excepted out of the description 1. The first is of being indued with the Spirit of God Of which we haue seen many and great testimonies in Mr St. from tyme to tyme. He hath bene an auncient disciple of Christ in the faith of the Gospell this many yeares He hath given vp his life for the name of the Lord being adjudged to death so remayning many yeares vnder the sentence and dayly expectation thereof till he was banished He now liveth still an exile for the same truth of Christ And in the governement of the Church hath had to deale with so many causes persons and dispositions yea oppositions also of sundry people as if he had not bene indued with the spirit of God that in great measure he had never bene able so to have endured waded through them all as he hath done Which also may both streÌ„gtheÌ„ himself still in the Lord stop the mouth of all his adversaries And for this Th. White himself let it here be considered 1. Whether he be fit to beare any office at all yea or to be so much as a member in the Church of God if he be tried but by this one particular of being indued with the Spirit of God 2 With what spirit he hath written this book of his 3. Whether he haue not therein many times and sundry wayes blasphemed the holy spirit of God For which he shall answer to the Lord. 2. The second thing is that he saith he would defend the transgressing of the lawes of God in himself and others Note that he saith not he hath done it but that he would do it And how shewes he this Not so much as by pretence of any one particular for proof thereof Yet this is the man that would perswade his Reader he could make due proof of any thing he layeth to our charge 3. The third thing is about the governing of his house for which he referreth to that he hath els where cited and so do I to that which is there said Yet let himself take this withall that if the things be true which are reported and observed concerning his own family he might have found work ynough at home and cause ynough to cast a beame out of his owne eye But I will not follow his course in this maner howsoever it might be iust to deale with him as he doth with others 4. The fourth is of crueltie and tyranny for proof whereof he allegeth that some of our owne members have complayned that if they had a matter as cleare as the sunne against him yet durst they not deale with him for it But who be these some he speaketh of why doth he not name them at all Or would he haue vs to think that they be some such as hate the light knowing that their works are evill and whome he therfore concealeth that he might shew himself with his fellowes Mr Pâ— and the rest to be fit receivers for such reporters Or why did he not obserue that the Elders must be men of wisdome and judgement able to discerne between cause and cause plea plea that it is their duty to repress the contentious disobedient froward and obstinate Which by whomsoever it be done who can otherwise think but such will be as ready to open theyr mouthes against them as they are to please themselves in their own eyes But howsoever they may for a while lurk walk in the dark yet God in his time will bring them to light discover them as he hath done this White himself sundry other the like heretofore 5. The other of the Elders he speaketh of is Mr St. Mer. against whom he excepteth for Apostasie The matter was thus About thirteen yeares synce a litle while after he was come to this cause which we professe being in the countrey with his friends he was there perswaded that he would heare some of the Ministers of the Church of England preach Which he did once And straightway after being affected therewith did it no more Which also he made knowen himself whereas otherwise it was vnknowen to vs. Now after that time living with the Church and being wel approved among vs he was about five yeares since chosen to be one of the Elders Thus is the case wherein now mark this hypocrites dealing The qualities and duties required in the Elders being so manie and great as in the description are noted was there nothing whereat he could except but this onely And was his malice such as rather then he would say nothing he would except eveÌ„ for that which himself accounteth to be good and lawfull Let such dealing then returne into his owne bosome and be a comfort to such as be thus abused by him From the Elders he cometh to the Deacons whose qualities office is set down in the aforesaid description of a true Church pag. 4. Their Deacons must be men of honest report having the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience endued with the holy Ghost they must be graue temperate not given to excesse nor to filthy lucre And afterward againe Pag. 5. The Deacons office is faithfully to gather collect by the ordinance of the Church the goods and benevolence of the faithfull and by the same direction diligently and trustâ—lie to distribute them according to the necessitie of the Saincts Further they must enquire and consider of the proportion of the wants both of the Officers and other poore and accordinglie relate vnto the Church that provision may be made Here he excepteth onely against one of our Deacons Mr C. Bow To whom about eleven yeares synce the Magistrates of Narden did once and not weekly as this man intimateth send a litle money to be given to the poore of the Church which he together with one of the Elders Mr. G. Kniston did accordingly bestow vpoÌ„ such as they iudged to stand most in need Whereof because goodwife Colg the woman of whom he speaketh had not a part therevpoÌ„ by her meanes it seemeth was this report raised of Mr. Bow which now this fellow hath published and for which with his many such like instances he is by Mr B. called before the Magistrates as a sclanderer And touching the woman no marvel if shee so abused him who hath synce in other things caryed her self so vngodlily as she is cast out of the Church and so remaineth And for Mr. Bow how wel he hath approved himself in his office I shal not need to relate neither need he regard any sclanderous tong or pen knowing his owne integrity and having the Churches testimony to which he hath with good approbation ministred in that office now about fourteen yeares After this dealing with sondry of our officers in particular the adversarie commeth to speak of the Elders ioyntly Against whom he obiecteth that we called R.W. that is Rose White his wife before vs in the first place for a private thing But it was for that her child
accounted true visible Churches of Christ. And hitherto of his false blasphâ—mous doctrines objected against vs in his letter Which in his Libell he saith I promised to ansvver performed it not Yet in the letter it self he writeth that I said I had spoken vnto him both privately publickly now would not further haue to do vvith him And concerning his letter my answer was to this effect as I remember sent him by I.L. one of his own company besides my speach vnto himself That the contents of his letter vvere partly private partly publick that for the private I required proof and for the publick I vvould not deale privaely Wishing also the said I.L. to deale with him for some reports ascribed to him in the letter concerning me which he denyed and to end it between themselves who were of one company together And as I should heare thereof so I should consider what to do for the rest This let him aske of I.L. his own companion and let himself now look vnto it who it is that falsifyeth For not ansvvering his letter by vvriting I had good reason as may appeare by that which before is alledged And Wisdome teacheth there be persons who are not to be answered according to their foolishnes and times also when to speak and when to be silent Pro. 26.4 Eccles. 3.7 vvith 2 King 18.36 The dumbe Ministers spoken of in the place here cited by him he hath now consorted himself withall being returned to his old vomit and become as dumbe as any of them for defending the truth against the aduersaries thereof yet opening his mouth above all his fellowes in blaspheming the truth and witnesses of it Wherein the case of the worst dumbe dog in England is ten thousand fold better then his And happy it had ben for him if his toung had cleaved to the roof of his mouth and his hand never vsed pen more then theirs whereas now his sin is vnspeakably greater his estate infinitely more miserable But leaving him to the iudgmeÌ„t of God I will proceed to the other particulars of his book desiring the Reader for all his pretence of due proof of his charges to remember that saying of Salomon He that is first in his ovvn cause is iust then cometh his neighbour and maketh inquirâ— of him Prov. 18.17 Of the first head of Th White his Treatise THat which followeth in his Treatise himself reduceth to fower heads In which order I will also handle them The first is that he saith vve haue betrayed our ovvn cause in vvriting And to prove it he alledgeth that I erre in the description of a true visible Church and thereby overthrovv the mayn drift of my vvritings I answer 1. His reason followes not For may not I or any other of vs erre in some thing yet our generall cause not be betrayed Agayne did not Nathan the Prophet erre about the building of the Temple and Peter the Apostle about the Gentiles calling and comunion Could now an Edomite or Pharisee have iustly gathered that they had therefore betrayed the cause of Israel or of the Christians witnessed by them against the adversaries To come nearer to our owne times it is well knowen that Mr. Calvine Luther Beza Fulk Powell Sutcliff c. writing against the Papists Anabaptists and the like haue in sundrie things erred even concerning the very pointes of the difference between them Shall vve say therefore that they have betrayed the cause handled betvveen them and their aduersaries and overthrovven the mayne drift of their ovvn vvritings Not to speak of the Martyrs put to death by the Papists how both many of them and in many things have erred even concerning the causes controverted in their tymes Should we therefore conclude that they betrayed their own cause Or that they did not witnesse the truth notwithstanding faithfully even vnto death 2. Our cause towching the Church of England is that the estate thereof is such in their Prelacy Priesthood worship confusion c. as it is not lawfull by the word of God for any to ioyne or continue with them in such estate And moreover that it is the duty of all Christians to receive and keep the faith and ordinances of Christ vvherein the Primitive Churches vvere planted by the Apostles To discusse and make these things more playne I reduced our whole cause to seaven questions and so propounded them viz 1. Whether the Lord Iesus Christ have by his last testament given vnto and set in his Church sufficient ordinary Offices with their Callings Workes Maintenance for the administration of his holy things and for the sufficient ordinary instruction guidance and service of his Church to the end of the world or no 2. Whether the Offices of Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons and Helpers be those Offices appointed by Christ in his Testament as aforesaid Or whether the present ecclesiasticall Offices of Archbishops Lordbishops Suffragans Deanes Prebendaries Canons Petticanons Priests Deacons Archdeacons Doctors of divinitie Bachelers of divinity Chapleins or housepriests Commissaries Officialls Proctors Apparitors Parsons Vicars Curates Vagrant or Mercenary preachers Church-wardens Sidemen Clerkes Sextins and the rest now had in the Cathedrall and Parishionall assemblies be those Offices appointed by Christ in his Testament as is aforesaid or no 3. Whether the Calling and entrance into these Ecclesiasticall offices aforesaid their Administration and MaintenaÌ„ce now had and reteyned in England be the manner of calling administration maintenance which Christ hath appointed for the offices of his Church above named or no 4. Whether every true visible Church of Christ be not a company of people called and separated out from the world the false worship and wayes thereof by the word of God ioyned togeather in fellowship of the Gospell by voluntary professioÌ„ of the faith and obedience of Christ And whether the Ecclesiasticall Assemblies of the Land be such or no 5 Whether the Sacraments being seales of righteousnes which is by faith may be administred to any other but to the faithfull and their seed or in any other ministery manner then is appointed by Iesus Christ the Apostle and high Priest of our profession And whether they be not otherwise administred in the Cathedrall parishionall Assemblies of England at this day 6. Whether the Book of Common prayer with the Feasts Fasts Holy dayes stinted prayers and Leiturgy prescribed therein and vsed in these Assemblies be the true worship of God commaunded in his word or the devise and invention of man for Gods worship and service 7. Whether all people and Churches without exceptioÌ„ be not bound in Religion only to receive submit vnto that Ministery worship and order which Christ as Lord and King hath given and appointed to his Church Or whether any may receive or ioyne vnto another devised by man for the service of God And consequently whether they which ioine to the present ecclesiasticall Ministery worship and order of
also when any of the Church yea or the whole do transgresse eyther in some thing which yet they have not seen or whereinto now they are fallen they are notwithstanding a true visible Church And by their calling and covenant they have power in Christ to redresse them Which when vpon knowledg they shall refuse and â—o continue then are they to be esteemed according as their case shall require So then to judge rightly of a true Church we must look as the Apostles did at their calling and coÌ„munion in the Gospell Which being observed it wil be easy to put difference between the errours and the constitution of true Churches as Christ and his Apostles did in the Churches of Asia Achaia Galatia c. to reprove them for the one and yet to approue them as true Churches for the other And this also vntill Christ himself remove his candlestick and take away his kingdome from among them which is to be left vnto him to do when as it pleaseth him And this also might serue for answer to the exception drawen from my writing concerning the Israelites in Egypt who sinned with Idols and yet were Gods people But it being so vrged by divers as it is I will note a few things more concerning it in particular The objection is made thus If they coÌ„mitted Idolatry vvith the Idols of Egypt hovv were they then a company of faithfull people separated from all false vvayes I answer By the Lords former calling of them to the obedience of himself who was by covenant the Lord their God and they his people Gen. 12. 17. 46. vvith Exod. 2.23.24.25 3.7 8.15.16 Numb 20.16 Deut. 26.7 Which also is laid as the ground of the admonition for calling of them from that Idolatry spoken of Ezech. 20.7 And may not a people so separated as aforesaid fall into this sinne of Idolatry aswell as into other sinnes See the case of Israel afterward againe Exod. 32. Where Moses in his prayer to God calleth Israell the Lords people even then when they had coÌ„mitted such Idolatry as the Lord would presently have consumed theÌ„ for it Exod. 32.1.10.11 And of Israell againe see what is recorded Iudg. 2. c. And likewise of the Church of Rome which at first was a true Church separated from all false wayes yet fell into this sinne and coÌ„tinueth therein Rom. 1.6.7.8 16.19 vvith Rev. â— 13. and 14. 17. chap. But this was the generall estate of the Israelites at that tyme. What then So may it fall out with a true Church as now hath ben shewed and so we are taught Lev. 4.13.14 Yet here also might be demaunded whether he meane it to be so generall as including all of Israel therein specially considering what is written of some in those tymes Ex. 1. 2. 6 20-27 Numb 1. vvith Heb. 11.23 c. And whether this Idolatry were publike or private like as that spoken of Ezech. 8 12. Zeph. 1.1.4.5 But howsoever their sinne vvas also of obstinacy for they vvere admonished from the Lord yet they rebelled against him as the Scripture sheweth Ezech. 20.7.8 And even the same Scripture sheweth also that for this cause they deserved themselves God thought to haue powred out his indignation vpon them but stayed it in respect of his ovvn Name which is called vpoÌ„*his Churches people not because of their estate as now it was Ezec. 20.7.8.9 And how doth this then overthrow not rather coÌ„firme the desâ—ription aforesaid Or must we not alway desribe esteem a Church by the conditioÌ„ thereof according to the revealed word of God yet leave vnto the Lord to esteem deale therewith notwithstanding as in any respect seemeth good vnto himself Or when God saith he is the Lord their God and calleth them his sonne and first borne whom he might in respect of their own estate cast of can we not so esteem of them but we must therevpon conclude that in the description of a true visible Church Idolatrie and all false wayes are not to be excluded or to speak of the questions controverted at this day that Rome in all her Idolatries is notwithstanding still to be reputed the spouse of Christ and not to be rejected as an harlot and so likewise all the Churches that be her daughters in that estate Againe what if it were as some think that Israell first rebelling and so provoking God to wrath as is aforesaid did afterward through the affliction which by Pharaoh was encreased vpon them turne into their own hart and crie vnto the Lord God of their fathers as we read Exod. 2. and 3. Numb 20.16 Deut. 26.7 should we not then put difference between obstinacy still persisted in that which is afterward repented of amended Not to speak of the Israelites estate in Egypt how in their kindred and families the Church consisted and was governed and how then they had not the word written â—eyther of their estate afterward in the wildernes how God did never so punish theÌ„ for any of their transgressions though of the same nature before his Law given vnto them as he did after as may be observed in the history So teaching all ages succeeding to take speciall heed to his written word according to it to esteem walk in all things Wherefore to end this point thus I think that for Israel all other people and Churches we are bound alwayes so to esteem and walk as by the word of God we have direction and vvarrant from him and neyther to judge nor vvalk othervvise And as Christ giveth to all true Churches their being so to leave vnto him to take it away when and as he pleaseth And for this case of Israel in particular let me further aske whether such of the Israelites as should now have left that Idolatry spoken of ought not also to have left coÌ„munion therein with the rest so transgressing and yet to have left them to the Lord to esteem and deale with them as in any respect should seem good vnto himself For that which he objecteth next out of the Preface to the last answ to Mr Ia. sect 6. it is concerning Churches wilfully persisting in errour and disobedience of the trueth and voice of Christ and shewed by the example of the Churches of the Iewes 〈…〉 â—â—â—son objected about them by D.B. For which I refer the Reader to that Preface sectioÌ„ together with that which is said in the answer to the 4. section of the same Preface and more particularly to that which I haue written about this poynt in the booke it self pag. 161.195.196 in the answer to Mr A.H. pag. 61.62 Where the Reader shall fynd what I haue written and what my judgment is concerning this matter namely that all good and lawfull meanes being first vsed towards true Churches fallen into sinne if they amend not but wilfully persist therein the Lord hath threatned to remove the candlestick
that his work may endure the triall of the fyer and by the light of the same fire reveale the Tymber Hay Stubble of false Teachers He must take diligent heed to keep the Church from errours And further he must deliver his doctrine so plainly simplie purely that the Church may increase with the increasing of God and grow vp vnto him which is the head Christ Iesus Hitherto is that description wherein the qualities and duties set downe be many and great 1. Yet cannot this Adversarie satisfy himself with them all as he would and therefore coming to make exceptions against the Teacher he fetcheth his first out of the generall description of the Church spoken of before objecting that the Teacher is sleyned with hypocrisie and to proue it he alledgeth his dealing concerning G. I. M. Sl. Yet sheweth it not so much as in any one particular thinking belike that some are so simple in themselues or so set against vs as they will take his word for proof sufficient who â—eyther knoweth that dealing himself in the things which he knoweth can ly so notoriously as if he had the art of lying and would be a teacher thereof vnto others 2. The second thing he objecteth is apostasie because that many yeares since having received this cause he did sometimes yeeld to heare the Ministery of the Church of England But synce that tyme hath so approved himself among vs both in the witnesse of the trueth in the service of the Church as hath ben for the great help and comfort of vs all and my self in particular bound to testify concerning him as Paul did of Marcus Barnabas sisters sonne that that he hath ben my workfellow vnto the kingdome of God which hath ben to my consolation Col. 4.10.11 For the question it self and our account of Apostasie I shall write more particularly hereafter 3. The third thing is that he saith he hath ben a meanes to bring in and defend false doctrines But what be they First The latter of those two before mentioned Now that latter was about apostasie in the matter aforesaid So as then himself accounteth them to be apostates that having held our cause do afterward yeeld to heare the Ministery of the Church of England and that it is a false doctrine that any such may afterward beare office in the Church And what then is this Whites own case who being a Minister of the Church of England left both that Church and Ministery and received our cause and witnessed the trueth against them and yet now hath yeelded not onely to heare but even to execute himself the Ministerie of that Church againe But he will say that among the Errata at the end of his book he noted this for one that for the word latter we should here read former I have obserued it and well in deed might he note it amoÌ„g his Errata who even while he would blame others of errour doth so straungely erre himself as to put latter for former one contrarie for another But this might be an oversight as often falleth out in printing which therefore I would not haue noted but that I think there is a worse thing in it namely that at first he both wrote and meant it of the latter which is about apostasie vntill he had himself apostate from the tâ—ueth and executed agayne his Ministery received from the Prelates in England and therevpon now would alter it measuring the doctrines of religion not by the word of God but as may best serue his own turne And I am perswaded the rather thus to think for these reasons 1 because when he began to set himself to be an enemie of this Church and could not prevaile as he desired he then began to make question about apostasie whether any such might beare office in the Church 2. If we vnderstand it here of the former as his Errata now would haue it read it is nothing to the purpose at all seing there is in it no speach of any points of doctrine but of hypocrisie and seing an hypocrite may notwithstanding teach true doctrine For els it would follow that neither Iudas nor White himself did heretofore teach true doctrine when they preached because Iudas was and he is an hypocrite both of them through hypocrisie betraying Christ into the hands of his enemies His other proof of false doctrines which he pretendeth is set down after his woonted manner others that may be alledged yet not naming any which no doubt he would have done if he could or if he durst adventure the triall of them with the Teacher of our Church whom he thus envieth and abuseth who notwithstanding for his learning wisdome and godlynes as also for his faithfull teaching of the Church and vpright walking toward all is so well knowen approued as neither he nor we need regard any adversaries malice opposition against him After this he commeth from the teaching to the ruling Elders whose properties and duties are thus noted in the description abovesaid Pag. 4. Their Elders must be of wisedome and iudgment endued with the Spirit of God able to discerne between cause and cause between plea and plea and accordingly to prevent and redresse evils alwayes vigilant intending to see the statutes ordinances and lawes of God kept in the Church and that not onely by the people in obedience but to see the Officers do their duties These men must be of life likewise vnreproveable governing their own families orderly they must be also of maners sober gentle modest loving temperate c. And afterward againe pag. 5. Their especiall care must be to see the ordinaunces of God truely taught practised aswell by the Officers in doing their dutie vprightly as to see that the people obey willingly and readily It is their dutie to see the Congregation holily and quietly ordered and no way disturbed by the contentioâ—s and disobedient froward and obstinate not taking away the libertie of the least but vpholding the right of all wiselie iudging of times and circumstances They must be ready assistaunts to the Pastour and Teachers helping to beare their burden but not intruding into their office Thus is the description Now towching our Elders he taketh here his exception against two of them The first is Mr Da. St. against whom it may be he is the more eagerly caryed because he discerned so quickly into him being a notable white hypocrite and dealt so plainly roundly with him as he did And therefore also excâ—pteth not a word against him for his ability to discerne into persons and causes and to deale with them accordingly nor for sundrie other of the properties and duties here required though they be many and waighty Yet some things he speaketh of which he had twise before besides that which he hath also hereafter so as I need not repeat and speak of them as he doth againe and againe Yet somewhat more I will note here touching the particulars