Scripture shew us any such office bring forth your proofe of it B. 'T is my part to answer your proofs Now you put on the Respondent the part of an Opponent Let them that have been bred in the Schools judge whether you do like a fair Disputant H. Our dispute is not an University Dispute but for the clearing of the truth to some Godly People B. Do you think the University Disputations which are the best in the world are not for the clearing of the Truth But what saith Mr. Tr. shall I propose my Argument to prove Diocesan Bishops by the Scripture Tr. You have liberty to propose your Argument and shew in what part of Scripture you can find the Office of any Diocesan Bishop B. I allege principally the Epistles of S. Paul to Timothy and Titus and particularly Tit. 1. 5. For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City as I have appointed thee Out of which Text I will prove that Titus was a Bishop and Creet his Diocese and therefore here we have found the Diocesian Bishop But before I proceed let me aske you Gentlemen do you not put me upon this to ensnare me Do you mean no harm to me Tr. No I assure you wherefore in Gods Name speak freely B. I humbly thank you but first let me openly declare before all this Assembly that I have no mind to oppose any act of State nor will I meddle at all with the Lands and Lordships of Bishops only I plead for the Order and Function of Bishops I plead for the primitive Apostolicall Bishop and no other And that this Text is for me thus I prove He that hath a power to ordaine Elders and set things in order in the Church is a Bishop But Titus hath a power to ordaine Elders and to set things in order in a Church Therefore Titus is a Bishop H. But you must prove him to be a Diocesan Bishop B. So I do Creet was his Diocese the whole Iland was committed to his Goverment Diocese my friends is a Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to order and administer the affaires of Gods House signifying the territory or circuit of a Bishop So Creet may be well called the Diocese of Bishop Titus having under his inspection as t is plaine the Elders of the Cities there W. The Cities were not under Titus his Goverment he was not a Ruler of the Iland B. He was Ruler of all the Christians I mean onely them through all the Cities and Country Tr. But Titus was an Evangelist Therefore no Bishop B. I deny the Consequence He was an Evangelist while he went about Preaching and Planting the Gospell And he was the Bishop of Creet when he was fixed there by Paul to Ordaine Elders and put in order the things that were wanting H. We find Titus in other places beside Creet and Bishops of those times were not non-residents Therefore he was not Bishop of Creet B. Bishops may lawfully be and were antiently non-resident for some time to wit while they attend the business of Religion abroad and procured the greater good of the Church In which time of their absence their places are supplyed at home by their Deputies Tr. But Sir I pray consider Titus was an extraordinary Governor and therefore no Diocesan Bishop And you dispute fallaciously unless you put in the word Ordinary B. I say he was a Diocesan Bishop or if you will rather an Archbishop For I conceive the Elders of every City to have been Bishops and Overseers of severall Ministers and Congregations therefore he was an ordinary Governour Thus I argue He that ordaines Elders and orders the things in the Churches is an Ordinary But Titus ordaines Elders and orders things in the Churches Therefore Titus is an Ordinary Tr. But I mean he was called to that office in an extraordinary manner B. No neither He was called in the same manner as Timothy and others by Imposition of the Presbytery Therefore He was called in an Ordinary manner Col. A. Timothy was called saith Paul in another place by the laying on of his hands B. Noble Sir you say very true and the places are easily reconciled thus Divers Elders laid hands on Timothy among whom S. Paul probably was chief H. And was Paul too a Diocesan Bishop B. The Apostles common Diocese was the whole world which by agreement they divided among them and S. Paul was especially the Apostle of the Gentiles But in the Apostles I grant some things are extraordinary Tr. Pray make it out cleerely that Titus his case is not extraordinary otherwise you dispute fallaciously B. Truth needs no sophistry Thus I make it out The office that is to continue in the Church and to be succeeded in through following ages is no extraordinary office But this office of Titus is such Therefore c. H. What is it to continue to the worlds end B. Yes to the worlds end For it is Christs Promise I am with you alway even to the end of the world Mat. ult ult What say you to my argument Ordination and Jurisdiction are Offices or Powers needfull to the Church in all Ages This Office of Power or Titus was Ordination and Jurisdiction Therefore this Office of Titus is needfull to the Church in all Ages and therefore no extraordinary Office And my Brethren I would have you to know we are able to shew out of the best Records and Monuments of the Antient Church that there was a succession to the Apostolicall Bishops in these parts of their Office And the Catalogues of succeeding Bishops in severall Apostolicall Sees are yet extant And the Fathers and Councills and Ecclesiasticall Histories come in here with undeniable evidence that Diocesan Bishops are successors of the Apostles in the Government of Churches H. See godly Brethren the subtilty of this man He will not contain himself within the Holy Scripture but tells us of Fathers and Ecclesiasticall Stories and human Authorities B. Who succeeded in the government of Churches after the Apostles we must learn out of the writings of the next Ages And I tell you not only Fathers and Church-story but all other good learning is requisite in a compleat Divine Mark this you bold unlearned new-speakers and expounders of Scripture Mark it and remember it well And for the question of Church-government especially it is impossible to find a better way to understand the Scripture than by the practice of the primitive times of the Christian Church H. Expound Scripture by the practice of the primitive Church Do ye heare him brethren as if Scripture needed the help of the Church We thought we should finde him enclining to Popery B. I detest all Popery charge me not so ignorantly Upon my life I will make it good by the judgment of the most learned and sound Protestants that the practice of the primitive Church is a great light to
invested with the ordinary lasting power of ordaining Elders of binding and loosing and of setting things in order herein who were their Successors you may see if you will inform your selves in the book of binding and loosing and in the Latin dissertations against Blondellus Pray take it not ill that we often assert this it is of such concernence that with this truth the Ministers of England must either stand or fall We speak not for Bishops to be Lords of Lands but Fathers of the Church You must all mark that Tr. The differonce 'twixt us appears plainly you are for Bishops which you call the Primitive Apostolical Bishops and in them you place the power which Christ hath left to his Church We are for the Bodies of Congregations which we say are under no superiors neither Bishops nor Presbyters but absolute and independent in respect of man and immediatly under Jesus Christ Col. A. Bishops and Presbyters are all one in the New Testament namely Acts 20. 17. Paul sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and v. 28. the holy Ghost hath made you overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore Presbyters and Bishops are all one P. Noble Sir I answer Bishops in the new Testament are also called Presbyters but they are more than those we now call Presbyters who are to be ordained and governed by the Bishops Any Presbyter may be called Bishop or Overseer of his own Parish but those we eminently stile Bishops now who are Bishops or Overseers and Rulers of those Parish Bishops or Presbyters The Presbyters St. Paul sent for from Ephesus were properly Bishops Tr. No Hear my Argument The Church of Ephesus was but one Congregation I prove it out of Eph. 2. the two last verses In whom Jesus Christ all the building fitly framed together c. A building fitly framed together is but one Congregation But the Church of Ephesus was a building fitly framed together Therefore c. B. To the Major Not only one single Congregation but many united under one Bishop may be so called And that Ephesus was not a single Independent Congregation but a Metropolitical Church you may learn of the most Reverend Primate Dr. Usher a man I think of great Authority among you also as among all Scholars most justly I refer you to his Geographical Tract of the Asian Diocese Tr. Return to the Text Mat. 18. v. 19. I shall prove it undeniably that a single Church hath an independent power But first will you grant me that two or three may be taken for a small Congregation B. Yes I desire to grant you all I can without injury to the Truth Tr. Then thus I argue Where is the Duty and the Blessing there is the Power But in a small Congregation where two or three c. is both the duty and the Blessing Therefore there is also the Power namely of Excommunication B. Where is the duty c. You leave out a very necessary word Independent For supposing that a power of Excommunication were in a particular Congregation I cannot grant it is there independently but there may be an Appeal But did you ever hear of an Indepent Church of two or three Tr. Yes there may be a Church of so few and that independent B. A private Church I grant not a publick enabled with power of Excommunication a power supreme Lo you here is Popery in a little volume an independent absolute supreme Church made up of two or three H. Did you not grant to Mr. Tr. that two or three may be taken for any small number now you recall your words You know if there be twenty in a company we sometimes say there be two or three B. No indeed that 's too far wide Let the people judge of this whether any will say there be two or three if there be twenty persons met in a room Two or three that is twenty silence I pray But Sir the words of Christ are verified if there be but barely two And therefore I may justly think it too small a number to make the Church mentioned v 17. It cannot be for this reason The Church in the 17. v. is of more authority and more in number than the two or three mentioned in the second admonition v. 16. But two or three v. 19 20. are not of more authority nor more in number than the two or three mentioned v. 16. Therefore the two or three v. 19 20. are not the Church mentioned v. 17. Answer this and you shall hold your Supremacy to the worlds end for me H. You hold an Appeal from the Church to the Civil Power which is plain Erastianism B. Erastianisme I shall make it appear to be Christianisme But what was Erastus pray H. I came not here to be Catechized by you B. Erastus was one that denied the power of Excommunication in the Church which I do not but desire it may come into practice upon true Rules If you would know Erastus see the Book of Binding and loosing at large And noble Sir you that are a Civil Magistrate let me call you to witness that I stand here an Advocate truly to plead for the Supreme authority of this Land and I undertake to shew that the Highest powers in the Commonwealth have also the Highest Rule of the Church and may receive Appeals from any Christians that complain of wrong in any Congregation whatsoever Col. A. The Highest Powers haply doubt of that Authority and forbear to execute any such till they be more fully satisfied B. Were I worthy I would request them to know their power and use it for the restitution of Primitive Episcopacy They doubt you say but Sir these men flatly deny that authority of the Civil Magistrate in matters of Religion H. And how I pray do you prove it B. Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers Every man saith St. Chrysostome whether Lay or Clergy Col. A. There is no such distinction of Lay and Clergy in the Scripture All the Lords people are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Portion B. Sir you say most true that All the Lords people are his Portion that is as selected and called out of the World but his Ministers are more peculiarly his as called from among his People and admitted nearer to him being separated for the Ministration of Holy things But however all sorts of men I say whether Ministers or others must be subject to the Highest powers Tr. Yea in Civil things they must be subject not in Ecclesiastical The Powers are distinct B. They are distinct in their Objects or Matters about which they are exercised they are united in the same Subjects or Persons that are supreme in all causes both Eccleclesiasticall and Civill W. You were wont to pray for the King in that stile B. Yes when the King was and now they that have the Kingly power may withall assume the same title if they please W. By no means
THE WINCHCOMB PAPERS REVIVED Wherein are contained some particulars concerning The Government of the Church Liturgy and Forms of Prayer Ordination and power of Ministers Administration of the Sacrament c. For the use of dissenting Brethren Veritati paci LONDON For John Barksdale Newstreet Five Bells 1675. S. Augustinus de fide oper c. 5. tom 4. p. 13. Cum sive per negligentiam praepositorum sive per aliquam excusabilem necessitatem sive per occultas obreptiones invenimus in ecclesia malos quos ecclesiasticâ disciplinâ corrigere aut coërcere non possumus tunc non ascendat in cor nostrum impia ac perniciosa praesumptio quâ existimemus nos ab his esse separandos ut peccatis eorum non inquinemur atque ita post nos trahere conemur veluti mundos sanctosque discipulos ab unitatis compage quasi à malorum consortio segregatos Veniant in mentem illae descripturis similitudines divina oracula vel certissima exempla quibus demonstratum pronuntiatum est malos in ecclesia permixtos bonis usque in finem seculi tempusque judicii futuros nihil bonis in unitate ac participatione Sacramentorum qui eorum factis non consenserint obfuturos The Review THat which at first gave life to the following Papers is the cause also why they are now revived namely the consideration of many evils done to the Church of England by the over-busie actings of some men that stile them selves Pastors of Gathered Churches who while they gather a few scatter many There is a short but sad complaint which I have lately seen written in the name of many thousands of this Country to this effect 1 That in severall great Parishes Market Towns and other Ministers are placed who own but a very few as Members of their Church and preach judgement to the rest and deprive them and their children of the Sacraments and other Ministerial Offices yet receive the profits and account them but as Heathens except they will enter into their private Covenant 2 That the said Preachers wander abroad with their Disciples after them invade other mens parishes distract the people and alienate their mindes from their lawful Pastors 3 That they spread under pretence of preaching Christ very dangerous opinions against parish-Churches and parish-Ministers and against that order and Goverment that ought to be restored to the Church of God 4 That the said preachers pretend to be the men by whose favour or disfavour other Ministers must stand or fall Whose Ordination they call Antichristian and have a designe to plant their illiterate followers whom they exercise to that end in their places These and the like grievances we hope Authority will in time redresse In the mean time it is the duty of Ministers that are left of the old stock to teach the truth and warn the people of these errors To which purpose the following Papers are not of no use In the Review whereof we see the substance of them may be referred chiefly to these Heads Of Church Government Publick Prayers The Ministry Communion And of these we shall note something in relation to the printed Papers 1. For Church-Government I cannot blame the Respondent who had lived under the form of Episcopacy to own that ancient way He denies it not to have been subject unto faults and errors by the miscarriage of persons employed whose faults if they shoud be charged likewise upon other Governments no form neither Civil nor Ecclesiastical would be of any long continuance I suppose it were a good Reformation to make some amendment in the Ecclesiastical Lawes as about the abilities required in persons to be Ordained c. and to bring up the practice of the Church to the Laws That Episcopacy is not to be cast off we the Ancients Ignatius and little reading in are verily perswaded by our other and by what we find in our own best Reformed Divines No more need here be named but Zanchy from beyond sea and Bishop Davenant at home whose words you have in the Testimonies Bishop Davenant a man worthily much esteemed by all parties saith that among many Presbyters that administer the Word and Sacraments in some one City there was one by the Apostles themselves set over the rest and indowed with a certain singular dignity and power And it is manifest these Bishops thus establisht by the Apostles authority had their successions in the same Cities by a continual order And Zanchy saith That in the Protestant Churches are not wanting Bishops and Archbishops indeed and in effect But the good Greek names being changed into bad Latin they call them Superintendents and general Superintendents And where these names are not yet there are wont to be some prime men who have almost all the Authority And why should we contend about names when we agree about the thing I will onely adde upon this first Head what I hear is not displeasing to the Presbyterians I wish it may not be to the Independents whose chief Argument from Mat. 18. for the power of the Congregation is answered by considering that matters seem to be referred to the people because they passed at their assemblies though under censure of Bishops and Presbyters See page 112. Namely the judgment of that most Reverend and learned Primate Dr. Vsher now with God who in four Articles lately printed hath reduced Episcopacy to the form of Synodical Government The summe is this 1 That in every parish the Rector with the Church-wardens note the scandalous and admonish them 2. That they present the obstinate to the monthly rural Synod consisting of the Rectors of that part assembled under the Suffragan there to be censured 3. That the Acts of the monthly Synods be revised once or twice a year by the Diocesan Synod consisting of all the suffragans and some choice Rectors assembled under the Bishop 4. That further Appeal may be made in case of grievances to the Provincial Synods c. This is a way of conjoyning Episcopal government and Presbyterial into one which might happily content all sober Christians so as Church-affairs should be managed to borrow words from the royal pen neither with tyranny impurity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor people oppressed Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder So much of the first Head 2. For Publick prayers I see no cause to dislike that which is among the following testimonies cited out of Mr. Calvin's Epistle to the Lord Protector wherein he saith I very much approve a certain form of prayers from which it may not be lawful for the Pastors in their function to depart for these reasons that help may be given to the unskilfulnesse of some that the consent of all the Churches may appear that the levity and uncertainty of some men alwaies â—ffecting novelties may be regulated and restrained Yet neither doth Calvin here nor do any of us deny a grave modest
Temporall Governors power Spirituall B. The power of Civill Magistrates in matters of religion is called Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall in respect of the object of it about which it is conversant not in respect of the manner of operating For the supreme powers do not minister in holy things in the Word and Sacraments and censures but they take care and provide that these ministrations be rightly and orderly performed H. But how prove you an appeal to be made to the highest power in a Church-case B. Saint Paul appealed unto Caesar Actâ— 25. 10 11. Tr. Yea but that appeal was in a cause concerning sedition B. Hear himself speak For the Resurrection of the dead am I called in question Act. 23. 6. W. That was said in policy to divide the Pharisees and Sadduces B. However the Apostle spake nothing but the truth as appears also by the words of Festus Act. 23. 19. The question was whether he might preach Jesus and the Resurrection Tr. That Caesar was Nero a heathen tyrant and persecutor a fit man to meddle with Religion B. He was it seems fir for Paul to appeal unto for want of a better and had he acquitted the Apostle he had thereby given him a right against the Jews See Grotius of Authority concerning this particular and the whole matter As for the Supremacy of Christian Kings this is one argument If the Jewish Kings had power in matters of Religion then have the Christian Kings the like power But the Jewish Kings c. To. Let me adde another Argument out of the Prophet concerning the Christian Church Kings shall be her nursing Fathers and Queenes her nursing Mothers W. Read out the verse and you are answered They shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth Is 49. 23. Here is subjection rather than superiority To. A superiority of Government and Patronage is included in the name of Father but these Fathers are Sons of the Church too in another sense and subject to the spirituall guides of their soules subjection and Government may consist together in severall respects B. Will you turne to the Text in Matth. 18. once more and hear a fair Interpretation of it out of the Excellent Paraphrast Tell it to the Church i. e. to the Rulers of the Assemblies Verily I say unto you to you the designed Rulers of the Church and your Successors the Bishops H. Enough enough pray who is your Author there B. Regard not so much who as what No matter whose the words are if they cleer the Text. This Author Mr. Tr. shews you the true sense of the next verse concerning two or three It is the manner of Scripture where severall things are mentioned to resume the last first and so go back In this retrogradous order the Power of the Church which was last mentioned is spoken of v. 18. and then the two or three are again mentioned which were spoken of v. 16. I will cleer it if you please by sundry the like passages See in of Binding and Loosing pag. 12. c. W. We have enough of you already I would not goe over the door sill to Dispute with one upon whose spirit I see so much of the Pope B. No Gloster-Hall man would say so but you And you say so because you have nothing else to say I am far from Popery and I doubt you are neer it with your Independency Col. A. But Pray-thee what Author have you there on the Text B. I will obey you It is the great ornament of the English Church the Learned and pious Doctor Hammond W. c. An Arminian an Arminian To. That 's a very indirect answer when the words alleged tend not to Arminianism but to the support of Christianism B. I feared you would cast some aspersion upon this Brave Man and therefore would have concealed his name under a silent veneration But you are mistaken when you think the Doctrine of Universall Redemption Arminianism It was the Doctrine of the Church of England before Arminius was born Wee learn it out of the old Church-Catechism I believe in Jesus Christ who redeemed me all mankind And the Church hath learned it out of the plaine Scripture where Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World c. To. God would have all men to be saved Therefore Christ is the Redeemer of all men Col. A. Paul in that Text to Tim speaks de generibus singulorum not de singulis generum B. S. Paul speaks de singulis generum for elsewhere it is said Christ tasted death for every man Heb. 2. 9. a convincing Text. W. There is a distinction of voluntas signi beneplaciti B. If God hath signified and revealed to us that he would have all men to be saved then it is most true that he would have All men to be saved But he hath signified c. He knows not to lye or to dissemble C. I desire to propose an Argument in this Question if you please to answer me B. Most willingly You are a courteous Gentleman C. If Christ died for all men then shall all men be saved But all men shall not be saved Therefore B. I deny the sequel of your major C. Christ cannot fail of his intention Therefore if Christ died for all men all men shall be saved B. I deny your Antecedent C. To fail of ones intention argues imperfefection But you must not lay any imperfection upon Christ B. No by no meanes Therefore I answer One may fail of his intention two waye either by ones own fault or by the fault of another to whom good is intended Christ failes of his intention not through his own fault but ours he is not wanting to us we are wanting to our selves And I beseech you all dear Christians take heed of conceiving hard thoughts of God of Christ as if he would the death of a sinner Tr. God in his eternall Purpose hath appointed to save some and to damne others B. The purpose of God is absolute or conditionall God purposeth not the damnation of any absolutely but Conditionally upon his refusall of the meanes And for election consider what the Apostle saith He hath chosen us in Christ Eph. 1. 4. See also the judicious Mr. Hooker's distinction of Gods generall inclination and his occasioned Will lib. 5. s 49. Wherefore Beloved I charge you again Take heed that you think not ill of God and of Christ as if he were not really and sincerely willing you should be saved Hear Christ mourning affectionately over Jerusalem How oft would I and thou wouldst not Hear God speaking most pathetically in the Prophet As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner Will you not take his word Take his Oath As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but that he turn from his way and live Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye O house of Israel Turn yee Turn
application of their Spirits wherein consists the very Life and Soul of Prayer and that so much pretended Spirit of Prayer than any ptivate man by his solitary abilities can be presumed to have which what they are many times even there where they make a great noise and shew the affectations emptiness impertinency rudeness confusions flatness levity obscurity vain and ridiculous repetitions the senseless and oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length do sufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that pharasaick way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. Of Moderate Episcopacy THe Abuses of Episcopacy deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it far better to hold to Primitive and uniform Antiquity than to comply with divided Novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfy all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober people so as Church affairs should be managed neither with tyranny parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor people oppressed ibid. 17. Of the Primitive Church and Fathers IF the practice of the Primitive Church and the universal consent of the Fathers be not a convincing Argument when the Interpretation of Scripture is doubtful I know nothing for if this be not then of necessity the Interpretation of private Spirits must be admitted the which contradicts S. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 20. is the Mother of all sects and will if not prevented bring these Kingdoms into confusion And to say that an Argument is ill because the Papists use it or that such a thing is good because it is the custome of some of the reformed Churches cannot weigh with me untill you prove these to be infallible or that to maintain no Truth And how Diotrephes ambition who directly opposed the Apostle S. John can be an Argument against Episcopacy I do not understand His Majesties second paper to H. Of the same MY Conclusion is that albeit I never esteemed any Authority equall to the Scriptures yet I do think the unanimous consent of the Fathers and the Universall practice of the Primitive Church to be the best and most Authenticall Interpreters of God's Word and consequently the fittest Judges between Me and You when we differ untill you shall find me better Fift paper A pious Offer of the English Clergy Anno 1644. I Shall offer in the name of my brethren of the Clergy not that I have took their particular votes but that I perswade my self so far of their piety That rather than the Glory should thus depart from Israel by laying wast this flourishing Church of ours every one single of us that have any possessions or titles worthy any mans envy or rapine and so are thought now by our own Interests to have been bribed or fee'd Advocates in this cause may forthwith be deprived of all that part of the Revenues of the Church wherein we are legally invested And he that shall not cheerfully resign his part in the present prosperity of the Church on the meer contemplation and intuition of the benefit that may now and after his life redound to others let him have the charge of being disturber of the State And if the Function it self with the necessary adjuncts to it be not swept away in the calamity we shall be perfectly pleas'd whatsoever befall our Persons and desire that tryall may be made of the ingenuity of Clergy-men whether we have not thus far profited under Gods rod as to be willing to yield to any possible proposition which will bring no guilt of sin upon our Consciences toward the averting the Judgments of Heaven Dr. Hammond's Consid of Church-government Of Universall Redemption THese two propositions are very reconcilable that Christ redeemed all men and yet that the whole number of the impenitent unbelieving reprobate world shall never be saved by him The great Benefits of Christ's death which I affirm to be general are given upon condition not absolutely as God's love to the world and the effect of it giving his Son is not designed that all absolutely but that all conditionally i. e. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life They which do not perform that condition as Gods knows a great multitude do not shall never be saved by his death To which purpose is that of Prosper one far enough from all kindness to the Pelagians Redemptor mundi dedit pro mundo sanguinem suum mundus redimi noluit The Redeemer of the world gave his bloud for the world and the world would not be redeemed Ad Gall. cap. 9. To that testimony Heb. 2. 9. so clear that it alone hath to my knowledge convinc'd one as learned a man as doth in this Church of ours maintain the doctrins contrary to the Remonstrants I shall ex abundanti add these other plain testimonies Not only that of Gods giving his only Son mention'd by Christ as an effect or expression of his love to the world which it would not be if he did not give him for the world whom he is said to love but to prevent all distinctions concerning the notion of the world as if it signified only the elect more particularly these two First that of 2 Pet. 2. 1. Where the Lord i. e. Christ is plainly said to have bought i. e. paid the Price satisfied for them who deny him and bring upon themselves swift destruction The other testimony is that of S. Paul 2 Cor. 5. 14. Where speaking of the constraining obliging love of Christ he said We thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead that is surely All in the full latitude not only the elect but All others and this conclusion the Apostle infers by this medium because One that is Christ dyed for All. Which being a proof of the other must certainly be as true and the All as generall and unlimited c. Dr. Hammond Vindic. of the Prac. Catech. p. 4 5. Of set forms of Prayer THat it is lawfull to use a set determinate form of words either written or fastned in our memory is apparent both by the example of Christ who in S. Luke bids us when we pray say Our Father c. not only pray after this pattern as the words in S. Matthew may be interpreted but use these very words when you pray say Our Father c. Luke 11. 2. and of John Baptist who taught his disciples to pray in some form though we know not what it is Luke 11. 1. As also of the Priests that used set forms of blessing the people Numb 6. 24. and of our Saviour himself who used a part if not the whole of the 22. Psalm upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. And of the Church of the Jews and Christian Churches through all times who have had their Liturgies as ways and forms of serving God publickly and as means to preserve the true Religion
than only by allegation of Scripture they would not hear besides it they thought no other writings in the world should be studyed in so much as one of their great Prophets exhorting them to cast away all respects unto human writings so far to his motion they condescended that as many as had any Books save the Holy Bible in their custody they brought and set them publickly on fire When they and their Bibles were alone together what strange phantasticall opinion soever at any time enterd into their heads their use was to think the Spirit taught it them Their own Ministers they highly magnified as men whose vocation was from God the rest their manner was to term disdainfully Scribes and Pharisees to account their calling an human creature and to detein the people as much as might be from heâ—ring them The custome of using God-fathers and God-mothers at Christnings they scorned Baptizing of Infants although confest by themselves to have been continued ever sithence the Apostles own times yet they altogether condemned The Eucharist they received pretending our Lord and Saviours example after Supper and for avoiding all those impieties which have been grounded upon the mysticall words of Christ This is my Body This is my Blood they thought it not safe to mention either body or blood in that Sacrament but rather to abrogate both and to use no words but these Take eate declare the death of our Lord Drink shew forth our Lords Death In rites and ceremonies their profession was hatred of all conformity with the Church of Rome for which cause they would rather endure any torment than observe the solemn Festivals which others did in as much as Antichrist they said was the first inventor of them The pretended end of their civil reformation was that Christ might have dominion over all that all Crowns and Scepters might be thrown down at his feet that no other might reign over Christian men but He no regiment to keep them in awe but his disciplin amongst them no sword at all to be carried besides his the sword of spirituall excommunication They laboured to bring in Community of goods because Christ by his Apostles hath given the world such example to the end that men might excell one another not in wealth the pillar of secular Authority but in vertue These men at the first were only pityed in their errour and by a mercifull Toleration they gatherd strength much more than was safe for the state of the Commonmonwealth wherein they lived The means whereby they both allured and reteined so great multitudes were most effectuall First a wonderfull shew of zeall towards God wherewith they seemed to be even rapt in every thing they spake Secondly an hatred of sin and a singular love of integrity which men did think to be much more than ordinary in them by reason of the custome which they had to fill the ears of the people with invectives against their authorized guides as well Spirituall as Civill Thirdly the bountifull relief wherewith they eased the broken estate of such needy creatures as were in that respect the more apt to be drawn away Fourthly a tender compassion which they were thought to take upon the miseries of the common sort over whose hearts their manner was even to powr down showers of tears in complaining that no respect was had unto them Lastly a cunning slight which they had to stroke and smooth up the minds of their Followers as well by appropriating unto them all the favourable titles the good words and the gracious promises in Scripture as also by casting the contrary always on the heads of such as were severed from that retinue Whereupon the peoples common Acclamation unto such Deceivers was These are verily the men of God these are his true and sincere Prophets Nothing more clear unto their seeming than that a New Jerusalem being often spoken of in Scriptures they undoubtedly were themselves that New Jerusalem and the Old did by way of a certain figurative resemblance signify what they should both be and do Here they drew in a Sea of matter by applying all things unto their own company which are any where spoken concerning divine favours and benefits bestowed upon the old Commonwealth of Israel concluding that as Israel was deliverd out of Egypt so they spiritually out of the Egypt of the worlds servile thraldom unto sin and superstition as Israel was to root out the Idolatrous Nations and to plant in stead of them a people which feared God so the Lords good will and pleasure was now that these new Israelits should under the conduct of other Joshuas Samsons and Gedeons perform a work no less miraculous in casting out violently the wicked from the earth and establishing the Kingdom of Christ with perfect liberty Now whatsoever they did in such sort collect out of Scripture when they came to justify or perswade it unto others all was the heavenly Fathers appointment his Commandement his will and charge These men in whose mouths at the first sounded nothing but onely mortification of the flesh were come at the length to think they might lawfully have their six or seven wives apeece They which at the first taught judgment and justice it self to be merciless cruelly accompted at the length their own hands sanctified with being imbrued in Christian blood They who at the first were wont to beat down all dominion had at the length both Consuls and Kings of their own creation amongst themselves Finally they which could not brook at the first that any man should seek no not by law the recovery of goods injuriously taken or withheld from him were grown at the last to think they could not offer unto God more acceptable sacrifice than by turning their Adversaries clean out of house and home and by enriching themselves with all kind of spoil and pilage which thing being layd to their charge they had in a readiness their answer that now the time was come when according to our Saviours promise The Meek ones must inherit the Earth Jan. 6. THE END