THe ſad Complaint of old, to and of Conſta • tius the Arrian Emperour, (who Athanaſius epist. ad ſolitariam vitam agentes. See Dr. Bilſon his True Difference between Chriſtian ſubjection, and unchriſtian rebellion. part 2. p. 182, 183. made his exorbitant Will, the only Law, and uſed this Papal Speech to Paulinuis, and other Orthodox Biſhops convented before him for refuſing to communicate with the Arrians upon his command, as being againſt the Eccleſiaſtical Canons: At quod ego volo pro Canone ſit: Ita me loqu • nter 〈…〉 ſustin • nt; aut ergo obtemperate, Aut vos quoque exules eſtote ) made by St. Hilari • concerning the ſ ••… quent changes of the Christian Faith, and multiudes of Religions under his arbitrary Tyrannical Government, viz. Hilarius ad Conſtantium. l. 3. Faith is come now, rather to depend upon the Time, than on the Goſpel. Our St •••… is dangerous and ••• | ſerable; that we have now as many faiths as wils, and as many Doctrines as manners, whiles F ••••… are ſo written as we liſt, or ſo underſtood as we will. We make every year, and every month, a new faith, and ſtill we •• ch a faith, as if there were yet no faith▪ Hilarius, l. 1 Contra Conſtantium. This O Conſtantius would •• am know of thee, what faith 〈◊〉 length thou believeſt? Thou haſt changed ſo often, 〈…〉 know not thy faith, That is ha •• ed to thee which uſeth to follow unskilfull builders, ever diſliking their own doings, that thou ſtill pullest down that thou art ſtill ſet • ing up Thou ſubberteſt the old with new; and the new thou renteſt in ſunder with a newer correction; and that which was 〈◊〉 corr • cted. thou condemn • ſt with a ſecond correction. O thou wicked one, What a mockery doſt thou make of the Church, &c? May now be the dolorous juſt complaint of every ſincere Engliſh Chriſtian, touching the manifold changes of Faiths, the multiplicities of Religions in our Vertiginous, unſtable, arbitrary and Tyrannical Age; wherein too many of all Degrees, make their own exorbitant lawleſs wills, the only Laws, Canons by which they act; making Faith to depend rather upon their pleaſures (yea worldly deſigns) than on the Goſpel; ſetting up of late years amongſt us as many Faiths as Wills, as many Doctrins, opinions, as we have Manners, Sects; coyning, venting, profeſſing, what New Faiths they liſt, and underſtanding our antient Creeds as they pleaſe to interpret them; new-making, or at leaſt imbracing a new Faith every year, if not almoſt every month; running from one New Sect, Faith, Opinion to another, ſtill ſeeking after the newest Faith, as if they had quite loſt the old; changing ſo often, that none know of what Faith or Sect they are; being one month. Presbyterians, the next Independents, the 3d. Anabaptiſts, the 4th. Quakers, the 5th. Ra •• ers, the 6th. Seekers, the 7th. Arrians, Anti-Trinitarians; the 8th. Socinians, the 9th. Arminians, the 10th. Antinomians, the 11th. Antiſcripturiſts; & the 12. profeſſed Atheiſts. Subverting their old Church, Religion, Faith, Sect, with a New one, that New, with a Newer, that Newer, with the Neweſt and laſt broached, (as our Faſhion-mongers change the ſhape of their garments) till they have utterly loſt all Faith, Piety, Religion, Conſcience; and made the Church of Chriſt a meer Mockary; yea Chriſt himſelf, a Fable.

Neither are they leſſe giddy or unſtable in their State-Mutations than in their Eccleſiastical or Religious, ſtill changing from one miſhapen New-Model to another; ſo as whatVariae Hiſtoriae l. 5. c. 13. Aelianus records of the ſicklepated ſeditious Athenians (the firſt inventors of New State Governments) is as really verified of theſe Engliſh Innovators. Athenienſes omnino ad commutandos Re • publica status eran • verſatiles, & omnium prop •• ſiſſimi ad viciſſitudines, &c. In which reſpect • am. 1. 8. St. James his character of a double-minded man, unſtable in all his ways, is now become their proper • ſt Motto, unleſſe they like Iude 12, 13, 16, 19. S St. Judes better; Theſe be ſpott in your Feaſts of Charity, feeding themſelves without fear: Clouds they are without water, carried about with winds: Trees, whoſe fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead▪ plucked up by the roots: Raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own ſhame. wandring ſtars, to whom is reſerved the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever: Murmurers, complainers, walking after their own luſts, &c. Theſe be they who ſepara • e themſelves, ſenſual, having not the Spirit; though they proclaim themſelves, the only Saints having the Spirit; which I grant moſt true, if meant of1 John. 4. 6. the Spirit of Error; or thatIſay. 19. 13, 14. Spirit of perverſities (or gidd • neſſes) he Lord mingled in the midſt of Aegypt, and the Princes of Zoan, which cauſed Aegypt, (and now England) to erre in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggere • h in his vomit.

That ſubtile Romiſh Non Doctores, ſed ſeductores; non Paſtores, ſed Impoſtores. Bernard. ſeducing Emiſſaries, Jeſuites, Franciſcans, Popiſh Prieſts, Friers of all ſorts, diſguiſed under the Vizors of Independents, Anabaptiſts, Dippers, Quakers, Ra •• ers, Seekers, Soldiers, Factors, Marchants▪ Artificers, and mechanick Profeſſions of all ſorts, have been the principal Instruments to infuſe this Spirit of Giddineſſe into our intoxicated beſotted Engliſh brains; the original Plotters, Broachers, Fomentors, Propagators of all the deplorable Warrs, Diviſions, Errors, Sects, Hereſies, Blaſphemies, New Faiths, Changes of Government, which have of late years miſerably rent both our Nations, Churches, Kingdoms, (heretofore1 Iacobi c. 1, 2. 3. Iac. c. 1. happily united • in Christian Amity, Unity, under one Hereditary Soveraign) into diverſe incoherent pieces, Schiſms, Factions, Churches, irreconcilably divided from and againſt each other (threatningMat. 12. 25. 26. Gal. 5. 15. our inevitable speedy ruine, without Gods infinite, reconciling, reuniting Mercy, beyond all human probabilities) I have at large demonſtrated by irrefragable Evidences formerly publiſhed inIn my Cozens his Cozening Devotions, Q • enchcole, The Popiſh • Royal Favorite, Romes Maſter-piece. Hidden works of Darkneſs brought to publike Light. Canterburies Doom. Speech in Parliament. M • mento • A Goſpel plea. Ius Patronatus, Epiſtle to a Seaſonable Legal Vindication, &c. A New Diſcovery of Free-State Tyranny: The Quakers unmasked. ſundry printed Pieces: to which I ſhall adde ſome other Freſh Evidences, to open the cloſed eyes, awaken the Drowſie ſpirits of our infatuated, ſtupid Engliſh Nation, and reclaim them (if poſſible) from thoſe ways of deſolation, in which they run on headlong, without deliberation, diſcretion, fear or wit.

1. It is worth our ſpecial obſervation, that inSee Dr. Iohn White his way to the True Church, and Preface before it: & My Quakers unmarked. Lancaſhire and thoſe other Northern parts, where Popiſh Prieſts, Friers, Recuſants formerly moſt abounded, there our laſt, neweſt, up-ſtart Sect of Quakers firſt ſprung up, and now moſt of all abound; ſending out their Popiſh Romiſh Emiſſaries thence into all other parts of the Realm, to ſeduce the people, and openly to revile, traduce, affront, diſturb our Miniſters in their Churches, Pulpits, Houſes; in going to, returning from their Churches, and in the open ſtreets, in a more inſolent manner, and with greater impunity, than ever the Popiſh Prieſts, Friers, or Papists in thoſe parts, affronted, reviled, diſturbed them heretofore, when they were moſt countenanced or connived at by our late Kings, or their Officers; being encouraged thereunto by many in greateſt Authority in thoſe parts, of which I have ſeen lat • ſad complaints in Letters of Miniſters thus inſufferably abuſed, diſturbed daily by them, to their great vexation; not only againſt See Lambert, f. 195. 333. 416. Da •• on, p. 124, 115. Comple • t Juſtice, p. 223. the late Statute of 1 Mariae, c. 3. but the antient Fundamental Laws of England before the Conquest, Heveden Annalium pars poſt • rio • , p. 601, 602. Lambardi Archaion. Spelmanni Concil. p. 619, 620. See 8 H. 6. c. 1. Rastall▪ Parl. 12. preſented to William the Conqueror himſelf upon Oath, by the famous Grand E • queſt of 12 of the principal men choſen out of every County, and ratified by him i • Parliament in the 4th. year of his reign; providing for the peace and quiet of the Ministers and people too, againſt all affronts and diſturbances, both in their going to, continuance in, and returning from their Churches, or Synods, (as well as to our Parliaments, and other Courts of Juſtice) ſtill in full Legal vigour; by which, all ſuch diſturbers may, and ought to be fined, impriſoned upon conviction, according to the quality of their offences, as well asSee Daltons Iuſtice of Peace, c. 38. other disturbers, infringers of the publike Peace, and bound both to the Peace and good behaviour for the future, ere releaſed, with ſufficient ſureties.

2ly. It is remarkable, that theſe New Quakers were ſent from thoſe Northern Counties, into other quarters of the Kingdom, two by two, at firſt; no doubt by the direction of their Popiſh Provincial, juſt as the Franciſcan Friers are ſent out by their Provincial. In theSee My Royal Popiſh Favorite. Romes Maſterpiece. Hidden Works of Darkneſs brought to publike Light. Canterburies D • om. years 1638, 1639, and 1640. there were ſundry Franciſcans, with whole ſwarms of Jeſuits, Benedicti • s, and other Friers ſent from forein parts, into England, Scotland, Ireland, Virginia, St. Christophers, and other Engliſh Plantations, to reduce the people back to Rome, towards which we were then running poſt. The Original Inſtruments of ſome of their Miſſions, with ſundry of their Letters, Papers under their own hands and ſ • a • s, relating their intentions, proceedings, (ſeiſed in the Capucins Cell, ad • oyning to the late Queens Chappel at Somerſet-houſe, and in Mary-land, (by a Sea-Captain my Client) where the Jeſuites erected a New Colledge and Society, the whole Hiſtory whereof, and of their proceedings in thoſe parts, was compriſed in their Letters) Gods providence brought into my hands, when they▪ and their ſeduced inſtruments were moſt buſie in reforming, new-modelling our Church, Religion, Parliaments▪ Realms, Government, after the preſcribed patterns of Robert Parſons the Jeſuit, Thomas Campanella the Frier, and Richelieu the French Cardinal; as I have My Speech in Parl. Memento; Epiſtle to my • us Patronatus; And Hiſtorical Legal Vindication. elſewhere demonſtrated beyond contradiction. The chiefeſt of theſe Inſtruments, Letters, Papers (of great concernment to our Church, State, Religion) I intended long ſince to have publiſhed: ButSee a New Diſcovery of Free-State Tyranny. Jo. Bradſhaw and his Whitehall Aſſociats (out of their tranſcendent zeal to our Religion and Republike) in the end of June, 1650, by ſpecial warrants directed to Soldiers, plundred me of thoſe, & all my other Papers, Letters, Writings, Records in my Study at Lincolns I • ne, and at Swainſwicke, which they could ſeiſe on; and then ſhut me up cloſe Priſoner under stricteſt armed Guards, in 3. remote Caſtles, near 3. whole years, without any particular cauſe then or ſince expreſſed, or the leaſt hearing or examination of me, only to hinder my Diſcoveries and publications of this Nature; whiles theſe Romiſh Emiſſaries, in the mean time, wandred freely up and down throughout our Dominions without reſtraint, See the Beacous •• red. publiſhed many thouſands of Popiſh, heretical, blaſphemous New Books; and ſome of them were Souldiers in pay in their very Guards; no doubt to help extirpate Popery, Superſtition, Hereſie, Schiſm, and for the Preſervation, Defence, and Reformation of the Proteſtant Religion, the preſervation of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberties of the Kingdom, t • e Honour, Happineſſe, Defence and Preſervation of the Kings Majeſty and his Poſterity, according to theA Collection of all Publike Ordinances p. 424, 425. Tenor of the Solemn League and Covenant, the quite contrary way; and promoting their New Engagement, diametrically repugnant thereunto. Yet, notwithſtanding all their diligent Searches, by Gods providence, they left one of thoſe Original Popiſh Miſſions in Parchment, under Seal, undiſcovered, (which I lately found in my Study at L •• colns Inne) whereby two Franciſcans were ſent by their Provincial of Bri • ain, in the year 1639. to St. Chriſtophers, and other Weſtern Ilands where we had plantations; who ended their progreſſe at Somerſet-houſe, (where this Inſtrument was ſeiſed;) which beca • ſe it may give ſome light towards the Diſcovery of our Quakers Miſſions in like manner two by two, I ſhall here pri • 4t verb •• tim out of the Original in my cuſtody; ſeen by many of my Friends.

The Seal a •• ixed to theſe Letters Miſſives is Oval, near 3. Inches in compaſſe, having St. Francis and another Friers Portraitures cut in it, ſtanding over againſt each other, with a Book held up between them in their hands, and the holy Ghoſt, in form of a Dove, ſtanding upon it, with his wings ſpread abroad over it and them, and a Coat of Arms at their Feet, with this Inſcription in Capital Letters round about the Seal, Sigillum Pro. F F. in Capuc Provinc. Britan. lcross;.

Thoſe who will diligently compare theſe Letters Miſſives with our Quakers Miſſions and Practices, may doub • leſſe diſcern A • ranciſcan Provincial, and Franciſcan Friers, to be the principal original Contrivers, Directors of, and activeſt inſtruments in their late Miſſions two by two into all our Dominions, to diſtract, ſeduce the people with their Franciſcan Ten • nts of Evangelical Perfection, &c. their Franciſcans coarſe habits, H •• ir ••• th, Faſts, Mortifications, Revelations Practices, railings againſt our Miniſters Perſons, Callings, Doctrines, Tithes, &c. which I haveMy Q • a • ersunm ſ •• ked. Edit. 2. elſewhere more largely detected, andThe Newcaſtle Miniſters, Mr. Farmer, Mr. Baxter, and others. others inſ ••• ed on in print, to whom I remit the Reader for fuller information. And to this relation of a Gentleman lately arrived at Briſtol from Marcelles in France, whoſe name is Mr. Charls Cheſter: who informed ſome perſons of credit in Briſtol, (from whoſe mo • ths I had it) That at his being at Marcelles, there came thither two Franciſcan Capuchin Friers in their habits, who begged ſome relief from him and other Engliſh there, pretending they were Engliſhmen, newly come forth of England, and travelling towards Rome upon ſome occaſions: whom he entertaining with good Engliſh beer (a rarity in thoſe parts) when they were a little warmed with it, they began to diſcourſe more freely with him upon his demands, how long, and in what parts they had been in England, and what perſons they knew there? They anſwered, that they had been in England ſome years ſpace, and particularly in London and Bristol; that they were very well acquainted with ſundry particular perſons in both places, whom they named to him (ſome whereof are the principal Male and Female Quakers in Briſtol, whoſe names I forbear) that they went there under the name of North-Country men (as the Ringleaders of the Quakers all doe) but in truth they were Iriſh-men born • ; and when they had diſpatched their buſineſſe at Rome, intended to return ſhortly into England again. And upon his firſt relation he added; That himſelf ſaw and heard them ſpeak to the Quakers at the Red lodge in Briſtol • , at one of their meetings there.

If we add to this relation, that paſſage in Thomas Campanella De Monarchia Hiſpanica, cap. 25. (De Anglia, Scotia, & Hiberria, how to reduce them under the Spaniard and Pope, by reducing them from Kingdoms Hereditary, into an Elective Kingdom, or into the form of A Commonwealth, &c.) Where he thus writes of Ireland, p. 207. Quod in Regno illo, ſeu Inſula, Catholici maxime monachi ordinis S. Franciſci ſummopere deamentur, &c. Comparing it with the late monſtrous increaſe of Jeſuites, but eſpecially of theſe Friers and Monks in Ireland, before the wars there brake forth, in which they were most active, as I haveHidden works of darkneſſe brought to publike light, p. 93. 100, 101, to 214. 218, to 252. elſewhere diſcovered in folio by undeniable evidences, to which I refer the Reader: And then compare them with the late extraordinary growth of Anabaptiſts and Quakers throughout Ireland, who have overſpred that kingdom ſince the wars there ended, by means of thoſe Jeſuits, & Franciſcan Capucin Friers, who turn diſguiſed Anabaptists and Quakers to undermine our Church, Religion, Miniſters, and ſeduce the people under theſe diſguiſes, with more freedom, ſafety, countenance, ſucceſſe, than ever they did formerly by any other Policies, or the open profeſſion of Popery; we may doubleſſe conclude, that they are the original erectors, the principal Ring-leaders, Fomentors of theſe encreaſing New Sects throughout our Dominions; as Ramſy the Scotiſh Jeſuite (under the mas • of a Converted Jew) confeſſed in his conſiderable Examination taken at New-caſtle, printed 1653. p. 4, 5, 11, 12, 13. and Mr. Edwards in the third part of his Gangrena, p. 99. Yea, O. Cromwell himſelf (a witneſſe beyond all exception) in his printed Speech in the Painted Chamber (before the laſt Aſſembly there) Sept. 4. 1654. p. 16, 27. have publiſhed to the whole world.

To put this out of further queſtion; I ſhall here unto ſubjoyn one late diſcovery of an Iriſh Franciſca • Frier, and Miſſionary of the Pope, now in Priſon at Bristol, which I ſhall more at large inſiſt on, and deſire all codial well-wiſhers to the Proteſtant Religion, and their Native Country, to take ſpecial notice of.

On the 20 of November laſt 1655. the Mayor of Briſtol examining a Malefactor there brought before him, was informed by a by-ſtander, that there was one walking over againſt them, whom he ſaw in this Malefactors company, and ſeemed to him a ſuſpicious perſon. Whereupon an Officer was ſent to bring him to the Mayor; Giving no good account what he was, or whence he came, he was there upon ordered to be further examined and ſearched. Upon which he feigned a preſent neceſſity to eaſe Nature, and withdrawing himſelf for that end to an Houſe of Office, the Officers attending him, imagining it was but an excuſe, to convey away ſome things he had about him, perceived him to thruſt his hand up under his doublet into his boſom, and into the li • ings of his hoſe, to take ſome things thence to convey into the Jakes. Whereupon laying hands on him, and narrowly ſearching him, they found ſundry Papers and Letters in his Hoſe and Boſom; and theſe large Faculties granted to him by the Provincial of the Friers Minorites, Under Hand and Seal, which I lately tranſcribed with my own hand before ſome perſons of Quality, out of the Original Inſtrument it ſelf, • emaining in the cuſtody of the Town-Clark of the City of Briſtol, diſcovering the quality of the party, and the large Popiſh Faculties conferred on him, ſuited to the preſent times, moſt of them worthy our ſpecial obſervation.

Over againſt the Provincials name there is the Provincial Seal in r • d wax with a white paper over it, in an Oval form (like the former) about 3. inches in compaſſe; with the Picture of St. Francis (as I conceive) carved in the midſt of the ſeal, and an inſcription in Capital Letters round about the Seal, moſt of which are ſo bruiſed, that they are not legible; but ſigillum Prov: ſeems to be ingraven on that ſide of it which is leaſt defaced; as in the formentioned Letters Miſſives to Frier Hugo.

1. By theſe Faculties under Seal (written in Paper, not Parchment) it is moſt apparent, that this Maurice Conry, to whom they are Granted, is: Firſt a perſon of very great note and eſteem; as the manifold and large Faculties, powers granted to him; and the 4. firſt words, Facultates, Venerando admodum Patri, &c. import. 2ly, That he is by his Order, A Frier Minorite, or Capucin, of Saint Francis Order. 3ly, That he is a Profeſſor of Divinity; as his Title Sacrae Theolog •• Lector, &c. his 3d. Faculty, to refute Heretical Books which he reads, and 12. To print and publiſh Books, &c. manifeſt him to be. 4ly. That he is a great Scholar in the repute of the Provincial and others who granted him theſe Faculties; and himſelf confeſſeth in his Ex • mi • at • on, that he was a Student for two years in the Ʋniverſity of Paris, and after that went to Prague from thence. 5ly, That he is moſt certanly a Seminary Prieſt in Orders, as is evident. 1. By his firſt Faculty; To reconcile, and abſolve Hereticks in all caſes. 2. By his 4th; To adminiſter all parochial Sacraments. 3ly, By his 7. To celebrate Maſſes in all convement places; yea, in the open • ields, and in any Vault or Cellar under the earth; and that twice a day, if there be neceſsity; and that before Hereticks and Excommunicate perſons, at certain hours there pr •• fixed. 4ly, By his 8. To keep the conſecrated Hoſtia in a decent place. 5ly, By his 9. To commute any Vows, and releaſe Oathes. 6 • y, By his 11. To hear Confeſſions, and grant Indulgences in ſuch form as is there expreſſed. 7ly, By his 14. Faculty of abſolving Hereticks of what Nation ſoever reſiding in ENGLAND: where (as this Clauſe imports) he was principally to exerciſe his Prieſthood, and all theſe his Faculties. 8ly, By all the ſubſequent inſtructions and ceremonies he was preſcribed to obſerve in the ſaying of Maſſes and Letanies. All a • d every of which, by the See Gratian, de Conſecrat, diſtinct. 1, 2. Summa Angelica & Roſell • . Tit. Abſolutio, Confeſſio, Miſſa, &c. Bochellus, Decreta Eccleſ. Gall. l. 1. Tit. 6, 7. l. 2. Ti • . 7. Canons, Miſſals Pontifical, Ceremonial and Penitentiaries of the Church of Rome, are proper and peculiar only to their Prieſts in ſacred Orders, and none others. 6ly, That he hath more than Prieſtly, and no leſſe than Epiſcopal power granted him in the 1. 2. 6. 9. 12. 13. and 15 Faculties: To reconcile and abſolve Hereticks, and all Eccleſiaſtical and Regular perſons: To diſpenſe with the irregularities of Prieſts in all caſes but of wilfull murther: To conſecrate Chalices, Patens, Altans, and all things neceſſary for the ſacrifice of the Maſſe: To commute vows; releaſe oaths; Diſpence with mariages in the 3d degree; For the perception of the profits of Eccleſiaſtical goods: To apply goods reſtored to pious uſes; and to admit to the 3d. Order (the Papiſts See Summa Angelica & Roſella, Tit. Ordo. Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gall. l. 3. Tit. 2. D • Ordine▪ Peter Lumbard. Sent. l. 4. diſt. 24. qu. 1. School-men have 7. and their Canoniſts 9. diſtinct Orders.) All which theLaur. Bochellus, Decreta Eccleſ. Gall. l. 5. Tit. 8. l. 4. Tit. 1. Gratian de Conſ • cratione, Diſtinct. 1. Panormitan, Hostienſis, Angelus de Clavaſ • o, Thomas Zerula, A • tonius Corſetus, and others, Tit. Epiſcopus, Conſecratio Altaris, &c. Popiſh Canons, Canoniſts, School-men, appropriate only to Archbiſhops and Biſhops, and not to any meer Prieſts alone, but by a ſpecial delegated Power from the Pope; as doth the Roman Pontifical and Ceremonial. All which conſidered, no doubt this Frier is a very conſiderable Perſon, and Arch-agent for the Pope and See of Rome, to reconcile, reduce us back unto it; therfore fit to be throughly examined and inquired after. And ſo much the rather, becauſe he confeſeth in his Examination, he was employed and ſent over into England from Germany about 3. years ſince, under the name and garb of A Captain and ſouldier, (under which no doubt many hundreds of Friers, Prieds, Jeſuits now lurk and march freely amongſt us) to raiſe men in England and Ireland, and transport them into Flanders for the ſervice of the King of Spain; That he was oft at the Spaniſh Embaſſadors in London, where he ſerved a Spaniard; and that h • received theſe Faculties from a Gentleman at the Spaniſh Embaſſadors, to carry to another of his Name. Beſides, he hath 3. or 4. Paſſes writen in French and Spaniſh, from the Governour of Flanders, and other Officers and Commanders of the King of Spain, under their Hands and Seals, for his Free paſſage without danger or moleſtation, and aſſiſtance in his affairs, to all under their commands, and for his paſſage into England: Therefore, no doubt, a ſpecial dangerous Agent, if not Spy and Intelligencer for the Spaniard, as well as a ſeducing Prieſt and Frier, under the vizor of a Captain and Souldier, as even his own Provincial ſtiles him in a Latin Letter found about and writ to him, when he ſent him ſome Books and theſe large Faculties, congratulating his good ſucceſſes, and great Harveſt here, and incouraging him to proceed therein. True it is, in his Examinations, he confeſſeth his Name to he Maurice Co • ry, born at Ardkillin in the County of Roſcomon in Ireland; and that he was a Student in the Univerſity of Paris, &c. but denyeth himſelf to be the ſame party mentioned in the • Faculties, which were delivered to him by a Gentleman (whoſe name he knows not) at the Spaniſh Embaſſadors in London, to carry to another of his Name, without acquainting him, where he lived, or how to find him, or any Letters to him; he promiſing to ſend him further Inſtructions afterwards (which yet he hath not done) where to deliver them to him. But this very improbable figment, that any Gentleman he knew not, ſhould deliver a ſtranger ſuch Faculties of importance to carry to another of his name; without acquainting him where to find him, or without any Letters to him, or preſent Inſtructions where to deliver them; his ſewing them up between the linings of his hoſe; his endeavours to convey them into the houſe of Office when ſeiſed; the Latin Letter directing them to himſelf under the Name of a Captain and Souldier; his 5. Paſſe-ports all under the ſame Name to himſelf alone (not any other) found all together with it about him; with the Latin Popiſh Treatiſe found about him, Against Prieſts deſerting their flocks and paſtoral charge in times of perſecution, unleſſe in ſome ſpecial caſes; &c. beſides other circumſtances; infallibly prove him to be the ſelf-ſame perſon to whom they were directed, and ſuch a one as they deſcribe him: he being between 30 and 40 years of age, as is conceived, profeſſing himſelf a Roman Catholick, and refuſing the Oath of Abjuration. He pretendeth his ſtay in England of late, and his intended paſſage to Ireland (for which end he came to Briſtol) was to compound for his Eſtate in Ireland: Which doubtleſſe is a fiction; he confeſſing he was not there in many years before, and went from Paris, where he ſtudied, &c. into Germany to ſeek his fortune; where he turned Souldier, which fortune he would not have ſought in Germany, had he a fortune in Ireland. Yea, his laſt refuge to diſprove himſelf a Prieſt, ſeems to me a ſtrong evidence againſt him. After many Letters and ſollicitations by Friends to procure his enlargement without trial, there is a lewd woman ſent down from London to Bristol with a great Belly, and there newly delivered of a child, who avers he is her lawfull Husband; and therefore can be no Prieſt, or Frier, having a wife. But there being already ſome proofs againſt her, no proof at all when, where, or how long they have been maried, or lived together, ſhe is more likely to be his harlot (whichCornelius • grippa, De Vanitate Scientia • um. c. 63. Eſpencaeus de Contine • tiea, l. 3. c. • . & in Tit. 1. Gravaminia Germani • e. Popiſh Prieſts have, or may have all Licenſes to keep) than wife. And if any mariage between them can be proved; it will beSee Biſhop Jewels Defence of the Apology, part. 2. c. 8. Diviſ. 3. p. 188. to 195. no ſtrange nor new thing for Popes to diſpence with Prieſts and Frie • s mariages in this age, only to ſecure them from Juſtice, and palſiate them from the knowledge or diſcovery of the common people, and ignorant Officers unacquainted with their diſguiſes: and that if they conſider the manifold diſpenſations granted to this Maurice Conry in theſe Faculties; the ſecond thing conſiderable in them worthy ſpecial obſervation.

1. Faculty 3. He is diſpenſed with the keeping and reading of Haeretical Books: and hath power to grant the ſame Faculty where there is need to Lay-men, for a larger or leſſer time, as he ſhall think me • t, Againſt theSee Laur. Bochellus Decreta Eccleſ. Gal. l. • . Tit. 10. De Libris Vetit • s. Goſper Quiroga; Dr. James and others. expreſſe Decrees of many Popiſh Councils, Canons, Popes Bulls, & Indices librorum Prehibitorum, et Purgandorum. And by ſuch diſpenſations moſt Jeſuites, Prieſts, Friers, and Roman Catholikes in England, keep Engliſh Bibles, and ſome Proteſtant Books in their Houſes, and reſort to publike and private Meetings, to preſerve them from detection, apprehenſion, and Sequeſtration as ſuch.

2ly, Faculty 4. He may Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gall. l. • . Tit. 6. l. 2. Tit. 1. De Sacramentis: & other Canoniſts of that Title. omit all Solemnities and uſual Ceremonies in adminiſtring all Parochial Sacraments in caſes of Neceſſity, Prohibited byBochellus Ib. l. 1. Tit. 9. & p. 1339. ſundry Canons, and Councils, the Roman Miſſal and Ceremonial.

3. Faculty 5. Where he cannot carry his Breviary, or recite his Office without danger; There he may rehearſe the Roſary of our Lady, and other Prayers and Pſalms without Book: And omit his Breviary and Maſs. Againſt ſundry Canons, and the Rules of his very Order.

IV. He may conſecrate portable Altars, without inquiring whether there be any Sts. Reliques in them. Faculty 6. Contrary to Gratian de Conſecrat. diſt. Bochellus, Decret. Eccleſ. Gal. l. 4. Tit. 1. and 5. Summa • ngel. Conſ ••• at. Eccl. & Altaris. Popiſh Councils, and the Pontifical.

V. He may celebrate Maſſes in any place; in a Hall, Chamber, Barn, Wood, Field, Lane, C • ller, Vault, Under ground (as well as in a Conſecrated Church or Chapel, where Maſſes byGratian De Conſecrat. Diſt 1. & 2. Bochellus Decret. l. 1. Tit. 6. lib. 9. Tit. 1. Sum. Angel. Tit. Miſſa. & Conſicrat Eccleſ. Popes and Popiſh Councils Decrees are only to be celebrated, and by the Romiſh Miſſal, Pontifical, & Ceremonial) Facultie 7.

VI. He may reſerve the conſecrated Hoſt in any decent place, without a Taper burning before it, or other Ceremonies uſed, though preſcribed by the Church of Rome, byBochellus Decret. l. 3. Tit. 1. p. 363, 364, 372, &. 554. many Councils, Canons, Decrees, Miſſale Pontificale & Ceremoniale Romanum. Facultie 8.

VII. He may ſay Maſſe before Hereticks and other excommunicated perſ • ns,Bochellus Decr. Eccl. Gal. l. 2. Tit. 14. and others hereafter cited. con • rary to ſundry Canons of Popes and Popiſh Councils.

8. He may print and publiſh the Books of Catholicks, concealing the name of the Author, place of the Printer, and other circumſtances, non obſtante the Council of Trents Decrée to the contrary. Faculty 12. And thoſe who will now give ſuch a profeſſed Non obſtante in poſitive terms to the Council of Trent it ſelf, and grant diſpenſations in all theſe 8 particulars to their Prieſts, againſt this and ſundry other Councils, Popes Decretals, the very Canon of the Maſſe it ſelf, their own Pontifical, Ceremonial, Breviaries, and Rules of their Religious Orders, to diſguiſe their Prieſts, Friers, keep them from being detected, convicted, & circumvent, ſeduce overcredulous Proteſtants of thiefeſt ranks, as well as the ignorant vulga; will they not diſpenſe with a Prieſts, Jeſuits, Friers, pretended marriage by colluſion, with one of their own Religion, or a looſe common ſtrump • t, for the ſelf-ſame ends 〈◊〉 connive at it, if done without a precedent diſpenſation, as they did at the marriage of Father Mena, a famous Jeſu • te in Valladolld in Spain, Anno Dont. 1607. who married a Spaniſh Lady there, alleging See Biſhop • ewels •• efence of the • pology, part. 2. c. 8. diviſ. 3. Biſhop Halls honour of the injured Clergy. many Proofs out of Scriptures and Fathers, that Prieſts and Jeſuits might have wives as well as other men. The ſtory whereof is recorded at large by Lew • s Owo • , in his Speculum Jeſulticum, London 1629. p. 5, 6, 7, 8. who adds; that if diligent inquiſition were made, and th • t uth known, there would be ſome Engliſh • a • les and Gentlewomen found to be married unto Jeſuites and See Biſhop • ewel. ib. Jo. Bale his Acts of Engliſh Votaries. Cl. Eſpenca • us de continentia. Nic. d • Clemangis onus Eccl. Alva • ez, Pe lagius, Aventinus, and others. a very many • hat have had Ba • tards by them, eſpecially ſuch as have any good eſtates or portions, whereof they convey many into Flanders, Brabant, and other Countries to be Jeſuiteſſes. There being (then) in Liege, a ſumptuous College built by the Engliſh Jeſuites; and hard by that two houſes of Engliſh Jeſuiteſſes, &c.

The 3. thing obſervable in theſe Faculties, is, That they make preſent great neceſ • ity and danger (Num. 3, 4, 5, 7, 10.) the ground of all the precedent, and other diſpenſations and powers granted to this Prieſt, (and by conſequence to all others lurking amongſt us) againſt their own Councils, Popes Decretals, Canons, Miſſals, Pontificals, Ceremonials, Orders, Oaths; and not only a lawfull warrant to violate them all, but to commute, releaſe, d • ſpenſe with any Vowes, Covenants though ſworn, and abſolve Oath themſelves. And letSee my Epiſtle to my 〈◊〉 Speech in Parliament. thoſe, who of late, and preſent times have in • itated, equallized, out-acted them herein, and juſtified theſe their practices, in publike printed Papers, Pamphlets, upon the ſelf-ſame grounds, or preſent great neceſſity and danger, now ſadly conſider whoſe Diſciples they are, and who have been their Tutors herein.

The 4. remarkable thing from num. 14, 15. is this, That theſe Friers Minorites have a power now in England, to receive others into their order, ſociety, and P • ofeſſion: A Regiſter wherein to record their names, with the dates of the day and year of thei • reception and profeſſion, and their Provincial Chapters and Aſſemblies, whereunto they are to be ſent. And that of all ſorts of Nations reſiding in England, (except Span • ards, and ſuch who live under the Iuquiſition, where it is exerciſed) be they Iriſh, Scots, French, Dutch, Italians, &c. And by the Latine Prayer therein it is moſt apparent, They have their private houſes in England, and other our Dominions, whereunto all the Friers of this Order within certain pre • incts, reſort at certain times eſpecially on Fridays (or Saturdays) every week, and uſe the ſpecial prayers and Letanies herein preſcribed, privately amongſt themſelves, For the preſervation and advancement of their Order, Houſe, all their Friers, &c.

The 5. thing of Note therein is, That before the principal Maſſe they are always enjoyned to recite the Lauri • an Letany (ſome late one of that name) for the converſion of the Country unto Rome, and Popery, here preciſely required in poſitive terms, to which all theſe other faculties and their endeavours tend.

The 6. extraordinary in it, is; The inſerting of moſt of the Ceremonies theſe Friers are uniformly to obſerve in their Maſſes, into this inſtrument, taken out of the Roman Miſſal, Pontifical, Ceremonial; & Miſſale parvum pro Sacerdotibus in Anglia itinerantibus, printed in Quarto, Anno 1623. ſpecially inſerted after theſe Faculties in this inſtrument (as I conjecture) becauſe they cannot now conveniently carry any Miſſals, Breviaries about them, for fear of being detected by them, as the 5. Facultie reſolves in direct terms. Amongſt theſe Ceremonies 3 are obſervable, which our See my Canterhuries Doom. p. 64. 65. Popiſh Prelates much practiſed, preſſed of late, and ſome yet obſerve, and begin to revive amongſt us. And that is ſtanding up at Gloria Patri: Bowing (to wit) at the naming of Jeſus, couched in the, &c. relating to it, and clearly preſcribed in Miſſale & Ceremoniale Romana, &c. And ſtanding up at the Goſpel read.

The 7. obſervable is this, that however theſe diſguiſed Friers ſeem outwardly to comply with the late and preſent Government and Governours to effect their own pernicious deſigns; yet they do not pray for them, nor their New Republike, though See my Speech in Parl • ament, and Epiſt. to my Hiſtorical and Legal Vindication of the Fundamental Rights and Laws of England. inſtrumental in the New modelling of it: being here directly preſcribed this ordinary form of prayer, wherein they prefer themſelves and their Order before the King and Realm (another remarkable) Aediſica & cuſtodi nos & Ordinem nostrum, Rege • , Regnum, &c.

The 8. that in the prayers here ſpecified, there is not one ſyllable of Prayers to Sts. expreſſed, and all merits of their own, and Juſtification by works diſclaimed, and relying upon the infinite Goodneſſe, Mercies and Merits of Jeſus Chriſt, and his precious blood and paſſion for the pardon of all ſins, inſiſted on the Engliſh pray • r; Yet in the ſelf-ſame prayer, there is an offer of their lives, words and works, in ſatisfaction for their ſins, (as if Chriſts merits, blood, paſſion, were not ſufficient) and a particular Manuſcript Treaty in Latine, found with theſe faculties about him, pleads for Merits and Justification by works, againſt justification by Faith alone: yea prayer to Saints is tacitly preſcribed, Faculty 5. In the uſe of the Roſary of bleſſed Mary the Virgin, and other Prayers, and in the uſe of his Beades found with him.

The 9. That theſe Faculties and Inſtrument, preſcribe Confeſſion, Abſolution, An Act of coutrition and penance, as well as Maſſes, Altars, and Popiſh Ceremonies, where they may be conveniently uſed, without danger of diſcovery.

The 10 obſervable is, That theſe Faculties proclaim all Proteſtants to be Hereticks ſundry times, and ex excommunicate them as ſuch. Yet they diſpence with this Prieſt, num. 7. To ſay Maſſe before Hereticks, and other excommunicate perſons; ſo as no Miniſter which is an Heretick be there (for fear perchance he ſhould detect him for a Prieſt, notwithſtanding the omiſſion of moſt of his Maſſe Ceremonies here diſpenſed with) which I deſire Dr. Drake to take ſpecial notice of; who pleads for the admiſſion not only of ſcandalous, but actually excommunicate perſons to be Auditors, and Spectators of the celebration of the Lords Supper, when adminiſtred, but in no eaſe to be actual receivers of it; as theſe Hereticks and excommunicated perſons are meet Auditors and Spectators, but not receivers of the Sacrament in theſe their Popiſh Maſſes. And thus much for this Inſtrument and thoſe faculties, and the perſon to whom they were granted; worthy ſpecial conſideration, which I ſhall cloſe up with this Obſervation. That the Pope about the year 1637 made choice of 20 Capucins to ſend abroad with entraordinary Authority to preach and hear Confeſſions in places he ſhould deem most neceſſary, and thereupon gives charge to their Provincial, with mature advice, with the chief of the Fathers of the Province to elect ſit perſons for this ſpecial ſervice, which was then done. Amongſt theſe one Clovet a Frenchman, (uſually ſtiled Pere Ba • tle) was elected, and ſent forth as the Popes Miſs • onary (the eminenteſt of all the reſt for piety and learning) who had 13 extraordinary Privileges and Faculties conferred on him by the Pope, confirmed by his Bull; which he ſoon after turning Proteſtant, printed at large in French in his Declaration, ſhewing the reaſons he had to ſeparate himſelf from the Church of Rome, and to joyn himſelf to the Reformed, A Sedane 1639. (whiles I was priſoner in Jerſey, where I met with this excellent acute Declaration) chap. 17. p. 116, 117. The 7 firſt of his faculties there, are the very ſame in ſubſtance, if not in terminis, with he 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, and 10. Facultie • in this Inſtrument, as I find by comparing them together. Whereupon I conclude, that this Conry is ſuch an extraordinary Miſſionary of the Pope, and hath theſe unuſual Faculties granted to him originally by the Popes ſpecial Bull, as Pere Baſtle had then, being one of the ſelf-ſame Order.

I ſhall only give you a brief account of what other Papers were found about this Maurice Conry, with his Faculties, and conclude this diſcovery.

1. There were ſeveral Latin ſmall Treatiſes found with him, concerning Original ſin, Justification, &c. concurring exactly with the Quakers new Franciſcan Tenets: And it would be worth inquiry, whether he hath not been a Speaker amongſt them, in ſome place or other, during his near 3 years aboad in England▪ as well as others of his Order have been?

2. There were ſundry Phyſical receits, and Chirurgical Medicines found about him, moſt worn and uſed, with receits to drive away, catch and kill Rats, Lice, and other Vermin; which makes me conjecture he profeſſed himſelf a Phyſician in ſome places, a Chirurgion in others, a Rat-catcher in a third; ſince his pretended imployment as a Captain, and Souldier, to raiſe men for the King of Spain, were out of date, by a breach with Spain; as one Jervis a Prieſt, haunting our Quarters, hath a long time paſſed under the diſguiſe of a Watchmender, and Phyſician.

There were three or 〈…〉 4 Paſſe-ports and ſafe conducts granted to him under hand and Seal by the King of Spains Officers.

4. There was this Paſſe-port in Engliſh amongſt the reſt, under hand and Seal, dated two moneths ſpace before theſe extraordinary Faculties gra •• ed to him▪ which probably might be a great motive of the Popes and his Provincials granting him, and his ſolliciting fo • and receiving ſuch ample Faculties, with ſo many newcoyned diſpenſations to conceal him from de • ection.

Conry being examined how he obtained this Paſſe? anſwered, that An Iriſh Footma • n of the Lord Protectors obtained it f • r him, from his Maſter.

5. There was a Letter of a late date from one of his Iriſh Footmen (belike he who procured this Paſſe-port) directed to another Iriſh Foot-man of his Sons, Henry Cromwel, in Dublin in Ireland; ſpecially recommending this Conry to him, as his indeared Friend, to do him all the Favors in his power, which he ſhould interpret as done to himſelf; with other Letters of like recommendation in his Favour to ſome Military Officers in Ireland from ſome others in England. It is very obſervable, that the Iriſh Capucins, and Franciſcans, are ſome of the best and nimbleſt Footmen in the world, trotting on foot day and night from Ireland and England to Rome, Spain, France, and other forein parts, and back again and from one part of Ireland and England to another, with greateſt celerity, under the diſguiſed habits of Soldiers, Merchants, Footmen, withMy Hidden works of Darkneſs, &c. p. 218. to 252. private Meſſages, Miſſives, Letters, upon all occaſions, eſpecially immediatly before, during, and ſince the late Iriſh wars. And therefore it may be juſtly ſuſpected, that ſome of them are become principal Footmen to the greateſt perſons at Whitehall and Dublin; the procuring of this Paſport by ſuch Iriſh Footmen, and theſe their Letters, giving great ſuſpition, that this Conry and they are of the ſame Fraternity; which it concerns others whom they ſerve now ſtrictly to examine upon this Diſcovery▪ for their own diſcharge and ſafety, as well as our Religions, and Nations.

It is to be juſtly feared, that many ſuch Paſſeports and Protections (ſo muchExact coll. p. 115, 116, 117. condemned in the late King) have beene ſurreptitiouſly procured by ſuch diſguiſed Iriſh Footmen and Souldiers, for other Friers, Prieſts, Jeſuits; And ſo much the rather, becauſe when I was a Priſoner at the Kings head in January 1648. under the Army-Officers, (who forcibly ſeized me, and above 40 other Members of the Commons houſe, as we went to diſcharge our duties in it to God, our Soveraign, Country, and thoſe for whom we ſerved) ſome • riends of mine in London, being then Convented be • ore the General Council of Officers of the Army at White-hall (as they then ſtiled themſelves) for ſaying there were divers Prieſts and Jeſuites in the Army, the chief contrivers of the deſigns and change • the • acted; and there justifying the ſame; thereupon procured a Warna • t from Sir Thomas Fairfax then General, to ſeiſe ſuch Jeſuites and Prieſts as they found in the Armies Quarters, as well Souldiers as others: whereby they preſently apprehend two Jeſuites, and put them in ward that night; who (as they then and ſince informed me upon their credits, being honeſt, godly, conſcientious perſons) produced two Protections under the ſelf-ſame hand that granted this Paſſe; which they then ſaw, and complained of; And were thereupon anſwered, that they were granted by miſinformation and ſurpriſe: however thoſe Jeſuits got themſelves releaſed the next day; whereupon they thought it bootleſſe and dangerous for them to ſeiſe any more of them (having diſcovered many they knew to be ſuch) and ſo their good intentions were fruſtr • ted, and the others ſad deſignes carryed on, under which we yet ſhake and languiſh in a moſt unſetled and divided condition.

Upon which conſiderations and preſidents, I can give no better advice to all our ſwaying Grandees of all ſorts now, than I did then in print in my Memento upon that occaſion; to tender the Oath of Abjuration to all Officers, Commanders, Souldiers, Mariners, and perſons deſiring Paſſeports or Protections, that are not of known Integrity in our Religion, and frequent not the publike Ordinances of God in our Parochial Congregations; which will detect for the preſent, and prevent for the future, the creeping in, the wandring abroad of ſuch dangerous Romiſh vermin, and Spaniſh Factors, as this Conry and his Confederates; in whoſe Detection I have been more large; becauſe of the Novelty of ſome of his Diſpenſations and Faculties, (which I never met with before in any printed Books, or Popiſh Inſtruments I have peruſed) and becauſe it may give light to others, to make the like or greater diſcoveries of their perſons, practices, in this and future ages.

It is very ſtrange and grievous to all true Zealous Proteſtants, that this extraordinary diſguiſed Miſsionary of the Pope, ſhould procure ſuch Letters of recommendation, Paſſe-ports, Protections under hand and ſeal; and that the Anti-chriſtian Infidel Jews themſelves ſhouldMenaſſeth Ben-Iſrael, his Humble Addreſſes and Declaration. be ſpecially invited to come in and reſide amongſt us, and finde many Grand Court-Patrons publikely to plead for their free re-admiſsion, My My Short D • murrer againſt the Jews Remitter, part 1. p. 43. to 66. part 2. p. 111. to 125, 135. againſt former Parliamentary and Regal Edicts for their perpetual Exile, in theſe times of Reformation: and yet that all Proteſtant Miniſters of our own Nation, adhering to the late King, (though never ſo orthodox, learned, pious, painfull, peaceable) ſhould at See ſhort Demurrer, p. 103, 104, 105, &c. the ſelf-ſame time, by a publike printed Declaration, Nov. 24. 1655. and ſpecial Instructions in writing to our New Baſhaes, without any hearing, impeachment, conviction of any new Crimes, after ſundry years Liberty to preach, and that ſome call an Act of Oblivion (onely for this their old pardoned Delinquency) be all at one inſtant ſpecially pr • hibited, from and after the 1. day of December laſt, TO PREACH in any publike place, or private Meeting of any other perſons, than thoſe of their own Family: or to ADMINISTER BAPTISM, or THE LORDS SUPPER, or TO MARY, or KEEP ANY SCHOOL, publike or private: or ſo much as to be kept as CHAPLAINS or SCHOOLMASTERS in any formerly ſequeſtred perſons Houſes (when utterly ejected out of their own Houſes, Benefices, Schools, Colleges by this New Edict:) and to be puniſhed as Rogues or Vagrants (if they wander abroad, when thus enforced to begg their bread;) And that every ſuch perſon offending in any of the premiſes (their very preaching, teaching, adminiſtring Baptiſm, the Lords Supper, or marying, being now become capital unpardonable Offences) ſhall be proceeded againſt and impriſoned 3. moneths for his firſt, 6. moneths for his 2d. and baniſhed his Native Country for his 3d. Offence: VVhich uncharitable, unchriſtian, unevangelical reſtraints are ſtill continued upon many of them (and more particularly on Dr. Reeves our eminent learned Lecturer of Lincolns Inne) notwithſtanding the earneſt frequent ſollicitations of devout and learned Archbiſhop Vſher, (to the ſhortning of his dayes through grief, as ſome conceive) the frequent, joynt, and ſeveral Petitions, Addreſſes of theſe Miniſters themſelves and their Friends, the timely Petition of the whole Society of Lincolns Inne, and Mediations of all the Grand Officers of Juſtice, State, of the Society, for their Lecturers liberty to preach; to the great rejoycing of our Popiſh Adverſaries; to the great grief, prejudice, diſcontentment of their Auditors; the undermining of our Proteſtant Religion, diſhonor of our Church, Nation; the ruine of ſome hundreds of thoſe Proteſtant Miniſters and their Families formerly breaking unto us the bread of life, who now want daily bread to • eed them: when as diſguiſed Popiſh Emiſſaries, Jeſuites, Preiſts, Friers, Quakers, Dippers, Hereticks and Blaſphemers of all ſorts, have Free liberty, and Protection to preach, teach, dip, re-baptize, adminiſter the Sacrament, meet together and do what they liſt in publike and private Conventicles, without the leaſt reſtraint. And is this to defend, propagate, (or not rather avowedly to ſupplant, tread down) the Proteſtant Religion, A Collection of Ordinances, p. 424, 425, 426, &c. we covenanted and took up armes formerly to maintain; thus toMat. 26. 31. ſmite, ſilence, ſtarve, ruine ſo many orthodox Proteſtant Shepherds, Paſtors at one blow; and to threaten inexorable Impriſonments, yea baniſhments to them, if they but once preſume to teach, preach, or adminiſter Sacraments (according to their Mat. 28. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 9. 5, to 20. 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3. obliged duty, and Chriſts own Injunction) in publike or private, for the peoples edification, or their own or families ſupportation? VVhen thouſands of Romiſh VVolves, Hereticks, Sectaries of all ſorts are ſo buſie in all parts, to ſeduce, devour their flocks, now leftMa • . 6. 34. like Sheep without a Shepherd in many places? The Lord give thoſe whom it moſt concerns, and the whole Nation, eyes timely to diſcern, and hearts to bewail, reform this Soul-devouring barbarous cruelty. And let thoſe who have been inſtrumental Contrivers of, or Actors in it, conſider and remember, Mat. 7. 2. With what judgement ye judge, ye ſhall be judged; and with what meaſure ye mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you again: and James 2. 13. For he ſhall have judgement without Mercy, that hath ſhewed no mercy; but this extremity of cruelty even to the Minſters of Chriſt himſelf, and all thoſe they deem their Enemies, is contrary to the expreſs precepts of Chriſt himſelf, Mat. 5. 44, 45. Rom. 12, 20, 21.

It is very remarkable, thatSee my Antipathy of the Engliſh Lordly Prelacy, part. 2. ch. 6. p. 305, 306. Dr. William Peirce late Biſhop of Bath and Wells, who in the ruff of his Epiſcopal Power and Pride, preſuming on his great Court-friends, ſuppreſſed all Lectures and Lecturers, both in Market towns and elſewhere, glorying in this his impious Tyranny; and thanking God, that he had not a Lecture left in his Dioceſſe. And when he abſolved Mr. Deveniſh Miniſter of Bridgewater, (whom he ſuſpended ab officio & beneficio, onely for preaching a Lecture in his own Pariſh Church on the Market day, which had continued above 50 years without interruption) uſed this ſpeech unto him, intimating, that preaching a Lecture was as hainous a crime as committing adultery: John 5. 14. Goe thy way, ſinne no more, (in preaching a Lecture) leſt a worſe thing happen to thee: was by Gods juſt retaliating judgement ſoon after, quite ſtripped of his Epiſcopal Power and Revenues upon his Impeachment in Parliament, committed Priſoner to the Tower, ſequeſtred, and now reduced to ſuch extremitie, that in November laſt, he came to an honourable Knight of mine acquaintance in Weſtminſter, complaining to him, he had not bread for him and his to put in their mouthes; intreating his favour to procure any Lecturers or Curates place for him, though never ſo mean (which he by all the Friends he had could no where obtain) to keep him from ſtarving. VVho thereupon minded him of theſe his former Speeches, and cruelty towards other Lecturers and Miniſters, whom he reduced to extreme povertie; wiſhing him, to take ſpecial notice how God had juſtly requited him in his own kinde, ſo as himſelf would now turn Lecturer, or the meaneſt Curate under others, in his old age, to get but a meer ſubſiſtence, and yet none would intertain him, as himſelf confeſſed, in any place. So as the judgement threatned againſt Ely his poſterity, 1 Sam. 2. 36. (And it ſhall come to paſſe, that every one that is left in thine Houſe, ſhall come and crouch to him for a piece of ſilver, and a morſel of bread, and ſhall ſay, Put me I pray thee into ſomwhat about the Prieſthood, that I may eat a piece of bread) was now actually fallen on this great Prelate. And let others now greater than he in his higheſt condition, conſider it, though never ſo well fenced with Guards and armed Forces by Land or Sea, leſt God reduce them and theirs to the like extremities, as they have reduced theſe Miniſters of Chriſt, with ſundry others: and that upon the ſerious conſideration of this memorable Hiſtory, recorded inVariae Hiſt. lib. 6. c. 12, 13. Aelian concerning Dionyſius the younger, in theſe very words. Dionyſius junior, imperium habebat optime conſtitutum, munitumque hoc modo. Naves poſsidebat non pauciores quadringentis; hexeres et quinqueremes. Pedeſtres copias ad centum millia hominum, equitum novem millia. Civitas vero Syracuſanorum maximis portubus erat inſtructa et moenibus altiſsimis circundata, atque in promptu habebat omnem apparatum bellicum ad alias Naves quingentas. Reconditum etiam habebat frumentum ad centum medimnorum myriades; et armamentarium ſcutis, gladiis, haſtis, tibialibus innumeris, thoracibus & catapultis plenum refertum que catapulta autem inventum fuit ipſius Dionyſii. Praeterea ſociis infinitis vigebat. His rebus confidens Dionyſius, ADAMANTE FIRMATUM IMPERIUM OBTINERE SE PUTABAT. Sed ipſe primum fratres ſuos morte affecit. Vidit etiam filios ſuos crudeliſsime mactar • , et virgineum pudorem filiabus eripi, atque deinde nudas trucidari. Breviter, nemo ex ejus propagine ſepulturam juſtam adeptus eſt. Nam alii vim combuſti ſunt, alii diſſecti, & in mare projecti ſunt. Id adeo evenit ei, cum Dion, filius Hipparini, imperium invaſiſſet. Ipſe vero IN EXTREMA PAUPERTATE ſenex mortuus eſt. Theopompus dicit eum nimiae meri potationis vitio ejus oculos laboraſse, ita ut caecutiret, et ſediſſe in tonſtrinis, riſumque ſcurriliter hominibus commoviſſe, atque in media Graecia turpiter & praeter decorum verſatum miſerrimam vitam traduxiſſe. Ita non leve documentum extitit mortalibus, ad amplectend • m temperantiam et morum honeſtatem, Dionyſii ex tantis opibus in tam miſerum ſtatum, rerum viciſsitudo. Pulcherrime a Diis immortalibus comparatum eſt, ut nullam Tyrannidem uſque ad tertiam generationem propagent, ſed aut confeſtim Tyrannos tanquam proceras piceas perdant et extirpent; aut liberos eorum viribus denudent ac ſpolient. If God deal thus with Heathen, will he not deal more ſeverely with Chriſtian Tyrants, and underminers of his Goſpel, who condemn others for that wherein they now exceed them, Rom. 2. 1, 2, 3?

And here (having done with my Diſcoveries) I cannot but ſeriouſly lament, to conſider, that as many of the late over-zealous New Modellers of our State, to accompliſh their own ſelf-ends, have (contrary See my Speech in Parliament, Memento, New Diſcovery of Free-State Tyranny, Epistle to an hiſtorical and Legal Vindication of the Fundamental Liberties and Laws of England, and the Hiſtory of Indepency. to all their former Proteſtant Principles, Oathes, Proteſtations, Covenants, Remonſtrances, Commiſſions, Truſts, Obligations) ignorantly, or wittingly imbraced, purſued, justified, imitated, practiſed, if not out-acted the very worſt and most dangerous, ſeditious, treacherous, Antimonarchical poſitions, practices, politicks of Antichriſtian Popes, and Machiavilian Jeſuites. So divers overrigid Presbyterian, independent Miniſters, and Reformers of our Church, out of a prepoſterous zeal and ſcrupuloſity, have blindly, raſhly, or unadviſedly taken up, maintained, practiſed the erroneous Tenets, and exorbitant Practices of Popes, Romiſh Priests, Prelates, Jeſuites, againſt the very Doctrine, Inſtitution, uſage, precepts of Chriſt himſelf, the Primitive Fathers, Church, Chriſtians, in diſcontinuing the frequent administration of the holy Communion to their people, and ſecluding all or moſt of their Pariſhioners from it ſundry months, nay years together▪ by their own new Papal Authority, without any lawfull cauſe, hearing, trial, or excommunication, judicially denounced againſt them for any ſcandalous ſins, whereof they are duly convicted, when as they freely admit them to all other publike Ordinances, without the leaſt ſuſpenſion from them; instead of inviting, exhorting, compelling them (Mat. 22. r. to 11. Luke 14 12. to 25. Harmony of Confeſſions, c. 10. to 16. Articles of England, c. 22. to 31. And exhortation in the Common Prayer Books. Thomas Deacons Cotechiſm. Concordia Iutherana, p. 542. to 550. Practice, of Piety. Mr. Humfrey of Free-Admiſſion and Rejoynder to Dr. Drake. according to their duties) to the frequent participation of this Soul-converting, heart-refreſhing, Gracecommunicating heavenly Supper, wherin the remembrance, fruits, benefits of our Savio • 〈◊〉 paſſion are moſt li • ely, repreſented to their ſenſes, and applied to their Souls▪ which Anti-chriſtian, ſacrilegious, new kind of Reformation (to advance their own intereſts, Power, not Chriſts Kingdom, Glory,) is principally founded on theſe enſuing erronious Popiſh Principles, all bottomed on and ſlowing from that monstrous abſurdity of Tranſubſtantiation, and Chriſts corporal preſence in this Sacrament, which allHarmony of Confeſſions, c. 14. Biſhop Jewels Apol. & Reply to Harding: Biſh. Morton, Peter Moulins, and others. Proteſtants abominate, refute, renounce.

1. That Chriſt, and God himſelf, are more really, immediately preſent, and converſed with by Christans in the Lords Supper, than in any other publike holy Ordinance whatſoever; aſſerted generally by allSee Bochellus Decr. Ecc. Gal. l. 3. Tit. 1. Summa Angel. Tit. Euchariſtia: Gratian De conſecratione, Diſtinct. 2. Popiſh Councils, Schoolmen, Jeſuits, Canoniſts, Caſuiſts in their Decrees, Maſſe-books, Offices, Manuals, Treatiſes, Controverſies touching the Euchariſt, Sacraments, Maſſe, and Tranſubſtantiation: and more particularly bySee Biſhop Jewels Defence of the Apology, c. 14. Diviſ. 1. p. 260, 261, 264. Mr. Harding againſt Biſhop Jewel; who refutes it in the Name of the Church of England: Yet now profeſſedly avowed of late in A Brotherly and Friendly Cenſure of my 4. Quaeres, p. 8. in Dr. Drake his Anti-Quaeries, and Boundary to the Holy Mount, and ſundry others, as their chief ground of keeping, ſuſpending, all thoſe they deem unworthy from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper alone, but from no other part of Gods worſhip. This opinion firſt ſprung from Popiſh Tranſubſtantiation; which as it introduced Biſh. Jewels Reply to Harding, p. 282 to 301. See my Canterburies Doom, p. 63, 64. Quenchcole; Pleaſant Purge for a Roman Catholike, p. 140. to 180. Bochell • s Decr. Eccl. Gall. l. 3. Tit. 1. Adoration of, proſtration, kneeling, bowing to, towards, before the conſecrated Elements, Altars, and railing in Altars in the Church of Rome: ſo itSee My Quenchcole. Canterburies Doom, p. 61, 63, 79, 80, 81, 101. to 125, 474, 475, 486, 487. lately brought into our Cathedrals and Pariſh Churches, prostration, kneeling, bowing to, and before the Sacramental Elements, and rayling in of Altars, Lords Tables at the Eaſt end of our Quires, in imitation of the Romaniſts, by our Popiſh Prelates and Prieſts; Witneſſe Archbiſhop Lauds own words, in his Speech in Star-chamber, An. 1637. p. 47. The Altar is the greateſt place of Gods reſidence upon earth; I ſay, the greateſt; yea, greater than the Pulpit. For there tis, Hoc eſt Corpus meum; This is my Body, But in the Pulpit, it is at moſt, but Hoc eſt Verbum meum, this is my Word. And a greater Reverence (Yet Hierom in Pſal. 147. and Biſhop Jewel in his Treatiſe of the Sacraments, p. 276. write, Quando audimus ſermonem Domini, Caro Christi, & Sanguis ejus in mentes noſtras infunditur. no doubt) is due to the Body, than to the Word of the Lord. And ſo in relation anſwerably to the Throne where his Body is uſually preſent, than to the Seat, where his Word uſeth to be proclaimed. Which Popiſh dotage of his, ſeconded by Dr. Pocklington, Dr. Heylin, Dr. Laurence, Edmund Reeve, Shelford, and other Popiſh Innovators, I haveIn My Quenchcole. Canterburies Doom, p. 198, 199, 200, 201, 474, 475. A pleaſant Purge for a Roman Catholick, p. 159, &c. elſewhere at large refuted.

2. That the Lords Supper is more holy, dreadfull, excellent, venerable, and more dangerous, damnable to ſuch who unworthily approach unto it, than any other Sacrament or divine Ordinance whatſoever: And therefore neceſſarily requires a greater meaſure, degree, and another manner of worthineſſe, fitneſſe, preparation, qualification, ſelf-examination, confeſſion of ſin, faith, repentance, Grace, Holineſſe in thoſe who are to be admitted to receive it, then Baptiſm, Prayer, hearing, reading of the Word, thanksgiving, faſting, or any other part of Gods publike worſhip; to which they (and our rigideſt Presbyterians) freely admit all their Pariſhioners, without any trial, or tranſcendent wor • hineſſe, fitneſſe, or preparation. Hence Bochellus Decreta Eccleſ. Gall. l. 3. Tit. 1. c. 2, 3, 4, 10. 43. 63. 69, 70, 71, 72, 73. 82, 84, 85, 88. 90, 93, 96, 98, 101, 105, 106, 107, 124. 140. 150. Petrus Aureoſu • : and other Schoolmen, in l. 4. diſt. 9. qu. 2. Summa Anchariſtia 13. Popiſh Councils, Writers, ſtile the Lords Supper, Excellentiſſimum Sacramentum: quia continet in ſe • , actorem totius Gratiae et Sunctificationis Dominum noſtrum Jeſum Chriſtum: et verum Chriſti Corpus, et ſanguinem. And thence inferre. Excellentia hujus Sacramenti requirit dignum myſterium; et ideo volens recipere vel conficere tantum Sacramentum, debet ſe praeparare, per Contritionem, et veram Confeſſionem peccatorum ſuorum, ac puram devotionem. Statuimus quod nullus deinceps ad Euchariſtiae Sacramentum teneatur aliquem admit • ere, niſi prius illum audierit in Confeſſione, aut prius ſibi fide facta, quod more fidelium poenitentiae reciperit Sacramentum. Nemo ſine ſpeciali Contritione, Confeſſione, et Satisfactoriis operibus dignè praemunitus, ad Euchariſ • iam ſumendam accedat. Moneantur conjugati non niſi praeparata aliquot dierum continentia ad Euchariſtae ſumpſionem accedere, &c. Which very Popiſh Doctrine and Conſequence of an extraordinary tranſcendent degree of worthineſs, preparation, &c. are profeſſedly aſſer • ed by the Authors of the Antidote to, and Brotherly friendly cenſure of my four Queſtions; Dr. Drake in his Anti-quaeries, boundary; Mr. Collins in his Juridical Suſpenſion, and others.

3. Upon theſe precedent falſe Principles, and the extraordinary danger of unworthy receiving, the Popiſh Prieſts and Prelates inferrBochellu • Decret. Eccleſ. Gal. l. 3. Tit. 1. c. 71, 72, 73. 105, 107. Summa Angelica Euchariſtia, 3 Richard. in 4 ſentent. Diſtinct. 9. That they are bound to admit none to the Lords Supper, but ſuch whom they upon a precedent private examination and Confeſſion of their ſins to themſelves, or ſuch as they appoint ſhall abſolve and deem worthy, and prepared to receive it. And their Councils Decree. Nullus Parochus ad hujus. Sacramenti ſumptionem quempiam admittat, cujus conſcientiam non noverit, aut ipſe, aut ab eo ei negotio praefectus. Nec quemquam Parochi ſeu Curati ad Communionem admittant, niſi quem privs ſciverint confeſſum fuiſſe peccata, aut ipſis, aut eorum Vicariis, ſeu Sacerdotibus deputatis. And upon the ſelf-ſame grounds as the Church ofHarmony of Confeſſions, ſect. 14. p. 336. 337. 327. Saxony in the beginning of Reformation, admitted none to the Communion, unleſſe they were first examined, heard, tried, and abſolved of the Pastor and his fellow-Miniſters: Complying herein over-much with the Papiſts; So now Divine Right of Church Government, p. 252, 353, &c. Mr. Rutherford, Boundary to the holy Mount. Dr. Drake, Juridical ſuſpenſion. Mr. Collins, and other over-rig • d Presbyterians aſſert; They are bound in duty, conſcience, prudence, firſt, to try, examine the knowledge, faith, graces, repentance, lives and viſible worthineſſe of all their Pariſhioners, before they come to the Lords Supper; to admit none thereto, but ſuch whom they and their Presbyteries upon trial ſhal deem worthy and prepared to receive it, and to ſeclude all others from it: concurring herein with theſe Popiſh Prieſts and Prelates.

4. That there isSee Graetian Cauſ. 11. Qu. 3. and the Gloſſers on it. Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ, Gal. l. 2. Tit. 14. Summa Avgelica, & Roſella. Hoſtiienſis, Th. Zerula, Antonius Corſetus, and others. Tit. Excommunicatio. a leſſer Excommunication, whereby the Prelates and other Officers of the Church, are authorized, impowred judicially, by way of Church Cenſure, to ſuſpend and keep back ſcandalous, ignorant, unconfeſſed, obſtinate Churchmembers, who refuſe to ſubmit to the examination and orders of the Church, from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper only, without any actual ſequeſtring of them from any other publike Ordinances, in which they may freely communicate with other Chriſtians; diſtinct form that Excommunicatio major, which totally ſecludes Chriſtians from entring into the Church, and all Chriſtian fellowſhip and Communion in any publike Ordinance, and all private ſociety with Chriſtians. Which leſſer Excommunication, was firſt introduced by Popiſh Councils, Caſoniſts, Caſuiſts, only for leſſer mortal ſins, and converſing with perſons lying under the cenſure of the greater Excommunication; And is now moſt eagerly aſſerted byDivine Right of Church Government. Mr. Rutherford, Aarons Rod bloſſoming. Mr. Gilleſpy, Antiquaeries and Boundary. Dr. Drake, Juridical ſuſpenſion. Mr. Collins, Conſiderations and Cautions, July 9. 1646. p. 5 &c. The Ministers of Syon College, and others as committed to Church-Officers and Preſbyteries by the will and teſtament of Jeſus Chriſt; though no ways warranted, but contradicted by all the Scripture teſtimonies they produce to warrant it, and by the practices of the Primitive Church, as I have proved at large inA Vindication of 4 ſerious Queſtions. Suspenſion ſuſpended. former publications. The only memorable particular example recorded in antient Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtories, of a publick excommunication denounced by a Biſhop for a ſcandalous crime (eſpecially againſt his Soveraign) is that of St. Ambroſe, Biſhop of Millais, againſt the Emperour Theodoſius the firſt, thus recorded byEccleſ. Hiſt. l. 5. c. 17, 18. Sozonten lib. 7. c. 24. utropius, Zonaras, Oxmeerus, Pedro Mexia, Crimſton in his li • e, Baronius, the Centuries of Magdeburg, Dr. Bilſon, The true difference, &c. part. 3. p. 369, 372, &c. Theodoret, and others. The Inhabitants of Theſſalonica (a rich, populous City in Macedonia) in a popular tumult ſlew their Judges all and who took part with Theodoſius in the Government: Where with he being highly incenſed, ſo far exceeded the bounds of juſtice and reaſon in the puniſhment thereof, that he cauſed his Souldiers, without ſearching out the Malefactors, to ſlay promiſcouſly in a rage no leſſe than 7000 of the Citizens; putting no difference betwixt the guilty and innocent▪ After this bloody execution, at the Emperours next coming to the Church of Millain to pray, and do his devotions, of as cuſtom he uſed, St. Ambroſe ſtepping to the Churchdoor, as he was about to enter into the Church, with much boldneſſe prohibiting him to enter, uſed this ſpeech unto him. Thou ſeemeſt, O Prince, not to underſtand what a monſtrous ſlaughter of people is committed by thee, neither doth rage ſuffer thee to weigh with thy ſelf what thou haſt done; yet muſt thou know, that from duſt we came, and to duſt we ſhall. Let not therefore the brightneſſe of thy clothes hide from thee the weakneſſe of fleſh that is under them. Thy Subjects are of the ſame metal that thou art, and ſerve the ſame Lord that thou doſt. With what Eyes therefore wilt thou behold the houſe of this Common Lord, and with what feet wilt thou tread on his holy pavements? Wilt thou reach thoſe hands, dropping yet with the blood of Innocents to receive the moſt ſacred body of the Lord? Wilt thou put that precious blood of his to thy mouth, which in a rage haſt ſpilt ſo much Chriſtian blood? Depart rather, and heap not one ſin upon another. Neither refuſe this Bond (of Excommunication) which the Lord of all doth ratifie in heaven. It is not much, and it will reſtore thee the health of thy Soul. All which the Emperour hearing with great patience, returned preſently to his Palace, without entring the Church, obeying the excommunication, and there continued above 8 moneths ſpace, without coming any mo • e into the Church, or putting on his Emperial Robes. Af • er which, upon his earne • t requeſt and publike repentance for this crime • and his enacting this Law by St. Ambroſe his adviſe, by way of penance (as ſome write) That from thenceforth no man whom he or his Succeſ • ors ſhould condemn to dye ſhould be executed within thirty dayes after the Sentence of death denounced againſt him: he being abſolved from his excommunication, came again into the Church, and there making his prayers, and performing his devotions▪ received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. From which Hiſtory it is apparent.

1. That Excommunicate perſons in that age, were not ſuspended only from the Lords Supper, but ſecluded from entring into the Church it ſelf, and from all publike See Capit. Carol. Mag. 5. c. 42. T • rtullian de p • enitentia. Dr. Hammond of the power of the keys. ch. 4. Sect. 43. 44. &c. My Vindication of 4. ſcrious Queſtions, and Suſp • nſion ſuſpended. divine Ordinances uſed in it, as well as from the Lords Table, • nd from all Chriſti •• Communion. Hence Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gall. l. 2. Tit. 14. c. 1, 2, 3. 36, 37, 38. 45. 48, 58, 64, 65, 71, 85, 92. 121, 126, 136. 138, 142, 145. ſundry Councils ſince, with Cauſ. 11. Q • . 3. Gratian, and all Panormitan, Hoſti • nſts, Angelus de Clavaſio, Lyndewood, • Ant. Corſetus, Summa Roſella, Tho: Zerula and others, Tit. Excommunicatio. Popiſh Canoniſts reſolve and decree, Major Excommunicatio Seperat ab ingreſſa Eccleſiae, à Sacramentis, et à Communione fidelium. Excommunicatus non poteſt intereſſe Divinis Officiis, aut cum alii • orare in Eccleſia; Her debet extra ita prope •• are quod audiat. And if any ſuch excommunicate perſon come into the Church, he is preſently to be thruſt out of it, and the Priest muſt give over his begun Maſſe, Prayers, Preaching, and not proceed therein, till ne depart the Church: Neither may any Christian wittingly eat, drink, conferre, or trade with ſuch a one, under pain of Excommunication: Yea our own Statute of 5 E. 6. ch. 4. againſt ſuch as fight and ſtrike in the Church, Enact, That ſuch an Offender ſhall be excommunicate, an • be e • cluded from the fellowſhip and company of Chriſts Congregation: See Fitzh. • rook, Aſh, Title Excommengment, Cooks 1 Inſtit. f. 133, 134, 3 Inſtit. c. 81. p. 177. Bracton. l. 5. f. 425, 426, 427. Fleta l. 6. c. 44. Capit. Caroli et Lud • vici, l. 5. c▪ 23. 28. •• . l. 7. c. 216. 361. 373. This Excommunication our Laws, [c] Lawbooks take notice of, which likewiſe diſables men to ſue in any Civil Court of Juſtice, if pleaded in barr againſt them under Seal.

In brief: the 33▪ Article of the Church of England, ratified by the ſtatute of 13 Eliz. c. 13. and Sub • criptions of all our Miniſters, Defines Excommunication to be a cutting off from the Unity of the Church, and whole multitude of the faithfull, who ought to avoid an excommunicate perſon as an Heathen and a Publican, untill he be openly reconciled by Penance, and received into the Church, by a Judge that hath Authority thereunto. And the Confeſſions of Bohemia, c. 8. 14. Of Helvetia, c. 16. Of the French Churches, c. 32, 33. Deſcribe Excommunication to be, a removal of wicked, ſcandalous, obstinate. Sinners from the Holy Fellowſhip of Believers, a throwing them out from the Church, and delivering them to Satan by Eccleſiaſtical puniſhment. And abſolution of ſuch upon repentance, to be, A taking them again into the Church, to the Communion of Saints and Sacraments. Therefore the New-found Suſpenſion and Excommunication of ſcandalous perſons only from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, without ſecluſion from the Church and other Ordinances, now ſo much conteſted for, is but a meer Popiſh Innovation, not warranted by Scripture, Antiquity, our own Statutes, Articles, or other Proteſtant Churches Confeſſions.

2. That in that age all Church-members freely admitted to the publike prayers of the Church, and not thus actually excommunicated from all Ordinances and the Church it ſelf, were freely admitted to the Lords Supper, and all excommunicated perſons too, upon their abſolution.

3. That the Lords Supper in that age was uſually received by all Church-members, when ever they publiquely aſſembled to pray or hear Gods word: and no other, no greater worthineſſe, holineſſe, qualification, preparation, or ſelf-examination required for Chri • tians free admiſſion to the Com •• nion, th • n to other publike duties, which it did then daily accompany.

This preſident of St. Ambroſe his excommunicating this godly Emperour Theodoſ • us, and keeping him above 8 Moneths ſpace from the Church and all publike Ordinances; only for his over-raſh execution of Juſtice upon his rebellious mutinous ſubjects, upon ſo great a provocation, notwithſtanding his preſent humiliation and ſorrow for it upon the firſt reprehenſion, and that without any precedent, private or publique admonition; as its no ways war a • ed by any precept or preſident in Gods word, nor parallel example in the Primitive Church, and cenſured by ſoberSee the Centuries of Magd. Cent. 3. & 4. D • . Bilſons True Difference, part 3. p. 376, &c. Proteſtants, as over-harſh, indiſcret, raſh, and too Pontifical▪ yea ſuch, as might have then pro • ucedSee Aug. contr. Petil. l. 3. c. 2. a dangerous Schiſm in the Church, to the great pre • udice of Religion, had not this godly Emperour been more humble patient, prudent than St. Ambroſe; So it hath in later ages been A Defence of Engliſh Catholikes, c. 5. J. E. his Treatiſe of the Right & Juriſdiction of the Prelate and Prince. Baronius Annal. Tom. 3. 4. See Bilſons True Difference between Chriſtian Subjection and Unchriſtian Reb • llion pa • t▪ 3. p. 369. to 379. much abuſed, and inſiſted on by Antichriſtian Trayterous Popes, Popiſh Prelates, Jeſuits, Prieſts, to juſtify their many illegal, unchriſtian, unrighteous Excommunications of Chriſtian-Emperors, Kings, Princes; their depoſing them from their Empires, Crowns, Kingdoms, their abſolving their ſubjects from their allegiance to them, and taking up arms againſt them, to the great diſturbance of moſt Chriſtian Empires, Realms, States, Churches. Therefore it can be no juſtification or proof at all for any of our Proteſtant Miniſters wilfully to abſ • ain from the celebration of the Lords Supper▪ and ſeclude • excommunicate all their Pariſhioners from it, not only 8. whole Moneths, but almoſt ſo many years together upon the forementioned Popiſh principles, or any other ground; eſpecially not being all actually excommunicated or ſecluded from the Church and all other publike ordinances as he was, but freely admitted by them to the Church, and all other publike Ordinances but the holy Communion, which he was not. The ſad effects whereof, inſtead of making their people more worthy, more prepared to receive this Sacrament, and more regardfull of it, I haveSuſpenſion ſuſp • nd • d, p. 25 26. 36. elſewhere touched and ſhall more largely inſiſt on in its due place. Only here I ſhall deſire our Miniſters to obſerve, what Concilium apud I •• g • s, & Synodus A • degavenſts, An. 1 • 81, apud Bo • hellum. Dec ••• . Eccl. Gall. l. 2. Tit. 14. de Excommunicat ••• , c • p. 90 91. p. 294, 295. two Po • iſh French Councils hereto ••• e have noted, • ouching the debarring particular • erſons only from the Lords Supper for a years ſpace or two, by vertue of actual Excommunications judicially denounced againſt them, and the dangerous effects it hath produced, inſtead of working any reformation in them or others. Qui • nonnul • i Excommunicationum Sententias, et quod deteſtabilius eſt, Dominici corporis Sacramentum contemnentes 〈◊〉 tempor ••• in • en en •• • mo ••• ntur. De participatione Dominici corporis non curantes, &c. Quonian multos • eperimus in • urato animo claves ſun •• ae matris Eccleſiae vilipendentes excommunicationis ſentoniam d • utius ſuſtinc • e Corpus Chriſti in Eccleſia in Biennio vel • riennio non ſuſcipere, vel etiam non confi. e • i. Pr •• cipimus omnibus et ſingulis Rectoribus, &c. ut in tal bus falubre Conſilium apponatur. If theſe their judicial excommunications of particular perſons, inſtead of reforming their lives, made many of them only to contemn the cenſures of the Church, and the very Sacrament of the Lords body, which is more detestable; and not to ca • e to receive it in two or three years ſpace; which they reputed a horrid miſchief fit to be redreſſed by wholeſom Counſel: Then certainly our Miniſters Antichristian, undiſcreet, Cum timerent ne Principatum ammitterent, cum Legum Latores, ut majores eſſe viderentur, multa innovabant; quaeres ad tantavi pe • venit nequitiam, ut p •• c • pta ſu • i cuſtod •• ent magis quam mandata Dei, Chryſoſt. in Mat. Hom. 52. wilfull keeping back, excommunicating of whole Churches, Pariſhes, Cities, from the Sacrament two or three years ſpace together, or more, without any actual excommunication legally denounced againſt them for any ſcandalous ſins, muſt ne • ds be a more deteſtable Crime, and make the generality of the people not only to neglect, contemn their Authority, Miniſtry, Church-cenſures; but even the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it ſelf, yea totally to withdraw themſelves from it, and all other publick Ordinances, yea from our Churches too, as many thouſands of them have done of late years, ſince debarred from this Sacrament, under pretext of making them more fit and worthy to receive it ere admitted to it. It is an antient proverbial experimental truth in moſt other things and Chriſtian duties, and ſo in this; Qui non eſt hodie, Cras minus aptus crit. Thoſe Pariſhioners whom our Miniſters deemed unfit, unworthy to receive this Sacrament the firſt year they withheld it from them; they find more prophane, unfit, neglectfull to receive it the next year, yea much more the third and fourth year, than the ſecond; Upon which account they have wholly caſt this Sacrament aſide for ſundry years; and muſt do ſo till Doomſday, againſt Chriſt own command, their Miniſterial office, and the Primitive Churches, Fathers practice in frequent adminiſtring the Communion to all their people. Let them therefore henceforth learn this politick, ſafe Leſſon, even from their Popiſh Tutors; who debating theſe Queſtions,Rich. de Medie Vill • t, in 4. Sent. Diſt. 9. Aquinanas, 4. pars qu. 80. An • elu • de Cla • aſio Sum. • ngel: • uchariſtia, 3. ſect. 20, 21, 22. Utrum Presbyter peccet mortaliter dando Euchariſtiam ei quom ſcit in pecca to mortali conſtitutum? And, Nunquid • ſſ • t minus m • lum dare tali Hoſtiam non conſecratam, vel non conſecrare, quam Euchariſtiam tali dare? Reſolve negatively, with ſome diſtinctions, as to the firſt; and to • h • laſt without any diſtinction, thus.Summa Angel▪ Euchariſtia, 3. ſect. 2 • . c. de • omine de Cele: • iſ • : B • ſhop Jewels Defence of the Apology, p. 34 • . Reſp: Quou Non: Ideo dicitur prorſus quidem falſa remedia ſunt abjica ••• quae veris et manifestis periculis ſunt graviora: as thi • debarring the people from the Sacrament for ſo long a ſpace hath experimentally proved; occaſioning many more grievous ſins, miſchiefs than it hath prevented: being a remedy far worſe, and more dangerous than the diſeaſes it ſhould cure.De Unitate Eccleſi • , c. 10. Wherefore ſince (i) St. Aug. reſolves; Ne Catholicis quid • m Epiſcopis conſentiendum est, ſicubi fortè falluntur, et contra canonicas Scripturas aliquid ſentiant: AndAd Rector. & Unive • ſ. Colon. Uſpe • g • nſis Paral •… pom: p. 435. Pope Pius the 2d. concludes, Reſiſte • dum eſt quibuſcunque in faciem, ſive Paulus, ſive P • trus ſit, qui ad Veritatem non ambulat Evangeli: with whomDefence of the Apology. part 5. c. 12. diviſ. 2. p. 502. Biſhop Jewel concurs. I hope none of our Miniſters guilty of this Crime, can or will be offended with me for his my plain dealing with them. And I ſhall intreat all ſuch indiſcreet over-rigid Miniſters ſeriouſly to conſider, the Popiſh Principles forementioned wheron this their falſe remedy is founded▪ with the bitter fruits it hath produced: And ſeeing it is an unqueſtionable ſin in themſelves not to adminiſter or take; and in their people, not to receive the Sacraments many moneths, nay years together, (as well as not to pray, preach, read, hear, ſing Pſalms, and praiſe God for his mercies, or neglect baptiſm:) let them now at laſt repent, reform without delay, and no longer excuſe, muchAs Dr. Drake, Mr. Collings, & others do in printed Books. leſſe defend this Sacrilegious unchriſtian ſin, ſince • d Romanos, c. 2. Primaſius, andDefence of the Apology, p. 347. Biſhop Jewel reſolve; Nemo periculoſius peccat, quam qui peccata defendit: And St.Rom. 3. 8. Paul himſelf determines, that there damnation is juſt, who do evil (yea ſo great an evil as this, to rob whole pariſhes of the Lords own Supper, Table, Cup, Body, Bloud for divers years) that good may come of it: much more if they perſevere impenitently therein, after all admonitions to the contrary. TheSee Sextus Aurelius & Dion in his Life: Biſhop Jewels Sermons, p. 183. Emperor Domitian intending a Reformation of the Empire, which afore his time, Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, and other wicked Emperors had ſpoiled and defaced, asked Apollonius Tyanaeus, a Philoſopher, What order were beſt to be taken therein? Who made him anſwer; Sir, You muſt do as the Muſician bad his Scholars do. How is that? ſaid Domitian: Sir, quoth Apollonius, There was a cunning Muſician, that ſet his Scholars to an ignorant and homely Minſtrel to learn Muſick of him; but before he ſent them out, he gave them this Leſſon; Whatſoever ye ſee your Maſter do, ſee that ye a • oid it • he is unlearned, and his Leſſons and ma •• er of ſinging naught; therefore ſee ye do the contrary. Even ſo may I ſay; Whatſoever we ſee that they have done, who were our late Maſters before us, that have almoſt deſtroyed our Churches and Realms too, by their unskilfulneſſe, erronious Doctrines, Illegal Practices, Innovations, Oppreſ • ions, Schiſms, tolerations of all Religions &c. Let us now do the quite contrary, to repair, reſtore • hem to unity, • r ••• quil • ty, proſperity, ſafety. More particularly, let all our Miniſters combine together henceforth duly and frequently to adminiſter the holy Communion to their people (being the chiefmeans, bond of Chriſtian love and unity; yea Sigrum demonſtrati • um unitatis Eccleſiae cui homines aggregantur per ipſant; as the Summa Angelica Tit. Euchariſtia, 1. Articles of England, Ar. 28. Harmony of Confeſſions, ſect. 14. School-men, Canoniſts, our own A • ticles, with foreig • Proteſtant Churches reſolve;See my Suſpenſion ſuſpended: and Vindication of 4. Serious queſtions. a chief means of begetting, continuing, encreaſing, confirming grace and holineſs of life:) and likewiſe diligently to exhort, excite, perſwade, compell their people to repair frequently, conſtantly, with due preparation, and ſelf-examination to this heavenly banquet; yea in no wiſe to neglect it when adminiſtred; and that in obedience toLuke 14. 23. &c. Matt. 22. 1. to 12. 1 Cor. 11. 23, &c. Chriſts command, and upon this conſideration of theApud Lau. Bochellum, Decret. Eccleſ. Gall. l. 3. Tit. 1. c. 101. p. 376. Council of Burdea • x, Ann. 1582. Quemadmodum corporibus, Sic & animis, ſua ſunt alimenta • ribuenda; ne ſi neulto tempore jejun • , languidique permanſerint, in laborioſa vitae humanae peregrinatione et via defi • i •• t. • deoque pane vitae quae de coelo deſcendit, nimi • um ſ •• c • oſancto Chriſti corporo, quod in Euchariſtia continetur, Parochi populos ſibi commiſſos paſcere ſatagunt, et aſſiduis cohortationibus ad hunc coeleſtem cibum invitent, &c. And if this will nor prevail, let at leaſt the conſideration of this notable Canon of the Popiſh Council of Rhemes it ſelf, Anno 1583. induce them thereunto.Bochellus Decreta • ccleſ. Gall. l. 3. Tit. 1. c. 105. Cum nihil habeat Chriſtiana religio Sacramento Euchariſtiae praeſtantius & aug •• stius, •• ilque ad ſanctè et inculpatè vivendum efficatius ejuſdem frequentiſsima participatione,N • ta. dolemus tantam eſſe Chriſtianorum hujus temporis incuriam, ut ſemel tantum in anno ſumant tam ſalutaris Sacramenti ſubſtdia. Quare Paroeci et qui ad divini v •• bi p • aedicationem aſciſcuntur deinceps, de • requentis Communionis antiquo uſu, ejuſdem que mitis frudibus et utilitate differant, • t fidelibus perſuadere ritantur ( • ray mark it • ) nullum eſſe modum aptiorem et compendioſtorem,Nota. quo ſopitis et extindis Haereſibus, Eccleſiae Apoſtolicae facies noſtro ſeculo redeat. Nos quoque fi • eles omnes hortamur, et per viſcera miſericordiae Dei noſtri obſecramus ut quam ſaepiſsime, ſaltem vero Diebus ſolennibus communicent, et quotieſcunque poſtulaverit ingruens neceſsitas, • u •• vitam humanam • n d • ſcrimen e • . periculum adducat.

And ſeeing there is inPſal. 109. 7. P • ov. 2 • . 9. Iſa. 1. 13, 14, 15. c. 66. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 2. 15, 16. Prayer, hearing, and all other ſacred Duties as well as this, a like double danger; the one in neglecting, contemning them, which is the Mat. 10. 14, 15. Luke 10. 13, 14, 15, 16. 1 Theſſal. 4. 8. Heb. 10. 28, 29. greater; the other in the unworthy performing of them, which is the leſſer ſin; let our Miniſters in this caſe preſſe both of them together on their people, and not the leſſer danger only of unworthy receiving, without the greater peril of contemning or neglecting to receive the Sacrament, when publikely adminiſtred; according to the Decree of theBochellus▪ • b. c. 20. p. 360. Council of Cavailon under Charles the Great, An. 800. In perceptione Corporis & Sanguinis Domini magna diſcretio ad • ibenda est. Cavendum eſt enim ne • ſ • nimium in longum differatur, ad perniciem Animae pertineat; dicente Domino; Niſi manducaveritis carnem filii hominis et biberitis ejus Sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis. Si verò indiſcretè accipiatur, timendum eſt illud, quod ait Apoſtolus: Qui manducat et bibit indigne, judicium ſibi manducat et bibit. Juxta ejuſdem ergo Apoſtoli documentum, probare ſe debet homo; et ſic de pane illo manducare, et de calice bibere. And according to that Epiſtle ofBothellus • Decret. Eccleſ. Gall. l. 3. Tit. 1. c. 23, 24. p. 360. Theodulphus Au •• llanenſis Epiſcopus, Anno 835. ad Fatres et Compresbyteras ſuos Aure • ianenſis Parochiae Sacerdotes: who thus adviſed them. Admonendus eſt populus ut ad • Sacroſanctum Sacramentum Corporis et Sanguinis Dimini nequaquam indifferenter accedat, • ec ab hoc nimium abſtineat: ſed cum om • i diligentia • ligat tempus, quando aliquandiu ab opere conjugali abſtine • t, et v • t • s ſo purget, virtutibus exoruet, elecmoſynis et orationibus inſiſtat▪ et ſic ad tantum Sacramentum accedat. Quia ſicut pe • iculoſum eſt, impurum quemque ad •• ntum Sacramentum accedero, Ita etiam periculoſum eſt ab hoc proli • o tempore abſtinere: Salva ratione illorum, qui Excommunica • i, non quando eis libet, ſed certis temporibus communicant, et religioſis quibuſeunque Sanctè viventibus, Qui pene omni vie in faciunt. Singulis diebus Dominicis in Quaedrageſima, praeter hos qui Excommunicati ſunt, Sacramenta Corporis et Sanguinis Chriſti ſumenda ſunt, et in Coena Domini, et in Paraſceve, in vigilia Paſchae, & in die Reſurrectionis Domini penitus ab omnibus communicundum, • t ipſi dies Paſchalis hebdomadae omnes aequali religione colendi ſunt. The like adviſe of preſſing the people to the frequent receiving of the Lords Supper, yet with due preparation, and admoniſhing them withall of the danger of neglecting the Sacrament, as well as of the unworthy receiving it, is given by the Synod of Lingen, Anno 1404▪ and the Council ofHochellus ibid. c. 72, 75. Burdeaux, Anno 1582. (As alſo by the Church of England in her Liturgie confirmed by Parliament:) And this Synod of Lingen withall reſolves, That if any perſon for any great Offence or enormous ſin be adjudged but not declared and publiſhed Excommunicate, if he come publikely to receive the Sacrament, his Pariſh Prieſt may then thus admoniſh him in ſecret: Amice, tu ſcis quod fecisti tale quid, propter quod tu es excommunicatus; caveas quid tis vis facere. Tu enim ſi accepis corpus Chriſti, ſumes in tuam damnationem: Perſuadeat ſibi quod deſiſtat à perceptione Sacramenti: Quod ſi ille non vult deſiſtere, tunc Sacerdos ſibi miniſtret; quia in publicis negotiis ſacerdos non debet illum excludere; ſed in privatis non debet ſecum participare. Which I wiſh our Non communicating Miniſters to conſider. The reaſon is, becauſe he is ſtill a Church-member, till actually denounced excommunicated; and ſo not to be actually ſecluded from any publick Ordinance, to which he hath a juſt right, as a Church-member; even as every Member of a Kingdom or State, though guilty of any Capital crimes deſterving death, out-lawry, disfranchifement, or baniſhment, enjoys the benefit of all the Laws, Liberties, Privileges of the Kingdom, State, where of he is a Member, and cannot be juſtly debarred of them, till actually and judicially out lawed, disfranchiſed, exiled, or condemned to death for his Offences, by the lawfull Magiſtrate. I have latelyA Legal Reſolution of two Important Quaeres. publiſhed in print, what Legal Writs, Remedies, all injured Pariſhionous illegally debarred whole years together from this Sacrament, by a worſe than Papal Sacrilege and uſurpation over them, may have, to compell their refractory Miniſters to adminiſter the Lords Supper to them at accuſtomed ſeaſons, according to our Laws, and the Articles, Rubricks of our Liturgie, confirmed by Parliaments; To which I ſhall only adde, That I am clear of Opinion, that Pariſhioners in ſuch caſes, may ſue out a special Writ upon the Statutes of 1 E. 6. c. 1. & 1 Eliz. c. 2. De Sacramento Euchariſtiae Parochianis deliberando; Or, De Parochianis ad Eucharistiae Sacramentum admittendis; By the ſelf-ſame Juſtice, Law, Reaſon, Equity, as the Regiſter Pars 2. f. 58. 4 E. 4. 37. Prohibition 8. Fitz. Nat. Brev. ſ. 43. E. Regiſter, and our printed Law-books reſolve; they may ſue forth a Writ De Copia Libelli deliberanda, to the Biſhop, Offio ••• , or Dean of the Arches, upon the Statute of 2 H. 5. c. 3. Commanding them to deliver to the parties proſecuted a Copy of the Libel without difficulty, where grantable by Law, when they refuſe to do it, contrary to this Statute; Or, a Writ,See Register pars 2. f. 30, 31, 32, 33, 66. Fitzh. Nat. Brevium, f. 163 164. 228, 229. &c. De admittendo idoneam perſonam ad Eccleſiam; Or, De Cautione admittenda: Or, Quare Impedit preſentare: Or, Quare non admiſit, to Biſhops and other Eccleſiaſtical perſons, where and when they refuſe to admit their Clerks to thoſe Benefices to which they preſent them; or to abſolve them upon caution tendered to them, contrary to Law and their duties. Or WritsRegiſter pars 2. f. 19. 27. 28. 164. 172. 198. Fitz. Nat. Brev. f. 156, 157. Cooks 2 Inſtit. f. 99. 100. De Clamea admittenda in Itinere; Or, De At ornato admittendo et recipiendo; to Juſtices in Eyre, Sheriffs, and other Courts, when they refuſe to admit their Claims, or Attornies, contrary to Justice, Law, and the Statute of Merton, c. 10. The very Common Law of England gives every Landlord theſe ſeveral Writs,Regiſter pars 1. f. 159. 153, 173, 174. Fitz. and old Natura Brevium. De Conſuetudinibus et Serviciis; De Secta ad Curiam; De Secta ad Molendinum, to compell their Tenants, to perform the accuſtomed Services, Sutes, and Duties which they owe unto them by their Tenures, though they concern only their Temporal Eſtates: And will it not by like Writs, Juſtice, Reaſon then, conſtrain our refractory Parſons,Qui tardè de • it, et diem de die extrahens proſuit, non ex animo fecit. Seneca de Beneficiis, p. 10. Vicars, Miniſters to perform the accuſtomed Spiritual Duties, Services, and adminiſter the Holy Communion to their Pariſhioners, at uſual ſeaſons, (as themſelves and their Predeceſſors have conſtantly done heretofore time out of mind, and they are ſtill obliged to do) which concern the very ſpiritual comfort and ſalvation of their Souls, and ought not to be denied or deferred to them any longer? Our Common Laws, Lawbooks, Statutes have provided theſe ſeveral ſpecial Writs, for the inviolable preſervations of the Liberties, Privileges, Rights, preventing, redreſſing the injuries, an • recovering the Tithes, Dues of Clergy-men, that they may the more freely, chearfully diſcharge their Miniſterial Duties, and diligently adminiſter the Sacraments to their people. Regiſter, pars 1. f. 146, 147, 148, 151, 175. 179, 180, 184, 187, 260, 281. Fitzb. old Natura Brevium. De Clerico infra Sacros Ordines constituto non eligendo in Officium Ballivi, Bedelli, &c. De Viris religioſis, quod non veniant ad viſum Franciplegii. Quod Clerici non ponantur in Aſſiſis. De Clerico per Statu • um Mercatorium non capiendo. De Clerico capto per Statutum Mercatorium deliberando. De Clerico convicto deliberando Ordinario. Quod perſonae Eccleſiaſticae quieti ſint de Theolonio. Quod Eccleſiaſticae perſonae non americien ur ſecundum Beneficium. De Decimis ſolvendis Parſonis et Vicariis Eccleſiarum pro poſſeſſionibus alienigenarum: All which we find in the Regiſter, and our Printed Law-Books; Beſides ſundry Writs in Pa • . 10. H. 3. dorſ. 9. Clauſ. 12. H. 3. pars 1. dorſ. 7. 3. Pat. 20. H. 3. m. 24. Clauſ. 20. H. 3. m. 3. and 19. 10. 15. Clauſ. 32. H. 3. dorſ. 15. andPat. 4 H. 3. pars 1. m. 1. Clauſ. 4 H. 3. m. 4. & dorſ. 16. Clauſ. 5 H. 3. m. 14. & 6. Cart 6 Johan. Reg. m. 12. other Records, for the due payment of Tithes out of the Kings own Demeaſn Lands, Mills, Parks, Foreſts, to thoſe Miniſters, Biſhops, Abbots to whom they were due, or formerly granted. Clauſ. 18 H. 3. m. 5. A Writ to exempt Clergy-men from paying Toll and Cuſtomes for goods bought of, ſold by them for the ſuſtentation of themſelves and their Families. And Clauſ. 39 E. 3. m. 8. A ſpecial Writ, Quod viri Eccleſiaſtici non contribuant pro clauſura Villae de Coventry, there being a Commiſſion iſſued to aſſeſs the Inhabitants to wall this City, towards which they would Tax the Clery. Therefore by the ſelf-ſame Juſtice, Reaſon, Equitie, our Common Laws will provide ſpecial Writs, and Remedies for the people, to enforce their Parochial Miniſters, Vicars, by power of our Temporal Courts of Juſtice, to adminiſter the Sacraments duly to them, according to their bounden duties, and render them this their Spiritual food at the Lords Table; eſpecially ſeeing they have now no legal remedy to enforce them to it, and puniſh them for neglect thereof in our exploded Eccleſiaſtical Courts, as they might do heretofore.

Trin. 17 Jacobi B. R. The Pariſhioners of Sutton Valence in the County of Suſſex, according to their Cuſtome choſe two Churchwardens; the Biſhops Official at the viſitation refuſed one of them, and ſwore another Churchwarden in his place, which had been Churchwarden before 5 years together, and was very contentious, and a maintainer of Sutes before the Official. After much debate a Writ was awarded out of the Kings Bench by the judgement of the Court to the Official, to admit and ſwear the Churchwarden the Pariſhioners had elected, according to the Preſiden of 26 E. 3. where the Biſh. of Exeter was commanded to confirm the Children, and ſend Criſm to the Pariſhioners of St. Burian in Cornwall, which he denied them: And Fitzh: Nat. Brev. f. 200. where a Mandatory Writ iſſued to the Mayor of Oxford to enroll a demiſe; and to the Ordinary to prove a Will, and to the Lord to hold a Court: as they are obliged to do by Law and Right. Mich. 22. Jacobi B. R. Mr. Noy moved the Court for a Mandatory Writ to the Ordinary, for the Pariſhioners of St. Thomas in London, to admit two Churchwardens which they had elected according to their antient cuſtom; againſt which the Parſon objected the Canon, that he was to elect one of them: which upon conſideration of the precedent caſes, was granted. The like Writ to admit Churchwardens choſen according to cuſtom, was granted to the Pariſhioners of St. Magnes in London, Tr. 7 Caroli B. R. And to the Pariſhioners of St. Ethelboroughs London, Tr. 15 Caroli B. R. wherein the custom of electing Churchwardens by the Pariſhioners was adjudged a Good Cuſtonia Law, which the Canons made in Convocation, Anno Dom. 1603. Canon 89. could not impeach or deprive them of being a temporal right and inheritance ſetled in them. The like Preſident was in Paſ • . 4. Caroli, B. R. rot. 420. & Tr. 7 Caroli, rot. 1391. Mr. Noy in the caſe of St. Thomas Pariſh, cited ſuch a Writ to the Convocation Houſe 21 E. 3. reciting, that they affirmed our Lawyers held a damnable opinion becauſe they would by Writs De Cautione admitten • a, compell Biſhops and Ordinaries to grant abſolutions to Excommunicate perſons without amends, upon ſufficient Caution tendered, which ſufficiency was iſſuable, and to be tried at the Common Law. Judge Whitlocke M. 22. Jacobi B. R. and Paſc. 2. Car. B. Regis, cited one▪ Midlecotes caſe adjudged in the Kings Bench to this effect. A Conſtable was elected and ſworn in a Court Leet; the Juſtices of Peace at the Seſſions refuſed him, and elected and ſwore another. Whereupon the Lord of the Leet ſued out a Writ of Reſtitution to the Juſtices of Peace, to allow of and restore the Conſtable choſen in the Leet, being the Lords inheritance: So if a Town-Clerk, Alderman, Burgeſſe, Recorder, or Mayor of a Town, be unjuſtly kept out, or removed from his place, or diffranchiſed; A Writ of Reſtitution will be, and ought by law to be granted out of the Kings Bench, to reſtore them to the poſſeſſion of their places, as tis reſolved in Sir James Baggs caſe▪ Trin. 13 Jacobi. Cooks 11. Report. f. 93. &c. in Audlyes Caſe, Paſ. 2. Caroli, B. R. in Boſtons caſe; the caſe of an Alderman of Coventry; Mr. Manniptons caſe, Recorder of Launceſton in Cornwell, and ſundry others in King Charles his reign. Therefore by like Law, Juſtice, Reaſon, a like writ of Restitution will lye for all thoſe Pariſhioners, to reſtore them to the frequent uſe and actual enjoyment of the Lords Supper, who have been injuriouſly, unchriſtianly, and ſacrilegiouſly (without any Legal ſentence of Excommunication for any Legal cauſe) kept from it, by their imperious Miniſters, againſt the Lawes of God and the Realm: It being reſolved inCooks 11 Rep. f. 98. • . Bagges caſe, That the Court of Kings Bench hath authoritie, not only to correct judicial Errors in proceedings, but other Errors and Miſdemeanors e • trajudicial▪ tending to the breach of the Peace, or Oppreſſion of the Subjects, or to the raiſing of Faction, Controverſie, Debate, or to any manner of Miſgovernment; ſo that No wrong or injury whether publike or private, may be done; but that it ſhall be there Reformed, or puniſhed by due courſe of Law.

I find in thePars 2. f. 50. b. Regiſter of Writs, a recital in a Conſultation; that the Archdeacon of Norwich antiently in his Spiritual Court, ſued a Pariſhioner, ex Officio, for ſubſtracting his accuſtomed Oblations at Eaſter, Christs Nativity, and All Saints, &c. Et viaticum quod a ſingulis Catholicis ſemel in Anno recipi debet. ceſſante legitimo impedimento per multos annos recipers recu • abit, in pernicioſum e • eniplum al • orunr. Who procuring a Prohibitien to ſtay this ſute, and prevent the corporal puniſhment to be inflicted on him for theſe Offences, pro ſalute animae: Thereupon the King granted a ſpecial conſultation to the Archdeacon, to proceed in this cauſe, notwithſtanding the Prohibition; to puniſh this Notorious delinquent, who refuſed to pay his oblati • ns, and to receive the Lords Supper for many years, (which Sea The Canons, Anno 1603. Can. 21. 11 • . ought to be received by all Chriſtians once a year at leaſt) to the pernicious example of others: Therefore by like Juſtice (now theſe Eccleſiaſtical Courts are ſuppreſed) ought special Writs to be iſſued out of our Temporal Courts, to correct, puniſh all ſuch Ministers, who (to the pernicious example of others, the ſcandal of our Church, Religion, and prejudice of their peoples ſouls) for ſundry Months and years together, have peremptorily refuſed to adminiſter the Lords Supper to their Pariſhioners, though importuned by them to do it; and likewiſe to puniſh all ſuch Pariſhioners, who have obſtinately, Schiſmatically or prophanely refuſed, or neglected to receive it, in ſuch places where it hath been duly adminiſtred; And thatSee Lamberts Juſtice of Peace, f: • 16: The Compleat Juſtice, p. 286. by the very Statutes of 1 Ed. 6. c. 1. 1 Eliz. c. 2. 13 Eliz. c. 12. 3 Jac. ch. 3, 4, 5. Which I truſt will henceforth be put in vigorous execution againſt all ſuch obſtinate offenders, who ſhall perſevere in the Sacrilegious Non-adminiſtration, or impious Non-reception of the holy Communion, after theſe my weak, and other pious Mens endeavours to convince them of, and reclame them from theſe their Unchriſtian Practices: I ſhall conclude with that ofGratian, de Conſecratione Diſtinct. 2. S. Hilary; Si non ſunt tanta peccata ut Excommunicetur quis, non ſe debet à medicina corporis et ſanguinis Domini ſeperare. and withFredericus • andebrogus, Cod • x Legum Antiq. Capitularia Caroli et Ludovici Imperat • r: lib. 7. c. 371. Placuit, ut omnes qui Eccleſiam Intrant (niſi à ſuo fuerint Excommun • cati Sacerdite) communicent. Si qui autem hoc facere noluerint, tamdiu à Communione et Christianorum conſortio habeantur alieni, quamdiu per ſatisfactionem Eccleſiae à proprio mereantur per manus impoſitionem reconciliari Ep • ſcopo, & ſanct • ae resti • ui Communioni: And that of the wholeSurius Concil. • om. 1. p. 712. Gratian de Conſecrat. Diſtinct. 2. Juo Carnotenſ • s, D • cret. pars 2. c. 33. Council of Agathen, about 441. years after Chriſt: Seculares qui in Natali Domini, Paſca, Pentecoste non communicaverint (and by conſequence, Clerici qui tunc Euchariſtiam Secularibus non adminiſtraverint) Catholin non credantur, nec inter Catholicos habeantur; but ought to be reputed as meer Heathens, Publicans, Excommunicate perſons, unworthy the name of Chriſts Miniſters or Chriſtians.