for that I say many such returned to professe the Gospell againe as members of the Church and were receiued For saide the Donatists the Church is holie consisting of such as be called foorth and separated from the vnpure and wicked world and therefore no separation being made but such villanous traitors so vile Idolaters and their childrē being communicated withall all your assemblies through this mixture are none other before GOD but heapes of abominable vncleane persons Your teachers are the sonnes of Apostates and traitors and no Ministers of Christ Now looke vpon the Donatists of England Antichrist hath béen exalted according to the prophesie of S. Paule he hath sate in the Temple of God boasting himselfe as God persecuting and murthering Gods true worshippers He is disclosed by the glorious light of the Gospell his damnable doctrine cursed Idolatrie and vsurped tyrannie are cast foorth of this land by the holie sacred power of our dread Soueraigne Ladie Quéene Elizabeth whom God hath placed settled vpon the Throne of this noble Kingdome The true doctrine of faith is published and penalties are by lawes appoynted for such as shall stubbernlie despise the same Our Donatists crie out that our assemblies as ye may see in their printed bookes and that the people were all by constraint receiued immediatlie from Idolatrie into our Church without preaching of the Gospell by the sound of a Trumpet at the Coronation of the Queene that they bee confused assemblies without any separation of the good from the bad They affirme also that our Ministers haue their discent and ordination and power from Antichrist and so are his marked seruants Hereupon not vnderstanding the manifest Scripture that the Apostasie hauing inuaded the Church it continued still euen then the Temple of God in which Antichrist did sit and that the verie Idolaters were within the Church were sealed with the signe of baptisme professed Christ in some points rightlie their children from ancient discent being within the couenant of God and of right to bee baptized the Ministerie of Christ so farre remaining as that it was the authentick seale which was deliuered by the same in a mad furie like blind hypocrites they condemne the reformation by ciuill power and purging Gods Temple by the authoritie of Princes because the Church of Christ is founded and built by the doctrine of the Gospell Herein they are deceiued that they imagine the Princes take vpon them to compell those to bée a Church which were none before whereas indeed they doo but compell those within their kingdome ouer whome the Lord hath set them which haue receiued the signe of the couenant and professe themselues to bee members of the Church accordinglie to renounce and forsake all false worship and to imbrace the doctrine of saluation What other thing did Iosias and other holie Kings of Iuda when they compelled the multitude of Idolaters which were the seede of Abraham and circumcised to forsake their Idolatrie and to worship the Lord It is most cléere also that where the reformation of the Kings was not perfect as appeareth in the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles yet all the foulest things being abolished and the substance of trueth brought in they were reputed godlie Churches where many were false brethren and open offenders The Brownists blinded with their swelling pride and not séeing the euident matters of the Scriptures without all order of that holie discipline of Christ accuse condemne and forsake our Churches vnder the appearance of feruent zeale and rigorous seueritie against all sinne not inferiour to the Donatists as if they were the onely men that stood for Christ and his kingdome they crie out aloude and proclaime all the Ministers of our Churches to be Antichristian the sonnes of the Pope false Prophets Baals Priests that prophesie in Baal and pleade for Baal persecutors of the iust bearing the marke the power and life of the beast because they say our ordeiners bee such They say wee haue no word of God no Sacraments nor true Church but that all is vtterlie polluted and become abominable our assemblies they call the very Synagogs of Antichrist vtterlie fallen from the couenant of God and all that ioyne with them through the pollution of open sinners which are not cast foorth and therefore they haue separated themselues and crie aloude vnto others to doo the same if they will be saued What rule of discipline haue they obserued in this Haue these things béen brought foorth scanned discussed and iudged in the Synods of the learned Pastors and teachers of the Churches Nay but euen as Augustine saith of the other furor dolus tumultus furie deceipt and tumult do beare the sway Then I conclude that in this poynt of accusing condemning and manner of separating themselues from the Church the Donatists and the Brownists doo agree and are alike Some man will here replie that I build vppon a weake ground or rather vpon the sand in prouing the Brownists and the Donatists to bée all one because they are alike in accusing and condemning the Churches and separating themselues from the same For the matter resteth not simply vpon the actions but whether there were iust cause The question will bee whether the Brownists doo that iustlie which the Donatists did vngodly For the Donatists did accuse the Churches and Ministers falsely condemned them most wickedly and therefore their separation could not bee good because it was from the true Churches of Christ but now if the Brownists obiect open and manifest crimes such as cannot be denied their case doth differ farre May not a man separate himselfe from those assemblies where he seeth open sinners suffered on heapes to remaine in the bosome of the Church and where idolatries blasphemies and abominations are committed where the Ministers and gouernment be Antichristian but he must bée a Donatist Moreouer it is certaine the Donatists did condemne all Churches in the world the Brownists doo condemne onely the assemblies as they generally stand in England which is a very great difference The Donatists hold that the Sacraments or the efficacie of them doth depend vpon the worthines of the Minister the Brownists are not of that mind The Donatists did rebaptize the Brownists doo vrge no such thing It may be also they are vnlike in some other things if it be so why should they be termed Donatists Indeed if there be such differences the Brownists haue great wrong to bee called Donatists and to bee condemned with so wicked a sect But what if it fall out otherwise and that it be shewed and prooued manifestlie that they be all one in these things Shall wee not then say they be euen brethren shall they not stand or fall with the Donatists shall they be vngodlie Schismatickes and not these I will procéede from poynt to poynt to compare them together that it may appeare whether there be difference Touching the first it is most true that the Donatists did accuse and condemne
the head and the members they put the Fathers and the Children for the stock and the braunches they put the Trée and the boughes which is all one And from the roote as it were from the Fountaine and head they deriue the life the power and the Image c. Thus they agrée then that the one part saide those which ordeined ye were such as sacrificed to Idols and Traitors verie Iudasses you are their children and like them The other part saieth those that ordeined yee bée the creatures of Antichrist yée receiue the verie life and power of your Ministerie from them ye are their Children and so the Children of the Pope Now let vs sée the answer which Augustine maketh which is this In his omnibus verbis tuis creatorem meum caput meum non fecisti nisi traditorem quem quidem accusare tantùm non conuincere potuisti Ego autem nec eius innocentiam mihi creatricem vel fontem caputúe constituo Sed tu ad illud redis in quo Petilianus errauit cum cuiusque in sanctificatione baptismatis Christuâ— sit origâ— caputque nascentis nos vis venire in maledictuÌ„ de quo scriptum est maledictus omnis qui spem suam ponit in homine That is to say In all these thy wordes thou hast made my ordainer my head none other than a traitor whom thou couldest onely accuse but not conuince But I do not hold his innocencie to be that which hath ordained me a Minister or to be fountaine or head but thou doest returne to that in which Petilian erred when as Christ in the sanctification of baptisme is the originall and the head of euerie one that is borne againe and wilt haue vs come into the curse of which it is written Cursed is euerie one that putteth his trust in man Thus farre Augustine whose answere hath two parts The first is that the Donatists did accuse but could not prooue that the ordainers were such as in time of persecution had yeelded to sacrifice to Idols or deliuered the holie booke to the fire The other part is that whether he that ordained him were a godlie man or a wicked man the matter is all one touching his ordination and Ministrie The ordination not being mans the innocencie of man cannot be the ordainer it cannot bee the head or fountaine neither can it make his ordination the better Then likewise the wickednesse of the man that ordaineth cannot be the roote nor the fountain nor the head The men which ordaine are not the fathers of the Ministrie because it is not theirs which they deliuer but Christs That this is Augustines meaning it is cléere by that he telleth Cresconius he returned to that in which Petilian erred Petilian denying that it was baptisme that had béen ministred by an vngodlie man rendereth this reason that euerie thing must haue an originall and an head or else it is nothing Augustine replâ—eth that Christ onely is the originall and the head of him that is baptized and that the baptisme being Christs and not theirs that did deliuer it the goodnes of the Minister made it not one iot the better nor the wickednes of the Minister any whit the worse Adding moreouer that such as take the baptisme ministred by a godlie man to bee better in it selfe than that which is ministred by a naughtie man fall into the curse of which it is written Cursed is euerie one that putteth his trust in man He that hangeth the matters which are Christs vpon men putteth his trust in men The same answere that hée hath made to those his Donatists of Aphrica doo wee make vnto our Donatists of England First they accuse in most bitter and hainous manner but shall neuer be able to prooue their accusation for there is no Ministrie in England ordained by the Pope or for the Pope The Ministrie of publishing the Gospell and deliuering the Sacraments is not the deuice of man but Christes ordinance and therefore we receiue it not as theirs that deliuer it neither doth their godlines or vngodlines make it better or worse vnto vs. The Ministrie was not vtterlie destroyed in the Poperie for there remained the Sacrament of baptisme howsoeuer the Catabaptists denie the same How much is the Ministrie of Christ to bee acknowledged when it is onely to that end for which he ordained it though the men that ordaine should be most vngodlie This thing will more fullie appeare when we come to handle the agréement of the Brownists with the Donatists in that ranke Donatisme affirming it to bee no Sacrament which is ministred by an open wicked man Thus much may suffice to shewe that in denying the ministrie to bee Christs they hold the same ground and arguments and receiue the selfe same answere And for their rayling termes as generations of traitors seducers false Prophets Iudasses persecutors and such like I néed not mention the comparison of our men with them seeing they doo in this as in one of the chiefe vaines of their eloquence apparantlie excell Their basest disciples can crie out Antichrists Baals Priests false Prophets seducers and what not But it will bée sayd that in the matter of discipline the Donatists and Brownists are vnlike I graunt the Donatists that euer I haue read did take no exception that way That is not alone in question but whether there were any fault so that exception might betaken And for this men are to consider that as corruption in doctrine and ceremonies did enter betimes into the Church and growe a pace so also the discipline or externall gouernment was of many neglected abused and corrupted Sundrie of the Pastors being proud and ambitious the steppes were made for Antichrist to climbe vp who challenged not onely an externall power ouer all other but also a Lordship ouer the conscience Thus much touching the first obiection The second difference obiected is That the Donatists did condemne all Churches in the world The Brownists condemne but the Churches of England Indéed the Brownists doo affirme that they be farre from condemning all churches and so here is an apparant difference and a great at the first sight if men doo not narrowlie way and consider all matters They knowe it is a great preiudice vnto them if it bée found that they condemne all Churches but wee may not looke vpon their words of deniall but vpon the consequence of their matters For he that shooteth an arrowe at one thing and together therewith striketh another cannot bee sayd not to haue striken it because he had no such intent So must wee consider whether the dart of condemnation which they haue shot at the Church of England doo not together with the same runne through the sides of all Churches I stand to prooue it doth and so that they are in this also full Donatists But if they did not yet they shall bee found thus farre in Donatisme as to condemne some Churches of Christ My first reason shall be from
concerning read prayer peruse it throughlie and then iudge whether I haue charged him wrongfullie in any matter I do lament that many of our people which haue been hearers of the Gospell should be so ignorant as to suck in such dregs as he offereth Now to conclude there are two things which deceiue many which I desire thē to consider one is that they are caried away with many true and notable sentences of Scripture worthie principles which the Brownists set down not considering or not espying how they from them doo draw out false assumptions and thereupon cōclude that which is vntrue The other is that they looke not vpō that which followeth vppon their wordes by consequence but stand vpon this O they hold no such thing they haue wrong Master Greenwood crieth out that he doth not condēneal Churches he denieth not that the psalmes are to be sung to God he saith not that the regenerate do not sin he hath no such meaning he hath wrong But mark if I haue done him any wrong at all looke vpon his sayings and vpon that which must needes followe vpon them The other Brownists crie out of the like wrōgs Iudge not vntil both ye heare wherein they haue wrong and see mine answer If I haue charged them with matter which either their words doo not expresse or that followeth not from them by necessarie consequence let me then bee iudged rash and vncharitable FINIS That the Brownists are full Donatists NO Apostle no Prophet no Euangelist no true pastor or teacher can haue his owne name put vpon the Disciples which he gathereth but as they bee all gathered onely by Christes doctrine and vnto Christ alone according as it is written one is your Doctor euen Christ Matth. 23. so are they onely by his title called Christians But it hath béen the manner of olde and euen from the time of the Apostles in Gods Church when any wicked schisme or heresie hath sprung vp to call the scholers and followers by the names of the first masters of the same and chiefe leaders As of Montanus the Montanists of Nouatius the Nouatians of Arrius the Arrians of Pelagius the Pelagians of Donatus the Donatists of the Pope the Papists c. And who shall reprehend this as vaine or condemne it as a thing vniust seeing wee followe his example who saith to the Angell of the Church of Pergamus Reuel 2. Thou hast them which hold the doctrine of the Nicholaitanes Now there is a sect in England commonly called Brownists not because Browne was the first originall of it but for that he hath written and published bookes in maintenance and enlargement thereof and with more skill and learning than others which either as yet haue followed or gone before him Many men thinke that they bee sprung vp but of late whereas in very déede it is well knowne there was a Church of them in London 20. yeares past and one Bolton a principall doer therein whose fearefull end is not forgotten I haue termed them the Donatists of England How iustly and how charitablie and with what due consideration it standeth me now vpon to shewe least the ignoranter sort of such as somewhat fauour them should imagine that I haue iniuriouslie and falselie giuen them this odious title to worke their vniust discredite For Donatisme in olde time about twelue hundred yeares past was condemned as a detestable proud Schisme and heresie that began at Carthage in Aphrica and was vehementlie withstood by the faithfull Pastors and cut downe by the holie Scriptures as no learned godlie man will denie The holie Father Augustine was the chiefe that did ouerthrowe them as his writings which are extant answering to their writings at large doo declare Now my purpose at this time is to compare them together the Donatists and the Brownists from point to point out of the writings of Augustine If it fall out cléere and manifest that they agree together as euen as two peeces of cloath that are of the same wooll the same threed colour working breadth and that an Egge is no liker to an Egge than they be each to other I hope all that be sober minded will not blame me for giuing them the same title Their originall first of the Donatists I meane and how they cut off themselues is to bee noted set foorth which was this From the birth of our Sauiour Christ for the space of thrée hundred yeares more there were euer anon great and greeuous persecutions raised vp against the Church by the Romane Emperours vntill the Emperour Constantine the great imbraced the holie Gospell and gaue peace to the Christians In those daies of persecution such as through feare or otherwise did deliuer to the cruell persecutors either the bookes of the holie Scriptures that they might burne and deface them or the vessells appointed for holie vse in the publike assemblies that they might carrie them away or the names of the brethren that they might finde them out such I say were called traditores that is deliuerers or traitors There was a rumour that such offence had béen by some committed as no doubt it was by many Now as Augustine reporteth in his Psalme against the Donatists there came certaine Bishops from Numidia vnto Carthage a famous Citie in Aphrica to ordeine a Bishop and found Caecilianus alreadie ordeined and placed in the Seate then were they wroth that they could not ordeine They ioyned together and layd a crime vpon Caecilianus They say his ordeiner deliuered the holie bookes and was a traitor whereupon they will haue him reputed no Minister of Christ but the sonne of a traitor There was no assemblie of the learned Pastors for to iudge in this case according to Christes ordinance and discipline the accused and the accuser did not stand foorth for triall There were no witnesses produced to prooue the crime neither were matters scanned by the Scriptures But furor dolus tumultus that is furie deceipt and tumult did beare the sway as Augustine sheweth in the same his Psalm They assembled which were the accusers and Caecilianus is condemned being absent by Tigisitanus Secundus as hée sheweth in his first booke against Parmenian Chap. 3. and in his third booke against Cresconius Chap. 40. Now was there great stirre and deuision begun Donatus he steppeth foorth and requireth of the Emperour Constantine to haue Iudges not of Aphrica out beyond the seas to heare the crime which was to be obiected against Caecilianus The Emperour appointed that the matter should bee heard at Rome where Caecilianus was cléered and Donatus and his part receiuing repulse appealed accusing Meltiades then Bishop of Rome that he was also traditor as Augustine reporteth in his first booke against Parmenian Chapt. 5. and so they require to haue the cause heard by the Emperour vnto whom they had appealed where hauing also the repulse as false accusers they say y e Emperour was corrupted through fauour They made a
the Churches and the Ministers of the Churches most falselie and I say the Brownists are as false accusers as they and condemne as iniustlie in all crimes which they obiect and shall in no wise bee found vnlike in this poynt Yea will it bee sayd how shall that appeare All men doo knowe that the Brownists may without any false accusing lay greeuous faults to the Church of England I graunt they may and I say likewise the Donatists might lay as great faults to the charge of many Churches then and in some points greater yet be no liers This is to be prooued by comparing the Churches of those times with ours for so shall wee see how farre both haue iustlie accused or might accuse and where they meete together as false accusers The Brownists may stand foorth and accuse the church of England in this manner That there bee heapes of open sinners not separated from among the good but suffered and admitted to the Lords table at least wise in many or in the most assemblies There be prophane ignorant persons that despise the holie religion There bee swearers and cursers There bee those that are puffed vp and swell in pride and vaine glorie There be swarmes of drunkards gluttons and vnchast persons There be couetous worldlings and greedie vsurers extortioners oppressors bribers and defrauders There be liers backbiters and slanderers There bée enuious hateful and contentious persons yea what sinnes almost are wanting Where shall a man goe but he is readie to fall into companies of wicked men This is not alone among the common people but verie many of those that should bee guiders lights and patternes of godlinesse vnto others are nothing lesse Who is able to deny these things heauen and earth will witnesse against him We may lift vp our voyces and say wee haue sinned with our fathers wee haue done wickedlie We may confesse that our iniquities are heaped vp and reach aboue the clowdes and that shame and confusion of face is due vnto vs. Wee may crie saue Lord for the godlie cease the faithfull are diminished from the children of men The complaints that the Prophets doo make euerie where against the Church of Israel may verie well be applied against vs. Where is loue where is fidelitie where is mercie where is trueth But now shall wee thinke that the Donatists had no such things to accuse the Churches of in those daies Could they not say your assemblies are full of couetous men proud persons both men and women Had they not iust cause to complaine that many walked in hatred and discord Doo ye imagine that there were no vngodlie Ministers or will ye suppose that Augustine and other holie men stoode to cléere and iustifie the Churches that way against the Donatists and other Heretickes Nay let their words bee heard what they testifie in this behalfe Cresconius alleaged this saying of the Lord I will giue ye shepheards according to my heart which shal feede yee with knowledge and vnderstanding Ieremy 3. This he cited to prooue that the Pastors ought to bee faithfull Augustine maketh answere thus Scio completum est tales Apostoli fuerunt tales etiam nunc etsi pro ecclesiae latitudine perpauci non tamen desunt That is I knowe it is fulfilled such were the Apostles such also there be now though very fewe in respect of the largenes of the Church yet they are not wanting This is a plain testimonie that in the time of Augustine the faithfull sincere godlie Pastors were verie fewe in comparison Many testimonies may be brought out of diuers ancient writers for this matter but I will bring but some fewe and first out of Cyprian which alone are sufficient being both large and cleere Cyprian was in the time of persecution before the Donatists sprung vp and after one persecution was ouer he wrote an Epistle de lapsis of those that fell and denied Christ In which first he triumphantly reioyceth ouer them which stoode then he mourneth dolefullie for those that fell and after that he sheweth why God sent that persecution Si cladis causa cognoscitur medela vulneris inuenitur Deus probare familiam suam voluit If saith he the cause of the slaughter be knowne the cure of the wound is found also God would prooue his familie Et quia traditam nobis diuinitus disciplinam pax longa corruperat iaceÌ„tem fidem poenè dixerim dormientem censura coelestis erexit That is and because long peace had corrupted the discipline deliuered vs of God the heauenlie censure hath raised vp the faith lying along I may say almost sleeping Then shewing that God did not punish them so much as they deserued he setteth foorth the greeuous open sinnes committed in the Church Studebant augendo patrimonio singuli obliti quid credentes aut sub Apostolis ante fecissent aut postmodum facere deberent insatiabili cupiditatis ardore ampliandis facultatibus incubabant That is They studied euerie one to increase their patrimonie and hauing forgotten either what the beleeuers had done before in the time of the Apostles or what they ought to doo afterward they all did applie themselues to increase their riches with an insatiable burning heate of couetous desire Here is one sinne that ouerspread then he addeth further Non in Sacerdotibus religio deuota non in ministris fides integra non in operibus misericordia non in moribus disciplina There was not deuout religion in the Priests there was not the sound faith in the Ministers there was not mercie in workes there was not discipline in manners And what more Corrupta barba in viris in foeminis forma fucata Adulterati post dei manus oculi capilli mendacio coloraâ—i Ad decipienda corda simplicium callidae fraudes circumueniendis fratribus subdolae voluptates Iungere cum infidelibus vinculum matrimonij prostituere cum gentilibus membra Christi Non iurare tantum temerè sed adhuc etiam peierare Prapositos superbo tumore contemnere venenato ore sibi maledicere Odijs pertinacibus inuicem dissidere The beard was corrupted or disguised in men the beautie was counterfeit or painted in women The eyes corrupted from the forme in which Gods hands had made them the haires were set out with a false colour subtill fraudes to deceiue the hearts of the simple deceiptfull pleasures to circumuent the brethren They coupled themselues in mariage with infidels they prostituted the members of Christ with the heathen they did not onely sweare rashlie but also forsweare They contemned their gouernours with swelling pride and cursed themselues with venymed mouth being at discord among themselues with stiffe hatreds Are not these horrible sinnes which ouerflowed in the church Is there no more Yes he saith Episcopi plurimi quos ornamento esse oportet ceteris exemplo diuina procuratione contempta procuratores rerum secularium fieri derelicta cathedra plebe deserta per alienas prouincias oberrantes
testimonies which also he alleageth out of many bookes both of the old and newe Testament to prooue that the Church should bee spread ouer all the kingdomes and nations of the world He answereth the places of Scriptures which they alleaged to prooue that the world at sundrie times had so fallen away from God that a verie fewe true worshippers remained and why might not they be now as those fewe He sheweth that there be innumerable testimonies to prooue that the open bad did communicate together with the good in the Sacraments and that the good were fewe in comparison of the bad so mixed with them of which after he hath cited many he commeth at the last as it were to a conclusion that al other things remooued hee would haue them shewe their Church out of the holie Scriptures and from the places which are not darke And then it followeth Quisquis ergo huic epistolae responderese praeparat ante denunciationem mihi dicat illi codices dominicos ignibus tradiderunt illi simulacris gentium sacrificauerūt illi nobis iniquissimam persecutionem fecerunt et vos eis in omnibus consensistis Breuiter enim respondeo quod saepè respondi aut falsa dicitis aut si vera sunt non ad frumenta Christi sed ad eorum paleam pertinent ista quae dicitis non inde perit ecclesia quae optimo iudicio ventilata istorum omnium separatione purgabitur That is to say Whosoeuer therefore prepareth himselfe to answere this Epistle let him before the denouncing say vnto me such deliuered the Lords bookes to the fire such sacrificed to the Idols of the Gentiles such haue persecuted vs most vniustlie and you haue consented vnto them in all things For I answer brieflie which I haue often answered either ye speake things which are false or else if they bee true that which ye speake pertaineth not to the corne of Christ but to the chaffe thereof the Church doth not perish thereby which winnowed with most perfect iudgement shall bee purged by the separation of that same chaffe He addeth Ego ipsam ecclesiā requiro vbi sit quae audiendo verba Christi faciendo aedificat super petram audiendo faciendo tolerat eos qui audiendo non faciendo aedificant super arenam Vbi sit triticum quod inter zizania crescit vsque ad messem non quid fecerint vel faciant ipsa zizania Vbi sit proxima Christi in medio filiarum malarum sicut lilium in medio spinarum non quid fecerint vel faciunt ipsae spinae Vbi sunt pisces boni qui donec ad littus perueniant tolerant pisces malos pariter irretitos non fecerint aut faciant ipsi pisces mali That is to say I seeke the Church where she is which in hearing the words of Christ and doing them doth build vpon a rocke and which hearing and doing doth tolerate those which hearing and not dooing doo build vppon the sand Where that wheate is which groweth vp among the tares vntill the haruest come not what the tares haue done or what they doo Where that spouse of Christ is in the middest of the euill daughters as the lillie among the thornes not what the thornes haue done or what they doo Where the good fishes be which vntill they come vnto the shore doo tolerate the euill fishes held in the same nette together not what the euill fishes haue done or what they doo Thus haue I laide open that the Church in olde time was full of open wicked men both of ministers and people That the Donatists vnder the colour of zeale and seueritie against sinne did separate themselues affirming that all were polluted and fallen from the couenant which did communicate in the worship of god and Sacraments with such notorious euill men All men may see by that which I haue noted that the Donatists did maintaine this their opinion with the same Scriptures and argumēts that the Brownists doe maintaine it withall nowe And receiued the same answers to confute them which we make nowe to confute the Brownists This was the maine point of Donatisme and as it were the pith substance therof it is one of the foure chiefe pillers of Brownisme Yea but now the Brownists doe separate themselues from a worship which is Idolatrous full of blasphemies and abhominations The Donatists did rend themselues from an holy and true worship Indeede where the worship is Idolatrous and blasphemous a man is to separate himselfe But there are many and great corruptions before it come to that for it is the true worship of God where the foundation is layd and standeth sure If there be timber Hay and stubble built vpon the foundation the fault is great such things are not to bee approued But yet there is Gods true worship And now to come to the verie poynt of the matter I doe affirme wil stand to iustifie that there were greater corruptions in the worship of God euen in those Churches from which the Donatists did seperate themselues than be at this day in the worship of the Church of England So that if Brownisme be any thing to be excused in that the Donatisme may as iustly therein be defended For if wee consider matters which concerne doctrine what can any man shew so corrupt in this our Church as in the publike worship to pray for the soules of the dead and to offer oblations for the dead This corruption was generall in the Church then yea long before the dayes of Augustine as it appeareth in Cyprian and by Tertullian which was before him and nerer to the time of the Apostles who in his booke De Monogamia reasoning against second mariage for hee was fallen into that error woulde perswade any woman that had buried her husband not to marie againe because he being seperated from her in peace not diuorced she was to pray for his soule and yearely to offer oblation for him thus he writeth Et pro anima eius oret refrigerium interim ad postulet ei in prima resurrectione consortium offerat annuis diebus dormitionis eius That is And let her pray for his soule and craue refreshing for him nowe in the meane time and his felowship in the first resurrection and let her offer yearely vpon the day of his departure It will bee said by some ignorant man that this was but the minde and practise of some few which were corrupt and superstitious I answere it was the practise of the Church in generall and the corruption so auncient that the same Tertullian in his booke De corona militis speaking of it certain other things saith they were obserued by tradition from the Apostles they were obserued so generally in the Churches and no scripture to warrant them These bee his wordes Oblationes pro defunctis annua die facimus Wee make oblations for the dead in the yeerely day The doctrine of Purgatory
and the doctrine of Free will were crept in also besides diuers other grosse errors which sundrie of the chiefe teachers held some in one poynt some in an other Touching Ceremonies not for order and comlynes but with signification the libertie was exceeding which men tooke and the corruption greeuous which was not espied but of few Tertullian for his time nameth these which he saith were receiued by tradition and had no scripture to warrant them first in baptisme hauing shewed what they professed and the thrée times dipping into the water hee addeth Inde suscepti lactis mellis concordiam pragustamus Exque ea die lauacro quotidiano per totam hebdomadam abstinemus That is Taken from thence hee meaneth from the water wee first taste the concord of milke and hony and from that day we abstaine from the dayly washing a whole weeke Die dominico ieiunium nefas ducimus vel de geniculis adorare Eadem immunitate a die paschae in Penticostem vsque gaudemus That is We account it an heynous matter to fast on the Lords day or to worship vpon the knees by the same freedome from Easter vnto Penticost we reioyce And by and by after hee saith Ad omnem progressum atque promotum ad omnem aditum exitū ad vestitū ad calciamentū ad lauacra ad mēsas ad lumina ad cubilia ad sedilia quacunque nos conuersatio exercet frontem crucis signaculo terimus That is At euerie setting forward and mouing at euerie comming to or going foorth at our appareling and putting on our shooes at washing at table at lighting the candle at bed at sitting whatsoeuer wee are busied about we weare our forehead with the signe of the Crosse These superstitious obseruations were crept into the Church and in the daies of Tertullian who liued not much more than two hundreth yeares after our Sauiour Christ receaued so generallie that hee saieth they were by tradition from the Apostles Augustine vnto Ianuarius complaineth that there was such a multitude of rites or ceremonies in the Church But what should I labour in this point If the Brownists will affirme that there be as great corruptions in the worship of the Church of England if we respect either doctrine or ceremonies as were in the Churches from which the Donatists did separate themselues they shall be conuinced of grosse ignorance And if they stand in it they shall shew themselues shameles let the reader in the meane time but looke vpon the Epistle of Master Beza before the new Testament and see what he affirmeth in this matter how corrupt the Churches were Then I conclude that the Donatists separating themselues from Churches more corrupt than the Churche of England in the worship of God as I dare stand to maintaine against them if they denie it may as well bee excused as the Brownists and so hetherto they bee euen bretheren with them or their naturall Children no difference to bee found at all And now touching the third and fourth pillars of Brownisme the Donatists cried out that the Churches had no true Ministers but that they were all false Prophets Iudasses persecutors of the iust generations of Traitors because as they saide they had their ordination from those that were such The Brownists with all their might lift vp their voices and call vs Baals Priests the marked seruants of Antichrist false Prophets seducers and such like because as they say we are ordeined by Antichristian Bishops which exercise a Discipline contrarie to the Discipline of Christ Here wee haue to consider of two things at once the Ministers and the Discipline let vs first see what the Donatists held against the Ministers This was the common voice among the Donatists O that matters might be disputed discussed and scanned But when by the commandement of the Emperour the conference should bee holden what miserable shiftes and delayes did they finde out And in the conference of the third day Chapt. 2. It is shewed that the Donatists did accuse them as Traitors and persecutors and that this saying had been vttered Indignum est vt in vnum conueniant filij Martyrum progenies traditorum It is an vnworthie thing that the sonnes of Martyres the generations of traitors should come together When Augustine had saide he was no traitor Cresconius the Donatist replieth Sed ille qui tradidit te creauit Fonte deducitur riuus caput membra sequuntur sano capite omne sanum est corpus si quid in hoc morbi vel vitij est omnia membra debilitat or iginem suam respicit quicquid in stirpe processit Non potest innocens esse qui sectam non sequitur innocentis But he that created thee plaied the Traitor the riuer or streame is deriued from the Fountaine and the members followe the head The head being sounde the whole bodie is sound and if there bee anie disease in it it weakeneth all the members It respecteth it owne originall whatsoeuer groweth out of the stock hee cannot bee innocent which followeth not the sect of the innocent These be the words of Cresconius the Donatist by which hee taketh vpon him to proue that Augustine and all the Pastors of the Churches had no true ordination were not true Ministers of Christ but the generations of traitors He vseth as we see thrée similitudes The first is to this effect as the riuer is deriued from the Fountaine and must néedes be such as it is so those that bée ordeined Ministers are like the streame deriued from the fountaine the ordeinors being trators Iudasses false prophets persecutors y e ordeined must néedes be such also The second is that the members doo followe the head He that ordeineth is the head the Ministers ordeined are the members If the head be infected the poyson of it goeth into the mēbers Thy ordeinor euen thy head was a traitor thou art then a traitor also The third similitude is from the stock and the branches that growe out of it such as the stock is such are the braunches that growe out of it But he that ordeined thée or created thée a Minister was a false Prophet therefore thou art a false prophet for hée is the stock out of which thou doost growe how canst thou but bee such as the roote out of which thou doost spring The Brownists handling this point to proue that we be no Ministers of Christ set foorth the matter thus your discent and pedegrée is in few degrées deriued from the Pope you being the Children of your Antichristian Bishops which are the creatures of the Pope who is the eldest sonne of Sathan and his vicar generall in earth whose image marke power and life you beare and together with him growe liue raigne stand and fall as the branches with the Trée This is the eloquence of the Brownists which differing in words containeth the same reasons that the Donatists did vse for in stead of the Fountaine and the streame
hence that the Church of England is esteemed and reuerenced among the Churches as a sister and communicated withall and yet they all know what her faults be in her assemblies in her worship in her ministrie and gouernment in as much as they are open and apparant to them euen as to our selues Now that they iustifie her as a true Church we haue their own words for the harmonie of confessions of the Churches collected and set foorth by the Churches of France and of the Lowe Countries doth receiue and approoue the confession of the Church of England and call it one of the reformed Churches Whereupon I argue thus If the Church of England be Antichristian and idolatrous and worship the beast bow downe vnto him and receiue his marke because of the gouernment by Bishops then the Churches which doo perfectlie knowe the same and yet doo acknowledge her as a sister and communicate with her are partakers of her sinne and so to be condemned with her Therefore the Brownists condemning it condemne those that iustifie it knowing the estate The Brownists condemne all those as persecutors of the iust enemies of Christ and of his kingdome that shall hold them to be Heretickes and Schismatickes for condemning the Church of England and separating themselues I argue thus All the Churches which know the Church of England and her forme of gouernment and yet doo loue and reuerence her as a true Church of Christ condemne those as hereticall Schismatickes which call it Antichristian and separate themselues from it For how can the Churches as they doo esteeme the Church of England as a true sister and yet not condemne the Brownists as wicked Schismatickes which call it the Synagog of Sathan Then let the Brownists shewe that the Churches haue reuoked this their former iudgement of the Church of England or else let them answere whether they condemne not all those as no true Christians which shall affirme them to be wicked Schismatickes for separating themselues from the assemblies of England If they will deny that the churches esteeme our Churche as a sister and therefore condemne them as vngodlie Schismatickes the matter is so cléere that all men shal see them then to be impudent It may be some Brownist will replie that it cannot be extended vnto all Churches a farre off which is verified in some that be nigh Well let vs see then for the Churches a farre off Doo not the Brownists condemne the Church of Geneua They will say no. But I say they doo For as I sayd before will they not condemne all such as doo reiect them as wicked Schismatickes This doth the Church of Geneua Which I prooue thus In that the Church of Geneua doth approoue the doctrine of those that haue béen and are her most learned and godlie Pastors as Master Caluin with whom the rest consent in doctrine Now touching the doctrine of Master Caluin published whereby he condemneth the Brownists as Schismatickes ye may reade it in fourth booke of his Institutions and the first Chapter It is too large to recite the whole I will alleage but some parts Looke vppon the seuenth section where he saith that in the visible Church in earth there are verie many hypocrites mingled verie many that be ambicious couetous enuious cursed speakers some of more impure life which tollerated for a time either because they cannot in lawfull iudgemēt be conuinced or else because that seueritie of discipline which ought to be is not alwaies in force In the ninth section he affirmeth that the reason is somewhat diuers in esteeming priuate men and in esteeming the churches for it may come to passe as he saith that wee ought to handle them as brethren and accompt instead of beléeuers such as wee shall thinke vtterlie vnworthie the fellowship of the godlie euen for the cōmon consent of the church by which they are tollerated in the bodie of Christ Wee doo not approoue such by our voyce to be members of the Church but we leaue vnto them that place which they hold among the people of God vntill it be taken from them by lawfull iudgement Then he addeth but wee must thinke otherwise of the multitude which if it haue the Ministerie of the Word and giue honour if it haue the Administration of the Sacraments no doubt it deserueth to bee accounted a Church because it is certaine those things are not without fruite so wee both keepe for the Uniuersall Church her vnitie which diuelish Spirites haue alwaies endeuored to cutte in sunder neither doo wee defraude of their authoritie the lawfull assemblies which are seuered according to the fitnes of places In the tenth section hee vttereth that the Lord maketh so great account of the communion of his Church that he estéemeth him as a runnagate and forsaker of religion whosoeuer he be that frowardlie shall separate himselfe from any Christian societie which imbraseth but the true Ministrie of the word and Sacraments And a little after he inferreth vpon some ground of reason that the departure from the Church is the deniall of God and of Christ affirming moreouer that no crime can bée deuised more horrible than with sacrilegious trecherie to violate the mariage which the Sonne of God hath vouchsafed to contract with vs. In the twelft section hée dooth expounde what is his meaning when he requireth a pure Ministerie of the word and pure order of administring the Sacraments as notes infallible of the true Church For hee saieth there may somewhat that is faltie créepe in either in the administration of the word or of the Sacraments which ought not to separate vs from the Communion of that Ministrie Because there be principles of Religion without which we cannot be saued and there be points in which men dissent and the one part erreth and yet the vnitie of faith and brotherlie loue is kept not that we are to approue the least errour in doctrine or the sialest corruption in the administration of the Sacraments In the thirtéenth section he saith that in tolerating the imperfection of life wée ought to bée much more fauorable for here we are vpon slipperie ground where wée may easely fall And the euill dooth héere lie in waite and assalt vs with speciall engines for there haue been alwaies some which being caried with a false perswasion of an absolute perfection as if they were now become certaine ayrie spirites despised the fellowship of all men in whome they saw any thing that is humaine or corrupt remaining Such were of olde time the Cathari and the Donatists which fell into the same furie such are at this daye some of the Anabaptists which would seeme to haue profited more than others There be other some that offend rather of an inconsiderate zeale of righteousnes than of that mad pride for while they see the life is not answerable to the holie doctrine in bringing foorth good fruite among such as haue the Gospell preached they iudge by and by that
the like because the aduerb thus doth signifie the like and not the same But hée rendreth a reason which is that we haue but the summe of their prophesies recorded vnto vs by the holie Ghost and not all the words Because we haue not all the words therefore haue we not the same in those that are set downe Did the holie Ghost vse this word Coh to giue vs to vnderstand that there is written but an abridgement or summe of matters and not the same words that they were vttered in but some such like Againe did the holie Ghost recorde them are they not all his words which are written in the summe of the prophesies set downe Shall we beléeue this man I doo beléeue him in this that he saith the holie Ghost did record them for therein he speaketh the trueth But when he saith that thus saith the Lord is not these same words saith the Lord but the like because thus is an aduerb of likenes it is a vile saying Is not the holie Ghost the Lord If hée had spoken those things before in moe words and now recordeth them in fewer saying thus saith the Lord doth not he speake these fewer words which are written as well as those moe wordes which were vttered Are they not then thus saith the Lord euen the verie same words which the Lord speaketh and not like If ye make many such expositions of words ye may leade me whether ye will There is then another reason rendred to prooue that the Priests were not tied vnto those wordes in blessing the people namely that in prayer they are blessed in the Psalmes and in the Chronicles with many other words And Eli blessed Hanna in other words It is not the question whether at any time the people might bee blessed in other words in fewer or in moe but whether the Priests had not that forme prescribed to vtter in blessing the whole assemblie and whether it were Idolatrie to vse those prescript phrases of wordes As likewise it is not maintained that when our Sauiour saith say thus that wee may not pray in other words or expresse our petitions more particularlie but that we may vse those words and sentences as most excellent petitions Against this Master Greenwood bringeth nothing in his words that followe For Master Caluine neuer held it vnlawful to pray in that forme of words though he teach truelie that men are not so tied vnto it that they may vse none other And therefore it standeth firme and sure that the forme of words in the Lords Prayer is to bee lawfullie vsed praying In the next part Master Greenwood is in a great heate and maketh an outcrie to call men to the beholding of an iniurie which I as he saith as a godles man haue done him Here saith he I must call all men that reade this fruitles discourse to be witnesse c. Indeede ye may well call it a fruitles discourse which ye call men that reade to beare witnesse with ye and let the reader iudge by your exposition of Coh whether it be not worse than fruitlesse which ye spread among the ignorant sort which are readie to sucke in such filthie dregges The abuse of my tongue to the defacing of Gods trueth is that I sayd he calleth all men Idolaters And to make the matter cléere that he spake not the words but I my selfe he maketh a briefe repetition how we fell into that matter But before we procéede any further I pray ye tell me what is the reason that I hauing set downe your whole discourse touching this poynt so that you cannot denie but that I haue also set it downe truely you forsake that and set downe by péece meale but some of your words and reason from them If I had ment in a godles manner wilfully to peruert your words would I haue deliuered them whole and together in print It seemeth ye haue some hope that some men will reade your booke which will not compare it with mine or which being carried with blind heate cannot Now I craue no more of the reader but to marke the whole speach which you deliuered and mine answere to it and to iudge indifferently If Master Greenwoods words bee not such as must needes include that which I haue collected let me beare the blame for that matter which is one of the least He saith I haue an euasion to auoide this foyle because I sayd I tooke it we reasoned about such grosse Idolatrie as a Church is to bee condemned and forsaken for which is defiled therewith He saith he neuer reasoned to that end in this whole discourse And I say then he must go from his owne words which affirme that read prayer offered vp to GOD as a sacrifice is Idolatrie that to reade the prayer while one praieth is a chaunging the worke of the spirit into an Idoll a bondage and breaking of Christian libertie a thing most detestable a deuice of Antichrist Let all men iudge by these speaches what manner of Idolatrie was in question betweene vs. Master Greenwood as if he had wonne the field will needs put me to my raunsome and asketh what mends I will make him for this slandering I answer that as your victorie is but in a dreame so my raunsome must be therafter If I could sée I had done ye wrong I would be sorie Ye will haue no man free from such foule Idolatrie but yet no Idolaters No Church is free ye confesse from all spot vpon earth Hereupon ye growe againe into a newe heate and charge me out of one mouth to giue contrarie sentence because I call ye Donatists Why man are ye ignorant of this that the Donatists did confesse all men to bee sinners and yet the arguments by which they would maintaine their schisme could not bee strong vnlesse they would maintaine a perfection and some of their reasons though they ment not so reached so farre And so is it with you Brownists If one should followe ye in all the grosse absurdities which will followe from your exposition of Coh thus saith the Lord could you haue any way but to protest ye did meane no such thing Wee may not looke what men protest they hold but what doth followe of their reasons and then ye shall see that such as be in schisme and heresie are with the blasts of their swelling pride tossed and hurled vpon contrarie Rockes Now whereas I sayd the confession of the Brownists that there is no Church in earth without spottes of Idolatrie doth ouerthrowe the reasons which they bring to condemne the Church of England Because they cannot argue thus this is a fault it is Idolatrie therefore this or that assemblie which is spotted is no true Church But they must prooue the Idolatrie to bee such as destroyeth the faith c. Master Greenwood would beare men in hand that I reason as simplie as to say if there bée no true Church in earth without spots then the Church of
sinne therefore they that vse it are no Church Haue ye said no more but that it is an hainous sinne Haue you forgotten all your former sayings of Idolatrie bondage breaking Christian libertie most detestable standing vnder Gods wrath I hold him no Anabaptist nor Donatist which from such spéeches concludeth no true Church For I neuer heard that the true Church doth stand vnder Gods wrath The next wordes are sore Abaddon is the father of such Prophets saith Maister Greenewood because I say the Brownists maintaine such a fréedome as that will haue nothing imposed by commaundement I pray ye tell me whether you be one of those which set out the brief summe of the profession And when I had written against it I would knowe if ye were one that made the defence or approoued the same Did yee not approoue of the answers that goe vnder the name of Henrie Barrow Imposed is put for an argument by it selfe in those writings and so noted with a figure Could the very word imposed be an argument by it selfe if any imposing by commaundement bee lawfull in Gods worship If the ciuill Magistrates haue power but to reuiew the lawes of Christ and to mooue men or stirre them vp to the more diligent keeping of the same may they then impose by commaundement And as you speake here of that which is not onely receiued but also by commaundement as though there were great waight in the words by commaundement I pray ye tell me then what force ye repose in the words imposed and by commaundement when ye oppose them against Christian freedome Tell me also whether yee denie not that any Canons and constitutions made in Synods in matters variable are to be imposed by commandement If they be what is the reason that you Brownists when yee crie out against Church gouernment as it is in England speake in generall against Canons And a little after in this your booke ye denie all power of making lawes in things indifferent terming it an adding to Gods word and alleaging against it the extreame curse of God I graunt the Churches power is limitted by the word in making such lawes and so is the power of Princes There hath béen much sayd alreadie touching the Lords Praier and other prescript formes in the Scriptures but yet here come in newe reasons if I may so call them which are voide of reason Houtos is the same that the Hebrew Coh after this manner I answere that this hath béen dealt in before where ye must vnsay somewhat againe or else the words of the Scripture now written are not the words of the Lord but the like Further because Christ saith when ye pray if he willed we should say ouer y e words then should we euer when we pray say them To this I answere that respecting the rules for matters when ye pray when is as much as to say whensoeuer ye pray because we may not depart from those matters conteined in the general petitions But if we respect withall the prescript forme of words there is a double consideration to be had for in them selues they bee most excellent perfect and full and so brieflie doo containe the whole summe and substance of all thinges which we ought to craue of God as that nothing is wanting But our mind is not able so largelie or vnto such depth at one instant to spread or extend it selfe in desire as to bee mindfull of euery particular therein conteined And also we are more mooued as seuerall matters of néede doo presse vs to craue them particularlie Hereupon it doth followe that as on the one part it were agreat iniurie and hindrance that any man should binde vs when any particular néede vrgeth to begge reliefe onelie in the generall forme which includeth many things and not suffer vs to expresse the very particulars and singulars so on the other part to binde vs alwaies in such sort to the seuerall particulars that we may not at all vse the generals is very absurd and a disgrace to those most excellent petitions For by this it must needes followe that I may not say Let thy Kingdome come or forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs vntill the Brownists disprooue this he is fully conuict For if I may vse one petition of the generall heads when I pray I may vse anie one if any one then all The next argument which is brought is to this effect that if we be cōmaunded to say those words then should we sin in vsing any other forme for those being in y e best forme we are bound alwaies to bring the best sacrifice we haue or els we are accursed This reason I haue fully answered in that which went before for I haue shewed in what respect it is the most excellent absolute forme the best and can by no meanes without great absurditie yea wicked impietie be reiected withall what is necessarie and fit for vs. Now for conclusion let the Reader iudge whether I haue more need to leaue of as he saith my popish dreames or he his spirituall fantasies I am farre from maintaining that our Sauiour or his Apostles did stint or bynde men vnto certaine wordes which of necessitie they must vse and none other but this is the thing which the Brownistes must ioyne issue in with me whether I may not pray saying let thy kingdome come or if I may so vse the prescript forme of wordes in one petition whether I may not in any and so in all And heere let the Reader obserue that Maister Greenewood crying out for freedome complayning of a tradition that bringeth our libertie into bondage hee doth him selfe take away freedome and woulde lay a bondage vpon men and vpon the Churches For it is to lay a yoake of bondage when men will restraine that which God hath left free to bee vsed as shal be most conuenient and profitable for edification as to follow a prescript forme or to reade praying Among the Iewes in the time of the Law God tied them to the Temple and vnto certaine set howers for the Euening and Morning sacrifice but in this we are set free in the Gospell For I may lawfullie goe to the Temple to heare the word and to be partaker of the Sacraments with the assemblie and I may lawfullie frequent other places where the publike worship is The Churches may appoint the same howres for there meetings that were vnder the law if it be conuenient and they may appoint other if it shal be more fitte hee that in these shall take away the freedome which is giuen to the Churches doth lay a yoake of bondage In like case prescript forme of prayer to vse praying being an helpe to the weake and a thing sanctified of God and left free to the Church as neede shall require he that denieth that free vse doth lay a yoake of bondage And so I charge Maister Greenewood here to doe In the next place