Officers must bee guided in doing these duties must haue a good warrant The best and indeed the onely true and sound warrant for them is to bee fetcht from the Lord Iesus out of his Word for seeing hee is the head and chiefe Officer of his Church therefore the rest being instruments and seruants vnder him are to waite at his mouth for directions how to carry themselues in their places First therefore the Word of God must bee sought into carefully and diligently Secondly wee must seeke vnto God by humble and feruent prayer for the assistance of his Spirit both for the right vnderstanding and also for willing conformablenesse and submission to the Word for this is right consulting and walking with God when we haue taken aduice from his Word for euery businesse in hand and when we receiue a comfortable answere from him in prayer for incouragement therein and do so proceed in it because God will haue it so For as euery Creature so euery Businesse we goe about is truly sanctified vnto vs by the Word and Prayer that is when wee looke into the Word for a warrant for it and when wee goe to God by prayer to direct vs in it Heere therefore in Gods Word First wee must haue a warrant for the Duty that it be necessary or at least lawfull to be done Secondly for the Doer that hee or they are authorised at least allowed by God to deale in it Thirdly a warrant must bee had hence for the Carriage of the Businesse that it bee commanded or at least permitted by the warrant of Gods Word The matter wee are now to insist on is the warrant for the cautions conditions and carriage of the businesse And this is of two sorts First either a principall and direct warrant or secondly an inferior warrant of a lower degree deriued from it The principall and direct warrant is expresly mentioned in the Word and that either by way of precept or example By way of precept and that is either particular or generall each precisely to be obserued as being in the nature of a binding Law Examples I meane only such as the word commends they are either ordinary or extraordinary extraordinary were such as were peculiar to certaine times places and Churches such as was the election of Matthias by lot Act. 1. and these ended where they began and are not to bee propounded as patternes for imitation Ordinary are such as were commonly practised as gathering for the Saintes whereof the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 16.1 That as hee had ordained in the Churches of Galatia so he ordained amongst them also c. and these are to be obserued by all where there are like occasions Secondly the warrant from an inferior or lower degree as being deriued from the principall these are yonger in yeares as not being in the Apostles times but in some neere Ages after and meaner in authoritie as being ratified by men not so infallibly guided by the Spirit as the Apostles were And these also are either Precepts or examples First precepts and they are commonly called Traditions or Constitutions I meane not Traditions in matters of faith for they are very dangerous but in matters of outward church gouernment and these may more safely bee dealt withall Secondly examples or practice of the Church and each of these are either generally ratified by all or the most Churches or else but by some one or few Churches and each of these the most antient and purest or latter and more corrupt Now whatsoeuer is done in Church-Gouernment must haue ground from one or both these warrants If it be possible it must haue warrant from the first that is the principall warrant Therefore when any thing is to be done in this case look specially into the principall warrant which is the Word if so there be any particular precept for it then that must bee done as the Lords Commandement without any further communicating with flesh and blood as the Apostle saith when hee speaketh of matters of Church-Gouernment 1 Cor. 14.37 But if the Precepts be generall as that all thing must be done in order c. make vse of them for such particulars onely as naturally proceed from thence being informed by sound consequence in reason and Religion If we haue no precept in Scripture then wee must looke to examples and those that are ordinary which though they are not of that authority that precepts are of because those are absolutely to be imbraced yet they are much to bee regarded and these wee are to fashion our selues vnto alwaies obseruing a due proportion of times places persons occasions and such other necessary circumstances for to apply that to one Church in one state and at one time which was in another Church in another State and at another time were absurd Well then if we be destitute of this principall warrant that we haue neither precept nor example in Gods Word then wee must goe to the inferior warrants we must see what Precepts and examples are to be found in Writers that haue spoken of Church-Gouernment since the Apostles times and of these wee must see whether they were of the most antient and purest Churches or of the latter and more corrupt if we haue no president by constitution or practice but in the later and corrupt times I see not but that the Churches now being may as well deuise particulars of their owne as follow theirs yea and better so long as they measure their particulars fitly and wisely by those in the Word But if wee haue any president in all or the most antient and purest Churches for the most part it is safe enough to build on them so as they bee not mis-applyed nor mistaken I speake still of matters of Church-gouernment not of faith But if there be many constitutions and examples in those Churches and some diffring from other take the best that is that which is neerest to the word and hath best presidents of purest Churches or of such as that their condition state may best agree with ours This point of inferior warrant some haue gone too farre in esteeming too highly of it some haue come too short esteeming too basely of it First some esteeme too highly of these impiously equalling them with the Word whereas there are two maine differences First because those in the Word are certainely true wee know it was done by Christ or his Apostles Secondly as wee know they were done by them so wee know that they were done by them as they were infallibly guided by God himselfe so that they could not erre But for the matter of inferior warrant first haply there was no such thing done at least in those times and by those Persons for Histories make mention of things not true or secondly yet they might erre for they were not infallibly guided by Gods Spirit Others come too short esteeming too basely of them as if they were nothing worth they esteeme
the Church he is to labour with his owne hands to satisfie his necessitie but yet when there is a competent state in the people they are to ease him of that labor and of their estates to releeue his wants as the Philippians did by the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.10 11. where the Apostle reioyceth for the care which they had in ministring to him And surely the people lose nothing by this for when the Ministers are thus prouided for they giue themselues wholly to their callings without let to study for the good of the people whereas else they bee driuen to prouide for themselues it will be with them as it was with the Israelites vnder the hands of the cruell Taskmasters in Egypt they must be seeking straw while they should bee making brick to build withall they must be seeking after the pelfe of this world while they should be building Gods house And they that neglect this duty are empty of all Religion both for piety to God whose Ministers they are and for charitie to themselues and their brethren because they do not straine themselues to relieue the wants of such as by Gods Ordinance they are most bound vnto and which doe spend themselues and their time for others good and saluation So much of the third point for duties and workes of mercy and charity The fourth point is the censures of the Church the proceeding against offendors For seeing in all Churches there are still some that walke inordinately some course of necessity must bee taken against them that the Church may bee disburdened either of their persons or of their sinnes And hence it is that our Sauiour himselfe takes precise order for this matter Matth. 18.15 c. And the Apostle chargeth this Duty on the Thessalonians with great authority 2 Thess 3.6 We warne you brethren in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery Brother that walketh inordinately And hee is grieuously offended with the Corinthians that they did not proceed accordingly with all seuerity against the incestuous Person 1 Cor. 55. And the Reasons for such proceedings are very weighty First no Gouerment I say not onely can bee good but can stand where malefactors are not punished much lesse can the Gouernment of the Church where sinne is specially to bee hated preuented and suppressed Secondly where knowne sinne is not punished there the state and Gouernment is reputed accessary to that sinne now what a scandall is it to Gods Religion and Church to bee accounted fauourers or sparers of any sinne which they must bee if offendors bee not punished Thirdly offendors must bee punished else there is danger of infecting the whole Congregation so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.6 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lâ—mpe therefore the old and sowre leauen is to be purged forth Fourthly in regard of the offendor himselfe Censures must bee had in the Church that so the flesh may bee thereby destroyed and his soule saued and so Gods mercies glorified in the conuerting a penitent Sinner by his sauing Ordinances 1 Cor. 5.5 But if hee continue obstinate his punishment here is but the beginning of his tormented State in hell and the decreee of Gods Reprobation is begun to bee executed vpon him and so the Lord is glorified in iudgement in the middest of his Church in the confusion of his enemies Now these proceedings consist in many particulars for the Church is mercifull euen as their heauenly Father is mercifull they delight not in the death of sinners but rather that they should bee conuerted and liue and therefore they attempt all meanes of cure first before they proceed in cutting off And yet they are iust too as God their Father is iust and therefore when gracious and mild meanes doe not preuaile they proceede to rougher courses First therefore there must bee priuate admonition betwixt him and thee or two or three more so our Sauiour commands Matth. 18.15 16. Secondly if hee will not heare complaint must be made to the Church as in vers 17. which as I take it is that noting out by Letter which the Apostle speakes of in 2 Thes 2.14 Thirdly consequently if hee will not heare the Church separate from him haue no Company with him as the Apostle speakes in that 2 Thes 3.14 And this is it also which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5.9 I wrote vnto you that you should not company with fornicators this is a suspending of them for a time from the Sacraments and from Communion in holy things till the Church had triall whether thereby they would bee brought to Repentance Fourthly if this will not preuaile what must be done then Why if they cannot cure they must cut off hee must bee deliuered vp to Satan indeed so the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5.5 and 1 Tim. 1.20 and that which the Church doth in this case the Lord ratifies in heauen Matth. 18.18 Whosoeuer they bind on earth is bound in heauen yet so too that vpon his Repentance they can and must and doe most willingly loose them from those bandes of Satan wherein they wrapped him before This is a most serious and weighty duty to bee performed in the Church of God but how grieuously it is both neglected and abused it is a shame to speake of that any that professe themselues to bee of the Church of God and haue power in their hands to execute these censures should yet neglect them these being the onely meanes to reclaime or cast off the obstinate when imprisonment and all other waies will not serue So also it is abused by those vpon whom it is inflicted they deriding it and making but a iest of it as if they were neuer the further from heauen for all that and surely it may be they are not because they were neuer neere it Well whosoeuer they be that abuse it let them know that it is Gods owne pretious and holy Ordinance and therefore not to bee dallied in nor basely esteemed yea it is Gods owne worke and doing where it is lawfully proceeded in and it is ratified by him in heauen and where it is abused God will bee auenged on the abusers to the full It is true that the Curse causelesse as Salomon speakes is like the flying of a Bird in the Aire it leaues no impression behind it and in this case God derides it from heauen and it is their fearefull sinne that inflict it But when it is iustly suffered it is the heauiest stroke that can light vpon man in this life either from God or man The sword of the Magistrate is nothing to this that onely depriuing vs of temporall life this of eternall life a wounded Conscience which is an intolerable Burthen to them that haue â—elâ— it is nothing to this For a man sometimes in that case can pray for himselfe or if he cannot pray for himselfe yet he may and must and is prayed for by the Congregation These are neither in case
to pray for themselues nor must they bee prayed for by the Saints 1 Ioh. 5.16 because now for ought wee can see hee is quite cut off from God our Father nothing can match this state but hell this being the Porch that the House this the Mouth that the Body this the very brinke that the eternall Pit of vtter desolation I herefore wee are to bewaile the misery of our times wherein so pretious an ordinance of God as this is is so abused and wee are to pray vnto God that this Ordinance of his may take effect amongst vs this being an excellent Ordinance of God to reclaime offendors when neither the Sword of the Magistrate nor any other meanes could reclaime them And so much of the fourth Duty The fifth duty is calling of publike assemblies they must be called For matters are not to bee carried in the Church by one mans direction alone but by the Common consent of the whole and consent is not to bee fetcht from house to house of euery man by himselfe for that course is subiect to fraud but Assistants are to bee called parties are to bee warned to bee there and so publikely to testifie their owne consent and our Sauiour hath promised his presence and assistance in such cases Matth. 18.19 20. Now these Assemblies are sometimes greater as of a Diocesse or Prouince sometimes smaller as of a Parish Againe some are ordinary vpon ordinary occasions and as extraordinary occasions doe oft fall out some are extraordinary An assembling together for ordinary occasions and duties they are for the most part these First the preaching of the Word the administration of the Sacraments and Prayer 1 Cor. 11.20 When ye come together into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper And 1 Cor. 14.26 What is to bee done Brethren when yee come together according as euerie one of you hath a Psalme or a Doctrine c. So that there must be publike Assemblies for these duties Secondly there must bee a calling of publike Assemblies for the election of officers for this cause the multitude were called together Act. 6.2 Thirdly there must bee a publike meeting for Almes for the collecting and distributing to the Saints so the Apostle commands 1 Cor. 16.3 4. Lastly there must bee ordinary publike Assemblies for the execution of Church censures as 1 Cor. 5.4 When ye are gathered together and my Spirit with you c. So there must bee publike meetings vpon extraordinary occasions sometimes God testifies extraordinary mercies and giues extraordinary blessings to his Church and then there must bee an extraordinary assembly of the Church to giue publike thanks to God as it was in Hester 9.22 Secondly some heauie iudgements are either felt or feared to come vpon the Church and then the Church must assemble together for fasting and prayer as it is commanded Ioel 2.15 16. And wee see the practice of it in the Niniuites Ionah 3.5 where they proclaimed a Fast vpon Ionas preaching of destruction to come vpon them Thirdly Lawes and Decrees are to bee made or reuiued for the carriage of Gods worship or such like and so in Act. 15. the Church came together for the decreeing of matters concerning ceremonies And Act. 16.4 they deliuered those decrees for the Churches to keepe then there must be an assembling for the receiuing of them Lastly doubts and controuersies are to be decided therefore there must bee publike Assemblies for the deciding of them So Paul was sent vp to Ierusalem Act. 15.1 2 c. about doubts that did arise and what did they there the Apostles and Elders came together to looke to this matter vers 6. So much of the fifth Duty The sixth Dutie is ouer-sight that all these things may be duely and rightly done this Duty is as needfull as the rest For wee know that euery thing growes out of frame in time except they bee vpheld and renewed by continuall ouer-sight and looking into and therefore it is said Act. 15.6 that the Apostles and Elders came together to looke into the matter This is one most necessary Duty for it is the keeper and maintainer of all the rest if this bee neglected all the rest will faile we know concerning our owne bodies that if we looke not to our selues in our diet all will bee soone out of frame and much more in our soules for who finds not by experience that though hee labour to set himselfe neuer so well in frame in the morning yet before night for want of ouer-sight the Soule wil be much out of Order and were it not for this carefull ouersight our Soules would bee growne ouer with sinnes as the Fields are with weedes so would it bee likewise with the Church Now for this matter of ouersight first it must bee ordered that things once ordained bee established by authority and if it be possible by the authority of the Christian Magistrate at least of the Church Thus Iosiah made a Couenant with God and established it by his authority and made all the people stand to it 1 Chron. 34.32 And so the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.37 establisheth those things which hee had ordained in the Church by the authority of his Apostleship If any man saith hee bee spirituall let him acknowledge that the things which I write vnto you are of the Lord. And if things be not thus established ciuill men will not regard them Secondly euery man must bee quickned vp and incouraged to the performance of this duty and therefore there must bee ouer sight in the Church Thus Iosiah incouraged the Priests to the seruice of the Lord 2 Chron. 35.2 and so Paul quickned vp Timothy to the obseruation of his duty 1 Tim. 5.21 I charge thee in the sight of God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things And so the Lord incourageth the Church of Smyrna Reuel 2.10 against her sufferings Feare none of those things saith hee which thou shalt suffer c. but bee faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life Thirdly there must bee ouer-sight that well-doers may bee commended and approoued so the Apostle Peter commends them to whom hee wrote 2 Pet 1.19 for doing well in that they did take heede vnto the words of the Prophets c. And in the second and third Chapters of the Reuelation there is neuer a Church that had any good thing in it but our Sauiour commends them for it and the want of this duty is a great dismaying to religious proceedings amongst vs. Fourthly things must bee redressed therefore there must bee ouer-sight in the Church and so Paul left Titus in Creta to redresse those things that were amisse Titus 1 5. And so our Sauiour in Reuel 2.5 labours to reforme the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent c. And likewise the Church of Sardi Reuel 3.2 The last duty in the matter of ouer-sight is
right to and possession in When God giues a man gifts he hath a possible right and when he is appointed by the Authoritie and Orders of the Church that giues him actuall possession Secondly euery such officer is an officer both for God and for men and therefore hee must bee inuested by each Man inuests him by appointment God inuests him when hee is qualified by himselfe and appointed by man according to Gods ordinance So much for the first generall answer that officers in the Church must bee men qualified with a competent measure of gifts Secondly that they must bee appointed thereto by the Authority and Orders of the Church wherein they liue Answ 2 Now I come to answer particularly and by name to the Question namely what these officers are It were too great a labour and yet to no great purpose to reckon vp all particular officers that haue had to doe in Church businesses for besides the ordinary there haue been many extraordinary Some in our Sauiours time and the Age next succeeding as Apostles that were to teach at large through the whole world Matth. 28.19 c. and Prophets to foresee and foreshew things to come as Agabus Act. 11. and Euangelists to bee Assistants to the Apostles Others there were also in many Ages after as Exorcists Doore-keepers Acolutiues and Readers c. but whether these were in rightfully or wrongfully is to bee seene hereafter In the meane time we will speake of such officers as were of ordinary and necessary vse in the Church either such as were indeed or else are pretended so to be on probable and plausible grounds Wee will begin with the officers of the Ministery as that being the principall duty and so they the principall Church-officers in the most strait and proper sense We will take them in their orders first we will begin with Bishops secondly we will come to Presbyters then to Doctors then to gouerning Elders then to Deacons then to Widowes then to other Assistants lastly we will come to speake of the Christian Magistrate First wee will begin with Bishops and first wee will speake of their name secondly of their office First of their name Bishop is as much to say as an Ouerseer in the Originall and it is attributed vnto them by a kind of excellency for there are many Ouer-seers but these are the chiefe in the Scripture sense that are and these are Ouer-seers by a kind of excellency whether we respect the persons they ouer-see or whether we respect their designement to that office or whether wee respect the worke they doe First if we respect the persons they ouer-see they are ouer-seers by a kind of excellency for they ouer-see the faithfull or the flocke of Christ for whereas they haue other ouer-seers as they are Subiects they haue the King and other Magistrates to be their Ouer-seers yet none are so as these for these are their Ouer-seers as they are the flock of Christ Secondly if we respect their speciall designment ouer that flock they haue a more speciall designment ouer the Lords flock than any other Ouer-seer hath ouer any other people the holy Ghost makes them ouer-seers after a speciall manner Thirdly if we respect their worke which is to feede and that not with bodily foode but with spirituall and heauenly food to eternall life All these are intimated Act. 20.28 Take heed to the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made ye Ouer-seers to feed the Church of God c. First they are Ouer-seers and that by a kind of excellency first in respect of the persons they ouer-see which is the flocke of Christ Take heed to the flocke c. Secondly in respect of their speciall assignment ouer which the holy Ghost hath made yee Ouer-seers And thirdly in respect of their work to feed the Church of God c. And as this name Ouer-seer is restrained onely to these so it may bee safely extended to euery particular in that kind and so is the vse in Scripture Phil. 1.1 To all the Saints in Christ Iesus which are at Philippi with the Bishops c. And most plainely in the 1 Tim. 3.1 If any man desireth the office of a Bishop c. this is the generall signification of the word in Scripture But you shall vnderstand that by common practice of speech I find this name alwayes almost euer since the Apostles times particularly applied to those that haue a primacy and precedency in the Church aboue their fellow-Ministers and so Bishops are not Ouer-seers of the flocke onely but also of the Pastors too within such a compasse some greater some smaller which we call Diocesses and as this is generally so in all antient Writers so likewise if the Postscript be authenticall 2 Tim. as for any thing I see it must then the Scripture fauours it too for there Timothy is said to be a Bishop in this sense and so had other Pastors vnder him And so much for the signification of the name Bishop Now wee come to their Office we speake still in the particular sense their Office besides their preaching and other ministeriall Duties common to all Ministers consists First in ordaining Ministers secondly in reforming things amisse First in ordaining Ministers So it is said of Titus that hee was left in Crete to ordaine Elders Titus 1.5 and so in the 1 Tim. 5.22 the Apostle would haue Timothy lay hands rashly on no man c. What is it to lay on hands but to ordaine Ministers And this Timothy must doe and thereto Antiquitie so plainely agrees that Ierome though otherwise bitter enough against Bishops acknowledged it to be done by them and misliked not the doing of it And surely seeing ordination must be continued in the Church some Persons must needs haue a special ouer-ruling hand in it and who are they but Bishops that is they that are highest and chiefest in the Ministery So the Apostles and so the Euangelists being the chiefest in the Ministry did ordaine Ministers If it be said that the Apostles ordained not as Bishops but as Apostles and Timothy and Titus not as Bishops but Euangelists yet the same office being of necessitie still to be performed some must alwaies be in the Church answerable to them in that respect call them how you will if not Bishops yet they must haue as much authoritie in this businesse as I for my part do ascribe to Bishops It is true that extraordinary Officers are not to be imitated in extraordinary workes but in their ordinary workes of continuall and necessary vse when extraordinary Officers cease ordinary must succeed them I doe not say they did this wholly and alone but stil other Presbyters or Ministers were assistants and layd on hands with them and so it was in the Primitiue Church and so our Law requires that the Bishop should make no Minister vnlesse other Ministers be with him but yet still they haue the chiefe stroke the power of ordaining
peculiar to him and other ministers to administer it which wee blesse c. The third Duty is prayer Act. 6.4 and in the 1 Cor. 14.16 there the manner of publike prayer is plainely set downe that is that which is conceiued by the Minister and the people accompanying him in their affections and saying Amen The fourth Duty belonging to their Office is that they be an example to their flocke of holinesse in life so the Apostle exhorts the Elders to whom hee writ 1 Pet. 5.3 to bee an example to their flocke and so the Apostle exhorts Timothy to bee an example to them that beleeue 1 Tim 4.12 The fifth Duty is to visit the sicke So it is intended Iames 5.14 If any man bee sicke let him call for the Elders of the Church c. Their sixth Duty they are to vse and exercise the power of the Keyes both in binding and loosing for that also is common to them with the Apostles and that which is said to the Apostle in Ioh. 20.23 is said also to all true Ministers Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit on earth they are remitted c. This is peculiar to all in the Ministery and none else The seuenth Duty belonging to their Office is that they are to haue care ouer the poore I vrge it not so much that they should distribute with their owne hands yet that is needfull too where greater occasions are not hindred by it for so the Apostles all was brought and laid at their feet and they did distribute it till they had greater businesse in hand But this they ought to doe to see it performed by those that are in places both collections and distributions 1 Cor. 16.1 Eighthly and lastly their Duty is to bee continually resident and attendant ouer their Charge Act. 20.28 Take heede to the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers c. The very name Ouerseer intends so much that they must be continually resident ouer the flocke wherein the Apostles themselues though they went from place to place yet they were very carefull in visiting and in writing to the Churches which they had planted as Paul and Barnabas did Act. 15.36 and they did long to bee with them as the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 1.11 and when they were hindred from it they bewailed it as Satans worke therein So doth the same Apostle 1 Thes 2.8 and when they could not come themselues they supplied their bodily absence by the presence of their Ministers and Deputies as also by Letters But no ordinary Minister can thus excuse himselfe but they are continually bound to bee resident And the danger is exceeding great when the Pastor is absent as wee may see in the 1 Cor. 15.12 When the Apostle was absent some crept into the Church that taught errors and false Doctrine as that there is no resurrection c. and the danger of it amongst vs is too apparant and lamentable And therefore wee are to pray vnto God that those in Authoritie may force them that are tied to a Charge to be resident vpon it so much for Presbyters In the third place we come to Doctors I finde the word vsed in Ephes 4.11 and we expound it Teachers which hath two significations First I find it to bee vnderstood of those that teach the Word and that is the true and onely sense of it in the Scriptures secondly sometimes it is vnderstood of those that instruct Schollers specially in the grounds of Religion and so after in other matters and so it is taken in some antient Writers The question concerning Doctors is in the former sense this Whether there must bee such an one in euery particular Congregation as a seuerall Officer from the Pastor For answer whereunto I say that the Office of a Doctor is necessary in both senses generally in the Church and also in the former sense as hee is a Teacher hee is necessary in euery particular Congregation yea and further I say that if there bee in one and the same Congregation a Doctor in whom is the Word oâ— knowledge ioyned with a Pastor in whom is the word of wisdome 1 Cor. 12.8 it is not to be misliked But that this must be so of necessitie that wee deny for howsoeuer the gifts bee diuers the Doctors to teach and expound the Scripture the Pastors to apply it yet they may bee and are vsually found in the same Person and therefore wee shall find it Scripture that teaching and preaching concurre together in the same Officer so it is said of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Matth. 9.35 That hee went about teaching and preaching the Gospell And so it is said of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas Act. 15.35 That they continued preaching and teaching at Antioch And so the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.2 requires this in Timothy that he teach and exhort And this is generally required of all preaching Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 that they labour in the Word and Doctrine and what is that but to teach and apply And euery Minister must bee apt to teach What necessitie is there of a Doctor in euery particular Congregation Howsoeuer then they are diuerse gifts yet commonly they are found in the same person and that which they alleage Eph. 4.11 makes directly against them for if the Apostle there had meant to haue made them diuerse offiâ—es heâ— would haue disioyned theÌ„ with the same note of difference as hee did the other and haue said and some Pastors and some Teachers but in that he conioynes them together and saith Pastors and Teachers hee makes them to bee as one Now we come in the fourth place to gouerning Elders I finde Gouernors mentioned in Scripture as in the 1 Cor. 12.28 and also Rulers Rom. 12.8 And I deny not but this is of necessary vse in the Church for the Ministers must bee endued with it they must rule and gouerne as we haue seene before 1 Tim. 5.17 And it may bee of good vse too for the Church euen in those that are out of the Ministry as in the Christian Magistrate but that this must bee meant directly of some that must of necessity rule in euery particular Church besides the Ministers I cannot see specially seeing they ascribe to these Rulers a hand in the Censures of the Church which being a chief part of the power of the keyes and therefore appropriated to the Ministers and limited by Christ onely to the Apostles and them how shal they be imparted to others without their open wrong I will deliuer my iudgment briefely and freely in this case First either there were none such at all or if there were such they were onely by practice not by institution or if they were by institution yet they were for that present dispensation and not perpetuall or lastly if they were perpetuall yet our Church is not destitute in that case First either there were none such at all for first whereas it is said that the Iewes had their Elders
in their Synagogues that these were translated from them though this bee probable and likely enough yet it is but a coniecture there is no sure proofe for it But there must bee sure ground to erect a Church-officer vpon Secondly there is no example in all the Scripture of any Church so gouerned Thirdly the places of Scripture alleaged for them are scarce and few and indeed there is but one and that is in the 1 Tim. 5.17 I will not stand to scanne it or to make shifts against it but if it bee so expounded of Gouerning Elders besides Ministers it is subiect to many iust exceptions and also it may admit many interpretations to the contrary agreeable to the Analogy of Faith and fitting to the words themselues and there are a great many more harsh interpretations that passe for currant in farre weightier matters so that first either there were none such at all or secondly if there were such as for my part I will not vtterly deny it yet they were onely in practice then it cannot be proued to bee an Institution for many things were done then which in doing were not instituted Thirdly or if it were by Institution yet it was onely for that present dispensation when there was no Christian Magistrate so that now wee liuing vnder a Christian Magistrate are not bound to it nor haue no such vse of it and therefore it is not perpetuall Fourthly or if it bee perpetuall yet our Church is not vtterly destitute we haue in euery Parish Vestry-men to ioyne with the Minister in such parts of gouernment as needs such persons to heare and reforme some matters with the Minister that he might not carry all alone And therefore there is no cause of such quarrell and exclamation as is made against our Church vpon this occasion And so much for the fourth point concerning gouerning Elders In the fifth place we come to the office of Deacons that is an expresse Office mentioned in Scripture as Act. 6.2 though they are not there expressely called Deacons yet I doubt not but they were such In Rom. 12.8 they are called Distributors and in the 1 Tim. 3.12 there they are by name These are such as at the first were appointed and imployed altogether about the poore and about Church-Treasury but afterwards they did also exercise some ministeriall functions for Philip was a Deacon Act. 6. yet afterward hee preached and baptized Act. 8.5 38. though he did that rather as he was an Euangelist than a Deacon for so we may reade Act. 21 8. that Philip was an Euangelist And afterward the Deacons baptized which sauing the iudgement of the better learned I thinke they rather vsurped than had any right to it by office or other warrant for it yet in succeeding Ages they had generally a degree of the Ministery answerable to that of the Leuites vnder the Law who taught and looked to the Treasury too and the Scripture seemes to fauour it 1 Tim. 3.13 where it is said they haue ministred well c. so that it is neither strange nor much to be found fault with that there are some such amongst vs. But admit they were only imployed in Church-treasury for that is the true originall of them yet either they were onely for certaine times and places and so was the occasion of their first erection Act. 6. Caluin in Acts 21.8 And therefore they are not of necessitie to be in euery Congregation or if they bee necessary we haue Churchwardens and Collectors answerable to them though not so gifted as they were in Act. 6. that may bee the defect of the times that afford not men so well qualified or of the chusers of them that make not better choice and also though they be not so chosen by prayer and imposition of hands which either is not simply necessary in this case or else being omitted that is also the choosers fault But say they if you retaine the Office and not the Title this is to subiect Gods Ordinance to your owne inuention as if one should say he would yeeld to haue his matter moderated and determined in the Chancery and yet not by my Lord Chancellour whom the King appoints but by one of his owne chusing and so in the Church you will haue this matter of Church-treasury ordered and yet not by Deacons whom the Lord Iesus hath appointed I answer This is but a cauill about words so long as wee retaine the thing it selfe there is no such great matter for the name And so much shall suffice to be spoken concerning Deacons In the sixth place we come to Widowes of these we may reade in Scripture as in Act. 6.1 and 1 Tim. 5.3 and it is probable that these are meant 1 Cor. 12.28 where they are called helpers and Rom. 12.8 shewers of mercy Yee shall haue my iudgement briefly in this point and that is this That all these places of Scripture well vnderstood and compared together doe proue onely thus much first that in many Churches there were then such Widowes secondly that wheresoeuer they were there they were to bee relieued thirdly that where they were so relieued there they were to performe workes of mercy and charitie as to attend the sicke to wash the Saints feete and such like as occasion required But that they are a necessary Officer in euery Church and that where they are not there the Church-gouernment is defectiue that can neuer be proued In Geneua they haue rather poore men than women and in the Churches of France they haue no such vse of Widowes at all Seuenthly wee come to speake of other Assistants as Readers Fellowes Acolutiues Exorcists c. concerning whom because they bee not at all found in the Word wee therefore doe passe them by Eighthly and lastly wee come to the Christian Magistrate who though he be last named yet hath not the least hand in Church-gouernment And the question concerning him is First whether hee may bee rightly called a Church-officer I answer Hee may though not in that proper sense as the Minister because he hath not such an immediate hand in the Word and Sacraments but in a large sense he may and that very rightly For being a member of the Church and that a chiefe one too how can he be excluded from being a Church Officer and that a chiefe one too in his nature It is no disparagement to him Christ being the Head of the Church and he being Christs Lieutenant within his lawfull Dominions why may not he be a chiefe Ruler in Church-businesse It is Gods owne promise Isai 49.23 that Kings and Queenes should be noursing Fathers and noursing Mothers to his Church Themselues by Officers are Nurses and their Authoritie and countenance are like Breasts or Dugs to cherish and feede and hatch vp the Church withall And the Apostle layes it as a dutie vpon all the faithfull 1 Tim. 2.2 That they pray for Kings and all in authority that they
Esa 9.21 And so the Papist is against the Seperatist and the Seperatist against the Papist and both against our Church of England Each of them crying out with open mouth against the Church of England and our standing therein And the Papist thinks wee cannot iustifie our selues against their exceptions but that we must incline to the Seperatists And the Seperatists boast that wee cannot acquit our selues of their exceptions but that wee must incline to Popery here then is our present taske how to deliuer our selues from both these Aduersaries that we may fall foule on neither they doe not assault vs both in the same kinde nor about one and the same thing Each of them haue their seuerall Quarrell and each doe mannage a seuerall fight against vs and therefore we must frame our seuerall defences accordingly against them The Papist hee strikes mainely against our Religion the very life of our Church The Seperatist strikes specially at the State of our Church The exceptions of the Papist is the more dangerous but yet altogether vniust and vntrue that of the Seperatist may seeme to haue some more colour of Truth in some points but is much lesse dangerous First wee will beginne with the Papist as being the ancienter enemy of the two and his Quarrell the greater And because he excepts against our Religion we will ballance their Religion and ours together and so put the matter to triall and ioyne in this Issue whether their Religion be better then ours or our Religion better then theirs And because false Ballances are an abomination to the Lord we will disclaime them Carnall Reason outward Pompe plausible shewes and probabilities are deceitfull waights not fit for this vse Let vs bring them to the Scales of the Sanctuary and examine them by the equall and true waights of the Lord himselfe that is by such spirituall and sound considerations as the holy things of God are to be esteemed and tried by it were tedâ—ous if not infinite to reckon vp all the diffâ—rences betwixt them and vs I will therefore cull out six or seauen of the principall for Instances and thereby yee may iudge of the rest And I will weigh them in foure exceptionlesse Ballances and make it plaine God willing in euery one of these six or seauen Instances by euery of these foure Ballances that our Religion will hold waight full waight downe to the ground and that theirs is too light not worthy to be brought to the Beame The foure Ballances that wee will weigh these Instances in are first the Ballance of Gods glory Secondly the Ballance of Gods Word Thirdly the Ballance of true holinesse Fourthly the Ballance of peace of conscience The Instances of the differences betwixt them and vs which we will weigh in these Ballances are these The first is of the sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute Authority it hath aboue the Church and Traditions The second is of Gods free grace against mans freewill The third is of iustification by faith alone against mans of merits The fourth is of Christ our onely Aduocate against other Intercessors The fifth is of the spirituall worship of God against Images The sixth is of our Communion against their Masse The last instance is of our carriage of the meanes of saluation in open sight and plaine dealing that all may looke into them with their owne eyes against their carriage of all in a cloud and shaddow and huckurmucker of these in order And first let vs weigh these seuen Instances in the first Ballance and that is the Ballance of Gods Glory For that is the best and truest Religion of God that tends most directly and intirely to Gods Glory All that wee doe must bee framed and referred to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 specially our Religion Col. 3.16.17 And if men should deuise a Religion for any God true or false they would resoule That that were the best Religion whereby that God to whom it is erected might bee most glorified yea our very Religion it selfe what is it But our worshipping of beleeuing in calling vpon and obeying God which is nothing else but our very glorifying of God But the Religion professed by the Church of England doth most directly and intirely tend to Gods Glory and the Popish Religion doth not but contrarily it tends to his Dishonour and therefore our Religion is the true Religion of God theirs is not as wee shall see in these Instances The first is concerning the sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute authority thereof aboue the Church and Traditions put this into the Ballance of Gods Glory and admit as we doe that the Scripture is sufficient in it selfe and hath absolute Authority aboue the Church and Traditions and see how Gods Glory is thereby aduanced for thereby God is acknowledged to haue prouided most bountifully and sufficiently for his Church a perfect rule of faith and life that needes no addition and thereby God shall rule by his owne will and Lawes and bee worshiped by his owne ordinances onely all which are matters of Gods greatest honour But deny this as the Papists doe and preferre or equall the Church with the Scripture and mingle Traditions with Gods Word and all this Glory shall be much ecclipsed The second Instance is of Gods free-grace against mans free-will Admit that all the good we do or haue proceeds meerely from the grace and Spirit of God without any will or towardlinesse to good in our selues And the Lord is thereby rightly and truely glorified If wee haue no sufficiency of our selues no not to thinke well but that the will and the deede be both from Gods grace If we haue nothing in Abilty or desire or endeuour but as wee are effectually mooued by the Spirit then the whole glory of our working which is the greatest honour we can here doe to God is wholly ascribed vnto God alone But deny this as the Papists doe and auouch that there is some freedome in our owne will to good then God doth the lesse for vs and so doth the lesse glorifie himselfe on vs extoll man in this corrupt estate and dishonour God but dishonour man herein and extoll God The third Instance is of Iustification by faith alone against mans merits If it be said as we say That wee are iustified by faith alone without mans merits and we yeeld to Christ Iesus the glory and prerogatiue of our alone and all-sufficient Sauiour and we magnifie his righteousnesse as being of that infinite worth and power in and by it selfe as to make vs truely and perfectly righteous that beleeue it which as his proper due is directly assigned of his father and iustly challenged by himselfe and worthily obtained by his doings sufferings and victory But say as the Papists doe that wee doe merit some fauour with God by our owne good works and then we detract from Christs glory and make men compartners together with Christ in this glorious worke
of Iustification The fourth Instance is concerning Christ our onely Aduocate against other Intercessors Say with vs that Christ alone presents our suits to God and makes them auaileable with God and that he is to be called vpon as our onely Intercessor and then we giue him the due honour of his place office of Mediatorship Ioh. 14.13 For his Intercession is a speciall part of that office as well as Redemption wherein if he be acknowledged to bee as we make him our alone Intercessor he is much magnified But if others be ioyned with him as they make it hee is much disparaged as being not sufficient of himselfe but needs others helpe or at least in that office being but of smaller moment such as the Saints might mannage well enough And so not Christ onely but God the Father also is much dishonoured that would put his owne Sonne to that which meaner persons might doe as well as hee The fifth Instance is concerning the spirituall worship of God against Images Let vs worship God as we teach onely in Spirit and Truth without an Image and he is rightly and truely worshipped being serued as he is a most glorious Spirit free from any matter or forme or outward apprehension and impossible to be expressed by any sensible Representation whatsoeuer But worship him in or by an Image as they teach and practise and we cannot but defile our selues and in some sort the Lords great maiesty to our selues by many grosse carnall bodily and materiall thoughts and imaginations wholly mis-beseeming the purity of Gods nature being and maiesty as if hee were a carnall bodily or manly God then which nothing can bee more contrary to his nature and will and so not more derogatory to his glory The sixth instance is of our Communion against their Masse Celebrate the memoriall of Christs death as we doe in the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Sacrifice of Christ once offered by himselfe on the crosse is thereby aduanced and acknowledged to bee a most perfect and sufficient expiation by it selfe of all our sins hereby it is only remembred and shewed according to the institution but not repeated But celebrate the death of Christ in the Popish Masse which the Papists themselues hould to be a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and how can Christ once sacrificed be more disparaged The last instance is concerning the carriage of the meanes of Saluation in open sight and playne dealing amongst vs that all may looke into them with their owne eyes against their carriage of all in a cloud and shaddow and hukermucker Let Prayer be made in a knowne tongue and wee honour God not with lips onely but with vnderstanding too but let it be made in an vnknowne tongue as it is in Popery and we dishonour God babling and prattling to him we know not what Let the Scripture bee free and common to all that euery one may reade and vnderstand and the Lord is glorified in the comfort knowledge faith and obedience of many But let the Word bee kept from the people and then they cannot know God and so cannot honour him let men haue an explicite faith to vnderstand and beleeue particularly for themselues all things necessary to saluation and they shall glorifie God in giuing a reason of the hope that is them 1 Pet. 3.15 But if they be content with an implicite faith onely to beleeue as the Church beleeues they shall dishonour God in their blindnesse and ignorance and hardly shall the Lord be glorified in their Saluation God is iealous of his owne glory and so must all that professe his name and the more iealous we are of that and zealous for it the more truely Religious we are If wee bee out of our wits saith the Apostle we are it to God 2 Cor. 5.3 So we see in these seuen instances that our Religion is full weight in this ballance of Gods glory and the Religion of Popery too light not worthy to be tryed in this Beame The second ballance wherein we will try our Religion and theirs in these seuen instances is in the ballance of Gods Word for it is not enough to ayme at Gods glory in our owne intention but after his direction for hee cannot be truely glorified but so as himselfe teacheth in his word That is the best and true Religion of God thaâ— is most agreeable to Gods Word and that is the worst that most disagrees with Gods Word Leuit. 18.4.5 ye shall doe after my iudgements and seeke mine ordinances And Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures Mat. 15.9 In vaine they worshipme teaching for doctrine mens precepts And 1 Ioh. 4.5 he that knoweth God heareth vs c where is Gods Religion to be found but in Gods book As the Iewes religion is found in their talmud the Turkes in their Alcoan But the religion professed in our Church is most agreeable to Gods Word and the Religion of Popery is not agreeable thereto therfore our Religion is the true Religion That ours is most agreeable to Gods Word not theirs see it in the first instance The sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute authority it hath aboue the Church and traditions this is agreeable to that in the 2 Tim. 3.16 17. for the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes And Iohn 10.27 my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and 5. Verse they will not follow a stranger but flye from him for they know not the voyce of strangers For that which the Papists alleadge for the Church that shee is to bee heard Matth. 18.17 It is to be vnderstood subordinately to the word that is so farre as the Church is aduised by God in his Word and for that which they alleadge for traditions out of the 2 Thes 2.15 keepe the instructions which ye haue beene taught eyther by word or by Epistle by word and Epistle are meant one and the same thing onely the manner of deliuery was diuers sometimes by word sometimes by Epistle And seeing the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture and traditions bee each of them a disparagment to the word except the word should disparage it selfe which no wise man can imagine there is no seeking for any warrant for them within the word The second instance Gods free grace against mans free will Our Religion teacheth according to Gods Word Phil. 2.13 that it is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed And 2 Cor. 3.5 that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God And Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me And there is no colour of any one direct place to the contrary in all the Scripture There are some
vnto vs the sufficiency Scripâ— Thirdly such as forbid any addition to or detraction from the Scripture Fourthly such as condemne all Doctrine taught either without or besides the Scripture Rhemists 15 Acts â— The Papists say the church may coyne new articles of faith What authority the Church hath about articles of Faith Hyper 6â— Hyper 54. Secondly that the Church make any booke to bee Canonicall Scripture Which the Papists hould this confuted by diuers reasons Thirdly that the Church hath power to deuise adde diminish or alter any part of Gods worship which the Church of Rome hath done prooued by diuerse things Fourthly concerning customes The fathers iudgement concerning customes Fifthly concerning traditions How and in what sense tradition is to bee receiued Answers to the Popish tenent concerning tradititions Answer 1. Ob. Answer wherin is shewed that the Baptisme of Infants the change of the Sabbath and that so many bookes are Canonicall Scripture and are not had by tradition but proued by good consequence out of the Scripture Answ 2. Answ 3. Their proofe out of 2 Thes 2.15 Answe Answ 4. The scripture the so onely rule of saith acknowledged to bee by all Churches generally Secondly the Scripture is the onely tryall of euery truth How euery matter of substance is to be found in the Scripture Concerning Churches power in matters of circumstance and they are of two sortes one of miracles and what is to be helde concerning the same Secondly of discipline and this is of two sorts either matter of dâ—scipline which is spoken of before or secondly matter of ceremonies and what the church hath power to doe therein The bounds the Church is to keepe in ordaining matters of ceremony 1. 2. Vse 2. 1. The ninth generall point concerning the Church viz. the application of all that hath bin spoken to all visible Churches in christendome that I know of The generall diuision of all churches that haue beene or are since our Sauiours time into Easterne and WesteÌ„rne and this according to their scâ—tuation Secondly according to their language and so some be greek and some latin Churches VVhether Schismaticall or hereticall Churches may be accounted true visible Churches What a Schismatike church is Hereticall Churches First what they are and when any particular man is to be reputed an Heretike Heresies of 2. sorts first such as ouerthrow the foundation What this fundation is Resol Those that deny directly this foundation or any part thereof cease to bee Christians and are no more visible Churcher The Greeke Churches be here spoken of and what weare to thinke of them 1. of the Greeke Churches generally disperse in most at the Easterne parts of the world Ortelius 100. Ortelius 97. 98. 108. Secondly the Greeke Churches which are more particularly and properly so called and what we are to hold of them deliuered in an obseruation Doct. The mayne error of the Greeke Churches The Greeke Churches better then the Popish-Church The Papists vnchatarible censuring the Greeke Churches answered The Greeke Churches not guâ—lty of Schisme from Rome The Greeke Churches neuer subiect to the Romane Church One note of the Church as the Papists account it is found in the Greeke Church viz succession of Bishops The goodnes of God in perseruing of his Churches seene in the Greeke Churches vnder the Turke The miseries of the Greeke Church vnder the Turke in many particulars in regard of their persecutions in regard of the Religion of the Turks The Religion of the Turks 1. a pestilent Religion directly opposite to Christ 2. It ouerspreadeth a great part of the knowne world 3. It is a pleasing Religion For what it was that the Lord suffered such famous Churches to come to ruine applied to vs. The Western churches and first of those that acknowledge the Pope their head as the Church of Rome and those that hold with her and what maâ— be said and held of her deliuered in two obseruations The church of Rome as now it standeth may in some sense be reputed a true visible Church A differenâ—e betweene the papacy or the popâ—sh â—action and some better spirits amongst them in regard of whom the whole may be called a true Church The popish church doth not directly deny any part of the fundation but in outward shew of words affirme it The church of Rome hath beene a true Church The Papists by their Doctrine of iustification by workes must ouerthrow the foundation they by this ouer throw Christ not directly but by consequence Quest Answ It is not so great a sin to deny Christ directly as by consequence yet hee that doth this deserueth to be cut off from Gods mercy The Church of Rome compared with the Church of Israel 2. with the Church of the Iewes in our Sauiours times With the Church of Galatia Circumcision doth as neerely by consequence cut off from Christ as iustification by workes with the of Church Sardis Baptisme a true Sacrament in Rome and rightly administred there for the substance of it Those that were Baptised in the Church of Rome were lawfully Baptised Ob 1. Answ Ob. 2. Answ The ordinati of our Ministers from the Church of Rome and yet a lawfull ordination The question where the Church was before Luthers time answered The inconuenience preuented by acknowledging that the Church of Rome may be accounted a true Church What to thinke of our fathers that liued in the Popish Church They of the Popish Chuâ—ch are to â—e â—udâ—ed rather mis-beleeuers then vnbeleeuers The 2. Obseruation wherein is further delired what may be sayd and held further of the church of Rome The Church of Rome so corrupt that it is not lawfull to ioyne with her This that is spoken against thee is in respect of the Pope and Popish factors Corruption of the Church of Rome reduced to 2. sorts 1. matter of Doctrine reduced to 1. part of the Doctrine Foure heads 1 concerning Scriptures And their error therein Three things 1 denying the sufficiency of the Scripture 2 Perâ—erting the truth of the Scripture 3 Disanulling the authorâ—ty and credit of the Scripture many wayes 1 teaching the apochryphaâ—l bookes to be canonicall Scripture Secondly equalling traditions of men with the written word of God Thirdly preferring the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture Two heads wherein they orre in matter of Doctrine viz concerning the direct offices of the Mediator The Papists say there bee many mediators betwixt God and man The distinction of mediators of intercession and redemption answered Two things in a Mediator To be mediator of intercession is peculiar to Christ as well as to be mediator of redemption The popish shâ—ft off praying to the Saints not as helpers but as intercessor Answered The popish reason for praying to the Saints departed drawn from our desiâ—ing the Saints on earth to pray for vs Answered The third head wherein the church of Rome erreth in doctrine and that is concerning Images The church of Rome an abominable whore deseruing
office of the mediator the third is concerning Images the fourth is concerning Iustification for the first which is her corruption in Doctrine concerning the Scripture which is the truth and ground of Religion they teach uery erroniously not onely that which disparageth them which yet is a presumptuous sinne but that which by consequence vtterly ouerthrows them First in that they dare deny the sufficiency of Scripture Secondly in that they peruert the truth of Scripture thirdly in that they disanulle the authority of Scripture First they deny expresly the sufficiency of Scripture whereas God hath deliuered them as a particular rule 2 Tim. 3.16 they say No It is not sufficient of it selfe they must be pieced and perfected by traditions No man dare adde to the will of a dead man and yet these are so shamelesse and presumptuous that they dare presume to adde to the sacred Testament of Iesus Christ thus they deny the sufficiency of Scripture Secondly they peruert the truth of Scripture teaching and deliuering first concerning the translation that none is to be admitted as authenâ—icall but the vulgar Latine translation which themselues confesse is sometimes faulty and doth misse of the meaning of the Holy Ghost secondly for the interpretation of Scripture they will admit of none but such as it pleaseth the fathers to giue who themselues acknowledge may and doe sometimes erre and are deceiued now to teach that an vntrue translation is the Text of Scripture and an vntrue interpretation to be the sense of Scripture what is this but to make the Scripture vntrue Third they disanull the authority and credit of the Scripture and that many wayes first teaching that the Apochryphall bookes which are knowne to containe certaine vntruthes to be Canonicall Scripture secondly equalling the traditions of men with the written Word of God and vrging them to be receiued with as great authority as the Word of God Now if the Word of God be of no more authority in matters of Saluation then the word of man it is very feeble and not worth trusting to Thirdly they goe further preferring the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture the Scripture say they is to beleeued for the authority of the Church that is as much as if they should say God is not to beleeued for his owne sayings but for the witnesse of man thus they disanull the authority and credit of the Scripture Now all these layd together see whether that may not be iustly taken vp against them which our Sauiour speaketh against the Iewes Iohn 8 47. he that is of God heareth Gods Word ye therfore heare them not because yee are not of God and Iohn 10.26.27 ye beleeue not because yee are not my sheepe my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Gods children heare his word and will not impeach the truth and credit of it the Popish faction will not heare it but will impeach the truth and credit of it and therefore they are none of Christs sheepe So much for their error in Doctrine concerning the scripture where wee see that their fountaines are corrupt and therefore we are like to finde but foule waters in their Channels Their second Error in Doctrine is concerning the direct office of the mediator God saith directly that there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man that is Christ 1. Tim. 2.5 they say there are many the blessed Virgin Mary and other Saints not onely praying for vs but to bee inuocated by vs doth not this iustle Christ out of his roome at least to sit so close that others must sit in commission with him in that office they would shift it off with this that they make the Saints mediators of intercession onely and Christ of Redemption and the Apostle say they when he saith there is but one Mediator c. hee meanes of Redemption not of intercession I Answere that the Apostle in that place speakes of a Mediatour of intercession for he speakes of Prayers and intercessions in the first Verse and as in reason he that is to make intercession for any must be able to reconcile them and to take away the enmity and to bring the parties whom he intercedes for into fauour else it would be a friuolous and vayne intercession and he that intercedes for any must be such an one as the person interceded doth appoint or at least approue of for that businesse euen so the Scripture propounds Christ alone to be intercessor in both these respects 1 Iohn 2.1.2 If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocat with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes He is our Aduocate or intercessor and our propitiation or reconciliation both and Iohn 16.23 whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he shall giue it you hee doth not say whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my mothers name or in the Saints names but in my name And therefore both Redemption and Intercession are oft times in Scripture by name ioyned together as in that 1 Tim. 2.5 6 there is one Mediator betwixt God and man c who gaue himselfe a Ransome for all men Rom 8.34 who shal condemne vs it is Christ that died ye rather that is risen again who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs so that we see to be mediator of intercession is as peculiar to Chrst as to be mediator of redemption They shift again say we pray to the Saints not as helpers but as intercessors onely but wee pray to Christ as intercessor and helper by his owne power too I answer yet still they make them intercessors then though not in the same degree and so they eyther iustle Christ out of his roome or set his mother and the Saints on the Bench with him but if therebe any other intercessors then either the intercession of Christ is imperfect or else the intercession of the Saints is superfluous But say they we doe no more to the Saints in heauen then yee doe to the Saints on earth and then the Apostle did to the Thessalonians in the 2 Thes 3.1 Brethren pray for vs c. I answer First wee haue a warrant for this Scripture but for the other wee haue none at all Secondly will any man say that the Apostle made them intercessors for him This were a disparagement to him no but hee intreats them to be fellow Suitors and ioint Petitioners to God with him and for him Thirdly the Saints that are aliue we haue accesse vnto and can vtter our mindes to them but so wee cannot to them that are deceased and therefore they that pray to them though it be but as fellow suitors they make God of them in that very fact that is they make them knowers of the desires of the heart for Prayer is the desire of the heart and to know that is proper to God