Nonconformists say is contained in their communion booke and hence the same is called divine service as for preaching it is held to be no part thereof we will follow here the same method And first I will shew what a true divine worship is according to their owne discription of it 2 How farre that in the Church of England by their owne confession differs from and is contrarie to it 3 Lay downe arguments to prove our separation lawfull by the former grounds 4 Answer D. Ames reasons alleaged to the contrary It is certaine that the Lord hath given a perfect platforme and absolute rule how he will be worshipped in the time of the new Testament an excellent direction for vs how we may acceptablie performe the same vnto him is laid downe in Iohn 4. 23. 24. Two things are there mentioned spirit and truth first it must be a true matter of worship grounded on the word it must be no devised worship For nothing may goe vnder the name of the worship of God which he hath not ordained in his owne word and commaunded to vs as his owne worship All the parts and meanes thereof must be don according to his revealed will Even as the service which is given to an earthly prince by his attendants at court must be onely according to that Kings commaundement so the outward solemne worship to be performed vnto the King of Kings ought to be that onely which he alone is the author and institutor of As for rules given by men not grounded on the Scripture in case of Religion matters of faith c. They are not of any moment neither are we bound to the observation of them For the truth is whosoever vseth those wayes and inventions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but be devices of men Christ saith that they worship him in vaine c. If it have no further begining then mans braine God will give no blessing to it but sends a curse vpon it for cursed is he that addes any thing to the word of God God will ad so much to his plagues and the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please himselfe and if he be perfectly good then he would reveale vnto vs what ever he knew fit for vs to practice A gaine it is a great injurie offered to God when we will let his deadly enimies have the ordering and appointing of his service rather then himselfe A King would thinke it a great indignitie that his servaints should not yeeld to his direction but some base person that were a professed enemie should set downe what service he must have and in what manner he must be obeyed who shall be his attendants and what his provision But much more absurd and injurious it is that we will let the wit and will of the flesh bear sway in Gods worship for these two doe joyne with the devil and are enmity to God And if we will have this preheminence in our houses that our servants must doe as we bid them not what they themselves thinke good for he is a good servant that doth his masters will not his own then why should not we thinke it right that God must be Lord in his house and we must doe his service after his appointment and not our own And not onely doe they teach these wholesome and good doctrines but also doe lay downe sundry effectuall reasons to prove that men may not worship God otherwise then he hath appointed and revealed in his word 1. Because we can have no true comfort in our devotions so long as they be but limmes of that which Paul termes voluntary Religion so long as they are onely taken vp by vs and not prescribed to vs make we never so great a shew of zeale in the performance of them yet it is nothing 2. All worship devised by man is abhorred by the Lord for he likes nothing but what he appointeth himselfe 3. It is against his expresse commaundemeÌ„t that men should bring any of their owne devising neare his ordinances because he will have no more don in his worship then he teacheth and commaundeth in his word Therefore whatsoever is added that we are to esteeme to be an Image which he detesteth and abhorreth 4. Because whatsoever God would have vs either to know or doe he hath fully revealed it by Christ 5. It is the property of superstitious andâ—dolatrous things to infect the places and persons where they are 6. It argues certainly that men doe not love the Lord and his commaundements but hate rather both when they worship God otherwise then he commaundeth for although every wil worshipper will say that he loveth God yet God witnesseth in the second commaundement that he is a liar and that he hateth God in that he hateth the worship which he commaundeth in the love whereof God will have experience of his love 7. The Lord will blesse the true worshippers of him vnto many generations both in themselves their children and posterity and in whatsoever belongs vnto theÌ„ 8. We must learne to proportion our worship to Gods nature which is simple in that which is simple there is no composition or diuision therfore in our worship there must be no composition it must be vayd of mixture a linsey woolfey patch worship sauced spiccd sophisticated with humane inventions doth nothing sort with the spirituall simplicity of the divine essence 9. God promiseth his presence onely in his owne worship and therefore neither accepteth nor blesseth a worship that is not directed by his owne word For conclusion worthily speaketh M. Perkins The second way of erecting an Idoll is when God is worshipped otherwise and by other meanes then he hath revealed in the word For when men sett vp a devised worship they sett vp also a devised God Augustine saith of the Gentiles that they refused to worship the God of the Hebrewes because if their pleasures were to worship him in another sort then he had appointed they should not indeed worship him but that which they had faigned The Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob and they waited for the coming of the Messias yet Christ saith of them Ye worship ye know not what because they worshipped the true God by a worship devised of old set vp by men The Lord saith to the Israelites ye shall call me no more Baali whereby he signifieth that because the Iewes did somtime worship God in the same manner with the same images rites and names whereby the Heathen worshipped the false God Baali therefore they made him indeed to be even as the Idol Baal c. Againe Iohn saith in his first Epistle chapt 2. vers 24. If that which ye have heard from the beginning remaine in you ye shall continue
strictest professors do hold the Church of England as it is Nationall Provinciall and Diocessan false howbeit they thinke some particular congregations in the Land to bee true 5. With such weapons as these doe the Papists fight and where they can bring one the others ten to witnesse for them and their Romish superstitions I meane antiquity universality and such like popular reasons whereby they seeke to uphold their cursed Kingdome Lastly it is untruely affirmed that all the Churches of God in the world doe acknowledge the people of England to be a true Church For there are many which have both professed and prooved the contrary Now for his last argument I deny also both parts of it and affirme that neither the mother nor daughters are true Churches the reason which he layeth downe is as the rest sillie and most impertinent to proove the thing for which he brings it The summe and effect of that which hee hath written in five or sixe pages is this that their worship and religion is true because in Q. Maries dayes divers Martyrs professed the same and died in it Answ 1. Here the thing in question is brought for confirmation the Martyrs allowed of their worship be it so what then should hee not yet have prooved the same to be lawfull Yes doubtlesse if hee would have written either according to rule reason or religion 2. If a Papist should suffer death under Heathen or Turkes because he would not denie Christ â—esus wee think he may in some respect be judged a martyr and yet the Romish worship which he professeth remaine still false and idolatrous 3. I desire the Reader to marke how absurdly he speaketh the thing which he undertakes to proove is that their assemblies are true for this he alleageth the Martyrs now to what purpose I can not tell in the world unlesse he meant that there was such vertue and efficacy in their sufferings as the whole Nation thereby was sanctified and made Churches Lastly this reason is one and the same with that which he brought to confirme the second Syllogisme save that for the more authority of it hee addeth the name of the Mâ—rtyrs the insufficiency whereof I have there shewed and thither doe referre the Reader In the conclusion he saith Answer me this one argument and so I end If Mr. Hooper Mr. Bradford with others knowing the corruptions then in the worship and ministery being the same also with ours now notwithstanding this knowledge and not separating were saved then men at this day notwithstanding their knowledge of the corruptions and not separating because of them may likewise be saved But the first is true therefore the second Ans His former reasons were not more false and foolish than this is wicked and profane for first wherefore serves it but in truth to teach men to cast off all care in seeking Gods glorie by an even walking and to doe so much of his will as is sufficient to bring them to heaven and no more thus he counselleth people to be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God yea to love God for themselves and to serve him for a reward onely but let all persons in all places take heede that they follow not this mans advice for if they resolve to doe no more but what they think will serve their turne to be saved they will surely misse of that and for their self love suffer wrath and vengeance eternally 2 Howsoever Iwill not judge another mans servant yet it is more then he or anie mortall man that can infalliblie tell whether Mr. Bradford Mr. Hooper and others were absolutely saved and therefore hee reasoneth still most childishly to prove his matter by things secret and known to God onely 3 When Luther Calvin and others left the Church of Rome might not anie popish priest have said as much to them If Mr. W. Mr. C. with others knowing the corruptions then in worship c. Now I perceive if Mr. Dayr had been in their place he would not have separated from that Synagogue of Satan and to speake the verie truth he could not do it lawfully upon his own groundes 4. That these men knew some corruptions to be in their worship ministrie I grant it but not in that kinde and degree which the Nonconformists since have manifested for if they had certainly known that these things were unlawfull and antichristian and their Church government taken wholly from the Pope I beleeve they would not have joyned in spirituall communion therewith therfore Mr. Dair shamfully abuseth the reader to say the martyrs saw their corruptions and they are the same which they have now whereas he should have proved that they saw them according to the nature of them and as his fellow brethren have since seene them affirmed them to be for unlesse this can be shewed they differ herein asmuch from the martyrs as if one sinned ignorantly aud another against his knowledge and conscience 5. The saintes are taught of God not to be servants of men but to live by their owne faith to presse forward toward the mark and therefore hee sheweth litle skill in the course of religion to sette downe this or that mans practise for a rule to walke by unlesse he had professed himselfe to be a Familist or perfectist and so would make the world beleeve that none could erre which took such for example whom he prescribed to them 6. I cannot tell for what end be propounded this argument for imagin it should be granted him that the Martyrs knew the corruptions of their Church c. and yet were saved and so are many now in England which understand the same what would hee from hence conclude I thinke there is no man on earth that knowes if there be they might doe well at the next impression of his booke to set it in the margin for to cover what they can the mans empty naked and absurd writing Mr. Dayr having shewed his best skill wit and learning to proove their parish assemblies true Churches in his second booke according to his division hee attempteth to confute the description which Mr. Barrow and the Brownists as he maliciously names Gods people have laid downe of a true visible Church and about this point hee writes more then an hundred and fifty pages all the matter whereof leaving out his Battalogies and impertinenr speeches might well have beene written in sixe leaves of papier But it seemes the man wanted no money and therefore would make it up to his reader in Taile what he could not doe in weight forgetting in the meane time the proverbe a little and good and also what the learned use to say The worth of a writing doth not consist in bulke and belly but in the sinewes veines and arteries which with good blood and spirit may be comprehended in a little body But let us see how he confutes us First he layeth downe our definition of a true
visible Church which is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God and joyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellow ship of the Gospel Before we â—ome to examin the reasons if they may be so termed which he alleageth against this definition I desire the reader to minde it well that we herein do say no more then what in effect is fully acknowledged by the Nonconformists Conformists the Church of England the learned generally and all the reformed Churches upon earth as is to be seene in their books here named Yea Mr. Brad. although no friend of the Separatists yet confesseth the whole as it is here laid downe to be true and good Notwithstanding this man commeth boldly forth against us as if he had been either asleepe all his life time or lived in some unknowne parts of the world and so could not tell what any body had said about this thing And now for his reasons in which he is as confused as is the subject for which he pleadeth notwithstanding such as I finde here and there disorderly written of him I will reduce into some particular heads The maine and chiefe argument wherewith he fighteth against us for saying a true visible Church is a company of people called and separated from the world is because hypocrites and reprobates may beein the Church And to proove this he is very large and tedious for I dare say more then halfe of his booke is spent about it in alleaging for it Scriptures Examples and Reasons But a few words will serve for answer to it in regard he talkes of a thing which neither helpes him nor disadvantageth us for the question betweene them and us hath ever beene about the true and naturall members whereof Gods Church is orderly gathered and planted and not about the decayed and degenerate estate thereof But of this he saith nothing onely reasoneth much to this purpose If a mans body may have sores boyles broken limmes c. then is not the body whole and sound in the definition If in a garden vineyard or orchard after the constitution there grow weeds thornes and thistles then cannot the same in the description be said to bee planted at first of all good herbes vines and trees But the first is true therefore the second Now if such Philosophie be to be laughed at then truely much more is Mr. Dayr Divinitie here to be pittyed for he denieth our definition to wit that a true visible Church in the first collection consisteth of a people called and separated from the world and why because forsooth afterwards some of them may fall into unlawfull and sinfull courses If all our writings should bee read over yet will it not be found that ever we have denied but many hypocrites may be in the true Church yea open and vile transgressours but here lyeth the poynt if any shall affirme that the same may be first gathered of knowne lewd and unconverted men that indeed wee deny utterly and can proove the contrary or if they shall say that obstinate and incorrigible sinners may lawfully be suffered therein this also we affirme to be untrue But if they say that in a true visible Church there may be great evils committed yea and a long time tolerated wee assent unto it Howbeit it is certaine as Dr. Ames saith this forbearance is a grieveus sinne before God If Mr. Dayr therefore had well understood what our negative and affirmative positions are hee might have spared most of his writing For throughout his booke he hath most falsely reported of us by insinuating as if we held all of the visible Church to be saved and that no wickednesse therein can be committed now our words tend onely to shew what a Church is and how every member ought to walke but if in some respects they bee not so yet may the Congregation notwithstanding be true and good Mr. Dayr tells us verie often of the sinnes committed in the Iewish Church so in Corinth Pergamus c. If he were alive I would aske him whether they did well herein If he should say yea then were he a blasphemer if nay then he gave us the whole cause and so might cast his booke into the fyre For the thinge which we affirm is that every member of the church ought to be holy not that they are allwayes so but should be so and it is their great fault they are otherwise And here the reader may observe how greatly he hath mistaken the matter For whereas Mr. Barrow Mr. Ainsw and others doe shew from the scriptures what a true Church is whereof gathered how every member should walke how abuses are to be reformed c. He either through ignorance or mallice or both still inferreth from their writings that they held perfection of Churches that there can be no Hypocrite or reprobate in the Church c. Things groundlesly collected of him Of the same nature are the reports which many of them publish dayly in their Sermons and Bookes namely that the main cause of our Separation is because wicked men are suffered in their church But this is untrue for howsoever as I said before such a tolleration can not be justified yet this is not properly the reason but because their Parishes were at first constituted as now they stand of the members of Antichrist to wit the idolatrous Papists and of all other kind of most notorious sinners as whorems witches atheists swearers usurers cursers scoffers at religion c. This prophane multitude without any profession of faith and repentance were forced and compelled by human authority in the beginning of QElizabeths raigne to be members of their Church and so have continued they and their seed ever since contrary to the expresse word of God and this is so evident and certaine as the Nonconformists acknowledge it most true beside we leave them in respect of their ministery worship and Church government which is also prooved unlawfull and Antichristian by their owne testimony Another exception which he taketh against our description is because we say a people called by the word of God this he denies to be true and affirmes that men may come to be members of the visible Church and not be called by the word and therefore verie unfitly is it placed in the description of a visible Church pag. 62. 63. Ans We need not wonder when a man undertakes to justifie a bad cause that he useth ordinarily vile and profane arguments for it First this which he affirmeth is directly against the Holy Scriptures of God 2. Contrarie to all example in the old and new Testament 3. Wholy against the doctrine of his brethren and fellow Preists and the learned everie where c 4. The Scriptures which he names are both untruly and unadvisedly applyed of him for first touching that in Exod. 12. 38. Howsoever many Egyptians
Whosoever shall hereafter affirme that the form of Gods worship in the Church of England established by law and conteyned in the book of Common prayer c. is a corrupt superstitious or vnlawfull worship of God or conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the scriptures let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the place or Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errours Whosoever shall hereafter affirme that the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England by law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as being commaunded by lawfull authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good conscience approve them vse them or as occasion requireth subscribe vnto them let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored vntill be repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errours Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the government of the Church of England vnder his Majestie by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that doe beare office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto and so continue vntill be repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errours Whosoever shall here after affirm or teach that the form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God c. let him be excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored vntill he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errours 6. Where he demaundeth what one truth of religion we can name that is not or hath not beene when just occasion hath been offered taught by some of their ministers Although this be not much materiall touching the point in controversie seeing none of them teach true doctrine but in a false and Antichristian calling which is utterly unlawfull to be done notwithstanding if we will beleeve the Nonconform he had small cause to bragg thus of their preaching For first their ministers for the most part are ignorant asses and loytering idle bellyed Epicures which either cannot or doe not teach at all 2. A number of those which doe are prophane and heathenish Oratours that thinke all the grace of preaching lyeth in affected eloquence in fond Fables to make their hearers laugh or in ostentation of learning of the latin their Greek and Hebrew tongue and of their great reading of antiquities when God knoweth most of them have little further matter then is in the in the infinite volumes of common places and apothegmes called to their hands 3. Howsoever some of them deliver many sound truths yet they doe not lay the axe to the root of the tree I mean seeke to suppresse such evills as raigne most among them We would repute that Phisitian unwise which hath a patient under cure sicke of a great fever and he gives him a medicine which serves only to heale the gout or dropsie Now in truth such vnwise Phisitians are the best of them for the main disease which cleaves to the foule of the people is false worship But what course take they about it Thus they doe they administer good things to purge out pride drunkennesse c. But leave all the while this Capitall disease alone by which meanes many persons perish and are utterly cast away Now these have not the Prophets for an exaÌ„ple for it is marvelous observable when the ten Tribes fell away from the true worship of God that all those Prophets whome the Lord then sent early and late after them applyed their doctrines even alltogether as it were against the sinnes of Dan and Bethell as the spiritual sicknesse of Israel was idolatry so they gave them constantly such souveraigne medecines as served best to cure the same And indeed this course of teaching is onely profitable for as a small stroake downe-right upon the naile is better then a thousand besides it Even so a little home matter against the present evils of the people as namely their devised service false ministery Antichristian Government c would profit them much more then all their lowd long crying out of judgement judgement only against swearers drunkards usurers whoremoungers c. because the former faults are more generally committed and have taken deeper roote in the hearts of old and young 7. Concerning the defence which he makes for reading their booke of Articles and Canons in the church a few words will serve in answer to it 1. If it were true which he saith that they doe not this thing ministrially yet their fault is not the lesse But he speaketh falsely herein for this is laid upon them as a proper part of their Office and none else but they by their Law either doe or may doe the same 2. If they doe not teach them for truths then it must be for lies and errours if so their evill is the greater and proportionable thereunto without repentance will Gods vengeance be upon them for it 3. His answere here is quite beside the point and he seekes meerly to cozen the reader that which Mr. Iohnson mentioneth is their Articles Canons very vile and wicked things by their owne confession To this he replyeth may not a man in the weakenesse of his judgement and in infirmity at his first entrance into a calling conforme and subscribe to some things not so warrantable and true c. Note how punctually he speakes and comes up as neere to the matter as Yorke is to the Lands end a man in the weakenesse of his judgement c. may doe some thing c. Ergo he may conforme to the damnable Canons and articles read them to the people c. By the same manner of arguing he may be a â—ew a Turke a Heathen any thing And not only in this place but such sencelesse shifts are common with him throughout the booke for whereas it is proved in Mr. Iohnsons writing that their ministery is â—nlawfull Antichristian because neither their Offices calling nor administration is according to Gods Word but as they say themselves all taken from Antichrist He childishly tells us that true Pastors Teachers may want some accessarie parts of their Offices c. which answereth nothing to the point nor is more to any purpose then if a convicted traitor would seek to prove his cause to be otherwise for that he wants som accessarie parts of a true subject 4. Touching the distinction which he puts betweene reading the Canons to the people and not teaching the â—rrours contained in them I shall leave it as another Demaund how they can proove that these falshoods and lies may be read in the manner that they are and yet be neither taught nor justifyed Answ 1. If it be vnlawfull as he sayth outwardly and but in appearance to joyne with Idolaters in their Idolatry then hath he shewed himseIfe all this while
be foolish false and superstitious But I desire the reader to observe how wittily he confirmeth the Assumption It shall be sufficient sayth he that we can set forth vnto him such a ministery in sundrie of our Church Assemblies of which all those points may be truely verified Who would have thought that Mr. Bradsh having blotted many leaves of his booke with meere scoffing at Mr. Iohnson about his Logick should so grossely overshoot himselfe in termes of reasoning For what wise man but he would have laid downe a Position that comprehended indefinitely generally all the ministers of their Assemblies and to prove it saith we can shew some such It seemeth then that those some such must make all the rest true Intruth so he inferres or else his argument as he saith often of Mr. Iohnson is crackt braind and lacks not truth only but sence also There are some merchants who to put off the false wares which lie upon their hands will shew the buyer a little that is good and by this meanes cunningly shift all the rest upon him and so deceive him The like subtilty useth Mr. Bradsh here and often in his booke that he might perswade the reader to beleeve that all their Ministers and Churches are true he sheweth him some of the best in hope that under these he shall craftily put all the rest upon him I mention these his deceiveable shifts the oftner that we may have hereafter more honest dealing If they will justifie all their Ministers and Churches let them say so directly If but som few as in their writings they still intimate I desire them to speake it out plainely and not to cary the thing so covertly as if they would have the poore people to beleeve that they meant all when themselves are perswaded the greatest number are false and Antichristian Another reason which he brings to prove their ministery Lawfull is because they professe the Pope to be Antichrist renounce all Ecclesiastical homage to him and maintaine all the members of the Church of Rome to be Hereticks and Idolaters c. To this I say quid verba audiam cum facta videam It is true I know many great errours of that Church they opppose and have left notwithstanding they retaine the selfe same Ministery Church Government Service Courts Canons c. which they brought out from thence uphold them still I say to the uttermost of their strength and power and hate revile imprison banish kill c. those which will not conforme thereto And hence it is the Papists say that from their treasure house the religion now established in England hath learned the forme of Chrining marying Churching of women visiting of the sicke burying of the dead and sundry other like as the book translated out of theirs declared So Iacobus Gretzerus alleadgeth against the Reformed Churches their Service-booke for their Popish holydayes Dr. Tucker and their Late booke of Canons both for the signe of the Crosse for kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacrament For the whole Hierarchy from the Archbishop downewards divers other their superstitions So Cornelius Scultingius citeth Whitgift and taketh whole leaves out of him for defence of their Hierarchie Stapleton also useth the foresaid Doctors arguments to uphold thereby their discipline and professeth that they are built upon one foundation I could multiply authors of this nature but it needs not only let it be here minded that all these testimonies are acknowledged to be true of the Nonconformists Is not therefore their profession great against the Pope they clal him they say Antichrist and the Beast c. Yet notwithstanding in respect of many maine and foundamental Orders and Ordinances of his Church they wallke along hand in hand with him So that they are much like to one which cals a woman c. Whoore Whoore and lyeth with her all the while in the bed and commits folly with her Nothing is here said but the former thinges againe repeated Indeed he undertooke to answer certaine demaunds but he kept himselfe off so covertly from the points that he hath left them farre more obscure darke then they were before For this cause I have thought it necessarie to propound unto them 13. questions all gathered from Mr. Bradsh shifting answeres idle putt offs with request that they would answere them directly and sincerely and from the scriptures and so doubtlesse the controversie betweene them us will be brought the sooner to an end 1. Whether the office of Lecturers in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England be not new and strange from the scriptures If not whether they be Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers Elders c. 2. Whether the civill Magistrate hath power to set over the Churches of Christ in his Dominions such Commissioners and overseers as the present Hierarchie is or no 3. What be those Ecclesiastical Officers which some true Churches in England have these many yeares beene without either all oâ— cheifest of them 4. Whether the calling enterance administration and maintenance of any of the publicke Ministers of the Church of England be unlawful and Antichristian or no 5. Who are those Ecclesiasticall Officers in the Church of England which neither in name nor in deed are true as he himself confesseth 6. Whether it be lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell to be maintained by tithes and offerings c. in the manner and forme as it is practifed now in England or no 7. Whether all the Parish Assemblies of England be true visible Churches or no 8. Where are those Churches in our Kingdom from whence we have separated which doe consist as now they stand of a companie of people called and separated from the world and the false worship and wayes thereof by the word of God and are joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel by voluntarie profession of faith and obedience of Christ 9. What are those parts and parcells in the booke of Common prayer which is not the true worship of God whereof he speaketh 10. Whether it be Lawfull to have communion with the English Leiturgie as it is ordinarily now used in their Churches 11. If the true worship of God be prescribed in the booke aforesaid we demaund then in what part thereof the same is contained 12. Whether those which joyne to the Ecclesiastical Ministerie Worship and Orders of their Cathedral or Parishional Assemblies in those things which are not performed therein according to the true meaning intent of their Lawes doe sin or no 13. What is the true intent and meaning of these Lawes and to whom doth it properly belong to give the interpretation of them Thus having finished what I purpose to write for this time I commend now the same to the best acceptance of every wel disposed reader Beseeching God to make us more and more of one mind in the truth and to give us all hearts to walke sincerily in it untill
The great wickednesse of them p. 170. 171. 172. The ministery of England taken wholy from Antichrist p. 11. Proved to be false p. 219. 222. Their manner of making ministers p. 12. 13. 14 What they are for qualification p. 15. 16. and practises p. 21 Men may be unlawfull ministers though never ordained by the Bb. p. 68. 215 Vnlawful ministers not to be communicated with in any thing they doe p 26. Reasons for it p. 27 Conversion of men to God no note of a true ministerie p. 64 The Ministers of England of one constitution p. 56 True ordinary ministery tyed to a particular Assembly p. 10. A roving unsetled false p. 9 Musick in the Church unlawfull p. 111 N. The profession practise of Nonconformists how they differ p. 205. 206 Their Minors and the Conformists Majors lead to separation p. 179. 180 Not so true to their grounds as the Conformists p. 38. 241 O. Oath ex officio why unlawful pag. 140 No Obedience must be yeelded to the Bb. Government p. 148 Five kinds of ordinary Ecclesiastical Offices only belonging to every true Church p. 3. 4 Officers not simply necessary for the publicke administrations in the Church p. 135 The Church may depose her officers p. 130 Offences how to be suppressed in the Church p. 130. 131. and why p. 168 The Officers of the spiritual Courts in England described p. 137. Their places Antichristian p. 1â—8 Brethren out of Office may teach publickly in the Church p. 54 Order and forme required in the collection of all true Churches p. 186 P. Pastors are all equal by Gods institution p. 3 These are wanting in the English Assemblies p. 11 Parsons Vicars c. unlawfull officers p. 44. 45 Parents ought not to bring their children to be Crossed in Baptisme and reasons for it p. 96 Patrons places unlawful p. 242. To be present at Idolatrous worship unlawfull p. 119. 120. And namely where the Ceremonies are used p. 98. 99 Power given to every particular Church p. 257 An essencial property there of p. 149 Preaching of the Gospell no part or property of the ministery in Fngland but a thing casual p. 259 The manner of preaching there p. 248. 249 Neither preaching nor administring the Sacraments argue a true mininistery p. 232 Not enough to be Professours p. 251 Their Preists and Deacons take their ministery from the Prelates and no where else p. 241 They have not the essencial ministery of Pastors and Teachers pag. 214 Prelates why worse then the Papists p. 82 Of Pollution by other mens sinns p. 208. 209 Q. None must be chosen into any office but such as are wel qualifyed for it and reasons thereof pag. 9. 10 13. Questions propounded with request to be answered p. 262. 263 c. R. Reading Preists described p. 38. Their ministery unlawfull and reasons for it p. 40. 41. A sinne to communicate in their ministery p. 42. What service they doe p. 44. The greatest number of the English ministers are such p. 43 Every Officer must be Resident in his place and why p. 10 Rome and England how like in Church Ordinances p. 261 The judgement of the Reformed Churches no good argument to prove the Church of England true by p. 188. 189 S. Sacraments prophanely administered in the church of England p. 105. 172 More Sacraments then Christ ordained administered in their Churches p. 259 Sacraments administred in private houses unlawfull p. 105 Service booke a devised worship and reasons for it p. 80. 81. 82 The Scribes and Pharisees misapplyed to justifie the ministery of England p. 231 Sidemens office unlawfull p. 138 Our separation why p. 196. 207 Lords Supper how abused p. 103. 104 Surplices unlawfull reasons for it p. 94. 95 Scriptures how abused in the Church of England p. 108 T. Toleraticir of sinne in the Church hurtfull and why p. 168 V. Visitation of the sick as used in England Popish p. 112 Bb. Visitation described p. 142 143 W. Widdowes an office in the Church and reasons for it p. 6 God hath prescribed a perfect platform how he wil be worshipped p. 72 Reasons why he should be worshipped according to the same p. 74. 75 The worship of the church of England is contained in the booke of common prayer p. 78 Churching of Women unlawfull and reasons for it p. 99 The word of God the only meanes to fitt men for Church-estate Z. True Zeal will not endure any thing of Antichrists p. 107 FINIS ERRATA For Eder read Elder p. 9. lin 13. For honestly read honesty p. 14. lin 25. For as read at p. 28. lin 20. For thelr read their p. 103. l. 23. For nor read not p. 131. l. 2. For Hierom read Hieron p. 161. l. 29. For number 38. in marg read 61. after Arrow ag Br. p. 224. * Our Apologie Mr. Bar. refutation of Mr. Giffard A treatise of the minist of the Church of England Mr. Robinsons Iustification of Separ Mr. Penry of the ministery of England An answ to Mr. Stone ‡ I mean only in the point of Separation for in other things he bath answered D Burg. fully and laid him flatt on the grouÌ„d ‡ Hooker Eccles Pol. pref p. 34. Whitg 2. Treat c. 1. div 2. p. 81 Sutclif treat of Disc c. 15 p. 165. D. Bils perpetual Goverm ch 15. p. 339. Bancr Surv. of Disc c. 33 p. 430 431 432. Loe Quaerimon Ecclesiae p. 59 60. Answ to the Petition by the Vice Chanc. Heads of Oxf. p. 15. D. Morton D. Burg. ð„ Repl. to D. Mort. Sect. 14. p. 31. Defence of Petition to the K. p. 103. a Dayr Treat of the Ch. p. 41. b Mr. Nichols plea of the innocent p. 33 34 c The scurrulous Libels published under the names of Lawne Fowler Bullard c. ‡ Serm. on Rom. 12. p. 65 66. Sold. Bar. Abridgm p. 23. Cartw. Catechis p. 315. 316. Rev. 16. 15 Ioh. 17. Chap. 42. 43. ‡ he speaks thus by false ministers Prov. 14. 15 ‡ Yet we beleeve their principles to be true is there be no Nonc that will defend them we will ð„ ð„ ð„ ð„ ð„ Magis veritas elucet quò saepius ad manuÌ„ venit Senec. lib. de ira Pag. 5. Pag. 232. Necessit discip 38 73 74. Offer coÌ„fer pag. 2. T. C. l. 1. p. 22. l. 2 pa. 3. p. 5. 15. Demonst discip 46 Mr. Bates 27. Informat froÌ„ Scott p. 28 29. Necessity discip 71. Defen ag Slaund of Bridg. 127. Forme ecclesias govern p. 123 124 125 c. Demonst discip 53 54. Inform. froÌ„ Scott pag. 30. Forme eccles Govern 128 129 c. Rom. 12 8 â— Cor. 12 28. 1 Tim. â— 17. Mr. Bate 89 c. Demons disc p. 56. Inform. from Scot. p. 13. Eccles gover p. â—â—9 M. Bates p. 117. Answ to Bancr ser p. 14. T. C. l. 1. 190. 2. Admo p. 61. T. C. l. 1. p 190. disc Eccles 119 Infor. Scott 31 demonst discip 61. 62. c.
in the father and the Sonne Hence it followes that those which abide not in the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles but set vp other formes of worshipping God abide not in the sonne and the father Gods worship must be according to his nature heavenly divine and spirituall but all devised worship is according to the nature and disposition of the deviser foolish carnall vaine c. Therefore when God is worshipped not according to his owne will but according to the will and pleasure of man the true God is not worshipped but a God of mens invention is set vp Thus he Secondly there must be a true manner of worship which is to proceed from the very heart root and to be performed with the will the affections and all that is within us For this gives life and welbeeing to divine service as a well proportioned body if it want breath offends us and we desire to have it taken out of our sight For the noysome smel which it maketh in our nostrels even so every worship how outwardly glorious and formall soever voyd of uprightnesse displeaseth the Lord greatly and he bids such hypocrites to cary the same away out of his presence because it is noysome and abominable unto him Let every man therefore looke to this maine thing to wit that he worship God in the truth and sincerity of the inward man For in this God onely taketh delight and without this maine qualification he cannot abide either the person or action It is a thing common with men when they take a peece of worke to doe for an other and exspect to have a good reward for their labour to be carefull so to doe it as the Mr. for whome they doe it may have good content therein the like should be our care whensoever we take in hand any service of God and hope to be recompenced to perform the same in that sort as the Lord may be pleased to accept graciously of it in Iesus Christ In all this we do fully agree with the NoÌ„conformists are persuaded that no man can rightly beleive that his service is well pleasing unto God unlesse it be performed both for matter and manner as they have before truly expressed and therefore to our power we are carefull allwayes thus to doe And so much the more because herein we know our masters will and have promised to doe it so that if we neglect it both our trespasse and punishment will be the greater SECT II. IN the former Section we have heard what a true worship is Now it followes that we describe the worship of the English Assemblies according to the testimony given thereof by the Nonconformists This worship for the matter of it is contained wholy as was said in their Church Leiturgie in the handling whereof for the readers better information I will first shew what they say of the whole booke and afterwards of the particular parts and peeces thereof Touching the former they write thus The whole forme of the Church service is borrowed from the Papists peeced and patched together without reason or order of edificatioÌ„ yea not only is the form of it taken from the church of Antichrist but surely the matter also For none can deny but it was culled and picked out of that Popish Dunghill the portuis and vile Massebooke full of all abominations From three Romish Channells I say was it raked together namely the Breviary out of which the common prayers are takeÌ„ out of the rituall or book of rites the administration of the Sacraments burial matrimony visitation of the sick are taken and out of the Massebooke are the consecration of the Lord Supper Collects Gospels and Epistles And for this cause it is that the Papists like well of the English Masse for so King Iames used to call it and makes them say Surely the Romish is the true and right religion else the Heretikes in England would never have received so much of it For some have avouched it to my face saith the author of the Curtaine of Church power that the service there is nothing but the Masse in English others that it wants nothing but the Popes consecration These things thus retained it was also thought that Popish Kings and Princes would be the lesse offended what marvell seeing the Iâ—suites themselves are so well pleased with the ceremonies and service that I heard one of them God is my wittnesse herein make it his hope that the maintenance of them against the puritans would make England the sooner returne to Rome in the rest Mine eyes and eaâ—es saith Bishop Hall can wittnesse with what approofe and applause divers of the Chatholikes royal as they are termed entertayned the new translated Lyturgie of our Church Which is the lesse wonder seeing Pope Pius the 4. sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbot of S. Saviours to Queene Elizabeth offered to confirme the English Lyturgie by his authority if she would yeeld to him in some other things Indeed it pleased them so wel that for the first eleven yeares of Queen Elizabeth Papists came to the English Churches and service as the Lord Cooke sheweth others of them affirme the same thing namely their Churrh service pleaseth marvelous well the Romish beast and his vngodly followers Witnesse the pacification of the devonshire Papists in the time of Edward the 6. when as they vnderstood it was no other but the very masse booke put into English wittnesse also the assertion of D. Carryer a daungerous seducing Papist The common prayer booke saith he and the Catechisme contayned in it hould no point of doctrine expresly contrary to antiquity that is as he explaineâ—h himselfe the Romish service onely hath not enough in it and for the doctrine of predestination sacraments grace free will and sinne c. The new Catechisme and sermons of the puritan preachers runne wholy in these against the common prayer and Catechisme therein contayned c. And therevpon he comforteth himselfe vpon the hope of supply of the rest to this effect speaketh Bristow and Harding If these things be right why not the rest It shall not be amisse to marke one accurrence in Q. Elizabeths time who beeing interdicted by the Popes Bull secretary Walsingham tryed a trick of state pollicie to reverse the same He caused two of the Popes intelligencers at the Popes appointment to be brought as it were in secret into England to whome he appointed a guide beeing a state intelligencer who should shew them in Canterbury and London service solemnly sung and said withall their pompe and procession which order the Popish intelligencers seeing and so much admiring they wondered that their master would be so vnadvised as to interdict a prince or state whose service and ceremonies so Symbolized with his owne So returning to the Pope they shewed him his oversight affirming that they saw no service ceremonies or Church orders in England but they might very
well have been performed in Rome wherevpon the Bull was presently called in Moreover such is the vnholinesse of this idol booke as the Nonconformists generally have refused to subscribe vnto it affirming it to be such a peece of work as it is straÌ„g any will vse it there being in it most vile vnallowable things And for this cause they have besought the peeres of the realme that it might be vtterly removed and many reasons they have given in severall treatises to prove their condemnation of it just and lawfull first because it is an infectious liturgie â—oâ—ish stuffe a devised service and in it are many Religions mixed together of Christ and Antichrist of God and the devil besides a booke full of fancies and a great many thinges contrary to Gods word and prayers which are false foolish superstitious and starke naught c. 2. They cannot account it praying as they vse it commonly but onely reading or saying of prayers even as a child that learneth to read if his lesson be a prayer he readeth a prayer and doth not pray even so it is commonly a saying and reading prayers and not praying 3. In all the order of it there is no edification but confusion 4. We read not of any such liturgy in the Christian Church in the dayes of the Apostles nor in many ages following till blindnesse ignorance and lazinesse occasioned a prescript forme to be made for idle and dumb Preists 5. If this were not many would make more profession of love to preaching and hearing Gods word but by this meanes it is neglected and despised for worldings vsurers drunkards whoremongers and other earthly and Prophane people away with nothing so well as English Masse and why but because it doth not sharply reprove them of their sins nor disclose the secret of their hearts but that they may continue in all kind of voluptuousnesse and all other kind of wickednesse and therefore rightly is it called their sterve-vs booke 6. God hath no where appointed that the Church should be tyed to read the booke of common prayer for his worship and therefore to doe it is an high transgression before him as great as the sinne of Nadab and Abihu and such are liable vnto the like or greater punishment 7. If this were praying and there were never an ill word nor sentence in all the prayers yet to appoint it to be vsed or to vse it as Papists did their mattens and evening song for a sex service to God though the words be good the vse is naught the words of the first chapt in Iohn be good but to be put into a tablet of gould for a soverainge thing to be worne the vse is superstitious and naught and so is the vse of this service Sundry other arguments of this nature are used of them to prove their Service-booke a false idolatrous unlawfull worship the which I purposely omitt because enough already hath been said about it Yet there is one thing which I thinke good here to note namely a comparison which they make betweene the Papists and Prelates in forcing the practice of this foolish stuffe Welfare the Papists say they for they shall rise up in judgement against you it is meant of the Hierarchie who like good fellowes yet in plain and open termes even bare faced as it were doe seeke to reduce vs and to draw vs to their false and idolatrous worship and service in poperie as namely by their Masse mattens ensong purification and other such like whereas you must daungerously and even vnder a maske or visard as it were and not vnlike to him that transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light doe goe about to draw and allure vs to the selfe same worship and service but by cleanlier names and honester titles c. Marke I pray thee reader what they speake here touching their likenesse and unlikenesse with the Papists For their worship Service it is they confesse the selfe same false worship used in Popere The difference stands in their Bishops beguileing of the people For they doe lay more cunning snares baites then the other to have their idolatrie submitted unto as for an instance The Papists call their trashe Masse c. the other call it divine service c. And why have they left out the first title but because they thinke few people would come to it if it did cary still the ould name of the Beast upon the forehead of it Nothing have the Nonconformists here said against that idolatrous book but we also doe assent wholy therto Indeed in practice we agree not For they will be present where the same is used whether they thinke it lawfull so to doe I know not but this I know that by their grounds laid downe against it every true beleever is necessarily bound to separate from it and not upon any occasion to joyne in communion therewith and this I will prove 1. By precepts 2. Examples 3. by reasons 4. by the testimonies of the learned Of all which we will treat in order in the Section folowing SECT III. THe Lord in scripture hath laid it as a straight charge upon all the faithfull to separate themselves from Idolaters and to be as unlike to them as may be specially in their religious observations and ceremonies The second commaundement proves this effectually for there is absolutely forbidden all participation in any feigned service whether it be to the true God or any other When Ieroboam had set up a false worship we reade that the good Prophets of that time and after called the godly Israelites away from it and bidd them in plaine termes not to joyne therewith but on the contrary to keepe Gods commaundements and statutes appointed for his service without adding any thing to them or taking any thing from them And this they must doe although the King had confirmed his new religion by act of Parliament or Counsell and therefore no doubt would persecute most grievouslie all the refusers therof The great Whore much spoken off in the Revelation hath devised an vncleane service to worship the true God by but what counsell gives the Holy Ghost to the elect concerning it very profitable even in these words come out of her my people Rev. 18. 4. that is forsake her detestable religion communicate in none of her vile odious devises what coulorable reasons soever her unblessed followers make in defence thereof Againe as this is a duety so the faithfull in all ages have practised it a memorable example whereof we have in 2 Chro. 11. 14. 16. There it is said that the Preists and Levites and after them of all the tribes of Israel such as sett their hearts to seeke the Lord Came to Ierusalem to sacrifice the like practice we read of in Hezekiahs time divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Ierusalem All will
power is of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ an essentiall property therof and serves not onely for their well beeing but the beeing it selfe for without this there can be no coupling of the parts and members together And so much D. Ames testifyeth Now the assemblies of England were not gathered by any such power but in their first constitution wanted the same and had this false power which is exercised at this day as the Nonconformists doe aknowledge Our Arguments which we have used in this point have been to this effect Every true visible Church hath a power immediately vnder Christ to execute Church Government But the publike congregations of England have not any such power vnder Christ to execute Church Government Therefore they are not true visible churches What they will say to this I know not but hitherto they have either beene silent or answered to no purpose in the world For it is usually their manner to tell us how the Churches in Corinth Pergamus Thyatira c. neglected to execute discipline as though there were no difference betweene omitting to administer the ordinance and the want wholy of it yea and to have an Antichristian Divelish in the roome of it Indeed herein they well resemble children which being not able to read the lesson given them doe skip over and take another easie one So these leave altogether the point in hand which is to prove by Gods word that a true Church may want in it selfe immediate power under Christ to execute Ecclesiasticall Government and may be subject to that which was brought-in by the Romish Beast and talke of a matter which I thinke no man ever denyed It is true some have assayed to prove it but after many thoughts spent about it we have had nothing but wind from them namely of a city wiihout a wall of a vinyard garden Orchard c. Wanting a hedge fence bounds c. And such broken stuffe not worthy of any answere For where doe they read in Scripture that this power which Christ hath given to his Church is compared to a wall hedge c. But rather may be better likened to the power of the body which receives food and whereby excrements are purged and avoyded the want whereof were prodigious in nature neither could the body possiblie subsist and live And here by the way I thinke it convenient to answere breifly vnto some reprochfull passages writen by D. Laiâ—en against the Separatists he accuseth them of strange and vnsound conclusions but names nothing onely from M. Park Polit. Eccles he Englisheth a sillogisme in this manner If Discipline be so necessary and also vnchangable it is lawfull to separate from such Churches as doe not vse it say the Prelats but Discipline is vnchangablie necessary say the Separatist Ergo it is lawfull to separate from such Churches as doe not vse it The minor he grants to be true but denies the Major and to prove it false he gives this reason For want of an integrall part of the whole or of some essentiall part in it selfe though not of the whole is no sufficient ground for separation He might with more credit and good conscience have granted the Major also then sought to refute it by frothy empty and impertinent words for first he speakes as a man most ignorant of the nature of Church power for were he able truely to define it he should see that it is of such necessity as a people cannot constitute themselves in the right order of the Gospell without it as we have before expressed 2. If the Bishops Major as he termes it be wel vnderstood it caries this meaning discipline is so necessary that where it is not there can be no Church ordinances rightly administred no true ministery worship Sacraments Censures c. And it is certainly so and if M. D. have any thing to object against it let him speake out he knowes his liberty 3. If M. D. will but hold vp his words against the light he shall see they have not the face of an answere for let his words be graunted what is this to the necessity of discipline vnlesse he could prove that the same is not so essentiall but a true Church may wholy want it The which thing neither he nor any man is able to prove and therefore he only beggs baselie the matter but proves nothing and therfore for the warme cloathes whereof he speaketh he may even keepe them himself to cover the nakednesse of his Argument I will not here speake of his irreligious phrase comparing the holie way of God to hatching neither of his untruth to say that separatisme was not before B. Whitgift wrote for Ceremonies I think the man knowes better to wit that from false ministers worship c. the Saints have separated before Whit. either wrote or was borne If our practise be otherwise even by the testimonies of the Nonconf let it be manifested If this will not serve the turne let him then take knowledge of what D. Ames saith In the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Reigne there was a Company of honest men that for the Ceremonies refused to joyne with the Parish assemblies at London as appeareth in the examination of Iohn Smith W. Nixson extant in a booke called part of a Register We could prove if there were need in King Edwards Reigne that there were some good Christians which would not communicate with the Parish Assemblies but there is no use hereof seeing we have the word of God to justifie our practise There is one thing more which Mr. Dr. much talkes of and makes it even the burden of his song i. e. that the Bb. are the authors of the Separatists Scisme their practise butteth full vpon the others vnreasonable and vnsound reasoning But what if it appeare that Mr. Dr. Arguments doe lead rather to separation and that he speakes one thing and practiseth another Would not this be a strange sight especially to himselfe Now whether this be so we will here trie by some reasons in his owne mood and figure If the booke of Common-prayer vsed in the assemblies of England be an insectious Leiturgie Romish stuffe a devised service and raked out of 3 Romish Channells it is lawfull to separate from such churches as doe vse it say the Learned but the Booke of Common-prayer vsed in the Assemblies of England is an in sections Leiturgie Romish stuffe a devised service and raked out of 3 Romish Channells saith Mr. Dr. Ergo it is â—awfull to separate from such chuâ—â—hâ—â—â—s doe vse it specially when they continue obstinate and incorrigible in the practise thereof after due dealing and conviction as I suppose Mr. Dr. will freely confesse they have done even after due meanes used both by manie godly Learned from time to time now at last by himself If the ministerie of the church of England be vnlawfull and Antichristian it is lawfull to separate from it
are now out of all hope to gaine it they perswade the people that it is only but a leave libertie which the Prelates grant And touching the ministery itselfe they have it else where Oh horrible mocking and abusing of the world a meere invention of their owne haveing no shew or coulour of truth in it 4. If the Prelates doe not put them into a ministery but leave them to be called or chosen by the Patrons then it must follow necessarily that either they are made ministers by those Patrons or else they are none at all But this I will leave as another Quâ—re Moreover because my desire is to come speedily unto some particulars with them I doe therefore demaund some good proofe for the thinges which this bold man here affirmeth First that the people have committed this charge vnto the fidelity of Patrons 2. If they have whether the thing be lawfull or no And to give the reader in the mean time some information about the point this I would have him to know that howsoever here against us they plead for these Patrons yet in their writings against the Prelats they tell quite another tale for there they call them all Latrons and professe their places to be unlawfull and wicked and give many worthy reasons thereof And no doubt this is true which they say for indeed the bondage is intollerable which the poore enslaved people suffer at these mens hands If some one in a Parish had entayled to him and to his heires for ever the power of appointing husbands and wives to all the people therein the slavery were unsufferable although in a matter of a civill nature but how much more then unspeakably great is their sin which loose this spiritual freedome And greater those Patrons which keepe it and greatest Mr. Bradsh and such fellowes who labour what they can to maintaine so vile wicked a thing 5. Seeing he asketh what errours we can prove in their Church and is so audatious as to affirm that those set downe by Mr Iohs are pretended I will therefore give in som particulars for it were impossible to name them all published under their owne handes and professed of them to be the poysonsome Leaven of Antichrist 1. The Popish names and offices of Archbishops 2. Lord bishops 3. Their titles of Primacy Lords grace c. contrarie to the commaundement of Christ 4. Their visitations and power which they exercise over their brethren 5. Their Lordly Dominion revenues and retinew 6. Their black Chymâ—re or sleevelesse coat put vpon the fine white rochet with other Popish apparel 7. Chauncellours 8. Deanes 9. Subdeanes 10. Archdeacons 11. Officials 12. Chaunters 13. Commissaries 14. Prebendaries 15. Apparitors 16. Parsons 17. Vicars 18. Parish Preists 19. Idle readers 20. Vagabound ministers of no place 21. Chapleynes 21. Canons 22. Petty Canons 23. Virgerers 24. Rector Chori 25. Epistlers 26. Gospellars 27. Queristers men and boyes 28. Singing Clarkes 29. Organists 30. Organ blowers 31. Beadmen 32. Sextins 33. Impropiations 34. Ministers not made neither by election vocation nor aprobation agreable to Gods word 35. Deacons made to other purposes than the scriptures appointe 36. The horned cap. 37. The tippet 38. Surplâ—sses 39. Copes in great churches 40. The tâ—mporall offices of Ecclesiasticall persous 41. A dumb ministery 42. The Popes accursed Canon Law 43. The Prelates articles injunctions from time to time newly devised 44. The Church wardens eath to present to their courts all the offences faults and defaults committed in their Parishes against the aforesaid articles c. 45. The court of faculties from whence are had dispensations licences tolerations c. 46. Dispensations to eat flesh at their times forbidden 47. And licences to marie in any time of the year and in priviledged places by means wherof many are maried without their pareÌ„ts knowledg or consent yea and many stolen oftimes from their Freinds and so maried 48. Dispensations for boyes and dolts to have benefices 49. Dispensations for nonresidents 50. for plurality of benefices as they haveing of 2. 3. 4. or more Toâ—quot as many as a man will have or can get 51. Their institutions inductions proxes c. 52. Absolving the dead dying excommunicate before they can have as they call it Christian burial 51. Houseling the sicke 52. Private Baptisme 53. Godfathers and Godmothers 54. The ring in marriage 55. Bishopping of children 55. Churching of wemen 56. Prayer over the dead 57. Lords supper to be received kneeling 58. Lent fast 59. Crosse in Baptisme 60. Hallow eves 61. Imbring dayes 62. Frydayes and Saterdayes fast 63. The hallowed font 63. Marriage forbidden at certaine seasons of the yeare 64. The oath ex officio 65. Apccripha bookes which have in them errours lies blasphemies magick contradiction to the Canonical scriptures 66. an Antichristian discipline 67. Private communion 68. Their administring of it not with the words of Christs institution but with other taken out of the Popes Portuis 69. Reading homilies 70. Corrupting the scriptures in mistranslating many places adding to the text and leaveing quite out many parts thereof Many score of vile errours besides these I could name from their writings but this is enough for the time Only I request the reader to observe the bad dealing which is here shewed The corruptions which Mr. Iohnson mentioneth in his treaâ—ises to be in the church of England are only such which he tooke out of their owne bookes Yet see how they will beare now the world in hand that these are but pretended matters when indeed as I said they are only their owne Principles set forth by their owne hands and justifyed still upon all occasions when they deal against the Hierarchie It seemes therefore they are not willing that any saving themselves should say that their Bb. their Courts Canons Officers Ceremonies Service c. is Antichristian and unlawfull for if we say but word for word the same which they say before us They cry out pretended errours and yet the things are true when they speake them Now if this be not vnreasonable dawbing I know not what is But he asketh how we can prove that these things are taught in their Churches If a Papist should have thus replyed unto one which had written against their transubstantiation images holy water c. it would have been counted an idle and foolish put off for what if they be not allwayes taught yet these are their sinnes in regard they both professe and doe them and have them established by Law in their congregations The like may be said of the errours fore named as authority commaunds them so they are constantly practised and upon all occasions defended publikely privately Besides if any one shall open his mouth to shew the evill of them he is subject to be immediately silâ—need suspended excommunicated by the Lords the Prelates And to prove this let their terrible Canons beare witnesse for thus it is enacted
our changing come ISA. 48. 18 19 20. O that thou haddest hearkened to my commaundements then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea Thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Goe ye forth of Babilon flee ye from the Câ—ldeans c. FINIS A TABLE Of the principall things contained in this Treatise A. ADministrations performed according to the booke of Common prayer and Canons unlawfull pag. 219. Administrations in themselves good may be done by false ministers pag. 236. Apocripha unlawfull to be read in the Church and reasons thereof pag. 108 109. Dr. Ames writing for their ministery answered pag. 55. 56 c. and for their worship p. 113 114 115. and about their Church Government p. 162. 163. Archbishops see Bishops B. Baptisme in the church of England unlawfully administred p. 104. Benefices how they are obtained by the ministers of the Church of England p. 17 18 19 20 c. Bels as they are used in their Assemblies unlawfull p. 112. The English Service-booke taken out of the vile Massebooke p. 78 79. The wickednesse of the Bishops described p. 31 32 33. Their offices false and Antichristian and reasons for the same p. 33. 34. 35. They cannot give a true ministery p. 37. Their booke of ordination taken out of the Popes Pontifical p. 12 The manner of burialls in EnglaÌ„d unlawful p. 102 Mr. Bradsh his scoffing p. 212. 227. 235. 240. Vncharitablenesse p. 212. Absurdnesse p. 215. 216. 240. 250. Ignorance p. 236. Contradictions p. 221. 232. 234 Dr. Burgesse Protestation to become a Separatist if he did beleeve the Nonconformists Principles p. 2. 113 C. No man may administer in the Church without a lawfull calling p. 8. 9 The calling of their Ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb. calling p. 55. 56 Ceremonies condemned and why p. 92. 93. 94 They are the least evills of many in their Churches p. 116. 117 Canon Law unlawfull and reasons for it p. 139. No person by their Canons may speake against the abuses of their church p. 246. 247 No true visible church but a particular ordinary congregation p. 164 To the right constitution of a true visible Church it is of necessitie that all the members be holy and good p. 165. 174. 176 177. 178. 185. 193. 242 Churches of England false and reasons thereof p. 149. 169. 179. 180. Civil offices in Ecclesiastical persons unlawful p. 242 All their spiritual Courts in Eng. unlawfull p. 141 No man ought to appeare at them reasons for it p. 148. The manner of their proceedings in these Courts p. 145. 146 The Commissaries Court described p. 141. 142 The high Commission like the Spanish Inquisition The Convocation-house described p. 143. 144 Church wardens Office unlawfull reasons for it p. 138 Conversion no signe of a true ministery p. 66 Their Collectes in their Assemblies Idolatrous p. 107 Confirmation of Children unlawfull and reasons for it p. 100. 101 Crosse in Baptisme unlawfull and reasons for it p. 95. 96 Excommunication and the absolution of the person are actions common to the whole Church p. 134 Churching of women see women D. There ought to be Deacons in every true church reasons thereof p. 4. 5. Their Office consisteth only in receiving and distributing the benevolence of the Church and arguments for it Idem The Deaconrie of their Church Assemblies is an unlawfull office p. 48 The office of a Doctor is distinct from that of a Pastor and reasons for it p. 4 Mr. Dayrels description of a visible church refuted p. 182. 183. The reasons which he layes downe to prove their Parish Assemblies true Churches answered p. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189 c. Discipline see Government E. The Election of every Ecclesiast Officer must be by the free choyse of the whole Church where he is to administer p. 7. 8 The Ministers of the Church of England are not Elected according to Gods word p. 12 Obstinate sinners must be excommunicated p. 131. Reasons for it p. 132. How the Church is to walke towards such p. 133. And when and how to receive them againe p. 134 70. Grosse Errours practised in the Church of England p. 243. 244 Examples proveing the unlawfulnesse of communicating in a false worship p. 84. 85 c. F. The Court of Faculties described p. 141 Their Fasts are Popish p. 106 So is the Font. p. 104 G. A certaine forme of Church Government is prescribed by Christ reasons for it p. 128. 129. The same is unchangeable ordinary and common to all Churches p. 135. A matter of fayth and necessary to salvation p. 136 It cannot be a true Church which wants it p. 149 This Government must be set up and practised though the civil Magistrate allow not thereof pag. 15â— and reasons for it p. 156. 157. 158 c. The Church Government in England taken wholy and every part from the Pope page 138. 147 Men cannot submitt to it without breaking the Law of the Land pag. 148. 149 Governours or Ruling Elders ought to be in every true Church page 4 Godfathers in Baptisme Popish p. 104 The manner of reading the Gospells and Epistles condemned pag. 107 Gifts make not ministers pag. 65 H. Homilies unlawfull to be read in the Church Reasons for it p. 109. 110. The observation of holy dayes superstitious p. 106 107 The Hierarchie impaires the authority of the civil Magistrate pag. 227 I. What Ieroboams Preists could have said for their Religion page 85. 86 c. Such as maintaine ill causes upbraid others with ignorance page 211 K. The example of the Kings of Iudah vainely alleaged to justify King Edwards Queen Elizabeths compelling of their subjects to be members of the Church p. 201. 202 Kneeling in the act of receiving of the Lords Supper an idolatrous gesture reasons why unlawfull p. 97 The sitter is accessary to the sinne of the kneeler p. 252. 253 King Iames his saying of the Puritans p. 205 L. The ministery of Lecturers in the Assemblies of England new and strang from the scriptures and reasons thereof p. 49. 50 c. Dr. Laiton answered and his principles proved tolead unto separation p. 151. 153. 154 Such as take any Ecclesiastical Office from the Bb. transgresse against the Law of Realme p. 71. 72 Letanie no better then blasphemie and conjuration p. 107 The Learned against communicating in a false ministery p. 27. 28. 29. and false worship p. 90. 91 M. The manner of marrying in England unlawfull p. 101 Members are to be taken into the church by making publick profession of faith and repentance p. 135. 167 Every man that is a member ought to have his voice in the Ecclesiastical causes of the Church p. 134 Reasons why men should make themselves members of true visible Churches p. 166 What makes members of the Church of England p. 169.
constitution there followes not the like effect It is even so in the cause of the soule such as vnfeynedly desire to know the truth and have a conscionable resolution towalke in it doe receive much profitt by the fruitfull counsell which is given them either by word or writing But on the contrary Those which seeke the truth with no better affection than Pilate did neither purpose to obey the same more then did the dissembling Hypocrites in Ieremie Certainly good advise given to them is but as Pearles cast before swine and dogs therefore my desire is that the former sort may be viewers only of these lines and to them I say in the words of the Apostle consider what I say and the Lord give understanding in all things The following Principles touching a true Church Ministery Worship and Government as also hew quite contrary hereto the English is are not taken out of our writings but from the Nonconformists yea even from the cheifest of them which for learning Zeale judgement holinesse of life c. have ever held that cause Moreover they are not barely affirmed but sufficiently confirmed and therefore it standeth every one vpon to take them the more to heart for else not one but many of themselves even Prophets of their owne will condemne them I know the devill vseth many meanes to keepe people in cursed ignorance and among other one specially is by disswading them from hearing such persons and reading such books which might shew vnto them their evil sin and this he doth vnder a pretence of doeing good vnto them Oh! saith he you must beware of false Prophets and not hearken to that counsel which causeth to erre avoyd the companie of all deceivers and not once looke into their books c. Now by such Syren songs the crafty Serpent keepes them fast asleepe till he have brought the poore soule into the pitt of endlesse perdition We would thinke that man to be sencelesse who taking his enimies counsel would shutt all his doores windowes in hope to get the more light into his house thereby The devil dayly makes many thousand worse fooles in the world in causing them to shutt close their eyes against the saving light of the Gospell in exspectation that their soules by this meanes shal be filled with the more wisedom and spiritual vnderstanding It is not my meaning that any one should beleeve things suddenly rashly but I would have him as Salomons counsell is to looke wel to his going and as we take gould by weight Corne Cloth c. by measure so to receive the doctrines of every man by due examination And this is onely the thing which I doe request of thee good reader whosoever thou art be thou but pleased to put the Principles inferences here written vpon their proof to hold that only fast which after good triall by the scriptures thou findest to be good and it is sufficient and I have my desire of thee to the full One thing more I desire others to take notice of namely That I judge not my self bound so much to justifie their Principles as our Inferences from them Jf therefore any shall deny them to be true my purpose is to give place to such whome it more nearly concerneth to write in the defence thereof But if any shall oppose vs in the Conclusions I would have them leaving all by matters to follow the truth in love without gall and bitternesse that so things may come to a happy and speedy issue It is wel said of a Heathen man the oftner truth commeth to hand the more the l ght therof appeareth I hope this wil be verified in the point now in controversie for howsoever I doubt not but we have said here enough to justifie the matter undertaken notwithstanding much more I could have alleged from their writings concerning these things but for the present I content my self herewith till there be a further just and necessarie occasion given thereof I. CANNE A MANVDVCTION To the following TREATISE HOwbeit not any religion should be judged the lesse true because few embrace it neither the sooner to be followed for the generall good liking and approbation which it hath among men notwithstanding having now so just and necessarie an occasion to vrge men to practise what they professe I shall indeavour by the grace of God clearely to prove that this our Waye is of the Apostolique primitive institution even frō their Tenets which walk contrary to it Among other crimes charged upon Nonconformists as they are called by the Prelates and their Favorites one chiefely is that their Principles layd downe against the churches of England doe lead vnto separation and therefore if they were true to their owne grounds they should not communicate in the church assemblyes of England Many of the Bishops parasites heretofore have thus accused them and of late one Doct. Burgesse most confidently maintaines the same against them The which by Doct. Ames is vtterly denyed Now which of these two Doctors in this thing have the truth J hope it shall evidently be declared in this treatise following CHAPT 1. DOctor Burgesse having read and sereouslie as it seemes examined the nature true consequence of the many particular arguments published to the world by the Nonconformists against the great abuses in the ministerie worship and Church government of England Affirmed in his Rejoinder to D. Morton that the same are the maine grounds of separation and for his part if he beleeved them to be true he would in all good conscience he protesteth proclaime separation from idolatrous worship and worshippers before he slept and not halt as these men by their owne positions doe betwixt idolatrie and religion Doctor Ames in his new booke intituled a fresh suit against Ceremonies denyeth that any such thing can be necessarilie concluded from their principles but I will here shew by evident and sound reasons that the former assertion is true and certaine and all the arguments brought by the other to the contrary are of no weight or force to make good his deniall thereof And because I much desire that the reader may well understand our points in dispute I shall therefore if God will write in order of them And first I will begin with their ministerie and touching it will lay downe 4 things 1. How the Nonconformists doe describe a true ministery 2. How far that of England by their owne confession differs from and is contrary to it 3. I will shew what inferences and conclusions doe necessarily follow upon it 4. Answer the reasons brought by Doct. Ames in defence of their ministerie NOt to speake of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists which were extraordinary ministeries and therfore as themselves say are now wholy ceased The ordinarie Offices perpetually belonging to all true churches are onely these five 1. a Pastor or Bishop which is the highest ordinarie Ecolesiasticall Officer in
heard of in the primitive church All authority is give into the hands of the Prelates alone their booke of ordination wherby they make Bishops Priests and Deacons is against the very forme of the ordination of the ministery prescribed in the scriptures and nothing else but a thing word for word taken out of the Popes Pontificall wherein he sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist most lively It will not be amisse if I here briefly relate in what manner and forme their Bishops make ministers as the Nonconformists doe describe it When the time say they of giveing orders draweth neere the B. Bull is sett upon the Church doore to give warning rhat if any be minded to receive orders that he repaire to the Prelate at such a time and place Now this Bull is in latin so that the people can not understand the sound of the trumpet neither indeed are they desired to come and object against the persons to be ordained c. When the day of ordination is com after an exhortation made and the communion celebrated the Epistle Gospell read and the Hymne veni creator sung or sayd the Archdeacon presents to the B. all those that are to take on the order of Priesthood that day with these words Reverend Father in Christ I present to you the persons here present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood Then after some demaunds and answeres of the B. and the other who are to be admitted he demaundeth of the people who are present there if they know any impediment which may hinder any of these present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood which is a manifcst mockage For it may be that none there present either heard or saw any of them or all of them before that day c. Then after the oath of the Kengs supremacie is taken there followes an exhortation again with other demaunds and answeres After this the people who are present are desired secretly to commend the businesse to God For which cause they are all silent for a little space This don the B. readeth a prayer which beeing finished they who are to be ordained sitting on their knees at the Bishops feet the Bishop and the rest of the Priests who are present lay handes severally upon the heads of every one of them the B. uttering these words Receive the Holy Ghost whose sinnes thou dost forgive â—â—â—y are forgiven whose sinnes thou dost retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments in the name of the Father c. Thus he commaundeth the ordained to receive the Holy Ghost as our Lord Maister did Now as well may they imitate his breathing as to vsurpe these words Is any of their curats after the pronouncing of these words either the holyer or more apt to teach And whereas he puts a Bible into their hands he might rather put their service booke for either they are ignorant and cannot preach or if they can yet may not till they procure by mony a licence from them When all this is don the company sing the creed and receive the communion together But it must here be observed that they ordaine not any man wholy at once to the office of preisthood but lead him by degrees vp to the pulpit for they must first be deacons as they call it for a yeare that is to say they must receive authority to say prayers read the Scriptures but in no wise administer the sacraments or preach without further licence then at last he is made a full minister This practise is professedly affirmed of the Nonconformists to be a vaine invention of mans braine taken from the manner of Popish orders and cleare against the expresse appointment of the Scriptures Moreover they will make ministers in their Galleries and Cloysters at their pleasure give orders to whome to how many they list without any triall either of their judgment in Religion or of their honestly in conversation and sometime make 60 80 or a 100 at a clap whereof â—o one is called or desired to any particular congregation and when they have done send them abroade as rogues vagaboundes or maisterlesse servants into the country giveing them their bull to preach in others mens charges where they list or else get benefices by freindship mony flattery where they caÌ„ catch them or if this faile they may goe vp downe like beggars fall into many vile follies or sett vp bils as many have don at Pauls the Royall exchange such like publick places to see if they can heare of some good master that will hyre them and vse their labour or to conclude tary in their colledge to lead the lives of loytering losels so long as they live What a horrible and wicked doing is this Indeed such times are spoken of in the stories of the Iudges when Ionathan the Levite wanting a high place and an Altar went roving vp and downe to let out his service to any that would hyre him But it is added in the same place that there was no King in Israel O Not without cause may they say if these things be true that all reformed Churches blush and are ashamed of them Yea and I am perswaded that if they were fully and truely informed hereof they would no more communicate with their ministery then they doe with that of Rome For if they did it would be certainly their great sin seeing both of them appeare to be false and vnlawfull Thou hast heard reader who makes their ministers and allso how they are made now in the next place thou shall heare what they say touching their gifts and qualificatioÌ„s if thou wilt in this beleive the Nonconformists Boyes and sencelesse asses are their common ministers for the most part yea notorious idolaters halting hypocrites openly perjured persons idle bellied Epicures manifest Apostates old munks and friars drunkards ideots idols such as know not a B. from abattle dore or the Lords prayer from the articles of faith nor how many sacraments there are For he that will weare a surplesse a cloake with sleeves a gowne a cap a tippet ornaments fitt enough for such deformed coxcombs read a gospel Church women bid fasting dayes and holy dayes Prophane the sacrameÌ„ts pray at the buriall of the dead pronounce a curse against sinners vpon Ashwensdday and at no time else ordaine a new sacrament of the crosse in the Prophanation of Baptisime visit the sicke with a wafer cake and a wine bottle read homilies pray for the prosperity of theeves pirats murderers yea a Pope a Cardinal an Archbishop a Lord B. or any other enimy of God and his Church he is a creature fitt enough to receive their orders and by his outward calling is bound to doe no more There are besides these others of them which witnesse the same to make ministers according to their fashion is nothing else
concerneth and ordination or laying on of hands by these to whome it appertayneth is so required as if default be made either in the examination or election the whole action is disanulled and made voyd I desire the reader to note well what they say here viz. so necessarie is a right election and ordination to euery Ecclesiasticall office that without the same it cannot possibly be true and lawfull The same they doe againe affirme a little before the place cited Indeed if their evill had bin onely in life meaning Popish Preists or in some principall points of doctrine it were somthing but their defect is in the very calling For Christ beeing the doore and God that openeth to the Pastors that enter by it and all that enter otherwise are theeves and murderers We have also to prove the minor their owne testimony for they say directly that not any one of the forenamed officers are either proved elected called or ordained according to Gods word but after the old Popish order and for this cause doe confesse that they have not a right ministerie among them It was a great fault in Pharaoh when he had given his consent vnto the Israelites that they should freely depart out of Aegypt and goe vnto Canaan according to Gods appointment that he should afterward vse all the meanes he could to gett them back into their former miserable servitude I haue shewed by the Nonconformists grounds that our seperation from their ministery is with their leave and approbation and therefore they doe not well to seeke our bondage and misery again the same thing we shall prove touching their worship Government and Church in order and place If therefore they would have vs in earnest returne vnto them Let them first by the Scriptures justify the things which they haue condemned I say refute their owne bookes and build againe the thinges which they have destroyed and when they have made themselves transgressors if we be not able by Gods word to prove that the things which we refraine from are every way as evill as they have testified we will by his grace acknowledge our error and returne againe vnto them in the meane while we shall judge wel of our order and manner of walking and put vp our dayly petitions vnto the father our of Lord Iesus C. in behalf of all Gods elect yet in Babilon that they may com out from that vnholy state and doe the Lords worke in his owne way It remaines to speake now of their deacons office the which as the rest before is wholy condemned of the Nonconformists For they â—say that those ordained deacons in their Church Never purpose in their life to execute any part of a deacons office neither are chosen for that end but onely that within a short time after they may be made Preists nothing in the world differing from the superstition of popery where the office of a deacon was conferred onely as a step vnto Preisthood as though it were necessarie that every one which is ordained an elder should first be deacon and yet when he is made a deacon he is but an idoll yea scarse an idol of a deacon having noresemblance at all vnto a deacon indeed but that he is a man This prophaning of Gods institution God will not allwayes suffer vnpunished especially when it is not maintained of ignorance or infirmity but defended against knowledge vpon willfulnesse Others of them doe affirme the like That they have thrust vpon them a counterfeyt and Popish deaconship a meere humane institution Foolish and made according to Antichrists Canons without any ground for it out of the Scriptures nothing like the ordinance of God for the releefe of the poore And therefore they have desired that it might be vtterly abolished and taken a way That a man from those principles may inferre a lawfull separation from all spirituall communion in the ministerie of their English deaconship I think every one if he vnderstand what a principle is will freely grant it But if there be any that beleeves the former positions to be true and yet will vndertake to prove by Gods word that it may warrantably be joyned with I shall be willing to read what he can say herein promising if I live either to yeeld or reply againe according to the worth or weaknesse which I shall see to be in the writing for the thing And because he may not want matter to begin with I will lay downe this argument for him If the present deaconry of the Church assemblies of England be a meere human institution and no ordinance of God but an office taken onely of the Pope that Roman Antichrist c. Then it is not lawfull in the worship of God to have any spirituall communion therewith But the present deaconry of the Church assemblies of England is a meere human institution and no ordinance of God but an office taken onely of the Pope that Roman Antichrist therefore it is not lawfull in the worship of God to have any communion there with The proposition is evident and certaine and cannot be denied for no man can lawfully joyne in communion with a false ministerie As it hath bin formerly proved by Scriptures reasons and the testimony of the Learned The assumption is wholy taken from their owne writings The which if they should deny yet can we justify the same against all men It may be some will exspect that I should write somthing of their Lecturers And the rather because they in the judgment of many are thought to be the best ministers of their life and doctrine I say nothing but as for their ministerie surely it is new and strange as King Iames was wont to say of it For the original of their name manner of enterance and administration is vnknowne wholy to the Scriptures I thinke never before heard of till in these later broken and confused times Therefore it is no marvaile when the question hath been propounded to some of them as it was by the Pharises to Iohn Who art thou that they have not been able for their life to answere the point neither could agree among themselves what kind of ministerie it is that they have taken up and beeing hard pressed for resolution they have ingeniously confessed that unlesse they be Evangelists they could not see how their ministery doth accord with any ministerie mentioned in the New Testament This I write upon my owne certaine knowledge the persons I thinke are yet liveing whose names for some reason I forbeare to expresse Howbeit I can and will doe it if I see there be a just and necessarie occasion I doe not thinke it strange that they should thus speake For indeed I know not what they can say better in defence of their standing Pastors I am sure they will not say they are For first they doe not take any particular charge of a flock upon them 2. They performe not the
that the Doctors ministers have their calling onely from the people yet what is this to the point betweene him and the rejoinder I may use his owne words truely the answere doth not looke towards the question Now marke all readers that have sence it is affirmed by Doct. Burgesse whereas the Nonconformists say the calling of their Bishops and consequently of the ministers is Antichristian that separation must herevpon necessarily follow How is this answered not at al if the proverbe be true as good never a whit as never the better For D. Ames speakes of a certaine ministerie which the separatist never to this day yet saw in their assemblies neither have they left any such If therefore he would have answered the rejoinders charge indeed he should have proved that those ministers whose calling doth essencially depend vpon the Bishops calling which have I say no other election nor ordination but what they had from them in a word which doe administer to the people only by that power and authority may notwithstanding for for all this warrantably by scripture be judged true ministers be lawfully cōmunicated with in their ministerie yet the Nonconformists grounds published against them all just true good This is the very point indeed for such ministers we have onely left and we know no other If there be let them be manifested to us tell us their names their places And if we finde by scripture their ministerie to be lawfull we will surely have communion with it as occasion serves Till then we purpose by Gods grace to live as we doe and to practise that which the Nonconformists professe to be the order and way which the Lord commaunds all his servants to walke in 4. If the Doctor speake here truth then have the Nonconformists greatly abused the princes and state of England in complayning so often to them against the Bishops and for what thinke you forsooth because the Prelats take away the powr of the people make ministers alone hēce none are either proved called or ordaind according to Gods word c. Now how doe these things agree together Is not this yea and nay It is so indeed But imagin there should be a Parliament againe in England and the Nonconformists should there petition that the calling of their ministers might not essentially depend any more upon the Bs. calling would not the Bb. have matter to persuade both houses not to harken unto them yea to reprove them sharpely for moving this thing seeing they confesse they have it allready But it may be they would say some congregations doe not ordaine their ministers to this the Prelates might reply that is then their fault For they give liberty and power to all alike and that is none at all I am sory they have laid such a snare whereby to undoe themselves But usually this is their course when they have any hope to have the Magistrates helpe for reformation they will truely declare the abuses and corruptions among them to the full afterwards nothing being amended when they are put in mind of their principles that is if such things be true then necessarily must they leave the church of England what doe they but goe quite from them againe as I shall in convenient place prove it clearely And is not that a miserable case which cannot be maintained but by grosse contradiction I may well here use the Doctors owne words Such turning winding and running against walls you shall seldome see an ingenious man to vse in a good case Lastly howsoever Doct. Ames thought to have crossed much the course of the Separatists yet if his words be understandingly weighed he hath justified them and made way to a generall departure from their ministerie For thus I reason None may heare or have any spirituall communion with such a ministery whose calling doth essentially depend vpon the Bishops calling But the calling of the ministers of the church assemblies of England doth essentially depend vpon the Bb. calling Therefore none may heare or have any spirituall communion with the ministerie of the church assemblies of England The proposition by good consequence is the Ds. own and herein he agrees with the rest of the Nonconformists For in opinion they all hold this thing as we have from their writings manifestd And whosoever should deny the assumtion mought with as much reason deny that there is any idolatrie at Rome although it is there both taught and practised therefore I thinke no man will have the forehead to oppose it But have not now the people of the Land good cause to looke about them seeing those who count themselves the only men to refute the Separists are come to that streigth as that they will not justifie it to be Lawfull for to joyne to any ministery in the land but to that which a man should not find among them if he sought all their Churches with candles as the Prophet speaketh I hope Gods elect yet there will take Salomons counsell which is to looke well to their going And thus much for answer to the Doct. reason now next we should speake of Mr. Bradshews booke but because I have been long vpon this chapter and the reply to it will be large I will leave it therefore till last and handle other things in the mean time SECT V. BEfore I end this point I thinke it convenient to answere breifly to a few objections which I have often heard some to make in the defence of their standing Object 1. Compassion towards the people constraineth many preachers to keepe their places For if they should not alas what would the people doe Ans 1. we may not doe any thing against the will and pleasure of God vnder pretence to shew mercy to others But we are bound to doe that which is good and honest by just and lawfull meanes that pitty which Christiās are to shew must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly bowelled that is required of God both for the matter and manner of it 2. God needs no mans lie For he hath power enough to accomplish his owne purposes He may thus say If I be hungry I would not tel thee that is what need I thee or any thing thou canst doe I am Allsufficient 3. The truth is the people are not holpen by this meanes but rather hindered For if they ceased from preaching in their vnlawfull offices the godly generally throughout the land would seeke where Christ feedeth his flock and so their state would be much better then now it is Object 2. Though they will not plead to justify their ministery yet they hope to glorify God by preaching Ans so thought the Leper when he published abroad the matter of his healing but he not beeing called to do it sinned greatly therein therefore it is certaine that men doe then glorifie God when leaving their owne wisedome they doe whatsoever they are commaunded for as M. Perkins saith the
in that vnholy worship which was don vnto him I might here instance Daniels forbearence of the Kings meats because they were defiled by idolatry Thirdly the reasons are these 1. It sheweth that the love and zeale of God is much in vs when our care is to worship onely in his own ordinances and to leave the contrarie 2. Men offer a blind and lame sacrifice when they communicate spiritually in a devised service who would be so foolish to cary trashe and dung for a present vnto a mighty Prince and hope to receive a favor of him what is a false worship but very dung and trashe yea worse too and therefore not acceptable to God 3. So long as men are willworshippers it argues they are vnregenerate and wicked and have not repented of their sinnes for one infallible evidence of true conversion is to see the filthinesse of idolatry and to cast away the same with reproach and disgrace and to goe from it as farre as it is possible 4. To communicate in a false worship causeth pollution to the soule If we would avoyd that which would make the body to be full of scabs and biles and so to be lothsome to mē much more should we detest this great wickednesse which causeth spirituall botches and sores to the soule and so is odious before God 5. By this meanes Gods holy name is Prophaned 6. Christ not suffered to reigne as King over the whole man but rejected 7. Such service is don to the devil 8. The Lord hateth vnspeakeablie all devised worship 9. Wrath and vengeance without repentance will be inflicted upon all the doers therof For society in sinne brings fellowship in punishment 10. In a word let Gods puritie and holinesse be considered and his charge given unto us to be unlike idolaters when we performe publicke service unto him And last of all if we joyne to no false worship but serve God according to his revealed will then is Christ obeyed as our King and Lord the reward wherof will be glory immortall happinesse 4. In this we have the consent of learned men generally Calvin sayth we are bound to seperate from all superstitions which are contrrry as well to the service of God as to the honour of his Sonne And a little after Let vs hold this rule that all the inventions of men which are sett vp to corrupt the simple purity of the word and to overthrow the service which God demaundeth and alloweth they are very sacrileidges wherewith a Christian man may not communicate without blaspheming of God that is to say without treading his honour under foot Pareus to the same purpose sayth that all kinds occasions and instruments of idolatrous service must be avoyded as a most abominable and hurtfull Plague with the mind and body Bullinger upon the Revelation sharply reproves those which will be present at false worship and saith that every ones duty is to fly from the same as farre as it is possible We must forsake saith Museulus the society of all unlawfull and superstitious services and joyne our selves with those that walke directly in the true religion of Christ The like speaketh Piscator Artopeus Bucer Pomeranus Erasmus Cyprian Hieron Augustine Pelican Rivetus To this the Papists assent also For speaking of false services shifted into their Churches in stead of Gods true and only worship they say that all Catholike men if they looke to have any fellowship with Christ and his members in his body and blood c. must absteine from them c. And among other reasons they give this viz. because Christ will acquit himselfe of all such as joyne in communion therewith But I need not to spend time to seeke abroad for witnesses For the Nonconformists doe grant the thing We may not say they have any religious communion or partake in divine worship with idolaters in their false idolatrous worship no not in body be present at idolatrous service but we must absteine from all participation of idolatrie yea from all shew thereof Heathen or Antichristian must separate and com out from among them The like speaketh D. Fulke Brinsley Perkins Cartwright c. and the author of the Post-script to Mr. Perkins Expositiō vpon Iude renders this as a reason of it not to absteine from communicating with them in their idolatrous services c. were no other but to expose and lay our selves open and naked to all manner of daunger of infection of our Soules defection from our God and in the end of all destruction both of body and soule Now from the last two Sections we may frame this argument If the worship of the English Service booke hath no warrant in Gods word but is a devised false and idolatrous worship then is it vnlawfull to be communicated with But the worship of the English Service-booke hath no warrant in Gods word but is a devised false and idolatrous worship Therefore is the worship of the English Service-booke vnlawfull to be communicated with I need not here take D. Laitons compasse to fetch the Bishops Major and the Separatists minor to make vp an entire Syllogisme of separatiō For both parts of this argument are the Nonconformists And I thinke they will stand to the justification therof if not against us yet against the Prelates if occasion serve But if any part be questioned I know it will be the assumption and therefore in the next Section I will further prove the same by more of their owne testimonies SECT IV. HOwsoever by the grounds of the Nonconformists laid downe in the second Section separation must necessarily follow from all communion with them in the worship of their church service book yet to have the point more fully proved I will here shew that every particular part thereof is affirmed of themselves to be idolatrous false Antichristian Touching the booke we may consider two things first the distinct services thereof 2. The ceremonies vsed in and about the same we will speake first of their ceremonies that is of the surplusse crosse and kneeling in the act of receiveing the Lords supper Against these many treatises have bene purposely written I will here onely observe some of their speaches referring the reader to their bookes if he desire more satisfaction Of all these ceremonies thus they say They were inspired by satan invented by man commaunded first to be practised by the Beast and his Bishops Therefore they are Idols of Rome Babilonish rites part of the scarlet woman her inventions Popish fooleries accursed remnants and leaves of the blasphemous Popish Preisthood knowne liveries of Antichrist God never planted them nor his spirit inspired them the holy Apostles never taught nor practised them all sincere professors are offended with them and detest them The defenders of these carnall and beggarly rites are tyranous proud Prelates Romish Champions
broken and idolatrie divers wayes committed 4. This robs the Lord of that due worship which he ought to receive from every one 5. There is no direction in the whole scripture either by precept or cōmaunded example for receaving any Sacraments kneeling whereas for receaving with other gestures there is both 6. This is to conforme grosly with the Papists even in an act wherein the life and soule as it were of their idolatrie standeth 7. The primitive Churches for sundry hundred yeares after the Apostles never used to receive the Sacrament kneeling till Pope Honorius afterwardes decreed it Lastly this gesture of kneeling holds no proportion with the cheife end and use of this Sacrament nor with that inward disposition of heart which is then required of us And thus much for their surplusse crosse and kneeling from all which this argument may be framed That worship in which a man cannot possibly communicate without sinne he is bound necessarily to separate frrom but that worship in which these Idols are made and vsed viz. the surplusse crosse and kneeling a man cannot possibly communicate without sinne Therefore from that worship wherein these Idols viz. the surplusse crosse and kneeling are made and vsed a man is bound necessarily to separate The Proposition is certaine and by D. Ames in his Cases of conscience acknowledged Although saith he we may joyne to that Church in which many defects are to be tollerated yet not to that in which we cannot but necessarily partake with sinne The Assumption is assented unto by as Iudicious and Zealous Nonconf as ever held that cause and they have brought good proofes for it First because men must fly from Idols and Idolothites but when they come to worship God after the order of the congregation where these things are practised they doe not fly from them but draw neere unto them 2. Their bare presence argues their approbation and yeelding in shew to ceremonies 3. Though the personall sinnes of the minister doe not hurt the people yet his ministeriall and publicke sinnes doe hurt which he performes from the people to God and so their joyning with him is unlawfull 4. What example can be brought where the holy men of God have communicated with such things The author of the dispute vpon communicating at their confused communions affirmes confidentlie that the sitter is accessary to the sin of the kneeler and he gives many reasons for it whereof we shall have a fit occasion hereafter to speake And now let the reader consider if both parts of the former reason be true as the Nonconformists say whether this one principle of theirs will not justifie a seperation from most of their parish meetings For surelie I thinke not one minister in the land of 500 but makes and vseth ordinarilie those Idols of Rome when their publike service is administred Having ended with their Ceremonies we are next to treat of the worships themselves and because these are divers I will speake therefore of each the more breifly wishing the reader if he desire to know more heerin to iniquire after their bookes Churching of women after childbirth they terme a superstitious service a point of poperie a soolish custome indeed no other then a plaine mocking of God and prophaninge of his name and Religion devised meerelie of men viz. the Papists Moreover to prove it a false and idolatrous worship they give these reasons 1. In the whole forme there is no thanksgiveing at all but a mecre Iewish or Popish purifying and therefore it is a horrible mocking of God to pretend that they give him prayse when there is not a word spoken tending or lookinge that way 2. This thanksgiveing as they cal it is even the very same word for word excepting the title with their purification in poperie the difference is onely in this that the Papists is in Latin and theirs in English 3. Whosoever doth this shewes herselfe either to be a low or Papist 4. The primitive Churches never vsed it neither ought it to be suffered in any wel reformed Church 5 Chauncellours officials c. Are hereby justifyed in their crooked and vnconscionable proceedings 6. This breedeth and nourisheth many superstitious opinions in the simple peoples hearts as that the woman which hath borne a child is vncleane or vnholie contrarie to the Apostles word Who teacheth that godly women are sanctifyed by bearing of children Againe that it is vnlawfull for her vpon necessitie to goe out of her doores before she be Churched that this Churching is a necessarie part of the ministers office c. Touching the Psalme 121. appointed for that purpose they say it is child shlie abused yea the words grealy Prophaned Lastly for their other rites and customes viz. the womans lying in with a white sheet vpon her bed her coming forth must d and vailed as beeing ashamed to looke vp for some folly committed her appointed offering the Clarkes waiting her home and the midwives going by her side forth and back c. These they terme Bables foolish and superstitious things The confirmation of children by laying on of the hands of the Bb. is not say they agreable to the word of God at all But a meere device of man a Popish and peevish superstition brought in by Pope Clement the first in the yeare 310. Who affirmed that he was no Christian which wilfullie left this vndon Pope Melciades came after and affirmed it to be a more worthy Sacrament then the Sacrament of Baptisme To prove this confirmation a wicked and most vile practice these reasons are alleaged of them 1. Because as it is prescribed by their booke it is made a new Sacrement beside those two which Iesus Christ ordained 2 Seeing the gifts of miracles which the Apostles had are ceased this kind of imposition of hands which was taken vp at first from an Apish imitation thereof must ceasse also 3. Whereas the ministration of Baptisme is permitted to everie hedge Preist minister and deacon the Prelates doe presumptiouslie and damnablie to appropriate this alone to themselves 4. They doe not onely pray over them but impose hands vpon them that by meanes thereof they may receive strength against all the temptations of sin which is to take that powr to them which God never gave them to do a thing wherof they have no promise that any good shall follow Lastlie this displaced chatechising brought in steed thereof vaine toyes and childish ceremonies to the great hurt of the Church Therefore for these reasons it ought to be shut out and have no place in the Church of God The like they speake of their order and rites whereby matrimony is celebrated in their Churches The forme of it is taken out of the masse booke therefore called prettie juggling trash the ring there vsed is generallie reputed a Popish and idolatrous practise and no lesse superstition is there committed in saying
with may body I thee worship for herein the new maried man makes an idol Of his wife I omitt many other heathenish and Antichristian toyes which the Nonconformists relate to be observed herein whereby saith the author of the Admonition they make rather a maygaime of marriage then a holy institution of God As for their restraint of marriage in Lent and other certaine times they call it the doctrine of devils devised by Pope Nicholas in the yeare 871. And since vpheld by his vncleane birds for filthie lucre sake But here the Nonconformists would have vs to take notise that howsoever the Hierarchie forbid somtime this thing yet any man may have a dispensation for mony and then those holy times shall have no pollution by marriage such vertue mony hath with it or such powr it hath with these base caterpillers Concerning Burials this they say All prayers either over or for the dead are not onely superstitious and vaine but also are Idolatrie and against the plain scriptures of God No such thing was vsed in the Apostles time as for their prescript forme of service appointed for this businesse it is taken wholy from the stincking portuis and for this cause they name themselves Popish apes Beside prayer for the dead is maintayned and partlie gathered out of some of their prayers As for the white or balck crosse set vpon the dead corps ringing a threefould peale the practice is Popish mourning in Black garments for the dead if it be not hypocriticall yet it is superstitious and heathenish funerall sermons they also vtterly condemne because they are put in the place of Trentalls and many other superstitious abuses follow thereby To be breife the Preâ—sts meeting the corps at the Church stile with the clarke in their surplusses the manner of laying the dead in the grave viz. East and West that he may rise with his face to the East the Preist offering and mortuarie the bread and other thing given to the poore distinction of Burials as some in the chauncel some in the Church and some in the Churchyaâ—des all these are said to be naught idolatrous vnlawfull and therefore the Nonconformists will have the dead to be buried in this sort holding no other way lawfull namely that it be conveyed to the place of Burial with some honest company of the Church without either singing or reading yea without all kind of ceremony heretofore vsed other then that the dead be committed to the grave with such gravity and sobriety as those that be present may seeme to feare the judgements of God and to hate sin which is the cause of death and thus doe the best and right reformed Churches bury their dead witout any ceremonies of praying or preaching at theÌ„ We com next to their Sacraments which are as they say sinfully mangled Prophaned and wickedly ministred The prescript sorme of service whereby their Lord supper is consecrated and administred is taken wholy out of the Popish dunghil the masse-bâ—oke and such are theâ—â— inventions Prophanations and superstitions vsed in this ordinance as the Nonconformists professe that they eate not the Lords supper but playe a pageant of their own to blind the people and keepe them still in superstition farre from the simplicitie of Christes supper to make the seely soules beleeve that they have an English masse which is too true faith the author in the margent and so put no difference betwixt truth and falshood betwixt Christ and Antichrist betwixt God and the devil I might here lay dowe every particular thinge which they doe herein as the Preists standing at the North side of the table his begining with the Lords prayer and a collect rehearsing afterwards the ten commaundements and the creed then reading a short exhortation to those which are minded to receive their falling downe and rysing vp againe many times together their manner of consecrating the bread and wine taking it Kneeling the ministers going vp and downe to give it to every one with his owne hand his speaking in the singular number Take thou c. Theyr saying over againe the Pater noster with singing piping surplusse c. All these say the inconform are disorders superstitions Prophanation of Scriptures and don contrary to the practice of the primitive Churches and just after the manner of the Papists Their publick Baptisme is ful of childish and superstitious toyes and as for the prayers vsed therein they are either foolish or false And no marvaile seeing they are also taken out of the cursed mass-masse-booke The conjured font as they name it was brought in by Pius the first in the yeare 147. And Pope Higinus brought in Godfathers and Godmothers in the yeare 143. both which they call pecces of poperie the interogatories ministered to the infant a foolish thinge agreat mockerie of Gods service whereby an occasion is given to men to vtter a lie before the Lord. That the Godfathers and Godmothers shill promise that the child doth beleeve and doth forsake the devil c. Is a thing wickedly put vpon them and baptisme by this meanes exceedingly prophaned Of the crosse we have spoken before there is yet one thing touching it which the reformists wish vs to observe That is a most wicked practise of their vngracious Bishops these whelpes of Antichrist will have infants signed forsooth with the signe of the crosse In token that hereafter they shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ c. And to fight against sin c. Now marke what notorius mockers of God these are For if any one who is thus signed doth afterwards confesse the faith of Christ against Arminians and Papists and fights against the maine workes of the devill to weet the Popish Ceremonies goverment worship ministerie c. They will surely rayse vp against him the greatest persecution that may be he must either forsake his owne countrie or they will kill him in prison Moreover touching private Baptisme and ministring the Lords Supper in their houses this geare they say is repugnant and against Gods word in effect like to a Popish Masse a popish and superstitious practise foolishly and sinfully first taken up For the Sacraments were not ordained of God to be used thus as Charmes and Sorceries but left to the congregation and necessarily annexed to the scriptures as seales of the same yet not tyed to the material Churches made of dead stones but to the church made of livelie stones If therefore the congregation be in a wood house or cave the Sacraments may be administred in a wood house or cave but the same must be don in the sight of the assemblie for they are irrigiously handled when they are administred otherwise Baptizing by women they also condemne and hold it to be no more the holy Sacrament of Baptisme then any other dayly or ordinarie washing of the child Lent fast they say
was ordained by Pope Telesphorus in the yeare 136. and they keepe it England for the fame end that the Papists doe Iustlie therefore is it named a Romish Error a superstitious fast The service appointed for that time is against the seriptures and Gods name prophaned by the curses and adjurations then used For their other fasts they are said to be monuments of Idolatrie devised of Antichrist in all the rites and orders of them superstitious and directlie against Gods commaundements As for wendesdayes frydayes and saterdayes fasts Bonifacius is said to ordaine them in the year 315. And Pope Calixtin in the yeare 206. ordained Imber fastes And in the yeare 425. another Romish Beast ordained Saints Eves fasts And all this trash dung was first devised by Montanus that notable Heretick as Mr. Cartw. observeth from Eusebius and for what use serues all this trumperie but only to keepe out and hinder true fasting indeed The observation of holy dayes as Christmasse Circumcision Epiphanie Purification and all other of the saints is a breach of the second commaundement and herein some part of the abominations of the Romish religion is practised Such therefore as impose this upon mens consciences doe it without any warrant of Gods word and therefore the same cannot be kept lawfully Many good reasons for this are shewed in their writings as the reader may see if he please in the places noted Moreover they doe affirme that the whole prescript service appointed for these Saints dayes is idolatrous Antichristian Of the same nature are all their ordinarie collects Pope Gregorie Celasius they say ordained them and they have them word for word as they stand in the Blasphemous Massebooke I might here shew how some of their Collects are charged with Arianisme others with Poperie Arminianisme Many with lies and manifest contradictions But to be short they tell us in one word that the saying of them is not Praying but indeed wicked pratling As for the Letanie well naturing the name of a laborious service in the dust and durt for so Homer and others useth the same it is borrowed from the practise of the Heathen as Causabon out of Dionysius Habicarnasse observeth And is in verydeed nothing but an impure Masse of conjuring and charming Battologies whereby the name of God is highly prophaned his house and worship abused Gods people by it abandoned the sanctuarie and the prophane love no worship so well as it The Epistles and Gospells read in their Churches is a practise taken wholy from Rome and they use the verie same which the others doe This chapping hacking of the scriptures this rending of it a peeces one from another is contrarie to the order which God hath ordained and his churches practised from time to time and therefore the Nonconformists have desired that it might be taken away as an evill thing Againe in those Epistles Gospells which the Prelates cause superstitiouslie thus to be read There are sundry words and sentences of holy scriptures left out which were given by divine inspiration for the profit of the whole church and many words and sentences of their owne foolish braine added to the text as parts of it yea in many places such absurd things are put as no reasonable sence can be made thereof Besides very often the meaning of the Holy Ghost is perverted by a false interpretation of the text and sundry places applyed to the countenancing of some points of false doctrine All this is shewed largely by the ministers of Lincolne in the Abrigement and the like they say of the Psalmes in the booke of common prayer the prescript number whereof and Lessons as the English Preists now observe were devised by Pope Gregorie the seventh in the yeare 1073. That any of the Apocrypha should be publikely read the Nonconformists hold it utterlie unlawfuli 1. Because to use any word publikelie in the church beside the written word of God contayned in the Canonicall scriptures is condemned by the second commaundement 2. In the church of the Iewes in the Apostles time only Moyses and the Prophets were read 3. The scriptures are sufficient both for doctrine and manners and were given to that end 4. It is the proper office of Christ to be the teacher of his church and therefore no writing may be appointed to be read in the congregation for instruction of manners but only such as have been indited by his spirit 5. Many by this meanes are brought into a great error thinking that the same is scripture 6. These Apocripha bookes containe a number of shamefull lies horrible blasphemies vaine vanities plaine contradictions ridiculous fooleries Athean Impieties Fables fitter for Tâ—lâ—machus and Aeneas then for Gods people Notwithstanding though these bookes be thus false wicked and abominable yet in their assemblies many of them are commaunded to be read for first lessons yea under the name of the holie scriptures of the old Testament without any note of difference from the Canonicail as the lying story of Susanna under the name of Daniel 13. and in as great a measure for their proportion as the other Moreover many of the Apocryphall chapters are to be read twise in one yeare and some thrice but so are not any of the Canonical chapters of the Old Testament but a great part of theÌ„ of the New also by the order which their coÌ„mon prayerbooke prescribeth are not to be read at all in their churches Lastly the Nonconf tell us that these idle Legends are read upon their great holy dayes when the church assemblies are wont to be best frequented and oftimes the holy scriptures must give place to them as tending more to edification and therefore may not be so well spared as the other Reading of Homilies in the church which is a cushion for idle and blind Priests to rest upon is said to be foolish fond and vnlawfull a practise never heard of in the church in the Apostles time neither indeed is it a meanes to beget faith but the instrument of foolish and idoll sheapheards As the Prophets therfore might not in calling the people together blow any trumpets but those which were made and set a part for that purpose by the commaundement of God so ought not the ministers of God to expound or read openly in the congregation any writings but onlie the Canonicall Scriptures which the Lord hath set a part and sanctifyed for that use Here by the way I wish the reader to note well the last words viz. that no writings ought to be read in the congregation but the Canonicall Scriptures This Position is often affirmed by the Learnedst of the Nonconformists namely Mr. Cartwright D. Chaddâ—rton c. Hence then it must follow that all formes of Prayer devised by men are unlawfull to be read in the congregation and therefore where ever this is practised men ought necessarily to abstaine from joyning therewith
consent of a true Church and such were those of whom Mr. Bradsh speaketh if there be any truth in his relation 5. If some do swerve from some observances which the Law requires yet is not their calling hereby the more true and lawfull for if Monkes and Friars do not keepe sometimes all their rules and orders yet are they notwithstanding the divels and Popes officers even so c. 6. Though their Law intend not such a proper priesthood as was in the Iewish Church nor as in all respects is now under the Romish beast yet this helpes nothing their cause seeing it both tendeth and establisheth such a ministerie as by their owne confession is directly against the word of God 7. Touching their Parsons Vicars Stipe ndaries Chaplins c. wee have prooved from their writings that these names and offices come wholly from the divell and Antichrist and therefore his pleading for Baal is altogether here unusefull as to say All is one kinde of ministery and in this respect they are Parsons and in that respect Vicars c. for as much may a Papist say of their Parsons Vicars c. and as true too If therefore he would have justified these men he should first have manifested that his brethren have notoriously slandred their ministery so have taken quite away their reasons by shewing better and not needlessely to bring in a tale which neither helpes him nor hurts us 8. His conclusion is piâ—tifull for instead of satisfaction he leaves his Reader more doubtfull then before in regard of an exception which he makes thus If they duely execute the same meaning the office of true Pastors now what if they doe not this as indeed they doe not what be they then To this he saith nothing neither will I inferre any thinge but leave it as a Quaere to be answered by him which shall next write in the behalfe of Mr. Bradsh Before I make answer unto the particular things in these pages I will lay downe some generall observations touching the manner of this mans writing both here and in the rest of his booke 1. Haveing nothing with any shew to object like a bold sophister he makes a flat denialls of expressed truths as thus I say it is false I deny it c. as if the weight of an argument were sufficiently removed by empty denials 2. His proofs are allwayes beggarly I sayes or ifs and may be soes and doth not in all his writing either directly or by sound consequence from the scripture confirme any one thing whereof he speaketh 3. Although in the course of his life he made shew to be a great enimy of the Bb. and their traditions yet now against us he standeth to maintaine the vilest abominations in their Churches 4. Such corruptions as the Nonconformists generally have condemned he basely here justifieth and by the same carnall and corrupt reasons which the Prelates use to doe so that his writing is not more against us then against themselves and therefore it concerneth them as much as us to set forth an answer unto it 5. As Mr. Dayr in his booke hath shewed much ignorance and contradiction no lesse hath he great hypocrisie in pleading for such evills as some which knew him doe well know that his judgement of them at least of many of them was wholy otherwise It is true the report goes that he was not the proper author of it but another did it and gott him to father it This may be so and it is probable enough notwithstanding Mr. Brandsh evill is not the lesse if he should suffer any one as the Asse did Balaam to ride upon him for to curse the Israel of God Now to answer the things particularly Answ 1. When we know what those accessarie parts bee which true Pastors and teachers may have of their offices callings and administrations not ordained by Christ we will speak more of that point in the meane time they may doe well to consider that they want not the accessarie only but indeed the substanciall and essenciall parts of true offices c. this they theÌ„selvs doe not barely say but soundly prove to coÌ„fute this Mr. Bradsh hath nothing in all his writing and therefore their owne arguments must needs stand in force untill they doe revoke them and bring better to the contrary 2. Whether the Prelates be ordinarie or extraordinarie ministers it is not material and therefore the distinction is idle and impertinent For if their office and calling be false devilish Antichristian c. as the Nonconformists say we will give Mr. Bradsh leave to place them in what order or degree he will and yet his cause shall be never the better by it but observe howsoever some time he undertakes to justifie their standing yet here by a wile which he useth they are left to shift for themselves 3. He could not prove when he was alive that either the prastise of all the Preists in the Church of Rome in all things was according to that constitution or their constitution according to their practise or either of them answereable to the strict termes of the Law What then might not he therefore conclude any thing generally against the unlawfullnesse of their ministry his wordes import positively no but we are sure yes so will every wise man I think beside himselfe affirm too Notwithstanding his Tenets usually doe lead unto such absurdities 4. He either through ignorance or deceit speakes besides the present question For Mr. Iohns to proove them false ministers mentioneth their calling and entrance according to their Pontisicall now to this he saith nothing but talkes of their practise the which if it should be granted to be otherwise then the Law requires yet it is nothing to the purpose for which he bringeth it Would it not make some men laugh if they should heare one that is accused to be a bastard To maintaine the contrarie by this reason viz. because he doth such duties as those children doe which are borne under wedlock The thing which Mr. Iohnson affirmeth from their owne writing is that their ministerie begotten by the Prelates is illegitimate and false I say those which take their offices and callings from them are bastardly ministers Now marke good reader how handsomly Mr. Bradsh makes an answere to it He cannot prove saith he that the practise of all our ministers is in all things according to the constitution c. What then yet seeing he proves your ministerie by your owne confession to be a Child of the Whore it must needs be still a bastard whether the practise of it be good or evill 5. I doe deny that those administrations which are performed by their Popish Canons and booke of common prayer are the maine principall and essentiall administrations which Christ hath ordained For first these allow of no true Pastors and Teachers 2. Require the Sacraments to be unlawsully administred Lastly command an