for the exercising of the censures that belongs not to the whole body or to any member thereof principall or lesse principall but to the Bishops and his substitute which are forreyners and strangers as in theyr office from the true Church so even in theyr persons from yours All your portion in the censures Mr B. is to do the exequutioners office when the Officiall hath played the iudge which if you should be so bold as to refuse besydes the punishment of your contumacy the Church doore would do your office for the bull of excommunication hanged vp there by the sumner byndes the offenders both in heaven earth And for the position it self howsoever we do indeed maynteyne the most of the particulars against which Mr B. intends his refutation yet as he sets it down we do vtterly disclayme it with all the errors in it First for teaching in the Church we do not vse it promiscuously nor suffer it to be vsed but according to the order as we are perswaded which Christ and his Apostles have prescribed And for the sacraments the contrary to that which you affirme is to be seene of all men in our confession of fayth wherein it is held that no sacraments are to be administred vntill Pastors or Teachers be ordayned in theyr office neyther have we practised otherwise And this Mr B. knew when he writ this book as well as our selves Thirdly touching the censures we do expresly confesse that the power as to receive in so to cut of any member is given to the whole body together of every christian congregation and not to any one member a pâ—â—t or to more members sequestâ—ed from the whole vsing the mâ—etest member for the pronouncing the censures And answerable to our profession is our practise with what conscience then or credit Mr B can father vpon vs those bastardly runnagaâ—es let God men iudge These things being thus the vntruthes which he sayth we build vpon this opinion are his and not ours as the groundwork is his so is the whol building raysed from it But touching interpretation of scripture by private brethren and pollution by sinn vnreformed in the Church separation from it for the same we shall speak in their places Onely I desyre it may be observed that rather then Mr B. will forbeare to accuse vs that we hold it lawfull for one person to excommunicate the whole Church he will back this most odious calumniation with as fond and false an assertion and that is that separating from a Church and excommunicating of it is all one in substance though called lesse odiously But the contrary is manifested by these two reasons First excommunication is a sentence judiciall presupposing ever a solemn and superiour power over the party sentenced but no such thing is inferred vpon separation 2. Excommunication is onely of them which are within and of the Church but separation may be from them without And I would know of Mr B. whither a person though never so meane might not separate from the assemblies of Pagans Turkes Iewes Papists other haeretiques and Idolaters I hope he would not draw such a man within his separatists schism yet for the same person to excoÌ„municate such an assembly were a sinful prophanation of Gods ordinance And though we held as we do nothing lesse that one man might excommunicate the whole Church yet were it not more as you affirm then your Church allowes to any Bp. in Engl. no nor so much by a thousaÌ„d parts for one Bishop with you may excommunicate a thousand Churches every Diocesan Bishop all the Churches in his Dioces the two Provincial Bishops theyr two Provinces so livelyly do the reverend fathers the Bishops resemble the holy father the Pope which may judge all men but be judged by none The next collection made agaynst us is that we hould that two or three gathered together must be a Church which hath the whole power of Christ and may preseÌ„tly make them officers vse the discipline of Christ. No such hast Mr B. of making officers presently we make no dumb Ministers neyther dare we admit of any man eyther for a teaching or governing Elder of whose ability in prayer prophecying debating of Church matters we have not had good experience before he be so much as nominated to the office of an Elder amoÌ„gst vs remeÌ„bring alwayes the deep charge of the Apostle to lay hands suddeynly on man nor to be partakers of other mens sums But this we hold and affirm that a company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whither vnchristian or antichristian and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in all the wayes of God knowen vnto them is a Church and so hath the whole power of Christ. And for the clearing of this truth I will propound and so prove by the scriptures these two heads 1. First that a company of faithfull people thus covenanting together are a Church though they be without any officers amoÌ„g them coÌ„ntrary to that your Popish opinioÌ„ here insinuated els where expressed that a company is no where in all the new testament called a Church Christian familyes excepted but when they have theyr officers and that otherwise they are called beleevers Disciples but not a Church but onely by anticipation as heaven and earth are so called before they were Gen. â— 1. that the officers give theÌ„ the denominatioÌ„ of a Church 2. That this company being a Church hath interest in all the holy things of Christ within amongst theÌ„selves immediately vnder him the head without any forreyn ayd assistance Of which holy things in particular we shall consider as they come in our way These two grounds by the grace of God I will prove in order and for the confirmation of the former take these reasons The first is gathered from the authours owne words that a coÌ„pany of holy persons without officers are called beleevers disciples but not a Church which is all one as if he sayd that a Church is not called a Church for the word Church is no more then a coÌ„pany or assembly howsoever gathered together and so a set company of visible beleevers must needs be a constituted visible Church and to manifest the vanity of that distinction that one place shall serue Act. 11. 26. where in the same verse the same persons are called the Church Disciples and Christians Two or three or more people making Peters confession Math. 16. are the Church But two or three or more may make this confession without officers Therefore such a company is a Ch The former proposition is evident by that promise Christ made to build his Church vpon the rock of Peters confession The second namely that men without officers may professe their faith is without question except we will hold that without officers no men can
places And if the order which Christ hath left in his Church be so vyle in Mr B. eyes in comparison of his vnorderly preaching what can he say for his Lords the Bishops which for the orders devised by themselves by their forefathers of Rome thrust out of so many Churches the ordinance of preaching A man would think Mr B. zeal should find room enough at home and in his owne Church and not thus pursue beyond the â—â—as a poore company of despised and dispersed people But to the very poynt which Mr B. drives at There is not one scripture alledged by him which iustifyes the preaching of the gospell out of a true much lesse in a false constitution They do all and every one of them necessarily presuppose the same howsoever he would separate the things which God hath ioyned together Take one for example and that such a one as he makes a pillar in his building It is written and so by him alledged Psa. 147. 19. 20. He shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell He hath not so dealt with every nation c. Here sayth Mr B. the Lord preferrs his word before a constitution as a testimony of his speciall love But vntruly For in this very place the Lord prefers a constitution before his word statutes and iudgments as the cause why he gave them For wherefore did the Lord shew his word vnto Iaakob his statutes iudgments vnto Israel but because of their constitution that is because Israel was the Lords peculiar people separated from all other nations and received by the Lord into covenant as no other nation was Lev. 26. â—4 14. Exod. 19. 5. 6. Deut. 19. 10. 11. 12. c. with RoÌ„ 3. 2. 9. 4. Act. 2. 39. 3. 23. how profanely soever this man doth debase and vilify the true constitution of the Church which he is like never to enioy as Esau did the byâ—thright wherewith the Lord never meant to honour him Gen. 2â— 32. 33. And amongst other debasements of the constitution of the Church he affirmeth pag 55. that though an orderly proceeding ought to be had yet that at no hand for want therof preaching ought to be left of to this end pag. 53. and 54. he violently haleth into the same guilt with himselfe the brethren of the dispersion Act. 8. 1. 4. 12. whom he chargeth in preaching the word not to have stood vpâ—n every speciall poynt in entering so orderly vnto the work But as theyr enterance was most orderly for that being of a true constituted Church at Ierusalem dispersed by persequution they published the gospel in every place where they came as any member of the Church may do as grace is ministred and occasion offered so is it on the otherside a Babylonish presumption for any man vnder any praetence whatsoever to enterprise the preaching of the gospell or any other work disorderly The Apostle speaking especially of prophecying expresly commaunds that all things be done according to order how then dare any petty Pope or proctor of Babylon dispence with or plead for disorder in this or any other ministration in the Church The last and highest degree of our vncharitablenes he reckons this that we are sorry and envious that the good things of God do prosper with them that the more religious men be in their way the more are we greived and to this end he pretends Mr Barrowes abusing and scoffing at the graces of God and holy exercises in such persons As we hold our selves bound to acknowledge all good things in all men and to honour them accordingly 1 Pet. 2. 17. So must I here demaund of Mr B. as another hath done before me what those good things are which so prosper Onely the Prelates prosper in the kingdome who with theyr ceremonious hornes canons beat batter down all that stands in their way Of their prosperity against the truth we are sory but not envious being taught not to envy the works of iniquity considering what suddayn and certayne desolation shall fall vpon them Psal. 37. 9. 10. And by the way where Mr B. takes it for graunted that the reformists are the most religious in the way of the Church of England it is cleane otherwise The most absolute Formalists most strict vrgers of conformity are the most religious in the way of the Church of England And as for the reformists theyr zeale to speak as the truth is and as shall hereafter more fully be manifested is not in nor for the way of the Church of England but a by path from it which the Church of England considered in the formall constitution of it accounteth schism and rebellion but rather the same way in effect which we walk if they were true to theyr own grounds and durst practise what they have professed in theyr supplications and admonitions to the Prince and Parliament other their vnder hand passages wherein they do playnly condemn the Prelacy for Antichristian the service book as superstitious the mixture of all sortes of people as confused and so of the rest And this Mr B. iustifyeth the obiections which you would so gladly prevent pag. 57. made by your brethreÌ„ in the faith for so are the worst of them the prophane and secure worldlings and Athiests that men paynfull and conscionable in their Ministery and lives do breed and further as you speak Brownistes and Brownisme For proof hereof I will here insert a few things written published both in former and latter tymes by such men as I dare say Mr B. reckens amongst the painefull conscionable Ministers Their words are these We have an Antichristian Popish ordering of Ministers strange froÌ„ the word of God never heard of in the primitive Church but taken out of the Popes shop to the destruction of Gods kingdome 2. Adm. to the Parl. The names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are together with their goverment drawen out of the Popes shop Antichristian divelish and contrary to the scriptures Parsons Uicars Parish Preists Stipendaryes c. be byrds of the same fether 2. Admo to the Parliament The callings of Archbishops Bishops with all such be raâ—â—er members and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure Uirgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb. Mr Ch. Serm. vpon Rom. 12. The calling of Bishops and Archbishops do onely belong vnto the Kingdome of Antichrist Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders pag. â—0 Our Diocesan and Provinciall Churches vsing Diocesan and Provinciall goverment and officers are contrary to Gods word and simply vnlawfull Mr Iakob for reformation Ass 1. There is no true visible Church of Christ but a particular congregation onely Christian Offer Prop. 4. Every true visible Church of Christ or ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it selfe imediately vnder Christ to elect to ordayne deprive and depose theyr Ministers and to
〈…〉 and it haâ—h the being from them The 2. I gather from Mr B. own graunt where treating of the causes and properties of the Church he makes the true matter such as professe Christ Iesus their onely saviour and the form to be the vniting of men to God and one to another visibly Now except he will say which God forbid that none may make profession of faith and be vnited to Christ without officers he cannot deny but there may be and so be called a Church without them For all vnited vnto Christ the head are members of the body which is the Ch and so the whol assembly ioyntly considered is an whole and entyre body and Church So that to deny an ordinary assembly or communion of Christians to be a Christian Church is an vnchristian opinion And here I entreat the indifferent reader to consider whether these mens wayes be equall or no. When we deny their assemblies to be true visible Churches though they consist for the most part of prophane and vngodly persons vnder the government of a Provinciall or Diocesan Bishop and the Ministery of a dumb or prophane Preist as the most do to which also the best is subiect within one moneth they complayn of vs as most injurious detracters and yet will not they acknowledge any assembly of faithful holy people onely if vnfurnished for a time of officers to be a true Church or capable of that denomination But let not the harts of Gods servants be discouraged he is no accepter of mens persons he hath not tyed his power and presence to any order or office in the world but accepted of them that feare him and work righteousnes hating the assemblyes of the wicked and all their sacrifices Vpon this point I haue insisted the longer partly because it is the ground of the other truthes to be handled in their places and partly in detestation of the vnsufferable pryde of this Prelacy and Preisthood which will have the very life of all Churches to hang on the breath of their nostrels yea I may safely say on their lusts if they dy yea or forsake their charges in never so fleshly respects their Churches are dissolved at least during the vacancy and so the brethren dismembred from being of the visible body of Christ. But so far are the officers from being the formall cause of the Church as is intended as they are in truth no absolutely necessary appurtenance vnto it The power indeed to enioy them is an essentiall property seated in the body which may braunch out it self as God gives fit means into officers accordingly which if they prove unfruitful it may also accordingly lop or break off And so farr is the Holy Ghost from giving countenance to this opinion that the Officers make the Church as when he speakes distinctly of the body and officers and considers them severally he calls the body the Church excluding the Elders as appeares in these amongst many oâ—her scriptures Act. 14. 23. 15. 4. and 20. 17. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 5. 15. And the reason is because the Church is essentially in the saincts as the matter subject formed by the coverâ—ant unto which the officers are but adjuncts not making for the being but for the welbeing of the Church and furtherance of her fayth by their service The second poynt now comes to be manifested which is that two or three faythful persons joyned unto the Lord in the fellowship of the Gospel have immediate interest to Christ in all his ordinances Now least any should stumble at these words two or three ioyned or gathered together as it seems Mr. B. would hereby take advantage to discountenance so small a number it must be coÌ„sidered that two or three thus gathered together have the same right with two or three hundred Neyther the smallnes of the number nor meannes of the persons can prejudice their right When the Lord did chose one nation from all other nations he chose the smallest amongst them fewest in number And though now Christ have opened a way for all nations yet is it a narrow way and which few finde especially in the first planting or replanting of Churches of which Christ speaks most properly in which regard also he likens the the kingdome of heaven or Church to a grain of mustard-feed which is the least of all seeds but yet hath vertue in it to bring forth a tree in whose boughes the birds of heaven may build their nests And against this exception of discouragement Christ himself hath provided a coÌ„fortable remedie in speaking expresly of two or three to whom he hath given his power and promised his presence Now for the poynt it self the truth whereof is sufficiently manifested by that which hath been â—ormerly layed down If a company of faythfull people though without officers be the true Ch. and body of Christ and Israel of God then to that company apperteynes the covenants of promise the oracles of God are committed untothem and to them are given his word statutes and iudgments so they may freely enjoy them amongst themselves in the order by Christ prescribed without any forreyn Ministers for Mediators II. They that have received Christ have received the power of Christ and his whole power for Christ and his power are not devided nor one part of his power from another But every company or communion of faythful people have received Christ. Ioh. 1 12. Rom. 8. 32. Isa. 9. 6. and with him power and right to enjoy him though all the world be against it in al the meanes by which he doth communicate himself unto hiâ— Church III. When the Scriptures would give us to understand the near union betwixt Christ and his Church and the free and full title which he hath given her in himself and all his most rich and pretious benefits they do teach the same by resemblances of most streight and immediate conjunction as of that between the vine and the branches the head and the body the husband and the wise and so as the branches do receive and draw the sap and juice immediately from the vine and as the body receiveth sense and motion from the head immediately and as the wife hath immediate right to and interest in her husbands both person and goods for her use though she may and ought to use the service of her husbands and own servants as they can be had for convenient purposes so hath every true visible Church of Christ direct â—nd immediate interest in and title to Christ himselfe and the whole new Testament every ordinance of it without any vnnaturall monstrous and adulterous interposition by any person whatsoever betwixt the vyne and the branches the head and the body the husband the wife which are Christ and his Church though but two or three gathered together in his name as hath formerly been manifested If all things be the Churches even the ministers
Church though cast out for notorious wickednes for many of them hold these mayn truthes and many more yea more then Mr B. himself doth Then is the true matter of the world and lims of the Divell for such are all wicked persons whatsoever truth they professe Ioh. 8. 44. and 15. 19. Rom. 6. 16 2 Tim. 2. 26. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. 12. true matter and members of the Church They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of â—â— Gal. 5. 24. therfore persons visibly wicked are not visibly Christs and so not visibly or in respect of men true matter of the Church or members of his body That which destroyes the Church makes it become eyther a false Church or no Church at all cannot make a true Church or be the true matter whereof it is made for these things are contrary But wicked men whatsoever they professe in word make the Church a Synagogue of Sathan and very Babylon which is an habitation of Divils and hold of all foul spirits Rev. 18. 2. provokes God to remove the candle-stick that is to dischurch a people and to spew them out of his mouth Rev. 2. 5. and 3. 16. Mr B. had need be a skilful workman which can make a true Ch of Christ of that matter which makes the true Churches planted by the Apostles themselves eyther false or no Churches at all They which are true visible matter of the Church or true visible christians have Christ for their King visibly or in outward appearance and so far as men can judge for by visible we mean that which may be seen of men opposed to invisible which onely God seeth for Christ is not devided but look to whom he is a Preist to save them a Prophet to teach theÌ„ to the same persons he is also a K. to reign rule over them but he is not a King to any ungodly ones neyther doth he but Satan and their lusts reign over them If profession in word with a wicked conversation make true matter of the Church then an apparantly a flat contradiction a known sinne that which makes men more abhominable makes them true matter of the Church For he that sayth he hath fellowship with God or beleeves in Christ and yet walkes in darknes doth ly and doth not truely 1 Ioh. 1. 6. He that professeth Christ to be his saviour and doth wickednes contradicts himself for Christ is not a saviour of the wicked sinns against the 4. coÌ„mandement in taking Gods name in vayn Other reasons might be brought for the â—â—iction of this soul prophane errour for truth vnanswerable for nuÌ„ber sufficieÌ„t to make a volume but these may suffice for the present some other I will intermingle as occasion shal be offered in the examination of that which Mr B. brings for the confirmation of his assertion For which end he sets down 4. Reasons The sum of the three first is thus much viz that Christ his Apostles preaching the gospell such as beleeved the same and made profession of it and of their faith were without stay or let received into the Church as true matter We are as farr from denying this order of gathering Churches as you are from enjoying it Mr B you needed not to have made three distinct proofs of this which no man denyes nor to have brought so many scriptures as you do for the confirmation of that which wee graunt with you and practise without you But herein you deceive the simple reader in that you separate and disioyn those things which then were and alwayes should be ioyned together and they are faith and repentance These two ioyntly did Christ himself preach and Iohn Baptist before him and the Apostles after him and these two were preached to and required of every one both man and woman which was admitted into the Church Mat. 3. 2. 6. Mark 1. 15. Act. 19. 4. Luke 13. 3. 5. 24. 47. Act. 2. 28. 8. 37. 19. 18. But now bycause faith repentance are inward graces resydeing in the hart and known to God alone which knoweth the hart and that the profession and confession of them are the ordinary meanes by which these hidden and invisible graces are manifested made visible vnto men there was no cause but they which made this profession to men in sincerity so far as men could judge should by men be deemed and acknowledged for true members of Christ and fit matter for the Lords house And so if by any other means men manifested themselves to have fayth and holynes wrought in them though they made neyther profession of faith nor confession of sinnes yet were they and so ought to be intitled and admitted to the liberties of the Church as appeareth Act. 10. 44. 46. 47. And vppon this very ground also it is that the children of the faithfull are of the Church and baptised though they make no profession of faith at all bycause the scriptures declare them to be within the gratious covenant of Gods mercy and love and vnder the promises of the gospel and so by vs to be reputed holy Gen. 6. â— 17. 7. 8. 9. 10. Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. 13. Act. 2. 39. Rom. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 14. so that it is not for the profession of faith ex opere operate or bycause the party professing vtters so many words that he is to be admitted into the Church but bycause the Church by this his profession and other outward appearances doth probably in the judgement of charity which is not causlesly suspitious deem him faithfull and holy in deed as in shew he pretendeth But that a man of a known lewd conversation appearing still to remain in his sinne whatsoever in word he professeth should be received into the Church out of which he ought to be cast though he were one of it or should have baptism administred vnto him which is as Mr B. rightly confirms from the scriptures the seale of the forgivenes of sinns of new birth of salvation being judged not to have the forgivenes of sinns nor to be born a new nor to be in the estate of salvation were a most desperate and prophane practise then which I know not whither the Divel hath brought any other into the Church more derogatory to Gods glory or prejudiciall to mans salvation This were to make the way of the kingdome of heaven broad enough by which al the Atheists in the world might enter into the Church and certaynly would every one of them if the Magistrate should vse his compulsive power as it is in Engl at this day yea a parrat might be taught to say over so many words yea the Divel himself though he were known so to be would not stick for his advantage to vtter them and so might be true matter for Mr Ber Church The material templi was to be built onely of
men It is an outward pledge or symbole of the coÌ„munion which the faithful haue with Christ for of that the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. directly and so by coÌ„sequence one with another bycause it vnites Christ the head with his own members one of them with another doth it therefore vnite Christ or his true members with the true apparant visible lims of the Divil which all vngodly men and women are This is the force of Mr Br. arguments Bycause the L. supper is of this or that vse unto them to whoÌ„ by the word of God it apperteyns therefore it hath or must be judged to haue the same vse amongst them which are apparant vsurpers of it and to whom by the word of God it apperteyns not There is nothing more coÌ„mon in both his books then this kind of deceiptfull arguing Here is yet an Arg of coÌ„parisoÌ„ to be taken knowledg coÌ„sidred of the rather because the author both wills the reader to note it in the margent and repeats it himself over over in the text The Argument is that aâ— continual siâ—nes corruptions of the hartâ— of the elect do not make theÌ„ false Christians before God or no true invisible meÌ„bers of Christ so neyther do outward offences or corruptions mâ—k open professors of the saith false Christians before men or no true visible members of Christ. True no more due proportion observed namely thaâ— those outward offences do not reign in the mortall bodyes of men â—â— the inward corruptions do not reign in the hearts of the elect But let the reader here remember the subiect of the quaestion which is men of lewd conversation and deserving to be excommunicated and then the noting of Mr B. Arg wil be like Davidâ— noting the Amalâ—kites tydings of the death of Sâ—ul and Ionathan to the destruction of him that brought them For by the same rule of proportion I argue thus As they in whose hearts sinns and corruptions reign inwardly are no true Christians before God nor actuall members of Christ invisibly so they in whose lives and conversations sinnes and corruptions reign outwardly are no true Christians before men nor members of Christ visibly And here comes to my mind an other argument much what like this in Mr B. 2. book where he will have a mixt company of godly and wicked persons to be called holy or a company of saynts as well as a person holy in whom there is a mixture of the spirit and flesh But the difference is playn In this mixt body of godly wicked sin reigns in some of the members but in no part of body or faculty of soul of a person in whom the spirit is though never so much flesh be mingled with it doth sinne reign He might as well say the whole Church so mixt shal be saved for the whol man shal be saved by faith in Christ notwithstanding all mixture in him Now the conclusion Mr B. makes that their congregations professe Christ as is before sayd that God hath given them his holy word and sacraments moved the harts of all of them outwardly to receive both the one and the other is vnproved and vntrue For first there is no one congregation in the Land whose particular members made that holy profession in any measure by according to which the Apostles did constitute and vnite visible congregations Secondly I deny that the Lord hath given his sacraments to any congregation in the Land there are very many in the best ordered parishes which take them without the Lords gift as being wicked vsurpers of them vnto which by the revealed will of God they have no right But here I must needs discover Mr Bernards haunt and the turning by which in his second book he vsually declines both Mr Ainsworths Mr Smyths Arguments of this nature and that is by telling them that all are not wicked amongst them that some or many haue the true knowledge of Gods word and that the fear of God possesseth the hearts of many as in this place that God hath moved the hearts of many of the people effectually and the like and that therefore we do them wrong in condemning all for some and in denying the good their right for others default To this I answer first that those that can be truely judged to fear God are thin strewed in the best places and not many in comparison of the rest as is pretended but a very small handfull and besides it is but casuall and accidentall to the congregation and nothing to the constitution of it that there is one man truely fearing God in it The parish must be a true vivisible constituted Church as well one as another and so receive the sacraments together whether the Lord have had any such work as is here spoken of in the hearts of any or no. And 2. it must be considered I pray the teader well to observe it that the quaestion here betwixt Mr B. and me and so ordinarily betwixt him and them is about the congregation which consists of all the members ioyntly and not about some particulars coÌ„sidered severally from the rest of whom the congregation consists not I am verily perswaded there are in many congregations many that truely feare God and the Lord encrease their number and graces and if they were separated from the rest into visible communion I should not doubt to account them such coÌ„gregations as vnto which God had given his sacraments but take them as they are even one with the rest in one ioynt communion as members of one body making all together one Church congregation so joyned at the first and so still remayning I deny that this Church or congregation is the Lords people in covenaunt with him or that he hath given vnto it his sacraments yea or that those which truely fear God are accepted of him in their persons have in that communion the right and lawfull vse of them in many particulars They cannot take them for pawnes and pledges of Gods love and the forgivenes of sinns to that congregatioÌ„ wherewith they ioyn in the vse of them nor as testimonies of true spirituall love amongst the persons communicating in them nor as notes badges of dâ—stinction of that assembly from all profane vnhallowed assemblies in the world And yet are all these common ends and vses of the sacrament as it is a communion or coÌ„mon vnion of the members with the head and one with another mutually Since therefore your congregations or parish assemblies are alwayes have been so constituted as that neyther the greatest part of them being prophane have any interest in the sacraments or can have any right vse of them in their persons nor yet the rest in their communion it must needs follow except the Lord have given his sacraments to them which can haue no right vse of them and to whom they apperteyn not that the Lord
reformed Churches is the way of God But howsoever it be eyther with vs or them yet if that narrow way whereof Christ speakes that leads vnto life be the way of God then surely there are thowsands in your nationall Church many in every parish Ch in the kingdom which speak evill of the way of God yea hate and persequute it to the vtmost of their power and all them that endeavour in any uprightnes to walk in it Whereof you your self also Mr B. in former dayes haue had experience though for the opposing reviling and persequuting of vs you and they agreed well like Herod Pylate were made freinds Now if wee separate from all them which thus disobey and speak evill of the way of God wee know too well wee can have no cōmunion with any assembly in the Land Lastly you are greatly overseen in saying that Pauls separation was not from the Church nor members of the true Church It was from the Church of the Iewes the members of that Church with whom formerly he had held cōmanion as the true Church of God which for this their disobedience and vnbeleif were broken off and so afterwards in deed to be reputed One scripture more remayns to be considered of and that is Ioh 17 ver 6. 9. 14. 15. 16. whence wee beleeve and confesse that the true visible Church of Christ is gathered by separation from the world and the men of the world visibly Against this our exposition Mr B. excepts and will haue this place vnderstood of the elect onely that are ordeyned to life of invisible members of men as they are holy before God rating vs as egregious deceiptful abusers of this scripture in applying it to the visible members or Church But most vniustly as appeares by these three playne reasons First bycause Iudas was one of them whom the Father had given vnto Christ out of the world whom alone of all them so given him he had lost that the scripture might be fulfilled vers 6. 12. whence it is evident to all men that do not blinde their eyes that Christ here speakes of such a donation or gift as was visible or of such members as were visibly and in respect of men separated sanctified from the world vnto God and not at all of any invisible gift or members Secondly Christ speaks of such persons as the world hated bycause they were not of the world ver 14. but the wicked world doth not hate men as they are elect before God and invisibly or inwardly separated and sanctifyed but as they are outwardly such and so separated whether they be inwardly so or no. Lastly Christ speakes of such a chusing out of the world as he doth of a sending into the world ver 18. which sending as it was visible and externall so was the selection and separation spoken of And say not for shame Mr B. that the visible Church of Christ is to be gathered or consist of the men of the world visibly The Church and world are tvvo distinct yea two contrary states and bodyes though the body of your nationall Church were at the first gathered and hath over since consisted of the vvorld and all To conclude this light man being pressed by Mr Ainsworth in another place of his book vvith this scripture both affirms proves by many reasons that Christ here speaks of a mixt company vvhich the elect are not And hovvsoever his reasons be not onely vnsound but indeed vngodly vvherein he affirms Christ to haue been in respect of men the mediatour of Paul vvhylst he continued a persequutour and of others wicked in respect of men yea of Pylate and the soldiers pagans and infidels bycause he prayed for them vvhereas Christ prayer for them vvas no proper effect of his Mediatourship for his body except vve hold vniversall redemption and make the vvhol vvorld his body but a most perfect demonstration of his love tovvards his enemyes left also for a pattern vnto vs to the worlds end yet do they with that he there labours to prove by them compared with his affirmation of the contrary in this place manifest his great both weaknes and lightnes in the things he affirms And thus I return to the exposition of 2 Cor. 6. and in it to prove that the Apostles meaning is to forbid communion and fellowship not onely with wicked works but also with the wicked persons themselves that walk in them For which purpose I do ad this one onely consideratiō namely that the Prophet Isaiah from whom the Apostle borroweth this phrase come out from among them separate your selves and touch none vnclean thing and I will receive you doth not so properly speak of the departure or separation which the Preists were to make from the sinns of the Babylonians as frō their coastes and persons thereby teaching all Christians which are that spirituall house and holy Preisthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ 1 Pet. ◠8. Rev. 1. 6. that their separation and departure must be spiritually as theirs was civilly not onely from the sinnes of spirituall Babylonians or other vnbeleevers and vnclean persons but even from their persons also and from all personall communion with them And as in the type he that touched a dead man or leper or him that had an issue upon him or other vnclean person or was by him touched was legally vnclean polluted as well as he that touched or was towched by any unclean thing whatsoever Levit. 5. 7. 11. so in the thing typed and truth he that toucheth or is touched by a man spiritually dead in sinns or that hath an yssue of sinne or spirituall leprosie running upon him he is spiritually polluted and defiled Now without touching cannot the numbers of the same body and one of another possibly consist But were it as wee would haue it that not onely the works but even the workers of wickednes were to be avoyded for their works sake yet doth Mr B. take a double exception against our interpretation of this scripture The former is that it serves not our turn except we prove them all to live in darknes in vnrighteousnes to be in league with the Divel c. I do answer that if light and darknes beleevers and vnbeleevers Christ and Beliall must haue no fellowship together then must the beleevers and they that are in Christ forbeare fellowship with all vnbeleevers men of Beliall so continuing incorrigible if any beleevers or Christians will notwithstanding still combyne with vnbeleevers and godles men it is their sinne thus to confound the order which God hath set in separating from the faithfull with whom he hath joyned them by joyning with the vnbeleevers vnfaithfull from whom he hath separated them yea I adde in doviding Christ from himself and vniting him with Beliall the Divill in his members what in them
exequute all other Ecclesiasticall Censures Ibid Prop 5. The visible Church of Christ wheresoever it be hath the power of bynding and loosing annexed vnto it as our saviour Christ teacheth Math. 18. Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders Preface We must needs say as followeth that this book viz the Communion book is an vnperfect book culled and picked out of that Popish dunghill the masse book full of al abhominations Adm to Parl. Treat 2. Amongst vs the holy sacraments are communicated with the Papists the holy misteryes of God prophaned the Gentiles enter into the temple of God the holy things are indifferently communicated with the clean and vncleane circumcised and vncircumcised A plaine declaration of ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 172. Now let the indifferent reader iudge whether these sayings with many moe of the like kinde do not most necessarily conclude yea naturally beget a separation frō the goverment Ministery worship and communion of the Church of England and whether these men in thus wryting have not opened the dore vnto vs by which themselves enter not To the further charge of vncharitablenes layd against vs as being glad when they contend amongst themselves never praying for the peace welfare of the ministery c. I do answere that we reioyce for all peace in truth amongst all men but for peace in iniquity which is a wicked conspiracy and fearful judgment of God we reioyce not we pray not Let Mr B. aske the godly Ministers with whose supply he backs his book whither they reioice in his other mens peaceable subscription conformity or whither they could not rather have wished they had contended against the same yea let me ask Mr B. himselfe whither he reioyce in the peace of the representative Church of England the Convocation house and in theyr vnanimous consent in framing and imposing their canons and constitutions or whither he would not rather clap his wings and craw for ioy if the two Archprelates with the rest of theyr horned Clergy there would oppose and crosse one another And let me ask him yet further for the wellfare of which order of Ministery he would have vs pray or whither he himselfe pray for the welfare of the Bishops except it be sometymes before theyr faces And for vs to pray for the inferiour Ministery and not for the prelacy is to dally with God and to blesse the branch and not the root And in alledging as you do Act. 11. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. to prove that holy men have reioyced for the people receaving of the gospel and not at theyr standing in a constitution you do injuriously separate things to be conioyned For the same persons that received the gospell ioyned themselves in a constitution or constituted Church as appeareth ver 26. And it is expresly sayd Act. 2. 41. that they that receaved the word were added to the Church and being baptised they must needs be of a Church for baptism is not without but within the Church and an ordinance given unto it And how profanely bould soever you Mr B. are to blaspheme the tabernacle of God which he hath pitcht amongst men or visible Church framed according to the pattern given by a greater then Moses yet is it good for vs to consider what the H. Ghost noteth in the last verse of the forenamed Chap. that the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved Neyther can you possibly produce one example or other proof in the scriptures of one man teaching the gospell but he was a member of a true Church nor receiving it but he ioyned vnto one And for the man that cast out Divels in Christs name but followed him not Mark 9. 39. he can no way help you for what purpose soever you alledge him For first he was a member of a true constituted Church the the Church of the Iewes which was yet vndissolved 2. he had no office but a gift 3. his gift and calling to vse it was extraordinary and miraculous Now for our love towards you wherein you blame vs as defective it is the same in generall which we beare towards all men and more speciall according to the speciall bonds betwixt vs and you and towards many very great both for the many good things we know to be in them and vnder the hope also of their further progresse And for our prayers as it is true that wee cannot pray for you as visible members of Gods Church for God never gathered Church of the visible and apparent members of the Divel as the greatest part of yours were are so is it vnjustly infinuated against us that wee pray no otherwise for you thē for Papists Atheists and the like We pray for the perfecting of Gods work in you and that as we think many of you his people in Babylon so you may come out of her Our next brand of vncharitablenes is our accustomary excommunications even for light offences in some albeit others obstinate can be let passe And to prove this he quotes Mr George Iohnson Mr White the former an excommunicate himself whom Mr B. also pag. 35. of his book calls a disgraceful libeller the other an vngodly apostate whose accusations have been answered one by one A fit evidence for such a plea and plaintife But if Mr B. knowing the fashions of the Church of England had but once remembred the saying of the Lord Iesus Mat. 7. 3. 4. 5. he would never have accused other Ch of vncharitable and rash excommunications which if they be a mote in the Church of Amsterdam are a beam in the Church of England wherein there is more daunger of excommunication to them that feare God then to any other flagitious persons whomsoever Indeed no man can challendge Mr B. his Church of Worxsop for any such heady and rash excommunications they are very moderate this way and can beare in communion with them any graceles person whomsoever til his dying day and then commit ful charitably the body of their deceased brother to the grave with a devout prayer for his joyfull resurrection so charitable are they both to the living and the dead But the thing which most grieves Mr B and at which he hath greatest indignation Pag. 62. is that we will not heare his sermons though he preach nothing but the true word of God And so he desires to heare of vs where the hearing of the true word of God onely preached is sinn and for bidden by Christ or the Prophets or Apostles For answer hereof I would know first whether Mr B. speaking here and in many other places of the true word of God do meane that God hath a true word and a false word or rather bewray not an accusing conscience that they in England have not the word truely taught that is in a true office of Ministery Now for the demaund referring the reader for more full satisfaction to that which hath bene published