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A01099 A shield of defence against the arrovves of schisme shot abroad by Iean de L'escluse in his advertisment against Mr. Brightman Here vnto is prefixed a declaration touching a booke intituled, The profane schisme of the Brovvnists. By Iohn Fovvler. Clement Saunders. Robert Bulvvarde. Fowler, John, Brownist.; Saunders, Clement. aut; Bulwarde, Robert. aut 1612 (1612) STC 11212; ESTC S102487 39,669 46

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best ād learnedest interpreters there are noted out vnto vs in the Apocalyps divers estates both ecclesiasticall civill that have wounded Antichriste but no interpreter that ever yet could finde the Brownistes among them VVe read of divers angelles fighting against Antichriste Rev. 14. 6. 7. 8. 9. And these do fitly declare vnto vs such as Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Husse Hierome of Prage Martin Luther such like but where be the angelles that may fiftly represent vnto vs Robert Browne H. Barow Francis Iohnson etc. VVe reade of divers that have obteyned sundry victories conquestes and triumphes against Antichriste Rev. 11. 15. 16. and 14. 14. 17. and 16. 1. and 17. 16. For the further vnderstanding whereof we desire the reader to consider weigh Mr. Brightmans exposition of those places But where is the lot and roome of the Brownistes VVere is their atchievement registred among these cheefe instruments of the Lord Secondly whereas he telles vs that this his full perswasion dependes vpon a condition viz. If they continue faithfull vnto the end whereas also Mr. Iohnson his followers doe now in the account of Delescluse slide back from their ancient faith are already proved vnfaithfull Mr. Robinison also halting betwixt them in some thinges these thinges duely considred the full perswasiō of Delescluse may quickly turne into a faint perswasion and his vaine confidence into a wan-hope 45. THe reason of his glorious perswasion touching the Brownistes he setteth downe in these wordes For by that purity of doctrine which they do teach and by the sincere and publique administration of the glorious kingdome of Christe publiquely and before all the people as also by professing that glorious liberty in the gospell that if any sin be shewed or manifested vnto them by the word of God is amended whatsoever opposition may be to the contrary by those thinges I say by them professed practised and taught it is imposible that where they have place Antichriste can or have any doore to come in First for their purity of doctrine they have no groundes of pure doctrine which other churches of Christ round about them have not as well as they VVhy do they exalt themselves in that which others have as well as they and before them Other churches have this doctrine also in better and more abundant maner then they for H. A. I. Delescluse Thomas Cocky Iohn Hales and such like prophets do not teach the pure doctrine with half that purity grace power fruite that the ministers of other churches doe Besides their ignorance their doctrine is divers wayes impure mixt with sundry errours new doctrines faithes leading vnto schisme confusion is therfore in part recanted by Mr. Iohnson For their glorious liberty in their publique administration the anabaptists may boast thereof as much as they seing the anabaptistes are as publique in their administration as the Brownistes and the brownistes are but followers of them therein as they are also in the most or all those thinges wherein they differ from vs. For their sincere administration thereof against all opposition whatsoever as he boasteth how vaine is it Before the schisme of the Ainsworthians from the Franciscanes the sinnes and * scandalles of Daniel Studly were shewed and manifested by divers of the Ainsworthians yet such opposition was made against them as that Da. Studly did neither soundly repent nor loose his office from which he is now deposed That which the popular governement could not then effect is now effected since that governement was changed by Mr. Iohnson VVhereas he sayth that Anti-christe cannot have any doore to come in where those thinges by them professed and practised have any place it is also false for suppose the doctrine and discipline of the Brownistes were both of them pure even as pure as in the apostles times yet might Antichriste finde a doore to come in by as well as he did in the time of the apostles where there were better meanes to keep him out then the Brownistes now have see 1. Ioh. 2. 18. 2. Thess 2. 7. Suppose the Romish Antichriste have no dore to come in by among the Ainsworthians yet while they open a doore to the Anabaptistes to come in amōg them what avayleth it That such a doore is opened by them see the testimony of the * Franciscanes who charge Mr. Ainsworth and his company with this evill 46. MOreover he addeth further in praise of the Brownistes And for my part I do blesse the day in which I had that grace from my God to know both the people and their faithfull walking in their wayes and religion of God If a stranger meete with this booke of Delescluse he may be divers wayes deceyved by him in this deceitfull speech for if he know not that the Brownistes are broken and rent in the middes falling one from an other then by this false report of Delesc he may be drawne to think that the Brownistes do faithfully cleave vnto one an other and walke constantly in their wayes without schisming from one an other which is most vntrue And further againe if a stranger do know that they are rent a sunder and yet withall know not of what side Delescluse is then shall the stranger be left in vncertainty not knowing whether he meane the Franciscanes or Ainsworthians to be that faithfull people hereafter therfore let Delescluse learne to speak more plainely and to avoyd his deceitfull speeches for ought that he hath here written he might be taken for a Franciscane and so his faction might loose that praise of faithfullnes which he intendeth for them 47. DRawing to an end he seales vp his booke with this prayer for the brownistes I beseech the Lord of his grace even with teares that he vouchsafe to open the eyes of their most noble and wise prince that he may see the iustice and equity of their cause and cavse them to see his royall face and presence againe with ioy and gladnes of heart vnder his dominions and iurisdictions Amen In this prayer or forme of prayer observe first how he dishonours the Lord and takes his name in vayne by praying for the manifestation of the iustice and equity of their cause which is so full of iniustice and iniquitye As Saul took the name of God in vayne by his blessing the Ziphims for their shew of compassion which indeed was cruelty 1. Sam. 23. 21. So doth Delescluse by blessing of the brownistes for the equity of their cause which is indeed a meere iniquity Secondly mark here his vaine publishing of his owne devotion zeale viz. his praying with teares yet is it no sound commendation of himself while his teares are spent in such a cause Delescluse may remember since he was a Papist that many of those idolatours in their superstitious devotion do often times weepe powre forth their teares before their idolles
the clearing of himself by writing against the booke if it were a sin to have a hand in the printing thereof thē how foolish is he to think he could by an after testification cleare himself from that sinne which he did first willingly commit If this were a watrrantable course why might he not still follow his old trade of cardmaking then afterwardes cleare himself by witnessing writing against them why might he not also make idoles or images afterwardes cleare himself frō partaking with the sinne of Idolatours by testifying against them Behold here the extreme absurdity of the Brownistes who condemne our communiō where we duely testify against the evilles cōmitted by others whiles they think to iustify themselves by testifying against those evilles in the committing whereof they them selves have a hand 2. In a due testification against evill the testimony ought to be as large as the evill the plaister ought to be as large as the soare but Delescluse is vncertayne whether his writing which he countes a plaister for the errours and sores in Mr. Br. his booke shall ever spread so far as Mr. Br. his booke therfore it must needes be folly and sin in him that shall voluntarily and wilfully publish such thinges which he accountes as stumbling blockes layd before the blinde while he is ignorant whether his labour shall ever come so far as to help the removall thereof in many places 12. IN the subscription of his Epistle he vnder writes thus Thine as thou art the Lordes Iean Delescluse that is to say Thine as thou art a Brewnist and a separatist for al the promises of God and of salvation they do oft appropriate vnto those that separate Those onely they declare to be the lords as touching their visible estate Therfore howsoever he wold seeme to professe friendship it is but hypocrisy beware of such f●endes 13. LEt vs now come from his Epistle to the book it self where in he takes vpon him to shew how corruptly Mr. Brightman hath taught that the church of England is not to be separated from not withstanding all the sinnes and abhominations that are in the same This poynt he sets downe both in the title of his booke and in his Epistle againe as the butte or white at which he meanes to shoote against this make he bendes his bow and prepares his arrowes vpon the stinge And for the proofe of this poynt he sets downe ten speciall speeches which Mr. Brightman hath vttred touching the corruptions of the church of England The first speech he alledgeth are these wordes of Mr. Brightman I could not but mourne from the bottome of my heart when I beheld in her Christe loathing vs and very greatly provoked against vs. Here vpon Iean Deslescluse inferreth thus I desire the reader to observe the word which he vseth of Christe lothing them which word of loathing seemeth to be taken from the 95. Psal vers 10. Where the Prophet speaking in the person of the Lord him self sayth that fourty yeares long he had loathed that generation saying that they are a people ●rring in their heart and not knowing his wayes wherfore he sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest So that by Mr. Brightmans owne grant this church of England is in no better estate then were these rebelles in the wildernes all which were consumed and entred not into his rest as he had sworne First this inference of Delescluse is vtterly false for though Mr. B. should grant the same phrase to be vsed both of England Israel yet doth it not follow by this grant that England is in no better estate then those rebelles in the wildernes for the holy ghost often vseth ore the same generall worde or phrase touching divers sinners which yet not with standing may not therfore be all alike so condemned but that some of them may be in better estate then others for example it is sayd that the Lord was angry with Israel in the dayes of Iehoahaz 2. kin 13. 3. It is also sayd in the like phrase of speech that the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel in the dayes of David 2. Sam. 24. 1. Doth it now follow that Israel in the dayes of David was in no better estate then in the dayes of Iehoahaz The contrary is most evident plaine Israel being at one time a true church at th' other a false church by the confession of the Brownistes themselves It is sayd in one generall phrase I hate all false wayes Ps 119. 128. Now it is one false way to be hated or loathed that the high places were reteyned in the dayes of Iehoash others 2. kin 12. 3. 14. 4. It was an other false way that the goldē calves Baal were worshipped by the kinges of Israel doth it now follow that these people were one of them in no better estate then the other because the phrase of hating or loathing might be vsed against both of them Nothing lesse To come neerer vnto them Mr. Robinson accounting it a false way a violation of Gods ordinance in Mr. Ainsworthes company that they have no separation of their aimes among them it followes herevpon that in his account also the word of loathing or hating may be vsed against them seing every false way reteyned is to be loathed And further Mr. Robinson holdes it a false way order of government that is practised in Mr. Iohnsons church which is therfore also to be loathed by them Doth it now follow from hence that by this graunt Mr. Ainsworthes company is in no better estate then Mr. Iohnsons because of the same word of loathing attributed vnto both of them Nothing lesse The matter being thus made plaine vnto them the simplest among them may see what a corrupt blinde maner of reasoning is here vsed by their elder Delescluse Secondly suppose it were granted that the church of Tsrael were in no better estate then Israel in the wildernes yet what is this to the scope and purpose of his booke Doth this prove that the church of England is therfore to be separated from Nay the contrary appeareth hence seing it is vndeniably true that even Israel in the wildernes notwithstanding all their abhominations which the Lord loathed were yet a true church and communion with them was lawfull as appeares in the example of Moses Ioshua Aaron and other faithfull servants of God remayning among them And therfore so might it be with England also though being in no better estate And thus the same arrow that he shootes at vs returnes vpon himself and pearceth the side of his owne separation 14. IN the next place he procedes labours to perswade his reader that the Lord hath more iust cause to wath the church of England then that of the Israelites in the wildernes VVel suppose now that this also were granted vnto him would this prove that we should
then separate from England In no sort for the Lord had more cause to loath the church of Israel in the dayes of Christe then in the wildernes And yet even then also there was a lawfull communion with that church when the measure of their iniquity was greater and when there was a greater then Moses to convince them of that wickednes And thus we see how that still he comes short of the mark he shootes at seing greater abhominations then those of Israel in the desert are yet no sufficient ground of separation 15. FOr the further declaration of this matter let vs a litle examine his particular instances here alledged by him first sayth he that church had a true ministery and true offices and officers and so hath not the church of England by Mr. Brightmans owne graunt First let it be considered how vnworthy a thing it is that this man which is himself an vsurper and a false officer should thus take vpon him to dispute about the ministery and the offices in the churches of God for first when he was yet with Mr. Iohnson he was then a false officer that whole company being in schisme therfore a false church yeelding no lawfull officers 2ly suppose Mr. Iohnsons company had bene a true church and he a true officer in it yet seing he hath now schismed from that company and was also deposed from his office by Mr. Iohnson and his assistants how can he in this schisme be reputed a true minister 3ly when he was yet a member of the french chuch and did there earnestly seek an office after tryall of his giftes he was repelled and iudged insufficient and vnmeete to be a minister Now then shall he that was both Kept out from entring into an office as vnworthy and againe thrust out of an office as vnworthy after he had entred and this both by a true reformed church and by the Brownistes themselves shall this vnworthy person come now and in the middes of his vnworthines pronounce sentence touching the truth or falshood of offices ministeries in the church Secondly let it be considred how he abuseth wrongeth Mr. Brightman in saying that the church of England hath not a true ministery offices officers that by Mr. Brightmans owne graunt for though Mr. Br. do iustly complaine that the church of England wanteth some offices which it should have againe that it hath some officers which it should not have yet doth he not affirme a true ministery to be altogather wanting he doth not deny but that there are some true offices officers therein Thirdly though there be that defect in the ministery of the church of Engl. which Mr. Brighman noteth how doth Delescluse prove from thence that separation must reedes follow for this he bringes not so much as any shew of proofe from the scriptures to iustify such a consequence 16. THat second particular exception which he bringeth touching persecution by the officers in the church of England is againe repeated by him in his tenth speech of Mr. Brightmans which he alledgeth is there answered for which see the 38. section following 17. THe third particular differēce which he affirmeth to have bene betwixt Israel Eng. is that their governmēt in Israel was not a mixt governemēt partiy of the Egiptians partly of the Moabites and Edomites or Cananeans but simple and and pure according to the true patterne shewed to Moses in the mount but that of England is not so for Mr. Brightman affirmeth it to be partly Romish and partly reformed etc. First if it be true that Mr. Robinson writeth viz. that the church officers the priests levites in the Iewish church to whō the charge of the whole congregation for the service of the tabernackle did appertayne had no authority by the order of their office to inflict any censure spiritually vpon the people but onely to interpret the law ett Answ to Mr. Bern. pag. 198. then is all this idle which Delescluse doth here speak of their government If the ecclesiasticall officers did exercise no government at all then is it in vayne to dispute of the purity of a thing that was nothing Secondly if that excommunication or dissynagogueing noted Ioh. 9. 22. was but a Iewish devise and without warrant of the scriptures as both Mr. Robinson doth write and Mr. Smith also hath written before him then was the governmēt of the Iewes a devised governemēt an Impure ād mixt governemēt partly divine and partly humane and yet not with standing this mixt government we see there was then a lawfull communion that mixture of devised governemēt was no ground of separation as this Delescluse would vainely collect against Mr. Britghman and against the church of England Thirdly if a mixt governement be a ground of separation then is Mr. Ainsworthes company to be reiected seing it doth exercise a popular confused and mixt government consisting partly in the power of the officers but chiefely in the power of the people And thus the collection of Delescluse serves to overthrow his owne governement And the shame of this their mixed governemēt which Mr. Iohnson hath affirmed to be worse then the goverement of the church of England doth in this respect lye the more heavily on them in that Mr. Iohnson hath also in a printed booke condemned the same which booke the Ainswort hians have not yet answerd 18. THe fourth particular instance which he bringeth to prove the difference betwixt Israel England is this None of that church sayth he were admitted vnto any office but onely such as were lawfully called therevnto as Aaron was but so it is not in England etc. First it is onely the bare affirmati of Delescluse that sayth of the church of Israel that none were there admitted vnto any office but onely such as were lawfully called as Aaronwas where is his proofe from the scriptures where of he boasted in his Epistle Secondly it is a false affirmation of Delescluse for when Annas Caiaphas did enterchangeably execute the high priestes office as appeareth Luk. 3. 2. Ioh. 11. 51. it was not possible that both of them could be lawfully admitted vnto the execution of that office which was peculiar vnto one man during his life Thirdly seing Mr. Iohnson hath offred to prove vnto Mr. Ainsworth his company that in their popular governement they are like vnto Korah his company ambitiously vsurping an office wherevnto they are not lawfully called that vpon the Korites ground Numb 16. 3. it had bene much fitter that Mr. Ainsworth or Delescluse should have defended cleared themselves of the evill which they lay vpon others by writing against Mr. iohnson about these thinges while he is yet alive to auswer for himself rather then to wri●e against Mr. Bright man that is dead now resteth from his labours in the Lord especially seing Mr. iohnson hath so often entreated provoked