fashion vs Mr B. and all others may see the dissimilitude betwixt them vs in the refutation of that supposed consimilitude A third evill for which Mr B. would bring our cause into suspition is The matter of defending our opinions and proving our assertions by strange and forced expositions of scriptures Where he also notes in the margent that the truth needs no such ill means to mainteyne it What the means are by which the Prelacy against which we witnes is mainteyned all men know The flattering of superiours the oppressing of inferiours the scoffing reviling imprisoning persequuting vnto banishment and death of such as oppose it are the weapoÌ„s of the Prelates warfare by which they defend their tottering Babel And were it not for the arm of â—lesh by which they hold and to which they trust they and their pomp would vanish away like smoke before the wynde so little weight have they or theyrs in the consciences of any But let us see wherin we mislead the reader by deceiptful allegations of scriptures 1. In quoting scriptures by the way that is for things coÌ„ming in upon occasion but nothing to the mayne poynt c. And wherefore is this deceiptfull dealing thus to alleadge the scriptures Because the simple reader is hereby made beleve that all is spokeÌ„ for the question controverted He is simple careles also that wil not search the scriptures before he beleve that they ar brought to prove if he any way suspect it which who so doth can not be deceived as is here insinuated It were to be wished we both spake and wrote the language of Canaan and none other and not onely to vse but even to note the scripture phrase soberly may be to the information and edification of the reader 2. By vrging commandements admonitioâ—s exhortations dehortations reprehensions and godly examples to prove a falsity What is falsity but that which is contrary to truth and so the word of God being truth whatsoever is contrary vnto any part of it whither commaundement admonition exhortation c. is false so far forth as it is contrary The similitude you take from a naturall child who for his disobedience is not to be reputed a false child but no good child is like the rest of the your similitudes The proportion holds not Men may have such children as ever were are and wil be disobedient to their dying day yet they remayn theyr children whether they will or no but if any of Gods childâ—en prove disobedient and will not be disclaymed he can dischilde them for bastards as they are and the true children of the Divil Ioh. 8. 44. 3. In alledging Scriptures not to prove that for which to the simple it seems to be alledged but that which is without controversy taking the thing in questioÌ„ for granted For this I take to be his meaning though he expresse it ill The instance he brings of one of vs cyting Act. 20. 21. to prove that all truth is not taught in the Church of England is I am perswaded if not worse mistaken by him For who would bring Pauls example to shew what the Ministers of England do and not rather what they should do what they do is knowne well enough and how both they in preaching the will of God and the people in obeying it are stinted at the Bishops pleasure 4 By bringing in places setting forth the invisible Church and holynesse of the members to set forth the visible Church by as being proper thereto as 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. That the Apostle here speaketh not of the invisible but of the visible Church appeareth not by our bare affirmation which we might set gaynst Mr B. naked contradiction yea though he bring in D. Allison in the margent to countenance the matter but by these reasons 1. Peter being the Apostle of the Iewes wrote vnto them whose Apostle he was vvhom he knew dispersed through Pontus Galatia c. 1 Pet. 1. 1. But Peter was not the Apostle of the invisible but of the visible Church which he knew so dispersed where the invisible Church is onely knowne unto God 2 Tim. 2. 19. 2. The Apostle vseth the words of Moses to the visible Church of the Iewes Ex. 19. 6. which do therefore well agree to the visible Church vnder the gospell whose excellency graces and holynes do surmount the former by many degrees 3. Peter wrytes to a Church wherein were Elders and a flock depending vpoÌ„ them to be fed governed by them 1 Pet â— 1. 2. 3. which to affirm of the invisible Church is not onely a visible but even a palpable error 4. The Apostle wrytes to them which had the word preached amongst them Chap. 1. 25. And this Mr B. himselfe pag. 118. 119. makes a note and testimony of the visible Church and to that pupose quotes the former chap. v. 23. as he doth also this very chap. ver 5. which is the same with v. 9. 10. to prove the form of the visible Church And thus I hope it appeares to all men vpon what good groundes this man thus boldly leadeth vs with deceiptfull dealing in the scriptures And this instance I desire the reader the more diligeÌ„tly to observe as being singled out by Mr B. as a pickt witnes against vs countenanced by D. Allisons concurring testimony but especially because it poynts out the Apostolick Churches clean in contrary colours to the English Synagogues being vnholy and prophane and this is the cause why Mr B. and others are so loth to haue this Scripture ment of the visible Church 5. By inferences and references as if this be one this must follow and this Mr B. calles a deceiveable and crooked waye for the intangling of the simple To this I have answered formerly and do agayne answer that necessary consequences inferences are both lawfull necessary If Mr B. had to deale with a Papist agaynst Purgatory or with an Anabaptist for the baptizing of Infants he should be compelled except I be deceived to draw his arrowes out of this quiver And what are consequences regulated by the word which sanctifieth all creatures but that sanctified vse of reason wil any reasonable man deny the vse and discourse of reason If all the things which Iesus did had been written the world could not have conteyned the books if all the dutyes which ly vpon the Church to performe had been written in expresse termes as Mr B. requires a world of worlds could not contayne the books which should have been written Neyther are inferences references iustly made any way to be accounted wyndings but playne passages to the truth troden before vs by the Lord Iesus and all his holy Apostles which scarce alledge one scripture of three out of Moses and the Prophets but by way of inference as all that will may see But the truth is Mr Bern. hath
1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. 12. 12. 13. Thirdly if separation be lawfull from persons not receiving Christ but rayling against him then is communion vnlawfull with any assembly in the land wherein there are many which remayn in vnbeleif as their works declare Iam. 2. 20. and so receive not Christ. Ioh. 1. 12. but do on the contrary both revile and persequute him in his graces servants and ordinances howsoever for fear or fashion they be content to be accounted Christians Now for separation from Gentiles without Christ from Antichrist vnder a shew of Christ persecuting Christians as the scriptures do account of antichristianism as of haethenism in this respect calling it Babylon Sodom Aegypt spiritually and so warning the Lords people to come out of it so for the second point I do not yet beleive whatsoever you write but you Mr Bernard are as verily perswaded as my self that the Church of Engl. formally considered in her lawes canons ecclesiasticall contrived exequuted by the prelates their substitutes doth persecute Christians vnder a shew for Christ. That the Bishops make a shew for Christ all graunt and that they persequute true Christians let your prisons be searched and there will want no records and if you yet will passe by the poor brethren of the separation as the Preist and Levite did the wounded man which had fallen among theeves Luk. 10. and will take no knovvledge of vs ask your ovvn brethren the godly Ministers vvith vvhose supply against vs you back your book and I doubt not but the suspensions and deprivations of the most of them for refusing the Prelates badges and liveries the surplice typpet and the like vvill testify vvith vs the persequutions of the Antichristian Praelacy against Christians The separation you admit of in the last place is from familiar accompanying in private conversation with men excommunicate or of levvd life worthy to be excommunicate when neyther religion commaundeth c. What Mr B. ought men to avoyd familiarity with excommunicates onely in private conversation and not both in the private and publique worship of God Is there any religious familiarity or communion save in the Church out of which excommunicates are cast The Iewes had no religious communion at all with heathens or persons vncircumcised which therefore might not enter into the sanctuary of the Lord though you be driven in answer to Act. 21. 28. 29. to affirm they might 2 book pag 175. and as such must wee account them that refuse to hear the Church Mat. 18. 17. And as no religious communion eyther private or publick may be held with persons iustly excōmunicated by the Church so neyther with such lewd persons as deserve excommunication and are thereof clearly convinced though the Church want grace to cast them out The Churches vngodly cōnivency vpboulstring them in their scandalous sinns makes them nothing the better but it self in truth like vnto them as he that brought a thing abominable into his house was accursed like it how much more if he eyther bring it into or keep it in Gods house And how we are to avoyd persons incorrigibly wicked whether Idolatours Haeretiques or prophane livers the common bonds of naturall and civill society ever kept inviolated which as they are to the Lord so ought they to be vnto vs abominable see these scriptures Act. 2. 40. 47. 19. 19. Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 8 9 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 2. 3. 4. 5. Tit. 3. 10. which places do not onely forbid private and voluntary familiarity as you speak and affirm but religious also to which you vnskilfully oppose voluntary where no society is so voluntary as that which is religious and that both private and publique Neyther is there any reason whither we respect the glorie of God or our own safety or the avoyding of offence in others or the shaming of the partyes why we should avoyd civil communion with any and yet hold religious communion with them To conclude since the Lord wil be glorified by his people not onely severally and in their persons but ioyntly in their holy cōmunion and hath given them in charge to exhort comfort admonish reprove one an other as there is cause and in the order he hath prescribed as also according to the same order to sequester censure reiect and avoyd persons incorrigible and infectious the brother or brethren fayling in these duties are steyned and polluted not by other mens sinns which can no way hurt them or the holy things they vse save to themselves but by their own swarving and neglect from and of such duties as wherein they are to acquite themselves in their most streyt and sacred bond of communion Onely before I end I must touch one point of deep divinity set down by Mr B. for the purpose in hand which is that the Lord takes a people to be his before he commaund them and that commaundements are for his people to rule them not to make them his people But how agrees this to let passe his former book with that which he not onely writes but substantially proves pag. 277. of his second that when the L. sets vp a people to be his people first he gives them his word which is his ordinance to make them his people his power to subdue thē the meanes of reconciling thē that by which he extols a people above other people Well Mr B. to let passe your inconsiderate lightnes in those weighty matters wherein you exceed Mr Smyth for that where he confutes one book by an other you confute yours by it self in an other place howsoever your nationall Church were not made the Lords people by his commaundements but by the commaundements precepts and proclamations of men yet would the L. Iesus haue his Churches gathered and men made his people by the publishing preaching of his commaundements wherewith he furnished his Apostles for the making of disciples by the knowledge faith and obedience of them Mat. 28. 19. 20. The ◠errour layd to our charge is our holding That every one of their assemblies are false Churches If one of them be then are they all for they are all and every one of them cast in the same mould We professe we put a great difference betwixt person and person amongst you and do not doubt God forbid wee should but there are hundreds and thowsands amongest you having assurance of saving grace and being partakers of the life of God in respect of your persons but considering you in your Church-communion ordinances we cannot so difference you but must testify against your apostasie as wee do And let it not be greevous vnto you Mr B. or vnto any other that in this regard we speak thus generally and alike of you all without exception for even your own Church intendeth you all and every one of you alike without exception
The Prophet Ieremy speâ—king in the name of the Lord of the calling of the Gentiles into the new covenaunt or testament as the authour to the Hebrewes expoundeth him testifieth that with whom soever the Lord would make that testament or covenant he would put his law in their mind and write them in their heart and so be their God and make them his people and that they should all know him from the least to the greatest and that he would be mercifull vnto their sâ—â—nes and remember their iniquities no more But your nationall Ch never came within the coÌ„passe of this promise that all in it should know the Lord haue their sinnes forgiven them and his lawes written in their heart Therefore your nationall Church is not within the Lords covenaunt nor ever 〈…〉 nor his people having him for their God Your exceptious in your 2. book to this Argument are insufficient The first is that by this exposition hypocritâ—s should not be under the covenaunt bycause the law of God is not written in their harts But my answer is that hypocrites in respect of God and his secret invisible and approving will and calling are not of the Church nor under the covenaunt but in respect of men of the revealed will of God according to which meÌ„ must judge all that are outwardly holy have their sinns forgiven and the law of God written in their harts And to your 2. exception namely that the place is not vnderstood barely of a member of the visible Church but so of it as withall he be an elect saynt I do answer it is true you say â—oÌ„sidering what bare members of the visible Church you make of what members your Church is most what made even such as ar both bare and empty of all grace and appearance of grace But let them be such in any measure as of whom the Lord in his word gives approbation and whom he entitles to the visible ordinances in his Church and then they are not barely visible members as you speak but elect saynts also in the respects formerly mentioned It is evident that both Ieremy and the Apostle to the Hebrewes speak of the new testament or covenant of grace whereof Christ is the mediatour in his own blood opposed to the old testament and covenaunt of works established by Moses in the blood of bulles and goates and of the persons with whom the Lord makes this covenant and which haue legacies in this will and testament of Christ which he hath also confirmed by his death which do all know God and have his law written in their harts and their sinns pardoned And there is nothing more derogatory to the grace of God and blood of Christ then that any within the compasse of this covenant of grace or having a portion in this testament established in Christs blood should not haue his iniquities forgiven and his heart sanctifyed by the spirit truely or in appearance as he is truely or apparantly partaker of the former graces And here also appears the vanity of your third exception so oft repeated by you to wit that you are not all without the law of God written in your harts and without the forgivenes of sinnes but that some of you have obteyned this grace As though the quaestion were of some few in your Church not of the whole Church If you minded what you had in hand you should see that to prove your Church within the covenaunt of the new testament you were bound to manifest not that some few but that all the members of it were at the least in the constitution partakers of those promises wherein it is established the reason is bycause not some few severally but all the members joyntly considered do make the Church Iohn in the Revelation describing the Locusts sayth of them that they had faces like the faces of men hayre like the hayre of women Doth it therefore follow they were men or womeÌ„ bycause they had eyes mouthes noses some other meÌ„bers that men women haue So neyther is a profane people a true Christian Church or body of Christ for some few Christianlike persoÌ„s vâ—tequally yoked with them since the Church or body as I haue formerly sayd consisteth not of some few but of all the members coupled and combyned together in one communion And thus much to prove that lewd vngodly persons so continuing are uncapable of the new covenant or testament consumed by the death of Christ and that they haue no fellowship or vnion with God in Christ in whom alone he establisheth his covenant and if any man will affirm the contrary not I but Iohn by the word of God reproveth him expressely for a lyar And in deed what more impudeÌ„t untruth can there be affirmed then that an apparant visible lim of Satan should be an apparant or visible member of Christ or that gracelesse persons should be within the covenant of grace and salvation as is that covenâ—â—t into which the Lord gathereth and in which he uniteth his Ch vnto himself For conclusion of this point let the reader observe that as the Church is essentially constituted by this vnion of the meÌ„bers with God and one with another so consider it as an ecclesiasticall policy instituted by Christ the King thereof and then that form or ordâ—r of government which he hath set and which the Apostolik Churches vsed and enjoyed is the form of it as it is in all other poâ—iciâ—s corporations and coÌ„mon wealthes in the world Which form of government the Church of England is so far from enjoying aâ— it hates worse then Papists all that in any measure desire it Now as from the matter form of the Church concurring do arise the properties so would Mr B. in the next place iustify against us that the congregations amongst them have the true visible properties of the Church which he makes three in number the first their continuance in heâ—â—â—ng of the dâ—â—h me of Christ reâ—râ—ved and vsing of the sacraments and prayer 2. the holding out of this truth and the sacraments as banners displayed against the enemy 3. a care for the welfare of all and every one for the whole and each for other though in his 2. book as if it â—ad not been he 1. the hâ—ldinâ— out of the profession of the person covenaÌ„ted with Christ Iesus 2. the holding the words of the covenantâ— the written wâ—â—â— of God 3. the m 〈…〉 ng of the publication of this covenant by the 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the assemblies are become the properties of the Church as if the Church were as chaungeable in her properties as 〈◊〉 in his And here I must needs take knowledge of Mr B. distinction in his 2. book betwixt the properties and priviledges of the Church and the rather bycause he layes it down with great ostentation for our learning as he sayth His distinction is that properties arise from within the Church
Bishops of God which have obteyned the principall order and office in your Church for a lesse principall work namely government and are preferred to the highest first place not for the teaching of their Dioseces Provinces which were impossible though they desired it but for ruling of them You say they are the successors of the Apostles but the cheif work of the Apostles Ministery was the preaching of the gospel not ruling much lesse Lording wherein your Bishops office standeth The order which the Apostle Paul hath left is that those Elders which labour in the word and doctrine should have speciall honour and aboue them which are imployed in ruling but this order Antichrist hath subverted as being a course not onely too base and laborious but even impossible for him to honour his Ministers by as he desired and hath effected hath procured not double treble but an hundred fold greater honour to be ascribed to ruling and government then to preaching And this is not the least part of that confusion wherein you stand and against which wee testify 2. If the office of Ministery consist principally in preaching how can your office of Ministery or order of Preisthood be of Christ which coÌ„sists not at all in preaching as I haue shewed but may stand without it by the Canons Lawes of your Church not requiring it necessarily as any essentiall property for the being but onely admitting of it as a convenient ornament for the well-being commending in deed the person that vseth it but no wayes justifying the office which requireth it not Yea most evident it is that the Ministery of the Church of England considering it not onely in the state cariage of things but specially in the civil and ecclesiasticall lawes wherein it is founded consists more principally in the wearing of a surplice then in the preaching of the gospel To conclude this point as the examination of such with you as are to be ordeyned by the Bishop and his Chaplayn is no triall of their gifts of knowledge zeal or vtterance or that they are apt to teach but a devise like the poseing of schoolboyes without eyther warrant fro the scriptures or good to the Church so the onely examination which the word of God approves of is that just and experimentall knowledge which the Church by wise observation is to take of the personall gifts and graces of such men as the Lord rayseth vp amongst them manifesting themselves in the publick exercises of the Church in their places as there is occasion though you Mr Bern. be bold to abuse 1 Tim. 3. 7. to the justification of your letters testimoniall vnto the Bishop which any vngodly person may procure from other persons as ill as himself and thereby may find acceptance with some Bishop or other as evill as eyther of both The Apostle Peter directing the disciples or Church about the choice or nomination of one to be chosen into the room of Iudas tels them they must think of such a man as had companyed with them all the tyme that the Lord Iesus was conversanâ— among them And the same Apostle together with the rest by the same spirit directs the Ch afterward to chuse from among themselves seven men iustly qualified to take vpon them the administratioÌ„ of the Church treasury And vpon the same ground it was that the Apostles Paul Barnabas did not streightway vpon the gathering of the Churches of the Gentiles ordeyn them officers but a good space after even when the people had made good proof and tryall of the gifts and faithfulnes of such men as by their free choice and election the Apostles ordeyned over them And whom doth it concern so nearely to make proof or to take observation of them that are to be called into office as them that are to call or chuse them and to commit their soules vnto them Of which election it followeth we consider in the next place And the first thing I purpose about it is to sum vp and set together a few of Mr B. sayings which like so many waves driven by contrary winds do dash theÌ„selves asunder one against another First then he affirmeth pag. 133. and 138. that the Church iâ— tâ— separate and câ—â—se 〈…〉 amongst others for Ministers such as are found fit in so saying what doth he but graunt that the Church is before the Ministers They that chuse must needs be before the that are chosâ—nâ— How them do the Ministers make the Church 2. In his 2. book he reproacheth Mr Smyth as an impudent gaâ—nsayer of the tâ—â—t for saying that the Church did elect Mathias Act. 1. where the Lord did make the châ—ise and yet in the same book pag. 295. 296. he graunts that such examples of practise were then in vse for the peoples chusing Ministers and quotes this very scripture with some others for that purpose 3. he affirmeth in his former book that the guides and governours of the Ch were to chuse the Officers alledgeth to that end Act. 14. 23. Neyther remembring what he had formerly written in the same book namely that the rest of the congregation were to chuse the principall to be their mouth and to stand for the whole Church nor yet caring what he was to write in his 2. book to wit that the people were to chuse their ministers for which he also bringeth the same scripture Act. 14. 23. If this man had been in Iohn Baptists place the Iewes might well haue answered Christ that they had gone out to see a reed shaken with the wind But to leave his contradictions of himself to come to his oppositions against the truth And first it is erroniousâ—y written by him and the scriptures Act. 13. 1. 2. 14. 23. sinfully perverted to the justification of his errour that by the Church which is to chose officers â—s meant the guids and governours thereof That which I haue formerly noted out of both his books espetially his quoting the latter of these scriptures for the peoples liberty in chusing their ministers doth give great cause of suspition that in this case he thus writes for his purpose against his conscience and is in deed condemned of himself And for the other place which is Act. 13. 1. 2. I may as justly yea much more reprove Mr B. for bringing it for the governours chusing of Paul and Barnabas as he Mr Smyth for bringing Act. 1. for the peoples chusing of Mathias For first Barnabas Saul were Apostles as well as Mathias and therefore not to be called to their office by man but by God Gal 1. 1. and so were of the Holy Ghost as immediately separated by name as was Mathias by lot 2. Mathias was at that time first called to the office of Apostleship which before he had not but Paul and Barnabas were Apostles long before and at that tyme designed
some thirtie some fourtie yeares Now this their baptisme was true baptisme and so the true seale of their forgivenes of sinnes and new birth as you affirm prove page 119. this their seal of the new birth hath stood good vpoÌ„ them all this while visibly and externally and yet after all this you preach vnto them beget theÌ„ a new visibly externally for onely God knoweth that which is true within You have begot them through the Gospel Behold a minstrous generation a man begetting children twentie or thirtie or fourtie yeares after they be borne If Nichodemus had heard of this he might wel have sayd how can thâ—se things be Lastly if you be by your office the faâ—her of these children as Paul was of the Corinthians by his where is then that your rod of correction which Paul shakes at his children doth any law eyther divine or humane deny a father liberty to correct his own childreÌ„ Or are you one of these simple fathers of whoÌ„ your self speak that can beget children but not bring them vp This â—od is seems apperteynes to both their and your reverend fathers the Bishops who onely know how to vse it To conclude the preface In acknowledging as you doe in the end of it that some things in the book may seeme to the Christian reader to be written in the gall of bitternes and yet suffering them so to passe with an excuse of your intent as herein you manifest no good conscience chusing rather to excuse so great an evill then to reforme it so neyther take you any likely course for the good of them with whome you deale whose recovery if they be faln you should rather have attempted in the bowels of mercy theâ— in the gall of bitternes Aâ—d so I câ—me to the partes of your book as they ly in order Of the Authours Advertisements called by him Christian counsels of peace THe subiect whereof Mr Bern. treats in this place being peace is very plausible the name amiable the thing both pleasant and profitable And as God is the God of peace so are not they Gods children nor borne of him which desire it not yea even in the middest of their contentions But as all vices vse to cloth themselves with the habites of vertues that vnder those liveries they may get countenance and finde the more free passage in the world so especially in the Church all tyranny and confusion do present themselves vnder this colour taking vp the politick pretence of peace as a weapon of mere advantage wherewith the stronger and greater party vseth to beat the weaker The Papists presse the protestants with the peace of the Church and for the rent which they have made in it condemn them beyond the heathenish souldiours which forbare to devide Christs garment as deeply do the Bishops charge the Ministers refusing conformity and subscription and both of them vs. But the godly wise must not be affrighted eyther from seeking or embracing the truth with such buggs as these are but seeing the wisdome which is from above is first pure then peaceable he must make it a great part of his Christian wisdome to discerne betwixt godly and gratious peace and that which is eyther pretended for advantage or mistaken by error so to labor to hold peace in purity Let it then be manifested vnto vs that the Communion which the Church of EnglaÌ„d hath with all the wicked in the Land without separation is a pure communion that theyr service book devised and prescribed in so many words and letters to be read over and over with all the appurtenances is a pure worship that their goverment by Nationall Provinciall and diocesan Bishops according to their CanoÌ„s is a pure govermeÌ„t then let vs be blamed if we hold not peace with them in word deed otherwise though they spake vnto vs never so oft both by messengers and mouth of peace and agayn of peace * as Iehoram did to Iehu yet must we answer them in effect as Iehu did Iehoram what peace whilest the whoredoms of the mother of fornicatioÌ„s the Iezebel of Rome do remayn in so great number amongst them And I doubt not but Mr Bern. and 1000 more Ministers in the land were they secure of the Magistrates sword and might they go on with his good licence would wholly shake of their canonicall obedience to their Ordinaries and neglect their citations and censures and refuse to sue in their Courts for all the peace of the Church which they commend to vs for so sacred a thing Could they but obteyn license froÌ„ the Magistrate to vse the libertie which they are perswaded Christ hath given them they would soon shake off the Prelates yoke and draw no longer vnder the same in spirituall coÌ„munion with all the profane in the land but would break those bonds of iniquitie as easily as Sampson did the cordes wherwith Dalilah tyed him and give good reasons also from the word of God for their so doing And yet the approbation of men and angels makes the wayes of God workes of religion never a whit the more lawfull but onely the more free from bodily daunger Wherevpon we the weakest of all others have been perswaded to embrace this truth of our Lord Iesus Christ though in great and manifold afflictions to hold out his testimony as we do though without approbation of our Sovereigne knowing that as his approbation in such points of Gods worship as his word warranteth not cannot make them lawful so neyther can his disallowance make unlawful such duties of religion as the word of God approveth nor can he give dispensation to any person to forbeare the fame Dan 3. 18. Act. 5. 29. These things I thought good to commend to the reader that he may be the more cautelous of this and the like colourable pretences wishing him also wel to remember that peace in disobedience is that old theam of the false Prophets whereby they flattered the mighty and deceaved the simple Ier. 6. 14. 8. 11. Let us now come to consideration of the counsels themselves so frâ—ndly given and so sagely set downe And therein to approve what is good and wholsome to interpret in the best sense what is doubtful and to passe by unrequited such contumelies as wherewith Mr B. reprocheth vs as in all places so here in his rhyming Rhetorick wherein he labours to rowl â—s even as may be betwixt the Atheisticall Securitant and Anabaptisticall Puritant the carelesse Conformitant and thâ— preposterous Reformitant and so forth as the rhyme runneth I wil come to those ten Rules or Canons praescribed by him pag. 3. 4. 5. for the praeservation of peace in the Church or state ecclesiasticall for that alone we oppose humbling our selves vnder the hand of the Magistrate as much and more truely then himself 1. Uphold the manifest good therein A man vpholds that which is good most naturally by his
that can be brought but because they are yours which notwithstanding I am perswaded neyther you nor any other can satisfie And if Mr B. himselfe thus wryte and speak in private why blames he vs for our publique testimony Now if the Bishops be Antichristian and so the spirit of Divils Rev. 16. 14. why might not Mr Barrow affirm theyr Ministery and ministration to be of and by the Divill and what are they but eyther the tayl or some other lim of the beast And for theyr excommunications by name it is evident by this they are not of God for that the most religious in the kingdome make least account of them For theyr Luciferian pryde whereof Mr Barrow accuseth them it is apparant they burden the earth threaten the heavens with it for their hateful Symony both in giving and receiving they are so notorious as the best service Mr B. can do them in this case is to turn mens thoughts from those evils which every ey sees every heart abhorrs Towching the Ghost the Bishop gives in his blasphomous imitation of Christ Ioh. 20. 22. except contrary to the rule in nature nihil dâ—â— quod non habet he can give that he hath not it is not very likely he should give the Holy Ghost why then might not Mr Barrow call it an vnholy Ghost And for the Bible in the Bishops hands which he gives his Preists in ordination Mr Barrow calls it the libell not in contempt of the book but in reproof of the ceremony that iustly since the Lord never appointed the scriptures for any such vse nor any such ceremony in the ordination of his Ministers Christ and the Apostles would have such Ministers ordeyned as have the Bibles in their hearts the Bishops of England to supply this want give it into the hands of their Preists which they think sufficient though in truth the most of them are more vsed to handle a paire of cardes vpon an alebench then the holy bible Your Patrons Mr Barrow calles great Baals Lord Patrons and iustly in respect of that Lordly power they vse in obtruding their Clerks vpon the Parish assemblies your ministers yea all and every one of them Preists which is their proper name given them both in your book of ordination and coÌ„mon prayer your Deacons half-preists according to the nature of their office betwixt which the Deacons office in the new testament Act. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. there is no consimilitude For the other more harsh termes wherewith he enterteynes such persons and things in the Church as carry with them most appearance of holynes they are to be interpreted according to his meaning and a distinction vsed by Mr B. in another place is here to be applyed Which is that Mr Barrow speaks not of these persons and things simply but in a respect so so considered so no one terme given by Mr Barrow to my knowledg but may at the least be tolerated The Ministers as they receive the wages of vnrighteousnes oâ— counsayl to spiritual fornication are Bâ—lâ—â—mites in respect of thâ—ir office vowed to destruction Cananites as they plead for confusion Babylonish divines as they endeavour to stay Gods people in Egypt spiritually so called Egyptian inchaunters as they are members of the Hierarchy 〈◊〉 of the Divel by vertue whereof he bear great sway as the reformists amongst you have expresly testifyed And for your very divine exerciseâ— of prayer preaching sacrâ—â—â—tâ— suâ—ging of psalâ—s howsoever they be good holy in theÌ„selves or at leasâ— have much good in them yet in respect of the vnhallowed coÌ„munion forgâ—d ministâ—ry and superstitious order wherein these and all other things with you are ministred and exercised they are lyable to the heaviest censure Mr Barrow hath put vpon them And for the most forward preachers in the kingdom considering their vnsound and broken courses in denying that in deed and practise which in wâ—rd and writing they profâ—sse to be the revealâ—d will oâ— God and inviolable testament of Christ binding his Church for ever yea and practising the contrary in the face of the sâ—nne commiâ—tâ—â—g two evils forsaking the Lord the fountayne of lâ—ving water to dig themselves broken pitâ—s which will hold no water yea not onely refusing themselves to enter into the kingdome of God the Church but also hindering them that would persecuting them that do and lastly considering them in their vnconscionable defence for their own standings and practises as that onely the godly in the parish are of the Church with them that they hold and vse their ministery by the acceptation of the people and not by the Bishops that they obey the Bishops in their citations suspensions excommunications and absolutions aâ— they are civil magistrates and â—he like they do deserve a sharper medicine then happily they are willing to endure Yea the very personall graces of knowledge zeale pâ—â—ience the like manifested in many both ministers and people are most vniustly perverted and misused to the obduration and hardening both of the persons themselves others in most deceivable wayes wherein the deepest mistery of iniquity and most effectuall delusion of Satan that can be worketh as is by Mr Barrow and others clearly discovered But that Mr Barrow should say that the preaching of Gods word â—â—e spirits effectuall working should make men the children of hell and two fold â—orse then bâ—fore is a great slaunder and could not possibly enter into his or any other godly mans heart And so I leave these and the like more vnsavoury-seeming speaches of Mâ— Barrow to the wise and Christian readers charitable interpretation The last rank of Mr B. reasons followeth which respect the matter of our sepâ—â—â—tion by him called schisme which how materiall they are shall appeare in their place Our first errour according to his reckoning is They hold that the constitution of our Church is a falsâ— constitution And let vs see how strongly your answer forces vs from this our hold 1. Arg. They cannot prove this simply by any playne doctrine of scripture and that which they would prove is but onely respectively and so may any thing and their Church also be condemned 2. Arg. It is against the evidence of the scriptures which maketh the word externall profession and sacraments the visible constitution c. That you then affirm in the first place is that wee cannot prove this simply by any playne doctrine wherein you do half confesse that wee do it by iust consequence though not by playne doctrine wholly that respectively and so so considered as you speak your coÌ„stitution is false And thus you say any thing may be condemned But first it is not true that any thing may be condemned after this sort The constitutioÌ„ of the Ch Apostolike could in no coÌ„sideration be condemned neyther could ours to our knowledge being according to that pattern how weakly soever we walk in it Secondly
former places speak of the Church at Ierusalem where some of the Apostles were ever present what marveil then if the congregation attempted nothing without them But touching the last scripture which speakes of the Churches of and amongst the Gentiles and of the ordination of Elders there Act. 14. 23. the case is otherwise Of these Churches some were converted to the Lord by the Apostles and other by private brethren scattered thither there publishing the Gospel Act. 8. 12. 10. 36-44 47. 48. 11. 19. 20. 21. 23. 13. 2. 12. 48. 14. 1. 2. that some certaine yeares before any ordination of Elders amongst them And can it be conceived with any reason that all this long space during the Apostles absence these Churches never assembled together for their edification and comfort in prayer prophesying and other ordinances were there no other coÌ„verted al the while which desyred to be admitted into their fellowship or had they no use of excommunication for the preserving pure of their communion for sundry yeares But to let passe these more generall things and to come to the speciall busines mentioned Act. 14 23. The same rules which were after left in writing to Timothy and Titus for the choyce of Bishops or Elders were then in use amongst the Churches amongst other qualifications it was required of them that they should be apt to teach able to convince as also to manage the publique affaires of the Churches which were to depend on them whither in cases of controversie or otherwise and such they both then were and now are by good tryal and experience to be known to be and those also no young plants for such fruits And as it did most specially concern the brethren to know certainly by good experience that those officers were so qualified whom they were to set over them and unto whom they were to coÌ„mit their soules to be fed unto life eternal so could they onely take sufficient tryall of them their gifts and faythfulnes for the publique ministery by due experience The Apostles came but occasionally to visit the Churches and to comfort them making in many very small or no continuance and fynding fit men for officers in the Churches where they came and the same known testified and commended to be such by the peoples election they ordeyned Bishops or Elders over them and so departed Act. 14. 21. 22. 23. And what reason can be given why the Apostles did not at the first planting of the Churches but so long a space after ordeyn officers as also that Paul did not perform that busines himself in Creta but left Titus the Evangelist for that purpose Tit. 1. 5. save onely that men of gifts might be trayned vp in prayer prophecying and carrying of such other Church affaires as fell out and so due tryall made of theyr gifts good knowledg taken of their faythfulnes in and by the Churches whereof they were and over which they were to be set being found fit for that service Now the fourth scripture which is 1 Cor. 5. doth directly oppose that for which it is brought It was the Churches fault not to have purged out that sower leven the incestuous person before they eyther heard from Paul or he of that evill amongst them and for theyr negligence herein the Apostle reproveth them as all men see that are not willingly blynd And for Paul he in generall as a penman of the Holy Ghost wrote scriptures for the direction of the Corinthians and all other Churches to the worldes end and in speciall as a chief Officer of that Church by determining for himself discharged his owne duety but did neyther begin govern nor compose the action being at Philippi or rather at Ephesus for the present from whence he writ the Epistle to the Church vnto which he commended the busines in hand both for the beginning and ending of it But what of all these and many other the like scriptures to be alledged because the Churches are in all things to be guided by theyr officers ministring faythfully and according to the word of God and theyr duety that therefore if eyther there be no officers or if they be absent or fayl in their duety the Church may do nothing eyther for information or reformation The scriptures record that after Stevens death all the Church aâ— Ierusalem was dispersed save the Apostles and that they which were dispersed went to and fro preaching the word the effect of whose preaching amongst the Gentiles was the fayth and conversion of a great number vnto the Lord. Here were not onely Church matters but even Churches begun preaching to and fro turning and ioyning of multitudes to the Lord that where neyther Apostles noâ— other officers were present for this is too grosse to affirm that during al the Apostles dayes nothing was begun but by them And what if the Lord should now rayse vp a company of faythfull men and women in Barbary or America by the reading of the scriptures or by the wrytings conferences or sufferings of some godly men must they not separate themselves from the filthines of the heathen to the Lord nor turn from Idols to the true God nor ioyne themselves vnto him in the fellowship of the gospell nor have any communion together for theyr mutuall aedification and comfort till some vagrant Preist from Rome or England be sent vnto them to begin theyr Church matters with his service book And yet this would not serve the turne neyther for he would be vnto them a barbarian and they barbarians vnto him 1 Cor. 14. 11. Some yeares must be spent or ech could vnderstand others language Nay if this were a true ground that Church matters might not be begun without officers it were impossible that such a people should ever eyther enioy officers or become a Church yea I may safely ad that ever there should be in the world after the vniversal visible apostacy of Antichrist any true eyther Church or officers and so we must hold with the Arians that except ther should come new Apostles to gather the Churches and so a new Christ to call those Apostles that there can be to the worlds end neyther true Churches nor true officers The reason is because * no man takes this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God aâ— Aaron Now God calls no man ordinarily but by the Ch for I suppose you will not deny but that the choyce of officers is a Ch matter not a matter of the world And the Church must chuse none but such as of whose knowledge zeale and vtterance they have taken tryall by the exercise of his guifâ—s as you truely affirme els where in this book and you will not say but this exercise of his guiftâ— after this manner and for this end is a Church matter Whence it followeth that both Church matters yea and Churches also may and in cases must
had not excommunicated the incestuous person Bastingius in the 4. place quaestion 85. of his Catichism speaking of the difference between the two keyes that of preaching the other of discipline places it in this that the former which is of the preaching of the gospel is committed to the Ministers the other bycause it perteyns to the discipline of excommunication is permitted to the whole Church Lastly even Beza himself how streyt soever he be to the multitude in this case hardly graunting them the liberty which Mr B. yea which the very Iesuits do namely that they were with the Elders gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 4. yea do playnely deny it in his Annotations vpon 2 Cor. 2. 6. Yet vpon v. â— he is constreyned to affirm that Paul intreats that the incestuous person might by the publique consent of the Church be declared a brother as he was by the Churches publique consent cast out Now to these speciall lights in the reformed Churches abroad I will annex a few of the cheif endeavours of reformation at home The first of them is Mr Hooper who in his Apology writes that excoÌ„municatioÌ„ should be by the Bishop the whole Parish that Pauls consent the whole Church with him did excoÌ„municate the incestuous man To him adde Mr Fox whose judgement in the book of Martyrs pag. 5. 6. 7. is and so is inforced by him that writ the discovery of D. Banâ—r ofts vntruthes and slaunders against reformation that every visible Church or congregation hath the power of binding and loosing annexed to it If it be sayd the Church hath it if the Officers have it I see not but it may be as well sayd the Church hath the scriptures in a known tongue if the Officers so enjoy them Thirdly Mr Cartwright in his reply to D. Whitgifts answer pag. 147 both affirms and proves that Paul both vnderstanding and observing the rule of our Saviour Christ communicates this power of excommunication with the Church Him also an other writing A demonstration of discipline alledgeth adding further that they which were met togither 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. were to excommunicate the incestuous person with whom also consorteth he that wrote of the certayn form of ecclesiasticall governmentâ— who vnder that head of the authority of the Ministers of the word that by the Church Math. 18. Christ meanes a particular Congregation the Pastor Elders people consenting making that the iudgement of the particular congregation which is spoken of 1 Cor. 5. 12. In the 4. place Mr Iacob in his book to the King for reformation pag. 28. pleads for the peoples consent and voyce-giving in elections excommunications to whom I ioyn them that made the Christian offer to iustify against the Bishops and their adhaerents that every ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it self immediately vnder Christ to elect and ordeyn deprive and depose their Ministers and to exequute all other ecclesiasticall censures Proposition 5. Prop. 8 that the officers can do no materiall ecclesiasticall act without the free consent of the Congregation Lastly the godly Ministers in the end of Mr Bernards book do directly judge against him interpreting the Church Math. 18. to be a particular Congregation and excommunication the iudgement censure of that particular congregation whereof the offender is a member Thus have I been constreyned by the bold boasting and facing which this man vseth of and with the iudgement of all reformed Churchâ—â— to set downe the judgements of some few amongst many both at home and abroad for his conviction though I desire the touchstone of the holy scriptures alone may try all differences betwixt him and me I now return to Mr Bernard where I left him so come to two reasons he annexeth pag. 98. 99. to prove the officers to be called the Church the former is because it is an vsuall speach to put the name of the whole vpon the part and this to be taken for the whole The 2. bycause a company is no where called a Church in the new testament but where they have officers The latter of these I have formerly confuted as the reader may see pag. 126. 127. c. Onely I adde one thing vpon occasion of these words a Church in the new testament that as there is but one body or Church and we vnder the new testament that one or the same body or Church with the Iewes in the old so if the Ministery made the Church how much more if it were the Church could it not be that the Iewes and we should be one Church for I shall never be brought to beleeve nor I think will any man affirm it that the Ministery of an Apostle or Elder now is the same in nature with the Ministery of a sacrificing Levite vnder the law Wee are by faith sonnes and daughters of Abraham and partaker of the covenant and promises and by fayth grafted in their holy root and in this stands our onenes with them but neyther in the Ministery nor in the government nor in any other ordinance which are but manners of dispensing that covenant and those divers changeable where the covenant is nothing lesse And for the former of your reasons howsoever the place you bring Act. 15. 3. proves no such matter yet is the thing true you say namely that a part of the Church is sometimes called by the name of the whole but what part not the officers but the brethren the saynts as being the matter an essentiall cause of the Church the Elders not so as being but for the assistance and well being of it And so the Church gives both being and denomination to the Elders but not the Elders to the Church which is never called the Church of the Elders as they are called the Elders of the Church and so are of it and not it of them That which you adde of inconveniences and discommodities following vpon your doctrine not to be regarded is frivolous except by them you mean absurdities and inconsequences â—a alâ—gâ— in theologia as they call them and then they are to be regarded as never necessarily following vpon any truth for the truth brings forth no errour by true consequence The sixth Reason of the superiour order followeth for Mr B. hath his reasons and his vnder reasons which is In it self the multitude being ever vnconstant it is instability vnorderlynesse where every one is a like equall it is the nourse of confusion the mother of schisme the breeder of contention These very same things have been formerly objected by you in the fourth part of your 5. argument and there cleared The truth is the drawing of all power into the officers hands breeds in them pride and arrogancy and in the people ignorance and security And for your contemptuous vpbrayding of Gods people in this book with inconstancy
which those holy things are to be vsed Psal. 147 19. Rom. 3. 2. 9. 4. and that we are as well to look in what fellowship and communion we receive the holy things of God as what the things are we do receive And as in the naturall body there must first be a naturall vnion of the parts with the head and one with an other before there can be any action of naturall communion eyther between the head and the members or one member and an other so in this spirituall body the Church the members must first be vnited with Christ the head and become one with him before they can any way partake in his benefits oâ— haue communion with him eyther in the merits or vertue of his death and obedience Ioh. 15. 2. 4. 5. Rom. 8. 1. as also one with an other as members of the same body vnder him the head before they can communicate in their works or operations Communion in works and actions doth necessarily presuppose vnion of persons And if it be true which Mr B. labours so much to justify both in his former and latter writing that a man is onely to look to his own person that it be holy and to the thing in hand that it be commaunded of God and that it matters not to how vnholy a society this holy person adjoynes himself in the communion of this holy thing then may â—e lawfully repute and acknowledge an assembly of atheists haeretiques and idolaters though as the assembly gathered Mark 5. 9. usurping the holy things of God for the temple of the living God and for his sonnes and daughterâ— among whom he doth dwell and walk there There may he call upon God as their common father and say with faith as Christ hath taught his discipls our father there may he have coÌ„munion in the body and blood of Christ as with the members of Christ. But the Lord Iesus in teaching his Church with one hart and voice to say our father hath established an other brotherhood in giving his body and blood to be eaten and drunken of all in communion hath knit in one an other society The Apostle writing vnto the Church of Corinth compares the whole Church to a mans body and the persons in the one to the members of the other viz to the head foot â—y ear hand and other parts and endeavouring purposely to draw them to the right vse of those spirituall gifts wherewith they abounded without contempt or envie he shewes that all have need and vse each of others the head of the foot the hand of the ey and so mutually one of an other and that without the help ech of other neyther could consist Now since every part stands need of other even the head the cheifest of the feet the meanest doth it not concern the head to consider what a foot it hath the ey to see what an hand it hath and so every member to forecast that it be coupled with such other members in this body mysticall as may not fayl it in the time of need Wo be to him that is alone sayth the wise man for if he fall there is not a second to lift him vp but if two be together the one will lift vp his fellow if he fall And how behoofull both for the comfort and safety of the severall members and whole body it is that joyntly and severally all and every part be so fitted and furnished as they may faithfully discharge their duties and affoard their service vpon occasion and as need stands and how great not onely the discomfort but the daunger is when there is a fayling this way both the word of God and coÌ„mon reason and every mans own experience will teach him Wherevpon I conclude that it concernes every man as first and most to look to his own person and to consider how things stand betwixt God and himself so in the next place to take heed he joyn himself in such a communion as wherein he may with comfort call vpon God as a coÌ„mon father and partake in his ordinances by a coÌ„mon right to him the rest that being so joyned he fayl not the body or any member of it as there is need of his help service otherwise Mr B. reasons will not bear him out no not though for scores he put hundreds which being compared with the scriptures and grounds from them formerly layd down will appear to be the very froath of his own lipps neyther solid nor savoury Next Mr B. reduceth to certayn heads such places of scripture as forewarn Gods people to separate themselves and that first vnder the law as 1. from Idols of false Gods as Israel from Aegyptian Babylonish or heathenish Gods and Idolaters dwelling about them 2. From Idols of the true God as Iudah from Israell in Ieroboams time and after 3. From persons ceremonially polluted In the time of the gospell 1. From Iewes not receiving Christ but rayling against him 2. From Gentiles without Christ. 3. From Antichrist vnder the shew of Christ persecuting Christians 4. From familiarity private with men excommunicate or of lewd life c. which places you say no way concern you at all and so you give a very ample testimony of your selves if we durst beleeve your words against our own knowledge Your first head I let passe and in answer vnto your second affirm thus much that in your constitution you are partly as the Aegyptians in respect of your bondage partly as the Babylonians in respect of your confusion and partly as Ieroboams Church in respect of your Apostacy in your devised preisthood sacrifices and holy dayes the Lord having appointed no such Ministery as your preisthood no such sacrifice as your service book no such holy dayes as your single and double feasts which you have forged of your own harts Touching separation from persons ceremonially polluted it must be coÌ„sidered that ceremonies have their signification and shadowes their substance The ceremony then was that whosoever touched a dead person or a person or thing unclean was vnclean whom or whatsoever the vnclean persoÌ„touched that person or thing was vnclean so that a persoÌ„ vnclean did not onely pollute the thing he touched to himself as Mr B. vvould haue it but to others also whosoever touched the thing that he touched was polluted by it What is then the substance of these ceremonies Who is now a leper but he which hath the leprosy of sinne arysing in his forehead Who hath an issue of blood vpon him but he in whose soul and body the issue of sinne runneth vnstopped Who is the dead person now that may not be touched without pollution but he that is dead in trespasses and in sinnes And who toucheth such an vnclean person if he that becomes and remaynes one body with him by spirituall communion and a member of him touch him not RoÌ„ 12. 4. 5.
of he is inferiour to the teaching Elders and deserves lesse honour then they For so the Apostle orders things RoÌ„ 12. 7. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Now in making your Bishops Pastours Doctours you are double forgetfull of your self and double injurious vnto them and which is worse then both the rest you sin against the Lord his truth For the first in your former book you made your Bishops cheif officers in the Church and the successours of the Apostles and Evangelists and here you make them Pastours and Teachers which are the lowest orders of officers that Christ gave for the work of the ministery Ephe. 4. 11. 2. if your Bishops be Pastours and Teachers by their office what are you and the rest of your rank You and they have not the same office but you an office vnder them and so Pastours and Teachers being the lowest order that Christ hath left in his Church your order must needs be something vnder the lowest and of an others leavings then Christs 3. in making your Bishops the Pastours Teachers of the Church of England or the particular Churches in it you lay to their charge an accusation which they will never be able to answer at the day of the Lord which is their not feeding of so many thowsand sheep committed vnto them to be fedd and taught by them Lastly nothing is more vntrue and disagreable to the word of God then that your Provinciall and Diocesan Bishops are the Pastours and Teachers given by Christ to his Church There were no other ordinary officers left or appointed by the Apostles in the Churches but such as were fixed to particular congregations ordinarily called Bishops or Elders Act. 14. 23. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. And if it can be shewed that by the word of God any other officers were left or appointed in the Church after the extraordinary officers Apostles Prophets Evangelists whose gifts and places vvere extraordinary besides such Bishops and Elders as vvere limited to particular Churches I vvill yeeld this vvhole cause in the point of the Ministery and so professe The other of Mr B. answer I mynd is about the power of Christ against sin Sathan Antichrist the want whereof Mr Ainsw and that truely objecteth against the English assemblyes Mr B. defence summarily is that there is in the Church of England the preaching of the word which is the power of Christ Rom. 1. 18. as also excommunication though not in every parrish yet in the Church of England in which is comprehended all parrishes and all superiour power over them For which let the Reader observe these particulars First a national Church since Christs death and the dissolution of the Iewish Church is amonstrous compound and savours of Iudaism Secondly if the mayn part of the power of Christ be to be administred in a particular congregation by the ordinary officers thereof namely the preaching of the gospell why not the inferiour part the censures also save that the Byshops to Lord it over all will keep this rod in their own hands Thirdly the Ministers whose judgments reasons you avouch both say and prove in the latter end of your book that this power is given to a particular congregation of faithful people Fourthly you your self lay it down as a mayn ground against popularity and withal sundry scriptures to prove it that Christ hath appoynted the same sorts of men in his Church for preaching administration of the sacraments and government Lastly it is apparant that the particular Church of Corinth gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus had the power of the Lord Iesus for excommunication and so hath every other faythful assembly in the world as they had which since your assemblyes are not they may want this power without any great wrong the evil onely is that it resteth in a worse place then the worst parrish assembly the Bishops court or consistory I proceed Onely my desire is that the things which I have noted touching Christs kingly office be the more carefully observed by all the people of God and servants of Iesus in respect of that most direct opposition which in those latter dayes is made against it and the administration thereof For as in the first tymes after Christs comming in the flesh his prophetical office was directly impugned by Iewes and heathens so as it was †not lawful to speak in his name since that his preisthood by the masse-preisthood sacrifices in the popish Church so now in the last place doth Sathan in his instruments bend his force most directly against and with might and mayn oppose the sovereignty and crown of our Lord Iesus that he may not rule in his Church by his own officers and lawes The matter you say is not false and to shew this you note a difference between true matter false matter and no matter As you speak that which neyther any other nor yet your selfe can vnderstand of false matter so you call them no matter which make no profession of Christ at all â—â— Iewes Turkâ—s Pagans and all them true matter to wit visible which openly professe this â—â—yn truth that Iesus the sonne of Mery is the sonne of 〈…〉 Christ the Lord by whom onely and 〈…〉 they shal be saved Many greivous errours are bound vp 〈…〉 invective of Mr Bernards but for prophanenes this one surmounts them all For what can be spoken more prejudicial to the glorie of God or deragotory to the body of Christ hâ—â— that any person but pronouncing so many words how fil 〈…〉 ious soever he be in his life or what errours soever he mingle with this truth is notwithstanding true visible matter of the Church or a true member of Christs body visibly or so far as men can iudg and so must be received acknowledged Against this odious and prophane errour I wil first deal by some clear Arguments proving the contrary and then come to the allegations he makes for his vngodly purpose If all that professe this mayn truth Iesus the son of Mary c. be true matter of the Church then are most notable haeretiques true matter of the Church The Apellites Câ—rdoâ—â—ans and Marcioâ—â—â—es holding two contrary beginnings or Gods the one good the other evil the Macedonians denying the Holy Ghost to be God the Cerâ—â—â—hyans holding that Christ is not yet risen from the dead the Paternians affirming the inferiour parts of the body of man to be created of the Divill the Patricâ—â—â—â— holding so of the whole body the Novatians and Cathari denying repentance to them that sin the Nicholaitans holding community of all things the Swenk seldians and Enthusiasts denying the outward ministery wayting vpon the revelation of the spirit alone and with these many others as ill or worse then they professing notwithstanding this mayn truth as the most of them did and do Then are excommunicates true matter of the
lawes of men but Pauls word even the preaching or publishing of the gospel is the proper means which the Lord hath sanctifyed for that purpose though I doubt not but there both hath been and is great vse of the Magistâ—â—â—â—â— authority for the furtherance of the gospel that way When the Lord Iesus purposed to advance the scepter of his king â—â—me he sent out his Apostles not furnished with sword and â—pâ—â—â— noâ— yet backed with humayn lawes or authority but with châ—â—ge and commission to publish and declare his holy commâ—â—ndâ—ments and the things which he had taught them and thâ—reby to 〈◊〉 Disciples or gayn subiects vnto his kingdom Math. 2â— 19. 2â— which they also practised admitting and initiaâ—ing mâ—n into â—â—â— Church vpon their voluntary submission vnto and 〈◊〉 of the â—ayth of Christ. Nâ—â—â—â— vnto â—â—â— be added a second consideration namely where and to â—â—â— a the Apostles were first to preach and to 〈◊〉 th◠〈◊〉 commission received from Christ it wil both gâ—ve lighâ— to the â—oâ—nt in hand and discover the vanity of a distinctâ—â—n in Mr B. â— book to which he trusteth much and therefore â—â—th oâ—t â—â—r the gathering and establishing of Churches after the P 〈…〉 by fyâ—â— and sword without any further respect then the magistrates authority the summe whereof as also of that he infeâ—reth upon it is that to a Church in the fâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 that iâ— as â—â— eâ—poundâ— himselfe gathered of inâ—iâ—els and of such a people â—â—â—re no Church 〈…〉 there is required preaching and 〈◊〉 going bâ—fore with the word and profession of the name of Christ but for a people that are not infidels but Christians hâ—â— corrupt soever aâ—â— a Church â—â— suâ—h preachiâ—â— on the one side nâ—◠〈◊〉 of â—â—yth on the other is râ—qâ—ired 〈…〉 compel with the feare of the swâ—â—â— the Magistrate authority is sufficient in such a case Let the Reader behold this bold mans grosse ignorance and contradiâ—tions and if he wil not open his eyes to see them he mâ—y feel them with his hand so palpable are they I wil lay them down in these particulars â—â—â—st he affirmeth pag. 176 that the Lord taâ—â—s a peâ—ple to be 〈…〉 and that commâ—â—â—dements are for his people to â—â—â—â—â—â—â—m and nâ—t to make them 〈…〉 maâ—s commaâ—ndemeâ—t makâ—s not a servent but declâ—â—es such a one to be â—is â—â—â—vant already and so he gives God not more power to commaund the wicked and vnbeleevers then a man hath to commaund another mans servant and yet here he tells vs that before a people can become a Church Paul must goe with the word and expresly pag. 277. that the Lord to make mâ—n his people gives tâ—em his word and quoâ—es Math. 28. 19. to prove it Secondly by this his distinction and his inferences vpon it he makes all the Iewes to whom Iohn Baptist Christ and the Apostles preached and which were baptised by them or any of them to have been Infidels before and nâ— Church no Christianâ— And â—â— he affirms directly pag. 262. though I suppose he considerâ—t not where in answer to a proposition of Mr Aynsworthes that the Churches of Christ were established of saynts onely men visibly 〈◊〉 confirmed amongst other scriptures by Math. 3. 6. he pâ—â—emptorily avouches and so builds vpon it that that pâ—oposition scripture amongst the rest is to be vnderstood of a people which is no Church no Christians so the Church of the Iewes at that tyme must be no Church and they no Christians with this man for of them that scripture speaks whatsoever Peter and Paul say to the contrary Thirdly since the Apostles being sent by Christ to teach and make Disciples were to begin their ministration amongst the Iewes in Ierusalem Iudea and else where which is the consideration I formerly mentioned and so by the publishing of the gospel of fayth on their part and by the profession of fayth and confession of sinns on the peoples part to gather and establish particular Churches and that the Church of the Iewes was at that tyme the Church of God in respect of which the establishing of these particular Churches was no new plantation but a continuation of their former ingraâ—â—ing in the same root wherein they formerly were planted not differing from it essentially but being onely reformed perfited and otherwise ordered then before it appeareth most vntrue which Mr B. affirmâ—th that the preaching of the gospel is onely necessarily required for the planting of Churches of such people as were formerly infidels and no people of God Fourthly and lastly even that which he most freely graunts in one pag. namely that at the first the word must be preached and by that means men brought to a voluntary 〈◊〉 without compulsion that he vtterly reverses and denyes in the very next pag where pleading the proclamation of Hezechiah and compulsion of Iosiah he annexeth to the same purpose as cunningly as his wit wil serve an insinuation that Mordecai for feare of whom he sayth many of the heathen for such the people were became Iewes procured of the King proclamations and other statutes for the compelling of his subiects to the Iewish religion wherein he both perverâ—s the words as the reader may see and the meaning also of thâ— scripture which is that the heathen observing the myghty and mervelous hand of God for his people and against his and their enemyes many of them became Iewes and separated themselves vnto them from the 〈◊〉 of the heathen of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel as also in alleadging to the same purpose Luke 14. 23. as he doth in another place borrowing as it seems the corrupt exposition of that scripture from the Ministers whom â—e drawes in with him in his former book of which more in due place But that I may not be caryed too far in this my digression I do first deny that the reformation by Queen Elizabeth though great in it selfe and she for it of blessed memory did in any measure equalize the reformation made by Hezechiah Iosiah and Nâ—heâ—yah in whom you most insist Mr Bernard For whereas all reformation respects eyther persons or things that which was wrought by these godly Kings and governours receives testimony from the H. Ghost himselfe to have been most full and intyre both wayes And to let passe for brevityes sake the things themselves with referring the reader to these and the like scriptures which handle that part I wil insist a litle vpon the persons about whom the question here is between Mr B. and me in whom the other parte of reformation is to be considered which wil better appear if we compare together officers with officers and people with people And first it is evident in the scriptures that those Kings Princes of Iudah did not apoint any other Preists eyther for the purging of the temple or for any other Preistly work whither of reformation or administration
then the Leviâ—es whom the Lord had chosen to stand before him to serve him and to be his Miniâ—â—ers and to â—â—â—â—â—ncense 2 Chr. 29. 4. 5. 11. And therfore when some that pretended they were Levites could not by searching find the writing of their genealogy they werâ— put from the Preisthood for the Preists of the high places which had gone astray after Idoles in the tyme of Apostacy served theÌ„ caused the people to fal into iniquity if they were not Levites and called of God but of Ieroboams institution they themselves were sacriâ—iced vpon the altars with which they had so provoked the Lord and though they were Levites and the anoynted of the Lord and so had their lives spared vpon their repentance yet were they deposed from their holy ministration and came not near vnto the Lord any more â—er vnto any of his holy things in the most holy place but were to bear tâ—â—â—r shame and their abhommâ—tions which they had wrought But what answerable vnto this can be brought forth in the reformation of the English Iudah wherein the Preists of as ill an institution or worse then Ieroboams even the institution of Antichrist were continued in the most solemn administrations yea both those which had been ordeyned and made in Queen Maryes dayes for their breaden God and those which had falâ— back from that profession of the truth they made in King Edwards dayes and caused the people to fal into iniquitie which makes the mischeif much the greater both they of the one kynde of the other being for the most part ignorant prophane and popishly affected as though eyther the sacrifice of the masse had been no Idol or that the Lord had layd no shame or other burthen vpon such Idolatrous Apostates and seducers Now for the people entreating the reader to bear in mynd what I have formerly manifested as that neyther the whole English nation ever was the Lords true visible Church as the Iewish nation was nor if it were at the first could so remayn in the deep Apostacy of Antichrist I do adde that no man can by the word of God affirme the same things in any measure of the people of England in the beginning eyther of King Edwards or Queen Elizabeths reign which the scriptures dâ— of the people of the Iewes in the tyme of Hezechiah Iosiah Nehemiah and other the like godly instruments of reformation First for Hezechiahs tyme it appeareth that after the Levites â—ad sanctifyed themselves and the house of the Lord they offred after al solemn manner â—sâ—â—n offering for the kingdome and for the sanctuary and for Iudah the King and the congregation laying their hands vpon the sacrificâ—s thereby confessing that they were guilty of death and deriving their guilt vpon the goats in figure but vpon Christ in truth whom they figured and afterwards when the congregation was to â—â—â—â—g sacrifices and every one that was willing in hart burnt offerings it is sayd the burnt offerings â—â—re many yea so many as the Preists were not able to sâ—â—â— them all and that all the people reioyced that God had made the people 〈◊〉 Adde vnto this that which is written chap. 30. v. 11. 12. that dâ—â—â—rs of Ashâ—â— Mâ—nasseth and Zâ—bulun did submit themselves vnto the counsel of Hezechiah and that willingly for he had no authority over them at all and came to Ierusalem of whom the Lord also testifieth that they prepared their whole heart to seek the Lord God c. and for Iudah that the hand of God was with them â—â— that he gave them one hart to do the commaundment of the King and of the rulers according to the word of the Lord and lastly that the whole assembly kept the passeover with ioy and that all the congregation both straungers and those that dwelt in Iudah reioyced with the Preists and Levites who also blessing them had their voyce heard in heaven and their prayer in the Lords holy habitation And for Iosiahs tyme it is written that he the Preists and all the people from the greatest to the sâ—â—lest went vp into the house of the Lord that he read in their eares all the words of the book of the covenant and that he stood by his piller and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commaundments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart c. caused or appoynted for the word signifieth no more all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand vnto it and that the inhabitants of Ierusalem did according to the covenant of God the God of their fathers Thirdly for the estate of the people in Nehemiahs tyme with whom also I ioyn Ezra in the work of reformation first it appeareth that none were constrayned to return to Ierusalem for the building of the Lords house but such amongst the people as would and with whom their God was were by the proclamation of Cyrus to return and secondly that * Ezra and such as went with him did before their jorney humble themselues by fasting before the Lord for direction and that when they were come to Ierusalem there was much weeping and wayling by him for the sinns of the people especially for that great trespasse they had committed in taking strange wives of the people of the land together with great manifestation and practise of repentance by all the congregation and afterwards in the book of Nehemiah when all the people were assembled together in the â—â—ry street the same Ezra and the Levites with him read and expounded the law â—â— to them to the great humbling of all the people at the first and afterwards to the great reioycing of them all when they vnderstood the words which were taught them and thus they practised every day even from the first day vnto the last all the seven dayes whylst the fâ—â—st 〈◊〉 and in the last place and for the shutting up of all confessing their sinâ—s and the iniquities of their fathers with fasting sackcloath and earth vpon them they made a sure covenant and wâ—â—â—â—e it sealed it and swore vnto it the Princes Levites Preists and people all that were separated from the people of the â—â—â—d vnto the law of God their wives sonnes and daughters all that could vnderstand the cheaf for the rest that they would walkin Gods law which was given by Moses the servant of God to observe and dâ—e all the commaundements of God and his iudgments and statutes Vnto these former scriptures I wil annex one other of the same nature with them and respecting the case of reformation It is recorded therefore of Alia a godly King of Iudah having in the beginning of his reign abolished idolatry â—â— the monuments of it and commaunded Iudah to seâ—k the Lord God of their fathers c. that afterwards vpoÌ„ the exhortation of the Prophets
men It is an outward pledge or symbole of the coÌ„munion which the faithful haue with Christ for of that the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. directly and so by coÌ„sequence one with another bycause it vnites Christ the head with his own members one of them with another doth it therefore vnite Christ or his true members with the true apparant visible lims of the Divil which all vngodly men and women are This is the force of Mr Br. arguments Bycause the L. supper is of this or that vse unto them to whoÌ„ by the word of God it apperteyns therefore it hath or must be judged to haue the same vse amongst them which are apparant vsurpers of it and to whom by the word of God it apperteyns not There is nothing more coÌ„mon in both his books then this kind of deceiptfull arguing Here is yet an Arg of coÌ„parisoÌ„ to be taken knowledg coÌ„sidred of the rather because the author both wills the reader to note it in the margent and repeats it himself over over in the text The Argument is that aâ— continual siâ—nes corruptions of the hartâ— of the elect do not make theÌ„ false Christians before God or no true invisible meÌ„bers of Christ so neyther do outward offences or corruptions mâ—k open professors of the saith false Christians before men or no true visible members of Christ. True no more due proportion observed namely thaâ— those outward offences do not reign in the mortall bodyes of men â—â— the inward corruptions do not reign in the hearts of the elect But let the reader here remember the subiect of the quaestion which is men of lewd conversation and deserving to be excommunicated and then the noting of Mr B. Arg wil be like Davidâ— noting the Amalâ—kites tydings of the death of Sâ—ul and Ionathan to the destruction of him that brought them For by the same rule of proportion I argue thus As they in whose hearts sinns and corruptions reign inwardly are no true Christians before God nor actuall members of Christ invisibly so they in whose lives and conversations sinnes and corruptions reign outwardly are no true Christians before men nor members of Christ visibly And here comes to my mind an other argument much what like this in Mr B. 2. book where he will have a mixt company of godly and wicked persons to be called holy or a company of saynts as well as a person holy in whom there is a mixture of the spirit and flesh But the difference is playn In this mixt body of godly wicked sin reigns in some of the members but in no part of body or faculty of soul of a person in whom the spirit is though never so much flesh be mingled with it doth sinne reign He might as well say the whole Church so mixt shal be saved for the whol man shal be saved by faith in Christ notwithstanding all mixture in him Now the conclusion Mr B. makes that their congregations professe Christ as is before sayd that God hath given them his holy word and sacraments moved the harts of all of them outwardly to receive both the one and the other is vnproved and vntrue For first there is no one congregation in the Land whose particular members made that holy profession in any measure by according to which the Apostles did constitute and vnite visible congregations Secondly I deny that the Lord hath given his sacraments to any congregation in the Land there are very many in the best ordered parishes which take them without the Lords gift as being wicked vsurpers of them vnto which by the revealed will of God they have no right But here I must needs discover Mr Bernards haunt and the turning by which in his second book he vsually declines both Mr Ainsworths Mr Smyths Arguments of this nature and that is by telling them that all are not wicked amongst them that some or many haue the true knowledge of Gods word and that the fear of God possesseth the hearts of many as in this place that God hath moved the hearts of many of the people effectually and the like and that therefore we do them wrong in condemning all for some and in denying the good their right for others default To this I answer first that those that can be truely judged to fear God are thin strewed in the best places and not many in comparison of the rest as is pretended but a very small handfull and besides it is but casuall and accidentall to the congregation and nothing to the constitution of it that there is one man truely fearing God in it The parish must be a true vivisible constituted Church as well one as another and so receive the sacraments together whether the Lord have had any such work as is here spoken of in the hearts of any or no. And 2. it must be considered I pray the teader well to observe it that the quaestion here betwixt Mr B. and me and so ordinarily betwixt him and them is about the congregation which consists of all the members ioyntly and not about some particulars coÌ„sidered severally from the rest of whom the congregation consists not I am verily perswaded there are in many congregations many that truely feare God and the Lord encrease their number and graces and if they were separated from the rest into visible communion I should not doubt to account them such coÌ„gregations as vnto which God had given his sacraments but take them as they are even one with the rest in one ioynt communion as members of one body making all together one Church congregation so joyned at the first and so still remayning I deny that this Church or congregation is the Lords people in covenaunt with him or that he hath given vnto it his sacraments yea or that those which truely fear God are accepted of him in their persons have in that communion the right and lawfull vse of them in many particulars They cannot take them for pawnes and pledges of Gods love and the forgivenes of sinns to that congregatioÌ„ wherewith they ioyn in the vse of them nor as testimonies of true spirituall love amongst the persons communicating in them nor as notes badges of dâ—stinction of that assembly from all profane vnhallowed assemblies in the world And yet are all these common ends and vses of the sacrament as it is a communion or coÌ„mon vnion of the members with the head and one with another mutually Since therefore your congregations or parish assemblies are alwayes have been so constituted as that neyther the greatest part of them being prophane have any interest in the sacraments or can have any right vse of them in their persons nor yet the rest in their communion it must needs follow except the Lord have given his sacraments to them which can haue no right vse of them and to whom they apperteyn not that the Lord
the constitution for the ministery in it Now where you adde that Luther and other worthy Ministers of Christ were raysed vp out of the Romish Church you wrong him them and the truth in them whilst you would gratifie Rome and England Luthers Ministery from Rome was his Fryardome and is a Fryar a true minister of Christ by his office or of Artichrist whither Besides look what ministery the Church of Rome gave him it took from him and lastly if he had been a true officer or minister of the Church of Rome it had been sinne in him to have left his charge Touching the baptism received in the Romish Church I have formerly spoken and of our reteyning it but not our Ministery I shall speak hereafter That which is worthy consideration in the fourth Argument is the enterance into the ministery in the substance of which he tells vs there is nothing wanting by their lawes For touching the ability and desyre to teach and other graces he speaks of they no more make a minister then courage the feare of God true dealing and the hatred of of covetousnes make every man a Magistrate that is so indowed Now this entrance he layes down in 4. particulars 1. presentation 2. election 3. probation 4. ordination with imposition of hands But these in such confusion and with so many contradictions as do evidently shew what monsters an ill cause a vayn spirit meeting together will gender and bring forth First in his former book pag. 136. he places the whole calling or as he speakes the making of a Minister in ordination and comprehends vnder it as the 3. parts of it 1. examination 2. election 3. admission with imposition of hands In his second book he makes ordination but the fourth and last part of his calling pag. 295. as in deed it is and the same with admission The reason why he would thus advance ordination is bycause that in Engl is all in all being done by a Bishop yea though it be by the Bishop of Rome And so they call their book they make ministers by the book of ordination not the book of election or choise or calling of Ministers The Bishops Lordship swallowes vp the peoples liberty and if he but lay his hands vpon a man bid him Receive the H. Ghost he is a minister of the Church sufficiently ordered 2. Where in his former book he puts examination or probation before election in his â— he would haue election first and the probation or tryal of the partyes gifts and graces to come afterwards mis-interpreting that which is written 1 Tim. 3. 10. of probation to be made before election And the Reason of this I conceive to be bycause the Ministers in England are not onely elected but fully made before any such tryall be taken of them But I come to the particulars and first to that which he calls presentation for which he quotes Act. 1. 23 and 6. 6. In which scriptures especially in the latter of them he is much mistaken the presentation there spoken of not being before but after election The cause I suppose of this his confused wryting is the confused practise in his Church wher the Patrone presenteth his clerk both after his chusing and ordeyning But for the thing it self vnderstanding by presentation the nomination of the person to be chosen or considered of for choyce as the officers are in all other things to goe before the people so in this ordinarily provided alwayes the brethrens liberty be not infringed but that they may present or nominate others if any amongst themselves seeme more fit Now for the examination and tryall of the partyes gifts and graces as we all know what it is in the Church of England where if a man have the gift of subscription conformity canonical obedience though other gift or grace he have none he is a tryed minister and so reputed which if he want be his other gifts and graces never so eminent he is neyther to enter into nor being entred to continue in his Ministery so do the things which you write in your former book touching this tryall examination of men before they be choseÌ„ into the Ministery notably condemn both the ministery of your Church which you labour to iustify and on the contrary iustify sundry practises amongst vs which els where you condemn for notable errours The particulars are these 1. First that the gifts of him that is to be chosen must be examined according to those things which the place wherein he must be requireth and God hath commaunded 2. that the place or office of the Ministery consisteth principally in the preaching of the word administration of the sacraments and prayer 3. that the first namely the preaching of the word is to be preferred in the first place as being first imposed Math. 10. 28. 29. and most necessary both to beget and preserve a people Iam. 1. 18. Prov. â—9 15. 4. that the knowledge zeale and vtterance of of â—â—â— party to be elected must be examined Whereupon these things follow First that by your own graunt men out of office may preach administer the sacraments and prayer and so exercise their gifts and graces of knowledge zeal vtterance But as there is some difference in the respect in hand between the sacraments on the one side and the word and prayer on the other bycause there is no speciall gift required for the administration of them as there is for the latter so is the exercise of prophesying and prayer out of office so much impugned by you vndenyably iustified by this your own position And as it is a very presumptuous evill to call any man into the office of a teaching Elder whose gift in teaching hath not been sufficiently tryed out of office so is it no lesse presumption in a Church to set a man over herself for government of whose both ability faithfulnes in the reproving censuring of sinns and in other publick affaires of the Church she hath not taken good tryall 2. If this be true that the office of the Ministery consist principally in the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments prayer how is that true for which you have so much contended in the former part of your book that the authority to censure offenders is in the cheif officers and governers of the Church as their speciall prerogative Can a lesse principall work be the peculiar priveledge of a more principall office It is against the light of nature and common reason More particularly this observation by you truely made with that also which followeth namely that the preaching of the word is to be praeferred in the first place overthrowes the order both of the Prelacy and Preisthood of your Church For if the preaching of the gospel be the principall work of the Ministery and to be preferred in the first place then are not your Provinciall and Diocesan
onely to a speciall work but not called to any office 3. It appeareth that Paul and Barnabas were not separated sent by the governours onely but by the Church with them wherin they ministred and which joyned with them in prayer and fasting and so consequently in dismissing or letting them go ver 2. 3. though most like the ceremony of imposition of hands was performed onely by the Teachers and Prophets but with the foregoing consent of the Church according to the expresse direction of the holy Ghost And that not the governours severally but the Church with them separated and sent them vnder the Lords expresse nomination appears evidently Act. 14. 27. where vpon their return they made relation not to the officers but to the Church gathered together for that purpose what things the Lord had wrought by theÌ„ that so not onely the grace of God towards the Gentiles might be taken knowledge of and magnified but also that their service ministration might be approved to the Church which sent them And thus all may see how injurious this man is to the right and liberty of the brethren as formerly in the censures so here in the choise of officers making the governours alone the Church both in the one and the other And being both of them Church matters and parts of the publique administration of Christs kingdom the same scriptures which demonstrate the peoples interest in the one do conclude the same in the other In the beginning the Lord Iesus and his Apostles by his spirit appointed none other true visible Churches but particular coÌ„gregations of faythfull people for of the vanity of representative Churches in the new testament I have formerly spoken but as knowledge puffeth vp so within a few ages the officers and governours of the Church being men of knowledge began to swell with that poysoned humour of pride ambition wherewith Antichrist had infected them especially when they were once setled in peace and plenty and taking withall partly advantage by the peoples negligence in themselves and superstitious admiration of their guides and partly occasion by the abuse of their liberty have been bold to engrosse the liberties of the whole Church into their own hands and with them the name They alone must haue the keyes of the kingdome of heaven hanging at their girdell for the opening shutting of heaven gates which is all one as if in playn termes they should affirm that to them alone were committed the oracles of God the gospel of salvation see Rom. 3. 2. Iude 3. They alone must speak in the Church to adifâ—ing exhortation and comfort and so all the brethren must be silenced in the exercise of prophecying To them alone must the complaints of sinns be brought and they alone must be heard in the reforming of them and thus must the bottomles gulf of the governours authority svvallovv vp the brethrens liberty in the reproving and censuring of offenders They alone are to separate and chuse the ministers and of this branch of the povver of Christ amongst the rest must the body of the Church be stript And as there is no end of errours vvhere they once begin especially of those vvhich tend to the advancement of the man of sin in his Ministers above all that is called God so hath this iniquity prevayled yet further even to the bereaving of the people of the cup in the Lords supper and of the very scriptures in their mothers tongue the Preists alone communicating in both parts of the supper and inclosing the scriptures themselves vvith in the Romish or Latine language vvhich they alone to speak of vnderstood Yea to conclude so effectuall hath the delusion of Satan been this vvay that it hath been vniversally taught and beleeved that an implicite faith vvas sufficient in the lay people that no more vvas required of them then to beleeve as the Church that is the guides and governours of the Church beleeved though they were vtterly ignorant what their fayth was And what lesse in effect doth M. B. affirm in his 2. book where he writes that if the cheif do voluniarily receive professe proclaym a faith or religion it is to be accounted the act of all though the inferiours come not to consent he might as well haue added though they be ignorant of it or what it meanes Yea doth not this conclusion follow vpon the former ground that the officers are the Church Mat. 18. for the reproving censuring of offenders and for the binding loosing of sinns If the Officers be the Church for one religious or spirituall determination why not for an other And if the censures agreed vpon and ministred by the Officers be by way of representation the censures of the Church without the actuall consent of the people why is not the faith agreed vpon and published by the officers the fayth of the Church by way of representation before the peoples distinct knowledge of it or actuall consent vnto it Put the case the officers change their auncient fayth in some mayn point wherein the body of the Church still abideth and so differeth from them and that they take occasion to excommunicate some brother or brethrâ—n that most opposes them if this excommunication of the officers be the excoÌ„munication of the Church representatively without the peoples consent then is this new faith also of the officers for which this excommunication is practised the faith of the people notwithstanding their not onely not consenting vnto but their vtter dissenting from the same Now as the governours did thus engrosse the power and libertyes of the Church so no marvayl though with them they assumed the name Hence is it that they alone are called the Church the Clergy the spiritually the prophane idiotish laity are excluded both from the title and thing Symon the Sadler Toâ—â—kâ—â— the Taylour Belly the Bellowes-maker must be no Church men nor meddle with Ch matters As though it were eyther not true or to no purpose which is written that Christ himself vvas a Carpenter Paul a â—enâ—maker Peter Andrew Iames Iohn Fishermen One onely thing more I vvill adde so conclude this point which is that the Preists vvere not more eager at the first vpon the people till they had svvallovved vp their liberty then they vvere afterwards one vpon an other till one had gotten all from whom as from the Catholick visible head all power should issue and be derived to the severall partes of the body And hovv clean a vvay Mr Bern. and others vvhich knovving better have the more sin make to this mischeif in pleading that Paul alone 1 Cor. 5. the severall Angels alone in the severall Churches Rev. 2. 3. vvere to reform and censure abuses let the vvise reader judge The 2. allegation made by Mr B. against vvhich I except is that the Ministers vvith them have all things in substance required by the word of God for
true holynes as the Collect for the first sunday in Lent witnesseth But admit the Ministers of Engl taught foundly in all the mayn points of religion as I acknowledge some doe in the most yet did this no way prove them true Ministers of Christ that is lawfully called to true offices in the Church In what mayn point of religion as you valew points could Corah be chalenged and yet he was no true Preist of the Lord but an vsurper of that office v. 10. 11. as on the contrary they were true Preists in respect of their office who deceived the people here and every where as the scriptures manifest So that both he which is no true minister of Christ may teach the maâ—n truthes of religion and he also that is a true Minister may erre greatly yet not presently cease to bear both the place and name of a true minister of Christ. Otherwise all Ministers are Popes that cannot err To end this Argument Mr B. in both his books vvould have probation and tryall to be made of a mans gifts and graces before he be admitted into the ministery And not onely he but Paul himself amongst above the rest requires aptnes to teach and ability to exhort with wholesome doctrine and as this gift must be in him so must it be known to be in him before he can be lawfully called into the ministery and this Mr B. affirms expresly and that by the exercise of this gift his knowledge zeal and vtterance is to be manifested Wherevpon I conclude that if tryall by sound doctrine must be made of them which are no ministers at all as indeed it must in the exercise of prophesying then cannot sound doctrine be any sufficient tryall that is proof or Argument of a true minister The sixth Argument for the justification of the ministers in Engl. is Gods ordinary and dayly assistance of them in theyr ministery for the working mens conversion vnto the Lord. God forbid I should eyther deny or make doubt of the effectuall conversion of men vnto salvation in Engl. neyther doth Mr Ainsworth say as you charge him in your 2. book that none are converted by you but he shewes first how you coÌ„tradict your selves in saying that you convert men to God and yet affirm that the same persons before their conversion were true Christians and 2. that considering the swarmes of graceles persons wherewith all your parrishes are filled you have more cause of blushing then of boasting this way But this I deny that the conversion of men vnto God is a sufficient Argument to prove a true minister of Christ that is to prove a lawfull calling into a true office of ministery according to Christs testament It is most evident that whosoever converteth a man vnto God that person doth in truth and in deed minister the word of God the spirit by the word so may be sayd to be sent of God but that every one whom God so honoreth though never so ordinarily should therefore be a true Church officer lawfully called to publique administration which is the quaestion betwixt Mr B. and me is most vntrue coÌ„trary both to many scriptures which shew that men in no office may and to much experience which shewes they do convert and save sinners And if onely officers may convert vnto the Lord to what purpose should private persons exhort instruct and reprove any vpon any occasion whatsoever But here I am driven to take vpon me the defence of them whom Mr B. pag. 299. of his 2. book challengeth for cavellers upon the same ground he chalengeth Mr Ainsworth for deceipâ—ful dealing pag. 304. of the same book Mr Ainsworth denyes that qualification with good gifts is a proof of a lawful Minister Herein sayth Mr B. he severs deceiptfully things to be conioyned for this reason with the rest in my book shewes who is a true Minister In like maner we except against his 6. Argument affirm that others besides Ministers do coÌ„vert men to God that therfore conversioÌ„ argues not a true minister This is cavelling sayth Mr B. for both these and others may convâ—rt and agayn this is but one Reason but there be mâ—re besides which are sufficient to prove our ministery And is it cavelling in vs or ignorance in you thus to speak you do acknovvledge pag. 304. that qualification with good gifts is a Reason amongst the rest to shew a true Minister and pag. 298 you make the conversioÌ„ of men a distinct argument to prove the same thing And know you not that every sound Reason or Argument must prove or argue of it self the thing for vvhich it is brought Many Reasons indeed or Arguments may be produced to prove one and the same thinge and so for further confirmation may follovv one vpon another but so as every one of them severally be of force to prove the thing in quaestion othervvise it is not vvorthy the name of a Reason or Argument but is a meer sophistication Eyther therefore Mr Bernard bring such Arguments as vvil of themselves evince that they are brought for and then reckon them vp by sevens as you do here or by tvventies if you vvill as els vvhere you doe or els cease to abuse the Reader vvith a multitude of maymed proofs as your custome is Novv bycause the conversion of men to God is much vrged by the Ministers and much stood at by many vvell minded people as indeed both in equity and good conscience men are to respect the instruments of Gods mercy tovvards them I vvill enlarge my self in this point further then othervvise I vvould And first for the tvvo scriptures quoted in both your books Rom. 10. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 9. 2. from the former of vvhich you coÌ„clude that bycause you so preach as people thereby do heare beleeve call vpon God you are therefore sent of God Let the Reader here observe that the Apostle in both these places speaks of the conversion of Heathens and Infidels to the fayth of Christ as were the Romayns and Corinthians before the preaching of the Gospel vnto them and so let him demaund of Mr B. whether the Ministers in England haue had the same effect in their preaching vnto the people there with them that preached vnto the Romayns and Corinthians and brought them by preaching from infidelity to beleeve in God If they haue then vvere the people Infidels before and vvithout faith and so are the rest not thus effectually converted by their preaching if not how then stands the comparison or proportioÌ„ between the effect of their Ministery then and theirs in England now or what Argument can be taken from these effects compared together In the generall I confesse there is a proportion and so in that generall and large sense wherein Mr B. pag. 313. expounds the word sent or Apostle I do acknowledge many Ministers in Engl sent of God
more then tyme I come to the mayn controversie about succession which might be layd down summarily in these words whether the reformed Churches were bound to submit notwithstanding their separation from Rome vnto such ministers onely as were ordeyned by the Pope and his Bishops but for the better clearing of things I will enlarge my speach to these three distinct considerations First whether the Ministery be before the Church or no. 2. Whether the delegated power of Christ for the vse of the holy things of God be given primarily and immediately to the Church or to the Ministers 3. Whether the Lord haue so linked the Ministery in the chayn of succession that no Minister can be truely called and ordeyned or appointed without a praecedent Minister Touching the first of these Mr Ber affirmeth as in his former book that the Officers make the Church and give denomination vnto it so expresly in his 2. book that the Ministery is before the Church And noting in the same place a two fold raysing vp of the Ministery the first to beget a Church the second when the Church is gathered he puts the Ministers in both before the Ch in the former absolutely in the latter in respect of their Office and ordination by succession from the first In which discourse he intermingleth sundry things frivolous vnsound and contradictory Now for the first entery I desire the reader to observe with me that the quaestion betwixt Mr Bernard and me is about ordinary Ministers or officers of the Church such as were the first Ministers of the reformed Churches and as Mr B and I pretend our selves to be and not about extraordinary Ministers extraordinarily miraculously or immediately raysed vp as were Adam and the Apostles by God and Christ whom he produceth for examples Admit the one sort being called immediately and miraculously may be before the Church yet cannot the other which must be called by men and those eyther the Church or members of the Church at the least Besides the word Minister extends it self not onely vnto Officers ordinary and extraordinary but even to any outward means whether person or thing by which the revealed will of God is manifested and made known vnto men for their instruction and conversion Yea it reacheth even to God himself so far Mr B. stretcheth it where he makes God the first preacher Gen. 2. 3. As though there were a controversy between him and me whither God or the Church were first I see not but by the same reason he might avouch that the Ministers of the Church could not all dy or be deceived bycause God is free from these infirmityes It is true which Mr B. sayth that the word is before the Church as the seed which begetteth it and so is that which brings it yea whither it be person or thing which may also be called a Minister and be sayd to be sent of God as it is an instrument to convey and means to minister the knowledg of the same word will of God vnto any So if any private man or woman should be a means to publish or make known the word of God to a company of Turkes Iewes or other Idolaters he or she might truely be sayd to be their Minister and the Lords Ambassadour vnto thē as you speak Yea if they came to this knowledg by reading the Bible or other godly book that book or bible as it served to minister the knowledg of Gods wil in his word might truely in a generall sense be accoūted as a Minister vnto thē But what were all this to a Church-officer about whō our quaestiō is These things Mr B. shuffles together but the wise reader must distinguish them so doing he shall easily discover his trisling The particulars follow And first he affirmeth that God made Adam a Minister to whom he gave a wife to begin the Church and as Adam was before his wife so is the Ministery at the first before the Church If Adams wife began the Church then is your mayn foundation overthrown namely that the ministers make and denominate the Church except you will say that Eve was a Minister Secondly it is not true you say that God made Adam a Minister before Eve was created In the same place you make and truely a Minister and Ambassadour which brings the word all one vnto whom could Adam eyther minister the word or be an Ambassadour to bring it before Eve was formed There was nothing but bruit beasts and senceles trees and to them I suppose he brought it not The truth is Adam and Eve were the Ch. not by his but by her creatiō which made a company or society thus we are in the first place to consider of them and of Adam as a teacher in the second place the speciall calling here and ever following after and vpon the generall Of the same force with your first proof is your 2. which you take from Ephes. 4. 11. 12. where it is sayd God gave some not onely to confirm the Church but to gather the Saynts to make a Church To let passe your boldnes with the words I except against your exposition application of them The word gathering vpon which you insist is in some bookes turned repayring and is the same in the Greek with that which is restoring Gal. 6. 1. of which I have spoken formerly Againe Paul in that place speaks not onely of Apostles other Ministers of the first raysing vp for the begetting of Churches but of Pastours and Teachers which were taken out of the Church and of the 2. raysing for the feeding of the flock You will not deny but the Apostles and brethren at Ierusalem were a Church of God Act. 1. 15. 16. when as yet no Pastours or Teachers were appointed in it and how then can your doctrine stand that the Ministers spoken of Ephe. 4. 11. 12. amongst which were Pastours and Teachers were before the Church out of which they were taken and raysed vp of God to beget a Church Yea it is evident that the very office of Pastour vvas not then heard of in the Church whereby the falsity of your other affirmation is discovered to wit that the Office of such Ministers as are of the second raysing which are taken out of the Church is before the Church Thirdly the Apostles themselves howsoever extraordinary officers immediately called and sent forth to beget other Churches both of Iewes and Gentiles were Christians before they were Apostles and members of the Church before they were Officers And the scriptures do expresly testify that God ordeyned or set in the Church Apostles amongst other Officers and this their setting in the Church doth necessarily praesuppose a Church wherein they were set as the setting of a candle in a candlestick praesupposeth a candlestick as in deed the Church is the Candlestick the officers the candles lights and starres which are set in it
manner of arguing If this lyne hold from Peter to the Pope and from the Pope to his clergy and so successively to the Ministery of England then it stands vpright if it break then doth the ministery of England which as Mr Bernard truely honestly confesseth is thus raysed fall flat to the ground as indeed it doth according to the foretelling of the Angel it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City But here it wil be demaunded of me how the Lords people comming out of Babylon separating from Rome are to obteyn and enjoy Ministers Surely one of these three wayes Eyther by the extaordinary immediate or miraculous designation of God or by succession or by the same peoples choise or appointment to which they are to minister To expect ministers by the first meanes were fancy and presumption so that by one of the two other wayes they must come necessarily The power of the holy things of God so specially of erecting the minstery is eyther tyed to the order of office so to the order of to the Popeship Praelacy under it or els to the faith of the people of God forsaking BabyloÌ„ joyning together in the covenant of AbrahaÌ„ fellowship of the gospel The former of these though Mr B be driveÌ„ to plead it in the proof of succession yet in the defence of it he is forced to disclaym disavow yeelding the Romish Ministery to be Idolatry and superstition and that he speaks of such a succession as requires with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer pag. 188. and agayn that he meanes by succession a continuance of Gods ordinance by persons elected thereto from tyme to tyme being of spirituall kindred by the fayth of doctrine by which the ordinance is vpheld and true succession mainteyned pag 190. With which graunt of his I might rest as indeed wherein he yeeldeth the whole cause and cutts off as it were with his own hands the cord of true succession in the Ch of Rome making it to fayl when the truth of doctrine and of election fayled in the same Ch But bycause it is so common a thing with him to say and vnsay and to say agayn the same things eyther forgetting himself or thinking others forgets or bycause he would say something to every thing though never so contrary both to the truth and himself in another place I will presse Mr Smythes other Arguments The third of which is that by the doctrine of succession men are bound absolutely to sin in joyning to the sinns of the Minister This is sayth Mr B to take vnproved a principle of Brownism to overthrow a truth namely that a man cannot receive the holy things of God but he must needs sin with others And is it so indeed Doe not the scriptures every where teach men to avoyd reiect and hold accursed false teachers haeretiques and idolaters and not to partake in the sinne of others eyther by practising them or giving consent or countenance vnto them Wherevpon it followeth that the doctrine which binds the Ministery and other holy things of God vnto succession and thereby to partake with haeretiques and false teachers or at least with such in their ministration as have received the power and authority by which they minister froÌ„ the Pope and his Praelacy bynds men to sinne in joyning with the sinns of the Ministers Of the Iewish Church Preisthood which Mr Berâ—here objects I haue spoken formerly and do now adde that as no man is now so tyed to any Church or Ministery in the world as was every faythfull person in the world then to that one temple and Preisthood at Ierusalem so neyther could any man then without sinn communicate with an â—aereticall or idolatrous Preist especially ministring in a false office and by the like calling and coÌ„mission which the Ministers both in Rome and England doe In the 4. Argument Mr Ber deales dishonestly Mr Smiths inference vpon the doctrine of succession is that then the Lord hath made the Ministers Lords over the Church so that the Church cannot have or enjoy any of the Lords ordinances or holy things except they will consent vnto them for the holy things are in their power Now Mr Ber. onely trifles about the word Lord and passeth by the substance of the inference which is most sound vpon the doctrine For if the Lords ordinances and holy things be tyed to the Ministers then without their consent there can be no vse of them And so where Ministers eyther are not or not willing to coÌ„municate them there can be no Church no electioÌ„ of Ministers no keyes of the kingdom and so no salvation as I have formerly manifested vpon Math. 16. 19. The sum of Mr Smithes 5. Argument is that then the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church vniversall the Bishops their whole Dioceses and Provinces and the Praesbytery the particular Church whereof it is Your answer Mr Bernard is that this were to do the Pope a great favour to prove him to have an vniversall power c. and 2. that by this sequell of Mr Smythes this absurdity would follow that the Bishop might cast out the Church out of the Church It is you that do the Pope this great favour though you would not own it For if the Ministery make the Church and that Rome be a true Church then must the ministery of Rome be true specially of the Pope from which the other is derived as from the head Agayn if the ordinatioÌ„ by the Bishops in the impure Church of Rome be the Lords order as you expresly affirm p. 145. of your former book then must the Popes vniversall power by which the Bishops doe vniversally ordeyn be the power of the Lord which from him he hath received for that purpose They which hold that the power of the keyes was given first immediately to the Apostle Peter so to the Popes of Rome his successours they hold that the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church so they which hold the Bishop or his substitute to be meant where Christ sayth tell the Church they must necessarily hold that the Bishop or his substitute may excommunicate his whole Province or Dioces and so of them which hold the Praesbytery to be the Ch there spoken of for the particular assembly over which it is The Church there meant may excoÌ„municate any brother or brethren whom or how many soever that refuse to hear her as the Church of Corinth to whoÌ„ Paul writ might judge all them which were within and not without vnder the Lords iudgement The substance of the seventh last objection is for the 6. hath no weight in it that the doctrine of succession overthrowes it self and the Reason is bycause one POPE doth not make another by ordination whyles he lives but the Cardinals do by Election make the new Pope after the death of the former So that the Pope receiving his
and brethren with them are one the same publique body to be exercised in one and the same part of their publique communion and to make the officers publick persons and the brethren private in the cōmunion is to make a schisme in the Church and to make the brethren part of the cōmunion in the administration of the word sacraments prayer singing of Psalmes contribution calling of officers censuring of offenders or other Church action whatsoever private and the officers publik is to make it schismatical them in it schismatiks Thus much of the 9. errour objected The tenth foloweth which is that we say Their worship is a false worship For answer vnto this assertion Mr B refers vs to the end of this treatise and there then will wee attend for it yet somewhat will he say against it that is First that they worship no false God 2. that they worship the true God with no false worship We charge you not with the worship of any false God though wee shall see by by how in one particular you will defend your selves But the thing you should have endeavoured is to prove that your divine-service-book framed by man and by man imposed to be vsed without addition or alteration as the solemn worship of your Church is that true and spirituall manner of worshiping God which he hath appointed with which he will be worshiped in spirit trueth Of this you say little or nothing but bycause you seem to your self to say somewhat wee will see what it is The word you say preached is the true word the sacraments true sacraments the prayers we pray whether conceived or set and stinted are such as may be warranted by the word and agreable to the prescript form taught by our saviour Christ. The word preached in popery or in the most haereticall assembly in the world is the true word but the devises of men are not the true word eyther with you or them Yea the divels thēselues preached the true word when they affirmed and published that Iesus was that Christ the sonne of God the most High did they therefore perform vnto God true worship Of the sacraments I have spokē formerly have shewed that in the administration of them they cannot be reputed true It is the word of promise that makes the sacraments except then the parish assemblies joyntly considered in their members have right unto the spirituall promises of God the sacraments administred in and vnto them in that their estate cannot so be accounted true sacraments For your prayers I observe sundry things out of your own words which I may not passe over as first that you speak not properly no nor truely in saying you pray stinted prayers for you read them and who will say reading is praying you pray to God but will you say you read to God or if you so say and do is it agreable eyther to his ordinance or to cōmon reason Mistake me not as though I speak of inward prayer or of the lifting vp of the hart for I graunt a man may pray inwardly or lift vp the heart to God when he reads or preaches or sings or receives the sacraments of such prayer we neyther speak nor can discern but in our selves our speach then being of the outward act ordinance of prayer I do affirm and so marvayl if all reasonable men concurre not with me that the ordinance of reading cannot be the ordinance of praying 3. In your division of prayer wherin you make some conceived and some set and stinted you graunt that the prayers which are set and stinted are not conceived wherein you do as much as graunt that they are not of God nor according to his will The Apostle Iude directeth vs alwayes to pray in the holy Ghost and Paul teacheth that we cannot pray as we ought but as the spirit helpeth vs and begetteth in vs sighs vnutterable by the work of which spirit if our prayers be not conceived first in our hearts before they be brought forth in our lips they are an vnnaturall bastardly and prophane byrth Lastly if your stinted prayer be as you say agreable to the prescript forme of prayer taught by our saviour Christ then must none other form of prayer be vsed but a stinted or set form for none other form may be vsd but that which is agreable to the prescript form of Christ since Christ hath sayd after this manner pray Where you further add that nothing is imposed or done by you for the worship of God but the word read and preached and the sacraments and prayer I demaund of your first in worship or honour of whō are your holy dayes bearing the names of S. Michaels S. Peters S. Iohns day and the rest imposed and kept if in the honour of the Saynts Angels then are you not cleare as you make your selves from the worshipping of false Gods neyther can you exempt your selves from the number of them which in voluntary religion worship Angels if on the other side those dayes be appoynted and so kept holy in the worship and honour of God then do you and that by authority worship God by and put holines in other things then the word read preached and the sacraments and prayer yea and other things then ever came into the Lords heart to sanctify for his worship And so the place Math. 15. 9. and other scriptures to that purpose are truely though you say falsely alledged against you 2. I do demaund of you whether your Apocrypha books namely that which is placed betwixt both testaments causing the Iewes to think the new testament no better then the fables which are ioyned to it as a learned man of our nation hath observed and the other book of Homilies be enjoyned and vsed as parts of Gods worship It is evident they are so held And therefore it is that a great portion of the former is preferred in the most solemn assemblyes before the canonicall scriptures and the reading of them before the reading of the other which they justle out of their place And for the homilyes they are enioyned and so vsed in stead of the preaching of the word which is the principall part of Gods worship wherevpon it followeth that the Apocrypha wrytings of mē being preferred before one part of Gods worship which is the reading of the Canonicall scriptures and vsed in stead of an other part of Gods worship yea and that the principall part as is preaching are imposed and so vsed as partes of Gods worship So that it is not without good cause M Ber that M Ainsworth bids you prove the Apocrypha scriptures and books of Homilies the true word of God Nothing you tel vs is imposed and vsed amongst you for the worship of God but the true word of God read and preached and the sacraments and prayer now these being imposed and vsed for the
that the people of Iudah were Gods true Church before the tyme of that oth and Covenant it is true and agaynst you And I would demaund of you whether your people were Gods true Church when Popery reigned Your answer is so may our people bee You dare not say they were for then you should acknowledge the Romish Synagogue the true Church of GOD and that you had sinfully schismed from it as Mr Bern. proves agaynst you and himselfe you will not say they were not for that would make against you in the poynt in hand and would manifest as in deed it doth that the course taken with Iudah being the true Church for her reformation cannot agree with Rome or Engl as a member of the Romish Church for her reformation To that which is added in the 3. place of Coventry Northampton and some other congregations my reply is first that this is not likely to have been the deed of the congregations but of some two or three forward ministers a few of the people it may be approving of it which their successours were as like to reverse 2. They did not repent of their publique idolatry nor purpose to obey the truth in sincerity of their prophane mixture Romish hierarchy and ministery popish leyturgy and constitutions according to which all things are administred amongst them they repented not and besides they knew right well many truthes which they purposed not to imbrace 3. graunt it were as they pretend with these few parishes what must be sayd of the rest which did not so practise with whom they make and alwayes have done one entyre nationall Church or what is this to the publique and formall state of the Church of England agaynst which we deale The truth is these men thus practising were reputed and truely schismatiques in the formall constitution of the Church and by which this their dealing hath no warrant at all If we should object vnto you the Papists doctrines and practises of two or three ministers amongst you not warrantable by law you would not admit of our exception agaynst the formall established estate of your Church so neyther may we admit of yours for the practise of two or three disliking the present state of things and seeking for reformation of them Lastly wee see indeed that those Ministers doubt not to affirme that the whole land Papists and Atheists and all did in the first Parliament of the Queen enter a solemn covenant for renouncing of Popery and receiving the gospel but we would see first how all these swarmes of wicked Atheists and most flagitious persons were by the revealed will of God capable of the covenant of the new testament and the seales and other rites and priviledges of it Otherwise this haling them into covenant with the Lord agaynst his expresse will was a prophane presumptuous enterprise in it self though I doubt not arising from a godly intent in the Queen her cheif connsellers being mislead by them whom they too much trusted 2. We would see what warrant there is in the new testament for this nationall covenant or that all the people in a Land since the Land of Canaan was prophaned should unite into a nationall Church vnder a nationall government and ministery 3. That which wee answered in the 2. place to the former branch of this exception must here agayn be remembred 4. this vndoubted affirmation of the ministers touching the whole lands covenanting in the Parliament first inferreth that the enacting of civil lawes and penall statutes by Kings and States doth gather CHVRCHES for none other covenant was there in the Parliament 2. It confirmeth the popish doctrine of implicite fayth that men may receive and professe a fayth whereof they are ignorant yea which they dislike and hate so farre as they know it for so was it with the body of your nation the greatest part by farr being mere naturall men and so not knowing the gospel yea evil doers which hate the light Our 2. objection touching the outward worship wherein the Ch of England communicateth comes now to be enforced In the clearing of which the Ministers do to speak on insist onely vpon their stinted set formes of prayer for the justification of which they bring sundry scriptures as Numb 6. 2. 3. 24. Deut. 26. 3. 15. Psal. 22. 1. 92. Luk. 11. 2. Now for our more orderly proceeding I will reduce the things they say to three generall heads vnder which I will consider of the particulars shewing how in all and every of them they are mistaken First in that they do confound and make all one ordinance Blessings Psalmes and Prayers 2. In misinterpreting the scriptures they bring to prove a set and stinted form of words to be imposed in prayer 3. In concluding as they do that if Moses and Christ might appoynt and impose a certayn form of words to be vsed for prayer that then the Bishops in England or others may vse the same power and appoint an other form of words so to be vsed Of these three in order And first it is evident that howsoever some kinde of blessing and prayer be all one and so may be confounded yet that solemn kinde of blessing spoken of Numb 6. and which the PATRIARKS and PREISTS did vse in their places was cleane of an other nature In prayer the MINISTER stands in place of the PEOPLE and in their name offers vp petitions and thanksgiving to GOD But in blessing the Minister stands in the place of God and in his name pronounceth a blessing or mercy vpon the people 2. Whereas this duety of prayer may be performed by one equall to another by an inferiour to a superiour yea by a mā to himself that other of blessing is alwayes from the greater to the lesser and therefore the Apostle to the Hebrews to shew that the Preisthood of Melchi-sedek was more excellent then that of Levi proves it by this that Melchisedec blessed Abraham taking this for granted without all contradiction that the lesse is blessed of the greater 3. Mr Ber himself in this book makes prayer one thing and the blessing pronounced vpon the people when they departed another thing as he also makes singing of psalmes a third distinct thing from them both as there is cause he should For first the Apostle writing to the Corinthians of the divers giftes and administrations in the Church speaketh thus I wil pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also Answerable vnto which is that in Iames Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing both the one and other Apostle making singing and praying distinct exercises Ad vnto this that whereas in praying we are to speak onely vnto God it is otherwise in singing where we are taught to speak vnto
liberty which they vse in respect of forms of words wherein they differ ech from others shewes how litle this institution and ordinance stands vpon such stints as also how far it is from the meaning of Christ that the Churches should be thus short tyed in the vse of them The same may be sayd of the ordinance of prayer by Christ given to his Church wherein the two Evangelists that mention it do vse the same liberty as most likely would the other two also have done in respect of forms of words had they made mention of it But graunt that the words of Christ pray after this manner when you pray say are to be interpreted as these men would have it yet do I except agaynst their service-book in a double respect The first is that the reading of prayers vpon a book hath no justification from them If it be sayd that to commit a certayn form of words to the memory and from it to vtter them and to read thē vpon a book are all one I deny the consequence and though I approve not of the former yet is the latter far the worse For besides that he that readeth hath an other speaking to him as it were even he whose wryting he reades and himselfe speaks not to God but to the people to whom he reads in the former there is a kynde of vse though not lawfull of the gift of memory where in the other book-praying there is no vse of that or any other gift Secondly it followes not that bycause the Lord Iesus might impose a set forme of words to be vsed for prayer that therefore the Lord Bbs of England may impose an other set form so to be vsed The consequence is notably both erroneous and presumptuous So bold indeed are they and so high do they advance themselves in their ordinances and impositions Bycause the Lord hath separated one day from the rest and made it holy therefore they wil also make other holy dayes bycause Christ hath set down canons and constitutions for the government of his Church therefore they also will have their canons and constitutions bycause he hath appointed a form of administring the sacramēts therefore they may appoynt another form yea and that such a one as altereth and inovateth the very nature of the words of institution For where Christ would have the words of institution published and preached this is my body which is given for you they turn this preaching into a prayer the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was given for the preserv thy body and soul into eternall life c. repeating the same also to every severall communicant which Christ would have pronounced once for all according to the nature of the ordinance And thus they will set their thresholds by the Lords threshouldes and their postes by his postes and rather then they will want rowm for their own they wil pare of part his yea wholy dimolish them If the Lord Iesus appoynt one ordinance for his Church they will appoynt an other and surely so they may lawfully if they be as they are reputed protend themselves Lord Bishops and Arch Bishops of the Church and spirituall Lords over Gods heritage To these things I will adde a few reasons agaynst this read stinted service and so conclude both the matter and the book And first it cānot be an ordināce of Christ bycause the Church may perfectly and entyrely worship God without it with all the parts of holy and spirituall worship as did the Apostolick Churches for many years before any such leiturgy was devised imposed and as do many Churches now and as appeares by that which is done before after sermons where no such stint is read of what may be done at all times and in all places where able lawfull ministers of the new testament are As the administrations of the publique prayers of the Church is a principall duty of the minister for which a speciall gift and qualification is required so cannot the reading of a service book be that administration bycause no speciall or ministeriall gift is required for it The two feet vpon which the dumb ministery stands like Naebuchad-nezzars Image vpon the feet of iron and clay are the book of common prayer and of homilyes the reading of the former which is the right foot serving them for prayer of the other for preaching which feet if they were smitten as were the other with the stone cut without hands the whole Idol-preisthood would fall and be broken a peices as that other image was And here I would intreat them that have written and are perswaded so much agaynst the reading of the Apocrypha books of the Machabies those which follow them in the congregation especially them which have so sufficiently dealt against Mr Hutton his fellowes to turn the face of their Arguments generall agaynst the Apocryphall service book and they will silence that book as well and as much as the rest like women in the Church as they speak As it were a ridiculous thing for a child when he would aske of his father bread fish or any other thing he wanted to read it to him out of a paper so is it for the children of God especially for the ministers of the gospell in their publique ministrations to read vnto God their requests for their own and the Churches wants out of a service book wherin they are also stinted to words and sillables by which also they and the people with them are vnder a greater death then if they ate bread by weight drank water by measure Lastly if this vse of the service-book be sanctified of God for the publique and solemn prayers of the Church so deemed by these ministers and others the forward people in the kingdom what is the reason why they so seldom yea or rather never vse the same or any other of the like nature in their familyes but do on the contrary lay aside all books save that of the spirit by whose alone and immediate direction they are taught and according to whose suggestiōs they do put vp their supplicatiōs vnto God Do we not all know that the more forward sort of proffessours would be ashamed of any such book prayers in their families And hath the Lord sanctified that for his house which is not holy and good enough for their houses will they worship God with that worship publiquely whereof they are ashamed privately can private men bring forth the conceptions of the spirit without the help of any such service book and do the lawfull ministers of the gospell stand in need of it for the manifestatiō of the spirit of prayer given them for the vse and comfort of the Church cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing If these ministers then and others have a better sacrifice of prayer
and thanksgiving then their service book as their own practise both private and publique when they have liberty shewes they have and that so themselves judge see them learn to feare him that is a great King and whose name is terrible even the Lord of hostes To him through Christ the onely “ mayster and teacher of his Church be prayse for ever He even God the Father for his sonne Christs sake shew his mercy in all our aberrations and discover them vnto vs more and more keep vs in and lead vs into his truth giving vs to be faythfull in that wee have received whether it be lesse or more praeserving vs against all those scandalls wherewith the whole world is filled Amen CHristian Reader whilst I was printing my defence against Mr Ber Invective his reply came forth in a second treatise to which I have also given answer in all the particulars which are of weight And for that I have been occasioned by the one and other book to handle all the poynts in difference I entreat the to compare with this my defence such other oppositions especially as respect myself whither in print or writing till more particular â—nswer be given The principall scriptures brought on both sides for the present controversy expounded and applyed LEviticus 20. 24. 26. 11. 12. pag. 328. 329. Ieremy 23. 22. pag. 103. 377. The two parables of the feild and draw net Mat. 13. p. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. Math. 18. 17. Tel the Church p. 170. 171. 172. 177. 178. c. to 235. 238. 239. Math. 23. 1. 2. 3. pag. 433. 434. 435. 436. Mark 9. 39. pag. 77. Ioh. 10. pag. 385. 386. 387. 388. Ioh. 17. 6. 9. 14. 15. 16. p. 332. 333. 334. Act. 2. 40. p. 330. 331. Act. 13. 1. 2. p. 366. 367. Act. 1â— 2. 3. 4. 199. Act. 19. 8. 9. pag 331. 332. Act. 21. 18. pa. 200. Rom. 10. 14. pag. 380. 381. 1 Cor. 1. 11. pag. 190 191. 1 Cor. 5. pag. 158. 159. 190. 191. 239. 240. 241. 242. 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. p. 11. 381. 382. 383. 1 Cor. 11. 18. pag. 252. 253. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 3. 22. 24. pag. 235. 236. 237. 2 Cor. 2. 6. pag 243. 206. 207. 208. 2 Cor. 6. 12. 15. 16. 17. 18. p. 322. 323. 324. 325. 326. 327. 328. 334. 335. 336. 337. Ephe. 4. 11. 12. pag. 159. 160. 162. 163. Phil. 1. 15. 16. pag. 119. 435. 1 Tim. 4. 6. pag. 378. Titus 1. 15. pag. 251. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. pag. 44. 45. Rev. 2. 3. pa 167. 168. 169. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL matters conteyned in this treatise A OF Antiquity pa 32. 33. 50. The order of the separated Churches more ancient then that of the Ch of Engl p 40. 41. The Apostles coÌ„mission peculiar pag 147. 155. 156. Wherein ordinary Ministers succeed them pa 156. Neyther the Bishops of Rome nor Engl the Apostles successours p 405 364. Authority to be obeyed p 18. DiffereÌ„tly in things civil ecclesiasticall pa 29 30. B. The Church not constituted noâ— the members admitted by Baptism pa 283. 284. Baptism in Rome and Engl how true and how false p. 284 285. How Baptism is a note of saynt-ship of the Church p 110 See Sacraments Why wee reteyn the Baptism received in Rome and Engl not the Ministery pa 390 391. 392. 393. 394. 395. See Ordination C. Christs headship in a great measure denyed in the Ch of Engl pa 261. in the administration of his prophesy pag 262. 263. preisthood p 263 264 kingdome p 264 268. Christs kingdom and the government of it spirituall p 38. yet visible p 99. 110 The kingdom of Christ to be administred as solemnly publiquely as his prophesie or preisthood p 228 230. 350. Of the visible invisible Ch pa 105. 106 311 313. Of the gathering and constitution of the visible Church p 220 221. 292 233. See profession of fayth Who are true members of the visible Church pa 105 107. See saynts The Church no mixt company but simple and vniform p 112 121 337. Persons apparantly and visibly wicked no true members of the Church whatsoever in word they profess p 268 269 274 304 305 310. Where also Mr Bern plea for theÌ„ is disproved The constitutioÌ„ of the Church what it is and of how great account pa 73 77. 81 82 88 93 94. 95. 98. The Church superiour vnto the Officers p 200 201 217. how pa 218 219 220 223. The Officers are the Churches not the contrary pa 127 132 211. Churches are before Officers p 126. 127 211. 221. 366. 396 397 399. Without which the Ministers cannot exist p 393 294. The covenant of the L. makes the Ch in generall pa 283. 311 The Church of Engl vncapable of it p 311 313 319 221 322. 338 339 340. Two or three faithful people in the covenant of the gospell or of Abraham though without Officers are a Church p. 125 126 129 190. 423. Having interest in all the holy things of God within themselves iÌ„mediately vnder Christ pa 131. 132 See Ordination The Church may censure her Officers pag 213 220. The properties of the Church pa 341. 342 346. c. The Church to be gathered onely by the preaching or publishing of the gospel of salvatition received submitted unto pa 89 90 91 315 447 457 458 459. The Church of Engl not so gathered pa 89. 90. 91. 459. 460. Of repraesentative Churches and that the new testament acknowledgeth none such pa 194 198. and of repraesentations in religion pa 231. 302 303. 304. Of corruptions in the Church p 64 65 81 82 260. 337. how to be forborn born reformed pa. 15. 64. 68 16. No separation from a true Church p 247. How a Church ceaseth p 247. 248. 249. Of the differences betwixt the reformed Churches and vs and betwixt theÌ„ the vnreformed Church of Engl and that they both cannot possibly be rightly gathered and constituted pag. 41. 42 46. 47. 48. 52. 301. 453. 454. The Church of Engl agaynst which wee deal how to be considered p 319. 320. 339. Neyther the Church of Rome nor of Engl was ever a true Ch as was Iudah pa 277. 278. 299. 120. 121. Much lesse did they so continue in the height of Antichrists apostasie as did Iudah in her greatest defection but were dischurched 121. Mr Ber Reasons to prove Rome for the preseÌ„t a true Ch answered pag. 278. 279. 280. 281. 281. 282. 285. 286. 28â— The contrary proved pa 288. 289. 290. 291 The reformation by King Edward and Queene Elizabeth though much to be honored no way comparable to that by Hezechiah Iosiah and Nehemiah p 294. 295. 296. 297. 298 299. 300. The Church Math. 18. 17. not the Iewish Synedrion 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184 185. 186. Not the Praesbytery or Ch officers but the officers people in the order set by Christ the officers governing and the people governed 186. 187. 190. 101. 192. 193. 194. 195
haretiques may not be heard â—herefore vsurpers may You might as sensibly argue thus bycause a fornicatour must not be eaten with but iudged by the Church therefore a covetous person an idolatour a rayler may be eaten with and must not be judged contrary to the Apostles expresse writing In your 9. charge namely that we hold it not lawful to ioyn in prayer with any of you and in your comment vpon it you do vs a double injury first in saying we approve not of any of your praying for vs 2. That wee pray for you onely as wee do for Iewes Turks and Papists For as wee are perswaded we fare the better for the prayers of many amongst you and so both approve of and desire the same so do wee also pray for many as for the Lords people in Babylon and that they may at the Lords call go out of her and that as they are holy in their persons so they may be also in their Church communion and ordinances Now for the poynt it self first for your Reason by which you would prove it erroneous If say you wee hold any of you the childreÌ„ of God then our Saviour hath taught vs to ioyn with you in prayer and to say Our father with you You do wryte in another place of this book that a man justly excommunicated cast out is to be held a brother so consequently a child of God for the brethren of the Saynts are the children of God wherevpon if your Argument in this place and Position in the former place be good it must be lawfull to joyn in prayer with a man justly excommunicated I do answer then that it is true you say we ought to coÌ„municate both in prayer in al the other ordinances of God with all Gods children except they themselves hinder it or put a barre which we are perswaded they in the Church of Engl. do in chusing rather the coÌ„munioÌ„ of all the profane rowt in the kingdom vnder the Prelates tyranny then the coÌ„munion of Saynts which Christ hath established vnder his government So that it is not we which refuse them but they vs binding vs eyther to practise as we do or to coÌ„municate in one spirituall body with all the graceles persons and vile miscreants in the kingdom For as he which hath hold of any one member of the naturall body iâ— not separated from the body but holdeth the whole every member by cohaerence so he which is joyned in coÌ„munioÌ„ with one meÌ„ber of the Church is by cohaerence joyned with the whole Church and every member of it We do professe it is not in neglect of the graces of God which we acknowledge to be eminent in many that we deny coÌ„munioÌ„ with them but onely in conscience of the order which Christ hath set in testimony against the disorder which Antichrist hath brought into left in the world The order which the Lord hath set is that those which fear him should be of a true visible Church rightly gathered that any such should be out of the true Church or coÌ„mingled with all the prophane Atheists in a kingdom is a mayn part of Antichrists confusion Now if God hath set vs in the orderly coÌ„munioÌ„ of a Church we must not break our order for other mens disordered courses CoÌ„munion is a matter of order relation standing in the orderly combyning of the graces of God in two faythfull persons or more And how far order ought to praevayl with men in this case let these particulars manifest One of the Church coÌ„mits some notable sinne known to me alone which being dealt with by me he denyes and without two or three witnesses the Church may not proceed against him I must therefore still coÌ„municate with the Church and so with him as a meÌ„ber of it til God so far discover him as he can be orderly dealt with till the Lord lead him forth with the workers of wickednes And as I am to coÌ„municate with an vngodly man with whom I am orderly joyned in the Church till I can be orderly disioyned from him so by proportion I am to forbear communion with a godly man out of the Church vntill I be orderly joyned vnto him Further put the case a man be excoÌ„municated in mine absence vpon the testimony of tvvo or three witnesses and that I know he is injuryed am able to manifest his innocency to all men yet will I for order sake so am bound forbear communion with him for the praesent till his iÌ„nocency be by me sufficiently cleared Now if for order I must refuse coÌ„munion with him which is put out of the Church for weldoing by the sinne of others how much more with him that keepes out himself by his own default and sinne So that the holines of a mans person is not sufficient for coÌ„munioÌ„ but withall it must be ranged into the order of a Ch wherin both his persoÌ„ actioÌ„s must coÌ„byne vnder whose censure they must come whereas this other vnorderly course destroyes the censures which by Christs appointmeÌ„t do exteÌ„d to every brother whosoever These thinges I do desire the godly Reader indifferently and without offence to take knowledge of and to rest in this our defence if it be found according to the word of God if not to give vs knowledge by the same word of the contrary wherein we shall willingly rest and by the grace of God so practise Our 10. reckoned Errour is that ministers may not celebrate mariage nor bury the dead And this M. B affirmes we say but without scriptures First you that charge our opinioÌ„ with errour should so haue proved it by the scriptures or some Reasons from them 2. You speak against your own knowledge having seen our wrytings especially our Apology where in the 3. Petition to the KING and the fourth braunch of the sixth Position there are almost twenty severall scriptures and nine distinct reasons grounded vpon them to prove that the celebration of mariage and buryall of the dead are not ecclesiasticall actions apperteyning to the ministery but civill and so to be performed You your self M B both affirme and prove in this book from 1 Cor 12. 4. that the Lord onely praescribes the dutyes to be done in every distinct office of ministery in the Church And the Apostle testifieth that the scriptures being divinely inspired do make perfect and fully furnished the man of God or minister to every good work of his calling Now I suppose M. B will not be so ill advised as to goe about to prove that the celebration of mariage and buryall of the dead are duetyes praescribed by the Lord Iesus to be done in the Pastours office or that the scriptures lay this furniture vpon the man of God for the proper workes of his office They are then other spiritual Lordes then the Lord Christ that prescribe these
duties to be done by their men furnished by other scriptures then the divine scriptures the Bishops scriptures their Canons coÌ„stitutioÌ„s wherby they ar fully furnished indeed with ring surplus service-service-book and other preistly implements for the busines The Apostle Paul Eph 4. 8. 11. 12. teacheth that when Christ ascended on high he gave vnto men such gifts that is such ministeryes of the Church as should serve for the repayring of the saynts and aedification of his body till the work of grace were perfected in all his and so he makes the work of the ministery and the aedification of the body of Christ all one Now who will say that the celebration of mariage or buryall of the dead are in themselves matters of aedification or which further the vnity of fayth They serve for the generall administration of the world and so are lawfull amongst Turkes and Heathens as to eat and drink or to perform any other naturall or civil work and not for the speciall administratioÌ„ of the Church or body of Christ and therefore no works of the ministery which is peculiar vnto the Church The Church is a religious society and so the ministery which is given to the Church is a religious calling and so the proper works of the ministery must needes be workes of religion which if mariage or burying the dead were then were it vnlawfull for a faythful husband to communicate with his wife being an infidell or excommunicate in the dutyes of mariage or for a brother being a faythful person to ioyn with his brother being an infidell or excommunicate in the buryall of their dead father for with such persons religious communion may not be kept whereas the scriptures do coÌ„mend vnto vs these duties so performed both as lawfull and necessary Gen. 25. 9. 35. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. These are then civill duties and so practised by the servants of God in all ages whose practise also for our learning is recorded in the scriptures and commended vnto vs accordingly Gen. 24. 50. 51. 58. 59. 67. 25. 34. Ruth 4 1. 2. 5. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Math. 27. 57. 59 60. Act. 8. 2. Whether it be an errour in vs as in the 11. place â—e are accused to hold that Ministers ought not to live of tythes and offerings but of the peoples voluntary contribution let the Reader considering what is answered both by Mr Aynsworth Mr Smyth and what is more fully written in the book before named judge But This sayth Mr B. is against the wisdome of God who alloweth a setled maintenance vnder the law and there is nothing against it in the gospel But say I as the Lord appointed vnder the law a setled maintenance by tythes offerings so did he a setled land of Canaan which was holy and a sacrament so did he also appoynt that the Levites to be maynteyned there should have no part nor inheritaÌ„ce with the rest of the Israelites their brethren And hath Gods wisdome so appoynted now If it had I feare many would not rest in it so wise are they for their bellyes And where you adde that there is nothing in the gospel against this ordinance â—â— the law the authour to the Hebrewes might have taught you that the law is abolished by the gospel in the sense we speak of and the old testament by the new in respect of ordinances whereof this was one If it be sayd that tythes went in vse and given by Abraham to Melchizedek Preist of the most high God before the law or old testament was given by Moses I do answer that so was circumcision ministred and sacrifices offered before Moses which notwithstanding were parts of the old testament and assumed by Moses into the body of it and so are abolished by the new To conclude this poynt since tythes and offerings were appurtenances vnto the preisthood and that the priesthood both of Melchizedek and Levi are abolished in Christ as the shadow in the substance and that the Lord hath or deyned that they which preach the gospell should live of the gospell we do willingly leave vnto you both your preistly order and maintenance contenting our selves with the peoples voluntary contribution whither it be it be lesse or more as the blessing of God vpon our labour the fruit of our ministery and a declaration of their love and duety The 12 and last errour imputed to vs is that your Churches as you call them ought to be raced downe and not to be imployed to the true worship of God Our mayn reason of this assertion being as you say by making equall Paganism and Antichristianism you endevour to weakeÌ„ by sundry exceptions As 1. that there is great difference between Antichristianism and Pagnism for this is the worshipping of a false God and without any profession of the true God but the other worship the true God hold many truthes of God Paganism was wholly without the Church but Antichrist sits in the Church of God c. 2. that we are to prove your Churches to have been built by Antichrist We do not make equall Paganism and Antichristianism in the degree though wee put not such difference between them as you do And first we do affirm that both the one and the other are not onely agaynst that 2. connaundement but the first also 2. that both of them may in their degree and for a tyme be in the Church as also that both of them may in tyme and in their degree destroy the true Church of Christ. 3. that as well the reliques ornaments and monuments of the one as of the other are by lawfull authority to be abolished and in the meane while to be forborn especially in the worship of God by all such as fear him his judgements denounced agaynst the same let vs heare what the scriptures teach in these cases The Apostle Paul writing purposely of that man of sin Antichrist testifieth that he is an adversary and exalteth himself agaynst all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sitteth in the temple of God as God shewing himself that he is God And as Antichrist caÌ„not be rightly discerned of vs but in his oppsition vnto Christ exaltation above him so doth this his exaltatioÌ„ appear sudry wayes by which he doth translate vnto himself the honour due vnto God alone his sonne our Lord Christ as in dispensing with the morall law professedly bynding and loosing conscience devising and imposing forms of religion traÌ„sferring empires kingdoms al these doth this earthly God as he is called by the plenary power of the seat Apostolicall The same also it was which Iohn for saw in the Revelation namely that the Antichristians worshipped Divels Idols of gold and silver brasse stone wood which can neyther see nor hear nor walk agayn that they worshipped the beast which