not (as there is nothing more certain) they are diforderly walkers, if the Apoftles Argument be valid, We command you to withdraw from fuch as walk diforderly. But who, I pray, are thefe diforderly walkers? how fhall we know them? they are (fayes the Apostle) fuch as walk, not after the tradition received from us.

CHA P. III.

Atbird Argument proving the unlawfulneß of hearing the prefent Minifters of England, produced. That they act by vertue of an Antichriftian Office and Calling, proved. Their perfect agreement with the Popifh Priests in feventeen Particulars, demonftrated. That the Office of Lord Bishops is Antichriftian, proved. (The Teftimonies of the Ancients produced) whence the Antichriftianifm of the Office of the Minifters of England is evinced. An Objection answered.

Argument 3.

Hose that act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichri,

TH

parated from: but the prefent Minifters of England act in the Holy Things of God by vertue of an Antichriftian Power, Office or Calling. Therefore.

The Major is evident. For 1. The Power, Office and Calling of Antichrift is oppofite and contrary unto the Power, Office and Calling of Chrift: Not to feparate from fuch as act by vertue of such an Office-Power, is to ftand by, and plead for Antichrist, against Chrift. 2. Its unlawful to attend upon the teachings of Antichrift, therefore upon the teachings of such as act by vertue of a Power des rived from him. 3. Chrift calls, and folemnly charges his,upon the penalty of moft dreadful Judgments, to feparate from every thing of Antichrift, Rev. 18. 4. and 14.9, 10, 11. 4. There is not a command in the Scripture enjoyning Saints to take heed of being des ceived, to try the fpirits, becaufe many Antichrifts are gone abroad into the World, but is an abundant demonftration of the truth of this Affertion. 5. The inftitution of Officers of his own, by Chrift, to be continued in the way appointed by him to the end of the World, Eph. 4. 11. 6. That there is not one promise of a bleffing in the whole Scripture upon perfons atending on fuch a Miniftry, with innumerable things of the like tendency and import, that might be produced if

C 2

needful

needful, are fuch a bafis upon which the truth of the major Propofition ftands, as cannot be easily fhaken or removed.

The Minor wants not fufficient demonftration.

First, The prefent Minifters of England, are either from Chrift or from Antichrift. There is no medium (a Linfey-woolfey-Ministry, that is partly of Chrift, partly of Antichritt, as 'tis not to be proved by Scripture, fo will it not be abetted) That they are not from Chrift, hath in part been proved already, and may farther be evinced.

1. Their Names are forreign to the Scripture: Where reade we of Deacons in their fence, Priefts, as diftinguished from Chriftians, in the New-Teftament, Deans, Cannons, Petty-Cannons, Prebendaries, ArchDeacons, Lord-Bifhops, Parfons, Vicars? &c. thefe are onely found in the Popes Pontifical, whence they are derived. So are 2. Their Offices: Deacons attending Tables we reade of, but Deacons Praying, Preaching, Adminiftring Sacraments (fo called) by vertue of an Office-power, an order of the first step to the Priesthood, we find not: Priefts in the Old-Teftament (both true and falfe) we reade of; in the New,Saints are fo called; Firft, in respect of analogie to the ritual Priests of old, whofe prerogative it was to come near to God, Deut. 21. 5. to whom, through Chrift, Saints have accefs with boldnefs, Ephef. 2. 18, and 3. 19. Fam. 4. 8. Secondly, in respect of their union and engrafture into Chrift the great High-Prieft over the Houfe of God. Thirdly, in refpect of that analogy there is betwixt what Chrift hath done for them as Prieft, and by his Spirit worketh in them: He offered up Sacrifice; fo do they, Pfal. 116, 17. and 141.2. Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 14. He was crucified, died; fo are they, Rom. 6, 6, 7, 8. &c. Gal. 2.20. Fourthly, as Priefts, they are anointed to the participation of, do thereby attain to, a kind of holy and intimate communion with Chrift, in all his glorious Offices, Rev. 5. 10. But an Office of Priesthood in men for the Ministry of the Gospel, that are to be bounded by men in that their Office, muft preach what they would have them, and ceafe when they would have them (as is the cafe of the prefent Miniftry of England) the Scripture is a ftranger to: Soisit 3. to their admiffion into this their office, viz. by a Lord-Bifhop, without the confent of the Congregation, in which they act as Officers. The very truth is, both in their Names, Office, and admiffion thereunto, the prefent Minifters of England fymbolize not with the Minifters of Chrift, but the Popish

order.

order of Priests: (fo that if thefe do act by vertue of an Antichriftian office-power, then do they) as he that runs may read in the enfuing parallel particulars.

1.

1. They are both called, and own themfelves Priests; which though fome may make light of, yet confidering that it is a term borrowed, either from the Priefts of the Law, the affertion of fuch a Priesthood being a denial of Chrift come in the flesh; or from the Priefts of the Heathen (in conformity to whom, as the Druides of old, our Priests wear their white Garment or Surplice) or from the Antichriftian Church (fo called) of Rome : Such idolatrous fuperftitious names being commanded by the Lord to be abolished, Hof. 2. 15. Zech.13.2. wants not its fufficient weight; the retention whereof, being alfo a fore fufpition of too great a compliance with, if not a willingness to return to that from whence they are derived. Of the fame mind with us herein is Hierom upon the 2d of Hofea, the Hebrew Doctors, Kimchi and Aben-Ezra, the Caldee Paraphraft, Ribera (though a Fefuit) Zanchi, Danaus, Sanctius, Polanus, Rivet, and almost all that write upon the faid Scripture. The laft mentioned, viz. Learned Rivet, hath these words in his Corollaries from Hof. 2. 15, 16. There are many names which in themselves are good enough, and might be used, but God abhorreth the use of them, because they have been abufed to Idolatry: he inftanceth indeed in the word Maß; but Prieft or Altar being of the fame allay, upon the fame foot of account, is to be rejected. The reformed Churches in Helvetia,in their harmony of Confeffions,are of the fame mind; The Ministry (say they) and the Priesthood are things far different the one from the other he bimfelf (viz. Chrift) remaineth only Prieft for ever; and we do not com municate the name. Prielt to any Minifter, left we should detract fomething from Chrift

2. The Priests of Rome must be first Deacons ere they are Priests: So muft the prefent Minifters of England.

3. The Priefts of Rome must be ordained to their Office by a LordBishop or his Suffragan: So muft the Minifters of England.

4. The Priests of Rome muft at their ordination, be prefented by an Archdeacon or his Deputy, with thefe words, Reverende Pater,&c. Reverend Father, I present thefe men unto thee,to be admitted unto the order of Priesthood: So are the prefent Minifters of England.

5. The Priests of Rome must be ordained to their office according

to

to their Pontifical,devifed by themselves: the Priefts of England ac cording to their Book of ordering Priefts and Deacons (which is ta ken cut of the Popes Pontifical, as is evident to any that shall compare the one with the other, and as hath been long fince confeft by fome of themselves, in an Admonition to the Parliament in Queen Elizabeths dayes,in their fecond Treatife.)

6. The Popish Priefts muft kneel down upon their knees at the feet of the Lord Bishop that ordains them, and he must say to them, blafphemously enough, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft; whofe fins ye remit, or forgive, they are remitted; whofe fins ye retain, they are retained: which exactly accords with the fashion of ordaining the Priests of England.

7. The Popish Priests are not ordained in and before the Congregation, to whom they are to be Priefts, but in fome Metropolitan, Cathedral City, feveral miles from the place: So are the Priests of England.

8. The Popish Priefts take the care of fouls, though not elected by them, from the presentation of a Patron, by the inftitution and induction of a Lord-Bishop and do not the prefent Minifters of England the fame ?

9. The Popish Priefts wait not the Churches Call to the Ministry, but make fuit to fome Prelate to be ordained Priests, giving mony for their letters of Ordination: So do the prefent Minifters of England.

10. The Popish Priefts are ordained to their Office, though they have no Flock to attend upon: So are the Priefts of England.

11. The Popish Priefts muft fwear Canonical Obedience to their Ordinary So do the prefent Minifters of England.

12. The Popish Priests may at their pleasure, without the confent of the People, refign and give over their Benefices, and be take themselves to fome other of greater value: A fymmetrie with them herein is visible, by the frequent practife of the Minifters of England.

13. The Popish Priefts, though ordained to preach, muft have fpecial Licence from the Prelates fo to do: So muft the Priests of Eng

land.

14. The Popish Priefts are fubject to be filenced, fufpended, deprived and degraded by the Prelates; as are the prefent Minifters of England.

15. The Popish Priests are not of like and equal Power, Degree, and Authority amongst themselves, but are fome of them inferior to others herein; as Parfons to Archdeacons, Archdeacons to Lord Bishops, Lord-Bishops to Archbishops: So the Priests of England.

16. The Popish Priests must be diftinguished from other People by their Vestments, as Surplice, Tippet, &c. So muft the Priests of England.

17. The Popish Priefts are tyed to a Book of ftinted Prayers, and a prefcript Order, devised by man, for their Worship and Miniftration: So are the Minifters of England, and that to fuch an one as is taken out of the Popes Portuis, as hath been proved by divers: That the Common-Prayer-Book in Edward the 6ths time was fo, you have his, with his Councils Teftimony for it; thus they write, As for the Service in the English Tongue,it hath manifeft Reasons for it, and yet perchance it feemeth to you a New Service, and indeed is no other but the Old, the fame words in English which were in Latine- -If the Service of the Church were good in Latine, it is good in English. How little different the Common-Prayer-Book now in ufe is thereunto, they that wil take pains to compare the one with the other, may be fatisfied.

To thefe parallel particulars might be added fundry more, wherein there is an exact fymmetry betwixt the Popish Priefts, and the preTent Minifters of England but Ex ungue Leonem.

The fum of what we have been offering in this matter, is this. Firft, Thofe Minifters that in their Names, Offices, admiffion into their Offices, are not to be found in the Scripture, are not Minifters of Chrift, act not by vertue of an Authority, Office, Power, Calling, received from him.

Secondly, Thofe Minfters that in their Names, Office, admiffion into their Office, are at a perfect agreement with the Minifters of Antichrift (fuch are the Popish Priests acknowledged to be by those with whom we have to do) are not the Minifters of Chrift, have not received any Power, Office or Calling from him to act in the holy things of God: But fuch (as hath been abundantly demonftrated ) are the prefent Minifters of England; Therefore thefe have received no Power, Office or Calling from Chrift, and fo are Antichriftian.

Quod erat demonftrandum.

Secondly, Thofe that receive their Power, Office and Calling from a Lord-Bishop, and act in the holy things of God by vertue of that Power,