Nonconformists say is contained in their communion booke and hence the same is called divine service as for preaching it is held to be no part thereof we will follow here the same method And first I will shew what a true divine worship is according to their owne discription of it 2 How farre that in the Church of England by their owne confession differs from and is contrarie to it 3 Lay downe arguments to prove our separation lawfull by the former grounds 4 Answer D. Ames reasons alleaged to the contrary It is certaine that the Lord hath given a perfect platforme and absolute rule how he will be worshipped in the time of the new Testament an excellent direction for vs how we may acceptablie performe the same vnto him is laid downe in Iohn 4. 23. 24. Two things are there mentioned spirit and truth first it must be a true matter of worship grounded on the word it must be no devised worship For nothing may goe vnder the name of the worship of God which he hath not ordained in his owne word and commaunded to vs as his owne worship All the parts and meanes thereof must be don according to his revealed will Even as the service which is given to an earthly prince by his attendants at court must be onely according to that Kings commaundement so the outward solemne worship to be performed vnto the King of Kings ought to be that onely which he alone is the author and institutor of As for rules given by men not grounded on the Scripture in case of Religion matters of faith c. They are not of any moment neither are we bound to the observation of them For the truth is whosoever vseth those wayes and inventions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but be devices of men Christ saith that they worship him in vaine c. If it have no further begining then mans braine God will give no blessing to it but sends a curse vpon it for cursed is he that addes any thing to the word of God God will ad so much to his plagues and the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please himselfe and if he be perfectly good then he would reveale vnto vs what ever he knew fit for vs to practice A gaine it is a great injurie offered to God when we will let his deadly enimies have the ordering and appointing of his service rather then himselfe A King would thinke it a great indignitie that his servaints should not yeeld to his direction but some base person that were a professed enemie should set downe what service he must have and in what manner he must be obeyed who shall be his attendants and what his provision But much more absurd and injurious it is that we will let the wit and will of the flesh bear sway in Gods worship for these two doe joyne with the devil and are enmity to God And if we will have this preheminence in our houses that our servants must doe as we bid them not what they themselves thinke good for he is a good servant that doth his masters will not his own then why should not we thinke it right that God must be Lord in his house and we must doe his service after his appointment and not our own And not onely doe they teach these wholesome and good doctrines but also doe lay downe sundry effectuall reasons to prove that men may not worship God otherwise then he hath appointed and revealed in his word 1. Because we can have no true comfort in our devotions so long as they be but limmes of that which Paul termes voluntary Religion so long as they are onely taken vp by vs and not prescribed to vs make we never so great a shew of zeale in the performance of them yet it is nothing 2. All worship devised by man is abhorred by the Lord for he likes nothing but what he appointeth himselfe 3. It is against his expresse commaundemeÌ„t that men should bring any of their owne devising neare his ordinances because he will have no more don in his worship then he teacheth and commaundeth in his word Therefore whatsoever is added that we are to esteeme to be an Image which he detesteth and abhorreth 4. Because whatsoever God would have vs either to know or doe he hath fully revealed it by Christ 5. It is the property of superstitious andâ—dolatrous things to infect the places and persons where they are 6. It argues certainly that men doe not love the Lord and his commaundements but hate rather both when they worship God otherwise then he commaundeth for although every wil worshipper will say that he loveth God yet God witnesseth in the second commaundement that he is a liar and that he hateth God in that he hateth the worship which he commaundeth in the love whereof God will have experience of his love 7. The Lord will blesse the true worshippers of him vnto many generations both in themselves their children and posterity and in whatsoever belongs vnto theÌ„ 8. We must learne to proportion our worship to Gods nature which is simple in that which is simple there is no composition or diuision therfore in our worship there must be no composition it must be vayd of mixture a linsey woolfey patch worship sauced spiccd sophisticated with humane inventions doth nothing sort with the spirituall simplicity of the divine essence 9. God promiseth his presence onely in his owne worship and therefore neither accepteth nor blesseth a worship that is not directed by his owne word For conclusion worthily speaketh M. Perkins The second way of erecting an Idoll is when God is worshipped otherwise and by other meanes then he hath revealed in the word For when men sett vp a devised worship they sett vp also a devised God Augustine saith of the Gentiles that they refused to worship the God of the Hebrewes because if their pleasures were to worship him in another sort then he had appointed they should not indeed worship him but that which they had faigned The Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob and they waited for the coming of the Messias yet Christ saith of them Ye worship ye know not what because they worshipped the true God by a worship devised of old set vp by men The Lord saith to the Israelites ye shall call me no more Baali whereby he signifieth that because the Iewes did somtime worship God in the same manner with the same images rites and names whereby the Heathen worshipped the false God Baali therefore they made him indeed to be even as the Idol Baal c. Againe Iohn saith in his first Epistle chapt 2. vers 24. If that which ye have heard from the beginning remaine in you ye shall continue
power is of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ an essentiall property therof and serves not onely for their well beeing but the beeing it selfe for without this there can be no coupling of the parts and members together And so much D. Ames testifyeth Now the assemblies of England were not gathered by any such power but in their first constitution wanted the same and had this false power which is exercised at this day as the Nonconformists doe aknowledge Our Arguments which we have used in this point have been to this effect Every true visible Church hath a power immediately vnder Christ to execute Church Government But the publike congregations of England have not any such power vnder Christ to execute Church Government Therefore they are not true visible churches What they will say to this I know not but hitherto they have either beene silent or answered to no purpose in the world For it is usually their manner to tell us how the Churches in Corinth Pergamus Thyatira c. neglected to execute discipline as though there were no difference betweene omitting to administer the ordinance and the want wholy of it yea and to have an Antichristian Divelish in the roome of it Indeed herein they well resemble children which being not able to read the lesson given them doe skip over and take another easie one So these leave altogether the point in hand which is to prove by Gods word that a true Church may want in it selfe immediate power under Christ to execute Ecclesiasticall Government and may be subject to that which was brought-in by the Romish Beast and talke of a matter which I thinke no man ever denyed It is true some have assayed to prove it but after many thoughts spent about it we have had nothing but wind from them namely of a city wiihout a wall of a vinyard garden Orchard c. Wanting a hedge fence bounds c. And such broken stuffe not worthy of any answere For where doe they read in Scripture that this power which Christ hath given to his Church is compared to a wall hedge c. But rather may be better likened to the power of the body which receives food and whereby excrements are purged and avoyded the want whereof were prodigious in nature neither could the body possiblie subsist and live And here by the way I thinke it convenient to answere breifly vnto some reprochfull passages writen by D. Laiâ—en against the Separatists he accuseth them of strange and vnsound conclusions but names nothing onely from M. Park Polit. Eccles he Englisheth a sillogisme in this manner If Discipline be so necessary and also vnchangable it is lawfull to separate from such Churches as doe not vse it say the Prelats but Discipline is vnchangablie necessary say the Separatist Ergo it is lawfull to separate from such Churches as doe not vse it The minor he grants to be true but denies the Major and to prove it false he gives this reason For want of an integrall part of the whole or of some essentiall part in it selfe though not of the whole is no sufficient ground for separation He might with more credit and good conscience have granted the Major also then sought to refute it by frothy empty and impertinent words for first he speakes as a man most ignorant of the nature of Church power for were he able truely to define it he should see that it is of such necessity as a people cannot constitute themselves in the right order of the Gospell without it as we have before expressed 2. If the Bishops Major as he termes it be wel vnderstood it caries this meaning discipline is so necessary that where it is not there can be no Church ordinances rightly administred no true ministery worship Sacraments Censures c. And it is certainly so and if M. D. have any thing to object against it let him speake out he knowes his liberty 3. If M. D. will but hold vp his words against the light he shall see they have not the face of an answere for let his words be graunted what is this to the necessity of discipline vnlesse he could prove that the same is not so essentiall but a true Church may wholy want it The which thing neither he nor any man is able to prove and therefore he only beggs baselie the matter but proves nothing and therfore for the warme cloathes whereof he speaketh he may even keepe them himself to cover the nakednesse of his Argument I will not here speake of his irreligious phrase comparing the holie way of God to hatching neither of his untruth to say that separatisme was not before B. Whitgift wrote for Ceremonies I think the man knowes better to wit that from false ministers worship c. the Saints have separated before Whit. either wrote or was borne If our practise be otherwise even by the testimonies of the Nonconf let it be manifested If this will not serve the turne let him then take knowledge of what D. Ames saith In the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Reigne there was a Company of honest men that for the Ceremonies refused to joyne with the Parish assemblies at London as appeareth in the examination of Iohn Smith W. Nixson extant in a booke called part of a Register We could prove if there were need in King Edwards Reigne that there were some good Christians which would not communicate with the Parish Assemblies but there is no use hereof seeing we have the word of God to justifie our practise There is one thing more which Mr. Dr. much talkes of and makes it even the burden of his song i. e. that the Bb. are the authors of the Separatists Scisme their practise butteth full vpon the others vnreasonable and vnsound reasoning But what if it appeare that Mr. Dr. Arguments doe lead rather to separation and that he speakes one thing and practiseth another Would not this be a strange sight especially to himselfe Now whether this be so we will here trie by some reasons in his owne mood and figure If the booke of Common-prayer vsed in the assemblies of England be an insectious Leiturgie Romish stuffe a devised service and raked out of 3 Romish Channells it is lawfull to separate from such churches as doe vse it say the Learned but the Booke of Common-prayer vsed in the Assemblies of England is an in sections Leiturgie Romish stuffe a devised service and raked out of 3 Romish Channells saith Mr. Dr. Ergo it is â—awfull to separate from such chuâ—â—hâ—â—â—s doe vse it specially when they continue obstinate and incorrigible in the practise thereof after due dealing and conviction as I suppose Mr. Dr. will freely confesse they have done even after due meanes used both by manie godly Learned from time to time now at last by himself If the ministerie of the church of England be vnlawfull and Antichristian it is lawfull to separate from it
and other nations were mooved by Gods workes shewed in Egypt to go out with the Israelites notwithstanding that they should bee all taken into actuall communion with the Church it is onely his dreame and no such thing can be truely gathered from the place but the contrary is most probable as I could if there were any use give many reasons for it see Numb 11. 4. And the like may be said unto the place in Est â— 17. and this also further added how he knew if any were received into the fellowship of the Saints that the word of God was not preached unto them by some meanes in one measure or other before their admission As for the other texts namely Iohn 2. 23. and 4. 39. and 6. 26. His alleaging of them plainely notes that his knowledge was not much in these Scrip. Fort. Christ did not there coÌ„stitute any visible Church 2. The persons there spoken of were most of them members by birth of a true Church 3. Howsoever the things which hee mentioneth as miracles reports c. were great meanes to confirme the Gospel and to draw people unto the hearing of the word notwithstanding the word alone was the instrument Gods blessing going with it whereby the people were brought unto faith and repentance Ioh. 4. 42 4. But wherefore doth he instance these examples seeing they are extraordinary and therefore if it should be granted as hee ignorantly understands the places yet it will not follow that there is any other outward ordinary meanes to call men out of the world beside the word now of this ordinary meanes speakes the definition onely 5. Observe how the exception which he makes here against us serves nothing to helpe his case for if all the persons which he names were received into the visible Church and say it was by some other meanes beside the word that mooved their hearts to obey the Lord therein yet how can he proove that these were outwardly wicked and irreligious knowne to be Idolaters drunkards sorcerers mockers lyers blasphemers c. For unlesse he can manifest this if all the rest were granted yet will it not stead him a whit to justifie the state of the English Church which was erected after popery as hee could not deny of such vile varlets and uncleane creatures It is therefore worth the noting what ill speede Mr. Dayr hath still in all his testimonies and witnesses for after he hath puld them in at the window or backdoore by the haire of the head yet this is his crosse either they stand up against him or are quite dumb and speake not a word touching the point for which he brings them We heard what the reasons are why Mr. Dayrell disliked our definition Now before we come to the last part of his booke there is somthing to be said touching the manner which he layes downe of making of Churches by the sword about this he begins with a tedious comparison of one that hath children and servants which be papists and by threats will have them worship God aright thereupon they frequent the Church assemblies and seeme outwardly to be religious and are to be accounted of the visible church and yet these came not to be of the Church by the call of the word c. now may the master and father doe this and may not the magistrate c. Ans 1. Howsoever parents and masters are to use all good means that those which are under their government may be religious holy yet have they not anie more power to make them members of Gods Church if they be not under the visible covenant then they have power to give them saving grace sanctification 2. Whereas he saith these come not to be of the visible Church by the call of the word that is untrue For howsoever a person may come to the place where a Church is yet his comming simplie there doth not immediately make him an actuall member of it as he still ignorantly intimates For those of his brethren which were farre more judicious then himselfe doe teach otherwise when men doe profitt in hearing then are they to be joyned to the Church But it seemes if Heathen Turkes would have but come to his service and preaching he would have acknowledged them to be part of his flock albeit they manifested no repeÌ„tance at all If he should say no then were he contrarie to his owne saying here 3. This Similitude is against himselfe For first the Magistrate did not commaund the Subjects to goe unto Churches formerly gathered and there to be prepared by hearing but forded them to be members they beeing altogether and every way most unfitt 2. The worship which they did was not according to Gods word but after the traditions and devises of men 3. They neither outwardly seemed religious nor renounced Poperie nor professed true religion but in all this plainely shewed the contrarie as we have before proved by their owne writings After this he makes a long narration to justify this compulsion by the practise of the â—ings of Iâ—dah now this point by others hath beene so fullie answered as one would thinke that Mr. Dayr should never have had the forehead once to have named it except he had been more able to refute their arguments For answere to it I deny that there is any true proportion between this Example and the thing unto which they doe apply it 1. The Iewish Church was nationall but such are none now under the Gospell neither Provinciall nor Diocesan as the Nonconformists doe say and prove 2. Howsoever Iud. .h fell fearfully into sinne yet by vertue of the Lords covenant with her forefathers faithfully on his part remembred and kept remained still the true Church of God and was not as Israel quite broken-off and therfore the Magistrate compelled not the people to be members but to perform the duties thereof they beeing members truly before Indeed if either Hezechiah Iosiah Asa or Nehemiah had forced the Fdomites Aegyptians Babylonians c. into the holy Temple and there to have sacrificed to the Lord it had been something like unto their practise For the English nation coÌ„sisting of many sheires citties townes and villages was never within the Lords covenant holy in the roote as Iudah was Howbeit it may be many hundred yeares past there were some true churches planted in the Land by the preaching of the Gospell and obedience of faith 3. The ministerie worship and church government unto which Iudah submitted was the Lords and the contrarie abolished by her good Governours as the reader may see by these scriptures But neither in the beginning of King Edwards or Q. Elizabeths raigne was there such a course taken but the selfe same false ministerie worship and church government left to stand which the Romish beast had before devised and is at this day used in his cursed Kingdome onely some few faults put out and this themselves when
The great wickednesse of them p. 170. 171. 172. The ministery of England taken wholy from Antichrist p. 11. Proved to be false p. 219. 222. Their manner of making ministers p. 12. 13. 14 What they are for qualification p. 15. 16. and practises p. 21 Men may be unlawfull ministers though never ordained by the Bb. p. 68. 215 Vnlawful ministers not to be communicated with in any thing they doe p 26. Reasons for it p. 27 Conversion of men to God no note of a true ministerie p. 64 The Ministers of England of one constitution p. 56 True ordinary ministery tyed to a particular Assembly p. 10. A roving unsetled false p. 9 Musick in the Church unlawfull p. 111 N. The profession practise of Nonconformists how they differ p. 205. 206 Their Minors and the Conformists Majors lead to separation p. 179. 180 Not so true to their grounds as the Conformists p. 38. 241 O. Oath ex officio why unlawful pag. 140 No Obedience must be yeelded to the Bb. Government p. 148 Five kinds of ordinary Ecclesiastical Offices only belonging to every true Church p. 3. 4 Officers not simply necessary for the publicke administrations in the Church p. 135 The Church may depose her officers p. 130 Offences how to be suppressed in the Church p. 130. 131. and why p. 168 The Officers of the spiritual Courts in England described p. 137. Their places Antichristian p. 1â—8 Brethren out of Office may teach publickly in the Church p. 54 Order and forme required in the collection of all true Churches p. 186 P. Pastors are all equal by Gods institution p. 3 These are wanting in the English Assemblies p. 11 Parsons Vicars c. unlawfull officers p. 44. 45 Parents ought not to bring their children to be Crossed in Baptisme and reasons for it p. 96 Patrons places unlawful p. 242. To be present at Idolatrous worship unlawfull p. 119. 120. And namely where the Ceremonies are used p. 98. 99 Power given to every particular Church p. 257 An essencial property there of p. 149 Preaching of the Gospell no part or property of the ministery in Fngland but a thing casual p. 259 The manner of preaching there p. 248. 249 Neither preaching nor administring the Sacraments argue a true mininistery p. 232 Not enough to be Professours p. 251 Their Preists and Deacons take their ministery from the Prelates and no where else p. 241 They have not the essencial ministery of Pastors and Teachers pag. 214 Prelates why worse then the Papists p. 82 Of Pollution by other mens sinns p. 208. 209 Q. None must be chosen into any office but such as are wel qualifyed for it and reasons thereof pag. 9. 10 13. Questions propounded with request to be answered p. 262. 263 c. R. Reading Preists described p. 38. Their ministery unlawfull and reasons for it p. 40. 41. A sinne to communicate in their ministery p. 42. What service they doe p. 44. The greatest number of the English ministers are such p. 43 Every Officer must be Resident in his place and why p. 10 Rome and England how like in Church Ordinances p. 261 The judgement of the Reformed Churches no good argument to prove the Church of England true by p. 188. 189 S. Sacraments prophanely administered in the church of England p. 105. 172 More Sacraments then Christ ordained administered in their Churches p. 259 Sacraments administred in private houses unlawfull p. 105 Service booke a devised worship and reasons for it p. 80. 81. 82 The Scribes and Pharisees misapplyed to justifie the ministery of England p. 231 Sidemens office unlawfull p. 138 Our separation why p. 196. 207 Lords Supper how abused p. 103. 104 Surplices unlawfull reasons for it p. 94. 95 Scriptures how abused in the Church of England p. 108 T. Toleraticir of sinne in the Church hurtfull and why p. 168 V. Visitation of the sick as used in England Popish p. 112 Bb. Visitation described p. 142 143 W. Widdowes an office in the Church and reasons for it p. 6 God hath prescribed a perfect platform how he wil be worshipped p. 72 Reasons why he should be worshipped according to the same p. 74. 75 The worship of the church of England is contained in the booke of common prayer p. 78 Churching of Women unlawfull and reasons for it p. 99 The word of God the only meanes to fitt men for Church-estate Z. True Zeal will not endure any thing of Antichrists p. 107 FINIS ERRATA For Eder read Elder p. 9. lin 13. For honestly read honesty p. 14. lin 25. For as read at p. 28. lin 20. For thelr read their p. 103. l. 23. For nor read not p. 131. l. 2. For Hierom read Hieron p. 161. l. 29. For number 38. in marg read 61. after Arrow ag Br. p. 224. * Our Apologie Mr. Bar. refutation of Mr. Giffard A treatise of the minist of the Church of England Mr. Robinsons Iustification of Separ Mr. Penry of the ministery of England An answ to Mr. Stone ‡ I mean only in the point of Separation for in other things he bath answered D Burg. fully and laid him flatt on the grouÌ„d ‡ Hooker Eccles Pol. pref p. 34. Whitg 2. Treat c. 1. div 2. p. 81 Sutclif treat of Disc c. 15 p. 165. D. Bils perpetual Goverm ch 15. p. 339. Bancr Surv. of Disc c. 33 p. 430 431 432. Loe Quaerimon Ecclesiae p. 59 60. Answ to the Petition by the Vice Chanc. Heads of Oxf. p. 15. D. Morton D. Burg. ð„ Repl. to D. Mort. Sect. 14. p. 31. Defence of Petition to the K. p. 103. a Dayr Treat of the Ch. p. 41. b Mr. Nichols plea of the innocent p. 33 34 c The scurrulous Libels published under the names of Lawne Fowler Bullard c. ‡ Serm. on Rom. 12. p. 65 66. Sold. Bar. Abridgm p. 23. Cartw. Catechis p. 315. 316. Rev. 16. 15 Ioh. 17. Chap. 42. 43. ‡ he speaks thus by false ministers Prov. 14. 15 ‡ Yet we beleeve their principles to be true is there be no Nonc that will defend them we will ð„ ð„ ð„ ð„ ð„ Magis veritas elucet quò saepius ad manuÌ„ venit Senec. lib. de ira Pag. 5. Pag. 232. Necessit discip 38 73 74. Offer coÌ„fer pag. 2. T. C. l. 1. p. 22. l. 2 pa. 3. p. 5. 15. Demonst discip 46 Mr. Bates 27. Informat froÌ„ Scott p. 28 29. Necessity discip 71. Defen ag Slaund of Bridg. 127. Forme ecclesias govern p. 123 124 125 c. Demonst discip 53 54. Inform. froÌ„ Scott pag. 30. Forme eccles Govern 128 129 c. Rom. 12 8 â— Cor. 12 28. 1 Tim. â— 17. Mr. Bate 89 c. Demons disc p. 56. Inform. from Scot. p. 13. Eccles gover p. â—â—9 M. Bates p. 117. Answ to Bancr ser p. 14. T. C. l. 1. 190. 2. Admo p. 61. T. C. l. 1. p 190. disc Eccles 119 Infor. Scott 31 demonst discip 61. 62. c.
A NECESSITIE OF SEPARATION From the Church of England prooved by the Nonconformists Principles Specially opposed vnto Dr. AMES his Fresh Suit against humane ceremonies in the point of Separation only Also Dr. LAITON Mr. DAYREL and Mr. BRADSHAW are here answered wherein they have written against us With a Table in the later end of the principal occurrents in this Treatise By IOHN CANNE Pastor of the ancient English church in Amsterdam Prov. 31. 8. 9. Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction And plead the cause of the poore and needie Ioh. 13 17. If ye know these things happie are ye if ye doe them Printed in the yeare 1634. To every one that seeketh after the truth in sincerity Salutations THere are extant allready so many bookes in the defence of our cause which never yet received any answer that it hath been in my thoughts a long time not to enter publickly the lists of contention about it with any man but to imploy that smal portion which I have in the knowledg of holy things more peaceably otherwise Not with standing perceiving of late the general fame which was given forth of Dr. Ames his booke and namely in his answer to the point betweene the Nonconformists and us as that it was so learnedly and absolutely done that it gave all men satisfaction the Separatists only excepted and that no man would ever be able to make any sound reply therein vnto it I thought it requisite to take a thorow view thereof which when I had so don and saw the sleightnesse of it to say no worse I conceived with my selfe that this common bruit must need arise either from some ignorant people who cannot judge of things which differ or from such as have mens persons in admiration and so like the shadow will follow them where ever they goe be it right or wrong It is knowne to those which know the controversies betweene the formal Protestants in England and the Reformists that the Principles of the later by the former are said to be the direct and plaine grounds of Separation sundry arguments and reasons they allege for it as the reader may see in their several treatises This thing by the other is not only denyed but withall they proclame themselves the main refuters of the Separatists and doe affirme that they never saw any Prelate to confute their opinions any otherwise then by rayling words But how wel they have confuted us it will appeare in the following dispute unto which I referre the reader Only I thinke good in breefe to give him here a sight of most of their weapons which they draw out vsually against vs and whereby they indeavour to conquer and quel us quite 1. Vile calumniations and bitter scoffes proclaming us to the world to be Schismaticks Brownists Donatists c. and matching us many times with the most notorious Hereticks and blasphemers that they can thinke vpon of purpose to make our persons and profession odious to all men 2. Raysing up many manifest lies untruths gathering together the faylings of some particular persons which had walked with us casting the same as dung in our faces 3. Braggs and boasts of victorie a notable instance for this we have in a certaine preface made to Mr. Hildersh booke on Ioh. 4. the author of it tels his reader there that Mr. Hild. had the best in the controversie betweene him and Mr. Iohnson notwithstanding it is well knowne he never made any reply to that which the other had published against him although he was by divers earnestly desired to doe it and this I write from the report of honest and faithful witnesses who are yet alive and will not I am perswaded willingly relate any thing but the truth 4. Grosse contradictions in seeking to justifie against us the very things which by sound arguments and reasons in their writings against the Hierarchy they prove to be evil and vnlawfull and this we have manifested in the answ to Mr. Bradsh book 5. And in a word falsisications of our positions cōtinual begging of questiōs larg proofs for what was never doubted of but no proving of the main point in questiō either by scriptures reasons or any ancient sound writers These and such like arguments have they used hitherto against vs And it is no marvel that they are such for what better should we exspect from them who seeke to put out that light againe which hath beene by themselves cheifly revealed vnto many I know what I say and have good experiēce of this thing for there is not ten of an hundred which separate from the Church of England but are moved first thereto I speake of outward meanes by the Doctrines of the Nonconformists either in word or writing taught to the people And indeed vpon their grounds how can any one doe lesse then separate if his heart be tender against every sinne seeing they confidently affirme that their ministery worship and discipline is from Antichrist and in their Church are swarmes of Atheists Papists Erroneous Hereticall Sectaries Witches Charmers Murtherers Theeves Adulterers Lyars c. Moreover All Popery say they is poyson the roote stalke and branches and we cannot be said sincerely to have repented of the Idolatry or superstition whereby we or our forefathers have provoked the Lord unlesse we be ashamed of and cast away with detestation all the instruments and monuments of it Againe whosoever partakes in the sinnes of Rome are also under the same curse So that we cannot in any sort communicate with them in their errours unlesse we will beare them company in their destruction also These are their owne testimonies and we know they are true and therefore in obedience to God and care of our pretious soules we have left our vnsanctified standings in their Assemblies and through the Lords mercy to vs doe walke in the holy order of his Gospell although dayly sufferers for it of manifould afflictions Notwithstanding all these things offend us not for we know whom we serve and are most certaine if we watch and doe Christs worke still in his owne way We shall have a sure reward for it at the resurrection of the just And to speake now a word or two vnto such as are commonly stiled Professours of the Gospell whether vnconformable or not The thing truely which I most wish vnto them is tender consciences and that the Lords house and his ordinances may be deare to their soules and that they may be able to deny the profitts and pleasures of this life for if these things be in them and abound my hope is that by their judicious reading-over of this treatise there will follow much reformation When some men take a little Phisick they have their health by it soone restored but if the same and a great deal more be ministred to others of an other
to the beast The truth whereof many can witnesse by wofull experience For Princes generally in those dayes have given so much authority unto the Hierarchie that they have scarse left themselves power to defend many times the innocent cause of their best subjects or to punish justly the vilest offender We would thinke him a man sencelesse that should give up willingly his weapons into the hand of his enimie For to doe so were to be murdered himselfe and to be accessarie to it The Bishops are proved to be the greatest enimies that the King and State hath Surely then with reverence be it spoken it is not wisely done that any power is given unto them For by this meanes in all likelihood many will be killed and not in their bodies only but in their soules also But enough of their persons Let us heare what they speake of their callings The offices say they of Arch-Bishops and Lord Bishops c. be rather members and part of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure virgin spouse of the immaculat Lamb. Their calling indeed is meerly Antichristian false divelish contrary to the word of God taken out of the Popes shop with their names also yea it came frō the bottomlesse pit I say frō heathens frō darknesse the devil a thing degenerate and grown out of kind a humane creature an addition an institution an ordinance of Kings and Princes As it began with oppressing the onely lawfull pollicy and administration of the church so the end of it hath been the most proud and ambitious tyranny that ever was in the world It is as clear as the light that they are no brāches of Gods engrafting their ministery hath no root in Christs testament but of the earth new devised and which can doe no good As for the Apostles they never knew them Syon hath not heard of them Ierusalem which is above will not acknowledge them and no marvail for Antichrist and they are of one and the same brood and offspring of one and the same foundation his rysing was their rysing c. and their traditions and ceremonies are his they had them from him they are installed after the same manner of Popish Bishops creäted with the most of the same ceremonies they are trimmed up with the same trappings they have the like attendants the like armes and observancy they vsurpe the same power jurisdiction and exercise the like tyranny over ministers and people All their principall reasons brought to prove their standing are the same that Turrianus other Popish writers alleadg for the Popes supremacy as indeed they must stand or fall together It is evident therefore that they are no ministers at all in the church of Christ but have and doe usurpe and invade the name and seat of the ministery beeing doubtlesse very theeves robbers wolves and worriers of the Flocks The Magistrate therefore is to doe to them as our Saviour dealt Ioh. 2. in whipping out buyers and sellers and mony changers those might better come into the Temple then these Bishops into the church of God and had more necessarie use but they had abused holy things and made it a den of theeves Not only is this barely affirmed of them but also they doe lay downe many singular arguments and reasons to prove it To instance these Those offices and callings are Antichristian without which all forms of Governments are perfect save onely the government of the Kingdome of Antichrist But such are the callings of Lord Archbishops and Bishops as all forme of Governments may be perfect without them save onely the Antichristian Kingdome where in no case they can be missed For the Government both of the Church and common wealth can well spare them and be never a whitt the more unperfect Therefore the callings of Archbs. and Bs. doe only belong vnto the Kingdome of Antichrist Those Governours are justly called Antichristian who are assistant to the Pope in his vniversall government But Bishops Archbs. c. are assistante to the Pope in his vniversall Government Therefore Bishops Archbs. c. are justly called Antichristian That ministerry which all Christian men and women are bound to submitt and yeeld obedience unto is to be found in the word of God But the ministery of Archbishops Bs. is not to be found in the word of God Ergo there ought not to be obedience yeelded to it He that desires to see the Prelates arguments answered and soundly refuted which they alleadge to uphold their vnsanctifyed places and standings Let him read Mr. Baynes his Diocesans triall the first and second reply to Doct. Downenams Sermon Mr. Parkers Eccles Polit and there he shal receive satisfaction to the full Moreover such is their certainty of this thing that they have often chalenged yea dared the Prelates vnto disputation offering to adventure their lives if the other would but their Bishopricks to prove that they are neither Pastors nor Teachers but officers erected against the word of God the ancient fathers the moderne most learned and godly divines And the like they speak of Archdeacons deanes prebanes canons and the whole Hierarchye of which more hereafter If this be so then by the reasons before shewed it is evident and most certaine that no man can lawfully cōmunicate at any time in the ministery of these men and so much they acknowledge Why should Gods people of what degree soever subject their neck to a Babilonish yoke should they not stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath set them free if they sit not in Moyses chayr why should they heare them If they bring not a lawfull warrant of their calling why should they be obeyed to heare and obey Christ coming in his fathers name and Antichristian Prelates coming in their owne name cannot subsist together But because the thing is allready sufficiently proved we will therefore proceed to a second sort of their ministers Yet by the way I desire the reader to take knowledge of one thing To weet that the Nonconsormists by these positions laid downe against their Prelates doe herein certainly condemne their whole ministery allowed by the Lawes of the Land for if the calling and office of their Bishops be as they say it is of the earth false divilish Antichristian c. Then it followes that their calling and office must necessarily be of the same qualitie nature and condition to weet of the earth false divilish Antichristian which is wholy derived from it which receives I say and takes its life and beeing of it onely and no where else For if their Bishops have not a right power in themselves then can they not transferre it to an other as the Law saith nemo potest plus juris transferre in alium quam sibi competere dignoscatur No man can give more to another then he hath himselfe If Korah Dathan and Abiram when they vsurped the Preisthood
office thereof For they agree with the people only to preach not to administer either the seales or censures to them 3. Their comming unto the people is in a strange sort for they make a covenant each with other for some certaine yeares and when that time is out both parties are free and so may leave one the other and doe many times But a true Pastor may not doe so For if he should he were worse then an hyreling which leaves not the sheepe till he see the Wolfe comming But many of these when they see a richer lectureship comming toward them 4. He that is the parson or vicar is taken generally for the minister of the place And truly howsoever their calling be false and Antichristian as the Nonconformists say yet in many respects they doe better resemble a true minister then any Lecturer whatsoever Therefore not without just cause doe the Reformists utterly condemne this extraordinarie office of preachers and affirme that they are neither Pastors or Teachers which the scripture alloweth off And this may be easily proved That ministerie which is instituted and sett vp besides those which God hath appointed in his word is vnlawfull and false But â—he ministerie of the Lecturers in England is instituted and sett vp beside these which God hath appointed in his word Therefore that ministerie is vnlawfull and false The proposition is plain and undeniable and we have their owne words to confirme it For thus they say All the ministery is by the word of God and not left to the will of men to devise at their pleasure as appeareth by that which is noted of Iohn where the Pharisees comming to him after that he had denyed to be either Christ or Eltas or another Prophet conclude if he be neither Christ nor Elias nor of the Prophets why Baptisest thou which had been no good argument if Iohn might have been of som other function then of those which were ordinary in the church and instituted of God and therefore Iohn to establish his singular and extraordinarie function allegeth the word of God whereby appeareth that as it was not lawfull to bring-in any strange Doctrine so was it not lawfull to teach the true Doctrine vnder the name of any other function then was instituted by God Let the whole practice of the church vnder the Law be looked vpon and it shall not be found that any other ecclesiasticall ministery was appointed then those officers of high Priest Preists Levites c. which were appointed by the Law of God and if there were any raysed extraordinarily the same had their calling confirmed from heaven either by signes or miracles or by plain and cleare testimony of the mouth of God or by extraordinarie exciting movings of the spirit of God So that it appeareth that the ministery of the Gospell and the function thereof ought to be from heaven and of God and not invented by the braine of men From heaven I say and heavenly because although it be executed by earthly men and the ministers also chosen by men like vnto themselves yet because it is done by the word and institution of God that hath not only ordained that the word should be preached but hath ordained also in what order and by whome it should be preached it may well be accounted to come from Heaven and from God Againe to devise any other ministery then that which God hath appointed is condemned by the second commaundement The assumption is thus proved first if their Lecturers have taken ordination from the Bishops and exercise by that power onely then is their office false by the reasons before laid downe Secondly if it be objected that they never received the Prelates orders or have repented thereof I answere yet this proves not that they are therefore true ministers For as Iehu though he did wel to suppresse Ahabs idolatrie yet in that he followed the wayes of Ieroboam he himselfe continued still a grosse idolater Even so howsoever som may privately report that they stand ministers by no relation to the Bishop yet are they notwithstanding vnlawfull ministers seeing they were never elected chosen and ordained according to Gods word If any reply that they have their calling of the people I answere the thing is surely otherwise as shall be manifested presently But if this were granted yet I deny that any Church vnder heaven hath power from Christ to ordaine such a kind of ministerie and therefore if any people should doe it seeing it is against the Scripture it must needs follow that it is an vnlawfull ministery so consequently not to be communicated with and that it is so I prove it thus That ministery is vnlawfull which none may lawfully give but none may lawfully bestow the ministerie of a lecturer Therefore that ministerie is unlawfull The propositioÌ„ is evident by their owne principles The assumption cannot for shame be denyed if the nature of it be considered For as we but even now sayd their Lecturers take no charge of a flock vpon them they make covenant with the people but for a certaine time the peculiar works of a minister is not by the people laid vpon them neither exspected of them If any object that they preach the word To this Doctor Ames gives an answere fully that the preaching of the gospell is not a worke peculiar to a minister For such as are private men and out of office may and ought to preach the word as occasion is offered and not only privately but saith he in the publick congregation and for this thing he citeth these Scriptures 1. Cor. 14. 23. Act. 13. 15. And yealdeth many good reasons for it also Other of the Nonconformists affirme the same thing As the Church hath need of all mens gifts so all ought to imploy them at publick ordinary meetings yet so as good order be still observed SECTION IIII. THus reader thou seest how the present ministerie of the Church assemblies of England both the greater and lesser is by the Nonconformists professed and proved to be all and wholy false Now we com to the 4. point according to our division which is to answere the reasons laid downe by Doctor Ames in the defence of their ministerie and they may be cast into two heads or branches First what he speakes for it himselfe 2. The reference which he hath for helpe to M. Bradshawes booke entituled the vnreasonablenesse of seperation We will first treat of the Doct owne arguments Or rather argument For I find but onely one touching this thing in his booke The words are these we vtterly deny that the calling of our ministers doth essentially depend vpon the Bishops calling I know the word our here hath in it a misterie which every bodie knowes not For D. A doubtlesse meant to speake onely for som particular churches because in his later dayes he would not vndertake to justifie the standing but onely
of some ministers in the Land which were mostly vnconformable Now it had been wel if he had publickly declared so much and shewed the differences between the true and false and proved soundly by Gods word such to be true ministers whome he so judged For a little of this kind of writing would have profitted more the professors in England than a multitude of wordes and yet all but one thing about 2. or 3. foolish ceremonies and which are the least evils of many hundreds among them There are others of them to my knowledge in this thing of the D. mind to weet that some few ministers onely in the land are true and privately they doe expresse so much But in the meane time the people are ignorant hereof and therefore walke disorderly and so greivously sin against God and their own soules But of this enough elsewhere Therefore to the matter I wish the D. had declared what the â—ssence is of a minister in his judgement and whence the calling of his ministers doth essentially depend if not upon the Bishops calling For then to use his owne words this question would easily be decided but seeing he thought it best in this to be silent I answere directly 1. The ministery of England as it is established by law doth certainly depend vpon the Bishops calling wholy no mans else if any in the Land stand otherwise he cannot properly be said to be a minister of that church but rather is a schismatick from it according to the formall constitution of it And for this we have the testimony of another other Doctor and a man better experienced then ever Mr. Ames was in the making of English Preists and Deacons If you sayth he writing against Mr. Penry repel the vnpreaching minister because of his outward calling you may by the same reason discharge the worthiest ministers in the land of the holy ministery For all have one and the same externall calling in the church of England This witnesse is true all their ministers indeed have one the same outward calling I say their best preachers no other then their ignorant asses idols have the difference betweene them is onely in their qualification for a calling and in the execution thereof and not in the outward calling it selfe For in this respect if any ministerie be false and Antichristian there is never a ministerie then true among them all And so much D. Ames seemes to acknowledge in p. 410. for there he saith that power of ordinatioÌ„ is not given by our lawes to individua vaga that is to say vagrant men of whome the law taketh no notice such as were wont to be called Hedge-preists but to authorized Prelates Now if none by their law have power to ordaine but Bb. then are his ministers either made officers by them or else as I said before they are not of that church and so he speakes not any thing to the matter in hand Secondly there is not any congregation in the land that hath any power to ordaine a Church-officer neither is this either formallie nor I thinke intentially any where practised For the most free Parish hath but only a liberty to admitt of a minister before made by the Bishops so that the people give him not any part much lesse the substance of his callingâ— as Mr. Paget vntruely speaketh but a bare permission onely to exercise by vertue of that calling which he had of the Prelates Such therefore doe horribly abuse the people which ascribe that unto theÌ„ which they neither doe can doe nor inteÌ„d to doe we blame justly the Familists for their idle pretence of inward devotion they manifesting no outward obedience whereby we should judge well of them Yet truely as bad as they are this in them can better be justified then Mr. Doct. new principle to wit that the calling of their ministers doth essentially depeÌ„d vpon the peoples calling For so I know he meanes for it is so palpably false as there cannot be a leafe found to cover the nakednesse of it For as I said how can it with any coulorable shew be affirmed that the people should doe that thing concerning which they neither doe nor intend to doe any thing belonging to it nay more which they make account is done before and not only so but doe thinke at least most of them that it doth not at all appertain unto theÌ„ Vpon this ground a man might devise and say any thing but I spare to urge it further because the man is not alive to answer me If any list to make a rejoinder he shall heare more in my next answer But before he goe forth hastily to strive let him first make diligent search among all the Parish assemblies in the land whether there be any that doe make their own ministers according to Gods word that is choose them by a generall and free consent ordaine them by imposition of hands with fasting and prayer c. For about this is our question and not of their fittnesse to be ministers neither of the leave which the people give to administer among them after they are made ministers by the Bishops Moreover I thinke that D. Ames in pag. 412. doth contradict himselfe his words are these If the rejoynder would have brought a fitting example he should have shewed vs that Paul or Barnabas beeing at Ierusalem ordeyned a minister and sent him to Antioche Iconium or Listra signifying by letters that such a man was appointed their Pastor though they never knew or heard of him before for that had been somthing like vnto the practice of a Bishop who vpon the Patrons praesentation wheresoever he be sendeth his minister from the place or Palace of his residence vnto a congregation 20. 30. or 40. miles of which poore despised people must be content with towling of a bell as sufficient notice given of their ministers fittnesse and their necessitie to acknowledge the same he speaketh so generallie as I take it his ministers are here comprehended and I have good reason so to thinke in regard of a busines which he writes of his experience I was saith he once and never but once I thanke God before a Bishop and beeing presented vnto him by a cheife Magestrate of an incorporation for to be a preacher in their towne the lowly man first asked them how they durst choose a preacher without his consent you said he are to receive the preacher that I appoint you For I am your Pastor though he never fed them And then turning to me how durst you said he preach in my diocesse without my leave so that without any other reason but meer Lordship the whole incorporation and I were dismissed to wait his pleasure which I for my part have don this twenty yeare and more By this little the reader may judge whether the calling of their ministers doth essencially depend vpon the Bishop or peoples calling 3. If it should be granted
within the freedom of their owne church and so have no authority delegated to them from Christ to give the substance of the ministers calling to another people For to doe thus were to be like unto the Pope and Prelates the which practice in them they doe abhorre 3. It is a fearefull mocking of God and a high prophanation of his ordinance When men will take a holy worke in hand pretend they doe it and yet doe nothing touching the true substance thereof A man which hath but a little path to keepe and great sea lying on both sides of him would surely be drowned if he should turne out of his way but a little either to the one hand or other the like may be said of Gods pathes and institutions if a man keepe not full in the way doe not every thing according to the patterne It is all one whether turning on the left hand he embrace the idolatry of the Bishops or turning on the other hand follow the new devises of mens foolish braines for utter destruction certainly followes them both Now for conclusion if these lines by Gods providence shall come to any of your hands which stand at this present ministers in the church of England my desire truly is that you will be pleased ingeniously to consider the things here written and specially how the Nonconformists such as you cannot but much reverence and love for their learning and graces have by invincible reasons and arguments proved clearely your offices to be false vnlawfull Antichristian Now if you cannot justifie your standing before men ah how doe ye think that ye shall be able to stand comfortably before the holy God if you stand longer therein The Lord give you eyes to see how exceedingly you have broken the sacred order of the Gospell and hearts tender against every sinne that the evill may be put away And thinke not scorne I pray you to take any fruitfull counsell of me but harken to the Lord that it may goe well with you And looke as the men which had maried them wives of the Heathen did put them quite away at Nehemiahs commaund Even so seeing you have taken upon you a strange ministery put it away at Gods commaund and doe not continue one houre in it If you say what shall we doe for the hundred talents how shall we our wives and children be releeved if we leave our benefices our stipends freinds benefactors I answer you as the man of God did Amasiah the Lord is able to give you more then this Christ sayth as you know well he that will forsake father and mother house and land for his name sake shall receive a hundred fould in this world beside the possession of life and glory hereafter Truly there is a great reward in this promise me thinks you should value it to be much more worth then all the personages vicarages Lecture-profitts c. in England Mind well therefore good freinds what a large offer the Lord makes tobuy â—ou out of your vnsanctifyed places whereas he might cast you forth headlong and inflict upon you many visible and sencible punishments as he did on Corah vzziah vzza c. for their usurpation and intrusion But he offers you a hundredfould profitt which is a great matter indeed and therefore ye are alltogether unwise if ye doe refuse it I may say to you as David to the men of Iudah Why are ye the last to bring home the King Surely ye are too flow in helping forward Christ to his Kingdom You doe indeed complaine that the office of Christ as he is King is no wise acknowledged vnder the jurifdiction of your Bishops in many places of the Land But are not you in part the cause thereof in walking hand in hand with the rebellious Prelates to support that divised ministery which they have received from the Pope and doe thrust upon the people Thinke therefore oh what a blow it would give to Antichrists Kingdome and how it would even shake and overthrow the very foundation of his house if such as you would breake the bonds of iniquitie draw your necks out from the Bishops yoke and bring your learning and other good gifts as the people did the Lords Vessells which had beene a long time kept in Babilon to the building and beautifying of Sion This would make your faces to shine and make your names to florish in all ages after as those doe in our generation which according to that light received did powre out their vtals upon the seat of the beast to the great discovering of his lies and beastly vanities Ye know that some who were sometime cheif among you have layd downe their ministery as unlawfull For it beeing a dependent office of the Hierarchie they found it by scripture unwarrantably to be used for the edifying of the body of Christ If you have these for an example you shall doe wel otherwise if either for cafe profit credit liberty or other worldly respects you retaine still this â—iverie of Antichrist and Popes creature you will loose that honour and reward which the other if they make straight pathes for their feet shall vndoubtedly obtaine notwithstanding as Mordecay sayd to Esther enlargement and deliverance shall arise to the Iewes from another place For God surely will fulfil his word in abolishing vtterly that great scarlet whoore and all the accursed offices and ministeries which she hath devised in spight of all humane policie and power to the contrarie and establish one day his owne ordinances more largely and perfectly to the singular joy and comfort of all true beleevers both Iewes and Gentiles Moreover let it be considered whether those ministers which have taken orders and offices of the Prelats and stand by their power and authoritie are not in this transgressors against the King and the Lawes Yea and might be legally executed for treason and felony if the King and state were not pleased to interpret the statute contrary to the very letter form and truth of the same The words of the statute Eliz. 27. 2. are these It shall not be lawfull for any Seminary Preisâ— or other Preist or Ecclestastic all person whatsoever made or ordained without or within any of her Majesties dominions by any authoritie derived chalenged or pretended from the sea of Rome by or of what name title or degree soever the same shall be called or knowne to be or remaine in any part of her highnesse dominions And every person so offending shall be judged a traitor shall suffer as in case of high treason And every person which shall wittingly and willingly receive releive comfort and or maintaine any such Preist or Ecclesiasticall person shall be judged a felon without benefit of Clergie and suffer death loose and forfeit as in case of felony CHAP. II. IN this Chapter we will speake of the outward worship vsed in the assemblies of England the summe whereof as the
the least circumstance in the worship of God And howsoever there may be a shew of Wisdom in voluntarie Religion Col. 2. 23. Yet beeing rightly weighed all the devises of men shall be found foolish vaine yea more then sottish in the judgement of God CHAP. III. IN this chapter we will speake of Church Government observing the former method that is first I will shew how the Nonconformists doe describe a right Ecclesiasticall discipline 2. How farre the present Ecclesiasticall discipline of England by their owne Testimonie differs from and is contrarie to it 3 Lay downe responsive conclusions 4. Answere to D. Ames objections and others which may seeme to be against the same It is certaine that Christ our heavenly Prophet hath set forth vnto vs in the new Testament the ordinarie forme and manner of ordering Churches For this sundrie reasons are given 1. otherwise the Church which is his bodie should be left maymed imperfect and voyd of some speciall furtherances and helpes for her edification and perfection but this cannot be 2. We read that vnder the Law the Lord by Moyses ordained a certaine forme which was not altered nor to be altered by any King or Preist whatsoever yea from the begining of the world even from Adam to Christ this ordinance the saints ever had as agreed best with that time for which it is served and therefore it cannot be but that Christ coming in his owne person who was the day starre and sunne of righteousnes from whence all other borrowed their light must needs teach his Church a certaine Government for the safetie and good thereof 3. We must either confesse this or else spoyle Christ of his kinglie office for what doth more belong vnto the name office and duety of a King then to give Lawes vnto his Citizens and subjects and to make such decrees and ordinances whereby all the parts of his Kingdome may be maintained 4. That which teacheth everie good way teacheth also how the Church must be governed but the word of God teacheth every good way Pro. 2. 9. Therefore it teacheth how the Church must be governed 5. No human form is sufficient or able to governe the Church of Christ wherein so many diseases are to be healed and businesses to be dispatched for the good of mens soules and preserving the people of God and vpholding the Kingdom of Christ 6. The Church is the house of God therefore it is not to be supposed since he requires vs to set our families in order and he among men is counted a carelesse vnthrift that leaves his servants to doe what they list that he will himselfe neglect to give order how both steward and children and servants should be dealt with all besides these reasons the Nonconformists alleadge the Testimonies of the learned to prove the position yea some of the Prelates best Champions D. Bilson who was Bishop somtime of Winchâ—ster saith thus We must not frame what kind of Regiment we list for the ministers of Christes Church but rather obâ—eâ—vâ— and marke what manner of externall government the Lord hath best liked and allowed in his Church from the beginning And as this Ecclesiasticall power is common to all Churches and ought to be in all for as much as they are all in dependant bodies and have privileidges alike so it is confined and bound within the Limits onely of one particular congregation and the greatest power ought not to stretch beyond the same for in truth it is a great wickednesse for any person or persons to take vpon them selves Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction over many Churches much more over whole Kingdomes and Provinces of people Touching the order or cariage for the execution of it this government is committed to a fellowship or company of Elders consisting of lawfull and true Pastors Elders deacons by whose common advise according to the precise rule of the Scriptures both the rest of the Church ought to be governed and all Church matters also ordered and determined reserving alwayes that libertie which God hath given to his Church Of the election and ordinatien of these officers we spake in the first chapter this onely may be added that if any of these shall sinne he is as subject to the Censures of the rest as any other member of the congregation If they shall all sin scandalouslie either in the execution of their office or in any other ordinarie manner then the congregation that chose them freely hath as free power to depose them and to place others in their roome And because the vse of this Church government serves for to reforme abuses the brethren therefore are to watch one over another and when any one sinneth If the offence be private he must be admonished thereof secretly and by the person alone which knowes it for except it be of necessity the fame of our brother is not to be hurte his mind provoked his offence enlarged neither suspition of reproach defamation needlesly published forth against him but if he refuse to harken then two or three other members must be taken for the purpose and such as have best judgment most abilitie to perswade and in greatest estimation with the offender and here againe love is shewed seeing his amendment is still sought for and nor his disgrace if he will not yet acknowledge his offence then must he be brought vnto the Church and there againe be lovingly admonished and soundly convinced of his fault but if he be still incorrigible will not be brought by any means to repentance then after long forbearance much waiting and great patience with greife and sorrow of the whole Church in the name of our Lord Iesus he is to be cast out of the Church and given over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh and to be held as a heathen and publican But if the offence be publike there is no vse of private admonition but it must openly be rebuked and admonished yet so that the same be don circumspectly seasoned with gravitie love meekenesse c. Alwayes ayming at the offendors safetie and not his destruction and speciall care is to be had of every weake offender with discretion of offences If for all this he remaine incorrigible then must the Church proceed against him as before Yet let it be minded that no Church governours may upon aâ—y secret informations or suggestions or private suspicions goe about to bind mens consciences to accuse themselves of such crimes and imputations as cannot by Gods word plainly be proved against them for such a course is most damnable and tyrannous and against the very Law of nature devised by Antichrist through the inspiration of the devill Moreover they ought with all patience and quietnesse to heare what every offender can possibly say for himselfe either for qualification defence apology or justification of any supposed crime or errour whatsoever they ought not to proceed to censure
the grossest offence that is vntill the offender have said as much for himselfe as he possibly is able For it is an evident Character of a corrupt Ecclesiasticall Government where the parties convented may not have full liberties to speake for themselves considering that the more liberty is granted to speake in a bad cause especially before those that are in authority and of judgement the more the iniquitie of it will appeare and the more the justice of their sentence will shine Again excommunicatioÌ„ must not be used but as the last and desperate remedie even as a chirurgioÌ„ tryeth all gentle meanes before launcing searing or cutting off Indeed if the cause be great weighty and necessarie then it may not be omitted Reasons First for the glorie of God that it may appeare his house to be no cage of vnclâ—ane birds no stye of swine no den of theeves no stewes or brothelhouse but the holy citty the seat throne of justice the temple of the liveing God where the chast virgin worshippeth where no Cananite may be suffered 2. That the worship and service of God may be kept and preserved from pollution contempt and prophanation 3. For the good of the sinner himselfe that he may see his fault be ashamed thereof and reconcile himselfe first to God and then unto the church against whome he offended and so be saved in the day of the Lord. So long as a harlot hath freely the society of chast matrons she takes no shame of her adulterie but wheÌ„ all honest women reject her then at last c. So a thiefe if he be suffered to converse still with true men to have his liberty in citty and country to the full he will not be ashamed of his robberies murders c. but c. It is just so in this cause If open sinners be suffered in the church and admitted to publike and private communion in the exercises of Religion certainly then though they declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not yet they will not be ashamed of it but rather thinke they have not sinned or it is so light and small as they need not make any matter thereof 4. The honour and the good name of the church is hereby preserved which would be lost if vile persons were left alone therein 5. That others may fcare for if this course be omitted it may be a meanes to embolden many to doe the like A member being thus justlie excommunicated he is not to partake in the spirituall good things which the Lord communicateth in his church as the Sacraments prayer c. yet he may be admitted to the hearing of the word because that is a means to humble him for his sinne and to bring him to repentance which is the end of all Ecclesiast Censures Moreover the rest of the faithfull must avoyd all kind of familiar conversation with him be it in eating drinking buying and selling yea in saluting and talking with him so farre as they are not bound unto him in any of the bands of civil right and society I adde this because excommunication unlooseth it not but such as are of the family or affinitic must performe all duties to such a one which such a relation hath made his due the husband to the wife and the wife to the husband the child to the father the servant to the master c. so an excommunicate Magistrate remaineth a Magistrate still and must of all Christians so be acknowledged Beside all lawfull contracts and promises must be kept and performed with him workes of mercie shewed to him if there be just and necessarie cause If the offender afterwards shall see his sin and desire to be taken againe into the communion of the Saints the church is to assent thereto willinglie yet so as the partie make publike repentance according to the proportion of the offence a verball profession of repentance sufficeth not For so the most holy institutions of God are exposed to the mockage of the wicked and the action of the church placed onely in an outward forme Therefore such evidences are required which in the judgement of charitie doe declare true and sincere repentance and which serve as probable witnesses of the thing Be it here speciallie noted that excommunication and the absolution or reconciliation of the excommunicate are actions common to the whole church and not of any private person or persons For howsoever the Elders for the peace profitt and good order of the church are to administer these ordinances yet the whole church must give their consent freely hereto In the Apostles time and after till the yeare 250. every man that was a member of the church had in the church his voyce in Ecclesiastical censures causes and determinations of the church Christ doth not say when there is cause of accusing or Censuring any tell the Bishops but tell the Church and accordinglie in the times of the Apostles and long after as the Epistles of Ciprian doe manifest they were judged by the word in an assemblie of presbyters and brethren as the incestious Corinthian which shews us that neither one man nor the Presbyters alone were judges in such causes but Church which by scriptures either cleared or censured any person accused as by the word of God he appeared either guiltie or not guiltie c. Many reasons are yeelded by the Nonconformists to prove this thing and all objections made against it soundlie answered and the testimonies of the Learned alleaged for it as the reader may see largely in their bookes named in the margent The like they speake touching the admission of any member into the communion of the church that person which is to be joyned ought publikely to com before the face of the congregation and there to be examined of his fayth knowledge c. and beeing found meet by the general consent of the people he is joyfullie received But of this more hereafter Moreover if the Ecclesiasticall officers shall refuse to doe their duety yet may the brethren notwithstanding performe Church actions and the same are to be esteemed good and lawfull To come vnto a conclusion this forme of Church government here described is vnchangeable ordinary best and perpetuall common to all true Churches and to which all states must be subject as well the rulers as they that are ruled yea and the preachers themselves as well as the poore within the Church and good reason for the same is not a thing indifferent as some thinke but a point of the Gospell yea of the substance thereof a matter of faith and of necessitie to salvation I mean in such an absolute degree of necessitie as is of any ordinarie outward meanes especially to every church and by consequence to every soule in it And therefore as no common wealth can florish or long endure without good lawes and sharpe execution of the same so neither can the church
stand under that which was taken wholy from the Pope yet it may be he thought that he had said enough hereof in the Addition of his first booke pag. 26. where he repeates certaine words which had beene before printed in his reply to D. Morton If Gaius saith he had made a separation from the Church wherein Diotrephes lived whether the Apostle Iohn had been the cause of that scandall because he condemned his abuse of excommunication This speach saith D. Burgesse is the weakest pretence that could be devised and truly so it is and therefore I marvaile seeing he was tould so much that he had not either said somethinge for his owne defence or blotted it out that so the weakenesse and impertinēcy of it might never have been seen Could not D. Ames perceive any difference betweene the abuses there noted by Iohn in Diotrephes and those which are mentioned by the Nonconformists against the Church of England we doe not read that Diotrephes is said to be an vnlawfull and Antichristian minister that he had brought into the Church a devised worship had sett up a false Government yet such are the faults which the Nonconformists have found out in the Church of England I wonder therefore that the Doctor should so much overshoot himself For though we doe not thinke that it was lawfull either for Gaius or any other member of that Church to separate because Diotrephes playd the Diocesan but they were to stay and seeke his reformation notwithstanding we thinke yea and doe know of a certainty that from a church where the ministerie worship and government is vnlawfull and Antichristian we may warrantablie depart and such is our Separation by the Nonconformists Principles Thus Reader thou hast heard the most and all which Dr. Ames hath said to maintaine the reputation of their grounds charged with Separatisme now if thou considerest how effectually he hath refuted the Rejoinder in the matter of Ceremonies but contrary wise about this point of Separation how he speaks either nothing or nothing to any purpose thou mayst well perceive that in the former he had the truth with him but not in the other although it seemes he was unwilling in plaine termes to give the case away CHAP. IV. THat the ministerie worship and church government of England is not lawfullie to be joyned with we have evidentlie allreadie proved by their owne Principles In this Chapter we will speake of their Church observing still the former order that is 1. I will shewe their Tenets touching a true visible Church 2. How farre their English Church by their owne testimonie differs from and is contrary to it 3. I will lay downe our inferences and conclusions 4. Answer to such Objections as may seeme to carie most weight against them To let passe the strict significatiō of the word church and also the sundry acceptations of it concerning true visible churches the Nonconformists say that there are none but particular ordinarie congregations such Churches and such onlie they affirme God erected but as for Nationall Provinciall Diocesan they are now of human institution altogether unjustifiable by the scriptures The author institutor and framer of every true visible Church is only Christ for he alone hath the disposing of the word vouchsafing it to some and denying it to others and it is his spirit which converteth mens soules and begetteth them to everlasting life and so they become stones for this building For the persons whereof the same are constituted they ought to be a Faithfull People called and separated from the world and the false worship and the wayes thereof Such I say as keepe the Commaundements of God and the faith of Iesus for how else should the Church be the House Mountaine and Temple of the eternal God his Vinyard Kingdom Heritage and enclosed Garden the body of Christ his spcuse love sister Queene a chosen generation a holy nation a peculiar people and the joy of the whole Earth Howsoever therefore there may be Hypocrites which beare the face of godlie men in the church whose wickednesse is onelie knowne to God and so cannot be discovered by men yet in the churches of Christ there ought to be admitted no drunkard no whoremonger c. at least which are knowne because the temple of God must be kept as neere as it is possible free and clean from all pollutions and prophanations whatsoever The meanes whereby men are made fitte for this Church of God is by the word when they have well proffited by hearing the same they are then freely and of their owne accord to present themselves to the Lord that is either to joyne themselves to some true Church already constituted or by voluntary profession of faith and obedience of Christ to knit themselues together in a spirituall outward societie or body politick Now everie true particular congregation assembled lawfully in the name of Christ is an independent body and hath by Christs ordinaunce power to performe all publick worship for unto it appertaineth the covenant the worship the sacraments and all ecclesiasticall discipline having also the promises of peace love glory and salvation and of the presence of God and his continuall protection and for this cause it is the dutie of everie faithfull christian to make himselfe actually a member thereof 1 In respect of Gods institution Matth. 18. 17. in which not onely the precept is contained but a certaine necessitie of the meanes 2. In respect of the presence of God of Christ For if we wil com to God we ought then to com to that place where his presence is in a speciall manner where he is to be found of all such as secke him with the whole heart 3. In respect of Gods glorie the which by this meanes is publikely propagated and advanced For as the name of God in the old Testament was placed in Ierusalem so now it is in the Churches of the Saints although not in this or that place 4. In respect of Gods covenant and promise for those which are in the Church are directlie as it were joyned to his blessings the which are there powred forth abundantlie upon them 5. In respect of our profession for otherwise it cannot be but those evidences will be darkened whereby the faithfull are discerned from unbeleevers 6. In respect of mutuall edification which necessarily followes upon our joyning together in the fellowship of the Gospell Touching the manner and order of this joyning unto true visible Churches the Nonconformists doe describe it thus He which is to be received first is to goe to the Elders of the Church to be well informed and instructed by them and to have his cause by them propounded to the congregation afterwards he is to come himselfe into the publike assemblie all men looking upon him with love and joy as upon one that commeth to be maryed and there he is to make a profession of Faith and to be
strictest professors do hold the Church of England as it is Nationall Provinciall and Diocessan false howbeit they thinke some particular congregations in the Land to bee true 5. With such weapons as these doe the Papists fight and where they can bring one the others ten to witnesse for them and their Romish superstitions I meane antiquity universality and such like popular reasons whereby they seeke to uphold their cursed Kingdome Lastly it is untruely affirmed that all the Churches of God in the world doe acknowledge the people of England to be a true Church For there are many which have both professed and prooved the contrary Now for his last argument I deny also both parts of it and affirme that neither the mother nor daughters are true Churches the reason which he layeth downe is as the rest sillie and most impertinent to proove the thing for which he brings it The summe and effect of that which hee hath written in five or sixe pages is this that their worship and religion is true because in Q. Maries dayes divers Martyrs professed the same and died in it Answ 1. Here the thing in question is brought for confirmation the Martyrs allowed of their worship be it so what then should hee not yet have prooved the same to be lawfull Yes doubtlesse if hee would have written either according to rule reason or religion 2. If a Papist should suffer death under Heathen or Turkes because he would not denie Christ â—esus wee think he may in some respect be judged a martyr and yet the Romish worship which he professeth remaine still false and idolatrous 3. I desire the Reader to marke how absurdly he speaketh the thing which he undertakes to proove is that their assemblies are true for this he alleageth the Martyrs now to what purpose I can not tell in the world unlesse he meant that there was such vertue and efficacy in their sufferings as the whole Nation thereby was sanctified and made Churches Lastly this reason is one and the same with that which he brought to confirme the second Syllogisme save that for the more authority of it hee addeth the name of the Mâ—rtyrs the insufficiency whereof I have there shewed and thither doe referre the Reader In the conclusion he saith Answer me this one argument and so I end If Mr. Hooper Mr. Bradford with others knowing the corruptions then in the worship and ministery being the same also with ours now notwithstanding this knowledge and not separating were saved then men at this day notwithstanding their knowledge of the corruptions and not separating because of them may likewise be saved But the first is true therefore the second Ans His former reasons were not more false and foolish than this is wicked and profane for first wherefore serves it but in truth to teach men to cast off all care in seeking Gods glorie by an even walking and to doe so much of his will as is sufficient to bring them to heaven and no more thus he counselleth people to be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God yea to love God for themselves and to serve him for a reward onely but let all persons in all places take heede that they follow not this mans advice for if they resolve to doe no more but what they think will serve their turne to be saved they will surely misse of that and for their self love suffer wrath and vengeance eternally 2 Howsoever Iwill not judge another mans servant yet it is more then he or anie mortall man that can infalliblie tell whether Mr. Bradford Mr. Hooper and others were absolutely saved and therefore hee reasoneth still most childishly to prove his matter by things secret and known to God onely 3 When Luther Calvin and others left the Church of Rome might not anie popish priest have said as much to them If Mr. W. Mr. C. with others knowing the corruptions then in worship c. Now I perceive if Mr. Dayr had been in their place he would not have separated from that Synagogue of Satan and to speake the verie truth he could not do it lawfully upon his own groundes 4. That these men knew some corruptions to be in their worship ministrie I grant it but not in that kinde and degree which the Nonconformists since have manifested for if they had certainly known that these things were unlawfull and antichristian and their Church government taken wholly from the Pope I beleeve they would not have joyned in spirituall communion therewith therfore Mr. Dair shamfully abuseth the reader to say the martyrs saw their corruptions and they are the same which they have now whereas he should have proved that they saw them according to the nature of them and as his fellow brethren have since seene them affirmed them to be for unlesse this can be shewed they differ herein asmuch from the martyrs as if one sinned ignorantly aud another against his knowledge and conscience 5. The saintes are taught of God not to be servants of men but to live by their owne faith to presse forward toward the mark and therefore hee sheweth litle skill in the course of religion to sette downe this or that mans practise for a rule to walke by unlesse he had professed himselfe to be a Familist or perfectist and so would make the world beleeve that none could erre which took such for example whom he prescribed to them 6. I cannot tell for what end be propounded this argument for imagin it should be granted him that the Martyrs knew the corruptions of their Church c. and yet were saved and so are many now in England which understand the same what would hee from hence conclude I thinke there is no man on earth that knowes if there be they might doe well at the next impression of his booke to set it in the margin for to cover what they can the mans empty naked and absurd writing Mr. Dayr having shewed his best skill wit and learning to proove their parish assemblies true Churches in his second booke according to his division hee attempteth to confute the description which Mr. Barrow and the Brownists as he maliciously names Gods people have laid downe of a true visible Church and about this point hee writes more then an hundred and fifty pages all the matter whereof leaving out his Battalogies and impertinenr speeches might well have beene written in sixe leaves of papier But it seemes the man wanted no money and therefore would make it up to his reader in Taile what he could not doe in weight forgetting in the meane time the proverbe a little and good and also what the learned use to say The worth of a writing doth not consist in bulke and belly but in the sinewes veines and arteries which with good blood and spirit may be comprehended in a little body But let us see how he confutes us First he layeth downe our definition of a true
visible Church which is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God and joyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellow ship of the Gospel Before we â—ome to examin the reasons if they may be so termed which he alleageth against this definition I desire the reader to minde it well that we herein do say no more then what in effect is fully acknowledged by the Nonconformists Conformists the Church of England the learned generally and all the reformed Churches upon earth as is to be seene in their books here named Yea Mr. Brad. although no friend of the Separatists yet confesseth the whole as it is here laid downe to be true and good Notwithstanding this man commeth boldly forth against us as if he had been either asleepe all his life time or lived in some unknowne parts of the world and so could not tell what any body had said about this thing And now for his reasons in which he is as confused as is the subject for which he pleadeth notwithstanding such as I finde here and there disorderly written of him I will reduce into some particular heads The maine and chiefe argument wherewith he fighteth against us for saying a true visible Church is a company of people called and separated from the world is because hypocrites and reprobates may beein the Church And to proove this he is very large and tedious for I dare say more then halfe of his booke is spent about it in alleaging for it Scriptures Examples and Reasons But a few words will serve for answer to it in regard he talkes of a thing which neither helpes him nor disadvantageth us for the question betweene them and us hath ever beene about the true and naturall members whereof Gods Church is orderly gathered and planted and not about the decayed and degenerate estate thereof But of this he saith nothing onely reasoneth much to this purpose If a mans body may have sores boyles broken limmes c. then is not the body whole and sound in the definition If in a garden vineyard or orchard after the constitution there grow weeds thornes and thistles then cannot the same in the description be said to bee planted at first of all good herbes vines and trees But the first is true therefore the second Now if such Philosophie be to be laughed at then truely much more is Mr. Dayr Divinitie here to be pittyed for he denieth our definition to wit that a true visible Church in the first collection consisteth of a people called and separated from the world and why because forsooth afterwards some of them may fall into unlawfull and sinfull courses If all our writings should bee read over yet will it not be found that ever we have denied but many hypocrites may be in the true Church yea open and vile transgressours but here lyeth the poynt if any shall affirme that the same may be first gathered of knowne lewd and unconverted men that indeed wee deny utterly and can proove the contrary or if they shall say that obstinate and incorrigible sinners may lawfully be suffered therein this also we affirme to be untrue But if they say that in a true visible Church there may be great evils committed yea and a long time tolerated wee assent unto it Howbeit it is certaine as Dr. Ames saith this forbearance is a grieveus sinne before God If Mr. Dayr therefore had well understood what our negative and affirmative positions are hee might have spared most of his writing For throughout his booke he hath most falsely reported of us by insinuating as if we held all of the visible Church to be saved and that no wickednesse therein can be committed now our words tend onely to shew what a Church is and how every member ought to walke but if in some respects they bee not so yet may the Congregation notwithstanding be true and good Mr. Dayr tells us verie often of the sinnes committed in the Iewish Church so in Corinth Pergamus c. If he were alive I would aske him whether they did well herein If he should say yea then were he a blasphemer if nay then he gave us the whole cause and so might cast his booke into the fyre For the thinge which we affirm is that every member of the church ought to be holy not that they are allwayes so but should be so and it is their great fault they are otherwise And here the reader may observe how greatly he hath mistaken the matter For whereas Mr. Barrow Mr. Ainsw and others doe shew from the scriptures what a true Church is whereof gathered how every member should walke how abuses are to be reformed c. He either through ignorance or mallice or both still inferreth from their writings that they held perfection of Churches that there can be no Hypocrite or reprobate in the Church c. Things groundlesly collected of him Of the same nature are the reports which many of them publish dayly in their Sermons and Bookes namely that the main cause of our Separation is because wicked men are suffered in their church But this is untrue for howsoever as I said before such a tolleration can not be justified yet this is not properly the reason but because their Parishes were at first constituted as now they stand of the members of Antichrist to wit the idolatrous Papists and of all other kind of most notorious sinners as whorems witches atheists swearers usurers cursers scoffers at religion c. This prophane multitude without any profession of faith and repentance were forced and compelled by human authority in the beginning of QElizabeths raigne to be members of their Church and so have continued they and their seed ever since contrary to the expresse word of God and this is so evident and certaine as the Nonconformists acknowledge it most true beside we leave them in respect of their ministery worship and Church government which is also prooved unlawfull and Antichristian by their owne testimony Another exception which he taketh against our description is because we say a people called by the word of God this he denies to be true and affirmes that men may come to be members of the visible Church and not be called by the word and therefore verie unfitly is it placed in the description of a visible Church pag. 62. 63. Ans We need not wonder when a man undertakes to justifie a bad cause that he useth ordinarily vile and profane arguments for it First this which he affirmeth is directly against the Holy Scriptures of God 2. Contrarie to all example in the old and new Testament 3. Wholy against the doctrine of his brethren and fellow Preists and the learned everie where c 4. The Scriptures which he names are both untruly and unadvisedly applyed of him for first touching that in Exod. 12. 38. Howsoever many Egyptians
idolatrous worship and divellish discipline to be performed and executed in all their congregations In page 46. he sayth that the Prelates may well laugh at Mr. Iohnsons simplicity and sillinesse of wit that thinkes to fright them with such a bugbeare as this c. But may they not much more laugh at the writings which his brethren have published against their Canons service-booke calling the former slavish Ordinances lawlesse perilous Popish wicked damnable Canons shamefull idolls c. the later a devised service the Masse in English c. But what of all this if they will beleeve Mr. Bradsh they need not be frighted with such bugbeares as these For if it should be granted as it is only for reasoning sake that he will doe this that some thinges are in the Canons and booke aforesaid which were never ordained by Christ yet the main principal and essencial administrations which he commaundeth are contayned in them Now how much better had it beene if this mishappen thing had had its mothers womb for the grave or beeing brought out had been ever kept in some hole or darke place where it should never have seen any light nor any mans eyes should ever have looked upon it then to serve in this sort which it doth namelie to strengthen the handes of the wicked greive the hearts of the righteous to discover their owne vile halting double dealing Ans 1. Are the Princes of the earth bound by Gods Lawes to mainetaine the ordinary ministery of your assemblies then have you from time to time shamefully mocked and abused them in craving so earnestly for their aide to have this same quite rooted out and abolished and a right established in the roome and place thereof 2. The Dumb dogs Caterpillers and idle bellies never had a better Proctor then this man to plead for their unlawfull standing For he saith the Magistrate is bound to protect their ministery But how can we beleeve him seeing the Nonconformists teach otherwise and lay downe unanswerable arguments for the same but as for him he gives none at all If any should say He meanes not the bare Readers I answer He makes no distinction nor exception but speakes generally and indefinitely of the ordinary ministery of their Church assemblies Beside the office and calling of these is for nature and kinde the very same which the rest of them have received 3. I doe not so much admire that he makes here some question whether there be any corruption in and about their ministery And that pag. 13. he thinkes needlesse to spend any time in justifying their Canons as I wonder he had not downe right affirmed that there are no faults at all in either of them For any one may see by his worke that he meant not now to tie his conscience short but would make a little bould with it for the present and so he might fetch over a sure blow upon us he cared not though with every stroke he made wounds through the sides of his brethren 4. Seeing he confesseth the idolatrous ministerie of Antichrist is to be abolished It must needs follow then that these scriptures alleaged by Mr. Iohns are neither abused nor prophaned For such is theirs 1. Because their enterance into the ministery is by a Popish and vnlawfull vocation 2. The service which they are enjoyned to doe is idolatrous and Antichristian 3. The manner of performing it is also unlawfull For they are to weare surplusses signe children in Baptisme with the signe of the Crosse kneel in the act of receaving the bread and wine in the Lords supper c. the which things are very idols 4. Touching preaching it is no essencial part of their ministerie For those which neither doe it nor can are yet by their Law as true and Lawfull Ministers as any other among them And all this many Nonconformists of greater note and zeale then ever Mr. Bradsh was have by reason soundly manifested and therefore he hath here shewed the more pride and ignorance thus still to oppose them haveing nothing wherewith to refute their effectual arguments But to use his own phrase a vomit of his coleworts not twise but twise twenty times sodden that is bold I sayes Doth he speake in earnest that the Prelacie in and of it self may stand well enough with the Offices of the Apostles Evangelists Pastors c. Truely I cannot think so and therefore if I should have seene such a passage in their writing against the bb I would have admired at it but seeing it is put forth onelie against the Separatists tush why may it not passe though it be as contrarie to their saying otherwhere as light to darkenesse The author of the Preface before the Fresh suit against humaine Ceremonies saith he cannot abide dawbing Now I professe in all good conscience I never saw to my remembrance such dawbing in any Conformist and to say truth it is a great deale worse And for proofe hereof observe what they write in their writings against the Prelacie The Hierarchicall government cannot consist in a nation with soundnesse of doctrine sincerity of Gods worship holinesse of life the glorious power of Christs government nor with the prosperity and safety of the commonwealth Another saith Not Paul himselfe if he were liveing should be permitted to continue his function if he would not conforme as we are verily perswaded he would not Mr. Vdal Mr. Cartwright Mr. Banes Mr. Bates and many others of them have spoken to the same effect and suffered for this banishment spoyling of their goods yea some of them losse of life See also before in pag. 34 35. 138. It is reported of a certain Thratian by name Leicurgus how imagining that he was hewing downe a vine with his hatchet slew his owne sonne and maymed himselfe Much to this purpose is Mr Bradsh worke for thinking to refute us he quite overthrowes his brethrens cause and his owne too And whether this be not unreasonable let the judicious judge If Dr. Ames had not boasted of this mans booke I would not have touched it because I knew the bowels of it could possible not be opened but it would cause an ill savour to some in regard it containeth most vile and uncleane matter but seeing they are neither affraid to publish such stuffe to the world nor ashamed afterward to glory of it they must give us leave to returne it home to them againe howbeit to their losse discredit too Answ 1 Touching the corrupt shifts which he useth to justifie civil offices in Ecclefiastical persons I will not speak much of it but doe desire the reader to take knowledge that the Nonconform affirme the thing to be utterly unlawfull and give sundry good reasons for it 2. Whereas he saith the same authoritie that permits their ministers to be civill Magistrats doth permit them to be drunkards c. And by the same Law that
comfort and pleasure of so heavenly blessed a husband Answ 1. Though it should be granted that in a true constituted Church some matters incerely Ecclesiastical may be imposed through humane srailty yet this helpeth their cause nothing at all in regard that a false worship an Antichristian Hierarchy or Church Government and unlawfull ministery therefrom derived is imposed upon and by the people slavishly submitted unto 2. Though every humane Ordinance be not of that nature as to make that Church and Ministery false where it is vsed yet some are or else there are no false Churches and Ministers in the world and such humane Ordinances there be many in their Parish Assemblies as from their owne Principles we have shewed 3. Though it were generally granted of all that thoses Churches and Ministeries are to be communicated with all that have some thing in or appertaining to the constitution thereof not instituted by Christ yet it will not thence follow that we may with such as in their constitution were wholy false but such are theirs 4. Grant this that all are not false Churches which doe not or by the Laws of man are not suffered to vse their power Notwithstanding such congregations as doe altogether want this power and stand under that which was taken every part from the Devill Antichrist are certainly false and so not to be communicated with all And this is their present state if they speake truely themselves 5. Admitt that those may be true Pastors who are outwardly by mans Lawes subjected to a superiour Ecclesiastical Officer Yet can it not hence be concluded that their ministers are true seeing neither their Offices calling administrations c. are agreable to the word of God 6. If the Offices of Provincial and Diocesan Bishops be contrarie to the Scripture then necessarily that ministery which is derived from it must be so also And this conclusion the Papists have drawne from the writings of the Conformists If our English Prelates be no true Bishops then surely neither be the Preists or Ministers or Deacons that be ordained by them and so consequently the congregation of England is not the true Church of Christ. Here we have againe much rude scoffing and such crowing to use his owne termes as if he were some cock of the game that hath picked out the eyes and broken the neckes of all that have beene set against him The proposition sayth he is false the Assumption is false the consequence is false But for proofe a man may finde assoon a needle in a bottle of hay as any for the things which he boldly denyeth Moreover the points in controversy which are of greatest weight moment he either puts quite off by a fine trick they need no answer or else answereth to them besides the matter For an instance to this purpose writeth Mr. Iohnson Every true visible Church of Christ or ordinary Assemblie of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it selfe immediately vnder Christ to elect and ordaine deprive and depose their ministers and to execute all other Ecclesiastical Censures But none of the Parish Assemblies of England have such power Therefore they are not true visible Churches of Christ. Both parts of this reason he proves from their owne writings now marke his reply to it All are not false Churches which doe not vse this power c. And is not this thinke ye wittily answered We say from their Principles that a true Church cannot be without power But their Churches are wholy without it For answere he tels us a true Church mâ—y want the vse of it We say so too But doth it follow because a man in a sound hath not the use for the time of that life which is in him therfore one may be quite without life yet not dead To this effect he reasoneth or else as Paul sayth of som he understood not what he said nor wherof he affirmed but spake evil of the things which he knew not Mr. Bradsh having used all the witt and skill he had to refute the former Reasons in these pag. in a mocking contradiction of Mr. Iohnson he undertakes to prove that the publick ministery of the Church Assemblies of England is true and lawfull I have neither time nor mind to follow him in his vagaries idle repetitions but will set downe in few wordes the summe of his long talke and give answer to it breifly First thus he sayth To have such gifts as Christ ascended to heaven for the worke of his ministery to be outwardly called to that worke by such a Church as professeth the fundamentall points of the Gospell to instruct the people committed to their charge in the Doctrine of the Law and Gospell to administer vnto them the holy Sacraments of Christ and to be their moâ—th in prayer vnto God are all the things essencial appertaining to the office of true Pastors and Teachers Such is the ministery of our assemblies Howsoever I will not contend much with him about the Proposition which is lame to the ground and a farre better might have beene framed breifly thus To have such an office as Christ in his Testament hath given to his Church a lawfull calling and enterance therevnto and a lawfull administration thereof according to the said Testament are all the essencial c. The Assumption is false 1. Their ministers have not the gifts whereof he speaketh and so we have manifested from their owne writings 2. I doe denie that their Bb. of whome they take their ministery are a Church in any sence saving the malignant and therefore if all the rest were granted yet hence would his whole argument like the unwise mans house fall to the ground 3. Though they instruct the people in some Doctrines of the Law and Gospell as doe Papists all other Hereticks notwithstanding the reading of the Servicebooke in forme and manner the celebrating of marriage Churching of women burying of the dead conformity and subscription are more essencial to their ministery more necessarily required by the Lawes of their Church then preaching either of the Law and Gospell is And so much Mr. Bradsh elsewhere affirmeth Those that yeeld to Ceremonies need not preach at all in their Churches except they will no nor doe any other part of divine service if they will maintaine a Curate that will keepe the Ceremonial Law and fairely read or singe the Kinges Service as they call it 4. For the Sacraments they are as they say wickedly mingled and prophaned and wickedly administred Besides if we will beleeve Mr. Bradsh when he speakes out against the Hierarchy they have divers Sacraments which are not of divine institution administred in their Churches viz. the Crosse Ring in marriage Surplesse c. 5. The prayers which they are to make unto God must of absolute necessitie without partiall dispensation or manifest violation of their oath to the Bishops
our changing come ISA. 48. 18 19 20. O that thou haddest hearkened to my commaundements then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea Thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Goe ye forth of Babilon flee ye from the Câ—ldeans c. FINIS A TABLE Of the principall things contained in this Treatise A. ADministrations performed according to the booke of Common prayer and Canons unlawfull pag. 219. Administrations in themselves good may be done by false ministers pag. 236. Apocripha unlawfull to be read in the Church and reasons thereof pag. 108 109. Dr. Ames writing for their ministery answered pag. 55. 56 c. and for their worship p. 113 114 115. and about their Church Government p. 162. 163. Archbishops see Bishops B. Baptisme in the church of England unlawfully administred p. 104. Benefices how they are obtained by the ministers of the Church of England p. 17 18 19 20 c. Bels as they are used in their Assemblies unlawfull p. 112. The English Service-booke taken out of the vile Massebooke p. 78 79. The wickednesse of the Bishops described p. 31 32 33. Their offices false and Antichristian and reasons for the same p. 33. 34. 35. They cannot give a true ministery p. 37. Their booke of ordination taken out of the Popes Pontifical p. 12 The manner of burialls in EnglaÌ„d unlawful p. 102 Mr. Bradsh his scoffing p. 212. 227. 235. 240. Vncharitablenesse p. 212. Absurdnesse p. 215. 216. 240. 250. Ignorance p. 236. Contradictions p. 221. 232. 234 Dr. Burgesse Protestation to become a Separatist if he did beleeve the Nonconformists Principles p. 2. 113 C. No man may administer in the Church without a lawfull calling p. 8. 9 The calling of their Ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb. calling p. 55. 56 Ceremonies condemned and why p. 92. 93. 94 They are the least evills of many in their Churches p. 116. 117 Canon Law unlawfull and reasons for it p. 139. No person by their Canons may speake against the abuses of their church p. 246. 247 No true visible church but a particular ordinary congregation p. 164 To the right constitution of a true visible Church it is of necessitie that all the members be holy and good p. 165. 174. 176 177. 178. 185. 193. 242 Churches of England false and reasons thereof p. 149. 169. 179. 180. Civil offices in Ecclesiastical persons unlawful p. 242 All their spiritual Courts in Eng. unlawfull p. 141 No man ought to appeare at them reasons for it p. 148. The manner of their proceedings in these Courts p. 145. 146 The Commissaries Court described p. 141. 142 The high Commission like the Spanish Inquisition The Convocation-house described p. 143. 144 Church wardens Office unlawfull reasons for it p. 138 Conversion no signe of a true ministery p. 66 Their Collectes in their Assemblies Idolatrous p. 107 Confirmation of Children unlawfull and reasons for it p. 100. 101 Crosse in Baptisme unlawfull and reasons for it p. 95. 96 Excommunication and the absolution of the person are actions common to the whole Church p. 134 Churching of women see women D. There ought to be Deacons in every true church reasons thereof p. 4. 5. Their Office consisteth only in receiving and distributing the benevolence of the Church and arguments for it Idem The Deaconrie of their Church Assemblies is an unlawfull office p. 48 The office of a Doctor is distinct from that of a Pastor and reasons for it p. 4 Mr. Dayrels description of a visible church refuted p. 182. 183. The reasons which he layes downe to prove their Parish Assemblies true Churches answered p. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189 c. Discipline see Government E. The Election of every Ecclesiast Officer must be by the free choyse of the whole Church where he is to administer p. 7. 8 The Ministers of the Church of England are not Elected according to Gods word p. 12 Obstinate sinners must be excommunicated p. 131. Reasons for it p. 132. How the Church is to walke towards such p. 133. And when and how to receive them againe p. 134 70. Grosse Errours practised in the Church of England p. 243. 244 Examples proveing the unlawfulnesse of communicating in a false worship p. 84. 85 c. F. The Court of Faculties described p. 141 Their Fasts are Popish p. 106 So is the Font. p. 104 G. A certaine forme of Church Government is prescribed by Christ reasons for it p. 128. 129. The same is unchangeable ordinary and common to all Churches p. 135. A matter of fayth and necessary to salvation p. 136 It cannot be a true Church which wants it p. 149 This Government must be set up and practised though the civil Magistrate allow not thereof pag. 15â— and reasons for it p. 156. 157. 158 c. The Church Government in England taken wholy and every part from the Pope page 138. 147 Men cannot submitt to it without breaking the Law of the Land pag. 148. 149 Governours or Ruling Elders ought to be in every true Church page 4 Godfathers in Baptisme Popish p. 104 The manner of reading the Gospells and Epistles condemned pag. 107 Gifts make not ministers pag. 65 H. Homilies unlawfull to be read in the Church Reasons for it p. 109. 110. The observation of holy dayes superstitious p. 106 107 The Hierarchie impaires the authority of the civil Magistrate pag. 227 I. What Ieroboams Preists could have said for their Religion page 85. 86 c. Such as maintaine ill causes upbraid others with ignorance page 211 K. The example of the Kings of Iudah vainely alleaged to justify King Edwards Queen Elizabeths compelling of their subjects to be members of the Church p. 201. 202 Kneeling in the act of receiving of the Lords Supper an idolatrous gesture reasons why unlawfull p. 97 The sitter is accessary to the sinne of the kneeler p. 252. 253 King Iames his saying of the Puritans p. 205 L. The ministery of Lecturers in the Assemblies of England new and strang from the scriptures and reasons thereof p. 49. 50 c. Dr. Laiton answered and his principles proved tolead unto separation p. 151. 153. 154 Such as take any Ecclesiastical Office from the Bb. transgresse against the Law of Realme p. 71. 72 Letanie no better then blasphemie and conjuration p. 107 The Learned against communicating in a false ministery p. 27. 28. 29. and false worship p. 90. 91 M. The manner of marrying in England unlawfull p. 101 Members are to be taken into the church by making publick profession of faith and repentance p. 135. 167 Every man that is a member ought to have his voice in the Ecclesiastical causes of the Church p. 134 Reasons why men should make themselves members of true visible Churches p. 166 What makes members of the Church of England p. 169.
constitution there followes not the like effect It is even so in the cause of the soule such as vnfeynedly desire to know the truth and have a conscionable resolution towalke in it doe receive much profitt by the fruitfull counsell which is given them either by word or writing But on the contrary Those which seeke the truth with no better affection than Pilate did neither purpose to obey the same more then did the dissembling Hypocrites in Ieremie Certainly good advise given to them is but as Pearles cast before swine and dogs therefore my desire is that the former sort may be viewers only of these lines and to them I say in the words of the Apostle consider what I say and the Lord give understanding in all things The following Principles touching a true Church Ministery Worship and Government as also hew quite contrary hereto the English is are not taken out of our writings but from the Nonconformists yea even from the cheifest of them which for learning Zeale judgement holinesse of life c. have ever held that cause Moreover they are not barely affirmed but sufficiently confirmed and therefore it standeth every one vpon to take them the more to heart for else not one but many of themselves even Prophets of their owne will condemne them I know the devill vseth many meanes to keepe people in cursed ignorance and among other one specially is by disswading them from hearing such persons and reading such books which might shew vnto them their evil sin and this he doth vnder a pretence of doeing good vnto them Oh! saith he you must beware of false Prophets and not hearken to that counsel which causeth to erre avoyd the companie of all deceivers and not once looke into their books c. Now by such Syren songs the crafty Serpent keepes them fast asleepe till he have brought the poore soule into the pitt of endlesse perdition We would thinke that man to be sencelesse who taking his enimies counsel would shutt all his doores windowes in hope to get the more light into his house thereby The devil dayly makes many thousand worse fooles in the world in causing them to shutt close their eyes against the saving light of the Gospell in exspectation that their soules by this meanes shal be filled with the more wisedom and spiritual vnderstanding It is not my meaning that any one should beleeve things suddenly rashly but I would have him as Salomons counsell is to looke wel to his going and as we take gould by weight Corne Cloth c. by measure so to receive the doctrines of every man by due examination And this is onely the thing which I doe request of thee good reader whosoever thou art be thou but pleased to put the Principles inferences here written vpon their proof to hold that only fast which after good triall by the scriptures thou findest to be good and it is sufficient and I have my desire of thee to the full One thing more I desire others to take notice of namely That I judge not my self bound so much to justifie their Principles as our Inferences from them Jf therefore any shall deny them to be true my purpose is to give place to such whome it more nearly concerneth to write in the defence thereof But if any shall oppose vs in the Conclusions I would have them leaving all by matters to follow the truth in love without gall and bitternesse that so things may come to a happy and speedy issue It is wel said of a Heathen man the oftner truth commeth to hand the more the l ght therof appeareth I hope this wil be verified in the point now in controversie for howsoever I doubt not but we have said here enough to justifie the matter undertaken notwithstanding much more I could have alleged from their writings concerning these things but for the present I content my self herewith till there be a further just and necessarie occasion given thereof I. CANNE A MANVDVCTION To the following TREATISE HOwbeit not any religion should be judged the lesse true because few embrace it neither the sooner to be followed for the generall good liking and approbation which it hath among men notwithstanding having now so just and necessarie an occasion to vrge men to practise what they professe I shall indeavour by the grace of God clearely to prove that this our Waye is of the Apostolique primitive institution even frō their Tenets which walk contrary to it Among other crimes charged upon Nonconformists as they are called by the Prelates and their Favorites one chiefely is that their Principles layd downe against the churches of England doe lead vnto separation and therefore if they were true to their owne grounds they should not communicate in the church assemblyes of England Many of the Bishops parasites heretofore have thus accused them and of late one Doct. Burgesse most confidently maintaines the same against them The which by Doct. Ames is vtterly denyed Now which of these two Doctors in this thing have the truth J hope it shall evidently be declared in this treatise following CHAPT 1. DOctor Burgesse having read and sereouslie as it seemes examined the nature true consequence of the many particular arguments published to the world by the Nonconformists against the great abuses in the ministerie worship and Church government of England Affirmed in his Rejoinder to D. Morton that the same are the maine grounds of separation and for his part if he beleeved them to be true he would in all good conscience he protesteth proclaime separation from idolatrous worship and worshippers before he slept and not halt as these men by their owne positions doe betwixt idolatrie and religion Doctor Ames in his new booke intituled a fresh suit against Ceremonies denyeth that any such thing can be necessarilie concluded from their principles but I will here shew by evident and sound reasons that the former assertion is true and certaine and all the arguments brought by the other to the contrary are of no weight or force to make good his deniall thereof And because I much desire that the reader may well understand our points in dispute I shall therefore if God will write in order of them And first I will begin with their ministerie and touching it will lay downe 4 things 1. How the Nonconformists doe describe a true ministery 2. How far that of England by their owne confession differs from and is contrary to it 3. I will shew what inferences and conclusions doe necessarily follow upon it 4. Answer the reasons brought by Doct. Ames in defence of their ministerie NOt to speake of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists which were extraordinary ministeries and therfore as themselves say are now wholy ceased The ordinarie Offices perpetually belonging to all true churches are onely these five 1. a Pastor or Bishop which is the highest ordinarie Ecolesiasticall Officer in
any true constituted visible church of Christ and they are all equal by Gods institution and are forbidden to exercise authoritie one over another or exspect any such title as may import it or affect preeminence His giftes properties and conditions in doctrine and manners are distinctly set downe in scripture He must be apt to teach exhort no yoÌ„g scholler able to devide the word aright Have a continuall care to watch over the soules of those for whom he must give an accompt Discerne their diseases and apply the word according to every disease and every time and occurrant Briefly he must love cherish defend his sheepe froÌ„ ravenous beasts feed them in greene and wholesome pastures of the word pray for them and seale up to them the promises of God by the Sacraments Secondly the Lord hath ordained that there should be in every congregation Doctors which is an Office they say different from that of the Pastor the reasons which they give are these 1. Because the Apostle doth so distinguish them one from another Rom. 12 7 8. Ephes 4. 11. 2. Their giftes appeare to be divers 1 Cor. 12. 8. 3. The Pastor is commaunded to take one course in teaching the Doctor another Rom. 12 7 8. 4. This distinguishing of them makes more for the building of the church then to unite and makechem one His office is to deliver sound and wholesome doctrine convince the gainesayers preserve knowledge and build vpon the rock which is Christ Iesus gold silver and precious stones c. The third Officers as they name them from the scriptures are Governors or ruling Elders who are to look to the manners of the people and to be assistant to the minister in Government This Office was established by the Apostles in all churches Act. 14. 23. and it serves to helpe forwarde the building thereof 1 Cor. 12 28. and without it the body can not be intyre Rom. 12 4 8. To justify this office many scriptures reasons testimonies taken from the learned are alleged by them Ignat. ad Trall Tertull. de Baptist. Ierom. cont lucrf Ambr upon 1 Tim. 5. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Bucer de reg Chr. l. 1. Pet. Mar. vpon Rom. 12. Cal. instit l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 8. These must be men of wisedome knowledge and sound iudgment sober gentle modest loving temperate c. Able to discerne and all wayes vigilant for the quietnes wellfare peace purity and good order of the Church Fourthly there ought to be in every congregation certaine deacons endued with those qualities whiâ—â— the word of God describeth That is they must 〈◊〉 men of good report indued also with the Holy Ghoâ—â— grave temperate not covetous c. To prove this office these Scriptures are alleged Act. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 6. Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 12 28. Phil. 1. 1 And also these reasons for it 1. the Lord takes care both for the bodies and soules of men and therefore instituteth such offices peculiarly serving for that purpose 2. That the faythfull may be the more free from feare and follow their owne callings diligently 3. That the Church may be the more inriched with heavenly and spirituall blessings for she receives grace and gifts for the discharge of each calling 4. That men may be stirred vp to help the poore the more willingly considering that the Lord hath appointed a speciall office for that purpose 5. That their should be no complaints but that all the poore might be comforted against their poverty and wants Their office onely consisteth in receiving the liberality of the saints and distributing the same vnto the necessity of the poore and howsoever the English booke of ordering Preists c. Makes this a degree of the ministery yet the Nonconformists professe that that practice is naught and vnlawfull and the deacons office is not to medle with the word and sacraments but onely to collect the benevolence of the faithfull and faithfully to distribute the same and to prove this they render these reasons 1. By the Apostles institution these were onely to attend vpon the provision for the poore Act. 6. 4. The Scripture maketh it an ordinary distinct office 〈◊〉 others in the Church and not to be mingled with any other Rom. 12. 8. 3. No man can in any tollerable measure discharge the office of a minister and deacon also Act. 6. 2. 4. The ministeries of the word be perfect without it They have also to prove this thing the learned generally on their side Concill constant cap. 16. Chrisost vpon Act. 6. Bulling decad 5. ser 2. Buc. de reg Christ. 14. Pet. Mar. Rom. 12. Cal. inst l. 4. cap. 3. sect 9. Beza confess cap. 5. sect 23. Sixtly widowes or deaconesses whose proper office is to looke to the weake impotent and poore strangers and specially to helpe such who in their sicknesses have neither friends nor kins folkes to administer vnto them This office is proved of them by these Scriptures 1. Tim. 5. Rom. 12. 8. Rom. 16. The grounds or reasons which they bring for it are these 1. Wisedom to imploy such as being to receive maintainance from the church are fit for nothing but this and fittest for this 2. That none may lack any thing for their good and preservation 3. That men may be the rather incouraged to goe about the churches businesses having such to attend them These are the necessarie and onely ordinarie functions and offices which our saviour hath ordained in his church vnto the due administration whereof he hath promised his blessing to the end of the world and these are perpetuall and to continue for ever and beside these it is vnlawfull for men following the devises of their owne braine to institute and ordaine any in the Churches of God Now the election and ordination of these officers must as they say necessarily 〈◊〉 made by the free choyse of the congregation wherein they are to administer The Elders going before the rest are to manifest either by some outward token or else by their silence their allowance if they like of the action or gainesaying if they judge it not just and vpright Yea not onely may they gainesay it But if there be just cause of dislike make it altogether voyd and of none effect vntill at the last a meet one be chosen by the authority and voyces of the Elders and allowed of by the generall consent and approbation of the rest of Church And this was the Churches continuall practice in the time of the Apostles and therefore an ordinance of God to be followed for ever Moreover the thing appertaineth vnto all And it is a course most effectuall to bring the people to obedience when they shall see him teach or rule whom they themselves haue chosen Yea this procureth greatest reverence of the people to their officers It is also affirmed that this manner of chusing and making officers
continued so long in the Churches of God as there was any light of the knowledge of him so that indeed it ought to be perpetuall and vnchangeable and may not at any hand either by Church or Magistrate be altered For it is a greater wronge to haue any Ecclesiasticall officers forced upon a people against their will then if they should force vpon men wives or vpon women husbands against their will and liking Here also generall counsels and many old and new writers are brought-in by the Nonconfor to speake for them in this thing Concil Nicene Test Theo. Conc. Const. test tripart hist. l 9. c. 14. Concil Carth. can 1. Con. Toletan test dist 50 Concil Gabil Can. 10. Cyprian l. 1. Ep. 3. Amb. Epist 82. Ierom. ad Ruffin Basil Epist 58. And whosoever condemnes the making of ministers after this sort what doe they else but open their mouths against God and against the truth Defence of admon p. 2. Moreover every officer in the church must be ordained by imposition of hands of the Eldership the whole Church joyning with them in fasting and prayer and without a lawfull calling no one must presume to exercise any spirituall function or ministery nor dare to enter in any other way then by the doore A notable Example for this purpose is rehearsed by Moyses in Numb 16. Whereby it seemeth that the Lord meant to ratifie the Law of a necessity of a true vocation for ever For there we see that neither the heavens could abide to see nor the earth beare so shamelesse boldnesse but the one melting consumed with fyer such as without a calling would take vpon them the presthood and the earth gapeping opened it selfe and swallowed them vp alive which ought to be a lesson to vs for euer that no man presume to pervert or alter that order which God hath established in his Church nor arrogate to himselfe that honor which he hath by no right and lawfull calling obtained c. Moreover none must be ordained vnto any office in the Church vntill there be such a place voyd for him as is meet and fitt for as the Apostles did in planting of Churches so must it be don in the building thereof for ever but they ordained neither Pastor Teacher Eder nor deacon but to some certaine congregation that had present vse and need thereof A roving and vnsettled ministrie therefore is a new and false ministerie meerely instituted by men And never read of to be practised but by idolaters Iudg. 17. 8. Againe great care must be taken before consent be given vnto any calling in the Church that it appeare by sufficient trial and due examination that the person is qualified with those gifts which the word of God requireth in one of that place For else there will follow a manifest breach of Gods commaundement Besides God will not owne his ministery thirdly if he want abilityes he cannot doe the things required of him As to divide the word aright espy the enimy and give warning a forehand to the people how to resist him But contrarywise will lead himselfe and his people into hel fyer The truth is no vnskillfull or vnlearned man may be called to the steering of this helme vnlesse we would have the shipp not onely to be in daunger but willing to runne it vpon the rockes These officers chosen and made as aforesayd ought to execute the office committed vnto them with all faithfull diligence and consequently must be continually resident vpon their charge This later position to wit the necessity of perpetuall residence the vnlawfulnes of Nonresidence is confirmed of them by good reasons 1. A minister is a sheepheard and his charge a flock now a sheepheard hath a flock to feed it continually 2. Wheresoever God placeth a man there is dayly need of his labour and care 3. The people are in daunger of harme if they be not watched over day and night 4. The Church requireth an officers residecy with her as a duty of him 5. If they do otherwise they cannot give their people a good example neither will there be love and familiarity between them c. Breifly they hold it as great an injurie to force a congregation or Church to miantaine as their Pastor with tiths and such like donations that person which either is not able to instruct them or that refuseth in his own person ordinarily to doe it as to force a man to maintaine one for his wife that either is not a woman or that refuseth in her owne person to doe the duties of a wife vnto him And thus much for the first point wherein we and they in iudgement doe accord but our practise as yet is contrary each to other SECTION II. NOw it followes that we truely relate the present state of the English ministery how far it disagreeth by their owne Testimonies in every particular thing from the positions before named touching it in generall they affirme confidently that it is a base ministerie which God never erected in his Church but came wholy from the Pope for say they not onely is the calling of the Hierarchie but also their dependent offices all vnlawfull and Antichristian observe the largnesse of their speach how they comprehend and so consequently here cōdemn all their Ecclesiasticall functions for indeed they take all their originall of one roote namely the Praelarey from it I say they have their ryse and by it onely they administer vnto the people And whosoever shall deny this may with as much reason deny that fyre is hott the sea salt the sunne shines c. But let us heare what reasons they give to prove their ministery false and Antichristian and every way contrary to that true ministery of which we have before spoken First they say that the Church of England Wanteth her Pastors Teachers Deacons and Elders For which cause she hangeth downe her head for heavinesse her eyes be bleared with teares her cheekes be defiled with the water of her eyes her heart is heavy with sorrow her bones are withered with drynesse her whole body is clothed with sackcloth shee lyeth in caves and dens being ashamed to shew her face haveing so deformed and maimed a body If her case and state be so she hath reason enough to greive For to want these true officers and to have counterfeits placed in their stead is one of the heaviest and fearfullest miseries that can possibly befall any people Yet this thing is affirmed by others of them also Of which more hereafter Now concerning elections ordinations In these their church standeth vnder a Romish regiment and hath not left Babylon but partaketh of her sinnes in the choyse of Ministers For neither are their Ministers proved elected called or ordayned according to Gods word But their entrance into the ministery is by a Popish and vnlawfull vocation strange from the scriptures and never
but specially that it be sett on by one that hath authority therevnto So much more it is in the case of the Sacraments for to receive the same in a false ministery is to deny Gods ministery and to give the glory of it there where he hath not given it and to deprive our selves of this comfort that our hearts may say Gods solemne voyce speaketh his solemne hand offereth and giveth which is here the lively stay of our fayth By this it appeareth that the daunger is marvelous great to communicate in a false ministery a man would pull a sore punishment upon his head if he should have a hand to putt by a Princes lawfull officer whether Iudge Mayor Bayliefe c. and sett up a rebel in the roome thereof and come to him for justice He that receives in a false ministery denies Gods ministery sayth the former Author And so puts a traitor in his place and takes the holy things from the handes of a traitor which is a fearfull transgression and surely will procure extreame wrath without true and sound repentance From all that hath beene before spoken we may here frame this Argument None may heare or joyn in spirituall communion with that ministery which hath not a true vocation and calling by election approbation and ordination of that faithfull people where he is to administer But the present ministery of the ecclesiasticall assemblies of England hath not a true vocation and calling by election approbation and ordination of a faithfull people where they administer Therefore none may hear or joyne in spirituall communion with the present ministerie of the Ecclesiasticall assemblies of England Which of the propositions the Nonconformists will deny I know not but sure I am they are both Theirs Howbeit it may be they doe not so well weigh their owne principles as they should And hence it is that their practice is not strictly answereable to their profession and therefore doe give just occasion I speake it with greife unto the Prelates and their Parasites to insinuate against them hypocriticall ends in condemning so greivously the ministery worship government of the English Church and yet to partake in the knowne evills and abuses thereof But for my part I am otherwise minded then the Bishops in this thing and doe thinke that they doe of conscience condemne the state of that Church But doe not maturely consider the responsive conclusions which follow upon their principles For which cause I haue written of purpose this treatise to prove that they cannot justify their Tenets against that Church and stand members lawfully thereof Concerning their ministerie I have shewed before that by their owne confession it is false and so not to be joyned with And if I should here end the point I thinke every indifferent reader would sufficiently be satisfied But because I judge the same to be of importance to justifie a seperation from them and also that their ministers are of sundry sorts degrees therfore I will speake a little more thereof and prove further from their writings that every kind degree of their ministery is false and Antichristian According to the Prelates Canons their ministers are divided into 3. Heads or orders Namely Bishops Preists and deacons The first comprehends the superiour the other two the inferior ministers What the superior are few but know viz. Archbishops and Lordbishops against whose courses and callings whole books have beene written to manifest the same to be evill and vnlawfull I shall onely here breifly lay downe some of their passages touching both referring the reader for more full satisfaction to that which is published at large by them As for their Bishops if they be as the Nonconformists report of them surely they are not fitt for Church or common wealth for they oppose say they with tooth and nayle every thing that is good They have had their hand in all the great evils that hath befallen their Church and state never any good thing prospered that they put their hand too the King state stood never in need but they allwayes deceived thē if oppertunity serve they will make peace with their head he meanes the Pope if it be with the losse of all their heads if they continue their places And hence it is that all the professed enimies of state and Church make vse of them to effect their evill ends as David sayd of Goliahs sword there is none to that fo sayth the Pope Spaniard and Arminian for overturning of a state and making havock of a Church there is none to a Bishop give them that To the same purpose others They are the greatest and most pestilent enimies that the state hath and are likely to be the ruin thereof Take them for better who will they are no other then a remnant of Antichrists brood a viperous generatiō Caterpillers Moaths Canker wormes sonnes of that monstrous Giant the man of sinne men of bloods base fellowes murderous tyrants vsurpers time servers cages of vncleane birds vnnaturall false and bastardly governors Lordly Epicures proud Popish presumtious perfidious Prophane Paltry and pernitious Prelates open enimies to the sincere preaching of the gospell the scepter of Christs Kingdom and the glory of the Land men contented to be bawdes vnto all kind of sinnes and therefore all the professed and notorious Atheists Papists blashemers adulterers drunkards and most infamous persons in the Kingdom are with them they have further with them the counsell of Achitophel the courting of Shebna the roaring and brawling of Goliah the cruell pride and vanity of Hamon the flattery of Amaziah the falshood of Samaiah and the bloody cunning of Doeg these wax worse and worse and growe to a height of iniquity greiving at the encrease of good men and persecute nothing more then holinesse they care not for King country nor their own souls but for a Bishoprick And therefore if they can by flatteries invectives whisperings or other evill courses keepe the King and counsel so ignorant and blind as to be firme on their side they care for no more to be short the best of them in some sort are the worst because they hold vp the reputation of that vnlawfull office and make way for more wicked successours and their traditions Much more then this yea and worse too is sayd of their Bb. but I passe it over as blushing to speake it Only I here thinke of that saying in the Proverbes when the wicked beareth rule the people mourn It was just so with the Israelites when Pharaoh sett cruell tas kemaisters over them And it seemes their case is much like unto it indeed some difference there is for the Egyptian Lords onely beate the Lords people But their Prelates say they imprison and kill them also I should wonder at such horrible injuries committed in any common wealth but that the scripture sayth the Kings of the earth shall give their strenght and power
and Goverment of the Church should by that false power which they assumed have ordained some of the people vnto the Preists office no doubt all the Israelites which feared the Lord would have judged their place and standing vnlawfull and why because they which made them had no commission from God so to doe the case of their ministery is just so And it must needs be vnlawfull seeing it is made by them who like the rebels before named doe vsurpe the Preisthood and Government of the Church and therefore have no more authority to give an Ecclesiasticall function vnto any man then the former had and so much is testifyed by themselves for they say that their Priests and Deacons Bishops and Archbishops are not made according to the word of God And they give reasons that it is not lawfull for any one to be ordained by them And here I must confesse that the conformists keepe much better to their grounds then the other doe for they professe downeright that their ministery is from the Church of Rome so that if the Popish Bishops Preists and deacons be good theirs are good also they beeing from them Now no doubt these men doe wel perceive that their ministery cannot possibly be justified vnlesse it be by this way of dispute in this respect their judgment and practice is one and so far they are to be commended and I verily thinke that if they were sure that their ministery brought into the land by the Prelates from Rome is false and Antichristian as the Nonconformists affirme it to be that many of them would not hereafter ever have any spirituall communion with it Truely it would make a man admire if he should vnderstandly compare together the writings of these two companies touching a church ministery for in their opinions about it they are as contrary each to other as light is to darkenes Christ to Belial righteousnesse to unrighteousnes notwithstanding though so different in judgment yet they will communicate together in one ministery but one of these against knowledge offends surely and let them look well to it for to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sinne that is his fault is so much the more and proportionablie his condemnation shall be without repentance We come now to their inferiour ministers and will begin first with their bare readers these poore creatures the Nonconformists doe call idle idols yea bastardly idols greedy curres dumb dogs slayers of the people wolves ignorant asses silthy swine such as are not worthy to live in a well ordered common wealth foolish sheapheards vnsaverie salt good for nothing but to be cast out to the dunghill cankers of their Church a swarme of caterpillers the trash and riffe-raffe of their nation a wofull crew a ragged regiment which have even covered the Land like the frogs of Aegypt leading many thousands with themselves into the ditch It can hardly be expressed how base and vile these are generally reputed indeed they are held no better then theeues and murderers which live by the ruin and spoyle of the people Somtime ye shall heare them in their pulpits so terribly spoken against that one would thinke they would rather returne vnto their old former occupation of husbandry cobling cooâ—ery c. then ever come againe to their Churches or to read mattens and evening song And touching he Prelates they are esteemed as base and contemptible â—very way for putting such dunsticall and vnlettered â—r. Iohns in their ministery I could relate many instances of their infamous caryages therein but it is not my purpose to rake into their dung The Nonconformists have don it sufficiently in so much as they doe stinke horribly for it in the nostrels of the people But to our purpose If things be so is not the ministery then of such men to be left Yea surely A man that is fallen into the hands of theeves murderers if by any means he can escape with his life from them shall therein be justified by the Law of God of nature and nations now by how much a spirituall life is better then a corporall by so much are they to be commended above the other which come away from these soule slayers and place themselves vnder the ministery of true and lawfull Pastors And for further proofe of what I say I desire the reader to marke well what is sayd first against the calling of these men 2. what against that worke and service which they doe Their calling is sayd to be from the Pope a meere human invention taken vp without any warrant from Gods word and brought into the Church by the boldnesse of men And to prove that these are vnlawfull ministers many reasons are rendered for it 1. Because they want the very life essence and beeing whereby a minister is a minister 2. The common law Provinciall law civill law and statute law pronounce all with one voyce and consent that they have no approbation or allowance no favour or entertainment from them or by their authority c. But beeing found culpable they are by definitive sentencs on the part and behoofe of the law not onely to be adjudged guilty of voluntary intrusion into the right and possession of others but also to be punished for taking vpon them offices without any lawfull calling 3. They can doe nothing which appertaineth to the charge and office of true and faithfull sheepheards and therefore justly called idols For they stand for that and make shew of that which they are not 4. It is a like to have no minister at all as to have an idol in the place of a true minister yea and in some case it is worse for those that be vtterly destitute of ministers will be diligent to search for them But those which have a vaine shadow doe commonly without further care content themselves with the same and so remaine they continually deceived thinking they have a minister when in very deed they have none For we cannot judge him a dispensator of Gods misteries that in no wise can breake the bread of life to the fainting and hungring soules neither thinke we that the sacraments can be rightly administred by him in whose mouth God hath put no sermon of Exhortation 5. God rejecteth them and pronounceth that they shall be no ministers to him Hos 4. 6. The retayning of such is a manifest token of the vengeance of God against all them which do it 7. Their name office is taken only of the Pope that Roman Antichrist never by God erected in his Church Many other reasons they give to prove them to be vnlawfull and false Officers not sent of Christ forall whome he sendeth he furnisheth with gifts no better then Ieâ—oboams Preists And therefore vtterly to be removed if ever such a reformation be minded as God shall be therby glorified and his Church edified If any should object that the Prelates
have layd their hands upon them and therefore they are ministers To this the Nonconformists doe answere that when the Bishop hath laid his hands on them that then they are no more ministers then they were before But there is no need to spend much time to prove these mens ministerie false and vnlawfull seeing none will replie for thē that have any spark of pietie to God or pittie towards his people onely some non-residents that keepe poore vnderlings or greedie Patrons that would have the light of the gospell die or poore ignorant people that would live at their owne wils in all licentiousnesse these happilie would vndertake the plea against Christ but it were better their tongue should cleave to the roofe of their mouth then that they should once dare goe about the overthrow of Christs ministerie And is not this a ground of separation yes verely and if the Nonconformists will stand to it I will hence prove a necessity to separate from all spirituall communion with the greatest number of their parish assemblies and thus I reason A dumb ministerie beeing vnlawfull and false is to be seperated from their ministers for the greatest part are dumb ministers therefore it is lawfull to seperate from the greatest part of their ministers The proposition is manifest and cleare and I dare say they will not deny it For besides the reasons already given it is confidently by them affirmed that a reading ministery cannot deliver the Lords holy seales vnto the people without great sacrilege nor the people receive at the hands of such without dreadfull sinnes and whosoever listeth to read the place he shall see many effectuall arguments laid downe by the author to prove it and this is not the judgment of one alone but others of them affirme it to be an vnlawfull thing to joyne with reading ministers in any ministeriall duty either in praying or administring the sacraments and he gives 10 worthy reasons for it The assumption I prove also by their owne testimony For they say that generally throughout the Land there are six reading Preists to one preacher Yea others of them doe affirme that where the Bb. ordaine one minister that can preach they make twenty that can not so that there are many thousand churches in England without preachers Defenc. Pet. for refor 130. and in some shyres people must goe 14 or 20 miles to heare a Sermon defenc Against Bridg. p. 49. Now I wish them to consider well of thes things to labour what they can for their brethrens deliverance out of these spirituall robbers and murderers hands He that should come to a deepe pitt or wel wherein doe lye many people almost perished if he should see there some of them com forth from the rest would we not judge him an unmercifull and cruell man if he should rather seeke to cast them in againe then to help out the other behind in miserie Such as live under a dumbe ministerie by the Nonconformists confession are in a farre worse case Therefore I hope hereafter they will give no more carnall counsell to perswade those which are escaped to com back into that pitt againe but rather will seeke to draw out the rest as their duty is to doe Secondly for the work which these idle readers doe we shall have a fit place herafter to speak of it Only by the way I thinke good to sett downe heere one of their passages which is that bare reading of the word and single service saying it is bare feeding and rather an English Poperie than a true Christian ministerie yea it is as evill as playing vpon a stage and worse too For players learn their parts without booke but these at least many of them can scarse read within booke how is their service saying as bad as stage playing What and worse too truely then it is bad enough and farre be it from the Lords people to heare it For if they should doe so they would sacrifice vnto the Lord a corrupt thing and so be lyable justly to that curse in Malachi Thus much for their dumb ministerie It followes next that we speak of their parsons vicars parish preists stipendaries and chaplines If you will know say the Nonconformists whence all these came we can easily answere you that they came from the Pope as out of the Trojan horses belly to the destruction of Gods Kingdom It is certaine that their names and office is wholy from that Roman Antichrist never instituted either by Christ or his Apostles For the church of God never knew them neither doth any reformed church in the world know them These are clouds without raine trees without fruit painted sepulchres full of dead bones fatted in all abundance of iniquity Such as seeke not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies Mr. Bale in his exposition upon the Revelation speakes the same that these are the very names of Blasphemie written upon the Beasts head against the Lord and his Christ Their offices are not appointed by the holy Ghost nor yet mentioned in the scriptures Here is enough spoken for the condemnation of their calling and for the justification of seperation from all communion therewith From hence I might frame this argument Whosoever he be that dealeth with the holy thinges of God and worketh vpon the consciences of men by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling him the people of God ought not to receive or joyne themselves vnto But all the parsons vicars Parish Preists stipendaries c. that stand over the church assemblies in England deale with the holy things of God and worke upon mens consciences by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling Therefoee the people of God ought not to receive them or to joyne themselves vnto them The first part of this reason the Nonconformists do yeeld willingly unto as it is to be seen in a Treatise betweene Mr. Fr. Io. and Mr. Hild about the ministerie of England As for the other part I hope they will not now deny it seeing they have published it openly and often to the world yea and many of them suffered greevous persecutions at the hands of the Prelates for affirming it and other truths of this nature But to keepe them to their owne grounds in the assumption I will here lay downe another argument If their parsons vicars parish Preists stipendaries c. Be neither in election nor ordination made ministers agreeablie to Gods word thē is their ministerie false vnlawfull Antichristian and so consequently they deale with the holy things of God c. As is before sayd But neither in their election nor ordination are they made ministers according to Gods word Therefore is their ministery false vnlawful Antichristian c. Both these propositions I will prove true by their owne writings of the first thus they say A due examination of learning and life going before the free consent of the Church whome it
that the Doctors ministers have their calling onely from the people yet what is this to the point betweene him and the rejoinder I may use his owne words truely the answere doth not looke towards the question Now marke all readers that have sence it is affirmed by Doct. Burgesse whereas the Nonconformists say the calling of their Bishops and consequently of the ministers is Antichristian that separation must herevpon necessarily follow How is this answered not at al if the proverbe be true as good never a whit as never the better For D. Ames speakes of a certaine ministerie which the separatist never to this day yet saw in their assemblies neither have they left any such If therefore he would have answered the rejoinders charge indeed he should have proved that those ministers whose calling doth essencially depend vpon the Bishops calling which have I say no other election nor ordination but what they had from them in a word which doe administer to the people only by that power and authority may notwithstanding for for all this warrantably by scripture be judged true ministers be lawfully cōmunicated with in their ministerie yet the Nonconformists grounds published against them all just true good This is the very point indeed for such ministers we have onely left and we know no other If there be let them be manifested to us tell us their names their places And if we finde by scripture their ministerie to be lawfull we will surely have communion with it as occasion serves Till then we purpose by Gods grace to live as we doe and to practise that which the Nonconformists professe to be the order and way which the Lord commaunds all his servants to walke in 4. If the Doctor speake here truth then have the Nonconformists greatly abused the princes and state of England in complayning so often to them against the Bishops and for what thinke you forsooth because the Prelats take away the powr of the people make ministers alone hēce none are either proved called or ordaind according to Gods word c. Now how doe these things agree together Is not this yea and nay It is so indeed But imagin there should be a Parliament againe in England and the Nonconformists should there petition that the calling of their ministers might not essentially depend any more upon the Bs. calling would not the Bb. have matter to persuade both houses not to harken unto them yea to reprove them sharpely for moving this thing seeing they confesse they have it allready But it may be they would say some congregations doe not ordaine their ministers to this the Prelates might reply that is then their fault For they give liberty and power to all alike and that is none at all I am sory they have laid such a snare whereby to undoe themselves But usually this is their course when they have any hope to have the Magistrates helpe for reformation they will truely declare the abuses and corruptions among them to the full afterwards nothing being amended when they are put in mind of their principles that is if such things be true then necessarily must they leave the church of England what doe they but goe quite from them againe as I shall in convenient place prove it clearely And is not that a miserable case which cannot be maintained but by grosse contradiction I may well here use the Doctors owne words Such turning winding and running against walls you shall seldome see an ingenious man to vse in a good case Lastly howsoever Doct. Ames thought to have crossed much the course of the Separatists yet if his words be understandingly weighed he hath justified them and made way to a generall departure from their ministerie For thus I reason None may heare or have any spirituall communion with such a ministery whose calling doth essentially depend vpon the Bishops calling But the calling of the ministers of the church assemblies of England doth essentially depend vpon the Bb. calling Therefore none may heare or have any spirituall communion with the ministerie of the church assemblies of England The proposition by good consequence is the Ds. own and herein he agrees with the rest of the Nonconformists For in opinion they all hold this thing as we have from their writings manifestd And whosoever should deny the assumtion mought with as much reason deny that there is any idolatrie at Rome although it is there both taught and practised therefore I thinke no man will have the forehead to oppose it But have not now the people of the Land good cause to looke about them seeing those who count themselves the only men to refute the Separists are come to that streigth as that they will not justifie it to be Lawfull for to joyne to any ministery in the land but to that which a man should not find among them if he sought all their Churches with candles as the Prophet speaketh I hope Gods elect yet there will take Salomons counsell which is to looke well to their going And thus much for answer to the Doct. reason now next we should speake of Mr. Bradshews booke but because I have been long vpon this chapter and the reply to it will be large I will leave it therefore till last and handle other things in the mean time SECT V. BEfore I end this point I thinke it convenient to answere breifly to a few objections which I have often heard some to make in the defence of their standing Object 1. Compassion towards the people constraineth many preachers to keepe their places For if they should not alas what would the people doe Ans 1. we may not doe any thing against the will and pleasure of God vnder pretence to shew mercy to others But we are bound to doe that which is good and honest by just and lawfull meanes that pitty which Christiās are to shew must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly bowelled that is required of God both for the matter and manner of it 2. God needs no mans lie For he hath power enough to accomplish his owne purposes He may thus say If I be hungry I would not tel thee that is what need I thee or any thing thou canst doe I am Allsufficient 3. The truth is the people are not holpen by this meanes but rather hindered For if they ceased from preaching in their vnlawfull offices the godly generally throughout the land would seeke where Christ feedeth his flock and so their state would be much better then now it is Object 2. Though they will not plead to justify their ministery yet they hope to glorify God by preaching Ans so thought the Leper when he published abroad the matter of his healing but he not beeing called to do it sinned greatly therein therefore it is certaine that men doe then glorifie God when leaving their owne wisedome they doe whatsoever they are commaunded for as M. Perkins saith the
in that vnholy worship which was don vnto him I might here instance Daniels forbearence of the Kings meats because they were defiled by idolatry Thirdly the reasons are these 1. It sheweth that the love and zeale of God is much in vs when our care is to worship onely in his own ordinances and to leave the contrarie 2. Men offer a blind and lame sacrifice when they communicate spiritually in a devised service who would be so foolish to cary trashe and dung for a present vnto a mighty Prince and hope to receive a favor of him what is a false worship but very dung and trashe yea worse too and therefore not acceptable to God 3. So long as men are willworshippers it argues they are vnregenerate and wicked and have not repented of their sinnes for one infallible evidence of true conversion is to see the filthinesse of idolatry and to cast away the same with reproach and disgrace and to goe from it as farre as it is possible 4. To communicate in a false worship causeth pollution to the soule If we would avoyd that which would make the body to be full of scabs and biles and so to be lothsome to mē much more should we detest this great wickednesse which causeth spirituall botches and sores to the soule and so is odious before God 5. By this meanes Gods holy name is Prophaned 6. Christ not suffered to reigne as King over the whole man but rejected 7. Such service is don to the devil 8. The Lord hateth vnspeakeablie all devised worship 9. Wrath and vengeance without repentance will be inflicted upon all the doers therof For society in sinne brings fellowship in punishment 10. In a word let Gods puritie and holinesse be considered and his charge given unto us to be unlike idolaters when we performe publicke service unto him And last of all if we joyne to no false worship but serve God according to his revealed will then is Christ obeyed as our King and Lord the reward wherof will be glory immortall happinesse 4. In this we have the consent of learned men generally Calvin sayth we are bound to seperate from all superstitions which are contrrry as well to the service of God as to the honour of his Sonne And a little after Let vs hold this rule that all the inventions of men which are sett vp to corrupt the simple purity of the word and to overthrow the service which God demaundeth and alloweth they are very sacrileidges wherewith a Christian man may not communicate without blaspheming of God that is to say without treading his honour under foot Pareus to the same purpose sayth that all kinds occasions and instruments of idolatrous service must be avoyded as a most abominable and hurtfull Plague with the mind and body Bullinger upon the Revelation sharply reproves those which will be present at false worship and saith that every ones duty is to fly from the same as farre as it is possible We must forsake saith Museulus the society of all unlawfull and superstitious services and joyne our selves with those that walke directly in the true religion of Christ The like speaketh Piscator Artopeus Bucer Pomeranus Erasmus Cyprian Hieron Augustine Pelican Rivetus To this the Papists assent also For speaking of false services shifted into their Churches in stead of Gods true and only worship they say that all Catholike men if they looke to have any fellowship with Christ and his members in his body and blood c. must absteine from them c. And among other reasons they give this viz. because Christ will acquit himselfe of all such as joyne in communion therewith But I need not to spend time to seeke abroad for witnesses For the Nonconformists doe grant the thing We may not say they have any religious communion or partake in divine worship with idolaters in their false idolatrous worship no not in body be present at idolatrous service but we must absteine from all participation of idolatrie yea from all shew thereof Heathen or Antichristian must separate and com out from among them The like speaketh D. Fulke Brinsley Perkins Cartwright c. and the author of the Post-script to Mr. Perkins Expositiō vpon Iude renders this as a reason of it not to absteine from communicating with them in their idolatrous services c. were no other but to expose and lay our selves open and naked to all manner of daunger of infection of our Soules defection from our God and in the end of all destruction both of body and soule Now from the last two Sections we may frame this argument If the worship of the English Service booke hath no warrant in Gods word but is a devised false and idolatrous worship then is it vnlawfull to be communicated with But the worship of the English Service-booke hath no warrant in Gods word but is a devised false and idolatrous worship Therefore is the worship of the English Service-booke vnlawfull to be communicated with I need not here take D. Laitons compasse to fetch the Bishops Major and the Separatists minor to make vp an entire Syllogisme of separatiō For both parts of this argument are the Nonconformists And I thinke they will stand to the justification therof if not against us yet against the Prelates if occasion serve But if any part be questioned I know it will be the assumption and therefore in the next Section I will further prove the same by more of their owne testimonies SECT IV. HOwsoever by the grounds of the Nonconformists laid downe in the second Section separation must necessarily follow from all communion with them in the worship of their church service book yet to have the point more fully proved I will here shew that every particular part thereof is affirmed of themselves to be idolatrous false Antichristian Touching the booke we may consider two things first the distinct services thereof 2. The ceremonies vsed in and about the same we will speake first of their ceremonies that is of the surplusse crosse and kneeling in the act of receiveing the Lords supper Against these many treatises have bene purposely written I will here onely observe some of their speaches referring the reader to their bookes if he desire more satisfaction Of all these ceremonies thus they say They were inspired by satan invented by man commaunded first to be practised by the Beast and his Bishops Therefore they are Idols of Rome Babilonish rites part of the scarlet woman her inventions Popish fooleries accursed remnants and leaves of the blasphemous Popish Preisthood knowne liveries of Antichrist God never planted them nor his spirit inspired them the holy Apostles never taught nor practised them all sincere professors are offended with them and detest them The defenders of these carnall and beggarly rites are tyranous proud Prelates Romish Champions
But to proceed not onely is the reading of Homilies vtterlie condemned but also it hath bene proved by the Nonconformists that those which the Bishops commaund to be read in their assemblies have in them many things doubtfull and of daungerous construction yea sundrie erronious points of Doctrine and things most evidentlie false and vntrue I have beene more large in the former points then I purposed at the begining I will therefore in the rest be the shorter touching nunc dimittis benedictus and magnificat which they vse to read and sing in their Churches the Nonconformists say it is a Prophaning of the Scriptures palpable folly and vaine pratling Their minister saying one peece of prayer and the people with mingled voyces to say another is Babilonish confusion The Lords prayer also is horribly abused by their often and vaine repetition of it beeing said not lesse then 8 times at some meetings other shreds and short cutts they handle in this manner viz. let vs pray glory be to the fathers c. Lord have mercy c. Christ have mercie and many like which is meere babling and cannot be more justlie defended then the Papists beads Vncovring the head making a leg scraping on the ground such like curtesie whē Iesus is named is counted a superstitious foolish and unlawfull device a mocking of God and a beggarlie signe of obedience no lesse is standing at the Gospell a thing wickedly devised by Anastatius the Pope in the yeare 404. Their good fridayes service is vtterly disliked so the holy weeke before Easter the observation of Gang dayes or rogation weeke is wholy Popish invented by Hillarius the great Antichrist in the yeare 444. Organs and other Church Musicke they call idoll service because it serves not to any edification but drawes the mind to carnall delight besides this was a part of the Levitticall service which is now ceased in Christ and for many hundred yeares after the Apostles musicall instruments were not knowne to the Church till in the yeare 653. the old serpent by Pope Vitalianus brought vp the Organs and to have them goe about the same time that beast with Gregory Gelatius two monsters like himselfe ordained descant foreward and backward plane song and pricksong and thus was the Musick made vp just as the divel would have it Ringing of curfewes vpon Hallowe eves is like the rest yea the bels themselves as they are vsed in their assemblies are put vnto Popish vses He that first ordained them was Sabinian the great Pope in the yeare 603. And much vertue is attributed to them in popery as to stirr vp mens devotion perserve fruites put enimies to flight still tempests drive away all wicked spirits and devils c. I doe omitt to speake of many particular thinges vsed in their Cathedrall dens or Closters partlie because the reader may guesse what there is by that which hath bene said and partlie because the dung trash there is so vile and lothsome as I am not willing to blot paper therewith But there is one thing which I had almost forgotten viz their visitation of the sicke Not that it is lesse superstitious and naught then the other for the Nonconformists affirme the prescript service of it to be taken as the rest out of the masse booke and it is such stuffe as he which wrot the Altar of Damascus made himselfe merrie when he described the foolishnesse of it Thus the Assumption is sufficiently proved the conclusion therefore is certaine viz. that the worship of the English service booke is vnlawfull to be communicated with In the next Section we shall see what D Ames hath to say against this thing SECT V. FOr the readers better vnderstanding of the point to be handled in this Section I will first lay down the substance of D. Burgesses speach I have seen saith he some of the inconformists confutations meaning of the Separatists which I confesse never satisfied my consciēce for I am and ever have beene of that opinion that there can be no just confutation of them made by such of the Nonconformists as have given them their maine principles what these principles are he afterward declares viz that nothing may be established in the Church but what God hath commaunded in his word that all formes of worship not prescribed and all mere Ecclesiasticall rites are will worship c. That our ceremonies are idolatrous in the vse of them c. Which principles if I did beleeve to be true I professe in Gods presence I would proclame separation from Idolatrous worship and worshippers this day ere I slept and not halt as these men by their owne positions doe betwixt Idolatrie and Religion D. Ames answereth to this effect The confounding of mere rites with formes of worship is not ours but onely by the rej his fiction That every Church is to be vtterly condemned and so to be separated from that hath any thing in it by participation Idolatrous is made Scismaticall by a Scismaticall conceit of the Rej. c. His profession of separation this day before he stept is nothing but a Rhethoricall flourish which he would twice recall before he would separate from those that bow to the Altars or even those which worship an vbiquitarie body in the Lords supper though these are more palpablie Idolatrous in his conscience then the Ceremonies questioned are in ours Here is some thing said although not a word to the maine point in dispute which either Mr. D. saw not or else and so I rather thinke he thought it best to let it passe in silence The wordes which the Rej. takes from the Nonconformists are that all formes of worship not prescribed of God are will worships And hence inferres separation now what saith D. Ames to this nothing at all but talkes of the Rej. fictiō in confounding mere rites c. But by his leave I see no such thing in the Rej. but indeed the cause of the confusion is wholie of himselfe for D. B. layes downe formes of worship and Ecclesiasticall rites distinctly vnto both which he should distinctly have answered if his meaning had beene to satisfie judicious conscionable readers I will not here vse D. Ames comparison of 10. a Stile and 10. a Nokes but a more sober one If a woman should be brought before the Magistrate for certaine crimes as namely whoredome and some light carriage and for this her husband would be divorced now imagin that she had a proctor there to plead for her which would not mention her adulterie at all But gives som reasons why a man should not put away his wife for everie light cariage would any wise judge approve of such pleading but contrariewise give sentence on the mans behalfe D. Ames carieth the matter just so The Church of England is charged by the Nonconformists as the Rej. truely reports of false worship in it and also of som
idle ceremonies now marke reader how he pleads for his mother as touching the worship he saith nothing of it but of the rites onely which are evils a hundred fould lesse then the other Againe that every Church is not to be left which hath some thing in it by participation idolatrous I know no man holds the contrarie therefore I cannot tel for what end he speakes it much lesse why he puts a scismaticall conceit vpon the Rej. whose words if they be wel considered have substance and weight in them and not conceits to speake truely what I thinke D. Ames his conceit in framing this answer was not of the best For thus they seem to argue a Church which hath somthing in it by participation idolatrous is not to be separated from The Church of England is such Ergo. Now according to this argument no false worshippers should be left Papists Iewes nor Turkes who sees not the lightnesse of it Notwithstanding except it be this way applied for my part I cannot tell what to make of it If any object he meant that the ministerie worship and Government of the Eng. Assemblies is not so bad as to be separated from I answer this is yet to prove the which thing lay now full vpon him to doe if he would have taken the right point and not needlessly to tell us of that which no man either asked of him or doubted of 3 Though everie Church is not to be condemned c. Yet such may be the corrupt state of some as separation from them is both lawfull and necessary the Nonconformists say as much So the cause of seperation be good the separation from a companie where with we were first vnited cannot be blamed much lesse condemned of heresie The thing which the Rej. cheifelie insisted vpon was that the cause of separation from the Church of England is good if the Nonconformists principles be true what they are he names D. Ames neither saith they be true or false nor one word to any purpose vnlesse this be viz. it is not lawful vtterly to condemne and so to separate from a Church for everie thing therefore not for any thing 4. Touching the matter here insinuated against the person of D. Burg. as if he meant not to practice what he professeth I will leave it to himselfe to answer onely this I say if he and others are so minded as he writes certainly they shall find nothing in D. Ames answere to informe them otherwise But that they may safely retaine still the same opinion and separate from the Church of England when they doe beleeve the Nonconformists principles to be true 5. I wonder what moved the D. to mention onely ceremonies and to intimate as if the difference between them and the Bb. lay now mainly in this considering as he knew wel that these rites are very toyes to other things in question heare what they say The controversie betwixt vs and the Bishop is not for trifles as they would beare the world in hand as for a cap a tippet or surplusse c. But for great matters concerning a true ministerie and regiment of the Church according to the word which things once established the other would melt away of themselves Againe another thus the question is not as it is every day in publike Sermons uncharitablie upbraided about triffles and things of no weight as of variable ceremonies and matters of circumstances which yet are to be squared by the sacred Canons of holie Scripture but about matters of no small importance even about the great and weightie cause of Christs Kingdome by what lawes and offices his heritage is to be governed and protected that is of the whole disciplin of the church of Christ whether it be to be ordered by the vncertain deceivable weights of humane constitutions or by the infallible oracles of Gods most holie testimonies Others thus our principall greifes about the which alas brethren We have now too long and vnhappilie contended are that all false ministeries and false Government devised by men may be taken away and a lawfull ministerie and a right church-power restored as for the square cap and such other toyes which not without cause we disalow yet they doe not so sore wound vs as those greater and weightier matters doe from the which all the rest are derived and drawne To the like purpose Mr. Cartwright and others And are not those great and weighty things in question still Yes surelie and therefore for what reason D. Ames passeth them over without any words and speakes of toyes and triffles in comparison Let the reader judge Moreover he had little need to make himself so ignorant what the Rei meant by a principle what by separation for if he had had any list to the thing he could easilie have understood the same for in truth a child may perceive if he read the place that D. Burg. intended such principles as I before named from their writings to wit that they say they want a right ministerie worship and Church-government But the Proverbe is here true who so blind as he that will not see The author of the Preface to his booke speaketh much like thereabout this point a little there is added namelie that Christ our Teacher and his Aposiles did joyne in the Iewes worship vnto which were added many superstitions as vnlawfull as their Ceremonies Answ 1. I may use his owne words he doth not prove that which he concludeth For howsoever many superstitious traditions were used by the Iewes yet whether they were brought in and added to their sacred worship instituted of God as any parts therof is doubtfull and the contrary more probable 2. To say that Christ and his Apostles did joyne in that worship to which many superstitions were added is too presumptioeslie spoken and I wish men to be more sober and not so bouldlie to affirme such groundlesse positions to justifie a corrupt and halting practise I know D. Ames hath the like saying that Christ was present when the traditions of men were observed in Gods worship But he delivers this onely upon his owne word and therefore we may beleeve it accordingly 3. He saith these superstitions in the Iewes worship were as unlawfull as their Ceremonies What testimonie brings he for it as before none at all If such arguments will passe a man may soone have enough to fill a cart with But note here how greatly they contradict one another they said even now that their Ceremonies are such idolls as a man cannot lawfullie joyne with that worship where they are used yet here they say that they are not worse then were the superstitions in the Iews worship vnto which Christ and his Apostles joyned Now which shall a man beleeve of them not the later for he gives no reason for what he speakes but the others doe 4. If it should be all granted him howbeit he proves nothing yet it
of God be brought to purity neither yet continue in the same without the use and exercise of this ordinance but lies open to all daunger and confusion Whatsoever the Nonconformists have here said about Church government we for our parts ascent wholy to it and through Gods mercie towards us doe comfortablie enjoy the same and wish unfeynedlie that there were in them such zeale of God and love of his house and ordinances as to practise once themselves the good duties which they well teach others to doe SECT II. THe Nonconformists in the former Section gave us a good description of a true Church government now let us heare what they say of their owne in England compare them together In this as in the rest we shall find great confusion and therefore lest the reader should loose himselfe I will observe some order in the handling of it and first speake of their Ecclesiasticall Officers 2. Of their Lawes by which they governe 3. Of their Courts where they be executed and lastly of the manner how they are executed and of all these breiflie intreating still the reader to gett their bookes if he be not herewith fully satisfied In the first Chapter Sect. 3. we were shewed what their Bishops are now some thing here is to be said of their dependant officers which most wickedly vnder them minister the Ecclesiasticall discipline of their Church namely Commissaries Chancellours Archdeacons officials registers proctors doctors sumners and the rest of that Viperous generation All these the Nonconformists say are greedy Cormorants servile varlets a horned generation base fellowes trash the ofspring of Romish Babel murderous beasts the scourges of all Gods people ravening rablers which thrust away most sacralegiously that order which Christ hath left to his Church and proudly tyranize over their superiours The Papist is on their side because he can shelter himselfe vnder them to hide his idolatry the Atheist is tooth and nayle for them because by them he enjoyeth carnall liberty the man of most notorious life defendeth them because he can from them redeem the corporall punishment of his sins by mony at a word all the rank adulterers common drunkards vnthrifts ruffians horrible swearers and dispisers of Gods word take part with them And no marvaile seeing these for the most part are all Papists and beside either bribers drunkards Epicures c. So vnmeet to be governours as indeed they ought not to be members at all in any reformed Church Iustly therefore are they said to be the root and cause of al the ignorance atheisme schismes and treasons in the Land the nurses and cherishers of Recusants and other Hereticks and of all the great iniquities and abominations that are committed therein especially in regard they live by the faults of men and will rather increase offences that their gaine may increase then vse meanes to lessen any and this experience dayly sheweth As for their names and offices it is testifyed by all the Nonconformists that they are all derived from Antichrist and are therefore false earthly vnlaâ—full and the discipline which they exercise is not prescribed in Gods word never appointed by the Lord Christ but taken wholy and every part from the Pope and vsed in the time of the greatest darkenesse vnder him yea and it is defended by the same Canons whereby his Popedome is supported so that were it not for the helpe of the Papists they have no authority either from God or man to helpe them either by reason or learning I may not here omitt how the Refor exceedingly condemne the offices of Church wardens and side men and prove the same to be vnlawfull and hurtfull by many reasons 1. Because they are counterfeyts of Gods true officers namely Elders deacons which Christ hath left in his Church by divine institution 2. They retaine the marke of the beast in part by serving the tyranny of the Hierarchie so that it is not lesse warrantable to be a Masse-Preist then a Church-warden 3. Their functions are devised by men and came first from Rome and therefore they cannot exspect any blessing or protection from God in their courses 4. They are bound to most vnlawfull conditions and so necessarily either they must be perjured or commit horrible iniquitie as to present their minister if he vse not superstitious Ceremonies so those which will not com at their devised service kneele at the Sacrement have their children crossed and Bishopped women Churched joyn with the Letanie observe their holy dayes c. And thus they minister matter of filthy lucre to the Harpies of the Prelates courts For these and such like causes every good man is exhorted not to touch these vnclean places for if he doe he shall surely be defiled therewith Their Collectors calling also they judge unlawfull Thus much of their Ecclesiasticall officers now for their Lawes these by the Nonconformists are said to be foolish articles slavish ordinances lawlesse perilous Popish wicked and damnable Canons shamefull Idolls very devilishnesse and hypocrisie Invented by the dragon and Antichrist our Lords enimies in the time of poperie without any warrant of Gods word yea manifestly against it and for what end servs it now in England Surely for no other but to strengthen the Kingdom of the beast and the power of darkenesse ignorance to breed trecherous Papists nourish superstition and popery vphold the cages of vncleane birds as Archbishops and L. bb seas arches cathedral Churches c. And destroy vtterly the Churches of God by crossing every faithfull minister in the discharge of his duety and every good Christian walking in the wayes of godlines and nipping in the head every good action For these and many the like reasons the Nonconformists have oft times desired that all their Ecclesiasticall decrees constitutions provinciall and sinodal statutes Fatherly customes c. Might vtterly be abandoned and as froth and filth be spued out of the common wealth Yea as infectious and noysome boiles and soares sent back again to the stincking sinckes and channel out of which they were taken Touching the oath exofficio whereby the Popish Prelates in Rome and England goe about to bind mens consciences to accuse themselves and their freinds the Nonconformists professe it to be a bloody Law most damnable and daungerous as cruel a racking of the mind as the most exquisite torture of the body can be this was invented by Antichrist through the inspiration of the devil that by meanes thereof the professors and practizers of true religion might be suppressed and abolished In very deed it is a lawlesse oath given and taken against the Law of nature contrary to the commaundement of Christ Mat. 18. and expresse word of God against all equity and conscience contrary to the common Law the Canon Law Counsels and imperiall statuts directly contrary to the nature of an oath Beside such as take it cannot sweare in judgment and
say the Learned but the ministerie of the church of England is vnlawfull and Antichristian sayth Mr. Dr. Ergo it is lawfull to separate from it If the church of England hath not Christs Key she is not his house saith Mr. Dr. But the church of England hath not Christs Key saith Mr. Brightman and others Ergo she is not his house and so consequentlie to be separated from To separate from corruptions is lawfull saith Mr. Dr. the ministerie worship and Church government of England are corruptions saith Mr. Dr. Ergo it is lawfull to separate from the ministerie worship and Church government of England I doe not gather up these his arguments for any need we have of them but to put him in minde of his owne take heed For if he say one thing and doe another he may perhaps at last fall worse then vpon the quick sands of separation even into the bottomlesse pitt of condemnation And whereas I perceive he is not willing to be compared to Barrow for my part I am not willing that he should for Reverend Barrow was true to his grounds and walked conscionable in the holte order of the Gospell to which order Mr. Dr. hath beene hitherto an utter enimie but for what reason let himself looke to it I have spoken the more because of this mans insolent boasting against us and the untrue reports which he giveth forth of refuting the cheifest separatists I hope now the world shall see what abilitie he hath in this thing or otherwise all will have just cause to conclude that Mr. Dr. will speake more to his good freinds in private against us then he is willing to have publicklie knowne to receive an answer to it Our third inference is If church government be a matter of Faith necessarie to salvation as is any outward ordinance of God and wholie wanting in the Assemblies of of England then it is the dutie of all the faithfull there shaking off the Prelates yoake to erect this power and exercise the same among them I doe not mean that any private person should meddle with the affaires of the Realme but that every one in his owne person doe place himself about the throne of God leaving the abuses of the publike state to be reformed by such as have a lawfull calling thereto It is certaine this ordinance must be sett up retained and practised though Princes are utterlie against it We must not tarie one houre to exspect a new grant from men to doe our duties in the true worship of God when as we have a sufficient grant allreadie from heaven for if we doe we shall surely dye in our sinnes and our blood shall be upon our owne head The primitive Christians had not the Magistrates leave to serve God yet they did whatsoever he commaunded them Their practise is an example for us and all beleevers are bound to doe the like as often as there is the like just and necessary occasion For as the approbation of men and Angels makes the wayes of God and workes of religion never a whit the more lawfull but onely the more free from bodily daunger so neither can their disalowance make unlawfull such duties of religion as the word of God approveth nor can they give dispensation to any person to forbeare the practise thereof But because my purpose cheifly is to shew the judgement of the Nonconformists touching religious ordinances and the use and practise thereof I will therefore lay downe their words that so the reader may see how well they and we in these thinges doe accord except in Obedience The Magistrate say they is but the servant of the Lord and therefore hath no power to bind the the conscience neither can he exempt any man from obedience to God Another saith if the Law of man be wanting yet the Church must not cease from doeing her duety and exercise her power which is granted her by Christ who hath also promised his presence when two or three are gathered together in his name therefore she may entreat determine and strengthen her decrees and constitutions with Ecclesiasticall censures and punishments notwithstanding the Prince will not assent approve and ratifie the Canons of the Church nor confirme them by his lawes and fortifie them with temporall punishments M. Wing an eminent Reformist hath 9. reasons in print to prove that all persons are necessarily bound to practice perpetually the ordinances and commaundements of the Gospell although the civill Magistrate allow not thereof and because they are effectuall and weighty I will here lay them downe 1. If the onely sure way for comfort of our soules be the practice of Gods ordinances for his visible Church vnder the Gospell then we are bound to practice the said ordinances notwithstanding the Magistrate doe forbid the said practice But the only sure way for the comfort of our soules is the practice of Gods ordinances for his visible Church vnder the Gosp ll Therefore we are bound to practice the said ordinances notwithstanding the Magistrate doe forbid the said practice 2. All the Magistrates power wherein he is actually to be obeyed is onely where he commaunds or forbids from God or for God But the Magistrate forbidding the practice of this way doth not forbid from God nor for God Therefore the Magistrate forbidding the practice of this way is not actually to be obeyed 3. Where the Magistrate may not commaund and be lawfully obeyed in the Negative part of any commaundement of the first Table there he may not forbid and be Lawfullie obeyed in the affirmative But the Magistrate may not commaund and be lawfullie obeyed in the Negative of the 2 commaundement Therefore he may not forbidd and be lawfully obeyed in the affirmative 4. We cannot justifie specially the continued omission of any dutie and cheifly of the first table vnlesse we be by violence restrained from the practise thereof But to omitt the practise of these ordinances of God for his visible church vnder the Gospell because it is not tollerated or allowed by the Magistrate is a continued omission of a dutie of the first table and this not omitted by reason of a violent restraint Therefore we cannot justifie the omission of this dutie 5. It is not lawfull to omitt the dutie of charitie to releive any poore saint of God though the Magistrate forbidd it Therefore we may not omitt this dutie of piety though the Magistrate forbid it 6. If the Lord foresaw the aversnesse of Magistrates to the practise of this church Government and yet did never exempt nor dispense with the peoples omission therefore then we may not omitt or forbeare this dutie though the Magistrate doe not tollerate it But the Lord foresaw the aversnesse of Magistrats to the practise of this church Government and yet did never exempt nor dispense with the peoples omission of this dutie Therefore we may not omit or forbeare this dutie though the Magistrate forbid 7. Whatsoever
was commaunded to the 7 Churches to be practised vnder persecuting Magistrates opposing that we must not omitt though the Magistrate doth not tollerate it The practise of Church Government was commaunded to the 7 Churches Revelation 2 and 3. Therefore we must not omitt the practise of Church Government though the Magistrate doth not tollerate it 8. If the Church Government may be omitted wheresoever and whensoever the Magistrate doth not allow it then it doth depend wholy for the practise of it on the will of man But it doth not depend neither ought it to depend wholy vpon the will of man Therefore the Church Government may not be omitted when and wheresoever the Magistrate doth not allow it 9. If the Magistrate may forbid mee the practise of the ordinances of God then he may forbid me to be so good a subject as I can be or may be But the Magistrate may not forbid me to be so good a subject to Christ as I can be or may be Therefore the Magistrate may not forbid me the practise of the ordinances of God The Nonconformists are not alone in this thing for all the reformed Churches affirme the same viz. that it is the part and dutie of all the faithfull to submitt to the Doctrine and discipline appointed by Christ yea though the contrarie edicts of Princes and Magistrates doe forbid them vpon paine of death And so have their practises beene many ages together and there is good reason for it For the Regiment and Government of the Church dependeth not as the Nonconformists well teach upon the authoritie of Princes but upon the ordinance of God who hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable ayde of Christian Magistrates it may singularly flourish and prosper so without it it may continue and against the adversaries thereof prevail For the Church eraveth helpe and defence of Christian Princes to continue and goe foreward more peaceably and profitably to the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ but all authoritie she receiveth is immediately of God Before we proceed to another point we may here frame this argument If the professours of the Gospell in England have not among them a true church Government but are vnder that which came from the great Antichrist then are they bound to set vp that ordinance of God and to to practise it not withstanding the Magistrate doe forbid the said practise But the professours of the Gospell in England have not among them a true church Government but are vnder c. Therfore are they bound to set vp that ordinance of God and to practise it notwithstanding the Magistrate doth forbid the said practise These are both their owne positions and so soundlie proved that no man liveing is able to confute them But some will say this is hard to doe I answer difficulties must not hinder duties where we have an expresse commaundement laid upon us there al disputation must cease of hardnesse daungers losses c. Excellently for his purpose speaketh Calvine There is no travell or labour so great which we must not endure to the end we may enjoy the face of God how perilous soever the passage be be it as they say betwixt fyre and water yet let men goe foreward to have libertie to serve and worship God purâ—lie Is a man in going pinched with famin or thrist yet let him not faint but scrape the earth rather with his nailes for food and maintenance then be turned or driven back from comming to the Temple of God Many use to say they wish all were well and pray for reformation To this I answer it is not enough that we desire to have all things well except we endeavour to make them so He that wants and hungers for bodilie food deserves to starve except with all he use diligence and sore labour also as he is able to get it Againe prayers I confesse are good but without practise they profitt not The heart which setts the hand at worke and is full of zeale obedience sincerity c. shall doe well and prosper When Moyses stood crying at the red sea what saith God unto him speake unto the children of Israel that they goe forward I am perswaded the Nonconformists pray dayly for their deliverance from the Bb. government but here is their fault they goe not forward but are like him in the Prov which lyes in the ditch and cries God help but doth not seeke to help himselfe though he can and is able Others think because mens laws are against Christ that they shall therfore be excused in omitting their service unto him but they will finde it otherwise and as for this shift it denotes a most unsound heart for as we would repute that servant verie naught who being commanded by his maister to do divers things doth onely that which serves for his own credit profit pleasure c. but the rest not being so though more weighty and necessarie he purposly omitteth so certainly they carry the broad Characters of notable hipochrites even in their foreheads which walk onely in such waies of Christ as ly open for them by the authority of man where they may go with good leave safely and free from all bodily daunger but where the commandements of God are hedged up with thornes by mens prohibitions there they fowllye step aside and walke corruptly when the Apostles were sent forth to plant Churches if they should have left the Lords worke because they were forbidden to preach in the name of Iesus they had surely sinned and would have beene greatly punished for it are not the ordinances of the Gospell as strictly to be kept now as heretofore yes surely Mr. Hierom saith that such outward observances in matters of religion as are of divine institution not the least of them are to be neglected dispised or difused vntill he that ordained them shall be pleased in expresse termes to disanul them If not the least must be omitted then not Church government because it is a cheife ordinance and without the which as I said before no publick worshipp can be rightlie administred There are some which out of tendernesse of conscience refuse to kneel in the act of receaving and doe take the Sacrament sitting Moreover doe meet in private families to Fast and Pray together and are persuaded that herein they doe well though their practise be forbidden by the Magistrate Now I desire these seriouslie to consider if they may lawfullie performe some religious duties against Human Lawes why not others and specially if they be such duties as serve more for Gods glory the furtherance of the Gospell the edification of the Church and salvation of their owne soules I doe not finde any thing written by Dr. Ames about this point although he well knew that one maine ground of our separation from their Parish Assemblies is because as the Nonconformists affirme they want the power of Christ and
asked sundrie needfull questions to which he having well answered and beeing found worthie by the consent of the whole Church is joyfullie to be taken into their communion and this they say was the practise of the primitive Churches For Eusebius reporteth in his Ecclesisticall Historie that a Romane Emperour named Philip who first became a Christian of all the Emperours and first submitted the Romane Empire unto Christ desireing to communicate with the rest of the Church was not admitted before he had openlie made profession of true religion When a people are thus established in the faith and order of the Gospell their care then must be to walk unreproovablie and as in the naturall body everie several member is as it were the member of every other in serving to their good as the eie doth see the hand doth take the tongue doth speak for the good of anie other member so must it be in the church of God everie person according to his place and calling ought to be as profitable unto the rest as he can and specially their godly watchfulnesse must bee to keepe their communion clean and pure and therefore no unholy person may partake with them in the holie sacraments but such onelie as farre as men can judge by their outward profession that doe belong truely unto Christ When any one among them falls into sinne he must be lovinglie admonished thereof and brought to repentance or else to be cutt of by excommunication if he continue obstinate in his sinnes How this dutie of brotherly admonition is to be performed we have already shewed this onely is to be added viz. that it ought necessarily to be practised may not be omitted for certainly the tolleration of known iniquitie is a greivous sin of the church in its own nature tendeth to the corruption thereof yea it defiles the communion Hag. 2. 13. and everie one makes himself guilty of the pollution which doth not indeavour as much as in him lyeth to remoove such offences In a word this mixture which ariseth by tolleration much hinders the comforte and edification of the godly As in all the rest so in this point the Nonconformists and we are of judgments alike and it is our greate greife that they will not joyne with us in practise also and make themselves members of such true visible churches as here they have well described for so should Gods name be glorifyed the Gospell propagated Satans and Antichrists Kingdome much weakened and themselves obtaine mercie in the great day of the Lord. They pray let thy Kingdome come but how doe they thinke that ever they shall behold the beauty and glorie therof seeing they resolve not to set their hands unto the raysing of it up but doe leave the work wholy to the Magistrate so that if the arme of flesh will not build a spirituall temple for the Lord he is likelie for their part to have none at all but whether such courses will not prove ill at last I leave it to themselves to thinke of SECT II. WE heard before what a true visible Church is now it followes that we shew how everie way contrarie to the former patterne the English assemblies are said to be by the Nonconformists First they acknowledge that their reformation at first after Poperie was not rightly founded because neither then nor ever since was there any profession of Faith publickly made by the persons which entred into Church estate but indeed it was then held and so it is at this present a sufficient thing to be members of their churches if men come to their service and Sacraments take the oath of allegeance and be conformable to their wicked Ceremonies whosoever doth this passeth for a Protestant howsoever in practise he be a Papist Arminian c. yet is he more regarded then the most sincere Christians whome they call Puritants And by this meanes it is that in the bosom of their church are swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists erronious and hereticall Sectaries witches Charmers Sorcerers murderers theeves adulterers lyars blasphemers oppressors voluptuous persons whose God is their bellie Moreover such is the great ignorance of God and his truth among them that the greatest multitude by many parts doe not understand the Lords prayer or the articles of Faith or the doctrine and vse of the Sacraments there are not five among five skore which doe understand the necessarie grounds and principles of Religion but many thousands which are men women growne if a man aske them how they shall be saved they cannot tell Mr. Nichols esteemed a forward preacher amongst them saith We finde by great experience and I have now five and twenty yeeares observed it that in those places where there is not preaching and private conferring of the minister and the people the most part have as litle knowledge of God and of Christ as Turks and Pagans and to prove this he gives an example in his own flock for I have beene in a parish saith he of foure hundreth communicants and marvelling that my preaching was so litle regarded I tooke upon me to conferre with every man and woman before they receaved the communion and I asked them of Christ what he was in his person his office how sinne came into the world what punishment for sinne what becomes of our bodies beeing rotten in the graves and lastly whether it were possible for a man to live so vprightlie that by well doeing he might win heaven In all the former questions I scarse found ten in the hundred to have any knowledge but in the last question scarse one but did affirme that a mau migh be saved by his owne wel doing that he trusteth he did so live that by Gods grace he should obtaine everlasting life by serving of God and good prayers And it is no wonder that the condition of the people is generallie thus seeing they thinke that all the service of God to lie in churching crossing kneeling and beeing houseled as they call it at Easter and as for preaching they hould it a superfluous and needlesse ceremonie and therefore when their service is done they take it they may Lawfullie goe out of the Church though the minister be ready to goe into the pulpitt Moreover they say that the greatest number of their people are so wicked and vile that were it not to save their purses and for the Lawes of the Kingdome which doe constraine and compel them to make some outward profession they would make none all For as Mr. Fenner saith Every man followeth the pride covetuousnesse whorâ—dâ—me drunkennesse of his own heart and no man remembreth Ioseph the barres are filled with pleadings and the streets are full of the cryes of the poore fullnesse of meat and contempt is among us and who considereth yet if this our sinne were onely against men and not against God there might be some hope But when
he will not vouchsafe his speciall presence unto profane companies which joyne themselves together and therefore let it be farr from all men to prepare a place for him with such trash or to defile his holy things with such uncleane persons or to offende his nostrels with the stench of such sacrifices The reasons upon which our proposition is grounded are these 1. All wicked men are forbidden expresslie by the word of God from meddling with his covenant or ordinances Now if men to escape temporall punishment are affraid to transgresse against the Lawes of worldly Princes Much more fearefull should they be to breake his who is the King of Kings and will inflict for it upon their soules and bodies torments eternallie 2. That which destroyeth a Churchâ— and makes it either to become a false Church or no church at all cannot be a true Church or be true matter wherof it is made but men visiblie wicked and prophane make the Church a Synagoge of Satan Babylon Sodom Aegypt and so to be spued out and removed 3. It is against sence and common reason that a Church should be constituted of vnholie People For as in a materiall house the wood and stones must be first prepared and then laâ—d orderlie in the building So in the spiritual men and women must by the word of God necessarily be first reformed before they are any way fitt to have any place therin 4. They which have no right to the holy things of God in the church are not to be admitted into it neither is that Church which is gathethered of such persons rightly constituted But men of wicked conversation have no right to the holy things of God in the Church and therefore that Church which is gathered of such is not rightly constituted 5. They cannot performe the services and duties of members for they are spirituallie dead If a master will not covenant with one to be his servant which hath in him no natural life much lesse c. 6. They have not Christ for their head and therefore cannot be of his bodie For as in the natural bodie there must be first a natural union of the parts with the head before there can be any action of natural communion between the head and the members or one member and another So in this spiritual bodie the members must be first united with Christ the head and become one with him before they can any way partake in his benefits or have communion one with another as members of the same body under him the head 7. They are altogether uncapable of this covenant For as a woman which hath been once a wife cannot mary againe with another man untill her first husband be deceased or she from him lawfullie divorsed so neither can these be maried to the Lord till they have mortifyed their corruptions and put the world and Satan away unto which before they were as it were maried 8. The Godlie and wicked are contraries guided and led by different causes Now two contraries are not capable of one and the same forme Thirdly for this we have the judgment of the learned also There must be saith Molierus a profession of true religton and obedience yealded thereto at least outwardly to become a member of the visible Church Beza saith He is rightly joyned to the church which separates himselfe from the wicked Paul calls the Romans Saincts saith Aretius to put a difference between their former estate wherein they lived which was unholy and impure and the condition to which they were now called Piscator affirmes The matter of a particular church to be a companie of beleevers Mr. Iacob in his definition of Christs true visible Church saith that those which joyne in a spiritual outward society or body Politick together must be a faithfull people Mr. Bradshaw saith they must be a people called and separated from the world and the false worship and wayes thereof by the word The same speaketh Mr. Attersoll and alleageth these Scriptures for it Gen. 4. 26 and 12. 1. Iosh 24. 2. 3 23. 7. 8. Num. 6. 2. Lev. 20. 24. 26. Ioh. 15. 19. Act. 2 40. 41. I could name many others which write the same thing but there is no use thereof Onelie it cannot be amisse to shew how the Church of England makes this an Article of her Faith as the Prelates have published it in her behalfe The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of Faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments dulie be ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Thus the Proposition beeing proved and the assumption acknowledged to be true the conclusion must needs stand firme viz. that the Churches of England are not true visible churches rightly gathered and planted according to the Scripture and therefore by necessarie consequence lawfully to be separated from Before I end this point I will here lay downe some few Syllogismes intyrelie made up betweene the Inconformists and Conformists all concluding the forenamed position That Church which hath not a Lawfull ministery is not a true visible Church But the Church of England hath not a Lawfull ministerie Ergo the church of England is not a true visible church The proposition is affirmed of the Conformists as Burton Sutcliffe c. The assumption is granted by the Nonconformists as we have in the first chapter largelie shewed The true visible church of Christ is a society of beleeving and Faithfull people and a communion of Saints so say the Conformists but the church of England is not a society of beleeving and Faithfull people a communion of Saints thus write the Nonconform see p. 169. c. Ergo the church of Engl. is not a true visible church The true church is the Kings daughter described in Psal 45. But the church of England is not the Kings daughter so described Therefore the church of England is not the true church of Christ The Proposition is laid downe by the Conformists wherby they prove Rome a false Church The assumption is the Nonconformists For if they say the truth their members have not those qualities belonging to the Kings daughter neither their Preists nor people See pag. 15. 16. 39. 137. 169. 170. The true church of Christ is the Flock of Christ but the church of England is not the true Flock of Christ Therefore the church of England is not the true church of Christ. The proposition say the Conformists is undeniable Son 1. 6. 7. Act. 20. 28. Ioh. 10. 16. The assumption is proved by the Nonconformists Principles compared with Ioh. 10. 3. 4. 27. Christs flock heare his voyce and know it follow it but the Church of England submitting to an vnlawfull ministerie worship and discipline heare not Christs voyce nor know nor acknowledge nor follow it but
not true religion though she profâ—sse some true and sound doctrins in regard she maintaineth many lyes and vile errours Mr. Gilbâ—e a forward minister reckoneth up above seven score grosse points of poperie remaining in their Church and many others of them have don the like as I have in this treatise manifested And I think it would aske a better witt and head then ever Mr. Dayr had to proove that there are halfe so many corruptions in the religion professed by the Eng. Anabaptists From pag 41. to 51. there are certaine reasons as he calls them to prove the Church of Eng. and their Parish assemblies true visible churches As for the first of them I deny both the Proposition and Assumption He saith Whatsoever people or nation is within the dayly voice and call of God c. the same is a true visible Church This is untruelie affirmed as I have proved before and for his speaking of it againe it sheweth the more his ignorance in the way of God For will any wise man take Lyons Wolves Foxes c. into his sheepsould sow tares or darnel in his garden plant thistles or thornes in his Orchard The Church is the Lords speepcfowld his garden orchard c. and therefore if Mr. Dayr had been so wise as he should he would not have spoken so corruptly but have given rather counsell to keepe out vncleane persons considering what the Prophet saith Holynes becommeth thy house o Iehovah to length of dayes Againe we may perceive by his wordes that he understood not the nature of a visible Church For as to the constitution of it there belongs a holie people as the matter so also a uniting and coupling of them together which is the forme whereof it consisteth As the constitution of a common wealth or of a cittie is a gathering and knitting of people together in a civill Policie so the Constitution of the common wealth of Israel as the Church is called and of the cittie of God the new Ierusalem is a gathering and uniting of people into a spiritual Policie The forme of which Policie is order as the Philososophers acknowledged calling Policie an order of a citty which Order is requisite in every administration of the Church as the Apostle teacheth and cheifly in the collection thereof And therefore next unto Faith in God it is to be esteemed most necessarie for all holie societies This was one thing for which Paul rejoyced in the Church at Collosse as for their steadfast Faith in Christ so their Order also But Mr. Dayr will have his Church without Order or Forme and what is it then but a meere atâ—xie or confuse Chaos a state onlie fitt for the devills Goates to be in which desire liberty and not for Christ sheepe which are to make streight pathes to their feet He saith there lyeth no exception against the Assumption And why so because their Pastors and Teachers are true ministers Me thinkes the man should have beene ashamed to have begd so much at one time But to let his folishnesse passe we do deny them to be lawfull Officerâ— and have brought their owne hands against them for it Secondly he writes here against his brethren yea and I thinke against his owne conscience For the greatest number of their Bb. Preists Deacons are dumb dogs ignorant asses c. such as either cannot or through pride sullnesse bread and abundance of idlenesse Sodomes sinnes will not preach and therefore it is untruely said that the people generally of England are within the dayly voyce and call of God 3. The later part of his reason is wholie against himselfe sor whereas his wordes import that the people generally of England are impenitent sinners and unbeleevers it must follow necessarily that they are alltogether uncapable of any Church estate and so much we have formerly proved Were it not a ridiculous thing to set up a house with wood and stones and afterward to take Axes Sawes Hammers and other tooles to cutt saw and fitt them for the building yet such an unskilfull builder Mr. Dayr sheweth himselfe in his whole booke For hee will have idolaters adulterers theeves conjurers murderers and any villain in the Land to be placed in the Lords spirituall house and afterward will have meanes used to prepare them for the same Not to contend about the proposition of his second argument howbeit it is verie faulty I denie the assump viz. that the people of England doe injoy and outwardly submit themselves to the true worship of God for the worship which they have is affirmed of the Nonconformists to be antichristian and unlawfull but let us heare his reason If such as both in their life and at theire death served God with the verie same worship we doe have in that worship beene saved then iâ— the worship wee now have true divine worship But the first is true therefore the second If Mr. Bradshaw had found such a reason in Mr. Iohnsons writing he would surely have called him idle head crackt braind foole c. but I leave such terms to men of his intemperate spirit and doe thus answer 2. A Papist Arminian or Anabaptist may say as much and upon as good ground and who dares denie but manie of their religion have found mercie with the Lord must it therefore follow that their worship is good indeed Mr. Dayr logick so concludeth it 2 Men may serve God with an outward worship not agreeable to his word and yet be saved for who knoweth how infinitely good hee is to his poore creature 3. It is apparent this man had a very ill case in hand that could not tell how to maintaine it but by revealing the secret and hid consell of the Lord for I wonder how he came to know who in their worship have beene saved if he should say in the judgement of charitie he thinkes thus then his argument must be of an another fashion namely that he thinkes their worship is true for otherwise it will want shape and proportion 4. It hath beene the constant practice of the godly to proove their positions by the scriptures but it is likely he saw that there was no helpe for him there and therefore onely makes use of this reasonlesse reason His third argument is foolish and carnall and both parts of it false For first it is incident to the best and purest Churches upon earth to erre and to bee deceived and therefore their sentences and approbations must be examined by Gods word 2. If the reformed Churches doe justifie the English therein they condemne greately their owne practice for in theire constitution ministery worship and governement they are as opposite as light and darkenesse one to the other and so much the Nonconformists confesse 3. Seeing the Prophets Christ and his Apostles condemne their Church their case is never a whit the better though all men in the world speake well of it 4. The
they write against the Hierarchie doe avouch boldly 4. If we consider the Preists and people of the Iewes it will appeare evidently that there is no agreemeÌ„t or liknesse in the coÌ„parison For these separated themselvs froÌ„ the filthines of the heathen of the land confessed their sinns humbled their soules by fasting and prayer before the Lord sanctifyed themselves prepared their whole heart to seeke God made a covenant with him frejoyced at the oath kept the passover with joy But the English at first in every particular were much unlike these people as appeares by the great rebellions which they made in many places because they thought that their idolatrous service should be put downe Yea so unwilling were they to leave their idolatrie as the Magistrate was saine to informe them by a proclamation how they did mistake his reformation It seemes to you saith he speaking of their Mattens and Evening song that you have a new Service now indeed it is no other but the olde the selfesame words in English which were in Latin saving a few things taken out so fond that it had been a shame to have heard them in English c. If therefore the Service in the Church was good in Latin it remaineth good in English for nothing is altered but to speake with knowledge that which was ignorantly before uttered To be short I would have them once to tell us where they have learned to inforce and constraine men to be members of their Churches I thinke they will not finde a president for it in the world unlesse they take it from Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should be compelled to the faith by warre and sword For all reformed Churches practice otherwise There are no swine and dogs driven in among the Godly but whosoever joynes comes freely and voluntarily to them sometimes Mr. Dayr and his brethren are all for these Churches but when they see that their owne standing must needes be naught and foule if the others be justifyed then they will call back their words againe and plead corruptly for themselves Mr. Dayr hath one string yet left to his bow the which if it should be broken too then all the shooting would be mard Be it granted saith he that all our parish assemblies were at first no true Churches c. yet notwithstanding now they may be and indeed are true seeing that ever since above fifty yeares we have beene partakers of the true word and Sacraments and many of us effectually called thereby and to drive this nayle into the readers head he layes downe a similitude thus There are many men in a house but gotten into it not through the doore whereby is the ordinary passage into it but by some back doore or through the window or haply at some breach violently made into the same house were it not extreame folly or rather madnesse because of this manner of entrance to deny the inbeing of the aforesaid men in the house Answ A man fallen into the water will rather catch at a mote theÌ„ willingly sinke it is just so with this Mr. Dayr being loth to fall under the controversie which inconsiderately he took up he talks of this thing and that the which if they should be judiciously weighed would be all fouÌ„â— as lâ—ight as vanity To reply breifly for it is not worth a long answer First if their Churches were false in the Constitution then are they so still because they stand in the very same state and have not repented of the evill thereof neither since have entered into any visible covenant with God by publick and voluntarie profession of faith If two persons should make an adulterous covenant who would deeme them to be Lawfully man and wife so long as they stood by vertue of that false agreement which they made at first together 2. Their having of the word and Sacraments proves no more their Churches to be true then doth a true mans purse in the hand of a theife prove him to be an honest man As the Lords Vessels were of old in temporall Babilon so are there sundry of his Ordinances now in spirituall Babiâ—â—n and therefore the Papists can say the like and all other Hereticks if any should reply but these have the word preached in an vnlawfull ministery and the Sacraments vnrightly administred I answere the same may be said of the English assemblies as the Nonconform have soundly proved 3. What their obedience is the reader may partly guesse by comparing their profession and practise together The former is shewed in this treatise and what the later is all may see it at home by their doings in England As the Prophet said of Israâ—l let them lift up their eyes to the high places and behold where they have not plaid the harlot I could give many instances to shew what small cause they have to boast of their order and manner of walking For first they are not a people separated and called from the world a dutie much urged in the scriptures and practised allwayes by the saints 2. They are not free but stand most slavishly under strange Lords expresly against Gods commaundement 3. They worship the Lord not in the sincere order of the Gospell but after an Idolatrous and Popish manner which is a fearfull and crying iniquity 4. Add hereunto the knowledge which many of them have that these things are evill It is the saying of King Iames that the Puritans are the founders and fathers of the Brownists the later saith he only boldâ—y putting in practise what the former doc teach but dare not pâ—rforme For what end he wrote this I let it passe but the words in part are true Our separation from the Church of England is by their grounds certainly good and lawfull and therefore they say and doe not Now what the reason of it is I know not unlesse to enjoy libertie pleasure profiâ—t freinds credit and such wordly respects I doe omitt the fearefull apostasies which sundry of them have made from that obedience unto which they were come some for wives others for riches and many to avoyd persecution for the crosse of Christ Besides whome doe they take for greater enemies then the Separatists And why because as the King said these boldly put in practise what they doe teach but dare not performe And for this verie thinge many of us have receaved most greevous injuries both from their tongues and hands but the Lord forgive them for it 4. Be it granted that som of them are effectually called what then doe these make all the rest holie not in the least for as a handfull or bundle of corne shuffled into a feild of weeds though in it selfe it may retaine the same nature yet cannot make the feild a cornefeild so neither can a few good Christians sanctifie the whole lump of the idolatrous vile multitude in the Land and make them to
be the true Churches and people of God 5. Touching his comparison it is a begging foolishly of the question for first let them prove themselves to be in the house and then they shall heare what we we will say of the window and backdoore From Pag. 212. to 237. he attempteth to prove that men may Lawfully joyne in divine worship with the wicked Touching this thinge although it concernes not much our matter in hand yet I will write a few wordes in answere to his long talke in this Chapter First he sayth that the Apostles had religious communion with infidels But this is a false doctrine for a man may preach the word and yet not have spirituall communion with all which are present and heare the same and this must necessarisy be so because otherwise it would follow that every one when he teacheth communicates with the devill for in likelihood he is constantly there with the rest indeed Mr. Dayrels words import no lesse but I hope he hath not left any behind him of so corrupt and vile a judgement 2. He sets downe a manifest untruth for we doe not affirme that there can be no religious communion but with Members of a visible Church our profession and practice daily is otherwise yet so that they be such persons howbeit not in a Church state yet to be judged to bee in the faith by their gracious and holy walking 3. Whereas he affirmes that we separate from them because wicked and prophane people are suffered to come unto their worship this also is untrue for we leave them rather because the worship it selse is wicked and prophane as we have from their owne writings already shewed 4. In page 220. he speakes enough to justifie our practice for thus he writes We may not have religious communion or partake in divine worship with Idolaters in their false and idolatrous worship Heathen or Antichristian but must separate and come out from among them And a little after he gives a reason Idolaters and false worshippers in their worship doe not worship God but indeed the devill not Christ but Belial c. If this be true in what a fearefull case then are the people of the Land who serve Christ by that idoll booke considering the same is affirmed by the precisest of them to be an idolatrous and false worship yea and I am perswaded that this Mr. Dayr would have said as much too if he had written of it against the Prelates 5. By his owne confession they are all levened through the iniquity one of another For thus he saith The open sinne of a man and impunity thereof defileth them that have authority and power to punish the delinquent and doe it not that is maketh them also guilty of sinne or to partake in that sinne Now compare with this their positions in page 134 c. where it is acknowledged that the authority and power to punish the delinquent belongs wholly to the whole Church and not to the Bh. Chancellours Officials Seeing therefore most horrible sinnes are openly committed among them and no meanes of reformation is used by those which are thereto onely called It must needs follow if Mr. Dayr and his brethren speak the truth that all their parishes are defiled and they are guilty of each others sinnes and doe constantly partake in the knowne transgressions one of another 6. Whereas he would have us to proove that the place in Hag. 2. 13. 14. doth signifie spirituall pollution and that the Apostle in 1. Cor. 5. 6. by a little leven c. meaneth that the whole assembly may become guilty and defiled by open sinne I answer These Scriptures are not onely by us thus interpreted but also by D. Ames and other learned men and therefore herein he hath them as much as us against him The like might be said of other Scriptures which he accuseth us of perverting if it were needfull I could shew how expositors do apply them as we do and so do the Nonconformists in all their writings against the Church of England notwithstanding this man casteth out of his mouth stoods of reproaches after us But this will appeare to be no new thing if we take a view of their writings which have stood for error and falshood for when the truth hath brought for her defence the evident Scriptures Papists have beene wont to carpe at the allegations and interpretations of them and challenge their adversaries for corrupting them the formall Protestants in England have done the like against the Reformists and they now use the like colour against us but how truely let him judge whose heart desires to know the truth in sinceritie Onely I would have it observed how prettily he prooves the Separatists to pervert the Scriptures to wit because he understandeth them otherwise then they doe Concerning other passages in his booke I judge them not worth an answer If there be any I am willing that he should take them for his advantage which undertakes to make a reply unto the things which I have here written CHAP. V. WE heard in the first Chapt. of the reference which Dr. Ames had unto Mr. Bradshawes book intituled the vnreasonablenesse of separation now as my promise there was so I will according to the measure of knowledge and grace given me in this Chapter make answer unto it that so the godly minded may judge whether the Separatists or he are most vnreasonable That the reader might not exspect to see any thing in the booke proved by the word of God the publisher therefore of it after some scoffing at Mr. Iohnson and others tells us that it was not the authors meaning to gather proofes c. and much quotation may prove som thing but answereth not directly to any thing Answ 1. Whosoever meanes to settle well the conscience especially in a main point of faith and religion ought necessarily to bring good proofes from the scriptures for the things whereof he speaketh For otherwise either men will give no trust unto his words or if they doe it must be unadvisedly And howsoever he putts Gods word here sleightly by notwithstanding others have otherwise esteemed of it Augustine was of mind that Councells Bishops c. ought not to be objected for triall of controversies but the holy scriptures onely Another saith I yeeld the scripture a witnesse of my sence and my exposition without the Scripture let it be of no credit Yea hereto accord the very Papists We are rather to beleeve one private faithfull man than a whole Councell and the Pope himselfe if he have the Word and reason on his side As D. Ames therefore said so doe we say we esteeme not any thing like of a thousand objections fetched from testimonies subject to errour as we would have done of one plaine testimonie divine if it could have been produced 2. That quotation of scriptures should not answer directly to any thing it sounds in my
apprehension very harshe to say no worse for I have hitherto allwayes thought that there could be no better answering then by scripture I mean rightly all eaged applyed 3. As many wordes simply will not serve to vntye the knot of a syllogisme so neither will a few firmely knitt it except they be spoken to good purpose 4. For his upbraiding of us with ignorance about Logical formes I let it passe we are that we are and doe blesse God for that small knowledge of humane learning which we have received do think it a practise most unbeseeming any of the Saints to boast of their own ability much more to deride others for their lacks But this is to be observed generally that those which staÌ„d for bad causes doe after this sort still reproch their adversaries thus do the Papists the Protestants so the Protestants the Puritans and so they us as here in their other writings usually Now to the booke I thought once to have sett downe his answer before my reply as he hath done Mr. Iohnsons reasons before his answer but I perceived then that this treatise would be very large besides both their bookes are allready in many mens hands therefore I changed my mind only I doe desire the reader to peruse both their writings for so shall he profitt the more by that which I have here penned I find nothing here but some insinuating florishes of his owne skill in Logick and great contempt putt upon Mr. Iohnson for his vnablenesse therein Now my purpose is both here and in other places in a manner alltogether to passe-by his vntemperate speaches knowing that before this time he hath made his reckoning for them with God Besides it is a Christian part not to render rebuke for rebuke and a thousand times better were it to sustaine even a legion of reproaches then for a man by turning though but one to give cause of suspition that evill hath gott som part of conquest over him But I marvell why he saith that Mr. Iohnson in disdaine stileth them forward preachers For 1. He knew not the others heart 2. To my knowledge this is a terme commonly given and taken of them acceptably and in good part 3. The Apostle saith Love hopeth all things But it is evident Mr. Bradsh followed not his rule which is when things are doubtfull in themselvs to embrace the best He speaks often of their law but what law he means I know not whether the coÌ„mon provincial civil or statut neither what by the true intent of it and therefore until some freind of his doe set forth an exposition of it we cannot give to it any direct answ 2. Seing he grants to be a true minist there must be a qualificatioÌ„ according to the intent of the law we desire them in their next writing to tell us plainly whether all their Bb. Preists Deacons are so qualified if not then certainly Mr. Dayr Mr. Bradsh c. have much deceived the people For under the colour of some few among them qualified as they say they have cunningly sought to justifie all the rest and yet knew as it is cleare by this mans writing that their ministerie is false and unlawfull 3. Let the vanity of his speach be here observed their ministers are true if they bee c. which is as if a knowne harlot should say I am honest if I am qualified according to the word of God 4. He mistakes Mr. Iohnsons words for he doth not say that the Prelates are ministers of the Church Assemblies but of the Church of England Notwithstanding if there were need we could prove both by their profession and practise that the Bb. are the proper Pastors of all the Parishes in their Diocesses and the rest are curats only to them 5. If the ministerie of the Prelates belong not to any ordinarie assemblies then is the same Antichristian and so consequently is that which is derived from it And so much from their owne Principles we have formerly proved 6. He should have proved that that authority power which the Law gives to the Prelates is lawfull and good for if the same be otherwise as he knew in his owne conscience it is I doe not see for what reason he mentioneth it it having no weight of matter against us nor for themselves Answ 1. To let passe the name Priest and that likenesse which is betweene their ministery and the popish priesthood because others already have sufficiently handled the thing I doe deny that they are such Pastors and teachers as are spoken of in Ephes 4. 11 12. and have shewed the contrary from their owne principles 2. Note this mans lightnesse and inconstancy Sometime he stands for the justification of all their Ministers as here and in pag. 10. c. but otherwhile he will only defend those which are qualified according to the law and execute their office as page 2. 5. 94 c. Thus a man knowes not how to follow nor where to finde him As the way of an Eagle in the ayre such is the way of an adulterous woman It is hid and cannot be knowne 3. It is untruely affirmed that their priests and Deacons doe exercise the proper and essentiall ministerie of Pastors and Teachers For first most of them by their confession are idle bellied Epicures sencelesse asses and not one of twenty that can preach 2. By their law their Deacons are not to administer the Sacraments neither any of those which are full Priests but according to a Popish Leiturgy 3. None of them neither may nor doe exercise Church-governement though they acknowledge it an assentiâ—â—â— and proper part of their ministerie Answ 1. Our question is not of what should or may be in a Land but of that which we know is by law established and practised accordingly 2. I cannot thinke that the Prelates have permitted the ministery of some which never received ordination from the papists or themselves for though it may be possible that one or two may secretly passe without being made Priests by them yet that they should permit this thing I am perswaded he could never proove it 3. He often taxeth Mr. Iohns with absurdenesse but no man I thinke could passe him here For if it should be granted that there was a Prelate which for love or money permitted the ministery c. doth it therefore follow that the ministery of that Church is any other but of their Prelacie Priesthood and Deaconry as Mr. Iohnson sayth For what if some have as much permission under the Papacie is not their ministery then of Prelacy Priesthood and Deaconry Indeed so Mr. Bradsh doth inferre but with what wit or truth let the Reader Iudge 4. A man may be an unlawfull Minister though he never received the Bb. ordination viz. when he runs of his owne head and is not elected called and ordained by the free and common
justly to be deposed But I gesse wherefore he hales-in these foolish positions it is probable he knew wel enough what gloses so ever he made sometime to the contrarie that their ordination of Preists Deacons by the Prelates is as his brethren say unlawfull and Antichristian and therefore he hoped now to justifie themselves in regard of their good services but this will not helpe him neither for if their administrations were right which are not yet would their ministerie be still false so long as they doe retayne that false calling which they tooke first of the Bb. they of the Pope and he from the devill Ans 1. As a man when in his answers he purposeth to deceive others his manner is to conceale that which should give special light unto the matter It is even so with Mr. Bradsh that he might meerely gull the reader he hides from him whatsoever should most serve for his true information about the point in dispute In pag. 7. he tould us that Pastors and Teachers may have divers accessarie parts of their offices c. not ordayned by Christ. Here he sayth that they may in divers and sundry particulars disobey Christ in his ordinances of worship and Government Now he doth not expresse in either place what these divers particulars are neither durst he I am perswaded for had he we should soone have joyned issue with him But to leave him in the midst of his idle words this I say when we understand once their meaning they shall have our direct answer unto it In the meane while I doe entreat them to consider advisedly of their owne Principles about their Worship Government Touching the first it is as they say contained in the booke of common prayer the which was taken out of the vile Massebooke full of all blasphemies lyes and abominations and the other is taken wholy and every part from the Pope 2. To let passe many thinges which he often affirmeth without any proofe I doe desire that they wil shew us in their next reply some good reason for that which he writeth in pag. 40. 41. viz. That ministers may execute the ministerie and Government of other Archbâ— Lordbishops besides Christ be Archdeacons parsons vicars read stinted prayers out of a booke and observe other humane inventions and have their Church Government according to Canons Courts c. which were never appointed by Christ and yet obey Christ in all the main essenâ—iall and substanciall points of his ministery worship and Government If they can prove all this I doe not see but the controversie may be easily taken up between them and the Bb. only then they have just cause to beg pardon of them for their pleas against the Prelacie and the many heavie accusations which they have put up both to Princes Parliaments against them But if they cannot as I know they cannot make good the thinge here avouched then let it ly as a blot for ever upon their cause for thrusting abroad such deceivable trash especially upon those which either were Authors of it or have since justifyed so hypocriticall and shamelesse a writing 3. He once more here rejecteth the Principles of the Nonconform and bidds them answere for themselves touching the Suits which they have putt vp to the Parliaments for the abolishing of their ministery Now the reason why I doe againe note it is because the reader may see how impossible it is for any of them to justify their standing and writings too the same beeing as unlike each to other as good is to evill For the Prelates laughing whereof he speakes in this place I have mentioned it before this only I add that never did Mr. Iohns by his simplicitie and sillinesse of witt give that occasion unto the Bb. of Mirth as he hath justly of sorrow to all his brethren by his dawbing and rotten speaches for truely in the wordes of Iacob they may say he hath troubled us to make us to stinke among the inhabitants of the Land yea to increase their greife as David said of Ahitophel Christ of Iudas so may they speake of him our familiar freind in whome we trusted which did eat of our bread hath lift vp his heele against vs. Answ 1. Mr. Bradsh sayth that there is no ordinary ministeriall office which Christ hath given to his Church but their ministers either have or by their Lawes ought to have the same I have proved before that this is untrue and therefore it is not needfull that I should make answere any more to his bold thredbare I sayes But observe here to use his owne wordes what a jugling method of reasoning he hath gotten Their ministers have such ordinary ministeriall offices c. Why because by their Lawes they ought to have them Now may not a man by the same manner of arguing prove that there are no Theeves Traitors Whoremoungers c. within the Kings Dominion in regard by the Lawes every one should be true loyall chast c. But this later I thinke would be laughed at of all notwithstanding to the very same effect is only the other or else it serves for no use at all but to shew that the man had more will to doe mischeâ—fe then he had either witt or skill to accomplish the same 2. I passe over againe his idle scoffing at Mr. Iohnson for quotation of many Scriptures Indeed Mr. Bradsh was careful to shunne this fault for he hath not from the beginning to the end of his book brought one proofe from the word of God to make good any one thinge whereof he speaketh but as if he were one of the illumated Fathers of the Familists delivereth his yea no alwayes upon his owne bare word 3. Many greivous errours are bound up in this invective of M. Bradsh but for lying here is one that surmounts them all namely that the Prelates doe not thrust them into a ministery but leave them to be called and chosen by the people or those Patrons vnto whose fidelity the people have committed this charge This as I have shewed is very false And truely it is strange to me that they should dare affirme so knowne and apparent an untruth for according to their law profession and practise whosoever is ordained by the Bb. hath immediately upon his ordination all the essenciall and substancial parts of a minister is I say as true in their understanding as these which have a people or have bought benefices of their Patrons yea although he should never have any particular congregation to administer unto Therefore welfare the Conform for howsoever their courses are starke naught yet they will owne their errours and not shift them off as these doe by groundlesse devises the which they can no more prove then that there is a man in the moone They have laboured these many yeares to get away this power of making ministers from the Bb. But seeing they