Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
scripture_n great_a holy_a see_v 3,964 5 3.2444 3 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A05090 A plaine refutation of M. G. Giffardes reprochful booke, intituled a short treatise against the Donatists of England Wherein is discouered the forgery of the whole ministrie, the confusion, false worship, and antichristian disorder of these parish assemblies, called the Church of England. Here also is prefixed a summe of the causes of our seperation ... by Henrie Barrovve. Here is furder annexed a briefe refutation of M. Giff. supposed consimilituda betwixt the Donatists and vs ... by I. Gren. Here are also inserted a fewe obseruations of M. Giff. his cauills about read prayer & deuised leitourgies. Barrow, Henry, 1550?-1593.; Greenwood, John, d. 1593. 1591 (1591) STC 1523; ESTC S104500 292,873 278

There are 11 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

also yet you wil hold no part of that execrable Idoll good The Papistes hange the first wordes of the Gospel after Iohn about their necke for manie purposes shall we not saye that this or their Agnus Dei are abhominable Idolls therfore Coniurers vse diuers Psalmes and scriptures in their magical incantations diuers Collects with as litle euill as most of yours shall we nowe allowe anie part of their Coniurations are they not altogether accursed The Scriptures then we see may be abused yet no way iustifie anie part of the wicked action or naughty thing to which they are applyed The Scriptures are holy good of themselues yet when they are thus violently rent dismembred constrayned peruerted abused ioyned to these idolatries they no way iustifie any part of the vvorship but make the whole more execrable We can saye then that those Scriptures vvhich you thus prophane and abuse to your idolatries aboue-said as your idoll feastes and all your idol vvorship and ministration are in their due place true vse holie reuerend gratious But vvhen they are abused peruerted and ioyned to patch vp this idolatrie they make the whole the more execrable All the Scriptures then of God are holy pure and all the whole Masse-Booke and English seruice-Booke and euerie part therof are detestable Idolls All which Idoll and euery part therof vve can condemne and yet preserue the sacred maiestie and aucthoritie of the Scriptures All this your festered conscience blasphemous mouth could to your furder iudgment confesse in our name though Sathan that speaketh in you by and by sought to quench it by deriding our holie suffrings Our bādes vnto vs are comfortable glorious vnto God and shal rise vp and be produced in iudgment with this idolatrous murderous generatiō of your horned cleargy But now to the Scriptures be you alledged If you were demaunded where you learned to mumble ouer that Scripture by you falsely caled the Lords prayer fiue tymes in your Morowe-Masse and to vse yt at all assaies to to saye yt ouer the sick ouer the deade ouer the weomen in Churching ouer the marryed c should not your holie Father the POPE be founde the aucthor of all this Also if we should aske you where you reade and how you could proue that blasphemous Article of your faith That CHRIST discended into Hel what scripture could you shew or alleadge for yt Thus are euen those thinges wherof you glorie tourned to your shame if so be that you could be ashamed of anie thing Yet howsoeuer you maye harden your heart and your face against the manifest truth by this sleight discussing of your worship doctrines and administration euen by this litle which is alreadie said all men may discerne what kinde of ministers blinde guides you be Also anie that had but once seene the Church of Rome might easilie by the ●●ea-spotts freakes you speake of knowe her daughter of England at the first blush For as the Mother such the Daughter is in al her limbes features and proportions Hetherto we haue spoken of some odious fowle faultes and errors in perticular founde in this their worship or Leitourgie the furder examination wherof and searche of the rest that remaine we leaue to the furder diligēce of others And nowe touching this their seruice-booke and Leitourgie in general this we saye 1. IN that they presume to giue and enioyne their prescript wordes in praier they take the office of the Holie Ghost awaie quench the spirit of the ministrie and of the whole Church stop and keepe out the graces of God thrust their owne idle deuises vpon the whole Church yea vpon GOD himselfe whether he wil or no 2. IN that bie their Leitourgie they prescribe what and how much to reade at Morne to their Mattens at Eauen c teachinge the Church and ministrie to pray by nomber stint and proportion it is not onely popish but most friuolous and vayne disgracing and not instructing the Church and ministerie 3. IN that by this their Leitourgie they prescribe vnto the Church what Scriptures publiquelie to reade and when to reade them as these Chapters and Psalmes at their mattens before noone those at after noone c On all the dayes that they haue publique meetings and seruice through the yeere and soe from yeere to yeere They therebie take from the Church the holie and free vse both of the Scriptures and spirit of GOD. They therbie conceale and shut out of the Church a great part of GODS holie worde which they reade not As also abuse without order those scriptures they enioyne to be read 4. IN that they shread rend and dismember the Scriptures from the holie Order and natural sense of their context to make them Epistles Gospels Lessons select Psalmes to their festivals and Idol worship aboue-said They most heinouslie pervert and abuse the Scriptures to the high dishonor of GOD their owne feareful iudgment 5. IN that they bring in and commaunde the Apochrypha writings to be publiquelie read in the Church They both mainetaine and publiquelie teach the dangerous errors therin contayned to the poysoning and subverting of the faith of the Church They thrust these deuises of men into the place of GODS worde causing the people therebie to reuerence and esteeme them as the holie Oracles of GOD of like aucthoritie dignitie and truth and to resorte vnto them to builde their faith thervpon and therbie they bring in an other foundation into the Church besides the high iniurie donne vnto GOD therbie 6. FInallie in that by this their Leitourgie they bring in erect and enioyne a new strange kinde of administration as is aboue proued in the perticulars They make and erect a new Gospel and so must needes also erect vnto yt a new ministrie For the ministrie of Christ is only bounde vnto and wil onlie administer by Christes Testament wherein they haue a most perfect Leitourgie for the whole administration of his Church Therfore this present Leitourgie and ministrie of ENGLAND are by al these reasons in general and perticular founde and proued at once to be counterfeite vngodlie and Antichristian His wide friuolous Parenthesis from the 17. page of his booke vnto the 47. touching read prayer and prescript Leitourgies we leaue to be discussed and refuted by an other to whose writinges we referr the Reader Leauing Mr. Giffard and the whole Church of ENGLAND touching this first pointe of their worship to be compassed about with the sparckes and to walke on in the light of the fire that they haue kindled Yet this to them of our hand they shal lye in sorrowe THE SECOND PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION IS THAT the prophane vngodlie multitudes without the exception of anie one person are with them receiued into and retayned in the bozome and bodie of their Church IN Mr. Giffard his former answere vnto this Transgression he then not being past al shame confessed That the most Churches in England want godlie
haue mistaken the matter In y e 6 ●erse the Church prayeth vnto Christ that he would shew her where he feedeth and where he lieth at noone For saith she whie should I be as she that turneth aside to the flockes of thie companions This is not to grone vnder Antichrists yoake nor to remaine with the flockes of these presumptuous Sheepheards which wilbe Christs cōpanions which set their owne lawes ouer the Church reigne in mens consciences imposing their heapes of burdenous traditions c. But here all the faithful are taught to flie vnto Christ by feruent and faithfull praier and not to cease vntill he shew them the place where he feedeth his flocke and where he resteth at noone There shall thei finde a comfortable shadowe in the greatest heate of persecutiō and a safe refuge in the greatest storme tempest that Satan can raise Againe If you had considered Christs answere in the 7 verse where he instructeth her yea cōmandeth her and all his faithfull seruants with her to come forth not to stay in the stepps of that flock but to feede her kyddes aboue the tentes of other shepherds you would neuer haue vsed this place to proue that it is the lott of the Church to be oppressed with outward bondage and to be made to keep the vineyeard which is not her owne Christ here as you see cōmanding the expresse contrarie Neither haue you applied that other place of the 5 of the So●ge with better successe For if it be duelie weighed trulie applied yt will to the life shew forth what Church you are and your behauiours dealings with the Church of God First therfore emong diuerse sondrie notes set downe here by the holie Ghost wherby to discerne the true Church from the false we obserue especiallie these The true Church though she dailie fall into sondrie sinnes yet lieth not she still in them nor despiseth the voice calling of Christ But as you see here awaketh repēteth ariseth openeth soroweth seeketh giueth not ouer for griuous woundes persecutions and blasphemies neither by them is turned backe to the easie bed of wordlie peace and fleshlie quiet from whence she arose c but cōtinueth sorowing seeking vntill she haue found the daughters of Hierusalem the children of the free woman to whome she communicateth her sorowes her desires to them she preacheth praiseth Christ to them she recōmendeth her estate chardging them to shew it her beloued by praiers c. On the contrarie we find here the malignant Church fast asleepe in worldlie peace and fleshlie ease frozen in the dreggs of their sinnes such as wil not be wakened and so far f●ō opening the doores vnto Christ that they barre the doores against him yea persecute him from their doores cast him out of their Citie yea out of the world if thei could and with him all such as seeke to serue him with an vpright heart according to his word and will not cōtinue with them in their sinnes securitie Now let your Church be examined by these workes without partialitie and it shall easelie appeare of what sort it is though we saie nothing whither yt be the Church persecuting or the Church persecuted and so in the rest Likewise if you your learned Brethren be founde in all poinctes like these wretched Watchmē by the description of the holie Ghost in this place we doubt not but the most simple by the euidence therof shalbe taught both to discerne iudge you And the greatest Clearke emong you be taught hereafter how to abuse the Scripture for a cloke to couer your sinnes First therfore these Watchmen were appointed approued of the secure wicked Citie Then thei were in al things cōformable to these corrupt times and ministring to those times Thē thei stood Pastors Watchmen to the whole Citie hand ouer hand as thei dwelt in the Parishes therof being called the Watchmen of the Citie Then these Watchmen held the people in diepe peace and securitie as appeareth by the generall sleep Then thei held the people in ignorāce blindnes as appeareth both by the night their sleep Then these Watchmen gat all the powre into their owne hands as appeareth by the generall sleep of all others their watching and persecuting Then these Watchmen not onlie sought not Christ themselues but suffred not others that would Then these Watchmen not onlie shewed not the waye to such as sought Christ but sought with one consent to turne thē backe againe c by persecution Whilest the church continued in the bed of securititie and wordlie ease with the rest and looked not for these heauenlie things but trusted the Watchmen with all such matters euen with her saluation she was at good peace with them and we reade of no violence or force offred vnto her But after she was called awaked by Christ After she had risen opened sought called him but found him not After she perceiued that he was departed thence and had fullie resolued to giue her self no rest vntill she had found him Then these Watchmen thought it hie time to bestir thē and to stop this gap And therfore what thei could not perswade thei sought by force persecuted wounded her rent away her vaile by railings reproches euen the name of Christ by which she is called c. Stands it not thus in all these poincts with our Watchmen Let the times declare whither thei agree not to them in their entrance administratiō and in their persecutions s●landers exceed them Our purpose is not to make perticular applicatiō the matter being so euident Onlie this litle is said to redeeme the places from such violence and corruption as is offred vnto them and by the same places to giue a glymse to such as the Lord hath opened the eies of their vnderstanding to discouer and search out the false dealing of their Watchmen whom they too long too far haue credited and to warne al that tender their owne saluation to open their eares and their hearts to Christs voice in his word that calleth them out of this sinfull easie couch wherin their Watchmen haue held them all too long and that forsaking the tentes of these presumptuous shepeherds they seek Christ whilst and where he may be found and together with the Daughters of Hierusalem the children of the free woman the heires of the promises seek preach and praise CHRIST Then no doubt they shall finde him to their vnspeakable comfort Then will he be as a Roe from the mountaine of Bether redie to help succer and susteine them with his Flagons Then will he come to his Palme tree and take holde of her boughes Then wil he come into his Garden and blowe vpon yt and water yt that the spices therof may flowe forth and that he may eate the pleasant fruictes therof Then shall he descend into the Orchard of sweete fruictes Pomegranats and see
condition not to preach against any thing by publick aucthority established how vngodly and enormous soeuer they be And also haue submitted their whole doctrines persons to these their Ordinances not to teach anie truth or against anie error that they inhibite to preach or cease to preach to administer or cease to administer at their direction and inhibition And for their priuate estate by them to be enioyned what kind of apparel to weare whē they ride walke abroade or administer Not to marrie without their knowledge consent or licence euen to this or that perticular woman c. Must not this needes be an excellent ministrie and ministration of the Gospel that is thus mancipate to and by these slaues that is thus bought and solde limited prescribed restrayned when they can proue that the Gospel may be in this maner vsed in the true Churche of CHRIST or preached by the true Ministrie of Christ we wil then yeild to their whole ministration and acknowledg them the true Ministers of Christ. But in the meane while because this is impossible and cannot without blasphemie be enterprised without sinne be thought because also we finde vpon this present Ministrie of theirs euen al the markes of the false Prophet that are written in the booke and al the markes of the Beast we must hold them as they are except we wil with them condemne the truth of God and call CHRIST execrable Neither yet is this their preaching considered euen in yt self set apart from all the abuses and enormities aboue recited such as they glorie of abounding with such great learning excellēt giftes and rare graces of the spirit or answearable to that heauenly exercise of prophecie in Christes Church Of their education and learning euen from the grammer schole to the pulpit you haue alreadie hearde as also their Diuinity to be traditional wholly deriued from other mens writinges and books both for the vnderstanding diuiding and interpretation of al scriptures as also for all doctrines questions and doubtes that arise and not springing from the fountaine of Gods spirit in thēselues according to the measure of knowledge faith and grace giuen them So that these dumbe blinde guides and watchmen doe but see with other mens eyes but speake with other mens mouthes and as one of their chief aucthors saith of them without these bookes they as are blinde as molles as mute as fishes not able of themselues to decide open and interprete almost anie scripture Or to discusse iudge or decide anie doubt or controversie with assurance And therfore when anie newe question vnwritten of before ariseth they are either al at a full poyncte not knowing what to saye to the matter Or ells whē they speake so manie opinions and sentences as speakers Yea euen in the thinges they reade and teache there being so great diuersitie contrarietie amongst these Writers their aucthors there also ensueth great difference contrarietie in their doctrines which they publicklie deliuer One teaching one thing in one place an other the quite contrarie in an other And this not onlie in interpretation and vnderstanding of sondrie yea almost all places of scripture but euen in most waightie and as they call them fundamentall poynctes of doctrine As whether the Church of Rome be to be esteemed a true Churche or no The Sacraments there deliuered and the Ministrie there ordayned be ●o be held true sacraments and a true Ministrie or no. Also if the ordinances order and outward gouernment of Christes Church left in Christes Testament be perpetual of necessitie to be obserued c. And al this diuersitie cōtrarietie of iudgmēt publickly taught in their Church must be coloured and passed ouer with this sweete sentence of Mr. Giff. That they are but brotherly dissentiōs they agree in al fundamentall doctrines A happie tourne it were that those fundamental doctrines were once agreed vpon and set downe that wee might then knowe which part of CHRISTES Testament is fundamentall and of necessitie and which is accidental and not necessarie but variable and at mans wil. In the meane while wee must stil belieue that CHRIST is not yea and naye of one minde in one place of an other ells where Neither that the spirite of God can rule in both places where such contrarie doctrines are taught and maintayned We also are taught that howsoeuer bretheren through ignorance maie doubt and differ in iudgment for a ceason yet are they no there vpon to teach such thinges as they are not assured of lest they publish and sowe errors Which who so doth be he man or Angel that teacheth any other thing or otherwise then Christ. and his Apostles haue taught and deliuered or causeth diuision dissention contrarie to their doctrine or commeth not to the wholesom wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ c wee are to hold them accursed to watch and auoide them Likewise the maner of their pulpit preaching nothing 〈◊〉 to the order of Christes Church where the Prophets I meane such as are knowen to haue the gift of interpretatiō of scriptures haue al of them libertie to speake what God reueileth vnto them besides that which hath bene deliuered so that they neither hinder disturbe or interrupte the publick ministerie of the Churche but vse their libertie opportunely holily to edification They haue libertie also yea their especial dutie it is to obserue and publickly to reproue anie false interpretation or false Doctrine deliuered publicklie in the Church by whom soeuer Yea this power hath the least member of the Church in due order and place if the Prophets and Elders should ouersee omit neglect or refuse The whole Church also euen euerie peculiar Christian Congregation hath power in yt self to censure not onlie anie doctrine deliuered but the person of anie member or Minister of the same congregation But here in these Babilonish Synagogues one Priest climbeth vp into their pulpits for orations and possesseth the place alone where he declameth deliuereth his studied tale to the howre-glasse which being runne out he must make an end for troubling his auditory and leaue no place or tyme of addition assent or dissent to anie other al the people hasting awaye In his pulpit after he hath read his text he may diuide teache or hadle yt leaue or take yt corrupt falsifie wrest or peruert yt at his pleasure In that his priuileged tubbe he may deliuer what doctrines he liste be they neuer so currupt false blasphemous None of his auditore whatsoeuer they be hath power to cal them into questiō cerrect or refute the same presently and publickly for that is by lawe forbidden But the Church is driuē to their Lord Ordinarie to cōplaine and except or vntil he redresse they must hold vse him stil as their Minister In that priuileged tubbe he may inve●ghe accuse sclander deuounce against anie truth or person that witnesseth against their kingedome or against anie publicke
multitudes without exception anie one person are with them receiued into and reteined in the bozome of the Church 3 FOR that they haue a false Antichristian Ministerie imposed vpon them reteined with them and maintained by them 4 FOR that these Churches are ruled by and remaine in subiection vnto an Antichristian and vngodly gouernment cleane contrarie to the institutiō of our Sauiour CHRIST VVhen these things stand thus let him that readeth consider THE first Article is that which all Christians doo seek in dead but the kingdome of CHRIST or the kingdome of God as CHRIST saith is within men Yt consisteth in righteousnes peace ioye in the holy Ghost For the preseruation of this CHRIST hath ordeined a Church gouernmēt They sinne against God which do not couet and according to their calling labour to haue so great a help But to transport the name of Christs kingdome which is spirituall which is in the heart vnto this which is but a part and as though the kingdome of God could not be in anie vnlesse they haue this so they do not wilfully despise yt I say is false and the contrarie to be proued by the Scriptures OVR Article being by you confessed to be the bounden dutie of al true Christians we see not with what equitie you can in this maner cauil at our wordes or with what conscience you can misconstrue and constreine them as you doo seeking therby to retract by sleight what you cannot gainesay in truth And taking occasion to contend about wordes Namely the kingdome of CHRIST You make yt only inward and vse CHRIST as one of the Phisitians planitarie signes assigning to him in hipoctisie your heart soule to rule whilst in y e meane time you yeild your bodies and whole assemblies to the obedience and rule of Antichrist making no cōscience to obey his lawes openly and to transgresse Christs thinking belyke Christs kingdome so inward and spirituall as that he requireth no bodily or outward obedience or because yt consisteth of righteousnes and peace and ioye of the holy Ghost that ther may be peace without righteousnes or ioye without peace or inward righteousnes where is such outward disobedience and wilfull transgression But al this is couered and cured at once if so be you couet labour in your calling to haue CHRISTS outward gouernment c. To discusse here how far euerie Christians dutie calling extendeth herein vvere to dismisse all your answers at once and to pluck away the mantle of shame wherwith you couer your nakednes your negligence and all your abhominations In this place therfore we will only ask you these 2 questions First whither anie which haue their calling of Antichrist or be his marked Ministers or waged seruants can truly and vprightly couet labour for the sincere gouernment of CHRIST which is his whipp wherwith he ●kourgeth out all thieues intruders and idle-bellies out of his house The next question is Whither to remaine wittingly and seruilely in the bondage and yoake of Antichrist 29 yeares be to seek labour for the gouernment of Christ faithfully in your callings or to vphold and vndershore the kingdome of Antichrist rather But to transport the name of Christs kingdome which is chiefly spirituall and in the heart vnto that which is but a part c. How diuerslie the kingdome of God is read in the Scriptures we will not contend with you although it were not hard to shew either your ignorance or forgetfulnes herein Only this we say our words can carie no such construction muchlesse such an erronious opinion as you abounding in your owne sense haue not only collect but confuted In the first our words being That we seeke the kingdome of Christ Iesus our Lord cannot be thus restreined to Christs outward orders and gouernment in his Church especially if you had pondered that which followed where in the ● Article after your diuision we haue expressed this point in perticular Neither if we should admit you y● interpretation could you collect from thence that the kingdome of God could not be in anie vnlesse they haue this But as we vsually reade in the olde and new Testament Christs kingdome to be taken for his true visible Church here in earth so we acknowledg his vniuersall Church kingdome to extend to all such as by a true faith apprehend confesse Christ howsoeuer they be scattered or whersoeuer dispersed vpon the face of the earth Yet both with this interim without true faith obedience can be no true Church no true Christian. THE 2 Article ought all men that will please God to approue THIS Article you say ought al that wil please God to approue How then seek you to please God vvhich continue in Idolatrie are a Minister therof vvhich prophecie in Baall plead for Baall Or how approue you yt when you condempne vs of schisme and heresie because we forsake your false antichristiā worship and seek to worship Christ according to his word THE 3 Article if it be taken in this sense that yee dare set vp a societie seperated from all others vvithin this land vvhich make publique profession then I see not when you haue gon by your selues set vp your Officers how you will cleare your selues from Donatisme If theirs were a damnable fact which God did accurse then take heed to yours for if it can be shewed that their heresies are not holden I will chang my minde THE words of our Article being That we seek the fellowship and communion of Christs faithfull obedient seruants cleare vs of all schisme heresie So that if you would convince vs of these crimes it had bene expedient you had first proued your assemblies as they generally stand by the euidence of Gods word to be true churches of Christ rightly entred keeping couenant with the Lord continuing in the order and obedience of his word c and that we preposterously haue departed from you and vncharitably haue forsaken your fellowship But as soone as you shall shew vs such a church emōg you by the grace of God we wil shew you how free we are of schisme As likewise when you shall lay open our errors vnto vs how farr we wil be frō heresie In the meane time we will not cease to pray vnto God for you that he will not lay these sinnes vnto your charge which in your ignorant zeale you commyt but in mercy shew you the feareful estate you stād in and giue you an heart vnfeinedly to repent speedely to turne vnto him THE 4 Article ought all men to practise so far forth as the limitts of their calling doo extend But let it be shewed that euer priuat men did take vpon them to reforme when things were amisse in the Church or that anie of the Prophetts did wil them to take the matter in hand or shew your warrant that you be not priuat men
impenitent offendors may be reteyned in the Church as members This he must proue or ells all that he saith is nothing to the purpose seing we chardge their Church as heynously guilty of and wilfully obstinate in these transgressions But insteade of prouing he slilie seeketh to chāge the question by turning yt from these open prophane and wicked to Hypocrites wicked persons which remaine in the Church whose children he saith ought to be baptized Wherin besides ●hat he beggeth the question assuming in a stronge imagination that which he shal neuer be able to proue That these parish assemblies are the true plāted and established Churches of CHRIST and these vngodly multitudes true members therof he furder so doubleth and windeth betwixt these two starting holes the hypocrites and the prophane as one cannot knowe whereto find him or wherof he affirmeth It being graunted that the children of hypocrites ought to be baptized he wil ●hervpon conclude that the childrē of the prophane also Which if yt be denied then he wil make no conscience to giue out that we denie baptisme to the seede of Hypocrites in the Church Thus standing vpon no grownde he flitcheth fleeteth vp and downe seeking in an euil consciēce to shifte off the truth wherwith he is pressed First presupposing that al these multitudes of prophane wicked are within the Church Then endevouring to proue that al the children of such prophane and wicked as he termeth within the Church and to professe Christ ought to be baptized Wherin before we come to the consideration of his reasons we must note vnto the reader in his Proposition expresse contrarietie error and sacriledge Contrariety in that he with the same mouth in the same sentēce pronounceth them as prophane wicked and also as faithful and members of the Churh such to whom the Covenante and the seales therof belonge Error in that he thus iudgeth and blasphemeth them if they be faithful members of the Church As on the contrarie if they be prophane wicked to iustifie their profession whilest they are obstinate in such sinnes Yea furder to harden them therin to giue the seale of the Couenante vnto their children in respect of their profession which cānot be donne without open wilful sacriledge for if they be to be iudged prophane wicked then are their children also vntil they make profession of their owne faith to be held of vs as prophane the deuised writtē professiō of their Church cannot sanctifie or iustifie either the one or the other vnto vs. Moreouer the Church cannot denie to receaue those Parents or that Parent vnto the communion of the Supper whose infantes they baptize in that estate And thus by Mr. Giffards diuinitie may the bodie and bloude of Christ be prostitute to the open prophane and wicked whom he thus proueth within the Couenant THe interest of Gods Couenant saith he doth not depend vpō their next Parents but vpon the antient christiās their fore-Fathers For when God saith I wilbe thie God and the God of thie seede the promise is made to a thousand generations Exod. 20 So Leui paied tithes vnto Melchi-sedec because he was the loynes of Abraham Yea al the whole nation of the Iewes were in the loynes of Abraham and therfore holie within the Couenant For if the first fruictes be holy so is the lumpe if the roote be holy so are the boughes Rom. 11. Yea though manie of them were wicked idolatros reprobates yet euen in the worst tymes were they Circumcised and yt was not disalowed But the Lorde caleth the children of those wicked idolators his children Thou hast taken thie Sonnes thie Daughters which thou broughtest fourth vnto me and sacrificed vnto them to be consumed thou hast slaine my Sonnes and giuen them by causing them to passe through vnto them Ezech. 16. 21. BEhold into how manie errors mischieues and blasphemies they fal which in this maner spurne striue against the truth euerie worde becomming a snare vnto them to hold drawe them vnto their greater iudgments If th'interest in Gods Couenant as being the seed of the faithful vnto the sight of the Church depend not vpon the faith of the next parents but vpon the antient christians their fore-Fathers within a thow●and generations c Then ought al to be receaued and none to be kept or caste out of the Church Then is the whole world within the Couenant of the Church holie al being ●pronge within far lesse then a thowsand generations of manie faithful and lineallie come from the Patriarck Noah Then ought by this rule the Israelites vnder the lawe to haue circumcised all their captiue Can●●nites and heathen that came into their power Then ought the Church nowe also to baptize all the seede euen of the most wicked and vngodlie whether Turcks Papists Idolators c because they are all ●pronge of faithful Parents within lesse then a thousand generations But because we reade in the Scriptures that Gods Couenant only belongeth vnto the faithful and the seales of his couenant are nowe only committed to his true established Church Seinglawes rules are giuē by God vnto the Church to whom and how to administer the faid seales Seing none can enter into this Church but by this true outward profession of faith obedience neither anie remaine lōger there thē they keepe the said faith and obedience outwardly Seing baptisme only belongeth and is giuen to the members of this Church and vnto their ●eede and can to none other be giuē without heynouse sinne and sacriledge We doubt not to pronownce and reiect these doctrines of this false Prophet as most blasphemous and diuelish As ●ending to the open breach of al Gods lawes and ordinances to th'vtter abolishing of the truth and feare of Gods iudgments to the taking away of al faith and godlines out of the earth to the bringing in of al Atheisme confusion to the prostituting and prophaning of the holie things of God And therfore al true Christians by the commandment of God are to auoide and hold accursed the aucthor and bringer of such doctrines and so much the rather in that he so wretchedly and bouldly falsifieth dismembreth peruerteth and abuseth the holie Scriptures thervnto AS to proue that the Couenant dependeth not vpon the outward faith of the parents but vpon the faith of their godlie ancestors he voucheth Exod. 20. I wil be thy God and the God of thy Seede the promise is made saith he to a thousand generations But he wittingly suppresseth the next wordes of the sentence of them that lo●e me and Keepe mie Commandements which shewe to whom this Couenant is made and belongeth and the conditiō on our part As the former part of this sentēce verse 5. sheweth howe we may forfeite this Couenant Namelie by breaking and cōtemning the lawe of God in whose loue we cannot remaine except we remaine in his obedience Iohn 14. 21. 15. 10. So that the Lorde
not forbidden circumcision Should we also collect and conclude because the Lorde Ezech. 16. 20. 21. caleth the children of those Idolators whom they offred to M●lech his Sonnes and Daughters That therfore the kingdomes of Israel Iuda whilest they remayned in these horrible sinnes were outwardly in that estate the true Church of God Or is this great Prophet so inconversant in the Scripture that he yet vnderstandeth not this vsuall kinde of phrase and maner of speaking where the Lord in sondrie places caleth them his sonnes daughters and people in respect of their first caling whom in regard of their present euill life he pronownceth not to be his As Deutronomie 32. the 19. and 5 verse Micha 2. 7. 8 9. Amos. 8. 2. and no where more plainely then in this Ezech. 16. as were easie to demonstrate by the least touching of the argument of that chapter The Lorde there setting before their face by sondry Allegories their estate euen from their original vnto that present time Of what parents the● by nature sprange in what plight he founde them at the first all embrued in their mothers and their owne guiltines their navel vncut vnwashed vnsalted vnswaded caste out into the open field no hand to help no eye to pitie vnable to help themselues vntill the Lord shewed mercye tooke them vp chearished nourished them entred into couenant and sware vnto them so that they grewe vp into riper yeeres then he spredd his garment ouer them washed and anoynted them clothed them with broydred garmentes fyne lynnen silck skarlet adorned them with gold siluer pretious stones fed them with meale wyne oyle set a beautifull Crowne vpon their heade and maried them openly vnto himself and spredd their name amongest the heathen But nowe Israel waxed proude of her owne beautie plaid the Harlot built high places and decked them with her garments and plaid the whoore vpon them made images of th'instruments and of the Lordes gold and siluer which he gaue them and committed fornication with them offring the Lordes meate flower oyle vnto them as a sweet sauour yea sacrificed their owne Sonnes and Daughters vnto them committed fornication with the Egiptians Assi●ians Caldeans and that in most shamefull sorte and vilely hyring them with the Lordes gold siluer of his Temple c. Wherfore the Lord doth pronownce and repudiate them as an Harlot as a most filthie poysonous monstruous whore and denownceth iudgments against them as against murtherers and adulterers and these iudgments to be executed by these their louers who should breake downe their Cities and high places and slay them with the sworde the Lorde not only comparing them but shewinge them to excede SODOME and SAMARIA in sinne iniquitie c. Who then but this perverse fellowe could thus stomble and cauill at these wordes My Sonnes and my Daughters and vvrest them not onely against the whole scope of that Chapter but euen of the whole Bible Whether these wordes be to be vnderstoode of all their seede which were at the first together with them receiued into the Lordes Couenant or of their first borne only which by a peculiar right lawe were reserued vnto the Lorde Exod. 13. 2. which first borne they are blamed in the 20. Chapter of the same prophecie verse the 26. and 31. to haue offred vnto Idols may be some question Yet with no sense or truth they may be vnderstood as of the Lordes elect and adopted childeren or pronownced that holie seede being the children of such rebellious obstinate idolators How often doth the Lord call them by his Prophets rebellious children an adulterous Nation should vve therefore conclude that they vvere the Lordes children the Lordes spouse Or rather pronownce from the iust lawes of the Lorde That rebellious children and th'adulterous wife ought to be produced repudiat and put to death Deut. 21. 18. Leu. 20. 10. Furder we reade the Lorde to denownce extraordinarie speedie iudgments not only against them that offer of their ●eede vnto Moleth but against that whole Nation that dissembleth or suffreth that sinne amongst them Leuit. 20. How then could this ignorant Priest collect cōclude from these wordes My Sonnes my Daughters which were spoken but to convince agrauate their sinne and iudgment to stimulate and wounde their conscience that these children of these idolators thus offred to Molech were of vs to be iudged the holy seede of the Lord within his couenant Or these idolators in this estate to be iudged the true Church of God Can they together serue God and Idols together breake and keepe the Couenant If Mr. GIFFARD can by his learning proue this true then peradvēture we shal beliue him that y ● kingdome of Israel in their schisme defection hauing erected new Temples Priests Altars Lawes were defyled with all the abhominations of the heathen despised persequ●ted the Lorde his Prophets which were sent to them c were to be held of vs the true Church of God Then peraduenture he might persuade vs that the kingdome of Iud● in this apostasye hauing as this Prophet Ezech. sheweth in his 8. Chapter brought al maner abhomination into the Temple defiled the whole land as we reade in the rest of his prophecie was also by vs to be esteemed the true Church of God Is it a good reason for Mr. Giffard to say because the whole land was so throughly defiled that it could neither by ecclesiasticall censures nor by ciuile iudgmentes be purged that therfore yt remayned still the Church in that estate Is not this to say they had not thus sinned because their sinnes were incuriable That they had not committed adulterie murder idolatrie because they were not presently stoned slayne by the sworde burned But howsoeuer they their false Prophets blessed themselues in these sinns boasting of vaine titles of The Temple and People of the Lord yet the Lorde for those sinnes did in his due tymes execute these iudgmentes vpon the whole Land and in the meane tyme his lawe Prophetes spake plainely That these iudgmentes were due vnto them in this estate And as wel might this false Prophet iustifie the Iewes nowe to be the true Church of God in this time of their Apostasy wherof he speaketh because the Lorde nowe amongst and in the loynes of these wicked ones reserueth to himself an holy seede a remnant It wil not help him to say That the vyrie-yarde was not then vtterly take from the Iewes as it is now For though the Lordes time to abolish that material Ierusalem that he might bring in erect the Spirituall was not as then accomplished Though y ● Lord in his wisedome mercy and patience and for causes knowen to himself doe oft deferr his iudgmentes yet may not we therby flatter our selues or iustifie our estate whilest we remaine vnder the condemnation of his written lawe and in open wilfull breach of his Couenant Yea howsoeuer the Lorde nowe hath
sit as vpon manie waters So in like maner can this house this church this people of CHRIST be built into none other order receiue none other ministrie and ordinances then CHRIST the owner builder of the house hath instituted prescribed in his last wil testament We may boldly affirme cōclude that flocke which consisteth of all sortes of wilde vncleane beastes not to be the flocke or shepe-folde of CHRIST in asmuch as these in this estate cannot of vs be iudged to be the shepe of CHRIST We may also by the same vndoubted reason affirme that they which stand hierdes to these wilde and vncleane beastes cannot be said the Lordes shepeherdes of his shepe lambes Of what sortes of people these their parish assemblies generally consiste how they haue bene gathered builte stand and walke in the faith order of CHRIST by that which is aboue written may partly appeare but much more shall to euerie single eye heart wherein is any light vpon the furder examination of their present estate life That this Aucthor and all the Priestes of the tyme stand hierdes administring the Sacraments c to these prophane multitudes in this ignorance confusion and sinne after that idolatrous superstitious maner aboue-said for their hire or tithes cannot be denied What defence this Champion hath made for their publique administration worship and how by neuer a worde of God he hath iustified any one of those manifold enormities idolatries reckoned vp vnto him As also how he hath approued the gathering and present estate of their Church by the greatest apostasies defectiōs sinnes of other Churches in other ages and with what blasphemous doctrines tending to all Atheisme and impietie we are content to refer to the iudgment of the godly readers And now being come to the proofe defence of his owne Ministrie which he exerciseth and of the whole Ministrie of their Church instead of CHRISTS Testament he bringeth vs forth a fable out of ESOPE of the asse in the Lyons skinne and at the first entrance into this discourse in the first page within the space of 24 lynes he convinceth vs with these arguments That we are prompt plentiful in false accusations hereticall opinions which must be admitted for reasons against their Church vvorship ministerie That vve are desirous of glorie presumptuous bold rash ignorant not to be encountred vvith great learning Sophisters nay poore artificers and husbandmen are the eauenest matches to dispute vvith vs VVe haue put on the Lions skinne and imagine that all learned men tremble at vs but they haue espied our long cares That vve impudently sclander and belye the learned vvho disdaine to deale vvith mad frensie That vve are vvithout all care vvhat vve speake c. Is yt likely that this man hath either care or conscience what he saith that through his whole booke from the first to the laste worde thus rayleth inver●th accuseth blasphemeth Are these the sweetest waters in his fountaine the best salt he can season vs with Or do the Ministers of the Church of England thus vse to improue rebuke exhort with al longe suffring doctrine Is this Mr. GIFFARDS countrie diuinitie or vniuersitie learning or Courtly Chaplen-like behauioure He hath a president what a goodly viewe Mr. SOME makes in his colours If he lighted into some mens handes that would take pleasure to laye open his shame Mr. SOME his paynter might giue place in al rayling and vituperie where this man should appeare But our purpose is not to meddle with his raylinges so much as his reasons leauing him to answeare for the one and endeuouring our selues to answeare the other Yet this we saye that if this be the course of those great learned the speaketh of we had much rather be matched with such poore artificers and husbandmen as feare God whom he despiseth their with these greate Clarkes Yea we had much rather that they should in disdaine of our ignorance breake their promise in denijng and refusing to conferre with vs then in this maner grieue the spirite of God in vs by such hellish writinges as this booke of GIFFARD peruerting the Scriptures pleading for defending and iustifijng the throne of iniquitie together with all the enormities idolatrie and abhominations which flowe from the same railing blaspheming and accusing the truth and the poore persecuted professors therof as he doth Yet to satisfie the reader in this matter which he so confidently denieth and vrgeth vs so vehemently to make some colourable shewe of That if he had consulted with his learned bretheren the forewarde Preachers they would haue councelled him rather to haue vsed his discretion in the pulpit where he might feigne what error he lifte and then with the same breath confute yt in our names then by conference but especially thus by writing to meddle with the defense of these defaults and exceptions taken against their Church Ministrie Worship c knowing that the more they are discussed and raued in the more apparant odious they wil appeare vnto all men especially when they are brought vnto examined by the light which will foorth-with shew of what sorte they are That these Preachers had takē this course amongst thēselues we knowe certainly by a letter that two of the cheif of them sent vnto vs deni●ng that conference which they had before promised because we denyed their Church and Ministrie After that two of them being procured to our prison denyed to deale with vs concerning those exceptions we made against their Church Ministrie alleadging that they were forbidden by their bretherē to deale with vs in those matters To be shorte what ●lls can with any probalitie be coniectured to be the hindrance of the first companie of Preachers that at the first sent vnto vs to knowe the causes of our dislike promising either to assent or to shew vnto vs the causes whie they could not that they vpon the sight of that litle paper wherin we set downe vnto them the causes of our separatiō from these parish assemblies as also what we purposed in our owne assemblies neuer as yet could be drawen to make any answeare in writing or conference if not that they perceiued that they were neither able to defend their estate neither yet had faith to leaue it for feare of persecution danger And whatsoeuer this bold champion may pretend we cānot be persuaded that euer the forewarde sort of Preachers that sometime laboured reformation euer gaue their consentes to this blasphemous booke of his except also together with the aucthor therof they haue made shipwracke of faith good conscience and be wholy apostatate fallen frō that smale measure of grace light they sometimes made shew of Neither shal those pontifical Prelates his Lordes their horned Cleargie or Romish associates the Ciuilianes and Canonistes to whom he is yeilded ioyned giue him any thanckes in the end for all the
continueth in this estate a true established visible church within y e outward Couenāt of God so far as we may ought to iudge by his worde thē doubtlesse for mie part I wil graunt yt a sounde Maior proposition And if he shal bring the church of Rome for instance in the Minor I must then yeild to his argumēt Because y● church at Rome was sometimes rightly gathered established and within the couenant Yet euen then I suppose yt wil be harde for him to make the like assured proof that euer her daughter of England was rightly established into that christiā order within the couenant But I doubt rather and by her present estate iudge that she was among the childrē of her Mothers fornications and therfore without the Couenant To the second reason it will also hardly followe that because some faithful men haue bene called to some generall knowledge of God and of Christ in this estate and because they in their ignorance cotynued in the same estate that this should therfore iustifie the outward estate of the Church which the worde of God condemneth or prooue yt in this estate the true established Church of Christ when they haue nothing aright according to Christes ordinance as we haue prooued in this treatise whether I refer for a more ful answeare of these reasons hasting to the second poyncte Wherein I before shewed how God commandeth al his faithful seruantes of what estate or degree soeuer to flee out of Babilon the false Church and being escaped not to stand still to remember the Lord a far off to let Ierusalem come into their minde to goe vp to SION to seeke out and to repaire vnto the place where God hath put his name To seek the Church and the kingdome of CHRIST to take his yoke vpon them to assemble together in his name with his promise of direction and protection and with his authoritie to establish his offices and ordinances amongst them giuen by him to the ministrie and gouernmēt of his Church vnto the worldes end there to leade their liues together in all mutuall duties in his holie order faith and feare Now as we shewed all perticular and priuate men whosoeuer to be called out of the false Church from confusion and out of the world from dispersion vnto the true Church vnto order So likewise shewed we that all these faithfull persons whosoeuer were as yet but priuate men at their first comming out of the false Church and gathering together none of them being as yet called to anie ecclesiasticall office or function in the Church yt not being as yet established into order Wherevpon we concluded and still of necessitie enforce That seing God calleth all his seruantes out of confusion and will not haue them liue in dissipation or disorder but only in this order which he hath prescribed in his worde And hath giuen his Church aucthoritie and commandement to erect retaine and obserue this order vnto the worldes end And seeing in this estate the Church now consisteth but of priuate men That therfore the faithfull being as yet but priuate men ought by the commandement of God to assemble ioyne themselues together in the name faith of Christ and in all mutual dueties orderly to proceede according to the rules of the worde to a holy choice vse of such offices ordinances as Christ hath ordayned to the seruice gouernment of his Church And sure were not Mr. G. as forgeatful as he is ignorāt of the scriptures he could not but haue seene by the verie phrase the first proposition confirmed by many scriptures The secōd by many prophecies of this general defection and if not verified in these present tymes yet he cannot denie but some former not long sithence Therefore whilest he fighteth with the conclusiō he but spurneth against the prickes bewraieth the folly of his owne heart and no waye auoydeth or defendeth the daunger therebie His best answeare to this reason or rather manie reasons summed vp is as he thinketh to tourne it away by two questions and by manifold contumelies against our poore persons or to say as yt is by inaudible blasphemies against the Church of God likening the assemblie of the faithful gathered in the name and ioyned together in the faith of Christ proceding to th'establishing and exercise of Christes or dinances to the rebellious company of Corath Dathan Abyram to a rowte of mutynous prentices assembled without leaue of their Prince to chuse a Lorde Maior c. His first question is That if all were priuate at the first comming out of the false Church who they were that caled them together Or whether their cōming together doth make them otherwise then priuate We answeare that for anie thing we can see or may iudge by the word they were but priuate men that first caled them out of the false Church and that caused them to assemble together howsoeuer peraduenture indued with more excellent giftes and more rare graces then other Furder that being thus assembled they ceased not to be priuate men vntil they were lawfully caled vnto some true ecclesiastical office in and by the Church Yet al this notwithstanding the Church in this estate nowe consisting onlie of priuate men ought to procede to a right choice of Ministers c according to the commandement of God His next stombling-block or question is VVho should ordaine these Pastors Elders And whether we euer read of any ordained but by Apostles Euangelistes Pastors Teachers and Gouernours And vvhether that power vvas not at the first deriued from th'extraordinarie Ministers to the Ordinarie To this we haue aboue answered where wee entreated of the ordination of the Ministers of England and here againe doe answere That the Church had alwaies the power to chuse and ordaine their owne Ministers wherevnto yt ought to vse the most fit instruments whether these Pastors Teachers Elders if such be to be had or ells where they be not to be had to vse the fittest meanes and instrumentes that God exhibiteth For this power of ordination is not as Mr. G. and the vnruly cleargie of these dayes suppose deriued from the Apostles Euangelistes vnto the permanent ministrie of Pastors and Elders neither belongeth yt by anie peculiar right to their offices and persons segregate from the Church But yt is giuen by Christ and properlie belongeth vnto the Church wherevnto their Ministrie and persons also belonge and are by the Church to be vsed vnto this worck as occasion is administred And thus if a vaile were not laid ouer Mr. G. his heart at the reading of the scriptures he might finde that those cheife builders the Apostles Euāgelistes themselues vsed this power not to take yt from the Church but therein to assist the Church As we reade Act. 13. Where the Church being assembled vnto fasting prayer and other holy exercises yt is there said also that they layde handes vpon the Apostles and sent them
in the Church whether with or without their Princes licence But if yt be vnlawful for the Church or such as haue aucthoritie of God without the licence of their christian Prince or gouernours Then verilie our Sauiour his Disciples offended herein who stayed not to doe the will of his heauenlie Father for the threates laying wayte of the Rulers Furder if it be vnlawfull derogatorie to a Christian Princes office aucthoritie for anie to doe Gods wil in their callings and for the Church to proceede in the practize of CHRISTES Testament though against his wil Then is it also vnlawfull vnder a heathen Prince For the christian and heathen Princes haue one and the same aucthoritie office duetie to see all thinges both in the Church and in the commune Wealth donne according to the wil of God There is the same reuerence and obedience though I say not the same bowells of loue due to the heathen that is due to the christian Prince in regarde of their office The heathen Prince shall answere aswell as the christian for the neglect of their duetie for the abuse of their power and place And thus also if M r. G. doctrines be sownd the Apostles likewise sinned against the aucthoritie of Princes in erecting CHRISTS kingdome and the Churches in proceeding to receiue the same and to doe the wil of God without their Princes licence and notwitstanding their prohibition Seing that the vnbeleeuing Princes haue the same place office and aucthoritie and ought to haue the same obediene in respect thereof that christian Princes haue or ought haue And sure most diuelish and detestable are these two published and generallie receiued opinions of these contrarie factions of our English Cleargie men The one giuing out that the forme of ecclesiasticall gouernment prescribed in CHRISTS Testament practized by the Apostles and primatiue Churches in the tymes of persecution is not nowe necessarie or tollerable vnder a Christian Prince The other giuing out that those ordinances and that gouernment which they acknowledge CHRIST to haue instituted and prescribed to his Church vnto the worldes end may not nowe vnder a christian Prince be put in practize by the Church if he forbid the same as they might ought and were vnder heathen Princes by the faithful in all ages With the one of these blasphemous positions the Prelates defend their outragious gouernment and all their antichristian proceedings with the other the tyme-seruers these counterfeite Reformistes colour and defend their perfidie not witnessing vnto and practizing the Gospell of Christ and their seruile subiection to the gouernment of Antichrist By which positions both sides most impiously abrogate the heauenlie gouernment and ordinances of Christ in his Church and intollerably seduce and abuse that most blessed and comfortable ordinance of the christian Magistracie Both of them hereby shut vp the kingdome of heauen against all men neither entring themselues nor suffring such as would but holding the whole land vnder the enormous gouernment of Antichrist in the wrath of God whose iudgment therfore sleepeth not YEt remayneth an other dangerous error which Mr. G. hath picke● out of a certaine answere made by me HENRIE BARROVVE to three greate Bishops of this land where being demaunded whether the Queene may make lawes for the Church which are not contrarie to the worde of God I seeing wherat they aymed vzt to maintayne al these popish reliques deuises tromperies c wherwith their worship Church is pestered answered as I remember to this effect That no Prince neither al the mē of the world not the Church yt self could make any lawes for the Church other then CHRIST hath left in his worde But I thought it the dutie of euerie Prince especially of euerie christian Prince to enquire out renewe the lawes of God and to stir vp all their subiects vnto more diligent careful keeping of the same This answere M r. G. after his accustomed maner pronownceth Anabaptisticall de●ijng and cutting off a great part of the power God hath giuen vnto Princes and a great part of Discipline Proof of these chardges he maketh none except we must take these two assertions in way of proofe vntill he bring better The first is that CHRIST hath giuen general lawes or rules for matters of circumstance that be indifferent variable in the perticulars and so to be altered and abolished as the peace and edification of the Church shall require And therfore that Princes with the Church are to ordaine to establish such orders by those generall rules as may afterward for iust cause be altered M r. G. his antecedent here is so general extendent his conclusion so doubtful and indefinite taking such roome to himself in both to escape euade as except he drawe nearer and in his next booke take the paynes to set downe what he meaneth in his proposition by general lawes rules and by matters of circumstance And in his conclusion what kinde of orders those such orders are the Prince should ordeine establish he shalbe so far from distressing or convincing me as I shall neuer perceiue where he is or where about he goeth This when he shal doe then I shall knowe what to answere him In the meane tyme I confesse manie thinges of circumstance as the tyme place of assembling what scriptures to reade or to interprete how longe to continue in prayer or prophecie c to be left in libertie at the discretion of the Church to be wisely vsed according to their present occasions to edification order decencie Of these sondrie such like the Lord in wisedome sawe it not good to set downe positiue or permanent lawes for all Churches and tymes because the present estate and diuers occasions of all Churches yea of anie one Church are so diuers variable that prescript definitiue lawes could not be set of such things in perticular for the space of one moneth without manifold incōveniences great preiudize to the Church Of such things then as the Lord for these wise endes waighty causes hath left in the libertie discreation of the Church to be vsed and ordered according to the present estate and occations therof c may man make no prescript positiue lawes in perticular to enioyne therby this forme this tyme c vpon all or vpon anie one Church without restrayning that which God hath left at libertie yea without cōtrolling contrarijng the wisdome of God which no doubt is most excellently perfect euen in the least thinges and without manie other grieuous inconveniences intollerable preiudize to the Church of God Much better therfore should the Prince prouide for the Church to see them duly to obserue the lawes that God hath giuē and to vse their libertie aright Or where they transgresse in either of these to reprooue or to correct accordingly then to make and enioyne new lawes of his owne deuising so contrarie to the libertie yea euen to that order
is not vvritten in Hebrew or Greek and mens vvritinges not to be grounded or rested vpon vvhere shall our assurance stand And might not Mr. Giff. as vvel say the Hebrew and Greek Copie are but paper and ynck many faults and errours by the print in vowells accents letters and so conclud vve had not Authentick or canonical scriptures at al except mēs erronious vvritings might be of equall authoritie in the assemblie that the scriptures must he not beare vvith mee in accompting him an Atheist or Libertine in thus reasoning Hence then vve see vvhiles you go about to abase the Canonicall scriptures and extol your patched Leitourgie you fall into manie blasphemies as I haue before told you Wee hold yt the vvord of God in vvhat language soeuer stil reiecting the errours in the print in the translations as they are knowne vnto vs and not to the vvord yt self for the imperfections or errours in the translation and print Now vvhen you can so reiect the errours in mens writings as you can make that vvhich remayneth the vndoubted vvorde of God not agreeable only but an Authentick approued Canonicall scripture authorised from God to be the verie eternall foundation and rules limitts and lawes giuen by himself vnto his people you may lift vp your stumped Dagon into this place if there be some truth in their vvritings as vvhat mens vvritings haue not some and the holy name of God verie much yet is that truth in the Scripture yt self here so mingled vvith chaffe that it vvere not only vnprofitable a hinderāce of the true vse of Gods vvorde but an abolishing and defacing of the vvord yt self the maiestie vvhere of ought to terrifie you from this presumption And vvhere you say that you decide not controuersies by anie translation but by the Authentick Copies of the Hebrew and Greke I trust you speak only of such as are able by the interpretation therof so to decide controversies and holde it not vnlawfull for anie such as haue not that help to cōvince errour by the powre of the vvord and conferring one place vvith an other in anie translation according to the analogie of faith though I grant vve ought to vse y ● best approued But if this vvere not lawfull surely no mā might prophesie in the Church vvhich hath not the gift of interpretion of the tongue neither might any affirme any scripture to be true but they vvich haue knowledg of tongues How blasphemous is this geare vvhiles you are ignorant of the powre wisdome and agreement of the word and spirit and diuersitie of giftes giuē vnto men the Word the Spirit approue ech other and beare witnesse ech of other in what language soeuer God giueth yt to our vnderstanding Prophesie knowledg of tongues are two seueral giftes not alwayes giuen to one member but distributed as God in his wisdome hath appointed 1 Cor. 12. and prophesie cōmanded for the more excellent Cap. 14. But this is sufficient in this place that the word of God is the word of God in what language soeuer and to accompt yt being verbatim translated or at least so far fo●rth faithfully translated mans writing were blasphemie but mens writings can neuer be so holden the authentick scriptures of God how agreable to the word soeuer they be My Argument is then firme and thus left vpon you Those writings which be not the word of God being imperfect neuer without error may not be imponed as lawes Canons vpon the publick assemblies or there be read or i●●erpreted or offred vp in worship But such are almens writings that be not the authentick word or God yt self The publick assemblies are only bound to the reading interpretation of the Scriptures which God hath ordeined to be read in a knowne language and for prayer prophesie hath ordeined the liuely voice of his owne graces in the mouth of such as he hath appointed to be the mouth of the Congregatiō vnto him and his mouth vnto them So y ● your pa●ched Leitourgie paraphrases songes in rime homelies and al your dead mens writings are cast forth of the publick assemblies and manifest to be Idols whē they are thrust into that place Now where I alledged that the binding of the publick assemblie yea of all assemblies to certaine writings of men euerie day yeare their number portion of words daylie monthly yearely in al assemblies the same matter an words reiterated in stead of powring forth their hearts vnto God according to their present needs and occasions was a setting of themselues in Gods seate and taking the office of his Spirit which only knoweth the wantes of the seueral assemblies according to their diuerse occasions he runneth away from the matter as one vnwilling to heare of this their 〈◊〉 counterfet babling demanding whether euerie one should vtter their owne perticular wantes in the publick assemblie or should pray nothing but that euerie one feeleth the present want of in himself or should tell the Minister before hand what euerie one of their wantes were then how the Minister should remēber al. Are these any thing but mere canils can any of these follow vpō the former doctrine And let him looke againe whether he that is the mouth of the Cōgregatiō vnto God in publick prayer must not cōsider the present publick occasiōs of that publick assemblie and thereafter frame his prayers all the people ioyning in heart to his words of petition or thanksgyuing saying Amē to so much as he asketh according to the wil of God neede of the time yea if they haue not feeling in such prayers they are vnfeeling members yet neither doth he intermedle with priuate or secret wantes neither neede they tell him them he is sent for the publick affaires of the Church to cōmend the seueral actiōs general publick vnto God And as they are diuerse in euerie assemblie so must he be a man of wisdome to know see and cōsider them lest they al rashly step into the house of God to offer vp the sacrifice of fooles make a coūterfeit babling Eccle. 4. Yet the sinne of this is nothing cōparable to th● doung your Priests cast forth by pratling ouer your English Portuis which y●● Lord wil one day cast in your faces As then in priuate prayer we are to lay forth our owne wantes estate of our owne soule which cannot be done by reading an other mans writings alwayes singing one song customably repeating in superstitiō certaine words our hearts neuer ripped vp examined nor the diseases therof layd open vnto God seeking due cure So the man that is the mouth of the whole assemblie prayeth as the mouth of one bodie for al their open publick present wantes occasions Which occasions considering the persons actions are diuerse cānot be writtē for one assemblie before hand muchlesse for all assemblies in a whole kingdome neither by man nor Angel See then the
vvrship to bynde the conscience to seeke righteousnes forgeuenes of sinne merit in them or against such rules of gouernment as God hath set to be perpetuall This is true but this is not all for the lawe is generall against all inventions traditions constitutions vvhatsoeuer God hath not commanded as the second Commandment doth also teach Thou shalt not make to thy self so y t God hath left nothing to be layde vpon his Church by cōmandement which he hath not cōmanded And therfore that place of the Apostle to the Gal. 3. 15. must be better pervsed If it be but a mans Testament vvhen yt is confirmed no man doth abrogate yt or superordeine anie thing to yt CHRISTS Testament then being much more perfect his vvhole minde for the ordering of his house manifested therin it is wicked presumption to alter the ordinances thereof or to holde them vnmeete or vnsufficient for anie age or estate Well Mr. GIFF. coulde nowe bee content thus far to limit the povver of the Church namelie to haue her subiect and obedient to his voice but that he supposeth there may be lawes ecclesiastical made of things in themselues indifferent that where the scripture hath commanded such things to be vsed at our libertie for order for comelynes edification and glorye of God as matters of place time and such circumstance But hee here mistaketh his text for the Lorde commandeth by the Apostle in that place 1 Corint 14. that those publique busines and exercises of the assemblies shoulde be done in order in comlynes to edifijng and doth not leaue somthing to bee commanded vvhich the maister buylders hath not prescribed For to binde those thinges by lawe vvhich God hath not bound in his worship wee are to add new traditious to bring vs into bondage of the creatures vvhich the same Apostle denyeth euer to bee brought into bondage vnto 1 Corint 6. 12. in his owne person teaching vs so to walke the Lord see in his wisdome cause to leaue them in our libertie knowing there vvoulde bee no end of such perticular lawes especially if he had left it to mans wyt to make and vnmake lawes therin For the orders you speake of then meaning circumstances of time place kneeling sitting standing c there can be no further lawes of them then the Apostle hath set and as the Minister of CHRIST prescribed that al be donne to edifying in comlynes order c. Of theis to set perticular lawes vvere to break these general lawes of God whereby he teacheth vs the true vse of them and leaueth them in the Churches libertie as need requireth to vse them or not vse them Neither can all assemblies bee bound in these thinges to the same in perticular that being needfull and decent in one that is not in an other And in that you woulde haue them no further commanded then they bee needfull convenient decent c you condiscend that there can bee no setled lawe in perticular layde vpon the Church in them For to vse them so far as they bee convenient necessarie and to edifijng is the lawe and commandement of God and to vse them further at anie mans commandement were both a breach of Gods lawe and making the creatures stumbling blockes Idolles bondages and euerie way sinnefull And when the Church commandeth them so far to be vsed as they are commanded of God the Churche doth but ratifye and see Gods lawe executed so that you haue lost your selfe whiles you shoulde haue proued your bold assertion That the Church hath power to ordeyne lawes for to create or make lawes which you see the folly of being nowe driuen to another shift that in the perticular thinges vvhereof God hath giuen generall lawes wee may make setled lawes and yet but for the tyme they be convenient Wheras in deed Gods lawe is the same and nothing ells But because they bee necessarye in one place that bee not in another at one tyme that bee not at another of some persons that bee not to other ther can bee no lawe sett in the perticular one daye for all assemblies in such thinges Neither shall anye disagreement bee such amongst the seueral Churches as need anye contention for them vvhiles euerie assemblye doe that vvich is to themselues most meet most convenient and necessary in such things for the present tyme. The Pastor and Elders vvere of small discretion if they might not haue these thinges in their libertie and euen these doctrines and examples are in this point against your selfe vvhich you haue alledged from other Churches But my purpose is not to contend about mens writings nor to be drawē into cōtrouersie with other Churches whē I am to deale with your present sinne for the auoiding wherof you thus rage If your cause be good plead it by y e scriptures and I wilbe so farre from casting out darts against al Churches as I wil not deale with their estate till I be further occasioned the rather may I omitt this labour for that you haue alledged one place of scripture which you suppose wil beare ●p all your matter If yt helpe you not I see not how you wil de●end your assertion In the 15. of the Acts where it is said the Apostles Elders and brethren at Ierusalem met about the question of Circumcision and other Ceremonies of Moses lawe which some would haue burdened the Gentiles with we see there saith he that the Apostles themselues did decree some thing for y e time which afterward were to be altered when the occasion vvas taken away namelie that the Gentiles should absteyne from blood and from strangled for auoiding offence to the weak Iues. First let vs see what the decree was and then it will appeare how litle yt serueth Mr. Giff. his purpose these be the wordes Act. 15. 28. 29. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burden vpon you then that vvihich is necessary of these thinges to absteyne from Idolothytes and from blood and from strangled and from for●i●●tion fro● vvhich keeping your selues yee doe vvell For one of these which is fornicatiō we haue here no question it being by the moral lawe alwayes forbiden For the other Mr. Giffard would thus reason The Apostles themselues did decree them for the tyme therfore the Church hath power to make and ordeyne lawes in things of themselues indifferent about the worship of God and publick exercises For our answere wee vvould haue Mr. Giff. first learne that he in saying y e Apostles themselues did this by the direction of the holy Ghost hath ouerthrowē himselfe for these were the Maister builders appointed of God to be law makers for the whole Leitourgie and vvorship of CHRIST to all posterities euen all the lawes and ordinances of the newe Testament confirmed by miracles from heauen deliuered by their ministery vnto vs It vvill not follow then if the Apostles had made and ordeyned some lawe here that therefore euerie Synode or anie Synode