the constitution for the ministery in it Now where you adde that Luther and other worthy Ministers of Christ were raysed vp out of the Romish Church you wrong him them and the truth in them whilst you would gratifie Rome and England Luthers Ministery from Rome was his Fryardome and is a Fryar a true minister of Christ by his office or of Artichrist whither Besides look what ministery the Church of Rome gave him it took from him and lastly if he had been a true officer or minister of the Church of Rome it had been sinne in him to have left his charge Touching the baptism received in the Romish Church I have formerly spoken and of our reteyning it but not our Ministery I shall speak hereafter That which is worthy consideration in the fourth Argument is the enterance into the ministery in the substance of which he tells vs there is nothing wanting by their lawes For touching the ability and desyre to teach and other graces he speaks of they no more make a minister then courage the feare of God true dealing and the hatred of of covetousnes make every man a Magistrate that is so indowed Now this entrance he layes down in 4. particulars 1. presentation 2. election 3. probation 4. ordination with imposition of hands But these in such confusion and with so many contradictions as do evidently shew what monsters an ill cause a vayn spirit meeting together will gender and bring forth First in his former book pag. 136. he places the whole calling or as he speakes the making of a Minister in ordination and comprehends vnder it as the 3. parts of it 1. examination 2. election 3. admission with imposition of hands In his second book he makes ordination but the fourth and last part of his calling pag. 295. as in deed it is and the same with admission The reason why he would thus advance ordination is bycause that in Engl is all in all being done by a Bishop yea though it be by the Bishop of Rome And so they call their book they make ministers by the book of ordination not the book of election or choise or calling of Ministers The Bishops Lordship swallowes vp the peoples liberty and if he but lay his hands vpon a man bid him Receive the H. Ghost he is a minister of the Church sufficiently ordered 2. Where in his former book he puts examination or probation before election in his â— he would haue election first and the probation or tryal of the partyes gifts and graces to come afterwards mis-interpreting that which is written 1 Tim. 3. 10. of probation to be made before election And the Reason of this I conceive to be bycause the Ministers in England are not onely elected but fully made before any such tryall be taken of them But I come to the particulars and first to that which he calls presentation for which he quotes Act. 1. 23 and 6. 6. In which scriptures especially in the latter of them he is much mistaken the presentation there spoken of not being before but after election The cause I suppose of this his confused wryting is the confused practise in his Church wher the Patrone presenteth his clerk both after his chusing and ordeyning But for the thing it self vnderstanding by presentation the nomination of the person to be chosen or considered of for choyce as the officers are in all other things to goe before the people so in this ordinarily provided alwayes the brethrens liberty be not infringed but that they may present or nominate others if any amongst themselves seeme more fit Now for the examination and tryall of the partyes gifts and graces as we all know what it is in the Church of England where if a man have the gift of subscription conformity canonical obedience though other gift or grace he have none he is a tryed minister and so reputed which if he want be his other gifts and graces never so eminent he is neyther to enter into nor being entred to continue in his Ministery so do the things which you write in your former book touching this tryall examination of men before they be choseÌ„ into the Ministery notably condemn both the ministery of your Church which you labour to iustify and on the contrary iustify sundry practises amongst vs which els where you condemn for notable errours The particulars are these 1. First that the gifts of him that is to be chosen must be examined according to those things which the place wherein he must be requireth and God hath commaunded 2. that the place or office of the Ministery consisteth principally in the preaching of the word administration of the sacraments and prayer 3. that the first namely the preaching of the word is to be preferred in the first place as being first imposed Math. 10. 28. 29. and most necessary both to beget and preserve a people Iam. 1. 18. Prov. â—9 15. 4. that the knowledge zeale and vtterance of of â—â—â— party to be elected must be examined Whereupon these things follow First that by your own graunt men out of office may preach administer the sacraments and prayer and so exercise their gifts and graces of knowledge zeal vtterance But as there is some difference in the respect in hand between the sacraments on the one side and the word and prayer on the other bycause there is no speciall gift required for the administration of them as there is for the latter so is the exercise of prophesying and prayer out of office so much impugned by you vndenyably iustified by this your own position And as it is a very presumptuous evill to call any man into the office of a teaching Elder whose gift in teaching hath not been sufficiently tryed out of office so is it no lesse presumption in a Church to set a man over herself for government of whose both ability faithfulnes in the reproving censuring of sinns and in other publick affaires of the Church she hath not taken good tryall 2. If this be true that the office of the Ministery consist principally in the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments prayer how is that true for which you have so much contended in the former part of your book that the authority to censure offenders is in the cheif officers and governers of the Church as their speciall prerogative Can a lesse principall work be the peculiar priveledge of a more principall office It is against the light of nature and common reason More particularly this observation by you truely made with that also which followeth namely that the preaching of the word is to be praeferred in the first place overthrowes the order both of the Prelacy and Preisthood of your Church For if the preaching of the gospel be the principall work of the Ministery and to be preferred in the first place then are not your Provinciall and Diocesan
ministeriall power from the Cardinals cannot give it to them and so to the rest of the Clergy in Rome and England neyther can it descend from Christ through the Apostles and so through him to the other inferiour ministers but as in a chayn if the highest link be broken the rest which hang vpon it must needs fall So if there be a breach of this chayn of succession from the Apostles to the ministery of Rome and of England which descends of it lineally in the higest link the Pope all the rest of the chayn that hangs vpon it except it be otherwise vpheld must needs fall flat vpon the ground It is true which Mr Ber answers that election and succession by ordination may stand together in the ministery but in this case it cannot except the Pope should by the election of the Cardinalls or others ordeyn his succession whilest himselfe survived Now in this last answer Mr B challengeth his adversary to be wilde in wandering and to have lost his quaestion in concluding that the doctrine of succession is a false doctrine where he should prove that Christs power is not given to the principall members But this challenge is both vnjust vnadvised Vnjust bycause succession from the popish Church and Clergy is made by M Ber in his former book the foundation of the ministery of England and so of the Church the Church by his affirmation being made by the ministers and the Ministers by such Bishops as were ordeyned in the popish Church Vnadvised bycause these two poynts do depend ech vpon other necessarily For if Christs power be tyed to the officers whether principall or inferiour then must it come to the ministery and Church of England by succession if it come not by succession from or by the Pope and his Clergy then must it come by the same successioÌ„ of fayth doctrine vnto the children of Abraham two or three or more faithfull persons joyned together in the covenant and fellowship of the gospel And for the quaestion in Mr Bernards own words remitting the Reader to such places as prove that a company of faythfull people in the covenant of the gospell though without officers are a visible Church that they haue immediate right to the holy things of God and that the keyes for bynding and loosing were given to Peters confession I will adde onely one Argument and so proceed It hath been sundry tymes observed and proved by the scriptures that the officers of the Church are the servants of the Ch and their office a service of the Lord and of his Church Wherevpon it followeth necessarily that what power the officers have the body of the Church hath first and before them the very light of nature coÌ„mon sense teaching it that what power or authority soever the the servants of any body or persons have the body or persons whose servants they are must have it first and they by theÌ„ And for this purpose let it be further observed that no power at all came vnto the Church of the Iewes by the Levites not the vse of the sacrament of circumcision no nor of the very sacrifices which were offered by the first born in the family and that even after the peoples comming out of Egypt vnder the hand of Moses till Levi was called to the Preisthood Ex. 13. 2. 24. â— I proceed If the Ministery of the reformed Churches must be by succession or ordination by Popish Bishops then must the same office of Ministery be continued from the one Church to the other as indeed it was withall the Ministers of the Church of England at the first who without any new eyther calling or ordination which depends vpon it continued their office and place formerly received there being onely a reformation of some of the grossest evills like the healing of Iobs soars as Mr B. speaketh as the office of Iustice-ship or the like in the common wealth may be continued the same in the same persons individually though by edict of Parliament or other superiour power there be a surceasing of some mayn act of it Further to ty the Ministery thus to succession is to ty the Lords sheep to submit to no other sheepheards but such as the wolves haue appointed And if a company of Gods people in Rome or Spayn should come out of Babylon and no consecrated Preist amongst them they must by this doctrine enjoy no Ministers but such as the Romish wolves will ordeyn do according to their Popish prophane order To these things I might also adde that look what power any of the Popes Clergy receive from him the same he takes from them deprives them of where they withdrew their obedience or separate from that Church as also that the ordinations in Rome by their own Canons are very nulliâ—yes and many the the like exceptions pleaded by learned protestants against the Romish preisthood and this Romish doctrine of succession but that which hath been spoken is sufficient in the generall and I hasten to the third and last meanes of the three by which Gods people after Antichrists defection are to injoy the ministery and other of Christs ordinances And for our better proceeding herein I will first consider what ordination is and 2. how far the brethren may goe by the scriptures and the necessary consequences drawn from them in this and the like cases in the first planting of Churches or in the reducing of them into order in or after some generall confusion The Prelates and those which levell by their lyne do highly advance ordination and far above the administration of the word sacraments and prayer making it and the power of excommunication the two incoÌ„municable prerogatives of a Bishop in their vnderstanding above an ordinary minister But surely herein these cheif ministers do not succeed the cheif ministers the Apostles except as darknes succeeds light and Antichrists confusion Christs order Where the Apostles were sent out by Christ there was no mention of ordination their charge was to go teach all nations and baptize them and that the Apostles accounted preaching their principall work and after it baptism prayer the scriptures manifest And if ordination had been in those dayes so pryme a work surely Paul would rather haue tarryed in Crete himself to have ordeyned Elders there and haue sent Titus an inferiour officer about that inferiour work of preaching then haue gone himself about that leaving Titus for the other But bycause Mr Bernard with whom I deal when he writes most advisedly preferrs preaching to the first place and the administration of the sacraments and prayer to the next passing by ordination as not worthy the naming amongst these principall works I wil therefore leave it to be honoured by them whom it most honoureth and for whose ease and profit it best serveth and will consider in what place he setteth it He then pleading that as well the ordination as the
and brethren with them are one the same publique body to be exercised in one and the same part of their publique communion and to make the officers publick persons and the brethren private in the cōmunion is to make a schisme in the Church and to make the brethren part of the cōmunion in the administration of the word sacraments prayer singing of Psalmes contribution calling of officers censuring of offenders or other Church action whatsoever private and the officers publik is to make it schismatical them in it schismatiks Thus much of the 9. errour objected The tenth foloweth which is that we say Their worship is a false worship For answer vnto this assertion Mr B refers vs to the end of this treatise and there then will wee attend for it yet somewhat will he say against it that is First that they worship no false God 2. that they worship the true God with no false worship We charge you not with the worship of any false God though wee shall see by by how in one particular you will defend your selves But the thing you should have endeavoured is to prove that your divine-service-book framed by man and by man imposed to be vsed without addition or alteration as the solemn worship of your Church is that true and spirituall manner of worshiping God which he hath appointed with which he will be worshiped in spirit trueth Of this you say little or nothing but bycause you seem to your self to say somewhat wee will see what it is The word you say preached is the true word the sacraments true sacraments the prayers we pray whether conceived or set and stinted are such as may be warranted by the word and agreable to the prescript form taught by our saviour Christ. The word preached in popery or in the most haereticall assembly in the world is the true word but the devises of men are not the true word eyther with you or them Yea the divels thēselues preached the true word when they affirmed and published that Iesus was that Christ the sonne of God the most High did they therefore perform vnto God true worship Of the sacraments I have spokē formerly have shewed that in the administration of them they cannot be reputed true It is the word of promise that makes the sacraments except then the parish assemblies joyntly considered in their members have right unto the spirituall promises of God the sacraments administred in and vnto them in that their estate cannot so be accounted true sacraments For your prayers I observe sundry things out of your own words which I may not passe over as first that you speak not properly no nor truely in saying you pray stinted prayers for you read them and who will say reading is praying you pray to God but will you say you read to God or if you so say and do is it agreable eyther to his ordinance or to cōmon reason Mistake me not as though I speak of inward prayer or of the lifting vp of the hart for I graunt a man may pray inwardly or lift vp the heart to God when he reads or preaches or sings or receives the sacraments of such prayer we neyther speak nor can discern but in our selves our speach then being of the outward act ordinance of prayer I do affirm and so marvayl if all reasonable men concurre not with me that the ordinance of reading cannot be the ordinance of praying 3. In your division of prayer wherin you make some conceived and some set and stinted you graunt that the prayers which are set and stinted are not conceived wherein you do as much as graunt that they are not of God nor according to his will The Apostle Iude directeth vs alwayes to pray in the holy Ghost and Paul teacheth that we cannot pray as we ought but as the spirit helpeth vs and begetteth in vs sighs vnutterable by the work of which spirit if our prayers be not conceived first in our hearts before they be brought forth in our lips they are an vnnaturall bastardly and prophane byrth Lastly if your stinted prayer be as you say agreable to the prescript forme of prayer taught by our saviour Christ then must none other form of prayer be vsed but a stinted or set form for none other form may be vsd but that which is agreable to the prescript form of Christ since Christ hath sayd after this manner pray Where you further add that nothing is imposed or done by you for the worship of God but the word read and preached and the sacraments and prayer I demaund of your first in worship or honour of whō are your holy dayes bearing the names of S. Michaels S. Peters S. Iohns day and the rest imposed and kept if in the honour of the Saynts Angels then are you not cleare as you make your selves from the worshipping of false Gods neyther can you exempt your selves from the number of them which in voluntary religion worship Angels if on the other side those dayes be appoynted and so kept holy in the worship and honour of God then do you and that by authority worship God by and put holines in other things then the word read preached and the sacraments and prayer yea and other things then ever came into the Lords heart to sanctify for his worship And so the place Math. 15. 9. and other scriptures to that purpose are truely though you say falsely alledged against you 2. I do demaund of you whether your Apocrypha books namely that which is placed betwixt both testaments causing the Iewes to think the new testament no better then the fables which are ioyned to it as a learned man of our nation hath observed and the other book of Homilies be enjoyned and vsed as parts of Gods worship It is evident they are so held And therefore it is that a great portion of the former is preferred in the most solemn assemblyes before the canonicall scriptures and the reading of them before the reading of the other which they justle out of their place And for the homilyes they are enioyned and so vsed in stead of the preaching of the word which is the principall part of Gods worship wherevpon it followeth that the Apocrypha wrytings of mē being preferred before one part of Gods worship which is the reading of the Canonicall scriptures and vsed in stead of an other part of Gods worship yea and that the principall part as is preaching are imposed and so vsed as partes of Gods worship So that it is not without good cause M Ber that M Ainsworth bids you prove the Apocrypha scriptures and books of Homilies the true word of God Nothing you tel vs is imposed and vsed amongst you for the worship of God but the true word of God read and preached and the sacraments and prayer now these being imposed and vsed for the
vnto them ever by how much the more superstitiously bent by so much the moâ—e devoutly addicted vnto them And so farre is that from truth which you say Mr Bernard that the godly and Church of God have in Popery kept possession of those buildings for the godly which should follow them that as they were erected by such as were most superstâ—tiously seduced so haue they been ever since the proper possesâ—ions of the most dangerous seducers in the Romish Synagogue the Praelates and their Clergy So that the morall equity of those commaundements in the old testiment touching the demolition and subversion of idolatrous temples and other the like superstitious monuments doth as well bynd now as then Which commaundements are also in effect renued in the new testament where the faythfull are charged to touch none vncleane thing to keep themselves from idols which they cannot do except they keep themselves from their appurtenaunces to hate even the garment spotted by the fâ—â—sh not to receive the least mark of the beast but to go out of Babylon which is also called Sodom and Aegypt spiritually as for other sinns reigning in her so for her idolatry amongst the rest which I the rather note that men may se it is not we but the holy Ghost that compares together Paganish AntichristiaÌ„ Idolatry Lastly where Mr Bernard bids vs prove that their Churches were built by Antichrist their records as Mr Ainsworth observeth vvill prove it so will their situation directly East and West with the Quyer or Chauncell alwayes at the East end and the rood-loft in the midle to separate it from the body of the Church the prophane layity their vacant places for Images abolished and their popish pictures still remayning and lastly their names even the names of the Apostles Saynts and Martyrs in whose honour they were built and to whose peculiar service thy were consecrated Thus much of the temples which is the last difference betwixt Mr B. and me and I confesse the least and this much also of his book Something remayns to be spoken of the Ministers Positions but very breifly both bycause the things in them for substance have come formerly into consideration and also bycause Mr Bernard affoards them no confirmation in his 2. book being shaken by Mr Ainsworth as they are ANd to omit the bloody doom which these Ministers passe vpon vs all contrary I am perswaded to their own consciences that wee are cut of from Christ for our separation from the Church of England I will consider breifly of their reasons to prove it a true Church THe first is bycause They enioy and ioyn together in the vse of those outward means which God in his word hath ordeyned for the gathering of an invisible Church which are preaching of the gospell and administration of the sacraments which they will prove by the vnfâ—yned conversion of many by the scriptures Math 28. 18. 20. Eph. 4. 11. 14. First the Church of Engl namely the nationall Church under a nationall government and Ministery is a popish devise the Lord having appointed none other Church vnder the new testament but a particular congregation as these Ministers truely vnderstand Mat 18. 17. with a government Ministery correspoÌ„dent 2. Before men joyne together as a Church in the fellowship of the gospell and communion of Saynts in the ordinances of God they should be prepared by the preaching of the word and fitted as spirituall stones for the Lords building so joyn in covenant by voluntary personal profession of faith confessioÌ„ of sinns from which how far the body of the nationall Church of Engl both is and ever hath been all know 3. As the sacraments are no meanes to gather eyther the visible or invisible Church but do praesuppose a CHVRCH gathered already into covenant with God of which covenaunt they are seales so doth not the Church of England ioyn together in the preaching of the doctrine of sayth which is the outward meanes for the gathering of the Church The greatest part of the parishes as they have onely the service book for prayer so have they onely the homilies for preaching And even in the Parishes where the word is best taught and the sacraments most orderly administred yet do not men joyn in the vse but in the abuse of these ordinances considering the confused coÌ„munion wherein the vsurped authority by which and the book-service according to which they are dispensed If the Ministers had onely affirmed that they had taught amoÌ„gst theÌ„ such truths of the gospel as by which the Lord might and did sanctifie save his elect or gather an invisible Church as they speak I should not contend with them but should further ad that I doubt not but such truthes are even in many assemblies of Papists and Anabaptists and to hold otherwise is a fowl cruell errour but where they speak of enioying the outward meanes and by them vnderstand the offices of Ministery which Christ hath given vnto his Church for the gathering and feeding of the same for which purpose they alledge Math. 28. 18. 20. Ephe. 4. 11. 14 I deny they enioy the outward means ordeyned for the gathering of the Ch neyther shall they ever be able to prove it except they can prove themselves lawfully and according to Christs testament possessed of some of the offices there spoken of In the 4. place I would the cause why these ministers speak of the outward meanes of gathering an invisible Church not of a visible since both the quaestion betwixt them and vs is about the visible and not about the invisible Church and also that the scriptures they bring for the justification of these meanes amongst them do speak of the meanes ministeries given not to the invisible but to the visible Church and if it be not bycause they know that if they had spoken of the means of gathering the visible Church we would and that justly have excepted that they do not enjoy nor have not so much as taught amongst them those doctrines of the gospell and that part of Christs Testament which teacheth the right orderly gathering of the visible Church by separation of the saynts from the vnsanctified world into the covenant and fellowship of the gospell by free and personall profession of fayth and confession of sinns Lastly as the preaching of the gospell is the onely outward means to gather a Church so though this meanes be vsed never so fully and men enioy it and ioyne in it never so ordinarily yet except withall they ioyne in the vnderstanding fayth obedience of and submission vnto it and that in the order which Christ hath set they are not made a Church by it according to the right vse of it but do make themselves by abusing it a conventicle of prophane vsurpers howsoever M. B. and these ministers and many others do indeed make the
liberty which they vse in respect of forms of words wherein they differ ech from others shewes how litle this institution and ordinance stands vpon such stints as also how far it is from the meaning of Christ that the Churches should be thus short tyed in the vse of them The same may be sayd of the ordinance of prayer by Christ given to his Church wherein the two Evangelists that mention it do vse the same liberty as most likely would the other two also have done in respect of forms of words had they made mention of it But graunt that the words of Christ pray after this manner when you pray say are to be interpreted as these men would have it yet do I except agaynst their service-book in a double respect The first is that the reading of prayers vpon a book hath no justification from them If it be sayd that to commit a certayn form of words to the memory and from it to vtter them and to read thē vpon a book are all one I deny the consequence and though I approve not of the former yet is the latter far the worse For besides that he that readeth hath an other speaking to him as it were even he whose wryting he reades and himselfe speaks not to God but to the people to whom he reads in the former there is a kynde of vse though not lawfull of the gift of memory where in the other book-praying there is no vse of that or any other gift Secondly it followes not that bycause the Lord Iesus might impose a set forme of words to be vsed for prayer that therefore the Lord Bbs of England may impose an other set form so to be vsed The consequence is notably both erroneous and presumptuous So bold indeed are they and so high do they advance themselves in their ordinances and impositions Bycause the Lord hath separated one day from the rest and made it holy therefore they wil also make other holy dayes bycause Christ hath set down canons and constitutions for the government of his Church therefore they also will have their canons and constitutions bycause he hath appointed a form of administring the sacramēts therefore they may appoynt another form yea and that such a one as altereth and inovateth the very nature of the words of institution For where Christ would have the words of institution published and preached this is my body which is given for you they turn this preaching into a prayer the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was given for the preserv thy body and soul into eternall life c. repeating the same also to every severall communicant which Christ would have pronounced once for all according to the nature of the ordinance And thus they will set their thresholds by the Lords threshouldes and their postes by his postes and rather then they will want rowm for their own they wil pare of part his yea wholy dimolish them If the Lord Iesus appoynt one ordinance for his Church they will appoynt an other and surely so they may lawfully if they be as they are reputed protend themselves Lord Bishops and Arch Bishops of the Church and spirituall Lords over Gods heritage To these things I will adde a few reasons agaynst this read stinted service and so conclude both the matter and the book And first it cānot be an ordināce of Christ bycause the Church may perfectly and entyrely worship God without it with all the parts of holy and spirituall worship as did the Apostolick Churches for many years before any such leiturgy was devised imposed and as do many Churches now and as appeares by that which is done before after sermons where no such stint is read of what may be done at all times and in all places where able lawfull ministers of the new testament are As the administrations of the publique prayers of the Church is a principall duty of the minister for which a speciall gift and qualification is required so cannot the reading of a service book be that administration bycause no speciall or ministeriall gift is required for it The two feet vpon which the dumb ministery stands like Naebuchad-nezzars Image vpon the feet of iron and clay are the book of common prayer and of homilyes the reading of the former which is the right foot serving them for prayer of the other for preaching which feet if they were smitten as were the other with the stone cut without hands the whole Idol-preisthood would fall and be broken a peices as that other image was And here I would intreat them that have written and are perswaded so much agaynst the reading of the Apocrypha books of the Machabies those which follow them in the congregation especially them which have so sufficiently dealt against Mr Hutton his fellowes to turn the face of their Arguments generall agaynst the Apocryphall service book and they will silence that book as well and as much as the rest like women in the Church as they speak As it were a ridiculous thing for a child when he would aske of his father bread fish or any other thing he wanted to read it to him out of a paper so is it for the children of God especially for the ministers of the gospell in their publique ministrations to read vnto God their requests for their own and the Churches wants out of a service book wherin they are also stinted to words and sillables by which also they and the people with them are vnder a greater death then if they ate bread by weight drank water by measure Lastly if this vse of the service-book be sanctified of God for the publique and solemn prayers of the Church so deemed by these ministers and others the forward people in the kingdom what is the reason why they so seldom yea or rather never vse the same or any other of the like nature in their familyes but do on the contrary lay aside all books save that of the spirit by whose alone and immediate direction they are taught and according to whose suggestiōs they do put vp their supplicatiōs vnto God Do we not all know that the more forward sort of proffessours would be ashamed of any such book prayers in their families And hath the Lord sanctified that for his house which is not holy and good enough for their houses will they worship God with that worship publiquely whereof they are ashamed privately can private men bring forth the conceptions of the spirit without the help of any such service book and do the lawfull ministers of the gospell stand in need of it for the manifestatiō of the spirit of prayer given them for the vse and comfort of the Church cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing If these ministers then and others have a better sacrifice of prayer
them and the blessing of peace-makers vpon their heads Of Mr B. disswasive probabilities THe next thing that comes into consideration is certayn probabilities likelyhoods as the authour calls them consisting for the most part of personal imputations di graceful calumniations whereby he labours to withdraw the harts of the simple froÌ„ the truth of God unto disobedience as Absalom did the people into rebellion against the K. by slandering his goverment 2 SaÌ„ 15. But if Mr Bern. followed his sound judgement in this booâ— as he professeth in the Preface and so laboured to lead others he would neyther go himself nor send them by vnstable guesses and likelyhoods as he doth The truth of God goes not by peradventures neyther needs it any such paper-shot as likelyhoods are to assault the adversary withall The word of God which is profitablâ— to teach to reprovâ— to correct and to instruct in righteousnes is sufficient to furnish the man of God with weapons spirituall and those mighty through God to cast downe strong holds and whatsoever high thing is exalted against the knowledge of God And if M. B. speak according to the Law and Prophets his words are solid arguments if not there is neyther light in him nor truth in them and so where truth is wanting must some like-truthes or images of truth be layed in the place like the image in Davids bed to deceive them that sought after him when he himself was wanting 1 Saâ— 19. 13. The first probabilitie that our way is not good is The noveltie thereof differing from all the best reformed Churches â—â— Christendome It is no noveltie to hear men plead custome when they want truth So the heathen Phylosophers reproched Paul as a bringer of new doctrine so do the Papists discountenance the doctrine and profession of the Church of England yea even at this day very many of the people in the Land vse to call Popery the old law the profession there made the new law But we for our parts as we do beleeve by the word of God that the things we teach are not new but old truthes renued so are we no lesse fully perswaded that the Church constitution in which we are set is cast in the Apostolicall and primitive mould and not one day nor hower yonger in the nature and forme of it then the first Church of the new Testament And whether a people all of them separated sanctified so farr as men by their fruits can or ought to judge or a mingled generation of the seed of the womaÌ„ and seed of the serpent be more ancient the government of sundry Elders or Bishops with joynt authority over one Church or of one Nationall Provincial or Diocesan Bishop over many hundred or thousand Churches the spirituall prayers conceived in the heart of the Ministers according to the present occasions or necessityes of the Church or the English service book the simple administration of the Sacraments according to the words of institution or pompous and carnall complements of cap coap surplice crosse godfathers kneeling and the like mingled withall I do even refer it to the report of Mr B. owne conscience be it never so partiall Now for the differences betwixt the best reformed Churches as Mr B. calls them granting thereby his owne to be the worst and vs they ar extant in print being few in number those none of the greatest weight But what a volume would these differences make betwixt those reformed Churches and the vnreformed Churches of England if they were exactly set downe And yet for the corruptions reproved by vs in the reformed Church where we live I do vnderstand by them of good knowledge and sincerity that the most or greatest of them are rather in the exequution then in the constitution of the Church Our differences from the reformed Churches Mr B. aggravates by two reasons 1. The first is our separation from them 2. the 2. certeyne termes of disgrace vttered by Mr Barrow Mr Greenwood agaynst the Eldership which Mr Bernard will have vs disclayme For the first it is not truely affirmed that we separate from them What our judgment is of them our confessions of fayth and other wrytings do testify and for our practise as we cannot possibly ioyn vnto them would we never so fayne being vtterly ignorant of their language so neither do wee separate from them save in such particulars as we esteeme evill which we also shall endeavour to manifest vnto them so to be as occasion and meanes shal be offered And secondly for the taxations layd by Mr B. and Mr G. vpon the Eldership or other practise in the reformed Churches wherein they were any way excessive we both have disclaimed alwayes are and shal be ready to disclayme the same Onely I entreat the godly reader to coÌ„sider that those things were not spoken by them otherwise then in respect of those corruptions in the Eldership els where which they deemed Antichristian and evill Of which respective phrase of speach more hereafter Lastly if it be likely that our way is not good for the difference it hath from the reformed Churches and that thâ— greatneâ— of the difference appeares by the hard termes given by some of vs agaynst the government there vsâ—d thâ—n surâ—ly iâ— is much more likely that the way of the vnreformed Church of England is not good which differeth far more froÌ„ the reformed Chuâ—ches which difference appeares not onely in most reprochfull termes vsed by the Praelates and their adhaerents against the seekers of reformation comparing them to all vile haeretiques and seditious persons but in cruell persequutions raysed agaynst them and greater then against Papists or Atheists The second marke by which Mr B. guesseth our way not good is for that it agreeth so much with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages by holy and learned men Luciferians Donatists Novattans and Audians Can our way both be a novelty new devise and yet agree so well with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages Contradictions cannot be both true but may both be false as these are The partyes to whome Mr B. likeneth vs were condemned not onely for schisme but for heresy also as appeares in Epiphanius Austine Eusebius and others And as we have nothing no not in sâ—ew like vnto some of them nor in truth vnto any of them in the things blame worthy in them so if Mr B. were put to iustify by the word of God the condemnation of some of them it would put him to more trouble then he is aware of The Audians dissented from the Nicene Councell about theyr Easter tyme. The Luciferians held the soule of man to be ex traduce and were therefore accounted Haeretiques as indeed it was too vsuall a thing in those dayes to reiect men for haeretiques vpon too light causes And for the Donatists vnto whom Mr Gifford others would so fayn
exequute all other Ecclesiasticall Censures Ibid Prop 5. The visible Church of Christ wheresoever it be hath the power of bynding and loosing annexed vnto it as our saviour Christ teacheth Math. 18. Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders Preface We must needs say as followeth that this book viz the Communion book is an vnperfect book culled and picked out of that Popish dunghill the masse book full of al abhominations Adm to Parl. Treat 2. Amongst vs the holy sacraments are communicated with the Papists the holy misteryes of God prophaned the Gentiles enter into the temple of God the holy things are indifferently communicated with the clean and vncleane circumcised and vncircumcised A plaine declaration of ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 172. Now let the indifferent reader iudge whether these sayings with many moe of the like kinde do not most necessarily conclude yea naturally beget a separation frō the goverment Ministery worship and communion of the Church of England and whether these men in thus wryting have not opened the dore vnto vs by which themselves enter not To the further charge of vncharitablenes layd against vs as being glad when they contend amongst themselves never praying for the peace welfare of the ministery c. I do answere that we reioyce for all peace in truth amongst all men but for peace in iniquity which is a wicked conspiracy and fearful judgment of God we reioyce not we pray not Let Mr B. aske the godly Ministers with whose supply he backs his book whither they reioice in his other mens peaceable subscription conformity or whither they could not rather have wished they had contended against the same yea let me ask Mr B. himselfe whither he reioyce in the peace of the representative Church of England the Convocation house and in theyr vnanimous consent in framing and imposing their canons and constitutions or whither he would not rather clap his wings and craw for ioy if the two Archprelates with the rest of theyr horned Clergy there would oppose and crosse one another And let me ask him yet further for the wellfare of which order of Ministery he would have vs pray or whither he himselfe pray for the welfare of the Bishops except it be sometymes before theyr faces And for vs to pray for the inferiour Ministery and not for the prelacy is to dally with God and to blesse the branch and not the root And in alledging as you do Act. 11. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. to prove that holy men have reioyced for the people receaving of the gospel and not at theyr standing in a constitution you do injuriously separate things to be conioyned For the same persons that received the gospell ioyned themselves in a constitution or constituted Church as appeareth ver 26. And it is expresly sayd Act. 2. 41. that they that receaved the word were added to the Church and being baptised they must needs be of a Church for baptism is not without but within the Church and an ordinance given unto it And how profanely bould soever you Mr B. are to blaspheme the tabernacle of God which he hath pitcht amongst men or visible Church framed according to the pattern given by a greater then Moses yet is it good for vs to consider what the H. Ghost noteth in the last verse of the forenamed Chap. that the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved Neyther can you possibly produce one example or other proof in the scriptures of one man teaching the gospell but he was a member of a true Church nor receiving it but he ioyned vnto one And for the man that cast out Divels in Christs name but followed him not Mark 9. 39. he can no way help you for what purpose soever you alledge him For first he was a member of a true constituted Church the the Church of the Iewes which was yet vndissolved 2. he had no office but a gift 3. his gift and calling to vse it was extraordinary and miraculous Now for our love towards you wherein you blame vs as defective it is the same in generall which we beare towards all men and more speciall according to the speciall bonds betwixt vs and you and towards many very great both for the many good things we know to be in them and vnder the hope also of their further progresse And for our prayers as it is true that wee cannot pray for you as visible members of Gods Church for God never gathered Church of the visible and apparent members of the Divel as the greatest part of yours were are so is it vnjustly infinuated against us that wee pray no otherwise for you thē for Papists Atheists and the like We pray for the perfecting of Gods work in you and that as we think many of you his people in Babylon so you may come out of her Our next brand of vncharitablenes is our accustomary excommunications even for light offences in some albeit others obstinate can be let passe And to prove this he quotes Mr George Iohnson Mr White the former an excommunicate himself whom Mr B. also pag. 35. of his book calls a disgraceful libeller the other an vngodly apostate whose accusations have been answered one by one A fit evidence for such a plea and plaintife But if Mr B. knowing the fashions of the Church of England had but once remembred the saying of the Lord Iesus Mat. 7. 3. 4. 5. he would never have accused other Ch of vncharitable and rash excommunications which if they be a mote in the Church of Amsterdam are a beam in the Church of England wherein there is more daunger of excommunication to them that feare God then to any other flagitious persons whomsoever Indeed no man can challendge Mr B. his Church of Worxsop for any such heady and rash excommunications they are very moderate this way and can beare in communion with them any graceles person whomsoever til his dying day and then commit ful charitably the body of their deceased brother to the grave with a devout prayer for his joyfull resurrection so charitable are they both to the living and the dead But the thing which most grieves Mr B and at which he hath greatest indignation Pag. 62. is that we will not heare his sermons though he preach nothing but the true word of God And so he desires to heare of vs where the hearing of the true word of God onely preached is sinn and for bidden by Christ or the Prophets or Apostles For answer hereof I would know first whether Mr B. speaking here and in many other places of the true word of God do meane that God hath a true word and a false word or rather bewray not an accusing conscience that they in England have not the word truely taught that is in a true office of Ministery Now for the demaund referring the reader for more full satisfaction to that which hath bene published
govermeÌ„t for the Church now froÌ„ the Iewish Church were to revive the old testameÌ„t which so long since is abrogated and disanulled For to speak properly the old testament is nothing but that externall policy instituted by Moses in the Iudiciall ceremoniall law for the dispensation of the typicall kingdome and Preisthood of Christ shadowed out by that of Melchisedeck King and Preist repraesented by the administrations of Moses and Aaron and after continued in the Preisthood of the Levites kingdome of David his sonnes till Christ in the dispensation of those worldly and carnall ordinances Now as the judicialls which were for the government of the Congregation civily are dead and do not bind any civil polity save as they were of common equity so are the ceremonialls which were for the Ch polity deadly and may not be revived by any Church save as any of them have new life given by Christ. For though we now be made citizens of the common wealth of Israell and one body with them yet is that in respect of the everlasting covenant confirmed of God with Abraham through Christ. I wil be thy God and the God of thy seed four hundred and thirty yeares before the law was given or the polity and government of the lewish eyther church or common wealth in it established and as we are the sonnes and daughters of Abraham by faith but no way in respect of those Iewish ordinances in in the old testament or the order of dispensing them And yet if it were graunted which you would have that the Church governmeÌ„t now is to be patterned by the goverment of the Iewish church then it would nothing avayle you for the purpose in hand For the church officers the Preists and Levites vnto whom the charge of the whole Congregation for the service of the tabernacle did apperteyne had no authority by the order of their office to inflict any censure spiritually vpon the people as had the civil Magistrates to punish them bodily The Preists and Levites were onely to enterpret the law and in cases extraordinarily difficult to find out the estate of the person or thing and to shew what in such a case the law required and if you will say they gave judgement it was none otherwise then as a Physitian gives â—â—dgement of the body or state of his patient by his faculty or skill in his art but to sit vpon them formally in judgement ecclesiastically to punish them that they might not do neyther are they called in the scriptures judges as the civil Magistrates are Yea the scriptures do make a playne difference where the civil Elders are to sit and iudge the people but the Preists to stand before the Congregation and to minister vnto them Now before we passe over this busines in hand I deem it not amisse vpon this occasion to observe a few things by way of answer to a scripture vsually brought out for the foundation of these representative churches and their power and especially for these Nationall and Provinciall Synodes the like And the scripture is Act. 15. 1. There was no synode or assembly of the Officers of divers Churches but onely certayne messengers sent from the church of Antiochia to the Church of Ierusalem about the controversy there specified 2. Neyther the Church of Antioch which sent the messengers nor the church at Ierusalem whether they were sent was a representative church consisting of Officers much lesse of chief officers onely For first it is sayd ver 1. 2. that the brethren of Antiochia which Ch. 14. 17. are called the church and v. 28. the disciples and in this chapt v. 3. the church and v. 23. the brethren sent their messengers with Paul and Barnabas to Ierusalem and it will most evidently appeare by whom the message was sent if we consider to whom the answer was returned ver 30. where the messengers did not deliver the Epistle till they had assembled the multitude And 2. it is apparant that at Ierusalem not onely the cheif officers the Apostles yea and inferiour officers the Elders also met together about it and sent answer but the brethren with them v. 4. 12. 22. And these scriptures alone in this chapt are sufficient to chalendge the liberty of the brethren in the discussing of publique coÌ„troversies out of the hands of all officers whatsoever 3. Paul and Barnabas went not to Ierusalem eyther for authority or direction for being Apostles they had both equall immediate authority from Christ and equall infallible direction froÌ„ the holy Ghost with the rest of the Apostles Onely they went for countenance of the truth in respect of men and for the stopping the mouthes of such deceivers as pretended they were sent by the Apostles v. 24. 4. Their decrees were absolutely Apostolicall and divine scripture by infallible direction from the holy Ghost and so imposed vpon all other Churches of the Gentiles though they had â—o delegates there ver 23. 28. Ch. 16. 4. But it wil be sayd may not the officers of one or many Churches meet together to discusse consider of matters for the good of the Church or Churches and so be called a Church Synode or the like I deny it not so they infringe no order of Christ or liberty of the brethren they may so do and so be called in a sense but the quaestion now is about such a Church as is gathered for the publick administration of admonition excommunication other the like ordinances of Christ which Mr B. in his first book graunts must be done with the knowledge of the body of the Church and in the open assembly And here falls into handling certayn borrowed stuffe in Mr B. 2. book about this matter As first that Paul called the Elders of Ephesus and conferred with them without the people Act. 20. 27. which who denyes but they which set vp a Lord Bishop to rule alone without advising with eyther the inferiour Ministers or people But that which he addes in the next place hath almost as many errours as wordes in it and that is that the Elders sate in a CoÌ„sistory with Iames their Bishop at Ierusalem without the people and did decree a matter without asking their voice Act. 21. 18. First you erre in calling it a Consistory or juditiall Court for the justification of your own where it was onely an occasionall meeting for advise 2. in making Iames a Bishop whom Christ had made an Apostle The Elders were Bishops Act. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. â— 7. And so if you would haue held any proportion you should haue made Iames an Archbishop 3. that you make him their Bishop where Bishops or Overseers are set over the flock not over the Ministers Act. 20. 28. 4. And most ignorantly where you will have Iames the Elders to make a decree for Paul as if the Elders had authority over
of truth nor cause vs to forbear this most excellent and comfortable ordinance of the Lord Iesus wherein is to be seen and heard the variety and harmony of the graces of God for the aedifying of the Church v. 4. and gayning of the vnbeleevers v. 24. 25. That the Apostle in this Chapter directs the Church in the vse of extraordinary gifts is most evident neyther will I deny but that the officers are to guide and order this action of prophesying as all other publick buesinesses yea even these wherein the brethren have greatest liberty but that he also intends the establishing of so takes order and gives direction for an ordinary constant exercise in the Church even by men out of office I do manifest by these reasons First bycause the Apostle speaks of the manifestation of a gift or grace common to all persons as well brethren as ministers ordinary as extraordinary and that at all times which is love as also of such fruits and effects of that gaace as are no lesse coÌ„mon to all then the grace it self nor of lesse continuance in the Churches of Christ to wit of â—dification exhortation comfort v. 3. compared with 1 Thes. 5. 11. 14. Secondly verse 21. he permits all to prophesie and speaks as largely of prophesying as of learning and receiving comfort But now least any should object may women also prophesie the Apostle prevents that obiection and it may be reproves that disorder amongst the Corinthians ver 34. by a flat inhibition inioyning them expresly to keep silence in the Church in the presence of men to whom they ought to be subiect and to learn at home of their housbands v. 35. and not by teaching the mâ—â— to vsurp authority over them 1 Tim. 2. 11. 12. which the men in prophesying do lawfully vse Now this restreynt of women from prophecying or other speaking with authority in the Church both in this place to the Corinthians and in the other to Tim doth clear the two former obiections In that Paul forbids women he gives liberty to all men gifted accordingly opposing women to men sex to sex and not women to Officers which were frivolous And againe in restreyning women he shewes his meaning to be of ordinary not extraordinary prophesying for women immediately and extraordinarily and miraculously inspired might speak without restreynt Exo. 15. 20. Iudg. 4. 4. Luk. 2. 36. Act. 21. 17. 18. The Prophets here spoken of were not extraordinary bycause their doctrines were to be iudged by other Prophets and their spirits to be subiect vnto the spirits of others v. 29. 32. where the doctrines of the extraordinary Prophets were neyther subiect to nor to be iudged by any but they as the Apostles being immediately and infallibly inspired were the foundation vpon which the Church is built Iesus Christ himself being the cheif corner stone The Apostle vers 37. makes a Prophet and a man spirituall all one whom he further describes not by any extraordinary gift but by that common Christian grace of submission vnto the things he writes as the commaundements of the Lord. Vnto whom also ver 38. he opposeth a man wilfully ignorant teaching vs that he doth not measure a Prophet in this place eyther by the office of ministery or by any extraordinary propheticall gift but by the coÌ„mon christian gift of spirituall discerning It is the commaundement of the Lord by the Apostle that a Bishop must be apt to teach that such Elders or Bishops be called as are able to exhort with sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers Now except men before they be in office may be permitted to manifest their gifts in doctrine and prayer which are the two mayn works requiring speciall qualification in the teaching Elders how shall the Church which is to chuse them take knowledge of their sufficiency that with faith and good conscience they may call them and submit vnto them for their guides If it be sayd that vpon such occasion triall may be taken of mens gifts I do answer first that mens gifts and abilities should be known in some measure before they be once thought on for officers and 2. that there is none other vse or tryall of those gifts but in prophesying for every thing in the Lords house is to be performed in some ordinance there is no thing throwen about the house or out of order in it and other ordinance in the Church save this of prophesying is there none wherein men out of office are to pray and teach which therefore they ought to covet v 39. and in it to be excercised and trayned vp that when officers want the Church may not need to set vp men as it were to play their prizes nor send them like school-boyes to be posed as your fashion in England is And that minister that is not called vpon the Churches experimentall knowledge of his sufficiency in these things comes not in by the dore which Christ hath opened nor may be accounted a true minister of Christ and his Church Lastly eyther men not yet in office being accordingly qualified may preach the truth of Christ or it is not possible that the people should be taught in lawfull manner eyther in nations vniversally heathenish or vniversally apostate vnder Antichrist before there be true Churches gathered by which the officers are to be chosen for as it is not very like that heathenish or antichristian preists will sincerely teach the truth neyther is it lawfull for them to administer or for any to joyn with them in their administrations by vertue of any heathenish or antichristian calling or ordination Rev. 14 9. 10. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 22. And howsoever the Church of England hath preferred a dumb masse and profane preisthood with a service-service-book before this ordinance yet the truth of Christ is otherwise and so the Church of Christ is taught to practise which you also Mr B might do well in modesty to acknowledge though you want liberty to vse it I haue insisted the longer vpoÌ„ this point both for it self and bycause it serveth effectually to prove the other point in hand For if the brethren have liberty in this ordinance of prophecy they haue also liberty in the other ordinance of excommunication for they are both of the same nature Look to whom Christ gave the one key of doctrine to them he gave the other key of discipline and they that may handle the one may have a finger vpoÌ„ the other they that may bynde loose by doctrine reproof comfort they may also bynde or loose by application of the same doctrine reproof or comfort to the person obstinate in sin oâ— penitent for it As the one of those doth necessarily establish the other so take away eyther and the other cannot stand And here I gather an other argument agaynst your exposition of Math 18. Lastly as the Elders principally to be imployed in teaching cannot
it be not actually seen or open to the ey of all as you speak as colours are alwayes visible and souÌ„ds audible in themselves though for the present they be neyther seen nor heard But what do I striving with this man which needs none other adversary but himself As he crosses his first book with his second so doth he both crosse and confute his second by his third In his first he will haue the word truely taught and the sacraments rightly administred to be the marks of the true Church in his 2. the true word preached though not truly the true sacrameÌ„ts administred though not rightly are inâ—allible tokens and reciprocally converted with the Church in the 3. last book the Church may be a Ch without the vse of the sacrameÌ„ts for a long tyme as the Ch of Israel was in the wildernes so it be not done of contempt and such as are eyther no Church of God at all or an antichristian assembly may haue and vsurp the seales put to a blank as Ismael Esau out of the Church had circumcision and the Papists now have baptism And that which he sayth of Baptism may as truely be sayd in cases of the word and the publication of it by reading and interpretation As the true Church may for a time want the vse of both so may a false Ch vsurp and abuse both as well the wryting as the seal ' He that held the seven starres in his right hand and walked in the middest of the seven golden candlesticks threatned the Church of Ephesus that he would shortly remove her candlestickout of his place for leaving her fâ—rst love except she repented though she still held and vsed the word and sacraments and if a company of schismatiques leaving a Church without cause or of excommunicates justly cast out of the Church should vnite themselves together vsurping and assuming the word and sacraments and professing the covenant outwardly and in the letter did this their â—old vsurpation make them a true visible Church of Christ The matter is the true Church may want vpon occasion the vse or administration of the word and sacraments but never the right power and interest in and vnto them so may a false assembly vsurp oâ— assume them but never have right or power from Christ unto them And this spirituall power and liberty arising from the Lords visible covenaunt to communicate and partake in the visible promises ordinances of it is the true essentiall propertie of the visible Church as is the faculty of reasoning the property of a reasonable man and the faculty of seing hearing tasting and the like the property of a sensible creature though neyther the one haue the actuall vse of reason for the present nor the other of sense The third and last property of the Church Mr B makes the care for the welfare of all and every one for the whole and each for other this eyther corporall for the maintenance of the body as in almes deeds Act. 2. 42. or spirituall touching the sowle which standeth in admonition and exhortation and so â—orth as 1 Thes. 5. 11. which also he sayth they and their congregations have It is noted of some persons beside themselves that all the ships they see in the haven and fayr houses in the country they think and say are theirs where if they were in their right witts they would both know and acknowledge that they were poore and beggarly and had nothing So is it with this man bycause he reads in the scriptures that the Apostolicall Churches consisted of saynts and were gathered by voluntary profession into the covenant of God that they had given them and did enjoy by the Lords gift and donation his word sacraments other ordinances and did in that holy communion whereunto they were called exercise themseves mutually for the welfare one of another both bodily and spiritually therevpon he concludes peremptorily that the Church of England whereof he is and for which he pleads hath all these things and that they haue all these properties where if he had a sound mind and an honest heart in the things of God he would both see confesse that things were nothing lesse with them then as he sayth and that in stead of this great and vniversall aboundance whereof he boasteth there were generally nothing but spirituall beggary and want Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods have need of nothing knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked More particularly as you want the office of Deaconship which Christ hath left by his Apostles for the collection and distribution of the Churches almes and haue enterteyned under the true name a false and forged office of half preisthood perverting and misapplying to the iustification of it such holy scriptures as are left for the calling and ministration of true and lawfull Deacons in the Church of Christ so is there not that care for the bodily welfare one of another amongst you in any measure whereof you boast The needlesse and endlesse suits and quarrels amongst you filling all your courts and judgement seats your dayly thefts and murthers amongst the members of your Church the continuall cousenings and circumventions one of another the vsuryes oppressions extortions which overflow both country and city as did the waters in the time of Noah both the valleys hilles do too manifestly shew how farre you are from this care of the welfare ech of other bodily whereof you thus vainly boast But though this care of ech for other both bodily and spiritually be almost wholly wanting yet say you the Church is not to be iudged a false Church no more then the houshould is to be iudged a false houshould bycause there is not that care that ought to be amongst them of the family or a man a false man if through folly madnes or wilfulnes he neglects the welfare of his body Surely it had not need considering how not onely this is wanting but how the contrary aboundeth in all places And to let passe all other matters no man is ignorant what care the two great factions in the Church that of the Prelates and the other of the Reformists do take each for other namely how ech may subvert and root out the other And for your similitudes borrowed from an houshold and a body as wee deny your Church to be that houshold of God or body of Christ wherein every member hath his effectuall working in his measure as the Apostle speaketh so is there no way the like reason of them and of the Church in the respect wherein you compare them A man doth not nor cannot cease to be a true man naturally by any meanes if his person survive neyther can a family cease to be a true family civily if it be not dissipated and dissolved but a Church though the same persons survive still
reader may see in both his books from their gifts and aptnes to teach from their holy graces their painfull and zealous preaching their suppressing of Popery and conversion of soules with other the like effects of the truthes of the gospel published and taught by them which things since he dares not affirm of the scandalous vnpreaching Preists he cunningly passeth them by as some small moat faln into the Church by the covetousnes of Much-wormly patrons but contrary to the true meaning of the lawes and without the least default of the Bishops or Archbishops as though the covetous Patrons could present them except the vngodly Bishops had first ordeyned them If he had undertaken the justification but as true though not as good both of the vnpreaching and preaching Ministers he must have sought and produced such Arguments as would haue agreed to both but finding himself able to make no shew at all for the ignorant idle and scandalous sort having no colours to paynt no morter to dawb over those filthy stones no not to any shew he smothers all them though far the greater both in number and authority and in deed the almost onely true formall ministers according to the Church canon and constitution and presents to the reader a few dispersed disgraced tolerated and tolerating persons and vndertakes their defence manifesting himself a right naturall merchant of that great whore in shewing some handfull of tolerable wares thereby to deceive the simple buyer with the whole peice or heap of rotten stuffe which goes with them Now on the contrary if Mr B. should not haue defended men of lewd conversation as true visible matter of the Church and members of Christs body he could not haue justifyed with any colour the Nationall Provinciall Diocesan and Parish Churches or any one of them as true since they were all at the first collected and do still consist for the greatest part of such people and so disposed He therefore takes liberty vnto himself to make such defence and for so much of his Church and Ministery as will serve his turn amongst the deceived multitude and of no more But the mayn point in this place about this matter in hand to be considered of is whether ability to preach be a qualification and so preaching a work necessarily required in the ministery of Engl according to the true meaning of the lawes ecclesiasticall civil and the book of ordination This Mr B. takes for graunted affirmatively and vpon it as a mayn ground builds his whole treatise about this matter but I on the contrary do affirm that this is so is known to be to all that mind it with wisdom good conscience cleane otherwise and that neyther this ability nor practise of preaching is of necessity required to the true and naturall constitution of the English ministery in the meaning of the lawes established in that case And for the confirmation of that I affirm against this mans presumptuous asseveration these proofs suffice First the books of Homilies published and confirmed by law to be read of such ministers as cannot preach do evidently declare that ability to preach is not necessarily required of all in the true meaning of the law 2. By the statute law of the land and in particular by one statute enacted for the prevention of vnworthy ministers though wanting the book I cannot set down the title tyme or order of it he that is eyther a Bachilour of arts in one of the Universities or can give an account of his faith in latin or hath been brought vp in a Bishops house though he haue been his porter or horsekeeper or hath a gift in preaching is capable of orders and may be by the Bishop ordeyned a minister so that by the expresse letter and playn meaning of the law aptnes and ability to teach is not necessarily required in the English ministery If he haue any one of the three former qualifications the law approves of him and being ordeyned the Patron may present him to any congregation in the land whom the Bishop also must institute the Archdeacon induct and the people receive and may be therevnto compelled whither they will or no. Adde vnto these that your canons and constitutions framed by the convocation house and confirmed by the Kings royall assent so being the lawes ecclesiasticall of your Church by your doctrine Mr B. the Act of all the Church though the inferiours come not to consent do not onely approve an vnpreaching Ministery but also lay deep curses and Anathemaes vpon all that deny eyther the truth or lawfulnes of it To this also I might annex that it is a very common doctrine with your Prelates and their Chaplins and faction that preaching is no necessary annexum or appurtenance vnto Orders which they also offer to defend against all gainsayers But it seems you haue speciall reference to the book of ordination let vs therefore see what it makes for you or your purpose That you build vpon I know iâ— these words of the Bishop when he orders his Preist and delivers him the Bible in his hand Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in this congregation where thou shalt be so appointed The words I hear and acknowledge but the true meaning of the book I deny it to be that every Minister should be able to preach It may as wel be sayd it is the meaning of the book that that every Preist should be ordeyned in the particular congregation where he is to minister bycause of the latter words in this congregation where thou shalt be so appoynted and that he is to minister the discipline of Christ as well as the doctrine and sacraments bycause such words passe betwixt him and the Bishop in another place of the same book It is not the least delusion of Sathan or mistery that such formes of good wordes are reteyned both in the Romish English Church without any truth eyther of purpose or practise in those which vse them for by them the eyes of the simple are easily bleared by such deceivable merchants as right now I spake of though it be not without a speciall providence of God that these the like forms of words should be vsed for the more full conviction and condemnation of them that chuse to be deceived as I have formerly noted in this book To conclude this poynt The reading of the service book in form and maner the celebrating of mariage churching of women burying of the dead conformity and subscription are more essentiall to your ministery and more necessarily requyred by the lawes of your Church both civil and ecclesiasticall then preaching of the gospel is The wearing of the surplice and signing with the crosse in baptism are of absolute necessity without partial dispensation yea I may ad violation of oath by the Bishops whereas preaching of the word is no
worship of God and being neyther the preaching of the word nor the sacraments nor prayer must needs be the true word of God so you must prove theÌ„ or els the truth of your assertioÌ„ is disproved Touching your discourse of the order of Gods worship before in and after the Apostles tyme I observe to let passe other particulars your errour in making the particular Synagogues of the Iewes as the particular Churches are now The Synagogues were not entyre Churches of themselves but partes or members of the nationall Ch neyther could they haue vse of the most solemn parts of Gods worship as were then the sacrifices neyther could the cheif Ministers in the Church execute their office in them but as they depended vpon the temple in Ierusalem so were the people to cary their offerings thither and there to enjoy these ministrations But particular congregations now do stand in no such dependancy they may enjoy within themselves the word sacraments and prayer which are the most solemn services in the Ch now and so by consequence all the rest In deed it is with your parrish assemblyes somewhat as it was with the Synagogues they cannot enjoy the Ministers by and from within themselves nor have the vse of ecclesiasticall government but must depend vpon their Ierusalems the Bishops Chappels and Consistories for these their most solemn and peculiar administrations Mr B in his 2. book to prove their worship true worship pretends 3 distinct ArgumeÌ„ts The first bycause it is according to the word of God 2. bycause it is not forbidden in the scripture 3. bycause it is after the manner of the worship of the true Churches of God set downe in the word An other man would have comprehended these three reasons in one and so might Mr Ber. have done well enough considering his confirmation of them wherein he brings not so much as one scripture or reason from scripture to prove their prescript leyturgy by man devised and imposed of which our mayn quaest on is to be according to the word of God c. onely in the 3. Argument he toucheth an obiection which he calles a conceyt of ours viz that it quencheth the spirit to which he gives a double answer First that it is agaynst known experience 2. that it is the groundwork of Mr Smith casting of reading the scriptures in the assembly Other things he speaks are not worth the insisting vpon let vs consider of his answers To the former of them touching known experience I do reply two things first that the experience of supposed good in a course or by meanes not warrantable by the written word of God is of all godly wise men to be suspected 2 though the experience of good be certayn yet must men take heed they honour not one thing for an other as the means of that good but they must put difference between that which is good and that which is evill in the same compound action Many do avouch they have wrought in them much hatred of murder treason and the like evils by a stage-play others that their devotion is much furthered by organ musick and the chaunting of quiresters yea by the prayers in a tongue they vnderstand not all these will alledge their knâ—wn experience But to leave these things The Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 14. testifyeth that a man speaking a strange language may â—diâ—y himself though not the Church and though he pray in a strange tongue without the vnderstanding or benefit of the Church yet that his spiâ—â—t may pray Might such a man therefore alledge his known experience for prayer in a strange tongue contrary to the Apostles expresse inhibition neyther is it any justification of the service book in the vse we speak of that people do in the reading of it find by experience their affectioÌ„s furthered God may doth therein honor the simple honest affectioÌ„s of his people so far as to receive the request of their heart which he seeth in secret covering in mercy the outward manner of putting vp the same wherein they of ignorance or infirmity fayl And that these stinted and devised forms do quench the spirit of prayer appears in that they deprive the Church minister of that liberty of the spirit of prayer which God would haue the vse stinting the Minister yea all the Ministers in the kingdom to the same measure of the spirit not onely one with an other but all of them with him that is dead and rotteÌ„ and so stinting the spirit which the Lord gives his Ministers for his Church and that so strictly as till the stint be out it may not suggest one thought or word otherwise or when it is out one more then is praescribed The manifestation of the spirit sayth the Apostle is given to every man to profit withall But in the reading of a praescript forme of prayer there is not the manifestation of the spirit of the minister given him to profit the Church withall but the manifestation of of the spirit of him that devised and penned the service book Now for M Ber 2 Answ namely that this conceipt of ours saying that set prayer quencheth the spirit is the groundwork of Mr Smithes casting of reading the scriptures in the assemblyes first he wrongeth M. Smyth who doth not deny the reading of the scriptures in the assembly but that the reading of them is properly a part of Gods worship 2. Not our conceipt but his own ill collection is the groundwork of his errour Let the indifferent reader iudge whither this consequence be good or no. Bycause the reading of the Apocrypha Prayers of the Bishops of Rome or of England or their Chapleyns for prayer quencheth the spirit or is not the true manner of prayer which Christ hath left therefore the reading of the Canonicall scriptures penned by the Prophets and Apostles for reading quencheth the spirit and is no part of Gods worship Other observations M Ber hath in his Answer some nothing to the purpose and others against himself as for example The Iewes in the ould Testament did meet together at set times commaunded by the Lord so did the Churches of Christ in the new or the first day of the week Ergo the Church of England doth wel in meeting at set times yea holy times not commaunded by the LORD and that farre more solemnly then on the first or LORDS day 2. The Iewes had preaching every Lords day in every Synagogueâ— therefore the Church of Engl is in good estate where there is no preaching or as good as none in one parish of ten on the Lords day or at other tymes 3. The Iewish Church had singing of the Psalmes of David and of other propheticall men and Christ himself did vse the same therefore the Church of England doth coÌ„mmendably in singing besides them the Apocrypha songs of men ful of errours and vanities as that the Saints and Angels in