjuvari : cùm autem ante tribunal christi venerimus , nec iob , nec daniel , nec noe , rogare posse pro quoquam ; sed unumquemque portare onus suum . claud. in gal. 6. n columban . in epist. ad hunaldum . notes for div a14233-e8130 a adorare alium praeter patrem & filium , & spiritum sanctum , impietatis crimen est . sedul . in rom. 1. b totum quod debet deo anima , si alicui praeter deum reddiderit , moechatur . id. in rom. 2. c recedentes à lumine veritatis sapientes ; quasi qui invenissent , quo modo invisibilis deus per simulacrum visibile coleretur . id. in . rom. 1. d deus non in manufactis habitat , nec in metallo aut saxo cognoscitur . claud. lib. 2. in matth. e non adjurandam esse crea●uram aliam , nisi creatorem . yaod . patricij . can . 23. ms. f auselm . lib. 3. epist. 143. g episcopis , presbyteris totius hiberniae , infimus praesulum gille lunicensis in christo salutē . roga●● , nec non & praecepto multorum ex vobis ( charissimi ) canonicalem consuetudinem in dicencis horis , & peragendo totius ecclesiastici ordinis officio , scribere conatus sum ; non praesumptivo , sed vestrae cupiens piissimae servire jusstoni● ut diversi & schismatici illi ordines , quibus hibernia penè tota delusa est , uni catholico & roma●o ced●nt officio . quid enim magis indecens aut schismaticum dici poterit ; quàm doctiss●mum unius ordinis in alterius ecclesiâ idiotam & laicum fieri ? &c. prolog gille five gilleberti lummicensis epise . de usu ecclesiastic . ms. in colleg. s. benedict . & public● academiae cantabrigiensis bibliothecâ . h apostolicas sanctiones as decreta sanctorum patrum , praecipueque consuetudines sanctae romanae ecclesiae in cunctis eccle●iis statuebat . hinc est quòd hodieque in illis ad horas canonicas cantatur & psallitur juxta motem universae terrae : nam minimè id antè f●●bat , ne in civitate quidem . ipse verò in adolescentiâ cantum didicerat , & in suo coenobio mox cantati fecit ; cùm necdum in civitate seu in episcopatu universo cantare scirent , vel vellent , bernard . in vitâ mal●thia . i officium etiam ecclesiasticum ritè modulandum statuerunt . iohan. brampto● , in ioralanensi historiâ . ms. k omnia divina ad instar sa ●osanctae ecclesiae , iuxta quod anglicana observat ecclesia , in om●ibus pa●tibus hiberniae amodo tractentur . girald . cambr. hibern . exp●gnat . lib. 1. cap. 34. l conci●● statuta sub●cripta sunt , & regiae sublimitatis authoritate firmata id. ibid. m ex ipsius triumphatoris mandato , in civitate cassiliensi convenerunt . id. ibid. n vt ministerium baptizandi , quo deo renascimur , iuxta morem sanctae romanae & apostolicae ecclesiae compleatis , bed. lib. 2. histor cap. 2. o per universum orbè terra●um , in ecclesiâ ordo cursus gallorum diffusus est . fragment . de ecclesiasticorum officiorum origine . ms. bibliothecâ c●ttonianâ . p gildas ait . britones toti mundo contrarii , moribus romanis inimici non solùm in missâ , sed etiam in tonsurâ . cod. ca●●●● titulorum 66. ms. in eâdem bibliothecâ . q adamnan . vit. columb . lib. 3. cap. 31. r 〈◊〉 tactic . cap. 11. sect . 18. s adamnan . vit. columb . lib. 〈…〉 . 15. t walafrid . strab. vit. gall. lib. 1. cap. 26. theodor. campidonens . vel quicunque author . fuit vit. magni , lib. 1. cap. 9. edit . goldast . cap. 12. conis●i . u heb. 13. 16. x 2 cor. ●5 . y heb. 13. 15. z praeceptor mens b. columbanus in vasis aeneis domino solet sacrificium offerre salutis . walafrid . strab. vit. gall. lib. 1. cap. 19. a testamentū episcopi sive principis est ; 10. scripuli sacerdoti danti sibi sacrificium . synod . hibern . in vet . lib. can●num cotte●●nious , titulorum 66. b qui in vitâ suâ non merebi●● sacrificū accipere : quomodo post mortem illi potest adjuvare ? synod patric . cap. 12. ms. c invicem expectate , id est , usque quo sacrificium accipiatis . sedul . in 1 cor. 11. d gravi infirmitate depressus , à suis commonitus est vicinis , ut iuxta morem susciperet sacrificium communienis . ex vitâ s. samsonis ms. in libro 〈◊〉 eccles●● 〈◊〉 tilo . e hebr. 13. 10. f id fit potissimùm ob●●acrificii , non ob sacramenti integtitatem . bellarmin . de sacrament . eucharist . lib. 4. cap. 22. in fine . g rhem. annotat . in matth. 26. 26. h mittas presbyterum qui illam , priusquam moriatur , visitet ; eique dominici corporis & sanguinis sacramenta ministret bed. de vit. cuthbert . pros . cap. 15. i acceptis è me sacramentis salutaribus exin●● suum , quem iam venisse cognovit , dominici corporis & sanguinis com●un●●●● munivit . ibid. cap. 39. k bed. de vit. cuthbert . corm . cap. 36. l petivitque & accepit sacri corporis & sanguinis communionem . author antiqu . vitae fursaei . m principes & doctores ecclesiae christi , animas fidelium ad poenitentiae lamentum post culpas pro●ocent ; & eas spirituall pastis doctrinae , ac sacri corporis & sanguinis participatione solidis reddant . ibid. n pe● alterum ●stium abbati●● cu●suis puellis & vid●is fidelibus 〈…〉 convivio corporis & sanguinis fruantur iesu christi . cogitos . vit . brigid . o quadam ex his nomine domna , cùm jam corpus domini accepisset , ac sanguinem libâffet . i●n . vit. burgundofor . p 1 cor. 11. 26. q rhem. in mat. 26. 26. r venerabilis viri sedulii paschale opus , quod heroicis descripsit versibus , insigni laude praeferimus . synod . roman . sub gelasi● . s hinc quoque conspicui radiavit lingua seduli . venant . fortunat. de vitâ s. martini , lib. 1. t bonus sedulius , poëta evangelicus , orator facundus , scriptor catholicus . hildephons . toletan . serm . 5. de assumpt . maria . u sedulii scoti hiberniensis , in omnes epistolas pauli collectan : excus . basil. an . 1528. x sedul . carm. paschal . lib. 4. y triticeae sementis cibus suavis , & amoenae vitis potus amabilis . id. pros . lib. 4. ca. 14. z melchisedech vinum & panem obtulit abraham , in figuram christi , corpus & sanguinem suum deo patri in cruce offerentis . secul●n heb. 5. a nos verò in commemorationem dominicae semel passionis quotidie nostraeque salutis offerimus . id●● heb. 10. b suam memoriam nobis reliquit : quemadmodum si quis peregrè proficiscens aliquod pignus ei quem diligit derelinquat ; ut quotiescunque illud viderit , possit ejus beneficia & amicitias recordari . id. in 1 cor. 11. c voluit antè discipulis suis tradere sacramentum corporis & sanguinis sui , quod significavit in fractione corporis & effusione calicis , & posteà ipsum corpus immolari in ara crucis . claud. lib. 3. in matth. d see chrysostom , theodoret , and ephraemius antiochenus , in the answer to the iesuit , pag. 66 , 67. of the last edition . e apud rathrannum ( sive bertramum ) & aelfricum , passim . f quia panis corpus confirmat , vinum verò sanguinem operatur in carne : hic ad corpus christi mysticè , illud refertur ad sanguinem . id. ibid. g quòd corpus christi in altaris sacramento est solum speculum ad corpus christi in coelo . ex actis ● illelmi andreae midensis episcopi contra henr. crumpe , anno 1384. que ms a. hab●o . h iohannis scoti liber de eucharistiâ lectus est , ac damnatus . lanfranc . de eucharist . contr . berengar . i iohanne mjnū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alfred . praefat . in gregor . pastoral . saxonic . k praefertim cùm ex mirabilibus scripturae dominicae nil praeterire disposui , in quibus à ministerio quotidian● excellere in aliis videntur . lib. 2. de mirabilib . scriptur . cap. 21. notes for div a14233-e12470 a quod infantes baptismo sine chrismate consecrato baptizantur . lanfranc . epist. ms. in bibliothecâ cottonian● : & apud baron . an . 1089. num . 16. ubi tamen sive malè habetur prosine . b vsum saluberrimum confessionis , sacramentum confirmationis , contractum conjugiorum ( quae omnia aut ignorabant aut negligebant ) malachias de novo instituit . bernard . in vitâ malachiae . c inter mundanas occupationes castissimam vitam rationabili consideratione degere dicuntur . alcuin . epist. 26. edit . h. canisti , 71. andreae quercetan● . d dicitur verò neminem ex laicis suam velle confessionem sacerdotibus dare : quos à deo christo cum sanctis apostolis ligandi solvendique potestatem accepisse credimus , ibid. e coram omnibus qui ibidem erant peccata sua confessus est . adamnan . vit . columb . lib. 1. cap. 16. ( vel 20. in ms. ) f surge fili , & consolare : dimi●●a sunt tua , quae commi●isti , peccamina . quia sicut scriptum est ; cor contritum & humiliatum deus non spernit . ibid. g accedens ad sacerdotem , à quo sibi spera●at iter salutis posse demonstrari ; confessus est reatum suum , petiique 〈◊〉 consilium sibi daret , quo posset fugere à venturâ dei irâ . bed. lib. 4. histor . cap. 25. h confessa dignis ( ut imperabat ) poenitentiae fructibus abstergerent . id. ibid. cap. 27. i christianu● qui occiderit , aut fornicationem fecerit , aut more gentilium ad aruspicem meaverit ; per singula crimina annum poenitentiae agar , impleto cum testibus veniat anno poenitentiae , & posteà resolvetur à sacerdote . synod . patricij , auxilij & issernini ms. in bibliothecâ collegii benedict . cantabrig . k necnon etiam nunc in episcopis ac presbyteris omni ecclesiae officium idem committitur : ut videlicèt agnitis peccantium caussis , quoscunq , humiles ac verè poe●●●entes aspexerint , hos iam à timore perpetuae mortis miserantes absolvant , quos ver in peccatis quae egerint persistere cognove●int illos perennibus suppliciis obli gandos ●●●sinuent . claud in matth. lib. 2. l verum dicunt scribae , quia nemo dim●●tere peccata nisi sulus deus potest ; qui per eos quoque dimi● ut , quibus dimitiendi tribuit p●testatem . et ideò christus verè deus esse probatur ; quia dimittere peccata quasi deus potest . verum deo testimonium reddunt ; sed personam christi negando falluntur . id. in matth. lib. 1. m si & deus est , iuxta psalmistam , qui quantum distat oriens ab occasu clongavit à nobis iniquitates nostras ; & filius hominis potestatem habet in terrâ dimittendi peccata : ergò idem ipse & deus & filius hominis est . ut & homo christus per divinitatis suae potentiam peccata dimittere possit ; & idem deus christus per humanitatis suae fragilitatem pro peccatoribus mori . ibid. n ostendit se deum , qui potest cordis occulta cognoscere ; & quodam modo tacens loquitur . eâdem maiestate & potentiâ quà cogitationes vestras intueor , possum & hominibus delicta dimittere . ibid. o in paralytico à quatuor viris portato , quatuor divina opera cernuntur . dum dimittuntur ei peccata , & praesentis aegritudinis plaga verbo tunc solvitur , & cogitationibus in ore dei omnia scrutantis respondetur . auth. lib. de mirabilib . s. scriptur . lib. 3. cap. 7. p deus solus potest occulta hominum scire , sedul . in rom. 2. q corda hominum nôffe solius dei est , & mentis secreta agnoscere . id. ibid. r nondum deeimas vel primitias solvunt : nondum matri●●nia contrahunt ; non incestus vitant . girald . cambr. topograph . hibera . distinct . 3. cap. 19. vide etiam lanfranci epist. ad gothricum & terdeluacum reges hibern . apud baronium , an . 1089. num . 13. & 16. s videtur indicare , esse aliquid quod donum quidem fit , non tamen spirituale : ut nuptiae . sedul . in rom. 1. t de consanguinitate in conjugio . intelligite quid lex loquitur , non minùs nec plus . quod autem observatur apud nos , ut quatuor genera dividantur ; nec vidisse di●unt nec legisse . synod . patric . cap. 19. ms. u audi decreta synodi super istis . frater thorum defuncti fratris non ascandat : domino dicente , erunt duo in carne unâ . ergo uxor fratris tui soror tua est , ibid. cap. 25. & in excerptis è inre sacerdota●i egborti archiepisc . per hucarium levitam . ms. x vit ●ilia●● , tom . 4. antiqu . lect . henr. ca●●sti , pag. 633. & 644. y iudaismum inducens , judicat justum esse christiano , ut si voluerit , viduam fratris defuncti accipiat uxorem . bonifac . epist. ad zachar . tomo 3. concil . part . 1. pag. 382. edit . colon. an. 1618. z inferens christianis iudaismum , dum praedicat fratris defuncti accipere uxorem . concil . roman . ii. sub . zachar. ibid. pag. 383. e. a quinimo ( quod valde detestabile est , & non tantùm fidei , sed & cuilibet honestati valde contrarium ) fratres pluribus per hiberniam locis fratrum defunctorum uxores , non dico ducunt , sed traducunt , imo verius seducunt ; dum trupiter eas , & tam incestuosè cognoscunt : veteris in hoc testamenti non medullae sed cortici adhaerentes , veteresque libentiùs in vitiis quàm virtutibus imitari volentes . girald . cambr. topograph . hibern . distinct . 3. cap. 19. b non licet secundùm praeceptum domini ut dimittatur conjunx , nisi caussâ fornicationis . sedul . in 1 cor. 7. c non licet viro dimittere uxorem nisi ob caussam fornicationis . ac fi dicat , ob hanc caussam . vnde si ducat alterum , velut post mortem prioris , non ve●ant . synod . patrie . cap. 36 ms. d si alicujus uxor fornicata fuerit cum alio viro : non adducet aliam uxorem , quandiù viva fuerit uxor prima . si fortè conversa fuerit , & agat poenitentiam , suscipiet eam ; & serviet ei in vicem ancillae : & anuum integrum in pan● & aquâ per mensuram poeniteat ; nec in uno lecto permaneant . ex libro 〈◊〉 cott●●an● , titul●●m 66. e quicunque clericis , ab ostiario usque ad sacerdotem , fine 〈◊〉 visus fuerit , &c. & uxor ejus si non velato capite ambulaverit : pariter à laicis contemnenurtur , & ab ecclesiâ separentur . synod . patric . auxil issernin . f patrem habui calporn●●●● diaconum , filium quondam potiti presbyteri . s. patricii confessio . ms. g imperfecta est patrum castitas , si eidem non & 〈◊〉 accumul●●● . sed quid crir , ubi nec pater , nec filius mali genitoris exemplo pravatus , conspicitu● castus ? gildas . h sic inveni , ut tibi samuel ( infans magistri mei benlani presbyteri ) in istâ pagina scripsi . nennius in ms o. dunelmensi . i versus nennii ad samuelem filium magistri sui benlani , viri religiosi , ad quem historiam istam scripserat . nenn. ms. in publicâ cantaebrigiensis academiae bibliothecâ * hinc apud balaeum , centur. 1 cap. 77. benlani presbyteri 〈◊〉 laeta est nominata . k si clericus haberet foeminam datam à suo genere , & sic habee filium ex eâ ; & posteà ille cleritus presbyteratus ordinem accipiens , si post votum consecrationis filium haberet de eâdem foeminâ ; prior filius non debet partiri cum filio post nato . ex legib . howel dha , ms. in 〈◊〉 cottonia●â . l successivè & post patres filii ecclesias obtinent , non electivè sed haereditate possidentes & polluentes sanctuarium dei. quia si praelatus alium eligere & instituere fortè praesumpserit ; in instituentem procùl dubiò , vel institutum , genus injuriam vindicabit . girald , cambrensis descript. cambri● , libro 2 ● . ms. successio●is quippe vitium non solùm in sedibus cathedralibus , verùm etiam adeò per totam in clero sicut & in populo walliam per●inaciter inyaiuit ; quòd & post patres filii passim ecclesias & consequenter obtineant , tanquam haereditate possidentes & polluentes sanctuarium dei , &c. id. in dialogo de ecclesiâ menevensi , distinct . 1. ms. m hildebert . epist. 65. ad honorium ii. ( tomo 12. bibloth . patr. part . 1. pag. 338. 339. edit . colon. ) n ex quibus constare potest , utrumque vitium toti huic genti britanniae tam cismarinae quàm transmarinae ab antiquo commune fuisse . girald . cambr. in utroque . o alphons . ciacon . in vitis pontificum & cardinalium , pag. 515. notes for div a14233-e14620 a 〈…〉 in clerum electi 〈…〉 distinct 3. cap. 29. b ecgbenu● cum c●adda adolescente & ipse adolescens in hiberniâ monasticam in orationibus & continentiâ & meditatione divinarū scriptura●um vitam sedulus agebat . bed. lib. 4. hist. cap. 3. c sed & diebus dominicis ad ecclesiam sive ad monasteria certatim , non reficiendi eorp●ris , sed erudiendi sermonis dei gratiâ confluebant id. lib. 3. cap. 26. d hactenus videri poterat actum esse cum sapientiae studiis ; nisi semen deus servâsset in aliquo mundi angulo . in scotis & hibernis haeserat aliquid adhuc de doctrinâ cognitionis dei & honestatis civilis ; quòd nullus fuerit in ultimis illis mundi finibus armorum terror , &c. et summam possumus ibi conspicere & adorare dei bonitatem ; quòd in scotis , & locis , ubi nemo putâsset , tam numerosi coaluerint sub strictissimâ disciplinâ coetus . jacob. curi● , lib. ● rerum chronologie . e si quis frater inobediens fuerit ; duos dies uno paxmate & aquâ . si quis dicit , non faci●m ; tres dies uno paxmatio & aquâ . si quis ●●murat ; duos dies uno paxmatio & aquâ . si quis veniam non petit , aut dicit excu●●tionem ; 〈◊〉 dies uno paxmatio & aquâ . col●● lib. de quatidi●●us p●●itentus 〈◊〉 ca 10. ms. in ●●asteris s. galli . f quid prodest , si virgo corpore sit , & non sit virgo ●ente ? id. in regulâ 〈◊〉 . cap. 8. g quotidie proficiendum est : sicut quotidie orandum , quotidicque est legendum . ibid. cap. 5. h bona vanè laudat● pharis●i perierunt : & peccata publicani accusata evanuerunt . non exeat igitur verbum grande de ore monachi : ne suus grandis pereat labor . ibid. cap. 7. i tantam nos habere per natura● liberi arbitrii non peccandi possibilitatem : ut plus etiam quàm praeceptum est , faciamus : quoniam perpe●a servatur à plerisque virginitas , quae praecepta non est ; cùm ad 〈◊〉 peccandum praecepta impl●re sufficiat . aug. de gesti● synod . palestin . contra pelag. cap. 13. k ipsis apostolis & eorum sequacibus ita bonum virginitatis arripiendum persuasit : ut hoc scirent non humanae industriae , sed muneris esse divini . s. gallus , in serm . ●abit . constant. l non in solo rerum corporearum nitore , sed etiam in ipsis sordibus luctuosis esse posse jactantiam : & eo periculosiorem , quo sub nomine servitutis dei decipit . claud. lib. 1. in matth. m act. 20. 35. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; euseb. lib. 1. hist. cap. ult . o qui nostra reliquimus , ut secundùm evangelicam jussionem dominum sequeremur , non debemus alienas amplecti divitias ; ne fortè praevagicatores simus divini mandati . walafrid . strab. vit . galli , lib. 1. cap. 2. p alii hortum labor averunt , alii arbores pomiferas excoluerunt . b. verò gallus texebat retia , &c. & de ●odem labore afliduas populo benedictiones exhibuit . ibid. cap. 6. q et primùm quidem permodicum ab eis panem , quo vesceretur accipi●hat , ac suo bibebat è fonte : postmodùm verò proprio mantum labore juxta exempla patrum vivere magis aptum ducebat . rogavit ergo afferri sibi instrumenta quibus terram exerceret , & triticum quod fereret . bed. vit . cuthbert . pros . cap. 19. vid. li. 4. hist , eccles . cap. 28. r id. in carm. de vit . cuthbert . cap. 17. s id. lib. 3. hist. eccles . cap. 19. t bonifac. in vitâ livini , pag. 240. u theod. ca●did . vit . magni , lib. 1. cap. 5. edit . goldasti , 6. ca●issi . x 2 thes. 3. 12. y qui in monasteriis degun● , cum silentio operante● , suum panem manducent . vit. fursei . z ●am enim istis in temporibus non poterit magnus aut mediocris in clero & populo aut vix cibum sumere , ubi tales non affuerint mendicantes : non more pauperum petentes ad portas vel ostia humiliter eleemosynam ( ut franciscus in testamento praecepit & docuit ) mendicando ; sed curias , sive domos , sine verecundiâ penetrantes , & inibi hospitantes , nullatenùs invitati , edunt & bibunt quae apud eos reperiunt . secum nihilominùs aut grana , aut similam , aut panes , aut carnes , seu caseos ( et●amsi in domo non fuerint nisiduo ) secum extorquendo reportant : nec eis quisquam poterit denegare , nisi verecundiam naturalem abjiciat . rich. armachanus , in defensorio curaterum , pag. 56. 57. edit . paris . an . 1625. ( collat . cum vetere editione ascensianâ . ) a prima conclusio erat , quòd dominus iesus christus in conversatione suâ humanâ semper pauper erat , non quia propter se paupertatem dilexit aut voluit . ibid. pag. 104 , 105. b secunda conclusio erat , quòd dominus noster iesus christus nunquam spontaneè mendicavit . ib. pag. 107. c tertia conclusio fuit ; quòd christus nunquam docuit spontaneè mendicare . ib. pag. 121. d quarta conclusio fuit ; quòd dominus noster iesus christus docuit non debere homines spontaneè mendicare . ibid. pag. 123. e quinta conclusio erat ; quod nullis potest prudenter & sanctè spontaneam mendicitatem super se assumere perpetuò asservandam . quoniam ex quo talis mendicitas vel mendicatio est dissuasa à christo , à suis ap●sto●● & discipulis , & ab ecclesiâ ac sacris scripturis , ac etiam reprobata : consequitur quòd non potest prudenter & sanctè assumi hoc modo . ibid. pag. 131. vid. ejusd . richardi sermonem 3 apud crucem londi● . edit . paris an . 1512. f quòd fratres de quatuor ordinibus mendican●●● non sunt nec fuer●at domino inspirante instituti ; sed contra concilium generale 〈◊〉 sub innocentio tertio celebratum , ac per ficta & falsa & falsa somnia , papa honorius suasus à fratr●●bus eos confirmavit . act. contra henr. crumpe , in thomae waldensis fasciculo 〈◊〉 , quem ms um ●abeo . g quòd omnes doctores determinantes pro parte fratrum 〈…〉 dudum , vel timuerunt veritatem dicere , ne eorum libri per fratres inquisitores haer●●● pravitatis damnarentur ; vel dixerunt , ut videtur , vel solùm disputative & non deter●●tivè processerunt : quia si planè veritatem pro ecclesiâ dixissent , persecuti eos fuisse●● fratres , sicut persequebantur sanctum doctorem armachanum . ibid. h tribus monachorum ( qui suis , sibi ipsi laboribus victum , manibus operando suppeditabant ) millibus praefuisse creditur . nicol. horpsfield . hist. eccles. angl. lib. 1. cap. 25. i monachum oportet labore manuum suarum vesci & vestiri . vit. s. brendani . k in quo tantus fertur fuisse numerus monachorum ; ut cùm in septem portiones esset cum praepositis sibi rectoribus monasterium divisum , nulla harum portio minus quàm trecentos homines haberet : qui omnes de labore manuum suarum vivere solebant . bed. lib. 2. histor . ecclesiast . cap. 2. * chronicle of wales , pag. 253 , 254. † vid. arnal . hibern . a camdeno edit . ad an . 1370. l ad exemplum venerabilium patrum , sub regulá & abbate canonico , in magnâ continentiâ & finceritate proprio labore manuum vivunt . bed. lib. 4. bist . eccles . cap. 4. m iure , inquit , est coenobitarū vita miranda , qui abbatis per emnia subjiciuntur imperiis ; ad ejus arbitrium cuncta vigilandi , orandi , jejunandi , atque operandi tempora moderantur . bed. vit . cuthbert . pros . cap. 22. n id . carm. cap. 20. o quotidie jejunandum est , sicut quotidie reficiendum est . columb . regul . c. 5. p quia haec est vera discretio , ut possibilitas spiritalis profectus cum abstinentiâ carnem macetante retentetur . ibid. q ideò quotidie edendum est , quia quotidie proficiendum est . ibid. r si enim modum abstinentia excesserit , vitium non virtus erit . ibid. s cibus sit vilis & vespertinus monachorum , satietatem fugiens & potus ebrietatem ; ut & sustineat , & non noccat . ibid. * synodus hiberniensium dicit . in tribus quadragesimis anni , in die dominico & in quartâ feriâ & sextâ , conjugaies continere se debent . canonum collectio , cujus initium ; sancta synodus bis in anno decrevit habere concilia . ms. in bibliothecâ cotton . t si quis ante horam nonam quartâ sextaque feriâ manducat , nisi infirmus ; duos dies in pane & aquâ . columban . lib. de quotidianis poenitent . monachor . cap. 13. u cujus exemplis informati , tempore illo , religiosi quique viri ac foeminae , consuetudinem fecerunt per totum annum , ( exceptâ remissione quinquagesimae paschalis ) quartâ & sextâ sabbati ieiunium ad nonam usque horam protelare . bed. lib. 3. hist. eccles . cap. 5. x quibus diebus cunctis , exceptâ dominicâ , iciunium ad vesperam iuxta morem protelans ; nec tunc nisi panis permodicum , & unum ovum gallinaceum , cum parvo lacte aquâ mixto percipiebat . ibid. cap. 23. y ostendens evidenter , filios sapientiae intelligere , nec in abstinendo nec in manducando esse iustitiam ; sed in aequanimitate tolerandi inopiam , & temperanti● per abundantiam non se co●rumpendi , atque opportunè sumendi vel non sumendi ea , quorum non usus sed concupiscentia reprehendenda est . claud. lib. 2. in matth. z sunt nonnulli , qui spiritualibus vitiis impugnantur ; sed his omissis , corpus in abstinentiâ affigunt . vit. s. fursei . a multi enim cibis , quos deus ad percipiendum cum gratiarum actione creavit , abstinentes , haec nefanda quasi licita sumunt ; hoc est , superbiam , avaritiam , invidiam , falsum testimonium , blasphemiam . ibid. b gildas in epistolis su●● . hi dum pane ad mensuram vescuntur , pro hoc ipso fine mensurâ gloriantur , dum aquâ utuntur , simul odii poculo potantur ; dum siccis ferculis vescuntur , detractionibus utuutur ; dum vigiliis expendunt , alios somno pressos vituperant : ieiunium caritati , vigilias iustitiae , propriam adinventionem concordiae , clausulam ecclesiae ( al. cellae , ) severitatem humilitati , postremò hominem deo anteponunt . horum ieiunium , nisi per aliquas virtutes adfectatur , nihil prodest . qui verò caritatem perficiunt , cum citharâ spiritus sancti dicunt : quasi pannus menstruatae , omnes iustitiae nostrae sunt . ex libro canonum cottoniano , titulorum 66. c abstinentia corporalium ciborum sine charitate inutilis est . meliores ergo sunt , qui non magnoperè ieiunant , nec supra modum à creaturâ dei abstinent , cor intrinsccùs nitidum coram domino sollicitè servantes , à quo sciunt exitum vitae : quàm illi qui carnem non edunt , nec prandiis secularibus delectantur , neque vehiculis & equis vehuntur , pro his quasi superiores caeteris se putantes ; quibus mors intravit per fenestras clationis . gildas , ibid. notes for div a14233-e17460 a haber vineam , universam scilicèt eccl●siam ; quae ab abel iusto usque adul●mum e●ectum qui in ●●ne mundi na●●riturus est , quot sanctos prouilit , quasi tot palmites mis●t . claud. lib. ● in matth. b congregatio quippe iustorum , regum ●●lorum dicitur ; quod est ecclesia in●●●rum id. lib. 3. in matth. c ecclesiae filii sunt omnes ab institutione generis humani usque nu●c , quotquet iusti & sancti esse pomerunt . id. lib. 2. in matth. d his & caeteris instruimur , tam apostol●s omnesque credentes , quàm ipsam quoque ecclesiam , coluamnam in scripturis appellari ; & nihil interesse de corpore quid dicatur in membris , cùm & corpu● dividatur in membra , & membra fint corpori● . id. in gal. 2. ●● hitro●ymo . e ecclesias vocat , quas post●à errore arguit depravatas . ex quo noscendum , dupliciter ecclesiam posse dici : & cam , quae non habeat maculam aut rugam , & verè corpus christi sit ; & eam quae in christi nomine absque plenis perfectisque virtutibus congregetur . id. in galat. 1. ex eodem . f ecclesiam non habituram maculam neque rugam dicitur , respectu futurae vitae . sc●ul in ephes. 1. g magnam domum non ecclesiam dicit ( ut quidam putant ) quae non habet maculam neque rugam : sed mundum , in quo z●zauia sunt mixta tritico . id. in . 2. tim. 2. h sancta ecclesia decem virginibus similis denuntiatur : in quâ quia mali cum bonis & reprobi cum electis admixtisunt , rectè similis virginibus prudentibus & fatuis esse perhibetur . claud. lib. 3 ▪ in matth. i perhas regis nuptias praesens ecclesia designatur ; in quâ cum bonis & mali conveniunt . id. lib. eod . k in h●c ergo ecclesiâ , nec mali esse sine bo●is , nec boni esse sine malis possunt : quos tamen sancta ecclesia & nunc indiscretè suscipit , & postmodum in egressione discernit . id. ibid. l exceptis paucia , & valdè , paucis , qui ( ob amissioné . tan●ae multitudinis , quae quotidiè p●ona ruit ad tartara ) tam brevis numeri habentur ; ut ●os quodammodò venerabilis mater ecclesia in suo sinu recumber●es non videat , quos solos veros filios habet . gild. epist. m nonnunquam ecclesia ●ntis gentilium pressuris , non solùm aftlicta , sed & faedata est ; ut , si fieri possit , redemptor ipsius cam prorsus de●eruisse ad tempus videretur . claud. lib. 2. in matth. n ecclesia non apparebit , impiis tunc persecutoribus ultra modum saevientibus . id. lib. 3. in matth. o temporibus antichristi non solum tormenta crebtiora & acerbiora , quàm priùs consueverant , ingerenda sunt fidelibus ; sed ( quod gravius est ) signorum quoque operatio eos qui tormenta ingerunt , comitabitur : tests apostolo , qui ait ; cujus est adventus secundùm operationem satanae , in omni seductiorie , signis , & prodiglis mendacii . id. lib. c●d . p praestiglosis : sicut antè praedictum est ; dabunt signa , ita ut seducantur , si fieri potest , etiam electi . per phantasticam virtutem : ficut iamnes & mambres coram pharaone ●ecerunt . sedul . in ● thes. 2. q quis ergo ad fidem convertitur incredulus ? cujus jam credentis non pavet & concutitur fides ? quando persecut●r pietatis fit etiam operator virtutis : idemque ipse qui tormentis 〈◊〉 ut christus negetur , provocat miraculis ut antichristo 〈◊〉 . claud. lib. 3. in matth. r quàm ergo mundo & simplici oculo opus est , ut inveniatur via sapientiae , cui tantae malorum & perversorum hominum deceptiones erroresque obstrepunt ? quas omnes necesse est evadere , hoc est , venire ad certissimam pacem , & immobilem stabilitatem sapientiae . id. lib. 1. in matth. s nec si se angelus nobis ostendat , ad seducendos nos subornatus fallaciis patris sui diaboli , praevalere debebit adversum nos : neque si virtus ab aliquo facta siet , sicut dicitur à simone mago in aäre volâsse . sedul . in rom. 8. t neque signa vos terreant , tanquam per spiritum facta : quia hoc & salvator praemonuit . id. in 2 thess. 2. u hic ostenditur , crescente fide signa cessare : quando fidelium causâ danda esse praedicantur . id. in 1 corinth . 14. x vnde nunc cùm fidelium numerositas excrevit , intra sanctam ecclesiam multi sunt qui vitam virtutum tenent , & signa virtutum non habent : quia frustrà miraculum foris ostenditur , si deest quod intùs operetur . nam iuxta magistri gentium vocem : linguae in signum sunt , non fidelibus sed in fidelibus . claud. lib. 1 in matth. y qualia propter infideles cùm fecerit dominus , monuit tamen ne talibus decipiamur , arbitran●es ibi esse invisibilem sapientiam , ubi miraculum visibile viderimus . adiungit ergo & dicit , multi dicent mihi in illâ die , domine , domine : 〈◊〉 in nomine tuo prophetavimus , & in tuo nomine daemonia eiecimus , & in tuo nomine virtutes multas fecimus ? id. lib. eod . z ille deum tentat , qui iactantiae suae vitio , superfluam & inutilem vult ostentare virtutem . quid e●im utilitatis habet , quid commodi confert , si praeceps hin● in plana descendero ? &c. id. lib. eod . a inane est enim omne miraculum , quod utilitatem saluti non operatur humanae . ibid. b amphiloch ▪ in l ● ambis ad sel●●●●um . c cogitos . vit. brigid . in exemplaribus ms o. antiquiss . bibliothec cottonianae , & ecclesiae sarisburiensis . d tom. 5. antiqu . lection . in lacunâ , sub ●●nem , pag. 629. e fundamenta . ] christum , & apostolos , & prophetas . sedul . in hebr. 11. f compertum est in petrâ vel lapide christum esse significatum . id. in rom. 9. g apostoli fundamentum sunt , vel christus fundamentum est apostolorum . christus est fundamentum , qui etiam lapis dicitur angularis , duos conjungens & continens parietes . ideò hic fundamentum & summus est lapis ; quia in ipso & fundatur , & consummatur ecclesia . id. in ephes. 2. h vt ministros christi : non ut fundamentum . id. in 1 cor. 4. i super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam , id est , super dominū salvatorem , qui fideli suo cognitori , amatori , confessori , participium sui nominis donavit , ut scilicet à petrâ petrus vocaretur . aedificatur ecclesia : quia non nisi per fidem & dilectionem christi , per susceptionem sacramentorum christi , per observantiam mandatorum christi , ad sortem . electorum & aeternam pertingitur vitam , apostolo attestante qui ai● ; fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est , qui est christus iesus . claud. lib. 2. in matth. k pettum solum nominat , & sibi comparat : quia primatum ipse accepit ad fundandam ecclesiam : se quoque pari modo electum , ut primatum habeat in fundandis gentium ecclesiis . id. in galat. 2. l id. in galat. 5. m id. in galat. 2. n ab his itaque probatum dicit donum quod accepit à deo , ut dignus essect habere primatum in praedicatione gentium , sicut & habebat petrus in praedicatione circumcisionis . id. in gal. 2. o gratiam sibi soli primus vendicat concessam à deo , sicut & soli petro concessa est inter apostolos . id. ibid. p non illi sum inferior ; quia ab uno sumus ambo in unum ministerium ordinati . id. ibid. q apostolum se christi titulo praenotavit , ut ex ipsâ lecturos nominis auctoritate terreret ; judicans omnes , qui in christo crederent , debere sibi esse subjectos . id. in gal. 1. r nam sicut interrogatis generaliter omnibus , petrus respondit unus pro omnibus : ita quod petro dominus respondit , in petro omnibus respondit . id. lib. 2. in matth. s quae solvendi ac ligandi potestas , quamvis soli petro data videatur à domino ; absque ullâ tamen dubietate noscendum est , quia & caeteris apostolis datur : ipso teste , qui post passionis resurrectionisque suae triumphum apparens eis insufflavit , & dixit omnibus : accipite spiritum sanctum , quorum remiscritis peccata , remittuntur eis , & quorum retinueritis , rerenta sunt . id. lib. eod . t vero sacerdoti dicitur : tu es petrus , & super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam . gild. epist. u petro ejusque successoribus dicit dominus : et tibi dabo claves regni coelorum . ibid. x itemque omni sancto sacerdoti promittitur : et quaecunque solveris super terram , erunt soluta & in coelo ; & quaecunque ligaveris super terram , erunt ligata & in coelo . ibid. y apostolicam sedem legitimè obtinent . ibid. z si hunc vos apostoli retinetis in omnibus affectum ; ejus quoque cathedrae legitimè insidere noscatis . ibid. a sedem petri apostoli immundis pedibus usurpantes ; sed merito cupiditatis in iudae traditoris pestilentem cathedram decidentes . ibid. b iudam quedam modo in petri cathedrâ domini traditorem statuunt . ibid. c super ipsos ecclesiae fit positum fundamentum . claud. in gal. 2. d constans in dei timore , & fide immobilis , super quem aedificatur ut petrum ecclesia : cujusque apostolatum à deo sortitus est , & inferni porta adversus eum non praevalebunt . hymn in laud. s. patricij . e christus illum sibi elegit in terris vicarium . ibid. f brianus rex hiberniae , parasceve paschae , sextâ feriâ , ix . calend. maii , manibus & mente ad deum intentus necatur . marian . scot. see caradoc of lhancarran , in the chronicle of wales , pag. 80. g sanctus patricius iens ad coelum , mandavit totum fructum laboris sui ( tam baptismi , tam causarum quàm eleemosynarum ) deserendum esse apostolicae vrbi , quae scoticè nominatur arddmacha . sic repperi in bibliothecis scotorum . ego scripsi , id est , calvus perennis , in conspectu briani imperatoris scotorum . ex. vet. cod. ecclesiae armachanae . h domino semper suo , & apostolico patri , desiderio papae , gallus peccator . i cogitos . in vit . brigid . tom . 5. antiqu . lect . henr. canisii , pag. 625. lin ult . k ibid. pag. 640. lin . 2. notes for div a14233-e20050 a edm. camp. history of ireland . lib. 2. ca. 2. b pallio decoravit , illique vices suas committens atque legatum suum constituens , quaecunque in hiberniâ gesserat , constituerat , disposuerat , auctoritatis suae munimine confirmavit . iocelin . vit . patric . cap. 166. c metropoliticae sedi deerat adhuc , & defuerat ab initio pallii usus . bernard . vit . malach . d anno 1151. papa eugenius quatuor pallia per legatum suum iohannem papirum transmisit in hiberniam , quò nunquam anteà pallium delatum fuerat . annal. coenobij melros . ms. in bibliothecâ cottonianâ . e apud ardmacham sibi sedem elegit ; quam etiam quasi metropolim constituit & proprium totius hiberniae primatiae locum . girald . cambr. topograph . hibern . distinct . 3. cap. 16. f archiepiscopi verò in hiberniâ nulli fuerant ; sed tantùm se episcopi invicem consecrabant : donec iohannes papyrio romanae sedis legatus , non multis retrò annis advenit . hic quatuor pallia in hiberniam portavit , &c. ibid. cap. 17. g hic primus archiepiscopus dicitur , quia primo pallio usus est . alii verò ante ipsum solo nomine archiepiscopi & primates vocabantur ; ob reverentiam & honorem sancti patricii , tanquam apostoli illius gentis . pembrigius , author . annal. hibern . à guil. camden● edit . thomas casaeus in chronic. hi●ern . ms. ad ann . 1174. h episcopi quoque ( qui debent esse forma & exemplum aliis canonicae religionis ) inordinatè , sicut audivimus , aut à solis episcopis , aut in locis ubi ordinari non debent , consecrantur . anselm . lib. 3. epist. 142. i dicitur , ab uno episcopo episcopum , sicut quemlibet presbyterum , ordinari . id. ibid. epist. 147. k terdeluacho inelyto regi hiberniae , archiepiscopis , episcopis , abbatibus , proceribus , omnibusque christianis hiberniam inhabitantibus . gregor . vii . epist. ad hibern . ms. in bibitothecâ cotton . l ecclesias sundauit ccclxv . ordinavit episcopos eodem numero ccclxv . presbyteros autem usque ad tria millia ordinavit . nenn. histor . brit. ms. m mutabantur & multiplicabantur episcopi pro libitu metropolitani ; ita ut unus episcopatus uno non esset contentus , sed singulae penè ecclesiae singulos haberent episcopos . bernard . vit . malach. n quòd in villis , vel civitatibus plures ordinantur . lanfranc . epist. ad terdeluachum regem hibern . apud baron . ann . 1089. num . 16. o dicitur , episcopos in terrâ vestrâ passim eligi , & sine certo episcopatus loco constitui . anselm . lib. 3. epist. 147. ad muriardachum regem hibern . p rex engus & s. patricius , cum omni populo , ordinaverunt archiepiscopassm mumeniae in civitare & in sede sancti albei , qui tunc ab eisdem archiepiscopus ordinatus est , per seculum . ex vitâ s. declani . rex engus & patricius ordinaverunt ; ut in civitate & cathedrâ sancti albei e●●et archiepiscopatus omnium memonensium semper , ex vitâ s. albei . q factâ synodo magnâ in terrâ laginensium , decrevit rex brandubh , & tam laici quàm clerici , ut archiepiscopatus omnium laginensium semper esset in sede & cathedrâ sancti moedog . et tunc sanctus moedog à multis catholicis consecratus est archiepiscopus . ex vit . s. edani . a rege jam laginensium brandubh filio eathach constitutum est , ut archiepiscopatus laginensium in civitate sancti moedog esset . ipsa civitas vocatur ferna , quae est in terrâ gentis kenselach . ex vit . s. molyng . r erat & altera metropolitica sedes , quem de novo constituerat celsus , primae tamen sedi & illius archiepiscopo subdita tanquam primati . bernard . in vitâ malachiae . s illo defuncto , rex calomagnus , & eius palatinorum chorus cum suis subaulicis , totiusque regionis illius confluentiâ , pari cordis affectu conclamaverunt , sanctum sacerdotem livinum in honorem huius ordinis dignissimè sublimandum fore . his rex omnibus devotior consentiens , ter quaterque bearum virum in cathedrâ archiepiscopatus debito honore , domino jubente , collocavit . bonifat . vit. livin . t rex ecgfridus episcopum fecit ordinari lindisfarnensium ecclesiae virum sanctum & venerabilem cudbertum . bed. lib. 4. hist. cap. 27. & vit. cuthbert . cap. 24. u episcopatum salzburgensem , pro debito regiae magnificentiae , sancto concessit virgilio . vit. episc. saluburgensaom . 2. antiqu. lect . henr. canis . pag. 259. & tom . 6. pag. 1174. x walafrid . strab. vit. gall. lib. 1. cap. 16 , 17 , 19 , 20. y theodor . compidonens . v●lquicunque author fuit vitae magni . lib. 1. cap. 8. edit . goldesti , 10. canisii . * in the lawes of howel dhae it is named ecclesia teilau : and so in caradot of lhancarvans chronicle of wales , pag. 94. ioseph is called bishop of teilo , or landaff . z super omnes britannos dextralis partis britanniae b. dubticium summum doctorem , à rege & ab omni parochiâ electum archiepiscopum , consecraverunt . hâc dignitate ei à germano & lupo datâ ; constituerunt ei episcopalem sedem concessu mourici regis , principum , cleri & populi , apud podium lantavi . lib. ecclesiae landavensis , ms. a electione cleri & populi succedit in episcopatu landavensis ecclesiae . electione cleri mercguini & elgoreti & gunnuini magistri ; & trium abbatum , catgen abbatis ●●duti , concenn abbatis catmaili , cetnig abbatis docguinni ; laicorum , regis mourici , & filiorum athruis & idnerth , guidgen & cetiau , brogmail , gendoc , louhonerd , catgualatyr , & omnium principum totius parochiae . missus est s. oudoceus cum clericis suis praedictis ( merchui & elguoret & gunubui ) cum legatis trium abbatum & regis & principum , ad dorobornensem civitatem ad beatum archiepiscopum ; ubi sacratus est ecclesiae landaviae in honore s. petri fundatae . ibid. b dcccclxxxii . ( vel dccclxxii . potius ) lucarnationis domini anno , gucaunus episcopus landaviae confecratus à metropolitano du●stano dorobornensis ecclesiae archiepiscopo , datâ sibi virgâ pastorali in regali curià à summo rege anglorum ae●garo . ibid. c dcccclxxxiii . anno , electione factà regum morcannuc , ouein videlicèt & idguallaun , catell & cinuin filiorum morcantheu , rotri & crifud filiorum elired , & totius cleri & populi morcannuc infra hortum taratir in gui & hortum tivi positi : & dato sibi baculo in regali curiâ à summo rege anglorum adelredo , & à metropolitano dorobornensis ecclesiae albrico archiepiscopo , bledri episcopus landaviae consecratus est ; & 1022. o● . anno incarnationis domini , ordinationis suae autem 39 o. anno , migravit ad dominum . ibid. d mxxii . anno incarnationis domini , consecratus est ioseph episcopus landaviae , cantuariae à metropolitano dorobornensis ecclesiae aelnod archiepiscopo , in kalendis ostobris , & in primo ( vel xvi● . potiùs ) anno cycli decennovennalis , verbo regis anglorum cout , & dato sibi baculo in curiâ illius : electione populi & cleri landaviae , & regum britanniae , regis videlicèt riderch regnantis per totam gualiam tune tempore , & hivel subreguli regis moreannuc infra hortum taratir in gui & hortum tivi regnantis . ibid. f edm. campion . histor. hibern . lib. 1. cap. ult● ad annum 948. g girald . cambrens . topograph . hiber● . distinct . 3. cap. 43. h eodem tempore norwagenses sive ostmanni , qui civitates hiberniae & maritima occupaverunt , normanni vocati sunt . annal. dublin . ad ann . 1095. i dominus iohannes papiron legatus romanae ecclesiae veniens in hiberniam , invenit dublin episcopum habentem , qui tantum intra muros episcoplae officium exercebat . testimon . tuamens . archiepisc . in registro dublin . archiepisc . & nigro libro ecclesia s. trinitatis . k ad regimen dublinensis ecclesiae lanfrancus archiepiscopus cantuariae , petente goderico rege , dubliniensis ecclesiae populo & clero consentientibus & eligentibus , in ecclesiâ sancti pauli londin . patricium sacravit antistitem . annul . dublin . ad annum 1074. l habentur apud baron . ann . 1089. num . 12. & 15. m anno dom. 1085. laufrancus archiepiscopus cantuar. ad regimen dublinensis ecclesiae sacravit donatum monasterii sui monachum in sede metropoli cantuar. petentibus atque eligentibus eum terdeluaco hiberniae rege , & episcopis hiberniae regionis , atque clero & populo praefarae civitatis . annal. dublin . n a rege hiberniae , murierdach nomine , ●ecnon à clero & populo in episcopatum psius civitatis electus est ; atque ad anselmum , iuxta morem antiquum , sacrandus cum communi decreto directus . fadmer . histor. nevor . lib. 2. pag. 34. o ibid. pag. 36. p nos & rex noster murcherta●bus , & episcopus dofnaldus , & dermeth dux noster frater regi● , elegimus hunc presbyterum malchum , walkelini wintoniensis episcopi monachum , nobis sufficientissimè cognitum , &c. * vt apud graecos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , non est semper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qu●madmodum ad iliad . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notatum est ab eustathi● ( pag. 884 & 831. edit . roman . ) sed aliquando respondet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ita & vox mando , apud latinos mediae aetatis scriptores . ut apud vincentium , verbi gratiâ , lib. 30. specul . historical . cap. 130 ( humiliter ei mandaverunt . ) & hoc in loco . q sciatls vos reverâ , quòd episcopi hiberniae maximum zelum erga nos habent , & maximè ille episcopus qui habitat ardimachae : quia nos nolumus obedire eorum ordinationi , sed semper sub vestro dominio esse volumus . ms. ad calcem collectionis is●dori mercatoris , in bibliothecâ cottonianâ . r charta s. patricii , in gulielmi mal●esburiensis libello , de antiquitate glastoniensis ecclesiae . ms. s in scriptis recentioribus inveni , quòd sancti phaganus & deruvianus perquifierant ab eleutherio papâ , qui eos miserat , x. ( al. xxx . ) annos indulgentiae . et ego frater patricius à piae memoriae celestino papâ xii . annos tempore meo acquisivi . ibid. t patricius ai● siquae quest●ones in h●c insulâ oriantur , ad sedem apostolicam referantur . vet. collect . canonum , bibliothecae cottoniane . cujus initium : synodicorum exemplariorum innumerositatē conspiciens . u quaecunque causa valdè difficilis exorta suerit , atque ignota cunctis scotorum gentium judiciis ; ad cathedram archiepiscopi hibernensium ( id est , patricii ) atque huius antistitis examinationem rectè referenda . si verò in illâ , cum suis sapientibus , facile sana●i non poterit tali . causa 〈◊〉 negotiationis : ad se●●m apostolicam decrevimus esse mittendam ; id est , ad petri apostoli cathedram , auctoritatem romae vrbis habentem . hi sunt qui de hoc decreverunt : id est , auxilius , patricius , secundinus , benignus , vet. codex ecclesiae armacha●e . x copping . 〈◊〉 to the catholicks of ireland , lib. 2. cap. 3. y gregor . lib. 2. epist. 36. indict . 30. z ardentissimo studio protrium capi ulorum defensione , junctis animis omnes qui in hiberniâ erant episcopi , insurrexere . addiderunt & illud nefas , ut cùm percepissent romanam ecclesiam aequè suscepisse trium damnationum capitulorum , atque suo consensu quintam synodum roborâsse : ab eâdem pariter resilierint , atque reliquis qui vel in italiâ , vel in africâ , aliisve regionibus erant schismaticis inhaeserint ; fiduciâ illâ vanâ erecti , quòd pro fide catholicâ starent , cùm quae essent in concilio chalcedonensi statuta defenderent . baron . annal. tom . 7. an . 566. num . 21. a sed eo fixiùs inhaerent errori , cùm quaecunque italia passa sit bellorum motibus , fame , vel pestilentiâ , eâ ex caussâ illi cuncta infausta accidisse putarent , quòd pro quintâ synodo adversus chalcedonense concilium praelium suscepisset . ibid. b prima itaque epistolae vestrae frons , gravem vos pati persecutionem innotuit . quae quidem persecutio dum non rationabiliter sustinetur , nequaquam proficit ad salutem . gregor . regest . lib. 2. epist. 36. c dum igit●● ita sit , incongruum nimis est de eâ vos , quam dicitis , persecutione gloriari , per quam vos constat ad aeterna praemia minimè provehi . ibid. d quod autem scribitis , quia ex illo tempore inter alias provincias maximè flagelletur italia ; non hoc ad ejus debetis intorquere opprobrium : quoniam scriptum est ; quem diligit dominus , castigat , flagellat autem omnem filium quem recipit . ibid. e porrò autem si post hujus libri lectionem in eâ , quâ estis , volueritis deliberatione persistere ; sine dubio non rationi operam , sed obstinationi vos dare monstratis . ibid. f vid. roman correct . in gratian. de comsecrat . distinct . 4. cap. 144. ab antiqua . g quando verò doctores ibernici de gravibus fidei quaestionibus minimè consentiebant , vel aliquid novi dogmatis peregrè allati audiebant ; soliti erant romanum pontificem veritatis oraculum consulere . philip osullevan . bearr . hist. catholic . ibern. tom . 1. lib. 4. cap. 6. h namque de tempore agendi paschatis solennia ( de que aliae queque catholicae gentes saepè ambegerunt ) & de pelagianâ haeresi ubi fuit in quaestionem disputationemque deducta ; doctores iberni ad sedem apostolicam retulerunt . ac ita miseri pelagli error nullum in iberniâ patronum vel assertorem invenisse fertur ; vel insulae aditu interclusus , vel ab eâ protinùs explosus , ubi contagiosam faciem aperuit , seseque cognoscendum praebuit : & ratio communis & ab ecclesiâ usitata celebrandi redivivi domini festum ab australibus ibernis fuit semper observata ; & à septentrionalibus quoque & pictis & britonibus , qui doctoribus ibernis fidem acceperunt , amplexa , ubi ecclesiae romanae ritum cognoverunt . quod ex apostolicarum literarum duplici capite à bedâ relato non obscurè constat . ibid. i hibernia siquidem olim pelagianâ foedata fuerat haeresi , apostolicaque censurâ damnata , quae nisi romano judicio solvi non poterat . author antiqu . vit. kilian . notes for div a14233-e23910 a non enim paschae diem dominicum suo tempore , sed à decimaquartâ usque ad vicesimam lunam observabant . quae computatio 84 ▪ annorum circulo continetur . bede lib. 2. hist. cap. 2. b porrò isti secundùm decennem novemque anatolii computatum , aut potiùs juxta sulpicii severini regulam , qui lxxxiv . annorum cursum descripsit , xiv . lunâ cum iudaeis paschale sacramentum celebrant : cùm neutrum ecclesiae romanae pontifices ad perfectam calculi rationem sequantur . aldelm . epist ad geruntium regem & domnonios : inter epistolas bonifacij , num . 44. c bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 3. & 25. vid. dionysii petavii notas in epiphan . pag. 194. 195. d ad veram paschae rationem nunquam pervenire eos , qui cycium lxxxiiii . annorum observant . cumm●an . epist. ad seg●enum abbat . de disputatione lunae . ms. in bibli●thec . cottonian . e exhortans , ne paucitatem suam in extremis terrae finibus constitutā , sapientiorem antiquis sive modernis , quae per orbem terrae erant , christi ecclesiis aestimarent : neve contra paschales computos , & decreta synodalium totius orbis pontificum aliud pascha celebrarent . bed. lib. 2. hist. cap. 19. * s. patrick , & his followers . f bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 5. g id. lib. 2. cap. 19. h ego enim primo anno quo cyclus dxxxii . annorum à nostris celebrari ors●s est ; non suscepi , sed silui , nec laudare nec vituperare ausus . cummian . epist. ad segienum . i sed non post multum surrexit quidam paries dealbatus , traditionem seniorem serva●e se simulans ; qui utraque non fecit unum sed divisit , & irritum ex parte fecit quod promissum est : quem dominus ut spero , percutiet quoquo modo veluerit . ibid. k seniores verò , quos in velamine repulsionis habetis , quod optimum in diebus suis esse noverunt ●impliciter & fideliter sine culpa contradictionis ullius & animositatis observaverunt , & suis posteris sic mandaverunt . ibid. n vniversalia ecclesiae catholicae unanimem regulam . ibid. o roma errat , hierosolyma errat , alexandria errat , antiochia errat , totus mundus errat : soli tantùm scoti & britones rectum sapiunt ▪ ibid. * this seemeth to have fallen out , eith r●i● the yeere 634. or 645. wherein easter was solemnized at rome the 24. day of april . and it appeareth by ou● annals , that segenius was abbot of y●columkille from the yeere 624. untill 652. p vidimus oculis nostris puellam coecam omnine ad has reliqulas oculos aperientem , & paralyticum ambulantem , & multa daemonia ejecta . cummian . q intellex●rat enim veraciter oswi , quamvis educatus à scotis , quia romana esset catholica & apostolica ecclesia . bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 29. r sed cognoscentes britones , sc●ttos meliores putavimus . scottos verò per daganum episcopum in hanc insulam , & columbanum abbatem in galliis venientem , nihil discrepare 〈◊〉 britonibus in eorum conversatione didici●●m . nam daganus episcopus ad nos veniens , non solùm cibum nobiscum , sed nec in eodem hospitio quo vescebamur , sumere voluit , laurent . epist. apud bed. lib. 2. cap. 4. s qui cuius meriti fuerit , etiam miraculorm signis internus arbiter edocuit . ●ed . lib. 3. hist. cap. 15. item . 16 ▪ & 17. t nunquid reverendissimum patrem nostrum columbam , & successores ejus , viros deo dilectos , qui eodem modo pascha fecerunt , divinis paginis contraria sapuisse vel egisse credendum est ? cùm plurimi fuerint in eis , quorum sanctitati coelesti signa & virtutem quae fecerunt miracula , testimonium praebuerunt : quos ut ipse sanctos esse non dubitans semper eorum vitam , mores & disciplinam sequi non desisto colman . apud . bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 29. u revelante spiritu sanct● prophetavit de illâ quae post dies mult●s ob●diversitatem paschalis● festi ona est inter sco●iae ecclesias discordiâ . adam●nan . vit. columb . lib. 1. cap. 3. x quodam tempore erat magnum concilium populorum hiberniae in campo albo : inter quos erat contentio circa ordinē paschae . lasre●nus enim abbas monasterii leighlinne , cui suberant mille quingenti monachi , no●um ordinem defend ●●at qui nuper de româ venit : alii verò veterem defendebant . vit. s. munna abbatit ms. y obsecremus deum , qui habi●ate fecit unanimes in do●o patris sui , ●t ipse nobis in●●●●●re coelestib●s signis dignetur , quae sequenda traditio , quibus sit vi●● ad ingressum regni illius properandum . adducatur aliquis aeger ; & per cujus preces fuerit curatus , hujus fides & operatio deo devota atque omnibus sequenda ●redatur . 〈◊〉 ● lib. 2. hist. cap. 2. z breviter disputemus : sed in nomine domini agamus judicium . tres optiones dantur tibi , lasreane . duo libri in ignem mittentur , liber veteris ordinis & novi ; ut videamus , quis eorum de igne liberabitur . vel duo monachi , unus meus alter tuus , in unam domum recludantur , & domus comburatur : & videbimus , quis ex eis evadat intactus igne . aut eamus ad sepulchrum mortui iusti monachi , & resuscitemus eum ; & indicet nobis , quo ordine debemus hoc anno pascha celebrare . vit. s. munn● . a non ibimus ad iudicium tuum , quoniam scimus quòd , pro magnitudine laboris tui & sanctitatis , si diceres ut mons marge commutaretur in locum campi albi & campus albus in locum montis marge ; hoc propter te deu. statim faceret . ibid. b bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 26. c quodam tempore in diebus colmanni eboracae civitatis episcopi metropolitani , regantibus oswi & alhfrido filio eius , abbates & presbyteri omnesque ecclesiasticae disciplinae gradus simul in unum convenientes , in coenobio quae streaneshel dicitur ; praesente sanctimoniale matre piissimâ hilde , praesentibus quoque regibus & duobus colmanno & aegilberhto episcopis , de paschali ratione conquirebant , quid esset rectissimum . utrum more brittonum & scottorum omnisque aquilonalis partis à xiiii . lunâ dominicâ die veniente usque ad xxii . ( leg xx. ) pascha agendum ; an melius sit ratione sedis apostolicae , à xv. lunâ usque xxi . paschalem dominicam celebrandam . tempus datum est colman●o episcopo primum , ut dignum erat , audientibus cunctis reddere rationem . ille autem intrepidâ mente responden● , dixit . patres nostri & antecessores eorum manifestè spiritu sancto inspirati , ut erat columcille , xiiii . lunâ die dominicâ pascha celebrandum sanxerunt : exemplum tenentes iohannis apostoli & evangelistae , qui supra pectus domini in coenâ recubuit , & amator domini dicebatur . ille xiiii . lunâ pascha celebravit ; & nos , sicut discipuli eius polycarpus & alii , celebramus : nec hoc audemus pro patribus ( ●ort . partibus ) nostris , nec volumus mutare . stephanus presbyter ( qui & ae●di , apud b●dam , lib. 4. hist. cap. 2. ) in vitâ wilfrid . cap. 10. ms. in bibliothecâ sarisburiensis ecclesiae , & d. roberti cottoni . d pascha hoc quod agere soleo , à maioribus meis accepi , qui me huc episcopum miserunt : quod omnes patres nostri viri deo dilecti eodem modo celebrâsse noscuntur . quod ne cui contemnendum & reprobandum esse videatur : ipsum est quod beatus iohannes evangelista , discipulus specialiter domino dilectus , cum omnibus quibus prae erat ecclesiis , celebrâsse legitur . colman . apud bedam , lib. 3. hist. cap. 23. e f●idegod . vit. wilfrid . ms in bibliothec. cottonian . * i. sancti vel beati . f cum quibus de duabus ultimi● oceani insulis , his non totis , contra totum orbem stulto labore pugnant . wilfrid . apud bed. lib. 3. cap. 25. g et si sanctus erat aut potens virtutibus ●lle columba vester , imo & noster si christi erat : num praeferri potuit beatissimo apostolorum principi ? cui dominus ●it : tu es petrus , & super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meā , & portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam ; et tibi dabo claves ●egni coelorum . ibid. h nefortè me adveni●nte ad fores regni coelorum , non sit qui reseret , averso illo qui claves tenere probatur . ibid. i tonsuram & paschae rationem propter timorem patriae suae contempsit . steph. presbyter , in vit. wilfrid . cap. 10. k colman videns spretam suam doctrinam , sectamque esse despectam ; assumptis his qui se sequi voluerunt , id est , qui pascha catholicum & tonsuram coronae ( nam & de hoc quaestio non minima erat ) recipere nolebant , in scotiam regressus est . bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 26. vide etiam lib. 4. cap. 4. notes for div a14233-e26970 a paschalem rationem , quam schismatici britanniae & hiberniae non●cognoverunt ; & alias multas ecclesiasticae disciplinae regulas bonifacius archidiaconus quasi proprio filio suo diligenter dictavit . step ▪ presb. vit . wilfrid . cap. 5. see also bede , lib. 5. cap. 20. b se primum fuisse , qui verum pascha in northanimbriâ scotis eiectis docuerit , qui cantus ecclesiasticos antiphonatim instituerit , qui sanctissimi bendicti regulam à monachis observari jusserit . gulielm . malmesbur . lib. 3. de gest . pontific . angl. c sed perstitit ille negare ; ne ab episcopis scottis , vel ab iis quos scotti ordinaverant , consecrationem susciperet , quorum communionem sedes aspernaretur apostolica . id. ibid. d o domini venerabiles reges ; omnibus modis nobis necessarium est providè considerare , quomodo cum electione vestrâ , sine accusatione catholicorum vitorum , ad granum episcopalem cum dei adiutorio venire valeam . sunt enim hîc in brytannia multi episcopi , quorū nullum meum est accusare , quamvis veraciter sciam , quòd aut quatuordecim anni sunt , ut brytones & scotti ab illis sunt ordinati , quos nec apostolica sedes in communionem recepit , neque eos qui schismaticis consentiunt , et ideò in meâ humilitate à vobis posco , ut me mittatis cum vestro praefidio trans mare ad galliarum regionem , ubi catholici episcopi multi habentur : ut sine controversiâ apostolicae sedis , licèt indignus , gradum episcopalem merear accipere . steph. presb. vit. wilfrid . cap. 12. e quo ultra mare moras nectente , oswius rex , praeventus consiliis quartadecimanorum ( qui vocabantur ita , quia pascha in quartadecima lunâ cum iudaeis celebrabant ) ceddam virum sanctissimum , tamen contra regulas , intrusit tribunali eborac●nsi . gulielm . malmesb. lib. 3. de gest . pontif. angl. f ordinantes servum dei religiosissimum & admirabilem doctorem , de hiberniâ insulâ venientem nomine coeodda , adhuc eo ignorante , in sedem episcopalem euroicae civitatis indoctè contra canones constituerunt . steph. presb . vit. wilfrid ▪ cap. 14. g ab illo est consecratus antistes , assumptis in societatem ordinationis duobus de britonum gente episcopis , qui dominicum paschae diem secus morem canonicum à xiiii . usque ad xxi . lunam celebrant . non enim erat tunc ullus , excepto illo wini , in totâ brittanniâ canonicè ordinatus episcopus . bed. lib. 3. hist. ca. 28. h cum illis autem qui ab unitate catholicae pacis , vel pascha non suo tempore celebrando , vel perversè vivendo aberrant , vobis sit nulla communio , &c. id. in vit. cuthbert . cap. 39. i j●stitutio dicit rom. cavendum est ne ad alias provincias aut ecclesias referantur causae , quae alio more & aliâ religione utantur : sive ad iudaeos , qui umbrae legis magis quàm veritati deserviunt ; aut britones , qui omnibus contratii sunt , & à romano more & ab unitate ecclesiae se absciderunt ; aut haereticos , quamvis sint in ecclesiasticis causis docti , & studiosi fuerint , ex codice canonum cottoniano , titulorum 66. k qui ordinati sunt à scottorum vel brittannorum episcopis , qui in paschâ vel tonsurâ catholicae non sunt adunati ecclesiae ; iterùm à catholico episcopo manus impositione confirmentur similiter & ecclesiae quae ab illis episcopis ordinantur , aquâ exorcizatâ aspergantur , & aliquâ collectione confirmentur . licentiam quoque non habemus eis poscentibus chrismam vel eucharistiam dare , ni antè confessi fuerint velle se nobiscum esse in unitate ecclesiae . et qui ex horum similiter gente , vel quacunque , de baptismo suo dubitaverint , baptizentur . decret pontific . ms. cap. 9. de communicatione scottorum & brittonum , qui in paschâ & tonsurâ catholici non sunt . l bed. lib. 2. hist. cap. 4. * septem britonum episcopi , & plures viri doctissimi , maximè de nobilissimo eorum monasterio , quod vocatur linguâ anglorum bancornaburg , cui dinoot abbas praefuisse narratur . bed. lib. 2. hist. cap. 2. m illi nihil horum se facturos , neque illum pro archiepiscopo habituros e●se respondebant . id ●bid . tam ipsum quàm ejus statuta , statim reversi spreverunt : nec ipsum pro archiepiscopo se habituros publicè proclamabant . girald . cambrens . ●tinerar . cambriae , lib. 2. cap. 1. n in a welsh manuscript , sometime belonging unto p. mostein gentleman . o a●ctorizabant suas ceremonias non solùm à sancto eleutherio papâ primo institutore suo ab ipsâ penè infantiâ ecclesiae dicatas , ve●ùm à sanctis patribus suis dei amicis & apostolorum sequacibus hactenùs observatas ; quas non deberent mutare propter novos dogmatistas . gotcel● . monachus , in vitâ augustini , cap. 32. ms. in bibliothecâ cottonianâ . p si quilibet de nostris , id est , catholicis ad eos habi●andi gratiâ perrexerint ; non priùs ad consortium sodalitatis suae adsciscere dignantur , quàm quadraginta dierum spatia in poenitendo peragere compellantur . aldhelm . epist. ad domnonios . q quippe cùm usque hodie moris sit britonum , fidē religionemque anglorum pro nihilo habere , neque in aliquo eis magis communicare quàm paganis . bed. lib. 2. hist. cap. 20. * chronicle of wales , pag. 254. r baptist. mantuan . fastor . lib. 1. s quòd autem pascha non suo tempore observabat , vel canonicum ejus tempus ignorans , vel suae gentis auctoritate , ne agnitum sequeretur , devictus ; non approbo nec laudo . bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 17. t more suae gentis . ibid. cap. 3. u pascha contra morem eorum qui ipsum miserant , facere non potuit . ibid. cap. 25. x id. ibid. y colmanus qui de scotiâ erat episcopus , relinquens britanniam , tulit secum omnes quos in lindisfarorum insulâ congregaverat scotos . bede lib. 4. cap. 4. z optione datâ , maluerunt loco cedere , quàm pascha catholicum , caeterosque ritus canonicos juxta romanae & apostolicae ecclesiae consuetudinem recipere . id. lib. 5. cap. 20. see also lib. 3. cap. 25. where humpum is ●●sprinted for hripum . a ibid cap. 16. & 22. b nec mora , quae dixerat , regiâ autoritate perfecit . statim namque jussu publico mittebantur ad transcribendum , discendum , observandum per universus pictorum provincias circuli paschae decennovennales ; obliteratis per omnia erroneis octoginta & quatuor annorum circulis . attondehantur omnes in coronam ministri altaris ac monachi . &c. ibid. ca. 22. c id. lib. 3. ca. 4. & lib. 5. cap. 23. d id. lib. 5. cap. 23. & 24. e see the chronicle of wales , pag. 17. 18. and humfr. i. buyd . fragment . britan . descript. fol. 55. b. f ego nennius sancti elbodi discipulus , aliqua excerpta scribere curavi . nem. ms. in publicá cantabrig . academ . bibliothecá , ubi alia exemplaria habent : ego nennius ( vel ninnius ) elvodugi discipulus . g ab adventu patricii in jam dictam insulam ( hiberniam sc. ) usque ad cyclum decennovennalem in quo sumu● , 22. sunt cycli , id est , 421. & sunt duo anni in ogdoade usque in hunc annum . id. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom. 8. chrysost. edit . henr. savil. pag. 321. 60 & in noels . col . ●66 . 5. i 〈◊〉 lib. 2. hist. cap. ● . k ann. dom. 612. ( vel 613. ) bellum cairelegion , ubi sancti occisi sunt . amlt. vlton . ms. l bed. lib. 3. hist. cap. 3. & 6. m ibid. cap. 21. 22. 24. n ibid. cap. 3. 5. 17. 25. 26. o ibid. cap. 22. 25. p ibid cap. 21. 24. q paucitas enim sacerdotum cogebat unum antistitem duobus populis praefici . ibid. cap. 21. r ibid. cap. 3. 4. 5. 17. 26. s etsi pascha contra morem eorum qui ipsum miserant , facere non potuit ; opera tamen fidei , pietatis & dilectionis , juxta morem omnibus sanctis consuetum diligenter exequi curavit . vnde ab omnibus etiam his qui de pascha aliter sentiebant , meritò diligebatur : nec solùm à mediocribus , verùm , ab ipsis quoque episcopis , honorio cantua●●orum & felice orientalium anglorum , venerationi habitus est . ibid. cap. 25. t dominis charissimis fratribus , episcopis vel abbatious per universam scotiam ; laurentius , mellitus , & iustus episcopi , servi servorum dei id lib. 2 cap. 4. u gens quanquam absque reliquatum gentium legibus ; tamen in christiani vigoris dogmate florens , omnium vicinarum gentium fidem praepollet . ion. vit. columban . cap. 1. notes for div a14233-e30780 c allen. answer to the execution of iustice in england . pag. 140. d cum juri suo renuntiare liberum fit cuilibet ( quanquam subjectionis cujuslibet hactenus immunes ) his tamen hodiè nostris diebus , anglorum regi henrico secundo omnes hiberniae principes firmis fidei sacramentique vinculis se sponte submiserunt . girald . cambrens . hibern expug●at . lib. 3. cap. 7. e iudg. 11. 26. f genebrard . chr●●graph . lib. 3. in sylvest . 1. bellarmin . de roman . pontif. lib. 5. cap. 9. in fine . g insulas omnes sibi speciall quodam iure vendicat . girald . cambr. hibern . expugnat . lib. ● . cap. 3. h nos hanc alim quaesturam aliquot per a●not gessimus ; eiusque muneris obeundi caussâ , primùm in angliam venitnus . poly 〈◊〉 vergil . anglic. bis●● . lib. 4. i id hiberni posse fieri , nisi autoritate romani pontificis negabant ; quòd iam indè ab initio , post christianam religionem acceptam , sese ac omnia sua in eius ditionem dedidissent : atque constanter affirmabant , non alium habere se dominum , praeter ipsum pontificem : id quod etiam nunc iactitant , id. lib. 13. eiusa . histor . k camp. history of ireland . lib. 2. cap. 1. l hiberni initio statim post christianam religionem acceptam , sesuaque omni● in pontificis romani ditionem dederant ; nec quenquam alium supremum hiberniae principem ad illud usque tempus praeter unum romanum pontificem agnoverunt , sander de schism . anglican . lib. 1. ad ann . 1542. m sanè omnes insulas , quibus sol iustitiae christus illuxit , & quae documenta fidei christianae susceperunt , ad ius s. petri & sacrosanctae romanae ecclesiae ( quod tua etiam nobilitas recognoscit ) non est dubium pertinete . bull-adrian . iv. ad henr. ii. angl. reg . n ad preces meas illustri regi anglorum henrico secundo concessit & dedit hiberniam iure haereditario possidendam : sicut literae ipsius testantur in hodiernum diem . nam omnes insulae , de iure antiquo , ex donatione constantini , qui eam fundavit & dotavit , dicuntur ad romanam ecclesiam pertinere . iohan. sarisburiens . metalogie . lib. 4. cap. 42. o per nostram imperialem iussionem sacram , tam in oriente quàm in occidente , vel etiam septentrionali & meridianâ plagâ , videlicèt in iudaeâ , graeciâ , asiâ , thraciâ , aphricâ & italiâ , vel diversis insulis nostrâ largitate eis libertatem concessimus : eâ prorsus ratione , ut per manus beatissimi patris nostri sylvestri pontificis successorumque eius omnia disponantur . edict . constantin . p vltra occanum verò quid erat praeter britanniam ? quae à vobis ita recuperata est ; ut illae quoque nationes terminis eiusdem insulae cohaerentes vestris nutibus obsequantur . eumen . panegyric . ad constant. q pomp. laet. in roman . histor . compend . io. cuspian . in caesarib . seb. mu●ster . in lib. 2. cosmograph . r harding . clhronic . cap. 241. s ibid. cap. 132 ▪ t osullevan . histor . catholic . iberniae , tom . 2. lib. 1. cap. 7. u ibid. cap. 4. 5. 9. & lib. 2. cap. 3. x illius terrae populus te recipiat , & sicut dominum veneretur . bull. adrian . iv. y sicut dominum veneretur , id est , ut principem dignum magno honore ; non dominum iberniae , sed praefectum caussâ colligendi tributi ecclesiastici . osullevan . hist. ibern . fol. 59. b. in margine . z robert. de monte. roger. de wendover . matth. paris . & nicol. trivett in chronic. an . 1155. a venerabilis adriani papae vestigiis inhaerentes , vestrique desiderii fructum attendentes ; concessionem eiusdem super hibernici regni dominio vobis indulto ( salvâ beato petro & sacrosanctae ecclesiae romanae , sicut in angliâ sic in hiberniâ de singulis domibus annuâ unius denarii pensione ) ratam habemus & confirmamus . bul. alexandri iii. apud grialdum cambrens . lib. 2. histor. hibern . expugnat . cap. 6. in codicibus ms. ( in edito enim caput hoc mancum est ) & io. rossum warvicensem , in tract . de terris coronae angliae annexis . b annulum quoque per me transmisit aureum , smaragdo optimo decoratum , quo fieret investitura iuris in gerenda hibernia : idemque adhuc annulus in curiali archîo publico custodiri jussus est . io. sarisbur . metalogic . lib. 4. cap. 42. de quo consulendus etiam est giraldus cambrens . lib. 2. hibern . expugnat . cap. 6. c in regem & dominum receperunt . roger. wendover , & matth. paris . in historiâ maiori , an . 1171. roger. hoveden , in posteriore parte annalium . iohan. brampton in historiâ ioralanensi , & bartholomaeus de cotton , in histor. anglor . ms. d recepit ab unoquoque archiepiscopo & episcopo literas , cum sigillis suis in modum char●ae pendentibus ; regnum hiberniae sibi & haeredibus suis confirmantes , & testimonium perhibentes ipsos in hiberniâ cum & haeredes suos sibi in reges & dominos in perpetuum constituisse . io. brampton . ibid. e venerunt ibidem ad regem angliae omnes archiepiscopi , episcopi , abbates totius hiberniae , & receperunt cum in regem & dominum hiberniae ; jurantes ei & haeredibus suis fidelitatem , & regnandi super ●os potestatē in perpetuum : & inde dederunt ei chartas suas . exemplo autem clericorum , praedicti reges & principes hiberniae , receperunt simili modo henricum regem angliae in dominum & regem hiberniae ; & homines sui devenerunt , & ei & haeredibus suis fidelitatem juraverunt contra omnes homines . rog. hoveden . ad ann . 1171. f dignum etenim & justissimum est , ut sicut dominum & regem ex angliâ sortita est divinitùs hibernia ; sic etiam exinde vivendi formam accipiant meliorem . girald . cambrens . hibern . expugnat . lib. 1. cap. 34. g rex angliae misst transcriptum chartarum universorum archiepiscoporum & episcoporum hiberniae , ad alexandrum papam : & ipse authoritate apostolicâ confirmavit illi & haeredibus suis regnum hiberniae , secundùm formam chartarum archiepiscoporum & episcoporum hiberniae . rog. hoveden . h nam summus pontifex regnum illud sibi & haeredibus suis auctoritate apostolicâ confirmavit ; & in perpetuum eos constituit inde reges . io. brampton . i perquisierat ab alexandro summo pontifice , quòd liceret ei filium suum quem vellet regem hiberniae facere , & fimiliter coronare ; ac reges & potentes ejusdem terrae , qui subjectionem ei facere ●ollent , debellare . id. ad . 〈◊〉 . 1177. k iohannem filium suum coram episcopis & regni sui principibus regem hiberniae constituit . id. ibid. & gualterus coventrensis , inejusdem anni historiâ . l constituit iohannem filium suum regem in hiberniâ , concessione & confirmatione alexandri summ● pontificis . rog. hoveden . annal. part . 2. ad an . 1177. m ab eo impetravit ; quòd unus quem vellet de filiis suis coronaretur de regne hiberniae . & hoc confirmavit ei dominus papa bullâ suâ : & in argumentum voluntatis & confirmationis suae , misit ei coronam de pennâ pavonis auro contextam . id. ad an . 1185. n quibus ipse commisit legatiam in hiberniam , ad ceronandum ibi iohannem filium regis . sed dominus rex coronationem illam distulit . jd. ad an . 1187. * paulus iiii nostris temporibus hiberniam insulam in regni titulum ac dignitatem erexit . gabutius in vitā pijv. o ad omnipotentis dei laudem & gloriam , ac gloriosissimae ejus genitricis virginis mariae , totiusque curiae coelestis honorem , & fidei catholicae exaltationem , philippo rege & mariâ reginâ nobis super hoc humiliter supplicantibus , de fratrum nostrorum consilio & apostolicae potestatis plenitudine , apostolicâ authoritate insulam hiberniae in regnum perpetuò erigimus ; ac titulo , dignitate , honore , facultatibus , juribus , insigniis , praerogativis , antelationibus , praeeminentiis regiis , ac quibus alia christi fidelium regna utuntur , potiuntur , & gaudent , ac uti , potiri , & gaudere poterunt quomodo libet , in futurum insignimus & decoramus . bulla pauli iv. in rotulo patentium , ann . 2. & 3. philippi & mariae , in cancellariâ hiberniae . * provinciale ex archivis cancellariae apostolicae . edit . tomo 2. tractat. doctor . fol. 344. ( impres . venet. an . 1548. ) p satis constat , secundum albertum magnum & bartholomaeum de proprietatibus rerum , quòd toto mundo in tres partes diviso ( videlicèt asiam , africam , & europam ) europa in quatuor dividitur regna : primum videlicèt romanum , secundum constantinopolitanum , tertium regnum hiberniae quod jam translatum est in anglicos , & quartum regnum hispaniae . ex quo patet , quòd rex angliae & regnum suum sunt de eminentioribus antiquioribus regibus & regnis totius europae : quam praerogativam regnum franciae non fertur obtinere . act. concil . constant. sess. 28. ms. in bibliothecâ regiâ . q cujus mali maxima culpa in aliquot angloibernos sacerdotes jure transferenda est ; qui tartareum dogma ab orco in catholicorum perniciem emissum non negabant , licere catholicis contra catholicos & suam patriam pro haereticis getere arma & dimicare . philip. osullevan . hist. cathosic . iberniae , tous . 4. lib. 3. cap. 5. fol. 263. edit . vlissipon . an . 1621. r haec est academiarum censura ; quâ liquidò constat , quantâ ignoratione & caligine erraverint illi iberni , qui in hoc bello protestantibus opem tulerunt , & catholicos oppugnârunt : quamque insanam & venenosam doctrinam attulerint nonnulli doctiores vulgò habiti , qui saeculares homines ad reginae partes sequendas exhortati , à fide tuendâ averterunt . id. tom . 3. lib. 8. cap. 7. fol. 204. s cùm enim pontifex dica● anglos adversus catholicam religionem pugnare , eosque non minut ac turcas oppugnari debere ; eisdemque gratiis eos oppugnantes prosequatur , quibus contra turcas pugnantes prosequitur : quis dubitet , bellum ab anglis adversus exercitum catholicum omninò iniquum geri ? censur . doct. salmanti● . & vallisolet . de hibermiae bello . t rom. 13. 1. u quid , & illa potesta● , quae servos dei persequitur , fidem impugnat , religionem subvertit , à deo est ? ad quod respondendum , quòd etiam talis potestas à deo data est , ad vindictam quidem malorum , laudem verò bonorum . sedul in rom. 13. x rom. 13. 5. y sedul . in hymno acrostich . de vit● christi . z rex iste qui natus est , non venit reges pugnando superare , sed moriendo mirabiliter subjugare : neque ideò natus est ut tibi succedat , sed ut in eum mundus fideliter credat . venit enim , non ut regnet vivu● , sed ut triumphet occisus : nec sibi de aliis gentibus auro exercitum quaerat ; sed ut pro salvandis gentibus pretiosum sanguinem fundat . inaniter invidendo timuisti successorem , quem credendo debuisti quaerere salvatorem ; quia si in eum crederes , cum eo regnares ; & sicut ab illo accepisti teraporale regnum , accipe●es etiam sempiternum . hujus enim pueri regnum non est de hoc mundo ; sed per ipsum regnatur in hoc mundo . ipse est etiam sapientia dei , quae dicit in proverbiis : per me reges regnant . puer iste verbum dei est , puer iste virtus & sapientia dei est . si potes , contra dei sapientiam cogita : in tuam perniciem versaris , & nescia . tu enim regnum nullatenus habuisses , nisi ab isto puero qui nunc natus est accepisses . claud. lib. i. in matth. a veritas sapienti nitet , cujuscunque ore prolata fuerit . gildas , in codice ca●num cottoniano tit . de veritate credendâ , quocunque ore prolata fuerit . similiter nennius , praefat . in in historiam brittonum ( ms. in publicâ cantabrigiensis academiae bibliothecâ : ) non quis dicat , aut qualiter dicatur , sed quid dictum sit , veritatis testimonio magis attendendum esse probanae . b in doctrinâ religionis non quid dicatur , sed quis loquatur attendendum esse . thom. stapleton . defens . ecclesiastic . authoritat . lib. 3. cap. 57. & demonstrat . principior . doctrinal . lib. 10. cap. 5. c veritas propter seipsam diligenda est , non propter hominem , aut propter angelum , per quem adnunciatur . qui enim propter adnunciatores eam diligit , potest & mandacia diligere , siqua fortè ipsi sus protulerint . claud. in galat. 1. d iohn 10. 16. e psal. 72. 19.