of Dort, where the Orders of Church-officers were Presbyterially defined: She entered this folemn proteftation against it, unto which no answer was then given, nor is any like to be given unto the worlds end. Viz.In the mean time he declareth (viz. Interea tathe Bishop of Landaffe, in the name of himfelf, and of his Reve- men de difciplina paucis rend Collegues, Bishop Hall, Bishop Davenant, Doctor Goad, monet, nunDoctor Ward, and Doctor Belcanqual in a few words, that a Pa- quam in ecclerity never took place in Chrifts time, for then the twelve Apostles were fia obtinuiffe fuperiour to the feventy Difciples; not in the Apostles time, nor in the miniftrorum. following ages; neither is the reafon ufed in this confeffion of any non tempore force; to wit, that all are equally the Ministers of Christ, for the Chrifti ipfius Jeventy Difciples were the Minifters of Chrift; but therefore they tunc enim were not equal to the Apostles, and all men are equally men, but duodecim Athence doth not follow, that one man ought not to be fubject to ano- poftoli er ant ther. This be profeffeth to have declared not in offence of thefe difcipulis fuJeptuaginta Churches, but in defence of the Churches of England.

paritatem;

periores. Non Apoftolorum ætate; non fubfecutis fæculis nec valere rationem in hac confeffione ufurpatam,nempe quia omnes funt aque miniftri Chrifti; nam feptuaginta difcipuli erant miniftri Chrifli, non tamen Apoftolis aquales, & omnes omnino homines funt aque homines, non tamen inde home homini fubeffe non debet, hac non ad harum ecclefiarum offenfionem, fed ad noftra anglicane defenfionem, monuiffe profeffus eft. Synod. Dordracen. feff. 145. See the joynt atteftation of the English Divines, Anno. 1626.

In the fifth

a Their

This Doctrine thus profeffed, practiced,and protefted both at home and abroad,was fo deeply rooted in English mens minds, that our Affembly of Divines durft not in their confeffion of Faith, revive the diftinction betwixt ordinary,& extraordinary officers, or fo much as name it. I take notice of ther advice,afterwards prefented to the Parliament about Church Government. It being attempered unto Policy, and the then State of affairs, but not Juftifiable by Scripture Rule, or the antient Ecclefiaftical Exception. Practice. This the Diffenting brethren abundantly prove, who (as we have heard) call the Presbyterian Government, a Govern- reafons ament not established upon a Jus divinum, but fettled by the State. gainft the And prove it to be (a)irrational, and (b) worfe then Epifcopal, or Presbyterian Papal. Do any fay, the Affembly omitted all treaty of Church-government o officers in their confeffion of Faith. I anfwer, that contradicts Their reanot what I said, but fuch their omiffion may beget a question, the fubordifons against which themselves only can refolve, namely why their confeffi- nation of on, repugnantly to the confeffions of all other Churches, makes ftanding Syno mention of the Miniftry; Sure I am, their Scotish brethern, proved from give a folemn caution about it; they fay, Leaft our intentions, what the Presand meaning be in fome particularsmifunderstood, 'tis hereby exprefly byterian ; and providedalibi pam.

b

nods. I. it is

on of faith,

provided, and declared, that the not mentioning in this confeffion of the feveral forts of Ecclefiaftical Officers and Assemblies, shall be zo prejudice to the truth of Christ, to be expreffed fully in the Directory Act of ge of government. The refult of all this is, that the Church of Engneral Affem- Land was, and is one of thofe reformed Churches, who doth bly prefixed to our Affem- not own this diftinction betwixt ordinary, and extraordinary blies confeffi- Officers, and gives her reafons why the doth not; till which are anfwered, the favourers of the diftinction complain unjustly of their diffatisfaction, or of our fcandalizing of all reformed Churches. But did I fay the Church of England doth not own the diftinction? I muft fay more; fhe needed not to own it, because her Reformation was effected by ordinary Officers, as the Ark used to be carried upon Levites fhoulders; neither was any noise, tumult heard within all her borders, except the joyful, hearty, and universal acclamations of the people, every where crying grace, grace, unto it. We proceed to the laft Objection.

Obj.3. that

we give t

the

or

Obj. 3. Not only Calvin, &c. but the whole Reformation is Roman Syna- hereby fet bare-brefted against the fiery darts of Roman blafgogue occafi- phemies.

on to blaf pheme. 1. Anf. conceffion how far Papifts may take

I answer, Firft, I grant this crafty Adverfary fingles out our Reformifts oppofition unto truth (if any be) or contradiction one unto another,as the fitteft place to raise his battery against the whole Reformation. But,

Secondly, The whole Reformation is not concerned in this charge, for the reafons expreffed in the laft Paragraph of our anfwer unto the fecond Objection: and if any part of the Reformation be chargeable, muft we conceal their weakness, that the Adverfary may fecurely make his breach, and enter at pleasure? To what purpofe fhut we our eyes againft what they fee? unlefs their eyes be covered under our lids: Doth not the Lion fee the filly beaft when he hides his head, and doth not see the Lion? Who writ Miniftromachia, and how long fince is perfectly known to any, who is but moderately acquainted with our controverfies: Doth the Roman Synagogue blafpheme? Are they to be blamed who gave the occafion, or those who endeavour to take it away? When will webe, if we be not yet, fenfible what advantage the Pope hath gotten, by the feldome agreeing together of fome nien, but when they fight him? And might not the miferable ends of the feditious Captains at Ferufalem, when befieged by Titus Vefpafian (if we wanted an experiment) tell us what would be the iffue? This we shall

not

may

Præterea

tatis aut con

babent inter

not question, but can resolve, that the different conftitution betwixt the Reformed Church of England,and others alfo dignified with the fame Title,halong fince been obferved, and(I doubt not) highly improved to the advantage of the Papacy. Gualterus the Jefuite could ask the French Reformifts before I was born; By what law of truth or reafon, they dare call the Ministers of England their brethren, who have Bithops, and Archbishops among them, so far fuperiour to common Minifters, that no comparison quanam veribe made betwixt them; Now muft we fuffer thofe Rabfbakey's fcientia lege, to proceed in their reproaches, and close our lips, leaft fpeaking fratres apelwe wake a fleeping Faction? What do all men of different lare audent judgments,tenderly fuffer their diffenting brethren to go on un- miniftros molefted in their own wayes? Did we never hear of Calvins Anglia, qui Difcipline in England? cr hath our Church received no preju- fe epifcopos,& dice by any of his Emiffaries? If he be right lets clofe with him, Archiepifco and hold together the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? pos, eofq; fimIf he be wrong, 'tis a fhame to us not to be as free, diligent, ftris, ita auplicibus miniand open in the maintenance of truth, as he, or his are for the thoritate, propagation of errour; how luftily he, or his party endeavour poteftate fupeit, and that with explicite abhorrency, and overt expreffions riores, ut nul to render all contrary conftitutions odious, appears fo frequent-la propemoly in their writings, as it would favour of no induftry to tranf- dum inter ucribe particular quotations: Let me only add to this Section, ratio exiftat. trofq; compathat all the labours of the fociety of Jefuites, fince the firft Gualter. Tufoundation of their Order, have not fo much fettled the triple bul. ChronoCrown upon the Popes head,or diffettled the reformed intereft, graph. pag. It, 298. as the tepidness of fome luke-warm defenders of the Discipline of the Church of England, whilst it ftood, and the violence and rage of ignorant Zealots against it, fince its fhaking. We know who faid it; Because they received not the truth in the love of it, that they might be faved, God fhall fend them strong delufion, that they should believe a lye. 2 Theff. 2. 10, 11. But,

3.

Thirdly, What do the Factors of the man of Sin take 3: Anf. re heart, and refolve that Rome fhall once again be the only mart tortion upon for trading, fince the Reformifts, or fome of them are guilty the Papifts. of fuch indirect and unhandsome dealings; may they know, fhe will get little by the bargain, because much of this Ware lyes upon her Merchants hands already; for inftance, did notHildebrand the root, and foundation of the prefent Papacy, a man of far greater repute with them, then any of the forementioned are with us, profefs his election to be extraordinary, and of St. Peters choice, when he intruded upon the Papacy without the will of generat. 36.

Z 2

the

Naucler,

the elector Cardinals: This paft for a currant Hiftory, and Tradition before Luthers dayes, for the Relator Nauclerus lived, and ends his History with the precedent Century; And is to this day fo well approved by the Roman Church, that Gualterus the Jefuite affords him a place in his Catalogue of holy writers. I will not turn mine, or my Readers ftomack, by raking in the writings of Surias Metaphraftes, pratum fpirituale, or the golden legend; which are the common Lay-ftals offuch Church filth rak't into heaps, and dunghils. Baronius, the most advantageous, and admired writer of the Annals of the Romane Church; well knowing how light many of her Monaftical, and Pontifical practices would weigh, without the allowance of fome grains of extraordinary callings and Revelations; Hangs his History very thick with thofe forgeries: For inftance, hath any light Hufwife a diflike against her Husband, and his family, and luft to travail with fome errant Frier; how opportunely doth she meet St. Thecla in the very entrance of his Hiftory (bare fourteen years after Chrifts Afcenfion) divinely moved to forfake her Spoufe, and gad about with St. Paul from place to place in his travails. And when by the Law, that then was, fhe was expofed to the Lyons,they became tame, and fawned upon her. All which we esteem more flightly, then the most undervaluing words can exprefs, because they are fo contrary to St. Pauls Doctrine, I Cor. 7. 13. ad fin. 16. and doubtlefs to his pra&tice; for he would not fay one thing and do another; which Text, and others fuch like, were fo bufie with the Cardinals confcience (though he name them not) that after he had rela ted this paffage, and others concerning her, he introduceth St. Ad propri Paul rating at her, and commanding her to return to her own poneret offen (Spoufe, Houfe, Country) least she caufed the Gospel to be evil diculum evan spoken of. Befides, Is any puft up with the Tympany of a private Spirit, ad Ann. and not having yet made fhipwrack of his Faith and ConfciChrifti 47. Utor Epito- ence, is expectant ere he launcheth further into that Whirleme Henrici pit, whether fuch a notion have any prefident in the Church Spondani, Im- Antiquities; his eminency will affure him, that Gregory Thaumapreffa Franco- tourgus, or the wonder-working Gregory in the year of Chrift furti 1614 233. did receive from the hands of the Virgin Mary, and of St. John the Evangelift, a rule of Faith verbatim, concerning the perfect knowledge of the Trinity.

a reverti, ne

gelio.Baron.

Baron. unde. Ann.

Ad ann. 386.

an Amman

The fame Cardinal faith, that 81rone was converted upon fight of an Angel, speaking in the ear of St. Ambrofe, preaching

unto

unto the Millanois. And that the fame St. Ambrofe; the fame day wherein he dyed at Milain in the West, was feen in the East, (i. e. fome part of the Greek Empire) praying,and laying his hands upon feveral perfons. Indeed the Cardinal doth not tell us, whether it were in confirmation, or ordination, but the matter is not much, fince both of them belong to Epifcopal administration; and St. Ambrofe could then as well do one as another, and both of them as easily as one. And if he did ordain, what a multitude of extraordinary Officers might he make?

Thus (he alfo tells us how St. Proclus, then St. Chryfoftomes difciple, and afterwards his fucceffor in the Patriarchate of Conftantinople, far St. Paul leaning over his masters chair, while he was writing. But leaft any one fhould be fo hard of belief, fepius viFidem fecit as to question one Saints teftimony of another, the Cardinal fe fapius viadds That St. Proclus was depofed, that be fan it often: And ad Ann. Chribad fo clear a view of St. Paul at his apparition, that it was one fti 407. 03 part of his oath, that he faw the Apostle putting his mouth to St. admoventem Chryfoftoms right ear.

diffe. Baron.

auri dextra Id. ibid.

Moreover he adds, that John the Deacon constantly fam the Cum quid holy Ghost in the form of a Dove, fitting at St. Gregories gear, de facris litewhen he commented any thing upon Scripture. A relation fo vene- ris fcribere rably received by, and put fo farr out of difpute with our fore- vellet. Baron. fathers, that St. Gregory was alwaies pictured with a Dove at his fti 604.

ear.

But what if this extraordinary, and private spirit fpeak miftakingly, by the tongue of the Enthufiaft? will it tell him as the true did St. Paul (even then when he fpake truth) that bonds and afflictions abide him? no; Baronius hath provided him ofa Reprieve, no other, nor worfe man then fweet St. Bernard fhall bayle him from imprisonment, and answer the Action for him. The story is in fhort thus, St. Bernard was a bufy inftigator of Lewes the feventh and his Frenchmen, to undertake the Pilgrimage War in Palestine, then propounded by Pope Eugenius (Bernards quendam fellow Monk.) The good Saint promised the over credulous King mountains of fuccefs, and profit here, and a Paradife of unspeakable glory hereafter: He, and his people fly into the expedition, but fuddenly their wings are clipt; all things happen contrary to their expectation, and St. Bernards Prophefie; hereat fober men ftorm and rage, and St. Bernard being yet alive and uncanonized, his Holynefs and truth are called in queftion, and he good man,and his friends for him are forced to Apologize, wherein among other things in his behalf,

23:

we

ad Ann. Chri