through me Faction, and Contention, Schifms, I will depart Of which if you are willing, Ireturn and will do the things appointed by the Multitude. Wherein he fully afferts the Priviledge of the Church or People of Chrift we are pleading for. And afterwards, during the raign of Antichrift, Chrift hath not left himself without a Witness, nor his People without Champions to plead their Right in this matter. To inftance but in a few: That lively Witness of Chrift Martin Luther loudly proclaims, that the voice of the People ought not to be fevered from the chufing of Ecclefiaftical perfons: And long before him, Cyprian (who lived about two hundred fixty years after Chrift) fayes, Plebs obfequens, etc. The People that obey the commands of God, and fear him, ought to feparate themselves from a wicked Paftor, Seeing the People themfelves chiefly, bave either power to choose Paftors that are worthy, or to refufe thofe that be unworthy, Cypr.Epift.68. and tells us plainly, That this is bottone'd upon the Authority of God: That that is a just and lawful Ordination which is tryed by the judgment and voice of all, viz. that fear and obey God. Of the fame mind long after, was Francis Lambard, the companion of Luther in Germany, in the Preface of his Book, entituled, The Sum of Christianity, who fayes, Verily every Parish ought to have his proper Bishop, the which should be chofen by the People, and confirmed by the Commonalty of every Parish, who if they swerve one jot or tittle from the Doctrine of the Gospel of the Kingdom, ought to be depofed by the People; and others more fit, to be elected by them. And in chap.5. of the faid Book, he profefles, That 'tis the most grievous crime, and by no means to be fuffered, that many children of perdition do deprive the People of God of their juft Right and Title, viz. to chuse them a Paftor. Peter Martyr in his common places, refers the chufing and election of Minifters to the People as their undoubted Right: To whom we may joyn Mr.Bullinger, who fayes, That the Apostles exercised not Tyranny in the Church, in ordaining Minifters without the confent of the People. Bullin. Decad. 5. Serm.4. Tit. I. 1 Tim. 5. Gualter also upon Alts 1.25. faith, That those that profefs the Gospel handle the matter as evil. as the Monks and Popish Bishops, in that they restore not again to the Church the liberty of chafing Minifters, which by Tyranny they took from them. Of the fame mind is Zancbie, Calvin, Beza, Danaur, Tilenu, Tyndall (the Martyr) with many others, as Mr. Fox, Cartwright, Mr. Facob, &c. We cannot omit the famous Cafe of the United Brethren of Bohemia, who concluding the whole Papacy to be purely Antichri ftian; could not allow of the Ordination of their Minifters by any in communion with it, and yet being perfwaded of a neceflity of continuing that Ordinance in a way of fucceffion, fend fome to the Greek and Armenian Churches; who returning with diffatisfaction, they thereupon commit themfelves and, their caufe to, God, and chufe Elders from amongst themselves, and by Fafting and Prayer folemnly fet them apart to the work of the Preaching of the Gospel. To thefe many more might be added. The practice pleaded for (as is evident) is as antient as the dayes of the Apostles, and the first election of ordinary New-Teftament Officers, continued in the Church till after the dayes of Conftantine, when Pride and Tyranny foon brought all things into horrible confufion, upon the pretext of Decency and Or der; yet in the worst of times have the Witneffes of Chrift born their Teftimony hereunto. What fay our Reverend Fathers and Ministers of the Church of England to these things? have they not an equal refpect to this Appointment of Chrift, as to thofe before inftanc'd in ? is there any thing like it almoft,practifed by them, in this great concern, of feparating perfons for the preaching of the Gospel of Chrift? is not the liberty of the Brethren and Churches of Christ, as much as lies in them, wholly difannulled, and broken by them? have they any fuch call to the Miniftry? do they at all value or esteem of it? are they in the practice of the Primitive Church, or of the Reformed Churches of this day, in this matter? is not the print of the feet of the old Strumpet of Rome, the bloudy Perfecutor of the Saints, the cunning Devisor of a new felf-invented and whorish Worship, to be foley found in the paths, they are in this matter traverfing? and can fuch be accounted as the fubjects of the Kingdom of Chrift, and the real owners of his Authority and Power? To thefe, many other InAtitutions of Chrift may be added, which they fubject not to. What, fhould I mention 6. That Royal Command of our Soveraign King and Lawgiver, (which the profound, felf-philofophically wife, but indeed foolish and unlearned Doctors of this day,wreft, to the countenancing of the disorders and confufion of Antichrift (darkness fo grofs that it may be felt) that all things be done decently and in order, 1 Cor. 14.40.viz. that the Saints may prophefie one by one, and ought to admonish, exhort, and build up one another in their moft holy Faith. Rom. 8, 26, &. 12.6. 1 Cor.4.17, & 5. 4. & 11.23. Ephef.4.7,11,12.11 Tim.2.1. &3• E 2 & 3.15. Jude 20. 1 Cor.12.7,11. Mat. 25. 24. 1 Pet.4. 10, 13. 1 Cor. 12.15. & 14. 12,24. Ephef.4.3,7,15,16. A&t. 2. 42. Rom. 15.14. Eph.5.19. Col.3.16. 1 Theff.5.14 2 Theff.3.15. Heb.3. 13. to which might be added the frequent examples of the Saints, in the Old and New-Teftament, 2 Chron. 17.7,8,9. Fob 2.11, Mal. 3.16. Luke 4.16. Act. 13.15. 1 Cor. 14. 24 to 34. and the practice of the Primitive Church, as witness Origen (in his Epift. to Čelfum.) Tertullian (in his Apology) Juftin Martyr (in his Apology) and many others. Yes, 7. What, fhould I mention that grand Inftitution of this Soveraign Lord and Lawgiver, that nothing be offered up to the Father, but what is of his own prefcription (Divine and Spiritual, without affectation of Legal shadows, (Fob.4.24.) of worldly pomp, or carnal excellency, 2 Cor. 1,12. & 2.17.1 Cor. 2, 12. & 6.13.) 1 Cor.12. 28. Ifa.33.22. Fam.4.12. Mat.15.6,9. Heb.8.5. 1 King.13.33. & 12.33. fer.7.31. Numb.15.39. Deut. 12.1, 4, 31. It's evident the prefent Minifters of England conform not to the Orders and Ordinances, Chrift, as the great Prophet and Lawgiver to his People, hath appointed them to walk by; and therefore really difown the Kingly and Prophetical Office of Chrift. But perhaps to these things, fome may say, Thefe are but small matters, good men differ amongst themselves herein. To which we answer, 1. That they are part of the Instituted Worship of God; the Orders he hath left his Children to conform to, hath already been proved to fay, that any part of the inftituted Worship of Chrift, is a fmall matter, is no small derogation to the Wisdom of the Lawgiver that gave gave it forth. 2. What if it should appear, that as small as these things feem to be, they are the great Grounds of the late Controverfies of God, pleaded with Fire and Sword in most of the European Kingdoms? this may perhaps a little stay fober perfons from fo rafh a conclufion,that thefe are fmall matters: Aferious review of the late Contests of God in the Nations, with the confideration of the Grounds and Rife of them, will to perfons of fobriety, fufficiently evince the truth of the Suggestion. 3. As fmall matters as thefe have been feverely punished by the Lord he is a jealous God, and stands upon Punctilio's (if I may fo call call them) in his Worship; hence is that expreffion, Te cannot ferve the Lord, for he is a jealous God, Josh. 24.19. What fhould I mention the cafe of Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26. 16. of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, Numb.16. of Uzzah, whofe fin lay meerly in, whofe judgment was fingly upon this foot of account, his not feeking the Lord after the due order, 1 Chron. 15. 13. God commands that when the Ark was removed, it should be covered by the Priefts, that no hand touch it, that it be carried upon mens fhoulders, Numb. 4. 11, 15. which Order was violated, when they brought it from the houfe of Abinadab, 'twas uncovered, and upon a Cart, after the manner of the Egyptians, 1 Sam. 8. 7. for which breach of Order Uzzah is ftruck dead. 4. As fmall matters as thefe, when once commanded by the Lord, are of that force, as not only to deface the wel-being, but to overturn the true-being of the Worthip of God. Take one pregnant inftance herein. The Lord commanded the Ifraelites by Mofes, to bring their Sacrifices to the place that he should chufe, and offer them there; which in it self was but a circumftance of place; yet all the Sacrifices offered elsewhere, were a ftink in the noftrils of God, and not accounted by him as any Worship performed unto him. 5. But the Objection is altogether impertinent; we are not debating the greatness of the fin, but the truth of what is charged upon the prefent Minifters of England: what we have mentioned, are either the Appointments of Chrift, or they are not if they are, (as hath been proved) the prefent Minifters conform to them, or they do not; if they do not (as nothing more fure) they conform not to the Orders and Ordinances Chrift hath left his People to walk by, (which is the thing in debate) and therefore really.deny his Kingly and Prophetical Office. As for what is added, that good men differ amongst themselves in this matter, it's of no more weight than what went before: for, 1. 'Tis not at all to the business in hand. 2. 'Tis poffible good men may for a while do that which really enwraps in the bowels of it a denial of the Offices of Chrift. We shall not deny but fome of the Minifters, of England may be fo in the account of God. 3. That good men dif fer, is an Argument of their Ignorance and Darkness, which though, in fome cafes it excufes a tanto, yet not a toto; it may alter the degree, never the nature of the fin. 4. 'Tis falfe, that good men pref-. fing after Reformation, and the reftitution of the Worthip of God according to the Primitive Pattern, do differ touching the fubftance of the things inftanc'd in: Were but the pride and paffion of mens spirits a little more allaied; and they disentangled more from their selfish interefts, a greater harmony would appear amongst them in thefe matters. But sly, as was faid, The particulars inftanc'd in, are commanded by Chrift,or they are not; if they are (as hath been proved) doth it in the leaft difcharge perfons that conform not to them, from the charge they are impleded as guilty, viz. Non-conformity to the Laws of Chrift; that good men differ in these matters (i. e. fome good men tranfgrefs the Laws of Chrift, which is fure no part of their goodness, nor any warrant to juftifie me, in the doing of what may ftrengthen their hands in fuch a Non-conformity) CHAP. V. A fecond Argument demonftrating, that the prefent Minifters of England deny the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Chrift. That they own, fubmit and fubfcribe to Orders and Ordinances that are not of Christ's revealing, proved by the induction of 14 Particulars. An Objection answered. That they own Laws and Inftitutions, contrary to the Inftitutions of Chrift, proved, by the induction of 10 Particulars. A 3d Argument, proving their denial of the Offices of Chrift, produced. That there is no other Head of the Church but Chrift, proved. Objections answered. Hat the Minifters of England deny the Kingly and Prophetical Offices of Chrift, and therefore are not to be heard, but feparated from,hath been afferted, and by one Argument, proved, in the foregoing Chapter: To the further evidence whereof, a few things more are to be offered in this. Argument 2. Those who own, fubmit and fubfcribe to Orders and Ordinances which not only, are not of Chrift's revealing, but contrary thereunto, do really deny, and oppofe the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Chrift. But the prefent Minifters of England do own, fubmit and subscribe to Orders and Ordinances, that are not only, not of Chrift's revealing, but contrary thereunto: Therefore, The |