the voyce of Antichrist The church of God doth keep the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets without addition alteration or corruption thus the Conformists But the Church of England keepes not the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets without addition alteration and corruption say the Nonconformists see pa. 108. Ergo she is not the church of God No society can be termed Gods church which retayneth not Gods true worship thus say the Conformists But the church of England doth not retayn Gods true worship say the Nonconformists see pag. 78. to 113. Ergo she cannot be termed Gods church The true church consisteth not of feirce Lyons Wolves Tygers and such like wild and feirce beasts but of sheepe and Lambes which learne of Christ and are meeke humble gentle c. so say the Conformists But the English church doth consist of Lyons Wolves Tygers and such like wild and feirce beasts and not of sheepe and Lambes which learne of Christ and are mâ—eke humble gentle c. thus affirme the Nonconformists see pag. 31. c. 145. 169. 170. therefore it is not a true Church Here the reader seeth clearly how the Conform majors and the Nonconform minors make up intyre Syllogismes of Separatisme And how they will be able to unlose these knots I know not except by revoking utterly their owne grounds which if either of them doe yet I doubt not but we shall well enough be able to maintaine them against men SECT IV. NOw we come to take a view of such exceptions as may seeme to cary most weight against our former conclusion And these are laid down cheifly by Mr. Dayrell in his treatise of the Church this man made a shift to fill up there with words above thirty sheets of paper The which subject if some men had tooke in hand they would easily have comprised all the matter of it in 12. or 14. leaves My purpose is not to follow him in his idle repetitions neither to speake much of his contradictions absurdities but in short to give a full answer to his tedious tyresome discourses Touching the description which he makes of a visible church he saith thus All that be and remaine vnder the voyce and call of God that is the ministerie of the word c. be of the visible church Answ This is a false and prophane errour for first then the vilest Hereticks that ever have beene in the world may be members thereof as the Appellites Cerdonians Macedonians Paternians Patricians c. such as held two contrarie beginnings or Gods the one good the other evill such as held that Christ is not rysen from the dead denyed the Holy Ghost to be God affirmed the bodie to be created of the devill c. 2. Then may excommunicate persons be of the church before they acknowledge their sinnes yea Tuâ—â—es Iews and Infidles 3. Whereto leadeth this Position but indeed to make the Church a very stincking ditch to receave all filthinesse and to be like the whorish woman which openeth her knees to every passenger contrarie to the patterne given us of God Rev. 21. ult 4. If this were true then should no man for any offence be censured so long as he remaines vnder the voyce and call of God For that which is enough to state one in the Church is enough to keepe him there still if he retaine it 5. He speakes contrary to the judgement of all Reformists and Conformists that ever I have heard or read of and contrarie to his owne writing in other places for in pag. 22. 35 c. he defines a Church to be a company called out from the rest of the world and such as doe submit themselves to the true worship of God Now there is a great difference betweene this calling from the world submitting to the true worship of God c. and onely to be under the ministerie of the word 6. I cannot tell from whom Mr. Dayr receaved this strange doctrine unlesse it were the Heretick Eunomius which taught that so men were of his religion it was no matter what their conversation was nor how many sinnes they committed He doth often affirme in his booke that it is not Faith and repentance but the Profession thereof which is necessarie to the making of a member of the visible Church Marke how blasphemously he speakes intimating if men with their mouth speake some few good wordes they may be taken lawfullv into the Communion of the Saints and partake with the rest in the Sacraments and Prayer All be it knowne to be notorious murderers theeves traitors sorcerers witches whoremoungers c. and so resolved to live and continue It is very likely this Mr. Dayr had a great Church seeing he made the doore unto it broad and wide just like the way to hell I could here lay down many grosse absurdities which might be truly concluded from his words viz. that a Church cannot cast out some obstinate sinners neither is she and the world to be distinguished c. but because the vanitie and evill of this speach is enough allready shewed I purposely passe them over We have seene one of Mr. Dayr definitions now followes another Let there be an assembly joyned together in prayer hearing the word and receaving the Sacraments according to Christs institution and it is a true visible Church Answ It is so indeed and hence this argument against them may be framed If in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England there is neither prayer preaching nor sacraments administred according to Christs institution then are they all false Churches But the first is true therefore the second The proposition hath sufficient confirmation from their Principles before named the assumption is certaine and manifest by the doctrine and description which he here makes of a true visible church and there lyeth against it no exception In the next page he delivers a Paradox viz. that men outwardly may submitt to true worship and yet be irreligious and prophane Now this is either falsely or foolishly spoken If he meane of visible prophanesse and irreligion then it is a contradiction and indeed plaine Nonsence for to say that a person may outwardlie submitt to God and yet outwardlie be prophane and ungodly If he intended of secret and inward irreligion of the heart In this sence it is true but answereth nothing at all to the matter for which he brings it Here also he layeth downe Mr. â—insw wordes as he saith unto which he makes no direct reply but runnes to another matter whereof he had now no cause at all to speake He denyeth that either the Papists or Anabaptists doe professe true Religion although they professe some true and sound doctrine What moved him thus to thinke I know not unlesse it were because these have many errours in their religion Now if this reason will stand firme and good against them then it must needs follow that the Church of England professeth
the mouth of the blasphemous swearer is not tyed vp and the hands of the idolatrous generation of Atheists and prophane persons be not chained when the most holie and precious word of God is manifestly contemned the joyfull and heavenly tydings of salvation so negligently and vngratefully troden vnder foot the true and faithfull messengers pursued arraigned and divers wayes afflicted then if the old world for malitious imaginations Sodom and Gomorra for pride fullnesse of meat and vnmercifullnesse If Ierusalem for abusing Gods Prophets wilsuâ—nes were dâ—stroyd what may we poor carelesse people loke for if we doe not repent but as it is allmost vniversallie feared speedy ruine and vtter desolation Another saith What Christian heart is so stony that doth not mourne what eye so dry that doth not shed teares yea rather gush out with teares to consider and behold the miserie of our supposed glorâ—â—us Church by the spirituall nakednesse blindnesse and povertie thereof I meane the great ignorance the superficiall worship of God the fearefull blasphemies and swearings in houses and streets so also the direfull cursings the open contempt of the word and Sacraments the wicked prophanations of the Lords dayes the dishonour of superiours the pride the crueltie the fornications the covetuousnesse the vsâ—ries and other the like abominations allmost as greivous as either heretofore in the time or now in the places of poperie when and where there was no preaching at all of the Gospell It is also further testifyed that the holy thinges among them are prostituted and sett open to adulterers fornicators drunkards and all kind of vicious and sinful livers They sett no porters at their church dores to keepe out the polluted but every uncleane person is permitted to enter freely I say all may come boldlie to the Lords supper they looke after nothing but this that they kneele which if they doe but observe be their life and religion then what it will it matters not Thus are the misteries of God prophaned in that they communicate with Papists other unclean people To draw unto a conclusion not onlie are their congregatioÌ„s said to be vnrightly constituted to be impure vnholy lumps but which is the depth of misery they have no meanes as they stand of reformation for the wholesome remedies appointed by the Lord to keep out unworthie persons to preserve pure and cleane Gods ordinances and to take away offences is not among them and here the reader may see what the reason is that they say the walls of Syon ly even with the ground and they have not scarse the face of a Church For if it be as these men report it is Babel no Bethel which they have erected I could name others of them which write the same things but we have enough to rayse our conclusion the which I will lay downe thus All true visible churches gathered and planted according to Gods word consisted in their constitution of Saints onelie But the Churches of England after Poperie were not so constituted but on the conirarie for the greatest number of prophane people even mockers and contemners of religion as Atheists Idolaters Sorcerers Blasphemers and all sorts of miscreants and wicked livers Therefore the Churches of England are not true visible churches gathered and planted according to Gods Word There is never a part of this argument that they can denye unlesse they will let fall their owne Principles For the assumtion I make no question but it will passe without exception and none of them will have the face to oppose it considering how generally the thing hath been affirmd stil is upon all occasioÌ„s both in word and writing Now that the Proposition may appeare as true also I will prove the same 1. by Scriptures 2. by reasons 3. by the testimonie of the Learned Of all which in the next Section SECT III. IF we take a strict view of all the Churches which the Lord hath constituted since the beginning of the world it will appeare that at the orderly gathering and planting the members of them were all holie and good I here intend of visible external holinesse and so farre as men may judge and not of that which is within and and hid from us For I doubt not but in Gods sight the purest congregation on earth might consist at first of good and bad and yet of men every person to be judged truely faithfull and sanctified untill any one by his iniquitie outwardly committed appeared otherwise Not to speake of the Church of Angells which God created in heaven and which were all holy and good till some by transgression fell away Neither of it in Paradise consisting of two persons both true beleevers After the fall the constitutioÌ„ of theâ— church in the covenant of grace was of good matter such was the Lords care to have the practise of it still preserved that he thrusted out Kain from the same for the great wickednesse which he fell into The Lord sealed not up with Abraham the seale of the righteousnesse of faith untill he left his Fathers house and that idolatrous place wherein he had lived which signifieth to us that all men must necessarily come out of the world and from worldlie corruptions or else they are uncapable to have a Church covenant in Christ confirmed unto them of God As for the visible Churches planted by the Apostles it is evideÌ„t that in their collectioÌ„ they consisted of such none other as were called by the Gospell confessed their sinnes beleeved walked in the spirit and separated themselves from the false state in which they stood members before Such a beginning had the congregations in Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Phillipp Colosse Thessalonica c. who dares affirm that there was one man or woman admitted a member at the constitution of any of these Churches which had beene known to be an il liver and did not first manifest sound repentance thereof The matereall Temple was a tipe of the visible churches under the gospel now we read that it was built from the verie foundation of costly stones of Cedars Algum Fiâ—â—e and the like choice and speciall trees and those all prepared aforehand hewed and perfect for the building so that neither hammer nor axe nor anie toole was to be heard in the house in the building of it no common or vile thing was used towards it neither might anie polluted person enter into it and offer untill he had repented and embraced the faith and been clensed from his filthinesse by the gates of the house were Porters sett to keep the unworthy out Vpon the Altar there might be offered no uncleane beast no nor that which was cleane having a blemish upon it What in all this was signifyed Surely this Such as will build a spirituall house for the Lord to dwell in must be a holy people for he is of that infinite puritie that
not true religion though she profâ—sse some true and sound doctrins in regard she maintaineth many lyes and vile errours Mr. Gilbâ—e a forward minister reckoneth up above seven score grosse points of poperie remaining in their Church and many others of them have don the like as I have in this treatise manifested And I think it would aske a better witt and head then ever Mr. Dayr had to proove that there are halfe so many corruptions in the religion professed by the Eng. Anabaptists From pag 41. to 51. there are certaine reasons as he calls them to prove the Church of Eng. and their Parish assemblies true visible churches As for the first of them I deny both the Proposition and Assumption He saith Whatsoever people or nation is within the dayly voice and call of God c. the same is a true visible Church This is untruelie affirmed as I have proved before and for his speaking of it againe it sheweth the more his ignorance in the way of God For will any wise man take Lyons Wolves Foxes c. into his sheepsould sow tares or darnel in his garden plant thistles or thornes in his Orchard The Church is the Lords speepcfowld his garden orchard c. and therefore if Mr. Dayr had been so wise as he should he would not have spoken so corruptly but have given rather counsell to keepe out vncleane persons considering what the Prophet saith Holynes becommeth thy house o Iehovah to length of dayes Againe we may perceive by his wordes that he understood not the nature of a visible Church For as to the constitution of it there belongs a holie people as the matter so also a uniting and coupling of them together which is the forme whereof it consisteth As the constitution of a common wealth or of a cittie is a gathering and knitting of people together in a civill Policie so the Constitution of the common wealth of Israel as the Church is called and of the cittie of God the new Ierusalem is a gathering and uniting of people into a spiritual Policie The forme of which Policie is order as the Philososophers acknowledged calling Policie an order of a citty which Order is requisite in every administration of the Church as the Apostle teacheth and cheifly in the collection thereof And therefore next unto Faith in God it is to be esteemed most necessarie for all holie societies This was one thing for which Paul rejoyced in the Church at Collosse as for their steadfast Faith in Christ so their Order also But Mr. Dayr will have his Church without Order or Forme and what is it then but a meere atâ—xie or confuse Chaos a state onlie fitt for the devills Goates to be in which desire liberty and not for Christ sheepe which are to make streight pathes to their feet He saith there lyeth no exception against the Assumption And why so because their Pastors and Teachers are true ministers Me thinkes the man should have beene ashamed to have begd so much at one time But to let his folishnesse passe we do deny them to be lawfull Officerâ— and have brought their owne hands against them for it Secondly he writes here against his brethren yea and I thinke against his owne conscience For the greatest number of their Bb. Preists Deacons are dumb dogs ignorant asses c. such as either cannot or through pride sullnesse bread and abundance of idlenesse Sodomes sinnes will not preach and therefore it is untruely said that the people generally of England are within the dayly voyce and call of God 3. The later part of his reason is wholie against himselfe sor whereas his wordes import that the people generally of England are impenitent sinners and unbeleevers it must follow necessarily that they are alltogether uncapable of any Church estate and so much we have formerly proved Were it not a ridiculous thing to set up a house with wood and stones and afterward to take Axes Sawes Hammers and other tooles to cutt saw and fitt them for the building yet such an unskilfull builder Mr. Dayr sheweth himselfe in his whole booke For hee will have idolaters adulterers theeves conjurers murderers and any villain in the Land to be placed in the Lords spirituall house and afterward will have meanes used to prepare them for the same Not to contend about the proposition of his second argument howbeit it is verie faulty I denie the assump viz. that the people of England doe injoy and outwardly submit themselves to the true worship of God for the worship which they have is affirmed of the Nonconformists to be antichristian and unlawfull but let us heare his reason If such as both in their life and at theire death served God with the verie same worship we doe have in that worship beene saved then iâ— the worship wee now have true divine worship But the first is true therefore the second If Mr. Bradshaw had found such a reason in Mr. Iohnsons writing he would surely have called him idle head crackt braind foole c. but I leave such terms to men of his intemperate spirit and doe thus answer 2. A Papist Arminian or Anabaptist may say as much and upon as good ground and who dares denie but manie of their religion have found mercie with the Lord must it therefore follow that their worship is good indeed Mr. Dayr logick so concludeth it 2 Men may serve God with an outward worship not agreeable to his word and yet be saved for who knoweth how infinitely good hee is to his poore creature 3. It is apparent this man had a very ill case in hand that could not tell how to maintaine it but by revealing the secret and hid consell of the Lord for I wonder how he came to know who in their worship have beene saved if he should say in the judgement of charitie he thinkes thus then his argument must be of an another fashion namely that he thinkes their worship is true for otherwise it will want shape and proportion 4. It hath beene the constant practice of the godly to proove their positions by the scriptures but it is likely he saw that there was no helpe for him there and therefore onely makes use of this reasonlesse reason His third argument is foolish and carnall and both parts of it false For first it is incident to the best and purest Churches upon earth to erre and to bee deceived and therefore their sentences and approbations must be examined by Gods word 2. If the reformed Churches doe justifie the English therein they condemne greately their owne practice for in theire constitution ministery worship and governement they are as opposite as light and darkenesse one to the other and so much the Nonconformists confesse 3. Seeing the Prophets Christ and his Apostles condemne their Church their case is never a whit the better though all men in the world speake well of it 4. The
in the father and the Sonne Hence it followes that those which abide not in the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles but set vp other formes of worshipping God abide not in the sonne and the father Gods worship must be according to his nature heavenly divine and spirituall but all devised worship is according to the nature and disposition of the deviser foolish carnall vaine c. Therefore when God is worshipped not according to his owne will but according to the will and pleasure of man the true God is not worshipped but a God of mens invention is set vp Thus he Secondly there must be a true manner of worship which is to proceed from the very heart root and to be performed with the will the affections and all that is within us For this gives life and welbeeing to divine service as a well proportioned body if it want breath offends us and we desire to have it taken out of our sight For the noysome smel which it maketh in our nostrels even so every worship how outwardly glorious and formall soever voyd of uprightnesse displeaseth the Lord greatly and he bids such hypocrites to cary the same away out of his presence because it is noysome and abominable unto him Let every man therefore looke to this maine thing to wit that he worship God in the truth and sincerity of the inward man For in this God onely taketh delight and without this maine qualification he cannot abide either the person or action It is a thing common with men when they take a peece of worke to doe for an other and exspect to have a good reward for their labour to be carefull so to doe it as the Mr. for whome they doe it may have good content therein the like should be our care whensoever we take in hand any service of God and hope to be recompenced to perform the same in that sort as the Lord may be pleased to accept graciously of it in Iesus Christ In all this we do fully agree with the NoÌ„conformists are persuaded that no man can rightly beleive that his service is well pleasing unto God unlesse it be performed both for matter and manner as they have before truly expressed and therefore to our power we are carefull allwayes thus to doe And so much the more because herein we know our masters will and have promised to doe it so that if we neglect it both our trespasse and punishment will be the greater SECT II. IN the former Section we have heard what a true worship is Now it followes that we describe the worship of the English Assemblies according to the testimony given thereof by the Nonconformists This worship for the matter of it is contained wholy as was said in their Church Leiturgie in the handling whereof for the readers better information I will first shew what they say of the whole booke and afterwards of the particular parts and peeces thereof Touching the former they write thus The whole forme of the Church service is borrowed from the Papists peeced and patched together without reason or order of edificatioÌ„ yea not only is the form of it taken from the church of Antichrist but surely the matter also For none can deny but it was culled and picked out of that Popish Dunghill the portuis and vile Massebooke full of all abominations From three Romish Channells I say was it raked together namely the Breviary out of which the common prayers are takeÌ„ out of the rituall or book of rites the administration of the Sacraments burial matrimony visitation of the sick are taken and out of the Massebooke are the consecration of the Lord Supper Collects Gospels and Epistles And for this cause it is that the Papists like well of the English Masse for so King Iames used to call it and makes them say Surely the Romish is the true and right religion else the Heretikes in England would never have received so much of it For some have avouched it to my face saith the author of the Curtaine of Church power that the service there is nothing but the Masse in English others that it wants nothing but the Popes consecration These things thus retained it was also thought that Popish Kings and Princes would be the lesse offended what marvell seeing the Iâ—suites themselves are so well pleased with the ceremonies and service that I heard one of them God is my wittnesse herein make it his hope that the maintenance of them against the puritans would make England the sooner returne to Rome in the rest Mine eyes and eaâ—es saith Bishop Hall can wittnesse with what approofe and applause divers of the Chatholikes royal as they are termed entertayned the new translated Lyturgie of our Church Which is the lesse wonder seeing Pope Pius the 4. sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbot of S. Saviours to Queene Elizabeth offered to confirme the English Lyturgie by his authority if she would yeeld to him in some other things Indeed it pleased them so wel that for the first eleven yeares of Queen Elizabeth Papists came to the English Churches and service as the Lord Cooke sheweth others of them affirme the same thing namely their Churrh service pleaseth marvelous well the Romish beast and his vngodly followers Witnesse the pacification of the devonshire Papists in the time of Edward the 6. when as they vnderstood it was no other but the very masse booke put into English wittnesse also the assertion of D. Carryer a daungerous seducing Papist The common prayer booke saith he and the Catechisme contayned in it hould no point of doctrine expresly contrary to antiquity that is as he explaineâ—h himselfe the Romish service onely hath not enough in it and for the doctrine of predestination sacraments grace free will and sinne c. The new Catechisme and sermons of the puritan preachers runne wholy in these against the common prayer and Catechisme therein contayned c. And therevpon he comforteth himselfe vpon the hope of supply of the rest to this effect speaketh Bristow and Harding If these things be right why not the rest It shall not be amisse to marke one accurrence in Q. Elizabeths time who beeing interdicted by the Popes Bull secretary Walsingham tryed a trick of state pollicie to reverse the same He caused two of the Popes intelligencers at the Popes appointment to be brought as it were in secret into England to whome he appointed a guide beeing a state intelligencer who should shew them in Canterbury and London service solemnly sung and said withall their pompe and procession which order the Popish intelligencers seeing and so much admiring they wondered that their master would be so vnadvised as to interdict a prince or state whose service and ceremonies so Symbolized with his owne So returning to the Pope they shewed him his oversight affirming that they saw no service ceremonies or Church orders in England but they might very
confesse these were good separatists and they did lawfully forsake the body whereof they stood formerly members notwithstanding if we take a strict view and inquiry of that ministerie worship and Government which they left at Dan and Bethel it will appeare evidently that the same was not more false idolatrous and vnlawfull then the present ministerie worship and government of the English assemblies is by the Nonconformists affirmed to be and because none may thinke that I speake more than can be proved I will therefore here lay down an Apologie or pretext which an Idolatrous Israelite might frame in the defence of the Kings Religion takeÌ„ out of their own writings if D. Ames phrase be tollerable I will pawne my head that there is never a Nonconformists this day in the world let him keepe to their groundes that is able to give more pretty reasons and coulourable shews to justifie the Religion of the Church of England for thus they write When the Preists and Levits according to their duety resisted the novation as liking better of their better warranted old profession both they and some of all the Tribes of Israel following the voyce of God in their mouthes were hardly intreated whereupon there arose a great schisme The men of Iudah and some of Israel objected that they had forsaken God but the most part of Israel judged them to be renters of the vnity of the Kirk rebells against the King who was advanced by the Lord beside all expectation was their lawfull Prince peaceably disposed contenting himselfe with his own Kingdome providing for the good estate of his own people and vsing all meanes that they follow not other gods and esteemed them to be superstitious Precisians in standing out against so gracious a King commanding nothing against any article of faith against any fundamentall point of salvation detesting the Gods of the Nations and all kinde of idolatry The matters he vrged were but circumstantiall rituall and variable and such as the best Kings having the Lords approbation had changed before They could say that the worship was the same in substance that they served the same God who brought them out of Egypt with the sacrifices and observation of all the statutes kept by all the fathers since the beginning of the world That their Bullocks which Precisians called idols were similitudes representing the onely sacrifice of the Messiah in whom they looked for salvation Were there not Cherubines in the Tabernacle and Temple and twelve Oxen or Buls of brasse appointed by the wisest King The Lord forbiddeth such images onely as have divine worship done vnto them like the Calse in the wildernes turning the glory of God into the similitude of a bullock that eateth grasse But they could say that they worshipped not these Calves more then the images of the Cherubines Are we so grosse when we say Behold our Gods as to think that they brought vs out of Egypt We speake figuratively as the Arke was called the King of Glorie and the holy Lord God Wee will rather give our lives lands libertie and all then commit Idolatry for the pleasure of any Prince and doe abhorre the abuse of Images which is to bow down and serve them albeit we be not of that mind but we may have them and worship God by them because we know no place of Scripture to the contrary The place of worship is but a circumstance and to tie Gods presence to any place who is neere in all times and places to them that call upon him is superstition The Arke was not ever in one place but often removed In Salomons own time there was two publick places of Gods worship and Salomon sacrificed in them both Is not the whole land holy The promise made to Salomon of a speciall presence at Ierusalem was tyed to the condition of keeping his Statutes and Iudgements wherein he hath failed And therefore as his Throne is thrown down which the Lord at the same time promised to establish so hath the place lost the priviledge of holinesse We may plead from Antiquity for heere is Bethel so famous for that glorious testimony of his presence given to Iacob from whom we this day have the name of Israel Rehoboam is no wiser then his father he may fall into his Idolatry and so Israel by resorting to Ierusalem may be snared All danger of Idolatry would be prevented the poore people eased of their tedious journies and both Prince and people saved from Rhehoboams conspiracy All this dinne and division proceedeth of the humours of some contentious and avaritious Levits seducing the simple people making them to thinke that God cannot be served but in Ierusalem after their fashion in every circumstance and particular ceremony and of the doting of some persons of the weakest wit and â—ox delighting to goe abroad to be talked of for zeale and more pleased with any worship then that which they have at home The observation of the Feast of Tabernacles vpon the 15 day of the 8 month is but the change of a circumstance of time The day was made for man and not man for the day It was lawfull by Gods own warrant to keep the Passeover on the 14 day of the second month he careth not for the month so the day be kept It is presumption to alter things substantiall in matters of faith or doctrine but superstition to stand vpon circumstances and variable ceremonies What can be done the Lords worship cannot be neglected If the Priests of Levi make it nice will still prove contentious and lead a faction with them for strengthening the Kingdome of Iudah vpon warrant of Antiquity before the distinction of Levi was made for orders sake others of other Tribes as well qualified as themselves must be put in their places and they put away as Abiathar was by Salomon because he had his hand with Adonijah It may be when they see their places well filled and the charity of profuse people which cannot last long to decay that their giddines will go away and they returne to their right wits The Prophet that came to the King when his hand dryed vp might have beene a Witch comming with lying wonders for he was slaine by a Lyon and howsoever he threatned destruction he condescended vpon no time lest he should have been convinced of a lye Ahijah dealt not with the King in meeknesse and sincerity as became a Prophet but by his bitternesse and passion declared that he was partially inclyned to Iudah Abijah dyed not before his day All things come a like to the godly and to the wicked to him that sacrificeth and him that sacrificeth not Or if his death was vntimous it was rather for his secret intentious crossing his fathers courses then for any good that was in him towards the God of Israel as the Prophet would have it In Elias time there were seuen thousand in Israel which bowed not vnto Baal That is refused to joyne
the grossest offence that is vntill the offender have said as much for himselfe as he possibly is able For it is an evident Character of a corrupt Ecclesiasticall Government where the parties convented may not have full liberties to speake for themselves considering that the more liberty is granted to speake in a bad cause especially before those that are in authority and of judgement the more the iniquitie of it will appeare and the more the justice of their sentence will shine Again excommunicatioÌ„ must not be used but as the last and desperate remedie even as a chirurgioÌ„ tryeth all gentle meanes before launcing searing or cutting off Indeed if the cause be great weighty and necessarie then it may not be omitted Reasons First for the glorie of God that it may appeare his house to be no cage of vnclâ—ane birds no stye of swine no den of theeves no stewes or brothelhouse but the holy citty the seat throne of justice the temple of the liveing God where the chast virgin worshippeth where no Cananite may be suffered 2. That the worship and service of God may be kept and preserved from pollution contempt and prophanation 3. For the good of the sinner himselfe that he may see his fault be ashamed thereof and reconcile himselfe first to God and then unto the church against whome he offended and so be saved in the day of the Lord. So long as a harlot hath freely the society of chast matrons she takes no shame of her adulterie but wheÌ„ all honest women reject her then at last c. So a thiefe if he be suffered to converse still with true men to have his liberty in citty and country to the full he will not be ashamed of his robberies murders c. but c. It is just so in this cause If open sinners be suffered in the church and admitted to publike and private communion in the exercises of Religion certainly then though they declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not yet they will not be ashamed of it but rather thinke they have not sinned or it is so light and small as they need not make any matter thereof 4. The honour and the good name of the church is hereby preserved which would be lost if vile persons were left alone therein 5. That others may fcare for if this course be omitted it may be a meanes to embolden many to doe the like A member being thus justlie excommunicated he is not to partake in the spirituall good things which the Lord communicateth in his church as the Sacraments prayer c. yet he may be admitted to the hearing of the word because that is a means to humble him for his sinne and to bring him to repentance which is the end of all Ecclesiast Censures Moreover the rest of the faithfull must avoyd all kind of familiar conversation with him be it in eating drinking buying and selling yea in saluting and talking with him so farre as they are not bound unto him in any of the bands of civil right and society I adde this because excommunication unlooseth it not but such as are of the family or affinitic must performe all duties to such a one which such a relation hath made his due the husband to the wife and the wife to the husband the child to the father the servant to the master c. so an excommunicate Magistrate remaineth a Magistrate still and must of all Christians so be acknowledged Beside all lawfull contracts and promises must be kept and performed with him workes of mercie shewed to him if there be just and necessarie cause If the offender afterwards shall see his sin and desire to be taken againe into the communion of the Saints the church is to assent thereto willinglie yet so as the partie make publike repentance according to the proportion of the offence a verball profession of repentance sufficeth not For so the most holy institutions of God are exposed to the mockage of the wicked and the action of the church placed onely in an outward forme Therefore such evidences are required which in the judgement of charitie doe declare true and sincere repentance and which serve as probable witnesses of the thing Be it here speciallie noted that excommunication and the absolution or reconciliation of the excommunicate are actions common to the whole church and not of any private person or persons For howsoever the Elders for the peace profitt and good order of the church are to administer these ordinances yet the whole church must give their consent freely hereto In the Apostles time and after till the yeare 250. every man that was a member of the church had in the church his voyce in Ecclesiastical censures causes and determinations of the church Christ doth not say when there is cause of accusing or Censuring any tell the Bishops but tell the Church and accordinglie in the times of the Apostles and long after as the Epistles of Ciprian doe manifest they were judged by the word in an assemblie of presbyters and brethren as the incestious Corinthian which shews us that neither one man nor the Presbyters alone were judges in such causes but Church which by scriptures either cleared or censured any person accused as by the word of God he appeared either guiltie or not guiltie c. Many reasons are yeelded by the Nonconformists to prove this thing and all objections made against it soundlie answered and the testimonies of the Learned alleaged for it as the reader may see largely in their bookes named in the margent The like they speake touching the admission of any member into the communion of the church that person which is to be joyned ought publikely to com before the face of the congregation and there to be examined of his fayth knowledge c. and beeing found meet by the general consent of the people he is joyfullie received But of this more hereafter Moreover if the Ecclesiasticall officers shall refuse to doe their duety yet may the brethren notwithstanding performe Church actions and the same are to be esteemed good and lawfull To come vnto a conclusion this forme of Church government here described is vnchangeable ordinary best and perpetuall common to all true Churches and to which all states must be subject as well the rulers as they that are ruled yea and the preachers themselves as well as the poore within the Church and good reason for the same is not a thing indifferent as some thinke but a point of the Gospell yea of the substance thereof a matter of faith and of necessitie to salvation I mean in such an absolute degree of necessitie as is of any ordinarie outward meanes especially to every church and by consequence to every soule in it And therefore as no common wealth can florish or long endure without good lawes and sharpe execution of the same so neither can the church
righteousnes but are forced either to accuse and betray their brethren or by perjury to damne their own soules As their Ecclesiasticall officers and lawes are all and altogether Antichristian and vnlawfull so also are their bb courts said to be Popish Human devises presumptious insolences such as were never planted by the Apostles in the primitive Churches but long after erected by Antichrist against God his Church and the Lawfull jurisdiction of Eldeish p therefore as most Prophane things they ought to be rooted out If I were not vnwilling to make this treatise large I would here write particularly of their courts that so every good man might both loath and leave them the sooner Howsoever something I will say of each although but little for a man may perceive what is in the kaske if he tast a spoonefull thereof Their court of faculties is said to be a Romish court a filthy quagmire and poysoned plash of all the abominations that doe infect the whole realme out of it are dispensations given for boyes and dâ—lâ—s to have many benefices For non-residents and such as doe not preach dualities trialities pluralities tot quots licenses to mary at any time and place c. Absolutions for mony and one man to be absolued for another breifely the Popish enormities and deformities of this bâ—se court are innumerable for it hath full power together with the Petty Pope the Primate of England to dispense in all causes dispensed heretofore by the Pope of Rome and more also Not without cause therefore have the Nonconformists desired that might be pluckd downe and vtterly overthrowne without hope of restitution As for the Commissaries court that is a petty litle stinking ditch which floweth out of that former great puddle a pack of popery a sinke of corruption a sea of idolatry whereby Religion and godlinesse dayly decayes In this courte as in the other one alone doth excommunicate one alone sitteth in iudgement and when he will can draw backe the iudgment which hee hath pronounced having called vpon the name of God and that for mony which is called the changing of Penance In this Court for non-payment of two pence a man shall be excommunicated if he appeare not when â—ee is sent for if hee do not as his Ordinary would from whom he had his Popish induction and institution and to whom he hath sworne Canonicam Obedientiam Canonicall obedience if he learne not his Catechisme like a good boy without booke when it were more meete he should be able to teach others To conclude if hee bee not obedient to all these Lord Bishops Officers by and by hee must bee cut off by excommunication And as it is lightly granted and given forth so if the mony be paid and the Court discharged it is as quickly called in againe This Court pouleth Parishes scourgeth the poore hedgepriests ladeth Church wardens with manifest perjuries punisheth wheredomes and adulteries with toyish censures remitteth without satisfying the Congregation and that in secret places giveth out dispensations for vnlawfull marriages and committeth a thousand such like abhominations God deliver all Christians out of this Antichristian tyrannie Their Bb. visitation is as the Nonconformists say an vngracious course purposely devised to pick the purses of poore men and to suppresse those which are not friends to the Kingdome of Antichrist In very truth it is holden for no other end allmost but to gather vp fees both ordinary and extraordinary with dayly new devises to poll the poore Priestes of their mony which they extort for seeing the Letters of orders for Dynners and such like matters And yet a new invented pylâ—age whereby they compell men to buy Bookes of them for 4 pence or 6 pence which are too dear of a penny or two pence and not onely such small Ware but also great bookes beeing such as every parish is appointed to buy must be bought of them for two or three Shillings in a booke dearer then it may be bought in Paules Church-yarde yea otherwhiles though the Parish be furnished of them allready they are not authenticall except they be bought at Master Chauncellers Officiall at Master Registers hands As for reformation of any thing in the Church there are indeed many presentments and men sworn to present matters but little or none amendment at all doth follow So that it is a common saying in the Countrie when the presentment is once received they shall never heare more of it Soone after the Visitation or Synode the petitbribing Sumner rideth foorth laden with Excommunications which he scattereth abroad in the Country as thicke as Hailâ— shot against this parson and that Vicar This Church-warden and that Side-man whome he himselfe when he came to summon him to the Synode for a Cheese or a Gammon of Bacon had vndertaken to excuse for none appearance But when he is once Excommunicated there is no remedy but he must trudg to the Chancellour or Officiall for absolution who after he hath once absolved his Purse of a fewe Groates giveth him his blessing and sendeth him away Their Convocationhouse is held to be an vnlawfull assemblie stuffed full of Popish and prophane Chancellours Lawers and other Ravening Wolves None are chosen to come there but such as are knowne to be utter enimies to all sinceritie and if it come to passe that any man there seeme to favour the cause of Christ he is immediately banished out of their Synagogue These Romish birds have allwayes condemned the Lords ordinances and all of them bended and linked themselves together to maintaine grosse corruptions and to prevent Christ from bearing rule in the Church by his owne Lawes In memorie of man they never concluded any thing for the common good of the Church more then by others was better don to their hands But much evill hath come from them and more would if their commission had served therto I had forgotten allmost their high Commission which is erected say the Nonconformists to suppresse the libertie of the Church and to maintaine the usurped power of the persidious Prelates What is it but indeede the Spanish Inquisition Sett me up this throne and Satan shall sett up Papistrie or any other Religion whatsoever in short processe of time for they sit at the rudder and may turne religion as it pleaseth them and no doubt will when they shall see a fitt occasion and themselves to have able power We should come now to the 4. point which is their manner of proceeding Of this something allready hath beene spoken but certainly if I should here fully sett down the notorious vilenesse thereof as the Nonconformists report it to be a whole booke would not containe the same Howsoever the Hierarchy will beare with Church Papists and whoremongers with non-residents idle ignorant superstitious and adulterous Clergy men admitt freely a Doctor Lamb or any like monstrous monster to live peace-ablie amidst all his known abominations
asked sundrie needfull questions to which he having well answered and beeing found worthie by the consent of the whole Church is joyfullie to be taken into their communion and this they say was the practise of the primitive Churches For Eusebius reporteth in his Ecclesisticall Historie that a Romane Emperour named Philip who first became a Christian of all the Emperours and first submitted the Romane Empire unto Christ desireing to communicate with the rest of the Church was not admitted before he had openlie made profession of true religion When a people are thus established in the faith and order of the Gospell their care then must be to walk unreproovablie and as in the naturall body everie several member is as it were the member of every other in serving to their good as the eie doth see the hand doth take the tongue doth speak for the good of anie other member so must it be in the church of God everie person according to his place and calling ought to be as profitable unto the rest as he can and specially their godly watchfulnesse must bee to keepe their communion clean and pure and therefore no unholy person may partake with them in the holie sacraments but such onelie as farre as men can judge by their outward profession that doe belong truely unto Christ When any one among them falls into sinne he must be lovinglie admonished thereof and brought to repentance or else to be cutt of by excommunication if he continue obstinate in his sinnes How this dutie of brotherly admonition is to be performed we have already shewed this onely is to be added viz. that it ought necessarily to be practised may not be omitted for certainly the tolleration of known iniquitie is a greivous sin of the church in its own nature tendeth to the corruption thereof yea it defiles the communion Hag. 2. 13. and everie one makes himself guilty of the pollution which doth not indeavour as much as in him lyeth to remoove such offences In a word this mixture which ariseth by tolleration much hinders the comforte and edification of the godly As in all the rest so in this point the Nonconformists and we are of judgments alike and it is our greate greife that they will not joyne with us in practise also and make themselves members of such true visible churches as here they have well described for so should Gods name be glorifyed the Gospell propagated Satans and Antichrists Kingdome much weakened and themselves obtaine mercie in the great day of the Lord. They pray let thy Kingdome come but how doe they thinke that ever they shall behold the beauty and glorie therof seeing they resolve not to set their hands unto the raysing of it up but doe leave the work wholy to the Magistrate so that if the arme of flesh will not build a spirituall temple for the Lord he is likelie for their part to have none at all but whether such courses will not prove ill at last I leave it to themselves to thinke of SECT II. WE heard before what a true visible Church is now it followes that we shew how everie way contrarie to the former patterne the English assemblies are said to be by the Nonconformists First they acknowledge that their reformation at first after Poperie was not rightly founded because neither then nor ever since was there any profession of Faith publickly made by the persons which entred into Church estate but indeed it was then held and so it is at this present a sufficient thing to be members of their churches if men come to their service and Sacraments take the oath of allegeance and be conformable to their wicked Ceremonies whosoever doth this passeth for a Protestant howsoever in practise he be a Papist Arminian c. yet is he more regarded then the most sincere Christians whome they call Puritants And by this meanes it is that in the bosom of their church are swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists erronious and hereticall Sectaries witches Charmers Sorcerers murderers theeves adulterers lyars blasphemers oppressors voluptuous persons whose God is their bellie Moreover such is the great ignorance of God and his truth among them that the greatest multitude by many parts doe not understand the Lords prayer or the articles of Faith or the doctrine and vse of the Sacraments there are not five among five skore which doe understand the necessarie grounds and principles of Religion but many thousands which are men women growne if a man aske them how they shall be saved they cannot tell Mr. Nichols esteemed a forward preacher amongst them saith We finde by great experience and I have now five and twenty yeeares observed it that in those places where there is not preaching and private conferring of the minister and the people the most part have as litle knowledge of God and of Christ as Turks and Pagans and to prove this he gives an example in his own flock for I have beene in a parish saith he of foure hundreth communicants and marvelling that my preaching was so litle regarded I tooke upon me to conferre with every man and woman before they receaved the communion and I asked them of Christ what he was in his person his office how sinne came into the world what punishment for sinne what becomes of our bodies beeing rotten in the graves and lastly whether it were possible for a man to live so vprightlie that by well doeing he might win heaven In all the former questions I scarse found ten in the hundred to have any knowledge but in the last question scarse one but did affirme that a mau migh be saved by his owne wel doing that he trusteth he did so live that by Gods grace he should obtaine everlasting life by serving of God and good prayers And it is no wonder that the condition of the people is generallie thus seeing they thinke that all the service of God to lie in churching crossing kneeling and beeing houseled as they call it at Easter and as for preaching they hould it a superfluous and needlesse ceremonie and therefore when their service is done they take it they may Lawfullie goe out of the Church though the minister be ready to goe into the pulpitt Moreover they say that the greatest number of their people are so wicked and vile that were it not to save their purses and for the Lawes of the Kingdome which doe constraine and compel them to make some outward profession they would make none all For as Mr. Fenner saith Every man followeth the pride covetuousnesse whorâ—dâ—me drunkennesse of his own heart and no man remembreth Ioseph the barres are filled with pleadings and the streets are full of the cryes of the poore fullnesse of meat and contempt is among us and who considereth yet if this our sinne were onely against men and not against God there might be some hope But when
strictest professors do hold the Church of England as it is Nationall Provinciall and Diocessan false howbeit they thinke some particular congregations in the Land to bee true 5. With such weapons as these doe the Papists fight and where they can bring one the others ten to witnesse for them and their Romish superstitions I meane antiquity universality and such like popular reasons whereby they seeke to uphold their cursed Kingdome Lastly it is untruely affirmed that all the Churches of God in the world doe acknowledge the people of England to be a true Church For there are many which have both professed and prooved the contrary Now for his last argument I deny also both parts of it and affirme that neither the mother nor daughters are true Churches the reason which he layeth downe is as the rest sillie and most impertinent to proove the thing for which he brings it The summe and effect of that which hee hath written in five or sixe pages is this that their worship and religion is true because in Q. Maries dayes divers Martyrs professed the same and died in it Answ 1. Here the thing in question is brought for confirmation the Martyrs allowed of their worship be it so what then should hee not yet have prooved the same to be lawfull Yes doubtlesse if hee would have written either according to rule reason or religion 2. If a Papist should suffer death under Heathen or Turkes because he would not denie Christ â—esus wee think he may in some respect be judged a martyr and yet the Romish worship which he professeth remaine still false and idolatrous 3. I desire the Reader to marke how absurdly he speaketh the thing which he undertakes to proove is that their assemblies are true for this he alleageth the Martyrs now to what purpose I can not tell in the world unlesse he meant that there was such vertue and efficacy in their sufferings as the whole Nation thereby was sanctified and made Churches Lastly this reason is one and the same with that which he brought to confirme the second Syllogisme save that for the more authority of it hee addeth the name of the Mâ—rtyrs the insufficiency whereof I have there shewed and thither doe referre the Reader In the conclusion he saith Answer me this one argument and so I end If Mr. Hooper Mr. Bradford with others knowing the corruptions then in the worship and ministery being the same also with ours now notwithstanding this knowledge and not separating were saved then men at this day notwithstanding their knowledge of the corruptions and not separating because of them may likewise be saved But the first is true therefore the second Ans His former reasons were not more false and foolish than this is wicked and profane for first wherefore serves it but in truth to teach men to cast off all care in seeking Gods glorie by an even walking and to doe so much of his will as is sufficient to bring them to heaven and no more thus he counselleth people to be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God yea to love God for themselves and to serve him for a reward onely but let all persons in all places take heede that they follow not this mans advice for if they resolve to doe no more but what they think will serve their turne to be saved they will surely misse of that and for their self love suffer wrath and vengeance eternally 2 Howsoever Iwill not judge another mans servant yet it is more then he or anie mortall man that can infalliblie tell whether Mr. Bradford Mr. Hooper and others were absolutely saved and therefore hee reasoneth still most childishly to prove his matter by things secret and known to God onely 3 When Luther Calvin and others left the Church of Rome might not anie popish priest have said as much to them If Mr. W. Mr. C. with others knowing the corruptions then in worship c. Now I perceive if Mr. Dayr had been in their place he would not have separated from that Synagogue of Satan and to speake the verie truth he could not do it lawfully upon his own groundes 4. That these men knew some corruptions to be in their worship ministrie I grant it but not in that kinde and degree which the Nonconformists since have manifested for if they had certainly known that these things were unlawfull and antichristian and their Church government taken wholly from the Pope I beleeve they would not have joyned in spirituall communion therewith therfore Mr. Dair shamfully abuseth the reader to say the martyrs saw their corruptions and they are the same which they have now whereas he should have proved that they saw them according to the nature of them and as his fellow brethren have since seene them affirmed them to be for unlesse this can be shewed they differ herein asmuch from the martyrs as if one sinned ignorantly aud another against his knowledge and conscience 5. The saintes are taught of God not to be servants of men but to live by their owne faith to presse forward toward the mark and therefore hee sheweth litle skill in the course of religion to sette downe this or that mans practise for a rule to walke by unlesse he had professed himselfe to be a Familist or perfectist and so would make the world beleeve that none could erre which took such for example whom he prescribed to them 6. I cannot tell for what end be propounded this argument for imagin it should be granted him that the Martyrs knew the corruptions of their Church c. and yet were saved and so are many now in England which understand the same what would hee from hence conclude I thinke there is no man on earth that knowes if there be they might doe well at the next impression of his booke to set it in the margin for to cover what they can the mans empty naked and absurd writing Mr. Dayr having shewed his best skill wit and learning to proove their parish assemblies true Churches in his second booke according to his division hee attempteth to confute the description which Mr. Barrow and the Brownists as he maliciously names Gods people have laid downe of a true visible Church and about this point hee writes more then an hundred and fifty pages all the matter whereof leaving out his Battalogies and impertinenr speeches might well have beene written in sixe leaves of papier But it seemes the man wanted no money and therefore would make it up to his reader in Taile what he could not doe in weight forgetting in the meane time the proverbe a little and good and also what the learned use to say The worth of a writing doth not consist in bulke and belly but in the sinewes veines and arteries which with good blood and spirit may be comprehended in a little body But let us see how he confutes us First he layeth downe our definition of a true
be foolish false and superstitious But I desire the reader to observe how wittily he confirmeth the Assumption It shall be sufficient sayth he that we can set forth vnto him such a ministery in sundrie of our Church Assemblies of which all those points may be truely verified Who would have thought that Mr. Bradsh having blotted many leaves of his booke with meere scoffing at Mr. Iohnson about his Logick should so grossely overshoot himselfe in termes of reasoning For what wise man but he would have laid downe a Position that comprehended indefinitely generally all the ministers of their Assemblies and to prove it saith we can shew some such It seemeth then that those some such must make all the rest true Intruth so he inferres or else his argument as he saith often of Mr. Iohnson is crackt braind and lacks not truth only but sence also There are some merchants who to put off the false wares which lie upon their hands will shew the buyer a little that is good and by this meanes cunningly shift all the rest upon him and so deceive him The like subtilty useth Mr. Bradsh here and often in his booke that he might perswade the reader to beleeve that all their Ministers and Churches are true he sheweth him some of the best in hope that under these he shall craftily put all the rest upon him I mention these his deceiveable shifts the oftner that we may have hereafter more honest dealing If they will justifie all their Ministers and Churches let them say so directly If but som few as in their writings they still intimate I desire them to speake it out plainely and not to cary the thing so covertly as if they would have the poore people to beleeve that they meant all when themselves are perswaded the greatest number are false and Antichristian Another reason which he brings to prove their ministery Lawfull is because they professe the Pope to be Antichrist renounce all Ecclesiastical homage to him and maintaine all the members of the Church of Rome to be Hereticks and Idolaters c. To this I say quid verba audiam cum facta videam It is true I know many great errours of that Church they opppose and have left notwithstanding they retaine the selfe same Ministery Church Government Service Courts Canons c. which they brought out from thence uphold them still I say to the uttermost of their strength and power and hate revile imprison banish kill c. those which will not conforme thereto And hence it is the Papists say that from their treasure house the religion now established in England hath learned the forme of Chrining marying Churching of women visiting of the sicke burying of the dead and sundry other like as the book translated out of theirs declared So Iacobus Gretzerus alleadgeth against the Reformed Churches their Service-booke for their Popish holydayes Dr. Tucker and their Late booke of Canons both for the signe of the Crosse for kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacrament For the whole Hierarchy from the Archbishop downewards divers other their superstitions So Cornelius Scultingius citeth Whitgift and taketh whole leaves out of him for defence of their Hierarchie Stapleton also useth the foresaid Doctors arguments to uphold thereby their discipline and professeth that they are built upon one foundation I could multiply authors of this nature but it needs not only let it be here minded that all these testimonies are acknowledged to be true of the Nonconformists Is not therefore their profession great against the Pope they clal him they say Antichrist and the Beast c. Yet notwithstanding in respect of many maine and foundamental Orders and Ordinances of his Church they wallke along hand in hand with him So that they are much like to one which cals a woman c. Whoore Whoore and lyeth with her all the while in the bed and commits folly with her Nothing is here said but the former thinges againe repeated Indeed he undertooke to answer certaine demaunds but he kept himselfe off so covertly from the points that he hath left them farre more obscure darke then they were before For this cause I have thought it necessarie to propound unto them 13. questions all gathered from Mr. Bradsh shifting answeres idle putt offs with request that they would answere them directly and sincerely and from the scriptures and so doubtlesse the controversie betweene them us will be brought the sooner to an end 1. Whether the office of Lecturers in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England be not new and strange from the scriptures If not whether they be Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers Elders c. 2. Whether the civill Magistrate hath power to set over the Churches of Christ in his Dominions such Commissioners and overseers as the present Hierarchie is or no 3. What be those Ecclesiastical Officers which some true Churches in England have these many yeares beene without either all oâ— cheifest of them 4. Whether the calling enterance administration and maintenance of any of the publicke Ministers of the Church of England be unlawful and Antichristian or no 5. Who are those Ecclesiasticall Officers in the Church of England which neither in name nor in deed are true as he himself confesseth 6. Whether it be lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell to be maintained by tithes and offerings c. in the manner and forme as it is practifed now in England or no 7. Whether all the Parish Assemblies of England be true visible Churches or no 8. Where are those Churches in our Kingdom from whence we have separated which doe consist as now they stand of a companie of people called and separated from the world and the false worship and wayes thereof by the word of God and are joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel by voluntarie profession of faith and obedience of Christ 9. What are those parts and parcells in the booke of Common prayer which is not the true worship of God whereof he speaketh 10. Whether it be Lawfull to have communion with the English Leiturgie as it is ordinarily now used in their Churches 11. If the true worship of God be prescribed in the booke aforesaid we demaund then in what part thereof the same is contained 12. Whether those which joyne to the Ecclesiastical Ministerie Worship and Orders of their Cathedral or Parishional Assemblies in those things which are not performed therein according to the true meaning intent of their Lawes doe sin or no 13. What is the true intent and meaning of these Lawes and to whom doth it properly belong to give the interpretation of them Thus having finished what I purpose to write for this time I commend now the same to the best acceptance of every wel disposed reader Beseeching God to make us more and more of one mind in the truth and to give us all hearts to walke sincerily in it untill
our changing come ISA. 48. 18 19 20. O that thou haddest hearkened to my commaundements then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea Thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Goe ye forth of Babilon flee ye from the Câ—ldeans c. FINIS A TABLE Of the principall things contained in this Treatise A. ADministrations performed according to the booke of Common prayer and Canons unlawfull pag. 219. Administrations in themselves good may be done by false ministers pag. 236. Apocripha unlawfull to be read in the Church and reasons thereof pag. 108 109. Dr. Ames writing for their ministery answered pag. 55. 56 c. and for their worship p. 113 114 115. and about their Church Government p. 162. 163. Archbishops see Bishops B. Baptisme in the church of England unlawfully administred p. 104. Benefices how they are obtained by the ministers of the Church of England p. 17 18 19 20 c. Bels as they are used in their Assemblies unlawfull p. 112. The English Service-booke taken out of the vile Massebooke p. 78 79. The wickednesse of the Bishops described p. 31 32 33. Their offices false and Antichristian and reasons for the same p. 33. 34. 35. They cannot give a true ministery p. 37. Their booke of ordination taken out of the Popes Pontifical p. 12 The manner of burialls in EnglaÌ„d unlawful p. 102 Mr. Bradsh his scoffing p. 212. 227. 235. 240. Vncharitablenesse p. 212. Absurdnesse p. 215. 216. 240. 250. Ignorance p. 236. Contradictions p. 221. 232. 234 Dr. Burgesse Protestation to become a Separatist if he did beleeve the Nonconformists Principles p. 2. 113 C. No man may administer in the Church without a lawfull calling p. 8. 9 The calling of their Ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb. calling p. 55. 56 Ceremonies condemned and why p. 92. 93. 94 They are the least evills of many in their Churches p. 116. 117 Canon Law unlawfull and reasons for it p. 139. No person by their Canons may speake against the abuses of their church p. 246. 247 No true visible church but a particular ordinary congregation p. 164 To the right constitution of a true visible Church it is of necessitie that all the members be holy and good p. 165. 174. 176 177. 178. 185. 193. 242 Churches of England false and reasons thereof p. 149. 169. 179. 180. Civil offices in Ecclesiastical persons unlawful p. 242 All their spiritual Courts in Eng. unlawfull p. 141 No man ought to appeare at them reasons for it p. 148. The manner of their proceedings in these Courts p. 145. 146 The Commissaries Court described p. 141. 142 The high Commission like the Spanish Inquisition The Convocation-house described p. 143. 144 Church wardens Office unlawfull reasons for it p. 138 Conversion no signe of a true ministery p. 66 Their Collectes in their Assemblies Idolatrous p. 107 Confirmation of Children unlawfull and reasons for it p. 100. 101 Crosse in Baptisme unlawfull and reasons for it p. 95. 96 Excommunication and the absolution of the person are actions common to the whole Church p. 134 Churching of women see women D. There ought to be Deacons in every true church reasons thereof p. 4. 5. Their Office consisteth only in receiving and distributing the benevolence of the Church and arguments for it Idem The Deaconrie of their Church Assemblies is an unlawfull office p. 48 The office of a Doctor is distinct from that of a Pastor and reasons for it p. 4 Mr. Dayrels description of a visible church refuted p. 182. 183. The reasons which he layes downe to prove their Parish Assemblies true Churches answered p. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189 c. Discipline see Government E. The Election of every Ecclesiast Officer must be by the free choyse of the whole Church where he is to administer p. 7. 8 The Ministers of the Church of England are not Elected according to Gods word p. 12 Obstinate sinners must be excommunicated p. 131. Reasons for it p. 132. How the Church is to walke towards such p. 133. And when and how to receive them againe p. 134 70. Grosse Errours practised in the Church of England p. 243. 244 Examples proveing the unlawfulnesse of communicating in a false worship p. 84. 85 c. F. The Court of Faculties described p. 141 Their Fasts are Popish p. 106 So is the Font. p. 104 G. A certaine forme of Church Government is prescribed by Christ reasons for it p. 128. 129. The same is unchangeable ordinary and common to all Churches p. 135. A matter of fayth and necessary to salvation p. 136 It cannot be a true Church which wants it p. 149 This Government must be set up and practised though the civil Magistrate allow not thereof pag. 15â— and reasons for it p. 156. 157. 158 c. The Church Government in England taken wholy and every part from the Pope page 138. 147 Men cannot submitt to it without breaking the Law of the Land pag. 148. 149 Governours or Ruling Elders ought to be in every true Church page 4 Godfathers in Baptisme Popish p. 104 The manner of reading the Gospells and Epistles condemned pag. 107 Gifts make not ministers pag. 65 H. Homilies unlawfull to be read in the Church Reasons for it p. 109. 110. The observation of holy dayes superstitious p. 106 107 The Hierarchie impaires the authority of the civil Magistrate pag. 227 I. What Ieroboams Preists could have said for their Religion page 85. 86 c. Such as maintaine ill causes upbraid others with ignorance page 211 K. The example of the Kings of Iudah vainely alleaged to justify King Edwards Queen Elizabeths compelling of their subjects to be members of the Church p. 201. 202 Kneeling in the act of receiving of the Lords Supper an idolatrous gesture reasons why unlawfull p. 97 The sitter is accessary to the sinne of the kneeler p. 252. 253 King Iames his saying of the Puritans p. 205 L. The ministery of Lecturers in the Assemblies of England new and strang from the scriptures and reasons thereof p. 49. 50 c. Dr. Laiton answered and his principles proved tolead unto separation p. 151. 153. 154 Such as take any Ecclesiastical Office from the Bb. transgresse against the Law of Realme p. 71. 72 Letanie no better then blasphemie and conjuration p. 107 The Learned against communicating in a false ministery p. 27. 28. 29. and false worship p. 90. 91 M. The manner of marrying in England unlawfull p. 101 Members are to be taken into the church by making publick profession of faith and repentance p. 135. 167 Every man that is a member ought to have his voice in the Ecclesiastical causes of the Church p. 134 Reasons why men should make themselves members of true visible Churches p. 166 What makes members of the Church of England p. 169.