for the outward guidance ordering of the Church in her publique affayrs by the Byshops or Elders And thus and in this regarde all in the parrish assemblyes if not vnder the Prelates spirituall iurisdiction as many would make themselves and others beleev are lawlesse persons inordinate walkers neyther is this myne assertion eyther lavish or lawlesse but a just necessary testimony agaynst theyr transgression of which I wish them from the Lord more conscience for that purpose better counsayl then in this manuduction they finde Lastly to make way to a touch of wit vnto which he cannot get by my wordes meaning truely related he takes liberty to change the one other for his advantage I do p 30 propound sundry defences made by such both ministers people as dislike the prelaâ—y and the first of the people to wit that they are not subiect to the prelates government And that I intend this of the people is evident by my reply in the same place the words whereof I have formerly noted down in the 2 d consideration of his answer This by me spoken and intended of the people he misapplyeth to the ministers putting as my wordes These ministers are vnder no spirituall government and so would in wantonnesse of wit fasten the same reproof vpon my self as haveing been formerly with none now with one Elder without government also and so an inordinate walker The truth then is that the people professing themselves though most vntruely to be from vnder the Prelates Spirituall government do therein professe themselves to be from vnder all christian church government that both ministers and people professing themselves to be from vnder the prelates spirituall power do therein professe themselves to be from vnder all power of Christ for the censures in those respects and considerations of which onely I speak though he streach my words further then he should eyther in charity or equity to be lawlesse persons inordinate walkers without the yoak of Christ one speciall means of theyr salvation And thus much for the confirmation of my testimony agaynst communion with the parochiall assemblyes in the particulars though far froÌ„ all in my former book as myne opposite pretendeth wherin he hath endeavoured to weaken it where I also desyre the Reader well to note that whatsoever eyther he pretendeth or others conceav of publique coÌ„munion following vppon private yet the issue unto which things come between him me is in these two questions 1. whether the Bishops jurisdiction in theyr provinces diocesses be lawfull or no 2. whether the parochial ministers being ordeyned instituted licensed by the Bishops do preach by theyr authority or no The other two stumbling blockes as he calls them viz. that all are vrged to communion by poenall lawes that a set form of prayer iâ— appointed he neyther purposeth nor thinks it needfull to deal about seing 1. there are many excercises of religion where none are present by constraynt nor the service book so much as appeareth for which he instanceth in Mr. Parkins his excercise And wherefore doth he still after his but an evill custome chaunge the state of the question which is not about mens being presonâ— by constreynt at the excercises of religion but about Churches gathered by constreynt of all the profane parrishioners with the other handfull as vvas that parrish church whereof Mr Perkins was a member where he taught that by authority from vnder the prelates My being once at his successours sermon since I professed separation is neyther pertinently nor truely obiected by him I was there as in many other places since I made question of it disputed for it but had not otherwise professed it And vppoÌ„ this occasion I think good to note down the work of Gods providence towards me in this matter Comeing to Cambridge as to other places where I hoped most to fynde satisfaction to my troubled heart I went the fore-noon to Mr Cha his excercise who vppon the relation which Mary made to the disciples of the resurrection of Christ delivered in effect this doctrine that the things which concerned the whâ—le church were to be declared publiquely to the whole Church not to some parte onely bâ—inging for instance proofe the wordes of Christ Mat 1817. Tell it to the Church confirming therein one mayn ground of our difference from the Ch of Engl which is that Christ hath given his power for excommunication to the whole church gathered together in his name as 1 Cor 5 the officers as the governers the people as the governed in the vse thereof vnto which Church his servants are comaunded to bring theyr necessary complaynts And I would desyre myne opposite eyther to shew me how where this Church is haveing this power in the partish assemblyes or els by what warrant of Gods word I knowing what Christ the Lord coÌ„maunded herein may with good conscience remayn a member of a Ch without this power much lesse where the contrary is advanced so go on in the known transgression of that his coÌ„maundement Tell the church In the afternoon I went to hear Mr B the successour of Mr. Perkins who from Eph 5. v 7. or 11. shewed the vnlawfulnes of familiar conversation between the servants of God the wicked vpon these grounds or the most of them 1. that the former are light the other darknes between which God hath separated 2. that the godly hereby are endaungered to be levened with the others wickednes 3. that the wickâ—d are hereby hardened in receaving such approbation from the godly 4 that others are thereby offended occasioned to think them all alike as birdes of a fâ—ther which so floâ—k together Whom afterwardes privately I desyred as I do also others to consider vvhether these very Reasons make not as effectually much more agayâ—â—â—th sâ—irituall communion of Gods people especially vvhere there vvants the means of reformatioÌ„ vvith the apparently vvicked to vvhom they are as light to dâ—rknes To that vvhich he alledgeth in the 2 d place of the reformed Churches generally vsâ—â—ng a stint form â—f prayer with whom yet I will not refuse all publique coÌ„munion I ansvver that for the very vse of a set form of prayer or other the like fayling I vvill not refuse communion vvith a true Church in things lavvfull but between the set form of prayer vsed in the reformed Churches in the vnreformed Ch of Engl I put great difference not onely in the matter sundry orders thereof but especially in the manner of imposeing it which in the reformed Ch is not by compulsioÌ„ nor in the first place as in the Ch of Engl where the reading of it is preferred before above the preaching of the gospell and where more ministers and those of the best sorte have been deprived of theyr ministery in a few monthes for the not reading and observeing
A MANVMISSI ON TO A MANVDVCTION OR ANSWER TO A LETTER INFERRING PUBlique communion in the parrish assemblies upon private with godly persons there Stand fast in the liberty wherwith Christ hath made you free Gal. 5. 1. Be not partaker of other mens sinns keep thy self pure 1. Tim. 5. 22. By Iohn Robinson Anno Domini 1615. To the godly reader ALbeit I be justly sorry for all oppositions against the truth yet not so for this occasion of further manifesting that my formerly professed perswasion that publique communion with the parrish assemblies cannot be inferred vppon private with godly persons though members there the constitution and estate of the same assemblies rearing up a partitioÌ„ wall neyther so transparent as may be seen thorough mâ—â—h lesse so open as may be passed no not in the best charity as this manuducent supposeth but on the contrary so grosse entyre in evill as that no engine of wit or art can so batter it as to make a safe passage through it for a good conscience Needfull it were in a matter of this nature and weight that the manuducent or hand leader should guide men by the playn and open way of the sâ—riptures as is the way of the Lord in them layd down open playn as the King high way and beaten by the feet of the Apostolicall churches not by subtile Quaerees and doubtfull Suppositions and such under hand conveyances as may lead the vnwary into a maze and there loose him but cannot clear the way for an vpright coÌ„science Of the way of Christ it was prophesied of ould An high way shal be there and a way and it shal be called the way of holines the vnclean shall not pase over it for he shal be with these the wayfareing man though fooles shall not erre therein But so many and doubtfull are the wyndeings of this mans way as that he who findes it had need be no wayfareing man but a town-dweller and well acquainted with all the secret turnings thereof nor a fool as the Prophet speaketh but one haveing wit indeed more then a good deal But let them in whose hearts are the highwayes of the Lord that they may goe froÌ„ strength to strength till they appear vnto God in Sion let them I say not suffer themselves to be led by the turnings of mans devise whatsoever but by the wordes of the wisdom of God which are all in righteousnes in which there is nothing wreathed or perverse but they are all playne to him that will understand and straight to him that would fynde knowledge Now for my persvasion about publique and private communion it is the same which I have manifested in my other book and that wherein so far as by the weak light which God hath given to shine in my heart I can discern I neyther wrong the good in that Church person or thing nor partake in the evill of eyther My trust is that God who hath given me my part though in great infirmity in the Prophets comfort with all my heart have I sought thee will also fulfill his request uppon me let me not wander from thy commandements IT was some addition of honour to Davids victory over the Philistime that he slew him with his own sword vpoÌ„ which hope mine opposite as it seemes enterprizeth the beating down of the partition wall of our separation from the parrish assemblies in theyr publique communion government and ministery by the engine of mine own acknowledgment of private communion with the persons peâ—sonall graces os many christians though otherwise members there uppon which acknowledgment he therefore propoundeth certeyn Quaerees or Demaunds in number seaven the first whereof is Suppose one of those many so qualifyed as that in the judgment of those that can disâ—â—rn he is competently fit to be employed in the publique ministery having his own 〈◊〉 given to thâ—t work and the hearts of many â—â—aâ—ing his help suppose I say that such a man not fyndeing means for the present of a comfortable enterance into that calling shalby leav in a publique assembly where many like himself and many unlike are gathered togather without any further calling for a â—yme perform the actions of prayer prâ—pâ—â—sying without any addition deâ—ractâ—ion or alteration of that which he had lawfully done in private my demaund is whether it be not lawfull to communicate with him in his work I answer that these exercises of religion not performed by this persoÌ„ by any publique calling or authority but onely by his personall gift desyre to do good are not publique or Church actions but private and personall nor communion with him therein publique but private communion no not though performed by him in a publique place which no more makes the action to be of publique nature or a Church action which in my whole book I make as they are the same then did the private chambers where the Apostles administred the word sacraments to the Churches make these theyr administrations private or personall Reason it self teacheth that publique actions are onely such as are performed by publique authority See Mr. Perkins in Treatise of Christian equity for this purpose The same answer serveth for the 2 d Qu which supposeth onely a longer continuance of tyme in the same course by coâ—niveâ—â—y of them in authority since mere continuance in the same course especially as an ordinate means â—o the same end altereth not the nature thereof And so this as the former Quaere is besides the purpose in hand Onely I ad that no man can continue thus preaching in a publique place especially some years but under the cloak appearance of a Byshops minister though he be not such indeed Suppose yet the same man obteyneth a licence from the L. Byshop of the Diocesse without any unlawfull condition for to continue in that his course I ask whether that leav or licence given doth pollute the actions seing a man may ask leav of the great Turk to preach the Gospell within his dominions This Supposition conteyneth a contradiction for the very obteyning receiving of the Bishops licence which yet I think no man doth before he have receaved orders as they are called is a real acknowledgment that the Byshop hath a lawfull power to graunt it which is an vnlawfull condition John Claydon a martyr of Christ was otherwise minded then this man wheÌ„ he witnessed that the Byshops licence to preach the word of God was the true character of the beast i. e. Antichrist Neyther is there the like reason of procuring the Byshops liecence to preach the gospell in his Province or Diocesse of asking leav of the great Turk to preach in his dominions For 1. he minceth the matter too much in making this obteyning of the Bishops licence to be nothing but the asking him leav as a man may ask leav of the great Turk that is desire
him not to hinder him For to obteyn licence of the Bishop is to obteyn publique authority of the publique officer and according to the publique lawes of the church to excercise a publique ministery 2. The great Turk is a lawfull civill Magistrate in his Dominions with whose civill authority it is lawfull to partake but so is not the Byshop a lawfull Ecclesiasticall officer in his Province or Diocesse with whose spirituall jurisdiction Gods servants may communicate And is this to lead men by the hand to take for graunted the mayn question in controversy to wit that the Bishops jurisdiction in their Provinces Diocesses is lawfull which I have also by sundry arguments proved vnlawfull antichristian Surely they who suffer themselves thus to be led must be as destitute of spirituall sight as was Saul of bodily when men led him by the hand to Damascut Theyr authority then being proved so confessed by this myne opposite els where antichristian so consequently one of the sinns of Babylon whether excercised by themselves or by others eyther Officials in the CoÌ„sistories or ministers in the Parochiall churches may not by Gods people be partaken with no not in actions though otherwise lawfull under the peyn of Babylons plagues And this answer also serveth to the 4 th demaund or Supposition of this persons takeing besydes his licence the form of admission called orders of the Diocesan And so that which I bring pag 15. Arg 2. of my book is here misapplyed I there speak of lawfull actions performed merely by the personall grace of fayth the Spirit in a godly man though of infirmity remayning in an estate standing otherwise culpable but here of actioÌ„s though in themselves lawfull yet performed immediately by vertue or vice rather of that very vnlawfull state standing Suppose after this that being desyred so chosen by some assembly wherein there are many fearing God apparently he taketh a Pastorall charge of them haveing the Bishops Patrons admission but cheifly professedly grounding his calling vpon the peoples choyse that he do nothing but the same he did before besydes the administration of the Sacraments to such as are in charity discretion to be esteemed worthy what hindreth from communion here Indeed if men may take liberty in disputeing first to suppose what themselves have a mynde vnto and after to suppose that others are also of the same mynde with them and yet have litle reason eyther for the one or other they may then easily conclude theyr purposes But .1 I deny that an assembly gathered consisting of many fearing God many which must also be supplied without the fear of God is a lawfull Church-assembly haveing a right in communion or common right to call enjoy a pastour his pastorall administrations 2. I deny that any doth or can truely take a pastorall charge in the parrish assemblyes It belongs to the pastours charge not onely to teach minister the sacraments but also that as a mayn parte or duety thereof to govern and rule the flock which no parochiall minister doth oâ— can take vpon him 3. The Church of England doth acknowledge no such calling as is cheifly grounded vpon the peoples choyce but onely that which is grounded vppon the Bishops ordination at the first and to the ministery at large and determinately eyther uppon the Bishops license or vppon the patrons presentation Bishops institution and Arch-deacons induction confirmed by the publique lawes of the same Church both ecclesiasticall civill According to which publique lawes and orders especially submission vnto them being publiquely professed and given as is by the minister here deciphered we are to judge of the publique ministery of the Church not according to the private intendiments and vnderhand professions of particular persons And let God all reasonable men judge between me myne opposite whether a man goeing to the publique governers of a Church desyreing of them a publique office or publique orders so receaving them according to the publique lawes of the same Church therewith authority to preach the word so preaching publiquely in the same Church whether I say such a man be not to be esteemed as called to that work by these governers so by coÌ„sequence whither al men pertakeing with him in that work of preaching for which he was so sent do nor partake therin withall what in them lyeth in the authority of the sender And for such a man except he have publiquely renounced his former calling to pretend in secret vnto his freinds whom he dare trust who he thinks will agayn trust beleeve him eyther that he preacheth not by that calling or by an other principally is but to put on a cloak of shame to walk in craftines more like in truth to a disguized familist then a minister of Iesus Christ. And if any ministery grounded as this man supposeth be to be found in any of the assemblyes I deny the â—ame to be the ministery of the Church of EnglaÌ„d about which our question is And howsoever men do build much vppon the peoples acceptance of and submission vnto theyr ministery yet is this a very sandy foundation wherevpon to build such a weight If they be not the lawfull ministers of those Churches before it is theyr syn to accept of them submit vnto them as such The peoples acceptance and submission are not causes but consequences of the ministers calling duetyes which they ow vnto them all theyr life long 4. The supposition is but an imagination that any parochiall minister doth administer the sacrameÌ„ts onely to such as are in charity discretion to be esteemed worthy He is by his parochiall cure shew me the man whose practise is not answerable to administer the sacrament of Baptism to all the infants born in the parrish though neyther parent can no not in the most enlarged if â—ot over-stretched charity be judged to be of the fayth so in the covenant of Abraham according to which covenant Baptism is to be administred Lastly I would know of this man so of others who would bring the presbiteriall government vpon the parrish assemblyes without a separation what should be done with such men of years in the parrish as are to be esteemed vncapeable of the L Supper It should seem as the common opinion is that such should be suspended so consequently remayning obstinate incorrigible excommunicated But by what law of God or reason of man do the Censures of the Church apperteyn vnto such as had never right to be of the Church nor were within Gods covenaÌ„t made onely with theyr faythfull theyr seed And since the Church is onely to iudg them which are within the same faln from theyr former holines at least externall how should not excommunication be greatly prophaned vpon such as never came vnder that