Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	word_n	write_n	write_v	2,038	4	5.8211	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13202	A defence of the Holy Scriptures, worship, and ministerie, used in the Christian Churches separated from Antichrist Against the challenges, cavils and contradiction of M. Smyth: in his book intituled The differences of the Churches of the Separation. Hereunto are annexed a few observations upon some of M. Smythes censures; in his answer made to M. Bernard. By Henry Ainsworth, teacher of the English exiled Church in Amsterdam.	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?	1609 (1609)	STC 235; ESTC S117973	115,496	140

practised so the writings of the old testament if they were shadowes ended by Christ yet the writings of the new testament given insted of the other are never to be abolished Secondly let it be considered what M. Sm. hath here left unto vs not ceremoniall and unabolished the thing signifyed sayth he by the book viz the law of God and the new testament but where is this to be had not in letters written with ynk on paper or parchmeÌ„t for all these he sayth are ceremoniall and so abolished but written in mens harts as in books with the spirit as with inck and so to be uttered by men out of their harts If Satan can but perswade this point he will bring out of mens harts as out of the bottomlesse pit a smoke of heresies insted of the fyrie law of God who shall control him For mens harts now are the same which Gods book was of old and as Israell fetched their lawes doctrines worship and services from the scriptures written with inck so Christians now must fetch their lawes doctrines worship c. from the harts of men as from the tables of the lavv and vvhat is from thence uttered is to be counted as written with inck of Gods spirit For the hevenly things themselves are as much yea more to be honoured esteemed credited then the book which was but a type and similitude of heavenly things H. N. the enemie of Gods scriptures can shew no stronger ground for his familisme wherein he reprocheth scripture learning then this which is here layd by M. Smyth But the scriptures and reasons which he hath brought be farr from proving so deadly an error For the book of God as alwayes so stil signifieth and representeth to our eyes heavenly things although some figurative extraordinary vse thereof be abolished for it signifieth and teacheth vnto vs the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven And as the book of the lavv was a witnesse against Israel when they walked rebelliously and with a stiffe neck so is it a witnesse to this day against all Christians that walk in like sort But such in Israel as had the word neer vnto them in their mouth and in their hart for to do it the book of the Law was a witnesse for them a sure testimony giving wisdom to the simple a perfect law converting the sowl and the statutes of the Lord therein were right unto them and rejoyced the hart the commaundement of the Lord was pure and gave light unto the eyes even so to all faithful Christians now the writings of the Prophets Apostles is a sure word to which they do wel to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place by it they beleeve and so come to life and by it their joy is made full Agayn M. Sm. erroneously substituteth one extraordinary use of some part of the scripture for the ordinary uses of the whole Moses wrote in a book the old testament or covenant of works summed vp in Exod. 20. 21. 22. and 23. chapters which book was read in the peoples eares and sprinkled with blood as the people also was for a sanction or confirmation of the Testament in which action there was an extraordinary and figurative vse of the book for that time which now is abolished by Christs blood which hath confirmed the new testament and abrogated the old The holy histories prophesies psalmes parables c. were never thus sprinkled with blood but onely that book wherein the conditions of the covenant were written Wherefore there were besides this other ordinarie permanent perpetual uses of the scriptures by reading them privatly and publikly for the teaching exhorting comforting reproving of the people according to their daily need occasion that every child of God might have knowledge of the certainty of the word of truth for to answer words of truth to them that sent unto him as Solomon sayth And therfore as at the publik solemn assemblie of al Israel in the sabbath year the law was read unto them al that they mought learn fear God and keep al his words they their children so at their particular assemblies in their synagogues throughout every citie both Moses and â¸« the Prophets that wrote after him were read every Sabbath day and this from old time even unto Christs dayes on earth who himself in his own person and action allowed and sanctified this holy custome and commended by his Apostles al the scriptures fore written unto his disciples and gave them also other scriptures for like end and use warned them that no man should presume above that which is written Wherefore it is a deceit of Satan for mans ruine to seek to make the scriptures generally wholly ceremonial and abolished because of that extraordinarie use of them at the sanction of the law at mount Sinai But the counsel of God unto his people is seek in the book of the Lord and read search the scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life As for the law of God to be written in mens harts by the spirit this taketh not away the use of the law written in books with ynk for in Israel when the bible was read every Sabbath David had the law of God within his bowels whereby he declared righteousnes in the great congregation and as he so every other righteous mans mouth spake of wisdom his tongue talked of judgment the law of his God being in his hart as Moses commanded yet ceased not the reading of the law out of the book So at this day true Christians in wose harts Gods law is written are not no though they be ministers extraordinarily furnished with grace to leave the reading of the law written in books any more then they did in Israel and Christs Apostles have written the word even with paper and ynk as they spake it with voyce to meet with their dotage that dream ynk and paper to be meerly ceremoniall As for al hypocrites they are now as heretofore stony harted and the outward letter written with ynk resembleth their hypocrisie But whereas M S. having cited Deut. 31. 26. inferreth therfore the Apostle caleth it the handwriting in ordinances which was contrary to us which Christ nayled to his crosse Col. 2. 14. Eph. 2 15. he mismatcheth the places for Paul speaketh of worldly rudiments the outward services of the Law which elswhere he caleth also beggerly rudiments such as was circumcisiÃ³ the observing of dayes moneths c. which ordinances were as an handwriting or obligation against the Iewes witnessing that they were debters unto God synners miserable under the curse unlesse they saw and learned Christ in them by whom the obligation is cancelled and curse done away For by circumcising theÌ„selves they acknowledged as by a bil of their hand that they were born in

Greek letters words and phrases which had beene profaned by lying histories and lascivious poets unto all manner idolatry and wickednes Herevpon it followeth that the word of God in whatsoever letter or language it be written or spoken vnto vs is the word of God stil so to be reverenced and regarded and not to be basely and profanely counted among humane and apocryphal writings A comment or exposition of scripture as for example vpon this word Emmanuel sheweth the mans iudgement mind or understanding that commenteth telleth the reason of this name why it was given to Christ discourseth of his godhed of his manhood of the uniting of these two in one person of the end and use of these and many such like things This being done by ordinary men is properly an humane writing though it may be agreeable to the word of God shewing by letters as by signes what is the mind or understanding of such a man in this mysterie of Christs incarnation even as Paul sayth of his owne divine writing when ye read ye may know myne understanding in the mysterie of Christ. Ephes. 3. 4. Now God hath by his Prophets and Apostles written to his Church a short summ of his mind and will guiding and carying them and inspiring their writings with his good spirit that there should be nothing but words of truth faithfulnes equitie and perfection in them that men mought have a sure ground for their faith and actions throughout all generations And minding mans weaknes the holy Ghost hath omitted to write many things though otherweise in their nature very good penning such onely as were needful and profitable for our faith and salvation giving vs warning also to take heed of other things because there is no end of making many books and much reading is a wearynes to the flesh Ecclesiast 12. 12. But because in these scriptures somethings are hard to be vnderstood and all men know not how to use and apply Gods word unto their times estates actions c. therefore hath Christ given gifts unto men to open and apply the scriptures for the edification of the Church vnto the worlds end alwayes binding them both teachers and hearers to the foundation layd by the Prophets and Apostles whose writings are sufficient to make men wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Iesns For this cause the holy scriptures are necessarie for al Churches to be read expounded unto the people as every nation differeth in language so to have the word spoken and written in their vulgar tongue which change of the tongue or letter changeth not the nature of the word spoken or written but it is stil divine and heavenly Onely because in this changing or translating imperfections wants errors may fal in therfore the first writings as the Prophets Apostles penned them are to be made the absolute canon rule touchstone whereby al translations are to be tried by which being tried found faithful it is the same word of God in what language or letter soever differeth as much froÌ„ humane coÌ„mentaries or expositions as heaven dooth from earth But Mr. Sm. avoucheth mens written sermons or coÌ„ments upon the scripture the scripture it self written in English to be equally humane in respect of the work equally divine in respect of the matter they handle Of this his bold and false assertion he maketh no proof at al it is a speculation of his own hart Two carnal reasons he setteth down which are these To translate the originals into any mother tongue is as wel and asmuch the worke of a mans wit and learning as to analyse the scriptures rhetorically or logically to collect doctrines and uses theologically to give expositions and interpretations of places doubtful Where first if M. S. mean the action of translating simply without reference to the mater and thing translated he doth but dally and seek to deceiv for writing printing translating are al alike humane actions but the things written printed translated are differeÌ„t some good some evil some of God some of men and of the divil The books of Moses written printed or translated are Gods law the book of Mahomet written printed or translated is the divils law the actions of writing printing translating are mere humane actions in all of these Now if because translating is an humane action therefore the thing translated must also be humane the work of mans wit and learning then also because writing and printing are humane actions therefore the bible written or printed in Hebreue Greek al languages must likewise be humane and the work of mens wit and learning and then there can be no divine scriptures but the very first copies which the Prophets Apostles wrote with their owne hands And if Satan could perswade this he would be glad Secondly if Mr. Sm. meaneth the thing translated as Moses law Davids psalmes or other like in English that these are as wel and as much the work of a mans wit and learning as an exposition of doubtful places in them or doctrines and uses collected from them he teacheth wicked error which al of judgment coÌ„science wil abhorr The holy scriptures faithfully expressed in English or any language is the work of Gods wisdome unserchable knowledge and cannot without injury to his majestie be said to be the work of mans wit learning though man have used his skil in writing or translating it according to the original copie given of God This plea of Mr. Sm. is like as if Ieroboam should have sayd the cherubims and the brazen bulls in Solomons temple are as wel and as much the work of mans wit skil as my golden calves if they may be admitted into the house and worship of God then why not these If M. Sm. should answer that the cherubims and bulls which Solomon made were commanded of God and from the divine pattern though humane art did make them but Ieroboams calves were from his own hart so answer I in this case the translation is from the divine pattern of Gods original book and commanded to be made and used but to write comments or homilies to read in the Church is froÌ„ a mans own hart and hath no commandement or warrant from God so to be used but are forbidden Eccles. 12. 12. Secondly he sayth The translator cannot conceive nor expresse in writing the whol mind of the holy spirit conteyned in the originals but onely some good part of it the expositor paraphrast commentator may expresse as much as the translator yea and in respect of some particulars as Hebraisms Grecismes and the like considerations much more If a translator cannot expresse the whol mind of the spirit in al the bible by his interpretation litteral or grammatical then much lesse can the expositor expresse the whol mind of the spirit in the bible by his exposition theological For it is a thowsand

known before the Apostles time as Tullie testifyeth and the poets taxed the people for it And if they understood not Greek is it likely that Paul would have written his Epistle to the Romans in Greek as he did seeing he misliked speaking and consequently writing in an unknown tongue 1 Cor. 14. 6. 18. 19. M. Sm. having spent his strength though in vain to heap syn upon Israel for translating the bible procedeth unto arguments against reading translations in time of worship Where first I wil give the reader advertisement how contrary this enemie is to himself and then I wil come to his frawd against the truth Of the scriptures set over into other languages commonly caled translations he thus affirmeth A translation is as much and as truly an humane writing as the apocrypha so commonly caled writings are Againe he sayth Translations are not the pure word of God and so contrary to Eccles. 12. 10. Mat. 15 9. Agayn that translations of scripture and written sermons upon the scripture are equally humane in respect of the work equally divine in respect of the matter they handle These and the like blasphemous opinions he sought to infect our church withal for which he was resisted these laboured he by word and writing to confirm with sophistical reasons the pillars of al heresie Yet even in this same book he pulleth down this his former uncouth building it being the nature of error as the foolish woman to destroy her howse with her own hands For afterwards he writeth thus The translation agreable to the originals is a secondary scripture yet much inferiour to the originals So then it is not apocryphal unlesse he use a fallacie in this word scripture for we understand hereby as Christ himself did holy scripture inspired of God as 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. It may be read sayth he in the church and sung in tunes Then say I it is not as the apocryphal so commonly called writings are for their very name signifying hidden teacheth that they are not to be read in the publik church Jt may sayth he be expounded in the church But so say I may not homilies be nor apocryphal writings And if M. S. in his synagogue doe read and expound such scriptures to his people he maketh theÌ„ with himself notorious idolaters Exod. 20. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Eccle. 12. 10. The matter of it sayth he agreable to the originals is inspired to weet of God But the matter say I of the Apocryphal books as Iudith Tobie c. though exactly translated is not inspired vnlesse of the Divil for lyes and fables are in them both the translations I mean and the original Greek copies Jt may be made a ground of our faith sayth he and an instrument to try doctrine by Then is it say I not apocryphal but Canonical for it is made a canon that is a rule of our faith and walking But far be it that humane apocryphal writings should have such vse in the Church of God Wil M. Sm. ground his faith upon this that ther are seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saincts and that lying Raphael of the kinred of Azarias is one of them wil he ground his faith upon this that the smel of the hart and liver of a fish perfumed on the coles wil so drive away the Divil that he shal never come againe any more or wil he have his disciples to try their religion by such crooked instruments no marvell though they be led with him into the ditch when they try his doctrine by that which they professe to be as much and as truly an humane writing as the Apocrypha comonly so called writings are For it argueth that eyther they use the Bible but for a shew and colour seing they esteme so vily of it or else that they honour the base borne apocrypha as inspired of God Which is the very syn snare that they have sought to bring upon us Now let vs examine his arguments 1 Thes. 5. 21. Try all things keep that good thing But no man ignorant of the tongues can trie whither the translation be fit or good therfore no man ignorant of the tongues can strictly keep or read a translation in time of worship Here first M. Sm. striking at the translation mysseth that and hitteth onely the ignorant reader of it for if one have skil of the tongues know it to be truely translated this reason maketh nothing against his reading but for it So M. Sm. playes the sophister to argue against a holy thing because of the ignorances infirmities of some men He mought thus have cavilled against reading the law in Israel that no man blind of sight as was Ahijah the prophet could trie whither the original scriptures were truly written or not Secondly if he proceed further as he hath begun hereafter he may come with like reason thus Try al things keep the good thing but no man ignorant of the tongues can trie whither the interpretation of scriptures which the minister giveth in preaching the word or any text that he allegeth in his doctrine be fitt or good then mind what conclusion the Divil wil make hereupon in a simple mans conscience to draw him to doubt of and consequently to forsake and despise not onely al reading but also preaching of the word because he being ignorant of the tongues cannot judge or trie whither that which is read or taught be true according to the original scriptures And thus he falleth into the snare of Satan which Mr. Sm. here hath set in secret Thirdly this reason overthwarteth that which elsewhere the man granteth that the translation may be made the ground of our faith and an instrument to try doctrine by This being so how dooth Pauls counsel Trie al things c. make against translations Rom. 14 23. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 7. Heb. 11. 6. whatsoever coÌ„meth not from faith is syn but no man ignorant of the tongues can of faith use the translation seing he cannot examin it whither it be good or bad and so beleve or refuse it Therefore it is not of faith in him and so it is syn for him to use it before the eye in time of worship Like sophistrie and impietie is in this argument as in the former for it concludes not the thing unlawful in it selfe but onely in him that is ignorant of the tongues and his faith it seeks to shake For ther is no faith without Gods word and where to have this word he cannot tell If it be set over from the originals to his mother tongue in writing he cannot trie whither it be good or bad if the Minister translate or interpret it by voice the poor man is as much uncertain or more whither the teacher speak true or false Thus can he neyther read nor hear of sayth if M. Smyths engine once take

the book be to him that readeth of the nature that an image is to him that gazeth who would not plead for them both alike to be used or rejected But what if an other would come and say that words or speaches are in the nature of trumpets or bells and therefore in the nature of ceremonies and so by consequent as the silver trumpets golden bells in the Law were ceremonies ended by Christ so speaking or preaching of the word is likeweise ceremonial men now must be all taught by the spirit Hath not this as good a colour against the audible voice as the other against the visible writing For as the sound of the voice affecteth the eare and understanding of the hearer so the sight of the letter affecteth the eye understanding of the reader and as far dooth a book differ from an image in this respect as a man from a bell A bell when it soundeth in the eare yeeldeth no distinct articulate voice for the edifying of the hearer but a man when he speaketh is vnderstood of the hearers his reanable voice dooth edify so an image when it is looked vpoÌ„ affoardeth a man no edification no not if it were an image sent froÌ„ heaven unlesse it had a voice withall but a book when it is read informeth the mind and feedeth not the eye onely as dooth a picture An image picture hath a mouth speaks not no spirit or breath of life is in theÌ„ but the book of God is theopneustos inspired of God his spirit life is in it it is not a dumb teacher but speaketh testifyeth the mind of God and by that which is there written the spirit speaketh to the Churches Wherfore a mayn difference is to be put between livelesse pictures Gods lively oracles in his book so in all writings And if M. S. continue in this mind that a book and an image are both of a nature I could with he would set out no more books but images in their sted so should lesse harm come unto mens soules then now dooth by reading his hereticall writings But if books and writings be in nature of ceremonies reading as he sayth ceremonial wherof he giveth this reason for as the beast in the sacrifices of the old testament was ceremonial so was the killing of the beast ceremoniall how is it that he sayd before of reading that it is a lawful ecclesiastical action dooth not the lying tongue vary incoÌ„tinently For shall we have legall ceremonies the shadow of things to come whose body is in Christ to be used as lawful ecclesiasticall actions may we not then have pictures images of cherubims c. for ecclesiastical use as we have the holy scriptures which by M. S. religion are in the nature of images ceremonies In another place he sayth As musicall instruments and playing vpon them was typicall because it was artificial so reading of a book was typicall also because it is meerartificial So then the playing on the organs and the reading of the scriptures are both of a nature both types and ceremonies so abolished How near these reasons grouÌ„ds do reach to Iudaism Familism I leave unto the wise to judge and future things wil shew more for as yet the wandring starrs have not run al their course Of the Original scriptures AFter his censure of books in general to be of the nature of images M. Sm. cometh to fight against the use of Gods scriptures in his worship beginning even with the Originals the Hebrue and Greek as they were written by the prophets Apostles Wherin he is fallen into a higher degree of error or of frawd then when we had controversie with him for then his plea was no translation for it is apocrypha but onely the canonical scriptures are to used in the church in tyme of Gods worship Now he wil out with canonical scripture also for the reading of it he thinketh was a ceremonie ended by Christ thus see we fulfilled the saying of the Prophet they proceed from evil to worse And first to prove them ceremonies he layeth these grounds The holy Originals sayth he signifie and represent to our eyes heaveÌ„ly things therfore the book of the law is called the similitude of an heavenly thing Heb. 9. 19 23. Holy scriptures or writings began with Moses Exo. 24 4. and 31. 18. Ioh. 1. 17. 2 Cor. 3 7. Before Moses holy men prophesied out of their harts and received and kept the truth of doctrine by tradition from hand to hand 2 Pet. 2 5. Jude ver 14 15. Deut. 31 24. When Moses had written the law he caused it to be put by the ark in the most holy place as a witnesse against the people Deut. 31 26. therefore the Apostle caleth it the handwriting in ordinances which was contrary to us which Christ nayled to his crosse Col. 2 14 Eph. 2 15. Hence it followeth that the holy Originals the Hebrue scripture of the old testament are ceremonies 2 Cor. 3 3 7 Num. 5 23. 24. by necessarie consequent The book or tables of stone typed unto the Jewes their hard hart void of the true understaÌ„ding of the law 2 Cor 3 3. Hebr. 8. 10. Ezek. 36 26 27. 2 Cor. 3 14 15. The ynk wherwith the letters were written signified the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3 3 Heb. 8 10. with Exod. 31 18. The letters written or characters ingraven signifieth the work of the spirit who alone doth write the law in our harts by proportion also Deut. 9 10. with Heb. 8 10. Reading the words of the law out of the book signifieth the vttering of the word of God out of the hart by proportion See also 2 Cor. 3. 2. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 12 7. The writings of the old testament being ceremonial are therefore abolished by Christ onely so far forth as they are ceremonial Col. 2. 14. 20. Gal. 4. 9. The thing signifyed by the book viz the law of God the new testament remayneth 2 Cor. 3. 11. 7. Heb. 8. 6. 7. 13. Here first may be observed how M. Sm. professing to treat of the originall scriptures in which both old and new testament both law and gospel are written unto vs taketh one part onely to weet the law or old testament and from it will conclude against the whole body of the scriptures and this fallacie he often useth in his writings But if all he here sayth were graunted that the writings of Moses were abolished by Christ Yet will it not therevpon follow that the writings of the other Prophets and of the Apostles also are typicall ceremoniall and abolished Nay rather the contrary would follow thus that as circumcision and the passeover c. were figurative shadowes ended by Christ no more to be used but baptisme and the Lords supper instituted by Christ in sted of the former are continually to be

himself Secondly their conversion vvas not hindered but furthered by the Greek translation for many novv might read and hear of Gods name enquire after his truth and finding it come to Ierusalem and learn that tongue if they could So yet the seventie are not found in syn vvhich helped men to righteousnes Because the Hebrue characters and writings were ceremonies and so ought not to have been prophaned among the Grecians by their wrâ—ings c. Whether the characters were ceremonies or no the LXX are innocent of this blame for they wrote the bible to the gentils in the Greek characters syllables words sounds c. and not in Hebrue If M. Smyth make the substance of the scripture a ceremonie that is a shadow to be ended and abolished at Christs coming it is a wicked error Or if he make the characters ceremonies in that sense it is erroneous for the Hebrues converted to Christ may ought to read the Hebrue scriptures in the Church as they were wont in their synagogues The profaning and abusing of the translated scripture was in deed a syn in al that so did so was it if any Israelite or stranger profaned the Hebrue Yet Hebrue copies might goe abroad notwithstanding the danger of profanation how much more the Greek The personal synns of some may not hinder the publik good Otherweise at this day bibles should not be printed and commonly sold because atheists and profane people may buy and abuse them The scriptures are as much to be reverenced now as ever they were although M. Sm. hath laboured their disgrace If it were unlawful to sing one of Davids Psalmes in a strange nation as Babylon Psal. 137. 4. then much more unlawful was it to translate the scriptures into a strange tongue for the ceremonial law was bounded within the holy land If at this day Turks captiving Christians should ask in scorn and mockage to sing some spiritual song for them to laugh at I doubt not but we should answer them as the Iewes did the Babylonians not expose Gods word to derision But if any would hereupon infer it were syn to translate the scriptures into vulgar tongues M. S. himself would condemn him like mesure must be meted to himself for these frivolous reasons The scriptures were not ceremonies though there was some figurative use of the book of the law but if they had been yet this is an error in M. Smyth to bound them within the holy land For circumcision was a shadow or as he calleth it a ceremonie yet did they it in Babylon and many shadowes moe And for the scriptures who doubteth but the Iewes had and used them in Babel which was out of the holy land Yea some of the scripture was written and sent to Babylon as Ier. 29. 1. c. some written in Babylon as the prophesies of Ezekiel and Daniel Ezek. 1. 1. c. and some written in the Babylonian language and not in Hebrue as Ezra 4. 7. 8. c. Dan. 2. 4. 5. c. Wherfore if any Babylonian would have sought for God the scriptures should not have been deneyed him The translation c. is contradictorie to the Lords mercy to the Iewes Church and their special privileges Psal. 147. 19. 20. Rom. 3. 1. 2. Act. 10. 28. and 22. 1. 2. 3. 4 18. Eph. 2. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Act. 13. 46. 47. 48. Rom. 16. 25. 26. This reason is in a manner the same with the first and so before answered The Iewes privileges even then appeared that the Gentiles must have the instrument of mercy the scriptures from them And that God gave them this not for themselves onely but also for the Gentiles occasionally is before proved Generall mercy I know there was not as is now under Christ. Peters fact was caled in question about conversing and eating with them being uncircumcised Act. 11 2. 3. not for letting them partake of the privilege of Gods word for it was permitted the Gentiles to hear the word read and preached in the synagogues as appeareth Acts. 13. 42. 44. 46. 48. And how was it contradictorie to Gods mercy to the Iewes when his prophets wrote some of the scriptures in the hethens language as did Daniel and Ezra which are mentioned before Because that seeing the Hebrue writings were ceremonies it was unlawful for the Septuagint to change them from their proper kind and to picture them out by the Greek writings for the Greeks use Here agayn is a repetition of the third reason refuted before and if he wil he may make it twentie by a little change of the words But the weight of the argument is shewed to be too leight and Greek writings for Greeks use was no more unlawful then Chaldee writing for the Chaldeans use which the LXX had learned by Daniels example if no way els Because the LXX did of purpose concele many things as iudging the Gentils unworthy to know them fearing also least they should profane such holy mysteries wherein their consciences told them plainly that their translation was syn Also they did pervert many things of purpose add somthing and infinitely corrupt their translation which was their greevous synn This last reason seemes to come from M. Smyths gealous head or surmising hart and it is overthrown by himself For a little after he sayth it is manifest by histories that the LXX translation is lost and this that goeth under the name of the LXX is a patcherie made out of ancient writings If this be so how knowes this accuser that they infinitely corrupted their translation seeing he never saw their work which long synce is lost Belike he thought it might be so and therfore he wrote it was so If he make not better proof of this his heighnous charge al men may see whose sonne he is that so calumniateth the saincts readeth without book not onely their infinite errors but what their consciences told them also His inference hereupon that the Apostles would never account so synful a translation to be holy scripture coming from the holy Ghost nor approve the use of it in the Greek churches This faleth with his weak reasons there being no such greevous syn proved against the Greek translation but rather we may judge it a blessed work of God that hereby brought many Gentiles to be proselytes and prepared them for the receiving of the gospel Albeit I deney not but errors were in the translation some of which as occasion was the Apostles in their writings did amend And whereas he further sayth there could be no use of the LXX translation for reading in the latine church of the Romans I answer First if there was use of it in the Greek churches onely it is ynough to warrant like use of translations in al churches in what tongue soever Secondly there could be use of it even in the church of Rome where the Greek tongue was commonly

him But eyther he must look for enthusiasmes or revelations from heaven vvhich some Anabaptists have dreamed of or els he faleth to profanenes or desperation And it is not M. Sm. distinction of worship properly so called that here vvil comfort the troubled sovvl for he must doe al especially his ecclesiastical religious actions of fayth and not his proper vvorship onely Yea the serpent wil build more on this rotten foundation and assault him also that hath skil in the tongues and trouble him saying though thou hast knowledge of Hebrue and Greek yet hovv canst thou tel vvhither this that thou readest be the pure vvord of God There be many Ievvish fables and humane traditions that have been vvritten in Hebrue and in Greek also and vvhither God spake or vvrote these things as novv thou readest them thou knovvest not and therfore canst not of faith make this book a ground of thy religion and vvorship And if thou vvilt credit M. Smyth loe he telleth thee that as Antichrist hath polluted al Gods ordinances so hath he violated the original scriptures Do not thou therfore build thy fayth upon the scriptures any longer but beleev that which M. Smyth and his like shal prophesie out of their harts for so he sayth holy men prophesied before Moses time and indeed so some prophesyed in Ezekiels time though they vvere blamed for it books are in the nature of pictures and images and therfore ceremonies and reading a book is ceremonial and reading Prophesies in the time of the law was a type of prophesying and reading the words of the law out of the book signified the lettering of the words of God out of the hart and Christ fulfilled the law of reading and shut the book in the synagogue to signifie that the ceremonie of book-worship or ministerie of the letter was now exspired and finished and now the worship of the new testament must proceed originally from the hart and spirit Wherfore lay aside the scriptures and hear what men shal prophesy out of their harts orif that like thee not exspect thou revelations and visions from heaven Thus M. Sm. as a snare on Mispah a net spred upon Tabor hath layd in his book such a groundwork against the script as fitteth the Divils purpose to intaÌ„gle mens sovvls although to deceive the birds withall he hath strewed some wheat at the mouth of the pit as that translations may be made the ground of our faith an instrument to trie doctrine by c. so breathing out of one mouth both hot and cold A translation made verbatim from the originals is absurd by reason of the difference of the dialects therfore unlawful seing it edifieth not 1 Cor. 14. 26. a translation paraphrastical or a paraphrast if it be lawful in time of worship to be read then why not a written sermon These are but blocks to make the blind stumble Gods word may be set over into English for the most part word for word without absurditie and where our language wilnot bear the strict proprietie of the original phrases we are warranted by the Apostles allegations of scriptures in an other tongue to use such words as the language wil affoard to expresse the other withall Though tongues differ one from another in proprietie of speeches yet God hath sanctified them all for instruments to convey his word and law unto us and this in writing as well as in speaking Dan. 2. 4. c. Act. 1. 4. 8. 9. 11. 15. 23. Rev. 1. 11. 19. Written sermons are the works of men Gods book set over into English though with some diversitie of phrase is Gods book and word stil for as hath been shewed it is not the letter or sound but the thing signified meant by them which properly is Gods word and which we are so to reverence But M. Sm. having granted that the translation may be read in the Church made a ground of our faith c. and now asking why a written sermon is not also lawful in Gods worship eyther alloweth humane writings to be read in the Church as wel as Gods writings translated which is a notable error or els he cavilleth against the truth contrary to his coÌ„science And in his reasoning dealeth like a false coyner who because the gold of the common wealth is not so fine perhaps as the gold of Ophir or Vphaz sayth to the merchant if such course metal may be taken for mony then why not brasse or copper A paraphrast commentarie or exposition upon a chapter which conteyneth more of the contents of the originals and the holy Ghosts meaning is vnlawful to be read in time of worship therefore a translation of a chapter which conteyneth lesse is unlawful also to be read in time of worship First by Mr. Sm. grownd layd in the beginning a paraphrase comment or any humane writing may be used in the administration of Christs kingdome in like sorte as the scriptures which is erroneous Secondly he addeth more to his error in teaching here that a coÌ„mentary hath more of the contents of the holy Ghosts meaning then the text it self in English or othertraÌ„slatioÌ„s His coÌ„clusioÌ„ therfore bringeth forth vanitie and his belly hath prepared deceit No coÌ„mentary in the world made by an ordinarie man conteyneth the meaning of God so as the text it self in a faithful translation of the book or chapter dooth Thirdly Mr. Sm. confesseth that the matter of the translation agreable to the originals is inspired but not the writing or character If the thing written be inspired of God then is it canonical scripture 2. Tim. 3. 16. then not apocryphal nor an humane work as a commentarie then conteyneth it more of the contents of the originals then any mans exposition As for his exception of the writing or character it is but vanitie for the Apostles had the matter of their writings by inspiration froÌ„ God as for the writing or character that was not inspired but Gods word was written in such characters words phrases as the hethen Greeks philosophers and Poets had used long before Lev. 22. 22. Mal. 1. 8. 13. 14. Mat. 22. 37. RoÌ„ 12. 1. 2. Ps. 119. 45. 103. 1. God wil be served with the best we have But ther is no one translation the best we hav seing the Lord may in time of worship minister better to him that administreth if he understand the originals if he understand not the originals he hath it not at all for it is an other mans work and therefore no one translation written may be read in time of worship M. Sm. is like one of them that hunteth the sowles of Gods people setting reasons as hayes to intangle No one translation sayth he is the best we have seing the Lord may in time of worship minister a better as good a reason against reading the translated

the word and one joynt action with it so as one and the same word is used in the holy tongue both for to read and to preach it is a part of the vvorship or service of God in spirit in the gospel of his son as Paul speaketh Rom. 1. 9. But woe unto them that speak good of evil and evil of good and vvith feighned vvords make merchandise of mens sovvls their judgment long agon is not farr off and their damnation sleepeth not A translation being the work of a mans wit and learning is asmuch and as truly an humane writing as the Apocrypha so commonly called writings are and seeing it hath not the allowance of holy men inspired but is of an hidden authoritie it may be iustly caled Apocryphon for the signification of the word importeth so much and therfore not to be brought into the worship of God to be read The Apocryphal vvritings are humane both in matter and form in language letter vvords sentences method and order the book of God set over into English notwithstanding the difference of the letters and sounds is yet for the substance divine the words sentences and methode heavenly He that translateth faythfully altereth not the nature of the work translated neyther maketh he it his own Luke translating into Greek Esaias prophesie from the Hebrue Luk. 4. 17. 18. and we translating it into English have not changed the prophesie it self from divine to humane from Gods work to mans it was no fruit of our wit or learning to find out such a prophesie of Christ but we understanding the originals expresse the same thing in English which Esaias wrote and it is his prophesie not ours And the visions of Iohn in the Revelation now Englished are not as much and as truely an humane writing as if M. Smyth should make a book of visions or dreames out of his own witt and learning and set it forth in English Wherefore his hart is striken with the darknes of Aegypt that can see no difference betwixt the Prophets and Apostles set over into our tongue and other mens apocryphal writings but maketh these alike asmuch and as truly humane Agayn this enemy of Gods book is herein condemned by his own mouth for the apocrypha commonly so called are holden and described thus These books c. are called apocrypha that is books which were not received by a common consent to be read and expounded publikly in the church neyther yet served to prove any poynt of Christian religion save inasmuch as they had the consent of the other scriptures called canonical to confirm the same or rather whereon they were grounded These things are spoken of the Apocrypha not as touching the outward letter or language but for the substance or things in them conteyned But M. Smyth alloweth translations to be read and expounded publikly in in the Church and made a ground of our fayth which agreeth as wel with this his argument as did the evil servaÌ„ts plea with his practise Luk 19. 20. 22. c. Al the arguments used against the reading of homilies and prayers may be applied against the reading of translations in time of worship as 1. they do stint or quench the spirit which is contrary to 1 Thes. 5. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 3. 17. 2. They are not the pure word of God and so contrary to Eccles. 12. 10. Mat. 15. 9. 3. They are the private works of men contrary to 1 Cor. 12. 7. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 20. 4. They are the private openings or interpretations of the prophesies of scripture contrary to 2 Pet. 1. 20. 5. They contradict the gifts bestowed by Christ upon the church for the work of the ministerie contrary to Eph. 4. 8. 11. 12. Act. 2. 4. Joh. 16. 7. 6. They derogate from the vertue of Christs ascention and dignity of his kingdom contrary to Ephe. 4. 8. 7. They blemish Christs bountie to and care of his church contrarie to Ioh. 14. 16. 18. 26. 8. They disgrace the spirit of God setting him to schole contrarie to 1 Ioh. 2. 27. 9. They bring into the church a strange ministration contrarie to 1 Cor. 12. 5. and so a new part of the Gospel or covenant contrarie to Gal. 3. 15. 10. They do not manifest the spirit which cometh from within but the letter which cometh from without 2 Cor. 3. 6. Therfore they are not spiritual worship Joh. 4 24. with 2 Cor. 3. 17. Gal. 5. 1. and 4. 31. Indeed if lyes may goe for arguments here is a heap What Lucian could have written more reprochfully slanderously of the holy scriptures Cannot the written word and spirit of God his scriptures and his gifts to open them stand togither but one must contradict stint quench and disgrace another Did Christ when he took the book read the text and after spake from the same to the people did he herein contradict his own gifts blemish his own bouÌ„tie stint or quench the spirit in him or did the church of Israel contradict Gods gifts or quench his spirit when they preached read the law every sabbath Or did the churches of Colosse Thessalonica c. run into any of these evils by reading the scriptures in the publik assemblies Nay rather this adversary would quench the spirit by abolishing the scriptures out of Gods worship seeing Gods spirit is in his scriptures and he having commanded them to be written commandeth also him that hath an ear to hear what in them the spirit speaketh to the churches Let him not here cavil that he meaneth these things of translations onely for vve have heard before hovv even the original scriptures are also by him shut out of Gods vvorship and the reading of them so condemned for ministration of the letter Iudaisme Antichristian But some special things here are vvhich he seemeth to bend at translations onely as that they are not the pure word of God and so coÌ„trary to Eccles. 12. 10. Math. 15. 9. So then belike vvhen vve read the lavves of God thou shalt not kil thou shalt not steal honour thy father and thy mother or any other scriptures hovv faythfully soever translated into English vve read not the pure word of God nor as Solomon sayth an upright writing the words of truth but we do that which Christ blamed the Pharisees for Matth. 15. 9. worship God in vain teaching doctrines the precepts of men Loe here some part of the deepnes of Satan who would perswade that the pure word of God the upright writing the words of truth cannot be written in English no nor spoken for if they may be spoken they may be written but vvhatsoevet is written by consequent spoken of us in our mother tongue is a doctrine and precept of men For thus farr reacheth this impious argument Againe wher he calleth them private works of men private openings or interpretations of prophesies contrarie to 1 Corin. 12. 7.

8. 2 Pet 1. 20. hee injureth the holy scriptures for the work or thing it self is Gods whosoever hath written printed or translated it The decree of King Ahashverosh when it was translated and published into al the provinces after every peoples language was it a private decree of him that translated or wrote it If M. Smyth should translate Paules Epistles or Iohns Revelation should we esteeme them M. Smyths epistles or visions These be but delusions to make the work his or of the nature of him that is but the interpreter or oversetter of the same Neyther do the scriptures by him alleaged speak ought against traÌ„slations for God having given to his church the scriptures for a a ground of their fayth and gracious gifts unto men for opening and applying the scriptures the one of these destroyeth not the other but they confirm ech other And Peter speaketh not of translation or grammatical interpretation of a tongue caled hermencia which even an infidel that wanteth Gods spirit yet having skil in the tongues can do but he speaketh of a theological resolution opening and applying of the prophesies called of him epilusis which may be done without any translating at al as Christ unlosed or expounded his owne parables Mark 4. 34. and as Ioseph opened or expounded the dreames told unto him Thus see we the weaknes of these reasons and how M. Smyth quoteth many scriptures to prove things that we al hold as that it is syn to quench the spirit to contradict Gods gifts c. but for that which we deney namely that in reading the scriptures we commit these evils this be wil have taken for granted thinking belike his readers wil be so simple that if any one propositioÌ„ of an argument be proved the whol shal be yealded unto How then dooth he reason against us in vain seing in his arguments there remayns but leasing The last of his reasons followeth Children may read a translation perfectly wel but children cannot perform any part of spiritual worship therfore reading a translation is no part of spiritual worship The second proposition is untrue and injurious to al the children of God and the Divil it seemeth put in his hart to write this as a ground of his anabaptisme wherunto soon after he drew him and now hath moved him to write further that an infant is no more capable of baptisme then is any unreasonable or unsensible creature thus evil men and deceyvers waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Is not the praysing of God a part of his worship Christ when the children cryed Hosanna in the temple defended their fact against cavilling Iewes by this that out of the mouth of babes and fuklings God had made perfit the prayse Mat. 21. 15. 16. Wherfore this one testimonie is ynough to confute and stil this enemie and avenger whom Satan useth to wreak his teen upon the children and infants of the Lord. But I wil turne his owne weapon against him thus Mr. Sm. anabaptised himself with water but a child could have done the like unto himself who cannot performe any part of spirituall worship therefore Mr. Sm. anabaptising himself with water did no part of spirituall worship and consequently it was carnal worship and service of the Divil If he answer that a child though he could cast water on himself utter such words as he heard Mr. Sm. speak withal yet could he not preach or open the covenant as Mr. Sm. did I answer in like manner though children may read the scriptures perfectly wel yet can they not preach nor open the covenant as did the Preists and Levits Nehem. 8. 8. and as Christ himself did when he read in the synagogue Luk. 4. Wherefore reading and preaching being joyned togither as baptising with water preaching he that condemns the one outward action because a child can doe it condemneth also the other by the like reason And Mr. Sm. having thus written of children and doon to himself the babes and sucklings whose soules he would murder by depriving them of the covenant promise and visible seal of salvation in the Church shal rise up in judgment shall condemn him in the day of Christ. Objections for translations answered and mainteyned After this Mr. Sm. professeth to answer objections for translations where he taketh his libertie to make the objectioÌ„s as liked him best to answer thus Rom. 4. 3. What saith the scripture and then followeth the Septuagints translation Heb. 3. 7. The holy Ghost sayth and then folow the words of the Lxx. translation and it is observed that the Apostles quote the words of the seventies translation not onely where they expound the meaning of the holy Ghost as Heb. 10. 5. Rom. 4. 3. where the Apostles follow the Lxx. not the Hebrue but also in their devises besides the original as in the second Cainan Luk. 3. 36. 37. and in the 75. persons of Iaakobs familie Act. 7. 14. whereas there is but one Cainan and 70. persons in the Hebrue If the originals themselves are not to be vsed as helps in time of spiritual worship as hath been proved then this obiection is of no force for translations But the original scriptures are to be used in Gods publike worship by such as understand them as hath ben proved therfore this answer is of no force against translations Secondly if it were of force to bring translations to be read in time of worship it were available thus far even to bring in to the time of worship the errors of the translations c. Whatsoever the Scripture holy Ghost sayth may be read heard in Gods publik worship ordinarily as before hath been manifested Errors by Gods special extraordinary dispensatioÌ„ admitted because of mens infirmities as Cainan in Lukes genealogie c. are not of vs ordinarily to be followed that we should put new persons into genealogies no more then we may dispense ordinarily with Gods commaundements because himself dispensed with the Iewes for putting away their wives for having many wives and the like which he suffred for the hardnes of their harts The holy Ghost needeth not the lies of men to work his work nor the seventies errors to support the faith of Theophilus and the Graecians c. And it is one thing by connivencie to passe by syn as was the tolleration of polygamie divorce and usurie see Act. 17. 30. another thing to translate errors from a translation into the original which is to approve them and this whosoever affirmeth speaketh litle lesse then blasphemie Thirdly therfore as Antichrist hath polluted al Gods ordinances so hath he violated the original scriptures and therfore one Cainan must be put out for some ancient copies have it not and for 75. there must be seventy al pente for pantes as Rom. 12. 11. kairo kurio and it is possible easily

proper part of the worship of the old testament vvith M. Smyth because he was neither Preist nor Levite Hovvbeit before he vvould needs persvvade us by a mystical interpretation that Christ having by the use of the book fulfilled the law of reading he shut the book to signifie that the ceremonie of book-worship was now exspired So svveet an accord harmonie is in his vvriting Wel Christs action here is excluded from being a part of Gods vvorship But M. Smyth though he vvere neyther Priest nor Levite of the old testament nor Apostle Prophet Evangelist Pastor nor teacher no nor member of the church of the nevv testament he and his followers having dischurched themselves and dissolved their communion yet he in that estate preached and anabaptised himself and then anabaptised others and this in him was the worship of God or els of the divil properly so caled And hath not this man behaved himself like a proud Korah that without al office would presume to do these things which he counteth proper worship and yet censureth Christs action in reading preaching of the word to be no proper part of worship because he was neyther Preist nor Levite Shal the word out of Christs mouth read and applied with al grace of the spirit which he had without measure be no proper part of Gods worship and shal the word which Mr. Smyth uttereth out of his hart be proper worship And of what nature may we think was that exercise performed by Christ and the Doctors in the temple was it none of Gods worship He was I am sure in his fathers busines among the teachers of the word whom he heard whom he asked whom he answered with such understanding as astonied al that heard him If M. Smyth esteme his own teaching or prophesying used in his synagogue to be the worship of God and this of Christ and the teachers of Israel in the temple to be not his worship he is worthy of al true Christians to be holden Anathema But reading sayth he is serching the scriptures which is not worship But reading say I as Christ now did is proclayming the word of God unto the people and if preaching be worship reading in this sort is worship not proskunesis supplication or prostrating unto God but latreia a worship or service of God in the spirit in the gospel as before hath been manifested Secondly sayth M. Smyth Christ had the Originals the Hebrue text of Esay the Prophet and read or interpreted out of it for it is doubtful whither he uttered the Hebrue words or spake the sense of the Hebrue in the Syriak dialect and therefore from hence reading a translation cannot be concluded but eyther reading or interpreting the Originals How it maketh for translations I shewed before against M. Smyths frawd and to that we have no answer but by-matters brought as clowds to darken the light And if we had alleged this for the Originals yet Mr. Smyth would not have allowed it as before hath been shewed He doubteth whither Christ spake in Syriak or not but if he so did preached or prophesied in that common language as before I have shewed it most likely and preaching or prophesying be properly worship and instituting worship in a common tongue Be as unlawful as sacrificing a dog as M. Smyth before affirmed wil not he be found a blasphemer of Christ as one that speaks not by the spirit of God calling Iesus execrable Thirdly sayth he hence cannot be concluded that manner of preaching now used that a man shal take his text and then divide it into parts analysing it rhetorically and logically collecting doctrines and uses from every member c. of his text al this while he hauing his book before his eye to help him at al assayes a thing whereof I am assured the holy scripture yeeldeth no warrant that it may be counted a part of spiritual worship For though the scripture may be so handled and that for very profitable use yet that is rather a scholastical lecture then an Ecclesiastical worship it is rather an inquisition and serching of the holy spirits intent and purpose then prophesying If the scriptures may be so handled and that for very profitable use surely Mr. Smyths schisme and charge of idolatrie layd upon us had very unprofitable use and wicked end For his owne conscience can testifie for us if it be not feared that we never pleaded for other use of the scriptures then was in Israel where Christ read the text and after taught from and applyed it where the law was read the sense given and the people caused to understand the reading where lectures were of the law prophets in their synagogues every sabbath and other such like exercises But because we did thus out of our translated English bibles of him called apocrypha he accused us of idol-latrie that is the worship or service of idols we mainteyned it to be theo-latrie that is the worship or service of God because it was Gods word not mans though written in English This point is now sought to be shifted off and a nue question made whither reading the scriptures in the Church may be caled worship which I have cleared before His sophistical distinction of scholastical lecture and ecclesiastical worship we heard not of til now and it serveth him in no stead for every such lecture in the Church to Christs scholars is the latreia or service of God not of Idols and is a manifestation of the holy spirits intent as of old was in prophesying The teacher most properly doth then inquire serch when he prepareth himselfe privatly by reading studie and meditation to expound the scriptures in publik Were not the voices of the Prophets in Israel a manifestation of the spirits intent But when they were read in the synagogues their voices were heard as the scripture teacheth Act. 13. 27. Lastly sayth M. S. if we must needs be tied to this example of Christ which J see no reason for seeing reading was of the old testament then the example of Christ shall bind also thus farr as that the book shal be layd aside so soon as the text is read and the book that is used shal be the originals which is nothing for vocal but for mental reading or for interpreting which I never have thought to contradict c. No man that I know tieth to follow this particular example We doubt not but men may teach without any book But that it is lawful by Christs example here to read open and apply the scriptures as by other examples of him also to preach without reading The mayn thing is left and new questions set on foot We know wel he at first contradicted not mental reading as he calleth it or interpreting out of the originals though now he writeth against the use of the originals also as before we have seen so fast he

aspes As where Mr. Sm. sayth that to the constitution of the typical Church meaning the church of Israel there was not required true holynes but ceremonial cleannes This is a false and blasphemous assertioÌ„ injurious to Gods holy majestie as making him to constitutea Church of hypocrites it is evidently overthrown by the covenants made between God and them Gen. 17. Exod. 19. 5. 6. 8. Exod. 20. and 21. c. and 24. 3. 4. 7. 8. Levit. 19. 2. with 1. pet 1. 15 16. Deut. 5. 1. 2. 3. and 26. 17. 18. 19. and 29. 10. 11. 12. 13. c. So when he sayth the Israelites did worship to repentance we doo worship from repentance therfore they might and did worship therby to reconcile themselves to God we being reconciled to God and accepted in Christ doe proceed to offer to the Lord the calves of our lips the best grace we have with us first men declare their repentance and then we receive them into our coÌ„munioÌ„ to worship with us with theÌ„ first men were received into typical coÌ„munioÌ„ and then they were trayned up to repentance and faith in Christ c. These the like distinctions Mr. Sm. hath fetched out of his own hart not from the word of God for although ther be differences many between them and us as touching outward rites and services ended abolished by Christ as the Epistle to the Ebrues sheweth yet as touching the substance of their religion worship constitution c. as touching repentance faith reconciliation to God c. ther was no such differences as Mr. Sm. feighneth They had the law to shew them their fyn and to bring them to Christ so have we Mat. 5. 17. Rom. 3 30. 31 and 7. 7. 12. 21. c. Iam. 2. 8. 9. 10. 11. We have the gospel to shew us our righteousnes by Christ without works of the law so had they Heb. 4. 2. Levit. 26 42 45. with Luk. 1. 54. 55 72. 73. Deut. 30. 1. 12. 13. 14. with Rom. 10. 5. 6. 8. Gen. 15. 6. Psal. 32. 1. 2. with Rom. 4. 6. c. 1 Cor. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hebr. 11. Onely in the manner of administration the Law gospel ther be differences manifested Also when he sayth that the Iewes moral uncleannes did not pollute their ceremonial communion that their real wickednes did not pollute their ceremonial or typical CHURCH worship and communion but lawfully they might have typical communion in typical worship that were typically clean though they were wicked in deed these assertions manifest M. S. to be not onely a typical but a real seducer and deceiver of minds in deed who would make us beleeve that if a man in Israel had but touched his own wife lying in her child-bed or put aapart for her disease if he came to worship in â—â—e tabernacle and had not washed and clensed himself according to the law he polluted the Church and communion of the Saincts but though he had committed adulterie with his neighours wife and came into the tabernacle in his syn to worship without repentance yet he polluted not the Church but lawfully mought have communion in the word prayer sacrifices c. which unclean doctrine is evidently condemned by these and many other like scriptures Levit. 4. 2. 3. 13. 14. 22. 23. 27. 28. 35. Levit. 6. 2 7. Num. 15. 22. 23. 24. 27. 29. 30. 31. Levit. 19. 17. Levit. 18. 29. 30. Iosh. 22. 16. 17. 18. 20. But upon these and like rotten grounds M. S. hath now sought to build his towr of Anabaptisme which the breath of the Lord wil throw down upon his head Although therfore the cause which M. S. then had in hand was good and many good things are in that book yet the dead flyes have caused to stink and putrified the ointment of the apothecarie as in these so in other points which the wise must observe Leaving therefore those things I come to the matter which he maketh against me and in his foresayd book of Parallels pag. 67. hath thus inveighed But Mr Ains steppeth up with a new kind of Antichristianisme never heard of before and he teacheth us if we wil beleeve him that Christs ruling power is in the Eldership and that the Pope and Prelates ar not Antichrists for taking into their hands the power of the multitude but the power of Christ. Here first Mr S. maketh his owne collection to be my assertion I sayd not neyther would say thus absolutely Christs ruling power is in the Eldership my words are these Counterp pa. 176 We acknowledge Christ to have ordeyned a Presbyterie or Eldership and that in every Church for to teach and rule them by his owne word and lawes That which I wrote I plainely confirmed by scriptures in the margine which the reader may serch and judge of neyther hath this adversarie taken them away or sayd ought against them or yet set them downe in his book where he printed my words for his reader to take notice of That which I have written is further confirmed for the substance of it by Mr Sm. himself in the very same book of Parallels the last page but one where he hath set down this argument The goverment of the primitive Apostolik institution was by a college of Pastors or presbyterie The goverment of the English assemblies is by an antichristian Prelate and his officers Therfore The goverment of the English assemblies is not the primitivs Apostolik goverment The maior is evident c. Agayn in this very passage where he treateth of popular goverment he is driven into such straits as force him to say We dispute not whither the Elders must rule or not but we dispute who hav the negative voice c. and a little after yet we say the Elders are to lead and govern al persons and causes of the Church Who now wil not wonder at this mans malice to charge me with Antichristianisme for my writing and himself in the same book to write as he hath doon And were iâ— in deed Antichristianisme as he sayth which I have stepped up with yet he overlasheth with his tongue in calling it a new kind neverheard of before considering what he had heard before of M. Bernard if not of others as the opinion of those that he caleth Puritans But let us turn the edge of his own argument against himself thus The goverment of the primitive Apostolik institution was by a college of of pastors or presbyterie This M. S. himself defendeth But popular goverment by the multitude is not the goverment by a college of Pastors or presbyterie Therfore popular goverment by the multitude which yet M. Sm. would also plead for is not the goverment of the primitive Apostolik institution Agayn his argument helpeth me thus The goverment of the primitive apostolik institution is not Antichristianisme The goverment which J plead for in answer to M.

it hath not at al tymes a like proper signification M. Smyth spying this as by his limitation of properly so called may appear takes advantage to himself for to bolster out his former blasphemies to deal against us for Idolaters the holy Bible for an idol under the aequivocatioÌ„ or double meaning of this word worship restreyning it wher he should not inlarging it where he ought not And though he treateth of this thing at large handling the fountaine the helps the essence or nature with the parts and kinds of worship yet the divers use of the word which was needful first to be shewed if he meant not to deceiv he hath quite omitted that therfore I wil first manifest Worship in our English tongue and as it is used to expresse the original scriptures is diversly taken Somtime largely as when it expresseth the Greek word latreuo as Philip. 3 3. we ar the circumcision which worship God in the spirit Act. 24 14. so worship I the God of my fathers And thus both the English Greek answereth to the Hebrew ghnabad which properly signifieth to serve Exod. 3 12. Deut. 10 12 2 Sam. 15 8. Also when it expresseth the Greek word sebomai as Act. 18 13. to worship God contrary to the law Act. 18 7 Iustus a worshipper of God And so both it the Greek answer to the Hebrew jarÃ© which properly signifieth to fear or reverence as Mat. 15 9. in vaine they worship me for that which in Hebrue is their fear towards me Isa 29 13. So Iob. and Ionas as the Hebrew sayth feared as the Greek translateth Worshipped God Also when it interpreteth the Greek word threskeuo as Col. 2 18. the Worshipping of Angels and vers 23. in wil-worship or voluntary religion Thus worship is largely used for the feare and service of God or any religious action More strictly and properly worship is vsed to English the Greeke word proskuneo as Mat. 2. 2. We are come to worship him and Rev. 11. 16. they worshipped God Rev. 13. 4. they worshipped the Dragon c. And so both it and the Greek word doe expresse the Hebrue hishtachavah which properly signifieth to bow downe or prostrate ones self Exod. 20. 5. Thus the worship of God generally comprehendeth the performing of all duties required in the first table of the Law specially and properly to worship is to bow downe supplicate vnto God The meaning of the word being thus distinguished let vs now see how M. Smyth dooth deal in the point He where he professeth to handle the nature or essence of spiritual worship and the essentiall causes and kindes thereof sheweth these things in two particulars first in the essentiall causes 2. in the proper kindes or parts of the worship of the N. testament The essential causes are matter and forme The matter of Gods worship sayth he is the holy scriptures which conteyneth the word of God or the Gospell the subiect whereof is Christ Iesus The forme or sowl that quickeneth it is the spirit Col. 3. 16. with Ephe. 5. 18. 19. 20. Then he illustrateth this by the ceremoniall worship of the old testament And the matter of that he maketh to be beasts incense oil fat corn wine and the like creatures whereof the sacrifices c. wer made with all the actions thereto perteyning The forme he sayth appeared in 4. things 1. honey and 2. leven which must be absent for the most part and 3. fyre and 4. salt which must allwayes be present Then for the kindes of spirituall worship he sayth they are praying prophefying and singing Psalmes Psal. 50. 14 17. 1 Cor. 11. 4. and 14. 15. 17. 26. Iam. 5. 13. Rev. 19. 10. I wil not here stand to scan the good order which M. Smyth hath used in handling the nature and essence of worship whiles omitting the efficient causes obiects and ends which properly perteyne to the discourse of actions he insisteth vpon matter and forme which he calleth essentiall causes so taking that which is more vnproper difficult But seing he hath chosen this way I will follow him therein And first I observe how he intending to shut out the reading of the scriptures from spirituall worship yet maketh the scriptures to be the matter of worship now how the matter of a thing should be shut out and vnlawfull to be there it requireth some skill to know Secondly the scriptures being as he sayth the matter and the spirit the form of this action of worship though properly the spirit is the efficient cause it would be knowne why M. Smyth in an other place sayth that actions of administring the Church or kingdom of Christ are not actions of spirituall worship properly so called making those actions to be admonition examination excommunication pacification absolution c. are not these to have the matter of the scriptures and form of the spirit as well as prophesie which th' Apostle sayth is a speaking to edifying to exhortation and to comfort Are we not aswell bound to the scriptures in admonishing as in exhorting and must not the same spirit give life vnto both Let Paul himself be our example he teacheth that the whole scripture is profitable as for doctrine so for rebuke or conviction and for correction and he in practise rebuking and opposing against Elymas saying O ful of all subtilty and of all mischief child of the Divil c. did this by the holy spirit wherof he is noted then to be ful In preaching to the men of Antiochia he admonished them by the word of the prophet Abakuk in preaching to the Iewes in Rome he rebuked them by the word of the prophet Esaias And Peter in his Sermon at Ierusalem pacified their pricked consciences by the promise of God to them and to their children Actes 2. 37. 39. So the word and spirit were matter and form of their rebukes admonitions pacifications c. even as of their other doctrines exhortations and therfore by Mr Sm. owne grounds were spirituall worship and so his first plot where he made actions of opposition difference plea strife not to be actions of spiritual worship is a wagmire wherinto this his conceipt of prophesie or preaching to be spirituall worship is sunk and by it overthrown And sure the Prophets and Apostles and Christ himself never observed this new coyned difference for they in their prophesying or preaching of the word did intermixe rebukes with comforts admonitions with exhortations and opposed against syn and synners vsually in their sermons as the whole historie of the Bible sheweth Now by Mr Smyths divinitie they worshipped not God when they spake by way of opposition difference plea or strife in their doctrine but when they spake to edifying exhortation or comfort this was the worship of God properly so called If this

distinction be not true then M. Sm. is a deceiver properly so called who to make things serve his hereticall humour and hide his blasphemies against our reading of the holy scriptures in the Church hath digged thus deep to find a pit whereinto to fell the righteous though himself by Gods iudgement be fallen into the same And here by the way I will briefly note M. Smyths methode in contriving of his book for the advantage of his cause The three offices of Christ in prophesie preisthood and Kingdome he reduceth vnto two 1. kingdome and 2. preisthood comprehending prophesie vnder the preisthood as a branch of it Deut. 33. 10. Rev. 1. 6. with 1 Cor. 14. 31. Act. 2. 17. 18. Whereas by the same ground of Deut. 33. 10. he mought have made the kingdome also a branch of the preisthood for the Preists were to teach Iaakob Gods judgements and Israel his law as well in cases of controversie plea and strife which M. Smyth maketh actions of administring the Kingdome as in other doctrines of exhortation and comfort But I find in the scripture that Moses not Aaron the Preist is made a figure of Christ as a Prophet and Prophets there were many in Israel of other tribes then Levi seing then Moses the Prophets caried types of Christs prophesie Aaron and the Priests of his priesthood David and the kings of his kingdom I would not now confound the priesthood prophesie in Christ any otherwise then the priesthood and kingdome but keep a like distinction in them al as in Christ the head so in the Church his body Againe as in heavenly order the 1. manifestatioÌ„ of mans syn and miserie by the law of his justice happines by the gospel also the 2. work of mans redemption by sacrifice 3 the conservation of this grace wrought for the Church against al enemies are three distinct things one following another so Christ in his administratioÌ„ observed this order distinction first teaching the Church as a Prophet above three yeares then offring up himself as a Preist sacrifice to his father for his Church and lastly rising ascending into heaven to the right hand of God there to reign as king until al his enemies be made his footstool Now M. Smyth maketh prophesie one with the Priesthood because he would have these two to be Gods worship the kingdome he speaketh of first and excludeth al the actions of it from Gods worship Whereas the Gospell is called the word of the kingdome and Christ when he preached or prophesied is sayd to preach the kingdome of God and the doctrines which he taught were the secrets of the kingdom and the Apostles in their sermons preached expounded and testified the kingdom of God Wherefore they be deep waters which M. Sm. hath found that the actions of administring the kingdome should not be worship and yet the preaching of the gospell or prophesying shal be worship and that in the highest degree properly so called If he followed not fansy in these things rather then sound judgement let the prudent iudge Like vanity he sheweth in this that having made the scriptures to be the matter of our worship now he makethnot them to be the matter also of Gods worship in Israel but beasts incense oil fat c. and the form of our worship to be the spirit but the forme of theirs to appear in honey leven fyre salt What had not they the written word of God for a ground of their religious actions as well as we have the written word had not they the good spirit of God to instruct them as we have had they not praying prophesying singing c. by the spirit as we How is it then that this man maketh the matter and form of Gods worship in Israel to consist in such carnall things There is a depth of abomination herein which is the ground of his anabaptising heresie For wheras th'Apostle magnifieth the Iewish Church above the Gentiles in many respects this proud Gentile disgraceth them extremely saying that their Ministerie worship government was carnal that faith and repentance was not required to the matter that is the people of that Church but onely a carnall holynes with many such like vituperies which out of his carnal hart he uttereth against them But for their worship which we have in hand let him shew if he can what one thing we have which they had not before vs. He maketh the parts of our worship to be three praying prophesying singing all these they had and vttered them by the spirit as the scriptures every where manifest and though they had many carnal rites with these as sacrifices incense c. yet was not their worship carnal for we have also some carnall rites as washing with water in baptisme the eating of bread wine in the Lords supper have we therefore a carnall baptisme a carnall supper if not neyther had they a carnal worship though carnall rites were adjoyned unto their worship But as God whom they worshipped was a spirit so worshipped they him in spirit and with faith exspecting that promise which God made vnto them of salvation by Christ as Paul testifyed of the whol body of that Church that the twelve tribes instantly serving or worshiping day and night hoped to come vnto it shewing further that the gentiles are of the same or one joynt body with them fellow-heyres and partakers of the promise in Christ. M. S. having shewed as he thought the matter and form of the Iewes worship inferreth vpon it thus Hence it followeth sayth he that the worship that beginneth in the book or translation commeth not originally from the spirit but from the letter or ceremony and so is not properly of the new Testament but of the old 2 Cor. 3. 6. If this followeth upon the former description of their worship and ours I think it comes a great way behind that few wil be able to see it For did the matter of their worship the beasts incense oil c. proceed out of the book or did the form seen in fyre and salt come from the book any otherweise then our praying preaching and ministring of the sacraments dooth or must doe Did they look on a book when they kindled fyre on the altar or cast salt on the sacrifice if not how followeth this halting inference That the worship performed in reading the scriptures proceedeth originally from the spirit even from God whose spirit is in his word and who hath commanded it to be read and that such reading is not the ministerie of the letter spoken of 2 Cor. 3 6. shall through Gods grace anon be proved in handling the second point of the scriptures Here next followeth to be considered Mr Smythes allegories opening the worship of the new testament by the type in the old Their Church Ministery worship government

not exhorted to prophesie but to feed preach read teach exhort comfort c. Act. 20 28. c. 1 Pet. 5 1 2 c. 1 Tim. 4 13 16. 2 Tim 4 2. 1 Tim. 3. 2. Tit. 1 9. though prophesie was not to be despised 1 Thes. 5 20. Even as the Preists and Levites in the Law were not appointed ordinarily to prophesie but to teach which they did by reading expounding the scriptures and prophesie was extraordinary to them or any other of what tribe so ever Although therfore the preaching of the word now among us may be called prophesying for the like use and effects in the church yet have we not that proper gift or exercise any more then of tongues which we attayn by ordinary labour and stvdie they had without studie Act. 2 4. and 19 6. But however M. Sm. taketh the word I deney prophesying to be worship properly so called and wil consider his reasons vvhich are tvvo 1. praying prophesying are ioyned togither sayth he as parts of worship 1 Cor. 11 4. and men must be uncovered at both of them Agayn 2. Prophesying and Psalmes are coupled togither for the same purpose 1. Cor. 14. 26. The first reason is insufficient for in 1 Cor 11 4 praying prophesying are joyned indeed togither but not as parts of worship properly so caled that is of the glosse not of the text The thing there spoken of concerneth al ecclesiastical actions tvvo differing ech from other are named to imply al the rest For Paul speaketh of the habit of men and women vvhich became them to have in al publik meetings vvhich vvas that vvomen should be veiled men unveiled on their heads and this not onely because of the vvorship of God but also because of the Angels which are not to be worshiped and because of the man whose glorie the woman is yea because of nature it self which by giving women long hayr teacheth them therby that their heads should be covered And by the man having on or over the head is not meant the having of a hat cap or bonnet upon his head for that was lawful even in Gods worship the Preists having bonnets upon their heads by Gods appointment and to this day the Eastern countries put not off their bonnets or tucks when they pray or worship But it was the having of a covering or veil called by the Apostle peribÃ³laion catacÃ¡lumma which was a signe of dishonour and subjection unmeet for men which were principal in the assemblie caried Gods image and glorie upon them but meet for women which were inferior to men both by creation and otherweise and therfore were to have power upon their head that is a veil signifying the power authoritie which men had above them as in al places so cheifly in the church assemblies wher women mought not speak for the same cause And that it was a shame and dishonour for men to have their heads covered appeareth by other scriptures as Ier. 14. 4. the ploughmen were ashamed they covered their heads So David his men in their sorow and affliction had their heads covered and Haman in his mourning covered his head where the Greek hath the very phrase kata kephales which th'Apostle here useth And that among the Greeks also such as the Corinthians were the like custome was for men to cover their heads in dishonour reproch and grief humane histories do record But bonnets or miters on the head were a sign of honour even as with us the masters wear hats when servants stand bareheaded Whereas therfore the Apostle willeth women to be veiled or covered it is not onely for the worship of God properly so caled but because of Gods worship in general yea because of reverence and submission to men and Angels So it followeth not because men must be unveiled at prayer and at prophesie therefore these two actions are of one and the same nature for they mought not be veiled in the Church at al unlesse perhaps in extraordinary time of mourning and sorrow they covered their heads as I have shewed examples in Israel The other reason from 1 Cor. 14 26. where prophesying psalms are coupled togither as M Smyth sayth for the same purpose is more weak and lesse to the purpose For prophesie is not named there but if it had been named it would not have proved it worship properly any more then tongues revelations interpretation doctrine which there are named be parts or kinds of worship And if because things are named togither we must therefore count them of the same nature then fayth hope and love coupled togither and many other things in other scriptures must be esteemed the same which is vanitie to affirme Yea in this very chapter Mr. Smyth mought have learned the contrarie for it is sayd if al prophesie and one that beleeveth not come in he is rebuked of al c. and so he wil fal down on his face and worship God and say plainly that God is in you indeed wher Paul sheweth a difference between prophesie worship as in name so in gesture by faling down whereas at prophesie they sate And if men should kneel or prostrate themselves at the ministerie of the word and sacraments it were liker idolatrie then seemly behaviour in the church but at worship properly so caled kneeling bowing falling down c are the most fit gestures so as one is put sometime for another as when Mathew sayth the leper worshiped Christ Luke recording the same sayth he fel on his face and besought him And how often throughout the scriptures is bowing and falling down joyned with worship So in Israel at the ministerie of the word the people stood up but at the worship of the Lord they bowed down Moreover worship being directed unto God himself for he that boweth kneeleth prayeth c. doth these things unto God as by the Angel it is commanded worship God and prophesie being directed unto men as Paul sayth he that prophesyeth speaketh unto men also the next end of worship being the glory of God Ex. 23 14 17. with Ioh. 12 20. Act. 8 27. but the next end of prophesie being the edifying exhortation comfort of the church these things may teach us that prophesie is not worship properly so caled that is proskunesis but onely in a general sense as latreia or sebasis even as reading the scriptures which is for mens edifying exhortation and comfort as prophesie is and al other like ecclesiastical actions And this word latreuo Paul applieth to himself in his preaching of the gospel of vvhom we may learn vvhat manner of vvorship prophesie is Whereas therfore M. Smyth hath accused us of idolatrie for reading the scriptures in the church vvherein vvee doe but that God commanded in that manner and to that end and the man

himselfe calleth and esteemeth prophesie to be worship in the proper sense he is taken in the snare which he set for the righteous and if any be idolaters for such things himself is one and principall Or how ever it be for that all men may see how he hath sought to abuse vs by his aequivocation to shrowd himself in a conceited fansie Yet one thing more I will observe touching the sacraments which M. Sm. speaketh not of in this place but elswhere in that book sayth thus The publishing of the covenant of grace and the putting to of the seales is onely one concrete action or part of worship for the publishing of the covenant giveth being to the seales otherweise breaking bread and baptising are but putting of seales to a blank Here first I note by the way how M. S. acknowledgeth the Lords supper and baptisme to be seales of the covenant of grace as in another place also he calleth them yet now being put to his shifts for defense of his anabaptisme he is driven thus to say I deney that baptisme is the seal of the covenant of the new testament Thus the windie clowd carieth himself to and fro and rather then he will forgoe his error he wil contradict that which before he had well written though it may be also confirmed by the testimony of the holy ghost who calleth cir cumcision the figure of our baptisme a seale of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4 11. But to the point in hand if the publishing of the covenant and the putting to of the seal as baptising with water breaking giving taking eating of bread c. be one concrete that is one joynt action or part of worship as I grant it is taking worship generally why is not the reading and expounding or preaching of the word also one conjoyned action and part of worship especially seing they were joyned together in Israel as Nehem. 8. 8. They read in the book of the law of God distinctly and gave the sense c. If the Preists and Levits then whose office was to teach Iaakob Gods judgements and Israel his law did thus teach with reading and if it be true that th'Apostle sayth Moses of old time hath in every citie them that preach him he being read in the synagogues every Sabbath and if Christ himself first read the text of scripture and after that preached from it have wee not as good ground to say that reading and preaching is one joynt action and part of worship as preaching and baptising But it was Satans policie to disgrace the reading of Gods book and seek to thrust it quite out of the worship of God that men mought prophesie as now they use to speak out of their harts and honour that as Gods proper worship and so the serpents word if it were mixed with the Lords mought the more easily be unespied the scriptures being absent But God hath joyned his word together with his spirit that his people should not be deceived by such as walk in the spirit and ly falsly Singing of Psalmes M. Sm. wil have to be the third part of worship because praying and singing Psalms are put together sayth he in the same sense that is as parts of worship 1 Cor. 14. 15 17. Iam. 5. 13. Act. 16. 25. And prophesying and psalmes are coupled together for the same purpose 1 Cor. 14. 26. Here agayne M. S. omitteth the needful distinction of Psalmes and singing of them For some Psalmes are written in the Bible as canonical scripture given to the Church for to be read expounded and sung which M. S. himself granteth even of the translation saying It may be read in the Church and sung in tunes And this singing is with harmonie of voices An other kind of Psalm there is which one man vttereth in the Church and others hear him of which sort the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 14. 26. when ye come togither as every one of you hath a Psalm or hath doctrine or hath a tongue or hath a revelation or hath interpretation let all things be done to edifying This kind is far inferiour to the other as being uttered by men subject to err as wel in singing as in teaching and it is to be tried by the psalms in scripture and other authentik books This was an extraordinary gift as strange tongues and the like Yet M. S. loving to handle things confusedly that his error might lesse appeare speaketh here of singing Psalms as of one sort and nature Again that he might make all serve his own fansie he describeth singing of Psalms to be the shewing of our thanksgiving to God by the manifestation of the spirit Philip. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 14 15 17. Wheras we find in the scripture many Psalms directly penned for doctrine and instruction to the Church as othersome are for thanksgiving to God yea matter of all sorts historie of things past prophesie of things to come rebuke threatning comfort lamentation and what not is mixed in songs of the scripture and why such Psalms might not by the spirit be suggested to Christians in Pauls time as wel as thanksgivings I know not any reason at all So that his reasons of prayer song mentioned togither are insufficient to prove them both of one nature properly as before is noted of prophesie rather we are to distinguish praying singing prophesying as three severall gifts and works of the spirit and all of them Gods worship and service in the Church according to their severall kinds and nature But it seemeth strange vnto me that M. Sm. should now both allow of the scriptures to be sung in tunes in the Church and also make the singing by gift of the spirit a part of Gods proper worship in the new testament and yet he his disciples to use neither of these in their assemblies If it be an ordinary part of worship why perform they it not but quarrel with vs who accounting it an extraordinary gift now ceased do content our selves with joint harmonious singing of the Psalmes of holy scripture to the instruction and comfort of our harts and praise of our God Separating our selves as the holy Ghost willeth vs from such as dote about questions and strife of words whereof coÌ„meth envie contention and many other euils OF THE SCRIPTVRES HAving ended the point of worship with the nature parts of it it remayneth now to see how this thing is applied by M. S. against reading of the scriptures And first in the generall touching all manner writings he sayth that books or writings are in the nature of pictures or images and therfore in the nature of ceremonies and so by consequeÌ„t reading in a book is ceremonial If M. Sm. can prove books images to be both of a nature both alike ceremonies he may be a Proctour for the Pope who hath brought images into the Church for laie mens books And if

syn and impure by nature even as we by baptising our selves doe the like By offring sacrifices for syns they acknowledged themselves actual transgressors of the law and the killing of beasts argued themselves were vvorthy of death Novv it vvas not possible for the blood of buls and goats to take avvay synns and the lavv taught them so much therfore it vvas a schoolmaster to lead them to Christ that they mought be made righteous by faith This handwriting vvhich stood thus in decrees against the Ievves and vvhich rose up as an adversarie and contrary unto them Christ blotted or vviped out by his death on the crosse vvhere he spoiled also the principalities and powers the Divils vvhich vvere readie to plead against Israel urge this haÌ„dvvriting these ordinances vvhich they practised against them if they used them not vvith fayth in Christ but vvith expectation of justice by works of the law Now this word handwriting figuratively used and applied to the legal ordinances M. Smyth taketh properly for the written law and prophets as if Christ had blotted out them and taken them from his Church even as he took circumcision altars sacrifices c. which how far it is from truth I leave unto every conscience ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ judge But were it as he thinketh the writtten word of God yet must it then be limited so farr forth onely as men do abuse it and learn not Christ by it for to such onely it is a handwriting contrary to them and so is at this day But this is not the proper use or end of the law or scripture in it self for it preacheth to men the word of fayth and righteousnes therby in Christ as wel as righteousnes by works of the law and the gospel hath witnesse of the law and prophets and they testifie of Christ are a sure word unto Christians Wherefore it were woe vvith us if these vvere blotted out and taken avvay as ceremonies and shadovves abolished the reading vvhereof both publik and private is a continual light and comfort to our harts and confirmation of our holy fayth And to substitute mens harts vvhich are by testimonie of the prophet deceitful and wicked above al things in sted of the holy bible vvhose vvords are al true and faithful is a miserable exchang for eyther men must be as vvere the prophets moved and caried by the holy ghost and so all their vvords taken for heavenly oracles or else vve shal be fed vvith chaffe in sted of vvheat and drink deadly poyson in sted of vvholesome liquor The serpent is subtile more then any beast of the field he savv this ground of making the scriptures of God ceremonies and abolished by Christ vvould be distasted of many yea of any that feareth God therefore he laboureth to svveeten this vvormvvood vvith an after receipt vvhich yet is so tempered as it may serve to help forward his purpose in taking the book of God out of the church M. Smyth in the next place granteth that the holy scriptures are the fountain of al truth the ground and foundation of our fayth that by them al doctrines and every spirit is to be iudged that they are to be read in the church and to be interpreted neverthelesse not reteyned as helps before the eye in tyme of spiritual worship There is no such battel as when a man is at warr with himself it is a special judgment wher with God smiteth his enemies Would any man think that such bitter sweet waters could come out of one fountain as have flowed here Standeth this eyther with religion or with reason that that which as an adversary is blotted out nayled to Christs crosse abolished as being ceremonial and a worldly rudiment should yet be the fountayne of all truth the ground of faith c. If these will stand togither what wil not Then also may circumcision altars sacrifices and other Iewish services although they were shadowes and abolished by Christ yet be reteyned and used of Christians with a little qualification and distinction of worship properly so called and this will like the Iewes very well But we that have learned Christ cannot brook such contrary potions For if the book writing reading of it be Iewish shadowes ended and abolished by Christ and the hart and speaking out of it be the shadowed thing the heavenly truth figured by and substituted for the other we would keep the substance leave the ceremony for such as follow shadowes But if the book of God the written scriptures be the fountaine of all truth and foundation of our faith as it is in deed and we so esteem it then can we not but detest that former plot as a groundwork of Satan that hung vp the scriptures as our enemy vpon the crosse so blotting them out as a cancelled bond and abolishing them for ever Wherefore the reading and expounding of the scriptures continueth now as of old in Israel where the lavv and prophets were read in the synagogues every sabbath for to teach inform Gods people in his vvayes so read vve them still for like end and vse and shall by Gods grace maugre Satans slights so do vnto the end And as for the snare the distinction I mean of spiritual worship properly so called Which vvas set to take the simple it is broken before and the adversary himself if any man be is caught vvith the same Yet ceaseth he not but proceedeth vvith reasons that the originall scriptures are not given as helpes before the ey in worship But the foundations being already overthrovvn vve shall vvith lesse difficultie and more brevitie discover and do away the errors His reasons are Because Christ used the book to fulfil all righteousnes Mat. 3. 15. having by the use of the book fulfilled the law of reading he shut the book in the synagogue to signifie that the ceremonie of book worship or the Ministerie of the letter was now expired and finished Luk. 4. 20. Ioh. 19. 30. First here is the law of reading brought to an end according to that first ground of ceremonies contrary to the second grant that the scriptures are to be read in the Church and to be interpreted which reading and interpreting if it be not Gods worship and service it is the worship of the Divil Thus M. Sm. wavereth as a reed shaken with the wind Secondly in the other side of the leaf M. Sm forgetting himself as a drunken man sayth all the worship that was appointed by Moses for the Preists was limitted to the holy place whether the people were not admitted and therefore reading was of an other nature performed in the utter court or synagogue or elsewhere eyther by the Levites or any other learned men quoting againe Luke 4. 16. and so no part of worship properly so called but onely a ceremonial ground or foundation of inward or outward spirituall worship

common to the Churches of all ages If this be so how ended Christ the ceremonie of book-worship where none was to end If there were no proper worship in the synagogues but exercises of an other nature then Christ reading in the synagogue read not worship and shutting the book there shut not up book worship nor caused it to exspire and so M. Sm. hath lost his dream Agayn if Christ by shutting the book there signified an end of reading and the reading that there was as M. S. even now sayd was such as is common to the Churches of all ages then Christ hath ended all manner reading whatsoever in the Church even that which is common to all ages or else the allegorie will turn to a fansie so all reading must be abolished out of the Church that would the Divil faine bring to passe But the reason of ending reading is slight that because Christ shut the book and gave it to the Minister therfore he ended the work of reading He used not to do such weighty matters by dumb signes without word of signification And if the closing of the book were such a mysterie what was the taking and opening of the book nothing proportion will cary it to be the beginning as well as shutting should be the end But they be vain speculations to gather from mute actions an otherthrow of morall lawes permanent and needful for the the Church in all ages Neyther was this the first or the last time of Christs reading thus for as his custome was sayth the scripture he went into the synagogue and stood vp to read neyther was it a decent thing that he having received the book shut should redeliver it open their books being long rolls or volumes not bound vp like ours Finally this argument against reading hath like weight of truth as the Papists have for their vanities who allege for prayer in a strange tongue that Christ prayed Eli Eli lama sabachthani which the people that heard him vnderstood not and that he preached out of S. Peters bote to signify how in S. Peters chaire his doctrine should alwayes be stedfastly professed Such trifles must be brought wher sound proofs are wanting 2. Because reading words out of a book is the ministration of the letter 2 Cor. 3. 6. namely a part of the Ministerie of the old testament which is abolished Heb. 8. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 11. 13. and the ministerie of the new testament is the ministerie of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. This scripture of the 2. Cor. 3. M. Sm. often allegeth for his purpose pag. 1. 7. 13. 19. and 20. he thought belike it would sound well in simple folks eares that the reading of scriptures should be the ministerie of the letter But the ignorance evil of the allegation is great and fitted for Satans policie to draw men from reading the book of God For if reading be the Ministration of the Letter there spoken of then is it the ministration of death damnation as the Apostle there calleth it vers 7. 9. and then the Papists have doon best of al forbidding the people to read the scriptures least they should gather out of them errors and so death and damnation And who can comfortably read the scriptures if that be the ministerie of the letter and so death But out vpon such a slanderous interpretation it is farr from the Apostles meaning He calleth the Law the letter figuratively because it was written with letters graved on stones he intendeth not the books of the Prophets wherin both law and gospel was written alwayes to be read for instruction comfort salvation to the people The law vvas first spoken and aftervvards vvritten by Moses the gospel of Christ vvas also first spoken and aftervvards vvritten by his Apostles If vvriting and reading made the other the letter then maketh it this the letter also and so the vvord of life shal be the ministration of death The lavv if it had never been vvritten but onely spoken yet had it been the ministration of death for all Israel hearing it vvere afrayd and death seised vpon their consciences and this by hearing Gods lively voice from heaven not by hearing the stony tables read for it is not manifest that ever they vvere read unto them but onely put and kept in the ark for a testimony Deut. 10. 1 5. and when the 10. coÌ„mandements were read out of the book there was no such feare and the glorie of Moses face terrified the people when he spake and talked with them for which he put a veil vpon him but of reading out of a book at that time wherto the Apostle here hath reference there is not a word So it was not reading onely but speaking also without book which was the ministration of the letter to the Iewes and as Paul here calleth the law the letter so elswhere he calleth it the voice of words It is not therefore the writing but the thing written which he intendeth And if M. Sm. should fall to the heresie of iustification by the works of the law and teach this in prophesie out of his hart though he never read line in the holy Bible yet should he be a minister of the letter and of damnation to his disciples Of this letter Paul sayth it is the ministration of death but of the scriptures Christ saith serch them for in them ye think to have eternal life Of this letter Paul sayth it is the ministerie of condeÌ„nation but of the holy letters in Gods book he sayth they are able to make one wise unto salvation through the faith vvhich is in Christ Iesus The law is called the letter not letters as the scripture is called by a similitude for a letter is an outward visible thing appearing to the eye of an other that looketh on whereas the thing whereon it is written whither paper or stone is not moved or changed therby Such is the doctrine of the law to the professor of it It maketh him seem a fayre hypocrite before men they look and see the commandments of God written on his forehead on the fringes of his garments and on his dore posts but his hart and mynd are stony stil. For the law renueth no man but syn that is in us taketh occasion by the law and worketh in us al manner transgression of the law and so death But the Gospel is the spirit that renueth quickneth by faith in Christ and changeth the stony hart into flesh and writeth there the lawes of the most high Thus by the letter is not meant the holy scriptures which are Gods instrument for our renovation but the external work of the law upon a man in which sense Paul also mentioneth circumcision in the letter Rom. 2. 29. meaning outward circumcision of the flesh to be seen and read of men where to take it as this man

doth 2 Cor. 3. of reading the scriptures were to follow the devouring words of the deceitful tongue 3. Because upon the day of pentecost and many yeares after the churches of the new testament did use no bookes in time of spiritual worship but prayed prophesied and sang psalmes merely out of their harts Act. 2 4. 42. and 10. 44. 48. and 19 6. 1 Cor. 14 15 17 26 37. 4. Because no example of the scripture can be shewed of any man ordinarie or extraordinarie that at or after the day of pentecost used a book in praying prophesying and singing psalmes if yea let it be don and wee yeeld Nay it is not in mens power to yeeld to the truth though it be shewed them or though their own writings convince them it is in God that shevveth mercy First M. Smyth holdeth that such reading as vvas in the Ievves synagogues was common to the churches of all ages Secondly he sayth the scriptures are to be read in the church and to be interpreted Col. 4. 16. compared with Luk. 24 27 1 Cor 14 27. and 12. 10 by proportion 2 Pet. 3. 16. If these assertions and these places alleged let the reader look and examine them prove that the scriptures are to be read in churches as in deed some of them doe we need fight no longer the enemie unawares hath yeilded the feild His florish that he maketh how the churches of the new testament used no books because no example can be shewed is a deceitful argument For when there is a ground from God to doe the thing we are to suppose men did it although it be not expressly written And this adversary granteth the scriptures were to be read and we are sure that the churches were to be taught by the men of God and Paul sayth that al the scripture is profitable to teach to improve to correct to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God that is the minister of the new testament as wel as of the old may be absolute made perfect unto al good works Wherfore as the Preists and Levits which were to teach Israel taught them by reading expounding the scriptures so doubtlesse did the ministers in the Apostles dayes upon the same ground and proportion though their particular form of administration be not expressed That cavil of spiritual worship which as a leprosie overspreadeth al M. Smyths book is before taken away Praying never was by reading out of a book prophesying singing psalmes being extraordinary gifts of the spirit were also uttered by the spirit without a book Al this notwithstanding the scriptures were read and expounded to the people so must be stil and this though it be not proskunesis adoration supplicatioÌ„ or worshiping of God in the strict sense yet is it latreia his worship or service in general 5 Because none of the bookes of the newe Testament were written many yeres after the day of penticost at the least 7. yeares and the Churches al that time could not use the books of the new Testament which they had not But they could use the books of the prophets which they had wherin both old newe Testament were conteyned And Peter coÌ„mended the Churches for taking heed vnto them as to a light that shined in a dark place 6. Because the Churches of the Greeks had no books to use that they might use lawfully for they understood not hebrue and the septuagints translation ought not to be used or made the Apostles made no Greeke translatioÌ„ c. If they had no books to use they were blamelesse if they used none But they had the Greek translation which was lawful to be made and used in the Iewes synagogues as anon shall be shewed when the Septuagints work cometh to be scanned 7 Because as in prayer the spirit onely is our help and ther is no outward help given of God for that kind of worship so also in prophesying and singing 1. Cor. 11. 4. and 14. 16. God never gave books to read for prayers unto him but pre pared mens harts and bended his ear And as every man knew the plague and consequently the benefit in his owne hart so was he to pray supplicate unto God who heard in heaven and was mercifull and did as he knew every mans wayes and hart But as in praying men speak their minds to God so in preaching God speaketh his mind to us and this he doth by his scriptures and by gifts unto men for teaching and applying them ordinarily to his Church Prophesying and singing hath often been performed by the spirit without book both in the old Testament and in the new If any now have such gifts it were folly to say they must read them out of a book Reading the scriptures is for ordinary teaching which by extraordinary gifts was never destroyed and things coordinate ar not contraries 8 Because it is against the nature of spirituall worship for when we read we receive matter from the book into the hart when we pray prophesy or sing we utter matter out of the hart unto the ear of the Church Ezek 2. 8. 19 and 3. 1. 4. Rev. 10. 8. 11. If Ezekiel a Preist under the law prophesyed without a book and yet reading the book of the lawe and expounding it was their ordinary service every sabbath as before is manifested all men may see that these two may stand together in Gods worship and not one throw out an other as M. Sm. would have it Neyther is it against the nature of spiritual worship to read Gods book in the eares of the Church for if it be worship in them to heare the spirit speak out of the Ministers hart it is worship also in them to hear the spirit speak out of the holy book And it cannot be deneyed but Gods spirit speaketh there and that which commeth out of the hart of man must be tried by that book and accordingly accepted or refused As for the Minister himself when he readeth out of Gods book and when he speaketh by gift of the spirit the meaning of the scripture to the people he serveth God in them both having Christ himself for an example Luk. 4. 17. 21. 9. Because upon the day of Pentecost fyerie cloven tongues did appear not fyerie cloven books Act. 2. 3. and alwayes there must be a proportion betwixt the type and the thing typed Upon the day of Pentecost the fyerie law was given in books Deut. 33. 2. Exod. 24. 4. 12. upon the day of Pentecost the fyerie gospel was given in tongues Act. 2. 3. Mat 3. 11. Act. 1. 5. the book therfore was proper for them the tongue for vs. In deed if any fyerie bookes had appeared at the giving of the law M. Smyths allegorie would have had some light but when as no such thing was seen but

onely a voice of words was heard as Moses telleth vs we should beware of such clowdy collections The fyerie law mentioned Deut. 33. 2. hath plain reference to Gods promulgating of the law by voice out of the midds of fyre Exod. 19. 18. 19. 20. 1 18. Deut. 4. 11. 12. Afterwards those other lawes were written by Moses in a book Exod. 24. 4 and God himself vvrote the ten words on tables of stone not then at Pentecost but 40. dayes after Deut. 9. 9. 10. Even so the fyery doctrine of the gospel was first uttered by voice and afterwards written in books Luk 1. 1. 3. Act. 1. 1. c. Ioh. 20. 30. 31. The book then was not proper to them as M. S. feighneth but common also with vs. God by Moses first spake then wrote to his Church Christ by his Apostles first spake then wrote also to the same Church and though the son of thonder wanted no gift of utterance by voice yet Christ bad him write when if he had pleased he could have sent him to speak And blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of that prophesie and keep those things vvhich are vvritten therin but cursed is he that despiseth reading of the Lords book and dissvvadeth the Church from that use thereof by colourable reasons causing the blind to goe out of the vvay and all people should say Amen 10. Because as all the worship which Moses taught began in the letter outwardly and so proceeded inwardly to the spirit of the faithful so contraryweise all the worship of the N. Testament signified by that typicall worship of Moses must begin at the spirit and not at the letter originally 2 Cor. 3. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 7. or els the heavenly thing is not answerable to the similitude therof The true and proper worship which Moses taught Israel was the worship of God in spirit and truth Deut. 5. 7. 8. and 6. 4. 5. 6. though he led them herevnto under veiles and shadowes and by the covenaÌ„t of works brought them to Christ who doeth both that covenant and shadowes away as the wise did vnderstand Psal. 32. 1. 2. with Rom. 4. 4. 5. 6. 7. Psalm 40. 6. and 51. 6. 16. c. vvith Heb. 10. 8. 9. Their spiritual vvorship proceeded from the spirit and hart unto God 1 King 8. 22. 23. 33. 35. 38. c. Ezra 9. 5. 6. c. Nehem. 9. 5. 6. c. Of the legal worship M. Smythes inept allegorizing therof is spoken before also his abuse of that scripture 2 Cor. 3. 6. is already manifested vvith his aequivocation about this vvord worship that the reader may be vvearied to have the same things oft repeated Onely novv the falshood and snare of these reasons against reading Gods vvord being discovered let him learne to bevvare of Satans deceipt For the mouth of an heretik is a deep pit like the strange vvomans he with whom the Lord is angrie shal fall therin After this M. Sm. feighneth 4. obiections for bookworship as he termeth it and then frameth ansvvers as he seeth good but ever and anon retyring to his old skonce of spiritual worship thinking therby to vvard off all blovves Though it be a vvearynes to follovv such an empty clovvd yet for help to the vveak I vvil briefly shew his vanity Reading in the old testament was commanded by Moses Deut. 31. 9-13 was amplified by David 1 Chron. 16. 25. was practised by Josiah 2 ChroÌ„ 34. 30. by Ezra and Nehemiah Neh. 8. 8. and 9. 3. allowed by our Saviour Christ Luk. 4. 16. by the Apostles Act. 13. 14. 15. and reported as a thing of ancient approved continuance Act. 15. 21. To this hs answereth First the reading commanded by Moses was onely once every 7. yere Deut. 31. 10. 11. and therefore it was no part of ordinary worship and there is no commandement in Moses given eyther to the Preists or Levites for ordinary reading of the law in the tabernacle Secondly hence it foloweth that reading in the old testament was no part of the worship of the tabernacle or temple or of the service performed by the preists therin c. Thirdly therfore reading was of another nature performed in the utter court or synagogue or elswhere eyther by the Levites or any other learned men of what tribe soever Math. 23. 2. Luk. 4. 16. Act. 13. 14. and 15 21. Deut. 31. 9 -11 1 Chron. 16. 4. 7. 37. 39. 15. 1. 8. 28. 13. 2 Chron. 34. 14. 30. 31. Neh. 8. 9. and so no part of worship properly so called but onely a ceremonial ground or foundation of inward or outward spiritual worship common to the Churches of all ages Lastly it is not deneyed but that reading now is to be used in the Church onely we say it is not a part of spiritual worship or a lawful meanes in time of spiritual worship M. Smyth cannot see any commandement in Moses for ordinary reading of the law in the tabernacle and no marvel for neyther could all the Sadducees see any doctrine in Moses that taught the resurrection of the dead but Christ could find it by necessary consequence Moses commanded the feast of boothes to be kept seven dayes to â—he Lord mentioning but holy convocations sacrifices M. Sm. I dare say will not gather reading out of this commandement But Ezra the Preist and all Israel with him saw it here implyed and practised it by reading the book of the law of God every day from the first day unto the last when they kept this feast If every seventh day was to be sanctified in Israel all things be sanctified by the word and prayer and in the synagogues they sanctified the Sabbathes by reading the scriptures reason mought teach us that the tabernacle was not behind the synagogues in holynes And where findeth M. Sm. a commaundement to read the law in the synagogues yet was it commanded or els it was will worship and vanitie The ordinance for Levi to teach Israel Gods law was commandment ynough both to read and preach it as they did dayly and they were not so dul or carnal but they could wel perceive this to belong to their charge and ministerie But here M. Sm. sayth that the reading in Israel was no part of worship properly so called forgetting himself it seemeth when elswhere he sayth that the worship that beginneth in the book is from the letter or ceremonie and so is not properly of the new testament but of the old and againe that book-worship is Iudaisme and so Antichristian and idolatrie now vnder the New testament and againe that Christ shut the book in the synagogue to signifie that that ceremonie of bookworship or Ministerie of the letter was now exspired Thus fighteth he against himself one while they had book worship an other while it was no

men to open and expound them to the understanding of al but this expounding is not reading Reading is first exactly to the letter exposition cometh after with such words as God putteth in the expositors hart as by Daniels practise we may learn Neyther are the words of the expositor comparable to the words of the writer these being divine are al as silver fined seven times no drosse mixed with them The other being humane I speak of ordinary men as we are and shewing the mans judgmeÌ„t that expoundeth them are mixed with humane infirmities mistakings and sometime deadly errors Wherfore reading of the Original scriptures wherof here we treat must be strictly literal as is in the book Translations are after to be spoken of and is here vainly inserted for Paul wrote in Greek which al in Colosse Laodicea Thessalonica and the whol country over used as their vulgar tongue that they needed none to translate for them Further M. S. answereth that the Apostle wrote upon particular occasions for particular ends and the commandment of reading was special in these respects to them c. yet acknowledgeth he at last an absolute necessity of reading onely he denyeth it to be a lawful help or part of spiritual worship c. As the Apostles so the prophets wrote upon particular occasions yet is there a general use for whatsoever is fore written is fore written for our learning as Paul himself teacheth Wherefore this cavil is frivolous An absolute necessitie of reading the scriptures now as they were read in Israel and in the Christian churches and to the same end is al that we hold and stand for Which how it is worship is before shewed The Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 13. 16. commanded Timothee and so al Elders to attend to reading wher reading is ioyned with exhortation and doctrine so importeth that it is to be understood of the ioyning of reading in the time of spiritual worship This obiection as the rest is made of M. Smyths own fashion and was never thus framed by us And here he excepteth that it is not spoken of the execution of his office but of preparing himself to the execution of it c. That reading in the publik church is necessary he is forced to acknowledge and in that we rest If he think this place is not meant of publik but of private reading he may keep his iudgment My self see no cause why it may not also be meant of the publik execution of his office for Paul departing from Ephesus besought Timothee to abide there and look unto the Church and after wrote this letter for his direction how to behave himself in Gods howse whiles he taried away and in it sayth til I come attend to reading to exhortation to doctrine where seing al these are publik ecclesiastical actions as M. Sm. himself granteth seing they are joyned thus togither with this limitatioÌ„ til J come what letteth but these al should be executed by him in publik Private reading for his own preparation was to be alwaies and not onely til Pauls coming And as for such preparation it is mentioned after in vers 15 and both again jointly vers 16. for the salvation of himself and others Let it be granted that the Apostles and Evangelists used no books being extraordinay men and having the extraordinary direction of the spirit for they needed no such helps of books as we doe yet wee being ordinarie men have need of books c. This last objection I reject as frivolous and falsly intimated to be ours The Apostles I am sure had no greater measure of the spirit then Christ yet he read publikly in the book and so did holy men of God before him publik reading is graÌ„ted yet necessary therfore we are to use it Though we have more need of the book then the Apostles our memories and judgements not being sanctified like theirs yet had they their infirmities and used books But it is Gods ordinance of reading that we staÌ„d for which how M S. hath sought to undermine and how he is snared in the work of his own hands is worthy to be noted with Higgajon Selah and meditated to the praise of God OF TRANSLATIONS THe first and onely controversie between M. Sm. and us being about the scriptures translated or overset into other tongues which he affirmed to be apocrypha and humane writings how ever he hath sought to excuse and hide his error yet hath he no wil to forsake it as appeareth by this that having spoken of writings 1. by men inspired of God as the prophets and Apostles and 2. by ordinarie men of al sorts he shuffleth the translations of the holy scriptures among these latter and affirmeth that * there is no better warrant to bring translations of scripture written into the church and to read them as parts or helps of worship then to bring in expositions resolutions paraphrasts and sermons upon the scripture seing al these are equally humane in respect of the work equal ly divine in respect of the matter they handle Very impious is this comparison which thus matcheth a mans comment or written sermon with Gods written word set over into an other tongue for it debaseth the majestie of Gods law and advanceth too high the basenes of men Translation is that in writing which interpretation is in speaking namely the expressing of an others mind but commenting or expounding is the expressing of ones own mind or understanding The scriptures first written in Hebrue and secondarily written in English do set forth one and the same word mind of God unto us though which different letters sownds as Emmanuel is interpreted and translated God with us Mat. 1 23. Messias is interpreted CHRJST in Greek ANOJNTED in English Iohn 1. 41. Here the Hebrue Greeke and English differ onely in outward letter sound the meaning substance or essential form being one in them al the word of God so caled by relation because the mind of God is made knowne hereby to the mind or understanding of man The different letter or character changeth not the nature of the thing for if it did then Emmanuel written by Matthew in Greek letters ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ and by Esaias in Hebrew letters ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ should not be one and the same name of Christ and so the Apostle should be made a falser our gospel betrayed to faithlesse Iewes The different sound or pronuÌ„ciation changeth not the nature of the thing for then Messias and Christ shoul not be one and the same and so the gospel and new testament and our faith were overthrown and more then Iewish superstition should prevail But God who hath sanctified by his spirit all sounds and languages to the ear hath also sanctified by the same spirit all letters and characters to the eye as th'Apostles practise sheweth writing with

times easier for a translator to do his duty to the ful then for the expositor yea this latter is utterly unpossible I say not onely for one man but for all the men in the vvorld Though the translator cannot expresse to the full every vvord and sentence in the Bible yet the most part he may vvheras the expositor cannot do any at all but is still to seek all dayes of his life and they that come after him also Hebraismes cannot alwayes be expressed through defect of the language yet translation is needful and the translator is blamelesse For example this name God called in Hebrue Aelohim Gen. 1. 1. is in Greek translated Theos and that by the Apostles often in the new Testament Here is a vvant in the language for Aelohim is in form the plural number signifying the Trinitie yet joyned with a word of the singular number bara he created signifying the vnitie of the persons in the Godhed Such a phrase the Geek tongue vvanted therefore the Apostles admit of the Greek propriety doing the ful dutie of translators the defect resteth in the language of which they were not Lords And that the Lord respecteth not so much the words and phrases as the matter meant by them infinite examples in the scriptures do manifest But whereunto leadeth this cavil what if all cannot be expressed in the translation shall we therefore have none in the Church then neyther may we have any preaching by the voice of man for none can fully expresse in his sermon all things that God intendeth by a place of scripture or any ground of religion And if preaching must be vsed though many humane infirmities be mixed with it then also reading the scriptures and consequently the translations to them that know not the originals must be used though fewer humane infirmities be mixed therewithall seing these both are the ordinances of God as before hath bene proved But then M. Sm. wil draw commentaries and homilies into the Church also But that is denyed to be Gods ordinance He hath appointed the lively voice of his graces in the mouthes of his servants to be heard in the Church for the opening and applying of the word vnto them but not their writings to be read And because of some infirmities in translations to disgrace them as this man dooth and match them with commentaries it is capeleâ—â—in as the Apostle speaketh to play the false vintner with the wine of Gods word For as such a falser to make sale of his mixture wherein some wine much water yea perhaps some puddle water is brewed togither mought say you can have no wine but such as is turned out of the first vessel and it cannot be in the turning of it out but some of the spirit and strength of the wine vvill vapour avvay some tast it wil have of the nevv cask therefore you may as well drink of this liquor for in respect of the vessell they are both alike changed in respect of the matter they are both alike wine Let M. Sm. therefore cease his odious comparisons of the translation with the comment or else let him shew us some comment or sermon written upon any text wherin at the least there is not water and wine and perhaps death in the pot OF THE LXXII INTERPRETERS HEre M. Smyth before he proceed further takes up an accusation against the Church of Israel who in the dayes of Ptolomee Philadelphus King of Egypt and at his request sent 72. learned Iewes to translate the Hebrue Bible into Greek before the Apostles time almost 300. yeares This their translation sayth M. Smyth was a grevous syn 1. For that the covenant of grace ought not to have been preached vnto the gentiles til the fulnes of time Mat. 10. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Rom. 16. 25. 26. with Mat. 10. 5. 6. 28. 19. and therefore that the Lxx. by their translation did communicate it to the Graecians before the fulnes of the time was their greevous syn I answer in the behalf of Israel First by M. Smythes divinity the Church of Israel was a carnal people had a carnal covenant or promise of carnal things c. how is it then that he chargeth them here with profaning the covenant of grace and how wil this agree with his grounds of Anabaptisme Secondly by his divinity also the scriptures and reading of them is the mimistration of the letter 2 Cor. 3. 6. that is of death damnation as before hath been handled How then could the litteral translation reading therof be the ministerie or covenant of grace the ministration of death was fit ynough for the Gentiles that were to die Or did it kil them before the tyme Thirdly I deny his collection from those scriptures against this action for although the fulnes of time was not yet come that God would send preachers with the power of his spirit to convert all nations yet followeth it not herevpon that no gentile no nation no not though they desired it as King Ptolomee desired the Bible mought have the truth imparted unto them There is no such law made of God nay the coÌ„trarie is playne For 1. ther were many strangers Aegyptians others that went out with Israel to the Land of Canaan not forbidden nor debarred of grace with Israel Exod. 12. 38. nay the law admitted any stranger to circumcision the passeover so to the covenant of grace Exod. 12. 48. 49. 1 Cor. 5. 7. 2. The Gibeonites which were of the worst sort of hethens devote to destruction yet obteyned mercie with God to be in the covenant of his grace Josh. 9. 27. 2 Sam. 21. 1. 2. 5. c. 3. There were also in Solomons time 153. thowsand and 600. strangers none exempted from partaking with Israels mercy 4. God gave his law to be read even unto strangers also Deut. 31. 12. so far vvas he from vvithholding grace if any sought it 5. And solomoÌ„d dicating the teÌ„ple prayed even for straÌ„gers that dvvelt in far countries vvho mought vvhen they heard of Gods name come thither and pray in that house that they even all people of the earth mought know Gods name fear him as did his people Israel All vvhich do shevv the untruth of M. Sm. collection that it vvas a syn for Israel to impart the scriptures and covenant of grace to the gentiles Because all the Gentiles ought to have been Proselytes of the Iewes Church and to have come to Ierusalem to worship Exod. 12. 43. 49. Mat. 23. 15. Act 2. 10. and ought to have learned their tongue and worship which was prevented by the Lxx. translation First this reason enterfeireth vvith the former for if all ought to have beene proselytes hovv might not the covenant of grace be preached vnto them Could they be converted vvithout the vvord of the covenant Here the accuser of the Saincts hath rolled a stone which is returned unto

scriptures tures as if he should have sayd unto an Israelite no one sheep of thy pasture is the best thou hast seeing the Lord may in time of worship minister a better as he did the ram to Abraham therfore no one sheep of thym may be offred for sacrifice Mal. 1. 8. Nay his reason against translations hath not so good a colour as this for it is certaine that God once ministred a ram to Abraham for sacrifice but it was never heard that God so ministred an other translated book to read then that which was brought to be read The gift of interpreting or expounding by voyce is of an other kind and not properly reading wherof we intreat But let us follow M. Sm. in his circle see whither he wil lead us No translated bible may be read in Gods worship for God may minister a better what then shal I bring the original bible look on that exspecting what interpretation God wil give me to speak seeing I may not read Not so neyther sayth M. S. the holy original scriptures are not to be reteyned as helps before the eye in time of spiritual worship So then neyther is that the best sacrifice yet but I must exspect the Lord to minister a better If neither the translated bible nor the original be the best where then is the word that is best to be read or uttered to the people In a mans owne hart that must be the book out of which M. Sm. wil have Gods lavv to be read in his vvorship al other books are as images and ceremonies abolished ended by Christ. Though he plead here against translations colourably yet he aimeth at Gods book generally even as his holy Prophets and Apostles vvrote it But the vvickednes of this engine is before discovered Also for translations this further I say the scriptures in English are the best for to read unto English eares better then eyther Hebrue or Greek which they cannot hear And seeing it is needful the scriptures should be read the translation is best Yet so as no Christian is tied to the words of the book but if he know any error in print or tralation or any better words to expresse Gods mind he is to do all things for the best unto the church giving the sense togither with his reading as the practise was in Israel Nehem. 8. 8. But he that withdraweth corn the people shal curse him sayth Solomon how much more deserveth this maÌ„ the curse of Gods people that hath sought to withdraw from them in al their publik worship the whol scriptures and book of God whereby the true corn and bread of their sovvles is broken unto them Deut. 16. 16. 1 Chro. 21. 24. Eph. 4. 8. Rom. 12. 3. we must worship God with our own not with another mans with that which cost us somthing not with that which cost us nothing But for one ignorant of the tongues to read the translation and offer it to God is to offer to God an other mans labour not his own that which cost him nothing but is an other mans cost therfore it is unlawful Al vvisdoms vvords are playn and straight but M. Smyths are rough and crooked Who ever said before that men read translations and offred them to God He mought as vvel have sayd vve minister the sacraments unto God For if he mean the last end is the glory of God so is it of al a Christian mans actions Did Paul vvhen he charged that his Epistle should be read unto al the brethren the saints mean they should read and offer it unto God Or had it been for them to except as this man here cavilleth we must worship God with our own not with an other mans with that which cost us something not with that which cost us nothing but this Epistle cost us nothing it is another mans cost and paynes therfore it is unlawful to read it and offer it to God If this reason had been ridiculous in them vvhy they vvould not read Pauls Epistle even so is it here in M. Smyth for vve read the bible vvhich is Gods Epistle unto us in no other manner nor to no other end then they read Pauls letter vvhich vvas part of holy scripture in the church and the book costeth us as much as that cost them And David vvhich vvould not offer burnt offrings wtihout cost vvould he not read or be at the reading of the book of the lavv in the church because it cost him nothing but had been vvritten by Moses and freely given unto Israel Never vvas ther heard more childish sophismes But vvhat if a man translate a book or chapter or text himself and vvriteth it this is his ovvn cost I think then he may read and offer it to God or els M. S. cavilling is litle vvorth Reading a translatioÌ„ is not coÌ„manded nor was ever practised by Christ the Apostles or primitive churches in time of worship so being devised by maÌ„ is the account of vain worship Mat. 15. 9. and wil-worship Col. 2. 23. and so a kind of idolatrie and therfore the translation is self before the eye in time of worship an idol and so hath a curse denounced against the use of it in time of worship Rev. 22. 18. Exod. 20. 4. 5. Though they curse yet thou wilt blesse sayth David to God against his enemies and so say I against this adversary who curseth the reading of the scriptures as a wil-worship which God hath blessed so maketh he himself by his blasphemie a child of the curse And by his own mouth let him be judged for thus he writeth in his book Mat. 28. Christ commandeth to goe teach al nations and therefore al nations may have the holy scriptures translated into their own vernacular tongue that thereby they may learn the truth Then further he addeth The translation agreable to the originals may be read in the church and sung in tunes may be expounded in the church may be made a ground of our faith c. From whence I reason if Christ commanding the Apostles to teach Mat. 28. did therby intimate a commandement or permission of translations to learn the truth by and such translations may be read expounded in the church made a ground of our faith then we al other Christian churches that have made and used translations to this end are not idolaters neyther have used wil-worship nor incurred the curse but it hangeth over M. S. own head if he prevent it not by repentance Writing and reading the law is a part of preaching the law Act. 15. 21. Deut. 33. 10. with Nehem. 8 7 8 Mat. 28. 19. with 1 Thes. 5 27 Eph. 3 4 Col. 4 16 Rev. 10 10 11. with Rev. 1 19 and 22. 18. Preaching must be in al languages therefore writing and reading must be in al laÌ„guages being a part of preaching of

to mistake so smal a matter in copying out any thing as experience teacheth Thus Mr. Sm. is slipt aside from translations to quarrel with the original scriptures and correct them where though I would not folow his wanderings I observ breefly these things 1. He restreyneth the holy Ghost from using the seventies errors bearing with mens weaknes because he needeth them not why doth he not also restreyne God from suffering divorce many wives to one man in Israel seing he needed not thus to have done then more then now Shal man limit the holy Ghost to doe no more then he needeth 2. He mismatcheth Gods passing by the syn of hethens idolatrie Act. 17. 30. with Gods permission of divorce and polygamie in his law and putting in Cainan in Luk. 3. The first was horrible syn in al that did it though God overlooked it upon their repentance the latter not so but tolerable and Lukes naming of Cainan holy 3 He injurieth Luke intimating as if he put errors from a translation into the original indeed he had so done if from the Lxx. he had put it into Moses Hebrue which was farr from him But he onely sets it downe out of a common known received record into the genealogie which he wrote which al would allow of by which they would trie Lukes writing where the leaving of it out mought have caused much strife And if God so bare with the Iewes hardnes of old what mouth can blame him for bearing with the weaknes both of Iewes and Gentiles here Nay rather his mercy is to be magnified for writing his word so as the weak mought not stumble or fal away the froward mought not cavil For had the Apostles written in Hebrue the Grekes of liklihood many Iewes could not have vnderstood and if they should have ordinarily left the common translatioÌ„ not onely the Gentiles mought have made doubt but the Iewes would have taken occasion to speak evil For they reverenced the labours of the 70 greatly and would suffer no other translatioÌ„ God therefore who turneth al things to his glorie turned this his indulgence to the praise of his grace 4 Mr. Sm. hazardeth the credit of the original scriptures and of al mens faith in saying Antichrist hath violated them as he hath polluted al Gods ordinances It is not good they say to bely the Divil Antichrist hath evil ynough upon him though he be not charged with violating the originals which this accuser wil not easily prove No doubt but copiers and writers might fail and did mistake and some thinking to mend the new testament by the old or Luke by Matthew might make it worse which by true copies may be amended So faults are in translations through ignorance or oversight But this point if it were true helpeth translatioÌ„s and hurteth them not For if the originals be violated and yet are not for the faults to be rejected so translations may be violated the errors in the part are no cause to reject the whole 5 He presumeth to put Cainan out because it is not in some ancient copies these some I take it wil prove but one which Beza mentioneth and if the credit of it wil countervayl al others in Cainan it must do the like also in a great part of the genealogie beside varying al the names from Ioseph up to David according to Matthewes narration which is to overthrow Lukes purpose quite For he deduceth Christ from Nathan his father in the flesh and not from the brother Solomon his father but in the kingdom as Matthew dooth But to change pente five into pantes all Act. 7 14. without warrant of any Greek copie at al is too much boldnes cannot be be born out by kurio kairo where many copies are for a ground If men that perceive not the counsel of God in penning his word shal presumptuously change it according to their owne conceipt we shal have nothing left sound or uncorrupt Rather if men be ignorant let them lay their hand on their mouth Lastly sayth he fully to answer the obiection whatsoever is good in the LXX translation was taken out of the new testament and ancient fathers of the Greek church For it is manifest by histories that the LXX translation is lost and this that goeth under the name of the LXX is a patcherie made out of ancient writings therfore the holy Ghost doth not aim at the LXX translation at al as is imported in the obiection This is not fully but foolishly to answer for though the LXX trans were now lost yet was it not lost in the Apostles dayes nay ther was no other but that known in the world to reason because we have it not now therfore they then aimed not at it at al is without reason or colour of truth Neyther doth M. Smyth manifest by histories that the Seventies translation is now lost rather the translations of Aquila Symmachus Theodotio others that synce the Apostles time set over the bible in Greek these al are lost save some peeces of them and that which we have is for the body of it the Seventies though much corrupted with words and sentences of the other And this Hieroms translation of the prophets from the Septuagint and his commentarie citing the divers versions of Aquila Symmachus c. sheweth and the best Greek bibles now extant that have varias lectiones do confirm the same Neyther if al were granted which he would is the objection fully answered for the Apostles cite the scriptures in Greek which the prophets wrote in Hebrue eyther therfore they aymed at the Septuagint or translated it themselves Whereupon it followeth that the Hebrue text set over into Greek is the scripture of God stil and speech of the holy ghost Or if M. Smyths divinitie had then been known the unbeleeving Iewes mought have alleged that Paul proved not his doctrine by canonical scripture but by apocryphal writings that were equally humane with the Rabbines commentaries in respect of the matter and in respect of the letter language worse There were Greeks and Graecians Hellenes and Hellenistai Rom. 1. 16. Act. 6. 1. The Greeks were so by progenie and blood the Graecians or Hellenists were Iewes by progenie borne in Grecia Therfore Paul calleth himself an Hebrue of the Hebrues Phil. 3 5. These Graecians had forgotten their language and spake Greek onely and in their synagogues had the Greek translation read unto them and the Apostles coming into their synagogues approved that act and so it followeth that reading translations is lawful in worship The distinction of Greeks and Grecians is vain sayth M. Sm. as appeareth by these places compared Act. 21. 39. 18. 2. 24. with Act. 6. 1. Phil. 3. 5. For Paul was born at Tarsus in Cilicia and Aquila at Pontus and Apollos at Alexandria and yet are al called Jewes not Hellenists or Graecians And Act.

before is noted they preached to no man but to the Iewes onely after that many moe vvere converted there dayly vvhen the gentiles of the city had received the fayth they vvere troubled concerning circumcision this fel out about 7. yeares after the conversion of the Hellenists Act. 11 and then the church at Ierusalem vvriting therof directed their letters to the brethren of the Gentiles in Antiochia al vvhich do persvvade that the Hellenists first spoken of vvere Ievves Hereuppon I conclude that the testimonie of learned men recording hovv the Hellenists vvere dispersed Ievves that used the Greek bibles in their synagogues hath more probabilitie if not certainty to be true even by the scripture then M. Smyths sleight ansvver can turn avvay But he hath yet more to speak A. Secondly sayth he it cannot be proved by scriptures that the Hellenists had the Gr. transl read in the synagogues it is manifestly otherweise by the reasons used before against the translation of the LXX R. Those reasons were rather calumnies I have before refuted theÌ„ shewing that no such syn can be proved upoÌ„ the Sep. fortheir traÌ„sl That the Greek bible was read among the Hellenists the point before handled giveth light I leave it to the judgment of the wise Further I answer that seing by scripture we learne that not Iewes onely but Greeks were present in the synagogues it cannot be thought that the Lectures there were in Hebrue which the Iewes themselves in liklihood the Greeks of certainety could not understand Thirdly sayth M. S. the worship of God properly so called of the whol Church of the Iewes was performed in the holy place at Ierusalem and so that which was performed in the synagogue was not properly the worship of the whol Church of the Iewes but was of that nature that passed between Christ and the Doctors in the temple Luk. 2. 46. with Act. 17. 2. Neyther is that which we performe in our assemblies the worship of the whol church of the Christians but of our own particular Church neyther is our reading the scriptures the worship of God properly so called as before I have manifested So in the mans answer lodgeth guile and deceit Though all the Iewes worshiped at the temple thrise in the year yet followeth it not thereupon they had no proper worship in their synagogues For Mr. Smyth himselfe counteth prophesie or preaching proper worship and this was in their synagogues Againe Prayer thanksgiving is worship properly this they did other where then in the temple as appeareth Act. 16. 13. Neyther can we think of our godly forefathers howsoever Mr. Sm. counteth them a carnal Church that they would read and preach the word and not pray in their synagogues yea their synagogues were caled Oratories or prayer howses as witnesseth Philo a Iew in the Apostles age who complayning of the outrage offred in Alexandria the city wher he lived by throwing downe the synagogues caleth them Proseuchas Oratories and mentioneth also the synagogues of Rome by the same name Fourthly sayth M. Sm. if the Hellenists read the seventies translation as a part of their proper worship having forgotten their own language therin were committed these synns 1. Forgetting their tongue one part of the ceremoniall law Nehem. 13. 24. 2. Instituting worship in a common tongue which was as unlawful as sacrificing a dog 3. Therefore it was false worship as it was to sacrifice an unclean beast Proper worship is an vnproper term wherwith Mr. S. would cloke his error before discovered But had it been proper worship yet this mans charge of them were both unproper and untrue For although the willing neglect and forgetting of their Hebrue was syn yet the constreyned losse of it was not syn The scripture alleged mought have taught him this for they that of lust maried strange wives which taught their children Azotik or Ashdod speech are justly blamed by the holy Ghost but were any blamed for speaking Babels tongue where they had been prisoners neer 70. yeares nay Ezra and Daniel wrote a great parte of their books in Babylons language and not in Hebrue And if it had been such a breach of the ceremonial law as is intimated Daniel and his brethren who refused the King of Babels diet would also have refused his language which they did not at al. The comparison of sacrificing a dog is odious for mought not converted strangers pray and praise God in their mother tongues did God abhorr their languages as doggs in sacrifice Daniel was skilful both in Sions tongue and Babels and he writing his book recordeth his own prayer and thanksgiving in Babylons language Dan. 2. 20. 23. He that should have condemned this for false worship the godly Iewes would have counted him a dog The Prophets warned Israel of the Idols of Babel but never of their tongue nay Ieremie in Canaan teacheth the people in the Chaldee tongue how they should answer and confute Idolaters Ier. 10. 11. And what wil this calumniator of the saints say of Christ himselfe who prayed on the crosse Eloi Eloi lamma sabachthani which was Syriak not Hebrue though the scripture which he had reference unto Psal. 22. 1 was Hebrue And ordinarily he spake Syriak as by Ephphatha Talitha coumi and other like words recorded by the Evangelists may be probably gathered Lastly sayth M. Sm. if they read the seventies translation and the Apostles came in heard it followeth not they did allow it as a part of the worship of the new testament any more then circumcision c. First this followeth that the bible translated is the bible stil and Moses turned into Greek is Moses stil for it is not sayd that apocryphal humane writings were read in the Synagogues but the law and the prophets So it proveth the question that the scriptures in our mother tongue are divine writings not humane as M. Sm. avoucheth Hereuppon it wil folow undenyablie that they are to be read in al Christian churches now as then in Israel and not as profane apocryphal to be quite thrust out of Gods worship The Apostles shewed an end of circumcision and like legal shadowes but never any end or ceasing or reading the scriptures nay they shew plainly the contrary 2 Pet 1 19 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. 1 Thes. 5 27. Deut. 31. 12. The reasons that are alleged for reading the law are perpetual and therfore the law of reading is perpetual the moral reasons are hearing learning fearing God and keeping his lawes Hereunto M. Smyth answereth First the law of reading is not moral in the particular act but in the equitie for it was commanded to be doon but once in seven yeare at the feast of tabernacles Deut. 31. 10. and if it had been moral in the particular act it should have been from the beginning which was not so seing it began with

runns on in error His coÌ„ceipt of mental reading as it hath no grouÌ„d froÌ„ Christ here nor any prophet or Apostle to be the ordinary way of reading or interpreting scripture so mind we it to be a far more vncertayn and erroneous course let the man make as many Querees after it as he will Having answered these few objections as we see he afterwards questioneth whither the hearers may have their translations or the originals to read or search in time of prophesie Which he deneyeth Of this point though it was not controverted between us yet I wil speak what I mind about it Not condemning it as dooth he nor iustifying it as it is abused by some but shewing the mean which I take to be best His first reason is that the Prophets and Apostles wrote books but never divided them into chapters or verses Henry Stephen first made the verses of the N. Testament whereupon he concludeth that the hearers could not serch their bookes in time of hearing I deney the consequence for in reading the law expounding it comparing words with that which went before and after the hearers mought serch and see though it were with more difficultie Secondly the Hebrue bibles that we have are all divided into chapters and verses as also into other sections noting where the lecture of the law began and ended and the lecture of the Prophets answerable to it Whither the first writers did this or the Church after them I wil not dispute but that thus they might doe I make no doubt For God hath left to the discretioÌ„ of the Church and Ministers what quantitie of scripture to read and teach of And this was the practise in th' Apostles dayes for it was not possible that every sabbathall the law and prophets should be read over the Hebrue letters and marginall notes are sufficient records of the antiquitie of them The Churches practise in the books of the Prophets sheweth us our libertie in the Apostles writings which cannot be read over at once And long before Henry Stephens time the Greek copies of the new Testament had chapters and sections though otherweise then we now have And Matthewes gospel parted into 68. chapters or titles and 355. sections was in a manner as easie for the readers to serch as it is now with us and so the rest His second reason is that th' Apostles in citing scriptures quote not chapter and verse but onely say it is written by Zacharie by Jeremie the scripture sayth c. This reason dependeth on the former and is there answered in part Further I observe the Apostles speak diversly sometime naming no book at all sometime naming the book as the Psalmes sometime a part of the book as the second psalme and how they particulated matters in their doctrine is not set down the summonely of things is recorded The argument therfore concluding thus it is not written that they quoted chapters therefore they did it not is not of force negatively But if if be true which Hilarie an ancient writer recordeth that the seventie Greek interpreters did number and order the Psalmes and we find that sometimes the Apostles quoted what Psalm in noÌ„ber they alleged it may warrant us such like use of humane labours for help of our memorie His third reason is of like nature that no mention is made of any hearer that had his book c. yet mought it be say I though it were not mentioned they used to dispute in their synagogues after the lecture was ended and that by the scriptures and the hearers serched the scriptures dayly for trial of doctrine Who now can say that the hearers had or used no books in the synagogues His 4. reason is that serching quotations hindreth attention for the mind and affections are distracted from hearing by seeking the places c. This I grant to be amysse in all that so use their books for diligent eare shoud be given to all that is spoken Howbeit this abuse may not abolish the lawful use for as by turning of leaves many hinder theÌ„selves in time of hearing so many againe attentively hearkning and comparing things spoken with the matters before and after in the chapter are not hindred at all but greatly furthered by looking on their books And for this matter I rest with that rule given by th' Apostle for all things to be doon unto edification seemlily and with order 1 Cor. 14. 12. 40. His last reason is that manuscripts being few and very dear there being yet no printing found out all could not have or bring their bookes but there is onely one kind of true aad profitable hearing eyther all to have bookes and serch or none If God have left it to the wisdom and discretion of his people when and how to use the scriptures so it be not to confound actions or hinder their good I wil not bring their libertie into bondage nor prescribe a law where God hath given none Though written copies were dear yet were they many many had them not all for all now have not That such as have not books or cannot read should prejudice other that have can there is no reason It is not therefore for us to walk by example in this case but by general ground and equitie from Gods law who permitteth us free use of the scriptures for our edification according to which if men use them in private or publik they do well Thus am I at an end about the mayn coÌ„troversie of the scriptures which for the readers good I have beaten out and explaned shewing the true differences which he handled covertly for his best advantage Wherein the judicious may discern how Mr. Sm. hath been up and down wavering like a reed shaken of the wind sometimes seming to allow translations sometime bitterly writing against them that as easie it is to know the way of a serpent upon the rock as the way of a man with his mineon error A DEFENCE OF CHRISTS MINISTERIE in the church against the contradiction of M. Smyth VNto the former battel against the scriptures M. Sm. addeth strife about the ministerie affirming that the triformed presbyterie as he calleth it consisting of three kind of Elders viz. Pastors Teachers Rulers is none of Gods ordinance but mans devise and that lay elders so called are antichristian That other point being an idol of his own invention which he would have had worshiped in our church I have more largely dealt against this latter being a thing oft discussed heretofore and no new thing by him alleged I wil the more briefly answer M. Smyth a while before both agreed in judgment with us and wrote in defence of this ministerie which now he oppugneth but that his first fayth and labours he retracteth in this book and sithence is fallen into further error about the covenant between God and his people So by degrees he is come to undermine the

in such or such a chapter But the Apostle sayth he intendeth to teach the several offices of the Church Not so but rather he intendeth to shew how officers in generall should be qualified and setting downe things common to all it had been needlesse repetition to speak of the Pastor first and the same things of the teacher and againe the third time the same of the Elder he useth no such tautologies And Timothee needed not to be taught what offices belonged to the Church though he mought have need to be put in mind of their qualifications Yet even in the same Epistle upon other occasions he mentioneth the difference of the office some being to rule wel some to labour in the word and doctrine Of which we shall speak anon And in his other Epistles the like differences ar playn Rom. 12. 7. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 4. 5. 28. Moreover sayth he if th' Apostles had ordeyned three kind of ELDRS Actes 14. 23. they would have mentioned them with their several kinds of ordinations but that is not doon for in one phrase their election and ordination is mentioned go their ordination being one their office is one and not three A reason much like the former of like vanitie for to say such a thing is not mentioned in such a place therfore it was not doon is inconsequent And here the minding of his owne words mought have stayed him from so concluding for if Luke writing the action doth in one phrase yea even in one word summ up both the election the ordination which yet ar different and doon with many circumstances may he not also under the general name Elders imply differeÌ„t sorts Agayn where the holy Ghost expresseth not any one kind of ordination nor any one word spoken to the officers concerning their charge and office layd upon them which yet no doubt was doon Who would look for a severall kind of ordination to be mentioned in such a place Further if ther had been 3 kind of Elders at Ephesus then the Apostle at Miletum would haue given them severall charges as having several duties lying upon them hut th' Apostle Act. 20. 28. giveth them one general charge common to them al namely the dutie of feeding the work of the Pastor go they are all Pastors These reasons be al of a sute and the prayer of David seemeth to have prevailed against this man for when he shooteth arrowes they ar as broken or like unto strawes First we cannot say what several charges Paul gaue those Elders seing all his words in particular are hot recorded For there is no doubt but he spake many moe words then are set downe and it is usuall in the scriptures to summ up mens speeches Secondly suppose he gave no several charges but one general common to them all which was Poimainein to feed and govern the flock yet wil not this prove that they had all one undistinct office any more then that Peter had no other then a common Pastours office because Christ gave him but a general charge common to al Pastors poimaine feed my sheep The Preists and Levites had distinct offices as before is manifested yet Hezekiah speaking to them al generally as Paul dooth here to the Elders gives them not several charges according to their severall duties but useth one common exhortation to them al which if one would pervert as this man dooth Pauls speech he mought plead that all the Levits then were properly to burn incense as that al the Elders now should properly do the Pastors dutie See 2 Chro. 29. 4. 5. 11. The conclusion which he maketh that therefore al are Pastors if he mean it in the strict sense is deneyed as inconsequent If in the large sense it is from the question and deceiveth by ambiguitie for Christ is a Pastor the Apostles-were Pastors and so are all Bishops governours generally yet no man I think doubteth but these do differ Besides Eph. 4. 11. Pastors and Teachers are all one office For wheras the Apostle had spoken distributively before of Apostles Prophets Evangelists as intending them several offices he speaketh copulatively of Pastors and Teachers exegetically teaching that they are both one office First let it be observed how himselfe doth say Apostles Prophets Evengelists were several offices yet can he not deny but generally they were to poimaeinein that is doe the dutie of Pastors feeding and governing the Church of Christ so his former exception against Act. 20. is found of no weight Also his reasons from Isa 66. 21. Numbers 11. 25. for one sort of officers to be figured in the law are of as little valew unlesse we should think that the principal officers of the Christian Church were not figured or prophesied of at all Secondly the exposition which he giveth of Ephes. 4. 11. is against the Apostles purpose who distinctly and distributively setteth down the divers gifts and offices of the church and therfore caÌ„not be thought to expresse one the same office by two names For though he speak copulatively pastors and teachers yet is ther no reason why these should be taken for one seeing this word and coupleth divers things divers officers as Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2. 20 and 3 5. Apostles and Elders Act. 15 2. Prophets Teachers Act 13 1. and a thowsand the like Neither needed he teach exegetically by way of exposition what the pastors office is seeing it was as wel if not better known then the Prophets office or Evangelists neyther is it an exposition when the latter is as dark and more then the former and the first more proper then the second For the proper name of the office as M. Sm. takes it is Pastor now to say Pastors that is teachers were to explayn the proper by the unproper or commune name which neither Paul nor any wise writer useth to doe But is ignorance or a worse thing that causeth M. Sm. to pervert so plain a place The Apostle particulating the several offices some Apostles some Prophets c. doth in the last branch according to the elegancie both of the Hebrue and Greek tongues omitt the word some putting and in the sted in the very same meaning An example of the Bebrue may be seen Hos. 3. 4. where the Prophet telleth how Israel should remayn without King and without Prince and without offring and without statue and without Ephod and Teraphim meaning and without Teraphim Here in the last place the word without is omitted and to be understood of the reader as our English translation dooth expresse for it were trifling to say as Mr. Smyth that the two last are one because and coupleth them or that exegetically one expoundeth an other when as it is but an elegancie in the language as al that have skil in it can tel The like is in the Greek tongue and in Pauls own writing Gal. 3. 28. There is neither

Jew sayth he nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male and female that is nor female where and coupleth in the last place male and female not as of one kind but divers and meaneth the same that nor did before The very like phrase and elegancie useth he here Eph. 4. 11. as any that favoureth the language and purpose of the Apostle may perceive and this is plainly confirmed by the Syriak which speaketh of the two last as of the former saying and some Pastors and some Teachers It is also manifested by Paul himself elswher distinguishing these two offices as 1 Cor. 12 8. to one is given the word of wisdom and to another the word of knowledge and Rom. 12. 7. 8. or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation And if in one place he putteth a difference we should not think that in another he takes it away And there is no playn doctrine set down in scripture but may be corrupted by such violent expositions as Mr. Smyth maketh of this place Lastly sayth he if al the Elders have the pastors gifts and the works of the pastor and the pastors ordination then they have al the pastors office But al the Elders have the pastors gifts viz. the word of wisdome or the gift of exhortation Tit. 1. 9. and therefore the pastors work as Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. which is feeding or exhorting and so the same ordination Act. 14. 23. Therfore al the Elders have the same office of the Pastor and so are al of one sort The second part of this reason is deceitful for though in some sort and common mesure al the Elders have the pastors gifts ordination and doe the pastors work being al Bishops that is careful lookers to and feeders of the flock yet in special manner measure they differ in al. Otherweise we may also confound other offices as Apostles and Evangelists the Evangelists and the Pastors For Paul an Apostle sayth of Timothee an Evangelist he worketh the work of the Lord even as I. Had these two therfore one office Agayn Timothee and Titus Evangelists and the other pastors of the churches had the same gifts namely the word of wisdom to exhort 1 Tim. 6 2. Tit. 2 15. with Rom. 12 8. and therefore the same work as these scriptures alleged shew and the same ordination by imposition of hands of the Apostle and Eldership 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 14. with Act. 14. 23. Wil M. Sm. hereupon conclude therfore al pastors have the same office with the Evangelists If he acknovvledge an error in that so may he doe in this For it is the special excellencie of the gifts of exhorting teaching ruling which causeth the pastors teachers rulers to be designed unto several works and offices For it were vanitie to suppose that the teachers mought be without the word of wisdom at all or Pastors without the word of knowledge or rulers without both Everie Levites lips were to preserve knovvledge for the people to seek the lavv at his mouth as at the preists Deut. 33. 8. 10. Mal. 2. 7. yet vvas ther difference in the office So in Christs Church vvhere gifts are bestovved in varietie he that excelleth in the vvord of vvisdome and exhortation more then doctrine is being lavvfully caled thereto a pastor and he that excelleth in doctrine more then in exhortation is a teacher and they that excel other brethren in discretion gravitie c. though they have not meet gifts for pastors or teachers are being caled thereunto Elders or governours to assist the other in guiding the vvayes of the church And needful are they unto the same for one man may vvel teach an hundred but tvvo men vvil scarse govern half so many in peace and order so great a difference there is betvveen the knovvledge of the truth and the due vvalking and practise of the same Whereas therfore M. S. gives al the Elders the word of wisdome and so the pastors office meaning strictly and properly he contraryeth the Apostle vvho sayth there are diversities of gifts and to one is given the word of wisdom and to another the word of knowledge and agayn speaking of office he mentioneth distinctly teaching exhorting ruling not in one person but in sundry Although sometime speaking of the Eldership in general he ascribeth the same vvork in general thereto as in Tit. 1. Act. 20. and other like places Of the ordination Act. 14. vve spake before Novv after al these reasons M. Sm. thus concludeth Hence this conâ—ectorie sayth he ariseth that the Eldership consisting of three sorts of Elders is the invention of man having both an antichristian ministerie and goverment in it And therfore when the popish prelacie was supprest and the triformed presbyterie substituted one antichrist was put down and another was set up in his place c. vvith other like contumelies But the falshood and vanitie of his reasons having been manifested al these reproches do turn into his ovvn bosome and in him is fulfilled the word of the Prophet whiles like the raging sea he thus casteth up mire and dirt For God having given to his church diversities of giftes diversities of administratioÌ„s or offices and diversities of operations some for to teach some to exhort some for to rule and having evidently distinguished between Teachers and Governours between those Elders that rule wel and those that labour in the word doctrine it must needs be the spirit of Antichrist and of Satan that thus despiteth Christs holy ordinances which this adversarie himself sometime acknowledged and walked in and now hath forsaken without ground of truth But he hath more yet to say in answering the obiections for 3. sorts of Elders which he thus layeth down The first objection 1 Tim. 5. 17. In this place the Apostle maketh two sorts of Elders 1. those that rule onely 2. and those that teach and rule And Ephe. 4. 11. he maketh 2. kindes of those that teach Pastors and Doctors Therefore there are 3. kindes of Elders formally differing each from other Mr Smythes answer The Apostle to Timothee teacheth that Elders are to be honoured for 2. workes wel ruling and laborious or painful teaching and the place dooth not import a distribution of Officers but a commendation of several workes of one office and the specialty consisteth not in the workes of ruling teaching which are common to all Elders but in the qualitie of the works viz. wel ruling and painful teaching as if th' Apostle should say Elders are to be had in double honour for wise government but much more are they to be honoured for their laborious and painful teaching Replie If emptie words mought cary away matters it were woe with the truth of religion for ech spirit of error would bear it down A doctrin most playn set forth in evident words is here turned aside with a

deceitful glosse contrary to the tenour of the text Two several works he acknowledgeth ruling and teaching yet two several men for these workes he wil not admit of But had he learned the Apostles word who is sufficient for these things he mought have seen a reason of the counsel of God in adding helps to the teachers of the word For if the Apostles those excellent master builders had need of supply for want of sufficiencie how much more need have wee weaklings It is Gods usual administration in his church for several works to appoint several persons so to Moses he committed the goverment political to Aaron the ecclesiastical To Moses he adjoyned 70. ancients of Israel besides the ordinarie inferiour governours to Aaron he gave for a gift the whole tribe of Levi. The Levites had also their special distributions some helping the Preists in sacrificing c. some tending to song and musik some warding the Tabernacle some looking to the treasures al joyntly the Ministers and teachers of the church Deut. 10 8. 33. 10. Christ also providing for the good of his church as he hath diversities of operations or effects to work in the same so hath he given diversities of gifts and these to diverse persons and also with diversities of ministeries or offices some to teach some to exhort some to distribute some to rvle that that gift which is dimm in one man may shine clear in an other and the church have the use and benefit of al. Now comes M. Sm. and he not being able to deney the diversities of works and operations required in the church yet dareth deney the diversities of offices and wil have one man in one limited office of the Pastor to do al that perteyneth to exhorting teaching and governing of the church though the scriptures doe so plainly distinguish And if men excelling in the gift of exhortation be chosen to attend unto that ministration or office of exhorting and others excelling in the gift of teaching others in governing be chosen to execute their gifts in the teachers and governours offices this he exclaymeth to be Antichristian for one office he thinks must doe al. To this end wresteth he these words of Paul The Elders that rule wel are worthy double honour specially they that labour in the word doctrine The specialtie sayth M. S. consisteth not in the works of ruling teaching but in the qualitie of the works viz wel ruling fupainll teaching I deney this violent construction and affirm the specially here added of Paul to respect a special distinct person in and for his work as may thus be manifested The Apostle treateth of honour and unto whom it belongeth Honour widowes sayth he which are widowes in deed Give double honour to the Elders that rule wel speciallie to them that labour in the word As honour double honour respecteth several persons in their several estates and imployments so double honour and special double honour respecteth several persons in and for their several works and imployments some ruling wel othersome labouring in the word Thus the scripture is plain But M. S. will have the specialtie to consist in the qualitie of the work viz wel ruling and painful teaching As if Paul would have double honour given to them that rule and teach but specially if they rule wel teach painfully But thus he neither speaketh nor meaneth For al rule is either wel or yll but ill rule deserves no honour therfore it were unmeet to appoint double honour in this respect where open rebuke rather is due and where losse and dammage followeth because the work must burn 1 Cor. 3. 14. 15. But take it as the Apostle speaks and intends widowes indeed are to have honour the wel ruling Elders are to have double honour thus it is meet and the meaning evident Now the specialtie cometh after wel ruling and respecteth an other work labouring in the word where the former word wel is again to be understood For false teachers laboured in the word to seduce and deceiv such were to have no special double honour but their mouths stopped and to be turned away from though they creep into howses though they use fair speech and flattering though they take such pains as they compasse sea and land to make one of their profession Again the word labouring makes not the specialtie as M. Smyth interpreteth it painful teaching for labour is a common dutie lying upon al church officers whose office is not in idlenes None can rule wel but with labour none can teach well but with labour and therefore PAVL useth this word of all the officers 1 Cor. 16. 16. So the specialty here is not for labour simply but for labour in the word doctrine which some Elders did differing from labour in government which othersome did as is evideÌ„t both by this other scriptures as 1 Cor. 12. 28. thirdly teachers after that governours and Rom. 12. 7. 8. he that teacheth on teaching he that ruleth with diligence Thus several men were imployed in these several labours or works and in respect of the persons imployed is the word specially added and purposly put between rulers teachers as if the Apostle should say they that labour in ruling are worthy of double honor specially they that labour in teaching And that this is Pauls mind his plain words shew when he sayth they that rule and they that labour where this word they leadeth to diverse persons as in other scriptures they that have doon good and they that have doon evil they that weep and they that rejoyce and innumerable such speeches Agayn the word specially being put between them that rule and them that labour confirmeth this yet more for it increaseth the distinction as when Paul in the same Epistle sayth God is the saviour of al men specially of the faithful the word specially distinguisheth the faythful from other common men of the world who have not fayth in God and yet are saved or preserved by him that is the preserver of al his creatures and saveth man and beast So to Titus he sayth there are many deceivers of minds specially they of the circumcision where the word specially distinguisheth those of the circumcision from other deceivers and meaneth not the same but different persons And if here we take it not so for several persons where wel ruling is first set down and specially comes after for such as labour in the word and doctrine we overthrow the force and grace of Pauls gradation or stepping to his specialty And if he had meant as M. S. takes it for the qualitie of the works doon by the same persons it should be as otherwhere Paul writeth they that labour much or labour more then the rest but he speaks not so here M. S. expounding the place of the same persons to

be honoured for wise government but much more for their painful teaching confirmeth not his doctrine by any circumstances of this scripture but citeth others saying Answer That this is so see Tit. 1. 9. and 1 Thes. 5. 2. 1 3. with 1 Tim. 3. 1. 4. In Timothee the Apostle sayth every Bishop must be didacticos and proistamenos and therefore that some Elders are onely didacticoi and not proistamenoi is contrarie to the Apostles intent Further in Titus the Apostle expoundeth didacticos to be able to exhort with wholsom doctrine and to convince the gainsayers how then shal some of the Elders be rulers onely Replie That al Bishops must be didacticoi that is apt and ready for to teach reprove c. I grant yet that they must therfore hav al one office Ideney For Apost prophets Evangelists c. were al didacticoi yet differed in office But how then shal some of the Elders be rulers onely I answer even Ruling Elders are to be didacticoi and yet have the office of ruling onely For every one set over others to teach or inform them in faith or maÌ„ners must have aptnes to teach the things perteyning to their office and convince the contrarie or els they are unfit for the place But have they not then the teachers office No for this aptnes to teach is common to al offices of government but in several sorts according to every mans function For example an Apostle must be apt to teach as an Apostle and though a man have aptnes to teach as a pastor yet hath he not therefore aptnes as an Apostle For the office is greater and requireth greater gifts So a ruling Elder must be apt to teach as a ruler yet hath he not therfore aptnes to teach as a pastor in whom greater skil is required Let us see this in Israel Aptnes to teach was to be in al the Governours in the whole tribe of Levi generally Deut. 33. 10. in the preists of Levi more specially Mal. 2. 7. Deut. 24. 8. in the judges of Israel also according to their office Deut. 1 13 16. with Exod. 18. 15 16 21 22. For this cause God gave the 70. Elders the spirit of prophesie Num. 11. 17. 25. And in the reformation by K. Iehoshaphat we find not onely preists and Levites but other Princes of the king sent for to teach the people 2 Chr. 17 7 8. 9. These al were didacticoi apt to teach but in several respects and measures and in several offices Otherweise if one wil understand aptnes to teach strictly as in the pastors office then are Pauls words to be taken figuratively the whol for a part or general for a particular as a Bishop that is a teacâ—hing Bishop must be didacticos And thus the scripture somâ—â—me speaketh as Deut. 33. 8. 10. of the whol tribe of Levi it is sayd they shal teach they shall put incense c. when as though al were to teach yet all were not to burn incense but the Preists onely Also in Deut. 10. 8. of the Tribe of Levi in general it is sayd God separated them to bear the ark to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his name Yet were there special things about blessing bearing the ark and other ministration which belonged to the Preists of the Levits in particular Even so Paul writing to Timothee and Titus of the Eldership in general may note some things which more specially perteyn to some onely in particular Touching the word Proistamenos Provost or Ruler although I wil not deney but every Elder may be so called in a large sense yet specially it is the title of Ruling Elders onely And it is an oversight in M. Smyth to write that th'Apostle sayth Every Bishop must be proistamenos for that word hath relation to the ruling of his owne howse which every Bishop must be able wel to do but in relation to the Church the governing elders onely are called proistamenoi and it is their peculiar titie even as Pastors and Teachers are peculiar titles to others and the name BISHOP and ELDER common to them all In the last place M. Sm. repeateth his former reason from Ephes. 4. how the Apostle sayth not some Pastors some Teachers but Pastors Teachers copulatively But that is before answered and the playne meaning of Paul manifested to be some Pastors and some Teachers as the ancient Syriak speaketh and other reasons from that and the like scriptures do confirm The 2 obiection 1 Cor. 12. 5. 8. 28. The Apostle sayth ther are diversities of ministeries namely one that hath the word of wisdom another that hath the word of knowledge another that hath government vers 28. Therefore the Eldership consisteth of three sort of Elders c. Mr Smythes answer First it is granted that there are diversities of ministeries as Ephe. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 1. namely Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Deacons Yet it foloweth not hereupon that elders are of divers sorts as is pleaded see vers 28. Agayn the word diaconia signifyeth sometime any spiritual work proceeding from any member or officer of the Church as 2 Cor. 8. 4. almes is caled diaconia 1 Pet. 4. 10. diaconein signifieth any work that proceedeth from any gift So it may signify here and all the works that follow almost may be referred thither Onely there are certaine energemata mentioned in vers 10. Replie I perceive though the light shineth in darknes yet the darknes comprehendeth it not especially when men doe wink with their eyes least they should see The sun shineth not clearer at noon then the truth shineth out of this scripture with M. S. seeks to darken with a clowd of deceit The Apostle teacheth first that one and the same spirit of God bestoweth on the Church diversities of gifts to one the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge c. Secondly that one and the same Lord Iesus Christ giveth to his Church diversities of ministeries or offices that so the divers gifts may be ministred to the people doctrine by the teacher exhortation by the exhorter or pastor government by the ruler c. Thirdly that one and the same God the father of whom are all things worketh or effecteth diversities of effects or operations in the Church by those divers gifts and divers ministeries For example as Christ is given for Prophet Preist and King of the Church a Prophet to work upon the knowledge of men that they may discern syn and righteousnes a Preist to work upon the will and affections killing them as sacrifices that a new and reasonable creature may be given up to GOD asking that the things taught by prophesie and applied by preisthood may be orderly practised in life preserved from all adverse power and in the end perfected even so in his Church besides extraordinarie

be the genus to these 5. species folowing then I say that Diaconia signifieth not an office but a work and of workes there are those 5. kindes That diaconia doth sometime signify a work is plaine 2 Cor. 8. 4. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Lastly the Apostle that knew how to speak would never have made teaching and exhortation members distributive with prophesie and diaconia if he had intended to make them species subordinate to diaconia therfore questionlesse that is not his intention Rather then he wil yeeld to the truth he seeks every corner of error and now the diverse use of the word diaconia must agayne be urged against the proper meaning of the same against the evident light of this scripture against the mans own former interpretation And sure he is used to rough wayes and words that sayth it is playne diaconia signifies a work the scriptures that he quoteth shew it not The word signifieth ministerie or office and ministration or service doon unto any other but work is an unproper interpretation Let linguists judge Nay let M. S. himself judge if he wil be tried by himself for in his book against M. Bernard written after this he hath this proposition The true ministerie hath a true office in execution wherof it is exercised Rom. 12. 7. 1. Cor. 12. 5. 28 Eph. 4. 11. I would gladly know how M. Sm. wil prove his aslertion from these scriptures if diaconia do not signify an office in this place But it is Gods special judgement against haeretiks that they should be autocatacritâ—i condemned of themselves Yet were it translated work what would it help him Of workes there are 5. kindes sayth he Who denyes it but are there not also as many kind of workers let this be disproved otherweise to strive for the former is to fight with his shadow The Apostle we doubt not knew wel how to speak and therefore spake not as M. S. feighneth of teaching exhortation as distributive members but of the teacher and exhorter And all men know that an office and officer have fit reference each to other so ministerie being mentioned in generall the several ministers ar fitly next named But of this point I spake before The 4. objection The Apostle by the commandement of Christ writeth to the Angels of the â— Churches of Asia Rev. 1. 2. 3. That is to the Pastors which ar but one in every particular Church For so the wordes are to the Angel of the Church c. Mr Smythes answer First it can never be proved by scriptures that there was but one Pastor in a Church it is playn Act. 20. 28. that ther were many in the Church of Ephesus that was one of those 7. Churches that did perform the work of the Pastor which is poimainein to feed even all the elders vers 17. with verf. 28. And therefore ther were many Pastors in that Church in Pauls time Againe al churches had officers of one sort one kind of Presbyterie c. Replie This is the last objection which M. Sm. maketh and answereth Other reasons many there are more pregnant this alone without conference with other scriptures I know will not prove many sorts of officers But it may serve to confirm the point thus seing in Ephesus the were many Elders Christ here directeth his Epistle to the Angel or Messenger of that Church this seemeth to be one that had the principal charge of the whol that is the Pastor But it can not be proved sayth M. S. that there was but one Pastor in a church Neyther can it be proved say I that there were many Yes sayth he al the Elders in Ephesus were poimainein to feed or doe the Pastors work therfore there were many Pastors I answer it followeth not for the reasoÌ„ deceiveth by aequivocatioÌ„ or double meaning of the word Pastor generally taken is any governour paricularly and strictly wherof now we speak it is the Exhorter or he that hath the word of wisdome In the general meaning Christ is the Pastor the Apostles Pastors all the Elders of a particular Church ar Pastors Wil he conclude hereupon that an Apostle and a Pastor properly so called is all one office The Apostle sheweth the contrarie Ephes. 4. 11. As then an Apostle and a Pastor be diverse officers though both doe poimainein feed so Pastors Teachers Rulers may be different officers though all do poimainein that is feed rule the flock The Pastors in Israel in the scriptures which he before alleged Ier. 23. 1. Ezek. 34. 2 had they al one particular office Farr otherwise For Preists and Levites were distinct in office and other Elders distinct from them both as before I have manifested yea not onely the Sacrificers but the civil governors were Pastors K. Dauid was a Pastor taken to feed Iaakob and Israel Accordingly in Act. 20. 1. Pet. 5. al the Elders may feed yet not al be in one the same but in distinct office Answer Further sayth Mr. Sm. the Angel of every one of those Churches dooth not signfy one Pastor onely in every Church but eyther the college of Pastors if they were many or the company of the most sincere and holy men that most opposed the corruptions of the Church or were most holy and zelous in life doctrine That an Angel signifieth a company of men is plaine Rev. 14. 6. 8. 9. 18 4. Replie It is not playn but very obscure and figurative if an Angel signifies at any time a company of men the scriptures alleged shew it not For though there is no Angel or messenger mentioned but there is a people also implied to whom he is a messenger as there is no Pastor but implieth a flock yet is not the Pastor the flock nor the Angel the people Special persons are rather noted by the Angels in my judgement To take the Angel for a company of the most syncere and holy men is further from the mark seing some are written to in whom little zele or sinceritie can be gathered Rev. 3. 1. 15. and to passe by the officers and direct the Letters to private persons and such especially is not according to order encommended by Christ to the Church 1 Cor. 14. 40. Answer Lastly sayth M. S. in all likelyhood there were some extraordinary men yet living in the Churches eyther Prophets or Evangelists that had extraordinarie gifts whose zele and holynes might win them special estimation in the Churches in regard whereof it might be the holy Ghost intending his Epistles to the whole Church cheefly directeth them to these Persons so qualified as men best able to prevayl with the Church and caleth them Angels whether one or more as Iohn the Baptist is caled an Angel Mark 1. 2. Replie Any thing hath more likelihood with Mr. Sm. then that which is most likely to be true Can this have all likelihood that the

member must yeeld to the voice of the multitude in every thing they lyst If so then Aaron had been blamelesse for making the golden calf because it was the peoples lyst and they importuned him thereto Exod. 32. 1. 22. 23. But M. S. proceedeth saying nor that the Eldership hath in their hands the power of Christ to rule contrarie to their liking I answer the Elders are to teach and rule the Church by Christs own word and lawes as I have expressed And herein I presuppose that both the Elders wil teach and rule according unto godlynes the people wil obey the godly doctrines directions of their Elders without mislike or discontentment For Christs sheep wil hear his voice his kingdom is peaceable his subjects loyal and obedient Now whiles I speak of the ordinary power that the Elders have to teach and rule the Church as Christ hath constituted it in peace it is but from a contentious humour to obiect that they have not power to rule contrary to the peoples liking as if there could be no rule but when the Elders and brethren are at warr one with another Of the Church it is written the multitude of them that beleeved were of one hart and of one sowl yet none I think doubteth but ther was rule goverment amoÌ„g them And of such quiet rule spake I though M. Sm. would disturb it with his exception which he mought also have alledged against the Presbyteries authoritie to pray preach and administer the sacraments seing these ar no more to be done contrary to the peoples liking then rule and goverment for God hath caled us in peace So for ought that is yet sayd the government by Elders standeth fast The last battry foloweth But sayth M. S. the intent of the Apostle is to show that all the particular members in all their affaires must submit themselves to the instruction and guidance of the Elders For although Christ hath placed the Elders as stewards over the servants yet he hath not appointed them as Lords over his spowse wife Your argument therfore sayth he is a fallacian a coniunctione divisione thus Al the particular members must obey the elders in their lawful instructions and their wholsome admonitions severally Ergo the whole body must ioyntly obey the voyce of the Elders Here M. Sm. running himself into a fallacie by dividing those that are joyned togither of the Lord would bear himself out in his evil by blaming an other first but without al equitie as the judicious reader may easily perceiv For his reason is to this effect Jf Elders be stewards over the servants and not Lords over the wife the church then is not the church to obey or submit unto them Where learned the man this logik Is there no obedience or submission thinks he but unto Lords Then is there no obedience ecclesiastical which the church may yeeld to any save unto Christ for he is the onely Lord. But this man is blinded with his erroneous conceipt For as in civil goverment we are to obey and submit not onely to the King as unto the superior but also to the governours that are sent of him so in goverment ecclesiastical we are to obey and submit not onely to the King Christ but to the Elders his ministers sent of him to the one we submit as to the Lord and King to the other as to servants and ministers set over us by the Lord. Agayn I would fayn know whither Mr. Sm. thinketh the Elders to be Lords over the particular members If he say yea I abhor his pride for it is injurious to Christ the sole Lord of al every one in the church if nay then I detest his sophistrie for by the same reason that he disswadeth the whol flock from obedience he mought also disswade each particular member which yet he dooth not but yeeldeth the contrary Now that the Apostle intendeth not onely the particular meÌ„bers but the general flock also is apparant First by his reason which he annexeth for they watch for your soules as they that must give accounts Al good Elders I ween do watch as well for the publik church as for the private members and shal give account for the whol If then the Apostles reason be of weight the vvhol flock as vvel as the particular sheep must obey and submit to such as vvatch over them Secondly the Apostle sayth elsvvhere to the Elders of an other church take heed to al the flock wherof the holy ghost hath made you overseers poimainein that is to feed rule govern guid direct and doe al other duties of good shepheards unto the church of God Novv these vvords flock church mean not particular members but the general company under charge guidance And if the holy Ghost have set Elders and shepherds over the whole flock can any man doubt but they must teach rule and direct the whol if they must doe this by authoritie from God is not the whol flock bound to be taught ruled directed by them in the Lord What perverting of the scripture then is this that when the Apostle writing to a whol church to obey and submit unto their guides it should be restreyned unto particular members for to obey Such doctrines fitt rather the confusion of Babylon then the holy order goverment of Sion But it seemeth the stinch of this restreynt went up into the nose of the man himself as he wrote it for presently he seeketh to sweeten the yll savor with these flowers that Al the saincts shal yeeld obedience to the Elders in things commanded by God and the Elders shal al of them obey the voyce of the church in things commanded of God He might also have added that both Elders and people should obey the voyce of any particular person in things commanded by God For if the whol church doe syn and any one make it known unto them and shew them the law of God they are bound to obey him submit to his good couÌ„sel in the Lord. But what is this to the purpose The question is into whose hands Christ hath committed the ordinarie teaching guiding governing and ruling of his saincts here on earth The scriptures teach and we accordingly have long since professed that it is into the hands of the Bishops or Elders This is that which I defend in my answer to M. Bernard for this if for any thing M. S. also inveigheth against me being indeed against himself also herein For besides the testimonies fore alleged out of his book he hath further in the same book written thus Christ is not their king seing he onely ruleth by his own lawes and officers and not by Antichristian Lords and lawes c. And agayn You refuse Christs testament and his kingdome and will not have him to reign over you in his own offices and lawes which is contrarie to these places Luk.

19. 27. Apoc. 14. 9. 10. 11. Loe here the truth which I defend confirmed by my adversaries owne penn for this is the onely thing which I plead that Christ ruleth his people onely by his own lawes and officers as mine opposite himself granteth yet see what an outcrie he maketh against me as teaching such Antichristianisme as was never heard of before But by his former dispute against the Presbyterie himselfe is found to be one of those enimies that wil not have Christ to reign over them by his own offices and lawes Wheras he putteth the question thus how farr the sheep must obey the Elders which ar shepheards that is not the point between Mr. Bern. and me neyther medle I with it yet if any be desirous to know my mind in general it is So farr as the shepheards doe teach rule and direct the sheep in the wayes of Christ by his owne word and lawes so farr at they al jointly and every one severally bound to obey and submit to their shephards and no further For although this be the ordinary way of teaching and governing the Church yet if extraordinarily it fal out that the shepheards walk and lead awry and the sheep go aright then is neyther the whol flock nor any one sheep to follow or obey them unlesse they wil fall togither into the ditch Neyther wil that reason which M. Sm. so laboureth about namely that the Ministery is not by succession but by election of the church make ought against me unlesse the man thinketh this consequence good If Elders be chosen by the Church then are they not to teach and rule the Church by Christs word and lawes The contrary rather is true For if the Church be authorized and commanded of Christ to chose and set Elders over them for to teach and rule them by his own word and lawes and are also commanded to obey and submit themselves unto their Elders then are the Elders to teach rule them by Christs word and lawes and the Church is therin to obey But the first is true as the scriptures and reasons forealleged prove Therefore alsothe latter No more wil that similitude of a body which as all parables will easily be perverted being streyned beyond the purpose of the holy spirit help ought against the truth I defend For as God hath disposed the members every one of them in the body at his own pleasure given them severall faculties so as all the members have not one work and as the eye for seing the ear for hearing the mouth for speaking c. doo administer not for particular mebers onely but for the whol body even so the Church hath many members with diversities of gifts and diversities of offices or ministeries which they are to attend unto and execute for the whol body the whol not the particular members onely as this man fansieth are to obey and submit unto these distributions administrations being al of the Lord as the Apostle teacheth And as al the members of the body have not the gift of speaking seeing smelling c. but these are bestowed on special members for the use of al so in the church al are not prophets or al teachers or al governours c. but to one is given the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge c. unto the administration of which gifts by the due offices or members al the body is to submit and obey in the Lord. So that a wonder it is any man should have the face to blame me with Antichristianisme for disclayming that position which M. Bernard imputed unto us namely that the power of Christ that is avthoritie to preach to administer the sacraments and to execute the censures of the church belongeth to the whole church yea to overy one of them or for affirming some special authoritie to be committed to the Elders for reaching and ruling the church by Christs own word and lawes unto whom the other brethren are to obey alwayes in the Lord. What would it be but a mere confusion and abuse of the holy ordinances of the gospel if every one in the church should administer perform the works of al Christs ministers which they may if the power and authoritie perteyneth unto them for who may abridge the saincts of these things And most strange it is that M. S. if any thing may be strange in him would thus inveigh against me when in handling this very poynt against M. Bern. he writeth thus Wherefore I say unto you that the gifts of preaching administration of the sacraments and governing are given unto some men but the offices and officers indued with these gifts are given unto the church c. If but some men in the church have the gifts of preaching administration of sacraments governing wil M. S. blame me for deneying this position of M. Bernard that Christs power and authoritie to preach administer the sacraments c. belongeth to every one in the church Have they authoritie to preach or govern which have not the gifts of preaching or government I leave the judgment of this controversie to every wise hart And this I hope may suffice for clearing my self of Antichristianisme in that which I wrote about church goverment being the mayn thing which M. Sm. hath wrested against me Other things there are which he girdeth at breifly and which I omit to strive with him about whom I see to be set upon debate And how adversarylike he dealeth with me in mangling corrupting and depraving my answers for his advantage they that compare them with his book may see Let this one be an instance To an objected error against us I thus answered Neither is this position set down in our words to my knowledge neither doth Mr. Bernard take away but confirm rather the thing that we hold for he granteth that they offend God which may and doe not ordinardie having meanes offred live in a church rightly constituted we grant that many of Christs subiects for want of meanes doe not live in a true constituted church If therfore he were not a caviller he would not have reckned this among our errors This my answer M. S. of his liberalitie hath set down in his book thus M. Ains answering M. Bern. pag. 173. vseth these words Neither is this position set down in our words to my knowledge if therfore M. Bern. were not a caviller he would not have reckned this among our errors Thus having dealt more injuriously with my words then the unjust steward did with his Masters reckning in abating more then half of my writing without so much as any note or mark to intimate of further matter in my answer which he maketh almost senselesse he procedeth to charge me with forsaking the defence of the truth and then runns on to justifie that he had written to Mr. Bernard which I knew not of But for his

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