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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10834	A iust and necessarie apologie of certain Christians, no lesse contumeliously then commonly called Brownists or Barrowists. By Mr. Iohn Robinson, pastor of the English Church at Leyden, first published in Latin in his and the churches name over which he was set, after translated into English by himself, and now republished for the speciall and common good of our own countrimen; Apologia justa et necessaria quorundum Christianorum, aeque contumeliose ac communiter, dictorum Brownistarum sive Barrowistarum. English	Robinson, John, 1575?-1625.	1625 (1625)	STC 21108; ESTC S102955	59,722	74

wall as sayth the proverb This balad-maker comparing the receaved religion in the Dutch churches to a tree the Sectaries in the countrie of which he nameth not a few to certayn beasts endeavouring this trees ruine and overthrow likens the Brownists to a litle worme gnawing at the root thereof and not having lesse will but lesse power to hurte then the residue Wee are indeed wormes and not men the reproach of men and despised of the people whom high and low and all that will may without daunger tread and trample under foot But to giue thee satisfaction Christian and indifferent Reader whosoever thou art that chusest rather to take knowledg of mens innocencie then to condemn the same unknown and that it may appear unto thee how alike unhonest our adversaries are in their accusations though of unlike condition in themselus We do professe before God and men that such is our accord in the case of religion with the Duch reformed churches as that we are ready to subscribe to all and everie article of faith in the same church as they are layd down in the Harmonie of Confessions of fayth published in their name one onely particle and the same not of the greatest weight in the sixth Article touching the Scriptures being conveniently interpreted and conformably to it self the generall judgment of the learned amongst them The scope of the Article is as appears in the margent to distinguish between the books Canonicall and Apocriphall as they are called Touching which Apocryphall notwithstanding it is judged and affirmed that they may be read in the Church Which if it be meant of their private reading by the members of the church we willingly assent if of publique pastorall and ecclesiasticall reading we are indeed otherwise mynded neither admit we any other books to that dignitie in the church then such as were penned by the Holy men of God moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1 21. And as the Apostle Iames testified of the Iewes that they had Moses read in the Synagogue everie Sabbath day so we think it sufficient for the Christian assemblyes that with Moses Christ that is the books of the new testament be joyned with the old and they alone be read Neither need we seek further or for other Arguments to confirme our opinion then the Article it self affoardeth us The words thereof are these Moreover we put a difference between the Holy writings and those which they call Apocryphal to wit so as the Apocryphall may indeed 〈◊〉 read in the church that it may be lawfull to take instructions from ●hem so far sorth as they agree with the canonicall books but such 〈…〉 hand is their authoritie or firmnes that upon their testimonie any doctrine of faith and Christian Religion may be founded much lesse that they haue force to infringe or weaken the others authoritie And first if the Apocriphall books be publiquely read in the Church as well as the Canonicall the difference which in word is professed seems indeed by this so reading them to be taken away since the selfe same religious act viz. publique reading is performed about the one and other although not altogether to the same end And if publique reading of the Canonicall Scriptures be commanded of God in his worship either the reading of these Apocripha books is a parte of Gods worship also which the Belgick Churches do not beleiv or els they must be unlawfull to be read publiquely in the Church especially comming together for that onely end of worshipping God Publiquely I say for the private reading of them as of other books comes not under the respect of worship properly but of an act and exercise preparati●● unto worship as both Law●ers and Divines speak Secondly in this verie Article the Canonicall bookes as opposed to the Apocriphall are called holy writeings The Apocriphall then are not holy as not being hallowed to this end that is not commaunded of God in the holy writeings of the Prophets and Apostles Now what haue the holy assemblies to do especially convening and meeting together for the solemn worship of God and exercising themselus in the same with books not holy that is not hallowed or injoyned of God for his most holy service● Thirdly seeing these books are Apocriphall that is hidden and concealed their verie name may put them in minde of their duetie in concealing themselvs within the vaile of privacie And surely no small immodestie it is in them which ought to conteyn themselus in private use and interteynment thus bouldly to presse into publique assemblie They must therefore change either their names or their manners as women by their sex so they by their name well expressing their nature are inhibited all libertie of speaking in the church I●d and conclude out of our countrie-man M. Broughton that those Apocriphall books are so stuffed with trifles fables lyes and superstitions of all sorts that the midle place between the ould and new Testament as ill becomes them as it would do a Turkish slaue and leaper between two the noblest Princes of all Europe But to return whence I dig●essed Seing that as appears in the preface the intention of the Belgick Churches was as in divulging their Confession to render a reason of the hope which is in them and plainly to make known their perswasion in the matter of fayth so also in publishing the Harmony of Confessions to giue all men to understand and take knowledg of that most near conjunction which they haue with the sacred and truely Catholique church of God and all the holy and sound members thereof by what tight or rather injurie could we be excluded from the followship of the same churches who do 〈◊〉 better accorde and have greater congruitie with them in the matter of fayth religion then the greatest part of those whose confessions they do publi●● to the veiw of all men as the congnissance and badges of their Christian consociation And with what conscience of a Christian or rather licentiousnes of a Rhymer could that adversarie traduce us to the world as endeavoring the ruine of the reformed churches But perhaps that which may be is suspected to be by some which also the false accuser doth insinuate in his libell against us and that what in word we professe we denye in deed and what we would seem to build with our tongues we do as it were with our hands pull down If so it be and that in deed we be found to be such I doe freely confesse that no censure upon us can be too severe no hatred more greivous then we do deserv Now the guilt of this evill must cleav unto our fingers if at all one of these two wa●es either in regard of our selvs or of the reformed Churches For our selvs and our course of life for necessitie compelleth as it were foolishly to bable out that wherein modestie perswadeth silence and how we converse with God and men whether

I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Genes 17 9. and the seal of the righteousnes of fayth Rom. 4 11. and is one as there is one sayth and one baptism Ephes. 4 4 5. and therefore ought not to be administred to others then those within the compasse of the same covenant nor but upon fayth coming between either of the partie to be baptized or of one parent at the least If any shall answer that this gratious promise of God is not to be restreined to the next immediate children but is extended euen to those who follow a fa●r off I grant it except infidelitie or other sin come between by which the parents with themselvs break off their seed externally actually from the cōmunion of the church holy things thereof And if we be not to insist in the next and immediate parent why in the grand-father or great-grand-father and so for the rest till we climbe up as high as to No●h himself Whereupon it should follow that not the Infants of Iewes nor of Turks no nor of Gentiles neither should have baptism denyed them Surely the grace of Christ must needs be universall and wherein all have interest if the seal thereof apperteyn unto all Neither should the Church amongst whose sacred furniture Baptism is by this rule be any more the house of God peculiar to his children and servants but more like a common In whose doore stands wide open to all that passe by the high way 2. The Apostle 1 Corinth 7 14. upon this ground that the one parent is a beleever avoweth the childe holy which otherwise he pronounceth impure in respect of the Covenant and holynes thereof leaving unto God his secret judgments Now what have the impure and unhallowed to do with the holy things of God And what hath the Pastour and sheepheard in holy things to do with them who are no portion of the Lords flock What have I to doe sayth the Apostle to judg them that are without Do not ye judg them that are within So reverend brethren what have you to do to baptize them that are without do you not baptize them that are within and them alone In the number of whom yet you reckon not those infants though baptized by you nor belonging to your charge Whence also God knoweth it cometh to passe for the most part that they who are thus by you baptized into the name of the Lord are by their godlesse parents education made the servants of Sathan 3. The Baptism of Infants in all soundnes of judgment serveth and that immediately for the comfort of their godly parents whose hearts it filleth with no small joy whilst they behould the gratious promise of God made to them and their seed ratified and confirmed by this seal even as of ould the circumcision of Isaak was granted and injoyned by God unto Abraham his and our father first and immediately for the confirmation of his fayth Whence I conclude that the seal of the righteousnes of faith which baptism is doth no more belong to the seed of godlesse parents then doth the comfort flowing from the righteousnes of fayth unto the parents themselvs Whom as it would effectually move to more serious and sad thoughts of their own estate with God if they beheld their infants so dear unto them excluded thorough their default from the comfortable ●eal of Gods Covenant so can they not but by the undue administration of the same take occasion of hardening themselvs in their accustomed perversnes I conclude then with Tertullian speaking as Iunius interprets him of the children of such as were strangers from the covenant of God Let them come when they are grown to year●s let them when they have learned and are taught wherefore they come let them then be made Christians when they can know Christ. CHAP. III. Of written Leyturgies VVE cannot but mislike that custome in use by which the Pastour is wont to repeat and read out of a prayer-prayer-book certayn formes for his and the Churches prayers and that for these reasons 1. Because this externall mean and manner of worshiping God in prayer is no where found in the written word by the prescript whereof alone he is to be worshipped whatsoever either the Iewes fable of the Leyturgie of Ezra or the Papists of S. Peters or S. Iames Leyturgies Yea contrariwise I add for overplusse that it did not seem good to the Apostles the last penmen of the 〈◊〉 ghost that any such prescript form for such end should come in use in the churches And this seemeth unto me verie clear from the former Epistle of Paul to Timothy chap. 2 1 2. The kings of the earth in those dayes and such as were in authoritie under them being as it were so many sworn enemies of the name of Christ this conceipt might easily and it seems did creepe into the mindes of divers Christians that these kindes of men were raither to be prayed against then for by the servants of Christ. And now what was the medicine prescribed by the Apostle for this malad●e in that Epistle written to Timothy for that verie end that he might know how to converse in the church of God Did he now either send Timothy to any Leyturgie formerly let forth for his own and others da●●tion Or did he himself frame any for the purpose whose b●●ten troad the Churches following afterwards should not erre Nothing lesse although a more ●it and full occasion for that busines scarce be offered which without doubt Paul would ●o more have l●t slip th●n did the other Apostles th●t which was more light for the introduction of Deacons if ●t had seemed good to th● H. Ghost by whose singe● he was guided in the ordering of the Churches that any such book-prayer should have come into use Three things especially are objected which must here be cleared The first is that David and other Prophets penned the book of Psalmes for the mother Church of Israell The second that Christ himself delivered to his disciples a certain form of prayer commonly called The Lords prayer The third that Moses from the Lord Numb 6. gave direction to Aa●on and his sonnes in what form of words they should blesse the children of Israel I answer first generally that the consequence followeth not from the authoritie of Christ and of Moses and of the Apostles in ordeyning these and these forms of divine worship for the like authoritie in ordinance Bishops and Pastours to ordeyn other and divers forms for the same end What can be spoken more insolently Christ the Lord Moses the Prophets and Apostles being immediately and infallibly guided by the spirit of Christ have prescribed certain set formes of Gods worship therefore others though not immediately and infallibly guided by the same spirit may also prescribe them Why may they not by this argumentation as well frame us a new Canon of holy Scriptures considering that even th●se verie

formes wherewith also they equalize their own are parts and portions of the same Scriptures More particularly And first for Psalms I deny that there is th● same reason of a prayer and of a Psalm or whereupon the difference hangeth that singing and praying are all one For the question is not which I desire the Reader once for all to bea●●●n minde eyther of the internall affection of him which singeth or prayeth or of the subject matter of the song or prayer but of the externall act and exercise of praying and singing Now these two exercises both the holy Scriptures and common sence in everie man that pleaseth but to open his eyes and look upon them do plainly difference For first if to sing be to pray then whosoever singeth prayeth but how far from truth this is the Psalmes of David 1 2 and many others in which not the least parcell of prayer is to be found do plainly evince 2. Is any man sad amongst you sayth the Apostle let him pray is he merry let him sing To pray then and to sing are not the same nor which do agree to wit primarily with the same constitution of the minde 3. In prayer the Pastours voyce is onely heard unto which the people as the Apostle teacheth are to add their Ame● but in singing all the multitude have as well their part for tunable voice as the pastour himself Neyther can divers possibly sing together without confusion but by a certain and set form both of words and syllables which yet may be done in church prayer and is everie where 4. We have the same Apostle els where teaching us thus Speaking to your selvs in Psalms Hymnes and spiritual songs c. And again Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously with all wisdom teaching and admonishing yourselvs mutually in Psalms Hymns c. In singing then we doe speak to our selvs or one to another mutually but in praying neither to our selvs nor to our brethren but unto God alone And the reason hereof is evident When as we read or sing the Psalms of David for what other thing is it to sing out of a book then to read with a loud and harmonious voice of which Harmonie singing is a kinde these self same Psalms in this verie use do still remain and so are read or sung as a part of the word of God in the holy Scriptures and in which God speaketh unto us whereas on the other side we do speak unto God in all our prayers whether mentall onely or vocall withall 5. Even these verie Psalmes whose matter is prayer and thanksgiving were framed and composed by the prophets into Psalms and spirituall songs for this verie end that the men of God might in them teach us as in the written word of God whereof they are parts both what petitions they in their distresses put up to the Lord and also what thanksgiving they returned upon their deliverance that so we in reading singing them might instruct and admonish ourselvs both publiquely privatly whether by way of doctrine or admonition or consolation for the promoteing of the glorie of God in our hearts Lastly that I may discend unto them who are onely taught by experience If any going out of the temple wh●lst the Church were singing a Psalm either before or after sermon being asked of one that met him what the church were then doing should answer that it were at prayer would he not be judged by all men to tell a ly But altogether without cause if to sing be to pray as many imagine Touching the Lords prayer We deny it to be the meaning of Christ teaching his dise ples when they pray to say Our father c. to binde them and the Holy Ghost in them by which they ought to pray to a certain form of words sillables which they should repeat by heart or which is our question read out of a book Because 1. the two Euangelists Matthew and Luke of whom both the one and other did aright both understand and expresse the meaning of Christ do not precisely keep the same words 2. By these words when you pray is meant whensoever you pray whereupon it should follow that we were tyed to this stint of words alone and alwaies and so might lawfully use none other except it be lawfull for us sometimes to pray raither by the levell of our own dev●se then of Christs prescript The words therefore of Cyprian are good in a good sence To pray otherwise then Christ hath taught is not onely ignorance but guilt seeing he himself hath sayd you reject the precept of God that you may observ your own tradition 3. Amongst the manie and manifould prayers of the Apostles to be seen in the holy scriptures this form of words is not found and yet can it not be denyed but they alwaies prayed as they were taught in this place by their Master Christ whose meaning therefore it could not be to tye them necessarily to anie such certain of words 4. It appears by the context that the purpose of Christ is to speak of private or raither secret prayer and such as everie Christian apart from others and in his closet with the doore shut unto him should pour out unto the Lord. Now that one alone and by himself should say Our father seems not verie congtuous Lastly seeing of the like there is the like consideration If the Apostle Iames in these words Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a cittie c. and vers 15. For that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and doe this or that do neither simplie fault with the form of words nor prescribe necessarily anie other but onely to use Calvins words wakens them from their dream who without respect of the divine providence will make themselvs maysters of a whole yeare when there is not a moment in their power so neither are we to conceav that our Saviour Christ Math. 6. and Luke 11 doth injoin unto his anie set words to pray in but onely shewes whither all our prayers and vowes ought to be referred as with all other orthodox writers about this matter the said Author speaketh howsoever divers uns●kilfull men cease not still to sing unto us euen to loathsomnes the song when you pray say as the Papists do theirs This is my bodie as though the controversie were about the words and not raither about the meaning of them But for that we are verie odiously traduced by divers as abhorring from this form and that we will not as they use to speak say the Lords prayer I will in few and plain terms set down what our judgment is about it 1. And seeing that as the Poet hath it the names do commonly suit with the things we may see and sorrow withall in the phrases in common use about this most Christian

a prayer according to the churches present occasion and necessities by the reading of this prescript form that truly excellent gift giuen of God for this end is made void and of none use and the spirit contrarie to that which ought to be extinguished The manifestation of the spirit saith the Apostle is given to everie one especially to everie Pastour to profit withall But he who reads a form of prayer conceaved and consigned by another doth not manifest the pastorall gift for of the internall affection our question is not of the spirit given to him to profit withall but to that other by whom the form of prayer was ind●ted 4. If to read such a form of prayer be to pray aright and pastour like no probable reason can be rendred wherefore to read a sermon or homilie is not as well to preach aright and as is required of the Pastour of the Church Which so being small reason had the Apostle treating of the ecclesiasticall ministerie which principally consists in these two exercises to crie out as he did who is sufficient for these things For who is not sufficient even of the vulgar sort who can not read a Leiturgie and an Homilie 5. The spirit saith the same Apostle speaking of all Christians helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought Yes Paul with your l●av right well for we have in our prayer-prayer-book what we ought to pray word for word whether the spirit be present or not What then is to be done in this busines That which Tertullian saith the Christians of his time did We pray saith he without any to prompt us because we pray from the heart But he who reads his prayers or rather the prayers of him that p●nned them and his lesson out of a book hath one that prompts him and that diligently both what and how much and after what manner and with what words and sillables he ought to pray Lastly if it would be just matter of shame to any earthly Father that his childe who desired of him bread fish or an egge should need to read out of a book or paper Father pray you give me bread fish or egge how much more contumel●ous is it to our heauenly father and his holy spirit wherewith he furnisheth all his children specially his ministers according to their place that an help so unworthie and more then babe●sh and indeed the instrument of a foolish sheepheard namely a bare reader with which kinde of vermin Rome and England are pestered should be used by such godly learned pastors as wherewith the reformed churches are furnished CHAP. IIII. Of the Ecclesiasticall Presbyterie VVE do so acknowledg and approve of as divinely instituted the Presbyte●●es of the particular churches as with all we judg them sundrie wai●es defective As first we require that all receaved into the colledg and company of Elders even those which are called governers should be apt to teach and able to exhorte with sound doctrine and convince g●●nsayers and that not onely privately or in the consistorie but in the publick assemblie also as the nature of their publique office requireth I am not ignorant what that learned man Gersom Bucer in his late treatise hath published about this matter neither do I unwillingly assent thereunto provided onely that what he requires in those Elders that they be able to performe publiquely and in the church assembly if not exactly yet competently A second defect which we wish supplyed is that of annuall o● tryennuall or temporarie they might be perpetuall and for l●fe except by some casualtie or occurrence they be disabled as the pastours themselvs This terme of years for the Elders administration in the Reformed Churches the forenamed author in the same place doth not so much defend as excuse but it seemeth raithe● needfull to have it reformed which is also the desire of the said learned man and that for these reasons 1. The Apostle Paul calling unto him the Elders of the church of Ephesus to M●letum doth pronounce of them all as well the governers as those that laboured in the word that they were made Bishops or overseers of the same Church by the holy Ghost Now the authoritie of that the appo●nter ought to work in the appointed great conscience not lightly to relinquish that charge which by the disposition of the holy Ghost they had taken upon them 2. The same Apostle doth in the same place admonish and exhort the same Elders that they should take heed unto themselvs and to all the fl●●k lest the same after his departure should unhappily be damnified either by wolves entering in among them or such as should rise up from themselvs speaking perverse things Now if the date of their Eldership charge were shortly to be out they might well think with themselvs that the Apostles admonition for after times did not much concern them whose term of office should so shortly be expired and were perhaps to follow the Apostles departure at the heeles 3. It was sacriledg for the Levites being consecrated to the Lord for the service of the Tabernacle and Temple to retire from the office undertaken by them although age growing upon them they were exempted from some the more labo●●ous works of that ministration How then is it lawfull for the Elders or Deacons being now no more at their own disposing but as the Levites of ould the Lords sacred and consecrated ones to withdraw so lightly from his speciall service No man under the Law might change a beast if clean no not a better for a worse if once hallowed to the Lord. How much lesse may the church then discharge her officers or they themselvs ministering faythfully and as they ought Lastly the Apostle Paul instructing the Church in Timothy to keep the commandement of Christ unrebukeable untill that his glorious appearing doth not permit no not to the widowes D●aconesses to ●elinquish the office once taken upon them unto whom for that verie cause he forbids mariage it self otherwise permitted to all and to some injoyned How much lesse lawfull is it for the Elders or Deacons of the church whose both condition and ministerie is far more excellent for far lighter causes to look back and relinquish their vocation wherein Christ hath in such sort placed them A third thing there is and that of most moment viz. that the Elders do not administer their publique office publiquely as they should but onely in their private consistorie And first the administrat on of everie office doth ●n right follow the nature of the same whether domesticall in the familie or civill in the common wealth or spirituall in the Church the Elders office then being publique requires answerable and publique administrat on Not that it is unlawfull for the Elders to convene and meet apart from the bodie and to deliberate of such things as concerns the same and