not beene noted for noveltie singularitie and division is to bee received as the undoubted truth of God If these assertions be true then is this condemnatorie sentence most unjust and untrue For not only all old writers generally but the most learned of later times yea and all sects and sorts of people professing Christianitie themselves excepted are against it Therefore did they consider the terrour of the Lord CAN stay sect 1 p. 8. and that great day in which the Lord Iesus shall appeare in the brightnesse of his Father to avenge the quarrell of his least Commandement and to judge the wrongs Gregorie to John the Bishop of Constantinople saith thus Tu qâ—â—â— Christo universali ecclesic capiti in extrâ—mi judicii dâ—cturus es examine qui cuactacjus membra tibimet conarts universalis appellatione supponere CAN stay against straying sect 1. p. 8 Parker of the crosse part 2. c. 9. sect 2. I may well compare some of unbridled spirits to the Flaccians whose intemperate furie made Ernestus to deale the more hardly with the Protestants out of a fear they were all of the same spirit and would in the end procure like mischiefe Am. Polan in Dan. c. 9. injuries and reproaches which are cast upon his Church and Saints ordinances and worship they would not speake evill of what they know not revile his heritage despise his worship condemn the righteous vilifie the ordinances of grace abuse Scriptures misalledge Authors cause divisions and schismes in the Churches of God distract the minaes of some obstinate others and expose religion it selfe to contempt Let mee speake to them as the great est zealot in that cause at this day speaketh to his opposite in a cause of lesse importance When God ariseth up what will they answer him what will they say when hee shall not onely charge them that they have made a rent in the Church brought an evill report upon his ordinances spoken contemptuously of that which he approved yea commanded and perverted his word for that end and purpose But also that they have laboured with might and maine to draw others into the same transgression by meanes whereof his name is blasphemed the weake scandalized the godly made sad and that which was halting quite turned aside If it be sure that a more grievous punishment is reserved for them that cause others to offend than for them which doe such things themselves let the adviser weigh seriously whether it doth not concerne himselfe as much as any other to tremble and stand in awe It is a vaine boast that at this day there are few CAN say Episâ— to the Reader The judgment and practice of some men of speciall account in the Church of God have to this day held this impression in me that I esteem the Captaines and Ancient-bearers of this schisme unworthy the honour of any set conflict and publike confutation S. B. the raising of the foundation of Browne Ep. to the Christian Reader CAN Neces of separa Epist to the Reader Galschill to Martial Epist Omnia invalida nihilo sunt aequiâ—â— paranda if any except Formalists and Familists and men of corrupt mindes who suppose that gaine is Godlines that will appeare in defence of our parish Churches Ministerie and Worship For the professors as he is pleased to stile them are of the same judgement touching those things that formerly they have beene of and stand ready by the Scriptures to prove their godly congregations to be the true Churches of Iesus Christ and their worship to be of his holy institution If of later times they have beene silent in these matters it is not because they are better informed or that they see and acknowledge their worship and Ministery to be fals and idolatrous but they would not spend good houres in vaine seeing what soever was written in this kinde had beene learnedly and sufficiently answered not with reproaches taunts and boastings as is suggested but with solid proofe out of the booke of God Christian Religion teacheth men to occupie themselves otherwise than to mispend their time in answering that which in the eares of all indifferent men carryeth a sufficient confutation with it or is sufficiently confuted already specially when experience had lessoned them that they must deale with such as will overcome by peremptory censuring when weight of reason is wanting to them Neverthelesse If not reply if they please and when they will CAN stay Epist When the undertakers have finished their answer and â—ast Dav. published his many things that he hath to say against it Id sect 4. p. 36. least overmuch silence should be interpreted consent or beget too great confidence in men of the goodnesse of their cause and others should stumble at their vaunts as if none durst because they doe not undertake their answer I am purposed by the grace of God to examine the grounds and arguments whereby they would perswade the Necessitie of Separation from our Assemblies and from the worship of God performed amongst us Sundry things M. Canne requesteth of him that shall undertake to read and answer his bookes CAN stay epistle to the Reader 1 That when he setteth himselfe to read hee should set himself as in Gods presence and look on with a single and unpartiall eye 2 That he live by his owne faith and build not upon another mans fancie 3. That he denie himself and be contented to be guided by God alone 4. That for a particular faile hee doe not condemne the whole 5. That hee change not the state of the Question 6. That he may finde plaine dealing Id. Stay sect 1. p. 2.4.5 Sanctis Scripturis non loquentibus quis loquitur Amb. de vocat Gent. tom 2. l. 2. c. 3. Omne quod loquimur debemus â—ffi mare de Scripturis sanctis Hier. in Psal 98. tom 8. Nihil ultra quamsacris literis proditum est definiendum Erasm in Hilar. Solum Dei verbum certum caetera falsa si dâ—ssentiant Fer. ad Rom. c. 3. p. 303. CAN stay sect 4. p. 32. sect 1. p. 44. and what is brought against him be read out of the Prophets or Psalmes the Law or Gospell Whether these conditions be observed by the Author himselfe in his writings let the indifferent judge as namely whether passages of Scripture be truly alledged Authors rightly quoted arguments plainly propounded conclusions soundly drawne his adversaries ingenuously dealt withall Whether in writing he set himselfe in the presence of God and weigh in the Ballance of the Sanctuarie what he commendeth unto his Reader Whether he censure not before he make proofe by Scripture and rather insult over his adversaries with insolent and reproachfull tearmes than confute their grounds with substantiall reasons and whiles he commendeth plaine dealing simplicitie and integritie he doe not play the jugler who pretends plainnesse that he might beguile and deceive the sooner For when he makes semblance of zeale for the puritie of religion
If the Church of Rome were not a Church in some respects but a meere Idoll the Pope could not be that Antichrist a principall rebell a notorious traitor against Christ If we speak absolutely or compare Rome with Churches truly Christian it is no true Church but the Synagogue of Satan But if we speake of it in opposition to the Jewes of Turkes or other professed Infidels it hath so much of a visible Church as a man cannot say it is no Church at all so much true doctrine is in it as sufficeth to support the title of Antichrist and some ordinances are so administred as that it cannot be said they are meer nullities In the true Church many wicked ones are found that are no lesse prophane sacrilegious enemies to peace the vassals of Satan possessed by the Divell dead in sin and accursed of God than heretiks or schismatiks who yet for that they have that order office or degree of ministerie which is holy doe no lesse nor with lesse effect administer the holy sacraments than those who are the samplars of all pietie and vertue The faithfull and holy Ministers administer and receive the Sacraments with good profit and benefit to themselves and others The hypocriticall with benefit to others not to themselves The prophane being not put from their places doe officiate with hurt to themselves scandall to others but to the everlasting comfort of them that partake worthily The hereticall and idolatrous administer the Sacraments that are holy and in their owne nature the meanes pledges and assurances of salvation but without benefit to themselves and others that continue in sin Thus the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and faithfull have held communion in the Ordinances of grace with such whose calling and conversation was not approved of God You say the Martyrs first and last would not receive this distinction lest to save their lives they should lose their soules and you reckon up many who as you write would rather give their bodies to the fire than heare or receive the Sacrament in false Churches or Societies But in this you lavish as in every thing else and hide the truth under the ambiguitie of the phrase The Martyrs laid downe their lives rather than they would defile themselves with idolatry bee present at the Masse or joyne themselves as members of that Antichristian Synagogue in all which they did as becommeth the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ But you cannot produce one Martyr of your opinion who denyed that any thing of God was to be found in those Assemblies or that refused to joyne in the pure ordinances of God with Societies separated from spirituall Babylon because of some defect or may me in their Church constitution In the whole Catalogue of Martyrs try if you can bring forth one who in these things was of your minde And what a vaine thing is it to pretend the example of all the Martyrs when there is not one among them that doth approve your cause If the example of the Martyrs be of any weight with you as here you beare the Reader in hand CAN Neces of separation p. 190 191 192. of necessitie you must condemne your rash and presumptuous censuring your unadvised sinfull separation from the worship and ministerie in our Church as Antichristian and Idolatrous For certaine it is the Martyrs stood members of our Societies and dyed in the defence of that doctrine and worship which we professe and practise Many words you spend in answer to this reason and reproaches you cast upon your adversarie but one word is not to be found that makes directly to take away the force of the Argument It was the answer of Frederick Duke of Saxonie who being prisoner to Charles the fifth and promised releasement if hee would goe to the Masse Summum in terris Dominum agnosco Caesarem in coclis Christum The like did the Prince of Condee but neither of them did refuse to joyne with the reformed Churches because they deemed their Church constitution defective or erroneous in this or that particular To pretend the consent of popish and protestant Divines in this matter is egregious ignorance or impudency for it is well knowne they are all generally of another minde Your instance from a City or Towne Similitudes bee no syllogismes Earthly similitudes of your making may not controll the heavenly precepts of Gods owne giving Bilson Christ part 4. pag. 322. Have you no surer ground of your catholike doctrine for adoring Images than a single similitude taken from the civill and externall reverence that is yeelded to Princes seates and seales Id p. 329. if the Civill power be usurped is not to the purpose nor true in all respects Not to the purpose because what is of God in these Societies is not done by power meerely usurped but by power and vertue from God though in the ministration that which is evill be not approved of God for wheresoever any supernaturall truth of Christian Religion is taught and any ordinances of grace dispensed truly for substance there is some truth of ministery though many wayes polluted And where the intire faith is professed and received and the ordinances of grace administred truly there is a true ministery for substance ordained of God what other defects or maimes soever it may labour under Not true because in the Civill estate That which is done by power usurped and unlawfull in some cases is a nullitie but in other some it is available and stands in force For it is a rule in the Civill law That it is one thing to be a true Magistrate another to bee in the Magistracy or to execute the Magistrates office From which distinction is gathered this generall ruled case or sentence That the acts of him that was a false or unlawfull Magistrate may be lawfull and just And the same may bee said and was ever held in the Church of God of corrupt and ungodly Ministers though they bee not true Ministers that is approved fit and rightly qualified yet so long as they be in the place of Ministers the acts of their ministery be good that is effectuall and of force if they observe the forme of administration prescribed by Christ CAN Stay Sect. 15. pag 133. The Lord hath not promised to them his blessing and acceptance what the Lord may accept or will we dispute not only this I say whosoever heareth in a false Church cannot by any promise that he hath in the word of God expect Gods blessing on that which he doth the reason is because a true constitution of a true Church that is where men are gathered according to the Gospell of Christ is that only lawfull religious societie or communion of Saints wherein God will be honoured whereby hee will bee served and whereto hee hath promised his presence and acceptance so then howsoever we are not bound unto hearing in a true Church necessitate medii as if Gods grace were tyed to the meanes this way
yet as they say in Schooles necessitate praecepti if we consider Gods commandement CAN Stay §. 3. pag. 59. so we are bound to Church hearing only in a true Church and in no other Church can we expect Gods presence promise and acceptance Such Churches unto whom God hath made no promise in his word to blesse the things there done ought not by Gods people to be resorted to but God in his word hath made no promise to blesse the things done in a false church therefore Gods people are not to goe unto false churches The proposition cannot be excepted against for 1. The Scriptures prove it clearly Jer. 23.21 22. Exodus 20 24. Psalme 134.3 and 147.13 Again there is no dutie charged upon us but there is a blessing promised unto the due performance of it The assumption is as cleare and thus wee prove it If false churches have not the promise of Gods presence they cannot from the word of God expect his blessing upon what they doe but the first is true Ergo the second The Major which is only controversall we prove thus If every false church be an Idoll Exod. 20.4 5. And God require his people to come out thence Rev. 18.4 threatned to destroy it Rev. 20.8 9. and will doe it and promise his presence unto his true church Mat. 18.20 Then he is not present in the false But the first is true therefore the second ANSWER You struggle hard as all men may perceive but set not one foot forward Our Church is an idoll therefore wee must not hold communion with it God hath promised no blessing to his ordinances therein because the Church is an Idoll This is your circle wherein you walke up and down But to helpe you out of this mire if it may be 1. Rom. 3.2 Can 1.6 Rain de idolola l. 2. c. 1. p. 2. Where you take it for granted that our Church is false and therfore Christ is not present with us we on the contrary are assured that we are a people in covenant with Christ to whom hee hath committed his heavenly oracles and seales of the covenant amongst whom he feedeth his flock in greene pastures and causeth them to lye downe by the still waters with whom he is present when they meet together Mat. 18.20 Exod. â—0 24 Psal 134.3 Ioh. 10.4.5 He hath set up his tabernacle amongst us and dwelleth with us and watcheth over us and worketh by his Ministers not only to call men unto salvation but to nourish and build them forward unto life everlasting We are separated from Idols wee heare the voice of the true shepheard and follow not strangers but fly from them we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and worship him sincerely according to his will He standeth at the doore knocking and to such as open unto him hee commeth unto them and they sup with him and he with them And therefore Christ is our Shepheard our King our Saviour and of his rich grace and love doth embrace us as his people and the flock of his pasture beareth our prayers and accepteth our service This is our glory that Christ is ours and we are his and it were better for us to dye than that our glorying herein should be made void Secondly seeing this tearme False Church is so familiar with you we will consider what it meaneth and how farre it doth stand true that God hath made no promise to blesse things done in a false Church These words True and false Church are used oft to signifie as much as pure and corrupt found and languishing Church And as there is scarce a Church so pure which hath not some impuritie nor so true which hath not some falshood admixed so there is no Church so false or impure which hath not somewhat of God or some supernaturall Christian truth within it For if no supernaturall Christian truth bee received or professed there is no Church Infidels being cleane without the Church deny and utterly reject the principles of Christianitie Heretikes or false Christians in respect of generall truths which they openly professe are Christians or of the Church but in respect of their particular errours condemned of all men that be of sound beliefe A Church is not to be esteemed false for some corruptions nor impure for some disorders no more than we account him a sickly man who now and then findes some wearinesse or distemper Neither is a Church to be accounted true because of some truths which they professe Act. 2.41 42 46 worship which they practise or use of the Sacraments which they retaine The notes of a pure Church are intire profession of the Gospell and saving truth of God the right use of the Sacraments holinesse of conversation the sound preaching of the word of life fervent and pure calling upon Gods name subjection to their spirituall guides whereby they may bee directed and built forward in the wayes of life mutuall communion in the ordinances of worship Eph. 4.11 12. and Christian fellowship with all Saints and true visible Churches of Jesus Christ Those Churches to which all these notes agree truelie are to bee esteemed pure in their measure but those to whom all doe not agree or not so truely they are to be esteemed lesse pure or true and that in comparison more or lesse according as more or fewer of these notes common speciall or proper shall be found more or lesse pure amongst them Where all these notes are to be found purely the Church is excellent for degree pure and famous where any of these is wanting or impure the Church is so much defective or impure though it may be pure in comparison of others The profession of the true faith Acts 14.22.23 27 and the framing of our life and conversation according to the direction of the word with the right administration of the Sacraments and comely order Ier. 4.22 Mat. 13.14 15. Isa 30.9 10 11. 5.7 8 9 c. are signes of a Church in a good state and condition But it may fall out that the profession of faith alone by publike preaching and hearing of the word administration of the Sacraments prayers and thanksgiving doth take place when good order is neglected and if life degenerate from the profession for in this case she ceaseth not to be the true CHVRCH of Christ so long as it pleaseth him not to give her a Bill of divorce True doctrine in all points and the due and right administration of the Sacraments in all things according to the word both for substance and circumstance is the note of a pure Church and in good plight But true Doctrine in the maine grounds and Articles of faith though mixt with defects and errours in other matters not concerning the life and soule of Religion and the right administration of the Sacraments for substance though in the manner of dispensation some things be not so well ordered as they might and ought
repent a terrible judgement is denounced against her and yet the faithfull are never exhorted to flee from her society but to repent of her sinne and the promise is made for encouragement that if they open unto him Apoc. 2.20 hee will come in and Suppe with them and they with him If by a false Church you unde stand a visible society wherin the faire greater part is corrupt in the profession of Faith concerning the Articles of Religion and in the wo ship of God by adding and detracting in the substaniall meanes and transforming the object of worship it selfe corrupt in the calling and ordination of Officers the forme of government the Officers set a part for the worke of God and the lives and conversations of the members of that society If in this sense the false Church bee taken then it may and hath fallen out for a long time together that the true Church of God hath lyen hid in the false and that by Gods allowance and approbation Field of the Church lib. 3. cap. 8. in which case the LORD commanded the faithfull to bee present at His Ordinances and promised His blessing unto them though administred in a corrupt Church and after a corrupt manner The true Church in corrupt times hath been mixed with the false not as actuall members of that society as corrupt but as they have been hid in that society as good Corne overtopped with Weedes or a little gold or purer metall in a great clod of Earth God of his infinite mercy so providing for and preserving his poore people In time of the Iudges the Israelites did every man that which seemed good in his owne eyes that is Iudges 1.76 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad bujus loci similitudinem legitur in Sederzata sic extitit seculum absque rege Ioseph lib. 5. c. 2. 1 Reg. 19 10. Rom. 11 3 4. Hosea 4 1 6. 2 Par. 13 5. Isa 1 2 3 4 21 22 29. Isa 57 3. Ezc. 14 5. Ier. 23 8 14 Lam. 4 13 14. Ier 2 8 11 13. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 26 27 Verse 29. worshipped God as hee pleased The Prophets testifie that the Church did not only faile in Israel but in Iudah likewise I have brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Ah sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquitie a corrupt seede How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot Thy silver is turned into drosse and thy Wine mixed wiâ—h water They shall be confounded because of their Oakes wherein they delighted The Land viz. of Iudah is filled with Idols they worship the worke of their Hands the Priests said not where is the Lord and they that should minister the Law knew mee not saith the Lord. The Pastors also offended against me and the Prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that did not profit My people have changed their glory for that which did not profit My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters to digge them pits even broken pits that can hold no water The house of Israel is confounded they and their Kings and their Princes and their Prophets saying to the wood Thou art my Father All of you have forsaken me saith the LORD Her treacherous Sister Iudah feared not but went and played the Harlot also The backe-sliding Israel Ier. 3 8 11 11 13 14. Ezek. 16 46 47 48 51 52. Ier. 5 1 6 13 7 28 9 1. Isay 57 3 4. hath justified her selfe more than treacherous Iuda And as shee was thus horribly corrupted with Idolatrie so with profanenesse impenitency impudencie in sinning rebellion stubbornnesse oppression and what not But when all things were thus miserably disordered the faithfull in Iuda did not separate themselves from the Ordinances of Religion or withdraw themselves into a distinct visible societie from the rest In the age before our Saviours time it grew exceeding wicked againe Mat. 8.4 Mar. 5.36 Luke 7.4 5 9. Mat. 4.23 Mar. 1.21 Luke 4.6 Iohn 18.20 Luke 2.22 37 41. Iun. animad in Bel. contr 4. lib. 3. c. 16 s 14. But neither did our Saviour nor his Disciples before his death take upon them to crect a new visible Church altogether distinct from the erring Synagogue but lived in that Church and frequented the Ordinances neither as absolute members of the Synagogue nor yet as the visible Church distinct from it But as visible members of that Primitive Church from which that Synagogue had degenerated In the New Testament 2 Thes 2.7 Revel 17.5 Iniquitas sed mystica id est pietatis nomine palliata Gloss ordinar Syr. Mysterium iniqui jam incipit efficaz esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vis certa operandi non autem significandi Cham. panst som 2. lib. 16. cap. 7. Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeparatur adornatur instruitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoddam doctrinae quod si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sumptum contrarium sit fidei Cham. panst tom 2. l. 16. cap. s 5. 2 Thes 2.3 Heb. 3.13 Matth. 13.25 39. 2 Cor. 11.3.13 15. Jun. cont 4. lib. 3. cap. 16. Generalis decessio sen Apostasia dicitur universalis ant communis Vniversalem negamus fore semper igitur erit Ecclesia quamvis lalens Communem fore affirmamus ut affirmat Paulus Ier. 28.16 29 32. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 13.10 the Apostle telleth us the mysterie of iniquitie began to worke in his dayes whereby he understands not common heresies and corruption of manners but some great and hidden thing begun in the Apostles time to creepe on by degrees not suddenly to vanish but to continue for many ages and to grow into an exceeding high mountaine As the mysterie of godlinesse which began presently after the fall took it complement by degrees and that at a certaine and appointed time so it was in this also which at the first was small but grew as things durable by degrees into an exceeding huge bignesse The spirit hath foretold that there should come an Apostasie or defection not from the Roman Empire for that was not opposite to Christ but from the faith and that not light or in some particular point or for a short time for such Haeretickes there had beene already but grievous generall and of long continuance That which the Prophet Ieremy when he speaketh of false Prophets and their Prophecies calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as the 70. translate it and the thing it selfe requireth a declining a revolt or Apostasie not every one but that to which the authority of the true God is pretended And so the departure from the faith is not a revolt to Gentilisme 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Aug. De Civ Dei li. 26. ca. 19. Quem refugam vocat utique a Deo vero but a giving too easie heed and attention to some doctors professing yet indeed corrupting the Christian Religion As when it is
the word and elements Bilson Christ subject part 4. p. 356. To the Papists objecting that as Magistrates Parents have part of Gods externall honour because they present his person in judging and blessing so many Images have part of his externall though not of his internall honour Answer is truly returned It is not in your hands to make allowance of Gods honour to whom you list and againe God himselfe hath made a plaine prohibition in this case that Images shall have no part of his externall honour The words are as cleare as day light Thou shalt no bow downe to them Tho Beacon Catech in his workes in fol. printed at London Ann. 1562. f. 484. Fox in Osor lib. 3. pag. 27. The Booke of Common-prayer before the Communion Cypr. Ep. 63. ad Caecisiâ—m Justin Martyr in Apol. 2 Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34 lib. 5. cap. 4. Gratian. Decret part 3. de Conseâ—r dist 2. cap. 10.12 18.36 Durand rational divin offic lib. 4. cap. 5â— how comes it to have those things which are so directly contrary to the Masse that both cannot possibly stand together In our booke of Common-prayer we pray to God onely in the mediation of Jesus Christ and in a knowne language We professe that Christ by one oblation of himselfe once for all hath made a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world that he hath commanded a perpetuall remembrance of his death and passion in that his ordinance of the Supper and that the Sacrament is to be administred in both kinds the Minister and the people communicating together were these things taken out of the Masse-booke The Church of Rome joyneth the two first Commandements in one or taketh away the second thereby to cloake their Idolatry in the worshipping of Images But the common-prayer-booke of the Church of England divideth them into two therein following two of the Fathers at most excepted all Antiquitie and fetteth downe the words of the second Commandement at large The Church of Rome teacheth that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the body and bloud of Christ is received and eaten carnally that as much is received in one kinde as in both and that in the Masse Christ is offered 〈…〉 a propitiatory unblouddy Sacrifice for the sinnes of 〈◊〉 and dead But the common-prayer-booke of the Church of England in the forme of administring that Sacrament teacheth expresly That spiritually by faith wee feed on him in our hearts eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ dyed and shed his bloud for us In the Masse the Priest receiveth alone the people standing by gazing on but the Minister and people are appointed with us to communicate together according to the institution of Christ and practice of the primitive Church We make the communion of the Eucharist properly a Sacrament They a Sacrament and a Sacrifice propitiatory They celebrate at an Altar wee at a Table according to the example of our Saviour Christ his Apostles and the primitive Church in the purest times Wee pray for the living They for the living and dead And if these be not points directly and expresly contrary to the Romane service Rome is much departed from her selfe Carriers pretence in that particular is a meere jugling trick that he might insinuate a change of Religion might be made among us without any great alteration which is as likely as the light should be turned into darknesse and not espied If many points of Popery be not condemned expresly in the Catechisme or Service-booke which are for the instruction of the simple in the grounds of Religion and the administration of the holy things of God and not to shew what is condemned in Religion yet so many points are there taught directly coÌ„trary to the foundation of Popery that it is not possible Popery should stand if they take place And whereas Antichristianisme standeth in ungodly superstructions and additions to the truth and worship of God both matter and object if the Catechisme and Service-booke have not enough in them in his sense of necessitie they contradict the whole bulke of Popery which confisteth in abhominable superfluities or impious inventions of their owne It is mone proper to say the Masse was added to our common-prayer than that our common-prayer was taken out of the Masse-booke For most things in our common-prayer were to be found in the Liturgies of the Church long before the Masse whereof wee speake was heard of in the world And the Masse was patched up by degrees and added to the Liturgie of the Church now one peice then another so that the ancient truths and holy Liturgies were at last stained with the Idoll of the Masse Bishop Jewel Ser. on Josh 6.1 2 3. The things that may bee reserved viz. in the destruction of Hiericho must not bee dust or chasse or hay or stubble But gold silver iron and brasse I meane they may not be things meet to furnish maintaine superstition but such things as be strong and may serve either directly to serve God or els for comelinesse and good order which was sacrilegiously thrust into them But the prayers and truths of God taught in that Booke pertained to the Church as her prerogative the Masse and the abhominations thereof belonged into the man of sinne And if a true man may challenge his goods which the theese hath drawne into his denne the Church of God may lawfully make claime unto those holy things which Antichrist hath unjustly usurped That answer which is returned to the accusation makes against them that sue for discipline viz. That a great part of their discipline is borrowed from the Anabaptists will serve as a buckler in this case And it is this which I doubt not you will approve Whatsoever is proper either to the heresie of Papists and Anabaptists Donatists or Puritanes that wee utterly condemne to the pit of hell But if amongst the filth of their heresies there may be found any good thing as it were a graine of good corne in a great deale of Darnell that we willingly receive not as theirs but as the Jewes did the holy Arke from the Philistins T. C. repl 2. par 1. Epistle to the Chh of England whereof they were unjust owners For herein that is true that is said The sheepe must not lay downe her fell because shee seeth the Wolfe sometimes cloathed with it August lib. 2. Serm. de Monte yea it may come to passe that the Synagogue of Satan may have some one thing at one time with more convenience than the true and catholique Church of Christ Bishop Jewel Ser. in Iosh 6.1.2.3 In religion no part is to be called little A haire is but little yet it hath a shadow If our Booke please the Papists it is but in some things wherein in reverence to Antiquitie we come too nigh them in some rites and ceremonies but with the substance of the ministration it selfe they cannot be pleased unlesse they be
Dispute upon communicating at confused Communions affirming that the sitter is accessary to the sinne of the kneeler But he was no English-Nonconformist nor doth intreat of English conformitie And if there be any speciall reasons why presence should be accounted approbation with them in that particular it is no equitie his private opinion should be brought to the prejudice of them that maintaine another cause But as yet we cannot see either from Scripture grounds or Nonconformists principles that it is utterly unlawfull to be present at the worship of God in the administration whereof some superstitious rite is used or some fault committed Your long labour in setting downe the faults to be found in our Liturgie is to small purpose The Nonconformists doe except against many things appointed in the Booke as inconvenient at least and such as should be taken away or reformed as The reading of Apocryphall books under the title of holy Scripture specially such parts as be corrupt for matter The Crosse and Surplice as Idolothites by participation and signes of mysticall signification The corruptions in the translations and some things in the formes of Buriall Matrimony Thanksgiving for Women after child-bed c. But these they condemne not as Idolatry nor as that which maketh the worship it selfe m Magdeburg centu 2. ca. 2. col 109. A true Church as it containes the pure doctrine so also it keepes simplieitie of ceremonies but an hypocriticall Church as it departs from pure doctrine so for the most part it changeth augmenteth the ceremonies instituted of God and multiplieth its owne traditions c. Can. Stay pa. 123. false and idolatrous It is one thing to say such a rite is inconvenient superstitious scandalous borrowed from the Papists not warranted by the word of God in the use will-worship if the word be taken largely another that the worship it selfe is false and idolatrous Therefore I will not stand to examine the particulars therein but proceed to examine what you bring further to shew the necessitie of Separation SECT IV. HEre is a fit place to propound a Question or two First whether to hold teach and practise the errours and lyes contained in their Canons Service-booke Booke of Articles and the ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons doe mak◠a false Prophet Secondly Whether to hide from the people the knowledge of all the maine truths which concerne the outward regiment of Christs visible Church make a false Prophet Thirdly Whether it be lawfull to heare any false Prophet knowne so to be Qu In what ranke of Prophets unlawfull Ministers be and under what Scripture they are comprehended I would have a private Christian aske this Question of some learned Divine whom he knowes doth hold it lawfull to heare false Ministers And it is very likely he will answer him with deep silence There is one Question more viz. whether the Lords lawfull Priests which served at the Altar in Jerusalem might not as well urge their people to heare Jeroboams Priests at Dan and Bethel as the Ministers now under the Gospell to perswade men to heare in false Churches If is be not all one shew the difference ANSVVER TO your two last Questions answer hath been made divers times in sundry Treatises and in the first chapter of this present answer and you know the Scriptures plainly alledged to confirme what is said which you should have confuted if you had been able and not againe and againe to come over with the same thing If any learned Divine shall answer the demand with deep silence it may be because the partie demanding is uncapable of an answer not because there is any great difficultie in the matter It is a received Rule That the Accuser Plaintiffe and Affirmer should make proofe of what they say and if you erre your Questionist will affirme it is all one for the people of the Jewes to heare Jeroboams Priests at Dan and Bethel and the people in England to heare the word of God in our assemblies you must either bring good evidence for what you say or beare the brand of Slaunderers or false n Beza Epist 2. An enim obsecro aliter est de Sacramētis i. de doctrinae appendicibus quà m de ipsa doctrina judicandum At qui si nullam esse ecclesiā dicamus ubi nullus est prorsus in cunctis doctrinae Christianae dogmatibus naevus refellent nos Pauli Epistolae Corinthiacis et Galaticis Ecclesiis inscriptae c. Itaque ubi non satis pura est Ecclesiâ Ecclesia tamen est in qua salvum manet fundamentum ac multo magis ubi ritus Caenae Domini mutilus est Caena tamen est c. Accusers Is it sufficient thinke you to say If it be not so let them shew the contrary Your second Question will come to be handled in the next Chapter and there it shall be answered Your first Question onely which I scarce thinke another man would have asked pertaineth to this place wherunto I answer directly and plainly That a Minister of the Gospell may hold teach and practise according to the Book of Common Prayer Articles and Ordination and be a true Minister of Jesus Christ Nay he cannot truely hold and practice according to them but of necessitie he must be a true Minister in respect of his office and administration For the worship for substance there prescribed is of God the doctrine professed in respect of faith and Sacraments sound and true No errour either in speech hereticall or which doth tend to overthrow the foundation which is taught in them Suppose the seventie errours which o Can. Neces of Separat pag. 243 244 245. you reckon up were all true and justly taken against the Books and as many more to them might be named as it is not the number but the qualities of the errours which make a false Prophet false Church or false worship One fundamentall errour as the word is commonly used overthroweth the faith and twenty errours of inferiour alloy doe not much hurt the truth and soundnesse of faith The maine truths which concerne the very life and soule of Religion be p Vsher de success Eccl. cap. 1. few and the failings which may stand with the substance of Religion many Let it aske a better wit and head then ever Mr Dar. or your q Can. Neces of Separat pag. 185. selfe had to prove that there are halfe so many corruptions in the Religion professed by the English-Anabaptists adde if you please the Separatists Pelagians Arrians as are to be found in the English-Liturgie It will not be hard to prove that errours must be r The communion of the Catholique Church is not broken by the varietie of rites customes laws and fashions which many places and countries have different each from other except they be repugnant to faith or good manners August Epist 118. ad Ianuar. Euseb hist lib. 5. cap. 26. lib. 5. c. 23. Socrat. lib.
blessing upon the labour of his servants if any other Church under Heaven In the second signification the power of the keyes for substance is in our Church but the manner of ordering and administration of them is corrupt and faultie But this power of the keyes is not of absolute necessitie to the being of the Church but to the well-being onely Here is a fit place to answer your Question Whether to hide from the people the knowledge of all the maine truths which concerne the outward regiment of Christs visible church make a false Prophet It would be knowne what you call maine truths which concerne the outward regiment of Christs visible Church The power of government is proper and communicated Proper that which Christ hath reserved peculiar to himselfe and is executed according to his infinite wisdome by the secret hand of his divine power and the effectuall worke of his holy Spirit making the word of exhortation and reproofe comfort and instruction to some the savour of life unto life whence followeth effectuall answering to their calling rejoycing comfort and growing up to perfection Not to mention further how he succoureth the godly bestoweth some gifts though not such as accompany Salvation upon the wicked bridleth curbeth and confoundeth his enemies His communicated Government is that which being limited within the compasse of certaine Lawes and Canons of his holy Word he hath committed to be exercised and executed in and by Societies according to his appointment The chiefe and principall meanes Christ useth here is the preaching of his Word whereby he saveth his people and conquereth his enemies The discipline is as a Chariot for the Word to ride upon and to keepe other ordinances from contempt but it is not the most ordinary or mighty meanes of Christs government or administration of his Kingdome These things being thus The Ministers of the Gospell are to teach the people the maine grounds and chiefe heads of Christian Religion even all things necessary to salvation in respect of faith and manners otherwise they stand guilty of the bloud of soules They are to teach them also what the Lord hath instituted for the well-ordering of his house but in season order and as they are able to beare it It is not for men to set up the roofe before they have laid the foundation Experience for many yeares hath taught us that divers who have much busied themselves in the doctrine of Church-government have been unable to make f Some deny the use of excoÌ„munication among the Jewes Bils perpet Ch. gov c. 4. The Scribes and Pharises you will say did in Christs time excommunicate and thrust out such as they thought offenders out of their Synagogues But the Pharises never learned that out of Moses A separation of the Leaper from the company of men and of uncleane for comming neere holy places or things Moses prescribeth but not excommunication that I remember c. Aliens were not admitted to be of the number of the Lords people and any uncleannesse of the flesh did separate for a season the Jewes themselves from approaching neere to the Congregation or Tabernacle of God but neither of these is excommunication c. So in the use of excommunication in the Christian Church c. and many such like use of that which they have learned from others If I should bring your selfe for instance who have received many good truths from the writings of the Nonconformists but miserably pervert them to your owne hurt the disturbance of Gods Church scandall of the Gospel and the strengthning of such as are turned aside into dangerous errours I should not much misse the marke and you have more cause to take heed than to be offended Also godly men who follow the truth in love may be of different minds in these things and for men to hide that from the people whereof they are not perswaded that it is the truth of God is not the note of a false Prophet Moreover Those things which you call maine truths concerning the externall government of Christs visible Church may justly be questioned whether they be truths at all If I may conjecture by your writings the maine truths you intend are such as these That power of Church-government is absolutely necessary to the being of a Church That all stinted or set-formes of prayer or Liturgie are forged or devised worship That there is no lawfull Minister who is not chosen called or ordained by that particular Congregation where he is to administer That the Minister of one congregation may performe no ministeriall act in another That the power of Government is in the communitie of the faithfull and from them derived unto the Pastours Teachers or Elders c. These and the like are the maine truths in your esteeme which I conceive have no bottoming in the holy Scripture And if the Nonconformists or some other should aske of you this Question whether to teach such points as maine truths necessary to salvation and to condemne all Churches who conforme not to your platforme as false and Antichristian and their worship as false and idolatrous and whether to wrest and abuse Scriptures and pervert Authors to that purpose make you not a false Prophet consider advisedly what ound and satisfying answer you could returne SECT III. BEfore â—e proceed to another point Can. Neces of Separat p. 159 160. we may here frame this argument If the professors of the Gospell in England have not among them a true Church-government but are under that which came from the great Antichrist then are they bound to set up the ordinance of God and practice it no withstanding the Magistrate doe forbid the said practice But the professors of the Gospell in England have not among their a true Church-government but are under c. Therefore they are bound to set up the ordinance of God and to practice it notwithstanding the Magistrate doth forbid the said practice These are both their owne positions and so soundly proved that no man living is able to confute theus ANSVVER IF your meaning be as the ordinary signification of the words import it is not to the purpose for it is one thing in our owne persons to practice according to the ordinance of Christ another to separate from that societie which doth not practice in all things according to the institution of our Saviour But you give cause to thinke that by these words erecting this power and exercising the same among them you meane that they are to separate and draw themselves into such a societie where they may exercise that power For thus you write I doe not meane Can. Neces of Separat pag. 155. that any private person should meddle with the affaires of the Realme but that every one in his owne person doe place himselfe about the throne of God leaving the abuses of the publique Stateâ— to be reformed by such as have a calling thereto And if this be your minde in
large and particular animadversions to himselfe in private The Almighty speedily cast out of his Church all causes of offence cleare up doubtfull truths unto the hearts of his people Compound all differences amongst Brethren make us all of one minde heart and way in his worship that our divisions may no longer dishonour the Gospell distract the weak conscience disinable us to do that good we desire or put weapons into the hands of then who oppose that reformation the perfecting whereof our soules long for through JESUS CHRIST THOMAS LANGLEY WILLIAM RATHBAND SIMEON ASH FRANCIS WOODCOCK GEORGE CROSSE An Advertisement to the READER THis Booke was divided and sent unto severall Presses that it might the sooner come abroad yet by reason of the multitude of Pamphlets which it met with daily it hath beene thrusting through the throng for the space of halfe a yeare at least before it could see the light In which regard also it pleades excuse if in the printing it be not found every way so punctuall as might be desired Farewell THE ANSWERS TO THE EPISTLES BLessed be the Lord 2 Thes 2.8 We see now in good measure that accomplished which the Apostle foretold touching the revelation of the man of sinne and heartily beg the full consuming of him by the brightnesse of Christs comming But the discoverie of that mysterie of iniquitie and consuming of that monster of abominations standeth not in separation from Christian societies intirely professing the true faith worshipping the Lord with that pure worship which he hath appointed and holding communion in those ordinances which God hath blessed to the comfort of thousands and ten thousands even their soules who with most bitternesse oppose those congregations if ever they felt sound comfort indeed Separation from the true Churches of Christ his Ministery and worship of which sort I shall prove that to be by the Word of God for which I plead tendeth not to the overthrow of Antichrist but to the renting of the Church the disgrace of Religion the advancement of pride schisme contention the offence of the weak the griefe of the godly who be better setled the hardening of the wicked and the recoverie or rising againe of Antichristianisme They that condemne our Assemblies Ministerie and Worship and voluntarily separate from the preaching of the Word Prayers and Sacraments as Antichristian if in words they doe not maintaine Antichrist really they doe him more credit than his chiefe upholders For of necessitie they must confesse that in Antichristian Churches the intire faith may be purely professed the doctrine of salvation plentifully preached Ambr. in Luc. l. 6. c. 9. tom 5. Petra tua Christus est fundamentum Ecclesia fides est Si in Petra fueris in Ecclestaeris Pâ—ra est Ch istus Hieron in Psa 133. Ecclesia ibi est â—bi fides vera est Ecclesia autem vera illic erat vbi fides vera eral cum haeretici omnes bas ecclesias possidebant Aug in epâ—st Ich. tract 3. Estautem mater ecclesia uberaejus â—uo Testamenta divinarum Sâ—r. hinc sugatur lac omnium Sacrameatorum pro aeterna salute nostra gestorum Eâ—â—n Psalm 21. Vbicunque timetur Deus laudatur ibi est ecclesia Parker Ep. published in the prophane Schisme of the Brownists CAN A stay against straying answ § .. 1. p. 44. Mediam tennâ—â—e beati The true and pure worship of God is called grosse idolatry CAN stay §. 4. p. 32. Filthy superstition Id. sect 1. p. 49. Our assemblies the harlots house Id. sect 4. p. 61. The best Preachers are the worst Id. sect 5. p. 76. In Scriptures are said to be Robbers and Thievs yea spirituall sorcerie is charged upon them Id. se 8. p. 87. the seales of the covenant for substance rightly administred and by the blessing of God upon his owne meanes Christian soules ordinarily converted and nourished unto life eternall which is much more than all the factors for Antichrist shall ever bee able to make good and if true nothing could be 〈…〉 to the praise of Antichristianisme In effect 〈…〉 they lesse than even persecute the Lord Iesus in his hadst which they revile in his ordinances which they dishonour and in his servants whose footsteps they slander whose 〈◊〉 they desolse whose office they trample upon with 〈…〉 Which if the forward abettors and promoters of this separation did advisedly consider and take the Lord before them they would not furiously brand and abandone that worship and ministerie which hath the approbation and carrieth the seale of God As it is unlawfull to approve that thing which ought to be condemned so to condemne what is to bee justified much more to cast off and reject those godly assemblies which Christ hath and doth grace with the presence of his grace as false and that worship which is tendered to God alone in the mediation of Iesus Christ according to his will as idolatry and that Ministerie which God hath and daily doth blesse to the gaining and edifying of soules unto life everlasting as Antichristian Humble mindes are afraid of novelties CAN stay sect 1. p. 48. But this is the greatest noveltie that ever was heard of in the Churches of the Saints All that we speak we should affirm out of the holy Scriptures soundly interpreted and rightly applyed But this judgement is not of God is not taught in Scripture CAN stay sect 11 p. 112. In corde animáque credentium ponitur idolum quando novuÌ„ dogma constituitur Hier. in Jer. 32. Omne dogma contrarium veritati adorat epera manuum suaruÌ„ constituit idola in terrá suâ Hier. in Isa 2. Ne sitâ—s mulâ—e Magistri dissentiâ—ntes a doctrinâ uniâ—â— Magistri Christi August l. 1. Retract A Stay sect 1. pag. 47. Quicquid pariter omnes uno eodemque consensu c. Vincent Lyrinen cont proph haeret c 4. Field of the Ch. l. 3 〈◊〉 43. p. 175. is not consonant to the doctrine of Christ our only Master as in the examination of particulars shall be shewed If it bee a great sinne to be rash and adventurous upon opinions in matters of Religion where men are not first well informed in judgement by true grounds of knowledge What is it to condemne the Churches Ministery Worship and Servants of the Lord Iesus against the expresse Sentence of our heavenly Master and Teacher If an Idoll be set up in the Church when a new Opinion is broached as some cite it out of Hierom they of the Separation upon tryall will be found the strangest Idoll makers in the world because they have broached the strangest noveltie that ever was maintained in the Church Such as lay downe rules saith the author of the Stay to find out the truth by write thus What the Fathers all with one consent have held and written is a necessarie token to know the truth by And whatsoever hath been holden at all times and in all places by all Christians that have
the mouth of one witnesse though his testimony were received yet may no man be condemned See Beza annot Maier in Matth. 18.7 both their owne and Neighbouring Churches so did the Ancients The Ordination of Bishops by themselves alone or their Chaplaines and that of many at a clap so did the Ancients The thrusting of Ministers upon the people without their knowledge or consent so did the Ancients The ordination of Ministers without cure or charge so did the Ancients The ignorance idlenesse pride luxurie pompe covetousnesse contention and schisme of such as thrust themselves rashly ambitiously profanely into offices by favour monie flatterie or other corruption so did the Ancients They reprove these and such like abuses and humbly seek and sue for reformation but tolerate what they cannot amend and hold communion with the Churches of God in the Ordinances of Religion and so did the Ancients And if the Ancients did neither lay the grounds of Separation nor walke contrary to their owne Principles in holding communion it is great ignorance at least to charge the Nonconformists as if they walked not according to their owne rules when they doe not separate Nay if the Non-conformists should not disallow both your positions and practice of Separation they should not walke agreeable to their owne Principles or the truth of Scripture For you hold the power of the keyes originaliter and executivè is given to the community of the faithfull many or few yea though but two or three joyned together in a Church way This the Nonconformists approve not You hold it is necessary and essentiall to the calling of a Minister that he be approved chosen and ordained only by that congregation where he is to administer This the Nonconformists altogether dislike You hold all Ministers that be not chosen and ordained after your forme propounded to be unlawfull Idol Antichristian Ministers This the Nonconformists judge to be Antichristian The consequence of your Positions is this That since the Church of the New Testament was established upon the earth there was scarce a true lawfull Ministerie to be found where with the faithfull might lawfully hold communion in the worship of God This the Non-conformists doe detest and abhorre Of other your positions in the Sections following SEC III. CAN. Stay against Stray Sect. 1. pag. 4 5. WHatsoever God hath bestowed upon his Church as her priviledge the same is to be found in his Word But it is not mentioned there that Beleivers as their priviledge ought to heare Antichristian Teachers The proposition is unquestionably certaine by these Scriptures Psal 19.7 2 Tim. 3.15.16 Isai 8.20 Ioh. 15.17 Act. 20.27 Besides Contra Gentes this is the unanimous consent of learned writers The Scriptures saith Athanasius doe helpe us with the knowledge of every truth c. The first part which is only controversall is evident and cleere Anno. in 1 Cor. 10. §. 21. in 1 Reg. cap 5. v. 19. by these Scriptures Levit. 17.3.4 Deut. 12.5 Prov. 5.8 Hos 4.15 Matth. 7.15 2 Cor. 7.15 16 17. Rev. 18.4 Song 1.6 7. To this all sorts of Writers assent Zanch. on Phil. 3.2 The Authors of the Admonition pag. 27 c. Yea the Papists themselves Rhemists and Doway Translators ANSWER THe sinewes of this Argument are cut already in the first Section if ever it had any and therefore a few words may now suffice In this reason you take for granted that which is most false little lesse than blasphemie to wit that all Ministers in the Church of England be Antichristian For they are in respect of the substance of their office the Ministers of Jesus Christ set apart to preach the Gospel dispense the Sacraments and administer the Discipline of the Lord Christ and many of them the approved servants of Christ furnished with gifts from above sent forth by authoritie to preach the Gospel of God and dispense his Sacraments which they faithfully execute according to commission received from their Lord and Master the King of the Church who worketh by them and blesseth their labours if ever ordinary Ministers had cause to speake of and rejoyce in the blessing of God to the praise of his name But to let that passe Antichristian Teachers if I must speak in your owne language be of divers sorts 1. Such as be not called in every point according to your platforme or at least whose calling is in any respect maymed or defective though they be godly learned painfull every way fit set apart by authority and approved by the Church If Antichristian Teachers be taken in this sense true Beleevers living in societies with them are bound to heare the Word and partake in the Sacraments because they be the ordinances of the Lord Jesus who is present knocking at the doore of the heart and will come in and sup with them that open unto him So long as wee teach the same doctrine which the Apostles did we have the same povver and authority to Preach which they had Bâ—s Chrill 〈◊〉 part 3. p. â— Look what reasons soever can be alledged to prove that Christians ought to joyne together in holy communion the same will strongly convince that ordinarily or occasionally we must hold societie with such Ministers in the ordinances of piety and godlinesse And if this Ministerie be Antichristian divers if not most worthy Martyrs of Jesus Christ that have withstood Antichrist unto blood have stood under some ordinances in their first originall Antichristian or of men in some respects which did not overthrow though it might be some blemish unto their Ministerie 2. Such as be not rightly called by men because not rightly furnished with gifts or faithfully executing their place or teaching erroneous doctrines and traditions of men but yet set apart to an office which is of God and in communion of men professing the true Faith are called Antichristian Ministers And if it be taken in this sense the faithfull are bound in conscience to heare such if they live in their societies because they be the Ministers of Christ in a sort though they be not approved of him and doe his worke for the good of them that be heires of salvation But in so doing they doe not communicate with the Ministers of Antichrists apostasie but with the Lord Christ in his holy ordinance by such meanes as he hath appointed Hieron l. 1. Com in Eph. ad Galat. cap. 1. Hierome noteth that there are foure sorts who are employed in the businesses and affaires of Almighty God The first such as are sent neither of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ The second such as are sent of God but by man The third are such as are sent of man and not of God who are they that are ordained by favour of Men not rightly judging of the quality of them who are to serve in this calling Who yet are not simply denyed to be sent of God as if they had not commission from him but
honor him as our God if we alter that which he hath appointed for himselfe or adde any thing unto it he rejecteth all our service as done not unto him but to the conceit of our hearts which by nature is no God c. Grat. Caâ—s 11. Qu. 3. c. 101. Sats qui praeest Aug. de Conser Evang. l. 1. c. 18. Socratis sententia est Vnumquemque Deum sic coliopercere quomodose ipse colendum esse praeceperit Aug. in Qu. ex veteri Teslam Qu. 43. Constat â—â—den stultam non solum minime prodesse sed etiam obesse Chry. in Matth. hom 51. Discaâ— us Coristum ex ipsius voluntate honorare Nam qui honoratur â—o maximè honore laetatur 〈◊〉 vuit non quem nos optamus Bils dâ—ffer betw Christ Subj part 1 p. 7. Touching the Sacraments I 〈◊〉 Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. We swerve not a jot from the example of Christ and his Apostles the Scriptures vvill not lie let them be judges is fairely passed over with a brave flourish of words and nothing else If you meet with such company as will be ashamed not to see because you cry out so vehemently It is as cleere as the Sun it cannot be denied with any modest face You may lead him blindfold But if a man will build upon his owne faith and not be led by your fansies he shall never see it proved by any evidence that you have or can bring That by communicating in our Assemblies in the ordinances of Religion God is worshipped in any other way or manner than he hath prescribed But seeing this reason is brought so often and for so many purposes I will examine it more particularly If the meaning of your proposition bee That no positive worship or substantiall means of worship is lawfull but what is in speciall appointed or instituted of God and that no duties of Religion be necessary to salvation but what are taught in Scripture then we grant it is true and confirmed by the course of Scripture though many passages cited by you will not reach unto it For the law of nature commandeth all men who have any sense of a Godhead to receive and not give rules of Religion and Worship The holy care of the Patriarchs was to reverence and obey that which they had received and to attend upon further direction but of themselves not to appoint or undertake any thing as necessary to salvation Divine institution of legall and Evangelicall obedience and worship is equally full and complete in all things necessary which it seemed good to divine Wisedome to determine not leaving any thing of this nature more undetermined in time of the Gospel than it was in time of the Law As the Jews had a commandement neither to adde ought unto nor take ought from the law Deut. 4.2 which the Lord gave unto them so the Apostles received a charge to teach whatsoever the Lord commanded them Whence it is truly observed Matth. 28.20 Zanch. de Ecript that men may not teach their own doctrine but whatsoever Christ hath taught them for hee reserveth this authoritie to himselfe to be the onely Teacher and Author of the doctrine Genev. Bible annot in Matth. 28.20 Shew but one word element or action added omitted or altered in either of them c. Galv Instit l. 4. ca. 10. §. 1.2.5 Hon. Ainsw first answ p. 26. That he taught any thing as needfull for salvation without warrant from the Scriptures I denie Harm confess Helvetic confess cap. 24. Ang. confess ca. De discrim ciborum Chamier tom 4. de Sacram. l. 1. c. 13. §. 8. Bils differ betw Christ Suâ—j par 1. p. 25. This is the duty that Baptisme requireth of us to beleeve no teacher but one which is Christ to follow no stranger to regard or obey no Lord or Law-maker in the Church but only the Son whom the Father appointed to be Master Leader and Ruler of the Gentiles Basil ser de fide It is an evident sliding from the faith c. either to depart from that which is written or to receive that which is not written The King of the Church is her only Lawgiver at all times But if the way or manner of Worship be stretched to the circumstances of time place order phrase of speech and such like not determined by God in particular but left to the libertie of Christians so the generall rules of Scripture be observed then the proposition is not true the Scriptures doe not confirm it it was never acknowledged by Divines of any sort or sect that have appeared to the world For what is in generall only Divine but in particular left without determination from God that in it selfe is indifferent and variable of which sort were the houres of the morning and evening sacrifice their Synagogues Oratories and places of Worship throughout the land of Canaan their course of reading and many the like What God hath commanded in his Word that is not left to the libertie of Christians What is prescribed as necessary worship holy that he hath not left undetermined But that which may be done this way or another at this time or another in this forme of speech and method or another that in respect of this order time method or phrase of speech is not necessarie holy or worship Any circumstance as time place or whatsoever else if it be either appropriated or commanded of God it is necessarie in point of conscience holy and worship as in conscience it must be observed and submitted unto But to place necessitie holinesse or worship in these things when they be not determined or commanded is Will-worship or superstition lawfull they be as agreeable to the Word but not necessary because not determined by the Word The time was when it was lawfull to offer sacrifices upon the high places Drus ad dissic loc O at 12. p. 571. Rivet in Hos 4.13 Ainsvv annot in Levit. 17.5 Iun. annot in Levit. 17 5. in 1 Reg. 3.3 Illud in Theologia bonum est quod Deus praecepit lex enim Deiperfecta est bonitatis moralis regula in Theologia prohibitio Divina perfecturest index Theologieus mali iae mâ—ralis Hen. Ainsvv 3. ans p. 151. Explications of Gods Law by them â—â—uâ—h of his Ministers are allowed of God Neh. 8.8 These are not additions such as God forbids Gal. 3.15 15 Our question is of other or moe lavves or Doctrines than God hath taught Scotia Confess art 20. Iua thes theol c. 6. thes 11.12 Quaecunque verò in carcumslantiis posita sant corumtradiâ—iâ—nes in ecclesiâ—◠â esse auâ—â—esse posse verumtamen pat lares temporaliliberas agnoscimus Atque barum quidem traditionum quae in circumstantiis versantur sex sor Paulo 1 Cor. 14 c. Dan. in 1 Tim. 3.15 Calvin Inst 4. l. c. 15 §. 19. 17. §. 45. 〈◊〉 resp ad lib. de pii veri offic p. 413. Th Beza cansess c. 5.
the Altar is put for Christ in the Ancients Ignat. ad Magnesian To one Altar to one Lord Iesus Christ Ad Philadel one Altar to all the Church Iren. adv haeres l 4 ca. 34. est Ergo Altare in caelis Euseb Hist lib. 10. cap. 4. and the flesh of the peace-offering But that all Ordinances of the Church done out of a true constituted Church in your sense should be altogether unlawfull or that the Ordinances are tyed to your Church constitution as the Sacrifices were to the Temple that we reade not and how then shall we be perswaded of it Remember your owne request Let the Scripture speake in the points betweene us for without it nothing is to be affirmed and beyond it nothing to be concluded Principally of old the Temple shaddowed Christ in and through whom we must present our service unto God and then the Church of Christians but that the externall constitution of a Congregationall societie is represented thereby in such sort as if it be thus or thus constituted it should be lawfull to joyne with them but if this or that externall rite be lacking it should be unlawfull to joyne in the worship of God is most unprobable In all ages the Lord hath had his Church in which he hath beene worshipped But evermore the faithfull were not to bring their sacrifices to the Tabernacle or Temple And if the Lord had chosen not that place for sacrifice other service pleasing and acceptable might and ought to bee performed in other places Therefore that Sacrifices should prefigure all Ordinances and exercises of the Christian Church Fulke in Matth. 23. Sect. 7. The Lords Altar that was in the Temple was a figure of Christs onely true sacrifice once offered Bishop Babin comfort notes upon Exod. 27. and the Tabernacle and Temple the externall frame and constitution of a Church is an unwritten tradition It is more reasonable a great deale to compare the externall frame of the Iewish Church with the outward order which God hath instituted for the Evangelicall Churches and worship with worship substance of Religion with substance and then it will follow that as the faithfull and religious Iewes might and ought to hold societie in the Ordinances of Religion when many things were amisse in the externall frame and constitution of the Church as the Priests idle covetous prophane the people dissolute impenitent rebellious so the faithfull in the Christian Church must hold Communion in the Ordinances of Grace though in the constitution of the Church the Officers and members much be out of order Doway annot in 3. booke of Kings pag. 7 15. The Doway glosse hath much more probbaility than yours To conserve unity say they there was but one Tabernacle one Altar for sacrifice in the whole people of Israel Wherupon when the two tribes and an halfe on the other side Iordan had made a severall Altar all the Tribes that dwelt in Canaan suspecting it was for Sacrifice sent presently to admonish them Aug. Epist 48 Quis non impudentissemè c. vid page seq Omnis ea distinctio in re Theologica est inanis fictio quae ex Dei mentiri nescis authoritate non accipitur quaeque rem ipsam de qua agitur tollit c. Martin de persona Christ page 632. c. but what end shall we have if every man upon his owne head may devise or Coyne significations of Gods Ordinances What is this but to bring in a new word to set up Sacraments upon our own heads Herein we say to you and them as you to your opposite I require the voyce of the Shepheard Read it mee out of the Prophets Shew it mee out of the Psalmes c. In the interpretation of the Types and Figures of the Law mens judgements if the Scripture goe not before them are of small credit Can. Stay Sect. 3. Pag. 20.21 If that be true in the Philosopher Opposit a sunt simul natura Arist Topic l. b. 6. Bonum est cujus contrarium est malum Rhetor. l. 1. If vvee take a strâ—ct vievv and enquirie of that Ministery Worship and Government vvhich they left at Dan Bethel it will appear evidently that the same was not more salfe idolatrous and unlawful than the present Ministerie worship and Government of the English Assemblies is by the Non-conformists affirmed to be Jeroboams Apolog in his Arrovv against Idolatry CAN Necess of Sep. p. 85.86 87 88. Course of Comfor p. 161.162 Opposite things in nature are alike Againe That is good whose contrary is evill It must needs followes that as some Churches are visibly true in respect of faith and order so others may bee true too having outward order albeit the members thereof have no faith at all The which assertion is not to bee answered but abhorred The tenne Tribes which departed from the Lord from his Temple Sacrifices Priests Altar and other holy signes of his presence at Ierusalem from the time and still after were not Gods Church so the Scriptures shew Hos 2.2 and 2 Chron. 15.3 Ier. 3.8 Amos 9.7 c. And the Israelites when they worshipped at Dan and Bethel were not in respect of faith and Doctrine more corrupt than the other now is Mr. Amsworth and the Non conformists affirme that the Apostate Iewes could justifia their way and course of Religion as well if not better than the other ANSWER The Philosophicall Maxime to which you have reference is Arist. de Caelo lib. 2. cap. 3. Text. 19. Posito une contrariorum ponitur alterum But as you cite it It is as hard to be found as your translation is to be understood That it is not universall appeareth out of Arist himselfe who putteth down the contrary Maxime as true and certaine Arist Gategor l. c. 11 de contrar Non necessarium est Si contrariorum alterum sit alterum esse Nam si omnes sint sanitas quidem erit morbus non erit So in the first Creation of all things all things were very good and there was nothing evill All things created are finite in act but amongst things created there neither is nor can be a naturall infinite Truth and false-hood good and evill Piety and Idolatry are opposite and that before ever false-hood evill or Idolatry had any being in the world Contraries we know expell one another Or if one be necessary in the subject the other cannot be in it at least in the intense degree as if fire be hot it cannot be cold Now it is necessary that every thing created be finite and good as created and therefore good had a being before evill If it be objected that opposites are relatives and relatives are together in nature the answer is they are relatives secundum dici as they speake not secundum esse which may bee said to be together in nature Not that both are in act existent out of their causes but because the nature of
are notes and markes of a true and sound Church though somewhat crased in health and soundnesse by errors in doctrine corruptions in the worship of God and evils in life and manners A false Church is that which holds neither the truth of faith intirely nor the integrity of divine worship nor comely order which God hath appointed for the government of his house nor holinesse of conversation But addeth to the Articles of faith to that which is worshipped and to the substantiall means wherby God is worshipped and to the holy Commandements which God hath given for the direction of his people or detracteth and perverteth the right sense of faith not considering that which is worshipped as is meete mangling the Ordinances of God and transforming the lawfull manner of worship into another forme and inverteth the holy Commandement by corrupt glosses and sinister interpretations which destroyeth the life and power of godlinesse One false Church may bee more corrupt and rotten than another as being more deepely tainted in matters of higher importance and more generally than another as some may bee corrupt in matters of faith others in doctrine and worship both Ier. 2.11 13. 2 Reg. 16.3 1 Reg. 18.21 Ezek. 16.20 and some in all the particulars mentioned Thus Israel worshipped God and the Calves yea the Lord and Baal And as one false Church may be more corrupt than another Hen. Ains 2. part page 62. Did not the Priests rulers and people condemne the Prophets of God sent in all ages and vvas not Ierusalem the holy City seate of the Priest-hood guilty of their bloud Luke 13.33 34. vvas not vile and grosse Idolatry practised often in Judah and Jerusalem by the Priests and Princes Ezek. 23.11 Did not Iuda forsake the Lord and turne their faces from his Tabernacle shut the doores of his house quench his Lamps and neither burn Incense nor offer burnt offering in the Sanctuary unto the God of Jsrael 2 Chro. 29.6 7. Vriah the Priest made an Altar Idolatrous like that in Damascus and polluted Gods Worship in the Temple 2 Reg. 16.10 11 12 16. Pashur the sonne of Immer the Priest being Governour in the House of the Lord persecuted Ieremie for preaching the truth Jer. 20.1 2. and himselfe prophesied lyes ve 6. See Ier. 32.31 32 33 34 35 36. Mic. 3.11 Mal. 2.8 9. or at one time than another so one false Church may have more of God in it than another and at another time For the lesse grievous the errors are which the false Church holdeth or the lesse abominable the idolatry which it maintaineth the more divine truth it embraceth the more effectuall is that worship of God which it retaineth The true Church of God which is comparatively pure may be called false though improperly in respect of that corruption in doctrine and manners errours schismes divisions superstition or prophanenes which through humane frailty and negligence cleaveth unto it And a false Church may comparatively be called a Church true or pure in respect of them that be more grossely defiled as it hath more truth and purity in it Also the true Churches of God have sometimes bin distinct visible societies from the false Churches and by many degrees in themselves more pure from tincture and infection than at other times and some others have beene As in the dayes of Abiah Iudah was by many degrees more free from pollution than afterwards In Pauls time the integrity of Rome was famous Corinth many wayes reproved They of Galatia much more out of square But the true and Orthodox Church hath sometimes beene so mixed with others in outward society that it hath beene hard to find in the whole world a distinct Congregation of sound and intire professors of all supernaturall truths who joyned in the use of Gods Holy Ordinances but the members of the true visible Church were dispersed and scattered and mingled with false Christians or false worshippers in society and the true Church lay hid in the false Now to apply these things 1. If by a false Church you understand a Church erring in points of faith exceeding dangerous and corrupting the pure worship of God with reall Idolatry with whom the faithfull may not lawfully hold Communion yet then that which they have of God amongst them though not rightly administred is effectuall by the blessing of GOD according to promise As Baptisme administred by the Heretikes holding the forme of Baptisme and of Popish Priests is true Baptisme and not to be reiterated For one and the same society may in one sense have somewhat of the true Church and in another bee the Synagogue of Satan and their Ministers exercise the Ministery and service of Christ when they themselves bee the bond-slaves of Satan It is true God threatens to destroy such societies and is highly displeased with the service that is done there as such because it is not done as it ought but as he is pleased to continue his Ordinance so he is pleased to give it force and validity according to his institution And it is not strange that God should bee displeased with a thing not done according to his institution when the institution it selfe hee doth approve and blesse to some according to his free covenant 2. If by a false Church you understand a Church maimed and corrupt with errors in doctrin and manners neglect of discipline disorders in Ministers and people then as occasion may bee offered Christ hath bound the faithfull to bee present at his ordinances in such Assemblies and promised to blesse them that draw nigh unto him therein In the Church of Corinth there were Divisions Sects Emulations 1 Cor. 3.3 1 Cor. 6.1 2. 2 Cor. 10.10 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Cor. 5.1 1 Cor. 11.19 20. contentions and quarrels going to Law one with another for every trifle and that under Infidels Pauls name and credit was despitefully called into question there the resurrection of the dead was denyed by some that wickednesse was there wincked at which was not heard of among the heathen the Lords Supper was horribly profaned things indifferent used with offence 2 Cor. 12.20 21. Ambr. in 1 Cor. 11 They stood striving for their oblations Hier. in 1 Cor. 11. In Ecclesia convenientes oblationes suas separatius offerebant Apoc. 2.4 5 6. Apoc. 3.20 21. Fornication not repented of and idolatry practised in eating meats sacrificed to Idols in the Idoll Temple And all this notwithstanding the assemblies were kept the faithfull frequented the Ordinances and God did blesse them according to promise Ephesus was extreamly decayed in her first love and though threatned to have her candlesticke removed unlesse she repent Christ doth never lay his charge upon the faithful to depart from his Ordinances Of Laodicea it is said that she was neither hot nor cold and then we may easily conceive she was overgrown with corruptions the proper fruits of negligence security selfe conceitednesse c. For which unlesse she
in l. 9. cp 9. Aug. epi. 118 119 See Caranz sum Concil fol. 43. Iustin Martyr Tortullian Clomens Romanus Eactantius and others vvere of opinion that no particular judgement passed upon the Saints untill the laft day Sixt. Sen. Biblioth l. 6. an 345. The Pastors of this age spake more unwarily of justification and grace than was meet prayer for the dead was ordinarie the foundation of prayer unto Saints was laid and defended by the teachers themselves with overgreat zeale in the superstitious vigils and frequenting the Sepulchers of Martyrs The former prophanation of the Sacraments by superstitious rites much increased some whereof are abolished by the papists themselves Libertie is taken from the Ministers the Bishops contend among themselves with ambition hatred affecting high titles and precedencie more than the good of Gods Church the pleasure of peace and securitie tooke away all care of godlinesse Now they seeke the reliques of Saints goe on pilgrimage to Ierusalem consecrate Temples to Martyrs esteeme it more religion to build certaine places and to pray in them than in others and to live by prescriptions and will-worship of Monkes c. than to walke according to the rule of Gods Word Now they give themselves to corrupt religion with idle and impure rites Images that were not mentioned in the first and second ages of the Church in the fourth fifth and sixt age were brought into the Church in some parts painted upon the walles retained for Historicall and Rhetoricall use to informe the understanding and stirre up devotion and of some began to be worshiped which Gregory himselfe disliked Monkes kept the communion at home and wanting a priest communicate themselves No publike assemblies could be found in which the ordinances of God did flourish intirely Augustine complained of the multitude of rites and ceremonies which were in his time wherewith the Church was grievously burdened but in the ages following was much more intolerable Of the particular slips and errours of the ancients it is needlesse to say more Here I would demand was this Church all this while thus corrupted the true church of Christ or a fals was the true worship of God performed in these assemblies the true worship or was it pernicious Idolatry If a true Church then a societie T. C. repl 1. pag. 73 wherein corruption of Doctrine and of the Sacraments hurtfull Ceremonies dominion and pomp of the clergie new orders and functions of the Ministerie is to be found may be the true Church of God And what then can you object against the Church of England to prove it a false Church If a false Church Fulk ansvver to the Rhem. in Eph 4.13 all the true Bishops of the primitive Church for six hundred yeares and more after Christ in all necessary points of doctrine agree vvith us and therefore vvere ancestors of our Church In the later times also for every age vvee can name divers pastours and teachers even in the most darke times c. Calfeh against Mar. preface to the reader Greg. epist. l. 7 indict 2 c. 109. Concil Nicen. a but that Councel vvas not generally received Sigth in an 755. Reger Howden continuat Beda anno 792. Feild of the chuteh l. 3 cap. 8. See Calfehil against Mart. art 3. p. 58 69 c. Bilson Christian subject part 4 page 316 317. This vvas about the yeare of our Lord 1160. See Vsser de suceess Eccles History of the Waldenses Daltha Lydia hist Chaloner credo Eccles part 2 sect 2. then either the faithfull were bound to avoide all societie and fellowship with it in the ordinances which a sober minded man will not affirme or all communicating with a false Church in the ordinances of God is not pernicious idolatry The faithfull which lay hid in this corrupted state of the Church and did partake in the ordinances of worship were never held and reputed Idolaters In the ages following the mystery of iniquitie did grow amaine for the worship of Images first began and after was concluded the Pope obtained to bee called head of the universall Church Saints were invocated as Mediators the Communion was mangled and delivered in one kind the merit and dignitie of workes advanced to the prejudice of Gods grace the doctrine of reall presence and orall eating of Christs flesh in the Sacramant by good and bad and the adoration of the Eucharist was taught and received These grosse corruptions prevailed for a time in the Church before they were concluded upon in Synods or Councels opposed by some condemned by others and manfully withstood especially the worshipping of Images During which time the faithfull who condemned these abominations did lie hid in the Church keeping themselves undefiled from these errours but separated not themselves from the ordinances of grace nor gathered themselves into a distinct body After these abominations were concluded the first that separated themselves were the Waldenses Albigenses or poore men of Lyons who withdrew themselves from the societie of the Romane Synagogue and worshiped God in distinct companies according to his will These are reported to be men of sound life and god linesse by the testimonie of very enemies themselves notwithstanding they were most shamefully traduced and grievously persecuted for Christs sake But after this separation made by them If sheepe in a pasture vvhere venemous hearbs are mixed with vvholsome can by the instinct of nature make choise of that vvhich is proper for them and abstaine from the contrary vvhat marvaile is it if the flocke of Christ vvho know the voice of the true Shepheard from the voice of strangers should by the guidance of Gods assisting spirit doe the same Chaloncredo Cameron dc Eccles ca. de schism See Field of the church l. 3 〈◊〉 6 8. Carleton descript ca. 1 p. 8. divers other godly men did patiently endure the tyranny of Antichrist and groaned under that heavie yoake bewailing the misery and reproving the sinnes of the time sought to reclaime others and labour to keepe their owne selves free but did not actually separate from the societie And this as the learned judge was done if not by Gods commandement at least by gracious indulgence Vntill the time of the Trent Councell saith one the Church although oppugned with errours and deceits of divers kinds oppressed with tyranny did not patiently endure the tyranny of the Pope and the impudency of the Fraterculi And though oftentimes before they had thought of separation yet they could never effect it untill that was fulfilled which the Scripture had foretold It is here to be further noted that neither the Waldenses who first separated nor the reformed Churches which in after times cast off the yoke of Antichrist and abolished his Idolatry did make such a pure and perfect reformation in all things as was to be desired And therefore if they be measured by your meat-wand they must all lye under the censure of false and idolatrous Churches who worship God with a false
to say out of the Nonconformists against our Ministery in respect of their orders and degrees SECTION 6. CAN. Necess of Separation Pag. 37. IF the calling and office of their bishops be as the Nonconformists say it is of the earth false divellish Antichristian c. than it followes that the calling and office of the whole Ministery must necessarily be of the same nature qualities and condition to wit of the earth false divellish and Antichristian c. which is wholly derived from it which receives J say and takes it life and being of it only and no where else For if their Bishops have not a right power in themselves then can they not transferre it to another As the law saith Nemo potest plus juris transferre in ahum Regul juris 79. quam sibi competere dignoscatur No man can give more to another than he hath himselfe If Corah Dathan and Abitam when they usurped the priesthood and government of the Church should by that false power which they assumed have ordained some of the people unto the Priests office no doubt all the Israelites which feared God would have judged their place and standing unlawfull because they which made them had no commission from God so to doe The case of their Ministery is just so ANSWER IF some things of men bee mixed with that which is of God as the holy Sacraments with humane rites and humane pompe and glory with the Ministery that is from above a prudent Christian must separate one from another and not cast away what is of God as a nullitie fruitlesse unprofitable defiled because somewhat humane is annexed to them Accidentall defects or superfluities in or about the Ministery doe not destroy the nature and substance of the Ministery In the office and calling of Bishops two things are to be considered 1 The substance of their office and Ministery whereunto they are separated to wit to preach the Gospell dispense the Sacraments and administer the discipline of Jesus Christ Hieron in epist ad Tit. ca. 1. ad Evag. epist 2. Bilson chr part 2. pag. 318 319. Calv. tract deneces reform eccles Calvin instit l. 4 c. 4. sect 1.2 4 15. Zanch. in 4. praeteptum toâ— 732 733. Forb Irenic l. 2 prop 7 8 9 10. and this is of God 2 The superioritie they take or challenge over their brethren which makes not a difference or nullitie in the substance of their ministery and this is of men All Ministers of the Gospell are stewards of Jesus Christ set apart to doe his worke wherein if any one shall challenge more than of right appertaineth unto him or doe ought out of pride partialitie sinister affection tyrannie or sedition or receiveth such authoritie to himselfe alone as belongeth not to his place and office or is common to many in that he is blameworthy but thereupon his Ministery or ministeriall acts done by him are not made voide and of none effect Thus the Church of England The institution of a Christian man c. of the Sacram. of Orders Ievvel apol def par 2. c. 3. div 1 5 c. 9. div 1. in 1 Tim. 3. in 1 Tim. hom 11 Qu. ex utroque Testamento ca. 100. at least the prime maintainers of Religion against the Papists have taught That there is little or no difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter to which purpose Iewell cites many passages out of the Ancient Fathers as of Ambrose there is one Ordination of a Bishop and a Presbyter Chrys betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter there is almost no difference Aug. what is a Bishop but the first or chiefe Presbyter And both Conformists and Non-conforâ—â—ists agree in this that ministers rightly qualified with gifts and preaching the doctrine of salvation purely bee the Ministers of Iesus Christ whether ordayned by Bishops or the Eldership Forb Iren. l. 2. c. 11 prop. Carleton de Eccl. c. 11. p 283.284 D. Field of the Church lib. 3. c. 39 T. C. repl 1. p. 82. There being great resemblance between the Popedome and Archbishop I meane having regard to the bare functions without respecting the Doctrine good or bad which they uphold there is yet great difference betweene the persons which execute them P. Lombard l. 4. sen dist 24. Capreol in 4. sent dist 2. qu. 1. Episcopatus non est alius distinctus ordo a sacerdotio Bonavent in 4 sent dist 24. art 2. qu. 3. Th. Aqui. 3. suppl qu. 40. art 5. They that hold Bishops by Divine right greater than Presbyters and that the power of Ordination belongeth unto them doe yet acknowledge Ordination given by the Eldership to be true by the judgement of the Catholike Church And they that maintaine the equalitie of Bishops and Presbyters by the Word of God deny not those Ministers to be of God who teach sound doctrine and feed the flocke of God committed to their charge though they received Ordination from Bishops The learned among the Papists themselves freely confesse that that wherein a Bishop excelleth a Presbyter is not a distinct and higher order or power of order but a kind of dignity or office and employment only Episcopacy is not another order distinct from the Priest-hood saith Capreolus No Prelate hath more concerning Sacramentall power or of order than simple Priests So Armachanus As concerning Sacerdotall order Armach l. 11. Dom. a Soto l. 10. de just jure q. 1. art 2. de 4. dist 24 q. 2 art 3 Darand in 4 sent dist 24 qu 5. Staple relect contr 2 qu. 3 art 3. Bellar. de Cler. l. 1. c 11 s 14. cusan concord l. 2. c. 13. and things that pertaine to order they are equall Thus Bellarmine himselfe Although a Bishop and Presbyter are distinguished yet as concerning Sacrifice they exercise the same ministery and therefore they make one order and not two Cusanus goeth further All Bishops and haply also Presbyters are of equall power in respect of jurisdiction although not of execution which executive exercise is shut up and restrayned by certaine positive Lawes And Iohannes de Parisijs de potost Regal Papal ca. 10. Some say a Presbyter hath the same power in his Parish that a Bishop hath in his Diocesse From which their confession it will evidently follow that Ministers ordained by Presbyters to whom the care and government of the Church belongeth are true Ministers In Alexandria and all Aegypt the Presbyters gave Ordination vvhen a Bishop vvas not present as Augustine Ambrose both confesse Ambr ad Eph. c 4 August Quest Nov vet 4 101 Concil Nicen can 4 Concil Arelatens 2. c. 5. Con Affris can 16 Bellar. de Eccl. l 4 c. 8 s Ex quo Gratian Decr dist 23 c. 8 Theodoret hist lib. 5 c. 23. Socrates hist. lib 4 c. 35 Gr. Johan Major in 4 sent dist 25 qu. 3 inter oper Gerson Paris 1606 p. 681 Greg 1 lib. 12 ep 31. indict 7. Bedal 1 c 27. Gratian. 1 par
or by them as Stewards used of God to set them in office The differences which they put betweene Baptisme and the Ministerie are to no purpose at all to the point in hand For let them disser in what they will herein they agree that in what societie soever the truth of Baptisme is to bee found therein is some truth of Ministerie to bee found though marvellous corrupt and polluted The calling of the Pope and his adherents is earthly false and divellish as they stand in relation to him But so is not the calling of every one that was set in office by them in every respect For some things might bee of men and some things were of God For they derived their authoritie from God and not from them and therefore though the qualitie of the proper calling of Priests and Jesuites bee earthly and carnall it is not necessarie the calling that others receive by them but from God should be of the same nature qualitie or condition And though that calling amongst the Papists was whole corrupt yet not whollie because that which is instituted by God Calfeh art 4 pag. 105. Chry. This is my sacrifice to preach the Gospell my svvord is the Gospell CAN Neces of Separ p. 233. is not made void by the corruptions of men The Ministery of Priests considered in the Masse if I may so speak is corrupt and rotten as they are ordained to offer sacrifices propitratorie for the quick and dead it is the ministerie of the papall apostacie and not Christs but as they are ordained to preach the Gospell and to baptize so we cannot say their ministerie is not of Christ at all or that it is a meere nullitie If you had considered this distinction advisedly you would have beene more sparing in your censure or at least given some weighty reasons of your affirmation But it is easier to blow away an argument with big words than to untie the knot in due order Azor. instit Moral l. 2. c. 19. Ames Bell. enervat tom 2. ca. 2. de vocal minist p. 80. Sadeel deâ—egâ—â— vocat Minist pag. 64. Extraordinaritie dicitur duobus modis aut enim de iis intelligetur qui ita ab ordine vero ac legitime discedunt ut ordinem ipsum violenr c. aut extraordinarium dicitur cum amore solito eoque corrupto ita receditur ut ad verum ordinem qui interruptus fuerat redeatu Quod quidem primis nestris docto thus usa venisse agnoscimus CAN Stay sect 2 p. 51. The papists themselves teach In Episcopo haeretico manere potestatem conferendi ordines quia id facit nomine institutione authoritate Christi ideoque ab haereticis Episcopis ordinatos ad Ecclesiam redeuntes non iterum ordinari Aliqui etiam tenent hariticos Episcopos potestatem quoque jurisdictionis non amittere If the Nonconformists hold any thing extraordinarie in the calling of these prime reformers and servants of God it is not absolutely but in some respect only And the same is affirmed by Conformists also Extraordinariam dicimur quorundam ordinariorum Ministrorum vocationem eo tantum sensu quo Sacerdotes pontificii quaedam ab ipsis Jesuitis dicuntur legitimo jure extraordinario And a little after Sic eo nomine tantum vocatur quia recedit in aliqua parte ab ordine jam depravato ut possit illum restaurare Compare therefore what they have written together and you shall finde nothing which might hinder their communion in the worship of God You say the Scriptures approve not of rending away from true Churches for any corruption I use the word any because so long as we acknowledge the Church to be true whatsoever her sins are a separation from all communion with it is utterly unlawfull But whatsoever the Conformists or Nonconformists have written one against another in this point of the Ministerie they never denied the nature and essence of a true church to bee found among us and therefore cannot bee thought to offend against conscience in that they hold communion together in that which is good and of God SECT 7. CAN Stay ag Sect. 3. pag. 58. THe sinfull office of the Teacher becomes his sin who practiseth will-worship with him For hereby he enwrappeth himselfe into the guilt of his office To heare such a Minicter is to honour approve and uphold his office of Ministeris To yeeld any approbation liking or reverence unto mens institutions in the exercise of religion is sin But in hearing Antichristian Ministers d. §. 4. p. 61. there is approbation liking and reverence yeelded unto mens institution in the exercise of religion Mat. 15.9 Ps 6.4 Col. 2.20 21. De. 5.9 1 Cor. 6.17 Hos 2.16 Exod. 23.13 therefore it is sinne The Major cannot be denyed for the Scriptures teach us the very thing Besides the most judicious Writers affirme it too The Minor is as cleare For first Jt is not possible that men can come to Antichristian Churches to worship God but they must by their precence there shew reverence and honour to the publike falle state and ministerie ANSWER HEre you come over with the same text of Scripture and the same arguments whereunto answer hath beene given already But I must follow you in that path wherein you are pleased to goe before mee 1 Will-worship is unlawful both in the teacher and them that communicate with him in that worship But the preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments in our assemblies is not will-worship but the ordinance of Christ 2 To yeeld any approbation liking or reverence unto mens institutions devised and to be exercised with opinion of holinesse Babing in Lev. 10 Calv. in loc Iun. anal in loc Piscat ibid. necessitie and worship is sinne And if this be the meaning of your proposition we confesse the Scriptures teach this very thing and judicious learned Divines affirme it And what use there is of heaping up Authors to prove that which is most willingly assented unto I cannot tell The Lord hath laid downe the way and manner of his worship and hath not left it to any creature to meddle with but according to his prescription and appointment CAN Stay § 5. p. 40. The outward worship of God must be strictly done according to his commandement A good intention there hath no place workes devised by mans fancie have not only no promise of reward for doing of them but contrariwise great threatnings and maledictions of God Q. Eliz. Injunct 3. But all institutions of men in the exercise of religion such to wit as be simply matters of order or appurtenances of worship as time place method phrase of speech stinted catechismes formes of blessing and administration of the Sacraments c. bee not of that nature neither doth every thing concerning the qualification and exercise of ministerie belong to the second Commandement So that all institutions in generall are not condemned in Scripture nor
disliked by godly and learned men so the generall given for direction in such cases be observed 3 We hold it unlawfull outwardly and but in appearance to joyne with Idolaters in their Idolatry Many words in this matter might well bee spared But wee desire to see your commandement why for every particular act that in a large sense is Idolatrous adjoyned to the true worship of God Calfeb against Mar. art 10. p. 185 186. we should forbeare our presence at the worship it selfe or be said to communicate in the sinne there committed For then no man might present himselfe with good conscience at any publike worship of GOD wherein any thing is done amisse for matter or manner which is in effect to say hee cannot bee present at any at all 4 To communicate in the ordinances of God with the Ministers of the Church of England is not to like approve or reverence the institutions of men in the exercises of religion nor to communicate with the Teacher in his sin nor in ought else that is amisse For the worship is of God both for matter and manner And put case the Minister bee disorderly chosen enter not as he ought be Symoniacall covetous froward corrupt idle scandalous doe the people partake in his sin in that they make use of his Ministery No Scripture teacheth any such thing no reason doth confirm it noe approved authors ever said it That which you alledge for proofe falleth utterly short It appertaineth to the vertue of truth Dav. determ 7. p. 40. that as a man sheweth himselfe by externall signes so he is indeed to be esteemed And such as frequent or repair unto unlawfull assemblies for the publike worship of God by their being there are to be reputed of the same religion or else dissemblers as it were to have no care of religion knowing God Dovvay annot in 4. King 5.19 p. 778. but not glorifying him as God But herein you have misrelated the Doway translators for their words are But in a Christian countrey where all beare the name of Christians especially where men are at controversie about the true Christian Religion all that frequent or repaire unto the same assemblies for publike service of God are to be reputed of the same religion or else dissemblers Bodily presence at false worship by which they shew a liking unto it is unlawfull To eate of meates sacrificed unto Idols in the Idoll Temple Your condemning the worship of God performed in our assemblies as pernicious idolatry vvherein is it a lesser sinne han the Popes prohibition of publike prayer and restraint of the Word and Sacraments throughout the Realm you can neither shevv us warrant for it an the Scriptures nor example of it in the Church of God You that so teach and censure stand guiltie of great impietie and they that hearken unto your persvvasions are partakers of your iniquity in some sort of the vvrong imaginations of Christians Aug. in Tract â—o 19. saith Quae omnia idola cordis sunt T. Caepl 1. art 3. pag. 4. is to communicate with Idolaters These things are evident and freely granted But the Assemblie met to call upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ alone to heare the doctrine of salvation soundly and purely preached to receive the Sacrament rightly administred is not a false idolatrous assemblie they that repaire unto it be not Idolatrous â—â—false worshippers If you esteem of them as they shew themselves by out ward signes you must esteem them to be of the true religion and the true worshippers of God according to his will The ministerie in that assembly to be true sound and faithfull and of God of substance In this lieth the point of the controversie which you are contented to passe by in silence without any proofe at all But if any humane frailtie or infirmitie cleave to the ministerie or congregation in respect of doctrine manners lawes government or order which concernes not the life and soul but only the safety of the Church or wellfare of Religion In these a Christian doth not partake by his presence at the ordinances as the Scripture reason and the approved practice of the Saints in all ages of the Church do plentifully witnesse This is the judgement and practice of the Nonconformists and therefore they professe they praise God for this reformation so farre forth as it is agreeable to the Word of God they are glad the Word of God is preached that the Sacraments are administred that which is wanting they desire to be added that which is overmuch cut off But that a Christian must separate from the Word and Sacrament by reason of some superfluities or defects is no responsive conclusion that can be gathered soundly from their writings CAN Stay Sect. 5. pag. 66. In preaching of the truths of the Gospell by a false Minister an Idolatrous act is performed For Divine worship is not to be determined by a particular thing howbeit in it selfe good but as the essentiall parts belonging thereto whether they are persons or things are kept and observed The Church of Rome in Baptisme useth water and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper gives bread and wine otherwhile too doth this cleare their administrations of Idolatry I think all men doe thinke that Vzziah committed an Idolatrous act 2 Chron. 26.16 when he invaded the Priests office But what made it so tooke he unlawfull incense no. Vsed he strange fire no. Offered hee prohibited Sacrifice or upon a wrong Altar No Where then lay the fault the Scripture telleth us Verse 18. it pertained not to him to burne incense unto the Lord but to the sons of Aaron To apply this if his act were Idolatrous because he wanted a calling howbeit observed many truths of the law By the same reason the Church acts of Artichristian Ministers are Idolatrous yea and as for the truths which they preach this cleares their acts no more from Idolatry than Vzziahs true Incense and the Altar quitted him from transgression ANSWER Your great words are of small force CAN. Stag. §. 3. p. 56. for should I speake my conscience it is your phrase They are words without weight of reason For still you presuppose the Ministerie of the Church of England to bee false and idolatrous which is to beg not to conclude the question But that being presupposed let us see how you goe forward In preaching the truth of the Gospell by a false Minister an Idolatrous act is performed you say But doth the Scripture say so Do you read it in the Law or in the Prophets in the Apostles or in the Evangelists The Scribes and Pharisees were false Ministers but it was not an Idolatrous worke in them to expound the Law of Moses or dispence other Church ordinances at that time commanded The popish Priests and Bishops are false Prophets but the simple administration of Baptisme by them is not an idolatrous act The Minister that is prophane and
staggerings and grosse delusions in others CAN. Necess of Separ p. 39. 48. c. Bilson Christ Subject part â— page 406. would have occasioned out-cries to raise the Countrey As for that which you alledge against ignorant idle profane Ministers it is not to the purpose for that respects not the office it selfe but the men in the office who may enter unlawfully and continue in the execution of their office The Church of Corinth had then as al other Churches now have or should have both praying preaching annexed and adjoyned to the ministration of the Lords Supper Both these yet are and ever were the meanes which God ordained to prepare us to be fit guests for that Table Bishop Iewel his Sermon on Iosh 6.1 2 3. This care must shew it selfe in removing blinde watch-men which have no knowledge who are but dumbe dogges that cannot bark c. Nonresidence and absence from their cure is a fault that would be amended CAN. Necess of Separ page 44. 45. Admonit 1. page 15. 16. Sold. Barw in the shep-heards of the Lords flocke Though they be never so able to instruct and therefore vvorthy to have roomes in the Church yet if they have not a desire to doe good c. CAN. Necess of Separ page 216. Another fault no lesse hurtfull to the Church of God is the suffering of pluralities when one taketh the profit of two or more Benefices c. when the Ministery it selfe for substance and that which is done by Ministers unlawfully executing their place is not to be condemned as a nullitie It is one thing to justifie an ignorant or idle ministerie another to make use of that which hee doth to our edification according to the Ordinance of God They are not approved of God in their ministration but what they doe administer is effectuall and God approveth that his people when they cannot remove them should make use of their Ministerie This the Non-conformists hold agreeable to their owne principles as hath been shewed at large Parsons Vicars Stipendaries Parish Priests Chapleines are but various Titles given to the same kinde of Ministerie in divers persons which is Evangelicall instituted of Christ and to be exercised and maintained in the Church untill the comming of Christ to judgment You affirm with great confidence that the Non-conformists condemn both their names and offices as wholly from that Roman Antichrist These be your words If you will know say the Non-conformists whence all these came wee can easily answer you that they came from the Pope as out of the Trojan horses belly to the destruction of Gods kingdome It is certaine that their name and office is wholly from that Roman Antichrist never instituted either by Christ or his Apostles For the Church of God never knew them neither doth any reformed Church in the world know them These are cloudes without raine trees without fruit painted Sepulchers full of dead bones fatted in all abundance of iniquity such as seeke not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies Againe touching their Parsons Vicars Stipendaries Chapleines c. we have proved from their writings that these names and offices came wholly from the Divell and Antichrist and therefore his pleading for Baal is altogether here unusefull as to say All is one kinde of Ministerie and in this respect they are Parsons and in that respect Vicars c. For as much may a Papist say of their Parsons Vicars c. We strive not with you for names and words but about the substance of the Office and Ministery Non enim in nominibus sed in rebus sita est nostra religio ut rectè monet Gregorius Theologus in Orat. quam habuit coram 150. Episcopis in Concil secundo Constantino anno 382. Nihil apud me distat in verbo quod non distat in sensu Ambr. com in Luc. lib. 2. Every godly and learned Minister Pastor of the Church hath more interest right in respect of his office c. for as much as he hath an ordinary calling of God and function appointed in Scriptures which he exerciseth T. C. rep 1. pag. 21. It is observed by the Learned that this hath been not the least of Satans sleights in conveying Popery from step to step and point to point to keep the speech change the sense of the Learned and Ancient Fathers As the Papists deale with the Fathers so doe you with the Nonconformists and as true too If therefore he would have justified those men he should first have manifested that his Brethren have notoriously sâ—andred their ministery and so have quite taken away their reasons better by shewing better c. But we have learned to try before we trust To contend about the bare names and Titles of Parson is vain and frivolous but if we speake of their office and ministery as it is exercised by the godly learned and painefull Ministers in the Church of England for the substance thereof it is instituted of Christ acknowledged by all true Churches in the world ever since the first plantation of the Christian Church knowne by all reformed Churches at this day blessed of God abundantly and so maintained by the Non-conformists Against the Name it may bee some have taken exception and against the pride idlenesse covetousnesse c. of some much hath bin written but that the office it selfe of Parson or Vicar as they preach the Gospell of Iesus Christ or administer the Sacraments according to the Institution and watch over the flock of Christ committed to their charge that this office I say for substance should bee condemned as Anticâ—ristian by the Non-conformists is notoriously false and the contrary is apparently known unto your selfe For many of them have publikely maintained the truth of their ministery in writing others have publikely professed they acknowledge the Church and ministery to bee true and of God and diverse have exercised the functions of Vicars and Parsons in our Assemblies And whether it be probable that so many seeking for reformation would publikely condemne that office as altogether Antichristian which they exercised in the Church let your Conscience judge In that which you alledge out of the admonition to this purpose you grossely play the juggler For it speakes not of the office of Parsons and Vicars at all much lesse of them all Their words let them bee compared with that which you write in their name are these wee should be too long to tell your honours of Cathed Churches the Dens aforesaid of all lovtering lâ—bbeâ—s where M. Deane M Vice-Deane M. Canons or Prebendaries the greater Mr. Pettie Canons or Canons the lesser Mr. Chancellour of the Church M. Treasurer otherwise called Iudas the Pursebearer the chiefe Chaunter Singing men speciall favourers of Religion Squealing Choristers Organ-Players Gospellers Pistelers Pensioners Readers Vergerers c. live in great idlenesse and have their abiding If you would know whence all these came we can easily answer you that they
be excused in some things which they judge to be amisse In the admonition presented to the Parliament An. 1570. thus they professe We have at all â—imes born with that which we have could not amend in this Booke and have used the same in our Ministry so farre forth as we might reverencing those times and those persons in which and by whom it was first authorised Though therefore they write Admonit 1. pag. 9. Park of the Crosse part 1. ca. 3. sect 6. pag. 135. that it was taken out of that Popish dunghill the portius and vile Masse-booke that the Papists sucke no little advantage out of our Commumon-Booke which they terme an English translation out of the Masse-booke and out of the difficulty whereby it came in Parsons of the 3. conversions of England pag. 2. many Protestants themselves adjudging that the stable of popish superstition was not throughly purged out of it that Bristow draws the likenesse of our Service-booke to the countenancing of their Masse-booke Brist motiv 34. Rhem. in Iohn 20. sect 5. And the Rhemists the absolution of the sicke prescribed in our Communion-booke to an approbation of their absolution Auricular confession and Sacrament of pennance Howsoever they disallow the service as it is practised in visitations and injoyned in the late Canons which denieth libertie not onely to omit a ceremony but also to adde alter Park of the Crosse par 2. ca. 5. sect 11. pag. 19. or omit any one word of the whole Liturgie when we affirme the words of the Lords prayer and the forme in Baptisme and the Supper may be altered without fault Though in these things they take exception against the Booke and the manner of urging it yet they never disliked the use of it altogether much lesse condemned it as a false devised and idolatrous worship Their profession and practice from time to time both before and since the Controversies were moved about the Booke speake plainly in this matter Can. Neces of Separat pag. 125. Judge then your selfe whether it be not a notorious calumny in you to write That our stinted service devised by the Bishop and translated from the Masse is affirmed by our owne Writers to be a false and forged worship and that it is even so I appeale to many of your consciences For why doe you loath to use the same in your Families but because you know it is not the incense made by fire from the Altar of the Lord. Is it a small thing thus to slander and reproach the servants of Christ contrary to their writings professions and practices and your owne Conscience And what a vaine surmise is this that because they forbeare to use it in their houses therefore in conscience they know it to be strange incense As if many things might not be forborne which in themselves are lawfull In reading the Scriptures a Christian may use one translation when he doth not condemne others as abhomination I may presume in private you make not use of the Lords prayer and so of some others and yet you would not that another should fit in your conscience and judge that you know it is not the incense made by fire from the Altar of the Lord Or if you be so presumptuous sober and well advised men will admit no such conclusions But here you must remember againe that no methode order or phrase of speech in prayer left undetermined of God can truely be called or esteemed the incense made by fire Prayer it selfe and not the phrase of speech whether devised by another or by our selves is resembled thereby But the whole forme you say of the English-Church-service-Book is borrowed out of the Masse-Book picked and culled out of the Dunghill as the Nonconformists write You adde That not onely the forme but the matter also was taken out of the Masse-Booke It is true the Nonconformists say it was in great part picked and culled out of the Masse-booke but it followeth not thence that either it is or was esteemed by them a devised or false worship for many things conteined in the Masse-booke it selfe are good and holy A Pearle may be found upon a Dunghill we cannot more credit the man of sinne than to say that every thing in the Masse-booke is devilish and Antichristian For then it should be Antichristian to pray unto God in the mediation of Jesus Christ to read the Scriptures to professe many fundamentall divine truths necessary to salvation If any have misliked the Booke because it hath too much likelihood to the Masse-booke that hath not beene the judgement of the Nonconformists alone others have said and written as much who never yet condemned the use of the Booke or all things therein conteined Popery is a scab or leprosie which cleaveth unto the Church It standeth mostly in erroneous faultie grosse and abhominable superstructions upon the true foundation whereby they poyson or overthrow the foundation it selfe But take away the superstructions and the foundation remaineth remove the leprosie and the man is sound Many supernaturall divine truths of God are mixed in the Popish Synagogue as pure gold with much drosse or earth which the refiner is to purge and separate but not to cast away Our service was picked and culled out of the Masse-booke you say and so it might and yet be free from 〈…〉 and tincture from all shew and appearance of evill though the Masse-booke it selfe was fraught with all manner of abhominations For if Antichrist fit in the Temple of God and professe himselfe the servant of Jesus Christ of necessitie some treasures riches and jewels of the Church must be gathered into his den which being collected purged and refined might serve to adorne the chaste spouse of Christ Neither in so doing doth the Church honour Antichrist but challenge her owne right If shee retaine ought that belongeth to Antichrist that is her staine and blemish but the recovery of that which Christ the King and Bridegroome of his Church hath given as her wealth or ornament must not be imputed a fault Christs Religion is not so needie or unperfect of it selfe so needy and beggarly that it must borrow Embring dayes of the Heathen Altars of the Pope William Salisbur in his Battery of the Popes Batter An. 1550. or Vestments of the Jewes But as the Church is plentifully furnished by Christ and needeth supply from none other so it is her part to retaine what is freely and graciously vouchsafed of him If it be wholly taken out of the Masse-booke Bilson Christ Subject part 4. p. 490. Eating and drinking are not essentiall parts of the Sacrament but of the Supper they are or of the Lords institution For Christs institutioÌ„ conteineth as well the use as the matter or forme that must be used A Supper is not onely the meat provided but also the act of eating that which is provided And so the Lords institution implyeth the use and action as well as
doe nothing but reade as that which makes men neglect the preaching of the Word therefore a prescript Liturgie is disliked To appoint or use a prayer conceived or stinted as the Papists doe their Mattens and Evensong for a set service to God howsoever it be uttered ignorantly for custome with lips onely alone or with others in publique or private as if the rehearsall of such words though neither understood nonheard were an acceptable service from l Bils Christ subject part 4. p. 416. Your maine foundation is a dreame of your owne that the Church of Corinth had a prescribed nuÌ„ber of prayers pronounced by some one Chapsaine that said his lessoÌ„ within book and might not goe one line besides his Missale for any good This you imagine was their Church-Service all other prayers Psalmes blessings thankesgivings though they were used openly in the Congregation and the whole people bound to say Amen you will not have to be called Church-service which he must not depart one word for any good is a superstition justly to be condemned Thus to repeate the words of a prayer though never so good and holy is not to pray But this makes nothing against the lawfull holy religions use of a stinted forme of prayer publique or private which is that we plead for And this is all that can be gathered from the Author of the Admonition There needs no great skill to discerne the inconsequence of this manner of arguing which here you use To use a stinted forme as the Papists doe for a set-service is naught though the words be good therefore a stinted or prescribed forme is altogether unlawfull And put case some private or singular person hath spoken roughly in heate and passion of the Booke of Common-prayer or seemed to disallow the stinted use of a publike found of prayer or Liturgie his speech or position delivered as his private conceite and perhaps not rightly apprehended must not be interpreted the principle of the Nonconformists contrary to the tenour of their writing profession and practice much lesse must his words be racked contrary to his meaning as if he condemned all stinted Liturgies as falso deâ—ised and idolatrous worship or did leane unto favour or uphold the practice of separation from the assemblies because such Liturgies are in use among them Howsoever by the grounds of the Nonconformists laid downe in the second section Sect. 3 Can. Neces of Separat pag. 92 93 94 c. to 98. separation must necessarily follow from all communion with them in the worship of their Church-service-booke yet to have the point more fully proved I will here shew that every particular thereof is affirmed of themselves to be idolatrous false Antichristian Touching the Booke we may consider two things First The distinct services thereof Secondly The Ceremonies used in and about the same Wee will speake first of their Ceremonies that is of the Crosse Surplice and Kneeling in the act of receiving the Lords Supper Against these many Treatises have beene purposely written I will here onely observe some of their speeches referring the Reader to their Bookes if he desire more satisfaction c. Voluntary separation from the ordinances of Religion in our assemblies Answer is neither commanded by God nor taught by the Prophets or Apostles It is not approved by the practice of the Saints nor grounded upon the principles of the Nonconformists as hath beene shewed That there be m A disputation against the English-popish c. Epistle to the Reformed Churches In England Ireland every noysom weed which Gods hand never had planted was not pulled up c. Sprint repl to the answ pag. 269. acknowledgeth the reformatioÌ„ of England to have been defective abuses and corruptions in the Booke the Nonconformists doe not deny and therefore in all humilitie they have sought to have them reformed but that they affirme the whole service thereof to be idolatrous false Antichristian that is your impudent slander That many Treatises have been written against the Ceremonies imposed upon the Ministers and people is very true But in the relation which you make out of them these few things must be observed First what is spoken of one Ceremony you apply to all when there is not the same reason of all in the judgement of them that wrote Secondly what they write of the Ceremonies as they are used amongst the Papists that you report as if they understood it of the use of the Ceremonies as they are imposed and injoyned amongst us Thirdly The private opinion of one you alledge as if it was the common principle of the Nonconformists though you doe or might know that generally they are of another mind Fourthly Amongst your chiefest Nonconformists you alledge such as be not English-Nonconformists nor speake of English-Conformitie but that which was lately brought in among themselves whose case doth much differ from ours in their judgement But the further examination of these things is needlesse let us heare how from these principles of the Nonconformists you can conclude the necessitie of Separation From all which Can. Neces of Sepâ—rat pag. 98. this argument may be framed That worship in which a man cannot possibly communicate without sinne he is bound necessarily to separate from But that worship in which these Idolls are made and used viz. the Crosse Surplice and Kneeling a man cannot possibly communicate without sinne Therefore from that worship wherein these Idols are made and used a man is bound necessarily to separate The proposition is certaine and by Doctor Ames in his cases of Conscience acknowledged Although saith n Lib. 4. cap. 24. he we may joyne to that Church in which many defects are to be tolerated yet not to that in which we cannot but necessarily partake in sinne The Assumption is assented unto by as o Parker Crosse lib. 1. pag. 20. 21. judicious and zealous Nonconformists as ever held that cause and they have brought good proofes for it First because men must flie from Idols and Idolothites But when they come to worship God after the order of the Congregation where these things are practised they doe not flie from them but draw neere unto them Secondly Their bare presence argues their approbation and yeelding in shew to Ceremonies Thirdly p Mr. Bates p. 258. Though the personall sinnes of the Minister doe not hurt the people yet his ministeriall and publique sinnes doe hurt which he performes for the people to God and so their joyning with him is unlawfull Fourthly What example can be brought where the holy men of God have communicated with such things The Author of the dispute upon communicating at thier confused Communions affirmes confidently that the sitter is accessary to the sinne of the keeler and he gives many reasons for it whereof wee shall have a fit occasion hereafter to speake Can any man beleeve Answer that the Nonconformists say both parts of your reason are true viz. That a man
our Baptisme which followeth not From Idols essentially men ought to separate by the example of the z 2 Chron. 11.13.10 Levites and the two tribes that made separation from the Calves of Jeroboam From Idols of participation and occasion men ought to keepe their owne selves pure but not to separate by the ensample of the a 2 Reg. 16.21 godly who separated not from the Temple of God for Damascus Altar there and from the b 1 Reg. 22.43 Church because of her high places It is objected once more against us If our signe of the Crosse be an Idoll then our Ministers that doe make it be Idolaters and our Church Idolatrous also This followes not neither For denomination being from the forme and the crosse not being formally an Idoll amongst us but materially I speake in comparison of the Popish Crosse in regard whereof we may be said to use that which is an Idoll but we doe not use it idolatrously therefore as Dr Fulke c Dr. Fulk against Greg. Mart. cap. 3 sect 20. concludes of the Lutherans for having Images in their Churches the same must be said of all those Protestants that will retaine crosses they sinne against the two first Commandements through Idolothisme not directly through Idolatry and therefore they may not be tearmed Idolaters Howbeit by way of reduction Idolothisme is in some sort guilty of Idolatry as sheweth the d 1 Cor. 10.34 Apostle who in stead of saying Flie from Idolothisme saith Flie from Idolatry This Idolatry by reduction what is it els but Idolatry by participation as doth appeare by the 18.20 and 24. verses following But this participation is not in our Crosse will our opposits say who first least haply they should mistake us we desire to recount the ancient e Pet. Martyr in 1 Cor. 10.16 distinction Plus est communio quà m participatio nam ad hanc satis est partem habere sed ad illam requiritur ut prorsus uniamur atque totum percipiamus quod nobis proponitur This being premised that wee charge the Crosse not with a totall communion but with a f Things ordained by God must have reverence though they be but creatures as things that be sacred by the word ordinance of God But adoration they must not have Aug. de doct Christ lib. 3. cap. 9. Qui veneratur utile signum divinitus institutum cujus vim significationemque intelligit non hoc veneratur quod videtur sed illud potius quo talia cuncta referenda sunt But Images are signes unprofitable to serve God with and dangerous And since the Law of God expresly and strictly chargeth us not so much as to bow our bodies or knees to the likenesse of any thing in Heaven or Earth which is made with hands it can neither be Christian nor catholique to doe it See Bilson Christ subject part pag. 391. 534. Theodoret. Dial. 2. useth the word Adoration for an externall regard and reverence Veneration is a word that Augustine foundeth all the signes sacraments of the old and new Testament Adoration he reserveth to God onely Aug. de docr Christ lib. 3. cap. 9. participation in part onely we doe thus bring in our evidence against him Thus Mr Parker Now consider how many wayes you falsifie his testimony and whether you did it willingly or no let your conscience judge Mr Parker saith The Crosse is an Idoll materially but not formally that is amongst the Papists it is an Idoll essentially and so the use of the Crosse is the use of that which is an Idoll but not used idolatrously amongst us You make him to say because we must flie from Idols therefore wee cannot communicate in the worship of God where the Crosse is used without sinne He saith Men must keepe themselves pure from Idolothites and not partake in the use of them but not separate from the Church or ordinances of grace because such rites or ceremonies are used in the administration you cleane contrary make him to say That men cannot communicate in the ordinances or worship God in that societie where such things are practised but of necessitie they must communicate in the sinne He teacheth That he that useth the Idolothite or materiall Idoll is not an Idolater because he doth not use it idolatrously but you make the Nonconformists to say that it is an idolatrous worship and that it defileth the true worship of God to all that are present Mr Parker extendeth the guilt of participation in part onely to him that useth the Idolothite you make him to affirme that every one present at the worship doth communicate in his offence Perhaps you will say it is your inference upon his words But the consequence is absurd and sencelesse And to charge men to affirme directly as a principle what you would inferre contrary to their expresse words is far from honest and plaine dealing Secondly You produce Mr Bates saying That bare presence argues approbation or yeelding in shew to Ceremonies I cannot say you deale with Mr Bates as you have done by Mr Parker and others for I have not seene his Booke But if any such passage be found in him it is his private opinion not the judgement of the most learned and zealous Inconformists It is a bare assertion not confirmed by Scripture or backed with reason as is meete and convenient when it is the maine thing in question and might easily be opposed by the testimonies of Scripture approved practice of the Saints in all ages of the Church the judgement of the godly learned sound reason and the consent of all States that ever upheld or maintained Christian Religion If bare presence be approbation I desire to know how you can reconcile your selfe to your selfe When Dr Ames alledgeth that every Church is not to be left which hath something in it by participation Idolatrous g Can. Neces of Separat pa. 114 115. You answer I know no man holds the contrary therefore I cannot tell for what end he speakes it much lesse why he puts a schismaticall conceit upon the Rej whose words if they be well rectified have substance and weight in them But if bare presence be approbation how can we hold communion with that Church wherein any thing is left which is by participation idolatrous when this is that which the Nonconformists impute to the Crosse among us that it is by participation idolatrous in them that use it And if the reason following be well weighed though in it selfe it hath neither weight nor substance it will over-weigh this For if bare presence be approbation why should not the personall sinnes of the Minister hurt the people or why are they not guilty of his personall sinnes by participation when they communicate with him in the worship of God where they are practiced as in prayer preaching administration of the Sacraments reading the Scriptures c. Presence in the Idoll-Temple at Idoll-worship is sinfull though in
5. ca. 21. weighed and not numbred and that the errours of all these sorts are in specie much more dangerous and pernicious though not so many If you can prove any one errour in specie hereticall to be taught in those Bookes according to the true meaning and intent of the Bookes then I will consent unto you that he which administers in all things according unto them is not a true Minister of Jesus Christ But if that cannot be done and I presume you will hardly be drawne to attempt it in all your raging termes and reproachfull taunts cast upon our worship Church and Ministery you doe but foame out your owne shame The true Ministers of Christ may erre in many things else it will hardly be found that there is any true Minister and therefore to prove a Minister to be a false Prophet it sufficeth not to say he s Cypr. li. 2. Ep. 3. If any of our predecessors either ignotantly or simply did not observe keepe that which the Lord by his example and authoritie willed his simplicitie may be pardoned by the goodnesse of God Aug. Ep. 48. This blemish in his most beautifull breast hee covered with the teares of charitie August de Baptis l. 4. cap. 5. Ignosci potest simpliciter erranti erreth in many things but wee must shew the errours for qualitie to be such as cannot be in a true or lawfull Prophet of the Lord And here I would aske you this one Question Whether there was any true Ministery in the Christian Churches within the space of the fourth fift or fixt ages after Christ If not what is then become of the promises of God made to the Churches of the New Testament If yes whether was not their course of administration polluted with as many or more dangerous errours than can truely be named in all the Bookes forementioned And so expecting your resolution of this one demand I proceed to your third ground of Separation drawne as you say from the Nonconformists Principles CHAP. III. SECT I. IF the publique Assemblies of England have not the power of the censures Can. Neces of Separat p. 149 150. and excommunication but stand under a government which came wholly and every part from the Devill and Antichrist then is their condition naught then are they false and Antichristian Churches The reason is because this power is of absolute necessitie for the Churches of Christ an essentiall propertie thereof and serve not onely for their well-being but the being it selfe for without this there can be no coupling of the parts and members together And so much t De consc lib. 4. cap. 24. pag. 214. Dr Ames testifieth Now the Assemblies of England were not gathered by any such power but in their first constitution wanted the same and had this false power which is exercised at this day as the Nonconformists doe acknowledge Our arguments which we have used in this point have been to this effect Every true visible Church hath a power immediately under Christ to execute Church-government But the publique Congregations of England have not any such power under Christ to execute Church-government Therefore they are not true visible Churches What they will say to this I know not but hitherto they have been silent or answered to no purpose in the world For it is usually their manner to tell us how the Churches in Corinth Pergamus Thyatira c. neglected to execute discipline as though there were no difference betwixt omitting to administer the ordinance and the want wholly of it yea and to have an Antichristian and devilish in the roome of it ANSVVER YOu undertooke to prove the necessitie of Separation from the Nonconformists Principles But here you reject their Principles with disdaine and build your responsive conclusions as you call them upon your own foundation which you know doth not accord with their Principles The Nonconformists hold discipline necessary to the well-being of a Church the safety of Religion the preservation of Gods ordinances from contempt They compare it to the u Bilson perpet ch gov ca. 1. Since the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citie of the living GOD and the kingdome of his welbeloved Sonne Shall we thinke that God is carefull for others carelesse for his own or that confusion ought to be lesse doubted and feared in heavenly than in earthly things wall of a Citie hedge of a Vineyard fence of a Garden and bounds of an Orchard but never said it to be of absolute w Jewel Serm. on Iosh 6.1 2 3. Discipline is so needfull that neither without it shall ye be able thoroughly to discomfort those that seeke to build up Jericho c. necessitie that there could be no Citie Vineyard Garden or Orchard without it But this in your judgement is broken-stuffe not worthy any answer For where doe they read say x Can. Neces of Separat pag. 151. you in Scripture that this power which Christ hath given to his Church is compared to a wall or hedge c. But rather it may be likened to the power of the body which receiveth food and thereby excrements are purged and avoided the want whereof were in nature prodigious neither could the body possibly subsist and live In the same page you take up Dr Laiton roundly after your manner for saying that the y Cypr. lib. 1. ep 10. Concil Carthag 3. ca. 35. Gratian. decr p. 3. dist 2. cap. 95 96. Bils Christ subject part 2. pa. 335. I do not mislike that malefactors of all kinds not only drūkards railers perjurers adulterers usurers and such like but also theeves robbers ravishers murderers plagiaries incendiaries traytors and all other hainous offenders when their lives be spared by Princes should be driven to earnest and open repentance before they be received into the Church or admitted to the divine mysteries yea rather I thinke it very needfull in a Christian Common-wealth that God be pleased and the Church preserved from all communion with these monstrous impieties c. want of an integrall part of the whole is no sufficient ground of Separation He speakes you say as a man most ignorant of the nature of Church-power for were he able truly to define it he should see that it is of such necessitie as a people cannot constitute themselves in the right order of the Gospell without it as we have before expressed Expressed it may be but not proved by Scripture or reason drawne from Scripture How palpably you abuse Dr Ames testimony is shewed before and it makes as plainly against your reason as a thing can be spoken But that is broken-stuffe which pleaseth you not and he is ignorant that applauds not your dictates To be taunted and reviled is answer sufficient to be given to us simple poore ignorants who know not truely to define what Church-power is But whether this stuffe be broken or the Nonconformists ignorant what Church-power is or
this the Norâ—â—â—formists doe both teach and practice and therefore they have humbly sued for reformation but never either practised or approved your separation That which you cite out of the Harmony of confessions as if the reformed Churches did allow or teach what you practice I will set downe and leave it to every man to judge of your fidelitie The Church k Gallic confest art 26. None but Princes can give freedome and protectioÌ„ to these spirituall functions and actions Bilson Christian part 2. pag. 309. Gallican saith thus Credimus igitur nemiâ—â—â— licerâ— sese catibus subducerâ— in seipso aequiescere sed patius 〈◊〉 sâ—â—â—il tuendam conservandam esse Ecclesiae unitatem sese communi institutioni jugo Christi subijciendo ubjcunque Deus verâ—â—n illam disaiplinam Ecclesiastioâ—n constistuerit etiamsi Magistratuum edicta reclament à quo oxdiâ—â— quicubque seipsos seiâ—â—gunt ordinationi Dei resistant Psal 5. 42. Ephes 4.11 Act. 4.19 5.29 Heb. 10.25 And the l Belgic confessart 28. Without the helpe of Princes though the faith and Canons of Christs Church may bee privately professed and observed of such as be willing yet can they not be generally planted or setled in any kingdome nor urged by publique Lawes externall punishments on such as refuse but by their coÌ„sents that beare the sword Bils ibid. pag. 327. Id. part 3. pag. 296. If you will have the assistance of the Magistrates sword to settle the truth and prohibites errour and by wholesome punishments to prevent the disorder of all degrees that authoritie lieth onely in the Prince Belgick thus Credimus qued cum sacer hic caetus congregatio sit corum qui servari debent salus nulla sit extra eam neminem cujuscunque dignitatis aut nominiâ— is fuerit sese ab ea-subducere aut segregari debere ut sua tantuâ— consuâ—tudine contentus solus ac separatim vivat Sed conâ—â—a â—â—â—es as singulos teneri huic caetui se adjungere Ecclesiae unitatem sollicitè conservare seque illius tum doctrinae tum disciplinae subjicere collum denique Christi jugo sponte submittere tanquanâ— communia ejusdem corporis membra adificationi fratrum inservire prout Deus unicuique sua dona fuerit largitus Porro ut haee melius observentur omnium fidelium partes sunt sese juxta Dei verbum ab eis omnibus disjungere qui sunt extra ecclesiam constituti huicque fidelium caetui ac congregationi sese adjungere ubicunque illam Deus constituerit et si id contraria principum vel Magistratuum edicta prohibeant indicta etiam in eos capitis mortis corporcae poenâ qui id fecerint Quicunque igitur à vera illa Ecclesia recedunt aut sese illi aggregare recusant apertè Dei mandato repugnant Thus the Conclusion CHAP. IV. SECT I. ALL true visible Churches gathered and planted according to Gods Word Can. Neces of Separat pag. 173. consisted in their constitution of Saints onely But the Churches of England after Popery were not so constituted For the greatest number of them were 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 There is never a part of this argument they can deny unlesse they will let fall their owne principles For the Assumption 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 beene affirmed and still is upon all occasions both in word and writing Now that the proposition may appeare as true also I will prove the same first by Scriptures secondly by reason thirdly by the testimonies of the learned ANSVVER IF both parts of this Argument be Nonconformists principles why doe you labour to prove the proposition true more than the assumption If it had been a confessed principle why doe you not fight against them with their own weapons as you pretend to doe throughout your Booke He is very dull that doth not smell somewhat herein But if it so please you The proposition is the Nonconformists and it is not For if this be the meaning thereof That all true Churches should consist of visible Saints not onely in their first gathering planting and constitution but also in their after continuance and propagations the Nonconformists doe acknowledge it for when sinne and wickednesse springeth or groweth in the Church the ordinance of God is violated But if this be the meaning That the societie which consisteth not of Saints onely is not the true Church of Jesus Christ that the Nonconformists utterly deny Also it is one thing to say The m Hieron Prefar lib. 2. in Epist ad Galat. Rursus facilitatis superbiae arguunturs Id. ad princ Marcelle Epitaph Difficile est in maledicâ civitate non aliquaÌ„ sinistri rumoris fabulam contrabere Id. in Praefat. in lib. Dydimini Sp. Sa. Cum Babylone versarer purpuratae meritricis essem colonâ— c. Church is not planted and gathered in all things according to Gods Word another to say it is no Church at all which is not planted and gathered in all things agreeable to the Word of God If then the meaning of the proposition be this That all true Churches planted and gathered according to Gods Word consisted of Saints onely because the ordinance of God is violated and his house polluted 〈◊〉 notorious offenders are received or tolerated the Noâ—conformists will acknowledge it But if you understand it thus That it is no true Church at all which consisteth not of Saints onely because it is not gathered planted constituted reformed in all things agreeable to the Word of God they never received it If you could not discerne this in their writings you were very blinde and partiall If you did discerne it and yet would passe it over that you might with some colour traduce them as going contrary to their owne principles or beguile others with an aequivocation where was your sincerity The Nonconformists will not deny but some things in the gathering and planting or rather the refining and government of the Church of England was and is done amisse not agreeable to the Word of God which they heartily desire and labour might be reformed but for things done amisse they dare not condemne the Church deny the grace of God separate from her communion or approve them that doe it It may be questioned also whether you dare not put a tricke upon your Reader in the phrase gathered and planted as if a church in continuance might consist of such as are not Saintâ— but if it be not gathered of such onely at the first it is no Church If this be your close intendment the proposition is farre from truth the minde of the Nonconformists and the matter in hand for in the reformation a new
to renounce the world the flesh and the Devill they were baptized Justine sometime an Heathen Philosopher but after a famous Martyr of Christ in his second Apologie for Christians reporteth That if any Heathen man desired to be received into the fellowship of the Church he was first r Concil Agathens ca. 25. Iudaei quoruÌ„ perfidia frequenter ad vomitum redit si ad legem catholicaÌ„ venire voluerint octo meÌ„ses inter catechumenos Ecclesiae limen introeant si pura fide no scuntur venire tum demum c. Socrat. lib. 7. hist cap. 30. Hieron ad Pammach Tert. de Baptism Tert. de praescript ca 14. in apolog ca. 47. Ruff. in symbol Math. 28.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil cont Eunom l. 3. Our Baptisme is according to the tradition of the Lord In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost catechised in the principles of Religion then hearing further the word of God as it were the Conditions of the Covenant of grace afterwards came into the face of the Congregation and confessed that he did beleeve and promised that he would obey the word of God whereupon he was baptized and received into the fellowship of the Church And that this order might be the better observed the Church appointed certain times and in some places a longer space at other times and in other places a shorter time for catechising of Heathen before they were baptized Socrates writeth that when the Burgonians desired to be initiated into the number of Christian people after they had been catechised seven dayes they were baptized the eighth Hierome saith the custome in his dayes was to catechize them fortie dayes and then to baptize them Tertullian witnesseth that there were two times in the yeare Easter and Whitsontide especially appointed by the Church for Baptisme and strangers from the Covenant were instructed in the principles of Religion all the rest of the yeare against these two times The profession at first required of all that were received to Baptisme was that they beleeved in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost The Creede is honoured of the Ancients with glorious titles as the rule of faith the Summe of faith the body of faith the perswasion of faith But by the Creede they understand the Rule of truth and law of faith and institution of Christ which was then given when he was about to ascend into heaven and commanded his Disciples saying Goe and teach all Nations Baptising them into the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Regulam fidei per Baptismum accipimus Iren. lib. 1. cap. 2. Per ipsam Baptismi traditionem habemus confessionem Basil despir fanct cap. 10. Regula quidem fidei una omnino est sola immobilis irreformabilis Socrat. Hist lib. 1. ca. 5. Niceph. lib. 8. ca. 17. Hist Trip. lib. 2. ca. 9. credendi sc in unicum Deum omnipotentem mundi conditores filium ejus Jesum c. Tertul. de veland virgin The expositions of the Creede which are found in the ancient Fathers Martial Ignatius Justine Jreneus Tertullian Origen de rect fid dialog princ Novatian lib. de Trin. 3. and others of that age goe not beyond the Trinitie within which bounds the Nicene Creede is terminated as it is set downe in History Arius and Euzonius conclude their confession of faith thus Socrat. Hist lib. 2. cap. 7. lib. 1. cap. 19. Sicut Dominus noster cùm Discipules suos ad praedicandum mitteret c. This faith we received from the Gospel the Lord himselfe saying to his Disciples Goe teach all Nations c. Erasm ad censur facult Theolog. Parisien tit 11. Erasmus sheweth how the Creed was encreased by the addition of divers Articles against the heresies that did arise and though for substance it was the very same every where yet in some places it received more enlargement then in others The westerne Churches herein applyed themselves to the capacities of the meaner soâ—t more than the Easterne did using in their Baptisme that shorter forme of confession commonly called the Apostles Creed which in more ancient times was briefer also than now it is as we may easily perceive by comparing the symboll recited by Marcellus Anciranus in the profession of the faith Apud Epiphan in haeres 72. which he delivered to Pope Julius with the expositions of the Apostles Creed written by the Latine Doctors Wherein the mention of the Fathers being maker of heaven and earth the Sonnes death and descending into hell and the communion of Saints is wholly omitted The Creede which the Easterne Churches used in Baptisme was larger than this being either the same Euseb epist apud Socrat. lib 1. ca. 5. et 8. Theodor. lib. 8. ca. 12. or very little different from that which we commonly call the Nicene Creede because the greatest part of it was repeated and confirmed in the first generall councell held at Nice where the first draught thereof was presented to the Synod by Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea with this Preamble As we have received from the Bishops that were before us both at our first catechising and when we received Baptisme and as we have learned from the holy Scriptures and as we have both beleeved and taught when we entred into the Ministery and in our Bishopricke it selfe So beleeving at this present also we declare this our faith unto you To this the Nicene Fathers added a more cleare explication of the deitie of the Sonne against the Arrian Heresie wherewith the Church was troubled professing him to be begotten not made Concil Constan ap Theoder lib. 5. c. 9. and to be of one substance with the Father The second generall Councell which was assembled fifty-six yeares after at Constantinople approving this confession of the faith as most ancient and agreeable to Baptisme enlarged it somewhat in the Article that concerned the Holy Ghost especially which at that time was most oppugned by the Macedonian Heretiques Epipha in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 518. edit Gr. Cassian de incarn verb. lib. 5. And whereas the Nicene confession proceeded no further than to the beliefe which we have in the Holy Trinitie the Fathers of the Constantinople made it up by adding that which was commonly professed touching the catholique Church and the priviledges belonging thereunto Epiphanius repeating this Creede at large affirmeth it to have been delivered unto the Church by the Apostles Cassianus avoucheth as much where he urgeth this against Nestorius as the Creed anciently received in the Church of Antioch from whence he came The Romane Church after the dayes of Charles the Great added the Article of the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne unto this Symboll In the s See Bellarm. li. 4. de verbo Dei c. 11. Quaedam in doctrina Christiana tam fidei quam morum sunt simpliciter omnibus necessaria ad salutem qualis est notitia articulorum Symboli
Apostolici item cogniti◠decem praeceptorum c. Symboll which Cyprian expoundeth there is added The resurrection of this flesh because of the Originists who professed we should rise againe not with these but with other bodies For things to be beleeved this was the acknowledgement which the Church required of them that were to be received into the Congregation of Christs flocke And for the practicall part or things to be done shee required of them an t Clement constit lib. 8. ca. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abrenunciation of the Devill the world and the flesh with all their sinfull workes and lusts which being solemnly-done they were then baptised into this faith The meanes whereby men were brought to the knowledge of Christ were divers Some were wonne by the preaching of the Word others by private teaching conference admonition the constancy of the Saints in suffering and the fame and report of the great things which the Lord was pleased to worke by his people as Rahab was converted by the fame of the great things which the Lord had wrought for Israell Thus the Countrey of the u Secrat hist lib. 1. cap. 16. lat Gr. cap. 20. Theodor. lib. 1. cap. 24. Sozom. hist lib. 2. cap. 6. Sozom. hist lib. 1. cap. 7. Iberians was converted by a captive woman who after shee had instructed the King and the Queene they both became Teachers of the Gospell to the people Theridates is reported to be called to the Christian Religion by a w Sozom. li. 1. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wonderfull and divine vision which appeared about his house and by his Edict he commanded all his Subjects that they should addict themselves to the faith of Christ The Persians were brought to the faith by the conference which they had with the Oswenians and Armenians Origen when yet he was not allowed for a Minister by the Church did by the blessing of God turne many to the faith who gave testimony thereunto by the losse of their lives He preached also publikely by the consent of the Church-Governours when he was not made Minister which x Euseb hist lib. 6. cap. 4. Alexander Bishop of Hierusalem and Theoctistus Bishop of Cesarea defend against Demetrius by the like examples of Eusebius Paulinus and Theodorus and as they adde it is likely the same was done in other places y Euseb hist lib. 6. ca. 20. Gr. 3. lat See Whitaker advers Staplet Duplic lib. 1. cap. 7. pag. 100. ca 9. pag. 139 ca. 11 pag. 176 177. Fulk answ to the Rh in Rom. 10 15. Wotton tryall of the Church See Socrat hist l. 5. cap. 10. Theodor. l. 5 ca. 16. Socrat. hist lib. 1. ca. 15. lat ca. 19. Gr. Hence we may perceive whom the Church both in the first planting and reforming of Religion judged to be Saints who were to be received into societie wherein we are further to note If ought were done amisse in this or that particular circumstance it did not nullifie the worke or reformation Now to apply this to the state of the Brittish Churches both in their first plantation continuance after and that reformation which was made by King Edward first and after by Queen Elizabeth and so is continued Some z Camden Britan. pag. 47. edit Lond. An. 1607. Fr. Godwin de conv Britan ca. 3. pag. 23. Vsser de prim Eccl. Brit. ca. 1. Gildas learned men are of opinion that the Druides did instruct the Britaines in the knowledge and worship of one God but it is more probable they lay drowned in the dayes of ignorance as other Nations in the most miserable and fearfull idolatry of serving and worshipping many and strange gods But when the light of the Gospel began to shine unto the world of the Gentiles it pleased God of his free and boundlesse mercy and compassion to looke upon this a Origen in Ezek. Hom. 4. Hieron ad Heliodor ep 3. Gildas Vsser de prim cap. 16. pag. 740. Theodor. lib. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb hist l. 2. ca. 2 3. Vsser de prim ca. 2. pag. 20. ca. 16. pag. 740 741. viz. Vsser de prim Eccl. Britan. ca. 1 2 3. Iland and to send unto us the word of reconciliation which was received brought forth fruit grew and encreased untill at length it filled the Land Which of the Apostles first preached the Gospell among us is uncertaine but that from the springing forth of the light the faith of Christ was received is a thing generally acknowledged Of the yeare when King Lucius received the faith of Christ and was baptized there is great diversitie among Historians but in the thing it selfe they all b Ep. eleuther ad Lutium inter léges Edward cap. 17. Euseb hist l. 4. c. 7. Lat. 5. Gr. Ruffin Eccl. hist l. 4. cap. 8. Gildas Bedae hist l. 7. c. 4. Orig. in Ezek hom 4. in Luc. cap. 1. hom 6. Tertul. lib. advers Iudae ca. 7. Gildas scriptor antiquissimus Reges Dei vicarij Vsser de prim ca. 6. p. 104. cap 7. pag. 143 144 c. agree in the times of Hadrian and Antoninus Emperours the Christian faith received mighty encrease as in the rest of the world so in Brittaine and amongst some remained intire and undefiled untill the persecution of Dioclesian which persecution burned furiously for the space of ten yeares in many Provinces but in Britaine it continued onely one yeare For Constantius Chlorus being declared Augustus c Euseb de vita Constan l. 1 c. 12. 9. restored peace to Christians in the Province of his Dominions scil Spaine France and Britaine After the death of Constantius d Euseb hist lib. 8. c. 29. Gr. Ruffin 29 Sozom. l. 1. c. 6. Constantine his Son borne in England and present with his Father at Yorke when he dyed was made Emperour in whose time and reigne persecution ceased peace was generally given to the Church e Euseb hist. lib. 10. ca. 2. lib 40. cap. 5. f. Temples built which before had been made equall with the ground and the profession of Christian faith restored Under Constantine two great Councells were called The first at f Tom. 1. Concil Gall. edit Paris An. 1629. Arles in France An. 314. to take knowledge of the cause of the Donatists where were present out of our Britaine Eborius Bishop of Yorke Euseb de vita Cōstant lib. 3. ca. 18. Socrat. l. 1. cap. 6. lib. 5. cap. 21. Theodor. l. 1. ca. 10. Restitutus Bishop of London Adelphius Bishop of Colchester and Arminius Diaconus Presbyter The second was the Nicene Councell in Bythinia An. 325 against Arius where the Britaines also were assembled And though in the Councell of Ariminum in Italy under Constantius where Bishops out of Britaine were assembled with others it was concluded for Arius yet Britaine was preserved safe from the
said of Paul that he taught Apostasie from the Law the meaning is not that he had revolted to the Gentiles or denyed the Messias or the Law or the Prophets but that under pretence of the Messias he had polluted the purity of the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets This Apostasie then was small in beginning encreased in time Acts 21.21 Non statim desilitur a bonis initiis ad malum finem sed per gradus pedetentim descenditur P. Ramus Epist. ad Carolum Lotharing an 1570. De quindecim a Christo seculis primum vereesse aureum reliqua quò longius abscederent esse nequiora atque deteriora Vsser de siccess ca. 1. S. 8. Jam inde a principio Mysterium iniquitatis peragi caeperit ut mirandum non sit si seculie subsequentibus nonnulla dectrinae pontificiae zizania sensim sine sensu succreverint a veteribus illis aliud praesertim agentibus minus animadversa Euseb Hist l. 3. cap. 32. lib. 4. cap. 22. Edit Graec. Niceph. Hist l. 4. ca. 1. Neque corum qui praecesserunt virtutem assecutos neque ita simplicers ut magistri eorum orationem consecutos esse and grew greater and greater not perceived at first not opposed by godly men it possessed the successors of holy Teachers themselves This corruption of the faith was so brought in by degrees that the most vigilant could scarce discerne it when it was first sowed The successors of Godly men received it and the godly themselves for a great while groaned under it for it was a clandestine Conspiracy and opposition of the faith not directly but obliquely not in expresse tearmes but by consequences So that of the first fifteene ages of the Church of the New Testament that cannot be denyed which Carolus Lotharingus the Cardinall uttered in Porsiacâ responsione That the first was golden but the rest the further they departed the worse and more corrupt they were Whiles the Apostles lived the Church remained a Virgin pure and uncorrupt but within the three first ages from the rising of the Gospell her health was crased by errors in doctrine superstitious abuses crept into the worship of God breach of comely order in Government and offences in life whereof we finde the Pastors to make large complaint It cannot be denyed but that they that succeeded the Apostles did excell in Piety and Godlinesse but withall it is most certaine they did neither attaine the vertue of them that went before them nor teach so purely and truely as their masters and instructors as Nicephorus observeth And what is said of Honâ—er in another matter is not unfitly applyed to this purpose few Children are like to their Parents The liberty of mans will and dignity of workes was too much advanced Many thought the soules of the just should not see God untill the day of judgement The Sacrament of the Supper was ministred to infants which abuse is reformed by the Church of Rome her selfe They dipped the Sacramentall bread into the Wine sometimes and so administred them together Clem. Alex. strom lib. 1. T. C. repl 1 pag. 74. Maldonat in Io. 6 Cypr. de laps Iustin. Mart. apolog 2. Gyp lib. 2. ep 3 ad Caecilium or ep 63. epist 48. Hieron in Mar. cap. 14. Polydor. de inveator rer lab 5. cap. 91. Iust Mart. qu. 155. Basil de Spir. Sanct. Of the controversie about the Feast Easter See Eusch lib. 5. cap. 23. Sozom. l. l. 7. cap. 15. Socrat. l. 5. cap. 22. Altars brought into the Church by Sixtus the second about 265.86 Sewide Apol. art 3. div 26. Tho. Beacon 3. vol. Sup. print Lond. 1562. Which others thinke came into the Church about the yeare 590. They carryed it home with them and laid it up in Chests to be received privately Wine was mixed with water in the administration of the Sacrament of the Supper Deacons preached Women Baptized Baptisme was stained with superstitious rites and Ceremonies in daily use many rites and Customes practised which had no ground in the Word of God and sundry things observed as Apostolicall which were directly contrary to the Apostles Doctrine or example Within two hundred yeares after Christ there was crept into the Church many idle Ceremonies and the simplicity of Christs Ordinances refused Each man as he had either credit or authority presumed of himselfe to adde somewhat to Christs institution and the flesh delighting in her own devices Tertul. de Coron Milit. delivered the same with a strait charge as if Christ Himselfe had taken order for it In Tertullians time we may find many strange inventions taken up in Baptisme Three dippings in the Water Tasting Milke and Hony Abstaining from all other washing for a seven night after Cyp ep 72. ad Bonifacium Cyp ep 34 Cyp. de laps S. 4. Euseb Hist l. 8. c. 1 In Cyprians time there was consecration of water and such estimation of oyle that no man was thought to bee a Christian that was baptised without it of the memorials of Martyrs and what blemishes appeared in the conversation of Christians who list may read in Cyprian and others Sabel Enead 7. l. 4. Nuda fuit abinitio anmis ceremoniarum ratio plus pietatis babens quam apparatus Osiand Hist Eccles cent 3. l. 3. cap. 11 Paulatim cerem niae auctae sunt hominum superstitiosorum â—pinionibuaâ— In the three ages following though the doctrine of salvation and substance of Gods Worship was maintained in all fundamentall points and the Omnipotency of the Pope was not knowne nor Images worshipped the Scripture was read and Prayers made in a knowne tongue the Sacrament of the Supper was administred to the People in both kindes men women and Children had free liberty to read the holy Scriptures the Sacrament was not adored nor the doctrin of Transubstantiation heard of Neverthelesse manifest seeds of Antichristianisme were sowed and began to appeare in some strength The state of the Church was lamentable the corruptions many and great both in respect of doctrine worship government and holinesse of conversation Magdeburg cent 4. cap. 6. col 440. Subiâ—de magis magisque traditiones humanae cumulatae sunt Per. in Rom. sec 106. Aug. Enchiridâ—aâ— 110. Chrys tom 4. ad pop 66. in 1 Cor. 16. hom 43. Cham. panstâ—â— tom 2 lib. 20. c. 5. sec 19. Whitak de Pontif. Rom Praef. ad auditores sec 5. Brâ—ghtm a poc c. 4. 7. 12 6 13 15. Socrat. hist. 7. c. 11. About the year 430 the Romane and Alexandrian Bishops left the sacred function degenerated into secular rule Euscb de vila Constant l. 4. c. 40 43. Socrat. l. 1. c. 8 22 l. 4. c. 18. Arnob. advers Gent. l. 8. Origen cont Cetâ—â— l. 7. Conc. Elib c. 36. Calfeh against Mart. Pref. to the reader Chamier paâ—str t. 2 l. â—6 c. 7 sic 6. Bils Christ. part 14. pag 351 c. Gregor l 7. cp 5 3 ad Secund.