Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
A Seasonable Caveat Against Popery (Author: William Penn)

Chapter 10

Of Ecclesiastical Hierarchy.

PAP. We firmly believe, that according to Divine Ordination in the Catholick Church, there is a Hierarchy, consisting of Bishops, Priests, and Ministers. He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and other Evangelists, and other Pastors and Doctors, to the consummation of the Saints, unto the Work of the Ministry, unto the Edifying of the Body of Christ, until we all meet in the Unity of Faith, and the Knowledge of the Son of God &c.

Its a great truth, that Bishops, Pastors, Teachers &c. were given by Christ Jesus, for the work of the Ministry; but what then? Can Romanists make use of this to justifie their most injurious and tyrannical Hierarchy? Do the Scriptures of Truth tell us, that ever God gave lordly, proud, and voluptuous Popes, Cardinals, Primates, Arch-bishops, Deans, Chapters, Fryars, Nuns &c. for the

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{original page number 35} edifying of the Church, and Body of Christ? The primitive Bishops were to be blameless, not living in all manner of uncleanness; gentle, no Strikers, no Brawlers, nor Persecuters of their Brethren, as are the Popes of Rome; apt to teach, not by roaring Bulls to Excommunicate; to eat and drink such things as are set before them; not racking and grinding the Faces of the Poor, the Widows, and the Fatherless, and extorting their labours, to greaten their Revenues, to live in Idleness, Pomp and Lust. The Husband but of one Wife, not Condemners of marrying of one honest Woman, and Dispensers with as many Whores as lust may Require; Cardinal and eminent Points and Practices among the Romanists.

In short the Romish Hierarchy is so far from being suited within the Order of the Gospel, by them quoted in their Confession; that the whole design of their lordly Popes, Cardinals, Arch bishops, Bishops, Jesuits, and other Fryars of many forts, (esteem'd of the Religious Tribe) is but to over-ballance the civil Power, and render themselves Masters of the Swords and Purses of Princes, and Common-wealths, to maintain them in ease, idleness, plenty, and pleasure; and to blind the understandings of them they abuse, that they may use them as the Philistines did Sampson, when they had put out his eyes, to answer their own wicked ends, with the greater security.

To conclude, If we could not receive a Thief, until he has repented: let Papist first recant his voluminous Errors (not known in Scripture, nor ever heard of for Three Hundred Years together after Christ.)

But above all, let us have good Testimony of his hearty sorrow, for that Sea of Blood, shed in England, France, Holland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Savoy, Switzerland, and Germany, of many Hundred Thousands of poor Protestants, that for pure Conscience could not conform to their most exorbitant Practices, as well as new Doctrines, imposed upon them: Such inhumane and barbarous Inventions and Cruelties, as no Age could ever paralel; and are the only Demonstrations of their wicked Wits, that liv'd in that; and that not only upon the Parties themselves, but their poor, little, innocent Babes: For that English Protestants,

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{original page number 36} should so far neglect these weighty Considerations, as to be gull'd and cheated out of the Religion purchas'd them, by their Martyr'd Ancestors; and perswaded to embrace that Old, Bloody, Apostatiz'd Church again, with all her slavish, as well as ridiculous Superstition, is a Crime so offensive to God, and intollerable to Men, as the time hastens, That the very Stones of the Streets will rise up in Judgment against them.

Thus while some Protestants (and those chiefly concerned in these Affairs) are mostly busied in Persecuting Dissenters; I hope it will not be ill resented, that one of them, has, in the mean time, under-took (though with much brevity) an Enervation of the Romans Faith, at least a detection of their Craft, their horrid Cousenage, and present way of insinuation amongst the People.

But we must once more declare, it is not our purpose to bring them under Persecution; but to present the People with such an Information, as may prevent them from ever having power to persecute others.

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