of substance and in matters of circumstance In matters of substance it hath power to governe it selfe by ordering concerning the Word Sacraments and Prayer so as to make them most comfortable concerning Church Offices from time to time and duties of charity concerning the Churches censures publike assemblies and oversight that all these bee done to the honour of Christ and advancement of religion In matters of Circumstances it hath power to ordaine some outward rites and ceremonies for the outward carriage of Gods worship In the Church of Antioch there was a question a-about Circumcision an uselesse because dying ceremony then The Apostles Elders and brethren at Ierusalem by their consent and to encourage them in grace consulted about it and delivered their judgement as a rule for the Church to follow They disanulled the ceremony of Circumcision in those Churches troubled and establish others for a time as abstaining from meate offered to Idoles and bloud which yet in themselves were but things indifferent For meate commendeth us not to God for neither if we eate are we the better neither if we eate not are wee the worse Againe in the Church of Corinth there was a custome which grew to a publicke order in the Church of covering and uncovering to signifie the headship and soveraignty of the man and the subjection of the woman This was countenanced by the Apostle for the peace of the Church and other otders established Yea when he purposely treateth of acts of ordinary and extraordinary worship hee gives them rules for the government and outward carriage of them let all things bee done to edyfyng and let all things be done decently and in order Thus in matters of substance hath Christ made his Church able to governe it selfe by particular rules and in matters of circumstance by generall rules of edification order and decency Secondly he hath also made Kings prime officers to advance this governement in their places That hee hath made them Church-officers must be thus taken up Not strictly as Ministers who have the highest hand under Christ in the Word Sacraments and keyes of censures Ecclesiasticall but largely as those that are to care for good order about them The offices of ruling and governing which Paul speakes of cannot be proved not to belong to them They are Ministers for our good and our good is not chiefely civil I hope but spirituall The Apostle would have us pray for them that we may not onely live in civill honesty but in Godlinesse to bee countenanced and established by them Surely being members of Church they cannot but be chiefe ones too as being Christs Lieftenants who according to his promise are to bee nursing fathers and their queenes nurcing mothers who have their authority breasts and duggs to reach the neede of all under them to cherish and feede the Church of Christ according to his rules It is true they are servants to the Church and all good Kings doe so acknowledge themselves but not to be equals or subjects to the members of the Church but to make their prime authority serviceable to the advancement of the Gospel for the salvation of Christs people Hence is it that God hath given them a sword that when they oversee the waies of the Church within their reach they may maintaine the rights of it and by a coactive and coercive power suppresse the opposites for without this they cannot be the ministers of God for our good But say the Brownists wherein stands this office of Kings in the Church and over the members of it I answer first in calling of assemblies both civill and sacred The two silver Trumpets wer given to Moses the magistrate and least we should looke upon him as some extraordinary person we see that right maintained by Ioshua David Solomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah Secondly in abolishing false worship and establishing true as we see in Asa Iosiah Hezikiah Thirdly in looking to the ministry both that it bee sound and good as Solomon who thereupon deposed Abiathar and put Sadock in his roome as hee performed other acts of justice by royall authority and Iehosaphat who sent his princes to see that the Priests and Levites did teach the law of God in their cities and that the ministery bee maintained according to the honours that God hath bestowed upon them as Solomon Hezekiah Iosiah and Nehemiah Fourthly in causing the people to serve the Lord as Hezekiah and compelling all that were round in Israel formerly professing Gods religion to seeke the Lord as Iosiah and Asa Their people were in the house of God committed to their charge and they will see them to live according to the order set by God Lastly in appointing consistories for the well ordering of the people as Iehoshaphat who set over the Levites and Priests and chiefe of the families of Israel for the judgement and cause of the Lord at Ierusalem All this is true say they of the Jewish kings who were types of Christ but wee reade of no such officers in the new testament These men are liberall in making types of Christs kingdome but I wonder whence they will prove it what word of Christ will they bring for it It is true that in some things some of the kings of Iudah were types of Christ as Salomon in his name and building the the temple and David in his troubles and victories and as hee was a king and a prophet but that all the kings of Iudah were types in their governements over the church and state even Saul himselfe when God made him head of the tribes cannot bee proved for Gods truth And whereas they talke of no such officers in the new testament Say it bee so there were no christian Magistrates while those scriptures were in writing and Christ knew them to be sufficiently instructed in the old This is a sure rule that what is warranted in the old testament and not contradicted in the old or new may as the warrant goes either by precept for things necessary or paterne for things lawfull goe for currant still But seeing the new testament saith that wee must pray for kings that by their authority wee may live in godlinesse as by those that are over us for our good spirituall and temporall surely they have warrant enough to use their power over all their people to advance godlinesse and the good of religion as well as justice But say they it is for Christ not for kings to appoint orders about his worship This is true for substantiall orders for these thas are in the will of Christ may not be altered but for matters of circumstance which concerne time place and outward forme not determined kings are bound as supreame members of the church over which they are to use christian consistories to order them so as may agree to the condition of
they must separate from a Church corrupted for want of I governement Yes say they that they must when governement is naught practise is answerable and better of either cannot be had I wonder what they would have done if they had lived in the times of the Judges when every man did what hee listed or in our blessed Saviours time when so many schismaticks and sectaries had rule and governement or in the Apostles time when Diotrephes used such tyrannical pride and usurped such authority that hee would not receive the very Apostles would they have separated I am sure that neither Israel nor Christ nor his Apostles did so Iohn did onely write to the Church about it And are these wiser then they No say they wee doe it not out of an opinion of our owne wisedome but out of conscience and for the glory of God and for Sions sake But take they heed every one that pretends to make the word of Christ his rule hath not these ends before him as he ought Gentilis that impious blasphemer of the Trinity when he was called to answer said that hee was drawne to maintaine his cause from touch of conscience and when hee was to dye that hee did suffer for the glory of the most high God And Paul when he was yet a Pharisee lived in all good conscience when naturall wisedome was his interpreter of Gods word Even so may it be with them O no they are sure of their hand they are taught of God and they must separate from such a wicked governmēt as ours is for conscience sake Why what is the matter let us in the feare of God heare the worst that wee may mend or bee obstinate I never heard but three things pleaded against our governement by them 1 The power of true government 2 The persons of our governours 3 And their exercise of our government We wil heare them in all to the last word and our good God give us understanding in all things for peace and salvation The power of true Church government say the Brownists is in the whole Church and in every particular member in body and not onely in the prime members onely In this they doe not onely fight against us but against al the Presbyteries in the world and so they pull more adversaries upon them then they will be able to withstand In this they beate downe at one blow that which hath exercised the wits of thousands without satisfaction to millions of consciences Yea in this they joyne hands with Corah Dathan and Abiram who loved not the governement of the best because all the congregation is holy every one of them But against whomsoever they fight and with whomsoever they joyne surely say they true Church government is in the whole congregation It is true that if wee consider the Church as a compleat body under Christ the head then the power of Church government is in the whole Church As the animal body is said to see to goe to worke to speake originally though subjectively and formally it is the eye sees the foot goes the hand works and the tongue speaks But that the whole body of Christ the Church catholike or particular for her part should have this power so as to have power to exercise it formally cannot bee made good from the word of Christ Before the Law Church government lay upon Adam Noah Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs Vnder the Law it lay upon Moses and Aaron though to Moses was added by Iethroes advise seventy Elders not by Gods immediate direction though after they were approved by him Vnder the Gospel the gifts of power and government was bestowed upon some not upon all and the people never attempted any thing without the Apostles leave assistance and direction The Apostles ordained Elders and not the people without them The Apostles called for the Elders and conferred with them without the people The Elders did consult with Iames and Paul without asking the votes of the people and did a matter of weight for the peace of the Church from their owne judgements Yea and when the whole Church was with the Apostles and Elders in counsell these are preferred before them as their superiours who had their consent of love and charity but not of authority Therefore the people were not reproved for the disorders of the Church and Common-wealth but the Princes and the Priests according to which generall course we must understand those few particulars wherein blame seemes to bee layed upon the body of the people also For the people are still commanded subjection and submission to governours ecclesiasticall and temporall and are still called by the names of sheepe brethren saints houshold spouse children and the like whereas their governours are called Bishops Overseers Elders Presbyters Angels Fathers as termes of superiority It is true they are also called a royall Priesthood and Kings but not in regard of externall power of government in the Church but of internall power of saving grace to rule over their own corruptions that sin may not raigne in their mortall bodies which if they would exercise as they ought these quarrels might soone cease Noe say the Brownists these quarrels must not cease so long as we find in Scriptures the peoples power of government in the Church maintained For they instance in two high parts of government excommunication and absolution and they find the peoples power in both For Christ saith If thy brother trespasse against thee and he will not heare thee or more with thee Goe tell the church that is say they the whole congregation and as hee doth heare or neglect that let him be to thee either bound or loosed by excommunication or absolution Hence they argue thus Church is taken for every particular congregation where Christians live before this in body the delinquent that is obstinate must bee convented bee it lesse or greater and it hath a power in governement even in these things of highest nature therefore the power of government is in the people as well as deeply as in others Heere is their impregnable hold as they thinke and therefore they come upon us thus roundly Christ hath charged his Apostles and their true successours that they should teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever hee hath commanded them but you that are the ministers of the Church of England doe not teach us to observe all things for Christ hath commanded a forme of governement wherein all members should have publicke cognizance of offences for the advancement of the kingdome of Christ and you suffer him to be dishonoured and us to bee robbed of our rights and therfore ye are not the ministers of Christ neither is your Church a true Church of Christ Thus so farre as I can gather from them and conceive I have given them
reconciled from the heart God will not be reconciled unto him hee shall into the prison till he hath paid the utmost farthing But it may be said how shall I be assured that upon my brothers submission and mine and my witnesses acceptance that his bond of guilt shall be loosed by God From Christs promise that if two shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall bâ— done for them to their brethren of my Father which is in Heaven Thus Saint Basil of old If two shall aske by consent it shall be done what this meaneth the processe of the place shewes saith he for immediately before Christ speaketh of him that reproveth his brother and him that is reproved and If he that be reproved be grieved for his fault and be joyned with the reprover in the same minde the pardon which is asked shall be granted from our most gracious God This I alledge as I could in this cause many other not because they like it but because they may know that this sense is not a new one of my owne I know that they runne a new and uncharitable way for when they reade that Christ promiseth not doing for them that aske except they agree on earth they peremptorily conclude that they ought not to pray with them that doe not consent with them in their opinions Therefore would they neither pray with me nor suffer me to pray with them to our good God to lead us us into the way of truth nor will they pray with their owne wives and children though never so pious if they doe not meet in the same center of conceits Yea but say they all the Text before must be understood of publike Church scandals because of Christs promise Where two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them which is ever applyed to publike meetings It is true it is so applyed and so may and must For it holds strongly that iâ— Christ be present with private persons who agree in building up one another in charity much more is he present in publike conventions where faith climbes hope rootes charity flames and zeale burnes up corruption when they are well used But yet this proves not but that here Christ may treate of private scandals as the whole context shewes and may incourage brotherly prayers one for another in peace because Christ is present with them But all this is but a flash to them yet for this text must needes bee a rule of their perfect discipline in the body of their members because the Apostle blames the whole church of Corinth for not casting out of the incestuous person That this is no perfect rule of discipline may appeare to any man that will consider that heere is no direction to proceed against sins against God or others but onely against thee thee Heere is no excommunication ordained for it is not said put him out from among you but let him bee to thee for seeking further remedy Lastly heere is no determining power given to the church for the party offended is principall to admonish tell fine The church is not to excommunicate but to turne the offender over to the offended party let him be to thee not to us yea the church is not to call him by summons but to expect the plaintiffes comming and moreover if heere were a perfect rule it might fall out that two or three men yea women pretending to bee gathered in Christs name might cast out whole congregations for not consenting unto them And for that place to the Corinths where Saint Paul is charged to countenance this their new parish discipline because hee blamed the Corinthians that the incestuous person was not cast out I answer hee might have had just cause to blame them if hee had committed any such thing to their trust by devolving his authority to them but that hee did not yet put over his authority to them in body appeares divers waies First though the power of governement in respect of use belong to the whole church for benefit that where the fact is notorious the law might be notorious too so as the whole church may bee witnesse of the doome when they are gathered together yet in regard of the possession for managing of it it belongs onely to the Pastors and chiefe Bishops For when Christ made that promise of binding and loosing to his disciples hee did not make it to them as Apostles properly for it is no such personall priviledge as not to descend It is needefull for the church in all ages therefore not tyed to any Neither did he make it unto them as the body of christians for when hee made good his promise hee tells us that hee sent and inspired them and after both these gave this commission of binding and loosing but hee sent not all nor inspired all as he signified by breathing upon the Apostles But he did it to them as pastors and chiefe Bishops and so to men of office for the use and comfort of the church for ever And terrour of ungodly men Secondly the persons to whom this authority of perpetuall governement of the church in ecclesiasticall way was committed were the chief Pastours as Bishops were anciently called therefore if Paul had fixed the blame in that particular upon any it would have been upon the Angel and chiefe overseer of that church For Paul and Christ are not of a severall spirit and judgement in church-discipline Thirdly if therefore Paul blame any for this it is under the whole church those that by office were to redresse these outrages and to see to the holinesse charity and comelinesse of that church But lastly if wee looke into the words more narrowly wee shall finde the true fault that hee blamed the church of Corinth for They had a common fame of such a wickednesse committed amongst them that the Gentiles by the light of nature did abhorre Paul having as yet supreame power ecclesiasticall under Christ in his owne hand and for ought we know not having setled a Bishop in highest church governement as in Ephesus Creta Asia did expect from them woefull complaints of this disorder that hee might have directed theÌ„ accordingly for the taking of it away from among them with the author of it But they were so farre from this that they were puffed up with their owne gifts and lamented not that wickednesse that raigned among them that by dâ—e course it might bee removed This therefore is that which the Apostle blameth in the Corinthians Therefore that hee may shew them that they are not so much to admire themselves as to take off their eyes from the great faults committed against them and that they are to lament and doe their best that such wicked persons might be taken away from among them and not thrust out in a crowd the Apostle doth three things
and spread forth his hands toward heaven did hee corrupt the worship of God because Moses commanded it not If Princes hold their people faithfully to them to serve God and the King this is commanded them as the Law is committed to them but if Ioshuah doe it by setting up a stone in Shechem if Asa doe it by an oath and if Nehemiah doe it by subscription who hath required it Is Moses unfaithfull Are not these things permitted to them and us To remember Gods benefits is commanded but for Mordecai and the Iewes to doe it by the Feast of Purim who hath required it was it not onely permitted So it is with us wee have precepts and permissions under generall rules In conscience to the precepts wee preach and heare the word wee administer and receive the Sacrament wee pray both publikely and privately But in conscience to the permission we heare and preach from the Pulpit or from none with one in a gowne or cloake in white or in blacke wee receive standing sitting or kneeling we pray standing lying or sitting as necessity and order is put upon us by God and our superiours and as the worship of God may bee best advanced And what hurt is heere But say they these permissions are put upon us by peremptory Lawes contrary to our Christian liberty By a Law indeed they are bound to them with us but not contrary to Christian liberty for then Titus was in vaine left in Creta to set in order things that are wanting if Christians in the outward carriage of things might doe what they list Therefore I wish them brotherly to consider something concerning ceremonies and something concerning Christian liberty Ceremonies may be considered two wayes Before a Law hath bound this or that way and After the bond of a Law Before they may have not onely variety but contrariety and yet not displease God One eateth another eateth not yet God receiveth both one esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike yet if they bee charitable and fully perswaded in their own hearts God is not displeased But when a Law hath passed upon them those things that are permissions in themselves are precepts in their use as when the Church decreed the abstaining from stranguled and bloud so long as was convenient for the Churches of the Iewes As God loves that we should keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace in one faith so Paul joyes when hee beholds the order among the Colossians that all their things were done in love So long as wee are free wee are like the daughters of Zelophehad who so they kept within their owne tribe might marry whom they pleased so wee may looke which way we please and settle according to our pleasure But when the law of expediency is put upon us wee must say all things are lawfull but all things are not expedient When the law of Charity is put upon us wee must say if meate make my brother to offend I will eate no flesh while the world standeth And when the law of loyalty is put upon us we must say thou O Christian king art worth ten thousand of us the scandall of thee swallowes up the scandall of ten thousand persons therefore wee must doe as Ioab number the people no sinne in it selfe though we see inconveniences that may fall upon it Next concerning Christian liberty it doth not make us lawlesse for then were it vaine for any Church whatsoever to determine what is fit for ceremonies to bee done by them for then every one might flye to Christian liberty and say I will doe what I list my Christian liberty shall beare me out And how unfit this were every religious soule câ—n judge but it is a liberty that frees our consciences from inward bondage that we be not brought under the dominion of any thing I eate fish or flesh as is appointed but I am brought under the dominion of neither I weare white or blacke I stand or sit or kneele but I am brought under the dominion of none of them In my conscience my Christian liberty hath set me free but in my practise I am bound in these things to expediency charity or loyalty for the establishing of good order in the Church or in the coÌ„mon-weale If they would but duely consider these two things they would never talk of permissions turned into lawes to prejudice Christian liberty Yea Christian wisedome would learne them too that religious worship is called by the name of outward ceremonies used in them as God calls praying bâ—wing of the knees and swearing lifting up our hands not because these are commanded duties in such acts of worship but because God permits and loves our well carriage in his worship according to generall rules though we have no particular precepts Yea but say they our ceremonies are typicall and Iewish ceremonies which hurt our worship They meane as I conceive they are teaching ceremonies not ceremonies of meere order but significant to put us in minde of duty I am sorry that this should be accounted a fault If they did not signifie how could they edifie Were they types and shadowes of the mysteries of the Gospell invented by men indeed Christ were ill advised not to ordaine them But being onely moâ—al documents and monitors of some duties I wonder where their guilt lies If I had an hundred boxes in my house for my uses and some few of them had a marke upon them to direct me where my mony lay that I might be carefull of that doth this savour of want of naturall wisedome So neither doth it taste of want of spirituall wisedome to set a marke upon some few ceremonies to put me in minde of my duty to Christ What are these say they but images set up to our selves for religious use What to worship to adore God in or by No but to reminde us of what we ought to doe And this was the practise of the Church in all ages Abraham put his servants hand under his thigh in swearing surely to signifie his subjection to him in that businesse about the promised seede Moses set up an Altar when Amaleck was overthrowne and called it Iehovah Nissi to signifie that the Lord was their banner The two tribes and a halfe built an altar not to distinguish their borders but to signifie that they were Gods people and that they had all one God to whom they and their posterity must sacrifice upon his owne altar Samuel set up a stone when the Philistims were discomforted and called it Eben-Ezer to signifie that the Lord helped them When Christ the truth was come hee used humane significant ceremonies as the feast of dedication sitting at the Passeover a signe of rest the water pots of the jewish purifications the custome of embalming beside other formalities of
have now done and commend you all to the word of Gods grace which is able to save your soules though no Bownist nor Anabaptist had ever beene hatched Live in peace and the God of peace shall bee with you Give not way to any opinion whereby the unity of spirit and the bond of love may be broken Play the men be strong and of a good courage Have prepared hearts to dye for Christs cause but to bee sticklers in such poore quarrels as can neither bring peace to the Church nor comfort to you at last abhorre Wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of God where colours shall doe us no good because we shall be iudged naked where pretences shall doe us no good because the bookes shall bee opened and where no authors or favourers of Sects or Schismes shall shelter us because we must stand before the man Christ Iesus to whom I ever leave you and in whose name ye shall have the prayers of Yours to be used in the service of the Gospel ROBERT ABBOT The Contents of this Meditation is thus summed up In Section 1. The state of Christians and their care to keepe it Section 2. The way to keepe a Christian state is publick communion in assemblies Section 3. The vice of those that forsake publick communion and first of the prophane Section 4. The forsakers of our assemblies that would be accounted holy and first of their name of Iustice Brownists which is due to them Section 5. Of that name they would have Separatists and how unjustly it is expected and assumed by them Section 6. Of the Brownists opinions upon which they forsake our Church and first whether we be a true Church Section 7. Of their first exception against us about the nature of a visible Church Section 8. Of their second exception against us about our enterance into a true Church where of their covenant Section 9. A question by the way because some of them question it about baptizing of Bastards of impenitent Christians Section 10. Of their third exception against us about the head of our Church Christ and the King under him Section 11. Of their fourth exception against us about the members of our Church where is debated of wicked professors comming to the Lords table Section 12. Of their last exception against our Church about the government of it and first of the power of Governement whether in the whole assembly Section 13. Of their exceptions against the persons governing Bishops and the exercise of their goverment in ordination excommunication imposing oathes Section 14. Of their second opinion upon which they separate from us because wee have not a true ministery where of ordeyners titles callings infirmities and maintenance Section 15. Of their last opinion upon which they separate from us because wee have not a true worship where of Ceremonies of order and significant and of stinted prayers Section 16. Of their maine exception in their former argument to witt our common prayer booke where of the order of divine service and their exceptions against kneeling Crosse and responses or answers in Baptisme Section 17. Of the use that is to bee made of all good assemblies to learne consideration and exhortation because the day is approaching which is applied to our foasakers A Postscript GOod Reader there are two texts of scripture whereupon the Brownists do build their frame besides many other in particular questions These thou shalt finde cleared as I judge in conscience in most Sections as thou goest along These are 1 Cor. 6.17 whereupon they ground their separation and Mat. 18.15 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. whereupon they ground the new Parish discipline Thou shalt finde these cleared Section 5. and 12. But before thou readest I would intreate thee to correct the errours of the presse printed at the latter end of the booke and then learne with me or learne me A TRIALL OF OVR CHVRCH FORSAKERS OR A meditation to still the passions of unquiet Brownists upon Heb. 10.25 Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching SECTION I. The estate of Christians and their care to keepe it THe better our estate is the more wee must labour to keepe it A poore man takes no great thought for iron bolts and barres a wooden latch a pin serves his turne and yet hee sleepes securely A rich man whose treasure is great and whose heart is nailed to it hath lockes bolts and barres of strongest assurance Thus must it be with a Christian He is not now in a beggerly estate he is crowned with loving kindnesses and tender mercies unspeakable He hath liberty to enter into heaven hee hath a way made to leade him thither and he hath an able guide for his conduct The holiest is set before him His liberty to enter is purchased by the bloud of Iesus His way thither is Christs flesh consecrated by the fulnesse of the God-head dwelling in him bodily His guide is the high-priest over the house of God Christ the Lord Christ alone purchased this liberty he alone is this way by the marriage of our flesh hee alone is this guide who hath authority over the house of God and cannot bee defeated His liberty is of the surest tenure by purchase with the bloud of the sonne of God His way is of the firmest sooting surest foundation and best making by Christ himself And his guide is truth it selfe one that cannot deceive even our Iesus Christ who is all and in all What therefore should hee now doe Let them get an estate in meanes offered which may present to God this coate oâ— armes A field of heavenly truth and sincerity the royallest in Gods eies charged with a cleane washed body opened for all the world to looke upon In the midst an heart sprinckled from an ill conscience breathing out by degrees a full assurance of faith And because he is a souldier and many enemies will assault his colours to win them that he may never give them againe let him not only have such christian armes but hold fast the profession of his faith without wavering that he doe not loose his crowne and honour with Christ But Lord how hard is this The Christian is weak and his enemies many mighty It is true therefore let him be strong in the Lord and run to such meanes as God hath appointed who knowes best how to give and how to guard all his graces given And what meanes are they The publike and private communion of Saints mentioned in these words The publicke is not to forsake the assembling of our selves together The private is upon due consideration of our selves to exhort one another These will make the christian keepe his ground not loose his colours not quit the field but overcome in living and bee more then Conquerours in dying
The words without curiosity present these three parts unto you First the vertue of some Christians or rather the act of it Secondly the vice of others or rather the act of many vices and thirdly the use to be made of eschewing the one and following the other The act of vertue in all Christians who would keep what they have is mâ—n to forsake the assembling of our selves together to keep publick communion of saints in the acts of religion and worship The act of vices in some Christians who have no care to keepe what they have or a vicious care to get something worse is to forsake the assemblies though the division of Reuben make great thoughts of heart The use that is to be made of flying the vices of these and following the vertue of the others is to gaine ability from sound judgment and due consideration to exhort one another which hee sets on with a motive because the day is approaching in which all must give accounts according to receits Thus have yee seene in a word that a christian hath a rich and precious estate that God is willing he should keep it to bring him to heaven that it is possible for him to doe so in Gods way that this way is here set downe and therefore further follow it with me to Gods glory and your good SECT 2. The way to keepe a Christian state is publick communion TO speake first of the act of vertue of all good christians If they would draw neere to heaven and stand fast there they must not forsake the assemblings of our selves together they must love church assemblies and the publicke fellowship of the saints in a word they that are good and would be better must choose to bee where Gods people are in publicke service for the common faith and our common salvation All the best saints and people of God have been ever for this They have loved and delighted to pray reade meditate and conferre in private but were most glad when others would say unto them let us go into the house of the Lord. They mourned when they could not go with the throng of them that went to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise to keepe holy day Yea they accounted a day in his courts better then a thousand and had rather bee doorekeepers in the house of God then to dwel in the tents of ungodlinesse Not onely they under the law were for it when yet Gods blessings were in drops to ours in pouring showres but as it was prophecied that in the daies of Christ christians should say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob so was it fulfilled by the first converted Jewes and Gentiles as wee see in the history of the Acts. Yea in the hardest times and dayes of persecution when goods liberties and lives lay at the stake how readily did they deprive themselves of naturall comforts for spiritual To the caves and holes of the earth to stinking mines and pits to woods and dens would they flock when they had no places authorised for assemblings to perform their devotions and publick worships This hath beene ever the glorious practise of Gods people and we cannot wonder at it when wee consider the presence in our assemblies and the benefit that ariseth from them First in our assemblies are Gods people Gods Angels Gods ordinances and God himselfe There are Gods people who have respect due unto them from the greatest Princes in the world Paul speaking to all sorts of Christians saith submit your selves one unto another in the feare of the Lord and there is a double submission of Reverence of Service By the first all inferiours must submit themselves to their elders and to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake By the second even the highest must submit to the lowest for good Thus Peter hath it bee subject one to another and that ye may not be hindered hee cloathed with humility Thus Esay prophecied Kings and Queenes shall bow down to the church with their faces to the earth and shal lick up the dust of her feete Not by a subjection of reverence as if they must be underlings to the censures of that particular congregation whereof they are as Brownists would have it whereof hereafter but by a subjection of service when they use their crownes and dignities for the honour and advancement of religion as every good king doth For they must not despise one of Christs little ones but with many people and strong nations seek the Lord and take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew that is a religious person saying we will go with you for we have heard the Lord is with you there are the Angels also This was figured in the curtaines of the Tabernacle where Cherubims were wrought of cunning worke and in the walls of the temple where were carved the carvings of Cherubims yea this also hath been taught by the Apostle who would have women to have power on their heads that is a vaile as a significant ceremony of subjection to the man among the Corinthians because of the Angels who are their guardians and there more especially present with them There are with Gods people and angels Gods ordinances also both the word prayer and sacraments The word to bee a seed of immortality and a word of life praier to powre out our soules that God and all grace may have roome enough to dwell in them and the sacraments to be the seales of the righteousnesse of faith and so the buckets of heaven to convey grace by Gods assistance and covenant to the worthy receivers Lastly there is with Gods people angels and ordinances God himselfe For though wee cannot limit him to temples made with hands yet Christ having promised to be with his Apostles alwaies to the end of the world which therefore must be enlarged to their successours when they were dead and he having presented himselfe in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks and lastly having covenanted for his word and spirits going together therefore certainely hee is by way of special favour in the assemblings of his people If to the Jewes much more to us because the ministration of the spirit is much more glorious Lay now this together that in our assemblings there are Gods people Gods Angels Gods ordinances and God himselfe and yee cannot wonder that the good have chosen to dwel in publick assemblies if it might be for ever Secondly in our assemblies all things are for benefit every thing is edifiable And if our hearts were in tune and our heads full of the expectation of Gods spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ how might the kingdome of sinne and Satan fall downe like lightning as the walls of Iericho at the sound of
the whole saving word is rejected This is that unbeliefe which doth unchristian a man and woman and if it be finall is a state of Paganisme Though it may be there be such parents in the eyes of God yet I thinke few or none are such among Christians in the eies of the church They will all professe to believe in Christ and when they are convincingly moved will lament their sins and promise to doe so no more To the application of the argument to fathers and mothers of bastards in a christian church that they are such is an unsufficient plea. And whether they bee so to the cutting of them off from Christianity in generall and making their bastards unbaptizable judge by what is said and what followeth Secondly they give another reason thus They that have no grace already conferred are not to bee made partakers of the signe and seale of grace But bastards have not grace conferred they neither actually believing nor being borne of christian parents and therefore they are not to bee baptized I answer they meane not I thinke the inward grace of actuall faith such as Abraham had for then why was Ishmael circumcised But they meane the outward grace of having right to the signe and seale of the covenant and thus their application to bastards is false understand their argument thus They that have not the outward grace of right to the signe and seale of the covenant are not baptizable What though Abraham had true actuall faith when hee submitted to circumcision doth it follow that all that succeed him in circumcision should have so also Prove that and turne Anabaptists take away circumcision and baptisme from all infants Therefore I deny the application that bastards of wicked christians have not the grace of right to baptisme They have a right to receive that right whereto their parents have a right to convey and certainely these have a right to convey the right of baptisme to their children both as they are believers of the word of salvation by Christ and as they professe to stand in such a way though they are wicked and ungodly in particular acts They have a right also to the offers of grace in a christian church and so have a right to baptisme for heerein God offereth grace by way of signe and seale of Gods covenant To understand this conceive these two points First the difference of the offer of grace to them within and to them without the church They without have a right to it in the word for I may preach the word to a Iew Turke Heathen if hee come within my limit and will heare But they within have a right unto it in the word and sacraments according to Christs commission Secondly the priviledge they have by it is not to bee graffed into the body of Christ according to the election of grace but according to the profession of the Gospel and the state of the church visible heere Thus their reasons are voide from proving that bastards are not baptizable Now marke what reasons they make and finde against them and what they answer First some of the bastards predecessours Objection 1 have beene believers and this is sufficient to admit them to baptisme according to the promise made to believers and to their posterity This is a poore objection thus propounded For what Iew Turke or Pagan is there who may not pretend that some of their predecessours have beene believers if the Gospell have beene preached thorough the world They must be predecessours in a christian church in outward covenant with God But let us see their answer They give a text to prove the contrary and require a text to oppose them Their text is Saint Paules who speaking of immediate parents saith except one of them are believers their children are uncleane but now by the faith of one they are holy They will not prove I hope that believers children are holy by an infused or derived holinesse from them for from them they are the children of wrath but onely that they have a foederall holinesse by which they have a right to baptiâ—me Neither will they prove that it is necessary to a childs baptisme to have immediate predecessours such believers as doe in all things contrary to such sinnes as doe wound or waste a good conscience It is enough iâ— one be a believet that is a doctrinall christian though like the worst in the church of Corinth If hee bee a Iew the Apostle calls him circumcision and if hee professe faith in Christ hee is a christian for his owne and his childes baptisme What though the Apostle speakes of immediate parents there where hee speakes of a church newly converted to the faith from heathenisme and so to be a church that wanted predecessours before times may wee not therefore make use of other texts more comfortable for us who have had the Gospel a long time and that sealed with such christian bloud If now they require a text to oppose them let them take that The promise is to you and to your children But they answer that the unbeliever and his children are not the posterity of the believer I say yes if they be members of a visible church Those wicked kings of Iudah that were idolaters were the posterity of Abraham and David and had right to the promiâ—es made to them yea and to the ever blessed Messias who descended from them If they repented not they had no inward comfort from him yet had they outward right unto him by vertue of the promises made to Abraham and David But they say can uncleane bastards be the seed of the believing I answer that I approve that in these termes they expresse hatred to the sinne but in that they forget a foederall cleannesse in uncleane christians children by vertue of Gods promise to believers foregoing them they goe the right way not onely to fill he I with bastards but with true begotten children whose immediate parents are too often guilty of greater sinnes then whoredome though that bee damnable enough Secondly they finde another objection Objection 2 God hath promised to shew mercy unto a thousand generations to them that love him and keepe his commandements Therefore bastards of wicked Christians are baptizable The reason should have been put thus God hath promised to shew mercy to a thousand generations of Israelites in outward communion with him for otherwise it followes not that the bastards of christians are baptizable But what answer they They say Solution 1 three things first they say it followes not because bastards are not the generation of them that love God and keepe his commandements Take heed was not Davids child got of the wife of Vrijah the generation of them that loved God at all though in that act David loved him not nor was Ishmael the generation of Abraham that loved God though in
Yet doe not wee pray for the world but against it that we may follow Christ Christ prayed for the Jewes and Gentiles that persecuted him to death father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet he prayes not for the world that lies in wickednesse but that it come out and serve God so wee pray once more against their wickednesse but wee pray for their Persons As farre as our charity tends so farre our Prayers extend and I am sure wee must doe good to all But if God shall reveale any speciall Persons that have sinned unto death wee will not pray for them In the meane time give us leave if you have so much charity to pray that there may bee none such Yea but say they wee pray in that Litany for all that travaile by land or by water and so for thieves and pyrats too yea and I know not for what Devills in mens braines who compasse the earth too and fro Where is their charity The pious Church provideth a Prayer for Men and not for Devils who are out of hope and out of all Communion with her and for all men that are within a saveable condition in that word Our Father So shee prayes for theeves and pyrats to make them better or else against them to maintaine Gods just providence in their future punishments If these bee all their exceptions against our good Litany as they are all I have heard I hope they will give me leave to use it as I doe and use it with me in peace The second degree of our Church worship is the middle of it when wee reade the commandements of our great God with Prayer when we read the Epistles and Gospels more fully to strengthen our faith and pray for the whole Church In the first they doe except that we kneele when the commandements are reade as if it were a Prayer Noe wee doe it not to make it a Prayer it is none But yet wee doe it partly to testifie our subjection to the God that gave it as the People on mount Sinai fell downe at the publication of it and as wee kneele before the King and partly because it is joyned with that submissive Prayer Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this law Next come the Epistles as indeede the whole word is an Epistle written to our soules wherein wee have sometimes prayers but mostly fit rules of holinesse of life and after the Gospels that wee may know the benefits of which we must live worthy These strengthen our faith in all the articles and further our thankfulnesse for all Gods mercies by Christ and his Apostles I know nothing worth notice that is heere excepted against If they call them shreads of scripture yet they are scriptures and fit texts applyed to every season And if Christ would not onely preach truths but fit truths for the people and if they themselves I hope will choose fit texts for feasts and fasts times of solemnity and times of mourning I hope also that the Church cannot bee denyed this liberty If they say they are applyed to divers holidayes which are not of Christs appointment Yet are they not without Christs leave and permission If Christ have permitted them though God saith six daies thou shalt labour yet to use their liberty according to discretion upon any of the six to refresh themselves or spend in holy exercises is he an harder master yea husband unto his Church Surely as occasion is offered they may choose any fit dayes either to feast or to fast But alasse say they all this in that common-prayer booke is but an English masse taken out of the masse-booke of Rome Belike then wee had it out of the Temple of God where that man of sinne sitteth well bee it so A thiefe hath got a true mans purse may not Justice deliver it to him againe and leave the thiefe to his Judge and punishment Such is our case The Pope could not have hid himselfe so long but under the banner of Christ and the service of God with the Saints Therefore hee gets the Leitourgy or common-prayer booke of the blessed Fathers and adds to it of his owne rubbish as Masses for quicke and dead Dirges Requiems Praying to Saints and ANGELS blessing of Bells and Candles to give power to drive away Devils When this was espyed by the breaking out of the beames of the glorious Gospel the blessed Martyres challenge their owne and leave the wicked trash to the founder And is not this Justice If these men had gold and silver mingled with durt and poyson would they cry out all durt all poyson and worke for more No they would wash cleanse purifie and keepe the gold and silver for their uses So have we done and noe more Wee have taken off the spots and keepe the garments We have washed away the filth from the gold of the first great Saints and Martyres If this bee a fault wee rejoyce in it and commend to others as Doctour Rowland Taylour when hee was going to be burned next unto the Bible the Service-booke to bring up our children in the feare of God And so I passe that The last degree is the end of our common-prayer worship which is the administration of Sacraments The wit of Men and Angels cannot devise a better way of GODS worship in them Such grave exhortations effectuall Prayers propounding of warrants laying downe of promises confident expectations of their making good by Christ to Children Parents and all penitent and believing Christians are there upon record that a modest man would wonder how any exceptions could be found out Yet three things are there that much trouble them and us by them 1 Kneeling at the Communion 2 Crosse in Baptisme and 3 The responses or answeres in Baptisme As for kneeling I shall indeavour with Gods helpe to doe two things shew that they may lawfully worship God in the use to this Sacrament kneeling and take away their maine rubs in the way That which is for Christ they may lawfully doe but kneeling at the Sacrament is for Christ for what is not against him is for him If it bee against him let them shew where hee hath forbidden it If they cannot they may lawfully kneele Againe that which is neither commanded nor forbidden by God they may lawfully doe for the Apostle saith of such things all things are lawfull yea they must necessarily doe it now not out of conscience to the gesture but out of conscience to the command of our Christian King and Church But kneeling at the Communion is neither commanded nor forbidden by God but commanded by the King and Church therefore they may they must kneele Againe if they kneele not but sit as an act of Religion they make it essentiall to the supper and the Apostle Paul an unfaithfull servant to so good a
his church as well as the master of a family may command his steward to order his whole family that the private worship in his family be not dishonoured This ads both to the glory and strength of a church to the glory of it when kings are nourcing fathers and to the strength of it when the power of a king is the churches for the suppressing of vice and maintenance of vertue But then say they they may enjoine their owne inventions in stead of Gods will I answer that the inventions of men are of two sorts of things contrary to the word of Christ as worshipping of images invocation of saints forbidding marriage and meats as these things which directly pollute persons or times or the like These are impious and it these are enjoined christians must patiently suffer and lovingly mourne till in the day of Judgment God fanne away the chaffe But there are others which in their owne nature are indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden by God and of which Christ saith hee that is not against us is with us In these the christian magistrate hath a power for order and uniformity For if Godly persons may bring up customes in the times of Gods worship as the Jewes did their Purim and if Christians may order what garments women may weare when they come to church which Paul after allowed why may not the christian magistrate for the peace of his whole body But then say they this makes things arbitrary and indifferent to become necessary This is true but you must conceive that a thing may bee said to bee necessary two waies necessary in it selfe and necessary in the outward submission to the use of it In it selfe a thing indifferent cannot bee made necessary It is alwaies as it is by nature and conscience informed must so judge it yet in the outward use for the peace of the Church it may upon command become necessary After the death of Christ till the destruction of the temple abstaining from things strangled and bloud circumcision legall vowes and purifyings were indifferent in themselves for else the Apostles would not have used them so yet for the peace of some churches they were judged necessary to be yeelded in love and so may it bee in other things yet the indifferent nature of things is not taken away but the necessary use prescribed for the peace of the church upon better grounds then that wee should suffer our selves to be unsetled from royall power But againe say they then kings may require such things as swarve from some holy patternes wee have in the scriptures and so by granting this governement wee shall bee ill to helpe I say howsoever they use it wee must grant what God hath given as they are all the keepers of both the tables If they use it well thou must obey in the Lord If ill thy prayers and teares must be thy weapons and thy body must suffer his penalties and it is praise worthy for thee to suffer not in a supposed good cause but in a good cause without controversie which is not the case of sufferers in these dayes of peace and the Gospel so farre as I know but for inâ—oynements swarâ—ing from patternes I finde this in scriptures that Godly men have swarved from patternes not seconded by a perpetuall law which might seeme to bind stronâ—ly The Jewes sate at the passover in Christs tâ—me or rather lay leaning though the first gesture was standing or walking and godly men and women communicate in the morning and in a Church though the first patterne was otherwise yea thâ—s is plaine that Gods ceremonies might in some cases be dispensed withall without sinne much more may men bee unlosed from patternes which are not the examples of a law binding so I know it will be said that the examples of Gods people commended by the holy Ghost are every whit of as great â—orce as a command It is true if they be examples of a rule otherwise they shew things lawfull but not things necessary Solomon indeede sayes walke in the way of good men and keepe the waies of the righteous But good men and righteous men are so with respect to Gods law after which they walke otherwise they are not so though bâ—ng so good they may give a patterne of that which is lawfull but not necessary My conclusion is this that the Churâ—h hath power to governe it seâ— by particular lawes in matters of substance and by gâ—neral in the outward carriage of order comlinesse and edification And when a king as head of governement under Christ puts in â—his authority and power for seeing things carried within the churches of his kingdome according to these rules hee is a prime officer under Christ by Christs owne promise and appointment whatsoever Brownists can say against it If they wil stil stand against it for few of them are found so humble as to search and yeeld they cannot but know this that in breaking the lawes of men that are not against Christ they sinne against conscience And as magistrates are incouraged to bee great helps to religion by obedience so by the contrary they are provoked to trouble This therefore is a sure rule that a Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the laws of men what possible he can is a singular burthen to the Church in which he lives SECT 11. Brownists fourth exception against us about the members of our Church WEe are now come from the Brownists meaning by a true Church and their entrance into and head of a true church to the members of a true church Heere they take on amaine that the true members of a true Church ought to be saints by calling whereas ours are a mixture of good and bad penitent and impenitent to the pollution of the whole body and that therefore we are not a true church But this still discovers strange weaknesse For put case a man had never a good finger nor hand never a good toe nor foote never a haire on head or beard or if he have all his members yet he hath the palsie in one the goute in another blindenesse in another deafenesse in another botches in another numnesse and deadnesse in another is hee therefore no true man Surely hee is a true man still though a miserable one So is it in a visible church many members may bee weake and many wicked as well as some truely gracious and yet in the whole body a true church still Peter and Iohn met with a beggar at the gate of the temple called Beautifull who was faine to be carried because he was lame from his mothers wombe and yet the holy Ghost calls him a certaine man and Paul met with an Apostolicall Church in Corinth which was worse in many members then that poore cripple was and yet hee called it a true church of God for the God of truth