to the testament of Christ they are for this cause evil intreated reviled and persecuted vnto death even by these who professe themselves to be Christians 2. Secondly in that their Prelacy Priesthood and Deaconry is the very meanes of thrusting away keeping out of the Church the Ministery and order which Christ hath appointed in his word Which some of themselves have heretofore acknowledged and written affirming that Lord Bishops Archdeacons Commissaries Officials and the rest Admon to the Parliam thrust away most sacrilegiously the order which Christ hath left in his Church and which the Primitive Church hath vsed Sermon on Rom. 12. That they rob the Church of lawfull Pastors watchfull Elders and carefull Deacons And that by the length of their vnlawful swords they keep out the lawfull members of the body of Christ which is the Church Neyther need we seek any further proof hereof then that which is daily felt and seen in their bloody opposition and proud exaltation above the holy things ordinances and servants of Iesus Christ Who being Lord over all will bring their wayes vpon their owne heads and when they have filled vp the measure of their iniquity will judge them according to their works The fourth Argument THe Ministerie which is such as in the nature and condition thereof IIII. of it perteyneth not to any body and estate eyther civill or ecclesiasticall but onely to the body and kingdome of Antichrist that is the Ministerie of Antichrists apostasie But the present Mininisterie of the Church-assemblies of Engl. is such as in the nature and condition thereof it perteyneth not to any body or estate eyther civill or ecclesiasticall but onely to the body and kingdome of Antichrist Therefore the present Ministerie of the Church-assmblies of Engl. is the Ministerie of Antichrists apostasie The Proposition none can deny And for it see 2 Thes 2. chap. with Rev. 13 11-18 and 14. and 16. and 17. and 18. and 19. and 21. chap. The Assumption is cleare to all that will open their eyes to see the truth of it in as much as their Prelacy Priesthood Deaconry the present Ministery of that Church is such in the nature and condition thereof as the civill estate of the Common-wealth may be perfect without them for they are ecclesiasticall functions the Church of Christ may be compleet without them and yet have all the offices appointed by Christ therevnto and the Turks and Pagans neyther have them nor require them Onely the body and kingdome of the Romish Antichrist cannot be full and furnished in all the offices thereof without them Which all men know to be true From which also an argument to the same purpose may be framed in this sort The fift Argument V. THe Ministerie which is such as the body of Antichrist the man of sinne cannot without it be compleet in all the members and Canonicall functions thereof that is the Ministerie of Antichrists apostasie But the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of Engl. is such as the body of Antichrist the man of sinne cannot without it be compleet in all the members and Canonicall functions thereof Therefore the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of Engl. is the Ministerie of Antichrists apostasie The Proposition is cleare and certaine The Assumption is proved by the Canons Pontificall and estate of the Romish Antichrist the man of sinne and by the constitution of that body in the members and functions thereof As all must needs confesse that have any knowledge of the conditiō of that Church and Officers perteyning therevnto The sixt Argument THe Ministerie of Deacons Priests and Prelates VI. which accounts it self to be Christs and yet in deed is such as the Kings and Rulers of the earth may and ought to suppresse and root out of their dominions that is the Ministerie of Antichrists apostasie But the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of Engl. is the Ministerie of Deacons Priests and Prelates which accounts it self to be Christs and yet in deed is such as the King may and ought to suppresse and roote out of his Dominions Therefore it is the Ministerie of Antichrists apostasie The Proposition is proved 1. Because there is no other such Ministery but Antichrists which accounts it self to be Christs when in deed it is such as the Magistrates ought to abandon and root out of their dominions 2. Because that which is in truth the Ministery of Christ no Princes may refuse or set against But in so doing they sinne highly against the Lord and provoke his judgements against themselves their kingdomes Rev. 17.12.13.14.16.17 with Psal 2.10.11 12. and Esa 60.10.11.12 The Assumption hath two poynts to be considered The one that the Ministery of the Church of Engl. is Ministery of Deacons Priests Prelates which accounts it self to be Christs which themselves cannot nor will not deny The other that in deed it is such as the King may and ought to suppresse and root out of his dominions Which we have shewed already both in †Treatise of Minist of Engl. p. 25.105.134 Answ to Mr. Iacob p. 163.197.199 The Apologie pag. 27.52.53.54.85 c. other Treatises and in the first Reason here before And the forward preachers among them have yeelded it in their suits to the Parliament to have it removed and taken away And if the Prelates and their conforming Priests affirme the contrary they are impugners of the Kings supremacy and excommunicated ipso facto by their owne Canons the words whereof be these in the second of their ‖ Canons of Anno 1603. Can. 2. last Canons Where first the Title is thus Impugners of the Kings supremacy censured And then the Canō it self followeth thus Whosoever shall affirme that the Kings Maiestie hath not the same authority in causes ecclesiasticall that the godly Kings had amongst the Iewes and Christian Emperors in the Primitive Church c. let him be excōmunicated ipso facto and not restored but onely by the Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of those his wicked errours From which Canon I reason thus The godly Kings amongst the Iewes had such authority in causes Ecclesiasticall as they might suppresse within their dominions any Ministeries not ordeyned by the Lord and therefore any false Ministeries whatsoever as Iosiah did the Chemarims the Priests of Baall them that burnt incense to the host of heaven c. Therefore also seing the present Ministery of the Church of England * As hath ben proved before Pag. 2. c. is not that which Christ ordeyned and gave to his Church and consequently must needs be a false Ministery the King of England having the same authority in causes ecclesiasticall as those Kings of Iudah had may and ought to suppresse and root out of his dominions this their Ministery and Prelacy of Archbishops Lordbishops Suffraganes Priests Deacons Subdeacons Archdeacons c. Like as King Henry the eight did the Abbats Monks Nunnes c.
to Baal therefore also to bow down in the house of Rimmon and no more allowed by the Prophet then his other purpose of having the earth of the land of Israel with him to sacrifice vpon And if it be considered onely as a civill action then neyther were it to the question in hand which is concerning religious worship done or thought to be done by all present nor for any persons but such as have like speciall imployment about their Lords and Maisters for vse of their service when they goe to the place of their worship But now it is certayne and playne that Naaman asked pardon of God for it and doubled this his request for mercy as being very much affected with it Which for a good and lawful thing he needed not have done And howsoever he purposed not hereafter to offer burnt offring or sacrifice to any God save onely to the Lord God of Israel yet he thought still of bowing down w th his Master in the house of Rimmō for which he craved mercy as acknowledging it to be evill And thus might the Prophets answer fitly and needfully be given vnto him not as saying Goe and do as thou hast said but Goe in peace trouble not thy self with these things which would not further but hinder the peace of conscience being now clensed of thy leprosie be careful that thou sinne not against the Lord but serve him which forgiveth thyne iniquity healeth thy infirmities and peace from him be to thee 2 King 5.1.14.17.18.19 with Iohn 5 5-14 14.1.27 Psal 103.3 122.6.7.8 1 Chron. 12.18 And otherwise the approving of Naaman to come to worship in the house of Rimmon should both be against the whol course of the scriptures against the practise of the Martyrs in all ages a ready meanes for corrupting of others and defiling himself and dishonouring the Lord whom now hereafter he intended onely to make burnt offring and sacrifice vnto And in this case we must alway remember that as God hath made and redeemed both body and soule and will glorify both in the life to come so he will of vs be glorified in this life both in our bodyes and soules in all our wayes and specially in the service and worship of his Name Therfore would not the seven thowsand in Achabs tyme bow the knee vnto Baall nor kisse him with their mouth 1 King 19.18 Therefore would not Shadrach Meshach and Abednego fall downe and bow themselves to the image that King Nebuchadnezar had set vp And when he threatned them sayd If ye bow not down ye shal be cast immediatly into the mids of an hote fiery fornace for who is that God that can deliver you out of my hands they answered and sayd to the King O Nebuchadnezar wee are not carefull concerning this matter to answer thee Whether it be that our God whom we serve who is able to deliver vs do frō the hote fiery fornace from thyne hand ô King deliver vs Or whether he do not be it knowen to thee ô King that we will not serve thy Gods nor bow down to the golden image which thou hast set vp Dan. 3 12-18 The like work of faith should be seen in all the people of God For * Rom. 10.10 with the hart man beleeveth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to salvation And our bodies are not our owne any more then our soules but both of them are the Lords who hath bought them with a price Therefore ought we to glorify God in both and to yeeld the one no more then the other to any false worship or vncleannes whatsoever 1 Cor. 6.19.20 Finally it should els be lawful to present our bodies at the Masse and at any idolatry old or new wheresoever And how then have ther ben or can ther ever be any Martyrs of Iesus which are on his side called and chosen and faithful Rev. 17.6.14 and 19.11.14 and 20.4 But to leave such vnconscionable dissēblers to the judgment of God let not vs forget that the Lord our God hath forbidden vs to endow any other to receive or bow down to any inventions of Man in religion specially to the constitutions and worship of Antichrist And let vs take heed we provoke not the Lord to anger who is a jelous God not enduring that his people should imbrace the bosome of a stranger and break his covenant but powring forth his wrath for this cause vpon his people visiting this iniquity even vpon the third and fourth generation of them that hate him and keep not his commandements but go a whoring with their owne inventions Exod. 20.4.5.6 Numb 15.39 Psal 16.4 and 106 35-40 Prov. 5.20 Ezech. 44.7 1 Cor. 10.22 Rev. 14.9.10.11 18.4.5 and 22.18.19 The seventh Reason IF the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of Engl. be not from heaven but of men then is it not lawfull in the worship of God to heare it or have any spirituall cōmunion therewith But the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of Engl. is not from heaven but of men Therefore it is not lawfull in the worship of God to heare it or have any spirituall communion therewith The consequence of the Proposition is manifest 1. Because the Ministerie with which we may lawfully communicate is from heaven that is appointed by God and warranted in his word Mat. 21.25.26 Ephe. 4.8.11.12 Heb. 5.4 2. Because the worshipping of God by a Ministerie framed by Man is a breach of the second commaundement which the Lord hath threatned severely to punish Exod. 20.5 Deut. 12.30.31.32 Esa 29.13 with Mat. 15.15.9 3. Because such a ministery is vncleane and lothsome in Gods sight so as the people of God can have no sanctified vse thereof Num. 15.39.40 2 Chron. 13.9 Esa 30.22 and 52.11 and 66.20 Zeph. 1.4 The truth of the Assumption is evident because God hath not appointed the Ministery of the Church-assemblies of Engl. but Man hath framed and set it vp Which may plainely be seen by comparing the Book of God their Books together The Book of God where their offices callings and administration cannot be found to be from heaven ordeyned by the Lord Their owne Books of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons of Cōmon prayer and administration of the sacraments of Canons and constitutions c. where they are readily found to be of Men erected and authorised by themselves If any wil yet say their callings functions are frō heavē let them shew it out of the word of God Let thē shew I say that Christ the Lord hath ordeyned their offices entrance and administration Their Offices of Archbishops Lordbishops Suffraganes Cathedrall and Rurall Deanes Prebendaries Archdeacons Subdeacons Parsons Vicars Curates c. Their Entrance by the Prelates by whom they are made Deacons and Priests and consecrated Bishops according to their book of ordering and consecration as also their presentation to benefices by the Patrones institution by the
CERTAYNE REASONS and Arguments Proving that it is not lawfull to heare or have any spirituall communion with the present Ministerie of the Church of England Ier. 50.14.15 Put your selves in aray against Babel round about all that bend the bow shoot at her spare not arrowes for she hath sinned against the Lord. Cry against her round about she hath given her hand her foundations be fallen her walles be destroyed because it is the vengeance of the Lord take vengeance vpon her as she hath done do vnto her Rev. 18.6 Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and double vnto her doubles according to her workes in the cup wherein she hath mixed mixe her the double Printed In the yeare of our Lord 1608. To the Christian Reader grace and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ THe Reasons following I have published gentle Reader for thy good and for the truthes sake which we witnes to the world The causes of our separation from the Church of England are divers as in other Books already printed may be seen This treatise handleth purposely but one of them which is concerning their present Ministerie and was for the substance of it written long synce in nine Reasons which now I have revised and reduced to seven In the propounding and handling whereof I have both inserted divers things which I met with in some writings of Mr Iohn Penry that faithfull Martyr of Iesus Christ and annexed sundry testimonies and Arguments out of the Books of the forward Preachers now abroad in mens hands The third Reason which is taken out of Rev. 14.9.10.11 hath his weight according to the right vnderstanding of that place Concerning which as Mr Ridley that blessed Martyr of Christ †See hereafter p. 59. did in his time I will commit the judgement thereof and of all the rest to the spirituall man to be tryed and judged by the word of God which is the onely rule of truth and so to be received and approved as they shal be found to beare weight being layd in the skoales of Gods sanctuary not any otherwise or further at all The Reasons are set downe in the forme of Syllogismes And the two first which conteyne in them the grounds of the rest have more specially the confirmation of them also handled after the same manner A course that some have desired for the further tryall of our cause Which now I wish it may help them forward to yeeld vnto the truth And if thy self Christian Reader reapest any fruit by our labours give God praise and pray for vs the vnworthiest of his servants who are every where contemned blasphemed and oppugned for the Name of Christ Ier. 30.17 Mat. 5.12 and 10.25 Heb. 12.2 1 Pet. 4.12 c. As hath ben the lot of the Churches and servants of God in all ages yea and of Christ our Lord himself But it is ynough for the disciple to be as his Maister and the servant as his Lord. Therefore will we beare it with pacience and rejoyce in it wayting till the Lord our God bring forth his truth as the light our judgement as the noone day Great we know is the truth and strong is the Lord that will destroy Babylon and will mainteyne the cause and avenge the blood of his servants Rev. 17. and 18. and 19. chap. with Ier. 50. and 51. ch Now therefore let me exhort all both Preachers and people high and low to compare together the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles concerning the work of God and fall of Babylon past and to come and to take heed vnto themselves that they harden not their hearts but whiles it is called To day to hearken vnto the voice of the Lord who sayth vnto vs concerning the spirituall Babylon all her assemblies and worship Go out of her my people that yee partake not with her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues as of old he sayd to the Iewes concerning Babylon in Chaldea Go out of the middes of her my people deliver ye every man his soule frō the fierce wrath of the Lord. Rev. 18.4 with Ier. 51.45 And let there be heard * Ier. 50.28 with Rev. 19 ◠◠the voyce of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babel to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God the vengeance of his Temple For it is written Thus saith the Lord of hosts The thick walles of Babel shal be broken downe and her high gates shal be burnt with fire and the people shall labour in vayne and the folk in the fire and shal be weary Ier. 51.58 Which how true it is wil be found in the Antichristian Babylon as it hath ben in the Chaldean let all that are wise observe make good vse thereof vnto themselves And in speciall as now I have occasion let me intreat the Preachers seeking reformation seriously to mynd the Books which many of them selves have written against their present estate with indifferency to judge whether their owne Arguments howsoever intended or alledged otherwise by themselves rely not vpon such grounds as are in very deed against their Ministery aswell as against their Ceremonies against the executing of the one aswel as against the vsing of the other withall against the keeping of communion with them in such estate albeit they have not hitherto so applyed or acknowledged it thēselves Which God in his tyme give them to do for their owne comfort benefit of others And the Lord guyde vs in these and all other things by his word and spirit in the way of his truth keeping vs from errour and every evill way and preserving vs to his heavenly kingdome by Iesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life Amen Thyne in the Lord Francis Iohnson REASONS and proofes from the Scriptures and other testimonies Shewing that it is not lawful to heare or have any spiritual communion with the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of England The first Reason ALl are bound in the worship of God to hear and communicate onely with that Ministerie which Christ hath given and set in his Church for that work But the present Ministerie of the Church-assemblies of England is not that which Christ hath given and set in his Church for the work of his Ministery Therfore it is not lawful for any in the worship of God to hear or communicate with the present Ministery of the Church-assemblyes of England The proof and declaration of this Reason in the several parts thereof THe Proposition or first part of the Reason is evident and certayn 1. Because Christ hath given his Ministerie to his Church as a fruit and confirmation of his ascension into heaven whose gift therfore cannot therin be refused without denying or derogating from the truth and benefit of that his ascension Ephe. 4.8 12. with Ps 68.18 1 Cor. 12.4 Rev. 1.13.16.17.18.20 2. Because he hath set his Ministerie in his Church