They are like in evil and they shall be like in punishment, they shall be involved in the same punishment, I will make the Priests as contemptible and as miserable as the vilest of the people; their places exalted them above others, and their sin hath made them as vile as others, and so they shall be dealt withal accordingly. You will say, what great judgment is here threatened that like people like Priest? Yes certainly to them the judgment was very bitter and grievous, was most against the hair, for the Priests have at all times been puffed up with their callings, so that they looked upon themselves as above the people abundantly, looked down to the people with scorn and contempt. The Pharisees in John, 7.49. This people (say they) who know not the Law are cursed, this same vulgar sort are they that are accurst; so these Priests here, though the truth is they were made of the vilest of the people (as they were in Jeroboam's time, for it is spoken of those) yet being once got up into that place they were puffed up as if they had been of another kind of mould than the people were. It is usual for wicked Ministers though never so base and vile other ⟨p. 117⟩ways either in birth or breeding, yet when they get up a little and are come to preferment, to look upon others as very contemptible in their eyes. This i• a Master design in Popery, to advance Priesthood and make them to be great above the people; and we know what a way they were going in of late; what were your Gentry in the Kingdom but even slaves and vassals to every Popish Priest in the Country, but especially unto Prelates; And we cannot imagine (but we must look at the hand of God in his dreadful judgment besotting men) why the Gentry should desire to have prelacy come in again, knowing how they were contemned and despised of them before. There was scarce any Vicar in the Country but if he were Filius Ecclesiae as they called him, a child of the Church, a ceremonious man but he was able to vaunt himself above any of the Gentry whatsoever; and it was an evident argument of the coming in of Popery upon us, a too much extolling of their Priestly Office, although that wherein the true honour of their office consisted, the faithful Preaching of the word, was not regarded.
They are like in evil and they shall be like in punishment, they shall be involved in the same punishment, I will make the Priests as contemptible and as miserable as the vilest of the people; their places exalted them above others, and their sin hath made them as vile as others, and so they shall be dealt withal accordingly. You will say, what great judgment is here threatned that like people like Priest? Yes certainly to them the judgment was very bitter and grievous, was most against the hair, for the Priests have at all times been puffed up with their callings, so that they looked upon themselves as above the people abundantly, looked down to the people with scorn and contempt. The Pharisees in John, 7.49. This people (say they) who know not the Law are cursed, this same vulgar sort are they that are accurst; so these Priests here, though the truth is they were made of the vilest of the people (as they were in Jeroboams time, for it is spoken of those) yet being once got up into that place they were puffed up as if they had been of another kind of mould than the people were. It is usual for wicked Ministers though never so base and vile other ⟨p. 117⟩waies either in birth or breeding, yet when they get up a little and are come to preferment, to look upon others as very contemptible in their eyes. This i• a Master design in Popery, to advance Priesthood and make them to be great above the people; and we know what a way they were going in of late; what were your Gentry in the Kingdom but even slaves and vassels to every Popish Priest in the Countrey, but especially unto Prelates; And we cannot imagine (but we must look at the hand of God in his dreadful judgment besotting men) why the Gentry should desire to have prelacy come in again, knowing how they were contemned and despised of them before. There was scarce any Vicar in the Countrey but if he were Filius Ecclesiae as they called him, a child of the Church, a ceremonious man but he was able to vaunt himself above any of the Gentry whatsoever; and it was an evident argument of the coming in of Popery upon us, a too much extolling of their Priestly Office, although that wherein the true honour of their office consisted, the faithful Preaching of the word, was not regarded.
