the grossest offence that is vntill the offender have said as much for himselfe as he possibly is able For it is an evident Character of a corrupt Ecclesiasticall Government where the parties convented may not have full liberties to speake for themselves considering that the more liberty is granted to speake in a bad cause especially before those that are in authority and of judgement the more the iniquitie of it will appeare and the more the justice of their sentence will shine Again excommunicatioÌ„ must not be used but as the last and desperate remedie even as a chirurgioÌ„ tryeth all gentle meanes before launcing searing or cutting off Indeed if the cause be great weighty and necessarie then it may not be omitted Reasons First for the glorie of God that it may appeare his house to be no cage of vnclâ—ane birds no stye of swine no den of theeves no stewes or brothelhouse but the holy citty the seat throne of justice the temple of the liveing God where the chast virgin worshippeth where no Cananite may be suffered 2. That the worship and service of God may be kept and preserved from pollution contempt and prophanation 3. For the good of the sinner himselfe that he may see his fault be ashamed thereof and reconcile himselfe first to God and then unto the church against whome he offended and so be saved in the day of the Lord. So long as a harlot hath freely the society of chast matrons she takes no shame of her adulterie but wheÌ„ all honest women reject her then at last c. So a thiefe if he be suffered to converse still with true men to have his liberty in citty and country to the full he will not be ashamed of his robberies murders c. but c. It is just so in this cause If open sinners be suffered in the church and admitted to publike and private communion in the exercises of Religion certainly then though they declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not yet they will not be ashamed of it but rather thinke they have not sinned or it is so light and small as they need not make any matter thereof 4. The honour and the good name of the church is hereby preserved which would be lost if vile persons were left alone therein 5. That others may fcare for if this course be omitted it may be a meanes to embolden many to doe the like A member being thus justlie excommunicated he is not to partake in the spirituall good things which the Lord communicateth in his church as the Sacraments prayer c. yet he may be admitted to the hearing of the word because that is a means to humble him for his sinne and to bring him to repentance which is the end of all Ecclesiast Censures Moreover the rest of the faithfull must avoyd all kind of familiar conversation with him be it in eating drinking buying and selling yea in saluting and talking with him so farre as they are not bound unto him in any of the bands of civil right and society I adde this because excommunication unlooseth it not but such as are of the family or affinitic must performe all duties to such a one which such a relation hath made his due the husband to the wife and the wife to the husband the child to the father the servant to the master c. so an excommunicate Magistrate remaineth a Magistrate still and must of all Christians so be acknowledged Beside all lawfull contracts and promises must be kept and performed with him workes of mercie shewed to him if there be just and necessarie cause If the offender afterwards shall see his sin and desire to be taken againe into the communion of the Saints the church is to assent thereto willinglie yet so as the partie make publike repentance according to the proportion of the offence a verball profession of repentance sufficeth not For so the most holy institutions of God are exposed to the mockage of the wicked and the action of the church placed onely in an outward forme Therefore such evidences are required which in the judgement of charitie doe declare true and sincere repentance and which serve as probable witnesses of the thing Be it here speciallie noted that excommunication and the absolution or reconciliation of the excommunicate are actions common to the whole church and not of any private person or persons For howsoever the Elders for the peace profitt and good order of the church are to administer these ordinances yet the whole church must give their consent freely hereto In the Apostles time and after till the yeare 250. every man that was a member of the church had in the church his voyce in Ecclesiastical censures causes and determinations of the church Christ doth not say when there is cause of accusing or Censuring any tell the Bishops but tell the Church and accordinglie in the times of the Apostles and long after as the Epistles of Ciprian doe manifest they were judged by the word in an assemblie of presbyters and brethren as the incestious Corinthian which shews us that neither one man nor the Presbyters alone were judges in such causes but Church which by scriptures either cleared or censured any person accused as by the word of God he appeared either guiltie or not guiltie c. Many reasons are yeelded by the Nonconformists to prove this thing and all objections made against it soundlie answered and the testimonies of the Learned alleaged for it as the reader may see largely in their bookes named in the margent The like they speake touching the admission of any member into the communion of the church that person which is to be joyned ought publikely to com before the face of the congregation and there to be examined of his fayth knowledge c. and beeing found meet by the general consent of the people he is joyfullie received But of this more hereafter Moreover if the Ecclesiasticall officers shall refuse to doe their duety yet may the brethren notwithstanding performe Church actions and the same are to be esteemed good and lawfull To come vnto a conclusion this forme of Church government here described is vnchangeable ordinary best and perpetuall common to all true Churches and to which all states must be subject as well the rulers as they that are ruled yea and the preachers themselves as well as the poore within the Church and good reason for the same is not a thing indifferent as some thinke but a point of the Gospell yea of the substance thereof a matter of faith and of necessitie to salvation I mean in such an absolute degree of necessitie as is of any ordinarie outward meanes especially to every church and by consequence to every soule in it And therefore as no common wealth can florish or long endure without good lawes and sharpe execution of the same so neither can the church
our changing come ISA. 48. 18 19 20. O that thou haddest hearkened to my commaundements then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea Thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Goe ye forth of Babilon flee ye from the Câ—ldeans c. FINIS A TABLE Of the principall things contained in this Treatise A. ADministrations performed according to the booke of Common prayer and Canons unlawfull pag. 219. Administrations in themselves good may be done by false ministers pag. 236. Apocripha unlawfull to be read in the Church and reasons thereof pag. 108 109. Dr. Ames writing for their ministery answered pag. 55. 56 c. and for their worship p. 113 114 115. and about their Church Government p. 162. 163. Archbishops see Bishops B. Baptisme in the church of England unlawfully administred p. 104. Benefices how they are obtained by the ministers of the Church of England p. 17 18 19 20 c. Bels as they are used in their Assemblies unlawfull p. 112. The English Service-booke taken out of the vile Massebooke p. 78 79. The wickednesse of the Bishops described p. 31 32 33. Their offices false and Antichristian and reasons for the same p. 33. 34. 35. They cannot give a true ministery p. 37. Their booke of ordination taken out of the Popes Pontifical p. 12 The manner of burialls in EnglaÌ„d unlawful p. 102 Mr. Bradsh his scoffing p. 212. 227. 235. 240. Vncharitablenesse p. 212. Absurdnesse p. 215. 216. 240. 250. Ignorance p. 236. Contradictions p. 221. 232. 234 Dr. Burgesse Protestation to become a Separatist if he did beleeve the Nonconformists Principles p. 2. 113 C. No man may administer in the Church without a lawfull calling p. 8. 9 The calling of their Ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb. calling p. 55. 56 Ceremonies condemned and why p. 92. 93. 94 They are the least evills of many in their Churches p. 116. 117 Canon Law unlawfull and reasons for it p. 139. No person by their Canons may speake against the abuses of their church p. 246. 247 No true visible church but a particular ordinary congregation p. 164 To the right constitution of a true visible Church it is of necessitie that all the members be holy and good p. 165. 174. 176 177. 178. 185. 193. 242 Churches of England false and reasons thereof p. 149. 169. 179. 180. Civil offices in Ecclesiastical persons unlawful p. 242 All their spiritual Courts in Eng. unlawfull p. 141 No man ought to appeare at them reasons for it p. 148. The manner of their proceedings in these Courts p. 145. 146 The Commissaries Court described p. 141. 142 The high Commission like the Spanish Inquisition The Convocation-house described p. 143. 144 Church wardens Office unlawfull reasons for it p. 138 Conversion no signe of a true ministery p. 66 Their Collectes in their Assemblies Idolatrous p. 107 Confirmation of Children unlawfull and reasons for it p. 100. 101 Crosse in Baptisme unlawfull and reasons for it p. 95. 96 Excommunication and the absolution of the person are actions common to the whole Church p. 134 Churching of women see women D. There ought to be Deacons in every true church reasons thereof p. 4. 5. Their Office consisteth only in receiving and distributing the benevolence of the Church and arguments for it Idem The Deaconrie of their Church Assemblies is an unlawfull office p. 48 The office of a Doctor is distinct from that of a Pastor and reasons for it p. 4 Mr. Dayrels description of a visible church refuted p. 182. 183. The reasons which he layes downe to prove their Parish Assemblies true Churches answered p. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189 c. Discipline see Government E. The Election of every Ecclesiast Officer must be by the free choyse of the whole Church where he is to administer p. 7. 8 The Ministers of the Church of England are not Elected according to Gods word p. 12 Obstinate sinners must be excommunicated p. 131. Reasons for it p. 132. How the Church is to walke towards such p. 133. And when and how to receive them againe p. 134 70. Grosse Errours practised in the Church of England p. 243. 244 Examples proveing the unlawfulnesse of communicating in a false worship p. 84. 85 c. F. The Court of Faculties described p. 141 Their Fasts are Popish p. 106 So is the Font. p. 104 G. A certaine forme of Church Government is prescribed by Christ reasons for it p. 128. 129. The same is unchangeable ordinary and common to all Churches p. 135. A matter of fayth and necessary to salvation p. 136 It cannot be a true Church which wants it p. 149 This Government must be set up and practised though the civil Magistrate allow not thereof pag. 15â— and reasons for it p. 156. 157. 158 c. The Church Government in England taken wholy and every part from the Pope page 138. 147 Men cannot submitt to it without breaking the Law of the Land pag. 148. 149 Governours or Ruling Elders ought to be in every true Church page 4 Godfathers in Baptisme Popish p. 104 The manner of reading the Gospells and Epistles condemned pag. 107 Gifts make not ministers pag. 65 H. Homilies unlawfull to be read in the Church Reasons for it p. 109. 110. The observation of holy dayes superstitious p. 106 107 The Hierarchie impaires the authority of the civil Magistrate pag. 227 I. What Ieroboams Preists could have said for their Religion page 85. 86 c. Such as maintaine ill causes upbraid others with ignorance page 211 K. The example of the Kings of Iudah vainely alleaged to justify King Edwards Queen Elizabeths compelling of their subjects to be members of the Church p. 201. 202 Kneeling in the act of receiving of the Lords Supper an idolatrous gesture reasons why unlawfull p. 97 The sitter is accessary to the sinne of the kneeler p. 252. 253 King Iames his saying of the Puritans p. 205 L. The ministery of Lecturers in the Assemblies of England new and strang from the scriptures and reasons thereof p. 49. 50 c. Dr. Laiton answered and his principles proved tolead unto separation p. 151. 153. 154 Such as take any Ecclesiastical Office from the Bb. transgresse against the Law of Realme p. 71. 72 Letanie no better then blasphemie and conjuration p. 107 The Learned against communicating in a false ministery p. 27. 28. 29. and false worship p. 90. 91 M. The manner of marrying in England unlawfull p. 101 Members are to be taken into the church by making publick profession of faith and repentance p. 135. 167 Every man that is a member ought to have his voice in the Ecclesiastical causes of the Church p. 134 Reasons why men should make themselves members of true visible Churches p. 166 What makes members of the Church of England p. 169.
visible Church which is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God and joyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellow ship of the Gospel Before we â—ome to examin the reasons if they may be so termed which he alleageth against this definition I desire the reader to minde it well that we herein do say no more then what in effect is fully acknowledged by the Nonconformists Conformists the Church of England the learned generally and all the reformed Churches upon earth as is to be seene in their books here named Yea Mr. Brad. although no friend of the Separatists yet confesseth the whole as it is here laid downe to be true and good Notwithstanding this man commeth boldly forth against us as if he had been either asleepe all his life time or lived in some unknowne parts of the world and so could not tell what any body had said about this thing And now for his reasons in which he is as confused as is the subject for which he pleadeth notwithstanding such as I finde here and there disorderly written of him I will reduce into some particular heads The maine and chiefe argument wherewith he fighteth against us for saying a true visible Church is a company of people called and separated from the world is because hypocrites and reprobates may beein the Church And to proove this he is very large and tedious for I dare say more then halfe of his booke is spent about it in alleaging for it Scriptures Examples and Reasons But a few words will serve for answer to it in regard he talkes of a thing which neither helpes him nor disadvantageth us for the question betweene them and us hath ever beene about the true and naturall members whereof Gods Church is orderly gathered and planted and not about the decayed and degenerate estate thereof But of this he saith nothing onely reasoneth much to this purpose If a mans body may have sores boyles broken limmes c. then is not the body whole and sound in the definition If in a garden vineyard or orchard after the constitution there grow weeds thornes and thistles then cannot the same in the description be said to bee planted at first of all good herbes vines and trees But the first is true therefore the second Now if such Philosophie be to be laughed at then truely much more is Mr. Dayr Divinitie here to be pittyed for he denieth our definition to wit that a true visible Church in the first collection consisteth of a people called and separated from the world and why because forsooth afterwards some of them may fall into unlawfull and sinfull courses If all our writings should bee read over yet will it not be found that ever we have denied but many hypocrites may be in the true Church yea open and vile transgressours but here lyeth the poynt if any shall affirme that the same may be first gathered of knowne lewd and unconverted men that indeed wee deny utterly and can proove the contrary or if they shall say that obstinate and incorrigible sinners may lawfully be suffered therein this also we affirme to be untrue But if they say that in a true visible Church there may be great evils committed yea and a long time tolerated wee assent unto it Howbeit it is certaine as Dr. Ames saith this forbearance is a grieveus sinne before God If Mr. Dayr therefore had well understood what our negative and affirmative positions are hee might have spared most of his writing For throughout his booke he hath most falsely reported of us by insinuating as if we held all of the visible Church to be saved and that no wickednesse therein can be committed now our words tend onely to shew what a Church is and how every member ought to walke but if in some respects they bee not so yet may the Congregation notwithstanding be true and good Mr. Dayr tells us verie often of the sinnes committed in the Iewish Church so in Corinth Pergamus c. If he were alive I would aske him whether they did well herein If he should say yea then were he a blasphemer if nay then he gave us the whole cause and so might cast his booke into the fyre For the thinge which we affirm is that every member of the church ought to be holy not that they are allwayes so but should be so and it is their great fault they are otherwise And here the reader may observe how greatly he hath mistaken the matter For whereas Mr. Barrow Mr. Ainsw and others doe shew from the scriptures what a true Church is whereof gathered how every member should walke how abuses are to be reformed c. He either through ignorance or mallice or both still inferreth from their writings that they held perfection of Churches that there can be no Hypocrite or reprobate in the Church c. Things groundlesly collected of him Of the same nature are the reports which many of them publish dayly in their Sermons and Bookes namely that the main cause of our Separation is because wicked men are suffered in their church But this is untrue for howsoever as I said before such a tolleration can not be justified yet this is not properly the reason but because their Parishes were at first constituted as now they stand of the members of Antichrist to wit the idolatrous Papists and of all other kind of most notorious sinners as whorems witches atheists swearers usurers cursers scoffers at religion c. This prophane multitude without any profession of faith and repentance were forced and compelled by human authority in the beginning of QElizabeths raigne to be members of their Church and so have continued they and their seed ever since contrary to the expresse word of God and this is so evident and certaine as the Nonconformists acknowledge it most true beside we leave them in respect of their ministery worship and Church government which is also prooved unlawfull and Antichristian by their owne testimony Another exception which he taketh against our description is because we say a people called by the word of God this he denies to be true and affirmes that men may come to be members of the visible Church and not be called by the word and therefore verie unfitly is it placed in the description of a visible Church pag. 62. 63. Ans We need not wonder when a man undertakes to justifie a bad cause that he useth ordinarily vile and profane arguments for it First this which he affirmeth is directly against the Holy Scriptures of God 2. Contrarie to all example in the old and new Testament 3. Wholy against the doctrine of his brethren and fellow Preists and the learned everie where c 4. The Scriptures which he names are both untruly and unadvisedly applyed of him for first touching that in Exod. 12. 38. Howsoever many Egyptians
to the beast The truth whereof many can witnesse by wofull experience For Princes generally in those dayes have given so much authority unto the Hierarchie that they have scarse left themselves power to defend many times the innocent cause of their best subjects or to punish justly the vilest offender We would thinke him a man sencelesse that should give up willingly his weapons into the hand of his enimie For to doe so were to be murdered himselfe and to be accessarie to it The Bishops are proved to be the greatest enimies that the King and State hath Surely then with reverence be it spoken it is not wisely done that any power is given unto them For by this meanes in all likelihood many will be killed and not in their bodies only but in their soules also But enough of their persons Let us heare what they speake of their callings The offices say they of Arch-Bishops and Lord Bishops c. be rather members and part of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure virgin spouse of the immaculat Lamb. Their calling indeed is meerly Antichristian false divelish contrary to the word of God taken out of the Popes shop with their names also yea it came frō the bottomlesse pit I say frō heathens frō darknesse the devil a thing degenerate and grown out of kind a humane creature an addition an institution an ordinance of Kings and Princes As it began with oppressing the onely lawfull pollicy and administration of the church so the end of it hath been the most proud and ambitious tyranny that ever was in the world It is as clear as the light that they are no brāches of Gods engrafting their ministery hath no root in Christs testament but of the earth new devised and which can doe no good As for the Apostles they never knew them Syon hath not heard of them Ierusalem which is above will not acknowledge them and no marvail for Antichrist and they are of one and the same brood and offspring of one and the same foundation his rysing was their rysing c. and their traditions and ceremonies are his they had them from him they are installed after the same manner of Popish Bishops creäted with the most of the same ceremonies they are trimmed up with the same trappings they have the like attendants the like armes and observancy they vsurpe the same power jurisdiction and exercise the like tyranny over ministers and people All their principall reasons brought to prove their standing are the same that Turrianus other Popish writers alleadg for the Popes supremacy as indeed they must stand or fall together It is evident therefore that they are no ministers at all in the church of Christ but have and doe usurpe and invade the name and seat of the ministery beeing doubtlesse very theeves robbers wolves and worriers of the Flocks The Magistrate therefore is to doe to them as our Saviour dealt Ioh. 2. in whipping out buyers and sellers and mony changers those might better come into the Temple then these Bishops into the church of God and had more necessarie use but they had abused holy things and made it a den of theeves Not only is this barely affirmed of them but also they doe lay downe many singular arguments and reasons to prove it To instance these Those offices and callings are Antichristian without which all forms of Governments are perfect save onely the government of the Kingdome of Antichrist But such are the callings of Lord Archbishops and Bishops as all forme of Governments may be perfect without them save onely the Antichristian Kingdome where in no case they can be missed For the Government both of the Church and common wealth can well spare them and be never a whitt the more unperfect Therefore the callings of Archbs. and Bs. doe only belong vnto the Kingdome of Antichrist Those Governours are justly called Antichristian who are assistant to the Pope in his vniversall government But Bishops Archbs. c. are assistante to the Pope in his vniversall Government Therefore Bishops Archbs. c. are justly called Antichristian That ministerry which all Christian men and women are bound to submitt and yeeld obedience unto is to be found in the word of God But the ministery of Archbishops Bs. is not to be found in the word of God Ergo there ought not to be obedience yeelded to it He that desires to see the Prelates arguments answered and soundly refuted which they alleadge to uphold their vnsanctifyed places and standings Let him read Mr. Baynes his Diocesans triall the first and second reply to Doct. Downenams Sermon Mr. Parkers Eccles Polit and there he shal receive satisfaction to the full Moreover such is their certainty of this thing that they have often chalenged yea dared the Prelates vnto disputation offering to adventure their lives if the other would but their Bishopricks to prove that they are neither Pastors nor Teachers but officers erected against the word of God the ancient fathers the moderne most learned and godly divines And the like they speak of Archdeacons deanes prebanes canons and the whole Hierarchye of which more hereafter If this be so then by the reasons before shewed it is evident and most certaine that no man can lawfully cōmunicate at any time in the ministery of these men and so much they acknowledge Why should Gods people of what degree soever subject their neck to a Babilonish yoke should they not stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath set them free if they sit not in Moyses chayr why should they heare them If they bring not a lawfull warrant of their calling why should they be obeyed to heare and obey Christ coming in his fathers name and Antichristian Prelates coming in their owne name cannot subsist together But because the thing is allready sufficiently proved we will therefore proceed to a second sort of their ministers Yet by the way I desire the reader to take knowledge of one thing To weet that the Nonconsormists by these positions laid downe against their Prelates doe herein certainly condemne their whole ministery allowed by the Lawes of the Land for if the calling and office of their Bishops be as they say it is of the earth false divilish Antichristian c. Then it followes that their calling and office must necessarily be of the same qualitie nature and condition to weet of the earth false divilish Antichristian which is wholy derived from it which receives I say and takes its life and beeing of it onely and no where else For if their Bishops have not a right power in themselves then can they not transferre it to an other as the Law saith nemo potest plus juris transferre in alium quam sibi competere dignoscatur No man can give more to another then he hath himselfe If Korah Dathan and Abiram when they vsurped the Preisthood
well have been performed in Rome wherevpon the Bull was presently called in Moreover such is the vnholinesse of this idol booke as the Nonconformists generally have refused to subscribe vnto it affirming it to be such a peece of work as it is straÌ„g any will vse it there being in it most vile vnallowable things And for this cause they have besought the peeres of the realme that it might be vtterly removed and many reasons they have given in severall treatises to prove their condemnation of it just and lawfull first because it is an infectious liturgie â—oâ—ish stuffe a devised service and in it are many Religions mixed together of Christ and Antichrist of God and the devil besides a booke full of fancies and a great many thinges contrary to Gods word and prayers which are false foolish superstitious and starke naught c. 2. They cannot account it praying as they vse it commonly but onely reading or saying of prayers even as a child that learneth to read if his lesson be a prayer he readeth a prayer and doth not pray even so it is commonly a saying and reading prayers and not praying 3. In all the order of it there is no edification but confusion 4. We read not of any such liturgy in the Christian Church in the dayes of the Apostles nor in many ages following till blindnesse ignorance and lazinesse occasioned a prescript forme to be made for idle and dumb Preists 5. If this were not many would make more profession of love to preaching and hearing Gods word but by this meanes it is neglected and despised for worldings vsurers drunkards whoremongers and other earthly and Prophane people away with nothing so well as English Masse and why but because it doth not sharply reprove them of their sins nor disclose the secret of their hearts but that they may continue in all kind of voluptuousnesse and all other kind of wickednesse and therefore rightly is it called their sterve-vs booke 6. God hath no where appointed that the Church should be tyed to read the booke of common prayer for his worship and therefore to doe it is an high transgression before him as great as the sinne of Nadab and Abihu and such are liable vnto the like or greater punishment 7. If this were praying and there were never an ill word nor sentence in all the prayers yet to appoint it to be vsed or to vse it as Papists did their mattens and evening song for a sex service to God though the words be good the vse is naught the words of the first chapt in Iohn be good but to be put into a tablet of gould for a soverainge thing to be worne the vse is superstitious and naught and so is the vse of this service Sundry other arguments of this nature are used of them to prove their Service-booke a false idolatrous unlawfull worship the which I purposely omitt because enough already hath been said about it Yet there is one thing which I thinke good here to note namely a comparison which they make betweene the Papists and Prelates in forcing the practice of this foolish stuffe Welfare the Papists say they for they shall rise up in judgement against you it is meant of the Hierarchie who like good fellowes yet in plain and open termes even bare faced as it were doe seeke to reduce vs and to draw vs to their false and idolatrous worship and service in poperie as namely by their Masse mattens ensong purification and other such like whereas you must daungerously and even vnder a maske or visard as it were and not vnlike to him that transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light doe goe about to draw and allure vs to the selfe same worship and service but by cleanlier names and honester titles c. Marke I pray thee reader what they speake here touching their likenesse and unlikenesse with the Papists For their worship Service it is they confesse the selfe same false worship used in Popere The difference stands in their Bishops beguileing of the people For they doe lay more cunning snares baites then the other to have their idolatrie submitted unto as for an instance The Papists call their trashe Masse c. the other call it divine service c. And why have they left out the first title but because they thinke few people would come to it if it did cary still the ould name of the Beast upon the forehead of it Nothing have the Nonconformists here said against that idolatrous book but we also doe assent wholy therto Indeed in practice we agree not For they will be present where the same is used whether they thinke it lawfull so to doe I know not but this I know that by their grounds laid downe against it every true beleever is necessarily bound to separate from it and not upon any occasion to joyne in communion therewith and this I will prove 1. By precepts 2. Examples 3. by reasons 4. by the testimonies of the learned Of all which we will treat in order in the Section folowing SECT III. THe Lord in scripture hath laid it as a straight charge upon all the faithfull to separate themselves from Idolaters and to be as unlike to them as may be specially in their religious observations and ceremonies The second commaundement proves this effectually for there is absolutely forbidden all participation in any feigned service whether it be to the true God or any other When Ieroboam had set up a false worship we reade that the good Prophets of that time and after called the godly Israelites away from it and bidd them in plaine termes not to joyne therewith but on the contrary to keepe Gods commaundements and statutes appointed for his service without adding any thing to them or taking any thing from them And this they must doe although the King had confirmed his new religion by act of Parliament or Counsell and therefore no doubt would persecute most grievouslie all the refusers therof The great Whore much spoken off in the Revelation hath devised an vncleane service to worship the true God by but what counsell gives the Holy Ghost to the elect concerning it very profitable even in these words come out of her my people Rev. 18. 4. that is forsake her detestable religion communicate in none of her vile odious devises what coulorable reasons soever her unblessed followers make in defence thereof Againe as this is a duety so the faithfull in all ages have practised it a memorable example whereof we have in 2 Chro. 11. 14. 16. There it is said that the Preists and Levites and after them of all the tribes of Israel such as sett their hearts to seeke the Lord Came to Ierusalem to sacrifice the like practice we read of in Hezekiahs time divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Ierusalem All will
the voyce of Antichrist The church of God doth keep the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets without addition alteration or corruption thus the Conformists But the Church of England keepes not the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets without addition alteration and corruption say the Nonconformists see pa. 108. Ergo she is not the church of God No society can be termed Gods church which retayneth not Gods true worship thus say the Conformists But the church of England doth not retayn Gods true worship say the Nonconformists see pag. 78. to 113. Ergo she cannot be termed Gods church The true church consisteth not of feirce Lyons Wolves Tygers and such like wild and feirce beasts but of sheepe and Lambes which learne of Christ and are meeke humble gentle c. so say the Conformists But the English church doth consist of Lyons Wolves Tygers and such like wild and feirce beasts and not of sheepe and Lambes which learne of Christ and are mâ—eke humble gentle c. thus affirme the Nonconformists see pag. 31. c. 145. 169. 170. therefore it is not a true Church Here the reader seeth clearly how the Conform majors and the Nonconform minors make up intyre Syllogismes of Separatisme And how they will be able to unlose these knots I know not except by revoking utterly their owne grounds which if either of them doe yet I doubt not but we shall well enough be able to maintaine them against men SECT IV. NOw we come to take a view of such exceptions as may seeme to cary most weight against our former conclusion And these are laid down cheifly by Mr. Dayrell in his treatise of the Church this man made a shift to fill up there with words above thirty sheets of paper The which subject if some men had tooke in hand they would easily have comprised all the matter of it in 12. or 14. leaves My purpose is not to follow him in his idle repetitions neither to speake much of his contradictions absurdities but in short to give a full answer to his tedious tyresome discourses Touching the description which he makes of a visible church he saith thus All that be and remaine vnder the voyce and call of God that is the ministerie of the word c. be of the visible church Answ This is a false and prophane errour for first then the vilest Hereticks that ever have beene in the world may be members thereof as the Appellites Cerdonians Macedonians Paternians Patricians c. such as held two contrarie beginnings or Gods the one good the other evill such as held that Christ is not rysen from the dead denyed the Holy Ghost to be God affirmed the bodie to be created of the devill c. 2. Then may excommunicate persons be of the church before they acknowledge their sinnes yea Tuâ—â—es Iews and Infidles 3. Whereto leadeth this Position but indeed to make the Church a very stincking ditch to receave all filthinesse and to be like the whorish woman which openeth her knees to every passenger contrarie to the patterne given us of God Rev. 21. ult 4. If this were true then should no man for any offence be censured so long as he remaines vnder the voyce and call of God For that which is enough to state one in the Church is enough to keepe him there still if he retaine it 5. He speakes contrary to the judgement of all Reformists and Conformists that ever I have heard or read of and contrarie to his owne writing in other places for in pag. 22. 35 c. he defines a Church to be a company called out from the rest of the world and such as doe submit themselves to the true worship of God Now there is a great difference betweene this calling from the world submitting to the true worship of God c. and onely to be under the ministerie of the word 6. I cannot tell from whom Mr. Dayr receaved this strange doctrine unlesse it were the Heretick Eunomius which taught that so men were of his religion it was no matter what their conversation was nor how many sinnes they committed He doth often affirme in his booke that it is not Faith and repentance but the Profession thereof which is necessarie to the making of a member of the visible Church Marke how blasphemously he speakes intimating if men with their mouth speake some few good wordes they may be taken lawfullv into the Communion of the Saints and partake with the rest in the Sacraments and Prayer All be it knowne to be notorious murderers theeves traitors sorcerers witches whoremoungers c. and so resolved to live and continue It is very likely this Mr. Dayr had a great Church seeing he made the doore unto it broad and wide just like the way to hell I could here lay down many grosse absurdities which might be truly concluded from his words viz. that a Church cannot cast out some obstinate sinners neither is she and the world to be distinguished c. but because the vanitie and evill of this speach is enough allready shewed I purposely passe them over We have seene one of Mr. Dayr definitions now followes another Let there be an assembly joyned together in prayer hearing the word and receaving the Sacraments according to Christs institution and it is a true visible Church Answ It is so indeed and hence this argument against them may be framed If in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England there is neither prayer preaching nor sacraments administred according to Christs institution then are they all false Churches But the first is true therefore the second The proposition hath sufficient confirmation from their Principles before named the assumption is certaine and manifest by the doctrine and description which he here makes of a true visible church and there lyeth against it no exception In the next page he delivers a Paradox viz. that men outwardly may submitt to true worship and yet be irreligious and prophane Now this is either falsely or foolishly spoken If he meane of visible prophanesse and irreligion then it is a contradiction and indeed plaine Nonsence for to say that a person may outwardlie submitt to God and yet outwardlie be prophane and ungodly If he intended of secret and inward irreligion of the heart In this sence it is true but answereth nothing at all to the matter for which he brings it Here also he layeth downe Mr. â—insw wordes as he saith unto which he makes no direct reply but runnes to another matter whereof he had now no cause at all to speake He denyeth that either the Papists or Anabaptists doe professe true Religion although they professe some true and sound doctrine What moved him thus to thinke I know not unlesse it were because these have many errours in their religion Now if this reason will stand firme and good against them then it must needs follow that the Church of England professeth
particular that so a directly named position may receive a direct and speciall reply Answ 1. There is little hope to finde any good here seeing so manifest an untruth is uttered in the beginning He tels us if we will beleeve him that to communicate spiritually with the ministers of Antichrist in holy things is not to communicate in his Apostacie If this be true then unlawfull ministers may be lawfully communicated with but this cannot be for as it was unlawful to communicate with Corah or with Vzziah though they burnt true incense or with Ieroboams Preists though they offered true sacrifices so it is unlawfull to communicate with a devised or usurped ministery what things soever though good in themselves are administred in and by it And this we formerly have proved fully 2. It is certaine that the ministery of Preists and Deacons ordained by Antichrist is the ministery of his Apostacie and not Christs as he prophanely affirmeth for he makes them not according to the institution prescribed of God but wholy after a wicked and divelish device of his owne braine so that the same is a meere fruite of the Beast and false Prophet and no accidental effect but a most cursed thing which doth as properly flow from his defection as figgs from the figg-tree or a child from the seed of the Parents As for Luther Husse Wickliffe and others whereof he speaketh it is but an absurd and childish begging of the question seeing it cannot be proved that they received a lawfull ordinary ministery from the Church of Rome 3. He saith that the ministerie of such Priests and Deacons which the Prelates ordaine are the true ministers of Iesus Christ What every dumb dog and all those 60. 80. and a 100. which are made at a clap and sent forth as rouges and masterlesse servants to get benefices where then can having no particular congregation c. Yea now all againe are justified for he speakes without exceptionâ— or limitation If I were not unwilling to give occasion unto the Bb. to insult over these meÌ„ I could hence manifest much bad dealing in them but I will forbeare for the present and doe referre the reader to their owâ— Principles which is that all Ecclesiasticall officers oughâ— necessarily to be made by the free choise of the congregation wherein they are to administer This manner of ordination they professe is only Lawfull and none else Tâ— this ascenteth Dr. Ames and denies utterly that the calling of their ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb calling Now what the reason is that they are thus mu table it may easily be conceived namely the differen condition of the persons against whome they write for if a man should read over their bookes publisher to the world against the Hierarchie he should not warrant you heare them once there to say as heer they doe that it is lawfull for their Prelates to ordaine ministers but then they will speake out boldly that this practise is wicked and unwarrantable yea and they can upon such occasions give good reasons for it also Mr. Bradsh in page 5. justifieth the ministery of such among them as are not ordained by the Bb. here he saith that these are the Ministers of Iesus Christ which receive their ministery from the Bb. yea and from Antichrist too so that it seemes if men will be Priests of their churches they may come in any way and it is no matter how they be ordained nor who ordaines them nor whether they be ordained or no indeed his words imply no lesse and therefore he must needs be reasonable But if the Nonconformists should have seene but halfe such rotten stuffe in any Conformists writings they would have cried out and that justly Dawbing dawbing 4. He hath little cause to scoffe so idely as he doth at Mr. Iohns for the manner whereby he prooves his propositions considering how he himselfe never brings either Scriptures Examples Reasons or human Testimonies to confirme any one thing whereof he writeth Hierom speaketh of some who have their Syllogismes and argumentations not in mood and figure but in their heeles Mr. Bradsh is not much unlike these for wanting all proofe to make good the points which he boldly affirmeth he layâ—th about him with his heeles by kicking the person whom he opposeth with bitter and unchristian floutings Notwithstanding the wisedome of God is marvellously here to be seene which suffered not this man to countenance his corrupt speeches with any weight or shew of arguments that so it might appeare to be penned by him rather for disgrace of others then defence of themselves also that none by it might be deceived but such as are willing to pluck out their eyes and to take one that is blinde for their guide and leader 5. To let passe the unlawfull speach which they use in ordayning ministers i. e. receive the holy Ghost and certaine frothy demaunds which he moveth to uphold if he could the Bb. Kingdom The things not beeing worthy of answer In pag. 38. he bewrayeth great ignorance in not putting a difference betweene a minislerie and the execution of it for these are two distinct things and therefore it is possible that one may be a true Ecclesiastical Officer and yet never doe the services thereof as for example a woman is really a wife immediately upon her marriage I say before she performes any dutie yea though it should come to passe that she never performeth any And therefore Mr. Bradsh was deceived to thinke if one bee a false minister by ordination that the administration of lawfull things makes him true for it is not so If the Church of Israel should have chosen some not of Aarons house but of other Tribes to be Preists and they had administred without exception had these therefore been Lawfull Officers in truth according to his understanding they had but herein he grossely erred Mr. Perkins layes it downe as one infallible note of a false Prophet to come without a calling from God and from the Church I pray observe although a man should execute the ministerie of a Pastor notwithstanding if he want a lawfull calling he is still a false minister in the judgement of this author and I thinke of all wise men beside Mr. Bradsh Againe if one be ordained a Pastor according to Christs institution he hath certainly a lawfull ministerie howsoever things afterward shall fall out yea though he should sing Masse and Mattens as he speaketh but he asketh if any that is in his witts will say so yes and prove it also and if he himself had not wanted some witt in this point he would not thus have confounded one thing so absurdly with another for as a person may be a servant or subject truely fully and yet doe afterwards the actions of theeves rebels Traitors so a man may take a true ministerie by ordination and yet both in life and doctrine doe wickedly and deserve