crimes against Religion yea those that would not enter into or renew their Covenant with God were by Asa's command to be put to death But Christ will have mens Atheism Irreligiousness Idolatry and Iâ—fidelity cured by the Preaching of the Truth which therefore requireth that the Preachers for number and qualification be answerable to their work especially seeing they are things so mysterious and supernaturally revealed which men are to believe And the works of Moses's Law lay very much in ceremony and outward actions which a man of mean qualifications might easily do But the great work of the Gospel is to bring Life and Immortality to light and to Preach Christ by whom came Grace and Truth and more notably than the Law of Moses did to call men to Mortification Self-denial Cross-bearing contempt of the World by Faith and Hope and Love of a better World and to bring them to a heavenly mind and life And mens salvation is laid on this If it were but to offer Sacrifices and do over the task of outward Ceremonies a Mass-Priests qualifications might serve the turn And if it were but to put men to death that will not be Jews and take their Covenant and that draw any from their Religion neither so many nor so excellent Ministers were necessary But we are under a better Covenant even a Law of Love which is more eminently become the first and last the great and new Commandment and the regent Principle in Souls and Churches and the number and quality of the Preachers of it must be answerable XV. As Moses was God's ministerial Law-giver to the Israelites and was faithful in all his trust so Christ is the great Prophet like unto him as typified by him whom God hath raised up to his Church whom they that hear not shall be cut off by God and from that Church as he hath appointed The Legislation Universal is now the work of Christ by himself and by the Holy Ghost which he promised and gave for that use to his Apostles that they might infallibly understand his will and remember what he had commanded them to teach the world XVI Kings or Pastors may not now alter or suspend any of these Laws of Christ any more than the Jewish Kings or Priests might alter or suspend the Laws of Moses XVII Christ hath instituted a Ministry to be for ever stablished in the world to Preach his Gospel to convert volunteers unto Faith and Holiness and to gather by Baptism all Consenters into his Covenant and Church and to teach them all that he hath commanded them And this none have power to overthrow XVIII He hath stated on the Pastors of such Churches the Power afore described of Teaching Assemblies and particular persons of leading them in publick Worship and Sacraments and of judging by the power of the Keys whom to receive into their communion by Baptism and profession of Faith and whom to admonish and for obstinate impenitence to reject And this Institution none may alter XIX He hath instituted ordinary Assemblies and stated particular Churches as is aforesaid for these holy exercises and forbad all Christians to forsake them and he and his Apostles have appointed and separated the Lord's day hereunto None therefore may abrogate or suspend these Laws All this is proved Matth. 28. 19 20. 16. 19. 18. 18 19. Joh. 20. 23. Luk. 12. 37 38. Mat. 21. 36. 22. 4 5 c. 24. 45 46. Heb. 10. 25 26 Act. 11. 26. 1 Cor. 11. Ephes 4. 4. to 17. 1 Thes 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 17 24. Tit. 1. 5 6 c. 1 Tim. 3. Act. 14. 23. Act. 20. 1 Cor. 16. 1 c. XX. Christs Laws empower and oblige the Bishops or senior Pastors to Ordain others for this Ministerial service of the Church and so to propagate their order to the end of the world By which Ordination 1. They are Judges of the persons qualifications whether he be such as Christs Laws admit into his Ministry 2. And they solemnly invest him in the office But the Power with which they ministerially invest him delivering him possession as Christ appointed resulteth directly from the Law or Donation of Christ As the power of a Mayor from the Charter of the King and not from the Electors or Investers None therefore have power given them by Christ to hinder such Ordination and Propagation of such a Ministry Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. XXI So exceeding great are the benefits and priviledges of being members of Christ and his Church universal and particular that no unwilling person is immediately capable of it Nor is it possible ex natura rei for any adult person that consenteth not to be a Christian or a Member of any particular Church He cannot be a just Communicant against his will nor pray and praise God with the Church nor take a man for his Pastor or use him as a Pastor against his will And God hath laid mens salvation or damnation on the choice or refusal of their wills Therefore no man can be the Bishop or Pastor of a Church either de jure or truly de facto against the Church or Peoples will or without their consent And as the Nature of the thing proveth this so doth the sacred Scripture Act. 14. 23. 2. 37 38. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Mat. 28. 19. And so doth the judgment and practice of Christ's Church for many hundred years which is so fully proved by Blondell de jure plebis and confessed by the Papists themselves and so express in all antiquity that we need not add the proof Therefore no power may change this Law of Nature and of Christ nor can they by any Law Mandate Choice Ordination Institution Imposition or other act make any man a real Pastor to that People that consent not to the relation Nor are they any true particular Churches where Pastor and People do not consent No more than the relation of Husband and Wife Master and Servant Tutor and Scholars can be without consent XXII Christ and his Spirit have commanded his Ministers to preach the Word to be instant in season and out of season to reprove rebuke and exhort 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. And having put their hand to Christ's Plough not to look back and none hath power to alter this Law of Christ or to suspend it His Ministers by his Authority preached against the will of Princes for above three hundred years and since then against the wills of erroneous Princes who professed Christianity XXIII If Church-History be not to be believed the pleas thence used for Prelacy must cease If it be to be believed God hath wrought miracles to justifie those that would not cease Preaching when Princes yea Christian-Princes have forbidden them And the Church hath honoured their fidelity herein The case of Athanasius Basil Meletius and abundance more evince the later And for the former we will now instance but in the case of the Bishops of Africa whose tongues
I nor any other person is obliged by the vow to endeavour any such alteration of Church Government V. 12. The fifth Part of the Matter The Declaration and Oath as not understood of not resisting any Commissioned VI. 13. The sixth Part of the Matter To cease preaching and administring Sacraments till we conform at least not to preach to more than a family and four persons VII 14. The seventh Part Consequential Not to come within five miles of any City or Corporation which sendeth Burgesses to Parliament or of any place where we have preached to more than aforesaid since the Act of oblivion 15. The Adjuncts and the other Matters agreed on which affright the Nonconformists 16. The case and practice of the Ministers since they were silenced Additions occasioned by Mr. L. Fresh Suit and some others about National Churches THE Question stated § 3 c. Whether we are obliged by or to the Jewish National Polity § 5 c. or by scripture to a National limitation of them Whether a National Church-form be lawful § 30 c Whether it be a prudential desirable form § 38 c The resolution of this by a short history of Prelacie and Councils § 39 c. Obj. From the necessity of Appeals § 40 c. Obj. Shall all gather Churches that will ib. Obj. The Apostles have successours ib. Q. Whether the King or who is the National Church Head § 41. 42 c A Christian Kingdom what § 43 Q. Must real holyness in the judgment of rational Charity be required in all Church members § 1 Q. What Covenanting is necessary to particular Church relation § 5 c. The spirit maketh Ministrs how I. The Epistle of an African Council in Cyprian Ep. 68. p. 200. to Felix a Presbyter and the Laity at Legio and Asturica and to Laelius the Deacon and the Laity at Emerita concerning their Bishops Bafilides and Martial worthy to be read as to our present controversies II. The Letter of Rob. Grosthead the good Bishop of Lincoln to Pope Innocent containing the reason of his Nonconformity and shewing that hindring preaching is the greatest sin next Divelism and Antichristianism Out of Mat. Parâ— An. 1253. p. 871. 872. III. An extract from Bishop Saunderson de juramento SECT I. The Reasons of this writing and the sense of the word CHURCH IT was the saying of acute and holy Augustine though we call him not with Fromondus Omniscâ—um that no man ought to be patient under an accusation of Heresie He meaneth by Patience a silent neglect of his own Just Vindication Not that we must be like Hectoring Duellers that would kill or hurt others in revenge or in a sinful way of Vindication But by silence those that slander men may be encouraged in their sin to their own destruction and those that value the slandered persons may be tempted to think too well of Heresie for their sakes And the honour of God and his Truth and our own good names so far as they are serviceable are none of them to be disregarded We have with grieved souls beheld the Land of our Nativity distracted by Divisions and much if not most about Religion we wish it were not against Religion by some that indeed have no true Religion Teachers against Teachers in Discourses Sermons Books rendring each other despicable and unlovely and some calling out aloud to Rulers to draw the Sword against their Brethren so learnedly and industriously pleading the Cause against each other with the Laity high and low as if the destroying of their Love and kindling Wrath and Hatred were the Evangelical necessary work and without this zeal and skill and diligence hard to be accomplished No wonder then if we have people against people families divided and all confounded and this grievous Schism carryed on by crying out against each other as Schismaticks and implacably causing it while we loudly inveigh against it The case is lamentable that distraction should be thus expressed and promoted and when God hath warned us by the mischiefs of an odious Civil War and hath tryed us again with peace with all Nations about us when most of them are involved in grievous Wars that yet we will not give peace to one another but live as if Peace were the Plague which we most desire to escape Yet as it is the good providence of God that the Names of Wisdom Godliness Truth Justice Mercy Honesty and Vertue are all still honourable even among those that hate and oppose them and the names of Folly Ungodliness Lying Unjustice Unmercifulness Dishonesty and Vice are all dishonourable where the things themselves are followed and prevail so Love Peace and Concord are names that are by most commended when if most were for the things indeed we were in a hopeful way of recovery And Malice Schism and Discord are cryed down by those whom no intreaty will prevail with to forbear them or to accept any remedy against them Yet we are thus far prepared for peace that if we be not false Hypocrites if we did but know which is the true way of Love Peace and Concord we would follow it And if we knew what is Schism indeed we would avoid it And its pity that men that think themselves wise should yet not know the way of Love and Peace Especially that the Learned Preachers of the Gospel of Love and Peace should still be the incendiaries and stir up the Laity that would be more peaceable against each other And that after so many Volumes of History have these thirteen hundred years at least asperst the Clergy with the reproach of being the contentious troublers of the world And yet must we despair of a cure of so odious a disease The thing that Books Sermons and Discourses cry out against those called Non Conformists for is Humorous Obstinate Schism and Disobedience in Preaching when forbidders and keeping up Assemblies not allowed and gathering Churches out of Churches separating from the Parish-Communion and Church of England If we can find out the Schismatick we hope he will be condemned by us all But that the Cause may be heard at least in some part before it is judged we that publish this here give an account of our own judgment and those that we are best acquainted with how far we hold it lawful or unlawful to gather Churches or to separate from Churches or to differ from what is established by Authority But the Application to our particular Case and our Arguments thereabout we must not here presume to publish They that accuse others as Schismaticks and Separatists for deserting Churches or gathering Churches out of Churches and will not tell us what they mean by the word Church nor give us leave to tell them what we mean but judge in confusion and despise explication and necessary distinction are men that we can neither be edified by nor edifie in this way SECT II. The Various Opinions of such us we have to do with
season and adjured them before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom to preach the Word be instant in season out of season c. 4. The indispensible Law of Nature obligeth every man according to his Place and Calling his Ability and his Opportunities to do his best to propagate Christ's Gospel and to save mens souls as much and more than to seed mens bodies and save their lives But our Calling is to do it as Ministers of Christ thereto devoted And we did not receive this Calling to be altered or forborn at the will of man but to be performed according to the Word of God Men being not the Makers of the Office nor of God's Law under which we execute it nor the Donors or Limiters of the Power but only 1. The Electors of the Persons that shall receive it 2. And the Investers of them in it by Ministerial delivery 3. And the Governours of us in the exercise of it according to God's Laws by which they may punish us for male administration but cannot dissolve the Laws obligation to those that are indeed commanded by it LI. Obj. 2. If there be able Preachers in one part of the Parishes and the other part have such as deliver all that is necessary to salvation intelligibly it is unlawful to Preach against the will of the Prince or Prelates in such a Country Ans We deny this unproved assertion 1. Indeed it will follow that such persons are justly condemned by God if they repent not though they had but a Reader 2. And that they should be thankful for so much and gladly accept it in such Churches when they can have no better But not 1. that it is in the power of any man justly to forbid them better when God provideth it 2. Nor that they must obey such a prohibition as such Though prudence may discern forbearance to be a duty by accident when the hurt would be greater than the good There is no doctrine objectively of absolute necessity to salvation but the doctrine of the Baptismal Covenant which is expounded in the Creed Lords prayer and Decalogue But there is much Doctrinal and active Means necessary to make men Understand Believe Love and Practise this necessary Covenant doctrine And the doctrine or articles of faith will save none that do not Understand Believe Love and Practise it and that sincerely preferring the things revealed before all the pleasures riches and honours of this World A Parrot shall not be a Saint for saying the Creed LII These following matters of fact are presupposed to the answer of this objection and in them all sober Protestants are as we suppose agreed 1. That this aforesaid sincerity of Faith Repâ—ntance Hâ—pe Love and Obedience is made by God of necessâ—â—y to salvation 2. That as it will not profit a man to win all the World and lose his soul so neither will doctrinal formality or obedience to superiours that hinder sound Preachers recompence him for the loss of his soul And that God would not have mens Government maintained by mens damnation nor will the ungodly be the best members of Church or Kingdoms Order is a means to save men and not damn them some few Heathens offer to Devils a sacrifice of mans flesh and blood But if a man should offer to God the Lover Saviour and Sanctifyer of souls a Sacrifice of the souls of thousands and say All these are to be kept in Ignorance and ungodlyness and so to be damned to please God who will have them obey their superiours at that rate this were a dishonour to God of unexpressible iniquity and errour Christ that hath taught men to seek first his Kingdom and to take up the Cross and to forsake Father and Mother and Life and all to serve him in the saving of their souls and had planted inseparably self love into our natures surely did not mean so Contraâ—â—ly as that we must forsake Christ Heaven and Salvation to obey men 3. That certain experience putteth us past doubt that ignorance sensuality worldliness profaneness are far more common and a holy heavenly mind and life and all serious Christianity and obedience far very far more rare in those Kingdoms and Parishes which have no plain convincing serious lively and exemplary Preachers than in those that have although they be baptized and have the Creed Lords prayer and Decalogue in their Liturgie And yet here are all things of absolute objective necessity to salvation What a case the Moscovites are in that have only Liturgies and Homilies read we mentioned before And how sad the case is among the Greeks Armenians Abassins and most Papists for want of better Preachers Bishop Usher could say of the Irish that more perished by not knowing what we are on both sides agreed in than by their Popish Errours And what a case the Scottish Highlanders too many of the Welsh and most Parishes in England were in as to serious piety which had heretofore but Readers or Preachers that did less than read a Homilie experience constraineth us to know as also what difference there is yet to be seen as to serious faith and godliness between the fruits of a clear serious holy diligent Preacher and of raw youths that say over a pedantik lifeless speech and out of the pulpit little differ in speech or life from Carnal Worldlings or formal Hypocrites Though we know that all that profess to be seriously Religious are not so yet none are so that do not profess it as they have opportunity As we are not able to deny this experience of the different fruits of different Teaching when all have the Creed Nor dare deny the necessity of serious faith repentance and holiness to salvation lest we renounce the Gospel nor yet that no men much less most men or many thousands may as an act of obedience to man refuse those helps which God provideth them and without which few Comparatively are truely converted from a Carnal life and saved so therefore we dare not think or say that humane Lawes or orders are arguments of sufficient weight to move them hereunto LIII Obj. 3. But the hurt of the peoples chusing Teachers and Assemblies without or against the Rulers will is greater than the hurt that cometh by the want of better Teachers Ans 1. The peoples choice doth hurt by accident in those Countries where the Rulers put down necessary helps and where the people are Erroneous Heretical and Unruly and so where the people would choose unsufferable men supposing still that no Church is constituted without mutual consent of the Pastor and the flock and that the Rulers alter not or violate not Christs Laws by which he hath appointed the ordering of Assemblies Therefore it is the Rulers Office to hinder the people from doing mischief without hindering them from their duty and from doing well To Govern them in their work and not
preaching without it to deserve a Gaol and utter ruine and the same to neer 2000 others the silencing of whom will one day prove no indifferent thing And they that think it harmless publickly Ministerially upon deliberation to profess a falshood may shortly think it a duty to swear it But I believe that God will not hold that person Church or Kingdom guiltless which taketh his name in vain see Dr. Hammends Catechism on the 3. Commandment FINIS ERRATA's Reader THE smaller literary mistakes are left to thy own in genuity the grosser errours of the Press thou art desired thus to correct Epist p. 5. l. 24. for urge r. argue p. 10. for prefixed r. affixed p. 12. l. 4. for our r. one l. 24. r. A Christiau p. 32. l. 1. for mollifie r. nullifie p. 50. l. 21. r. one will p. 53. l. 20. r. communion p. 63. l. 4. r. Pontici p. 64. l. 31. r. Theodosius p. 73. l. 26. for there r. then p. 88. l. 20. r. put not p. 97. l. 25. r. formally p. 99. l. 15. for an acceptable r. uncapable p. 102. l. 8. r. help p. 119. l. 1. for considering r. concerned in p. 126. l. 13. r. said they p. 128. l. 6. for suspension r. suspicion p. 154 l. 5. for his r. their p. 157. l. 13. for any r. an p. 159. l. 16. dele that p. 160. l. 30. r. that THIS is p. 162. l. 26. r. we must p. 187. l. 5. r. fame l. 10. dele more p. 203. l. 25. r. Hale p. 205. from we take and 206 and 207. are all misplaced p. 224. l. last for swarming r. swearing p. 229. l. 21. r. 97. p. 238. for FIRE r. PLAGUE p. 265. l. 15. r. would not l. 24. for about r. above p. 269. l. 23. for hoc r. hos p. 272. l. 2. for that r. the l. 3. dele the p. 286. l. 5. for yet r. yea p. 288. l. 28. for assureth r. asserteth p. 161. l. 18. r. plenilunium p. 248. l. 8. for 1660 r. 1661. p. 289. l. 23. r. domination p. 298. l. 2. r. Regia p. 333. l. penult r. premised Many more are left to the Readers ingenuity A Catalogue of Books Printed for or sold by Benj. Alsop at the Angel and Bible over against the Stocks-Market 1. THE Compleat English Scholar is Spelling Reading and Writing By E. Young Schoolmaster of London 2. Jacobs Ladder Or The Devout Souls Ascension to Heaven By Jo Hall late Bishop of Norwich 3. Divine Consolations against the Fear of Death By John Gerrard Author of the Meditations 4. Divine Love Or The willingness of Jesus Christ to save sinners By V. P. 5. The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Or An Account of their Judgment By R. Baxter 6. Melius Inquirendum Or an Answer to the Sober Enquiry 7. The Ladies Delight * When persecution was hot some that would not offer Incense at Idols Altars nor renounce Christ yet to save their lives did through fear in secret hire another to subscribe their names to a sinful profession and these were called Libellaticâ— and it troubled the Churches whether and when they should be received to communion upon their repentance * It must be known that this Bishop lived in the depth of Popery and acknowledgeth the Popes Power as men do now the Bishops * Or Anglorum for its a various Lection * But a Papist will say who shall be Judge As if all men were not to be discerning Judges of truth duty * As of Assent and Consent to the Use of the Liturgy c.