A necessitie of separation from the Church of England, prooved by the nonconformists principles Specially opposed vnto Dr. Ames, his Fresh suit against humane ceremonies, in the point of separation only. Also Dr. Laiton, Mr. Dayrel, and Mr. Bradshaw, are here answered, wherein they have written against us. With a table in the later end, of the principal occurrents in this treatise. By Iohn Canne, pastor of the ancient English church, in Amsterdam.

SECTION. II.

NOw it followes that we truely relate, the present state of the English ministery, how far it disagreeth, (by their owne Testimonies) in every particular thing from the positions, before named, & touching it in ge∣nerall, they affirme confidently, that it is a base mini∣sterie which God never erected in his Church, but came wholy from the Pope, for say they, not onely is the calling of the Hierarchie, but also their dependent offices all vnlawfull and Antichristian, observe the largnesse of their speach, how they comprehend, and so consequently here cōdemn all their Ecclesiasticall functions▪ for indeed they take all their originall of one roote, namely the Praelarey, from it I say, they have their ryse, and by it onely they administer vnto the people. And whosoever shall deny this, may with as much reason, deny that fyre is hott, the sea salt, the sunne shines. &c.

But let us heare what reasons they give, to prove their ministery false and Antichristian; and every way contrary to that true ministery, of which we have be∣fore spoken; First, they say, that the Church of Eng∣land, Wanteth her Pastors, Teachers, Deacons, and Elders: For which cause she hangeth downe her head, for heavinesse; her eyes be bleared with teares; her cheekes be defiled with the water of her eyes, her heart is heavy with sorrow, her bones are withered with drynesse, her whole body is clothed with sackcloth, shee lyeth in caves and dens, being ashamed to shew her face, haveing so deformed and maimed a body; If

her case and state be so, she hath reason enough to greive: For to want these true officers, and to have counterfeits placed in their stead, is one of the heaviest and fearfullest miseries, that can possibly befall any people. Yet this thing is affirmed by others of them also. Of which more hereafter.

Now concerning elections & ordinations. In these their church standeth vnder a Romish regiment, and hath not left Babylon, but partaketh of her sinnes, in the choyse of Ministers. For neither are their Ministers proved, ele∣cted, called, or ordayned, according to Gods word: But their entrance into the ministery is, by a Popish and vnlawfull vo∣cation, strange from the scriptures, and never heard of in the primitive church. All authority is give into the hands of the Prelates alone, & their booke of ordination, wher∣by they make Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, is against the very forme of the ordination of the ministery, pre∣scribed in the scriptures; and nothing else but a thing word for word, taken out of the Popes Pontificall, wherein he sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist most lively.

It will not be amisse if I here briefly relate, in what manner, and forme, their Bishops make ministers, as the Nonconformists doe describe it. When the time (say they) of giveing orders draweth neere, the B. Bull is sett upon the Church doore, to give warning, rhat if any be minded to receive orders, that he repaire to the Prelate at such a time and place. Now this Bull is in latin, so that the people can not understand the sound of the trumpet, neither indeed are they desired to come, and object against the persons to be ordained, &c. When

the day of ordination is com, after an exhortation made, and the communion celebrated, the Epistle & Gospell read, and the Hymne veni creator sung, or sayd, the Arch∣deacon presents to the B. all those that are to take on the order of Priesthood that day, with these words, Reve∣rend Father in Christ, I present to you the persons here pre∣sent, to be admitted to the order of Priesthood. Then after some demaunds and answeres, of the B. and the other, who are to be admitted, he demaundeth of the people, who are present there, if they know any impediment, which may hinder any of these present to be admit∣ted, to the order of Priesthood, which is a manifcst mockage. For it may be, that none there present either heard or saw any of them, or all of them before that day, &c. Then after the oath of the Kengs supremacie is taken, there followes an exhortation again, with other demaunds and answeres. After this the people, who are present, are desired secretly to commend the busi∣nesse to God: For which cause they are all silent for a little space. This don, the B. readeth a prayer, which beeing finished, they who are to be ordained, sitting on their knees at the Bishops feet; the Bishop and the rest of the Priests, who are present, lay handes severally up∣on the heads of every one of them, the B. uttering these words, Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sinnes thou dost forgive▪ ••••••y are forgiven, & whose sinnes thou dost retaine, they are retained, and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God, and of his holy Sacraments in the name of the Father, &c. Thus he commaundeth the ordained to receive the Holy Ghost, as our Lord & Maister did.

Now as well may they imitate his breathing, as to vsurpe these words. Is any of their curats after the pronouncing of these words either the holyer or more apt to teach: And whereas he puts a Bible into their hands, he might rather put their service booke: for either they are ignorant and cannot preach, or if they can, yet may not, till they procure by mony a li∣cence from them. When all this is don the company sing the creed, and receive the communion together. But it must here be observed that they ordaine not any man wholy at once to the office of preisthood: but lead him by degrees vp to the pulpit: for they must first be deacons (as they call it) for a yeare, that is to say, they must receive authority to say prayers, read the Scriptures: but in no wise administer the sacraments, or preach, without further licence: then at last he is made a full minister. This practise is professedly affir∣med of the Nonconformists, to be a vaine invention of mans braine, taken from the manner of Popish orders, and cleare against the expresse appointment of the Scriptures. Moreover, they will make mini∣sters in their Galleries and Cloysters at their plea∣sure; give orders to whome, & to how many they list, without any triall, either of their judgment in Reli∣gion, or of their honestly in conversation: and some∣time make 60, 80, or a 100 at a clap, whereof ••o one is called or desired to any particular congregation, and when they have done, send them abroade as rogues, vagaboundes, or maisterlesse servants, into the country, giveing them their bull to preach in others mens char∣ges

where they list, or else get benefices by freindship, mony, flattery, where they cā catch them, or if this faile, they may goe vp & downe like beggars, & fall into ma∣ny vile follies or sett vp bils (as many have don) at Pauls, the Royall exchange & such like publick places, to see if they can heare of some good master, that will hyre them, and vse their labour, or to conclude, tary in their colledge to lead the lives of loytering losels so long as they live. What a horrible and wicked doing is this! Indeed such times are spoken of in the stories of the Iudges, when Ionathan the Levite, wanting a high place and an Altar, went roving vp and downe to let out his service to any that would hyre him. But it is added in the same place, that there was no King in Israel O Not without cause may they say (if these things be true) that all reformed Churches blush, and are a∣shamed of them. Yea and I am perswaded that if they were fully and truely informed hereof, they would no more communicate with their ministery, then they doe with that of Rome: For if they did, it would be certainly their great sin, seeing both of them appeare to be false and vnlawfull.

Thou hast heard (reader) who makes their ministers: and allso how they are made: now in the next place, thou shall heare what they say touching their gifts, and qualificatiōs & if thou wilt in this beleive the Noncon∣formists: Boyes and sencelesse asses are their common mini∣sters for the most part. yea notorious idolaters, halting hypo∣crites, openly perjured persons, idle bellied Epicures, manifest Apostates, old munks and friars, drunkards,

ideots, idols, such as know not a B. from abattle dore: or the Lords prayer from the articles of faith, nor how many sacraments there are: For he that will weare a surplesse, a cloake with sleeves, a gowne, a cap, a tippet (ornaments fitt enough for such deformed coxcombs), read a gospel, Church women, bid fasting dayes and holy dayes, Prophane the sacramēts, pray at the buriall of the dead, pronounce a curse against sinners vpon Ashwensd∣day and at no time else, ordaine a new sacrament of the crosse in the Prophanation of Baptisime, visit the sicke with a wafer cake, and a wine bottle, read homilies, pray for the prosperity of theeves, pirats, murderers, yea a Pope, a Cardinal, an Archbishop, a Lord B. or any other enimy of God and his Church: he is a creature fitt enough to receive their orders, and by his outward calling is bound to doe no more.

There are besides these, others of them which wit∣nesse the same, to make ministers according to their fa∣shion, is nothing else but to make a service sayer, or a reader of prayers out of a booke, so that a starke foole, or an arrant knave, may fulfill all the conditions which they require of him. It is certaine sayth Mr. Gilby, he that will vse An∣tichrists ragges, may be made an English Priest, be he never such a dolt or villaine. The truth is the conditiō of those men, whome the Prelates for the most part thrust into their ministerie, is so contemptible and base, as they affirme, that Ieroboom never made worse Priests of the refuse of the people to serve his goulden Calves. Nay they say more, If the devill did make and send forth ministers, he could not finde worse men upon

the earth: and if he would have worse, he must bring them out of hel. Mr. Cartwright sayth of a certainty, that all the Ecclesiasticall histories extant, are not able to fur∣nish vs of so many vnworthy ministers, chosen by all the churches throughout the world, which have beene since the A∣postles time, as have swarmed these few yeares, out of the Pa∣laces (as out of the Troian horse) of that small number of Bbs, which are in England▪ &c. and there is as much diffe∣rence betweene them and the ministers, chosen in other con∣gregations beyond the sea, as betweene gold and copper, or any other refuse mettal.

I have not yet declared what the Nonconformists write, touching the most ungodly courses, used by their Priests, to procure benefices, and how extreamely they tyrannise over the poore people, and will be offi∣cers to them, though they consēt not unto it, nay how∣beit they be wholy against it, & have good reasō for it, yet if the Patron (whether Popish prophane or religi∣ous all is one) & the Bishop doe accord in the businesse: they must necessarily put their necks under the yoak of this wicked usurper, or remove their dwelling, though it be to their utter undoing: beside the congregation knowes not, what the conversation is of him, who by the arme of flesh is forced upon them, neither his fitt∣nesse in gifts for the ministery: This cannot be denyed (say they) that there is not any one man or woman amongst 40, in any one Parish among 40, that can tell that ever he, or she, did see, or heare of the minister appointed, & sent by the Ordinary to be parson, or vicar of the Parish vacant, before such time as he or shee did heare, or see the Parish Clarke

t•• trudge with the Church do•••• ke••e•• to let in the S••xtin, to ring the bells for the sayd parson or vicars induction, and reall possession. Oh intollerable bondage! that men should be thus bought and sould like beasts; and yet there is little hope of reformation, in regard too many will rather submitt to those slaughterous & in∣humane courses, then seeke to redeem their pretious liberty, by good and lawfull meanes. And for that base and shamefull beggerinesse, which they use to gett benifices, it cannot be better shewed, then Mr. Brightman hath truly done it. Thus he writes▪

Let vs take a view and make a generall muster as it were of the whole Cleargie, and if you will let vs begin at the basest vnder lings. The Curates, as they cal them are both in very deed, and in all mens account a company of beggarly fellowes▪ In whom a man may see that veri∣fyed, which was threatned against the family of Eli men bowing themselves to the ground for a pecee of silver and a morsell of bread, and craving to bee put into one of the Priests offices, that hee may have a snappe at a crust of bread▪ 1. Sa. 3. 36.

Now for the rest, those that by meanes of their more full purses walke more lustily, such as wee call sturdy beggars, what running vp and down is there among them, what bri∣bing what importunate and impudent begging▪ what flatte∣ring offers do they make of all their obeisance▪ and all duetifull complements, that they may come by these Ecclesiasticall promotions? You may see many of them that post vp to the Court, or to the house of the right honourable. The Lord keeper of the great Seale: For ▪these two places are like

the beautifull Gate of Salomons Temple, Act. 3. 2. Men come in by this way apace, thicke and threefold, and they are in great hope to carry away some good releife. Others there are that become followers of Noble men and Peers of the Land, whose Chaplines they become, either hou∣should, or retayners, as I may call them, that live vnder their potection; for what end trow ye? Even for this and no other, that assoone as any Benefice, as they call it, shall fall voyd, they might enioy it by their Lords gift. And doth not this I pray ye soeme to be an honest way to get a Church∣living, no such base and beggarly one, as you speake of? But is not this currying of favour meere beggary? Is it any whit a lesse••ilt••sy thing, to come to a Rectory, that is of Gods appoint∣mēt, by favour, then by money? If wee will iudge indifferently, it is all one fault to creepe inc, whither it bee by bribing and Symony, or by fawning and flattery.

The rest of the rout in the Country are diligent in attending the common sort of Patrones; whose thresholds they by watching at, whose wyves they brave and court as if they were their Mistresses, whose children they cogge with, whose servants they allure with faire words and promises to bee their Spokesmen, and in every place and point they play the partes of miserable beggers. Some there are that begg more craftily; like to those that sit in the high wayes or in places where two wayes meete, and there they offer pilled roddes to passengers, to get a peece of money therewith, as it were a penniworth for a peny: So do these men make way for their suits, by large giving of money in hand, or els by com∣pacting to give some of their yearely Tithes for a gratifica∣tion▪ But some man will say▪ all this is not the corruption

of lawes, but the corruptnes of men. Nay surely, as long as that manner of conferring Ecclesiasticall charges taketh place, which hath been in vse among vs to this day, there can bee no remedy applyed to cure or prevent, this beggerlines. Doe wee not sufficiently finde it to bee true in experience? In the late Parliament, lawes were enacted severely against it; but what came of that? Nothing truely; but that it made men deale more closely and cunningly to cosen the law. Wee must not think to do any good with our laws, where Christes laws are not observed, But to proceede, when once the living is by beggery obtayned from the Pa∣trone, what a deale of begging worke is there to come, for those Sir Iohn Lack-latines, that Institution might bee had from the B b. Here hee must supplicate, not onely to the right reverend Lord B b; but to Master Examiner, to my Lords Grome of his Chamber, his Register, the yeoman of his Buttery and Larder, yea the meanest that belongeth to him. Not that want of latin and learning will keepe him from entrance into his benefice, but that hee that hath neede of more favour for dispatch, or speach with my Lord, or the like, must fee the servantes the better, whose gaine cometh trowling in this way. There is no Castle so defenced, which a latin-lesse Asse laden with golden metall may not scale and conquer. Neither is there any almost so vnfit that hath the repulse, but by what engines hee prevay∣leth, let them looke to it.

The like is the condition of Prebendaries, Archdeacons and Deanes, Nay are the Lord Bishops themselves cleare of this base beggery? What meaneth then that continuall haunting of the Court, and banging vpon the Nobles?

Why doe they not stay and wayte, till they bee sent for? Yea why are they not rather pulled away from their studyes against their wills? Nay rather if a man should appeale to their consciences, whither are not some of those fat demeasnes of their Bishopricks let out of their own accord, to such as they seeke and sue to, that they might farme and hire them, or els are there not other large bribes covenanted to bee given to such as shall stand them in stead, for attayning of these dignities? But are they onely thus beggerlike in their ambitious suing for theyr promotions? Nay truely; Some of them are grown so extreemly base this way, that if they be to change their Sea, they pay not their first fruites, but by raking together in a filthy fashion an almes from the poore Vicars, which yet must go vnder the name of a Benevo∣lence to make a cleanly cloake withall.

Thus (reader) thou seest how wickedly and base∣ly they come buy benefices, and yet thou hast not heard of all their abomination▪ For the Nonconformists will tell thee further: that after they have gotten one liveing, they will take another if they can: yea, & in spight too of that congregation, to which they were first, and are still personally tyed; And after all this they may be Nonresidents, abiding or preaching at none of their ma∣ny liveings. But forsake their Flocks, moneths, yeares, yea sometime for ever, and leave them to hyrelings & unlearned men. Yea they may chop and change, sel, & buy like marchants, so they doe it closely; which is such an abomination, as Rome & Trent condemneth, and hell it selfe will scarse defend. And as the people are in bon∣dage thus to their ministers, so they are intollerably to

the Prelates. For all power and authority is taken from them, as that they may not preach to their people except they have their licence; and if they have that, yet their preaching is hedged in with penalties, injunc∣tions, caveats, canons, advertis••ments, that they may not deliver the whole counsell of God. Besides, they can not receive the best of their congregation to communion, if he be censured in the spirituall courts: though it be but for not paying of sixpence be the man otherwise never so innocent, nor keepe one from the commu∣nion, that is not presented in those courts, or beeing presented, is for mony absolved though he benever so scandalous. Thus are they the Chanc••llours and Officials slaves to doe what they commaund them: If not they thēselvs must hurry up presētly to their spirituall court, there to stand with cap in hand, not onely before a B. but before his Vassalls, to be rayled on many times at their pleasure, to be censured, suspended, and deprived, for not observing some of those Canons, which were of purpose framed for snares▪ when fart more ancient & honest Canons are every day broken by these judges themselves for lucre sake: as in the making of viopian ministers, who have no people to minister unto, in their holding of commendams, in their taking of mony even to extortion for orders, and institutions, in their ••y∣mony as well by giveing, as by taking▪ and in all their idle, covetuous, and ambitions pompe. I omitt heere to relate the innumerable prophane scoffes, and re∣prochfull names, given (as they say) by their Prelates, to their gravest Ministers, when they are brought be∣fore

them, for they shall be called asses ••eese, fooles, dolts princock boyes▪ beardlesse bayes yeaster dayes bayes, new com out of▪ the shel, &c. And after much rayling in this sort silenced▪ and put out of their meanes, to the utter un∣doing of themselves, their wvies, children, and others. As I read these things in their writing••, I thought up∣on the great slavery of the Iewes under the Philistins, when there was not a sword found amongst them in the day of battle. I confesse in this their condition & case was miserable & bad: but alas, both the ministers and people of the Church of England (as these men report) are in a case ten thousand times worse▪ For the Prelates▪ under whose Antichristian bondage they are have quite unfurnished them of the chieffest weapons, needfull for the Lords battle▪ yea▪ and have so fast tyed them up, with their▪ Romish Canons Articles, excommunications, imprisonments▪ &c. that they can not or at least dare not give a blow against their spiritual enimies▪ though there be a necessity thereof and theire soules other∣wise are likely to perish▪ Now I wish that these people were senceable of these things and that Gods house & his ordinances were deare to their soules▪ then doubt∣lesse they would breake asunder those chaines of un∣righteousnesse: sh••ke Antichrist of, and make any shift▪ to come out of Babylon, for to enjoy that light and liberty, which Christ hath so dearely purchased, with his precious blood.

But to the point in hand. By the former passages it plainely appeares, that the reformists not without great cause, have made humble suites unto Princes, & Parlia∣ments,

for a lawfull ministery to be established, throughout the realme, and that their present ministery mought vtterly be abolished, with the rest of Romish abominations; For not onely have they indited their Cleargy, to be fol∣lowers of Antichrist, and avouched their ministerie to be from the Pope: But also they prove this (as we have shewed from their writings) by infallible and undeni∣able reasons; so that every upright & sincere person (if he well understand what they say) must necessarily consent unto it.

I could produce many others of them, which affirm the same thing, but it needs not, seeing enough hereof hath beene allready spoken. Notwithstanding it can∣not be amisse to sett downe the words of one more: because the Author was a Nonconformist of note: gene∣rally well beloved, and not undeservedly: now thus he sayth, What a miserable pickle are our ministers in, when they are vrged to give an account of their calling: to a Pa∣pist indeed they can give a shifting answer, that they have or∣dination from Bishops, which Bishops were ordained by other Bishops, and they or their ordayners by Popish Bishops, this in part may stop the mouth of a Papist: But let a Protestant, which doubteth of these matters, move the question: & what then will they say? if they fly to Popish Bishops, as they are Bi∣shops, then let them goe no longer masked vnder the name of Protestants: If they alledge succession by them from the A∣postles, then to (say nothing of the appropriating of this suc∣cession vnto the Popes chaire, in whose name, and by whose authority our English Bishops did all things in times past) then I say they must take a great time for the satisfying of a

poore man concerning this question, and for the justifying of their station: For vntill that out of good records they can shew a perpetuall succession from the Apostles vnto their Diocesan, which ordained them, and vntill they can make the poore man, which doubteth perceive the truth and certainty of these records (which I wisse they will doe at leasure) they can never make that succession appeare. If they fly to the Kings authority, the King himselfe will forsake them, and deny that he taketh vpon him, to make or call ministers. If to the present Bishops and Archbishops, alas! they are as farre to seeke as the other. The effect of his speach is: that those which receive their ministerie from the Prelates (as all doe in the church of England) they can not any way justifie the same to be lawfull; For howso∣ever they may say, this or that in the defence of it: not∣withstanding, it is all either falshood or vanitie, which they say, and herein doe wholy deceive them∣selves, and every one that beleeveth them.

And thus much in generall be spoken concerning the second point; namely, the differences manifested by the Nonconformists, betweene a true ministerie, and the mi∣nisterie of England; as also their judgment of it, that it is Popish & false, and the many reasons, which they shew to prove the same. Now in this we and they doe al∣so accord, and our difference stands onely in practice; For they thinke (as it seemes) that a people may com∣municate lawfully in a false ministery: But our judge∣ment and practice is otherwise, both which I under∣take here to prove. 1 by scripture. 2 by reasons. 3 by the testimony of the Learned: And so we come to the

third point, which is to lay downe our inferences & con∣clusions, which necessarily doe follow upon their principles, to wit, that our seperation from their ministery is (by their owne grounds) warrantable and ho∣ly; the same beeing (as they themselves acknowledge) false and Antichristian.

Notes

• Defene. Godly minist. ag. Bridg▪ ••2••. pref. adm. & p. 1••, 27, 47.
• Syons plea. 3,
• Doct. Chat. on Rom. 12. 33.
• Esa. 3.
• Bright. Rev. 3. p. 168. Chr. Mar. p. 41. Admon. p. 2. Sol∣dier. Bar. M. Bates pag. 60.
• Adm. p. 14 Act. 13. 45 & 14, 23. Def. of Godly mi. ag. Br. 124.
• Alt. dam. 165.
• Necel. dis. p. 81. Against Brid. 125. Def. disc. 133. Id. p. 33. Admo. 15. Alt. d. 161. Necessit. discip p. 20. Eccles. Gov. 127.
• Bright. Reve. 3. 181.
• 2. Admo. p. 47. Sold. Barw. Church Polic. 236. 237.
• Abstr. 83.
• Exhortat. Gover. Wal. 42.
• Neces. dis. p. 81.
• Brigt. Re. 3. p. 187.
• Prefa. p. 3.
• Eccles. Gover. 127
• Dial. str. Ch. p. 82.
• 2. Rep. 1. p. 537. 148.
• Preface dioc. T. Fres. suit. l. 2. p. 412.
• Assertion. Christ. Ch. pol. p. 252.
• Vpon the Apoc. ch. 3. p. 181. Edition. 3.
• Pref. dioc▪ Tri.
• Defen. Godl. mi∣nister ag▪ Brid. p. 5.
• So they are in Rev. 18, 11. 12.
• Def, disci. 92.
• Alt▪ dam. 175.
• Def. Pet. for Refor. p. 206.
• Pref. dio. Tri.
• 1 Sam. 13•• 22.
• Neces. dis. p. 86▪
• 2 Admon. Exhort. to Bish. and their Clearg. P. 27.
• Preface Dioces. Trial.