But to proceed not onely is the reading of Homilies vtterlie condemned but also it hath bene proved by the Nonconformists that those which the Bishops commaund to be read in their assemblies have in them many things doubtfull and of daungerous construction yea sundrie erronious points of Doctrine and things most evidentlie false and vntrue I have beene more large in the former points then I purposed at the begining I will therefore in the rest be the shorter touching nunc dimittis benedictus and magnificat which they vse to read and sing in their Churches the Nonconformists say it is a Prophaning of the Scriptures palpable folly and vaine pratling Their minister saying one peece of prayer and the people with mingled voyces to say another is Babilonish confusion The Lords prayer also is horribly abused by their often and vaine repetition of it beeing said not lesse then 8 times at some meetings other shreds and short cutts they handle in this manner viz. let vs pray glory be to the fathers c. Lord have mercy c. Christ have mercie and many like which is meere babling and cannot be more justlie defended then the Papists beads Vncovring the head making a leg scraping on the ground such like curtesie whē Iesus is named is counted a superstitious foolish and unlawfull device a mocking of God and a beggarlie signe of obedience no lesse is standing at the Gospell a thing wickedly devised by Anastatius the Pope in the yeare 404. Their good fridayes service is vtterly disliked so the holy weeke before Easter the observation of Gang dayes or rogation weeke is wholy Popish invented by Hillarius the great Antichrist in the yeare 444. Organs and other Church Musicke they call idoll service because it serves not to any edification but drawes the mind to carnall delight besides this was a part of the Levitticall service which is now ceased in Christ and for many hundred yeares after the Apostles musicall instruments were not knowne to the Church till in the yeare 653. the old serpent by Pope Vitalianus brought vp the Organs and to have them goe about the same time that beast with Gregory Gelatius two monsters like himselfe ordained descant foreward and backward plane song and pricksong and thus was the Musick made vp just as the divel would have it Ringing of curfewes vpon Hallowe eves is like the rest yea the bels themselves as they are vsed in their assemblies are put vnto Popish vses He that first ordained them was Sabinian the great Pope in the yeare 603. And much vertue is attributed to them in popery as to stirr vp mens devotion perserve fruites put enimies to flight still tempests drive away all wicked spirits and devils c. I doe omitt to speake of many particular thinges vsed in their Cathedrall dens or Closters partlie because the reader may guesse what there is by that which hath bene said and partlie because the dung trash there is so vile and lothsome as I am not willing to blot paper therewith But there is one thing which I had almost forgotten viz their visitation of the sicke Not that it is lesse superstitious and naught then the other for the Nonconformists affirme the prescript service of it to be taken as the rest out of the masse booke and it is such stuffe as he which wrot the Altar of Damascus made himselfe merrie when he described the foolishnesse of it Thus the Assumption is sufficiently proved the conclusion therefore is certaine viz. that the worship of the English service booke is vnlawfull to be communicated with In the next Section we shall see what D Ames hath to say against this thing SECT V. FOr the readers better vnderstanding of the point to be handled in this Section I will first lay down the substance of D. Burgesses speach I have seen saith he some of the inconformists confutations meaning of the Separatists which I confesse never satisfied my consciēce for I am and ever have beene of that opinion that there can be no just confutation of them made by such of the Nonconformists as have given them their maine principles what these principles are he afterward declares viz that nothing may be established in the Church but what God hath commaunded in his word that all formes of worship not prescribed and all mere Ecclesiasticall rites are will worship c. That our ceremonies are idolatrous in the vse of them c. Which principles if I did beleeve to be true I professe in Gods presence I would proclame separation from Idolatrous worship and worshippers this day ere I slept and not halt as these men by their owne positions doe betwixt Idolatrie and Religion D. Ames answereth to this effect The confounding of mere rites with formes of worship is not ours but onely by the rej his fiction That every Church is to be vtterly condemned and so to be separated from that hath any thing in it by participation Idolatrous is made Scismaticall by a Scismaticall conceit of the Rej. c. His profession of separation this day before he stept is nothing but a Rhethoricall flourish which he would twice recall before he would separate from those that bow to the Altars or even those which worship an vbiquitarie body in the Lords supper though these are more palpablie Idolatrous in his conscience then the Ceremonies questioned are in ours Here is some thing said although not a word to the maine point in dispute which either Mr. D. saw not or else and so I rather thinke he thought it best to let it passe in silence The wordes which the Rej. takes from the Nonconformists are that all formes of worship not prescribed of God are will worships And hence inferres separation now what saith D. Ames to this nothing at all but talkes of the Rej. fictiō in confounding mere rites c. But by his leave I see no such thing in the Rej. but indeed the cause of the confusion is wholie of himselfe for D. B. layes downe formes of worship and Ecclesiasticall rites distinctly vnto both which he should distinctly have answered if his meaning had beene to satisfie judicious conscionable readers I will not here vse D. Ames comparison of 10. a Stile and 10. a Nokes but a more sober one If a woman should be brought before the Magistrate for certaine crimes as namely whoredome and some light carriage and for this her husband would be divorced now imagin that she had a proctor there to plead for her which would not mention her adulterie at all But gives som reasons why a man should not put away his wife for everie light cariage would any wise judge approve of such pleading but contrariewise give sentence on the mans behalfe D. Ames carieth the matter just so The Church of England is charged by the Nonconformists as the Rej. truely reports of false worship in it and also of som
be the true Churches and people of God 5. Touching his comparison it is a begging foolishly of the question for first let them prove themselves to be in the house and then they shall heare what we we will say of the window and backdoore From Pag. 212. to 237. he attempteth to prove that men may Lawfully joyne in divine worship with the wicked Touching this thinge although it concernes not much our matter in hand yet I will write a few wordes in answere to his long talke in this Chapter First he sayth that the Apostles had religious communion with infidels But this is a false doctrine for a man may preach the word and yet not have spirituall communion with all which are present and heare the same and this must necessarisy be so because otherwise it would follow that every one when he teacheth communicates with the devill for in likelihood he is constantly there with the rest indeed Mr. Dayrels words import no lesse but I hope he hath not left any behind him of so corrupt and vile a judgement 2. He sets downe a manifest untruth for we doe not affirme that there can be no religious communion but with Members of a visible Church our profession and practice daily is otherwise yet so that they be such persons howbeit not in a Church state yet to be judged to bee in the faith by their gracious and holy walking 3. Whereas he affirmes that we separate from them because wicked and prophane people are suffered to come unto their worship this also is untrue for we leave them rather because the worship it selse is wicked and prophane as we have from their owne writings already shewed 4. In page 220. he speakes enough to justifie our practice for thus he writes We may not have religious communion or partake in divine worship with Idolaters in their false and idolatrous worship Heathen or Antichristian but must separate and come out from among them And a little after he gives a reason Idolaters and false worshippers in their worship doe not worship God but indeed the devill not Christ but Belial c. If this be true in what a fearefull case then are the people of the Land who serve Christ by that idoll booke considering the same is affirmed by the precisest of them to be an idolatrous and false worship yea and I am perswaded that this Mr. Dayr would have said as much too if he had written of it against the Prelates 5. By his owne confession they are all levened through the iniquity one of another For thus he saith The open sinne of a man and impunity thereof defileth them that have authority and power to punish the delinquent and doe it not that is maketh them also guilty of sinne or to partake in that sinne Now compare with this their positions in page 134 c. where it is acknowledged that the authority and power to punish the delinquent belongs wholly to the whole Church and not to the Bh. Chancellours Officials Seeing therefore most horrible sinnes are openly committed among them and no meanes of reformation is used by those which are thereto onely called It must needs follow if Mr. Dayr and his brethren speak the truth that all their parishes are defiled and they are guilty of each others sinnes and doe constantly partake in the knowne transgressions one of another 6. Whereas he would have us to proove that the place in Hag. 2. 13. 14. doth signifie spirituall pollution and that the Apostle in 1. Cor. 5. 6. by a little leven c. meaneth that the whole assembly may become guilty and defiled by open sinne I answer These Scriptures are not onely by us thus interpreted but also by D. Ames and other learned men and therefore herein he hath them as much as us against him The like might be said of other Scriptures which he accuseth us of perverting if it were needfull I could shew how expositors do apply them as we do and so do the Nonconformists in all their writings against the Church of England notwithstanding this man casteth out of his mouth stoods of reproaches after us But this will appeare to be no new thing if we take a view of their writings which have stood for error and falshood for when the truth hath brought for her defence the evident Scriptures Papists have beene wont to carpe at the allegations and interpretations of them and challenge their adversaries for corrupting them the formall Protestants in England have done the like against the Reformists and they now use the like colour against us but how truely let him judge whose heart desires to know the truth in sinceritie Onely I would have it observed how prettily he prooves the Separatists to pervert the Scriptures to wit because he understandeth them otherwise then they doe Concerning other passages in his booke I judge them not worth an answer If there be any I am willing that he should take them for his advantage which undertakes to make a reply unto the things which I have here written CHAP. V. WE heard in the first Chapt. of the reference which Dr. Ames had unto Mr. Bradshawes book intituled the vnreasonablenesse of separation now as my promise there was so I will according to the measure of knowledge and grace given me in this Chapter make answer unto it that so the godly minded may judge whether the Separatists or he are most vnreasonable That the reader might not exspect to see any thing in the booke proved by the word of God the publisher therefore of it after some scoffing at Mr. Iohnson and others tells us that it was not the authors meaning to gather proofes c. and much quotation may prove som thing but answereth not directly to any thing Answ 1. Whosoever meanes to settle well the conscience especially in a main point of faith and religion ought necessarily to bring good proofes from the scriptures for the things whereof he speaketh For otherwise either men will give no trust unto his words or if they doe it must be unadvisedly And howsoever he putts Gods word here sleightly by notwithstanding others have otherwise esteemed of it Augustine was of mind that Councells Bishops c. ought not to be objected for triall of controversies but the holy scriptures onely Another saith I yeeld the scripture a witnesse of my sence and my exposition without the Scripture let it be of no credit Yea hereto accord the very Papists We are rather to beleeve one private faithfull man than a whole Councell and the Pope himselfe if he have the Word and reason on his side As D. Ames therefore said so doe we say we esteeme not any thing like of a thousand objections fetched from testimonies subject to errour as we would have done of one plaine testimonie divine if it could have been produced 2. That quotation of scriptures should not answer directly to any thing it sounds in my
be foolish false and superstitious But I desire the reader to observe how wittily he confirmeth the Assumption It shall be sufficient sayth he that we can set forth vnto him such a ministery in sundrie of our Church Assemblies of which all those points may be truely verified Who would have thought that Mr. Bradsh having blotted many leaves of his booke with meere scoffing at Mr. Iohnson about his Logick should so grossely overshoot himselfe in termes of reasoning For what wise man but he would have laid downe a Position that comprehended indefinitely generally all the ministers of their Assemblies and to prove it saith we can shew some such It seemeth then that those some such must make all the rest true Intruth so he inferres or else his argument as he saith often of Mr. Iohnson is crackt braind and lacks not truth only but sence also There are some merchants who to put off the false wares which lie upon their hands will shew the buyer a little that is good and by this meanes cunningly shift all the rest upon him and so deceive him The like subtilty useth Mr. Bradsh here and often in his booke that he might perswade the reader to beleeve that all their Ministers and Churches are true he sheweth him some of the best in hope that under these he shall craftily put all the rest upon him I mention these his deceiveable shifts the oftner that we may have hereafter more honest dealing If they will justifie all their Ministers and Churches let them say so directly If but som few as in their writings they still intimate I desire them to speake it out plainely and not to cary the thing so covertly as if they would have the poore people to beleeve that they meant all when themselves are perswaded the greatest number are false and Antichristian Another reason which he brings to prove their ministery Lawfull is because they professe the Pope to be Antichrist renounce all Ecclesiastical homage to him and maintaine all the members of the Church of Rome to be Hereticks and Idolaters c. To this I say quid verba audiam cum facta videam It is true I know many great errours of that Church they opppose and have left notwithstanding they retaine the selfe same Ministery Church Government Service Courts Canons c. which they brought out from thence uphold them still I say to the uttermost of their strength and power and hate revile imprison banish kill c. those which will not conforme thereto And hence it is the Papists say that from their treasure house the religion now established in England hath learned the forme of Chrining marying Churching of women visiting of the sicke burying of the dead and sundry other like as the book translated out of theirs declared So Iacobus Gretzerus alleadgeth against the Reformed Churches their Service-booke for their Popish holydayes Dr. Tucker and their Late booke of Canons both for the signe of the Crosse for kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacrament For the whole Hierarchy from the Archbishop downewards divers other their superstitions So Cornelius Scultingius citeth Whitgift and taketh whole leaves out of him for defence of their Hierarchie Stapleton also useth the foresaid Doctors arguments to uphold thereby their discipline and professeth that they are built upon one foundation I could multiply authors of this nature but it needs not only let it be here minded that all these testimonies are acknowledged to be true of the Nonconformists Is not therefore their profession great against the Pope they clal him they say Antichrist and the Beast c. Yet notwithstanding in respect of many maine and foundamental Orders and Ordinances of his Church they wallke along hand in hand with him So that they are much like to one which cals a woman c. Whoore Whoore and lyeth with her all the while in the bed and commits folly with her Nothing is here said but the former thinges againe repeated Indeed he undertooke to answer certaine demaunds but he kept himselfe off so covertly from the points that he hath left them farre more obscure darke then they were before For this cause I have thought it necessarie to propound unto them 13. questions all gathered from Mr. Bradsh shifting answeres idle putt offs with request that they would answere them directly and sincerely and from the scriptures and so doubtlesse the controversie betweene them us will be brought the sooner to an end 1. Whether the office of Lecturers in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England be not new and strange from the scriptures If not whether they be Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers Elders c. 2. Whether the civill Magistrate hath power to set over the Churches of Christ in his Dominions such Commissioners and overseers as the present Hierarchie is or no 3. What be those Ecclesiastical Officers which some true Churches in England have these many yeares beene without either all oâ— cheifest of them 4. Whether the calling enterance administration and maintenance of any of the publicke Ministers of the Church of England be unlawful and Antichristian or no 5. Who are those Ecclesiasticall Officers in the Church of England which neither in name nor in deed are true as he himself confesseth 6. Whether it be lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell to be maintained by tithes and offerings c. in the manner and forme as it is practifed now in England or no 7. Whether all the Parish Assemblies of England be true visible Churches or no 8. Where are those Churches in our Kingdom from whence we have separated which doe consist as now they stand of a companie of people called and separated from the world and the false worship and wayes thereof by the word of God and are joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel by voluntarie profession of faith and obedience of Christ 9. What are those parts and parcells in the booke of Common prayer which is not the true worship of God whereof he speaketh 10. Whether it be Lawfull to have communion with the English Leiturgie as it is ordinarily now used in their Churches 11. If the true worship of God be prescribed in the booke aforesaid we demaund then in what part thereof the same is contained 12. Whether those which joyne to the Ecclesiastical Ministerie Worship and Orders of their Cathedral or Parishional Assemblies in those things which are not performed therein according to the true meaning intent of their Lawes doe sin or no 13. What is the true intent and meaning of these Lawes and to whom doth it properly belong to give the interpretation of them Thus having finished what I purpose to write for this time I commend now the same to the best acceptance of every wel disposed reader Beseeching God to make us more and more of one mind in the truth and to give us all hearts to walke sincerily in it untill
but specially that it be sett on by one that hath authority therevnto So much more it is in the case of the Sacraments for to receive the same in a false ministery is to deny Gods ministery and to give the glory of it there where he hath not given it and to deprive our selves of this comfort that our hearts may say Gods solemne voyce speaketh his solemne hand offereth and giveth which is here the lively stay of our fayth By this it appeareth that the daunger is marvelous great to communicate in a false ministery a man would pull a sore punishment upon his head if he should have a hand to putt by a Princes lawfull officer whether Iudge Mayor Bayliefe c. and sett up a rebel in the roome thereof and come to him for justice He that receives in a false ministery denies Gods ministery sayth the former Author And so puts a traitor in his place and takes the holy things from the handes of a traitor which is a fearfull transgression and surely will procure extreame wrath without true and sound repentance From all that hath beene before spoken we may here frame this Argument None may heare or joyn in spirituall communion with that ministery which hath not a true vocation and calling by election approbation and ordination of that faithfull people where he is to administer But the present ministery of the ecclesiasticall assemblies of England hath not a true vocation and calling by election approbation and ordination of a faithfull people where they administer Therefore none may hear or joyne in spirituall communion with the present ministerie of the Ecclesiasticall assemblies of England Which of the propositions the Nonconformists will deny I know not but sure I am they are both Theirs Howbeit it may be they doe not so well weigh their owne principles as they should And hence it is that their practice is not strictly answereable to their profession and therefore doe give just occasion I speake it with greife unto the Prelates and their Parasites to insinuate against them hypocriticall ends in condemning so greivously the ministery worship government of the English Church and yet to partake in the knowne evills and abuses thereof But for my part I am otherwise minded then the Bishops in this thing and doe thinke that they doe of conscience condemne the state of that Church But doe not maturely consider the responsive conclusions which follow upon their principles For which cause I haue written of purpose this treatise to prove that they cannot justify their Tenets against that Church and stand members lawfully thereof Concerning their ministerie I have shewed before that by their owne confession it is false and so not to be joyned with And if I should here end the point I thinke every indifferent reader would sufficiently be satisfied But because I judge the same to be of importance to justifie a seperation from them and also that their ministers are of sundry sorts degrees therfore I will speake a little more thereof and prove further from their writings that every kind degree of their ministery is false and Antichristian According to the Prelates Canons their ministers are divided into 3. Heads or orders Namely Bishops Preists and deacons The first comprehends the superiour the other two the inferior ministers What the superior are few but know viz. Archbishops and Lordbishops against whose courses and callings whole books have beene written to manifest the same to be evill and vnlawfull I shall onely here breifly lay downe some of their passages touching both referring the reader for more full satisfaction to that which is published at large by them As for their Bishops if they be as the Nonconformists report of them surely they are not fitt for Church or common wealth for they oppose say they with tooth and nayle every thing that is good They have had their hand in all the great evils that hath befallen their Church and state never any good thing prospered that they put their hand too the King state stood never in need but they allwayes deceived thē if oppertunity serve they will make peace with their head he meanes the Pope if it be with the losse of all their heads if they continue their places And hence it is that all the professed enimies of state and Church make vse of them to effect their evill ends as David sayd of Goliahs sword there is none to that fo sayth the Pope Spaniard and Arminian for overturning of a state and making havock of a Church there is none to a Bishop give them that To the same purpose others They are the greatest and most pestilent enimies that the state hath and are likely to be the ruin thereof Take them for better who will they are no other then a remnant of Antichrists brood a viperous generatiō Caterpillers Moaths Canker wormes sonnes of that monstrous Giant the man of sinne men of bloods base fellowes murderous tyrants vsurpers time servers cages of vncleane birds vnnaturall false and bastardly governors Lordly Epicures proud Popish presumtious perfidious Prophane Paltry and pernitious Prelates open enimies to the sincere preaching of the gospell the scepter of Christs Kingdom and the glory of the Land men contented to be bawdes vnto all kind of sinnes and therefore all the professed and notorious Atheists Papists blashemers adulterers drunkards and most infamous persons in the Kingdom are with them they have further with them the counsell of Achitophel the courting of Shebna the roaring and brawling of Goliah the cruell pride and vanity of Hamon the flattery of Amaziah the falshood of Samaiah and the bloody cunning of Doeg these wax worse and worse and growe to a height of iniquity greiving at the encrease of good men and persecute nothing more then holinesse they care not for King country nor their own souls but for a Bishoprick And therefore if they can by flatteries invectives whisperings or other evill courses keepe the King and counsel so ignorant and blind as to be firme on their side they care for no more to be short the best of them in some sort are the worst because they hold vp the reputation of that vnlawfull office and make way for more wicked successours and their traditions Much more then this yea and worse too is sayd of their Bb. but I passe it over as blushing to speake it Only I here thinke of that saying in the Proverbes when the wicked beareth rule the people mourn It was just so with the Israelites when Pharaoh sett cruell tas kemaisters over them And it seemes their case is much like unto it indeed some difference there is for the Egyptian Lords onely beate the Lords people But their Prelates say they imprison and kill them also I should wonder at such horrible injuries committed in any common wealth but that the scripture sayth the Kings of the earth shall give their strenght and power
in the father and the Sonne Hence it followes that those which abide not in the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles but set vp other formes of worshipping God abide not in the sonne and the father Gods worship must be according to his nature heavenly divine and spirituall but all devised worship is according to the nature and disposition of the deviser foolish carnall vaine c. Therefore when God is worshipped not according to his owne will but according to the will and pleasure of man the true God is not worshipped but a God of mens invention is set vp Thus he Secondly there must be a true manner of worship which is to proceed from the very heart root and to be performed with the will the affections and all that is within us For this gives life and welbeeing to divine service as a well proportioned body if it want breath offends us and we desire to have it taken out of our sight For the noysome smel which it maketh in our nostrels even so every worship how outwardly glorious and formall soever voyd of uprightnesse displeaseth the Lord greatly and he bids such hypocrites to cary the same away out of his presence because it is noysome and abominable unto him Let every man therefore looke to this maine thing to wit that he worship God in the truth and sincerity of the inward man For in this God onely taketh delight and without this maine qualification he cannot abide either the person or action It is a thing common with men when they take a peece of worke to doe for an other and exspect to have a good reward for their labour to be carefull so to doe it as the Mr. for whome they doe it may have good content therein the like should be our care whensoever we take in hand any service of God and hope to be recompenced to perform the same in that sort as the Lord may be pleased to accept graciously of it in Iesus Christ In all this we do fully agree with the NoÌ„conformists are persuaded that no man can rightly beleive that his service is well pleasing unto God unlesse it be performed both for matter and manner as they have before truly expressed and therefore to our power we are carefull allwayes thus to doe And so much the more because herein we know our masters will and have promised to doe it so that if we neglect it both our trespasse and punishment will be the greater SECT II. IN the former Section we have heard what a true worship is Now it followes that we describe the worship of the English Assemblies according to the testimony given thereof by the Nonconformists This worship for the matter of it is contained wholy as was said in their Church Leiturgie in the handling whereof for the readers better information I will first shew what they say of the whole booke and afterwards of the particular parts and peeces thereof Touching the former they write thus The whole forme of the Church service is borrowed from the Papists peeced and patched together without reason or order of edificatioÌ„ yea not only is the form of it taken from the church of Antichrist but surely the matter also For none can deny but it was culled and picked out of that Popish Dunghill the portuis and vile Massebooke full of all abominations From three Romish Channells I say was it raked together namely the Breviary out of which the common prayers are takeÌ„ out of the rituall or book of rites the administration of the Sacraments burial matrimony visitation of the sick are taken and out of the Massebooke are the consecration of the Lord Supper Collects Gospels and Epistles And for this cause it is that the Papists like well of the English Masse for so King Iames used to call it and makes them say Surely the Romish is the true and right religion else the Heretikes in England would never have received so much of it For some have avouched it to my face saith the author of the Curtaine of Church power that the service there is nothing but the Masse in English others that it wants nothing but the Popes consecration These things thus retained it was also thought that Popish Kings and Princes would be the lesse offended what marvell seeing the Iâ—suites themselves are so well pleased with the ceremonies and service that I heard one of them God is my wittnesse herein make it his hope that the maintenance of them against the puritans would make England the sooner returne to Rome in the rest Mine eyes and eaâ—es saith Bishop Hall can wittnesse with what approofe and applause divers of the Chatholikes royal as they are termed entertayned the new translated Lyturgie of our Church Which is the lesse wonder seeing Pope Pius the 4. sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbot of S. Saviours to Queene Elizabeth offered to confirme the English Lyturgie by his authority if she would yeeld to him in some other things Indeed it pleased them so wel that for the first eleven yeares of Queen Elizabeth Papists came to the English Churches and service as the Lord Cooke sheweth others of them affirme the same thing namely their Churrh service pleaseth marvelous well the Romish beast and his vngodly followers Witnesse the pacification of the devonshire Papists in the time of Edward the 6. when as they vnderstood it was no other but the very masse booke put into English wittnesse also the assertion of D. Carryer a daungerous seducing Papist The common prayer booke saith he and the Catechisme contayned in it hould no point of doctrine expresly contrary to antiquity that is as he explaineâ—h himselfe the Romish service onely hath not enough in it and for the doctrine of predestination sacraments grace free will and sinne c. The new Catechisme and sermons of the puritan preachers runne wholy in these against the common prayer and Catechisme therein contayned c. And therevpon he comforteth himselfe vpon the hope of supply of the rest to this effect speaketh Bristow and Harding If these things be right why not the rest It shall not be amisse to marke one accurrence in Q. Elizabeths time who beeing interdicted by the Popes Bull secretary Walsingham tryed a trick of state pollicie to reverse the same He caused two of the Popes intelligencers at the Popes appointment to be brought as it were in secret into England to whome he appointed a guide beeing a state intelligencer who should shew them in Canterbury and London service solemnly sung and said withall their pompe and procession which order the Popish intelligencers seeing and so much admiring they wondered that their master would be so vnadvised as to interdict a prince or state whose service and ceremonies so Symbolized with his owne So returning to the Pope they shewed him his oversight affirming that they saw no service ceremonies or Church orders in England but they might very
in that vnholy worship which was don vnto him I might here instance Daniels forbearence of the Kings meats because they were defiled by idolatry Thirdly the reasons are these 1. It sheweth that the love and zeale of God is much in vs when our care is to worship onely in his own ordinances and to leave the contrarie 2. Men offer a blind and lame sacrifice when they communicate spiritually in a devised service who would be so foolish to cary trashe and dung for a present vnto a mighty Prince and hope to receive a favor of him what is a false worship but very dung and trashe yea worse too and therefore not acceptable to God 3. So long as men are willworshippers it argues they are vnregenerate and wicked and have not repented of their sinnes for one infallible evidence of true conversion is to see the filthinesse of idolatry and to cast away the same with reproach and disgrace and to goe from it as farre as it is possible 4. To communicate in a false worship causeth pollution to the soule If we would avoyd that which would make the body to be full of scabs and biles and so to be lothsome to mē much more should we detest this great wickednesse which causeth spirituall botches and sores to the soule and so is odious before God 5. By this meanes Gods holy name is Prophaned 6. Christ not suffered to reigne as King over the whole man but rejected 7. Such service is don to the devil 8. The Lord hateth vnspeakeablie all devised worship 9. Wrath and vengeance without repentance will be inflicted upon all the doers therof For society in sinne brings fellowship in punishment 10. In a word let Gods puritie and holinesse be considered and his charge given unto us to be unlike idolaters when we performe publicke service unto him And last of all if we joyne to no false worship but serve God according to his revealed will then is Christ obeyed as our King and Lord the reward wherof will be glory immortall happinesse 4. In this we have the consent of learned men generally Calvin sayth we are bound to seperate from all superstitions which are contrrry as well to the service of God as to the honour of his Sonne And a little after Let vs hold this rule that all the inventions of men which are sett vp to corrupt the simple purity of the word and to overthrow the service which God demaundeth and alloweth they are very sacrileidges wherewith a Christian man may not communicate without blaspheming of God that is to say without treading his honour under foot Pareus to the same purpose sayth that all kinds occasions and instruments of idolatrous service must be avoyded as a most abominable and hurtfull Plague with the mind and body Bullinger upon the Revelation sharply reproves those which will be present at false worship and saith that every ones duty is to fly from the same as farre as it is possible We must forsake saith Museulus the society of all unlawfull and superstitious services and joyne our selves with those that walke directly in the true religion of Christ The like speaketh Piscator Artopeus Bucer Pomeranus Erasmus Cyprian Hieron Augustine Pelican Rivetus To this the Papists assent also For speaking of false services shifted into their Churches in stead of Gods true and only worship they say that all Catholike men if they looke to have any fellowship with Christ and his members in his body and blood c. must absteine from them c. And among other reasons they give this viz. because Christ will acquit himselfe of all such as joyne in communion therewith But I need not to spend time to seeke abroad for witnesses For the Nonconformists doe grant the thing We may not say they have any religious communion or partake in divine worship with idolaters in their false idolatrous worship no not in body be present at idolatrous service but we must absteine from all participation of idolatrie yea from all shew thereof Heathen or Antichristian must separate and com out from among them The like speaketh D. Fulke Brinsley Perkins Cartwright c. and the author of the Post-script to Mr. Perkins Expositiō vpon Iude renders this as a reason of it not to absteine from communicating with them in their idolatrous services c. were no other but to expose and lay our selves open and naked to all manner of daunger of infection of our Soules defection from our God and in the end of all destruction both of body and soule Now from the last two Sections we may frame this argument If the worship of the English Service booke hath no warrant in Gods word but is a devised false and idolatrous worship then is it vnlawfull to be communicated with But the worship of the English Service-booke hath no warrant in Gods word but is a devised false and idolatrous worship Therefore is the worship of the English Service-booke vnlawfull to be communicated with I need not here take D. Laitons compasse to fetch the Bishops Major and the Separatists minor to make vp an entire Syllogisme of separatiō For both parts of this argument are the Nonconformists And I thinke they will stand to the justification therof if not against us yet against the Prelates if occasion serve But if any part be questioned I know it will be the assumption and therefore in the next Section I will further prove the same by more of their owne testimonies SECT IV. HOwsoever by the grounds of the Nonconformists laid downe in the second Section separation must necessarily follow from all communion with them in the worship of their church service book yet to have the point more fully proved I will here shew that every particular part thereof is affirmed of themselves to be idolatrous false Antichristian Touching the booke we may consider two things first the distinct services thereof 2. The ceremonies vsed in and about the same we will speake first of their ceremonies that is of the surplusse crosse and kneeling in the act of receiveing the Lords supper Against these many treatises have bene purposely written I will here onely observe some of their speaches referring the reader to their bookes if he desire more satisfaction Of all these ceremonies thus they say They were inspired by satan invented by man commaunded first to be practised by the Beast and his Bishops Therefore they are Idols of Rome Babilonish rites part of the scarlet woman her inventions Popish fooleries accursed remnants and leaves of the blasphemous Popish Preisthood knowne liveries of Antichrist God never planted them nor his spirit inspired them the holy Apostles never taught nor practised them all sincere professors are offended with them and detest them The defenders of these carnall and beggarly rites are tyranous proud Prelates Romish Champions
strictest professors do hold the Church of England as it is Nationall Provinciall and Diocessan false howbeit they thinke some particular congregations in the Land to bee true 5. With such weapons as these doe the Papists fight and where they can bring one the others ten to witnesse for them and their Romish superstitions I meane antiquity universality and such like popular reasons whereby they seeke to uphold their cursed Kingdome Lastly it is untruely affirmed that all the Churches of God in the world doe acknowledge the people of England to be a true Church For there are many which have both professed and prooved the contrary Now for his last argument I deny also both parts of it and affirme that neither the mother nor daughters are true Churches the reason which he layeth downe is as the rest sillie and most impertinent to proove the thing for which he brings it The summe and effect of that which hee hath written in five or sixe pages is this that their worship and religion is true because in Q. Maries dayes divers Martyrs professed the same and died in it Answ 1. Here the thing in question is brought for confirmation the Martyrs allowed of their worship be it so what then should hee not yet have prooved the same to be lawfull Yes doubtlesse if hee would have written either according to rule reason or religion 2. If a Papist should suffer death under Heathen or Turkes because he would not denie Christ â—esus wee think he may in some respect be judged a martyr and yet the Romish worship which he professeth remaine still false and idolatrous 3. I desire the Reader to marke how absurdly he speaketh the thing which he undertakes to proove is that their assemblies are true for this he alleageth the Martyrs now to what purpose I can not tell in the world unlesse he meant that there was such vertue and efficacy in their sufferings as the whole Nation thereby was sanctified and made Churches Lastly this reason is one and the same with that which he brought to confirme the second Syllogisme save that for the more authority of it hee addeth the name of the Mâ—rtyrs the insufficiency whereof I have there shewed and thither doe referre the Reader In the conclusion he saith Answer me this one argument and so I end If Mr. Hooper Mr. Bradford with others knowing the corruptions then in the worship and ministery being the same also with ours now notwithstanding this knowledge and not separating were saved then men at this day notwithstanding their knowledge of the corruptions and not separating because of them may likewise be saved But the first is true therefore the second Ans His former reasons were not more false and foolish than this is wicked and profane for first wherefore serves it but in truth to teach men to cast off all care in seeking Gods glorie by an even walking and to doe so much of his will as is sufficient to bring them to heaven and no more thus he counselleth people to be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God yea to love God for themselves and to serve him for a reward onely but let all persons in all places take heede that they follow not this mans advice for if they resolve to doe no more but what they think will serve their turne to be saved they will surely misse of that and for their self love suffer wrath and vengeance eternally 2 Howsoever Iwill not judge another mans servant yet it is more then he or anie mortall man that can infalliblie tell whether Mr. Bradford Mr. Hooper and others were absolutely saved and therefore hee reasoneth still most childishly to prove his matter by things secret and known to God onely 3 When Luther Calvin and others left the Church of Rome might not anie popish priest have said as much to them If Mr. W. Mr. C. with others knowing the corruptions then in worship c. Now I perceive if Mr. Dayr had been in their place he would not have separated from that Synagogue of Satan and to speake the verie truth he could not do it lawfully upon his own groundes 4. That these men knew some corruptions to be in their worship ministrie I grant it but not in that kinde and degree which the Nonconformists since have manifested for if they had certainly known that these things were unlawfull and antichristian and their Church government taken wholly from the Pope I beleeve they would not have joyned in spirituall communion therewith therfore Mr. Dair shamfully abuseth the reader to say the martyrs saw their corruptions and they are the same which they have now whereas he should have proved that they saw them according to the nature of them and as his fellow brethren have since seene them affirmed them to be for unlesse this can be shewed they differ herein asmuch from the martyrs as if one sinned ignorantly aud another against his knowledge and conscience 5. The saintes are taught of God not to be servants of men but to live by their owne faith to presse forward toward the mark and therefore hee sheweth litle skill in the course of religion to sette downe this or that mans practise for a rule to walke by unlesse he had professed himselfe to be a Familist or perfectist and so would make the world beleeve that none could erre which took such for example whom he prescribed to them 6. I cannot tell for what end be propounded this argument for imagin it should be granted him that the Martyrs knew the corruptions of their Church c. and yet were saved and so are many now in England which understand the same what would hee from hence conclude I thinke there is no man on earth that knowes if there be they might doe well at the next impression of his booke to set it in the margin for to cover what they can the mans empty naked and absurd writing Mr. Dayr having shewed his best skill wit and learning to proove their parish assemblies true Churches in his second booke according to his division hee attempteth to confute the description which Mr. Barrow and the Brownists as he maliciously names Gods people have laid downe of a true visible Church and about this point hee writes more then an hundred and fifty pages all the matter whereof leaving out his Battalogies and impertinenr speeches might well have beene written in sixe leaves of papier But it seemes the man wanted no money and therefore would make it up to his reader in Taile what he could not doe in weight forgetting in the meane time the proverbe a little and good and also what the learned use to say The worth of a writing doth not consist in bulke and belly but in the sinewes veines and arteries which with good blood and spirit may be comprehended in a little body But let us see how he confutes us First he layeth downe our definition of a true
visible Church which is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God and joyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellow ship of the Gospel Before we â—ome to examin the reasons if they may be so termed which he alleageth against this definition I desire the reader to minde it well that we herein do say no more then what in effect is fully acknowledged by the Nonconformists Conformists the Church of England the learned generally and all the reformed Churches upon earth as is to be seene in their books here named Yea Mr. Brad. although no friend of the Separatists yet confesseth the whole as it is here laid downe to be true and good Notwithstanding this man commeth boldly forth against us as if he had been either asleepe all his life time or lived in some unknowne parts of the world and so could not tell what any body had said about this thing And now for his reasons in which he is as confused as is the subject for which he pleadeth notwithstanding such as I finde here and there disorderly written of him I will reduce into some particular heads The maine and chiefe argument wherewith he fighteth against us for saying a true visible Church is a company of people called and separated from the world is because hypocrites and reprobates may beein the Church And to proove this he is very large and tedious for I dare say more then halfe of his booke is spent about it in alleaging for it Scriptures Examples and Reasons But a few words will serve for answer to it in regard he talkes of a thing which neither helpes him nor disadvantageth us for the question betweene them and us hath ever beene about the true and naturall members whereof Gods Church is orderly gathered and planted and not about the decayed and degenerate estate thereof But of this he saith nothing onely reasoneth much to this purpose If a mans body may have sores boyles broken limmes c. then is not the body whole and sound in the definition If in a garden vineyard or orchard after the constitution there grow weeds thornes and thistles then cannot the same in the description be said to bee planted at first of all good herbes vines and trees But the first is true therefore the second Now if such Philosophie be to be laughed at then truely much more is Mr. Dayr Divinitie here to be pittyed for he denieth our definition to wit that a true visible Church in the first collection consisteth of a people called and separated from the world and why because forsooth afterwards some of them may fall into unlawfull and sinfull courses If all our writings should bee read over yet will it not be found that ever we have denied but many hypocrites may be in the true Church yea open and vile transgressours but here lyeth the poynt if any shall affirme that the same may be first gathered of knowne lewd and unconverted men that indeed wee deny utterly and can proove the contrary or if they shall say that obstinate and incorrigible sinners may lawfully be suffered therein this also we affirme to be untrue But if they say that in a true visible Church there may be great evils committed yea and a long time tolerated wee assent unto it Howbeit it is certaine as Dr. Ames saith this forbearance is a grieveus sinne before God If Mr. Dayr therefore had well understood what our negative and affirmative positions are hee might have spared most of his writing For throughout his booke he hath most falsely reported of us by insinuating as if we held all of the visible Church to be saved and that no wickednesse therein can be committed now our words tend onely to shew what a Church is and how every member ought to walke but if in some respects they bee not so yet may the Congregation notwithstanding be true and good Mr. Dayr tells us verie often of the sinnes committed in the Iewish Church so in Corinth Pergamus c. If he were alive I would aske him whether they did well herein If he should say yea then were he a blasphemer if nay then he gave us the whole cause and so might cast his booke into the fyre For the thinge which we affirm is that every member of the church ought to be holy not that they are allwayes so but should be so and it is their great fault they are otherwise And here the reader may observe how greatly he hath mistaken the matter For whereas Mr. Barrow Mr. Ainsw and others doe shew from the scriptures what a true Church is whereof gathered how every member should walke how abuses are to be reformed c. He either through ignorance or mallice or both still inferreth from their writings that they held perfection of Churches that there can be no Hypocrite or reprobate in the Church c. Things groundlesly collected of him Of the same nature are the reports which many of them publish dayly in their Sermons and Bookes namely that the main cause of our Separation is because wicked men are suffered in their church But this is untrue for howsoever as I said before such a tolleration can not be justified yet this is not properly the reason but because their Parishes were at first constituted as now they stand of the members of Antichrist to wit the idolatrous Papists and of all other kind of most notorious sinners as whorems witches atheists swearers usurers cursers scoffers at religion c. This prophane multitude without any profession of faith and repentance were forced and compelled by human authority in the beginning of QElizabeths raigne to be members of their Church and so have continued they and their seed ever since contrary to the expresse word of God and this is so evident and certaine as the Nonconformists acknowledge it most true beside we leave them in respect of their ministery worship and Church government which is also prooved unlawfull and Antichristian by their owne testimony Another exception which he taketh against our description is because we say a people called by the word of God this he denies to be true and affirmes that men may come to be members of the visible Church and not be called by the word and therefore verie unfitly is it placed in the description of a visible Church pag. 62. 63. Ans We need not wonder when a man undertakes to justifie a bad cause that he useth ordinarily vile and profane arguments for it First this which he affirmeth is directly against the Holy Scriptures of God 2. Contrarie to all example in the old and new Testament 3. Wholy against the doctrine of his brethren and fellow Preists and the learned everie where c 4. The Scriptures which he names are both untruly and unadvisedly applyed of him for first touching that in Exod. 12. 38. Howsoever many Egyptians