or can as Mr Ber. knoweth right well for the good graces of God in many wee do both know acknowledge them and it is our great grief though their owne fault that we cannot have communioÌ„ with the persons in whom so eminent graces of God are and if there be any of them which are sory for our departure from the assemblies we are much more sory so have more cause for their continuance in the same In which their estate whilst we withdraw ourselves from them we do in no sort condemn their persons which stand or fall to the Lord much lesse any good thing in them or truth amongst them It is one thing simply to condemn that which is good for evill and another thing to forbeare the vse of it in the concrete for the commixture of evil from which in that vse it is inseparable When Paul forbad the Corinthians to eat and drink in the Idol temples 1 Cor. 10. 20. â—1 he did not condemne meat drink Neyther did the same Apostle when he directed the same Corinthians to excommunicate the incestuous person and so to have no fellowship with him 1 Cor. 5. enjoyne them to renounce the fayth which that person professed or the baptisme which they with him had received And as a Church excommunicating an offender for some one scandalous sin and so refusing all communion with him cannot be chalenged for renouncing or reiecting the faith which that person professeth or any other personall good thing appearing in him so neyther may any person or persons forsaking a Church and all fellowship with it for some one or few iust causes iustly be accused as renouncing or disclayming the other good things there remayning Lastly let me ask Mr B. whether he disclayme one God subâ—â—sting in three persons one Lord Iesus God and man and withall the Christian vertues of zeale patience temperance humility meeknes and the like And why not he as well in refusing communion with the Church of Rome where these things are to be found as we in disclayming the Church of Engl. where the same and other the like good things are known to be Thus when a mans eyes are blynded by partiality towards himselfe and his mouth opened by mallice against his adversary it is mervaylous to see what vnequall judgment he will passe But least Mr B. in charging our beginning as he doth as accursed vncharitable vnnaturall and vngodly might seeme to curse where God curseth not he annexeth certayn portions of scripture which he also sets downe at large as though they made largely against vs and our separation and the end why he alleadgeth them is to prove that there is cause of reioycing in the Church of England The scriptures are these Rom. 15. 17. 18. Act. 10. 34. 35. Rom. 14. 17. 18. To which I do answer first in generall There may be oft tymes is cause of reioycing in the events and issues of things by a speciall hand of God determining them though the secundary meanes and instruments which the Lord vseth for the producing and bringing forth of these issues events as of light out of darknes be most accursed Wherein more or els hath a christian heart cause of reioycing then in the death of Christ And yet what can be imagined more abominable then the meanes and instruments of working it But to speak nearer Mr B. purpose If some Iesuite or other sent by the Pope into America amongst the Pagans and Infidels should there perswade any to beleeve confesse one God and his sonne Iesus Christ made man for the redemption of the world that they should also give vp their lives for these truthes there were cause of reioycing in theyr testimony and yet I suppose Mr B. knowing as he doth would be loath to have communion in the Iesuits Ministery More particularly The Apostle Rom. 15. 17 18. in commendation of his Apostleship layes downe the effects of it and how great cause of reioycing he had that God by his ministery had planted the Churches of the Gentiles whom he further describes by theyr obedience in word and deed And how serves this for the Church of England Thus. It serves first to exclude all those word Saynts for whom Mr B. pleads so much in his book Secondly it serves to shew what small cause there is of reioying for the English Churches being planted of such vniversally so still continuing as are indeed abhominable and disobedient to every good work reprobate The second Scripture is Act. 10. 34. 35. Of a truth I perceave that God is no accepter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted of him And is it so What sacrilegious presumption then is it in the Church of Enland to compell God to accept of persons and to accept for his people servants such as neither fear him nor work righteousnes but the coÌ„trary to offer vp theyr persons sacrifices to him in the name of Christ in whome they have no portion to seale vp the covenant of his grace and peace vnto them in the sacraments with whom it never came into his hart to strike hand neyther hath he peace with them The third Scripture is Rom. 14. 17. 18. The kingdome of God is not meat not drink but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the Holy G. for whosoever in those things serveth Christ is acceptable to God c. Hence to let passe the drift of the Apostle in this place els where opened thus much must necessarily follow that where righteousnes and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost are not nor men in those things serving Christ there the kingdome of God is not nor these men his subiects And where Gods kingdom is not there is the kingdome of Satan and they that are not the subiects of the one are the slaves of the other And so I leave it to the godly reader to iudge whither the assemblyes in England gathered at the first and at this day consisting of such persons for the most part as do not thus nor in these things viz righteousnes peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost serue Christ but the contrary can be rightly by the word of God accounted the kingdome of God Church of Christ. Thus the 3. Scriptures which Mr B. stretched out like a threfold coard to hold men in the assemblies are in truth and in their right meaning as a three stringed whip to scourge those that fear God out of them With such a renunciation of the truth must be interteyned much vntruth saith Mr Ber. as first thou must beleeve their way to be the truth of God then condemne our Church as a false Church when themselves have published that the differences betwixt vs and them are but corruptions Nâ—w corruptions do not make a false Church but a corrupt Church aâ— corruptions in a man make but a corrupt but no false man If we beare witnes of
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
place Onely let the indifferent reader iudge whither Mr B. in blazing abroad the personal infirmityes of his adversaries without any occasion neyther sparing the living nor the dead have not come to the very highest pitch of the most natural rayling that may be A practise which all sober mynded men do abhor from The next that comes in Mr B. way are the two brethren Mr Francis Mr George Iohnson whose contentions he exaggeâ—ateth what he can to make both their persons and cause odious True it is that George Iohnson together with his father taking his part were excommunicated by the Church for contention arising â—t the first vpon no great occasion wherevpon many bitter and â—eprochful termes were vttered both in word and writing George â—ecoÌ„ming as Mr B. chargeth him a disgracefull libeller It is to vs iust cause of humiliation all the dayes of our lives â—hat we have given and do give by our differences such advantages â—o them which seek occasion agaynst vs to blaspheme the truth â—hough this may be a iust iudgment of God vpon others which â—â—ek offences that seeking they may find them to the hardening of â—heyr hearts in evill But let men turne theyr eyes which way soever â—hey will and they shall see the same scandalls Look to the first â—nd best Churches planted by the Apostles themselves and beâ—old dissentions scandall strise byting one of another About two hundred yeares after Christ what a styrr was there about moone-shyne in water as we speak betwixt the East and West Churches when Victor Bishop of Rome excoÌ„municated the Churches in Asia for not keeping the Iewish feast of Easter at the same time with the Church of Rome And to come nearer our own tymes how bitter was Luther agaynst Swinglius Calvin in the matter of the Sacrament how implacable is the hatred at this day of them whom they call Lutherans against the followers of the other partyes Take yet one instance more and in it a view of the very height of humayne fraylty this way The exiled Church at Frankford in Queen Maryes dayes bred and nourished within it self such contentious as that one accused another to the Magistrate of treason wherevpon Mr Knox was compelled to fly for feare of trouble I could also alledge to the present purpose the state of the reformed Churches amongst which we live whose violent oppositions fiery coÌ„tentioÌ„s do far exceed all ours but I take no delight in writing these things neyther do I think the needles dissentions which have bene amongst vs the lesse evill because they are so common to vs with others but these things I have layd downe to make it appeare that Mr B. here vseth none other weapon agaynst vs then Iewes and Pagans might have done against Christians and Papists against such as held the truth against them yea and then Atheists and men of no religion might take vp against all the professions and religions in the world And to go no further the irrecoÌ„ciliable emnity betwixt the Prelates reformists about cap surplice crosse and the like which the patrons of them acknowledg trifles might well have stopped Mr B. mouth from vpbrayding any with fyery contentions vpon small occasions And touching the heavy sentence of excommunication by which the father and brother were dilivered vp to the Divill as Mr B. speaketh I desyre the reader to consider that if excommunication be as indeed it is so heavy a sentence and that by it the party sentenced be delivered over to the Divill the Church of England is in heavy case which playes with excommunications as children do with rattles And to allude to the word Mr B. vseth in what a divelish case are eyther the Prelates and convocation house which have ipso facto excoÌ„municated all that speak or deale against theyr State Ceremonyes servise book since the curse causâ—es falls vpon the head of him from whom it comes or the reformists wherof M. B. would be one by fits such as seek for and interprise reformation And for the particular in hand howsoever it may seeme an odious thing vnto the naturall man which savors not the things of God nor the vnpartiall ordinances of the Lord Iesus and would be a matter of wonder that a man should censure or consent to the censuring of his father or brother in the Church of England where a good word of a freind or a small bribe may stay the excommunication of the grossest offender yet if there be iust cause though with extraordinarie sorrow for the occasion Christ in his ordinance must be preferred before father and brother yea mother sister also Yea it shal be the seal of his ministerie upon that sonne which in the observance of the word of the Lord and in the keeping of his covenant sayth vnto his father mother brother yea own children I know you not The next Mr. B. obiecteth is Mr Burnet who died of the plague in prison whether he was committed by the Archprelate And so did Mr Holland and Mr Parker in the same City at the same tyme as I remember and so did Iunius and Trelâ—atius the two divinity professors at Leyden at an other tyme vpon the same infection And was the plague Gods fearfull correcting rod vpon these men because their religion was false or rather would any man knowing the scriptures and the Lords dispensations towards his Church argue as this man doth * If iudgment thus begin at Gods house what shall the end of them be which obey not the gospell of God But if Mr B. will bring against vs all the persons which the Bishops have killed in their prisons by this and the like meanes as David did Vrijah by the sword of the Amonites he may overthwelm vs with witnesses but his argument shal be much what of the same nature with that of the Caian haeretiques which affirme that Cain was a good man and conceaved by a superiour power vnto Abel because he prevayled against him and slew him Lastly for Mr Smyth as his instability wantonnes of wit is his syn our crosse so let M. B. all others take heed that it be not their hardning in evill Mr B. in proceeding to point out the hand of God writing heavy things against vs chargeth us by Mr Whytes testimony with such notable crimes and detestable vncleannesses as from which they in the Church of England eyther truely fearing God or but making an apparent shâ—w thereof are so praeserved by God as they cannot be taynted with such evils as some of vs oft times fall into As the witnes well â—its the cause and person alledging him who according to the Proverb may ask his fellow c. so have his slaunders been answered as Mr Bernard knowes whereof it seems the party himself is ashamed and so might Mr B. have been had he not been shameles in accusing the brethren Now for the things objected it
it be not actually seen or open to the ey of all as you speak as colours are alwayes visible and souÌ„ds audible in themselves though for the present they be neyther seen nor heard But what do I striving with this man which needs none other adversary but himself As he crosses his first book with his second so doth he both crosse and confute his second by his third In his first he will haue the word truely taught and the sacraments rightly administred to be the marks of the true Church in his 2. the true word preached though not truly the true sacrameÌ„ts administred though not rightly are inâ—allible tokens and reciprocally converted with the Church in the 3. last book the Church may be a Ch without the vse of the sacrameÌ„ts for a long tyme as the Ch of Israel was in the wildernes so it be not done of contempt and such as are eyther no Church of God at all or an antichristian assembly may haue and vsurp the seales put to a blank as Ismael Esau out of the Church had circumcision and the Papists now have baptism And that which he sayth of Baptism may as truely be sayd in cases of the word and the publication of it by reading and interpretation As the true Church may for a time want the vse of both so may a false Ch vsurp and abuse both as well the wryting as the seal ' He that held the seven starres in his right hand and walked in the middest of the seven golden candlesticks threatned the Church of Ephesus that he would shortly remove her candlestickout of his place for leaving her fâ—rst love except she repented though she still held and vsed the word and sacraments and if a company of schismatiques leaving a Church without cause or of excommunicates justly cast out of the Church should vnite themselves together vsurping and assuming the word and sacraments and professing the covenant outwardly and in the letter did this their â—old vsurpation make them a true visible Church of Christ The matter is the true Church may want vpon occasion the vse or administration of the word and sacraments but never the right power and interest in and vnto them so may a false assembly vsurp oâ— assume them but never have right or power from Christ unto them And this spirituall power and liberty arising from the Lords visible covenaunt to communicate and partake in the visible promises ordinances of it is the true essentiall propertie of the visible Church as is the faculty of reasoning the property of a reasonable man and the faculty of seing hearing tasting and the like the property of a sensible creature though neyther the one haue the actuall vse of reason for the present nor the other of sense The third and last property of the Church Mr B makes the care for the welfare of all and every one for the whole and each for other this eyther corporall for the maintenance of the body as in almes deeds Act. 2. 42. or spirituall touching the sowle which standeth in admonition and exhortation and so â—orth as 1 Thes. 5. 11. which also he sayth they and their congregations have It is noted of some persons beside themselves that all the ships they see in the haven and fayr houses in the country they think and say are theirs where if they were in their right witts they would both know and acknowledge that they were poore and beggarly and had nothing So is it with this man bycause he reads in the scriptures that the Apostolicall Churches consisted of saynts and were gathered by voluntary profession into the covenant of God that they had given them and did enjoy by the Lords gift and donation his word sacraments other ordinances and did in that holy communion whereunto they were called exercise themseves mutually for the welfare one of another both bodily and spiritually therevpon he concludes peremptorily that the Church of England whereof he is and for which he pleads hath all these things and that they haue all these properties where if he had a sound mind and an honest heart in the things of God he would both see confesse that things were nothing lesse with them then as he sayth and that in stead of this great and vniversall aboundance whereof he boasteth there were generally nothing but spirituall beggary and want Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods have need of nothing knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked More particularly as you want the office of Deaconship which Christ hath left by his Apostles for the collection and distribution of the Churches almes and haue enterteyned under the true name a false and forged office of half preisthood perverting and misapplying to the iustification of it such holy scriptures as are left for the calling and ministration of true and lawfull Deacons in the Church of Christ so is there not that care for the bodily welfare one of another amongst you in any measure whereof you boast The needlesse and endlesse suits and quarrels amongst you filling all your courts and judgement seats your dayly thefts and murthers amongst the members of your Church the continuall cousenings and circumventions one of another the vsuryes oppressions extortions which overflow both country and city as did the waters in the time of Noah both the valleys hilles do too manifestly shew how farre you are from this care of the welfare ech of other bodily whereof you thus vainly boast But though this care of ech for other both bodily and spiritually be almost wholly wanting yet say you the Church is not to be iudged a false Church no more then the houshould is to be iudged a false houshould bycause there is not that care that ought to be amongst them of the family or a man a false man if through folly madnes or wilfulnes he neglects the welfare of his body Surely it had not need considering how not onely this is wanting but how the contrary aboundeth in all places And to let passe all other matters no man is ignorant what care the two great factions in the Church that of the Prelates and the other of the Reformists do take each for other namely how ech may subvert and root out the other And for your similitudes borrowed from an houshold and a body as wee deny your Church to be that houshold of God or body of Christ wherein every member hath his effectuall working in his measure as the Apostle speaketh so is there no way the like reason of them and of the Church in the respect wherein you compare them A man doth not nor cannot cease to be a true man naturally by any meanes if his person survive neyther can a family cease to be a true family civily if it be not dissipated and dissolved but a Church though the same persons survive still
their making as presentation election examination ordinatioÌ„ with imposition of hands and that the exceptions wee take are but about circumstances onely and same manner of doing which do not make a nullity or falsity of the deed done As we do except against the very office it self and against the mayn and most principall works of it by law required as works of will-worship and voluntary religion so do our exceptions against the very calling and enterance of your Ministers evince them sufficiently not to be the true Ministers of Christ. No man takes this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God as Aaron No Christ himself took not this honour to be made the high Prâ—â—st but he that sayd vnto him thou art my sonne this day begate I thee gave it him And if Christ the Lord of his Church did not take vpon him the solemn administration of his office till by the Father he was called thereunto from heaven it is great presumption for any man and he a bold vsurper that so practiseth to take vpon him any office in the Church not being chosen and called thereunto by them which under the Lord haue received this Charter thus to call Ministers which are onely his Church and people And by this doctrine of Mr Bern that faylings in circumstances and manner of doing make not a nullity or falsity of the deed it should follow that if a company of Papists Arians Anabaptists or of any other Haeretiques or idolaters should chose and call a minister though it were a child an idiote yea a woman that after the most prophane and superstitious manner that could be yet this made no nullity or falsity of the action for all were but errours in circumstances and manners of doing Yea by this trifling murther adultery and all the mischeifs in the world might be defended If a private person should take upon him without lawfull authority to be a judge and should condemn the inocent and justify the guilty person all the evill were but in the circumstances of persons judging and judged If a man gaue his body to the wife of another man the evill were but circumstantiall he might haue done it to another person namely his own or proper wife What coÌ„fusion would these excuses of circumstances onely manner of doing things bring over all estates if they were admitted of Of this mischeif I haue spoken pag. 21. 22. 23. 37. The 3. consideration in this matter is about such devises as Mr Bern. hath found for the shifting off such places as prove that the people ought to choose their Ministers The scriptures are Act. 1. and 6. 14. 23. to which also might be added Numb 8. 9. 10. Act. 11. 22. 1 Cor. 16. 3. 2 Cor. 8 19. vvith many others His ansvver is first that these places testify that such examples of practise were then but that there is no praecept for the perpetuity of it This is an vngodly evasion making the commaundements of God of none authority by mens traditions tending to the abolishment of the testament of Christ which he hath confirmed by his death vvherein he hath not onely by practise but also by the doctrine of the Apostles vpon which he hath founded the Church or temple of God for ever established this ordinaunce as a part of the nevv testament and that not vpon some extraordinary temporary and changeable occasion as some thing have been ordered and decreed by the Apostles Act. 15. 1. 2. 28. 29. but vpon ordinary constant grounds and vpon reasons and causes of perpetuall equity such as concern all Churches in all places to the vvorlds end as shall appear hereafter When the Lord Iesus sent forth his Apostles to gather Churches he gave them in charge to teach them to obserue all things whatsoever he had commaunded theÌ„ promising vvithall that in so doing he would be with them alway vntill the end of the world And that amongst other doctrines they taught the people this that they were to choose their officers the scriptures cited do fully testify See Act. 1. 15. 16. 16 23. 6. 2. 3. 5 6. 14. 23. Answerable vnto this is that which the Apostle Paul protesteth to the Elders of Ephesus at Miletum that he was pure from the blood of all men in that he had kept no thing back but shewed them all the counsel of God one part of which counsayl was that the people were to chuse their Officers which by Mr Bernards own graunt they observed to which also adde that the same Apostle writing vnto the Church of Corinth about a matter of order avoweth the things which he writes to be the coÌ„maundements of the Lord and chargeth all them as wilfully ignorant which do not so acknowledge them With what conscience then or colour of reason â—an this man say that this power and right of the people to chuse their Ministers was onely a matter of practise but not of praecept no immediate right from Christ but a graunt vnto them from the Apostles or vpon their exhortation for the tyme It is true he sayth in the same place 1. that the people did not elect or chuse but when the Apostles were amongst them 2. that they did it vpon their exhortation And for the first who denyes but that where faithful and godly officers are the people are by their direction government according to the will of Christ to vse their liberty in this and all the other affaires of the Church So for the second it was so the Apostles exhortation as it was also a divine institution by the spirit of God never reversed but by those vnclean spirits of Divels which like froggs came out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet part of the counsel of God never altered or departed from but by them which take counsayl but not of God and lastly one of the commaundements of Christ which the Apostles were bound both to teach and exhort the people to observe never disannulled but by the counter-commaund craft and violence of Antichrist who as one of your own Prelates hath truely observed never ceased till by cursing and fighting he had gotten all into his own hands The insinuation therefore which you make against vs in assuming this liberty vnto vs as a right of our selves is vnjust considering we have it conveyed vnto vs from Christ in the writings of the Apostles wherein they do as expresly teach it vs and as effectually exhort vs vnto it as if they were personally present with vs. And that which the people might then doe in their presence vpon their speach they may now do vpon their writings in their absence and in the absence of all other officers also if the particular Churches be for the present vnfurnished of them Now where he further addeth that the
A IVSTIFICATION OF SEPARATION from the Church of England Against Mr Richard Bernard his invective INTITVLED The Separatists schisme By Iohn Robinson And God saw that the light was good and God separated between the light and between the darknes Gen. 1. 4. What communion hath light with darknes 2 Cor. 6. 14. Anno D. 1610. To the Christian reader TWo severall treatises good reader have been formerly published by several men in answer to Mr Bernards book yet have I thought it meet to adde a third not as able to speak more then they but intending something further namely an examination of the particulars one by one that so in all points the salve might be answerable vnto the soare applying my self therein to such a familiar and popular kinde of defence as Mr B. hath chosen for his accusations where the former answers onely intended a summary discovery of the insufficiency of his probabilities to disswade from reasons to disprove the things he opposeth The zeal Mr. B. manifesteth here and every where both in word and writing is exceeding great as all men know And surely fervent zeale in Gods cause is a temper wel befitting Gods servants neyther is there any more bastardly disposition to be found in a Christian then indifferency in religion It makes no matter of what religion the man is that is indifferent in it for Christ vvill spue out of his mouth as loathsome the lukevvarm whether wine or water Yet as the case of religion is most weighty so is the affection of zeale in it most dangerous if it be eyther pretended onely not in truth or preposterous and not according to knowledge And therefore as there is singular vse of this fyery zeal for these frozen times of ours so are we to take great heed that our fyre be kindled at the fyre of the altar vvhich came from heavē For as Luke Act. 2. 23. speakes of fyery tongues vvhich came from heaven so doth Iames 3. 6. speak of a tongue vvhich is set on fyre of hell And this we are the more carefully to mynd not onely because almost all men have taught theyr tongues in the generall to speak goodly words and that zealously also for advantage but more specially and with respect to the busines in hand for that many of the weaker sort have theyr tender harts rather affrighted from the truth of the Lord by the deep protestations and obtestations of their guids then any way stablished in those perplexed pathes wherein they walk with them by sound reasons Now as the Lord is to be intreated for those people that he would vouchsafe them wise and stable harts that they may try all things and hold that vvhich is good and neyther suffer themselves to be withheld nor withdrawn from the truth by any such semblances of zeale or other passion though never so solemn and seeming never so sincere so for theyr better direction herein I have thought it not amisse to commend vnto their godly harts two or three considerations by way of caution in this case First therefore it must be considered that there are some of that hoysterous and tempestuous disposition that they can doo nothing calmly or a litle theyr vnruly affections which should follow after leysurely do force on so violently theyr vnderstanding will and whol man as there is no stay with them but in all their motions they are like vnto those beasts which for the vnequall length of theyr hinder leggs cannot possibly goe but by leapes Such a stormy nature with a very litle zeal amongst may make a great stir in the world but is iustly to be suspected And that especially which is the 2. caution in such men as are suddaynly caryed and as it were transformed from one contrary to another without eyther competent tyme or means A suspitious course for all thing ordinarily whither in grace or nature are wrought by degrees and the passage from one extreme to another without due means as it can hardly be sound so can it not possibly be vnsuspected Now ther are many men to be found which are violent in all things but constant in none And though all things be with thē as the figs in Ieremyes tvvo baskets the good very good and the evill very evill yet are they ever shifting hands out of the one basket into the other Today they will lift vp and advance a cause and person to heaven and to morrow they will throw downe both it and him to the lowest hell It is good to have such men in a godly iealousy and there zeale with them And that chiefly which I desyre may be observed in the third place when this theyr zeale rises and falls as the tymes serve Almost all men will at tymes manifest zeal but the most have this gift withall that they wil be sure to take the strongest syde or that part at least which hath some hope of prevayling And so whylst there remaynes hope of bearing things over at the breast they are very forward and fervent in there courses but when that hope shaketh theyr edg is of and they turne theyr backs shamefully vpon the truth yea and oft tymes theyr faces agaynst it And herevpon it comes to passe that many formerly great advauncers of the cause of reformation have of late tymes not onely fouly forsaken but violently opposed the same both in us and them also amongst themselves which doe in any measure desyer it publishing theyr books vnto the world so filled with empty words and swelling vanityes as they not onely bewray the weaknes of theyr cause but the evill and corrupt disposition of theyr hearts as rather striving to manifest theyr servil◠affections for insinuations into the favours of the myghty then to bring any thing of weight for the conviction of the adversary The application of this I leave to the godly and wise reader as he shall see iust cause And so leaving those things which are more generall I desyre in particular and for the present purpose that the christian reader take knowledg of this one thing that as the pretence of zeale in the forward Ministers against all corruptions is as a thick mist holding the eyes of many wel mynded from seing the truth so the person with whom I now particularly deal trusts to this insinuation above all others conveyghing himself vnder this colour into the harts of the simple and hereby making way most effectually not onely for his sage-seeming counsels advertisements for the quenching of their affections towards the truth but also for his idle guesses and likelyhoods with such personall comparisons and imputations as wherewith his book is stored to alienate mens harts from it But the godly reader is to consider that to accept the person in judgement is not good especially in the cause of the Lord and that the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus is not to be held in respect of persons but
over Gods heritage as you would make them controuling all but to be controuled by none much lesse essentiall vnto the Church as though it could not be without them least of all the Church it self as you and others expound Math. 18 But we hold the Eldership as other ordinances given vnto the Church for her service and so the Elders or officers the servants and ministers of the Church the wife vnder Christ her husband aâ— the scriptures expresly affirm Of which more hereafter And where further you advise the reader to take from the Iay other birds feathers that is as you expound your self to set vs before him as we differ from all other Churches Therein you make a most inconsiderate and vnreasonable motion If a man should set the Church of England before his eyes as it differeth but from the reformed Churches it would be no very beautiful bird Yea what could it in that colour afforde but Egyptian bondage Babylonish confusion carnal pomp and a company of Iewish Heathenish and Popish ceremonies Whatsoever truth is in the world it is from God and from him we have it by what hand soever it be reached vnto vs Came the word of God unto you onely vnto it we have good right as the Israel of God unto whom he hath committed his oracles Rom. 3. 2. Towards the end of the Preface you do render two reasons vpon which you do adventure to deal against vs as you do the one coÌ„fidence in your cause the other the spirituall injury which some of late have done you in taking away part of the seale of the Ministery Touching the first as it is to vs that know you wel no new thing to see you confident in all enterprises so doth it much behoove you to consider how long and by what meanes you have been possessed of this your confident perswasion I could name the person of good credite and note to whom vpon occasion you confessed and that since you spake the same things which here you write as confidently as now you write them that you had much a doe to keep a good conscience in dealing against this cause as you did But a speach of your own vttered to my self ever to be remeÌ„bred with fear and trembling can not I forget when after the conference passing betwixt Mr H. and me you vttered these wordes Wel I wil returne home preach as I have done and I must say as Naaman did the Lord be merciful unto me in this thing and therevpon you further promised with out any provocation by me or any other that you would never deale against this cause nor with-hold any froÌ„it though the very next Lords day or next but one you taught publikliâ— against it and so broke your vâ—w the Lord graunt not you conscience And for the seale of your Ministerie deceive not yourself and others if you had not a more authentick seal in your black box to shew for your Ministery at your Bishops visitation then the converting of men to God which is the seal you meane this seale would stand you in as little stead as it doth many others which can shew as â—â—â—re this way as you and yet are put from their Ministerie notwithstanding And wil you charge your Bishops Church representative to deale so trecherously with the Lord as to put downe his Ministers and Officers which have his broad seal to shew for their Office and Ministerie What greater contumely do these vipers these schismaticall Brownists lay vpon your Church then you doe herein The Church of England acknowledgeth no such seale as this is The Bishops ordination and license conformitie vnto their ceremonies subscription to their articles devout singing and saying their service-book is that which will beare a man out though he be far enough eyther from converting or from preaching conversion vnto any And here I desire the reader to observe this one thing with me When the ministers are called in quaestion by the Bishops they alledge vnto them their former subscription conformity in some measure at least their peaceable cariage in their places but when they would iustify their ministerie against vs then their vsuall plea is they haue converted men to God herein acknowledging to let passe their vnsound dealing that we respect the work of Gods grace in any at which they know the Bishops and their substitutes if they should plead the same with them would make a mock for the most part I do most freely acknowledge the singular blessing of God vpon many truthes taught by many in the Land and do and alwayes shal so far honour those persons as the Lord hath honoured them herein But that the simple conversion of sinners yea though the most perfect that ever was wrought should argue a true office of Ministerie the scriptures no where teach neyther shall I ever beleeve without them This scripture 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. is most frequently alledged for this purpose But as vnsoundly as commonly For if simple conversion should argue an Apostleship then should a common effect argue a proper cause an ordinarie work an extraordinarie office for the conversion of men is a work common to extraordinarie and to ordinarie officers yea to true and false officers yea to such as are in no office at all as hereafter shall appeare And what could be more weakly alledged by Paul to prove himself no ordinarie but an extraordinary officer an Apostle which was the thing he intended then that which is common to ordinary officers with him Might not the Corinthians easily have replyed Nay Paul it followes not that you are an Apostle immediately called and sent by Christ because you haue begotten vs to the Lord have been the instrument of our coÌ„versioÌ„ for ordinary Ministers Pastors Teachers called by men do beget to the Lord as wel as you The bare conversion of the Corinthians then is not the seal Paul speakes of but together with it their establishment into a true visible Church and that with such power and authority Apostolicall as wherewith Paul was furnished by the Lord. Of which more hereafter But the father of these childreÌ„ you say you are which thus vnnaturally fly from you and whereof we so injuriously have deprived you in which respect also you make this your hue cry after vs and them for through the gospel you have begotten them And have you begotten them vnto the faith as Paul did the Corinthians and are you their father as Paul was the father of the Corinthians then it must needs follow that before you preached the gospel vnto them and thereby begot them to the Lord they were in the same estate wherein the Corinthians were before Paul preached vnto them that is unbeleevers and without faith and so were to be reputed And how then true matter of the Church for which you so much contend Besides these your begotten children were baptised long before you saw their faces some twenty
those purposes they are vayn and frivolous to be forborn in or about the worship of God which abhorrs all such vanity Lastly as we live in a very indifferent age for religion wherein the most are indifferent of what religion they are yea whither they be of any or none so no mervayl though men staÌ„d stisâ—y for indifferency of things And when they have amongst them such devises as they neither can approve for good nor wil condemn as evil they baptize them into the name of indifferent things But the truth is there is nothing simply indifferent in the vse but be it never so base or meane a ceremony circumstance or appurtenance to any solemn action it is eyther good or evill according to the furtherance or hinderance which it affoardeth to the mayn If it give furtherance to a naturall action it is naturally good if to a civil action civily good if to a religious action religiously good and so to be reputed otherwise it is vayne at the least and vanity as it is every where evil so is it in the matters of religion the taking of Gods name in vayn The next thing which Mr. Bern. vndertakes is to set downe how scrupulosity of conscience ariseth in men for which disease if it arise surely he sheweth himself a physitioÌ„ of no value for the healing of it but eyther smothereth the same vnder the authority of the Magistrate or dispenseth with it vpon good meanings or forceth it on without assurance or entangleth it with new doubts In the first enquiry which he wils men to make into themselves touching scrupulosity of coÌ„science amoÌ„gst other things he speaks thus If the ground vz. of doubting be not a iudgement enlightened convinced it is not trouble of conscunce but a dislike working discontentment vpon some other ground And this in the margent he wils the reader to note well as in deed he may note it and brand it too for il vnadvised counsayl For howsoever no mans conscience ought to scandalize or be troubled at the vse of lawful things for the larger conscience the better in that which is lawfull and that such doubts in the heart do arise from weaknes of fayth and weaknes of faith from want of knowledge yet since we all know but in part that our fayth is according to our knowledge and our conscience according to our fayth when a doubt or scruple ariseth in our hearts touching the lawfullnes of things yea though it be of very ignorance we must not passe it over lightly without trouble least it prove as a thorn in the heele and rankle inwardly Neyther are such scruples alwayes so easily removed as Mr. Bern. maks account Weak and tender consciences do oft tymes stick at a very strawe and there must they stand til the Lord give strength to step over The thing intended and promised by Mr. Bern. in the next place is satisfaction to the perplexed conscience and direction in that case which he is so far from performing by sound and resolved counsayl as were meet as in stead therof he propounds sundry doubtes and quaeries of his ovvn vvhich he leaves vnsatisfyed to the further entangling of his perplexed patient abusing also his reader too much in performing questions where he promiseth answers Wel howsoevr it be an easier thing to ty knotts then to loose them and that a simple man may cast a stone into a ditch vvhich a wise man cannot get out agayne yet are not those questions which Mr. Bern. propounds and so leaves vnanswered so dark doubtfull that a man needs take so long a jorney as the Queen of Sheba did for resolution The first quaere of weight being the 4. in order I vvil set down vvord for vvord though it be large because it is of speciall consideration The question then is Why a man should be more scrupulous to seek to have warrant playnly for every thing he doth in ecclesiasticall causes even about things indifferent more then about matters pollitick in civil affaires Men in these things know not the ground nor end of many things which they do yeeld vnto vpon a generall command to obey authority and knowing them not to be directly agaynst Gods will and yet every particular obedience in civill matters must be 1. of conscience 2. as serving the Lord so must every servant his maister which cannot be without knowledg perswasion that we do wel even in that particular which we obey in Which mâ—n vsually for conscience sake enquirâ— not into but do rest themselves with a generall commaundement of obeying lawful authority so it be not agaynst a playne commaundement of God What therefore doth let but that a man may so satisfie himselfe in matters Ecclesiasticall Though as playne a vvarrant must be had from Gods vvord for the things vve do in matters politick as in causes cclesiastical and that obedience in the one as vvell as in the other must be of conscience yet notvvithstanding the same vvord of God vvarranteth vnto vs clean and an other and different course of obedience in things civil and in things ecclesiasticall And the grosse ignorance or vngodly concealment of this difference is the cause of great confusion It must therefore be considered that this difference stands in tvvo poynts 1. the nature of the things and their proper ends 2. the povver immediate by which they are imposed from which two ariseth necessarily a third difference to be made in the conscience of obedience vnto them First then it cannot be denyed but matters civill and politick do come vnder the generall administration and goverment of the world and do respect the outward man for this present life On the other side matters ecclesiasticall come vnder the special administration of the Church and serve for the edification and building vp of the inward man to life eternall Secondly Magistrates and men in authority do enact and impose their civill decrees and ordinances upon theyr subiects by a Kingly and Lordly power as being Kings and Lords civilly over the outward man and his outward estate Math. 20. 25. and may by their Kingly and Lordly power commaund in their owne names and that vpon occasion to the civill hurt and hinderance of many of theyr people are therein to be obeyed notwithstanding Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. c. Mat. 22. 21. But in causes ecclesiasticall not so There is no King of the Church but Christ who is the King of Saincts and Saviour of Syon no Lord but Iesus who is the onely Lord and Lawgiver of his Church And all his lawes statutes tend to the furtherance and advancemeÌ„t of every one of his subiects in their spiritual estate neyther King nor Kezar may or ought to impose any law to the least praeju dice of the same neyther ar they therin if they should to be obeyed Our civil liberty we may loose without syn without syn vndergo bodily domages
reformed Churches are one whereas the wayes of the Church of England wherein we forsake her do directly and ex diametro crosse and thwart the wayes of the reformed Churches as appeares in these three mayne heads 1. The reformed Churches are gathered of a free people ioyned together by voluntary profession without compulsion of humane lawes On the contrary the Church of England consists of a people forced together violently by the lawes of men into their Provinciall Diocesan and Parishionall Churches as their houses staÌ„d be they never so vnwilling or unfit 2. The reformed Churches do renounce the Ministery of the Church of Engl as she doth theirs not admitting of any by vertue of it to charge of soules as they speak where on the coÌ„trary all the masse-preists made in Queen Maryes dayes which would say their book-service in English were coÌ„tinued Ministers by the same ordination which they received from the Popish Prelates 3. The government by Archbishops Lord Bishops and their substitutes in the Church of England is abhorâ—ed and disclaymed in the reformed Churches as Antichristian as is on the contrary the Presbyterian government in use there by the Church of England refused as Anabaptisticall and seditious Now if Mr B. can at once walk in so many so contrary wayes he had need have as many feet as the Polypus hath Secondly understanding by his Churches way such doctrines ordinances as wherein we oppose it it is an empty boast to affirm that the same is spread into other nations Which are the nations or what may be their names which eyther do reteyn or have received the Prelacy Ministery service book canons and confused coÌ„mixture of all sorts now in vse in the Church of England But Mr B. having as he boasts God Angels and men on his side proceeds in the next place to plead agaynst vs Gods iudgments who seemeth as he sayth from the first beginning to be offended with our course And intending principally in this whol discourse to oppresse vs with contumelyes by them to alienate all mens affections froÌ„ vs he raâ—eth together into this place as into a dung-hil of slaâ—der and misreport whatsoever he thinks may make vs and our cause stink in the nostrels of the reader And so forging some things in his own brayne and enforcing other things true in themselves with most odious aggrevations he presents vs to the view of the world with such personall infirmities and humayn fraylties written in our foreheads as the Lord hath leâ—t vpon the sonnes of men for their humbling And the world wanting spirituall eyes beholding the Church of Christ with the eyes of flesh blood seing it compassed about with so many infirmities falling into so many manyfold tryals and temptations is greatly offended passeth vnrighteous judgement vpon the servants of God and blasphemeth their most holy profession But let all men learn not to behould the Church of Christ with carnall eyes which like fearfull spyes will discourage the people but with the eyes of fayth and good conscience which like Ioshua and Caleb will speak good of the promised Land the spirituall Canaan the Church of God But to the poynt That Mr B. may make sure work he strikes at the head and whetteth his toung like a sword and shooteth bitter words like arrowes at such principall men as God hath raysed vp in this cause whereof some have persevered and stood fast vnto death others have fallen away in the day of temptation whose end hath been worse â—hen theyr beginning The first person in whome he instanceth is one Boulton touching whoÌ„ he wryteth thus that he being the first broacher of this way came to as fearefull an end as Iudas did adding therevpon that God suffereth not his speciall instruments called forth otherwise then after a common course to come to such ends To this I do first answer that neither this man was nor any other of vs is called forth by the Lord otherwise then after a coÌ„mon course even that which is common to all Gods people which is to come out of Babylon and to bring theyr best gifts to Syon for the buylding of the Lords temple there It is true that Boulton was though not the first in this way an Elder of a separated Church in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths dayes and falling away from his holy profession recanted the same at Pauls Crosse afterwards hung himself as Iudas did And what marvayl if he which had betrayed Christ in his truth as Iudas did in his person came to the same fearefull end which Iudas did Nay rather the patience and long suffering of God is to be mervayled at that others also who eyther have embraced this truth and after faln from it or refused to submit vnto it when they have both seen and approved it have not been pursued by the same revengefull hand of God And for the promise of Gods presence with his Gen. 12. 3. Math. 28. 20. Ios. 1. 9. it must ever be taken conditionally viz. whylest they are with him and do his work faythfully as they ought and no further Now touching Browne it is true which Mr B. affirmeth that as he forsook the Lord so the Lord forsook him in his way and so he did his owne people Israel many a tyme. And if the Lord had not forsaken him he had never so returned back into Egypt as he did to live of the spoyles of it as is sayd he speaketh And for the wicked things which Mr B. affirmeth he did in this way it may well be as he sayth and the more wicked things he committed in this course the â—esse like he was to continue long in it and the more like to returne againe to his proper centre the Church of England where he should be sure to find companions ynough in any wickednes as it came to passe Lastly to let passe the vniversall Apostasy of all the Bishops Ministers students in the Vniversityes yea and of the whole Church of England in Queen Maryes tyme a handfull onely excepted in comparison which the Papists might more colourably vrg against Mr B. theÌ„ he some few instaÌ„ces against vs the fall of Iudas an Apostle of Nicholas one of the first 7 DeacoÌ„s of Demas one of Pauls speciall companions in the Ministery do sufficiently teach vs that there is no cause so holy nor calling so excellent which is not subject to the invasion of paynted and deceiptfull hyppocrites whose service the Lord notwithstanding may vse for a tyme till theyr whyting be worne of then leave them to their own deceavable â—usts which will work theyr most wofull downfall thereby warning his people not to repose too much vpon any mortall man in whome there is no stedfastnes but to cast theyr eyes vpon him aâ—one and vpon his truth which chaungeth not Of Mr Barrow and Mr Greenwoods spirit of rayling as this man rayleth against them in another
the case of religion whose way as it is in it selfe narrow and found by few how much more being streytned by the fyery persequutions of the wicked world Indeed the Church of England hath advantage of vs and as I suppose of all the Churches in the world for monstrous speedy growth and encrease for that of a Synagogue of Satan consisting of Popish Idolaters and cruel murderers of the saynts it grew fro top to toe into a true and intire body of Christ of a suddayn before the greatest part of it so much as heard the gospel preached in any measure for their conversion But consider herein M. B. dealing He spares no vngodly means in this his book and otherwayes by slaundering our persons by falsyfying our opinions by exaggerating our infirmities by incensing the Magistrate against vs to suppresse vs and yet reprocheth vs because we grow no faster dealing with vs much what as the Iewes did with Christ when they blindfolded him first then bad him prophesie who smote him Luk. 22. 64. But let it be as Mr B. would have it that the cause of religion is to be measured by the multitude of them that professe it yet must it further be considered that religioÌ„ is not alwayes â—own reaped in one age One soweth and another reapeth Iohn Husse and Ierom of Prage finished their testimony in Bohemia and at Constance a hundred yeres before Luther Wickliffe in England wel nigh as long before them and yet neyther the one nor the other with the like successe vnto Luther And the many that are already gathered by the mercy of God into the kingdome of his sonne Iesus the nearnes of many more through the whol land for the regions are white vnto the harvest do promise within lesse then an hundred yeres if our sinnes theirs make not vs and them vnworthy of this mercy a very plenteous harvest That wee have been here and there vp and down without sure footing is our portioÌ„ in this present evil world coÌ„mon to vs with the more worthy servants of God going before vs who* have wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caves of the earth The saâ—ne answer may serve for that other approbation of vs That wee onely have toleration in a place where the enemies of Christ may be as well as wee Yea though we were not so much as tolerated but on the coÌ„trary persecuted to the death where the enemies of Christ were not onely tolerated but even approved yea the persequuters of vs for the cause of Christ what were this but to partake in the fellowship of his afflictions with the holy Prophets and Apostles and other his most faithful servants And I wil tel you Mr B. in the presence of God what my perswasion is in this case that as we have onely toleration in the City where we live where the enemies of Christ are tolerated with vs so all that truely feare God whether Ministers or private people have onely toleration in your Church no approbation by the canons and constitutions of it And for the leading of the people out of one nation into another of a strange language it is our great crosse but no syn at all and should rather move you and others to compassion towards vs then thus to insult over vs in our exile But your addition that we do this without compulsion is most shameles you your self both beholding and furthering our most violent persecutioÌ„ But see your equal dealing with vs whilst we taryed in the kingdom you blamed vs because we got vs not gone now we are gone you find fault we tarry not For your marginall note that Israel left not Egypt without Pharaohs leave nor the Iewes Babylon without Cyrus his consent To let passe the leave which Pharaoh gave the Israelites to depart when to reduce them back he and his people followed them into the sea they could not depart sooner though they would being held in boÌ„dage by their enemies yet when Moses was in daunger of his life as we are he fled as we do Exod. 2. 15. Besides the Israelites had the certayn known time of their captivities limitted prescribed by God which they were to tary Gen. 15. 13. 14. Exod. 12. 40. 41 Ier. 25. 11. 12. Dan. 9. 2. Ezra 1. 1. which is no way our cafe And what other do we in flying then the holy Prophets and Apostles have done before vs and then the Protestants did in Queen Maries reigne that fled to Frankford Geneva and other places where they understood not the language of other nations yea then the Lord Iesus himself hath sanctifyed not onely by his commaundement or license at the least but also in his owne person flying into a Aegypt in his mothers armes Reason see I none why this man should thus blame vs for our flying except vvith the Montanists he thought flight in the time of persecution unlavvfull Lastly Mr B. concludeth his likelihoods vvith a cursed farewell which saith he we leave in all places like a scorching flame swinging where it comes so as the growth of all things are hindred by it And this observation he fathers upon me though in truth it be his owne bastard I affirmed in deed that where this truth came it left the places barrayn of good things in taking away the best sort of people but this I spake to no such purpose as is here insinuated The scorching flame which hinders all things in the Church of England is the Prelacy to which by vniversall and infallible observation no man applyes himself no nor enclynes but with a sensible decay of the former graces which he seemed to have He that but once enters into the High preists hall to warme himselfe at the fyre there shall scarce return without a scorched conscience Having formerly viewed Mr B. his bare probabilities we will now come to debate his reasons against separation The first sort whereof are grounded vpon the entrance into this cause which he makes very sinfull and cursed because of the great evils which sayth he ensue therevpon And the first of these imputed evills is That we not onely disclayme and condeâ—nâ— the corruptions and notorious wicked but withall forsake all Christian profession amongst them casting off the word by which wee were made alive the ministers our fathers which have begot vs yea and all fellowship of the godly with them and so account them ever false Christians and Idolaters having a false faith false repentance false baptisme And from these evils thus suggested he both disswades the reader with some passionate Rhyme in the margent and deterrs him by sundry bitter curses cast out against vs both in the margent and text There is no truth of doctrine nor ordinance of Christ taught or practised in the Church of England which we enioy not with farr more libertie better right and greater purity then any person in England doth
especially that they oppose it not eyther in hatred or contempt of the persons professing it or in flattery of the Prelates and others of their trayne whom most directly it impugneth And for the rest whose harts ar vpright before the Lord myne harty prayer is that according to theyr integrity their comforts may be that together with my self they may find mercy with the Lord for all those ignorances infirmityes wherewith the sonns of men ar cōpassed about in the dayes of their flesh And for you Mr B. where you take God to witnesse and the Lord to iudge that you do not oppose vs of hatred or mallice nor of purpose to vex vs or to encrease our afflictions knowing as you doe the terrours of the iudgments of the Lord I would seriously advise you considering what you have spoken and threatened vpon some personall provocations to take heed you be not to bould with such deep protestations as these are nor please your selfe too much in them because you fynd them sometimes profitable to serve your turne vpon simple people The second poynt of our vncharitablenes spirituall Mr B. makes a most vngodly desire as ever was heard of to have the word vtterly extintinguished amongst them Egiptian darknes to come over them rather then it should be preached by such as do not favour our course And therevpon he inters into a large commendation of preaching the gospell as though we eyther despised or vndervalued it and on the other syde into a most base extenuation of the constitution of the Church and of orderly proceeding in preaching as things little or nothing regarded by the Prophets Apostles and other holy men of God For this man thus to accuse vs as if we desired that the light of the gospel might be put out in the land and that darknes might cover all is a most vngodly impious slaunder as ever was heard of and in truth one drop of that gall of bitternes which the Christian reader he confesseth in the preface is like to find in his book We are glad and do reioyce for every spark of knowledge kindled in the heart of any person in the land beseeching him which is both the authour finisher of all grace that the same may break out into a perfect flame But because we are taught that the least evill may not be practised for the greatest good Rom. 3. 8. nor aly told for God Iob. 13. 9. who needs not mans sin for the accomplishment of his righteousnes we advise all men to take heed how they adventure to tread the maze of their owne good meanings without warrant of Gods word or to do that which is good in it self without a lawful calling vnto it pleasing thēselves in the vncertain events of things which are onely in the hands of God and rather to turn their feet from every evil way into the steppes of righteousnes commending by faith the issues and events of things vnto the Lord whom alone they concerne and rather to chuse neyther to buy nor sell then to receive the character or mark of the beast or the number of his name Rev. 13. 17. knowing that he which worshippeth the beast and his image and receaves his character in his forhead or in his hād shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God of the pure wine powred into the cup of his wrath and shal be tormented with fyre and brimstone in the sight of the holy Angels and before the presence of the Lambe Rev. 4. 9. 10. And for the concluding of this point I would onely demaund of Mr B. whether those godly ministers whom he brings in pag. 130 to bear down all before them be not of that company which rather chuse to be silenced by the Prelates yea so perswade others also then to submit to their ceremonies subscription I think he wil not deny it if he be asked the question And do these godly Ministers there or other in Engl. mynded as I speak desier that the word may vtterly be extinguished in the land that Egyptian darknes may come over all Indeed the Prelates so charge them as the cause of all Papisme and Atheisme in the land but Mr B. I know iudgeth otherwise of them and so would he do of vs if the beame of mallice did not blynd his right ey when he looked towards vs. Now for the preaching of the word and gospell of salvation as Mr B. doth but worthily and according to the excellency of it magnify and advance the same so doth he most iniuriously and deceiptfully oppose it vnto the holy order within which the Lord hath rainged it and to the true constitution of the Church and other the ordinances thereof with which it consorteth necessarily by the Lords appoyntment and so they make together a most heavenly harmony And thus to set the ordinances of Christ at iarre amongst themselves and in the commendation of one principall to bury the rest as vile and vnnecessary is a most effectuall delusion and deep deceipt by which the mistery of iniquity is much advantaged in the false assemblyes and the hearts of the simple fast held in the snares of error and impiety The Bishops those of their sect do in their sermons writings extoll prayer But to what end That they may depresse preaching and oppresse preachers and so establish theyr service-saying Preists in the Ministery Mr. B. here and so the forward sorte commonly will magnify preaching but as he here so they oft tymes with an evill ey to the right gathering lawfull goverment and orderly administration of the holy things of in the church Wel the Lord sees this haulting on both sydes will avenge the quarrell of his very meanest ordināce least cōmandement vpō all these deceiptful workers Who is wise that he may vnderstād these things prudent that he may take knowledge of them for the wayes of Iehovah are righteous and the iust shall walk in them but the rebells shall fall in them And for the preaching of the gospel would Mr B. but turne his eye a litle upon himself and his nationall Church he might finde that every text brought by him for the advancement of preaching is as a sworn evidēce both against himself the Church for which he pleads The more needfull vision is for which he quotes in the first place Prov. 29. 18. where vision is not the people perisheth or is made naked the more desperate is the estate of the Church of England wherein the greatest part of the Parishes by far have dark midnight for vision the more vnlawfull and vngodly is the ministery of that Church to which preaching is but an accident and no way essentiall or necessary the more accursed is the Prelacy of the same Church which for indifferent things and so not necessary as themselves acknowledg blynde the eyes and stop the mouthes of the best seers and paynefullest preachers in all
places And if the order which Christ hath left in his Church be so vyle in Mr B. eyes in comparison of his vnorderly preaching what can he say for his Lords the Bishops which for the orders devised by themselves by their forefathers of Rome thrust out of so many Churches the ordinance of preaching A man would think Mr B. zeal should find room enough at home and in his owne Church and not thus pursue beyond the â—â—as a poore company of despised and dispersed people But to the very poynt which Mr B. drives at There is not one scripture alledged by him which iustifyes the preaching of the gospell out of a true much lesse in a false constitution They do all and every one of them necessarily presuppose the same howsoever he would separate the things which God hath ioyned together Take one for example and that such a one as he makes a pillar in his building It is written and so by him alledged Psa. 147. 19. 20. He shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell He hath not so dealt with every nation c. Here sayth Mr B. the Lord preferrs his word before a constitution as a testimony of his speciall love But vntruly For in this very place the Lord prefers a constitution before his word statutes and iudgments as the cause why he gave them For wherefore did the Lord shew his word vnto Iaakob his statutes iudgments vnto Israel but because of their constitution that is because Israel was the Lords peculiar people separated from all other nations and received by the Lord into covenant as no other nation was Lev. 26. â—4 14. Exod. 19. 5. 6. Deut. 19. 10. 11. 12. c. with RoÌ„ 3. 2. 9. 4. Act. 2. 39. 3. 23. how profanely soever this man doth debase and vilify the true constitution of the Church which he is like never to enioy as Esau did the byâ—thright wherewith the Lord never meant to honour him Gen. 2â— 32. 33. And amongst other debasements of the constitution of the Church he affirmeth pag 55. that though an orderly proceeding ought to be had yet that at no hand for want therof preaching ought to be left of to this end pag. 53. and 54. he violently haleth into the same guilt with himselfe the brethren of the dispersion Act. 8. 1. 4. 12. whom he chargeth in preaching the word not to have stood vpâ—n every speciall poynt in entering so orderly vnto the work But as theyr enterance was most orderly for that being of a true constituted Church at Ierusalem dispersed by persequution they published the gospel in every place where they came as any member of the Church may do as grace is ministred and occasion offered so is it on the otherside a Babylonish presumption for any man vnder any praetence whatsoever to enterprise the preaching of the gospell or any other work disorderly The Apostle speaking especially of prophecying expresly commaunds that all things be done according to order how then dare any petty Pope or proctor of Babylon dispence with or plead for disorder in this or any other ministration in the Church The last and highest degree of our vncharitablenes he reckons this that we are sorry and envious that the good things of God do prosper with them that the more religious men be in their way the more are we greived and to this end he pretends Mr Barrowes abusing and scoffing at the graces of God and holy exercises in such persons As we hold our selves bound to acknowledge all good things in all men and to honour them accordingly 1 Pet. 2. 17. So must I here demaund of Mr B. as another hath done before me what those good things are which so prosper Onely the Prelates prosper in the kingdome who with theyr ceremonious hornes canons beat batter down all that stands in their way Of their prosperity against the truth we are sory but not envious being taught not to envy the works of iniquity considering what suddayn and certayne desolation shall fall vpon them Psal. 37. 9. 10. And by the way where Mr B. takes it for graunted that the reformists are the most religious in the way of the Church of England it is cleane otherwise The most absolute Formalists most strict vrgers of conformity are the most religious in the way of the Church of England And as for the reformists theyr zeale to speak as the truth is and as shall hereafter more fully be manifested is not in nor for the way of the Church of England but a by path from it which the Church of England considered in the formall constitution of it accounteth schism and rebellion but rather the same way in effect which we walk if they were true to theyr own grounds and durst practise what they have professed in theyr supplications and admonitions to the Prince and Parliament other their vnder hand passages wherein they do playnly condemn the Prelacy for Antichristian the service book as superstitious the mixture of all sortes of people as confused and so of the rest And this Mr B. iustifyeth the obiections which you would so gladly prevent pag. 57. made by your brethreÌ„ in the faith for so are the worst of them the prophane and secure worldlings and Athiests that men paynfull and conscionable in their Ministery and lives do breed and further as you speak Brownistes and Brownisme For proof hereof I will here insert a few things written published both in former and latter tymes by such men as I dare say Mr B. reckens amongst the painefull conscionable Ministers Their words are these We have an Antichristian Popish ordering of Ministers strange froÌ„ the word of God never heard of in the primitive Church but taken out of the Popes shop to the destruction of Gods kingdome 2. Adm. to the Parl. The names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are together with their goverment drawen out of the Popes shop Antichristian divelish and contrary to the scriptures Parsons Uicars Parish Preists Stipendaryes c. be byrds of the same fether 2. Admo to the Parliament The callings of Archbishops Bishops with all such be raâ—â—er members and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure Uirgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb. Mr Ch. Serm. vpon Rom. 12. The calling of Bishops and Archbishops do onely belong vnto the Kingdome of Antichrist Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders pag. â—0 Our Diocesan and Provinciall Churches vsing Diocesan and Provinciall goverment and officers are contrary to Gods word and simply vnlawfull Mr Iakob for reformation Ass 1. There is no true visible Church of Christ but a particular congregation onely Christian Offer Prop. 4. Every true visible Church of Christ or ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it selfe imediately vnder Christ to elect to ordayne deprive and depose theyr Ministers and to
mongst you or any good effect which God hath wrought by them but this I deny that either they are or have been so effectual as to make any one of your parish assemblies the Church of Christ truely gathered constituted And for the place of Ieremy 23. 22. which as here to prove a true church so every where to prove a true ministery by the effectuall work therof is so frequētly alledged I desire it may be wel cōsidered it will appear that the Prophet speaks not at all of the effect of prophecying but of the drift intēt of the Prophets which had they taken counsel of the Lord would not have flattered the people in theyr sinns by preaching peace peace as they did thereby hardening theyr hearts and strengthening theyr hands in their disobedience and rebellion but would on the contrary by denouncing against them the iudgements of God have endeavoured their repentance as the true Prophets did And if we must thus iudge of true and false prophets by the effects of their ministery certayn it is that neyther Ezechiel no Ieremy himself stood in Gods counsel but were false Prophets for neyther of them were effectuall for the peoples conversion Ier. 20 7. 8. Ezech 3 7. 11. And yet a wonder it is to hear what a noyse Mr B. and his people do make with this scripture of Ieremy as though it did without contradiction iustify both Church and Ministery by some ministeriall effect where it is most playne to all that but read the Chapter with any observatiō that the Prophet speaks not a word of the effect of their Ministerie but of the drift of the ministers the false Prophets desperately slattring the people to their destruction 3 By Gods most straunge and miraculous deliverance of vs from the enemyes of his gospell a promise of God to his people Lev. 26. 7. 8. Deut. 28. 7 These deliverances do no more iustify your estate before the Lord then the deliverance of Samaria out of the hands of the Aramites did the ten tribes in their Apostasie The Lord doth promise victory and deliverance vnto his people in their iust quarrels and vse of good meanes but ever with condition of his glory and their good And they thus walking and being thus delivered take experience of the truth of his promises and have cause of reioycing in the God of their salvation but besides this there are many other causes of deliverance and victory which with all other things of the same kinde †come alike to all men good bad and thus to measure the Lords love by morsels bewrayes too carnal a mind in any man and Mr B. neighbour minister if he have a fatter benefice then he may aswel avouch him self a better minister for the quoted scriptures do as well promise plenty and aboundance as deliverance and victory And where in the last place you lay to our charge that though wee like it well that you should call vs brethren yet wee will not so acknowledge you nor do we hold our selves bound so to admonish you I do answer that as we finde at your hands Mr B. little brotherly dealing traducing vs in all places as Brownists Schismatiques Anabaptists persons obstinate in sin so neyther indeed can we acknowledge any of you for brethren in that visible cōmunion of Saincts which is the Church notwithstanding the loving and respective remembrance wherein we haue very many amongst you severally considered for your personall graces Our reasons are these 1. We cannot admonish any of you according to the rule order of Christ Math. 18. to which duety towards every brother in communion we are absolutely bound 2. We can not acknowledge you for our brethen but we must also acknowledge your Prelates for our reverend fathers vnder whose blessings we mean not to come 3. We cannot acknowledge some of you brethren but we must acknowledg all amōgst you for such for there is but one brotherhood of all amongst you as your owne rhyme teacheth and makest vs all one brotherhood Now by the scriptures we have not learnt to enter any such fraternity where we must acknowledge brother Preist brother half Priest brother dumb Preist brother Atheist brother Epicure brother drunkerd brother blasphemer brother witch brother conjurer lastly brother recusant Papist if not living yet dead for so you must bury him as your deare brother committing his soul to God and his body to the earth And for these causes among others we cannot acknowledge you as we desire in that speciall fellowship of the gospel communion of saynts But disclayme you the fatherhood of the Prelates the brotherhood of the vnhallowed multitude and fest your selves in the family and househould of God and we will acknowledge you in word and deed We will not with that vngodly brother grudge your cōming into our fathers house but will help with our owne hands to kill the fat calf wil make all spirituall melody with you in the Lord. The fifth errour reputed is That onely Saincts that is a people forsaking all knowne sinne of which they may be convinced doing all the knowne will of God encreasing and abiding ever therein are the onely matter of the visible Church This Position which you account errour rightly vnderstood and according to his exposition from whom you received it is an vndoubted truth For of such onely externally and so farre as men can iudge the true Church is gathered whether out of Paganism Iudaism Antichristianism or any other Idolatrous or adulterous estate whatsoever and of them alone framed as of the subject matter which is onely true whilest it continueth such false when it degenerates from this disposition and so as rotten putrified stuffe to be cast out of the Church We will then come to your allegations to the contrary And first you say this is a proper description of the invisible members of Iesus Christ secluding even hypocrites from being true matter of the visible Church All the true and lawfull members of the visible Church are to me members of the invisible Church to me Isay which am bound to iudge them to be in truth as outwardly they appear so I am taught by the Apostle himself who accounts the whole visible Ch and every member of it elect redeemed iustifyed sanctifyed which are conditons competent to the invisible Church And for hypocrites as they may perform all the conditions here required visible or to vs as Mr Smyth hath answered so do we take knowledge of none such in the Chur in the particular til they be knowne in their day by the outbreakings of sinne and being so discovered they are no longer to be reteyned in the Church but to beare their sinne except they repent and then who can repute them hypocrites You object secondly that this makes that David Iehoshaphat and the Church of God in their dayes were no true matter of a Church
vnder one part of the old testament or covenant of God namely the judicial law for the common wealth and not vnder an other part of it the ceremoniall law for the Church it cannot be that any such ordinance as excommunication could be vsed lawfully in the Iewish Church Yet do I not deny but that the lepers other persons legally vnclean were for a time debarred froÌ„ the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the Church and from all the sacrifices and services thereof but this inhibition say I was no way in the nature of an excommunication For first it was for ceremoniall vncleannes issues leprosy and the like which were not sinnes but punishments of sinnes at the most 2. It did not onely exclude men from the communion of the Church but of the common wealth also and the affaires thereof 3. It did not agree in the end with excommunication The end of excommunication is the repentance of the party excoÌ„municated 1 Cor. 5. 5. but the person legally vncleane whether he repented or no was to bear his shame till the date of his time were out yea to his dying day if his disease continued so long Lev. 12. 13. 14. Num. 5. 2. 3. 4. 12. 10. 14. 2 Chron. 26. 19. 20. 21. A type I confesse it was of excommunication as legall pollution was of morall sin whence I also conclude that the type and thing typed outwardly could not both stand together But here it vvilbe demaunded of me did not the Lord require in the Iewish Church true morall and spirituall holynes also God forbid I should run vpon that desperate rock of Anabaptistry The Lord was holy then as now and so would have his people be then holy as now Yea so jealous was the Lord over his people that he took order then as well as now that no sin should be suffered vnreformed no obstinate sinner vncut off Some sinnes were of that nature as he that committed them was by the law to dy the death without pardon or partialitie so to be cut off from the Lords people Lev. 20. And when other sinnes not of that nature were committed whether of ignorance or otherwise the party offending was to be told and admonished of his offence and so to manifest his repentance by the confefsâ—on of his sinne and professioÌ„ of his faith in the mediatour by offering his appointed sacrifice and so his sinne was forgiven him Lev. 4. 13. 14. 15. 20. 21 23 26. 27. 28. 35. 5. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 10. 19. 17. Num. 5. 6. 7. But now if there were with the least sinne joyned obstinacy or presumption the party so sinning was to be cut off from his people Num. 15. 30. 31. 32. 34. 36. Deut. 17. 12. and for this cause the Iewes were so oft admonished to destroy the workers of wickednes that there should be no wickednes amongst them that they should take away evil from Israel and from forth of the middest of them And vpon this ground doth David as the cheif Magistrate whom this busines cheifly concerned vow his service vnto God in this kind and that he would even betimes destroy all the wicked of the land that he might cut off the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord though he afterwards fayled in the execution of this dutie And to the very same end did Asa the King with all the people enter a covenant of oath to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their hart and with all their soule and that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be slaine whether be were small or great man or woman To end this point vpon which I have insisted something the longer for sundry purposes in their place to be manifested as the Lord vsually conveyed spirituall both blessings and curses vnto the Iewes vnder those which were bodily so here was the spirituall judgement of excommunication comprehended vnder this bodily judgement of death by which the party delinquent was wholy cut off visibly from the Lords covenant and people That which you adde of Cloes coÌ„plaint made to the cheif governour the Apostle is true but misapplyed You make an erroneous collection from it out of your owne lamentable experience Bycause your Church of Worxsop can reforme no abuse within it self but must complain to your Lords grace of York or his substitute therfore you imagine the Church of Corinth to have been in the same boÌ„dage wherein you are and Cloe to have complayned to Pauls court But it is playn Mr B. to them that do not shut their eyes and harden their hearts against the truth that the Church of Corinth was planted in the liberty of the gospell and had this power of Christ to reform abuses and to excommunicate offenders without sending to Paul from one part of the world to an other and that the Corinthians Ch. 5. are reproved for fayling in this duty And had Mr B. but taken this course in his writing that two of his leaves had hung together he might have spared this objection considering what he writ pag. 92. that the same persons have the power to preach administer the sacraments and excommunicate for that he meanes by government Now he cannot be ignorant that both the power and practise of preaching administring the sacraments were in the Church of Corinth in Pauls absence 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 1. c. And so by your own graunt the Church of Corinth had power to excommunicate though Paul were absent Wherevpon I also infer it was their sinne not to vse it Now for the practise of Cloes family wee know Paul was an Apostle and generall Officer and so intitled to the affaires in all the Churches in the world wherevpon Cloe complayned vnto him of such abuses in the Church as were both of publick nature and which the Church vvould not reform otherwise it had been both slaunder and solly to have complayned And what corne doth this winde shake Do wee make it vnlawfull for any member to informe the officers of publique enormities in the Church that they according to their places might see reformation of them Yea if the Pastor or other principall Officer of the Church were absent necessarily we doubt not but it were the duety of any brother or brethren in the like case to entreat their help for the direction reproofe and reformation of the Church for any publick enormities there done or suffered who might also judge and condemne the same themselves and for their parts exhorting and directing the whole Church in their publique meeting to do the like as Paul did Your three next Arguments to prove that tell the Church is tell the Officers are idle descants vpon the formes and phrases of speach scraped together to fill your book with First you affirm that Christ having spoken in the third person tell the Church when he comes to ratify the authoritie to be committed to his Apostles turnes 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
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
so many times been driven to so grosse absurdities by a consequence or two about this cause as he vtterly abhorrs the very memory of all coÌ„sequences it seems would have it enacted that never consequence should be more vrged To conclude whatsoever it pleaseth this man to suggest the mayne grounds for which we stand touching the coÌ„munion government ministery and worship of the visible Church are expresly conteyned in the scriptures and that as we are perswaded so plainly that as like Habbakuks vision he that runnes may read them The 4. guesse against vs is That we have not the approbation of any of the reformed Churches for ouâ— course and that where our Confession of faith is without allowance by them they give on the contrary the right hand of fellowship to the Church of England This is the same in substance with the first instance of probability and that which foloweth in the next place the same with them both And Mr Bern. by his so ordinary pressing vs with humane testimonies shewes himself to be very barren of divine authority as hath bene truely noted by another Nature teacheth every creature in all daunger to fly first and oftenest to the chief instruments eyther of offence or defence wherin it trusteth as the But to his horne the Bore to his tusk and the byrd vnto her wing right so this man shewes wherein his strength lies and wherein he trusts most by his so frequent and vsuall shaking the horne and whetting the tusk of mortall mans authority against vs. But for the reformed Churches the truth â—s they neyther do imagine no nor wil easily be brought to beleeve that the frame of the Church of England stands as it doth neyther have they any mind to take knowledge of those things or to enter into examination of them The approbation which they give of you as Mr A. hath observed as indeed it is of speciall observation is in respect of such generall truthes of doctrine as wherein we also for the most part acknowledge you which notwithstanding you deny in a great measure in the particulars and practise But touching the gathering governing of the Church which are the mayn heads coÌ„troverted betwixt you vs they give you not so much as the left haÌ„d of fellowship but do on the contrary turne their backs vpon you The difference betwixt you and them in the gathering and constituting of Churches is as great as betwixt copulsive conformity vnto the service book and ceremonyes which is your estate and voluntary submission vnto the gospell by which all every member of them is ioyned to the Church and as is betwixt the reigne of one Lord Bishop over many Churches and the government of a Presbytery or company of Elders over one And if you would take viewe of this difference nearer home do but cast your eyes to your next neyghbours of Scotland there you shall see the most zealous Christians chusing rather to loose liberty country and life then to stoop to a far more easy yoke then you bear Yea what need I send you out of your owne horizon The implacable mortall hatred the Prelates bear vnto the Ministers and people wishing the government and Ministery receaved in the reformed Churches proclaymes aloud the vtter emnity betwixt them your vnreformed Church of England of which I pray you hear with patience what some of your own have testified Those that will needs be our Pastors and spirituall fathers are become beasts as the Prophet Ieremy sayth And if we should open our mouthes to sue for the true shepheards and overseers indeed vnto whose direction we ought to be committed the rage of these wolves is such as this endeavour would almost be the price of our lives And do these Churches like sisters go hand in hand together as is pretended Now for vs where Mr B. affirmeth that wee published our confession but without allowance if I saw not his frowardnes in the things he knowes I should marvayl at his bouldnes in the things whereof he is ignorant we published the confessioÌ„ of our fayth to the Christian Vniversityes in the low countryes and els where entreating them in the Lord eyther to convince our errours by the word of God if so any might be found or if our testimony in theyr iudgments agreed with the same word to approve it eyther by wryting or silence as they thought good Now what Vniversity Church or person amongst them hath once enterprized our conviction which without doubt some would have done as with such haeretiques or schismatiques as arise amongst them had they found cause Thus much of the learned abroad in the next place Mr B. drawes vs to the learned at home from whose dislike of vs he takes his fifth Likelyhood which he thus frameth The condemnation of this way by our divinâ—s both living and dead against whom either for godlynes of life or truth of doctrine otherwise theâ— for being theyr opposites they can take no exception No mervayl we may not admit of partyes for iudges how is it possible we should be approved of them in the things wherein we witnes against them And if this Argument be good or likely then is it likely that neyther the reformists have the truth in the Church of England nor the Prelates for there are many and those both godly and learned which in their differences do oppose and that very vehemently the one the other Now as for myne owne part I do willingly acknowledge the learning godlynes of most of the persons named by Mr B. do honour the very memory of some of them so do I neyther think theÌ„ so learned but they might erre nor so godly but in their error they might reproch the truth they saw not I do indeed confesse to the glory of God and myne owne shame that a long tyme before I entered this way I took some tast of the truth in it by some treatises published in iustificatioÌ„ of it which the L. knoweth were sweet as hony vnto my mouth and the very principall thing which for the tyme quenched all further appetite in me was the over-valuation which I made of the learning and holynes of these and the like persons blushing in my selfe to have a thought of pressing one hayr bredth before them in this thing behynde whom I knew my selfe to come so many miles in all other things yea and even of late tymes when I had entered into a more serious consideration of these things and according to the measure of grace received serched the scriptures whether they were so or no and by searching found much light of truth yet was the same so dimmed and overclouded with the contradictions of these men and others of â—he like note that had not the truth been in my heart as a burning fyre shut vp in my bones Ier. 20. 9. had never broken those bonds of â—lesh and blood wherein I was so
speach to the 2. person not saying what it but what you shall bind and loose c. In so saying you give the cause though you presently eat vp your own graunt For you affirm that by the Church ver 17. is meant the whole body of which Christ speaks in the third person and what say wee more But where you adde that the authoritie is not given till the 18. vers and that then Christ turns his speach to his Apostles it is your own devised glosse For first it is evident that Christ establisheth the power of binding and loosing in the hands of the Church speaking in the 3. person v. 17. that so firmely as what brother soever refuseth to heare her voice is to be expelled from all religious cōmunion Vnto this the 18. v. is added partly for explanation and partly for confirmation For where as the party admonished might say with himself well if the Church disclaim mee I shall disclaym it if it condemn me I shall condemn it again the Lord doth here back the Churches censures for her incouragement and for the terrour of the refractary despising her voice and that vnder a contestation that what she bindes and looseth vpon earth namely after his will he also will bind and loose in heaven And for the change of persons in the 17. and 18 verses it is merely grammaticall and not naturall It is common with the Holy Ghost sometimes for elegancy sometimes for explication sometimes for further inforcement of the same thing to and vpon the same persons thus to vary the phrase of speach in the first second or third person grammatically as the reader may take a tast in these particulars Psal. 75. 1. Is. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. c. Math. 5. 10. 11. 12. c. and in this very Chapt. v. 7. 8. Rom. 6. 14. 15. 16. 8. 4. 5. 12. 13. c. Your 3. Reason that bycause Christ speakes of a few two or three gathered together therefore he meanes the officers of the Church and not all the body is of no force if the body consist but of two or three as it comes to passe where Churches are raysed in persecution as the most true Churches are Yet if Christ do speak of two or three officers of a Church gathered together in his name he speaks against you where all the power of the keyes over many 1000. Churches are in the hands of two Arch-Prelates and from them delegated and derived to their severall vnderlings But the truth is that gratious promise which Christ here layes downe for the comfort of all his saints you do engrosse into the hands of a few Elders You might aswel affirme that onely two or three officers gathered together have a promise to be heard in their prayers and not a communion of two or three brethren for Christ v. 19. 20. speakes principally and expressely of prayer though with reference to the binding and loosing of sin which as all other ordinances are sanctified by prayer The very scope of the place and reason of the speach is this The Lord Iesus had v 18. enfranchised the Church with a most excellent and honourable priveledge now the disciples did already see with their own eyes and were more fully taught by their Maister that the Church should arise from small and base beginnings and that it was also by reason of persequution subject to great dissipation Math. 7. 14. 10. 17. 18. 22. 23. 13. 31. 32. least therefore their harts should be discouraged and they or others driven into suspition that the Lord would any way neglect them or his promise towards them for their paucity and meannes he most gratiously prevents and frees them from that jealousy telles them and all others for their comfort that though the Church or assembly consist but of two or three as such beginnings the true Church of God had and have though your English Church begū with a kingdome in a day Act. 16. 14. 15. 17. 34. 19. 7. yet that should no way diminish their power or prejudice the accomplishment of his promise And the reason hath been formerly rendred bycause this power for binding loosing being given to the fayth of Peter depends not vpon the order of office multitude of people or dignity of person but merely vpon the word of God And hence is it that Christ thus gratiously descends even to two or three wheresoever assembled in his name yea though it be in a Cave or Den of the earth of which most gratious and necessary priveledge you would bereave them Now in your 4. Reason out of v. 19 you do most ignorantly erre in the grāmaticall construction for you make a change of the person agayne where there is no change at all Christ speakes onely in the third person as the originall makes it plaine though the English tongue do not so distinctly manifest it to an ignorant man Christ sayth not whatsoever you two shall agree of shal be given to them that is to the Church but whatsover two of you shall agree of or consent in they two that so agree shall obteyne it of God Which words Mr B. you do most vnsufferably pervert to the seducing of the ignorant as if Christ had sayd if two or three of you officers or you two or three officers shall agree together of a thing whatsoever they that is the Church shall desire namely of the Officers for so you expound the words it shal be givē them where it is most evident that they which are to agree vpon the thing they are to ask it and that of God who will give it them And where the scripture sayth that the brother offended speaking indefinitely of any brother and so of the Officers themselves must complayn to the Church M B. on the contrary as if he would even beard the Lord Iesus tells vs the Church must complayn to the Officers Your 5. Reason followes with many litle ones in the womb of it which you bring forth in order to prove that Christ speakes here figuratively and that by the Church he means the governours The first is It agrees with the practise of the Iewish Church frō whence it is held that the manner of governing in the Church is fetched And is this the necessary proof you speak of whatsoever is so held is so in truth And yet in your second book as hath been shewed you bring in sundry men holding contrary things as if contraries could be true Well I confesse it is so held and that by many with whom I would gladly consent if the scriptures taught me not to hold otherwise It had been good here the authour had shewed vs what the government of the Iewish Church was and not thus sleightily to have passed over things of this moment For the purpose in hand thus much The Church of the Iewes was a nationall Church the Lord separating vnto himself the whole natiō