you know the Hearts and Lives of many hundred thousands better than they do themselves I know many are deceived with self-flattery but are you that are a stranger to their hearts and them the fittest Judges Do you better know what Faith Hope and Love what Repentance and Obedience the Gospel hath produced To instance among strangers is the way of darkness or evasion I may speak boldliest where I know best Ask the People of Kederminster whether in that time they received any good by the Gospel Know you not that when some such did but preach to them at the rates you now talk it so alienated their minds from Prelacy and Conformity who before were not so averse thereto as that they have put it past my power to reconcile them so far to them as I am reconciled my self and were not my interest very great in them and their Preacher very honest I should not get them to come to Church Such good the Spirit of Envy and Faction doth in the World while it pretendeth to heal the hurt that others do 2. Let the effects that are visible be judge if places that abounded with Rioting Drunkenness Ignorance and Ungodliness do now search the Scriptures and meditate with delight in the Law of God and constantly worship him and their Families call upon his Name if they live soberly righteously and godly forsaking the former lusts of their ignorance and seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and live in charity and peace will it prove that these People are never the better because Faction causeth a stranger to tell them so But you say They were not the Souls of every Soil such as did inhabit poor Villages but such as dwell in fattest Parsonages or else in great Towns where these men who were most for the good of Souls might act their parts c. Answer Farwel the credit of all History if there be no truer Historians But how shall Posterity know who they are Is there an English-man that can be ignorant that the endeavour then was that no Church might be unsupplied There is no talking a far off was not Mr. Cowper at Moseley Chappel near you Mr. Rock at Rowley Mr. Tristram at Clents Mr. Walderne at Broom Mr. Baldwin at Chadsley Mr. Sergeant at Stone Mr. Baldwin at Wolverley my Assistant at Mitton Chappel Mr. Lovel at Alveley c. Doth not all the Country about you know that this which you say is false And are you then to be believed in difficult moral Cases of Duty or Sin who deny publick fact which all the Country about you knoweth Go into any one of these Churches and tell them that these men were never their Preachers and try whether you can convert them to believe you 2. But that the great Towns which commonly had least Maintenance should be first provided for That Tribe of Men should not deny who hold that none but Cities of old had Churches and Bishops nor should have Bishops to this day Nor should they teach Enemies to say These Bishops settled themselves only in the great Cities to act their parts with most popularity Is that the reason of your remove to Hampton 3. But what were the parts they had to act Their work it self is the best evidence of that Let the two Printed Agreements of the Worcestershire Ministers one for Discipline and one for Catechising and personal instruction with my Reformed Pastor be a standing Witness to Posterity what the Countries Ministers work was against all factious Calumny We lived not idle not one of a multitude had an hundred pounds a year Maintenance that I could know of In my great place of Sequestration mine was less when I was elsewhere oft offered above Three hundred pounds we preached twice or thrice a week and rarely meddled with any Controversies except against the Quakers and Anabaptists when they came to trouble the Churches We spent half two clays a week in Conference with each Family to Catechize them and help them to understand the Catechism and to prepare them for another World Besides all our Labour of Discipline to bring the Scandalous to Repentance and all the other Offices of our places In the last Leaf of my Uiversal Concord the practice of the Church where I lived is recited This was the Part we acted for our selves 2. But you add What good was done to Souls by these Intruders late Posterity will find c. Answer 1. I think that the present Age that hath the Experience may better know than Posterity unless they have truer Historians than you 2. Many thousand Souls already in Heaven and many thousand more yet on Earth that were brought to the true knowledge of God and themselves by the Labours of such Ministers will be their Witness what good they did But the Stranger meddleth not with their Joys 3. If you impute to them either the Errors or Work of Sectaries whom they were the principal means of suppressing and whom they did much more against than you Or yet the Works of the Rebellious Souldiers that pulled down Powers and set up themselves you will but shew your malignity and unrighteousness If you do not your Accusation signifieth nothing If you mean that the People will not be brought to like silencing of Prelats better than such Preachers and this is the breach which the skilfullest of you cannot heal I am of your mind And the Names of Intrusion and Schism will not serve to change their Minds As for Intrusion I knew very few such in those days that ever came to a place before they were sought to and intreated And I know very few now that are not Seekers 3. Your next against Preaching down Authority and Plundering other mens Livings to save Souls sheweth more what you are than what they did When you know that I have provoked you to name one of ten or twenty that ever preached down Authority or meddled with Arms Most coming out of the Universities after the Wars and many never meddling with them though several Conformists did And sure the Party is not to be judged or denominated by a tenth or twentieth part I named many men to you in the former Paper and in this Enquire how few of all those ever meddled with Arms. 2. And those few that did almost all did it before they came into Sequestrations and many never did so after and thought it had been Authority which they had stood for And as he that erreth in Medicine upon the judgment of a Colledge of Physicians so he that erreth in Law upon the judgment of a Parliament is more pardonable than some other men and may again be capable of Preaching the Gospel or else such should not now be readmitted 3. And if eating the Bread of Preachers be it you call plundring other mens livings their Error if it were one had these excuses that they thought that the Tythes had been first devoted to God and that he was the first
respectively P. 7. Some are as Colonels of Regiments others as Captains of Troops the Body is but One the Members many P. 13. The New Testament saith The Churches of Galatia Gal. 1. 2. the Churches of Judea Asia Yet One body All the faithful make One heavenly City one Church of the first born so that Gods Church on Earth is Many Churches and yet but One Church Do you not think now that we are agreed But hear him judge himself P. 15. I will shew one common Errour or mistake in multitudes of our able Divines That those we call particular Churches are counted Parts and Members of the Church Universal This I deny Mr. Baxter makes the Church of England or the Churches of England to be an integral part of the Church Universal as a Troop of an Army or a City of a Kingdom So the Independents I overthrow this Errour by this Argument One and the same thing cannot be both a Body and a Member a whole and a part a society and one single person But that which we call a single or particular Church is not a Member but a Body it is not a limb or part of a Church but a whole and entire Church It hath a whole within it London is not a Member of England but a City and aggregation of Members It 's no less than a flat contradiction in terms what Dr. Ames saith Medul l. 1. c. 32. that a particular Church est Membrum ex aggregatione variorum Membrorum singulorum compositum contrary to common reason and plain Scripture P. 18. A bare Member in the Body hath no Authority but acteth by mere natural life and appetite and is not endued with rational authority nor can be capable of any That which we call a single Church is a Catholick or Universal Church It hath an Universal Head To be a Christian is to be of an universal impartial spirit where there is an All there is an Universal But every single Church hath an All within it the Pastor and all his flock The Church Universal and particular do only differ as to place and number A Church of godly Ministers and people in France Holland and England differ but as to place Every Church of Christians must needs be a Church Universal not a limb or member of another Church but a true body or entire Christian society P. 20. Christs Body is One not as one is opposed to Multitude but to division contrariety and destruction § 4. P. 21. This leads me to shew the unsoundness of another part of Mr. Baxters Doctrine and some others with him He saith There are two essentially different Policies or Forms of Church-Government of Christs Institution never to be altered by man 1. The Form of the Universal Church as Headed by Christ himself which all Christians own as they are Christians in their Baptism 2. Particular Churches headed by their particular Bishops or Pastors and are parts of the Universal as a Troop of an Army or a City of a Kingdom And he defines the Universal Church to be The universality of Baptized Christians headed by Christ himself These his sayings contain many Errours I will first note them out and then confute and prove them to be Errours 1. It is an Errour in the art of defining to put in those words Headed by Christ himself 2. It is another Errour to define the Universal Church without Guides and Ministers as one essential constituent part 3. It is another Errour to say that the Universal Church and Churches particular differ essentially 1. It is an Errour in the art of desining to say Headed by Christ himself that 's supposed but need not be in the definition He finds fault himself with such a defect in the definition of a particular Church Grant them to be Christians and you grant they own Christ 2. It is an Errour to define the Universal Church without Pastors So doth the Assemblies Confession and Mr. Hudson His definition of the Church without Pastors is as if he defined a living healthful man without a stomach liver or lungs P. 24. 3. If there be an essential difference between Church and Church what then is the difference between the Church and the World Heaven and Hell the righteous and the wicked How can any man know which is the right Church We shall never be able to confute Popery nor Infidelity by this Doctrine For this Doctrine supposeth two essentially different Churches The Universal Church without Pastors and of this Christ is Head himself Particular Churches of which Christ is no Head but particular Pastors are the Heads By this Doctrine the same thing shall be contrary to it self Christs Church in this world is but one And can one and the same thing have two different Essences beings and definitions Quae conveniunt uno tertio c. But the Church Universal and particular agree in uno tertio They stand on one foundation are directed by one rule quickned by one spirit an addition of homogeneous Particles makes no essential difference It will necessarily infer that God is contrary to himself and that the essentiating principles of Church holiness order and government are black and white darkness and light P. 25. If this opinion stand Religion cannot stand Two essentially different Forms of Churches will infer two sorts of Holiness the one repugnant to the other yet subordinata non pugnant If Christ set up two repugnant or essentially different Church-Forms he is not the Saviour but the deceiver of the world O dreadful § 5. P. 92. A word more ad hominem of that opinion That particular Churches are parts of the Universal as a Troop is of an Army or a City of a Kingdom This is Mr. Baxters opinion why then do you blame the turning all the Parish-Churches into Chappels and making them to be but parts of the Diocesan as a Troop is of an Army c. who sees not that your Doctrine doth the same that you condemn c. If they are but parts and Members of another Church the Universal then they are not Churches It is not unlikely but you can find somewhat to say in defence of this your self-contradicting Doctrine but I believe it will match your wit were it ten times more and prove too hard for you Look to it if your disputations against Prelacie stand down goes this main assertion of yours If your disputations against Prelacie be found to have a hollow and false bottom then you have made you work for repentance you have greatly injured the Church of God and particularly the Church of England and have deceived a great many Look what Bellarmine maketh the Pope to be to all the Pastors Churches and Christians through the world That do you make this which you call the Church Universal for you say that particular Churches as headed by their respective Bishops and Pastors are parts and members of another Church called the Church Universal By which assertion you set up
the Scripture and Canons 1. A constant publick Teaching them which they owe not to all others or any 2. Constant Government by the Keys 3. Constant Administration of the Lords Supper 4. Constant leading them in publick Worship Prayer Praise c. 5. A special care of the Poor 6. Ordinary Visitation of the Sick 7. Comforting the Afflicted admonishing Offenders watching over all The Canons will tell you much which every man oweth more to his own Charge than to others V. It is certain that this Flock oweth a more special attendance and account and obedience to these Pastors than to Strangers or others of other Churches 1. To hear them 2. To receive the Communion ordinarily of them 3. To maintain them and so in the rest V. I. It is certain that none of this was done or can be done without mutual Consent VII It is certain that this Church-state Office and Duty was setled by Christ's Apostles and continued by the common consent of the Churches on Earth from age to age § 28. That it was an Apostolical Establishment is plain in Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church To omit the sence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the most usual sence includeth Suffrages it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implieth the fixing of the several Elders to their several Churches so as to make them the stated Elders of those Churches as their Flock in pepeculiar Acts 20. 17. Are they called the Elders of that Church over which as their Flock the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers to feed the Church of God to imitate Paul that taught them publickly and from house to house and was this no peculiar pastoral relation or were any but Consenters Members of that Church Tit. 1. 5. when Titus was to ordain Elders in every City it is equal to every Church And it stated them as their peculiar Pastors even Bishops as Gods Stewards over them in particular v. 7. more than others Jam. 5. 14. the sick that must call for the Elders of the Church were their proper Flock as is supposed The Angels of the seven Churches Rev. 2 and 3. were not equally the Angels of other Churches Phil. 1. 1. the Bishops and Deacons of the Church at Philippi had a fixed peculiar relation to them as theirs Archippus had a proper Ministry at Colosse Col. 4. 17. And Laodicea had a peculiar Church v. 16. 1 Thess 5. 12 13. sheweth the common state of the Christian Churches Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake And be at peace among your selves Here Pastors to labour and admonish and be over them are to be known owned esteemed beloved persons dwelling among them and knowing their own Flock and the peoples duty to them and one another laid down And shall a Christian Minister say O but do not promise no nor signifie any consent to do it for that is to be rebaptized and is damning to the practisers The Bishops and Elders that Timothy is instructed about were such as had their proper Flocks and took care of them as the Church of God that were to rule them well and labour in the Word and Doctrine to preach the word in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine c. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. the Elders that Peter writeth to were to feed the Flock of God which was among them taking the oversight of them more than of all the world not by constrain but willingly and may they not signifie willingness not as Lords but Examples to their Flocks and Shepherds under the chief Shepherd Heb. 13. 7 17 24. fully expresseth it Obey them that have the rule over you they watch for your Souls as those that must give account not of all the world but of that Flock that they oversee The same Church had Bishops that had Deacons and some Deaconesses Widows c. but it was never known that Deacons were to be indefinite Overseers of the poor of all Churches but they had ever relation to particular Churches This is the ordering of the Churches appointed by the Holy Ghost Tit. 1. 5. And yet this man maketh it an abuse or injury against Christ and overthrow of the Gospel § 29. II. As for the constant judgement and practice of all Churches I am ashamed that such usage should put me to such a work as to prove that they ever held and practised that which this man condemneth in me He knoweth nothing of the Churches state and History and Canons that knoeth not 1. That all Churches were Societies of Christians united under their proper known Bishops or Pastors fixed to those Flocks by proper relation though also related to the World and the Church Universal 2. That the people did not onely Consent but Chuse their Pastors and he was to be no Bishop that had not their consent 3. That the Laity of other Churches promiscuously had no power to chuse them but onely those whom they were set over 4. That the Bishops as Ignatius speaks were to know the particular Members of their Churches and see that they came constantly to the Assemblies even to enquire after Maids and Servants saith he by name 5. That they made multitudes of Canons for exercising particular Discipline on each person that needed it by long suspending some from Communion restoring others taking care of the poor and of all 6. That they took not the Catechumens for the Church but Candidates and prepared and tried them before admittance 7. That it was not mere baptizing that made them of that Flock for they preached and baptized in other places 8. That it was not mere neighbourhood of Christians for there were sometime divers Churches in one City as in Meletius case at Alexandria and Dr. Hammond thinks the Jewish and Gentile Christians at first had several Bishops and Churches in the same Cities ordinarily And the Audians Luciferians Donatists and others that were of the same Religion had divers Churches besides such as the Novatians that had some little Doctrinal differences and none till now ever thought that these were all the same Pastors special Flocks and the same particular Churches Yea I have elsewhere cited that Council that decreed that if any Bishop neglected to convert the Hereticks c. he that converted them should have them as his Flock or Church In a word all Church-history and Canons describing their particular Churches and their Elections Orders Offices Priviledges Discipline c. and limiting them that strove for the greatest from encroaching one on another tell us so fully that they were so many incorporate Christian Societies consisting by mutual Consent of their proper Pastors and Flocks that Et pudet piget that such a task as the proofs should be thus imposed on me by a Minister § 30. The same is still continued even
Enclosure and the Communion of your Conformists I have some business on your side the Hedge the Law and your own expectation will tell you part of it I see some of my Fathers Family with you I have busines on the other side the Hedge There are as good as you and such as I am neerly related to and commanded to love as my self and to receive as Christ received us and not to doubtful disputations to prove or approve all your Jurisdictions Assumptions Oaths Covenants Subscriptions Reordinations Formalities and Ceremonies Your thorn-hedge hath enclosed but one corner of Christs Vineyard and I have business in the rest It hath separated Parents from Children Husbands from Wives as to Church-communion Masters and Servants Brethren from Brethren Neighbours from Neighbours If they that made the hedge can justifie it let them do it it will be tryed before a jealous God ere long if those of you that in learned Books and Sermons exhort us with somewhat hissing Rhetorick to separate from those on the other side the hedge can prove that themselves are all Christs Church and that God would have us separate from all save them and give over Preaching and all publick Worship of God till we can conscionably conform to all their Impositions I say if all these silencing Preachers can make good their accusation of the Brethren and their conclusions let them that undertake it speed as they perform it but for my part I will not separate from Father Mother Brother Friend and all good Christians save a domineering Sect because that Sect will else call me Separatist I was wont to draw the Map of the Church Universal as one Body or Field or Vineyard of Christ hedged in indeed round about from Infidels and distributed into thousands of particular Churches as Streets and Families in one City But if any will say Hold Communion with one Street or Family and separate from the rest and then say that you are a Schismatick for not being for that odious Schism I will hear such as I do the people that talk through the windows on the west side of Moor-fields when they say that all are mad or Schismatical that are not in their Cubs and Chains Mr. Cheney was never there I think and yet it was per album an atrum nescio revealed to him that I am downright for an Independant Covenant which hath twenty Arguments extant to batter it and prove it guilty of irreligiousness or somewhat worse And they say for I am not acquainted much with their practice that the Independent bind their flock to hold Communion with none but their own Sect nor to depart without leave from their particular Churches I am apt to believe that they are slandered for whoever falls sick I will first fear the most epidemical or common disease but if it be no slander I profess that I will never be of a particular Church which claims to be the universal and will forbid me Communion with all save them And if in this the Prelatists agree with the Independents I am against the separating Sectarian Schismatical presumption of them both I take the Kitching and Cole-house to be parts of the house and I have sometimes business in them both But I am most in my Study and Chamber and I will take both Chamber and Colehouse for Schismticks if ever I hear either of them say I am all the house or it is lawful to be in no other room Lord pull up the separating Schismatical Thorn-hedge which hath cursedly divided thy family and flock CHAP. II. The Impleaders Truth examined § 1. CHrist saith that the Devil is the Father of Lies and doubtless he hath subtilty to excuse them and improve them and it is a great advantage to them that they are so disowned by humane nature that it is taken for an injury to humanity to charge any man to be a Lyar and a Ruffian will say it deserveth a challenge or a stab You will think it a paradox that natural dislike should be turned to the advantage of a sin But it is but natural light convincing the understanding not changing or fortifying the will against it And therefore it is but pride of reputation and impenitency that is indeed the fortress of the sin § 2. Accordingly it hath many times been my hard hap to have such Books written against me and that by men whose Reputation is not undervalued by themselves or their followers as were to be answered chiefly by a Mentiris from end to end if it would not seem by custom to be uncivil And to tire the Reader by turning a Mintiris into a civil long Parenthesis and this as frequently as gross falshoods are openly said or intimated is tedious even when necessary With one I was put to use my Arithmetick and to answer him by numbring the untruths asserted But I have forborn it with others far more guilty lest their reverence and power should make truth intolerable whose passion or interest or errour had made gross Lies seem true and necessary § 3. This Impleader hath been taught too much by the same Master and had he not spent part of his Book on Doctrinals where his Errata are but mendae but been all Historical where there are too many Mendacia I might have been put to the way of answering before-mentioned But be they Mendae or Mendacia they need aniendment and the Reader may need an antidote against them § 4. Some beginning we have on the Title-page pretending to shew the Reasons of the sinfulness of Conformity Mend. 1. I pretend in my Plea to shew but the matter of Nonconformity and Historical Narrative of our judgment and matters of fact passing by the Reasons or Arguments that must prove the things unlawful though Reason may be gathered by the Reader from the matter or History itself § 5. The same is repeated p. 1. He pretends to give Reasons for the sinfulness of Conformity M. 2. And he overpasseth the chief part of my Book in which I state the case of Government and Separation on pretence that it is a dark and dirty way in which I have lost my self M. 3. And a little will satisfie him that regards such an easie dark and dirty answer § 6. He guesseth that kneeling at the Sacrament for that was then discourst of was one and the chief of those many heinous sins of Conformity Mend. 4. It seems the man was present Reader look to thy belief when thou art among such men 1. There was not a word spoken then against the lawfulness of Kneeling at the Sacrament 2. I openly declared that I held it lawful and none of my Brethren contradicted 3. The thing which we proved unlawful then was Casting those faithful Christians out of the Church-Communion in that Sacrament who dare not take it kneeling for the reasons which cause them to think it sinful § 7. Impl. He will not urge the case but barely mention matters of fact 〈…〉 much
Doctrine Worship or Religious Ministration for the Ministration of the word and Sacraments and Keys is already appointed by Christ And the Office or Order is specified by the work and terminus and a new Office hath new work But in the same species of Religious Ministration there are abundance of accidentals and circumstances and Princes or consenting Churches may give men power in those accordingly But not to forbid what Christ commanded nor destroy the works and power of his Institution And if they that are for other superiour or co-ordinate species of Church-power besides what is afore-granted say that it is a lawful humane Ordinance 1. Those that say Princes only may make it confess the Church had none that was lawful for three hundred years And they must prove the Commission 2. Those that say the Inferiour Bishops made it by consent 1. feign Inferiours to have power to make a power above their own which is more than for Presbyters to ordain their like 2. Why may not Archbishops then make Patriarks and they a Pope ad summum ascendendo 3. They must prove their power and that they are so far equal to Apostles who yet were but to teach the Nations what Christ commanded them which these Men know not but by the Scripture 4. What Man maketh Man may unmake And how came we to be less free than our Ancestors that made such Offices XLI In my Book of Concord where this is granted yet I say that let Church-Patriarchs Metropolitans Primates Archbishops or Diocesans like ours that have no Bishops under them be never so probably maintained to be lawful yea and desirable yet the uniting in them by consent and approbation will never become the terms or way of Universal Concord which I have fully proved even all that is true and good will never be the terms of Universal Concord nor just Christian Communion much less that which hath so much matter of doubt and great suspition of evil But I will live in Christian love peace and submission my self on terms uncapable of common concord or my own approbation of the things as imposed or done by all others XLII Lay-Chancellours may do what belongeth to a Magistrate but not use the Church-Keyes nor be the Church-Judges of Mens Communion because Christ hath Instituted the Sacred Office for it XLIII A Church is Ens Politicum in the sense in hand and the form of it is Relative in the predicament of Relation XLIV The parts of the Universal Church are similar and dissimilar more simple or more compound And the word whole applyed to a part disproveth not its being a part of the whole Christian world or Church A whole hand foot head c. is part of a whole Body and a whole Body part of a whole Man and a whole Man part of a whole Family and a whole Family part of a whole street and that of a whole City and that of a whole County or Kingdom A whole Colledge of a whole University c. All Members save Souls and Atomes are compounds XLV When we call all the Christian world The Catholick Church and call e. g. Hippo A or the Catholick Church the word Catholick and The are not univocal In the later we mean only The Church at Hippo which holds the true Catholick Faith and is a true part of the Catholick Church in the first sense Penuria nominum necessaria reddit aequivoca XLVI Particular Churches are Visible in the Regent and Governed parts The Universal Church is Visible in the Governed part and in the Head only so far as he was once on Earth and is now visible in Heaven his Court and will be visible at last to all and ruleth by visible Laws but not as a Head now visible on Earth nor is this any deformity to his Church nor any reason why it may not be called Visible as I have fully proved in two Books against W. Johnson alias Terret XLVII Those that deny an Universal Visible Church differ only de nowine not de re They only deny any Universal Regent power Monarchical or Aristocratical or Democratical under Christ but I know no Christian that ever denyed the fore-described XLVIII Forma dat esse Divers constitutive forms or specifying differences make divers Essences Therefore the form of a Troop being the Captains Government differs from the form of a Regiment which is the Colonels Governing Relation and both from the forms of the Army which is the Generals The formal Essence of a Colledge is divers from that of an University and of a Family from a Corporation or City and that from a Kingdom And as forma dat nomen they have divers names A Family quatalis is not a Kingdom c. Reader forgive the mention of these things which Children know and till now I never read or heard any man deny or question In that which followeth you shall see the Reasons that excuse me CHAP. III. What Mr. Cheyney saith against these things And 1. Of Church-Forms and Essence § 1. THough it tempt me not to Conformity as the way of Concord where I see the great difference of such as plead for it amongst themselves yet I must do that right to the Conformists as to tell the world that they must not be judged of by Mr. Ch 's opinions and that I know no other Conformist or Non-conformist of his mind about Church-Forms § 2. But I must add that his Case doth increase my Conviction against himself and them that their Conformity is so far from being the necessary Cement that it is utterly destructive of it as so imposed and that it must be on few plain necessary things that common concord must be held or we must have none Mr. Ch. thinks me one who may be endured in the Ministry and I think so by him and yet how far easier and plainer than our Controversies of Conformity are those things in which we differ to the height of his following Accusations If none should be endured that cannot Covenant Swear Subscribe Declare and Practice as is required how much less can such as he and I be endured in one Church if we differ as he saith we do O what pardon and forbearance doth our peace require § 3. Of Church-Forms and Essence hear some of his Judgment Pag. 3. The several Congregations and Assemblies of Pastors and People throughout the Kingdom are not limbs and parcels of a Church but they are so many Churches consisting of a Pastor Governing and people governed joyning together in publick worship It is called the Church of England as all the Christian Pastors and people throughout the world are called the Universal Church One Church of which Christ is the transcendent Head I do not see but it is proper to call all the Christian Pastors and people of England One Church P. 6. Christ is the Head of the Church of England and under Christ all the Parish-Ministers are subordinate Guides and Rulers of their Flocks
subordinate Head and all but the named parts are denyed As if he would have more than the genus proximum and differentia specificans in a definition yea even the genus supremum and Christ shall be the specifying Head or none § XXVI He saith So the same thing shall be contrary to itself As if 1. Christ and a Bishop in formal relation were proved to be the same 2. Or things subordinate were contrary which he denyeth himself § XXVII He saith Christs Church in this world is but one Answ If there be but one particular Church 1. Then numerically the Church of London and Basil are one And then if I separate not from the Church at Basil I separate not from the Church of London 2. If de specie there be but one then a Patriarchal Diocesane Parochial Presbyterian and Democratical Church are but of one species And why then did you use so many words to tell us of the need of Bishops over Bishops and of the several sorts of supra-ordinate Church-Rulers Then a National Church and a Parish-Church are but one § XXVIII He addeth Quae conveniunt uno tertio conveniunt inter se but the Church Universal and particular agree in uno tertio c. Answ As if Convenientia generica were convenientia totalis vel specifica or Convenientia partialis totalis Accidentalis Essentialis were all one What pretty Logick is here to prove a King and a Constable all one because they are both Men both Christians and both Rulers I hope then a Bishop and a Presbyter are all one that in your sorry sense agree in uno tertio But let us hear the inferred Charge against us § XXIX An Addition of Homogeneous Particles saith he makes no essential differences Answ Christ and a Bishop are heterogeneous Yea a Diocesane and a Parish-Priest have you proved that they are not or that they are § XXX It will necessarily infer that God is contrary to himself saith he Answ O Temerity in the dark that is unless his Church-relation be the same with the Bishops As if the King be contrary to himself if his Kingdom and a Corporation or School be not of the same species § XXXI He saith If this opinion stand Religion cannot stand An. Do you mean in you or in me or all others Do you resolve to cast away all Religion if Christ and a Bishop be not the same informing regent parts of the Church Universal and particular Think better of it first for Religion is more necessary than so Do you think that the Christian world which hath ever been of the opinion which you detest had never any Religion Nor hath now any Which way do Churches that are parts of the Universal cast out all Religion § XXXII If Christ set up two essentially different Church-Forms he is not the Saviour but the deceiver of the world Answ And must Christ bear such a charge as well as I I should sooner have expected it from a Turk or Jew than from you § XXXIII He saith Why then do you blame turning Parish-Churches into Chappels and making them but parts of a Diocesane as a Troop of an Army Answ Putide putares When shall we meet with a true Sentence It is not for making them parts of a Diocesane Church as Troops of an Army but for making them no Political true Churches but disbanding all the Troops by making them no Troops but such parts of a Regiment as Squadrons are It is for putting down Inferiour Bishops and not for being themselves Bishops over them yet on this doth he ground his charge of my deceiving men and wronging God and his Church c. § XXXIV He addeth Look what Bellarmine maketh the Pope c. that do you c. for you say that particular Churches as headed by their respective Bishops and Pastours are parts of another Church called the Church Universal By which assertion you set up an Universal Head besides Christ and you say this is of Divine Institution and lay the Concord of all the Churches on it Answ If you are sani Cerebri this is so gross that your putarem hath no excuse Had you not your self repeated my definition and carpt at those very words Headed only by Christ and many times your self repeated it as my opinion 2. Or had you tryed your wrangling wit to have proved that if Christ only be asserted to be the Head I thereby assert another Head or that If I make Bishops particular specifying Heads I therefore assert a humane Universal Head you had some cloak for your putarem But now If you next print that I said that a Dog is a man I will no more wonder at it than at this See Reader how my Church-Concord is oppugned and by what weapons Satan doth that work As if he that saith the King only is the specifying Head of the Kingdom and the Captain of his Troop or the Diocesans of a Diocess were a Traytor and did assert another Head of the Kingdom than the King § XXXV Do but grant the Papists saith he this one assertion that particular Churches as headed by their respective Pastors are parts and members of the Universal as Cities of a Kingdom and overthrow the Popes Headship over all if you can It will follow that there must be besides Christ an universal Monarch on earth c. Answ 1. Affirmanti incumbit probatio Did you think we must take your bare word in so great a case Do you say one word to prove your affirmation Must we all turn Papists upon your immodest naked saying it is so 2. But your immodesty is in this excessive to me that have written two Books against Johnson alias Terret and the later but lately and largely to prove that the Church hath no Universal Head but Christ notwithstanding the particular Regency of the Bishops and for you to give me not a word of answer to them and bid me now prove it if you can when I have voluminously proved it This is such dealing as I will not name 3. But I am heartily sorry what ever did it that you are got so neer to Popery As if you will be a Papist unless all the writers of the Christian world are deceived and if the particular Church be a part of the Universal which â—â—â—â— dare boldly swear it is and sober men doubt not XXXVI He adds Indeed you have gone beâ—ond Bellarmine in setting up Papal Monarchy Your â—ther assertion sets up Atheism by making the holy God the authour and founder of two essential different Churches or Church-Forms Answ Putares But if all the Christian world be of the same mind do they all set up Atheism and are you only free As for Tho. Hooker whom you cited though it be twenty four years or thereabouts since I read Mr. Hudson and him and will not tast away my time in perusing them my memory doubts not that it was only a Universal Church made one by one universal
humane policie that he denied and that they differed but about words Did ever Christian before you deny particular Churches to be distinct policies and parts of the Universal Have we so many Books written of Ecclesiastical Policie and is there no such thing or no Churches that are Politick Societies § XXXVII He adds According to your assertion all the world must be Atheists of no Religion at all Answ Then all the world of Christians are so for as far as writings notifie they are generally of this mind Alas Brother did you shew this to any man before you Printed it for their honour I must think you did not and for your sake I wish you had § XXXVIII He adds Your division of the Church into Universal and particular is plainly against that Rule in Logick Membra omnis bonae divisionis debent esse inter se opposita but you oppose the same thing against it self Answ Thus do men humble themselves by forsaking humility Had it not been better for your to have let your Logick alone than to bewray that which you might have concealed Are not diversa distinguishable as well as opposita And is there no diversity in parte essentiae as in subalternis where there is not a diversity in totâ essentia as there is in summis generibus is there not both diversity and opposition inter totum partem and between the species of an universal and particular Society Are they not Relative opposita May you not distinguish Army and Regiment and Troop Kingdom and City Christ and a Bishop c. § XXXIX He adds You make the Church at Corinth a particular Church Answ And do not all Christians Is it all the Christian world § XL. You plainly saith he leave out of your description the differing form or token of that which you call a particular Church and that is Neighbourhood c. Answ Anne putares 1. Have I so oft exprest it and yet will you say so 2. But it was in descriptions indeed and I was far from your Logical belief that Neighbourhood is the differencing form And I hope no one else is of your mind 1. If Neighbourhood be the differencing form then all Christian Neighbours are particular Churches But that is false Ergo. 1. Those that dwell together only for Trade are not therefore Churches 2. Those that hold that there are no particular Churches or Pastors but that all Christians are as Priests 3. Those that hold that the Minister of the Parish where they live is no true Minister nor the Parish a true Church 4. Those that profess themselves Members of no particular Church 5. Those that profess to be no Members of that Church but of another 6. Papists and Sectaries that stand in opposition to that Church 7. Those that dwell near another Parish-Church and many miles from their own are not Members by proximity 8. Those that are Excommunicated which is de facto all professed Non-Conformists 9. In places where the Magistrate tyeth not Churches to Parish-bounds persons of the same street and house may be of several Churches 10. No man that consenteth not is a Church-Member 11. And who knoweth not that proximity is but dispositio materiae and not the differencing form All these singular novelties should have had better proof than these dry assertions contrary to all Christian sense § XLI This startles me I strive to be silent and cannot saith he and the more I strive the more I am overcome Answ If you are so far gone I shall hereafter I think without any striving with my self let that which is within you talk on and not resist you For who can hold that which will away But I wish you the benefit of some stiptick remedy and a sober mind § XLII I prove to you saith he when there is nothing like one proving word c. you make the Lord Jesus the authour and founder of subverting principles Answ Read the Ninth Commandment I conclude with these requests to him as my true friend viz. to consider Qu. 1. Whether a man so far from persecution and yet condemning us of Atheism blaspheming and destroying all Religion c. be not much more uncharitable than they that charge no such thing upon us but trouble us for refusing Forms are Ceremonies or is it not the same spirit Qu. 2. Whether he justifie not the silencing and ruining of all whom he so accuseth should not such impious Atheists be silenced Qu. 3. If he knew that the generality of the Christian world in all ages hold what he thus censureth what will he call it to charge all Christians so far with Atheism and casting out all Religion and making God and Christ a deceiver If he knew it not what will he call it to venture thus to publish such an accusation before he knew that which an ordinary Inhabitant of the world might so easily have known As if he had published All that say a City is specified by its subordinate Form of Government and is a part of the Kingdom specified by the Monarch are Traytors and depose the King or make him a deceiver and no King and deny all obedience What will you call this dealing Qu. 4. Was it well done to write such a Book while he understood so very little of the very plainest passages which he wrote against Qu. 5. Was it excusable to confess some errour of the last and to add far worse and after warning a second time so to speak evil of what he understood not Qu. 6. Was it humility to make ostentation of the Logick he understood not Qu. 7. Doth not the extreme bold confidence of the falsest of his own conceptions shew a very unhumbled overvaluing of his own understanding To be ignorant is common to Mankind yea and to be much ignorant of our ignorance and to think that we know more than we do But to have so little sense of this calamity and so little suspicion of ones own understanding as to be confident to such a height of accusation of the grossest falshoods where a lad of fourteen years old that had read any thing of Logick and Politicks might have better taught him that I say not the reason and use of Mankind this seemeth somewhat beyond the common measure of self-conceitedness Qu. 8. Whether the great number of asserted untruths here shew not some want of necessary tenderness or care of writing CHAP. IV. Mr. Chenies Accusations of me about Church-Covenants and rigid Independencie and the odiousness hereof considered § 1. WHen he had said that it leads to two contrary Gods which is to make no true God p. 69. He proceedeth Mr. B. hath devised and framed two Covenants the one to make a man a Member of the Church Universal the other of the particular p. 97. I will shew 1. That this is the same with the upstart way of the Independents 2. The unsoundness of it p. 101. Mr. B. and the Independents now are contrary to
and are hunted and laid in Jayls with Rogues 2. Can I expect that men that never were studious or bookish especially in matters of Divinity and Holiness but have been bred up in fulness and pleasure in courtship and converse with such as themselves who will take him for a Fanatick that doth but talk much and seriously of Heaven or Scripture or things Divine that scarce ever heard what a Nonconformist hath to say for himself nor ever seriously examined the cause or read a Book which openeth their case in all their lives I say can I expect that such should be able or willing to understand us I mean not as if All were such but it hath been my hard hap to meet with few persons even of Gentile Education who ask me Why do you not Conform that do not presently shew me in Conference that they are quite out of their Element when they meddle with such matters and talk of things which they never studied or understood and indeed do not think it belongeth to them but to the Church And that is to those Church-men that the King and the Patron please to chuse which maketh the Papists say the Laity of the Church of England cry down our believing as the Church believeth when they do the same by their own Church-men The Question is but whether it be our Church-men or theirs that are to be believed And when Kings were on out side it was our Church-men that were to be believed and when they are on their side it is theirs And Mr. Hutchinson alias Berry spake harshly when he said in Print that there was so little of conscionable Religion in the people of the Church of England that if one were but toucht with the Conscience of Religion he turned Puritan o◠Papist I shewed him the injury of his Speech but I would he had much less occasion for it Dr. Stillingfleet told me that there was scarce an◠of his Hearers or Readers how mean soever ther◠capacities were but could discern the weakness of no Evasions I dwell near the Verge of his Parish I have talkt with some of his Auditors and enquired of many others and I think verily he is more in the right than I at first believed For I finde that abundance of his Auditors hear him some once some twice some thrice a year and some of them know not whether Christ be God or man or both or whether he had a humane Soul or what a man differs from a Beast nor what is the true sence of many if any Articles of the Creed And I am perswaded these whom he calleth of the meanest capacity are the likeliest men to discern the weakness of My Arguments I have talked also with divers of his Readers and I found that they understood this much that Dr. Stillingfleet wrote his Sermon against the Nonconformists and that he is a Dean and may be greater and is a man that can talk with any of us It may be some that I have not met with know more as being of a higher Form and some few I have met with that indeed know more and those lament the Doctor 's undertaking and when they have read my Answer or Account confess that they cannot justifie his Charge Could I but tell how to get most of the Church of England to know what Religion is and to be seriously of any Religion and to understand Baptism and the Lords Supper the Creed Lords Prayer and Ten Commandments how boldly should I expect their Christian sense and candour in our Cause But till then I confess that the Accusers have the advantage of us and their Books unread will do more than ours § 5. And it is a great advantage which they have got by the Oxford-Act of banishing above five Miles from Cities and Corporations all that swear not as is there required For though the King's Wisdome and Clemency have let down he Floud-gates and somewhat stopt the impetus of the Clergy-stream yet it was many years before Nonconformists durst be openly seen in Cities or Corporations much less at Court or among great Men and modesty and prudence yet obligeth them to abstain from the presence of their Superiours where the Law forbids it so that the Ears of Country-Nobles and most of our Rulers hear but what our Accusers say and have no knowledge of our Cause but as described by them whose descriptions are many of them no more credible than if they said that we are Turks § 6. And their Art hath got us to such a straight that whether we speak or are silent we are guilty and whatever we do except swearing saying and doing as they require it shall turn to our Accusation For instance Do some think that Dr. Stillingfleet is in the right that pronouneeth Damnation without Repentance against them that prefer not the purest Church and thereupon come not to the Parish-Assemblies Against such they cry out Separatists Schismaticks preparing for Rebellion away with them execute the Laws But if others do as I do who daily joyn with the Parish-Church in all their Worship and Communicate in their Sacrament and oppose Separation Some say Such are like Ap◠that are the ugliest Creatures though likest unto men while they are not men And others say We know not what to make of Mr. B. he is neither Flo◠nor Fish He is like one that will go one step on one side the Hedge and another on the other side to avoid Uniformity And the men are not altogether mistaken I profess that I once made it the most earnest action of my life to have prevented the building of a separating Wall or a dividing Thorny-hedge in the midst of this part of the Vineyard of Christ to separate one part of the faithful Ministers and people from the rest And that I earnestly desire to see that Wall or Hedge pull'd down that Christ's Flock among us may be one And I will do the best I can whilst I live to get it down that there may be no such separation And seeing this is a work above my power I will go sometime on both sides the Hedge though by so doing I be scratcht and a Thorn in the Flesh by a buffetting Messenger of Satan reprehend me But reverend Doctors hear my Reasons It is not to avoid Uniformity but Separation I am a Catholick and not a Sectary I am for Communion with the Universal Church If you will hedge in one corner and the Anabaptists another and the Separatists another and so other Sects that must have their peculiars and turn Christ's house into your several Chambers and his Common-field into your little Inclosures and then say Keep onely in our Room and go into no other Keep onely in our Enclosure and go not on the other side of the Hedge I shall tell you that I abhor your separation I have business on both sides I believe the holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints and not onely your