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A67155 The churches purity, or, The difference betweene the churches frame in darke times and her settlement in the purest times Walker, Henry, Ironmonger. 1641 (1641) Wing W369; ESTC R1909 8,639 17

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and for feare of such as waighted purposely to ensnare them Might not they complaine with Polidorus that the world is come to such outrage and meere madnesse herein that this part of holinesse differeth in some men very litle from open wickednesse for many good men have suffered and the whole Church hath beene oppressed because they would not heare the words of them that taught lies Ier. 23.16 Secondly In respect of publique miseries Is not the whole kingdome sensible of those publique calamities proceeding from the same And those eminent dangers which the same hath brought upon us by reason of those inconveniences which have risen from the forme therof how many are there amongst us very sensible hereof And that not onely by the Prelates Courts which have beene such an universall purgatory to the Church but those warres and frights which have beene by their meanes raised to the disturbance of the whole land and the impoverishing not onely of the North but generally of all trading through the whole kingdome Nay have they not beene so politique herein that the hearts of all people have beene so discomfited that betwixt hope and feare they have beene ready to prophesie the returne of Popery But blessed be the Lord who hath hitherto preserved our gratious King and Kingdome And how doth the Church now rejoyce since it hath pleased our Royall King to prevent their designes in calling and confirming of the High and Honorable Wise and Godly Assembly in the high court of Parliament Thirdly to prove that such inconveniences as are found to be in the Church are of greatest consequence to be looked after and ought chiefely to bee looked to A godly kingdome is an happie kingdome but nothing whatsoever more ruinates a Church State or Kingdome then sinne And the reformation of the evills and inconveniences in Church discipline is a great fence against sinne but the permission of errour is a dangerous downfall and a great dungeon and as Saint Chrisostome saith brings the losse of salvation it brings in heresies and vicious life and turnes all things up side downe And this is condemnation saith Christ that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse more then light Iohn 3.19 Object If any one shall yet object and say where shall we looke for a forme of Church discipline since even at this time Christ is taught to us now as clearely and truely as ever in former ages Answ. I say with the judgement of Saint Austin that wee ought rather to seeke the Church in the words of Christ then in the words of men for that Christ is the truth and better knoweth his owne body And Christ himselfe gives us the same rule also Search the Scriptures saith he for in them ye thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5.34 Thus have I beene briefe in the generall expression of the Churches purity concluding this part with prayer to Almighty God that such things as stand not with his glory the Kings honour the building up of the Church and the peace and the tranquillity of the Kingdome may be Reformed FINIS 1. Arg●ment 2. Argument Conclusion In his Ep. unto Cecilius l. 2. Epist. 3. Object Ans. In his booke of a solitary life In his 10. booke of his Trinitie In his 198 Epist. unto Fortunatus 2 Reasons On Math. 11. Chap. In his proheme of his 3 booke of Trinity In the unperfect worke Hom. 49. Virgil in his 6 book and 13. Chap. of invention of things In his 3. Sermon f● Lazarus In his 3. chap. of the vnity of the Church
of God may in these times First in respect of those times of darkenesse Secondly in respect of those times of trouble and feare And first in respect of those times of darkenesse Should Rome or any Popish Nation or Church when Popery is setled be reformed and become a Protestant Church could it bee expected that such pure discipline should bee there established in each particular forme in such a Church at the first as in after times upon more experience being better practised and receiving more light from other reformed Churches also can all inconveniencies bee reformed before a long time yea and often reformation too have not the Apostles hath not Christ yea hath not God himselfe beene often troubled in the conversion of a people in this kinde And what are we Wee by the grace of God have so long enjoyed the peace of the Gospel and have beene so many yeares reformed from Popery and so abide still under our gracious King whom God grant long to raigne amongst us and wee have a forme of Church discipline establisht since the reformation from Popery but is this all oh there is by the grace of God a greater measure of light and knowledge of Jesus Christ wee are a more growne Church to whom the Lord hath revealed a greater measure of understanding by reason of our longer time of experience in the Doctrine of the Gospel then was at the first reformation So that we may say as Erasmus said upon another occasion that what was once received in part may now be growne and encreased the puritie of Religion is like fruit it groweth to eternall life Rom. 6.22 Secondly In respect of those times of trouble and feare Let us but a little looke upon our selves in our owne present state oh how many and how great are those troubles and feares which our age hath seene to bring to passe this happie opportunity of reformation we Protestants under the government of our Church and our King whose Royall will it is that all abuses and inconveniences should be reformed and the Church setled according to the discipline of former ages in the purest times yet what by the tyranny of the Prelates and the close clouded waies of other favorites of superstition his Majesties Royall will hath not hitherto beene fulfilled In these troubles of seeking reformation many have suffered and beene imprisoned where some have laid downe their lives and there ended their dayes Indeede these things should not be so oh that there were every where in our Churches and Kingdome one heart truely zealous towards God and faithfull towards our Royall King and Kingdome If then it be so troublesome in these dayes wherein wee live to bring to passe the reformation of those evills and inconveniences in the Church which our age findes out and that it is notwithstanding his Majesties Royall will that such reformation should bee according to the discipline of the Gospel of Jesus Christ How could it chuse then but that greater troubles and feares were a hindrance to that reformation which was immediate from popery It is no wonder though wee now discover many inconveniences and evills which they then passed by Upon what ground therefore is that saying of many amongst us that the forme of the discipline of the Church of England now stands as it was setled by holy wise and learned men and therefore it ought not to bee altered whereas you see that for many causes they were forced to let passe many evills and inconveniences which they could not then reforme Therefore I say of them as Saint Austin said of himselfe be not bound unto my writings saith he as unto the Canonicall Scriptures but when thou shalt finde any thing in the Scriptures which thou diddest not beleeve beleeve it without doubting or delay but when thou findest that in my writings which thou diddest not know certainely before except that thou shalt certainely unstand it to be according to the Scriptures doe not stiffely affirme it We ought not to bee bound to the forme of those holy men further then they agree with the Discipline of the Gospel of Jesus Christ therfore saith Saint Paul to the Church at Corinth let no man saith he rejoyce in men 1 Cor. 3.21 II. To prove that there are many things in that forme which was then established which can now bee proved upon good grounds to stand in neede of reformation Is there not great want of reformation in the Church as it now stands in that forme wherein our Lordly Bishops who are lifted up in honour above their brethren cry out away with all Puritan Preachers let them be silenced let them bee suspended if they will not bow c. And in the meane while those faithfull Preachers and Ministers of Gods word avouch such Lordly Prelacie to be unlawfull and such superstition as they appoint to be Idolatry The Prelates cry for more superstitious Ceremonies to be brought into the Church and labour by their power to force them in and to binde mens consciences to the observance of them and in the meane while the faithfull painefull Ministers of God both pray and labour for the suppressing of those superstitions which are already crept in The Prelates will have the Church to bee ruled by them The faithfull in the Church will bee ruled by the Scriptures and under God by our Royall King and not by the Prelates wherein they abuse both the Doctrine of Christ and the honour of the King The Prelates say they are the true Vickers of Christ in the Church of God But the Church saith with Saint Chrysostome we beleeve them not Their disipline is no worthey or sufficient knowledge of the Godhead And afterwards expresseth that out of the very true Churches come forth oft timts disceivers Therefore wee may not beleeve them unlesse they speake doe such things as are agreeable to the Scriptures The Prelates can pleade their Prelasie from our forefathers whom we respect as such men as were holy and did many things well which we now finde the comfort of yet let us not esteeme their doings above the holy Scriptures for the Scriptures are given by the inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to reprove to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 2.16 Let us take a little view upon the forme of our Church discipline as it stands how it agrees with our peace and we shal finde that it stands in great neede of reformation 1. In respect of private miseries 2. In respect of publique dangers First in respect of private miseries How have the faithfull Ministers of God beene straitned and have had their mouthes as it were lockt up who have had so many private snares laide for them that some have beene faine to flie into other lands others have suffered in this land imprisoned dismembred c. and many have beene constrained to be silent in the congregation in what they have earnestly prayed in their owne closets