admits of no falshood But to cleare this more fully I shall by Gods assistance consider three things 1 What they say true of their owne members and ours 2 What they say false of the members of a true visible church 3 That their dreame of pollution is from their owne braines not from Christs ordinance This they say truely that the members of a true church are saints by calling Profession of saving truth as I have shewed makes such true members and all that so professe themselves though there be much chaffe among the wheate are such saints by calling He that professeth so much knowledge either actually or foederally as admits him to baptisme hath put on Christ And he that hath put on Christ though as an elect vessell as Paul or as one in Christ bearing no fruit and therefore justly to be cut off is certainely a saint by calling There are two sorts of saints by calling such as are sanctified by habituall infusions and actual expressements and such as are so by baptismal profession and many gifts of the spirit and so by consecration to God This may fall upon those that are justly rejected for their hypocrisie and wickednesse These two sorts have ever and ever shall to the end of the world make up the true members of a true visible church This secondly they say falsely that the members of a true visible church are onely such saints as are so regenerated as they have actual communion with Christ in all the acts of saving grace If they would spâ—ake of the Catholick Church It is the number of all faithfull people which are united to Christ by the union of the body head spirit and faith of truth By the first all members are knit together with the head in one body and so receive grace from the head according to the measure of everie member By the second it hath but one head As the body is but one so the head is but one from whence it receiveth the grace of life By the third the whole Church is directed and governed by one spirit which is the spirit of sanctification And by the fourth the whole church receiveth the doctrine once given to the saints which it cleaves unto for ever that in this foundation and love of union it may receive from Christ all saving doctrine with the comfortable fruits of it If they would speake of this catholick church let them draw up the members to that sanctitie which the word and world will affoord Nay if they would speake of such members of the visible church who shall from Christ receive al spiritual blessings in heavenly things and be jointed into the body of Christ till they come to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ let them speake of all holinesse too so far as our knowledge in part can reach unto in this kingdome of heaven upon earth If further they would speak of such members as are fittest to beare rule in the visible church surely though Iudas be in as well as Peter by Christs his call and yong Timothy can worke the worke of the Lord as Paul doth yet surely they that are best and of ablest gifts are fittest for highest places in the visible church Which because the Brownists perceive therefore they having set up to themselves a governement of all the members which they cannot make good they thinke not onely the holiest persons to bee the fittest but the onely members of their visible churches If lastly they would speake of those that are the greatest comforts and ornaments of a visible church then surely holy persons are For Davids eies runne over with water when members in the church as well as others kept not Gods law yea and it is a fearfull reproach and tending to corruption to them that favour it But when they speake of such members onely in the visible church who are so holy as they imagine to whom if others joyne themselves in spirituall communion they are unchurched this surely hath no ground but in their owne braine This is an undoubted rule that it is Gods will that a mixed company be invited to the wedding of Christ the feast of the gospell which makes up a visible church The wedding of Christ is either compleate in heaven or begunne in the church To that in heaven a mixed company is not invited but conditionally for no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven To this in the church a mixed company is invited and thorough the power of the sweet word of grace comes both to the word and sacraments as Symon Magus to baptisme and the drunken and factious Corinthians to the supper of the Lord. And that it is Gods will to invite a mixed company appeares by texts examples and reasons The text is cleare in Gods commission Goe ye into the high-wayes and as many as ye finde invite to the marriage and also in his servants execution they went and gathered together all as many as they found both good and bad All these were members of this feast till God came and made the separation and when he did come hee blamed not his servants for inviting and guests for being in communion with the unworthy but friend how camest thou in hither But say they what is this kingdome of heaven Is it not the world Doth not Christ himselfe so expound it in opening the parable of the tares The Field is the world It is true hee saith the field is the world but hee saith not the kingdome of heaven is the world Surely the whole world lies in wickednesse and is farre different from the kingdom of heaven in the church· Therfore doth not Christ say the kingdome of heaven is like to the world but it is like unto a man this man is the son of man who raiseth to himselfe a visible church heere This he raiseth not in Jury onely but now the separation wall is broken downe in the world Here by vertue of his Gospel he doth sow the children of the Kingdome according to that promise of old I will sowe her to mee in the earth But the Devill that envies Christs Kingdome not the world sowes the Tares which are the children of that wicked one These Tares grow up in the Kingdome of Heaven which is in the field of the world with the good seed and so long as the Divell is the Divell and envies it will be so And it is Christs Judgement concerning them Let them alone till the harvest least while ye pluck up the Tares yee pull up the Wheate Surely they were other than the weeds of the world out of the Church These might have been plucked up without dangering the Church They were blasted Corne upon one stalke which from the power of the Gospel were called into the Church but degenerated by the
and the sacraments of his covenant rightly administred and thus by degrees wee fall to publicke profession of Christs truth by union of lawes consents and practises What then is the want in our entrance which doth make us no true church The Brownists heere plead foure things 1 All our members entred not upon knowledge 2 They made not a covenant for Christ 3 They were not voluntary professours 4 They were baptized when they were the seede of those that were not members of the visible church by actuall profession That all our members entred not upon knowledge is false were they in planting from no church or in reforming from a corrupt church Surely the knowledge of the doctrine of salvation by the blessed trinitie is sufficient for the receiving in of members For Christ saith Goe teach all nations and baptize them And whâ—t must they bee taught That which they must bee baptized into their faith in the father son and holy Ghost which was Christs first creede that made churches Had not the members of our reforming church this knowledge where was the seede of our many hundreds of Martyrs and where is these mens charities Even the darkest times that our church hath suffered hath preserved this knowledge and the profession of looking to bee saved by Iesus Christ the sonne of the living God which is that Rocke against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Yea but they say secondly put case they had this knowledge yet they entred not into our visible church by covenant Indeed it is lawfull for christians that have beene disjointed in the service of God to make covenants betwixt themselves to serve him better So Asa and his people entred into a covenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers yea and they sware unto the Lord. So wee reade of the Princes Levites and Priests that made a sure covenant writ it and sealed it Surely this was a good way to tye up the unruly colts that were among them to Gods service if they had but naturall conscience and the Prophets did not condemn it From whence I conclude that it is lawfull to helpe our selves in the service of God by any meanes not forbidden though it bee not precisely commanded in the word yet is their practise a binding law to us so far as to unchurch us if wee doe it not How many glorious visible churches doe wee reade of in the scriptures which never tooke this course nor were bound unto it and yet entred covenant with Christ too when they were admitted members They were made Christs disciples by teaching and receiving the word which is the word of reconciliation And this word given to his people is Gods covenanting with them and his avouching them to bee his peculiar people and their receiving it is their covenanting with him and taking God to bee their God Then doe they goe to the seales of the covenant the sacraments according to Christs rule which doe knit us rogether in an holy league for the service of Christ to our eternall good if wee doe not deale falsly with God concerning his covenant If therefore they denie not as they cannot that our first members had the true word of God and sacraments neither can they deny that they have entred into the church by covenant Hee that is baptized putteth on Christ and baptisme is Christs seale of the covenant upon them that are baptized as those that were circumcised were said to bee borne to God by covenant which if we breake we renew againe so oft as we come to the supper of the Lord. Yea but they say thirdly put case that they entred covenant with God by baptisme yet were they forced to keepe his covenant in a better way then they had done by the edicts lawes and proclamations of princes They were not voluntary servers of Christ as the members of a true visible church should be Put this case to them also yee are the sonnes of your mother who was forced by the authority of her father or guardian to marrie your father will yee say that yee are bastards not lawfull heires or not true members of the family because your mother was not married to your father freely and willingly with what will soever shee was married shee afterward lived in love faithfulnesse and obedience and brought forth much fruit unto him Such may bee the case of a true visible church Shee may come to Christ her husband as a Beare to the stake being forced by conviction and the power of naturall conscience she may bee drawne before shee runne after him yet afterward shee remembring his love more then wine may live in obedient love and bring forth fruit unto God Though this bee a sufficient plea yet let them know that the first members of our church in planting were a willing people for ought they know and for our first members in reforming I answere foure things First that the free acts of the leaders of the people are accounted by God as the acts of all when Moses was bid tell the children of Israel and hee did but tell the elders of Israel and they answered all the people are said to answer together in them So Ioshuah called twelve choise men out of every tribe a man to carry twelve stones and the children of Israel whom they represented are said to do it So Asa tooke away the altars of the strange Gods and brake the idols and cut downe the groves willingly and though hee commanded his people and ruled by power yet they obeying are said to seeke the Lord and to prosper Thus far then our first reformers were willing members they were willing in their guides and leaders who willingly put themselves on to advance the kingdome of Christ Secondly not onely the governours but the people were willing covenanters in generall body It was done by the free proceedings of the house of parliament where Knights and Burgesses were chosen by the free vote of the commons and they being knowne to be able men doe refer themselves to their determination in the Lord. What though some submitted out of feare of power Thus many in Mardocai's time became Iewes for feare yet were so accounted And many in Hezekiahs time were brought by postes as it were by the sound of the trumpet to the passeover and yet their service was accepted Thirdly put case the lawes and proclamations of our Princes forced some to bee members who were willing to doe worse It was not in the first planting of a church where faith is not to be forced the kingdome of heaven suffers violence but faith suffers not compulsion but it was in the reforming of a church and in such a case God did blesse the compulsion of Hezekiah and the people were not rejected as no members though they were not purified according to the purification of the sanctuary Did not Manasseh after hee
by authority iâ— the face of the Church who of conscience ought to consent and beare witnesse to the doome First the act of an Apostle Deliver such an one unto Satan it may be that he might have power over his body to torment him as appeares in the Stories of Ananias Sapphira Elimas Alexander Secondly the act of a Bishop put away from amongst you that wicked person that being suspended from the preservatives of his soule in the visible communion of Saints he might have a way to bring him to godly sorrow And thirdly the act of every godly Pastour to mourne that if any be called a brother and bee a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not that is be so farre from countenancing of him in his sinne that yee take him not into unnecessary familiarity Now how from hence can be picked a popular government of the Church God knoweth I cannot yet reach But yet say the Brownists you may reach thus much to confound you that if Paul would not have you eate with such wicked brothers much lesse would he have you to receive the Sacrament with them for he hath more care of his owne supper than of ours This is certaine that God hath a greater care of his own Supper than of ours and therefore though he be willing that all should come both good and bad yet if they come and stay bad and hee come to try them they shall bee bound hand and foot and cast into hell It is certaine also that wee must have a great care of the Supper of the Lord as we can in our places private persons by private communion of Saints Presbyters by publike preaching by Word and Doctrine and by private exhortations as they can and Church-Officers by presentments and punishments fit But it doth not therefore follow because wee may not eate with them that is converse familiarly and unnecessarily with them that therefor we may not eate the Lords Supper with the Saints because wicked persons are there Their wickednesse we countenance when we keepe company with them our goodnes they countenance when they come into publike communion with us we have no need of their eating with us they shew their need of their eating with us in the Sacrament when we have no power to keepe them backe Yet say they still wee have power to keepe them backe for Paul speaking of the incestuous person saith sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many therefore the whole Church had power and used it against him It is true it was inflicted by many assessors and conseÌ„ters to his doom but not as prime executors of that doome The Apostle saith that the Saints shall judge the world by way of life witnesse consent and approbation yet is it not Christ that is the Judge of wicked and good So though this punishment was inflicted upon him by many by way of consent and approbation yet was it primely inflicted by Paul and his authority in those that declared it Thus have I satisfied my selfe if not others in this point concerning the power of governement which lies not in all the congregation for execution and prime officiating but in the chiefe governours who beare the place of Paul and the other Apostles SECT 13. Brownists exceptions against the persons governing in our Church and against the exercise of their governement PVt case that the power of governement were not in every particular congregation yet our governours are not to bee allowed yea to be banished the church say they They are farre from the sweete moderate spirit of Melancthon one of the blessed reformers who so the Pope of Rome himselfe would have admitted of the Gospel of Christ in truth would have permitted his superiority over Bishops by humane right for the peace and common tranquility of christians under him But nothing will serve these people but the damnation of the Pope and the shame and confusion of all Bishops one and the other And there are three things principally in them at which they except and against which they stumble 1 Their name 2 Their degree 3 Their jurisdiction Why say they should they appropriate to themselvs this name of Bishops which belongs to all other Pastours as well as to them There is good cause for there are two sorts of Bishops first ordinary Bishops such as were all the Elders of Ephesus These must not bee blinde watch-men for if they see not they cannot oversee They must not sleepe and bee secure they must have a great care to keepe safe those that are committed to them that the enemy come not and sowe tares Secondly there are extraordinary Bishops such as have precedence jurisdiction not onely over the flock but over the elders and presbyters which are called Angels such were Timothy and Titus the first ordained Bishops of the churches of Ephesus and Creta as appeares in the postscript of those epistles Which though haply they are no part of the canonicall scriptures yet are they authenticall records of matters of fact to help our understandings in the needfull stories of thâ—se times without which we may think amisse From these they justly assume those names which have beene given to men of their order ever since the Apostles dayes But put case they could not make such aclaime if there be the office shall we quarrell about the names The first man that ever found fault with the name would fame have been a Bishop himselfe but when he found himselfe crossed he comforted himself with this that yet as he was a Presbyter he was equall with them But let no good Christians be unquiet for names if there may bee an agreement in things named The Apostles were called Deacons in Gods language yea and Christ himselfe who came to that end Christ is called the Arch-bishop and the Apostle of our soules The Apostles are called Elders and Elders were called Apostles and Bishops are called Angels What matters it then for names if wee can agree in other things But say they wee doe not agree in other things for these Bishops are in a degree above Presbyters and so there is an unequall ministery in the Church of Christ which should not bee Now surely they have had this from the Apostles dayes yea the scripture mentioneth a superiority in the ministery of the Church first Apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers And this is a sure rule that such a ministery as is most like the ministerie ordained by Christ it not being denyed unto us expressely or by consequent and another commanded may be lawfully maintained by us as Christs ministery But such is an unequall ministery in degree as Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Doctours one above another in larger authority gifts for those that were called
those rams-hornes of old when we are in publicke worship There yee have not onely the spirit promised which will lead you into all saving truth convince convert and comfort you till yee are of full stature in Christ but yee have many hands to help you in confession supplication deprecation intercession and giving of thankes There ye have many encouragements to hold on in the way of Christ There is the word to promise sacraments to confirme prayer to procure and many of Gods people to give you the right hand of fellowship till you come to your journeyes end The first step to apostacy is the neglect of publick assemblies As a man that hath an inclination to take wicked courses withdrawes himselfe from good company as Iudas when he went out from Christ and his disciples and yoaked with the high-priest and elders so if a man encline to warp hee declines the assemblies of Gods people as one wearie of such a course But if hee stick unto them his hands are strengthened to hold God fast by the word of precept promise and correction by the sacraments wherein a bargaine is strook betweene God and us by the prayers of our selves and others which bring God neere to helpe and by the examples of others which have a compelling vertue to good as well as ill When therefore yee consider this bundle of profit yee cannot wonder that Gods people have so constantly tyed themselves to watch at the gate and wait at the postes of the doores where publicke worship hath beene prepared Oh that all Gods people that ate good and would be better would lay these things to heart and not forsake our assembling together God workes by these meanes and if wee forsake them wee forsake the hands of the God of strength which are in them stirred up to come and help us Forsake church assemblies and yee turne your backes upon Gods face angels saints and comforting acts of worship Forsake church assemblies and ye sad the hearts of Gods people strengthen the hands of wickednesse and shew no reverence to worship Forsake church-assemblies and yee let loose thousand of temptations upon you against faith and manners the Devill will take you upon his owne ground You wil say happily that great presence and profit is talked of but ye see none nor feele any upon you It maybe so yet without the fault of our assemblies and with the fault of none but your unworthy selves Take therfore this advice in Gods feare and speed better hereafter First come with prepared hearts that is hearts unloaded of the guilt of wilfull sins hearts standing in awe of Gods presence and worshipping in feare and hearts sincerely purposing to bee better Yee know Gods advice lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your souls Ye know Peters proposition now are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God and Daevids practise In thy feare wil I worship towards thy holy temple Ye know the prophecy that went of you of old and Davids resolution to keepe the law yea to observe it with his whole heart according to grace given Do but you thus and yee shall find presence and profit Secondly bring an humble soule along with you to God house If God doe meete with you in our assemblies hee acknowledgeth a Publican before a Pharisee hee calls no man Benjamin the sonne of his right hand but those whom their owne hearts call Benoni in their humility hee salutes them not Naomi beautifull who doe not humbly feele themselves Marah bitter The humble God wil teach and the humbled God will lift up for he fills the hungry with good things Bring but such senses and yee shall see presence and profit But if yee bee swift to heare and not slow to speak slow to wrath God sends such rich ones emptie away and casts such mighty ones from their thrones Thirdly carry your hearts along thorough the whole service Loose your hearts and loose your comforts in any thing ye do It was sweetly sung of old rejoyce the soule of thy servant for unto thee doe I lift up my soule Let that plummet runne downe to the ground and the wheeles of your actions will not runne to your content Therefore do but you come with prepared hearts humbled soules and binde your hearts for hearty service in the whole and then the presence in our assemblies shall bee for you and the profit for you too as well as for others who are thus vertuous as not to forsake our assemblings together SECT 3. The vice of those that forsake publick Communion 1 of the prophane ALl that can be said will not prevaile with all There are so many vices to overwhelm that as it was of old so is it stil it is the manner of some to forsake our assemblings together The Apostle saw it of old and laboured against it as an enemy to perseverance in the unity of faith and manners we see it stil and must labour against this act of many vices I le speake thorough Gods helpe but of two sorts of persons too neere unto us who give themselves unto this fault the first are prophane the second would be accounted truely religious The prophane shew themselves by foure degrees of forsaking our assemblies The first is coming to our assemmblies like those that are unwilling These that doe so are not altogether withdrawn in body but in heart are too farre from us The godly say let us go speedily and pray before the Lord they are like the Isles that wait for the law because they are willing people But they come as if they were in fetters and bolts like Zachariahs women pressed into an Epha with a talent of lead Lord how slow is their pace as if it were to the jaile or Bridewel The second is loving to be any where rather then in the assembly Surely when any act this though sometimes they come yet they forsake apace Gods people cannot rejoyce in such commers when God told Ezekiel that hee should goe to a rebellious people that were unwilling to submit hee went in bitternesse and indignation of spirit Such needes must be the movings of the heart of the assembly about such commers These thinke not that they should come to doe homage to God as David presseth give give unto the Lord glory strength worship due unto his name They thinke not that hee that despiseth the ministery done in assemblies despiseth not man but Christ therefore they love any meetings rather then them They account church-assemblies rather matters of complement then necessitie They need no soule reparations so their bodies bee fat and well-liking Wee read of one Victorinus of old who would bee a Christian but frequented not christian assemblies But godly Simplicianus met him
of the church requires to excommunicate and receive in and to order all things in their assemblies for the advancement of Christs kingdome without the leave or restraint of any Fourthly it must assemble for acts of governement and solemne worship without which it is but a shadow that is it must meete in their meeting places to pray preach prophecy baptize and communicate as the spirit gives wisedome and utterance Now because they finde not our churches thus made up according to their owne fansies therefore doe they forsake them as false or at the least no true churches This is their new way of churching and unchurching of assemblies so farre as I can gather by their conferences and writings and they judge of our assemblies after this mould I hope they will not deny us to have assemblies or to be separate from Iewes Turkes Pagans Idolaters and wicked Belialists in communion for spirituall life by Christ that wee have authority and power for ordination excommunication absolution and order or that wee have assemblies for governement and solemne worship and for the rest of the frame it is but the issue of their owne braine and not of the law and rule of Christ For first whereas they would have no nationall churches but particular in dependent congregations they must confesse that the whole nation of Israel was but one church And though then they had but one Tabernacle yet when after they were divided into severall Synagogues did they not continue the only church of God were they not still reputed of God as one man though some were better and more worse It is true say they because they had but one high-priest a figure of Christ which was to vanish Nay rather because they were but one people and common-wealth professing the same religion and ruled by the same lawes both before they had one high-priest and after when by corruption they had two Neither was the high-priest in respect of governement a type of Christ for so was Melchizedech of whose order Christ was and not after the order of Aaron but in respect of his sacrifice and intercession for the whole people and his enterance alone into the holy of holies bearing the names of the twelve tribes and Christs governement belongs to his kingdome not to his priest-hood Besides must they not confesse that that one church of the nation of Jewes was governed by one law and one king one law for the substance of governement and one king to order both priests and people and that not as a type of Christ but as a king by royall authority as head of the tribes as I shal cleare hereafter Yea doe wee not reade of the church of Ephesus which was one house of God over which Timothy was the first angell and Bishop as it comes to us from oldest records to rule all Presbyters Deacons Widowes and people in their severall assemblies For how fond were it to thinke that all the Elders Deacons and believers that Paul gives him Jurisdiction over there should be of one assembly Especially seeing Titus his fellow-Bishop was left in Creta to ordeine elders and oversee them in every city according to the necessity of severall assemblies Secondly whereas they urge that a true church must be separate from all false waies it is true it must be thus in profession when they are plainely discovered by undoubted scriptures but that it must be actually thus or be unchurched is utterly false Israel was Gods people when the sonnes of Eli in communion with them were sonnes of Belial and knew not the Lord. Moses calls them Gods people even when they were not separated from Idolatry because he had no authority to cast them off before God himselfe had given a bill of divorce God by Esay calls the Jewes his children and people when they were so farre from being separated from rulers of Sodome rebellious Princes companions of theeves that they had such teachers as caused them to erre such women as were full of hellish pride such rich men as were cruell oppressours such inhabitants as the earth was defiled under them and such a face of the church as the faithfull city was become an harlot with their oakes and gardens of idolatrie ready to bring confusion Paul calls the Corinthians a church of God saints by calling when at that instant many in communion with them had debates envyings whisperings wraths strifes backbitings swellings tumults and had not repented of the uncleannesse fornication and lasciviousnesse which they had committed Read the epistles of Christ to the seven churches in Asia and yee shall finde much abominable wickednesse and yet they were crowned by Christ himselfe with the name of churches If the Brownists plead that these churches should have beene separated Indeed they should have better then they were and because they were not they after felt the heavie hand of God but that the good should have fallen out with God for the sinne of man and beene separated from the good things of God for the wickednesse of those that were in outward communion of christianity that we no where nor ever I am sure shall read Thirdly whereas they plead that every particular congregation hath sufficient power by generall vote of members in all causes ecclesiasticall I must wonder before answere what have the people all the members power of jurisdiction over all What new scripture hath ever Christ made for this confusion Surely we finde it not before the law for then power of governement lay upon Adam Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph and their peeres Surely it was not under the law for then power of governement lay upon Moses and his assistants even by the advice of Iethro and upon Aaron to whom the people must assent The law was delivered to the priests and elders and they were charged to looke to the rest It is as sure also that it is not under the Gospel The people attempted nothing but by the liking leave and approbation of the Apostles The Apostles ordeined elders in every city for the people without them and conferred with the elders of the church for the good of their assemblies without the people yea and upon consultation did decreâ— a matter for the peace of the church without them when their gifts were at the height It is true that sometimes the people were acquainted with some great matter in counsell not because they had authority without which the Apostles and elders could doe nothing but to acquâ—int them with reasons and to incourage them in their graces Thus Bishop Cyprian sometimes did and sometimes superiours do require the assent of inferiours for better peace and love And that the people had no authority in governing the church appeares by the commission of Christ to his Apostles and those that should succeed them goe yee saith Christ and teach and baptise
the question meddles not with the judgement of God who by his sure omniscience knowes who are reconciled to him and who not nor with the judgement of the conscitnce of any reconciled persons who by the assurance of faith or hope may believe or hope that they are reconciled for this is Gods tribunall but with the judgement of the church which under the sacrament of charity as it was termed of old by the harlots words and actions may judge the best and so this parr of the question is utterly void For I never yet knew harlot but would confesse and lament her sinne and promise amendement before her bastard was baptized and so give a ground for charitable hope The second limitation is till shee bee publickely reconciled to the church scandalized from which by her fact shee hath cuâ— her selfe off In which foure things are to bee pondered First the manner of her reconciling which is required by the question in the open church But what if she be ready to be swallowed up of sorrow Shall wee not have the church to apply her power of mitigating indulgence shall we have nothing but extreamitie Did God allow in the time of the law that if an oxe did kill a man by the masters negligence there might bee a commutation of punishment from death to a ransome of mony and will wee in no case have a mitigation of rigour from the open church when yet Justice may bee done and that with more good sometimes both upon the partie and others by charitable and indulgent acts Secondly the persons offended are the Church scandalized by which the question meanes not the Catholik or nationall Church for with both these the harlot may be friends still because they cannot take notice of every such fact to bee offended by it But the particular Church and assembly united by God and the lawes for the professing of saving truth Thirdly consider then the danger of the harlot offending shee hath cut her selfe off as the question implyes but consider how she hath cut her selfe off and how farre shee hath not cut her selfe off by excommunication ecclesiasticall for that is not in her power and the Church hath not yet proceeded against her but by excommunication morall by the wickednesse of her fact which makes her censurable both heere and hereafter in an high degree if she repent not heartily But how farre hath she cut her selfe off Not from the visible Church for she still professeth saving faith and would not but have the benefit of it for much yea shee still hath the character of Baptisme which is the outward marke of a Christian for otherwise upon her reconciliation she should be baptized againe which surely the question intends not but from two things in the visible Church first from the inward comforts of christianity till shee repent unto life For I thinke it will not bee denyed but that shee may doe this before ecclesiasticall indulgence bee applyed unto her upon outward submission And secondly from publike communion with the visible Church in some holy things when she is proceeded against till shee hath outwardly in the congregation confessed her fault if neede require and promised amendment In some holy things I say for I answer none will deny her a right to reade the word of God or to heare it read to heare good exhortations and instructions or to pray in private which yet are the acts of a true Christian Fourthly consider the remedy of this danger her reconciling to the Church by which we must not vnderstand her returning into favour by communion with the Church in repentance unto life and the faith of the elect for no man or men can judge certainely of these but onely returning into favour by communion with the Church in profession to have them The question being thus stated wee may the more easily conceive and give satisfying answers To the first whether Bastards are baptizable I answer the bastards as other children of Iewes Turkes and Infidels are not but the bastards of professors of Christianity are for these two reasons First because that which gives right unto the parents gives right unto the children in the parents right for when the parents professed the faith of Christ the Apostles did baptize them and their children if any such were in the houshold But profession of Christianity gives right to the Parents for if men doe but professe their faith in the Trinity they are baptizeable and therefore the bastards of Christans are baptizeable Secondly because the children of Christians are baptizeable but bastards of Christians are the children of Christians for otherwise such parents should be rebaptized therefore they are baptizeable To the second question whether men ought to stay their baptisme till the harlot be reconciled unto God in the open church which is justly scandalized by her fact and from which shee hath dismembred herselfe by her misdeed I answere first to the grounds of the question in limitations and next to the question it selfe To the grounds of the question I answer two things First that her fact hath not so dismembred her as to make her no christian For let me aske doth a vaste sinne so cut off from Christ that it doth unchristian a man or woman I doe not aske this to move any man or woman to flatter themselves in such a case For such have just cause to doubt whether they are univocall members of saving Christ neither can they know by assurance of faith whether ever they shall rise againe because God saies to no man sinne and my grace shall helpe thee up But I aske it to shew the hope and charity of the church about such wicked professours of christianity Besides if her fact had made her no christian shee should be rebaptized but shee hath still the character of baptisme and hath right to the inward comforts of it if she repent and so in her state and right her bastard hath a right also Secondly I answer that her scandalizing of the church where shee lives doth not deprive her selfe or her childe of the right of christianity As for her childe the scandall was given by the mother not that who is a sufferer in the shame of the sinne not a doer in the worke of it As for her selfe though her scandall deprive her of the best comforts of christianity till she repent yet not of a right to some of the outward priviledges of Christianity whereof the baptisme of her childe is one And this the rather because an harlot amongst christians having a bastard and not professing her selfe sorrowfull and that shee doth believe in Christ is not for ought I know or have heard to bee found what ever her heart be Now secondly to the question it selfe I answer that no man either in that church or over that church ought lawfully to stay bastards from baptisme Because they that are in the covenant of Christianity
that act out of ignoraÌ„ce not wholy excusing Abraham loved him not yes as Iosiah was the generation of them that loved God though Manasseh his father had long and fearefull fits of cruell Idolatry so in this case bastards may bee the generation of them that love God though their immediate Solution 2 parents in those accursed acts loved him not Secondly they say that it is one thing to say that God will shew grace and favour to one and another thing to say that he is already in grace as hee must bee that is baptized I have answered before that the bastards of Christians have the grace of right to Baptisme and that is sufficient in this case for otherwise Ishmaels right to Solution 3 circumcision cannot bee found Thirdly they say that that promise of God in the second commandement may have a double sence first that God will extend his mercy to many ages on them that love him when they are come to age and capeable of his love by practise But thus they make them that love God to bee the posterity when it is plaine the promise was made to them that received the law then and were to continue in the profession of saving truth and so to all others in such a case Secondly that God will shew little children favour for their fathers and mothers sake to a thousand generations But this they thinke cannot bee meant neither in deede is as I conceive Yet then adde a third sence which they forget that God will shew the posterity that continues in the profession of his name favour not for their parents sake but for his owne sake for his promise sake which he makes to them that love him and that for many generations and then I reason thus That which keepes the generations to come who live as professors in the visible Church in covenant with God that gives infants of such parents right to the seale of the covenant of which they are capable But Gods promise to faithfull parents in the visible Church keepes such generations to come in covenant with God and therefore have they right to the scale of the covenant whereof they are capable Now whereas they aske whether all children or some have right I answer all to the grace of right to Baptisme Thirdly they bring forth another objection Objection 3 that if bastards bee withheld from Baptisme there will be no difference put betwixt Bastards and their parents They answer here what if there be no difference put And whatsoever the objection bee for I know not who ownes it they runne here a strange course Out of a desire to honour the seventh commandement they dishonour the first and third Let adultery bee abominable because whoremongers and adulterers God will Iudge yet let God have his honour in hating infidelity above whoredome Let not the Scripture bee wronged but thoroughly weigh their words They say first that Bastards and their parents are all infidels what though their parents bee Christians yes surely say they because Saint Paul saith they are worse then infidels Let them consider because they are worse then carefull infidels in not caring for their children which is against the fift and eight commandements are they worse then infidels in infidelity They are christians yet worse and better worse in disgracing their posterity yet better in beleeving still the doctrine of christianity and so giving a right to baptisme But they say further that parents of bastards are worse in state then Turkes and they would prove it from a Text of finall Apostacy but what proofe this can be against an act of whoredome in the passion of lust clowding reason in an heate I cannot tell Let a Turk be a Turk but no worse and let a damnable Harlot be an harlot but no worse Her state is bad enough to bring her to hell without Objection 4 repentance but not to exclude her child from baptisme if she be a Christian at large Fourthly they meete with another objection that Bastards are borne the Church is their Mother therefore baptisme ought not to be denyed them It should have beene put thus they are borne of Christian parents who by profession are members of the Church and so the Church is their Mother and the mother of their seede and therefore to bee baptized But in their answer they fall into two errors First that the Church is a company of true beleevers whoÌ„ God bath chosen to eternall life which Church I pray Not that whereof new borne bastards of Christian parents are by profession members The holy Catholike Church and proper body of Christ may be defined by beleevers in that sence of it but that the visible Church in the outward face of it is thus defined wants warrant in the word of Christ Thus the Church is a number of persons united according to the word in the profession of saving truth whether they are elect or no. Their second error is that Bastards are infidels for this can not bee conceived of bastards of Christian parents as is before proved Objection 5 Fiftly they yet finde more arguments to oppose them Bastards may belong to Gods election and therefore are not to be denyed Baptisme It should have beene thus set They may belong to Gods election as members of the visible Church for otherwise election may belong to Jewes and Turkes who yet are not Baptizable without personable profession But they answer thus it must not be said they may belong but they doe belong to Gods election for otherwise the signe is not to bee administred unto them Doe they consider how thus they take away Baptisme from all men women and children The Lord knowes who are his and the Church reaches but to the judgement of charity A judgement of certainety to warrant us in these acts is no where granted though baptisme bee deferred to the last gaspe for any thing knowne to me of faith Objection 6 Sixtly they further finde another argument against them that if bastards were denied baptisme this were to make the children to beare the iniquity of their Parents But may they not rather thus dispute The children whose parents have a right to baptisme have also a right to baptisme themselves notwithstanding their parents personal faults for otherwise they shall be punished for parents faults But the christian parents of bastarâ—s have a right to baptisme themselves and therefore so have their children They have a right of possession to the baptisme they have and a right of expectation to the comfort of it upon their faith and repentance But take their answer and they say foure things First that they do not meane to deny baptisme but to defer it Indeed heere is some charity but not enough upon former grounds Againe they say to defer baptisme is not to punish them for their parents sinnes yes that it is if it bee meerely
of substance and in matters of circumstance In matters of substance it hath power to governe it selfe by ordering concerning the Word Sacraments and Prayer so as to make them most comfortable concerning Church Offices from time to time and duties of charity concerning the Churches censures publike assemblies and oversight that all these bee done to the honour of Christ and advancement of religion In matters of Circumstances it hath power to ordaine some outward rites and ceremonies for the outward carriage of Gods worship In the Church of Antioch there was a question a-about Circumcision an uselesse because dying ceremony then The Apostles Elders and brethren at Ierusalem by their consent and to encourage them in grace consulted about it and delivered their judgement as a rule for the Church to follow They disanulled the ceremony of Circumcision in those Churches troubled and establish others for a time as abstaining from meate offered to Idoles and bloud which yet in themselves were but things indifferent For meate commendeth us not to God for neither if we eate are we the better neither if we eate not are wee the worse Againe in the Church of Corinth there was a custome which grew to a publicke order in the Church of covering and uncovering to signifie the headship and soveraignty of the man and the subjection of the woman This was countenanced by the Apostle for the peace of the Church and other otders established Yea when he purposely treateth of acts of ordinary and extraordinary worship hee gives them rules for the government and outward carriage of them let all things bee done to edyfyng and let all things be done decently and in order Thus in matters of substance hath Christ made his Church able to governe it selfe by particular rules and in matters of circumstance by generall rules of edification order and decency Secondly he hath also made Kings prime officers to advance this governement in their places That hee hath made them Church-officers must be thus taken up Not strictly as Ministers who have the highest hand under Christ in the Word Sacraments and keyes of censures Ecclesiasticall but largely as those that are to care for good order about them The offices of ruling and governing which Paul speakes of cannot be proved not to belong to them They are Ministers for our good and our good is not chiefely civil I hope but spirituall The Apostle would have us pray for them that we may not onely live in civill honesty but in Godlinesse to bee countenanced and established by them Surely being members of Church they cannot but be chiefe ones too as being Christs Lieftenants who according to his promise are to bee nursing fathers and their queenes nurcing mothers who have their authority breasts and duggs to reach the neede of all under them to cherish and feede the Church of Christ according to his rules It is true they are servants to the Church and all good Kings doe so acknowledge themselves but not to be equals or subjects to the members of the Church but to make their prime authority serviceable to the advancement of the Gospel for the salvation of Christs people Hence is it that God hath given them a sword that when they oversee the waies of the Church within their reach they may maintaine the rights of it and by a coactive and coercive power suppresse the opposites for without this they cannot be the ministers of God for our good But say the Brownists wherein stands this office of Kings in the Church and over the members of it I answer first in calling of assemblies both civill and sacred The two silver Trumpets wer given to Moses the magistrate and least we should looke upon him as some extraordinary person we see that right maintained by Ioshua David Solomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah Secondly in abolishing false worship and establishing true as we see in Asa Iosiah Hezikiah Thirdly in looking to the ministry both that it bee sound and good as Solomon who thereupon deposed Abiathar and put Sadock in his roome as hee performed other acts of justice by royall authority and Iehosaphat who sent his princes to see that the Priests and Levites did teach the law of God in their cities and that the ministery bee maintained according to the honours that God hath bestowed upon them as Solomon Hezekiah Iosiah and Nehemiah Fourthly in causing the people to serve the Lord as Hezekiah and compelling all that were round in Israel formerly professing Gods religion to seeke the Lord as Iosiah and Asa Their people were in the house of God committed to their charge and they will see them to live according to the order set by God Lastly in appointing consistories for the well ordering of the people as Iehoshaphat who set over the Levites and Priests and chiefe of the families of Israel for the judgement and cause of the Lord at Ierusalem All this is true say they of the Jewish kings who were types of Christ but wee reade of no such officers in the new testament These men are liberall in making types of Christs kingdome but I wonder whence they will prove it what word of Christ will they bring for it It is true that in some things some of the kings of Iudah were types of Christ as Salomon in his name and building the the temple and David in his troubles and victories and as hee was a king and a prophet but that all the kings of Iudah were types in their governements over the church and state even Saul himselfe when God made him head of the tribes cannot bee proved for Gods truth And whereas they talke of no such officers in the new testament Say it bee so there were no christian Magistrates while those scriptures were in writing and Christ knew them to be sufficiently instructed in the old This is a sure rule that what is warranted in the old testament and not contradicted in the old or new may as the warrant goes either by precept for things necessary or paterne for things lawfull goe for currant still But seeing the new testament saith that wee must pray for kings that by their authority wee may live in godlinesse as by those that are over us for our good spirituall and temporall surely they have warrant enough to use their power over all their people to advance godlinesse and the good of religion as well as justice But say they it is for Christ not for kings to appoint orders about his worship This is true for substantiall orders for these thas are in the will of Christ may not be altered but for matters of circumstance which concerne time place and outward forme not determined kings are bound as supreame members of the church over which they are to use christian consistories to order them so as may agree to the condition of
members before they are cast out But they dreame of other members who must bee chosen into their congregations for governement as those that have a full right from Christ to give voices for ordinations elections excommunications absolutions and the like as if all the members of a common-wealth must bee counsellours if not kings but where will they finde in Christs word that none are members of a visible church but those that are admitted members for government I cannot tell except they have a new testament not knowne to us It is true that Peter calleth Gods people a chosen generation a royal priest-hood an holy nation But I hope he doth not write to any particular visible church but to the dispersed saints in divers churches that were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father None will deny these to be true members of the churches where they live and if they doe deny others who have not such high graces as these had to be members of a visible church as well as they though notwithstanding their profession to bee servants of Christ they flatter with their mouth and lie with their tongues because their heart is not right with God neither are they stedfast in his covenant they must denie the whole course of scripture which must judge them at the latter day But say they how can the wicked bee members of the church of Christ seeing Christ is not their head Christ hath told no man thus For though he be not their head by infusion of saving and sanctifying graces of the spirit unto eternall life yet is he their head as they are his members by professed governement A good husband is the head of a wicked wife and a good king is the head of wicked subjects so Christ is the head of wicked members to draw them to better courses or to have them brought forth to bee slaine before him because they will not that hee rule over them as he should But say they the visible church is the kingdome of heaven and wicked men are not the members of that The kingdome of heaven stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost of this kingdome they are not members But the kingdome of heaven is like unto a net that gathered of every kinde of this kingdome they are members till Christ cast away the bad in the end of the world They are not in this kingdome by the power of godlinesse they are in this kingdome by profession and presence among and with the meanes of salvation till the kingdome be removed from them But say they wicked men are dead and how can dead members bee members of a living body Iust as an unfruitfull or rotten branch is a branch till it be cut off that bough is dead say wee yet is a bough That member is gangrenated yet is a member till the Chirurgions knife comes and hath done its office Sardis was a true visible church yet had but a name to live but was dead so may wicked men be in the church as members for outward communion but not for inward comfort Well say they put case that wicked Christians are members of the visible church till they are cut off yet they should bee cut off in a true church whereas they continue in yours and are not cut off Put case this charge were true yet Christ learnes not to argue from thence that ours is no true church This may make us a corrupt church but not a false one How many wicked members were in the only church of God in Christs time yet he separates not from it as a false church For as a tree or man or beast may have corrupt members yet not be false creatures in their kindes so may it bee in a Church And rashly to separate from such members will not prove the correction of them but their hinderance in good when they see themselves contemned without conviction and judgement Thus are they put further from the Kingdome of Heaven and made seven-fold the child of hell more to the hazard of all But this is false that ungodly men are not cut off from our true Church They are cut off two wayes by acts of the state and acts of the Church The State when they are judiciously tryed cuts off many of them by the Gallowes and in the Church they are cut off three wayes Ministerially when by declaring Christs pleasure what they should be and denouncing his wrath against them for what they are the vile are separated from the precious as those that have no actuall right to the salvation of Christ professionally when Gods good people pray against their wickednesse reprove it complaine against it and practise otherwise in wills affections and whole courses and are payed for it with their reproaches and persecutions and lastly Ecclesiastically when by processe and publike tryall they are cast out of our Synagogues and assemblies If all tast not the bitternesse of this censure when Church-officers remember not the Oath of God and so through feare favour and affection bring them not before the Churches tribunall yet many doe to be examples to all as in the Church of Corinth whereof many wicked persons one incestuous beast was cast out But say they you should separate from them all at least in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Apostle Paul saw all the disorders in the Church of Corinth yet taught not a separation in this Sacrament but gave this rule of remedy Let a man examine himselfe and to the Galatians he saith Every man shall beare his owne burthen Though in duties of charity we must beare one anothers burthens yet in rendring of accounts we must beare our owne Which were it well observed it would make them more carefull to reforme themselves then curiously to pry into and censure others Againe put case wicked persons come to our Communions of the Body and Bloud of Christ wee should not separate from them but they should separate from us It is but theirs by their profession but it is ours by our power of grace When things are naught wee must separate but when they are good wee must stay in our owne right It was sinne in Israel to separate from the sacrifices for the mixture of Elies wicked sonnes whom God would destroy But because this doth sticke so much with them and their partners that wicked men come to our Sacrament of the Lords Supper I shall therefore by Gods helpe cleare these three particulars 1 What right a wicked man hath by vertue of the gospel to this sacramēt 2 What benefit he can have from it 3 VVhat separation Gods word will warrant from such receivers For the first the sacrament hath a double office to offer grace to them that will receive it according to their profession and to exhibit this grace offered to
there be a defect any where it is in Law not in Bishops Courts If there were any common Law for the poore Minister to recover his Offerings and other petty dues for the officers of courts to procure their fees whereof both must live or sterve would they ever run to the dreadfull sentence of excommunication It proceeds not from any order or sentence of our Bishops but from a meere want of other law for which I hope they will not separate from the common-wealth get some law to recover their rights other wayes and then excommunication shall shine in its glory Yet in the meane time thus much I am sure may be said to quiet a tender conscience A man askes his dues and it is denied so hee that denies it is an unrighteous person He askes it againe and it is denied in choller so he that denies is a contentious person hee askes it againe and hee is reviled so hee that doth so is a reviler Now the holy Ghost saith that contentious persons shall have indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish that unrighteous persons theeves and revilers shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Therefore they are bound in heaven while they are so Is not this reciprocall then those that are bound in heaven should upon due conviction bee bound on earth and those that are so bound on earth shall bee bound in heaven But these that will not pay just fees dues if they bee able upon conviction and contumacy are bound in heaven therefore upon their contumacy thâ—y may lawfully bee excommunicate Yea but say they the Bishops officers should have no fees at all in spirituall cases Should they not live so it may bee some would that would doe what they list But when they spend their time and strength in rectifying disorders as they can by law shall they have no reward Indeed it were a gracious thing if there were a common treasury to maintaine them that they might heare no more of they eate up the sinnes of the people yet because they must bee maintained one of these two wayes either out of the common purse of the innocent or out of the purses of the guilty Iudge whether it be more equal that one man should spend for another mans sinne or that a man that will sinne should be driven to spend for his owne that if he feare not sinne yet at the least he may feare the weakning of his purse And thus at the last by Gods blessing have I done with the first general plea of the Brownists against us that we are no true Church We have all their pleas about the nature of a true Church the enterance into a true Church the head of a true Church the members of a true Church and the government of a true Church In al which thorough Christs assistance I have so cleared our Church and shewed the vaine singularity of theirs that if they will not come to us yet wee shall keepe where we are and not forsake the fellowship in our assemblies SECT 14. The Brownists second opinion upon which they forsake our Church because we have not a true ministery WE are now by Gods favour come unto their second opinion upon which they ground their separation from us to be just and necessary that we have not a true ministery and therefore alasse they pitty me and others of my brethren They doe or should know that the best ministery now is the opening and applying the word by them that are sent that which Paul saith of prophecying that it is a speaking unto men for exhortation edification and comfort is this same with the best ministery And if they that doe it be sent then surely it is right as it should bee Now to the sending of this ministery there must bee three acts the act of Christ the act of the Church and the act of the parties sent To Christ all authority and power is given and he useth a double act an immediate act when he doth in calling extraordinarily fit men with knowledge and power to do his work so he fitted the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists A mediate act when he doth it the ordinary way by meanes and degrees Men by his grace take heede to doctrine and to themselves give attendance upon reading and attaine to these foure things integrity of life by which they get a good report even of those that are without Soundnesse in christian Doctrine by which they are able to teach exhort reprove correct and instruct those committed to them Dexterity in teaching by which they are apt to teach and communicate their knowledge to others And lastly willingnesse by which they feed the flocke of God willingly and of a ready minde out of love and zeale to Christ Of all these no ordinary man can judge but hee that findes them in himselfe may say I thank God I find this act of Christ in sending me which opens the doore The act of the Church is the Porter that doth let us in and stands in foure things presentation probation ordination and election Presentation is when those that are to be called are presented Thus the Disciples presented or set before the Apostles Ioseph Barsabas and Matthias as after they set before them the Deacons that were to be called Probation is a triall of their gifts and life as Paul saith Let them first bee proved and then let them minister if they be found worthy Ordination is when they are consecrated and set apart with imposition of hands and prayer Thus Paul and Barnabas ordained the Elders in every Church and Titus was left in Creta for this end Election and calling is when they are assigned for execution of their Office to their particular titles and allotments as Matthias to his Apostolicall jurisdiction and Timothy and Titus to Episcopall in Ephesus and Creta which Election though it may bee conceived to goe before Ordination in respect of the office to which they are elected yet not in respect of the execution of it in their particular places The Act of the party sent is a desire of the Office for the glory of God and a purpose to spend and to be spent upon that service They must have ordinarily a desire of their office and to addict themselves to the Ministery of the Saints as the house of Stephanas If it seeme to be unlawfull for a man to desire it because Moses and Ieremy were unwilling to undertake such high service and all the Apostles were called without their owne seeking and above their desires yea and some ancient worthies have been found to hang backe when such offices have beene tendred yet when wee consider the willingnesse of Esay here am I send me we must learn to judge aright If any desire it when they are not meet and qualified it is a wickednesse against justice and charity against justice in taking the hire when
the synagogue The Corinthians had the womens vaile in the congregation to signifie subjection and the kisse of peace to signifie love Other Christians had Agapae at the sacrament in the roome whereof the Christians offertory was brought in for pious uses to signifie that love they should have one to another So wee have standing at the beliefe to signifie that it is not a prayer and that wee are ready to confesse our faith kneeling at the commandements to signifie the honour we have to that God that gave it and that wee must be ready to dart up prayer for our obedience and kneeling at the sacrament to signifie an humble acknowledgement of Gods love for so great a benefit And doe wee and all these saints before us set up images to our selves in these ceremonies for religious uâ—e God forbid The practise of these saints when the lawes of God were purely taught and kept teach us that though we my not set up an image to worship God by or in yet may we set up some edifying signes to put us in minde of those duties wee owe to God The Patriarchs may build altars give their children proper names to be admonishing signes of their duties to God and we may set all our sences on work that way We may set up a poste in a darke and dangerous passage that when I goe that way and touch it it may signifie my danger and I may avoide it I may set a watch-man in a towre to give a sound when the enemy comes that he may signifie my enemies approach and I may avoid him I may set up a Sea marke to signifie a Rocke neere that I split not upon it And may not we be as wise for our soules as for our bodies God forbid I am sure he hath no where forbidden it therefore it is not against Christ If it be not against him it is for him saith our Saviour Why then say they have we cast out all the significant ceremonies of Popery Not for their significancy barely but for their weight and measure They are not to them onely as outward garnishments of worship but as proper worship efficacious and meritorious their number stifles devotion and fills it with shewes without substance A cup of water refreshes but an whole Well of water choakes Yea an hundred Sermons weekly would not edifie they would eate out our conscience in our particular callings much more would an hundred ceremonies eate out the substance of our generall callings when a few may much refresh and profit if judgement over-power fancie and affection Yea but say they our significant ceremonies were taken from Idolaters and limbs of Antichrist who have abused them Were this true yet take the drosse from the silver and make a vessel for the finer but it is false Though they have had such as ours and have still yet ours are our owne and were never theirs in speciall Fire and water are contrary yet they agree in their kind they are both elements so ours are ceremonies and so are theirs but otherwise they differ as fire and water they scorne therefore ours and we deride theirs We read of sacrifices offered to Devils yet some of this was sold in shambles and some the Heathens made feasts of It was all the same flesh in kind but not in use The christians did damnably if they went to it when it was sacrificed yea and if they went to their Idol feasts when they blessed an idol it was idolatry but if they bought part of that flesh in the Shambles and eate it or went to their private feasts when they eate of it for ought they knew without reference to the Idol then saith Paul Eate making no question for conscience sake So say we of our crosse Surplice kneeling they were ordinances before Idolators abused them If they take them and blesse an Idol with them be it upon their own pates but if we be invited to them in a better use and not know nor have just cause to suspect any lurking Idolatry why should wee make so many needlesse questions about the use of them Put case such as they are pertained to Idolaters So did Goliahs sword yet David laid it up in an holy place for better use So did bowing belong to Baal prostrating the whole body to Idols kissing to the Calves kissing the hand to the hoste of heaven lifting up the eies stretching forth both hands showting for joy sitting or lying along upon the ground or on a carpet to idols yet all these we may use in the worship of the true God So for our ceremonies such as they are pertained to idolaters but were not idolatrous of themselves The crosse was used as a signe of profession before idolatrie prevailed The white garment was ordained as a cover-sloven in the poverty of the Church kneeling was used as an act of reverence before the breaden God was hatcht And may not we lawfully use them now to shew that we are in communion and fellowship with that blessed and persecuted Church without such noises and schismes Yea but in our worship there is say they as bad as all behinde wee have a stinted worship by that foule idol the common prayer booke and so we worship not in spirit and truth Doe we not worship in spirit when the spirit moves towards heaven as well as the flesh Doe wee not worship in truth when our petitions are true petitions uttered with a true tongue according to the truth of our hearts Doe wee not worship in spirit and truth when with such petitions heart and tongue we seek to God in all places not trusting in any Certainely wee doe and should doe farre better were it not for them who disgrace our common-prayer booke and draw the hearts of Gods people from it Yet those that know the vanity of their words and trust them not know also that they even when they use that booke to send their prayers tâ— heaven by doe pray in spirit and truth God bearing them witnesse by the holy Ghost How can they pray in spirit say they when they use him not what Is there no spirit but our owne Surely there is a publicke spirit and a private spirit The first hath wrought in the holy saints and army of martyrs who have laied up stocks of praier for us generations that follow them and by the blessed providence of God they are come into our hands There wee see how they prayed for us before we were There we learne to pray of them of whom the world was not worthy This spirit we use as well as our owne and it is pitty that any Christian that can pray to God by his owne dexterity of spirit should yet contemne the workings and helpings of the publicke spirit without whom the world had never had such a benefit But alasse say they our spirits are quite stinted when they are fettered with words
Yet doe not wee pray for the world but against it that we may follow Christ Christ prayed for the Jewes and Gentiles that persecuted him to death father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet he prayes not for the world that lies in wickednesse but that it come out and serve God so wee pray once more against their wickednesse but wee pray for their Persons As farre as our charity tends so farre our Prayers extend and I am sure wee must doe good to all But if God shall reveale any speciall Persons that have sinned unto death wee will not pray for them In the meane time give us leave if you have so much charity to pray that there may bee none such Yea but say they wee pray in that Litany for all that travaile by land or by water and so for thieves and pyrats too yea and I know not for what Devills in mens braines who compasse the earth too and fro Where is their charity The pious Church provideth a Prayer for Men and not for Devils who are out of hope and out of all Communion with her and for all men that are within a saveable condition in that word Our Father So shee prayes for theeves and pyrats to make them better or else against them to maintaine Gods just providence in their future punishments If these bee all their exceptions against our good Litany as they are all I have heard I hope they will give me leave to use it as I doe and use it with me in peace The second degree of our Church worship is the middle of it when wee reade the commandements of our great God with Prayer when we read the Epistles and Gospels more fully to strengthen our faith and pray for the whole Church In the first they doe except that we kneele when the commandements are reade as if it were a Prayer Noe wee doe it not to make it a Prayer it is none But yet wee doe it partly to testifie our subjection to the God that gave it as the People on mount Sinai fell downe at the publication of it and as wee kneele before the King and partly because it is joyned with that submissive Prayer Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this law Next come the Epistles as indeede the whole word is an Epistle written to our soules wherein wee have sometimes prayers but mostly fit rules of holinesse of life and after the Gospels that wee may know the benefits of which we must live worthy These strengthen our faith in all the articles and further our thankfulnesse for all Gods mercies by Christ and his Apostles I know nothing worth notice that is heere excepted against If they call them shreads of scripture yet they are scriptures and fit texts applyed to every season And if Christ would not onely preach truths but fit truths for the people and if they themselves I hope will choose fit texts for feasts and fasts times of solemnity and times of mourning I hope also that the Church cannot bee denyed this liberty If they say they are applyed to divers holidayes which are not of Christs appointment Yet are they not without Christs leave and permission If Christ have permitted them though God saith six daies thou shalt labour yet to use their liberty according to discretion upon any of the six to refresh themselves or spend in holy exercises is he an harder master yea husband unto his Church Surely as occasion is offered they may choose any fit dayes either to feast or to fast But alasse say they all this in that common-prayer booke is but an English masse taken out of the masse-booke of Rome Belike then wee had it out of the Temple of God where that man of sinne sitteth well bee it so A thiefe hath got a true mans purse may not Justice deliver it to him againe and leave the thiefe to his Judge and punishment Such is our case The Pope could not have hid himselfe so long but under the banner of Christ and the service of God with the Saints Therefore hee gets the Leitourgy or common-prayer booke of the blessed Fathers and adds to it of his owne rubbish as Masses for quicke and dead Dirges Requiems Praying to Saints and ANGELS blessing of Bells and Candles to give power to drive away Devils When this was espyed by the breaking out of the beames of the glorious Gospel the blessed Martyres challenge their owne and leave the wicked trash to the founder And is not this Justice If these men had gold and silver mingled with durt and poyson would they cry out all durt all poyson and worke for more No they would wash cleanse purifie and keepe the gold and silver for their uses So have we done and noe more Wee have taken off the spots and keepe the garments We have washed away the filth from the gold of the first great Saints and Martyres If this bee a fault wee rejoyce in it and commend to others as Doctour Rowland Taylour when hee was going to be burned next unto the Bible the Service-booke to bring up our children in the feare of God And so I passe that The last degree is the end of our common-prayer worship which is the administration of Sacraments The wit of Men and Angels cannot devise a better way of GODS worship in them Such grave exhortations effectuall Prayers propounding of warrants laying downe of promises confident expectations of their making good by Christ to Children Parents and all penitent and believing Christians are there upon record that a modest man would wonder how any exceptions could be found out Yet three things are there that much trouble them and us by them 1 Kneeling at the Communion 2 Crosse in Baptisme and 3 The responses or answeres in Baptisme As for kneeling I shall indeavour with Gods helpe to doe two things shew that they may lawfully worship God in the use to this Sacrament kneeling and take away their maine rubs in the way That which is for Christ they may lawfully doe but kneeling at the Sacrament is for Christ for what is not against him is for him If it bee against him let them shew where hee hath forbidden it If they cannot they may lawfully kneele Againe that which is neither commanded nor forbidden by God they may lawfully doe for the Apostle saith of such things all things are lawfull yea they must necessarily doe it now not out of conscience to the gesture but out of conscience to the command of our Christian King and Church But kneeling at the Communion is neither commanded nor forbidden by God but commanded by the King and Church therefore they may they must kneele Againe if they kneele not but sit as an act of Religion they make it essentiall to the supper and the Apostle Paul an unfaithfull servant to so good a
have not put out the eies of wisedome and charity doe but reade what heere in all humble love and without bitternesse of language is presented unto you Read it as in the sight and presence of God See that my hearts desire is that you may have comfort with us and that heereafter you may bee saved without needing repentance for this your unwise and unwarranted way If it doe not except you outface light satisfie you in the maine it will burne like stubble chaffe and straw in the day of Christ But if it doe and yet out of a thought of what a brave thing it is to cast downe the governement of others that you may governe your selves and then call it Christs and yet I say will not follow it then That day approacheth and I send you over to him to doe with you according to his pleasure yet with hearty and humble prayers for the saving of your misse-led Soules FINIS Mat. 6.21 Psal 103.4 Heb. 10.19 20. Col. 2.9 Heb. 10.21 Act. 20.28 Ioh. 14. Col. 3.11 Heb. 10.22 Heb. 10.23 Apoc. 3.11 Eph. 6. â— Pet. 1.5 Heb. 10.24 Rom. 8. Iud. 5.15 Iam. 2.5 2 Pet. 1.1 1 Tim. 2.4 Tit. 1.4 Iude 3. Ps 122.1 Psal 42.4 Ps 84.10 Ioel 2.28 Act. 2.17 Es 2.3 Mic. 4. Eph. 5 2â— 2 Pet. 5 5 1 Pet. 2.13 1 Pet. 5.5 Es 49.23 Mat. 18.10 Zach. 8.22.23 Ex. 26 1 1 Kin. 6.29 1 Cor. 11.10 1 Pet. 1.23 Phil. 2.13 Lam. 2.19 Rom. 4.11 Acts 7. Apoc. 1.13 Es 59.21 2 Cor. 3.8 9. Psal 23 6 Psal 57.7 Eph. 1.3 Luk. 10.18 Iosh 6. Es 59.21 Ioh. 16.13 Eph 4 13 Gal. 2. Gal. 2.14 Pro. 8.34 Psal 80.2 Psal 42.2 Ezech. 13 22 Ier 23 14. Object Sol. Iam. 1.21 Act. 10.33 Psal 5.7 Es 2 3. Ps 119 34. Luke 18 Psal 25 9. Luke 1 Iam 1. Luke 1 Psal 86 4. Zach. 8 21 Es 42.8 Ps 110.3 Zach. 5.7 Ezech. 2.3 5. Ezech. 3.14 Ps 29.1 2 Luk. 10 16 August Ego te non deputabo inter Christianos nisi in ecclesia te videro Ps 35.18 Psal 87.2 Apoc. 3.2 Ioel. 2 15 16. Matth. 5 2 Chto 6 13 2 King 11 14. Hos 4.15 Ex. 23.2 1 Cor 10 8. Num. 25 9. Psal 84 Pro 8.17 Act 10.33 Ioh. 5 Psal 110.3 Pro. 8.33 Ezech. 4 10. Act. 13.43 Luk. 1.21 Numb 6.24 25 26 Es 52.11 â— Cor. 6.17 Novatus rerum novarum seÌ„per cupidus arrogantiâ inflatus episcopis male cognitus c. Câ—ipri In coÌ„munione sacramentorum mali maculant bonos Quid Imperatori cuÌ„ ecclesia SacrameÌ„ta sancta efficacia quando per sanctos homines Circumcelliones Lucifer stomachabundus discessit ab Eusebio et qui se illi conjunxeruÌ„t ab ecclesia ipsi se segregarunt Vituperabant episcopos divites ipsos appelantes Quòd in ecclesia ferrentur faeneratores impuri Anthropomorphiâ—ae Matth. 13 Gal. 6. 1 Cor. 13. The issue of this discourse Matth. â—6 Object Sol. Object Sol. Act. 2. Act. 10. Matth. 16 Object Sol. Object Sol. 2 Pet 1.19 1 Cor. 2.5 Levit. 20.24 1 Kin. 8.53 Numb 14 2â— 35 Deut 9.6 7 8. Act 19.9 Act. 26.22 23. 2 Cor. 6.17 ver 14 15 16 Tit. 1 15 16. 1 Cor. 1 2 4.9 30 1 Cor 3.23 1 Cor. 4 15 1 Cor. 9.2 1 Cor. 11.2 2 Cor. 7.11 12 13. 1 Cor. 5.1 Eph. 5 1â— 2 Cor. 6 14 15 16. Act. 8.13.37 38. 1 Cor. 3.3 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 15. 1 Cor. 5. 1 Cor. 1.2 Heb. 10.29 Object Sol. Eph 1.23 Ioh. 15.2 1 Cor. 12 12 1 Cor. 1.30 Act. 7.51 Eph. 4 30 1 Thes 5.19 Heb. 10 29 Psal 147. Object Sol. Gal. 3.17 Rom. 6. Psal 78.10 37. Luk. 1.17 Ioh. 14. 1 Cor. 1.30 What Browne meane by a true church Act. 7.38 Object Sol. Luk. 3.2 Heb 7. 1 Sam. 15. 1 Tim. 3.15 Tit. 1.5 1 Sam. 2.29.12 Ex. 32.11 Ex. 22.16 Es 1.2 3 Es 1.10 23 Es 3.12.16 Es 5.8 Es 24 â— Es 1.21 22 29. 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 12 20.21 Apoc. 2 3. Object Sol. Ex. 18.19 Deut. 31.9 28. Act 14.23 Act. 2â— 17 Act. 21.18 23. Obâ—ect Sol. Act. â—5 â—â— 23. Sub conscientia plebis Matth. 18 19 20. Mat. 16.19 Ioâ— 20 21 22 23. Eph. 4 11 12. 2 Cor. 5.20 Neh. 13.11 17. Apoc. 2 3. Ro 13.1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Tit. 2.1 Heb. 13.8 17. 1 Tim. 5 17. Numb 16 Matth. 18 1 Cor. 5 Mar. 13.34 2 Cor. 10.8 1 Tim. 3.15 Object Apoc. 1.6 Sol. 1 Ioh. 2 2 Pet. 2 Psal 130.3 Gal. 2.14 1 Cor. 14.1 ver 29. ver 3. Mat. 28.18 Mar. 16.15.6 Object Sol. Ro. 12.4 6 Heb. 5.4 2 Tim. 2 13. 1 Tim. 4.13 What a true visible church is Act. 9.31 Ap. 2 3 Act. 14.23 Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 16.19 Tit. 1.5 Act. 15.19 Act. 15. Phil. 1.1 Mat. 9 36. Eph. 2. Rom 10. Act. 8. Act 13. Act. 20 1 Cor. 1. â— Gal. 2 Act. 8 Matth. 22 Matth. 25 Mat. 13.2 3. c. Mat. 13.24 25. c. Deus nobis imperavit congregatioonem sibi servavit separationem August Mat. 13.47 48. c. Act. 2.41 Apoc. 2.1 Matth. 5 Cant. 6.13 Object Sol. Eph. 2.20 Ro 3.3 4 Rom. 9.26 Ro. 10.18 Col. 1 6. Ex. 20. Gen. 9.9 Gen. 17.7 Mat. 28. Matth. 16 2 Chro. 15.12.14 Neh. 9.38 Mat. 28.19 Act. 2.41 2 Cor. 5.19 Levit. 2.13 Deut. 29 12. Deut. 26 18. Deut. 33.3 26.17 Act 2.41 Act. 8.12 37.38 Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 10.16 Psal 44.17 Gal. 3.27 Rom. 4.11 Ezech. 16.20 Psal 110.3 Acts 2 41 Cant. 1.4 Rom. 7.4 Ex. 19.3.7.8 Iosh 4. â— 8 2 Chro. 24 2.4 7. Hest 8.17 2 Chro. 30 ViolentiuÌ„ non coactorum est regnum caelorum 2 Chro. 30 19.20 2 Chro. â—3 16 2 Chro. 34 32.33 2 Chro. 15 12 Neh. 9.38 10.29 Ez. 10.3 19 Object Sol. Rom. 13. Gen. 17.7 Act 8. Fran. Iohns Artic against Fr and Dutch Churches Ioh. 20 21 22 23 1 Cor. 14. Ensem stringeÌ„do decreta publicaÌ„do 2 Cor. 2 7. Exod. 21.28 29 30. 1 Why the bastards of christians are baptizable 1 Cor. 1.16 Act. 12. Act. 8. Mat. 28. 2 An harlots fact doth not make her no Christian 3 An harlots fact doth not deprive her or her child of the right of christianity 4 No man ought lawfully to stay bastards froÌ„ Baptisme Vt regenerandi etsi nondum regenerati 1 Cor. 12 27. 1 Cor. â— 12 Deut. 23.2 Gal. 4. Gen. 21. Object Sol. Exposititij Si inter Christianos nati fuerint ex Charitate habendi profilijs Christianorum si non sit justa causa contrariuÌ„ praesumendi 1 Cor. 6. In sensu composito Mat. 18.6 1 Cor. 6 9.10 Gal. 5.9.22 1 Cor. 6. 1 Tim. 5.8 Eze. 18. Two sorts of unbelâ—evers â— In part 2 In whole Object Rom. 4.11 Sol. Mat. 28.19 Censure Rom. 11. Col. 1. Sol. 1 Cor. 7.14 Censure Eph. 2 Sanctitatem foederalem ut qui sunt regenerandi non regenerati Rom. 2. Act. 2.39 Object Sol. Obiect Sol.
Exod. 20. Censure Censure Censure Censure Gen. â—7 Sol. Heb. 13. Censure 1 Tim. 5.8 2 Pet. 2.19 20. Censure Sol. Act. 2. 42. 1 Cor. 1 2. Censure Sol. Censure 2 Tim. 2.19 Eze. 18. Censure Sol. Act. 8. 9 Mat. 28. Censure Sol. Act 18.12 13 14 15. 1 Christ is the head of the catholike Church Eph. 1.22 Col. 1.18 Iohn 1 16. Col. 1 19 Eph 1.22 Eph. 9.6 1 Iohn 2. Eph. 5.23 Eph 1.3 1 King 1.18 2. Christ is the head of particular Churches 1 Cor. 12.27 Apoc. 1. 1 Tim. 3.15 1 Cor. 11. Heb. 3 6. Heb. 10. 3. Christ is the head of our Church 1 Cor 3.10 11. Eph. 2.20 1 Pet. 2.7 1 Cor. 3.10 1 Cor. 1.2 1 Pet. 2.5 1 Cor. 3 9. Eph. 4.11.12 Acts 2.47 Iohn 14.6 Ioh. 10.31 1 Cor 3 5. Rom 6.4 1 Cor. 10.16 Eph. 2.19 1 Cor. 2.12 Acts 11.18 Acts 15.11 Acts 2.47 Acts 11.20 to 26. Acts 5. Mat. 16. Iohn 20. Mat. 13. Obiect Sol. Mic 7.19 Gen. 3.15 Iohn 4 7. Zac. 14 20 2â— Luk. 15.57 Col. 1.13 2 Cor. 3 1â— Acts 9. 1 Cor. 1.2 Rom. 11. â—â— 12.15.19 Mat. 10.34 Phil. 11.13 14 Mat. 11.22 Psal 2. Obiect Sol. 4 The headship of the King doth not hinder the headship of Christ 1 Cor. 11. Esa 9.15 1 Sam. 15 17. Exod. 18.25 1 The Church hath a power to governe it selfe under Christ Mat. 22.23 Exod. 2.14 Acts 2.41.42 Acts 14.23 Tit. 1.5 Iam. 5.14.6.8 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Gal 6.6 2 Thes 3.6 1 Cor. 11.20 Acts 15 1. 2 Ver. 10.24 28 verse 29. 1 Cor. 8.8 1 Cor 11 4.5 c. ver 33 34 1 Cor. 14.26.46 2 Kings are prime officers to advance government in Churches Mat. 28. Mat. 16. Matâ— 6 Rom. â—2 8 1 Cor 11.28 Rom. 13.5 1 Tim. 2.2 Esa 49.23 Object Sol. Rom. â—3 Object Sol. Num. 10.1 2. Iosh 24. â— 18. 1 Chro. 15. 2 Chro. 15.14 2 Chro. 22.3 2 Chro 20 2 Chro. 34 29 30 1 King 15 12 14 14. 2 King 23.2 3. 2 Chro. 29.3 4 5. 2 Chro. â— 14 â—5 2 Chro. 29 4 31.4.16 17. 2 Chro. 35 2. Neh. 13.11.12 2 Chro. 30 2 Chro. 34 2 Chro. 15 2 Chro. 19 18. Object Sol. 1 Sam. 15.17 1 Tim. 2.2 3. Rom 13.5 Obiect Sol. Obiect Sol. Mar. 9.40 Hest 9. 1 Cor. 11. Object Sol. Acts 15.28 Acts 16.3 Acts 21.81 22 23 24 25. Obiect Sol. Deut. 17. Exod. 12. Mat. 26. Iosh 5.5.6 7.9 Math. 12.3 5. 2 Chro. 7.7 1 King 8.64 2 Chro. 30 2 3 17.18 c. Object Sol. Object Pro. 2.20 Sol. Mar. 9.40 Rom 13.5 Act. 3.2 1 Cor. 1.2 1. Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal 3. Act. 1. Ioh. 15.2 Heb. 10. â—9 2 Renewed Saints not onely matter of a visible Church 1 Cor. 12. 2 Cor. 12.11 Eph. 4.3 Iude 3. Eph 2.20 Rom. 14.5 2 Tim. 3.16 Eph 1.3 Eph. 4.12 13. 1 Cor. 13 9 1 Cor. 16.10 Psal 119. A mixed company in the visible Church Ioh. 3.16 1 Cor. 15· Act 8. 1 Cor. 11. Mat. 22.9 10. 12. Object Mat. â—3 38 Sol. 1 Ioh. 5. Mat. 13.24 ver 38. Hos 2.23 Luk. 13.26 27. Mat. 7 22. Mat. 24.13 2 Thes 2.4 Apo. 18.1 2. 1 Cor 3.3 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Cor. 5.1 1 Cor. 11.21 1 Cor. 1 12 1 Cor. 5. Gal. 1. Gal 3. Object Sol. 2 Cor. 2 16. Tit. 2.11 Ro. 6.1 1 Tim. 2.4 Gen. 18.22 Mat. 22.13 1 Cor. 1â— 29 Iud. 2 2â— Mat. 13.28 Mat. 22. Mat. 16. Iohn 20. 1 Cor. 5.12 Ro. 11.20 Gal. 5.24 Ioh. 15.4 Object Sol. Deut. 5.27 vers â—9 Ex. 34 27 Deut. 26.17.18 Object Sol. Obiect Sol. 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.1 2. Ps 78.36 37. 2 Tim. 2 20 21. Object Sol. 1 Cor 11. Luk. 19.27 Object Sol. Rom. 14. Maâ— 13.47 48 49 Object Sol. Apo. 3.1 Obiect Sol. How wicked members are cut off from us Ier. 15.19 Psal 109. Eph. 5. Psal 120. Eccles 8.2 Object Sol. 1 Cor. 11.28 Gal. 6.5 vers 3. 1 Sam 2.17.24 1 Cor. 10. Ioh. 6. Mat. 22.9.10 Act. 8. 1 Cor. 11. Mat. 22.12 friend Ioh. 6.54 Ier 31. Heb. 8. Ex. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 10.8 Obiect Matth. 7 Matth. 15. Sol. Obiect Sol. Object Sol. 3 Of pollution of communion by wicked members Levit. 4.13.14 c. Ezek. 22.26 Deut. 17.8 9. Apoc. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 11. 2 Cor. 12. Apoc. 2.20 24.25.26 Ezek. 11.20.21 Ezek. 18.14.17.20 Ezek. 33â— Gal. 5.10 Tit. 1 15. Object Sol. 1 Tim. 5.22 Eph 5.11 Pro. 1.10 Dan. 3.4 5 6. Es 10.1 1 Sam. 22.18.19 2 Sam 11.15 17. 2 Kâ— 12.3 Mar â—5 1 Kin â— 1 Kin. 21.7.25 Prov. 1.11 12 13. Pro. 7.18 1 Cor. 15.33 2 Sa. 13.5 Mar. 6. â—4 Act. 19.25 Nu. 25.3 31.16 Ro. 1.32 Act 8.1 Act. 7.58 Lev. 19.17 20.45 2 Sam. 12.14 Es 5.20 Pro. 24.24 Ro. 14.21 1 Cor. 8.13 Eph 5 11 1 Cor. 6. â— Obiect Sol. Iud. 11. Num. 16.10 Iud. 8. â— 2 Pet 2.10 Heb. 12.4 2 Chro. 14. 15. 2 Chro. 29 30. 34. Ezr. 2. 3. Neh. 2. Hag. 1. Zech. 4. Ez. 4.23.23 Object Hag. 1.4 6 Sol. 1 Sam. 2.17 24. Object Sol. Gen. 17.1 Ex. 34. â—8 Deu. 10 12. Levit. 6. Num. 35 33. Levit. 18.21.24 25. Es 1.9.15 38.2.10 Ier. 7. Es 65.5 Luk. 18.14 Tit. 1. Matth. 5.23.24 1 Cor. 11.23.28 Object Sol. 1 Cor. 1â— 29. Numb 19 13.20 Hag. 2.12 13. Act 21.28 Deut. 23.3 Matth. 22 Object Sol. Mat. 23.16 Mat. 24.3 Ioh. 11.49 Luk. 4 28 29. Lu. 23.18 Mat. 11.20 21.22 c Mat. 27.25 Mar 7.9 Matth. 21.12 13. Ioh. 9.22 Matth. 5. Ioh. 19.14 Luk. 2 21 Luk. 2.22 Luk. 2.46 Luk. 3.21 Ioh. 2.13 Matth 23 1 2 3 Object Sol. Iudg. 18. 3 Ioh â— 9 Obiect Es 62 â— Sol. Se stiâ—lis conscientiae adactum â— fecisse Se pro gloria altissimi deâ— pati Act 23 1â— Object Sol. Object Sol. Nu. 16.3 Object Sol. Eph. 1. 1 Cor. 12 Ex. 1. â—8 Ro. 12.6 8. 1 Tim. 4.14 5 â—â— Act 14.23 Act. 20.17 Act. 21 â—8 23. Act. 15 2â— 23. Ne. 13.11 Apoc. 2 1. 12.18 Apoc. 3.1 Ro. 13 21. Tit. 3.1 Act. 20 28 Heb. 13 17 1 Pet. 2. Apoc. 1.6 Ro. 6.12 Object Math. 18.15 16 17 18 19. Mat. 28.20 Matth. 18. Sol. Heb. 6 1. 1 Tim 1.5 Eph. 4.1 Mat. 16.24 Rom. 6.12 Act. 2.42 Phil. 3. Obiect Sol. Matth. 18. Matth. 18 expouÌ„ded Mat. 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 1 Cor. 5. 1 Tim. 2 Tim. Col. 3.13 Mat. 18.7 Ma. 18. av 8 ad v. 15. Mat. 18.15 ad finem Luk. 19.2 Mat. 9 9. Act. 25.11 Act. 22 28 Mat. 18.15 ver 16. Deu. 19. â—5 Heb. 10.28 Mat. 18.17 1 Tim 1.8 Allusive 1 Cor. 6.1.6 Ro. 9.13 Ioh. 16. 1 Cor. 6 2. 1 Tim. â— 1 2. Gal. 5 15. Ro. 16.18 1 Thes 4. Ro. 13.1 4. Why the former sense is true Mat. 18.21 vers 35. vers 15. vers 17. 1 Cor. 5.11 Luk. 19. Luk. 3.12.13 Obiect Sol. Object Sol. Act 19.32.39.41 Object Sol. 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. Matth. 22. Mat. 16
truth taught in the Scriptures and is proved thus That which makes a man a true member of a true churh that doth make a true church for members doe constitute the whole but profession of saving truth makes a true member of a true church for Symon Magus upon his profession was admitted a member till he fell away and the Eunuch upon the same profession was admitted too by baptisme and for ought wee know continued for ever Now that we in the church of England do professe saving truth according to the scriptures cannot be denied If the Brownists say that wee overthrow all by thousands of wicked lives in persons in and of our church I am sure that the church of Corinth was worse then ours can be in some things it was too bad with envyings carnall men uncharitable wretches that went to law before infidels scandalizing the weake partaking with Idols heresies abuse of the Lords supper by drunkennesse and contempt of the poore and with detestable incest yet when Paul writes unto them even before the incestuous person was cast out he salutes them all as those that are the church of God Saints by calling and sanctified in Christ Iesus at least by a sanctification of consecration in baptisme and their profession But say the Brownists doth profession make a church of the body of Christ will nothing but the body of Christ serve for a true church Then let them know that Christs body may be taken two wayes for a body of all those that shall be saved and this is the catholicke church which are in communion of saints for life and for a body of those that are in the way of salvation if they be not enemies to themselves as every branch in Christ that beareth not fruit Thus the whole church of Corinth was Christ as well as any other part of the church and in Christ Iesus though too many members of it professed without power For profession brings a church into outward fellowship with Christs body as bad servants with a good master and so into the way of being savingly of the body of Christ if they resist not grieve not quench not or despise not the spirit of grace Secondly for the forme of a true church that is Christ united unto the persons professing his saving truth For as the forme of a man is his soule united to his body so the forme of a church which is the body of Christ is Christ united unto it Now that Christ is united unto our church is proved thus because hee gives the law of union to us as to the body and makes it effectuall for conviction or conversion to serve the living and true God As a king is united to his subjects by his lawes and executions of them for rewards and punishments so is Jesus Christ to our church As the head united gives lawes to the body for safety so doth Christ give lawes to us for our salvation in his word He hath not dealt so with every nation yet blessed bee his name he hath so dealt with us to the joy of our soules True say the Brownists wee have his lawes but doe not answer them in our lives This doth not cut us off being but true in part till Christ hath sued out his bill of divorce no more then the disobedience of a wife makes her no wife the disobedience of a sonne no sonne and the disobedience of a servant no servant Againe Christ is united to us because hee makes his law effectuall for the convincing of all and for the converting of many soules to cleave unto him faithfully VVe are baptized and so put on Christ and are graffed into the similitude of his death and resurrection But as we grow in age many grow in gracelesnesse and forget the covenant of their God Then comes the word of Christ convincing and calls many backe kills sinne quickens grace and converts the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the just This the Brownists will not deny They confesse that God hath many gracious people amongst us by the word and sacraments VVhence I pray doth this proceed but from the influence and power of Christ united to us I am sure that Christ is the way to heaven and one soule cannot bee converted from the kingdome of sinne to grace but it is by the power and influence of Christs three offices As he is a Prophet hee must be his wisedome to teach him repentance from dead works and faith in Christ As hee is a Priest he must make his attonement betwixt God and him for righteousnesse And as he is a King hee must over-master the gates of hell and maintaine him to himselfe in the way of salvation for sanctification and full redemption Conclude therefore that if wee have the matter and forme of a true church wee must bee a true church against all exception if good conscience judge by the word of God SECT 7. Brownists first exceptions against us about the nature of a visible Church BUt because the Brownists make a great noise in maintaining against us that ours is not a true church therefore take particular view of their pleas against it that wee may see the unjustnesse of their forsaking it I shall by Gods helpe referre them to five heads 1 What they meane by a true church 2 The entrance into a true church 3 The head of a true church 4 The members of a true church 5 The governement of a true church They meane by a true church a set congregation of more or fewer separated from all false waies and having sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall and assembling at times convenient for exercise of governement and solemne worship This is the full summe of what I can conceive them to say of a true church in which they would make it up of these foure ingredients First it must be a set congregation which we call a parish and they mislike Every one of these they would have an absolute church depending upon none but Christ and so they deny kings over countries and Bishops over diocesses to bee members of the church except they can shew those particular congregations whereof they are but equall members to be ruled by the joint consent of the whole number or it may bee the greatest part Secondly it must bee separated from all false wayes not onely of Iewes Turkes and Pagans but from all grosse sinnes and sinners which doe pollute the worship of the sincerest service of God Yet surely they would have them better taught and made good that by the consent of the members they might be jointed in at last Thirdly it must have sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall that is a plenary power by consent of members to ordaine ministers call or cast them out as the necessity