Barnabas coÌ„ming among them is not said to have ioyned theÌ„ vnto the Lord but to have exhorted them which were ioyned to coÌ„tinue with the Lord. vers 23. and to have perswaded others to ioyn themselues unto the Lord also vers 24. but that this course ordinary set by Christ should be held in the replanting of Churches after the vniversall apostasie of Antichrist is a thing impossible There were then no Ministers but popish Priests and are they the Lords meanes Mr Bernard Shall the man of sin be consumed by himself or by the breath of the Lords mouth Are false Ministers the Lords ordinary means of planting Churches Or are popish massepreists or the popish Bishops from whom they have their authority and so the Pope himself from whom they have theirs true Ministers And is the Church of Rome a true visible Church For it is not possible there should be a true Ministery in a false Church These are the inconveniences and discommodities Mr Bernard speaks of by which he sayth we would wring the truth from him But it is certayn they are such playne demonstrations as do evince his pretended truthes of popish and popular errours And for the gathering of a Church M. B. I do tell you that in what place soever by what means soever whether by preaching the gospell by a true Minister by a false minister by no minister or by reading conference or any other meanes of publishing it two or three faithfull people do arise separating themselves froÌ„ the world into the fellowship of the gospell and covenant of Abraham they are a Church truely gathered though never so weak a house and temple of God rightly founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himsef being the corner stone against which the gates of hell shall not prevayl nor your disgracefull invectives neyther Indeed * the Pharisees thought bycause they had Abraham for their father and did descend of him by ordinary succession were the formall Teachers of the Church that therefore God could not possibly cast them off or have a Church without them even so it is with the Pharisaicall formall clergy in Rome and England they think that Christ hath so tyed his power and presence vnto their ceremony of succession that without them he knowes not how to do for a Church but must needs have it passe through their fingers But as Iohn Baptist told the old Pharisees that God was able of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham though they all every one of them like vnfruitfull trees should be cut downe and cast into the fâ—râ— so say I vnto their children the Pharisees of our â—yme that though the Lord reject them and every one of them for their apostacy and rebellion yet can he by the seed of the word cast with what hand soever rayse vp vnto Abraham children vnto himself a Church They that are of the faith of Abraham they are the children and seed of Abraham and within the covenaunt of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenaunt Your last argument to prove the officers the Church Math. 18. and directly to disprove our supposed popularity is that it is against the dignity and office of the Ministers who represent Christs person vnto the Congregation 1 Cor. 4. 1. having authority from him to preach administer the sacraments vse the censures which none but such as represent him can give them which the body of the people do not by office nor take from them c. This indeed is the thing the dignity of Preisthood is it which goes nearest you and that you keep last as Iacob did Beniamin whom of all his sonnes he was loathest to part with Gen. 42. 4. 43. 14. But first if your meaning be that the Ministers by their office represent Christ in his office it is little lesse then blasphemy for Christ is the husband and mediatour of his Church by his office and herein not to be represented by any other man or angel The ministers in publishing the gospell and word of reconciliation are in Christs stead and therein to be obeyed as himself but what if they speak the vision of their own hart and publish heresy false doctrine or lead a scandalous and prophane life their office is no dispensation for them neyther are they now any longer in the stead of Christ but of the Divel whom they resemble as children their father and are so to be reputed Besides there is no force in your argument bycause the body of the Church represents not Christ by office as the Ministers do therefore it is no way equall with the Ministers nor may medle with them but the contrary May not a man as well argue thus Bycause the wife no way represents her housband in office for she is in no office the same may be sayd of the children aâ— the steward and the bayliffe doe therefore the wife is no way superiour vnto them she may not reprove or displace them in her husbandâ— absence what evil soever they doe in their office or persons but on the contrary they may rebuke her and turne her out of doores and her children with her if there be cause For they represent the maister in office she not Now wee know well the Church is the wife and spouse of Christ the Ministers stewards Thus having cleared the way of such obiections as wherewith Mr Bernard would stumble the reader I come in the next place as I have formerly ordered my course to declare that the Church Math. 18. 17. is not the officers but the whole body meeting together for the publique worship of God and that 1 Cor. 5. proves the same by practise which is in the former place enjoyned by rule Onely I must needs by the way make a step into his 2. book amongst his score of reasons there against popularity and so remove as it were with my foot such of them as are tumbled in by him to make rough the playn wayes of the Lord. And they are as the authour numbers them the 7. 12. 13. 17. 18. The 7. Reason is that if a sort of persons professing Christ together without officers haue the power of such officers in themselves they may do all the officers may do Wee say not that the Church hath the power of the officers but the power of Christ as is expresly affirmed 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and 2. it followes not that bycause the Church hath the power of Christ for all things therefore it can injoy all things without officers The power is one thing which is inseparable from the body the vse of the power an other thing which in many cases it may want Civil corporations have the Kings power and charter as well without as with officers and yet it may be there are liberties in their charter they cannot enjoy without officers they
and thanksgiving then their service book as their own practise both private and publique when they have liberty shewes they have and that so themselves judge see them learn to feare him that is a great King and whose name is terrible even the Lord of hostes To him through Christ the onely “ mayster and teacher of his Church be prayse for ever He even God the Father for his sonne Christs sake shew his mercy in all our aberrations and discover them vnto vs more and more keep vs in and lead vs into his truth giving vs to be faythfull in that wee have received whether it be lesse or more praeserving vs against all those scandalls wherewith the whole world is filled Amen CHristian Reader whilst I was printing my defence against Mr Ber Invective his reply came forth in a second treatise to which I have also given answer in all the particulars which are of weight And for that I have been occasioned by the one and other book to handle all the poynts in difference I entreat the to compare with this my defence such other oppositions especially as respect myself whither in print or writing till more particular â—nswer be given The principall scriptures brought on both sides for the present controversy expounded and applyed LEviticus 20. 24. 26. 11. 12. pag. 328. 329. Ieremy 23. 22. pag. 103. 377. The two parables of the feild and draw net Mat. 13. p. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. Math. 18. 17. Tel the Church p. 170. 171. 172. 177. 178. c. to 235. 238. 239. Math. 23. 1. 2. 3. pag. 433. 434. 435. 436. Mark 9. 39. pag. 77. Ioh. 10. pag. 385. 386. 387. 388. Ioh. 17. 6. 9. 14. 15. 16. p. 332. 333. 334. Act. 2. 40. p. 330. 331. Act. 13. 1. 2. p. 366. 367. Act. 1â— 2. 3. 4. 199. Act. 19. 8. 9. pag 331. 332. Act. 21. 18. pa. 200. Rom. 10. 14. pag. 380. 381. 1 Cor. 1. 11. pag. 190 191. 1 Cor. 5. pag. 158. 159. 190. 191. 239. 240. 241. 242. 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. p. 11. 381. 382. 383. 1 Cor. 11. 18. pag. 252. 253. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 3. 22. 24. pag. 235. 236. 237. 2 Cor. 2. 6. pag 243. 206. 207. 208. 2 Cor. 6. 12. 15. 16. 17. 18. p. 322. 323. 324. 325. 326. 327. 328. 334. 335. 336. 337. Ephe. 4. 11. 12. pag. 159. 160. 162. 163. Phil. 1. 15. 16. pag. 119. 435. 1 Tim. 4. 6. pag. 378. Titus 1. 15. pag. 251. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. pag. 44. 45. Rev. 2. 3. pa 167. 168. 169. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL matters conteyned in this treatise A OF Antiquity pa 32. 33. 50. The order of the separated Churches more ancient then that of the Ch of Engl p 40. 41. The Apostles coÌ„mission peculiar pag 147. 155. 156. Wherein ordinary Ministers succeed them pa 156. Neyther the Bishops of Rome nor Engl the Apostles successours p 405 364. Authority to be obeyed p 18. DiffereÌ„tly in things civil ecclesiasticall pa 29 30. B. The Church not constituted noâ— the members admitted by Baptism pa 283. 284. Baptism in Rome and Engl how true and how false p. 284 285. How Baptism is a note of saynt-ship of the Church p 110 See Sacraments Why wee reteyn the Baptism received in Rome and Engl not the Ministery pa 390 391. 392. 393. 394. 395. See Ordination C. Christs headship in a great measure denyed in the Ch of Engl pa 261. in the administration of his prophesy pag 262. 263. preisthood p 263 264 kingdome p 264 268. Christs kingdom and the government of it spirituall p 38. yet visible p 99. 110 The kingdom of Christ to be administred as solemnly publiquely as his prophesie or preisthood p 228 230. 350. Of the visible invisible Ch pa 105. 106 311 313. Of the gathering and constitution of the visible Church p 220 221. 292 233. See profession of fayth Who are true members of the visible Church pa 105 107. See saynts The Church no mixt company but simple and vniform p 112 121 337. Persons apparantly and visibly wicked no true members of the Church whatsoever in word they profess p 268 269 274 304 305 310. Where also Mr Bern plea for theÌ„ is disproved The constitutioÌ„ of the Church what it is and of how great account pa 73 77. 81 82 88 93 94. 95. 98. The Church superiour vnto the Officers p 200 201 217. how pa 218 219 220 223. The Officers are the Churches not the contrary pa 127 132 211. Churches are before Officers p 126. 127 211. 221. 366. 396 397 399. Without which the Ministers cannot exist p 393 294. The covenant of the L. makes the Ch in generall pa 283. 311 The Church of Engl vncapable of it p 311 313 319 221 322. 338 339 340. Two or three faithful people in the covenant of the gospell or of Abraham though without Officers are a Church p. 125 126 129 190. 423. Having interest in all the holy things of God within themselves iÌ„mediately vnder Christ pa 131. 132 See Ordination The Church may censure her Officers pag 213 220. The properties of the Church pa 341. 342 346. c. The Church to be gathered onely by the preaching or publishing of the gospel of salvatition received submitted unto pa 89 90 91 315 447 457 458 459. The Church of Engl not so gathered pa 89. 90. 91. 459. 460. Of repraesentative Churches and that the new testament acknowledgeth none such pa 194 198. and of repraesentations in religion pa 231. 302 303. 304. Of corruptions in the Church p 64 65 81 82 260. 337. how to be forborn born reformed pa. 15. 64. 68 16. No separation from a true Church p 247. How a Church ceaseth p 247. 248. 249. Of the differences betwixt the reformed Churches and vs and betwixt theÌ„ the vnreformed Church of Engl and that they both cannot possibly be rightly gathered and constituted pag. 41. 42 46. 47. 48. 52. 301. 453. 454. The Church of Engl agaynst which wee deal how to be considered p 319. 320. 339. Neyther the Church of Rome nor of Engl was ever a true Ch as was Iudah pa 277. 278. 299. 120. 121. Much lesse did they so continue in the height of Antichrists apostasie as did Iudah in her greatest defection but were dischurched 121. Mr Ber Reasons to prove Rome for the preseÌ„t a true Ch answered pag. 278. 279. 280. 281. 281. 282. 285. 286. 28â— The contrary proved pa 288. 289. 290. 291 The reformation by King Edward and Queene Elizabeth though much to be honored no way comparable to that by Hezechiah Iosiah and Nehemiah p 294. 295. 296. 297. 298 299. 300. The Church Math. 18. 17. not the Iewish Synedrion 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184 185. 186. Not the Praesbytery or Ch officers but the officers people in the order set by Christ the officers governing and the people governed 186. 187. 190. 101. 192. 193. 194. 195
of you where your your fellow Ministers power of excommunication had been duetify as an obedient child in giving the rod of discipline into the hands of your reverend fathers alone and their substitutes Well Mr B. whomsoever the Lord Iesus meant by the Church Mat. 18. he never meant that the Archbishop of York the Archdeacon of Nottingham the Officiall of Southwel were the Church of Worksop and for this I vvill spare all Arguments and send you to your owne guilty conscience for conviction which as it condemns you in yourself which is also the case of many thowsands in the Land so do I earnestly wish both you and them to remember with fear and trembling the condemnation of him that is greater then your cōscience Ioh. 3. 20. So far are they from being the Church of Worksop as they are not so much as members of it nor of any other particular Church in the kingdome they are neyther the Pastours so called nor vnder the Pastors of any particular Church but with their tanscendent jurisdiction in their Provinciall and Diocesan Churches take their scope without orb or order and as clouds without rayn carryed about with the wind of ambition and covetousnes for the the greatest part To leave them and come to your reasons Mr B. by which you would prove that tell the Church is tell the governours But here behold the fruites of an vnstable mind This man in his former book laboured by many scriptures and reasons to lay downe the nature of the Churches government and in speciall to prove that the Church Math. 18. 17. to vvhich complaint of sinns was to be made was the cheif officers onely and this he affirmes also to be the iudgement and the practise of all reformed Churches But lo now in his second book he devoures the hallowed thing and labours vvithall his power to persvvade young divines seely country people as he speakes and as in truth they had need be both young and seely that are perswaded by him that the points of discipline and Church-government are not so apparant by the scriptures as that they can rightly iudge of them And to this end he brings in the variety of iudgements and contradictions of learned men some holding no government at all others that an externall government is to be had but of these some holding it alterable others constant and perpetuall and of these some to be in the Pope Cardinalls others in the body of the congregatiō some in the Presbytery with the peoples consent and others which he puts last as best and for which he brings sundry reasons referring the reader to the treatises written to that end in the Bishops his Lords And againe touching the punishment of offenders some he brings in holding excommunication but not suspension some holding both and some neyther And particularly for Math. 18. he musters in thick and threefold reasons and persons so reasoning and proving that the place and so of Lev. 19. 17. doth nothing at all concern discipline or ecclesiasticall censures but that Christs meaning there was onely to direct the Iewes how to carry things before the Synedrion in cases of bodily injury And thus he brings mens contrary opinions to darken the scriptures which are most playne like so many foul feet to trouble the pure fountaynes of living water that the thirsty may not drink of them And as a learned man in our age nation to discover the vanity of prognosticatours gathered together their contrary guesses of the wether and so presented them so this man to make the government of Christs Church as vncertayne as an Almanack sets together and so offers to the vvievv of the world the contrarieties of opinions concerning it Now if other men should take this course Mr B. doth in other points of religion and one lay down the differences that are about predestination the points depending vpon it some vtterly denying it others affirming it and of these some grounding it vpon Gods mere grace others vpō mans faith or workes foreseen an other about baptisme some denying it to all infants others ministring it to all others to such onely as are of Christian parents in a sort and others onely to them that are of beleeving parents at the least on the one side a third about the Lords supper in which point some hold transubstantiation others consubstantiation others onely a sacramentall vnion which some also will have merely rationall others reall also there could not be a playner way beaten for all Atheism to come into the world by nor a course devised by the Divell more pregnant to perswade the multitude that there were no certaynty nor soundnes in the scriptures But let God have the glorie of his truth and of the clearnes in it and let men bear the just blame and shame of their naturall blyndnes and in speciall let Christ have the honour of being as faythfull in his owne house as Moses was in his Maisters in setting orders and officers in it and let not vile flesh dare to flatter Princes and Prelates to mislead silly soules and to preach liberty and licentiousnes to the world make Christ Iesus an Idol King having a kingdome vpon earth without lawes or officers for the administring of it nor to make his redeemed Idoll subjects as whom it concerns little or nothing whether they be vnder Chrits lawes and officers or vnder Antichrists his professed adversary Now though I will not trouble my self and the reader about every stone that Mr. B. idely casts in the way yet such as may stumble the weakest passenger I will remove and so returne to my former task And in the first place I will answer certaine reasons in number six brought by Mr B. for the superiority of his Lord Bishops but those not backed with the scriptures as in other points when he thinks he speaks the truth his manner is The first is taken from the succession of Iames at Ierusalem of Peter at Antioch of Peter Paul at Rome of Mark at Alexandria I answer first that these were not Bishops set over certayn Churches here and there though vpon occasion they tarryed some good space in some certayne Churches but generall men Apostles and Evangelists without successours in their Offices so the Protestants do generally answer the Papists instancing them as you do now 2. I deny the very Apostles vsed any such Lordly and Papall authority as to exclude eyther the inferiour officers or people in Church affaires the contrary is most evident in the choice of officers Act. 1. 15. 23. 26. and 6. 1. 2. 3. 5. censuring of offenders 1 Cor. 5. and debating of other Church matters Act. 15. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 22. 23. 30. 21. 22. The 2. Argument is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 28. where say you three degrees are reckoned vp the first of Apostles the second of Prophets the third of Teachers But since the
of your owne hart But let vs heare your advise Quaere Whether it be an offence iustly given by thee or taken without iust reason of others thou not offending and they displeased the fault is their own and thou not chargeable therewith But you must vnderstand Mr B. that in the vnseasonable vse of things in themselves indifferent there is an offence both given taken and so a double sinn coÌ„mitted he that gives the offence sinns through want of charity and he that takes it through want or weaknes of fayth And so where actions simply good do onely hurt him that takes offence and actions simply evill him that gives it the vse of things indifferent agaynst expediency hurts harmes and destroyes both Rom. 14. 15. Now the parts of your secoÌ„d enquiry viz. whether men be offended in respect of what themselves know or butled by affection disliking of other mens dislike are insufficient For men do oft tymes take offence at things done and yet neyther in respect of their own knowledge nor of other mens dislike but merely through want of knowledg and vpon ignorance of their christian liberty And such were the weak brethren spoken of Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. and 9. which how they were to be tendered in their weaknes let the places iudge And for persoÌ„s partially affectionate or foolishly froward which is the mayn point in the 3. Quaere they are no way to be regarded as weak but on the contrary to be reproved as wayward contentious that folly and sinne may not rest vpon them Onely let men take heed they iudge not vncharitably of their brethren because they would practise vncharitably towards them as Nabal reviled David and his men as runnagates because he would deal churlishly with them and would shew them no mercy In the forth place it is demaunded What authority may do in things externall for outward rule in the circumstances of things How colourably you cary all the abominations in your Church vnder the shadow of circumstances and of how great moment even circumstances are in the case of religion I have formerly spoken let me onely ad thus much If a subject should vsurp the crown and exercise regall authority the difference were but in the circumstance of person which notwithstanding made the action high treason Or if a Preist comming to say his evensong should fall a sleep on his desk it were but a matter of circumstance in respect of tyme and place it might lawfully be done in another place and at another tyme yet there then it were a great prophaning of the service book What sway authority hath in the Church of England appeareth in the lawes of the land which make the goverment of the Church alterable at the Magistrates pleasure and so the Clergy in their submission to K. Henry 8. do derive as they pretend their ecclesiasticall jurisdiction from him and so exercise it Indeed many of the late Bishops and their Procters seeing how monstrous the ministration is of divine things by an humane authority and calling and growing bould vpon the present disposition of the Magistrate have disclaimed that former title and do professedly hold their eclesiasticall power and jurisdiction de jure divino so consequentâ—y by Gods word vnalterable Of whom I would demaund this one quaestion What if the King should discharge and expell the present ecclesiasticall goverment plant in stead of it the Presbytery or Eldership would they submit vnto the government of the Elders yea or no if yea then were they traytors to the Lord Iesus submitting to a goverment overthrowing his goverment as doth the Praesbyterian goverment that which is Episcopall if no then how could they free themselves from such imputations of disloyalty to Princes and disturbance of States as wherewith they load vs others opposing them But to the quaestion it self As the kingdom of Christ is not of this world but spirituall he a spiritual King so must the goverment of this spirituall kingdom vnder this spirituall King needs be spiritual all the lawes of it And as Christ Iesus hath by the merits of his Preisthood redemed as well the body as the soule so is he also by the scepter of his Kingdom to rule reign over both vnto which Christian Magistrates as well as meaner persons ought to submit themselves the more Christian they are the more meekly to take the yoke of Christ vpon them and the greater authority they have the more effectually to advance his scepter over themselves their people by all good meanes Neyther can there be any reason given why the merits of saynts may not as wel be mingled with the merits of Christ for the saving of his Church as the lawes of men with his lawes for the ruling and guiding of it He is as absolute and as intire a King as he is a Preist and his people must be as carefull to praeserve the dignity of the one as to enjoy the benefit of the other The next Quaere is Whether authority commaunding doth not take away the offence which might otherwise be given in a voluntary act This question is answered affirmatively by the Bishops their adhaerents and so with one voice they affirme in their books pulpits and other publik determinations but herein as palpably flattering the Magistrate as ever Canonist did the Pope What more was ever given to the Pope then that he might dispence with the morall law And what lesse is given to the King when by his authority I vse things indifferent with offence to my weak brother Is not love the fulfilling of the law And is it not against the law of love to vse things indifferent with offence which must the more carefully be avoyded coÌ„sidering the effects it drawes with it which are not onely the grief vvhich were too much but even the destruction of him for whom Christ dyed ver 5. 20. 1 Cor. 8. 11. Onely he which can strengthen the weak faith which is the cause of the offence can take away the offence and stablish him that is weak Rom. 14. 4. Men may and must vse meanes for that purpose and not nourish the weak in their weaknes but beare them they must in love and much love will have much patience Lastly for I passe over the 5. Quaere as comprehended in those which go before where you advise meÌ„ to studie agayn to study to be quiet and to follow those things which concerne peace it is needfull counsel and againe needfull considering what vnquiet spirits are to be found in all places Onely let men in their counsayls which you leave out ioyne with peace aedification and holynes as the scriptures teach and so separating the pretious from the vile they shal be to vs as Gods mouth and let their peace be in the word of righteousnes the ioy of the counselers of peace shal be vpon
them and the blessing of peace-makers vpon their heads Of Mr B. disswasive probabilities THe next thing that comes into consideration is certayn probabilities likelyhoods as the authour calls them consisting for the most part of personal imputations di graceful calumniations whereby he labours to withdraw the harts of the simple froÌ„ the truth of God unto disobedience as Absalom did the people into rebellion against the K. by slandering his goverment 2 SaÌ„ 15. But if Mr Bern. followed his sound judgement in this booâ— as he professeth in the Preface and so laboured to lead others he would neyther go himself nor send them by vnstable guesses and likelyhoods as he doth The truth of God goes not by peradventures neyther needs it any such paper-shot as likelyhoods are to assault the adversary withall The word of God which is profitablâ— to teach to reprovâ— to correct and to instruct in righteousnes is sufficient to furnish the man of God with weapons spirituall and those mighty through God to cast downe strong holds and whatsoever high thing is exalted against the knowledge of God And if M. B. speak according to the Law and Prophets his words are solid arguments if not there is neyther light in him nor truth in them and so where truth is wanting must some like-truthes or images of truth be layed in the place like the image in Davids bed to deceive them that sought after him when he himself was wanting 1 Saâ— 19. 13. The first probabilitie that our way is not good is The noveltie thereof differing from all the best reformed Churches â—â— Christendome It is no noveltie to hear men plead custome when they want truth So the heathen Phylosophers reproched Paul as a bringer of new doctrine so do the Papists discountenance the doctrine and profession of the Church of England yea even at this day very many of the people in the Land vse to call Popery the old law the profession there made the new law But we for our parts as we do beleeve by the word of God that the things we teach are not new but old truthes renued so are we no lesse fully perswaded that the Church constitution in which we are set is cast in the Apostolicall and primitive mould and not one day nor hower yonger in the nature and forme of it then the first Church of the new Testament And whether a people all of them separated sanctified so farr as men by their fruits can or ought to judge or a mingled generation of the seed of the womaÌ„ and seed of the serpent be more ancient the government of sundry Elders or Bishops with joynt authority over one Church or of one Nationall Provincial or Diocesan Bishop over many hundred or thousand Churches the spirituall prayers conceived in the heart of the Ministers according to the present occasions or necessityes of the Church or the English service book the simple administration of the Sacraments according to the words of institution or pompous and carnall complements of cap coap surplice crosse godfathers kneeling and the like mingled withall I do even refer it to the report of Mr B. owne conscience be it never so partiall Now for the differences betwixt the best reformed Churches as Mr B. calls them granting thereby his owne to be the worst and vs they ar extant in print being few in number those none of the greatest weight But what a volume would these differences make betwixt those reformed Churches and the vnreformed Churches of England if they were exactly set downe And yet for the corruptions reproved by vs in the reformed Church where we live I do vnderstand by them of good knowledge and sincerity that the most or greatest of them are rather in the exequution then in the constitution of the Church Our differences from the reformed Churches Mr B. aggravates by two reasons 1. The first is our separation from them 2. the 2. certeyne termes of disgrace vttered by Mr Barrow Mr Greenwood agaynst the Eldership which Mr Bernard will have vs disclayme For the first it is not truely affirmed that we separate from them What our judgment is of them our confessions of fayth and other wrytings do testify and for our practise as we cannot possibly ioyn vnto them would we never so fayne being vtterly ignorant of their language so neither do wee separate from them save in such particulars as we esteeme evill which we also shall endeavour to manifest vnto them so to be as occasion and meanes shal be offered And secondly for the taxations layd by Mr B. and Mr G. vpon the Eldership or other practise in the reformed Churches wherein they were any way excessive we both have disclaimed alwayes are and shal be ready to disclayme the same Onely I entreat the godly reader to coÌ„sider that those things were not spoken by them otherwise then in respect of those corruptions in the Eldership els where which they deemed Antichristian and evill Of which respective phrase of speach more hereafter Lastly if it be likely that our way is not good for the difference it hath from the reformed Churches and that thâ— greatneâ— of the difference appeares by the hard termes given by some of vs agaynst the government there vsâ—d thâ—n surâ—ly iâ— is much more likely that the way of the vnreformed Church of England is not good which differeth far more froÌ„ the reformed Chuâ—ches which difference appeares not onely in most reprochfull termes vsed by the Praelates and their adhaerents against the seekers of reformation comparing them to all vile haeretiques and seditious persons but in cruell persequutions raysed agaynst them and greater then against Papists or Atheists The second marke by which Mr B. guesseth our way not good is for that it agreeth so much with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages by holy and learned men Luciferians Donatists Novattans and Audians Can our way both be a novelty new devise and yet agree so well with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages Contradictions cannot be both true but may both be false as these are The partyes to whome Mr B. likeneth vs were condemned not onely for schisme but for heresy also as appeares in Epiphanius Austine Eusebius and others And as we have nothing no not in sâ—ew like vnto some of them nor in truth vnto any of them in the things blame worthy in them so if Mr B. were put to iustify by the word of God the condemnation of some of them it would put him to more trouble then he is aware of The Audians dissented from the Nicene Councell about theyr Easter tyme. The Luciferians held the soule of man to be ex traduce and were therefore accounted Haeretiques as indeed it was too vsuall a thing in those dayes to reiect men for haeretiques vpon too light causes And for the Donatists vnto whom Mr Gifford others would so fayn
govermeÌ„t for the Church now froÌ„ the Iewish Church were to revive the old testameÌ„t which so long since is abrogated and disanulled For to speak properly the old testament is nothing but that externall policy instituted by Moses in the Iudiciall ceremoniall law for the dispensation of the typicall kingdome and Preisthood of Christ shadowed out by that of Melchisedeck King and Preist repraesented by the administrations of Moses and Aaron and after continued in the Preisthood of the Levites kingdome of David his sonnes till Christ in the dispensation of those worldly and carnall ordinances Now as the judicialls which were for the government of the Congregation civily are dead and do not bind any civil polity save as they were of common equity so are the ceremonialls which were for the Ch polity deadly and may not be revived by any Church save as any of them have new life given by Christ. For though we now be made citizens of the common wealth of Israell and one body with them yet is that in respect of the everlasting covenant confirmed of God with Abraham through Christ. I wil be thy God and the God of thy seed four hundred and thirty yeares before the law was given or the polity and government of the lewish eyther church or common wealth in it established and as we are the sonnes and daughters of Abraham by faith but no way in respect of those Iewish ordinances in in the old testament or the order of dispensing them And yet if it were graunted which you would have that the Church governmeÌ„t now is to be patterned by the goverment of the Iewish church then it would nothing avayle you for the purpose in hand For the church officers the Preists and Levites vnto whom the charge of the whole Congregation for the service of the tabernacle did apperteyne had no authority by the order of their office to inflict any censure spiritually vpon the people as had the civil Magistrates to punish them bodily The Preists and Levites were onely to enterpret the law and in cases extraordinarily difficult to find out the estate of the person or thing and to shew what in such a case the law required and if you will say they gave judgement it was none otherwise then as a Physitian gives â—â—dgement of the body or state of his patient by his faculty or skill in his art but to sit vpon them formally in judgement ecclesiastically to punish them that they might not do neyther are they called in the scriptures judges as the civil Magistrates are Yea the scriptures do make a playne difference where the civil Elders are to sit and iudge the people but the Preists to stand before the Congregation and to minister vnto them Now before we passe over this busines in hand I deem it not amisse vpon this occasion to observe a few things by way of answer to a scripture vsually brought out for the foundation of these representative churches and their power and especially for these Nationall and Provinciall Synodes the like And the scripture is Act. 15. 1. There was no synode or assembly of the Officers of divers Churches but onely certayne messengers sent from the church of Antiochia to the Church of Ierusalem about the controversy there specified 2. Neyther the Church of Antioch which sent the messengers nor the church at Ierusalem whether they were sent was a representative church consisting of Officers much lesse of chief officers onely For first it is sayd ver 1. 2. that the brethren of Antiochia which Ch. 14. 17. are called the church and v. 28. the disciples and in this chapt v. 3. the church and v. 23. the brethren sent their messengers with Paul and Barnabas to Ierusalem and it will most evidently appeare by whom the message was sent if we consider to whom the answer was returned ver 30. where the messengers did not deliver the Epistle till they had assembled the multitude And 2. it is apparant that at Ierusalem not onely the cheif officers the Apostles yea and inferiour officers the Elders also met together about it and sent answer but the brethren with them v. 4. 12. 22. And these scriptures alone in this chapt are sufficient to chalendge the liberty of the brethren in the discussing of publique coÌ„troversies out of the hands of all officers whatsoever 3. Paul and Barnabas went not to Ierusalem eyther for authority or direction for being Apostles they had both equall immediate authority from Christ and equall infallible direction froÌ„ the holy Ghost with the rest of the Apostles Onely they went for countenance of the truth in respect of men and for the stopping the mouthes of such deceivers as pretended they were sent by the Apostles v. 24. 4. Their decrees were absolutely Apostolicall and divine scripture by infallible direction from the holy Ghost and so imposed vpon all other Churches of the Gentiles though they had â—o delegates there ver 23. 28. Ch. 16. 4. But it wil be sayd may not the officers of one or many Churches meet together to discusse consider of matters for the good of the Church or Churches and so be called a Church Synode or the like I deny it not so they infringe no order of Christ or liberty of the brethren they may so do and so be called in a sense but the quaestion now is about such a Church as is gathered for the publick administration of admonition excommunication other the like ordinances of Christ which Mr B. in his first book graunts must be done with the knowledge of the body of the Church and in the open assembly And here falls into handling certayn borrowed stuffe in Mr B. 2. book about this matter As first that Paul called the Elders of Ephesus and conferred with them without the people Act. 20. 27. which who denyes but they which set vp a Lord Bishop to rule alone without advising with eyther the inferiour Ministers or people But that which he addes in the next place hath almost as many errours as wordes in it and that is that the Elders sate in a CoÌ„sistory with Iames their Bishop at Ierusalem without the people and did decree a matter without asking their voice Act. 21. 18. First you erre in calling it a Consistory or juditiall Court for the justification of your own where it was onely an occasionall meeting for advise 2. in making Iames a Bishop whom Christ had made an Apostle The Elders were Bishops Act. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. â— 7. And so if you would haue held any proportion you should haue made Iames an Archbishop 3. that you make him their Bishop where Bishops or Overseers are set over the flock not over the Ministers Act. 20. 28. 4. And most ignorantly where you will have Iames the Elders to make a decree for Paul as if the Elders had authority over
sorowing to them the Apostle writes them he reproves they were to be gathered together for the excommunicating purging out judging the offender v. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. And therefore the duety here enjoyned as well concorns the brethren as the officers except we will say the fornicatour was onely among and in the middest of the officers to put from amongst them and left amongst the people still and that the officers onely were puffed vp when they should have sorrowed and not the brethren with them 2. It concerned the people as well as the Preists in the type shadow to put away leven out of their houses to keep the Passeover with unlevened bread and so in the truth and substance to purge and put out this leven Paul speaks of namely the incestuous person v. 7 8. 3. The Apostle admonisheth them that were not to be commingled with fornicators nor to eat with them v. 9. 10. 11. this duety I hope as well concerned the brethren as the officers 4. They with whom Paul deals are commaunded to put the wicked man from among themselves v 13. so that the same persons froÌ„ among whom he is to be put are to put him away which are both officers people And so I conclude that the rule praescribed by Christ Math 18. the practise of the same rule coÌ„mended by Paul 1. Cor. 5. do severally joyntly couple combine together the Elders people in th 〈…〉 ing of an offender the officers going before the brethren 〈…〉 ng in their order the women lastly by silent coÌ„sent wherin the scriptures distinguish them from the men 1 Cor 14. 14. 1 Tim 2. 12. To these things I will adde in the last place the consideration of a scripture to wit a Cor 2. 6. which M. B many others with him think of force sufficient to dash in peices all that hath been or can be spoken for the brethrens liberty right in the fore-handled busines But as I have formerly answered the objections forced from this scripture agaynst the truth I hold so will I here set down one Argument or two very pregnant except I be deceived for the confirmation of it from the same scripture the context thereof 1. They whom the Apostle by his letter made sorry for their fayling in the casting out of the incestuous man and that with a sorrow to repentaunce manifesting it self with great indignation zeale they were â—â— reprove and censure him and so did to his reformation and their own clearing which that it was not the case of the officers alone but of the brethren with them appeares in these scriptures 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. with 2 Cor. 2. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 2. Paul writes not onely to the officers but to the brethren as well as to them to forgive or loose to comfort confirm their love toward the same person vpon his repentance 2 Cor. 2 7. 8. therein plainly witnessing that the brethren as well as the officers had bound rebuked and manifested their indignation against the sin and the person for it Now this point in hand I will conclude with the observation of a practise yet continued in use in the Church of England which is that persons excommunicated for notorious sinns before they be absolved are to do their pennance as they call it in the parrish Churches wherof they are and there to ask the whole Church forgivenes Now I would know of you Mr B. whether the church have power to forgive the parties sin as men can forgive sin yea or no If you say no you discover the shame of your Church thus prophanely to take in vayn the name of God and to make a mock of Christ ordinances if you answer affirmatively then you graunt the power of Christ to forgive to loose sinns so consequently to reteyn and binde them to be in the body of the Church for which I contend The truth is there is no such power in the parish assemblies as now they stand they can neyther bind the sinner nor reâ—â—yn his sin be he to theÌ„ never so impenitent or loose him and his sin seem his repentance vnto them never so full and vnfeighned these knots are to be tyed and loosed onely by the Chauncelours or Officials singers this power have they enclosed with hedge and ditch and as things are judged at their tribunal so must the captived Church take them and will it nill it receive or refuse the party accordingly The Prelates and their substitutes have seazed the substance and kernel as it were into their hands â—aving the poore people onely the shell and shadow to feed vpon And yet this very formall shadow stil remayning in the Apostate asseÌ„blies i◠〈◊〉 to bewray how substaÌ„tiall a power the Churches of Christ were possessed of in their constitution This shell that remaynes shewes where the 〈…〉 hath been And as in this so is it in sundry other paints When the Bishop ordeynes a Minister he bids him 〈…〉 pel though he have been his porter be known vnable to read sensibly he vseth also thâ—sâ— words tâ—ke thou authority 〈…〉 though it may be he is an 〈…〉 dred milâ—â— off but never in thâ— place wherein he is to minister he gives him charge also to monster the 〈◊〉 of Christâ— as the Lord hath commanded though he be but the Bishops mans man to exequute his iudgements which formes of speach notwithstanding serue to shew what the Ministers ought to dâ—â— and where and by whose election they ought to be appointed though in truth they do or be nothing lesse And â—hâ—â— God by his providence continueth vnworn out in the degenerate assemblyes such steps and sâ—adles as may serve to shame them by shewing vnto all that will see how where things have stood by Christs appointment in his Church which do also very well consort with the disposition of Antichrist whose property is vnder a formall flourish for Christ to fight against him in his truth and ordinances Our â— reckoned errour is That the sin of one mâ—n publiquely and obstinately stood in being not reformed nor the offender cast out doth so pollute the whâ—le congregation that none may coÌ„municate with the same in any of the holy things of God though it be a Church rightly constituted till the party be excommunicated This Position thus set downe I deny with Mr Ainsworth though with him and Mr Smyth I do vndertake the confirmation of that truth which in his refutation Mr B goes about to impugne And that is that the whole communion in the Church of England is so polluted with prophane and scandalous persons as that even in this respect alone were there none other there were just cause of separation from it And to this purpose I will lay down a ground vpon which I do build whatsoever I speak in this point which I intreat the reader hâ—re and
and combyne together as they did may cease to be the true Church of Christ and may eyther become no Church by forsaking all profession of Christianity or a false Church by holding and professing themselves stil Christians in fellowship with God through Christ when being considered by the revealed will of God and testament of Christ they are in truth in deed neyther the one nor the other And considering what Iohn sayth that he which loveth not his brother and so consequently cares not for his welfare which issueth from the former as the stream from the spring is not of God nor of his children but of the children of the Divel and withall that you your self right now did place the form covenant of the Church in a great measure in the manifestation and testimony of love in the members each to other and so consequently of care ech for the welfare of other I see not how that Church can be accounted the houshould of God consisting of his children by the word of God or the body of Christ vnited coupled together of his members by your owne doctrine where this love of and care for each other is visibly and outwardly wanting But to passe over all other things the point vpon which Mr B. insists and which he would most gladly fasten vpon the reader is that the power of the censures and of excommunication termed by the name of discipline howsoever it be a thing necessary for the wel being of the Church yet is it no essentiall property nor of such necessity but that a true Church may be without it And this wanting scriptures or reasons to confirm it he affirms again and again and in the end illustrates by a similtude taken from a man who is not therefore a false man though he can neyther see nor gâ—e nor speak It is recorded of one THEODOTIVS that having denied Christ in persequution to lessen his sin he went about to lessen Christ and taught that he was mere man and not God so many in the case of Christs government that their own and other mens sinne may seem lesser in not vsing or submitting vnto it do labour to extenuate and make it lesse excellent or vsefull then it is and therevpon one telles vs it is not a part of Gods worship nor of religion another that it is a thing indifferent arbytrary changeable a third that it is not simply necessary for the true Church as Mr B in this place The vnsoundnes of whose affirmation illustration I will by and by manifest the Lord assisting me in the mean while I do desire the reader to observe with me these two things in his writings about this point The former is that in labouring thus earnestly to perswade as here he doth that the power of excommunication is not of simple necessity he in effect graunts that which all men know to be true namely that the Churches in England do want this power Now if here he answer as he doth in his 2. book that though the power of excommunication â—e not in every parish yet it is in the Church of England in which is comprehended all paâ—rishes and all superiour power over these Parishes in which is the power of Christ I reply these particulars First that he might thus answer though one Bishop alone had engrossed into his hands all this power yea a Papist might answer thus for the Popes sole authority over all the Churches in the world yea though he should communicate the same with no other person or persons 2. Let this mans shifting be well noted When both in this and the other book he pleads for the Ministery in the Church he passes by the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Ministery and speaks onely of the Ministery in some parishes where some honest zealous preachers are but now comming to plead for the power of Christ in the Church he takes the contrary course and passing by the parishes takes his flight to the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Ministery there to find comfort 3. the quaestion here as he himself puts it pag. 125. of this book is about particular congregations which he sayth there are with them having true matter true form and true properties whereof excommunication is one To this also adde that in the end of his book he aâ—oucheth the Ministers affirmation that this power is given to the particular congregations in the land 4. lastly I haue formerly manifested from Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. that this power and praerogative is given to a particular congregation besides which the new testament acknowledgeth none other visible Church and if that one particular Church or congregation aâ— Corinth gathered together into the name of the Lord Iesus Christ had the promise of his presence and that he would be in the mâ—ddest of them and were by this power of the Lord Iesus Christ to deliver to Satâ—n purge out iudge and put away wicked men from among them for fayling in which duety they were reproved by the Apostle then why not every other particular Church or congregation of Gods people as well as that one espetially since that as all other scriptures was written for our learning and that there is but one Church or body as there is but one Lord one that is in matter form and essentiall properties The 2. thing I desire may be noted is that Mr B doth if not deceiptfully yet vnfitly comprehend the power of the censures vnder the care for the welfare of the Church since this power may be full and intire where the care is eyther very little or not at all as it came to passe in the Church of Corinth which had this power alwayes amongst them but neglected the vse of it and therein the care for the welfare of the Church which they should have had for which neglect they were reproved by the Apostle Now for the similitude I do except against it in a double respect first for that God doth oft times deprive a man of the naturall power of seing going and speaking by naturall infirmities within or bodily violence from without but Christ never deprives his Church of this spirituall power of excommunication neyther can it be impeached by any outward violence onely Antichrist exalting himself against all that is called God and intruding himself into the throne of Christ doth deprive the Church of God and of Christ of this liberty and power and so all those Churches or congregations over whom he thus vsurpeth receive his mark are in that respect subject to his judgement 2. Mr B as I have formerly observed doth most vnaptly coÌ„pare the power of casting out offenders to the faculty of seing speaking and the like it is more fitly resembled to the want of power to void and purge excrements which is prodigious in nature so neyther the naturall nor spirituall body so constituted can possibly consist or
reader may see in both his books from their gifts and aptnes to teach from their holy graces their painfull and zealous preaching their suppressing of Popery and conversion of soules with other the like effects of the truthes of the gospel published and taught by them which things since he dares not affirm of the scandalous vnpreaching Preists he cunningly passeth them by as some small moat faln into the Church by the covetousnes of Much-wormly patrons but contrary to the true meaning of the lawes and without the least default of the Bishops or Archbishops as though the covetous Patrons could present them except the vngodly Bishops had first ordeyned them If he had undertaken the justification but as true though not as good both of the vnpreaching and preaching Ministers he must have sought and produced such Arguments as would haue agreed to both but finding himself able to make no shew at all for the ignorant idle and scandalous sort having no colours to paynt no morter to dawb over those filthy stones no not to any shew he smothers all them though far the greater both in number and authority and in deed the almost onely true formall ministers according to the Church canon and constitution and presents to the reader a few dispersed disgraced tolerated and tolerating persons and vndertakes their defence manifesting himself a right naturall merchant of that great whore in shewing some handfull of tolerable wares thereby to deceive the simple buyer with the whole peice or heap of rotten stuffe which goes with them Now on the contrary if Mr B. should not haue defended men of lewd conversation as true visible matter of the Church and members of Christs body he could not haue justifyed with any colour the Nationall Provinciall Diocesan and Parish Churches or any one of them as true since they were all at the first collected and do still consist for the greatest part of such people and so disposed He therefore takes liberty vnto himself to make such defence and for so much of his Church and Ministery as will serve his turn amongst the deceived multitude and of no more But the mayn point in this place about this matter in hand to be considered of is whether ability to preach be a qualification and so preaching a work necessarily required in the ministery of Engl according to the true meaning of the lawes ecclesiasticall civil and the book of ordination This Mr B. takes for graunted affirmatively and vpon it as a mayn ground builds his whole treatise about this matter but I on the contrary do affirm that this is so is known to be to all that mind it with wisdom good conscience cleane otherwise and that neyther this ability nor practise of preaching is of necessity required to the true and naturall constitution of the English ministery in the meaning of the lawes established in that case And for the confirmation of that I affirm against this mans presumptuous asseveration these proofs suffice First the books of Homilies published and confirmed by law to be read of such ministers as cannot preach do evidently declare that ability to preach is not necessarily required of all in the true meaning of the law 2. By the statute law of the land and in particular by one statute enacted for the prevention of vnworthy ministers though wanting the book I cannot set down the title tyme or order of it he that is eyther a Bachilour of arts in one of the Universities or can give an account of his faith in latin or hath been brought vp in a Bishops house though he haue been his porter or horsekeeper or hath a gift in preaching is capable of orders and may be by the Bishop ordeyned a minister so that by the expresse letter and playn meaning of the law aptnes and ability to teach is not necessarily required in the English ministery If he haue any one of the three former qualifications the law approves of him and being ordeyned the Patron may present him to any congregation in the land whom the Bishop also must institute the Archdeacon induct and the people receive and may be therevnto compelled whither they will or no. Adde vnto these that your canons and constitutions framed by the convocation house and confirmed by the Kings royall assent so being the lawes ecclesiasticall of your Church by your doctrine Mr B. the Act of all the Church though the inferiours come not to consent do not onely approve an vnpreaching Ministery but also lay deep curses and Anathemaes vpon all that deny eyther the truth or lawfulnes of it To this also I might annex that it is a very common doctrine with your Prelates and their Chaplins and faction that preaching is no necessary annexum or appurtenance vnto Orders which they also offer to defend against all gainsayers But it seems you haue speciall reference to the book of ordination let vs therefore see what it makes for you or your purpose That you build vpon I know iâ— these words of the Bishop when he orders his Preist and delivers him the Bible in his hand Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in this congregation where thou shalt be so appointed The words I hear and acknowledge but the true meaning of the book I deny it to be that every Minister should be able to preach It may as wel be sayd it is the meaning of the book that that every Preist should be ordeyned in the particular congregation where he is to minister bycause of the latter words in this congregation where thou shalt be so appoynted and that he is to minister the discipline of Christ as well as the doctrine and sacraments bycause such words passe betwixt him and the Bishop in another place of the same book It is not the least delusion of Sathan or mistery that such formes of good wordes are reteyned both in the Romish English Church without any truth eyther of purpose or practise in those which vse them for by them the eyes of the simple are easily bleared by such deceivable merchants as right now I spake of though it be not without a speciall providence of God that these the like forms of words should be vsed for the more full conviction and condemnation of them that chuse to be deceived as I have formerly noted in this book To conclude this poynt The reading of the service book in form and maner the celebrating of mariage churching of women burying of the dead conformity and subscription are more essentiall to your ministery and more necessarily requyred by the lawes of your Church both civil and ecclesiasticall then preaching of the gospel is The wearing of the surplice and signing with the crosse in baptism are of absolute necessity without partial dispensation yea I may ad violation of oath by the Bishops whereas preaching of the word is no