the people These and any other faults escaped in the printing I pray thee gentle Reader correct with thy yen A letter sent by M r. H. a Minister to M ris N. a Gentlewoman imprisoned for this that in the worship of God she wold not partake with the publick ministery of these assemblyes THE ENTRANCE OF THE LETTER Section 1. GIve me leav to apply that to you vvhom I take to be a Sister and vvhose vvelfare in the Lord I hartely desier vvhich the Apostle vvriteth to the Brethren Iam. 1. 19. Let every man be swift to heare slow to speak and slow to wrath 20. For the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God 21. Wherefore lay aside all filthynes and superfluity of maliciousnes and receyv with meeknes the word which is grafted â—â—porâ— which is able to save your soules Tvvo faults there be that are vvoâ—nt to make good counsell and advise fruitles and vnprofitable to high a concey of ourselues and to base a conceyt of them that give vs advise Of yourself I besech you iudge thus you are but a private member in Gods Church you are also a vvoman and therefore it is no disgrace to you if your knovvledg be vnperfect and your judgment vveak especially in such controversyes as these that are betvvixt us And as for them that have turned you out of the vvay vvherein once you vvalâ—â—ed vvith us and vnto vvhose guydance you stll gladly commit your self examine I beâ—ech you not vvho they be but vvhat they say Haue not the faith of our gloriâ—s Lord Iesus Christ in respeckt of persons Iam. 2. Let not their zeale and detestation of all corruptions that are amoâ—gst us not theyr vvillingnes to endure trouble fortheyr conscience deceyv you considering that not the example of any godly man but the written word of God onely is to be the rule of one life and religion Of me if you can not esteem as of a Minister of Christ yet let me entreat you to conceyv thus of me If in these matters I erre I erre of ignorance I erre neyther of malice nor of covetousnes not of feare of trouble Glad vvould I be to learne of you or of any much inferior to you that could make knovven my error unto me and direct me into a better vvay That vvhich I shall sett dovvn in aunsvver to the vvriting you gaue me procedeth not from an hearâ— desirous to deceyve you or to darken and obscure the knovven truth or to plead for any knovven corruption in my self or others For alas vvhat should I gayne by seducing or deceyving you or vvhat shold move me to put out the lightâ— that shineth in myne ovvn conscience but as of syncerity but as of God in the sight of God so vvrite I of these things And as I haue made manifest 〈◊〉 affection herein vnto God so do I hartely desier that I may make it manifest vnto your conscieÌ„ce VVherefore lay apart pride and all high conceit of your ovvn knovvledg lay apart vvrath and malice vvhich you haue conceyved eyther against our vvhole Church or against men of my calling or against myself in particular And seing nothing shalbe brought to persvvade you but the vvordvvhich is grafted in you vvhich is able to save your soule reâ—eyâ— it vvith meeknes I besech you Consider vvhat I say and the Lord give you vnderstanding in all things 2. Tim. 2. 7. Another letter written in answer of the former and directed to the same party that it was SECTION 1. Grace and peace be with you in Iesus Christ I haue receyued and read the letter sent vnto you by Mr. H. as I vnderstand which you and others entreat me to aunswer Very vnwilling I am herevnto in divers respects And were it not for the truths sake which is called into question I should not by any meanes be drawen to write agaynst any least off all against him who I vnderstood wrote this letter vnto you For howsoeuer in these controversies of religion we do in iudgment or practise differ one from another yet for the knowledg I haue of him and the good gifts God hath given him I do and shall alway love him in the Lord. Yet notwithstanding seyng by this letter the truth of Christ is obscured and oppugned seing also by this meanes you and others might be seduced into errour and fall from your own stedfastnes I durst not in this case be wanting eyther to the defence off Christs truth or to the strengthning off you and others thereyn to the uttermost off my power Specially vnderstanding that divers copyes of this letter are spread abroad to the hurt of many and being also earnestly requested to aunswer it not by you onely but by divers others whom in this case I could not well deny Besides that myne own present estate doth not a litle vrge me hereunto for the clearing of my self who for this truth have now a long tyme suffred trouble as an evill doer euen vnto bonds But the word of God is not bound For these causes haue I ben drawen to answer this writing hoping that the truth will manifest and approue it self in the conscience of every godly one And of Mr. H. who wrote this letter I haue this hope more specially for the good things I know to be in him howsoever he have ben overtaken thus to write against the truth as my self also hertofore in ignorance have ben an adversary vnto it But God had mercy on me as I trust he will also on him and many other yet otherwise mynded To God the Father of mercyes be prayse for ever In this hope I will nou proceed by the helpe of God to make aunswer to this letter And first to the entrance of it then to the rest thereof Concernig the entrance of it these few things onely will I note First that if Mr. H. had duly considered and compared with theyr estate the words off the Apostle here alledged by him self together with the next immediately following in this place where it is further said And be ye doers of the word and not heates onely deceyving your own selues He would I hope neyther have condemned the innocent even you for your obedience of Christ and his word neyther haue suffred his pen by misalledging the Scripture thus to labor your with drawing from the obedience of faith But he would rather haue seen and acknowledged that in theyr Church estate compared with the ordinance of Christ they neyther are doers of the word but deceyvers of themselues neyther do themselues lay aside the filthynes aÌ„d superfluity of malice with meeknes to receyve the word which is able to save theyr soules but are in deed become the enemyes and persecuters of the truth and that in great wrath and subtilty howsoever in word they professe otherwise as do even the greatest papists Wherein would to God they were not also overâ—aryed with to high a conceit of themselues and to
this is the Antichrist which denyeth the Father and the Sonne 1 Ioâ— 2. 23. By this shall ye know the Spirit of God Every spirit that confesseth Iesus Christ come in the flesh is of God And every spirit which confesseth not Iesus Christ come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist 1. Ioh 4. 2. 3. Many deceyvers are entred into the world vvhich confesse not Iesus Christ come in the flesh He that is such one is a deceyveâ— and an Antichrist 2. Ioh. 7. HEre in few words is comprised a most notable direction how to know Antichrist and declared also by the contrary in the fourth chapter as is here noted down Where the Apostle teacheth vs to trye and know the spirits of all men by the confession they make concerning Christ to witt by theyr acknowledging or derogating from his person or office For vnto these two heads he bringeth the whole matter the one concerning the person the other concerning the office of the Lord Iesus Towching his person that he is God and Man in one and the same person His Godhead he noteth out in these words Iesus Christ is come to witt the Sonne of God from heaven his manhood in those words in the flesh the vniting and knitting together of these two natures in one person when speaking of one and the same Iesus Christ he saith he is come in the flesh Towching his office that this Iesus is the CHRIST that is the annoynted of God that should come into the vvorld to be the onely and sufficient Mediator betwixt God and man Now as in the tyme of the law they were woont to annoynt the Prophets Priests and kings so these being but types of the Lord Iesus here spoken of the Apostle would teachus the he is in deed and so is to be acknowledged the annointed of God with the oyle of gladnes above his fellowes even with the Spirit of God without measure being called and consecrated by the Father to be the onely eternall Prophet Priest and king vnto and for his Church This have I shortly noted for the better vnderstanding of these Scriptures and deciding of the controversy between vs and these assemblyes And this to be the true meaning of these Scriptures appeareth not onely by the Argument and circumstances of the places themselues but also by the conference of other Scriptures here quoted in the margent and infinite such like in the Book of God Now before I proceed to any further application of them let me here again call to powr mynd that which hath before ben noted that even the Papists themselves whom these men acknowledg to be of Antichrist affirme in generall words and will dy in it against the Iewes and Turks that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh the Prophet Priest and king of his Church Yet will not Mr. H. or any of good knowledg say to the contrary but the Papists notwithstanding are by these Scriptures convinced to be of Antichrist because that although they professe thus much in generall termes yet when as theyr estate and practise is examined by the Scriptures in particular they are found to professe that in word which in truth and in deed they do not acknowledg And why then may not we so reason from these Scriptures agaynst these assemblyes which in theyr constitution and practise do likewise in deed deny that in particular which in generall they do professe concerning Christs prophecy priesthood and Kingdome Mr. Beza in his notes vpon these Scriptures sayth thus The Apostle here giveth a sure and perpetuall rule to discerne Antichrists and Antichristian Doctrine by to vvitt if the diuine or humane nature of Christ or the true vnitiug of them together be denyed or if never so litle be derogated from the office of that our everlasting high Priest Prophet and King Math this well Thus doth Mr. Beza vnderstand these Scriptures and thus he gathereth from them as you may see in his notes vpon the new Testament which are printed in English And these Scriptures themselues we see do not poynt at the Papists alone as if they onely were culpable herein but they concerne all others whosoever they be that come within compasse of these rules Now to show in particulars how the Papists offend in this behalf denying that in deed concerning Christ which in word they do acknowledg is altogether needles at this tyme it being graunted on both parts I meane both of vs and of them which yet stand in these assemblyes It shalbe sufficient therefore to show that these assemblyes of England as now they stand do not in this theyr constitution of Church ministery worship and order receyv and obey Iesus Christ in his own ordinance as theyr Prophet Priest and King And therefore howsoever in word generally they professe yet in truth do not in this theyr constitution acknowledg Iesus Christ come in the flesh And consequently by the rule and sentence of the Apostle in these Scriptures are not of God but of Antichrist First therefore concerning Christs Prophecey that they do not receyv and hearken vnto him in his own ordinaÌ„ce as their Prophett is to lamentably evident by this that they do not receyv and submitt vnto that ecclesiasticall order ministery and government which Christ Iesus that Prophet of his Church hath revealed from God the Father in his word and prescribed to his Church to be kept to the end of the world This I show two wayes First by theyr Church constitution then by theyr own confession The present constitutioÌ„ of their Church assemblyes throughout the land is such as they stand every one of them subâ—ect to the ministery and government of another Archbishop and Lord bishop then Iesus Christ of an Archdeacon and a parson vitar or stipendery being eyther priest or deacon so maâ—â— by the Prelates also to their devised â—â—â—ted book worship and administration to theyr ceclesiasticall courts canons excommunications absolutions and such other theyr procedings Which are not onely not found in the Testament of Christ appoynted by that Prophet but were derived from Antichrist that lyar and deceyver of the world Theyr confession is manifest in theyr books and writings wherein they have published to the view of the world 〈◊〉 there is no certayne and perfitt kind of government prescribed in the Scriptures to the Church of Christ vvhich must oâ— necessity be perpetually obserued Agayne that the exteâ—â—â— government of the Church vnder a Christian magistrate must be according to the kind and forme of the government vsed in thâ— common vvealth Moreover that the Apostles neyther 〈◊〉 vvriting nor practise did ever establish an vniformity of extemaâ— Church discipline and that perpetually to hold This they â—â—te and thus they walk Which is directly contrary to the 〈◊〉 fice of Christs Prophecey and highly derogatory to his faitâ—full performance thereof As is evident by these Scriptuâ—â— compared together Deut.
communicated onely to such as far as men can â—udge by theyr outward profession to whom Christ himself belongeth among vs the holy Sacraments are communicated with the Papists the holy mysteryes of God profaned the Gentiles enter into the Temple of God the holy things are indiffereÌ„tly communicated with cleane aÌ„d vncleane circumcised and vncircvmcised And as another among them sticketh not to affirme and mainteyne that now the Church is full of drunkerds whooremougers Idolaters superstitious persons papists Atheists and such like This is theyr own confession besides theyr estate concerning the first Towching the second that is Christs Intercession with the father they profane it likewise two wayes first by retaining a priesthood as an office of ministery to offer by theyr publick prayers and other service vnto God which now can be nothing els but eyther a continuing of the Iewish priesthood abolished by Christ who enduring for ever 〈◊〉 a priesthood that can not passe from one to another or els a retayning of the popish priesthood devised by Antichrist Of which sort indeed it is as hereafter will appeare aÌ„d as theÌ„selves have heretofore writteÌ„ aÌ„d acknowleged Neyther will it any white make for them that now all the faithfull are by Christ made Priests to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto God For eveÌ„ by this it appeareth that now the ministery aÌ„d priesthood differ betweeÌ„ themselves the one to witt the priesthood being commoÌ„ to all the faithfull the other that is the ministery being proper to such as are according to the word of God sett apart therevnto The second way whereby they profane Christ his Intercession is by offring vp in Christs name aÌ„d mediatioÌ„ their devised stinted popish worship aÌ„d ministratioÌ„ Which being never appoynted by Christ but devised by man is abominatioÌ„ vnto God whereas on the contrary Iesus Christ that everlasting Priest maketh his people an holy prâ—esthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God through himself This also have the forward preachers and people among them heretofore avowched affirming to the Parliament that their book of Common prayer wherein theyr publik worship aÌ„d ministration is set down is culled aÌ„d picked out of that popish dunghill the masse book full of abominations Yet do they still offer it vp to God in the mediation of Christ as is manifest both by the book it self and in theyr continuall practise And thus have we seen with what iâ—piety they carry themselves also towching the Priesthood of Iesus Christ. Lasily concerning his kingdome howsoever they speak of the guydance of his Spirit yet in deed and in truth they refuse to be subiect to him as Lord and King of his Church And this they manifest to all men in that they refuse to submite to the offices lawes and order of government which he as Lord and king of his Church hath appoyâ—ted therevnto and not that onely but do also subiect themselves to the ministery disorder and constitutions which Antichrist that sonne of perdition hath invented and brought into the false Church The proof hereof is evident first in theyr constitutions and practise then by theyr own confession and writings Concerning both which first I refer you to that which was said before towching Christs Prâ—phery as also to that which is spoken of this matter every where throughout this treaâ—ise And then I pray you consider both the Scriptures quoted in the margent and these sayings of theyrs in theyr own writings which directly concerne the poynt we have in hand and see if they witnes not as much themselves as they are charged withall by vs. On the one hand thus they write that they must eyther confesse that Christ hath left vs an order to live by or els spoyle him of his Kingly office That Christ the King and governour of his Church must rule it by his oâ—n offices and by his own lawes till his comming at the last day That Christ is a king who hath prescribed lawes vnto his Church for the government of the same and will have them tyed to no other neyther to disobey them which he hath sett down Yet on the other hand as towching theyr 〈◊〉 estate they write thus of themselves That theyr worâ—â— and works are divorced That they do not in deed obey his precepts and lawes whom in words they acknowledg to be theyr King That they do not onely want the offices appoynted by Christ to witt Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Attenders vpon the poore but also remayne in and vnder the confusions and Antichristian offices of Archbishops Bishops Dâ—anes Archdeacons Deacons Chauncelours Commissaryes Officials vvhich be rather members and parts of the whore and strumpett of Rome then of the pure virgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb That the government of theyr Church is not taken out of Gods word but out of the Canon lavves and decrees of Popes Finally that they reiect Christs yoke and retayne that popish hierarchy first coyned in the midst of the mystery of iniquity and that filthy sinke of the Canon law vvhich vvas invented and patched together for the confirming and increasing of the kingdome of Antichrist Wherein as great indignity is offred vnto Iesus Christ in committing his Church vnto the government of the same as caÌ„ be by meane vnderlings vnto a king in committing his beloved spouse vnto the direction of the Mistres of the Stevves and enforcing her to live after the orders of a brothel hovvse These are their own sayings And therefore even by theyr own confession it is to true among them in this respect which one of themselves said that turning out the orders vvhich Christ hath prescribed in his vvord for the ruling of his Church they give him the title of a King but deny him the authority belonging to the same and so in truth make him an Idoll making him to carry a shovv of that he is not and vvith the crucifyers of him putting a reed in his hand in stead of his yron rod and crovvning him vvith thorneâ— in stead of the crovvn of greatest glory Thus have we showed that in theyr constitution of Christ ministery worship and government they do not receyv and â—bey Iesus Christ in his own ordinance as theyr Prophet Priest and king And therefore as they say of the papists so let them look it be not verifyed of themselves in this respect that howsoever in words generally they professe yet in deed and verity they do not acknowledg Iesus Christ come in the flesh that Prophet Priest and king of the Church and consequently by the rule and judgment of the Apostle sett down in the Scriptures here alledged by â—r H. are in this behalf not of God but of Antichrist The next Scripture Mr H. citeth is from the book of RebelatioÌ„ The words be these speaking of the beast here described There was given vnto him a mouth speaking great things and
but Christ onely who is the doore of the sheep whether such a one I say were therefore to be reputed a Pastour and minister of Christ lawfully sett in that office I am assured Mr H. will not say it For that were both to give allowance of intrusion which Christ â—ondemneth and to open a doore to the annihilating of that order with Christ hath appoynted his Church for the entrante into his ministery And now if such a one were not therefore to be accounted in such office of ministery much lesse will such teaching approve him that standeth in an Antichristian office to be a Pastor or Minister of Iesus Christ. It may also further be observed that Christ in this Scripture speaketh of such as be shepeards of sheep and therefore that it helpeth not the ministers of these assemblies who commonly stand heards of swyne theyr Church being an hold of all foule spirits and a cage of every vncleane and hatefull bird Besides that they all even the most religious among them so long as they continew members of that Church stand subiect to theyr ecclesiasticall courts officers canons worship and the rest of theyr abominations and therefore as yet in that respect can not be accounted the sheep of Christ hearing his voyce and obeying his precepts The next and last Scripture here alledged is out of the 16. of Mathew Where Christ as king his Disciples whom they said he was Peter aunswered Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God Wherevpon Christ said agayn I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevayle against it Mat. 16. 18. Here we are taught vpon what rock the true Church and lively members thereof are built to witt vpon this confession that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God Now here we are to remember that Christ is described both by his person and office Of which I have spoken before at large vpon like occasion concerning the testimonyes alledged out of the Epistles of Iohn To which therefore I refer you not purposing here agayn to make repetition thereof Onely thus much concerning this Scripture I will further note that as we learned out of Ieâ—us epistles to discerne the Spirit of GOD from the spirit of Antichrist so here we are taught how to know the true Church of God and so to discerâ—e it from the false Synagogues of Antichrist that is by considering whether it be built vpon the rock Iesus Christ that Propher Priest and king of his Church For as the Apostle saith other foundation can no man lay then that vvhich is layd vvhich is Iesus Christ. But as before we showed so here we are to remember that a verball and generall profession of Christ in word being denyed in practise will not avayle to make eyther the popish or these assemblyes the true Churches of God and not the apostate Synagogues of the man of sinne The Apostle Peter to whom with the other disciples this was spoken although in the maner of speach Christ alluded to Peters name as signifying a stone or rock he laying this foundation in the Churches which he planted Iesus Christ that chief corner stone elect and precious doth thus further apply it vnto them saying Vnto you which beleev it is precious but vnto them that be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is become the head of the corner and a stone to stumble at and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient Where he plainely teacheth it is the obedience of faith which is required of all such as are truly baylt vpon this rock and corner stone Iesus Christ. And this hath Christ himself also taught vs when he likeâ—ed him that heareth his words and doth them vnto a wise man which hath built his house on a rock against which the rayne and floods and wynds prevayle not to cast it 〈◊〉 and him that heareth his words and doth them not vnto a foolish man which hath built his house vpon the sand against which the rayne and floods easily prevayle to beat it down So in like maner we are to know for the question in hand that the true Church of CHrist is as a wise woman and faithfull wife which hearkning to the voyce of her husband yeeldeth obedience vnto him and as an house built vpon the rock against which the gates of hell shall not be able to prevayle Whereas the false Church of Antichrist is as the foolish woman and harlott which howsoever she pretend to heare the voyce of Christ yet in deed followeth the lust of her own eyes and goeth a whoring after her own inventions yea and pretending onely the name of Christ but in deed not receyving him as her Prophet Priest and king is as an house built vpon the sand which the breath of Christs mouth and wynd of his judgments will in the end consume and scatter abroad as the dust It is not then a verball profession in generall that will serve where an actuall denyall in practise is ioyned withall But the true Church which is built vpon the rock doth in deed and truth obey the Lord Iesus acknowledging him to be such as he is revealed vnto vs in the word of God This the Apostle Paul likewise teacheth vs when he saith the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the head corner stone Wherein he giveth vs to learne that that is in deed the true Church which is so built vpon Iesus Christ as the Apostles and Prophets have layd him for the foundation and head stone in the corner that is have taught him to be the Sonne of God come in the flesh the Prophett Priest and king of his Church for ever Which forasmuch as these together with the popish assemblyes do not in deed and verity acknowledg howsoever in words generally they professe as hath before at large ben proâ—ed it therefore followeth that in this estate they cannot be esteemed truly built vpon the rock Iesus Christ and therefore cannot be counted the true Churches of God whiles we try them by the rules given vs by the Prophets and Apostles and by Christ Iesus himselfe And thus have I showed the severall Scriptures here â—iâ—ed by Mr H. to be so many witnesses against themselves Thus also have we seen both their doctrine to be vnsound and theyr ministery and Church constitution to be such as was never appoynted by Christ but derived from Antichrist And therefore by none to be continued in but of all to be separated from and that vpon payne of everlasting condemnation For so hath the Scripture testifyed Hitherto of Mr H. his first exception Now his second followeth in these words ¶ M r. H. his letter Section 4. SEcondly vve are able to prove that greater corruptions haue ben
base a conceit of others who advise them better Secondly for yourself well may you think as we all ought that it is no disgrace vnto vs that our knowledg is imperfect and our judgment weak seing the Apostle saith even off himself as of all others now we know but in part and now we see through a glasse darkely Yet also would I desier Mr. H. remember and you to note it for your comfort that God so disposeth for his glory as euen the private members of the true Church yea women are found walking in the truth as we have receyved a commaundement from the Father when many deceyvers though men and in publick office are abroad in the world and false Church which confesse not in truth and in deed Iesus Christ come in the flesh that onely Prophett Priest and king whom God hath giuen to his Church forever Thirdly towching them whom God vsed as his instruments to draw you out off the bypaâ—â—s of these assemblyes into the way of truth wherein you now walk as you have iust cause to blesse God for them so I pray you also regard not so much who they be as what they say And in any case take heed that you never have the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons neyther of Princes nor prelates nor any other though otherwise learned rich or famous any maner way Neyther let the heat of the adversaryes persecution nor the coldnes of the tyme servers swallowing vp all the abominations yet abiding among them nor the love of this present world nor the colourable perswasion of any though never so dare vnto you neyther any other thing whatsoever ensnare you to be wrapped in like errour with them but remember alway as is here well noted vnto you that the written word of God onely is to be the rule of our Life and Religion Lastly concerning Mr. H. who wrote this letter vnto you as you shall do well to take it that he erreth of ignorance and not of malice etc. as he desireth to be taken so of him I would desier for the taking away of this vayle from his eyes that he do heedfully look into the perfitt law of liberty not onely the better to see the filthynes of theyr corruptions that he may avoyd them but to behold also what orders and offices Christ Iesus hath sett in his Church to keep and observ them To which end he shall do well himself to Consider that which here he hath sett down vnto you concerning the writteÌ„ word of God According to which if he shall examine the particulars of theyr Church-constitution of which more God willing hereafter I hope he will no more say in this case that as of syncerity as of God in the sight of God so writeth he of these things but will rather acknowledg that whosoever go about to bring colour out of the Scriptures for them they do therein no other but make marchandize of the word of God And therefore will eyther stay his talâ—â— and lay his hand on his mouth or if he speak will speak to his own soule aÌ„d say Wilt thou plead Antichrists cause or wilt thou save him If he be of Christ let him plead for himself against them that by the word of theyr testimony destroy his ordinaÌ„ces Thus much to the entrance of this letter The rest of it is spent in laboring to disprove the writing which it seemeth you gaue him in defence of your separation from the ministery of these assemblyes Which after he hath well propounded in forme of reasoning he then bringeth some show of answer therevnto and of defence of theyr Ministery Wherein although I might in few lynes shortly have noted the subtilty and vnsoundnes of his answers yet have I chosen rather to write somewhat largely both for your sake and his own and for others also into whose hands these writings may coâ—â— And this haue I thought to be the more needfull because he doth here so earnestly both protest the syncerity of his affection and make promise that nothing shalbe brought to perswade you but the word of God Now of the syncerity of his affection I make no doubt but do vertly thinck that he writeth and walketh as he is perswaded Onely where he promiseth and pretendeth to bring the word of God for the perswasion of your soule and performeth it not in deed and yet hath such obiections and pretence off Scripture and reason as greater in this case I thinck neyther have ben neyther can well be brought thereâ—ore have I thought it best for better clearing of the truth to prosecute his annswers from poynt to poyut And although it wil be the more tedious yet to take this course therein first to sett down in his own words his aunswers to the reason you gaue him and then to examine and take them away by the light of the Scriptures For your self it shalbe your part as he desireth you to lay apart all sinister affection and with meeknes to receyv the word of truth grafted in you and able to save your soule Consider therefore well what is said and the Lord give you vnderstanding in all things Now to proceed it followeth in his letter to you thus Mr. H. his letter Section 2. The summe of the vvhole vvriting you gaue me is a reason to prove the lavvfulnes of your separation from our assemblyes because vve have no such minissters as you may lavvfully ioyne vvhithall and for plainenes it may fitly be coÌ„cluded in this forme Whosoever he be that dealeth with the holy things of God and worketh vpon the Consciences of men by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling him the people of God ought not to receyv or ioyne themselves vnto 2 Thes. 2. 4 10. But all the ministers that stand ouer the Church assemblyes in England deale with the holy things of God and work vpon mens consciences by vertue of an Antichristian power office calling Therefore the people of God ought not to receyv them or ioyne themselves vnto them The first part of this reason as I am not vnvvilling to yeeld vnto so do I affirme that the vvords of the Apostle vvritten 2. Thes. 2. 4. 10. are for the proof thereof vvâ—ested and perverted from the right sence For the Apostle there describeth Antichrist nor by his unlavvfull onâ—vvard calling or office that he should exercise in the Church but first by the false doctrine he should teach as appeareth plainely by the 10 and 11 verses and secondly by the authority he should vsurpe to give lavves vnto mens consciences and to rule in the harts of men as God as you may see in the 4. verse VVhich tvvo maâ—ks of Antichrist as they may evidently be discerned in the papacy so admitt all the outvvard calling and offices in the Church of England exercised vvere faulty and vnvvarrantable by the vvord yet you in your ovvn Conscience knovv that these marks
ministers pretend to be the ministers of Christ and professe to bring his Gospell with them when as in deed they revile and persecute the true and syâ—cexe practise of it even vnto death Thirdly I aske whether the ministery worship and government appoynted by Christ for his Church vnder the gospell be not asmuch of the foundation as the ministery worship and government appoynted by Moses for the tyme of the law And if they be whether they are not as faithfully sett down by Christ as the other were by Moses and as carefully to be observed by vs as the other were by the Iewes or rather much more in asmuch as Christ the Sonne is worâ—â—â—y of more glory and honour then Moses the servant Fourthly I aske what fundamentall articles of religion Moses and Aar on with the rest of the Iewes ioyning with them held that Corah Dathan Abiramâ— and theyr company held not differing onely from them concerning the office of Priesthood and Ministery thereof a matter of the Discipline as these menâ—call it Yet were they with all that departed not from theyr tents destroyed by the iust iudgment of God The like may be seen in other poynts of the Discipline of the Church in the examples of Nadab and Abihu of â—zziah the priest and of â—zziah the king Which examples of all sorts are written for our learning that people of all estates might know and remember that to obey the temmaundements of God in whatsoever thing he hath enioyned is better then sacrifice and to hearâ—en better then the faâ—â— of rammes whereas disobedience and rebellion against the commaundements of God is as the sinne of witchcraft vnder what pretence soever it be and transgression is wickednes and Idolatry how lightly soever men account thereof Fifthly whereas Mr H. saith there is no Antichrist whose Doctrine is sound I willingly graunt it and have already showed their case to be such Yet with all I wish Mr H. to marke that even Antichrist that man of â—inne professeth many notable truths and foundamentall articles of religion as that there is a God one in essence three in persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost that Christ is God and Man Prophet Priest and king of his Church that the holy Ghost is present with the Church of Christ to the end of the world that there shall be a resurectioÌ„ of iust and vniust etc. And yet notwithstanding standeth he with all his followers in defection from the truth and obedience of Christ even to destruction By all which is manifest that the verball profession helpeth litle when men in practise and particulars deny that which inword in generall they 〈◊〉 to hold and thereby deâ—â—ive the world as if they held the truth when indeed they fight against it Finally therefore on the one hand vnderstanding by the Discipline of the Church as we ought the auncyent and holy order and ordinances which Christ Iesus by his last Testament hath given to his Church for the administration of his holy things and for the keeping of his people in the obedience of faith and considering on the other hand that Antichrist hath perverted that holy order and made apostasy from those holy lawes advauncing himself and his own constitutions above them and that also in the ministery worship and government of the Church aswell as in other parts thereof it doth and must needs follow herevpon that whosoever do not onely not keep that holy order and appointement of Christ but also bow down to the confusion and false Ministery of Antichrist they stand in Antichrian estate notwithstanding any truths they teach professe or mainteyne So as then the Ministery of the Church of England being never ordeyned by Christ but derived from Antichrist that man of 〈◊〉 it helps them not in this behalf that they teach and receiv much truth therein as we see it helpeth not the papists that theyr priests teach there is a God a Christ an holy Spirit Church a resurrection and many other fundamentall 〈◊〉 of Christian religion as before hath ben said But now let vs come to examine whether in the Scriptures here alledged by Mr H. Antichrist be not described to be against Iesus Christ even in that which they call the discipline of the Church as in other things also agreing to them in theyr estate The first Scripture he alledgeth is out of the prophecy of Daniel The words are these I considered the hornes and behold another home a litle one came vp among them and three of the first hornes were pluckt away before it And loe eyes like the eyes of a man were in that home and a mouth speaking presumptuous things Dan. 7. 8. And he shall speak words against the most High and consume the Saints of the most High and think to alter the tymes and law and they shalbe given into his hand for a tyme and tymes and half a tyme Dan. 7. 25. Now although this Scripture seem first to be vnderstood of Antiochus Epâ—hanes and of his pride and tyranny against the truth and people of God yet may it also fiâ—ly be applyed further and compared with the description of the beast in the RevelatioÌ„ and so with the Antichristian prelacy and priâ—â—â—hood from tyme to tyme. For to omitt other things that might here be observed and to note onely such things as art most evident we see here that horne of the beast described to have eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumtuous things Even so the ministers of Antichrist who will needs be the eyes of the people and light of the world pretend to be the ministers of Christ and not that onely but haue also aswell as that horne a mouth speaking presumptuous things even against the most High See it in these particulars following and such like which are rise among them that the true ministery and syncere practise of the Gospell of Christ is schisme heresy fancy rebellion insurrection sedition subversion of the State and what not that Christ the Sonne hath ben lesse faithfull then Moses the servant in setting down any prescript ministery and order for the Church vnder the Gospell perpetually to be kept that Christ who hath all power iâ— heaven and in â—arth is not to be submitted vnto in that ministery order and discipline which he hath given to his Church if Princes on earth forbid or refuse to establish it that the ministery of Antichrist is to be receyved and ioyned vnto being appointed by Christian Princes for the service of God that it is lawfull for others to be Archbishops and Lordbishops over the Church and ministers of the Gospell besides Iesus Christ that a priesthood a stinted number of words and prayers tithes and such like are appointed for the ministery of the Gospell of Christ that Christ shall not reigne over them by his offices and ordinances prescribed in his word that Christ in his soule went down into hell
18. 18. 19. and Act. 3. 22. 23. 24. 〈◊〉 Hebr. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Mat. 17. 5 and Ioh. 15. 15. Math. 28. 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 11 12. 13. Rom. 12. 7. 8. 1. Cor. 4. 17. and 9. 14. and 1â— 5. 18. â—8 and 14. 33. 37. and 16. 1. 2. 1. Tim. 3. 14. 15. and 4. 13. 14. and 5. 3. 9. 10. 17. 19. 21. 22. Tit. 1. 5. Act. 6. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. and 14. 23. and 20. 17. 28. 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18 Rev. 18. 4. and 14. 12. with 1 Tim. 6. 13. 14. But it will be sayd here that some among them are otherwise mynded hereyn and have published that Christ is that Prophet like vnto Moses vvho hath plainely and perfitly declared vnto us from God as all other things vvhich belong vnto our dutyes so also vvhatsoeuer is needfull for the government of the Church vvhom vve ought to heare and obey And that if they should not acknovvledg thus they should â—ob him of some part of his propheticall office or prefer a servant before the onely begotten Sonne Which they do vvho think that Moses left all things perfitt but Christ eyther began them not or did not finish that he began Thus I graunt some others of the better sort among them have written aud published But these theyr books and writings are not allowed among them but cald in and repressed by publik authority And that which is more in this case such â—â—â—fession and writing doth not onely affoord them no help in â—heyr estate but doth rather make theyr sinne the more grieâ—ous inasmuch as professing they know these things they reâ—use nothwithstaÌ„ding to walk accordingly whereas the Lord Iesus that Prophet is not onely in word to be acknowledged 〈◊〉 have left a perfitt order vnto his Church but is also in deed 〈◊〉 be hearkned vnto and obeyed thereyn and in no other For a spake the Lord vnto Moses concerning Iesus Christ â—ying I vvill rayse them vp a Prophett from among theyr breâ—ten like vnto thee and vvill put my vvords in his mouth and 〈◊〉 shall speak vnto them all that I shall commaund him And â—â—hosoeuer vvill not hearken vnto my vvords vvhich he shall â—eak in my Name I vvill requier it of him Iohn Baptist liâ—â—wise testifyed concerning Christ thus He that beleeveth 〈◊〉 the sonne bath everlasting life and he that obeyeth not the â—onne shall not see life but the vvrath of God abideth on him â—here is to be observed how the Spirit of God describeth saâ—â—ng faith by the obedience of Christ teaching us that they â—hich obey not the Sonne in deed whatsoever profession they â—ake of him in word cannot assure themselues they beleev in 〈◊〉 to eternall life The same is taught in the Epistle to the â—â—â—ewes Where it is sayd of Christ the Sonne that being â—â—secrate he vvas made author of eternall salvation to all that 〈◊〉 him To which purpose we may also observ in the Scriptures the often joyning of these two together faith and the obedience of faith But this being noted by the way concerning that testimony of Iohn I proceed yet further to show that Christ that Prophet requireth not onely acknowledgment in word but obedience indeed to all his ordinaÌ„ces given to his Church This we learne both of Christ himself and of his Apostles Of Christ himself in his last and great commission given to his Apostles when he sent them into the world to publish his faith and plant his Churches therein In which he straitly charged them to teach all his people baptized in his name not to acknowledg onely but to keep and observ vvhatsoever he had commaunded them and that even to the end of the vvorld not making any exception of Christian or heathen Magistrates of theyr allowance or disallowance or of any other worldly respects whatsoever The Apostles also as they were commaunded so they performed both plaÌ„ting the Churches in that faith aÌ„d order which Christ prescribed them aÌ„d requiring of the Churches so planted and of all other after them to the end of the world to keep that faith and order wherein they were sett and to admitt of no other whatsoever but to keep that vvithout spot aÌ„d vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of ovvr Lord Iesus Christ. And thus much concerning this matter Onely I will now adde the confession and testimony of these men themselues concerning this poynt in hand This have they written and published From that forme of governing the Church vvhich together vvith the offices that are to execute the same the vvord of God perfitly descubeth vnto vs no Christian Church ought to svvarue Now herewith compare their estate and practise and you shall fynd that they do not onely swarue from that forme of government appoynted by Christ to his Church and so hearken not vnto him as their Prophet but do also receyv and submitt vnto another even a false one derived from Antichrist as themselves have taught and therefore have sued to the Parliament to have it removed Thus we see how theyr sinne is made far the greater and more fearfull whiles contrary to theyr knowledâ— they wittingly persist in disobedience against Iesus Christ that Prophet of his Church as if he were not come in the flesh or as if not he but man yea the man of sinne weâ—â— to be hearkned vnto And hitherto concerning Christâ— Prophecy Next for his Priesthood that towching it they do likewise will thus appeare The office of the Priesthood of Christ consisteth in two things first the Redemption he hath made for the world in the blood of his crosse appearing once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself secondly the Intercession he maketh with the father being entred intâ— heaven to appeare now before the face of God for vs. Now towching the first that is the work of Redemption as if they counted the blood of the Testaâ—ent an vnholy thing they profane â—â—in administring and receyving the word aÌ„d SacrameÌ„ts of that reconcilation in and from an Antichristian ministery and more particularly in the Sacraments they prostitute that precious blood of the crosse of Christ even of that Lamb vndefiled vnto Atheists Idolaters persecuters whoremongers drunkards sorterers witches and the most profane of the land and theyr seed That it is thus with them may be seen not onely in theyr vngodly continuall practise but even by theyr own confession and writings Towching theyr ministery thus they write We have an Antichristianhierarchy and a popish ordering of ministers straunge from the word of God never heard of in the Primitive Churches but taken out of the Popes shop to the destruction of Gods kingdome Yet in and from this ministery they minister and receyv the word and Sacraments Towching the other also thus they write of themselves and theyr estate whereas in the holy Communion of the Lords supper Christ the true Paschall lambe ought to be
found in those Churches vnto vvhich the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath given notable testimony 2. King 12. 23. and 14. 3. 4. 2 Chron. 20. 31. Matth. 15. 5. 6. Luk. 3. 2. and 2. 22. 27. Mat. 8. 4. and 23. 2. 3. 2 Cot. 11. 21. 22. and 15. 12. â—â—vel 2. 14. 15. 20. 21. ¶ Aunswer to section 4. WE aunswer they must first probe theyr assemblyes to be true Churches sett in the way of Iesus Christ afore these or any Scriptures which show true Churches subject to corruptions can any way help to defend theyr present Church estate Otherwise they do but still begge that which they should prove For what though the Churches established in the order of Christ have had and still shall have divers corruptions arising among them Doth this therefore give any warrant or allowance of such assemblyes whose constitution is Antichristian Was Israel in her defection a true Church because Iudah being the Church of God had some enormityes in her Or shall the assemblyes in Italy England and such like standing in apostasy he true Churches of God because in the Churches of Corinth Pergamus Thyatira established in the order of Christ there were found divers corrupâ—ions If this reason were strong might not Rome at this day iustify most of her abominations But what saith the Scripture Israel in her defection was no wife no true Church but an harlott and not to be joyned vnto notwithstanding that Iudah being a spouse and true Church had not yet the 〈◊〉 places taken away In like maner shall that vvhore of Babel staÌ„ding in apostasy together with all the assemblyes wheresoever made drunk with the cup of her formications be harlots and to be departed from notwithstanding that the Church of Christ being his spouse falleth daily into many sinnes and transgressions whiles it is militant here on earth For these two are of a far divers nature and consideration I meane on the one side a Church sett in the way and order of Christ but walking therein weakly and corruptly and on the other side a company of people standing in the defection aÌ„d disorder of Antichrist howsoever perhaps they may walk ther in with some show of piety and religion The former are true Churches notwithstanding the corruptions arising among them the redresse of which is duly to be sought The latter are false Churches and to be forsaken whatsoever show of holynes they do or can pretend Now theÌ„ forasmuch as neyther Mr H. nor any other of them hath proved theyr assemblyes to stand in any other Church-constitution but such as is Antichristian it is evident that the Scriptures here alledged which speak onely of Churches sett in Christs order and of corruptions in them cannot any way fitly belong to these assemblyes to give allowance of theyr Antichristian estate This being first sett down generally concerning all these Scriptures ioyntly together for the better vnderstanding of the controversy let vs now come to consider them more particularly and see whether as Mr H. hath vnder taken to prove so he have indeed performed that is have showed greater corruptions in those Churches vnto which the Scriptures give notable testimony then be in theyrs at this day The first three Scriptures here cited are of one sort These are the words Iehoash did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all his dayes that Ieholadab the Priest taught him Notwithstanding the hy places were not taken away as yet the people offred and burnt incense in the hy places 2. King 12. 2. 3. And Amaziah did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord yet not as David his Father he did according to all that Ioash his Father had done Notwithstanding the hy places were not taken away as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense in the hy places 2. King 14. 3. 4. And Iehoschaphat reigned over Iudah and he walked in the way of Asa his Father and departed not there from doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Howbeit the hy places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared theyr heart vnto the God of theyr Fathers 2. Chron. 20. 31. 32. 33. All these Scriptures show vnto vs one thing which is that in the dayes of Iehoash Amaziah and Iehoschaphat kings of Iudah who did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord yet the hy places were not taken away but the people did sacrifice and burnt incense therein This in deed was a corruption among those people concerning which ynough is spoken before in that hath beÌ„ said towching these Scriptures generally Yet this I adde further first that in those tymes all the false ministeryes and kinds of worship before tyme vsed were abolished and this defect onely of worshipping God in the hy places as yet remayning Now what comparison then is there between this case and theyrs who have not abolished but still retayne aÌ„d ioyne vnto a false ministery and worship Who knoweth not that in those dayes they might not forme to themselves or receyv from others any other altar or fashion thereof for sacrifice then God had appoynted much lesse any new devised ministery Yea the sonnes of Aaron though in a true aÌ„d lawfull office might not offer with strauÌ„ge fyer much lesse might they have received or exercised a false uÌ„lawfull ministery Corah likewise though a Levite DathaÌ„ aÌ„d Abâ—ram though heads of the CoÌ„gregation Dzziah though a king might not offer vp the incense which God had appoynted to be offred being straungers from the priesthood much lesse might they have offred a false worship in a false ministery etc. Which is the case of these assemblyes These men therefore should compare like things with like aÌ„d not vnder colour of the hy places in Iudah seke to retayne and defend what Antichristian corruptions they please in theyr Church Otherwise why might they not also vnder the same colour still have kept the other popish abominations which already by the mercy of God are abolished out of the land Secondly I take it the fault of retayning the hy places in Iudah for the true service of GOD which at first were made for false worship and service of Idols was such as if now the false ministry worship and other abominations of Antichrist were abolished out of the land and yet these Idoll temples they call them Churches reserved and vsed for the true worship of God by a true ministery For these two may in divers respects seem to be like I meane those hy places and these Idoll temples Both which I take to be with in compasse of that morall commaundement of God which enioyneth the abolishing of the places aswell as of all the other monuments of Idolatry eyther by rasing them quite downor by defacing and converting them to civill vse and not to tourne them to be places for the publick worship of God though it were by
and head of his Church but Lords themselves over the Ministers aÌ„d people vnder them Will it not then seem to Mr H. that the ordination receyved from them cannot otherwise be deemed but meerly vnlawfull But such have they ben proved to be both in this and other writings heretofore to which it shall suffice to refer you and him towching this matter Or if for ani preiudice against vs he will not heare this of vs let him yet heare and consider what themselves have written aÌ„d professed heretofore in this behalf And let the controversy in this poynt be debated between him and M r Travers M r Cartwright M r Fenner M r Chaderton and all other that have sought Reformation M r Travers in his book against D. Bridges proveth by divers good and sufficient reasons that theyr Bishops are neyther Pastors nor Teachers And what ordinari Ministery of the Gospell then do they execute As for extraordinary the Prelates were not knowen when they were in the world besides that they are as vnlike them as darknes is to light M r Cartwright striking at the chief and strength of theyr Ministery that is at the Archbishops and Archdeacons vnder whom the other Bishops and Ministers execute theyr offices proveth that theyr functions are not in the vvord of God but of the earth nevv devised ministeryes and such as caÌ„ do no good Yea that the Archbishops office is the neck of the popish Hierarchy come out of the bottomles pit of hell M r Fenner hath published that if St Paul vvere novv in England and no greater man then he vvas made by Christ he might not be equall vvith these Bishops For they are spirituall Lords he vvas never so they might send for him by a pursevant lay him in the Counter or commaund him to the Fleet so could not Paul do the least Minister of the Gospell Agayn he saith speaking of theyr offices Our kind of Bishops the Commissaryes the Archdeacons and such like we account them no natural members of the body of Christs Church because they are of humane addition not borne with her nor growen vp with her from the cradle M r Chaderton writeth that the callings of Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deacons Chauncelors and all such be rather members and parts of the vvhore aÌ„d strumpet of Rome then of the pure virgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb. And that they have no title nor interest in the Church as publik members but by the length of theyr vnlavvfull svvords keep out lavvfull members of the body Finally all the seekers of Reformation have in the Admonition to the Parliament professed that the Names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are together vvith theyr government dravven out of the Popes shop Antichristian divelish and contrary to the Scriptures That the Parsons Vicars Parish priests Stypendaryes c. be birds of the same fether And in a word as hath ben noted before that they have an Antichristian Hierarchy and popish ordering of Ministers straunge from the vvord of God and the vse of all vvell reformed Churches in the vvorld Thus have they thought and thus have they publisshed heretofore Let M r H. therefore dispute the controversy with them And if he or any other cannot with pacyence heare the truth of vs let them yet be content to heare and take it in good part at the hands of these men of whom they have no such prejudice And then see whether it have or can have so much as any colour of truth that the Prelates should be Ministers of the Gospell or that ordination may be receyved from them who are not members much lesse officers of the body of Christs Church these men themselves beyng witnesses Not to speak here of the testimony of former tymes For which see the hystoryes of Iohn Wickleff William Swinderby the Lord Cobham Iohn Claydon etc. 2. Secondly let it herevpon agayne be noted how wavering and vnstable these men are in all theyr wayes as if IEsus Christ were Yea and Nay and not one and the same yesterday to day and for ever Heretofore they published that the Prelates vvere not Pastors not Teachers nor members of the body of CHRISTS CHVRCH but that theyr offices callings and government vvere Antichristian divelish and contrary to the Scriptures But now behold they account the PRELATES to be MINISTERS of the GOSPELL Is it not piteous to see them thus halt between two opinions and to vse such lightnes in the matmatters of God as that theyr word should thus be Yea and Nay and themselves like reeds shaken with every wynd and clouds caryed about with every tempest Let them take heed least whiles thus they dally with the Lord he take them in theyr own craftyâ—es and bring vpon them that which is written The evill men and deceyvers shall wax worse and worse deceyving and being deceyved 3. Thirdly see here agayn how they take for graunted that which they should prove to wete that the Prelates are Ministers of the Gospell For this is the poynt in controversy they being charged not onely not to be such but to be limmes of Antichrist standing in apostasy from the way and Gospell of Christ yea adversaryes against and exalted above the Lord and his holy ordinances 4. Fourthly if they were true Ministers yet it were an endles work and without all rule or example in the Scripture for a man entring into the Ministery to seek the approbation of all and every one of the Ministers of an whole land And yet if this were to be had it would make the more against Mr H. who would onely seek for the approbation of some one as here he reasonath d passe by all the rest of the Land who notwithstaÌ„ding by this meanes should have as much interest therein as the other 5 Lastly it is to be mynded here how he turneth away from the question and matter in hand telling vs of approbation when he should speak of ordination 〈◊〉 â—rdination cary with it also an approbation of partly 〈…〉 yet every approbation is not ordination as Mr H. 〈…〉 very well And hitherto of his second 〈…〉 of it Now followeth his third and last 〈…〉 there be any more strength then in the former The 〈…〉 fare these Thirdly saith Mr. H. the authority of the Christian Magistrate vvithout vvhose liking and allovvaâ—ce a Minister cannot be admitted to the 〈◊〉 in peace coming to the Bishop by Act of Parliament I may more boldly come to him for his approbation in regard of the Lavv not looking so much vnto the Man as regarding vvith reverence the povver of the Lavv and Christian Magistrate THis is Mr H. his third and last reason as also the last words of his letter that came to my hands For aunswer whereof let it be remembred how before in his first reason he confessed as the truth is that the Pâ—â—lates by the Lavv of God are not
by the Apostles 1 Cor. 4. 17. with 1 Tim. 5. 17. and 1 Cor. 14. 33. The severall functions and Ministeryes aforesaid hath CHRIST appoynted and set in the Church as Lord and King thereof Vnto them he giveth by his SPIRIT sufficient diversity of gifts aÌ„d ablility for the ordinary works of teaching exhorting governing distributing etc And being GOD he worketh by and in them all to the prayse of his Name and salvation of his elect 1 Cor 12. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 18. 28. and 14. 37. Rom. 12. 7. 8. Mat 18. 17-20 and 28. 18. 19. 20. Ephes. 4. 8. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. and in the other Scriptures noted before Let like evidence and warrant from the Scriptures be showed for the severall offices and functions now had and exercised in the Church of England Otherwise all men may know they are not from heaven but of men A few positions briefly conteyning the summe of the cause and treatise following 1 THat Iesus Christ is King and Lord of his Church and that all which look for salvation by him are bound to yeeld obedience to him as in all other things which he hath commaunded so also in his ordinance of Ministery Worship and Government prescribed in his Testament and no other Mat. 28. 19. 20 1 Tim. 6. 13. 14. 15 16. vvith Heb. 5. 9. and 12. 28. 19. 29. Ioh. 3. 36. Gal. 1. 8. 9. and 3. 15. 1 Cor. 12. 5. and 14. 37. 38. Act. 3. 22. 23. and 5. 31. Esa. 60. 12. Rev. 22. 18. 19. 2. That Christ as head and â—ord of his Church hath given vnto it for the instruction guydance and service thereof the offices of Pastors Teachers Elders â—eacons and Helpers together with rules for theyr entrance administration and maintenance Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 15. 16. Rom. 12. 7. 8. 1. Cor. 9. 14. and 12. 28. Act. 6. 2 6 and 14. 23. 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. The epistles to Timothy and Titus 3. That the Primitiue Churches were by the Apostles planted in this way and order as being the onely true way and order appoynted by Christ and to be observed to the end of the world Rom. 12. 7. 8 1 Cor. 12. 28. and 14. 37. Act. 6. 2. 6. and 11. 30. and 14. 23. and 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Col. 2. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. Iam. 5. 14. Tit. 1. 5. c. 1 Tim. 3. and. 5. and 6. 13. 14. vvith Rev. 22. 18. 19. Mat. 28. 20. 4. That synce the tyme of the Primitive Churches thus planted Antichrist that man of sinne as was foretold hath made departure from this way and order of Christ not onely in other poynts of doctrine but also in the Ministery â—orship and Government of the Church Wherevpon is come to passe that in stead of the former offices appoynted by Christ haue crept in the Locusts of Antichrist Archbishops Lordbishops ArchdeaeoÌ„s Chauncelors Commissaryes Parsons Vicars Priests and the rest of that â—ort together with theyr new and straunge entrance administration and maintenance 2 Thes. 2. 3. 4. 7 12. Rev. 9. 1 11. and 13. 11 18. and 14. 9. 10. 11. and 18. cap. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. compared vvith the Scriptures alledged in the former positions 5. That the Nations of the earth and this among the rest have ben made drunk with this cup of Babels fornications Whereof whosoever drunketh God hath threatned they shall also drink of the cup of his wrath Rev. 17. 1 5. and 18. 3. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. Rev. 14. 9. 10. 11. 6. That this nation hath to the prayse of God and honour of her Maiesty ben purged from many of the abominations and false doctrines of Babylon aforesaid but not from the Prelacy and other Ministery worship and government of the Church by Archbishops Lordbishops Archdeacons Commissaryes Priests Parsons Deanes Prebendaryes Canons etc. 〈◊〉 is evident by theyr present estate and by these reasons follovving First if all the false ministery worship and tyranny of Antichrist wers in all other places of the world abolished yet so long as this Prelacy and other Clergy and worship aforesaid remayneth in this land Antichrist that sonne of perdition were not vtterly consumed As the Scripture testifyeth he shalbe by the light of the Gospell before Christs comming at the great day 2 Thes. 2. 3. 8. vvith Rev. 14. 6. 7. 8. and 18. 19. and Ierem. 50. and 51. cap. Secondly the Churches of Antichrist cannot be compleet in all the Canonicall functions Prelacy and Ministery of Antichrist if they have not the functions Prelacy and Ministery of Archbishops Lordbishops Archdeacons Priests and the rest now had and retayned in the Land This is proved by the Popes Canons and Pontificall and by theyr Church constitution Thirdly the Churches of Christ may be compleet in the whole ministery worship and government appoynted by Christ to his Church and yet be alway and altogether without the present ministery worship and goverment by Archbshops Lordbishops Archdeacons Priests etc. now had and retayned in this Land This is proved by the constitution of the Primitiue Churches planted by the Apostles Which the Scripture showeth were compleet in the former and yet never had nor knew these latter Rom. 12. 7. 8. Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. Act. 14. 23. and 20. 17. 28. 1. Cor. 12. 28. Col. 2. 5. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5 9. 1 Tim. 3. and 5. cap. and 6. 13. 14. 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 12. Fourthly if that which is had in this Land were the true Ministery worship and government ordeyned by Christ in his Church then ought all the Churches of Christ vpon earth to vse the same Mat. 28. 18. 19. 20. 1 Tim. 6. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 4. 17. and 12. 5. and 14. 37. Iude. ver 3. Rev. 22. 16. 17. 18. 19. But even the Prelates themselves and theyr Proctors confesse it is and may be otherwise VVhitg in the preface of his last book against T. C. Also the Aunsvver to the Abstâ—act pag. 58. Finally if that which is had in this Land were the true Ministery worship and government appoynted by Christ to his Church then might it be found in the word of God But that can it not If any be otherwise mynded let them show the severall offices entrance administration and maintenance of the Prelacy and other Ministery of these assemblyes out of the Scriptures and Testament of Christ. If they speak not according to this vvord it is because there is no light in them Esa. 8. 20. The treatise following conteyned in two letters is divided into ten Sections The first section beginneth pag. 1. The second pag. 5. The third pag. 17. The fourth pag. 44. The fift pag. 59. The sixt pag. 79. The seventh pag. 86. The eight pag. 94. The ninth pag. 106. The tenth pag. 116. ¶ ERRATA Pag. 4. lin 7. for dare read deare Pag. 28. lin 30. for the he is read that he is Pag. 111. lin 43. for what the people read what know
his high court of prerogative or grave fatherly faculties these together or the worst of them as some of them be to bad may not be broken or offended against but with more daunger then to offend against the Bible To these subscribing and subscribing again and the third subscribing are required for these preachers and others are indited are fined are prisoned are excommunicated are banished and haue worse things threatned them And the Bible that must haue no further scope then by these it is assigned Is this to professe Gods word Is this a reformation He that could not abide straunge fyer in the old law but burnt them that used it what vvill he do to us in the nevv lavv that erect a nevv and straunge course or vvord to rule his Church by What did the Pope but so He did suffer Gods vvord to haue a course as far as it pleased him so that he might haue the vvhole authority aboue it So did the popish Church But vve say the vvord is aboue the Church Then suerly it is about the English Church and aboue all these books afore rehearsed If it be so vvhy are not they ouer-ruled by it and not it by them These are theyr own words and that in an admonition to the high court of parliament So as we holding our peace you may by this perceiue in what estate they stand by the lawes and present constitution of theyr Church But Mr. H. addeth moreover that they all professe Christ to be the onely lavv giver vnto the conscience Is this so in deed How is it then that Mathew Sutcliffe Deane of Exceâ—er a chief officer in theyr Church is not afrayd nor ashamed to publish in print that it soundeth harsh in Christian eaâ—es to call Christ a Lavvgiuer But to let him alone with his blasphemous contradiction to the Scriptures and Spirit of God let us consider a litle the profâ—ssion they make herein And first I aske what if the Papists professe as much Will such profession in word help any thing when in deed by theyr works they deny it Secondly let Mr H. remember that some of themselues affirme vvhiles they professe Christ to be a king and per submitt not to the lavves he hath prescribed in his vvord they make him an Idoll and putt a scepter of reed in his hand Thirdly do not they fynd fault with the Papists aÌ„d prove them to bend true Church though they professe in word that Christ is the king of his Church becouse in deed they obey not his lawes but have invented and use theyr own canons and constitutions for government of the Church Mark well theyr own words in a treatise lately published wherein they prove the Church of â—ome not to be the true Church by this reason following The Papists in vvord vvill not deny but Christ is a king vvhich hath all povver in heaven and in earth But in deed it appeareth they do exile and banish him out of his kingdome or at least leav him but a small portion or rather none at all For in respect that he is a spirituall king and the king of his Church he is also as Iames speaketh the onely lavvgiâ—er thereunto and therefore by his lavves onely the Church is to be governed Which they cannot abide For they adde their popish Canous constitutions and customes vvhereby they vvill haue the Church governed Yea they vvill haue these take place though they utterly displace the vvord of God for the maintenance of them These are theyr own words in that treatise Thus they reason against the Papists And is not this reason I pray you as strong against themselues and against theyr own Church Prelates and Clergy Yea are not theyr ecclesiasticall assemblyes daughters of the Church of â—ome in this behalf Or have theâ— more priviledge by theyr verball profession to be exâ—mpt from the obedience of Christ and his lawes then the Papists havâ— Lastly seing Mr H. saith they professe Christ to be the onely lawgiver to the conscience Let him in syncerity of heart as before God aunswer vs these few questions 1 Whether then obedience be not to be given to the Lord Iesus in whatsoever he hath commaunded and all his lawes and ordinances to be observed though all the Princes on earth should forbid it 2 Why then they abstayne from the observation of those Lawes and ordinances which themselves have taught and written to be appoynted by Iesus Christ to be kept vnblameable and without spott vntill his appearing yea though it be with the losse of wealth honour liberty and life it self 3 Whether the Lord Iesus the lawgiver of his Church have not set in his Church to continew to the end of the world the offices of Pastours Teachers Elders Deacons and Helpers together with theyr entrance works and maintenance for the administration of his holy things 4 Whether the Offices of Archbishops Lord bisshops priests deacons vicars and the rest now had in England theyr maner of entrance into them theyr administration of them by theyr popish canons and book of common prayer theyr maintenance in them by tithes Lordships Chrismes offrings aÌ„d such like be appoynted by Christ that onely Lawgiver to his Church and in what places of his Testament 5 Whether being not prescribed by Christ but derived from and belonging to Antichrist any can eyther administer or joyne vnto them in that estate and yet in truth acknowledg Christ to be the onely lawgiver to the conscience 6 Fynally whether they which abyde one with the world and false Church not separating themselves from them according to the commaundement of Christ which administer or receyv the word or Sacraments in or from a false ministery which how down vnto traditions and false worship devised and imposed by man which stand subiect to be silenced and excommunicated by the Prelates theyr Chauncelours and Archdeacons whether these I say can be said in truth to hold Christ to be the onely lawgiver to the conscience Or whether they receyv not the mark of the Beast and as yet stand subjects of his kingdome submitting to his Antichristian lawes and constitutions In the last place Mr. H. addeth that nothing among them is vrged to be done vpon payne of damnation but onely the word and law of God To which I aunswer first that if this were true yet it is not to the purpose seing many things among them contrary to the word of God are vrged to be done vpon payne of imprisonment confiscation of Goods and lands banishment death and such like Secondly I aunswer that they do require men to be subiect to theyr excommunication vpon payne of damnation as theyr own words in theyr writs of excommunication do show Now it is evident and confessed by the best of themselves that they have not Christs power to excommunicate but execute it contrary to the word of God by an Archdeacon or Lordly Prelate according to theyr
no Antichrist can be shovved vvhose doctrine is â—ound Concerning which I haue aunswered before first that theyr doctrine also is vnsound and have showed it in divers false doctrines they hold and teach and then that Antichrist the man of sinne teacheth many true doctrines towching God the CreatioÌ„ ResurrectioÌ„ and such like yet notwithstanding is he an Antichrist and his followers in Antichristian estate Otherwise if the reaching of some sound doctrines would make such to be no Antichrists as do so teach what Antichrists have there or will there ever be in the world Hath there at any tyme ben any heretick or Antichrist that hath not held aÌ„d professed some truth together with his hereâ—y aÌ„d Antichristianity Nay is not the truth that such a one teacheth the very meanes by which his delusion is made the stronger Then for that truths sake he ought not the more to be hearkned vnto as these men reason but the more to be avoyded as Mr Beza hath well noted against Saraâ—ia least vnder pretence of hearing the truth from him we be deâ—â—pved by him When the divell himself acknowledged and said that Christ was the Sonne of the most High that holy one of God or when he doth professe and teach it in the offices he hath brought into the false Church shall we therefore allow such as lawfull ministers of Christ and abide members of such a Church Or ought we not rather to know that Christ 〈◊〉 rebuketh them aÌ„d biddeth them hold their peace hath â—lso charged vs to depart from all such aÌ„d not to partake in theyr sinnes It neyther is nor can be vnknowen though it be 〈◊〉 mynded of many that as SathaÌ„ himself is traÌ„sformed â—â—to an Angel of light so his ministers even such as stand in any false ministery can transforme themselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnes Which they do no may more subtilly aÌ„d forcibly effect then by meanes of the true doctrines which they teach in the AntichristiaÌ„ offices they haue â—â—eybed Thus we may see that the hony of some truth being mixed with the poyson of theyr offices we can not from them cast the sweetnes of the one but we are withall in present dainâ—â—t to be destroyed by partaking with the other and therefore 〈◊〉 not in this estate to receyv but to avoyd them altogether â—itherto of the Scriptures which Mr. H. hath brought about the description of Antichrist aÌ„d of his conclusioÌ„ inferred therevpoÌ„ The next Scriptures he alledgeth are of another sort showing us who be true ministers and which be true Churches The first is out of the tenth of Iohn where Christ speaketh â—hus Verily verily I say vnto you He that entreth not in by the doore into the folde of the sheep but climeth vp another way he is a thief and a robber But â—e thath entreth in by the doore is the sheepeard of the sheep Ioh. 10. 1. 2. And agayn Iesus said vnto them Verily verily I say vnto you I am the doore of the sheep All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not heare them I am the doore by me if any man enter in he shalbe saved and shall go in and go out and finde pasture Ioh. â—0 7. 8. 9. HEre in deed is a speciall mark to know ministers by tâ— witt if they enter in by the doore into the sheepfold that is vp Iesus Christ into his Church Now to enter invp IEsus CHrist is eyther immediately to be called by CHrist himself as were the Prophets and Apostles or els mediately to be called by his Church to such offices as he hath given for the work of his ministery according to such rules as he hath appoynted to that end Seing then the publik ministers of these assemblyes are neyther immediately called by Christ himself nor mediately by his Church neyther to such offices as Christ hath sett in his Church nor according to such rules as he hath prescribed therevnto it is manifest they enter not in by the doore that is by IEsus CHrist but climbe up another way to witt by theyr deaconry and priesthood receyved of the Prelates and derived from Antichrist And therefore are not true ministers appoynted by Christ and his Church but thieves and robbers belonging to Antichrist and his defection The further proof whereof besides theyr continuall practise and present estate I refer to his proper place in that which is to be spoken hereafter towching the second part of the Reason and in that place towching theyr priesthood and entrance into the ministery In the meane tyme onely I putt them in mynd that they have graunted thus much of themselues heretofore as I affirme that is that they enter not in by Christ but by a popish and vnlawfull vocation These are theyr own words But of this more hereafter That in this place Mr. H. translateth Christs wordâ— thus he that leadeth the sheep in at the doore albeyt the thing â—e true that the true pastors do so aÌ„d that the sheep so led fynd pasture aÌ„d salvation in Christ Yet his translation here is vntrue and some what subtill to the end as it seemeth he might with better colour have some defence for theyr ministery from this Scripture For Christs speach here is not he that leadeth in at the doore but thus he that entreth in by the doore As may be showed divers wayes first by the proper signification of the words here vsed whereof the one signifyeth to enter in or to come in not to lead in and the other signify by the doore not in at the doore secondly by the contrary which Christ opposeth vnto it in the former verse when he saith he that clymeth not he that leadeth vp another way is a thief and a robber thirdly by the severall propertyes which here Christ attributeth to all false ministers opposed to the other as first that they are thieves aÌ„d robbers that is such as burst into the howse an other way then by the doore and in stead of well ordering the house make spoyle of them that dwell in it even making marchandize of theyr soules and consciences Next that they are straungers that is such whose offices and callings are straunge from the word of God and ordinance of Christ and therefore ought alway of his Church to be accounted as straungers aÌ„d theyr voyce not to be hearkned vnto lastly that they came before Christ that is be such as do not follow after him wayâ—ing for his calling and walking in his way which he hath sett vs but do intrude themselves without him and follow another way devised by themselves and never prescribed by him Here also would I aske Mr H. whether one being in no office of ministery yet taking vpon him publikly to teach and as here he saith leading in at the doore that is teaching no other meanes of salvation
so have we also different rules and courses prescribed by God aÌ„d to be followed by vs how to walk after one maner towards the Churches of Christ when corruptions be found among them and after another towards the Synagogues of Antichrist which are fallen into defection from the way of Iesus Christ. If you aske what these rules be that are given to be observed when errors and enormityes are espyed in a true Church I aunswer these and the like that they which espy them are not therevpon to forsake the Church but must first give the Church knowledg thereof out of the word of God and that also according to due order as first to make it knowen vnto them to whom the oversight of the Church is committed who if they be perswaded are then by duty bound to advertise the Church thereof and to see it redressed in all good maner If they be not perswaded then having taken some others with them and not prevayling they are afterward to bring it before the whole Church and to show them theyr estate wherein it swarveth from the rules of Gods Law who fynding it so to be are bound to acknowledg and amend it Yet if this way they prevayle not then are they to vse if they may the help of other Churches to advise of the matter and to admouish that Church of theyr estate out of the Scriptutes Now these things being done as they ought we may hope by the blessing of God that issue will follow which the Scriptures show hath followed vpon such proceeding heretofore that is that they will not now wilfully stand in knowen transgression convinced vnto them out of the word of God by so many witnesses but will rather sorrow for theyr sinne and reioyce for the consolation they shall fynd by receyving the truth and walking in the way thereof showed vnto them out of the Scriptures But if they will not amend the Lord Iesus Christ who walketh in the nuddes of the golden candelsticks and hath all power given him in heaven and in earth hath threatned to remove the candelstick out of his place and to take the kingdome of God from them and to give it to such as will bring forth the fruits thereof And then to such as are willing to obey the truth he hath in such cases given direct commaundement to save themselves from such a froward generation and to bynd vp the testimony and seale vp the Law among his disciples And these are the rules so far as I have observed given vs for our walking in and toward the Churches of Christ when errors and corruptions be found among them Now towching such assemblyes as stand in false constitution or apostasy from the way of Christ the former rules are not given vs to be vsed in aÌ„d with them but concerning such there is one onely rule prescribed by God for our carriage towards them which is with all speed to separate and depart from them and in no case to partake in theyr sinnes but to witnes against them even vnto death Forasmuch then as these assemblyes how famous so ever he account them stand in a false constitution even in apostasy from that true ministery and from those holy ordinaÌ„ces appoynted by Christ to his Church it is clâ—are as the sunne that the golden rules of such proceding as is before described belong not vnto them in this estate but that all men ought vpon payne of damnation without delay to depart out of them least if they still partake in theyr sinnes they receyv also of theyr plagues By which also appeareth how the reason here vsed by Mr H. out of Mat. 18. belongeth not to theyr assemblyes as now they stand and therefore in this case helpeth them nothing at all Nay furthermore I dare affirme and bynd my self to prove by this Scripture that there is not in theyr constitution any ecclesiasticall assembly in this land that can be accounted a true Church whereyn this rule here given by Christ can be practised And thus I prove it Every true Church of Christ hath Christs power here spoken of to cast out obstinate sinners from among them But no ecclesiasticall assembly in this land hath in their constitution this power of Christ here spoken of to cast out obstinate sinners from among them Therefore no ecclesiasticall assembly in this land can in their constitution be accounted a true Church of Christ. The proposition or first part of the reason is proved by this place of Scripture as also by 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and Mat. 28. 20. The assumption or latter part of the reason I prove thus First the power of excommunication among them resteth in the Lordbishop and in his Chauncelor aÌ„d Archdeacon whose offices and authority Christ never ordeyned in his Church therefore can not they in theyr constitution have the power of Christ here spoken of Secondly the offices aÌ„d authority of the Prelates aforesaid are Antichristian therefore also caÌ„ they not in such estate have this power of Christ For what fellowship can there be between Christ and Antichrist Thirdly let vs suppose that some of theyr Church committeth a sinne aÌ„d is admonished to repent of it by another of them the sinner repenteth not the other taketh with him one or two to admonish and witnes against him the sinner notwithstanding still persisteth Now what shall the other do or whither shall they go If to the Prelates and theyr Officials who among them have the power of excommunication in theyr hands that is not to follow this rule of Christ but to show theyr subiection to Antichrist If to that parish whereof the party is a member as for example let vs suppose the best among them as Blackfryers or Mary Overyes in London or Ashby de la zouch in Lepcester shire or Maldon in Essex or Coventry in warwick shire or any other alas what are they the nearer Though they would yet in theyr constitution can they do nothing but eyther go themselves or bid the other go and complayne to the Lordbishop theyr Ordinary or to his Chauncelor or Archdeacon who have the government of the Church committed vnto them Or if they should offer to proceed other wise to excommunication of the party they are so far from having power to do it as neyther were such a one by the Law of theyr Church to be accounted excommunicate and they also whosoever should attempt so to do were subiect for this cause to be excommunicate themselves yea and to be imprisoned aÌ„d further punished by theyr Lords the Prelates Lo here how these assemblyes even the best of them in theyr constitution can not practise this rule of Christ which he hath given vnto and may be practised by every true Church of his The Lord give them eyes to see it and hearts to depart from the tents of such vngodlynes Thus having showed that there is no more strength of proof in this
Christ are to be admonished and redresse of theyr â—ormityes duly to be sought must therefore the Synagogues of Antichrist make clayme to the same priviledges and maner of proceding Or because the members of true Churches are to be accounted brethren till having wilfully refused to repent they eyther be cast out or having leavened the whole lumpe the candelstick be removed from them all must therefore the members of Antichristian assemblyes be had in the same account who never yet were ioyned to any true visible Church in fellowship of the Gospell but stand in confusion with the world and subiection to the Beast howsoever in such estate they teach and professe some poynts of the truth and Christian religion Then sure let the Papists also be accounted brethren and no longer the children of the whores fornications But to conclude did not the Apostle in that epistle to the Galatians charge them to stand fast in theyr liberty and not to be entangled agayne with the yoke of bondage but to abhorre all such and count them accursed who should preach or lead them otherwise then he had preached and they had receyved towching theyr liberty and freedome by the Gospell from the ceremonyes of the Law Now if they must abhorre and 〈◊〉 of all such as would bring in agayne the abolished ceremonyes of the Law which once were commaunded by God how should such be accounted as brethren which retayne and inforce the ordinances of Antichrist never appoynted by God but invented by Sathan that Prince of the children of disobedience That which Mr. H. next obiecteth about the handling of the controversy in the Church of Antiochea hoth the same aunswer with the former Onely where he saith that the errors in that Church were far greater then any be in theyrs let him well consider with himself whether the error of vrging and receyving circuâ—cision and other ceremonyes of the Law before tyme the holy ordinances of God and now but newly abolished was greater then the vrging aÌ„d receyving of the Apostasy of Antichrist that great enemy of Iesus Christ in his ministery worship and government of the Church which is such as God never ordeyned but straitly forbiddeth vpon payne of eternall condemnation Lastly for our separation from them which he so earnestly obiecteth against vs and contrary to GOds word sendeth vs beyond the sea to enguyre his will therâ—about we have not onely if need were that which he so much requireth the approbation of the reformed Churches of Geneva Fraunce Belgia Helvetia and the rest as before hath ben showed by theyr own publick confessions but we have also that which is much more and which alone were sufficient I meane the warrant of the Scriptures and the like practise of the Churches and people of God in all ages first before the stood and then after the flood both in the tyme of the Law and afterward vnder the Gospell and that also first in the Primative Churches planted by the Apostles themselves and now agayne in all the Churches and people which synce the apostasy of the man of sinne have made departure out of the spirituall Babylon as it is written Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers in her sinnes and that ye receyv not of her plagues Now therefore to omitt M r H. his vnseasonable vse of Pauls reproof in this place may not we well say of these things as the Apostle doth to the Corinthians in the words immediately following those which are here vsed If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledg that these things are the commaundements of the Lord And if any beignorant let him beignorant And thus much in defence of the first parâ— of the reason which was this Whosoever he be that dealeth with the holy things of God and worketh vpon the consciences of men by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling him the people of God ought not to receyv or joyâ—e themselues vnto or as M H. hath here sett it down to like effect he is an Antichristian minister whatsoever truth he bringeth with him Now it remayneth likewise to defend the second part of the reaâ—on which was this But all the ministers that staÌ„d over the Church-assemblyes in England deale with the holy things of God and work vpon mens consciences by vertue of an Antichristian power office and calling Concerning which and the proof thereof first let vs see how M r. H. setteth them down and aunswereth vnto them generally then let vs come to the particulars by which he endevoreth to approve theyr office and calling of ministery from the word of God It followeth therefore in his letter thus ¶ M r. H. his letter Section 6. THe second part of the reason is this But all the ministers in England work vpon the consciences of men by vertue of an Antichristian office and calling Hovv is this proved First they have no other office in the Church then that which the lawes of the land allow and they allow none but the Prelaâ—p Priesthood and â—eaconry which are all Antichristiaâ— offices Secondly they all enter vpon theyr office by the Ordinary the Bishop whose office is also Antichristian To the first of these reasons I aunsvver that although the name of Priests belong not to the true ministers of the Gospell because it hath ben generally in our language given to the popish Sacrificers and although there be sundry circumstances and ceremonyes appoynted by the lavv to be vsed at they ordination vvhich I cannot iustify and many of those good orders neglected vvhich the Scripture prescribeth in this case yet is that office vvhich the lavves of our land call the office of the Priesthood the very same in substance vvith the Pastors office described in the vvord and the maner of outvvard calling vnto that office vvhich the Lavv allovveth is the very same in substance vvith that vvhich is sett dovvn in the vvord Aunswer to Section 6. THis is M r H. his generall aunswer to the secoÌ„d part of the reason which is needfull first to be considered before we come to the particulars which follow that so both the streÌ„gth of the truth aÌ„d the subtilty of his aunswer may better appeare First he yeeldeth as needs he must that they have no other office in the Church then that which the Lawes of the land allow For this is alledged in the proof of the second part of the reason and is not at all gaynesayed by him Yet most of them which are of the better sort among them when they are somewhat pressed about theyr ministery disclayme their offices and callings receyved from and by the Prelates which onely are allowed by the Lawes of the land and fly to I know not what office and calling receyved from some of theyr forward Ministers and people as himself also doth in this his writing afterward where he saith that many ministers in
come thereon of whom the Apostle sayth the damnation of such is just Suerly the grace that bringeth salvation teacheth otherwise even to deny all vngodlynes and not to have any fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknes but to reprove them rather So the Apostle chargeth Timothy and in him all Ministers to keep themselves pure and not to communicate with other mens sinnes And the Lord from heaven hath commaunded all his servants to go out of Babylon and not to partake in her sinnes that they receyv not of her plagues Howsoever therefore M r. H. aÌ„d the rest of them account of this theyr dealing sure we are that before GOd it is grievous transgression aÌ„d therefore to be shunned of all such as have care to keep faith and a good conscience and the contrary to be witnessed in testimony of the truth of Iesus Christ whose servants we are Finally it is here to be observed how they would beare the world in hand that they fayle but in circumstances and ceremonyes not in the substance of the ministery Where we may first consider how these forward preachers are now driven to the same shift wherevnto they drove the Prelates and Formalists heretofore The forward preachers proved this Ministery aÌ„d worship to be Antichristian The Prelates and theyr Proctors pleaded that they fayled but in circumstance and not in substance Secondly it is to be noted how they would vnder the name of ceremonyes and circumstances subtilly hide that fowle heap of abominations which they have taken out of the whores cup of BabyloÌ„ many particulars whereof have before divers tymes ben handled and therefore need not here agayn be mentioned Thirdly if it were so that they fayled but in circumstances and ceremonyes yet they should remember that the iudgment of God overtook Nadab Abihu Uzziah and others recorded in the Scripture for transgressing in matters of ceremony and circumstance And what priviledge have they now above others to stand in knowen and grievous sinne against the Lord Iesus and his ordinances Or are they stronger then God that they will thus still provoke him to anger Fourthly it is to be knowen and they should do well to sett down what they account the substance of the Ministery Mr. H. afterward speaking of the entrance into the Ministery setteth down three substantiall parts thereof as he calleth them first a due tryall secondly the choyse of the people it seemeth he meaneth a true visible Church els he speaketh not to the purpose thirdly a right ordinatioÌ„ Of which three seing in his own vnderstanding as appeareth afterward he can not himself deny but most of theyr Ministers want all and all theyr Ministers want some to witt the choyse of a true visible Church aÌ„d a right ordination it is evident by his own graunt they want the substance of a true calling to the Ministery and therefore fayle not onely in circumstance as he would pretend But that we may the better try out the truth in this poynt I will here sett down what I take to be substantiall in the ministery And that is first that it be a true and lawfull office of ministery which is receyved aÌ„d executed that is that it be such as Christ in his Testament hath given to his Church for the work of his ministery secondly that there be a lawfull calling and entraÌ„ce into such office as is aforesaid thirdly that the administration thereof be according to the Testament of Christ. Other things there be also which are of great waight towthing the ministery but these three specially I take to be such as are substantiall vnto it Insomuch as none of these can be wanting to the execution of a true ministery For towching the first that is a true and lawfull office prescribed by Christ if it might be wanting in a true ministery to what end were it that Christ hath given to his Church certayne and distinct offices for the work of the ministery to the end of the world Or how should it be true in this case which the Apostle saith of all the offices appoynted by Christ that God hath sett them in his Church and agayne that there are diverâ—ityes of ministeryes but the same Lord Otherwise also what a wide doore would be opened to the receyving aÌ„d executing in the Church of any false offices whatsoever even for men after theyr own lusts to get them an heap of teachers and so to go a whoring after theyr own inventioâ—s in the worship of God Finally how should men for conscience sake honour obey and submitt vnto them which have the oversight of the Church if they be not over them in the Lord and consequently in true and lawfull offices ordeyned by Christ For the second that is a true and lavvfull calling and entrance into theyr office if it might be wanting in a true ministery why saith the Scripture No man taketh this honour vnto himself but â—e that is called of God as was Aaron Yea that Christ did not attribute this honour to himself to be made the high Priest but was called of him that said vnto him Thou art my sonne this day begat â— thee Why also doth Christ account them for straâ—ngers thieves and robbers which enter not in by the doore into the sheepfold but clymbe vp another way Or to what end should it be that Christ so earnestly said Verily Verily I say vnto you If I send any he that receyveth him receyveth me and he that receyveth me receyveth him that sent me aÌ„d agayn He that despiseth him despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Or why hath God by the Prophet Ieremy complayned against and reiected the false Prophets in this respect saying I have not sent these Prophets yet they ranne I have not spoken vnto them yet they prophecy Lastly if a true and lawfull calling were not substantiall and necessary to the execution of a true ministery then why might not men devise new kinds of entrance or intrude themselves into the ministery at theyr pleasure Both which are vnlawfull For the third that is a lavvfull administration according to the Testament of Christ that it also cannot be wanting the Scripture showeth many tymes and sundry wayes First in that the Apostle chargeth Timothy to keep the true patterne of wholsome words delivered by the Apostles and that if any teach othervvise and condiscend not to the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlynes they should be separated from aÌ„d holden to be accursed Secondly in that the Apostle saith that for this very cause he wrote vnto Timothy and in him to all the ministers of the Gospell in ages following that they might know how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth And herevpon
therefore giveth most strait charge before God and the Lord I Esus Christ and the elect Angels to keep that commaundment without spott and blameles vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Thirdly in that he teacheth that even to this end the whole Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being fully furnished to every good work Fourthly in that the Apostles themselves did account it substantiall and of necessity in theyr own administration not to follow subtill and cunning fables but to deliver that they receyved of the Lord Neyther to have dominion over the Saints but to be helpers of theyr ioy Even as Peter likewise requireth of all others that they speak the words of God and that they feed the flock which dependeth vpon them caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy luâ—re but of a ready mynd not as though they were Lords over Gods heritage but as ensamples to the flock Fiftly Christ himself the Lord of his Church hath taught this both by practise and commaundement By his practise when concerning his own ministration he saith I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me gave me a commaundement what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his commaundement is life everlasting the things therefore that I speak I speak so as the Father said vnto me By commaundement when he charged his Apostles they should teach to observ vvhatsoever he had commaunded them promising to be with such vnto the end of the world And finally if it might be otherwise what end would there be in the Church of mens precepts vayne inventions new ministrations false doctrines straunge worship voluntary Religions counterfett holynes vsurped tyranny Antichrisâ—ian Lordlynes and such like Thus then appeareth that in a true and lawfull ministery it is substantiall and necessary there be first a true and lawfull office that is such as Christ hath in his Testament given to his Church secondly a lawfull calling and entrance therevnto thirdly a lawfull administratioÌ„ thereof according to the said Testament of Iesus Christ. So as to prove that they have the substance of a true ministery Mr. H. should have showed out of the Scripture theyr offices entrance and administration theyr offices I say of Archbishops Lordbishops Deanes Prebendaryes Archdeacons Parsons Uicars Stipendaryes and all other sorts of Priests and Deacons among them theyr entrance likewise by the Lordbishops according to theyr popish pontificall that is according to theyr book of coÌ„secrating Archbishops and Bishops and of ordering Priests and Deacons together with theyr Patrones presentations theyr institutions inductions othes of Canonicall obedience to the Prelates and such like finally theyr administration of the word Sacraments and Censures by vertue of the offices afore said and according to theyr popish book canons aÌ„d constitutions together with the performance of such actions as belong not at all to the dutyes of the ministery such as be the Churching of women the solemnization of mariage praying over the dead at burial aÌ„d the like These I say he should have showed by the Scriptures if he would prove vnto vs that they have the substance of the ministery of the Gospell Which because it neyther is neyther caÌ„ be done by the word of God therefore can we in no wise be perswaded that they have the substance of a true ministery and fayle but in circumstance as he would here beare vs in hand Yet because he pretendeth as if he could prove that which he saith let vs see what stuffe he bringeth to this purpose It followeth therefore in his writing for proof of his former assertion in this wise ¶ M r. H. his letter Section 7. DOth the vvord enioyne the Minister to preach deligently So by our 〈◊〉 he is expresly charged at his ordination to do and forbidden to teach any thing as required of necessity vnto salvation but that vvhich he is persvvaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture Yea it commaundeth him vvith all faithfull diligence to banish and drive avvay all erroneous and straunge doctrines that are contrary to Gods vvord Doth the vvord authorise him to administer the Sacraments So doth our Lavv. Doth the vvord requier that the minister should not onely publikly teach but also oversee and look to the peoples conversation exhorting admonishing reproving and comforting them asvvell privately as publikly Even so doth our Lavv. Lastly doth the vvord authorise the minister to execute the censures and discipline of Christ Our lavv doth also commaund the same So that although many to vvhom the execution of these things appertayne do grievously fayle in the practise thereof yet you see the office vvhich the Lavv inioyneth to the Minister is the same in substance vvith that vvhich the vvord layeth vpon him Aunswer to Section 7. THis is then Mr H. his proof by which he would perswade vs that theyr Priests have the same office in substance with the Pastors appoynted in the word because the Law of the land requireth of theyr Priests the performance of such things as the word of God requireth of Pastors But this is no sufficient proof For first if he look into the Popes pontificall and Canons he shall fynd they require also of theyr Priests and Bishops to preach diligently to administer the Sacraments to oversee theyr flock and to execute the censures and discipline And consequently if his reason were good the most popish priests and Bishops should have the same office in substance with the Pastors described in the word Which doubtles he will not affirme or if he do let him take heed least with Mr Giffard he prove himself a Schismatick from the Church of â—â—ome from whence they have derived theyr ministery and yet pretend as if they made departure from that Church Secondly he should have remembred that distinction is to be made between an office and the actions or dutyes of an office For it often commeth to passe that many performe the actioÌ„s of an office who yet have not the office or substance thereof as he calleth it To offer incense was a duty belonging to the priesthood in the tyme of the Law Corah Dathan Abiram men famous in the CongregatioÌ„ â—zziah also a king they take censers and put incense therein to offer it to the Lord Yet had they not therefore the substance of the Priests office but were punished and made examples to all such as should afterward attempt to do the dutyes of the ministery being not lawfully called and sett in those offices which Christ hath appoynted therevnto The administration of Baptisme likewise is a duty belonging to the Ministery of the Gospell Yet women in ENgland do administer it yea and are by the Law allowed so to do in case of necessity as they call it Yet I suppose Mr
they execute theyr ministery Besides that they shall be straitly imprisoned and if the Prelates can be brought within daunger of theyr lives Take for example the vsage of Mr. Udall Mr Cartwright Mr Field Mr Wiburne Mr Wigginton Mr Lord Mr King Mr Chark Mr Wight Pageâ—t Fen Proudlove Snape and many mo of themselves some silenced some deprived some degraded some condemned to death That we speak nothing here of divers the faithfull servants of Christ who though they were not priests or had renounced theyr false calling yet for separating from and witnessing against the abominations aforesaid have ben some most cruelly imprisoned some banished some put to death But to leave this vnto God who seeth and iudgeth we proceed to the rest that followeth Theyr priests he saith must also drive away all erroneous and straunge doctrines that are contrary to Gods word How is it then that by law they may teach and maynteyne so many false doctrines contrary to the Scripture as have ben mentioned before Or how is it that they silence imprison banish and kill such as speak against and labour to drive away the erroneous and straunge doctrines yet retayned among them contrary to the word of God Next he saith theyr Priests are likewise authorised to administer the Sacraments Well but by vertue of what calling Is it not from the Prelates the Lordbishops who have no power from Christ to give such authority Of which more hereafter How also must they administer the Sacraments According to the Testament of Christ No but accordin to theyr own book for so the Law requireth with certayne stinted words for prayer and certayne for exhortation with Epistles and Gospels with questions and crosse to infants in Baptisme with other then the words of Christs institution in the Lords supper and with kneeling thereat as when they receyved theyr maker and other the like profanations derived from the Papists And yet moreover the Sacraments they administer must be given not to the faithfull onely and theyr seed as Christ hath appoynted but to the most wicked and profane in the land even to all within the precinct of theyr parishes 〈◊〉 if they that are partakers of one bread were not one body Or as if holy things were to be given to dogs and pearles to swyne Or straungers vncircumcised were to eat of the Passeover Or the covenant of God sacrilegiously to be violated whiles it is said to the open wicked in delivering them the seales of Gods covenant Thou art righteous Or as if the wicked were to have theyr hands strenghtâ—ed in theyr evill wayes whilst by this meanes life is promised them in theyr estate Or finally as if it were not the Table of the Lord but a table of divels or at least that the table of the Lord were not to be regarded as they said in Malachyes dayes neyther had through faith communion of the body and blood of Christ as the Apostles have taught vs. Lastly he saith theyr priests are required also to oversee theyâ— peoples conversation and commaunded to exercise the censures and discipline of Christ. And is it so in deed Let him look a litle better into theyr book of ordering Priests where they are thus commaunded and he shall fynd the words to be these the Prelate speaking to the Priest Will you give your faithfull diligence alwayes so to minister the doctrine and Sacraments and the discipline of Christ an the Lord hath commaunded and as this Realme hath receyved the same according to the commaundements of God so that you may reach the people committed to your cure and charge with all diligence to keep and observ the same Then he that is to be made Priest aunswereth I will do so by the help of the Lord. Now who seeth not that these words as this Realme hath receyved the same do so restrayne the other words therevnto annexed as the Priests are limited and promise no further nor otherwise to Minister the doctrine Sacraments or discipline of Christ but as this Realme hath receyved them And have not the popish priests at â—â—ome or wheresoever els in any age with like restraint the same coÌ„maundement layd vpon them Yet I trow Mr. H. will not say they have therefore the substance of the Pastors office Next let vs consider more particularly how they do and must exercise the discipline The book showeth so as is receyved in the Realme that is by presentments to the Prelates Commissaryes and Chauncelours courts by citations procurations getting the Prelates or theyr Officals to suspend excommunicate absolve dispense give licences give orders degrade deprive and the like and these also not according to the rules of Christs Testament but according to theyr Romish canons and constitutions Let him not tell us then that it is but the fayling of some in theyr practise to whom the execution of these things is committed and that otherwise they have the substance of the Pastors office They do but thus deceyv themselves and theyr followers whiles vnder those generall termes of preaching the word administring the Sacraments and discipline which at first carry a fayre show they cover most filthy abominations as hath ben declared Even hereby showing theyâ— constitution to be part of that mystery of iniquity wherein Sathan covertly worketh in all deceyt of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receyv not the love of the truth that they might be saved Herevnto might be added if there needed further proof that theyr priests at theyr ordination promise to be subject to theyr Ordinary that is to the Prelate of the Dioces and other chief Ministers over them that is the Archdeacon Chauncelor Commissary etc. and when they enter into a benefice do moreover sweare to yeeld canonicall obedience to the Prelates and finally do themselves together with theyr people stand subject to theyr Archbishops Lordbishops and the rest of the Antichristian offices and abominations often before rehearsed From all which the true Pastâ—rs and Churches of Christ are free Neyther do we here tell them of those many dutyâ—s layd vpon them by the Law as to bury the dead to Church women to solemnize marriage and such like which by Christ were never appoynted for duiyes of his Ministery Hitherto then have we showed that theyr Priests have not the substance of the Pastors office prescribed in the word as he did pretend Now therefore will we proceed to that which followeth save that first I would put him in mynd of two things which themselves have published The one is that D. Bridgâ—â—â— writing in defence of the offices of Archbishops aÌ„d Lordbishops when he could not otherwise reliev them as he desired flyeth vnto this very poynt that in the substance of theyr office they are Pastors or Teachers in the Church How soundly this is alledged for theyr Prelates or Priests besides that which is spoken before let themselves and theyr own writings
Aunswer to Section 9. RAther by that which hath ben said we have seen such an agreement of theyr Priesthood and Law thereof with the popish Law and priesthood and such a disagreement of them both from the Law of God and Pastors office prescribed theyrin as it can not but be discerned of all whose eyes are not blynded that both the Pastors office differeth as much from theyr priesthood as light doth from darknes and that theyr Priesthood in nature and substance agreeth with the popish as daughters of one mother and fethers of one aÌ„d the same wing Now whereas in the next place Mr H. cometh to their ouward calling to that office of Priesthood and therein refereth vs to theyr book of ordering Priests aÌ„d Deacons that we might peruse and so compare together theyr law with the Law of God it is straunge to see how they do theÌ„selves discover theyr own shame even when they labour most to hide it For if any would go about to lay open the filthynes of theyr abominations which in the calling to theyr ministery they have taken out of the whores cup of Babylon it can no way better be done then by comparing that book of theyrs whereto he referreth vs with the book and Law of God on the one hand and with the Popes pontificall on the other Evidence whereof we have seen sufficient in the comparison handled before and need not repeat it Yea theyr own consciences are so convinced herein as themselves have confessed and publisht it in admonition to the Parliament that theyr Pontificall thus they call theyr book whereby they conserate Bishops and make Ministers and Deacons is nothing els but a thing word for word drawen out of the Popes pontificall wherein he showeth himself to be Antâ—christ most lively And moreouer that they haue an Antichristian Hierarchy and popish ordering of Ministers straunge from the word of God and the vse of all vvel reformed Churches in the world Let these things then be layd together aÌ„d well weighed Now they would perswade vs that theyr calling to the Ministery is according to the Law of God Heretofore they published as the truth is that they have a popish ordering of ministers straunge from the word of God Now they would beare vs inhand that they have the substance of a true calling according to the ordinance of Christ Heretofore they said and truly that theyr making of Ministâ—rs is taken out of the Popes pontificall wherein he showes himself to be Aâ—tichrist most lively Is it not lamentaâ—le to see these men thus turne the truth of God into aly as if Antichrists apostasy were now sodenly become Gods ordinance or the Popes pontificall were all one with the Testament of Iesus Christ Besides this is it not straunge that in this very letter Mr H. should so forget aÌ„d contradict himself as here to say theyr Law agreeth with the Law of God as tovvching the substance of a true calling to the Ministery aÌ„d yet afterward accounting right ordination to be a substantiall part of true calling to affirme that the povver of ordination is by act of Parliament committed to the Prelates and that by the Lavv of God the Prelates are not capable of that povver and authority Is it possible to make these things accord together But because they feare not to deale thus doubly in the matters of God Let vs besides that which hath ben sayd yet a litle more examine theyr maner of calling to the Ministery even by that book of theyrs which he would have vs peruse as being agreable to the Law of God and see if God do not by themselves vncover theyr nakednes and make his truth which they would hinder yet more abound through theyr vntruth vnto his glory It were long to stand vpon all the particulars which out of that book to this end might be alledged and this writing is already much langer then at first I purposed I will therefore but give a tast of some by which you may perceyv what smack the rest have And first the very title of the book as a mark in the forehead evidently showeth the vnlawfulnes both of theyr office and of theyr entrance into it It is called thus The forme and maner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons Now if these offices and this maner of entrance were appoynted in the Testament of Christ what need or vse were there of this book and forme of theyrs But because they follow not the book of God aÌ„d the forme prescribed by Christ therefore have they framed to themselves this book and forme out of the Popes pontificall and termed it as aforesayd Now as is the title so be also the contents of that book By it as likewise by theyr practise it appeareth that theyr first office of Ministery is the Deaconship not that auncient office of Deacons appoynted by Christ but a meer invention of mans brayne and Antichristian For first that office is not imployed according to Christs ordinance in gathering and distributing the Churches benevolence but contrary to the word of God in reading theyr books of common prayer and Homilyes in administring Baptisme assisting the Priest in divine service and with the Prelates licence in preaching the word Secondly at theyr entrance and calling into that office they must be presented by an Archdeacon an Antichristion officer or his deputy Thirdly they must promise reverend obedience to theyr Ordinary and other chief Ministers of the Church that is to the Lordbishop of the Dioces to the Archbishop Archdeacon Chauncelor Commissary and the rest of that sort whose offices also are Antichristian Fourthly they must be ordeyned by a Lordbishop or his Suffragane whose office likewise is of Antichrist Fiftly they must receyv the Communion with the Lordbishop that day they are ordered And thus must they testify that they arâ— of the same â—aith and body with the Prelates who are knowen to be deadly enemyes of the truth and persecuters of the people of God Sixtly in stead of true prayer there must be sayd or sung the Letany and Suffrages with the Communion of the Day and a number of Collects and stinted prayers borrowed from the Papists Finally there must be read a Gospell and Epistle as they call theyr shredding of the Scripture in which they abuse and pervert the word of God falsely fathering vpon the Apostles an office of Deaconship which they never ordeyned that is a Deacoâ—ry whose dutyes they assigne to be to read publike prayer to baptize to assist the Priest in divine service and to preach being licensed therevnto Whereas neyther in the Apostles example nor doctrine any such dutyes are layd vpon the Deacons but such as are directly opposed to the Ministery of the word and prayer that is the having charge of the poore and Church treasure Besides that into that office of Deacons prescribed by the Apostles there is no such entrance as is aforesayd but a
the Name of God Herevpon it is that all the prayers recorded in the Scriptures which the men of God vpon â—o many severall occasions have offred vp vnto him are comprised in and may be reduced to this forme of prayer although they did not vse the very syllables and frame of words here set down By which also may be gathered both that this is a most absolute forme and â—â—le of prayer and that the right vse of it is to conceyve and frame all our prayers according to this rule and not to be bound to vse this number of words as many now a dayes in theyr ignorance and superstition do imagine If it be obiected that Christ said VVhen ye pray say Our Father c. and therefore that we ought in prayer to repeat these words I aunswer first that the Scripture showeth his meaning was not at all to bynd vs to the vse of these syllables but that in prayer and thanks giving we should follow this direction and patterne which he gave So we read in Mathew that Christ said After this maner pray ye and not as men now would habeit Say ouer these vvords 2. Secondly seing this is an absolute forme of prayer wherein is no want or vayne repetition if Christs meaning were to bynd vs to the vse of these vvords why then should we vse any other why should we not allway vse these and these onely Yea what els were it but vayne bavling and intolerable presumption to put other prayers in stead of this which is so absolute and perfit 3. Thirdly it is to be mynded that this forme of prayer being recoâ—ded in two places of the Scripture there neyther is all the same worde nor the same number of words mentioned in both places Now then according to which of these two must we say it If according to Luke his recording of it then shall we offend against that of Mathevv and contraily if we 〈◊〉 tâ—ed to the number and order of the words as they are set down 4. As God in giving the Morall law albeit he did fully and shortly â—eclare his will in those ten Commaundements yet did not dynd the Prophets and Priests in theyr Ministery to vse those very words but as occasion required according vnto them to show the people what then ought to do or leave vndone so Christ also giving this foune of prayer aâ—beit therein he hath fully and shortly taught vs all things needfull for prayer yet hath not bound vs in calling vpon GOD to vse these vvords but in all things according to this rule to make our requests vnto God with giving of thanks 5. It is without question that the Apostles vnto whom this rule first was given were carefull to keep it according to the true meaning of Christ But they neyther tyed themselves to the sevvords but alway prayed as they had severall occasions according to this rule neyther wheÌ„ they wrote vnto others concerning prayer did they ever teach them to say over the Lords prayer which doubtles they would have done if they had so taken the will of Christ to be but they taught and exhorted them still according to theyr necessityes and occasions in all things to show theyr requests vnto God in all maner prayer aÌ„d supplication in the spirit with giving of thanks and herevnto to watch with all perseverance because this is the vvill of God in Christ Iesus 6. If the Apostles had ben bound or might have tyed themselves to these or any other set forme of words then had they not given a sufficient reason who in this respect with other it was not meet they should attend vnto the Deacons office because they would give themselves as to the ministration of the word so also vnto Prayer For it had ben easy for them eyther to have said by rote or to have red oâ—t of a book this or any other set forme of prayer 7. They which think Christ hath tyed vs to say these vvords and that such saying of the words is true prayer must reconcile herewith the Apostles speach when he saith VVe knovv not vvhat to pray as vve ought but the spirit it self maketh request for vs vvith grones that can not be expressed These men it seemeth would aunswer Yes we know what to pray to witt the Lords prayer which conteyneth whatsoever we need to aske And what then need the Spirit to teach vs what to pray as we ought 8. The Apostle speaking of prayer in a straâ—nge tongue saith thus VVhen thou blessest hovv shall he that occupyeth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seing he knovveth not vvhat thou speakest Now if they had beÌ„ tyed to the vse of the words of the Lords prayer or to any other set sunted words they might have aunswered Yes we know what he saith when he prayeth or giveth thanks It is the Lords prayer or some stinted prescribed prayer which we know aforehand and therefore vnto it though it 〈◊〉 spoken in a straunge tongâ—e we can say Amen 9 If the saying over of these or of any friend words were true prayer then might a man have his prayers by rote or carry them in his pocket or â—â—y them at the book bynders shop etc. Which were straunge to imagine of true prayer which is the work of Gods spirit in our hearts teaching and enabling vs to powre out our soules vnto God in all necessityes and occasions and so to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ. 10. Whenas Christ promiseth that our heavenly father will give the holy Ghost to them that aske it of him And els where speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem saith Pray that your slight be not in the 〈◊〉 and the like these things being to be prayed for aâ—d yet these words not set down in that forme of prayer showeth that Christ hath not tyed vâ— to repeat over those words but to pray after that rule according to our wants and occasions 11 The words are so generall as vnles they be some way opened and particularlâ— applyed divers men will diversly vnderstand them For example if these words Thy kingdome come be vsed onely in generall without any explication the Papist vnderstandeth them of the advauncement of Gods kingdome in and by theyr religion the Protestant vnderstandeth and intendeth them of the cleane contrary And so in the rest Neyther can any man for himself vse them aright without some speciall application to his particular estate and occasion because no one mans faith and vnderstanding can atteyne vnto all things needfull for all occasioins tymes and persons as those words do comprehend 12. If these words Say yee c must be taken and pressed according to the letter then would follow that in prayer we should alway speak with the tongue Whereas there is prayer often in the spirit alone without any words or disâ—inet voyce at all As we
dayes of her purification after the lavv of Moses vvere accomplished they brought him to Ierusalem to present him to the Lord As it is vvriten in the Lavv of the Lord Every man child that openeth the vvomb shalbe called holy to the Lord And to give an oblation as it is commaunded in the Lavv of the Lord a payre of turtle doves or tvvo young pigeons And behold there vvas a man in Ierusalem vvhose name vvas Simeon this man vvas iust and feared God aÌ„d vvaited for the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost vvas vpon him And a revelation vvas given him of the holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ. And he came in the spirit into the Temple aÌ„d vvhen the parents brought in the child Iesus to do for him after the custome of the Lavv Then he took him in his armes and blessed God etc. Luk. 2. 22 27. And in the Gospell according to Mathew Cap. 8. it is thus written towching the leper whom Christ clensed Iesus said vnto him See thou tell no man but go shevv thy self vnto the Priest and offer the gift that Moses commaunded for a vvitnesse to them Mat. 8. 4. These Scriptures compared together evince that this Church of the Iewes had not reiected but retayned the publik ministery worship and ordinances prescribed by God and therefore wholy coÌ„demne the present estate of these Church assemblyes of EnglaÌ„d aÌ„d are far from proving that for which they are alledged In the second of Luke we read that at eight dayes old the child was circumcised which was according to the ordinance of God that Maryes purification the childs presentation to the Lord and the oblation they gave was not after any new devised maner but according to the Law of Moses and as it is commaunded in the Law of the Lord Finally that Simâ—oÌ„ fearing God came in the Spirit into the Temple whither the pareÌ„ts brought in the child Iesus to do for him not according to the custome aÌ„d inventioÌ„ of man but after the custome of the Law of God Where is to be observed how often together in these few verses the holy Ghost noteth down that whatsoever was done to and for the child was according to the Law of Moses the Law of the Lord the custome of the Law as it is written and as it is commaunded in the Law of the Lord. So this Scripture showeth that the ordinances appoynted by God for his worship were then observed Now if we ioyne herevnto the next Scripture of Mat. 8. we shall there fynd they had also that ministery which God had ordeyned for the tyme of the Law For there it is said Christ bad the leper being clensed go and show himself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commaunded Here then they had both the priesthood and ordinances which God had commaunded by Moses his servant And therefore these Scriptures are so far from proâ—ing greater corruptions to have ben in those Churches then be in these assemblyes as they do directly condemne theyr Church constitution in the new invented ministery worship and ordinances among them which God never ordeyned The next Scripture Mr H. citeth is out of Mat. 23. where Christ spake to the mulititude and to his disciples saying The Scribes and the Pharisees sitt on Moses chayre All therefore whatsoever they speak to you to observe that observe and do but after theyr works do not for they say and do not Mat. 23. 2. 3. This Scripture teaching that it was lawfull to heare the Scribes and Pharisees that sate in Moses seat is commonly alledged by the preachers and professors of this age for theyr defence Insomuch as they vse it as theyr anchor hold in greatest distresse But being well weighed it will prove the very shipwrack of theyr cause For first by conference of this Scripture with others appeareth that the Scribes aÌ„d Pharisees which sat on Moses chayre were priests and Levites expounders of the Law or such Iudges of hard pleas and coÌ„troversyes as we read of Deut. 17. And therefore were not in any straunge ministery invented by man but in those true offices which God had by Moses commaunded vnder the Law Secondly the phrase of speach here vsed when it is said they late on Moses chayre unporteth aÌ„d proveth thus much Which also may be gathered from a like maner of speach used in Nehemiah where we read that Ieshua aÌ„d Bani aÌ„d other of the Levites rose vpon the Levites stayre or hy seat and taught the people out of the Law and worshipped the lord Thirdly Pharisaisme was not any new kind of ministery but onely a sect among the Iewes that is a sort of people of what tribe soever among them which semed to haue chosen and in outward show pretended a more sirict observation of the Law then others did Fourthly the Scribes knew well ynough that every true ministery was from heauen not of meÌ„ that is was appoynted by God not devised by maÌ„ So far were they from having themselves any false ministery of mans invention This we may see in theyr coÌ„sultation which they had amoÌ„g themselves what to aunswer vnto Christs questioÌ„ whâ—â—e asked them whether the Baptisme of Iohn were from heaven or of men Lastly we fynd that the pharisees themselves were carefull of not admitting in that Church any new ministery that God had not ordeyned Insomuch as they were very earnest vpoÌ„ Iohn Baptist and vrged him to approve his calling and ministery by thr word of God Which thing also he did Ioh. 1. 23. 31. 33. Now then seing the Scribes and Pharisees here spoken of were not in false but in true offices and functions appoynted by God vnder the law seing they sate not on Baals but on Moses chayre seing they knew there was no true ministery but of God neyther would allow of any other then GODS word did approve yea seing Iohn Baptist graâ—nted thus much vnto them that he might not have any ministery but such whereof he could bring warraÌ„t from God who seâ—th not that even this example of the Pharisees so much alledged by them plainly condemneth the Ministers of these assemblyes which sitt not in CHrists but Antichrists chayre entring into and executing such offices of Ministery as GOD never appoynted or approved in his word Neyther is it of any moment as towching the poynt in controversy to say thâ— Pharisees were corrupt in doctrine aÌ„d coÌ„versation vnles theâ— could show by the word of God theyr ministers to be Pastors and Teachers in Christs ordinance though walking corruptly therein as we by the Scriptures show that the Pharisees which sate on Moses chayre were priests and Levites according to the Law of Moses though otherwise in many things they caryed themselves very vngodily with much hypocrisy The last Scriptures here cited by M r H. are oâ—t of the Epistle to the Corinthians aÌ„d
out of the RevelatioÌ„ Which because they are of one sort towching the question in hand therefore will I speak of them together The words be these first in the epistle to the Corinthians where the Apostle reproving theyr abuses about the Lords supper saith thus vnto them Every one when they should eat taketh his ovvn supper afore and one is hungry and another drunken Have ye not houses to eat and drink in despiâ—e ye the Church of God and shame them that have not What shall I say to you shall I prayse you in this I prayse not 1 Cor. 11. 21. 22. And agayne to the â—orinthians among whom some denyed the resurrection of the body thinking that the soule onely should live for ever in the world to come the Apostle writeth thus concerning that matter in the place alledged If Christ be preached that he is risen from the dead hovv say some among you that there is not a resurrection of the dead 1. Cor. 15. 12. And in the second of the Revelation first to the Angell of the Church of Pergainus Christ thus writeth I have against thee a fevv things because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam vvhich taught Balac to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel that they should eat of the things sacrificed to Idols and commit fornication So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans vvhich thing I hare Rev. 2. 14. 15. Then to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira thus he saith I have against thee a fevv things that thou suffrest the vvoman Iezabel vvhich calleth herself a Propheresse to teach and to deceyve my servants that they should committ fornication and eat of the things sacrificed to Idols And I gave her tyme that she should repent of her fornication but she repented not Rev. 2. 20. 21. These Scriptures show errors and corruptions in such Churches as were planted in the faith and order of Christ. Which nothing helpeth to mainteyne the Antichristian â—state of these â—ssemblyes as is before declared at large in the generall aunswer concerning all these testimonyes We neuer doubted but the best Churches on earth have fallen and still are subiect to fall into corruptions and transgressions of the Law of God And how can it be otherwise when as they consist of sinfull and mortall men who both know but in part and in the knowledg we have walk with much weaknes aÌ„d imperfection But what is this to iustify Antichrists apostasy or to encourage any to partake in his sinnes We must alway remember that as it is one thing when a true Christian is overtaken with a sinne and another when such as pretend to be Christians live as the heathen and sell themselves to work wickednes so also towching a Church it is one thing wheÌ„ a people are setled in the order of Christ but through weaknes fall into divers enormityes and another when a people stand in the defection of Antichrist aÌ„d receyve the print of his ordinances in theyr hands and foreheads Eyther therefore must they prove the constitution of theyr Church to be of Christ and not Antichristian or els these examples in theyr estate will give them no succour at all For it will nothing avayle BabyloÌ„ or such as commâ—â— fornicatioÌ„ with her to show that Zion hath her breaches or her children theyr infirmityes SecoÌ„dly in these Scriptures is to be mynded that but some of the Corinthians and some of them of Pergamus and Thyatira were infected with the errors and corruptions here recorded and not the whole Churches generally And this is the lot and tryall of the Church of God in all ages that unto it do creep men of corrupt mynds who vnder a show of holynes often breed schismes and errors in the Church and in theyr lives turâ—â—e the grace of God into waÌ„tonnes through hypocrisy Thus it pleaseth God to try and exercise his Church from tyme to tyme that they which are approved might be knowen Henre it is that in the Church of Corinth spring vp schismes and heresyes that in the Church of Ephesus arise men speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them that in the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira be found such as hold the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicoiaitans teaching the people to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to committ fornication And such also in these dayes have crept in among vs vnder pretence of godlynes who after a while vpon one occasion or other have manifested theyr vngodly contentious and fantasticall spirits and that commonly with great trouble of the Church being authors of grievous schismes and other impietyes for which the truth and Church have ben and still are evill spokeÌ„ of But these being but the personal sinnes of some particular men not the publik estate and constitution of the whole Churches what comparison is there between them and these assemblyes whose very constitution is Antichristian and out of which God hath absolutely commaunded all that will be saved to depart Whereas from the other separation may not be made but first redresse is duly to be sought that such old leaven being purged out they may still be a new lampe vnto the Lord. Thirdly here is to be observed that it is said these Churches suffred such amoÌ„g them Which as it manifesteth what was theyr sinne so it showeth also they had power aÌ„d should vse it for the reclayming or casting out of such from among them Whereas these assemblyes have not power to redresse any abominations or to excommunicate any persons though never so wicked but the whole ecclesiasticall power and iurisdiction among them is committed onely to the Ordinary that is to an Antichristian Prelate and to his Chauncelour and Archdeacon So as by this also appeareth there is no comparison between them Fynally it is to be remembred that even in these and the like Churches where they do not repent and amend but continew in corruption and iniquity Christ hath threatned to remove his caÌ„delstick aÌ„d to take his kingdome from among them And if God thus deale with his own Churches stablished in his faith and order when they come obstinately to persist in sinne aÌ„d impiety what shall be the end of the Synagognes of Antichrist which staÌ„d in emnity against Iesus Christ and in apostasy from his truth and will not be reclaymed If God will not spare but come against Corinth Pergamus aÌ„d Thyatira will he let Babylon that mother of whoredomes or any of her daughters escape If Ierusalem for her sinne be made to drink the cup of Gods wrath shall Edom Moaâ— or Ammon go free They shall not saith the Lord of hostes Iere. 25. 15. 18. 21. 29. And thus much to M r. H. his second exception Now followeth his third in these words M r. H. his letter Section 5. THirdly if it be a sinne for an vvhole Church to account any private