The naked truth

LIBRARY ST. MARY S COLLEGE

THE NAKED TRUTH

A 2

NAKED TRUTH

Published anonymously by

HERBERT CROFT, Lord Bishop

6

of Hereford in 1675

ft / "r Reprinted

with an Introduction by
HERBERT HENSLEY HENSON
Lord Bishop of Hereford in 1919

LONDON

CHATTO Gf WINDUS

1919

114800

Contents

PAGE

Introduction I The Author

2 The Occasion of Writing ix

7 The Naked Truth xii

...

4 Criticisms
Bibliographical Note

I
To the Lordsand Commons Assembledin Parliament i

II

To the Reader 4

III

Concerning Articles of Faith

IV
An Appendix to the former Subject 23

V
Concerning Ceremonies and Church Service 33

VI
Concerning Church Service 45

VII
Concerning Preaching 5

VIII
Concerning Bishops and Priests 65

IX

Concerning Deacons 9 2

X
Concerning Confirmation 99

XI
Of Church Government IQ 8

XII
A Charitable Admonition to Non-Conformists 119

Introduction
I

THE AUTHOR

HERBERT CROFT, the author of The Naked Truth^ was
born at Great Thame, Oxfordshire, on October i8th,
1603, and died in the Palace, Hereford, on May i8th,
1691. The eighty-eight years of his life covered a critically
important period of English history. JAMES I. came from
Scotland to ascend the throne of ELIZABETH in the year of
his birth, and before he died Dutch WILLIAM had been
reigning for more than two years. He lived through both
the Great Rebellion and the Revolution. The execution
of CHARLES I. darkened the middle of his life, and the ex
pulsion of JAMES II. troubled its close. He came of an
ancient arid important Herefordshire family, the CROFTS,
of Croft Castle, a circumstance which gave him ample
means and additional social consequence when, rather late
in his life, he became Bishop. His father, SIR HERBERT
CROFT, had sate for Herefordshire in several Parliaments,
and had received knighthood from JAMES I. His father was,
moreover,a man of active mind,and strong religiousinterest.
Towards the end of his life he became a convert to the
Roman Catholic Church, retired to Douay where he joined
the Benedictines, and occupied himself with polemical
writing. "At length after he had macerated his body with
fasting, hardship, and devotion, he surrendered up his pious
soul to the Almighty." (1622.)

SIR HERBERT S change of religion necessarily affected
most importantly the upbringing of his son. A divided
family and an atmosphere of heated controversy were not

ii. INTRODUCTION

ideal conditions for the boy s development. His boyhood
was passed in a polemical environment for his father, with
a convert s ardour, was bent on persuading his children to
follow him into the Roman Church. HERBERT was fetched
away from Oxford, where he was jusl beginning his career
at the age of thirteen, and transplanted to the safer climate
of Douay. There fir^t, then at St. Omer s, finally at the
English College in Rome, he received a theological educa
tion which was more protracted, thorough, and extensive
than fell to the lot of most English clergymen. Four years
after his father s death, when he himself was twenty-three,
he was admitted to the Roman Church by a Jesuit Priest.
His career as a Roman Catholic was a brief one, for, having
come to England on family business, he fell under the in
fluence of the eminent Bishop of Durham, Dr. THOMAS
MORTON, whose renown as a recoverer of lapsed Anglicans
was far extended and well deserved. LAUD interested him
self in the Bishop s convert, and by his advice HERBERT
matriculated at Oxford as a member of Christ Church. In
1636 he was allowed to proceed B.D. in response to his
request for a dispensation on the ground of "the ten years
time which he had spent in the study of divinity in foreign
nations." His career as a clergyman promised to be a brilliant
one. Preferment poured upon him. Two parishes, a
chaplaincy to the King, prebendal stalls in Salisbury and
Worcester, a Canonry of Windsor, and the Deanery of
Hereford, all within eight years of his Ordination, attested
the favour of his Sovereign. He was more a man of the
world than the average English ecclesiastic, and CHARLES
found him useful. The King, we are told, "was so well
satisfied with his integrity and loyalty, that he afterwards
entrusted him with his secret commands to several of the
great officers in his army, to the hazard of his life." His
loyalty was genuine and courageous. WALKER, in his
"Sufferings of the Clergy," relates an episode in which the

THE AUTHOR iii.

Dean of Hereford ran considerable risk by his outspoken
denunciation of the dominant Puritans.

"For soon after the taking of Hereford this excellent
Doctor preaching at the cathedral there, inveighed
boldly and sharply against sacrilege; at which some of the
officers then present (so little doth a guilty conscience
need an accuser) began to mutter among themselves, and
a guard of musqueteers in the church were preparing
their pieces, and asked whether they should fire at him;
but Colonel Birch the governor prevented them."
His deanery brought him no income during the inter
regnum, and he would, like many other royalisl: clergymen,
have been reduced to actual indigence had not the death of
his elder brother placed him in possession of the family
estates. The Restoration brought happier fortunes. He had
hardly re-entered into possession of his deanery before he
was nominated to the bishopric of Hereford, which had
been refused by RICHARD BAXTER. WOOD gives the
following account of his episcopal career:

"On the 27th of December, 1661, he was nominated
by his Majesty Bishop of HEREFORD in the place of Dr.
NICH. MONK, deceased to which see being consecrated
on the Qth of February following (Shrove Sunday) in the
Archbishop s Chapel at Lambeth (Dr. JASPER MAYNE
of ChrisT: Church preaching then the Consecration ser
mon) he became afterwards much venerated by the
Gentry and Commonalty of that diocese for his learning,
doctrine, conversation, and good hospitality; which ren
dered him a person in their esleem fitted and set apart by
God for his honourable and sacred function. Which pre
ferment being in his time scarce worth 800 per annum
yet it being the country of his ancestors and of very many
of his relations, he was so well satisfied with it that he
refused the offer of greater preferment by King CHARLES
II. as it was well known by his contemporaries at court,

iv. INTRODUCTION

where he served as Dean of his Majesty s Chapel Royal
from the 8th of February, 1667, to the beginning of
March, 1669; when being then weary of a Court life,
or in truth finding but little good effect of his pious en
deavours there, he retired to his episcopal see, where by
his strict rules in admission to Holy Orders, especially
that of priesthood* and in conferring the dignities of the
church, he dissatisfied many more of the clergy than he
obliged, for no solicitations could prevail with him to
admit any to be Prebendaries of that church but such
that lived within that diocese that the duty of the church
might not be neglected, and the small livings augmented.
He would often please himself with the effecting this
pious design of having all the dignities and prebendaries
to live within his own diocese (which he lived to accom
plish) hoping that this example would influence his suc
cessors to take the same course. He made but little public
show of his charity, as many that are truly prudent and
pious do not, but they that were privy to his concerns
know it was very ample, in augmenting small livings, and
relieving many in distress, besides a weekly dole to 60
poor people at his Palace gate in Hereford, whether resi
dent there or not for his country house being situated in
the centre of his diocese, he spent much time there, where
he was no less charitable in relieving the poor and visiting
the sick in the neighbouring parishes, as tis very well
known. He was very friendly and loving to his clergy, a
tender father, and the best of husbands; and as for his
learning which was not common, the books that he
wrote do show that he was not altogether conversant in
Divinity but other parts of learning."

We have an interesting reference to the Bishop in PEPYS S

diary under date March I7th, 1667:

"I went back to White Hall, and there up to the closet,
and spake with several people till sermon was ended,

THE AUTHOR v.

which was preached by the Bishop of Hereford, an old
good man, that they say made an excellent sermon. He
was by birth a Catholique, and a great gallant, having
1,500 per annum,patrimony, andisaKnightBarronet;
was turned from his persuasion by the late Archbishop
LAUD. He and the Bishop of Exeter, Dr. WARD, are the
two Bishops that the King do say he cannot have bad
sermons from."

BURNET is less friendly in his reference. His description of
the Bishop of Hereford might almost serve as a candid
attempt at self-portraiture:

"CROFTS was a warm devout man, but of no discre
tion in his conduct; so he lost ground quickly. He used
much freedom with the king; but it was in the wrong
place, not in private, but in the pulpit."
Bishop CROFT died in his palace at Hereford on 1 8th May,
1691, after an episcopate of nearly thirty years. On his
gravestone in the Cathedral is this inscription:

"depositum HERBERTI CROFT de Croft, episcopi
Herefordensis, qui obiit 18 die Maii, A.D. 1691, aetatis
suae 88; in vita conjuncti."

The last words in life united, allude to his lying nextDean
BENSON, at the bottom of whose gravestone are these words,
in morte non divisi, the two tombstones having*hands en
graved on them, reaching from one to the other, to signify
the lasting friendship which existed between these two
divines. The stone placed to the bishop s memory has since
been removed to the east transept."*
The Bishop s name is perpetuated in the diocese by "Bishop
Croft s Charity," a bequest of 1,200 for the benefit of the
incumbent of Yarpole, and the assistance of clergymen s
widows. In the preface to his will CROFT, after the fashion
of his age, introduces a religious profession:

v. Diet, of Nat. Biog. Art. "CROFT."

vi. INTRODUCTION

"And I do in all humble manner most heartily thank
God that he hath been most graciously pleased by the
light of his most holy Gospel to recall me from the dark
ness of Popish errors and gross superstitions, into which
I was seduced in my younger days, and to settle me again
in the true ancient catholic and apostolic faith professed
by our Church of England, in which I was born and
baptized, and in which I joyfully die with full assurance
by the merits of my mosl: blessed Saviour to enjoy eternal
happiness."

HERBERT CROFT S character lies on the surface of his
record. Loyal, affectionate, and zealous, he was also dicta
torial and prejudiced. His candour was matched by his
obstinacy. He was neither a great man nor a learned divine,
but he had seen much of the world, and his conscience was
more considerable than his understanding. His violent dis
like of Popery was explained and perhaps excused by his per
sonal experience of the papal system. He had lived through
the Rebellion, and had suffered no inconsiderable risks and
dangers. He shared to the full the high monarchical doc
trine of the Laudian clergy, and his concessions to Non
conformity implied no weakening of his Royalist convic
tions. In the crisis which precipitated the Revolution he
dissented from the position of the Seven Bishops, and pub
lished a "Short Discourse" to justify his obedience to the
King s order. This short composition, written at the age of
85, is eminently characteristic. It discloses a confused and
troubled intellect, but also a simple and kindly disposition.
He was fond of quoting Elisha s politic counsel to Naaman
as to bowing down in the house of Rimmon. In doubtful
cases he preferred compliance to the certain risk and un
certain advantage of resistance. But he would not condemn
his brethren:

"Yet I verily believe, and durst lay down my life for
the truth of it, that my Brethren who refuse the dis-

THE AUTHOR vii.

persing of these Declarations are very far from having
any evil intention in it, but will as readily obey the King
as myself, in what is as agreeable to their consciences,
as these things are to mine. And had I had the good
fortune to be amongst them at their consultation, I
should not have doubted of good success in persuading
them to this business; which although it comes now too
late for this; yet by the grace of GOD it may prevent some
future evil accidents. However I resolved to publish it,
to give as much satisfaction to the world as I can upon
what reason I dissent from my brethren, who, I am con
fident, aim at the same thing, though we go clean con
trary ways unto it. And I most humbly implore his
gracious Majesty to believe so of them, and not to give
way to passion, or to hearken unto those who would
exasperate him against them; for tis impossible a true
son of the Church of England should have any disloyal
thoughts in his heart, his principles commanding him
unto entire obedience, either active or passive, without
any equivocation, or mental reservation in any case
whatsoever. And therefor a true generous heart cannot
but be kind and merciful to such submissive subjects
according to that, Par cere subjects et debellare superbos"*
The significance of the pamphlet here reprinted is not fully
perceived until the convictions and prejudices of the writer
are remembered. Fear of Popery and a clear sense of the
spiritual destitution of his diocese were the influences
which carried Bishop CROFT into the camp of the Moder
ates. As to the first sentiment, it is difficult for a modern

*v. A short Discourse concerning the Reading His
Majesty s late Declaration in the Churches set
forth by the Right Reverend Father in God
HERBERT Lord Bishop of Hereford. Published by
authority. London. 1688.

viii. INTRODUCTION

Englishman either to appreciate its reasonableness or to
understand its strength. The Papacy was not then a pic
turesque institution surviving amid the ruins of an older
world like the lonely pillars of Palmyra, but a scheming
aggressive power, menacing and triumphant, which was
visibly endangering the hardly-won liberties of Protestant
Europe. In CROFT S infancy England had been thrilled by
the Gunpowder Plot; in his old age England was thrilled
again by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Between
those events lay the Thirty Years War with its insular ex
pression in the English Rebellion, and, since the Restora
tion, a continuing series of alarming incidents culminating
in the accession to the English Throne of a fanatical papist.
BISHOP CROFT stood with his generation in his attitude to
wards the Papacy. To the patriotic Englishman of that age
Rome was the tireless and immitigable enemy of English
faith and English freedom. In all this there was certainly
much ignorance and fanaticism, but there was also more
justice than we now always remember.

More amiable and more intelligible was the Bishop s
concern for the spiritual state of his diocese. Then, as at
the present time, HEREFORD was an essentially rural dio
cese lying apart from the great world, the people gathered
in tiny hamlets or scattered far over the hills in lonely farms
and cottages, kindly and loyal to their own leaders, but
suspicious of strangers and stiff in their local and personal
attachments, a typically English folk. There was much
ignorance, much indolence, not a little actual vice. The
ecclesiastical system was full of anomalies and practical
abuses. The miserable poverty of the benefices compelled
non-residence, and seemed to justify pluralities. Many of
the clergy were ill-trained, negligent, degraded. Their
inefficiency was apparent and extreme. The ejection of the
Nonconformists by the Act of Uniformity did undoubtedly
create a situation of spiritual destitution in many dit

THE AUTHOR ix.

Not the worst, but the best pastors were thrust out of the
parishes, and their places were taken by a low type of clergy
man whose ostentatious loyalty was too often attested by a
frank exhibition of the fashionable vices. It was easier to
disprove the accusation of Puritanism than to exhibit those
spiritual characteristics which had given the Puritan
ministry its hold on the popular conscience. Shortly after
the Restoration, when the first consequences of the Act of
Uniformity were apparent, a tractate was published, the
authorship of which has been generally attributed to KEN,
and which serves well to illustrate Bishop CROFT S pam
phlet. It is written in a turgid style, and may exaggerate the
evils it describes, but the truth of its general picture of
English religion cannot be doubted. The quaint title page
indicates sufficiently its contents "ICHABQD: or Five
Groans of the Church: prudently foreseeing, and passionately
Bewailing, Her Second Fall; threatened by these five danger
ous, though undiscerned Miscarriages that caused her First:
viz., I. Undue Ordination; 2. Loose Profaneness; 3. Un
conscionable Simony; 4. Careless Non-Residence; 5. En
croaching Pluralities. Humbly presented to her supreme
Head and Governor, The King s most excellent Majesty: and
his great Council, the Parliament of England"

Within a few years of the publication of The Naked
Truth, RICHARD BAXTER, who, it is interesting to re
member, might, if he had wished, have himself been Bishop
of Hereford, published The Nonconformist s Plea for Peace
(1679). It should be read as illustrating theattitlide of the
Nonconformists at the time when Bishop CROFT wrote.

II
THE OCCASION OF WRITING

The situation in which Bishop CROFT was led to publish his
pamphlet was somewhat perplexing. CHARLES II. was in

B

x. INTRODUCTION

process of being "found out" by his subjects, and the loyalty
which he could still count upon had its roots far more in the
resentments and suspicions bred of the civil war than in any
devotion to his person. In 1 670 the secret treaty of Dover
had been signed, and the King of England had become the
pensioner of Louis XIV. and his ally in the war against
Protestantism. To advance, and at the same time to conceal,
his religious interest was the governing idea of the Royal
policy, which, however, was always subordinate to the
more immediate requirements of the King s self-indulgence.
Nothing could have induced CHARLES II. to run the risk
of a second exile. The Nonconformists were his natural
opponents politically, but as Nonconformists they belonged
to the same religious description with his fellow-papists.
Might he not by appealing to their religious interest harness
them to his own political purpose, and at the same time make
them unconsciously serviceable to the Roman interest?
The Declaration of Indulgence issued in 1672-3 implied a
conception of the Royal authority which could not be easily
reconciled with the English Constitution, and it created a
situation which might be very favourable to the Papist sub
jects of the Crown. Both facts were soon perceived, and
made the basis of an energetic agitation against the Declara
tion. It was essentially the same situation as that in 1688
which precipitated the Revolution. English Churchmen
were perplexed by the apparent conflict between their
political doctrine and their religious interest. Hardly less
perplexing was the position of the Nonconformists, whose
immediate interest was served by their complaisance to
wards a future, but most formidable, danger.

CROFT,like SANCROFT,made thedangerto Protestantism
implicit in a toleration of Papists a ground for approaching
the Protestant Nonconformists with an olive-branch.
Comprehension was still the prevailing policy. Toleration
came later as a consequence of the failure of Comprehen-

THE OCCASION OF WRITING xi.

sion. Probably both were desirable. No comprehension
could have gathered the extremer sectaries within the
system of the Established Church, but a reasonable com
prehension might have satisfied the majority of the Non
conformists, and made the Church of England genuinely
national. The golden opportunity had come at the
Restoration, and it had not been seized. In 1675, when
The Naked Truth appeared, the older Nonconformists
were Still living, and there still seemed a promise of success.
But in 1688, a new generation had come on the scene, and
it preferred the sectarian liberty secured by Toleration to
the slight but indispensable restraints of comprehension
within the Church. The decline of sectarianism, which is
perhaps the most conspicuous and certainly the most
promising feature of modern English religion, has brought
the older policy of comprehension again within the sphere
of serious consideration. Nonconformity, distributed into a
number of organized denominations, is hard pressed to find
any satisfying justification for the religious separatism
which it expresses. The old excuses have lost validity.
There is no longer any connexion between sectarian re
ligion and political liberty. Civil rights are not endangered
now by ecclesiastical agreement. The questions which
BAXTER and his contemporaries regarded as spiritually
fundamental do not for the most part have that aspect for
modern Christians. Denominational vested interests are
far more formidable obstacles to religious unity in England
than discordant convictions. The ground is cumbered with
the ruins of exhausted systems, ecclesiastical and doc
trinal. It would seem that the way lies open for a great re
conciliation. There is, indeed, still "a great gulf fixed"
between the two conceptions of Christianity which stood
out in clear antagonism at the Reformation. What is
summed up under the term "sacerdotalism" cannot, so far
as yet appears, be harmonised with what the Reformers

B 2

xii. INTRODUCTION

called "the Gospel." It seems rather a paganized version of
CHRIST S Religion than the Religion itself. But the de
nominational systems, which have grown from the Re
formation, may perhaps have done their work, and could be
merged in a larger unity with advantage to Religion. Their
very number is in a sense religiously scandalous, and the
rivalries between them are wholly discreditable. A national
system, such as that which the ecclesiastical establishment
in England provides, might seem well adapted to serve as
the framework of a great unification of English religion.

Ill
THE NAKED TRUTH

The Naked Truth opens with a section "concerning
Articles of Faith" which discloses a candid but embarrassed
mind, too honest to resist the clear evidence of experience,
but too confused to perceive the full significance of it. There
is nothing original in the argument. At every point the
reader catches echoes of CHILLINGWORTH, JEREMY
TAYLOR, and STILLINGFLEET, in whose writings the same
argument is developed with a far wider and more accurate
knowledge than CROFT possessed. It is the accepted
Anglican case against Rome expressed with the ardour, and
sometimes with the inaccuracy, of an old man. He draws on
the memory of those troubled years of his early manhood
when the sophisms of the Roman controversialists had
seemed to him irresistible, and we may gather from his
pages what were the arguments by which Bishop MORTON
had induced him to return to the communion of the
National Church. But there is still a Roman suggestion
about his attitude to external authority. He seems to transfer
to the Bible the unquestioning submission which formerly
he had yielded to the Church. The authority is changed
rather than the mental attitude.

THE NAKED TRUTH xiii.

On the vexed subj ect of "Ceremoniesand Church Service"
he adopts a frankly latitudinarian position. Let the Bishops
follow the example of S. PAUL, "that great grand-father of
the church," and gain the people by reasonable concessions.
He instances the Surplice still, as in the XVIth century, a
sore point with the Puritans.

"Perchance I appear a great enemy to the Surplice so
often naming that; I confess I am, would you know
why? not that I dislike, but in my own judgment much
approve a pure white robe on the Minister s shoulders to
put him in mind what purity becomes a Minister of the
Gospel. But such dirty nasty Surplices as most of them
wear, and especially the singers in Cathedrals (where
they should be mosl: decent) is rather an intimation of
their dirty lives, and have given my stomach such a sur
feit of them, as I have almost an averseness to all; and I
am confident had not this decent habit been so un-
decently abused, it had never been so generally loathed."
Somewhat earlier EARLE in his Microcosmography (1628)
had described the disgusting appearance of "the common
singing men in cathedral churches" as they lounged into
their stalls "their gowns laced commonly with streamings
of ale, the superfluities of a cup or throat above measure."

Bishop CROFT instances as one of the ceremonies which
alienate the people, the bowing toward the Altar, which
had been allowed by the Canons of 1640, but which was
sometimes pushed to foolish extremes, and then proceeds
to speak of "that grand debated ceremony of kneeling at the
Lord s Supper." He thinks "there is no reason to condemn
those that use it, nor much reason to press it on those that
disuse it."

"Wherefore let us be men of understanding, men in
devotion, be zealous, and hold fast the substantial parts
of religion, piety, justice, temperance, chastity, truth,
sincerity, stand fast for these, not recede one hair s

xiv. INTRODUCTION

breadth from these, keep but our ground and fight it out
like men to death against all powers and principalities
on earth, or under the earth, and let us leave it to women
and children to contend about ceremonies, let it be in
different to us whether this, or that, or no ceremony,
whether kneel, or not kneel, bow or not bow, surplice or
no surplice, cross or no cross, ring or no ring, let us give
glory to God in all, and no offence to our brethren in
anything."

Such appeals are equally reasonable and irrelevant, for they
assume that the attitude towards ceremonies, alike of those
who defend and of those who denounce them, is determined
by reason, whereas it is a matter of imagined principle. Nor
is the suggestion of contempt which colours the language
likely to persuade or to conciliate anybody. It is the weak
ness of the latitudinarian that he lies so far outside the
beliefs and enthusiasms which he aspires to analyse and
direct as not wholly to understand them.

Bishop CROFT is an advocate of Prayer Book revision in
the interest of the "general satisfaction," but he would suffer
no departure from the revised Book. That, he thinks,
would lead to different uses in the churches, to which
people would have recourse without regard to parochial
obligations, "and thus some churches would be thronged,
others deserted, and no account could be taken by the
pastor of his congregation." In fact, he describes the situa
tion with which we are now familiar. Concessions to the
Nonconformist leaders would, he maintains, bring over
their followers, and put out of occupation "the shop-
prating Weavers and Cobblers," for whom both as a Divine
and as a Royalist he had an unfeigned contempt.

The section on Preaching is of exceptional interest and
value. The Bishop of HEREFORD is evidently, conscious
that his opinions are unfashionable, and that his frank ex
pression of them will be widely resented. But he is so sure of

1 HE NAKED TRUTH xv.

his ground that he will speak without reserve. The current
mode of preaching is, he maintains, utterly inconsistent
with Apostolic models, and utterly barren of spiritual re
sults. The ancient Fathers, "especially the Greeks, always
fond of niceties and curiosities," were bad exemplars, for
they carried over from their ancestral paganism into the
Church many ill habits. Anglican preaching, as formed on
patristic examples and academic instructions, is rather a
method of self-advertisement than a means of edification:

u So much time is spent in composing these oratory
sermons as the Minister hath not leisure to perform a
quarter of his parochial duty, of visiting the sick, of ad
monishing the scandalous, of reconciling the janglers, of
private examining and instructing the poor ignorant
souls, thousands in every country as ignorant as heathens,
who understand no more of most sermons than if in
Greek, so that the sermon is rather a banquet for the
wantons that are full, than instruction for those who are
even starved for want of spiritual food, the plain and
saving word of Christ, not the nice conceited word of
man, which may nourish camelions never make solid
sound Christians.

There are others of a different strain, who wanting
both wit and learning also, think to supply all by strength
of lungs, by long and loud babbling, riding hackney from
one good town to another, and with fervency of spirit
like a boiling pot running over wherever they come."
He ridicules the importance attached to a university train
ing while disclaiming any "disparagement of university
learning." Let the Bishops recall the original institution of
the ministry when not novices but "elders" were papointed :
"Really tis most evident that the Church is run into
great contempt by the lightness and giddiness of many
ministers, who intend nothing but to make a handsome
school-boy s exercises in the pulpit on Sunday, but never

xvi. INTRODUCTION

attend the other parochial duties , nor their own advance
in spiritual knowledge, but give themselves wholly
either to idle studies, or idler recreations, and are very
children in divine knowledge and behaviour."
He goes on to draw a woeful picture of the spiritual destitu
tion of the country. His account agrees with that of BAXTER
and has a value of its own as coming from a Bishop of the
Established Church. "He dwells on the inadequate provision
of the Clergy in the large town parishes, and the insufficient
maintenance for such Clergy as exist.

"It would make any true Christian s heart bleed to
think how many thousand poor souls there are in this
land, that have no more knowledge of God than heathens ;
thousands of the mendicant condition never come to
church, and are never looked after by any; thousands of
mean husbandry men that do come to church understand
no more of the sermon than brutes; perchance in their
infancy some of them learned a little of their catechism,
that is, they could like parrots say some broken pieces,
but never understand the meaning of one line (this is the
common way of catechising), but afterwards as they grow
up to be men, grow more babes in religion, so ignorant
as scarce to know their heavenly Father, and are ad
mitted to the Sacrament of the Lord s Supper before
they are able to give an account of the Sacrament of
Baptism. This is generally in the country, and in the
city as bad, partly for the reason before specified, and
partly by reason the number in many parishes is far
greater than any one parson can have a due care of; he
cannot know half the names or faces of them, much
less their faith and behaviour, which is requisite that he
may both instruct and reprove where there is need."
He decides that "sciences and languages are no way neces
sary for common parochial preachers," and that "a small
proportion of learning with a great deal of piety and dis-

THE NAKED TRUTH XYU.

cretion is much better." Accordingly he suggests that older
men of good character and proved devotion should be or
dained although they have no university training. He thinks
that "then we might find thousands in the nation that,
having means of their own, would preach the Gospel to the
poor for conscience sake."

"The maintenance for ministers in most parts is so
wretchedly small (and so like to be, the tithes being in the
hands of laymen without hopes of recovery) that there
is no convenient support for men of worth and gravity,
and therefore youths and striplings as wretched are put
into them of meer necessity, that they lie not wholly
void; whereas if men that had some estate to help to
maintain themselves, being persons of conscience and
convenient knowledge, were put into the ministry, and
such preaching the Gospel accepted of, as the Apostles
and primitive disciples used, the cures would be served
with far more edification of the people, and honour to
the church, than now they are."

If this plan were adopted, he believes that "many persons
of good rank and estate would think it no dishonour but
rather a high honour to enter into the Ministry. To assist
the new clergy he recommends that "there should be one
good and brief English comment of Scripture selected and
compiled," and "set forth by authority." The book of
Homilies, he thinks, should be revised with the object of
making it a more serviceable instrument for the teaching
of practical morality.

It must be remembered in reading CROFT S scornful
references to the Universities and the young clergymen
who came from them, that students were then no older
than public schoolboys are now, that he himself had gone
to Oxford at an unusually advanced age, that he was past
seventy when he wrote The Naked Truth) and, after the
manner of the aged, tended to exaggerate both the fact and

xviii. INTRODUCTION

the faults of youth, that he had been trained in a Jesuit
seminary, where the professional equipment was incom
parably superior to that provided in the English universities,
that he had been, like CHARLES II., familiar with foreign
preaching, and found English sermons intolerably dull,
prolix, and artificial. English preaching was in course of
rapid transition from the formal learned style illustrated by
ANDREWES to the easy polished compositions which made
the reputation of TILLOTSON. Writing in 1692 BURNET
could take for granted the excellence of English preaching:
"Preaching has passed through many different forms
among us, since the Reformation; but without flattering
the present age, or any person now alive, too much, it
must be confessed, that it is brought of late to a much
greater perfection than it was ever before at among us.
It is certainly brought nearer the pattern that St.
Chrysostom has set, or perhaps carried beyond it. Our
language is much refined, and we have returned to the
plain notions of simple and genuine rhetoric."
The Bishop s plan for solving the closely connected pro
blems of spiritual destitution and clerical poverty is, per
haps, worth consideration to-day when the ecclesiastical
system is being brought under review. It is becoming very
difficult to man parishes which are wretchedly endowed and
sparsely inhabited. The decline in agriculture within recent
years, and the disappearance of large families, have cut off
the supply of "y oun g er sons," from which in the past the
best rural clergymen ha^ e been drawn. They knew the
country, and they lived on their own incomes. For the
future the Church must make its count with men of a
poorer class, who must "live of the Gospel." A "living
wage" cannot be severed from "a fair day s work," and
neither is to be found in the tiny parishes which are so
numerous in the diocese of HEREFORD. In the XVI Ith
century communications were so difficult that a resident

THE NAKED TRUTH xi.v.

miniver was ordinarily necessary if the people were to have
reasonable access to the Sacraments. To-day this difficulty
has vanished. Good roads, bicycles, telephones, etc., have
made pastoral charge of an extensive district compara
tively easy. No one, probably, would desire to lower the
intellectual standard of the ordained clergy, which is
already far too low, but there is much to be said for the
restoration of pluralities in the interest of an adequately
educated and adequately remunerated clergy. The com
missioning of suitable lay men and lay women to have
charge of the smaller parishes, and to conduct the ordinary
services in the parish churches, is a valuable suggestion.
Nor is it extravagant to suppose with Bishop CROFT that
there might be many religiously disposed persons of the
propertied class who would offer themselves gladly as
volunteers for this work.

Bishop CROFT sets folth his theory of the Ministry in
the vigorously written section "Concerning Bishops and
Priests." He represents that moderate view which had
generally prevailed in the Reformed Church before the
time of Archbishop LAUD, and which had certainly
governed its attitude towards the other Reformed Churches.
The influence of his early connexion with the Roman
Church is disclosed by the method of his argument, and by
his reference to the famous Jesuit controversialist PETAVIUS,
but the argument is in some respects original, and is ex
pressed with characteristic vivacity. "There can be no
doubt," writes Canon MASON, "that the attitude of the
Church of England in the matter of episcopacy stiffened at
the Restoration in 1 660." This is unquestionable, but even
the stiffened attitude of the later Carolines was far less un
compromising than that which was taken up by the Trac-
tarians in the middle of the last century, and is now widely
held. The decay of the foreign Protestant Churches, the
advance of Nonconformists from the position of estranged

xx. INTRODUCTION

brethren to that of powerful rivals, the alienation from the
half-secularised State, and the disappearance of the old fear
of Rome have tended to develop a denominational character
in the National Church, and therefore to emphasize those
features of its system which are distinctive. Among these
Episcopacy is the most conspicuous and important. Every
fresh essay in the interest of "Reunion" raises anew the
question of the origin and functions of the Ministry, for
it is certain that non-episcopal Christianity has now
acquired such sanctions in the experience of three centuries
that its adherents can never accept a view of episcopacy
which would implv the invalidity of other forms of eccle
siastical polity. In readingtheopinionsoftheolder Anglican
divines it is ever to be remembered that they wrote without
the advantage which Time has brought to modern Angli
cans. We can, and assuredly ought to, take account of the
plenary blessing which the Almighty has granted to these
non-episcopal Churches, making them His instruments for
far-extended evangelisation, and enriching them with
many illustrious saints. The formal arguments from Scrip
ture and History must now be discussed in the light of the
experience of the last three centuries. In some respects
Bishop CROFT was ill-suited for the role of a controver
sialist. He had forgotten his reading, and he was too old for
controversy. Moreover, his picturesque manner of writing
and rather slap-dash rhetoric laid him open to the effective
criticism of his more learned opponents. The controversy
itself, in the form which t bore at that time, is obsolete.
Appeals to the text of Scripture, to the precedents of the
Apostles, to the opinions of the Fathers, and to the practice
of the "primitive" or "early" Church have lost for us most
of their old validity since History has come to be regarded as
a continuing process, a stream of developing life rather than
a series of separate facts. The latest phases may tell us most
about the earliest,

THE NAKED TRUTH x*L

The section "Concerning Confirmation" is of consider
able value both as disclosing the views of a Caroline Bishop
on this part of his duty, and as throwing light on the slate
of the Church in that age. CROFT denies the sacramental
character of Confirmation "I pass it as granted that
Confirmation is no Sacrament" and sees no reason in
principle why its administration should be limited to Bishops.
Its main purpose is, he holds, to prepare the people for
Holy Communion, and that purpose was very ill served.
The ignorance and carelessness of the incumbents dis
qualified them for the task of preparing candidates, and the
Bishop, when in obedience to the canon he administers the
rite at his triennial visitations, has no opportunity of examin
ing more than a fraction of those who desire to receive it:
three-quarters of those admitted to the Communion are
never confirmed at all. He suggests four changes with a
view to remedying this deplorable slate of things, (i) He
would authorize the Rural Deans "to examine and license
to the Lord s Table," that is, administer Confirmation.
(2) He would add to the Catechism "a short and plain
paraphrase upon every sentence in the Creed, the Lord s
Prayer, and Ten Commandments, and particularly to
explain every unusual hard word therein." (3) He would
insist on constant and more careful catechising adapted to
the needs of simple people. (4) He would compel Parents
and Masters to bring their Children and Servants to the
Catechising by refusing the Holy Communion to those who
were negligent in this duty. It is evident that the Bishop is
throughout drawing on his own diocesan experience. Not
Confirmation, but its total neglect or careless administra
tion, was the cause of offence to the Puritans. It was com
mon ground with them and the Bishops that the true pur
pose of the rite was to prepare the baptised for reception
of the Holy Communion. Neither side was as yet conscious
of any difference in theory. Both condemned the confirma-

INTRODUCTION
tion of children too young to be intelligent communicants.
"Do we not see sometimes (the curate desiring to please the
fond mother) children confirmed so young, as cannot with
out a miracle be of a capacity to understand those divine
mysteries?"

The last section treats "Of Church Government."
CROFT is at one wifh the Nonconformists in condemning
the method by which the discipline of excommunication
was then administered. Lay-chancellors seemed to him not
less objectionable than lay-preachers:

"Where are you Parliament men, you great sons of
the Church so zealous for episcopal government, yet
suffer this principal part of it to be thus alienated and
usurped by laymen? If an unordained person take upon
him to pray or preach, with what outcries and severe
laws, and with great reason also, you fall upon him; but
if an unordained person take upon him to judge, sentence,
and excommunicate bishops themselves, you calmly pass
it over, take no notice of it."

He is opposed to all meddling of the clergy in lay affairs,
and condemns "those of the inferior clergy, who take upon
them to study and practice physic for hire," though he
allows that the extreme poverty of the benefices may be
pleaded as an extenuation of the fault. He is equally op
posed to every invasion of clerical functions by laymen.
"A Charitable Admonition to all Nonconformists," ex
pressed in terms of rather exaggerated unction, brings the
tract to a close. He begs them to reconsider their attitude of
conscientious opposition to ecclesiastical arrangements
which dealt with matters confessedly indifferent, to be on
their guard against the Pharisaic spirit, and to realize that
their irreconcilable separatism furnished the Roman ad
versary with his most effective weapon

CRITICISMS xxiu.

IV
CRITICISMS

The Naked Truth appeared without name of author or
publisher. The title-page Stated that it was "by an humble
Moderator" and it was prefaced by "An humble petition to
the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in
Parliament? If ANDREW MARVELL was correctly in
formed, no more than 400 copies were printed for circula
tion among the Members. It was printed at a private press,
and published without authority. But it was speedily
pirated, and circulated widely. Its authorship soon leaked
out, and a considerable controversy arose. The appearance
of this book at such a time was like a comet," says WOOD.
In 1676 three criticisms appeared. The first by Dr.
FRANCIS TURNER, Master of St. John s College, Cam
bridge, afterwards one of the "Seven Bishops," was entitled,
Animadversions on a Pamphlet entituled "The Naked
Truth." It was effectively answered by ANDREW MARVELL
in an extremely amusing piece, Mr. Smirke; or, the Divine
in Mode. The second, A modesJ Survey of the moft con
siderable things m a Discourse lately published, entitled
Naked Truth) is also anonymous. Its author was none
other than the famous GILBERT BURNET. The third,
Lex Talionis: or the Author of NakedTruthStriptNaked^ is
variously attributed to Dr. PETER GUNNING, Bishop of
Chichester, to PHILIP FELL, Fellow of Eton College, and
to Dr. WILLIAM LLOYD, Dean of Bangor. There were
also several imitations of The Naked Truth put forth in
the course of the next twenty years. This literature has
long passed into the limbo of forgotten things. MARVELL S
pamphlet survives by title of its wit; the rest can interest
only antiquarians. CROFT S treatise, however, merits a
place among the historical memorials of the time, and re
wards the study of the student. In view of the ecclesiastical

xxiv. INTRODUCTION

situation which has developed within recent years English
Churchmen generally may read with profit the description
of The Naked Truth^ as it appeared to the Bishop of
HEREFORD in the reign of CHARLES II. They will, perhaps,
note with surprise how little changed the religious con
ditions of England really are. The important changes
are twofold; on the one hand, the immense and wholly-
unforeseen expansion of the type of Christianity, which in
CROFT S time was represented hy the evicted Nonconform
ists whom he wished to reconcile, and on the other hand,
the intellectual revolution which has stricken with irrele
vance the learned arguments of former times, and opened
the door to a larger unity than then seemed possible.

i his reprint has been prepared from two copies of the
original now in my possession. One is very carelessly
printed, the other is more careful. I have thought it
well to retain the author s spelling and rather eccentric
punctuation. Both have a certain interest for students
of the XVIIth century, and neither will cause any serious
inconvenience to an intelligent reader. The original type
used on the title page has been also reproduced, and else
where much of the aspect which the pamphlet bore at its
rirst appearance is still preserved.

A modernised form will be found in the VI Ith volume of
u Somers Tracts," edited by Sir Walter Scott.

I have to thank Mr. Stephen K. Jones, Sub-Librarian
of Dr. Williams Library, London, for a careful Biblio
graphy, which will be appreciated by students.

H.

^Bibliographical

1675

The | Naked Truth. | Or, the | true slate | of the Primi
tive Church. | By an | Humble Moderator. | [Zach.8.
19., Gal. 4.16.] | Printed in the Year, 1675. (a.)

Collation: 4 pp.[vi]-f 66.[i]title;[iii-iv] An Humble Petition
to the Right Honourable theLordsand Commons Assembled
in Parliament ;[v-vi] To the Reader; 1-66, the work.

The | Naked Truth. | Or, the | true slate | of the |
Primitive Church. Bvan Humble Moderator I FZach.

I.I I u

8.19., Gal. 4.16.] Printed in the Year, 1675. (b.)

Collation: 4 pp. [vi]-f 4 65 [mis-print for 66 J. [i] title;
[iii-iv] To the Lords and Commons Assembled in
Parliament ;[v-vi] To the Reader; i- 65, the work.

The | Naked Truth. | Or, the | true slate | of the |
Primitive Church. | By | An Humble Moderator. |
[Zach.8. 19., Gal. 4.16.] | Printed in the Year, 1675. (c.)

Collation: 4 pp. [vi]+66. [i] title; [iii-iv] An humble

Petition to the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons

Assembled in Parliament; [v-vij To the Reader; 1-66, the

work.

Note. The above entries represent three entirely different

editions of The Naked Truth^ all published in the year

1675. Apart from mis-prints and very small alterations,

xxvi. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

the text is identical in all three editions, with the exception
of the heading to the dedication. The above seems the most
probable order of publication, taking into consideration the
typographical evidence, and assuming MarvelPs account
(Mr. Smirke^ p.Q.) to be correct: "I am credibly informed
that the author caused four hundred of them and no more
to be printed against the last session but one of Parliament.
For nothing is more usual then to print and present to them
proposals of revenue, matters of trade, or anything of
public convenience; and sometimes cases and petitions, and
this, which the Animadverter calls the Author s dedication,
ishishumbJe Petition to the Lords and Commons assembled in
Parliament. And understanding the Parliament inclined to
a temper in religion, he prepar d these for the Speakers of
both Houses and as many of the Members as those could
furnish. But that, the Parliament rising just as the book
was delivering out and before it could be presented, the
author gave speedy order to suppress it till another session.
Some covetous printer in the mean time getting a copy,
surreptitiously reprinted it, and so it flew abroad without
the author s knowledge, and against his direction. . . Yet
because the author has in his own copyes, out of his un
speakable tenderness and modesty begg d pardon of the
Lords and Commons, in his petition, for transgressing their
Act against printing without a licence, this mdoftumparlia-
mentum mistaking the petition as addressed to himself, will
not grant it, butinsultsovertheauthor and upbraids him the
rather as a desperate offender, that sins on he saith, goes on
still in his wickedness, and hath done it against his own
conscience. Now truly if this were a sin, it was a sin of the
first impression. And the author appears so constant to the

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE xxvii.

Church of England, and to its liturgy in particular, that,
having confessed four hundred times with an humble,
lowly, penitent, and obedient heart, I doubt not but in
assisting at Divine Service he hath frequently since that
received absolution."

According to this story a would be the author s "own
copyes," hastily put forth, with a re-inforced heading to the
dedication, in the hope of allaying the outcry caused by the
issue of the surreptitious reprint, ,the "fir A impression,"
equally unlicenced, and with the less humble dedication; c
is merely a further reprint in response to the demand.

Naked Truth was republished in folio in the year 1680,
with the title: Naked Truth: the Fir ft Part, or, the true
ftate, etc. It is still without printer s name, and has the
shorter form of dedication. Though dated a year before
Hickeringill s The NakedTruth. The Second Part. London,
for Francis Smith, 1681, it seems evident that it was pur
posely reprinted at this time as a forerunner, in similar
format^ of the later work.

1676

Animadversions | UponaLate | Pamphlet | EntitledThe
| NakedTruth; | Or, the | true slate | of the | primitive
church. London, Printed by T. R. and are to be sold
by Ben/. Tooke at | the Ship in St. Paul s Church-yard,
1676.

Collation: 4pp. [viii]+66. [ii] Imprimatur, H. London.
Febr. 23. 1676; [iii] title; [v-viii] Animadversions on the
title, etc. ; [viii, at foot] errata; 1-66, the work [actually
64 pp., pagination jumps from 48 to 51.]

Kviii. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Note: Term Cat. I. 238, Easier, May 5, 1676. Price,
sticht, is. The error in pagination, had he noticed it, would
have added an extra point to Marvell s scoff on p. 33 of Mr.
Smirke, "These are the great animadvertersof the times, the
church-respondents in the pew, men that seem to be mem
bers only of Chelsy colledge, nothing but broken windows,
bare walls, and rotten timber. They with a few villanous
words, and a seared reason are the only answerers of good
and serious books: but then they think a book to be sure
fully answered, when as the exposer has by an humane
criticisme, they have writ or scribled the same number of
pages. For the author s book of the Naked Truth^ chancing
to be of sixty-six pages, the exposer has not bated him an
ace, but payed him exactly, though not in as good billet,
yet in as many notches."

Animadversions Upon a Late | Pamphlet | Entitulcd
The | Naked Truth; | Or, the | true slate | of the |
primitive church. | The Second Edition. \ London, \
Printed by T.R. and are to be sold by Benj. Tooke at | the
Ship in St. Paul s Church-yard^ 1676.

Collation: as first edition, including irregular pagination
Note: This is a page for page reprint of the firsl: edition, with
no difference except for the correction of the errata.

A | Modest Survey | Of the most considerable things | in
a | discourse | Lately Published, Entitled Naked Truth.
Written in a Letter to a Friend. Imprimatur, G.
Jane. May 26, 1676. | London \ Printed for Moses Pitt
at the Sign of the Angel in | St. Paul s Church-yard,
1676.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE xxix.

Collation: 4pp.[ii]+29. [i] title, within doublelines; 1-29,

the work.

Note: Term Cat. I. 246, Trinity. June 12, 1676. Price,

fticht, 6d. The letter is dated, ad fin., London, May the 23,

1676.

A modest survey, etc. The second edition. London, for
Moses Pitt at the Angel in S. Paul s Churchyard.

Note: Term Cat. I. 261 Mich. Nov. 22, 1676. Price,
s^icht, 6d.

Lex Talionis : | or, the | author | of | Naked Truth |
script naked. | [Printer s device of a cannon, surmounted
bv a crown, with initials "H.B."] I London, Printed for

* * I

Henry Brome at the Gun at the West | End of St. Paul s.
MDCLXXVI.

Collation: 4 pp. [ii]-f 42. [i] title, within double lines; [ii]
Imprimatur. G. Jane; 1-42, the work.
Note: Term Cat. I. 247, Trinity, June 12, 1676. Price,
slicht, 6d. It is to the printer s device that Marvell refers on
the last page of Mr. Smirke\ "But as to a new Book fresh
come out, Intitled, the Author of the Naked Truth flripp d
Naked (to the Fell, or to the skin) that Hieroglyphical
Quibble of the Great Gunn, on the Title Page, will not
excuse Bishop Gunning. For his Sermon is still expected."

Lex Talionis, etc. [another edition.] London, for Henry
Brome at the Gun at the West end of S. Paul s.

Note: Term Cat. I. 261. Mich. Nov. 22, 1676. Price,
sticht, 6d

xxx. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Mr. Smirke; | or, the | divine in mode: | being | Certain
Annotations, upon the Animad | versions on the Naked
Truth. | Together with a Short Historical Essay^ \ con
cerning General Councils, Creeds, and Im | positions, in
Matters of Religion. \ Nuda, sed Magna esl Veritas, &
praevalebit. By Andreas Rivetus, Junior, Anagr.
RES NUDA yE RITAS. \ Printed Anno Domini
MDCLXXVI. (a.)

Collation: 4 pp. [ivJ+76. [i] title; [iii-iv] To the captious
reader; 1-76, the work. [Actually pp. 86; Sig. g, between
pp. 40 & 4 1 , is unpaged, and paging 6 1 - 64 is duplicated.]
Note: The Short Historical Essay was republished
separately in the year 1680, with Andrew MarvelPs name
on the title-page.

Mr. Smirke: | or, the j divine in mode: being Certain
Annotations, upon the Animad | versions on the Naked
Truth. Together with a Short Historical Essay^ | con
cerning General Councils, Creeds, and Im | positions, in
Matters of Religion. Nuda, sed Magna esJ Veritas, &
praevalebit. By Andreas Rivetus, Junior. Anagr.
RES NUDA VE RITAS. \ Printed Anno Domini

MDCLXXVI. (b.)

Collation: as W

Note: The body of the work is another issue of V ; the sole
difference is in the title-page and preface. The former is
entirely re-set, with a few changes in punctuation and use
of italics, as shown above. The preface is not re-set, but,
before being put through the press again, two out of a much
larger number of careless misprints have been corrected.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE xxxi.

The explanation of the two title-pages is not obvious. It is
probable that the title-page and preface had been printed
off, and the former broken up, and that it was then decided
to increase the edition, while the body of the work was at
press, thus necessitating re-setting of title page.

THE

Naked Truth.

OR, THE

TRUE STATE

OF THE

Primitive Church,

BY AN

Hu mble Mod erator

ach,8. 19. Ldve the Truth
fal 4. 1 6. Ant I therefore become yonr EaeMf> lectwfi I tttt
you the truth?

Printed in the Year, 1675,

* r *T\x < vTW"fc AM vry* "VTW t >^^ V7y<* V7"yw V7Y<< > * 7\ ^- >/>< vn4 V

the Lords and Commons
Assembled in ^Parliament

MY Lords and noble Gentlemen, You have fully ex
pressed your Zeal to God and his Church in
making Laws for Unity in Faith, and Uni
formity in Discipline : for, as our Saviour said,
A Kingdom divided agamsJ it self cannot sland ; so the same
may certainly be said of a Church, the reason being the same
for both : And I call the Searcher of all hearts, the God of
life and death, to witness, that I would most readily, yea
most joyfully sacrifice all I have in this world, my life and
all, that all Non-ConformisJs were reduced to our Church.
But it falls out mosl sadly that your Laws have not the de
sired effect, our Church is more and more divided ; such is
the perverse nature of man, Niti in Vetitum^ obstinately to
oppose Authority, especially when they can pretend the
colour of Religion and Conscience ; this carries so great an
applause among the Vulgar (still envious at Superiors) that
it is, as it were, Nuts to an Ape, sweeter to them than any
other thing this world affords : for the enjoyment of this
they will endure any thing,imprisonment,loss of goods, yea
sometime of life also. And this is it which mainly nourishes
our Divisions, gives great advantage to the growth of
Popery, and threatens the total ruine of our Church. Many
who were formerly very zealous for our Church, seeing
these our sad divisions, and not seeing those of the Roman-
Church, nor their gross Superstitions (which their Priests
conceal till they have got men fast) are easily seduced by
their pretended Unity, and daily fall from us. This makes

my

C2

2 THE NAKED 7 RUTH

my heart to bleed, and my soul with anguish ready to expire
rather than live to see that dismal day of relapse into their
manifold Idolatries. Wherefore I humbled my Soul before
God in fasting and prayer, begging dayly the assistance of
his holy Spirit, to direct me to some healing Salve for these
our bleeding Wounds : and therefore I have some reason
to believe, that what is contained in these following Papers,
comes from the great goodness of God, who never fails
those who seek him in humility and sincerity both, which I
am confident I have done; and this I am sure of, that no
Worldly designs have moved me to this, but have often
tempted me to give it over ; I am also sure, that there is
nothing contained therein, which is contrary to the known
Laws of the Land : in this only I confess I have trans
gressed, in putting it forth without licence; and for this I
beg of God and you, as Naaman did of Elisha, In this thing
the Lord and you par don your Servant ; and I hope you will
say unto me as Elisha did unto Naaman, Go m peace ; and I
farther hope this shall not cast such a prejudice upon it, as to
make you cast it by, or read it with disgust. I do not expect
you should approve any thing upon the account of my seek
ing God in this, but upon my Reasons alledged ; nor do I
expect that upon my Reasons you should approve all : yet I
beseech you seriously consider all, and God of his infinite
goodness direct you to that which may make for the Unity
of our Church, by yielding to weak ones (if not wilful Ones
also) as far as your Reason and Conscience will permit: sure
you cannot so loath all condescention, as not to loath more,
and detest Papal confusion, which certainly comes on apace
by our division ; and of two evils, both Reason and Reli
gion require us to chuse the less ; now doubtless you cannot
think condescention (if evil at all, sure not) so evil as Papal
Idolatry, and that Papistry is Idolatry, is so clearly proved
by our Learned Dr. Stillmgfleet^ as it were lost labour to say

more

TO THE LORDS AND COMMONS 3

more of it. Condescention may seem in some respects im
prudent, but whether in this conjuncture of affairs impru
dent, I beseech you again consider well. The Wisest men
have changed their Counsels and Resolves upon second
thoughts, much more upon experience, and approaching
evils not at first discovered. It is a common thing with
Princes when they find their main enemies power encrease
much, to make peace with lesser enemies, on conditions
never before to be endured ; Self-preservation being the
prime principle in all Creatures rational and irrational,
springing from Nature it self, it should in nature and reason
over-ballance any other consideration ; and whatever is
done to this end, if not sinfully done, must needs be wisely
done. I most humbly beseech the All-wise God, and sole
giver of wisdom, to pour down his Holy and Wise Spirit
upon you. Amen.

To

V<* "VT

>y$e*

V^J C^ ^O^

the Reader

CH R I ST IAN Reader, so I term you, hoping you have
in some measure the Spirit of Chrift, and desire it
more, the spirit of meekness, humility, charity, not to
censure my errors, and cnveigh agavnsl them, but to
pity and endeavour to rettifie them, if you find any ; and I
as sure you in the word of a Chrislian, I shall be far more ready
to recant, than to vent an error : If you be not thus ChrisJianly
disposed, I earneslly beseech you read no further, for I am sure
you will be ditpleaAdwith it : and can you think it wisdom to
run your self into displeasure? enjoy your present quiet, and let
me reft. But if you be so ChrisJianly disposed as I mentioned,
then I as earnestly beg of you to proceed, to discover my errors
and amend them. But perchance you will ask who I am, ivhy
did I not tell you, by putting my name to this pamphlet? I will
ingenuously confess the cause. I am a weak man, of great
Passions, not able to bear Commendations or Reproach, my
small ability puts me out of danger of the first, but in great fear
of the later. IV hy then ^vas I so forward to publish my weak
ness? to have it cured; yet truly I have not been very forward,
for it is now above two years since I had these thoughts, in
which time I have read and conferred all I could to discover if 1
were in an error, but for all I yet could meet with, do not find
it so, but hope all I say is truth, and that it may be useful to the
Publique, in this present conjuncture of affairs. Therefore I
proceed, and in the next place mosJ humbly beseech all that read
this, to lay aside all bias of inter eft or education, both are very
great, I am sure I found it so very long before I could matter
them, and that of education mo si difficult ; were it not so, there
could not be that difference of opinion in Christian Religion t all

allowing

TO THE READER 5

allowing the Bible for the Rule of Faith, the P apt Sis themselves
do not rejeft it, but add to it the authority of the Church. I
verify believe there are thousands of Papists, Lutherans, Cal-
vini&S,0/A Learned and Religion*, who would lay down their
lives for the truth they profess, and yet are divided in opinion
mcerly by education ,havingin their youth so imprinted their own
opinions in their mind, as you may sooner separate their body than
their opinion fromtheir Soul. Nay, I have heard that among the
Turks there are many wise and moderate persons that are as
zealous to ?naintain their ridiculous Alcaron as we our Bible ;
which cannot proceed from any thing but the slrong bias of edu
cation which so wheels about and intoxicates their brain. And
to say somewhat more particular of our own Nation here,
Those that have been educated in that way as to sit at the Com
munion, and baptrze their Children without the Cross, had
rather omit those Sacraments than use kneeling or the Cross ;
and those that have been educated in kneeling and crossing,
though they acknowledg they are meer Ceremonies indifferent,
Vet had rather omit the Sacraments, than omit the Ceremonies,
just as if a man had rather starve than eat bread baked in a
Pan, because he hath med bread baked m an Oven. So that
Religion in many is really but their humor, fancy passeth for
reason, andcusJome is more prevalent than any argument. This
is the thing which makes me fear I shall meet ^vith very few
that will calmly and indifferently consider what I write, but
will presently slartle at it as new and cross to their Genius, or to
their mteresJ, or their reputation, which they value above all, I
mean the esJeem and kindness of their besJ friends and acquaint
ance, whose taunts and reproach they cannot bear ; but I
humbly beseech them to pause a while, and lay it by till the
passion be over, till they have mattered all these difficulties. 1
beseech them to set before their eyes the beauty, the honour, the
ttedfasJness of Truth, the comfort, the delight, the everlasting
felicity of a clear and rectified Conscience ; then resume it and

consider

6 THE NAKED TRUTH

consider again. But they cry Pish, tis not worth it, tis a ridi
culous toy, and favours something of the Seclarian : I grant
there are some things among the SecJarians I approve of, I will
not rejed and condemn any truth uttered, or any good atJion
performed, though said and done by the Devil. 1 consider the
things, and if good, embrace them, whoever utters them, though
1 detesJ his errors in other things; Touivill say the same; then
1 beseech you do the sa"me ; consider tvhat I say simply in it self,
whether the PapisJs or AnabaptisJs say the same, it matters not;
I hope you will not rejetJ ChrisJ because they both profess him,
But if after all your serious, patient, unbiasJ consideration, you
find it an erroneous contemptible Pamphlet, yet contemn not the
person that wrote it in the sincerity of his heart, lesJyou receive
the same measure again from ChrisJ, who hath assured us,
that shall be his rule, to meet unto us the like. ChrisJ died for the
salvation of my poor soul as well as yours, contemn it not there
fore, but endeavour to recJifie it ; if God hath given you more
knowledgand^visdome than me, be not high-minded but fear,
and let him that Stands take heed let he fall. Thus I pray
for you, do you the like for me, andhoivever we differ in Opinion
let us accord in Charity, and in ChrisJ Jesus the Redeemer of
us all. Amen.

Concerning

Concerning Articles of Faith

THAT which we commonly call the Apo^les
Creed, if it were not composed by them, yet
certainly by Primitive and Apotolick Men,
and proposed as the Sum of Christian Faith, the
Sum total necessary to Salvation : It can t be
supposed they left out any thing which they thought neces
sary to Salvation, they might as well have omitted half or all :
As one Commandment broken is the same in effecl: with all,
so one necessary Principle of Faith denied, cancels all, and
shuts out from Heaven. When I speak of believing the
Aposlles Creed, I do not mean, that we believe all there con
tained with a Divine Faith, because it is there contained;
for we have no assurance that the Apostles composed that
Creed; but we are sure all that is in that Creed, is evident in
Scripture to any common understanding; therefore we be
lieve all with a Divine Faith. But I mention this Creed
only, to shew that the Primitive Church received this as the
sum total of Faith necessary to Salvation; Why not now?
is the state of Salvation altered? If it be compleat, what
needs any other Articles? You would have men improve in
Faith, so would I, but rather intensive than extensive, to
confirm it rather than enlarge it: One sound grain of
Muster-seed is better than a bushel of unsound chaffie stuff.
Tis good to know all Gospel-Truths, and to believe them,
no doubt of that; but the Question is not what is good, but
what is necessary. I pray remember the treasurer to Candace,
Queen of Ethiopia y whom Philip instructed in the Faith;

his

8 THE NAKED TRUTH

his time of catechizing was very short, and soon proceeded
to Baptism. But Philip first required a confession of his
faith, and the Eunuch made it, and I beseech you observe it;
/ believe that Jesus ChrisJ is the Son of God: And strait way
he was baptized. How? No more than this? No more;
This little grain of Faith being found, believed with all his
heart, purchased the Kingdom of Heaven: Had he be
lieved the whole Gospel with half his heart, it had been of
less value in the fight of God; Tis not the Quantity, but
the Quallity of our Faith God requireth. But sure the
Eunuch was more fully Instructed; It may be you are sure
of it, but I could never yet meet with any assurance of it,
nor any great probability of it; I am sure he saw Philip no
more, and I am sure Philip required no more, but baptized
him on this, and had the Eunuch departed this Life in the
same instant that Philip parted from him, I believe I have
better assurance that this faith would have saved the
Eunuch, than any man hath that he ever was taught more:
See I Joh.4.,2) Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus ChrisJ
is come in theflesh y is of God: But the more the better still I
grant, though no more necessary. Hast thou more Faith,
have it to thy self before God: happy is he ivho condemncth
not himself in the thing which he allow eth; happy is he who is
thankful to God for having received much, and despiseth
not him that hath received little: God dispenseth his gifts
and graces according to his free Will and Pleasure: nor
doth he require more of any Man than according to the
proportion he hath given, no more should we.

Nothing hath caused more mischief in the Church, than
the establishing new and many Articles of Faith, and re
quiring all to assent unto them. I am willing to believe, that

zealous

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FAITH g

zealous Men endeavoured this with pious intentions to pro
mote that which they conceived Truth; but by imposing it
on the Dissenters, caused furious Wars, and lamentable
Blood-shed among Christians, Brother righting against
Brother, and Murthering each other. Can there be any
thing more irrational than to endeavour to promote the
truth of the Gospel contrary to the Laws of the Gospel?
To break an evident Commandment to establish a doubtful
Truth? I say, doubtful to him on whom it is imposed,
though seeming clear to him that imposes it. If it were fully
expressed in Scripture-words, there would need no new Ex
pression, no new Article; if it be not fully exprest in Scrip
ture, but deduc d from Scripture-expressions, then what one
Man thinks clearly deduc d, another may think not so; I
mean, not another ignorant and weak, but as learned, and
as able. What more common than in Divinity and Philo
sophy Schools, one cries, this is a clear Demonstration;
another cries, no such matter, but flatly denies it? Mens
understandings are as various as their Speech or their Coun
tenance, otherwise it were impossible there should be so
many understanding and moderate, yea, and consciencious
Men also, Papifls, Lutherans, Calvwifts, all in such Oppo
sition one againsl: another, all believing Scripture, yet so
differing in the deductions from Scripture. Truly, I think
him very defective in charity, however he abound in Faith,
who thinks all Papifts , or Lutherans,, or Calvinifts malici
ously or wilfully blind.

As for my part, I think nothing can be more clearly de
duc d from Scripture, nothing more fully express d in Scrip
ture, nothing more suitable to Natural Reason, than that no
Man should be forc d to believe, for no Man can be forc d

to

to THE i\ IK ID TRUTH

to believe; you may force a man to say this or that, but not
to believe it First, as to Reason: If you bring a man an
evident Demonstration, and he hath a Brain to understand
your Demonstration, he can t but assent to it. If you hold a
clear Printed Book with a clear candle to a man of clear
Eyes and able to Read, he will certainly Read; but if the
Print be not clear, or the Candle, or his sight not clear, or he
not Learned to Read, can your force make him Read? And
just so it is with our understanding, which is the eye of our
Soul, and a demonstration being as a candle to give Light; if
then your demonstration or deduction, or his understanding
be not clear, or he not learned, you may with a club dash out
his brains, but never clear them. He then that believes the
Scripture, can t but believe what you clearly demonstrate
from Scripture, if he hath clear brains, if he hath not, your
force may puzle and puddle his brains more by the passion of
anger and hatred, make him abhor you and your arguments,
but never lovingly embrace you or them: and thus you may
hazzard his Soul by hatred, and your own Soul also by pro
voking him to it, but never save his Soul by a true belief. But
purchance you will conclude, he doth not believe the Scrip
ture, because he doth not believe your arguments from
Scripture; (a strange conclusion) but what then? would you,
can you force him to believe the Scripture? can you drive
faith like a nail into his head or heart with a hammer? nay,
tis not in a man s own power to make himself believe any
thing farther then his reason shews him, much less divine
things; this is the peculiar work of Grace; and if Faith be
the gift of God, your Argument cannot give it, nor your
Hammer force it; Arguments may be good Inducements,
and if right, will prevail with those to believe whom God

hath

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FA17H n

hath ordained to Eternal Life, but no other; Preaching the
Word is the means God himself hath appointed, but as for
force, I can t find in the Gospel either commandment or
countenance given for it. If the Scripture command to
speak the truth in love, to instruct our Brother in the spirit
of meekness, if we are to pray and beseech him to receive
the Grace of God, can anything be more contrary to Scrip
ture Rule, than force and violence? to what purpose then is
force, since it cannot make him believe the Gospel? and if
he doth believe the Gospel, he will, I am sure, he cannot
chuse but believe what you clearly shew him is contained
there (supposing his brain to be clear); and I am also sure, if
he believe what is clearly contained, he need not believe any
thing else. The Scripture is our Rule of P aith compleat and
full, the Scripture itself tells us so. Joh. 20. 3 1 . These things
are written that you might believe , and believing ye might have
life; and our Saviour tells us, That in them we have Eternal
Life, Joh. 5. 39. and 2 Tim. 3. 15. St. Paul tells us, The
Scriptures are able to make us wiie unto salvation, through
faith which ii in ChrisJ Jesus; all Scripture is given by inspira
tion of God, and is profitable for dottrine,for reproof, for cor
rection, for I n sir u ft ion in righteousness, that the man of God
may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. And I
beseech all men further to consider what is said, Dent. 12. 32.
Thou shalt not add thereto, nor dimmish from it, and likewise
how they will avoid the curse in the lasl of the Revelations,
if they add to the words there written; and surely tis the
same crime to add to any other Book of Scripture. If it be
answered, They do not require us to believe it to be Scrip
ture. I reply, They require men to believe it as Scripture,
with Divine Faith, which is as bad, they make their own

words

iz THE N.4KED TRUTH

words equal with Gods word; or if they say, they require not
Divine Faith, then I am sure it is no matter of Salvation
whether I believe it or no, humane Faith cannot save. Thus
you see how impertinent, how irrational, how impious it is, to
require a man to believe any thing more than is clearly con
tained in Scripture; and if it be clearly contained there, he
that believes Scripture and sees it clearly contained there,
can t but believe it; if he do not see it clearly contained there,
you can t force either his sight or his Faith. Your force may
make him blinder, but never see clearer; may make him an
Hypocrite, no true Convert.

Again, I desire all men soberly to consider. Are not the
prime and most necessary Principles of Faith, the Trinity,
three Persons and one God, the Incarnation of Jesus Chris!:,
the same person to be God and Alan, the Resurrection of
the Dead, that we shall rise with the same Body, when one
body may be eaten and converted into several bodies, and
such like: Are they not things far above the highest reason
and sharpest understanding that ever had Man; yet we
believe them, because God (who cannot lye) hath declared
them : is it not then a strange thing for any man to take upon
him to declare one tittle more of them than God hath de
clared, seeing we understand not what is declared? I mean
we have no comprehensive knowledge of the matter de
clared, but only a believing knowledg, our Faith not our
reason reaches it : the Apostles by the Scriptures teach us this,
not the Schools by Syllogisms. If then our Reason under
stands not what is declared, How can we by Reason make
any deduction by way of Argument from that which we
understand not? As for Example: Some hold, That the
Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son ; some,

that

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FAITH 13

that he proceeds from the Father by the Son. I pray, Doth
any man understand how the Holy Ghost proceeds from the
Father, from the Son, or by the Son? no certainly: how then
can he affirm or believe a tittle more of the Holy Ghoft than
the Holy Ghost hath declared, seeing, as I said, he under
stands not at all what is declared? Discouse must be of
things intelligible, though Faith believes things not in
telligible. Can any man prove, that Rotation and Circula
tion are all one, who understands not what Rotation or
Circulation is? the like may be said of procession or mission of
the Holy Ghost. The Scripture plainly tells, That the Holy
Ghost proceeds from the Father, and that he is sent by the
Father, that he is sent also by the Son; but whether he pro
ceeds from the Son or by the Son, the Scripture is silent, and
I am therefore ignorant, having no knowledg at all of any
Divine Mysteries but from the Scriptures. I grant, That
by rational deductions and humane way of argumenting,
tis probable, that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Son
as from the Father; but if in Divine matters we once give
way to humane deductions, a cunning Sophister may soon
lead a weak Disputant into many Errors. By humane de
duction you may infer, that the Son is inferior to the Father
as begotten by him, the Holy Ghost inferior to both, being
sent by both ; with us the less is sent by the greater; by humane
deduction, from three distinct persons you may prove three
distinct substances; I hope you will make no such inferences
in the Divine persons. Again, What a business have the
School-Men made about these words of our Saviour, This is
my body: with their prtedicatum and subjeftum, and copula,
and individuum vagum,\n the pronoun This. Innumerable
are their intricate impertinencies in this matter, and in their

conclusions.

H THE NAKED TRUTH

conclusions. The Papists hold Christ to be present in the
Sacrament Transubslantialiter; the Lutherans, Consubslanti-
alifer; the CalvmisJs, Sacramentaliter; and yet all confess
they understand none of these ways; as St. Ptf#/saith, De
siring to be Teachers, they understand not what they say,
neither whereof they affirm, I Tim. I. 7. Had the Scripture
affirmed any of these ways, we ought to have submitted our
reason in things above reason, though we understand them
not, and tis reasonable so to do; but to go about to prove by
reason what is above reason, is wonderful; and to discourse
of what we understand not, is doubtless a spice of madness;
and the conclusions we draw from such discourses, must
needs be very dangerous, we following the ignem fatuum,
the uncertain light of Human reason in divine matters, so
totally beyond our reach. Wherefore we have no other safe
way to speak of Divine matters, but in Scripture-language,
ipsissimii verbis, with the very same words, according to that,
2 Tim. 1.13, Hold fail, the form of sound ivords which thou
ha si heard of me in faith: Mark, Hold f aft not only the matter
of faith, but the form of sound words, these are safe; human
words in divine and high Mysteries, are dangerous: Man
can no more set them forth in human words, than express
the Divine substance by human painting; tis the sole work
of the Holy Ghost who is also Divine.

There hath not been a greater plague to Christian Reli
gion, than School-divinity, where men take upon them the
liberty to propose new Questions, make nice distinctions
and rash conclusions of Divine matters, tossing them up and
down with their tongues like Tennis balls; and from hence
proceed all the dangerous Heresies, and cruel bickerings
about them, falling from words to blows. The first Divinity-
School

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FAITH i $

School we read of, was set up at Alexandria by Panttenus;
and from thence soon after sprang forth that damnable
Hcresie of the Arrians, which over-ran all Christendom,
and was the cause of destruction to many millions of
Christians both body and soul. The Heresies before this
were so gross and sensual, that none took them up but disso
lute or frantick people, and soon vanish t: but after this
School subtil way of arguing was brought into Christianity,
Heresie grew more refined, and so subtil, that the plain and
pious Fathers of the Church knew not how to lay hold of it,
and repress it, the School-distinctions and evasions quite
baffled them: and these Sophisters, proud of their conquest,
triumphed and carried away a specious appearance of Truth
as well as Learning (or rather cunning), insomuch that
many godly persons were also deluded and fell in unto them,
and many of their Heresies continue unto this day. This
great bane of the Church took its rise from hence: Many of
the Primitive Doctors and Fathers being converted from
Heathenism, and having by long and great Industry ac
quired much knowledg in natural Philosophy, Antiquity,
History, and subtil Logick or Sophistry, were very unwil
ling to abandon these their long studied and dearly beloved
Sciences, (falsly so called) and therefore translated them into
Christianity, applying their School-terms, distinctions, Syl
logisms, &c. to Divine matters ; intending perchance, through
indiscreetzeal,to illustrateand imbellish Christian knowledg
with such Artificial forms and figures, but rather defaced
and spoyled it; which the wisdom of St. Paul well foresaw,
and therefore forewarned us of it; Col. 2. 8. Beware lett any
man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the Rudiments of the World, and not

after

D

1 6 THE NAKED TRUTH

after Chrifl. I humbly conceive it had been far better for
them, and all Christendom, had they determined with St.
Paul, To know nothing but Chrift and him Crucified; and
not to intermingle mans Wisdom and excellency of speech
with Divine Knowledgand Scripture Doctrine, which is to
be taught by the demonstration of the Spirit and of power > as it
isset forth, i Cor. 2. not with Logical Syllogismsand Sophis
tical Enthymems; for as the wisdom of God was foolishness
to the Greeks and Gentiles, so the wisdom of the Greeks
and Gentiles was foolishness to God, and destruction to his
Church; who by the foolishness of preaching had overcome
all their wisdom, and captivated their understandings in
obedience to the Faith. But when the Christian Doctors left
this plain and simple way of preaching, and fell to cunning
disputing, introducing new forms of speech and nice expres
sions of their own coyning,some approving, some opposing
them, great Discords, Wars and Confusions soon followed.
Had that most Prudent and most Pious Conflantine the first
and best of Christian Emperors, had he pursued his own in
tentions to suppress all disputes and all new questions of God
the Son, both Homoousianand Homoioitsian,a.nd commanded
all to acquiesce in the very Scripture-expressions, without
any addition, I am confident \hzArrian Heresie had soon ex
pired; but by continual disputation, the heat of Passion was
raised, and the matter pursued with far more violence, which
at length grew into rancour and malice irreconcileable:
For some godly Bishops (I humbly conceive more zealous
than discreet) would not rest satisfied unless the Arrians
were forced either to subscribe to the new word Homoousian,
or to quit their livings; and this caused that great Persecu
tion against the Orthodox, where the Arrians prevailed;

whereas

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FAITH 17

whereas by silence imposed on all parties, the malice, ran
cour, persecution, war, all had been prevented, and the
Truth spoken m love, would at length most probably have
prevailed: For, was not the Gospel at firs! planted this way?
preaching, and praying men to receive it? by this way of
weakness it prevailed; for the weak things of God are Wronger
than men. But when men will be wiser than God, and in
their foolish wisdom think it fit to add their strength to
Gods weakness, as a speedier and surer way to establish the
Truth, God to convince them of their folly, suffers that
strong man the Enemy of the Gospel (whom none but his
Almighty Arm can bind and master) to come and sowe his
tares of division, which soon over-runs the good seed of the
Church, and brings all to confusion.

But what then? Would I have all heretical Opinions
broach d and spread abroad without any Controul? Are not
Princes and Magistrates to be Nursing Fathers unto the
Church? Must they not add the power of the Sword to that
of the Word? Not hold the Siuordin vain, but for the punish
ment of evil Doers, &c. All this I grant, and desire as much as
any man, that both Prince and Pastor would hold fast the
Faith once delivered to the Saints, fully declared and con
tained in Scripture; let them suffer no new Doctrine to be
set on foot, certainly superfluous, (the Scripture being all-
sufficient) and probably dangerous, as being of Man, and
not of God, who, having given us a compleat Rule of Faith
and Life, by his Prophets, Apostles, and his only Son, we
have no reason to believe any New Doctrine proceeds from
him; therefore St. Paul is very bold, and crieth out, if an
Angel from Heaven Preach unto you any other Gospel than is
a/ready preached, let him be accursed. The Magistrate then

is
D 2

1 8 THE NAKED TRUTH

is to countenance and protect the Pastor preaching the
Gospel of Christ, to silence, oppose, punish all that preach
any thing contrary, or not clearly contained in the Gospel.
Heresies never at first appear in their own natural shape, but
disguised with specious pretences drawn from some obscure
places of Scripture, capable of various Interpretations, and
thus having gotten*footing s by degrees they lay aside their
Disguises, and march on bare-fac d. Therefore both Pastor
and Magistrate ought to be very watchful: and oppose all
beginnings ever so specious, as dangerous, or at least super
fluous, as I said. Let the Pastors at first endeavour by plain
and sound Doctrine to slop the mouths of Gain-sayersj but
if these turbulent spirits will not be stopt, neither by Ad
monitions nor Entreaties, then let the Pastors proceed to the
power of the Keys; which, were it used with that Gravity
and Severely as it was in the Primitive times, would have
great effect; that is, were it used in a solemn Assembly, by
the Reverend Bishop and his Clergy, (not by Lay-Chan
cellors and their Surrogates) and the person Excommuni
cated and shut out of the Church, were likewise excluded
from all conversation and commerce, every one shunning
his company as a person infected with the Plague, (so it was
of Old, and so it ought to be now, and so it would be now, if
Men made any conscience of their ways) this I am confident
would reduce many a one: But if after this, any persevere in
their perverseness, then the Magistrate may doubtless by
his Power, used with Christian moderation, endeavour to
slop the spreading of the Contagion, and do what in wisdom
he thinks meet to preserve the purity and peace of Church
and State, urging against them that Scripture, Haft thou
Faith? have it to thy self before God, Rom. 14. 22. Or that,

Give

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FAITH 19

Give none offence neither to the "Jew nor to the Gentile, nor
to the Church of God, \ Cor. 10. 32. Or that, Gal. 5. 12. 7
would they -ivcre even cut off t hut trouble you. St. Paul was n< >t
here in jest, but in great earnest, as appears by his continued
fervency all along this Epistle; and doubtless he means not
Ju-re a cutting off from the Church by way of Excommuni
cation, for that was in his power to do; Why then should he
wish it? Nay, they had cut themselves off from the Church
before; certainly, then he means a cutting off by the Civil
Power, which then was Heathen, and therefore St. Paul
would not have it made use of by Christians; for he would
not allow them to appeal to unbelieving Magistrates, no not
in civil things, I Cor. 6. much less in Spiritual things.
Wherefore when St. Paul wishes they were cut off, he
wishes there were a fitting Power, that is, a Christian
Magistrate to punish or banish those that trouble the Church
of Christ with Doctrines apparently contrary to the clear
Text, and such as are destructive to Christianity; I dare
go no further. But as for those who keep their erroneous
Opinions to themselves, who neither publish nor practice
any thing to the disturbance of the Church or State, but
only refuse to conform to the Churches established Doc
trine or Discipline, pardon me if I say, that really I cannot
find any warrant, or so much as any hint from the Gospel, to
use any force, to compel them; and from Reason sure there is
no Motive to use Force; because, (as I shewed before)
Force can t make a man believe your Doctrine, but only
as an Hypocrite, Profess what he believes not.

I know full well, there is a common Objection against
this, taken from St. Au8ln t who was long of my Opinion
but seems to be altered on this occasion. Some Hereticks

20 THE N.4KED TRUTH

DonatittS) came to him in his latter days, and gave thanks,
that the Civil Power was made use of to restrain them; con
fessing, that was the Means which brought them to con
sider more calmly their own former extravagant Opinions,
and so brought them home to the true Church. This Ob
jection is easily answered. First, the Donatifts are well
known to have been a Seel, not only erroneous in Judgment,
but very turbulent in Behaviour, always in seditious Prac
tices; and in that case I show d before how the Civil Magis
trate may proceed to Punishment; but our case is not in re
pressing seditious Practices, but enforcing a Confession of
Faith, quite of another nature. Then Secondly, to answer
more particularly this story, I suppose there is no man such a
stranger to the World, as to be ignorant that there are Hy
pocrites in it; and such (for ought we know) these seeming
converted Donates might be, who for love of the World
more than for love of the Truth, forsook their heretical
Profession, though not their Opinion; who, conscious to
themselves of their own Dissimulation, and desirous to get
favour with St. Au8m^ a Person of great Veneration, and
Authority withall, related unto him this specious Story,
which St. Auftins great Charity was apt to believe, as St.
Ptfw/saith, believeth all things; and from hence concludeth,
that it might be lawful to use the Power of the Civil Sword,
to reduce Heretics to the Church. But unless it can be evi
denced that these Donatifls hearts were changed as well as
their Profession, ( a thing impossible to prove) all this proves
nothing. Thirdly, Put the Case their Hearts were really
changed as to matter of Belief, tis evident their Hearts were
very worldly still, groveling on the Earth, not one step
nearer Heaven; our Saviour saith, An evil Tree bringeth not

forth

CONCERNING ARTICLES OF FAITH 21

forth good Fruit; and sure their Hearts was evil, which was
far more moved for the quiet enjoyment of this Worlds
<>od, than for the blessed enjoyment of Chrisl. Fourthly,
Though we farther grant that the pruning of the Magis
trates Sword did really correct the vitiousness of the Tree,
and made it bring forth some good fruit; yet shall we do evil
that good may come of it? God forbid^ saith Saint Paul. Put
the case Malchus had been converted by St. Peters cutting
off his ear, this would not have excused St. Peters aft, which
our Saviour so sharply reproved and threatned with perish
ing by the Sword, and gave him the reason why he ought not
to use the Sword in his cause, Thinkefl thou that I cannot pray
unto my Father, and he will presently give me more than twelve
legions of Angels? Cans!: thou do any thing more prejudicial
to the honour of my Godhead, than to think I want the help
of man to defend me? And according to this may our
Saviour say, ThinkesT: thou that I cannot pray unto my
Father, and he shall give me more than twelve millions of
Souls to worship my Name? or cans!: thou do any thing to
eclipse more the power and glory of the Gospel, which I
have ordained to be set up by weakness and foolishness of
Preaching, and thereby to subdue both the wisdom of the
Greeks, and the power of the Gentiles? as I my self have con
quered all Enemies by preaching and suffering, so must my
Disciples tread in my steps. And just so we find that the
Gospel was most miraculously advanced over all the World
by preaching and suffering for it, not by compelling others to
it. Tis evident, that upon preaching of the Gospel, as many
as were ordained by God to eternal life, believed : and surely
those who are not ordained by God to eternal life, can never
be brought thither by the ordinance or power of Alan:

wherefore

22 THE NAKED TRUTH

wherefore when the Ministers have preached and prayed,
they have performed all they can do; the reft must be left
to the Justice or Mercy of God, who hath mercy on whom he
will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth: so that the
sharped sword in this World shall not enter their heart
more than an Adamant.

All this I say in reference to compelling men to believe or
conform, still reserving to the Alagistrate power, according
to Scripture, to punish evil doers, not evil believers; not who
think, but do publish or do practice something to subvert
the Fundamentals of Religion, or disturb the Peace of the
State, or injure their Neighbour. God, the only searcher of
hearts,reserves unto himself the punishment of evil thoughts,
of evil belief, which man can never have a right cognizance
of; for the greatest Professor may be the greatest Atheist.
But shall the Magistrate conceive he hath sufficient warrant
to punish also evil believers, and shall proceed to execution;
or on that pretence shall punish true believers? the Scripture
is most clear, that the Subject is bound to submit, and bear it
with all Christian Patience, to the loss of Goods, Liberty, or
Life, not only patiently to bear it, but to rejoyce in it; and I
am sure if he hath any true Religion and right under
standing in him, he will rejoyce on his own behalf, because
his reward is exceeding great : Therefore whoever under
pretence of Religion raises any Tumult, or takes up Arms
against the Magistrate to preserve himself from persecution;
absolutely declares himself, either a stark Fool, or a stark
Atheist; either he believes there is no such Reward, or is
mad to reject the opportunity of gaining it; and so at the best
is fit for Bedlam^ at the worst for the Gallows: now let him
chuse.

An

>VTW"V7\*"V7y.<"

>ey><sy>cV><;

t V$J Vj

Appendix to the former
Subject

EFORE I leave this matter of Imposing new
Articles of Faith, I desire to speak a word or two
concerning the Authority of Councils and
(Fathers in relation to it.

When the Superstitions and the Abuses of the
Popish Church, especially in the matter of Indulgences, grew
so very gross, as not longer to be endured, Luther , Melandon,
Oecolompadiut, Bucer, and divers other opposed them: and
coming to dispute with their Adversaries about these things,
the Popish Doctors having no Scripture for their Errors,
quoted several Fathers and Councils, to give countenance
unto them. The Evangelical Dodors (so called, because they
chiefly urged Evangelism the Gospel, for the defence of
their Doctrine) were most of them bred up from their in
fancy in the Popish Church, and therein taught even to
adore all Councils and Fathers, and (Education being of
great force to command and awe both the Wills and Judg
ments of men) made them very shie and timorous to reject
that authority which they had long reverenced : in modesty
therefore some of the Evangelical Dodors were content to
admit the authority of Fathers and Councils for three or
four of the first Centuries, some admitted five or six,
whereby they were reduced sometimes to great streights in
their Disputations : For though neither all, nor half the
Popish Errors, can be found in the Councils and Fathers of

these

24 THE NAKED TRUTH

these Centuries, yet some of them were crept very early into
the Church. This Superstition of the Cross and Chrysms
was in use in the second Century. The Millenary Error got
footing about that time. The necessity of Infants receiving
the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper, came in soon
after. About the fourth Century there was some touches in
Oratory Sermons, by way of Rhetorical Ejaculations, like
praying to Saints; but long after came to be formally used, as
now in Churches: And so Superstitions came in, some at one
time, and some at another. The Papists themselves do not
receive all these Errors, but reject some; as that of the
Millenaries, and the necessity of Infants receiving the
Lords Supper. Now I ask first the Papists., By what rule
they retain some of these things, and reject others? Secondly,
I ask the Evangelical^ By what rule they submit to the
Authority of some Centuries, and refuse others? Both will
answer me, Because they believe some to be erroneous, some
to be orthodox. Whereby tis evident, that neither submit to
Fathers Authority as commanding their Judgments; but
receive their Opinions as agreeing with their Judgments;
this is evidently true, and clearly rational, and fully agrees
with the Rules given by some of the Fathers, as St. Cyprian
and St. Auftin, two as generally and as deservedly reverenced
as any in the Christian Church. St. Cyprian tells us, that the
very Prepositus (which we call Bishop) is to be guided by his
own reason and conscience, and responsible only to God for
his Doctrine. St. Auftm tells us, that he submits to no
Doctor of the Church ever so learned, ever so holy, any
further then he proves his Doctrine by Scripture or reason,
and desires none should do otherwise by him, this is plain
and rational dealing; had the Evangelical Doctors taken this

course

.-/.V APPENDIX TO TUP. TQRMF.R SVBJFC7 25

course in the beginning, they had saved themselves from
many intricate troubles which their in-bred over-reverence
to antiquity intangled them in : But sure they needed not
have been so scrupulous in this matter, seeing there is scarce
any one Father whose Authority the Papists themselves do
not in some particular or other reject, though other whiles
when he speaks for them, they cry it up to that height, as if it
were even a matter of damnation not to submit unto it. I say
not this as if I would have antiquity wholly rejected, by no
means, but to consult the Fathers with great regard as Fx-
positors of Scriptures, and attentively observe what they
shew us from thence. I am not of those who admire the
great knowledg in divine matters revealed in this latter Age
of the world: I do not think there are any now so likely to
discover the truth of Gospel mysteries as those of ancient
days. As for that saying, A Pigmy set on a Giants shoulder,
may see more than the Giant : pardon me if I call it a
shallow and silly fancy, nothing to our purpose; for our
question is not of seeing more, but of the clear discerning
and Judging those things we all see, but are in doubt what
they mean: if a Pigmy and a Giant see a Beast at a miles
distance, and are in dispute whether it be a Horse or an Oxe,
the Pigmy set on the Giants shoulder is never the nearer
discerning what it is, which depends on the sharpness of
sight, not the height of his shoulders: Now that the antient
and Holy Fathers of the Church were more spiritual, and
consequently sharper sighted in spiritual things than we car
nal creatures of this latter age, is evident by their Spiritual
holy Lives: The natural-Man receiveth not the thwgs of the
Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned, I Cor. 14. And how natural, how

carnal,

26 THE NAKED TRUTH

carnal, how purblind we are, is too too visible. Besides, a
purblind man near the object, will discern it better than a
much sharper sight at a greater distance, as we are: For it
you ask those lofty conceited Pigmies, why they give
more credit to the Fathers of the second and third Century,
than to those of the sixth or seventh ; they answer, Because
those that lived nearer the days of Christ and his Apostles,
are likelyer to know their minds better than those of re
moter and corrupted Ages; the reason is good, but mightily
confounds those who live at the very spot of the Hill in the
valley of darkness and in all Iniquity, and therefore not so
likely to discern the truth of the Doctrine ofChrifl, preach t
on the top of Mount Sinai, as those who lived in higher
ascents. Wherefore I shall always hearken with due rever
ence unto what those Primitive Holy Fathers deliver, and
the more holy and more ancient, doubtless more to be re
garded. And yet seeing that Iren^us^ and before him Papius y
held to be a Disciple of St. John the dpottle, taught the error
of the Millenaries, rejected now by all the Church, why
might not others do so as well as they? and therefore there
can be no certainty of their Doctrine farther than they shew
us clearly from Scripture, which ought to be our only Rule
of Faith, as I shewed before. But in any point of Religion,
either of Faith or Discipline, if after diligent and humble
search of Scripture, the matter be doubtful, then certainly I
would so much reverence antiquity as to embrace what I
found approved of by the greater number of ancient
Fathers; and what I found generally approved by them,
though my own Judgment did much incline to the contrary,
yet I would receive it, unless it appeared to me flatly opposite
to Scripture, which we believe to be the Word of God; then

It

AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER SUBJECT 27

it were damnation in me to forsake that, and hearken to the
words of Fathers on earth, or Angels coming from Heaven,
till they could make me underhand their word agreed with
Gods word. I must be saved by Faith in God and Ghrift^
and not by faith in Men or Angels. And now I shall be bold
to make this assertion; That the Man who reads Scripture
humbly and attentively, fasts and prays to God earnestly,
consults his Pastors and Teachers carefully and modestly,
and yet after all continues in some error by blind ignorance
and mistake of Scripture (if such a thing was, or ever will be
suffered by the infinite goodness of God) that Man shall
sooner be saved, than he who receives a true opinion from
the Authority of Men, which he soberly conceives to be
contrary to Scripture; for tis all one to him, as if it were
really so; all things are unclean to him that believes them
unclean, so all things are damnable to him that believes them
damnable, as he must do who believes them flatly contrary
to Scripture. Let no man count me a Libertine in faith,
because I would neither compel, nor be compelled to submit
to the Doctrines of Men. I trust in God, no Man shall out
go me in zealous contending for the Faith once delivered to the
Saints^ once for all, never to receive any new Doctrine, any
other Gospel than that preached by Christ and his Apo&lcs,
herein I am no Libertine; by God s gracious assistance,
neither men nor Angels shall make me recede from one
tittle of this, nor to embrace with divine faith one tittle more
than this, for doubtless it is far greater Idolatry to believe in
Man, than to sacrifice to Man; more to give him my heart
than my hand. And yet notwithstanding all this, no Man is
forwarder than mv self to receive from other humane

^

doctrines as humane; that is, I believe it is not only possible

but

28 THE NAKED TRUTH

but probable also, that another may have more natural
understanding, more acquired learning than my self, and so
may find out that in Scripture, or from Scripture, or by
reason, which I cannot do my self: but yet I can have no
possible assurance that the Doctrine he delivers to me is
absolutely true, because I have assurance that tis possible
for him to err, and then I can have no assurance but that he
may err in that very Doctrine he now delivers me, There is
no Man I ever heard or read of, to whom I could more
readily submit than to St. Au&in, a person of wonderful
sharpness in understanding, and yet of great modesty; no
way affecting to take new Opinions, much less to impose
them on others. Now I pray consider, how can we have
assurance of any Doctrine he delivers more than another?
I mean assurance from his own authority or reason (what he
delivers from Scripture authority is another matter); we
believe St. Aufrm erred in some things whereof he was most
confident; he believed it absolutely necessary for Children
to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, as I said; he
believed it a direct heresie to hold there were any Antipodes:
Laftantius another great Wit and great Scholar, believed
the like, with divers others. Who then can doubt but that
they might be mistaken in other things also? Wherefore
let God be true, and all men lyars, in this sense, to deliver
lyes materially; that is falsities for truths.

What I have said of Fathers, must certainly hold good of
Councels also, though ever so General, ever so Primitive;
for this and that Father may, and have erred; surely then
that and that may also err: I can have no assurance in Men,
nor can I be saved by faith in Men. The general Objection
made against this, is, The promise which Chrift made unto

his

AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER SUBJECT: 29

his Church, That the gates of Hell should not prevail agamtt
it, a no 1 that he would be with the Apo&les unto the Worlds end.
As for that other saying of our Saviour, He that will not hear
the Church^ let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican^ I
can t but wonder that Men of any brains or modesty should
so grosly abuse this saying, spoken of several differences
between Man and Man, to be referred to the termination of
the Church, that is the Congregation of the Faithful, which
they usually and by order should assemble in; and refer this
to the Church in general matters of Faith, not in the least
pointed at there. Wherefore I pass this over as very im
pertinent, and proceed to answer the former Objection of
more weight, yet no way concluding as they would have it;
No man in the Christian World can more firmly believe
than I do, That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it,
and that ChrisJ will be with his Church unto the end of the
World; but I do not believe, nor am I bound by Scripture to
believe such Expositions as the Popish Church makes of this
place. By what authority doth the Romish Church challenge
themselves to be Expositors of Scriptures more than other
Churches? I find nothing for it in Scripture, which is my
rule of Faith. I proceed then to the business of general
Councels. Whether they may err in some points of Faith;
and why not? All the Evangellical Doctors grant the later
general Councels have erred: if so, why not the former?
what promise had the former from Chris! more than the
later? what period is there set in Scripture for their not
erring? or what promise is there at all for any not to err?
The gates of Hell shall not preavilagainsl the Church, I grant,
what s this to a General Councel? not the thousand part of
the Clergy, not the thousand thousand part of the Church,

which

30 THE NAKED TRUTH

which in Scripture is always put for the whole Body of the
Faithful, though of late it be translated into quite another
notion, and taken for the Clergy only. But you will say a
General Councel is the representative of the whole Church :
what then? what promise is made in Scripture that the re
presentative shall not err? You further urge, if the represen
tative err, tis probable the whole Church will receive their
error. I answer, We are now treating of matters of Faith,
which must not depend on humane probabilities, but Divine
certainties? besides, tis not so probable the Church will re
ceive the error of the representative. We know the whole
Church hath not received a Truth determined by them,
much less an error. And I pray, have not Councels been
against Councels? Put then the case, a General Councel
should err in some matters, you can t therefore say the whole
Church hath erred, the gates of Hell have prevailed against
the Church: I pray consider, can you truly say, the Great
Turk hath prevailed againsl: the Christian Army, because he
hath kill d the thousand part of it? and yet the greatest
General Councel holds a less proportion to the whole
Church. But I will grant yet more, Put the case the whole
Church should deviate into some erroneous Superstitions,
had the Devil therefore prevailed against it? Can I say I
have prevailed against another Man, because I gave him
some slight hurt in his Leg or Thigh? as long as his Head, his
Heart, his Arms are whole he will be as able to fight and
wound me as bad or worse; till the Devil can so wound the
whole body of the Church as to destroy the Vitals, the
Fundamentals, and make it no Church, the gates of Hell
can t be said to have prevailed against it. Now God be
blessed there have continued all along several Churches as

great

AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER SUBJECT 31

great or greater than the Roman Church, which have still
maintained in defiance of Satan, One God the Father of whom
are all things y and one Lord Jesw ChrisJ^ by whom are all
things: Several other sound Doctrines of Christianity; how
then hath Satan prevailed, when so many millions have
waged war against him, and upheld the Kingdom of God
and his Christ? The Scripture plainly tells us, that in the
days of Anti-Chris s great power, the Church shall be
driven into the wilderness, scarce visible in the world;
neither Pope^ nor Devil hath yet so prevailed, but as then
Chritt shall have, so Chritt hath still had a Church, warring
against Satan. Sure no learned Papift will deny, but that
about the second Century, the Millenaries were far the
greater part of the Church, scarce any writing Doctor in
those days but had his error. Did Satan then prevail? And
in St. Auftirfs days the necessity of Infants receiving the
Lords Supper was so general, and held so necessary a Princi
ple, that it was made use of to prove the necessity of Infant
Baptism, this Sacrament being to precede the other: in
those days a Lanthorn would have been necessary to find out
a Church without this Error: Did Satan then prevail? But
say you, No General Councel determined those Errors;
Why? because none was called about them: had any been
called, who doubts but that they would have avowed that
in the Councel, which they all taught in their Churches: No,
the spirit of God would have preserved them from it: Shew
me that promise in Scripture; if Gods Spirit did not preserve
them from teaching the whole Church so, I fear the Spirit
would not have preserved them more in Council than in
Congregation, where all sucking in this error from their In
fancy, would hardly have quitted it by a determination in

Council

. - THE NAKED TRUTH

Council. I humbly crave pardon for this bold presumption,
being led into it by the bold assertion of the Papifls^ telling
us, without warrant, how God will preserve their Councils
from error, as if they had been of his Privy Council. We are
not to search into Gods secret Councils for what he will per
mit, or why he permits this or that. I search only into his
declared Promises^ and with all the search I can possibly
make, I can t find any such promise to General Councils, as
not to err; no, only that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail
over his Church to destroy it, which he hath heretofore
made good, and I am sure will to the end of the World; but
beyond his promise I am not sure of any thing, though it
seems ever so rational. God will not endure to be fetter d
with Sophistical Sophisms, and Humane Consequences;
and therefore I am afraid to wander from his wise and holy
Word, and trusl to the Doctrine of Men seeming ever so
wise, ever so holy; I reverence their persons, but can t
believe in their Doctrine. I am taught to believe only in
God, not in the Church, much less in any Member, or
Congregation, or Council; but to believe the Holy Catho-
lick Church ; that is, that God hath had, now hath, and will
have to the Worlds end, a select company of Faithful ones,
confessing and serving him; To whom be honour and Glory
for ever. Amen.

Concerning

Concerning Ceremonies and
Church Service

FIRST as to Ceremonies, I wonder men of any
tolerable discretion should be so eager either for or
againsl: them; our salvation no way depending on
them, but much hazarded by our contention about
them, breaking Peace, the principal thing recom
mended to us by the Gospel of Peace; sure both are very
sinful. For my part I think all Subjects are bound in con
science to conform to the established Ceremonies of that
Church, whereof they are Members, unless there be any
thing flatly againsl: the Word of God. soe to disobey our
Superiours is di redly againsl: the Word of God, I Pet. 2. 13,
Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords
sake. And therefore he that doth not submit, had need have
as clear an evidence of Scripture, that the thing he rejects is
direclly contrary to the Word of God, otherwise he breaks
an evident Commandment to safisiie himself in a doubtful
thing, which without doubt is damnable. St. Paul requires
one Brother to yield unto another in things indifferent,
much more Children to Parents, Subjects to Governours.
But no man that knows this World can expedl all Children,
all Subjects, will be dutiful and obedient; and therefore as
Children are to obey their Parents, so Parents ought not to
provoke their Children to disobedience, by imposing un
necessary things, and very offensive: Yet if they do impose
such things, the Children are bound to obey, unless the

things

34 THE NAKED TRUTH

things imposed be offensive to God also, then they are ao
quitten, not otherwise. But slill Parents musl: remember
they are to give account to God for their commands, as chil
dren arc for their obedience, And setting this aside, Nature
alone $hall prompt Parents to seek the loveof their Children,
especially spiritual Parents, slyl d the Minivers of God, who
is love: Should not they desire rather to lead the people into
the House of God by love, than whip them in by fear? to
have their Churches full rather than empty? to put on such
a habit as would invite them in, and not such as will fright
them out? What wife and loving Father would put on a
winding-sheet on his head, to fright his weak and simple
Child: I say this to the chief Rulers of the Church, not to
inferior Ministers who musl: observe the constitutions of
the Chief, and the Chief ought to consider the disposition of
inferiors, what will be most edifying for them. As the
Apo&les in the beginning of Christianity continued the ob
serving not eating of blood, and things strangled, to comply
with the Jews: so the Surplice with other things, was
wisely and piously retained by the reformers from Popery^
when probably many long nourished up in the Ceremonies^
would not have come into the Church, had all these been
casl out; but now to be zealous for them; when the people
are so passionate against them, savours more of passion like
wise in Governours than Religion; as if they had rather
shew their Authority than their Charity. If they answer,
That many of their Floctc are as zealous for these things, as
others againsl: them, and they had rather gratihe the Obe
dient Conformers, than the disobedient Gain-sayers: I
reply; Firsl, This is no Obedience to conform to such
Ordinances of their Superiors as they have a passion for;

the

CONCERNING CEREMONIES AND CHURCH SERVICE 35
the Superiors in this conform rather to them, than they to
their Superiors: Try their Obedience if they will submit to
the taking of these things away, and then you may have
more reason to gratitie them; yet you know you are rather
to bear with the infirmities of the weak, than please the
strong. Love your friends mosl:, value the Obedient mosl:;
but love your Enemies also, endeavour to gain the dis
obedient also: The hrsl: are your dutiful Sons, abide always
with you, all that you have is theirs; but yet when the
Prodigal^ the slray returns, rejoyce and kill the fatted Calf;
yea, if he will return, leave the ninety and nine, and go seek
that one that is losl. But you have no hopes of gaining him,
you believe tis not Conscience but Faction, and wilful per-
verseness keeps him off? Oh do not despair, believe better of
him ; Charity hopeth all things, believeth all things. But you
know it is so with him; then pity him the more going head
long into Hell, yield the more to save his Soul from Hell,
overcome evil with good, fetter him, bind him fasl: with chains
of love, what is stronger than love? it will overcome Schism,
Faction, Sedition, any thing; it will overcome God himself,
and even force God to withhold him by his merciful and
powerful hand, and thus converting this preverse sinner from
the error of his way, you will save his Soul alive, and cover the
multitude of your sins; a blessed and joyful work, whereat the
Angels of Heaven will rejoyce and sing Allelujah, Ajnen.
Oh my Fathers! my Fathers! that should Preach and
Practice the Gospel of Peace and Love to your Children,
vouchsafe at my humble request to read Ro?n. 14. See what
great liberty that great Grand-father of the Church allows
his Children, and observe in the general how he became all
things to all men to gain some; and will not you in some

things

36 71! F .V-/AT7) TRU7II

things comply to gain all? will you restrain the liberty of the
Gospel to the rigidity of your Discipline, to lose some, to lose
many, and perchance in the end to lose all, your selves and
all? Be pious, be charitable, be prudent, build your Church
on a Rock that will endure Storms, and not on the sand of
Ceremony, that will both raise Storms, and probably over
turn your Church e re long. But you will say, if you yield to
some dissenters in this, you must as well yield to others in
that, and so by degrees abolish all your Ceremonies: I be
seech you, is not the Body more than Rayment, Substance
more than Ceremony? will you not quit the later to pre
serve the former? but you will preserve both, God grant you
lose not both. But you will say, This is the way to lose both ;
first take away Ceremonies, thereby you displease and lose
your Friends, and then lye exposed to your Enemies to spoil
your Goods. If your Goods be the substance of your Reli
gion, and you preserve your Ceremonies to preserve these,
then really my fear of your losing all is encreas d; this is a
very sandy and dirty Foundation, can t hold out against
Storms; but if Faith, Hope, and Charity, be the substance of
your Religion (as I hope it is) these stood firm and encreased
in the Primitive times, in the greatest Storms, when the
whole world of Jews and Gentiles, were Enemies to the
Church, and not one of your Ceremonies in the Church to
preserve it: the simple naked Truth without any Surplice to
cover it, without any Ecclesiastical Policy to maintain it,
overcame all, and so would do now, did we trust to that and
the Defender of it. Perchance I appear a great Enemy to the
Surplice so often naming that: I confess I am; would you
know why? not that I dislike, but in my own Judgment,
much approve a pure White Robe on the Alinisters

shoulders.

CONCERNING CEREMONIES AND CFIURCH SFRJ ICE 57
shoulders, to put him in mind what purity becomes a Mini
ster of the Gospel. But such dirty nasty Surplices as most of
them wear, and especially the sngers in Cathedrals (where
they should be most decent) is rather an intimation of their
dirty lives, and have given my Stomack such a surfeit of
them, as I have almost an aversness to all : and I am con
fident, had not this decent habit been so undecently abused,
it had never been so generally loathed.

I will name another Ceremony which gives great offence,
with greater reason. The bowing towards the Altar, which
in my own judgment I allow and practice in some measure,
when I come in to such Congregations as generally use it,
avoiding still to give offence to any as far as I may with a safe
Conscience. I affirm tis a very fitting thing to shew rever
ence in the House of God, and to shew it by bowing, as well
as any other means, and to bow that way as well as any other
way; and in bowing, if the Congregation did it to the South
or West, I should as readily confirm to that. But you will
say the primitive Christians, as we read, did generally bow
towards the East (the primitive Christians did so I grant, but
not the prime Primitive) what then? is this any obligation on
us now? the Primitive did also use Chrysme or consecrated
Oyl, yet we retain it not; it grew into an abuse, therefore
left off: so hath this bowing towards the Altar by the Papists,
supposing Christ corporally present there: and truly many
of our Church-men give great suspition to the people that
they also believe some such thing, otherwise pray answer me ;
when a Minister at his entring into the Church, hath
bowed to shew his Reverence in the House of God, and
when he ascends up to the Altar bows again, to shew some
particular reverence in that place where that blessed Sacra
ment;

38 THE NAKED TRUTH

ment is consecrated (let this pass for good also, though some
thing may be said against it) yet I pray tell me, why the
Reader passing from one side of the Church to the other,
and the Minister passing from one end of the Altar to the
other, bows again? Surely in reverence to the King of
Kings he supposes there sitting: who can imagine any other
cause of his homage? and yet I verily believe this is not the
cause, but meerly a- causeless custom taken up one from
another (the common beginning of all superstitions) having
no reason for it, but much against it, giving thereby great
scandal to weak ones, and ground of Slander to malicious
ones, who lay hold on any occasions to accuse them of
Papistry; for certainly tis done with little or no reason, or
with a great deal of Superstition.

Now as to that grand debated Ceremony of kneeling at
the Lords Supper, I think there is no reason to condemn
those that use it, nor much reason to press it on those that
disuse it. Why? Are we not to perform this great act of de
votion with all possible reverence? I grant it: but is this to be
exprest altogether in the outward posture of the body? if so,
then your opposers thus retort it upon you: If outward
humility be the thing you contend for, you ought to shew it
to your God in the humblest way, and that is by prostrating
rather then kneeling; but if inward Humility, sure that con
sists chiefly in obedience to what Christ commanded, and
to do it as he practised it: who can doubt but this is the most
perfect obedience? and you know when our Saviour insti
tuted this blessed Sacrament, he gave his command in the
close. Do this in remembrance of me; and sure he remem
bers our Saviour best, who doth every thing as he did, both
in Substance and Ceremony; and so we find the primitive

Christians

CONCERNING CEREMONIES JND CHURCH SFRJ ICE 39
Christians did, observing also to receive it at Supper, as our
Saviour did: but when this grew into a sinful abuse, the
Ceremony was altered, to preserve the substance in more
purity: so was kneeling abused by the Papists, and turned
into great Superstition, why not therefore changed in like
manner. But you kneel without any superstition, you do
not adore the Elements on the Table, as the Papists do, but
Chris! in Heaven. And so this man receives sitting and at
supper without any irreverence, he doth it meerly in obedi
ence to Chrifl s command, both in ceremony and substance,
Do this in remembrance of me: But you do not conceive
Chrift s command extended to the ceremonies, but only to
the substance, and the Church hath expressly commanded
kneeling as the more reverend Posture, therefore you ought
to obey; I think so to: but this man conceives Chrift com
mand s both substance and ceremonies to be observed, and
consequently conceives the Churches command contrary
to Christs, therefore he ought not to obey till you can rectifie
his judgment; if you can, then he ought to obey also; if
you cannot, have patience with your weak Brother, require
no more of him in this matter than Christ required of his
Disciples; sure Christ would not have allowed any unfitting
posture; be not over- wise, nor over holy, condemn not that
which Christ allowed. God is so infinitely gracious as to
accept our poor devotions in any form, if but sincere in sub
stance, nay though weak and frail in the substantial part,
he ivill not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking
flax, his tender Fatherly bowels yern upon his dear Chil
dren coming to him afar off. Oh then let us learn to
be like-minded, tender and compassionate to our weak
brethren, admit them into Gods worship in any posture;

if

THF NJKm TRUTH

if they come in sincerity of heart, reject not those whom
God accepts.

I might go on thus to handle other ceremonies, as, the
Cross in Baptism, the Ring in Marriage, &c. But I con
ceive it needless, the same reasons being applicable to all,
and he that is once brought to be indifferent and uncon
cerned in one, will soon, be so disposed to all. Wherefore I
conclude this poir^ of ceremonies with St. Paul. He that
regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that re-
gitrdeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it: he that
eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks, and he
that eateth not to the Lord, he eateth not, and giveth God
thanks: so he that kneeleth, kneeleth to the Lord, and he
that kneeleth not to the Lord, he kneeleth not. And I
desire you farther to observe this circumstance in St. Paul s
words, how he calls the zealous observer of ceremonial
matters, the weak Brother, and commands the strong not to
do-,pise him, it being really a despicable weakness, and a
childish or effeminate kind of Devotion, to be zealous in any
ceremonial observance, which masculine spirits are apt to
despise, but in Christian charity ought rather to pity and
bear the infirmities of others. Wherefore let us be the men
of understanding, men in devotion, be zealous, and hold
fasft the substantial parts of Religion, Piety, Justice, Tem
perance, Charity, Truth, Sincerity, sland fa A for these, not
recede one hairs breadth from these, keep but our ground
and fight it out like men to death againsl: all Powers and
Principalities on earth, or under the earth, and let us leave
it to women and Children to contend about ceremonies:
let it be indifferent to us, whether this, or that, or no cere
mony, whether kneel, or not kneel; bow, or not bow;

Surplice,

l\<l CFRFVOXIFS .4XD CHURCH SFRriCF. 41

Surplice, or no Surplice, Cross, or no Cross; Ring, or no
Ring; let us give glory to God in all, and no offence to our
Brethren in any thing.

Now if any man would be so curious as to ask why St.
Prf.v/did not determine this point, whether they should eat
herbs only, or other meats also; whether regard a day or not,
and establish Uniformity among them; I cannot imagine
any other Reason, but meerly to teach us this charitable
complyance with one another, as necessary a practice as any
other. Man is a very ticklish Animal to Govern, he will not

J *

always be guided by reason and authority; man hath a will as
well as reason,and will have his own will in many things, even
the godly: very few are found so entirely pious as wholly
to deny themselves; tis so high and sharp a point of Religion,
as you may break the heart-strings of many in winding them
up so high, and thus crack all their Religion; perchance you
would find it so your selves, had the Nonconformist the
screwing you up, as you them. Wherefore consider your
selves, least ye also be tempted: be charitable to the weak,
proceed not so severely against them in your Courts of Judi
cature; but remember what St. P##/saith, Colos. 2. Let no
manjudgyou in meat, or drink, or in respecl of any holyday t or of
the new Moon, or of the Sabbath days; which are a shadow of
thlnge to come, but the body it of Chrisl. will you then in
respect of an Holy-day, Cross in Baptism, standing at the
Creed, kneeling at the Sacrament, and the like, will you in
respecl of such shadows, judg, excommunicate, sentence to
everlasting flames, a Soul that holds of the body of Christ,
believes all his holy Gospel, accords with you in one Faith,
one Baptism, who acknowledges the only true God, Creator
of Heaven and Earth, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent

to

42 THE NAKED TRUTH

to be the Redeemer of Mankind, which our Saviour affirms,
To be Eternal Life; will you condemn such a one to Eternal
Death? God forbid. My Reverend Fathers and Judges of
the Church, I, with St. Paul Col. 3. beseech you, Put on
fatherly bowels of mercies y kindness, humbleness ofmmd, meek
ness , long suffering toward your poor weak Children, and so
long as they hold fasl: the body of Christ, be not so rigorous
with them for shadows; if they submit to you in substance,
have patience, though they do not submit in ceremonies, and
give me leave to tell you my poor Opinion, This violent
pressings of ceremonies hath, (I humbly conceive) been a
great hindrance from embracing them, men fearing your
intentions therein to be far worse then really they are, and
therefore abhor them. Have you never observed a flock
of Sheep forcibly driven over a narrow bridge, the poor
Sheep fearing they are going into some Pen or Slaughter,
choose rather to leap into the River than go forwards: but
drive them on gently and patiently, they will of themselves
take the way you desire. Uniformity in ceremony is a good
and desirable thing, therefore endeavour it; but Unity,
Faith and Charity is better, and therefore if you can obtain
that, be sure to preserve this; this is the one thing necessary,
choose this better part if you cannot have both; for this force
urging Uniformity in worship hath caused great division in
Faith as well as Charity; for had you by abolishing some
ceremonies taken the weak Brethren into your Church,
they had not wandered about after seducing Teachers, nor
fallen into so many gross Opinions of their own, but being
dayly catechised and in&ru&ed by your Orthodox and sound
Preaching, they would have followed you like good Sheep;
whereas now they wander about into a hundred by-paths of

error,

CONCERNING CEREMONIES AND CHURCH SERVICE 43
error, many whereof lead headlong to Hell. Now I beseech
you in the fear of God to set before your eyes the dreadful
day of Judgment, when Chriil on his Tribunal of Justice
shall require an account of every word and deed, and shall
thus question you; Here are several Souls who, taking
offence at your ceremonies have forsaken my Church,
have forsaken the Faith, have run into Hell, the Souls for
which I shed my precious Blood; Why have you suffered
this? nay, whv have you occasioned this? will you answer,
it was to preserve your ceremonies? will not Christ return
unto you, Are your ceremonies more dear to you then the
Souls for which I dyed? who hath required these things at
your hands? will you for ceremonies, which you yourselves
confess to be indifferent, no way necessary unto Salvation,
suffer your weak Brethren to perish, for whom I dyed?
Have not I shewed you how David and his Souldiers ivere
guiltless m eating the Skew-bread, which was not lawful but
only for the Priefts to eat? If David dispensed with a cere
mony commanded by God to satisfie the hunger of his
People, will not you dispence with your own ceremonies to
satishe the Souls of my people, who are called by my Name,
and profess my Name, though in weakness? Or will you
tell Chris r t they ought to suffer for their own wilfulness and
pervcrsness, who will not submit to the Laws of the Church
as they ought? will not Chrisl return, Shall they perish for
transgressing your humane Laws, which they ignorantly
conclude erroneous, and shall not you perish for trans
gressing my Divine Laws, which you know to be good and
holy? Had J mercy on you, and should not you have had
mercy on your fellow-servants? with the same measure you
meeted, it shall be measured to you again: I tremble to go

farther,

44 THE NAKED TRUTH

farther, but mosl humbly beseech you for Chrisls sake, en
deavour to regain these stray Sheep, for whom he shed his
precious Blood, and think it as great an ad vantage, as great an
honour to you, as it was to St. Paul^ to become all things to all
men, that you may gain some, as doubtless you will many,
though not all; and the few slanders off will become the
more convinced, and at long running, wearied out and
gained also. Thusimving reduced all into one fold in true
Faith and Christian charity, the present generation will
much forget, the succeeding generation will be wholly
ignorant of these erroneous fancies: and all animosities
being quite extinguished, wholesome edifying ceremonies
may be easily introduc t again with comfort to all, which
are now irksome and grievous to many. And so I pass on to
the second matter; The Church-Service contained in the
Book of Common-prayer, whereof briefly, because what I
said before may be applied to this also.

Concerning

) fiVfi

Concerning Church-Service

I WILL not here enter into the dispute, whether it be
lawful for a Church to have a set-form of Prayer, sup
posing that there are none but either highly fanatick, or
highly fadious, that affirm it unlawful; and with such
I have no reason to expect, that reasonable Arguments
should prevail; for enough hath been already printed to this
purpose. I may also suppose, that there is nothing contained
in our Book of Common-prayer, that is directly contrary to
the Word of God; for had there been any such thing, we
should have heard of it long since, which I never yet did from
any sober man. And truly I might in the third place suppose
that (a Book of Common-prayer being no way contrary to
the Word of God) the use of it is far more conducing to
Piety, than to suffer extemporary prayer to be used generally
in Churches; experience hath fully declared it in our late
confused times, when a man should have heard in many
Churches such extravagant, such wild, such rash, such
blasphemous expressions, as would drive any sober con-
sciencious person out of their Churches. Can you with
reason expect it otherwise, when half the Churches in this
Nation have not a tolerable maintenance to support men of
parts and discretion fit to perform so solemn and holy an
Office? Had we the holiness, the zeal, the charity, the
humility of the primitive times, when men forsook all the
World, and daily sacrificed their lives fur the Service of

J

God, we might hope that God would graciously pour down
upon us, as he did on them,- the special gifts of praying and

prophecying:

46 THE NAKED TRUTH

prophecying: but now when mosl: serve God for gain, and
would neither open nor shut the Church doors for nought, <-is
Malachi saith, we must not expect those gifts and graces.
And therefore I conceive it absolutely necessary to have
some form prescribed to be used by all; for were there
liberty left to the more able and discreet, most would sup
pose themselves to be such (few discovering their own weak
ness) ; and were itleft to the Bishop to licence as he saw fit, it
would prove a very great cause of the heart-burning among
his Clergy, and hatred towards himself, yea and rebellion
against him and the Laws. But now in Christ I humbly be
seech the Governors of the Church calmly to consider,
Were it not better to have such a form of Service as would
satisfie most? The Fathers of our Church (as I said before)
when they reformed this Nation from Popery, were desir
ous to fetch off as many as they could, retaining for this
cause all the Ceremonies and Forms of Prayer they could
with a good rectified conscience; and therefore they pre
scribed that form of second Service to be said at the Altar, as
carrying some resemblance to the Mass, then the peoples
delight, which being now become the peoples hate, should
for the same resemblance, according to the same rule of
reason, be now taken away. We commend our Forefathers
for doing piously and wisely, and yet we will not imitate
them; they endeavoured to please and gain the people, we
will needs displease and lose them: certainly we cannot do
our Forefathers a greater honour, than to observe their rule
of reason, to conform to the Times; and therefore they are
grossly mistaken who think it a dishonour to them, for us to
take away what they have established; when we keep close
to the reason wherefore they did establish it. Wise Physicians

by

CONCERNING CHURCH-SERVICE 47

by the same rule of reason prescribe things clean con
trary, according to the temper of their Patients, hot or cold.
Some other things I could mention in the Book of Common-
Prayer (though no way ill in themselves, yet) fit to be altered,
and would obviously appear so to every wise man, were it
resolved to compose such a form as would take in most of
this Nation, which I humbly conceive Governors should in
conscience endeavour, becoming all things to all men to gain
some, though not all; yet happily gain all in process of time,
for the reason before specified.

But though I desire such a form of Service, such Cere
monies also to be established, as may give mosl: general
satisfaction; yet I desire what is established, may be
generally observed, and not a liberty left (as some do
propose) to add or detract Ceremonies or Prayers ac
cording to the various opinions and humours of men:
for certainly this would cause great faction and divi
sion; those that are for Ceremonies, would run from
their own Church, to others, where they were used;
others to some fine fancied prayers of such as they
approve of: and thus some Churches would be thronged,
others deserted, and no account could be taken by the Pastor
of his congregation: Atheists also, and Papists, under pre
tence of frequenting other churches, would abandon all.
This course (say you) would bring but few into the church,
and perchance drive some out, who having been long bred
up to such and such ceremonies, would have small devotion
to frequent the church, if all or many were abolished. To
this I answer, That certainly his Religion is vain, that would
abandon the substance for want of the ceremonies, which he
acknowledgeth to be no way necessary, but only more

satisfaction

48 THE NAKED TRUTH

satisfaction tohismind.Surelyaveryignorantmind,whohath
not learnt, That obedience is better than sacrifice and whole
burnt-offermgs: And surely a very uncharitable mind, who
would not leave ninety and nine unnecessary ceremonies, to
bring one sinful strayed sheep into the congregation, and
convert him from the error of his non-conforming way. I
profess I am amazed to see how many men of a very good
sense in most things, so zealously erroneous in this business
of Religion, seeing the Scripture so plainly declares, that
nothing so covers the multitude of our sins as an aft of
Chanty; nothing so acceptable unto God, so joyful to his
holy Angels, as conversion of a sinner. Yet these men will
most passionately (and pardon me if I say uncharitably and
irreligiously) cry, away with these Idiot Sectaries and
mad PhanatickS) let them wander and perish in their own
wild imaginations, we will not leave one ceremony, nor any
one line of our Common-Prayer Book to gain thousands of
them. No, if you alter that, we will rather leave the Church,
and go to the Papifts Mass. If these be not as simple Sec
taries and mad Phanaticks as any whatsoever, let God and his
holy Angels judge. But as for you my Reverend Fathers of
the Church, I hope you will consult with Scripture in this
weighty Affair, and Model all according to the rules of
meekness, charity, and compassionate tenderness to weak
ones, there set down : and endeavour with prudent admoni
tions to rectifie the errors of these too zealous ceremonies,
and with fatherly bowels of condescension to win the hearts
of blind and wilful Separatists. Certainly the more under
standing and powerful Leaders of them will not, cannot
have the face to stand off after your charitable condescen
sion, their populous pretences will be so confuted, their

mouth

CONCERNING CHVRCU-SERVICE 49

mouths so slopped, their faces so confounded, as for mere
shame, if not for reason and religion, they must come into
our Church; and the Pastors coming in, the sheep will
follow, though some stand a while and gaze: but at length
having no men of ability to lead them on in their perverse
ways, the Shop-prating Weavers and Coblers will soon be
deserted, and made heartless, seeing their own naked folly.
And then shall we all joyn and joyfully sing Te Deum in our
Churches, and the Holy Angels in the Heavens. And then
I shall most gladly sing with good old Simeon t Lord now
let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy
salvation.

Concerning

F 2

Concerning Preaching

IT remains that I now handle this great business of
Preaching, wherein I fear I shall displease many, there
being but few who use it according to the original in
stitution, ancf yet I had rather they should Preach as
they do, then quite omit it; for certainly tis a necessary
work for a Alinisler of the Gospel to preach the Gospel.
St. Paul tells us, That some Preach the Gospel out of envy; yet
he was pleased that Chrisl should be so preached rather than
not preached; and so I say of Preaching of Chrisl out of
vanity; as it is evident many do, preaching themselves and
their own abilities, at leasl: as they think abilities, though
often great weaknesses and conceited impertinences. I be
seech you tell me, did not Christ and the Apostles Preach
the best way? and are not we to follow their example? Who
dare say otherwise? yet many do otherwise; they take here
or there a sentence of Scripture, the shorter and more ab
struse the better, to shew their skill and invention, this they
divide and subdivide into generals and particulars, the quid^
the quale, the quantum, and such like quaksalving forms;
then they study how to hook in this or that quaint sentence of
Philosopher or Father, this or that nice speculation, en
deavouring to couch all this in most elegant language; in
short, their main end is to shew their Wit, their Reading,
and whatever they think is excellent in them: No doubt
rarely agreeing with that of St. Paul, I determined not to
know any thing among you save Jesus Chris! an a* him crucified ;
And my speech and my preaching was not ivith the mticmg

words

CONCERNING PREACHING 51

wcrds of mans wisdom, hut in demonstration of the Spirit and of
Power, i Cor. 2. And I verily believe this is the reason why
Preaching hath so little effect in these days, because they
labor to speak the wisdom of this world, which is foolish
ness with God, nor do they Preach in demonstration of

j j

the Spirit, but in demonstration of their Learning. I
know full well this unapostolick way of Preaching
was used by some of the Ancient Fathers, especially
the Greeks^ always fond of niceties and curiosities, and
being now become Christians, (as I said before) transplanted
their beloved Rhetorical flowers of humane Learning into
Christian Gardens, which proved rather Weeds to over
run the seed of sound and plain Apostolick Doctrine, hu
mane nature being a soyl apter to give nourishment and
vigor to humane principles than divine. But when did ever
any Learned, Witty, Rhetorical harangue, or cunning
Syllogistical discourse convert the tythe of St. Peter s or St.
Paul s foolish Preaching, as he terms it, but the wisdom of God
to those that arc perfecl and sound in the faith. Who is
ignorant of that famous passage at the Council of Nice?
whither resorted with divers others, one Eminent Heathen
Philosopher, offering himself (as the manner of those vain
glorious Sophisters was) to dispute with the Christian Doc
tors; some Bishops of greater repute for Learning undertook
him, and as they thought, cleerly Confuted, but no way con
verted him; at last rises up a grave ancient Bishop of small
Learning, but of great Faith and Piety; and (with great dis
satisfaction of his Brethren, fearing some gross baffle should
befall this good man) comes up to the Philosopher, and with
great Magisterial Authority recites unto him the Aposto-

lick Creed, / believe in God the Father Almighty. and

in

5* THE A./ATD TRUTH

in the close calls to him, O Philosopher, believe ft thou all thh?
The Philosopher answered, / believe; not being able to resist
the demonstration of spirit and power wherewith he uttered
those Divine Mysteries, as he confest before them all. You
will say this was a Miracle of great rarity; I grant it, but
many such Miracles should we see, had we the Faith and
powerful Spirit of this Holy Bishop, and would indeavour to
imitate Apostolical Preaching, not Philosophical Arguing,
nor Rhetorical declaiming.

We see plainly the Apostolical Preaching was cither
catcchistical Instructions, or Pious Admonitions; not
tying themselves to any form, but past from one matter to
another as the Auditors condition required, not as the
Preachers fancy and reading prompt; just as the Roman
Emperor Caligula, who when Delinquents came before him
to be judged, condemnned or acquitted them as agreed best
with the current of his Oration: So these men shape their
discourse more to the applause then edification of the
hearers. And so much time is spent in composing these
Oratory Sermons, as the Minister hath not leisure to per
form a quarter of his Parochial Duty, of visiting the Sick, of
admonishing the scandalous, of reconciling the janglers, of
private examining and instructing the poor Ignorant souls,
thousands in every Countrey as ignorant as Heathens, who
understand no more of most Sermons, than if in Greek; So
that the Sermon is rather a Banquet for the Wantons that
are full, than instruction to those who are even starved for
want of spiritual food, the plain and saving Word of Christ,
not the nice conceited word of Man, which may nourish
Camelions, never make solid sound Christians. There are
others of a different strain, who wanting both Wit and

Learning

CONCERNING PREACHING 53

Learning also, think to supply all by strength of Lungs, by
loud and long babling, riding hackney from one good Town
to another, and with fervency of spirit like a boyling pot
running over where ever they come. Were it a laughing-
matter, who could contain to hear some seeming Zealot
Pastors talk so much of their obligation to Preach the
Gospel, and must (forsooth) do it in the Pulpit twice a
Sunday, counting those almost accursed that do not so, and
yet have many poor Sheep in their flock as ignorant as any
Sheep, whom they never regard, never instruct in the first
Principles of the Gospel; as if Preaching were tyed to the
Pulpit and the Sabbath day. Pardon me if I tell you a Story
which now comes in my head. I chanced to be in a Lords
house on a Saturday^ when a zealous Minister came in ; after
some complements and ceremonious discourse, he told the
Lord, That wherever he was, he never failed to Preach the
Gospel on the Lords day as his duty, and therefore en
treated that the Pastor of the Parish might be desired to give
place to him next morning. I suspecting both his zeal and de
sign (which afterwards appeared), asked him if he had re
ceived any particular command from Christ to Preach at
this place, and that hour? The Minister, startling at my
Question, answered, No. I replyed, Sure then other
Ministers had the same obligation to Preach the Gospel as
he had: and moreover it was the Pastors particular duty to
Preach to his own Congregation on the Lord s day, how
then could he in conscience desire the Pastor to omit his
duty? But the Lord pulled me by the elbow and took me off
from farther pressing him, and told him, he would send to
the Pastor to give him place. But to return to our business.
Very few are to be found, here and there one of Piety and

Discretion,

54 THE NAKED TRUTH

Discretion, that demeans himself prudently in his Office;
and the reason is this; It is grown up into a general opinion,
That none are fit to be admitted into Holy Orders but such
as have studied in the University; and if he hath learnt a
little to chop Logick, he is presently deemed fit to divide the
Word of Truthj and is easily instituted into a Living, and if
he can bring some nice Metaphysical speculations from
AriRotle^ or some. Theological distinction from Aquinas,
then he is worthy of two or three Livings or Prebends: and
thus University Youths, and even Boys of no experience or
discretion, are made Spiritual Pastors, the gravest and most
weighty Office in the World. I beseech you, what have
these Sciences (falsly so called) to do with the Gospel, where
we find no one tittle of them; but rather decryed as enemies

*

to the Gospel, as tending to vain jangling, strife and con
tention, nothing of Edification? We had lately a brave story
of the Jesuites in China, who finding the King and his
Courtiers much delighted with the Mathematicks, but not
very knowing in them, wrote to the General of their Order
at Rome to send them some Priests, very skilled in that
Science, to Preach the Gospel there. Why did they not send
for some also well skilful in Puppit-Plays? Ridiculous crea
tures shall I say, or rather impious! who think to support the
dignity, the majesty, the Divinity of the Gospel with such
humane toys ! Just as if a King, having some potent Enemy
invading his Countrey, should instead of leading on a stout
and gallant Army against him, lead on a Maurice-dance
capering and frisking most featly, thinking thereby to
appease and gain the heart of his Adversary. Te fools and
blind; we wreslle not againsJftesh and blood \ but againsJ Princi
palities , again ft Powers y againsl the Rulers of the darkness of

this

CONCERNING PREACHING 5$

this world, again ft spiritual ivickcdness in high places, Ephes.
6. 1 2. And therefore the weapons of our warfare muff not be
carnal but ?nighty through God to the pulling down of slrong
holds, 2 Cor. I o. 4. We mutt then take the whole armor of
God, the helmet of Salvation, the bresl,-plate of righteousness,
the shield of Faith, the sword of the Spirit. Read also St.
Paul to Timothy and Titus, setting down the required quali
fications of Bishops and Deacons; see if you can find any
such Mathcmatick, Logick, Physick? No, but Gravity,
Sobriety, Meekness, Diligence, and the like. Were such
men taken into holy Orders and constituted Pastors, the
Church of Christ had been far better edified, and the
Pastors far more reverenced than now they are: though
Plato, Aris~lotle, Euclid, Scotus, Aquinas, were never known
to them, so much as by name, yet they would want no
pastoral knowledge which is compleatly contained in Scrip
ture j as St. Paul told Timothy, that it was sufficient to make
him wise unto Salvation, profitable for Doclrine,for Reproof,
for Correftion,for Inftruttion, that the man of God might be
thoroughly furnished, without Logick, Physick, Mathema-
tick, Aletaphysick, or School Divinity. Scripture Divinity
thoroughly furnishes the man of God for all. I speak not
this in disparagement of University Learning, which I
highly value, if rightly made use of, tis as useful as honour
able to a Nation; but much of University Learning, as use
less to a spiritual Pastor, as the Art of Navigation to a Physi
cian; the Pastors only requisite and compleatly qualifying
Science, being according to St. Paul, to knoiv nothing but
ChrisJ and him crucified, and to Preach ChrisJ, not with in-
t icing words of man s wisdom, hut in demonstration of the
Spirit and of power: to Preach Christ as well out of Pulpit as

in

$6 THE NAKED TRUTH

in the Pulpit; in season, and out of season; to the poor and to

the rich; to the simple and ignorant far rather than to the

knowing, to Rebuke, to Correct, to edifie both by word and

deed.

Wherefore I most humbly beseech the Church-
Governours to remember the Original Institution of the
Ministry, what kind of men the Apostles chose into it, grave
Elderly men, thereTore styled Elders, and known as well by
that name, as Bishops, who having by long conversation
gotten experience and knowledge to govern themselves, were
made governours of others. I grant we have Timothy for an
example of younger years, that is, young by way of com
parison to the other Seniors; as a man of forty may be called
young, compared to those of sixty; yet no youth simply, nor
simple youth: and tis plain he was a person no way short of
the Elders in Gravity, though somewhat in years: St. Paul s
general rule was, not to admit of Novices, but all general
Rules have some exceptions. Timothy was one and a rare one,
we find not another. Next I pray consider what kind of
Preaching they used, you may easily guess at their Sermons
by their Epistles, full of short Catechistical Instructions,
grave Exhortations, sober Reproofs, discreet Corrections;
and then tell me whether a raw Novice from the University
with all his Sciences and Languages, be fit for this, or rather
a grave sober person of age and experience, having a good
natural capacity, illuminated by Scripture, Instruction, and
Prayer, using also the help of grave and sound Interpreters.
Really, tis mo& evident that the Church is run into great
contempt by the slightness and giddiness of many Ministers,
who intend nothing but to make a handsome School-Boys
Exercises in the Pulpit on Sunday^ but never attend the

other

CONCERNING PREACHING 57

other Parochial duties, no nor their own advance in Spiritual
knowledg, but give themselves wholly either to idle Studies,
or idle Recreations, and are very children in Divine know
ledg and behaviour. I do affirm this in the presence of God
as a truth, and I have known some pass for very good
Preachers, that could not give a good account of the Athana-
sian Creed, nor scarce of the Childrens Catechism; Masters
of Art, but School-Boys in true Divinity, and so their
Parishioners continue very Babes all their life long.

It would make any true Christians heart bleed to think,
how many thousand poor Souls there are in this Land, that
have no more knowledg of God than Heathens; thousands
of the mendicant condition never come to Church and are
never lookt after by any; likewise thousands of mean hus
bandry Men that do come to Church, understand no more
of the Sermon than Bruits: perchance in their infancy some
of them learnt a little of their Catechism, that is, they could,
like Parrots, say some broken pieces, but never understood
the meaning of one line (this is the common way of Catechis
ing) but afterwards as they grow up to be Men, grow more
Babes in Religion, so ignorant as scarce to know their
Heavenly Father, and are admitted to the Sacrament of the
Lord s Supper, before they are able to give account of the
Sacrament of Baptism. This it is generally in the Countrey,
and in the City as bad, partly for the reason before specified,
and partly by reason the number in many Parishes is far
greater than any one Pastor can have a due care of; he can
not know half the Names or Faces of them, much less their
Faith and Behaviour, which is requisite, that he may both
instruct and reprove where there is need. Wherefore I
humbly conceive tis necessary to divide these numerous

Parishes

5$ tttE. XAKED T&VTH

Parishes into several parts; but withal to provide means out
of them for several Ministers, for there is no hope to gain it
from their Charity or Piety, which is plain Hypocrisie,
seeming so zealous to hear the Word, but to contribute
nothing towards it; the Minister may Preach his heart out,
and yet not get out of their Purses any tolerable Mainten
ance; a poor Husbandman in the Countrey of Twenty
pound a year, that gets his bread by the sweat of his brows,
pays more to his Minister than a Citizen that gets hundreds
a year, sitting at great ease in his Shop, and spends more in
Ribbonds, Laces and Perriwigs in one year, than he pays his
Minister in ten or twenty: I beseech them to consider what
account they will give to their Lord and Master at that day.
But I return to the requisite qualities of a Minister, who
according to St. Paul is to be a Governour as well as a
Preacher; to admonish and rebuke as well as inftruft, and
therefore of two evils choose the lesser, rather Men defec
tive in parts to preach, which may be supplied by Homilies,
than defective in Wisdom and Discretion to govern, which
can t be supplied by other means. But would men be con
tent with the true Gospel and Apostolick Preaching, doubt
less there might persons be found out fit for both, to Govern
and to Preach; to preach one God the Creator of all, one
Christ the Redeemer of all, one Holy Ghost the Sanctifier
of all; to preach the Baptism of Repentance, and the Sacra
ment of the Lord s Supper; to preach Godliness, Justice,
Mercy, Charity, Sobriety, Chastity, &c. All which will be
far better performed by a grave and godly consciencious
Man, well Catechised, though he never saw University,
though he knew no other language but his Mother Tongue,
than bv Ari&otlei&> Scotitt, Aquinati&> with all their knacks

of

OXYCT/?.YnY; PRF.-JCHIXG 59

of quiddities and qualities, Syllogysms and Enthymems,
distinctions and subsumptions, &c. Not one Greek, or
Italian^ or French, of a thousand, knew any Language but
his Mother Tongue, when the Gospel first flourished there;
not one Indian of an hundred thousand, where St. Thomas
planted the Gospel, ever heard of Plato or Ariftotle; and so
I may say of many other Nations where the Gospel was
planted and Priests ordained. When God instituted Aaron
and that Priesthood, when Christ instituted the Apostles
and this Priesthood, not a tittle mentioned of School Sci
ences or Forreign Languages. Tis true, the Apostles by the
Holy Goly received the gift of Tongues, because they were
to preach to all Nations, but we find not any infusion of
School-learning by the Holy Ghost, nor any more gift of
Tongues after the Gospel once spread over the world; God
thought it then needless. I pray let s be no wiser than God
and his Christ, who converted the world by the foolishness of
Preaching, but I never yet heard of any one Nation con
verted by the wisdom of Philosophical Rhetorical Preaching.
Mistake me not, I say that Sciences and Languages are no
way necessary for common Parochial Preachers, yet I grant
that Sciences, especially Historical, and Language, especi
ally the Oriental, are very useful to the perfect understand
ing of Scripture, and very fit for some Ministers to study, to
whom God hath given parts and means to acquire them,
who may be helpful to others; and the Universities are very
good places to train up Youths to this purpose; but still these
faculties are no way necessary to a Parochial Cure; a small
proportion of Learning, with a great deal of Piety and
Discretion, is much better. Besides there is another thing
much to be considered : Were there such grave consciencious

persons

60 THE NAKED TRUTH

persons admitted into the Ministry as the Apoftles ordained?
such Preaching set up as they practised, and all other de-
cryed; such double honour paid unto the Ministry as St.
Paul commanded and primitively was rendred (such grave
persons would scarce ever fail of it) then we might find
thousands in the Nation that having means of their own,
would preach the Gospel to the poor for conscience
sake. The maintenance for Ministers in most parts is so
wretchedly small (and so like to be, the Tythes being in the
hands of Lay-men without hopes of recovery) that there is
no convenient support for men of Worth and Gravity, and
therefore youth and striplings as wretched are put into them
of meer necessity, that they lye not wholly void : whereas if
men that had some Estate to help to maintain themselves,
being persons of conscience and convenient knowledg,
were put into the Ministry, and such preaching the Gospel
accepted of, as the Apostles and Primitive Disciples used;
the Cures would be served with far more edification of the
people, and honour to the Church, than now they are.

I most humbly beseech all in the spirit of meekness and
humility to consider these things, laying aside the veil of
pomp and vanity, which blinds their eyes, and hinders them
from discovering the naked truth and simplicity of the Gos
pel. I call the Searcher of all hearts to witness, I wish unto
all Clergy-men both double honour and double mainten
ance also, I can t think any thing too much for those who
conscienciously labour in the Ministry. But seeing (as I
said) there is no hopes of regaining the Church maintenance,
we in prudence should seek out such helps as may be had.
And truly I have great reason to hope, that were this rule
observed of putting only grave discreet and consciencious

persons

CONCERNING PREACHING 61

persons into the Ministry (whether University-men or not,
it matters not, so as fully instructed in the Doctrine of the
Gospel by sound Commentators) many persons of good rank
and Estate would think it no dishonour, but rather a higher
honour to enter into it, as they did in the Primitive time;
Julian neerly related to the Roman Emperor, and after
wards Emperor himself, thought it an honour to be ad
mitted a Reader, one of the lowest Offices in the Church.
And for the better advancing this business, and fitting all
sorts of men with convenient Knowledg for the Ministry, I
humbly conceive it very fit there should be one good and
brief English Comment of Scripture selected and compiled
out of those many voluminous Authors, laying aside all im
pertinent criticisms, abstruse questions, nice speculations,
and the like, setting down only the plain and most obvious
sense in matters of Faith and good life, necessary to Salva
tion; such a book to be set forth by Authority, with a com
mand that no man in Sermons, Exhortations or Catechisings
teach any thing contrary to it, and what ever Learning
beyond that is brought into the Pulpit, let it rather be ex
ploded than applauded; for if any countenance be given to
excursions, there will be no end, the itch men have to shew
their Learning will soon bring us again into the vain unedi-
fying practice we now are in, I humbly conceive it fit also
that the book of Homilies be reviewed, not to correct any

thing in them; for they are most excellent sound Exhorta
tions, containing the true Primitive Spirit; but to add to
them what ever is wanting to the necessary Doctrine of
Faith and good manners, to teach every person how to
behave himself in his several vocation, and these commanded
to be read once over every year; for I have observed several

even

62 THE NAKED TRUTH

even good and conscientious Preachers, to take quite another
method, and preach on this or that Chapter, and so in the
whole year, yea perchance in two or three years, never
preach on the duty between Man and Wife, Parents and
Children, Masters and Servants, Magistrates and Subjects;
or omit to treat of Pride, or Malice, or Cheating, or the like;
by reason of which omissions, several in the congregation
are ignorant in necessary duties, though rightly instructed
in many things unnecessary.

I expect that many will cry out of this as a means to in
troduce laziness into the Ministry, and a hindrance from
exercising those talents God hath endowed them with. To
this I answer, First, That I had rather the Ministers should
be lazy, than the people ignorant in their duty. But secondly,
I answer, That besides Pulpit-Preaching, the Minister may
find enough to do to keep him from laziness, and exercise
the best, that is, the most useful Talents of a Minister, to
visit and comfort the Sick and Afflicted, to compose Differ
ences, and reconcile Janglers, to examine and instruct the
meaner and duller part of his Flock, who are not capable of
Pulpit-preaching, to whom they must inculcate both Doc
trines and Admonitions ten times over, and scarcely so, make
them apprehend any spiritual matters. Experience only can
raise a belief how extreamly dull the common people are in
the mysteries of Faith, and but little quicker in the princi
ples of a good life. Christ dyed to save these poor vulgar
souls as well as those of the Gentry and more learn d; yet
the labour of most Ministers is to entertain those that know
enough, and are very lazy in catechising those poor souls that
know nothing: let these be fully instructed, and then (for
me) let them shew their Talents by preaching as often as they

please

CONCERNING PREACHING 63

please toothers. All that I labour for, is that those may have it
who mosl: want it, either by injoining such Homilies as I
mentioned to be yearly read, or such Sermons to be yearly
preached: I am no enemyto true Apostolical preaching, God
forbid I should; but to vain Scholastical useless preaching:
to have the Paslor, who should daily watch over his Flock,
sit in his sludy all the week long, picking from that or this
quaint Author a few beautiful flowers, and then come on
Sunday with his Nosegay in his hand to entertain Ladies and
Courtiers: for my part I count this far more sinful laziness,
than to read a pious Homily on Sunday, and all the week after
go up and down from house to house, taking pains to in&rudt
and exhort such as I mentioned. But these shall be called
dumb dogs, yet surely by none but barking Currs, who are
wholly ignorant in true Aposlolick Preaching. Pardon me
if I return them their due, who speak evil of that they under
stand not.

They will objecl:, The Aposlles and Primitive Disciples
did not read Homilies, but preached themselves: Neither do
I desire that any one Homily should ever be read, so as we
had the true Apostolick preaching both on Sundays in pub-
lick, and Week-days also in private, where there is need:
But I am sure such pious Homilies as I mentioned, are no
ways contrary to the Aposlolical and primitive practice, and
are far more useful than such preaching that we have now a
days. And I am also sure, that in the purest and mosl: primi
tive time, Homilies under another name were read in the
Churches, that is, the Epistles of Aposlolick godly Bishops
written to other Churches, were read in the Congregation
with great Veneration; Shall the name of Epiflle make
the one applauded, the name of Homily make the other

reproached,

64 THE NAKED <I RUTH

reproached, the contents and the intent being the same, to
slirr up the people to godliness? If this will satisfy, let the
Homilies be slyled Epiflles to such or such a Church, and
then I hope they will pass for current. But you will say, The
Compilers of our Homilies are not of equal authority to those
Primitive Episllers; Let that pass, but I am sure they are of
far more authority, than most of our Preachers. I pray con
sider, how many giddy Youths are of our Ministry, how
many of greater age but of as little gravity or discretion ; how
many that vainly preach themselves and their own abilities,
not Christ and his Gospel; how many that preach piously,
and yet not usefully, but, as I said before, many things un
necessary, omitting many necessary: Sum up all these par
ticulars, and you will find a small remainder that preach
piously and edifying also, very few to equal the Compilers of
our homilies; and then calmly consider the great use, yea
the great necessity of such Homilies. But if you can furnish
all our Churches with pious, discreet, edifying preaching
Pastors, I am abundantly satisfied, and do you seal up the
Book of Homilies till a new dearth of spiritual food, which
God in his great mercy prevent. Amen.

Concerning

Concerning Bishops and

Priests

HOEVER unbias d reads the Scrip
ture, thence proceeds to the first Chris
tian Writers, and so goes on from Age
to Age, can t doubt but that the Church
was always governed by Bishops^ that is,
by one Elder, or Presbyter, or President, or what else you
please to call him, set over the rest of the Clergy with
authority to Ordain, to Exhort, to Rebuke, to Judge,
and censure as he found cause: No other form of
Government is mentioned by any Authority for Fif
teen hundred years from the Apostles downwards, Now
who can in reason and modesty suspect those Primitive
Bishops who lived in the days of the Apostles, chosen
by them into the Church, succeeded them in Church
Government, yea, and in Martyrdom also for the Faith, as
Clemens, Ignatius, Polycarpus and others: who, I say, can
suspect them to be prevaricators in Church Discipline, and
take upon them another form of Episcopal Government
contrary to Apostolical Institution? These great Makers of
Self-denial who gave their Lives for the Truth, would they
transmit unto Posterity a Church-Government contrary
to the Truth? let who will believe it, I can neither believe it,
nor suspect it : And there is yet another thing very observable
that all the Orthodox Church dispersed all the world over,
some parts having no correspondence at all with the other

by

G 2

66 THE KAKF.n TRUTH

by reason of distance, some by Wars divided and made cruel
Enemies, yet all agreed in this form of Government; and
not only the Orthodox, but also the Schismaticks and Here-
ticks, who seperated from, hated and persecuted the Ortho
dox Church, they likewise retained still this form of Gov
ernment, as if all were of necessity compelled to acknow-
ledg this, having never known, heard nor dream d of other.
And therefore nothing but necessity, if that, can excuse
those who first set up another form of Government to their
own Makers: let them stand or fall, I will not presume to
censure them: I will only say, That from the beginning it
was not so, and I thank God tis not so with us, but as it was
in the beginning, so it is now with us, and ever shall be I
trust in God. Amen.

But notwithstanding all this, yet tis very much to be
doubted whether they were of any distinct Superior Order
from and above the Presbyters, or one of the same Order set
over the rest with power to Ordain Elders, to Exhort, Re
buke, Chastise, as Timothy and Titus were constituted by St.
Paul. For though they were of the same Order with the
other Elders and Pastors, yet there was great reason for
some to be placed with greater Authority to rule over the
rest. The Scripture tells us, That even in the days of the
Apostles there were several seducing Teachers, leading the
people into errors and Heresies; and more were to follow
after the Apostles times, grievous wolves in sheeps cloathing ;
and therefore it was very necessary to pick out some of
eminent soundness in Faith, and Godliness of life, and set
them up on high with great Authority, as fixed Stars in the
Heavens (so styled, Rev. I.) to whom all might have regard
in dangerous times, as Mariners observe in their Sea-faring

journies.

BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 67

journies. But the Scripture no where expresses any distinc
tion of Order among the Elders; we find there but two
Orders mentioned, Bishops and Deacons. Of Deacons we
shall treat afterwards. Let us now proceed to the Order of
Bishops and Priests, which the Scripture distinguishes not
for there we find but one kind of Ordination, then certainly
but one Order; for two distinct Orders can t be conferred
in the same instant, by the same words, by the same actions.

j j * *

They who think Deaconship and Priesthood distinct, the
one subservient to the other, though they intend in the same
hour to consecrate the same Man Deacon and Priest, do
they not first compleat him Deacon, then Priest? I pray
let any man shew me from Scripture (as I said) Timothy or
Titus or any one ordained twice, made first Priest, than
Bishop, which is absolutely necessary if they be distinct
characters; and tis generally affirmed, though I humbly
conceive they scarce understood what they affirm, I mean
they understand not what these characters are, whether
Greek, Hebrew y or Arabick^ or what else. But let that pass,
I desire them only to shew me how a man can make two

j

characters with one stroke or motion, A. and B. at the same
instant. If then neither Timothy nor Titus^ nor any other,
were but once Ordained, whence can we gather these two
distinct characters, these two distinct Orders? We find the
Apostles themselves but once ordained, those by the
Apostles but once ordained, and so on. When St. Paul left
Titus in Crete to ordain, he mentions only one ordination,
that of Presbyters, (so the word in Greek] no other; there s no
commission given him to ordain Bishops and Presbyters.
Who then was to ordain Bishops there? not Titus^ he had no
such command, we do not find that St. Paul himself did;

And

6S THE NAKED TRUTH

And sure you will not grant that the Presbyters which
Titus ordained, that they could ordain Bishops there, for you
will not allow them to ordain so much as Presbyters? Yet
Bishops you will needs have in every City, and in Crete
were very many, who ordained Bishops for them all? Truly
I can t find, nor you neither I believe. But you will say,
The superiour order contains in it virtually the inferior
order, (let this pass at present) doth Presbyter then virtually
contain Bishop? If so, then all Presbyters are Bishops. No
say you, Bishop is the superiour order, and that contains in it
Presbyter. You say so, but by your leave you are to prove so,
or give me leave to say otherwise, especially seeing I have
Scripture for my saying, and you have none for yours. But
should I grant Bishop the superiour, what then? we find
Titus ordained not any but Presbyters, as he was commanded
by St. Paul , so we are still at a loss for our Bishops, we find
not their Ordination. Or did St. Paul mistake in his expres
sion, and meaning Bishops m every City, said Presbyters m
every City, let this pass also, and I pray let us see what you
mean by this, The superiour order virtually contains the
inferiour? Do not you say they are two distinct Orders, two
real distinct indelible characters imprinted in the Soul, as
the School-men affirm (give me leave to talk their Language
though I understand it not). If I take a fair Paper, and make
an A. upon it for the character of Presbyter, and then make
a B. upon it for the character of a Bishop, the same Paper
contains both Characters, but sure one character doth not
contain the other, A. doth not contain B. nor doth B. con
tain A. So the same Soul may receive two Characters, two
Orders, but if the two Orders be distinct, how can they con
tain each other, I understand no more than I do these Holy

Characters;

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 69

Characters ; If they can paint them out unto me in their pro
per figures, perchance I may understand them better, but as
yet I ingeniously confess my ignorance. I grant in a Meta
physical way of Abstraction, the superior species contains
the inferiour genus. A Man, a rational creature, contains
theanimalityofa Horse, the inferiour creature, but doth not
contain a real Horse in his belly; nor can a man beget
Horses; or men when he pleases. Nor can you truly say
a man is a Horse; I believe my Schoolmen would take
it in snuff should I affirm any of them to be Horses, &c.
But they affirm that a Bishop doth not only virtually
contain the Priesthood, but is really a Priest, and can
make Priests or Bishops as he please. Whereby you
may see this answer, That the Superiour Order virtually
contains the inferiour, is a meer evasion; it sounds as
if it were something, but really is nothing to our pur
pose at all; for we are not now upon Metaphysical
abstractions, but real individual subsistencies, two actual
distinct Orders, as they would have it, two distinct
indelible characters imprinted on mens souls by Ordination,
as A. and B. which can never be truly affirmed one of the
other. A. is not B. and B. is not A., a man is not a horse and
a horse is not a man ; so a Bishop ordain d only Bishop, is not
a Priest, nor a Priest a Bishop, if they be distinct. Where
fore I must believe them one and the same Order, especially
seeing the Scripture applies the same name promiscuously to
both; which is the second argument of their identity, to be
one and the same.

Ads 20 S. Paul sends to Ephesus to call the Presbyters of
that Church unto him at Miletum, and speaking to them, he
calls them all Bishops (in our Translation tis overseers]

Vers,

70 THE NAKED TRUTH

Vers. 28. So in his Epistle to the Philippians^ he directs to
all the Saints with the Bishops and Deacons , both in the plural
number, so that by the word Bishops, we must needs under
stand Presbyters; for Bishops as we now take the word, were
never many in one City. I pray observe also St. Pauls Epis.

to Tihtiy 1.5. For this came left I thee in the Crete that

thou shouldesJ ordain Elders in every City if any be blame
less for a Bishop musJ be blameless. Is it not here evident,

That an Elder and a Bishop in St. Paul s Language is one
and the same; otherwise there were no coherency at all in
St. Paul s speech. If this be not convincing, beyond all
possible evasion, I understand nothing of discourse. Other
such places are obvious in Scripture to every one, I need
mention no more; only I desire to inform the Reader of a
passage to this purpose, in an Epistle of Clemens to the
Corinthians. This Clemens is mentioned in Scripture, and is
he whom St. Peter appointed his successour at Rome^ and
who was of so great Authority, that as St. Hierome tells us,
this his Epistle was read in the Churches: Now in this
Epistle Clemens particularly sets forth the constitution of
the Church by the Apostles, and what Ministers they
ordained in the Church; to wit, Bishops and Deacons^ he
names no other, which seems to me as full an evidence as can
be, that there were no other Orders in the Church in those
days but those two; And yet we are sure there was then
Presbyters in the Church; for Peter and John call them
selves Presbyters^ and St. Peter calls them Presbyters to
whom he wrote his Epistle; so that if there were but two
Orders, to wit, Bishops and Deacons^ Presbyters must be one
and the same with Bxhops or with Deacons; not with
Deacons, therefore one and the same with Bishops; One

Order

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 71

Order called by two names promiscuously in Scripture, as
hath been shewed before. And I desire you to observe, that
of those two names Presbyter and Bishop, if there be any
dignity and eminency exprest in one more than the other,
sure it is in the name of Presbyter, not Bishop, because the
Apostles themselves, and the chief of the Apostles (as some
would have it who stand highest on their Pantables) are in
Scripture stiled Presbyters or Elders^ as the word in our
English Translation, but never Bishops, as I remember.
And therefore I can t but wonder why that haughty Head
of the Papists should not assume to himself the title of his
pretended Predecessor St. Peter^ Presbyter, rather than
Bishop, which was never given to St. Peter, no more than St.
Peter gave unto him the Headship of the Church. As to the
interpretations and answers given to these and such like
Scripture-expressions, sure I need not take any pains to con
fute them: for they are so weak, as that Petaviut, a late
Writer, and great stickler for the superiority of Episcopacy,
durst not trust to them, nor would venture his credit to
make use of them, but found out a new and rare conceit, as
he conceives, That these Presbyters mentioned in Scripture,
and called by both names, were all really Bishops, and that
the Apostles ordained them so, as most convenient for that
time: for the Congregations of the faithful being small,
there needed no Priests under the Bishops to officiate; and
yet there was need of a Bishop in those small Congregations,
because there were several things to be done, which were
not within the power and capacity of Presbyters to act, (as he
supposes), viz. the laying on of hands, and confirming the
faithful after Baptism, the veiling of devoted Women, the
reconciling of Penitents, the ordaining Deacons where there

was

72 THE NAKED TRUTH

was need: and adds moreover several impertinencies, as the
making of Chrism, consecrating Church-Vessels, &c. And
Petavius mightily applauds himself in this conceit, as the only
means to clear all difficulties. Our Doctor Hammond also
finding the usual interpretations of those places of Scripture
above mentioned too weak to sustain the arguments builded
on them for the Unity of Order goes along after Petavitx a
great way in the forfeited discourse (though not in the latter
impertinencies), and affirms that the Presbyters then were all
Bishops: And so far I go with them, that all were Presbyters^
all Bishops y because all was one, and one was all; several
Names, not several Orders, as they would have it: And
thus I humbly conceive firmly proved by my former argu
ment of one Ordination, wherein two distinct Orders could
not be conferred: so that still I require them to shew me
from Scripture where these Presbyter-Bishops were twice
Ordained, else it cannot be truly affirmed they were really
and actually Priests and Bishops. As for that answer, That
though but one Order was conferred, viz Episcopal; yet
that being Superior to the Priesthood, contains this virtu
ally in it: First, You are to prove Bishop to be superior to
Presbyter^ which I deny, the Apostles being peculiarly
called Presbyters. Secondly, That one contains the other, I
suppose is already confuted, and fully declar d that it cannot
be; and, as I mentioned before, you do in effect confess it
your selves by your practice: for if the Superior Order so
contains the inferior, as to enable a man thereby to act all
things belonging to the inferior, it is a very impertinent
thing to ordain a man, as you do, first a Deacon, then a Priest
then a Bishop, when you design to confer all upon him in
the same day and hour.

And

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 73

And now I pray give me leave to examine a little Petavius
his rareconceits which heconceives will satisfieall former ob
jections, and will meet with no new ones. He confesses the
Presbyters of the Apostles times were all of one Order, viz.
Bishops, because the Priests of each congregations might per
form those several acts he mentions, which a bare Presbyter is
not capable of. And why not capable of them, how doth he
prove this? he brings notonetittleof proof forthisoutof Scrip
ture, where there are good proofs to the contrary. St. Peter
and St. John, Presbyters^ could do all these and more: Ergo y
Presbyters are capable of all. Butsaith he, The jrfposlles were
Bishops also; also is impertinent, as signifying somewhat
else; whereas I say and prove tis one and the same Order,
only another name, it lyes upon him to prove this dif
ference of Orders; and how doth he prove it, because
Presbyters can t do the acts of a Bishop; why, this is the thing
in question; and thus he runs round to prove this by that, and
that by this, and not one tittle out of Scripture for either. I
know full well by several Canons of Councils made some
at one time, some at another, the Bishops reserved many
things to themselves, whereof most of them had been
practised formerly by Presbyters^ and the Canons were made
to prevent the like for the future; for had there been such a
practice, there had been no need of such Canons, whereby
they reserved these things unto themselves, and for their
own greatness would needs perswade the world, that
Presbyters were not capable of them. I graat, that for de
cency and order in that sense, some things may be reserved to
some, other things to others to perform; but that the Order
of Priesthood was not capable, is even ridiculous; that the
Priesthood being capable to do the greatest things, should

not

74 THE NAKED TRUTH

not be capable to do the least; he can consecrate the souls ot
Men by Baptism and the Lords Supper, yet (forsooth) can t
consecrate their Oyl, and their Cups, and their Candle
sticks, which we never heard the Apostles did or dream d of,
but are the fond dreams of doting men, just like the Phari
sees, washing cups and platters after the Doctrines of men.
Really there needs no better confutation of their distinction
and superiority of Episcopal Order, than the mean ridicu
lous things which they ascribe unto their Bishops, and debar
Presbyters of, which methinks a Presbyter should contemn,
were they offered him; and therefore such Arguments as
these are not worth the small pains I have taken about them.
I proceed to somewhat that seems a little better; Petavius
tells us, That the number of Christians increasing, and
Factions arising in the Church, the Apostles at length to
wards the end of their times, chose out of these Presbyter-
Bishops, some chief men, and placed them as Governours
over the rest, and reserved unto these principal Men the
power of ordaining; thus far I freely consent, the Scripture
declares it, and it seems most Rational. And I humbly con
ceive these Governours, and Or darners were Men of great
prudence and moderation, and probably had also that gift
of the Holy Ghoft, The discerning of spirits, and judging of
Men, (a gift mentioned in Scripture among others) that
none might be admitted into the Priesthood but Men of
meek and peaceable spirits. But now I would ask Petavius
when these Governing Ordaining Bishops were set over the
rest of the Presbyter-Bishops? when Titus was first settled
with this Authority in Crete^ and when Timothy was thus
placed at Ephesus^ where we rind before were several
Presbyter-Bishops? what became of them? Were they

un-Bishop d

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 75

un-Bishop d and madesimple Presbyters? they must no more
ordain nor govern, but be subject to Timothy and Titus. I
am sure it was thought no small punishment in future Ages,
when Bishops were thus by decrees of Councels abased and
cast down unto the Presbyter form, and it was for some
notorious crimes. I pray what crime were all these Presbyter
Bishops guilty of, to be thus handled, and tumbled down into
another form? Truly Petavius deals hardly with them, un
less he can shew us their crime. Or will he instead of accus
ing them, excuse himself, and say they were not un-Bishopt
nor abased, but only restrained from exercising that power
their Order was capable of, had they been commissioned
thereto. Truly I must commend Pctavnu if he will thus
ingenuously confess the truth; for I shall by and by fully
declare that tis the diversity of Commission, and not of
Order, that enables men to act diversly; and that a Bishop
without commission, can do no more than a Presbyter with
out commission; and therefore I farther begg of Petaviut^
that, till he can prove the contrary, he would confess them
also to be all of one single Order, called only by divers names,
PriesJ or Bishop^ and one chosen out of the number, not the
rest abased, but he exalted with Authority to Govern. This
is the rational and common practice of all Societies, Corpora
tions, Colledges, Monasteries, Conclave of Cardinals, what
not? There is no new Order supposed in any of these, but
only a new Election, and a new Authority given, according
to the fundamental constitution of each Society. The Pope
himself with his triple Crown, and triple dominion over all
Patriarcks, Arch-Bishops, Bishops, pretends to have no new
Order of Popeship, but only the new Authority conferred
by his Election: why then may not Presbyters chosen to

preside

76 THE NAKED TRUTH

preside over the rest without any new Order, do the like.
And for this very reason I conceive Juftin Martyr uses the
name of President always for Bishop: and St. Cyprian also, a
Bishop himself, and most glorious Martyr, he calls himself
and other Bishops generally by the name of Pr<zpositus, as if
this were the main distinction betwixt himself and his
Presbyters, that he was Prapositus only, one of them placed
with Authority over them; no more: Nor doth the name of
Bishop in the original Greek signifie any more than an Over
seer of the rest. And as for the avoiding of Heresies and
Factions, they thought it meet to settle some Bishop of
great soundness in Faith, and godlinessof life, with authority
to restrain and chastise disorderly Pastors. Just so, when
whole Nations were converted, and not only the Pastors
but the Bishops also (who had oversight of the Pastors)
encreased in number, then for the same reason it was
thought fit there should be an Overseer of the Bishops, and
he called an Arch-Bishop; when the Arch-Bishops were
multiplied then another set over them, and he called a
Patriarch ; and at last one over the Patriarchs, and he call d
Papa^ a Pope, Catexochen* though Papa before was a name
attributed to other Bishops. Now as Pope, Patriarch, Arch-
Bishop, Bishop, are all one and the same Order (Papists them
selves grant this); so Bishop, Elder, Presbyter, Priest, all one
and the same, only one of these set over the rest, and he
now particularly call d Episcopus^ that is, Bishop, Catexochen^
because he oversees the Overseers: but this last constitution
only is Apostolical, the other of Arch-Bishop, Patriarch,
Pope, are meerly humane, not at all mentioned in Scripture.
But now another Objection arises. Petaviut grants that
all the Elders which the Apostles Ordained were Bishops,

* i.e., /car eox /v=par excellence. and

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 77

and toward the end of the Apostles days they set some
eminent amongst them over the rest to govern and ordain
Elders in every City, as Timothy and Titus, and these Elders
in every City were Bishops; and thus the Apostles left the
Church with Bishops only and Deacons. And this is evident
by what I brought before out ofC/emens^ who lived after the
Apostles days, and mentions only Bishops and Deacons left
by the Apostles. This being so, I desire to know who after
the Apostles days began this new kind of Ordination of
Presbyters or Elder s^ot Bishops;the Apostles Ordained none
such; who then? and by what Authority was this new Order
set up? the Scripture mentions it not; when and by whom
came it in? A very bold undertaking, without Scripture or
Apostolical practice.

I will not boast my conceit as Petavius doth his; only I
wish the Reader to consider which is most practical, most
rational, or rather most Scriptural, thereon I frame this
whole Fabrick as the Rock and only sure Foundation;
humane brain is too weak to erect and to support the Fabrick
of the Church of God, which the Romanics have made a
very Babel with their humane inventions and multiplied
Characters and Orders; some of them would have nine
several holy Orders in God s Church-Militant here on
Earth, because there are nine several Orders of Coelestial
spirits in the Church-Triumphant in Heaven. This is a
Castle of their ownbuildingin the Air,a rare Foundation for
God s Church ! Others will have seven several Orders and
Characters as seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost. Hath the holy
Ghost then but seven several gifts to confer on men? S.
Paul, i Cor. 1 2. counts unto us nine; not as if these were all,
but only for example ^ake; to shew us that many and divers

Gifts

78 THE NAKED TRUTH

Gifts are conferred on us by one and the same Spirit; and in
the conclusion of the same Chapter he mentions eight.
These things were uttered accidentally according to the
occasion, not as limiting the Gifts of the Holy Ghost to any
set Number. But if you will farther look into their applica
tion of these Gifts of the holy Ghosl:, and see to what kind
of several Orders they appropriate them, it would make a
Man amazed to see sober learned Men, even the great Wit
and Scholar Aqumas, discourse in such wild manner; as did
you but stand behind a curtain to hear and not see them, you
doubtless would conclude you heard some old woman in the
Nursery telling her dreams to children, rather than Divine
Doctors in School. Fie name but one or two of their Orders.
The Porter of the Church Door is one, and (he forsooth.)
hath a Sacred Character imprinted on his Soul, and his gift is
the discerning of Spirits, that he may j udge who are fit to
enter into God s Church, who to be shut out. Another of
their Orders is that ofdcolouthi, who are now (anciently they
were quite another thing) certain Boys carrying Torches,
and attending on the Bishop saying Mass; these have their
Character also, and their Gift of the Holy Ghost is the in
terpretation of Tongues ^ signified (no doubt on t) by the
Light in their Hands, but understand no more of Tongues
than the Stick of their Torch. I will not weary you with
more of their Absurdities.

Our Episcopal Divines rejecting these chymerical fancies
of orders and Characters, suppose it to be a certain Faculty
and Power conferred by the laying on of Hands for the
exercise of Ministerial duties; and according to this purpose
the Superior Order contains the Inferior, as the greater
power contains in it the less; thus Episcopacy being the

superior

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 79

superior order, contains in it Priesthood and Deaconship,
these three are their supposed distinct Orders. They may
suppose this if they please, and I may suppose the contrary:
But I would gladly know on what Scripture they ground this
discourse, that s the thing I still require; and there we find
no larger Faculty or Power given to Bishops, but rather to
Presbyters, as I have shewed, the Apostles who had the
greatest power being stiled Presbyters, not Bishops. And
when our Bishops do Ordain Presbyters, do not they use the
very same form of words which our Saviour used when he
Ordained the Apostles? Receive ye the Holy GhosJ: whose
sins ye forgive, they are forgiven, &c. Do they not then by the
same words confer the same power? (for I hope they use
no Equivocation, nor mental Reservation) if the Power be
the same, the Order is the same by their own Rule. Again,
let us examine their own Practice; do they not require a
Man should be ordained first Deacon, before he be or
dained Priest, and Priest before Bishop? what needs this, if
the superior contains the inferiour. But in Scripture we
find it otherwise, Timothy who long officiated under St.
Paul as a Presbyter, when he was left at Ephesus, and so
when Titus was left at Creet^ both to be Bishops, we find
no new ordination; were this requisite, sure the Scripture
would have given us at least some hint of it, but not one tittle
there. But if the Scripture be defective in expressions, you
will supply it by the expressions and practice of the Church
in first succeeding Ages.

Before you go on and take much pains to shew me this,
give me leave to tell you, that I shall not easily recede from
Scripture in fundamentals, either of Faith or Church-
discipline, in things indifferent of themselves, or in more

weighty
H

*> THE NAKED TRUTH

weighty matters very doubtfully expres t in Scripture, I
shall always most readily submit to the interpretation of the
Primitive and Universal Church, I require both Primitive
and Universal; for I shewed before, that in matters of Faith
there were some errors very Primitive, yet not continued by
the Universal Church, but rejected in succeeding Ages,
And at the time of the Evangelical Reformation by Luther,
Melanfton, Calvm^ &c. I can shew some errors generally
received in most, if not in all the Churches of Christendom,
but neither approved nor known by the Primitive Church;
wherefore I require what you produce, should be both
Primitive and Universal, and this to interpret some place of
Scripture doubtful in it self, not plain. Now as to the busi
ness in hand, I can t yield that the Scripture is very doubtful
in it, or scarce doubtful at all; for though in Scripture tis
not m termini* said, Presbytery and Episcopacy are both one
and the same order, yet the circumstantial expressions are
(as I have shewed) so strong and many, that they are equiva
lent to a clear expression in termini*. Secondly, this not a
matter of any indifferency, but of vast and dangerous conse
quence, if mistaken, that a Church without such Bishops
as you require can t be truly cal d, a Church, and so we shall
exclude many Godly Reformed Churches: for if Bishops be
of such a superiour and distinct order as you pretend, if the
power of ordination be inherent in them only, then where
no Bishop, no true Priests ordained, where no Priests no
Sacraments, where no Sacraments no Church. Wherefore I
humbly beseech you be not too positive in this point, lest
thereby you do not only condemn all the Reformed Churches
but the Scripture and S. Paul also; who tells us, that the
Scripture is sufficient to make us wise to salvation, both in

matters

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 81

matters of faith and works also, to instruct and thoroughly
furnish us to every good work: and will any deny this of
Ordination to be both a good and necessary work, seeing that
the powerful preaching the Word and administration of the
Sacraments depend upon it. Wherefore I dare not by any
means suspect the Scripture defective is this weighty affair.
Yet to shew you our willingness to hear all things ; let us hear
what you can tell us from Antiquity.

The first you bring is Epiphaiuus^ three hundred years
after the Apostles, from whom the main Objection is
drawn against the Identity of Order, and shot as a Cannon
Ball against us beyond all possible resistance, but you will
find it to be a meer Tennis-Bail. Epiphanius making a
Catalogue of Hereticks, puts in JF.rius for one, who was an
jirrian, and moreover held that Bishops and PriesJs were
all of one Order, and of equal dignity and Authority, and
thata Presbyterhad Power toOrdain, Confirm, and inshort,
to act any thing equal with a Bishop. That he was an Here-
tick is apparent, being an Arrlan; nay, I shall not scruple to
yield unto you that he was an Heretick in this his assertion
concerning Episcopacy and Presbytery, (as we now under
stand them); I say, the Assertion contains Heresie in one
part but not in every part, viz. That the Bishop and other
Presbyters are of equal authority and power to act : this may,
in some sense, be called Heresie, for it is against Apostolical
Constitution declared in Scripture, therefore an Heresie;
and if you can shew me from Scripture as much against
Identity of Order, I shall brand him for an Heretick in that
also; but being sure there is no such thing in Scripture, there
can be no Heresie in affirming the Identity. I fully agree
with Tertullian, we can make no judgement, de rebus fidei,

nifi
Hz

82 THE NAKED TRUTH

nifi ex literis fidei^ of matters of Faith, but from the writings
of Faith, that is, the Scripture, and therefore I shall never be
pulled from this Pillar of Truth. The Scripture is our com-
pleat Rule of Faith, no Opinion is heretical and damnable
which is not againsl: that. Now, Good Reader, I pray take
notice that Epiphanius was a very godly Bishop in the main,
but yet a very cholerick Man, as appears in that his fierce
contest with John Bhhop of Constantinople, and his bitter
expressions therein, which I do not mention in disparage
ment of this holy Man, but only to give the Reader a caution
to remember, that passionate Men do sometimes censure
more severely than there is cause : Epiphaniu* being a Bishop
and finding the authority and dignity of Episcopacy much
disparaged by Mrius being an Arrian Heretick, falls upon
him sharply for this his opinion also, wherein he was in part
much to be condemned, as I freely confesl: before, but not in
the very point now in question, nor doth Epiphanius himself
condemn him in this particular as an Heretick, but only in
the gross, to which I freely give my vote. But you will tell
me, that a Man of a far milder temper, St. Austin, doth also
enrol Mriia among Hereticks. I know it well, but I desire
you to know that St. AuSlin doth not lay this to his charge as
an Heresie, for he saith only thus; JErin* also was an Here-
tick, for he fell into Arrian Heresie, and he added some
Opinions of his own; then St. AusJm recounts several of his
Opinions, whereof this was one, That he affirmed there was
no difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter; where I
pray you observe, St. Auftin gives us the reason why he ranks
him with Hereticks, (viz.) because he fell into the Arrian
Heresie; then follows, and he added some Opinions of his
own: St. Auftin calls these Opinions not Heresies, for he

doth

UJSUOPS AND PRIESTS 83

doth not say he added more Heresies of his own. Secondly, I
pray you observe, S. Au&in makes no mention of his affirm
ing the Identity of Order, but only this, That there was no
difference at all between Bithop and Presbyter^ wherein I
will condemn Mriwzs well as you. But a > fo: the Identity of
Order, tis well known that St. Au&in is noted by Medina, a
Papisl Writer, and others, to encline to this Opinion; but
for my part, I think the words quoted from S. Auftin do not
expre s any opinion one way or other to this purpose, but are
only a Complement to St. Hierom, who was but a Presbyter;
yet in humility St. Auftm being a Bishop, acknowledges him
to be his superiour in many things. But I desire you to take
notice of another very remarkable and most worthy passage
of St. Auttm; who tells us plainly that we are not to read him,
or any other Author, ever so holy, or ever so learned, with
any obligation to submit to his or their Opinions, unle s they
prove their Opinions by Scripture, or convincing Reasons.
So then, had JErius been declared both by Epiphantu* and St.
Auftm also, to have been a Heretick in this very particular
of Identity of Order, yet they bringing neither Scripture nor
any Reason at all, but meerly a bare narrative of Mrius and
his Opinions, not so much as calling his opinion in this par
ticular heresy, much lessoffering proofs for it; by St. Auftwfs
rule we may, with great civility to them and great confidence
in the truth, slill affirm the Identity of Order.

But how will I answer tha: Objection taken out of St.
Hierom^ who, say you, was as great a leveller of Bishops with
Priests as any (& therefore what ever comes from him, you
may be sure is extracted from him by the powerfulness of
undeniable truth) yet he confesses that Bishops have the au
thority of ordination more than presbyters; a man may smile

to

84 THE NAKED TRUTH

to see this used as an Argument for the preheminency of
Bishops, which is directly against it: for S. Hierom having
discoursl of the quality & Identity of Presbyters and Bishops,
and having brought many Arguments from scripture to
prove that Bishop and Presbyter was only two names for one
and the same Office; for a further confirmation hereof asks
this question, I pray what doth a Bishop do more than a
Presbyter except Ordination? plainly in intimating thereby,
that this could make no such distinction of Eminency in
them above Presbyters: I beseech you consider, do not
Presbyters perform Offices of a higher nature than Ordina-

1 O

tion? Presbvters are ordained Embassadors for Chrift* to

* 9

preach his Holy Gospel for the salvation of souls; they are
under Chrift^ Mediators between God and the people to
make intercession for them; they administer the Sacrament
of Baptism, wherein the Children of wrath are regenerated
and made the children of God, and heirs of eternal Life; yea,
they administer the Sacrament of the Lords supper also, the
most transcendent act of Religion & Christian Dignity,
whereby we are made partakers of the Body and Blood of
Christ: and what doth a Bishop more then these except
Ordination? which, being no Sacrament, sure is inferiour in
dignity to the other mentioned Acts, and therefore cannot
elevate them to a higher degree. Judge now, I beseech you
whether this question makes pro or con; Are not such
questions always tending to disparagement? When any
Man is boasting his power and Authority, should I come
and ask, What can you do more then others, unless it be in
this or that poor business not worth speaking of? would he
not take this as an affront? Wherefore it cannot enter into
my head, that St. Hierom intended by this Question to

express

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 85

express any superiour Order above the Pr/WM^W, butplain y
the contrary, viz. That Bishops having no other power
distinct from Priests but Ordination, this could be no Argu
ment for a distinct and superiour Order. And now I desire
my Reader^ if he understand Latin, to view the Epistle of
St. Hierom to Evagriufj and doubtless he will wonder to see
Men have the confidence to quote any thing out of it for the
distinction between Episcopacy and Presbytery, for the whole
Epistle is to shew the Identity of them. Before I chanced to
reade the Epistle, I was of the erroneous Opinion, that
Bishops were a distinct Order, but so convinced by this
Epistle, as I was forced to submit to a change: And I farther
desire my Reader to observe the various fate of S. Hierom
and JErius ; JEriu* is reviled asanHeretick foraffirmingthis
Identity of Order; Hierom passes for a Saint, and a great
Doctor of the Church, though he affirms the very same as
fully as dSrius, or any Man can do; and therefore it may
be my fate to be reviled as JEriu* was; but our Saviour bids
us rejoyce and be exceeding glad when we are reviled for his
Names sake^ (or for his Words sake, sure all is one) for great
is our Reward; and so I proceed.

But there lyes yet a great Objection made by our good
Bishop Hall; he tells how that Colluthus a Presbyter of
Alexandria, took upon him to ordain others; and that after
wards, in a Council of a hundred Bishops in JEgypt y their
Ordination was declared null, because ordained by a Presby
ter: From this and some other such Instances, the Bishop
would prove that the Order of Presbyters is not capable to
ordain, therefore Bishops are a distinct Order. I am sorry so
good a Man had no better a proof for his intended purpose.
It seems he quite forgot how that the famous Council of

\r
ice.

86 THE NAKED TRUTH

Nice, consisting of above three hundred, made a Canon,
wherein they declare, That if any Bishop should ordain any
of the Clergy belonging to another Bishops Diocess without
consent and leave had of that Bishop to whose Diocess they
did belong, their Ordination should be null. You see then
the irregular Ordination of a Bishop is as null, as the irregu
lar Ordination of a Presbyter; therefore the irregular Bishop,
and the irregular Presbyter are of the same Order, of the
same Authority, neither able to Ordain. Is it not most evi
dent by this, that tis not their Order but Commission that
makes them capable to Ordain ; sure an irregular Bishop is of
the same Order with the regular: Is the Line of his Diocess
like a Conjurers Circle, within it he is a Bishop, without it
he is none. No, but within it he hath Commission given him
to Ordain, without it no Commission, no nor to act in his
own Diocess beyond his Commission, which is to ordain
only the Clergy of his own Diocess, and within his own Dio
cess. Can any thing be plainer? Colluthus then being but a
Presbyter, and under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Alex-
andria\ his taking upon him to ordain Presbyters, was highly
irregular and insolent, and therefore most justly declared
null. I desire the Papistical School Divines, with their
manifold indelible characters to observe here, how easily the

* J

Councils dasht out the indelible Character of Presbyter im
printed on the souls of these men irregularly ordained, they
made a clear rasure, not one tittle of it left. And could
they so easily cancel the Gift of the Holy Ghost? I
leave my Schoolmen to find out how this rare feat was
done. And I proceed to add a Canon taken from a
Council at Antioch concerning Chorepiscopi, much to our
purpose.

When

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 87

When the Apostles had setled Bishops in every City, with
authority of ordaining and governing the several Churches
or Congregations within the Circuits of those Cities; some
were very large, and therefore in process of Time, when
more were converted to the Faith, and the Congregations
encreased more in number, and at greater distance than the
Bishop himself could well have the oversight of; the Bishop
chose some principal Men for his assistance; and dividing
his great Circuit into several lesser Circuits, placed these
Men as Overseers under him; and these were called
Chorepiscopi; that is, Country Bishops, and were much after
the manner of our Rural Deans. Those Chorepiscopi,
Country Bishops, being thus settled in authority to govern
the Pastoral Priests in their Circuits, took upon them to
ordain more Priests when occasion required, which the
chief Bishops took very ill at their hands, as a great lessening
to their Supream Authority. And to prevent it for the future
a Canon was made in the Council ofjfnttoch, about the year
340, to forbid these Country Bishops to ordain any Priesls.
Now I pray you observe, These Chorepiscopi were either
really ordained in the Order of the Chief Bishop, or not; if
they were as full Bishops as he, (as really they were) why
might they not ordain Priesls as well as he? the chief Bishop
answers, because he gave them no Commission. Whereby
you see that the power of ordaining Priests was annexed no
more to Bishops than to Priests, unless the Bishops received
a new Commission to ordain, as well as a new Ordination.
If it be answered, That these Chorepiscopi were meer Priests
sent forth to have inspection only over other Priests; Then I
pray observe, that these Chorepiscopi being meer Priests took
upon them to ordain other priests which certainly had been

madness

88 THE NAKED 7 RUTH

madness for them to do, had they then such a belief of
Bishops as is now required. They might as well have under
taken to create Stars in the Heavens: For if Bishops only
have received a Divine power from Christ and his Apostles
to ordain Priests, he that hath not this divine powerof Ordin
ation, can no more ordain a Pries!, than a man without the
divine power of Creation can create a Star, both are im
possible in nature: from whence it must follow, that these
Country Bishops were directly mad in undertaking to ordain
Priests; having received no such divine power from Chrisl:,
his Apostles, or their successors: But if we take these
Country Bishops for sober godly persons in their right wits
(as doubtless they were, being selected for that Office) they
must needs believe that being Priests alone, they had power
to ordain other Priests; and also believed, that the Bishops
having made them overseers and Governors in their little
Circuits, they had also received thereby Commission to
ordain as well as to govern, and were as little bishops under
an Arch Bishop, for such really they were; so that I can t in
charity censure them so much as of contumacy in taking
upon them more then (they thought at least) they had Com
mission to act: I doubt not but the chief Bishop would be
wary enough not to employ any contumacious persons. I
conclude then, first, that it was only a meer mistake, an easie
and pardonable mistake of their Commission. Secondly,
That in those times it was not thought an impossible thing
for bare Priests, no Bishops, to ordain other Priests, for then
certainly they would never have undertaken it. And I con
fess my self of their opinion; and can t but so continue till I
see more reason to the contrary.

And I hope my Reader will see what weak proofs are

brought

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 89

brought for this distinction and superiority of Order, no
Scripture, no Primitive General Council, no general con
sent of Primitive Doctors and Fathers, no not one Primitive
Father of Note speaking particularly and home to our pur
pose. Only a touch ofEpiphaniw and S. AuSlw upon JEriu*
the Arrian heretick, but not declared, no not by them, an
heretick in this particular of Episopacy^ so that I my self
declare more particularly against him then these Fathers do,
accusing him of Heresie in part of his affirmation concerning
Bis hops , though not in every part.

I shall conclude this business by giving my poor Judg
ment drawn from the preceeding Arguments. I find in
Scripture that the Priesthood is a holy Order, into which no
man is to thrush himself unless he be called; I do not find
that Deaconship hath an inferiour part in it, or Episcopacy
above it, but that it is so compleat and entire in it self, and
that it may involve many Administrations in one and the
same Order, and sometimes many in one and the same per
son. St. John was an Apostle, an Evangelist, a Prophet, a
Pastor, a Teacher, an Ordainer (which we call Bishop) all
these gifts he had by one and the same spirit, and in one and
the same Priesthood: Christ himself was of this Order, a
Pries! for ever after the order of Melchisedek, that is, both
King and Priest, these were his Offices; he is called also the
Bishop of our souls: Was this in Chrisl: a distinct and supe-
r.our office or order to his Priesthood, who will presume to
affirm this And Chrisl: told his Apostles, as my Father sent
me, so send I you, Christ therefore made them also Kings and
Priesls, as St. John tells us, Rev. I . Our Saviour s Kingdom
was not of this World, no more was that of the Apostles;
and they Ordained and sent others, as Christ Ordained and

sent

90 THE NAKED TRUTH

sent them; there was no distinction or diversity of Order in
Christ and hi; Apostles, no more was there in those, who
were ordained and sent by the Apostles, though there might
be diversity of Gifts or Administrations; all were not
Evangelists nor Prophets, some had the gift of tongues,
some of prophesie, some of Miracles, some of discerning
Spirits; and some such Gift I conceive they might have
whom the Apostles constituted superintendent overseers,
Bishops over the rest, endued especially with the gift of
discerning and judging of men, and therefore fit to be en
trusted with the ordaining of others, for which there needed
no new order, but the enlargement only of their Commis
sion to Ordain, to oversee and govern those that were Or
dained. And these, as I said before, being settled in this
eminent manner over the rest, were called by that name in
Greek which signifies as much, and which we in English call
Bishop; and by degrees this name was wholly appropriate to
them. In this order the Apostles left the Church at their
death, and in this order their Successors continued it (as in
duty sure they ought) from time to time near one thousand
and five hundred years, without any interruption. Where
fore for any to alter this way of Government, or to take upon
them to Ordain, not being chosen this way to it, they would
be guilty of great rashness and high presumption; and I
thank God, I am as zealous for the preserving this Primitive
way, as any man; Yet I cannot by any means consent to
them, who would have Episcopacy to be a distinct order, for
the Reasons before given; nor can I think the Ordination
of a Priest mide by Priests invalid, for though it ought not
to be done, (but only of necessity) yet being done tis valid,
and certainly may without any crime be done by any Priest,

by

CONCERNING BISHOPS AND PRIESTS 91

by shipwrack or any such chance cast into a country where
there were none Commissionated to Ordain; in such a case
he might and ought to ordain other fit Persons for the Ser
vice of God, and Preaching of the Gospel. For who can
doubt but that the substance is to be preferred before Cere
mony? and as S Paul approved of the Preaching of Christ
out of envy rather than no Preaching; so doubtless to ordain
out of order is better than no ordination, and the Church of
Chrisl: be deprived of preaching, praying, and Administring
the Sacraments, and all other pastoral Duties; so great
necessity may well excuse any irregularity: Yet where
Order can possibly be observed, it ought to be, for God is the
God of Order: Wherefore he that willfully transgresses
against order, transgresses against God, and shall receive to
himself damnation: for if to resist the Ordinance of man only
in humane and temporal things be damnation, much more
is it, to resist an Apostolick Ordinance in things Spiritual
and Divine.

Concerning

Concerning Deacons

HAVING thus Stated and united the two
pretended distinct Orders of Episcopacy and
Presbytery, I now proceed to the third pre
tended spiritual Order, that of Deaconship.
Whether this of Deaconship be properly to
be called an Order or an Office, I will not dispute; but cer
tainly no spiritual Order, for their Office was to serve
Tables, as the Scripture phrases it, which in plain English
is nothing else but Overseers of the poor to distribute justly
& discreetly the alms of the Faithful, which the Apostles
would not trouble themselves withal, lest it should hinder
them in the ministration of the word & prayer. But as most
matters of this world in process of time deflect much from
the original constitution, so it fell out in this business; for
the Bishops, who pretended to be successors to the Apostles,
by little and little took to themselves the dispensation of
alms first by way of inspection over the Deacons, but at
length the total management, & the Deacons, who were
meer Lay-Officers, by decrees crept into the Church-
Ministration, and became a reputed spiritual Order, and a
necessary degree and step to the Priesthood, of which I can
find nothing in Scripture and the Original Institution, not a
word relating to any thing but the ordering of Alms for the
Poor. And the first I find of their officiating in Spiritual
matters is in InStm Martyr, who lived in the second century,
he relates, that when the Bishop had consecrated the Bread
& Wine for the Lords supper, the Deacons took it from him,

and

CONCERNING DE. ICONS 93

and delivered it to the Lay- Communicants there present,
and carried it also to the Faithful that were absent, hindered,
I guess, from coming by sickness, or some other good excus
ing cause. In the beginning when the Congregations of the
Faithful were small, the Bishop himself delivered the Com
munion to them, but at length increasing to great numbers,
it would have taken too much of their time for the Bishop
to have delivered it to the whole Congregation; so the
Deacons were made use of as fit persons for this matter; for
in those days there was always a Communion in the Assem
blies on the Lords-Day, and the Laity that Day brought
their Alms and presents with them, which were delivered
unto the Deacons to dispose of to the Poor by the Bishops
direction, and therefore the Deacons receiving from their
hands their charitable Benevolence, were thought the fittest
to return again to their hands the consecrated Mysteries
being part of their offerings. But tis evident this was not yet
come to be the general practice of all Churches, but only in
Greece where Juttin Martyr lived; for Tertullian who lived
in Africk some years after Juflm^ declares that the custome
there was, to receive the blessed sacrament from the hands
of the Bishop only, whom he calls the president, that is, who
soever was chief in the Assembly whether Bishop or Presby
ter: but yet I confess that this custom of the deacons deliver
ing the blessed Sacrament, or at least one part of it, viz. the
Chalice, by degrees became the custome in most Churches
in after ages; and so passing from one thing to another in
time they came to administer the Sacrament of Baptism, and
at last to the ministration of the word, the business which
the Apostles peculiarly reserved to themselves, & which the
Bishops also for a long time reserved so entirely to themselves

as

94- THE NAKED TRUTH

as it was thought a great insolency for any, even for the
Presbyters, to take upon them to preach in presence of the
Bishop, Valerius Bishop of Hippo (as Po sidim relates) was
sharply rebuked by his fellow Bishops for suffering St. Austin,
then but a Presbyter, to preach before him. I know some
times it was suffered also in other Churches, but very rarely,
where the Bishop himself was of weak abilities for the work
& had some Presbyters under him very Eminent. And so it
was with Bishop fa/erhrtand S. Auslm, a person of great note
in those days. And thus you see in process of time how
strangely things alter from their original institution, the
Bishops omit preaching, and become servants of Tables, and
the deacons from serving of Tables step up into the Pulpit
and became Preachers. But Petavius takes upon him to
prove Deaconship a spiritual Order, and brings us a more
early author for it than Justin, that noble Martyr mentioned
before, Ignatius, who in his Epistle ad Tralli, calls deacons
(as Petavius conceives )Ministers of the mysteries of Christ.
Here I find that, which I often lament, learned men to go
on in a track one after another, and some through inad
vertency, some through partiality take many passages of
ancient Authors quite different from their meaning, as here,
all following the first erroneous Interpreter of Ignatius.
Whoever first translated this Epistle of Ignatius, sure this
fancy of deacons ran much in his head, otherwise he could
never have found them here, for tis evident the word
Diaconus in this place relates to the Presbytery newly before
mentioned, telling the people they ought to be obedient to
the Presbyters as to the Apostles of Christ; (then follows)
You mutt therefore please them m all thmgs, being Ministers
of the Mysteries of Christ. Mark I beseech you, You

must

CONCERNING DEACONS 95

rnuft therefore , is not Therefore a particle relating
to what went before, viz. to the Presbyters^ otherwise
the speech is very absurd. Should I say, Presbyters
are as the Apostles of Chrisl, therefore you must in all
things please the Deacons, were it sence? no, but just,
Dem m c&lo, ergo baculus in angulo-, but to say the Presbyters
are as the Apostles, therefore you must please them in all
things, being the ministers of the misteries of ChrisJ^ as the
Apostles were; this is very good coherent sence; and so run
the words of Ignatius , but the weak interpreter mistaking
the word Diaconus^ ran into this error, and many Learned
Men without any consideration have run after him. I grant
the word Diaconos is often set for Deacons specifically dis-
tinguisht from Presbyters; but tis very often set for all
Ministers in general, Apostles, Bishops, Presbyters, as you
find frequently in Scripture. St. Paul in one Epistle, viz. the
2d. Cor. twice styles himself and other Apostles Diaconous.
And I do the more wonder at the Interpreters mistake in
this place, because by the following words Ignatius here ex
cludes the specifical Deacons, saying, Not the MmisJersof
meats and drinks. Now we know the specifical Deacons
were Ministers of meats and drinks to the poor, it was their
proper work, for this very end they were chosen, and for no
other, as appears evidently in the Atts\ and therefore Ignatius
saying, Not the MmisJers of meats and drinks, directly ex
cludes such Deacons, and the word Diaconous must neces
sarily be taken in the larger sence, and relate to the Presby
ters before mentioned, therefore please them in all things
being the Ministers of the Mysteries of Christ, not of
meats, and drinks for the poor. Whoever understands the
Greek and will see, must needs see the truth of what I

affirm.

96 THE NAKED TRUTH

affirm. But Petavius intoxicated with this Spiritual Order
of Deaconship, turns all this round quite another way,
according to the working of his fancy. And so he doth some
places of Scripture as little to his purpose as this. He tells us
out of the AftSy that Philip and Stephen^ both Deacons, were
Preachers of the Word, that is a Spiritual Work, therefore
belongs to a Spiritual Order. I would gladly know who in
formed Pefavius, that Philip who Preacht to the Eunuch,
and afterwards went about Preaching to others, was Philip
the Deacon and not rather Philip the Apostle, as seems to me
far more probable; for Philip the Deacon was by his Office
to reside at Jerusalem and take care of the Poor; thither the
Alms of the Faithful were sent, to relieve the Saints at
Jerusalem. But you farther urge, Surely Stephen was a
Deacon; and let Philip also if you please, it s gnifles little to
the purpose. Sure, I can shew out of Scripture Preachers
that were in no Spiritual Order, neither Presbyters, nor
Deacons neither, as Aquilla and Priicllla his Wife too, and
Apollo likewise, to whom they both Preached and instructed
him more fully: sure they did not ordain Apollo a Deacon,
nor can I believe any of the Apostles ordain d him Deacon,
and sent him forth to Preach before he was well Catechised
in the Word, he was not so much as Baptized in Christ, but
knew only the Baptism oijohn-, if not Baptized, surely not
ordained Deacon, yet he prevailed and mightily convinced
the Jews. It is in reason strange, though in practice com
mon, to see how Men wedded to an Opinion, think what
ever they reade speaks to that, so Fathers, Doctors, all clink
as they think. In the Primitive time all both Men and
Women did Preach the Gospel, taken in a large sence, as St.
Peter calls Noah a Preacher of Righteousness^ that is, they

endeavoured

CONCERNING DEACONS 97

endeavoured to instruct all they conversed with, in the Faith
of Christ and Godliness, for which many both Men and
Women suffered Martyrdom. Wherefore though Philip the
Deacon and Stephen Preach the Gospel, it signifies nothing
to the Spirituality of the Deaconship, seeing that thousands
of Lay-men and Women also did the like. And so the
Apostles laying their hands on those chosen to be Deacons,
signifies as little to this purpose. Do not we find that Paul
laid his hands on the converted Disciples at Ephesus^ and
they received the Holy Ghost, and Prophesied, yet none of
them ordained either Presbyter or Deacon. And sometimes
the Apostles laid their hands on those that were already or
dained, both Presbyters and Apostles also, as on Barnabas
and Paul, when they were sent forth to Preach. This laying
of hands was a Ceremony used on several occasions, I need
not mention more, they are obvious to any that read the
Scriptures. Tis evident then from Scripture, that the first
institution of Deacons was a meer Lay-office, I will not say
a prophane office (as some too grosly and irreverently have
termed it) but a pious and honourable Office in the Church
of God, to serve Tables, to take care of God s Poor; but (as
I have shewed) in process of time it became quite another
thing, and so different from the Original Institution, as it
made Chrysoslome, and divers other great and good Men,
doubt whether the Apostles did not constitute two forts of
Deacons, some for this Lay-Office, some for Spiritual-
Offices: had Chrysoflome consulted only Scripture, he would
never have doubted, nor dreamt of two forts of Deacons,
there being no mention at all but one, but he seeing the
practice of the Church (which he was unwilling to condemn)
so different from that one Apostolical Institution of

Deacons;
I 2

THE NAKED TRUTH

Deacons; this so confounded the good Man that he knew not
well what to make of it, & willing to piece Scripture and the
present practice together, to put a new patch upon an old
Garment, made the rent the wider, rending the Deaconship
in two pieces, which of old was but one, only to serve Tables
which Office he that used well, purchased to himself a good
degree, a good esteem, and so it might be a recommendation
to the degree of Priesthood, though no necessary step to it.
And so we find that holy Deacon and most renowned
Martyr St. Lawrence^ was made a Priest, but continued
afterwards in that same Office of Deacon unto death, which
he suffered in a most cruel manner, laid on a Grid-iron over
Coals, rather than he would give up the Treasury of the
Church and Alms of the poor, to the covetous cruel Tyrant.
This holy Deacon Petavius brings to prove, that Deacons
by virtue of that Order only, did minister in holy things,
telling us, that St. Ambrose mentions how he did distribute
in the Lords Supper, the Blood of Christ to the Communi
cants under Bishop Xiflits. Whereas St. Ambrose tells us how
he con ecrated the Blood of Christ, which plainly shews how
untruly Petavius deals with us, and that St. Laurence was a
Priest, not a bare Deacon, for nei her Pttavtus^ nor ever any
allowed Deacons the Consecration of these sacred Mysteries.
Wherefore seeing the Scripture allows Deacons, as deacons,
no more then serving of Tables for the poor, whatever else
Ministration is allowed them is by humane Authority, not
Divine, and their Office or Order, which you please to call
it, being about Temporal things must be Temporal, not
Spiritual. And so I leave them to their proper Office of
serving Tables, not finding in Scripture any thing more
belonging to them.

Concerning

(Concerning (Confirmation

C ONFIRMATIONor some such thing is so
necessary, that for want of due execution
thereof, Persons extreamly unfit are admitted
to the holy Table of our Lords Supper. I fear
a quarter of the Communicants of this Nation
do not sufficiently understand the true meaning of these
holy Mysteries, the due preparation for them, the benefits,
the damages, in worthily or unworthily receiving them:
This I affirm upon experience, having, by way of discourse,
questioned many both of low and high degree, where one
would little expect such Ignorance. And by reason of this
gross Ignorance in due preparing, and conscientious re
ceiving the blessed cordial and medicine of the Soul (of
power in it self to cure all our diseases if rightly applied) is
turned into our destruction, and damnation of the Soul.
For this holy Sacrament rightly apprehended, would strike
a terror into the Soul & a dread of Sin, but Men receiving it
without any regard into their sinful souls, the beams of grace
which this Sun of righteousness brings with it, harden their
dirty hearts, and make them afterwards unsensible of any
horrid abomination whatsoever. And all this is occasioned
by the want of some fit Person of authority, to examine
youth of all degrees, ever so high or ever so low, before they
are admitted to the Lords Table. For there being many poor
ignorant Curates, many unconscientious careless Ministers,
many over-awed by the superior quality of their Parishioners,
some cannot, some will not, some dare not search into the

requisite

ioo THE NAKED TRUTH

requisite abilities of persons to be admitted. All which was
prevented in the Primitive times of Christianity, when able
and holy Bishops were elected, and therefore reverenced and
obeyed in all Spiritual matters by the greatest as well as by
the least. These diligently and publickly before the Con
gregation at set-times in the \ear, chiefly at Eafter^ ex
amined those who had been converted to the faith from in
fidelity that year, and those, who baptized in the faith, de
sired admittance, to the Lords Table; and upon approbation
and confirmation of the Bishop fit persons only were pub
lickly Bapti/.ed by him, and at the Church door as soon as
Churches were built, where the Bapiilcry was placed, and
then brought into the Church and admitted to the Lords
Table: And no inferiour Minister did either Baptize, or
administer the holy communion, unless it were by the
Bishops order on urgent occasions. These things are very
well known to the Learned, who are conversant in IgnatiM
his Kpistle, Justin Martyr, TertuHlun^ Cyprian^ and other
succeeding writers. And in short, nothing was done of any
moment, as is plain in Ignatius, but by the Bishops directions.
But at length the number of Christians growing great, and
multitudes of Children daily born, and an opinion growing
up also, that it was absolutely necessary for the salvation of
Children not only to be Baptized, but also to receive the holy
Communion before death; it was impossible for the Bishop
to be at hand to perform all, to give particular order for all:
necessity forced every y.riest in his cure, to perform these
offices. Yet in process of Time, the Opinion of the necessity
for Children to receive the holy Communion before death,
declining, and few or none admitted till the age of descretion,
& the necessity of Baptism for Children still continuing, the

Bishops

CONCERNING CONFIRMATION 101

Bishops suffered still all Ministers to baptize, but resumed to
themselves again the power of Confirming and Licensing
youth to the holy Communion. And Bishops only for a
long time executing this Office, it grew by degrees into an
opinion, that Bishops only were capable to do it, and that
Confirmation was a Sacrament, and such a Sacrament as
inferiour Priests, supposed then also to be of an inferiour
order, were not to meddle with. What errors will men, yea
learned Men, carried along with a croud slide into, not
willing to stand in opposition with a multitude, especially
when countenanced by the Bishop their Superiour. And
then succeeding learned Men having in their infancy sucked
in the error, continue it in their riper Learned years, and
endeavour to defend it as a certain truth; and at last it
passeth for an Article of Faith, necessary to be believed.
Thus have I laid out before you the true State and progress
of this business of Confirmation.

Now I pray consider first; Suppose Comfirmation to be
a Sacrament, and to be administred by the Bishop only, and
none to be admitted to the Lords Table till Confirmed:
How is it possible for a Bishop of so large a Diocess, as some
of ours are (some extended three or four score miles, many
forty or fifty) personally to Confirm half the Youth in a
Diocess, if he duly examine each one, as is most fit and
necessary. We see how this is performed in their Triennial
Visitations; not a quarter of those, who are admitted, ever
come to the Bishop, and yet the crowd is great: What is then
done to those that come? They are asked by the Bishop,
whe her they believe, and will perform those things their
God-fathers and God-mothers affirmed and promised for
them at their Baptism; they answer, yes, and so are

confirmed:

THE NAKED TRUTH

confirmed : But what those things are, whether they under
hand and can give a good account of those things,not a word
of this. Oh but the Curate, who presents those Children to
the Bishop, assures him that they are fully intruded for it;
this is the thing we complain of and desire to be redressed,
that it may not be left to the discretion and care of every
Curate, seeing what pittiful creatures are by them admitted.
And do we not see sometimes (the Curate desiring to please
the fond Mother) children confirmed so young as cannot
without a miracle be of a capacity to understand those divine
Mysteries. Besides, it may often happen that a pious child
well fitted for the holy Sacrament, and perchance being
weak, earnestly desires it before his death, yet musT: slay
some years till next Visitation, or take a long Journey to the
Bishop, for which he may want strength or means to support
him. But in the Primitive times the Bishops Confirmed
every year; their Diocess also was very narrow, so that
access to him was very quick and easie, and the work was
as easie to the Bishop, yea and easie also to the inferiour
Curate to inslrucl: and prepare them; for parents and Mas
ters did then according to their bounden duty (the great
neglect whereof in these daies will find sore punishment at
the lasl day) made it their chief care to inslrucT: their Ser
vants and children from their infancy in the principles of
Religion.

You see how impossible it is for a Bishop in a large diocess
and Triennial Visitation to perform this necessary work as it
ought, and therefore in the second place consider, how
necessary it is for the Bishop to appoint some discreet con-
sciencious Ministers (as our Dean Rurals should be) in
several Circuits to examine and license to the Lords Table:

for

CONCERNING CONFIRMATION 103

for I pass it as granted that Conformation is no Sacrament,
and if it were, why may not Priests, not Bishops, perform it?
certainly there is not one word in Scripture forbidding it, or
any colourable pretence against it, nor can I discover the
least ground of reason to forbid it; inferiour Ministers per
forming other offices superiour to it, and certainly equal to it,
though it were a Sacrament, which our Church denies.
There is nothing in the world can be pretended, but that in
the beginning Bishops did only perform it. To this I answer
that from the very beginning there were no other Priests
but Bishops, as I have shewed you, and then Bishops, did all
other Ministerial Duties, preach, Pray, Baptize, Catechise:
and in succeeding ages, when there were several inferiour
Priests not Bishops, all but confirming was ever transmitted
to them; and to Deacons also preaching, Praying and Bap
tizing, nay Baptizing tolerated in necessity to Mid wives (I
would gladly see any such thing in Antiquity) & shall con
firming, the meanest of all these, be denyed priests? You
will tell me there have been decrees in some Councils to
forbid it: and will you be bound up to all the decrees of
Councils, without scripture or any reason for them? If
once we leave Scripture and hearken to the doctrines of
men, ever so holy, ever so Learned, ever so primitive, we
shall soon be wheedled into the Papists Religion, and many
other Errors, which the papists themselves now reject, as I
have declared, at large before, and therefore I forbear, saying
more to this purpose; but proceed to a third Consideration,
what will be the best means to prepare youth for the receiv
ing the holy Communion in every Cure, and then present
them to such as are appointed to License them.

In the first place, I humbly conceive it will be necessary to

add

104 THE NAKED TRUTH

add unto the Catechism, a short and plain Paraphrase upon
every sentence in the Creed, the Lords prayer, and Ten
Commandments, and particularly to explain every unusual
hard word therein. For those general Questions at the end
of them do not so sufficiently open the understanding of the
weaker or duller Youth, as that they know how to apply
those generals to each particular sentence; but many
Youths who can mot readily say the Catechism to a little,
yet understand many words no more then if they were
Greek, and scarce are able to give you the meaning of any
Sentence in their own words: And although they have all
perfectly by heart, as we say, yet have very little in their
heads and understandings; and so a Parot may be well nigh
as capable of the Lords Supper, as some of those.

In the next place I must tell you, That I fear as much
Ministers of the best parts as those of the meanest for this
necessary work of Catechizing, lest both have the same
effect, though they act extreamly different, the one talking
non-sense, the other above common sence, both of them
confounding the brains of the poor Youths, who understand
neither of them. I have heard some Learned Ministers call
the Youth together, ask a few Catechism questions, which
the Boys answering readily are commended and dismissed:
And then begins this learned man a profound Lecture,
shaped according to his own large dimensions, at which both
boys and Men also for the most part gaze as at a prodigious
Monster of Learning; a-id perchance some of them say
to themselves the same, that Feftus said to St. Paul^ the man
is beside himself y much Learning hath made him mad. Sure
he doth not know where he is, not in an University-School
of Divinity, but in an Assembly of weak and silly Youth

(who

CONCERNING CONFIRMATION 105

(who must be fed with milk and are not capable ofsJrong meat)
where it were better for him with S. Paul, to speak five words
with his understanding, that by his voice he may teach others
also, than ten thousand words in an unknoivn tongue, or in
such English as they understand no more than an unknown
tongue. I humbly beseech these Men to attend to the Form
and Phrase of the Gospel, and mark what kinde of matter
and language the Divine Oracle used in Preaching it, even
to the learned Scribes and Pharisees, and to learn of him who
was lowly in heart, and come not to seek his own glory, but the
glory of Him that sent him. I desire them also to read the
latter end of the firs! Chapter of I Cor. and the beginning of
the second, and learn from thence to speak the wisdom of
God in the weak and foolish way of preaching, to inftruft
and gain the weak and foolish, yet wise unto God. Really
no Man that hath not made some experience can believe
how strangely weak and dull thousands both of boys and
men also, are in apprehending spiritual matters; so that a
man had need to sludy much, how to fit their weak heads
with a sutable discourse, and hath as much need of great
patience also to repeat every thing again and again, and even
heat it into their heads. I have observed that P/ato s
manner of many short and plain questions and answers to
erFeft much; and likewise familiar similitudes from things
within their own occupation and knowledge. And now
to encourage them to this toilsome work, I beseech them
to consider, that the Souls of these weak simple ones, cosl:
our Saviour as dear, as those of the Philosophers, and there
fore are as dear to him, yea it seems dearer, seeing St. Paul
tells us in the place before cited, that he calls more of them
to Salvation: and therefore they ought to be as dear to our

Saviours

THE NAKED TRUTH

Saviours Ministers, and to be chiefly called and sought by
them; and then they shall be sure to have their reward from
this our lowly Saviour.

In the last place, I conceive it necessary to consider,
what course may be taken to bring all to Catechising: for I
have heard some Pious Ministers much coanplain, that they
have used their utmost endeavours, yet cannot effect it: and
it can never be expected, that many of the Youth will come,
unless compelled by Parents and Masters; of whom many
are so careless, many so covetous, as they think every hour
lost, which is not spent on their worldly affairs: so that the
Parents and Masters need compulsion as well as their
Children and Servants. And considering how this necessary
work of Catechising hath been neglected for many years
past, it is much to be feared that the aged need it as much as
the youth. But would Parents and Masters well consider
the great advantages that would accrue to them, even in
their worldly concerns, they would be very zealous to come
themselves, and both see and hear their youth Catechized,
and bred up in Piety and Godliness: the want whereof hatli
bred that great undutifulness in children, that sloth and
falseness of servants, which we sadly behold in this de-

J

generated age. And let me mention once again the strict
account Parents and Masters must give to God for so great
neglect to those committed to their charge. Wherefore un
less some fitter expedient can be found, I humbly conceive
it would have some effect, if such careless Parents and Mas
ters were not admitted themselves to the Holy Communion
who were faulty in this kind: for though many of them are
not very zealous of the Holy Communion, and could easily
pass it by, yet for reputation sake they would not easily

incur

CONCERNING CONFIRMATION 107

incur the being rejected; and doubtless many of them would
be moved thereby, and the example of some would be fol
lowed by others, and so by degrees the number would en-
crcasc: and when Catechizing by this means begins to grow
in fashion, it would quickly be taken up by all. God be
merciful to us, that Religion in many is chiefly for fashion
sake! yet I hope by Gods assisting grace, religion beginning
though but in fashion, would end at la^t in true Devotion,
at leaft in many, if not in all. However, it is good that God
should publickly be glorified, the publick would speed the
better for it, though the private hypocrites suffer punish
ment in the end. God in his mercy turn their hearts that
they may escape.

Of

*

Of Church Government

MY last particular which remains yet to be
handled, is that of the Authority of Bis
hops to govern as well as to ordain. And
in the first place, who can but wonder to
see men so zealous in assuming to them
selves the sole power of Ordination, so much neglect,
and even wholly abandon the power of the Keys, that
of Excommunication, so high and so dreadful; which,
though by great abuse in later times, is made very contemp
tible yet in the original institution and Primitive practice,
was very terrible : A power to deliver men over unto Satan,
that Prince of darkness, to take full possession of their Souls,
and sometimes of their Bodies also, both being sentenced
thereby to the everlasting flames of Hell; and likewise a
power to release penitent Souls from the chains of darkness,
and slavery of the Devil, and restore them to the glorious
liberty of the Sons of God; whereby they are made Heirs of
the Kingdom of Heaven. If there be any thing under
Heaven fit to stir up the Ambition of mortal men, yea an
ambition in Angels themselves, sure this is it. Who can for
give sins but God alone? said the Jeivs to our Saviour Christ
swelling with indignation against him for this, though they
had seen many divine Miracles wrought by him, yet this is
so peculiar, so transcendent a divine act, as not to be offered
at by any but the great God Jehovah himself. But blessed
for ever be this great and gracious God, who by his eternal

Son

OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT: 109

Son Christ Jesus hath given this power unto men. As his
heavenly Father sent him with this power, so sent he his
Apostles with this power, saying unto them, Whosesoever
sins ye remit they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins
ye retain, they are retained: Wherefore if there be any thing
in the Office of a Bishop to be stood upon and challenged
peculiar to themselves, certainly it should be this; yet
this is in a manner quite relinquished unto their Chancellors,
Lay-men, who have no more capacity to sentence or absolve
a sinner, then to dissolve the heavens and earth, and make
a new heaven and a new earth, and this pretended power of
Chancellors is sometimes purchased with a sum of money,
their Money perish with them. Good God! what a horrid
abuse is this of the Divine Authority. But this notorious
transgression is excused, as they think, by this, that a
Minister called the Bishops surrogat, but is indeed the
Chancellors servant, chosen, call d, and placed there by him,
to be his Cryer in the Court, no better, that when he hath
examined, heard, and sentenced the Cause, then the
Minister (forsooth) pronounces the sentence. Just as a
Rector of a Parish Church should exclude any of his
Congregation, and locks him out of the Church, then comes
the Clerk shews and gingles the Keys, that all may take
notice that he is excluded. And by this his authority the
Chancellour takes upon him to sentence, not only Lay-men,
but Clergy-men also brought into his Court for any de
linquency, and in the Court of the Arches, there they
sentence even Bishops themselves. This is a common
practice in later ages, but in St. Ambrose his time so great a
wonder, as with amazement cryeth out against the Em
peror Valentmian, when he took upon him to judge in such

cases.

i io THE NAKED TRUTH

cases, saying. When was it ever heard of since the beginning of
the World, that Lay-men should judge of spirituals, (he
means in spiritual things, not in temporal things, which by
the laws of God and man belongs to the Lay-MagisTrate.)
This was that Ambrose of whom the other great Emperour,
as good as great Theodosius\ Father to this Valentinian
affirmed, Ambrose only knew how to acl: the Bishop, and
with all Christian humility this great Emperour submitted
to the sentence of this godly Bishop, denying him entrance
into the Church for the cruelty afted by his Souldiers at
Thessalonica by his command; and upon his great repent
ance and pennance performed six months together, and
after publick confession in the Church, was again absolved
and joyfully received into the Church. Oh my Great and
Reverend Fathers of the Church the Bishops, whom ChrisT:
hath cleaved to his high dignity, whom he hath made Kings
and Princes, whom he hath called to sit with him on his
Throne, there to give sentence of eternal life, or eternal
death ; can you so tamely part with this prime flower of your
Crown, yea the very Apex of it, and suffer the Lay-mem
bers of the Church to usurp this divine authority? Or how
can you answer it to the chitf Bishop of our Souls, if any one
Soul by the ill management of the Chancellours should
certainly perish? shall not his blood be required at your
hands? But perchance some of you will answer, Tis no
fault of yours, but of your predecessors, who gave such
Patents unto them, as by vertue thereof they exercise this
power, will ye nill ye. Tis too true, and I remember when
the Bishop of Wells, hearing of a cause corruptly managed,
and coming into the Court to rectifie it, the Chancellor Dr.
Duke fair and mannerly bad him be gone, for he had no

power

OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT in

power there to act any thing, and therewithal pulls out his
Patent sealed by the Bishops Predecessor, which like
Perseus s shield with the Gorgons head frighted the poor
Bishop out of the Court. Where are you Parliament men
you great Sons of the Church so zealous for Episcopal
Government, yet suffer this principal part of it to be thus
alienated and usurped by Lay-men? If an unordained person
take upon him to pray or preach, with what outcries and
severe Laws, and with great reason also, you fall upon him;
but if an unordained person take upon him to judge, sen
tence, and excommunicate Bishops themselves, you calmly
pass it over, take no notice of it. You will answer me, The
Bishops themselves pass it over, yea and pass it away from
themselves and their successors, for to gratifie their kins
men, or their friends; or perchance for worse; why then
should you stir in it. Truly in this you have reason, and the
blame must wholly light on them, who do not use all
possible endeavours, and implore your assistance also to
rectifie this great abuse, which subverts the main Pillar of
the Church Government, this is no Ceremonial matter,
but the very substance of it, they strain at Gnats and swallow
Camels. For Chancellors to intermeddle in Probats of
Wills, payment of Tythes, or any other temporal matters,
there is no Scripture nor Reason to commend, but rather to
condemn, Bishops should they interpose in such matters
for which they have no commission from Scripture, but
rather a prohibition from that saying of our Saviour, Man
who made me a judge or divider over you? but then it will be
necessary that Chancellours have also power of Temporal
punishments, and not prophane that high and holy power in
sordid earthly things; certainly a greater prophanation than

to

ii2 THE NAKED TRUTH

to convert a Church into a Chandlers Shop; the Church is a
bulk of earthly materials, and holy only by dedication; the
power of its Keys is in its own nature and original constitu
tion Spiritual and Divine: If Uzza being no Levite suffered
death for laying hold on the Sacred Ark of God to support
and hold it up, what shall he suffer who being no Conse
crated person, lays hold on the sacred authority of God to
pull it down from Heaven to Earth? Let them consider.

But let not the Civilians for this account me an Enemy to
their Profession, which no man honours more, and I
heartily wish much more of our Civil matters were com
mitted to their management and judicature. The Civil
Law is that whereby most of the civilized World isgovern d,
and if we will have commerce with them, tis fit we should
have able Civilians to deal with them, which will never be,
unless they have profitable and honourable places to en
courage them for it; all that I beg of them is, that they would
contain themselves within their own Sphear of activity,and
not intrude into spiritual and sacred matters, committed by
Chris! and his Apostle to the Priefthood. And so I beg of
Priests, that they would not intermeddle in Lay and Tem
poral Offices. In the time of Popery, when Spiritual and
Temporal affairs were all intermingled and horribly con
founded, as the Pope took upon him Secular and Imperial
Authority, directly contrary to the Word and Constitu
tions of Christ, so the Bishops and Priests under him inter
meddled in all Secular Affairs and Offices, and in this
Nation Bishops were frequently Lord-Keepers, Treasurers,
Chief Justices, Vice Roys, what not? which is Strangely un-
Apostolical and unlawful, their vocation being wholly
Spiritual, as Men chosen out of the World, should have no

more

OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT: 113

more to do with it, than of meer necessity for food and ray-
men t. Wherefore to take upon him any Lay-Office, which
must needs take them off much from the Ministry of the
Word and Prayer, is doubtless very sinful: For Ads 6. we
find the Apostles gave themselves continually to these, and
would not endure to have these interrupted by that charit
able Office of taking care for the poor, certainly then they
would have much less endured; yea, abominated to be taken
off by temporal and worldly Offices. And on this occasion,
let me speak a word to those of the inferiour Clergy, who
take upon them to study and practise Physick for hire, this
must needs be likewise sinful, as taking them off from their
spiritual employment; had they studied Physick before they
entered Holy Orders, and would after make use of their
skill among their poor Neighbours out of charity, this were
commendable, but being entered on a spiritual and pastoral
Charge, which requires the whole man and more, to spend
their time in this, or any other study not spiritual, is con
trary to their vocation, and consequently sinful; and to do it
for gain is sordid, unworthy their high and holy Calling.
But Necessity coglt ad turpia, the maintenance of many
Ministers is so small, as it forces them even for food and
rayment to seek it by other Employment, which may in some
measure excuse them, but mightily condemn those who
should provide better for them : Whether this belongs not to
King and Parliament, I must humbly beseech them in
Christs name seriously to consider; I crave pardon for this
(I hope useful) Digression, and return to the Business of
Excommunication.

This Sacred Authority of Excommunication being
committed by Christ to the Apostles, by them to their

Successors,

K2

M4 THE NAKED TRUTH

Successors, was used in weighty and very scandalous matters,
very few examples of it in Scripture: The incestuous Corin
thian, Hymenus and Alexander^ scarce another clearly ex-
prest. The Apostles being fully guided by the Holy Ghost in
all things, did exercise this power singly themselves, but the
succeeding Bishops, having not the Spirit of that full meas
ure, used the assistance of the principal Clergy in their Dio-
cess; that the act mfght be more solemn and authentick;
the person excommunicated, if he conceived the act in
jurious, appealed to one or more neighbouring Bishops, who
assembled together, and discussing the matter, either con
firmed or reversed the Act, as they found cause. And some
times the matter proceeded so far as to cause an Assembly of
the whole Province. But each Bishop, or Prapositus (as St.
Cyprian calls him, and declares, that he) was absolute in his
own Diocess to exercise his power, and none condemned for
using it, but only for abusing it contrary to reason and con
science; these were the only rules they proceeded by at first.
Afterwards when Bishops on this or other occasions met in
Assemblies Provincial or General, they made divers
Canons, which passed for Rules and Laws to govern the
Church by, which doubtles are very good helps to bridle the
extravagant passions of particular Men, very apt in this cor
rupt age to prevaricate; yet I cannot conceive them so far
obliging but new emergent circumstances may justly cause
new and different decrees; yet so, as every particular Bishop
is obliged for peace sake to submit to, or at least to acquiesce
in the General Decree of that Nation where he lives, I said,
They are not bound intirely to submit to the Decrees of
former Councils, either Provincial or General; because, I
have shewed before, all their Decrees are humane, not

Divine;

OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT 115

Divine; and all humane Ecclesiastical Laws are alterable,
according to the time and occasions by other General
Councils.

As to the bounds of each Bishops Diocess, they were
occasioned by several wayes: The Apostles for the better
spreading of the Gospel, Preach t it first in the principal
cities which generally had great influence upon the adjacent
parts, by reason that the occasions of most call them thither;
and in these Cities they setled the chief Pastors of the
Church, with Power to Ordain Presbyters and Pastors in
other lesser Cities and Towns round about, as the Congre
gations of the Faithful encreased; and all those Churches
that were Erected, and Pastors establish t in them by these
Apostolick Men in the chief Cities (I humbly conceive in
reverence of their worth and Apostolick Authority) were
freely observant and subject to them, which afterwards out
of custom, grew into a kind of right challenge by their suc
cessors. Sometimes the authority of the Pastor or Bishop of a
City was enlarged according to the temporal authority of the
same, it being the Metropolitan of this or that Country; for
so I find in the Council of Nice, and other Councils, the
chiefest and largest Authority given to the Bishop of old
Rome because it was the first Imperial City, to Constanti
nople as the second Imperial City, to Alexander as the chief
City of that part of Africa, to Antioch> Jerusalem, Ephesus^
Cormth, Philip , &c. where you see that though Jerusalem
were the first City from whence the Gospel issued forth,
Antioch the second City where the Gospel was planted, and
where the Faithful were first called Christians; yet Rome,
Constantinople and Alexandria were preferred before him,
and had far larger Jurisdiction; so that it is a meer human

temporal

n 6 THE NAKED TRUTH

temporal matter, and Men have no farther obligation to it in
conscience, than for Peace-sake and Order, which in like
manner obliges every Man to be subject to all Magistrates
within their respective Jurisdictions.

There are yet two things more to be considered in this
business. Firvt, Where the Aposlles firft planted the Gospel
in Cities with authority over the adjacent parts, it was in
rich popular Countries, where Cities were much nearer to
gether than in these Northern parts, and the circuit of each
City was much less in compass, so that the Bishop might
well have the inspection into all, and understand the be
haviour of each Pastor under him to admonish and chastise
when there was cause. Whereas with us partly by great
distance of Cities, partly by the favour of former Princes,
several Towns being cast into one Diocesses, they became so
large, as tis impossible any one Bishop should have a suffi
cient inspection in them. As I said before of great Parishes
so here of Diocesses, the Bishop knows not the names nor
faces of half, or a quarter of them, much less their behaviour,
he may have as well a part of France in his Diocess to govern.
And as for their Triennial and Circuity Visitations, they
signifie juft nothing as to this, tis a meer money business to
pay procurations to the Bishops, fees to Chancellors, Regis
ters, &c. the Bishop indeed usually makes a Speech unto
them, and a Sermon is Prech t by some one of them, wherein
perchance good Admonitions are given; but what know
ledge can the Bishop by this have of their lives,
or doctrine, or diligence? If he continue long there he
may learn a few more names or faces, scarce any
thing more. I humbly conceive this ought to be re
dressed, and the Diocess brought into that compass, that

each

OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT 117

each Bishop may be a Bishop in Government, as will as
in Title and Authority over them. But if the Diocess be
divided less, and Bishops more encreased, where shall we
have maintenance for so many Bishops, some having too
little already? When ever I shall see the Clergy of this
Nation Congregated by his Majesties Authority, resolved
in good earnest to reform and establish all according to the
holy Constitutions of the Primitive Times, and come to this
last mentioned, contracting the bonds, and in number en-
creasing the Diocesses, and Bishops for them, I le undertake
to propose wayes both rational and conscientious of pro
viding convenient maintenance for all; but I desire to be
excus d at present, least greedy Harpies make ill use of my
zealous intentions.

And so I proceed to consider a second abuse in Church
Government, which is, Exempt Jurisdictions, a thing alto
gether unknown to Antiquity and brought in by Papal
Tyranny. The Popes at the height of their usurped do
minion, taking upon themselves to be head of the Christian
Churches, to be the Universal Bishop thereof, and all other
to be but their Curate, took then upon them also among
other matters, to exempt from the power of any their under
Bishops whomsoever they pleased. And out of policy to have
the more Creatures and Vassals irnmediatly depending on
them in every Kingdom and Nation, to stickle for them with
Kings and Princes on all occasions, did for the most part
exempt all Monasteries (who with their near Relations and
Tenants made a great part of the Kingdom) from the
Jurisdiction of the Bishop; they exempted also several
Deans and Chapters, several peculiar Chappels, several
Arch-Deacons, and other, and some of these were endowed

with

ii8 THE NAKED TRUTH

with Archiepiscopal Jurisdiction in their Precincts, wherein
they acted whatever they pleased, without controul of any
but their Pope-ships: All which would have appeared a
confused madness in Primitive times, when for any person
to have been out of the Jurisdiction of all Bishops, was to have
been quite out of the Church, and would have been lookt
upon as a Heathen and Infidel, according to the Primitive
practice in all Ages, till Papal usurpation. And therefore all
these Exempt Jurisdictions are meer Papal, and if duely ex
amined, will be found opposite to the established Laws of the
Kingdom since the Reformation from Popery, as they are
directly opposite to the Primitive Canons of the Church
before Popery was known or heard of. And by reason of
these Exempt Jurisdictions great disputes and great frauds
arise between the Bishop and them, and the poor Clergy
are so pilPd and polFd by them both, that they are forc d to go
in thread-bare Coats, whilst the several Officers of both grow
fat and fair by fees extracted from them. Wherefore I
humbly conceive the Bishops, with the rest of the Clergy
are bound in conscience to implore Assistance of both
Houses of Parliament to Petition his Majesty for the redress
of these abuses by Pious Laws, Setling the Church Govern
ment in the Primitive purity and authority, which most
evidently was very great, and as greatly reverenced; Bishops
being the persons to whom Christ and his Apostles com
mitted the Souls of Men, bought with the precious blood of
Christ, to whom be glory, and to his holy Spouse the
Church, be all Sacred Authority for ever. Amen.

f>

A Charitable Admonition to
all Non-Conformists

MY beloved in Christ, you see how carn-
etly I have pleaded for you to the Fathers
and Governors of our Church, that they
would graciously condescend to abolish
some Ceremonies in the Church, that
they may receive you into it; but yet I have no great hopes
that they will hearken to me, you your selves for whom I
plead, destroy my hope; for they presently dash me in the
teeth, saying, Go rather andperswade the Sons m duty to sub
mit to their Fathers, then Fathers to yield to Sons; and can you
deny but of the two you are rather to submit? You think to
excuse this by saying, Were it not against your Conscience,
you would submit, but you dare not for fear of displeasing
God, his holy Word forbids you; I beseech you shew me in
his holy word any one clear sentence, againsl any one Cere
mony commanded in our Church; you see plainly I am not
bias!: to any one Ceremony, and I am sure I have read the
Scripture all over several times, and I humbly conceive tis
no pride of heart, if I think I understand Scripture as well as
you; and for my part I cannot finde any one condemning
Sentence in Scripture. But you have the Spirit of God en
lightening you, which I want; by this rule you may affirm
any thing out of Scripture and I should be as mad in dis
puting against you, as you in affirming it; tis madness for a
blind man (as you conceive me to be) to dispute of colour,

therefore

no THE NAKED TRUTH

therefore if you are so void of all reason, as to expect your
bare affirmation, you that have light; ought to convince all
gain-sayers, I shall not trouble my self or you, to gainsay you
farther, but address my self to others, who soberly undertake
to shew me such Texts, as an unbiast Christian willing and
desirous to submit to all Scripture Truths (as I am sure I
am) may discover the truth of them; and I desire those
sober undertakers to shew me any one such clear Text to
excuse their non-conforming, as I shew them for their con
forming: Submit your selves to every ordinance of man &c.
I Pet. 2. 1 3. and Obey them that have the rule over you, and
submit, Heb. 13. 17. These are as clear as the Sun, that you
ought to obey. Now if the Text you bring be not so clear but
doubtful, I beseech you is your conscience so bold againA
a clear Text, and so timerous at a doubtful Text, is this re
ligion or reason? is it not apparently wilfulness and faction?
I beseech you my Brethren, take heed of thus dissembling
with God and the world, or take heed of giving your selves
up to these delusions of a mistaken spirit. Humility and
Obedience are evident marks of the Spirit; Learn of me y
saith Christ, Matt. 1 1. 2Q. for I am meek, and loidy in
Heart: Godresitteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Wherefore I beseech you, first, put on the Lord Jesus
with all humility, that he may give you the grace of his holy
Spirit, to discern clear Truths, from conceited fancical
errors. Secondly, I beseech you consider whether of the
two it be not safer to erre in the way of Humility, then to
erre in the way of Pride, which makes it doubly damnable,
void of all excuse, ( I say this because you think or pretend to
think our way erronious, not that I have any such thought
or doubt) whereas the Humble Soul hath great excuse to

plead j

A CHARITABLE ADMONITION \2\

plead; and if Charity cover a multitude of Sins, sure
Humility will cover some; a Soul clothed with Humility
can t easily be displeasing to our humble Saviour; but
clothed with pride, can scarce be acceptable, but rather hate
ful, like the proud Pharisee, with all his numerated Virtues;
a;id my Brethren, tis most evident your spirit savours some
what of the Pharisee, magnifying your own holiness, and
despising all others as Publicans and Sinners, and refusing all
communion with them; whereas the Holy of Holies, our
Lord Jesus, chose chiefly to converse with such; really I
can t but think your case very dangerous on this account
only, were there no more to accuse you of Thirdly, I
beseech you to consider the great mischief you bring upon
this Church and Nation by your separation from the
Church : You pretend to be the great Zelots against Popery,
and yet give me leave to say, Your indiscreet disobedient
Zeal mainly brings it in; your separation, and many follow
ing divisions, have caused many to abhor our Church, and
turn to Popery, and doubtless you are to give an account to
God for the ruine of those Souls; for I can never yield that
you have any reasonable and true conscientious cause of
separation, but meerly mistaken-reason and conscience,
which I much pity, but no way approve, and therefore I
must lay the advance of Popery to your charge, to your
separation, for I am sure tis the main snare wherewith they
catch unstable Souls, perswading them our Church is not
guided by the Spirit of Truth, seeing it is confounded by the
spirit of division, it cannot be of God who is both Verity and
Unity. Now though it be well known to the Learned, that
their Church hath neither Verity nor Unity, yet this is not
discernable to weak Souls, especially here in this Country,

where

\2z THE NAKED TRUTH

where their Church is under a cloud, and therefore their
foul spots nothing so visible as abroad, where it walks bare
faced, but are here by their Priests either with great confi
dence deny d, or with great cunning disguised. Wherefore
again I most earnestly and most humbly beseech you for
Jesus sake, put on our Lord Jesus in humility and obedience,
submitting yourselves to the Ordinances of those Supe
riors and Powers which God hath set over you; and if out
of meer humility and obedience you conform, though you
were guilty of some error therein ( I am confident there is
none, yet were it so) my Soul for yours, that guilt shall never
be laid to your charge by our most gracious Saviour, and
most merciful Judge Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be all
Honour and Glory for ever. Amen.

THE PELICAN PRESS

2 CARMELITE STREET E.C.

LIBRARY ST. MARY S COLLEGE

230.3
C874

CROFT, HERBERT

114800

230.3

SOFT, HERBERT

THE NAKED TRUTH

114800