deceyt The whole Church is a kingdom of Preists that is of ministers who are to be guided and governed by their Officers caled also ministers in more special manner for the holy and orderly practise of the power And thus the Prophets foretold the state of the Christian Church saying strangers shal stand and feed your sheep and the sonns of strangers shal be your plowmen and dressers of your vines but ye shal be named the Preists of the Lord men shal say unto you The Ministers of our God Where the Officers of the Church are coÌ„pared to pastours husbandmen as the new testament also coÌ„firmeth vvhich should be of the converted Gentiles and the Church it self is the Lords preisthood and his Ministers Sixtly they ask whither we in the Churches goverment as the Anabaptists in the sacraments would not make them aliens from the coÌ„mon wealth of Jsrael c. I answer this was in their fourth observation before and there is by me answered I trust without absurdity or ungodlynes errors or evils all which they here insinuate against us for to fyll up their mesure But here agayn the reason deceiveth the reader for in sted of coÌ„mon-wealth or politie they bring in one body one Lord one faith of theirs and ours c. Ephe. 2. c. Al this we grant but the outward politie goverment we deny to be the same it being changed by Christ both for Citie Sanctuarie Dan. 9.26 There was alwayes one Lord faith of the Church but not alwayes one politie The kingdom and preisthood were first executed by one person as in Melchisedek afterward these functions were divided Kings might not doo the Preists work Also the civil government in Israel was changeable somtime without a King sometime with one yea sometime by hethen Kings as Nebuchadnezar Cyrus c to whom the Israelites were bound to be subject but not so in their sacraments that ther is no just consequence to be drawn froÌ„ the one of these to the other We rather may ask of our opposites whether they as the Papists would not draw us froÌ„ the testament of Christ vvho was faithful as Moses in al his house to the Ievvish politie novv abolished And let them tell us vvhether ther may be novv Archbishops over other Bishops and Ministers as in Israel there were Archpreists over other Preists and Levites or a superior court to hear the appeals from particular synagogues cities now as was then and whether the ministers of the Church now may be captayns of politik armies as Benajah son of Iehojada the cheif Preist was general of the feild in Ioabs room Such orders have been heretofore in Israel Seventhly they ask why we speak not of our selves what we pleaded to be the church spoken of Mat. 18 17. c. I answer because our plea is already set forth in sundry books as the Discovery the Reâ—itation of M. Gifford the Apologie the Treatise of the Ministerie against M. Hildersh the Answer to White c. And I ask of them agayn why they answer not the things already published in so many treatises but fish for more matter by subtile questions as if men had nothing ells to doo but answer al things that they write and demand and to let them range at wil without orderly answering as is meet They say some of us taught it to be the whole church alleging to that end Num. 15.33 27.2 and 35.12 I answer first we taught then no otherweise then as them selves taught heretofore with us Secondly we alleged many other scriptures and reasons both from the Prophets and Apostles though it please them to omitt those and cull out these against which they think they have more colour to contend For hereupon they thus argue 1 Jf this rule be found in the book of Numbers c. then it is not a new rule first given in Mat. 18.17 I answer they wrong us and would deceiv the reader we alleged not those scriptures to prove the rule to be the same then and now but to give light unto the question by shewing what was the peoples right then under the law and under the Magistrate which may be more but can not be less now under the gospel where the church ministery hath not the power of Magistracie over Gods heritage The Apostle applieth many things from Aarons preisthood to Christ yet he maketh Christs preisthood not to be after Aarons order but Melchisedeks should men now thus carp at his allegations Then they say those scriptures speak of civil goverment which we except about the Elders but they suppose we wil not give to the people civil authoritie I answer first them selves grant that the people have as much right and power now as they had in Israel but we deny they can never prove that the ministers now have as much authority over the people as had the Princes of Israel so our reasoning is good though theirs be naught Secondly for civil authoritie as we never chalenged it so neyther should it be objected to them but that they wil have it to be no new rule Then say we it must be left to the Magistrate and ministers may not intrude into their place And seing they thus urge it let them if they please clear them selves whither they think not that the Elders of the church may have civil authoritie also as had the Elders in Israel Thirdly they say that by these and the like scriptures it is certayn sinners in Jsrael were brought before the congregation of Elders I answer if they mean Elders onely as they must if they reason to the matter in hand I deny it and ther is no weight in their proof For it is also certayn that Paul imposed hands on Timothee 2. Tim. 1.6 but elswhere it appeareth others also imposed hands as wel as he 1. Tim. 4.14 So the Apostles and Elders came togither about a controversie Act. 15.6 but the whole Church came togither also verse 22.23 Titus was left to ordeyn Elders Tit. 1.5 but was he to doo it himself alone The keyes were promised to Peter Mat. 16.19 but were they meant to him onely In Rev. 2.1 Iohn wrote to the Angel or Messenger of the church but by Rev. 1.11 2.7 it is plain the whole church was intended So in Israel the law sayth in a case of mariage let her goe up to the gate to the Elders Deut. 25.7.8.9 but the practise of this sheweth that the people were also interested with the Elders Ruth 4.2.7.9.11 Jn Exod. 5.1 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh but by Exod. 3.18 we may gather that the Elders of Israel went with them also So in the place cited Num. 15.33 they brought him to Moses and to Aaron and to al the Congregation the people are here meant with the Magistrates for God then
himself wrote heretofore against M. Iakob J would know of yow sayth he who are so deep a clerk how Antichrists church and religion should justly be accounted a mysterie of iniquitie and truly be sayd to speak lyes in hypocrisie also privily to bring in damnable heresies and to have a shew of Godlynes if they did so absolutely and wholly depart from the faith and not onely from some points therof c. Fourthly they allege Rev. 18.4 Goe out of her my people c. which words they say imply the covenant of God continued among them I answer these very words are taken from Jer. 51.45 My people goe out of the midds of her where by my people the Church of Babylon is not meant but the Israelites Gods lost sheep scattred there upon the mountains and hills whom first the King of Ashur had devoured lastly Nebuchadnezar King of Babel had broken their bones having burned Ierusalem and the Temple with fyre broken down the citie walls imprisoned their King in Babylon captived the Princes people and caried the vessels of the Lords house into Babylon so that now Israel was without Temple without kingdom without politie or cōmon wealth of their own onely the Lord himself was a Sanctuarie or Temple to the faithful there dispersed and their holy vessels were caried into the Temple and treasurie of Nebuchadnezars God And these Israelites figuring Gods elect are caled out of Babylon which God would utterly destroy make desolate for ever And thus from Antichrists church which is Babylon Aegypt Sodom are Gods elect caled out a most evident proof that she is none of Gods church what soever she pretendeth any more than the idolatrous hethens whom she matcheth in filthines of whordoms and multitude of abominations Gods covenant of grace is not therfore with her at al for she is appointed to damnation but the elect that obey Gods voice caling them out of her them he wil receiv into covenant he wil be a Father unto them and they shal be his sonns and daughters as he hath promised Fiftly they add And so Jsrael is often caled the Lords people in the time of their Apostasie 2. King 9.6 13.23 2. Chron. 30.6 9. c· I answer they prove not the Question for first the Antichristian church is Babylon and out of her that is Babylon are Gods people caled Now to prove her Gods church they flee to Israel wheras the Gentiles were her true types as elswhere I have manifested though al the wickednes hypocrisie of Apostate Israel is also found in this Romish Babel 2. Neyther yet is their argument for Israel good to say they are caled the Lords people therfore they are his true church I deny the consequent For things are named in scripture sometime as they have been before though they be not so stil as Abigail is caled the wife of Nabal though he were then dead and she maried to David Solomon was begotten of Vriahs wife wheras she was then Davids so Iesus was in the howse of Simon the Leper so named because he had been a leper Thus Israel were caled Gods people for that he had been their first husband though in their apostasie they were not his people nor his wife Secondly they were so caled in respect of their profession that they would be so esteemed and named though in deed they were without the true God As ô thou that art named the howse of Jaakob c. but he that was yesterday my people is risen up for an enemye Thirdly they were caled Gods people in respect of their calling again unto him and his covenant afterward though for the present they were none of his as In that day J wil marrie thee Israel unto me for ever J wil even marry thee unto mee in faith and thou shalt know the Lord and J wil have pitty on her that was not pittied and wil say to them which were not my people thou art my people and they shal say thou art my God And thus the Gentiles were caled Christs sheep because they should after be brought into his fold Joh. 10 16. God had much people in Corinth a heathenish citie Act. 18.10 1. Cor. 12 2. and the Iewes to this day are Gods people beloved not for their present state which is cursed but for the promise that they shal hereafter be graffed agayn into Christ. Rom. 11 11 20.23 25 26. 9.4 with Jsa 59 20 21. Ezek. 34 23. 30. Hos. 3 5. As for this false church and state of Israel which compassed the Lord with lyes and with deceyt it also may shew vs how to vnderstand that Temple of God forespoken of wherin Antichrist should sitt as God For was there any true Temple any where but in Ierusalem yet when Israel forgat his maker he builded Temples These howsoever they pretended the God that brought them out of Aegypt yet were in deed built for the worship of Divils to whom they sacrificed and not to God Therfore the Lord by names distinguisheth these two churches caling Samaria Aholah that is Her own Tabernacle Ierusalem Aholibah that is My-tabernacle in her but if Gods tabernacle had been also in Samaria the difference had not been such The Idol temples then which Ieroboam and his successors builded were none of Gods temples otherweise then by lying pretenses much less then was Bels temple in Babylon Gods temple and if the figure were not his neyther can the figured thing be his I mean this spiritual Babylon the mother of whores the habitation of Divils For as Christ surmounteth in grace and holynes al types figures that went before of him so Antichrist surpasseth in wickednes al the types and figures of him Therfore the holy Ghost contenteth not himself with one name but caleth Antichrists church Babylon and Sodom Aegypt and where our Lord was crucified meaning hethenish Rome by whose policie Christ was kylled when he was delivered to Pilat the Roman deputie and to the Gentiles the Roman souldjers to be mocked scourged crucified So that look what idolatrie fornication persecution and wickednes hath been read of among those hethen peoples the same may be proved upon the synagogue of Antichrist though mixed with profession of the name of Christ the more easily to deceive as whensoever any wil bring them to be compared shal soon be manifested 6. But they proceed and plead that this clause partake not in her synns Rev. 18 4. sheweth what we are to leav and renounce namely their synns and not whatsoever is had or reteyned by them I answer first the text sayth Goe out of her meaning this whore this Babylon that is this Church and so from the golden cup in her hand as wel as frō the
doo teach us Heb. 8. 9. 10. chapters Gal. 4.1.2.3 c. Heb. 12 1â— 28. 4. Their last observation hath two branches the 1. that the power of receiving in cutting off in Jsrael was to be performed according to order and not to weaken but to stablish thhe Elders authoritie This we willingly graÌ„t neither ever doubted of But we observ withal a deceyt which they couch under this name Elders which usually in the old Testament is given to Magistrates which are also caled in respect of their autoritie Lords Princes Judges yea and Gods 1. Sam. 23.12 Num. 21.18 22.7.8 Deut. 19.17.18 Exod. 21.6 Psal. 8 2. and by the Apostles they are caled â—owers or Autorities and Glories or Dignities Tit. 3.1 2. Pet. 2.10 But the name Elders now in the Church of Christ is given to the Ministers 1. Pet. 5.1 who are forbidden to exercise autoritie or to be as Lords over Gods heritage or to be caled by such stately titles Mat. 20.25.26 1. Pet. 5.1 Luk. 22.25.26 They streyn therfore too farr vvhich wil proportion the authoritie and power of the Elders that should stand and minister to the Church as did the Preists and Levites with the autoritie of the Elders the Magistrates that late and judged in the gates 2. The second branch of their observation is that we must not be strangers from the policie of Jsrael Ephe. 2.12 c. I answer by politie they mean not I hope the inward faith which Israel had but the outward order of administring in that Church otherweise they reason neyther properly nor to the question in hand Yea in this very place the Apostle distinguisheth the politie from the covenants of promise And so I deny that wee are bound now to keep the politie of Israel neyther dooth the Apostle mean any such thing For he putteth the Ephesians in mind of their estate being paynims when they were uncircumcised without Christ without Israels politie without covenaÌ„ts of promise without hope without God But now in Christ they were united brought neer but wherunto to circumcision nay he sayth elswhere if they were circumcised Christ should profit them nothing or to the ordinances of worship in the Temple nay for he sayth we have an aultar wherof they have no authoritie to eat which serv in the tabernacle Or were they now to goe up as did the Tribes to the earthly Ierusalem where thrones of judgment were set thrones for the howse of David nothing so for Christ was to destroy both Citie Sanctuarie so to force the Iewes to an end of their politie But now the Ephesians were come unto the Father by one Spirit and unto Christ who abrogated through his flesh the hatred that is the law of coÌ„mandements which stood in ordinances and was faithful as Moses in al his house and to be citizens with the Saincts and howshold of God which are built not upon Moses politie that is doon away but upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is the doctrine which they taught of Christ and of the ordinances of his Testament which is a kingdome that cannot be shakeÌ„ as was the coÌ„mon-wealth of Israel according to the flesh Look therefore what politie the Apostles have taught and taken from the Law or Moses the Prophets foretold should continue under the Gospel so much wil we reteyn the rest we leav to Iewes Iewishly affected And these are the things which they have answered to the first objection in the Letter which whither they have proved the Elders now under the Gospel to be the Church which is to judge of syn and synners and to have power as the Church in their own hands let al indifferent men judge as also what cause they had to conclude that we oppose against Jsrael Moses and the Prophets and to cry out against us as they doo that such is our error and so great is our transgression and iniquitie But because of the printed copie they set upon us afresh with many observations and questions and by matters with longsomnes ynough wheras a few sound arguments would much better have cleared the controversie and contented the reader They observ 1. that the scriptures of the old Testament are quoted in our Article as wel as of the new 2. That Mat. 18. is to agree with the other scriptures cited 3. That it must be understood with proportion to the manner in Jsrael 4. That therfore their understanding is according to the ancient faith and not ours who would make them strangers from Jsrael and would perswade them that Christs doctrine in Mat. 18.17 is a new rule c. I answer these are in effect the things we heard before and which in my answers I have partly granted partly refuted 1. The proportion they speak of is a disproportion concluding from Magistrates authoritie in the Commonâ—wealth to Ministers in the Church which is against Christs doctrine Mat. 20.25.26 And if they wil not learn it of Christ they may learn it of Cato an alien from the common wealth both of Israel and of Christ who yet sayd to such Jt becomes yow to be mindfull of your condition that yow are not Magistrates but Ministers 2. It is a mayn pillar of Poperie to proportion the Church now in the outward politie to Israel The Rhemists would have the the see of Rome in the new law to be answerable to the chair of Moses Cardinal Bellarmine maketh his first argument for the Popes judging of controversies from the Preist Judge that was appointed in the Law Deut. 17. And as Moses sate as Prince of the Church and gave answer to al doubts arising about the Law of God Exod. 18. so by proportion he wil have now in the papacie And in deed for show the papists proportion to have one supreme court above al to end weighty causes and appeals more resembleth Israel then dooth these mens Eldership in every particular Church 3. It is an argument that others except papists have disclaymed D. Bilson whose learning and goodwil hath holpen the prelacie as much as any mans and whose understanding of Mat. 18.17 these our opposites in some points doo now follow he confesseth that to reason from the Magistrate to the minister from the sword to the word from the law to the Gospel c. the leap is so great that cart-ropes wil not tye the conclusion to the premisses D. Whitakers D. Iunius and others refuting the Papists disalow the reasons drawn from the law and magistracie of Israel which these our opposers make their cheifest bulwark M. Cartwright answering D. Whitgift sayth the argument is not good from civil government to ecclesiastical When Bellarmine allegeth the civil Monarchies to justify the ecclesiastical Iunius answereth the exaÌ„ple is altogither unlike of temporal empire and spiritual ministery between these there is not neyther
Secondly in that place of their Treatise on Mat. 18. they quote Mat. 2◠20 as alleged for a ground yet they give not any answer to that scripture but stil call upon us to answer their questions write more Wheras Christ there encōmendeth to his disciples of all nations to the worlds end the observing of all things whatsoever he cōmanded th'Apostles And excommunication was one of those things commanded Mat. 18. 1. Cor. 5. Therfore to be observed by a Christian people though they want officers unless these men can shew some prohibition Christ requireth to observ al things these men say nay not excommunication it lyeth now on them to shew wher Christ or his Apostles have excepted excommunication But from that place and by the very same reasons doo the Anabaptists deny baptisme of Children caling for scripture example precept ground to warrant it as these doo now in this case 3. Thirdly besides al things heretofore written they have a ground in the article it self which they neyther doo nor can take away which is the power that the church alwayes hath to receiv in members and therfore consequently to cast them out agayn if they deserv it Which ground if they deny they in effect deny that ther can be any church without Elders contrary to the express scripture Act. 14.23 1. Cor. 12.28 Tit. 1.5 Yea or that ther can be any visible Christians without Elders for how can they be Christians without union with Christ And if men cannot be united with his members and body because ther wanteth Elders how should they be united with him the head 4. They have it proved a point of false doctrine by Mr Iohnson himsef to teach that the Church of Christ hath not alwayes power to receive in and to cast out by the keyes of the kingdom Answer to M. Iakob pag. 159.160 2. They secondly allege sundry examples grounds that it hath been doon by the Lord himself and by his officers c. This we never doubted of but a Church having officers may excōmunicate Though yet the proof for the Elders wil be excepted against by the Prelates and such like For th'examples of Abraham of Paul of Titus of Timothee and of the Preist judging a leper make rather in show for one Bishop then for a Church of Elders and so are alleged by Papists for the Prelacie The other scriptures doo none of them shew the Elders power to excōmunicate but to watch take heed reprove admonish c al which the Prelates grant to their inferiour Preists whom yet they wil not suffer to excommunicate with out the Bishop or his Official as these wil not the Church without an Eldership The examples of excommunicating by the Rulers of Israel I wil turn against them thus If the Magistrates and people of Israel might not onely punish civilly with death but also execute a spiritual censure of excommunication upon the consciences of evil doers though they had wanted ministers of the Temple and synagogues then a Christian magistrate and people may doo so now though they want ministers ecclesiastical And if the Church may excommunicate having a magistrate it may also do it wanting one seing the power of spiritual censure dependeth not upon the civil magistracie as the state of the Churches in the Apostles dayes sheweth 3 Thirdly they wil have us to consider how a people can chalenge the ministration of excommunication more then of the sacraments c. This we have considered and find that if the reason be good the ruling Elders may not excommunicate any more then minister the sacraments which whither they hold or no let them tel us in their next For they know wel the Prelates object these things against the ruling Elders as themselves doo now against the people 4. Fourthly they say they cannot find in scripture but when the church is caled the body of Christ or compared to a body howse city or kingdom it is spoken eyther of particular Churches having officers or of the catholik church in respect of Christ the head c. I answer it appeareth then plainly they have lost that which they had found and let them take heed least for not keeping it God deprive them of finding it any more But I wil help them if it may be by their own writing where this same author sayth A company of faithful people though considered a part by themselves they be privat men yet being gathered togither in the name of Christ and joyned togither in fellowship of his gospel they are a publick body a church a citie a kingdom and that of Jesus Christ who is present among them to guide bless and confirm what they doo on earth in his name and by his power So that like as in a city the citizens considered a part are commonly privat members yet jointly togither are the corporation and publick body of that town so is it also in the church of Christ whither it consist of moe or of fewer yea though they be but 2. or 3. so as they be joyned togither in the communion of the gospel and gathered togither in the name of Jesus Christ as before is sayd These things they have acknowledged though now it seemeth they have forgot them or which is worse doo dissemble them Vnto these I wil add th'Apostles testimonie concerning a howse Christ is the chief corner stone and Christians that come unto him as lively stones are made a spiritual howse an holy Preisthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices Men come unto Christ by beleef and are joyned unto him and one to another by mutual covenant The ministers of Christ are as builders of this howse by preaching the gospel laying first the foundation Christ then upon him Christian people Gods building But if as often cometh to pass the builders doo refuse yet the Lord without them putteth Christ for head of the corner and causeth the faithful to come unto him and maketh them his spiritual howse to dwel in them whose howse they continew to be not by having officers alway among them but by holding fast their confidence and rejoycing of hope unto the end Wherfore these men that can find no howse of God without Elders must prove that men can not come unto no◠continew in Christ unless it be by ecclesiastical officers which they shal never be able to manifest or al may see how they are beguiled with errour that they can not find things so apparant and heretofore acknowledged by themselves Ther opinion is injurious not onely to Christians but to Christ himself whiles they wil not grant him being the corner stone the head the king and the faithful the living stones his mēbers and subjects to make a howse body or kingdom if the Elders want or refuse though he as is written walketh among his Churches and is with them al dayes to the worlds end 5. Fiftly they
saying of God to Moses they wil forsake me c. and J wil forsake them And as for that which is cited from Levit. 26.45 it was a promise of the Gospel upon their unfeighned repentance and perteyneth to the Iewes also at this day as Paul sheweth us Rom. 11. for this rule is general he that confesseth and forsaketh his synns shal have mercie Although therfore God useth sometime more forbearance of evil men than at other time and often giveth space to repent yet if they repent not they shal assuredly perish and their boasting of the covenant shal not save them 3. Touching their application of things to Israel not putting difference between their state when it was one and when it was rent asunder therin also they fayl Whiles Israel were one they continued Gods Church for though they often synned yet by his word afflictions he soon brought them to repentance as is noted Judg. 2.4 5. and 3.8 9.15 and 4.1.2 3. c. But when after many other synns ten tribes fel from the Lord and rent themselves from the Kingdome of David and Preisthood of Levi both which were sacramental types of Christ and his Church when they left the other testimonies of Gods presence the Temple and Altar at Sion where God had sayd he would dwel for ever and builded them new Temples and Altars to syn forgetting their maker when they set up Calves and Divils to worship God by then presently God sent his Prophet to them with a denunciation of judgment which being done he was to avoid them as Hethens Publicans not eating or drinking in the city which because he did though drawn in by the lye of another Prophet the Lord slew him with a Lion And all that feared God both Preists people left the country and went to Iudah and the rest wer stil caled upon by the Prophets to forsake them as not being Gods wife that is his Church and their estate shewed to be without the true God and without Preist and without law and they were unto God as the Aethiopians Now wheras our Opposites allege God did not presently cast them off it is true in respect of caling them to repentance and of their dwelling in the land or as the scripture saith of putting out the name of Jsrael from under heaven for his covenant was to punish them by degrees at last if they repented not to scatter them among the Hethens til their uncircumcised harts should be humbled and they rewed their former syn and then would he remember his first covenant so receiv them agayn to grace in Christ. And as for not casting them presently out of the land the Lord dealt with them as he had before dealt with the Hethen Canaanits which were spared therin for a time because their wickednes was not yet full Gen. 15.16 If this patience towards them wil not prove them a true Church no more wil Gods like patience towards apostate Israel And how they in their impenitent estate hardning their necks dayly more more could be sayd to be the true Church of God though they cōpassed him with lyes and in the covenant of his grace unto salvation I leave for them to judge that are wise in hart As for these mens double respects they are not al of them syncere They would have it said in respect of the Israelites and not of the Lord that they were without God without Preist without law none of his wife having children of whordoms and the Lord is not with Jsrael c. agayn in respect of the Lord and not of themselves that he is caled their God and they his people and their children borne to him and Israel not to have been a widow forsaken c. I answer whatsoever was syn was wholly their own and whatsoever was grace was wholly Gods this is true in the best Churches in the world But whatsoever was a reproof and punishment for their syn respected both Gods justice and their demerit and whatsoever acceptation of grace was in them respected both Gods mercy in Christ and their faith If therfore they were in any sence a true Church at that time actually it must needs be by mutual referēce to the covenāt on both parts God offring they taking his grace offred through his holy Spirit working in them otherwise it is a mere fiction in religion to make difference where none is Now let them shew that they accepted the grace of God caling them to repentance we shew the contrary by the Lords own testimonie who for their unbeleef and stubborn disobedience did put them out of his sight in wrath And if men accept not the grace of God his caling upon them to repent makes them no more his Church then the Hethens unto whom he doth the like Agayn it is not sound to say that in respect of themselves onely it was spoken by the Prophet the Lord is not with Israel with any of the children of Aephraim For he there dissuadeth Amaziah from having the army of Israel to help him his reason is the Lord is not with Jsrael this most directly respecteth the Lord and his withdrawing of his presence from that people Even as Moses sayd Got not up to warr for the Lord is not among you did not the event shew when they fled before their enemies that is was meant in respect of Gods presence and help now withdrawn from them Also when it is sayd in other scriptures the Lord was with the Iudge and the Lord is with me I wil not feare and I am with yow al dayes many the like who ever would dreame that these things could be spoken in respect of the men onely and not of God and Christ Finally the Prophets speech to the Iewes the Lord is with yow while yow be with him but if yee forsake him he wil forsake yow doth evince manifestly that it is an evil glosse when the text sayth the Lord is not with Israel to turn it by respects as if nothing were meant but Israel is not with the Lord. So in the other speech Israel hath been without the true God the words folowing but had he turned to the Lord God of Israel and sought him he would have been found of them these manifest that it was in respect of Gods forsaking them also and not onely of their forsaking him No better if it be not worse is their citing of Hos. 2.2 she is not my wife that this respected Israel in themselves be it so but what foloweth neyther am J her husband and if the former branch respected Israel then this respecteth the Lord especially seing he testified by Ieremie J cast her away and gave her a byll of divorcement unless they wil say this also
as shal be saved Rev. 18 4. Their starr or Bishop is long since fallen from heaven and in sted of Peters keyes he received the key of the bottomless pit which he opened and brought up a smoke of heresies and darkned all truth and means therof and sent abroad his clergie the Locusts to sting and poyson mens souls by calling them from God to worship Divils And these things Mr Iunius himself hath applied to the popish hierarchie Touching the papacie say they or papal hierarchie caled ecclesiastical we say not that it is the church properly so caled but an accident growing to the church and which covertly worketh against the life and health of the church For the papacie is an order humane and naught the church is an assembly divine c. And after they say The papacie is in the church as the order of apostasie in the howse of God 2 Thes. 2. the man of syn sitteth in the temple of God with his whole order or rank of Apostates and the Temple of God consisteth not in that order and number of Apostates which is a thing most strange and furthest off And again the papacie is a poyson in the Church which must needs be vomitted out if it wil be preserved or ells the Church wil be extinguished by it if it suffer that poyson to prevayl and possess all the veyns of the body I answer true it is and I agree with them that the rank of Apostates is farr from being Gods temple wherupon I assume the whole popish church preists and people are a rank of Apostats because they worship the Beast who sheweth himself there for God where the Pope is acknowledged to be the Lion of the tribe of Iudah the root of David the Saviour and deliverer they worship Divils and Idols of silver and gold Rev. 9.20 and their beleef is in lyes 2 Thes. 2.11 12. therfore the whole popish Church being a ranck of Apostates is a Temple of Antichrist but not of Christ. Secondly to take that which they grant the papal Hierarchie ecclesiastical if it be no part of the body of the Church but an accident a poyson a gangrene an vlcer eating the body what shal we think of al the actions of that ecclesiastical hierarchie their ministration of sacraments their making of ministers and the whole Church administration by that rank of Apostates they cannot possibly be the actions of the body of the Church neyther of Christ. Can a scab or gangrene perform any action of a natural body or member And now what is become of their true baptisme and ordination of Ministers before pleaded for these wil be but as the operation of the poison or fretting of the gangrene for they that did them being the popish ecclesiastical hierarchie were no parts of the Church but accidents as the gangrene or pocks upon the whores body which consume life and grace but give none at al. Thirdly seing the popish ecclesiastical hierarchie which consisteth of Bishops Preists Ministers are the poison and botches in the body of the Church and no parts of the same how dooth God cal in that Church as before they reasoned For his ministerie is not among them as for his word the people have it not so much as to read and the service of their Gods is in a tongue that they understand not what now is the meanes of their caling Fourthly compare this with their former plea for the Eldership and Ministerie wheÌ„ they could not find the Church to be caled the body of Christ howse city or Kingdom unless it had officers c. Now for Rome they wil have it the body of Christ howse Temple of God ministring true baptisme c. and yet the ecclesiastical hierarchie are no parts or members but scabs on the body But the truth is these Aegyptian boyles the hierarchie ar the chiefest parts of the body of that Antichrist which in some respect may be likened to the Image that Nebuchadnezar saw Dan. 2.31 c. The Pope with his triple crown who is proclaymed for a Vice-God the inuincible Monarch of the Christian common wealth and vehement conserver of the popish omnipotencie he is the â—ead of Gold The Cardinals and prelats are next him as breast arms of silver the other bellyâ—God Clergie is the strong brazen paunch and the Lay people are as the legs and feet of yron and clay which cary and bear up the bulk and the unclean Spirit of Satan giveth life and effectual operation to this Beast For to be a member of this their body and Church the papists themselves profess that ther is not any inward vertue required so then ther is no need of the spirit of God to joyn these limms of the Beast togither But they proceed and say that On Gods behalf it is altogither a Church whersoever ther is found a company caled of God with his caling by the spirit and the holy scripture and the ministery of persons ordeyned for holy things and divine actions And a little after After this maner doo we esteem of the Church in which the papacy is God caleth her with his caling by his spirit and word and publik record of that holy mariage the scripture the ministerie and things holy actions which before we have breifly reckned up I answer if mens eyes did not dazel with looking on the bewtie of the harlot I marvel how they could so esteem of that Church which hath for her hierarchie as even now they confessed a rank of Apostates no members but ulcers of the body And are they now with another breath become an holy ministerie of God Most strange it is that men should publish their own esteemings without any word of God to warrant them But let us bring them to the trial They say God caleth her by his spirit and word but Paul sayth God shal send them strong delusion that they should beleev lyes 2 Thes. 2.11 and this we see verifyed by the manifold heresies idolatries blasphemies wherewith the whole body of that Church is poysoned They say God caleth her with his spirit the Apostle sayth strong is the Lord God which will condemn her Rev. 18 8. and with the spirit of his mouth he wil consume that lawless one 2. Thes. 2 8. And wheras they cal the scripture the publik record of that holy mariage between God her the scripture shewes no such mariage but dooth defye her as an harlot where is the record that Christ was ever maried to the Beast that came up from the bottomless pit If her having the book of holy scripture in an unknown tongue wickedly abused to mainteyn her whordoms and abominations subjected to the interpretation of her Lord God the Pope be a record of that holy mariage the Iewes which have Moses and the Prophets red and expounded in their mother tongue have
children that dwel with their adulterous mother that is to abhorr her syn with speech and signe to cal her back from evil absteyn themselves from it and in al things cleav to their father betake theÌ„selves into his closet c. I answer thus it appeareth that these our opposites are returned to acknowledge the whore of Rome to be their mother whom they feign to be as woman which lyeth in a deadly sort swollen with waters of the dropsie or with poison which had long agoe given up the ghost if God by the imposition of his grace c. had not nourished and kept her warm Now to leav their mother thus on her sick bed as they have doon disclayming al Christian dutie unto her which is due to a true Church in corruption is but the part of unnatural children Whiles God dooth nourish keep her warm wil they quite abandon her let them return and cherish her also and al her members and see if ther be any baulm to heal her wounds and to comfort her As for us we have been taught of God that in respect of him she is dead long agoe in her syns Rev. 20.5 with Ephes. 2.1 having been the marked whore worshiper of the Beast from which death she is not risen to live reign with Christ. Although to this world she liveth and reigneth in pleasure til at one day death otherwise also come upon her she be burnt with fire Rev. 18.7.8 And then shal we be so far from mourning at her funeral as we shal rejoyce with the heavenly multitude and sing Hallelujah when God hath given Sodoms judgment on her and we see her smoke rise up for evermore Rev. 19 1.2.3 Finally to back M. Iunius judgment they cite Amandus Polanus Bart. Keckerman who sayd that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God not Jewish but Christian c. and as a rotten apple is an apple but corrupt so that Church is corrupt c. I answer they may I confess cite diverse men that were mistaken in judging of that rotten church which wil help these our opposites nothing who have seen and acknowledged better now goe back Bernard was a learned man in his time and is counted a Sainct and he playnly reproved many Romish abominations and sayd the beast in the Revelation which hath a mouth speaking blasphemies occupieth Peters chaire yet himself doted overmuch upoÌ„ the bewty of that harlot when he wrote thus at an other time to her Leman the Pope Thou art the great sacrificer the cheif Preist thou art Prince of Bishops heyr of th'Apostles thou art in primacie Abel in government Noah in patriarchship Abraham in order Melchisedek in dignity Aaron in authoritie Moses in judgship Samuel in power Peter in anoynting Christ. It is not therfore to be marveiled at though wise godly men be mistaken for in many things we syn all Jam. 3 2. But I have shewed how the scriptures doo judge of this sorceress and could also allege many learned mens judgements but I wil goe no further then our own country Mr Cartwright speaking of the baptising of children sayth Jf both parents be Papists or condemned heretiks c. their children cannot be received to baptisme because they are not in the covenant c. And agayn Jf the corruption be such as destroyeth the foundations as in the Arians which overthrow the person of Christ as in the Papists which overthrow the office of Christ they being no Church ought to have no priviledge of the church Mr Perkins writeth thus As for th'Assemblies of Papists understanding companies of men holding the Pope for their head and beleeving the doctrine of the council of Trent in name they ar caled Churches but in deed they are no true or sound members of the catholik church for both in their doctrine in their worship of God they rase the very fouÌ„datioÌ„ of religioÌ„ And agayn Jt is no more a church in deed then the carkesâ— of a dead man that weareth a living mans garment is a living man though he look never so like him And agayn he hath a treatise and Assertion that A reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is conteyned in the religion of the church of Rome and a Papist by his religion cannot goe beyond a reprobate and bringeth 4. arguments for proof hereof and endeth with this Corolarie that A man being indued with no more grace then that which he may obteyn by the religion of the Church of Rome is stil in the state of damnation D. Fulk answering the counterfeit Catholik saith Jt is evident that the true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles times and telleth the Papist yow cry the Catholik Church the Catholik Church when yow have nothing in deed but the Synagogue of Sathan Agayn The Church of Antichrist is founded upon 7 hills Rev. 17. upon the traditions dreames fantasies and devises of men c. Therfore sayth he in no wise may she be called the city of God but Babylon the mother of fornication Sodom Aegypt where our Lord is dayly crucified in his members D. Willet answering Bellarmin sayth We deny utterly that they are a true visible Church of Christ but an Antichristian Church and an assembly of Heretiks enemies to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Agayn he sayth 2. Thes. 2. he shal sit in the temple of God that is the visible Church that which sometime was the true visible Church as the Church of Rome and after should be so takâ—n reputed and chalenged as it is at this day by the Papists c. He shal sit in the Temple of God that is take upon him the name title of the Church and yet an adversary unto it And agayn The Turk is out of the Church and so in truth is the Pope but yet he challengeth to him and his the name of the Church M. Bale compareth the Pope and Turk togither thus So glorious are the pretenses of Romish Pope Mahomet that they seem unto them which regard not these warnings the very Angels of light and their Churches most holy congregations being very divels with the very dregs of darknes The Pope in his Church hath ceremonies without number none end is there of their babling prayers their portases bedes temples altars songs howrs bells images organs ornaments Iewels lights oilings shavings c. that a man would think they were proctours of paradise On the other side Mahomet in his Church is plenteous also in holy observations they wash themselves oft frequent their temples pray 5. tymes in the day they reverently incline they lye prostrate on the ground they fervently cal to God they absteyn from wine they abhor idols c. But unto what end this holynes leadeth the sequel declareth Daniel maketh these two but one because they are both of one
to consider our estate and to repent and yeild to the truth and way of God which we had refused oppugned I ansvver first this manifesteth their minds to be farr from peace vvith vs vvhatsoever they pretended unless vve vvould yeild to their innovation and prelacie Secondly this reason if it be good serveth asvvel for them that should live at Leyden as at Amsterdam unless they vvould permit us there to oppugn the truth and vvay of God as they intitle their errours Thirdly this evil being fouÌ„d in theÌ„selves that they doo not onely refuse oppugn the truth offred but forsake speak evill of and persecute the truthe and vvay of God vvhich they had long imbraced vvalked in the judgement vvhich they give upon us is most just upon their ovvn heads by the sentence of our Saviour And vve could doo no less vvith these our merciless brethren that vvould nourish no peace vvith us unless eyther vve made shipvvrack of a good conscience or would consent to the undoing of our estates and families but leave them as we did by the Apostles warrant for causing division and offenses contrary to the doctrine which we had learned Rom. 16.17 If their new doctrines be good I shal acknowledge we have greatly synned but if they be the high way to Antichristian promotion and a bereaving of the Church of her right power as we are verily perswaded and doo trust we have so proved it then have they given sentence against themselves and except they repeÌ„t their condemnation shal be just Notwithstanding al their former reasons they after allege that they reversed not their agreement concerning such as would goe and live with the Church at Leyden but onely about such as purposed to return and live here c. I answer by this al may judge whither the fear of God or fleshly policie did more prevayl in them For such of us as would have lived at Leyden they pretend they could find warrant for it in Gods word but shew none they would let them there refuse speak evil of their pretended way of God without leaving any thing to work vpon their consciences c. and yet have peace with them as Christian brethren Onely at Amsterdam these things might not be suffred The Pope himself permitteth Iewes which never received his religion to live in the same citie with him where he is Prince but these our adverse brethren would not indure that wee though we never received their innovations should live in one city with them where they were but strangers What should we have found if they had been Princes of the State Secondly they plainly reversed the agreement as before was shewed when some of our brethren desired their testimonial for to goe to Leyden they refused to give it And we could not tel before we came thither tried whether there would be meanes found for our living there or no. But strange and unheard of cruelty was in these men that would bind us there to remain though we and our families should be undoon being but strangers themselves in this city with us would take upon them so imperiously to banish us the town which the Lords of the city never offred I wish they may find more mercie with the Lord at the day of Christ then they have shewed unto us And wheras they object that when we left them we went not to Leyden to ioyn our selves to that Church according to the agrement c. I answer there never was such agreement that of our selves we should goe but that by them we should be dismissed and this they refused to doo yea and publikly reversed the covenant that themselves had devised and twise confirmed besides that we of our own mind did never desire but onely for peace sake consented to that agreement as before I shewed Neyther was it ever agreed that such onely as would remayn there should goe but it was general for us al. But these their cariages shew what dominion such Elders would exercise over Gods heritage and how unpossible it was for us to have peace with them that would thus turn and wind say and unsay agree of a thing to day and break it to morow Our sowles were wearied with their turnings of devises Finally for our not remayning with them til there was an answer of their Letter from Leyden I answer we taryed with them a good while after their foresayd letter wheras we might upon their breaking of their own solemn agreement added to al their former evils justly have forsaken them Neyther could the Church of Leyden as it seemeth tel what to advise us and therfore gave no answer to their Letters or to ours and because they would have no hand in the breach between us thought better to be silent seing unto what extremitie things were brought And the agreement between the Churches being disanulled articles of warr and discord being proclaymed to us and written of to them delayes onely sought to work our dissipation we know no vvord of God that bindeth us to suffer our selves to come into such bondage vvith men that dayly in their publick doctrines and prayers inveighed aginst the truth they formerly professed vvounded the consciences of the brethren and sought al occasions to dravv men from the right vvay and practise of the Gospel What should vve doo but shake off the dust of our fâ—et against such authors of errours and peace breakers Albeit in these our great troubles and strayts we doubt not but many things through our ignorance and frayltie might be doon amyss for vvhich vve have and doo alvvayes humbly ask mercy of God that even our secret synns may be forgiven us And touching the Church of Leyden vvhose help they refused to desire or consent to havâ— dâ—sired though novv for their advantage as they think they speak of them and have printed some of the passages betvveen them I have desired their Elders testimonie upon this occasion that the ages present and to come may have true information of these matters vvhich is as folovveth The testimonie of the Elders of the Church at Leyden THough we much rather desired to have been mediatours of the peace of our brethren then witnesses of their strife yet may we not because that which we desired could not not be effected by us with draw from that which both may and ought by us to be doon We therfore being desired therunto by Mr. Ainsworth and occasioned by that which both Mr Iohnson and he have writteÌ„ and taking the evils which have befallen others as matter both of humbling and warning to our selves doo signify what we know and have found in our dealings thereabout And first Our special â—alling to intermedle in this vncomfortable busynes was a letter sent vnto vs by some 30. of the brethren there In which mentioning in the beginning of it their long and greevous coÌ„troversy they signified how they had oft desired of the Church to