haue not consumed or abolished the Antichristian prelacie and other abominations of that man of sinne nay it is evident they maynten Antichrist for haue they not al receiued their ministery from the prelates promised obedieÌ„ce to their ordinaris yet your preachers wer woÌ„t to say the prelats ar AntichristiaÌ„ Agayn if your ministers had in them the spirit of the Lords mouth they would ere this time haue made a separatioÌ„ from the wicked popish sinful generation for God sayd vnto Ieremie if thou take away the precious from the vile thou shal be as my mouth But this doctrine of separation your ministers wil neyther teach nor suffer to be taught but lock vp the kingdome of heauen as much as they can that men may not enter they blame vs for nothing so much as for separation when nothing is more needfull to be done if we will keep the couenant of our God and maynteyn that war which his own Maiestie first proclaymed between the womans seed and the serâ—ents Gen. 3 15. so vnlike your ministers be to the mouth of God As vnlike they are also to those Angels and witnesses Reu. 18. 14. 11. whâ—ch cried the downfall of Antichrists pompous church and ministerie and called al Gods children out of it saying Goe cut of her my people but your ministers cry that men should tarry within as the potters that contrary to Gods commaundement dwelt with the king of Babel for hâ—s work and such as are gone out they labour to bring back agayne saying that with them is the true doctrine of saluation their errors ar not fundamentall their corruptions abolish not from Christ all reformed churches apâ—roue of theâ—r church and ministery and many such Babilonian songs haue we heard among them And whereas in Reâ— 14 there followed an Angel that with a lowd voyce threatned all those that worshipped the beast and his image and receiued his mark in forehead or in hand your ministers themselues stand vnder that wrath whiles the mark of the beast is so open in theâ—r foreheads by that false ministery of priesthood which they haue receiued from the Bishops whose vnlawfull authority and iurisdiction they submit vnto and teach men to doe the like in whâ—ch respect they cannot excuse themselues from worshipping the Beast seing that hierarchie and prelacy‘ is by the light of Gods word and by the aâ—teâ—tation of the Christian reformed churches and by your own confession heretofore found to be Antichrâ—stian if the Pope be Antiâ—hrisâ— Râ—me be the throne of the Beast Thus men may see that your ministers are far from overthrowing Antichrist kingdome your selfe haue shewed a good reason why Satan cannot cast out Satan The 5. argument THose ministers which are the sauiour of death to the wicked and life to the godly are the true ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Such are the ministers of our best assâ—mblies Ergo true ministers of Christ. Answer THis naked argument hath not a ragg to help to couer the falsehood of the aâ—â—umption wherefore â—t may soon be stript and let goe I disprâ—ue that which you haue asâ—umed thâ—s Your minâ—sters are not the saviour of death to the wicked because they suffer them in the bosome of theâ—r church by their sacraments and blessinâ—s confirme them in their sinns doe not excommunicate the profane or vicious liver but let them remayn in mixture with the rest and plead for such a people to be the true church of God They are not the sauour of life to the godly because they preach not the way of lâ—fe trâ—ely by separating from idolaters and idolatry and gathering to a hâ—ly communiâ—n in the faith and obedience of the gospel Bâ—t whileâ— they persecute preach and write against Gods children which prâ—ctise the orâ—inances of his couenant and by fayr pretexts and tolorable reasons seek to draw them back to their confused assembliâ—s they are lâ—ke those whome the Lord reproued thus And will ye pollute me among my people for handâ—uls of barly and fâ—r peeces of bread and to stay the soules of them that should not die and to giue life to the souleâ— that should not liue in lying to my people that heare your lyes Ezek 13.19 The 6. Argument THese ministers that are hated of all men for the sake of Christ are the true ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4 9 10.11..12.13 2. Cor. 6.4.5 6.8 Mat. 10 â—2 Such are the ministers of our best assemblieâ— Therefore true ministers of Christ. The MINOR is proued for that thâ—y are hated of the most part and of the most evil of all sorts as were the Apostles and desciples of Christ. Consider what I say â—nd the Lord giue thee understanding in all things 2 Tim 2.7 Answer THis your last reason comes al too late and wil help your ministery nothing For by the discussing of your former arguments We haue seen that your ministers câ—nnot proue their office calling or entrance into the sheepfold by Christ neyther administer they according to his testament but after their owne invented leitâ—rgie lawes and Cannons So that if they be hated of all men in respect of their ministery they are not hated for Christs sake seeing they haue none of his ministery hated it may be they ar of many so are Frâ—ars and Monks and the rest of Anti-christs clergie so it is written that the ‡ whore shall be hated made desolate and naked her flesh eaten and shee burned with fyer but it is the cause not the suffering which makes the martyr Whereas therfore your minor is proued by a bare affirmation onely that so it is as is your manner of disputing you must take a better course and proue things otherwise ere we will yield for the Arrian and Anabaptists and all sorts of religion wil Plead that both they and their ministers are hated for Christs sake but every tree is knowne by its fruits Yet haue yea no such cause to complayn of hatred for the ministry of your Church is aproued and reioyced for as your selfe while are sayd of all the forreyn reformed Churches in the world and at home wee know how it is reuerenced honoured and obeyed Your cheifest ministers being acknowledged for spiritual Lords and right reverend Fathers the inferiour priests as sound and excelent Divines followed and flockked after by the people And how they are provided for by rich Bishoppricks fat benefices al ouer the Land besides their dayly intertainment at great and rich mens tables who is there among you that knoweth not These are not signes of hatred Therefore let him that readeth consider indeed what you haue sayd and the Lord giue him vnderstanding in all things O England ISRAEL thy Prophets are like the foxes in the wast places Ezek. 13.4 Positions concerning a true Church INtending to set down some arguments against the corrupt estate of the present church of England I thought it profitable to prefix some few positions as a
and by all the Seers saying turne from your evill wayes c. neverthelesse they would not obey but hardened thâ—ir necks c. 2 Kiâ— 17 13 14 The next place Isa 55.11 sheweth the nature of Gods word which is effectâ—â—ll to make better or worse as he will that sendeth it not alwayes tâ— conuert for Pharaoh was hardned by it not onelie by the officers fâ—r â—â—is honoâ—r is to all the Saincts to haue the high acts of God in their mâ—â—thes and a two edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance in the heathens and corrections among the people c. Psal 149 6 7.9 The fruites whereby false prophets are knowne from true Mat. 7 â—0 are not the effects of their doctrine by converting men onely for so many true prophets heretofore should haue been iudged false but the doctrine it selfe and the works of life and conuersation are the prophets fruites which also may both be good in them that haue no office at all The next place Luk. 1.76 speaketh in partâ—cular of Iohns extraordinary office and work wherein God imployed him and proueth your purpose no more then the other Iohn 1â— 1 2. speaketh of lawfull enterers into the sheepfold by the door and of theeues that clime vp an other way What this will say for your ministers I know not vnlesse to proue them theeues for their entrance into the ministerie by the dâ—ore that is by Christs ordinance iâ— his church they cannot shew no lawfull office or calling haue they to witnâ—sse for them Yea they are ashamed of their office calling and entrance by the Bishops and secretly doe disclaym that to their people pretend their gifts graces and effects for proof of their ministerie 〈◊〉 many of vs that haue dealt with them doe know But what say I secrâ—â—ly nay openly and in print they haue yeelded that thâ—y enter not in by Christ but by a popish and vnlawfull vocatiâ—n The like seemeth â—o be closelie implied in these your arguments where you neither name what office your preachers haue nor how lawfullie they come by it as the reader may obserue The words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.1 2 4.15 shew two things 1 â— lawfull office of Apostleship 2 and Gods blessing vpon his labors in that office neither of Which can be shewed by your ministers neither proueth it yoâ—r proposition more then the other places For I hold with you that Gods lawfull ministers are the principall and most excellent ordinarie outward meanes for to work repentance faith c. but not the onely as you would haue it The Assumption namelie that such effects doe follow your preachers doctrine is denied You refer vs for the proof thereof to that which you wrote before and I also refer the reader to that which is before answered And here I wil add a further demonstration that true repentance can not follow your preachers doctrine in as much as they teach not true repentance neyther can teach it because their mouthes are mouzled by your church that they may not speake For thus it hath enacted Whosoeuer shall hereafter affiâ—me that the forme of Gods worship in the Church of England established by law and conteyned in the book of Common prayer c. is a corrupt superstitious or vnlawfull worship of God or conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the scriptures let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the place or Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errors Whosoeuer shall hereafter affirm that the rites and ceremonies of the church of England by law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as being commanded by lawfull authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good conscience approue them vse them or as occasion requireth subscribe vnto them let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored vntill he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errors Whosoeuer shall hereafter affâ—rm that the gouerment of the Church of Eng. vnder his Maiestie by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that doe bear office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto and so continew vntil he repent and publickly reuoke such his wicked errors Whosoeuer shall hereafter affirm or teach that the forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored vntil he repent and publicly revoke such his wicked errors These and the like constitutions hath your representatiue church of England made for maintenance of their worship ministerie ecclesiasticall gouernment rites ceremonies c against which your forward preachers heretofore so earnestly inveighed as being corrupt vnlawfull and antichristian but now behold their mouthes are shut they may not preach repentance for the many abominations that are among you if they doe they are excommunicated ipso facto and then are they neither officers nor members of your church Wherfore your ministers are eyther fain to hold their peace and be such as the Prophet complaineth of that rise not vp in the breaches nor make vp the hedge for the howse of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord or els they preach for defence of your own inuented worship pompous clergie and laudable ceremonies and are such as the prophet blameth for hauing seen a vayne vision and spoken a lying divination saying the Lord sayth it albeit he hath not spoken What reward then can they exspect for their preaching but as the Lord there threatneth that his hand shal be vpon them they shall not be in th' assembly of his people nor written in the writing of the howse of Israel Wherefore if there be any weight or soundnes in this your argument it may be returned vpon you thus The preachers after whose publick doctrine doe ordinarilie follow impenitency and continuance in an evill â—nd idolatrous estate of life in the hearers ar not the true ministers of God But after the doctrine of the preachers of your best assemblies doe ordinarily follow and appear impenitency idolatry and other fruites of the flesh in the hearers as is proued by the answer to this and to the assumption of your 4 argument for the churches Therfore the preachers of your best assemblies are not the true Ministers of God The 2 Argument SVch Ministers as haue promise of salvation in their present standing ar true Ministers of Christ. But so haue the ministers of our best assemblies Ergo. c. Proof of the assumption Because the promise of saluation is giuen to such Ministers as 1 are faithfull and wise stewards giuing the household meat in due season Mat 24 45.46 2. build gold siluer or stubble on the foundation 1 Cor 3 12 15. 3.
vnlesse perhaps he hath blessed some of their youthes with the Sacrament of Confirmation how many of their soules he hath conuerted yea let them say whether euer he saw their faceâ— As for the Bishops Deputies the parisâ—h priests many of them are dumb by nature and cannot preach many are made dumb by their spirituall Lords power and silenced for disobedâ—ence so preaching wexeth geazon and people perish for want of Instruction In the mean tyme this painful Clergie feedeth the Lay weekly with their mattings Euensong and Homilies and sometimes in a year with sermon and reading the Bishops canons They discipline their notorious sinners with reading curses and Comminations out of the pulpit till the Lent penance which is much to be wished be restored agayn they solemnize the holy dayes of Angels and of Saincts they giue ech man the sacrament at Easter deuoutly vpon his knees they baptise with water and a signe of the crosse in the aâ—er they wed their parishioners with a ring teach the man to worship his wife in the name of the Father and of the Son of the holy Ghost they church the women after childbirth they visiâ— the sick and absolue him from all his sinns and howsel him with a Communion and last of all they bury the dead in sure and certayn hope of resurrection to eternall life And this is yenough for priests to doe in the country parishes but in the Cathedrall churches where Bishops Deanes and other great Doctors do reside there the Queristeâ—s and Organ-pipes make sweeter melody Mr. Bern. confesseth that the Lord onely prescribes the duties to be done in euery distinct â—ffice now he that knowes not these dutiess to belong to Christs ministers or these works to be a faythfull performance of ministeriall office let him read Mr Bernards book for there he hath quoted many scriptures the end of all which is to raise an euident proof of the truth of their ministery and administration as if one should cite the second commandement for to vphold idolatrie The effects of their administration in conuerting sowles is but a vayne boast as their idolatrous estate with the lamentable ignorance and profanenes of the people every where sheweth The reasons brought by others for Mr Bern bringeth none to perswade such effects are before in this treatise answered It maketh also against the estate of this church and ministery for if these preachers haue conuerted and wrought faith in some of their hearers then it followeth that before that conuersion they were infidels yet were they of the church and had this ministery set ouer them as all men know Which how it can stand with the râ—les of Gods word hath neuer yet bene shewed The example which Mr Bern. allegeth of th' Apostle 1 Cor 9.1.2 helpeth him nothing For Apostles were sent to conuert heathens but Pastors are set for to feed conuerted Christians And the Priests of England challenge to be Pastors I ween and not Apostles Agayn the work and seal of Pauls Apostleship was seen in Corinth by separating the beleeuers from infidels and gâ—therâ—ng the Saints onely into the communion of the church vnder the officers giâ—en of Christ but in England the vnbâ—leeuers and wicked were receiued and are reteyned in the church So that Mr. Bern. is but a â—alse Apostle as his work shewes if he be any at all But in the end he tels vs we forget to iustifie the lawfulnes of our own ministers who are made â—iâ—istâ—rs â—y sâ—ch as are no ministers contrary to the constant practise of the church of God from the dayes of Adam hitherto c. In which dispute Mr. Bern. teacheth playn apostasie from the Gospell unto Poperie from whâ—ch he deriueth the minâ—stery of his church of Engl. For seing all the examples that he allegeth from scriptures are of Diuine persons and approued ministers of the true church and comming to his church of England he fetcheth her ministery out of the Popish church and from the Prelates thereof it cannot be if his last words agree with his first but the poâ—ish church is a true church and their prelates true ministers Otherweise hâ—s reasoning is absurd to say God ordeyned Adam Moses odeyned Aaron Christ ordeyned the Apostles the Apostles ordeyned orther mâ—nisters in churches therefore Antichrist of Rome his synagoâ—ue of Satan hâ—s eldest sonâ—es the Prelates must or may ordeyn miniâ—ters in the church of Christ. If this be a good consequence let al men iudge if â—â—â—s it be not then Mr. Bern. holdeth the popish church and the â—opish ministers true ministers and so himselfe and his church of England must needs be schismatiks for leauing that church of Rome When he hath cleared himselfe of this his absurd doctrine then if he cannot see that the church of Christ hath power to ordeyn her own ministers it shal be shewed hâ—m by the scriptures Tâ—ll then what should we do folowing of a wauering reed whome we cannot tell by his writing whether he be Papist or Protestant And that the reader may see into what an intricate Labyrâ—nth the ministers of England haue brought themselues about this matter of their ministery by writing as they haue doâ— both of the Papists and of us I will set down a Papist argument against them from which how handsomely they can defend themselues I would fayn see There came out in anno 1602 a book called A detection of diuers notable vntruthes c. wherein the author hauing to deal wit Mr Sâ—â—cliff who as he sayth had reasoned thus The true church is a societie of faithfull people vnder lawfull Pastors c But the Church of Rome hath long wanted true Pastors and Bishops for the Romish Bishops haue no authority â—r missioÌ„ but froÌ„ the Pope to whome also they swear feally but he hath no authority to send them or ordeyn them â—eing himselfe no Bishop c. This argumeÌ„t of Mr Sutcliffs the Papist retorteth vâ—oÌ„ theÌ„ thus The true church of Christ hath alwayes true Pastors and Bishops but the English Congregation wanteth true Priests and Bishops Therefore the English congreagation 〈◊〉 not the true church of Christ. The fiâ—st proposition sayth the Papist he must not deny being of his own making c. The 2 proposition is apparant according to Mr Sutcliffs diuinity For most certaine it is that their first Bishops receiued their orders and consecration from our catholik Bishops as his brother Bel confesseth Suruey pag. 201. And the thing it selfe speaketh seing when Lâ—ther begun there was not any protestant Bishop or Priest c. And if Mr Sutâ—liffe dare deny that their Bishops were câ—nsâ—cratedlâ— ours then let him name who they were that did lay hands vpon Mr Parker the first of Cant. that deriued not their mission authority and consecration from the Bishop of Rome Certayn it is thâ—t â—yther none at all can be named or els none bâ—sides therefore if our Bishops be
answer I may err iudgment so may others even whole churches therefore let euery man look how he iudgeth and how he deâ—endeth on other men and let evey mans â—udgment be tried by the scriptures For this cause we say vnto you seing we haue fought for the judgement of other churches but can get no answer procure you some reasons from them in defence of your church ministerie worship and ecclesiasticall gouerâ—ment and if by Gods word they can justâ—fy those things and evince that we haue done evil to depart from you we will returne vnto you Otherwise if they reioyce neuâ—r so mâ—ch for your estate we are verâ—ly perswaded that both they and you haue more causâ— to mourne for the many abominations that are amâ—ng 〈◊〉 To conclude consider in an example the weight of your argument for by the like reâ—son the envious ministers in Pauls time mought thus haâ—e justâ—fied themselues That mâ—nisterie and ministration for which the Apostles of Christ reioyce is true to be obeyed and continued in But our ministery and minâ—stration is such as for it the Apostle Paul reioyceth yea and will râ—ioyce Philip â— 16.18 If you Answer the Apostle reioyced for the preaching of Christ not forthe envious affection of the preachers who might be damned themselues notwithstanding their true doctrine it is true And so minde I for the reformed churches They reioyce for the many truthes you profesâ—e against Popery as we also doe the like yet may you neverthelesse perish for your false constitution idolatrous worship popish hierarchie and other transgressions that are among you Amend your liues therefore and turne your feet into the wayes of peace for if you rely vpon man anâ— make â—lesh yoâ—r arme and will not heâ—r the word of the Lord that condemneth your iniquities you shâ—ll perish in your sinns other châ—rches shall not be able to excuse of sâ—ue you ARGVMENTS That the PREACHERS of the best assemblies of the church of ENGLAND are true ministers of Christ. I THâ— prâ—achers after whose publick powerfull doctrine of the word do ordinarily follow repeÌ„â—ance conuersion to God sauing fayth in Christ loue to the brethrâ—n and oâ—heâ— fruits of the spiâ—it Gal. 5 6 22. in the hearers are true ministers of God and of the visible châ—rcâ— But â—fter â—he dâ—ctrine of Gods word taught by the preachers of our best asseâ—bliâ—s doe ordâ—narily appear the fruites of the spirit in the hearers Thâ—refore thâ— preachers of our best assemblies are true ministers of Christ. The â—roposition is proued because onely the word that God doth send in the 〈◊〉 oâ— his ministers is ordinarily effectuâ—ll for these things Ier. 23 22 Esa. 55 11. Mat 7 20 Luk 1 76 Ioh. 10.1 2. 1 Cor 9 1. â— 4 15. Thâ— assumption is proued by the answer to the assumption of the 4 argumeâ—◠〈◊〉 thâ— churcheâ— Answer OVR separation is from your Church consisting of many assemblieâ— all compact into ore bodâ—e and from all your Ministerie both prelacie and priesthood We cannot tel which assemblies or ministers be best for they that seem best may proue worst because they most deceiue the simple the wolf that comes in a sheeps coat is no whit better than he that commeth in his natiue hiew but he may doe more harm in that he is disguised Reason would perswade vs that the Bishops are the preachers of your best assemblies for they haue greatest dignity fatherhood and authority in your church they preach in the highest and most honorable assemblies of the land they are most carefull to obserue their oath of due obedience to keep the canonâ— orders lawes and ceremonies of your church and set themselues against such as secretly vndermine the state of the church and ministerie of England yet openlie stand members and professed friends of the same They and their assemblies are best ordered after the constitution and lawes of your church So that to speak as I think I know not which assemblies be best where the Leven hath sow red the whole lump though I can guesse which you doe mean but plain dealing about your ministers and asâ—emblies would haue beseemed you best Tel vs therefore when you next write what ministers you mean whether the Bishops Deanes Doctors c. that are in the cathedrall churches or the Doctors and Diuines that are in your vniuersities or thâ— Parsons Vicars Lecturers that are in your Parishes Again what Ministers they be whither Apostles or Prophets or Evangelists or Pastors or Teachers for all these are ministers Eph. 4. and meet it is to know your meaning for though Apostles and Pastors be both ministers ordeined of Christ yet if one will say everie Pastor is an Apostle he is but a liar So you see it is needfull that we ransack these your ambiguous and generall termes Now for your argument first I answer to the proposition that though these fruites you mention doe many times follow the doctrine of Christs ministers yet not theirs onely nor alwaies Not onelie because other men that are not in office of Ministerie may by excercise of their gifts work such fruites as appeareth 1 Cor. 14.1.31.3.24 25. c. I appeal also to your selues whether you thinke not that your best ministers though silenced or degraded from all ministeriall office may not when they teach work repentance fath and other fruites of the spirit Neither doe these fruites alwayes follow the doctrine of true ministers for Noah preached 120· yeares yet followed there not faith and repentance in the old world Christ himselfe preached to Chorazin and Bethsaida yet left the woe vpon them and complaineth in Esaias that he had laboured in vayn among the Iewes and of Israel it is said All the day long haue I stretched out my hand a disobedient and gâ—ynsaying people To reason therefore from the effects this man wrought faith by his teaching therefore he is a true minâ—ster or this man wrought not faith by his teaching therefore no true minister is vnsound and vnconcludable by the scriptures The â—roofs of your proposition being examined wil be found to light for your purpose if you mean that the officers doctrine onely or alwayes is effectuall for these thinâ—s to weet repentance faith c often I know it is and alwayes it hath effect eyther to life or death in the hearers Your scriptures are Ier 23 22. which sheweth what true prophets should labour to doe namely to turne sinners from their evill way c whereas the false prophets did otherwise Eze 13 22 but proueth not that the prophets onely did this for the Priests and Levites did it also Mal 2 6 yea priuate men may often turne their neighbours from evill Leu 4 27.8 19.17 Prou. 31.26 Mal. 3 16 Mat. 18.15 Iam. 5.19 20. neyther proveth it that the prophets alwayes did this for Esaias crieth Lord who hath beleeued our report Isa. 53.1 and it is written that the Lord testified to Israel by all the Prophets