lambe and that worde of their testimonie they are more then conquerours brusing the head of the serpent yea thorough the power of his word they haue power to cast downe sathan like lightning to tread vpon serpents and scorpions to cast downe strong holdes and euerie thing that exalteth it selfe against God The gates of hell and all the principalities powers of the world shall not preuaile against it Brownist The muster maister hath viewed the world chosen his soldiers appointed the victuallers selected out the sergeants of the bands hath brought them to their captaine and they are readie to march on vnder his conduct in the face of their enemies bodily and ghostly to the confusion of sathan sinne hell and all VVhat wages he exspected for this his peece of seruice is best knowne vnto him selfe but what faithfulnes he hath vsed in his dealing it is apparant vnto all for in these three things his packing is notorious First that the victory of the church which she is assured of in and through the power of Christ is here restrained limited for our author doeth acknowledge it so farre only as it enioyeth this foresaid gouernement of Pastors Doctors Elders c. Secondly that the power of the word of God the ministerie thereof which is the sanctified meanes for sathans ouerthrow and the building vp of Christ his church is here granted no otherwise then this word is preached vnder this outward gouernement Lastly that the certainetie of victorie which is by faith is heere applied to the whole visible church as if all the members thereof were truly faithful By this his practise he woulde conclude that which as yet remaineth vnproued viz. that the necessitie of this gouernmēt is such that the enioyning of it is sufficient to make the church without spot or wrinckle and that where this is wanting there is no fight against fathan no strife against sinne no victorie no church apparant The testimonies of Scripture that should helpe him herein and are for the same cause noted in the margent do cut the throat of these his follies For thogh he telleth vs that this armie of Sainctes is martialled here on earth by these officers yet the holy ghost describeth the warrior and his traine to be the warriors which were in heauen Though this man saith that triumph is made by vertue of this gouernment yet the holy ghost saith it is in pacience and constancie of faith and obedience And in a word though he affirmeth that discipline is all in all yet the places noted by him speaking of the power of Christ in his sernants ouercomming satan doe not once mention anie outward gouernment much lesse this discipline here prescribed Brownist Further he hath giuen them the keies of the kingdome of heauen that whatsoeuer they binde on the earth by his word shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Now this power which Christ hath giuen vnto his Church and to euerie member of his church to keepe it in order he hath not lefte it to their discretions and lustes to bee vsed or neglected as they will but in his last will and testament he hath set downe both an order of proceeding and an end to which it is vsed Answere God hath in deede committed authoritie vnto his church of binding and loosing and hath also shewed an order of proceeding which assertions are to be collected out of these three places of Scriptures which are twice noted in the margent that the number of testimonies which they vsed might seeme greater then it is But here we haue to marke that Christ is said to haue giuen this power aforesaid to euery member of the church so that heere is no difference made betwene the people the gouernors or at the lest i◠he supposeth a difference to be betweene them he hath not set downe how farre the authoritie of the people is extended Againe if the people be granted so greate an interest in the matters of the church we must thinke that the officers themselues I meane the Deacons releeuers were not to be secluded which being graunted and seemeth here to be concluded not only women haue to dele in the censures of the Church but also the description of euerie office the Elder onely excepted hath ben vnperfect seeing no such matter hath beene mentioned in any of them Secondly we are to note that he saith that this order is not left to the descretion of the church for if his meaning bee that the censures of the church ought to bee vsed with all fidelitie wee doe not gainesaie him but if hee meane that when they are not duely executed there the church doeth cease to be the church apparant according to that doctrine which in another place they haue set downe then do they agree with the Anabaptists Donatists herein who being sufficientlie answered the one by Bullinger the other by Augustine I maruell that these men shoulde not be satisfied and contented to reuoke this error The summe of whose answers tend to this that the end of excommunication for the question is not of the officers but of the church censures in this place is that the partie punished might bee amended that the credite of the church might bee furthered that others be not offended and made worse and that the church might be preserued in peace Therefore edification and the welfare of the Church are especially to be regarded for better it were that wicked men should goe vnpunished if the punishing of them shoulde damnify the Church Againe the church of Corinth was the church of God when they neglected to proceede against the incestuous person Also the last supper of the Lord was rightly administred yet Iudas was not excommunicate the Prophets complained of the sinnes of the church in their times yet contemned they not the sacrifices sacraments and worship of God Christ and his Apostles blamed the Church for grosse corruptions yet was he circumcised therein c. By which reasons as by others by thē produced we are vrged to acknowledge that it may be the Church of God which doth not alwaies proceede against the wicked according to their deserts Thirdly we are to marke that hee ascribeth the keies of the kingdom of heauen to the officers before named whereas Christ committed this power not to the Elders for none were established but vnto the ministers of the word for in Peter they all are represented as by considering the places alleged out of Mathew and Iohn will plainly appeare Brownist And if the fault be priuate priuat holy louing admonition and reproofe with an inward desire and earnest care to win their brother but if he wil not heare thee yet to take two or three other brethren with him whome hee knoweth most meet to that purpose that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euerie worde
then blotted out Cain Esau Corah yea and Israel it selfe Againe is it true that all those which are not vnder this gouernement are dogs c. I will not aske what shall become of these men themselues but what is become of Peter and the rest that remained with Christ and of all the churches of Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth and the rest which had not this gouernement and all these offices at any time among them for some wanted Deacons some widows some vnministring Elders some Doctors To draw to an end The scriptures that are alledged to proue these matters are either promises of that full redemption which is obtained and shall be perfited vnto the church in the day of Christs appearing as Esa. 52. 1. and 35. 8. and Reuelation 28. 27. or else are they types thereof as Eze. 44. and the ninth verse and Zacharie 14. 21. VVherefore they cannot proue the truth hereof in the visible church of God Also Reuel 22. 15. sheweth the estate of the vngodly which in the day of that generall search shall be thrust out of the presence of God VVhich matter Paul doth plainly shew Rom. 2. 9. for hee threatneth oppression and anguishe vnto euerie soule that doth euill whether Iew or Greeke that is whether of the visible Church or not In this one thing these men may be commended that seeing their assertions cannot bee warranted by the woorde of of God they will doe the best they can to make their sayings true in themselues For surely they coulde not possiblie giue ouer themselues vnto a doggish disposition as they do if they were not perswaded that in so dooing the conditions of men which haue cast off gouernement should in thē be made manifest vnto the world VVee are therefore to desire for them that discipline may be put in practise if happely they may bee brought to some good order Thus haue we seene how the Author of this Treatise hath failed in the perfourmance of his promise made in the title thereof A MANIFESTATION OF THE INCONSTANCIE of Brownisme grathered out of two Treatises lately dispersed throughout the land AThanasius speaking of the Eusebian hereticke saith that if once he tast the Arrian schisme he will neuer refraine his tongue from vngodlinesse He noteth it also as a common disease in all heretikes that they will be constant in a peeuish wilfulnesse least they should be condemned of those whom they haue seduced yet in all other things inconstant Nunc probantes quod dicunt mox vero vituperātes quod dixerunt ac rursum approbantes quod paulo ante calumniabantur It is no maruell therfore though the factioners of our age hauing auouched their owne dreames to be the truth of God do now cry out y t they are blasphemed abused slādered if the same be laid to their charge yet in discoursing vpon the self-same matters they wil not stick to iustifie their first conceipts al which may appeare to him that readeth the two pamphlets lately by them published the one intituled A collection of certaine slanderous Articles and the other A collection of certaine articles and conferences c. For in these bookes we shall finde the certaintie of doctrine what it is amongst conceited diuines And that the truth may be more euident I wil set downe first their Articles which sometimes they did hold and now are charged with Secondly the sore complaints that they make of being slandered with them by our Bishops Thirdly what small cause they haue to complaine considering that they are now resolute to defend the same Articles vnto the death And lastly the fondnesse of their assertions which for the auoiding of tediousnes shalbe done either by referring the Reader vnto those places where these matters are handled elsewhere or else by plaine and euident proofes The Articles which are so iniuriously imputed vnto them as they themselues haue published are these 1 THat it is not lavvfull to vse the Lords praier publikelie in the church for a set forme of praier 2 Secondlie that all set and stinted praiers are meere babling in the sight of the Lord not to be vsed in publike Christian assemblies 3 Thirdly that the publique praiers and vvorship of God in England as it is by lavv in the church of England established is false superstitious popish and not to be vsed in anie Christian congregation 4 That the Church of England as it is novv established is no entire member of the church of Christ. 5 That the gouernment of the church of England as it is novv established is no lavvfull gouernement nor christian but antichristian and popish 6 That the Sacraments of baptisme the Lords supper as they are administred in the church of England be not true sacraments 7 That infants ought not to be baptised according to the forme of baptisme ministred novv in the church of England but are rather to be kept vnbaptised 8 Manie of them make scruple to affirme that the Queenes maiestie hath supreame authoritie to gouerne the church of England in cases ecclesiasticall and to make lavves ecclesiasticall not contrarie to Christs lavves 9 That the lavves ecclesiasticall alreadie established by the authoritie of the queene realme be not lavvfull 10 That if the Prince or magistrate vnder her do refuse or defer to reforme such faults as are amisse in the church the people maie take the reforming of them into their ovvne hands before or vvithout her authoritie 11 That the presbiterie or eldership maie for some causes after admonition if there ensue not reformation excommunicate the Queene 12 That the Church of England as it novv standeth by lavv established professeth not a true Christ nor true religion that it hath no ministers in deed nor Sacraments in deed Now they complaine that they are much abused in being charged with these matters for the title of one of the Treatises is A collection of certaine slanderous articles giuen out by the bishops against such faithful Christians as they now vniustly detaine in their prisons c. The Epistle saith that there are spersed abroad throughout the land certaine articles of the bishops owne deuising against these men to bring them into hatred vvith the vvhole land The Author in answering the said Articles termeth them forged positions Again God forbid saith he that our Magistrates should be guiltie of our innocent blood by such slanderous reports To be short master Barrow as he himselfe reporteth complained to Doctor Androwes that he hath bene greeuouslie slandred blasphemed and accused by spearsed articles c. therefore a great fault there is in those which offer these persecuted Christians for so they terme themselues this great iniurie or else in them who if the Black-amore could change his hue would deny their owne opinions but if they giue the lie vnto vs without iust cause as it shall appeare that they do by that which followeth and maintaine these things which thus confidētly they haue denied
not supreame head of the church neither hath authoritie to make lawes ecclesiastical in the church they must acknowledge a dissent of iudgment amongst themselues or else confesse that there was a time when they were of another opinion but now they haue learned to be more wise yet the caueat that is giuen hath a secret meaning viz. a granting of the latter part of this article that her maiestie hath no authoritie to make anie lawes ecclesiasticall But this being so closely couered I minde not to see it I conceiue the best namely that as they yeelde more to her maiestie then of former times they haue done so will they in time grant her that right which is due vnto her roiall authoritie Of the ninth article they saie that the lavves ecclesiasticall vvherevvith our assemblies are guided are not deriued from the booke of God but culled out from that great Antichrists canons orders deuillish pollicies c. that they are the execrable wares of Antichrist statuts of Omry not to be receiued or obeied of anie that loue the Lord Iesus This article then is maintained by these men and not vniustly imputed to them But as touching this grieuous accusation we are here also to call to minde that the lawes of God are onely perfect the decrees and statutes of men though holy yet haue their wants In regard wherof I doe acknowledge a want of perfection but the deformitie of these laws doth seeme greater partly by the meanes of such as shoulde dispose them more vprightly and partly by reason of others who haue a malitious eie in beholding and an enuious tongue in reproching them Vnto the tenth article they answere that they neither looke for the reformation of Babel our false Church for so they tearme it nor take vpon them to intermeddle with the magistrates swoord but all that will bee saued must forsake the false church and by repentance come vnder Christs obedience to serue God aright in his true church c. Neither may they neglect the seruice of GOD nor the practise of any parte thereof c. Though the Prince shoulde inhibite c. So that they affirme that of their owne authority they are not only to separate themselues from vs but also to prctaise the discipline which they haue fansied though her maiestie shoulde inhibite the one or commaunde the other so that this article is not wrongfully fathered vpon them But before this article be granted vnto them as a true position they must not onelie conuince our church as out of the which there ought to be a departure but also they must proue that a priuate man may attempt reformation in the church contrarie to that which hath bene spoken To the eleuenth article they saie first that the presbyterie may not excommunicate any person by their sole power seeing Christ hath giuen this power to the whole church This is made more plaine in an other place where one of them saith that the least member of the church that is a communicant hath as much interest in all the censures of the church as the pastor Secondly they affirme that the prince if he will be a member of the church must be subiect to the censure in the church The which two positions being considered it shall be needlesse to open what these men would haue but of the authoritie of a priuat man hath ben spoken sufficiently heretofore To the twelfth they answer roundly in this sort as for your religion church sacramentes c. vve haue before shevved the forgerie of them vnto the vvhich former articles I referre the reader Euen so do I for I purpose not palinodiam canâ—re onely I say that amongst these twelue articles there is not one wherewith they are abused or vniustly charged and therefore are their exclamations before mentioned vaine There are in the ende of the foresaid pamphlet other twelue articles not vnlike to the former which they tearme slanderous articles also forged against them as if they did not hold them which are these 1 THey hold that the Lords praier or anie set praier is blasphemie and they neuer vse anie praier for the Queene as supreame head vnder Christ of the church of England 2 That all set praiers or stinted praies or read seruice are but meere babling in Gods sight and plaine Idolatrie 3 They teach there is no head or supreame gouernor of the church of Christ and that the Queene hath none authoritie in the church to make lavves ecclesiasticall 4 They teach that a laie man may beget faith and that vve haue no need of publike administration 5 They condemne all comming to Church al preaching all institution of Sacraments and saie that all the ministers vvere sent by God in his anger to deceiue the people 6 They affirme that the people must reforme the church and not tarie for the magistrate and that the Primitiue church sued not to courts and parliaments nor vvaited vpon princes pleasures but vve make Christ to attend vppoÌ„ princes to be subiect to their lavvs gouernment 7 That the booke of common praier is a pregnant Idol full of abhominations a peece of svvines flesh and abhomination to the Lord. 8 They saie it is a greater sinne to go to the church to publik praiers then for a maÌ„ to lie vvith his fathers vvife 9 Those that vvil not refrain from our churches preaching or seruice they giue vnto the deuil excoÌ„municat 10 They hold it not lavvfull to baptise children among vs they neuer haue anie sacrament among them 11 They refuse to take an oath to be examined 12 They vvill not marrie amongst vs in our churches but resort to the Fleet to other places to bee married by one Greenwood and Barrow All which whether these men are vniustly blamed with them or do hold them as firme as they do the former Articles I leaue vnto the consideration of all men Their iudgemeÌ„t coÌ„cerning the two first articles hath bene set downe alredie for they do little differ from those two positions set downe in the former place Likewise concerning the third article we haue had their minde in the eight article so that it shall be needlesse either to shew again that those are by their desert imputed vnto them or that in maintaining theÌ„ their warrants be of smal force And the fourth article is so far from being an vngodly calumniation against theÌ„ y t they hold it not only a possible thing for a priuate man to beget faith but also lawfull for him to preach the word interpret the scriptures in publike assemblies Wherin a question might be moued what is the differeÌ„ce betwene him y t is Leitourgos a minister of Christ in their publike functioÌ„ euery priuate man in the congregation both hauing equall authoritie as well in preaching as in the censures of the church Also what these priuate men are to be esteemed in preaching whether ministers or no ministers vnto the people whom
the corruptioÌ„ of their harts Thirdly that our ministery is antichristian a matter handled pag. 125. the scurrilitie in calling them hirelings mercenary preachers c. deserueth no answer the names of parson vicar c. doth not make a difference in the ministery but in their maintenance Fourthly we are subiect to the popish courtes as high commission c. wherunto I answer that al these courts haue their authority from her maiesty though some of theÌ„ more directly then the other In consideration wherof to call the lest antichristian is arrogant but to ioine theÌ„ all in one sentence to disswade her maiesties subiects froÌ„ yeelding obedience vnto any of theÌ„ it will be found an act of no good subiect yet for mine owne parte I purpose not to giue iudgement in the matter I leaue it to such as are acquainted with the law onely I will propound the case which is this The high court of Parlement hath agreed that the queene her hignes successors kings queenes of this realme shall haue full power by letters pattents vnder the great seale to name and authorise when as often and for so long time as her highnes her heires or successors shall thinke meete such person or persons as she or they shal thinke meet to execute vnder her c. all manner iurisdictions priuileges and preheminences in any wise concerning any spirituall iurisdiction within England and Ireland c. 1. Eliz. 1. Now her maiestie by the authoritie aforesaid hath graunted her letters pattentes vnder the great seale for the two courts of high commission and delegates And by the said authority first from the Parlement and then from her maiestie these two courtes doe stande and not by any other right or authoritie whatsoeuer yet these two courts of high commission and of delegates are here tearmed popishe and antichristian courts and the people are condemned to be antichristian which yeelde obedience vnto them This therefore is the case Whether it toucheth her maiesty or not that libels railing vpon and calling her highnes authority which is warranted by her broad seale popish antichristian c. Brownist These assemblies are not ruled by the old and new testament but by the canons iniunctions and decrees of those antichristian and popish courts therefore c. Ansvvere The Argument is this The true church is ruled by the old and new testament but the church of Englande is not c. Therefore c. If Christ hath in his last will set down a perfect gouernment for his church as they say he hath there is little vse of the olde Testament for direction of discipline vnder the Gospell But this Argument being in effect the same with the former needeth no other answere then it had Brownist These people stand not in for their Christian libertie but all of them remaine in bondage to these Aegyptian and Babylonishe yoakes yeelding obedience vnto these courts and their canons Therefore c. Ansvvere The Argument is this All and euerie of the true Church stand in and for their christian libertie to practise whatsoeuer God hath commanded them c. But in the church of England they stande not for their christian libertie Therefore c. Ansvvere We haue seene pag. 49. 50. that the priuate man doth passe the bondes of his calling in presuming to deale with publike reformation Againe it was sayde pag. 45. that in the visible church it doth not alwaies fall out that euerie member hath that freedom which is requisite in the performance of their christian dueties of his calling The proposition therefore is false As for the assumption in differing nothing from the three former it doth commend the greate facilitie of the author who in resoning in so smal varietie of matter is able to frame so greate a change of argumentes which yet being considered of doe appeare all one in effect Brownist These assemblies haue not the povver vvhich Christ hath giuen vnto his church vnto the vvorlds end al the povvers of earth and hell cannot take from them viz. to binde and loose and to reforme things that are amisse but are driuen to the Commissarie courtes Therefore c. Ansvvere The Argument is this The true church hath power to execute the censures of the church but the church of Englande hath not Therefore c. The proposition faileth for the true church is sometimes without outward gouernement whereof read pag. 25. and so consequently without the power which this man speaketh off for I know he will not restraine this power of binding and loosing though he might vnto the ministerie of the word whereof notwithstanding Christ speaketh Ioh. 20. 23. saying Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained As for the assumption it is most vntrue for we haue not onely the power of Gods word which he hath giuen vnto his ministerie to bind and to loose therby but also the censures of the church in respect of outward gouernement I grant that euerie seuerall congregation hath not this power and I dare affirme that in no age it can be proued that euery seuerall congregation had this authoritie but euen in those churches which had an Eldership the same was not in euery assemblie but diuerse congregations were ordered by one senyorie therefore to say that because euerie priuate congregation hath not this power therefore it is not at all in the church is a childish kind of reasoning Brownist These assemblies cast out sathan by the power of sathan namely by these Imps of Antichrist the Bishops commissaries and priests Therfore they are not and for all their reasons seuerall and ioyned cannot be held in any Christian iudgement the true church of Christ. Answere In this last Argument is granted vnto vs that which before was denied viz. that our church hath power of casting out but it faileth in the manner for if they say true this power is not from Christ but from the imps of Antichrist c. vnto which accusation I answere the end wherefore men are cast out from amongst vs by the doctrine of our church should be that the offender by being depriued of the seales of the couenant might be brought vnto repentance Now for the ordering hereof the people are not in the weightie matters of the church to haue their voice pag. 47. c. And a presbyterie in euery congregation cannot be had pag. â—8 therfore neither election ordination excommunication nor other censures of the Church are to be committed to euerie particular congregation As for this vnchristian dealing in condemning for Antichristian whatsoeuer is not according to their humour it hath bene often answered Some defectes there are in our gouernment we challenge no perfection some corruption there is oftentimes in such as haue the ordering of it I defend not all But in this I would be resolued if wee by the power of Satan cast out Satan by what power do they cast out
studia in religione fieret diceretur in populis ego sum Pauli ego Appollo ego autem Cephae communi Presbyterorum concilio ecclesiae gubernabantur Postquam vero vnusquisque eos quos baptizauerat suos putabat esse non Christi in toto orbe decretumest vt vnus de Praesbyteris electus supponeretur ceteris ad quem omnis Ecclesiae cura pertineret An Elder is the same that a Bishoppe is and before that through the instigation of the deuill affection bare swaie in matters of religion and that it was said amongst the people I am of Paul I am of Apollo I am of Cephas the churches were gouerned by the common councell of the elders but after that euerie one thought that those whome hee baptized were his owne and not Christes it was deereed throughout the world that one of the elders should be set in the place of the rest to whome might pertaine the whole state of the Church If there be any help it must be had from the 2. Chro. 19. 8. for there it is thus writen Moreouer in Ierusalem Iehosaphat did appoint of the Leuites of the priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israel for the iudgements of the Lord and for strifes when they returned to Ierusalem By the iudgementes of the Lord are vnderstood those holy causes the knowledge whereof was committed to the priests Leuites by strifes are noted ciuil contentions the ending whereof pertained to the chiefe of the families of Israell This selfe same matter is expressed also Deut. 17. 9. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement betweene blood and blood plea and plea betweene plague and plague in the matters of controuersie within thy gates thou shalt then arise and go vp vnto the place which Iehoua thy God shall choose and thou shalt come vnto the priestes of the Leuites or vnto the iudge that shall be in those daies c. So that this disiunctiue or doth expresse a plaine difference betweene the office of the priest and the matters belonging to the iudge For althogh ve al hashpat be red in some translations to the iudge yet the twelft verse of this chapter doth end this controuersie where the disiunctiue or is set downe by an other worde That man that wil do presumptuously not harkning vnto the priest that stādeth before the Lord thy God to minister there o al hashpat or to the iudge shall dye For it is euident that bloud-shed pertained to the iudge the descrying of plagues vnto the priest Likewise contentions being about diuerse matters those that concerned ciuil affaires pertained to the tēporall iudge other matters of faith were to be decided by the ecclesiasticall cēsure so that althogh we shuld grant thē a seignorie yet all causes are not to bee brought into their consistorie In the meane time we see that these men being at defiance with popery haue here shewed vs a reason of it because the both of them would iudge all and would be iudged by none both wold priuiledge their owne deedes and haue the handling of the causes of all others and therefore as in the Papist so in these we may see a sottish ignorance with an arrogant and presumptuous spirit Brownist Their Deacont must be men of honest report hauing the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience endued with the holie Ghost they must be graue temperate not giuen to excesse nor to filthie lucre Answere VVhereas the office of a Deacon is here mentioned as distinct from the former it had beene requisite for the author more fully to haue expressed his minde for as touching Deacons it is generallie graunted of all writers that they were in the primitiue Church such as our author doth here speake of One saith that Presbyteri Episcopi Diaconi hoc est ministri Christi Elders Bishops and deacons that is to saie the ministers of Christ were names giuen generally to those that had to instruct the people And for proofe thereof he alleadgeth that of Paul to Timothie Ten diaconian sou plerophoreson Fulfilling thy ministerie yet he was the disposer of Gods mysteries at Ephesus Annother saith Primum omnes docebant omnes baptizabant quibuscunque diebus vel temporibus fuisset occasio nec enim Philippus tempus quaesiuit aut diem quo Eunuchum baptizaret At the first all taught and al baptized when wheresoeuer occasion was offered neither did Philip staie for a time nor a daie wherein to baptize the Eunuch Athanasius expoundeth that of Paul 1. Tim. 3. 8. where the Deacon is willed not to be double tongued as if the deacon were a teacher in the word and he himself in describing how he fled for̄ the Arrians sayth thus Monui Diaconum vt recitaret Psalmum populum item vt auscultaret c. I willed the Deacon to reade a Psalme and the people also to giue eare Therefore although master Caluine saieth that Diaconi sub Episcopo pauperum essent oeconumi Deacons shoulde vnder the Bishoppes be prouiders for the poore Yet seeing they dealte in other matters also and were called Diaconi because they were ministers of the worde also our author should haue shewed vs when it was that these Deacons ceased to deale in other matters then in prouision for the poore onely or else hee shoulde haue tolde vs that there are two sortes of Deacons Diaconoi tou logou minister of the vvord and ministers or disposers of the goods of the poore And these thinges hee must haue prooued by Gods worde and then in this pointe hee had perfourmed his promise made in the Title of his booke and shevved himselfe to be so good as his owne worde but nowe by what authoritie hee hath affirmed by the same authority may be denied such an office as is here spoken of to be that Deacon which is mētioned in the places cited Act. 6. For Philip who was one of the Deacons did both teach and baptize Act. 8. which matter although we should graunt that he did it not as a deacon but being an Euangelist as some with this distinction would shifte off the matter yet must it bee confessed that the Deacons mentioned in the Actes were not discharged from dealing in the word onely to take vpon them the care of the poore Neither doeth Paul 1. Tit. 3. 8. speake anie thing to gainesaie this Yet I grant that in the Church of God a care of the poore must bee had and that there be faithfull men appointed for the same of whom the Apostle speaketh Rom. 12. 8. which place cannot bee referred vnto the liberalitie of al Christians in general as some haue taught For this is handled in the thirtenth verse of the same chapter which shoulde haue beene done if there were not a difference betweene the matter required in the eight verse which speketh of the publike officer and the thirteenth verse which extendeth it selfe to all Christians for
highest to the lowest were infidels and pagans without God without the knowledge of his word without conscience in any thing without the feare of God This is the meeknesse of an arrogant spirit The bull sent by Pope Pius the fift to cursse her Maieiestie the land was not vnlike vnto it the calumniation is the same in both and therefore master Iewell hath framed an answere meete for both Now as touching our ministery which is set as the third argument of our disobedience the defects therof are noted to be either in their election or in their subiection to a false gouernement Their election and ordination say they are not by the Lords holy and free people This hath bene answered pag. 45. Also they are made in nubibus say they but if these factioners had not made their owne ministers in tenebris they might with lesse impudencie haue blamed the making of ours Besides they say that at her maiesties entrance vnto the crowne our ministers were set ouer the people without an outvvard calling Wherein I will not oppose the ministerie of Luther and Caluin whose ministerie they cannot deny to be warrantable pag. 53. of their booke and yet they had not a better calling then our men had but I dare auouch the calling of our men vnto the ministerie at the entring in of her maiestie vnto the crowne to be the selfe same that euen our aduersaries haue warranted pag. 59. of the aforesaid treatise viz. the magistrate did send them to instruct the vnbeleeuers but say they they vvere no ministers vnto them Then let them tell vs what other ministerie this might be and what warrant they haue for it in the word or else they giue vs iust cause to complaine that they are filled with conceites Now the gouernement vnder the which they execute their ministerie is such that master Caluin acknowledgeth the antiquitie thereof to be great and saith that it was in vse before the time of Papacie and the vse thereof to be good viz. ad disciplinae conseruationem for the vpholding of discipline and for the auoyding of confusion But master Barrow saith that the Queene and Parliament do vvickedly in giuing this authoritie vnto the Bishops vvhich they haue committed vnto them the same is published by his owne procurement vnto the view of all men who reading it and considering of it may see the dealings of master Barrow I say no more But to make an end with this Argument notwithstanding all the exceptions afore said the Church of England acknowledgeth Christ as their Prophet and for conscience sake doth reuerence gods word taught by the ministerie thereof from the which who so turneth away his eare euen his prayers are abhominable Pro. 28. 9. And also the sacraments deliuered by them considering that God hath ioyned them as seales vnto his word whereof hath bene spoken pag. 27. Brownist Their people are not knit togither as members ech of other in one congregation but both roue and goe assemble depart at their pleasure when they will vvhether they vvill and as they vvil themselues as also liue in continual disorder Ansvvere The Argument is this The true church is ioyned togither as members of one bodie but the church of England is not but doth roue and go c. Therefore c. In the proposition I finde these absurdlties first that the visible church is tyed to be all of one assemblie or congregation in which respect the diuision of our church into seuerall parishes is an eye-sore vnto them Secondly that the inordinate proceedings of some in the church should proue a nullitie of the church as if the losse or vnsoundnesse of a member could take away the esse from the bodie Thirdly that the spiritual vnion of the mēber in the whole church is so required in euerie seuerall assemblie as if it were as great a sin for a man to depart from one assemblie vnto another as to dismember himselfe altogither from the whole bodie which is the church Al which are so grosse that a censurer doth better become them then a confuter As for our church the disorders therein are too many yet were they exceeding and intollerable if they were so generall as this accuser thereof hath auouched viz. amongst all men at all times and in all their actions but an Orator can doe much in perswading and a slanderer will do more in abusing Brownist Their parishes are not ordered gouerned by such officers as Christ hath appointed to his church haue no true pastors teachers elders deacons releeuers but in stead of these they remaine most seruilely subiect to the Antichristian gouernement of their Popishe Archbishops Bishops Chancellors Archdeacons Deacons Commissaries Doctors proctors aduocats notaries registers pursuiuants cursitors summoners c. and from the Apostolicall seat of the Bishops they receaue an Antichristian and a false ministery as their parsons vicars curats hirelings lecturers mercenary preachers c. vvhich together vvith this people stande bounde and subiect to these bishops and their popish courtes of high commission of faculties of arches of prerogatiue of delegates of their commissaries c. Therefore c. Ansvvere The argument is this The true church is ordered by such officers and and lawes as Christ in his last wil and testament hath thereunto ordained But the church of England is not ordered thus Therefore c. The first argument hath beene infringed pag. 25. where it was proued that outwarde discipline is not the life of the church also pag. 26. 70. where it was shewed that doctors widdows were not necessarie in euery congregation Wherunto I adde this that although a gouernement by elders c. was established in some churches in the Apostles times yet as pag. 62. hath beene said it remaineth as yet vnproued that this gouernement is to remaine vnchangeable in all ages they tell vs that Christ was as faithfull in his house as Moses was I grant it yea and more faithfull Therfore say they he hath set downe an outward gouernement as well as Moses did This also will I grant thē yet remaineth a third matter viz. that the Brownistes cast their heades together againe and describe this gouernement better then as yet they haue done and proue out of Gods word not onely what it is but that it is necessarily to be had in al ages alike yea and that the want of it doth conuince a people to be no true church vnto God All which being once performed their proposition shall be granted The second part of this argument is confirmed by these foure circumstances that wee haue no true pastors whereof hath bene spoken very oft Secondly that the gouernement by Archbishops c. is antichristian A matter answered pag. 110. but in affirming our gouernement to be in the power of proctors aduocates notaries registers pursuiuants summoners c. whom these euill tongued men doe know to haue no authority in hearing of causes giuing sentence bewraieth