granted nothing is here alledged but what might be said against communicating with ministers who have their weaknesses or use a stinted form of their own devising ordinarily or be of different opinions either in prayer or sacrament and if we must hold communion with none who dissent from us in any jote or tittle we must never joyn or not long continue in any congregation The personall miscarriages of private persons are not so perillous as the evil acts of the minister whom I make my mouth to God in prayer Neither do the errours of individuall men tainted with corruptions voluntarily broched in prayer or sermon cast that defilement upon them who joyn together as do the unwarrantable opinions of the church and the ministration upon such publick commandment It is a good rule in Divinity oft to be thought upon That every distinction in matters of faith or religion not grounded upon or warranted by the scripture is an humane devise For is not this to adde to the word of God to lay down an opinion as from God which is not to be found in his word at all Now to apply this to the present matter in hand I desire to know from what scripture this distinction can be warranted That the personall errours of the minister in his voluntary administration of the sacraments or prayer do not defile though I do not publickly testifie dislike or absent my self but errour committed in the administration by publick commandment do pollute all that be present Reason why presence should pollute in one case more then the other none can be given Calling from God to testifie dislike it may be I have in neither but least in the latter It being more tolerable for private persons to rebuke the slips and errours of their minister in voluntary administration then for a man to controll the order established by publick authority and common consent when he is not in speciall called thereunto If this distinction be of weight it would go best with the church to have no settled order amongst them for so long as the faults and corruptions be onely personall they defile not them that be present at the ordinances but personall they are untill they be established by common consent or publick authority Moreover by this rule one member may sooner cast out the whole church then the whole church can cut off one member For the church must not cut off a member but upon weighty consideration and apparent just cause and that after conviction with much long-suffering and patience but if this objection hold true one member must openly rebuke the church or withdraw from communion with the church for a stinted Liturgie or for some slip or fault there committed perhaps questionable at least tolerable among brethren Is not my joyning with them that sinne to be reputed an appearance thereof when I professe not dislike thereof It is one thing to joyn with men in sin another to joyn with them necessarily in the worship of God though for the manner of administration something be done amisse If I professe not dislike of what I judge amisse having no calling thereunto my joyning in prayer is no appearance of evil to a right-discerning eye because I am necessarily called there to attend upon the Lord in his holy ordinances Necessary attendance upon his master excuseth the servants presence in many companies where he seeth and heareth much evil which he cannot amend nor reprove and shall not necessary attendance upon Jesus Christ justly and truly excuse the faithfull To say nothing that this exception is crosse to the former and if these exceptions be laid together we shall find nothing but going backward and forward one denying what the other affirmeth If the faithfull by the approbation of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles were present at Divine ordinances as much or more corrupted then they can be supposed to be with us then for such corruptions we are not voluntarily to withdraw our selves For defilement is feared without cause by simple presence where Christ requireth and approveth our presence and hath promised to be present with us by his grace But the faithfull by the commandment and approbation of Christ have been present at Divine ordinances as much or more corrupted then they can be supposed to be with us For the scribes and Pharisees sinned grievously in corrupting the law with false glosses in so much that they neither taught nor practiced what was necessary to salvation They taught many things directly contrary to the law as if a child had vowed not to relieve his parents he was bound to keep his vow and neglect them They defiled the worship of God with their vain inventions And it may well be thought their praying was answerable to their preaching cold fruitlesse corrupt and rotten many wayes Neverthelesse the faithfull held communion and fellowship with them in the worship of God not in their corruptions and that by the approbation and commandment of Christ himself Our Saviour doth not tell the faithfull they were to call upon the Pharisees to fulfill their ministery which they had received and as occasion should require proceed further to declare their dislike in such manner as is meet either absenting themselves or other wayes declaring their dislike so as the whole church may take notice of it But his commandment is they should heare them so long as they sit in Moses chair It is true our Saviour doth not approve their corrupt glosses and sinfull inventions but doth sharply reprove them himself and admonish others to let them alone and beware of their leaven but not to forsake the assembly or absent themselves from the ordinances of worship From which it followeth evidently that simple presence at Divine ordinances is not consent or approbation of the corruptions therein practiced and that we must leave and forsake some in respect of familiar conversation with whom we may hold outward communion in the exercises of religion The sinne of Eli's sonnes in prophaning the holy things of God was exceeding great but Elkanah Hannah and Samuel did not partake with the sinnes of the priests in that they did not abstein from the Lords sacrifices The behaviour of the Corinthians in their unreverent scandalous and almost prophane coming to the Lords table was foul and corrupt yet the faithfull did not forbear nor the Apostle charge them to absent themselves from the Lords table The famous church of Rome was so weak and feeble in the duties of government as they did not or could not separate from them such as preached Christ contentiously and with spitefull minds against the Apostle and the greater number of that church did corruptly demean and carry themselves therein and yet the Apostle never taught the rest to separate and have no communion with them in the ordinances of worship Knowledge before-hand that such corrupt administration will be used
congregation simply because a stinted form is used is causelesse separation from the externall communion of the church Weigh all the reasons brought to prove it lawfull and they will be found too light If we look to our guide and captain Christ doth not goe before us therein Dare any man affirm that they be not met together in the name of Christ or that he is not present in the midst of them that joyn together in a stinted Liturgie Is there any duty publick or private which God requireth of people holding communion together in ordinances of worship which may not be performed of each to other when a stinted form of prayer is used without Separation But by that unwarrantable course of voluntary separation they make an unlawfull rent in the church deprive themselves of the comfort of Gods ordinances weaken the faith of many cause divisions among brethren and advantage the adversaries of true religion CHAP. IX It is lawfull for a Christian to be present at that service which is read out of a book in some things faultie both for form and matter ONe reason alledged to prove the lawfulnesse and necessity of Separation from our publick service in particular is this That the prayer-book in question is corrupt in many things which is thus amplified The matter of some petitions is such as we cannot say Amen to it in faith as in the collect on the XII sunday after Trinitie it is prayed that God would forgive us those things whereof our consciences are afraid and give unto us that our prayers dare not presume to ask c. To omit divers others the very â—itting of Collects to certain dayes for holy fasts and feasts not sanctified by God savour of superstition as speciall prayers for Lent serving to countenance the keeping of it as a religious fast c. the manner of praying vain repetitions as the often repeating of the Lords prayer and GLORY TO THE FATHER and LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US c. disorderly responsories the clerk taking part of the prayer out of the ministers mouth c. Moreover the book perverteth the right use of the scriptures dismembreth and misapplieth them for making of gospels epistles lessons and collects appointed for feasts of mens devising and derived from the Papists and it reteineth a corrupt translation of the psalmes and bringeth into the church Apocrypha writings and the errours conteined in them To them that look at all humane Liturgies as images forbidden by the second commandment this objection is of small force because the thing it self and not the corruption cleaving to the Liturgie is disallowed But lest this accusation should breed scruple in the minds of some not altogether disaffected to stinted forms of prayer or Liturgies I will examine not the qualitie of the exceptions whether justly or unjustly taken but the weight of the reason if the particulars should be granted For this objection it self doth free the Liturgie from grosse errours either fundamentall or such as border thereupon respecting faith or practice in the prayers themselves or that which concerneth the administration of the sacraments For the corruptions objected are Misapplication of some text si of scripture Frequent repetitions of the same things Disordered responsories and Breaking petitions asunder c. and these not dispersed throughout the whole book but in some passages onely which concern not the main grounds and chief heads of Christian religion but are such faults or slips as may peaceably be tolerated amongst brethren Therefore not to insist upon any particulars mentioned I lay down this proposition That a Christian may lawfully and with good conscience be present at such service and prayers which are read out of a book though somethings therein are or may be supposed to be faultie for form or matter in things not fundamentall nor bordering thereupon not pernicious or noxious but such as may be tolerated amongst brethren these not dispersed through the whole body of the book but in some passages onely It is one thing to allow corruption another to be present at the service of God where something is done corruptly For the Lord chargeth us to keep our selves free from all pollution but alloweth not to separate from abuses unlesse he be pleased to go before and as he goeth before us It is one thing to approve of abuses in a Liturgie another to tolerate what we cannot reform For a Liturgie should be framed so not that things may be construed well but that they cannot be construed amisse But many things may be suffered which are not so well ordained when it is not in our power to redresse them The Lord needeth not mans lie neither doth he allow us to do evil that good may come thereof and therefore I must not subscribe to an errour against conscience though never so innocent nor professe approbation of that which in conscience I cannot allow though never so small to the intent I might enjoy externall communion with the church of God in the ordinances of worship But I must tolerate many things for the maintenance of peace and unitie and the preservation of Gods worship For if there be not mutuall toleration and forbearance but each man will rigidly stand upon his own opinion and presse others to be of his mind and follow his practice in all things and every tittle of necessitie all things must fall into confusion and the church be rent almost into as many pieces as there be men The proposition is proved first Because they that alledge the foresaid faults or corruptions against communicating with us in our publick Liturgie or stinted prayers do themselves put small strength or none at all in this reason For suppose a chapter be somewhat unfitly divided and break off in the midst of the matter or now and then separate verses which should go together or a verse be ill distinguished or the preacher misalledge a text of scripture or something be found amisse in his prayer when he exerciseth his own gifts must I of necessitie separate from that ordinance of God or reject the good for that which is amisse Hereunto this answer is returned When the minister exerciseth his own gift Gods ordinance is observed wherewith I may communicate in praying as well as preaching notwithstanding his infirmities in either which are but personall and in such cases the rule warranteth men to trie all things and to hold that which is good 1. Thess 5. 21. But when the Liturgie is read an ordinance which is not of God but of man is introduced into Gods worship contrary to the second commandment and therefore I must reject it and have no communion with it Is not this in plain terms to grant that the corruptions alledged can be no cause of Separation but this onely Because it is the devise of man The corruptions alledged are not the cause because they may be found in translations the distinction of chapters and verses the preaching
use And if the Septuagint was corrupted in many things at that time the translations drawn thence cannot be pure Amongst many and divers Latine translations which Augustine saith cannot be numbred there was one more common then the rest and better esteemed by Hierome called the Vulgar who disliketh it and preferreth the translation of Symmachus and Theodotion above it If we give credit to ancient writers we shall find that there were divers customes in the church and rites in the administration of the sacraments not mentioned in scripture and some of them savouring more of superstition then of devotion which the Papists themselves have not onely laid aside but condemned though of ancient and long continuance The particulars are many and well known so that ancient custome is not plea sufficient to prove a thing good nor some abuse crept into and continued in the church cause sufficient why we should voluntarily absent our selves from the Lords ordinances In the second primitive church as some distinguish if not the first they had a stinted form of Liturgie not onely for lessons psalmes epistles and gospels and professions of faith but in prayers for matter and manner not much unlike to ours To the praise of God be it spoken our Liturgie for purity and soundnesse may compare with any Liturgie used in the third and fourth ages of the church And if in those times the faithfull might lawfully hold communion in the ordinances of worship we cannot at this day lawfully withdraw our selves by reason of such faults as be objected This I mention that we might learn to acknowledge Gods mercy walk worthy of what we have received and strive forward towards perfection by all lawfull means Long before the Lord called his people to come out of Babylon what faults soever can be objected against our Liturgie were found in theirs The faithfull therefore may lawfully be present at our service notwithstanding the faults objected against it For the Lord did not onely wink at his peoples weaknesse and ignorance for the time but approve of their non-separation untill he was pleased to call them forth Neither can it be imagined that they might hold communion in other ordinances but not in their stinted Liturgies for in those times of all other parts the stinted Liturgies were most pure God of his endlesse mercy so providing for his church and the comfort of his people in those hard and evil times when the doctrine was miserably dangerously corrupted in respect of Merit of works and Invocation of Saints c. the Liturgies were long preserved pure and free whereby the faithfull might be present with more comfort and freedome of conscience This one thing duely considered would put an end to many scruples and might serve to stop them who out of over-great heat and forwardnesse are ready to except against the means of their own comfort and to cast off what God offereth because they cannot enjoy what they desire The snares of superstition are warily to be declined because we are apt and prone to take infection thereby it being a work of the flesh and agreeable to our nature All sinne is to be shunned and that at all times but the danger of sinning onely is to be shunned by watchfulnesse and circumspection not by omission or neglect of any duty that God calleth us unto or requireth at our hands In a free state and condition the occasions of sin must be avoided because no man is safe who is next to danger and it is no point of wisdome to fish with a golden hook But when God casteth a man upon the occasions of sin in the duties of religion justice or an honest calling he must not omit the duty because of the occasion but resist the occasion and watch over his heart that he be not hurt thereby If a sowre herb or two grow in a good pasture is it not better to heed the flock there then to suffer them to starve The sheep of Christ are wise to discern betwixt things that differ and know where to feed and what to leave And if superstition be dangerous partiall indiscreet misguided zeal is sinfull turbulent and pernicious Whence have most schismes arisen in the church but even from hence that some in place have been over-eager and peremptory to presse the members of the church to professe their belief or approbation of some errours perhaps in themselves small and to be tolerated which they could not professe with a good conscience and not allow them communion in the church but upon such condition Also the frequent drawing out of the sword of excommunication to cut off well-deserving members from visible society with the churches of God for small and trifling matters is a great occasion and cause of schisme Whatsoever man or church saith one doth for any errour of simple belief deprive any man so qualified as above either of his temporall life or livelyhood or liberty or the churches communion and hope of salvation he is for the first unjust cruel and tyrannous schismaticall presumptuous and uncharitable for the second Wherefore such as have power in their hands they are alwayes to remember that this power is given them not for destruction or to shew their own greatnesse but for the edification of others and therefore never to be used but upon speciall and weighty considerations and occasions He that striketh fiercely with his spirituall sword at feathers doth alwayes either wound himself or wrest his arm And of particular private persons it hath ever been most true that a partiall rigid irregular adhering to some branches of holy doctrine hath been no lesse pernicious to themselves then troublesome to others For the fond admiration of their zeal and forwardnesse in this one particular breedeth neglect of Christian watchfulnesse and constant uniform walking with God disregard of Gods ordinances and of the good which may be gotten thereby disesteem if not contempt of others who will not comply with them in the same way and what can follow hereupon but contentions and jarres surmises censurings and uncharitablenesse rents and divisions in the church This danger is the greater because it stoppeth the eare against advise and counsel For being once perswaded that they and they onely do maintein the truth and rightly affect it no reason will enter no perswasion take place to the contrary be it never so evident and apparent And this is most preposterous when the truths wherewith they are so enamoured and which they zealously affect be matters of small or least importance for then the great and weighty truths concerning the very life and soul of religion and the substantiall means of grace are undervalued in comparison of the other We must therefore labour and watch so to keep our selves from the infection of superstition as not to foster indiscreet and partiall zeal which admiring that which is of lesse importance thrusteth into over-vehement contentions and lesseneth
the due esteem of the great mercy the Lord hath shewed unto his church No particular member of a church may voluntarily break off externall communion with the church or refuse to communicate in the publick service and worship of God unlesse the Lord Jesus go before him therein and be his warrant that is unlesse Christ hath withdrawn the presence of his grace or the party cannot be present without the guilt of hypocrisie or approbation of somewhat that is evil For the members of the visible church must hold fellowship in faith and love not onely one with another but with all other visible churches and all others intirely professing the faith of Christ so farre as they hold communion with Jesus Christ And therefore no member can lawfully break off externall communion with the true church of Christ but in that onely wherein and so farre as it hath broken off fellowship with Christ For where Christ is there is his church and where two or three are met together in his name there is he in the midst among them He is that Prince that is in the midst of his people who goeth in when they go in And when Christ calleth his free voluntaries to assemble in prayer or to partake at his table and promiseth to be present with them to heare their prayers and refresh their souls with grace it is not lawfull for a Christian to withdraw himself But in a congregation where a stinted form is used and that in some respects faulty here or there Christ may be and is present in the midst among them Christians are called to come and may be present without guilt of hypocrisie or approbation of the least evil To leave communion when we be obliged by God to continue in it is no lesse then schisme according to the nature of it Obliged by God we are to hold communion with the true churches of Christ in his true worship and service so farre as it may be without sin and wickednesse on our parts So that though there be some errours or ignorances in the publick administration yet if our belief of some errour or approbation of disorder be not required to that communion it is not lawfull to depart from the society of that church which professeth the saving truth of Christ intirely for substance rightly mainteineth the dispensation of the sacraments soundly calleth upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ and plentifully enjoyeth the means of grace When corruption and externall communion be so involved that it is simply impossible to leave the corruptions unlesse we leave the externall communion of the church a necessity of separation from that externall communion then lyeth upon us But though errours or corruptions of some kind be not onely tolerated but established mainteined and pressed yet if we can hold communion without approbation of the said errours or corruptions Separation in that case is unjust rash and unadvised because the Lord therein doth not go before us The sin of Separation if unjust is so great and heinous the ill consequences and mischiefs so many and fearfull that all Christians should be well advised neither to lay stumbling-blocks before the feet of others which might occasion their turning aside nor to seek or catch occasions of departure but rather to wait and tarry till they be assured that the Lord goeth before them For the first when the Anabaptists in Helvetia opposed humane inventions as unlawfull they were by publick authority and with common consent abolished And that of Irenaeus is well known Variety of ceremonies commend the unitie of faith For the other part the faithfull have ever tolerated weaknesses and infirmities in each other and abuses in the church so long as the foundation was held and they agreed in the main In the primitive church not onely some persons but whole congregations have doubted of many books of scripture and yet lost not their dignity of true churches of Christ How long did the faithfull wait and bear before they departed or rather were driven by excommunication sword and sire out of Babylon This hath been the judgement of the godly learned in all ages of the church They that for trifling and small causes saith Irenaeus divide the body of Christ c. these can make no reformation of such importance as to countervail the danger of a division When good men tolerate bad men saith Augustine which can do them no spirituall hurt to the intent they may not be separated from those who are spiritually good then there is no necessity to divide unity And in another place These two things reteined will keep such men pure and uncorrupted that is neither doing ill nor approving it Although faith be one funiculus colligantiae yet variety of opinions without pertinacy standeth with unity but nothing is so contrary to the church as schisme and departure This matter I will shut up with the saying of Zaga Bishop of Aethiope and embassador of Prester John It is a miserable thing that Christian strangers should be so sharply reproved as enemies as I have been here and other things which concern not the faith But it should be farre more convenient to support all Christians be they Grcaeians be they Armenians be they Aethiopians be they of any one of the seven Christian churches with charity and love of Christ and to permit them to live and converse amongst other Christian brethren without any injurie because that we are all infants of one baptisme and do hold truly the true faith The conclusion is That the externall communion of the church in publick worship is not to be forsaken for some faults neither fundamentall nor noxious which may be espied in her Liturgie Though the bearing and forbearing not onely of small but even of great sinnes also must be for a time yet it must be but for a time and that is whilest reformation be orderly sought and procured Lev. 19. 17. But what time hath wrought in the church of England all men see growing dayly by the just judgement of God from evil to worse and being never aforetime so impatient either of reformation or other good as at this day Moreover a man must so bear an evil as he be no way accessory unto it by forbearing any means appointed by Christ for the amending of it Errours or faults be of two sorts Some grosse notorious manifest such as a man cannot but see to be amisse unlesse he will shut his eyes against the light and must amend or there can be no hope of salvation Others of quotidian incursion frailty and infirmity ignorance or mere weaknesse such as godly men are not convinced of or if they see them at some times to be amisse yet in ordinary course they be overtaken with them from which the most holy be not altogether free In these latter though Christians must labour the help cure and support of each
Thyatira Laodicea Pergamus and Sardis are all reprehended What then must the faithfull do leave their standings and depart from the ordinances of grace whilest God is pleased to dwell amongst them or neglect the duty which God calleth them unto and so partake in other mens sin The community or congregation it self is oft divided remisse the greatest part many times the worst so that the best cannot be heard amongst them truth cannot take place In Corinth there were so many sects and divisions that the house of Chloe was constrained to complain of them to the Apostle most of them were puffed up in the case of the incestuous man that it had been in vain for the better sort to seek his casting out if the Apostle had not sharply admonished them of their duty And their disorder in coming to the Lords supper was generall so that the better sort might bewail but could not redresse it In the primitive church there was such contention oftentimes about the choise and election of ministers the Pastours divided from the people and the people one from another to the committing of many outrages that if the godly must not hold any place in the church but where they could perform all offices injoyned in the text of scripture before alledged they must welnigh go out of the world In this and such cases then what should the faithfull do Tell the church they cannot for that is divided and it may be the greatest part holdeth the worst cause Depart they must not for the Lord doth not go before them and if they depart without him they depart from the Lord himself What remaineth then but that with mercifull affection they dislike reprove and correct as much as in them lieth what they find to be amisse what they cannot amend that they should patiently endure and suffer and in loving sort bewail and lament till God do either correct and amend it or make way for their enlargement as they may see the Lord to go before them But in the mean space it will be said they do not their duty in telling the church Nay rather the Lord requireth not that particular duty at that time because they have no opportunity or means to do it The rule prescribed concerneth visible and particular churches as a solemn ordinance of Christ for the humbling and saving of an obstinate sinner but a Christian may be a true member of a visible church when he is hindred and cannot do the thing that is there prescribed For our Saviour speaketh of a brother that doth justly truly and according to equity reprehend admonish or complain and of them who being set in office do rightly and lawfully perform the office whereunto they are appointed of God of the church who doeth what becometh her keepeth herself within the bounds prescribed of God and rightly executeth what is committed to her trust But in the true church of God which Christ is pleased to grace with the visible tokens of his presence all things may fall out clean contrary that such as be in office do not truly discharge their office that the church doth not keep herself to the rule nor fulfill the trust committed unto her In the Law they that were thought unclean were to be restrained from the sacrifices the eating of the passeover entrance into the temple And not onely legall pollutions but sinnes of all kinds whether by errour or ignorance of the law or fact or voluntarily committed were to be expiated according to the prescript of the law which doth necessarily presuppose uncleannesse and that accompanied separation from the altar and the participation of the holy things The legall ceremonies which were outward and carnall did represent spirituall and internall to the minds of the faithfull as the uncleannesse of the body did the inward filth of the soul The wicked are oftentimes upbraided that they durst come into the presence of God The scriptures testifie that the Lord acceteth the sacrifices of righteousnesse of a broken and contrite heart that he is not pleased with the sacrifices of wicked men whose hands are full of bloud And the Lord often giveth commandment that he which shall do so or so or shall not do this or that shall be cut off from his people All which whether they conclude the use of excommunication amongst the Jews let the learned judge But howsoever this is most certain Many things were required which the wicked altogether neglected the godly could not redresse nor complain of to them that should or if they did no regard was had thereunto no reformation followed and yet the godly left not their standings as unlawfull nor the society as left and forsaken of God because they had broken covenant with him nor the ordinances of God as if externall communion with the wicked as one body had polluted and defiled them Put case a brother offended make a complaint to the church of some private injury or wrong received by one of the same or another socity and the church to whom the complaint is brought deal remissely either through ignorance partiality carelessenesse or the like must the innocent party stand to the decision of the church although they do not see right exactly restored and the delinquent brought to repentance or must he protest against their neglect and depart from the society as not to be communicated with because they tolerate a wicked and ungodly person among them If the first then simply to be present at the worship of God where wicked men are tolerated is not to partake in their sin If the latter then the accuser may be judge in his own cause and not onely hold him an heathen whom the church esteemeth holy and honest but hold the church it self heathen then because they account him not so blame-worthy whom he accuseth then which what is more contrary to the rule of our Saviour And so if true examination be made they that leave our societies because they cannot observe the rule prescribed by Christ do of all others most neglect it in their separation because they challenge that authority which Christ never gave them and wait not upon him to go before them If iniquity be committed in the church and complaint and proof accordingly made and the church will not reform or reject the party offending but will on the contrary maintein presumptuously and abett such impiety then by abetting the party and his sin she maketh it her own by imputation and enwrappeth her self in the same guilt with the sinner and remaining irreformable either by such members of the same church as are faithfull if there be any or by other sister-churche wipeth herself out of the Lords church-rolle and now ceaseth to be any longer the true church of Christ And whatsoever truths or ordinances of Christ this rebellious rout still reteineth it but usurpeth the same without right unto them or
promise of blessing upon them both the persons and sacrifices are abominable This peremptory censure is as directly crosse to that which followeth immediately in the same authour as any thing that can be spoken For if the toleration or maintenance of one sinner against reproof and conviction do necessarily dischurch a society how then did the church of the Jews continue the true church of God wherein sinne was generally impudently impenitently committed and that by such as should have censured it in others where the offenders were countenanced and the reprovers persecuted imprisoned put to death If no church in the world now hath that absolute promise of the Lords visible presence which that church then had till the coming of Christ if the Messiah must be born in the true church and the Lord did ever afford the Jews some or other visible signes of his presence in the greatest apostasie this is nothing to the purpose For if the maintenance of one wicked ungodly wretch wipeth a church out of the Lords church-roll then the Jews who did both countenance offenders and commit wickednesse themselves and that with greedinesse had blotted themselves out of that book And if the Jews continued the church of God notwithstanding their great impiety and obduratenesse because the Lord continued the visible tokens of his presence among them then if a church or some in the church shall tolerate or countenance iniquity in others or practice it themselves so long as God shall be pleased to bear with their manners and vouchsafe unto them the signes of his gracious presence and holy ordinances it is to be reputed the true church of God wherewith the faithfull may hold communion in the branches of worship If therefore the authour had well pondered his own words or consulted the rule of our Saviour this labour might well have been spared But more fully to open the weaknesse of this objection Errours as in doctrine so in practice are of two sorts some fundamentall or bordering thereupon which concern the very heart and life of religion and cannot stand with faith and holinesse others not fundamentall which strike not directly at the soul of religion though they hinder the working somewhat or stain the work In matters fundamentall as the profession of faith must be intire in all points of simple belief so must the doctrine of the church in all things concerning practice but errours of inferiour alloy wherein godly men dissent pardonably one from another both concerning faith and practice may be found and mainteined in the true church Again sin and iniquity is mainteined either by teaching or by doing in our own persons and tolerating in others whom we should reform but do not If the church by doctrine maintein fundamentall evils as the worshipping of angels murder adultery c. she is to be esteemed hereticall But if the life be corrupt not from corrupt doctrine but contrary to the doctrine received the church is not to be accounted false because wicked ones which should be cast out are nourished in her bosome It is true the service which wicked men tender unto God is abomination as were the sacrifices which the Jews brought when their hands were full of bloud but the worship which the faithfull offer unto God in that corrupt society is pleasing and acceptable unto his majesty The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of a wicked minister in respect of his office as the prayer of the congregation is effectuall and accepted for the faithfull who seek unto God with lips unfeigned The prophet commandeth us Plead or Contend with your mother contend with her because she is not my wife nor I her husband that she take away her whoredomes from before my face c. therefore if the church be remisse in her duty the children of the church must protest against her The meaning of the prophet is That the godly whether in Judah or Israel should contend with the ten tribes who by their idolatry had fallen from the conjugall covenant which God had contracted with them and had deserved to be put away with a bill of divorce because they had transgressed their matrimoniall troth and forsaking the true God had sought them other Gods whom they did love and worship And in like case no question but the faithfull may publickly and sharply rebuke the abominable idolatries of a false-claiming church such as Israel was at that time But if this be applyed to the true church in respect of every abuse or remissenesse we shall pervert the words of the prophet and run our selves upon the rocks True it is all abuses may and ought to be reproved in the time and place according to the nature and quality thereof but for every offense we cannot say truly in the name of God The church is not the spouse of Christ nor Christ her husband Every abuse in worship is not the adultery of the ten tribes If this had been the meaning of the prophet the prophets had gone most contrary to their own rules of all others for they sharply rebuked the personall sinnes of Judah as they received commission from the Lord other sinnes they touched but sparingly if at all but they never protested against her as no church of God they never charged the faithfull to depart from all communion with her lest they be partakers of her sinnes Here the Lord goeth before the faithfull in their contention with their supposed mother they must say what the Lord putteth into their mouthes and behave themselves toward her as the Lord is pleased to give them precedent by the tokens of his presence But they that take liberty to break off communion with their true mother and spouse of Christ because of some abuses sport and blemishes they speak of themselves when they charge her to be an adulteresse and not the spouse of Christ to maintein an idolatrous antichristian devised worship and they run of themselves without commission or authority when they voluntarily withdraw themselves from the ordinances of grace and communion with Christ in the same Therefore to conclude this point as corrupt and unworthy members can be no cause why those that are whole should forsake the body or neglect the offices perteining to the body though they be hindred in their working so no open grosse communicants can be any cause why the faithfull should forsake the church or communion with Christ or neglect the duties which in particular concern themselves though they cannot do all things that pertein to them with the whole body as being overborn or restrained by others without whom they cannot work CHAP. XII The community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiasticall POwer might or efficacious force is not all one with authority or power Matter Sense
immediately from God and not from the people or he leaveth it to the arbitrement of the church to chuse according to pleasure such as must receive charge and authority from her and then they must execute their office in her name so as shall seem good unto the church and neither longer nor otherwise For if the ministers of the church be subject to God and Christ by the intervention of the faithfull onely that they preach or administer the sacraments rule or feed they have it from the people and not from God And if they depend immediately upon the faithfull to wit two or three gathered together in covenant they must derive and draw from them what in order they are to preach unto men in the name of the Lord For from him must the embassadour learn his errand from whom he receiveth his commission Moreover if the power of the keyes be given first and immediately unto the community of the faithfull what reason can be given why in defect of officers the church might not rule govern feed bind loose preach and administer the sacraments or if any fail in any office why she might not supply that want by her power For the power of the keyes doth contein both authority and exercise power being given to this end that it might be exercised as it is vouchsafed But the church when she is destitute of officers cannot execute those acts of rule nor by her power supply the want of any office onely she hath a ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of office given him in the vacant place In the church of Christ the officers are called servants and in that relation the church may be called a Lord And if Christ truly call the Sonne of man Lord of the Sabbath because the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath we may also call the church in a respect Lord of the officers for the officers are for the church and not the church for them The church-officers are the church-servants and it is strange men should have no command over their servants If the officers of Christ be both of and for the church or people and community the people may not onely in some respects be called their Lords but indeed they have a true lordlike power over them But the church hath no lordlike power over the ministers of Christ whom he hath set over his house to rule and guide it by authority received from him and according to his direction whose ministers properly they are who is the Prince of Pastours The object about which the ecclesiasticall ministery is exercised is the church and their function is for the good of the church but the principall cause and Lord of the ministers upon whom they depend is Christ and not the church When our Saviour saith The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath he speaketh of himself alone rather then of man in generall For to be the Lord of the Sabbath that is to have the Sabbath in his power so as he might dispense or do contrary to the law is proper to the Law-giver But not to insist thereupon the ministers are appointed for the good of the flocks committed to their charge in the name of Christ but the flocks neither are nor ought to be called Lords or Masters of their Pastours or Teachers As in the naturall body all power is first in the community or totum and afterwards in a particular person or part so it is in the body ecclesiasticall All that is true in the body naturall or politick cannot be applyed to the mysticall body of Christ For analogum is not in omni simile for then it should be the same with the analogatum All the power of hearing seeing c. are in the whole man which doth produce them effectually though formally and instrumentally they are in the eare and eye and the reason is because these powers are naturall and whatever is naturall doth first agree to the community or totum and afterward to a particular person or part But all that is in these bodies cannot hold in Christs mysticall body In a naturall body the power is first in the community in a particular person from it but all ecclesiasticall power is first in our King before any in the church from him In naturall bodies the power of seeing is first immediately in the man and for the man in the eye In the mysticall body the faith of the believer is not first immediately in all then in the believer but first of all and immediately in the personall believer for whose good it serveth more properly then for the whole every man being to live by his own faith One man is capable of grace which cannot agree to the whole community immediately The power of Apostleship or of ordinary ministery was not first in the church and so derived to the Apostles and ministers but immediately from Christ seated in the Apostles and ordinary Pastours and Teachers For seeing power ecclesiasticall was first in Christ as in a prince not subject to the church or dependent upon her consequently it perteineth to him as prince to take order concerning his embassadours and substitutes whose power is derived from him not from the church who of her own nature is not a mistresse in spirituall things but the servant of Jesus Christ redeemed by him Christ is the first authour of this spirituall power upon whose will and institution all things depend as for the church she can give no spirituall power to few or many one or more as please herself for what time she will but must submit to that which Christ hath left for her spirituall good and comfort The words are as clear as the sun Tell the church that is the congregation or assembly whereof the offender is a member which rule concerneth all the visible churches in the world since the power of excommunication is an essentiall property one of the keys of the kingdome the onely solemn ordinance in the church for the humbling and saving of an obstinate offender and as necessary as the power to receive in members without which a church cannot be gathered or consist But what are we to understand by the church or assembly A company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whether Unchristian or Antichristian and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in the wayes of God made known unto them though they be without any officers among them which company being a church hath interest in all the holy things of Christ within and amongst themselves immediately under him the head without any forrein aid or assistance For a set company of believers must needs be a constituted visible church Two or three or more people making Peters confession Matth. 16. are the church There were churches
speaketh of the actuall execution of this power and not of the power it self which onely belongeth to the governours And if the church be the Christian Presbytery as it exerciseth discipline and not the multitude of the faithfull then is this text in vain alledged to proove all power Ecclesiasticall to be originally and by way of execution in the community of the faithfull then the power of hearing examining determining and censuring doth primarily belong unto the Presbytery and not unto the faithfull in common God is the God of order and not of confusion But if the hearing and determining of all causes which may fall out in a society consisting of three or four six or eight ten or twenty thousand persons for so many may be in one society must be referred to the whole community and that upon the Lords day to be joyned with the administration of the word sacraments almes and the rest yea in these cases to go before the other parts of worship lest the holy things of God be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders disorder and confusion cannot be avoyded When shall controversies be decided How shall the community have sufficient intelligence of the state and quality of matters Either businesses must be determined rashly or infinitely protracted before they can be heard of every man and they agreed together In so great a multitude it cannot be conceived how things should be done seasonably moderately in order without partiality and dissension where every one may walk according to his own rule and no man to be guided or directed by another but as pleaseth himself And if spirituall power originaliter executivè be given to every member of and to the whole community of the faithfull then is every member in some sort a ruler and governour And if we search into the records of the church we shall find none example either in the holy scriptures or the histories of the ancient church where the universall multitude of the faithfull none directing or governing the action did lawfully proceed in the determination of spirituall matters of this kind In the old testament not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is rendred Synagoga but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is translated Ecclesia signifieth an assembly of princes and elders of the people and so of prophets likewise for when the words are generall to note any assembly of men met together whether civil or sacred it is not strange if the congregation of princes nobles elders and prophets assembled be known by the same name In the new Testament the word church is sometimes an assembly or company howsoever gathered together but ordinarily it noteth a society of faithfull Christians as all and every siant are called saints But as the Apostle when he doth grievously reprehend the Corinthians that they had not brought the knowledge of their contentions to the saints he understandeth not the promiscuous multitude but some speciall or chief amongst them So by the church which noteth a multitude or society of believers we must understand some and the chief of the church a church in a church For when it commonly signifyeth a multitude with relation to religion the church-governours set over the flock by Christ assembled to heare and determine matters that may fall out amongst the faithfull is not unfitly nor obscurely called the church And those things are rightly said to be brought to the church which are brought to them that guide the church by the authority and appointment of Christ As the body is said to see when the eyes alone see so the church is said to heare that which they onely do heare who are the eares of the church Not that the guides are substitutes of the multitude in that respect for the eye is not the deputy of the hand or foot but that the power which they have received they have received it from Christ for the whole body and must execute it to the good and profit of the whole They are the stewards deputies ministers of Christ but for the whole body and every member thereof From all this it is apparent that the word church in this text of scripture cannot be taken as it is commonly in other passages of the new Testament For in other texts it noteth the multitude of believers without distinction of sex age or condition but here women and children are excluded as regularly uncapable of that power here spoken of In other places the church signifyeth a multitude of believers saints faithfull or disciples as they are distinguished from their officers and guides which are set as stewards in the Lords family and officers in his corporation but here the officers of the church are necessarily included If the word must be interpreted according to the circumstances of the text and the matter intreated of the matter here insisted upon is no where else touched in all the new Testament for here and no where else is a rule left by Christ how offenders are to be dealt withall and by whom the sentence is to be determined and if the matter be peculiar it is no marvell if the words be taken in a sense restrained The Syriack interpreter useth three words to expresse the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synagogue or Assembly which is used for the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the old Testament and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the new But Matth. 10. 17. he translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremellius rendreth in Concilia Boderian in domum judiciorum De Dieu in domum judicum For as among the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so among the Syrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 25. 23. The second word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congregatio Acts 19. 32 39 40. and is used in the old Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it signifieth the assembly of Judges Psal 82. 1. and in the new for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5. 27. and 6. 12. and 23. 1 20 28. In other passages they translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 16. 18. 18. 17. Acts 2. 47. 5. 11. 8. 1 3. 9. 31. Rom. 16. 1 4 5 c. which they use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 7. 8. 74. 2. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 22. 26 27. 35. 12. 40. 10. 89. 6. 149. 1. The Arabick Interpreter useth foure words in the new Testament First of all Gamhon Acts 19. 31 39. which in the old Testament they use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 35. 18. 74. 2. Psal 1. 5. 82. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
is not in fault as here we may well think some in Corinth mourned and endeavoured to have the incestuous person removed who else should inform the Apostle now far absent of this abuse and their grosse security but could not prevail and yet the Apostle rebuketh the whole society And the same may be observed in the Prophets they rebuke the common sinnes of many as if all had corrupted their wayes Again the Apostle might rebuke the whole society that he was not cast out when yet the authority to cast him out perteined to some onely Some he might rebuke because they were puffed up and did not sorrow nor admonish governours to do their office others because they did not cast him out or rebuke him earnestly to bring him to repentance Both the brethren and the officers might be remisse the one to stirre up by grief and just indignation the others to do the duties of their place and so both sorts worthily incurre rebuke So he might admonish them all not to be commingled with fornicatours but every one according to his place not the brethren by private familiarity and conversing not the guides by their remissenesse suffering him to abide in the society whom they ought to expell and cast out He might decree and command that when they were assembled together in the name of Christ they should deliver him to Satan some by their authority derived from Christ whereunto the rest must give free and willing consent It perteined unto them all to endeavour his casting forth but to every man in his order to the officers to cast him forth by their authority to the faithfull by admonition sorrow free consent and just indignation if upon rebuke he did not testifie repentance It concerned the people as well as the preists to put away leaven out of their houses and so every man was to put leaven out of his own house and every Christian man and woman is to purge sinne out of their hearts and do their endeavour to reform others But if this be applied to the purging and casting forth of the incestuous man then it must be remembred that similitudes hold not in every thing For otherwise every prticular man and woman in Corinth being a member of that society had authority of himself actually to thrust out the incestuous person which is directly contrary to the Apostles admonition For when they were assembled together in the name of Christ the Apostle willeth them to deliver up to Satan him that had done that wicked deed He designeth none other authour of this sentence but the Lord Jesus Christ in whose name that is by whose authority and commandment received from him he would have it to be administred For nothing can be done prosperously in the church unlesse all things we undertake be ordered according to the prescript of the chief and supreme Lawgiver But God never gave authority to every particular believer two or three to thrust every notorious offender out of the congregation as he charged every master of a family to put away leaven out of his house By the power of Christ is understood the incommunicable power or virtue of Christ whereby he worketh powerfully by his Spirit in the ministery of the word and confirmeth the sentence of the church rightly pronounced according to his promise That virtue or efficacious power by which he is with his church to the end of the world and promiseth to be in the midst of two or three that should be so gathered together in his name And Paul encourageth the Corinthians to minister the discipline of excommunication upon the incestuous man arming them thereunto by the mighty presence of Christ by which it should be made effectuall Or if by the power of Christ we understand both that which is proper to Christ and that which is communicated to his officers for the good and benefit of the church which is lesse probable yet there is no syllable that this power is given immediately to the whole community and from them derived to the officers much lesse that it is given originally and executivè both to a small company of believers without officers For the Apostle speaketh not of the power but of the execution of that power which God hath given and that by a church completely furnished with officers for that purpose The principall cause of that casting forth was the power that is the commandment and authority of Christ who is the authour of ecclesiasticall power the near cause the commandment of the Apostle Let him be delivered to Satan the next cause the authority of the governours to whom Christ hath committed the care of his flock But as the authority of Christ doth not take away the judgement of the Apostle nor the judgement of the Apostle the authority of the governours no more doth the authority of the governours the due regard and respect which must be had of the people in the execution of that dreadfull sentence To this purpose is the distinction of a twofold excommunication or power of the keyes used by Divines The first concionalis per modum doctrinae which is the first part of the power of the keyes and so the pastour alone may excommunicate the impenitent according to the commandment of Christ The second judicialis per modum sententiae which is not in the power of every pastour but of the church sc of the rulers or officers in respect of authority derived but to be exercised with due regard had to the communitie as the flock and sheep of Christ When the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians in behalf of the incestuous person to confirm their love towards him he saith it is sufficient that he had been rebuked of many thereby understanding not the whole society but the chief or governours to whom the care of ecclesiasticall discipline was committed And if the congregation was freely and deliberately to consent to his excommunication the authority of many was sufficient for his rebuke by whom it was performed to whom belonged the authority of binding and loosing ministerially It is true the word many is now and then put for all when the subject matter requireth it be so understood but there is no reason so to take it in this passage and if all had received authority immediately to rebuke by way of censure and ministerially we can give no reason why the Apostle should not rather have said of all then of many The question then is not whether all due regard should be had of the congregation or church in a matter of such weight and importance before the governours proceed to the sentence of excommunication but whether the power of excommunication and exercise thereof be primarily in the people and from them derived to the ministers which is not proved by this nor any other text of scripture Two or three met together in the name of Christ are the church that hath power to excommunicate But
his good pleasure If their ministery was true in some respects and false in others then the ministery is not absolutely false which in some respect is not pure as it ought and is to be desired then also it is no sin to communicate in a false ministery in some respect so farre to wit as it hath truth in it and doth carry the stamp of God The priests scribes and Pharisees were of the tribe of Levi which was set apart for the ministery yet might they be strangers thieves robbers murderers which the sheep of Christ will not heare that is follow or be led by them For the ministers whom our Saviour chargeth as thieves and murderers were of continuall succession of Levi and Aaron especially and it is to be understood of them who teach false doctrine and not of them who enter without a lawfull outward calling And to enter by Christ the doore teaching him alone to be the onely Saviour and Mediatour is the note of a good shepherd To heare them is not simply to communicate with them in the ordinances of God which the godly and faithfull among the Jews might not refuse to do with the Scribes and Pharisees who were thieves and robbers but to receive their doctrine and embrace their errours which was evermore unlawfull The thieves and murderers in the church of the Jews sprung up with them and continued amongst them and neither departed themselves nor were cast out by others that had authority In the Christian church divers false teachers ravening wolves Antichrists rose up not from among the Heathen or Jews but in and from themselves whereof some went out from the church and separated themselves others were cast out by excommunication and delivered up unto Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme others were tolerated in the church either because their heresies were not so pernicious at the first or the better side had not power to cast them out or they preached fundamentall truths but of evil minds These in respect of outward order were lawfully chosen or called and yet false prophets discovered by their doctrine not by their calling and some of them continuing in the church the faithfull are warned to beware of their errours that they be not infected by them but not forbidden to partake at the ordinances of worship because they are present And if we look into the Scriptures of the old and new Testament we shall never find the prophets called true or false in respect of their outward calling but in respect of their doctrine A man may have a lawfull outward calling to the ministery and yet be a false prophet because he preacheth the lying visions of his own heart But we shall never find him called a false prophet who teacheth the truth as he hath received it of God because in some particular his calling might be excepted against And seeing he that speaketh the truth to edification exhortation rebuke and comfort of Gods people according to the command of God is a true prophet he that speaketh the dreams of his own heart is a false prophet It were good if they in whose mouthes the chalenge of false prophets is rifest would better weigh how they themselves expound and apply the scriptures in their writings or prophesyings lest notwithstanding any outward church-state or calling as they pretend they be deeper wounded by the rebound of their accusations this way then their adversaries For whosoever will be pleased to trie and examine the matter unpartially shall find their quotations of scripture to be many impertinent forced wrested miserably abused without all fear or reverence Let no man therefore be dismayed at their great confidence big words multitude of scripture-proofs or pretended grounds from others whose principles they put in practice for if they be particularly examined they will either disclaim the cause or put weapons into thy hands truly to fight against and put them to flight But for the present I forbear to enter into particulars because I desire the satisfaction of the more moderate sort who though they scruple communion in some particulars above handled do yet dislike that totall Separation which others make and that bitternesse of spirit wherewith they prosecute their cause The Lord in tender mercy look down upon his church make up the breaches which sinne hath made remove the stumbling-blocks and occasions of offense recall such as are gone astray cause his truth to shine more and more in our hearts and teach them that fear his name to walk in love and by an holy unblamable conversation in all things to approve the soundnesse of their faith and sincerity of their religion before all men for the comfort of their souls the edification of others and the glory of his great name through Jesus Christ our Lord. FINIS The generall heads conteined in this Book CHAP. I. OF a stinted form of prayer pag. 1. CHAP. II. All things essentiall to prayer may be observed in a prescript form pag. 12. CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment pag. 23. CHAP. IIII. It is as lawfull to pray unto God in a form of words devised by others as to sing psalmes to the praise of God in a stinted form of words prescribed by others pag. 54. CHAP. V. A stinted form of prayer doth not quench the Spirit pag. 83. CHAP. VI. In scripture there be prescript forms of blessing prayers salutations c. which may lawfully be used pag. 97. CHAP. VII The churches of God have both used and approved a stinted Liturgie pag. 106. CHAP. VIII The people may lawfully be present at those prayers which are put up unto God in a stinted form of words and partake in Divine ordinances administred in a stinted Liturgie pag. 122. CHAP. IX It is lawfull for a Christian to be present at that service which is read out of a book in some things faultie both for form and matter pag. 157. CHAP. X. It is lawfull to communicate in a mixt congregation where ignorant and prophane persons be admitted to the sacrament pag. 187. CHAP. XI Of holding communion with that assembly in the worship of God where we cannot perform all duties mentioned Matth. 18. 15 16 17. pag. 216. CHAP. XII The community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiasticall pag. 231. CHAP. XIII An examination of sundry positions laid down by M r Jacob in his Exposition of the second commandment tending to Separation pag. 282. FINIS Octob. 9. 1639. Imprimatur Cantabrigiae Ra. Brownrigg Procan Psal 50. 15. 1. Tim. 2. 5. John 10. 23. Ephes 2. 18. Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 16 28. Orig. contra Celsum lib. 8. Ambr. in 1 Cor. 14. Hieron ad Heliodor Epitaph Nepotian August De Magist lib. 1 Idem De
of the word and the prayers of the minister when he exerciseth his own gifts from which we must not separate and where presence is not approbation But whatsoever is objected touching abuses the whole building leaneth upon this foundation and this alone That stinted prayer is the devise of man And this objecting of abuses in this question is the devise of man because it is brought in to ensnare the simple-hearted Christian when other grounds will not hold and yet in plain terms it is disclaimed as soon as it is alledged Whatsoever worship is offered up to God by the minister is in their name and so the action of the assembly then present who are to declare their assent by saying Amen if it be lawfull if otherwise to call upon their minister to fulfill the ministery which he hath received of the Lord Col. 4. 17. and as occasion shall require to proceed further to declare their dislike in such a manner as is meet either by absenting themselves from it or otherwayes declaring their dislike so as the whole church may take notice of it Whatsoever worship is offered up to God by the minister whether in prayer conceived by himself or devised by others it is in the name of the congregation but every phrase petition or branch of petition is not approved by their presence silence or saying Amen to the prayers in generall as in the former passage is acknowledged The presence of the people was never deemed interpretatively a consent to every thing that was there done The prayers which for matter God disalloweth we ought to disallow but as God disalloweth them and as he calleth us forth to bear witnesse to his truth But it is one thing to tolerate another to approve one thing to disallow the method or form another the matter one thing privately to dislike another openly to witnesse against a thing as in no wise to be born withall one thing to speak when we are called forth another to thrust our selves forth unadvisedly Some things are to be born with in brethren whereof we are not bound so much as to admonish them unlesse we be intirely familiar and of intimate acquaintance Some things we must bear with though upon admonition they be not amended The people must bear with some infirmities in their minister both in preaching and prayer as he must with some wants in them without so much as taking notice of them to admonish by way of censure And if upon admonition he cannot be of their minds in every thing they must not reject and cast him off no more then he is to cut them off because in every point they conform not to his pleasure If the parties be stubborn and will not heare admonitions but rather grow more perverse and desperate even to rent and tear in pieces such as seek to reclaim them we are not bound to make known our judgement and profession unto them unlesse we be lawfully called of God thereunto And if the greater part be in errour and so stiff that they would sooner persecute the better then reform if it be not in matters fundamentall or bordering thereupon or noxious and pernicious to be concealed I know not that either that innocent is allowed to separate from the exercises of religion for that cause or bound to admonish them of their errour He that taught to suffer the tares rather then to pluck up the wheat with them hath shewed a reason for this judgement This I do infinitely grieve at saith Augustine that many most wholsome precepts of Divine scripture are little regarded and in the mean time all is so full of many presumption that he is more grievously found fault with who during this Octaves toucheth the earth with his naked foot then he that shall bury his soul in drunkennesse And after I cannot approve them and I think they are to be cut off wheresoever we have power Many of these things for fear of scandalizing many holy persons or provoking those that are turbulent I dare not freely disallow That every private Christian should in publick manner question the doctrine of his minister or the prayers of the congregation and declare his dislike in whatsoever is not agreeable to his particular opinion in such manner as is mentioned is neither commanded of God nor consonant to right reason is not agreeable to order peace love or Christian moderation and of necessitie must fill the church with confusion disorder rents and schismes If reading the Liturgie be the praying which Gods word alloweth we are bound in conscience to apply our selves unto it as Gods ordinance and not we onely but also all the churches throughout the world If not we are bound to witnes against it Here the reason taken from the faults of our Liturgie is plainly dismissed out of the field For our Liturgie is to be witnessed against by this objection not because it is erroneous or faulty nor for the matter or manner of imposition but simply because it is not the Liturgie appointed by Christ in the New Testament And many things are here confounded which should have been distinguished Prayer is the ordinance of God and all Christians are bound in conscience to apply themselves unto it But the forms of prayer may be divers all allowed because none is necessary or determined and therefore though allowed no man is bound in conscience precisely to apply himself unto any one and none other much lesse all churches And as they are not bound unto any one so neither to witnesse against it a stinted Liturgie being of the number of things lawfull but not determined by God Though all presence where sinne is acted contracteth not guilt yet the danger is greatest when we are in the use of Gods ordinance It is one thing to be present where that which is sinne in it self absolutely and simply is acted another to be present at the doing of some necessary duty wherein by accident somewhat is amisse Now to joyn in prayer or participation of the sacrament is to communicate in the necessary duties of piety not in sinne and if ought be done amisse it is by accident not by it self And presence there though sinne be committed by one or other is lesse dangerous because it is not free and voluntary but necessary and enjoyned We are not left at liberty to come or not as please our selves but commanded under pain of sinne to be there present and he that calleth will preserve from danger and accept of our service which he commandeth And if presence was dangerous yet it is not unlawfull for by watchfulnesse the danger might be prevented and not by separation or withdrawing our selves from the worship it self If there be danger I must be vigilant and circumspect but I must not shut the doore against Christ when he knocketh nor refuse to come unto Christ when he inviteth to sup with him And if all be
Johan Et Serm. 121. August Tract in epist Johan praefat Memuut sanctitas vestra Evangelium secundùm Johannem ex ordine lectionum nos solere tractare Sed quia nunc interposita est solennitas sanctorum dierum quibus certas ex Evangelio lectiones oportet recitari c. ordo ille quem susceperamus necessitate paolulùm est intermâ—ssus non omissus Chrysost in Concion 4. in Lizar Chrysolog Serm 122. Chrysost Hom. in Gen. â—3 Bucer ad Ephes Basil ad Caes Patric ep 289. Cypr. epist 56. Zepper De pol. eccl lib. 2. cap. 8. August Serm. 82. De Temp. Propter pauperes qui ad opera sua festinanâ— melius est hoc ut vobis in die crastina reservemus August Tract 46. in Johan Eadem lectio recitabitur Chrysost Hom. 5. ad popul Antioch Vestram herì charitatem consolata fuit Etsi enim heri nudius-tertius de hac vobis locutus sum materia c. Et Hom. 6. Facite igitur quod 〈◊〉 admonui hodie dicam Et Hom. 7 12. Et herì dixi BENEDICTUS DEUS hodie hoc ipsum rursus dicam August Tract 8. in Johan Sunt sortè 〈◊〉 multi qui propter solennitatem diei non propter audiendum sermonem venerunt Câ—â—stino qui venerint venient audituri c. Chrysost advers Judaeos Quamadmodum enim homines vino potionibus dediti singulo quoque die simul ac surrexerunt obambulant c. sic vos quotidie simul ac surrexeritis curiosè perquiritis ubinam futura sit exhortatio ubi salubris admonitio ubi doctrina ubi sermo c. Et Hom. 13. in Gen. Quotidie tamen inopem tenuem hanc mensam vobis proponere 〈◊〉 Et. Hom. 37. Hanc ob rem quotidie spiritualem hanc apponimus mensam ut admonitione continuâ multà Divinatum Scripturatum exercitatione c. See Hom. 41 54. But where the Gospel was preached more frequent there were some dayes in the week more specially appointed when the people were to heare See Chrysost ad cap. 3. Joh. Hom. 24. Non enim singulis diebus sed duobus tantùm brevâ— eorum parte ut vos labore levemus hortamur ut orationi nostrae aures adhibeatis Et Socrat. l. 5. cap. 21. Clemens Constit Apostol lib. 2. cap. 59. Die Domini â— qui dies est resurrectionis studiosiùs templum Domini adite ut Deum laudibus celebretis c. In quo etiam adhibeatur lectio prophetarum evangeli praedicatio c. Chrysostom Hom. 5. in Matth. Legem hanc nobis statuamus immobilem nec nobis tant ùm sed conjugibus etiam liberÃsque nostris ut unum hunc totius hebdomadis diem quo ad audiendum concurritur totum in eorum quae dicuntur meditatione poâ—â—mus And a little after Nimia enim omnino indevotio prorsus extrema est ut qumque sex dies quidem in rebus carnalibus consumentes unum spiritualibus diem unò exiguam diei partem nolitis impendere August Consess lib. 6. cap. 3. speaking of Ambrose saith eum quidem in populo verbum veritatis rectè tractantem omni die Dominico audiebam Et Serm. 28. De verbis Apost Nunc cùm die Dominico debito reddendi sermonis recitaretur eadem lectio Divinitus mihi inspiratum esse credidi ut indè tractarem Synod in Trull can 10. Oportet eos qui praesunt ecclesiis in omnibus quidem diebus sed praecipuè Dominicis omnem clerum populum docere Vpon which words Zonaras writeth thus Apostolici decreti autoritatem secuti Patres hoc edito canone cùm aliis quoque tum Dominicis diebus Episcopi oratione populum ad pia religionis studia informari ac institui jubent Cùm enim per cos dies vacationem à laboribus nacti homines in ecclesiam conveniant ibâ—que tempora Divinarum scripturarum auditione traducant erit à populo longè fructâ—ofior industria quam in eo erudiendo ac instituendo iis praecipuè diebus Episcopus adhibuerit And Balsamon Episcopi ecclesiarum Doctores constituuntur propterea dicit canon eis omnino necesse esse eum cui praesunt populum semper docere multò magìs in diebus Dominicis in quibus omnes ferè solent in ecclesiis interesse ut quià suis artificiis operibúsque cessent Cocil L emovicens act 2. Omnes sacerdotes quibus parochia commissa est omnibus Dominicis festis diebus admonere praedicando populum debeat secundùm illud ARGUE OBSECRA INCREPA quia sacerdos si sine praedicationis sonitâ— incedit interminatione Divinâ mortis reus est Episcopus autem quos doctos viderit ad hoc officium idoneos non tantùm jâ—ssu sed etiam 〈◊〉 ad tam sublime opus incitare debet See Concil Arclatense can 10. Vasense 2. can 4. others cited before Tert. De anima cap. 9. reckoneth up these things inter Dominica soleâ—nia sc Scripturae leguntur aut psalmi canuntur aut allocutiones proscruntur aut petitiones delegantur 〈◊〉 serm 43. Dom. in Eâ—â—ng 〈◊〉 vobis matutâ—â—â coepâ—mus hora pâ—andii non urget August in psal 88. Reâ—icimâ—â— infecti a câ—bis reditâ— Ad reliqua 〈…〉 in matutino loquuti sumus animum intendite Chrysostom Hom. 10. in Gen. Nuâ—quid tempus obfuit dic quaeso sobrius auditor etiam pransus spirituali comentu dignus est Chrysostom Hom. De Lazaro Novi fore multos qui damnent ea quae nunc dicuntur veluti qui novam quandam miram consuetudinem invehâ—â— concion â—ndi at ego magis damnabo pravam consuetudinem quae nunc obtinuit Etenim quòd post ciâ—um ac mensam non ad somnum oporteat ire nec ad cubile sed oporteat cibo prâ—ces ac Divinarum scripturarum lectionem succedere manifestiùs declaravit ipse Christus c. Idem Hom. 10. ad populum Antioch Arbitror enim multos jam pransos hodie adesse pulchram hanc nobis implere concionem Et Hom. 28. Quando quaeso vos dilecti meliùs fecistis c. an nunc cùm post mensam ad Divinas leges audiendas convenistis Beatus Gauden Tract 4. Bis in vigiliis allocuti suâ— us charitatem vestram Chrysost Hom. in dictum Apost OPORTET HAERESES ESSE Quod hodie diximus admodum simile cognatum est ei quod hodie adhuc dicere decrevimus Ut enim quae dicta sunt hodie ad reprimendam vitae desidiam c. ita quae nunc dicenda c. The common people of Armenian Christians in the forenoon stay about foure houres in the churchâ— and in the afternoon from two of the clock untill six Job Ave diowite Relat. of the religion and customes of the Armenian church Object 4. Copy of a Letter pag. 22 23. A treatise of the minist of Engl. p. 12. The book of common prayer taken out of the Popes Portuis c. H. Ainsworth
Considerations exam pag. 4. Another cause why we refuse communion 〈…〉 for that you 〈◊〉 God not as himself commandeth co Cant. Necessitâ—e of 〈…〉 78 79 Cambdeâ— in anno 1560. Greenwood Against Gifford pag. 18 Id. pag. 80. Copy of a Letter pag. 23. Answ Can. ubi supr◠〈…〉 Greenw Against Gifford pag. 28. Read prayers were devised by Antichrist An apologie or defense of such true christians c. a posit pag. 67. The worshipping of God by read prayer is part of the worship of Antichrist used and caâ— joyned in the Papacie c. Cann ibid. A Treat of Minist of Engl. pag. 3â— H. Ainsworth Considerat examined p. â— Missâ—m audire dicitur qui liturgiam auscultat Missis tenere est eâ—clesiasticos conventus agere Hence missâ—rum solennia celebrare Grat. De Consecrat dist 1. can 12. 50. auditis missarum solennibus c. 54. ex Concil Tol 4 can 12. Ambros epist 35. l. 5. Concil Milâ—vit can 12. See Gentillet Exam. Concil Trident. lib. 4. sess 22. Bellarm. De Missa lib. 1. c. 1 Tertullian Cyprian Origen Lactantiuâ— Hierome Augustine never used the word MASSE Jewel Against Hard. art 1. div 5. Mâ— Gifford saith there were Liturgies in the church before Antichrist was lifted up into his throne which I will not deny I would have all men understand that I do not go about to prove the church no church that hath a Liturgie Greenwood ubi â—â—prà p. 28. See â—ivet Crit. sacr specim l. 1. cap. 3. l. 4. Col. censure pag. 10. Jewel Against Hard. art 1. div 5. Gratian. Decret dist 15. cap. 3. Bell. De Missa l. â— cap. 17 20. Polydor. Virg. De inventor ver l 5. cap. 10. See Gentillet Exam. Concil Trâ—d l. 4 sess 22. Trasat ad 〈◊〉 3. in Bâ—erâ—iâ—r Rom. Ex 〈◊〉 potissiâ—â—m scriptura probâ—tâ—s 〈◊〉 conâ—ectum 〈…〉 l. 1. â—ap 1. §. 4. See Act. Mon. vol. 3. pag. 1631. Of Dr Taylours testimony concerning our service-book Mr Decrings testimony is well known Copy of a Letter pag. 24. Apologie or defense of such true Chriâ—◠〈◊〉 pag. 68. 〈…〉 Argum. 1. Copie of a Letter pag. 26. Treatise of the minist of England pag. 34. The second way whereby they profane Christs intercession is by offering up in Christs name and mediation their devised stinted popish worship and ministration which being never appointed by Christ but devised by man is an abomination to God Object 1. Answ Sins are either controvertible or manifest If controvertible and doubtful men ought to bear one vvith anothers different judgement if they do not but any for this make a â—reach of Separation they sin Ainsw Against M r Bern. reas removed pag. 17 Matth. 13. 29. See Calvin Epist 117. August Epist 119. Object 2. Copie of a Letter pag 32. Aplog or Des of such true Christ Pet. 3. pag. â—8 reas 5. Answ Object 3. Answ Object 4. Answ If this were a good ground that every one approveth of the evill done in matter or manner where he is present none could live with good conscience in any society of men on earth Persons so minded are best live alone for vvith others they will keep no peace Robins Treatise Of the lawfulnesse c. pag. â—1 Object 5. Answ Argum. 2. There were in the Jewish Church in Christs time and in divers of the Apostolicall churches afterwards more and greater errours taught then are in any or all the churches of England Robins Treat Of the lawfulnesse of bearing â— c. pag. 16. Matth. 5. 18 19. 20. Loquiâ—â—r hîc Dominus proptiè de justitia inhaerente quae consistit in bonis operibus ut patet tum ex collatione cum justitia Pharisaeorum tum ex sequenâ—â—◠〈…〉 prorum Dâ—calogs Pisc in Matth. 5. 20 â—chol Sculiet â—xerâ—it l 2. cap. 19. Rainold 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 7. 〈…〉 15. 5 〈…〉 with Hart ch 7. div 4. p. 268 269. Matth. 23. 12 13. Chrysost in Hebr. Hom. 34. Augustin contra lit Petil. l. 2. cap. 6. Matth 15. 13 14. Matth. 16. 6. 1. Sam. 2. 17 18 19 20. 1. Sam. 1. 1 2 3. 1. Cor. 11. 20. Phil. 1 15. Phil. 2 20 21 Object 1. Answ Our knowing of it maketh not our act the more or lesse an act of approbation It I do an act wherein I do indeed approve of a thing if I know the thing I really approve of it upon knowledge if I know it not I really approve of it but ignorantly Robins Treat of the c pag. 30. Object 2. Answ Argum. 3. Euseb Hist l. 3. cap. 32. l. 4. cap. 22. Gr. Chrysostom in 1. Cor. Hom. 36. Verè tum coelum Ecclesia fuit Spiritu euncta admin strante cuncta Ecclesiae capita moderante c. Nunc verò vestigia tantùm rerum illarum tenemus P. Ramus Epist ad Carolum Lotharingium an 1570. de quindecim à Christo seculis primum verè esse aureum reliqua quò longiù abscederent esse nequiora ac deteriora Isidor Pelus l. 3. Epist 408. Florente Ecclesià nondum morbo laborante Divinae gratiae circa eam velut chorum agebant sancto Spiritu ies administrante atque antistâ—tum unumquemque incieante ac Ecclesiam in coelum convertente Apoc. 18. 4. Brightm in Apoc. 18 4. 2. Cor. 6. 17. Hebr. 13. 13. 1. Joh. 2. 19. See Symonds Pisga Evang. cap. 11. p. 209. 220. cap. 13 pag. 246. Cameron Praelect de Eccless de Schismate Carleton Consens Eccl. cathol de Script cap. 1. Bellarm. De verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 6. August De civ Dei lib. 18. cap. 43. De doctrina Christ lib. 2. cap. 11. See Chamier Panstrat tom 1. lib. 12. cap. 1. lib. 13. cap. 3 4 5 c. lib. 14. cap. 2 3 c. Platina De vit Pontif. Damas 1. Hieron in Isa 4. The worst translation that this day is commonly used either in the English or in the French or in the Dutch tongue is farre better and truer then that old Common translation in the Latine Jewel Dâ—f of the Apol. part 1. cap. 1. div 1. Euseb Hist. lib. 5. cap. 24. Socrat. l. 5. cap. 21. Sozom l. 7. cap. 19. Cypr. epist 48. Graf De consecr dist 1. can 2. Hieroin Mart. cap. 14. Cypr. De lapsis Nec derelicto cibo poculo Domini ad profant contagia spoâ—â—â— properavimus c. accipientibus caeteris locus ejus advenit August epist. 23. ed Bonifac. 107. ad Vitalem Ansegis in leg Franocari capit lib. 1. cap. 155. Osor lib. 9. De gest Eman. In modo Baptizandi Aethiop Bruxelin edito An. 1550. Just Martyr qu. 155. Basil De Spirit S. cap. 27. Concil Nieen can â—0 Tert. De coron milit cap. 3. Hieron Advers Lucifer cap. 4. Ambr. lib. 3. De Sacram. cap. 1. Cypr. De spectacul Tert. De Oral lib. 2. ad uxer Hieron Apol. ad Pammaâ—â— Concil Caesar august can 3. See Whitak De Script contr