profession of their faith of prescribing a way to convert those that go astray and those that are ignorant also of all other things which ought not to be done either in the name of God without a previous due mission and calling or in the tolerance and connivence of God by Ecclesiastick authority in the name of the respective Members of the Church and by right of common calling without that accurate search and direction of the Scripture 149. If it be said that they ought not therefore to abstaine from such things let the reasons thereof be produced that we may consider of them 150. But if it be answered that these persons and their Churches ought to be very shie of such things Then it is to be enquired whether they are not worthy of great pity because in this revolted state of the Church they notwithstanding beare Ecclesiastick offices stoutly and zealously maintaine their Ecclesiastick government and discipline together with those other proceeding of theirs adorned with specious titles and exercise them in a proud magisteriall manner against those that are of a different opinion and either directly or indirectly draw to themselves the spirituall rights of the true Ministers of God and as much as they can the secular rights of the civill Magistrates in all which they have neither part nor portion and that under pretence of continuing gathering and governing the Church in the name of God or in the stead and by the Authority of God 151. If it be said that such persons and their Churches are not worthy of great pity let the reasons thereof be produced that we may consider of them 152. But if it be answered that such persons and their Churches are worthy of great pity Then it is to be enquired In what esteeme a Christian now a dayes since all either more or lesse have continued or gathered and governed Churches in the name of God without any previous institution command or welpleasing permission of his in the Scripture in what esteeme I say a Christian ought to hold such a Church and society wherein he liveth 153. If any thing be produced hereupon we will consider of it 154. But if nothing be produced Then it is to be enquired whether all and singular Churches which in the revolted state of the Church have neither been erected gathered nor governed in the aforesaid manner by meere Ecclesiastick authority but vaunt themselves to be either continued or gathered and governed in the name of God ought to be accounted imperfect and presumptuous Imperfect because amongst other things their Ministers want a word of mouth wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true to be uttered in the publicke worship in the name of God Presumptuous because in stead of a word wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true which ought alone to be uttered in the publick worship in the name of God they substitute their own concionatory word not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true and having excluded all the people claime to themselves alone a power and right to speake in the Church contrary to the custome both of the ancient Jewish and primitive Christian Church which manner of the primitive Christian Church was subordinate to the direction of the Apostles wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true and consisted not in the promiscuous explication of any texts whatsoever destitute of such an effectuall direction as it hath been heretofore and is at this day corruptly done in Churches by means of Sermons Moreover whether they ought to be accounted presumptuous because they perform their gathering government and discipline of Churches and all their aforesaid practises in the name of God 155. If it be said that they ought not to be accounted for such Churches and societies let the reasons thereof be produced and let it be declared what manner of Churches they ought to be accounted that we may consider of it 156. But if it be answered that all those Ecclesiastick societies ought to be accounted for such Then it is to be enquired whether and in what manner one may notwithstanding continue and communicate with them 157. If there be any expedients let them be produced and we will weigh them 158. But if nothing be produced concerning that matter Then it is to be enquired since the worship of such societies being not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true cannot for the reasons often specified be accounted for the genuine worship performed in the name of God according to his institution command or welpleasing permission although those societies were by their authors erected according to the Scriptures alone as well as they were able It is I say to be then enquired whether all such societies as long as they sinne out of ignorance may by the judgement of charity in some sort be accounted for societies erected gathered and governed meerly by Ecclesiastick authority and right of common calling and in the name of the respective members of the Church in the tolerance and connivence of God as it hath been said that is for such societies wherein none either ruleth the Church or speaketh in the name of God or by way of embassage for God and wherein error both can and ought to be tolerated and with which societies ignorantly vaunting in the name of God though imperfect because amongst other things they want a word of mouth wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true and presumptuous because they boast their own concionatory word not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true for divine service performed in the name of God and because Ministers alone speak therein and that concerning any points whatsoever and performe the gathering government and discipline of their Churches in the name of God yet notwithstanding in regard of the edificative worship performed there by their Ministers and people though defectively and abusively a Christian may in charity communicate with them applying to them as neare as it may be that of the Apostle Despise not prophesyings prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.20 21. and making use of the Sacraments there as they are publick professions of the salvation of God gotten by the death and resurrection of Christ and common to all Christians without any regard had of the persons that administer them and their calling 159. If it be said that we ought not to account the foresaid societies for such by the judgement of charity let the reasons thereof be produced and let it be declared what manner of Churches they may by the judgement of charity be accounted that we may consider of it 160. But if it be answered that they may be accounted for such Churches wherein edificative worship is performed by every Christian respectively that abideth in them without reluctancy of conscience Then it is to be enquired whether one ought perpetually to communicate with those societies in that manner or not 161. If any thing be produced touching this matter we will consider of it 162. But if nothing
be produced Then it is to be enquired whether it be lawfull to communicate with those societies in that manner any longer then is sufficient for them being informed of the foresaid way of gathering governing Churches by Ecclesiastick authority duely to examine their gathering and governing of Churches in the name of God and publickly to declare their opinion touching the same whether those things are genuine that are done in the name of God or not again then is sufficient for them after they have found and published that these things are unlawfull which have been done in the name of God to institute in their stead in the connivence of God a publick worship drawn out of the Scripture that by this meanes the members of those societies abiding every one in his own society respectively may decently and in order without any seditions or schismes addict themselves to that worship of connivency and persist unanimously therein being backt with the concurrence of other like societies For if they either neglect or protract that examination or when they have made it refuse to declare and publish their opinion touching the usuall gathering and governing of their Churches but on the contrary traduce vexe and persecute those who have perswaded them to it and admonish them to publish it and so adde obstinacy to their error or after they have found and published that those things are unlawfull which they have hitherto practised causing them to be performed in the Church in the name of God yet notwithstanding neglect protract or refuse to institute that worship of connivence in short if such selfe condemned societies neverthelesse neither forsake their former worship nor institute the aforesaid worship of connivence Then I say it is to be enquired whether it be necessary in that case for Christians to seperate themselves from such societies every one from his own respectively accounting them not longer Churches of God but malignant societies whereinto the soule of a man fearing God and onely following the written word of God wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true ought not to enter 163. If it be said that it is not necessary for a Christian in such a case to separate himself from his own society let the reasons thereof be produced that we may consider of them 164. But if it be answered that it is necessary for him to do so Then it is to be enquired whether he ought to depart silently from that society without any declaration or having first used a declaration or first silently and afterwards using a declaration 165. If it be said that he ought to depart silently without any declaration let the reasons be produced and we will weigh them 166. But if it be answered that he ought to depart having first used or presently after using a declaration or first silently and afterwards using a declaration Then it is to be enquired How a Christian ought to behave himself in point of religious worship after he hath duly forsaken that vain society 167. If there be any expedients let them be produced and we will weigh them 168. But if nothing be produced touching this matter Then it is to be enquired whether it be not better for a Christian with a good conscience to performe privately a worship wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true by making use of the Scripture as it is and lies than contrary to his conscience to be present with an assembly publikely performing in the name of of God a worship no wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true though convinced in their own hearts of the unlawfulnesse thereof 169. If it be said that it is not better for him let the reasons thereof be produced that we may consider of them 170. But if it be answered that it is better for him to perform privately a worship wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true Then it is to be enquired whether in the case aforesaid namely when there is no publick worship found whereof a Christian can partake with a good conscience where I say it can be doubted but that pivate worship performed by meanes of the Scripture wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true doth then supply the place of true publick worship 171. If it be said that it may be doubted concerning that matter let the reasons be produced that we may consider of them 172. But if it be answered that it cannot be doubted concerning that matter Then it is to be enquired whether or no or how long a Christian fearing God ought to continue in that practise of private worship only 173. If any thing be produced touching this matter we will consider it 174. But if nothing be produced Then it is to be enquired whether since the very Scripture as it is lyes is publickly proposed for the only catechisme confession in the name of God also for the only means of the whole publick worship to be performed in the tolerance and connivence of God in this revolted state of the Church meerly by Ecclesiastick authority and right of common calling and in the name of the respective members of the Church also for the only meanes wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true of Ecclesiastick government in common fundamentalls and of mutuall publick edification by speech which are subordinate to the very Scripture it selfe and in their exercise come neerest to be wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true also for the fitting meanes of mutuall tolerance since I say the very Scripture it selfe is proposed in the foresaid manner by some Christians fearing God who in this revolted state of the Church have canvased the whole Scripture pro and con touching that gathering and governing of the Church in the tolerance and connivence of God and have sincerely communicated their collections to all the world and all Church gathering worship edification government and tolerance according to the most evident determination of the Scripture in those collections is setled meerly by Ecclesiastick authoritie and right of common calling in the name of the respective members of the Church with a ear alwaies open readily and thankfully to receive better information whether I say it be then seasonable and profitable for a Christian having proved the things aforesaid the best he can and sincerely and freely approving them to joyne himself to that societie to worship praise and professe God in a publick manner unanimously with many and mutually to edifie his neighbour in conference with those common fundamentalls to the intent that others may do in like manner and consequently according to the rate of the gifts in every age of such a Church the will of God may be done by all Christians unanimously in the earth as it is unanimously done in the heaven 175. If it be said that even then a Christian cannot joyne himselfe to such a society let the reasons thereof be produced that we may consider of them 176. But if it be answered that a Christian then may do it and it is
TO THE LAW AND TO The TESTIMONIE OR A Proposall of certain Cases of Conscience by way of quaere chiefly touching the publick worship of the New Testament and other things either necessary or profitable for Christianity presented to those Churches and Societies of Christians which professe the Scripture of the Old and New Testament for the only Rule of Faith Manners Wherein the true and genuine way to reconcile Christians is laid open Translated out of Latine into English by a lover of Truth and Peace LONDON Printed for George Whittington at the Blew Anchor in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1648. TO THE READER COurteous Reader That the Authors name and other circumstances of the Work are not here expressed know it was done for thy sake to prevent sinister prejudice which is wont commonly to arise from such undertakings especially when men write pro and con Otherwise there is no reason why they should not be published to all men In the meane time if thou knowest any thing belonging to this designe conceale it till the Author when he shall judge it expedient manifest himself Farewell Reade Iudge Answer but on this condition that thou remember it spoken to thy self and others Iohn 7.24 Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement A PREFACE WHosoever shall diligently enquire into the stirres and tumults that are every where to be seen amongst Christians will finde them chiefely to arise from hence that the Leaders of almost every Party claime to themselves a divine authority as if they were true Preachers and men of God Upon which ground they are so busie in stirring up not only private Christians but also Magistrates to engage themselves in the quarrell of the Church that is of the Priests esteeming the determinations of the Church as the Oracles of God Constantine the Great though otherwise a sage and excellent Prince was yet brought into this fooles paradise and so exceedingly doated on the Priests as that he stuck not to say that the voice of three hundred Bishops met together was no other then the voice of God himselfe and accordingly imployed his power in persecuting those whom the Bishops had voted Heretiques In whose steps Christian Princes have ever since for the most part trodden to the great disturbance of their Subjects and many times to the hazard of their own Crownes Wherefore it much conduceth to the Peace and Welfare of Christian States that the vanity of the claime which the Priests lay to divine Authority should be detected made known to the world that Christians may cease for shame to prosecute any longer their interests perceiving their office to be but an ordinance of man For if they as they pretend had received a Commission from God they would not only know when they received it and what the particulars of it are but would also be able to make it appeare to others For it would be unsuitable to the wisedome of God to send messengers on other termes since he would thereby expose not only them but his own Majesty to scorne and contempt For who would not laugh at such a Prince as should send Embassadours to treat of some waighty affayres in his Name without a Commission or Letters of Credence to give assurance of their Embassie But the Preachers of our times can neither tell us when the Word of God came to them as being instituted of man without any divine Revelation nor do they know what the particulars of their message are as learning all their skill out of books like other men and therefore being uncertaine of the truth of the Gospell they preach contrary to one another yea the same person oftentimes preacheth contrary to himselfe crying up that one while for truth which another while he cryeth down againe for errour nor can they make their calling apparant to others in that their speech and preaching standeth only in the plausible words of mans wisdome but not in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power and yet they presently take on if we receive them not as speaking in the Name of God not waighing that whosoever speaketh in the Name of God intituleth God to whatsoever he publisheth and consequently if his doctrine be false as that of our Preachers must needs be in regard of the contrarieties found therein intituleth God himselfe to false doctrine which is a grievous impiety Upon these grounds therefore let us compare the Preachers of our times with Christ and his Apostles which heretofore spake in the Name of God and we shall the better perceive how unlike our Preachers are to them and therefore cannot be their successours as they pretend nor true Messengers of God but rather false Prophets against whom God himselfe denounceth a woe for running when he hath not sent them and prophesying when he hath not spoken to them For Christ and his Apostles were certaine of the doctrin that they preached and therefore constantly taught in one and the same straine but our Preachers are altogether uncertaine of theirs and thereupon bewray so much sicklenesse in their teaching They required not that men should beleeve them as coming from God unlesse they did the works of God but our Preachers though destitute of divine power doe yet fall foule upon all those who do but make a question of their calling They though they were both themselves infallibly assured of their doctrine and could by miracles make their hearers also infallibly assured of it yet never desired that Refractories should be compelled to embrace it though thereby they should have been compelled to nothing but the truth but our Preachers though they be at a loss as to the exact and entire truth of the Gospell and not able to beget a certainty in their hearers yet never cease to importune the assistance of the Magistrate to force the people to submit to their doctrine though most commonly it be contrary both to Scripture and to common sense But let us leave prosecuting these false teachers in the Name of God any further lest we too much forestall the reasons that are held forth in this ensuing excellent discourse which doth so canvase the pretended divine authority that the Preachers of our times challenge to themselves and so drive them from post to pillar that they know not where to set their foot so that if they would but seriously waigh what is here offered to their view they would soone pull down their crests and cease to exalt themselves above their brethren acknowledging their owne institution to be as it is indeed meerly humane and that their doctrine ought not to be any further received then the hearers perceive it to be agreeable to Scripture and reason Which if they did the Christian world would soone be at peace and truth be daily more and more discovered since God is not to be found either in the whirlewinde of passion or in the earthquake of persecution but in the still voyce of love and
without prejudice argued on both sides pro and con and the weight and force of every place accurately scanned to the intent that all those places being set down discussed and weighed on both sides judgement may at length be made according as the manifest truth shall present it self to the view in some one of those parts immediatly confronted together 141. If it be said that there is no need of so laborious an enquiry after the truth in this matter let another way to search it out alike certain in this revolted state of the Church be produced and then we will consider of it 142. But if it be answered that in this state of the Church nothing can be certainly known or determined concerning that matter unlesse we proceed in the manner aforesaid Then it is to be enquired whether any men either have been or are now known who in this revolted state of the Church have so performed that thing 143. If it be said that there are some let the persons be named who have sought out and endeavoured that gathering and governing of Churches by all the meanes that have heretofore been or now are 144. But if it be answered that none either have bin or are now known who in this revolted state of the Church have taken that course Then it is to be enquired whether it can any longer be doubted whence so many and so great contentons and schismes have sprung up in the Christian Church and do as yet spring up since it is apparent that the neglect of this search hath been still is the cause of those stirs in that Ministers not observing or not regarding the want of fit persons and gifts for the administration of the Church in the name of God have yet adventured to continue in the name of God those Churches that were at first duely gathered and governed in the name of God or to erect new ones in the name of God by such means as were not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true Whereupon it came to passe that every one pretending to be a lawfull Minister in the name of God did captivate the people with his doctrine as duly proposed in the name of God and consequently to be strickly observed and so divided the people being zealous for their Ministers into divers factions whereas they ought to have measured themselves by their own module and after the want of fit persons and gifts to have gathered and governed Churches not in the name of God but only by Ecclesiastick authority and right of common calling and in the name of the respective members of the Church but as neer as might be in such a manner and by such meanes as were wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true according as God in the Scripture gives a toleration in such cases Also it is to be enquired whether the aforesaid collection and ranging of places of Scripture be esteemed a thing impossible or not 145. If it be said that it is esteemed a thing impossible Then I say that it is also impossible in this revolted state of the Church to gather and govern Churches in any convenient manner for how will it appear that it is done in a convenient manner if you proceed otherwise 146. But if it be answered that the collection aforesaid is not esteemed a thing impossible since few places are found in Scripture concerning this gathering and governing of Churches in that the Scripture was given to institute conserve and introduce the exactnesse of worship to be administred in the name of God and not to prescribe the worship of the apostolicall Church in the tolerance and connivence of God Then it is to be enquired whether the Churches which during the want of fit persons and gifts for the due administration of the Church in the name of God have been and still are gathered and governed neglecting to enquire the aforesaid manner of constituting Churches could and can accurately know whether they have been and are well gathered and governed 147. If it be said that they could and can accurately know it let the reasons there of be produced that we may consider of them 148. But if it be answered that they neither could nor can accurately know it and therefore justly ought to doubt whether that administration and constitution of Churches which hath heretofore passed and at this day passeth in the name of God be instituted commanded or welpleasingly permitted by Christ Then it is to be enquired whether all and singular persons who after the foresaid want of gifts and persons have not followed that course of searching out and constituting Churches but have continued in the name of God those Churches that were at first duely gathered and governed in the name of God or erected new ones in the name of God by such meanes as were not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true whether I say all such persons and their Churches ought to have been very shie of preaching in the name of God a word not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true of making in the name of God catechismes and confessions not wholly intrinsically undoubtedly and meerly true of administring Sacraments in the name of God of slighting and excommunicating other Churches of calling ordaining and sending Ministers in the name of God of examining men about their faith of governing the Church of exercising Ecclesiastick discipline in the name of God of framing and imposing liturgies and consistoriall classicall and synodall acts and Ecclesiastick decrees in the name of God of imploring the secular arme to punish such as they call Hereticks and Schismaticks of publickly blessing the people in the name of God of praying publickly for all the people as if they were Ministers sent to discharge an embassage for Christ of making hymnes to be publickly sung in the Church as a part of divine service of making formes of administration of baptisme and the Lords Supper of ordination of Ministers Elders and Deacons of making formes of marriage excommunication reception and admission into the Church of the deposition of Ministers of the visitation of the sick and of private prayers of making formes to bid publicke fasts and dayes of humiliation of making formes to appoint holy dayes rites and ceremonies in the Church all which formes have beene made as by Ministers sent in the name of God Moreover they ought to have been shie of translations of the Scripture of written commentaries of written Sermons of common Places Theses and the like made and proposed to the people as by Ministers officiating for God also of opening erecting and governing Schooles and Universities of callings elections confirmations and ordinations of Doctors Bachelors and Professors of Divinity of licencing books of opening and shutting the presse of ordaining publicke Readers of the Scripture Clerks and Visiters of the sick of forbidding to converse with Christians of other societies of forbidding the mutuall edification of Christians in publick of requiring of Christians a publicke