y '>^ 4/ \ / I PERKINS LIBRARY DuKe University Karc UooKs A, ^ % _.._„a__.'. THE TRUE HISTORY COUNCILS Enlarged and Defended, Againflthe Deceits of a pretendedVindicator of thePri mitive-Churchjbut indeed oftheTympanite&Tyran- ny of fome Prelates many hundred years after Chrift. With a Detedion of the falfe Hiflory of Z.Vw^r^/ Lord Bilhop oiCorke and Rojfe in Ireland. And a Specimen of tlte way by which this Generation conf uteth their Adverfaries in feveral Inftances. And a Preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus\ Hifto- ry of HahajfiA. Written to (hew their dangerous Errour, who think that a gene- ral Council, or Colledge of Bifhops, is a (upream Governoiir of all the Chriftian World, with power of Univerfal Legifla- tion, Judgment and Execution, and that Chrifts Laws with- out their Uni verfal Laws,are not (ufficient for the Churches Uni- ty and Concord. By RICHARD BAXTER, tf U-vcr of Truth, Love, andPeacfy and a Hater of Lyi/jg^ Malignity, and Verfecuticn. To which is added by another Hand, a Defence of a Book, En- tituled, No Evidence for Diocefan Churches. Wherein what is further produced out of Scripture, and ancient Authors, for Diocefan Churches, is dilcufled. London, Printed for Tho. Tari^lmll, ac cJk Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of Chupfide, near Memrs Chappel. 1 622. «A* *4* *^ *^l*t lilt liii lite, llit ife. *A» **t. ♦** «A» l4» «*♦ i*» .-, —I '" 4/$* «f^ *^ «^ «^ *^ *^ *f* * «^ ' «ft* Cf^ •f^ «f>* •{'• •$» «^ «j!» To the Pious and Peaceable Proteftaiu-Conform- ing Minifters, who are againft our Subjection to a Foreign Jurifdidtion. Th®- notice of the Reafon of this Book, with a Breviate of Ludol- phm's Habaflian Hiftory. Reverend Brethren WHen after the effeSfs of our calamitotis di- vifions , the rejoycing Nation fuf^ofed they had been united^ in our King new- ly reflored (hy a General and Army which hadbeenfghtifig againft himanvited^ftrengthned by theCtiy^Smany other s^B an A^ of Oblivion feemed to have frefared for future amity ; fome little thought that men were about going further from each other than they were before : Bu t ihe Malady was evident to Juch ofm as were called to attempt a Cure, and neither the Caufes nor the Prognoflicks hard to be known. A cer- tain and cheap Remedy was obviotiS; but no Tleas, no 'Petitions, could get min to accept it. The Symptomes then threatned far worfe thanyet hath come to pa fs, God being more merciful to us than mijlaken men. We were then judged criminal for foreseeing and foretelling what Fruit the Seed then [own would bring forth : And fince then the Sowers \ay the Foretellers are the caufe of all. We quickly fiw, that niflead of hoping for any Concord^ and healing of the Bones which then were broken^ it A 1 would The Preface. would l^e come our Care and too hard work ^ to endeavour' to prevent a greater breach. Though we thought Two Thou\lwd [uch Miniflers as were fUenced would be mi^^ when others thought it a blefftng to be rtd of them, we tbenje.iredy andfime bopd^ that no [mall number rnore would jolluw them. It was not you that caft fuch out ; nor is it you that wifljthe continuance and increase of theCaufes. We agree with yon in allfoinis of the Chrifiian Reformed Religi- on : and concerning the evtlof all the fins which we fear by Conforming to commit, though we agree 7iot of the meaning of thofe Oaths ^ TromifeSyTrofefions, andTra- 61 ices, which are the matter feared. We live in unfeign- ed Love and Communion with thofe that loveTruth\ Ho- linefs and Teace, notwithflanding fuch differences as ihefe, God hath not laid our Salvation or Communion vj)on cur agreeing about the meaning of every word or Sentence in the Bible , much lefs on our agreeing of the fenfe of every word in all the Laws and Canons of men* Two things voe earnefily requefl of you , for the fake of the Chrtflian Religion^ this trembling Nation, and your own and others Souls, i . That you will in your Tar if}} Relations ferioufly t/fe your befi endeavours to p'omote true Godlinefs and Brotherly Love, and to heal the fad Divifions of the Churches : We believe that it mufl be much by the Parochial Minifters and ^ffem- Hies , that Piety and Troteflant Verity mufi be keft itf : And what we may not do, we -fray that you may do it who are allowed, a. That you will join with us again ft all Foreign Jurifdidion, Ecclejiificafor Civil, The Tarty which we dread I have given you fome ac' count of in my Re fly to Mr. Dodwcll. By their Fruits you miy know them. i. TJjey are fuch as labour to m ike: diir Breaches wider., ly rendring thofe that they divert from The Preface. from odious , 'which commonly is by falfe accn\atiom; They call out for Execution by the Sword again fi thofe that dare tiot do as they do, and cry. Go on, abate no- ihing; they are fadiiousSchifmaticks, rebellious: They might eafily have learnt this Language, ''ju it h out fi dying long in the Vniverjities, andiJSJithout all the Bnmfionc Booh that teach it them. An invifible lutor can \oon teach it them without Book. He that hater h his i5ro- iher is a murtherer, and hath not eternal Life abiding in him. i. They are for an univerfal humane Govern- ment, with fower of LegiflatUn and Judgment over the whole Chriflian World. How to call it they are not yet agreed, whether Ariflocratical, or Monarchical ^ or mixt. Some of them fay that it is in the Collegium Epif- coporum, governing per Literas formatas, for fear left if they fay. It is in Councils, they JIjou Id presently be con- futed by the copious Evidence which we produce againft _ them. And yet they may well think that men will ash them [JVhen did all the Bijljop on Earth make Laws for all the Chriflian World, or fa\s Sentences on Offen- ders without ever meeting together 1 And how came^ they to know each others minds ? and which way the major Vote went ? And what, and where are thofe Laws which we mufl all be governed by, which neither God nor Councils made ? The Canons were all "made by Councils. If you (ay that I describe men fo mad, as that I mufl be thought to wrong thefn, I now only ask you, whether our Cafe be not difmal when fuch men as you call mad, have power to bring us andkeef us in our'Divifwnsi or to do much towards it without much contradiBion ? But others who know that fuch palpable darknefs will not \erve their caufe, do openly fay, that it is General Councils which are the Lcgiflative and judging Govcr- nours The Preface. nours to the whole Church on Earth, as one Political Body. For they knew that we have 710 other Laws be- (idesGods and theirs, freteftded to he made ]or all the World. But when the Cafes ojjsned by me in the Second part of my Key for Catholicks, and elfe where, dojilence them, this Fort alfo is deferted by them. Even Alberr. Pighius hath rendred tt ridiculous, i. Jf this be the ,: fpecifying or iinijying Bead, or fumma Poteftas of the Vniverfil Church, then it is not monarchical but Arifio- cratical. a. Then the Church is no Church, when for hundreds of Tears there are no General Councils, an effen- tial part being wanting. And they that own but the 4 or 6 firjl General Councils, make the Church no Church, or to have been without its ejfentiatingGovernment thefc Thoufand Tears. And by what f roof, befides their incre* dibleWi-rd , can they tell the Church, that they are fub* je5ito the fix fir n General Councils, and yet not to the (event h, eighth, ninth, oranyflnce'l 3. I have oft Qa^ ^gainlf Johnfon, and elfewhere,') proved that there ne^ ver was an univerjal Council of all the Churches, but on- ly of fart of thofe m the Roman Empire ; Were there no prooj but from the recorded Ncimes of the Callers of Coun* cils , and all the Subscribers , it is unanswerable. 4. Who knows not that the Church is now divided into about Twelve SeEis, all condemning one another^ And that they are under the Tower of various Trinces, and many Enemies to Chriftianity , who will never agree to give them leave to travel to General Councils ? And who (Ijall call them, or how long time will you give the Bijloops o/Antioch, Alexandria, r^^ Jacobites, AbalTines, Kedorians, Armenian?, Mufcovites, and all the reflet o learn fo much of each others Languages, as to debate in- telligibly matters of fuch moment., as Laws for all the World mufi be* Twenty more fach abfurdities, make this The Preface. this Ariftocracy over all the World, as maA a conceit as that f or ement toned: And when we know already what the Chrifttan Tarties hold, and that the [aid jsicohitcs, Neftorians, Armenians, Circa/Iians, MengreJians,Grccks, Mufco vices, ^c. are Jar more than either Protefcants or ^apftSj do we not know that in Councils if they have free Votes they will judge accordingly again fi both. But this jort of men are well aware, that the Church ^ is always , but Councils are rare, and ifs, at leaft , uncertain whether ever there will be more; and the Ar- ticles of the Church of England fiy. They may not be called without the Will of Princes,- and the Church is now under fo many contrary Princes as are never like to agree hereto. And they know that fomebody muft call them, and fome body muff prefjde, &c. Therefore they are forced to f^eak out, andfiy, that the Pope is St.Tc' tersS\xccti{bt, the prime Patriarch, and frincipiumVni- tatis, and mud call Councils, and asPrefidcnt moderate and difference the lawful from the unlawful .* And that in the Intervals of Councils he as Patriarch is to govern at leaft the WcH., and that every Diocefane being ex Of- ficio, the Rcprefenter of his Diocefs, and every Metro- politane of his Province, and every Patriarch of his Pa- triarchate, what thefe do all the Bilhops on Earth do, . Andfo the Riddle of a Collegium Paftorum is opened, , Md all Cometh hut to this, that the Italians are Papifts. who would have the Tofe rule Arbitrarily, as above Councils; but the French are no Tafifts, who would have the To^e rule only by the Canons or Church Parlia- ments^ and to be (ingulis Major, at univerfis Minor, This is the true Reformation of Church-Government ^ in which the Englifh Jhould (by them) agree. And now you know what I am warning you to beware of. We are for a twtjt^ canjun^ion of the civil 'Tower and . The Preface, \md the Eccle/ia[ucal, and for Christian Kifigdom, and Xhurcbes, fojar national as to he ruled and proti tied by .Christian Kings, in the greatejt Love and Concord that can ie wtll obtained: And for Councils nee e^ary tofucb ends : But we are fiot for fetting %:p a Foreign Jnrifdi- ■Bion oxer King and Kingdom^ Church and Souls y u^on the filfe claim of uncapable Vfurjfers. One ofyourfe/ves jn a [mall Book called, The whole Duty of Nations,^;/^ another. Dr. Jfaac harrow againft Papal and all Foreign Jurifdidion, (^ptblijljed by T)r. Tillotfon) have [foken ■our thoughts fa fully, as that we only intreatyou to take thofefor otirfenj.e, and concurr with us therein for our ccmmon ^eace and Safety, We reverence all Councils fo far as they have done good; we are even for the hAvicQ andConcotd T,^. dwelling in Egyp, read the Books of the * Cophries {Tet. Heylm ot Liibeck.') judged that [/the * DifTent of the Parties was more in their fear of the Se- * quele, than in the matter itfelf: For the Grff-^J would * obviate the Hereticks who confound Chrifts Divinity^ ' and Humanity : And the Cophties thofe who feign two ' Perfons in Chrifl.] And if indeed this be the cafe, that * the Fight eitheir of old was, or ftill is only about the * fenfe of wordsjverily no kind of Tears can be fo fliarp,as ' to fuflriee to weep for this unhappy Word-War ; NcBreaffc * can be fo hard which would not mourn for the unhappy 'Contentions of them, to whom Chrift by his own ex- ' ample folicitoufiy commended the ftridell: Bend of Cha- * rity : No mind can be fo cruel, which for the name of ' [lifputes feemed really tobe for them, i^^i^fg bo^jumuch the fefnites excelled their Triefts ; (pecially K. Zadengelus, being taken with the Je[uits Treaching, when all his own Clergy only read Littirgies^HomilieSy (3neverpreacht:HefetuftheRomaneTutriarch'"Spower^ J^ /CSuI'ncus after him [ware Obedienc-eto theT^ope^and refo lately eftablijhed Topery : Difputes brought him to It : And the Jefuites knowing that it muft be fomthivg which feemed to be ofWeigbt, which muft make the Em- pire [ubmit to a Change of their P^eligion, accufe the Abaf- f\nes as erring with the Eutychians,/// reje^mgthe Coun- cil oj Calcedon, and denying two Natures and Wills in Chrift. This was chofen as the main Stibje^ of the great 7)i(putes : The Emperour was convinced of their Here- fie, andbecaine a refolute Profelite to Rome.- And^o* pery Eight Tears had the upper ruling hand. But all this while the Empire was in dif content: The Royal Family and the Sub-Governours oft brokf out into Rebellion. To beJJjort^many bloody battels were fought. The Emperour ufually had the Vi^ory : But when one field of blood was dried up, a new Rebellion [till Sprungup, The Tapifts (till told the K. that God gave him the Victory for owning his-Church and Ciufe. His Rulers, Triefts, and Monks told him he killed his Subje^s, and tn the end would lofe his Empire for nothing but bare words. Af- ter many fights in the I aft about Eight Thcufand~of his Siib'jeBs called his Enemies, were killed : The Kings own adherents being no jr lends to the Roman Change, de fired the Kifig.to vicdu. the dead, and madv to him pefently this I The Preface. thisSfcech: 'Thcfewere notHear hens nor Mahomeranes. * in whofe death we might juftfy re)oicc:They wereChn 'flians;they were formerly you rSub)eds,our6buntry men, * andncar inBodyfome of them to you,androme to usr ' How much better might {o many valiant Brealls have ' been fct againft the deadly Enemies of your Kingdom. *It*s no victory which is got upon Citizens ,• with the ' Sword by which you kill them, you (lab your felf. Thole * whom we perfecute with fo terrible a War do net hate ' us, but only are againft that Worfhip which we force * them to : How many have we already killed for the ' changing of Religion (Sacrorum ? ) How many more ' arc there yet to be killed > What end will there be ot ' Fighting ? Give over we bcfeech you, to drive them to ' your new Religious things (fwva facra,^ left they give * over to obey you, elfc there will never be a fafe peace] TeajheKjr/gs eldeft Son andlmBrother got the Gallans (Heathens,) that had been Souldiers for the King, to tell him they would fght againfl his 7)ijfentifig Chnfiiinsno more. The K. growing weary if War, and feeing and hearing all this, changed his mind, and called a Council^ in which it was agreed, [Thar the Alexandrian Religi- on ihould be reftored: And toeffcdl this they declared, that indeed the Roman Relii;ion was the very fame.* Both faid that Chrift is true God and true Man : And to fay. There is one Katurc, or there are two, arc words of fmall moment, and nor wcrthy the ruining of the Em- pire,] And thus the King was brought to give Liberty of Religion to the DiiTcntcrs. The Romane Patriarch underftanding all this, gceth with the Bilhop and Jefuits to the King, and made this Sftech to him, [ < I thought we had been lately Conque- *rours, but behold we are conquered : The Rebels that * ivere conquered have obtained that which they defired ; [ b ] * Be- The Preface. ' Before the Fight was the time of Vowing and Promifiiig, * but now is the time of Performing : The CathoHckand ^Tortugal Soldiers got the Vi(5tory, God profpering the *Catholick Religion: But now what thanks is given hira.^ ' When it is decreed the other day, that the Alexandri- ' an Religion fliall be freely permitted. And here you * coiifak not with the Bps. and Religious men, but the ' dull Vulgar, and Gallanes and Mahometanes, yea and ' Women pafs Sentence of Religion : Bethink you how * many Victories you have won againft the Rebels fmcc ' you followed the Romane Religion. Remember that it * was not as conftrained by Arms or Fear, but induced by ' free Will, that you embraced it as the truer. Nor did * we come to you of our own accord, but were fent by * the Pope oiRome, the highell Prelate, and the King of * 'Portu£al,2ind this at your Requefl:. Nor did they ever * intend any thing (againft you^ but only to join your * Kingdom to the Church of Rome. Take heed therefore * left you provoke them to juft Indignation : They are *far ofFyou, but God is near you, and will demand the 'fatisfadion which is due to them, you will inure an in- * delible Blot on the Lyon of the tribe of Judah, with * whom your Enfigns fliine; and will imprint a ftain on * your Glory and your Nation .• In a word,you will caufe * fo many fms by your Apoftafie, as, that I may not fee * them, nor the Vengeance of God, which hangeth over *you, I defire you to command that my Head may be *prefeQtly cut off.] Thus lay the Patriarch, Bp. and Je- fuits at the Kings feet in tears. Readers^ Left you think that J have miftranjlated^ to ft the matter to our times , I intreat the Icarne-d to try it by the Original: Toupee that the things that are^ have been^ and that Jin fo blindeth and hardeneth fin- ners, that one Age and Country mill take no warning by many others. Ton The Preface. Tou fee here that the Name and Inter efi of God and Re ligion, and the Church may be f leaded by a blind aftibtti om Clergy^ for the murdering of Thoufinds for a hjre difference of Names and Words , and Gods Judgments threatned againft thofe that '■jvill not go on in killing and defiroyingy and making Kingdoms defulate By Cruelty ,- And th.it the hurt Satan doth by Witches and Highway Robbers, ii a Flea- biting in ccmparifn of what he doth by ambitions Trelates and valiant Soldiers. The dif malleft Story of the fuccefs of Witches is that cj the Swedes Witches, by Mr. Hornick travflated; But 'what is the killing of now and then one , to the Murder of fo many ThoufandSy the Ruine of fo many Kingdoms, the Silencing offo many Thoufand faithful Preachers, the Perfecting of fo many Thoufand godly Chnfiiiins, and the engaging the Chrifian World in Hatred and War, as the "Fopijfj Trelates have been guilty of^ But you'lexpe^ the Anfwer of King Sufneus to the Ta- tricirch. Ludt^Iphus thus f roc eedeth, (li. 3. c. ii.) [* The King * unmoved briefly anfwereth, thac he had done as much ' as he was able, butcoulddo no more. And that thebu- * /inefs was nor about the total change of Religion, but * only about rhe grant or ('Jber:y) of certain Kites for 'Ceremonies.) {0 Sir .^ you had been hamper if you had known that fooner ! ) 'The Patriarch anfwered, that he himfelf had indul- 'ged fomcthings, and was about to indulge more, which ' concern not the fubilance of Faith, (^you are for Tole- ration till the Tires are kindled^ fo be it another EdicSt might be proclaimed , that there might be no other change. The King gave him no other Anfvver, but thac the next day he would fend fome to treat with the Fa- thers. [ b 1 ] They The Preface. They that were for the Alexandrian Religion go to the Emperour, and by Abb.i Athanafim requell, that by a publick Edid he would allow his Subjects to em- brace the Religion of their Anceftors, elfe the Kingdom would be ruined. The King confenred, and fent fome to the Patriarch, to acquaint him with it. Thefe upbraid him with the many defedions of the People. * JElius, ^Cddbrael^ Ttcla-Georgey Serf jzax, with many Mynadej * llain : And that the Laftenfes yet fought for the old Re- Migion, and all ran to them. But the King was defertcd, * all the Habaffifies defiring their old Religion. But that ' they that would might follow the Roman Religion, The TiJfifts [eeing that they could get no better but aloleraticn^ fent to the King this Answer by Emanuel d' Almeyda, 77^^^ ['the Patriarch undcrftood, that both 'Religions were tolerated in his Kingdom, and now he ' loved Ethiopia equally with his own Country Tortu- *'gal, and would prcfently grant as much as might ftand " with the purity of Doctrine, (^v-s.of the two Natures) * But there muft be difference made between thofe who 'had not yet received the Roman Religion, and with ' them they might agree; but thofe that hai given up * themfelves to it, and had ufed the facrcd ConfcfTion ' andCommunion, might not be fuffercd to return to the * Alexandrian Religion without grievous Sin,] By this temperament the Patriarch would have kept the King and all his Court; for thefe had profelTed the Roman Religion. Out the King weakened with Age and Sickncfs gave them no other Anfwcr but, [* But how ean that be *done, for I have not now the Power of the Kingdom?] Home wtm the Prelates and Jefuits : And prcfently the Trunfipets and Drums founded, and the Crier proclaim- ed, [ * Oyes, Oycs, {Hear ye) We firll propofcd to you 'th^ The Preface * the Romane Religion, taking it for good ; but an in- * numerable multitude of menperiflicd, with ^Inis^Cii- *" hrall^ Tecla-George, Sertzaxo, and with the Country * Lajlefifes; Wherefore we now grant you the Religion * of your AnceAorS; It fliall be lawful hereafter for the ' Alexandrian Clergy to frequent their Churches, and to * have their j^rciil^ for the Euchariff, and to read their *Liturgy inthe old manner/ So farewel, and Rejoice] It is incredible with what joy this Edidl was received by the People, and how the whole Camps applauded and rejoiced, as if they had been delivered from an invading Enemy, fpecially the Monks and Clergy having felt the Fathers greatefl: hatred, did lift up to Heaven their joy- ful voices : The Vulgar Men and Women danced, the Soldiers prayed all Profpericy ro the Emperour: They broke rheir own Rofaries, and other mens as they met them, and burned fome, faying, 'That it was enough for *them that they BELIEVE CHRIST TO BE TRUE GOD •and TRUE MAN, and THERE IS KO NEED OF • EdSPUTlNG ABOUT TWOKATURES, af:d fo they r {turned to the old voay. It's worth the noting here, that the PjJ?ifls zc^.iy was caff out as Novelty^ ar,d the other kep on the account of Antiquity : For Habaffia never had received the Tofe till the Portugals came to help them. Tet are thty not ajhamedhere to call theirs the (AdiKt\\^\QX\,becaii{ewhen- they had banilhed the old, [which was Jimple Chrijita- fiity~) we returned to it by Reformation. Bejides the Uc^rine of Two Natures, about which they [aw they agreed in fenfe, while the Jefuites Here- ticatedthem, three things much alienated the Habafunes.' 1- Denying them the Sacrament of theEucharift in both kinds, z. Rcbapcifing their Children. ;. Reordain- Ing their Priefls. Tbifr The Preface. Thk much being done^ the ^afifls were by degrees Joun overcome, i. The^atriarch is accuied for freach- ifig SedtticiL 1. Then the Temfles are taken from them, and they break their oiz'n Images left the HabafTines Pmild do it in fcorn. 5 . On Sept 16. 16 -1,-1. the Kivg died^ and his Son Bafilides was again ff them. 4. Ras-Secl- axus their mofi powerful friend is bani/hedy and others after him. 5 V^ofi more Accufitions their Farmes^ Goods, and Guns are fe I fed on. ^. They are confned to Frcmona .• Thence they petition again for new DifpUati- ons : The KingBMidcs anfi»ereth them thus by writing: [ * What 1 did heretofore was done by my Fathers ' commrnd, whom I muft needs obey, fo that by his 'condiid*! made' War againft my Kindred and Sub- ' je6ts. But after the lad Ba tie in IVainadega, both learn- ' ed and unlearned. Clergy and Laity, Civil and Military * men, great and fmall, fearlefly faid to my Father the * King, How longflial! we be vexed & tired with unprofita- * ble things? How Jong fhall we fight againft ourBrethren * and near Friends, cutting off our Ri^ht Hand without * Left ? Hew long fliall we turn our S.vords againft our * own Bowels, when yet by the lloman Belief we know ' nothing but vvhat wc knew before? For what the Ro- ' manes call two Natures in Chrift, the Divinity and Hu- ' maniiy, we knew it long ago, from the beginning even ' unto this day: For we all believe that the fame Chrift * our Lord is perfed; God and perfed; Man ; pcrfed God * in his Divmiry, and perfect Man in his Humanity : But * whereas thofe Natures are not feparatcd, nor divided, ' (for each of themfubfinerh, not by itfelf, but conjunct * vviththe other) therefore we fay not that they are two * things, for one is made of two, yet fo as that the Na- * rures are not confounded or mixed in his Being. This * Cjntrover/le therefore is of fmall moment among us : ' Nor The PretacCo * Nor did we fight much for this ^ but fpeciaify for this *caufe, that the Blood was denied the Laity in theUu- *charift, whenas Chrift himfelf faid in the Gofpel , ex- *ccpt ye eat the Hcih of the Son of Man, and drink his * Blood ye lliail not have eternal Life.-- Bat they detell- * ed nothing more than the Reiteration of Baptifms, as * if before the Fathers rcbaptized us we had been Hea- * thens or Publicanes: And that they Ilcordained our ' Prices and Deacon?.--- You toolate offer us now that * which might have been yielded at the firft ; for there is 'now no returning to that which all look at with the " greatelt horrour and detedarion, and therefore all fur- ' ther Conferences will be in vain.] Injhort the ''Patriarch and all the refi '■juere utterly baniJ}jedoiitofthe Em fire . Ludolph. ). 3, c. 1 5. ladfl one but thing (ex cap. 1 4.) /\y was but verb il. Tb^renin Biblioth. Pat. To. 6. p. 1 31. tlK Midi qua utun- The Preface. tttuntur antiqui Chrifliani Epifcopaius AngamalicnfiS in. Montanis Mallabarici Rcgni apud Indos OricntaJcs, e- mendata & ab erroribus blafphcmiifque Nellorianorum cxpurgata per Alcxium Menefmm Archiepifcopuni Goa- num an, i )99, I had rather have had tt with all Its Errours , that ive might haze truly knoizm hew much is getiuine. But it be nig one of themo^t Scripttral, rati- onaly and well compfed Liturgies of all there fuiflijh- ed: It woidd make one think ^ i. That the{eNeftorians were not fo bad a people as their Anathematifers would have made the world believe them. i. Jhat the Banifh- tnent of the Neftorians and Eutychians accidentally -prc^ ved a great means of theChurches enlargement beyond the bounds of the Romane Empire ^ whither they were ba- niffjcd.' And this is ^lain in cur n fit Hifio>y. 1 have given you tuis account of my IDe/ign in both the Booh, (The Hiflory of Councils, with its Ftndication, and the following Treat ife.) 1 add an Anjwer to a Lord Si/Jjop of Corke and Roue, ivho hath written mary Idi- fiorical Vntruths by his credulity^ believing falje Re- jporters. As to his and others Re-j>rchenJion of my Jljarp impeaceable words, my Cafe is hard; My own Confci- ence at once forbids metojuftifie my Stile orTaf^on; and alfo tells me that if making odious Gods fervants, fi- Jencing and perfecuting faithful Minifters, and Perjury, Jhould frove as great a guilt and danger ofT)ejtru^lion to the Land, as is feared, I cannot juftifie my long Silence^ nor that luff no more f>lj/rfnejs and fervency in calling the guilty to Refent, Cc] THE- The CONTENTS. \^ A Specimen of ths Waji by which this Scneration cof}fnteth j[\. their yidverfaries infcvcral Inftances. II. In the Gcnerd Part; § I. Hard {or young mm to know what Teachers or Hifiory t» believe. § 7. T'emptini Re.ifons for I'ap^cy. § 8. Evident againfi it, § 9. 7hc Steps by which Bijhops afcended to Papacy. §1^. Ths different Opinions ef Pooery in the Englifli. § 18. The Cafe cf Fa^ difcerned, what Judgment I fettled in about Church-Power. § 10. For what Mr, M. hath wrote withfo much difpleafure a- giiinft me, § 22. Infiances of above an H^undred Councils^ befides particu- lar Biffoops, all before h.n. 10 JO. of whom I appeal to the Cohfci" ences of all fober Men^ whether they have not been the Tearcrs of the Church. General Inflances of the greater Schifmsjiace then by potifh Bps. Some J^^ejhons put to Mr, M. andfome Reafons to abate hisdif- plcafu'e. § 22. Of a late Boc^ of the Hiftory of my Life, to prove me the Worfi cf men. * § 2^. Whether I be guilty of falfifjingHiflory, in. The particuhir Anfwer to Mr. M's Vindication, Ch. I. Thi Reafon and Dejign of my Hifiory of the Schifms of Bipops and Councils. Ch, 2. Whether we ought to tell of the Bijhops and Councils Church-corrupt irig Ways. Ch. 3. Oj Mr. M's Indnfiry tojhew me to be unlearned. Ch. 4. Whether I vainly name Htfloriahs which I never read. Ch. J. Of my ufe of Tr an flat ions ^ and following Binnius. Ch. 6. His charge of my own mifiranflations and miflaks^' Ch. 7. Ills falfe Suppcjition that I am only for a Church of one Congregation. Ch. 8. His flip SuppofitioH that J am a^ainfi Dioccfancs, n hen It's only t 'ge ill fpccies. Ch. 9. Jdnd that I am a Independent, and yet plead for Pre shy- tiYiaKS. i Ch. 10. His falfe udc cm fat ion that I make the Bijhcps the canfe of all Hcrefies and Schijms, Gh* 1 1 * The Contents. • O. 1 1^ ^)id that I mention all the Bifl:op! Fanlts and none cf their Goodnefi. Ch. 12. His Accufation of Spite, Malice, and Railing examin- ed, Dr. Burntt fat isfied. Ch.13. His Suppofition that ijpcul^ againfi a/lBifscps Councils. Ch. 14. Some mens Credit aboht ancient Hiflorj, tried hy their JJifloYji of this -^ge. Twenty Infiances of the Hijhry of cur times,. Mj own experience of it. Whether I hate compliance with Sf^peri- v^rSj or to preach hj Licence. Gb. 19. Mr. M'/ Magijhrial ai^thorifing or rcjc&ing what Hi- florians he pleafes. His Acctifution p/ Socrates audSozomt^^jand valuing Valefius, Sirmond, &c. Ch. 16. His Obfervaticn on my Notes cf credible and incredi- ble Hifiory. His Injlanccs cf my Railing particularly confidered. Whether the word[Htxcx.\CdiU^g'] h railing or caufelefs. An In- -fiance of Ftfty five of Bp. St. ?h\]i\\uuii*s accufed Hercjles, hy which I defre any fobermanto judge. Other In^ances. Whether St. Tfae- ophilus, or Socrates ^w^/ Sozomene n-frc the Criminals, Even Pp/>tf Honorius «W Vigilius hereticatcdfor being wifcr than other topes. Cb. 17. Of his Cenfnrc of my Dcfign and Church- Principles i Whether I be guilty of expofmg Chriflianity more than Julian C^ Lu- •cian. Ch. 18. Of his id Chap. Who is mo ft agair.fi Difcipline.Of An.t' thematiftng. Whether Novatus was a Bifhop or an ordainingPresbj- ter. Councils for rebaptifing. His Self-contradi^Jons. Some ^^^ejli- ons to him. Whether the Diocefttne P^ar/'^ (4J Mr. Dodwelj wlo ^Hllifie our Sacraments.^ are Heretickj^if the Re-baptifers werefuch. The old qu. was not of Rebaptifmg Hereticks^ but of fuch as Herc- tickj badbaptifed. Of the Donatifts and many Councils. Of our Liturgy's Rule to find Eaftcr-day. What the Novatians held. Pe- t^v'ms and Albafpineus Tefiimony of them. His qj^arrels about E^'X" plianius, f/?t? Arians, the kndhviS divers Synods, Antioch, Of the Circumcellians.Opratus o/?/^T^rjufed familiarly to meet \ he pro- voking the PapiiT-s to Anfwer my Books, or to pifputc with mc, was anfwercd by a Gentleman of this Par-ifh, faid to dc' of the Church of En^Und^ That [_Mr. Baxter had kiU'd a. AUn in cold Blood with Ins own HandJ] Mr. P. provoked him by a Wager to make it good. He rcfuJlng the Wager, ^^'as told, Ke Ihpuld hear of it publickly, unlefs ho would ask mc Forgivcnpfs. After fome tinie, the Gentle- man came to ^e with ^^^.\•.'TafhoroUgh^J(Ju^x£ imprifoned, as is kiiown) and with great Civility, ask't me Forgivenefs. H6 was the Son of a Knight, and Judge, of my Acquaiutance ^ and had an Aunt, that had been my very dear Friend. . I told him, That Slandering isfo common, and asking Forgivenefs fo rare, that I took it for « note of great Ingenuity in him ^ and, as I muil forgive all Men as a Chri- itian^, fo { toujd eafily fT)rgive any v«rong to one related to fuch a Friend of mine. He told me, He was refolved openly to confefs his Fault, and to vindicate me on all Occalions. Accordingly, at the fame Coflcc Houfo, he openly declared his Repentance. Upon which, Mr. P. tells mc, That Mr. G. an A-; ged Lawyer, Brother to the Lcdy Ab. was difpleafed, and faid, He would prove the thing true by many Witnelfes : ^And, faith Mr. P, the Story among Tome of them was, That a Tinlier did beat his Kettle at my Door, and being diilurbed by him, I pi/toll'd him, and was tryed for my Life at [VorccUer.^ Mr. P. faid, He provoked Mr. 6". to lay a Wager on it: And he refilling, was told, [Then he jhonld hear of it in \VeihminTter-Hull7\ Upon thi?, faith Mr. P. his YtVi<^\\-Catholkki inger.iiouily refolved to difown him, unkfs he would ask Forgivenefs \ which- Ik being unwilling to come to me to do, Mr. P. faith, Heat laft performed before ///>»i and Capt. Edmund Hampden. '>' All this being done without my Knowledge (till after,) I was re- lating it to Mr. J'Mn Hnmfrcy : Why (^ faith hej / did twelve T' (4) lickly fpoken before CompAfty ; and tvith thii farther Ctrcum- fiAfice^ that ii rva4 a SouUier^ who had Been a Pt :Joner fomt Hours. Norp this Report relating to the H^ari , i?2 which (J fear) fuch Things rvere no freat Rarities^ and from my very tender Touthy I havina not had the leajl Conz- rfe with yoa^ nor likely- of any for the future^ did not therefore ap^rehendy at pr fnty . any Concern or Occafion of inquiriyigy ivhcther it were true ; cf < tvhichy upon that confh:nt J^':verationy J did Jttxke ns do^bt. . And I tookfo little thought of laying up the Relation, that I protefi toyoUy as in the Prtfnce of Almiohty Gody it iiimfofji- hie for me to recover^ who made up that Company in which I heard it^ er from whom I heard it : And I wonder^ ho v if came into my Mindy to fay that I had heard it, f long after. But however y though it be fome Eafe to me, to bcl/eve the late Dif courfes of ity do not come from my relating fo long fmce that I heard it, neither are likely to receive any Ccnfrmation from ity unlefs it be made more Publick than 1 have made it ; yet I do "profefsy it U a great Affliction to we, to have fpoken that, though hut as a Report y which {it feems") was a Slander y (^for fo I be- lieve ity upon your Ajfeveration) and not having endeavoured to knoiv whether it were true. Andy as I have be£d God's For- give nefs of it ; fo 1 heartily defre, Ton will forgive me : And if I could direct my f elf to anj other way of Satis fa6tiony I would give it. This is the whole Account I can give of this Matter ^ to which Ifljall only addy That I amy : Ulaton-Coll. Dec. SIR, Your very AfFeQionate Servant, Richard AUeftry. II. In the Preface to the Life of Dr. Heylin are thefe Words. Mr. Baxter may be f leafed to call to mindy what rvoi done to om Major Jennings,fijf Uft Wav^ in that Fight that wa* between Lyndfel and Lor.g- ford, inthe Counts of Salop \ where the Kings Party, having unfortu- nately the worfi of the Day^ the poor Man was Jf rift dnwft naked, and left ■for (5) for dc Ad wth Field: Bat Mr.B'AXtcr-i af^d oie IiVw^*;?*?;?^ Hufdmafi, taking their Wa^among the womidedand dead Bodies^ perceived feme Life left in the Major, and Hurdinan run him through the Body in cold Blood ; jMr.'St^yittxaUthe while lookhig on, and talking ojf -with his on>n Hafrd^ the Kings Figure fern about his Neck^^ telling ht??iy as he was fwimngin his Goar, That he was a TopP) Rogue, and that was his Cracifx : Which Pi- ctwe WAS kcft by Mr.h^xtCV for many Tcars^tillit wasgotf-om htm (but not without wMch difficulty) by one Mr. Somerfifld, who then lived with Sir Thomas Rous, andgeneroHJlyrefloredit 'to the poor man, now alive At Wick r>ear Perfhorc m Worcefterihirc, although at the Fight fupfo- fedtobe dead: being, after the Wounds given htm, drag d uf af id down the Field by the mercilefs Souldtcrs ; Mr. Baxter approving of the inhumoTti- ty, by feeding his Fyes with fo- bloody, and fo bar barons a SptSlacle. I Thomas Jennings, Subfcnbeto the truth of this Narrative abovtmen- t toned ; and have hereunto put my Hand and Seal thisfecorid Day o/March 1682. Thomas Jennings. Sigf^cd and •^^'^^ March 2. 1682. tn the Prr/>wc o/John Clark, i^mi/^er 0/ Wick, Tnomas Dacke. PubUfied ^George Vernon, Mimltcr. The like was before Publiflied by Roger L' Strange. jinfw. 1 do not think Major Jenmngs knowingly rxAz this Lye, but wasdireded by fome bodies Report, and my fending him the Medal. I do folemnly proteft, i . That, to my Knowledge, I never faw Ma- jor Jennings: 1. That I never faw Man wound, hurt, Itrip, or touch him : 3 . That I never fpake a word to him, much lefs any word here affirmed : 4. That I neither took the Piclure from about his Neck, nor faw who did it : 5. That I was notintheField,whenit wasdone.- tf. That I welkcd not among any wounded or dead ; nor heard of any kild,but the one Man before-m«:.tioned. 7. That the Pidure was never got from me with difficulty. But that this is the Ti-uth : The Parliament hadafew Men in Longford Wou^^^^ and the King at Lynd- fel, about a Mile and a half a-funaer ; who ufed oft to skirmilh, and dare each, other in the Fields between: My Innocent Father being Prifoner at Lyndfel, and I being at Longford, refolved not to go thence till he was delivered. I faw the Souldiers go out, as they oft did, and in another Field difcerned them to meet and Fight : I knew not, that they had feen Jennings ^ but, being in the Houfe, a Soui- dier fhewed a imaU Medal of Guilt Silver, bigger than a Shilling , a; d told us. That he wounded Jennings, and took his Coat, and took that A^edal frcm about his Neck : I bought it of him for 1 8 d. no one offering him more. And fomc Years after (the firlt time thct I heard I htafd where he v^"^.s, freely dedrcd Mr. SomerfirUto give it him from mc, that had never fecn him •, fuppoling it was a mark of Honour, which might be iifeful to him. And now all thefc Lies, are all the Thanks that ever i had. r:i. The Ohfcrv^^or,-^. ptS. faith, fTor. ^Hio faith.they (the Prcshy- tntans) oionj^kt in the K\^g-)hcfdcs ycur [elf ^ Wh. /l/r.Hunt,f/;r Author of the CoKfurmisls Plea^ Air, Baxter nndvcho not ? Tor. Prethec ig, nor any of the reft here adjoyned -, but as to me, it is a meer Fifflion. And the ^ff^Fwasfofcnfibleofthefpme that I faid, that he fent over a Proclamation againft fuch Men, as while they caMed thcm- felves ihe Kings Party ^ did live in Debauchery and Prophiinners ; WAich Proclamation fo rejoyced them that were after Nonconformists, that they read it publickly in the Churches. Snch grofs Falihoods as thefe, are part of the Evil deprecated. As to his Qaeltion, Whtthrthe Presbyterians brought in the King? Who can affirm or deny any thing of eqiYivocal Words ? A Presbyte- rian \S) who thefe Men will call fuch. They that in the Face of the World deny the Publick Adls of Three Kingdoms, in the Age they were done in, no wonder if they multiply the grofTeft Lies of fuch as \. The Parties that reltored the King, were thefe j i . The Excluded Members of the Z.£'r;^Puh Aniufs^-^nd Sir George Bccth, Sir Thcm,:s Afiddlctoj^ joyning with fome of the iC/V/^i Souldiers, prepared Mens minds to it. 2. General //«;ir, and his Army, who were Figlitir.g agairll the King a little before, reprefi: C-.omvelshimy. ^.'\\it Long-Pur li.:v: cut McmbQXs rcllored, rgrecd todinblvcthuiifeives, ar.dlet up a Ccurxil to call home the iV«^. j^.SiiThomas AlUn^ Lord Mayor, ai:d the Aldenr.cn, invited General Mofjk. into the City, who joyning with him, turred the Scales. 5. The City Miniitcrs (called PrcsbytenaNs) perfwadcd the Lord Z'/iay- or to this, and wrote to Monks Color.els (called Frcsbytcrimi') to be .for the King : (Ipccially Mr. v^]?.', by Mr, CMmys Counfel.) 5. The Lord M>i2,,.ri::c^ Lord Broghily ard Others of the fame Party in Ire- Uud^ contributed their helj) \ ard Colonel i^r/^jr/, with others, fur- prized I>/;Wi.^Caiile. 7. Many of the Old rarU^mcnt lAt-a opcnfy provoked C7f,;' Monkj^ ar.d fecretly perfwaded and treated v\ith him, to bring in the /v.';>;^ (whom the Eiirl of yhg-lcfcy, the Earl of ShAftf- Inry, and 9thers yet living, can Name to you.) 8. li he ParluimcKt called by General ^/(?/.i;, (by agreement with tht Lorg-Parttamem^^ accounted mofliyof the fame Party, Voted the Kirgs Return : U'hich • no doubt alfo, the Old Royalills molt carnclUy defirqd, and en- deavoured. This is the Hillorical Truth ^ which if in this Age, Men will deny, I will bear any lies that they Ihall fjy or fvvear of me. Now, t\.ih{,X .XX\^ fore f aid Armies^ Parltamett mcru, Mimsfers^ &c. ivere Presbytcri.vrs, or not. If they rftre not -^ then, I. Say no more, that it reus Pi edyterians. th,:t r,vfcd W^r agMnfi the KtTi^ ; but- -that it was the EfifcofJ Men, if thefe were fuch. 2. Why then have you cal- . led them Presbyterians fo long, ard do fo flill ? Hut [{thcytoere Pref-^ bytcrians, thcnitrras fitch that- ReJ}oredtf}€ King. But alas, how con- . tcmptible, yea, how odious is Truth grown to this Generation ! IV. There is yet a more Famous Hiliorian, than any of thefe, though unnamed j who pretending to militate after Dr. St iHingjlcetj as in a id. PArt againB Separation^takes on him to give you theHifto- ry of my Life. Partly making it my Reproach, that when 1 grew to Underftanding, Ireaienibred how many Drunkcp or Ignorant Rea- ders had been my Teachers : Partly raking up retraced and oblite- rated Palfages of Old Writings j while at orce they perfwade me to Reviews and Rctrart-ations : Partl-y V.capii:^ up, .abundarvC of^ down right Falfhoods •• Partly clipping, Sentences, and leav'Ug out ' . ■ " the (8) the part that (houW make them undcrftood, and turning true Words, by perverfion, into Falfhoods : And partly by mixing this known Tnith, [That I was oh the Parliaments fide^ and openly d^claredit.'J But when at the new Modd, I faw that they changed their Caufc, I changed my Pradlioe, & was from the Day that I went into the Army, a rcfolved Oppofer of all that they did,to the Changing of the Govertt- mem^ & their Vfurfation ^ & was fent among them to that end ^ which was immediately after A^^/f/^' Fight : And continued openly difown- ing the llfurpation, and the Means thatfet it up. And though I was Preaching and Writing againft the faid Ufurpers, when an Army was Fighting for them, againft the King^ and the King knew how to for- give and Honour them, that did fo much to his R5loration ; yet are the Accufers fo far from forgiving thofe that never perfonally hurt a Man, that they forbear not multiplying falfeAccufations ; yea, and accufmg thofe Minifters, and private Men that never had to do with Wars ; Yea, the fame Men that then wrote againft me for the Chan- gers and Ufurpers, have fmcc been the fierce Accufers of us, thatop- pofedthem. • And if thefe Men be unfatisfyed of my prefent Judgment, I have no hope of giving them Satisfaftion, if all will not do it, which I have largely written in my Second Plea for Peace^ for Loyalty^ and againfh Mebellion ^ and all my Confutation of Heoker's PoUucks^ in the Laft Part of my Chriflian Dirtclory *, with much more. But this Book muft have f if any) a Peculiar Anfwer. • V. Lately, vv^hen I taught my Hearers, That we mufi not mAi the WorldMitvt^ that we are und^ greater SHJferingSy than we are^ nor ^e. Hmhankfnlfor onr Peace y and that we mnft when any hurt us, love and for- give them^ and fee that we fail not of our Duty to them j bnt not for fake the owning^ andjftft defending by Script urti-Evidence the^ Tr*tth oppofed, Tljey Printed, that I Bid the People Refifty andnotfiandJlUlj and dyclike Dogs. And I was- put the next Day to appeal to many Hundred Hear- ers, who all- knew, that the Accufationwasmoft impudent Lies. This is our prefent Cafe; VI . The Players, I hope, exped no Anfwer to their Part. ij.- . 0;i'.:; 'rr:'['.' v £vndo>K Printed for R, Jamivafy 'vo.J3^cens-Hea^ Alley j\X^^ Pater-Nojler-Roiv^ 16^2. (O The General Tart containing the Vefim and Sum of this and the former 'Book, that it may be underjlood yvhat it li that Af/\ Morrice defendeth, and ojypofeth ; a)id what it is that I maintain or blame ^ and by what Evi- dence, I § I. If Have been thcfc forty years much troubled with the temptation to wonder, why God futFcrs moft of the World to lie drown'd in Ignorance, Infidelity and Sen- fuality, and the Church of Profefled Chriftians to live in fo great Scandal, Contention, Divirion_, and for the greater number, in a Militant Enmity againft the Wprd, Will, Way, and Servants of Chrift, while in Baptifm they are Lifted under him. But of late fince Experience tells me of the marvelous Diverfity of Humane Interefts and Apprehenfions, and the deep Enmity of the Flefhiy Mind to Spiritual things, I admire the Wlfdom and Providence of God, that there is fo much Order,and Peace, and Love in the World of Mankind as there is : And that all men live not as in a continual War. And I perceive that if God had not preferved by Common Grace fome remnants of Moral Honefty in the World, and had not alfo fan([^ified a peculiar People, whofe New Nature is LOVE, the Sons of Men would have been far worfe than Bears and Wolves to one another $ and a man would have fled with greater fear from the fight of another man, than from a Snake or Tyger. But God hath not left himfelf without witnefs, in his Works, and daily Providen- ces, and in the Confciences of thofe who have not finned thetr- felves into Brutes or Devils. And hence it is that there is feme B Govern- Governmeiit and Order in the World, and that fin is afhamcd of its propername,and even they that live in Pride, Govctoufnefj, Ambitionj Lying, PerfecutionjC^r. cannot endure to liear the name of thit which they can endure to keep and pracflifej and cannot endure to forfake. § 2. AnJ indeed it is a great Credit to Tfmjefijsnd Piety, to Trtnh^ and Love^ and Peace, and ]uflice, that the deadlicft Hiif- niies of them are ambitious of their Names ; and though they will damn their Souls rather thar>»be fuch, they will challenge and draw upon any man that dcnieth them to be fuch. And I muft profefs, that I fetch hence a great confirmation ofthe Immortality of Sou!?, and a Future Life of Retribution, For if there were not a very great difference between Moral Good and Evil, whatfhould make all the world, even the worft of men, be lb defirous to be accounted* Good, and fo impatient of being thought and called naught , and as they deferve. And if the difference be {^o vaft here, muft there not needs be a Go- vernour of the World that hath made fuch a difference by his Laws and Providence, and who will make a greater difference . hereafter, when the End and Judgment cometh. § 3. Among other Gaufes of Humane Pravity and Confufion, one is the exceeding difficulty that young men meet with, in the communication of fo much Knowledge as they muft necef- farily receive from others. Knowledge is not born with them : It is but i\[t power and capacity of ir, and not the 4t^ in which an; Infant excels a Dog. And how fhall they have it but by Ol>jcf^s- diT\ACommimcation ? And Ol^jeds tell them not things paft, the Knowledge of which is neceffary to make them underftand things prelent, and to come; and without which it is not pof- fible to be wife. And God teacheth not Men now by Angels fent ftom Heaven, but by Men that were taught themfelves be- fore $ and by his Spirit blefl^ng mens endeavours. And when I have faid [by Mari^ how bad,how lad a creature have I nam^d ? A!as ! David's hafte Pfal. 1 16. was not erroneous pafllonj nor PafiPs words, Rom. 3. a flander, when they called all men Lyers, th.at is untrufty J and fo little do men know that muft teach »ther5,and fo much doth all corruption incline them to love flat- r«Qng Lies, and to take fleftily Intereft, the World, and the De- vil W their Teachers, and to hate the Light, becaufe itdifgra- ceth t^eir hearts and deeds, and fo much gocth to make a man' wife. O) wife, that it muft be a wondeiLflf merciful Providence thiJt fnal] help young men to Teachers that (liall not he their Dcceiverr. There were ever comparatively few that were truly wile and tfiifly, and thefeufually defpifed in the World. § 4. And how fhould young men know who thefr are ? This is the grand difficulty that maketh the Errour of the World fo uncurable. It requireth much wifdom to know who is wife, and to be trulted; who can well difcern and value that Know- ledge in another, which he is a ftranger to himfelf ? Experience tells us, that young unexperienced men do commonly receive that man's Opinions, i. Who hath by nearnefs, or fome acci- dent the greateft advantage in their efteem and love : 2. Or his that fpeaks moft for their flefhiy Intereft, and for that which they would have to be true : 3. Or his that hath the laft word. It cannot be expe. ?. And I faw that in all Ages and Countries of the WorlJ, Hifiorians tell us how rare a thing, a wile and holy Prince hath been^ and how commonly by Wealth and Greatntfs they have been bred up in that Senfuality and Pride, which hath made them the Capital Enemies to ferious Piety j if not the Perfecu- tors of it. ^. I thought with my felt if fuch godly Chriftians, as much va- lue the Intereft of Religion hjd lived in fuch times andj^laces, where Rulers were Perfecutors of the Truth, how glad would. they hjve been to have had the Power of Church-matters put into the hands of their Chofen Paltors, what would they have defired more ? 4. And I read that till Riches and honours were annexed to the Office, the People had Itill the Choice of their ownPaftors, and therefore could not chufc but wifh their Eftatesand L'vc?,and all, fs well as their Religion, to be as much as might he in their hands. And ih no doubt when the Bifhops were advanced to great DioceifcF, and Power, it was by thedcfire of the inoli Religious ChriUians, wlro valued racil the Inierelt of the Church. f. And I could not bur obferve, that though Chrilt gave his Apoftles no Power of the Sword, he fet them above other Mlni- Jlers, not only in Miraculous Gitts. and Infallible teflifying and recording his Commands and works, but in fome (brtof ovcr- fjgbf, which fccmeth a thing appointed for Continuance as well as preaching. 6. And I thought that if Church Grandure were the Intereft cf'B.c!i^ion and Unity the ftrength of the Church, it iookt very pldufibly (5) pldufibly to reafon, that as Bifhops were over Pjejbytcrs, fo there (hould be fome overBifhopSi and that National Churches fliou'd by fudi Government be hindered from Schifm and Here- fie as well as Parochial. And that Diocefans and Metropolitans Power (hould be;^ will own no General CouncilSjbut the firft fixj fonae will receive eightj fomebut four. Mr. Morrice here goeth no fufrher in his defence of them, what- ever he think. Some begin Popery with Lfo the great, fome with Gregory's SuccclTour. But it is moft certain, that it was firft an Erabrio, and next an Infant and fo grew up from Childhood to maturity by degrees. Aiid the firft Church-corruption was not that which we now call Popery. And it is as certain that the tu- mor did neither begin nor grow up in the Bilhop of Rome alone, but in other Biftiops, who grew up withhim,& were his ftrength and Councils, and he their Head. § 10. It is known when the Greekj and Romanshcg^n moft notably to ftrive which fhould be greateft, and how the div^fion increafed, and when and how it came to an anathematizing or excommunicating each other. § 1 1. It's notorious that it was from the Councils o^Calcedon, and Ephefus^ that the great feparated bodies oi Ncjiorians and EfttjichiAnf(j^o\'i called facobites) that poflefs the Eafi and South, were broken off with Nejioritu and Diofcorus^ and fo continue to this day. § II, I confidered who were the Chief Authors of all thefc lamentable Schifms, and Church- corruptions in the feveral Ages when they rofe, and who continue them to this day: And I found that many Princes were much to be blamed, and the Peo- ple not Innocent, no not the Religious Monks. But the Bifhops that had the main Church-power, by abufing it, were with their Clergy the principal CaufeSjand fbare to this dayj: The breaches might yet be healed in Eaft, Weft, and South, vycrc it not for them. § 13. Finding this in Hiftory of undoubted Truth, I next confidered what was the Caufethat the Bifhops and their Clergy (hould become fuch Church-corrupters and Dividers, and ftiil continue the Churches mifcrles, And (9) And I found as followetb, .i. That none are ab[e to do (b- much hurt as thofc that have the greateft Parts, Power Jmercfi and Trufl. None kill io many (exccpr SouJdiersj as thofe Pbyfi- cians who are cntrufted to heal and fave them. If five hundred neighbours miftake a man's Difeafe, whom he never trufted, it hurts him not : But an unskilful Nurfe or Parent may kill a fick Child;and an unskilful or unfaithfulPhyfician may kill multitudes. 2. And there goeth fo much to make a man a skilful, faithful Paftor, as that fuch are rare. As a Phyfician is like to kill his Patient, if be miftake but fome one thing in his Difeafe, or fome Ingredient in his Medicine, though he were right in all the reft: So if a Guide of Souls were excellent in aH other things, what work one Opinion, yea or unskilful word may make , rot only the cafe of the A^cfiorians, E'^tjchians, xMomthsUtes^^c. tell uf, but even the ftrifethat arofe in the Church about Ujpcfiaft s:\v\6. Perfona, which had almoft hereticated ffrom himfelf, for all his skill in the Languages : And the cafe of the Greeks and Latines about [F/Z/c^;] and abundance fuch. 3. And Prids is the Heart of the Old Manj fiffl: living, and Jaft dying. And great Porver^ great Parts, and great Efieem do feed it, iftrue Grace do not mortifie it. Knowledge putfcth up; and efpecially when men live among the ignorant and unlearned, and are but half Learned themfelves, and are thought by the people and themfelvet, to be much wifer than they are: Inter cacos lujCHi Rex. 4. And Selfijhnefs is the very fum of all pofitive iniquity: And Pride and Selfifhnefs make men cefirous to be the Idols of the World, and to feem as Gods knowing good and evil, and to have their -will of all that they have to do with, y. And the ftrongeft temptations ufe to caufe the greateft fins. § 14. Thefe Generals prefuppofed, it is moft clear, i.That the remnant of thefe fins^ even in Chrift's Apoftles, fet them on ftriving whofhould be greateft, and made fames and foha defire preheminence, and alfo to have called for Ftre from Heavenjand made them after Chrift's Refurredion, hope that he would have reftored the Earthly Kingdom unto Jfrael. And it put Patil to vindicate his Apoftlefhip againft many that difparaged him j As it made Diotrephes, who loved to have the preheminence, to eaft out the Brethren, and fpeak evil of fohu ; It gave Peter oc- cafion to warn the Bifliops not to Lord it ever Cod's Her tt age, C ^«f (10) ht to h: Ex'^n-jples tv the Flocks, overfeeing them not by con- ftrainr, but u'illingly. 2. Even in good men this fault, though not in a reigning de- cree, did live more in others afterwards, that had not that mca- fure of the Spirit as the Apoftles had to overcome it. And if even in Fanl'^ daies he had none like-minded to 'r for his furcft Souldiers, refolved to raife them as high as he well could, for the intereft of Chriftianity and his own, and thereby to work down theHeatheiis by degrees, and according-- ly gave them chief Countenance , and chief Power j and their BiOiop? being their chief men, it muft be done by exalting them., ile made them the authorized Judges of all Chriftians that de- fined it, even In criminal cafes. He yet gave not the Bifhops the power of the Sword ; but if any Chriftians had committed For- nication, Adultery, Perjury^ yea Murder, the Bifhop W£s to pu- nifh them by Pennance and Sufpenfion from the 5acrament:. Befides whichjChriftians had the chief Preferments as they were- capable of in the Armies and Civil Government: So that they triumphed over their late Perfecutors, And now Honour,Power and Wealth, were moft on the Chriftians fide,, but cfpecially the. Bi(hops. Lo. Worldly Intereft being now on the Churches fide, much of the World by fuch Motives crowded into the Churchy and no man can imagine that it could be othcrwife, who confiders which way the Vulgar go, and how apt to be of the Prince's mind, and how much nature inclineth to flclbly Intereft; Who had not rather be kept from the Sacrament and Communion for. a crime, till he profefs Repentance, than to be hanged or bd- nifhcd, or ruinedfor it ? But efpecially the Temptation was ftrongeft to the Bjftiops,. wiiofe baits were the moft alluring: And ever fince then they- that moft loycdiy^^/r/7,P thoughts oi Atbanafui and his Adherents : And it could not be exped:ed that fuhan (hould countenance the beft, \\henConft-ry confifteth (12) confifteth in a derived Pon-er and OoUgation in fubordination to Chrift as Prophet, Prieft and King, to Teacb, to Guide the "Churches in holy Worfhip, and to Rule them by the Paftoral Power, which maketh themMmifterial Judges of mens capacity for Church-Communion j but they have as fuch no forcing power of the 5word. ^. ThiC there are two forts of thefe Minifters acc'dentally diltinguifhed: i. Such as are only ordained to the Miniftry in general, and not fpecially related to any one particular Church more than other ; whofe work is to do their beft to Teach lo- iidels, and baptize them, and gather Churches, and occufionally to Officiate orderly in fuch Churches where they come as need their help. 2. Thole that have moreover an additional call to be the ftatedP3ftor«,Over(eer8 or Guides of particular Churches as fixed Officers of Chrift. All which have the three forefaid E(- fentials of the Office, to Teach, Worfliip and Rule. 6. That the Office of thefe men is to be performed by them- felves, and 'no Lay-man may do any Eflential part of them by their deligation, and therefore ('as in Phyficians, Tutors, ficc.) receflary Perfonal abilities are as eflential as the neceflary Mfpo- fition7ateria is ad receptionem alicujusformx. And ex quovis ligno no n fit mercmiw. 7. That it is very much,and great, and moft important work, which thefe Minifters have to do. To Preach God's Word un- derftandingly, faithfully, conftantly, fervently; torefolvcthe doubtful, to reprove the fcandalous, to perfuade the obftinare, to confute gainfaycrs^ to comfort the fad, and ftrengthen the weak, particularly as there is occafipn. To vifit the fick, Cate- chize, Baptize, befides all ads of publick Government. There- fore one man cannot poffibly do all this for too great a number of fouls, but great Congregations muft have many Minifters : And fo they had in the Primitive Church, where the moft able Speakers preacht ufually in publick, and the reft did more of the perfonal and more private work. 8. And whereas it was very early that moft fingle Churches had one that had a preheminence amonp.ft the reft (not as of another Office, but as a Prefident in a Colledgeof Philofophers, Phyficians or Divine Student?, to be a Governour overthofe of his own profeffion, by moderate Guidance,) and it is not un- meet, that when one worthy Teacher hath gacjiercd a Church, and L r^3) and brought up younger Chriftians to Minifterial abilities, that they when they are ordained (hould take hinnfor their Father, I will never gainfay fuch an Epifcopacy in fingle Churches ( that is, focieties of Chriftians combined for perfonal Communion in Doctrine, Worfliip and Holy living under fuch Paftors as afore- faid,) 9. And becaufe I find that the Apoftles and Evangelifts had a Minifterial care of many Churches to teach, reprove, exhort the Paftors and People; And though the Apoftles extraordinary power and work cealed,yet Ch'^rch-Overfight as well as Preach- ing being an ordinary continued work; and when I find Chrilt hath infticuced fome Teachers over many Churches, I dare not fay that he hath repealed this till I can prove it. And the nature, of the thing tells us, that if fome grave holy men have the care of counfelling and warning and reproving the Minifters of many Churches who are below them in part* and worth} It may da much good and can do no harm to the Churches, while they have no power of force or tyranny. Therefore I refolvea never to fpeak or do any thing againft fuch Bifhopsof Bifhops, thougli Diocefan. § 20. Thus far I have ofc declared my felffor Ep#:opacy: But finding in all the aforefaid Hiftory, how the Church camera the woful State that it hath been in thefe 1200 years, and what it futfereth by the Bifhops and their Clergy in almoft all parts of the Chriftian World j and that even ^he Englijb Diocefans can endure no more Parochial Paftoral Difcipline than they do, (I mean fuch as Bucer in Script. Anglic, preft fo vehemently on King Edjv. and the Bifhops^ and that they cannot contentedly hold their Lordfhips, Wealth and Honours, without filencing and ruining Twothoufand fuch as I, or better ; and uiuig many thoufands of godly Chriftians as they do $ and finding that I and fuch others are accufed as being difobedient to them — and for not fwearing and covenanting never to endeavour any alte-- ration of their prefent Church-Government, and ail excommut- nicatc by the Canon that fay there is any thing in it (even from the Archdeacon downward to {jhe rcfi in O^ce ] repugnant to the Word cfGod) I took it at laft to be my duty to give the Reafons of my diffent in a full Treatife of Epifcopacy. And becaufe 'I perceived young men and ftrangers to for- mer times^ deceived by the general noife,, How Ant lent and Vtriv^T'- (u) V/tiverftl£pfcopacj hath beeni as if all that is called Epi[c«jhicj were but one and che fame thing; or as if we were againft the Primitive Einfcopaq' j therefore I fuddenly (ar.d too haftily for want of time,) beftovrcd a few weeks in fumming up the Heads oftheHiftory of Bifliops and Coiinci!*, out of a few Hiftorians which were moft common, next at handj and of moft credit with ihofe whofe fanirs [opened :That it might be truly known Hvw much the tumtfied degenerate fort of VreUcj h^d caf^fed the Divifons and Calumnies of the Church. § 21. For ih\iWir.Moyrice ('as fame faith) and many more are fo greatly offended with me, and fay of me herein whdf they do. And on pretence of F/W/Cdtr/w^ t\\c?rimitive Chtirch which untruly implycth that I who vindicated it agdinftcorruprers did oppofe Itj hedefef'deth the corrup ions ani finful mifcarnages anddifeafesofthe Prelates: And this he dorh, i. By driving to make me contemptible as unlearned, as if that would excufc the fins whiph I rehearfe and lament:He findeth in one place through myhalte and heedlefhefsja word oflheodcret- mifplacr d, and ihc word ICalami'] tranflated .=^«7//, which he thinks (hould be Reeds', and one or two more fuch j as if he prevaricated, and had a d^%n to extol the Book.which hefirds no more and grea- ter fault in, than he realh' hath done. And he j roveth it l.kely that I never law the Hiftories thar ftocd by me near twenty years, becaufe the Prii ter ; ut a Comma betAeen ^AJarquardiu'} and \_Frehcrw'] (\ thir4( there are a drze.'i Comma's mil; laced in my whole Book 5J when he himfelt faith of his own Book {The faults that have cfcapcd are almoji inji/itte.~\ But of thcfe thing! more anon. 2. He loudly and frequently chargeth me with malicious faf- fifying Hiftory j and when he cometh to the proof, I have (hewed vou who the falfifier is. 3. The great thing I amaccufed of, is maki ig the Bifhops more the caufcs of Herefie,Schifm and Vlol(nce,thanthey were : And of that 1 have fjid nothin:^, bur what I think I have fully proved: And let the Re^aer ;u ;gcby this following Catalop,uc. Domineering Pride harh been the chief caufc of Herrfits -nd Schitms, efpccially working in thcClergy to tumid Prelacy and Tyranny. I. I before noted how the Apoftles began to firive who fbould be grcatelt, till the effufion of the Spirit after Cbrifts rebukes had Cm) had cured them. And what tiranny Diotrephes ufed through iore of Preheminence. II. If the doubtful ftories o^ Simon Magm be true, his tumor was more than Papal j And Epiphanita makci Meuander^ SatHr- nilnfj BAjilides, to be but his Otf-fpring. The Original of the Ni- coUitans and Gnoiticks (who Epiphamtis faith, had enfnared him- felfonce ) is utterly uncertain j CarpocraSt Cerinthus^ Ebion^ya- ientims, Sccundus, Ptolom^Hs^ were all but Birds of the fdrne Gnoflicks Neft, a crazed fort of men that mingled Ghriftianity, Platonifm, and Magical Imaginations j and what they were themfelves, is not kno^vn : Such was Aiarciu^ CoUrbaftu^ He- raclcon^ the Ophite, the C^iintteSf the Sethians, CerdoiAfarcioH wasaBifhop's Son caft out for vice ; and Lucian, ^pe/les and Severiu his OtF-fpring, the Heads of their little Se^s ; whether Bifhops or not, is unknown. What kind ofHcreticks TertulUan^ TatiaKus, and Origen were, and how many faults as foul Laftar.- jM«^,and many not numbered with Hereticks have,is well known: And among all thefe in thofe early dales, till there were Pope* and Diocefans (fuch as now) in the world, none fuch could be Hereticks. III. Many Councils contended about the time* of Eafier^ and f^fRor with one par: of Bifliops, excommunicated Polj/crates and the ^rian Bifhops j while, as Socrates and Soz^omen tell us, the Churches that left it indifferent had peace. IV. A Council of the beft Bifliops at C^rf^^gff decreed Re- baptizing. V. A Council of the Bifliops of Cappadocia,Ct!icia^GAUtf4^8cc, at Iconinm, for Rebaptizing thole Baptized by Hereticks : And Stephen Bifhop of ^owt excommunicated them all. VI. A Council at Synadis, and divers others decreed the (amc Rebaptizing. VII. Divers more ^frivan Councils of good Bifliops with C/;>r/4?;, decree the fame, whom5ff/?/6tf»Birfiop o^ Rome con- demneth. VIII. Divers Bifliops are (aid to be SabelUan Hereticks. IX. Taului S.tmofatenus Bifliopof -<^»f;o<;^ w;'.saHereticK.' X. The Council of Bifliops at Cirta in JVmmdta under Secun- dus Mr. M. calls worfe than I do. XI. A C^rrZ)^^^ Council of 70 Bifliops -^». 306. fct up the Dooatifis Schifm, Itriving for the preheminence^ who fliould be B\(hop of Carriage, E X\l. ^'fh (i6) XII. ^n. 508. Another Donatifts Council had 270 B)fhops. Miny more Couneils they had. XIII. The firft General Council at Nice we honour,and aflent to its Greed: But thank CoKfianttrje for burning all their Libels, and keeping peace by his prefence and fpeech. XIV. The Schilm made by McLettui and Veter^ Bii'hopsjs well known. XV. The Here fie of ^n«i (a Presbyter that would have been a Prelate j quickly infetfted Eufebius Ntcomcd. \i not Effcbim Ca:f)iri:n/if^ and divers other Biihops. XVI. Epiph^MMs fairh, that Andi^s was driven to his Herefie- by being long abufed, beaten, and at laft excommunicared for reproving the Bifhops and Priefts for their Coveroufhefs^ Luxu- ry, and other fins: And ^o he became a Biiliop himfclf. XVII. Eujebiks Nicom. mjde Bifhop oi Confirm moplc (^whom you tell us VaUfms thinks was no Heretick) hired a Whore at ^nnoch, to father her Child on Enjiathius the Bifhop there, and got more Bifliops to depofe him, and the Emperour to banifli bim. XVIIL A Council of Bifhops at T^^j'^ un juftly condemn and per-- fecute Athnna^tas. XIX- Three Bifhops (faith Mr. M, overcome with too much Wine and perfuafion) ordained Novation falfly Biftiop of Rome (before this aforementioned.) IXX. A Council at fernJ^iUm An. 335. tryed and approved Arim Faiih, and ref^ored him. XXI. A Council atConjUntifjoph condemned AtarecUns Ancy- rayusj and Achjna/ini, and juftified Arifts. XXU. A Council of near 100 Bifhops at -^^w/zi^c^, 36 being 'j^n/?«/, depofed AtbAtiafws. XXIII. Another Council at Antioch make a new Creed with- out [oi^v7iQ-r\ XXIV. A Council of 376 Bifnops at Sard.ca^ decree Appeals to Ro?93e, which Augujlin and the African Bifhops were againft. XXV. The 'Semi- Ar tan Bifhops went to Philtppopolis^2nd con- demned fuch as the other at Sardica had abfolved, but caft out \a{xek(n©-'} as not fcriptural,and caftdreadful accufationson Atha-* nafus^ Taitlpis C. P. and Marcelhs. XXVL An, 3yo. A Council at M1U19 received VrfaciussLTid tFaIe»j, Ariam. XXVll. Stephm (37) XXVII. Stephen an ^rian Bifhop hired a Wliore to go in to Bifhop Euphratasi and this Euphratas after turned Photinian. XXVIII. ^n.i^i. A Council at ^r/ffi condemn Athanafiur, XXIX. ^». 357. A General Council at Mihn of above 3*3 Weftern Bifhops (though theEaftern that were moft AriancouM. not come^ where AthAnaf%Hi was condemned, and communion with the ArUm fubfcribed. XXX. An. 356. A Council at Bjterris condemned and ba- mfhed HiUry^ and condemned them as Separatifts or Schifma- ticks that renounced the -r^ri<«« Communion. XXXI. A General Council at Sirmium of i^oo Weftern Bifhops befides the Eaftern, made three different Creeds, condemned AthAmftus^ left out the word [Jubftance] made P. Liherins^zi^i old Ofius fubfcribe againft Athandjms. XXXII. The Oriental Bifhops at A^cyra were only for J^ o,uci«<77f J and not [^'oaoim^- 1^ and with Aiacedonins againft the Godhead of the Holy Ghoft. XXXIII. A General Council 400 BifTiops met at Arimint4m j of whom moft at tirft were Orthodox j but after when the Em* perour interpofed, fubfcribed to the Avian Party. XXXlV.The reft fate at Selencia.zn^ were moreOrthodox.but divided into Acaciansy who were for leaving out [Subflance'} and Semi-A>i4nSy\w\m'weTe for £LtksSuhfi« that kept fepa- rated Meetings for his fake. L. The Dtofpolitan Council abfolved Pelagins. Divers Car- thage Councils condemned hi»m. P. Innocent condemned him. Zojimus once abfolved him, and condemned his accufers. The Bifhops caft out for Simony, I will not number here. LI. The Contentions between Bomfaae jand Eulalius, and o-i thers after them to get the Bifhoprick oi Rome, are fo many as I will not number them. And the ftriving of three Bifliops fuc- cefliveiy againft the African Fathers for the Roman fuper-emi-; ncncc and Appeals to Rome^^x^ commonly known, LIL Ojic (^9) LII. One of Bifliop Boniface's Decrees is, That INo Bijhop Jkallbe brought before any pfiig^, Civil or Miliiarj, either for anjf Qivtl or Criminal Caufe.'Jl Lirr.What thcfirft General Council at Ephefus did in the Ciufe o^Neftorius\\iiwc'i\i\\\^ opened: D^r>'s Reign,on the Qjeftion, whether the names of two Orthodox dead BilTiops fhould bereftored into the D^ptickj, even Euphemius and Ma- cedoNius, whom the Pope had damned as communicating with Hereticks J the Bifhops of the Eaft being for it, and the Weft a- gainft it. LXIX. fuftitt turning theftreamfor the C'alced. Council, the Bifhops in a Council at ferufalem, and another at Tjire are for ir, and condemn Severus. And a Roman Council conde«neth the three dead Bifhops of C. P. ^t<»c/«/, Euphemius and Maceda-. TtitiS. LXX. So far were the Bifliops yet from Peace, that Jujlinian being Emperour, headed the Council Party, and his Wife thead- verfe Party: About 30000 they fay were then killed in OP. atanlnfur- redtion. LXXI. A mifchievous Schifm for the Biflioprick at Rome^ be- tween Boniface 2, and Diofcnras and Agapetus after Boniface, LXXII. In 7«//«M«'s timeaControverfie arofe, whether we may fay [One of the Trinity vp as crucified?'] Hormifda^\{ho\i q{ Romefdld JSTo. The Ncjiorians took hold of this and faid, [_rhen^ v^e may not fay Mary was Mother to one of the Trinity.'] fujtinian fent for a Council about it to Pope John-. He and his Bifhops concluded contrary to Hormifd^t^ that we may fay [One of the Trinity was crucified.] And fay Baromus and Binius [Ita TMUtatis hofiibus arma mutari neceffe ffiit^ Faith changeth as occafions change. Reader, if thou feeit not here how Bifhops have bro- ken the Church in pieces^ I rauft Bot tell thee, left Mr. M. be 4angry. I in- (33) I intrcat the Reader to fee what I faid, Hlft. p. iJ2. Of the Conference o^ Hypatipis and the EutychiaKs, LXXIII. A Council at C. P. calls their BiHiop Patriarchs Oecumemcujydind condemn divers Bifliops, as doth a Council ac fi rti/alem. LXXIV. At Roms the uirian King made S;7z/.-mj Bifhop; and others cholc VigHius that murdered him. Figilifts excom- municated /^i^««4 oi C. P. which fhflinian revenged. LXXV. Anew Gontroverfie is itated whether Chrifts body was corruptible: The denyers had Gainas A. Bifiiop j The affir- mers had Theodofin^ 5 The firft were called Phantajiafiat the o- ther CornspticoU. Moft were for Gatnas^ but the Soldiers for ThlodofiHi'. They fought many daies, and the Soldiers killed ma- ny, and many of them were killed, and the Women withftones from the top of the houfcs, and the Soldiers with fire, continued the war: And thedivifion continued in Liberatns'i dales: 7»/?i- t3ian was fo zealous for the Council of^ CalcedoN^ that he murder- ed thoufands (as they fay ) in Egypt t and yet dyed a reputed Heretick himfelf, being for the Conw/r/ro/rf, and Evagrius faith, when he had (et the whole world in tumult, he was damned him- felf. But God belt knoweth that, LXXVI. A Council at Barcelona. Decree that Priefts muft cut their beards, but not (have them. LXXVII. By the Cheat of an Et*tycbian Biftiop fMflinian was pcrfuaded that the condemning of fome Writings of Theodore A-fopfuefi^ 77jf<7(fl?on>(f and. //^^f, would reconcile the Bifliops: He calls a General Council at C. P. to that end (ufually called the 5'th)His Letters are read opening the doleful divifions, that the Churches had no Communion with one another, &c. The three Bifhops writings are read : Theodorite charged by this Ge- neral Council with that fait Epiftle againftdead C;r;/,and a like Speech at ^mioch^ and none vindicated him : Binini and Mr. Mcrice and others fay the Letter is forged : I know not -, But the Tria Capitfilaarc condemned. And now this General Council hath made a new dividing fnare. Many that were for the Cfilce- don Council feared this was a condemning of what they did in receiving Theodorite^^c. The Adverfaries were never the more fatisfyed j but faith Binists X^xmi^tM {^TIjg end-was not obtained, but a mofi grievous mifchief added tothe Church — The whole Catholic!^ Church was torn by Schifm, and mrje^the Ewperourjiir'dup Per- F fecution, (M) ftcu'tion] dfpofed or l/anijhed P. Wig]\\us: But lefi the Eafi Jlooyld allforfakt the Wefl^ he recanted and confcnted to the Council. Doth cither the work, or the effect commend this General Council? LXXVIII. A Council of fernJMem fave oneBiChop, prcfently received this Decree. LXXIX. A VVeftern Council at ^quiLia condemn this f th General Council ;.tC. ?.and (faith Bitiiii4)feparatedfrom th: whole CatholickChurch(cvfn from Rome^ for an hundred yca^st HI SeTg\u% reconciled thcr/i. ..^Were the WeOern Bilhops or the Pope then the Weftern Church ? -So many feparated, that Vigilms being dead, there could but two Bifliops ( and a Presbyter ) be got to ordain Veh.ghis his Succeflbr. But the Emperour anJ his Pppe perfecnte the Bifhops,and the Schifm feemed defperate. LXXX. Another Council at C. P. u4n. ^87. decree that John Bifhop of C. P. be called The VaivcrfaL Bijhop j which greatly in- creafed the Churches divifions. LXXXI. King G««^/?r4«? called a Council at Mafcon An. 5:89, finding all things grow worfe and worfe, & all long of the Bilhops only, faith Biniw. LXXXII. Even Great Gregory called a Synod againft the dif- Tenting Bifhops, and they not obeying hisfummons, the Bifhop of Aquileui was ruined ( the Weftern Head) S,ii^inian that fuc- ceeded Gregory would have had his Books burnt. Boniface the third got Fhocas the Murderer to declare Rome the Chitf Biihops Seat (He to whom Greg, had-fung Latentur cceH, & ex- ultet terra yd^cc") LXXXIII. Next role up the Monothelite Controverfie. Cyrus Bi{hop of v^/^.v-<«^. to end the Controverfies aforementioned, was told that to ufe the word \Dei virilis operatio & voluntas'] would unite them aH,which paft as /.itisfaftton in a Council at-,^- lexand, F. Honori»s perfuaded them to lilence [One] and iTwo.] But this Counfel was rejsded^ and now whether Chnfi had {One, or Trvo Wills andOper^tions^ became as defide^ the new War of the Bifhops through the world. Some were for [One'] and fome for [fTwo'j as if [fl^'/Z/and Operation, and One or Two^ were words that had but one flc.nification} When every Novice in Philofophy muft grant that C!irift's Will and Operation in fome fenfe, was but One^ and in other fenfes Tjvo, as I have proved. But Sergius Bifhop ofConfl. fet It on foot, HeracUus being for it^ and Pjrrhus his Succelfor followed it on. And Sergius by a Council L 05) Council of Bifhops at C. P. decreed for [0»,? Will.'] The Opinion and the Empercur Cotjjtans bis filercing both, are condemned at Rome The Pope, Emperoiirs and Bifhopj, are all condemned, and perfeciiting each other about ir. LXXXIV. Conft. P^^gonat. called a General Council at C P- called the 6th, which condemned Macarius Bifhop of -^«a. and the pacificatory Epiitles of P. Honorifisand Sergit^s as Heretical, and all that were (or One JFtll^ and O^e O per at iou of Chr if): ^ I. As denominated anaturis & earum principiis feu fACultatibfis^ the Divine ^.nd Hwr;ane WdUnd Operations were and arc Two : 4. As denominated ab nnitate perfona j they are the FF;//and Ope- rations of Oneperfoa^ and fo far may be called One, 3. As deno-^ minatcd ah unitatc olje^iva they are One : The Divine and //»- f?7ane Nature iv/7/the fame thing, fo far as the Humane willeth^ and do fo far the fime work : But if any will make a new He- • refieby difputing whether the Divine Nature alone do not will and atl ibmewhat without the volition and a^lion of the Hu- mane (fince the Incarnation^ they fliall have no company of mine in it. 4. In the fenfe as the Operation of the principal and inflrumentalCaufeare One^ producing One Ejfe^i foChrilt's Divine and Humane Operations are 0«^. y. As C onfcnt deno*, minateth Vnit^,2ind the Old Chriftians are faid to be of One heart and foul. One ?nind and mouth i and Chrift prayeth that we may be One in him,fo his IVilUnd Operation areOne^ 6. Yea if there be a fort ofVnion between Chrift & his Members, and between the Blefled in Heaven, which is quite beyond our prefent com- prehenfion, it is much much more fo between Chrift's Divine and Humane Will and Operations, And now Reader, whether it was well done ro pafs over thefe and many other needful diftinftions, and -o [)i:t iv;en barely to fay that Chrilt's ^tll and Operations were not 0/;//// was one of the beft that ever • they hid, yet fhewed the Core of the Churches Plague, by de- creeing, That nhatever alteration ths Imperial Power mak^th on any City^ the Ecc Icfi. 4 ft ic.d Order foall follow it. This Clergy am- bition nurft up Anti-Chrift. HCXXVII. A Council at ^^/;rj7c;;4 condemned the 5cb General Council for condemning the Tria capituia. • LXXXVIII. Pope Scrgias condemning the TruUane Council, the Emperour commanded him to be a Prifoner, and the SouUicrs bribed refcued him. LXXXIX. Bard^vies PhiUppictts being made Emperor, he cal- leth a General Council at C. P. where, faith Btnius^ c/tt of th Eaft there were inntiwet able Bijhops^ (which is notftkl'of any'o- ther Council) who all condemned the 6th General Council^ and, their Decrees .of Two Wills and Operatioris. Here (not I , but) Baronius and Biuius fay IThus at the Beck of an Emperour^ and the Will of a Afonothelite Patriarch.^ the holy 6th Synod is condemned ^and what theyfaid ofTivo tVills with Chrif^and two Operations^ and all re trailed by the Decree and Snbfcrtption of very many Oriental Bijlcops, that were in one moment turned from being Catholick to be A-f'nothelitcsJ But do they forget the loo Year, that even the Weft made a head' againft the jth Council and the Pope. XC. Next all the World is fet together by the Ears about Images, for which the Pope rebelled againft and rejected the Emperour for Charles Marteloi France. And Pope Zachary bid Bonijace call a Council to ejedl the kC- icnOTSOf^ Antipodes, XCI. IQ (^7) CXI. In a General Council at C. P. 338 Blfhop; condemn- ed the worfliipping of ImageSj and Avcar men not to adore them, and deftroyed reliques, &c. a-nd decreed, that Chrift's Body is not flefh in Heaven : But the Pope and Wcltern Bihops of his Parry, condemn this Council XCII. The GrfiB'\(hop% for add- ing ^FU'ioej{\ to the Creed, and fo another occafion of Schifm is rai fed. XCIII. The Schifms in /r and French Bifhops without the Pope. XCVII. One Council at C. P. reftored him that married the Emperour adulterouHy to another wife : And another condemn-- cd Theod. Sr/fdita and Plato, for being againft it. XCVIII. The moft excellent Emperour LWov. Pins was fo zealous to reform the Bifliops, that they hated him, and in a- Council at Compendium {Compeigne) moft perfidioufly depofed himv (58) bim, and after bafcly abufed him, even without the Pope. XCIX. As to pleafe his Son Lotharin'^ they defjofed the Fa- ther i fo when he was beaten by his Brethren, they after in a Council at Aqnifgrane (^Akcn) depofed LotbariHSj accufing hiiu as they did his Father. C. At c. P. a Council was called by the power of another Woman Theodora and the Bifhops that had under divers Empe- rours condemned Image- worfhip, now turn to it again, and ana- thematize on a fudden the oppofers. CI. The Bifliops own Loth^rii^ Adulterous marriage with Waldrada. CII. The Councils that fet up and puH'd down Ignatius and ThotiM at C. P. and the woful ftir that they made as Eraperours changed, were lamentable. cm. Many cootrary Councils were between the French Bifliops that were for Lotharins divorce and the Pope. CIV. ^^/;/ the Emperour writes to the Pope to pardon all his Bifliops, or elfe they fliould be without, becaufe all had mifcar- ried, and turned with the times. GV. A General Council at Confi, called by the Papifts, The Eighth General Councif, condemned Photitts again, and fet up Ig- TiatiftSf and the Changers cryed, /^^•c^^z'/w///, and make extreme Decrees for Images CBut they well condemn [nl'fcnhir.g to bt true to their Patriarchs and Bijhops-j but decree that all Prince* and Subjecfls worfliip the Bifliops, who muft not fall down to them. Other horrid Elevations of Prelates above Princes they decreed — faying, ^ Bijhop^ though it be manifefi that he is defli- tme of all Finue 0} Religion^ yet ps aPajlor j and the Sheep muft not refj} the Shepherd. CVI. A dangerous Rent between Rome and C. P. what Bifliop (hould have the Bulgarians. CVII. A Council at Metz. called Prddatorium, gave the King- dom to Car. Calv. un;uftly. CVIII. A Council at Pavia falfly make Charles Emperour. CIX. Another (Pontigonenfe) confirmed Itj (the Pope claim- ing the Power.) ex. A Roman Council unjuftly made Ludov. 3. Emperour. CXI. A General Council at C. P. again fet up Photitis^ and caft out Z^^^^'^Ti'l CXII. The Roman aftlons for and againft P. Forntof^s, are odious to allfober Chriltiaas Ears, CXIII. A (19) CXIII. A Council at Sojfons confirm the A. Bifhoprick of Rhe?n:s to a Child of five years old, Son to the \L..o( ^qiUtani. Divers other Councils do and undo about the fame Cmk, CXIV. The Hiitory of the Biihops of Rome ard their Councils from henceforward is fo 'amentable that even the moft flattering Papift Hirtorians mention them with deteftation. So that I mult nor rt.3v to name many particulars. CXV. ^-In. 1049. A Roman Council was fain to pardon Simo- niacal Bifhops and Pricfts, becaule the Cry was, that clfc none would be Iffc to officiate. CXVI. Being come into the Roman fink, I will pafs above an hundred more of the Councils of this woful fort of B.il:oj)S, left Mr. Mrrrics think that I fuppofe him to vindicate them, or not to abhor ihem. Only remembering my Reader ofafew General or notable things : viz,, I. The multitude of Schifm*, and long vacancies at Rome ; and the horrid incapacity of very many Popes, which prove an in- terrupted fuccelTion. II.The horrid wars that long infefted Italy by the Popes means. III. The difmal wars with many Emperours, and the Biihops and Councils half on one fide and half on the other. IV. The Cjuncil that called the Emperours and others Prin- ces power of inverting Bifhops, the //^wr/V/ViwHerefie, and )udg*d the Bifhops that had been for it to be dig'd out of their graves and burnt. V. The Subjedingand debafingof all Chriftian Princes, mak- ing them but as the Body, and the Moon, and the Bifhops, to be as the foul and the fun. Efpecially the General Z^.trr/-**;; Council which decreed Tranfubltantiation, and all to be Hereticks that denied it ; And oblige all temporal Lords to exterminate all fucU Hereticks on pain of Excommunication, depofition &: damnation. VI. The Councils o{'Co;;fiance and Ba/i!s that were for Refor- mation how filfly and cruelly they dealt with Hus and Jerome and rejecfted the four great requefts of the Bohemians, and fixed their pollutions. VII. The Councils 0^ Florence, and that of Trent , which had more Learned men, who yet more obftinately managed the En- mity to Reformation. VIII. The prefent State of the Univerfal Church throughout the World as it is divided into Pnpij^Sj ProtefantSyGreekj^AIof- covites^ (4°) cozfitcs, Gecrglafis, with the Circ^.Jjlxns and Mengrelians, Armc^ tiianj, Ncjli^rians, fdcobites^ Cophtis^ A'>tifneSy Alnronites, Md^ ch-tcs'. And what thoughts thift: have of one another. And I Wwuld defire Mr. Aiorrice to tell us, 1. Whether he believes not verily that all thefe Inftanccs prove thjt the Biflicps have been the chief caufe, and that by Ambition, Pride and Worldlincfs ? 2. Whether it be nor the Bifliops that in the Roman and ether Parries now, are the greateit hinderers ol Reformation, and of Concord ? and it would not be ibon done were it not through ihcm ? 3. Where it is that he v/ill ftop in his Vindication of the Bifhops and their Councils, and go no further ? and by what co- gent reafon ? 4. Whether he thought lie had well defended the Church- Tyranny which I accufed ? i. By vindicating the firft Ages, and others Avhom I praired,and accufed not- 2. And by letting fall hij Vindication (favea few conkqcent quibbles) at the fourth Ge- neral Council; vJiich was in 451. And fo feems to vindicate the Bifhops and Councils but for the fpace of lyo years of the time thatj mentioned their degeneration? '^ Wliether if the Bifiiops had beefl willing when they had the King's CommifTion to make neceflary alteration, or were but to this day willing to prefer things iiecdfary before things hurt- ful or indifferent, we might not live in happy and holy Love and Peace in E)igland ? 6. Whether he can blame a man that believes in Chrift, for lamenting the doleful corruption and divifion of the Chriftian world, and for enquiring of, and lamenting the fipful caufes. * 7. If that Church PreUcy which they juftly call the bfft in all the world can endure no more Parifli Difcipline than we have, nor can endure fuch a Miniftry as are filenced.by hundreds or thoufands fthan whom no Nation on Earth abroad that I can hear of hath better) can you blame us for fufptdling thatfome- what is amifswith them, and morev/irh other? ? 8. I hope you will yet remember that I did not appear as an accufer of Prelacy or Conformity, but as imjjortured by your fclvesto give the reafons why 1 dare not take your Covenant and O.tth never to endeavour any alteration of your Church Go- vernment : and chat after feventcen years filencc. My prayers to ■(4>) to God (hall be my endeavour for thefe following Alterations. 1. That the Primitive Difcipline may be exercifed in the Pa- r'lfh Churches,ag Bacer importuned the King and Bifhops de Regn* 2. That to that end we may cither have fo many Bifhops un- der the Diocefan as be capable to do it, or the Presbyters ena- bled, allowed and obliged to do it. 3. And that wemay not inftead ofit have only a diftant Court of men that know not the Parifliioners^ where a Lay Chancellour decreeth Excommunication, and Abfolution, which the Parifli Pricft m.uft publifti, though his confcience be againft it. 4. And that Diocefans may not filence faithful Minifters with- out fuch caufe asChrift will allow, nor fet up ignorant bad ones and bind the Pariftiioners to hear and communicate with no other. I am fo far from precife expciflations from Diocefans, or from reviling them, that I do conftantly praife them as very good B'fliops who do no harm, or but a little,and [f they fhould never preach thennfelvesjfo they will not hinder others. 9. And as for my calling Things and Perfons as they are, I hope you will not fay that it was out of Malice ihit .An afi if fius TlatiKa, Majfuniy.s, Stella, Sigibert^ Baronius^ Genebrard^ Bin- nifis,S:c. have recorded fuch horrid crimes ofPopes, and others alfo of Prelates. And is it malice in me to tranfcribc their Hl- ftory? I am of Dr, Henry Moore's mind, who faith, [Mjftery of Iniiia Umatius CT fubtilius fcrHtamw ^»am tpfe vult nos fo-u'-ari,] Whether you fC- IPcrcnce L^her any more than Calvin I know nor. n. To conclude this matter, two things 1 de fire you, or at leaft the Reader to confider, ' 1. Whether it be not a dreadful thing for a man to make the Church corrupting, dividing and confounding fins, to be all his own by defending or excufing them, on a fal fc pretence of Vin- dicating the Primitive Church Government, which was contra- ly to them ? 2. Whether you truft to Truth and Evidence, or to Intereft anf^ depraved Judgments, if you think men (hall believe that t^ou have confuted all this undoubted Hiftory, and the prefenc ixperienceofall the woful Chriftian World, by a general Cry that 1 write fa Ifly and malicioufly, or by faying that I am un- learned, or that I trufted to a Tranflation, ox Binnius, or that mmm miftook the year, (ttiinga that I will not turn over my • - ~ Book* f43) Books to try,) or that I mifplaced or mifundcrftood a word of Jheodorite, or miftranflated CaUmi, or fuch like. Such Believers ofyou are guilty of their own deceit. § 21. There is lately publiflied by a namelefs Prelatifl-, to fhew the World what Spirit he is of, a Book pretending by the defcription of my Life from 1640. till i68r. to prove me one of the worft men alive. To that I will now fay but thefe few words. 1. That let them take me to be as bad as they will, fo they would have fome mercy on their own and others Sou!s,and the Church of God. 2. That it's no wonder that we differ about Antient Time* and Hiftory, and prefent Impofitions, when the main difference in our Times i?, who are godly, yea tolerable Chriftians, and who are intollcrable Rogues j and thofc that ("as before God) by long and intimite acquaintance,! judge to be the moft (erious, confcionable, humble, holy Miniftet^ and People that were ever known to me, are the Perfons that the Prelatifts profecute, fi- Ience,and cry out againft as the moft intallerable wicked Ene- mies of Piety, Truth and Peace. What is it that is the root of this? 3. That this forefaid Book is one continued Calumny,unwor- thy of an Anfvver, partly making my duty my fin ('as that I diG> liked the many drunken Readers that were the Teachers of my Youth, crcj and partly perverting fcraps of fentences j and partly reciting one revoked Bool^^ and a few retraced fentencen of another, when Angufiin is commended for retracing far jnore, and filling it with a multitude of moft grofs untruths,of hit own fidlion. 4. That as to his and Mr. Mortice and others talk of the Wars I fay. 1. That I never thought the Parliament blameleft. 2. That yet on B:lfo)is grounds I was in my Judgment, and Speech, and Adion, comparatively for them while they made their Commiffions to Efex for King and Parliament. 3. That from N^jeby Fight I wholly laboured to have drawn off their Souldiers from Errour, and Rebellion, and Ufurpationj in which I did and fuffcrcd more than multitudes of my Ac-: cufers, 4» That I never went fo far againft the Power of the King as G » R. Hooksf, (44) R. Hooker whom I hive long ago confuted. 5. That I never ftruck or hurt man in the wars. 6. That I will confcnt to be filenced and imprifoned if they will but give ihofe Minifters leave to preach Chrifts Gofpel that never had to do with wars (uniefs for the King.) 7. That when our beginning Concord had reftortd the King, the 5cflr /jthough unfuccefsfully fought for him,Mo«^& his Army, that had bloodiIy('atD;<«<2'fr,&'c.)foughf againft him,had with the Concurrenceof Sir 7/6/7. -^//cw, the Londoner i and Presbyterians reftored him, when the King by them came in Triumph, Ho- noured Viorik and others of them, confeft them the Caufe of hi« Reftoration, paft an Acl: of Oblivion that we might all live in fu- ture Peace, I fay, Ifafter all this it be Prelacy and C'ergy In- tercft and Spirit, that will rub over ail the healed wounds, and ftrivc again what ever it coft us to ulcerate the peoples minds, and refolve that the Land and Church (hall have no Peace, but by the deftrudion of fuch as reftorcd the King ; I flia!! think ne- ver the better of Prelacy for this. Bat ask them, why did yoa not 5peak it out in 1660 to Mo«/^and his Army, or rill now. § 11. ATid wherea»rha< Advocate (defcribed /«^.S.J andyou arc (till deceiving the ignorant by facing men down with Confi- dence that I lie in faying that \_Tv(io EpifcopulTarttes began the fr*?yi« England and the Papifls and Frefbperians CAma inbut at Auxiliaries.'] I again fay, 1. ^llow me but reafonable leave, and I will prove it to the fhameofyou if you deny it. 2. At prefent 1 will but recite one claufe in Whitlockj Memo- ■rials, pag. 45*. even after they thought themfelves under a ne- celTity to pleafe the Scots as far as they could. [" ^kko 1640; ** The Commons had debate about a new Form of Ecclifiajfical Ue- ^^ vernmentf din^fftljf 17. agreed^ That every Shire f hall be a fevs- '' ral Diocefs j a Presbytery of Twelve Divttus in each Shire^ and ^' a Prejident as a Bijhop over them j and he with the ajfijlatjce of " fome of the "Presbytery to ordain^ fufpend, deprive ^ degrade and '' excommHnicate, To h-tvc a Diocefan Synod once a year, a\ui " every third year a National Synod, and they to make Canons, but " none to be binding till confirmed by Parliament. • '* The Primate, of Armagh offered an expedient for conjunBiow ^« '** fo''H of Dif^ipHne, that Fpifcopal and Presbyterian Govern^^ -^ mni might m^ ^S^t^ f^^ dtjinnte^ bni rcdnftng Epifcopacy to (45) '• thi Form of Synodic.ilGiVernwerd in the Primitive CltiYch Were not thcfe men Epifcopal ? It's much like Mr. Thoin- dike's own motions favlnsj his Opinion for Forein Jurifclidion. § 24. As to your firft and bit Chapters, and about the Antient Extent cf Churches, while my Treatile of Epifcopacy, which fully confutcth you, is unart(V\ercd j if I repeat it again, ic will not be read by weary men. And another hath anfwcred tbofe parts of your Book, which is ready for the Pref^. I afrcr tell you where Chrjfodcm even in his time numbers the ChrilVians in that great Imperial City to be an hundred thoufand,that is as many as in Martins Av\d Stepney ParifheF^dnd perhaps in Giles Crippleg.it e too. § 1). To conclude, whereas Mr. J/, in general chargeth me 28faIfifyingHiftory, I ftill call myfeifa HATER of FALSE HISTORY, and loath Wr. Morricch Hiftory, becai.fc it is fjlfc: BMt if he wi!l inftead of falfifying and trifling, fhew me any falle H ftory that I have owned, I will thank him unfeignediy, and re- tratT: it. But f;i(ftious reproaching of good men, and painting the deformed face of Vice, go not with me for convincing proof. If I am not nearof kin to £'>'^y?«//j, I am a ftranger to my feir, even as MeraU, and M. .^d.imns defcribe him^ [^Inge^ia crat fintplex 'j ad<:o ahhorrens a menA^icio^ ut pae litis ttiiin't- odijfct: pue'os mefittentcs i CT" fe^nx ad illorum adJpciHum etiam corporc commoverettir. Diinitattifft CT* magnarum divitiarum conumax cofttewptor i ncqite i^tiicejuam prius (tia haBuit ac li^ertAte,'] And I think, as it isfaid oiCiifpiniaM^ [_Rattis fe fitisfnEluri^Ki ingeriMo Ldtori, fquig vcrijfim^ cjj: compcrijjet fimpl:c:ffim4 orutioue m^ii- d.iret pojhritati : fatis enimeft hijhrico («r prAcUre dixit apifd Ciceronem Catullus') non ej[e Mendactm,'\ And as to my endsand expe(ftation5, I am not fo vain as to write with any great hope of perfuading many, if any who are polTrft of large Diocefs, Wealth and Power, to forfake them, muchlcfs to cure the comraorj Thirft that corrupted Nature is polTeft with, and to be ine meansof aPublick Reform:uion: If I may fjtisfie my Confcience, and fave fome from being decei- ved by falfe Hiftory about the Caufcs of the Antienc Scbifms, it's all that I can hope for : Hid I lived in Alb. Cramz^iu: dales, I naight perhaps have (aid as he oi Luther [^Frater^ Frater, abi in cellam tua^t & die Ai?r Literds format as out of Council, are the Supreme Governing Power over thellniverfal Church on Earth, having the Po.ver of Univerfa! Legiflation and Judgmen*-^ 2. That among thefe the Pope is juftiy the Patriarch of the Wtft,,and the Principiumnnitatis to the whole, and the ordinary Prefident in fuch Councils. And fay fome. It belongs only to the Prefident to call them, and they are but rebellious Rouis thataf- femble without a ;ult call. g. That there is no concord to be had but in the Obedience to this Univerfal Governing Church. But all Perfons and all Nati- onal Churches are Schifmaticks who live not in fuch Subje- ft ion and obedience. 4. That fiich as the Diocefan Epifcopacy which is over one loweft Church containing hunJreds or multitudes of Parifhes and Altars without any other Bifliop but the fald Diocefan is that Epifcopacy which all iuuft be fub/eftto, while it is fubjeil:: to the Univerfal fupreme. 5. That every Chriftian mud hold fubje£live Communion. witlitheBiftiopofthc place where he liveth: And fay fame:, muik muft not praLlife contrary to his Commands, nor appeal for fuch pfjiflicc to Scripture or to God. 6. That ifthis fupreme Power filcnce theDiocefan?, or thefc Diocefjns filence all the M'nifters in City or Country, they muft Ceafc their Miniftry and forCike the Flock?. 7. And fay divers of them. They are no triie Churches, or Minifters, that have not ordination from fuch Diocefans, yea by an uninterrupted (ucccirion from the Apoftles : And for want of this the Forein reformed Churches are no true Churches, but the Church o^ ^eme is. Much more of this Nature I have already tranfcribed f and confuted ) out of A. Bifhop Ercmhall^Dr, Uc)Iiks Life of A. Bi- fhop Land, Mr T/jjnjdike, Mr Dodvjcll and divers other?. § 2. The fir ft thing then in my Intention is to fliew that the Reman Grandeur which is thought to be the Glory of the Church on Earth, and the neceflTary means of its Unity, fafety and true profperity,hath proved cle.^n contrary, even the means ofCburch corruption in Do(^rine, Worftiip, Dilcij lire & Converfation^ the Soil of the moft odious crimes, the means of tyranny, fuppref- fion of true piety, and perfccution of Gods faithful Servants, and of rebellious, War and cruel blocdfhed. § 3. To this end I defcribed the fteps by which the Clergy afcenJcd to the Papal height : For as allProteftants juftly main- tain that their Corruption of Dodrine &: Worfhip came not in at once bi]t by flow degree?, fo do they alfo of the Papal Govern- ment and difci[)line. And they commonly fliew the vanity of the Papills demandjW'ho ask us who was the man,and which was the year, as if the world had gone to bed in fimple Chriftianity, and awaked Papiftsthenext morning.Whereas it is moft evident in all Church hiftory that the Clergy leaving the Chriftian Purity,Sim- plicity and Love, did climb the ladder ftep by ftep till they afcen- ded to the Papal height. And it's a meer dream of them that think itvvastheBp-of /^cw.' alone that thus arcendecl,and not the Army that made him their General : As the boat rifeth with the waters, fo did the Pope with the afccndingClergy : Others ftrovefor fuperiority as he ftrove for Supremacy :The ftrife began among Chrifts Apoftles who fhould be greateft, and who fhould, fit next liim in his Kingdom j And though Chrift then fuppreft it by his Word and Spirit, and the fuflfcrlngs of the Church took down thofe afplring thoughts, as foon as Conflantins had fet them the Ladder (49) Ladder, what fcrambling was there who fliould climb highefl:. Yea Conftantinople ftrove for the Supremacy itfclf. § 3. And I the rather mentioned this becauG.^ I found fomelate learned Expofitors of the Revelations, taking this inordinate a(- cenr, for the promifed glory and felicityof the Church on EJirthj and taking it for the fulfilling of many of chofe prophecies and promiles which fome applyed to theMilicnninm, and fome to the heavenly ftate. And doubtlefs Hddfbrand and his adherents had fuch thought?, ana did believe that their rule over Emper- ours, Kings and Kingdoms, by the Power of the Keys cl the Kingdom of heaven, was the true Glory of the Church, and the Reign of Chrilt, and that all the honour was indeed given to Chrirt as King of the Church, vvhich was thus given to the Pope and theChurch-Parliamentsof Bifliops. CampanelU de Regno Dsi doth but fpeak the thoughts of greater Clergy men when he ap- plyeth the lorefaid Texts to prove that the Popes llniverfal Mo- narchy is the true KingBom ofChrifton Earth, to which all Monarchs and Men muft ftoop. And Nature is fo apt to entertain fuch thoughts, efpecially in the Clergy, who think of it as their own profpcrity and glor]', that it is no wonder, \^ disVcmicr, and his Fifth Monarchy men, did itch to be getting up under the name of the Reign of Ghrift, and ^o did lohn of Leaden and his Company at Mufijhr; fo the Fifth Monarchy Clergy men, who can afj^ire more plaufibly, do long to be climbing, and are very reconcilable to Papal Great- nefs J and where Popery ic become a diftafted name,tliey never- thelefs defire their (hare in the Power^ Honour and Wealth, and under pretence .<)f Peace and Concord among all Chriftians, and reftorir.g the Church to its Ur.ity and Strength, ihey ftrive for much of the fame thing, and think it enoughtoavoiJ the name : And the Pope (hall be but Principi;:m Z^nit(}t faflo ipfo nt cred.im. To this pafs did the Clergies afpiring then bring the Church, when worthy men were filenced and per- H 2 fecutcd . (50 fccutcd.A nd xvc are unwillli.g of any thing that looketh toward* a dilFcrencing men Co contrary to that which Chrift will make at lilt. CHAP. II. Whether wi have nnj reafon to npart the Faults of fome Bi()?op5 And ConKcils, from the bcginniKg of their Depravation till the Uj]} § i.'XHat I Imd great reafc-n for it_, I thir.k wliat is before faid will evince i when wc fee men c!c(truying Chri- ftian Love, themftlveF, and us, and the Land, could ihey pre- vail, by their erroneous endeavour to grant no Concord, Com- munion nor Peace, to no Chriftians how ccnfcionable otherwife fbever, who cannot unite in a fpccies of Prehicy which they be- lieve (by fuch evidence as I have given) to he contrary to the Law of Chrift. To the Oving men from Herefie and Schifm now,- our oppofers ( and we) do judge it ufetul, to know how Hereticks and Dividers mifcarrled heretofore, thjt others may beware. And is it not as true if EKViops be the Dividers ? And alfo when the Clergies Ambition and Ufurpaiion have brought that upon the Chriltian World which it langu'fheih^nd groan- cth under in Eaft and Weft , is it not needful to open the be- ginning and progrcTs of the difcrfe, by fuch as had rather it were cured, than the Church dcllroycd by it ? § ^. Among the n.uliitudc of Protcftant Church Hiftorians ana Chronologer?, how few are there that do not do ihe fame, though in various degrees ? He that will read the Mi'-gdchur- genfcs^ or Lucas 0/iander, Jlljrici Tefi. Ftrit. MelarnUhon himklf^ and CarioiJ FuKtcrifts^yea peaceable holy Bt4choltz.er^ Aiicrelim^ Neander, Phil. Parea'har fhoulJ move him to name fo many of tlie mJfcarriages ofrhe Councils, but the neceifity of reciting the Ads ofth:- Councils hiflorically as he found them ? § 6. The Srcred Scriptures record the Crimes of the bcfl men in 2I! the Ages of which they write, even ^Idams^ Noes^ Lots J AjcroYiiy D.vjid^y Solomons^ Hez.(k:ahs, ^vftahs^ Petfrs^ all the ApoMcf^&'c. And it was not done out of fpite or malice j but as a nrcelfjry warning to us all. § '-. The falfhood of Hiftory is an intollcrable abiife of man- kind : To know nothing done before our timeSjis to (hut up man- kind in a dungeon j and falfe H ftory is worfe than none. And it may be fa'fe and deceitful in dcfsf/- as well as excefs. He that ftiould record all that was good in the Popes, and omit all the reft, would be a dargerous deceiver of the world, and do more than haih been done to make all Chriftians Papifts. Ycli tell us your fclves, that^he that (hould write the Hiltory of Cromwell^ e. g. or of any Sect that you are againft, end fhould leave otitall their faults, would be taken for a falfe Hiftorian. § 8. They that write the Hiftory of inens Lives, do ufe to record their Parentage, B'rth and Education : And fo mnft he that will t-rulv write the Hi;1ory of Church-Tyranny, Pcrfecu- tion and Scnifra The end is not well undcrftood xviihout the beginning. Who is it thjc heareth how many Ages the Chri- fiiaft world hath been divided into Papifis, Grerkj, Jacohitcs,Ne' (loriansy Afclchir€s,6cc. and that feeth wha: vvoik the Pjpacy I'.ath iiiadf, but \^ ill ask how all this came to pafs .^ Did the man thjt died of Gluttony, fwallow all at one morfel ? or raiher one bit after another ? And when the Ckrgy have ven- tured on one. merry Cup, or one plcafant morfel in cxccfs, it's fifie-- (54) tifit to make them believe that one,anJ one,and one Cup more; one, and oi.e, and one bit more, is no more unlawful than the firft. Vnncipiis ohfij, is the Rule of Safety. If Papifts intending the recovery o{ EngUnd to the Pope fhould (ay ['* Let w but jirfget them under th: O.itbs^Cover.ants ^'' and rraCiices which vee v;ili call Conformity ^ and jo caji cut mofi '' th/it litire aoffin^ and bj/ this engage them as two yirmies in con~ ** trary hit erefi to fight ag^iinfi lach other ^ and it willbc aneafie " matter to hr ivgt hi fwallowir.g Party to go further by degrees, and " to believe thxx as a Fart/Jj Church mujt not be tr.d pendent as to " the Diocifan, nor the Diocefan to the Aietropohticaloy National, " fo neither mnji a National he independent as to the Vniverfal : *' ^nd that the Vniverfal therefore mtili have its known (i.itcd Co- *' vernment as well as the National, ] Were it not nectfiary here for him tiiar would fave the Land from Popery to (hew the danger of the firft degrees. The ufual Method is not to ufe Boccalincs Rofj.rn Engine^ which will help a man to fwallow a Pompion that he may get downaPill, but to fwallow aleflerPill fiift and a bi.egcr'nexr, till the Pompion wiU go down. Infancy is before manhood. § 9. But the great necelTity wasasaforefaid, from the reviv- ed or rather Continued attempts, of imitating the fatal ambitions and Contentions malady. If Prifcillians, or Gnoltitks fhouKi rife row among uf, were it not our duty to let before them the hiftory of the mifcarriage of their predecelTours. And when men are fo much fet on reftoring an Uaiverfal Supremacy, is it not meet to fhew them where, and when, and with what fuccefj the afpiring humour did begin. If we have fmall vifible probabili- ty ofefcaj)irig, we muft yet before we come to Sm:thfield,fn\i' ly our Confcicncesthat we betrayed not the Church. CHAP. III. Of A/r. MV notice that I am Vnlearned. § I.Ayr R. A."8 Preface Conrradeth the Chief things which Xy\, he huh to fay againft me in his book, that the Reader may find them there all together. AnJof thefe \^that I ^tm unlearned "2 IS not the leaft. And if that beany of h":s queftion I allure him it (hall be none of mine. I am not yet fo vain as to 65) to plead for my Learning: Yea, I will gratify him (though heaccufe me of being a.2;ainft repentance ) with an unfeigned confcfTun that my ignorance is far greater than his accufarion v{ Hiilearncdnefs doth import. AIa« I want the kiiowledge of far more excellent things than languages. I do but imperfeftly know my relf,my own foul, my own thoughts and underftanding: Ifcarce well know what knowing is. Verily if no knowledge be properly true that is not adequate to the ob;c(ft I kiiowitothir^g : And fubfcribe to Za}jchiz.,« m:ifl bi impa^ti.d'\ I think I am (b, faving that I mufi: notdeny or c^ft away the truths already received. If they fay [ Tc/^ JhouUr-ad the f.tms booi^t .which have convinced I4s~] I read far more of the Pa[)iltsand Prel.it ifls and ot her fccbs I'a^t \Nniaigi\v\^ m?, than of thcfcr that are for me. And the more I read the more I am confirmed. Aid when ihefe men preach and write agiinft the Cdvimfis, they render them odious as holding that ntenars n-:c:Jfitateu toji.i and to be d.-imned^ and ihat it is long of Gods Decree yrh^ehcuNytot be rcfijhd: Therefore I fuppofe they will not lay the Ciufe on God. I do then confefs my Ignorance, of mitters a thoufandfold greater and more reedful than thole v/hich thev mention in their accufation?. I coifefsmv lel fun- learned : But I intrcat them that tell me of my d'l-ife Awhich I know to my daily grief much better than they ) : > tell meahb Iiow I may be curcJ.If they fay that it muR be by Fin:s a-d Ini- ^rifonment it hith been tryed & I am ycc uncured ; Lhope they will (5^) will not pronounce me remedilefs and not tell me why, who life ihemlelvcs to fpeak againft thofe that preach men into de- fperationjwould they but tell me the fecret how fo many thou- linds of them cime to be fo much wiler than I, in Ur fhorter time,and with far lels ftudy, it would be (if true) an acceptable deed of Charity $ rather than to tell me of the Ignorance which I cannot htlp. Could I but know needful truth in Engliflj, I would joyfully allow them to glory ofbeing more skilful in all the Ori- ental Tongues^and alfo in French, Ir if. ^j Spamjh and Italiaf/^thdin I am. CHAP. IV. Of his ^ccftfatiofjj that I vainl/ name Hifioriatis which J mver f^w oy read, § i.T Muftprofefs that it never was my purpofe ro tell the J. world how many Hiftorianslhavercad ; nor to abridge all that I have read : And thofe that I havemoft read I have there made no mention of, as not being for mv intended end : JVnd multitudes that ftood by me, I never opened to the writing of this hiftory, my defign being chiefly againft the Pjpifts and thofe Proteftants who moft efteem their writings, and h .d rather unite with the French Papift Church, than with us Nurconfor- mifts : Therefore when I was part the firft 400 or 5-00 years, it was the greateft and moft flattering Popifh hiftorians that I abriged, 2$ ad hominem being likeftnot to be df?nyed. I told the reader that I made not ufc of Lutberiht^ Afugde- ^(■;rgenfes, nor the Collecftions o^Goldtjhu, A'f.ircjHardr.s FrcLcrKs, Retikri^s^ Vijiorim^^c. ] And the Printer having pur a ComtTja between MarqftArdM^Lnd Frehena^ he Conjetflures that I took him fcjr two men, becaufe I ad-c-ed not the Chrtftian names of the refi : And he concludes that fjvhoever this ??sifiake belongs tp, it^s plain that M.B. had bm little ac^^t^aintance with thofe CoUdlions.'} For I nam; Jome of the Authors therein. ylrf. Seeing thefe things are thought juft matter for our ac- cufers turn/ I will crave the Readers patience with fuch little things while I tell him the truth. It is about 25- years (ince I Tead the Germat Hiftory in the Colledions of Freherus, Reube- tfn SindPiforim, and about 30 years fincc I read the Collc^ions of (57) ofGoldaflm : The Magdelurgenfes^ Oftandtr^Sleldati^ or any fuch Proteftants I thought vain to alledge to Papifts. About fevcn or eight years ago as I remember, I was accufed for Preach- ing, and Fined by Sir Thomas Davis ; and the Warrant was fent by him to Sir Edm. Bury Godfrey to levy it on me by Diftrefs : I had no way to avoid it but l^ora fde, to make away all that i had : Among the reft I made away my Library, only borrowing part of it for my ufe. I purpofed to have given it almoft all to Cambridge in NeW'EKgland : But Mr; Knowles ( yet livinp.) n ho knew their Library, told me tkat Sir Kenelme D glj had already given them ^ Fathers, CounciU and Schoo!mfn,but it was Hi- Itory and Contnentators which they wanted. Whereupon I fenr themfome of my Commentators, and fome Hiftorians among which were Frehems^ Reuberus and Fsftorins Collodions, and NaucIcyhs^ SabelltCHS, Thnnuus^ J of. Scaliger de Emendat. Tur'p. Sec i But Coldafius I kept by me ( as borrowed ) 2nd many more which I could not fpare j and the Fathers and Councils and Schoolmen I was ftopt from fending. Now whether I w^s unacquainted with thoft' that partly ftand yet at my Elbow, and which I had read fo long ago, muft depend on the Credit ot my Memory ^ and I confefs my Memory is of late grown weak, but not fo weak as to think that A^ar(j;t,trd:ij F.chcrijs was ret one man, ard a Palatinate Councillor, though it be names that I moft forget j why I gave not the Chrillen names oi Reuberns and Fijioriks^ whether becaufe I forgat them,or becaufe I mind- ed nor fo fmall a thing, not dreaming 'what would be inferred from ir, I remember net. But when 1 wrote that abridgment, I made ule ofnore that I thought the Papifts would excefta- gainft : For the ftrft a?[fs I gathered wkat I remembredout of the Fathers, and out of Fjifcbim^ Socrates^ Scz^omei;^ Evagrin^, Tbeodoret^ the Tn pa'i t it e ^N iccphortt^Libcr at m ^ Brev. V'lElcr Vric. Beda/dud futhothers as are by them received: Befides whichi principally followed andEji umized ^/vw»«<^, and Cr^^, and part- ly BarJti.HS, with PLifir.a, 0):y.phrins JPanur.iHs^ Stella, PetHzia^j and others of their own. And Irefolved I would not fo much ss open Go/d^iJ}/4{, or any Proteftant Colieftor, that they might not. except againft their Credit, aud rejecH: them as nuiltcicrts cr-rftd HeretK,i^s^ as Lnhbe Aqi]a M'-Ubior GAda^us arid almoft all fuch others as he mention? ; and as Gretfjr^ Satjdcrs, and other Papifts commonly do. Therefore even thofe Hiftoncs which I be (58) he in GoldaJlM,\ would not take as out of him,butromcoftbcm from the bouks pub!ifhed by oibers, and (bme as cited by BinnitUy PtfaviMs^oT other fuch. And this is now the proof of my Vanity. § 2. It is a miftnke if be think that I intended ^as he fpeaks^ to be a Compiler of Gcner.il Church i-JiJlorjt j When I prof t (Ted but to acquaint thcEnglifh Reader v/rh the true matter of f?'t^fft Eufehitts, Ba- fil, N'az.iar.z.en^ Uierom^ Chryjojlom, yiugujhv^ to be the beftpart ofChurch Hillory, efpccially their Epiltles. And of this opinion 1 am net the hr(>. CHAP. V. Ojhis u^ccfifition of my citing Hanmer and ithcv Iray.JlAtors^ /tnd being deceived b) Binnius and fuch others. § I. i.T'TE accnfeth me for not ufirg J^i^lcfius his Edition of XX. Eujebius and thofe Editions of the Cci^cils which he accounteih the beft : To which I fay, 1. lam nor Rich Enough to buy them, nor can keep i hem if I had them. Muft none write but Rich men f The French Coun- cils would coft more than many of us are worth : We have had no Ecclefiaftical maintenance thefc 19 years; and we cannot keep the books we have. Luther wrote his book de Conciliis whcnitfeems he had never read many of the Councils Ads, but as related by £u[ebins Socrates^ SbZ^omen, and the Tripartite Hiftc- 2. Dr.James hath long ago warned all Scholars to rrake much ctCrab and other old ones, ( and the Fathers as Printed at Ba- pi by ErafmHs, j^mcrbachiniy Sfc.) and not to truft much to new Editio/if, as coming through untrufty hands. 5. I« (59) 5. Is yalefits a man of fo much credit with you ? Do you be- lieve what he faith ofGrottM as being in judgment for the Pa- pal Church, and only in prudence delaying his vifibic Communion with them, that he might draw in many with him ? ( r^hf. in Or At.de Petavio'. ) If he lye in this, and the fucceft oXPetavim on Grotif^Sy why (hould he be more tr^fted than others ? If not, I need not tell you what to think of thofe Biftiops a;id Drs.wlio profeft to be of the fame mind and Church as Grori/ncorrc(fl Edition o'i Bumins i 606. jAnf. it is that which is in nuft common ufr, entitulcd, A'tc^wi- /.^, Ah^4, notis I/iufif.ita, dedicated cothe P >pe, and to C. Ba- roniuSf (jtis monitu fcript>!, cjfti veterem illam, mriidof^nty mHttiim & coKfvftm compiUtme>ff wille locis t/lfffiravitf Stc. commonly I X preferred Prcrerrcd before Crub^ SHrius, Nicchntis^ &c. But any quarrti Terveth fome men. CHAP. VI. Of bis Acctifations ofmjowH Afijiranjljitions and M^^ukes, \ § i-/^P thcfe there are two real Overfights which he V^ nameth, connmitted by too much haft and heedlef- nf fs: The one is, that I mifplaced {yirt'\ intheTrdnlldtion of a Speech ofThecdoras i a grofs overfight I confers : The other, that I put Z^P'!^''?^'] 2is if it had been the GeniLive cafe, when ic was the Nominative plural j whichalfb wasa heed'eP* overfight. And about the death of Stephani^y he noteih my mif^rai fljting CuUmi i and I imagine yet he is fcarce certain what it fignihed himfelf. As for his note of my ufe of {^Scriptfire'] about the Ephefine Ccuncil, I purpofely kept to the literal Trar.flaiior, that none mighc fay I did miftranflitc it j but I never (aid ibat by the 5!;/';/?/*rr?/ are derided for difowning foirc Epiftit?. P. 13 J'. Erafmr, Rivcti limilifimcjfie ridetur a doBis cenfuYA (viz,, de lib. Continent.') And I profefs my felf iefs skilful infuch matters than ErAjm^s. Et ibid. Erafmus & Hifiis Juliano opas illai tr'huere videntur^ Ptimelifis tiinqitam incerti Author is allegat : Nos caw Lov.inieu- Jii-us BelUrminOy allifqae C.ithol:cis Auguflini eJfe csnjemus, nee trictt Riven deterrent. P. 136. J^..'i errcretn induxit. Vtd. & c^UA de Aintoin'>i p. 308, 309. habet^ & contra Tojft- vinutn^p. 3 10. C^ contra altos^ 511. Et contra Baronium, Breu^ Hum, &c. 511. Et de Haimoyie cap, 3 j". contra Tritt/jenium, 0" de Kabano Manro^p, 515. Et de Landnlph. Sagace contra Ccf. Or- Lindittm. Dc Anajtaf.c. l^.p. 319. De Hintmaro contra Trttthe- niHn7,c. 16. p. 320. But I mult nor tire the Reader: Multitudes of fuch Inftances this one Author gives us : And how {t\\ Hifto- riang charge not others with Errours {0 much greater,and more than Mr. Af. with any Truth accufcih me of. § 3. As to his notes on my Titles of Ibme Councils, it*« paft my memory, whether ir was my carelefnefs, or (as I think) the Printer's Errour,to put C^ Council at ylra»fcanyTolejan.Regunfe, for ConciUum AranJicanum^ToUtanf4m, Rhegienfe.'] If it was my aft, I forgot that I had iirft put the Subrtantive in Englifh. But he may oft find the fame names ufcd to his mind: And fure it is no faifification of the Hiltory. § 4. But § 4, But he hatha far greater charge againft me, that I did not apprehend the mind of the Council at Tours j why fa ? The words are [^Nosvero jicjuos Lex ptnmi jthst^ fi cttpiunt andtre pr£Conent, voIhwhs ut convert ant nr advitam : Nam ptnmendi funt oris gladio & communione prtva*tdi fi reli^ia fibi fenioram deer eta ohfervare noluerint^ &c. Here he faith the meanii.g is, [The Ec- clefiaftical Laws do punifh fuch with perpetual Excommunica- tions, yet this Council thought fit to mitigate it,erc.] The Que- ition is. Whether \_^uoi Lex perimi juhet^ fignifte Death, or Ex« communication ?] I take it to be Death, and that ihe Council faith [Though by the Law fuch are to Die, if they nill hear the Preacher, we will h-:ve them converted to Life : But fo that if they will not be feparated, the Church Sword ofExcommunica- tionfhaiicut them off inftead of Death. ]VlyReafons whyf^iiCHnq!4e jacr^turfi Deo firginem vel Vidnam fortajfe rapucrit, fi pojiea eis de conjunct ione convener It ^ capitis [enteKtia feriantptr. Item (icjuis^ non dicum ra* pere^ffd at tent are matrimonii ccnjungcndi cauf^^ jacram Vtvgmem aft fas fuel it, capitis fer.tentia feriatur. Cum etiam inChrcnicis htheatftr de yirgmibus Gent ilium tempore^ e^ua fe dea l^cft£ facra- verant, pojfm'jfo prnpo/t'o & cerrupta virgtnali g^atia^ Legalife*)* tentia vivas m terra fuijfe defoffas, Ifnoneofthis fignifie Death, 1 confefsl undfrftand not Latine. I thought the Council meant Death by \^Lex ptnmi juberfX ^"^ they would be more merci- ful i which I blamed them not for, but noted here what many other Cinor.s inftance, where they alfb puniOi murder but with keeping men from Connmunion, that this agreeth with fome Sedarics Opinion. I leave Mr. M's. great skill in expounding Couneih here to any equal Judge. But if I igriorantly miftake in all this, and neither \_Cdpitisfententia fcriaatur'] nor [^P^ivas in terra dsfoffus'] fignifie Death, but Excommunication, yet many other Canons after cited fully tell us of the Bifhops Clemency. CHAP. {64) CHAP. VII. Mr M'i.ExpofitioN of Church Hiflorj trjed tj his Expofttion of my ctvn words : ^nd i. Of his falfe fuppo/inon that I am onlyf. 18, 19, 20. Yea of the Papifts Bidiops that were pious p. 20. § 4I And §47. I vinlicate the excellency of the Sacred Office. And § 53,^8, ^9, 60. I plead forEpKcopacy ic feifin the jufti- fiablc (pecics of ir. § 2. But perhaps he will fay, that at leaft I fay more of their fj.uirs than their virtues: I anfAcr, of fuch good Bifhops as Cyprian^ Uafil^ Greg. Naz.i.inz.rit^ Chryfojiom, j^uguflin^ HUUry, jifjiriin^ &c. I rj)eak of their virtues an J nothing at all ('that I remember) of their faults. Of Juch as Theophilus, and Cynl y^Ux- ^ndri. ^nd £pipha.';iM, 0c. I fpeak of their virn:es and fbmc of their fiults ( as the fcripturc doth of many good mens. ) Of the mere ambiii. U5, turbulent fcrr, I fpeak only or moftly of their faults : For I profefs not to write a Hiftory of their lives, but to inform the ignorant what Spirit ic is that brought in Church tyranny anJdivifions. I dcnyed none of their virtues, though it was iicK my work to record them. While I am confuting the Errours ofyour book,do I wrorg you unlef'^ I write a Catalogue ofyour good work?. Alomcj, lllyri- 1//y«/?fr,tbe Errours of David Geor^^, the many Enthufiaflick Scfts defcribed hy Bickr,;m Exercit. (of whom many asThaulen4S,Ker?^pi.<, Behmcit had much very commendable j andGr^r/V/j praifed foh» u4rr,dt.)U it from Malice that the Familifts, Seekers, Quaker*,. Anabaptifts^CTi^. are ufually by your party dcfcribed by their faults, without any mention of their goodnefs ? v//-;/ 4. Is it from Spight and Malice that your Party have written what they have done of the great fauhinefs of theNcn- conformills, both former and latterj and that Calvinifis sxeCo odioiiOy reprefenred, that the Reformation by them isdefcribcd by hLyliK and others as Rebellious? That fuch books are written as Hcjlifis u-ie-' ins Rfdivivus, H. Fowlis^ the Evangel, ylrrfjatttm. The Ec clef. Pclit. the Friendly Debate, tl^e Coimterminer, the Vindicar. of Dr. Stilli>igjleet, the pretended fecond part, (which ts a continued Calumny againft my feif, fo full of particular falf- hoods as are not to be without a tedious Volume anfwcred : And a multitude fuch written to render the Nonconformifts odious and nnfiiffcrable. If all thefe be not written in Malice,how know you that mine were i* ^>if. y. And whereas fome pretending moderation accufe me of too bad provoking language, 1. Is there any Comparifon between the language of any of ihcfe books^ or yours and Dr^ Sher/oJlCs^ {71) Shcrlo:i''szT\d iTi'me ? Read but Learned Godly moderate Bifliop Z)3iv«.iw his Defence of his Vifit. ferrnjn, his frequent changes C of fhimelefs, im[)udent Lying, and much more ] ap,ainft a Non- conformift thitgjve him no fuch language. Read but the ordi- nary Writings of fuch as Bifhop Bancroft ^ Dr. Sntcfiff) and moft others a^^ainlt the Old Nonconformilts ; and o( the Lutherans ag:/mft the Calviti'fts, even men that I am [jerluadeJ meant ho- neitly, but by Faction were exafperared, as HHituM^ Brentius^ AforUnuSj Mid'^c'^^us, Snepjjuj, IVigand^Sj JIcJhupHs^ Ani'^eas^ Selnectrui^ Heerhruud^ Calovjur, and many fuch. Read but our Grammarians, fuch as you may find in the mar.y Volumes of the Collerectcr (brr, vn^. '' ^!if^uts es Jalutu (7J) " t(i£ amans, Omnes illico CahiniftAS^ Lmheranos^ SoclmA>'os ^* yinabaptifias^ fmilefcjue genertf bhrnant pcfies, C.'/ did not) and that by fome ill chance a wrong name was put in Contrary to ThnariHs intent. § 2. "Df. Burnet is a man whom I much value and honour, and pleadeth much for peace and moderation, and therefore mucli the more amiable to me : I thank him for his reproof of me to my face } but becaufe he goeth on to vend it as juft behind my back, where I cannot anfwer him, I tnuft do it here. He faith thst [; / began and that wii b tinchrififarjjprovokJKg language ^gainji the Con- formifis Hi my firfi Flea for peace^ which caufed all the JKCceedincr hcats.~\ u^rtf. I. I have to him and oft in print appealed to humanity and common fence whether one that was feventeen years fllenr,Sr communicated in the Parifh Churches, and under fcorns, and cjedion/imprifonment & muIcTts did peaceably conrinue Commu- nion with them without reply orfelf defence, and never wrote againft them, till they had long called out to him to give them an account of the reafons of his Nonconformity, and then durft not provoke them by a d'fpute, but barely named the matters which we jiidge unlawful, profefilng not to be the Accufer of Conformift?, but only lo anf-ver the Call of Parlijment-men, BiOiops, and others that urged us, and threatned us ifwe would not tell them what we (tuck at j and made this the Jultihcatioa of their profecution of many hundred men: I fa^-^whethcr fuch a L man< (^4) man had a Call to fi>eak ? When the King Licenfed us, I had befjre brieHy defended our Preaching as Licenfed : But being thus (iimmoned by our Profecutors and Superiours, I told them what ne judged unlawful j and was this a beginning of the Flame ? VVas Seventeen years Poverty^ Prohibition and Pr©fe- curi{;n, and ail this Importunity, no provocation or call ro fpeak ? Did this begin ? If he were in the Houfe of Corre(flion,and were beaten but Seventeen years, or Seven years, to confefs the Ciule for which he futfered, and at laft confelFed it, and one Ihould fay, This was the beginning of rhe ftrife. Would he take this for a good Hirtorian ? And if he had written Hiftory, would this report advance the credit of it ? § 3. Bur the fecond thing accufed.isthe unchrilVian Language ofrharBook. Anfw. Doth a general Accufation fignifiemore ill of the accufer, or of the accufe-d, if it be nor proved by par- ticular Inftances ? I urged him to name the unchriftian word?, and I remember but two Inftdnces he gave me. The firft is, that 1 ufe the word \_fintr tubs'] againft my Accu- fers. And i. I think the Reader will very rarely hnd that word in that Book. 2. Is this fo harfli as the common charge of L;/w^, uled even by the molt Learned fober Conformifts ? 3. I thought it had been a modcft word : What fliall a man fay when luch Volumes of Slander are publTThed againft him and others, as tends to preach all their Neighbours into hatred and perfecution of them? Alas ! Doth it increafc our crime to fay, It us untrue ? How fhall we then anfwer for our felves 8t any Bdr ? Is it tollerable voluminoiifly to tell the World down-right falfhoods of us? and is it railing for us to fay, [TX^f^ arc untrue f] What's this but like him that run a man thorow in wrarh with his Sword, and indicted him for cr^ ing,oh ? This is the Church Juftice even of our moderate HiHorians. § 4. But he faidi, I fhould not call it [a /^//7:'0(i^j or x/wfr^r/;] but.a mijtuk^. yl>}j>v. This is a fhirper word; for it fignifierh the fault of the miltaker ufually j whereas by (peaking de ohjedo, that it is f^lfe, I leave it to others how far the reporter is to be b'amed. But fure moft Logical Difputations are Railing?, if the words [j-^ljtim'] and [f.t/l.icii] be fuch. § 5". About a month or fix weeks ago the Obfervator, the Churches Advocate publiilicd, That [" a Captain of Horfe of *' ihc K'n;^'j.-, had the fortune to be difmounted, wounded and "ftripr, C75) '* ftript, and aiCbapIain (naming me before) cut from about h'li '^ neck a Medal, which the Kng had given him, and tlieSou!- '^diers fpared in the heat ofbiood] I fent him word how falfc this was : I never faw the man in my life that I know cf; mucb lefs ever medled with him : But \vas in a Houl'e where a Soul- d'er brought a fniall filver-guilt MeJaI,ahouc the bignefs of a big Shilling, and faid, he took it from about the neck of one Captain fenutn^s, whofe Life he fp ired ; He ctfrred it to fale, and no one otferir.g him more, I gave him eighteen pence for it in 1643. as I remember : And dboat 1648. hearing where Captain fcn^ tiin^s was, fup[)ofing it might be of grt-ac ufe to him, I fent ic him as a gift by one \^t, Sommn field,'] And this /lander is all the thanks I hid. The Church-Advocate wrote me back, that he had it formally attefted. I craved as a favour of him to tell me if Captain Jinnings be livin ', how I migdr write to him. HeanfkA'ers me, that one was out of the way that he mnft firft fpeak with, and I fhould (hortly hear from him. The next I heard was as a fecond part of Dr. Stiliit:gfic(t^ the forefaid Book full of cruel falfliood, taken from my having been for the Parliament, -nd from many dlftorted words of m.ine : Now when this Book renders me worfe than a Jew, or Heathen, and u; fit to live, fome I fear will tell abroad that I am a Traitor, for laying, ihiz [^h js jl4nd<:Y0Hs or umru:,'] § 6. Hs fecond Inltancewas thefe words of mine [^^ Pardon *^ me for fa)if}gy I thinl^that J/r. Tombs hath [aid more lil^e truth "fur ^mbApttfirji, the /^ir^ Hungarian / Council which depofed Ludov. J'ius, nor for making them either the Popes Army, or the Army of Pa- triacks againft each other or of fuch Princes as ConflantiM^ Valens, TheodofiHs JHnior , Anaflafipu ThilippicHs^ fnfiinian, Irene, &c. to fulfiil their own miftaken wills, how honcft focver the men might (79) might be.Much Icfs am I for fuch work as the Council at Lateran fub Inmc, 3 madc,no nor that at Florence, § 3 And I take it for an Act of great Prudence in this my ac- cufcr, while he is vindicating Bi(hopsCouncils,to go no further than the four firft General^ when it is many hundred that I have mentioned. And is it not really an intimated accufation of them to vindicate ^o few of above 400. And thofe fuch as for their faith we ail own. And yet a man would think by the ftrein of his ftyle and lan- guage that it were at leaft the greater part of Gonr.cils that he were pleading for. I fay ftillas Bifhop ^;7/o« and other Prote- ftints : Well ordered found Councils we owe great refped: and honour to, for Cou.ifcl, ftrength and Concord, hntfubjeciion and Obedience^ fiith he, We o.ve Ttjem none, (fave as we are bid, be all fubjed: one to another, and ferve one another in Love.) § 4. And now I leave any impartial man to judge what an- fvvcr lijch a book deferved, which goeth upon all thefe foremen- iioned untrue fuppofitions. CHAP. XIV. Some mens Credit about aicient Church Hifiory^ may be conjeFlu- rcd at bj their Reports of the Hiflory of the time and place th^t vj- live in. § i.TJ Y ^heir H'llory of late and prefent things we may con- ±j j.^dlure at theXr?Jitof not Mr. M's. but others of the Clergy-accufers and Proftrcutors of their Brethren. Almoft all that I remember that wrire againft me, agree in fuch mifreport- ing matters of facT:, yea the moft publick, of the perfons, place and time, iwhich our fenfcs have given us notice of, that we muft believe them wich as great difficulty as we muft believe Trar.fubftantiation, even in oppofuion to all our fcnfes and ex- perience. And whether rh.)(e men be fit Vindicaters of the Bfliops and Councils above a Thoafand years ago ('which are blamed by the H ftorians of their ovn Age, and by their own C^nfefTnns, and by their moit fervent Defenders) who noto- riaufly mifreport the perfons, unJ atlions of their own Place and A^je, I think it is not hard to jud^e. I will (8o) • I will inftance in TNVcnty particulars of publick notice ; for thofe agjjnlt particular pcrfuns, even my fclfj arc not to be RunrbTed. I. It is now commonly taken for tree, that the prefcnt Non* coiiformifty, who gave in their Defires far Concord 1660, arc of the fame Judgment as thofe called Nonconformilts hereto- fure, and whatever can be raked up out of C-^rxy^. Gcoamuft Knux^ Kilbjj or is reported by Bancrofi^ is partly chargeable on them, when as their propoled Dcfires yet (hew the world that they never made any motion againft many things by thofe aforefaid fcrupled, in Dj(ftrine, Worlhip, and Ceremony. And it is commonly fuppofcd by them, that the prefer.t Con- formity is but the fame as the OIJ, and the Cafe no harder to u«: And this notwithftanding all the ftill vifible Avis and Alte- rations, and Additions, which attcit the contrary to all the world. II. In moft of their Inveftivcs the prefent Nonconformifls are argued againft, as if they had been in the Civil War againft the King ; or had been guilty of it more than the Conform ills. And that War is made a Reafon of their Silencing j whereas fo fev/ofthem had any hand in it, that I have many times told thcm,that if they will Silence none but thofe that they can prove guilty of any War, or Rebellion, or Sedition , i\\c relt of us will give them a thoufand Thanks, though we futftrour felves. Few of the prefent Nonconformiftswerc then in theMiniltry, and of thofe few chat were, few now living meddled with War. III. They are i'o confident that the Parliament and Army that began the War in England^ wereNonconformilfs, yea Presbyte- rians, and not of the Church oi Engl and ^ that Mr.///>//(;/^;,&htre Mr. Morrice^ make a renouncing of their Senfes or Underfland- ing? necefl'ary to the believing of it. And yet they might as Well tell us, that they were all Turks or Papifts. Are not a Par- liament and an Army things publick enough to be known in the fame Age ? When we name to them the Chief Lords and Commons, and Chief Commanders, yet (and lately) living, who are known f^ill to live in their own Communion j and when we challenge them to na-me Three Presbyterians that were then in the Houfe of Lords, or the Houfe of Commons i or many that were at firft Commanders in the Armyj and we name them the Men that then Commanded, who were commonly known to (8i) to be Conformlftg of the Church of EagUtfJ. And if they wiii not believe their prefent practice and profellion they may yet go to them and be fatisfied from their own mouths what were their former Principles. I have told them of a moft credible Member of that Parliament yet living,who hath ofc profeft to me that he knew but one Presbyterian in the Houfc of Commons when the war began,and I have named that one man to them, to try if they can name another. I expert not that they (hould believe me, or fuch other coRcerning thofe whom we knew: But they may be- lieve the men themfclves yet ]iving^& their moft familiar Friends. Yea the Records of many foregoing Parliament?, withZ/^wrf's Life written by Dr. HeyUniuWy (heweth them that the differ- ence arofe i. About the tear of Popery, ( and Armimanifm^i they thought tending towards it ) 2. About Property, Loan- mony, Knight-mony and afrer Ship-mony,5rc. 3. About Impri- fonmenr of members and other Gentlemen. And thefe were ftill the quarrel. But faith Mr. //. Hotv then /!:>. -ill wc [relieve ortr fchfcs. Anj. See Reader, whether his moft confident Errours about paft things' be any wonder. He isnot fo fure of what he faith of the old Prelates, or the Ne^oriavs, Eutychians^ &c. as he is that he muft believe his Senfcs: And his very fenfes tell him th.it a Parliamert, even Lords, Commons, and an Army, many of whom are yet living, were of ano:her opinion in Religion than ever they were then acquainted with, and which was known to very few in Eyig-^ Ltfid till afterward.A^d this contrary to their Profeflion and pra-' dtice and the fenfes of their acquainrance* Lords are Pertbns,* of Co publick notice that they mayealily-yetbe informed of^he' living and the dead: In the Army the Chief Commanders were the E. ofE/ ^buats Church of EugUnd d{\d Littd's then little P^rty had in the preparations. 2. And v/as the A. Billi )p o\ I'ork^^o Btfhop, who afterward was a Commander for the Parliament. But faith he, \_ / pray Xfhcre were the Presbyteriavs when thj TArli,A/^;;/^r^Hi8Ma- jefties f8;) jefties Sergeant at Law who was one of them ;or any other of them yet living. Ask them 'whether they kncvthemfclves and their companions better than yoo, ^yho it fr.tms knew them nor. Burfjith he (^ IVsre thej Epifcopab thdt voted downEpilccpacy Root a:'>d Branch before the war begun ] Anf. I. Have you proved thjt they did fo ? 2. Do you think that acontradicTiicnf i. They had got a belief that BiQiop Laud had got fuch men into the Seats as were for a Syncretifm with the Papifts ( defcribed by Hejlin^ and againft the Subiecfls Property and Liberty. And it was the M:n and not the Office that offended them. 2. But be- came they were willing of the favour ofthe S'ffcfj, and thofc- Lon- donen who were againlt the Bifhops, they plcafed them by vot- ing down the prelent frame, intending to fct up a moderate Epifcopacy in \\.% fteadj Yea long after this when many Learned Divines in the Aflembly declared themfclves for Epifcopacy, but not for Deans, GhancellorsA'c. They altered the Covenant lb as todefcribetheprefent frame only : And when the Houfe of Lords took the Covenant, \A^,CcU7n.ii fan Ercifilan) gave it them openly, decfaring^that it was rot meer Epilcopacy that this Co- venant renounced, but only the £;,;^///^ defcribed Complicate form. And could they have had fu:h Bifhops as Abl-ct and the old Church of En^Und^ ihty hid never gone thr.s far. 5. And they thought not^Epifcopacy itfelf fj neceflary. ( though if mo- derate the beft fv)rc of Governments ) as to hiz:ird all for ir, which they thought had been in dinger. Even in 1640 ?ul/ 17. They Voted a Diocefan in every County, with Twelve Divines to Govern. But, faith he, [^(Vdre they EpifcopaUthat Petitioned the Kit:g nt York /ar Rcjorm.tTioH in Difc-pLuc ^ini '(Vcrfhip then} i.e. for abolipoing EpifcepMy and Common- i-'ranr f"^ Anfw. I. Reform- ing is not Abolifhing- 2, I jnfwered that as to the laft. When they feared that the Old Houfe would fall on their beads, they were for pulling of it down, and building a New one, after fuch a Model as Bifhop Vpoer after gave, and iheGermaie, Sveedjh^ and D.tnifo Churches have j which they called the Prinnitive Epifcopacy : But before they could do it, they needed ih^ Scots help, who brought in the Covenant, which they chofe rather than to fall into the hands of thofc of whom they had fuch thoughts and fears, as I need not now defcribc. Erin's Hiftory of /v^//<^'sTryal de(i:ribeth them. M 2 I Vt'ould (84) I ivould ask this confident Hiftorijn (wb ffcnfes tell him virhAt lieligion men wtre of contrary to th:ir datlj prti^iicc of communis CA*i>jg in the Parijh-Churches conforntAhlj) whether the Longeft Parliament of all, which made the A, hath fully opened all this of both forts in his D;/co/3fr/i? of True H.ipphiefs, and Directions for Vfalkiv.r with Cod : And bow the name Pnritane was then ufed. This being the Fundamental Divifion where I came, fome of theft that were called Puriranes and Hypocrites, for not being Hypocrites, but ferious in the Religion they proftdtd, would fomctimes get together, and as Drunkards and Spotters would meet to drink and play, they would (in fome very few place?, where there were many of them):v,eet afrerSermon on theLord's Dales to Repeat the Conforming Minifters Sermon, and fing a POlm, and Pray. For this, and forgoing from their own Pa- rifh-Churchec, they were firit envied by the Readers, and dry Teachers, whom they fbmetime went from, and next profecu- ted by Apparitor?, Official?, Archdeacons, Con.milfaries, Chan- cellors, and oiher Epifcopal Inftruments : For in former times ihere had been divers Presbyterian Nonconformifts, who car- -neftly pleaded for Parifb-Difcipline (as Bucer ^\(o d\d \nOper. ^nglic.y And tofubdue thefe, divers Canons were made j which li^rved the turn againft thefe Meetings of the Conformable Pu- riranes, and g'jlng froip their own Parifh-Churches j though the O'd Presbyterians were dead, and very few fuccecded them. About as many Nonconformilis as Counties were left; and thofc few m'o(t ftuck atSubfcriprionand Ceremonies, which v/cre the hindcrance of their M niftryj and but few of them ftuditdor un- derftood the Presbyterian or Independent Difciplinary Caufes. Put when thcfc Conformable Puritanes were thus profecu ted, it bred in them hard thoughts of the Bifliops and their Court?,as Enemies to ferious Piety, and PerTccutors of that which thty ftiould promote: Sulfcring bred this Opinion and Averfation. And the ungodly Rabble rejoyced at their troubles, and ap- plauded the BiOiops for it, and were every where ready to fee the Apparitors on them, or to ask them, Are yoii holier or wifer than the Bifliops ? Aiid their Accufations were icadily en- tertained tertained : This much inclined them to hearken to them thacr were averfe to Conformity, when fuch rofe up, and to fuch as were more againfl: the Bi(hop5, than there vvas cjufej fo that by this time, the Puriranes took the Bifhops to be Oprains and the Chancellors, Archdeacons,Commiirdries, Officials and Paritorsj,. their Officers, and the Enemies offeriousGodlinefr, and the vi- cious Rabble to be as their Army, to fupprefs true confciencious Obedience to God, and care of mens Salvation. And the cen- fured Clergy and Officers took the Cenfiirers to be Schifma- ticks, and Enemies to the Church, unfit to be endured, and fit to be profecuted with reproach and punifiuiienr j fo that the faid Puritanes took it to be but the common Enmity that fince C.r/'?'s daies hath been in the world, between the Serpent's and the Woman's Seed : And when the perfons of Bifhops, Chancellors, Official*, Apparitors, &:;. were come under fuch a repute, it was eafie to believe what fliould be faiJ apainft their Office. And the mare the Bifhops thought to cure this by punifhmentj the more they increafcd the Opinion, thic they were perfecu- ting Enemies ofGodlinefs, and theCaptatis of the Prophane. And when fuch finful Beginnings had prepared men, the Civil Contentions arifing, thofe called Puritanes, moitly were againft that fide which they faw the Bifhops and their Neighbour Ene- mies for : And they were for the Parliament the rather, becaufe they fcemed defirous to Reform the Bifhops, and Reftore the Liberty of thofe whom they profecuted for the manner of their fcrving God. Yet they defircd, where-ever I was, to have lived peaceably at home: But the Drunkards and Rabble that former- ly hated ihcm, when they faw the War beginning,grew inragedj and if a man did butPray, and SingaPfalm in his houfe, they would cry [Dowf with the Roandheads'] (a word thtn new made for them,) and put them in fear of fudden violence, and after- wards brought 'the King's Suuldiers to plunder them of their goods, and they were fain to run into holes to hide their per- sons (A^,irth CrujUt in his Turco-Gracia defcribeth much the like Cafe of his Father.^ And when their Goods were gone, and their Lives in continual danger, they were forced to fly for Food and Shelter ; To go among thofe that hated them, they durfi nor, when they could not dwell among fuch at home. And thus thoufands run into the Parliaments Garrifons, and having nothing there to live upon, became Sou Id iers. We-- (P4) We had an lioneft very Old u^rminia}i(MT. Nayhr') in Coven- trj^ that wasagiinft the Parliamenrs Caufc ; and he would fay, {ihe King hath the bcfl Caufc^ and the Parliament the befl Men.'] And that he wondred how it came to pals, that the generality of fbbcr Religious men, (hould be all in the n'rong,and the molt Irreligious and Prophane, and Debauched be in the right.] But he knew but the Vulgar, and not the Grandees, who no doubt were many of them men of very laudable accomplirtiments. And as the feud of the Bilhops and their Officers and Curates againft the afortfaid exerclfes of Religion occafioned thin (ad Di- vifion,fo did the fenfe of this in the minds of -^hofe called Pu- rirancs continue too long. Many a time have Ifecn abundance in great Perplexity, faying [We bclievrd them that pro fcfled that they took not Arms againft the King, bur to execute the Law on Delinquents and defend themlelvts and the Kingdom from them : We abhor the Regicides and Ufurpers : We would reftore the King, if we were ftrcnger than the Army. And yet we are in doubt how far we (hould adively contribute to our own calamity: For though the King deferve more than we can do, we doubt not but the Bi(hops will increafe our Burdens and make greater havock in the Church th«in heretofore] -Ar.d many fate Itill on this account, and as far as ever I could dif^ ■cern, next the Power of the Army, the fear of thcBiftiops was the chief delay of the Kings return. I knew not all EngUnd-yhui according to the Extent of my ac- quaintance, I have truly told you the quality ofthofe then called Puritans and of their Common adverfaries. And on which fide now proportionably are moftof the moft «nderftanding^ fober, charitable, conlcionable, and ferioufly re- ligious Pcrfcns, and on which moft of the contrary Cnot fpeak- jngofany Migiiti'ites ) I think it neither my work, nor our New Hiftorians to tell : For pecjle that live among their neighbours, will believe the'r lenfes and experience, what ever either he or I lliall fay. And I am well alfured that this argument (which I think was not found ) [[ We cannot heUeve that God Vi>ill fnffer the , Generality of the Religiom to be deceived in jo great a caje^ and the moft of the debauched ignorant haters of ferioin Cedl.nefs to be in theright^~\ did prevail with very many that could not try theCaule by the Laws and conftitutionofthe Kingdom. § 2. If 1 fhoul4 recite the particular unjuft reports of mul- titudes (95) titudes of thefe Writers it would be tirefome and loathfome : YeAall the miftakes of this Eminent Hiftorian are too many to be named : But I will here name one which feemsat once lo fmite and fmilc. Pag. 2 7. [" There is a temper which Air. B. n ac<^Hatntc& " with thdt^ is not to be prevailed on^ either by threats or promifts ^' from th~' A'fagi/lrate ^afid feirns to hate nothing[o mhch -is coivpli' ^* ance with Superiors : There are Jams that /com to preach by the ^ Licence of the Government^ andpUce the Kingdom of Chvij^ p'^rely " in opy'^Jinon to Liara- -(fler of him, but oC Cohfiantifje the Agent .- Nor do I think Con- flantine^OT Eufebiui Crfj^r.-meetto be numbrcd with his Enemies; why did he not inftance in fome words of mine ? As to Theophjltti and Cyril, I do not believe that he can prove l\i2iX. Socrates and Soz^omcK, and the Hiftorians that Concur with them, were their Enemies. And it in reciting the Ads of the Councils I recite iheir Enemies words, fo doth S«r//t», A^/c^c;- liKHSf BinniH', Burom-^ and all ;uft writers of thofe sd?. And I ■do r.or find that Chryfojicm himftlf, or If dor e Telu/i,t a hhd any Enmiry to tbcm, ncr Pope Innocent neither. Of the reft before. § 7. VII. The next degree of credibility that I mentioned is that which deptndeth on the Veracity and fitnefs ol the're- porttr. Of v hich I named nine things requifice. Here he fuppofeihme one that is unfitj and particluarly faith \yi'hether any hath railed wtfh greater inter?sperance,and le/s prozo-i ■cation ] ^7>f. I. i am not the Author of the Hiftory of the men- tioned Councils or Popes or Bifhops, but the Tranfcribcr. Let me (105) me be as bad asyoi/, or any of your tribe have made me, that proveth not that Socrates, Soz^owen, Theodorite^ NicephoYHf, &c. or Binntpu, Baronitif^&c. have niifreported whit they wrire. If 1 have mifrcported rhefc authors in any material point, prove it and I will foon retrart it. As for my railing, I expcft that title from all fuch whofe faults I name, and call them to repentance : He that cjIIs mm to Re^ pent, caileth rhem finners,and that is Railing be it never fo great.' His firft inltanctd railing is Pag. 19. \_Aje\v tuvbHlent Prelates V erfi: cute good men ~\V{^ i'iJxih thus I call the prcfrnt BifllOpa of the Church ot Engl.ifjd ; Doth he mean Ail or fame? If ^//he is an untrue Hiitonan : He may fee many named before my Apo- logy whom I except : And if I have named two I have annexed the proof. The next is Past. 46, \_ fdencingdefiroying VreUtes^ Anf. Are there none fuch? Were not about looo here filcnctd ? Do we not continue fo and impoveriflied almoft 20 years ? Have none per'fhed inpnfons or with want .<" Do men call out for the exe- cution of the Liw, and plead for our Silencing as a good work, and rake it for railing ro have ic named ? Doth not Confcience recoil in thele men when in Pulpits, prefs and Conference they m^in^ain it ro be a good work, and tell the world how finful a thing it is'for rulers to futfer us out of Gaols ? What, are you now afhamed of your meritorious w.orks ? Sure they are fcant good ifit be railing to mime them. You will not fay I rail, if I call you Preachers, And why do you fay' fo, if I call you Silencers^ if that be as gcoci ? The next railing is Pag. 73 [ If Allthe proud. Contentions, am- bitious, heret letting part ofth- Bif:ops, hid been of t bis Conflian mind ('to endure each other in fmall tollerable Differences) What fins. Scandal and fname^ what Crimes, coYifufion atid mifcries had the Ch^tf'iian wirli cfcap£d?'\ And is fhis railing ? Hath the Cbri- ftian world had no fuch Bilhops thefc 1000 years.? Have inoc whole Kingdoms been foi bidden all God« Pub'ick vvor{]iip by fuch, ev^n France and England among the relt ? Is it railing to tell for what littU^ things they not onlv Silenced men, but burn- ed and murdered many thoufands ? Were they not proud am- bitious Prelates that depofed and abuft.d Lud. PiM, and thofe that in Council decreed the dif;ging all the dead Bifhops ou-t of their graves to be bunt as Hereticks, who wire for the Era- P pcrours pcrourspovreroflnveftiiuresPDo I rail if I fay that Grei-j. wai Proud and ambitious when he threatened the Prince ofCalant with the lofsofhis dominions, unlefs he made his Bifhop (have his beard ? Do not fetvel^ arfU all Proteftant writers fay worfc than this of Papift Bifhops? Is there any fucb thing as pride filen- cing, burning, &c. If yea, muft ir never be kn«wn, reproved, re- pented of and fo forgiven to the penitent? And if yea, than how fhallic be known without proper names? By what name (hould I have CdWcd Stlencing^ but its own and fo of the reft? Gods power over Confciencc is marvellous that fi;i cannot endure its own name. The next railing is the word [ HeuticAting. ] And how could I have known if he had net told me that this word is railing I Did not the Bifhops take it for a great fervice ofGod^ and is it railing to name it ? It's true I ufed one word inftead of a Sen- tence for brevity, to llgnifie the Bifhops culpable over doing in proclaiming me-n Hereticks. He that doth not believe that they did not well, nor do not to this day in Cutting off from the Church of Chrift all tbofe whole Countreys of Chriftians called NeftorianSf facohites, Melchites and the Monothelites^nd many fuch I cannot fave him from himfelf who will own all fuch fin and contraft the guilt of it. Hath not B\{hop £p:phafjini made us more Hereticks than he needed/Hathnot BifliopP^///t/?r/«.<.made many more than the Devil himfelfmade? Left this pafs for railing once more I will name fome of them. I. His lit h fort of Hereticks are thofethat k^pt Ei(\eT-dzy at a wrong time ( as our Brittains igth>it thofe iz fgns are divers Cli' matcSf and habitable R'cions of rhc Earth. If. The 74 Hertjti is that Chrijt defcended into Hell to ojfer Kcpcntatice there to fwners. 36. The ' 5 dofibted of the ra'Nrc of the Soul, thir.k^.Ng it jpas made of Fire, &:c. (^as mat.) Gittk Fathers did.) 37. The 77 IS of Gods hardening Pharaoh, (OTc. whtre he defcri- ieth the Dominicans.) 38. The "j^ is that the Tfalms were not (^all) made h) David : and it demeth the equality of the P J alms, as tf thtj "were not all written and placed in the order that the things were done. 39. The So Herefie thought that Gods words to Cain [Thou /halt rule over him J w^re properly to be underffood^' whereas the meaning was LThcu fhalr rule over thy own evil Thoughts that are in thy own free Will.] 40. The 81 Herefie did not well underfland the reafon of Gods Words ro Cain, giving him Life. 41. The 82, Hirefe t height that the Stars had their fixed place in Heaven, and th^ir courje, not under flandtng that the Stars are every night brought cut cf fi,me fecret place, and fet up for ufe.^ and at morning return to ihcir fecrei place ^ gain, Angds beingVitfi- dents and Drfpcfers of them ^ Qhat is, asfervants bring Candles in^ ho the room at night andt.ike them cut again.) 42. The 83 doubt ca (as feme Fp.fccpal Commentators) of the Bco/^c/Cnr.riclef, left it had a carnal Senfe. 43. The 85 Htrcfie thought^ that the Soul of man was naturally Cods [mage before Grace. 44. Th: %"] Hi,refte thought^ that really four diving Creatures meufio^ied in the Prcphtts p'aifed Gad. 4 J. The 8 ;> Herefie r I ought that the Levitical Feafls were litte- rally to be underflood, not ^nowing that it was the 8 Feafls of the Church 1h.1t were mcaar. " 46. The \ (lop) a6. The 90 Herefie preferred AquilaV Tranflation before the Septnagint, ATj. The ^i preferred a Tranfiition of thirtj men Befsr.ethe Sep" tH-^gint. 48. The ^1 preferred an-ither Tranjlation cf fix men before k, 49. Another Hcrejie preferred the TranflAt^on o/TheodotioD at^d Symmaclius before it. 50. Th- 94 Here fie preferred the Scriptures fonnd in d Veffd af- ter the Ci^p' 'i-' 7 i-efoyc ir. ^I. Th'^G'hottgbt that M^\c\\'\ZcAe.ck h^d no Father or Mo- ther, not kjiowif.'g that 11'' s fpol^en of him as learmng that which his Father and AUt her never taught h-m ■ y2. Tb: 97 hold that the I lopt^n Zachariah of F^ifis, is 10 be properly under (rood ; when as it is ent for the jtur F"-(ii oj ihi Church, VIZ. /rr Cliriftmas, F;^fter, Epiphany, ana Pcntecoft. 55. 7*0^98 H:rc fie hold. th, th:t.Soh)mon's great bi>mber cf Wives and Concmines^ is literacy to be understood j whereas it it me Ant but ef aiveifitj of Gifts in th<. Cimrch. 54. The 100 Hcrejie thmqjjt that the Aleafaring Cord, in ^Zh chary, Mcas to he ttnderfloodof meafunng JcTufalem Lt^rallj where-^ as it meant the choice of Believers. ^y The 10 r Herejie not ttniieyfian£if:7g the Myf^ leal Sen je cf the Cherubim <«M<^ Seraphim, inlh'ubj are troKblia atout ir, and in- doubt ( And hers he M}Jl'tcally teHs jmthe A'fyliicalSerje.^ 56. The la^ Htrcmps fet m a fecret place of the Church, after the ftmtlituue of the Tahcr^ nacle^ which mujl be kept burning j and at Baptifm others lighted by them. Reader, remember i. That Vkilafirius as well as Ep-.phanins^ was a Bifhop j 2. Yea and a Saint j. whereas very few Bifhops (no) of all the Councils bad the honour to be Sainted. Therefore if you fay that all thefe were not Anathematized by Councils; I anfwer, i. All thefe are Regiftrcd as Heretick«. 2. And they held fas Mr. Dodwell and his Company here do} that he that communicareth with Hereticks, is to be judged x-. Heretick. 3. And that Hereticks are no parts of the Church. And forget not above all the Henncian Herefie, which deter- mineth not only our King, but many Papift Princes to be Here- ticks, for claiming InveftitureF. And now Reader, I unfeignedly hate uiicharirablenefs, and therefore deny no good that was in (iich Bifhops: But I muftno more be inditferent between Good ai,d Evil, than between Hea- ven and Hell j nor may I judge Chrilt a Railcr, for faying to his prime Apoftle, [Get thee bchmd me Satav, thou art an offence unto ;wf,8fc.i If fhe name of^Hereticatorj'] that if, too rafli pro- nouncing men Hereticks be railing,! will give thee no Charaderj cenfureor nameofthe aforefaid pra(^ice/or lean devifc no name which may not be called RtntUng. But judge of it and call it what you fee caufe. And again, if you fay, Thefe are not the Decrees of Councils, lanfwer, Thefe are but Flea-bitings to the wounds that the Church hath received from Councils, by Anathematizing. The next Inftance of Railing in thefe words, which he half repeateth [Either credible Socxdiits and others were fjrcfs Ljarj^ or this Patriarch and St was a downright Knave."} yivf. He him- felf is fo far from denying this, that he makes Socrates and So- z.owen not cnly Lyars, but Lovers of a Lie ; for what tl.ey (ay of St. Thecphilfts : And who is it then that is the Railer ? Read theS-^ory. * . The next Inftance is, />.9j. that I call Bifhops the [Firebrands of the World.^ yinf. The words are thefe [/ tak^: them to be the Virebxands oj the World, and unworthjr the regard of fober men, who fretendto ktiovo mem Judgments belter than themf-lves, and allow not mens oun deliberate prof.ffions to be the hottce of their Faith."} If they will fay, that you are Hereticks in heart, though your Tongue and Life profefs found Dodrine, what means hath any man to clear himfelfagainft fuch, and keep from their Inqui- fiticn Rjcks or Flames f Is this Railing? The next Inftance is the Word [Selj-conceited Bifjops} P. 98. Having mentioned the many Logical Niceties necclTary to de- cide Cm) cide the Queflion between the Nefioriant, Etitj/chidnsy and the Orthodox, I (aid [/j it not pitj th^t fuch ^eft-ionsjlpould he rm- fed about the Perfon of Chrifi-, by felfconceitea Bijhofs, and, mads necejfary to Salvation, and the l^orld fet on fire and divided by them ^2 Reader, remf mber the Divifion made by it continueth to this day, to the Separation and Condennnatinn of a great pare of the Chriftian World! Add is the name [^fdf cone cued'] in de- fcribing the caufe of this a railing ? How much worfe railcrs are they that will call a Drunkard a Drunkard, or a Fornicator a Fornicator ? Read the fidder words of LudolphMs. The next railing is [mercilefsy furi't^s Bffoeps, pag. 196] ^nf. There is no fuch word: When I find where it is I (hill fee the occafion of it. Italy, Piedmont^ Ireland^ &c. have tried that there have been fuch. The laft is pag. 183, C TheConfonnders ofChiiYchss. ^ ^nf I thought I had merited of them by my impartiality and lenity : As after I commend the Wifdom Sfpeaceablenefsof Pope/f(?;7<7- rius, fthough a General Council even for that made him an Here- tick,)n) I here juftly commend the Wifdom and Peaceablenefs of Pope f^igilt:iSt ^'Jio advifed the Council to leave dead men to God (Theod. Mopf. Theodorite and (his"} and not damn them when God hath judged them alreadf,and yet not to admit any of their wrong opi- nions.'} I fay \This wai the right way: If they had all dealt as wife- ly and Chrifi ianlike. Councils had not been the Confounders of the Ckwches:'] Is this railing? At laft they forced Pope Figilius co fubfcribe to them, and it fb confounded the Churches, that a great part oi Italy itfclf forfook the Church of Rome for it, and ^t up another head againft the Pope an i oo Years. Was not this confufion? And muft it not be known? Reader, as far as I underftand them, the Paraphrafc of thefe mens words, is [If we kindle a fire in the Church, name it nor, much lefs call any to quench it; or elfe we*ll fay it's you that kindle it: fay not you arc excommunicate or filcnced whenyou are, though it be by Thoufands : elfe we will prove that you arc railers : If we lay you in Gaols and take all you have, do not fay, you hurt «x, much lefs you wrong us: take not on you to know or feel whenyou are hurt : elfe wc will have an Aftion of railing againft you. §8. That which followeth I anfwercd before : But after he finds a notable piece of my ignorance. The Pope inviting the King (•II) King of DffifftArk^ to conquer a Province of Hererickf , I know noc vvho rhev wtre unlefs they were the IV^Ueofs: WcU gncji, faith Mr. y^. WaUo was in ii6d, 8o Years after, ^wj. This will ftrve for men willing to be deceived. Ic wat the Perfons and Re/igiofj, and not the name that I fpokc of. Doth not he kn'i'x that K.iintrius himfelf faith, ihat thole Perfons (called Al- higenfcs. Waid^hjcs^ and other fuch namrs) profelfcd that ttieir way of Religion was Ajiaftoiical, and they derived icdown from Silvefters, xUa is Confi amines time > If I did not j^uefs'^f:!! I wrong no Bi "hops by it: and 1 confefTed mv Ing to be feenin hts Booi^ but the ^vafic-, Jgnoranoe^ Mijiakci ana Jtivious Contentions of the G^v-rtfours of ibe Oiurch, uinf How falfe thit is the Reader may fee in all the begin- ning, i.', : two Cha[,'ters in the end, and much in the midft, ^vhich are written contrarily to obviate fuch falle thoughts. 2 Is the afccndenc fjrc of PrcliPCS that were growing up tomaturitv till Gregory Gregorji the Seventh's dales, the whole Church of God ? Are there no other Chriftians ? Is all that is written againft the Pope andfuch Afcendents, written againft Chriftianity ? Oid Chrift rpeak againft Chriftianity, when he reproved them for (driving who fliould begreateft ? or Peter^ when he counfelled them, as I Pet.'i. And 7^<««/ when he fa id, / have no wafi likj r/ji>ieled i for they all fee k^t heir own thiugs^ and not the things that are fcf{:.s Chrifi^s ? Or when he faid, Demas hath for fake u wf, &-c? Or ^0/6;;, when he fdi J, Diotrephes loved to h.ive the prcht^fKiyience ? Or all thofe Councils of Bifhops which condemned each other, far decplier than I ;udg;e any ofthem ? What have I faid of Fa(ft or Canons, which Binnius and their other Flatterers fay not ? Was it not there extant to the Hght of all ? And that I Recorded not all their Virtue?, i. The Hiftory of Councils faith little of them. 2. Muft no man (hew the hurt- of Driinkennefs, Gluttony, er^;. and ^o of Ambitio»and Church- corruption, unlefs he will write {"o Voluminous a Hiftory, as to contain alio all the good done by all the perlong whom he blameth ? I have oft faid, that I wondered that inftead of fo greedy gathering up all the fcraps of Councils, the Papifts did flot burn them all, as they have done many better Books which made againft them. §2.1 was about to anfwer all his firft Chapter, but I find it fo ufrlefs a work, that I (hall eafe my felf and the Reader of that labour, i. He takes on hirn to anfwer a Piece of a Difpu- tation written about 23 years ago, whereas I have lately writ- ten a Treatife of Epifcopacy, with fuller proof of the fame things, which he nametb, and takes on him to anfwer fome pare of it, and anfwers not : Till he, or foine other, fhew me the iTiiftakes of that, let them talk on for me in their little Veli- tations. 2. Moft that is confiderable which he faith, is anfvvered al- ready in that Book : As his ficftion that "UnKm ylltare in Igna- tiw^ fignilieth not an ord nary Communion Table,c^c. And much more out of Igfiat.tis^ and many more is added, which he faith nothing to. 3. I have before fhewed that he goeth on falfe Suppofitions, that I amonly for a Bifhop of a finglc Congregation, cr againlt ^11, and many fuchi when yet he himfelf confelfeih the con- Q, trarv. (•M) trary, yfa^ftidcth ire for making Tv\'el\rc forts ofBifliop?, an.l being for (ucli as no Party is like to be pleafed witb. 4 The contradictions and miftakes are fo many as would t';re the Reader to perufe an anfwcr to them. And when hehatii all done with the numbring ofChurchc*, (over-palfngthe full proof of the PriminvcForm of them which I gave as before) he conlefi'eth that even his great elteemed Jcfuite rah/ift.f, [^bcUevss th*t the Citj Church wis but One even ;« Alexandria, /?«./;« Dionyfius'i r;wr, p. (j^. And while/?. 6-. he makes Pfr4i//«i and A^*i/^y/«j fo much to dilfcr, as to gather their contrary Opinions from the fame word?, and confequently one of them at lealt underftood them nor, I that profefs my felf nv>t comparable to either of them, fpecially PetAVins, in fuch things, am taken for a talfirter, if I mifunderftand a WoJ'd that concerneth not the matter of the Hiftory, This thertfore being not about Church- Hiftory fo much as againft my Opinion of the Ancient Government, when he hath anfwered the forefaid Treatife of Epifcopacy, if I live not, fome one may reply, if he deal no better than in this. CHAP. XVI II. 0/ his Second Ch.:pler. § i.T)Ag. 78. He would have men believe that it is Dif- J. ci[Jine againft real Herefie, that I find fb much fault with, and afcribe all mifcliief to— v^w/w. Utterly contrary to my mofl: open Profeffion: It is only making thofe things to feem Hercfie that are none (either Truth, or meer diherence of words, or fmall miftakes,) or cu- ring Herefies by rafh Anathema's, without necelTiry precedent means of Convidion, or by Banifhment or Blood. § a. Is this it that you defend rhe Church for, and we op- pole ic for ? When we would have none in our Churches whom we know nor, and that have not perfonally^ if at Age, profclt unierftandingly their Faith. And what is the Difcipline that yoo cxercKc on Hercticks ? It's enough that you know thera nor. (''15) rot, and Co never fi-ouble them. Your Talk and Pamphlets tru- ly complain what fwarms of Hobbifts,Sadduccs,InfideIs,Atheiftf, are among us: Do they not all live in the Pariflies and Diocefles? Doth the Bifhop know themf Are any of them Excommuni- cated ? I could never learn yet how to know who are Mem- bers of your Churches: Is it: all that dwell in the Parifhes? Then all thefe aforefaid, with Jews and Papift?, are in ic : And then why are ten parts of (bine Parifhes futfcrcd without D.f cipline to fhun thp Parilli Church-Communion ? Is it all that hear you? Then f. Ten parts in fome Parifhes,and two or three, or half in others are not of your Church, and hear you nor, and many Nonconformifts hear you. 2. And any Infidel may hear. Bare hearing was never made a fufficient note of a Church- Member. 3. And how can you tell who all be that hear you in an uncertain crowd ? 4. And why doth not your Dilcipline meddle with conftant Non-Communicants ? 3. Is it only all that Communicate with yoii ? i, Thefe are yet fewer, and fo the fir greateft part of many or molt Pdrifhes here are let alone to be no Church members at all, when ihey have been long Bjptized, and no ccnfure by difcipHne })aft on them. 2. Hjw know you your ftated Communicants, when any ftranger may come imqucftioned ? The truth is, ir is Parifh dif- cipline which you will not endure. No wonder if you named ic JJfAchars burden. Bucsr in fi'ip. ArjgliC. and all the Noncon- formifts after him long ftrove for it in vain. Ic is the haied thing. Were it pf-fTible to prevail with you for this, we fhould have little difagrecmeiit about Church Government. But the Popes that have been the greatert enemies of it, have yet glo- ried in a DTcipline to fct up their power over Piincts and Pec- pies, and to have their own wills^ and tread down all that are againftthem. § 2, To extenu-?re yf)iat/:e:-77.it:z.hi^(^ Vj very Common with Councils) he tells ys P. 81, rliatT " i^ct him he ^nnthcmA im^ "ports r.o more than that yvedccUre oUr abhorreticc offuchdo^lnnes., ** and will have nothing Common with thofe thatpmfcfs them.'] u4)if. I. We may declare our abhorrence of every known fin and Errour, in fuch as muft nor be an2thcmatized. 2. By (no- thing^ I fuppofeyou meai'i not \^fioti\\Gfame Kifig^CoHntrey^ £.irth,j^ir^(^c,'] but [not the fums ChHrch,ih: fame Cbiftian C m~ ffiniuon,fimUl(trity^ hte^ &(r'] Wher4ie«" you mean [ not the CL2 fame Tame God,Chril>,&-c. ] I know nor. But do you think the Ani.- theniarizing Bifhopsfounreafonabie, as to renounce all Ghnltian Communion with men and not tell why? Or to give no better Rfafon than £ \Vc abhor their do^lfinc :] How few Churches or men hjvc nothing worthy to be abhorred, tJiat i«, No Errour or fi 1 ? And muft we renounce Communion with all the Chriftian. world .' No, they were not fo bad : You ufe them hardlier than T. They took them to be no true ChrilVian?, as wanting fome- vvhac ofrhat faith whicli is necelfary to Salvation, and ElTential to a Chriltidn, and fo to have made themfelves no Cliurch-Mem- hcr$^ and therefore are to be fcntenceJ & avoided accordingly. And how ordinarily do they expound [ Let h.m he ^nAthema] that is[ Cnt off [rem Chnjh ?\ Not only HiUebrana fo expounds- it often, but many before him: Whereupon they commonly a- grce that an Anathematized Hererickis none of the Church, nor can be faved without repentance. And indeed to renounce all Communion with Chrifts true members not Cut otf from the Church, is a greater fin than I charge on them. Though familiarity and fpecially Communion may be fufpended, while delay of repentance makes the Cafe oi a finrer doubtful. § 3 Pug. 8z He begins himfelf with blaming Bifhop l^'iBor^, ** for EKdAngering the "Peace of the vphole Chtirch upon fo light occa- ^^ fim. Valefius ii of opinion ^tha^ it was but by letters of.iochfaiion, ■* ^nfjtf. I think it could be but by Letters of AccuQtion, Re- nunciation, and perfuading others to renounce them. For Bifhops were not then come up to their Commanding Power over otic another. But doth not Mr. M's. here rail upon a Bifliop, in faying the fame of him that I did, if my words were Railing ? Thus you fliall have him all along confetTing much ot that faultinefs by them, which he takes the mention c( by me to be fo bad. § 4- He nameth many Council?, v/hich-he faith I pafs lightly, over i then fure I fay no harm of them. Ht thinks it is becaufe I could not, as if he knew it were my will. And fo I am never blamelefs. § 5*. But he hath a notable Controverfie agajnft Earonihs^ \vvho thought NovAtns)^2id been a BiHiop (fuch Errours as Ba- ronius was guilty of by Ignorance, are excufable in one fo far below him in Hiftory as I am.^ But I congratuJace Mr. M'^^ difcovery,. (117) difcoverv, that he was bur a Presbvter: Eur ai! conftfs that he Oidained Felictjfimus Deacon : And here is a Presbyter Ordain- ing : But it was irregularly ! Let it be fo: He faith, that he oujiht not to have Ordained, but with CypnaHy or by his per- miirion. I grant ir. But i. If Q/'^'/^w's permifiian would ferve, then it was not a work alien to a Presbyter : If a permitted Presbyter may Ordain, a Bifhop's Ordination is not necefiary ad ej[e OJficii J and (^o that which is a diforder is no Nullity. 2. And \z feems b^ NovatHs's A(n:, that the NectHky of Epifcopal Or^ dinaro!! was not uiiiveri'aily received. An t I have not yet met with any that make it more nectffary ad cjfe PreshyteratHs qu.im Ditccniiths. § 6. Next he mentions another Carthage Councif, where one Vutor dead, is condemned, for making a Frieft Guardian of his CiVild, ard fo entangling him in worldly Atfairs. And he tells you, that all that I can fay againft this, is the rigour of thff^ Sentence j but be diflemhltth, and takes no notice that I men- tion it in praifc of the Bifhops of th jfe Times, who were f^ much againft Clergy-^mens medling with Secular Affairs : Wlut odious Puritanifm would this have been with us ? What I. cite in praife, our Hiltorian cannot underftand. ^ 7. And that you may need no Confuter of much of his Ac?- culatJoaof mf but himfelf, who Co oft faith, 1 fay nothing of B (hops an J Councils, but of their faultSid"^. he here faith as foHowech. Q" j^fcer this hi gives a Jhort Account ofdoHncils calhd on the " SuhjtH of Kchnpt^z^^tion of Heretickj : And here, to do htm ri^hr%' '•' he IS jiifi^ enough in his Rem^rii^s : Th^ generality of the World '^ was for R:lnptiz.iKg Hsretick^s : And confid^ring whit mamicr *' of men thi firj} Heretic kj were^ it is prohaUe they hadTrn- *' ditioii AS \v:ll ai Reafoii 0,1 their fide. Jioveever^ Mr, Baxter " endeavours fairly to excufe thffe D:jfirences^ and f peaks of the *' Bjhops wiih hjiionr and refpett^ allowing them to he men of emi- ** ncnt Piety and Worth. Had he tsfed the fame Qatidour towards " others, Sec. Afifw. I, If this be true, a great deal contradidory is untru?. 2. He greatly mifreporteth the C;:ntroverfie : It wus nc£ vfhether Hereticks fboulJ be Rcbaptiztd^ but thole that were Baptiz.ed by PIe>-eti:h, Lnd taken into their Churches. If a He^ retickhad been Bap., zed wiien found by a found Minifter, and after. ^fter turned to Herefie, he was to be reftored by Repentance without Rebapcizing i and 1 think they all agreed in this. But£ imagine this wns but a lapfe of his memory in Writing. 3. But the Qncltion is, Whether rheBifhops, whole faults I ir.cntion, were of equal Worth and Innocency with thofe whom I honour and praife? Let the proof fhevv. .1 would he would freely tell us, .^. 1. Whether he think at this day the generality ofBifhops (m ItahtSpain^ Francs^ Ger- rfiavj, TcLtndj the G>v^i^ Church, Mofcovy. ylrmemaySyria, ^c.) are fo commendable, as not to be notably blamed ? ^ 2. If not. When was it that he thinks they ceafed to be generally fo commendable? WcS it in HildihraKa'sTimt^ cr any time be- fore? JJV^ 3. Can you believe that the generality turn from good to bad juft in one Age? Or rather that they degenerated by degree.*? If they were moftly bad in a thoufand,or nine hundred, cr eight hundred, can you think that they were nor drawing to- wards it and near as bad a little before; ^.4 What was it think you in which the Corruption of the Clergy didconfift ? Was ic , not moft in a proud,dcmineering worldly Spiritf Is ir not that that you blame the Popes for?Was not their Afirent theirCorruptior? Sureyou all agree of that. ^..5". And did the Papacy Spring up in a year? Did Dot Leo begin to arrogate, and others after him( to fay nothing nov/ of thofe before him ) rife higher and higher by degrees as Children grow up to m;ir,hood, till in Greg. 7. it came to Maturity ? I know no Prcteftant thatdenyeth this ? .^ 6, And can you or any fober m.^n think that in fo ma- ry hundred years it was only the Blfhop of Rotkc that was fick of this difeafe, and that all or moft of the other Bifhops were Free ? Were they not commonly for afcending with rhcm : Did tioc they in the Eaft ftrive to be greareft ? And the Bifhops of the Weft ftrive to rife with, and by the Pope .? Were they nor, and are they not as his Army ? And did he prevail againft the Pri- mitive Purity and Simplicity without them ? Did not his Coun- cils, and Prelates,as his Armies,do his greareft works? Yea, have they net oft out- dene him, and over-topt him in Mifchief (as in the depofing of Lndov. Fiw againft his will ? fay good Hifto- rians.) Tell us then at what Age iuft we may begin to difpraife the 8'.(ho[-s. And from that time forward, will you not be as great aRailerasI, and fcandalizc Chriftianity more than Lucian or luUant § 8, But r"9) § 8. But I fomewhat marvel that he is again at it ( reciting Dionyfifiis words whi(;h he thinks I mirtool^ for Eu^chiuii ) That he does not condemn the rcbaptlz.ing of Jlcreticks vehich Wtts .t Tradition of fo great anti(^tiity'. I judge more Candidly of liini than he dotb^f me: Though he fo oft repeat ir^I will not believe that he knew not, that it was not the baptfzingof Hercticks as rucb,that was the queftion; but only of thofe that were b3pti4ed by Heretick5.Yet Iconfefs Enfebim phrafmgir, might tempt one to think ^0 that had not read Q)prian and others upon the quc- ftions. But when Ei^fel;i» s ind Dior,)fKsmcux.\on[}elaptiUn^Hc~ r^r;V;^.f]they m?an only thofe that were by Hereticl^s baptip?j e>.- -tered into the Societies and Vroftffun of f/.r(?//f/^/. If the wcrlt Heretick, yea or Aportate, had been baptized, by the orthodox, Cz/TM/; anj a!l the reft were agreed againft Rebapiizing fucli when they repented. Ths Dionjfin telling Xjfita Rom, of.in ancient Minifter that was greatly troubled in Confcience that he had been faljlf BAptizedby anHereiick( being him(elf no. Here- tick ) and doubted whether he fliould not be Rebaptized, yec faith. He told him he durft not Rebaptize him that had fo long been in the Church and ComtTiunicated,but bid him go on Com- fortably in Communion ( Much like a forementioned cafe puc to mej by fome that never were Baptizeo^but in our undifciplin- ed Parifli Churches had been without knowledge or queltioa admitted long to Communion, whether yet they (hould be Baptized at all : And Dionyftns'i Reafons againft it I cannot an* fwer. § 9. And here I may take notice how our new Church-men,. ( fuch as Thorndilie^ Mr. Dodwc/l and all their partners ) whonuU lifie ficraments delivered by one that haih not Canonical Or- dination by a Biftiop of uninterrupted Succeffion from the A- poftle5,do mikc themfelves Hereticks 'm the fenfc of the Roman Church which they allow : For 1. Baptifm is the fnil and molt necelTary Sacrament In their own opinion. Yea AhjHh and too many of old, hurfpccially too many now, take it tobeneceflary to Salvjtion ; 2. If therefore Biptifm be a nullify all that are Baprizfd in EngLnndy ScotUndund all the Prcteftant Churches by fuch as had no (lich Ordainers, mtjft be Bip.ized again or be damned. 5; If they fay, The\ may be faved without it, then i. they confefs Mr. bod'.re!ls Dodtrine to be faife, that faith norc have a Covenant right to Salvation,\Yho have it not by a Sacra- me.'-iC (no) •mfnr from fuch hinds. 2. And they renounce the Do(flrine of the Nect fficy of Bjptifm to Salvation. Buz if they are for Re- bapt'?'ift^ all fuch Proteftant Countries, as neceflary to Salrationj they art uncharitable that do not fpcak it our. § 10. He pafTeih by Bifliop Stephens Excommunicating all the Oriental B.lhops oCC-tppadocia, Cilicia^ GuUtit^ and Repro- bating theii 5yn(^ds, for Rtbaptization : Doth he think that even then fome Billiops did not rife too faft ? § II. The man that is fo angry with me fcr telling of the faults of Bifhops and Councils, is pag.Sj. angry with me for ■not frying u'orfeagainlt >>ecHndiu his Council ofBifhopsat Cirtai and fjith, I hive not done right to the Cathalick Church : I jserceive the queftion is not, wh'^thtr I may Rail at Bi(hops,but what Bifhops they be that I muitRaii at. As for the Council at Smuijjj^ 1 believed the being of it no more than he doth : And wheu I am but naming the common Catalogue, he might pardon my modelty for faying that the be- ing of it is a Conrroverfic. § 12. Of the Council of Jlliberis he faith butcontracftedly the Yame that I do, that It hath mar,y good Canons ^ and J ome that need a favourable Interpret it ion ^ and is very fevere in fome cafes. This nieafure of ;uft praile and difpraile, is jTadifcd by him that is condemning it in me. § 13. As to his Controverfie, whether Bifhopj^ or fuch as iirove to be Bifhops, were the very firft movers of the Doy^a- tijis Controverfie, who fhould be Cifhop, it's not worth the turning over one Book to fearch, as to my bufii.efj. § 14. Next he that accufeih me of Railing at Bifhofs, accu- feth me for faying (from fome good Author.^) that a Bffhop of Carthtngc^ Donatus^ was a good man, who he faith wis bad. It's iittle to me whether he were good or bad. § I)-. Next he noteih that 1 Err with Binnius and Baronius as to the year of a Carthage Council. I undertook not to ju- ftirte all the Chronology or Hiftory that I tr;'nrcribe ; Whether Optaiiis^ or Binnifis and Baronius hit on the juft year, little care I. § 16. I praifeJ a Donatiffs Courc'il of 270 Bifhops at Cwr- iliage for Moderation, agreeing to communicate with penitent Traditors, without Rebaptizing them, and fo doing for 40 years. «$. What was ihcfe mens Hercfic ? He (liO " He faith, 7^/i looks Hkey <* piece of VoUcy than Moderation^ for It had no tendency to peace^but toftrengthen the Schifmr\ u4nf. Who knows how to pleafe men ? When they exclaim againft Separation if men Communicate with them, they judge it but Policy, that hath no tendency to peace. 2. And who is it now that moft raileth at Bifhops ? I am confuted for praifing the moderation of 270 of them, and he is their cenfurer even when they do well^ and their moderation with him is but Policy. E- ven ?s rhey fay, of me, that I conftantly Communicate with their Par.fh Churches to undermine them : Near or far otf, all's one with this fortof mcn^ if you ftickat any thing that they bid you Uy or do. But lie will not believe that this Council of Orthodox mode- rate Dj!i.:tifis were fo many as zjo. " Becaufe 1. we h.ive only the * ' Authority for it o/Tychonius a Donatift.i. /^'j iwprdnble after " CoHitantine'j fhpprejfton of them that SchifmJhoMld fo fiddcniy " fpread. 3. Lefi it Jhould prove the Churches to be too SmAll: T'ct ** he faith ^ Thefe Schifmatickj fet r^p Churches in every City and " rf/Lige.li uinf. 1. It's faid 7)f^tf«^f//?j were the greater number of Chriftians there be- fore Confiantituh time, and like the Papilts therefore counted themfelves the Catholicks and the others the Schifmaticks. ConfhantsnesVTo\\\h\uon did no^- fuppiefs them. 5, Therefore the numeroufnefs of their BiOiops and fmallr.efs of Churches, rather fhcweth what was the (tateof rhe Churches before worldly grcatnefs fwelled them to that difea(e,wh;ch was the Embrio or infancy of Pope: \\ § 17. Whether the Donatifls belike thePapiOsor the Se- paratifts ( much (efs to the Nonconform:!:?) if the Reader will but perufe what I have faid and what Mr. AL hith faid, I aiit content that he judge without more words. R § 18. He (Ill) § 18. He paffctb by divers Councils becaufe he could not fay that I blame them: And he pafleth by Conflantine^tE- plftlc to j^Uxandcr and Arinsi which raiUth at them more than i do ( in his fence.) As to the Council of huodicea, it is not two or three fuch words as his that will make an impartial man believe that the Churches were like our Diocejfcs^ when every Convert before baptifm was to fay his Catcchifm to the BilTiops or his Presby- lers: Or that the Command that Presbyters go ftill with the Bi- fhop into theChurch,and not before him,do not both imply that t'.icy were both together in every Church. But he will have it confined to the Cathedral i And when I fay, There were long no Churches but Cathedrals, he faith he will not differ with me whether they (hall be called Churches or Chappels. Bjt the difference hdt re : They fay themfelves that ABifhop and a Church were then Relatives : And when they have put down many hundred Churches under the Dtocefan^fov- footh they will gratifie us by giving us leave to call them Church- es. As if they put down an hnndred ro one of the Cities and Corporations, and then give us leave, to call them Corporati- ons when they are none. Yet b'ufh they not to make the world believe that they are that Epifcopal party ( who put dow^n a thoufand Ch^irches and BiQiopsin fome one Dioccfi ) and lam againft Biftiops. ^'ea when they have not the front to deny but that every Ci- ty then had a Bifliop ( that had Chriftians, ) and that our Cor- porations are fuch as they called Cities, Yet when we plead but at leaft, if they will have no Chorcpifcopi, they .will reftore a Church and Bifliop with his Presbyters to every fuch City with irs adjjcent Villages, hatred, fcorn and derifion goeth for a Con- futation of us j Though we do it but to make true difciplinea poflTible thing $ Which they call Iffuchar^ burden, and abhor it, and then fay, Ic is poflTible and pracftifed. § 19. As to the ^ow4« Council which he believeth not, he might perceive that I believed at leaft their antiquity as little as he : But the Canons arc fo like thofe of following Couricil? that fuch it's like were foraetime made. * And whereas I noted that their condemning them that wrong timed Eafter, would fall on the Subfcribers to our £«g///fe Li- turgy^ where 2000 are Silenced for not Subfcribing, the man bad .had no better anfvvers to give, than thefe r. Ti?at IJloohU bavefaid the Alm^nackcMakers. As if he would have had men believe that Falfliood,that it was the Almaaack Makers and not onr Liturgy changers that were deceived. 2. [ ^Us ] one year they miftook^ ] As if he would Perfwade men that their rule failcthbut one year, which faileth oft. 3. T/je Silenced Minifters have little Reafon tothMk^him orary body clfe^t hilt giveth this Redfott oj their Separation. It's grange thisjhot^ld trofiUe their Conjcierxes that Care no more ycrEafter than for Chriftmas,^/*^ only that it Falls upon a Sunday. Here fee his Hiftorical Credibility, i. Would he perfwade men that we give thit Reajon alone ? Or \Yhy may it not be one with twenty more ? 2. He intimateth that I give them as reafons of Reparation: As if to be Sile»ced,yveT€ to fepar at e^znd to be pajfive were to be a^ive. 3. He intimateth that as Nonfubfcribers I and fuch other are . Separ i ils^which is falfe j While we live in their Communion. 4. He taketh on him to know our judgment as againft Eafter ( but for S:rnday ) when we never told him any fuch thing. 5". He intimateth that it's no credit to us that we make Con- fcience of delibera:e [irokiTiig.AJfent to a known untruth in o- pen matter of fad : Ara if cht Contrary be their Credit, I wifh they may never be WitnelTej againft us. 6. He intimateth that a man ih3t is not for keeping Eafler, is the lefs excufable, if he will not Profefs a known Falfhood a- bout the time of Eaffer. If Confcience flood a man in no ftead for greater Ends than worldly wealth and eafc and honour^ who would not be a Latitudinarian Confoi mift ? § 20. Next when Iden^^ belief to thefe Councils, he blames me for making advantage of the Hiilory of them. Asifhefaw not that I do it,but ad homir.em to ihePapifts who record them as if they were really true. For it is principally the Papifts (from Infancy to Hildehrands Maturity )againrt whom I write. § 21. He next comes to the Novatians as my Favourite feft^ Kn^[_Favourite'} may fignifie to the Reader a truth or diFalJhood, I. Doth not every Ghriftian Favour them that have kifer Er- rours more than them that have greater? 2. Do I not as oft as he profefs my great diflike of every fed, as a feA? R 1 J. Do 3- Do I not difclaim this Novatian fcft and their opinion;, and own the Contraryf 4. Ir feems he raketh me to be too Favourable to fotncBi- fhops and their followers; The queftion is but who they be that mult be favoured ? I ii'sy come to be taken for a Novatian by fuch mrn as well as Socraies and Soz.omen. § 22 Here f wi hout rai'ing ) he bedawbs Novatut and Novatian to the purpufe wirh horridCyimts^^. Fharifalc^l Stinf, Ferjured, and vvhat nv^t? Bjt what ! Were rhey nor Epifcopal ? * Yes, hedoub;s ir not : It was for to be a Biihop that Novatian wrought his Villanies ; (what if 1 h^d thus bedaubed the Epi- Icopaf ?) But yet the very word [ Puritan ] is of ufeto him, 77///, faith he of iVot/^/wj, was the tender Conjcience of the an- ihof of the Ancient feSi of the Puntams ? Can you tell who the manaimeth at .? Is it NonconformiIts?A^o^'4rtt/& Novatian were Prelatifts, and never fcrupled more Ceremonies than our Pre- lates impofe. Who then can it be but men that in general, though Epifcopaljdo profeft Tendernefs o( ConfiicNCc? And there I leave them, without the application. § 2 3.'But thisDefender of Surgent Prelacy, fticks not Co difgrace thofe whom he fcemcth to defend. It was three of the Catholick B.fhopsthat Confecrared A^o^'^f/-?;;, and ('without rail- ing) he calls them 77^?^^^? plain ignorant Bipops. Tocfs good men f^fpciling no trtci^^ And overcome with his good entertainment, with too much i'Vine and p?rjw^fl'ns, were forced at Lift to Uy their hands on him ^nd Confecrate him B ifhop f]\ . Igtjorant Bifhops; z.Overcome with too mnch Wine^ and entertainment : 3. And with perfwafion: 4. To do fuch an Ad as to Confecrate fo bad a Bifhop,&" that in liich a city as Rome, and that without the Churches choice or Conlent. Hovvmucli worfe have I faid of Bifhops ? But, yec \jhey were good men."] But if they had been Nonconformifts, what n.mes had been bad enough for them? No doubt if they had been ftrqL'eOred und caft out( for their too much wine and fuch ordination)ho\v odioufly might the agents have been dcfcribed as enemies to the Church and Pcrfecutors ofgood men. § 24. Yet further this New Bifhop engageth men to him by Oaths, enough tofi-rikea horror in the minds (?/f^e Reader, faith he; See what a man may do for a Biftioprick ? It reminds meof many good Canons that forbid Bifhops (wearingtheir Clergy to them ; And of our £t C^t^ra QuU in 1640 never to Confcnt to - - any any alteration, ( to fay nothing of our times) and the old Oath of Canonical obedicnce.lt ftrikes horror into mens minds now that we fcruple thefe. § 2j. He makcth the Novatian dodrine hUfphemous (with- out railing ) and me too Favourable in reprefenting it. As to that I fuppofe he is not ignorant how great a Gontroverfie it is what they held, even among the greateft Antiquaries, and Ene- mies of Schifm and Herefie. And I ufe in accufations to meet with moft truth in the moft Favourable interpretations. And here I will tell our Hiftorian, that while I take leave to diflent from his accufation,it fliall be but by tke authority of thofe whom I judge as well acquainted with Church Writers and Cu- ftomes as any that ever Mr, M. or any of his Mafters read, not excepting more knowing men than Valefim. The firft is D. Petavius in Ep-iph.in. de C^th. Where firft he tells us, that no lefs nor later men than Tno[t of the ancient Fathers, zni SpeciAUf ih?: Greeks y \r\\^0{ik Novattts 2iX\A Novatian for one, or thjughr the (eel had a fingle Author j naming Etifei?. Theodoret ^ Epiphtn. Nax^ia^u Ambrofc^ -Anjiin, VhiUflrnti^ yea and Socrates. Yet half as great a miftake in me would have been (corned. 2. Againlt Epiph, and Thcodoret he faith [ Non ea Nova-- tiani Opimo fttit ,eos cjui gravioris pecc^ti noxam comraberenty ab^ emni Jpe confecjuendA faint is excludi : Nam & ilhs ad capeffendam pxnitemiam hortari foleb^int : Et tit Divinam clemcntiam lachi'J' mis ac fardtbm clicerent identidcm admohebant ; Sed hoc unnm ne- gabant 9 ad Ecclc/ia fideLum ContMunionem rscipi amplius opor- te^e : NeejHs penes Ecclefiam reconciliandi jus ulicm ac potejlatem ejfc : <^ipps unicam ilLim peccatornm indulgentiam in illiits ar^ bitrio vcrfiri, cjha per B^jptifm^m obtinetur -, which he provcth out of Socrates, Ambrofc . And he faith, that they were not counted Hereticks for wronging the lapfed, by denying them Communion, but for wronging the Church Power, by denying the Power of theKcyes for their Reft tution. (Like enough.) The other fliall be that excellent Bifliop Albafpineus Obferv,- lib, -L.Obferv, 20, 11. p. (mihi) 130, 131. [^ Advert ant Neva- tianorum err or em non in eo pofnum, quod dicer ent ftc^ae lapfum^ neque excommunicatum in morte d peccatis liberandum j fed h£^re- ttcos ideo habttoSy qHodopinarcnti^ir Deum ipfum EccUfia neque re- mittjndorum mqtie rctinendottim ptccatoram CApltaUmn pate (i ate m Cfpuiwqw '" idplam^uefccife : uitcjUe h£c in eo fuit viguitque iorum hdrejts^ tjui quanquam illttd confequeretttr ex eorum fMfa Opinione, ut ab- folutioncm non Urgirentur^ tamen hoc eorum faHum tjon htrifis no- mine tifftcicHcium erat, ncque ad h£rejln Accedebat ob aliafn-csHjam qUitf» quod d fonte illo & quaji capite hare/in o/ente dimandrar, eo tn.ixtme quod Novatiani crederent id EccUJis a Deo non futjfe pr^t- (litHm i7* coKcejfum • qus c.tfdfa foU fait cur praxis ilia cen difci- plintt N'ovatsanorumrariohxrejis nomen notioncmque non cjff^geret.'^ The Clergy felt their own Intereft^ and the NoVAtiansA(i:\K}ii ratione^ cm 4 & jolicitttdtne profpexerit^ filii ut fhi q/tam d Baptifmo hauferant pftritatcm eam nulla afperfam vitii alicujus macula &fa:dttatc confervarent^ Imo ea fe veritate adhibita ut fugiendum fibi deteflandumque peccalum^ quovis terrore propcjito pMrarent. Non folum autem multa crimina peccataque nume- T'ibantur, quorum futhorcs artificcfque abfolutionem ontnem defpC" rabarit^ fed & ea quoque quibus ignofcet poenitentiam concedi opor- tere ctvffteratf peccata ita ulcifcebaturjittt non ni(l femcl eis qui ea commifffent, unitts posnitentitt copiam faceret Ecclejtay hoc efl Jipofi Baptijmum lethaliter peccaffent. ^uod fi cum Ecclefta rcconci' liatus in idem aut aliud mortale peccatum itcrum proUberetur^ ita in perpctuumtribus primis fdculis ab EccLfa rcpulfam fercbat, ut non nifi poenitentid, & in morte precum quA reltqua erant fubfidia expeflandajfbi duceret^nulla abfolutione dataqudt infpemvenia il- ium erigeret, ] And he adds, that many that cannot deny his proofs, proofs, yet will not believe that ever fuch a Difclpline was ufed. But this was in the three Firft Ages : After, when Profperity and Wealth ticed the ungodly into Bifhops Seats, and into the Church, the Cafe was altered, and as he fhews, Obferv, 6. the Cafe was (b altered to the loofe extreme, that Criminals were admitted toties quoties. And in his Notes on Tertullian he fheveth, that this was a difference between the Orthodox and theHercticks, that the Orthodox did diHtftHlturnqptedcUbcrare ^uos in. foc let at em ejkfdcm Ecclcjid^ & corporis recipere debeant-^ut the Hereticks were ready to take all that came. Yet I fuppofe not near fo loofe as thofe Dioccfan and Parochial Churches that know not who comes, but without queftion take all that will but come to the Rails and kneel : And when by the magnitude of Diocefs and other means, they have fecured themfelves a- gainft the trouble and pofTibility of Paftoral Difcip!ine,the Prieft wipes off all guilt with a word, and faith. If they were Atheifts, Hjbbifts, Sadduces, Whoremonger?, common Blafphemers, Drunkards, it's no fault of mine, I kno v it not j and no won- der, when he knoweth not who in the Parifh are his Flock. TtiuE'^fe^iuj himfelf and others named by Petavi;u m'l^ook the Novatians is no wonder to thofe who read the volumes of- palpable Falfliood written againft thcNonconformifts in this pre- fent age,and hear witnelfes at the barfwear thofe Plots andCon- fpiracies &: Treafons againft men, from which grave and confcio- nable J'jries quit them. But me thinks when Mr. M. had faid that Socrates is anHifio* r tan of good Credit and acquainted voith them'] he much forgot his own ends when he recited thefe words as his [ Some took p Art with Novatian, and others with Cornd'iuSi according to their Jeveral inclinations and Ccurfe of life : The loafer and more licentt' out fort Favouring the mtffi mdfilgtnt difcipljme^the other of mire an- ficre lives incliningmofi to tha Novatian fevsrity.'] Good ftil), I now fee that the Novatians indited were Puritanes, though E- pifcopal, and I accufe not our accufers of any fuch Herefie. But I confefs that I fhall believe a Novatian Hiftorian, who being fo find againft fin muft be ftrid againft a Lie, rather than thofe that Scorn fuch PUritanifin, and deride the Perfon that cannot fwallow a bigger Pill. And when Mr. M. labours to (hew out of Socrates that it- was was not only Idolatry that they ccnfured, he labour* in vain : It was the btginnirg of their Schifm that I mentioned, and not 'Socrates his Age. As to the judgment of the Council o^EliUrisznd all the three Firft Ages, I have told you what ^Ibafpine faith before. If you can confute him, do j I am not engaged to defend himi but I believe him. § x6. I conclude this and the former Chapter with thii Counfel to the Scorncrs of Puritanes : Never truft to your Titles and Order, how good focver, without a careful holy obedience to the Supreme Law-giver, either for Concord on Earth, or Salvation in Heaven. True Parifh-Reformation is the way to fatisfie godly perfons better than either Violence or Separation. Butifyouftill obftinately refift Parifh-Difcipline and Reforma- tion, ypu muft have Toleraiion of fuch as will not confent to your Corruption, or elfe perfecure the beft to your own ruine. Theophilns Parochialis hdthCi'\d more for Parilh Order agair.ft the Regulars, and Priviledged, than you have done againft the Se- pararifts. And yet the Confraternity of the Or.ncri.ins fet up in every Parifh, was the beft way he could devile to recover the ftate oflapfed Parifhes: As the priviledging of Fry.ars was the Pope'i lalt Remedy inftead of Reforming his corrupted Cliurch. C H A p; X I X. of the Council of Nice Andfome following* § i.'npHls Hiftorian having put hlmfclf intoa m'litary pofture J feemcvh to conceit that every word proceed? from an Enemy. And firft he fcigneih me to make CchftantiKc judge that \_the Bijhops and Cour.cils were of little nfc J when 1 had no fuch vfuYd or thought , bur the contrary. § 2. Next hehimfelfconfefleth that which I bl;me thofe Bi- fliops for i Even thofe Libels which they Concent ioully f fiered agdinft one another j to have raifed Quarrels inftead of Peace, and which Confl^iotine caft altogether into the fi/r \\iihout read- ing them. And when he confefleth what I fay, is he nop a Rai- kr at the Bifliops as much as I in that ? As As to his excufe thatf It is no wonder confidering their great dijfentions in Religion^ &c.'\ I eafily grant it : But in this excufe he faith ycc more againft them. § 3. Becaufe I faid that Ath^znafim differing fromCoNftafj^ tine about the reception of -^nW his repentance [ Canfed much Calamity ] he feigneth me heinoufly to accufe jithanaftm which I intended not : Even a juft a(^ion may [^Canje Calamity ']is Chrift faith his Gofpcl would bring divifion. All his labour in juftifying udthanafiu fighteth but with a fpecftre of his own ima- gination. Andyetlam inclined to think that if an Hypocrite Arim had been connived at to pleafe fuch an Emperor, the death o^ y^rius would have left the Church quieter than it didjthough he here thinks greater rigour had been fafer : And I think mul- titudes of SadduceSj Infidels and debaucht Perfons in one of our Di6cefles, yea or Parifhes, is worfe than one jirias while Hy- pocrifie reltrained him from Venting his opinion. § 4. And here he that dreamed I accufed yithanapw^ really accufcth Coriflamine as trnpoftd on by a C(untcrfeit Repentance and rcJloriKg tie incendiary to opportunities of doing mifcbitf^ and ht'w.^ againft the means ih'd^migbt fhive ended that fatal mifcbief. Bjt I confefs Conftantine was. no Bifliop, and therefore this is not an accHJation of BiJhops'oTZ railing at them. § 5. Next when I had fully opened the Cafe of the MeUtians out o( Epiph.viim on prerer.ee ofabbreviating,he leaves out that which he likes nor, and tells us how the Nonconformifls have advantaged the Papifts : If I thought the man believed himfelf I would try to undeceive him- In the mean time Idcfire him to think again which party moft befriends thePapiftsj "They '*that are for a reconciliation with them on thefe terms, that " there may be acknowledged an Univerfal fupreme human '* Power over all the Church on Earth, and the Pope to be Pnn- " cipium Vnitatisand Patriarch of the Weft,and he fhall abate us '* the laft 400 years Impofitions, and all be accounted Schifma- " ticks that unite not into this Church} and that all the *' Preacher? in JE;;^//rW ihall be f:lcnced that will not fwear.pro- ^' mife, profefs, and pr«(ftif(r all that which is hcreiiripofed on ^' them, Plough they think it heir.cns fin.and others thin-k it but " matter inditierent, and all the people fliall be proffcutcd that " hear them} and that this Divifion ihall rather weaken the ^' Kingdomj and advantage the Papifts^ than the Confcifnces S '' of • ^ ('JO) " of men, as wife and faithful as themfclves (hall be cafed of " fuch Impofitions, or they fuffered to Preach the Gofpcl of ** Chrirt ; Or thofe that being condemned to fuch Silence, Pri- ** for.s and Ruine, had rather be delivered, though a Papift be " delivered with them, than bedeftroyed.] Methinks we arc ufed by thefe Church-Fathers, as if they fhould determine that a great part of the Protcftants who are moft againft Popery, fhdill J)e hangeJ, unlefs the Papifts will beg their parJon, or cut the Ropej which if thefe Proteftants accept, they fhall bcfaid to be the Promoters of the Papifts. § 6. A? for all his Exceptions againft £/>'^'&4«;;//, they are no- thing ro me, who did not undertake to jultifie his word«, but tranfcribe them j nor think it worth my labour now to examine the Cafe of fo fmall concernment. § 7. When fome have blamed me for condemning the Ayiaut too much, he faith^ that I fay fome what very much to the dif- advantage of the Dodrine of the Trinity, but he was fo gent!c as nor to tell what it was, unleft it be telling what Petavins the Jefuite faith : About that I am wholly of his own mind. But the exprefs words which Petavius d; Tr'init. cireth out of all thofe Old Fathers, cannot be denied : And verily they are fo many, and fo grofs, that unlefs his Argument fatisfiedmejtr/z:. \T^he Votes of the Coutjcil office JJ^ewed what was the Cowwofi [er.ce 0/ the Churchy better than the words of ail thofe Fathers'^ I (hould think as Philofiorgins in point of Hiftory, that there were no fuf- ficient confuting ofthe Brians from thofe Fathers, though fbme- times they have better words. Vifible words cannot be denied, even where they muft be lamented. That's the ditTercncc be- twecn Mr. M's. Opinion of Hiftory and mine. § 8. As to the Andiansj 1 recite but Epiphaniush word?, who in other cafes is greatly valued by thefe Accufcrs : They will believe what he faith 0^ Aer'nt-f. And as ro what he faith to the contrary oat of Theodoret^ he may fee that he faith all by hcarfay, and faith_, that They hid that which he accufeth them of, and were Hypocrites, profcfllng too much ftriftnefs, /. 4. c. 91 which is ftill the common way of accufing the beft, againlt whom inftead of proveable faults, they turn their ftrid;neft into a crime. Epiphanita is much more particular than Theodoret in the ftory. § 9. The reft which he nolcth of my words ofthe Council of of ivr/cjy have nothing needing a reply. Tetavitu hath fully proved that the Chorepifcopi were true Bifliops. But now we are odioui Presbyterians if we would bur have a Bifhop in every City, that is, Corpcrition, Defiring only that Difcipline might become poiTible. And for this we are proclaimed to be a^ gainft Bilhops; that \s, faith this fort of men j They that would have but One Bidiop over a thoufand, or many- hundred, or fcore Churches, arc tor Epifcopacy j and they that would have every Church have a Bifliop, as of old, or at leaft every great Town, and (^o would have twenty, or forty, or a hundred for one, arc againft Epifcopacy : And that which is ftrange i8,There men are believed. § lo. I praifed the Council of Gangra for condemning fomc Superftitions, and he fjith, I have nothing againft it : Whether it be a Cowmai Mifi.-ike that Arius was here received to Com- munion, Tie not ftay to examine. § 1 1. When he hath weighed ail he can for the Synod at ^ntioch^ he is forced to'confefs thar they were a packt com- pany of Bilhops, that complied \y\ih Conflarstius and Ealebins'i Contrivance. And what do 1 fay worfe of them than he ? As to the Canon againft Priefts or Deacons not gathering AfTem- * blies againft the Bifhops will, I am for it ;\s much as he, if the Bifhops and Churches be fuch as they were then j but not in France nor / alj. He faith, / leave my flhg behind w«?, and end very angrily ,• for tliefe only words [This is thar fire ngth'] menioning the Coun- cils (^that was againft yltbanaftfts) (upprelTingDiflenters as Se- ditious by force. I (^ce angry men think others angry when they are^ and are ftung if we do but name their ftinging us : As if Prifonsand Ru'ine were norfo (harp a fting as thefc four words. If it be not their ftrength, why do they fo truft to it, as to con- fefs that their Arguments and Keyes would do little to uphold their Prelacy without it. In the dales of the llfurpers I moved for a Petition, that when they granted Liberty of Ccrfcience for fo many others, ihey would grant Liberty for the full exer- cife of the Epifcopal Government to all that defired it. But the Epifcopal Party that I fpake to,wouId not endure it, as knowing what bare Liberty would be to theirCaufejUnlefs they could have the Sword to fupjjrefs thofe that yield not to their ReafonF. § 12. Next he faith, I fpare my Gall for aboiit a dozen S 2 tiiiics. time?, not regarding how it contradi*fl« his former Accufationi. But whereas I recite the horrid Accufations of the Council ac Philippopjl'j 2ga\nA y^tfjanjfuf, PMilus dii\<\ Afarcel/us^ of open Matters of Fad, as Murder, Perfccutions, Burning of Churches, Wars, Flames, Dragging Priefts to the Mirker-place with Chrifts Body tyed about their ncck5, Gripping Confccrated Vir- gins naked before a concourfc of People [and offering to fend mefiengers on both fides to Try ihe Fadl:, a^id to be themfelves condemned if it prove not true] he is otfcnded that 1 feem fiaggcred at this, Aihan^'.fius having deteded before ^o many Subornations, &c. u4r>[n\ I did not fay that 1 was ftaggered, much lefs doubted which of them did the wrong : But that a Reader may by fuch a Temptation be aftoniflicd, and confounded whom to believe. But d d I ever rail more at Bifliops than he here doth ? What I. So great a number of Bifhops, 2. Deliberately in Council, 3. To affirm fo vehemently, 4 Such matters of open Fa(ft, J.. And offer it to the Trial of Witneflcs of both fidesjandail this to be falfe^ 6. And to be but the confequent of former Sub- ornations and Perjury j can you name greater wickedntls ? O^;. But t bey were ^r/^«/, ^i}f\v. But they were Bifhops. The worfc for being Brians. 2. Yet called but Semi-Brians^ and renounced --^r/^j, and pretended Reconciliation. 3. And they were the Oriental part of the Council at Sardica, called Gemral by the Papifts. 4. And they were believed againit Mar- celhts by Bafil and Chryfoflom : But all that I cite it for, is to tell the Reader what a doleful cafe the Church was fain into, by the depravation of the Bifhops. Did none of thefe profefs before to be Orthodox ? I do not fay that it was ^t/atcnns Bifhops that they did all this, but that multitudes of Bifhops were tlien be- come the fhame and calamity of the Church. § 13. Next he fcorningly accufeth me lor giving too foft a Charader of the CircumctlUansi and faith, A-fj A'loderation and Charity may extend to John of Leydcn. And he calls them The Mofl barbarous and defperate yUlains that ever defamed Chrijiia- tiity by ajfdminq- the Tit He. 2 u4nf. I. This is the man that faith I rail. I named fo many and great fins of theirs, that I little thought any Reader would bave thought that I fparcd them too much. i. Yet they were DonatiSls,^^^ of them Optaws blmfclf faith, /;^. 5. [" ^vM "voi *"' & Apud noi Vna e^ Ecclefafiic4 converfatio j Communes Le- •^ Ei tones : E^dem Fides ; ipft Fidei Sacr amenta^ eadem myfle^ '* ria] that is, faith Alhafpins [Vn-i EcclcJi.iFtica difciplina : Eo- demmodo Scripturas ExpUcamns : Ipft ReguLi Fidei : Idem Aij- lierium quod confertur & Jigniftcutur^ & eadcm res Vijlbilts per qnamres fpiritrt^is dAtm'] m li^. ^.p. ry3. And faith Optatus, lib, l. [_Ncquis ' die at me inconjlderAte cos fratres appe.'Ure, qui tales pint, .^tmvis & illi tion negerjt & omnibus notum (it^ quod nos od/o habea-jt^ & execrentu\ & nclunt fe dicifratres nofhos j tamen nos recedere d timors Dei non poJfM- mus—Junt igitur fine dfibio fratres qajmv.'s non honi : .^are nemo miretur eos me appelUre fr.ttrei^ qui non p-jjftnt non effs fratres. Obj. But the Ci.'cumcciUans were worfe than the reft. u4nf\v. They were of the fame Religion, but the unruly fu- rious part in their pracflice : And Optaius faith, Though they would tdil in words [^pd unum qu\Asm vix invraimus cum quo per liter.is, vcl hoc mouo loquitur ;] AnJ (^o goes on to ciH V^r- menian his Brother. And it's worth the confideratioii how much •^/(^jj^/.';i? includeth in Fraternity ^ nate firft", & tnObfervat, 3. And they were O.ihodoY tierce Prelatifts, doing all this for the preheminence of their Bifhop*. And what Kfomi Pre- latifls now fhould hurt their Brethren more than the Circmncel- Lans did, muft I call them therefore thimofi barbarous rUlaiHs that ever defam:d Chriflianity. yirtgufhne fjith. They made a Water of fome Salt or (harp thing, and caftin mens Eyes in the night in the ftreets : No man can think that this barbarous adtion was done by the moft, or any. but fome furious fools: They fay that they would wound themfelves to bring hatred on the Cathol;ck«, as if they had done it, or drove them to it : He thit knoweth what Self love i?, will believe that this was the 'cafe bur of a few; and an eafier wrong than fome that abhor them do to their Brethren. And muft we needs Rail indeed a- gainft fuch numbers of hurtful Prelatifts f What if any rude per- fons of your Church fhould be Whoremongers, Drunkards, Elafphemers^ and feek the Imprifonmenc of their Brethren, yea their Defamation and Blood by Perjury, fhould the Church be for their fakes fo called, as you call them? I fpeak them no fairer than O/^r^r^j did. § 14. When p. j7. 1 commend the many good Canons of the ^/r/c*i« Councils, andche faithfulncft of theBifliop?, he noteth none («}4) Donc of this, becaufe ic provcth the untruth of hii former Ac- cufaciona. And when I name twenty five or twenty fix more Councils of Cifhopjt, ro:iieGenci\'l, and fome lefs, which were for Arianifm, or a conij/lijnce with them, he defendeth none of them^ but ex- cufcih them, and faith, that [jhcji were not much to the honour of the Chfirch : Tet the evil EJids and Confc^uences of them arr ra- ih:r to le cha^'gcd on the Arian Emperour^ than the BifJjops,^ yJufw. I. Ibis is the (anrie man that clfcwhere fo overdoes me in acculing the Brians. 2. TheEmperour was Erroheous, but faid to beotherwifc viry commcrdibie. And is it not more culpable for Bi(hopsto Err in the Myfteries of Di'Jinity^ than a Lay- man ? And for many hundred to Err, than for One AUnf And do you think that the B fliops Erring did not more to feducc the Flocks, than the Emperour's ? But he faith, that [^/f many fell in the Day of Try al, they are 'i\.ther, to be pitied^ than ir.fdtcd cicr^ for we have all the fame infirmities^ 6cc. ylnfw. lv\rjtc in pity of them and the Church, without any iiifultin?, purpofe. If any now to avoid lying in Prifon, and ftar- vinc: their Famiiicf, by Famine, fhould furrender their Confcien- ces to finfui Subfcriptions afrer a Siege of Nineteen years, Ifhall Ir, faith he, yet fich as Jhews rather the Calamity^ than the Fault of the Bifkops."} ^nfw. Nay then, no doubt, it's no fault to Conform. Hillary then, and all that kept their ground, were in a great fault for fo heavily accufing them. And Co the World turned Anans in (hew (as hierom and HUUry fpeak) is much acquit^ and the Nonconformifis are the faulty Raiiers for accufing them. It had been enough to fay, // ^as no Crime j but to fay, no Faulty i« too gentleil^for the fame man that fo ^talkt of Perjured Arians before. § I ) . Yet becaufe he is forced to confefs that it was mofi hy faroi all the Biflioj)S, even in CohhcUs (he of Rome not ex- cepted) ccpted) thar thus fell, he muft fliew how it offended him to be forced to it, by telling the world how contentious I hAvebeen agahift all forts and Se^is (the firft is falfe, and he knows it I think, and the latter is true formally of a Setl as jkch-^ even his own SeB-.) And fame judge mefiioh a sirunger to Peace^ as to need a Moderator to ftand between me a:-3d the Contradi^ions of my own Books.] Anfv. Ye?, the Bi(hops Advocate Roger VEfir.vige , where nothing bat grofs ignorance, or malice, or negligence, could have found Go.itradidionF, were the whole places perufed. And where I am fure my felf, thit there is none; I have Come what elfe to do than to write more, to fhew the Calumnies of fuch Readers. Who moli feeks Peace, you, or thofc that you profe- cute / One would think it fhouid not be hard to know if men be willing. C H A P. X X. Ofthi firs} Gc}i:ra! Cfojcil .it Conft-antinople. His Cap. a. § i.TXE begins with accufing me of imitating the Dcvifj A A Dorh fobfrvc God for nought ? becaufe 1 fay that \ths i^afon why the IVeUr was freer from the Afian Hcrefie^ thvf the East, w.is r.ot at the Pupi Aiifv. I. I never fa'd that this was the Only Canfe. 2. I proved thar this PiivileJge of Rome was not the mean> ing of Ghrift's Prayer. 3. Is not this the fame m.in that even now \-i\A the fall of far more Bifhops, even moft in the World, on the Eniperour, a« overcoming them by force and fraud ? 4. Doth not God himfelf keep men ufually from ftron^ temptations, when he will deliver them from fin ? 5'. Were not the Eaftern Bifhops, and the Weftern, of the fame mold and temper ? And if the Eaftern followed the Empc- rourF, rours, had not the Wcftcrn been in danger if they had the like temptation ? 6. Doth not Bafil that fent to them for help, complain of them as p'-oud,and no better than their Brethren ? 7. Did not MarcclliKUi fall to Idolatry, and Libcrins to fub- fcribe agalnft ^tkanafinf with the yiriuns ? 8. Did not the Weft adually fall to Arianifm when tempted for the nioft part? Judge by the great Council at Milane^ and by ///7/*i9's complaints . 9. Hith Rome and the Weft ftood fafter to the Truth fince then f" What! all the Popes who are by Councils charged with Herefie or Infidelity, and all wickednefs, and thofe manywhofe^ Lives even by Baronius and Gencbraremarle to cxpccl to be ac lafl called to account for his original fin. § II. But his padlorj makes him (ay he knows not what, P. 14X [^" I need not call Mr. B. to rcmfmbcr«.nce who compared *"* Cromwel to £)j. He faith this plainly of mc afterward, to (hew the cre- dibility of his Hiftory ? DiJ he know it to be falfe ? If fo, there's no difpuring with him. Ifnot, v\hy did he not cite my words. Yea he after iranfcribes the Epiltle meant, where he (aw there were no fuch words : But others had tolJ that tale before him, and that was Enough. Even as one of his tribe bath written that 1 have written in my Holy C(jmmon- wealth, that an^ one Peer fKAj ji^dge Ojc Kmg. If ihefe Epifcopal Hiftorians tell forrei^ners that we have all Cloven Feet and Horns,arid goon tour legs, yea and if Tome fwearir, we have no remedy: They can prove our nofcs horns, and our hands Feet. I again tell ihcm^U Martins Angel and Miracles be credible, woe to tholi? Prelatifts that are for ruining violence, and filtnces againft men better thantheC^ws/^/c/^j. If they be not true,let them not tfult too much to thebeft Hiitorianf. § 12, Oi the Council at Crf/;«/» I faid that they decreed that the two Bifliops and their People J]:onU live in loving Com- munion, Mr. M. finds me miltaken here. The words in BmntM are [Vt tarn Fiaviani qnam Evagrii f^utores tn Communionem Cai/joLc.im admit t ant ur^ tnodo Catholic a fidei ajjer tores invenian- tHf'} I thought Catholick Communion had been Lovmg Cowmn- nion: And I thought if their faurors were to be received, fo were they : And 1 thought yintioch had been a part of the Ca- tholick Church, and Catholick Communion had extended to ylK- tioch: But if Mr. M. deny thcfe, I wiJI not con^tnd with him. § 13. He ttlls LJ, that \_No man wtth his Eyt: open ever fiw the Condemnation t/Bonofus hy the Council of Capua] (for deny- ing the Virgin M«»*/'s perpetual Virginity. yx!jfu\ Ic is Criticifmand not Hiltory that the man is beft at. They did it mediately, while thty referred it to them that did it. Saith Einnius ['* Canfa Bot.cp cujkfdam in Macedonia Fpifco- *' Pt harettci^ ncgautis delibaiam Dc, genitricti Marta yirginita- " tern, pojl pan um in judicium uc dull a efl. Sy^iodus cogmtionem " cai'ja, Anyjio Tfjejfalonier.ft c^m Epifcopis tpft juijeUts delegavit. "■Ah («45) ** ^b j^njfio Bono[um damnatuw, sorfint^ne quos ordifhijfet coniMn- '^ nione privafum ejfe tefiatur Innoc. P. And he knows it's a Hc- refie now. Yet this Council condemned Reordinations. § 14. That fovinian a Monk was called a Heretick, for Do- (ftrines judged found by Proteftants, is no ftrange thing. Thai one not a Blfhop was the Head of a Herefie, was fomewhat ftrange then, but not before they got too high. As to the Qijeftion, Whether Bifhops were the Chief Heads an J Fomenters of Herefie, I crave his impartial Anfwer to thefe Qii^ft'ons. I. Do not your felves maintain that all Churches in the world had Bifliopsj and that the Bi(hops were the Ru- lers, and of Chief Powerf If fo, can you imagine that after they had fuch Power, Churches could be ufuaiiy made Hercticks without them ? j^. 2. Do not Councils, and all Church-Hiftory tell us how many Councils of Hereticks there have been that were Biihops ? c^ 3. If any Presbyter broke from his Bifhop to fet up a Herefie, was it not one that fought to be a Bifhop? Or did they not make prefently him or fome other their Bifhop and Head ? Herefie or Popery had made but fmall progrc fs,* had it not been for Bifhop?. ■ § 15. When I commend the Novations Canon, which al- lowed all men Liberty for the Time of Etflcr^ as better than burning men as Hereticks,he takes it for iin Immoderate Tr^mfport that I fay Q'^j (odd as I can fpeak^ Ifallths Pro/jd, A7nbuioi4Sy '' Heretic It ir.gp^rt of the B'fioops had bsen of this mh^d^ O what *'/i>i, wh.it fca-jdal, and what Jhar/tj , whit cruelties, confufions and '• miferies had the ChrifiUn world efcapcd ?] That is, had they left fuch Indilferent things as Indifferent. And is thisagainft Moderation ? I would fuch Zeal of God's Houfe had more eaten me up : Dare you deny but that this courfe wou!d have faved the Lives of all ihofc thoufands of^/- bigetfes^Waldenfcs^ and Bohemians t\\ix. z\\Q'?£^\\\sk\\\ed'. And the death and torment of multitudes by the Inquilltion ? And the burning cf our Smnhfield Martyrs : Ar * it's like moft of the Wars between the Old Popes and Emperours about Invellitures ? And the blood of many thouQndmore. AnJ it wnuli have fa- ved more Nations than ours from the Tearing and Divifion of Churches by the Ejeftiag and Silencing of hundreds or thoufands of their Paftors, as the cafe of the Germane Interim^ and other V fuch (146) iiich aftions prove. And is ic Immoderate Tranfport to wifli aH this Blood, Schifm, Hatred and Coi.fulion, and weakning and (helming of the Church had been prevented at the rate ofToU- rating Ir.dijferent things: No wonder if you had rather Eng- l.indiWW futfered what it doth, and i? in danger of by Schifm, than fjch things Inditferent (hall be tolerated : It is not for no- thing that Chrift and P<<«/ repeat, that iomc h.ive Eja And fee ) ot ^ Ears /tr:d hear mt^ ^C. § \6. And here he again \vouId mal^e his Reader think it's true, that the Nonconformifts pretend that their Silencing is for not keepl.ig Eajlsr Day at the due Time j as if this m.in that I4vetb among us did not kmvv^that it is the avoiding of ddiberate Lyingby fubfcfthing to a knoxn untruth, which is tiie thing that theyrefufej and they mention it only as an appurtenance of the Impofition ad homines , that it would bind them to t^vo dif- ferent times. Whether, as he faith, oftr difeafc be a wantotin^fs fed bj con- crjfion, ^nd we are moji violent when we know not what we would have, thofe men are no credible Judges that fjr feventeen years would not endure us to fpeak out our Cafe ; and when before we debated part of ir^would not vouchfafe to anfwcr us jand at Idii when we tell it them, do butaccufe us wiih a fhjrperltorm, inftead of giving any thin;; that a man can call an AnI'wer that ever knew the Cafe, e.g. to our Fleas for Peace^ and my Trea- iife of Epifcopac). § 17. He confelTeth that I praife the u4frican Bilhops as the belt in the world, though ic contradi(ft his former charge. As to the Magnitude of Diocefle?, when he hath aiifwered my Treat. of Epifcopacy, fame body may be edihed by him. 1 agree with him that (jood men will do mttch Good in a great Diccefs. But 1. Worldly Bfliops arefo far bad : And worldly Wealth and Honour will ever be mod foiight by the moft worldly men : And ufually he thatfeeks fhall find--£r^o---And 2. A good min cannot do Impoflibilities : The befl: cannot do the work of many h^idred. Forty two years ago fome wifht for theReftoring of Confef- fion. Theophiltis ParochialU brings copious Reafons and Orders of Princes, Popes and Prelates, that all (hould confefstoihe Pari(h- Prieft. If you had fet this up here, how many men muft have gone C'47) gone to it in the Parifhes of St. Martin^ Giles C^ipple^ate, Si£p- ney^ dzc ? But how much greater work hath Dr. Hammond, and Old Councils, cut out for him that will be the fofe Bifhop of many hundred Parifhes ? I have named ic clfewhere. And, if any man of confideration think I have not proved againft Mr. Dodwell^ that Bifhops Government is not like a King's, who may make what Officers under him he picafe, but depends'more as a Phyfician's or School-mafter's owPsrfonal Abi- litj^ I will now add but this Qneftion to him \}Vhj is it that Monarchy may be hereditary^ And a Child or htfam may he King] but an Infant may not be Bijhop^ nor any one not qnalified with Ef- fential Ability ? I have at large fold you how fharply Baromns and Binnitii condemn that odious Nullity of making a Child (by his Father's Power) A. Bifhop ofRhcmes. If I heard twenty men fay and fwear that one man is fijfficient to be the only Msfter of many hundred Schoof?, or Phyfician to many hundred Hofpira!?,or that one Carpenter or M.!fon may alone build and rear all the Hgufes in the City afrer the Fire, cr one man be the fole Mjfter of an hundred thouDnd Families j what can I fay to him, but that he never tryed or knows the work ? § i8. When I note that the Donnt if- i' took themfelves for the Caiholicks, and the Adverfaries for -Schifinaticks, be- caufe they were the greater number, he very honelUy faith that Multitude m-iy render a Set} formidable^ out it's no Argu^ went cf Rigbr. Very true j nor Secular Power neither. But what better Ar- gument have.ihe Papifts, and many others that talk againft Schifm? § 19. Bethinks the Dsnatifls Bijhsps Churches mre not fo [mall as our Bartjloes. Ai:[\v, Not as forne : But if, as I faid before, Conftantinople in the height of all it's Glory in Chryfo- floryf's dales, had but i;oooo ChrilVians, as many as three Lon- ,^o«-Pdrifhes have, judge then what tiie Doaarijls hiid. § 10, His double quarrel with Bmnim and Barcniasy let who will mind. What I gathered out of thofe and other Cjnons of the fmalnefs of Churches then, I have elfcwhere made good. His Reviling Acccfitio^s q( Envy to their Wealth, deferveth no Anfwer. § 11. He comes to Sr. lhicphilHi\ Cafe, of which we fpake V X before. \ (148) before. The Monk* tlut reporred evil of bim, were^ it may be, faich he, dowKnght Knaves^ The Reviling is biamelefs when ap- plied to fuch. Ooubrlefs ihcy were ignorant rafli Zealots: But one that reads what the Egjptiar, Monks were in Anthonys daieSj and after, and what Miracles and Hollnefs, Sulpitini Scve- r^ireportech of them, and why T)^/// retired into his Monaftery, &c. may conjedure that they had much lefs worldlinefs than the BiHiops, an! not greater faults § 22. I think it not defirable or pleafant work ta vindicate thccredi: of Socrares and Soz^omcn accuHng TLcophihu : But if his Con;edure« in this cafe may fcrvc againft exprefs Hiftory of fuch men, and fo near, let him leave other Hiltories as loofc to our Con)e(rture5. Poi^huiniAmu Narrative in Sidpitms, is but of one piece of theTragedy.He thinks it improbable that Origen fhould be accufed for maki.'ig God Incorporral -, and fiich Gon- iedtures are his Confutation of Hiftory : But Ongen had two fore of Accufcrs ; the Bifhops, (iich as Theophiliu and Epiphmius had worfe charges againft him •. But the Anthroi^omurphite Monks were they that brought that Charge againft him (ihat God had no face, hands, eyes.) And Thecphilm before them cryed down Origen in general, to fave his life, by deceiving them, that they m'ght think he did it on the fame account as they did. This is Socrates his Report of the Cife. He faith, that the Impudent Mutinous Afonlrs were fiot afl.amed. to tell all the world, that all th^t were againfi thsm were yinthropO" fh:tes. Aijfiv. It was other Monks that I here talk not of, that he means : It was thefe Monks that were Anthropomorphites them- selves, and would have killed TheophiLv^ for not b^Ing fj, till he laid to them, Adethrnkj I fee your faces as the Face of God : And the name of the Face of God did quiet them. Jliercm was a Party againft: Chrjfftom j it was for not pafTing that Sentence on Origen, that Epiphanius would by mafterly Ufurpaticn have impofed en him, that Chryfojhm was by him accu fed. § 23. Could any Sobriety excufc that vmn Fp-phaniiy^ that would come to the Imperial City, and there purpofely intrude into the Cathedral of one of the beft Bifiiops in the world, for Parts and Piety, and there play the Bifliop over an A.Bifhop in his own CburclV and feek to fct all the Auditory in a flame at the time of Publick Worfhip, and require him to fay that of Origen J («49} Origen, which he there without any Authority impofed on him ? I know not what is Pride, Ufurpation, Turbulency, if not Malig- nity, ifthis be not. But at laft he faith, [_'' I do mt intend to exctifo Theophilus in " this pAYticklar : (Thafik^Pope \t\noccm') He did certainly pro- ^' Je cute his K'fcntmcnt too fur: Rut he was not the only m.tn : " Epipbinius, a pcrfon of great Ilolinefs j Hierotn, ahdfevernl *^ oth:r pcrfons renowned for their Piety ^ were concerned in the per^- " fecutton of this Grcmt man^ as well as he : yind to fay the tmth^ '' thts K thiir weak^icfs i far that St verity which gives men gem- ^^ rally a Reputation of Holtnefs, though it mortife fome irregular " heats, yet is apt to difpofe men to p°evifcn;fs.~] BLit true Holinefs ever fincerely loveth holy men, and fpecial- !y (l)ch as are piiWick Bieffings to the Church : And though [ cenfure not their main State, your Jhij Pcrfecutors of ihe bed of Chrifl's Servants, will never by Chrift be judged fmall Oiten- ders. Alas ! it's too true that JhcophiLa was not alone : A Coun- cil of Biiliops were the Perfccutor^. And it's hard to think thac- they loved Chryfoftom as themfelvc5. When the forementloned Council at ConftantiHople had turned out N, ihs Oriental Bifh(ps firjl- leaving ihcm, and going away with Gregory. And if the M.ijoy Vote of that General Council were Epifcopi Nundinani, what- Ch'yf)Tiom's, Perfecucors were may be conjedlured. Do not thele Papifts here fiy worfe of them than I do ? § 24. Yet though he confels aj much as is aforefaid, and- b.ring but his Can/cdures mixt with palpable omilfions againft the exprefs words o^ Socraus^rA Soz^cmen, he hath the face ta make up his failing with this Calumny [f'^ I have dwelt fo long err " thisy not only to vi id cat e Theophilus, but to fljew once for ail ths-- " manner of onr Author^ s dealing with his Reader in his Ch:-irch~ '^ Hiflory. Any fcandalom Story ^ thouifo it be asfalfe and impro- " bable as any in the Aoni Mirabiles, or Whites Centuries of Scan- " daloHS AAinijlers, any Fiilion that reflets with difgrace en *•' Bi/]:ops and Councils is.^ct down for aHthwtick^^ no matter whi^ '^ dflivtn it ^ friend or foe.'} Anf\\\ (>5o) ylnfiw kTc not Buroniui and Bimim friends to the bighcft Prelacy .'' Dorh not he hirnfelf fay that Socrates is a credible Hi- Jhriai ? U his Authority weighty enough to difcredit them whom he contradi(fl« ? Huh he proved one wrord faifc that I have faid o^TnecpbUtu ? Is not Chrjfojiom as credible as he ? Doth he not know how iU he 'is fpoken of by a great number of Chryfu Hera's Defenders ? And how fmartly Jfidorc Pelu/Joia re- liefs on him ? But who could have difgraccd him more, than he that will imply that the things mentioned of him are as true as what is laid in White's CentHries of ScandAlotis Mmificrsy or the ^nni A'lirabiles. I know not all or moft things in either of them. But he was a Granger in En^Lmd that had not credible Teftimony of divers of the things in \.\\t Ahni Mird-ilcs. And Mr. WhUe^ the Chairman of that Parliament- Committee, wascommonly re- puted a grave and godly credible man ; and if he lied, the whole Committee muft concur in the Lie j and the Witneflcs muft ali- he falfe. I will not further meddle in fo unp'eaTant a bufintT?, than to tell yon, that all that I knew acciifed of Scandal, bad Witneflcs of ir, that in the places where they lived were thought to make as much cor.fcicnce of a Lie, as t'le beft of their Neighbours: And whether fuch a mans fcorn that was then in the flicll, is in Hiftory a fufticicnt j)roof that Commit- tees of Parliament, and WitneireSjWcre all Lyars, 1 leave to con- fideration, I well know what School-maftersand Curates I was bred under, and what the two Minifters were that were fc- queitrcd in the place where I after came : And all the Country can tell you. They conftrained me to name them, and the Cafe in my Apology for our Preaching, and my Anfwer to Mr.///«^- le-j : It's yet the fame Age : Any may enquire of ihem. § 25. As to his Note of ^/r.ir/, I doubt not but there were -at the Memorials of Martyrs Ct^wwfwfr-rrer^ Alt ays erccftcd in the third or fourth Centuries : But what's that to Commttnica- lory Alters ? anj thofe in the firft and fecond Century? § 26. I fiippofe he wrote againft my Book upon f^jme others •Reading. I did in a Parenthefis fay (^Innocent Excommunicated Thecfjiln^, ArcA.iiiii and the EmprefsJ And of another matter •cuidtd • yet d dthi< p,ijs wirhout co'itr.idlitiofi : Aid he confounds them, ard faith, [^Any thing pajf.ih wik^ htm for Hiftory : This £p'J-!e c/ Innocent is all forged.^ Aajiw I fee not his proof: But I had C'5') Ihad rather it were proved falfe than true : But v\hen I fpeak againft Papal Ufurpation (be the men never Co good) I think f<^ llich Bimins and B^ironipu are meet WicnefTe-s, § 27. BonifAcs's Decree of exempting Bifhops from Civii Judicatures, be thinks not fu x-^ntienr, and fiith, We have oily the Authority of Gratian for it: But his Conjetl:ureand a fiirc at me is ail the Confutation : And he cannot doubt but that Ek" emption hath fufficieitly priviledgcd BiiTiops fince then : As is after proved. CHAP. XXI. Of the firfr Co/wci! of Ephefas, e'c. I/is C ip. 5. § i./^UR Accufer in his Fifch Chapter p.^fleth by the yudi V>/ Praifes which I give to Pcj.iMble Bi(hop5, as crofTng hij Slander that I difpraife all, or fuch as well as the unpeacc- able, vvhofe J.jfti'ication it is that he undertakech. § 2. He begins with an Accufarion, \ihn[jt) prejudice th^ Re. i~ Air ag4i ,Ji CyvW s CcitncU, I give the vroyji account of hiT?j that I cxild p.::ch »p oMt of all the Libcb .tad ^ccf:f^tions of his En:" liiics.'] ^>;fv. U\y/ Prej-idtce be meant Informing him of Hiftorj-^-ivA byjr>'/? is meant Inj\irti.il Recitatio:-! of what Hiltory Cairh ; and by P.itchr.r^ up be meant fuch Riciting j and by Enemies be meant the bsfc and moft credible H,ftorians. that h.ive written of ir, then this is true: Elfe ic is the work of that Uider- t-iker th.t is engaged to call EvilG.:od,?xnA D.irkiiefs Lght, and preferreth fpeaking. good of bad adions , before Ipeaking truly. § 3 Aid that you miy know by what Spirit men that will not reproach the btH that ditfer from the Prelates, are them- felves reproached by this Sedt, and alfo >vhat fort of Hiftory this man giveth the Lie to, oa pretence of giving it me, and how far he is from Railing, he thus proceedeth. [" The firft thing he is charged with is the Opprefiion of the " Novntians, This was enough with Socrates or Sez^omen to *' paint him as ugly as men do the Devil orAntichrift; and "theri- (15°) ^ therefore there i? no great credit to be given them in thefc '* Relations, as manifeftly efpoufing the Caufe and Qnarrel of '-' the Nov.itiavs.'] yir.fw. 1. Juft us T/;«4;;/« or EtAjmui efpoufed the Caufe of the Protcftanrs by Truth and Peace, when others hated and be- lied them. 2. Methirks the man revilcth me very gently io comparifon o^ ^octAta and Soz^omcn^ the tvvo moft impartial and credible of all our Anticnt Church-Hiftorians f with Thco- dorot.) But who can wonder that he imirateth that which he defendcth. § 4 But he faith, [/f maj be the Novatiang dejerved tt-'-and it's rot ttnlik^lj that thej were verytroublcfum and fed it ions."] Anfw. It's not uKLkeljf now that others will fay ic was (b. But mark Reader which of ihefe Hiftorians is moft credible [^Sccra- tcs and Soz.omen lived with thofe that knew the things and per- sons : They have told us Truth in the reft of their Hiflories : If fhey had been Novatiaus^Mr.M. faith, They believed finning after Baptifm had no pardon or abfolution : And were thev not like then to fear fuch Lying and falfe Accufing a* paints a Saint like the Devil or Antichriit.] On the other fide [Nir./l/. liveth above a thoufand years after them ; He is ore of the Parry that take it to be not only lawful, but a duty to fay and fwear all that is impofed now, which I will not here defcribe :How truly he writes theHiftory of his own Age, even of Parliament and Warf, and living perfons, I have told you. He fail h no more againit the Hiflorians credit here, but [^tt^way he'] and [_:t^s jjot t:n'ikjly'] and [(h.y were Novaciars, Schidnaticks, Alexandrians.] Even fo theirCounterminer^and^manyCynformi'lLsthat lave many years reported us to be Rajfing a War againft the King, had their [y^^^^-^c'fe] and £/:*j ;.!?; unlikely'] and \thcy tire Scbljma- tUkf}toprove it : And Others foon rofe up and fwore ir. And when fome lament their Perjury, it f^oj.s not the reft. Butfome have fuch Frcc-ivUly that they can btlieve whom they lift. § 5". SocatcSj faith he, wakfs it part of his charge that he ti ok Oil him the Government of temporal Aff.iirs. This wjs not the ZJ [input ion ofth: B'J>'opy hu: the Indhlgeice of the Empcrour'. And he n^.ews the Churches need of it. u^r-fv. That which he is charged with is, that he jvas the frji B.fi.'.p that himfclf ufd the Sword. And I. Do you think thicfo great a Patriarchate & Diocefs would not Had a confcio- nable (15 5) naMePaftor work enough^ without joyning with' it the Magi- ftratcs Office ? 2. Was not the Church greatly changed even fo early from what it was a little before in the daies of Martin and Sulpitim, when even Ithacim durft not own being fb much as a feeker to the Magiftrate to draw the Sword againft grofs Hereticks j and the heft Bifhops denied Communion with them that fought it: And now a Bifhop himfelf becomes the ftriker not of grofs Hereticks, but fuch as peaceable Bifhops bore with. I remember not to have read that C)ril had any CommifTion for the S'.vord from the Emperour : Others then had not : Bur I deny it not. § 6. He faith, that elfewhcre I fay [_IJhallnot diJJootioHr fach^ nor difohey t/jem.l^ ^nfw, I fay and do fo : If a Bifhop will take another Calling from the King's Grant, When be hath underta- ken already 40 times more work as a Dioccfan than he can do, lie honour and obey him as a Magiftrate : But I would be loth to ftand before God under the guilt of his undertaking and omilfioDS. § 7. As to all the reft of the Hiftory about Cyril's Execu- tions, and the wounding of Ortflcs the Governour, I leave it between the Credit of Mr. Af. and Socrates. : And he very much fufpe^ls the Story of Cyrifj making a Martyr of him that was exc^ cured for it : I leave all to the Reader's Judgment. I think I may tranfcribe Socrates without flandering Cyril. Here his fpleen rifing, faith [^Therc arc rz/en in the world, that honour fuch as Alartyrsfor murdering a King.'} ^nfw. You may fmell what he infinuatcs : I think he will not fay, that he ever did more againft them than thofe that they call Presbyterians have done. We Wrote and Preacht againft them when he did not. I know not the Presbyterian living to my remembrance, that was not againft the Murder of the King, and Prin^ whom the Bifhops had, crept and ftigmatized for be- ing againft them, as ^n. Era ft I an ^ was the hotreft in the Par- liament, for the Execution of the King's Judges : But I knew di- vers Cunformifts that have written or fpoken to juftifie or ex- cufe that Facl. § 8. As for the Murder of /7;^.?/;^, Heave him to his fcuflle with Socrates and Dariiajcin^s^m which 1 interelsnot my (e\f, §9.1 thank Pope Innocent Mr. M, durft not d*ny Cyril's X faults. fau!t«, in his Enmity to the memory of Chr^foflcm j and jct he • calls my reciting the matter of Faft a rfproach. He is conftrain- f'ed to contefs [" T/^^r the J^arre^ was i: f:ims hereditary to him ^'•^'(fo is Original Sin) anA hi did profictite it beyond all eq^itif or '^^ dtcetKy againjl th; memory of a d:a-im.tn : Th:< w.is a [aiiU^and " and be th/tr ts without anj^ or without avy pa tJcnLir atiimojitjf *^ fpfcia'lji if he be ifi any eminent place, U't bm c.tft th: fi'-jt ftoneJ} ^nfv. Thank* to Confcience : We feel your Animofuies: Put is not this man a Railing Accufer ofCnl, if I am fuch ? What faith he lefs in the main ? Yea be now renews his Accufation of his Predf cefll)r, faying, Ir was hercdita-^y. To profccufe malice againft the very n-me of a holy extraordinarv Bifhdp, beyond all e wis a f^:rdt,and he th/J is wi'hout afjy,Src. Thus talkt Eli to his Sons: So one may fay, To Silence 2oco Minifters^, or to hate ih-e belt men, and (eck their ruine, is a fault, a Prelatical peccadillo; and fo was /^:?;;;;a's ufjc^e of the Martyrs ; and lee him that is vvichouc any cart the tirft ftone. And Sr. ^e^» faith. He that hateth his Brother is a tfUtrderer, and none fuch hath Eternal Life abiding in him; and that as C7.?/», he is of the Evil One, the Devil. And I beliei'C him. § ID. But he faith, I itjj-^rioiffly charge h'W with caHiv^ K\c:<- ander a boldfaced mxu^ w'.cn Atticus was the fi^fl: ^'J;::hcr cf that word. uinf^v. ^tticii4 mentioned AL\'af:dcr\ ccrfidtnr/rue and ne- ccfTary Counfcl j C;r/7contradi(fling ir, calls the WMVi^yiman of a confident face or mouth. If another Brfliop (aid ihe fir ft words before him, do I wrong him in faying he f .id \\\t f.cor.d? O tender rnenl His urging the keeping up the names of" fuch as Nechiiiw and jirfacms, and cafting out Chryfficmit'^ is {h like our Canons about Readers and Norconformilt?, and cor Cano- necrs defcriptions of their Country Parfon?, and the Puritanes, Lliat I wonder not that you defend him. § 1-1. But he faith, tlut /t^s a little unchnftUn to bUfl his memory vpith the faults which hecorrcEled in his life-time.^ u^nfw. I, It's neceffary to tell that truth which blarteth the Reputation of fuch fin as was growing up towards Papacy. -ri/«/,2.Then Chrift was unchriftian to tell the Jews of their very Fathers murders of the Prophets, while they difclaimed ir, and. built their Sepulchres, Mat. 23. And theaic was unchriftian in the the Holy Ghoft,to blaft the memory of yldam^ A'oe, Lot, David Solomon^ Feter^ yea or AUnaJfeh, with fins repeiite^ pf. a.Hiftory muft fpeak truth about things repented cfj or elfe it will buL deceive the world. 4. The Honour of God, andGoodnefs, and Truth, muft be preferred before our own Honour. Repefitance, if true, will molt freely confefs a mans own fin^ and poft fully fhamcir. § 12. Whether all his far-fctcht Con;c(n:ures that Cyril re- pented, be true or no, is nothing to me. I will hope he did, though I nevnerfaw it proved : The very laft Sentence of Death might do it. His retortion is, [_I know no man dee pi r engaged in the Contentions of the Charcb (than \) The writir.gof his Eighty Bo'^kj being but Itk- fo many pitcht Battels he has foyghr, and mofi commoKly in the-da'\y when he was h-irdly atl: to difcuver fnuid from foe. 2 ^nfw. It's too true, thit being ail written for Prace, the Enemies cf Peace have fought againlt them. Ntmis dn habi- tavit, anima n-jsa itttcr ofofes p.ici^. ^\Z pro caput Letloris^ 5rc. All men rake not th? words of fuch as he fur Oracles. How much I have written and done for Peace, let others read and judged 1 long I .bourcd'ard bcgg'd for Peace ia \z'\n wiih fLch as he defender!;. And it's admirable iftliis pittilefs Enemy of Se(fts and Erro ;rs can be for all the St{ti and Erroi:rs that I have writ enaga'pft. Have I in thcdark taken for i(jts by Er- rour the Arheiits, the Intidels, the S.idducc", the Hobbifts, the Q^iakerf, the Ranter?, the Papifts, rhe Socinians, the Libertines called Antinomians, the Anabaprilts, the Separatifrs, and StCts as Set€ti here in E'igUnd ? 6. What if all this had been true ? What is it to me or any of n)y mind ? I never had a hand inperfecuting one man, to my remembrance. How few can you name of all the Nonconfor- liiiils now in England, that had any band in the Severities you mention ? (157) mention ? I know not four in EngUnd, that I remember. And' what's this to us any more than to you ? 7. And v/as it well done, or ill ? If well, why do you liken them to the Inquifition ? Are you for n? If ill, why do you plead for it In others ? Imitate it not if you diflike it. For my part, as lam againit all Seds as fuch, I am much more againft the cruelty of any. I ftick no more at the dif- gracing the Presbyterians fins, than yours :: And L am readier to difgrace my own than either, if I can know them. I would cherifh Errours no more than you j but I would not mine or imprifon even fuch of your felves as have too many. Herefie rauft have its proper cure. I thank God I had once an Ortho- dox agreeing Flock. But again I fay, the Presbyterians were too impatient with Diflenters ; and it's better have variety of Fifn in the Pond, thanj^y the Pikes to reduce them to fpecial unity. § l^. He faith that Nejlorius conpaurntially demcd the God- Head of CoTifi, p. 192. Next he hath found a contradicTiion in my words, that the Emperor was wcd'j of thisflrr : And yet thic [ Cyal did it to pleafs the Court ] Thefe critical men can make tht^ir two hands enemies to each other. How came hcwjkirreireth himfelf to mran tb€ hifm,i:ne n.-it!irc anoirted to his Office : And the Iran thcn/7, NeftonuSf and the Council, and Diro- i-ok\ Citations, I am quire part doubt that the controverfy was Verbal^ which of ihtmfpak.^ orthodoxly while (hey bo(h meant the fame thing; and wheii%nefaid Afary wasth' Mo'h-r of God^ and the other fijid,no; Sh: w-ish/nthc Muth.rofthM Vtrfo-s who is God J ihi^ Jin,(fs of the phrafe was the matter of their quar- leL Aid coi.fider i M ^ny think that whtn a higii point is in con- troveify to the danger of theCiurcfi, we mult ulcihe cxjcleft phraftp, and not fay all thai may be jii'.tihed. 2. \nd asp'w.i d4t nomasXo loa^tn (orm.il! s.^or dcnominitingroper than a m.ttcYiii : A^d therefore though idiotKi m.:y tc C)m.niuriicated, h" that i.". co.'urove rfie dene mi- denominatech the Divine NiCure from its o:vn properties/peak^ more exadf]'. 3. If one fhould in our Pulpits fay ordinirily [T^jelVor/J was Created bj M.An : j The eternul proceeding of the Holy G-jojl wa: Jfem a A/an : Fhpo and Blood w.is fr(.m Etetmty \^ m^ny found Chrjftians would not like it. And yet it's true in the Com- municative fenfe, viz.. [ He that is now man made the world as God: The H:/Iy GhoU eternally proceeded from the 2d PL-rfon in the Trinity who is now God and Min : Ghriit who was flcfh- and bioo-1 o.i Earth, was Eternal as God. J So if o;ie nowfay [] Gjd was confined to the Virgins Womb, and to the Manger: Gjd could notfpeak in the Infancv of Chrift : Go.l vvas but a- bout 30 year old when Chrift was Baptized : God knew not the day nor the hour of Chrilh fecund coming: God was a!leep> huagry, forrowiul, in an agony, crucified, dead, buried, cr^r. 3. A'i this is thus far true, vi^. Of C-jrif^ \who was God, not as Gjd but as mjn : A id yet if I fho aid deny but the //V/>v/f ot'this^ lpe.;l( ng, I were ju!l fuch an Heretick as JVefiori»s was: And mmy ihac are no H.reticks for all thac would not reilifh ir. Eithirr my Eyes could not fin J thac in iVc;;?(?r/,vj which he sfht'ms ofhirn cr elfe he is a mc-er llandercrof him, when he liith Pag. 193 that he dcnyed Yea obftiaatcly ] that /I/^»7 was the Ai'thy^ oj th^t Ptrfon who was God.~\ He hat'i pro iuced no fuch. word. That which he ftood to 'fvi?, that inltead of [4ying M.iry Wis the Mother of God^ we (liould Cdyjhc was th: Aiothir of Co'ifl who is God and Alan. And of the unity of Perfon I. have c ted already his own A^ords fo fully, as moved Dsrodm to Ciy [^ f d ure boUly [ay^ no Chrifiian hrJj hitherto fp. ken trpil^er u-id ylaimr of the muty ofChr't^s Verfon i ; two natures than Nelto - riu5 3 And that it's UXi't that he confeft but an union ofdignity fihe lame cited words fhcw : Ncxu adeo fihUmi (^ fairh he) Di-- vino^m & admirabili ( mentioning the conjunction of the Divin:-- ty and humanity ) xt Divina natura eajibi vendicct q:^, which is not undone among Nations of blcftonans to this day. But if the man were able to be impartial, and fo happy as nor to draw on himfelf the guilt of fuch fins by juftifying them, he might eafily fee in his own confefTion that Cjnl the Hereticator /pai<.e 1 fpake as bad at leaft as Neftortut, He oft confelTcth ( for he can- not deny ir ) [th^it he doth jreo^ueatlj own br.t one nature ] p. 197. and 198. [ thut there ts but one nature of the word incarnate 3 To p. 201. crc. But C;r/7 meant well, that i>, by i\r<J<^i for vTTc'jrtc^f, fo Entyches who had tar lefs Learning than Cyrily did word amifs the conception?, which were the fame with Cynls, I leave it to this mild Cenfurer to call them Fools ^ and mad^ and wicked. It's taken for railing in me to blame them. § 3. He fditli [Cyrilnever faid there were two Natures in Chri^ before the Vuion. An[. I have twice cited his words: Find a true difference between them and thofc o{ Eutyches if you can. I believe they both meant better than they fpake. § 4. But the Spirit of dctra') hear fome preach againft the ArntlnUns : I take no notice of it, and there it dies : Wherea« if one fivould write Challenges and Accufations to the Preacber?, we might make work enough for all the Country. .1 never yet met with many fucb, but if you make not a War of it^ and engage them by oppoficion, they grow weary themfelves, and grow into un- obferv'd neglect or contempt. Moll of the fpr^ading Errours and Contentions among us have come by the Bellows of too ftrong or imprudent Oppofition or Difputes. I hear of no con- fiderablc Do(ftrinal Strivings among all the Nonconformifts now in EvgUnd. One Ignorant Uncalled Fellow is lately crept into London^ and wrote proud Challenges for Antinomianifm.and none anfwered him, and he is contemned, and hath no Second that I hear of. § J. Though he fay \he U wearjf, yet h? mush vot pafs hj^ that when I mention Socrates his moft high praife of Theodofius (living under him 3 and the miracles which he faith God, wrought for him i I fay, if this be tnte^ God owned bis Aiodcraticn by Mira- cles, not\vith(landivg bis favouring the Eutychians, more than he did any ways of violcncc.2 And here the Qian hath found me in Con trad !(flion, and faith, [77ycy^ miracles could not countenance the Eutychian ca^^fe that was after, x. That ths Eutychiansn^tfr* the mofl violent men. Such Contradiiftions he and VEfirange find in my Writings. ^trf Bur, I. Is it true that I faidthofe miracles countenanced the Eutychian Ciiuih? I faid only that God owned the Moderati- on (not the Eutychian Opinion) of a man called an Eutychian by the Hereticators,notwithftanding his favouring x.\\QEntychiar,s.Hc was a man that ftudied the reconciliation of the contending Bi- fhops, and was moderate towards all, but perfuaded that the major Vote of the Bifhops being againft Nefioriiu, and for C;r/7, and Diofcorw^ it tefided to peace to take that fide. His Mode- ration was the fame before the ftir with Emyches as after. I on- ly laid that God by miracles owned that mans moderation^ who is charged with after favouring the En^jchians. 1. And what I fpake of Moderation oppofiteto violence, in way of fupprefTing Hereticks, he feigneth me to fpeak it as oppofite to violence in the Verfonsfupprejfd: I fpake of r/J^r;;r« in the Prince as agent, and he feigneih me to fpOfy^ of Violence in the parties that he dealt with. He may find master at ihi^ rate Z -J (170) to write greater Volums againft any man. I"read of none ef the Herefies then contended about, Neftonan or Eutjchian^ but the accufed Bifhops nere violent for them: But though they were all violent, yet if the queftion were, whether' the Emperour fhould ufc violence or Moderation againft them, I may fay, that Godowneih more the way of Moderation. § 6. P. 246. he faith [^f Ephefiis Euftathius xvask^kt to death ^ and all thoje that durfl de find him were threatned to be ferved in like manner^ Anf Of this before: Hi« memory failed him: It was not B (fjl" at hi tis but FUvmnitf. 2. Yet he afrer excufeth Di' ofcortu from Herefiej more Bifhops than were Hereticks were violenr. § 7. As to hi« Reflcdlion, [^* It may be he thinhj the Empe- *' rour took, a particular Delight in that kjnd of crttelrj, and that "he hud rather one Jhonld be kj^kt to death, than that he jl.ould be '^hanged or beheaded \ vchich tvonld not be much to the credit of hif *' A'loderation : And to fa) the trmh ^ hif Letter to Valentinian **difcovers a firange kind of Spirit; for thtre he jtiflifies the pro- ^*ceedir,gs of the Eutychians ^r Ephefus, and fates that all things ^'' were carried on with much freedom and perfe^ Truth, and Flavi- " an found gftH'y of Innovating in Religion. This i< bm an iUfgn ** that Mr. B. is a hater of falje Htjiory^ when he lets this pafs un- ^* reproved. Anf I. Had I reproved fuch an Emperour, I might have ex- pected that fome of you would have publiihed me an Enemy to Kings. Anf 2. Rather Sir, you andl fliould hence gather, that all men muft have pardon and forbearance, and that for want of that, the names of Neftorians, Jacobite*, Melchites, Greek*, Papifts 3 Proteftants , Lutheranes , Calvinifts , Prelatifts , and Presbyterians, (^r. havealmoft fwallowed uj) the Name, much more the Love of Chriftians. Atif 3. May it not confifl: with modefty and the hatred of falfe Iltforj, to believe the high praifes of this Emperour, pub- lifhedby one that knew him in fo pious and credible words as Sco'^.'ffj fpeaks, as I before told you, giving him fto mej a more credible Canonization than the Pope could have done, as a man of eminent holinefs^ wonderful Clemency ^ that would not let a Traitor go ofte of the Gates towards the place of Exechtion, and when be was moved {0 any Execution, anfwered, he had rather , yfcrc 071) Vpere he able^ reflore the Dead to Life: exceUing all the Clergy in meeknefs, artd never fe en angrj. May not I who am branded for a railer by meek Prelatiftf, be tolerated to think charitably of fuch an Emperour, and to wilh that the world had many more fuch. u4nf. 4. Judges are taken for unjuft if they will not hear both fides rpeak. And why (hould not I rej^ard the words of fuch an Emperour, as well a« of one halftheBifliopsagainft the other? Anf. 5 . Surely Modefty requircth me to think that the Em- perour was much more capable of knowing the truth of theacfls of his own Subje(5t« 5 when his Servants prefent gave him an account of them, than lam 1200 Years after: And fo good a man woLld not willingly lye. ^nf, 6 Therefore my own Conclufion is , God is true and all men areLyars, that is^ untrufty : and that Hadacia and his Courtiers had much power with him forD/<»/^<'^'«/againft FUvi' M^^sTclcheria had agaihft Hejiorius j bur rhat it was the Peace and Concord oftheBiftiops which he moft ftudied^and thought that it lay in going with the major part.And I befieve things were bad on both fides, and worfe than the Emperotrr thought with the Eutychian Bifhops, and ♦vorfc than others fay with their Adver*- fariesj and that the Emperour, though fallible, was as Socrates faith, beyond all the Clergie. But here I fee th^t I am blamed for not railing igainft a meek and piouv Emperour, and as a Railer for lahaenting the fin? of the ClergiCi § 8. \bout the Council of Calcedon he accufeth me in gene- ral, as ^dijirigeHiouJly mincing the A^s, and njing aH the foul plat pojfible, '. Eafily faid : And Whit's the proof? Why, i. Leave out that tht^ XK'cre Violently beaten t9 it. ^ ' * «"'i tJ^ ^nf. Tbf Reader may (^e that this is filf^ f ! rflefttion it oft, pag. 10 1. \tbe BJhifps ajvp^r^dy that they did it againfl their Wttis, being under fear : C^rdemnation and banifhment was threat" ikd^ S' uldters were th:ri with Clhbs and S\xords.'} Shall I believe rhii man againft fuch aS ^^pr^rf/, of things done 1200 Years ago, that will face me du.Vn with fuch untruths about tny own yet vifiUe Writings ? i. But is it fallhood to omit what is faid in fuch and (b many* VoJumni? May not the Reader there fbc \if Dolcontradiiflit? Z 2 Mufi: (171) Muft I write many Folio's or fiotfiing ? I refer,*!! Readers to tbe Adt*. . ! n- : -•■•:• <> . ' /■ § 9. But he faith, [/f ixould^o near to cxcufe their Complignct with A mcrcifulnta.n.'} yit[. I confcls luch are not fo bad a> the GIergy-men,that wiU fm for meer Prefcrmenr,ard vrill wrire»igainft,and revilc^and call for Exccarioni3n rhbfe that. will not do as they. But if Noncon- formifts after 19 Years EjeftrTon an.i Reproach,, and Sufferings by more than Threats, fliould at lart (Urrenjer to heinous iin^ can be think it would excufe their Comf>iiance, when Ghriit faith, Luk: 14' ■ ? ?•! ^^ thatforfaktth i!9f all that he hath cannot be viyDijciplci (tibe thidk MiircVdom a work orSu|)ererogation,he is dangeroufly niiftaken. And he tliat to day tliinks Jhrearnirg and DaK^er.iQ Excufe far ■htr.f>i^ may to morrow think Poverty, and the next day the (kfire. of preferment an excufe. § lo./);5yiror«^and the £«r/tf/:?ytiwj holding clofe to the Council oiNjcc^-Qs fufficientiM-ti Teft of rhe Orthodox,to which nothing wisfo be added, . Jarecitin^ this he bath found my Ignorance V\tr^ii{[it\ng.^ctfr^^J^f>y [retr^{tJ2 if not the Engl ifh word of the fame fence wib the Latine ?< If not;- and I be ignorant in Engliib tooi .nrhat wrong-is that to any Bifhop ? > § 11. When he tjad charged Ncnfence and GonfHJion on that which he underftoodnor, and mentioned Fu{ih, I>or;/. giving the l^etQ ^Htyches, heconfefle.th tbajt tbething.wa^jtrue. ; . .'; •0 J-|U*:'i*.^55. He" faith, When the gUdj ral^hlf of Monies with Swcrds and fiaves, //^i? Bedlams broke loofe^ run upon fhtnt-^-^^ JhftHldrather fity them than infult. ';, |;: .'jr"." ■ ; ■ ' .',\ ' Anf, If the Hiftory be an infiiitlng, his, own creJired Hiftori- ans infult by recording it. If noting it as a fault be infultingythcna motion to Repentance is infultij-g, and if he vyould have us pity them for their fin, and not only for their fuffcring , that is,iji- fuiting too; But to own tbeiif fin,-and{dr^^ a^jito imitfrterfh^m, fhall be none of ray Compaffion. .\ ^ y^^^.^y \ . vv"] jm vm He minds me of Veicn Denial, andx th^ Difciples forfaking CbrilY. Alas ! he is not a map that is not lenfible of Humane frailty ? But i« it nov if^r^^^.to be blarned? Wh^ dot^ Scr;ip*- ture mentiofl it« bi^t that we may avoid the like/ Is i^ to tenqijpit others to the like? Did Chrift infult when he faid K^Veter^Gct. thet bemnd nJ6' SataHy &^^,: ^.ttY,-*/,f, -\ c, V* H'. |;i3. He next, ft lis into, his familiar ftrain, to carry that e» Cjfthedra, Cathedra^ by (entence, which be cannot do by proof, and faith, \W'lyen I vent/ire on Obfervations it's an evets Uy th^t I am ct:t. J ^n[. That is, I am out of the- way of hlS; Magjrtry , Prccon^ cejpt and Intercft. , Ic is my Gonciliitory words that the peaceable man is an- gry at, viz,. [That this doLejul ^ ContintioHs ^ AnAthemaXiiL'ing ^ and ruining o^ each, other ^ wai about the Jenje of,ambigHOi^ woras^ and they were lattj of one mind in the matter and l^iexv it not.)\ He cannot but confefs , that my judgment of them is lofter than theirs that hereticatc each other. And Derodon hath fully proved that this Council when they condemned Ne^orius^ were of his Judgment in the whole matter, and faid ; .byt t,h«e fame as he. . . "' ; • -.^ '^ §,14. As to his telling me, that Eutyches denied Chrift to be truly and properly man, I will no more believe him, than if he had faid C/n/did %. § 15; But he faith, the Aionothelites were the genuine Difci- pies uts Ecclifias, fe ipfi m.-anis convitiu l^Ctrab-int, & cmnibHs diris dsvovebAKf. Etji po^ea res ad pUcidiim exit urn de- dn^a eji : ^.viy and laborioully difjiieafed and loft the Sccftaries too, whofc ho- nour i« it that I (ell my Soul for ? § 13. But did the man think that Vticonftancj and compliance with powerful HercfiCj is the fame thing with Repentance for it ? Or is it well done to perfiiade the Reader that it is Repen- tance or Retra(ftation of Herefie I write againft, when I recite the words of the Council and their own ? Do 1 fay that ptccavi- mw was their fin ^ § 24. And I would humbly defire him in time to confider, 1. Whether ic was a venial fin not to be named by me, when the raoft zealous Papifis and Hiftorians name it, for fo great a num- ber of Bifhops to turn and turn again fo often, and that with Anathematizing one year of what they voted for before with Anathema 'to the contrary. I crave your impartial confiderati- on but of two Iiiftances: How oft did they with Anathema's vote for and againft the Council of CAlccdon as the Emperours changed ? Yea in the fame Ufurpers time, BaJiUfcas, when he changed himfelf. 2, In the cafe of Images: How oft did they change in Councils, for them and againft rhem, as the Princes changed? Sir, v/c mind this with lamentation andnot inliltingly : But if you take thefe for venial little fins, and our not fwearing and covenanting all that you bid us for a mortal fin, are you not partial? 2. And I would wifh you to think on it again, before you make this guilt your own, by mincing and excufing it j and left: you make all other mens fin your own, «vhom hereby you en- courage in the imitation of them. Thefe are not things indif- ferent. 3. And do not fo diflionour Prelacy, and yoiwr Chtirch and Difcipline, as to tell the World that thefe in Bilhops are little things j what then is left for you to ftick atf No man fhould make light of fuch Beams in the Eyes of thole that fhould be the moft i)ure, while they are pulling rhe mote of fcrupling a Cere- mony, yea an Oath. &c. from their Brothers Eye, and that by fpch Iron Inftrumenrs as they w^c. § 2 J. Next comes his Logical terms, ]jhro\ving dirt^ outragi- ons^Oitter^minlicioM^^c^ And what's the matter ? \_[ give not one loofi at Emperours and Courts : [corning to change the game, iharging the, Bijhops with- the pidts of the Aiagijiratf , and lajfifg all (i8i) *// the blame on them.']ln what words ? 1 fay, [yt> fur could jiercct aadfacitous Prelates prevail with a picas and peaceable Prince^ hj the pretences of cppo^ng Hercfxe andSchifm. jinf 1^ Was he noc a moft pious and peaceable Prince/ Then $ocrates ihni knew him, and proteltcth againft flattery, and many others, are not to be believed f yea, if he excelled noc the Bifhops ? 2. Do I fiy that none but the Bifliops perfuadedhim? Where do 1 lay all the fault on them ? Do I not after name the Empe- refs Eudocia^ as the Agent to perfuade him for the Eutychians, and Pfikhcna to perfuade him againft Nejhrms : My words arc vifible. 3. VVhat*Bifliop8 were they that perfuaded him to make a Law to confirm the Ephcfine , Eucychian Council ? Was it noc DivfoGYtis a-.d the Eutychians ? Were they not Billiops ? Did they noc do it ? Yea, doth noc this man oft revile ihem far more bitterly than. ever I did, and revile me for freaking fo cha- ritably of them? Would you ever have expected that the Uvc^c mvn fliould have fo reviled mc, for faying that thefi? Eutychian Bifl^iOps prevailed with a good Emperour to confirm that Coun- cil of Eutychians ? 4. Is it a fin not to fpeak hardlier of Co good a Prince, who after repented and puni[hed his Wife and Eunuch for pcrfuading him? It was a blaming him to tell to what he was perfuad- ed. Truly the mans anger here for my blaming the Eucychian Bl- fliops, in condemnation of whom he hath poured out fo much more than I, doth makerae think that there is fomewhat in the found of foine words, tliat turns his wrath this way or that: When he hears the name of an Eucychian, away with them^fpeak^ not eafily of them. When the fame men are called Bifhops, it's malice, outragiotts bttternefs to blame them for getting a Law to confirm that called an Heretical , Murdering , Latrocinian Council. His words are, p. 146. [_Were there ever greater vio- lences committed than in that infamous Conventicle ^f Epbefus ?3 § %6. P. 265, He confetfcth that the Debate between ty Council and the Egjptian Bijhops was fomethingteo warm : but faith that heat was not altogether witho-at rcafon. Anf This is his way to confefs their faults, and therj rail at me for bare reciting the words of the Debate or Hiltory. But it was not without reafon : He confcQeih (i8z) confcfTeth not fo much as this of the filercing and ruining Mlni- frers now. It fhal! not be the ufe of my rcafon to make Fig- leaves to cloath and cover the fins which God abhorreth. Mtn Witt he men he faith, wherever thcj are placed^ whether in M Council or in the Churchy cr even at the ^It^r, yifif. By Men I fuppcfe he meaneth Sinrers : and it's true. But of all Sinners Oh that God would fave his Church from thofe who bate reproof, and cherifh the worft that will be for them, and excommunicate and profecutc the moft confcionable that will not obey them in things which they call indifferent, for fear of finning againft God. § 27. His trifling words about Leo and Rome are not worthy ofanAnfwer. § 28. He bath, P. 268. hit again on the overfight which I before confefled, even the effedt of ray receflirated haifte, that in tranflating Thcodoret'$ words Iput {truly) in the wrong place; I ask him forgivenefs, and the Bifhops, if that be any flander againft them j which is nothing to them. § 29. He faith, P. 269. [ There is no truth in what our Ah' thor faith, that Ibas Epifle was acqf^it.'] Anf. There is no xruth in faying that I fa id it was, when my words were disjunrtive, £ The Epiflle was acq'tit, or at leaft th' Bsfhop upon the reading of »r.] Hefiich, Ibaswas not acquit on the reading the Epijile, hut on the defence he mads^ th>it he communicated with Cyril. Anf. His Accufations of Falftiood arc commonly Boyifh Quibbles. His Defence and the Reading of his Letter go together, and in Bin- nius the Letter, and the Letters of the Clergy of Edcjfa dire the !afl things done before he is difcharged. §30. P. 270. He faith, T The truth is, the E^ifiernBiJhops were not Jo ingenuous and fair after their rccoKciliation with Cyril, &c. ] Thus he becomes himfelf ftill anaccufcr of the Bifhops. § 3 1. Becaufel fay that the Judges paft (entence to caft out both Stephen and Baffian from Ephefus, and aU confented, he ftiith, [One would thinly here the fudge s paffed fentence againfi the confent or Inclination of the BiJloopsJ^ Anf There is no end of anfwering your thinkings. I did not fay that the Judges palTcd the Councils Sentence but their own : And whether it were a- gainft the Fore-incUn'/.ticn of the Council let any Reader judge, when the Judges asking the Council their fence, [^c/, Epifcopi clamaverunt, judiiia Baffianum vocat: ReguU valeant. The Judges (185) Judges anfwered them that their judgment was that both were ro be caft our, and a third chofen, and the Council fuddenly con- fented. If he would be believed conrradidting this he muft deny the Adts. § 3?. He hath foqpd: matter for a quibble againft tafling Pore- rius Flejh with their Teeth. Teeth taltenot: Dangerous lalfeHi- llory, or want of Learning is learnedly heredifcovered. When he cannot deny the moft woetul, calamirous diifentions which followed the C<t.v ?] But if that Councils A(fls were a fit means to cure the Churches Divifions , how came they to be prefentiy and through many Ages, yea, ever fince to this day, thereby increafed fo many fold i" Though the Afiembly at ferufalem cured not all the Jewifh Teachers of their blind Zeal for Mofes Law, it was fo far from increafing the Diifentions and number of Diflen-! rers, that it fatisfied the Gentile Chriftians for the moft part , and many of the Jewifh, and greatly diminifhed theDifcord. It's one thing «) fimll Pikes put in ; when the Pond was drawn there was never a Fifli but the two Tyrants (as he calls them) grown to a huge bignefs. The fear leaft Popery and Prelacy ihould be the two Pikes, tempted men irregularly to covenant againft them. To have fuch variety as Rocb, Dace, Pierch, Tench, Carp, made it a Schifmatical Pondj The two Pikes were againft Schifm and Toleration, and for ending the Divifion by reducing all to unity of Species. § 37. A« to his Qneftion ofQii. Eliz^aheths days, the Iniiiiia- tioa may fcduce the ignorant , but none elfe. i. If he know not that it was the Subfcription required in the Canons, (that nothing in the Bookj is contrary to the Word ofGody fcrupled, which broke the Peace and Concord of England, he is unfit by his Ig- norance to be an Informer of others. I have known many than would have yielded to come into the Conforming Church, if that one word had been but forborn: For when any pradice a- gainft their Confciences about baptizing. Communion, or Bu- rials had fain in their way, they would have lllently fhifted ic oft^ or been from home, and have ventured toanfwer it, fo they, cou'd but confcionably have got in. But our Canoneers are for all or nothing. 2. He is fure no Englilli Clergy-man, if he know not how much is laid on uSy that w^s nor known m the days of Qj. E//- z^abeth. h it to inform men, or deceive them, that he makes the difference to be between 36 and 39 Articles , and faith nothing of all the new Covenants, Declaration?, Oaths, Subfcriptions, Dodrine and Pradifes ? § 38. Many make ufe olt Mr. Edivai'ds Can^re}ia, and the Lon- don AiiniiTcn Teflimony againft erronrsy to prove the Herefies and Confufions of the late times. No doubt all fin is odious: But few men living are more competent Witnefies of thofe things than I. The Errours that fprung up were much more tenderly, refented then than now. You now have many called Wits and Perfons ofQiiality, who at a Club difpute againft the Providence of God, the immortality of the boul, and a future Life j and therp is neither Cburch- Admonition, Excommunication, nor any great matter made of it , but they are Members of the Church of E«g/^«^', thepureft Church in all the World ; Whereas inthofe licentious tiraes/if one Souldier had fpokcn fuch a Word, it would have rung out through the Land, and perhaps his Tongue would have (ipo) have been bored with an hot Iron. It wzt the errours oi . proud rebellious Soldiers that made moft of the noife, that had no confiderable number of Minifters left with them. I had a hand in Mr. Edwards Book thus: An Aflembly of Minlfters after Nafebjf Fight fent me into the Army to try if I could reduce them. Dayly difputing with them, a few proud felfconceited Fellows vented fome grofs words. At Amctjham a few Coun- try Sefftaries had fet up a Meeting in Dr. Crooki Church, todif- pute and deceive the People : A few of Major Bethel's Troop (that afterwards turned Levellers and were ruined) joined with them : I met them, and almoft all day difputed againft them, and fhamedthem, and they met there no more. I gathered up all the grofs words which they uttered and wrote them in a Let- ter to Francis Tyton, and after I found them cited in Mr.Edwards Gangrena. And what's the abfurd Speeches of a few ignorant Souldiers, that are dead with them^ to thcHerefies and Schifms that thefe looo or 1200 Years continue in all the Roman Com- munion, and they fay in all the reft of the Chriftian World. One cheating Papiftas a converted Jew got into an Anabaptifts Meet- ing, one Maxwell a Scot, and all England rung of it. But when Bifhops have made and keep France, Spain^ ^falj, 5rc. in the fame Errours, Dr. Hejlm^ and Bp. Bromhall, and fuch others , took them for fuch, with whom a Coalition on the terms by them defcribcd was very defirable. CHAP. XXIV. His 'jth Chapter confidered. .§ i.np H E Man had not the courage to defend the furgent X Prelacy in its Manhood and Maturity, but only in its Infant and Juvenile State; nor to defend the many hundred Councils which I mentioned after the Council of Calcedon, in which either his Modefty or Cauteloufnefs comes (hort of his Rd. Fathers, who fome of them own the fix firft General Coun- cils, and fome of them eight, and fome would unite with the Church of R^Me^ if they will abate but the laft 400 Years addi- tions, §2, In (I9») § 2, In his Gleanings in this 7th Chap, he over, and over, and* over perfuadeth his Reader,that I make or affirm that {^the Bps. were the caufe of all the Herejies in the worlds and of all the Here- fies^ Schifms, and Evils that have afflifled the Church. And hath thisHiftorian any proof of this ? Or is it the melancholy fiflion of his Brain ? Yes, this is his proof contrary to my manifold Inftances, becaufe I fay in one age , [^We have a fir ange things a Herefie raifed by one that was no Btjh$p : which Ihave anfwercd before. To be thenfhange^ and never to he at all j are not words of the fame fenfe ? But his Anfvvers throughout do mind me of Seneca'i Words, that a man that is fore complains (or cries Oh) when he doth but think you touch him. § 3. He thus himfeJf accufeth the Biiliops, p. 276. ^There have been wicked men and wickedBiJloops in all times r\ And p. 277. [ That fome Bijhops have ah fifed their Anthority and Office^ and been the caufe of Herefie and Schifm cannot be denied.'] But yec [_He hath Poewed fufficiently, that rnofh of my particular Accufiti- ens are void of all truth and Ingettuity, ] Anf Or elfe thofe words are fo. §4. He faith All EcclefiafiicalPVr iters agree^ that Simon Ma- gus was Author of the firfi Herefie in Chrifiian Religion,'] Anf All confefs that fudas was before him : And if it be a Herefie to buy the Spirit for Money, it is a Herefie to fell Ghrift for Mo- ney. But I confefs fome tell us of his after pranks at Rome^ and imitating Icarus, at Peters Prayers : If you would fee why Dr. More takes this for a toyifh Legend, fee his Alyfiery of Inic^m- ty^ Lib. 2.C. 19. § 6,7. p. 447, 448. § f. P. 286, 287. haroniw firlt, and Vhilaflritu after, are made guilty of Forgery and difregardable Hiftory , fo that I may well bear fome of his Cenfures, § 6. P. 290. To confute me etfedually he faith much what the fame which is much of thefum of all my Book : And yec it's falfc and malicious in me, and true and charitable in him: viz.t [Praifingtbe firfi 300 years ^ ('when the Biftiops were fuch as we offer to fubmit to:) he adds iThe following Ages nere not fo happj-, hut as Chrifiians generally degenerated fo did- the Bif:opstoo.'] ■^»f What ! Before the Council of N/cj / That's a fad Con- feflion. I was ready to fay as a Roman Emperour faid to a fiat- tercr^ that ftill faid all that he faid, IDiQ alind aliqmd tn duo /- mtis,] ('90 muSf] But bis nex< words allay ir, [^Bntjet not fo much Ai our Ah- thor would make it appear.'] As the Dominicans and Oratorians muft fay fome talfliood of Calvine, left they be thought Calvi- nifts. And yet he addetb, [The Beginning of the /^tij Century was very unhappy to the Church, for Verftcution without , and Herefie and Schifm within. Meletius an Egjytian began a Schifm ^ forfooh the Communion of the Church, &C. Next the Donatifis, Brians, 8{C.2 ^r.f It feems that the Emperours Confi.tKtim and r.tlens were without the Church, and yet the u4rian Prtcfls and Bifcops were within it. When he defineth the Church we may underftand this. But is it not this ^\h Century that is made the Churches more flourifhing ftate by others •? § 7. Even the great Hiftorianof Herefies, Epiphauirii, is faid p. 292. to be [^unaccountably mij}ai(^en in Jeverat things relating TO that Hifiory.\ And 293. hath [^a jhange unaccountable mifial^c in diverjc othir things relating to that matter.^ If I had at any time erred vv^ich fuch a Bilhop and Father , I might have been excuGib'e for reciting his Hiftory. § 8. Pag. 19^. He opens the very Heart of his Parties Prin- ciples, and faith, [ The Church is never di/ir.Ulcd more by aty thing than Projects of A^o deration.'} Anf. Experience proveth t,hat yon fpeak your Henrr. The words are no wilful Lye which agree with a mans Mind, be they never fo falfc as difagreeable to the matter. No man was more of that Opinion than Hildebrand^ that would notyieKl the Em- perours the Invcftlture, nor as I before faid, abate the Prince of ■Calans the Ihaving of his Bifhops Beard to fave his Kingdom. i^;c7o>' began with that Opinion too foon, but his Succeflbrs have thefe Thoufand Years been as much for it as you can wifli. 2. But to whom is it that you intend this? Sure not to ail : Was Bifhop Laud of that mind toward the Papifts if Dr. Hcylm fay true ? Was Grotim of that mind toward them ? Was Arch- Bifhop Bromhall, Forbes, Bcz.'iar^ Thorndikj (and many more fiichj of that mind ? No: Tie excufe you , that you meant not them and their Proje^s of Aioderation : Nor I believe neither CaJfander'Sj Erafmus^s, Wicslim's , Sar.^a Clara's ^ Leandfr''s ^ Qcc. But towards fuch as I am, you have been as firm to that Prin- ciple as any one of our Enemies could wifh. In 1660, 1661. it was was ttioft efFe(ft:uaIIy improved j and you have attained much of the fruits then foretold: and ever fince have been unmoveably and prevailingly true to it. - 3, But this maketh fome men the DifiraBers of the Church, if not the^r^4f^y?, which truly I have better thoughts of: Such as faniHs , ParaM , yim^rMdm ^ Lc Blanks , Davenant, Ward VJher^ Hold/worth, Morton^ Hall^ Sec. And lately when we were preparing for the Kings Return, Bp. Brownrig^ and after his death Dr. Garvden, Dr. Gulfion, Dr. Allen, Dr. Bernard^ and diverfe fuch did offer themfelves to a Treaty for Moderation : And fince then Dr. WUkins, Dr. Burton, Dr. Tillotfon, and in di. ebu4 illis Dr. Stillingfleet have been guilty of this crime, of di- fira^ing the Church by ^rojcUi of Moderation : But I can name the Bps. that were not guilty of it. To abate or forfake the neceflary points of Faith and Pradlce on pretence of Moderation, is to deftroy Chriftianity on pre- tence of Humanity or Peace. But to make Laws that men fliall preach with Horns on their Heads , to fignifie the Vidtory of Truth, and to ruine all that will not keep thcfe Laws (much more if men (hould command worfe ) and to fay a Projeft for Moderation would diftradt the Church, would be as far from Wifdom as it is from Moderation: And fome Prelates have done as bad as this. § 9. He confcffeth/'. 296. that by force and Fraud \thexvhoU World in a. manner was turned Arian."^ And did I ever fay worfc of the Bifliops than this ? § 10. He maketh Aerim to fpeak againft Bifhops becaufe he could not be a Bifliop, fo that he was of a Prelatical Judgment and Spirit, and calleth him \^'The Cartwright of the times, '} by which if he mean that Cartwright would have been a Biftop, it doth but tell us that he defcrveth little belief in his Hifto» § II. He is a moft fingular Hiftonan , ;>. 303. in telling us, that after the Monothelices in following Ages of the Church the Devil ftarted up but few Herejies till theje Ages,—- Swenkjeldians^ Anabaptifis, 6cc. By this I perceive he believeth neither Papifts nor Proteftants : For the Papifts name many Herefies fince , and the Proteftants fay that Popery is but a Gompofition of many Herefies , and name us many that concur*d thereto. C c § 12. He (194) § 12. He there giveth me thi« ferious Admonition, \^ It is a much greater wonder that any man that makes Confcience of what he faithj Jl.oNld tigainfl all truth of Htjfory , and againd his own knowledge, charge the Bijhops with all the Here fie s in the World : that a per font hat fe ems jo jerfible of approaching "judgment ^ asfre- cjHeutlji toj?iit hinjfelf in mind of it—-floouldyet advance fo malici- cm and groundlcfs an ^ccufation. There is no dallying with the all- feeing God-"What Pica /hall be made for whole Bookj full of Ca- lumny and Dctraition^ &C.] ^hif. This is not the leaft acceptable paflage to me in his Book ; Hove the man the better for Teeming ferious in the belief of Judgment; and I hope his Warning fhall make me fearch my Heart with fome more \caloufie and care. He fcems here to be- lieve himfelf 3 but being my felf far more concerned than he is to know how far I am guilty of what I am accufed, as far as I can know my Heart and Wrirings, Tie tell the Reader what to judge of his words and me. 1. That 1 charge the Bi/hops with all the Herejies in the World, never was in my mind, nor can I find it in any of my Writings : Yet this he very oft repeateth : And fhould a man fo often write a falfhood about a thing vilible, and never cite the place where 1 fay it, and this while he is thus ferioufly mentioning Calumny and f:idgmcnt. 2. Can he make men believe at once that I do perfuade men that Bifhops or Diocefanes came not up till about i ^ o years af- ter Chrift, and yet that I make them the Authors of the Here- fies that were in thofe times ? Non entis non efi actio : Could Bi- ftiopsbe Hereticks when there were no Bifhops? 3. If I had charged the Bifhops with all theHerefies, it foliow- eth not that I had charged no one elfe with them, and made the Bifhops the fole Authors , and acquit People, Priefts, and Princes ; why then doth he name many Monks and Priel^s that were He- reticks f Or Emperours that promoted them, as if this eroded what I fay ? Did he think that I excluded the Army if I blame the General, or the Prelatical Priefts when I blame the Prelates ? If I took the Bifllops of E'igUnd to be the chief caufe of our Church-Schifms , and Calamitief, doth it follow that I acquit fuchas y.ou, and all the Clergy like you ? 4. That I have done this [_againft allT/uth of Hifiery'\ which I.. tranfcribed out of the Councils and Hlftorians molt partial for ttiC the higheft Prelacie , is either a great cntruthj and unproved by him, or I know not what I read or write. J. That I do this againft my own Knowledge I am certain is an untruth. 6. That my Accufations are maliciom I zmccrtnin is untruth, as being able to fay that I fpeak in pitty to the Church, and t® fave Souls from deceit, and malice no man j but pray with the Liturgy 5 that God \n\\\ forgive our Enemies^ I'erfecfitors, and Slanderers^ and turn their Hearts. ^ 7. That I have brought any Grotindlcfs u^ccnjatiotf I muft take for an untruth, till my Grounds produced are better confu- ted. 8. Much more that I write whole Books full of Calnmny and Detraction. All thefe and more untruths being heapt up with the mention of Death and Judgment, tells us whither Fadion and Prepof- fcflion may carry men. 2. But what is the truth I fhall again briefly tell the Reader: 1. About 20C0 of fuch Minifters as I confidently take for the moft fpiritual , and confcionable and devoted to God and the good of Souls are filenced, and in Law imprifoned and ruined 5 and all the People of their mind are ipfofa^o (if they confeft it) excommunicated, befides their other penalties. I accufe roc the Law but mention only the matter of Fa6l , which the K. once commiffioned Bps. to have prevented. • 2. The Kingdom is dolefully dividedj and alas, the fad con-' fequents are not to be named. 3. Befides all our Penalties the Bifhops accufe us as thecaufes of all, and as wilful Schifmaticks, and call for the Execution of the Laws againft us. 4. We fay, we dare not do that, which when ever they will give us leave, we are ready to give our reafons why we take it for heinous fin againft God, and tending to the ruine of the Church : nor dare we forfake our Miniftry while the Churches ncceftities are to us paft doubt. S- We beg of them but to abate us fome needlefs Oaths, and Covenants, and Profcfllons, and a few things called indijferem: by the Impofers, that we may all live in Chriftian Love and Peace , and we offer them as unqueftionable fecurity for our Peaceablenefs, Loyalty , and Orthodoxnefs, as the faid Oaths, PromifeSjOrProfeftionscan be. C c 2 6, They 6. They tell us, Nsthing is to he ^ibated «/, and we mufi ceafe pYeachiHg^theRuU muft not be altered ; vte will do more harm in the Church than out; Proje^s for Moderation mofl difira^ the Church i There is rto Concord or Liberty to be expecled, but by our total obe- dience to the Bijloops-f It is obeying the Church, yea the Vniverfal Church of BifcopSj that is the only way to Concord. 7. To confute this 5upporition, which is the root of ourCa- iamitic?, I tranfcribe out of Hiftory and the Ads of Councils, how great a hand in the Schifms, and Herefies, and Confufions ofChriftians, thofe Bifliops fiave had, who have fvvellcd up a- bove the primitive fpecies , by vaft Dioceires , Wealth , and claim ofGovernment over other Churches and Bifliopsj and that it is notorious that this Grandeur ana exorbii ant power of Bi- (hops, hngly or in Councils, hath been fo far from keeping the Church from Schifms, that it hath been one of the greateft caufes of the Schifms of moft Ages, fince (uch a fort of Prelacy fprung up, and that Popery came not up in a day, but rcfe from that Juniority to itsprefent Maturity. This was my work. § 15. He truly tells you, that the Original of all mifihiefs /> the Lufis that war in our Members, and not this or that Order of When the World had a good Pope, if God would blefs that Order of men, fome think he might do more good than any other man. But he hath toucht the Core of the Churches Mala- dy. Verily, the grand Strife is between the Flepund Spirit, the feed of the Serpent and of the Woman: And if Patriarchs and Di- ocefans were but as much fet on the promoting of a holy and heavenly Life, as thofe Minifters are whom they filence and im- prifon, they might do much good, though the largenefs of their Diocefs render them uncapab/e of performing the 40th part of a true Bifhops Work. No doubt but Bifhop Hall, and Potter , and VJJ:er, &:c. did much good, by fuch preaching, writing, and good living, as others ufe that are no Bidiops. But will fire burn without fewcl ? And will it not burn if com- buftible fewel be contiguous ^ Do not x\\t Lufis that war in cur Members live upon that food which we are forbidden to pro- vide ? Do you think that the Lufjt of the Flefh doth not more d^efire Riches than Poverty, Honour than a Jow Eftate, Domi- nation over others, to have our Will on all, than humble Sub- ^(flion ? Where the Carkafs is there will the Cagles be gather- ed (197) cd. Do not you your felf fay , that the Bifliops and Church grew more corrupt after the third Century ? Do you be- lieve that when a Bifhops Power was made equal to a great Lords, or more, and all his Pomp and Riches anfwcrable, that the Luft of the Fielh would not more greedily defire ir, than it would defire a meer mediocrity ? Or that a worldly proud man would not feck more for Lordfliip and Greatnefs, iham SjnefiM, and fjch others as you fay fled from it ? If the poor retired Monks were as bad as you make them, what wonder if great Lordly Bilhops were much Worfe f Will not the fire of Luft grow greater as the fewel is greater ? I am fatisfied that Riches and Power well ufcd, may greatly ferve the Intereft of Religion : But two things muft be confi- dcred. 1. That the greateft Power and Wealth belfcg far more defired by carnal Worldlings, (that is, by bad men) than by mortified heavenly minded men, the more men defire them, the more eagerly they will feek them by Friends, Flattery, or any means : and therefore the liker they are to attain them, except when the choofcrs are fome rcfolvcd godly men. And fo which way can a Succcffion of the worft men be avoided Z But a mediocri- ty that doth not to the Flefh overwcigh the labours and diffi- culties of the facred Office, will encourage the good, and noc much tempt the bad : Or if good men will be never fo bounti- ful to pious ufcs, their bounty and Church-Lands may better maintain Labourers enough for the work, than be madea fnare to one. 2. And that Power which depopulateth and deftroys its end,, is unlawful in its very ftate, as well as in its ufe. The Power of- one man to be fole Phyfician to the City, and to have none but Apothecaries under him } or of one man to be the only School- Mafter in the County, and have none but Ufhers under him, is rather to be called Defirutiion than Power, It is Bifhops carting ©ut Power that I am againft, that is, the necelTary Power of the Keys in the Parifli Miniftfrs , or putting down necefiTary Bifhops i and alfo a Power to filence Chrifts faithful Minifters,, and deprive Souls of the ncceflary means, by impofmg things needlefs in themlclves, and finful in the receiver, that after fais:. beft fearch believes them fuch. Seeing then that ^ arc agreed, that it is the Infi that war-^ rctk (ip8) nth in men, that is the corrupter of the Church, let but the face of the whole Romanc Clergy thefe loco Years at leaft tell us, whether it be not the fweliing of the Power and Wealth of Bi- fhops, that harh caufed Co long a SucccfTion of a worldly, luftful, tyranical Clergy. § 14. And he truly faith^ [/?. ^06. that the generality of men when they have gained Wealth and Honotrr , are commonly willir.g to [ecttre the enjoyment cfthofe ToJJejfions ^ by letting things run in their ordinary courfe. ( The Spanifli Proverb is , The World is a Carryon, and they are Dogs that love it ^ and they will fnarle at any that would take it from them, and if it lie in .the Ditch, Dogs rather than Men will gather about it : and its pitty fuch men fliould by fuch a Bait be temptedinto the facred Chair.) And he truly adds, that Repulfe and IT^appointment vcill end fttch mens Patience. For really as the man is, fuch are his defires : It is rot only turgent Prelacy but aPrelatical Spirit that troublerh the Church : And If Novatianfu or Arius would fain be a Prelate, it is in his heartj and no wonder if he be a Schifmatick ; Trahit fua quemcjue vo- luntas. Appetite is the Spring of A(flion. All the Popes Clergy are much of his mind ; for they participate of his worldly Inter- eft, and depend on him,, and therefore participate of the Papal Spirir. The Intereft of the General and Army arc conjunft. § 15. And its trae that he faith, that the BiJJoops Imerefl oh- ligeth him to maintain Peace andVnitr. And fo no doubt from that fenfe of Intereft ic is endeavoured, in Italy, Spain, France^ Germany, &c. when a ftrong man armed keeps his houfCj the things which hepofTelfeth arc in Peace. But whether therefore the People did ill that forfook the Blfhops and followed L«- ther 5 or are all bound to cleave to the Bifhops Unity, is the doubr. § 16. Whether it be true, /'. 3 10 that very few if any one were Bijhops when they turned Heretickj, I have enquired in the Pre- face; though it they afcended from Herefie to Prelacy it's all one to me. But by this I con;ed:ure that he taketh fewer .for Hereticks than others do, and that he pretends acquaintance with their minds, in that antecedent part of their Lives which no Hiftory mentioneth. I confefs I think that for the moft part men are Papifts before they art^ Popes or Papift Biihop s : And ycr i think that ic is firft the defire of Papal and Prelatical Gran (199) deur^ and next the Exercife of it, which is the caufc of Schifin and Perfecution. §17. I verily believe as he doth, that Platonick Philofophy, and a willingncfsto win the Heathens by compliance, had a great hand in corrupting many Doctrines j and not only Monks but others of the moft religious Chriftians, had a great hand in ma- ny of the ancient Superfticionf, efpecially thofe that tended to the over-honouring of their Martyrs, and too much advance- ment of their Bifhops, when they came newly from under the Perfecution of the Heathens. But it came not to be univerfaf, nor the Engine of great Corruption and cruelty, till theBifhops turned all into a Law. Who could make any of all this necelTa- ry, but Pope, Prelates, or Princes, who pretended a Legifla- tive Power hereto ? Even Lmhcr and McUnBhon were indiffe- rent to diverfe Ceremonies, fo they were made to be indiffe- rently ufed. But when they are madencceffary by a Law Spe- cially more neceliary to a Miniller than his Miniltry, and to a private Chriftian, than his Church Communion, who doth more vehemently condemn them than they ? § 18. That P.ifchafnu R.iSertiiJ Was the firfl: that: broached; the Dodrine of 7V4«/^/7y?4/;f /^f /^?on Oliver I not purpofely fay, ^ David himfelf 2 and cite the Text, ki^^^^''^^^fj^i any fliouid feign the fame that he doth ? Any man may fee that tlurs)what he hath nothing to fay, but to accufe my Thoughts^ and fufped jho:ddiha-je that I had fucha meaning. And who made him acquainted wiih hurdjmut Thoughts that were never uttered ? Or made him a Judge of c?'L^)Jfl^^^ them ? If his and other mens thoughts may be thus by conjedure jhttnedO- accufed, no Enemy need to want matter of Accufation. liver, while It's like he will appeal to my Confcience whether it were no^ ^ "pcvly dlf- my thought ? And i. By what authority will he fo do ? 2. But "^'^l^^^,^ I will (hrive my felf to him thi* once. It is fo long fince, that lutmivthdr truly I remember nor what was in my Thoughts , any fur- ifiMke iuth ther than my words exprefs: But I well remember my /^r- -^"^ ?'■£ '^^- wer ^^iions , and what was then my judgment of Oliver "^^ and his Adlions, and I ufe nor to fpeak againlt my judgment. Many knew that he being acquainted the firft day that I went into the Army, ('which was after Nafeby Fight) that I was fcnt by an AlTembly of Divines, to try whether I could turn the Sol- diers againft his fubverting Defigns, (then firft difcovered to me,) he would never once fpeak to me while I was in the Ar- my; and that ever afrcr I was driven away, I openly in Pulpit, Prefs and Conference difowned, and warned men todifown his Acftions againft King and Parliament, and his Ufurpation ; and that I wrote againlt the Engagement: And therefore I do not think that ever I meant to call him D^ivid, and I am fure I ne- ver did It. But they fay old Men can fee better afar olT than near at hand ; and ^0 all thefe notorious Unrruths about vifible prefcnt things, may yet confift with fuch mens credibility about things faid and done 15:0 Years- ag:>. § 24. And now I am here, ( muff not pi^fs; by his friendly Ad- monition, p. 3J-7. af:er his reciting my E;>i(t!e?, [" If I were as D d 2 " worthy (2 04) ** xvorth) to advife Mr. B. ai he was to advife Cromwell, / wohU ** jiij^ It were fK.'ich More advtfcable for a Chrijhianj fpeciaily for *^ one that thinks he ts fo near his eternal State , to repent ahd cry " peccavimjs, than to fland on ffifiifcation of the fa^^ Sec. ] ^nf. I, Is vvasufual formen tocboofetheirown Confeflburs: But it being the Cuftom of the times for Paltors and ConfcflTors to be fc reed on Dilfcnterj, I will fubmit now to your way^ though my former ConfefTions and my Communion with you have been turned to Re[)ro3ch and Scorn. 1. I do daily begcarneftly ofGod, to let none of my fins be unknown tome, and taken for no fin , and be unrepented ofj and that he would forgi^-e that which I would fain know, and do not. 2. I do not repent of owning Oliver^s Adions againft King and Parliament, or his UQirpation; for I never owned them , nor the Anions of them that fet up his bon. 3. I do not repent that I loved the Peace of the Church, and thatldefired the Governour, though a Ufurper, fhouIJ do good and not evil. 4. I do not repent that feeing the Armies Rebellions and Con- fufions, I ftirred up Rulers and People to take heed of favouring fo great Sin. <), But I do now by experience of other ways perceive that I was fometimes too eager in aggravating mens Errours, ard re- pent that I ufed not more forbearance of fome of my Accufati- ons of fbme of them. 6. I did think that Richard Cromwell was an Ufurper : But when we had been twelve Years at leaft without a rightful Go- vernour, I then thought as T'homas White, alijs Blackjow^ the moderate Papilt, wrote, that the Land could not fubfift in Soci- ety without fbme Government, and x.h2.x. No-Government isworfe to the People than diVfnrpedone: And that it is fomtimc lawful to fubmit and uCe an Ufurper, when it is not lawful to approve his Entrance. And wherein I was deceived I am willing to be better informed. 7. But I do unfeignedly repent that I wrote thofe two Epiftleff, though it was to put a man on to do good, whom I never [aw, nor ever had the leaji to do with. 8. And I do more repent of the caufe of all, viz.. that I ap- pointed Cod a time, and limited his Providence; and thought that that becaafe Co many Armies and Endeavours had failed Twelve or Fourteen Years , that had attempted the reftoring of the King, therefore there was no probability of accomplilhing it : I do not repent that I was not a Prophet, to know before what God would do J for it was not in my power j nor do I repent that I preached Chrifts Gofpel under Ufurperi j but I repent that I waited not Gods time, and did not better confider that want of humane Power is no hinderancc to Omnipotency, and nothing is difficult to him. 9. I nas drawn too far by Mr. Harringtons Scorn, and the diQike of Sir Heur^ f^anc^s Attempts for a Common- Wealth, to meddle with matters of Government, and to write my Politi- cal Aphorifms, called, ^ Hcly Ci.f?imon-Wealthv And I do un- feignedly repent that ever I wrote and publifhed it, and had not more confined my fclf to the matters proper to my Calling, and let thofe meddle with forms of Government who were fitter for ir. All thefe, bcfides what's formerly faid to Mr. BagJJ:aw\ I de- clare my unfeigned Repentance of And though it pleafeth you to feign me a Schifmatick, and hater of Repentance, f for fpeak- ing againftthe fault, that needed it) I (hail thank you to be a real helper of me in fo nccefl'ary a work as Repentance i?. And that I may do the like by you, I (hall now only requite you with this Advice , that before you write next, you will fet before your Eyes the Ninth Commandment, Thou J}:i alt not hear falfe Witncfs againft thy Neighbour ; And that when you fay your Prayers, you would be ferious when you fay , Lord have Mercy upon us^ and cnctine our hearts to keep this Law. § 15. A Roman Zeal tells us, that Faction and Schifm, when animaced by worldlyIntereft,and grown up to a malignant hatred of the things and perfonsthat are averfe to it, is hardly bound- ed, but is thriving up towards deftruitive Perfecution, asfwel- ling Prelacy did towards the Papacy and the Inquifition. It is not one or two Fifhes that will fatisfie the ftomach of a Pike: Nor is it the flandering or ruining of one or two men, or filen- cing of one or two of the Miniftersof Chrifl-, that will fatisfie a malignant Spirit. One Meal will not make a lean Man fat. Whe- ther there be a Legion in thofe that would deftroy a Legion of Chrifts Servants, or one have fo much Power I know not j but the effc(fts tell us what manner of Spirit they are of. But let the Papifts pafs. § x6. (206) §26. When lr«d;?. 337,and 3j8, 359. and fuch paflagc?, it makes me think of them that cried , [ His Blood he on Hi , and car Children^ together with our Judge's words, [ In as much at JOH did It or did it not to one of the leaji of thefe my Brethren^ you did it or did it not to we."] P. 337, he faith, [ " There is great ** reafon to value the peaceable Kefi^mtion of the JVonconformifis^ * ' when xvc confider by what VfuYpation and Violence they were brought '' in, and what a number of worthy learned A'finifiers were turned " out to make vacancies for thcfe men, who were to inflru^ the PeO' " pie in new Myjleries of Religion, which their old Paflors had not *' the Confcicncc or ability to teach them, that is, of the Uwfulnefs " of Rebellion.— And p. 3^8, &"C. There were many cfthofe Adini- *^ Jltrs Vfarpers^ and hj, not the tenth part io much as is commonly faid by the Pap fts, wirh whom our A.Bp. BromhalUnd his Companions fo much plead for Concord. 4. Doth not Al. Cope, and Sanders, and Patefon in the Image oj both Churches^ and lately the nomi- nal Bellamy in his Philanax Anglicas, and many more (uch, fay all the fame of the Bifhops and Church of England^ and all that they deride z.%\_Prottj}ants of Sincerity^ as guilty of far more re- bellious Principles and Practices, than ever you can prove by the mcer Nonconform ifts old or new ? And is ic enough to accufe ? E e 2 XIV. He (211) XIV. He faith, 71} ty would preach but they would not confortn tc t he ejiublip:cd Religion. ^nj. I. But why fhould they be forbidden to preach (which was good and they were devoted to ? ) If a man will not do ail that you would have him to do, (hall he do nothing? 2. What wa».that which he calleth the Rfiahhjhed Religion? it was the Ceremonies aL-d Subfcription, th.it there j.< nothing in the Liturgy contrary to the \Vt,ra of God.^ And was this a Crinr.e worthy the forbidding men to preach the Gofi)el? Or why fliould the Souls otlhotifandsof the Innocent People be fo hea- vily puniflied for another mans omifTion, even becaufe the Teachers fear Conformity. . 3. But rtill we fee what thefe mens Rchgkn is : Had their Religion been the Scripture, or any Dodrine or Woilhip com- men to the Chriftian or Proteftant Churches, the old Noncon- formifts willingly confented to it. But here they fliew that their Ceremonies and proper Liturgy forms are their Religion. But then I. Why do Dr. Burges and all that plead for your Cere- monies and Invention, build all on this, that you make them not any par.ts of Worfhip or Religion, ( which they confefs man jnay not invent) but meer accidents ? 2. Hovf old i\\tr\\s your Religion'* Your Liturgy was made fince Luther began his Refor- mation. 3. It feems then that you are not of the fame Religi- on with the Proteftants that have none of your Ceremonie?, Li- turgy or Subfizriptions. 4. Is not then your Church of a fingu- lar Religion from all the World, and confequcnily a fingular Church ? And is it the whole Catholick Ciiurch tlien , or a Schifmatical Church ? Iconfefs that you fhew more evidently than by fuch words, that your felf made Rules and Circumftances are your Religion : For I. You make Conformity to them to be de fatlo more neceflary than omv Preaching the Gofpel, or o:.y Church Com- munion, or any publick Church Wc ■ Hiip of God. 2. And you excommunicate by your Rule or Canon evtry Mt mber ofChrift in England, that doth but thi'k :ind fay , thdt any thing of your Impcfition, Liturgy^ C/'iemonies, or Govern- ment are finful. 3. And yet when yoi. liave done you call all your ImpoCmons things indi^ff'erent. 4. A -^i ihereby you declare that your Religion in part is a thing indtjf.ion. j. And no Man or Woman ihall be of your Church that cannot know nil the in-* difirent, different things in the ^Vorld which may be impofcd on rhem, fo he Indifferent and not Vnlawful; when you know for you know not whom you dwell amongj that we have much adoe to get one half your Church to know things neccjfarjf. 6. The Papilis that put a greater neceOity on their Inventions will deride yoa for an Indifferent Religion. There was a poorPuritane Nonconformift that fe.ired Lyin^, that went about the Streets widi Ink to fell, and was wont tru- ly to cry, [J'^ery good Inl^, very good Ink^',"] but once his Ink a little mifcarried, and he durft not call it [_(^cry good^']h\M cried, Vretty good Ink^^ Vretiy good A^,1 and no body woulJ buy of him, And he loft his Ink. And if you cry up [^An indifferent Re^ ligion^"] whatever ycu have for numbers, you will have for qua- lity but an Indifferent Church, (Tave our Rulerj.^ XV. But he add?, \_Many of them wottid preach agaiufi it and their Covernours too. j ylnf I. You tempt them towards it. If I ask the Butcher {^Is your A/cat fweet ? ] and he Qy it is indijfcrent , I ain excn fa- ble if I think it frinks. i. They judge by the tlfc(fts : They thought that Vihtmn indifferent thing cafteth cut a neceflary thing, it becomes naught. 3. But yet your Accufation is un- faithful : Why did you not fay then, that ic was not for Non- conformity that men were caft our, but for preachir.g againfr your Religion!' \Vho were tbofe? Was it proved ? Iffo, what was that to the reft ? Do you punilh mjny learned moderate men for the fault of a fevv others that they were not concerned wirh ? You now alltdge Mr. Hilderfio^m, Bnll^ BradfJoaw, B.:ine, Knew- finL>Sy and abundance fuch, for being againrl Sepirution, and perfujding men to come to the C )tnmun Prayer, (and manv of them to kneel at the Sacrament,) and yet Vvhen you {-lead for their Silencing, even other mens words may fervc againit them. XV J. Toconclad.% in all helayeth thecJufecf their filencc on themfclves for not conforming, and vet will not tell us what we fliould do ro help it. Would they have us Conform while we judge it 15 (Inful as I have mentioned in my firft Vie a for Venice ? No J they profcfs the contrary. WouU they have us believe all to be la-vful ? V/e cannot : Our Judgments are not at our Command: What would they have us do to change? Worldly Iitereft maksustoo willing! Weftudy as hard as they I We Wc earncltly beg Gods Illumination to five us from Er rour We read all that they write to convince us : And the more wc read, ftu Jy, -and pray, the more heinous the Sin of Conformity feems to fome. I askt Bp. MorUj the fame queftion when he for- bad my preaching, before the eje(fting A(ft; and he bid me read union and Hooker : I told him that was not now to do: and in both of them I found the Principles which are made the caufe of my Silencing, my greateft Crime?, and in one of them worfe. He then told me, IfGodwould not give me his Grace he conld not help It: And yet moft of thefe men are againfl: fatal, repro- hatiKg^ neccjfnatir,g Decrees. The impofing Papifts ufc men worfe : Of whom will you par- don a Fable. A Bee and a FLe were catchttogecher in a Spiders Web : The Spider when they were t'rcd with Itriving, claimed clicm both for her Food, as a punifhmcnt /or breaking into and troubling her Web : And agaioft rhe Bee (he pleaded that fhc was a hurt- ful Militant Animal, that had a Sting; and ^gainlt tl:e Fliethat (he was noifbme £nd good for noching. The Bee anfwered that her meliifying Nature and work was profitable, and Nature had armed her with a Scing to defend it. And the Flie faid, as (he did little good fo (he did little harm, and could make her felf no better than Nature had made her. And as to the Crime al- ledged againft them, they both faid, that the Net was made by a venomous Animal, fpun out of the Air and the V^enom of her own Bowclf, made for no ufe but to catch and deftroy the In- nocent, ar.d they came nor into it by malice, but by ignorance and miftake, and fliat it was more againft their Will than zgainft the S];iders, for they contrived not to fjJI into it ; bur (he con- trived to catch them 5 and that it was not to break the Ncrthat ihey ftrove, but to (ave their Lives. The Mafter of the Houfe overheard the Debate , but refolved to fee how the Spider would judge, which was quickly done without more wordsj (lie took them for Malefaftors, and killed them both. The Ma- Iterof the Houfe fo difliked the Judgment, that he ordered that tor thetime to corhe, i. The Bees(hould be fifcly hived and cherifhed. 2. And the Flies, if not very noifomc, (liould be tolerated. 3. And all Spiders Webs f'wept down. I need to give you no more of the Expofition of it, than by the Spider I mean the Pjpai noxious Canon-maker?, and that by the (115) the Net 1 mean their unneceflary and enfnaring Laws and Canons^ which are made to catch and deltroy good men^and are the way toithe Inquifition, ox Bonner'' $ Coal-houfe, orSmithfidd Bonefires. Bot I mult defire you not to iaiagine that I Tpeak againft the Laws of the Land. § 27. As to the Conclufion of his laft Chapter, I fhall now add no more but this: If what I faid before and to Mr. Hmkjey fatisfie himnor, of what Religion and Party both fides were that began the War , and Mr. RHJhworthi CoI!e(ftions, and oiher Hi- ftories of former Parliaments be not herein ufcful to him, let him but fecure me from burning my Fingers with Subje^^s fo red hot, by mens miTinterpreting and inij^atience, and I will (God willing) give him fo full proof, that (to fay nothing of latent Inftigators and con(cquent auxiliaries on either fide, nor of the King himfclf, whofe Religion is beyond difpute,) the parties elfc that begun the War in England di\^ ditfer in Religion j bnt as A. Bps. L^ud^ and Nealy and Brombaly and fuch others, and A,Bp!^. ^U'or dind IVtIliams, and Bp. Bilfon, on the ether fide j and as Dr. Afainwanng^ Stbthorp^ &:c. on one fide, and Mr./?;. Hockcr and fuch on the other fide differed. And if my proof be confutable I will not hereafter undertake to prove that Englijh is the language of England. But my Bargain muft be thus limited, i. I will not under- take that from the beginning there was no one Papift on the Kings n.de, or no one Presbyterian on the Parliaments: I could never yet learn of more than one in the Houfe of Commons, and a very few Independents, but I cannot prove that there was no more. 2. You muft not put me upon fearching mens hearts : I un- ^:?rtake not to prove what any mans heart in England wasj but vvliat their Profefllon was, and what Church they joined with in Communion. 3. And you muft not equivocate in the ufe of the name [_Pres~ I'jterian, ] or [^Nonconformifl , ] and tell me that you take fome A. Bps. and Bps. and fuch Divines as Ri. Hooker.^ and Btlfon^ and Bp. Doxvn^me, the Pillars of Epifcopacy and Conformity, for Presbyterians. And if it may be I would beg that of you, that you will not take the long Parliament for Presbyterians and Nonconformifts, who made the k(Xs of Uniformity, the Corporation Ad, the Militia (ii6) Militia Aft, and thofe againft conventicles, and for baniflimcnt from Corporations, G^c. Notwithftanding their high Votes about the Succellion and Jealoufies of Popery, and that which they faid and did hereupon : For I confefs if it be fuch Nonconform- ifts or Presbyterians as thofe that you mean, Tie give you the better. And I muft alfo defire that you call not the next Pjrjia- inenr, which confifted moft of the fame Men, Presbyterians or Konconformiftsj nor the other fince them ? Or at fcaft that hereafter before we difpute we may better agree of the mean- ing of our terms. And I declare to the Reader, that nothing in nil this Book is intended againft the Primitive Church-Government cr Epifcopa- cy, nor againft the good jiifhops, Clergy, CounciL^, or Canons, which were many ; nor againft King, Parliamenr, MagiiUacy, the Laws, or Liturgy, or Church Com,munion ; noragainftour peaceable and patient fubmilfion where we dare not practically obey : But only againft the difeafcs and degeneracy oi Biftiops, Clergy, Council.% and Canons, and thofe dividing pradices, by which they have for 1200 Years and more been tearing the Chrihian World into the Se(fls of which it now ccnfifteth j and againft the whole afcendent Change from the Primitive Epilco- pacy to Papal maturity: andaj^ainft our fweuring, Subfcnbing, declaring, covenanting, profelling , and pradifing, where we ^inderftard not the Impofers fcnfe, and are unwilling by our pri- vate Interpretations to deceive them, and where we are per- fuaded that it would be heinous fin to uf, rot meddling n ith xhc cafe of. Lawmakers or Conformifts, who have no fuch fears, but think all good, ChrjJGjtcme (before cited) in y^^l, i. Horn, 3. p. Qyiihi) ^72. fpeaketh harder than 1 ever did : {_iKa^Kh&'( ^'i-^j'^i &"c. which Eraf. ?/^ns rranflatcth, TNon ter//ere dlco, fed tn ajfetitu [ttm & [entio ; No« uriitrcr i.'jWr Saccr dotes ?rjrittos cfjc ejHi. fthi fuoit, fed mfi!:o f lures cjui p.r^wit. His reafon is the lame which lome give "hv they think moft Fhyficians kill more than they cure, becaufe there is Co much Wifdom, Goodnefs, Watch fidncfs, and Dili- gence required to their Callir.gj which few ot them have. LtitUr is much ftiarper than I ever was, v.'hcn he faith, [/Vi- eroti^mus-O^-aUi Patres vixernm tn temporati SucceJJione Ecclcfa^ expiries CrpiCts & p:rfccf!tiovis. Epifcopi.enim j^m turn cocperant crtfccre 'S' anger t cpilus^ exifiimatione &glcria.in Kmndo .• Et pie- nqfie Yi:g the Way on ths Jiraftia^i Tarty in Varlianjent. An[. Did 1 lay it only on the Eraftians .? Have I not undeniably proved that the War here be- gan between two Epifcopal Parties ? Of which oi^e part were of A. Bp. Abbots, Mr. Hookers, and the generality of the Bi- fhops and Parliaments mind, and the other of Bp. Lauds, Stb- thorps ^ Maymvaritigs , Beylins , h.'^^. Bromhalls , Sec. mind: And the firft fort fome of them thought Epifcopacy fure Divino ; but the EngliJJ} Frame not unreformable: And the other fore thought it was hMtjure humruio^ and thefe w-ere called by fomc Eraftians. Let him give me leave to produce my Hiftorical proofs, even to fingle men by name, that the Eugiijh War be- gan between thefe two Parties, and I defie a'll his falfe Contra- diction : Only fuppofing, i. That I fpeak not of the King, nor of the War in Ireland or Scotland. 2. That I grant that the Nonconformifts were moft for the Parliameut, and the Papifts moft againft them. But when I have faid fo much to Mr. Hir.kjey already to prove this, did this Lord Bifliop think to be believed without confu- ting it? § 9. But it tranfcendeth all bounds of Hiftorical credibility, that he anfwereth this by faying, [H? and all his Abettors mttft know ths Catalogues of that Parltamem^and that Affcmbly are f-ill in our hands^ ths Copies of their Speeches^ and foarnals of their Votes^ Sec. ] Anf They are fo to the Shame of fuch Hiftorians. You have many of them in WhitUcks Memorials j I knew fo great a number my (elf of the Parliamenr, Affembly, and Army, as makes me pitty the Ignorant World, which is abull-d by fuch Hii^orians as you and yours. § lo. As fur your alTurinf'me l\ui joh look^ cr.e da) to anfwer for ulljonf.iy^ it minds me of th? words of your Dr. Afntoi;, G g Chq- (11 5) Chaplain to the Duke of Ormjni, who (as going to the Bar o f Cod) undert^k^s to prove, that it is through Vridc aud Covctoufncjs that we conform not. The Inquifitors alfo befieve a day of Judg- ment. And \vhf. Alas good man! if for all other your hlftorical notices you arc fain into fuch hands> what a mafs of Untruths is in your Brain ? But why will you difhonour Reverend Prelates fo much as to father them on fuch ? I never heard the queftion put {What will fat isfie yoH ?] nor any fuch anfweras All . Nothing: When the King commiflioned us to treat of fuch Alterations as were necejfary to tender Confcicnccs^ the B. (hops, i. Would noc treat till we would ^it/*? tljem tn writing all that we blan.id in the Littirgjy and all the Alterations ive would have, and all the addi- tioKal Forms we defred. 2. When thu8Conftrained_, we offered thefc on fuppofition, that on Debate much of it would be de- nied us, or altered $ but they would not vouchfafe us any De- bate on what we offered, nor a word againft our additional Forms, Reply, or Petition for Peace. 3. To the laft hour they maintain- ed, that No alteration at all was neccjfary to tender Confciences.^ And fo they ended, and the Convocation doubled and trebled our Burden, and the Bifliops in Parliament together. Once Bifhop Cotjfins defired us to lay by Inconveniences, and name only what we took for downright Sin. I gave him a Paper defcfibing Eight fnch'. We did but begin to debate one of them, (Caflmg fuch from the Commt4nion of Chrifls Church that dare not take the Sacrament kneelingy though they bemiflaken) and our time ended. Dr. Tterce undertook to prove it a Mercy to them to deny them the Sacrament j and he made a motion to me, that he and I might go about the Land to preach men into fatisfacftion and Conformity : I asked him how 1 could do that when they intended to filencc mc f For though I fcrupled not kneeling at the Sacrament, if they made any one Sin the condition of my MiniUry, ] fhould be filenced, though they abated all the rein it may be this went for {_All or Nothing. ] And I am forty that; tke the BiHiops be not of the fame mind : St. fames way, that faid^ He that hreahth one is guilty of all : And Chrilt was, who faid, He that hreaketh one of the ieaft of thefe commands^ and teachah men fo, /hall be called leaf} in the Kingdom of God. So that it was not u^U Inconveniences, bur ^U flat Sins that we craved in vain to have been exempted from : Much lefs was it the Eflablijhment of all that we propofed to have been treats fd of, openly profelTmg our felves ready to alter any thing amifs or neediefs upon treaty, and fuppofing there would be many fuch words : But they would not touch our offered additions , nor entertain any treaty about them. And nowpitty your felf who have been drawn to believe fucli Reverend Prelates as you fay, and pitty fuch as your Writings will deceive. § 17. That you take it to be contrary to a Chriftian temper to be fenfible of the Sufferings of the Church, and to name and defcribe the fin that caufeth them, and that but in a necelTitated Apology for the Sufferers, is no wonder, the Reafons and your Anfwcr 1 gave you before § 4. and ^. I think it no breach of Peace with Perfecutors or Silencers, to tell them what they do ^ cfpecially when the Sufferers are feigned to deferve it ailj and not to fin and that deliberately, is made a fin deferving all that we fuffer and the Nation by it. § 18. But /?. 77. tells us yet more whence your Errour^ come, even by believing falfe Reports^and then reporting whac you believe. You fay , [ Some People have talked of a Comhina^ tion orPaii amongfi tbemfelvesj that except they might have their- (tyvn Will throughout ^ they wonld make the V/orldktww what a breach they could makf, and how corifiderable they \vere.~\ Anf I. Do you not think that ^oij^rj, Bradford, Fhilpot^ and the refl, did fo in Qy. Afanes dayy, and that it was they that made the Breach by being burnt? What is it that fuch HI- ftorians may not fay ? So Luther was taught by the Devil, JSr^cer was killed by the Devil, fo was Oeclampadi/i-Ji Calvin was a ft ig' matized Sodomite, and what not: And even the moft publick things are yet uncertain before our Eyes : Godfrey killed him- self: The Papifts had no Plot: The Presbyterians have a Pior againftthe King: The Nonconiormiftsfilenctd thcmfelves: And. did not the Citizens of London born their own Houfh ? When y,0u that area Bifliop cite other great Bifhop^ for fucli th-irigsas* you ytju do, may it not come in time to be the Fanh of the Cburtbf and thence to be necejfary to all. 2. But how do ycu think all thefe that were fcattered all over Er.^Utfd, and knew not one another by name or Dwelling, fhould fo confederate? 3. Do but think ofit as a man. There were Nine or Ten Thou- fard Miniftcrs that hud conformed to the Parliaments way in pofleflion: They were all to conform or be caft our. The Bool: and A(ft ofUniformity came not out of thePrefs till about that very day -^/■/^. 24- Neither Conformifts, nor fafrerj Nonconformifts could fee ir, but ihofe in or near London : What t-ime was there to tell them all over England in one day ? How knew we who would conform and who would not, when NineThoufand were equally in PofTcfllon ? If we had written to them all, would not One Thoufand of our Letters have detecftedit? Or at leaft Tome of thofe that conformed, with whom we prevailed not? 4. What was it that moved them all to this Confederacy ? To fuffer Ruine in the World? To make themfelves cor.fderabls joufay, and/hew what a Breach they could make f And for what ? Vnlejs they might have all their own iVills ? And what was their 'Wiili' Was it to be Lord Bifhops? Or domineer over any.^ Or to get great Benefices f I think no high-way Robbers do any Villanies meerly to ftiew what mifchief they can do, muchleis ruine themfelves to fhew that they can do Mifchief by Suffering. Some fuch thing is faid of fome odd Circumcellians that they killed themfelves to make others thought their Perfecutors: But Perfecutionwas more hated then than now. Did the former Life and Doftrine of rhefc Two Thoufand men fignifie a Spirit fo much worfe than the reft ? 5. And do you think that the other Seven Thoufand or Eight Thoufand that conformed did confederate beforehand to con- form ? How could they do it who declared AfTent and Conlent to €very thing contained and prefcribed in and by the Book which they never faw, unlefs they confederated at a venture , to do whatever was impofed ? And if Seven Thoufand could agree without confederating, why not Two Thoufand.? I could not then have my Poft Letters pafs without Interception* And it's a wonder that no Letter of this Confederacy was taken. And rie tell (not you, but thofe that believe me J how far we were from, ir, When we V7crc all caft out and fome new mo- tion (^3 fion was made for our fcrvice, one weak man moved here, tbac we might draw up a confenting Judgment to how much we could yield, that we might not differ. I anfwered that it wasnoc our bufinefs to make a Fadion, or to ftrengthen a Party; ror were we all of one judgment about every Ceremony^ and therefore no man mufl: go againft his judgment for a Combination with the reft : If they would abate but fo much as-any one mans Con- fcience would be fatitfied in, that one man muft fcrve the Church accordingly. And if any were taken in^ the reft would rejoyce.] This Anfwer filenced that motion, and I never heard any move it more : And I am fully alTured there was never fuch a Com- bination. But with this exception : How far any thought the Covenant bound them againft our Prelacy I cannot tell, Thofe that I con- versed with faid, it bound them to no more than they were bound to before. But I confefs we did all confederate in our Baptifm, againft willful fm : And I know of no other Confedera- cies but thefe : which indeed was enough to make all men for- bear what they judged to be finful. § 19. You add, [*' But jet it is not fair to over-reckon kpow' " ^«^^7, *ifi'^ in ordinary courfe Two Hundred in the ffirnj as Mr. "Baxter and othirs do , p. 15* j-^ 210. thereby to fwell the ac- ** count to the greater odium, by cowpUining roundly Two Thou- ** land : This I mufi conclude to be done k^2owingly , for jcmtimes ** he only mentions One Thoufand Eight Hundred^ p. i j i^ &"C. ] uiiif I am perfuaded that it is not knowingly that you fpeak fo much befides the truth j but for want of knowing what and whom you talk of. I never medled with gathering the number^ Mr. Calamy did, and fhewed us a Lift of 1800, upon which I; long mentioned no more, and fekiom faw him afterward : But Mr. Ennis who was more with him, afTuring me that they had after an account of at leaft 200 more, who were omitted 5 I fometime to fpeak the leaft mention the 1800, and fometime fay about 2000, and by his laft account that was the leaft. Yet with a Lord Bifhop that knoweth nothing of all this, I k^nowing- ly over-reckon : But MGod be pleafed with their filencing, why do you take this ill ? § 20. The next and great Accufation is my extenuating theK-^- ffoops Clem:ncy, and aggravating our Sf^jferings^ and that againfi my Confcience I impute to the BtfKops that bloodmefs which they ;.--- vcr rser intended but alUr. ^nd he will not believe Vphdt I faj of the iicath of atjj by Intprifonment or WAnt, jinf. The good Lady that pittied thrBeggars when flic came in out of the Froft and Snow, when (he hid warmed her felf, chid them away, and faid, it was warm enough. I could name you thofe in London^ that travelled out of the North in great want, and took up with fuch cold Lodgings here in great want of a!! things, that they were paft cure before their mifcry was known. How many poor Quakers have dyed in Prifon many know : It's like you never heard of the death of Mr. Field^ a worthy Minifterj in the CAte-houfe; nor of Mr. Thowpfon in the noifome Prifon at Brtjlol, nor of Reverend Mr. Hughes of Pli- fnout/j's Death, caufed by his Prifon fickncfs j perhaps you ne- ver read the Lite, Sufferings, and Death of excellent Jofcyh Al- len q{ Taunt on \ I will not be the gatherer of a larger Catalogue, But I believe fome others will. But thefe you knovo not of, ^21. The words in my Book which I fpeak argumentativcly, fhewing clearly whirher their caufc will lead them, if they truft to bring us to "Unity by force, you unworthily feign that I fpeak OS accufing theBifliops Inclinations. My Argument was-, JfjoH think by violence to effeci your ends, it wufi be either by changing mens judgments j .or by forcing them as Hypocrites to go agatnjt ■t-ietr jridgmentSf or elfe by utter dejircying them till there are no Dijfemers: But none of thefe three xvajs will do it : Ergo Violence will not do it. 1. I prove that force will not change their Judgments. X. I prove they are fuch men as will rather fuffer death than fin againfi their Confciences ; and (o lefs Sutferings which cure not do but exafperate the Difeafe. 3. I prove that if, when \th doth no good, you would deftroy them, that would notdo your work butcrofs it. And doth this fignifie that I charge the Bifliops with bloody purpofcsf They openly tell us that it's pu- fiiJljingDstlut muft bring us to Concord. I tell them, Lejfer will not do ity and greater will but hurt themfelves. A man would think that 1 hereby rather infer that Bifliops will not be bloody, than that they will, when I argue ab incommodo. Truly Slr^ I fee no- thing in your Book which tempted me to lament, that I mift the happiaefs of your Academical Education or Difputes: Nor e at this day. 3 Reader, is it true that this is againfl All Suhfcriblng ? Pag. 115. The words are, [// m had learned the tricky of fpcaking, writing, and fweartng in tinixrerfal terms, andmeaniKg not tititverf ally b;4t particularly, as many do, we could fiy, or ////?- fcribe, o^fwear as far as yon dejire m.~^ And [ Take off the penalty H h 2 9f of[:tb[cribingt declaring, crojfing, Sec. what good doth fubfcribing a Sentence vchicb he believtth not f ] Is this againfi uill Shbjcrt- bing ? § 28. Whether to profefs our tenderncfs of other mens Re- putation, and yet to name the nature and aggravations of the fin which we fear our felves, when wc are importuned to ir, be conrradidtory, let the impartial ;udge. § 19. P. 92. He faith, as my judgment, iTofnbfcrsbe and de- clare, that it is not lawful on any pretence whatjoever to tal^e Arms againflthe King, or that an Unlawful Oath cannot bind wen to ««- lawful Anions , if Perjurj^fome ofthegreatejl that Hellfuggejleth.'y ^nf. Not one true word ? I believe all this to be as he faith : Both in my firft and fecond Plea for Peace, I have largly told him what it is, and what it is not which I own $ but he hath leen neither, and yet feigneth me to fay or hold what I have fa oft renounced. § 30. P. 94. He might have known how oft in Print I have retraced the Book called, I'he Hol^Comnion-WeaUh^ wifhingthe Reader to take it as Non-fcriptum : Yet he faith, [ as far as is generally kpown I have not done it. ] And how ihould I make ic generally known more than by oft Printing it ? § 31. P. 9j. He pittieihmc for calling the Author of the friendl) Debate, the Debate maks^'. And I pitty England for fuch pittierf. § 32. P. 96. Whereas the Convocation hath impofed on alf Minifters a ProfefTion o[ undoubted certainty of the Salvation of dying bapnz^ed Infants, without excepting thofe of Atheifts or Infidels, 1 ask whether all the young, unf^udtedCort of Minifters have arrived at this certainty any more than I, and how they came by itf and crave their Communication of the afcertain- ing Evidence. And what doth his Lerdfhip but pretend that I call the Convocation thcfe young, unfludied wen, as if they had made this Kubrick for none but themfelves ? §33. And he hath found another fault which exceedeth all, and that is, the Title and Dedication of my Adethodud TheologiAi where I fay, that I dedicate it not to the fljihful, h^tfiy^ tired SeHaries, 6(C. but toftudieui, ingenious, humble.^ S:c. yo^.ng wen, r.s leing the perfons thit are above a!l others born, d'fpo/cd, confe- Gra!e.itoTrt:th, Hoiin^ff^ and ths Churches Peace, 6[c.^ Excccd- i;iebjd! Will (137) Will you hear the proof that this is excefTive Pride ? i. Tl^e Book^ inthefiront indireSljr andJUIy calls the Reader, Jlothf: i "aooia T <) W lit^i^vO'jliCI :ij i * V / X Age 59.1. 4. r. SIrtnend. p, 57. 1. 3},t< ro. p. 7d» r* £uodius. p. 80. ]. 14* r. oiiitcv rum. p.8tf. 1. i6.r.CongiegifSoii». p 9l.4.a7-r. fiiiiops. p. 9$. I. 2. r- J^aLfVTnKnf, p. ult I. 9. r. Icfs. bcfides imPacccntiDg fomc Creek words, and other sjif-poiDdogs; .i i 'J C y J "^1 n ^: io bij^ T H E PREFACE- DIflcnters are accnfed ^Schrfin ly fame of this Churchy both thefe and the other are branded not only as Schifinaticks^ bm as Hereticks by the Papifts. ^ wha ufon this account judge us unworthy to kve^and had a&ually dejiroyed both together y if God in Mercy had not dtfcO'- yfird their devilip Vlot* The difcovery garue them fome interruptior^^ and fut them upon an of ter-gamCj to retrieve jphat had mifcarryed. And this n^js fo. to 6iv'id^ ttSy as that our Mvcs pould belfjhem in their defign to mmcxis all^ jphen they hadlj^s hopes to do it alone. In purfuance hereof fucb inflnence they have had upon too many ^ as tori^i^,\i^themikgt*eater'^ averfation to Diflenters thM'tho to fnd one fault therein^ runs himfelfinto two or three^ about h-^cxu, render d indefinitely according to the mind of the Am- thor who ufesit^andthe moft common ufe of it. I difparage not t he Gcnthmms Lea f>nng7pho at- taques me in his Preface ^he jhews that which, (with anfwerable care and Judgment^ J might be fervice- ablein a caufe that deferves it. But much more than he jhews ^ would not be enough tofupport 7vhat he would eHablijh. And he might haveforborn the z>i- A 5 lijyifig The Preface. "Vilifying of thofe^ rvbo are l^ton^n to be Mafters of triHCb more valueable Learnings than apfeitrs in either cf m. The neglect of fome occur at enefi in little things^ remote from the merits of the Caufe^ in one fpho is not at leifnre to catch flits^ is no argn- me?nthathe is deUitnte of Learning. I Complain not of his proceeding with me j bnt am obliged by htm^ that he treats me not rpith fi much contempt as he does others^ who lefs defcrve it, I n>ifh he had dealt more temperately with Af* Bi it iPould have been morefdr his reputation ^ attd nd prejudice to his widertaf^ng ; a good ^anfe^^ ^hen it hath a fuffident Ad^wcate^ does nm need ttiiypM(^emfii]^]emenys.^^ ^-^ <>'• Afier I have ckdreif Ynf ifift:oiirfe from this Gentleman's excefttons^ I thought it not imperti- nent ioferp iphat in reafm cannot he comted Com- fetent poofs /^DioCekn Chi\rch:^;tbat if any mil piyfue bis debate farther^ insiml of oppofng m^ they may not beat ti£ Att^aml am-xfe thofe that en- ifHir& afer tntth ^ mtb i^hat h ififgnifcant, Withal I have given an at count ofi^bat other alie- gations out of Serif fure ^ Amiquity thf^ Author hath The Preface. bath brought in other f arts' of his Treatife for fuck Chnrches ; and jhemd that there is tio evideme in theifty as to thefHrfofe they are alleJgedfor. Infhorty I find nothing in this Author, or any other before him^ which majffatisfie a judicious aftd impartial man, that in the two firft Ages^/C/^rr- Uianity any Bifhof had more than one f articular Church or Congregation for his f roper charge ; or that in the third Age, there was any Eijhop which bad a Church confining of more than are infonte one of our Paridies^ unlefs it was the Church of R om(? Cnor is there fujficient evidence produced for that: J Or that in the middle of the fourth Age there were 4 Churches jeach of which comprifed more t/^M could affemble in one place ft hough if they hadcQK^ tained morejthat might he far enough from mah^ng them Diocefans ; J Or that afterwards, within ihi^ time of the four firft .General CbutiGifey wi'^^ there were fevtrd Churches helongingto oM Bifbop} he did exercife jurisdiction over them alone ^ or only by himfelfand his Delegates. It\Mli be tim:^^ nough to centre us as Schifmaticks for declini^t^ Diocefan Churches, rphen they have made it op- pear^ The Preface. peaKy that there ^vasfuch^ in the heH ages of Chri- Hiamty : ( which not affearingy the cenfure falls' upon the primitive Chriiiians^ from n>hotn it mU> Hide of upon tbemfelves.J If they mil forbear m^ till this he performed^ rpe need defire no more. Vn- lefs TPe may prevail irith thofc who fimerely profefs the^rfehes Proteftants, to regard the fecwing tbemfehes and their Religion ^o;?^ the deftrH&ive dejigns of the Papifts ^ more than thoie things which are net properly the concern either of Fro- teftant or of Religion. ( As for thofe who prefer the Papifts before Dif- kntcYSy and revile thefe as worfe^ though they differ mno one point of Religion from other true Prote- fl:aiits : We need not ivonder ifive meet with na better treatment from them^ then from declared Fa- pi^s'yfnce by fuch preference they too plainly declare ?/?^FrQteftant Religion tabe worfe than Popery^ intkeir account.The following fheets have lain by me' nlmyJ\^omhs^ and had done fo flill ; but that the importunity offome^ and the mifreprefenting of my fleace by others ^forced me tO' pubkjh them, * - CO Diocefan Churches not yet difcoz'ered in the Primitive times. To {hew that many Presbyters in one Church was not enough to prove it a Diocejun , I I made it manifeft that it was ufual in the anti- ent Church, to multiply Presbyters, beyond vphat we count ncccjjary 5 ('not beyond what is neccflary, as it is too often mifi'epre(ented:J For this I ofFer'd two Teftimonics, one a flirting it to be (b in the Firli ^e, the other in the' F^;/r//j, and thought thefelufficient, if they could not be denied, (as they are notj to evince it to have been fo in the Third : For who can reafbnably fuppofe, but that had place in the Thirds which was ufual both in the Ages hefore and after ? The firfl: was that of ''Bifiop Downham^ who fayes, at the firji Convcr- (ton of a ties J the t7umberof people concerted were not nrnch greater than the mtmher of Presbyters placed amongjl them. But//j7/, its fayed can be of little nfe -^ "^becaufe, i. This ' was not the cafe of the Church of Carth^age^ it was * not a new converted Church, but fetled long before, * and in a fiouri(hing condition. The Church of Carthage by the fierce perfecutions in Cyprians time (which is the time we fpeak oQ was brought fo low, and reduced to fb very few, as if it had been but new converted, and how was it in a fetled a?rdfloti- rijlm/g condition^ when it was fo lamentably wafted, and (till harrafTcd one year after another .=' or who can bc- B lieve ff. 4 (O lieve it, that reads Cj/^r/^//; lamenting, Trcffurd; ipuf iant iurhidafjj vajiJtJtem^ qn£ grcgcnt volirnm muximu ex pat1c popnluiacji^ 'adhucO^ nfqac fopnlilnr^ and that they were politi wtcr pltivgentrum mhufs^ et liwcmiu;;; rcliquicu^ ititcr mif/icrofim 0' Lwguet7t7nm Jiragem^ ct cxiguat}/ jiuvti- (3.)U'c..\. iff//pdu(ita'.cm^ fa) Was not this much the cafe of the ^/fpojidhal Clunhcs^^ unltfi tbiis of Cn-thagc was wor(e, and fo lefs for our Author's advantage .<^ Or if this were othervvife, the Churches in Naziaf/zc/is time were not 7icivJjco}!zcrtcd^ but^t'/Zf^/ long before, and in :i Jio/nyJ/j- h!g (ond.liov-^ which yet cannot be denyed to have had more Presbyters than rce coiwt vcedfitl. So that this was the pratiiiein every condition of the Church, whe- ther flouridiing or not. 2. ' He faycs, many more Presbyters may be ordain- 'edin a City, than is neceffaryfor the firft beginning of 'a Churcli, with refped to future incrcaie. (yc. And who will qucftion, but the many Presbyters in the Church of Cty'^ while he alters my words fo as to change the (cnle, he difputes againft himlelf^ not me :i But this looking more like an Argument than anything before, I fnall take a little more notice of it. 1. Is not all this applicable to the Churches in the ./^pofi/e^s times, B Q ^vhen (4) when it cannot be denyed 'Vrcsh)tcrs were multiplyed beyond what \vc count ncccflary .<* Tke poor mimerous^ the generality of ChrilUcins not of the T^chejl^ and the Ejiates tkey had bch/gat tke clifcrction of their enemies^ and mind vcilh perpetual perfecuiion. Further, the Church before Consfantine SLud Carthage particularly , fuppoling thcfe to be its circumftances, might have many Presbyters without any great charge : For lil. the Church Stock was referved only for thole in Tfant, 70K A'j{j^oii^ as is determin d in one of the Canons C^)can. 4. which pafs for ^pojiolical^ ("b) and the fame decreed in (r) Ci^. 25. the fynod at yintioch. (c) ylmhrofe even in the A^th. Age^ will have none to have a ftipend who hath other revenues, '^ifidci exercct nnlitiunr^ age Hi Jin fi-itciibusy (i habet^ debet ejfe content us ^ (inon fjabet^ stipendiorum fu- (d) offic. L. I. orumfru&u, (d) And ChryfijiomteWs us that in Eledions, c- 3^- thofeof the Competitors that had Eftates did carry it, bccaufc the Church v;ould need to be at no charge in maintaininsjof fuch, *"<' avJ^iono r^';, but a good difta nee from the City, (70 Furlongs by Land,) and 3 may' pals forw^wj', when it was a rare thin^ for any City to have More than am. The beft Authors, as they fbmctimes expreis^'crj' few by mtic^ and Tigemrality by 4// 5 fo they cxpre{sw<>rc than ordinary by niatiy 5 and ircoox three fuch Churches in one City were more than ordinary atthat time, when oneCity in an Hundred had not two Churches, and one in a Thoufmd had not three Churches, that could be fly led y^'--y^^'' ^//that Qovfiafitine built here were T'^r/', both Eufebhis \i\i more^ and Sozo^ men's many^ are iiiid, by them to be very great, /x4;v?»/. But no confiderable Author that I meet with in that Age, or fome Hundreds of years after, names more than two very great Churches ^it^^di by Co72Bantim in that Ci- ty. And if comparifon be-made, there is no Hifiorian of thole times, to be more regarded in matters which concern C, 7-^ , than Socrates who tells us, that he was 1,9. c. 24. born and educated in C. P. , and continued there fas an advocate^ whenhewrote his Hiftory. But if we fhould fuppofe that Sozomen intended more than ? or 4 Churches, or that the Emperotir built no more than was requifite, and only conlulted convenien- cy, and defign d not State or Magnificence, (which yet our Author a little after ftyes he did 5 and we know no- thing is more ordinary than for great Cities to have more Churches than are needful : it was fo in London before the Fire, and the retrenching of their number fince IheM^s it :) yet this will be fo for from proving Alexan- der^ Church in C. *P. to be Dioccfin^ that it will not prove it greater than fome fingle Congregations; for there were 1 2 Churches in Alexandria^ when yet the Church in (9) in that City adhereing to .Athnnafius confifted of no more than are in fome one of our Paritlies. For which fuch Evidence has been brought, as is not yet, nor I think, can be defaced. ' Nor can we imagine that two "• Churches, much lefs one, could fuffice all the Chrifti- ' ans in C T. when the City onielropolfsbeing convert- 'ed to Chriftianity required more, and ConficwtiKC ' built feveral for them, ^x-^wnat 'j Kvffoi, The word plurally expreffed is much improved by our Author ^ he makes out of it diver fi Churches^ and all thefe Churches^ when yet all thefe were but of?e Church, as Socrates himfelf makes it plain a little before/, for \soc, Li.c.12. having related how Corffiamine ordered a Church to be built near the Ouk^^at Mumhre^ he adds, that he order- ed afjother Church ("not ChurchesJ to be ereuled at Helio- polis, i7iejf.v ImKmajf >^iu^Kv\v)mi^iovlKKKYiaieii m^ and that it was furnifhed with a mi.i.c.$6.Dt ^JjJiop^ T^resbjters and Deacof?s. So that the Bil"hop of ^'^'^ coniUnt. Heliopolk had but one Church for his Diocefs, which our [Author (hould not be fo loath to own, fince it can- not be proved that at this time one Biihop in an hundred, had more. Vulcfius (whom our Author much relies on), in his U\(otcs upon this place, is fo far from thinking that Con- jiuntif;e built more Churches in Heliopolh^th^t he judges this one at prefent was not neceflary for it, the Town having then no Chriftians in it : and affigns this as the reafon why Eufehius fpeaks of it as a thing uinifual, that it (hould have a Bidiop appointed, and a Church built in it. His words are, Fortajfe hoc fjovam d^ wauditum fitjjje intcUigit^ 6cc. He may think, this new and unheard C ofi ( 10 ; of^ that a Church JJwuld he built iff a City^ where as yet there jvere no Chrijhafis hut all were alike idolaters. Therefore this church was built at Heliopolis, not for that there was afjy ffeccjjity of it, but rather iff hope that heffiight i fruit e all the Citizef7j to the profejjioff of the Chrijiiaff Religioff, So that the Bifhop here had none for his Diocefe but one inUL'^.dtvit. Church, and that empty, there being then no Chrifti- Confim. c. 58. ^j^g jj^ ^j^3^ Qj^g p^j.- Qj ^ ^j^j^j^ y^^ ^^g ^jj j^g j^^j ^^ make him a Diocejatf. The better to confute T/je(?^^f/, whofaies ("for they are his words, not mine ) that Alexattder with all the 'Brethrcfi ffict together, he endeavours to (hew the ftate of that Church about tlie latter end oiCofjflantiffe, &c. this he does here and after by an undue Apphcation of fbme paflages in Sozofne?f, For the account which that Hijloriaff gwcs of that City is not confined to Coffflaff- tifje's time, but reaches beyond it, ay, and beyond jF«- liaff's too, which appears, as by other pafTages, (b by his mentioning the hcatheft Te/f/ples in the time of that Emperour. And with refpeft to the time after Coft- Jiat7ti}7c muft that expreflion be underftood, which makes C. 'P. to exceed Rome, riOt ofily iff Inches, but iff the f;ufffher of Iffhabitafits, otherwise it will be apparent- ly fal(e. For when Chryfijioffte was Bifhop there, about 70 years after (when it is like the number of the Inha- bitants were doubled, it cannot be queftioned but they were far more numerous) he who beft could doit, rec- n In An. Horn, kons the Chriftians then to be an 1 00000 » 5 our Au- I l,pdg.6^^. thor will have us look upon the Jews and Heatheft there to be inconfiderable but let us count them another looooo. Yet both put t08;etherwill fill incomparably (hort of the number in old Koffic, which by the compu- o T)t Magnit. tatiou of Lipfius was at leafk two milliofis 0, And in KoM. lib. 3.^.3. Coffjiufftif/e's time ffew R.ofne was as £ir ftiort of the old as as to its greatnefs in circuit, for whereas Herodiiw de- clares that Severus quite demohilied ^Byzarttifim for (id- ing with ^ger^ and reducing it to the If.^te of a Filbge fibjeCfed it to Perinthus, t^V" AA«5tW Ui^n'SjioKJSconJh'^ p^ ^Uh. 3.?. 58. we cannot in reafon fiippofe it to be extraordinarily (parlous 5 yet as Zofimus reports, all the inlargement which ConUavtitit gave it, was but the addition of 1 5 Furlongs ^^'^ '^^vt^'^"^^^ q. Now (uppofe it was 30 q /;t. 2. ;. 52. or 40 Furlongs in com pais before ("and fo larger than one City in an hundred) yet this addition will leave it lefs than Alexatidriu,^ v/hich, as Jojep/jud defcribes it, was 80 Furlongs, that is,ten miles in circumference r, yet A- rD(3d'c • lexa?7driu'w:ns four times left than T^j^^^r, for by Vopifcu/s ' ' *' ^^^' ' account, in i4//rf//^// s time, not long before O^^^;;///?/', tke rcalls were made by him rear 50 miles in circuit. So it will be in comparifon of CotijlaTitirjople when firft built, rather like a jS^tion than a Cit\\ as .A^rfiotle f^id . of the other '^ahylor?^ '«X" '^n^iye^ip^'' i^hKov X^wit nmnai j. s ?ol. ULv:- If then we will have this paflage ofSozomen to have any appearance of truth,itmuft be extended far beyond Conjldfjiinesixm^^ when, as Zofimus xcWs us, many of the fucceeding Empcrours were ftill drawing multitudes of People to thatCity,fothat it was afterwards encompafled with walls far larger, "^^^-^ i^-^iom^ than thole ofCor/JiaK- line t. And in an Oration of 77>e«/7yr///if,it is made a que- 1 ^^'*- ^-h ^'s- (lion whether Theodoji/^ jumor did not add more to C,P, than Conjiantine did to "Byzantium, ' Many of the Jervs and almoft all the Heathen were ' converted and became Chriftians. The expreflion of Sozomen docs not hinder but as the main body of the Jews remained, (6 the numbers of the Heathen might be confiderable. TcrtuUian fpeaks of Citizens in his time as if they were almoji all Ckriliians^ C 2 pen9 ( lO u Apo!. c. 37. pp^^ offfnes crvcs chrijliam h 5 yet no inftance can be gi- ven of any one City v/here the Chiiffcians were the major part of the Inhabitants .* thofe that take his words, in a ftrid fcn(e are very injurious to him, and make him fpeak that which no antitnt Records will warrnnt. Sozowef!-.\\{b may fuffcr by draining his cx- prciiion 5 but I will not digrefs to take farther notice ofwhat is not material, for 1 defign not, nor have any need,to make any advantage of the numbers of the Hea- thens in this City. He tells us of 950 Work-houfcs who(e rents were al- lowed to defray the Funeral expences of all that died in the City ( for (b it is expreilcd in the Conftitution, being performed with great folemnity, and multitudes of Attendants maintained by thofe rents for that pur- I X Kov.$9.c.2. pole X, How this here makes the Chriftians in C ^P. to be fo very numerous as he would have them, he fhould have (hewed us , I am not yet Co fagacious, as to difco- ver it. The number of the Decani was determined cod.diEccl. by Hopiorhis to 950 y. Our Author thinks it '^ probable they were fo many nt the lirft eftabhfliment, but there's more ground to believe, they were much fewer in Conftantims time ^ for about 800 were counted iufficient in Jitjiimani Reign, 200 years after, when the City was both larger, and much more populous and I z.Vfl«/.59.f.2. jn its greateft flouriftiz.. Thofe that confider the pre- mifles, may v^cll think, he might have form'd his con- cluiion in terms lefs confident, to fay no worle of it. Next he forms an Obje(ftion againfl: himfclf : ' not- ' withftanding the number of Chriftians in C P. might *^ be much too great for one Congregation, yet the ma- ' jor part might be Here ticks or Schififidth'ks^^ fuch a& ^ came not to the Bifhop's Church , and therefore all that ( 13 ) ' that adhered to him might be no more than could ' meet in one Aflembly. To which he anlvvers, that the tinmhcr of Hereticks and Schifmaticl{s was JKCo^flderahle, and will not except the ^riaffs or j^(ovatians. For the Arians^ he laics, they had ?!0t yet made a formal Separation, But if they did not Separate themfelvcs, the Church would have them (epa rated, and did exclude them from communion, and withftood Cor;Jia»twes importunity for their admiffion, both here and in other places : ^thaffafius was threatned by Eufcbius of V^comedit a^ i SocMb,2.c.i'! and banifhed by the Empcrour for this caufe among o- thers. And Alexander beinpj lecured by ^riHs his death from admitting him to Comm.union, was the oc- cafion of this pafl'age in Theodoret which gives our Au- thor (b much trouble. Now the .Arians being debar- red from communion, leflcned the Bifhop's Church, both here and elfe where, as much as if they had Sepa- rated them(elves. And they were numerous here, this being the place where they had greateft fivour , in C offfla/it we' sEd\(}: againft the Heretrc^s whofe meetings he would have (iippreflcd, the Brians were not men* tioned when the other are named/'. Socrates \vnx.Q%\i-Eufth.dtvitA> that the People in this City was divided into two '^''''^''''^- ''^' ?• • Particsthe^m;// and the Orthodox, they had co-ntwii-'^'^'' ^' ^' ally fjarp hickerwgs^ but while Alexander lived the Or- thodox had the better 5 as (bon as he was dead (which vvas"^' \v\\\\QCo?rJlaf7titie lived J it feems they appeared '^Vzkiobferv, . equal,fbr the cof/tefi^£\\Qs he, was dubious^ dfMprisi^f « f^^it c, '.'^ ^^^' ^ ^"^^ In 9^aziif}zer2s time fo far they overtopt the Orthodoxj c s'oc.lib.2.c.6, . that this great Diocefin Church appear'd but in the form of a private Meetings held in a very little honfe^ where he kept a Conventicle with them, ^voiKio-Kaf^K^alwiKma^i^ io So%ometi J, and Socrates agrees with him in the ex- dUb.^.cap.^^ prefTion, hf(M^ShiMhole CHy became one ^jjembly, and meeting in an Ora- tory, continued \\\(iXQ 2\\ day h^ "0A»7rcA/f /u/*&K,xAHw'i««>«Vs7Bh£_/3,y ,,^^23. h d -^^ ivKTv^Cf> -^vof^oi^ <^c. 'But I would have him tell me^ how he underliandv that palihge of Chr)feficme^ ^y^? TihUvi, What is die import of thele words? Do they \Hom.2^.iH iignify that ten (Myriads were ailcmbled in one place ^^''^- ^"^^ 2- ^ tohearChrjfoftome^ Iffo, there will be no qucftion ^''* but that the generality of Chriftians might meet in one Church with Alexander hiConJiantine's Reign 5 for that then, ("about 70 years before J) there was any thing near fo many Chriftians as an 1 00000 3 adhereing to one Biftiop in this City, cannot with any reafon be injagin- D ed. C i8 J) ed. Or does he mean only, that there were (b tudfiy ' e>I^rW/ of Chriftians contained in that City. <* Iffo then he (aics here no more than in another Homily {oxt- cited, where the number of Chriftians in C. P. is com- puted to be an looocc, reckoning all besides Jews af/d Heathcvs. Now if they were no more in his time, they cannot with reafon be fuppofed to have been above half (b many in Covjiantims (unleli any can imagine, that their numbers advanced more in 6 years than in yc^ when the fuccecdine: Emperours mukiplyed the Inhabitants exceffively, ^^nt tUu %f«Wj as Zofimis tells k LiK a. us 4, crouding the City fb full as that they could (carce ftir without danger : ) and a great part of thefe were fallen off to Arius while ^lexufider was Bifhop : the j^ovatiufjs alfo, were numerous, having feveral Chur- ches --i and thefe with other Seds being deduced, the Chriftians there that communicated with Alexander will be no more (if fb many^ than belong to fbmeone of our Parifhcs. ' It would fwell this Preface to too great a Bulk, if I '' ftiould aniwer the reft (b particularly. Since he defigned to be (b breifj and to have fb fhort a Preface, I wifti he had employed more of it a- gainft that which is the ftrength of the Difcourfe he oppoies, and of more conf^quence to the main Caufe 5 and not have fpent fb many leaves upon a by-pailage, for which we have little reafon to be concerned : for if he could make it appear, that the Chriftians at C. P. in ConfldijUms time were more than could meet in one Congregation, yea, or in two either 5 that would be far from proving it a Diocefin Churchy unlefs fbme one or two of our Parifties can be counted fb. Let me add in fine, that our Author ha? done Jtift no- thing towards the difproving of what Theoderet was al- ledged for 3 unlefs he (hew, that C, P. exceeded old RomCy I C I? ) RdMe^ was furnifhed with fuch an infinite number of Chriftians, fo many ('more than two J magnificent Churches there erefted, the 50 Bibles thought needful to be provided, and almoft all the Heatkcn befides many Jews converted ^ before Akxa^fder (who is (aid to hold this Aflembly with all the brethref?^ deceased ^ and ih unlefs he prove that all this was done (which himle'f { think can fcarce believe) in lefi than a year. For V.ile- Jius (upon whole authority this Gentleman takes much) proves at large ("making it the bufinefs of one of \\\$ *lBooks) that Alexander died ( and yet muft live (bmc while after this panegyrical k^emhly") in the year 55 1. z:. 2. ohprv. li And its manifeft, that C. P, was not built, nor had that '^'"^•^'^''^• name till 331. For tho' it was building the year before, yet it was not finiOied till 2 5 of Conftantine\ Reign (as Jerome and others:) and the beginning of his Reign is chtonic. reckoned from the ^ezx^Ciof Conjiantiits his Father, who was Conful with Maximianus in the year 506, and F4,2 cw/*/, died in the middle of it. There needs not a word more to (hew that all his di(cour(e on this fubjcft is wholly infignificant, and not at all for his purpole, tho' this be the moft confiderable part of his Preface. ' This Author gives (everal inftances of(everal Bi(hops * being in one City at the fame time, in an(w'er to the ' Dean of TWs, who affirmed that it was an inviolable ' rule of the Church to have but one, ev. Jernjalem is ' thefirft inftance, &c. I wonder to find a man ofLearn- ' ing cite this paflagc, than which nothing can be more * di(ad vantageous to his Cau(e. There is one wtio I (uppo(e paffes for a man of learn- ing who for the (ame purpo(e makes u(eof thisinffcance, Hnce mine was publifhed 5 We haze, faith he, Exan/ples in EcckfiaJHcaifiory of of two Bifjop's at tie fame time in the fame oer, and yet this was never thought Schifntaticdl^ when th fee end was advanced by the confent of the firf}, D 2 Tfms ( 20 ) Thus Alexander a Bffl.wp in Cappadocia toOi r/iade Brfljop of]cruia\cm jr/z/cNarciflus »v« livwg^ but very old: and Anatolius at the fame time^ fate in the Church ^/Cxlirca with ThcotccnuSj a?}d this vpm St. Au^'in soivnraje^ rvl.o ^"'^'""af ^* ^^^^^^^^^i^' Brfiop (7/Hippo while there was another Bijhop living I. He (ayes alio, Nothing ca^i be more difadvan- tjgeoHs to my caufc than this pdjjage. If it had been no advantage to my caufc, I fhould have thought it bad enough 5 but if nothing could.be more difadvantagc- ous, I am very unhappy : let us fee how it is made good, ' 9s(ardf[ns having retired, and the people not know- ^- ' ing what had become of him, the neighbouring Bi- ' (hops ordained Dius in his place, who was fuccLcded ' by Gordiiis and after by Gcrmanico^ ( it Qiould be by * Gcrmafiico^ and after by Gordii/s ) in whofc time ' Narcijfus returned, and was defired to refume his ' Office, and did fb. What became of Gi-rw^wV^ (he 'means Gordiju^) is not (aid but probably he refigned ' or died prcfcntly. There rs nothing to make either of thefc probabk^, it isaltogethcr as likely, if not more, that he continued bilhop there with NarciJjHs for fome time 5 but bccaufe tiijebius fayes nothing of it, I infift not on it. But be- fides he tells us, NarcilTus tooh^ Alexander, i^ito the par- tifipation of the charge. That fignifies Narcijfus was not excluded from the Epifcopal charge^ both had their parts therein. No, but fayes he, Alexander ivas the T^ifjop, Narciflus retained biU the name and title only^ that is, he was but a Titular, not really a Bifhop,. and why ^o ^ becaufe Alexander^ fayes he, joined witis him in prayers^ and the Hijiorian fayes he woi not able to officiate by reafon €f his. great age. He was not able it may be to perform all the Offices of a Bifhop, but what he ims> able to do no doubt he performed. Now if they miift be but ti- thlar Bifhops, who perform not pcrfonally all the Of- fices (21 ) fices of a Paftoral charge ( when they cannot pre- tend A/7iaf2j/ j%{f^ how many real Biihops fhall we find' in the World .^(7/Af, and if he had officiated at Jeritfu' km^ where they were fo defirous of him, in a lower Capacity^ their kindneft to him had been a degrading him ^ which it cannot be fuppofed they would either offer, orheyeildto. I alledged ^piphanius^ who figmjiesthat other Cities haSi two BiJIjops together^ and excepts only Alexandria. To which he anfwers, that Epiphanius cavnot mean that all other Cities had two BiJIjops at a time^ nor did I (ay that he meant this, but his exprelTion imports no lefs than that it was ufualfor other Cities to have two Bifiops, Nor is there any reafon to think that Epiphanins refpedsonly the (23) the ca(es alledged 5 it was quite another cafe that was the occafion of his words ^ and diverfe other inftances might be brought of a different nature and occafion, though this be fufficient to (hew, that the rule againft twoBidiopsinone City was not ifivioluble : He adds, 'I ' do not fee what advantage can be made of this paf' '{age. This p^ffage (hews that there was commonly twoBi- (hops in a City at once, ^Alexandria is only excepted as varying herein from other Cities. And this is ad- •vanttigc enough for «re, and it is enough agaivfl him too ^ and leaves no reafon for his pretence that it was only in extraordinary cafes. I affirmed it could 71 ot be Epiphanius his meavit^g (as a great Afitiqiiary would have it) that Alexandria vp^is /sever fo divided^ as thatfeveral parties in itfiould have their rejpc&ive Bijl.wps there^ and brought (everal Inftances to evince it .* firfi it was di- vided in the time of Epiphanius, when the Catholicl{s had Athana(ius, the Arians had Gregorius, and then Geor- giusj and afterwards the one had Peter the other Lucius, and the Novatians had their Bifiops fuccejjivelj in that City till Cyrii's time, ' He anfwers however I do not fee why that learned ' Antiquaries opinion may not be maintained againft this ' Gentleman's objeftions, he (ayes that Alexandria was ' divided before epiphanius his time between fcveral Bi- * fhops (I faid in ^piphanius's time) it cannot be denied. ' But that is not the thing Epiphanius (peaks of^ but that 'before the Election of Theonas againft ^thanafius ^ ' there were never two oppolite Biihops as in other ' Churches. But this doth neither agree with the one nor defend the other ^ it agrees not with Epiphanius^ but makc3 him contradict himfelf^ for he tells us there were two oppoflte BiQiops at Alexandria before Theomts v/as cho- fen. . (en. For this was not till Alexaf/dcrs death,but he (ayes ^^Pijhfs was made Bifhop there by the ^riatis while n ntr. 6;.\'uK. Alcwwckr washving o. And ht could not be ignorant pfvucV-jJf. of what ^ufcbiHs declares p, that upon the divifion in I ./. 3. C3p. 4. '^^gypi occaiioned by Arins^'m every City, vj.V\)>^?\ui mkty^ ikrc vrjs Dijbop a^,rr;jl Bijlwp^ and People againft Peo- ple. Nor doth it difirjd the AfJiquary^ for he (peaks univcrftlly without limiting himfelf to the Eleftion of TkeoTim^ ^ccledam Alcxaffdrinam 7:n}?qiiam h? partes fcif- fint qUiintm fivguU ^pijiopuni fnum hahebant^ that Church was never divided fo as to have opposite Bifiops. ' Theinftances are all later than this Fact, and therc- ' fore are infignificant, fiyes he. They are fully fgrnficant^ both in reference to the Antiquary againft whom they are brought to prove that he miftook cpiphamns^ when he would have it to be his meaning, that Alexa^jdria was never (b divided as to have two oppofite Bifhops ^ for they (hew it was of- ten (b divided : and alfb in reference to Epiphurjins^ they were (b late as his time on purpole, to Ihew more un- queftionably, that could not be his meaning, which was againft his knowledge, and notorious inftances in his own time. But he will not deny the ir? fiance of the ^^(ovatiaiis to he fgKJficavt^ only Socrates does fwtjaj that they had their ^ijbops ficcejjjvely to C)'rirj" tin/e. Nor do I lay he does --, but he (ayes Cyril 1 fi/a up the Novatian Churches there^ and tooli^ away all the ficred treajkre in them^ and deprived their '^'Rjjl.wp Theopom- jiusofall he had. Now when our Author meets with Churches, and a 5//7jtfp over them 5 he is not wont to qucftion^t Succejfwn^ unlefs it appears he was the firft. *' It may be they began there after this time, for there * is little Account in Church-Hiftory, that I know, of *.any U^QyvatJans in Alexandria before ^thanafins^ We We are little concerned about this, yet it may be they began before this time, for there is tio accciwt at all in Church Hiftory^ th'at the Novatians began there in^ or after Athanafius his time. I had produced evidence that many African *~BjJI}ops declared, in the cafe o^ Valerius and Auflin^ that it was ufual in all parts, to have two Bi(hops in a City at once 5 to this he anfwers, ' but fuppofe all this true, that this ' might be maintained by the Examples of (everal ' Churches, what is it that two Bilhops may be in one ' Church ? no, that is not the matter, but that a Bilhop ' when he growes old, may appoint or ordain his Suc- ' cefTour, to prevent the mischiefs^ that are ufitaUy produced ' by popular Ele&ions, If what the African Bijfjops did alledge, werereftrain- ed to that particular cafe he contends for, yet this is enough to make good all I intend, viz. that nfial/y in the antient Church, there were two '^ijljops together in one place. For when one is ordained Bilhop in the fame place, when another is ftill living, with whatever defign, upon what occafion fbever this is done, yet there are two Bifhops at once in the fame place. I (ee no reafon why this fhould be reftrained to that particular cafe, the occafion of what the Bilhops affirm may clear it, and that was Aujiins fcruple, not to (uc- ceed ValerifAf, but to be made Bifhop of Hippo, while his Biihop there was living, Epifeopatum fufiipere, fuo vivente ^pifiopo, recufabat^ for (b there would be two together, which he took to be againft the Cuftomofthe Church, contra morem ^ccleji£ , but they all perlwade him that this was ufually done, id fieri folcre, and prove it by examples in all parts ^. And Valerim his defire q PoffiJ(0:vhd and propofal was, that ^ufiin might be ordained Bilhop ^^i^?- ^^h^* oi^ Hippo, Quifu£ Cathedra non tarn Juccedcrct fed Con fl- eer dos accederet, not as one that was tofucceed him only, but to be IBiJhop together with him* E When ( 20 When he afligns this as the rcafbn of appointing a a Succeflbur, to preze^n the mi£chiejs that arc nfnally pro- duced by popular eleliions^ he (peaks his own fence, not theirs ^ for they were better advifed than to brand the general pradice of the ancient Church as rmfihicvous^ and how this fuggeftion becomes one, who undertakes to write a vindicatmt of the T^riw/twe Churchy let him- felf confider. Others may judge it, a more intollera- ble Jefledtion upon the univerlal Church in the bcftand after times, than any t^. '^B. can be juftly charged with. However the rcafon afligncd for it by *VoJJido' nim is another thing than appears in this Authors whole Ibid, account, it was becaufe Valerius feared left fome other Churchy Jlwuld feek^ him for their BiJIjop^ and get a per- fonfo approved^ from him. Whereas in fine he (ayes, ' The(e Ca(es (pecified ' were not thought to violate the Rule that allowed but ' one Bifhop to a City. Yet it was thought (b by Sr. ^uflif;^ when he excu(es his fufFering him(elf to be made Bifhop with Valerius^ by thk^ that he knew no: it was forbidden by a rule of the V^certe Council^ ^uod Cotjci- lio ^^Qcefw prohibitum fuiffe vefciebam^ and c;ivcs this as the rea(bn why he would not (b ordain &adius. Next he would prove, that this provi(ioft for a Suc- ceffour does not dejiroy that "T^ile^ by an inftancc, I need not tran(cribe it at large, the fum of it is this, when the Government k ^Monarchical^ if it full out onct ("in many Ages, as it did in England once in above 500 years) that another King be crowned^ bcjides him rvho hath the Throne x, yet it will be true enough^ that it is the rule of thofc Kingdoms to have but one King. To which I (ay briefly, if it be ujital to have two Kings in (uch a Go- vernment, it will (carce be thought true, that it is the inviolable T^le of tho(e Kingdoms, to have but one King, And then how tMs ifnftance will (ute his pur- po(e. Car) pofe let thofe judge who take notice, that, I have al- ready proved it nfid in the antient Church for Cities in all parts to have two ^iJJjops at once. From fa-g. 12. he paffes to pag. 29. To fliew there were more Bifhopricks than one in the Region or Dio* cc(s of Hippo I brought (everal inftances , and might have produced more, but that. I confined ray felf to thofe which the learned Dean alledged to the contrary. Fujffala is one of them, and that alone this Gentleman takes notice of. St. Auftin calls it CafieUum diverfe times in one Epiftle. He finds fault that I tranflate Ca.^ fieUum a Ca(tlc. I did no more exped to be blamed for this, than if I had render'd Oppidum a Town. But I fuppofe he counts it no great crime, fince he runs into it himfelf and in a few lines after calls it a Cafile, ' But the(e Caftles, (ayes he, were Garrifon Towns, 'with a good dependance of Villages belonging to ' them. They were Fortreffes, and fometimes had Villages depending on them, and might contain fo many build- ings as there are in fome Village or litde Town 5 how- ever he calls them Caftles^ and may give me leave to do fo too. He adds, " It was 40 miles diftant from Hippo^ and ' was in St. Anjiines Diocefs, and never had a Biftiop of its own. It is (aid indeed to belong to the Diocefs of Hippo, but I do noufind it (aid to be in St. Aufiine's Diocefs or Bilhoprick , thefe are two things and (hould not be confou nded. When it is (aid to belong to the Diocefs of Hippo, fo farr diftant, Diocefs is not taken as an fcr/e- fiaflical fenfe as it is with us, for pact of a Countrey under the Government of one Bifhop 5 but as it was ufed in Afi-ica in a riz;z/ fenfe, for part of a Province, without refpe(3: to one Bijhsp^ or to a??y one Difiop at all. Some E 2 parts ( 28 ) parts there call'd Diocefles had m BiJfjops^KOr rccre to haze r con. Carth. 2. anj by Decrees of the African Cotwcils r. Other places frTXz.^'^' ^^' "lied a Dioccjs had more BiOiops than one. T^etilian fayes, that in the place where his Collcgue Jamtarins was Bifhop there were 4 BiQiops befides, all five in una (coU.cartb.D.i Dio^ccft s. And thus it was in many Other places, parti- Km.m. cularly in that called the Dioccfs /sBifhoprick, not one jot the larger for it, nor he more a Diocefan. Whereas he adds, that it never bad a Bifjop of its own. It is unqueftionable that Fuffala had a Bifhop of its own in Aitflins time , and this renders it wholly unfervice- able to their purpofe Wof the Biflioprick of i^ippo^ faid to be of 40 miles exteHf^ will not upon the count of FtiJfuU be 40 yards largeK Nor wilj either of thefc Bi- (hops, nor any other in that Region be Diocelans 5 un- less there can be two Diocefans, and I know not how many more, mone Diocefs. I afligned this reaibn, why FnffaU had not a Bifhop fboner, becaule Auflin declares, there was not one Cat ho- licl^in it^ and fuppofed this might ferve the turn, not dreaming that thole who count all the people in a very large Parifli, or in an ico Parities little enough for a Diocefan 5 could think his Diocefs competently furni(l> cd when he had not one Soul (or but ibme few) in communion with him. He fayes, the Town or Cafile indeed had none^ but the County belonging to it had feme , he will have the Terri- tory tory or Parifli depending on this Cajiie to be a County, I cannot but obferve the admirable power of a fancy tiniftured and prepoflefled. It will turn a Fari[() into a CoHuty^ and a Cafik into a County Town 5 and fince a County with us, was a T^rovince with them, one T^ro- "vince muft be as much as all Africa 5 and a very fmall part o^t^Qtmidia^ muft be far greater than the vphole. But there are (bme Hypothejes, >vhich may ftand in need of (ijch imaginations. However he likes not my reafbn, and why .//?/» as its Bifhop 5 cither before it had Catholicks,for againft this the Argument is admitted to be conclufive .- not after, for then it had a BiQiop of its own. And fb all they have to alledge for the largenefs of St. ^hjiins BiQioprick comes to nothing. ''So (30 J " So that I conceive the reafon will not hold, ^r its " having no Biihop of its own, (ince the (ame reafon " defkroys its dependence upon the the Dioceis ofHrppo^ " which is exprefly affirmed. The reafon I gave for its having no Bi(hop, was, becaufe St. sAnftin declares there vpos no Catholkhjn it. This reafon w2l hold^ unlefi they think a place may have a Biftiop where tjiere are no Chriftians at all 5 when as yet they judge, that a place which hath Chri- ftians enough to make a good Congregation^ or many^ ought not to have a BiQiop. Whereas he (ayes this rea- fon decoys its dependance upon the Diocefs^ I wonder what dependance he imagines, fince it is (uch, as both the not ^i«z/7/;^ of Chriftians, and alfothe having ofthem^ deftroys it. The former he here affirms, the Jame reafon (which is its not having of Catholicks) destroys it 5 the latter is undeniable, for when F»JJala had a competent number of Catholicks, a BiChop was there conftituted 5 and then it depended no more on the Diocefs of Hippo^ than one Bilhop's Church depends on another, when both are independent. The dependance of Fuffala upon Hippo was fuch, as that of a Countrey place upon a greater Town well furniftied with Officers for their help, to convert and reduce the Inhabitants, and when enough are convert- ed to help them to a Biftiop or Paftor. This St. Aujiin did for Fjujffala^ he imployed Presbyters to reduce the Donatifts there, and when they were reduced, he adds them not to his own charge, would not have them £- pifcopo cedere\ but advifes them to have a Biftiop of their own,. and procures one for them. This was the pra- ftice of the primitive times, in thefo methods were Churches and Biftiops multiplyed , it was not out of ufe in the fifth Age^ this of FuJJala as managed by St. ^afiin is a remarkable inftance thereof, and if otherBifliops had imitated (31 ) anitated him, as he did the Apoftles, and beft Ages, the Church would not have been troubled with de- bates about Diocefins. That ^lifiin would not take the Charge of a Place (b far off as Fttffala^ he will have it afiribed to his tMo- (kliy. But it was fuch Modesty as this excellent Perfbn made Con(cience of, being convinced certijjima ratio^e^ by niofl certain reaforr^ that he was not futhcient for it. If all other Biihops had been {bwodeji^ (b confcientious, there might have been, as.,^q Off 'A '' >JS. But the Clergy (b called, may be only the Clergy of H/ppo^ and fo they are in the Title of the Epiftlc C/ericz HipponeCathfllici : and well may they of Hippo be called the Clergy of the Region;, both becaufe they were in that Region,and were theClergy of it i^T «^ox^\But iftheex> predion fhould be extended to f^tore or to 'f«f'w>'«cAi^?% quite deWtnte of ChriUia?is y^ and the gaining the generality there, to yEuf(U.7.c.iu the Faith, required fome confiderable time, and it is F 2 like ( 30 - Tike proceeded not far, till Chriftianity generally pre- vailed. Befidcs Ifchjras^ I had mentioned Dracofitius^ both Bifliops in the Territory of ^Icxaticlria. (^as Agathammott z/i;o/.2.;.5r2. al(b wasz-J o^ Draco fiti us he takes notice, and (ayes, pojfjbly he rcas a Chorcpifcopits* But a Chorepifcopus is elfewhere with him a Diocc- ipii' s?o- j^f^ a^ jjrid here he (ayes that he did accept a '~BiJJjoprickr Now the(e put together will go near to make a Dioce- fan Bifhop. But then if there were two or three Bifliops in the Diocels of Alexandria^ bcfides Athanafim , they will (carce be (b much as half Diocefins. He (ayes ^thanafius prcJJ'dhiMto accept it. If (b this great Per(bn was no more unwilling to have another Bifliop in his DioceJS'^ and in a Conntrcy place too, than Au^in was to have one at FttJfaU^ He fayes further this was an extraordinary cafi^ though what was extraordi- nary in it I cannot imagine ^ to prove any thing there mentioned to be (b, will be an hard task. "And allowing this man a Countrey BiQioprick, " that of Alexandria would be a great deal too bigg for " the Congregational meafure. And lb it might be, and yet be no Diocefin Church 5 if that will fatislie him which is too big for thofi meafiires^ he (eems content to drop his caufc, and may leave it in the hands of '^Presbyterians, And he is in the more danger, becau(e he (eems not apprehenfive of it, but counts it enough if he thinks a Church is any where found larger than (mc Congregation. I had given in(\ances of feveral Towns that had Bi- fhops, and were but two or three or four dv. miles diftant one from another this he denies not ; but asks Tvhat does this ccticlnde ^ nrigbl. mt ihofe Uiocejfcs be yet nthch larger than one Congregatrcn i I (37) I might conclude that thefe were juft fuch Dhceffes as our Countrey Paridies are , and had fuch Congrega- tions as thole Parifli Churches have. And (bme of them in time might have provifion ("as (bme of ours havej for more Congregations than one. And if our modern DioccJJcs were of this proportion, they would be much more conformable to the avtknt Modells. " Suppole the chief Congregations of Holland had " each a Bidiop, yet I conceive they would be Dioce- " (ansjthough thole Cities lie very dole together. He might have laid the/:e?/e at home, where we are better acquainted, and fappofed this of our Countrey Towns ^ or of both the cUrfi and leffcr Towns in Hol- land 5 if he had deiigned what would be moft parallel. But to take it as it is formed, though tho(e Cities lay- not further diftant, and had each of them a Bilhop, yet if their Churches were governed in common by Bifhop and Presbyters, as the antient Churches were ^ they would not be Diocejar?^ but more like t:hc Model of the Churches and Government which Hola.vd hath at pre- fcnt. " And now after all this, though we iiave (everal in- " fiances out o^Egypt^ how near Cities were together '■'in fome parts ^ yet upon the whole account the Dio- " cefe (Jo appear to be large enough, from the nura- *'berofthem. ' He would have us think where Cities are 7^ near toge- ther (as I had fhewed) yet becaufe of their mimher the Diocefl'cs might be large enough. But where they were fo near together, they could not be large enough to make any thing like the modern Diocefles, no, nor larger than our Countrey Parifhes if they had Bi(hops in them. And the Ancients thought themfclves obliged by the Apojile's rule to have a Bilhop, not only in fome but in every City, ^ffyJiTmif'iS'a'mfJ^vv ^ (ayes Chryfi- liome^ C38J b In 1 Tim. rioWC^ ^ ''^S' iyj^'-^i'7riKiroa^*^''^'*vb, and Thcophilu^ ^y^. How. II. prefles n^-r^-re:>jv by j-jtd' fc^itW TziA/K^ without exception of the ImaUncls of the place or its ncarncfs to others. The reafon diverle Cities had none, was the want, or the inconfiderable number of Chriftians in them. No- thing but this hindered any City from having a Billiop in the four firft Ages; though the grcateft part of their Cities (as may be made manifcft J were no greater than our Market-Tow^ns or fairer Villages. And upon this account many Cities might want Bifbops, and it may be did fo, in Egypt particularly , Hcathet/ifi/c pre- vailing in many places there, even in ^thcnufius his time 5 for which I could produce fufRcicrr evidence ^ but will not now digrefs fo far. Afterwards the affeda- tion oi great?icfs in fime^ was the occafion of new mea- fores 5 and orders were made'that Towns which had no Biftiops before fhould have none after : though the reafon why they had none before was gone 3 and thofe places had as many or more Chriftians in them, than mofl: Epilcopal Cities had of old. " For in ^thatjafius his time there were not an hun- cAthiin.Apol.2. " dred Bifhops in all Egypt, Lybia and T^e^/tapolis c. I was a little furprized to read this, and foe ^thatia- fius cited for it. For I knew that ^thana^ius reckons 95 Bifliops from Egypt befides himlelf, at the Council of Sardkat) and others from Africa, wherein L>'/'w and T^entapolis are ufually included 5 and it was never known that a major part or a third of the Bifhops in a Countrey, did come to a Cotpicil at fuch a diftance as Egypt was from Sardka. It is fcarce credible that A- ihamfiHs would fo far contradict himfclf, as to fay there were not fo many BiOiops in all thofo three Countreys, when he had fignifyed there were many more in om of them. Some miftake I thought there muft be, and con- fulting the place I found it not intirely reprefented. There C 39 ) There is this Claufe (immediately following the words he citesj left out, ^«^«'5 tktwi/ \\uZi imSiv^^ vone of thefi ac- cHJed wc, whereby it appears that the meaning of the whole pafflige is this, there was an himdred BiJJwps in the Dioccfs ^/ Egypt vpko appeared ?70t agawfi him^ or that fiivoured him. But thofe who favoured ^Arius (whom he calls izufebiaus) and Mclctius^ to (ay nothing of Co- luthus (for into fo many parties was that Countrey then divided) are not taken into the reckoning s otherwife it would have amounted to many more than an hundred. Sozomen fayes the Bifhops there, ,who took Arius his part were many, '^'^"^ TSv^ffvpTruv d, and in Athavd(ius d ub.i. f.14. there is an account of many (^eletlm Bifhops by namec^ and in ^piph^rnus it is (aid, that in every Re- t Apol.2.f.6i^. gion through which a^cletius paflcd, and /// every place "pohere he came he made BiJJ.wps f. (Ep- Hter, (58.- The next thing he takes notice of is the defence of Mr. Baxter's Allegation out of Athanafi//s^ to (hew, that all the Chrifljuns v^/e^ Church was capable «^^<*«9w^ w^yTttfj ofrecnvif7g this great multitude^ But r 43 ) But here he fticks,and will wriggle a little more," But " I conceive, fayes he, after all this, that the exprefli- " ons of Athamftus do not conclude that all the Chrifti- " ans in Alexandria, were met in this great Church. That alldiwA every one did come, was never imagined. It is but the main body of the Catholicks that M. jd. in- tends, as our Author obferves a little before. " For the tuMultuous manner in which they came to " their BiQiop to demand a general Aflembly, makes it " probable that not only Women and Children, would " be glad to abfent themfelves, but many more^ either " apprehenfive of the efFedt of this tumultHons proceedings " or of the danger of fuch a crowd. The Women he will not admit , but was it ever known that fuch a great and folemn Aflembly for Wor- (hip confiftcd only of Men ? Were not the Women in Communion with Athanajiuss Chriftians, that they muft be left out, when he (ayes all the Catholicks met.»^.2.p.$9r.Let any one view the paflages 4 and judge. He (tts ^^** forth the harmony, and concurrence of the multitude in vPorjl)ipwith one voice. He preferrs it before their affcm- blies, vphen difperfed in little places, and not only be- caufe the unanimity of the multitude was herein more ap- parent, but becaufe God would fooner hear them, «7w )y Tuxie^ • Ov)( imKvH, Far if fayes he, according to our Saviour s promije, where two fljall agree concerning any thing HJljall be done for them by my Father^ &c. how prevalent will be the one voice offo numerous a people, affembled to- gether and faying hmcn to God. ^ and more to that pur- pofe, by which we may perceive, Athanafius being JudgCj how true is it that this Aflembly was more for Solemnity ('45) Solemnity and Oflef?tathrr , than for *~Perfofial CommU" vion in Worfiip and the proper ends of a. Religious ^Jfent- hly. And thus much to let us (ee through the ^Arts ufed to cloud a clear pafl'age alledged out o^ ^thanaftui 5 if M. B. hid betaken himfelf to fuch little devifes^ in like Circumftances ^ our Author would have taken the Li- berty to tell him, that he was driven to hard Shifts. Before we leave Alexandria I am to take notice of what is (aid by our Author ^ to part of a Letter writ by a Friend to M. ^. concerning this City and the num- ber of Chriftians therein in Conjlantius his time. The Writer of it oblerves a grols abufe put upon him in the Vindicators Anfwer to it, and defires his defence may be here inferted. It contains an argument to confirm what was concluded from that paflage in Athunaflus here infifted on, that the Catholicks then could meet in one place. After that />k up a 4th. or a 3d. of the City, yet our Examiner will (47; will have us think there might be inhabitants there 5 when ^piphamits (ayes, as I cited him, that part was ?f«f*®-, deftitute of Inhabitants, fb he tells us IJr^/f/i///;;/ was. The Examiner denies not Bmchiitm to be that Re- gion of the City which Slrabo fayes, vpos taken up with ruLlick^ ^Htldings^ but adds, what all the publick^ huild- ings of the Town in one legion . This is his own fancy ftill. " And that an outer skirt too, as it is de(cribed by " the Greek ^xrtjrology in Hillarion^ Sec. If he mean it was not a Part or Region of the City Sirabo and ^pipktnins will have Credit before a Uory out of the Greek cM.irtjrology^ or him that tells it, when it appears not in the words cited. In Strabo it is M©" part of the Crtj, in EpiphaniHs it is a T^gion^ h7aC§ii^G> y^\\i/Jm ^^ ^^ K>^iMtTt. For as "l^me was divided into 14 Regions^ and mm^, i6S. C, 7^. in imitation of it, fo Alexandria was divided inta 5, whereof -Br//rZ'///«/ was one, and the greateft of all. So I underftand Ammiamts ^MarccUijius^ who upon the lots of Brnchium (aith, amifit rcgionum maximam partem qu£ '^rKihhim apeUatur 5 Alexandria loft the greateft of its Regions^ which was called Bruchium. " This ^piphaniits (ayes was deftitute of Inhabitants in *' his time, and not unlikely, and perhaps deftitute of " Publick Buildings too, for it was deftroyed after an " obftinate (iege in the Reign of kurelian as kmmiamts ''^ ^Marcellinus^ Or ofClaadiits as ^nfebins. When he hath granted all that I detigned, that thk part was deftitute of Inhabit a7its^ and more too, that it was deftroyed^ yet he would have the City no lefts ^ no ?;eccjfity of thif^ (Iiyes he, fure we are not yet awake ^ can a City loo(e "n-m^Tovn x) r^iroif Va rnvrQ- yn^iCoKM jd^ (ayes he not particularly of cyJfe/f/7>if that bewg fiimiliar Wwh^lex- under he ftayed long in that City, having '«^*««' nra^ty ^r* Tth UloK a drjiind SHeeimg vptth thofe of his ovpn T^arfji i Were there not innumerable Cities in that Age which had two Bifhops and their Churches, fbme three or fmtr at once (thofe of the Arians^ the Dortatifis^ the 5A(j?z/4- iians, the ^eletians^ &c. befides thofe who were ftyl- ed Catholicks) Would this Gendeman take it well if M. 'B. (hould tell him, that he who denicsthis is difingenu- ous if he know it, and hath Ibme reafbn to be afliamed if he know it not .<=* Ay, but Epiphamus was deceived in this account of the Meletians^ and mif^reprefents them. Indeed our Examiner makes as bold with ^piphanim (a BiQiop of great Zeal and Holinefs, a Metropolitan, a famous Writer J as he does with M. B. charging him with much xvcakpefs fas one eafily impofed upon^ mavj ovefjights^ groj? f»ifiakes^ diverfi abfard thif^gs, andjuch ilories^ that he will fcarce wiQi worfe to his Adverfary, than to believe him c. Nor does ^piphanius alone fall cPag,m.ii^> under his cenfure in his Vindication of the Primitive ^c. Church (as he calls it) he goes near to accufi more par- ticular Perfons ("Biftiops amongft others) of eminency in the aatient Church, than he defends 5 fb that one H 2 may (S5 ) may (iiipect his deligii was, not (b much to defend emi* mnt ''Bipops^ as gnat Bijlwprkks fuch as the antient Church had none, and to run ciofs to M. B, more than to vindicate any. " In Stc^arl(s t\me ./fkxamJna had feveral Churches, dEuCtb.hK.iS though but one Bifhop, &c d. What ^iifchins (ayes of Churches in hlcxavdria at that time, is grounded upon a miftakc, as appears, becaufe immediately after the words cited, he adds, fe great was the pjhltitude of Belcivcrs at Ms^rksfirji attempt there^ that Philo in hk ivnt7/7gs thought fit to give an accontit ofthew^ «V itf yes^f^i A^iSfou Tcv irihoiva.^ izufcUus couccivcd that the Effefies^ ns ScaBger^ or the TkerapeiitiC^ as J^aleftHs^ whom Fhilo defcribes, were the Chriftians o^ Marl(s Converli- on 5 and there being Aflemblies of that Sed: of the Jcvrj in n^hilos time , the Hiftorian fpeaks of ChrilVian Churches at Alexandria in Marias time 5 but thofe who believe that he erred in the former, can have no reafbn to give him credit in the latter. Our 8xami^7er docs not deny that he was miftaken, but layes, it k not ma- terial nhethcrthty were Jcivs or ChrifiidMs '^ yet tho(ewho inquire after Truth fincerely, will think it material -^ and little value a Teftimony which hath no better ground than a miftake. cvai.62. The next is no better c, that is an Epiftle of A- dnan^ which Others are puzzled to make fenfe of^ or fuch fenfe as can have any appearance of Truth. That very pafTage in it, which is the only ground of our Authors Argument, himfelf acknowledges to be ialfe ^ for he would (hew the Chriftians in Alexandria to be numerous enough for his purpofe, becaufe it is there faid thatfime (whom he takes tobe Chrin:ians)did f{>rce the Patriarch ( whoever he be ) to jvorfijip Chriji, and yet adds, there is ?w doubt hut Adrian does the Chri' flians wrong in this pointy for they never forced any tfi their Religioft. ( 55 ) T^eligiof/, Will he have us to rely upon reafbnings, which have no better Foundation, than what is »«- doubtedly falfi by his own Confeffion ? He (ayes alio itk 7Wt material to ov.r pnrpofe vchether this T^atriarch were n^fpop of Alexandria, or chief Govermur of the Jews, If (b, then it is not material with this Gef?tlemar!^ either to argue from that which is not true, or elfe from that wliich is nothing to his purpofe. For if this Patriarch was the Bifhop of Alexafidi'ia^ that they forced him to worQiip Chrift, is not true^ he did it of his own accord ; and if it be not one, who was no Chriftian, that they forced ^ then is not any thing in this paflage to his pur- pofe, and Adrians Epiftle might have been waved as a meer impertinency. That which follows yj hath not the fhcw of a reafbn, i?ag.6is " the great Catechifts of^lexa/fdria, as T^aritenus^ Cle- " we;;/, Origetj and Heracles^ did not a little advance " the growth of Chriftian Religion in that place, d^c. Mull there needs be a Diocefv; Church there bccaufe the Catcchijis did advance Religion not a little .a/;t b. tp. 7. cap.u. j^ ^^^ ^^^^ Paragraph our ^xawincr nrgues for the great numbers of Chriftians at Alexandria , from the multitude of Martyrs at Thebes. " Under the Perfecution o^ Diocletian what numbers *' of Chriftians might be at ^lexattdria^ may be judged I PAi. ^4. u ^y ^^^ multitude of Martyrs that fufFcred at Thebes 7, But here he miftakes ^ufebins^ who gives an account not of the Martyrs which were ^ 0«^<«<, in the City Thebes^ but ^ 0«C*«/*, the 'Province Thebais : which was half ofthat large K.ingdom,according to the antient divifion of it into the upper and lower ^gypt. The Supe- rioHr 6gypt was Thebak^ the inferiour was called fbme- times the J^elta^ (bmetimes Egypt in a reft rained (enle, and this divifton in thefe terms we have \nEufebins(xo go ^ a/>. 5. no further)a little before A., ^ ©nf<*»A n^T 'Atyjrlov^ where he begins his account of the Martyrs in this Countrey. Nqw if the Chriftians in that Provice of large extent, and comprifing very many Cities may be concluded to be very numerous from the multitudes of Martyrs which (ufFered there 5 yet nothing at all'can be inferred for any numbers to his purpofe in the City Thebes^ by which he would conclude their numeroufne(s in Alexandria. But if M. 13. had miftaken one City for Co large a Countrey with multitudes of Cities in it, and made that miftake the ground of his reafoning ^ it is like our Examiner would have expofed him for it in his Preface^ as he does for (bme lefler matters. 1 Pag, ^5» In the following Paragraph /, there is a groundlefs fuppofition, that the divifion o( Alexandria into Parifies was antienter than Arins^ there being no mention of it by r 55 ; by any antient Author : as alfo an accufation of PetU" vUts as miftaking ^pphamts his words, without any Serm. ofSeptn- caufe that I can difcern in thofe words, though he ^""'^^^• (ayes, // is plain there. That which he fayes is plain, the learned Dean of Taid's could not difcern, but un- derftood ^pipbiwins as T^etavhts and others did before him. Thefe I took to be preliminaries and expefted his Argument, but found it not, unlefs it be couched in the firfl: words. " The Divifion of Alexandria, between (everal Pres- " bytcrs, as it were into fo many Pariihes, c^r. But this fignifies nothing for his purpofe, if thofe in Alexandria thus divided could all meet in one place, as Athanafius declares they did 5 and that fo plainly that any one will judge fo, whole intereO: is not too hard for his judgment. Valefius ("who had no byafs unle(s what might lead him the other wayj underftood it as I do 5 and exprefl'es it in thefe words. ( deciding the > matter fo long infifted on, againft our AuthorJ Sifter' wards i?i the times /7/"Athanafius, when there voere more Churclies built by diverje ^ifiops of Alexandria, the Citi- zens ajjcmbled in jeveral Churches fever ally and in parcels^ as Athanafius^j'^j in his Apology to Conftantius 5 but on the. great Fejiivals^ 8afeer and *Ventccoft^ no particular ajfewblies were held^ fed univerfi in majorem Ecclefiam conveniebant, ut ibidem teftatur Athanafius, but all of them affembled together in the great Church as Athanafius tefeifies. "So that there can be no pretence that the Church in Alexa?;driawi\s Diocefin at tliis time, unlefs thofe who could meet together in one place might make fuch a Church. Yet this was then the greatefk Church in the Empire fave that at T^orne^ and what he adds makes that at Ps^ome very unlike liteh Diocejan Churches, as are now aflerted. ^ ValefJui ( %6 J « Valcfius infciTS from the fame paflage of Po^>e //m*- " ce fit's- EpiCllc to Dcccfjthis^ which ^Pctavius brings to " prove the contrary, that though there were fcvcral " Titles or Churches in Rome then, and had been long *' befcvc, yet none of them was as yet appropriated to " any Presbyter, but they were fcrved in common as " great Cities in Holland and (bme other reformed "Countrcys, that have (everal Churches and \4ini- " fters, 6^c. The Advocates for thcfc Churches, who affign the bounds of a Dioccfs with moft Moderation, will have it to comprize a City with a Tc';/-//^?^ belonging to it , but there was no Church in the. Territory which belonged to the Bifhop of Rome^ he had none but within the City, as Imjoantius declares in the cited Epiftle, where- as now the greateft City with a Territory larger than (bme antient T^rovince is counted little enough for a Diocejf. Further it is now judged to be no Dioce(s which compri(es not very many Churches with Presby- ters ^appropriated to them 5 but he tells us none of the Churches in Rome were appropriated to any Presbyter, ET but they were ferved in common. How ? as greater Cities in Holland and (bme other reformed Countreys, and then they were ruled in common as the(e Cities are. The Government of many Churches is not there, nor was of old, ever entrufted in one hand 5 and thus the Biftiop of T(ome was no more a Diocefan than the Pres- byters of that City. mfag.66. He concludes m with two AfTertions which will neither of them hold good. The firft that it is evident out ^/Athanafius how the Bijhop of that City had from the beginning fever al fixed Congregations tinder him. This is (b far from being evident in kthanafius^ that he hath not one word which fo much as intimates that the Bifliop o^ Alexandria from the beginning had any fuch Congregations under him. The (57) The other is that thofe of ^^arecics mufi be fippofed to rccchc tiefuit'h almofi as early its Alexandria. How true this is we may underftand by Dmiyfit's BiQiop of A/cxrfWr7.« towards the latter end of the third A^e, who declares that then c'Tl^arectes w:\s 'e?"^0-«c/^v (pay K, fTTisJ^cuav dv^suTrnv ;;^ It was io far from having any n Eufib'. l 7. trvc Chriftians in it, that it had none of our knthcrs ^•^'• oldclrijihvsy i. e. virtuous^ good men 0. Nor is it like- °^^^' ^°' ly that the faith was there generally received till many years after ^ and therefore not almoft fo early as klcx- a^/drh, unlels the diftance of above 200 years will con- flft with his ahwjl. For klexandria received the Faith by the preaching of Ma)\^ who arrived there, fayes eufcbius, in the 16.. o^ Claudius f, others in the 3d. of P^^''""' '^"^^^• Caligula q. But in the time o^ Diofjyjtus it doth not ap- q chm. Alex, pear that Mareotes had lb many Chriftians, as Bifhop IJlhyras his Church there confined of, though thofe were but feven, * ^>^w«' «^7«« ^v avva^py^av X^v r. But enough r Athan. Apol. of Alexandria, though our Author is far from bringing 2.pag.6i$. enough to prove it even in the 4th. age a Diocefin Church. He may be excufed for doing his utmoft to this purpofe^confidering the confequence of it,for if this Church was not nowfo numerous astobeD/^cep;7,it will be in vain to exped a difcovery of any fuch Churches in the whole Chriftian World in thofe times 5 for this is ac- knowledged to be the greateftCity and Church in the Roman ^wpircncxtto Rome. So that there cannot be fb ^ fair a pretence for any other inferiour to this, fuch as JeruJalew,Carthage,AntiochjB)Cc.mMch lefs for ordinary Ci- ties, which were 10 times lefs confiderable than fomeof the former, as may be colleded from what Chryfojiome (ayes of one of them ^^ mMap 7nvnmfJ)jvA7iv'^ltu^§i'i<*ij that it was able to maintain the poor of ten Cities/" <"/« Mat: Hovt, So far the Writer of the Letter. Let me now return ^^^' to our Authors Treface 5 To (hew that the Chriftians I in in Alexandria adhercing to ^thanajlus were not fb ex- • ceeding numerous as is pretended, and not to be com- pared with the Chriftians now in London^ I had (aid, that the great cfl part of the hkabitafjts of that City were at this tiff/c Heathens or Jews j ofthoje who paffcd for Chri' u ?az. 34. flians^ it is like Athanafius had the lejfcr fiare u, the No- vatians and other Sed^j^ the Meletians cjpecial/y, and the Arians, did probably exceed his focli^ in numbers^ it may be the Arians there were more numerous. This laft claufe ("which appears by theexprellion, I was not pofitivein^ he alone fixes on, and would difprovc it by a paflage out o^^thanafu^. But the Greek is falfc printed, and and the(cn(e defedtivc for want of fome word, and (o no Judgment can be well pafltd thereon, unlels I (aw it 3 and where to fee it he gives no diredion. My con- cern therein is not fb great as to fearch for it through fo voluminous an Author. It will ferve my turn well e- nough, if the ^/^//i" were but very numerous, or as ^ Lik. I. c.i^: Sozomcn expreflcs them, ^Klhiyn fioles^nKAu tr^ which cannot be denied, though they alone were not more numerous. The lafk thing he would take notice of, is the Dioceft of Theodoret, but this is remitted to the Dean ofPsLwVs-^ yet one thing he faycs he cannot omit , though fome may think that he had better have paflcd it (as he had many other things) ^ than being fo much in hade, to (lip at almofl every line, as he does inthofe * few which concern it. Iftheje 800 ChurcheSj not 80 as this Gentleman reckons fhem fit was not he but the T^rintcr that fo reckoned them, as the Errata fhew ) belonged to him as f^ielropo- litan, aful tfxy were all 6pifiopal Churches (I never met with any before, that took them for Epifcopal Churches^ and how he fhould fill into this miftakc I cannot ima- jTine 5 I will not believe that he creates it, to make himfelf work) this poor legion ^/ Cyrus would have more ^ipps C59) Bifiops than all Africa (not (b neither, for by the c&fi- fercnce at Carthage, and the ahhrcviiition of it by St. Ah- Jiw, much more to be relyed on, than the V^titia pubhftied by Simond^ which is neither confiftent with others, nor with it (elf^ Africa had many more BiQiops than 8co) votvpithftiwdwg they were more 7inmerous there than in any part of the World befides. Nor will this paft for true with thofe, who take'his own account concern- ing their numbers in Africa (which he reckons but ^66 P''iHdit.p' 149. taking in tho(e of the Schifmaticks too, about 66 for each Province one with another, counting thera as he docs Jeven i) and the account which others give of their numbers, in the antient T{oman *Vrovincc^ the King- dom (?/Naples, the Ifland Crete^ Ireland, to (ay nothing di Armenia^ and other parts of the World. That which follows, is I fuppofe, inftead of an ^n- freer to the other fart of my difcoitrfe concerning the fO' pular eleUion of Biftiops, which this Gentleman was as much concerned to take notice of^ as of the few paf^ (ages he hath touched in the form%r part, why he did not I will not enquire further, but (atisfie my felf with what is obvious , efpecially fince he tells us he intends a difcourle of fuch a Subjed. If in this defigned work he (atisfies me, that it was not the general pra&ice of the antient Church, fir the T^eople to concur in the choice of their Bifljops, he will do me a greater dilpleafure, than the confutation of what I have writ, or any other that I can fear he intends me --, by taking me off from further Converfation with antient Authors^ as perfons by whole Writings we can clearly know nothing. For if that point be not clear in Antiquity. I can never exped to find any thing there that is fo. I intended to conclude this difcourfe here, without giving the Reader further trouble 5 but confidering there are mifapprehenfions about the Subje(^ in que- I 2 ftion C6o J uion,tho(c being taken by diverfc, for Dioccjan Churches which indeed are not fuch, and arguments u(ed to prove them (o which are not competent for that pur- pofe, ('of which there are many inftances, as ehewhere ib particularly in the latter end of this Authors dif^ courlc ) : I thought it requifite for the refti^ing of thefe miftakcs, and to (hew the infufficiency or impcr- tinency of fuch rcafbnings, to give an account what mediums cannot in reafon be efteemed, to afford com- petent proof of Diocefan Churches. In general, Thole who will fatisfy us that any Churche?, in the firft Ages of Chriftianity, were Diocc- fifj^ fliould prove them to be fuch Dmefamsis ours are, as large or near as large ^ otherwise what they offer, will fcarce appear to be pertinent. For the rife of this debate is the queflion between us, whether the Bifhops of thefe times be fuch as thofe in the prmithe Church. This we deny, becaufe modern Bifhops will have^w^^z/vr fort of churches or Diocefes,than were known in the belt Ages. Not that we rejed: all Diocefcs or Diocefan Churches, for both -^e^iKla, and a/oixmot< arc ufed by the Antients for fuch Churches as we allow. It is thofe of a later Model, that we approve not, as vaftly differ- ing from the antient Epifcopal Churches. The modern Diocejes, and Churches thence denominated are ex- ceeding great and extenfivc, confiding of many fcores, or many hundred particular Churches, whereas for the three firft Age* we cannot find 5 Bifhops that had in>o particular Churches in his Diocefs, nor in the 4th. one in 50 (if I may not fay one in a hundred) that had ^are. So that the difference is exceeding great, and more confiderable in the corjfequcMce thereof which I had rather give an account of in the words of the very learned D. St. than mine own. Diocejes generally^ {ayes he, in the prmitivey and ^aflern Churches n>cre verjftftall and* (60 and Uttle^ as far more conveme?2t for this md of ihcm in ike Qovarnmcnt of the Church under the Biflwps charge x, x mn.^.^i^* and elfewherc, Difiiplwe, fayes he, vp^fs then a great deal worcJiriSf^ Preaching more diligent^ Men more ap- prehenfivc of the weight of their Fun&ion^ than for any to undertake J fich a care and charge of Souls ^ that it was ini- pojfihlefor them even to k^Jon\ ohjcrve or watch ozer^ Jo as to gize an account for them y^Men that were imployed in the y Pag. 332. Church then did not confult for their eafe and honour^ and thought it not enough for them to fit fiill^ and bid others zi'^^-s??- W0r\z. St.Aufrin fpcaking of the 5d.Age,makes account of many thoufind ''Bifjops then in the World a. Our tcontn Crefm. Author fccms to treat that excellent Perfon fomething ^'^'^' courfely oil this occafion, and goes near to queftion his judgment or veracity for it , b Come may think this ^ I'^i' 5^4- not over decently done ( to (ay no more ) when it is his bufinefs, to vindicate (bme antient Bilhops v;^l\o need itjto refled upon one,fo untainted,as to need nonc.How- ever fince he fiyes that Father judged of other Ages by his own^ when Dioccfes were exceedingly multiply ed r, we ^ p^„ -^^ may (uppole he will grant there were many thoiifand Bifiops in the 4th. Age. Yet among fb many thoufand Bifliops I do not exped that any can ihew me 20 fif I may not fay 10. J who had fb many Churches in their Dioccjs^ as fbme Tlnralifs amongft us may have, who yet never pretend to have a Diocefan Church. Thofe therefore who will make proof of fuch Diocefin churches as are in queflion, mufk (liew us fome in the primitive times fomething like ours in largenefe^ and extent. A- mongft the inftances produced for this purpofe by for- mer or later Writers , I find none any thing near to ours, fave that only of Theodore t in the 5th. Age. But this in the former Difcourfc was fhewed to be fb infuf- ficient to (erve the ends it is alledged for, that I may hope it will be prelt no more for this Service. More c ^o More particular!}', ift. It proves not a Church to be Diocefan bccaufc it coniifts of more than can meet together in one place, for there are Parifhes in this Land that contain many hundreds or thousands more than can meet in the ParilTi Church, and yet are but counted fingle Congregations. Though multitudes in fuch Churches be far from proving them to be Dioccfar?^ 51 et I think tvpo inftances cannot be given in the third Age of more in one Church than are in fbme fingle Con- gregations amongft us 3 nor many afterwards, till ^- rianifm and Donatifm were fuppreilcd 3 which the lat- ter was not in Africa till after the famous Conference at Carthage^ Anno 410 5 nor the former in other parts dur- ing the 4th. Age s for though Thcodojim made (bme fharp Declarations againft them and other Hereticks, yet none but the ^uftomiatis were profecuted, if we be- d Lib.*,. C.20. lieve Socrates d 5 that Emperour gave not the leaft trouble to the reft, forced vone to commumcate vpith him^ but allowed them their ZMeetifigs^ and even in CT*, when afterwards the Arians divided among themfelves, e Lii'.jl ir.23. each party had (everal Congregations in that City e 5 both that which adhered to dHaritius^ and that al(b which followed Dorothins^ thefe keeping the Churches vphich they had before and the other erediing new chur- ches, I know there are thofe, who from fome pafTages in . fApoUe.^'j.& Tertnllianf would infer that the Chriftians in his time *d scApnUm. ^gj.gj.j^g major part of the Inhabitants in all Cities, and ! fo enough not only for vaft Congregations, but forD/- ' ocefan Churches, But TertuUian was a great Oratour and j frequendy u(es hyperbolical expreflions, which ought not to be ftreined. Such are thofe infifted on, and by regular conftrudtion they import no more than that the *^=' Chriftians were very numerous in many parts of the Empire. Thofe that will have them ftreined, and un- derftood derftood as they found, offer great injury to TerttiUiatt, making him intend that which hath no warrant in any Records of Antiquity, Civil or Ecclefiaftical, that I can meet with. Before they impofe fuch a (enfe on him, they ought in reafon to make it manifeft, that the Chri- ftians were the major part of the inhabitants in (bme confiderable Cities at that time 5 when I believe they cannot produce tvco inftances in the tvhok Empire, I ne- ver yet could meet with ef7c. Our Author from the(e Oratorical expreflions flicks not to conclude, that it is evident that the Chriftians were t\\Q major part every whcre^ hut in Rome more emi- 77ently fo ^ and Dr. Dowvham fignifies that TertuUian (j)eal{s chiefly of the City v\ou^ zinEufih.U. }^'mv\^vmva. And it is evident in that Chapter cited, ^ ^^ A&s 2. The Feaft of Pentecoft being come, there was a refbrt of Jews and Profelytes from all thofe parts of the World to this City. Ay, but the Scripture fayes, all thoje Strange t^ations were inhabitants ^/Jerufalem. He C6i) He can't judge that the Scripture fayes this, but upon a fuppofition that the word K^'rviK^vm,^ A&s 2. 5. can fignify no cJther thing tfian whaLitafits, but this is a mi- ftake, for the word denotes fuch as abide in a place, not only as whubitatits^ but SLsJiraz/gcrs or Sojourners. Thus Dr. Hdmwo/;d w'lW have- it tranflated alidwg^ rather than dwelling ^, thofe that were thci-e as nraf7gers r, and b /« he. here expreflcs thofe abiding at Jcrufalem, to htjcws ^ ^^ ^^* '°-*- Tvhich came up to the Feaji of the PaJ/covcr, and l/rnfi- Ijtes which had come from fiveral V^tions of all garters eft he World. Thus alfo Mr. ^cad d, for the ivord^^'i'^xmit.i^t iig.'niKvv'ntj {aith he, which 1 iravJJatc Jojourmtig rather ' ^' ^' than dvpcUing (^for fe I findevHand it^ that they rvcre ?7ot proper dwellers^ Lhtfich as came toirorfiip at Jerulalem from thofe far Coimireys^ at tie Feajl of the Fajfcovcr and Pcfttccoji^ and Jo had been contir.uing there feme good time) it is true that in the ujual Greeks , 'o'yda and >jt7r/K*« fignify a durable manfion^ but vcith the HeUenijls in whofi DialcB the Scripture Jpeakcth, they are ufid indiffei-ently for a ftay of a fiorter or longer time ^ that if ^ for tofojouru as TpeU as to dwells as thcfe two examples out of the Scptu- agint will make manifeft^ Gen. 27. 44. i Rings 17.20. there yj-T^tyJiy is tofojottrn only. In a word o'^i* habit ants or Sojourners in thole Conn treys 5 that they were now Sojourners there, no man will imagine, nor can any man be faid to be adtually a fojourner in a place where he is nor, And if they were itihabitaftts of thofc Regions they could not be inkabitatjts ofjerufile/;/^ un- lefs they could be inhabitants of (cvcral diftant Coun- c Ibid. treys at once. To the fame purpofc Mr. t^icad c, 01 yj.-niKvyTK rliu UiffDTnnfxidM ^ vrhcrc ?;ote by the vraj\, that cj yj.-niKvfT\i tOjj'' UiTvm-rtfxJa^ are comprehended in the number of thoje whom my Tex t fiith rv&rc y^-niMvnt Iv rvf rtfK^aXM.t*^ 7vhich co7jf'rms my interprciaiion that k^tthk^vth there iigm- fies fojourning^ and not dwelling ^ for that they cmld not be faid to dwell in both places. " 2. Suppofe there were fb me of them fir angers^ &c. Suppofc, fayes this Gendeman, there were fbme of them Strangers .f bii ]ui. crs f Yet our Author goes on and confirms himfclf in ub.7. r. i^i. j-|^g former miftake by another 5 the vcrfe he cites to prove them fixed Inhabitants at Jerufde^n is mifunder- ilood, the words are ©e^^xtf^TtpfcTif rf cAcfttx?", wliich do not lignifie any fixed abode in that place, but only their conftancy or perfevering in the duties mentioned while thcv were there. This is the ufe of the ExprefTion in the C^7) the New Teftament, CoL 4. ?, '^i «re;^-i^xf ^c^^Mfn^^n^ and lb Thm. 12. 12. CofitwuhigmT^rayer^ which they might do if they never had a fixed habitation, nor con- tinued as inhabitants in any place. And thus the ^uan- gelHi Luke ufcs the phrafe in this book of the A&s c. i: vcr.i^. c, 2.46. 6,6.4. B^^t our Author I think will never find it ufed in this form for any fettled or contin- ued abode in a place, and had no reafon to fancy it here. He thinks it not probable g that the zeal avd devotion g P^i- 437' oftbofc Converts vpoidd fnffer them to leave the ^pofiles^ whereas it is certain that the Primitive Zeal and Devo- tion, though it crucified them to the World, yet heigh- tened and improved a Chridian care of their Families and the Souls of their Relatives and others. And their zeal for Chrift, and love to Souls would haften them homeward, that they migh acquaint their Families and others with Chrifl and the Doctrine of Salvation, as thofe dirperfed from Jernjalcm did, ch, 8. The five thoujand mention'd chap, ^ver.^. he will have to be a new acceflion to the three thouland before Converted, but (hould not have been fo pofitive in it without reafon. Thofe who are engaged in the fame caufe with him ( befides many others ) are not of his opinion herein, as they would have been if they had feen any ground for it. Dr. Hammond h takes the 5000 h in loc> to be the number of the Auditory^ not of the Converts, Biihop Doivnham includes the three thoufand in thofe five 7, and xhtDean ^/Paul's makes account but of five i Difence i. 2. thoufand in all k. To me it is not material whether they 'r s-P^i-^s. were $000 or 8000 or many more, feeing ^here was r/tHnpjUZ not the twentieth fart of them other than Forreigners, and fuch as for any thing 1 can fee or heaj defigned not to dvpeU at Jmifak^n^ and fo intended not to fix them- felves in that particular Church. There can be no jufi: reckoning of the numeroufnefs of a Church, from K 2 an C 68 ) an occafional rccourfc of ftrangcT% wlio inhabit remote parts or forrcign Countreys. If there had been more Chriftians in the Church of Jcrnfilcm than could meet in one place, that would be no Evidence that it was a Dioccjan Church, whereas 1 A£i. 2. 44. the whole is (aid in the A^fjto meet in one place /. He 6. 2. iic. }^2f{j nothing to fiy againfl this which is confiderable, m Pag. 441. [)^t that the alf^ nuy denote only thofc that vpereprefint m^ and fo the fenfe will be, all that were in one place. Were in one place, if this can pleafc him(clf^ I think it will (atisfic none el(c. Let Dr. Hdmmond decide this bufi- ^ nefs, for in fuch a caufe we may admit a Party to be n An{xetr to L. Umpire f^ What folloTPs^ faith he, of the paucity of^e- Mintflns. pg. Ijcucrs^ a>jd theh meelhg'i}! one place^ is willingly grant- ed by m. What they fay of the point of time^ Adts 2. 41* that believers were Jo nuMcroud-^ that they cohld not conve- viently weet in one place ^ this is contrary to the evidence of tie Tcxt^ ivhich fith cxprejly ver. 44. that all the believers xipcre ^ tccuJtb^ Tphichin the lajl 'Paragraph they interpret- ed meeting in one and the fame place : the Ukc might be faid of the ether places^ Ads 4. 3. ^^d 5. 14. for certainly as yet^ though the number ofBelieners increajed^ yet they were ?wt diftributcd into fever al Congregations, o P. 442.443. Concerning the difperfion, ^&sS. i. he tells iis, "Though diey are all (aid to be (cattered befidcs the " Apoftks, yet it cannot be under flood of all the Be- '' leivcrs. No, but of the generality of them, all that could commodiouOy fly as ftrangcrs might do. Nor mufl it be confined to all the Officers only, the generality of Ex- pofitorsare mifreprefentcd jf tliis be made their fcnf*.% nor doth it appear that tzufebius Co undcrftood it, f^^nrcu is ufcd in Scripture and other Writers, and Eufebius him- fclf, to denote Believers and not Officers only. As for the Ul. C69 ) the//V?/eof the difperfion (though I need not infift on it) probably it was nearer xKis great Pcntecoji than (bmc would have it. On the firft day of the week in the morning were the three thoufand converted, the next or ( as Tome tell us ) the fame day afternoon, at the ninth hour />, the number of the Converts was increafed p d. ju to five thoufand. While this Sermon was preaching the Apoftlcs are apprehended and committed to Cu- ffcody till the next morning. Another, it is like the day after, they are imprifoned, but enlarged by an Angel in the night, chap. 5. In or near that week were the feven Deacons chofen, prefendy after the Di- Iciples were thus increaled and the Apoftles imprifoned and difmillcd. The expreCTion fignifies it, chap. 6. i. It is not ^ '<^vax(^ in thoie daies which may admit a lati- tvide and (bme good diftance of time, but w'-wv't*/;^ jn thcfe daycs, which denotes the time inftant , or that which immediately enfues, without the interpofure of any fuch diftance. And (b the phrafe is ufed by St. " Ltik^ both in the Gofpel and in the AGs. It is Dr. " Hammond's obfervation upon Lnk. 1.59. The phrafe « h -nvTztii luti fiuiiMf^ in thefe dayes, faith he, hath for " mofl: part a peculiar fignification , differing from « l4> vide^ji tKHVHf^ in thofe daies. The latter fignifies "an indefinite time, fbmetimes a good way ofT, but the " former generally denotes a certain time then prefent, *' inftantly, then at that time 5 Co here, that which is " faid of e^ar/s going to ElizaLeth was fare immediate- " ly after the departing of the Angel from her, and •■' therefore it is faid (he ro(e up <*4? -^wc/^^, very haftily, "fb T^f r. 2 4. «*7tt TttUTct^ TwV M.oieje^j i,e, immediately <5//z.^- " /'e^/j conceived, fo chap. 6. 12. hTMiYtui^iimu-nxn^ i e. then, at that point of time he went out to the Moun- tain. See Chap. 23. 7. c. 24. 18. ^c^s i. 5. c. 11. 27. . arrcl 21. 15. Imme- (70) Immediately after the choice ofthe Deacons, SiepU/t one of the Seven is apprehended duAvi x^^s^^'^"'-, as fion ar ever he was ordained^ as if he had been ordahiedfor thk <«/^/;e,{aith E'Mins (\.2. c. i.J And at the (ame time the Perfccution began which difpcrdd that Church. Where- as he faith, ' vvhatfbever numbers were forced away, it ' is hkely they returned, if he underftand it of the JiraK- gf)'s driven from Jernfalew^ that they returned to fix there, or otherwile than occafionaUy, it is no more likely nor will be fooner proved than what he aflcrts a little after ( pag. 444. ) viz. that the empty Sepulcher preached rvHh no lefs ejficacy than the ^/fpojlks. This is enough to latisfy what our Author would draw out of Scripture concerning the Church ofjeru- filem. After fome trifling about Objections which he forms hirafelf, and then makes fport with, he comes to prove that Jerufakm was a Diocejan Church in the A- pofkles time. But firft he would have us believe that James rvoi the proper Difiop of that Chmrh^ and would evince it by two Teflimonies, that oi Clemens and He- gejfppus. But what fayes his Clemens . £p>o.H«r.3o. "^here, that all the Believers (in one pi ice /^) that all the Difaples ('in another place ^ ■mvrnhi {^^n-nti ax.ncmv U c Dt Ponder. & TiiKhn c.^ what he adds is but to dcicribe where the MenJ.cap.js. j^y^^ was fituated, all I he Dijdples^ all the Believers dwelt beyond Jordan in 'Vella, ArchbiQiop Whitgifi brings this as a pregnant proof th it the Chriftians at Jeriijakm v;ere but few in comparifon ( and no more than could all meet in one place^ as a little before he af- firms (75 J firms again and again J his words are how few Chri- " ftians.was there at JcrufJcm not long before it wasde- " ftroyed, being above Forty years after Chrift . yet the Apoftles had (pent " much time and labour in Preaching there ^ but the "number of thole that did not profefs Chrift in that " City was infinite e. This might be farther cleared by e DtUnccoj An- what ^pipkanius (aith of that Church in its return from Z"^^-^'""'- 5 ^• Velld^ but I defign briefnels. '^^' ''^' Our Author adds one Teftimony more, to (hew that under the Government of >?//«e(7« great numbers were " added to that Church, many thoufands of the Cir- " cumcifion receiving the Chriftian Faith at that time, " and among the reft Juflus^ d^c. pag. 448. But thole who view the place in ^ufcbins will fee, that he does not (ay thofe many of the Gircumcifion were converted by Simeott^ or were tinder his Goicrn- ment.i or belonged to that Church 5 and (b it fignifies nothing for his purpo(e. And fo in fine, the account wherewith he concludes his Di(cour(e of ]ernfalem will not be admitted by any who impartially confider the PremifTes. As for his other Scripture inftances, there is not fb much as the (hadow of a proof (hewed by him, that there were near fo many Chriftians as in ]erufakm^ or as are in fome one of our Pari(hes, yea, or more than could meet in one place, either in Samaria ("where he ikyts'it appears not what k^nd ofQovernmeftt ivas clfablifi' ed^ pag. 4.$ I. ) ot'm Lydda^ which was but a Village, though a fair one, and fir from having Saronfor its pro- per Territory, that being a plain between Joppa and C<€farea^ or m^ntioch^ pag. 452. muchlefs in Corinth and Ephefis which he advifedly paffes by, pag. 45^. L 2 Our (70 Our Author does in cfFeft acknowledge that in Scrip- ture it appears not that thefe Churches were ^pifiopaf^ much Ie(s Dwccfin 5 " It is to be confeflcd, faies he, " P^S- 4^^' that the Scriptures have not left fb full and^ " perfcdt an account of the Conftitution and Govern-' "men: of the /r/? Churches, d^c. Thus we have no " more notice of the Churches of Samaria and of]uddCit " (]erufa!cm excepted) than that fuch were founded by " the Apoftles 5 but o( their Gozenwrn^t and CoTfftitution *' we have not the leaft Information. What mfornjation then can we have that they were Diocefan or Epifiopal .^ He goes on, " And the profped: left of ^;y//<7c/.'inScrip- " ture is very confuftd, as of a Church in feri^ where a " great number of eminent perfons laboured together " to the building of it up 5 but only from ^cckftajiical " Writers, who report that this Church, when it was " (etded and digefted, was committed to the Govern- " ment o^^uodias^ and after him to Igfiati^s^ d^c. So that after what form the Church at Atitioch was confti- tuted does not appear fit may be Congregational and not Diocefan, for any thing this Gentleman can fee in ScriptureJ but only from Ecclefiaftical Writers. But his Ealejiajikal Writers do (b contradiftone ano- ther as renders their tcflimonies of little value. Nor is there much more reckoning to be made of the traditi- onal account they and others give concerning the Succef^ lion and Government of the firft Bifhops, than this Au- thor makes of ^ufebins his traditional Chronology, pag, 454. Some make ^wdias the firfl Bilhop and he being I LKiib.Li.c.i-:.. dead Ignatius to fucceed him/5 on the contrary fbme will have Ignatius to have been the firft, and make no gchryf.orat.in mention of &fodia^ g i, others will have them to have hcitmm Con- governed that Church both together h , (bme will have ^iuU.-].c.i,6. Euodias ordained by Feter^ and Igt:atius byT^aul^ o- thers report Ignatius ordained by Pe/er, and fbme mo- dern dern Authors of great eminency, both Proteftants and Papifts Cnot only '^aromus but Dr. HammoficT) find no more tolerable way to reconcile them, than by aflcrting that there were more Bifliops than one there at once, which quite blafts the conceit of a Diocefan Church there. And what is alledged for the numbers of Chriftians there, to fupport this conceit of a Diocefan Church, is very feeble, pag, 452, 453. A great ?ntmher believed^ ^As 1 1. 2 1, and much people^ ver. 24. The next veries (hew, that there were no more than Paul and l^arfiahas affembled within one Church 5 meeting ^ ^f o^rcxmct^ for a year together, and there taught this ^w^^* 01 '^f'-^v "ox^^^. The fame divine Author iayes, ^(^s 6. 7. "^^^^ ox^&T a great Company of the Prkjis were converted^ and will this Gentleman hence conclude that there were Priefts enough converted to make a Dioceje^ He hath no ground from Scripture to think otherwi(e o^T^me Cthat wemay take in all his Scripture inftan- ces together ) however he would perfwade us that there were (everal Congregations there in the Apo- ftles times. Let us fee how. " By the multitude of " Salutations in the end of that Epiftle he makes appear "the numbers of Chriftians in that City. Salute *Vrif '■^ cilia and Squill with the Church that is in their " houle. The Dean of l^duls will have this Church in their houle to be but a Family^ this Author will have it to be a Congregation^ as if it might be either to (erve a turn. I think it was fuch a Congregation as removed with ^quila from one Countrey to another, for this Church which was in their houfe at Ephefis before, (i Cor 16.) is (aid to be in their hou(e at T^ome^ Rom. 16, that is, there werefome of the Church which belonged to their Family. r78) Family. It is a queftion whether there was now at- 1(ome any one Congregation fuch as our Author intends, \inKom. 1 5. Groiius i thinks it probable there mu rtotie at all. But let us fuppofc this to be a Congregation, where finds he his feveral others } why where another perfbn would fcarce dream of any ? " It is not improbable, faith he, " that feveral that are mentioned with all the Saints that " are jrrth them, may be the Officers of feveral Congre- "gations, f^^. 457. 458. But it is manifeft that in the Apoftle's times one Con- gregation had many Officers, how then can feveral Of- ficersbca good Medium to prove feveral Congregati- ons.'? The antient Authors whiich count thofe Officers (mentioned Ro/^/. 16.) do make them ''BiJJjops (^and iome except not V^rciJJm nor T^rifca^ i. e. Vrifdlla^ tho' her Husband alfb hath an Epifcopal Chair alligned him) Now if they were not Bifhops at Rome but other places, they are alledged to no purpofe ^ if they were • Bifhops at T^ome^ there will be very tnafiy Bifhops in that one Church (it may be more than VrifalJas Con- gregation confifted of) which rather than our Author will grant, I fuppofe he will quit his plurality of Con- gregations here. Indeed what he adds next doth no waies favour them, and this number was afterwards in- '' creafed confiderably by the coming of Paul, who con- " verted fbmeof the Jews, and afterwards received all " that came, whether Jew's or Gentiles, and preached " to them the Kingdom of God for the fpace of two " whole years, no man forbidding him, pag. 458. Van I preached at Rome in /w hired koufefor tvpoyears^ all this while he received all that came to him 5 there is no queftion but that all the Chriflians there did come to hear this mofl eminent Apoftle .• fo that it feems from firft to lafl there were no more Chriftians at Rome than a private Houfe could receive. He (79) He would prove what he intends from 5\jro's Per- " jfecution, who is faid to have put an infinite multitude "ofChriftians to death upon pretence that they had " fired Roffte^ pag. 458. Tacitus fpeaks of the Chrifti- " ans as guilty, and (ayes they confeffed the Crime, and " detefted many others. Now thofe who (ufFered, either confeffed that they fired l^me and then they were no Chriftians 5 or they did not confels it, and then he wrongs them intolera- bly, anddefervcs no credit. But our Author toexcuie him (againfl: the {^'^{k of (uch who beft underftand him, LipjiHs particularly , befides ^aromus and others ) (iiyes, they confcjfcd not that they burn t T^ome^ but that they were Chrijiiar/s. Whereas the inquiry being con- cerning the burning of T^ome^ the queftion was not whether they were Cbrijlidfis^ but whether they fired the. City, of chislafi: Tuciuts fpeaks, and will be fb un- derftood . by thole who think he fpeaks pertinently. But for truth in thofe accounts he gives of Chriftians, it is no more to be expeded than from other Heathen Authors of thofe Ages, with whom it is cuftomary on that CwbjcCtfpkndide mcntiri. Some other inftances here- of we have in this report of Tacitus^ which I fuppofe our Author will (carce offer to excufe, as when the Chriftian Religion is called E.xitiabHfs fitperfiitio^ and when the Cluiftians are faid per flagitia invifos vnlgo fn7j[e. But (uppofe he fpeaks truth, what is it he iayes } Nero put an itifinite miilliiude of tlem to deaths but itigens multitudo^ which are his words, may be far lels than an infinite muliititde. Two or three hundred may pafs for a great multitude, and extraordinarily great, wher> that which is fpoke of them is extraordinary. The Martyrs burnt in Queen Marys dayes were a great midtitHde 5 and few may be accounted very many, to fuffer (80 J fuffer in fuch a manner, as thefc did by V^ros Cruel- ty, Ferarumtcrgis cofiteciiHt UniatHcamtminterirent^ aut crndbus affix? ^ aut flaf^xvandi, atque nhi defecijfet dies in jifiim tioHnrm luminis nUntitnr^ in the words of Taci- ins. To this he adds the general account which ^nfebius givcsof the fuccefs of the Chriftian faith immediately after the firfl: difcovery of it, that prejently in all Cities and Villages Churches abounding with innumerable nmlti- tudes were affcmbled^ Sec. />;:z^. 459. If he will not deal unkindly with Eufebins he mufl: not fet his expreflions upon the Rack, nor ftretch them be- yond his intention, nor forget what is obferved to be ufual with him ^ Oratorem more rem amplificare, Thele Churches confiftin^ o(^ innumerable maltitudcs are (aid to be not only in a// Cities, but Villages ^ now I believe it will be an hard matter for our Author to (hew us any Villages^ even in Conftantines time, where there were a Thoufand, yea, or 500 Chriftians. Thofe who will not abu(e themftlves or their Readers muft give great allowance to fuch exprelTions, and not rely on ihem in ftrid arguing. And here it may not be amifs to take notice of what he (ayes o^T^me in another Chapter, M. IS. had decla- red, that he found no reafen to believe that Rome and A- lexandria had for 200 years more Chriftians than fome London Pariftics (which have ^ocoo Souls J nor near, V church Hijl. if half fo many A: The chiefj if not the only argu- p. aV^'" ^''^^' ^^"^ ^^ prove them at Rome more numerous, is a paf- fage in Cornelius his Epiftle (hewing the number of the Officers and of the poor, this was in the middle of the third Age, and fo not within thefe 200 years, but yet proves not what it is alledged for in Cornelius's time, near ^nno 960. The number of Officers fignifies no fuch thing, as hath been made evident, the number of the (SO the poor, being 1 500 rather proves the contrary. This was cleared by comparing the proportions of the poor with the reft in other places, at ^;^//, the former p Fag, 54, concerns not T(ome more than any other place in the ^mpre^ the import of it is this, not that every foul of every fort, but that many of all forts were lead to the Chriftian Religion, if '^'^^ -^^yif be flretched to every foul ^hfchius is made to fpeak what is in a manner no- torioufly falfe, and monftroufly extravagant. The later which concerns T^me does but fignif}', that more of Good quality for Rrchef and Birth with their Families and Relatives came over for Salvation q. Thefe he will have q i-ib. 5. c.2u to be of the Nobility^ but thofe were counted noble who defcended from fuch as had been Magiftrates in Citiefi or free Towns. How this can make that Church near fo great as our Author would have it, or greater than M. B. fuppofes, I don't underftand. What he fubjoyns is very furprizing and mud: feem ^^i' $4» ftrange to thofe who are acquainted with the flate of Church in thofe times, that the Chrijiians were the better half of the Roman Empire, that they were the major part every where^ but in Rome more eminently. This hath no good warrant from antient Authors, no, not from Ter- tuUian^ though he writ many years after Commodus. He like an Oratour draws fomething bigger than the life ( as our Author fayes of 9^azianzen^ pag. 137.) and muft have allowance on this account by thofe who will not be injurious to him. In that very Age wherein Commodus reigned, it is (aid the Chrijiians were fo often flaughtered that few could be found in Rome who profeffed the77ame ofChrifir, And near 150 years after, Y^h^n r PUtm vitl Conjiantine had reigned near 20 years in Rome ih^gene- ^y^*' M 2 rality (-84; ralhy of the Inhabitants ftiewed (uch difafTcftion to Chriftianity, as that is given for one rcalbn why he (zofmsyHijl. transferred the (eat of the Empire to Byz(ifitinm [, l.i.p.6i. pj^ j.yj^g beyond M.B'j bounds towards the middle of the third Century, and tells us tke great cji p,irt ^/Alex- ander Severus hk FamJlj ncrc ChriUians. And fo they might be, and yet no more Chrifiians in ''i^we for that, if they were Chriftians before they came in- to his fimily , which is more likely than that they were converted in it. However many more fuch Ad- ditions will not increafe that Church beyond M. Es Mea fares, nor make it near fb numerous as that Parifli to which Whitehall belongs. Va£, 5$, What he next offers neither concerns Rome^ being general expre(Iions,nor M. 'B. referring to the Ages af- ter tho(e which he is concerned for,whether by tmulvJ'sHf ^mciyt: wrre to heprefi^t Tvhcn he did celebrate^ then all the People likewife were to be prelent, or elfe they had no Publick Woifhip, for they could have none without Bilhop or Presbyters. 3dly, A Church is not proved to be Dhcefan by the numbers o^'Vreshytcrs in it, this I have made evident before, ^nd made it good againfk our Anthors excepti- p Tig, $52, ons. But he brings a new inftancep, and will have £- dcff.t to have been a Dhcefan Church becau(e of the nu- merous Clergy, the Clergy^ fayes he, oj the City of E- defla vp as above 200 perfons^ fwt reckpnwg that of the CoHfitrey vpithin hk Dioccfe^ and thk p?as a Diocefan T^/- JJjop topurpofe. He did well not to reckon that of the Countrey in his Diocefi : unlefs he had kown that (bmething of the Countrey was within his Diocefe. It was not unufual for the BiQiops charge to be confined to a Town or City qinnocm.Ep. Rome it felf is an inftance of it q^ Cum omnes ^cclefitt ad D(cmtm. „^jiy^ j^f^^ civitatem co?7fiHut£fiwt. But why it (hould be judged to be a Diocefan Church becaufe 200 fuch Perfons belonged to it, feeing the great Church at C. P, had above 500 Officers amgned it after Juftiman t ,vm;.3. f.3. had retrenched the numbers r, and yet was never coun- ed a Diocefe, I do not well underftand. But he hath fome other reafons for it, and becaufe he thinks they prove the Bifhop o^Ed^Jfa to have been a Diocefan to pnrpofe^ let us on the by a little examine them , thefe he gives in fummarily, This was a Diocefan '^ij/jop to pur- pafe^ who befides a large ^Dioccje, had excommunicating Archdeacons^ and a great revenue, I find nothing alledged to (hew he had a large Dio* cefe or any at all, but this, the City of Battina was in the Dioceje f?/ExieQa, for Ibas is accujed of having endeavour' ed to make one John Biftiop ofit^ 84c. Battina C9I ) Bafttffa had a Biftiop of its o";vn, how then can it be (aid to be in the Dhccfc oCEdcJfa^ unk(s Province and Diocele be confounded ? 8dcjfi was the Metropolis of Mejopotama^ the BiQiopofit was the third i^etropo- litan in the patriarchate of ^ntioch^ as they are ordered in the antient V^titia, The Bifhop of ""Battrna wa$ one of the many ^'/zj^*/*^^/// belonging to that Metropo- litan, « How then comes the Diocefe of^dejja to be any wayes large upon this account . Archidiacomtm vocant^ the Deacons chufe from amongU themfelves one whom they l^ww to be indu- JirJouf^ and call him Archdeacon, Now if a Deacon had the power to excommunicate^ there can be no doubt but the Presbyters had it, being of a Superiour Order and Power. And excommunication being counted the higheft ad of Jurirdi(3:ion, it cannot be queftioned but the other acts thereof belonged to them ^ and fb the Presbyters having all the Jurifdidion of D/Jhops ( all the power of Government^ what did they want of being Biihops but the honour of preliding in their Aifemblies? And r90 And if they were no farther from being Bifhops, they will go near to be as much Diocefan^ and Co this Gentle- man may chule, whether he will have all of both forts to be Diocefitis^ or none of either. 4ly, It is no Argument to prove a Diocefan Church to (hew that it confifts of fuch who live at a good di- ftance one from another. Dionyfus had a great Con- gregation at Cephro^ a Village in Lyhia^ but thofe which made up this Church were of another Countrey, coming partly from ^exaridria^ partly from other parts of ^iyPU as Eufehius (hews us, yet none ever efteemed that to be a Diocefan chtirch. In Jnftifi Martyrs time tho(e that were in the Countrey, and thofe that were in the City, when thole were no more than made one Congregation, met together in one place, Wf7«j'^'w 'nihuii^ iy^ii u%pov}m i^Tvdvn avvihdJffjf ^ the Meeting con- iifted of (uch as lived at a good diftance, but none will imagine it to be a Diocefan Church, but thofe who will have a fingle Congregation to be fuch a Church. ^U the Chrifiians in City and Countrey , fays Dr. Downham^ if they had been affemhkd together^ would have made but a fmall Congregation, w. " y/Defenetl.i, Our ^uthonr would prove the largenefi of "^ajil's ^'^-M^* Diocefs by the diftance between C£jarea and Safima. * x;**^. $45,54^ He makes much of it and takes the pains to meafiire the diftance between thefe Towns, or rather, as he fays , to make feme guefi at it out of an Itenerary z.nd.VutingersTa-^ bles'^ yet tells us the diftance mufl: be as great at leafl as between Hippo and Fuffala^ that fo ^S"^. nafh Diocefs may be as great at leaft as that ftroy tke'~BiJhcps likewife, if we follow it downwards. In the antient Church the BiJIiops were to do r.othifig of mcment^ without the *Vr€shyters^ this the moft judicious and Learned ^ffarters of Epifcopacy acknowledge 5 h ff. BiKnn, h Nay further, in the beft Ages of the Church, the Do-^ihai\ b!' '^^fi4^ ^^^6 ^9 do nothing without the people, that ij^ Hiii^ M. without their prcfir.ce and confent% This is moft evi« f(ih?rf'^'' ^' ^^^^ '" Cyprians ^pifiks, and is acknowledged by fuch i 'i^ide defmct 'Prelatijis as are otherwife referved enough, i Now io?!!'^''^'*'* by this A^ment we may conclude that BiQiops were but the Deputies or Surrogates of the Presbyters , or which will be counted more intolerable, that Bifliops hadi C loi ) had their juri(Hi and allows the Bifhop to order his ovon Churchy and the yCi^- 9- "^^i- Countrey places depending on it. x And Epiphanius ^\ji^ Vi \fpeaks of a Church belonging to his charge, which we mufi underftand to be his Diocefe^ though in the y^-'o'- 55S- p^fi^ge cited, it is twice called his T^rovince^ y in fine, Jerowc fpeakes of fome baptized by Presbyters or Dca* C J03 ) cons in Himlets^ Cajlks^ and Tfaces remote from the Bijbop. The(e and fuch like are u(ed as good arguments for Diocefin Churches^ whereas there are diverfe Towns in EtigUnd^ which befides the Officers in them, have mii- ny Congregations and Presbyters in Villages belonging to them, and contained within the Pariih \ and yet our Author and thofc of his perfwafion would think Diocefans quite ruined , if they were reduced , and confined to the mcafiires of thofe Parifh Churches, and left no bigger than fome of our Vicarages and Parfona- ges, though fiich as Mr. Hooker affirms to be as Urge as fomeantknt Bi(l}opricl{s 5 he might havefaid wofl^ there being not one in many greater or fo large. I yet fee no ground in antiquity, nor can expefi to have it proved, that the larger fort of ordinary BiQiopricks in the fonrth age, and fometkne after, were of more ex- tent than two fuch Vicarages would be, if united. Yet a Biihop of fuch a Difl:rif. 509. CountreyJ till the Donatifis grew numerous d. In Spain the Council of Eliberis had 19 Bifhops in the be- ginning of the 4th. Age, and the firft Council oiTokdo had no more in the beginning of the age after. But the following Synods, at Saragoffa^ Gemnda^ Ilerda^ «;*i«$57-558 Valentia^ Arragon^ had not fb many e. In France .the Council at Valence had 21 BiQiops in the fourth Age, but C 105 ) but thofe following them, in that and the after ages had dill fewer, viz. That of T^z;, Orange^ the third of Aries, that at ^ngcrs^ that at /^//r/, and Vatnes and another at ^rks. For Gemral Councils, the firft at ^ice had ^iSBifliops in the beginning of the fourth Age, that at Epkefus above an hundred years after, had but two hundred, that at C. T. in the latter end of the fourth Age had but one hundred and fifty Bi- fliops. So that if we take account how many Bifhops there were of old, as he would have us, by their numbers m Cotivcils^ there will be more before the middle of the third Age, than in the beginning of the fourth 5 more in the beginning of the fourth than in fbme part of the fifth 5 and more in the beginning of the fifth, than in fbme part of th^fixth 5 quite contrary to the Hypotjde- Jis on which he proceeds. Whether by his argument he would lead us to think Dmefes did wax and wane fb odly,as it makes Bifhops to be more or fewer,! cannot tell. However fince he grants that in the fourth and fifth Ages Diocefes were very fmallf, and crumbled into^^/ii' $$2.' jmall pieces g^ (and fb nothing like oursj .• there's no ip^i' si^» expectation he can find any larger, if any thing near fb great, in any former age : unlefs they can be larger when incomparably fewer Chriflians belonged to thcfe Bifhops 5 which will be no lefs a paradox than the for- mer. For it cannot but be thought ftrange, that the Bifhops Diocefe fhould be ^re^/o« with the Bifhop, n for ^ ml J! Hi(i.i, then the Governing power of Bifhops was but count- 4. c. 8. Epl- ed a ^Minijiry^ hnm^yiAi ydq \^ ri-ni '^^oriuVi P^"'^- ^'*'* 42* a and the Presbyters y^/Z^jp t^inijiers with him, and oifidmLib.^: joint Adminiflrators in the Government. They are ^^ 2^0- ftyled <^/^'re/(M^'««» p fellotP T?aJiors^ they did not then P^^^-^'''^^ r- dream that a Bifhop v^^was file T*dfior of many Chur* ^'^*^^* '^' ches. They are alfb called ffyvU^Jjradt which is no lefs than c^v^imiy q for the Presbyters had their Thrones with (^ignxt.adr. the Bifhop. So Nazianzen fpeaks of Bafil when or- '"« ckyfod. in., dained Presbyter, as promoted Uioti^^omi^to the Sacred '^'^"^-i-*- Thrones of the T^reshyters, r They are alfb called that all things in the afitian Church were ordered w Inn, P. 47. a>7d travja&cd by the general confint of l^resbyters, tv Mr. Thorndike proves at large, that the Govertiment of X Fiim. Co- Churches pajfed in common 5 x Primate Uf^er more fac- ''^'kdua. oj ^^^^^^y but efFedually. y Add but Dr. St. who both rpifcopac'y. alTcrts and proves it, 2, there was fiill one Ecclejiafiical z irtn. Pag. Senate., which ruled all the fcveral Congregations of thofe **' ^' ' ' Cities in common .^ of which the fcveral Presbyters of the Congregations were ^/Mcmbers.^ and in which the Bifiop acfed as the Prefidcnt of the Senate, for the better Qoverf> ting the affairs of the Church., &c. Let me add, when the Churches were fo multiplyed in City and Territory, as that it was requifite to divide them into Parifhes, and confHtute feveral Churches ; the Bifliop was not the proper 7^;//er or Pajior of the whole Precind", and the Churches in it, or of any Church, but one: The Parifhes or Churches were di- vided among Presbyters and Bifhop, they had their fe- veral diflinfi cures and charges 5 the Bifhops peculiar charge was the Ecclejta principalis., the chief Parifti or Church fo called, or Av^ivriMi MAiJ^?A, The Presbyters performed all Offices in their feveral Cures, and order- ed all affairs which did particularly concern the Church- es where they were incumbents 5 thofc that were of more common concern were ordered by Bifhop and Presbyters together, and thus it was m the Bifhops Church or Parifh, he performed all Offices, adminiflred all Ordinances of Worfhip himfelf, or by Presbyters joyned with hnm, as Affiflants. He was to attend this particular cure conftantly, he was not allowed to be ab- fent ( 109 ) fent, no, not under pretence of taking care for fbmc other Church 5 if he had any bufincfs there which par- ticularly concerned him, he was to make quick d'lC- patch, and not (xp°^'^(^^^ '9 ^Va^"' '^ "'Jt^'^ ^<^'^y as Zo?2aras) jlay there with the vegkci of his proper pock^^ this is all evi- dent by a Canon of the Council of Carthage a^ Rur- r/« zom.u.'jj fum placuit ut ncmini fit ficulta^^ reliUa prificipali Cathe- ""'^^ ^ ^'* dra^ ad aliquam ^c cleft am in Dioceft confiitHlamfe con- ferred vcl in re propria^ dintius qnam oportet conUttutum^ airam vel frequent ationem propria Cathedrae 7!Cgligere. Of this Church or PariQi he was the proper Paftor or Ru- ler, called there <'^©' -^fo^O-, and elfewhere/^ o}x«a jG^Oe/g^^ b c^w.jg. in contradiftindion toother parts of the Prcci'^c^t, called here Diocefes 5 and the people of it are called ohHQ-AAQ- by the ancient Canonifl r, \i\s proper flocks or people, his c zona, ia loc own (pecial charge. This was the particular Church under his perfonal Government, but he was not Ruler of the Precinft, or any other Churches in it, fave only in common^ and in conjundion with the other Pres- byters^ who jointly took cognizance of what in his Church or theirs, was of greater or more general con- fequence, and concerned the whole, and gave order in it by common conjent. And while this was the form of Government^ if there had been as many Churches there, thus alTociated, as Optatus in the fourth age fiys there was at T^me^ or far more, thvy could not make a Diocefan Church, un- less a Dioctjan and a Preshjtcrian Church be all one. jPor this IS plainly a *Vresbyterfan Church, the antient 'Presbyteries differing from the modern but in a matter of fmaller moment. In thofe their *~Prefident being fixed and conft mt, in thefe commonly though not al- ways circular. The Presbyteries in Scotland compri- zed lome twelve, fome twenty, fome more Churches^ their in reafbn be denied them ^ but this the antients afcribe n A 4 Hiliodo' to them j So Jcromc^ 71 t^Mihi ante T^reshjtcrioft fcdcre r*w- fion licet ^ iUi ft pcccavero licet me tradere Jatan<£ ad inter- ritum cAYHis^ ut ffiritus falvus (it. Chrjfoflome thrcat- ned fome of his Auditory, while he was a Presbyter, to Excommunicate them, '^mp^djottyti'mivCfAh rSv U.^av rira? oHo'*i. 17. in ^^lutAi if^^vfuii^ o to wavc all oF hke nature inlifted on ^"'''' by others ; jHtiiftiutt in the 6th. Age fignilies plainly, that not only i)///;^;?/, but Tre/////fr/ might Excommu- nicate Offenders, in his Conjlitntions he forbids Billions and '^Presbyters to cxclitde any from Commmiion^ till Jtwh caufe nas declared^ for which the Canons appoirted it to be doTie^ "«" l toU ^JKi-roif ;^ rr^tr^vrieyn o^rntppJio/u^, d^o^i^nw m* TV 'cI}Ia( Kotvo/iAi, gcc. and will have the fentcnce of Excommunication rcfcindedj ivhich u>as pajfed by 'BiJJwpf p 'Soul. 123. or *Presbyters vptthoHt caufe. p In theO^e both Bilhops ^' *'* and Clergy are forbid to Excommunicate in certain ca- fes, and then mentions the cafes for which they muft not, »» ' tWry/x©-, at Athens dFeH.in ttrl. was n^r£ior maximus^ yet all the reft were pans potefla.- ""'i"^- etc j T^ifiopf and Presbyters had idem mimUcrium as tibid. Jerome^ eadem Ordinatio^ as Filarj iy they were ofthe f j»i t/«. 5, fame Order and Office, had the (ame power, the porver of the Kej/j, all that which the Scripture makes efTential to a '~BiJl30p. While it was thus, there could be no Dio* eefin Churches^ that is, no Churches confiding of many Congregations which had but otic Difiop only. J 6k \ 1.7 I I. iwii. POST-SCRIPT. A Late Writer prefumes he has deteded a notable miftake in the Author, of No EVidence for Diocefan Churches (af» cribed to one who owns it not) about /^yfw, which I fuppo(e he would have Tranllatedi Ten Tljoufands definitely ; but there it is rendred indefinitely thoufandsy as we are wont toexpreis a great many, when the precife number is not known. Thofe who underftand the Language, and have obferved the w/e of the WordjWill be farr from counting this a fault : and thofe who view the paflage will count it intolerable, to render it as that Gentleman would have it. That of Atticm Bifliop of C 5^. may latisfie any concerning the import and ufe of the word, who fending mony for the releif of the poor at 'Hiceto Calhofius^ he thus writes, Pojl'fcrip. writes, 'ifut^v iMgi'tK l¥ tt? sbAh mtvm>TUt A7^ .^ «t^9«i where he tells him that by /wf/W he underftands a multitude whofe number he did not exadly know, thus (i. e. indefinitely) is the word moft frequently ufed by Greek Writers, and particularly by Eufehitis the Author of the Hij}.i.2.e. paflage cited. So he tells us, Nero killed his Mother J his ^rothers^ his Wife , avu ctAAo/f ^i/pfo/f. i.Q.c.ip of her Kindred : And TimotheH^ ofGyt'Ai ^ kaov j^Ve^ rtw (paviuj\) For if fays he according to our Savi- viours promife*, where two Ihall agree as couching any tLing,ic fhall be done for them of my Father, Sec. How prevalent will be the one Voice of fo numerous a People afTem- bied together and faying Jmcnzo God? Who '^th-erefore would not wonder,who would not ' count ic a happinels, *o lee fo great a People '"met 'together in one place ? And how did the people rejoice to behold one another,where- as formerly they allembled in ieveral places ? • Hereby ic is evident that in the middle of the fourth Age, all the Chriftians at /^/c-x^j/z- Pofl'fcrift. dm which were wonc ac other times to meet in feveral aflemblies, were no more than one Church might and did contain, lo as they could all join at once in the Worlliip of God and concurre in one Amen. He tells him alio that Alexander his Prede- ceffbrjCwho died An. ^25 )did as much as he in likecircumftances, "l^/v aflembled the whole multitude in one Church before it w^as dedica- ted, pa^^. 532. Thisfeems clear enough,* but being capa- ble of another kind of proof which may be no lefs Iatisfa6tory, let me add that alfo. This City was by Straho his defcription of it, x^<^i^^* H^< li -^uA, like a Soldiers Coat, whofe length at either fide was almofl: 3^0 Furlongs, its breadth at either end 7 or 8 Furlongs, Geogri lib. 1 7. pag. 546. fo the whole compafs wiW. be lefs than ten Miles. A third or fourth part of this was taken up with publick Buildmgs, Temples, and Royal Palaces, 'ix^ ■nnTrir^f-njx.wtr^ 01?^ ixisQ-' tbtd. tw^o Miles and half .or three and a quarter is thus difpofed of I take this to be that Region of the City which £pip/;^«i«^ calls ^f^Vv, (where he tells us, was the famous Library of Ttolomeus Thiladelpbus) and fpeaks of Toft'fcript. of it in his time as deftitute of Inhabicatits, ^fffiMf Tvtvvv &rwVx«»'» ^^ bonder. ^ mmfur^ n, ^.p.i66 A great pare of the City was' afligned to the Tews, TmKieoi A^da.^ yii^a, /atf©- tzJ" I^vh rit^- So StrdUO indefinitely, as Jolepbus quotes him. Jntiqtut. Jtd. l. 14. c. 1 1, Others tells us more punftu* ally, their fhare was two of the five divifions {Upms Annals Latin, fag, 859.) Though many of them had their habitation in the. other di- vifions, yet they had two fifth parts entire to theiillelves, and this is (I fuppofej the wG-TcO®- which Jofcphus laith , the^ Succeflbrs of Alexander let apart for them (cu)'m( d^deimv, hello Jud, L 2. cap, 1 1 . Thus we lee already how 6 or 7 miles of the i o were taken up. The greateft part of the Citizens (as at ^me and other Cities) in the beginning of the 4th. Age were Heathens. Otherwile Antonms wrong'd the City,whOj in Athanajius's time,is brought in thus exclaiming by 'jerom. Vit, Taul. p. 24^. y^e tihi Alexandria qud pro Deo portenta "X^eneraris ; V£ tihl ay It as meretnx m quapi totius orhis d^monia cofifluxere^ &c. a Charge thus formed, fuppofes the prevailing party t« m^^ {Sozom, Htji. L I .c.i 4.)ind it we may jncii" * of the followers by their leaders, no lol;-; r.han half. For whereas there were 1 9 Presbyters and Deacons in that Church (Theod. Hift,L 4. c. 23.) (12 .was the number of their Presbyters by their Autient Conftitution, as appeal's by EutychmSy and 7 their Deacons, as at ^nie^ and elfewhere) 6 Presbyters with Jrius^ and 5 Deacons fell off from the Catholicks. So;^om. Hiji. /.I. c. 14. But let the Ariatis be much fewer, yet will not the proportion of the Catholick Bifhops Diocele in this City, be more than that of a fmall Town, one of 8 or I 2 Furlongsin compafs. And (b the num- bers of the Chriftiaps upon this account, will be no more than might well meet for Wor^ (hip in one place. • •nd\h F I N I S. Date Due t 1 Dt-mco 38-297 \ \ -r": j». r *^ ^^ (^ C X^N n *^r*^. ■ %^ ^ - 4v :^> ^^^ ijp^-